'From the first page, Crawford's seductively written book grabs readers like a powerful novel. Its main value, however, and the main reason it will leave a lasting mark, is its unique and important explanation of German foreign policy, which bridges the systemic-foreign policy divide. Suggesting that Germany's foreign policy has been characterized by the embedding of power in international institutions, Crawford's book is a must read for everyone interested in Germany's latest transformation and in innovative International Relations theory.' - Emanuel Adler, Andrea and Charles Bronfman Chair in Israeli Studies, University of Toronto, Canada
'Beverly Crawford's book offers a powerful and provocative argument which challenges much of the received wisdom about the foundations of and prospects for Germany's role in Europe and beyond. While most scholars continue to maintain that the core of post-unification German foreign policy remains basically unchanged, Crawford observes in that policy a tectonic shift. Elegantly synthesizing realist and liberal theory she provides an original argument that Germany may indeed be regarded as both a liberal and highly self-interested European hegemon. Even those readers who won't fully accept the argument will be impressed by its subtlety and the evidence presented.' - Gunther Hellmann, Professor of Political Science, Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
'What shapes German foreign policy? Beverly Crawford asks important questions and gives cogent answers. Rather than merely describing policy outcomes, she explains them.' - Kenneth N. Waltz, Senior Research Scholar, Institute of War and Peace Studies, Columbia University, USA