World Politics, or international relations (IR) more generally, is a field of social scientific inquiry developed in the historical and theoretical context of the West. This book recasts IR in East Asia’s historical and cultural context, especially Korea and China. It does so by translating familiar IR jargon into local words and adages rather than inventing new, unfamiliar terms. This unique approach not only makes the concepts more accessible but also enriches them with the unique perspectives of East Asian culture. The book refers to historical episodes and adages familiar to the locals, making the concepts more relatable and understandable. In doing so, it caters to readers both in the East by making Western social science more familiar and in the West by introducing them to new cultural perspectives. Despite this cultural focus, the book maintains the integrity of IR as a scientific field. The book explains concepts and theories with easy, fresh metaphors and analogies blended with East Asian traditions and examples. As such, this book is an easy introduction to International Relations. Written in plain words and succinct sentences, it is accessible by readers at all levels, from early college or even high school students to ordinary citizens interested in international affairs and from both West and East cultural traditions. Readers will find it intriguing to observe the same pattern of balance of power in modern Europe and ancient China, and Confucius and Kant left the same lessons on knowledge. Table of Contents: Preface Chapter 1. Studying IR: What, why, and how? Part I. Key Concepts Chapter 2. Political Man and Political Power Chapter 3. State, Nation, and Nation-State Chapter 4. International Society and International System Part II. Theoretical Perspectives Chapter 5. The Structure and Evolution of IR Theories Chapter 6. Political Realism: The logic of war Chapter 7. International Liberalism: The logic of peace Chapter 8. Social Constructivism: The logic of transformation Postscript. Let the Dog Wag the Tail, or Diplomacy Tame Politics Glossary References Index About the Author: Professor Taehyun Kim received a BA and MA from Seoul National University and an MA and Ph. D. from the Ohio State University. Before he joined the Graduate School of International Studies at Chung-Ang University (GSIS-CAU) in Seoul, Korea, for the rest of his career, he worked at the Sejong Institute, a think-tank specialized in national security and unification issues. At GSIS-CAU, Professor Kim did an awkward job teaching IR in English to local students. As the student group became increasingly international, the awkward job became intriguing, and he enjoyed it to produce this text. Professor Kim also taught at the University of Florida, the Ohio State University, the Georgia Institute of Technology, and the University of Yangon. He had written and published broadly on IR theories, national and international security of South Korea and East Asia, and inter-Korean relations. He served as President of the Korean Association of International Studies in 2015.