Stephanie Lawson, 'A Short Introduction to International Relations': (Cambridge: Polity, 2003), vi, 160pp., $US19.95, ISBN 0745629601

This textbook is one in a series of short introductions to different disciplines. It surveys the essence of International Relations (IR) by exploring key theoretical debates and empirical trends pertaining. Stephanie Lawson has responded well to the challenge of writing a concise introduction to a vast and complex subject. Given that it is a slim volume, it would be pointless to dwell on issues left out or treated in brief. Rather, this review focuses on what the author has covered, how well it serves newcomers to the discipline and the extent to which she has made her own stamp on this genre of textbooks.