New Books in Political Science Our Age of War: A Discussion with Author Robert Pape
Mar 18, 2026
Robert Pape, a University of Chicago political scientist who studies international security and coercion, discusses living in an Age of War. He explores rising violent populism and the normalization of political violence. He links U.S. social change to global instability. He also analyzes strategic dilemmas around Iran, state collapse, and how conflicts can become prolonged.
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Normalization Of Political Violence Through Ratcheting
- The 21st century shows a normalization of political violence driven by a ratcheting effect in expectations.
- Robert A. Pape ties rising violence to changing norms, arguing repeated shocks make violence seem normal and easier to cross thresholds.
Hobbes Versus Locke Explains International Order Shifts
- The Hobbes versus Locke framework explains shifts between violent and more peaceful international orders.
- Pape says the post-1945 liberal order was Lockean, reducing war for 75 years, but recent trends are reintroducing Hobbesian dynamics.
U.S. Social Change Is A Global Driver Of Violence
- U.S. domestic social changes are key international drivers: demographic shift to a nonwhite majority and extreme wealth concentration.
- Pape argues these two trends create existential politics that normalize radicalism across Western democracies.
