This book analyses the near crisis phase of conflict and escalation in world politics.

Time-sensitive disputes between states, and even with violent non-state actors, do not involve significant risk of military escalation, at least in the moment. Investigating how and why some near crises escalate, while others do not, requires an explanation of the different dynamics of international disputes and the policy tools that states and international institutions can employ. This volume examines cases such as Hezbollah’s 2006 cross-border raid, the 2015 Iranian Ballistic Missile Test, and the 1995 Norwegian Black Brant Missile Launch to reveal there is much to be learned about the full process of (de)-escalation once the near crisis stage is included, as well as from cases that did not escalate to crisis. Overall, this volume contributes toward higher levels of understanding about how and why some international conflicts escalate while others do not.

This book will be of much interest to students of security studies, conflict studies, foreign policy and International Relations.

Victor Asal is Director of the Center for Policy Research and Professor of Political Science at the University at Albany, USA.

Kyle Beardsley is Professor of Political Science at Duke University, USA, the Director of the Triangle Institute for Security Studies, and the co-Director of the International Crisis Behavior Data Project.

Edward A. Gonzalez is an instructor of political science at Compton College, USA. He has a PhD from the University of Southern California.

Patrick James is Dean's Professor Emeritus of International Relations at the University of Southern California, USA. He is the author of over 30 books, along with more than 180 articles and chapters, on International Relations.

Steven E. Lobell is Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Utah, USA. He served as the PI for “Power Projection, Deterrence Strategies, and Escalation Dynamics in an Era of Challenging Near Peers, Rogue States, and Terrorist and Insurgent Organizations,” Minerva Research Initiative and Office of Naval Research.

Norrin M. Ripsman is Monroe J. Rathbone Distinguished Professor of International Relations at Lehigh University, USA.

Scott Silverstone is Professor of International Relations at the United States Military Academy at West Point. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania and is the author of three books.