Thucydides’ Other “Traps”: The United States, China, and the Prospect of “Inevitable” War

Authors

Alan Greeley Misenheimer

Files

Description

The notion of a “Thucydides Trap” that will ensnare China and the United States in a 21st century conflict—much as the rising power of Athens alarmed Sparta and made war “inevitable” between the Aegean superpowers of the 5th century BCE—has received global attention since entering the international relations lexicon 6 years ago. Scholars, journalists, bloggers, and politicians in many countries, notably China, have embraced this beguiling metaphor, coined by Harvard political science professor Graham Allison, as a framework for examining the likelihood of a Sino-American war.

Publication Date

6-2019

Publisher

National Defense University Press

City

Washington, DC

Recommended Citation

Misenheimer, Alan Greeley, "Thucydides’ Other “Traps”: The United States, China, and the Prospect of “Inevitable” War" (2019). NDU Case Studies. 6.
https://digitalcommons.ndu.edu/ndu-case-studies/6