Resolve in International Politics

This book examines the concept of resolve and its role in international politics. It aims not to “bring resolve back in,” but rather, to lend it microfoundations, to help us understand what resolve is, and how—and whether—it works. Using a behavioral theory of resolve, the book suggests that variation in time and risk preferences, honor orientation, and self-control shape how actors respond to the situations they face. This chapter discusses the definition of resolve, the place of resolve in international relations, the prevalence of references to resolve in the international security literature, the relationship of resolve to capabilities and intentions, and situational and dispositional theories of resolve. It contends that the term resolve is often used in the study of international politics in imprecise and incompatible ways.