Prospecting for New IR Theory: Auctions and Strategic Interaction

Abstract

International relations theory is much more explanatory in retrospect than predictive in prospect. Persistent contradictions in international relations challenge rational analysis. As James Fearon posits War's Inefficiency Puzzle, "The central puzzle about war, and also the main reason we study it, is that wars are costly but nonetheless recur." Explanations in the current body of theory seem incomplete. A breakthrough will require expanding analysis beyond inward self-study to the outward study of strategic interaction and the interaction mechanisms between cognitive competitors. In prospecting for this new international relations theory, the economics of competitive interaction in auctions may provide a window into strategic interaction more broadly. This paper departs from the last great innovation in applied economics, Prospect Theory, to propose the study of auction interactions as a mechanism to more predictive international relations theory.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 02, 2018
Accession Number
AD1062030

Entities

People

  • Luke A. Frost

Organizations

  • Naval War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Arms Control
  • Cognition
  • Economic Models
  • Economics
  • Foreign Policy
  • Game Theory
  • Governments
  • Human Behavior
  • Intergovernmental Organizations
  • International Organizations
  • International Relations
  • Judgment
  • National Security
  • New York
  • Psychology
  • United States
  • War Colleges

Readers

  • Game Theory.
  • Systems Analysis and Design
  • Theoretical Analysis.