The Global Village Myth: Distance, War, and the Limits of Power

Does technology kill distance? Does the 'globalisation' of the world make the US and its allies vulnerable to violence, terrorism or cyber-assault? 'Globalism'-- the belief that changes in information, transport and communications are dangerously shrinking the world -- is a reigning assumption amongst security elites. It makes the United States and its allies feel perpetually insecure, haunted by rumours of chain reactions and the domino effect. At the same time, the vision of instant and borderless warfare can be seductive, making Westerners believe they must strike first, with new powers to tame a chaotic world. Under the shadow of Globalism, disastrous wars are fought, civil liberties are threatened and hysteria replaces sober debate about foreign policy. In The Global Village Myth, Patrick Porter demonstrates through studies of Al-Qaeda's global terror network, military tensions in the Taiwan Strait, drones and cyberwar, that Globalism is wildly overstated. Technology may accelerate movement and compress physical space. But it does not necessarily shrink strategic space, the ability to project power affordably across the earth. If distance is created by humans exploiting technology and terrain, the world in important ways is getting larger, not smaller. This makes us less powerful, but more secure, than we think. Porter offers an alternative outlook to lead policymakers toward more sensible responses and a wiser, more sustainable, grand strategy.

About the Author :
Patrick Porter is Professor of Strategic Studies, University of Exeter and the author of Military Orientalism: Eastern War through Western Eyes, also available from Hurst.

Review :
'In an era when Russia warns us that it is a 'minority stakeholder in globalisation' and China warns that global civil society is a 'moral threat to the values of Chinese society', Patrick Porter has produced a disturbing and timely wake-up call. A masterful refutation of the moral fantasies about global politics that have gone unchallenged for far too long.' -- Christopher Coker, Professor of International Relations, London School of Economics 'This fascinating and well-researched book demolishes the widespread belief that modern technology both exposes the United States to unprecedented dangers and enables it to control distant lands at little or no cost. With clear-eyed logic, Patrick Porter explains why distance, borders, and other key elements of geopolitics remain highly relevant in the era of drones, cyber-technology, and decentralised terror networks. His arguments are nuanced and clear, his criticisms of the conventional wisdom are compelling, and the implications for national security policy are profound.'-- Stephen Walt, Robert and Renee Belfer Professor of International Affairs, Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government 'Patrick Porter has written a brilliant book about projecting military power in the modern world. In particular, he shatters the widely held belief that globalisation has shrunk the planet, making it easy for bad guys everywhere to strike at the United States and its allies. One hopes that at least some of the many threat inflaters who populate the West will take the time to read The Global Village Myth. They would learn a lot.' -- John Mearsheimer, the R. Wendell Harrison Distinguished Service Professor of Political Science, University of Chicago