Kenneth Waltz, 1924–2013

Kenneth Waltz passed away on May 13, 2013. Arguably the most influential scholar of international relations of the past half-century, Waltz will be remembered for his steadfast commitment to rigorous thought, his development of structural realist theory, his classic books, including Man, the State, and War and Theory of International Politics, his arguments for why nuclear proliferation promotes peace, and a host of seminal articles. Within hours of his passing, the first of many tributes to his legacy began to appear. Stephen Walt has offered these reflections on why Waltz was an outstanding teacher, as well as a leading scholar.

Waltz's influence is particularly evident in the pages of International Security. His ideas inspired or provoked a large proportion of the articles that this journal has published. Structural realists attempted to build on his theoretical insights. To varying degrees, neoclassical realists, liberal theorists, rational institutionalists, constructivists, and others sought to modify or challenge them. He also was a contributor to these pages. In two International Security articles, Waltz extended and applied his realist theory to the post–Cold War international system. They are among the most frequently cited and assigned articles to have appeared in the journal. To commemorate his legacy, we are making both available here.

Kenneth N. Waltz, "The Emerging Structure of International Politics," International Security, Vol. 18, No. 2 (Fall 1993), pp. 44–79.

Kenneth N. Waltz, "Structural Realism after the Cold War," International Security, Vol. 25, No. 1 (Summer 2000), pp. 5–41.