Management of Strategic Crises and the Structure of the International System

The structure of the international system affects the manner in which its sub-units manage international crises, due to its influence on the tools and outcomes of crisis management. Conversely, the manner in which international crises are managed, especially by the superpowers, affects the international system itself. A complete transformation and change in the form of polarity exhibited by the international system is caused by both major and minor changes within. This study uses three variables: international alignments, the arena of international struggle, and international values. These variables are used to present a comparative analysis of the management of international crises under various structures of the international system (multipolarity, bipolarity, and unipolarity). The aim is to understand the manner in which international crises are managed according to each of these structural models, as well as to understand the behavior of major powers and their awareness of limits to the influence of the variables during crises.