Definition
The absence of a central authority above sovereign states in the international system; it does not necessarily mean chaos.
Theoretical Context
Anarchy means the absence of a central authority above states, not an absence of law or cooperation. Realists examine insecurity and self-help, institutionalists study cooperation without world government, and constructivists investigate how states' shared identities shape anarchy's meaning.
Key Thinkers
Kenneth Waltz
Alexander Wendt