An editorial and publishing venture of the size of this Handbook of International Relations is impossible without incurring a number of debts. These require public acknowledgement, but unfortunately all cannot be named here, not only because the list is so long, but also because some of the most valued advice we have received has been provided under a veil of anonymity. However, except for those whom the publishers enlisted as external reviewers of our initial proposal, we know who they are, and will always remain grateful for their help even if we cannot identify them openly here. The same goes for those who continue to remain unknown to us, but whose written advice has been an equally valuable part of the editorial process.

The only reason why the names of the members of the International Advisory Board will not be mentioned here is that this list of distinguished colleagues is published elsewhere in this volume. Apart from this, we have a number of very good reasons to acknowledge openly and fully their invaluable contributions since the very beginning of this project. Always forthcoming when we sought their help in various ways, they provided us with the solid intellectual and disciplinary foundations which are a sine qua non for a venture of this kind. Some of them contributed considerably more by accepting to author or co-author individual chapters as well.

The idea to publish this Handbook was first broached by the publishers, who thus deserve more than the usual passing tribute, particularly since Simon Ross and Lucy Robinson never faltered in providing constant encouragement, friendly advice and cheerful admonitions throughout the long process between the initial conception and final delivery of what has become this heavy tome. In this connection we would also like to mention Vanessa Harwood, who came late into the process as senior production editor but who not only quickly caught on to the informality of our working style, but who was also highly instrumental in saving us from completely missing our publication date. Although all three undoubtedly knew much better than the editors how treacherous and difficult the production of a volume of this kind and size can be, they kept their nerve and never gave any indications that they did not believe fully in our capacity to deliver. For this trust, and for challenging us to pursue this venture in the first place, we owe them considerable gratitude.

This also goes for our individual working places, not least for underwriting the costs–in terms of both time, money and in other ways–which are incurred in a project of this kind. In this regard we are particularly grateful to the Department of Government at Uppsala University which has functioned as the administrative [Page xx]center of the project since its inception, freely providing copying, mailing and other facilities, as well as an inspiring environment in general. The European University Institute in Florence must also be mentioned here, especially for hosting–in what must be one of the most breathtakingly beautiful academic milieus in existence today–the initial brainstorming session which launched the Handbook as a dynamic (and demanding) part of our professional lives for over three years.

Finally, it would be totally remiss of us not to acknowledge our profound debt to the individual authors themselves. Without their hard and conscientious work, performed with enthusiasm but without remuneration, this Handbook of International Relations would obviously never have seen the light of day in the first place.