Introduction and methodology
Dehio's theory : the wars for hegemony in Europe and rise of the world powers
Hegemonic war and the Hellenic state system
The Hellenistic state system and Roman hegemony
Hegemony and culture : the Italian Renaissance state system and the Roman Empire
Dehio and German historiography : interpreting the German bid for supremacy
The European system and the Western Hemisphere : the dynamics of hegemony and plurality
Dehio's theory and contemporary American grand strategy
Hegemonic war, American grand strategy, and the contemporary Middle Eastern state system
Hegemonic war, American grand strategy, and the contemporary East Asian state system
Conclusion : the future of global order : hegemonic conflict or concert of great powers
Afterword : hegemony, nihilism, and decline.