Realism · John Mearsheimer
The Rivalry Brief
Can cooperation help create a future rival? Use Mearsheimer’s account of U.S.–China competition to build a short brief and apply it to a flashpoint.
Before you begin
Read John J. Mearsheimer’s “The Inevitable Rivalry” and keep it open. Allow 35–40 minutes after reading.
Provider access and privacy
Sign in to Gemini to use the guided conversation. Google handles the conversation under its own account, age and usage rules. Keep student records and sensitive information out of the conversation.
Reading prompts
Work through these on your own, in a discussion, or with the reading partner.
- State the author’s central claim in your own words.
- Point to one passage or piece of evidence that supports the explanation.
- Offer a plausible alternative and name an observation that could distinguish it.
- Write a conclusion that fits the evidence and a question that remains open.