| Strange, in her analysis of U.S. hegemony highlighted the importance of structural power as an analytical tool and relevant factor over the more traditional aspects of hard and soft (relational) power. She posited in 1987 that given American preponderance in structural power, its hegemonic status had not disappeared. The thirty-plus years since her original publication have not witnessed the widespread usage of structural power theory in the analysis of U.S. hegemony or of states in general. Given the military, sociopolitical, financial, and economic events of the past decade, this study endeavors to once again ascertain the hegemonic status of the United States by employing a historical and contemporary analysis of structural power that has been neglected by most researchers. I contend that the United States is currently a global hegemon in decline, and reinforce this position using detailed analysis of indicators of structural power, from 1945 to today. |
