This ambitious volume aims to advance the study of international politics ‘beyond anarchy’ by proposing the concept of rule as an overarching concept that encompasses existing conceptions of hierarchy, hegemony, and authority. In the introductory chapter, the editors define rule as ‘constellations of formally or informally institutionalized sub- and superordination with the aim of affecting the distribution of basic goods and influence and of stabilizing expectations, regardless of whether these constellations are primarily of sociocultural, economic, or military nature’ (p. 4). The volume then features contributions from leading scholars in global governance, organized into three parts dedicated, respectively, to the theorization of rule; the practices involved in ruling; and resistance to rule. According to the editors, the proposed concept of rule provides two main advantages. First, it integrates different forms of sub- and superordination while leaving room to consider their different forms, sources, and consequences. Second, it highlights blindspots in existing scholarship pertaining to ‘the practices of rule and the relational and dynamic characteristics of rule’ (p. 4). Overall, the volume’s chapters apply the proposed conceptual framework to differing extents, sometimes relying on existing conceptions of authority or rules rather than the proposed concept of rule. The potential advantages of this concept are perhaps best realized in the chapter by Witt, which examines the co-constitution of authority at the international and the state level using the case of the African Union’s anti-coup intervention in Madagascar (2009–14). The volume sparks debate among scholars working on international order, stratification, and differentiation – and on the usefulness of such concepts in moving the study of international politics beyond anarchy.