Geopolitics Books

Book SynopsisExplores the relationship between soft power and film in relation to national and transnational cinemas.Trade Review"Offering a comprehensive and highly original perspective, Cinema and Soft Power is a significant contribution to the field. Anyone seeking to understand the value of cinema as a soft power instrument in case studies beyond the usual suspects" will appreciate both the breadth and depth of this collection of essays."" -Gary Rawnsley, University of Nottingham Ningbo China

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Book SynopsisHow do digital technologies shape the experiences and meanings of migration?As the numbers of people fleeing war, poverty, and environmental disaster reach unprecedented levels worldwide, states also step up their mechanisms of border control. In this, they rely on digital technologies, big data, artificial intelligence, social media platforms, and institutional journalism to manage not only the flow of people at crossing-points, but also the flow of stories and images of human mobility that circulate among their publics. What is the role of digital technologies is shaping migration today? How do digital infrastructures, platforms, and institutions control the flow of people at the border? And how do they also control the public narratives of migration as a crisis? Finally, how do migrants themselves use these same platforms to speak back and make themselves heard in the face of hardship and hostility? Taking their case studies from the biggest migration eTrade ReviewIn a provocative contribution, Chouliaraki and Georgiou illuminate the exclusionary workings of digital borders. This broad-ranging book launches a compelling critique of the constitutive power of digital infrastructures in shaping the crisis of migration. Timely and topical, The Digital Border will be essential reading across disciplines about transformations in border regimes. * Radha S. Hegde, author of Mediating Migration *Provides a striking critical analysis of the mutations and workings of border regimes. While its focus is the digitalization of border control, it more broadly places its analysis within an understanding of the border as a field of tensions, shedding light on its territorial and symbolic dimension as well as on the multiple regimes of securitization at work today. * Sandro Mezzadra, University of Bologna *The Digital Border’s contribution lies in many spaces but its ability to connect questions of power, technology, datafication, entrepreneurship, the commons and media narratives is impressive... That this book is timely goes without saying. It’s nuanced and thickly layered conceptual focus married to rich empirical cases does the work of appealing to different audiences at a time when imaginaries of crisis exist in a heightened form globally. As such, this book is the perfect companion to help debunk, re-imagine and understand the aggrieved world we find ourselves inhabiting in 2023. -- Ethnic and Racial Studies * Ethnic and Racial Studies *This book ... is a loud and well-crafted call for fundamental human rights and a deep analytical work that critically explores the structures and practices of inequality in citizenship and mobility. The book reveals a complex combination of humanitarianism and dehumanization of border work based on a pedagogy of crisis in Western societies that has the security-migration nexus at its core. * Nordic Journal of Migration Research *

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Book SynopsisThe relationship between Germany and Russia is Europe’s most important link with the largest country on the continent. But despite Germany’s unparalleled knowledge and historical experience, its policymakers struggle to accept that Moscow’s efforts to rebalance Europe at the cost of the cohesion of the EU and NATO are an attack on Germany’s core interests. This book explains the scale of the challenge facing Germany in managing relations with a changing Russia. It analyses how successive German governments from 1991 to 2014 misread Russian intentions, until Angela Merkel sharply recalibrated German and EU policy towards Moscow. The book also examines what lies behind efforts to revise Merkel’s bold policy shift, including attitudes inherited from the GDR and the role of Russian influence channels in Germany.Trade Review'I have found John Lough's Germany's Russia Problem an ideal book as we contemplate the source of energy we will draw on for heat and light in the decades ahead.'TLS'The title of John Lough’s book itself makes clear that this is not another academic sand box exercise. He wants to make things better.'Die Welt 'John Lough has written a stimulating book rich in knowledge.’ Frankfurter Allgemeine'Suffused with nostalgia for the glory days of Ostpolitik, Germany’s approach to Russia bogs down in what might more aptly be called Lost-politik. Cliches, wishful thinking and neuroses are its hallmarks. John Lough nails them all. With admirable clarity, fairness and insight, he lays bare the roots and results of Germany’s failure to think strategically about Russia, and the price that everyone else pays as a result.'Edward Lucas, author of The New Cold War ‘Provocative and brilliantly written, this book examines the deep relationship between two mutually indispensable nations and explains how Russia triggers reflexes in Germany that distort its policy thinking and produce contradictory results. With courage, honesty and insight, John Lough navigates one of the most sensitive areas of global politics today and sees a crucial role for Germany in creating a transformative environment around Russia that can facilitate its return to Europe.’Lilia Shevtsova, author of Putin's Russia'John Lough‘s book is nuanced, astute and fair. That makes his account of how hope keeps triumphing over experience in Germany‘s Russia policy all the more devastating.'Constanze Stelzenmüller, Fritz Stern Chair, Brookings Institution'Germany’s Russia Problem astutely explores Germany’s many centuries-old traumatic phobias, romantic fixations, rough disillusionments and incapacitating paralyses in its relations with Russia. It is a crisply and fairly written book vital to our understanding of the nature and progression of Germany’s – and, with it, Europe’s – Russia problem.' Andriy Tyushka, LSE Review of Books -- .Table of ContentsIntroduction1 The weight of history2 The development of German attitudes towards Russia3 The miracle of reunification4 A failure to read Russia correctly5 2014: abandonment of illusions6 An unfulfilled economic relationship7 Russian influence in Germany8 The outlookConclusionIndex

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Book SynopsisThe events of the Arab Uprisings posed an existential challenge to sovereign power across the Middle East. Whilst popular movements resulted in the toppling of authoritarian rule in Tunisia, Egypt and Yemen, other regimes were able to withstand these pressures. This book questions why some regimes fell whilst others were able to survive. Drawing on the work of political theorists such as Agamben and Arendt, Mabon explores the ways in which sovereign power is contested, resulting in the fragmentation of political projects across the region. Combining an innovative theoretical approach with interviews with people across the region and beyond, Mabon paints a picture of Middle Eastern politics dominated by elites seeking to maintain power and wealth, seemingly at whatever cost. This book is essential reading for those interested in understanding why the uprisings took place, their geopolitical consequences, and why they are likely to happen again.Trade Review'A theoretically-informed and empirically-rich exploration of the impacts of the contestation of sovereign power on states, societies, identities and the regulation of time and space. A creative intellectual tour de force, one rarely encountered in studies of the contemporary Middle East'Bassel Salloukh, Lebanese American University'Situated at the nexus between political theory and Middle East Studies, Houses Built on Sand investigates the claims and mechanisms through which life is regulated in the Middle East. The theme of sovereignty and its relationship to political power is the anchor for this rigorously researched book that breaks new intellectual ground. An important and timely contribution, especially for those interested in a philosophical understanding of the turbulence and protest that continues to rock the Arab-Islamic world.'Nader Hashemi, University of Denver, USA'The politics of sectarian difference in the Middle East have been cast in many ways, but never with such rigor and heart as Houses Built on Sand. By examining sovereign power and its fragmentation, Mabon has constructed a comparative framework that is elastic enough to contain the myriad of local and national experiences with sectarian ‘othering.’ At the same time, the book connects developments across the region using cutting edge political theory to explain recent and devastating contestations between rulers and ruled, including the notion of the abandonment of the ruled by the rulers through such mechanisms as the formation of internal enemies along sect-differences. Meanwhile, displaced individuals find meaning and purpose in transnational communal networks, ramping up the potential for instability and violence, as well as rebirth and change. In this dynamic and important work, Mabon uncovers the role of agency in the forms and behavior taken by sovereign power. He shows us sovereignty’s fundamental fragility in the wake of mass-mobilized frustration, and he helps us to reimagine a normative space in the Middle East where people’s safety and security might someday come before grandiose political projects.'Staci Strobl, University of Wisconsin-Platteville, USA'At a moment in which political orders in the Middle East are under exceptional strain Mabon explores the effects of fragmented sovereignties on the political trajectories of states, societies, and communities in the Middle East. His account of the many ways in which competing claims to sovereignty, legitimacy, and authenticity manifest themselves across multiple political and social registers, often at great human cost, is eloquent, theoretically rich, and marvelously ambitious. Sweeping in its historical and geographic scope, Mabon’s work is acute and urgent in calling our attention to the conditions that sustain violence, exclusion, and conflict in today’s Arab world.'Professor Steven Heydemann, Smith College, USA'In this outstanding, elegantly written first volume in the Manchester University Press "Identities and Geopolitics in the Middle East" series, Mabon (Lancaster Univ., UK) focuses on the legalistic concept of sovereignty and the forces that undermine it, with existing states challenged by the Islamic concept of one ummah (community), the more secular ideology of pan-Arabism, and ethnic separatist movements as well as sectarianism fomented as a Machiavellian strategy. The study is informed by a wide range of political theorists and employs Greek terminology, such as nomos (law), which some readers likely will dismiss as unnecessary pedantry. However, the author demonstrates a vast amount of knowledge based on published material in diverse languages and on extensive travel and interaction with a variety of people in the region. He deftly analyzes the Arab Spring and its degeneration into renewed despotism, sectarian conflict, and anarchy but suggests that regimes built on shaky foundations may face renewed popular challenges in the future. This book is essential reading for advanced students of the contemporary Middle East and for those concerned more broadly with nation building and nation decay.'--G. E. Perry, emeritus, Indiana State University, CHOICE -- .Table of ContentsIntroduction1 The Politics of Sovereignty and Space2 Letters and Declarations3 Ink on Paper4 The dawla and the umma5 Building Beirut, Transforming Jerusalem and Breaking Basra6 The People Want the Fall of the Regime7 The Regime Fights Back8 Houses Built on SandConclusions: The End of the DreamSelect bibliography

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Book SynopsisIn this engaging book, David M. McCourt makes the case for New Constructivist approaches to international relations scholarship. The book traces constructivist work on culture, identity, and norms within the historical, geographical, and professional contexts of world politics, and reflects on recent innovations in fields including practice theory, relationalism, and network analysis. Copiously illustrated with real-world examples from the rise of China and US foreign policy, it illuminates the processes by which international politics are built. This is both an accessible tour of Constructivism to date and a persuasive declaration for its continuing application and value.Table of ContentsIntroduction: What Is Constructivism? 1. The Old Constructivism 2. The New Constructivism 3. Rules, Law, and Language in the New Constructivism 4. World-Making: Experts and Professionals in the New Constructivism 5. New Constructivist Methodology and Methods 6. Politics, Ethics, and Knowledge in the New Constructivism 7. The New Constructivism as a Phronetic Social Science Conclusion: The Space of Constructivism

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Book SynopsisSince 2008, Greece has been at the centre of European current affairs due to the financial and economic crisis. However, it should not be forgotten that before the current crisis the political upheavals of the early 1990s and the collapse of Marxist-inspired regimes had already radically transformed the face of the country. These transformations have been seen as a return of the Balkans’ question, raising issues of border disputes and migration, minorities and national inclusion. They have had far-reaching consequences on the relations between Greek society and its peripheries, and what some have deemed to be its destabilising diversity. In this context, the material presented in this book examines the strengthening of discourses of belonging which draw legitimacy from a glorification of the past and tradition. The fieldwork carried out over the past 15 years on the fringes of Greece has focused on groups who were stigmatised and distanced from standard definitions of Greekness. It provides an original perspective on the changes that the country has undergone in recent decades. The question of the nation-state’s future is raised through close observation on the local scale, leading to a debate about the relationship between areal and reticular territory within the framework of globalisation. This book also aims to provide non-Francophone readers with access to research carried out on these issues in France, shifting the focus of Balkan Anglophone specialists for whom French publications remain a distant province.Trade Review‘Indeed, the time-space variations in the mobilities described in the empirical chapters of the book offer important lessons for the broader study of migration as a complex socio-spatial phenomenon.’ Russell King, Balkanologie Table of ContentsIntroductionShadows and lightMemory – identity –territory as a trinity for observation Chapter 1: Understanding Greece in the worldThe geo-political upheavals of the 1990sA new intensity in international migrations and domestic mobilityMigration Studies in the Balkans: a multiplicity of perspectivesTowards new fields of researchLocality as an indicator of globalisation Chapter 2: Conflictual memories and migration between Greece and AlbaniaMigration seen from aboveDiscovering relational space(Re)discovering the link beyond othernessMigration, transnational relationships and minority issues in GreeceA new survey deep within the marginsLandscape and places: relating the conflict or ‘silencing the past’?A never-ending fragmentation? Chapter 3: The Jewish community of Rhodes: a revitalised fragment of the Greek mosaicHistoric fragments of Aegean AndalusiaA community of memoryJuderia rediscoveredThe Jewish past in actionThe grindings of memoryTowards a successful heritage status: tourism as an ally?Counter-memory and local feeling Chapter 4: Mobilities, heritage and the construction of border territoriesReturn to ThesprotiaReminiscences of ‘home’… elsewhere‘New rural communities’ and changing lifestyles‘Good patrimonial practices’ in MacedoniaNymfaio: tourism as a sole perspective?Creating order, starting projectsThe border as a new locus for resources?Geopolitics and cross-border cooperation Chapter 5: Rescaling power in an era of globalisationFrom roots to pastures newLosing the border and regaining memory(ies)From transformation in the ways of inhabiting place to the mobilisation of memory: territorial impactUsing locality to gain ‘roots and wings’Effects of globalisation?Institutional back-up for an alternative recourse to the past‘Glocalised’ processes?Scales of globalisation in the Balkans Conclusion

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Book SynopsisHow does the Taliban wage war? How has its war changed over time? Firstly, the movement’s extraordinary military operation relies on financial backing. This volume analyses such funding. The Taliban’s external sources of support include foreign governments and non-state groups, both of which have affected the Taliban's military campaigns and internal politics. Secondly, this is the first full-length study of the Taliban to acknowledge and discuss in detail the movement’s polycentric character. Here not only the Quetta Shura, but also the Haqqani Network and the Taliban’s other centres of power, are afforded the attention they deserve. The Taliban at War is based on extensive field research, including hundreds of interviews with Taliban members at all levels of the organisation, community elders in Taliban-controlled areas, and other sources. It covers the Taliban insurgency from its first manifestations in 2002 up to the end of 2015. The five-month Battle of Kunduz epitomised the ongoing transition of the Taliban from an insurgent group to a more conventional military force, intent on fighting a protracted civil war. In this latest book, renowned Afghanistan expert Antonio Giustozzi rounds off his twenty years of studying the Taliban with an authoritative study detailing the evolution of its formidable military machine.Trade Review‘['The Taliban at War' is] highly informed and detailed … [It is] based on extensive field work in Afghanistan by the author (a renowned expert on the region) and his Afghan researchers’. -- Washington Times‘Giustozzi provides a detailed and dense account of the Taliban’s resilience. [This book] is an important contribution to the history of the American-led war in Afghanistan.’ -- Foreign AffairsA detailed description of the changing nature of the war in Afghanistan over the past two decades, and how the Taliban and its leaders have responded over time.’ -- CHOICE‘Giustozzi’s narrative skill, analytical authority, and long-standing reputation as an expert on the Taliban and events in Afghanistan after 2001 are advanced in The Taliban at War.‘ -- Terrorism and Political Violence'Documents in great detail the history and evolution of theAfghan Taliban’s military strategy and capabilities as well as its internal divisions and partial fragmentation. … provides a wealth of detail for academics, students, and policymakers to consider with regard to the trajectory and future of the Afghan conflict and state-building experiment.' * Muslim World Book Review *'A fine-meshed and carefully documented analysis of how the Taliban's military organisation and strategy have evolved since the movement's defeat in 2001. Uniquely sourced from over 400 interviews, this book will clearly be a standard reference on the subject.' -- Astri Suhrke, Senior Researcher, Chr. Michelsen Institute, Bergen and author of 'When More is Less: The International Project in Afghanistan''Based primarily on first-hand interviews, Giustozzi's expansive new book presents a treasure trove of new and important information on the Afghan Taliban, and might well be the work to which all future scholarly explorations of the Taliban will be compared.' -- Thomas H. Johnson, Research Professor of National Security Affairs, Naval Postgraduate School and author of 'Taliban Narratives'

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Book SynopsisIn 2017, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE and Egypt severed diplomatic ties with Qatar, launching an economic blockade by land, air and sea. The self-proclaimed 'Anti-Terror Quartet' offered maximalist demands: thirteen 'conditions' recalling Austria-Hungary's 1914 ultimatum to Serbia. They may even have intended military action. Well into its second year, the standoff in the Gulf has no realistic end in sight. With the Bahraini and Emirati criminalisation of expressing support for Qatar, and the Saudi labelling of detainees as 'traitors' for their alleged Qatari links, bitterness has been stoked between deeply interconnected peoples. The adviser to the Saudi crown prince advocating a moat to physically separate Qatar from the Arabian Peninsula illustrates the ongoing intensity—and irrationality—of the crisis. Most reporting and analysis of these developments has focused on questions of regional geopolitics, and framed the standoff in terms of its impact on (largely) Western interests. Lost in this thicket of commentary is consideration of how the Qatari leadership and population have responded to the blockade. As the 2022 FIFA World Cup draws closer, the ongoing Qatar crisis becomes increasingly important to understand. Ulrichsen offers an authoritative study of this international standoff, from both sides.Trade Review‘This account moves from origin to (almost) conclusion, capturing how badly [economic and political embargoes] backfired, strengthening Qatar’s independence and global standing.’ -- The New York Times, '5 Books to Read About Qatar Before the World Cup'‘Accessible and authoritative, the book will benefit anyone interested in the Gulf countries, their multilateral institutions, as well as Qatar’s smart power capabilities.’ -- International Affairs‘A rich and valuable resource for readers wanting to understand the intricacies of one of the most critical junctures in recent Gulf history.’ -- International Affairs‘['Qatar and the Gulf Crisis' is] a detailed and thoughtful book’. -- The World Today‘Ulrichsen has written an essential book for anyone looking for an entry into the Gulf crisis or for a comprehensive read on this regional tension … Qatar and the Gulf Crisis [presents] a compelling and consistent summary of abundant information.’ -- LSE Review of Books'A brilliant account of the history, origins and evolution of the Gulf crisis--drawing meticulously upon media and academic sources, and direct interviews with leading protagonists in the region, Ulrichsen once again confirms himself as an outstanding observer of Gulf politics today.' -- Adam Hanieh, SOAS University of London, author of 'Money, Markets, and Monarchies: The Gulf Cooperation Council and the Political Economy of the Contemporary Middle East'‘Ulrichsen draws on an impressive range of sources in order to provide a panoramic account of contemporary power politics across the Gulf. This important and timely book deserves to be read by anyone seeking to understand the intricacies of the Qatar diplomatic crisis.’ -- Gerasimos Tsourapas, Senior Lecturer in Middle East Politics, University of Birmingham

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Book SynopsisIn 2018, journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered by Saudi regime operatives, shocking the international community and tarnishing the reputation of Muhammad bin Salman, the kingdom’s young, reformist crown prince. Domestically, bin Salman's reforms have proven divisive, and his adoption of populist nationalism and fierce repression of diverse critical voices—religious scholars, feminists and dissident youth—have failed to silence a vibrant and well-connected Saudi society. Madawi Al-Rasheed lays bare the world of repression behind the crown prince's reforms. She dissects the Saudi regime's propaganda and progressive new image, while also dismissing Orientalist views that despotism is the only pathway to stable governance in the Middle East. Charting old and new challenges to the fragile Saudi nation from the kingdom's very inception, this blistering book exposes the dangerous contradictions at the heart of the Son King's Saudi Arabia.Trade Review‘This book heralds the emergence of an organized political opposition in the growing Saudi Arabian diaspora.’ -- Foreign Affairs'Anyone interested in what is happening in Saudi Arabia will find [this] a good read … The Son King joins the growing body of work that unmasks the reality of repression in the Kingdom and challenges the simplistic notion of Saudi Arabians as religious extremists who need a royal strongman to keep them in check.’ -- Middle East Monitor'Packed with information about Saudi Arabia that is fascinating in its own right ... [Al-Rasheed] offers many invaluable insights into a country whose future may be less certain than it looks to outsiders.' * The Tablet *'With MBS a stone's throw away from the throne of Saudi Arabia, this book couldn't be more urgently needed. Madawi Al-Rasheed sets the crown prince within a wider historical context and exposes the repression behind his image as a "liberal reformer".' -- Iyad El-Baghdadi, writer, activist and founder of the Kawaakibi Foundation'An exceptionally clear-sighted, readable analysis of the regime of Crown Prince Muhammad ibn Salman. With consummate skill, Al-Rasheed has dissected his programme of populist nationalism, bringing to light the methods used, but also the contradictions at its heart.' -- Charles Tripp, Professor Emeritus of Politics, SOAS University of London'This book felt close to my heart as a woman activist and exile. Madawi Al-Rasheed provides nuanced analysis of reimagined Saudi nationalism, the excessive repression sold as the inevitable price of reforms, and the resistance of a new diaspora movement. A must-read.' -- Hala Al-Dosari, activist and Robert E. Wilhelm Fellow, MIT Center for International Studies'A brilliant response to those who claim that Saudis need enlightened despotism to get ahead. Despotic the Son King surely is, but his lights are off, and he is driving his country--and the region--into the wall. Woe to the land whose king is a child.' -- Pascal Menoret, Renée and Lester Crown Professor of Modern Middle East Studies, Brandeis University'Madawi Al-Rasheed brilliantly goes beyond the overused dichotomy between "reform" and "tradition" and studies the social and political realities of Saudi Arabia's new era. From populist nationalism to a growing Saudi diaspora, "The Son King" is an essential book for understanding the crown prince's kingdom.' -- Abdullah Alaoudh, Visiting Adjunct Professor, George Washington University

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Book SynopsisMuhammad bin Salman Al-Saud and Muhammad bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, the respective princely strongmen of Saudi Arabia and the UAE, have torn up the old rules. They have spurred game-changing economic master plans, presided over vast anti-corruption crackdowns, tackled entrenched religious forces, and overseen the mass arrest of critics. In parallel, they also appear to have replaced the old 'sheikhly' consensus systems of their predecessors with something more autocratic, more personalistic, and perhaps even analytically distinct. These are the two wealthiest and most populous Gulf monarchies, and increasingly important global powers--Saudi Arabia is a G20 member, and the UAE will be the host of the World Expo in 2021-2022. Such sweeping changes to their statecraft and authority structures could well end up having a direct impact, for better or worse, on policies, economies and individual lives all around the world. Christopher M. Davidson tests the hypothesis that Saudi Arabia and the UAE are now effectively contemporary or even 'advanced' sultanates, and situates these influential states within an international model of autocratic authoritarianism. Drawing on a range of primary sources, including new interviews and surveys, 'From Sheikhs to Sultanism' puts forward an original, empirically grounded interpretation of the rise of both MBS and MBZ.Trade Review‘As with Davidson’s other works, [From Sheikhs to Sultanism] is written in clear, even entertaining prose, uncluttered by jargon. It is far and away the best work on these two leaders, the regimes they have created, and the sultanistic version of authoritarian developmental states.’

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Book SynopsisFor four decades Saudi Arabia and Iran have vied for influence in the Muslim world. At the heart of this ongoing Cold War between Riyadh and Tehran lie the Sunni–Shia divide, and the two countries' intertwined histories. Saudis see this as a conflict between Sunni and Shia; Iran’s ruling clerics view it as one between their own Islamic Republic and an illegitimate monarchy. This foundational schism has played out in a geopolitical competition for dominance in the region: Iran has expanded its influence in Syria, Iraq and Lebanon, while Saudi Arabia’s hyperactive crown prince, Muhammad bin Salman, has intervened in Yemen, isolated Qatar and destabilised Lebanon. Dilip Hiro examines the toxic rivalry between the two countries, tracing its roots and asking whether this Islamic Cold War is likely to end any time soon.Trade Review'The contemporary great game playing out bloodily between oil-fired theocracies in Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shia Iran is the subject of Dilip Hiro’s latest book. He tells the story with relish.' * The Financial Times *'The book has a racy pace and is rich in reportage . . . Hiro marshals an enormous amount of fact and anecdote as he recounts the manner in which regional and global events unfold . . . a rich tapestry.' * Financial Express *'Hiro is a wonderful raconteur . . . few have told the story of tensions between Riyadh and Tehran quite as well as him.' * LSE Middle East Centre Blog *'One comes away from Dilip Hiro’s new book Cold War in the Islamic World with a heightened appreciation for the complexities of politics in the Islamic world. It is a world where geopolitics and religion intersect in a struggle for power and survival among Islamic regimes.' * New York Journal of Books *‘Dilip Hiro is one of the most prolific scholars of the Middle East, and there is little that escapes his notice. In this volume, he takes an in-depth look at the new cold war that is brewing in the region . . . a welcome addition to the literature.’ * Survival *'Eminent historian and prolific author Hiro . . . focuses on a pertinent crucible of roiling tension in the region . . . an important study for understanding the roots of current tensions [between Saudi Arabia and Iran].' * Kirkus Reviews *‘Hiro provides the reader with a perspective rarely found in most texts regarding the Middle East . . . [a] nuanced portrayal of the complex history of these nations, their relationship and its consequences for the region and the world at large.’ * CounterPunch *'Hiro treats the subject deeply and thoroughly.' * Foreign Affairs *'Iran and Saudi Arabia anchor the sweeping text, which ranges from Pakistan to Egypt and detours as far back as the seventh-century Sunni-Shi'a divide. [Hiro's] mix of lively writing and serious detail should draw in readers … with any interest in the subject.' * Choice *‘A suitable introduction to the Iranian-Saudi relations for someone wanting to go beyond the headlines … Trying to capture the vast sweep of this relationship in a single text is a monumental task … To Hiro’s credit, his account is fairly balanced. The research is also impressive in its breadth.’ * Middle East Journal *'[A] monumental study.' * Business Standard *'The book, based on Hiro's years of research and travels as a journalist, is terse in reporting historical details with disciplined focus on motivations. It is an easier read for those who closely follow news from the Middle East though scholars are sure to appreciate his thoughtful juxtaposition of events that underscore patterns.' * YaleGlobal Online *‘Captures very nicely the march of political history in the Middle East and the Gulf during the last hundred years.’‘An excellent book . . . extremely engaging and accessible.' * Kristian Coates-Ulrichsen, author of The First World War in the Middle East *‘Ambitious, impressive, original, and important.' * Mehran Kamrava, author of Inside the Arab State *

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Book SynopsisIn 1920s Shanghai, Zhou Enlai founded the first Chinese communist spy network, operating in the shadows against nationalists, Western powers and the Japanese. The story of Chinese spies has been a global one from the start. Unearthing previously unseen papers and interviewing countless insiders, Roger Faligot's astonishing account reveals nothing less than a century of world events shaped by Chinese spies. Working as scientists, journalists, diplomats, foreign students and businessmen, they’ve been everywhere, from Stalin’s purges to 9/11 to Biden's withdrawal from Afghanistan. This murky world has swept up Ho Chi Minh, the Clintons and everyone in between, with the action moving from Cambodia to Cambridge, and from the Australian outback to the centres of Western power. This fascinating narrative exposes the sprawling tentacles of the world’s largest intelligence service, from the very birth of communist China to Xi Jinping’s absolute rule today.Trade Review'With increasing tensions in the trade war between America and China, concerns about the future of democracy in Hong Kong, and the controversy surrounding Huawei's 5G mobile networks, “Chinese Spies” is a very timely and important book.' -- The Wall Street Journal'Faligot's detailed and fascinating account of Chinese espionage over the past century argues that "today the community of Chinese security and intelligence services is the largest in the world". . . impressive in its level of detail.' * The Sunday Times *'Faligot, an intrepid French researcher, has for 40 years constructed an encyclopaedic private archive of Chinese intelligence. . . Chinese Spies, is an enjoyable treasure trove of conspiracy theories. . . . spicy enough to keep the general reader awake at night.' * The Times *'The growing competition between Washington and Beijing is not the immediate subject of Faligot's history of Chinese intelligence . . . [but] it provides a significant part of the story of how we got to this point. Faligot has an encyclopedic knowledge of the history of China's spy agencies . . . contains many fascinating stories.' * Financial Times *'Mr Faligot writes evocatively … [Chinese Spies is an] engrossing book.' -- The Economist'A landmark book.' * Paris Match *'Roger Faligot fuses an encyclopaedic knowledge of this murky world and its characters with anecdotes that are sometimes comical and often colourful.' * Le Point *‘This book could not be more timely … [it] includes fascinating spy stories …and colorful characters.’ -- Asian Review of Books'This is an intense book. [Chinese Spies] is the result of huge research but also demonstrates the author's immense knowledge of the politics, attitudes and identities of the political elite of the People's Republic of China.''The expert Roger Faligot offers an enthralling, years-long investigation into the Chinese secret services, delving behind the scenes of Beijing's global strategy.' * Le Parisien *'China is not just a country with intelligence services, but rather an intelligence state. In this wide-ranging book, Faligot traces this trajectory from pre-revolutionary Shanghai to the present and reveals a phenomenon for which the West is ill-prepared.' -- Nigel Inkster, former Director of Operations and Intelligence, MI6, and Director of Transnational Threats & Political Risk, IISS'No stone is left unturned in Faligot's astounding and exhaustive who's who of Chinese espionage. The revelations prove as scary as the revolutions. Anyone inclined to welcome China's rediscovered world stature needs to read this book.' -- John Keay, author of 'China: A History''An astounding and unmatched source book on the extraordinary reach of the PRC's intelligence network... At once fascinating and chilling, it's a book I found hard to put down.' -- Clive Hamilton

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Book SynopsisThe Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in 2021 was the result of declining active support for the government, and of waste and inefficiency in aid delivery. Yet, while corrosive, these problems were not in themselves sufficient to have brought about a collapse. To a significant degree, they were the result of early failings in institutional design, reflecting an American inclination to pursue short-term policy approaches that created perverse incentives—thus interfering with the long-term objective of stability. This book exposes the true factors underpinning Kabul’s fall. The Afghan Republic came under relentless attack from Taliban insurgents who depended critically on Pakistani support. It also suffered a creeping invasion that put the government on the back foot as the US tried and failed to deal with Pakistan’s perfidy. The fatal blow came when bored US leaders naively cut an exit deal with the enemy, fatally compromising the operation of the Afghan army and air force and triggering the final collapse, with top leaders at odds over whether to make a final stand in Kabul. The Afghan Republic did not simply decline and fall. It was betrayed.Trade Review‘A well-written publication that will contribute to the ongoing and necessary debate about the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban and the current situation in the country.’ -- Informed Comment'This detailed account of the decisions and misjudgements that led to the fall of the Republic and the Taliban's return to power is essential reading for anyone wanting to understand why the twenty-year campaign ended this way.' -- Sir Laurie Bristow, British Ambassador to Afghanistan 2021 -- Sir Laurie Bristow, British Ambassador to Afghanistan 2021'A brilliant account by two of the most experienced, informed and insightful observers of Afghanistan, this is a must-read for anyone who wants to know how a twenty-year effort that started so confidently came to such a calamitous end.' -- David Kilcullen, co-author of 'The Ledger: Accounting for Failure in Afghanistan''A definitive account, including mistakes of US diplomacy that contributed to the debacle, which will be invaluable for policymakers seeking to make sense of the disaster and learn lessons for the future.' -- Lisa Curtis, Director of the Indo-Pacific Security Program, Center for a New American Security'A brilliant analysis of everything that went wrong in Afghanistan's post-9/11 journey from darkness to light and back to darkness, exploring Pakistani duplicity as well as failures in Afghan political leadership and US diplomacy. Sobering, chilling and compelling reading.' -- Gareth Evans, former Australian Foreign Minister and President Emeritus of the International Crisis Group'An exceptional scholarly work, offering eye-opening insight into the strategic and military failure of the US and allies' intervention.' -- Timor Sharan, author of 'Inside Afghanistan''Distinguishing between the gradual weakening, and the sudden collapse of the Republic of Afghanistan, this is a must-read. Jamal and Maley are uniquely well-informed, engage interestingly with relevant theory, and are unmistakably critical of those who have advocated peace with the Taliban.' -- Kristian Berg Harpviken, Research Professor, Peace Research Institute Oslo'This is the most comprehensive account written so far of Afghanistan's twenty years as a Republic, beginning with the US intervention after 9/11 and ending with the Taliban's return to power. The authors explain events in the context of Afghan society and politics, and spare none for their mistakes: the US for ignoring ground realities, Pakistan for supporting the Taliban resurgence, and Afghan leaders for not putting country above self, clan, or faction. An illuminating book.' -- Husain Haqqani, former ambassador of Pakistan to the United States, and author of 'Magnificent Delusions: Pakistan, the United States, and an Epic History of Misunderstanding'

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Book Synopsis Kharkiv is Ukraine’s second largest city and its former capital. Situated within 40 km of the Ukrainian-Russian border it is one of those East-Central European “liminal” cities which became a center of modernization and pluralization in the borderland area, playing a prominent role in the process of nation building. Volodymyr Kravchenko’s expanded edition of Kharkov/Kharkiv, now in the English-language and including a new chapter on the reconfiguration of the Ukrainian-Russian borderland during and after the watershed Euromaidan event, uniquely uncovers the city’s long history, from the 17th century to today. Addressing issues of regional and national identities, Ukrainian-Russian relations, mental mapping, historical narratives and the ensuing de/reconstruction of national mythologies, this book, fills a unique gap in the literature on Kharkiv.Trade Review “Kharkov/Kharkiv deals with exceptionally important and politically and culturally contested questions of regionalism in Eastern Europe and provides unique insight into the history of Ukraine and to a lesser degree Russia…I know no other author who could write with such authority, depth and nuance a history of the region which was always difficult to “capture” and explain within the limits of existing national narratives” • Serhii Plokhii, Harvard UniversityTable of Contents List of maps List of illustrations Preface Acknowledgements Notes on Transliteration Introduction Chapter 1. The Steppe Borderland Chapter 2. Town and Gown Chapter 3. Province in Search of an Identity Chapter 4. City, Empire, Nation Chapter 5. To the “First Capital” and back Chapter 6. Post-Soviet Borderland Chapter 7. The Frontline Conclusions Historical timeline Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThis timely 2 volume edited collection looks at the extent and nature of global jihad, focusing on the often-exoticised hinterlands of jihad beyond the traditionally viewed Middle Eastern ‘centre’. As ISIS loses its footing in Syria and Iraq and al-Qaeda regroups this comprehensive account will be a key work in the on-going battle to better understand the dynamics of the jihads global reality. Critically examining the global reach of the jihad in these peripheries has the potential to tell us much about patterns of both local mobilisation, and local rejection of a grander centrally themed and administered jihad. Has the periphery been receptive to an exported jihad from the centre or does the local rooted cosmopolitanism of the jihad in the periphery suggest a more complex glocal relationship? These questions and challenges are more pertinent than ever as the likes of ISIS and many commentators, attempt to globally rebrand the jihad and as the centre reasserts its claims to the exotic periphery. Edited by Tom Smith (Portsmouth), Kirsten E. Schulze (LSE) and Hussein Solomon (UFS) the two volumes critically examine the various claims of connections between jihadist terrorism in the ‘periphery’, remote Islamist insurgencies of the ‘periphery’ and the global jihad. Each volume draws on experts in each of the geographies in question. The global nature of the jihad is too often taken for granted; yet the extent of the glocal connections deserve focused investigation. Without such inquiry we risk a reductive understanding of the global jihad, further fostering Orientalist and Eurocentric attitudes towards local conflicts and remote violence in the periphery. This book will therefore draw attention to those who overlook and undermine the distinct and rich particularities of the often-contradictory and cosmopolitan global jihad. In many of the peripheries, particularly those with intensive large-scale insurgencies, there is extensive international military alliance. The Bush doctrine to ‘fight them over there, so we don't have to fight them over here’ certainly looks to be alive and well in places like Somalia, the Philippines and Niger amongst many others. Crucially we must ask - is such reasoning sound – is the threat global and if so in what way? Furthermore - is action in the peripheries under the guise of combating the global jihad overlooking the local issues and threatening to make a wider threat where it was otherwise contained? Diagnosing nations or regions as ‘breeding grounds’ or ‘sanctuaries’ of global jihad carries the spectre of having to chose sides in a battle of civilisations, which looms over a number of developing nations reliant on good western relations.Trade ReviewOne topic, two volumes, three editors, four continents, 23 chapters and 28 authors. And a bibliography that sources thousands of others. No other collection could claim to come close to such comprehensive coverage on ‘Global Jihad’. These volumes are a requisite on the connections between center and periphery and glocal - the cosmopolitan global. * Dr Glen Segell, University of Haifa *Table of ContentsABOUT THE EDITORS CONTRIBUTOR BIOS INTRODUCTION: EXAMINING THE GLOBAL LINKAGES OF AFRICAN AND EUROPEAN JIHADISTS ‘GLOCALISED’ JIHAD, POLITICAL CONFLICT, AND CONSPIRACY THEORISATION ACROSS A FRAGMENTED SOMALIA GLOBAL OR LOCAL? EXPLORING THE EMERGENCE AND OPERATION OF A VIOLENT ISLAMIST NETWORK IN KENYA REFLECTIONS ON ISLAMIST MILITANCY IN THE SAHEL JIHAD IN MALI: REGIONAL CONDITIONS, REGIONAL GOALS, GLOBAL IMPORTANCE NIGERIA: THE RISE AND ‘FALL’ OF BOKO HARAM LIBYAN JIHADISM: FROM GADHAFI AND TRIBALISM TO THE ARAB SPRING AND TRIBALISM JIHAD AND THE UNITED KINGDOM CONFRONTING ORIENTALISM, COLONIALISM AND DETERMINISM: DE-CONSTRUCTING CONTEMPORARY FRENCH JIHADISM EXPORTING JIHAD FROM THE STREET-LEVEL GROUPS IN THE LOW COUNTRIES SCANDINAVIAN JIHAD THE EVOLUTION OF THE JIHAD IN GERMANY AL-ANDALUS: THE CALIPHATE OF CORDOBA REIMAGINED

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Book SynopsisThe Art of Creating Power explores the intellectual thought and wider impact--on military affairs, politics and the universities--of Professor Sir Lawrence Freedman, one of the world's leading authorities on strategy, conflict and international politics. In this volume, senior scholars of international relations and military history trace the long trajectory of Freedman's career, examining his scholarly contribution to a whole host of areas from nuclear strategy to US foreign policy via terrorism, the Falklands and Iraq. Individually, these essays provide fascinating and innovative insights into strategy, contemporary defence and foreign policy, and conflict. Taken together, however, they are greater than the sum of their parts as they both reflect and explore the theoretical approach adopted and taught by Freedman - one that has made him one of the great intellectual figures in the canon of international politics, strategy and war. Throughout his professional life, Freedman explored many of the uncertainties that plague our highly unstable world. But as conflicts continue to erupt across the globe, it seems we may be entering an even more precarious and uncertain era.There could hardly be a better time than today to gain a deeper understanding of Freedman's strategic insights.Trade Review'Appropriate for specialised strategic studies collections.'

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Book SynopsisWhen South Sudan's war began, the Beatles were playing their first hits and reaching the moon was an astronaut's dream. Half a century later, with millions massacred in Africa's longest war, the continent's biggest country split in two. It was an extraordinary, unprecedented experiment. Many have fought, but South Sudan did the impossible, and won. This is the story of an epic fight for freedom. It is also the story of a nightmare. First Raise a Flag details one of the most dramatic failures in the history of international state-building. Three years after independence, South Sudan was lowest ranked in the list of failed states. War returned, worse than ever. Peter Martell has spent over a decade reporting from palaces and battlefields, meeting those who made a country like no other: warlords and spies, missionaries and mercenaries, guerrillas and gunrunners, freedom fighters and war crime fugitives, Hollywood stars and ex-slaves. Under his seasoned foreign correspondent's gaze, he weaves with passion and colour the lively history of the world's newest country. First Raise a Flag is a moving reflection on the meaning of nationalism, the power of hope and the endurance of the human spirit. Trade Review‘I relished Peter Martell’s First Raise a Flag , which examines how Africa’s newest nation state plunged back into civil war so soon after its hopeful, excited birth. Martell spent more than a decade reporting the story and it’s an account full of vivid, telling detail.’'[A] readable, rigorous and important account of the tragedy of the world’s youngest nation . . Martell’s experience, gained over years of living in and reporting on the country, is invaluable . . . his writing is powerful and moving.’ '[A] striking and moving evocation of the terrible last sixty years [South Sudan] has undergone . . . this book is a labour of love for the people of South Sudan and an expression of hope for their future.'‘I was utterly gripped by Peter Martell’s superbly written 'First Raise a Flag: How South Sudan Won the Longest War but Lost the Peace.' It’s expertly organised and holds the reader from start to finish.’ -- Middle East Eye Books of the Year 2019, selected by Peter Oborne‘[Martell conducts] remarkable interviews with ageing mercenaries and retired spies … [his] account elegantly reinforces again and again how almost none of [the] foreign interventions were about South Sudan itself.’ -- Rory Stewart in 'The New York Review of Books'‘Contains fascinating tales from his reporting as South Sudan prepared for, celebrated and then dealt with the realities of independence. … detailed, wonderfully accessible work for those interested in South Sudan and the dilemmas of new statehood.’ -- Washington Post, The Monkey Cage Blog'It's [Martell's] first-person account that drives this compelling, harrowing story. . . . This is an important and deeply moving book.' * Geographical *‘[A] gut-wrenching chronicle of human depravity that shows how ordinary people can become barbarians.’ -- Foreign Affairs'One of those who has covered South Sudan the longest, Martell combines eyewitness reporting with extensive research to produce a solid account of this tragedy.''This is a remarkable piece of work. It manages to pull off the rare feat of being both meticulously-researched and extremely accessible. Putting any journalistic ego to one side, Martell gives us the benefits of over a decade of reportage. He wades through yellowing colonial archives, tracks down Mossad operatives and quizzes white mercenaries, but it's the experiences and reflections of the South Sudanese men and women who shaped and lived this turbulent history that dominate the narrative.' -- Michela Wrong, author of 'Borderlines' and 'It's Our Turn to Eat''Peter Martell arrived earlier and stayed longer than any of us who covered South Sudan’s independence and the bloody catastrophe that followed. Here he reveals the foundation of his insightful, precise reports: a deep, first-hand knowledge of the centuries of history of how the world’s newest nation came to be, stuffed with insightful research, delightful details and searing lessons for those bright-eyed foreigners of yesterday and today so in love with their own idea of freedom that they feel they must impose it on others. Lyrical, revelatory, quietly outraged and deeply moving.' -- Alex Perry, author of 'The Rift: A New Africa Breaks Free''Peter Martell’s combination of eye-witness reporting and historical research makes for a compelling account of the bloody birth of South Sudan. A highly readable book about the world’s newest country, and a study of what it means to be a nation.' -- Lindsey Hilsum, International Editor, Channel 4 News, and author of 'Sandstorm: Libya in the Time of Revolution''First Raise a Flag is an engrossing read that combines years of journalistic insight with compassionate storytelling and deciphers the complex recent history of the world’s youngest country.' -- Levison Wood, author of 'Walking the Nile' and other works of non-fiction'First Raise a Flag is an eloquently written and admirably lucid account of the dramatic birth, and ongoing death, of South Sudan. It is a remarkable story. As the world’s newest nation plunged into civil war and became a failed state, Peter Martell has been a stubborn, compassionate eyewitness, and he deserves high praise for this unflinching elegy for an ill-starred place that he has — despite everything — come to love.' -- Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker staff writer, and author of 'Guerrillas: Journeys in the Insurgent World'

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Book SynopsisWe are living in a unique "geo" age, where geography is appreciated again. The 21st century encompasses political and economic games where the multi-polar world, a new world order, and a new value system combine to develop new actors and new Industries. Business leaders are focusing more and more on global social issues, putting pressure on international political decisions such as the Space Race, global warming and migration. The 21st century is the era of knowledge & creativity (technology + knowledge + geography = "techknowledgeography" or Geofusion) where education and innovation are the most important investment. Knowledge is the currency of the future. When drawn with knowledge, the map of 21st century can be utilized to discover and conform to this new world! This book helps to explain how `Geofusion' provides the opportunities, which can give lasting value to the world.

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Book SynopsisPalestine, 1850: a backwater of the Ottoman Empire, but soon to become the focus of intense jealousies. Locally Arabs and Jews became increasingly polarised, internationally the vacuum left by the demise of the Ottoman Empire was filled with the rivalries of Western nations.This book is a vivid account, told through oral history and a wealth of photographs from the time, never previously published. They add new dimensions to our understanding of the history, the geography, and the human reality of Palestine.

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Book SynopsisAll too often, modern scholarship limits its scope according to the boundaries of contemporary nations and current geopolitical borders. Academic expertise frequently ties itself artificially to these pre-defined spaces and in so doing often does a disservice to the past. It is no great revelation to point out that people of the past defined the limits of their political and cultural reach in ways that were very different from those found on modern maps. Ancient rulers, merchants, and priests understood the reach of their influence and defined foreignness in ways that would be deeply unfamiliar to those only knowledgeable of the modern world. Yet, despite the well-recognized truth in these observations, it is still relatively rare for scholars to research in ways that transcend modern boundaries. This collection of essays invites readers to take a broad view of South Asian art and culture by providing a wide geographic and chronological scope.

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Book SynopsisThe Gwadar Deep Sea Port Project being developed in Balochistan at the crossroads of South Asia and West Asia is the largest developmental project being undertaken in Pakistan and kickstarts development in a hitherto undeveloped region and brings in an extra-regional powerChina. Its location at the entrance of the Gulf, the continued unstable environment in the Gulf region after the Gulf War and the emergence of the Central Asian States have enhanced the geo-strategic significance of the port. During the Cold War, the Soviet Union had realised its significance and was keen to gain access to Gwadar for an opening to the Indian Ocean. Pakistan has been interested in the project to gain strategic depth further to the southwest from its major ports in the Karachi-Bin Qasim Complex that has long been vulnerable to the Indian Navy as was reflected in 1971.

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Book SynopsisDelve into the complex and fascinating relationship between two South Asian neighbours with Lieutenant General Shokin Chauhan`s groundbreaking new book on the Indo-Nepal strategic partnership. A decorated military leader and respected scholar, General Chauhan takes you on a journey through the shared history of India and Nepal. Discover the centuries old bonds forged through trade, culture, and interwoven destinies, shaping a relationship critical to the region`s stability. Gain a deeper understanding of the strategic geography that places Nepal uniquely between two powers. Examine detailed maps and analyses to unlock the geopolitical considerations at play and their potential impact on both nations.

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Book SynopsisHow is India recalibrating its strategic thinking to deal with a tumultuous world that often, and increasingly, appearsuntethered and upside down?

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Book SynopsisIn Why Bharat Matters, S. Jaishankar argues that while rising powers seek stability most of all, India must plan to rise amidst serious unpredictability. This process is also exceptional as it represents the rejuvenation of a civilizational state.

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Book SynopsisThe equilibrium and understanding between India and China that was built on the premise that both were at the same level of development, and hence need to give full play to their complementarities and potentialities, has seemingly shifted, owing to the balance of power favouring China. Finding new equilibrium and understanding will not be easy given India`s asymmetrical relationship with China. The nature of India-China coexistence, cooperation and competition will be determined by factors such as how quickly the narrative of India's rise regains traction, India and China`' relations with major and middle powers, strategic and economic partnerships with major regional blocks, India's role in global supply chains, and the Quad and Indo-Pacific Strategy. This book arranges author B. R. Deepak's articles from the Sunday Guardian into eight sections, exploring the multi-faceted relationship.

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Book SynopsisThe book is about assessing the effectiveness of a traditional UN Peace Operation. The book first goes on to develop a conceptual framework for the evaluation of UN peace operations and apply that to assess the performance of a traditional UN Peace Operation with UNIFIL as a case study. The author relies on empirical data, supported by perceptions and practical experiences of peacekeepers and 'subject matter experts' at both the operational and tactical levels using a mixed method of qualitative and quantitative analysis. The author proves that UNIFIL can be assessed to be a satisfactorily successful UN Peace Operation. He ends the book with a few major takeaways and offers actionable recommendations to the practitioners of peacekeeping and for future reform of UN peace operations. This book is the first of its kind by a former Indian peacekeeper who holds a PhD from Tilburg University, the Netherland.

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Book SynopsisAmerican Indo-Pacific policy will be driven by its China policy, regardless of whether there is a second-term Donald Trump administration or a first-term Joe Biden administration.The Republicans will continue to frame the major challenge as “balancing” against Chinese power and “countering” the worst aspects of Beijing’s policies. Establishment or moderate Democrats under Biden will choose the softer language of seeking a favourable “competitive coexistence” in the military, economic, political and global governance realms, and the reassertion of American leadership and moral standing.In advancing the FOIP, the current administration argues that disruptiveness and unpredictability are necessary to reverse what they see as the “normalization” of Chinese assertiveness, coercion and revisionism. They also point to the closeness of US cooperation with Japan, Australia and India and bourgeoning strategic relationships with Vietnam. A second-term Trump administration will continue to seek out “fit-for-purpose” existing institutions and relationships, or prioritize new ones.Establishment Democrats believe that the “America First” unilateralist approach is unsettling for allies and partners. In advancing a favourable “competitive coexistence” with China, Democrats will seek to expand the tools of statecraft and achieve a better balance between military/economic/political/governance approaches.Prima facie, a Biden administration might position America as a more consultative guarantor of a preferred order. However, there will be greater pressure on Southeast Asians to accept more collective responsibility to advance common objectives. This means hedging in a manner more suitable to American rather than Chinese preferences. Failing that, more emphasis might be placed on greater institutionalization of the Quad and ad hoc groupings.A Bernie Sanders administration, now an unlikely prospect, would be a disaster for US standing and power in the region, and therefore for Southeast Asia.

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Book SynopsisWinner of the 2023 Marc Raeff Book Prize; A 2023 REFORC Book Award Longlist TitleThis book highlights the main features and trends of Russian “political” thought in an era when sovereignty, state, and politics, as understood in Western Christendom, were non-existent in Russia, or were only beginning to be articulated. It concentrates on enigmatic authors and sources that shaped official perception of rulership, or marked certain changes of importance of this perception. Special emphasis is given to those written and visual sources that point towards depersonalization and secularization of rulership in Russia. A comparison with Western Christendom frames the argument throughout the book, both in terms of ideas and the practical aspects of state-building, allowing the reader to ponder Russia’s differentia specifica.Trade Review“The book by Endre Sashalmi… is an erudite and thoughtful exploration of Russian thinking on the nature of power, authority, and self-determination over the period of some two and a half centuries that culminated in the era of Peter the Great. The book is based on a wide array of primary sources and provides an indispensable survey of Western and Russian historiography. Steeped in comparative and contextual methodology, the book offers an impressive synthesis of trajectories of the understanding of state and sovereignty in the West and in early modern Russia. … This book makes an important contribution to the growing body of research on the history of political ideas and political language in early modern Russia, rather than yet another survey of Russian political thought. While eschewing a conventional pre- and post-Petrine divide, Sashalmi offers a much-needed prequel to works on the eighteenth century, especially those by scholars associated with the recently shuttered German Historical Institute in Moscow.”— Olga Tsapina, Ab Imperio"E. Sashalmi has chosen a fascinating subject, and he has shown all its richness in a long term perspective, as well as its current relevance." — Pierre Gonneau, Revue des études slaves (translated from the French)“Russia Notions of Power and State meticulously reconstructs medieval and early modern sources to provide a coherent account of the Russian state and power that is shown to be different from European concepts and unique to Russian civilization. It helps explain why the rule of law is arbitrarily applied in Russia, why territorial integrity is considered so vital to Russian national interests, and why Russian rulers are not just leaders but embody the state itself in the person and actions. For those interested in what makes the Russian state distinctive and different from its western counterparts, Russian Notions of Power and State provides a clear picture why and helps us better understand Russian action and strategy in our increasingly fractured and contentious world.”— Lee Trepanier, VoegelinView“Sashalmi’s book gives a comprehensive analysis of the Russian notions of power and state, and provides critical analyses of the terminologies used by Western scholars. It is a valuable resource for academicians, researchers and students who study the history of the Russian state structure.”— Ayse Dietrich, International Journal of Russian Studies“[T]he book under review by a leading Hungarian specialist on medieval and Petrine Russian history has many insights to offer. … Although written by a civilian rather than a legal historian, this is a volume that belongs in an advanced international law collection.”— William E. Butler, Jus Gentium (Vol. 8, No. 1)“Sashalmi’s work meticulously chronicles the genesis and evolution of Russia’s modern state, and the notions behind its meaning and power—becoming an essential reference point for scholars of the long eighteenth century.” — ECRSA 2023 Marc Raeff Book Prize CommitteeTable of ContentsIntroduction. Explanation of Aims, Genre, and Terminology PART ONE. Russia and Europe: Clarification of Terms and the Problem of the State1. Issues of Methodology, Reception, and the Benefits of a Long-Term Approach 2. Territoriality, the Name, and the Nature of the Polity: From the Principality of Moscow to the Russian Empire3. The Idea of the State in Western Christendom in the Late Middle Ages and the Early Modern Era4. The Role of Metaphors and Allegorical Personifications in the Development of the Concept of the State in Western Christendom5. The Meaning(s) of European Perspective6. The Birth and Meaning of the “Russian State Narrative” 7. The Consequences of the State Narrative: The Discovery of Gosudarstvo by Russian History-Writing8. Sixteenth- and Seventeenth-Century Muscovite Perceptions of Ruling Power: Characteristics and Methodological Aspects of a Comparison with Western Christendom9. The Problem of SamoderzhaviePART TWO. Notions of Power and State in the Context of “Proprietary Dynasticism”: Russia and the Western Perspective10. Richard Pipes’s Patrimonial Interpretation of Russia Reconsidered in the Light of “Proprietary Dynasticism”11. Aspects of Rulership and Their Relation to Each Other in Early Modern Europe and Russia: Proprietary, Office, and Divine Right12. Divine Right of Kings and Divine Right of Tsars: Aspects and Lessons of a ComparisonPART THREE. The Origins of Theory of Law and State in the Works of Feofan Prokopovich: An Intellectual from the Kievan Nest in the Service of Peter the Great13. Turning Points in the Life of Feofan Prokopovich, and His Most Important Political Works14. Preliminary Notes on Prokopovich’s Theory of Law and State15. Power, State, Law, Sovereignty, and Contractualism in Feofan Prokopovich’s Writings16. Female Allegorical Personification of Russia during the Reign of Peter the Great and His Successors: Visual and Written Sources, and the Notion of StateEpilogue: The Importance of Gosudarstvennost′ in Contemporary RussiaBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisThis open access anthology takes a holistic approach to how Russia carries out hybrid warfare against its neighbouring countries - states at the intersection between the East and West. The book addresses the vulnerabilities of these countries to Russian influence and hybrid warfare tactics, as well as their responses to this security challenge. It includes a close examination of local developments in states such as Ukraine, Belarus, Finland, Armenia, Serbia and many others, analysing specific scenarios and practices, and draws on these observations to develop the current conceptual understanding of hybrid warfare as a phenomenon. Scholarship frequently focuses only on Russia and treats countries subjected to Russian hybrid measures as passive victims, thus providing an overly schematic picture of Russian behaviour. This book instead treats these states as actors in their own right, assessing their potential to address and counter the specific security problems arising

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Book SynopsisEdoardo Giglio is a seasoned professional at the intersection of technology and strategic risk, drawing from a distinguished career that spans continents and industries. A polymath with academic credentials from the University of London's School of Oriental & African Studies, City Law School, The London School of Economics and Political Science, the University of Cambridge, and the American Military University, Edoardo has mastered disciplines ranging from political science and international law to emerging technology, cyber strategy and space studies. Having worked in covert intelligence and as a High-Tech Crime/CID investigator with New Scotland Yard, Edoardo's expertise in cybersecurity, technology innovation strategies , and geopolitical threats informs his captivating narratives. His entrepreneurial journey, always at the forefront of technology and strategic risk, has led him to advise Forbes20 HNWI, multinationals, and international organizations. As the former head of a private risk advisory firm he founded, Edoardo's career has taken him to some of the world's most remote and challenging locations, from the African savannah to the deserts of the Middle East, imbuing his work with authenticity and vividness. Now an advisor to governments, Edoardo's thought-provoking perspective weaves together technology, innovation, and their profound effects on geopolitics.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Honorable Mention for the Jervis Schroeder Prize, American Political Science Association International History & Politics Section""With chapters on the rise of China, how to meld political economy questions into classical realist theories, and even exploring the potential weaknesses and shortfalls of classical realism, An Unwritten Future thoughtfully assesses the question of what it would mean in practice to reinsert classical realist perspectives into ongoing policy debates."---Emma Ashford, Foreign Affairs"An enlightening reevaluation of an enduring theory that might continue to yield important insights about world politics today." * Choice *"Erudite and contentious. It is the kind of work that could only be written by a senior scholar building upon and summing up a long, distinguished career’s work in the field. . . . Its views and astonishing breadth of knowledge are on display not only in its wide-ranging historical and exegetical text but also in its extensive footnotes with their numerous analytic observations. . . . all will be dazzled by the range of the learned discussion."---Arthur Stein, Perspectives on Politics"Kirshner's commanding plea for the resurgence of classical realism could not be more timely." * Political Science Quarterly *"Kirshner's timely, insightful, and thought-provoking book proposes a much-needed renewal of classical realism. This important contribution highlights the need for policy-makers and scholars to appreciate the theory's insights more fully."---Charlotte Hulme, International Affairs"An important new book. . . . Kirshner aims to rehabilitate classical realism in International Relations."---Sumantra Maitra, Law & Liberty"A compelling case for reviving classical realism as a guide to understanding contemporary problems."---Joshua Rovner, Englesberg Ideas"Kirshner reclaims the timeless value that Classical Realism offers for the study of international relations."---Christoph Rohde, Zeitschrift fuer Aussen & Sicherheitspolitik

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Finalist for the PROSE Award in World History, Association of American Publishers"

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Winner of the MSA Book Prize, Modernist Studies Association""A Choice Outstanding Academic Title of the Year""Kalliney’s book is an intriguing read for those interested in understanding the Cold War and situating the relationship between the state and anticolonial writers."---Christina Obolenskaya, LSE Review of Books"A wonderful addition to the reevaluation of mid-century literary products."---A. S. Newson-Horst, Choice"A groundbreaking work. . . . [The Aesthetic Cold War] points to a prehistory of postcolonial literature that is almost never discussed in the field."---Nivedita Majumdar, Catalyst

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Book SynopsisExamines how the French left perceived and used the image of the United States against the backdrop of major historical developments in both countries between the Revolution of 1848 and the Paris Commune of 1871. Along the way, Tom Sancton weaves in the voices of scores of French observers.

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Book SynopsisEPUB and EPDF available Open Access under CC-BY-NC-ND licence. What is feminist peace? How can we advocate for peace from patriarchy? What do women, globally, advocate for when they use the term 'peace'? This edited collection brings together conversations across borders and boundaries to explore plural, intersectional and interdisciplinary concepts of feminist peace. The book includes contributions from a geographically diverse range of scholars, judges, practitioners and activists, and the chapters cut across themes of movement building and resistance and explore the limits of institutionalized peacebuilding. The chapters deal with a range of issues, such as environmental degradation, militarization, online violence and arms spending. Offering a resource to advance theoretical development and to advocate for policy change, this book transcends traditional approaches to the study of peace and security and embraces diverse voices and perspectives which are absent in both academic and policy spaces.Table of Contents1 Introduction: Conversations on Feminist Peace Sarah Smith and Keina Yoshida Part I Beyond Boundaries 2 Feminist Peace Interrupted: A Critical Conversation on Conflict, Violence, and Accountability Mahdis Azarmandi, Nour Abu-Assab and Sara Shroff 3 ‘Peace’ Across Spaces: Discussing Feminist (and) Decolonial Visions of Peace Elena B. Stavrevska, Sofia Zaragocin Carvajal and Nita Luci 4 Unfinished Activism: Genealogies of Women’s Movements and the Re-Imagining of Feminist Peace and Resistance Itziar Mujika Chao and Linda Gusia Part II Movement Building for Feminist Peace 5 Feminist Peace for Digital Movement Building in Kenya and Ethiopia: Reflections, Lessons, Hopes and Dreams Sheena Gimase Magenya and Tigist Shewarega Hussen 6 No Peace Without Security: Shoring the Gains of the #MeToo Movement Giti Chandra, Cynthia Enloe and Irma Erlingsdottir 7 Feminists Visioning Genuine Security and a Culture of Peace: International Women’s Network Against Militarism Kozue Akibayashi, Corazon Valdez Fabros, Gwyn Kirk, Lisa Linda Natividad and Margo Okazawa-Rey Part III Institutional Peacebuilding and Feminist Peace 8 Building and Conceptualising Feminist Peace: Feminist Strategies and Approaches Helen Kezie-Nwoha, Nela Porobić Isaković, Madeleine Rees and Sarah Smith 9 Perils of Peacebuilding: Gender-Blindness, Climate Change and Ceasefire Capitalism in Colombia and Myanmar Henri Myrttinen and Diana López Castañeda 10 Women, Weapons and Disarmament Louise Arimatsu, Rasha Obaid and Anna De Courcy Wheeler Part IV Feminist Peace in the Academy 11 International Law as a Vehicle for Peace: Feminist Engagements Hilary Charlesworth, Christine Chinkin and Shelley Wright 12 Why Aren’t We Talking to Each Other? Thinking Gender, Conflict and Disaster as a Continuum Punam Yadav and Maureen Fordham 13 Teaching Feminist Peace Through Encounters With Female Violence Gina Heathcote, Elisabeth Koduthore and Sheri Labenski

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Book SynopsisA Wall Street Journal Best Book of the Year/Politics Winner of the Jewish Book Council’s Natan Notable Book Prize “One of the most accurate and fascinating books so far” (Michael Bar-Zohar, coauthor of Mossad) about how Israel used sabotage, assassination, cyberwar—and diplomacy—to thwart Iran’s development of nuclear weapons and, in the process, begin to reshape the Middle East.Yonah Bob and Ilan Evyatar describe how Israel has used cyberwarfare, targeted assassinations, and sabotage of Iranian facilities to great effect, sometimes in cooperation with the United States. Even as it takes lethal action, Israel has managed to alter the politics of the Middle East, culminating in the Abraham Accords of 2020. Arab states such as Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates normalized relations with Israel, and the holy grail of normalization with Saudi Arabia may yet be achieved. Despite the war with Hamas,

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