International relations Books

Book SynopsisThe reports that make up this book examine South American issues that impact on the United States. Chapter 1 provides background on the political and economic situation in Argentina and U.S.-Argentine relations. A key U.S. ally in the Latin American region, Colombia endured an internal armed conflict for half a century. In the late 1990s, the Colombian government devised a new security strategy, known as Plan Colombia, to counter the insurgencies. Originally designed as a 6-year program, Plan Colombia ultimately became a 17-year U.S.-Colombian bilateral effort as described in chapter 2. The U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement entered into force on 15 May 2012. Chapter 3 summarizes several key provisions in the original agreement text. Chapter 4 examines how Colombias drug policies have evolved in light of Colombias peace agreement with the FARC and its changing counternarcotics policy. It explores both policy and oversight concerns, such as: prospects for reducing coca and poppy cultivation under Colombias new drug policy and the peace accord with the FARC; the role of Colombian drug trafficking organizations, including powerful criminal groups containing former paramilitaries, in a post-peace accord environment; U.S.-Colombian cooperation on counternarcotics and Colombias future role in regional antidrug efforts; and shifts in U.S. government assistance to support Colombias revised drug policy and how Colombias new policy converges with traditional U.S. priorities. Chapter 5 examines the political and economic conditions in Ecuador and U.S.-Ecuadorian relations U.S.-Paraguayan relations have been close for decades. The U.S. government has provided development assistance to Paraguay, and the two governments have collaborated on security, counternarcotics, and efforts to promote and strengthen democracy, as reported in chapter 6. The United States historically had close relations with Venezuela, a major U.S. oil supplier, but relations have deteriorated under the Chávez and Maduro governments. Chapter 7 provides information on U.S. concerns about the deterioration of human rights and democracy in Venezuela and the lack of bilateral cooperation on counternarcotics and counterterrorism efforts. Chapter 8 analyzes the economic crisis in Venezuela, arguably the most acute crisis in the global economy today, including the causes, policy responses by the government, and recent developments. The chapter also examines how the crisis affects U.S. economic interests. Chapter9 provides background on political and economic developments in Venezuela, U.S. policy, and U.S. legislative action and initiatives from 2013 to 2016 covering the 113th and 114th Congresses.

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Book SynopsisThis book is comprised of 2018 and 2019 CRS reports on general national security of the United States. The first reports provides a background and status on Overseas Contingency Operations Funding. Since the terrorist attacks of September 11th, Congress has appropriated approximately $2 trillion in discretionary budget authority designated as emergency requirements or for Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism in support of the broad US government response to the 9/11 attacks and other related international affairs activities. The second report examines the military construction funding in the event of a national emergency. Next, there is a discussion on whether the Department of Defense can build the border wall. The last three reports are focused on background and issues for Congress on the Purple Heart, one of the oldest and most recognized American military medals, a guide for Members of Congress on key aspects of the Department of Defense and how Congress exercises authority over it, and finally, a report that lists hundreds of instances in which the US has used its Armed Forces abroad in situations of military conflict or potential conflict or for other than normal peacetime purposes from the years of 1798 to 2018.

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Book SynopsisThis book is a compilation of CRS (Congressional Research Services) reports on Foreign Policy and Regional Affairs. The first chapter is a 58-page report including frequently asked questions on US Trade Policy. The second report provides an overview and issues on International Trade and Finance for Congress. Next, an introduction, background and leadership selection process is provided for selecting the World Bank President. The subsequent reports are focused on the global refugee resettlement and the current refugee crisis, the appropriations and authorization laws for foreign aid, the Global Compact on Migration (GCM) and US Policy, and finally, an examination of human trafficking and foreign policy.

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Book SynopsisThis book is a comprehensive compilation of all reports, testimony, correspondence and other publications issued by the Congressional Research Service on International Relations during the month of May.

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Book SynopsisThis book is a comprehensive compilation of reports, correspondence and other publications on Ukraine. Some of the issues discussed include: U.S. Policy; The Conflict with Russia; The Presidential Election; The Whistleblower Complaint; Atomic Energy.Table of ContentsPreface; Europe: Ukraine; Ukraine: Background, Conflict with Russia, and U.S. Policy; Ukraine: Report from the Front Lines; Ending the War in Ukraine: Kurt Volker, U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations; Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Ukraine; Russian Influence and Unconventional Warfare Operations in the Gray Zone: Lessons from Ukraine; Defense Cooperation Agreement between the United States of America and Ukraine; Ukraines Presidential Election: A Preview; Memorandum of Telephone Conversation with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine; Whistleblower Complaint of August 12, 2019; Atomic Energy: Nuclear Safety Arrangement between the United States of America and Ukraine; High Crimes and Pipelines: Curbing Corruption in Ukraines Energy Sector; Index.

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Book SynopsisThe United States and the People''s Republic of China (PRC or China) are involved in a prolonged stand-off over trade and in competition that is spilling from political and military areas into a growing number of other spheres, including technology, finance, and education, severely straining ties of diplomatic relations. The two lead the world in the size of their economies, their defence budgets, and their global greenhouse gas emissions. This book looks at the current status of the U.S.-China relationship.

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Book SynopsisSince the end of the Second World War, successive U.S. administrations and many members of Congress have supported a close U.S. partnership with Europe. Often termed the transatlantic relationship, the U.S.-European partnership encompasses the NATO alliance, relations with the European Union (EU), and extensive bilateral political and economic ties. Despite periodic tensions over the past 70 years, U.S. and European policymakers have valued the transatlantic partnership as serving their respective geostrategic and economic interests. This book discusses U.S.-EU relations that may be of interest including U.S.-European cooperation on challenges such as managing a resurgent Russia, proposed new U.S.-EU trade agreement negotiations, trade and tariff policies and the U.S.-EU economic relationship.

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Book SynopsisSince May 2019, U.S.-Iran tensions have heightened significantly, and evolved into conflict after U.S. military forces killed Qasem Soleimani, the commander of the Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF) and one of Iran's most important military commanders, in a U.S. airstrike in Baghdad on 3 January 2020. The United States and Iran have appeared to be on the brink of additional hostilities since, as attacks by Iran-backed groups on bases in Iraq inhabited by U.S. forces have continued. This book details U.S. policy options on Iran, Iran's regional and defense policy, and Iran sanctions.Table of ContentsPreface; U.S.-Iran Tensions: Implications for Homeland Security; U.S.-Iran Conflict and Implications for U.S. Policy; The 2019-2020 Iran Crisis and U.S. Military Deployments; Iran: Internal Politics and U.S. Policy and Options (Updated); Irans Foreign and Defense Policies (Updated); Iran Sanctions (Updated); Irans Nuclear Program and U.N. Sanctions Reimposition; COVID-19 and U.S. Iran Policy; Index.

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Book SynopsisCrossing Borders helps students develop a framework for understanding the various disciplines that constitute international studies by exploring the many boundaries they knowingly (and unknowingly) cross on a daily basis. Renowned authors Harry I. Chernotsky and Heidi H. Hobbs address the diverse fields of international studies—geography, politics, economics, sociology, and anthropology—giving instructors a launching point to pursue their own disciplinary interests. This bestseller not only helps students to better grasp international affairs, but also offers advice on how they can engage with global issues through study abroad, internships, and career options. Updated thoroughly to reflect recent events and trends, the Fourth Edition assesses the COVID-19 pandemic; the use of social media to interfere in elections; the role of China in trade, investment, and finance; and the tensions surrounding persistent racial and gender inequities around the world. Included with this text The online resources for your text are available via the password-protected Instructor Resource Site. Table of ContentsList of Tables, Figures, and Maps Preface Acknowledgments About the Authors Chapter 1. Getting Your Global Bearings: Navigating the World Toward a Working Definition of International Studies Different Ways of Looking at the World’s Borders The Evolution of Globalization Globalization: Winners and Losers The Changing Definition of Citizenship in a Global Era Conclusion: Where Do We Go from Here? Key Concepts To Learn More Chapter 2. Point of Departure: Planet Earth Getting Our Heads around the Earth: Geography as a Field of Study Where We Live Population Management Food and Hunger Energy Security The Human Factor: Contributing to the Problem? The Global Response Conclusion: What Can You Do? Key Concepts To Learn More Chapter 3. Jump-Starting the Trip: The Role of Technology The Technological Frontier The Virtual Frontier The Role of Technology in Crossing Borders Conclusion: A Final Thought on Technology Key Concepts To Learn More Chapter 4. Searching for Security: The Political World Defining Political Borders: The Origins of the Modern State System The Balance of Power System: Its Failures and the Outbreak of War The Cold War The Post–Cold War World Conclusion: The Quest for Security Key Concepts To Learn More Chapter 5. Challenges to Security Persistent Conflict: The Case of Israel and Palestine Weapons of Mass Destruction Terrorism Conclusion: What Can Be Done? Key Concepts To Learn More Chapter 6. Seeking Prosperity: The Global Economy Defining Economic Borders: A Very Short History The Bretton Woods System Beyond Bretton Woods: The Roots of Contemporary Globalization Emerging Economic Centers Key Players in Transition Conclusion: The Evolving World Economy Key Concepts To Learn More Chapter 7. Challenges to Prosperity Free Trade versus Protectionism Transnational Investment: Blessing or Curse? Finance and Aid: Promoting or Hindering Development? Conclusion: What Can Be Done? Key Concepts To Learn More Chapter 8. Protecting Identity: The People of the World Cultural and Social Borders: Understanding Identity The Age of Enlightenment Social Borders The Study of Social and Cultural Borders Globalization: Homogenization or Hybridization? Conclusion: Identity at the Crossroads Key Concepts To Learn More Chapter 9. Challenges to Identity The Role of Religion Ethnic Conflict Fragile States Conclusion: What Can Be Done? Key Concepts To Learn More Chapter 10. Managing the World: Cooperation at the Global Level Defining the Global Order: International Law and Organizations The United Nations Interdependence and Regional Intergovernmental Organizations Nongovernmental Organizations The Evolution of the United Nations and Civil Society The Expansion of International Law and the International Criminal Court Conclusion: Compliance and Enforcement Key Concepts To Learn More Chapter 11. Challenges to Cooperation Poverty Global Health and the Threat of Disease Human Rights Conclusion: What Can Be Done? Key Concepts To Learn More Chapter 12. Connecting to the World: Where Do You Go from Here? International Studies beyond the Classroom International Career Opportunities Educational Options Conclusion: Where Do You Go from Here? Key Concepts To Learn More Notes Index

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Book SynopsisInternational law makes it explicit that states shall not intervene militarily or otherwise in the affairs of other states; it is a central principle of the charter of the United Nations. But international law also provides an exception; when a conflict within a state poses a threat to international peace, military intervention by the UN may be warranted. (Indeed, the UN Charter provides for an international police force, though nothing has ever come of this provision). The Charter and other UN documents also assert that human rights are to be protected—but in the past the responsibility for the protection of human rights has for the most part been allowed to rest on the government of the state where the violation of rights occurs. Not surprisingly in this context, the question of what protection (if any) should be provided by the UN or otherwise to individuals when their human rights are violated by their governments or with the complicity of their governments remains a contentious issue. Should the principle of respect for state sovereignty trump the principle of respect for human rights? Historically it has been allowed to do so, but recently it has been more and more widely argued that when states fail to respect the human rights of their citizens (or of others who reside within their boundaries), they may be held accountable for their actions. Is military humanitarian intervention justifiable? And if so, under what circumstances? Those are the questions addressed in this collection of essays.The focus of the volume is on the abstract principles involved; though reference is sometimes made to specific cases, the essays here consist primarily of philosophical reflection on the abstract issues. (A companion volume on the specific issues surrounding a particular case, Lessons of Kosovo, is being published simultaneously.)Table of ContentsPreface, Aleksandar JokicIntroduction, Burleigh Wilkins1 War, Revolution, and Humanitarian Intervention, Anthony Ellis2 Humanitarian Intervention: Some Doubts, Burleigh Wilkins3 Foreign Armed Intervention: Between Justified Aid and Illegal Violence, Jovan Babic4 Humanitarian Intervention and Moral Theory, Michael Philips5 Preempting Humanitarian Interventions, Thomas Pogge6 Humanitarian Intervention and International Law, Alfred P. Rubin7 From Nuremberg to Kosovo: The Morality of Illegal International Legal Reform, Allen BuchananContributors

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Book SynopsisThe Asia-Pacific Region has changed from a region of permanent crisis to a major economic growth area of the world. This is mainly based on the stability of the region despite some conflict potentials. Consequently the influence of new challenges for national security is of great importance for the analysis of the future developments of this region. Security is one of the crucial needs for the individual as well as the nation or state. A comprehensive security approach is recognised by most of the Asian nation states, but most of the regional organisations in Asia are lacking it. Nevertheless, the coming era of globalisation, increasing interdependence, closer communication networks, and a growing ecology factor will show the need for closer co-operation and more regionalisation in order to fulfil the requirements of the nation state towards its inhabitants. The chapters contained in this volume provide an invaluable guide to a modified security approach in Asia, which can be the first step of building a common Asian security thinking. The covering of major security challenges as well as the regional security panoramas and the selected country profiles provide a crucial overview concerning this complex problem.

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Book SynopsisTransition from one millennium to another is not just a calendar date, but rather a complex historical process of qualitative changes in the development of human civilisation. Such understanding of history is especially important when one would like to assess the ''double step'' (a new century and a new millennium) being made at the advent of a new era. Together with the geopolitical regrouping, principal qualitative shifts are taking place on the international scene. They are already evident in the territories of some of the former republics of the Soviet Union which have been replaced by the Commonwealth Independent States (CIS). The goal of this book is to contribute to a more profound study of the global changes in the area of both international and national security which have been well underway in the world community in a whole and the CIS in particular, started by the dissolution of the former Soviet Union and accelerated by the subsequent political, economic and social reforms in the CIS countries.

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Book SynopsisThe settlement of Namibia''s long running conflict remains one of the major successes of the United Nations. Over the course of one year, UN peacekeepers assisted the people of Namibia to gain their independence after years of oppressive South African rule. This book provides an in depth study of the conditions contributing to the UN''s success in Namibia and what these reveal about peacekeeping and peace enforcing in other countries.

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Book SynopsisThis volume explores the key issues facing Russia as she lurches from one major crisis to another.

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Book SynopsisIn 1860 the empire of Japan sent 170 officials -- samurai and bureaucrats, inspectors and spies, half a dozen teenagers and one Confucian physician -- to tour the United States, the first such visit to America and the first trip anywhere abroad in two hundred years. Politics and curiosity, on both sides, mixed to create an amazing journey. Using the travellers'' own journals of the trip and American accounts of the group''s progress, historian and critic Masao Miyoshi relates the fascinating tale of entrenched assumptions, startling impressions, and bewildering conclusions. Miyoshi finds in this unique encounter an entertaining adventure story of discovery and a paradigm of the attitudes and judgements that have ever since shaped American and Japanese perceptions of one another. This revealing account of ''otherness'' is still relevant today as we strive to understand peoples whom we think of as foreign.

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Book SynopsisDomestic American and international fortunes are affected by three levels of policy makers: US, developing nations, and international interaction. At each level, policy occurs at many different areas, including economic, technology, social, political, legal, and international. The book contains a selection of essays studying the impact of policy on the three interrelated elements of peace, prosperity, and democracy. No nation can succeed unless it finds a balance among these aspects.

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Book SynopsisWith the process of a ''wider Europe'' (EU-Commission President Romano Prodi''s ''ring of friends'') that extends from Marrakech in Morocco to St Petersburg in Russia gathering speed, the growing rift between Europe and America also is about how to deal politically with the countries of the Mediterranean-Muslim world. The house of Islam (Dar al Islam) was pivotal to the European path to the Renaissance and to the re-discovery of classic Greek philosophy. The Mediterranean policy of the European Union aims at a positive and co-operative relationship with the region. A successful integration of the Mediterranean South would have tremendous and positive repercussions for regional and world peace. World-wide leading experts from the field of world systems analysis, economics, integration theory, political science, theology and area studies, agnostics, Christians, Jews and Muslims alike discuss the issue with European decision makers. The outcome is an interdisciplinary evaluation of this projected export of peace, co-operation, dialogue and stability in the framework of world centre-periphery relationships.

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Book SynopsisFrance has taken its own course for centuries and it continues to do so. Its immigration policies have now led to very widespread and very public burnings of automobiles and rioting. Its millions of Arab citizens with their high birth rates, high unemployment rates, and high frustration levels have reached the level of ignition. Can France put this situation back into the bottle or can it change its policies in time to prevent a constant level of civil unrest? This book examines those policies themselves as well as France''s foreign policies which are intertwined with the problems.

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Book SynopsisThe Middle East remains in turmoil as it has been forever, or so it seems. It now appears, however, that Islamic groups and countries are acquiring both modern weapons and training to use them. Add a heavy dose of willingness, or even eagerness to die for the cause, and a powder-keg is the result. This book examines important issues in Iran, Syria, Lebanon and Israel.

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Book SynopsisGerman Chancellor Angela Merkel took office in November 2005 promising a foreign policy anchored in a revitalised transatlantic partnership. Most observers agree that since reaching a low-point in the lead-up to the Iraq war in 2003, relations between the United States and Germany have improved. With recent leadership changes in the United Kingdom, France, and Italy, U.S. officials view Germany under Chancellor Merkel as a key U.S. ally in Europe. Despite continuing areas of divergence, President Bush and many Members of Congress have welcomed German leadership in Europe and have voiced expectations for increased U.S.-German co-operation on the international stage. German unification in 1990 and the end of the Cold War represented monumental shifts in the geopolitical realities that had traditionally defined German foreign policy. Germany was once again Europe''s largest country, and the Soviet threat, which had served to unite West Germany with its pro-western neighbours and the United States, was no longer. Since the early 1990s, German leaders have been challenged to exercise a foreign policy grounded in a long-standing commitment to multilateralism and an aversion to military force while simultaneously seeking to assume the more proactive global role many argue is necessary to confront emerging security threats. Until 1994, Germany was constitutionally barred from deploying its armed forces abroad. Today, over 7,000 German troops are deployed in peacekeeping, stabilisation, and reconstruction missions world-wide. However, as Germany''s foreign and security policy continues to evolve, some experts perceive a widening gap between the global ambitions of Germany''s political class, and an increasingly sceptical German public. Since the end of the Cold War, Germany''s relations with the United States have been shaped by several key factors. These include Germany''s growing support for a stronger, more capable European Union, and its continued allegiance to NATO as the primary guarantor of European security; Germany''s ability and willingness to undertake the defence reforms many argue are necessary for it to meet its commitments within NATO and a burgeoning European Security and Defence Policy; and German popular opinion, especially the influence of strong public opposition to recent U.S. foreign policies on German leaders. Under Merkel''s leadership, Germany has sought to boost transatlantic co-operation in areas ranging from economic and trade relations, climate change policy, and global counter-terrorism and non-proliferation policy, to peacekeeping, reconstruction and stabilization efforts in Afghanistan, the Middle East, Africa, and the Balkans. Merkel has enjoyed relatively strong domestic support for her transatlantically-oriented foreign policy agenda. However, as her term progresses, and domestic political tensions mount, she may be more hard-pressed to justify her Atlanticist foreign policy to a public which appears increasingly sceptical of U.S. influence in the world. Imprint: Global Affairs Press

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Book SynopsisThis book provides a set of recommendations to the United States, NATO allies, and EU institutions in promoting a more consequential Eastern Dimension. Above all, the U.S. administration needs to clearly make the argument that progress toward stable states and secure democracies in a widening Europe and an expanding trans-Atlantic community that encompasses the Black Sea zone is in America''s national interests and serves its strategic goals. The eventual inclusion of all East European states that are currently situated outside NATO and the creation of a wider Alliance would help expand and consolidate democratic systems, open up new markets, stabilize Washington''s new allies, and increase the number of potential U.S. partners.

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Book SynopsisDmitry Medvedev, Putin''s chosen successor and long-time protege, was elected President of the Russian Federation on March 2, 2008 with about 70% of the vote. Medvedev, formerly First Deputy Prime Minister, announced during the campaign that if elected, he would propose Putin as Prime Minister. Medvedev was inaugurated as President on May 7th; Putin was confirmed as Prime Minister the next day. U.S. and EU observers criticised the election as unfairly controlled by the governing authorities. Nevertheless, Putin''s widespread popularity in Russia led many to conclude that the election results corresponded to Russian public opinion. Furthermore, the economic upturn that began in 1999 is still continuing. The GDP, domestic investment, and the general living standard have been growing impressively after a decade-long decline, fuelled in large part by profits from oil and gas exports. There is a budget surplus, and the ruble is stable. However, some major problems remain: 15% of the population live below the poverty line; foreign investment is relatively low; inflation is rising; and crime, corruption, capital flight, and unemployment remain high. Additionally, Russian foreign policy has grown more self-confident, assertive and anti-western, fuelled by its perceived status as an "energy superpower". Even though Washington and Moscow have found some common ground on the Iranian and North Korean nuclear concerns, tension is rising on other issues such as NATO enlargement, Kosovo, and proposed U.S. missile defences in Eastern Europe. This book discusses the history of U.S.-Russian relations as well as the current situation.

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Book SynopsisWith the end of the Cold War, a popular parlour game in foreign ministries, think tanks, and academia has been to develop a theory of international relations that best explains the new international order. Although there is widespread agreement that the United States is the world''s most powerful country in military, economic, and diplomatic terms, and is likely to remain so for the foreseeable future, there is little agreement as to how the rest of the world will react to America''s lead. Concepts such as "balancing", "bandwagoning", "buck-passing", and "free riding", to name just a few, have been advanced and debated. And although none presents a unified field theory, each explains some aspect of international relations. Theory has an even more difficult time explaining the relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom (UK), especially its remarkable endurance over the past 6 decades. The U.S.-UK partnership flourished during World War II, deepened during the long twilight struggle with the Soviet Union, and has prospered further since the end of the Cold War. It is likely to survive any new challenges that may loom on the horizon.

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Book SynopsisThe nation''s surface transportation system has deteriorated to such a degree that our safety, economic competitiveness and quality of life are at risk. The United States Congress has recognised the dangers of inattention and delay and has asked for assistance to re-envision the way the federal government funds and finances our national surface transportation infrastructure. Congress established the National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission to provide recommendations for policy and action. This book offers the results of the Commission''s investigative efforts and deliberations. This book consists of public documents which have been located, gathered, combined, reformatted, and enhanced with a subject index, selectively edited and bound to provide easy access.

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Book SynopsisFormed 50 years ago, in 1961, the Peace Corps sends American volunteers to serve at the grassroots level in villages and towns across the globe to meet its three-point legislative mandate of promoting world peace and friendship by improving the lives of those they serve, helping others understand American culture, and sharing their experiences with Americans back home. To date, nearly 200,000 Peace Corps volunteers have served in 139 countries. This book examines the Peace Corps, with a focus on the problems of safety and security for its volunteers world-wide and the challenges facing the organisation to remain relevant and productive for the next fifty years.

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