International relations Books

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Book SynopsisTrade growth between the United States and China has increased U.S. interest in how the Chinese transportation system handles exports. The Federal Highway Administration, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, and National Cooperative Highway Research Program sponsored a scanning study to identify how China provides intermodal access to its ports and uses investment strategies to foster freight mobility and intermodal connectivity. The scan team learned that China''s national, provincial, and metropolitan transportation policy is closely coordinated with the country''s economic policy and social harmony goals. The transportation system is expanding rapidly to meet global intermodal freight demands and promote expansion into underdeveloped regions of the country. This book discusses the freight mobility and intermodal connectivity in China as well as provides an overview of U.S.-China commercial relations, including major trade disputes.

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Book SynopsisThe Panama Canal is an important link in global trade and its expansion, which will allow passage of much larger ships, and could have significant impacts on U.S. ports and inland infrastructure. This book describes ways that shipping patterns and industry costs could change when the Panama Canal expansion is complete, assesses the potential shifts in trade flows tied to the Panama Canal expansion and identifies potential markets that could be affected.

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Book SynopsisThis series addresses new developments, issues and U.S. relations with countries around the world. Topics discussed in this compilation include the United States relations with the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, the Republic of the Philippines, Singapore, and South Africa. It also discusses issues for Congress in Mongolia.

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Book SynopsisThe People''s Republic of China (PRC) continues to pursue a long-term, comprehensive military modernisation program designed to improve its armed forces'' capacity to fight short-duration, high-intensity regional conflicts. China''s military modernisation has the potential to reduce core U.S. military technological advantages. China is investing in capabilities designed to defeat adversary power projection and counter third-party -- including U.S. -- intervention during a crisis or conflict. This book examines the military and security developments involving the PRC. Moreover, it provides and discusses the highlights from China''s new defense white paper, "China''s Military Strategy".

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Book SynopsisThis series addresses new developments, issues and U.S. relations with countries around the world. Topics discussed in this compilation include background information and U.S. relations with Libya, Sudan, Turkey, Israel, Japan, and Cambodia.

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Book SynopsisThis book demonstrates how extradition and rendition have evolved as various courts have spoken on and interpreted these issues. It shows how these issues are of both theoretical and practical importance. While careful steps have been taken to discuss important and relevant cases, it must be acknowledged that recent political events and cases warrant further discussion and will continue to develop. Nevertheless, it remains clear that as the world becomes more connected economically and politically, the issue of extradition and rendition will continue to be important in the United States and around the world.Table of ContentsAbout the Authors; Introduction; Extradition and Rendition; Interstate Rendition; Extradition in U.S. Law; Interpreting and Perfecting Ker; The Nature of Extradition Treaties; The Non-Refoulement Rule; The Non-Inquiry Rule; Illegal Seizure; Evading Extradition; Conclusion; References.

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Book Synopsis 2016. The world is on the brink of crisis. Who could have predicted how events would play out? In this satirical thriller, Stanley Johnson, former MEP and father to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, just might have. In Britain, the British Prime Minister Jeremy Hartley is fighting a referendum he thought couldn’t be lost. In the USA, brash showman, Ronald Craig is fighting a Presidential Election nobody thought he could win. In the USSR, Igor Popov, the Russian President, is using both events as part of his plan to destabilise the West.Trade Review'I wish we had been able to take this book into the jungle. Stanley's Kompromat is a superbly funny satire on recent events!' * Georgia Toffolo ('Toff'), ITV's Queen of the Jungle 2017 *'Brilliant.' * The Sunday Times *‘Perfect beach material.’ * Independent *‘It’s brilliant and, who knows, maybe it’s true.’ * Ken Livingstone *'A rollicking work of fiction that sets conniving caricatures of real-life figures amid a diorama of recent world events...Mr. Johnson, a former member of the European Parliament and the father of British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, clearly knows all the drills. The author of 25 earlier works of fiction and nonfiction, he has a lifetime’s expertise that adds comic credibility to a caper combining the antic action of Mad magazine’s old "Spy vs. Spy" cartoons with the gonzo humor of Carl Hiaasen.' * Wall Street Journal *‘There are some novelists who, by instincts or study, understand perfectly the independent components of a thriller. Stanley Johnson is one of them.’ * Daily Telegraph *‘This thriller has the makings of a gleeful romp through geopolitical skullduggery, but Johnson (The Commissioner) has laid out something that looks more like an alternative history for our grim and disrupted times.' * Publishers Weekly *‘An enjoyable satire…while still being all too scarily believable.’ * Crime Novel Reader *‘This is a brilliant alternative account of recent and current events.’ * The Chronicle *‘In its complex plotting and intrigue, Kompromat not only suggests that Russia was influencing the US election campaign, but behind the scenes bolstering the fortunes of the Leave campaign. Of course, Kompromat is an entertainment but Johnson is quite chuffed that some of his plot twists have proved prescient.’ * Sydney Morning Herald *

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Book Synopsis'Fascinating' Guardian, 'Book of the Day''A truly masterly book... A tour de force that will be read for a very long time.' Peter HennessySelected by the New Statesman as an essential read for 2022Britain shaped the modern Middle East through the lines that it drew in the sand after the First World War and through the League of Nations mandates over the fledgling states that followed. Less than forty years later, the Suez crisis dealt a fatal blow to Britain's standing in the Middle East and is often represented as the final throes of British imperialism. However, as this insightful and compelling new book reveals, successive prime ministers have all sought to extend British influence in the Middle East and their actions have often led to a disastrous outcome.While Anthony Eden and Tony Blair are the two most prominent examples of prime ministers whose reputations have been ruined by their interventions in the region, they were not alone in taking significant risks in deploying British forces to the Middle East. There was an unspoken assumption that Britain could help solve its problems, even if only for the reason that British imperialism had created the problems in the first place.Drawing these threads together, Nigel Ashton explores the reasons why British leaders have been unable to resist returning to the mire of the Middle East, while highlighting the misconceptions about the region that have helped shape their interventions, and the legacy of history that has fuelled their pride and arrogance. Ultimately, he shows how their fears and insecurities made them into false prophets who conjured existential threats out of the sands of the Middle East.Trade ReviewFascinating... Diary entries, telegrams, diplomatic records and, where possible, interviews with aides and advisers help bring out the psychology, preoccupations and prejudices that framed British decision making. The result is an empathetic but not a sympathetic account. * Guardian, 'Book of the Day' *Ashton gives an authoritative account of this familiar saga... He unravels the diplomatic and political intricacies with enviable skill. -- Piers Brendon * Literary Review *A truly masterly book on a crucial running theme of British history since 1945. It is rich in scholarship, laced with insight and burnished with fluency. Nigel Ashton has a special feel for that fissile terrain where oil, sand, geopolitics and UK foreign policy meet. It is second only to the European Question as a wrecker of premierships and political reputations. False Prophets is a tour de force that will be read for a very long time. -- Peter Hennessy, author of WINDS OF CHANGEEngaging... Ashton frames his study through the lens of 10 Downing Street, showing how its occupants, from Anthony Eden to David Cameron, dealt with successive postwar crises in the world's most hydrocarbon-rich, but politically volatile, region... It has the advantage of shaping a cacophony of confusing events into a highly readable narrative. * Financial TImes *A fascinating and challenging insight into the twists and turns of Britain's relationship with the Middle East. Prime ministers and their diplomatic advisers must understand this history if we are to get better at understanding this region in the future. -- Tom Fletcher, author of THE NAKED DIPLOMATAs Nigel Ashton details in his insightful book False Prophets, successive British prime ministers have been lured into the quick-sands of the Middle East by an exaggerated sense of the threat emanating from the region and by the desire to enhance the UK's "special relationship" with the US. Too often, Britain's over-estimation of its ability to control events led to interventions that proved detrimental to national interests and compounded the region's problems. -- Emma Sky, author of THE UNRAVELLINGA masterful new account of the perceptions and underlying motivations that swept a succession of British prime ministers into (often messy) entanglements in the Middle East, post-1955. Superbly researched and written with tempo, this is a brilliant book; one which will be enjoyed by professional historians and general readers alike - not least because the author has a special eye for those small yet revealing, sometimes ironic, often amusing, moments that history can so delightfully throw our way. -- Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, President and CEO of the International Peace InstituteThis is an outstanding book, combining a wide-ranging knowledge of the history of the Middle East and of successive prime ministers, interwoven with a vital understanding of Anglo-American relations. It is both stimulating and very well-written. -- Kathleen Burk, Professor Emerita of Modern and Contemporary History, University College LondonAs if Anthony Eden's tragic missteps over Suez in 1956 were not warning enough, this lively, sobering account shows how British prime ministers have continued to get drawn into Middle Eastern affairs, often at a high political cost and with little foreign policy gain. -- Sir Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus Professor of War Studies, King's College LondonNigel Ashton's fascinating, sweeping study, lively and detailed, is of all prime ministers trying to exert their personal authority in the Middle East and to sustain the idea of Britain as a world power. It is a history of ambitions, egos, imperiousness, interventions and often failure, with painful legacies, and it is written with an expert's grasp. -- Dr James Ellison, Reader in History, Queen Mary, University of LondonVivid and salutary. * The Tablet *This fascinating book makes a strong case that the volatile mixture of history, economic interests and personal convictions it describes will continue to exert a fateful fascination for British prime ministers. -- Peter Ricketts * Engelsberg Ideas *Table of Contents1: Anthony Eden: Suezcide of a Statesman 2: Macmillan's Hot Pursuit of Nasser 3: Douglas-Home's War in Yemen 4: A Tale of Two Kisses: Harold Wilson, George Brown and the Middle East 5: Heath's Day of Atonement 6: Callaghan's 'Local Terrorist Made Good' 7: Arms and the Woman: Margaret Thatcher and the Middle East 8: Major's Safe Haven 9: The Next Stage of Evil: Tony Blair and the Middle East 10: In Blair's Shadow: Gordon Brown and the Middle East 11: Cameron and the Arab Spring

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Book Synopsis'Entertaining and insightful' -- Evening Standard'One of the most important books of the year... Compelling' Jamie Bartlett, Literary Review'Timely' -- New StatesmanAs the world becomes better connected and we grow ever more dependent on technology, the risks to our infrastructure are multiplying. Whether it's a hostile state striking the national grid (like Russia did with Ukraine in 2016) or a freak solar storm, our systems have become so interlinked that if one part goes down the rest topple like dominoes.In this groundbreaking book, former government minister Oliver Letwin looks ten years into the future and imagines a UK in which the national grid has collapsed. Reliant on the internet, automated electric cars, voice-over IP, GPS, and the internet of things, law and order would disintegrate. Taking us from high-level government meetings to elderly citizens waiting in vain for their carers, this book is a wake up call for why we should question our unshakeable faith in technology. But it's much more than that: Letwin uses his vast experience in government to outline how businesses and government should respond to catastrophic black swan events that seem distant and implausible - until they occur.Trade ReviewEntertaining and insightful... The picture [Letwin] paints is bleak as he uses chapters that alternate between a fictional depiction of chaotic meltdown in the year 2037 and analysis of the real-life causes to show why such disaster could occur. * Evening Standard *One of the most important books of the year... compelling * Jamie Bartlett, Literary Review *Timely... it provides an insight into the mindsets that prevent politicians and civil servants from properly preparing for catastrophes. * New Statesman *A vivid and engaging account of how the risks inherent in our increasing dependence on technology could someday coalesce into a perfect storm with disastrous consequences. Apocalypse How? reads like a dystopian thriller, but makes it clear that the dangers are very real. * Martin Ford, New York Times bestselling author of The Rise of the Robots *A vital guide for anyone in business or government who wants to know how to respond when apparently distant and implausible events strike home. * Prospect *Masterful, disturbing and informed, Letwin takes us to the abyss - to a society paralysed by the total failure of its interconnected power and communications networks. His contingency plans should be mandatory reading. * Professor Richard Susskind OBE, Chair of Advisory Board, Oxford Internet Institute *From severe floods and accelerating climate change to cyber-attacks and space weather, there is a whole series of threats that could bring a modern country to a standstill. Oliver Letwin spent more time than any minister in recent history trying to understand, prevent and combat the unexpected disasters that could engulf a modern government. * David Cameron *Table of Contents0: Prologue 1: Could it happen? 2: The Cabinet Office 3: The social impact of black-swan events 4: Out in the darkness 5: Fragility and resilience 6: A difficult choice 7: Myths and realities 8: For whom the bell tolls 9: The global perspective

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Book SynopsisShinzo Abe entered politics burdened by high expectations: that he would change Japan. In 2007, seemingly overwhelmed, he resigned after only a year as prime minister. Yet, following five years of reinvention, he masterfully regained the premiership in 2012 and, until his resignation in 2020, dominated Japanese democracy as no leader had done before. Abe inspired fierce loyalty among his followers, cowing Japan’s left with his ambitious economic programme and support for the security and armed forces. He staked a leadership role for Japan in a region being rapidly transformed by the rise of China and India, while carefully preserving an ironclad relationship with Trump’s America. The Iconoclast tells the story of Abe’s meteoric rise and stunning fall, his remarkable comeback, and his unlikely emergence as a global statesman who laid the groundwork for Japan’s survival in a turbulent century.Trade Review‘Comprehensive and engaging.’ -- The Economist‘In exhaustive detail, [Harris] describes a career of setbacks, half-successes and frustrated ambitions.’ -- The Times‘The Iconoclast is a definitive, must-read biography of Abe, and will be the standard English-language work on his life and times for years to come.’ -- The Japan Times‘Journalists, scholars – anyone interested in the political evolution of the leading democracy of East Asia – will need to add The Iconoclast to the reading pile.’ -- Asia Times'Offer[s] in non-specialized language accessible to a general reader detailed coverage of Abe’s family ties to politics, entry into politics, rise to the premiership, and style and substance of governing.' -- Pacific Affairs‘Reflecting on the past and speculating the future, the book contains rich insight about Japan under Abe’s government as well as in the coming post-Abe era, which will help us envision Japan’s future.’ -- Nikkei Asian Review‘For more than a decade, Shinzo Abe has been the doorknob of international politics – largely unnoticed but functionally crucial. Throughout a period of tumult, both international and domestic, he has remained a grimly determined steady hand, a conservative force in a world of radical uncertainty. In translucent prose, Tobias Harris is a subtle commentator on Japan and a remarkably sure-footed guide to the inner workings of its longest-serving prime minister in history.' -- David Pilling, Financial Times, author of Bending Adversity: Japan and the Art of Survival‘Harris has very skilfully told one of the great political comeback stories of our era – the fall and rise of not just Abe Shinzo, but Japan itself. With colourful anecdotes and insightful analysis, the author shows us how Abe, a political blue-blood, pulled off the most remarkable second act in modern Japanese history by being an iconoclast. Harris tells how Abe challenged taboos and broke the mould to help Japan reclaim its confidence, and its rightful place in the world.’ -- Martin Fackler, former Tokyo bureau chief, New York Times'A superb biography of Abe Shinzo, Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, as well as a remarkably detailed political history of Japan, from Abe’s grandfather Prime Minister Kishi Nobusuke (1957-60) to Prime Minister Abe. Thoroughly researched, lucidly written. A great achievement.’ -- Ezra Vogel, Henry Ford II Professor of the Social Sciences Emeritus, Harvard University‘The Iconoclast is a well written and comprehensive chronicle of the politics and policies of Japan’s longest serving prime minister.’ -- Gerald L. Curtis, Burgess Professor Emeritus of Political Science, Columbia University

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Book SynopsisIts vast infrastructure projects now extend from the ocean floor to outer space, and from Africa's megacities into rural America. China is wiring the world, and, in doing so, rewriting the global order. As things stand, the rest of the world still has a choice. But the battle for tomorrow will require America and its allies to take daring risks in uncertain political terrain. Unchecked, China will reshape global flows of data to reflect its interests. It will develop an unrivalled understanding of market movements, the deliberations of foreign competitors, and the lives of countless individuals enmeshed in its systems. Networks create large winners, and this is one contest that democracies can't afford to lose. Taking readers on a global tour of these emerging battlefields, Jonathan Hillman reveals what China's digital footprint looks like on the ground, and explores the dangers of a world in which all routers lead to Beijing.Trade ReviewA gripping account of China's rise as a tech superpower ... Take the time to dive deep into this well-written account of the biggest technological transformation of the 21st century * Financial Times *Hillman is surely right that Chinese tech makes the world a more dangerous place than we once hoped ... The prospect that [he] sets up is terrifying -- Emma Duncan * Times *A probing look at China's quest to dominate the technosphere [and] a cogent warning that the West has much work to do if it is to contain Chinese expansion into cyberspace * Kirkus *Engrossing ... Hillman weaves together academic research with on-the-ground journalism to paint a vivid picture of China's Digital Silk Road efforts -- Jonathan A Knee * Business Insider South Africa *The Digital Silk Road traces China's rise as a digital superpower and provides a sobering analysis of its challenge to American technological leadership, economic competitiveness, and national security. Jonathan Hillman shows how private entrepreneurship and government support have enabled a technologically backward country to acquire leading-edge communications capabilities long thought to be the exclusive preserve of rich democracies. This important and well-crafted book should be required reading -- Minxin Pei, author * China's Crony Capitalism *Essential reading for understanding one of the greatest geostrategic challenges of our age: China's technological rise and global push to dominate the vital systems upon which militaries, markets, and modern societies depend -- Admiral James Stavridis, 16th Supreme Allied Commander at NATO and author * 2034: A Novel of the Next World War *An urgent, engaging look at China's push to build digital influence and leverage, project by project, as it makes a play for global dominance -- Jon Huntsman Jr, former US ambassador to ChinaXi's path to absolute power ... has created a personality cult that demands even more repression and controls than George Orwell could have imagined ... The challenge to open societies is real, if daunting, and this book offers a deep analysis of that threat and some possibilities of how it can be tackled -- Nevil Gibson * NBR *Assiduously researched and compellingly written ... Behind the Great Firewall, Hillman provides a thorough account of an increasingly controlled internet -- Tin Hinane El Kadi * Chatham House *Praise for The Emperor's New Silk Road: An outstanding book by one of the most interesting and original thinkers about the rise of China, the Belt and Road Initiative and what both mean for the rest of the world. Filled with insights into the changing world of the 21st century - essential reading -- Peter Frankopan, author * The Silk Roads: A New History of the World *A timely and fascinating account of how China is shaping the digital universe, redrawing the connections that carry data from ocean floor to outer space, and harnessing the means by which both commerce and warfare will increasingly be conducted, framed in a century-defining contest for control -- Charlene Barshefsky, 12th United States Trade RepresentativeFor all the hype and hand-wringing over how the [Belt and Road] could usher in the Chinese century, Hillman's engaging mix of high-level analysis and fieldwork in more than a dozen countries paints a much more nuanced picture -- Keith Johnson * Foreign Policy *A first-rate blend of analysis and journalistic reporting from the front lines of economic statecraft -- Michael J. Mazarr * War on the Rocks *

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Book SynopsisEast Asia has been a growing focal point of geopolitical conflict since the 1940s, and today increasingly sits at the heart of the global economy and high tech as rising regional powers challenge the centuries-old primacy of the Western world. With half a millennium of Western dominated order in the region facing unprecedented challenges and possibly nearing its end, it is now more than ever essential to understand the history behind it and its objectives. This book undertakes the task of elucidating the complex and little-known history of the West’s involvement in the Asia-Pacifi c, providing context critical to understanding contemporary developments.Table of ContentsContents: Destroying the Japanese Empire: How Asia’s First Industrial Power Undermined Western Control – The War Against a Defeated Japan: Punishing a Challenger to the West’s Regional Hegemony – Undermining China: America’s Twenty- Year War to Destroy the People’s Republic – The Rise and Fall of an Independent Indonesia: A Twenty- Year War Effort to Restore Western Control – America in the Philippines: Establishing a Colony and Later Neo- Colony in the Pacific – War in Korea: A New Frontier for American Empire – The Desolation of Korea – Vietnam’s Long War: How a Thirty- Year Assault to Impose Western Control Ravaged a Nation – Japan After the War: From Primary Challenger to Key Upholder of Western Hegemony – Economic War on Asia: Crushing the Region’s Rising Economies – Asia Divided: Unifying Initiatives as a Threat to Western Primacy – Pivot to Asia and China’s Rise: Can a Western- Dominated Order be Perpetuated?

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE PARLIAMENTARY BOOK AWARDS'Thought-provoking and well worth reading' Times Literary SupplementAfter decades of peace and prosperity, the international order put in place after World War II is rapidly coming to an end. Disastrous foreign wars, global recession, the meteoric rise of China and India and the COVID pandemic have undermined the power of the West's international institutions and unleashed the forces of nationalism and protectionism.In this lucid and groundbreaking analysis, one of Britain's most experienced senior diplomats highlights the key dilemmas Britain faces, from trade to security, arguing that international co-operation and solidarity are the surest ways to prosper in a world more dangerous than ever.Trade ReviewA bracing, stimulating, utterly timely call for the UK to take a very hard look at its place in the world post-Brexit and after Covid. Peter Ricketts tells us we have nothing to lose but our illusions. He's right. * Peter Hennessy, author of Winds of Change *Thought-provoking and well worth reading * Times Literary Supplement *As one of Britain's top diplomats, Ricketts had a close-up view of some of the most dramatic events of recent decades... he takes a tough-minded look at the country's post-Brexit options - making the case for realistic internationalism and renewed engagement with Europe. * Gideon Rachman, Financial Times *Peter Ricketts has put all of his experience and authority into this clear, accessible and unvarnished account of Britain's place in the world. If you want to understand the big choices ahead, read this book. * David Miliband, President of the International Rescue Committee and former Foreign Secretary *Bursting with anecdotes and new perspectives... a perfect introduction for those engaging in the crucial-and newly wide open-debate about where Britain sits in the world, and where it goes next. * Prospect *Searing... The hardest choice for the UK is "to accept reality", Ricketts argues. * Financial Times *Where others deal in soundbites and slogans, Peter Ricketts brings his deep expertise and wisdom to bear on the great issues facing Britain as it rethinks its role in the world. He offers a riveting analysis of what our interests really are at a time of severe strain on the liberal democratic order, and a wealth of insights into how best we should pursue them. * Ivan Rogers *A clarion call for a post-Brexit national conversation and a new national strategy. Written with grace and clarity, Hard Choices is a book for every informed citizen concerned for Britain's future in a dangerous and unpredictable world. * Vernon Bogdanor, CBE FBA, Professor of Government, King's College, London *As Britain defines its post-Brexit role against the backdrop of a more fragmented, complex and uncertain world, Peter Ricketts offers sage advice about next steps, including the need for a focused strategy and international cooperation. Hard Choices is a must-read for anyone who cares about the future of this country. * Karin von Hippel, Director-General of the Royal United Services Institute *Incisive, stimulating and highly-readable. Peter Ricketts turns forty years' experience of British foreign policymaking into a road map of where Britain should be going in the post-Brexit, post-Covid world. * David Reynolds, author of Island Stories: An Unconventional History of Britain *Peter Ricketts has used his experience as one of the best diplomats of his generation to produce a book that is magisterial in its scope and analysis -- and in its recommendations for how the UK can use the realities of the post-Brexit era to its advantage. Essential reading for all who care about Britain's position in the world. * Jack Straw, former Foreign Secretary *A sharp and salutary reality check from one of Britain's wisest and most experienced diplomats. Peter Ricketts has a simple message: despite Brexit, Britain remains a European power and must reject isolationist and imperial delusions. * Andrew Adonis *A clearer analysis of Britain in the 2020s will not be found: read this brilliant book. * Sir Anthony Seldon *With a combination of behind-the-scenes anecdotes and sharp analysis, Peter Ricketts uses his extensive diplomatic and national security experience to consider the importance of thinking strategically about the future role of Britain in the world. * Rt Hon Baroness Catherine Ashton GCMG PC *No one is more able than Peter Ricketts by experience and wisdom, to set out clearly and sensibly the broad parameters of Britain's strategy in the age of Brexit, pandemic, climate change and the threats to liberal democracies from China. A sensible Government would implement these proposals with enthusiasm straight away. * Chris Patten, Chancellor of the University of Oxford and former Governor of Hong Kong *A candid and sometimes brutal sizing up of past mistakes, of chances missed and of opportunities still open. This dissection of British strategic choices by the UK's first National Security Adviser and one of our most experienced diplomats reveals not just the inside story of how we got here but what it will feel like to be in the room when the hard choices have to be made. * Professor Sir David Omand, former director of GCHQ *Sharp and engaging... All of us who care about Britain remaining a major force in shaping the international order should pay careful attention to both the analysis and policy recommendations of Hard Choices. * Kori Schake, Director of Foreign and Defense Policy at the American Enterprise Institute *Table of Contents0: Introduction 1: Imagining the Post-War Order 2: Managing an Alliance of Unequals 3: Rethinking the Use of Force 4: Picking the Right Threats 5: Reviving the Lost Art of Strategy 6: Finding the Power to Influence 7: Triangle of Tension: Britain, America and China 8: The International System and the Lure of the New 9: Trade, Values and the Mercantilist Trap 10: How Far Offshore? Britain, Europe and the Indo-Pacific Tilt 11: Conclusion

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Book SynopsisBOOK OF THE YEAR, The Times, Guardian and Prospect'Fascinating and instructive... his decency and pragmatism shine through.' The Times'Candid, valuable and insightful.' ObserverSince the EU referendum of 2016, British politics has witnessed a barrage of crises, resignations and general elections. Theresa May's premiership was the most turbulent of all. In her darkest hour, following the disastrous 2017 election, she turned to Gavin Barwell to help restore her battered authority. He would become her chief of staff for the next two years - a period punctuated by Brexit negotiations, domestic tragedy, and intense political drama.In this gripping insider memoir, Barwell reveals what really went on in the corridors of power - and sheds a vital light on May, the most inscrutable of modern prime ministers. He was by her side when she met Donald Trump, heard about the poisoning of the Skripals in Salisbury, and responded to the Grenfell Tower fire. He was also at the centre of Brexit talks with foreign leaders and MPs from across the house, including Boris Johnson, Jeremy Corbyn and Keir Starmer. Revealing how government operates during times of crisis, this is the definitive record of a momentous episode in Britain's recent political history.Trade ReviewA candid, valuable and insightful account of two hugely consequential years of history. Read it if you want to fully understand why we are where we are today. * Observer *Barwell writes with a humility and honesty that makes Chief of Staff a fascinating and instructive book... his decency and pragmatism shine through the pages of his book. * The Times *An important historical document and the ultimate insiders story of how a government was slowly and painfully overwhelmed. A meticulous account of a tortured period of our politics, revealing for the first time what really happened in Downing Street. * Laura Kuenssberg, Political Editor of BBC News *Chiefs of staff at No. 10 see more of what is happening than anyone, often more even than the prime ministers themselves. This fascinating account takes us deeper than anyone before into the opaque mysteries of the turbulent premiership of Theresa May. * Sir Anthony Seldon, author of May at 10 *Chief of Staff takes us beyond the Corridors of Power and provides a unique insight into the nerve centre of decision-making in No.10 Downing Street. * Gordon Brown, former UK Prime Minister *'Gavin Barwell was in the room where it happens. This is a riveting, first-hand account of Britain's white-knuckle ride through the years after Brexit. Read it if you want to understand the country we live in today.' * George Osborne, former UK Chancellor of the Exchequer *An important book. It explains how the prime minister's office works, which means it shows how we are governed. It is a window on one of the most important periods of modem political history: the Brexit negotiation years. Barwell is candid about the mistakes that were made, about how emotion and stupidity will often trump reason, and about the comedy of so much of government. Essential reading for anyone with even a passing interest in politics. * Robert Peston, Political Editor, ITV News *Excellent * Daniel Finkelstein, Times *Table of Contents1: Introduction 2: Appointment 3: Steadying the Ship 4: Building a Team 5: Working with Sir Humphrey 6: Crisis Management 7: Strategy 8: The Brexit Challenge 9: A Place with No Government 10: Dealing with the Cabinet 11: Shuffling the Pack 12: Media Relations 13: A Tale of Two Conference Speeches 14: Dealing with The Donald 15: National Security 16: Authorising the Use of Force 17: Negotiating with Brussels 18: Chequers and Doing the Deal 19: A Lucky Break 20: Parliamentary Shenanigans 21: Talking to the Opposition 22: Time's Up 23: What Can You Achieve in Two Months? 24: Leaving Narnia

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Book SynopsisThis book is an extensive study of the Sri Lankan peace process. It throws light on the political situation in Sri Lanka and the tension generated between the government and the LTTE by a prolonged deadlock in the peace process. Despite the fact that there is no forward movement towards a resumption of talks, the peace process has continued and the two adversaries have stuck to the cease-fire and have honoured it till now. All this is because of the perseverance of the international community, with Norway as the facilitator and Japan as the largest donor. The book also deals extensively with the intimate relationship between the issues involving the dead locked peace dialogue and Sri Lankan politics.

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Book SynopsisAccording to many experts, China is already the largest economy on the planet – yet its relations with the rest of the world have deteriorated in recent years, and are now at an all-time low. Is this a passing phase caused by the shockwaves of the Covid pandemic and the personalities of leaders in China and in the USA, or are the current divergencies going to become wider and more entrenched, as China grows economically and develops technological leadership? Can the West learn from its past mistakes and engage successfully with China on many common interests, or are we on the verge of a new Cold War? In The Chinese Conundrum, Vince Cable – author of the Sunday Times number-one bestseller The Storm: The World Economic Crisis and What it Means – provides an answer to these and many other topical questions of global politics and economy, examining the long history of relationships between China and the West, as well as the change in attitudes on both sides of the divide, with a particular focus on the possible repercussions of the recent election of Joe Biden as president of the United States. The result is a gripping, insightful and accessible investigation into the intricacies of today’s economic and geopolitical situation.

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Book SynopsisA Journey with Margaret Thatcher is an extraordinary insider's account of British foreign policy under Margaret Thatcher by one of her key advisers. Providing a closeup view of the Iron Lady in action, former high-ranking diplomat Robin Renwick examines her diplomatic successes - including the defeat of aggression in the Falklands, what the Americans felt to be the excessive influence she exerted on Ronald Reagan, her special relationship with Mikhail Gorbachev and contribution to the ending of the Cold War, the Anglo-Irish agreement, her influence with de Klerk in South Africa and relationship with Nelson Mandela - and what she herself acknowledged as her spectacular failure in resisting German reunification. He describes at first hand her often turbulent relationship with other European leaders and her arguments with her Cabinet colleagues about European monetary union (in which regard, he contends, her arguments have stood the test of time better and are highly relevant to the crisis in the eurozone today). Finally, the book tells of her bravura performance in the run up to the Gulf War, her calls for intervention in Bosnia and the difficulties she created for her successor. While her faults were on the same scale as her virtues, Margaret Thatcher succeeded in her mission to restore Britain's standing and influence, in the process becoming a cult figure in many other parts of the world.Trade Review'A vivid and compelling first-hand account of Margaret Thatcher's diplomacy' Henry Kissinger 'An insider's account of Thatcher the stateswoman... a book she would have loved to have seen published' The Times 'Plenty of good stories... lively and enjoyable' Daily Telegraph 'Brings back many fond memories!' General Colin Powell 'Particularly interesting is the material on the Falklands War, suggesting Mrs Thatcher's attitude to war was more complex than often imagined.' Choice Magazine 'Will be read by many people with very great pleasure.' Sir John Major 'Lord Renwick [gives] ... absorbing accounts of the negotiations he himself was involved in... Renwick tell[s] the story of the Falklands in brilliantly nuanced detail - Nobody who reads these pages could ever think of Margaret Thatcher as heartless.' Ferdinand Mount, TLS 'If you want an engaging whistlestop tour of Margaret Thatcher's foreign policy, then this book hits the spot - The beauty about Renwick's book is that it gives context to Thatcher's foreign policy.' Total Politics 'Full of delicious insider detail' Financial Times 'In A Journey With Margaret Thatcher - Foreign Policy Under The Iron Lady Renwick provides an insightful first-hand account of the British prime minister's bare-knuckled approach to international diplomacy - Yet, as this illuminating memoir concludes, this opinionated, uncompromising and at times unnecessarily abrasive woman made a much greater impact on world affairs than any other post-war British prime minister.' Financial Mail '[It] sparkles with personal anecdotes.' Richard Ottoway MP

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Book SynopsisFor ten years Gary McKinnon became the unwilling focus of Anglo-US diplomatic relations. A computer systems analyst living in London, he firmly believed that the US government was withholding vital information about the presence of UFOs. The unremarkable lives of he and his mother Janis changed dramatically one morning in March 2002 when Gary phoned to tell her that he had been arrested and spent four hours at his local police station being interviewed about hacking into US government computers. Paul J McNulty, the then U.S Attorney for Virginia, announced that Gary was indicted in Alexandria, Virginia on November 12th that year, and simultaneously announced that the United States intended to extradite him. Two years later, on 7 October 2004, the US government filed a request for Gary's extradition and on 7 June 2005 he was arrested. Extradition to the US seemed certain and so, fearing that Gary would take his own life rather than face being taken away to face seven counts of up to ten years each, Janis's extraordinary battle began. Janis Sharp spent the following ten years and seven months fighting her son's extradition. In October 2012 she finally won her battle and in December 2012 the Crown Prosecution Service announced that Gary would not face charges in the UK either. These two announcements were a spectacular victory for Janis and spoke volumes about her relentless fight to save Gary's life. Saving Gary McKinnon is the true story of a mother's fight to save her son from living out the rest of his life behind bars. The US judiciary had all the might of the world's greatest power. But it had not reckoned on Gary's mother.Trade Review"A compelling read" Trudie Styler "The inside story of one of the great political, legal and human dramas of the last decade... a remarkable story told be a remarkable woman." Duncan Campbell, The Guardian "[It] is impossible not to be touched by her determination to convince the system to take notice of the little people who so often get lost in it... Bravo Janis!" Sian Griffiths, The Sunday Times "It is a fascinating read: inspiring, shocking... Equally, it comes as no real surprise that Sharp's book has an option to be turned into a film." Stefanie Marsh, The Times

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Book Synopsis"This book is an important contribution to recovering a nuanced, contextually aware view of access to knowledge and global knowledge governance" Yochaie Benkler, Harvard Law School "This is a 'must read' for scholars and practioners interested in economic devlopment, cultural production and access to knowledge" Susan Sell, George Washington University This volume features five chapters on current issues facing intellectual property, innovation and development policy from the Egyptian perspective. These include: information and communications technology for development, copyright and comparative business models in music, open source software, patent reform and access to medicines, and the role of the Egyptian government in promoting access to knowledge internationally and domestically. Together these chapters offer an overview of the challenges and opportunities facing efforts to promote access to knowledge. Combining both theoretical and empirical approaches, the work will be of interest to scholars and practitioners dealing with intellectual property and innovation property the world over.Trade Review'Highly Recommended' James Boyle, Duke Law School 'This is a must read'. Susan Sell, George Washington UniversityTable of ContentsForeword; Access to Knowledge: Economic, Global and Local Perspectives; Egypt's Role in the A2K Movement: An analysis of positions and policies; Access to Medicines in Egypt: A Human Rights Approach to IP, Trade and Health; Stories from Egypt's Music Industry: de facto commons as alternatives to copyright; The Software Industry in Egypt: What Role for Open Source?; Information and Communications Technology for Development: Building the knowledge society in Egypt.

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Book SynopsisAccording to the mass media, Japanese nationalism is on the rise. Tokyo''s stance on national security is becoming uncharacteristically assertive. This book explores the prospect of Japans remilitarisation and challenges the preconceived approaches taken by existing theories to Japans national security. The book examines Japans pacifism since the Second World War, developments in Japanese military build-up since the late 1960s, and Japans responses to the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.

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Book SynopsisHow can we resolve conflicts in this world? Why is that we continue to live in a world of turmoil, when we all wish to live in a world of peace and harmony? Just in recent years, we ve faced issues that jeopardize international peace and security, including the rise of ISIS, Syrian civil war and refugee crisis, break-off of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, Russia s annexation of Crimea, China s military expansion, and North Korea s nuclear development. In hopes of offering solutions to global crises, thereby bringing peace, security, and happiness to all people, Ryuho Okawa, Global Visionary who has readers in over 100 countries wrote The Laws of Justice. This book shows what global justice is from a comprehensive perspective of the Supreme God. Becoming aware of this view will let us embrace differences in beliefs, recognize other people s divine nature, and love and forgive one another. It will also become the key to solving the issues we face, whether they re religious, political, societal, economic, or academic, and help the world become a better and safer world for all of us living today."

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Book SynopsisLove for the Future: Building One World of Freedom and Democracy Under God's Truth is a compilation of select international lectures given by Ryuho Okawa during his (ongoing) global missionary tours. While conflicting values of justice exists, this book espouses that freedom and democracy are vital principles for global unification that will resolutely foster peace and shared prosperity, if adopted universally. The culminating reason - these principles are based on a belief in God's Love and that we all contain divine nature within. Chapter 1 of Part 1 introduces Okawa's lecture and Q&A session in Germany, held in October 2018. Okawa conveys that the time is now to liberate all remorseful memories of 20th-century totalitarianism mired by the acts of the German Reich, and to band together to stifle the present-day totalitarian-communist superpower from mercilessly violating human rights and advancing hegemonism throughout the world. This is a crucial step to arresting global aggression from escalating into World War III. To address the global problems that we currently face, Okawa identifies what God seeks humanity to accomplish in the 21st century from a historical, political, and ultimately a religious perspective. Chapter 2 is based on Okawa's 2011 Hong Kong address and Q&A session. In this lecture, Okawa encouraged the 1.4 billion people of China to strive for freedom-based prosperity and for the citizens of Hong Kong to champion this crucial movement. Okawa's insight became the foundation on which the people of Hong Kong organized their democratization movement the Umbrella Revolution, which occurred several years later. Chapter 3 is a transcription of Okawa's 2019 lecture and Q&A session held in Taiwan. In it, Okawa identifies the three signs of a totalitarian country and articulates the importance of spreading the principles of freedom, democracy, and faith from Taiwan to mainland China. This, he says, is the righteous future in the eyes of God that will help to bring happiness to the people of mainland China. Furthermore, Okawa encourages neighboring countries to overcome past grievances and seek prosperous development based on trust and adulation. Part 2 reveals the national and global strategies of four key world leaders: Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, Angela Merkel, and Donald Trump. By accessing their hidden consciousnesses, through his unrivaled spiritual ability, Okawa divulges their true thoughts and intentions. What they candidly reveal underscores the importance of understanding and accepting the precepts expressed in Part 1, to safeguard peace from actions that are influenced by divisive political maneuverings. The new catalyst for humanity is to accept the universal spiritual Truths under which we all live: the inherent dignity of all people; God's Wisdom can resolve global conflict; God's Love extends to every person, beyond difference of race, nationality and religious ideology. Through these teachings, readers will sense from the depths of their souls, that the "Love of God," a universal force that watches over politics, philosophes and religions, is the coalescing power to lead humanity towards a prosperous and righteous tomorrow.

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Book SynopsisDoes America still count in the world? Can the world still count on America? In raising such questions halfway into a series of systemic shocks that began in September 2001, Simon Serfaty, a long-time scholar of international politics, reminds Americans that their country’s well-being and that of the world are intertwined. Play it again, Sam: History is in a foul mood again, and this is no time to come home and leave behind an unfinished European Union facing the ghosts of a revanchist Russia still claiming the Old World as its own; a strategic dark hole in the Greater Middle East, on the eve of a global Sarajevo moment; and China’s surging hegemonic power in a continent fraught with too much history and too little geography. Admittedly, what is good for America may no longer be best for all the West, and what is good for the West may no longer be good for much of the Rest: the unipolar moment is irreversibly over. Yet, writing in an elegant style and with much historical insight, Serfaty argues that even with the old power map irreversibly gone, mainly to the benefit of the non-Western world, a new world order for the twenty-first century will remain dependent on the U.S. role, its capabilities and its efficacy, as well as its leadership and its purpose.Table of ContentsPart 1. Getting It Done, Half a World, a Free World. - Chapter 1. Memories of Leadership. - Chapter 2. Rising to Primacy. - Chapter 3. False Starts. - Part 2. Letting Go – a World Undone, a Whole World. - Chapter 4. A World Unhinged. - Chapter 5. A World on Edge. - Chapter 6. Make America Whole Again

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Book SynopsisThis volume represents a historical comparison of the American and the EU European constitutional experiences and lessons to be derived therefrom for the present time. It is designed to deepen the understanding of the historical and political dimensions of constitutional designs and practises on two continents. Hopefully, such historical depth charts will expand the horizon of debates among experts and decision-makers. The first part concentrates on the historical dimension. It deals with the experiences and perceptions of basic American political principles, developments of international and humanitarian law, and the historical dimension of constitutional debates. The second part of the book aims at culling potential lessons from the American constitutional experience and the remarkable longevity of the U.S. constitution. Additional chapters concentrate on specific aspects and elements of the European constitutional debate (courts of law, human rights, minority protections, as well as gender equality). Still other contributions focus on the historical context of the recent European Constitutional Convention. Chapters on writing a European ''bill of rights'', the EU reform debates of the 1990s, and finally an analysis of the Brussels Constitutional Summit of June 2004 are also included. The spillover effects of the economic and monetary union on the constitutional debates are covered here, as well as Asian perceptions of European integration. Practitioners and scholars address in this volume historical, political and diplomatic dimensions and achievements in the process of European constitution making and its chances of success in the future. Finally, the current tensions in the Atlantic world are analysed and what they may portend for the future of European Union security options.

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Book Synopsis"Helpless Imperialists" enquires into the relation between imperial exposure, fear, radicalization and violence and highlights moments of peripety bringing imperialist grandeur to collapse.

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Book SynopsisThis book opens the often narrow discourse on the future of Europe and criticises the false dichotomy between nationalism on the one hand and a neoliberal version of Europe on the other. Existing emancipatory projects from across the continent are presented together with reflections on strategies to achieve a democratic Europe beyond the nation state: from the municipal level to the level of transnational media, from technology and counter-surveillance to the systemic change provided by the commons movement and more.The shift towards a new way of thinking and doing politics is possible!With contributions by Etienne Balibar, Ulrike Guérot, Gesine Schwan, Renata Avila, Barbara Spinelli, Andreas Karitzis, Lorenzo Marsili, Jonas Staal, among others, and interviews with city governors from Madrid to Naples.Trade Review"The book proves that a shift towards a new way of thinking and doing politics is not only possible, but actually already happening." https://euroalter.com, 8 (2017) "In sum, what is particularly convincing about the theme of this publication is that it releases the reader from a dichotomous discursive straightjacket. Instead of reproducing the binary discourse of being for or against, respectively in our out of Europe, it opens up alternative spaces and pathways for more creative political practices." Antje Scharenberg, http://blogs.lse.ac.uk, 8 (2017) "This book is essential reading for anyone not just involved with European affairs, but concerned about the state of the EU and looking for the evidence that change is possible for the better." Tony Venables, www.ecit-foundation.eu, 6 (2017) Reviewed in: Commons Network Newsletter, 7 (2017) P2 Foundation, 23.06.2017, Stacco Troncoso http://www.engagee.org

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Book SynopsisSince 2008, foreign land acquisitions have attracted international attention under the term "land grabbing." Illustrated by rich and nuanced empirical accounts of forty Chinese and British investment projects in Sub-Saharan Africa, Ariane Goetz explains the phenomenon of "land grabbing" from the perspective of two investor countries. She reflects on Chinese and British public policy, state-society relations, national developmental contexts, ideologies, and international relations and thereby gives insights into the political economies that enable these investments as well as the development ambitions and institutionalized paradigms of which they form a part.Trade Review"By offering a nuanced comparative analysis of two key actors often mistakenly represented as antithetical in the land grab debate, the book makes a timely and relevant contribution to one of the most controversial issue shaping contemporary processes of global restructuring. The book will be of interest to scholars in the fields of comparative political economy, agri-food as well as development studies." -- Ariane Götze, Connections, 14.02.2020

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Book SynopsisHow have digital tools and networks transformed the far right's strategies and transnational prospects? This volume presents a unique critical survey of the online and offline tactics, symbols and platforms that are strategically remixed by contemporary far-right groups in Europe and the US. It features thirteen accessible essays by an international range of expert scholars, policy advisors and activists who offer informed answers to a number of urgent practical and theoretical questions: How and why has the internet emboldened extreme nationalisms? What counter-cultural approaches should civil societies develop in response?Trade Review"This global perspective is important in view of the cross-border networking of actors only consistently and brings with it a multitude of new insights." Tobias Fernholz, Forschungsjournal Soziale Bewegungen, 32/3 (2019), translated from German

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Book SynopsisThe external border of the EU remains under permanent construction. Sabrina Ellebrecht engages with two of its primary building sites - the European Border Surveillance System (Eurosur) and the Refugee Boat. She analyzes how the function and quality of the EU's current political border is crafted, shaped, produced and eventually stabilized through these two mediators. Eurosur and the Refugee Boat mediate a level of Europeanization which has hitherto - and would otherwise have - been impossible. While Eurosur mobilizes the limits of border policing in various ways, the Refugee Boat functions as the vacillating European Other to legitimize both control and humanitarian interventions. The study shows the specific, if not constitutive, ambivalences of EU border policies, and explores the emergence of viapolitics.

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Book SynopsisTraditionally, citizenship has been defined as the legal and political link between individuals and their democratic political community. However, traditional conceptions of democratic citizenship are currently challenged by various developments like migration, the rise of populism, increasing polarization, social fragmentation, and the challenging of representative democracy as well as developments in digital communication technology. Against this background, this peer reviewed book reflects recent conceptions of citizenship by bringing together insights from different disciplines, such as political science, sociology, economics, law, and history.

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Book SynopsisAs Multilateral Development Banks increasingly gained influence in shaping global development, transnational social movements pushed to hold them accountable for their human rights impact towards communities. Leon Valentin Schettler presents a novel causal mechanism of movement advocacy towards MDBs, combining disruptive and conventional tactics. Systematically comparing the evolution of human rights standards and complaint mechanisms over the last three decades, he reveals how the combination of 1) declining US hegemony, 2) counter-mobilization by China and 3) movement cooptation by the World Bank bureaucracy led to a dilution of human rights accountability in the 2010s.Table of ContentsAbstract; List of Abbreviations; Introduction; Human Rights Accountability as a minimum threshold of MDB Legitimacy; Transnational Social Movements as agents of change in World Politics; Analytical Framework; Research Design; Human Rights Accountability at the World Ban; Case 1: A Revolution of World Bank Accountability (1988 1994); Case 2: The Dilution of World Bank; Analysis; Conclusion; References; Appendix: List of Interviewees and Background Conversations.

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Book SynopsisThe "global" is permanently made and remade by how it is envisioned in political projects, in language, and in literature. Through a range of case studies, this book shows how practices of referring to the world actually constitute the global in its many facets. It aims to provide a sense in readers of how the global is not something "out there", but that it is embedded in a wide range of the seemingly "everyday". The contributions appeal to a readership from a background in Sociology, History, Political Science, Literary Studies, and Social Work.Table of ContentsAcknowledgments; List of tables; List of figures; Introduction: Envisioning the World, Mapping the Global; From Region to World, and Back Again; The World of Anti-Semitism; Envisioning a World Law; Determining the Global from a Social Work Perspective; The Revolution in Rojava and the International; Resisting World Politics on 'Migration and Development'?; 'Sovereignty' and 'Intervention'; Russia and the EU in a Multipolar World; Back from the USSR; Beyond a Global Horizon; References; Notes on Contributors.

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Book SynopsisRecent portrayals of the private sector as the engine of poverty alleviation in Africa's agricultural growth corridors have sparked critique by scholars and activists alike. Land acquisitions by investors are the most criticized, but the private sector engages in corridors in other ways, on which research remains scarce. Idil Ires provides a political economy analysis of whether smallholders prosper when they coordinate with input suppliers, banks, and crop buyers through markets and contract farming in the Southern Agricultural Growth Corridor of Tanzania. This book will appeal to scholars and practitioners from diverse fields, offering timely insights into a critical debate.

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Book SynopsisBrexit is a tale of two unions, not one: the British and the European unions. Their origins are different, but both struggle to maintain unity in diversity and both have to face the challenge of populism and claims of democratic deficit.Mark Corner suggests that the ?four nations? that make up the UK can only survive as part of a single nation-state, if the country looks more sympathetically at the very European structures from which it has chosen to detach itself. This study addresses both academic and lay audiences interested in the current situation of the UK, particularly the strains raised by devolution and Brexit.

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Book SynopsisIn this amply illustrated book, Hellman and Rogachevskii tell the fascinating story behind the screen adaptation of one of the most impactful novels of all times. Despite its huge global success, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn refused all offers to have his One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich turned into a movie for many years for artistic reasons. It took the full resolve and commitment of the Finnish director Caspar Wrede to bring this challenging project to fruition, eight years after the novel had been published. This second, expanded edition offers an all-encompassing account of the movie's production, reception and impact. Filled with little-known facts, it also gives unique and valuable insights into Solzhenitsyn's complex relationship with the art of film-making.Trade Review"This study is a labour of love for Russian literature scholars Ben Hellman and Andrei Rogachevskii. Chock-full of fascinating and often witty footnotes, the main text provides a thorough account of the film`s production." -- Scotland-Russia Forum Review"Wrede`s film is important -- for a long time the only film adaptation of Solzhenitsyn`s work and often moving. Hellman and Rogachevskii`s book is a valuable reminder and hopefully will encourage more interest." -- Society for Co-operation in Russian & Soviet Studies Information Digest

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Book SynopsisIn this remarkable book, David-Emil Wickström traces the transcultural flow of popular music production emanating from St. Petersburg, a central hub of the Russian music scene. With a specific focus on the post-Soviet emigrant community in Germany and their event 'Russendisko', Wickström -- himself a trumpet player in two local bands -- explores St Petersburg's vibrant music scene, which provides an electrifying platform for musical exchange. The findings shed a new light on Soviet and post-Soviet popular music history and even Russia's relationship to Ukraine. Wickström demonstrates the filtering processes embedded in transcultural flows and how music is attributed new meanings within new contexts. This innovative book not only promotes a deeper understanding of the role of popular music in society, it also enables a better comprehension of cultural processes in the second decade after the fall of the Soviet Union.

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