International relations Books

Book SynopsisThe Death and Life of State Repression addresses a problem that dates back at least 75 years, if not before. Since World War II, individuals and institutions from around the world have been concerned with state repression/human rights violations and since about 1990, a robust empirical literature has emerged to investigate what drives this behavior up or down (i.e., exploring variation). While useful, this work has generally ignored important aspects of the Death/Life cycle of state repression: i.e., its onset, escalation, termination and recurrence. Such an approach is important because different explanations and policies might be relevant for different parts of the cycle. Exploring a new database of repressive spells from 1976-2006 and new theory regarding spells, The Death and Life of State Repression breaks new ground in a variety of different ways. The book argues that repression is a sticky process that is largely slow-moving and non-adaptive. Consequently, change in this behavior is rare unless the ruling cohort is perturbed in some manner. What perturbs is somewhat surprising. The authors do not argue or find support for the predominant variables/policies advanced by the international community (i.e., naming/shaming, international law, military intervention and economic sanctions). Rather, their research advances and finds that political democratization plays a crucial role in reducing and stopping most aspects of repressive spells, and democratization itself is influenced by non-violent direct action. The book has major implications for those who wish to study state repression, as well as those who have an interest in trying to reduce and stop it from occurring across the Death/Life cycle. The path to less repressive behavior has never been clearer.Trade ReviewThis book is a comprehensive, ambitious, and sober analysis of the life cycles of large-scale spells of state repression. Most importantly, Davenport and Appell find that domestic politics—not international politics—are the most crucial in curtailing the onset, escalation, and persistence of state repression. For all its imperfections, democracy tends to prevent a state from initiating mass violence, and nonviolent civil resistance tends to prevent such repression from escalating. This book upends much of what we thought we knew about state repression--and what can be done to stop it. A must-read. * Erica Chenoweth, Harvard University *Christian Davenport is the world's leading scholar of state repression and has made a great team with Benjamin Appel. The Death and Life of State Repression is an instant classic. It analyzes the correlates of entire spells of repression - how they start, how they end, and, importantly, how they escalate. Using new data, rigorous methods, deep case knowledge, and unparalleled creativity, Davenport and Appel show that there is no one-way, linear relationship between democratization and different forms of human rights violations. While democratization processes can reduce state repression, they can in turn be shaped by the legacies of repressive practices and by the interventions that try to end them. Their book has implications for the broader literature on democratization and will be the standard against which all subsequent contributions in the repression literature are measured. * Nicholas Sambanis, University of Pennsylvania *The Death and Life of State Repression provides academics with an insightful and perceptive analysis that should fundamentally reconceptualize the study of large-scale human rights abuses, while offering governments and activists new insights into how to reverse such atrocities. A tour de force by Christian Davenport, one of the world's deepest thinkers on political violence, and Benjamin Appel. * Dr. Rachel Kleinfeld, Senior Fellow, Democracy, Conflict and Governance, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace *This book represents a tour de force that is a must-read for all interested in stopping state repression—from scholars, to policymakers, activists, and the general public. The authors offer a new ontology of repression to study its onset, escalation, duration, and recurrence. They then meticulously examine the influence of a full range of domestic and international factors that have been proposed to curtail repression. Their sobering findings reveal that not much has helped, but there is hope, and we can do better. Indeed, the book offers a path forward to understand exactly how we can better protect people from the most vicious forms of state repression. * James Raymond Vreeland, Professor of Politics and International Affairs, Princeton University *Table of Contents1. Preface 2. Introduction 3. Old and New Directions in the Study of State Repression 4. Studying Spells: A New Unit of Analysis, Measure, and Model 5. Starting Spells 6. Escalating Spells 7. Ending Spells 8. Recurring Spells 9. Cases 10. What We Can Do Better A. Robustness Checks B. Endogeneity Concerns

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewDoellgast finds that worker solidarity enhances worker power, leading to better working conditions, pay, job security, and well-being. Doellgast's work updates classic industrial relations to the broader concept of "employment relations." The goal is the same: to understand the changing world of work. * Choice *Table of ContentsPreface and Acknowledgements Introduction Chapter 1: Theorizing exit, voice, and solidarity Chapter 2: Mapping exit, voice, and solidarity in the case studies Chapter 3: Downsizing Chapter 4: Performance management Chapter 5: Externalization: Outsourcing, agency work, and subsidiaries Chapter 6: Conclusions

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThe book is invaluable for understanding many current issues in international political economy...Highly recommended. Graduate students, faculty, and professionals. * Choice *Table of ContentsFigures Tables Preface and Acknowledgements Abbreviations Introduction CH. 1 Financial Sanctions and Political Risk in the International Currency System CH. 2 The Source and Exercise of American Financial Power CH. 3 Sanctions, Political Risk, and the Reserve Currency Role CH. 4 The Anti-Dollar Gold Rush: Central Bank Reserves in the Age of Financial Sanctions CH. 5 Sanctions, Political Risk, and the Dollar as International Payments Currency CH. 6 Payment Politics: Anti-Dollar Responses to Sanctions in Trade Settlement CH. 7 Financial Sanctions and the Dollar's Rivals CH. 8 Sanctions and China's Play for Payments Power Conclusion Appendices References Notes

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewJames Lebovic's The False Promise of Superiority is a real breath of fresh air that makes a vital contribution to ongoing debates about nuclear strategy, especially the nature, meaning and significance of nuclear 'superiority.' Challenging approaches to nuclear strategy that rely on capabilities rather than intentions and real-world decision-making dynamics, Lebovic makes a compelling case that nuclear strategists and policy makers should focus on what potential adversaries are likely to do as opposed to what they can do. No one interested in the future of nuclear deterrence and strategy can afford to ignore this provocative and important book. * Keith Shimko, Purdue University *James Lebovic provides an unsparing examination of lessons learned and unlearned from debates about nuclear deterrence during the Cold War. More importantly, he demonstrates why these debates are relevant today as the United States struggles to deal with the nuclear challenges posed by Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. At a time when most analyses of nuclear deterrence and strategic stability focus on the impact of emerging technologies, Lebovic focuses on the underlying logic of how deterrence works and makes a strong case that capabilities matter much less than commonly supposed. His analysis is a useful antidote to the current fascination with how artificial intelligence, hypersonic missiles, and cyber weapons will revolutionize deterrence. * Gregory Koblentz, Associate Professor and director of the Biodefense Graduate Program, George Mason University *The False Promise of Superiority is an important book that reminds readers how the faulty logics and irrationalities of the Cold War era continue to haunt the present. * Choice *Table of ContentsConcepts and Arguments Chapter 1: The United States and Nuclear Deterrence after the Cold War SECTION I: Assessing Nuclear Capability: The History and Implications of Alleged Nuclear Advantages Chapter 2: The Cold War Nuclear Force Balance: The Challenge and Promise of Asymmetry Chapter 3: Nuclear "Superiority" after the Cold War SECTION II: Coercive Tactics: Boosting Credibility to Signal a US Willingness to Act on the US "Nuclear Advantage" Chapter 4: Commitment Chapter 5: Risk Manipulation Chapter 6: Resolve and Reputation SECTION III: Case Studies Chapter 7: When Tactics Consume Strategy: Decision Making in the Cuban Missile Crisis Chapter 8: When Red Lines Consume Debate: Thwarting Iran's Nuclear Ambitions Conclusions Chapter 9: The Case for Nuclear Superiority: Assessing What We Know (and Do Not Know) about Nuclear Deterrence Notes Index

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Book SynopsisIn High Wire, Angela Huyue Zhang provides a comprehensive and sophisticated overview of how China regulates its enormous tech sector. By closely scrutinizing the incentives and interactions among the key players, Zhang introduces a dynamic pyramid model to analyze the structure, process, and outcome of China''s unique regulatory system. She showcases the shrewd self-regulatory tactics employed by Chinese tech titans to survive and thrive in an institutional environment plagued by endemic fraud and corruption. She also reveals how the Chinese State has given a helping hand to digital platforms by offering them indispensable judicial support. Through a robust analysis of the tumultuous 2020-2022 tech crackdown, Zhang explores the model''s profound impact on three vital pillars of Chinese platform regulation, including antitrust, data, and labor enforcement. As Zhang demonstrates, the tech crackdown has led to the private sector''s retreat and the state''s advancement in the tech industr

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Book SynopsisDoes nationalism lead to interstate war? This book challenges the existing presumption about the link between nationalism and war and systematically investigates how popular nationalism affects a country''s decision to launch military aggression. In doing so, the book makes a provocative and novel claim that popular nationalism has not only a conflict-inducing effect but also a restraining effect and identifies the conditions under which popular nationalism causes war. Specifically, the book claims that popular nationalism leads to war only when leaders who confront it are very confident about their chance of achieving complete victory in conflict or they are politically vulnerable. If these two conditions are not met, popular nationalism has a restraining effect, making leaders seek the status quo and avoid the use of force. The book first shows the restraining effect of popular nationalism focusing on China through a survey experiment and an in-depth case study on the territorial dispute between China and Japan in the East China Sea. It then offers a comprehensive historical and contemporary analysis of when popular nationalism''s restraining effect turns into a conflict-inducing one through case studies on the War of 1812 and the Falklands War. The book provides important insights into whether popular nationalism could put great powers like the United States and China on a collision course and offers broad policy implications for how we can prevent war driven by popular nationalism.Trade ReviewThis fascinating book reconsiders the widely held view that nationalism is always a force for war. Ko argues persuasively that popular nationalism can sometimes be a counterintuitive source of peace, making leaders hesitant to initiate wars unless they are sure they can deliver total victory. This multimethod book is a must-read for scholars interested in questions including how public opinion affects patterns of international conflict and the prospects for war in East Asia. * Jessica Weeks, University of Wisconsin, Madison *Popular nationalism has a reputation for provoking wars. Jiyoung Ko's Popular Nationalism and War upends this conventional wisdom and makes a compelling case that popular nationalism can also restrain leaders from using force. She explains that leaders proceed cautiously when they cannot envision a quick and complete victory over significant adversaries, fearing that a loss would trigger backlash from their nationalist public. Popular Nationalism and War presents rich and compelling empirical analyses to complement Ko's nuanced theory, which blends psychology with domestic politics to explain international conflict. This book is an essential contribution to the ongoing debate on whether and when popular nationalism causes military aggression. * Kathleen E. Powers, Author of Nationalisms in International Politics *While scholars have often assumed that nationalistic sentiments among citizens shape mass foreign policy preferences and ultimately lead to military aggression, Jiyoung Ko interrogates this relationship and suggests that popular nationalism can-and often does-have a restraining effect. This groundbreaking new book identifies the conditions under which popular nationalism may lead to interstate war-namely when political elites believe that a complete victory is likely and when they are politically vulnerable at home. * Harris Mylonas, Author of The Politics of Nation-Building *

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Book SynopsisAmid a recent surge in arguments that the global economy has begun to de-globalize, a question has emerged: will globalization survive? In One from the Many: The Global Economy since 1850, Christopher M. Meissner argues that based on the long-run of history, globalization will not be easily vanquished. This brief introduction to the economic history of the global economy and the process of globalization since 1850 tracks and explains changes in international trade, migration, and capital flows over time. All key indicators of globalization rose between 1850 and 1914 during the first wave of globalization. Between 1918 and 1939 the global economy stagnated, suffering a momentous collapse during the Great Depression of the 1930s. After World War II, the global economy re-emerged and integration deepened. A long-run view suggests that rising integration and growth of global economy can generate economic benefits and raise welfare. Given these lessons, the global economy will almost surely

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Book SynopsisDrive critical, engaged learning and advanced skills development. Enabling comprehensive, rounded understanding, the student-centred approach actively develops the sophisticated skills key to performance in Paper 2. Developed directly with the IB for the 2015 syllabus, this Course Book fully supports the new comparative approach to learning.Table of Contents1. Algerian War 1954-1962 ; 2. Falklands/Malvinas War 1982 ; 3. Indo-China War 1946-1954 ; 4. Spanish Civil War 1936-1939 ; 5. First World War 1914-1918 ; 6. Second World War: Europe and North Africa 1937-1945 ; 7. Second World War: The Pacific 1937-1945

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Book SynopsisEquipping teachers and learners to succeed in Global Politics from day 1, this student Course Book has been developed directly with the IB. Helping to develop politically engaged learners who can think critically about the changing 21st Century world, you can rely on it providing the most comprehensive coverage of this subject. Embracing a truly concept-based approach, fully in line with the syllabus, and structured around the central theme of People, Power and Politics, it ensures learners develop critical understanding of big picture political issues, problems and solutions. Fully cover the syllabus - written by syllabus developer and UNESCO Chair in Human and Cultural Rights Max Kirsch and developed directly with the IB.Adopt a fully concept-based approach - the truly concept-based structure drives trans-disciplinary understanding.Build critical thought - student-centered activities drive exploration and analysis.Relate politics to the real world - a rich base of current, engaging case-studies ensures subject material is immediately relevant to learners own experiences.Equip learners for assessment - assessment support directly from the IB accurately prepares students to achieve in exams.This pack includes one print Course Book and one online Course Book. The online Course Book will be available on Oxford Education Bookshelf until 2024. Access is facilitated via a unique code, which is sent in the mail. The code must be linked to an email address, creating a user account. Access may be transferred once to a new user, once the initial user no longer requires access. You will need to contact your local Educational Consultant to arrange this.

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Book SynopsisA comprehensive and accessible introduction to international relations theories with a unique emphasis on positioning IR theories within their social, political, and historical contexts to help students fully understand IR theories and their influence. A comprehensive first introduction to international relations theories which encourages students to fully understand the purpose and function of IR theory. Readers are introduced to each IR theory and asked to consider the social, political, and historical context within which the theory emerged. Pedagogical features such as ''Think Critically'' and ''Twisting the lens'' provide the tools students need to apply IR theory to global issues. A comprehensive introduction to mainstream IR theories and critical approaches to IR, explained within the social, political, and historical context, to demonstrate that theory does not emerge from a vacuum. An expert authorial voice guides students through the required material in a gentle, reassuring Trade ReviewThis masterful textbook sets a new benchmark for introductions to International Relations theory. Lawler combines a comprehensive and insightful engagement with a broad spectrum of theories with a strong pedagogical sensibility. He works out from students lived experiences to introduce not only the importance of theory but also the nuances of particular theories, paying close attention to the historical contexts in which they emerged. In doing so, Lawler has crafted a work that will build student understanding and prompt established scholars to think afresh about the theories they teach, employ, and debate. It is an introduction without peers. * Professor Christian Reus-Smit, The University of Queensland, Australia *An accessible yet comprehensive IR theory textbook that guides students in understanding what theory is, what it is used for (and how), what the landscape of IR theory looks like, and how we can theorise specific events, issues, and processes that are shaping our world today. * Dr Imad El-Anis, Nottingham Trent University *A very accessible and comprehensive account of IR theory that is well situated within both its historical context and wider political and social debate. * Dr Ed Stoddard, University of Portsmouth *A comprehensive introduction to international relations theories, which provides readers not only with "real world" examples but also asks them important and challenging questions. * Dr Matthew Jones, University of Greenwich *Table of Contents1: Introduction 2: The Liberal 'Idealist' Origins of the International Relations Discipline 3: Classical Realism and Neorealism 4: The English School of International Relations 5: Marxism and International Relations 6: Critical International Theory 7: Poststructuralism and International Relations 8: Constructivism and International Relations 9: Postcolonialism and International Relations 10: Feminisms, Gender, and International Relations 11: Green Perspectives and International Relations 12: Conclusion

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Book SynopsisBased the author's Carlyle lectures, Useful Enemies explores the theme of Western ideas of Islam and the Ottoman empire across three centuries.Trade ReviewNoel Malcolm has provided a masterpiece in the history of ideas... * Ritchie Robertson, The Times Literary Supplement, Books of the Year 2019 *The author is one of the great scholars of our time ... Malcolm has here uncovered an entirely new field of inquiry, ranging from Machiavelli to Montesquieu, and embracing many less familiar but fascinating thinkers en route... * Daniel Johnson, Mosaic, Best Books of 2019 *A timely look at how the perceived threat of Islam shaped early modern Europe... This is a potentially polarising topic, ripe for ill-informed claims and tendentious commentary. Malcolm is one of the handful of people capable of taking it on with scholarly rigour and clarity... Anyone who wants to understand how we got to where we are today should read this book. * Tim Laing Smith, The Daily Telegraph *[A] wise and beautifully judged book... * Christopher de Bellaigue, The Guardian *With its breadth and perspicacity, this book will be the standard history for decades to come. * Nabil Matar, American Historical Review *Useful Enemies is an exhaustive study of such uses of the Ottomans and Islam in early modern European political writing. * Jan Loop, Journal of Modern History *Noel Malcolm's impressive inquiry ... is remarkable for its insight, order and clarity of exposition. * Rolando Minuti, Journal of Ecclesiastical History *Useful Enemies offers a balanced and nuanced view on how and why the Westerners perceived the otherness and how, over time, different authors and different testimonies about the Ottomans intertwined one with another in a construction of a complicate 'image'... This book also may be seen as an invitation for scholars to think about how the Ottomans were perceived in Eastern Europe. * Ovidiu Cristea, Institute of History 'Nicolae Iorga', European History Quarterly *Noel Malcolm's brilliant study ... a wealth of scholarship drawing on primary sources in many languages ... The book's importance is thus not only to do with its nuanced account of the varieties of western European responses to Islam - though this is valuable enough... * Rowan Williams, New Statesman *Learned and fascinating account... * Sameer Rahim, Prospect Magazine *[A] richly research and commendably lucid new book ... As with all Malcolm's work, the power of the underlying scholarship in Useful Enemies - the archives visited, the languages mastered - is deeply impressive. Perhaps still more impressive, however, is the way Malcolm has organised and shaped his material into a subtle, many-faceted exposition that is always clear and never feels forced or sophisticated... * David Womersely, Standpoint *An indispensable guide to that encounter that combines deep learning, refined historical judgment, and an elegant authorial voice. Malcolm describes his book as "a study of Western political thinking about Islam and the Ottoman Empire in the early modern period," roughly 1450 to 1750. But the book offers much more than that. * James Hankins, New Criterion *Useful Enemies provides a model for how a book that articulates its core objective with judicious precision can open a window, simultaneously, onto a landscape of intellectual cross-fertilization. * World History Connected *... impressive inquiry, which is remarkable for its insight, order and clarity of exposition... , strongly grounded on philological and historical inquiry. * Journal of Ecclesiastical History *Noel Malcolm displays an overwhelming erudition and vast linguistic abilities which underline why Useful Enemies will be a mandatory reference book for any scholar who, from now on, intends to study the interactions between the Ottomans and the Christian world. This book also may be seen as an invitation for scholars to think about how the Ottomans were perceived in Eastern Europe. * Ovidiu Cristea, European History Quarterly *Table of ContentsPreface 1: The Fall of Constantinople, the Turks, and the Humanists 2: Views of Islam: standard assumptions 3: Habsburgs and Ottomans: 'Europe' and the conflict of empires 4: Protestantism, Calvinoturcism, and Turcopapalism 5: Alliances with the infidel 6: The new paradigm 7: Machiavelli and Reason of State 8: Campanella 9: Despotism I: the origins 10: Analyses of Ottoman strength and weakness 11: Justifications of warfare, and plans for war and peace 12: Islam as a political religion 13: Critical and radical uses of Islam I: Vanini to Toland 14: Critical and radical uses of Islam II: Bayle to Voltaire 15: Despotism II: seventeenth-century theories 16: Despotism III: Montesquieu Conclusion List of manuscripts Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisGlobal Politics is a concise and engaging introduction to international relations. Lawson presents key theories and concepts, demonstrating how they apply to everyday life. Using examples from around the world, both historical and contemporary, the textbook presents a truly global picture of politics.Trade ReviewA lively, well-written introductory text, with good supporting materials, that our students will find engaging. * Alan Apperley, Senior Lecturer in Politics at University of Wolverhampton *This book enables students to cover traditional thinking on IR while challenging them to critically re-evaluate mainstream ways of thinking in one go. Contemporary topics are covered which also makes the textbook relevant to todays undergraduate students. * Taku Tamaki, Lecturer in International Relations at Loughborough University *Table of Contents1: Introducing Global Politics 2: States, Nations and Empires 3: Traditional Theories in Global Politics 4: Critical Approaches to Global Politics 5: New Waves of Theorizing in Global Politics 6: Security and Insecurity 7: International Organizations in Global Politics 8: International Law 9: Diplomacy and Foreign Policy 10: Global Political Economy 11: Global Politics in the Anthropocene 12: Conclusion: Justice and the Future of Global Politics

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Book SynopsisWhat is Pakistan? The name refers to a seventy-year-old post-colonial product of the bloodiest partition of territory and population that accompanied the end of British empire in South Asia. But the region of the Indus Valley has a four-thousand-year-old history, and was the site of one of the earliest and greatest riverine civilisations in the world. Although the modern nation of Pakistan as we know it was created as a homeland for the Muslims of British India, it is impossible to understand the complex tapestry of linguistic, ethnic, and cultural identities and tensions of the region without tracing its deep past.This Very Short Introduction looks at Pakistan as one of the two nation-states of the Indian sub-continent that emerged in 1947. Pippa Virdee reaches into the ancient past to demonstrate the influence of trajectories of human settlement and civilisation on Pakistan''s contemporary political arena, and shows how the longer continuities between the land and its peoples are as important as the short-term changes in the political landscape. She considers Pakistan''s religion and society, the state and the military, everyday life, popular culture, languages and literature, as well as Pakistan''s relationship with the rest of the world. Virdee also looks to the challenges of the 21st century and the future of Pakistan.Very Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Table of Contents1. Progress of a dream 2: The ancient in the modern 3: Towards the idea of Pakistan 4: Consolidation and fragmentation 5: Building the land of the pure 6: Visualising the land of the pure 7: The world outside 8: Looking backwards, going forward? Timeline and key moments Glossary Abbreviations Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisChina's geo-economic vision is transforming the Eurasian continent. Acclaimed foreign policy experts recount their travels across Central Asia, bearing witness through interviews and personal experience to the growing Chinese influence in the region, and what this means for those both within and beyond the boundaries of its 'inadvertent empire'.Trade ReviewSinostan is the perfect place to start for anyone who wants to understand the transformative force that is shaping the future of Eurasia. * Andrew Small *The book is informative, insightful and entertaining. Throughout, readers can appreciate the keen eye, sharp analytical mind and wit of the authors. * Nargis Kassenova, International Affairs *A compelling geopolitical travelogue... * Isabel Hilton, Financial Times *[Sinostan] is an invaluable work on a relatively obscure region and is surprisingly vivid for an academically minded text, with much fascinating detail from the authors travels across the vast region. * Oliver Farry, Irish Times *Sinostan delivers a... comprehensive evaluation of the extent of China's influence in Central Asia today. * Adeeb Khalid, Times Literary Supplement *Offers illuminating and relevant insights into the Sino-Russian relationship... The unique blend of travelogue and geopolitics, which makes for an accessible read. * George Magnus, LSE Blogs *... Sinostan should be on the reading list of any individual who is trying to understand the China-Russia relationship in these uncertain times.... a rich and thought-provoking work. * Hugh Jones, LSE Blog *a lively narrative filled with real people and genuine human interest... a deeply researched book that makes for fascinating reading. * Valerie Hansen, Los Angeles Review of Books *If you want to get your head around China's foreign policy priorities, you can do worse than dedicate a few quiet hours to Sinostan... * David Dodwell, South China Morning Post *... a timely and nuanced picture of China's aims and behavior in the region... Their approach presents what is actually happening in reality rather than the fevered dreams of some policymakers. * Joshua Huminski, Diplomatic Courier *... an extensively researched telling of Beijings rising power in Central Asia, unvarnished by agenda or a desire to construct smooth grand narratives... the book lays out a convincing case for viewing China as a detached regional power. Central Asia may be the belt in the Belt and Road Initiative, but it is a loose fit. * Maximilian Hess, Eurasianet *... a detailed picture of how China is operating outside its borders. * Mark Broatch, NZ Listener *A sparkling, carefully observed account that offers an outstanding close-up view of a set of new worlds being formed out of sight of most commentators. Filled with insights and necessary reading for anyone interested in the rise of China, Central Asia and global geopolitics. * Peter Frankopan, University of Oxford, and author of The Silk Roads: The Extraordinary History that created your World *A powerful book on a topic of huge importance. * Rana Mitter, Professor of the History and Politics of Modern China, University of Oxford *The book reads like an exhausting travelogue: taxis here, airport queues there, meetings with sources everywhere. What this first hand narrative approach does well is capture the swirling sense of intrigue and ambiguity that can envelop Central Asia. * Christopher Ruane, Asian Affairs 54.2 *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1: Beyond the Heavenly Mountains 2: Developing the New Frontier 3: Cake, Heaven Sent 4: Silk Road or Synthetic Road? 5: Confucius on the Oxus 6: Spreading the 'Shanghai Spirit' 7: The New Great Wall 8: Inheriting Afghanistan? 9: Tying Up the World: The Silk Road Economic Belt Conclusion

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Book SynopsisNuclear weapons have not been used in anger since the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. Yet even after the Cold War, the Bomb is still the greatest threat facing humankind. As President Bill Clinton''s first secretary of defence, Les Aspin, put it: ''The Cold War is over, the Soviet Union is no more. But the post-Cold War world is decidedly not post-nuclear''. For all the efforts to reduce nuclear stockpiles, the Bomb is here to stay.This Very Short Introduction looks at the science of nuclear weapons and how they differ from conventional weapons. Tracing the story of the nuclear bomb, Joseph Siracusa chronicles the race to acquire the H-bomb, a thermonuclear weapon with revolutionary implications; and the history of early arms control, nuclear deterrence, and non-proliferation. He also tracks the development of nuclear weapons from the origins of the Cold War in 1945 to the end of Moscow-dominated Communism in 1991, and examines the promise and prospect of missile defence, including Ronald Reagan''s ''Star Wars'' and George W. Bush''s National Missile Defence. This third edition includes a new chapter on the development of nuclear weapons and the policies they have generated since the end of the Cold War.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade ReviewNuclear Weapons provides the basics about the complex, intricate, and multilayered subject of nuclear weapons. It is written in a clear, accessible language. This short introduction is a good primer for students in war studies, international politics, and the core program of undergraduate courses. * Arab Studies Quarterly *Table of ContentsPreface List of illustrations 1: What are nuclear weapons? 2: Building the bomb 3: A choice between the quick and the dead 4: Race for the H-bomb 5: Nuclear deterrence and arms control 6: Star Wars and beyond 7: Post-Cold War era References and further reading Index

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Book SynopsisFor centuries, industrialization and factory-based production have been core ingredients in economic growth, development, and innovation. This symbiotic relationship between industrialization and economic prosperity is now changing. ''Megatrends'' - trends within the domains of technology, economy, society, and ecology that have a global impact - are changing the ability of the manufacturing sector to serve as the engine of growth, changing traditional ideas of technological progress, and changing growth and development opportunities in both the global South and the global North. Four megatrends are particularly worthy of note: the rise of services, digital automation technologies, globalization of production, and ecological breakdown. In this book, Jostein Hauge provides a novel analysis of how these megatrends are changing industrialization, and charts new pathways for industrial policy and global governance. He also offers a wide-ranging account of the role of technology, globalizatTrade ReviewFactories and economic progress have been linked-for better and worse-since the Industrial Revolution. Modern factories are far removed from the grimy mills of the 19th century, but what is their 21st century future? In a compelling analysis, Jostein Hauge explores the massive economic transformations under way now to draw out lessons for countries contemplating a "post industrial" economy and for those yet to achieve industrialization. * Diane Coyle, Bennett Professor of Public Policy, University of Cambridge *The Future of the Factory presents new insights and critical issues surrounding industrialization and development. This novel contribution to the existing literature on industrial policy will stimulate debates on how these trends will evolve and shape the industrial revolution in the 21st century. The implications of these megatrends for developing countries are that industrialization and industrial policy, and developing technological capability, will remain central in the new changing landscape. Policymakers, business leaders, and scholars will benefit from reading this book. * Arkebe Oqubay, British Academy Global Professor, SOAS University of London, and author of Made in Africa *In this book, Jostein Hauge shows how it is the factory, not the market, that has shaped the modern world. He then looks at how the factory-and thus our economic world-is currently being reshaped. In doing so, Hauge takes on the biggest challenges of our time-be they globalization or ecological breakdown-but is never swayed by hype. He questions even the most widely received wisdom but only when there is a firm empirical basis. He makes bold claims but never loses balance and realism. This is a gem of a book that will be an essential guide to understanding the future of the world economy. * Ha-Joon Chang, SOAS University of London, author of 23 Things They Don't Tell You About Capitalism and Edible Economics *The global economy has been fuelled by pervasive and uneven patterns of industrialization for more than two centuries. Jostein Hauge's new book reveals how significant new megatrends are reshaping both globalization and industrialization in the 21st century. The book is particularly insightful in offering critical assessments of topics like the impact of digital automation on production jobs, the rise of manufacturing-related services including artificial intelligence, and the dire planetary consequences of ecological breakdown if current development strategies are not fundamentally revamped. Written in an engaging style for a broad audience, this is a highly recommended and informative book that couldn't be more timely. * Gary Gereffi, Emeritus Professor of Sociology and Director of the Global Value Chains Center at Duke University *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1: Industrialization in context: History and theory 2: The rise of services 3: Digital automation technologies 4: Globalization of production 5: Ecological breakdown 6: Industrial policy for the future Conclusion: A factory in the future References

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Book SynopsisDisplacement is one of the most pressing issues facing humanity, and it will become more so in the coming years as climate change and the impact of the coronavirus increase the extent of forced migration. The author confronts this head on with a set of realistic policy recommendations.Trade ReviewAlexander Betts' book demonstrates his indefatigable commitment to addressing the predicaments of contemporary refugee protection... This work is as significant for the agenda it sets as for the results it reports. [He] makes a compelling case that interdisciplinary analysis of refugee economies has a central place in the future of refugee studies. * David Owen, Times Higher Education *[An] informative account of contemporary refugee policy. * Nicolas van de Walle, Foreign Affairs *A timely and thought-provoking contribution to refugee policy literature ... The Wealth of Refugees represents an important work by a leading scholar in the field and it will no doubt be highly influential in shaping the future of global refugee policy in coming years. * Maria O'Sullivan, Australian Book Review *A thoughtful contribution to the literature of humanitarian aid. * Kirkus *Alexander Betts grapples with one of the key dilemmas in global politics: how to sustainably protect refugees. Drawing upon extensive research in East Africa, this book provides fresh and powerful insights into the effectiveness of measures aimed at promoting 'self-reliance'. It is a must-read for anyone interested in remedies to the challenges of displacement. * Andrew Geddes, Chair in Migration Studies and Director of the Migration Policy Centre, European University Institute *In this excellent book, Alexander Betts juxtaposes two ideas not usually connected — wealth and refugees. He shows how, with the right approach, refugees can sometimes thrive rather than merely survive. He challenges everyone interested in improving the lives of refugees to balance principle with pragmatism in navigating a complex political landscape. * Raouf Mazou, Assistant High Commissioner for Operations, the UN Refugee Agency *An admirably lucid, evidence-based, and solution-oriented engagement with the economic lives of forced migrants. One does not have to agree with Betts to learn from his deep and broad expertise on one of the most critical social justice issues of our time. * Jacqueline Bhabba, Professor of the Practice of Health and Human Rights, Harvard University *Works by political scientists often aspire to combine interdisciplinary sophistication, methodological pluralism, political realism, and cogent policy analysis. In this incisive analysis of policies for refugee self-reliance, Alexander Betts achieves all four objectives. * Robert O. Keohane, Emeritus Professor of International Affairs, Princeton University *People who migrate for safety also participate in the economy. They and their children toil, learn, create, and invest. The more policy is designed to unleash their potential contribution, the more material benefit they bring to the places they go. This book explains numerous specific experiences of how to do that, compellingly told by one of the world's foremost experts. * Michael Clemens, Director of Migration, Displacement, and Humanitarianism, and Senior Fellow, the Center for Global Development (CGD) *Table of Contents1. Introduction PART I: ETHICSDLWHAT IS RIGHT? 2. The Search for Sustainability PART II: ECONOMICSDLWHAT WORKS? 3. Refugee Economies 4. The Limits of Urbanization 5. Uganda: The Right to Work and Freedom of Movement 6. Kalobeyei: A Market-Based Settlement Model 7. Dollo Ado: The Private Sector and Border Development PART III: POLITICSDLWHAT PERSUADES? 8. The Politics of Refugee Rights 9. Uganda: A Political History of Refugee Self-Reliance 10. Kenya: How Turkana County Turned Refugees Into An Asset 11. Ethiopia: Conditionality and the Right to Work PART IV: POLICYDLWHAT NEXT? 12. Building Borderland Economies 13. Beyond Africa: The Syrian and Venezuelan Refugee Crises 14. Refugees, COVID-19, and Future Trends 15. Conclusion

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Book SynopsisPoverty & Development in the 21st Century provides a fully updated, interdisciplinary overview of one of the world''s most complex and pressing social problems. The book analyses and assesses key questions faced by practitioners and policy makers, ranging from what potential solutions to world poverty are open to us to what form development should take and whether it is compatible with environmental sustainability.The third edition considers the complex causes of global poverty and inequality, introducing major development issues that include hunger, disease, the threat of authoritarian populism, the refugee crisis and environmental degradation.Three new chapters illustrate the impact of climate, refugee and health crises on development by drawing on accounts of lived experience to explore the real-world implications of theory.Refreshed student-centred learning features include boxes outlining key concepts, definitions and cases that explore contested issues in greater depth. These casTrade ReviewIf the problem of development is to empower people to gain control of their own destiny, then poverty - whatever its cause - means the challenge continues undiminished everywhere on our planet. This big book gets us to think about all this systematically, rigorously, and powerfully. * Danny Quah is Li Ka Shing Professor in Economics at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore *This outstanding book is essential reading for students of international development, policy-makers, and anyone thinking about the human condition in our interdependent, globalised world. It asks the big questions. Why in an era of extraordinary wealth and scientific progress, do poverty and extreme deprivation continue to blight so many lives? How should we express human solidarity through international cooperation and multilateralism? As the climate crisis intensifies, ecological stress worsens, and inequality reaches ever more extreme proportions, is it time to rethink what we mean by 'development' and 'progress'? The author's combined academic rigour with readability and, critically practical reflections on how change happens. * Kevin Watkins, Chief Executive, Save the Children UK *This new edition of Poverty and Development marks a welcome return of one of the most interesting collection for teaching development. Lucid and comprehensive, the text covers the gamut of topics needed to teach international development, from the historical transformation of the Global South under the impact of European expansion, through the rival models of development propagated during the global Cold war, to the Great Transformation wrought by industrialisation of China and E. Asia. In addition, the book covers key issues in contemporary development, including new chapters on climate change, digital technologies, as well as on the changing nature of conflict. Comprehensive and up-to-date, the book illustrates clearly how policies in both North and South impact the welfare of the vast majority of humanity. * Jocelyn DeJong, Professor and Associate Dean, and Tariq Tell, Assistant Professor, American University of Beirut, Lebanon *Poverty and Development remains a foundational volume in understanding the intricacies between poverty and development in developing regions. For those of us interested in Public Policy, Governance and Development in Africa, this book provides critical points of reference for understanding pertinent policy, and governance domains in the development paradigm. It thus offers unconventional insights for teaching, researching and studying governing components in Africa and similar contexts for years to come. * Gedion Onyango, Lecturer in Political Science, Nairobi University, Nairobi *The dynamics of global change continually shift the frontiers of development practice, thought and theory. This thoroughly revised edition of Poverty and Development offers a measure of changes with collateral impact on development over the last twenty years. Some chapters and a thoughtful postscript consider the broad experience and implications of Covid-19. The online resources that accompany the book make it an extremely valuable reference, teaching and learning tool. * David Luke, Coordinator of the African Trade Policy Centre, UN Economic Commission for Africa *Poverty and Development is a succinct elucidation of how poverty and development interface in developing countries. * Lawrence Sao Babawo, Senior Lecturer, Njala University, Sierra Leone *This brilliant book is an essential and thought-provoking contribution on how we look at the global challenge of poverty. * Koen Vlassenroot, Professor and Director of Conflict Research Group (CRG), Ghent University *Allen and Thomas' book offers a dazzling, systematic and wide-ranging analysis of the most challenging topics in international development. It accomplishes this in an engaging and highly accessible way. This book is a must read for students, academics and those working in the field. * Professor Nicole Stremlau, Research Professor in the Humanities, University of Johannesburg *COVID-19 has thrown millions into poverty and threatens to undo decades of development. This updated and enhanced classic with its abundance of perspectives and rich insights helps us reflect again on the many inequalities the pandemic has unveiled and how to achieve more sustainable development. * Erik Berglöf Chief Economist of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) *This is exactly the sort of book that people go to university to read and discuss. It provides a great deal of food for thought for hungry minds: mixing theory and evidence very well, giving a wide geographical range of examples and drawing good conclusions. * Dr Kevin Manton, SOAS University of London *Migration, Security & Development is an excellent new chapter. Well-balanced, it tackles the politics of migration in a nuanced manner. * Professor Mustapha Pasha, Aberystwyth University *Table of ContentsPart One: Conceptions of Poverty and Development 1: Alan Thomas and Tim Allen: Why Poverty and Development? 2: Naila Kabeer and Alan Thomas: Poverty and Inequality 3: Alan Thomas: Meanings and Views of Development 4: Duncan Green and Tom Kirk: Agencies of Development Part Two: Aspects and Causes of Poverty 5: Tim Allen, Shun-Nan Chiang, and Ben Crow: Hunger and Famine 6: Melissa Parker and Cristin Fergus: Diseases of Poverty 7: Peggy Froerer: Poverty and Education 8: David Wield: Unemployment and Making a Living 9: Valeria Cetorelli and Alan Thomas: Population, Poverty and Development 10: Kathryn Hochstetler: Environmental Degradation and Sustainability 11: Tim Allen and Tom Kirk: War and Armed Conflict Part Three: Transformation and Development 12: Janet Bujra: Diversity in Pre-Capitalist Societies 13: Henry Bernstein: Colonialism, Capitalism, Development 14: David Potter and Alan Thomas: The Power of Colonial States 15: Tom Hewitt: The Era of Development - A short history 16: Guoer Liu and Andrew Kilmister: Socialist Models of Development and the Rise of China Part Four: Challenges for Development 17: David Potter, Alan Thomas, and María del Pilar López-Uribe: Democratization, Governance, and Development 18: Charlotte Brown and Ruth Pearson: Rethinking Gender Matters in Development 19: Peter Robbins, David Wield, and Gordon Wilson: Engineering for Development 20: Cristin Fergus, Tim Allen, and Melissa Parker: New Directions and Challenges for Health and Development 21: Helen Hintjens, Shyamika Jayasundara-Smits, and Ali Bilgic: Migration, Security, and Development Part Five: Prospects for Development 22: Tony Roberts, Kevin Hernandez, and Becky Faith: Digital Technologies 23: Jo Beall: City Life 24: Tom Kirk, Tim Allen, and John Eade: Identity Politics and Clashing Cultures 25: Dina Abbott, Gordon Wilson, and Alan Thomas: Climate Change and the End of Development 26: John Harriss: Returning to the 'Great Transformation' 27: Ikenna Acholonu, Charlotte Brown, and Ingrina Shieh: Poverty and Development: Prospects for the future Conclusion

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Book SynopsisJohn Paul Lederach explores the evolution of his understanding of peacebuilding by reflecting on his own experiences in the field. Peacebuilding, in his view, is both a learned skill and an art. Finding this art, he says, requires a shift in worldview. Conflict professionals must envision their work as a creative act - an exercise of what Lederach calls the "moral imagination."Trade ReviewToday the telecommunications and transport revolution has made the world a smaller place offering both an opportunity and challenge to the major leading countries to come together to shape the world, overcome violence and create a peaceful global community. John Paul Lederach presents a powerful case for the use of the moral imagination in rising to this challenge, thus creating authentic new possibilities. This book provides a valuable contribution to peacebuilding literature and I welcome it wholeheartedly. * John Hume, Winner of the Nobel Prize for Peace *This is a wonderful book it resonated, provoked and exhilarated me, challenging me to think very carefully and deeply about why peace builders do what they do. It also offers some profound compass points for direction which may help to keep many of us sane and focused in the midst of the chaos and violence that so often makes up our world. * Mari Fitzduff, Brandeis University *The Moral Imagination is an eloquent and personal meditation on the challenge of peacebuilding by one of the fields most insightful theorists and practitioners. Professor Lederach correctly observes that the years following the tragedy of September 11, 2001, represent a precious opportunity to address underlying cycles of violence and insecurity, locally and globally. It will take courage and creativity, but it is an opportunity we must not let pass us by. * Jimmy Carter, Chairman, The Carter Center *Much exists in the conflict resolution literature about method and technique, little about art and soul. John Paul Lederach, a theorist of great insight who also happens to be a practitioner of high skill, brings us deep into his own process of learning and the results are marvelous. He offers us a rich fare of insights, stories and metaphors that captivate the moral imagination this world so badly needs. Consider this book a precious treat! * William Ury, co-author of Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement without Giving In and author of The Third Side: Why We Fight and How We Can Stop *In its depth of wisdom regarding the dynamics of soul, spirit and society that lead good people to become effective practitioners of conflict transformation in war zones, The Moral Imagination could serve as the magnificent capstone to a life's work. The thrilling fact, however, is that Lederach stands not at the end but at the midpoint of a remarkable journey of conciliation, peacebuilding and ethical reflection. This book is a milestone in that journey; there is nothing quite like it in the literature of social change, peace and conflict studies, theology, ethics, and spiritualit? * for it weaves those disciplines together into a seamless, riveting whole.R. Scott Appleby, Professor of History and John M. Regan, Jr. Director of the Joan B. Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame *Table of Contents1. On Stating the Problem and Thesis ; 2. On Touching the Moral Imagination: Four Stories ; 3. On This Moment: Turning Points ; 4. On Simplicity and Complexity: Finding the Essence of Peacebuilding ; 5. On Peace Accords: Image of a Line in Time ; 6. On the Gift of Pessimism: Insights from the Geographies of Violence ; 7. On Aesthetuics: The Art of Social Change ; 8. On Space: Life in the Web ; 9. On Mass and Movement: The Theory of the Critical Yeast ; 10. On Web Watching: Finding the Soul of Place ; 11. On Serendipity: The Gift of Accidental Sagacity ; 12. On Time: The Past That Lies before Us ; 13. On Pied Pipers: Imagination and Creativity ; 14. On Vocation: The Mystery of Risk ; 15. On Conclusions: The Imperative of the Moral Imagination

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Book SynopsisBackfire explores the surprising ways sanctions affect multinational companies, governments, and ultimately millions of people around the world. Drawing on interviews with experts, policy makers, and people in sanctioned countries, Agathe Demarais examines the unintended consequences of the use of sanctions as a diplomatic weapon.Trade ReviewSanctions are in fashion. Trump used them with relish. Biden has deployed formidable ones against Russia. But do they work? And what are their side effects and long-term impact? These are critical questions, and Agathe Demarais's excellent, clear-headed book has uncomfortable answers. -- Daniel Franklin, executive editor, The EconomistBackfire is a balanced, fast-paced, and often surprising account of the growing influence that sanctions have had on businesses, economies, and people around the world over recent decades, highlighting their often unintended and self-defeating consequences as well as their rare successes. -- Paul Hannon, The Wall Street JournalWith the knowledge of an expert and the tight prose of a journalist, Agathe Demarais has written a fast-paced, well-articulated review of the difficulties, risks, and unintended consequences of using sanctions. This book should be added to university curricula and personal reading lists alike. -- Richard Nephew, author of The Art of Sanctions: A View from the FieldLinking her knowledge of international sanctions to a fascinating, lively account of their far-reaching effects (including humanitarian), Demarais provides a powerful and compelling narrative of the overuse of sanctions by the United States for the past decade. An indispensable read to dive into international relations through an original and timely prism. -- Julien Nocetti, Saint-Cyr Military AcademyAnyone interested in sanctions, especially those implemented by the United States and the broader impact of the economic tool, should explore this very current and thoughtful work. This book will be appreciated by both the general reader and serious scholar, which makes it a perfect addition to economic and policy collections. -- James Rhoades * Library Journal *The heyday of US-led sanctions is drawing to a close. Demarais predicts that a self-reliant China will increasingly undermine US sanctions on Iran, North Korea, Russia, Venezuela and other authoritarian regimes. Backfire provides valuable pointers for policymakers. -- Robert Wihtol * Australian Strategic Policy Institute *Important. Compelling. Relevant. -- Delaney Simon * War on the Rocks *Demarais takes the normal critique further, arguing that sanctions . . . encourage behavior that runs counter to U.S. interests. * Washington Post *[Demarais] highlights the limitations and negative side effects of sanctions. * Foreign Affairs *Excellent, insightful and rather sobering. -- Mark Beeson * The Conversation *Demarais’ astute analysis is both compelling and persuasive. […] Backfire is an engaging and enlightening read on a crucially important subject. -- Gregory Brew * The Bridge *Her industry perspective is illuminating when exploring how firms behave toward sanctions. -- Ali Ahmadi * International Affairs *The book is riveting stuff for the reader. It encompasses case studies of many episodes of US sanctions in recent decades, starting with Cuba. In short, an abundance of high-quality and delicious food for thought. Not only about sanctions, but especially about contemporary America. -- Boris Begović * Belgrade Law Review *Demarais offers a timely and important contribution of a primarily European perspective to an important debate: Do U.S. sanctions work? Her book is a breezy tour through a series of case studies that examine the sometimes unforeseen forces U.S. sanctions unleashed, their impact on European companies, and the responses they triggered from European officials. […] The lesson one might draw from “Backfire” is this: The U.S. needs to engage Europe. -- Michael Laha * The Diplomat *In Backfire, Agathe Demarais highlights the risks of [export controls]. Though her manuscript was completed before the chip export ban, her argument is prescient: […] to be effective, [sanctions] should be targeted, short-term, and backed by allies. -- Edoardo Campanella * Project Syndicate *Agathe Demarais has written one of the timeliest books to be published in [2022]. […] Demarais’s book is not only essential to understanding the dynamics of U.S. sanctions but, considering that it was finished in early 2022, has proven to be prophetic with regard to recent developments in Russian oil, European energy, and semiconductors. -- Mathias Fuelling * The Oxonian Review *Current sanctions may undermine the effectiveness of future sanctions; thus, weaponizing Western banks and currencies against Russia may encourage Moscow and others to increase their reliance on China’s financial system. Demarais posits that the use of sanctions as a policy instrument has probably peaked. -- Barry Eichengreen * Foreign Affairs *Demarais, a global policy expert, provides a contemporary analysis of U.S. sanctions’ place, function, and effects in the world. [She] illuminate[s] how globalization became weaponized by superpowers and how it might have fractured the world. -- Robin Kaiser-Schatzlein * The New Republic *Backfire offers a critical contribution to the field by explaining to laypersons, policymakers and international affairs experts alike what sanctions are about and what they do in ‘real’ life. Agathe Demarais uses an impressive number of examples and anecdotes to surgically decipher how sanctions work. -- Mathieu Boulègue * RUSI Journal *Backfire […] paints a fascinating picture of what sanctions can mean in practice. Against the vague and general descriptions in much popular and academic writing on sanctions, Demarais provides startling, [overwhelming], and instructive case studies of sanctions gone wrong. -- Benjamin Letzler * International and Comparative Law Quarterly *The book’s perspective can be distinguished from works by former US officials […]. American sanctions practitioners tend to write about sanctions with a certain detachment. They rarely have experience “in the field” and the unintended consequences are an affirmation of the power of the economic weapon they helped develop. For her part, Demarais aims to provide a “clear picture” about [sanctions’] effects. -- Esfandyar Batmanghelidj * Phenomenal World *Demarais’s argument raises important questions about why the Biden administration would choose to start a process of decoupling from China that is likely to have such potent longer-term consequences in terms of how the global economy is put together […]. Too many analysts have pointed in this direction. Demarais is one of the most recent and most compelling. -- Erik Jones * Survival *Backfire is particularly strong on the concerns that European political leaders had over the United States’ unilateral use of sanctions. These policies, plus U.S. tariffs on European and allied goods, fueled the “strategic autonomy” agenda aimed at ensuring the EU could conduct its own foreign policy. -- Rachel Ziemba * Lawfare *Precise, direct, and spare, yet with an engaging tone often bordering on the wry, Agathe Demarais’s Backfire is everything one would expect of a book written by the head of The Economist’s Intelligence Unit. It achieves the rare blend of being both informative and enjoyable. Demarais’s guidance is offered neither as a polemic nor a jeremiad, but rather as a frank and honest appraisal of a highly popular national security policy tool whose future utility may be increasingly limited. -- Captain Eric Schuck * Proceedings *From unintended humanitarian consequences to sanctions derailing global commodities markets, Demarais provides detailed sanctions of well-intended policies having unintended consequences. * National Interest *Recommended. * Choice *Table of ContentsPreface Part I: Sanctions Genesis1. From Embargoes to Sanctions: A Brief History2. Hitting Where It Hurts: The Era of Financial Sanctions3. Hit and Miss: Why Sanctions Sometimes Work, but More Often Fail Part II: Sanctions Crossfire4. Collateral Damage: When Sanctions Kill5. Sanctions Overreach: When Foreign Firms Get Caught in the Crossfire6. Sanctions Overkill: When sanctions Crash Global Commodities Markets7. Sanctions Disputes: When Russian Gas Pipelines Divide Allies Part III: Sanctions Blues8. Sanctions Busting, Avoidance Schemes from U.S. Friends and Foes 9. Doing Down the Dollar: The Rise of Digital Coins and Other Reserve Currencies10. High-tech Future: Are Export Controls the Sanctions of Tomorrow?11. When Sanctions Work Too Well: Why Decoupling from China Would Backfire ConclusionAcknowledgmentsNotesBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisMaking the Future is the latest collection of essays from Noam Chomsky, one of our most vital and provocative voices of political dissent. Taking up the thread from 2007''s Interventions, these penetrating and compelling articles examine numerous topics, including the financial crisis, Obama''s presidency, WikiLeaks and the on-going conflicts in the Middle East.Restating and refining his commitment to democracy and finding inspiration in the popular uprisings of the Arab Spring, Making the Future is Chomsky''s fiercely-argued and timely comment on a fast-changing world.Praise for Noam Chomsky:''Chomsky is one of a small band of individuals fighting a whole industry. And that makes him not only brilliant, but heroic'' Arundhati Roy''Noam Chomsky is a global phenomenon . . . he may be the most widely read American voice on foreign policy on the planet today'' New York Times BTrade ReviewChomsky is one of a small band of individuals fighting a whole industry. And that makes him not only brilliant, but heroic -- Arundhati RoyNoam Chomsky is an inspiration all over the world - to millions I suspect - for the simple reason that he is a truth-teller on an epic scale -- John PilgerNoam Chomsky is a global phenomenon . . . he may be the most widely read American voice on foreign policy on the planet today * The New York Times Book Review *

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Book SynopsisThis book explores how fundamental aspects of Chinaâs rapidly evolving arena of international relations theory are emerging directly from the realms of practice and policy.As a unique explanation of the Chinese School by those actually making the decisions, assisted and researched in collaboration with eminent global scholars, the book guides the global reader through the building of Chinese international relations theory and how China may be accounted for, behaviour predicted and useful policy developed.With chapters examining critical issues such as: Statecraft and party The Belt and Road Initiative Diplomacy and Security in the Asia Pacific China-US relations The South China Sea This book will provide new theory to policy-makers and prove an invaluable guide to students and scholars of Chinese politics, international relations theory, diplomacy, global studies and international relations.

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Book SynopsisEthics and international Relations (IR), once considered along the margins of the IR field, has emerged as one of the most eclectic and interdisciplinary research areas today. Yet the same diversity that enriches this field also makes it a difficult one to characterize. Is it, or should it only be, the social-scientific pursuit of explaining and understanding how ethics influences the behaviours of actors in international relations? Or, should it be a field characterized by what the world should be like, based on philosophical, normative and policy-based arguments? This Handbook suggests that it can actually be both, as the contributions contained therein demonstrate how those two conceptions of ethics and international relations are inherently linked. Seeking to both provide an overview of the field and to drive debates forward, this Handbook is framed by an opening chapter providing a concise and accessible overview of the complex history of the field of ethics anTrade Review"This is a comprehensive and wide-ranging collection which without neglecting traditional subjects such as Just War and Global Justice also covers more recent concerns such as post-colonialism, the emotions and environmentalism. It will be an invaluable teaching resource." - Chris Brown, Emeritus Professor of International Relations, London School of Economics and Political Science"Steele and Heinze have assembled an indispensable resource. Scholars, teachers, students, and general interest readers will find this to be the best one-stop reference for the field of ethics and international relations. Comprehensive in scope, rich in detail, and masterful in interpretation, the Handbook gives voice to a wide range of contributors, all of whom share their expertise with clarity and spirit." - Joel H. Rosenthal, President, Carnegie Council for Ethics in International AffairsTable of ContentsIntroduction 1 A history of ethics in international relations Philosophical Foundations Philosophical Foundations 2 Kantian Themes in Ethics and International Relations 3 Global Egalitarianism 4 Collective Responsibility 5 Latin American Views on the Construction and Implementation of the International Norm Responsibility to Protect 6 Agency, Explanation and Ethics in International Relations IR theory IR theory 7 Hunting the state of nature: Race and ethics in postcolonial international relations 8 Social constructivism and international ethics 9 Truth and power, uncertainty and catastrophe: Ethics in IR realism 10 Ethics and feminist International Relations theory 11 Critical international ethics: Knowing/acting differently Security and the ethics of war Security and the ethics of war 12 Morgenthau and the ethics of realism 13 Ethics and critical security studies 14 Tradition-based approaches to the study of the ethics of war 15 How should just war theory be revised? Reductive versus relational individualism 16 Critical approaches to the ethics of war Ethics and institutions Ethics and institutions 17 Historical context 18 Justice: Constitution and critique 19 The ethical terrain of international human rights: From invoking dignity to practicing recognition 20 International law and ethics Intervention and sovereignty Intervention and sovereignty 21 Historical thinking about human protection: Insights from Vattel 22 The global ethics of humanitarian action 23 The responsibility to protect: The evolution of a hollow norm 24 Right intent on humanitarian intervention Vulnerability in international relations Vulnerability in international relations 25 Transnational migration and the construction of vulnerability 26 At a crossroads: Health and vulnerability in the era of AIDS 27 Climate change, sustainable development, and vulnerability 28 Climate change and island populations IPE and the ethics of global economy IPE and the ethics of global economy 29 The ethics of alternative finance: Governing, resisting and rethinking the limits of finance 30 Decolonial global justice: A critique of the ethics of the global economy 31 Gender, nature and the ethics of finance in a racialized global (political) economy 32 Biofuels and the ethics of global governance: experimentalism, disagreement, politics Religion and International Ethics Religion and International Ethics 33 Adam Smith’s Ambiguous Theodicy and the Ethics of IPE 34 Religion, Emotions and Conflict EscalationMona Kanwal Sheikh35 Solidarity beyond religious and secular: political ontology as an ethical framework 36 Ethics from the Underside 37 Ibn Khaldun and the Wealth of Civilizations 38 The Futures of Ethics and International Relations

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Book SynopsisWhy do citizens choose to cast blank and spoiled votes? And how do campaigns mobilizing the invalid vote influence this decision? None of the Above answers these questions using evidence from elections in eighteen Latin American democracies.Trade ReviewA wonderful example of a well-executed scholarly book that takes an interesting and misunderstood phenomenon—invalid voting—and explores both the meaning and the consequences across a wide range of contexts. Dr. Cohen is a true expert on this topic. This book showcases her deep knowledge of protest voting in Latin American elections and presents convincing evidence that the practice of invalid voting in protest is more important than many might think at first." - Carew Boulding, University of Colorado at BoulderTable of Contents Tables Figures Acknowledgments Chapter 1. Introduction: None of the Above Chapter 2. Invalid Ballots as a Protest Signal Chapter 3. Campaigning for No-one: Invalid Vote Campaigns in Latin America Chapter 4. Public Approval of Invalid Vote Campaigns Chapter 5. Predicting the Electoral Success of Invalid Vote Campaigns Chapter 6. A Tale of Two Departments: Tracing the Success of Invalid Vote Campaigns in Peru Chapter 7. The Downstream Consequences of Invalid Vote Campaigns Chapter 8. Conclusion Chapter 1 Appendix Chapter 2 Appendix Chapter 4 Appendix Chapter 5 Appendix Chapter 6 Appendix Chapter 7 Appendix Bibliography Notes Index

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Book SynopsisExamines how communal idealism, electoral politics, and low-income consumer markets made first-time homeownership a reality for millions of low-income Brazilians over the last ten years.Table of Contents List of Illustrations Preface and Acknowledgements Part I—Introduction The Subjunctivity of Hope Hoping for the Future Part II—Infrastructural Citizenship 1. The Making of a Model Community 2. The Machine of Worthiness 3. Waiting and Hoping 4. Cartographies of Wellbeing Part III—Middle-Class Sensorial 5. Topographies of Consumption 6. Democracies of Hope 7. Infrastructuring Class Conclusion. Post-Neoliberal Hopescapes Bibliography

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Book SynopsisThucydides' classic work is a foundational text in the history of Western political thought. This new translation includes extensive reference material for non-specialists, including maps, glossaries, biographies, chronological charts, notes and an appendix of ancient sources in translation.Trade Review'Altogether, this edition in a crowded field offers many unique annotations complementing its fresh and accurate translation.' Donald Lateiner, Ancient History Bulletin'… an extremely useful edition for its re-situation of Thucydides in his own context, especially for the large numbers of readers of Thucydides in disciplines outside the classics. It is no small achievement to convey in modern English the literary qualities of this most political of ancient historians.' Liz Sawyer, Oxonian Review'…a fine addition to the Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought series … its excellent footnotes will make it a worthy [addition] to any reading list.' Benjamin Earley, The Classical ReviewTable of ContentsList of maps; Preface; Introduction; Principal dates; Biographical notes; Greek deities, heroes and mythological figures; Greek terms for distances, coinage and the calendar; The War of the Peloponnesians and the Athenians; Appendix 1. Notes on the Greek text: variations from the OCT; Appendix 2. Thucydides in the ancient world: a selection of texts; Bibliography and further reading; Synopsis of contents; Synopsis of speeches; Glossary; Index of names; General index.

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Book SynopsisOdd Arne Westad offers a compelling and panoramic new history of the global conflict waged by the United States and Soviet Union during the Cold War and the part it played in fuelling the ideologies, movements and states which increasingly dominate international affairs today.Trade Review'This is a genuinely 'international' history … few genuine research monographs are so wide ranging chronologically and geographically, while also trying to absorb insights from sociology and social anthropology … taken as a whole no historian has dealt with the links between the Cold War so fully, so broadly and so thoughtfully as Westad in this new account … a truly seminal work, whose findings will exercise those researching the Cold War for many years.' Reviews in History'The Global Cold War is a powerful account of the way in which the third world moved to the center of international politics in the closing decades of the 20th century. Drawing on a stunning multiplicity of archival material, Odd Arne Westad integrates perspectives and disciplines which have, until now, remained separate: US and Soviet ideologies, their politics and the interventions that flowed from both; insurrection, rebellion, revolution and the power of competing models of development, systems of support or subversion (sometimes synonymous) that in part determined their outcome. Westad writes with the combination of clarity, wit and passion that have always characterized his work. This time the canvas is large enough to do full justice to his scholarship and his humanity.' Marilyn B. Young, New York University'Odd Arne Westad's new book is an extremely important contribution to the historiography of the Cold War. With broad erudition, amazing geographical range, and inventive research in archives around the globe, Westad tells the tragic story of the United States and Soviet Union's involvement in what became the 'Third World'. The newly emerging nations of the 'South' - of Africa, Asia, and Latin America - barely emerged from their humiliating subservience to European colonialism before being dragged by Cold War rivalries into ideologically-inspired upheavals that ended up bankrupting their countries and devastating their peoples. Westad's study enables his readers to integrate the Third World into the history of the Cold War and confronts them with the meaning of intervention in the past for the international system today.' Norman M. Naimark, Stanford University'In a reinterpretation of the Cold War that is as thorough as it is important, Westad places Soviet and American interventions in the Third World at the center of their struggle. Driven by ideology and the need to affirm the rightness of their principles, both superpowers felt compelled to contest with the other in areas of little intrinsic importance. The results were almost uniformly failures, and in the process brought much sorrow and destruction to the Third World. The picture is not a pretty one, but Westad shows that studying it reveals much about the Cold War, and about the current world scene.' Robert Jervis, Columbia University'Based on prodigious research, this ambitious and wide-ranging book presents the most important account to date of the Cold War in the Third World. Westad's study represents broad-based, international history at its best. He deftly weaves together the tale of world politics writ large with stories about variegated processes of revolution and social change across the Third World. This should prove an indispensable work for anyone interested in the history of the twentieth-century.' Robert J. McMahon, University of Florida'For the serious student of our times Odd Arne Westad's The Global Cold War could provide a serious weapon for their scholastic arsenal.' Open History: The Journal of the Open University History Society'… Westad's work combines sophisticated analysis, insight into the motivations and behaviours of non-Western actors, historical perspective, fair-mindedness and a sympathy for the victims on all sides. Westad's pioneering work in Soviet archives means that his book illuminates better than any other work I have read in English the thinking and motivations of the Soviet leadership and its advisers when it came to the Third World.' London Review of Books'… Westad presents a finely crafted and immaculately researched study that presents some of the findings from the archives of the former Soviet Union and its communist allies alongside the more familiar American and western sources.' International Affairs'There are already a number of books on the Cold War, and more are likely as more information becomes available. This work will remain important, however, for shifting the focus away from Europe and North Korea, to the wider world in which the superpower struggle took place. It is well written and draws on a wide range of materials. Many will not agree with all the arguments, but it is a major contribution to our understanding of how the world became as it is.' Asian Affairs'Westad's brilliant, bitter account, based on prodigious research, is an indictment of the superpowers. They treated the Third World as their playground and left it devastated.' Martin McCauleyTable of ContentsIntroduction; 1. The empire of liberty: American ideology and foreign interventions; 2. The empire of justice: Soviet ideology and foreign interventions; 3. The revolutionaries: anti-colonial politics and transformations; 4. Creating the Third World: the United States confronts revolution; 5. The Cuban and Vietnamese challenges; 6. The crisis of decolonization: Southern Africa; 7. The prospects of socialism: Ethiopia and the Horn; 8. The Islamist defiance; 9. The 1980s: the Reagan offensive; 10. The Gorbachev withdrawal and the end of the Cold War; Conclusion: Revolutions, interventions and Great Power collapse.

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Book SynopsisThe RussiaChina border is a study in contrasts, with booming cities on the Chinese side and sleepy villages on the Russian. Both governments discourage cross-border interaction, yet exchange is constant. Anthropologists Franck Billé and Caroline Humphrey describe a vigorous and diverse transnational society facing profound political constraints.Trade ReviewA wonderfully illuminating book, filled with insights about the frontier between Russia and China and the peoples who live in and alongside the border zones. Beautifully written and immaculately researched, this is an important book that draws on the past and present—and has obvious implications for the future. -- Peter Frankopan, author of The Silk Roads: A New History of the WorldA fine-grained account of the awkwardness, asymmetries, and paradoxes of life…along the 2,600-mile border between Russia and China. -- Adeeb Khalid * Times Literary Supplement *Deeply revealing about both the geopolitical relationship of Russia and China and their strikingly different modes of operation. -- Sheila Fitzpatrick * London Review of Books *The first comprehensive analysis of how the lived experiences of the inhabitants of these peripheries intersect with the grand national and geopolitical visions emanating from the political centers of Moscow and Beijing…Fleshes out reductive media representations, illustrating how the ostensible political friendship between Moscow and Beijing is manifested, rejected, and contested in the everyday lives of ordinary people. -- Emily Couch * Moscow Times *Enlightening…Billé and Humphrey record the results of their studies and visits to this border, taking in a number of themes, including environmental protection, indigenous peoples, cross-border trade, migration, friendship and neighborly attitudes. Each chapter reveals much about the borderlands, and much about the policies and histories of these two giants, which once shared a ruling ideology. -- Katie Burton * Geographical *A close examination of a stretch of the Amur where Russia and China stare at one another in a fragile friendship. [Billé and Humphrey] approach their topic through the perspective of the people who live there and make the river border work or, in some cases, not work. -- Jack Weatherford * Mekong Review *[A] sparkling book…which transported me to familiar and new places. -- Peter Frankopan * The Spectator *For an ethnographic-cum-geopolitical account of Russia’s long border to the east, see the terrific book by Franck Billé and Caroline Humphrey, On the Edge: Life along the Russia-China Border. -- Sheila Fitzpatrick * Australian Book Review *[A book] with remarkable depth and ambition. A combination of shoe-leather ethnography and macroscopic economic and political analysis, this book not only explains the stark differences in prosperity between the struggling Russian Far East and the flourishing Chinese Northeast, but also debunks a number of myths that have come to shape the popular understanding of the region. -- Gregory Afinogenov * Russian Review *Through their enthralling ethnographic description of many social groups’ lived experiences at the border, the authors both enrich and challenge the existing studies on Sino-Russian relations…Essential for acquiring knowledge about contemporary Russia, China, their comparability and dissimilarities, and Northeast Asia and Eurasia at large. -- Liao Zhang * Journal of Borderlands Studies *A book rich in insight and offering a fascinating and unique way of exposing the real contours of this hugely important relationship…Russians and Chinese, if they do share ethnic, kin or other bonds, simply view the world in a different way, framed by the national sentiments prevailing on the particular side of the border on which they happen to live. -- Kerry Brown * Asian Affairs *The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the continuing relevance of borders, despite all the paeans to mobility and globalization. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, meanwhile, has imparted even greater significance to Moscow’s relationship with China than it had before. Before these twin crises, the issues in this book were consequential; more recent developments have rendered them even more important still. On the Edge is thus a timely intervention. -- Paul W. Werth * Ab Imperio *In this rich and wonderfully written book, two giants of twentieth-century socialism meet in the cities, forests, and along the rivers of northeast Asia to show how much is at stake for so many in competing visions of a postsocialist future. -- Bruce Grant, New York UniversityWhere the edges of Russia and China meet is perhaps the world’s most politically unknown but consequential borderland. Franck Billé and Caroline Humphrey provide the missing picture of how multicultural peoples carry on a burgeoning trade that is transforming life along this vast frontier. The authors show that despite different historical imaginations and personal stories on both sides, variant forms of capitalism—mafia and state—help weave friends, foes, and kin across the border. -- Aihwa Ong, author of Fungible Life: Experiment in the Asian City of LifeRelations between Russia and China are usually discussed through a top-down approach—the hopes, dreams, and aspirations of a Putin and a Xi Jinping. Billé and Humphrey on the contrary turn to the ordinary lives of people living on and working across the border. A beautiful exploration of the daily reality of these border lives, revealing tensions, relations, and emerging trends that top-down approaches have missed entirely. -- Michael Puett, Harvard UniversityFor centuries, Russia and China have confronted each other along one of the longest, most important but least understood land borders in the world. On the Edge is a fascinating ethnographic study of life in this border region today that works on two levels, offering a highly focused and personalized consideration of cross-cultural and transnational interactions across a remote borderland while at the same time providing valuable insights into the dynamics that both impel and complicate the evolving Sino–Russian relationship. -- Mark Bassin, Södertörn University

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Book SynopsisJack Shenker is a journalist based in London and Cairo, whose reporting has spanned the globe. Formerly Egypt correspondent for The Guardian, his coverage of the Egyptian revolution received multiple prizes. In 2012, his investigation into the deaths of African migrants in the Mediterranean was named news story of the year at the prestigious One World media awards.Trade ReviewRefreshing... What distinguishes his writing from others' is his presence in the slums, factories and homes where Egyptians first began questioning their relations with their rulers. Mr Shenker evokes despair at the economy of this badly run country, but also surprising hope for its future, thanks to a young generation that says it is "no longer prepared to put up with the old crap". * Economist, Books of the Year *I started reading this and couldn't stop. It's a remarkable piece of work, and very revealing. A stirring rendition of a people's revolution as the popular forces that Shenker vividly depicts carry forward their many and varied struggles, with radical potential that extends far beyond Egypt -- Noam ChomskyThis superbly written book documents the great victories - and terrible setbacks - of a people thirsting for democracy and social justice. A courageous writer who gives voice to the hopes and fears of the people of Egypt -- Owen JonesMeticulous, carefully researched and passionately argued... The Egyptians is not just about the revolution, it is an act within it -- Ahdaf Soueif * Guardian *Well-researched and absorbing... a people's history of the revolution that avoids the drama of high politics to foreground instead the activists and campaigners who laid the foundations for Tahrir Square... A refreshing, original take on a country with an uncertain future -- Sameer Rahim * Daily Telegraph *Shenker's book understands the Egyptian Spring, and the counter-strikes against it, as a deeper social process that, far from being over, will continue driving revolutionary upheaval in the years to come. He reframes political events as the products of social and technological change. And, above all, he refuses to give up hope. This is the deepest and most comprehensive account of Egypt's revolution in the English language, and it will set the agenda for debate throughout the Arab world -- Paul MasonJack Shenker cuts through the complacent clichés and self-flattering illusions of foreign correspondents and experts to produce an intimate and comprehensive portrait of contemporary Egypt, which is as historically informed as it is politically shrewd -- Pankaj MishraInspirational... [Shenker's] analysis is acutely clear-sighted, given the chaos of recent events. The book mixes a hawk's eye view of the forces of global capitalism as applied to Egypt with a vivid worm's eye view of what it is like to be caught up in a revolution. This is a passionate book, but not an unbalanced one... it tells stories that need to be told, and which have been widely ignored -- George Arney * Independent *Riveting and elegantly written... an immense and humane portrait of the trials and aspirations of the Egyptian people - -- Gerald Butt * Literary Review *Shenker has written what amounts to a contemporary history of injustice... Shenker is a sensitive interlocutor; the stories he relates comprise a stirring mise en valeur of a struggle for human dignity -- Maria Golia * TLS *Shenker is one of the best observers of the current scene in Egypt -- Khaled Fahmy, Professor of history at the American University in Cairo

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Book SynopsisStrategy is not a modern invention. It is an essential and enduring feature of human history that is here to stay. In this original essay, Colin S.Trade Review"In an era of strategic atrophy when we�re wrestling with a world awash in change, The Future of Strategy provides the best and most relevant guide to navigate our way. Using enduring principles Colin Gray lights the path ahead in a book that stands alone in its clarity and strategic insight."General James N. Mattis, USMC (ret.), Hoover Institution, Stanford University "Colin S Gray is one of the great strategic thinkers of the day. In The Future of Strategy he argues that there is a general theory of strategy that applies to all times, places and circumstances. Insightful and controversial, it is a must-read for all students of strategic studies and policy makers who wrestle with the difficult strategic issues of the contemporary world."John Baylis, Emeritus Professor, Swansea UniversityTable of ContentsPreface viii Introduction 1 1 Politics the Master 7 2 Strategy: What It Is, and Why It Matters 23 3 Theory and Practice 43 4 Strategic History: Continuity and Change 63 5 Strategy, Strategies, and Geography 80 6 Strategy and the Future 98 Conclusion: What Do We Know with High Confidence? 107 Further reading 118 Notes 123 Index 140

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Book Synopsis"For more than a century, the United States has been the world s most powerful state. Now some analysts predict that China will soon take its place.Trade Review"A professor at the Harvard Kennedy School and one of the most esteemed analysts of world affairs, Nye has been countering declinism for a quarter century, beginning with his 1990 book Bound to Lead. The brevity of his latest text belies its sweep, and judging by the reception it has received, even among those who are considerably less optimistic about America's prospects...one suspects it will endure as a central text of the anti-declinist oeuvre." Ali Wyne, American Interest "In his clear, short, and closely reasoned book, Nye presents a far different view of American power, making some unfashionable but compelling arguments. Nye believes that the American century is far from over and that for the foreseeable future, the United States will retain a unique ability to shape global events." � Walter Russell Mead, Foreign Affairs "Nye outlines each issue briskly, with economy and precision, creating an ideal primer for anyone wishing to better understand the global stage and where America stands on it." �LA Review of Books "Nye does the great service of examining this claim in his new book, Is the American Century Over?, giving a subtle analysis in terms of hard power (military and economic) and soft power (a concept introduced by Nye to refer to an attractive practice, at least a model or ideals such as liberty or democracy)." �Huffington Post �Is the American Century Over?� is an excellent book that will help students of international affairs think carefully about the world and America�s opportunities and challenges in the 21st century. It�s brief, succinct and provocative." �The Washington Diplomat "Academics and political junkies will probably breeze through Is the American Century Over? But the book is so well-written and accessible, general readers are likely to find it engaging and insightful as well. At its core, policy-oriented research and writing should strive to inform not just specialists or experts, but the public at large, making Nye's contribution to debates about America's purported decline that much more important."�Huffington Post �This short, well-argued book offers a powerful rebuttal to America's premature obituarists.��The Economist �A pioneer in the theory of soft power and the dean of American political scientists, Nye knows geopolitics. In his new book, Is the American Century Over?, Nye makes a strong case that American geopolitical superiority, far from being eclipsed, is still firmly in place and set to endure. And the biggest threat isn�t China or India or Russia–it's America itself.��Time �In this short, thoughtful book, Nye presents his case convincingly. It is a case that policy makers should ponder carefully.��Huffington Post �The United States will likely remain the world's predominant power for many decades to come, Joe Nye concludes in his insightful new book. This welcome prediction is tempered by Nye�s warning about key challenges that could yet lead to American decline, most notably, political dysfunction at home.��The Boston Globe �US declinism can be overdone. In an excellent new essay asking Is the American Century Over? the Harvard scholar Joseph Nye points up America's enduring strengths � economic, demographic and geographic as well as military.��Financial Times "With his usual clarity and insight, Joe Nye gives us a fascinating analysis of the complexities of power, exploring hard and soft power, state and non-state actors, and how to retain leadership once domination is over. European readers have much to learn from the U.S. experience and its lessons for the evolution of the EU."�Mario Monti, Prime Minister of Italy (2011–13) and President of Bocconi University "The future of American power is the great question of our century. No-one is better equipped than Joe Nye to answer it."�Lt. Gen. Brent Scowcroft, USAF (Ret.), former Presidential National Security Advisor "This calm, reflective, and thoughtful antidote to alarm about American decline displays Nye's astonishing capacity to engage with the full range of challenges to American leadership."�Michael Ignatieff, Harvard Kennedy School "In this timely, compact book, Joe Nye makes a 'powerful' case for the continuation of American primacy through diplomacy and co-operation. This strategy would not be overstretch or retrenchment but instead the application of American Exceptionalism to shrewd power."�Robert B. Zoellick, former President of the World Bank Group, US Trade Representative and US Deputy Secretary of State "The irreversibility of American decline is no longer a given. Joe Nye's compelling analysis shows that the future of the international order, and the respective roles of the US and China within it, will be shaped by a range of core domestic and foreign policy choices, rather than by some overwhelming, determinist, historical force that has somehow already decided the "natural" dimensions, depth and duration of American power. The history of nations, as Joe Nye rightly asserts, is a more dynamic process than that."�Kevin Rudd, former Prime Minister of Australia "Joe Nye is always worth reading - objective without being aloof, insightful without lecturing. Our disordered world needs answers to the challenges posed here."�David Miliband, UK Foreign Secretary 2007-2010 "Nye's masterful analysis shows the defenders of America's continued primacy how to make their most credible case while forcing the declinists to engage with its arguments, and even rethink their assumptions."�Amitav Acharya, American University and author of The End of American World Order "In this tour de force Joe Nye proves that smart books about big ideas are best served in small packages: and if you are looking for one volume to read on a topic about which so much nonsense has been written since the disaster that was the Bush administration, this is the one to go for. Balanced, accessible, informed - but above all, wise - Nye demonstrates once more why he continues to influence the way we all think about the world."�Michael Cox, LSE IDEAS "Joe Nye's clear-eyed analysis makes a very compelling case that the 'American century' is far from over, even though with a less preponderant America and a more complex world, its next chapter will look different. It�s not the sexiest argument. But utterly convincing."�Wolfgang Ischinger, Chairman of the Munich Security Conference and former German Ambassador to the United States "Joe Nye's clear eyed assessments of America's place in the world have set the terms of the debate for more than a quarter century. This important book updates Nye's thinking and is an immensely valuable corrective to the pessimism and the complacency that are all too common in debates about America's future."�Lawrence H. Summers, Harvard University "As Joseph S. Nye, Jr. brilliantly articulates, there are numerous challenges and challengers which will push the United States as the premier nation in the world over the next few decades. Bringing an objective, critical analysis and years of experience in economics and politics, Nye's Is the American Century Over? is both a cautionary tale for the patriotic and a celebration of emerging nations.��Nomadic PressTable of ContentsAcknowledgements Chapter 1 The Creation of the American Century Chapter 2 Is America in Decline? Chapter 3 Challengers and Relative Decline Chapter 4 The Rise of China Chapter 5 Absolute Decline: Is the U.S. Like Rome? Chapter 6 Power Shifts and Global Complexity Chapter 7 Conclusions Further Reading Notes

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Book SynopsisWe have long been told that corporations rule the world, their interests seemingly taking precedence over states and their citizens.Trade Review"Few would deny that global corporations are immensely influential. They dominate markets and have profound influence over technology, prosperity and the environment. John Mikler's brilliant study of how they share political power with government provides a cogent and perceptive analysis. It is a landmark in one of the most crucial yet under-emphasised debates in contemporary social science. Corporations structure our present and define our futures, to understand their power requires Mikler's masterful, wide-ranging and richly illustrated exposition."—Stephen Wilks, Emeritus Professor, University of Exeter "This book provides a timely and highly needed addition to the literature on corporations as political actors in today's global political economy. Mikler's strategy to reterritorialize corporations and specifically corporate power in geopolitical terms allows fascinating perspectives on actors typically considered in terms of transnational characteristics."—Doris Fuchs, University of Muenster "This readable book is a worthy addition to the literature."—Society of Professional Economists "More than a theoretical call to action, this book also offers practical entry points to the study of corporate power—including global corporate agency, questions of state power, national institutional varieties, and corporate-level private authority. Broad, sophisticated, and highly accessible ... it will surely be a valuable introduction for students and scholars of international studies that want to work on broadening our understanding of global corporate power."—International StudiesTable of ContentsAcknowledgments List of Tables and Figures Abbreviations 1. Introduction: The Global Corporate Takeover 2. Theorizing Global Corporations' Power 3. Geographical Concentration 4. National Institutional Embeddedness 5. Private Authority and the Potential for Private Governance 6. Conclusion: Three Implications References Index

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Book Synopsis''Joshua Wong is a brave and inspiring young leader.'' - GRETA THUNBERG Imprisoned on 2 December 2020 for the third time, read Joshua Wong''s urgent and powerful story - the Hong Konger fighting for democracy.INTRODUCTION BY AI WEIWEI, FOREWORD BY CHRIS PATTEN Unfree Speech is Joshua''s urgent call for us to defend our democratic values, whoever we are.It chronicles Joshua''s path to activism, collects the letters he wrote as a political prisoner, and closes with a powerful and urgent manifesto for us to defend our democracies at time of global flux and change.Joshua Wong made history when he was 14. While the adults stayed silent, Joshua staged the first ever student protest in Hong Kong to oppose National Education - and won. Since then, he led the Umbrella Movement, founded a political party, and rallied the international community around the Hong Kong protests, which saw 2 million people take to the streets. Now, he is in jail again. His actions have sparked worldwide attention and earned him a Nobel Peace Prize nomination, as he continues to fight for what he believes in. His message is clear: when we stay silent, no one is safe. When we free our speech, our voice becomes one. ''If we want freedom, we need to learn from Hong Kong. With values, tactics, and courage, Joshua Wong shows us the way.'' - Timothy Snyder, bestselling author of On Tyranny''A guide to mobilising for democracy and representation in and far beyond Hong Kong.'' - Julia Lovell, award-winning author of Maoism- The Times Book of the Week - - Observer Book of the Week - - Named by the Financial Times as one of the 50 people who shaped the decade - Trade ReviewJoshua Wong is a brave and inspiring young leader. Together we are one loud voice that cannot be silenced. * Greta Thunberg, climate change activist and bestselling author of No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference *If we want freedom, we need to learn from Hong Kong. With values, tactics, and courage, Joshua Wong shows us the way. * Timothy Snyder, historian and bestselling author of On Tyranny and The Road to Unfreedom *Joshua Wong represents a new generation of rebel. All they require and demand is a single value: freedom. * Ai Weiwei, artist and activist *One of the most prominent political activists in the world ... a powerful insight into the turbulence on the city's streets that made world headlines * Rana Mitter, Sunday Times *A call to arms for the Snapchat generation ... This book is a memoir of an extraordinary decade in which Wong went from a nerdy obsession with Marvel comics to a Netflix documentary in which he was characterised as a superhero for democracy. * Tim Adams, The Observer (Book of the Week) *

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Book Synopsis''I''m a fairly calm fellow; I don''t usually get het up about things. But I was, let''s say, concerned when I tuned into the Moscow Echo radio station and heard that the Kremlin had put a price on my head. The announcement didn''t quite say ''dead or alive''. But it came close...'' Mikhail Khodorkovsky, March 2021 Mikhail Khodorkovsky has seen behind the mask of Vladimir Putin. Once an oil tycoon and the richest man in Russia, Khodorkovsky spoke out against the corruption of Putin''s regime - and was punished by the Kremlin, stripped of his entire wealth and jailed for over ten years. Now freed, working as a pro-democracy campaigner in enforced exile, Khodorkovsky brings us the insider''s battle to save his country''s soul. Offering an urgent analysis of what has gone wrong with Putin, The Russia Conundrum maps the country''s rise and fall against Khodorkovsky''s own journey, from Soviet youth to international oil executive, powerful insi

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Book SynopsisThis study explores the genesis of the civil war in Somalia by analysing the defeat of Somalia in the 1977 Ogaden war, asserting that this defeat, which was prompted by the intervention of the USSR, was a turning point which unleashed long term socio-political forces that led to the collapse of the central government of the country. Muuse Yuusuf analyses the history of the Somali civil war, from 1977 to the present, and the role played by various actors in the conflict such as local clans, warlords and foreign powers, and examines the present day by-products of the war, such as religious extremism. Crucially, Yuusuf looks beyond the mainstream explanation for the conflict that of rival clans fighting over resources. By recognising the impact of foreign military interventions in Somalia, from superpower rivalry during the cold war to the war-on-terror, on the initiation and perpetuation of the Somali conflict, the book attempts to identify foreign military intervention as a new paradTrade ReviewSomalia is a country with one people who speak one language, but which has all the same been wracked by wars and divisions. In this highly detailed account, Muuse Yuusuf tells the Somali story from the point of view of a Somali, looking outwards to the contribution that external powers made to the disintegration of his country. The careful detailing makes his account all the more moving and tragic. A highly important addition and corrective to our understanding of Somalia. * Stephen Chan OBE, SOAS University of London, UK *Table of ContentsPreface Acknowledgements Introduction Breakdown of chapters Chapter 1: The historical context of the Ogaden war Chapter 2: The Ogaden war: One of the biggest conflicts in Africa Chapter 3: Implication of the Ogaden defeat Chapter 4: The ugly face of the civil war Chapter 5: The rise of Somaliland and Puntland Chapter 6: The war on terror prolongs the conflict Chapter 7: Positive news amid the ruins Conclusion Glossary Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisAn introduction to the main issues of American foreign policy as it has evolved during the first post-Cold War presidency. There are substantive excerpts from major presidential policy statements to illustrate the points and turning points discussed in each chapter. The collection is intended as a supplementary text in American foreign policy and contemporary international relations. It includes a bibliography and a guide to accessing contemporary foreign policy information on line.Table of ContentsChapter 1 Strategic Outlook for a New World Order; Chapter 2 Dealing with Russia; Chapter 3 NATO Enlargement: Origins and Implications; Chapter 4 Dealing with China: Friendly Competitor or Looming Adversary?; Chapter 5 The United Nations and the United States: Rhetoric and Reality; Chapter 6 Transitions and Nationalism in the Former Yugoslavia; Chapter 7 Continuing the American Legacy in the Middle East; Chapter 8 Weapons of Mass Destruction: Coping with Twenty-first Century Threats;

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Book SynopsisThey conclude with cogent recommendations for intelligence services and policy makers.Trade ReviewEllis and Kiefer, professional U.S. government threat assessors, present an excellent, informative, stark, nonpolemical, and persuasive analysis of the challenges for the U.S. in its monumental task of combating proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Choice 2005 Both college-level military and political science holdings will find this a key addition promoting understanding, debate and classroom discussions. Midwest Book Review 2007Table of ContentsList of Figures and TablesList of Acronyms and AbbreviationsPreface1. Proliferation 101: A Dynamic Threat, An Evolving Response2. Standards of Evidence: Intelligence Judgments and Policy Determinations3. Through a Glass Darkly: Estimative Uncertainties and Policy Trade-offs4. Intelligence Surprise: Deception, Innovation, Proliferation5. Intelligence Sharing: Prospective Risks, Potential Rewards6. Military Support: Intelligence in an Operational Context7. Warfighting in a WMD Context: Intelligence Gaps, Operational Capabilities, and Policy Implications8. Combating Proliferation: Toward a National StrategyNotesIndex

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Book SynopsisHuman Rights and U.S. Foreign Policy provides a comprehensive historical overview and analysis of the complex and often vexing problem of understanding the formation of U.S. human rights policy.The proper place of human rights and fundamental freedoms in U.S. foreign policy has long been debated among scholars, politicians, and the American public. Clair Apodaca argues that the history of U.S.human rights policy unfolds as a series of prevarications that are the result of presidential preferences, along with the conflict and cooperation among bureaucratic actors.Through a series of chapters devoted to U.S. presidential administrations from Richard Nixon to the present, she delivers a comprehensive historical, social, and cultural context to understand the development and implementation of U.S. human rights policy. For each administration, she pays close attention to how ideology, bureaucratic politics, lobbying, and competition affect the inclusion or exclusion of human rights in the economic and military aid allocation decisions of the United States. She further demonstrates that from the inception of U.S. human rights policy, presidents have attempted to tell only part of the truth or to reformulate the truth by redefining the meaning of the terms human rights, democracy, or torture, for example. In this way, human rights policy has been about prevarication.Human Rights and U.S. Foreign Policy is a key text for students, which will appeal to all readers who will find a historically informed, argument driven account of the erratic evolution of U.S. human rights policy since the Nixon Administration.Trade Review"This incisive book offers an accessible and informative history of the political machinery behind US human rights policy. In these precarious times for world politics and the United States' role in them, this is critical reading for those wanting to understand the trajectory of US human rights policy. A long and varied trajectory—sometimes cyclical and sometimes oscillating—that Apodaca carefully charts from the eras of Nixon to Trump." — Phillip M. Ayoub, Associate Professor of Diplomacy & World Affairs, Occidental College "Clair Apodaca’s new book, Human Rights and US Foreign Policy, offers an unsparing dissection of the role of human rights in U.S. foreign policy under every president from Nixon forward. Presidents of both parties come in for justified, and well documented, criticism. The book argues that presidents have employed "prevarication" -- ambiguity, secrecy, misdirection, and deceit – as a means of avoiding or even degrading human rights principles in U.S. foreign policy. It is not just a story of presidents: Apodaca carefully assesses the actions (and inactions) of Congress and the administrative agencies as well. Though her critiques of the American record are incisive, Apodaca argues in the concluding chapter that human rights, despite recent challenges, will remain an important element of U.S. foreign policy. If you care about foreign policy or human rights, read this book." — Wayne Sandholtz, John A. McCone Chair in International Relations, University of Southern California "Human Rights and US Foreign Policy: Prevarications and Evasions is a must-read for scholars of human rights and U.S. foreign policy. Clair Apodaca’s ambitious research shows the trajectory of U.S. human rights foreign policy over the past 50 years, paying particular attention to how abiding questions about human rights have persisted across issue areas, between branches of government and over nine presidential administrations. This thoughtful and highly engaging research will encourage readers to reflect on the past half-century of U.S. human rights foreign policy and contemplate the future of human rights and the U.S.’s role therein." — Courtney Hillebrecht, Samuel Clark Waugh Professor of International Relations, Associate Professor of Political Science"This comprehensive history of U.S. human rights policy "follows the money" to offer a fresh and sober analysis of the perpetual struggle between architects of national security and advocates of democratic aspirations. Apodaca's text will be a welcome guide to students of human rights, American politics, and international relations." — Alison Brysk, Mellichamp Professor of Global Governance, University of California, Santa Barbara"This incisive book offers an accessible and informative history of the political machinery behind US human rights policy. In these precarious times for world politics and the United States' role in them, this is critical reading for those wanting to understand the trajectory of US human rights policy. A long and varied trajectory—sometimes cyclical and sometimes oscillating—that Apodaca carefully charts from the eras of Nixon to Trump." — Phillip M. Ayoub, Associate Professor of Diplomacy & World Affairs, Occidental College"Clair Apodaca’s new book, Human Rights and US Foreign Policy, offers an unsparing dissection of the role of human rights in U.S. foreign policy under every president from Nixon forward. Presidents of both parties come in for justified, and well documented, criticism. The book argues that presidents have employed "prevarication" -- ambiguity, secrecy, misdirection, and deceit – as a means of avoiding or even degrading human rights principles in U.S. foreign policy. It is not just a story of presidents: Apodaca carefully assesses the actions (and inactions) of Congress and the administrative agencies as well. Though her critiques of the American record are incisive, Apodaca argues in the concluding chapter that human rights, despite recent challenges, will remain an important element of U.S. foreign policy. If you care about foreign policy or human rights, read this book." — Wayne Sandholtz, John A. McCone Chair in International Relations, University of Southern California "Human Rights and US Foreign Policy: Prevarications and Evasions is a must-read for scholars of human rights and U.S. foreign policy. Clair Apodaca’s ambitious research shows the trajectory of U.S. human rights foreign policy over the past 50 years, paying particular attention to how abiding questions about human rights have persisted across issue areas, between branches of government and over nine presidential administrations. This thoughtful and highly engaging research will encourage readers to reflect on the past half-century of U.S. human rights foreign policy and contemplate the future of human rights and the U.S.’s role therein." — Courtney Hillebrecht, Samuel Clark Waugh Professor of International Relations, Associate Professor of Political Science"This comprehensive history of U.S. human rights policy "follows the money" to offer a fresh and sober analysis of the perpetual struggle between architects of national security and advocates of democratic aspirations. Apodaca's text will be a welcome guide to students of human rights, American politics, and international relations." — Alison Brysk, Mellichamp Professor of Global Governance, University of California, Santa BarbaraTable of Contents1. The Battlefield of Foreign Aid as Foreign Policy 2. U.S. Human Rights Policy during the Cold War: A Historical Overview 3. U.S. Human Rights Policy in the Post-Cold War Era: A Decade of Lost Opportunities 4. The Prevaricator in Chief: George W. Bush (2001–2009) 5. The Prevaricator of Change: Barak Obama (2009–2017) 6. A Prevaricator who old the Truth: Donald Trump (2017–) 7. The Future of U.S. Human Rights Policy

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