Political economy Books

Book SynopsisFor a while, it seemed impossible to lose money on real estate. But then the bubble burst. The financial sector was paralyzed and the economy contracted. State and federal governments struggled to pay their domestic and foreign creditors. Washington was incapable of decisive action. The country seethed with political and social unrest. In America''s First Great Depression, Alasdair Roberts describes how the United States dealt with the economic and political crisis that followed the Panic of 1837.As Roberts shows, the two decades that preceded the Panic had marked a democratic surge in the United States. However, the nation''s commitment to democracy was tested severely during this crisis. Foreign lenders questioned whether American politicians could make the unpopular decisions needed on spending and taxing. State and local officials struggled to put down riots and rebellion. A few wondered whether this was the end of America''s democratic experiment.RobTrade ReviewAmerica's First Great Depressionis an engaging book that could spark classroom debate on a number of important topics: internal improvements, the changing role of state governments, Anglo-American relations, immigration, urbanization, Jacksonian democracy, the Bank War, tariff issues, and the federal role in regulating the economy, slavery, and westward expansion. Roberts does a particularly fine job of placing this period of US history within a global perspective. As it is only 216 pages of text, this reviewer will assign this book in his Early US History survey class. -- Dave Bush * The Historian *Alasdair Roberts has written a thoughtful and timely book about how Americans in the past responded to global economic and political forces beyond their control. Roberts masterfully reinterprets the period for historians, but his goal is not primarily historical. Political scientists, policymakers, and citizens have much to learn from the economic crisis following 1837. -- Johann N. Neem * Political Science Quarterly *By recasting the Panic of 1837 as the start of the 'First Great Depression,' this book offers a clear attempt at creating a ‘usable past’ that can help modern citizens understand how our current unsettling economic landscape is not the first one Americans have been forced to navigate. -- Sean Patrick Adams * The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography *For the first 50 years after achieving independence, Americans had every reason to believe theirs to be the most fortunate of nations. Then came the Panic of 1837, which caused a hopelessness rendered worse by the optimism that had preceded it and resulted in a crisis that lasted until 1848.... Alasdair Roberts reveals how this disaster led to epochal shifts in policy and culture, and his lively narrative and commitment to character ensure that the human cost is never out of sight. Roberts is especially keen to demonstrate how this mid-19th century ordeal relates to America's current woes. The 'hard times' of the 1830s led to financial ruin for state governments, a near-cessation of federal aid, and an outbreak of violent protests in many major cities. * Publishers Weekly *Roberts examines the financial, political, and social upheavals that occurred in the United States in the decade following the Panic of 1837, which he calls the First Great Depression.... Parallels to the country's current economic recession are clear throughout the text, and Roberts makes explicit comparisons in his conclusion. This timely book will be of great use not just to students of economic history but also to readers who wish to find historical precedent for today's uncertain, turbulent times. * Library Journal *Roberts makes a valuable contribution to the scholarship of nineteenth-century economic downturns and their impact upon American society. He succeeds in showing that the Panic had a significant ripple effect through American society and that these historical examples can serve as useful references as Americans deliberate how best to recover from the damage caused by the 'Panic of 2008.' Importantly, Roberts illustrates how a severe economic downturn impacts a society well beyond just the world of finance. We should hope that America's First Great Depression will be a catalyst for further examination of nineteenth-century business cycles and economic downturns. * Essays in Economic and Business History *Roberts provides a striking picture of the decade's economic woes, drawing extensively on contemporary commentaries from both sides of the Atlantic and informed by a vivid sense of American geography...The author of a damning critique of the Bush White House, as well as books on government secrecy and on the architecture of neoliberal regulation, he is not an economist but a scholar of public administration. A principal aim of America’s First Great Depression is to assess the political outcomes of the economic turmoil, at both domestic and international level: what were its effects on the nascent party system, on tensions between states’ rights, federal efficacy and executive power, on territorial expansionism? -- Tom Mertes * New Left Review *Roberts's book is based on careful archival research that is quite uncommon in the study of public administration anywhere.... He dubbed his method the macrodynamics of administrative development, which is somewhat visible in Leonard White's four-volume administrative history and, more important, acknowledges the need of attention for both human agency and institutional context.... The book is well written and in my view an attractive example of how administrative history informs the present. * American Review of Public Administration *The parallels between pre-industrial America's 1837 financial crisis and that of our own time are particularly strong. The beauty of Roberts’s book is that the reader can see the entire arc of the crisis, from beginning to end, in a historical context.... Roberts nicely combines narrative history with analysis. His book is accessible to both the expert and the novice in economic history. Highly recommended. -- Daniel Littman * Forefront *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Back to the Future1. Boom and Bust Hard times Gauging the losses The bubble The collapse2. The States' Crisis Defaulting on state debts Disgrace in Europe Shackling the states3. The Federal Government's Crisis Gridlock in Washington The fraying national compact Losing the arms race Reconciling with the superpower4. Law and Order Rebellion in Rhode Island The anti- rent war Cannon fire in Philadelphia Building civic armies5. The End of the Crisis A proxy war in Mexico RedemptionConclusion: Freedom, Order, and Economic CrisisNote on Method and Acknowledgments Notes Index

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Book SynopsisOne of the most urgent challenges in African economic development is to devise a strategy for improving statistical capacity. Reliable statistics, including estimates of economic growth rates and per-capita income, are basic to the operation of governments in developing countries and vital to nongovernmental organizations and other entities that provide financial aid to them. Rich countries and international financial institutions such as the World Bank allocate their development resources on the basis of such data. The paucity of accurate statistics is not merely a technical problem; it has a massive impact on the welfare of citizens in developing countries.Where do these statistics originate? How accurate are they? Poor Numbers is the first analysis of the production and use of African economic development statistics. Morten Jerven's research shows how the statistical capacities of sub-Saharan African economies have fallen into disarray. The numbers substantially misstate tTrade Review[Poor Numbers]is a useful reminder of the dubious information content of economic indicators generated by national accounting systems of sub-Saharan African states. I recommend the book to all scholars and researchers who contemplate the use of data generated by national accounting systems of sub-Saharan African countries. * Quarterly Journal of International Agriculture *The book is remarkable given that it is largely the result of the efforts of a single individual gaining access to NSOs.... Highly recommended to all those interested in the SSA region and in the measurement of economic activity in developing countries. Its publication has already started a much-needed lively discussion, which is a precondition for improving the quality of macro-economic statistics. * The Africa Policy Journal at the Harvard Kennedy School *Poor Numbers is a powerful little book..., highlighting the risks of making political inferences solely based on statistical analysis...Although an economist by training, Jerven's clear prose without jargon helps make Poor Numbers reach a wider readership. It is imperative to note that his is not a simple criticism of quantitative methodology, but of the confidence one has in the findings of quantitative analysis without due attention to the quality of the data. In this sense, even those who have no scholarly interest in African development economics would find the findings and conclusions pertinent to the foundational debates on the role of methodology and theory in political science. * European Political Science *"Increasingly, scientists turn to the large statistical databases of international bodies when testing favoured hypotheses to control for growth and economic development. They might hesitate after reading Poor Numbers.... This book offers fascinating, disturbing insights for anyone interested in the role of numbers in the social sciences. For those using global economic databases, it should be required reading." * Nature *This important book attempts to systematize what most quantitative practitioners in Africa generally understand: African macroeconomic data are poor.... Using a variety of sources that include current surveys of in-country statistical collection agencies and firsthand historical accounts, Jerven outlines several root causes of the data problem, which include Africa's colonial heritage and the more recent, structural adjustment policies. He continues his analysis by exploring how data are consciously shaped by both local and international politics and international aid agencies. Specifically, Jerven is critical of World Bank transparency and its unwillingness to provide him with quantitative methodologies of its official data compilation.... This volume opens up a venue for a research paradigm that could lead to much-needed improvements in the collection of African data. Summing Up: Highly recommended. * Choice *Table of ContentsIntroduction1. What Do We Know about Income and Growth in Africa?2. Measuring African Wealth and Progress3. Facts, Assumptions, and Controversy: Lessons from the Datasets4. Data for Development: Using and Improving African StatisticsConclusion: Development by NumbersAppendix A. A Comparison of GDP Estimates from the World Development Indicators Database and Country EstimatesAppendix B. Details of Interviews and QuestionnairesNotes References Index

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Book SynopsisFor more than half a century, the United States has led the world in developing major technologies that drive the modern economy and underpin its prosperity. Linda Weiss attributes the U.S. capacity for transformative innovation to the strength of its national security state, a complex of agencies, programs, and hybrid arrangements that has developed around the institution of permanent defense preparedness and the pursuit of technological supremacy. In America Inc.? she examines how that complex emerged and how it has evolved in response to changing geopolitical threats and domestic political constraints, from the Cold War period to the post-9/11 era.Weiss focuses on state-funded venture capital funds, new forms of technology procurement by defense and security-related agencies, and innovation in robotics, nanotechnology, and renewable energy since the 1980s. Weiss argues that the national security state has been the crucible for breakthrough innovations, a catalyst foTrade ReviewThis dense, powerful volume offers profound insights into the U.S. innovation system and its driving forces....It deserves close attention from anyone with an interest in innovation or America's place at the technological frontier. -- Mark Zachary Taylor * Political Science Quarterly *While America Inc.? is not a book for those desiring a normative critique of US policy, it is, instead, an invaluable analytical explanation as to how the US has been preeminent in its inexorable innovative drive to achieve and maintain its defense primacy. As such, Weiss lays out a forceful challenge to the traditional conceptualization of the US as a paradigmatic liberal capitalist state. -- Dr. Maryanne Kelton * Australian Institute of International Affairs *Table of Contents1. The National Security State and Technology Leadership The U.S. Puzzle The Argument Re-viewing the NSS–Private Sector Relationship Existing Accounts: Discounting, Sidelining, Civilianizing the State The Approach of This Book New Thinking on the American State 2. Rise of the National Security State as Technology Enterprise Emergence (1945–1957) Growth: The Sputnik Effect (1958–1968) Crisis: Legitimation and Innovation Deficits (1969–1979) Reform and Reorientation: Beginnings (1980–1989) Reform and Reorientation: Consolidation (1990–1999) Re-visioning (2000–2012) 3. Investing in New Ventures Geopolitical Roots of the U.S. Venture Capital Industry Post–Cold War Trends: New Funds for a New Security Environment4. Beyond Serendipity: Procuring Transformative Technology Technology Procurement versus R&D: The Activist Element of Government Purchasing Spin-Off and Spin-Around—Serendipitous and Purposeful Breaching the Wall: Edging Toward Military-Commercial (Re-)Integration 5. Reorienting the Public-Private Partnership Structural Changes in the Domestic Arena Reorientation: The Quest for Commercial Viability Beyond a Military-Industrial Divide: Innovating for Both Security and Commerce 6. No More Breakthroughs? Post-9/11 Decline of the NSS Technology Enterprise? Nanotechnology: A Coordinated Effort Robotics: The Drive for Drones Clean Energy: From Laggard to Leader? Caveat: A Faltering NSS Innovation Engine? 7. Hybridization and American Antistatism The Significance of Hybridization An American Tendency? Nature of the Beast: Neither "Privatization" nor "Outsourcing" Innovation Hybrids 8. Penetrating the Myths of the Military-Commercial Relationship Four Myths Laid Bare Serendipitous Spin-Off Hidden Industrial Policy Wall of Separation and Military-Industrial Complex R&D Spending Creates Innovation Leadership The Defense Spending Question: In Search of the Holy Grail? 9. Hybrid State, Hybrid Capitalism, Great Power Turning Point Comparative Institutions and Varieties of Capitalism The American State Great Power Turning Point

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Book SynopsisHave Japan''s relative economic decline and China''s rapid ascent altered the dynamics of Asian regionalism? Peter Katzenstein and Takashi Shiraishi, the editors of Network Power, one of the most comprehensive volumes on East Asian regionalism in the 1990s, present here an impressive new collection that brings the reader up to date.This book argues that East Asia''s regional dynamics are no longer the result of a simple extension of any one national model. While Japanese institutional structures and political practices remain critically important, the new East Asia now under construction is more than, and different from, the sum of its various national parts. At the outset of a new century, the interplay of Japanese factors with Chinese, American, and other national influences is producing a distinctively new East Asian region.Contributors: Dieter Ernst, East-West Center, Honolulu; H. Richard Friman, Marquette University; Derek Hall, Trent University; NatTrade ReviewThe volume edited by Kazenstein and Shiraishi seeks to discuss Japan's relatioship with the newly-emerging Asian Pacific regional dynamics since the collapse of the 'bubble' in the early 1990s brought Japan to its knees. Their basic arguments is that region—making is no longer about following particular national models but rather about the emergence of a 'truly hybrid form of regionalism'. Despite the use of the word 'beyond' it is still very much a Japan-focused volume and Japan specialists will find much of interest here. -- Brian Bridges * Asian Affairs *

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Book SynopsisThe Burmese army took political power in Burma in 1962 and has ruled the country ever since. The persistence of this government—even in the face of long-term nonviolent opposition led by activist Aung San Suu Kyi, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize...Trade Review"While Burma's military government presents the outside world with various road maps to democracy and the possibility of a return to civilian rule, Mary Callahan, a professor at the University of Washington, presents in her excellent study . . . the reasons why the Burmese generals are so resistant to political reform. . . . Callahan describes the mentality of today's Burmese military rulers, with its legacy of distrust between them and the population. . . . In other countries . . . , military rule was always short-lived, and nonmilitary social forces . . . managed to survive periods of repression. In contrast, Callahan points out, there are no reports that anyone inside Burma's armed forces 'is questioning the propriety of treating citizens as enemies.' Even a compromise with the opposition would be seen as a capitulation, so the army simply manipulates the course of events to perpetuate military rule, not to change the way in which the country is ruled."—Bertil Linter, Far Eastern Economic Review, January 29, 2004"Mary P. Callahan, an American scholar who fortuitously got access to the Burmese regime's archives, provides a striking account in Making Enemies of how, during the 1950s, the military establishment, increasingly centralized and bureaucratized, steadily took over all functions of the state from an enfeebled civilian government. Callahan avoids facile theories—for instance, that the Burmese Buddhists are prone to defer to authority. She describes the background of the prolonged wars against Burmese Communists and against ethnic minorities—in which the Burmese army grew to be the dominant political as well as military force in the country."—Pankaj Mishra, New York Review of Books, February 14, 2008"A long-awaited, authoritative, and fluent account of the . . . military regime that has kept Burma poor, isolated, and inward looking since 1962. . . . Callahan is one of the few scholars who understands and writes well about the Burmese military. . . . Recovering the promise of a democratic or even mildly participatory Burma will be difficult, especially given the past that Callahan explains so well."—Choice, September 2004"This book gives the most revealing account of the formative years of MAF's evolution and has clearly outlined the far-reaching consequences of that process which eventually led to its current standing as the colossus of Myanmar politics and governance. It provides the most logical arguments exposing the origins of the sacred cows of MAF: viz., order, unity, stability, self-reliance and moral superiority. This book is a 'must read' for all who specialize in Myanmar as well as those interested in comparative politics, civil-military relations and political sociology."—Tin Maung Maung Than, Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Aseasuk News No 36, Autumn 2004"The author describes and analyzes in significant detail the forces that led to the formation of the Burmese army, the tensions within the army, and the friction between the military and the civilian governments during the indigenous democracy era which lead to the Caretaker Government. . . . A significant number of generally unknown facts are presented in print for the first time in this volume."—Paul Sarno, Bulletin of the Burma Studies Group Number 74, Sept 2004"Callahan's narrative challenges our understanding of Myanmar today. Elsewhere in Southeast Asia and the wider Asia Pacific, we are witnessing an ascendancy of the 'old professionalism' among the military, except in Myanmar (and Pakistan). Post-Cold War globalization, democratization and other forces and institutions have forced the military in Indonesia, Thailand and elsewhere in the region to rethink their role in politics. But in Myanmar (the new name given by the State Law and Order Restoration Committee or SLORC) colonialism, World War II, and the failures of post-colonial governments have left no countervailing forces or institutions to challenge the tatmadaw's dominance of the state through coercion."—Kwa Chong Guan, Nanyang Technological University, Contemporary Southeast Asia 26:2, August 2004"This book is a major addition to the sparse literature on the Burmese military. Having been given access to materials in the field that no other foreigner has been able to peruse, in Making Enemies Mary Callahan analyzes the splits within the military itself. This book is a significant contribution to our knowledge of the Burmese military and is essential to our understanding of the present aspects of military rule and its likely continued critical influence in Burma."—David I. Steinberg, Georgetown University

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Book SynopsisA decade of crises has reminded us of the fragility of the international financial system. Conventional wisdom holds that uncertainty is the basic problem of financial governance, and attempts to contain ambiguity have dominated recent financial...Trade ReviewThe Limits of Transparency demonstrates that many of the puzzles confronting us regarding the politics of money and finance can be unlocked if we move from a narrowly rationalist understanding of political economy to one also informed by constructivist insights. This book demonstrates that constructivism, done well, can be a model of theoretical clarity, empirically grounded, and can produce practical policy recommendations. -- Kathleen R. McNamara * Perspectives on Politics *Jacqueline Best presents three forms of ambiguity: technical... contested... and intersubjective.... Having defined three types of ambiguity, Best sets out very ambitious objectives including reframing international theory, the history of Bretton Woods and—most important—redirecting contemporary policy debate. -- Sylvia Ostry * Literary Review of Canada *

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Book SynopsisChina is by far the world's leading producer of pirated goods—from films and books to clothing, from consumer electronics to aircraft parts. As China becomes a full participant in the international economy, its inability to enforce intellectual...Trade ReviewMertha analyzes the impact of external political pressure on the enforcement of intellectual property rights in China.... A useful volume for anyone interested in the actual workings of the governmental bureaucracy in China, as well as for those who want to gain insights into the practical aspects of IPR enforcement. Highly recommended. * Choice *

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Book SynopsisThe financial crisis that swept across East Asia during 19971998 was devastating not only in its economic impact but also in its social and political effects. The explosive growth and sociopolitical modernization that had powered the region for much of the preceding decade suddenly were dramatically interrupted. East Asia is economically outperforming the rest of the developing world once again and has become a leading force in the global economy. In the wake of the crisis, East Asia changed in important ways. Crisis as Catalyst contains assessments of these changes-both ephemeral and permanent- by a wide range of specialists in Asian economics and politics.The crisis, as the contributors to this volume show, catalyzed changes across political, corporate, and social arenas both in the countries hit hard by the crisis and in others throughout the region. The authors of Crisis as Catalyst examine what has changed (as well as what has not changed) in East Asia since the crisis, Trade Review"Crisis as Catalyst is the most authoritative, comprehensive, and systematic study of political economic changes in East Asia since the financial crisis in 1997. Chapters in the volume are analytically rigorous and empirically penetrative, with rich policy implications. This is must reading for those who are interested in East Asia, including policy makers and businesspeople."—Chung-in Moon, Yonsei University"In Crisis as Catalyst, expert authors cogently exploit hindsight to generate foresight made all the more timely by what the current American downturn could mean for Asia."—Donald Emmerson, Stanford University"The financial crisis and subsequent drive toward greater regional integration have induced reforms that are necessary to maintain East Asia's dynamism. The danger is that they are losing steam. Perhaps market forces remain the strongest drive for reform.This book explores these important problems."—Hadi Soesastro, Executive Director, Centre for Strategic and International Studies, Jakarta"Crisis as Catalyst is well conceived and well organized—it provides a rich vein of data and analysis that will be of value to international political economists who have an interest in East Asia."—Richard Stubbs, McMaster University

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Book SynopsisFor half a century, the United States has garnered substantial political and economic benefits as a result of the dollar''s de facto role as a global currency. In recent years, however, the dollar''s preponderant position in world markets has come under challenge. The dollar has been more volatile than ever against foreign currencies, and various nations have switched to non-dollar instruments in their transactions. China and the Arab Gulf states continue to hold massive amounts of U.S. government obligations, in effect subsidizing U.S. current account deficits, and those holdings are a point of potential vulnerability for American policy.What is the future of the U.S. dollar as an international currency? Will predictions of its demise end up just as inaccurate as those that have accompanied major international financial crises since the early 1970s? Analysts disagree, often profoundly, in their answers to these questions. In The Future of the Dollar, leading scholars Trade ReviewThis book offers great value in presenting different approaches and views on the future of the dollar. And reading through a rather heterogeneous collection of contributions one cannot but agree with editors Helleiner and Kirshner that the field of dollar studies is so ridden with disagreements that it would be virtually impossible to conclude with a coherent, let alone common, view. -- Paola Subacchi * International Affairs *

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Book SynopsisIn his exceedingly timely and innovative look at the ramifications of the collapse of the U.S. housing market, Herman M. Schwartz makes the case that worldwide, U.S. growth and power over the last twenty years has depended in large part on domestic housing markets. Mortgage-based securities attracted a cascade of overseas capital into the U.S. economy. High levels of private home ownership, particularly in the United States and the United Kingdom, have helped pull in a disproportionately large share of world capital flows.As events since mid-2008 have made clear, mortgage lenders became ever more eager to extend housing loans, for the more mortgage packages they securitized, the higher their profits. As a result, they were dangerously inventive in creating new mortgage products, notably adjustable-rate and subprime mortgages, to attract new, mainly first-time, buyers into the housing market. However, mortgage-based instruments work only when confidence in the mortgage system Trade ReviewHerman Schwartz has written an ambitious and important book that offers a 'unified field theory' of political economy to explain the U.S. housing boom, the mortgage crisis, the U.S. dependence on high levels of foreign capital, and the changing global balance of power among nations. His argument is surprising and controversial, but it is supported by data and by a deep immersion in several relevant literatures. -- Fred Block * Contemporary Sociology *Of the dozens of serious books that examined the determinants of the 2008 financial crisis, Herbert M. Schwartz's Subprime Nation: American Power, Global Capital and the Housing Bubble stands out for its sharp take on the large macro flows that ultimately led to the collapse of financial markets and real economies around the world. Now four years after the collapse of Lehman Brothers and three years after Schwartz’s work was first published, it is worth a second look.... Few books or articles written in the immediate aftermath of the 2008 crisis could hold up as well. -- Siona Listokin * Journal of Planning Education and Research *

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Book SynopsisFocusing empirically on how political and economic forces are always mediated and interpreted by agents, both in individual countries and in the international sphere, Constructing the International Economy sets out what such constructions and what...Trade Review"Constructing the International Economy is an impassioned, compelling case for stepping back from the realist view of the modern economy to understand how its institutions, practices, and theories have been constructed by human agents. Three of the most innovative scholars of the international economy, Rawi Abdelal, Mark Blyth, and Craig Parsons, bring together in this engaging and timely book a series of cutting-edge studies from dynamic and creative young researchers."—Frank Dobbin, Harvard University"Constructing the International Economy makes an important statement as to why constructivist social theory needs to be applied to the field of international political economy. The editors are to be commended for structuring the volume in such a way that it captures all forms of constructivism, which both enriches the book's insights and creates opportunities for conversation."—Jeffrey T. Checkel, Professor of International Studies and Simons Chair in International Law and Human Security, Simon Fraser UniversityTable of ContentsIntroduction: Constructing the International Economy by Rawi Abdelal, Mark Blyth, and Craig ParsonsPART I. MEANING1. Shrinking the State: Neoliberal Economists and Social Spending in Latin America by Jeffrey M. Chwieroth2. The Meaning of Development: Constructing the World Bank's Good Governance Agenda by Catherine Weaver3. Institutionalized Hypocrisy and the Politics of Agricultural Trade by Mlada BukovanskyPART II. COGNITION4. Frames, Scripts, and the Making of Regional Trade Areas by Francesco Duina5. Imagined Economies: Constructivist Political Economy, Nationalism, and Economic-based Sovereignty Movements in Russia by Yoshiko M. HerreraPART III. UNCERTAINTY6. Firm Interests in Uncertain Times: Business Lobbying in Multilateral Service Liberalization by Cornelia Woll7. Trade-offs and Trinities: Social Forces and Monetary Cooperation by Wesley W. WidmaierPART IV. SUBJECTIVITY8. Moby Dick or Moby Doll? Discourse, or How to Study the "Social Construction of" All the Way Down by Charlotte Epstein9. Bringing Power Back In: The IMF’s Constructivist Strategy in Critical Perspective by Jacqueline Best10. The Ethical Investor, Embodied Economies, and International Political Economy by Paul LangleyRe-constructing IPE: Some Conclusions Drawn from a Crisis by Rawi Abdelal, Mark Blyth, and Craig ParsonsReferences Index

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Book SynopsisIn Asia's Flying Geese, Walter F. Hatch tackles the puzzle of Japan's paradoxically slow change during the economic crisis it faced in the 1990s. Why didn't the purportedly unstoppable pressures of globalization force a rapid and radical shift in...Trade ReviewIn this important new book, Walter Hatch offers an original and convincing explanation for some of this stasis [in Japan's economic situation], examining how regionalization strategies sustained Japan's model of capitalism well past its sell-by date.... It is a fascinating story of how Japan managed globalization, and resisted its impulses temporarily through a strategy of regionalization. Drawing on the flying geese metaphor, Hatch explains how the lead goose, Japan, deployed its capital, technology and norms to the Asian flock, thereby bolstering its system even as it was becoming increasingly dysfunctional. -- Jeff Kingston * Japan Times *Table of ContentsIntroduction: External Sources of Continuity and ChangePart One: BASELINE 1. Social Networks and the Power They Produce 2. The Postwar Political Economy of Japan 3. Leading a Flock of GeesePart Two: THE 1990S 4. Maintaining the Relational Status Quo 5. Elite Regionalization and the Protective Buffer 6. The Costs of ContinuityPart Three: THE NEW MILLENNIUM 7 Grounding Asia's Flying Geese 8 Some Change... at LastConclusion: Beyond AsiaReferences Index

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Book SynopsisSinger provides both a theory of the effects of domestic pressures on international regulation and a detailed analysis of regulators' attempts at international rulemaking in banking, securities, and insurance.Trade ReviewDavid Andrew Singer focuses on the financial regulatory process in major industrial countries; the tensions between regulatory prudence and international competitiveness; the constant possibility of a legislative intervention, especially after financial crises; and the efforts by national regulators to preserve their autonomy through, paradoxically, the international negotiation of common norms. He discusses well the attempts of major countries over the past two decades to frame common positions, which were partially successful in the case of banking, less so for the securities and insurance industries. * Foreign Affairs *Singer offers a refreshing approach to the analysis of regulatory issues in international financial markets. Recommended. * Choice *Table of Contents1. Introduction: Financial Regulators and International Relations2. Capital Regulation: A Brief Primer3. Regulators, Legislatures, and Domestic Balancing4. Banking: The Road to the Basel Accord5. Securities: Financial Instability and Regulatory Divergence6. Insurance: Domestic Fragmentation and Regulatory Divergence7. Conclusion: The Future of International Regulatory HarmonizationNotes Reference Index

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Book SynopsisFor a while, it seemed impossible to lose money on real estate. But then the bubble burst. The financial sector was paralyzed and the economy contracted. State and federal governments struggled to pay their domestic and foreign creditors. Washington was incapable of decisive action. The country seethed with political and social unrest. In America''s First Great Depression, Alasdair Roberts describes how the United States dealt with the economic and political crisis that followed the Panic of 1837.As Roberts shows, the two decades that preceded the Panic had marked a democratic surge in the United States. However, the nation''s commitment to democracy was tested severely during this crisis. Foreign lenders questioned whether American politicians could make the unpopular decisions needed on spending and taxing. State and local officials struggled to put down riots and rebellion. A few wondered whether this was the end of America''s democratic experiment.RobTrade ReviewAmerica's First Great Depressionis an engaging book that could spark classroom debate on a number of important topics: internal improvements, the changing role of state governments, Anglo-American relations, immigration, urbanization, Jacksonian democracy, the Bank War, tariff issues, and the federal role in regulating the economy, slavery, and westward expansion. Roberts does a particularly fine job of placing this period of US history within a global perspective. As it is only 216 pages of text, this reviewer will assign this book in his Early US History survey class. -- Dave Bush * The Historian *Alasdair Roberts has written a thoughtful and timely book about how Americans in the past responded to global economic and political forces beyond their control. Roberts masterfully reinterprets the period for historians, but his goal is not primarily historical. Political scientists, policymakers, and citizens have much to learn from the economic crisis following 1837. -- Johann N. Neem * Political Science Quarterly *By recasting the Panic of 1837 as the start of the 'First Great Depression,' this book offers a clear attempt at creating a ‘usable past’ that can help modern citizens understand how our current unsettling economic landscape is not the first one Americans have been forced to navigate. -- Sean Patrick Adams * The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography *For the first 50 years after achieving independence, Americans had every reason to believe theirs to be the most fortunate of nations. Then came the Panic of 1837, which caused a hopelessness rendered worse by the optimism that had preceded it and resulted in a crisis that lasted until 1848.... Alasdair Roberts reveals how this disaster led to epochal shifts in policy and culture, and his lively narrative and commitment to character ensure that the human cost is never out of sight. Roberts is especially keen to demonstrate how this mid-19th century ordeal relates to America's current woes. The 'hard times' of the 1830s led to financial ruin for state governments, a near-cessation of federal aid, and an outbreak of violent protests in many major cities. * Publishers Weekly *Roberts examines the financial, political, and social upheavals that occurred in the United States in the decade following the Panic of 1837, which he calls the First Great Depression.... Parallels to the country's current economic recession are clear throughout the text, and Roberts makes explicit comparisons in his conclusion. This timely book will be of great use not just to students of economic history but also to readers who wish to find historical precedent for today's uncertain, turbulent times. * Library Journal *Roberts makes a valuable contribution to the scholarship of nineteenth-century economic downturns and their impact upon American society. He succeeds in showing that the Panic had a significant ripple effect through American society and that these historical examples can serve as useful references as Americans deliberate how best to recover from the damage caused by the 'Panic of 2008.' Importantly, Roberts illustrates how a severe economic downturn impacts a society well beyond just the world of finance. We should hope that America's First Great Depression will be a catalyst for further examination of nineteenth-century business cycles and economic downturns. * Essays in Economic and Business History *Roberts provides a striking picture of the decade's economic woes, drawing extensively on contemporary commentaries from both sides of the Atlantic and informed by a vivid sense of American geography...The author of a damning critique of the Bush White House, as well as books on government secrecy and on the architecture of neoliberal regulation, he is not an economist but a scholar of public administration. A principal aim of America’s First Great Depression is to assess the political outcomes of the economic turmoil, at both domestic and international level: what were its effects on the nascent party system, on tensions between states’ rights, federal efficacy and executive power, on territorial expansionism? -- Tom Mertes * New Left Review *Roberts's book is based on careful archival research that is quite uncommon in the study of public administration anywhere.... He dubbed his method the macrodynamics of administrative development, which is somewhat visible in Leonard White's four-volume administrative history and, more important, acknowledges the need of attention for both human agency and institutional context.... The book is well written and in my view an attractive example of how administrative history informs the present. * American Review of Public Administration *The parallels between pre-industrial America's 1837 financial crisis and that of our own time are particularly strong. The beauty of Roberts’s book is that the reader can see the entire arc of the crisis, from beginning to end, in a historical context.... Roberts nicely combines narrative history with analysis. His book is accessible to both the expert and the novice in economic history. Highly recommended. -- Daniel Littman * Forefront *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Back to the Future1. Boom and Bust Hard times Gauging the losses The bubble The collapse2. The States' Crisis Defaulting on state debts Disgrace in Europe Shackling the states3. The Federal Government's Crisis Gridlock in Washington The fraying national compact Losing the arms race Reconciling with the superpower4. Law and Order Rebellion in Rhode Island The anti- rent war Cannon fire in Philadelphia Building civic armies5. The End of the Crisis A proxy war in Mexico RedemptionConclusion: Freedom, Order, and Economic CrisisNote on Method and Acknowledgments Notes Index

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Book SynopsisHow do states know what they want? Asking how interests are defined and how changes in them are accommodated, Martha Finnemore shows the fruitfulness of a constructivist approach to international politics. She draws on insights from sociological institutionalism to develop a systemic approach to state interests and state behavior by investigating an international structure not of power but of meaning and social value. An understanding of what states want, she argues, requires insight into the international social structure of which they are a part. States are embedded in dense networks of transnational and international social relations that shape their perceptions and their preferences in consistent ways. Finnemore focuses on international organizations as one important component of social structure and investigates the ways in which they redefine state preferences. She details three examples in different issue areas. In state structure, she discusses UNESCO and the changin

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Book SynopsisThe Liberal Democratic Party, which dominated postwar Japan, lost power in the early 1990s. During that same period, Japan''s once stellar economy suffered stagnation and collapse. Now a well-known commentator on contemporary Japan traces the political dynamics of the country to determine the reasons for these changes and the extent to which its political and economic systems have been permanently altered.T. J. Pempel contrasts the political economy of Japan during two decades: the 1960s, when the nation experienced conservative political dominance and high growth, and the early 1990s, when the bubble economy collapsed and electoral politics changed. The different dynamics of the two periods indicate a regime shift in which the present political economy deviates profoundly from earlier forms. This shift has involved a transformation in socioeconomic alliances, political and economic institutions, and public policy profile, rendering Japanese politics far less predictable than in theTrade ReviewThis is a 'must' book not only for Japan specialists but also for those interested in contemporary Japanese political economy from a comparative perspective. -- Junko Kato, University of Tokyo * Journal of Japanese Studies *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Long Continuities, Radical ShiftsPart I: REGIMES—DIVERGENT APPROACHES TO POSTWAR STABILITY 1. Patterns of Political Economy: A Range of Regimes 2. Japan in the 1960s: Conservative Politics and Economic Growth 3. From Chaos to Cohesion: Formation of the Conservative RegimePART II: REGIME SHIFTS—ADJUSTMENT, COLLAPSE, AND RECONSTRUCTION 4. Transition and Breakdown: An Era of Reconfigurations 5. Japan in the 1990s: Fragmented Politics and Economic Turmoil 6. Between Adjustment and Unraveling: Protection and Erosion of the Old RegimeConclusion: Regimes in a Changing World EconomyNotes Index

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Book SynopsisIn the summer of 1997, a tidal wave of economic problems swept across Asia. Currencies plummeted, banks failed, GNP stagnated, unemployment soared, and exports stalled. In short, the vaunted "Asian Economic Miracle" became the "Asian Economic...Trade ReviewPempel has put together an outstanding volume that will be of interest to academics with an interest in the region, crisis managment, or the complex interconnections that explain so many commercial events. This volume should have an impact on academic thinking, and it should have that impact for a long time... This is a volume worth reading, and worth reading carefully. * Asia Pacific Journal of Management *The Politics of the Asian Economic Crisis is a must read for anyone interested in the national, regional, and global dimensions of the Asian economic crisis.... It has far-reaching comparative implications beyond... Asia.... Indeed, major economic crisis is nothing new to Latin America, and the former Soviet states have many lessons to learn, particularly as they navigate the rocky waters of the dual transition to democracy and a market-based economy. * Journal of East Asian Studies *The thoughts of the finest political analysts from both within and without East Asia are collected in this outstanding volume... The contributors emphasize nuance and detail over parsimony of explanation. * Journal of Asian Studies *The volume edited by Pempel is likely to become a key reference point for future scholarship on the political economy of crisis in Asia and beyond. * International Affairs *This collection of works, edited by T.J.Pempel, comprising contributions from a host of political analysts with expertise on the region, is essential to any reader of the Asian economic crisis of the late 1990s. Moreover, following an international relations approach, this text offers a more comprehensive evaluation of the events in the region than what is provided by conventional readings of the crisis, which pertain mainly from a neoliberal viewpoint. * Review of Radical Political Economics *

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Book SynopsisAn overarching ambiguity characterizes East Asia today. The region has at least a century-long history of internal divisiveness, war, and conflict, and it remains the site of several nettlesome territorial disputes. However, a mixture of complex and...Trade Review"Analyses of regionalism in East Asia frequently oscillate between gleefully negative realist analyses of the primacy of nationalism and breathlessly naïve constructivist assertions of the inevitability of regionalism. By contrast, Remapping East Asia is a thoughtful collection that eschews initial theoretical positions in favor of measured, empirically rich, and theoretically nuanced reflections on the complex and at times contradictory nature of the contemporary regional project in East Asia. T. J. Pempel and his colleagues are to be commended." -- Richard Higgott, University of Warwick, Editor, The Pacific Review"T. J. Pempel and his colleagues provide a vivid and original portrait of an East Asian region 'under construction' and the diverse actors who are creating it." -- Miles Kahler, University of California, San Diego"This engaging and important collection highlights the non-state sources of regional cooperation in East Asia and provides a fresh perspective on the debate over whether Asia's future will be characterized more by conflict or harmony." -- Michael Mastanduno, Rockefeller Professor of Government, Dartmouth College"This superb collection of essays shows how the interaction of East Asian countries is changing in subtle yet profound ways. By examining a broad set of issues, the authors persuasively suggest that East Asia is more ripe for cooperation than for rivalry." -- Mike Mochizuki, Director of the Sigur Center for Asian Studies, Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University

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Book SynopsisIn this volume, fourteen distinguished specialists in international political economy thoroughly explore the concept of international regimes—the implicit and explicit principles, norms, rules, and procedures that guide international behavior. In the...

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Book SynopsisIn Awkward Dominion, Frank Costigliola offers a striking interpretation of the emergence of the United States as a world power in the 1920s, a period in which the country faced both burdens and opportunities as a result of the First World War...Trade ReviewCostigliola's book is required reading for all serious students of American-European relations from Versailles to 1933. * The Historian *The great virtue of this book—and Costigliola desrves congratulations for it— is the intensive use and careful evaluation of new materials. It has intelligent, often acute comments about arms limitation, reparations, and the Kellogg-Briand pact.... This is a fine piece of research by a scholar from whom much will be heard. * International History Review *This is a subtle and imaginative contribution to the increasingly accepted view that American foreign relations in the 1920s do not fit a clownish, isolationist stereotype. The author succeeds in going beyond the formal actions of governments to deal with the ambivalent response to American culture and economic power. * Foreign Affairs *

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Book SynopsisA classic in its field, Bread and Democracy in Germany has been widely praised since its publication in 1943 for its account of German political and economic development.Trade ReviewAs an essay in German agricultural policy, this book is one of the best in English. * Journal of Political Economy *

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Book SynopsisThe object of this study is to investigate the effects that complete and formal integration of the Canadian with the American capital market would have on the Canadian economy. It is based largely on recent trade statistics, particularly those of the period when the exchange rate floated. In summary, the short- and long-run effects could both be beneficial to Canada. This study is a convenient summary of a longer work by the same authors to be published in 1970.

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Book SynopsisThe so-called energy crisis that burst upon the world in 1973 was not easily understood by many people. It was neither 'the beginning of the end' nor the first encounter by modern man with the natural result of his prodigality. These papers, collected in two volumes, from energy economists in the United States, Canada, and Britain all indicate that the 'crisis' was and is a short-run problem caused by government action or inaction. The problem may be complex, but it was mishandled, particularly by the United States, in terms of government policy. The rise in the price of, and the embargo on, oil came into being because of a successful producers' cartel outside North America; oil buyers -- nations and companies -- did not respond in kind but scurried around the world in separate planes in order to ensure supplies for themselves at any price. That price became many times the cost-of-production price, despite the fact that cool analysis reveals an increase in both production and

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Book SynopsisThe so-called energy crisis that burst upon the world in 1973 was not easily understood by many people. It was neither 'the beginning of the end' nor the first encounter by modern man with the natural result of his prodigality. These papers, collected in two volumes, from energy economists in the United States, Canada, and Britain all indicate that the 'crisis' was and is a short-run problem caused by government action or inaction. The problem may be complex, but it was mishandled, particularly by the United States, in terms of government policy. The rise in the price of, and the embargo on, oil came into being because of a successful producers' cartel outside North America; oil buyers  - nations and companies  - did not respond in kind but scurried around the world in separate planes in order to ensure supplies for themselves at any price. That price became many times the cost-of-production price, despite the fact that cool analysis reveals an increase in both prod

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisAspirited and incisive survey of economic geography, A World Made for Money begins with the author stopped at a red light in Norman, Oklahoma. Observing the landscape of drugstores and banks, and for that matter the stoplight and roads themselves, Bret Wallach observes, Everything I see has been built to make money or, at the very least, to facilitate making money. This, he argues, is a global phenomenon that nonetheless has occurred only within the past hundred years or so. Although guidebooks and culture brokers often disparage these landscapes of commerce, Wallachrecipient of a MacArthur genius grantargues that we would do well to pay them close attention. A World Made for Money provides a compelling, condensed tour of our world. From Silicon Valley to Sri Lanka, from post-Soviet Russia to post-apartheid South Africa, Wallach looks at how human beings are buying, manufacturing, working, growing and shipping food, and accessing the natural resources to fuel it all. These essential faTrade Review"Fascinating, memorable—a grand book."—E. J. Delaney, CHOICE“A compelling book, written by one of geography’s most gifted writers.”—Kent Mathewson, professor of geography and anthropology at Louisiana State University and coeditor of Re-Reading Cultural Geography “In this lively and energetic book Bret Wallach uncovers the forces that are changing the face of the earth—from Guangdong Province to Youngstown, Ohio—in their restless search for money.”—David Wishart, author of The Last Days of the RainbeltTable of ContentsIntroduction1. Shopping2. Making3. Moving4. Fueling5. Mining6. Farming7. Developing8. Building9. EscapingPostscriptNotesIndex

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Book SynopsisThis book highlights the conceptual utility of relying on macropolitical consensus and lateral autonomy for understanding industrial policy, international bargaining, and technological development, via an unprecedented systematic and multidisciplinary comparison of the Brazilian and Argentine nuclear industries.

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Book SynopsisThis collection of fifteen essays presents the views of some of the world's most distinguished economists on what is emerging as the central topic of the twenty-first century: long-term economic growth.Table of ContentsIntrod uction Ralph Landau, Timothy Taylor and Gavin Wright; Part I. Overviews of Economic Growth and Development: 1. Convergence and deferred catch-up: productivity leadership and the waning of American exceptionalism Moses Abramovitz and Paul A. David; 2. The sources of long-term economic growth: observations from the experience of developed and developing countries Lawrence J. Lau; 3. World wealth expanding: why a rich, democratic, and (perhaps) peaceful era is ahead Henry S. Rowen; Part II. The Macroeconomic Context: Stabilisation policy and long-term economic growth Sylvester J. Schieber and John B. Shoven; 4. Science and technology investment and policy in the global economy A. Michael Spence; Part III. International Exchange and Economic Growth: 5. Threats to 21st-century growth: the challenge of the international trading system Anne O. Krueger; 6. Dollar and yen: the problem of financial adjustment between the United States and Japan Ronald I. McKinnon; 7. An evolutionary parable of the gains from internation al organizational diversity; Part IV. The Institutional Setting for Economic Growth: 8. Liability reforms and economic performance Thomas J. Campbell, Daniel P. Kessler, and George B. Shepherd; 9. Uncertainty and technological change Nathan Rosenberg; Part VI. Performance of Key Industries: 10. The Competitive crash in large-scale commercial computing Timothy F. Bresnahan and Shane Greenstein; 11. Strategy for economic growth: lessons from the chemical industry Ralph Landau; References; Index.

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Book SynopsisAs economic crises struck the Third World in the 1970s and 1980s, large segments of the population turned to the informal economy to survive. This book looks at street vending as a political process in the largest city in the world.Trade Review"Informal Politics confronts a critical theme at an important scale for Latin Americanist scholars: urban politics, with attention to alternative political organisation among less advantaged populations. . . . [It] is an exceedingly timely book. . . . [It] is well organised, and will be a good read for scholars. Its ample, original field research and vital subject matter make it worth having on one's bookshelf." -- Journal of Latin American Studies"An important and well-researched book that gives an unusual view of the Latin American political economy from the bottom where it starts." -- Library Journal"The book provides an often fascinating look into the politics surrounding street vending in Mexico City." * American Journal of Sociology *Table of ContentsContents 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

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Book SynopsisThis book analyzes the changes in property rights in contemporary China in light of the rapid economic growth of the last two decades.Trade Review“...this is a rich, worm’s eye account of how property rights emerge from the ground up and of how suboptimal solutions are more efficient than many accounts would allow.”—American Journal of SociologyTable of ContentsContents and Abstracts

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Book SynopsisHow do high wage countries stay rich in a global digital economy? How Revolutionary was the Digital Revolution constructs a framework for analyzing the international digital era: one that examines the ability of political actors to innovate and experiment in spite of, or perhaps because of, the constraints posed by digital technology.Trade Review"This wide-ranging volume is essential reading for anyone interested in the ongoing structural transformations and future challenges posed by information and communication technology (ICT) in Europe, the U.S., and Asia. The book provides extremely important insights into the political economy of the global digital era and helps us understand the interplay of technology, corporate strategy, and public policy. Understanding this interplay at all levels—corporate, national, and international—is the key to fully utilizing the potential of ICT and to enhance long-term economic growth."—Erkki Liikanen, Governor, Bank of Finland, Former Commissioner for Enterprise and Information Society of the European Union“This outstanding volume provokes reflection on the vast changes in the world economy caused by the digital revolution. The editors and the authors provide not only facts but creative ideas: fresh thoughts about how to understand the relationship among technology, corporate strategy, public policy, and the global marketplace. It differentiates among what is global and what remains distinctively national. This book should be read by everybody interested in important issues concerning employment, wealth, and power. It helps redefine the ‘conversation’ we are having about globalization.”—Peter Gourevitch, University of California, San Diego“This book looks at the digital revolution from a number of perspectives, providing an essential reflection on an important topic. Which aspects of corporate strategies, national institutions, and technology investments led to major successes, and which did not? The book addresses these questions by examining specific cases using multiple disciplinary approaches. It provides valuable insights into the future evolution of the economy, technology, and business strategy, not just recent history. Read it.”—Stuart I. Feldman, Vice President, Computer Science, IBM ResearchTable of ContentsContents Figures and Tables Acknowledgments Abbreviations Contributors Introduction 1. Frameworks for Understanding the Political Economy of the Digital Era Abraham Newman and John Zysman 2. Creating Value in a Digital Era (Exploring the Experimental Economy: How Do Wealthy Nations Stay Wealthy? John Zysman Part One. National Stories and Global Markets in the Digital Era The Finnish Story 3. Finland's Emergence as a Global Information Technology Player: Lessons from the Finnish Wireless Cluster Ari Hyytinen, Laura Paija, Petri Rouvinen, and Pekka Yla-Anttila 4. An Old Consensus in the "New" Economy? Institutional Adaptation, Technological Innovation and Economic Restructuring in Finland Darius Ornston and Olli Rehn The Japanese Story 5. Telecom Competition in World Markets: Understanding Japan's Decline Robert Cole 6. Japan's Telecommunications Regime Shift: Understanding Japan's Potential Resurgence Kenji Kushida What Next? 7. The Emerging Economies in the Digital Era: Market Places, Market Players, and Market Makers Naazneen Barma Part Two. The Experiments: Vision and Execution Business Strategies 8. Enron's Missed Opportunity: Enron's Refusal to Build a Collaborative Market Turned Bandwidth Trading into a Disaster Andrew Schwartz Reorganizing Work 9. The Relocation of Service Provision to Developing Nations: The Case of India Rafiq Dossani and Martin Kenney 10. From Linux to Lipitor: How The Coming Reconfiguration of IP Can Move Pharma off a Deteriorating Path Steven Weber 11. Research Note on The Learning Organization Tobias Schulze-Cleven Knowledge in an Information Society 12. Spoken About Knowledge: Why It Takes Much More Than Knowledge Management to Manage Knowledge Niels Christian Nielsen and Maj Cecilie Nielsen 13. Pooling Knowledge: Trends and Characteristics of R&D Alliances in the ICT Sector Christopher Palmberg and Olli Martikainen Part Three. Market Transitions: Reorganizing Markets, Getting from Here to There 14. The Peculiar Evolution of 3G Wireless Networks: Institutional Logic, Politics, and Property Rights Peter Cowhey, Jonathan Aronson, and John Richards 15. Success Factors in Mobile Telephony: Why Diffusion in the Us and Europe Differ Heli Koski 16. National Styles in the Setting of Global Standards: The Relationship Between Firms' Standardization Strategies and National Origin Aija Leiponen Part Four. Social Transformations 17. Weaving the Authoritarian Web: The Control of Internet Use in Non-Democratic Regimes Taylor C. Boas 18. Copyright's Digital Reformation Brodi Kemp 19. Transforming Politics in a Digital Era Abraham Newman and John Zysman Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThis book explores the way that social democracy makes sense of a new economic and social order based on knowledge.Trade Review"Excellently conceived and tightly focused, The Library and the Workshop is an original and illuminating analysis of the contemporary transformations of northern European social democracy in progress since the 1980s. It provides a sympathetic but telling explanation of what exactly the exponents of 'Third Way' politics think they are trying to achieve."—Geoff Eley, University of Michigan"No serious scholar interested in social democratic 'modernization' can ignore this book. Where others have found 'betrayals' or 'necessary breaks', Jenny Andersson provocatively reveals the lineages of the Third Way in social democratic ideological traditions." -- Magnus Ryner * Oxford Brookes University *

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Book SynopsisThis book breaks new ground by systematically examining China's capitalist transformation through several comparative lenses.Trade Review"[T]his edited volume is a serious academic work with several distinct strengths . . . [T]he chapters by various authors are coherently and organically connected, giving this volume of nine chapters (by eight authors) the impression of a work well-executed under a shared plan. Cross-references within the chapters are well-placed, which makes it easy to read this edited volume; despite some distinct individual styles. This excellent volume is suitable for a graduate seminar on China's economy or political economy and for an upper-division under-graduate class on the similar subject." -- Yi Feng * Journal of Chinese Political Science *"This well-integrated, coherent book delivers persuasively on its comparative agenda and shows that a comparative, cross-national approach to the study of China is indeed a worthy endeavor and that China's transformation cannot be understood by overly simplified references to a single development model." -- Marc Szepan * China Journal *"[Beyond the Middle Kingdom] will come as a breath of fresh air to those seeking the de-ghettoization of China in comparative politics . . . [The] book aims to redress the country's outsider status by situating it alongside other cases of crucial importance in the field of political economy . . . Among the more original and impressive aspects of the book is the breadth of cases chosen for comparison." -- Stephen Noakes * Pacific Affairs *"For anyone wanting to understand China in a global context, this an excellent place to begin. Summing Up: Highly recommended." -- C. A. Haulman * CHOICE *"With the advent of this volume, the literature of contemporary Chinese political economy no longer stands alone, but rather is duly blended into the mainstream studies of comparative political economy. Contributors of this volume methodically revisit salient issues of post-Mao Chinese development and masterfully compare them with those in carefully chosen reference societies on many analytical templates. Innovative and insightful." -- Tun-jen Cheng, Class of 1935 Professor * College of William and Mary *"An impressive and most welcome effort to bring China into comparative analysis. This volume will be welcomed by both China specialists and others interested more broadly in the comparative political economy of development." -- Richard F. Doner, Professor of Political Science * Emory University *

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Book SynopsisThis book breaks new ground by systematically examining China's capitalist transformation through several comparative lenses.Trade Review"[T]his edited volume is a serious academic work with several distinct strengths . . . [T]he chapters by various authors are coherently and organically connected, giving this volume of nine chapters (by eight authors) the impression of a work well-executed under a shared plan. Cross-references within the chapters are well-placed, which makes it easy to read this edited volume; despite some distinct individual styles. This excellent volume is suitable for a graduate seminar on China's economy or political economy and for an upper-division under-graduate class on the similar subject." -- Yi Feng * Journal of Chinese Political Science *"This well-integrated, coherent book delivers persuasively on its comparative agenda and shows that a comparative, cross-national approach to the study of China is indeed a worthy endeavor and that China's transformation cannot be understood by overly simplified references to a single development model." -- Marc Szepan * China Journal *"[Beyond the Middle Kingdom] will come as a breath of fresh air to those seeking the de-ghettoization of China in comparative politics . . . [The] book aims to redress the country's outsider status by situating it alongside other cases of crucial importance in the field of political economy . . . Among the more original and impressive aspects of the book is the breadth of cases chosen for comparison." -- Stephen Noakes * Pacific Affairs *"For anyone wanting to understand China in a global context, this an excellent place to begin. Summing Up: Highly recommended." -- C. A. Haulman * CHOICE *"With the advent of this volume, the literature of contemporary Chinese political economy no longer stands alone, but rather is duly blended into the mainstream studies of comparative political economy. Contributors of this volume methodically revisit salient issues of post-Mao Chinese development and masterfully compare them with those in carefully chosen reference societies on many analytical templates. Innovative and insightful." -- Tun-jen Cheng, Class of 1935 Professor * College of William and Mary *"An impressive and most welcome effort to bring China into comparative analysis. This volume will be welcomed by both China specialists and others interested more broadly in the comparative political economy of development." -- Richard F. Doner, Professor of Political Science * Emory University *

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Book SynopsisUsing an economic toolkit, Doing Bad by Doing Good explains why humanitarian efforts that intend to alleviate human suffering fail to succeed, and often cause more harm than good.Trade Review"Coyne is to be congratulated for a book that strongly calls into question the conventional wisdom that we must look first to government to accomplish humanitarian ends."—George Leef, Regulation Magazine"Coyne attempts to explain why conventional approaches to humanitarian aid and longer term economic development have failed miserably . . . Recommended."—M. Q. Dao, Choice"Coyne offers a classic neo-liberal economic analysis to explain why the humanitarian project in its current state is doomed."—Zoe Cormack, Times Literary Supplement"Coyne's message is desperately needed within the development community. He develops a systematic theory that enables us to better understand foreign intervention, expertly revealing its application in a wide range of countries over time."—Benjamin Powell, Professor of Economics, Texas Tech University"Insanity has been defined as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. Bringing public choice and Austrian economics to bear, Coyne explains why conventional approaches to humanitarian aid and longer-term economic development have failed miserably—and how to avoid repeating the same mistakes."—William F. Shughart II, J. Fish Smith Professor in Public Choice, Utah State University"If you seek to assist people in need because of chronic poverty or natural calamities, steer clear of government aid programs and provide the assistance directly or via private organizations. Government aid programs have a proven record of failure, which is not coincidental, but systematic, owing to faulty knowledge and perverse political incentives. Christopher Coyne's new book provides the relevant facts and analysis to understand this important matter."—Robert Higgs, Senior Fellow in Political Economy, The Independent Institute"Doing Bad by Doing Good is an accessible treatment of a major foreign-policy problem from a perspective that could even inform the actions of churches and other Christian organizations involved in international aid and development....Coyne's research is thorough, as evidenced by the dozens of pages of sources, and one hopes that governments and other humanitarian activists will avail themselves of it before embarking on future projects."—Jason E. Jewell, Journal of Faith and the Academy

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Book SynopsisUsing an economic toolkit, Doing Bad by Doing Good explains why humanitarian efforts that intend to alleviate human suffering fail to succeed, and often cause more harm than good.Trade Review"Coyne is to be congratulated for a book that strongly calls into question the conventional wisdom that we must look first to government to accomplish humanitarian ends."—George Leef, Regulation Magazine"Coyne attempts to explain why conventional approaches to humanitarian aid and longer term economic development have failed miserably . . . Recommended."—M. Q. Dao, Choice"Coyne offers a classic neo-liberal economic analysis to explain why the humanitarian project in its current state is doomed."—Zoe Cormack, Times Literary Supplement"Coyne's message is desperately needed within the development community. He develops a systematic theory that enables us to better understand foreign intervention, expertly revealing its application in a wide range of countries over time."—Benjamin Powell, Professor of Economics, Texas Tech University"Insanity has been defined as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. Bringing public choice and Austrian economics to bear, Coyne explains why conventional approaches to humanitarian aid and longer-term economic development have failed miserably—and how to avoid repeating the same mistakes."—William F. Shughart II, J. Fish Smith Professor in Public Choice, Utah State University"If you seek to assist people in need because of chronic poverty or natural calamities, steer clear of government aid programs and provide the assistance directly or via private organizations. Government aid programs have a proven record of failure, which is not coincidental, but systematic, owing to faulty knowledge and perverse political incentives. Christopher Coyne's new book provides the relevant facts and analysis to understand this important matter."—Robert Higgs, Senior Fellow in Political Economy, The Independent Institute"Doing Bad by Doing Good is an accessible treatment of a major foreign-policy problem from a perspective that could even inform the actions of churches and other Christian organizations involved in international aid and development....Coyne's research is thorough, as evidenced by the dozens of pages of sources, and one hopes that governments and other humanitarian activists will avail themselves of it before embarking on future projects."—Jason E. Jewell, Journal of Faith and the Academy

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Book SynopsisCollusion between business communities and the state can lead to a measure of security for those in power, but this kind of interaction often limits new development. In Syria, state-business involvement through informal networks has contributed to an erratic economy. With unique access to private businessmen and select state officials during a critical period of transition, this book examines Syria''s political economy from 1970 to 2005 to explain the nation''s pattern of state intervention and prolonged economic stagnation.As state income from oil sales and aid declined, collusion was a bid for political security by an embattled regime. To achieve a modicum of economic growth, the Syrian regime would develop ties with select members of the business community, reserving the right to reverse their inclusion in the future. Haddad ultimately reveals that this practice paved the way for forms of economic agency that maintained the security of the regime but diminished the developTrade Review"His original and subtle study of Syrian state-business relations in the last two decades offers important insights that . . . challenge the narrow definition of what constitutes the political elite . . . The book's analysis is developed through an eclectic blend of network analysis, rational choice approaches to institutions and trust, and theories of the role of states in late development. Notably, Haddad's approach identifies networks as the mechanism that combines agency and structural factors. Thus, it is a mesolevel analysis allowing us to consider attributes of actors as well as the nature of the relationships between actors." -- Arang Keshavarzian * Arab Studies Journal Review *"Based on his extraordinarily deep knowledge of Syrian society and business practices, Haddad describes at length how these informal networks molded economic institutions to preserve their own interests. . . A significant, timely analysis. Summing Up: Highly recommended." -- P. Clawson * CHOICE *"Bassam Haddad has produced a path-breaking study of Syria's political economy. With unequalled access to first hand sources, his work highlights the underlying political logics that have shaped Syria's economy since the rise of the Baath Party to power half a century ago. He gives us unique insight into the relationships and connections around which the Syrian economy is organized and underscores the economic price that Syrians have paid as development strategies were subordinated to the demands of regime survival." -- Steven Heydemann * U.S. Institute of Peace *"A courageous and sophisticated account of the role of Syria's crony capitalist networks in the process of partial privatization after 1986. Revealed for the first time are the key relationships which define Syria's economic performance over the last two and a half decades. This book could only have been written by someone with insider knowledge of Syria." -- Roger Owen * Harvard University *

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Book SynopsisThis book provides one of the first economic analysis of Hispanic entrepreneurship in the first decade of the 2000s.Trade Review"This volume offers perhaps the first comprehensive, multidisciplinary analysis of the current state of Hispanic entrepreneurship in the U.S. . . . [Hispanic Entrepreneurs in the 2000s] would make an excellent reference on the shelf on the shelves of policy makers, practitioners, and academics interested in minority business development . . . Highly recommended. All readership levels."—B. P. Corrie, CHOICE"Davila and Mora tell us a cohesive economic story about Hispanic entrepreneurs, making an important contribution to the literature. They draw together data from disparate sources and provide an extensive analysis of micro data, a great resource for anyone interested in the topic."—Robert W. Fairlie , University of California, Santa Cruz"This book provides a wider purview of a market segment that is little understood, but of great importance. Not only does it have implications for policymaking, to which small business research is essential. It is also a testament to the importance of data collection that makes landmark studies like this possible." —Barbara J. Robles, Coauthor of The Color of WealthTable of Contents Hispanic Entrepreneurs in the 2000s: An Economic Profile and Policy Implications Author(s): Alberto Dávila and Marie T. Mora This book provides an in-depth economic and policy analysis of Hispanic entrepreneurs in the first decade of the 2000s. This book captures a flavor of issues related to the business cycle, economic outcomes (such as employment, sales, and contributions to tax coffers), socio-demographic characteristics, access to financial capital, the use and importance of digital technology, and public procurement and other policies affecting Hispanic business owners in the early 2000s. One distinguishing feature of this book is that it provides a comprehensive empirical analysis of many of these issues for specific Hispanic populations, such as men versus women, immigrants versus natives, and across Hispanic sub-groups (Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, and Salvadorans). The first decade of the 2000s witnessed the dramatic growth in the Hispanic population and the intensification of their entrepreneurial tendencies. If these demographic changes continue as the 2000s unfold, Hispanic entrepreneurship will become an increasingly vital component of American job creation and to the economic direction of the nation. 1 A Macro View of Hispanic Self-Employment in the 2000s Chapter abstract: This chapter provides an overview of the changing entrepreneurial tendencies among the Hispanic population in the first decade of the 2000s, which sets the stage for more detailed topics discussed later in the book. In particular, the chapter points out that the growing size of the Hispanic population as well as rising self-employment rates explain the recent growth in in the number of Hispanic-owned businesses. This chapter also presents information on the heterogeneity of the Hispanic population by highlighting the differences that existed across regions, industries, and ethnic subgroups. In addition, the chapter makes note of the importance of the business cycle when studying Hispanic entrepreneurship. 2 Entrepreneurial Earnings of Hispanics in the 2000s Chapter abstract: This chapter first outlines the self-employment "push-pull" framework and provides insight into the impact of an increasing entrepreneurial base on the talent and skills of Hispanic entrepreneurs. As part of the discussion, the chapter includes an analysis of the sales and profits of Hispanic-owned firms, as well as changes in the relative earnings of self-employed Hispanics during the first decade of the 2000s (particularly before and after the Great Recession). The issue of how entrepreneurial earnings changed for the largest Hispanic ethnic subgroups and for workers in the construction industry versus other industries is also explored. 3 Hispanic Immigrant Entrepreneurs Chapter abstract: This chapter highlights that a large part of the story behind Hispanic entrepreneurship in the 2000s involved Hispanic immigrants. As part of the discussion, the chapter points out that Hispanic-immigrant entrepreneurs added significant value to the U.S. economy in first decade of the 2000s. It also analyzes the differences in sales between firms owned by foreign-born and U.S.-born Hispanics as well as how demographic characteristics (including ethnic origin, industry distributions, and the geographic concentrations of self-employed Hispanic immigrants) changed in the first decade of the 2000s. Issues related to self-selection are further considered, as are the contributions of Hispanic-immigrant-owned businesses to government coffers. 4 Education and Hispanic Entrepreneurs Chapter abstract: Given their relatively low educational attainment, and given the recent increase in the number of Hispanic-owned businesses, the extent to which education matters for the business and earnings outcomes of Hispanic entrepreneurs has increasingly important implications for the future development of the United States. This chapter thus analyzes the relationship of education to sales of Hispanic-owned businesses, taking business owners' birthplace into account. The chapter further analyzes how the relationship between education and the earnings of Hispanic entrepreneurs changed during the Great Recession, including across the distribution of earnings, across Hispanic subgroups, and between natives and immigrants. The chapter concludes with an investigation into how education is related to entry into the self-employment sector. 5 Hispanic Female Entrepreneurs Chapter abstract: Given that one-third of all Hispanic-owned businesses are owned by women, this chapter focuses on gender-related differences in business outcomes and self-employment earnings among Hispanic entrepreneurs. Hispanic female entrepreneurs appear to be at a relative disadvantage compared to their male counterparts with respect to a variety of outcomes (including sales, the likelihood of having paid-employees, the likelihood of being a microentrepreneur, and earnings). Nevertheless, through additional comparisons between foreign-born and U.S.-born entrepreneurs, the chapter points to the presence of stronger self-employment "pull" versus "push" conditions for female Hispanic natives than for immigrants. The chapter concludes with a discussion of policy implications. 6 Strategic Issues for Hispanic Entrepreneurs—Credit Access Chapter abstract: This chapter addresses how Hispanic entrepreneurs fared with regards to accessing credit in the first decade of the 2000s. Hispanic entrepreneurs were more likely than their non-Hispanic counterparts to report the inability to acquire the financial capital they needed to expand or improve their operations; they also appeared to face other credit-access barriers in the form of relatively small loan amounts and high interest rates. In addition to considering the role of discrimination, this chapter discusses how these findings could relate to cultural forces, including how Hispanics seem to be relatively conservative in their credit demands and less likely to trust traditional methods of financing, such as bank loans. 7 Strategic Issues for Hispanic Entrepreneurs—Technology Usage Chapter abstract: This chapter explores whether Hispanic entrepreneurs use digital technology differently than their non-Hispanic counterparts. It also analyzes whether the usage of such technology related to business outcomes between Hispanic- and non-Hispanic-owned small firms. The findings are mixed. One dataset indicates the presence of a digital divide between Hispanic and non-Hispanic entrepreneurs with respect to having a website and conducting e-commerce, although differences in observable characteristics explained a considerable portion of this gap. However, an alternative dataset suggests that the digital divide that existed between Hispanic- and non-Hispanic-owned small businesses in the late 1990s had vanished by the mid-2000s. 8 Current Policy Issues for Hispanic Entrepreneurs Chapter abstract: This chapter addresses a variety of policy issues pertaining to Hispanic entrepreneurship. It begins with a cursory data analysis that suggests the existence of potential untapped opportunities for Hispanic entrepreneurs because they either lack awareness about existing programs or are reluctant to use them. The chapter then discusses issues that have shaped (and might continue to shape) Hispanic entrepreneurship, from public policy and private-sector perspectives to changing demographic trends across the country. The chapter also provides a critical assessment of policy-related issues facing Hispanic entrepreneurs, such as those pertaining to government procurement, firm size, credit access (such as the "SBA 7(a)" loan program); education, immigration (including the "EB-5" visa program), and statistical discrimination. 9 In Closing Chapter abstract: This chapter provides a summary of many of the key issues pertaining to Hispanic entrepreneurship raised throughout the book, including the business cycle, economic outcomes, socio-demographic characteristics, access to financial and physical capital, and policy and conceptual issues that Hispanic business owners faced in the first decade of this millennium. As discussed throughout the book, that decade witnessed dramatic growth in the Hispanic population and the intensification of entrepreneurial tendencies among Hispanics. If these demographic changes continue, Hispanic entrepreneurship will become an increasingly vital component of American job creation and the economic direction of the nation.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"In this book, editors Zysman and Huberty tackle the question of whether the concept of green growth is a realistic justification for policies addressing climate change . . . Recommended."—M. Morgan-Davie, CHOICE"Can the right energy system for the future be shaped by the market alone? Can and does green growth exist? Why is there such geographic disparity, globally and nationally, in committing to green growth? Anyone trying to separate the wheat from the chaff in this emotive discussion needs this book!"—Katherine Richardson, Chairman, Danish Commission on Climate Change Policy and Professor, University of Copenhagen"Can we move from political religion to economic reality to address the energy and environmental challenges we face in the 21st century? In the process of addressing this question, Huberty and Zysman connect the dots between the political, economic, and technical issues to show that by building environmental-industry alliances to address concrete problems, we can begin an energy system transformation with benefits not only for the environment and climate, but for the broader economy as well."—James E. Rogers, CEO, Duke Energy

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Book SynopsisIn The Diplomat in the Corner Office, Timothy L. Fort argues that businesses must adopt a "corporate foreign policy" and play a central role in working to create international peace in order to thrive in the twenty-first century.Trade Review"The question of what, if anything, business in general or a business entity in particular owes to society has been debated by those interested in corporate social responsibility at least since the mid-1970s. Fort offers a new and compelling perspective on this question . . . Fort demonstrates how this type of "gentle commerce," a marriage of ethics and economics, actually rests on principles expounded by Adam Smith, Friedrich Hayek, Immanuel Kant, and others."—T. R. Gillespie, CHOICE"Tim Fort's book is persuasive, inspiring, and practical. It will convince skeptics that there are compelling reasons for businesses to adopt a "corporate foreign policy." While some firms may have incentives for "peace-keeping," Fort shows that many already work incrementally, if unintentionally, to create conditions that promote peace. Recognizing this will enable companies, government, and civil society to better leverage business as a force for peace."—Kathleen A. Getz, Dean, Sellinger School of Business and Management, Loyola University Maryland"Using real world examples, Fort—a pioneer and thought leader—makes a compelling case for why a peace-oriented international business strategy makes economic sense. This book demonstrates that managers and their firms can impact the peacefulness of our society. The Diplomat stands to change how you think about the business of business."—Jennifer Oetzel, American University"This is a most thoughtful exploration of how it is that private business contributes to peace, about the possible pitfalls, and the need for new innovative practices. In a rapidly growing field, Fort's book is a must-read— for business leaders and strategists, for peace researchers, and for all those who are devoting their lives to overcoming armed conflict."—Kristian Berg Harpviken, Director, Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO)"Fort is the most noted scholar writing today on business and peace. He expertly navigates the macro- and micro-levels of corporate impact, and draws on wide-ranging scholarship to develop a framework for corporate practices that strengthen communities. This book should be required reading for business leaders, peace activists, and policymakers alike."—Virginia Haufler, Center for International Development and Conflict Management, University of Maryland"Milton Friedman gave voice to the view that 'the social responsibility of business is to increase profits.' But, today's executives are expected to lead their companies on a quest to fulfill a much larger set of functions—including peacemaking, peacekeeping, and peacebuilding through the pursuit of profits. Fortunately, Timothy Fort has written a very useful roadmap for this journey. A must-read for everyone in the corner office."—John Sullivan, Center for International Private Enterprise"As long as we operate under a global capitalist system, [Fort] says, let's make it work for peace, like philosophers and social scientists have suggested it can....This is an interesting read.''—Jennifer Delton, H-FedHist, H-Net ReviewsTable of ContentsContents and Abstracts1Corporate Foreign Policy chapter abstractIn a global business environment, companies increasingly establish their own identity apart from their country of historical origin. This chapter details examples of the choices companies have made and argues that companies should consciously adopt their own foreign policy, which is benefitted from peace building. The chapter describes the ways in which companies can do this in an introductory fashion. 2Causes of War and Lessons for Balances of Power chapter abstractThis chapter sets out the research to date from the field of international relations that categorizes the reasons war begin. It will be noted that often, violence erupts because of an imbalance of power. The chapter argues that businesses are both subject to balance of power and contribute to them and thus can have a role in the balance of power equation that could contribute to peace. 3Could Peace Break Out in this Day and Age? chapter abstractStudies of deep history seem to be in dispute as to whether humans are more or less peaceful today than in the past. This chapter takes these conflicting arguments from leading scholars and shows that, despite their differences, what unites them is a role that business can play in "gentle commerce." An ethically-informed set of business practices indeed seem to take advantage of all worlds in making the world more peaceful. 4 chapter abstractAn ethically-informed set of business practices also seems to find increasing acceptance within mainstream economic literature which recognizes the importance of trust. Ethical practices helpfully prevent more egregious behavior, which benefits commerce as a whole and the same practices also promote peace building. This chapter thus details major economic thought as to why and how this is possible and connects this literature to peace building 5Peacemaking, Peacekeeping, and Peace building chapter abstractBusinesses contribute to peace in different ways. Some promote peacemaking and peacekeeping. Others focus on a more diffused sense of peace building. This chapter provides case studies that demonstrate these different way sin which business contributes to peace. 6Peace Entrepreneurs, Instrumental Corporate Foreign Policy, and Unconscious Peace Building chapter abstractDepending on a businessperson's conscious orientation, businesses might also contribute to peace intentionally (as peace entrepreneurs) as instrumentally a smart business strategy (corporate foreign policy) and completely unconsciously (through ethical practices shorn of peace building intention). This chapter recognizes these different approaches in hopes of providing more refined academic categories of analysis. 7Little Brother Government Policy chapter abstractRather than focusing directly on government regulation of business, this chapter suggests that a better role for government is to create incentives for business to engage in ethical and peace building activity. Thus, it follows a model of the U.S. Federal Sentencing Guidelines which flexibly allows companies to achieve ethical practices without mandating particular ones. This is a strategy of an open society versus a closed one, which itself provides greater likelihood for peace building. 7Little Brother Government Policy chapter abstractRather than focusing directly on government regulation of business, this chapter suggests that a better role for government is to create incentives for business to engage in ethical and peace building activity. Thus, it follows a model of the U.S. Federal Sentencing Guidelines which flexibly allows companies to achieve ethical practices without mandating particular ones. This is a strategy of an open society versus a closed one, which itself provides greater likelihood for peace building. 8A New Great Awakening chapter abstractCivil society can contribute to businesses' contribution by creating an environment conducive to business's role. Thus, those organizations that specifically devote themselves to peace can partner with businesses. Business associations – such as the chamber of commerce can likewise encourage the activity that leads to constructive business contributions. 9Why a Peace-Oriented Corporate Foreign Policy is Smart Business chapter abstractThis final chapter summarizes why it is smart business for companies to contribute to peace building through their daily work.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"This clearly and engagingly written book adds substantially to our understanding of the process of economic reform in India—and to the comparative analysis of political regimes across Indian states. It should be of great interest to researchers and students of comparative politics and political economy." -- John Harriss, Professor of International Studies * Simon Fraser University *"[Electrifying India] is thoroughly researched and does a fine job of demonstrating why the task of electrifying India remains an unfinished business . . . Highly recommended." -- A. A. Batabyal * CHOICE *"As any practitioner will tell you, the Indian electricity sector is heavily shaped, and impeded, by complex politics and flawed institutions. It is surprising, then, that there is such a paucity of quality work on the politics of Indian electricity. Sunila Kale's important new book, Electrifying India, goes a long way to filling this vacuum. Drawing together material from the historical record, central policy-processes, and a detailed examination of the track record in three states, Kale weaves a compelling and nuanced narrative on the past and present of Indian electricity, with important lessons for its future." -- Navroz K. Dubash, Senior Fellow, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi * India *"Electrifying India presents new research findings that make a significant contribution to current literature. The argument is novel and important. It addresses literature of specific relevance to India, and to the politics of development in particular, but it also speaks to larger questions related to the role of historical trajectories in explaining the ability of governments to adjust to market-oriented economic policy regimes." -- Rob Jenkins, Professor of Political Science, Hunter College and the Graduate Center * City University of New York *"Why does the power go on and then off again in so much of India? Sunila Kale's book shows why the states that embraced electrification in the 1950s and 1960s, prodded by their farmers, are laggards today, and why the 'late developers' have embraced changes in the power market that are now transforming India." -- Steven Wilkinson, Nilekani Professor of India and South Asian Studies * Yale University *

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Book SynopsisIn Discreet Power, Christina Garsten and Adrienne Sörbom undertake an ethnographic study of the World Economic Forum (WEF). Accessing one of the primary agenda-setting organizations of our day, they draw on interviews and participant observation to examine how the WEF wields its influence. They situate the WEF within an emerging system of discretionary governance, in which actors craft ideas and entice formal authorities and top leaders in order to garner significant sway. Yet in spite of its image as a powerful, exclusive brain trust, the WEF has no formal mandate to implement its positions. It must convince others to advance chosen causes and enact suggestions, rendering its position quite fragile. Garsten and Sörbom argue that the WEF must be viewed relationally as a brokering organization that lives between the market and political spheres and that extends its reach through associated individuals and groups.They place the WEF in the context of a broader shift, arguing that while Trade Review"Between raw forces of the global economy and disordered world politics lie organizations that are neither political nor economic. The World Economic Forum is central among these structures. Garsten and Sörbom give a most impressive depiction and analysis of its role—responsible but undemocratic—in what is now called global governance."—John W. Meyer, Stanford University"This is an outstanding exemplar of a very difficult genre in the craft of ethnography: working within the highest reaches of elite organization. The challenge lies less in limited access than in not reinforcing our deep-seated stereotypes of what goes on in such groups. This work is distinguished by its observational quality and derived expression of the stakes and issues at hand."—George Marcus, University of California, Irvine"In this informative study, Carsten and Sörbom explore both the inner workings and the communication strategies of the World Economic Forum....[T]he authors conclude that the WEF does perform a useful service, even if it is biased toward elite perceptions."—Richard N. Cooper, Foreign AffairsTable of ContentsIntroduction 1. Disentangling Discretionary Governance 2. Liquid Mandate 3. Setting Precedence 4. The Status Machinery 5. Mobilizing for the Future 6. Political Sway Conclusion: A New Narrative for Future Globalization?

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Book SynopsisArgues that the Confederate nation was an expedient corporatist state - a society that required all sectors of the economy to work for the national interest, as defined by a partnership of industrial leaders and a dominant government.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Remaking the Rust Belt is a powerful book which has much to offer, not just to historians of urban policy and political economy but also those seeking to understand the wider political, cultural and psephological shifts under way in the American industrial Northeast and Midwest." * History *"Remaking the Rust Belt is lucid, balanced, and engaging. Tracy Neumann's argument about the importance of place is compelling and well sustained." * Richard Harris, McMaster University *"Remaking the Rustbelt provides a welcome addition to the literature on the history of industrial policy and planning in North America. For Neumann, the 'Rustbelt' is as much a set of ideas and experiences as it is a place. Rejecting conventional narratives associated with terms like 'deindustrialization' and 'neoliberalism,' she tells a more complicated story of public officials and private interests acting across a variety of geographies and scales, sometimes in collusion, sometimes in conflict, always in tension. We see mayors, planners, economic development officers, corporate executives, labor leaders, and community activists grappling with the full range of problems that emerge from large-scale transformations in the global economy. In the end, Neumann demonstrates how the 'post-industrial' turn of the last fifty years was not simply the inevitable outcome of economic forces but, rather, a conscious production of a new social imaginary-a world in the making." * Joseph Heathcott, The New School *Table of ContentsIntroduction. Cities and the Postindustrial Imagination Chapter 1. The Roots of Postindustrialism Chapter 2. Forging Growth Partnerships Chapter 3. Postindustrialism and Its Critics Chapter 4. The New Geography of Downtown Chapter 5. Spaces of Production and Spaces of Consumption Chapter 6. Marketing Postindustrialism Epilogue. Cities for Whom? List of Abbreviations Notes Index Acknowledgments

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Book SynopsisFrom the Pension Research Council of the Wharton School, this book explores the diversity of governmental pension plans and investigates how these financial institutions must change in years to come.Trade Review"An essential reference tool for actuaries and others involved in government retirement systems. It also will provide insight to the general public regarding the ways tax dollars are being spent in this important arena." * The Actuarial Digest *Table of ContentsPreface Introduction —Olivia S. Mitchell and Edwin Hustead I. THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF PUBLIC PENSION SYSTEMS Developments in State and Local Pension Plans —Olivia S. Mitchell, David McCarthy, Stanley C. Wisniewski, and Paul Zorn State Employee Pension Plans —Karen Steffen Federal Civilian and Military Retirement Systems —Edwin Hustead and Toni Hustead Canadian Public Sector Employee Pension Plans —Silvana Pozzebon II. INVESTMENT POLICIES, REGULATION, AND REPORTING Asset-Liability Management in the Public Sector —Michael Peskin Investment Practices of State and Local Pension Funds: Implications for Social Security Reform —Alicia H. Munnell and Annika Sundin The Life and Times of a Public-Sector Pension Plan Before Social Security: The U.S. Navy Pension Plan in the Nineteenth Century —Robert L. Clark, Lee A. Craig, and Jack W. Wilson Governance and Investments of Public Pensions —Michael Useem and David Hess Regulation and Taxation of Public Plans: A History of Increasing Federal Influence —Roderick B. Crane Determining the Cost of Public Pension Plans —Edwin C. Hustead III. CHALLENGES TO PUBLIC PENSIONS Going Private in the Public Sector: The Transition from Defined Benefit to Defined Contribution Pension Plans —Douglas Fore Pension Governance in the Pennsylvania State Employees' Retirement System —John Brosius The New Jersey Pension System —Tom Bryan Public Pensions in Washington, DC —Edwin Hustead Opting Out: The Galveston Plan and Social Security —Theresa M. Wilson The Outlook for Public-Sector Retirement Plan Design —Cathie Eitelberg About the Contributors— John Brosius is the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania State Employees' Retirement System (SERS), with the responsibility of managing the operations of a $23B retirement fund serving 85,000 retirees and 109,000 active members employed by 110 different employer agencies. Previously Mr. Brosius was Director of the SERS Office of Financial Management; he also taught college level accounting courses and worked at Main LaFrentz & Co. He received the bachelor's degree from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, and the MBA from Bucknell University. He is a Certified Public Accountant. Tom Bryan is Deputy Director, New Jersey Division of Pensions and Benefits. He advises on legal, legislative, policy, and actuarial matters for the New Jersey state retirement systems and health benefits program. He also manages the Legislative and Legal Affairs section of the Director's office, and serves as liaison with the Treasurer's office, the Governor's office, the Legislature, and other state agencies. Previously he served in the New Jersey Office of Legislative Services. Mr. Bryan earned the JD degree from Seton Hall University and the BA and MA in Political Science from Rutgers University. Robert Clark is Professor of Economics and Business Management at North Carolina State University. He has published widely on retirement and pension policy, employee benefit policy, the economic well-being of the elderly, and international pensions. Professor Clark serves as Senior Fellow at the Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development at Duke University and as Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Demographic Studies at Duke University. Previous academic positions include a faculty appointment at the Fuqua School of Business, Duke University, and service as Interim Dean of the College of Management at North Carolina State. Dr. Clark earned the bachelor's degree from Millsaps College and the Ph.D. degree in economics from Duke University. Lee Craig is an Associate Professor of economics at North Carolina State University, where he teaches economic and business history. His research focuses on the history of pensions, productivity growth, and international economic integration. Dr. Craig is a research economist at the National Bureau of Economic Research, and he has previously held appointments at Duke University and Universitat Munchen. He received the bachelor's and master's degree from Ball State University and the MA and PhD from Indiana University. Rod Crane is a Director of the National Government Compliance practice of The Segal Company, and a company Vice President. His interests include the design and administration of public sector retirement and saving plans, including 401(k) and 403(b) plans. Previously he was counsel to the North Dakota Legislative Council's Committee on Public Employee Retirement Programs. Mr. Crane received his bachelor's degree in economics from the University of North Dakota, and his JD from the University of North Dakota School of Law. Cathie Eitelberg is the Director of Government Practice for The Segal Company where she coordinates and participates in the firm's consulting, compliance, and actuarial services provided to the public sector. Her special interests include public employee benefits, industry trends, and federal policy as it affects benefits. Concurrently Ms. Eitelberg serves as an adviser to the Government Finance Officers Association Committee on Retirement Benefits Administration. Previously she worked at the National Conference of State Legislatures and the Government Finance Officers Association. She earned the bachelor's in business management from the University of Maryland. Douglas Fore is manager of Pension and Economic research at TIAA-CREF. His research interests include the determinants of pension type. Dr. Fore earned the PhD from the University of Colorado. James Francis is Chief Economist for the Florida State Board of Administration. He is responsible for the FRS and Chiles Endowment investment plans, asset allocation, risk management, performance measurement, and total fund investment research, as well as for the SBA Information Center, an internal library and research services unit. He has been vice-president and consulting economist for the consulting firm CFF Associates, Inc., Director of Research and Analysis for the Florida Department of Revenue, and House Economist for the Florida House of Representatives. He holds a Ph.D. in economics from the Florida State University. David Hess is a doctoral candidate in the Management Department at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. His research focuses on corporate governance and corporate social responsibility. He earned the bachelor's in economics from Grinnell College and the JD from the University of Iowa College of Law. Edwin C. Hustead is Senior Vice President in charge of the Hay/Huggins Washington, DC office and governmental actuarial and benefits consulting. He is also the practice leader of the Hay Group for governmental consulting. His interests focus on health insurance, social insurance, pension reform, and policy analysis. Previously he served as Chief Actuary of the Federal Office of Personnel Management, charged with responsibility for the actuarial analysis of the Civil Service Retirement System and the Federal Employees Health Benefits System. Mr. Hustead is a Member and Director of the American Academy of Actuaries, a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries, and an Enrolled Actuary. Toni Hustead is Chief of the Veterans Affairs Branch of the US Office of Management and Budget. She oversees the development of veterans' programs and policies, and their integration with other Federal benefits. Previously she was an international benefits consultant for the Hay Group, serving as the European Director of Benefits Consulting, and served as Chief Actuary for the Department of Defense. She is a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries, and an Associate of the Society of Actuaries. David McCarthy is a doctoral candidate in the Insurance and Risk Management Department at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. His research focuses on the economics, econometrics, and finance of pensions. Previously he worked in a South African life insurance firm where he initiated the examination process for the Faculty of Actuaries, Edinburgh and expects to qualify this year. He earned a BS in economic science and also in mathematical statistics from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. Olivia S. Mitchell is the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans Professor of Insurance and Risk Management, and Executive Director of the Pension Research Council, of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Her research focuses on the economics of retirement and benefits, social security and pensions, and public as well as private insurance. Dr. Mitchell currently serves on the Board of the National Academy of Social Insurance, the Steering Committee for the University of Michigan's HRS/AHEAD projects, and she is a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research. Previously Dr. Mitchell served on the Board of Directors for Alexander and Alexander Services Inc., and she has held academic appointments at Cornell University and Harvard University. Dr. Mitchell earned the BS in economics from Harvard University, and the MS and PhD in economics from the University of Wisconsin. Alicia Munnell is the Peter F. Drucker Professor of Management Sciences at Boston College's Carroll School of Management and Director of the Boston College Center for Retirement Research. Her research interests include pension and social security policy, and the determinants of productivity; in addition she has analyzed bank mergers and tax policy. Previously Dr. Munnell was a Member of the President's Council of Economic Advisers and Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Economic Policy. She also was Director of Research and Senior Vice President at the Boston Federal Reserve Bank. Among other affiliations, Dr. Munnell is on the Board of the Pension Research Council, and she cofounded the National Academy of Social Insurance. She earned the bachelor's from Wellesley College, the MA from Boston University, and the PhD from Harvard University. Michael Peskin is a principal in Morgan Stanley's Global Pension Group where he heads the unit responsible for helping insurers, corporate plan sponsors, and others, with investment strategy and asset/liability studies in a corporate financial framework. His widely published research includes strategic asset allocation and benefit financial theory and he has published widely on pension finance. He is an Associate of the Society of Actuaries and the Institute of Actuaries, a Fellow of the Conference on Consulting Actuaries, and a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries. Previously he worked at Buck Consultants and was President of Michael Peskin Associates, Inc. Silvana Pozzebon is Associate Professor of Industrial Relations at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales, the business school at the University of Montreal. Her areas of interest include union-management relations, as well as private and public benefits including workers' compensation, health and safety management, and pensions. She earned the bachelor's degree in economics from Concordia University in Montreal, and both the MS and PhD degrees from Cornell University. Kevin SigRist is the Assistant Chief Economist at the Florida State Board of Administration. His principal research responsibilities are in investment policy and performance measurement. Previously, he was responsible for assessing foreign country risk and preparing economic forecasts at Wells Fargo Company. He has worked as an econometrician and tax analyst at the Missouri State Budget Office and a research assistant at the Center for the Study of American Business at Washington University in St. Louis. He holds the BS in economics from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and MA in economics from Washington University in St. Louis Karen Steffen is a Principal with the Seattle office of Milliman & Robertson, Inc. Her primary practice is in the area of public employee benefit systems, with a focus on retirement and employee benefit plans, actuarial valuation and funding strategies, and post-retirement benefits. She also consults on pension calculations in marital dissolution cases. She is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries, a Member of the Conference of Consulting Actuaries, a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries, and an Enrolled Actuary. Ms Steffen earned the bachelor's degree in mathematics from the University of Michigan. Annika Sunden is the Associate Director for Research at Boston College's Center for Retirement Research. Her research interests include the economics of retirement, pensions, and social security, and the determinants of savings behavior. She previously worked at the Federal Reserve Board on the Survey of Consumer Finance. Dr. Sunden received the Ph.D. degree in labor economics from Cornell University. Kenneth Trager is the Total Fund Research Manager at the Florida State Board of Administration. His research interests include applied business cycle theory, regional economic development, tax incidence, and political economy. Previously Dr. Trager served as a Senior Economist in the Florida Legislature's Joint Legislative Management Committee and as the Florida Statistical Analysis Center Director. He earned a PhD in economics from the New School for Social Research. Michael Useem is the William and Jacalyn Egan Professor of Management and Director of the Center for Leadership and Change Management at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. His research interests focus on corporate organization, corporate ownership, and governance, as well as leadership in both the private and public sectors. He has consulted with numerous private institutions as well as government agencies, and he offers programs for managers throughout Latin America and Asia as well as Europe. Among other affiliations Dr. Useem serves on the Board for the Pension Research Council. He earned the bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan, and the M.A. and Ph.D. from Harvard University. Jack Wilson is Head of the Department of Business Management in the North Carolina State University's College of Management. His research concentrates on financial markets, with a focus on market volatility and market panics. Dr. Wilson's academic career has included appointments at Duke and Princeton Universities as well as the Universities of Maryland, Oklahoma, and Bowling Green. He earned the bachelor's degree in finance, as well as the M.A. and Ph.D. in economics, from the University of Oklahoma. Theresa M. Wilson is a policy analyst with the Office of Retirement Policy at the Social Security Administration. Her research interests include Social Security solvency, women's retirement policy and women's labor force participation. She has a master of Public Administration from the University of Washington Graduate School of Public Affairs. Stan Wisniewksi is a senior professional associate at the National Education Association where he specializes in pension, health care, and other benefits policy. His research interests include public pension plans with a special focus on teacher pensions, compensation policy, labor market trends and collective bargaining, and healthcare issues. He previously served on the faculty at American University and Howard University; was research director for the Service Employees International Union; held the position of President of Workplace Economics Inc.; and has been a practicing attorney and expert witness. Dr. Wisniewski earned the bachelor's degree from Allentown College of St. Francis de Sales, and his M.A. and Ph.D. in economics from the Catholic University of America. He also holds the J.D. degree from the University of Maryland School of Law. Paul Zorn is Director of Governmental Research at Gabriel, Roeder, Smith and Co. in the firm's Southfield, Michigan office. He specializes in research on public retirement systems and employee benefit plans, and he advises on federal/state accounting standards, benefit policies, and social security. Previously he managed the Research Center at the Government Finance Officers Association where he was instrumental in developing the PENDAT database.

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Book SynopsisBeyond the Resource Curse focuses on the paradoxical relationship between natural wealth and economic security and examines the particular pitfalls and consistent problems facing oil and gas exporting states and contributes to a better comprehension of the perils of oil and gas export.Trade Review"Beyond the Resource Curse foursquarely addresses the question of what resources can do-or not do-for a country. The novelty of the data-the contributors treat a broad array of cases that are seldom thought about-along with the freshness of the analysis and the eclectic mix of topics and countries discussed, makes this a truly refreshing volume." * Svante Cornell, Johns Hopkins University *Table of ContentsIntroduction —Brenda Shaffer PART I. ECONOMICS AND INFRASTRUCTURES OF ENERGY EXPORTERS 1. The Natural Resource Curse: A Survey —Jeffrey Frankel 2. Sometimes the Grass Is Indeed Greener: The Successful Use of Energy Revenues —Patrick Clawson 3. Is There a Policy Learning Curve? Trinidad and Tobago and the 2004- 8 Hydrocarbon Boom —Richard M. Auty 4. The Illusion of Unlimited Supply: Iran and Energy Subsidies —Ahmad Mojtahed 5. Challenges Facing Central Banks in Oil- Exporting Countries: The Case of Azerbaijan —Elkin Nurmammadov 6. Power to the Producers: The Challenges of Electricity Provision in Major Energy-Exporting States —Theresa Sabonis-Helf PART II. ENERGY EXPORTS, SOCIETY, AND POLITICS 7. The Impact of Energy Resources on Nation- and State- Building: The Contrasting Cases of Azerbaijan and Georgia —Murad Ismayilov 8. Education Reform in Energy- Exporting States: The Post- Soviet Experience in Comparative Perspective —Regine A. Spector 9. Is Norway Really Norway? —Ole Andreas Engen, Oluf Langhelle, and Reidar Bratvold PART III. ENERGY EXPORTERS IN THE INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL SYSTEM 10. Energy Exporters and the International Energy Agency —Richard Jones 11. Resource Nationalism and Oil Development: Profit or Peril? —Amy M. Jaffe 12. Natural Resources, Domestic Instability, and International Conflicts —Elnur Soltanov 13. Petroleum, Governance, and Fragility: The Micro-Politics of Petroleum in Postconflict States —Naazneen H. Barma Conclusion: Constant Perils, Policy Responses, and Lessons to Be Learned —Taleh Ziyadov Notes Contributors Index

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