Li Xinfeng, translated by Shelly Bryant

Though it has been some six centuries since explorer Zheng He visited Africa, scholar Li Xinfeng finds connections between Zheng's voyages and China-Africa relations today. Li discusses Zheng's travels at length, ranging from details of his ships and crews to the nature of the relationships that he forged. As he considers the explorer's legacy in the current global environment, he  More >

Keyan G. Tomaselli and Richard Green

Both a history and a critique of South Africa's film industry, this book recounts the long experience of filmmaker and producer Richard Green. Green's story—especially his work in forging the film initiative New Directions Africa—is emblematic of the struggles, negotiations, and competing ideologies that faced South Africa as it emerged from apartheid. He continues to be an  More >

Hannah M. Ridge

The Middle East and North Africa comprise by all measures one of the least democratic regions in the world. At the same time, decades of research show robust support for democracy among MENA residents. A paradox ... or is it? Hannah Ridge explores the "democracy paradox" by parsing the meanings that citizens assign to the Arab word dimuqratiyya. Drawing on Arab Barometer data from  More >

William L. Marcy

How did Mexico and Central America become a lawless corridor for conveying narcotics into the United States? How did the drug cartels rise to power, succeeding in institutionalizing the narco-industry? Why have the police and military failed to rein the cartels in? What have been the consequences of the US-led "war on drugs?" William Marcy's Narcostates provides answers to these  More >

Tom Long and Alan Bersin

North America has survived a tumultuous three decades since the implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement. What characterizes our shared region today? More importantly, what sort of region can advance our shared interests and well-being over the next generation? Addressing these questions, the contributors to North America 2.0 assess North America's present status as a  More >

Mary Fran T. Malone, Lucía Dammert, and Orlando J. Pérez

Police forces in Latin America historically have been regarded as hopelessly corrupt, inefficient, and even abusive. More recently, however, there have been clear signs that police reforms have gained traction in the region—with some notable exceptions. The authors of this book explore the scope of the reforms that have been enacted in a diverse group of countries, their impact on  More >

Charles A. Dainoff, Robert M. Farley, and Geoffrey F. Williams

"The sinews of war," posited Cicero, "are infinite money." Can the same be said of security? Tackling this thought-provoking question, the authors of Waging War with Gold show how states across the centuries have weaponized the global finance domain—a constellation of economic, legal, and monetary relations—in order to exert influence and pursue national interests.  More >

Samson Abebe Bezabeh

Wedged between Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia, at the intersection of the world’s busiest shipping routes, Djibouti has long been a global geostrategic hub. Samson Bezabeh traces the tortuous political history of this tiny country since its independence from France in 1977. Bezabeh challenges much conventional wisdom as he dissects Djibouti's trials and tribulations. Focusing on the  More >

John T. Hanley, Jr.

The US Navy is the most formidable naval force in the world—yet, it seems ill-suited to face today's challenges, especially the rise of China's maritime power. What explains this paradox? Looking for answers, John Hanley explores how the navy has negotiated its place in the broad national security establishment, especially in the decades since World War II. Hanley is particularly  More >

Netina Tan and Kharis Templeman, editors

What causes widespread abuse of the electoral process? How do political elites choose and weigh the relative costs and benefits of differing kinds of electoral manipulation? How and why have patterns of electoral conduct changed over time? The authors of Electoral Malpractice in Asia answer these questions and more as they systematically compare the quality of elections across eleven  More >