In the past, posits Christopher Coker, wars were all-encompassing; they were a test not only of individual bravery, but of an entire community's will to survive. In the West today, in contrast, wars are tools of foreign policy, not intrinsic to the values of a society—they are instrumental rather than existential. The clash between these two "cultures of war" can be seen    More >

This ethnographic study of Cape Verde tackles critical development issues: the struggle for self–sufficient food security, the tension between agricultural production and natural resource sustainability, and the appropriate role of government policy in food production and natural resource management. Cape Verde has moved into an ecological imbalance between the sustainable production    More >

Don Barnard's reader's guide plumbs the richness, subtlety, and power of Derek Walcott’s Omeros. Barnard adeptly lays out the major themes of the work, explains Walcott's geographical, historical, and autobiographical references, and explores his use of symbolism. He also highlights the qualities that make Omeros a master class in the use of form, rhythm, and rhyme and    More >

Wangari Maathai (1940-2011), founder of the Green Belt Movement and the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, was a tireless social, environmental, and political activist, as well as an accomplished scholar. A champion of democracy and human rights, she worked tenaciously to dismantle the forces that limit people's access to a dignified life across the Global South and    More >

War and Intervention explains how armed forces, aid agencies, and transitional adminsitrations in war-affected countries have adapted to the changing circumstances of modern war and conflict. It uses a broad range of cases to introduce the reader to the dynamics on the ground. Bhatia's analysis becomes all the more important at a time when the debate continues about the United States's    More >

From the very early stages in the development of international law, the nature of the state-centric international system has dictated that law play second fiddle to the hard realities of power politics. War Crimes and Realpolitik explores the evolution and operation of the international criminal justice system, highlighting the influences of politics.   Maogoto takes the reader behind the    More >

In 1946-1947 the Finance Division of the Office of Military Government (OMGUS)  recommended that Deutsche Bank and Dresdner Bank leaders be tried as war criminals and barred from ever holding positions of importance in German economic and political life. But these recommendations were never implemented, and officials from both banks went on to become key figures in German postwar development.    More >

War crimes typically are discussed in sensational terms or in the dry language of international law. In contrast, David Chuter brings clarity to this complex subject, exploring why atrocities occur and what can be done to identify perpetrators and bring them to justice. Chuter confronts the real horror of the murder, rape, and torture that are subsumed under the dispassionate phrase "serious    More >

  Confronting the corrosive influence that war economies typically have on the prospects for peace in war-torn societies, this study critically analyzes current policy responses and offers a thought-provoking foundation for the development of more effective peacebuilding strategies. The authors focus on the role played by trade in precipitating and fueling conflict, with particular emphasis    More >

Does it make sense for the United States to cooperate with Russia to resolve international security issues? Is it possible for the two countries to work together to reduce the dangers associated with nuclear weapons? Where does Vladimir Putin fit into the calculus? Engaging the debate on these contentious issues, Stephen Cimbala provides context for and policy-relevant analysis of current    More >