Is ASEAN the foundation of a strong regional community in Southeast Asia? Or is it no more than an instrument used by its members to advance their individual interests? Addressing these questions, Shaun Narine offers a comprehensive political analysis of ASEAN from its creation in 1967 through the events of 2001. Reflecting both the accomplishments and the limitations of the organization,    More >

Why would Georgia attack South Ossetia in August 2008, with Russian forces conducting exercises nearby? This remains a puzzle to analysts—on a not inconsiderable list of foreign policy puzzles. Hans Mouritzen and Anders Wivel use the example of the Russo-Georgian war to illustrate and evaluate their original model for explaining foreign policy behavior. The authors apply the model to the    More >

Choice Outstanding Academic Book! What does it take for African countries to achieve political and economic successes? Scholarship on Africa tends to focus on the barriers to reaching desired outcomes. While recognizing that these barriers are very real, Erin Hern takes a contrary, unabashedly optimistic approach: rather than treating countries that perform well as "miracles," she    More >

Bringing together key selections that represent the full range of philosophical debates, policy analyses, and first-hand accounts, the editors offer a comprehensive and accessible set of readings on the major themes and issues in the field of international human rights. The reader has been carefully designed to enhance students' understanding not only of human rights, but also of differing    More >

The causes of violent conflict, as well as approaches to conflict prevention, have been studied extensively, but only recently has attention been given to the subregional dynamics of internal wars. The authors of this original collection explore conflicts in Africa, Central Asia, and Central America, seeking new insights that can provide the foundation for more nuanced, more effective preventive    More >

Did the financial crisis of 2008 and the subsequent recession rearrange the basic structures of the global economy? To answer that fundamental question, the authors of Exploring the Global Financial Crisis tackle a number of related questions: What has happened, for example, to global flows of people, goods, and capital? Will the euro and the dollar persist as global currencies? Can governments    More >

Although Latin American and Caribbean countries have assigned a high priority to increasing exports in recent years—substantially transforming their economies in the process—export performance in most cases remains deficient. This book investigates why this is so, identifying the policies that determine successes and failures in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico. Each country case    More >

In recent years, debates within academic and policymaking circles have gradually shifted—from a Cold War focus on whether democracy constitutes the best form of governance, to the question of whether (and to what degree) international actors should be actively involved in democracy promotion. This book offers the first comprehensive analysis of international efforts to promote democracy    More >

Can restorative justice be effective in cases involving the most serious violent crime? The authors of Facing Violence evaluate pioneering programs in Texas and Ohio that employ mediation/dialogue techniques in homicide, rape, and other cases involving extreme violence. Their findings document the positive impact that these programs have had not only on the lives of victims and offenders, but also    More >

Attempts to transform the Russian Federation into a nation state, a civic state, or a stable imperial state have failed, argues Janusz Bugajski. Paradoxically, though Vladimir Putin assumed power to prevent Russia's disintegration, he may be remembered best for precipitating the country's demise. Bugajski considers the factors contributing to a possible Russian state collapse, among    More >