Asia in Focus: The Koreas is the most complete, accessible, and up-to-date resource available on both North Korea and South Korea. Asia in Focus: The Koreas presents an authoritative and unprecedented look at the contrasts and similarities between the history, geography, politics, economy, culture, and society of North Korea and South Korea. It offers a wealth of new insights into North Korean life, as well as extensive explorations of Korean music, arts, language, cuisine, and popular culture, including the "Korean wave," which began with the export of Korean television dramas to other parts of Asia and has spread South Korean culture around the world. Also included are sections on women's history and roles, class and ethnicity, and a wide range of contemporary issues. For a deeper understanding of one of the most closely watched regions of the globe, this volume is a must. Six contributing scholars with considerable experience and expertise conveying a deep understanding and appreciation for Korean culture 100 photographs, including many from author Mary Connor's travels to North and South Korea, as well as a complete compilation of maps

This book asks why socially innovative initiatives, including attempts to rejuvenate democracy by introducing new modes of participation, are not leading to a democratization of the State or overcoming the gap between political leaders and people. It offers a vivid and thought-provoking conversation on why we are at such an impasse and explores concrete possibilities for change. Offering insights on the failures of modern democracies from three leading voices of contemporary social science, the book interrogates the possibilities of progressive socio-political agendas, strategies, and movements seeking to overcome these failures. It highlights examples of bottom-linked forms of governance that provide signs of positive change and focuses on the essential role that progressive institutions play in enabling socio-political transformation. It also analyses how processes of self-emancipation driven by social innovation and political mobilization movements represent the most promising form of political engagement today. Students and scholars of social innovation and governance will find this to be an invigorating read. It will also be helpful to politicians and government officials seeking to understand, respond to, and explore efforts towards democratizing political change.

Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business and law, expertly written by the world's leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas. Highlighting the power of multi-dimensional demography, this Advanced Introduction addresses the most consequential changes in our societies and economies using quantitative approaches. It defines three demographic theories with predictive power - demographic metabolism, transition and dividend - and repositions the discipline at the heart of social science. Key features include: Discussion of alternative demographic scenarios in the context of sustainable development Introduction of national human resource management as the population policy for the 21st century An outline of how the significant demographic theories discussed form the building blocks of a Unified Demographic Theory An argument for cognitive changes as the primary driver of demographic transition rather than changing economic conditions, demonstrated by the impact of changing educational attainment structures. This Advanced Introduction is a must-read for demographers around the globe for its concise summary of the concepts, theories and power of multi-dimensional demography, as well as students of demography at all levels. It will also be useful to academics in other social sciences, including human geography, development studies and sociology scholars interested in what state-of-the-art demography has to offer their fields.

Addressing one of the most pressing environmental issues, this topical book carefully inspects the current extent of the plastic pollution crisis and observes contemporary approaches to its regulation. By adopting a strong interdisciplinary approach, the book fully encapsulates the key challenges and solutions surrounding this globally applicable problem. Through critical analysis, this insightful book methodically identifies the faults in existing efforts to tackle the problem of plastic pollution such as often-fragmented regulation tactics, proposing potential approaches to policy reform. It utilises stakeholder analysis to offer a study of key participants such as governments and industries and comprehensively surveys the ongoing nature of this provocative issue. This comprehensive book will be crucial for students and scholars of law, economics, politics, and environmental studies endeavouring to further understand the multi dimensional issue of global plastic pollution. It will additionally be valuable for policy and decision-makers seeking to understand the challenges involved in environmental policy regulation.

This significant book addresses the most important legal issues that cities face when attempting to adapt to the changing climate. This includes how to become more resilient against the impacts of climate change such as sea level rise, increases in the intensity and frequency of storms, floods, droughts, and extreme temperatures. A range of expert contributors are brought together to assess the current state of climate change law and policy at the city level, featuring analysis of key legal instruments that can help urban societies adapt to, and cope with, the changing climate. Chapters contain comparative assessments of urban climate change policies in cities across the world, in both developed and developing countries, including Ghana, South Africa, Indonesia, the Netherlands and the US. Additionally, the book analyses legal approaches, relying on planning law and other legal instruments in the hands of city governments, which can aid in combating specific problems such as the urban heat island effect. Providing an up-to-date analysis of climate change adaptation and mitigation law at the level of cities, Urban Climate Resilience will be a key resource for academics and students of environmental law, public international law, urban planning and sustainability. The lessons for future policies and laws to create more climate resilient cities will also be useful for local policymakers, regulators and city government officials working on climate change at the local level.

Renewable energy technologies produce many measurable benefits, such as a clear reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. However, it is also apparent that these methods of energy production come with costs. Discussing renewable energy developments within an economic context, this pertinent Handbook provides a comprehensive view of the present and future dimensions of renewable energy use. Divided into six authoritative parts, the Handbook employs economic evaluation to provide an analysis of the benefits and costs of renewable energy, allowing authors to extrapolate potential policy changes. Chapters address the conceptual, methodological and empirical dimensions of renewable energy, providing a broad coverage of key topics while maintaining a clear policy-oriented philosophy. With a structured application of energy economics to renewable energy issues, this enlightening Handbook will be beneficial for environmental and energy policy makers. It will also be an interesting read for academics within such fields as policy regulation, energy economics and environmental economics.

His father, an Irishman, was on the run from the "Brits". He took refuge in Jersey C.I. where Desmond was born. The family left the island when he was four, but retained strong ties and family to this very day. After the tragic deaths of his two young brothers at 17 and 27 he was reminded that you only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough. From humble beginnings as a butcher in Birmingham, he made himself into a relatively small but successful businessman, with a chain of shops and houses to rent. He took life by the scruff of the neck and lived a playboy life of booze, women and fast cars. He has dived the oceans of the world, travelled to all the places he ever wanted to see and ticked all his boxes. Retiring from business at 49, he turned to a new life of songwriting, TV plays and a successful trilogy of Jack Reec novels. Once asked, "Is there anything you haven't done?" Thoughtfully he replied, "Well if there is, it's because I didn't want to do it". Share the ride with him, on an exciting journey to far flung exotic locations in this hugely readable and amusingly written autobiography.

The first edition of Spatial Divisions of Labour rapidly became a classic. It had enormous influence on thinking about uneven development, the nature of economic space, and the conceptualisation of place arguing for an approach embedding all these issues in a notion of spatialised social relations. This second edition includes a new first chapter and an extensive additional concluding essay addressing key issues in the debates and controversies which followed initial publication.

In this timely Handbook, people emerge at the centre of city and regional development debates from the perspective of leadership. It explores individuals and communities, not only as units that underpin aggregate measures or elements within systems, but as deliberative actors with ambitions, desires, strategies and objectives Deepening the scholarly debate on leadership in cities and regions, the Handbook combines theoretical discussion and empirical evidence within methodological development to present a state-of-the-art view of a rapidly emerging field of study, highlighting paths for future research. Chapters explore power, politics, policy-making, social corporate responsibility and international city diplomacy through the lens of leadership, covering leadership in different countries from a broad range of theoretical perspectives. This Handbook is a valuable resource for academics and students of regional studies, human and economic geography, and policy studies. The conceptual discussion and case studies from different parts of the world will provide valuable examples for scholars, policy-makers and practitioners seeking a better understanding of what it takes to mobilise and co-ordinate complex multi-actor constellations for improvement of their respective places.

The world food situation is deteriorating. Grain stocks have dropped to a dangerously low level. The World Food Price Index has doubled in one decade. The ranks of the hungry are expanding; political unrest is spreading. On the demand side of the food equation, there will be 219,000 people at the dinner table tonight who were not there last night. And some 3 billion increasingly affluent people are moving up the food chain, consuming grain-intensive livestock and poultry products. At the same time, water shortages and heat waves are making it more difficult for farmers to keep pace with demand. As grain-exporting countries ban exports to keep their food prices down, importing countries are panicking. In response, they are buying large tracts of land in other countries to grow food for themselves. The land rush is on. Could food become the weak link for us as it was for so many earlier civilizations? Lester Brown, one of the leading environmentalists of our time, explains why world food supplies are tightening and tells what we need to do about it.

Brahana Selassie is a product of the African-Caribbean Diaspora from Grenada. As a young man of twenty in 1975, he discovered and then became a convert to the unique ancient multi-layered world of Ethiopia's ancient Nile Valley civilisation. He then immersed himself in studying its origins and continuity into the 20th century. Two out of an unbroken chain of precious pearls he discovered from his studies are: * Ethiopia's possession of the cradle for the scientific study of the origins of the human race in its section of Africa's Great Rift Valley in the Afar Triangle. * Its rich biblical faith and life heritage, associated with the sacred ancestral family unit of Abraham, Sarah and Hagar that gave birth to three of the major living religions of the world: Judaism, Christianity, Islam. Receiving the Ethiopian Orthodox Priesthood in 1980, Brahana Selassie has matured into a multi-skilled communicator involved with various dialogue partners, in which he has shared chosen topical subject areas of Ethiopia's wealthy galaxy of precious and unique mystical treasures, as it relates to Africa's people on the continent, in its diaspora, and with the international community of scholars.

This thought-provoking Research Handbook offers a critical survey of the law and governance issues facing the world's oceans and coasts in this era of Anthropocentric climate change. It discusses the biophysical impacts that climate change is having upon our oceans and coasts, as well as the various ways that international, national and sub-national laws have sought to respond. With contributions from scientists and lawyers, this comprehensive Research Handbook provides cutting edge analysis of the marine governance responses to climate change and how this will need to adapt in a rapidly changing world. It reflects on the interaction of climate change with regional marine governance regimes and analyses the likely impacts on maritime and national security. Illustrating the up-to-date treatment of interactions between climate and oceans regimes, this incisive Research Handbook examines the possible adaptation options to address specific issues for our oceans and coasts. The Research Handbook on Climate Change, Oceans and Coasts will be a key resource for students, scholars and practitioners of climate change, water law and environmental law and policy, while also being of benefit to researchers in the cross-cutting fields of human rights and disaster law.

Discover the astonishing truth about our aquatic cousins: how they think and what they know, their experiences and unique behaviours, and the many things we have in common. There are 33,000 species of fish on our planet, and that number is constantly increasing. In context, that is more than all the species of mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles added together, making fish the most numerous vertebrates on our planet. Waters worldwide are teeming with these elusive creatures, but how much do we really know about them? Grouped into thematic chapters - including the Dangerous and Deadly,Unusual Giants and Mini Marvels - in this comprehensive book biologist Doug Mackay-Hope profiles the secret lives of 50 of our most interesting underwater cousins in an insightful and myth-busting study, complete with charming watercolour diagrams and expert insights. Learn about the White-Spotted Pufferfish, whose spines hide a deadly toxin, or the Ocellate River Stingray, who lurks in the rivers of South America and who can kill with just one touch of it's barbed stinger. Meet Bargibant's Pygmy Seahorse, who measures just 2cm in length, as well as the enourmous Whale Shark, which grows to around 13m in length. Be fascinated by the wierd creatures of the deep ocean, such as the Peter's Elephantnosed Fish or the kaleidescopic Picasso's Triggerfish. With a foreword by Jeremy Wade, presenter of River Monsters and Mighty Rivers, and official fish aficionado, this book is a complete compendium of fascinating fish facts, with maps showing where in the globe they can be found, plus facts on how they live, hunt and escape predators. Beautiful illustrations and photographs accompany each entry, as well as interesting facts on how they evolved to adapt tochanging environments, making this book the perfect guide to all things aquatic.

Groundwater amounts to 97% of available global freshwater resources. Emphasising the crucial importance of this in the context of increasing population, climate change and the overall global water crisis, Francesco Sindico offers a comprehensive study of the emerging body of international law applicable to transboundary aquifers. Adopting a scenario-based approach, this much-needed book analyses a diverse set of transboundary aquifer agreements and arrangements. With just a handful of such agreements and arrangements around the world, it demonstrates how identifying a normative roadmap for countries that want to begin jointly managing a transboundary aquifer is of paramount importance. Offering an in-depth exploration into the ILC Draft Articles on the Law of Transboundary Aquifers, it provides insight into how this body of law is evolving, and discusses its relation to customary international law. Academics and researchers interested in international water law, environmental law and public international law more widely will find this a unique and compelling work, whilst the book’s practical approach will also make it a useful tool for transboundary aquifer professionals and wider stakeholders working in governments and public bodies dealing with water management around the world.

Nature-based tourism (NBT) is a sector where entrepreneurial success is highly knowledge-driven. This insightful book offers a comprehensive evaluation of NBT in a Nordic context, highlighting how long-established Nordic traditions of outdoor recreation practices can reveal lessons for the field more broadly. Featuring contributions from expert scholars, Nordic Perspectives on Nature-Based Tourism examines the links between place-based resources and value-added experiences. It considers the way in which NBT calls for an integrated approach to manage resources for both outdoor recreation and the development of commercial experience products. Chapters explore Nordic and international perspectives, local communities, market dynamics, firms, creativity, innovations and value-added experience products. Undergraduate and graduate students and scholars in tourism and related fields such as geography, planning, hospitality, outdoor recreation and natural resource management will find the knowledge and understanding gained from the book invaluable. It will also prove useful for policymakers, entrepreneurs and volunteers.

'The Handbook of Diverse Economies offers a rich, beautiful, organic garden of ideas to nourish the project of ''doing economy'' differently. These sprouts and vines will, eventually, alter the institutional structures we inhabit.' - Nancy Folbre, University of Massachusetts Amherst, US 'Let us forget, just for a moment, ''capitalism'' and instead investigate the diversity of new forms of economic activities that are flourishing everywhere: this is the essential, energizing, message of J. K. Gibson-Graham, Kelly Dombroski and her colleagues. This innovative book must be absolutely put into all hands. It takes us on a long and rewarding journey around the world to explore ongoing experiences that all attempt to invent new ways of living together.' - Michel Callon, Centre de Socologie de l'Innnovation, Mines ParisTech, France Theorising and illustrating diverse, more-than-capitalist economies, this broad-ranging Handbook presents ways in which it is possible to imagine and enact other ways of being. It gathers together empirical examples of diverse economic practices and experiments from across the world, framed by in-depth discussions of key theoretical concepts. Organised into thematic sections, the Handbook moves from looking at diverse forms of enterprise, to labour, transactions, property, and finance as well as decentred subjectivity and diverse economies methodology. Chapters present a wide diversity of economic practices that make up contemporary economies, many of which are ignored or devalued by mainstream economic theory. Pushing the boundaries of economic thinking to include more than human labour and human/non-human interdependence, it highlights the challenges of enacting ethical economies in the face of dominant ways of thinking and being. Economic geography, political economy and development studies scholars will greatly appreciate the empirical examples of diverse economic practices blended with theory throughout the Handbook. It will also benefit policy-makers and practitioners working within diverse economies, or looking to create more ethical ways of living.

Elgar Research Agendas outline the future of research in a given area. Leading scholars are given the space to explore their subject in provocative ways, and map out the potential directions of travel. They are relevant but also visionary. Offering a new theoretical framework for understanding gentrification and displacement, this timely Research Agenda focuses on resistance as the central research area in this subject field. Arguing that the future of gentrification research should focus on accomplishing the end of gentrification, chapters provide practical organizing and policy strategies using international case studies which are rooted in community-based research. Encouraging researchers to find inspiration in new methods, sites and questions for exploring resistance, this Research Agenda seeks to empower communities and cities to reclaim urban life and city space for people by examining key issues such as housing insecurity and lived reality versus policy and practice. Graduate students and researchers of geography, urban planning and urban sociology will find the use of case studies informative and thought-provoking. The suggested practical strategies will also be beneficial for urban planners and policymakers to fight displacement and slow gentrification.

Economic issues arise in almost every water policy context. Water is of most concern when scarce, but physical scarcity is often overcome as human beings move water from place to place, sometimes creating monumental structures. The roles that cost and economic value play in water resource allocation are implicit, but often poorly understood. This second edition clarifies the role of economics and offers material that can be applied to water resource allocation problems around the world. Topics covered include: groundwater, floods and droughts, in situ uses of water, and institutions and law. New to the book is an exploration of water issues outside the United States as well as a new application of behavioral and experimental economics to the topic. A concise introduction to issues of water quality and quantity in both urban and agricultural settings, Water Resource Economics and Policy will be a valuable resource or text for students and researchers in the fields of agricultural economics, geography, law, and hydrology. Those involved in water resource agencies and private utilities will also find the book a useful reference. Acclaim for the first edition: 'This textbook is written for first-year graduate students and senior level undergraduates in economics. ... Graduate students in geography, water resources, and environmental management should also be interested. The well-done helpful diagrams and charts are those expected for a textbook in economics at this level. In every chapter many interesting real-world examples illustrate the concept being discussed. Some chapters have easy-to-read case studies set off from the text. ... I plan on keeping this excellent book as a shelf reference and would willingly adopt it for a class in water resource economics.' - Donald E. Agthe, Journal of the American Water Resources Association 'This is a much-needed book, which introduces the interested reader to the economics of water resource allocation, and analyzes relevant policy issues derived from all over the world. To the best of my knowledge, this is the first book which is focused on communicating the basic economic concepts that govern water resources allocation. ... The lively writing style of W. Douglass Shaw, which is enriched with excellent examples and case studies from various countries, makes this book an obvious choice for a textbook in relevant courses ... this excellent book should be a compulsory reading for all of us who work in the field of water resources management.' - Phoebe Koundouri, Ecological Economics

Fifty years after the Stockholm Conference first placed the environment on the international development agenda, this Handbook continues the debate. The Handbook discusses both the profound environmental and theoretical critique against development as modernization and economic growth, and how perspectives on nature have changed from an infinite resource to a fragile subject. Weighing up the successes and failures linked to environmental concerns in development and environment policy and practice, it recognizes the roots of international development as a Western project linked to the expansion of an environmentally destructive capitalism. Through active dialogue across geographical areas, disciplines and epistemologies, chapters critically assess current perspectives on the topic, including decolonialism, degrowth and post-development. Grounded in recent research on topics such as agriculture, fisheries, infrastructure, forest protection, supply chain management, climate negotiations and the renewable transition, the Handbook integrates a range of different viewpoints on international development and the environment to provide a fresh take on this contentious relationship. With an international scope, this expansive Handbook will be integral reading for students and scholars of development and the environment. It will also be a beneficial read for practitioners working in international organizations and development agencies.

Arguing that traditional approaches to planning are insufficient to address the complexities of transforming cities and regions in contemporary society, this innovative book makes the case for training planners in new and creative ways as coordinators, enablers and facilitators. An international range of teaching case studies offer a wide and distinctive set of ideas for the future of planning education along with practical tips to assist in adapting pedagogical approaches to various institutional settings. Additionally, the book promotes a stimulating interdisciplinary dialogue with contributions by leading educational specialists that situate the new and emergent approaches in planning education within the context of urban and regional challenges and the broader framework of contemporary pedagogical debates. This original book will be a valuable resource for academic scholars in urban, regional and spatial planning, and all those concerned with the future of higher education in relevant subjects. Chapters provide food for thought on making responsible choices while training planning professionals to act in a socially responsible manner and to support communities to think, design and deliver change in qualified ways.