This book brings together studies of Americanization and American imperialism to assess how far the twentieth century can be seen as the "American Century." The collection comprises new contributions exploring the "geographic dialogues" that arise as the result of the projection of American power and culture in the world. The book provides a critical evaluation of the extent of the diffusion and adoption of the "American way of life" and the very concept of "America" itself.

The contributors focus on the effects of the projection of American society from the perspective of the "receivers," both as beneficiaries and as victims. The sections examine three main forms of American power: economic, political and cultural. Topics covered include the role of US corporations; financial power; overseas service investments; American promotion of democracy; the Cold War and the Third World; Hollywood and the American dream; global Disney; the globalization of media; and the influence of American music. The book concludes by looking forward to ask if we are entering a second American century.

Contents:
Background to the region: * Leading authorities on the region analyse topics of regional importance including organized crime, the environment and the politics of energy
Country Surveys: * Individual chapters on each country containing - Articles on physical and social geography; a chronology; invaluable names, addresses, e-mail and internet addresses and further background information on the Constitution, national and local government, diplomatic representation, the judicial system, religion, the press, publishers, broadcasting and communications, finance, trade and industry, tourism, culture, the environment, education and defence
Political Profiles: * The leding figures are highlighted, with details of their lives, achievements and current positions
Regional Organizations * Details of membership, structure and activities of the principal organizations operating in the region
Research Institutes, Periodicals and a Select Bibliography: * Lists those institutes, periodicals and books specializing in regional issues.

Presents text, statistics and directory information on the geography, recent history and economy of the Western European countries and territories.
Key features include:
* Contributions from acknowledged experts
* Includes a definitive factual and statistical survey of each country
* Over 700 pages of impartial data.
General Survey
* Introductory essays written by acknowledged experts cover issues or regional importance, such as: The European Union Towards 2004; Europe's Defence Arrangements; The Politics of Immigration and Asylum in Western Europe; European Monetary Union and Western Europe and the Developing World.
Country Surveys
* A separate chapter for every country in the region providing details of geography, recent history and the economy; a demographic and economic survey using the latest available statistics on finance, industry, agriculture, trade, population, education, transport and tourism; a directory of essential names, addresses, contact numbers, e-mail and internet addresses, for key areas such as, the constitution, government and politics, diplomatic representation, the judicial system, religion, the press, publishers, broadcasting and communications, finance, trade and industry, transport and tourism; a select bibliography is also included.

This is the only scholarly study of Arab historiography. It covers the period from 1820 and is a major contribution both to the study of Arab historiography and to our understanding of modern Arab thought.

This revised and updated thirty-second edition provides a complete survey of the region including:
* Over 1,300 pages of economic and demographic statistics, wide-ranging directory material and authoritative articles
* Contributions from over 50 leading experts on African affairs
* Incisive analysis of the latest available information.
General Survey
* New and revised analytical articles covering the issues affecting the area as a whole including: Reforming Africa: Continuities and Changes; Economic Trends in Africa South of the Sahara; The Privatization of Security in Sub-Saharan Africa and European Colonial Rule in Africa.
Country Surveys
Individual chapters on every country containing:
* Introductory Survey - essays on area and population, agriculture, forestry, livestock, industry, finance, trade, transport, education and the media
* Directory - names, addresses and contact numbers for key areas such as the Constitution, government, legislature, judiciary, political organizations, trade, industry and tourism
* Statistics - covering population, agriculture, forestry, industry, finance, education and the media. Plus a select bibliography.
Regional Information
* Detailed information on the following: regional organizations; major commodities; calendars, time reckoning, and weights and measures; research institutes and a select periodicals bibliography.

Key Features:
* Covers the Middle East and North Africa from Algeria to Yemen
* Offers quick access to a wide range of data
* Accurately and impartially records the latest political and economic developments
* Provides comprehensive data on all major organizations in the region.
General Survey
* Introductory essays covering topics relating to the region as a whole including: Arab-Israeli Relations; The Jerusalem Issue; Documents on Palestine; Iraq, Sanctions and the 'War Against Terror'; Natural Gas in the Middle East and Islamic Banking and Finance.
Country Surveys
* Individual chapters on each country containing: articles on geography, recent history and economy; an economic and demographic survey using all the latest available statistics on population, agriculture, industry, finance, trade, transport, tourism, and education; directory sections with names, addresses and contact numbers covering the constitution, government, legislature, judiciary, political organizations, diplomatic representation, religious groups, the media, finance, trade and industry (including petroleum), and tourism.
Regional Information
* Includes all major international organizations active in the region, their aims, activities, publications and principal personnel
* Research Institutes specializing in the region
* Bibliographies of books and periodicals covering the Middle East and North Africa.

This book provides a detailed cross-country study of the automotive industry in South East Asia. Abbott argues that, contrary to prevailing opinion, the diffusion of manufacturing in the Asia-Pacific has been characterized by hierarchical networks of production linked to Japan for technology.

eBook available with sample pages: 0203166779

An unrivalled survey on the countries and territories of this immense region. * Over 900 pages of in-depth analysis, up-to-date statistics and invalauble directory details * Includes contributions from acknowledged authorities who examine topics of regional importance. General Survey * Issues of regional importance are examined by acknowledged authorities of the area, subjects covered include: General Issues in Latin American Economies; Combating Money-Laundering in the Caribbean; Building New Relations in North America; Terrorism and the War Against Drugs and Indigenous People in Latin America in the 21st Century. Country Surveys * Individual chapters on each country containing: articles on geography, recent history and economy; an economic and demographic survey using all the latest available statistics on population, agriculture, industry, finance, trade, transport, tourism, and education; directory sections with names, addresses and contact numbers covering the constitution, government, legislature, judiciary, political organizations, diplomatic representation, religious groups, the media, finance, trade and industry, and tourism * New for this edition: expanded coverage of The Caribbean Islands. Regional Information * Detailed information on the following: regional organizations; major commodities; research institutes; a select periodicals bibliography and a select books bibliography.

A comprehensive survey of all the countries and territories of Central and South-Eastern Europe, presenting the latest economic and political developments.
* Includes expert comment on issues of regional importance, up-to-date statistics, a directory of institutes and companies and political profiles
* Provides an impartial and current perspective on economic and political developments
* Over 750 pages of authoritative analysis, current statistics, directory data and biographical details.
General Survey
* Leading authorities on the area analyse topics of regional interest. Subjects covered include: Central and South-Eastern European Economies; Minorities in Central and South-Eastern Europe; The Baltic Sea Region; The Macedonian Question and The Former Yugoslavia After Milosevic.
Country Surveys
* Detailed individual chapters for each country that include a description of physical and social geography; a chronology; essays on the history and economy; a statistical survey; and a directory of names and addresses and background information covering the constitution, national and local government, political organizations, the judicial system, religion, the press, finance, trade and industry etc.
Political Profiles
* Biographical details on the leading figures in the region.
Regional Information
* Detailed information on the following: regional organizations; research institutes; a select periodicals bibliography and a select books bibliography.

This new edition of An Economic History of Early Modern India extends the timespan of the analysis to incorporate further research. This allows for a more detailed discussion of the rise of the British Empire in South Asia and gives a fuller context for the historiography. In the years between the death of the emperor Aurangzeb (1707) and the Great Rebellion (1857), the Mughal Empire and the states that rose from its ashes declined in wealth and power, and a British Empire emerged in South Asia. This book asks three key questions about the transition. Why did it happen? What did it mean? How did it shape economic change? The book shows that during these years, a merchant-friendly regime among warlord-ruled states emerged and state structure transformed to allow taxes and military capacity to be held by one central power, the British East India Company. The author demonstrates that the fall of warlord-ruled states and the empowerment of the merchant, in consequence, shaped the course of Indian and world economic history. Reconstructing South Asia's transition, starting with the Mughal Empire's collapse and ending with the great rebellion of 1857, this book is the first systematic account of the economic history of early modern India. It is an essential reference for students and scholars of Economics and South Asian History.

The research presented in this book explores the formation of the middle class in contemporary urban China. Including case studies on middle-class professionals living in Beijing, this book analyses how social and economic changes to Chinese society create a middle-class lifestyle and new forms of distinction with a particular focus on the social construction of identity. Looking through the lens of individuals' perception of life trajectories and ideological taxonomies generated within the framework of post-Maoist China, the book uncovers the role that the Chinese middle-class play in a state-sponsored discourse and where the distinctions identifying the middle-class lifestyle produce inequality, transfer privilege, and disadvantage in contemporary urban China. It goes on to question hegemonic discourses on class, arguing that a middle-class identity is progressively constructed in urban China not only though consumption practices, but through the experience of non-individualistic activities in both the public and private spheres. Analyzing how social distinctions are performed contributes to the understanding of the Chinese middle-class pre-pandemic, as well as the continual challenges this social group shall face in the years to come. As such, this is a must read for those interested in the Chinese middle-class, Chinese politics, and gender studies.

Contents:
1. Introduction 2. European Citizenship 3. The Nation-Sate in Europe 4. Nationalism in Europe 5. Regions in Europe and a 'Europe of the Regions' 6. Migration and Asylum-Seeking in Europe 7. Human Rights - the European Experience 8. 'Europe' and European Identity 9. European Nation-States: integration and institutions 10. The enlargement of the European Union 11. European Nation-States and Globalisation

Contents:
1. Introduction 2. European Citizenship 3. The Nation-Sate in Europe 4. Nationalism in Europe 5. Regions in Europe and a 'Europe of the Regions' 6. Migration and Asylum-Seeking in Europe 7. Human Rights - the European Experience 8. 'Europe' and European Identity 9. European Nation-States: integration and institutions 10. The enlargement of the European Union 11. European Nation-States and Globalisation

The policy framework advocated by Minford et al. . . . is grounded in economic theory and an incisive empirical analysis of the costs of UK's membership of the EU. Their thesis that the EU is a political union practising economic protectionism in the guise of gradualism towards free trade makes sense. . . . Minford and his associates' analysis suggests that the EU's policy framework of free trade for members but restrictions on trade of non-members with the EU countries is a second best policy adopted to promote political rather than economic objectives.' - V.N. Balasubramanyam, Lancaster University, UK'The EU got the Nobel Prize for Peace in 2012, but such an award is not forthcoming for economics. In fact, the EU faces a stern public discontent throughout Europe. For years EU leaders have been unable to agree on almost anything. The eurozone's toxic monetary embrace is a colossal failure that has provoked misery in most of the participating countries and, worst of all, suffocated the hopes of prosperity for many years to come. The EU is no longer a venture that inspires people to run on barricades to defend it. Should Britain be a part of the crumbling EU project? This book provides a timely and documented answer. It is highly recommended reading.' - Miroslav N. Jovanovi , University of Geneva, Switzerland 'Much too much of the debate about the UK's relationship with the European Union relies upon general declarations unsupported by facts and assertions and claims not substantiated by evidence. This is why we need so badly the careful quantitative analysis provided by Patrick Minford and his colleagues. The UK electorate will have a momentous decision to take when the EU referendum takes place. History and emotions will be important, but getting the facts straight is even more vital.' - John Mills, Founder and Chairman of JML and Co-Chairman of Business for Britain 'Patrick Minford and his team have performed a hugely valuable service by quantifying the costs of Britain's EU membership. In particular, they show that Britain pays too much for too high a proportion of its imports. The EU's protectionism in its trade with the rest of the world costs Britain a significant slice of its national output. Their demonstration of this vital point is thought-provoking and sophisticated, and greatly strengthens the case for the UK to leave the EU.' - Tim Congdon, CBE, International Monetary Research Ltd Placed in the context of the upcoming referendum, this second edition brings up to date a thorough review of all economic aspects of the UK's membership of the EU. It notes the intention of the EU to move to 'ever closer union' and the nature of the regulatory and general economic philosophy of its dominant members, whose position is enforced by qualified majority voting. The book highlights the UK s dilemma that, while extending free markets to its local region is attractive, this European philosophy and closer union are substantially at odds with the UK's traditions of free markets and freedom under the common law. This comprehensive examination of the economic costs and benefits of membership uses state-of-the-art modeling methods and includes estimates of its net costs as a percentage of GDP. The book explains how the decision to leave would follow from a judgement on the political economy of the EU as compared with that of the UK. It details the misconceptions involved in much of the debate about trade with the EU, and argues that the key issue is not access to markets but rather the prices at which trade takes place. Covered in careful detail is the economics of the UK's trade with the EU in the key sectors of agriculture, manufacturing, and services.

This collection of essays presents 15 case studies of African countries whose recent past has been shaped by conflict. It examines the historical roots of violence and the potential for reconciliation and justice. It offers the chance to learn about the experiences of communities and nations that are struggling to build a peaceful, prosperous future.

This book explores and assesses the multiple levels at which linguistic policies can be challenged, devised and enacted, i.e. sub-national, national and supranational, and the variety of state and non-state actors involved. Moving beyond descriptive and normative approaches, it provides an empirical comparative assessment of the policy responses and strategies deployed to deal with linguistic diversity and conflicts in Spain, a country where almost one third of the population is at least bilingual in their own languages. The Spanish case is then assessed within the European context, both from the perspective of multilevel influence and mutual interaction, and from the learning experiences it may entail for similar or equivalent problems and disputes occurring at the European level or beyond. This text will be of key interest to scholars and students of Spanish politics, linguistics, identity politics and more broadly of European politics and governance, public policy, education and communication policy and comparative politics.

This book analyses and explains the nature of the economies of small countries and territories. It includes an assessment of material prosperity in 41 small open economies worldwide, with case studies focusing on the Caribbean and Central America, with a review of the development of their economies in recent decades. The volume recommends a suite of economic policy tools for the management of these economies, demonstrating how these may best be employed in economies that live and breathe through international commerce. Among observations of interest is the fact that the devaluation of the local currency of a small nation makes the country worse off; even a currency that maintains its value is little more than a trophy, of little value if it is not readily convertible into US dollars. Also, that while government policies affect international competitiveness and a small country's growth prospects, more important is how governments use additional resources to improve the quality of health and educational services. Moreover, economic windfalls such as the discovery of mineral resources seldom bring prosperity commensurate with their economic value, and never in the short run. The volume will offer invaluable information and analysis to researchers and policy makers investigating small open economies.

This book explores Palestinian women's views of popular resistance in the West Bank and examines factors shaping the nature and extent of their involvement. Despite the signing of the Oslo peace accords in 1993 and 1995, the Occupied Palestinian Territories in the contemporary period have experienced tightened Israeli occupational control and worsening political, humanitarian, security, and economic conditions. Based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted with women in the West Bank, this book looks at how Palestinian women in the post-Oslo period perceive, negotiate, and enact resistance. It demonstrates that, far from being 'apathetic', as some observers have charged, Palestinian women remain deeply committed to the goals of national liberation and wish to contribute to an effective popular resistance movement. Yet many Palestinian women feel alienated from prevailing forms of collective popular resistance in the OPT due to the low levels of legitimacy they accord them. This alienation has been made stark by the gendered and intersecting impacts of expanding settler-colonialism, tightening spatial control, a professionalised and depoliticised civil society, reinforced patriarchal constraints, Israeli and Palestinian Authority (PA) repression and violence, and a deteriorating economy - all of which have raised the barriers Palestinian women face to active participation. Undertaking a gendered analysis of conflict and resistance, this volume highlights significant changes over the course of a long-running resistance movement. Readers interested in gender and women's studies, the Arab-Israel conflict and Middle East politics will find the study beneficial.

This book looks at China's May Fourth Movement and how it has been contextualized in modern Chinese history. Tracing the roots of the movement and of modern Chinese literary and intellectual traditions it analyses how it transformed ideas, culture and social practices in the country. The volume presents a critical in-depth study of the May Fourth Movement from interdisciplinary perspectives. With essays written by scholars and experts from India, China and the West, it discusses concepts and themes such as nationalism; the citizen and revolutionary morality in the late Qing dynasty as well as Lu Xun's struggle with the aporetic temporalities of capitalist modernity; the May Fourth spirit and the Communist Party of China; the birth of the 'New Woman'; and the literature, cinema and art produced during the movement. It also examines how the waves created by the movement in Chinese culture and society continue to influence and shape events and thoughts in contemporary times. This book will be of interest to scholars and researchers of Chinese Studies, Chinese history, Asian Studies, Asian history, Political history, and cultural history.

This book demonstrates how particular values and 'notions of leadership', which underpinned traditional Malay leadership, have played a crucial role in the political evolution of the modern Malaysian nation. The author discusses the nature of Malay 'notions of leadership', and considers this throughout the Malay world at the local as well as at the national level, and goes on to describe and analyse leadership from pre-independence leadership in the colonial period through the rule of Malaysia's four prime ministers. He draws on anthropology, psychology, and political and economic history to show how Malay leaders have kept within the established track of the Malay value system, responding in particular to the expectation of their people to provide a sense of national identity and unity against the complex background of the Malaysian 'mosaic', while addressing the needs of the wider multi-ethnic community.

This book demonstrates the fragility of democratic norms and institutions, and the allure of fascist politics within the Trump era. The chapters consider the antagonistic cultural practices through which divergent political machinations, including white (patriarchal) nationalism, are staged, and examine the corresponding policies and governing practices that threaten the civil rights, security, and wellbeing of racialized minorities, immigrants, women, and gender nonconforming people. The book contributes to social theory on nation-building by delineating processes of exclusion, intimidation, and violence, with a focus on rhetoric, performance, semiotics, music, affectivity, and the power of media. Various chapters also analyze creative, restorative, and at times unruly practices of community building, which reknit the social fabric with expansive visions of the polity. This anthropology-led volume incorporates contributions from a number of disciplines including sociology, American studies, communication, and Spanish, and will be of interest to scholars across the social sciences and humanities.

Japanese retailing has long been regarded as traditional or even backwards when in reality it has constantly demonstrated its innovation and dynamism. This book highlights these developments by looking at: innovations and underlying driving forces; responses of Japanese retailers to deregulation; increasing competition; changes in consumer behavior; and internationalization during the 1990s. All of these factors are analyzed through a thorough investigation of innovative activity from the 1950s onwards.

Set in different national contexts (Brazil, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Laos, Norway, Thailand) and in different social science disciplines, the chapters of this volume aim at questioning anti-trafficking policies and their practical impact on sex work regulation. Many actors, from media to researchers, from nonprofit organizations to law enforcement agencies, from "experts" to "reality tourists", contribute to produce knowledge on trafficking and sexual exploitation and thus to institutionalize it as a category of thought and action; by naming and framing perpetrators and victims, they make trafficking "come true" as a public problem. The book pays particular attention to the way the international expertise produced by these different actors and institutions on sexual exploitation and sex work impacts local control practices, especially with regard to law enforcement. The fight against trafficking as it gets institutionalized and put into practice then appears as a way to reaffirm a gendered and racialized public order. Building analytical bridges between different national contexts and relying on contextualized fieldwork in different countries, the book is of great interest for academics as well as for practitioners and/or activists working on sex and gender issues and migration policies. Also, it resonates with a broader literature on the construction of public problems in sociology and political science.

A necessary examination of temporality, ethics, and trauma in Israeli film and television since the turn of the millennium. Original analysis of contemporary issues in Israeli media and culture, using feminist theory, queer theory, as well as critical race and postcolonial studies. Clear and nuanced analysis that will be helpful for those interested in trauma and memory studis, postcolonial studies, gende and sexuality studies, Jewish studies, Middle Eastern studies, and cultural studies.

This book examines the multi-layered aspects and the complexities of inclusive development in South Asia based on recent data and using innovative methodology. The book offers an analysis of the existing ground realities in terms of economic and inclusive development, presenting relevant discussion and findings. It discusses lower castes, tribes, religious/ethnic minorities, and other socially vulnerable people, as well as gender, rural-urban, and educational disparities in South Asia, and highlights that all these issues are interrelated. Structured in two parts-Spatial Dimensions, Labour, and Migration, and Social Dimensions and Beyond Inclusion-the chapters present emerging new concepts related to socio-economic and inclusive development and use effective and valid methods and methodology covering the ground realities-based information and secondary data-based analysis. Evaluating the extent to which inclusive development has been realised in South Asia, the contributors explore a new approach towards the concept of 'inclusiveness' by drawing on the experiences of the diverse societies in South Asia. An immensely useful contribution to the analysis of different economic and social issues in different countries in South Asia, focusing on inclusivity, this book will be of interest to researchers working on South Asian Politics and Development Economics.