For many centuries, the mountainous Caucasus region was a strategic backwater, inhabited by insular peoples and tribes, where the raw edges of Christian and Muslim empires rubbed abrasively together. Most of the Caucasus was absorbed into the Russian empire in the 10th century; its 112 recognized nationalities were thus all eventually smothered by the Soviet Union, only to reemerge with a vengeance when the Soviet empire collapsed. In the 1990's, the saga of the Caucasus republics has been one of clashing war-lord militias, coups and international attention of now increasingly focused on the tension, particularly since the discovery of the vast Caspian-Azerbaijan oil fields, reputed to exceed those of Kuwait. A pithy, accessible account of recent developments in Chechnya and Georgia and of the ongoing Armenian-Azerbaujan ethnic conflict, Edgar O'Ballance's latest book is the perfect primer for those hoping to gain a basic understanding of this hot spot region.

Arab messengers played a vital role in the medieval Islamic world and its diplomatic relations with foreign powers. An innovative treatise from the tenth century (Rusul al-Mulik, Messengers of Kings) is perhaps the most important account of the diplomacy of the period, and it is here translated into English for the first time. Rusul al-Mulik draws on examples from the Qur'an and other sources which extend from the period of al- jihiliyya to the time of the Abbasid caliph al-Mu'tasim (218-227/833-842).

In the only medieval Arabic work which exists on the conduct of messengers and their qualifications, the author Ibn al-Farri rejects jihadist policies in favor of quiet diplomacy and a pragmatic outlook of constructive realpolitik. Rusul al-Mulik is an extraordinarily important and original contribution to our understanding of the early Islamic world and the field of International Relations and Diplomatic History.

BROTHERS AT WAR is Jerold S. Auerbach's probing and poignant exploration of the tragedy of the Altalena, the doomed ship whose arrival in Israel ignited Jewish fratricidal conflict only weeks after its declaration of statehood in 1948. The destruction of the Altalena, with sixteen of its fighters killed by Israeli soldiers in a bitter two-day battle, threatened the new nation with civil war. This is the first history of the Altalena by a historian and the first to locate it within the context of ancient Jewish and contemporary Israeli history. The Altalena remains embedded in Israeli memory, Auerbach suggests, still framing unresolved issues of political legitimacy in the Jewish state. Identified as "America's foremost intellectual exponent of right-wing Zionism," Jerold Auerbach is the author of nine books including HEBRON JEWS: MEMORY AND CONFLICT IN THE LAND OF ISRAEL (2009), a history of the world's oldest continuing Jewish community. He is Professor Emeritus of History at Wellesley College.

The Japanese have faithfully preserved their ancient myths as a connected and well ordered system. And as a system, Japanese myths say much about the human condition in the cosmos and about the human place in the cosmic order.

Not until now has a book-length, English-language study been released on Japanese mythology. Drawing on his meticulous research, Asianist Peter Metevelis presents this selection of analytic essays that form a mosaic of themes on the primordial world of Japanese myth, adding a rewarding voice to cultural history and the history of ideas around the world.

Metevelis shows that, contrary to popular belief, Japanese myths have much in common with other myths around the globe, and are mythically, logically, and symbolically equivalent. This suggests that Japanese culture has always resonated with the rest of the world and provides a valuable touchstone for comparative mythologists. The mythic themes Metevelis explores include: Linkage of birth with death Loss of immortality Containment of souls Effect of time on mortals Creation of the cosmos And many more This incomparable volume also includes detailed notes, bibliographies, and appendices to help further your knowledge of Japanese myth. Under Metevelis's expert guidance, you can expand your understanding of the Japanese myth system, its structure, and its principal actors, and immerse yourself in the ancient Japanese mysteries of the cosmos.

A unique, revealing look at the history and contemporary culture of the Philippine Islands and their multicultural and foreign-influenced facets. Interest in the Philippines has grown substantially over recent years. The Philippines: A Global Studies Handbook provides an all-encompassing introduction to the dramatic history of this intriguing nation as well as the contemporary social, political, economic, religious, and artistic life, written for travelers, business people, researchers, students, or general readers. The author, an award-winning professor of Asian studies, explores the effects of centuries of change and continuity on this fascinating, often contradictory land. It is a locals-eye view that gets straight to the heart of the Filipino experience-a cultural tour that measures the profound impact of the islands' Japanese, Spanish, and American conquerors, as well as the influence of Islam, the Marcos regime, and the People Power revolutions that ousted Ferdinand Marcos and, 15 years later, Joseph Estrada. An etiquette section that discusses respect and levels of interaction, first names and surnames, titles of respect, and core values versus surface values Twelve photographs of noteworthy figures such as physician and novelist Jose Rizal, nationalist Andres Bonifacio, and other Filipino heroes

"Israel and its Future" is of interest to anyone engaged in political debates about Israel's current policies. Professor Michael Anbar includes forty essays on different aspects of the Arab-Israeli conflict from a realistic historical perspective. By exploring controversial issues "Israel and its Future" will intrigue anyone who follows this conflict, including proponents and opponents of the different policies debated. The essays address Arabs "and" Jews, Americans "and" Israelis, ultraliberals "and" arch-conservatives, ordinary citizens "and" politicians.

Professor Anbar draws on his personal experience in Israel before and during its War of Independence in which had an active role, first in besieged Jerusalem and then in the fledgling Israeli air-force. As a scientist Professor Anbar had a leading role in the development of the Israeli nuclear program. During the Six Days War he was involved in defense against the ominous danger of chemical warfare agents provided by Russia to Egypt.

"Israel and its Future" illuminates events, ideas, and controversial policies from uncommon perspectives and suggests constructive solutions. It belongs to the "must read" category for anyone concerned with war and peace in the Middle East.

This book tells the story of history as imagined by Hui Muslims in late nineteenth and early twentieth century China. Chen argues that this was an especially productive period for historical thought, bookended by the establishment of a robust Sino-Islamic knowledge base by Liu Zhi on one end and Republican China on the other end. Histories from this period unify a vast temporal and spatial expanse: from genesis to antiquity to the modern era, from Arabia to Central Asia to China. Hui historians string together places and times into a coherent, continuous narrative for the community.

The Tigris and Euphrates rivers run through the heart of the Middle East and merge in the area of Mesopotamia known as the "cradle of civilization." In their long and volatile political history, the sixteenth century ushered in a rare era of stability and integration. A series of military campaigns between the Mediterranean Sea and the Persian Gulf brought the entirety of their flow under the institutional control of the Ottoman Empire, then at the peak of its power and wealth. Rivers of the Sultan tells the history of the Tigris and Euphrates during the early modern period. Under the leadership of Sultan Suleyman I, the rivers became Ottoman from mountain to ocean, managed by a political elite that pledged allegiance to a single household, professed a common religion, spoke a lingua franca, and received orders from a central administration based in Istanbul. Faisal Husain details how Ottoman unification institutionalized cooperation among the rivers' dominant users and improved the exploitation of their waters for navigation and food production. Istanbul harnessed the energy and resources of the rivers for its security and economic needs through a complex network of forts, canals, bridges, and shipyards. Above all, the imperial approach to river management rebalanced the natural resource disparity within the Tigris-Euphrates basin. Istanbul regularly organized shipments of grain, metal, and timber from upstream areas of surplus in Anatolia to downstream areas of need in Iraq. Through this policy of natural resource redistribution, the Ottoman Empire strengthened its presence in the eastern borderland region with the Safavid Empire and fended off challenges to its authority. Placing these world historic bodies of water at its center, Rivers of the Sultan reveals intimate bonds between state and society, metropole and periphery, and nature and culture in the early modern world.

Beyond the Arab Cold War brings the Yemen Civil War, 1962-68, to the forefront of modern Middle East History. During the 1960s, in the wake of a coup against Imam Muhammad al-Badr and the formation of the Yemen Arab Republic (YAR), Yemen was transformed into an arena of global conflict. Believing al-Badr to be dead, Egypt, the Soviet Union, and most countries recognized the YAR. But when al-Badr unexpectedly turned up alive, Saudi Arabia and Britain offered support to the deposed Imam, drawing Yemen into an internationally-sponsored civil war. Throughout six years of major conflict, Yemen sat at the crossroads of regional and international conflict as dozens of countries, international organizations, and individuals intervened in the local South Arabian civil war. Yemen was a showcase for a new era of UN and Red Cross peacekeeping, clandestine activity, Egyptian counterinsurgency, and one of the first largescale uses of poison gas since WWI. Events in Yemen were not dominated by a single power, nor were they sole products of US-Soviet or Saudi-Egyptian Arab Cold War rivalry. Britain, Canada, Israel, the UN, the US, and the USSR joined Egypt and Saudi Arabia in assuming varying roles in fighting, mediating, and supplying the belligerent forces. Despite Cold War tensions, Americans and Soviets appeared on the same side of the Yemeni conflict and acted mutually to confine Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser to the borders of South Arabia. The end of the Yemen Civil War marked the end of both Nasser's Arab Nationalist colonial expansion and the British Empire in the Middle East, two of the most dominant regional forces. This internationalized conflict was a pivotal event in Middle East history, overseeing the formation of a modern Yemeni state, the fall of Egyptian and British regional influence, another Arab-Israeli war, Saudi dominance of the Arabian Peninsula, and shifting power alliances in the Middle East that continue to lie at the core of modern-day conflicts in South Arabia.

Focusing on Afghanistan's relations with the West during the latter half of the 20th century, this study offers new insights on the long-term origins of the nation's recent tragedies. Roberts finds that, since the 1930s in particular, Afghanistan pursued policies far more complex, and considerably more pro-Western, than previous studies have surmised. By the end of the Second World War, Britain and Afghanistan seemed headed toward an extensive partnership in military and economic affairs. Opportunities to cement Afghanistan to the West existed, but ultimately ran afoul of regional politics, shortsighted policy, and indifference. The rise of the Indian nationalist movement and the eventual partition of India would have strategic ramifications for Afghanistan. Pakistan and India, weakened and poised against each other, saw no reason to aid the Kabul regime, leaving only the United States as a potential benefactor. Successive American administrations, however, denied most Afghan requests. When the Eisenhower administration extended support to Pakistan, it alienated Afghan leaders, who then chose to broker a deal with the Soviet Union. Roberts analyzes recent American policy toward Afghanistan and its neighbors, clarifying the current situation and offering guidelines for future relations.

Throughout its 4,000-year history, Korea has created a vibrant and unique culture. Unfortunately, many believe it developed solely due to China's influence, thus leaving no room for an independent history and culture. This is simply wrong.

"The New History of Korean Civilization" explores the existence of a distinctive Korean culture established by the Korean people and separate from its Chinese and Japanese counterparts. Author Chai-Shin Yu, distinguished professor of Korean studies, surveys the history of cultural life in Korea and provides a detailed account of this country's remarkable heritage.

From the prehistoric age through the rise of the Chos n Dynasty and up to the creation of the Republic of Korea, this concise history traces the development of history, politics, philosophy, religion, literature, and art. Chai-Shin Yu shows how Korean culture also played a vital role in the formation of Japanese culture.

Written for the purpose of introducing the roots of Korean culture to Westerners and second-generation Koreans living in the West, "The New History of Korean Civilization" is a bold addition to the historiography of Korea.

In the years between the Indian Mutiny and Independence in 1947 the Indian Civil Service was the most powerful body of officials in the English-speaking world. 300,000,000 Indians, a sixth of the human race, were ruled by 1000 Civilians. With Whitehall 8000 miles away and the peasantry content with their decisions, they had the freedom to translate ideas into action. Anglo-lndian Attitudes explores the use they made of their power by examining the beliefs of two middle ranking Civilians. It shows, in great detail, how they put into practice values which they acquired from their parents, their teachers and contemporary currents of opinion.
F.L. Brayne and Sir Malcolm Darling reflected the two faces of British imperialism: the urge to assimilate and the desire for rapprochement. Brayne, a born-again Evangelical, despised Indian culture, thought individual Indians were sunk in sin and dedicated his career to making his peasant subjects industrious and thrifty. Darling, a cultivated humanist, despised his compatriots and thought that Indians were sensitive and imaginative.
Brayne and Darling personified two ideologies that pervaded the I.C.S. and shaped British rule in India. This book, which is based on two of the richest sets of personal papers left by I.C.S. officers, is both an important contribution to the history of British India and a telling commentary on contemporary values at home.

In "Gandhi's American Ally," Norm Williams tells the extraordinary story of his parents' persistent missionary work in India during the time of the great leader Mahatma Gandhi.

Fresh from the wheat fields of Kansas, Fred and Irene Williams were enthusiastic young missionaries who arrived in India during the 1920s to help instruct young Bengalis. Wasting no time in this strange land, the Williamses soon built a new educational paradigm called "Ushagram" north of Calcutta, raised a family, and became intimate friends with Mahatma Gandhi. Because his innovative thinking, Fred Williams introduced a modern septic system to thousands of Indian villagers. As a result, many of those stigmatized as "untouchables" were able to escape their ancient bondage.

Relying on detailed research using personal letters, articles, and interviews, the author tells the fascinating story of two forward-thinking young Americans whose progressive vision for healthier Indian villages attracted Gandhi and impacted the very nature of a huge country's rural culture. "Gandhi's American Ally" provides a rare chance to become intimately familiar with one family's missionary endeavors and appreciate historical changes faced by two idealistic people dealing with poverty, political turmoil, and hopelessness.

The book describes different facets of the Greek-Turkish conflict (1919-23) through the eyes of of the Australian press. Australia's national identity was forged on the shores of the Gallipoli Peninsula fighting against the Ottoman Empire in 1915. After the war, Australia stayed involved with that area of the world as it sought to chart an 'independent' foreign policy within the framework of the British Empire. This book discusses the role that Australia's press played during that conflict and how it shaped Australian nationalism and identity going forward.

Much of the world reaped a peace dividend with the end of the Cold War, yet Asia has seen little reduction in tensions and military spending. Three Cold War era conflicts-those dividing China and Taiwan, North and South Korea, and India and Pakistan-remain unresolved. Other regional powers, as well as the United States, continue to be concerned about these volatile disputes. North Korea's nuclear and long-range missile development, China's opposition to Taiwan's pursuit of independence, and Pakistan's longstanding dispute with India have all received increasing media attention. This is the first volume using a common approach to examine post-Cold War changes in these three volatile dyads.

The book's case studies detail the evolution of each country's security policy and its shifting mix of alliances. The authors analyze U.S. interests and discuss how U.S. intervention affects strategic calculations of the conflicted states. This mechanism allows gives the readers a truer understanding of the conflicts and how they interact within the Asian security system in general. Each of the dominant theoretical frameworks of international relations-neo-realism, neo-liberalism, and constructivism-offer crucial insights into this complicated situation.

In Post-war Japan as a Sea Power, Alessio Patalano incorporates new, exclusive source material to develop an innovative approach to the study of post-war Japan as a military power. This archival-based history of Asia's most advanced navy, the Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF), looks beyond the traditional perspective of viewing the modern Japanese military in light of the country's alliance with the US. The book places the institution in a historical context, analysing its imperial legacy and the role of Japan's shattering defeat in WWII in the post-war emergence of Japan as East Asia's 'sea power'.