Islamic economics and finance has recently enjoyed a spike in interest and a rise in status from theology-tinged discussion fodder for Muslim intellectuals to a fully fledged academic discipline knocking on the doors of university social science departments. The Handbook of Empirical Research on Islam and Economic Life provides a solid background and overview of current empirical research, evaluating how well Islamic institutions have performed in pursuing their objectives. With contributions from leading scholars, this unique Handbook provides chapters examining a range of phenomena in Islamic finance, focusing on five main research areas: religion and growth, Islamic social finance, Islamic banking and finance, Islamic capital market and Sukuk (Islamic bonds). This selection of research literature provides: - a socio-economic profile of Muslim countries - an outline of Islamic systems of accounting and governance - an analysis of the religion-development link - a consideration of the role of the state under Islam. Scholars of finance and Islam in Muslim and in Western universities, students in graduate and post-graduate courses in Islamic studies, and Islamic research institutes and libraries in Western, Middle Eastern and Asian universities will all find great value in this vital resource and its exploration of a compelling approach to finance. Contributors include: A.U.F. Ahmad, M.S. Akhtar, E. Aksak, M.A.M. Al JanabiIhsan Isik, N. Alam, F. Alqahtani, S.O. Alhabshi, C. Aloui, S.B. Anceaur, D. Ashraf, M. Asutay, A.F. Aysan, O. Bacha, A. Barajas, M. Bekri, C. De Anca, G. Dewandaru, M. Disli, A.O. El Aloui, M. Farooq, K. Gazdar, R. Grassa, H.B. Hamida, M.K. Hassan, R. Hayat, C.M. Henry, J. Howe, M.H. Ibrahim, M. Jahrom, K. Jouaber-Snoussi, F. Kamarudin, M. Khawaja, H. Khan, K. Khan, O. Krasicka, M.T. Majeed, N.A.K. Malim, M. Masih, A. Massara, D.G. Mayes, A.K.M. Meera, M. Mehri, C. Mertzanis, H.S. Min, M.A. Mobin, Y.A. Nainggolan, M. Naseri, A.M. Nassir, A. Ng, S. Nowak, M.S. Nurzaman, M. Omran, H. Ozturk, M. Rashid, M.E.S.M. Rashid, R.M. Shafi, A. Shah, N.S. Shirazi, F. Sufian, G.M.W. Ullah, P. Verhoeven, L. Weill, S. Zaheer, S.R.S.M. Zain, A. Zarka

'Already an accomplished scholar Shen Wei offers a masterly study of the Chinese shadow banking sector in context. The book constitutes a thorough analysis of the nature of the Chinese shadow banking sector and of the political events, economic rationales and institutions that have shaped it. Beyond offering expert legal analysis this book is also very rich on information and research about the institutional and economic necessities that have shaped the Chinese financial system in its present form and gave rise to a mighty shadow banking sector. The book is very well organized and competently drafted, thus, it is easily accessible to both the expert and non-expert reader. I have no doubt that this is bound to become the standard reference work for everybody wishing to study the nature of the Chinese shadow banking sector and of the institutions underpinning it in context.' - Emilios Avgouleas, University of Edinburgh, UK 'Shadow Banking in China: Risk, Regulation and Policy by Professor Shen Wei is a timely book, presenting readers with a comprehensive and coherent conceptualization of shadow banking in China. It systematically defines shadow banking, describes how the different types of shadow banking subsectors -- including wealth management products, peer-to-peer lending, local government financing vehicles, and underground lending -- are growing, and examines how Chinese regulators are responding. It also explains the risk-taking, economics, and behavioral aspects of each of these subsectors, revealing the endogenous market forces driving their expansion and describing how shadow banking is innovatively helping to channel funding to the cash-starved private sector and real economy.' - from the Foreword by Steven L. Schwarcz, Duke University, School of Law In light of the current regulatory regime in China's banking sector, this book investigates the causes, key forms, potential risks and regulation of shadow banking in China. The first China-specific book of its kind, the author takes policy considerations into account whilst providing an analysis of the regulatory instruments tackling the systematic risks in its banking as well as shadow banking sectors. Key shadow banking subsectors discussed include P2P lending, wealth management products, local government debts, and the underground lending market. This book will be of interest to students and scholars in the legal field, as well as those from other disciplines including social science, business, and finance. It will also be of use to lawyers, policymakers and regulators looking for practical solutions in tackling the issues facing a rising shadow banking sector today.

How do regulatory structures evolve in EU financial governance? Incorporating insights from a variety of disciplines, Governing Finance in Europe provides a comprehensive framework to investigate the dynamics leading to centralisation, decentralisation and fragmentation in EU financial regulation. Offering a comprehensive and generalizable theoretical account of regulatory centralisation, this book combines theoretical approaches from political science, law, sociology and economics to trace centralisation in EU financial governance. Contributors build on a rich political science and legal literature and offer empirical analyses of major EU legislative packages in financial regulation, including the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II (MiFID II) and Capital Markets Union (CMU). This book systematically identifies and examines the forces and counter-forces on regulatory centralisation. It also offers conjectures as to who benefits from the regulation and how decision-makers are held politically and legally accountable. Featuring contributions from internationally renowned scholars, this book is key reading for academics working in finance and financial policies, particularly those investigating European politics, regulation and regional integration. It will also be of interest to practitioners and policymakers, as chapters provide unique insights into the real-world implications of financial regulation. Contributors include: F. Bulfone, J. Ganderson, A. Heritier, J. Karremans, H. Marjosola, M.G. Schoeller, A. Smolenska, M. Strand

Much has been written on the financial crisis of 2008 - the most severe economic downturn since the Great Depression - analysing its causes and the risks for the future of the global economy. This book takes an alternative approach which focuses on the legacy of the global financial crisis, what is remembered and what lessons have been drawn from it. This volume provides perspectives on this legacy from a variety of contributors including central bankers, regulators, politicians, academics, and journalists. They offer insight into what remains of the crisis in terms of public and industry awareness, changes to the post-2008 financial architecture, lessons from the national experiences of highly exposed small economies, and considers this legacy in terms of oversight by regulatory regimes. These diverse perspectives are drawn together here to ask how we can ensure that these lessons will be transmitted to the new generation of global financiers.

'The thoroughgoing disaster inflicted on the global economy in 2008 by the gambling of the financial system should have resulted serious sanctions for financial actors and the jettisoning of any belief in the efficacy and fairness of the neoliberal regime. But the tepid action of policy makers has allowed the system to muddle through and undermined any remaining trust and faith among the polity. It is not hard to see the breakdown of political stability across the world in the last two to three years as resulting direct from the justified belief that the rules of the global economy favor the very few. In this book, a group of critical scholars painstakingly identify and illuminate key aspects of the global financial system that continue to reinforce global inequalities of power and that contribute to dangerous political and economic instability. Through a series of thorough case studies ranging from the macroeconomic instability engendered by untrammeled capital flows, to the way sovereign debt restructuring favors northern creditors, to the hierarchy of the monetary system that concentrates enormous power in the hands of a few central banks, these studies throw light on the ways global financial neoliberalism and political and social power work to undermine macroeconomic stability and social justice. It will be read by serious scholars of the political economy of finance with great interest.' - Arjun Jayadev, Azim Premji University, India and Institute for New Economic Thinking The essays in this book describe and analyze the current contours of the international financial system, covering both developed and developing countries, and focusing on the ways in which the current international financial system structures and is affected by profound inequalities in the international system. This keen analysis of key topics in international finance takes a heterodox perspective, with focus on the role of inequalities in power in shaping the structure and outcomes in the international sphere. The Political Economy of International Finance in an Age of Inequality begins with a discussion of capital flows and financial crisis, moves into an up-to-date discussion of the political economy of currency unions, and then focuses on analysis of capital flows and economic crises. New and established academics present a broad variety of special case studies within that general framework focusing on understudied yet important up to date cases from understudied regions and countries for a unique and important exploration of the field. This book will be of interest to students and specialists in international finance, who will benefit from the combination of the strong general framework and illustrative case studies. Its approach will appeal both to generalists and specialists. Contributors include: M. Arora, E. Braunstein, H. Comert, D. Dutt, N. Eichacker, G. Epstein, I. Grabel, S. Khalil, M. Majd, F. Perez, L.D. Rosero, Z. Ybrayev

Recent events, such as capital flow reversals and banking sector crises, have shaken faith in the widely held belief in the benefits of greater financial integration and financial deepening, which are typical in advanced economies. This book shows that emerging economies have occasionally weathered the storm best, despite the supposed burden of 'weak institutions'. Written by leading scholars and practitioners, the authors demonstrate that a better policy framework requires reliable indicators of vulnerability to financial instability. Using empirical evidence and case studies, the twelve chapters stress the necessity of improved policy tools and automatic stabilizers that anticipate and limit the vulnerabilities to financial crises. Cross-border capital flows, international reserves and foreign exchange markets are covered in depth. This timely book offers an insightful overview and policy solutions to the issues surrounding macroprudential regulation of economies in a globalized world. It is required reading for students and scholars of international finance and regulation. Contributors include: S. Cho, R. Cifuentes, S. Claessens, S.R. Ghosh, M.S. Gochoco-Bautista, J.-H. Hahm, A. Jara, D. Jeong, K.-C. Jung, D. Kang, J. Lee, J.-E. Lee, A. Mason, A. Munro, C. Nam, M. Reddell, C. Rhee, H.S. Shin, S. Suh

Global Imbalances, Financial Crises, and Central Bank Policies assesses the relationships between global imbalances, financial crises, and central bank policies, with a specific focus on their reserves. The book contains a strictly international perspective with an analysis based on empirical research that enables the reader to develop an analytical model that emphasizes interactions among individual central banks. With this innovative approach, the book develops a new method for defining an optimal demand for reserves. In addition, the book describes implications for financial reforms that might ultimately be more important than its empirical findings.

Handbook of Frontier Markets: Evidence from Asia and International Comparative Studies provides novel insights from academic perspectives about the behavior of investors and prices in several frontier markets. It explores finance issues usually reserved for developed and emerging markets in order to gauge whether these issues are relevant and how they manifest themselves in frontier markets. Frontier markets have now become a popular investment class among institutional investors internationally, with major financial services providers establishing index-benchmarks for this market-category. The anticipation for frontier markets is optimistic uncertainty, and many people believe that, given their growth rates, these markets will be economic success stories. Irrespective of their degrees of success, The Handbook of Frontier Markets can help ensure that the increasing international investment diverted to them will aid in their greater integration within the global financial system.

Money laundering is a problem of some magnitude internationally and has long term negative economic impacts. Brigitte Unger argues that today, money laundering is largely linked to fraud and that it is not only small islands and tax havens which launder, but increasingly, industrialized countries like the US, Australia, The Netherlands and the UK. Well established financial markets and growing economies with sound political and social structures attract launderers in the same way as they attract honest capital. The book gives an interdisciplinary overview of the state-of-the-art of money laundering as well as describing the legal problems of defining and fighting money laundering. It then goes on to present a number of economic models designed to measure money laundering and applies these to measuring the size of laundering in The Netherlands and Australia. The book also gives an overview of techniques and potential effects of money laundering identified and measured so far in the literature. It adds to this debate by calculating the effects of laundering on crime and economic growth. This book will be of great interest to lawyers, financial experts, economists, political scientists, as well as to government ministries, international and national organizations and central banks.

Combining critical perspectives with a positive contribution to economic policy, both national and international, this book considers the causes and consequences of recent financial crises presenting cutting-edge material. The editors bring together a number of well-known scholars to offer their views and elaborate on alternative solutions with respect to the Washington Consensus on how to restructure the monetary and financial system in order to avoid financial crises in the future. The book deals with a number of issues, such as the Asian financial crises of the 1990s, exchange rate arrangements, financial liberalization and capital controls. The contributors take a critical approach, providing the elements for a new analysis of monetary and exchange rate issues in the modern world. Monetary and Exchange Rate Systems will be extremely useful for researchers and policymakers interested in monetary macroeconomics and in the international financial system.

Islamic finance distinguishes itself from conventional finance with its strong emphasis on the moral consequences of financial transactions; prohibiting interest, excessive uncertainty, and finance of harmful business. When it comes to risk mitigation, it is unique in its risk sharing approach. This authoritative book tracks the evolution of the takaful industry over the course of the last four decades and makes a major attempt to highlight the importance of risk sharing through a discussion of various models of cooperation and critical analysis of their performance, including illuminating case studies and a critical assessment of the Islamic insurance model and the role of alternate financing mechanisms. Its high level discourse on shari'ah compliance and its nuances places emphasis on the importance of solidarity, cooperation, mutuality and reciprocity. Scholars and practitioners working in Islamic Finance will appreciate the context and nuance of this important book, and it will be essential reading for anyone interested in alternative forms of shari'ah compliant cooperative finance. The book is equally vital for academics and researchers interested in understanding various takaful models and their shari'ah considerations. Contributors include: A. Abozaid, A.U.F. Ahmad, A. Akhtar, S.N. Ali, H. Allam, M. Ayub, M. Al Bashir Al Amine, A. Bhatty, J.W. Bradford, S.E.B. Carmody, M.A. El-Gamal, M. Faisal, M.F. Haq, I. Bin Mahbob, A. Nana, V. Nienhaus, S. Nisar, U.A. Oseni, M. Rahman, A. Rehman, M.A. Samad, B. Shafiq, H. Sultan, A.-R. Syed, T.A. Uddin

This book offers the first systematic discussion of a new and promising field: the economics of independence, accountability and governance of financial supervision institutions. For a long time the design of supervision had been an irrelevant issue, both in theory and practice. This perception changed dramatically in the mid-1990s, and over the past decade many countries have witnessed changes in the architecture of financial supervision. This book presents frameworks for analyzing the emerging supervisory architectures and sheds light on the different supervisory regimes, with a particular focus on the role of central banks. It takes a country-specific, comparative and empirical approach. Designing Financial Supervision Institutions will be an accessible reference tool for multidisciplinary scholars and academics (principally economics, but also politics and law), policymakers, regulators and supervisory institutions. All royalties from this book to go to the UK charity, NSPCC.

The authors of this book argue that in order to meet the challenges of globalisation and promote their own economic welfare, governments need strong policy instruments that will enable them to take up a strategic role in selected policy arenas. They illustrate how this retooling of policymaking requires a rethinking of the form of government intervention and, especially, an emphasis on its modern developmental role. The book begins with chapters exploring theoretical issues such as: economic and political aspects of the state, the impact of government expenditure, the case for and against free trade, and neoclassical and Keynesian approaches to public finance. Succeeding chapters examine fiscal policy, development problems in the European Community, and the success of Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong. The final chapters present the Developmental State argument not only as a coherent theory but more importantly as a realistic development policy framework. This will be an important reference text for students and scholars of public sector economics, public finance, East Asian studies, development studies and governance. Policymakers will also find the in-depth discussions a valuable tool.

The Handbook of International Banking provides a clearly accessible source of reference material, covering the main developments that reveal how the internationalization and globalization of banking have developed over recent decades to the present, and analyses the creation of a new global financial architecture. The Handbook is the first of its kind in the area of international banking with contributions from leading specialists in their respective fields, often with remarkable experience in academia or professional practice. The material is provided mainly in the form of self-contained surveys, which trace the main developments in a well-defined topic, together with specific references to journal articles and working papers. Some contributions, however, disseminate new empirical findings especially where competing paradigms are evaluated. The Handbook is divided into four areas of interest. The first deals with the globalization of banking and continues on to banking structures and functions. The authors then focus on banking risks, crises and regulation and finally the evolving international financial architecture. Designed to serve as a source of supplementary reading and inspiration, the Handbook is suited to a range of courses in banking and finance including post-experience and in-house programmes for bankers and other financial services practitioners. This outstanding volume will become essential reference for policymakers, financial practitioners as well as academics and researchers in the field.

'Development Financing' tackles the complicated subject of how to aid and finance the development of LEDCs. The problem, according to the writers, has not been whether or not to negotiate, but rather where and what should be negotiated when it came to tackling third world debt. As the debate reaches a stand-off between the more economically developed and less economically developed countries, this book offers several sets of perspectives (in a selection of essays) on how to appropriately manage the thorny issues of development financing.