What might COVID-19 mean for, and reveal about, China's place in the world? The coronavirus pandemic started in Wuhan, home to the leading lab studying the SARS virus and bats. Was that pure coincidence? This book explores what we know, and still don't know, about the origins of COVID-19, and how it was handled in China. We may never get all the answers, but much is already clear: China's record as the origin of earlier pandemics, and its struggle to bring contagious diseases under control; its history as both a victim of biological warfare and a developer of deadly bioweapons. When Covid broke out, Wuhan was building science parks to realise Beijing's ambitions in biotech research. Whoever achieves global leadership of the gene-editing industry stands to harvest great power and wealth. China has already challenged Western technological supremacy with 5G and in other industries. Yet this tiny, invisible virus has cruelly exposed a critical flaw in the Chinese political system: obsessive secrecy. The West wanted to trust the PRC, hoping that, as it prospered, it would become an open society. Made in China reveals how Beijing's leaders have betrayed that trust.

This book offers an accessible and rigorous introduction to the context, diplomacy, and law of the European Union's response to Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The book explores how the EU responded to the war in the initial months, and is based on research carried out on Russian and European political, diplomatic, and legal texts. Presenting a unique interdisciplinary perspective, the book delves into topics such as the EU diplomatic response, the Ukrainian application for membership of the EU, the policy and legal aspects of EU sanctions against Russia and Belarus. Additionally, the book examines the significance of the EU's unprecedented political response for the constitutional structure of the EU, and for the strategy toward the Russia of the future.

In the wake of World War II, the United States and its allies developed a new type of security arrangement in which a state could maintain a long-term, peacetime military presence on the territory of another equally sovereign state that, unlike earlier practice, was not tied to occupational regimes or colonial rule. The impact of this development on international politics is hard to overstate, and it has become a constitutive feature of contemporary security dynamics. Despite its significance, the origins of this basing practice have remained largely understudied and unexplained. In Armed Guests, Sebastian Schmidt develops a theory to explain the emergence of this phenomenon, which he calls "sovereign basing," and in doing so, shows how its development fundamentally transformed state sovereignty and the very nature of security politics. He applies concepts derived from pragmatist thought to a historical study of the relations between the United States and its wartime allies to explain how sovereign basing originated through the efforts of policymakers to come to grips with the unique security environment of the postwar era. As he argues, the tools offered by pragmatism provide needed analytical leverage over the emergence of novelty and offer valuable insight into the dynamics of stability and change. Armed Guests is a wide-ranging account of the development of sovereign basing practices in the years before and after World War II. It is a book with significant implications for our understanding of contemporary security politics and the future of basing strategies as well as for broader issues in IR, including the sociological foundations of security strategies, the nature of norms, and the practice of sovereignty.

The South Caucasus is the key strategic region between the Black Sea and Caspian Sea and the regional powers of Iran, Turkey and Russia and is the land bridge between Asia and Europe with vital hydrocarbon routes to international markets. This volume examines the resulting geopolitical positioning of Georgia, a pivotal state and lynchpin of the region, illustrating how and why Georgia's foreign policy is 'multi-vectored', facing potential challenges from Russia, int ernal and external nationalisms, the possible break-up of the European project and EU support and uncertainty over the US commitment to the traditional liberal international order.

"BRICS: The Emergence of a New World Order" is a comprehensive work that sheds light on the constantly evolving dynamics of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) and their growing role in shaping the future of the world. This book offers a complete and detailed analysis of BRICS, examining every aspect of their presence on the global stage.

The author, an expert in international relations and geopolitics, guides the reader through an informative journey that starts with the history and evolution of BRICS. From there, the book delves into a deep exploration of the economies of individual members, highlighting their strengths, challenges, and global impact. Political aspects are also at the forefront, with a meticulous analysis of the internal and external policies of BRICS countries and their diplomatic dynamics.

"BRICS: The Emergence of a New World Order" does not overlook international relations, examining BRICS' relationships with other global powers and their efforts to influence the global context. The concept of a "new world order" is explored, with an emphasis on BRICS' contributions to its definition and development.

Technology and innovation play a fundamental role in the analysis, with a keen focus on how BRICS are driving technological and scientific advancements. Sustainability and the fight against climate change are central themes, with an exploration of the policies adopted by BRICS to address environmental challenges.

The book also addresses social issues such as inequalities and human rights, offering a comprehensive overview of the challenges that BRICS must confront both internally and externally. Security and defense issues are detailed, with a focus on BRICS' security policies in the global context.

BRICS' role in international trade and the promotion of fair globalization is examined in depth. The discussion then shifts to the balance between globalization and nationalism, exploring how BRICS tackle these complex challenges.

Finally, the book looks into the future of BRICS, offering perspectives and future challenges in the context of the new world order. Each chapter is enriched with specific case studies, providing concrete examples of the dynamics at play.

"BRICS: The Emergence of a New World Order" is an essential work for anyone wishing to fully understand the role of BRICS in global politics, economics, and geopolitics. With comprehensive coverage and a balanced perspective, this book is an informative and enlightening guide for readers interested in global geopolitics and the emerging dynamics shaping our world.

After World War I, the U.S. Navy's brief alliance with the British Royal Navy gave way to disagreements over disarmament, fleet size, interpretations of freedom of the seas, and general economic competition. This go-it-alone approach lasted until the next world war, when the U.S. Navy found itself fighting alongside the British, Canadian, Australian, and other Allied navies until the surrender of Germany and Japan. In The U.S. Navy and Its Cold War Alliances, 1945-1953, Corbin Williamson explores the transformation this cooperation brought about in the U.S. Navy's engagement with other naval forces during the Cold War. Like the onetime looming danger of Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan, growing concerns about the Soviet naval threat drew the U.S. Navy into tight relations with the British, Canadian, and Australian navies. The U.S. Navy and Its Cold War Alliances, 1945-1953, brings to light the navy-to-navy links that political concerns have kept out of the public sphere: a web of informal connections that included personnel exchanges, standardization efforts in equipment and doctrine, combined training and education, and joint planning for a war with the Soviets. Using a 'history from the middle' approach, Corbin Williamson draws upon the archives of all four nations, including documents only recently declassified, to analyze the actions of midlevel officials and officers who managed and maintained these alliances on a day-to-day basis. His work highlights the impact of domestic politics and security concerns on navy-to-navy relations, even as it integrates American naval history with those of Britain, Canada, and Australia. In doing so, the book provides a valuable new perspective on the little-studied but critical transformation of the U.S. Navy's peacetime alliances during the Cold War.

Oaxaca is known for many things-its indigenous groups, archaeological sites, crafts, and textiles-but not for mental health care. When one talks with Oaxacans about mental health, most say it's a taboo topic and that people there think you ""have to be crazy to go to a psychologist."" Yet throughout Oaxaca are signs advertising the services of a psicologico; there are prominent conferences of mental health professionals; and self-help groups like Neurotics Anonymous thrive, where participants rise to say, ""Hola, mi nombre es Raquel, y soy neurotica."" How does one explain the recent growth of Euroamerican-style therapies in the region? Author Whitney L. Duncan analyzes this phenomenon of ""psy-globalization"" and develops a rich ethnography of its effects on Oaxacans' understandings of themselves and their emotions, ultimately showing how globalizing forms of care are transformative for and transformed by the local context. She also delves into the mental health impacts of migration from Mexico to the United States, both for migrants who return and for the family members they leave behind. This book is a recipient of the Norman L. and Roselea J. Goldberg Prize from Vanderbilt University Press for the best book in the area of medicine.

Due to the Covid-19 global pandemic, Australia and South Asian Countries have experienced significant disruption in international trade, investment, travel for business and higher education, tourism, and supply chains. It is important to reflect and address some of the key issues and challenges faced by Australia in this sector and analyze potential recovery strategies for the future. Inevitably, in the coming decade, Australia will need to pursue its interests in a more competitive and contested world. This pandemic has witnessed an intensified trade war of Australia with its strongest bilateral trade partner China, threatening an increasing number of industries in Australia such as agribusiness, forestry, and mining. A nearsighted solution to this problem does not seem feasible, given the recent diplomatic fallout between the two nations. Australia thereby needs an alternative strategic bilateral coalition to combat this situation and progress towards a sustainable economic goal. Based on the above scenario, the core objective of this book is to suggest and explore that South-Asian nations could be the prominent focal point for Australia to move forward, as it is a large market with population nearing two billion. This book will provide an overview of the Australian trade and investment relationship with South Asian Countries, identify trends and developments of the bilateral trade relationship of Australia with South Asian countries (in strategic areas of trade, travel, investment, and education), and will shed light on the future opportunities for development and partnerships for economic growth, trade in goods and services and tourism between Australia and South Asia. It will also display how Australia can play a leading role amongst the SAARC countries (Afghanistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka) to cooperate for their individual national economic development and growth objectives and be best prepared to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the future.

The need for intercultural communication and understanding has never been greater. The unstoppable confluence of technology continues to unsympathetically disrupt, distort, and exert consequential changes to nation states and to the breadth, depth, and scope of sociocultural institutions. Such changes have foregrounded the need to understand and relate to the diverse ethical underpinnings that account for distinctive cultural norms where global or universal collaborations are desired. Success in the convergence of cultures in a globalized world would be impossible in the absence of a standardized terms of reference, which guarantees international understanding and facilitates peace and progress the world over. Examining Ethics and Intercultural Interactions in International Relations is an integral scholarly publication that facilitates international collaboration through intercultural communication and exchange of data, ideas, and information on a broad range of topics, including ethics in academics, business, medicine, government, and leadership. The overarching object of this book is the improvement of a peaceful, harmonious, and just world for all its inhabitants, such that further progress in all endeavors is assured. Highlighting a wide range of topics such as business ethics, early childhood education, and sociology, this book is essential for academicians, policymakers, professionals, educational administrators, researchers, and students, as well as those working in fields where ethics and human relationships are required such as education, public and private administration or management, medicine, sociology, and religion.