From Clans to Co-ops explores the social, political, and economic relations that enable the constitution of cooperatives operating on land confiscated from mafiosi in Sicily, a project that the state hails as arguably the greatest symbolic victory over the mafia in Italian history. Rakopoulos’s ethnographic focus is on access to resources, divisions of labor, ideologies of community and food, and the material changes that cooperatives bring to people’s lives in terms of kinship, work and land management. The book contributes to broader debates about cooperativism, how labor might be salvaged from market fundamentalism, and to emergent discourses about the ‘human’ economy.

After several years documenting the rise of China, award-winning Indian journalist Pallavi Aiyar moved to Brussels, the headquarters of the European Union, to discover a Europe plagued by a financial crisis and unsure of its place in a world where new Asian challengers are eroding its old and comfortable certainties. With a lively mix of memoir, reportage and analysis, Aiyar takes the reader on a romp across the continent, meeting workaholic Indian diamond merchants in Antwerp, upstart Chinese wine barons in Bordeaux, Sikh farmhands in the Italian countryside, and Indian engineers running offshore energy turbines in Belgium. In the Europe of today everything is in flux, as she discovers through conversations with Muslim immigrants struggling to define their identities, the austere bosses of Germany's world-beating companies and bewildered Eurocrats struggling to keep the European Union from splitting apart. Examining the diverse challenges the continent faces today, among them, bloated welfare states, the accommodation of Islam, the European ambitions of Indian and Chinese entrepreneurs, and ancient intra-cultural fissures. New Old World offers a panoramic look at Europe's first-world crisis from a unique Asian perspective.

The book pays tribute to the celebrated economist Professor Suresh Tendulkar's contribution and scholarship to economics, economic-policy making, and economic reforms in India. Professor Tendulkar served on numerous panels and commissions set up to reform diverse aspects of India's economy. To name a few, he served as the Chairperson of the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council, Chairman of the National Commission of Statistics, National Sample Survey Organisation, Committee on National Accounts, and as a member in the Fifth Pay Commission, the Disinvestment Commission (1996). He is credited with devising the new method to estimate poverty in India which resulted in India's poverty estimates being scaled up. This book primarily focuses on Professor Tendulkar's contributions on economic planning in India, the political economy of economic reforms, and his important conceptual and policy-relevant work on poverty measurement. The three sub-themes of the book - Economic Reforms and Policy Formulation, Poverty and Inequality, and Development and Trade - are indicative of his specific research interests, namely poverty and well-being, and India and the world economy. It covers both micro and macro aspects relevant to the Indian economy. The econometric techniques utilized encompass state-of-the-art microeconometric as well as macroeconometric models. The book contains contributions from eminent economists associated with Professor Tendulkar, and is useful for readers from the undergraduate through the Ph.D. level as well as researchers and practitioners of economics.

Substantial disparities across different Chinese regions are one of the most prominent features in China's development process. This book investigates the mechanisms through which openness affects regional economic growth and interregional disparities in China. Based on the latest data and employing a variety of panel data regression techniques, it provides readers with new findings that shed light on the effects of openness on China's regional economic growth and the evolution of the country's interregional disparities.

This book tackles the question of how tourism development and suitable policies can be used to promote sustainable development in Low-Density Territories (LDTs). The respective chapters, written by prominent experts, identify the problems associated with LDTs; highlight the comparative advantages of these territories with regard to tourism; propose methodologies for assessing the impact of tourism; and present case studies on the application of sustainable policies in tourism. Given its scope, it will be especially interesting for academics and researchers investigating LDTs and sustainable tourism, and for policymakers interested in developing these territories. LDTs represent an economic challenge, especially because most of them are home to an increasingly ageing population unable to pursue economic development. In these territories, tourism is emerging as an excellent opportunity to promote innovative dynamics, to lure investment, and to attract new people. However, it is important to promote sustainable tourism, which preserves the environment and communities' quality of life. The Chapter "Tourism, immigrants and lifestyle entrepreneurship: The (In)coming of people as a key factor for sustainability of low-density territories - A case study in Portugal" is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

This book explores inclusive development in the Indian context, not only within each of the country's major economic and social sectors, but also across countries in the particular context of globalization. In the emerging scenario of most expanding economies, including India, this topic remains particularly significant. The book's sixteen chapters are divided into eight sections that address burning issues related to inclusive development - historical setting and policy context; current issues and future challenges; inclusiveness in the agricultural sector; inclusiveness in the industrial sector; inclusiveness in the health sector; inclusiveness and poverty; inclusiveness in the social context; and inclusiveness in the globalization context. The book highlights several positive developments displayed by the Indian economy in recent years, including the current growth rate of about 7 percent, which is among the highest rates around the globe. At the same time, it draws attention to the fact that while there is every reason to feel proud of these achievements, we cannot ignore the strains and brewing distress, especially in rural areas, or the concerns in environmental and social sectors, including health and education, relating to sociological divisions and disturbances, water and air pollution, and ecosystem and biodiversity losses. Important and relevant from both academic and policy perspectives, the book includes essays from some of the most eminent economists and social scientists in the South Asian region, providing vital takeaways for researchers and NGOs, as well as corporate sector and government decision-makers.

This book shows the remarkable diversification in Turkey's international political economy landscape in the 2000s: its domestic political-economy framework, instrumental alternatives and geographic outreach. It assesses both how an emerging economy like Turkey copes with domestic and external challenges and the question of how substantial Turkey's recent rise in global politics really is. The volume also explains Turkey's economic growth and political transformation in line with the changes occurring in world economics, from the Washington Consensus era to the current "mix" or "hybrid" era encompassing both the characteristics of the Post-Washington and Beijing Consensus eras. The contributors portray the complexity of Turkish politics and its fragilities at the political economy level.

This book revisits the economic relationship that ties the UK and Ireland to the United States in the aftermath of the greatest economic crisis of the past fifty years. When considering recent developments to these economic links, it appears that oppositional forces are at work. On one hand, globalization and the rise of new economic powers may undermine the ties. Besides, Ireland's and the UK's European Union membership could also loosen their economic ties with the US. Conversely, the future Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership agreement may well strengthen trade and investment links between the US and Europe. Are the economic bonds between the US, the UK and Ireland waning, as some pundits purport? Or are those claims overstated? Could their economic relationship simply be going through a process of change? Although there may not be a single and straightforward answer to these questions, the authors seek to address these issues and provide insight into the changing dynamics of this historic economic relationship.

As firms from East Asia gain global market share they are stirring trade disputes with import-competing firms in the West. Jessica Liao analyzes the role played by government-business collaboration in determining how effective East Asian governments are in helping their exporters gain an edge over western competitors through WTO litigation.

This book traces the historic relationships between cotton production, the international cotton trade and poverty south of the Sahara, and assesses various approaches to corporate social responsibility and nongovernmental policy advocacy in this area. Thousands of people around the world are currently engaged in efforts which they believe will make African cotton work better for the millions of people who grow this crop and the millions more who depend upon it. This book traces the historic relationships between cotton and poverty south of the Sahara and assesses aspects of the new social concern evident in the area. Taking an empirical international political economy approach, it details the ways in which globalization has enabled poverty reduction and poverty maintenance on African cotton farms. Sneyd argues that while cotton farming and poverty will be connected for many years to come, there is hope that these issues are now on the agenda.

The International Papers in Political Economy (IPPE) series explores the latest developments in political economy. This twelfth volume presents a collection of eight papers, analysing the emergence and economic problems of the emerging economies during and after the international financial crisis of 2007-8 and the subsequent Great Recession. The contributions range from an analysis of the international financial crisis of 2007-8 in general terms to an analysis of the same but concentrating on the emerging economies, before turning to groups of economies, Arab, African and Eastern European countries, and two relevant but individual countries, namely China and Turkey. This book offers students, scholars, researchers and policy-makers detailed analysis and informed commentary on the origins of the international financial crisis of 2007-8 and the great recession by focusing on its effect on emerging countries.

The book, authored in the main by Simon Stander and true to the interdisciplinary nature of political economy, focuses attention on why capitalism survives crises by developing the novel argument that it has moved on from its 19th century embodiment to include a class of shock absorbers. This class, consisting of fractionalised individuals, absorbs the massive surpluses of produced commodities while buffering capitalism against the declines of values during crises of the financial system. This gives rise to Reformism, rather than class conflict, which becomes a central feature in the political arena. The absorptive class in its dialectical relationship to the other two major classes, capitalist and working class, is vital for this reformist tendency; in this context consideration of the individual in a narcissistic social environment also becomes a focus of attention. With its distinct importance, the absorptive class helps glue capitalist economy and state together, and this provides an understanding of the contradiction between the need for a 'big' state in the interest of the absorption of commodities and the 'small state' in the interest of efficient resource allocation and profit. The second portion of the volume considers the application and conceptualization of the value theory by two leading academics in political economy and concludes with an exposition of the methodology differences between two important Japanese Marxian economists.

The authors investigate well-known concerns in natural resource management in Africa while focusing on the capacity dimension of the problems. They examine dynamics of leadership, governance, criminality, structural transformation, as well as emerging issues such as green growth.

This volume deals with both a new theoretical framework and the application of new economics in a number of issues that test the capability of new economics to tackle a number of economic problems. It offers detailed analysis and informed comment on the type of new economics in the aftermath of the financial crisis and the '"great recession."

How did banking in early nineteenth-century Massachusetts evolve? Lu provides a compelling narrative about the connection between inclusive political systems and open access economies, hypothesizing that entry into banking was firstly made upon partisan grounds before later becoming open access/free entry. Lu investigates state level institutional change and studies the transition to open access from an economic perspective. What was the relationship between banking and political elites? Why were elites, who enjoyed privileges under dominant institutions, willing to dissolve these institutions and eliminate their privileges? The author provides new insights into American economic history, explaining how a society moves from limited access to one of openness.

Economic globalisation is a long-term international process in which the roles of the EU, ASEAN, Korea, Japan and China are of increasing importance. Trade dynamics and foreign investment, as well as regional policy cooperation in Europe and Asia, are discussed here along with historical developments. Moreover, the book highlights links between European Community law and WTO regulations. The key challenges posed by China's economic expansion are part of the analysis; specific issues concern international outsourcing and off-shoring as well as regional economic integration in a period of financial globalisation. Based on historical dynamics, theoretical analysis and global shifts, policy solutions for Europe, Asia and the world economy can be arrived at: The book offers clear policy options and also reveals crucial issues in terms of the welfare analysis of regional integration.

This book looks back to 40 years ago for the whole history of China's reform and opening-up and focuses on the role change of China in the relationship with outside world. In the first half part, the author explores China's economic reform and opening-up policy from theoretical analysis and systematic interpretation. In the second part, the author aims to present how China's international roles have changed in recent years and the Chinese appeal and purpose of participating in and improving global governance procedure. The author answers the question of why China has obtained miraculous achievements after its reform and opening-up from academic perspective and provides representative cases with profound but not obscure theoretical interpretation. It is a must-read for anyone who is interested in contemporary China's economy and foreign affairs.

Regional economic organizations of developing countries have a mixed record of success. The author examines national decisions, regional institutions and selected cases using a cognitive framing model in order to better understand the reasons behind their failures and successes. Case studies are included on Chile (Andean Pact), Nigeria (ECOWAS) and the Philippines (ASEAN). This study will interest researchers and graduate-level students of regional economic integration, political economy of developing countries, as well as specialists in Latin America, West Africa, and Southeast Asia.

This volume focuses on frontiers in regional research and identifies trends and future developments in the areas of innovation, regional growth and migration. It also addresses topics such as mobility, regional forecasting, and regional policy, and includes expert contributions on disasters, resilience, and sustainability. Building on recent methodological and modelling advances, as well as on extensive policy-analysis experience, top international regional scientists identify and evaluate emerging new conceptual and methodological trends and directions in regional research. This book will appeal to a wide readership, from regional scientists and economists to geographers, quantitatively oriented regional planners and other related disciplines. It offers a source of relevant information for academic researchers and policy analysts in government, and is also suitable for advanced teaching courses on regional and spatial science, economics and political science.

This book explores the debate on the policies required to overcome the crises of 2008 and 2011, in which the focus on short-term measures has overshadowed the need to analyze the low growth rate in the European Union, and especially the Eurozone, as the basis for interventions that will counteract the tendency toward stagnation. Factors that lie at the root of the low growth are examined in depth, covering, for example, the impact of the demographic trend toward an aging population in Europe, consequences of inequality for growth, challenges posed by technological change, competition from emerging countries, and difficulties in improving European governance. In addition, potential actions to foster innovation and avoid long-term stagnation, such as new measures to open up markets, stimulate competition in services, and promote green growth, are discussed. The book comprises a selection of contributions presented at the XXVII Villa Mondragone International Economic Seminar, which brought together renowned economists and representatives of a broad range of countries and leading international institutions. It will appeal to all who are interested in the latest thinking on stagnation/growth, inequality, governance, competitiveness, and innovation in Europe.

This book is available as open access through the Bloomsbury Open Access programme and is available on www.bloomsburycollections.com. Having emerged from the end of the Cold War as a unified country, Germany has quickly become the second largest exporter in the world. Its economic might has made it the center of the Eurozone and the pivotal power of Europe. Like other geo-economic powers, Germany's foreign policy is characterized by a definition of the national interest in economic terms and the elevation of economic interests over non-economic values such as human rights or democracy promotion. This strategic paradigm is evident in German's relationship with China, the Gulf States and Europe, but it is most important in regard to its evolving policies towards Russia. In this book, Stephen F. Szabo provides a description and analysis of German policy towards Russia, revealing how unified Germany is finding its global role in which its interests do not always coincide with the United States or its European partners. He explores the role of German business and finance in the shaping of foreign policy and investigates how Germany's Russia policy effects its broader foreign policy in the region and at how it is perceived by key outside players such as the United States, Poland and the EU. With reference to public, opinion, the media and think tanks Szabo reveals how Germans perceive Russians, and he uncovers the ways in which its dealings with Russia affect Germany in terms of the importing of corruption and crime. Drawing on interviews with key opinion-shapers, business and financial players and policy makers and on a wide variety of public opinion surveys, media reports and archival sources, his will be a key resource for all those wishing to understand the new geo-economic balance of Europe.

Decentralization in Latin America and the Caribbean has changed the region's local development model. More resources and decision-making powers are being transferred from central governments to the local level. This new political, administrative, and fiscal landscape is creating new challenges and opportunities for subnational governments and for local economic development in the region. The Local Alternative offers a series of experiences, reflections, and lessons on how the new, decentralized institutional framework influences diverse aspects of the economic development processes at the local level. The book's chapters-written by a variety of actors ranging from experts in international organizations to policymakers at the national and subnational levels-highlight, among other experiences, local management within a context of greater autonomy, experiments with different subnational transfer and financing systems, and alternatives for stimulating local competitiveness and citizen participation.

Global poverty is a central concern for world politics, yet we lack and adequate conception of the ways the "global poor" affect contemporary world order. This book examines the proposition, inspired by the work of Robert W. Cox and Jeffrey Harrod, that such a conception must be based on an analysis of how the "global poor" take part in power relations as" unprotected workers." It examines the ways in which production and power relations constitute world politics, and the chapters shed light on the politics of production in the Third World, migration, prostitution, the "clash of civilizations" and union internationalism.

Political constitutions alone do not guarantee democracy; a degree of economic equality is also essential. Yet contemporary economies, dominated as they are by global finance and political rent-seekers, often block the realization of democracy. The comparative essays and case studies of this volume examine the contradictory relationship between the economy and democracy and highlight the struggles and visions needed to make things more equitable. They explore how our collective aspirations for greater democracy might be informed by serious empirical research on the human economy today. If we want a better world, we must act on existing social realities.

This book studies and compares quality of life in 29 countries/societies in Asia: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Korea(South), Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. We utilize the AsiaBarometer Surveys conducted annually from 2003 through 2008. We focus on the notion of subjective quality of life and conceptualize it as two levels, global and domain. After we explain about the AsiaBarometer Survey Project, we explore current country profile, demographics, lifestyles, value priorities, specific life domain assessment and overall quality of life. We then estimate the independent effects of demographics, lifestyles, value priorities, life domain assessment on the overall quality of life within each society. As well as comparing the results between nations, we look for key generalized characteristics of life quality for the entire and sub-regions of Asia.