A valuable addition to ABC-CLIO's Global Studies series, this resource covers Japan in two main sections-a narrative history and an extensive general reference section. Japan: A Global Studies Handbook offers a friendly introduction to this vital, ancient country. In a series of practical, readable essays, this title explores Japan's island geography and its influence on the nation's history. Japan traces the "economic miracle" that was born in the ashes of World War II and grew into an economy seven times the size of China's-but at considerable social cost. It examines Japan's vibrant cultural traditions-from the 11th century's The Tale of Genji to karaoke, sushi, and the "salary man." Japan entices readers to continue their exploration by offering an inviting collection of jumping-off points: a timeline of Japanese history; a mini-encyclopedia of significant people, places, and events; and an annotated bibliography covering all aspects of Japanese society. A detailed timeline charts landmarks in Japanese history, from the rise of the Jomon culture in 11,000 B.C.E. to the bursting of the economic bubble in the 1990s A compendium of practical information describes Japanese customs, from gift-giving to bathing etiquette

This Handbook brings together experts from around the world to reflect critically on the relationship between tourism and rural community development. It first orients the reader in the important conceptual and epistemological foundations of the topic, before moving to consider key concepts and the most significant and salient theoretical and methodological developments in the field. Chapters written by a range of well-established, leading and emerging scholars in the field consider crucial issues facing tourism development in rural communities across different geographical settings. The Handbook represents a variety of traditional and emerging forms of scholarly writing, including theoretically driven chapters, empirical case studies and first-person narratives, to offer a detailed study of the topic. With a forward-looking angle, it studies tourism development in rural areas, including working with rural communities, tourism governance and ethical considerations. Chapters also consider new directions in the field, examining food and tourism, degrowth, landscapes, animals, social impacts and women social entrepreneurs. This comprehensive and innovative Handbook offers a wealth of empirical and theoretical knowledge on tourism and rural community development, and as such will be a critical resource for tourism, development studies and human geography scholars and students.

This updated and revised second edition provides a comprehensive scholarly framework for analyzing the theory and history of international law. Featuring an array of legal and interdisciplinary analyses, it focuses on those theories and developments that illuminate the central and timeless basic concepts and categories of the international legal system, highlighting the interdependency of various aspects of theory and history and demonstrating the connections between theory and practice. With contributions from renowned experts, this Research Handbook explores the essence and development of international legal theory, taking account of the key shifts and advances since the era of classical legal scholarship. Contributors examine several major areas of international law in depth, before transferring their focus to the history of international law from the medieval period up to the present day. Coverage has been expanded to include analysis of the origins of and Eurocentric narratives surrounding the present system, and to discuss significant developments of the 21st century. Scholars and students of international law and politics looking for an in-depth understanding of the current international legal system and its history will find this Research Handbook to be crucial reading. Its theoretical approach will also be of interest to legal theorists, as well as researchers in ethics and philosophy.

This comprehensive Research Handbook examines the continuum between private ordering and state regulation in the lex mercatoria. It highlights constancy and change in this dynamic and evolving system in order to offer an in-depth discussion of international commercial contract law. International scholars, from a range of jurisdictions and legal cultures across Africa, North America and Europe, dissect a plethora of contract types, including sale, insurance, shipping, credit, negotiable instruments and agency, against the backdrop of key legal regimes commonly chosen in international agreements. These include: the UN CISG, Unidroit PICC, European DCFR and English law. The Research Handbook examines key general principles in commercial contract law, such as interpretation, good faith, remedies for breach and choice of law clauses from an international perspective. It also engages with various emerging aspects of internet contracting, including smart contracts. Scholars and researchers working in the field of contract law, and international commercial contracts more specifically, will find this Research Handbook to be an indispensable guide. Practitioners seeking clear guidance will also benefit from its detailed coverage of specific research questions.

Drawing on the concept of the 'politics of compassion', this Handbook interrogates the political, geopolitical, social and anthropological processes which produce and govern borders and give rise to contemporary border violence. Chapters map different aspects of structural violence and mobilities in some of the world's most contentious border zones, highlighting the forms and practices that connect with labour exploitation, legal exclusion and a severe absence of human rights. International interdisciplinary contributors, including renowned sociologist Saskia Sassen, draw attention to the forms and spaces of resistance available to migrants and activists, contemplating how advocates attempt to provide protection and human security to those subjected to border violence. Offering empirical analyses of critical border spaces, the book covers extensively the US-Mexico border region and border zones around the Mediterranean. Border issues in South, Central and North America, Eastern Europe, Northern Europe, the Middle East, Central Africa and East and Central Asia are also discussed. The Handbook thus provides a truly transnational approach to borders and migration, demonstrating the dynamic but asymmetric relationship between the social structure of border enforcement and the human agency of migrants and global activists. Combining theoretical insights into structural violence and human rights with key case studies of border zones, this comprehensive Handbook is crucial reading for scholars and researchers of social and political science investigating human migration, the humanitarian, border control and human rights. Its practical insights will also benefit policy-makers involved in borders and migration, as well as advocates and NGOs working with migrants and refugees to create secure environments.

Providing a comprehensive overview of the governance of urban infrastructures, this Companion combines illustrative cases with conceptual approaches to offer an innovative perspective on the governance of large urban infrastructure systems. Contributions by leading scholars in the field present a transdisciplinary approach to the topic, with a global scope. Chapters examine the challenges facing urban infrastructure systems, including financial, economic, technological, social, ecological, jurisdictional and demand. Using novel conceptualizations of urban infrastructure, and examining global cases of specific energy, mobility, water, housing, green and telecommunication systems, the Companion further illustrates how these challenges are interrelated with their governance. Finding efficiency, sustainability, and resilience to be key governance performance indicators, it concludes by highlighting the role that digitalization plays in making cities smarter and argues for the potential of digitalization for large urban infrastructure governance. With global significance, this Companion will be an invaluable read for students and scholars of urban studies, governance and infrastructure. The informative case studies will be an excellent resource for city practitioners, officials and policymakers.

This Research Handbook comes at an opportune time, and provides a comprehensive and wide-ranging exploration of relevant developments concerning disability rights at EU level. It also looks beyond the EU, focusing on how disability has been relevant in EU external relations. In addition, the Research Handbook considers the interface between EU disability law and Council of Europe law. Expert contributors address key questions related to the scope and impact of EU disability law, examining its compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the gaps that remain to be filled in implementation by the EU. Analysing the most important and recent developments in EU disability law, the chapters in this Research Handbook trace its evolution, and assess the extent to which disability rights are protected and promoted in various strands of EU law and policy. The chapters highlight the connections, overlaps and inconsistencies which exist across those strands. This thought-provoking Research Handbook will be a valuable resource for scholars; researchers and students of disability law, EU law and international law; as well as practitioners, policy makers, civil society organizations and European think tanks engaged with the fields of EU and international disability law.

Providing critical insight into the globalization of product conception, production, marketing and distribution, this Handbook comprehensively explores the functioning of global value chains (GVCs) and how they shape the global economy. It provides theoretical, analytical and empirically based policy-relevant tools to understand international production and trade in the modern global economy. Written by a multidisciplinary group of leading scholars, this Handbook offers expert guidance on GVC analysis and the relationship between GVCs and governance, power relations, gender, upgrading and international development. The contributors also provide insight into strategy, innovation and learning, highlighting the dynamism and resilience of GVCs, and critically reflect on how GVCs affect inequality and the nature of work and production. Comprising empirically rich and innovative research, this Handbook will be critical reading for advanced undergraduate and master's level students interested in international business, global industries, sustainable development and the governance of global production systems. Academics researching and teaching in these fields will also benefit from this book's broad and comprehensive approach to GVC analysis.