Spain
Spain is now the Eurozone's third largest economy, the second most popular tourist destination in the world, and a major player in the current world order. The nation's path to this status has followed a long and often turbulent history, involving conquest, empire, civil war, dictatorship, and a hard-fought transition to democracy, now challenged by increasing fragmentation and polarization of political life. In the second edition of Spain: What Everyone Needs to Know(R), veteran journalist William Chislett updates his comprehensive overview of Spain's history, economy, and politics to contextualize the country's situation in the 2020s. In the concise, question-and-answer format of the What Everyone Needs to Know(R) series, Chislett covers a range of topics, including the legacy of the early Muslim presence, the influx of immigrants and the separatist Catalan region, the transition to democracy after the death of General Franco, the creation of the welfare state, the impact of European Economic Community membership, the 2008-2014 banking and real estate crisis, and the changing political landscape in the last decade. New material analyzes the watershed 2015 general election and the rise of the far right, and presents the key challenges that will shape Spain's future in the years to come. Engaging and comprehensive, this book is an authoritative starting point for readers interested in the history and influence of the storied Spanish nation.
The New Calculus of Escalation
A reevaluation of conflict thresholds in the context of complex cyber, conventional, and nuclear warThe return of great power competition has renewed concerns about managing escalation, lest a minor crisis inadvertently spiral into nuclear war. This has become apparent during the war between Russia and Ukraine, as Western aid for Ukraine has been predicated on avoiding Russian escalation.The New Calculus of Escalation updates our understanding of conflict escalation dynamics for the twenty-first century with the goal of reducing the possibility of a catastrophic war. To improve mutual understanding among states, Libicki rethinks conflict thresholds and exit ramps that manage escalation. During the Cold War, there were two critical thresholds-one between peace and war, and one between conventional war and nuclear war. But ongoing developments in cyber and other advanced military technologies threaten command and control and blur the old thresholds.Military strategists, international relations scholars, and graduate students will benefit from this book's cogent analytic framework in shaping future debates.
License to Kill
The silence on the genocidal situation in Gaza is disturbing. How can we explain the double standard when we compare the-legitimate-indignation provoked by the Russian bombardment of Ukraine with the omertasurrounding the bombardment of the Palestinian civilian population under blockade?The drama revolves around a combination of feelings of guilt, cultural solidarity, fear of Islam and even hostility to this religion, which is presented as a societal and security threat, along with colonial memories that have not been properly dealt with, and adherence to the concept of a "clash of civilizations." In the media and among the political class, such a mixture gives rise to almost universal support for the actions of the Israeli government.License to Kill analyzes the motives and consequences of the denial of the dangers of genocide. Those who denounce it are labeled as anti-Semites or accomplices of terrorism. However, the reality is that we are facing a moral bankruptcy; and we will not be able to say that we did not know.
Sectarianism and Civil War in Syria
As an epicentre of sectarian conflict before and after the Arab uprising, Syria provides an excellent laboratory for the study of sectarianization. This book compares variance in Syria's sectarianism over time and across place to expose its causes and its varying impact on Syria's society and polity.The book begins with an introductory chapter examining key approaches to and debates over sectarianism in Syria, from which a framework of analysis is derived. Subsequent empirical chapters are divided into two sections. Several chapters examine key aspects of sectarianism at the national level, looking at the interaction of sectarianism and state formation over the long term; the internal evolution of sectarianization during the uprising; the impact of the regional power struggle on Syria's sectarianization; and whether sectarianism was institutionalized by civil war governance in both regime- and opposition-controlled areas. A second set of chapters looks at sectarianism in Syria's different cities, regions and communities, notably in Damascus, Homs, Hama, Aleppo, Idlib, the Alawi coast, and the Druze and Christian communities. The concluding chapter makes use of the analytical framework to systematically compare the evidence from the empirical cases in order to identify regularities.Providing nuanced insights into the Syrian case whilst informing broader theoretical discussions of sectarianism, this book will appeal to students, researchers and general readers interested in Middle Eastern politics and political science generally.
Mirages of Reform
In Mirages of Reform, Steve L. Monroe argues that geopolitics and social connections between state and capital underpin the Arab world's uneven trade policies. Despite decades of international pressure, neoliberal trade policy reform in the Arab world has been varied, selective, and often ineffective. Neoliberal trade policies have not deepened international trade in many of the region's markets. This book explains why.When the region's regimes have strong support from global powers and strong social connections to the industrial elite, they engage in extensive but deceptive trade policy reform. Behind an edifice of neoliberal trade policies, neopatrimonial forms of protectionism like tax evasion and noncompetitive procurement shield the socially connected from international competition and obstruct actual trade liberalization. Industrialists are less trustful of regime promises of neopatrimonial protectionism after reform when they have weak social connections to their regime and their regime has low support from global powers. They are more likely to defend existing protectionist policies under these conditions, resulting in less trade policy reform. Drawing on interviews, firm- and industry-level data, and evidence from Jordan to Morocco, Mirages of Reform reveals how international and domestic factors interact to shape the Arab world's rugged trade policy terrain. Insightful and well researched, this book imparts important lessons and warnings about the repercussions of economic reform in the region.
War on Sacred Grounds
In War on Sacred Grounds, Ron E. Hassner investigates the causes and properties of struggles over sites that are both venerated and contested, and proposes ways for managing these disputes. Holy places can create the potential for clashes, not only between competing religious groups but also between religious groups and secular actors. Hassner illustrates this complex, violent dynamic through a series of case studies, including the conflict over Jerusalem and competing Hindu and Muslim claims over Ayodhya. He also analyses successful compromises that reduced conflict in Jerusalem in 1967 and in Mecca in 1979. In this updated edition of War on Sacred Grounds, Hassner reevaluates his findings and conclusions and surveys ongoing conflicts over holy sites.
Authoritarian Consolidation in Times of Crisis
Bringing together experts from across the social sciences, this volume examines the consolidation of authoritarianism in Venezuela under the government of Nicol獺s Maduro. Taking a comparative perspective, it explains how authoritarians can remain ensconced in power amidst profound economic crisis, widespread social discontent, low approval ratings, and international policies aimed at their removal. Moreover, it seeks to understand the mechanisms and dynamics with which Maduro has consolidated an authoritarian regime in Venezuela. To this end, the editors differentiate the concept of authoritarian consolidation from the more studied processes of democratic erosion and democratic backsliding.The book's contributors explore in detail the country's process of autocratization under Maduro at the national and international levels, identifying and explaining the role of diverse actors and institutions in Venezuela's political regime, and their respective contributions to safeguarding and stabilizing the Maduro administration. By offering a systematic examination of the mechanisms by which regime change was fostered under Maduro's rule, this volume directly engages with scholarly research on regime transitions and democratic collapse; democratic breakdown and the consolidation of authoritarian rule; and comparative institutional work on Venezuelan politics. The book is relevant to scholars and students of Venezuela, as well as anyone interested in the pressing question of regime crisis survival and authoritarian consolidation.
Security Ethics: Commerce and Crime in a Polycentric World
What if Canada Became the 51st State? Food for Thought! The History, Potential Implications and Possibilities of a Borderless Future
What if Canada Became the 51st State? Food for Thought! The History, Potential Implications, and Possibilities of a Borderless Future By Jessie HionisIn What if Canada Became the 51st State?, teacher, author, and political enthusiast Jessie Hionis explores the hypothetical scenario of Canada joining the United States as its 51st state. This thought-provoking non-fiction work delves into the historical context, potential implications, and far-reaching possibilities of such a significant shift in North American politics and culture.The book opens with a preface that introduces the concept of a borderless future, setting the stage for an exploration of this intriguing idea. Hionis presents the concept as food for thought, emphasizing the need to question traditional borders and envision alternative possibilities. The narrative moves through a comprehensive history of Canada-U.S. relations shedding light on the deep ties that have shaped both nations.Through chapters that cover the benefits and drawbacks of such a union, Hionis highlights the constitutional and cultural challenges that could arise from integrating two sovereign nations into one. She delves into the significant implications for Canadian culture, the monarchy, and Indigenous peoples and explores specific provincial concerns, such as the Quebec and Alberta questions. In depth discussion of these two provinces and their specific needs are addressed as regional identities and their political dynamics are discussed in detail.Hionis also evaluates the economic, environmental, and foreign policy impacts of a potential union. She offers insights into how Canada's unique position in the world could be reshaped under U.S. governance and the challenges both the Canadian and American governments could face.The book takes a bold step further by contemplating the broader global implications, examining how a united North America would affect international relations and global power dynamics. Hionis tackles the referendum process and potential public opinion surrounding the idea using hypothetical statistics to compare the post-union landscape with that of other countries and continents.What if Canada Became the 51st State? Food for Thought! offers a compelling vision of a new era for North America, leaving readers to consider the deep, transformative shifts that could result from such a union. Through a mix of historical analysis, political inquiry, and cultural exploration, Jessie Hionis invites readers to ponder a future that blends two nations into one, challenging the very fabric of what it means to belong to a country.
Trade and Gender Review of New Zealand
This Trade and Gender Review of New Zealand draws on both quantitative and qualitative insights to provide a comprehensive analysis of the impact of trade, and trade policies, on New Zealand women as workers, consumers, and business owners and leaders.
Introduction to International Relations and Global Politics
Introduction to International Relations and Global Politics provides students with a complete understanding of theory and how it applies to the real world. With comprehensive coverage of all major classical and contemporary theories and approaches, the text focuses on the connections between theory and current issues in international relations.
European Security and Hybrid Threats
Hybrid threats have been defined in various ways by different security actors, with their scope continuously expanding to encompass emerging insecurities within the evolving security environment. As an umbrella term encompassing a wide spectrum of threats with complex and multidimensional features, the notion of hybrid threats remains inherently vague and amorphous. This lack of clarity presents significant challenges for policymakers, who must constantly identify potential dangers, anticipate risks, and formulate effective responses to safeguard their polities and populations. Consequently, a persistent sense of insecurity has become a defining characteristic of the current European security landscape. This 'new normal' of European security is characterised by a series of '(un)known unknowns' that fall under the elusive concept of hybrid threats. However, rather than accepting this evolving security paradigm at face value, this study calls for a critical examination of its underlying assumptions, core concepts, and broader political implications. It argues that the hybrid threat narrative demands a re-evaluation of what security means in contemporary Europe and how it is operationalised. Moreover, the study underscores the expansive nature of the hybrid threat framework, which has the potential to include virtually any domain - ranging from education and technology to research and public infrastructure - thereby contributing to the securitisation of all aspects of social and political life. This expansive and ambiguous framing raises important questions about the limits of security and allocation of resources, carrying considerable implications for democratic governance in Europe. Dr Zeynep Arkan is an Associate Professor of International Relations at Hacettepe University (Ankara) and a Visiting Fellow at the ?sterreichisches Institut f羹r Internationale Politik (Vienna). She holds a BSc from Middle East Technical University (Ankara), an MA from Exeter University (Exeter), and a PhD from the University of Kent (Canterbury).
Black Feminist Interventions to Decolonize the Westernized University
Assata Zerai reflects on three decades of scholarship and examines ways in which scholars and professors have begun to move their disciplines from a focus on traditional canons of the modernist era to embrace decolonial sensibilities in research, teaching, and institutional transformation, bringing about change within higher education.
The New Calculus of Escalation
A reevaluation of conflict thresholds in the context of complex cyber, conventional, and nuclear warThe return of great power competition has renewed concerns about managing escalation, lest a minor crisis inadvertently spiral into nuclear war. This has become apparent during the war between Russia and Ukraine, as Western aid for Ukraine has been predicated on avoiding Russian escalation.The New Calculus of Escalation updates our understanding of conflict escalation dynamics for the twenty-first century with the goal of reducing the possibility of a catastrophic war. To improve mutual understanding among states, Libicki rethinks conflict thresholds and exit ramps that manage escalation. During the Cold War, there were two critical thresholds-one between peace and war, and one between conventional war and nuclear war. But ongoing developments in cyber and other advanced military technologies threaten command and control and blur the old thresholds.Military strategists, international relations scholars, and graduate students will benefit from this book's cogent analytic framework in shaping future debates.
A Century of State-Making in Iraq
As an interdisciplinary publication, this book will have a strong international appeal to those across the Middle East who are interested in the complex issues of state-building, democratic transitions and federalism. It will also appeal to the many scholars in North America and Europe engaged in the study of these questions. The search for just and stable constitutional arrangements has been a central feature of political debates in the region and, since the Arab Uprisings, political scientists around the world have focused their attention on changes in the region. Iraq is a fascinating case study of a state that emerged from the mandate system with political institutions derived from Western political ideas, but one where the application of those ideas reflected the historical circumstances and social realities of fragmented community life. Iraq's political and constitutional problems have been fiercely debated since the Iraq war of 2003, with stuttering attempts to create a new constitutional settlement for Iraq. This book seeks to place these debates in their wider historical and socio-political context and demonstrate how contemporary problems are rooted in Iraq's political system, state-building processes and unique constitutional past. The volume examines different aspects of Iraq's struggle to create a coherent state identity through political institutions that can accommodate diversity. This is a topical work with extensive primary-source-based empirical research, alongside the conceptual and theoretical insights offered. Its different approach will be valuable to a variety of audiences, ranging from scholars and students of international politics/relations and law, diplomatic history, and the Middle East, to policymakers and, indeed, beyond to a broader audience of informed non-specialist readers.
US-China Global Maritime Relations
This book explores the U.S.-China maritime relationship, examining the development and implementation of the maritime strategies of both the United States and China.Delving into the U.S.-China maritime relationship within the global context, the book investigates six key maritime regions: the South China Sea, the Northeast Asia waters (the East China Sea, the Yellow Sea), the Indian Ocean, the South Pacific Ocean, as well as the Arctic and Antarctic regions. Its observations form a comprehensive exploration of these regions and their significance in shaping the dynamics between the two nations, and this analysis reveals that an expanded view is necessary to discover and clearly display the role that these maritime regions currently--and could potentially--play in overarching U.S.-China relations.Examining both the ongoing conflicts and opportunities for cooperation in the global maritime domain between the United States and China, this book will be a valuable resource to students and scholars of international relations, Chinese and U.S. politics, strategic studies, and maritime studies.
The Political Economy of Redistribution in Indonesia
This book analyses how different institutional intergovernmental transfer designs influence patronage and favoritism in public fund allocations in Indonesia.Presenting original research and investigating existing theories on the determinants of public fund allocations, the book uses Indonesia as a case study. Indonesia, often claimed to be characterized by money politics, provides an ideal setting for this analysis. The countries' decentralized fiscal system consists of various institutional intergovernmental transfer designs allocating public funds to a large variety of districts to finance public service provision. The author exploits those distinctive differences between various institutional intergovernmental transfer designs and investigates their influence on the prevalence of favoritism and patronage in public funds allocations while holding the political system, the observation period, and the government officials involved constant.A valuable contribution to the literature on the political economy of redistribution, this book will be of interest to academics working on economics and political science, particularly in public finance and development economics, but also in development studies or Southeast Asian studies.
The Political Economy of China-Myanmar Relations
The Political Economy of China-Myanmar Relations is a comprehensive guide that seeks to fill the gap in research on China-Myanmar relations. This book provides readers with a deeper understanding of the long-term continuity of China-Myanmar relations, which has yet to be fully explored by the academic community.The Political Economy of China-Myanmar Relations covers a wide range of topics related to the bilateral relationship between China and Myanmar. The book offers an in-depth analysis of Chinese investment and aid in Myanmar's economy, including infrastructure projects. It also explores how Chinese investment has impacted Myanmar's society and environment. In addition to economic issues, Zou also examines political developments in Myanmar, including the peace process with ethnic armed groups and democratic reforms. The way China's interests intersect with these developments and how it has influenced Myanmar's domestic politics is analyzed, and the role of other major powers such as India, Japan, and the US in shaping China-Myanmar relations is discussed. This book is particularly useful for scholars and researchers interested in understanding the complex dynamics of China-Myanmar relations. Policymakers and business leaders will also find this book valuable as it offers practical insights into how China's growing influence is shaping Myanmar's political and economic landscape.
Power Dynamics in African Forests
This book addresses historical perspectives and contemporary challenges of the politics of forestland governance and the related sustainability crisis in Africa.It focusses on the power dynamics between key actors involved in the governance of forest-related resources either for their exploitation or with regards to biodiversity conservation policies promoted at international arenas. The book provides conceptual and empirical contributions on what happens when global sustainability agendas and the related policy instruments meet the realities of domestic politics in Africa.It reveals that several actors in forest-rich countries, especially those with limited sovereignty, have often employed complex informal strategies as the 'weapon of the weak' to resist the domination of the most powerful actors of global environmental politics.The Open Access version of this book, available at www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license.
The Integration of Refugees in the Education and Labour Markets
This book sheds light on the improvements and downfalls over time in two of the five indicators of refugee integration after the post-Arab Spring migration/refugee crisis, namely education and employment.Within the context of the need for a common policy response in the field of migration governance, it includes case studies from first-line immigration countries of the Mediterranean region. The book also reflects on the situation in Central Europe, Scandinavia, and Africa and considers the perspectives of different actors, including migration and integration governance stakeholders, NGOs, governments, refugees, and others. Covering a wide geographical spectrum and a diverse spectrum of integration experiences and models, it reveals collaboration between different actors and how they operated simultaneously on regional, national, and international levels in order to achieve the inclusion of refugees in the host communities.This book will be of key interest to scholars and students of migration studies, social policy, public policy, international relations, European studies, law, economics, and sociology.
Deconstructing India-Pakistan Relations
This book examines the complex dynamics of India-Pakistan relations, by situating the same in the postcolonial setting of the subcontinent. In pursuit of this, the book analyses the impact of the linkages between the postcolonial processes of state-making and the structuring of political communities, upon the evolution of the probl矇matique of state security in South Asia.For the purpose of undertaking this task, the author deconstructs the countries' colonial history, with an aim to mapp its impact on the making of the foreign policy of Pakistan. Drawing primarily from colonial discourse theory and historical sociology, the book links the trajectory of Pakistan's international politics, to its domestic politics and "weak state" inheritances. By doing this, it offers a stimulating treatment of the history of the country's troubled postcolonial relations with India. This has been done in the book, by presenting the modes by which the religio-military and politico-bureaucratic classes that constitute the power elite in Pakistan, tended to have moulded an India-centred State security probl矇matique.This book will be of interest to researchers studying South Asian security, India-Pakistan relations and the defence and foreign policy of Pakistan.
Global Heating and the Australian Far Right
Global Heating and the Australian Far Right examines the environmental politics of far-right actors and movements in Australia, exploring their broader political context and responses to climate change.The book traces the development of far-right pseudo-environmentalism and territorial politics, from colonial genocide and Australian nationalism to extreme-right political violence. Through a critical analysis of news and social media, it reveals how denialist and resignatory attitudes towards climate change operate alongside extreme right accelerationism, in a wider Australian political context characterised by reactionary fossil fuel politics and neoliberal New Right climate change agendas. The authors scrutinise the manipulation of environmental politics by contemporary Australian far- and extreme-right actors in cross-national online media. They also assess the political-ideological context of the contemporary far right, addressing intergovernmental approaches to security threats connected to the far right and climate change, and the emergence of radical environmentalist traditions in 'New Catastrophism' literature. The conclusion synthesises key insights, analysing the mainstreaming of ethnonationalist and authoritarian responses to global heating, and potential future trajectories of far-right movements exploiting the climate crisis. It also emphasises the necessity for radical political alternatives to counter the far right's exploitation of climate change.This book will be of interest to researchers of climate change, the far right, neoliberal capitalism, extremism and Australian politics.
Exploring Russia's Exceptionalism in International Politics
This book explores Russia's sense of its own uniqueness and the impact this has had on Russia's conduct of international relations. Examining concepts such as Russia's special civilising mission, its difference from the West, its proneness to conduct violent warfare, and more, and discussing these concepts in relation to Russia's history and its present behaviour, and also in relation to other countries' views of themselves as exceptional, the book highlights Russia's sense of its own identity as a key factor shaping current international events.