Although Latin American and Caribbean countries have assigned a high priority to increasing exports in recent years—substantially transforming their economies in the process—export performance in most cases remains deficient. This book investigates why this is so, identifying the policies that determine successes and failures in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico. Each country case    More >

In recent years, debates within academic and policymaking circles have gradually shifted—from a Cold War focus on whether democracy constitutes the best form of governance, to the question of whether (and to what degree) international actors should be actively involved in democracy promotion. This book offers the first comprehensive analysis of international efforts to promote democracy    More >

Can restorative justice be effective in cases involving the most serious violent crime? The authors of Facing Violence evaluate pioneering programs in Texas and Ohio that employ mediation/dialogue techniques in homicide, rape, and other cases involving extreme violence. Their findings document the positive impact that these programs have had not only on the lives of victims and offenders, but also    More >

Attempts to transform the Russian Federation into a nation state, a civic state, or a stable imperial state have failed, argues Janusz Bugajski. Paradoxically, though Vladimir Putin assumed power to prevent Russia's disintegration, he may be remembered best for precipitating the country's demise. Bugajski considers the factors contributing to a possible Russian state collapse, among    More >

In the past fifteen years, presidents from two parties, supported by parents, teachers, and civic leaders have tried—and generally failed—to increase student achievement through federal policymaking. Supposedly pathbreaking legislation to "leave no child behind" has hardly made a dent in the problem. What is going on? Kevin R. Kosar delves into the political maneuvering    More >

What would the work of conflict resolution look like if practitioners not only recognized that it is impossible for them to be neutral—and that there are dangers in believing otherwise—but also brought their whole selves to the negotiation table? Focusing on this question, the authors of Faith and Practice in Conflict Resolution introduce the work of pathbreaking individuals who    More >

The Pentecostal Poor offers a rich and powerful perspective on evangelicalism in the barrios of Latin America, exploring conversion and subsequent commitments to faith in an unstable environment of poverty and violence. Bomann’s study, based on extensive fieldwork, is unique in that it reveals the evangelical Protestant movement through the eyes of the believers themselves, as well as from    More >

Col. Lawrence E. Casper (U.S. Army-Ret.) narrates the first documented account by a military officer of the harrowing US operations in Somalia and Haiti. As commander of the Falcon Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, and the UN Quick Reaction Force (QRF), Casper experienced Operation Continue Hope first-hand. Falcon Brigade and Special Operations aviators shared the skies over Mogadishu on October    More >

There has been considerable controversy and debate in South Africa (and elsewhere) in recent years over an apparent crisis of the family, including appeals for a return to "traditional" family values. To promote a better understanding of this supposed crisis, Family Matters draws on public opinion data to explore the diverse realities of contemporary family life in South Africa and    More >

Famine, Conflict, and Response is a practical guide to finding lasting solutions for famine and world hunger. Frederick Cuny's innovative economic approach to countering famine revolves around people's livelihoods, not just their survival, allowing permanent rather than short-term solutions. His ideas were well ahead of his time—and they remain relevant today, as is clear in this    More >