This book covers the low fertility in China that has drawn wide attention and exerts a far-reaching influence on the population development. In this book, with population census and sample survey data, and mathematical demographic methods and statistical methods, the authors systematically examined China's fertility levels over the past decades, fertility patterns, changes in birth numbers, projected the future population and simulated the 4-2-1 family structure and families bereaved of their only child. The authors developed a series of models and methods, got some important results, and drew some important conclusions, which provides reference for understanding the changing trend in China's fertility levels and patters, and for further relaxing China's fertility policy.

This book provides a systematic review of the content of children's rights protection in the international legal system and focuses on analysing China's compliance as a party to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. By detailing a number of authoritative laws, including the Constitution of the People's Republic of China and the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Minors, the book systematically comprehends the specific application and practical effects of Chinese law in the protection of children's rights. In addition, this book focuses on the new challenges faced by children in the context of rapid economic and social development and explores in depth how China's legal system responds to the new demands for children's welfare and protection of their rights and interests. The importance of this book lies in the fact that it not only demonstrates the unique contribution of the Chinese legal system to the welfare and protection of children's rights and interests, but also highlights China's comprehensive approach to child protection. Through the implementation of the 'six-in-one' child protection framework of family, school, society, government, justice and the Internet, this book comprehensively covers the multidimensional environment in which children grow up, reflecting China's systematic and synergistic approach to child protection. The issues that this book intends to address include how to effectively protect children's rights in a rapidly changing socio-economic environment, and to provide practical guidance on child protection through comprehensive analyses of Chinese law and policy. Through comprehensive analyses of legal policies, practical cases and international experiences, this book presents readers with a three-dimensional and dynamic picture of child rights protection, which is of great academic value and practical significance. The target audience includes domestic and international legal scholars, policy makers, social workers, educators, as well as researchers and practitioners interested in child rights protection. This book not only provides an important reference for child protection work in China, but also provides valuable experience and guidance for research and practice in the field of child rights protection in countries around the world.

This Open access book explores the connections between everyday life, institutional politics, and social hierarchies that underlie the disputes between progressive forces and the radical right. It studies the case of Brazil, which is especially suggestive, given the particular combination of political choices and variables of class, gender, race, region and religion as well as the different transitions in a short period of time. The book's central thesis is that political choices reflect the potential of different political discourses-whether from the left or the (extreme) right-to articulate sufferings, anxieties, and expectations generated by shifts in peoples' intersectional situation. Starting from this perspective, it studies how both institutional politics and real and virtual everyday spaces have been transformed into arenas where those who have lost or fear losing privileges and positions confront those who have gained or hope to gain new rights and standing within existing hierarchies.

The book combines timely themes and approaches: critical research on social inequalities, relations between capitalism and democracy, political activism. Politically, it presents a comprehensive diagnosis of the advance of the far right and can contribute to nurturing progressive strategies to react to these threats. Although based on cutting-edge theoretical debates, the book is written in easily accessible language that can be understood by a broad readership.

Why autocratic leaders have adopted gender-equality reforms as a way to legitimize their rule

Authoritarian governments are often seen as attacking gender equality. Vladimir Putin, Viktor Orban, and Recep Tayyip Erdogan have made well-publicized critiques of feminism. But, as Elin Bjarnegard and Paer Zetterberg show in this book, autocratic regimes are also actively adopting gender-equality reforms, surpassing some democracies in their embrace of such policies. Why have leaders of countries known for violating human rights become unlikely champions of gender equality? Bjarnegard and Zetterberg argue that gender serves as a versatile tool for autocrats seeking to legitimize their rule, deflecting attention from authoritarian practices by promoting policies that seem liberal and even democratic. They call this strategy of political misdirection autocratic genderwashing.

Drawing on data from authoritarian governments in countries including Rwanda, Nicaragua, Singapore, and Uganda, Bjarnegard and Zetterberg show how gender equality policies interact with noncoercive authoritarian strategies to claim legitimacy for autocratic rule. They describe autocratic genderwashing as political theater, shining a spotlight on specific reforms and accomplishments-domestic violence legislation, increased numbers of women in parliament, the creation of women's policy agencies-while leaving authoritarian practices in the dark. Considering the question of whether autocratic genderwashing is successful as a legitimation strategy, Bjarnegard and Zetterberg find that it is more convincing to international audiences than to domestic ones.

This proceedings volume explores current issues in finance, accounting, economics, and sustainable development. Featuring select contributions presented at the 26^th Annual Conference on Finance and Accounting (ACFA 25) held in Prague, Czech Republic, this book explores topics such as financial market dynamics, risk management, exchange rate modeling, corporate disclosure practices, auditing reforms, and the evolving role of sustainability in business strategies. The enclosed studies employ diverse methodological approaches including econometric modeling, systematic literature reviews, bibliometric analysis, and regional cases studies, providing both theoretical insights and practical applications. Integrating perspectives from developed and emerging economies, the volume highlights how global crises, regulatory frameworks, and cultural contexts shape financial performance, market behavior, and organizational resilience. This book is a valuable resource for academics, scholars, researchers, policymakers, and practitioners seeking to understand and navigate contemporary challenges in economic and financial systems.

Born-digital companies are often praised as agile disruptors - until growing scale, legacy decisions and internal complexity slow them down. This book shows how digital-era firms can deliberately renew themselves through internal corporate ventures, turning them from side projects into powerful engines of strategic change. Based on an in-depth case study of a leading European fintech, it reveals how leaders can structure, stage and steer such ventures to keep their organizations fast, innovative and focused.

The book develops a process model of strategic renewal that goes beyond born-digital companies. It offers actionable insights for any organization facing disruption, legacy structures or the challenge of sustaining innovation. By explaining how routines, capabilities and mindsets can be reconfigured over time, the study provides executives, entrepreneurs and corporate innovators with a practical roadmap for building lasting renewal capabilities - in digital natives and established firms alike.

How the unequal burdens of climate change are reshaping both domestic and international politics

Climate change is no longer an abstraction, as the world experiences extreme heat, rising sea levels, and brutally destructive wildfires. In Climate Fault Lines, Alexander Gazmararian and Helen Milner show that the effects of climate change are far from equal, with the most severe damages concentrated in the world's hottest regions. They argue that this divide-a fault line that cuts across existing social, economic, and political divisions-will produce diverging political responses to the changing climate. People, businesses, and governments on the more vulnerable side of the fault line are highly motivated to address climate change because they directly experience its intensifying effects. Those on the other side, however, have less motivation to address the problem, and when they do enact climate policy, it's mainly for other reasons-cleaner air, economic gains, or greater energy security.

Gazmararian and Milner support their argument-which departs from the prevailing wisdom that Northern European states are climate leaders whereas developing nations are free riders-by bringing together models from economics, geosciences and political science. The data show that voters and businesses with the most to lose are reshaping the incentives and policies of local and national governments below the fault line. Unequal harm, not shared global vulnerability, increasingly informs climate politics.

Innovation and entrepreneurship are often discussed together, with many resources in the literature about the intertwining of these two subject areas. What is lacking in the current research landscape is how innovation and entrepreneurship is undertaken in the emerging economies that form the BRICS alliance.

This comprehensive book offers a multifaceted exploration of entrepreneurship and innovation across BRICS nations, comprising various themes. It provides an overview of the challenges faced by SMEs, the dynamics of risk management, technology transfer, and global value chains, particularly in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. Emphasising the importance of knowledge sharing and creative leadership, it addresses sustainable development strategies and the role of digitalisation technologies in fostering economic growth. With a blend of quantitative and qualitative insights, the contributors provide a deep understanding of the intricate interplay between entrepreneurship, innovation, and economic development within the BRICS framework.

Academics will benefit from the scholarly analysis and theoretical frameworks presented, while students will find the content valuable for understanding contemporary issues in entrepreneurship, innovation, and international relations within the BRICS economies. Practitioners, particularly those involved in policy-making, business strategy, and international trade, will also find the insights offered by this book to be of significant relevance.

This project offers a fresh, in-depth analysis of the evolving relationship between the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in the ASEAN region. Through comprehensive analysis of investment data from 2016-2023, the book sheds light on the contrasting yet interdependent roles these banks play in ASEAN, with a special focus on five key countries: Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, the Philippines, and Indonesia. By integrating data analysis with geopolitical insights, the book provides a nuanced understanding of the strategic, economic, and political dynamics at play in Southeast Asia.

In the rapidly evolving world of contemporary business, artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming a disruptive force that is being adopted by companies in a variety of sectors. Its ability to boost creativity, expedite processes, and increase productivity is undeniable. Along with other digital technologies like blockchain, big data analysis, and augmented reality, it is anticipated to be one of the main forces behind the fourth industrial revolution.

Despite the success that artificial intelligence is meeting, there are still a number of concerns about how consumers may perceive artificial intelligence-based products and services, how they act with conversational agents (chatbots), and how they communicate with them. Through this book, the authors attempt to understand how artificial intelligence can be integrated within products and services in a way that generates value for the consumer. In particular, three consumer contexts are considered in which the introduction of AI is changing the way consumers interact with products and services. The first relates to the use of artificial intelligence in the fashion industry, where the creation of AI-generated clothes is generating widespread debate. The second relates to the use of conversational agents who through the use of AI are able to engage in conversations that are increasingly human-like. The third, in the area of social media, evaluates how consumers perceive virtual influencers.

Managing Innovation in Business Strategy, Marketing and Finance has a goal of contributing to understanding the role of business innovation from the perspective of three key functional areas: strategy, marketing and finance.

A leading tech insider reveals how AI may threaten our democratic institutions and enable autocracy-and how to guard against this

American democracy is under pressure, as institutions that we once thought stable suddenly seem precarious. At the same time, artificial intelligence has taken over much of our online life, with enormous offline consequences. In AI and Political Freedom, Matthew Botvinick examines the interaction of AI and democracy, exploring how AI is likely to challenge democracy as we move further into the twenty-first century. Botvinick-an expert on both democratic theory and AI technology-finds that the prognosis is serious. AI is poised to destabilize our democratic institutions-to attack them at their most vulnerable points and provide a useful tool for leaders with authoritarian aspirations. Yet despite the potential threat posed by the collision of AI and democracy, Botvinick argues that there are ways that we can safeguard our political freedom.

Botvinick points out that concern about our democratic backsliding emerged just as public attention turned to AI safety. Worries over the proliferation of deepfakes and AI-generated misinformation as well as the expanding political power of technology companies circulated widely-but were seldom connected to concern over the decay of democratic institutions. Botvinick makes this connection, considering AI's potential effects on our politics. Mass unemployment caused by technological advances creates a receptiveness to authoritarian appeals; security crises could enable governments to abuse emergency powers; and the use of AI in intelligence work creates the risk of politicized surveillance. To stop the retreat from democratic values, Botvinick argues, we must reinforce our democratic institutions and, ultimately, reimagine how democracy works, building richer and more engaging forms of citizen participation.

This book investigates how police officers perceive the credibility of domestic and non-domestic battery victims by comparing and contrasting multiple points along case development. It draws on research with a police department in north central Florida involving 500 hours of ride-along with patrol officers and follows 34 cases of domestic and non-domestic battery. It examines how police officers describe and depict victims and their credibility during the initial encounters with incident participants, post-incident perceptions, and victim characterization in their subsequent police reports. The book triangulates statements made by officers with rich and immersive accounts and observations, case information from police reports, and police department policy documents. It provides an overview of the police organization, its procedures, and practices when dealing with both domestic and non-domestic batteries and describes the aspects that influence officers' perception of victim credibility.

The European Union (EU) is marked by historical connections, socio-economic interdependencies, and shared challenges in labour market development. Despite these commonalities, the region is also characterised by significant diversity in economic structures, demographic trends, political contexts, and educational systems.

This volume responds to the urgent need for a nuanced, comparative understanding of employability across the EU - in the face of digital transformation, demographic shifts, and post-pandemic economic recovery.

The purpose of this publication is to provide a multidisciplinary and evidence-based exploration of the key factors shaping employability across the EU. It critically engages with issues such as skills mismatches, youth unemployment, gender disparities, informal work, and migration, offering insights into both persistent challenges and emerging opportunities. By drawing on case studies, policy reviews, and regional data, the book presents a rich mosaic of experiences and diverse approaches to workforce development.

Contemporary Studies in Economic and Financial Analysis publishes a series of current and policy-relevant themed volumes within the fields of economics and finance. Both disciplinary and interdisciplinary studies are welcome.

This book offers a unique analysis of the economic and political rise of the BRICS. It examines their contribution to the global economy and international institutions, as well as their contrasting interests and agendas. The BRICS' place within the global order is acknowledged to highlight the role they have in promoting sustainable development, encouraging South-South cooperation, developing new technologies, and participating in global governance. Understanding the trajectories of these emerging economies is essential for identifying new responses to contemporary global challenges.

Moving beyond Western-centric perspectives, the book explores both the opportunities and constraints facing the BRICS and other emerging economies, while also emphasizing the importance of identifying common ground to address present and future global issues. It will be of interest to students, scholars, and policymakers working in development economics, global governance, and international relations.

This book offers a comprehension discussion of the genealogies of two modern Chinese concepts, "nature" (ziran ??) and "human beings" (ren ?), across a wide selection of modern Chinese intellectuals beginning from the Republican period to the modern day. From the introduction of Western science in the late Qing, through creative translations and philosophical interpretations, to the politically-focused investigations of the meaning of being human and attempts to conserve Chinese culture, this book explores the various ways Chinese intellectuals dealt with Western learning to transform their own tradition to meet the challenges of their day. For scholars interested in modern Chinese philosophy, this book offers penetrating insights into the core ideas of some of the most important modern thinkers; for those interested in ancient Chinese philosophy, this book offers valuable insights regarding how the ancient tradition was appropriated for modern purposes.

America's staggering racial and economic divides did not emerge by accident-they were built. Stratification Economics exposes how centuries of law, policy, and institutional design manufactured inequality, from slavery and land dispossession to redlining, deregulation, and modern tax regimes that funnel wealth upward. Neoliberal ideology, the book shows, cloaks these structures in the language of markets and meritocracy, obscuring how privatization, austerity, and constitutional doctrine consistently entrench hierarchy. Across domains-housing, labor, education, corporate power, and the courts-the same pattern recurs: policies that appear neutral in theory reproduce racial and class stratification in practice.

Against this backdrop, the manuscript advances Stratification Economics as a transformative framework for understanding and undoing inequality. Drawing on cutting-edge empirical research, it reveals discrimination as a rational strategy of group advantage and offers a clear blueprint for equitable reform. In doing so, it reframes the American economy not as an engine of opportunity, but as a system we must redesign to achieve it.

This book brings together a collection of essays dedicated to the memory of John L. Heilbron (1934-2023), one of the foremost historians of science of his generation. Originally conceived as a Festschrift to mark his 90th birthday, it became a memorial volume following his passing. The contributors - former students, colleagues, and collaborators - reflect the breadth of Heilbron's scholarship, from the Scientific Revolution to modern physics, from Lamarck and Darwin to contemporary science writing. The essays exemplify his approach to the history of science: technically informed, contextually grounded, and attentive to language and method. Together, these studies trace the enduring influence of Heilbron's work on the practice of historiography itself. They illustrate how his legacy continues to shape new research agendas, connecting detailed historical inquiry with broader questions about knowledge, culture, and scientific understanding. This volume is both a tribute and a continuation of his intellectual project.

An innovative study of medieval Chinese tombs that provides new insights into the history of Eurasian cultural contact and exchange

Silk Roads, Steppe Roads takes the reader on a journey to three sites in northwestern China and Mongolia to investigate medieval Chinese tombs containing evidence of Eastern Eurasian cultural contacts and exchanges. The construction, artifacts, and texts on paper and stone found at these tombs of the Sui (581-618) and early Tang (618-907) dynasties reveal glimpses of people, rituals, and objects that were in motion on the Silk and Steppe roads until being laid to rest over a millennium ago.

Jonathan Karam Skaff shows how the major transit hubs of the Silk and Steppe roads were particularly active sites of cultural contestation, experimentation, and mutual influence that had an impact on the historical development of China and Inner Asia. Challenging the idealized image of the Silk Road, he also examines travel permits and sales contracts that document the trade of enslaved people over the route.

Innovatively drawing on both textual and archaeological sources, Silk Roads, Steppe Roads shows how Eurasian peoples, despite believing their societies to be unique, spun overlapping and entangled webs of culture.

Reclaiming the Climate Agenda: Indigenous Knowledge and Global Sustainability is a pioneering volume that challenges the dominant climate discourse and advocates for a more inclusive approach to sustainability. Through a diverse collection of contributions from experts in environmental science, Indigenous studies, and climate policy from around the globe, this edited collection highlights the critical role Indigenous knowledge plays in fostering resilience, adaptation, ecological balance and economic growth. It presents compelling case studies of Indigenous-led conservation, explores the intersections between traditional ecological knowledge and scientific innovation, and calls for decolonizing climate governance. By centering Indigenous voices and advocating for epistemological pluralism, this work provides an essential roadmap for integrating Indigenous knowledge into global sustainability efforts.

Bringing together scholars, policymakers, and Indigenous leaders, this collection is an invaluable resource for anyone committed to climate justice and sustainable development. Whether you are a researcher, activist, or policymaker, Reclaiming the Climate Agenda offers critical insights into building a more just, inclusive, and effective response to the climate crisis.

In the immediate post-war period and throughout the 1950s and 1960s, the OEEC-OECD constituted an intergovernmental forum for determining policy for the reconstruction and integration of European economies, and addressing significant issues of underdevelopment in individual member states. Using previously unstudied documents from the OECD's Paris archives, this book illuminates the role of the OECD in this period and how its interventions addressed and contributed to the issue of European development and integration in the regional dimension.

Focusing on six Mediterranean countries, the book reconstructs a forgotten chapter of European development policy through archival research, revealing how these regions served as early testing grounds for development economics, regional planning, and educational reform. By highlighting initiatives like the Vanoni Plan, the Mediterranean Regional Project, and the work of the European Productivity Agency, the study reframes the OECD not just as a forum for wealthy nations, but as a critical space where the 'southern question' of underdevelopment was theorized and acted upon. With implications for our broader understanding of the history of international organizations, this book is a fascinating resource for scholars of economic history and historical political economy, as well as development studies and the economics of education.

This edited volume examines the unforeseen effects of the notion of intangible heritage on conservation practices not only for urban contexts, but more generally for cultural practices. The notion of monumentality that UNESCO asserted focused on the material, tangible qualities of objects. It inevitably favoured European heritage sites and largely ignored forms of 'living' cultural heritage. This criticism not only came from scholars, but also from UNESCO member states from the Global South that addressed this omission and lobbied intensely for a more inclusive notion of World Heritage. One of the outcomes of these debates was the 2003 'Intangible Heritage Convention' - which was hoped to offer a remedy to the imbalanced global spread of World Heritage. Much academic research focuses on assessing whether or not the Convention indeed met its promises of broadening the heritage concept and ensuring a more even spread of World Heritage. Less attention has, however, been given to its unforeseen implications for contemporary heritage practices. By introducing less strict notions of authenticity, UNESCO and ICOMOS helped lay the conceptual grounds for many urban and industrial developments that it now resists. Urban planners, politicians and developers have used the notion of intangible cultural heritage to legitimize intrusive changes to historic urban landscapes or heritage sites. The introduction of the concept of intangible cultural heritage has thus not simply created 'just another list', but produced shifts in how we discuss, define and manage historic built environments in the 21st century.

The chapters address the history of the 'Intangible Heritage Convention', as well as its current uses in various contexts. The book includes both contributions that are theoretical in nature, as well as chapters that explore specific case studies. Key questions that the volume addresses include: How did the notion of heritage evolve to include cultural practices? What is the history of intangible heritage as concept and a practice? How did the notion of intangible heritage affect conservation philosophy and practice? How was the notion of intangible heritage criticized and by whom? How did the conservation philosophy evolve in relation to the notion of intangible heritage? And how do these issues influence views on and dealings with intangible heritage today?

The book brings together different disciplinary and cultural perspectives from different parts of the globe. Contributing authors are based in Southern Africa, Europe, South Asia and North America. The book's main audience includes academics interested in heritage and heritage practitioners.

This book brings together teaching cases in leadership and responsible enterprise.

Reflecting the pressing need to address complex social and environmental challenges in an interconnected world through management education, the book is organised across four thematic areas that reflect the frontiers of teaching and research in leadership and enterprise development. It covers new models of enterprise development, enterprise finding, collaborative partnerships, and sustainable growth. With cases from across the global North and global South and from a whole spectrum of SMEs as well as larger corporations, the book provides an excellent opportunity for programme leaders and module coordinators to introduce practical examples that are otherwise not available in traditional textbooks.

By bringing the world to the classroom, educators will be able to cultivate a global mindset in students and raise awareness about shared challenges and innovative solutions being implemented across high-income and low-income economies.

This book examines the populist economic policies implemented by the Polish government and the impact they have had on business stakeholders. With a particular focus on the period 2015 to 2023, it explores the mechanics of populist politics to provide insight into the relationship between governments and business, and to show how these policies undermine economic development and impact broader society. The legacy of populist regimes is also evaluated, with a particular focus given to the legal and institutional obstacles created by these governments that restrict the ability of subsequent governments to create positive change.

This book offers unique insight into the downfall of the recent Polish government and provides a warning for other countries enacting populist economic policies. It will be relevant to students, researchers, and policymakers interested in the political economy and economic policy.