This volume, the fifth in A General History of Chinese Wushu, offers a comprehensive and empirically grounded account of the development of Chinese Wushu from the First National Wushu Working Conference in 1982 to 2019. Integrating historical narrative with theoretical interpretation, the study reconstructs nearly four decades of institutional transformation, policy evolution, and cultural practice, presenting a panoramic view of Wushu's modernization in the post reform era.
Drawing extensively on primary sources-event reportage, memoirs, interviews, and official documents-the volume provides a critically informed analysis of how Wushu transitioned from a traditional Chinese sport to a standardized, scientific, and increasingly internationalized modern undertaking. The work underscores the methodological value of correlating empirical evidence with conceptual inquiry, offering scholars a rigorous framework for understanding contemporary Wushu's organizational and cultural reconfiguration.
Balancing academic precision with narrative clarity, the volume serves both as an authoritative reference for researchers in history, culture, sports studies, and the humanities, and as an informative resource for readers interested in modern martial culture. It reveals how Wushu's development reflects the broader progressive, pioneering, and innovative spirit that has characterized China's sporting trajectory since 1949.

This volume-the second in A General History of Chinese Wushu and one of the most substantively grounded works of its kind-offers a comprehensive portrait of Wushu during the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties. Drawing on both macro historical narratives and meticulous textual analysis, it provides an in depth examination of Wushu's artistic and theoretical systems, its routines, boxing styles, and diverse traditions, fully demonstrating the discipline's maturity and flourishing in the imperial era.

Combining the rigor of academic scholarship with the vividness of historical storytelling, this volume serves as a valuable reference for researchers in history, culture, sports studies, and the humanities, while remaining accessible to general readers interested in Chinese martial culture. Through this work, readers will gain insight into the intricate ways Wushu intersected with political, military, economic, and cultural developments, and experience the enduring charm of its techniques-techniques shaped by history, infused with artistry, and refined through centuries of cultural evolution.

This book provides an in-depth study of traditional Confucian concepts of women, the emergence of the "New Woman," and contemporary female gender roles in China. Rich and detailed in content, it combines macro-level analysis with specific case studies, tracing the evolution of gender perceptions of women in Chinese society over three millennia while exploring the social ecology of modern Chinese women. Drawing on perspectives from the ancient Chinese classic I Ching (or Yijing), the author delves into the various ritual and ethical constraints imposed on women to consolidate men's dominant social power following the establishment of the patriarchal system. With social development and progress, feminist ideas began to emerge and gain momentum, challenging Confucian gender norms and enabling the expression of women's liberation and self-worth. This has prompted a reexamination of female gender roles. The book offers novel arguments, profound insights, and rigorous analysis, supported by an extensive range of references. It systematically outlines the historical evolution of gender concepts in Chinese society over the past three thousand years and examines the social dynamics shaping contemporary Chinese women. As an academic monograph with a rigorous structure and incisive perspectives, it holds significant scholarly value and practical relevance.

This book takes us beneath the banality of business as usual where technoscientific professionals routinely make judgments that impact the lives of others. Be it the safety of engineered systems, the speed and accuracy of medical diagnoses, or the wellbeing of animals subject to genetic modification, mindful, ethical choices contribute to the society we want to live in.

In these decision making moments, professionals working in laboratories, clinics, offices and data centers weigh what constitutes ethical action in the face of ambiguity and uncertainty. This navigation is highly social and messy. The impact may be distant in time and geography and, as our cases show, professionals don't always get it right. Making ethical choices in a given context is not readily codified, which is a critical observation in the context of escalating trends to automate decision making.

We show how engineers, doctors, nurses, synthetic biologists, and other technoscientific professionals work through conflicting values, complex social organization, and societal expectations, grasping always for a hold on the potentially big consequences of everyday decisions.

This book calls for a critical and expanded engagement between Taiwan studies and global Cold War studies, especially in cultural and historical terms. While Taiwan studies scholars have long challenged traditional Cold War frameworks for understanding Taiwan's history and culture, sustained dialogues with global cultural Cold War studies remain relatively peripheral. By foregrounding Taiwan as a central site of inquiry, this book not only enables new dialogues with Cold War studies, but also demonstrates how Taiwan's unique cultural and historical complexities are vital to rethinking the global cultural Cold War. Building on as well as further complicating the "Cold War-Decolonization Nexus" framework often used to study cultural productions from U.S. allies in Asia, this book argues that to "de-Cold War" Taiwan is to see Taiwan as a subject and to ask questions about Taiwanese subjectivity through sustained inquiry and analysis of cultural and historical situations. Through interdisciplinary interventions, this volume rereads Taiwan's Cold War past beyond and beneath dominant narratives of authoritarianism, Confucianism, Americanism, ethnic stereotypes, and Indigeneity, foregrounding lived experience, complexity, and inventiveness across local, transpacific, and global contexts.

The primary aim of this book is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the intricate relationship between development challenges and the rise of radicalism in the Global South. By exploring the historical, political, and socio-economic contexts that shape these dynamics, the book seeks to uncover the underlying causes that fuel radical ideologies and movements in regions often marginalized in global discourse. At its core, the book aspires to challenge conventional security-focused narratives by emphasizing the structural inequities and governance failures that create fertile ground for radicalism.

This edited book offers an in-depth analysis of the educational experiences and strategies of Japanese families in cross-border marriages across six countries in East and Southeast Asia: South Korea, Taiwan, China, Thailand, the Philippines, and Singapore. Chapters examine how these families address the challenges of cultural identity, educational decision-making and social integration in their home and host countries. The case studies incorporate the perspectives of both the immigrant and host-country spouse, providing a comprehensive examination of how families make educational decisions for children and negotiate the social, economic and cultural conditions prevailing in the places of origin, domicile or destination. The book also sheds light on Japanese male immigrants and brings into focus matters concerning gender roles in cross-border marriages, and the education of children in these marriages. It will be of interest to academics and advanced students in the areas of sociology of education, migration studies and anthropology.

This book dissects the intricacies of security challenges in this strategically vital region. From emerging threats to urbanization complexities, this book navigates the multifaceted security landscape, offering profound insights into the pressing issues facing the Arabian Gulf.

Explores emerging security threats and urbanization challenges, the book provides a nuanced understanding of contemporary issues. It further examines the integral nexus between security and socio-economic development, unraveling the delicate balance required for sustainable progress in the Gulf.

Moreover, it dissects the transformative impact of technology on security paradigms and scrutinizes geopolitical influences shaping regional security. The book explores the critical intersection of energy security, international relations, geopolitics, political philosophy and legal frameworks, shedding light on the global dimensions influencing the Arabian Gulf's security landscape.

It explores conflict resolution, peacebuilding, and regional cooperation, and the book concludes with a forward-looking perspective on future trends and challenges in Arabian Gulf security. This scholarly exploration is an indispensable resource for academics, policymakers, and practitioners seeking a comprehensive understanding of the evolving security dynamics in the Arabian Gulf.

This book analyses the most crucial ethical keys of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Society at large (and academia in particular) is in need of ethical references to face the new, emerging challenges born out of the rapidly evolving technological landscape. New forms of AI are being developed very quickly, and its presence is expanding rapidly into a range of disciplinary fields-from medicine to law to education, and beyond. This raises doubts about the legitimacy of its indiscriminate use, which are aggravated by the detection of misuse-for example, in the case of Deep Fakes, use of AI by students to complete their coursework, and so on. On the other hand, there are of course positive and useful possibilities that had not before been imagined, for example in creativity and in the improvement of bioengineering possibilities. However, the question remains as to whether our society is ready to use the endless possibilities of AI in favour of people. Ethical references are needed to help regulate the use of AI within trusted environments, to have a positive impact on our modern society. This book aims to meet that need.

Terrorism remains a threat to U.S. citizens, assets, and interests despite the national security community's decreasing focus on counterterrorism.

In 2025, domestic terrorism represents a greater threat to the United States than do international terrorist organizations. Most domestic terrorist attacks in the United States are carried out by lone actors or small groups who believe in a wide range of ideologies, such as white supremacy, partisan extremism, and Salafi-jihadism. In the Middle East, the Al Qaeda core, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, and the Islamic State remain committed to conducting attacks against the U.S. homeland as well as U.S. interests, although all three are weaker than they were during their heydays. Israel has degraded Hezbollah's and Hamas's capabilities, while the Houthis have become a more active regional threat. Africa remains the most active theater for Salafi-jihadist organizations, but the continent's groups are mostly tertiary priorities for the United States, with the exception of East Africa's Al Shabaab.

This report consists of three regional assessments of the threat from terrorist groups and movements in the United States, the Middle East (including Afghanistan), and Africa. The purpose of this assessment is to help U.S. national security policymakers, intelligence and law enforcement professionals, and military decision-makers prioritize among different terrorist threats.

This book explores how enduring meta-narratives shape international security policies, disarmament efforts, and arms control practices. Zooming-in on dominant political myths, this book critically examines their role in legitimizing and sustaining global weapon governance by influencing both national and international approaches to disarmament.

Through a multidisciplinary lens that combines international relations, security studies, political sociology, and political theory, the author provides a nuanced analysis of the symbolic and cultural underpinnings of warfare in contemporary global politics. Drawing on interpretive-qualitative research methodology, this book reveals how narrative structures not only justify and foster militarization but also shape the institutional frameworks that govern weapons and conflict prevention.

This timely contribution challenges dominant narratives and representations of war in disarmament and arms control, urging scholars, policymakers, and civil society actors to reimagine global security beyond entrenched mythologies. It offers a compelling perspective for those working in international security, peace and conflict studies, disarmament, cultural politics, and global governance.

Ideal for academic researchers, graduate students, and professionals engaged in international security policy and disarmament advocacy, this book delivers both theoretical insight and practical relevance. It encourages a deeper understanding of how storytelling, belief systems, and political heuristics and imaginations continue to influence the pursuit of peace in an increasingly militarized world.

This edited volume offers a comprehensive examination of the emerging security threats confronting the GCC and NATO. Bringing together scholars and practitioners with deep area expertise, this book surveys military, technological, environmental, biological, and socio-political challenges. Combining historical analysis with forward-looking insights, it provides a holistic perspective on the emerging threats and their impact on regional and global security. Using case studies from the Russo-Ukrainian war to 2017 Gulf crisis, contributors trace how emerging threats are often transnational and interconnected. They underscore the necessity of adapting collaborative multilateral efforts to bolster resilience against non-traditional threats. Positioned at the intersection of area studies, security studies, and international relations, the book will be of particular value to academics, and practitioners concerned with NATO, the Middle East, and Gulf affairs.

This book addresses a growing and urgent educational challenge: equipping students and educators with the knowledge and critical tools needed to understand and navigate the complex world of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Drawing on digital literacy education and the ethics of digital media, it adopts an interdisciplinary approach to combine theoretical insights with practical instructional strategies for teaching about AI. Designed with school-age learners in mind, the book includes a wide range of methodologies, such as Philosophy for Children, Inquiry-Based Learning, gamification to offer concrete, adaptable classroom activities suitable for diverse age groups and educational settings.

Responding to the increasing demand from policymakers and educators for clearer guidance on AI education, the book promotes an approach grounded in awareness, inclusion, and responsibility. Structured around the four key dimensions of AI literacy (cognitive, operational, critical, and ethical), it provides a coherent and comprehensive learning pathway that extends beyond technical skills to foster critical thinking, ethical reflection, and democratic participation.

Filling a significant gap in the current literature, this project delivers a practical educational toolkit for schools and teachers, supporting students not only in using AI, but also in questioning, critically evaluating, and shaping its development in alignment with human and civic values. In doing so, it contributes to the growth of informed and responsible digital citizenship.

This book explores the life and legacy of Francis Bacon, tracing how his vision of mastering nature through knowledge influenced centuries of scientific and technological progress. Using scattered writings as a foundation, the author reconstructs the so-called Baconian Program and traces its evolution through the Scientific Revolution, the Enlightenment, and the Industrial Revolution, ultimately reaching its zenith in the 20th century.

Although Bacon's ideas were extraordinarily successful, they also had unintended consequences that now challenge their original foundations. As the Baconian epoch comes to a close, the book reflects on the uncertainties of our time and explores emerging paradigms that could lead humanity into a post-Baconian future. This book will appeal to scholars, researchers, and students interested in the development of science and innovation studies, as well as anyone seeking to understand the historical roots and future implications of knowledge-driven progress.

This book investigates the policy choices and institutional frameworks that powered South Korea's remarkable transformation from postwar poverty to a global economic powerhouse, while confronting the mounting structural challenges that now threaten its sustainability. It identifies ten key factors behind Korea's rapid growth from the 1960s to the 1990s and examines pressing socioeconomic issues, including population aging, declining fertility, high suicide rates, political and economic polarization, early retirement, youth unemployment, and the expansion of private education. The book also analyzes deep inequalities within Korea's labor market, such as persistent gender wage gaps, disparities between large conglomerates and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the divide between regular and non-regular employment, and the heavy reliance on self-employment. Finally, it addresses critical economic policy challenges, including rising household debt, real estate bubbles, minimum wage debates, inflation, an underdeveloped service sector, an undervalued stock market, inefficiencies in public enterprises and mutual financial cooperatives, a lagging tourism industry, the search for new growth engines, carbon neutrality commitments, and an outdated tax system. Offering fresh insights and concrete policy recommendations, the book highlights both the achievements and the vulnerabilities of Korea's economic model.

This book offers a critical and comprehensive analysis of Africa's electrification journey. In 2024, the World Bank, African Development Bank, and their partners launched Mission 300, a bold initiative to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030. Yet, this is not the continent's first electrification promise. From Lighting Africa to Power Africa, the past two decades have seen a proliferation of well-intentioned programs-yet the number of Africans without electricity has stubbornly remained around 600 million.

This book interrogates the gap between ambition and achievement, exploring the political, economic, and social dynamics that shape electricity access. Drawing on case studies from Kenya, Ghana, and beyond, it examines the role of development partners, private sector actors, and national governments in expanding access.

Key themes include:

1. The energy trilemma: balancing security, affordability, and sustainability.
2. The politics of regulation, subsidies, and cost recovery.
3. The impact of gender, culture, and tradition on energy access.
4. The promise and limits of off-grid and cross-border solutions.
5. The importance of data, measurement, and coordination.

This book is essential reading for scholars, policymakers, and practitioners seeking to understand-and transform-the future of energy in Africa.

This book focuses on the UN Sustainable Development Goals, using nationally representative datasets from the China Rural Household Panel Survey and China Labor-force Dynamics Survey to reveal the temporal and spatial evolution of cropland abandonment in rural China, and systematically examines the underlying drivers and governance strategies of farmers' cropland abandonment.

More specifically, this book creatively uses "People-Land-Money-Rights" as an analytical clue, and comprehensively employs modern econometric methods such as panel Tobit model, staggered DID model, and panel fixed-effect model to empirically investigate the impact of off-farm employment, land fragmentation, agricultural comparative return, and tenure insecurity on farmers' cropland abandonment. Based on these, this book also further explores the role of new agricultural business entities, farmland water conservancy projects, agricultural subsidy reform, and land tenure reform in curbing cropland abandonment. This book highlights the urgent need to address cropland abandonment and provides valuable insights into land protection in the context of food security and sustainable agriculture.

With world-leading industrial strength, China has achieved remarkable results in the information industry and digital infrastructure, becoming a global leader in digital transformation. In February 2023, it released the "Overall Layout Plan for Digital China Construction", aiming to be a world leader in digital development by 2035. Unlike other countries' perspectives, China's digitalization includes not only traditional ICT industries (digital industrialization) but also the digital upgrading of traditional industries (industrial digitalization) and improved public services through digital technologies (digital or smart society). This book aims to provide readers with a comprehensive overview of Digital China. It consists of three parts, totaling eight chapters. The first part is introductory, covering the overview of the ICT industry, the planning and scope of Digital China, and China's innovation system. The second part, the focus of the book, comprehensively introduces the development of China's digital industrialization, industrial digitalization, and the digital society in the early stage of the 14th Five-Year Plan. The third part presents China's achievements and progress in cyberspace governance and international digital cooperation.

This book provides unique insight into the economic system, structures, and policies that define modern China and its position within the changing global economy. It charts China's rise from poor developing country to major power within the global economic system and international politics. The drivers of this change, including the specific nature of the Chinese economy and governance, are discussed to highlight the processes and socio-economic initiatives that have helped China become a global superpower. The book examines in detail all major areas of societal development and policy-making, including the different social fields and everyday behavior, as well as regional, urban, ethnic, cultural, and ecological developments. Particular focus is given to technology, industrial and economic policies, income distribution, and the Belt and Road Initiative.

This book offers a thoughtful guide to how China has evolved from a centrally planned economy towards state-guided growth with a socialist tendency that makes highly effective use of markets. It will be relevant to students and researchers interested in the political economy and the role of China within the global economy.