This volume, the fourth in A General History of Chinese Wushu, presents a scholarly examination of the development, institutionalization, and expanding global influence of Wushu from the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 to the First National Wushu Working Conference in 1982. Through a synthesis of historical narrative and conceptual analysis, the study reconstructs the policies, organizational reforms, and cultural dynamics that shaped modern Wushu during this formative period.
Drawing on significant historical materials and documentary evidence, the volume analyzes how Wushu evolved under new political and social conditions, how its contemporary forms were constructed, and how it progressively entered the sphere of international cultural exchange. With a balance of academic rigor and clarity, the work offers both a substantive reference for scholars in history, culture, and sports humanities, and an informative resource for general readers interested in the modern transformation of Chinese martial culture.
The volume elucidates the trajectory through which Wushu became aligned with national strategies of physical culture, mass sport, and international outreach, thereby revealing the progressive, pioneering, and innovative spirit that has characterized China's sporting development since 1949.

This book argues that Colombia and China have been linked since the earliest Spanish colonial period through a little-known commercial sphere that historiography has largely overlooked. Drawing on primary sources from national archives and tracing scattered references in Chinese historiography, it demonstrates that New Granada-today Colombia and Panama-sustained a consistent commercial relationship with China, particularly through the consumption of diverse textiles.

Revisiting this historical encounter offers a fresh perspective on the economic and cultural dynamics of the eighteenth century, a period traditionally framed as one of mainly European dominance. Evidence from smuggling records and testamentary files in Colombian and Spanish archives shows that New Grenadian society consumed significant quantities of Chinese goods, including silk, angaripolas, and damascos. These findings support two central claims: first, that New Granada actively participated in global markets during the eighteenth century; and second, that Chinese commodities enabled cultivated forms of global sociability within the region.

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.

The book examines the consequences of Brexit on EU citizens in the UK and UK nationals in the EU27 as well as on the EU citizenship concept as such. Whereas previous scholarship has focused on what individuals gain from EU citizenship, the authors examine which rights UK nationals (in the EU27 and at home) and EU citizens in the UK have lost as a result of the withdrawal of the UK from the EU, taking into account the Withdrawal Agreement and the counterfactual scenario (i.e. without the Withdrawal Agreement). This book argues that Brexit shows that the concept of EU citizenship is more than just a status and a bundle of rights. Rather, it has a transformative value, which can be understood as the process whereby EU citizens can genuinely and fully enjoy the rights granted under their fundamental status as EU citizens and make them perceive themselves as EU citizens rather than just nationals of Member States with additional rights granted under EU Law. Despite claims that EU citizenship is an abstract concept devoid of much practical value, the book reveals that the Withdrawal Agreement and the actions taken by both the United Kingdom and the European Union demonstrate that the transformative value of EU citizenship has not only been understood but overall maintained, at least for EU citizens with permanent residency. Moreover, owing to the disruption of Brexit and especially the uncertain time between the referendum and the ratification of the Withdrawal Agreement, EU citizens in the UK and UK nationals in the EU27 have taken actions to safeguard their rights, thereby further reaffirming the transformative value of EU citizenship.

This book unveils how donor dependence and geopolitics influence the motives and activities of South Asian NGOs while operating in diverse development discourse, developing a superiority-complex challenge in upholding their core values. In doing so, the book covers the historical evolution of NGOs, their power dynamics and relationships with the state and other stakeholders, their corporatization-driven autonomy and its implications for neo-imperialism, their accountability to their beneficiaries and the state, their responses to the decline or deterioration of quality public institutions or policies, and their advocacy for empowerment of people and communities.

The book also identifies factors that influence the effectiveness and impact of NGO work in South Asia, such as political and economic factors, rent-seeking opportunities, overlapping notions of empowerment, public consciousness of interests or values, exit or voice options, loyalty or attachment to public institutions or policies, state responsiveness or repression, foreign donors or international organizations, and regional or global geopolitics. Furthermore, it sheds light upon the potential to promote sustainable and inclusive development outside these politically sensitive power paradigms for NGOs.

This book discusses Africa's call for reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) based on a decolonization perspective as opposed to the mainstream history of International Organizations (IOs). It advocates for the decolonization of IO history arguing that the roots of the UNSC are deeply colonial. Africa was virtually absent when the UN was founded. However, with the demise of colonialism and the subsequent admission of African states to the UN, the African group now has 54 members. With Africa as the main focus of the SC discussion agenda, its exclusion from permanent membership is a glaring anomaly. While Africa's demand to reform the UNSC based on the Ezulwini Consensus, especially immediate veto acquisition, is not easily achievable, the book offers important insights on why this demand is important.

This book examines the complex relationship between Tuerkiye and Libya, integrating Welsh Critical Security Studies (CSS) with contemporary realities. It argues that security encompasses more than just military power, focusing on the cultural, social, and political dimensions that influence security policies. The book delves into the regional dynamics shaped by international organisations like NATO and the UN, particularly post-World War II. It highlights how these organisations' geopolitical interests have impacted bilateral interactions, framing security through notions of influence and power. Key historical turning points are analysed to reveal their effects on military and political engagements between Tuerkiye and Libya. The book also critiques the roles of major international players, especially the United States, exposing the hegemonic forces that often compromise the sovereignty of states. Challenging conventional military-centric perspectives, the narrative emphasises human rights, economic stability, and social cohesion as fundamental to achieving genuine security. It advocates for emancipatory security practices that align with the nations' unique socio-cultural and political contexts. It suggests a collaborative future for Tuerkiye and Libya centred on regional aspirations and societal resilience. Through thorough empirical analysis, the authors provide valuable insights into local perceptions of security and the historical legacies influencing contemporary policies. This book serves as both an academic resource and a practical guide for policymakers and advocates navigating the complexities of international relations. Essential for scholars and practitioners alike, this book offers fresh perspectives on the intricate nature of security in an interconnected world and presents a compelling case for enhancing bilateral relations while challenging established norms.

This book offers a critical and original analysis of how China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is actively reshaping the geopolitical architecture of the Middle East. Far from being a neutral economic enterprise, the BRI is conceptualized here as a deliberate and strategic modality of power-what the book terms "diplomacy by design"-through which China is redrawing regional alignments, recalibrating state relations, and subtly displacing long-standing Western influence.
Drawing on case studies from key Middle Eastern states-including the Gulf monarchies, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and some part of the Levant-the book situates China's infrastructural diplomacy within the broader context of regional fragmentation, post-American recalibration, and the emergence of multipolar diplomacy. It engages critically with concepts such as sovereignty, strategic autonomy, and the infrastructure-security nexus, arguing that the BRI constitutes a new grammar of international engagement that departs from traditional Western models.