This book focuses on the "tech middle powers" and their patterns of cooperation. The challenge of tech middle-power (TMP) cooperation offers a fascinating window into world politics more broadly, as it lies at the intersection of three key trends in contemporary global politics. First, there's a shift toward minilateral informal collaboration practices worldwide, which are increasingly supplementing or replacing the diminishing influence of multilateral institutions and the often limited scope of bilateral partnerships. Second, the "Easternization" of science and technology has resulted in a redistribution of industrial capacity, changing global production networks, and relocated cutting-edge innovations worldwide, marking a shift away from the traditional industrial hubs of the Western OECD nations. Finally, the world is witnessing the dynamics of an increasingly bipolar geopolitical landscape, where two technological and economic superpowers-the United States and China-compete for strategic partnerships, often in an exclusive manner. Middle powers, particularly those with advanced technological capabilities, face unique economic and security challenges in this volatile environment of bipolar competition.In this collection of essays, authors explore the growing phenomenon of "workarounding" - cooperation between and among middle power countries that excludes the US and China.

This book provides a comprehensively understanding on urban water management's complexities and solutions. It addresses sustainable and resilient water management challenges amidst rapid urbanization and climate change. The book explores historical perspectives, current issues, and future trends, emphasizing integrating sustainable practices, technological innovations, and community engagement in urban planning. It guides urban planners, policymakers, environmentalists, and academicians, offering insights and strategies for developing healthier, more sustainable, and resilient cities. Designed as a pivotal resource, it highlights water's crucial role in urban ecosystems, balancing urban growth, environmental sustainability, and resilience. The book presents a multidisciplinary approach to urban water challenges, incorporating historical insights, technological innovations, and best practices in policy and community engagement. It fosters informed decision-making and strategic planning for sustainable, resilient, and healthy urban environments against climate change and urbanization.

This book offers a comprehensive approach to modelling visual behaviour in marketing research, particularly through the lens of various types of Hidden Markov Models, including a new linguistic pattern-based version. It explores the critical role of visual behaviour in customer decision-making processes. By elaborating on the methodology of applying Hidden Markov Models to eye-tracking data, the author provides a structured approach to analysing visual processing in marketing contexts.

Readers will gain a better understanding of how visual behaviour influences marketing effectiveness, supported by detailed modelling techniques and real-world eye-tracking experiments. The book presents a unique integration of linguistic patterns based on fuzzy sets with Hidden Markov Models, enhancing modelling flexibility and the understanding of customer behaviour. Additionally, it includes a scientific modelling lifecycle focused on employing various types of Hidden Markov Models in an eye-tracking studies and their practical applications in marketing research.

Aimed at marketing researchers, data scientists, and professionals, this book provides valuable insights into advanced analytical techniques, fostering a deeper understanding of customer visual behaviour. It is an essential resource for those seeking to leverage Hidden Markov Models for theoretically interesting and practically useful research outcomes within the marketing context.

This book investigates the power of two critical peace theories, namely sequencing and hybrid peace theories, in managing the conflict-triggering elements of liberal peace theory. The effectiveness of liberal peace theory's ability to build sustainable peace in post-conflict countries is questioned by critical peacebuilding scholars. This is because liberal peace theory fails to recognize the core elements of democracy - participation and competition - which can cause violent conflict if implemented in a country with weak or ineffective institutions.

These two critical peace theories provided options to mitigate this shortcoming of liberal peace theory. The first, sequencing-Institutionalization Before Liberalization, suggests delaying implementation of the core elements of democracy until institutions that are strong enough to monitor them are built. Meanwhile, the second critical peacebuilding theory, the local turn-hybrid peacebuilding theory, argues for accommodating the views and perspectives of the people within a post-conflict country and building sustainable peace through constant agreement and consensus among various actors in post-conflict countries.

This research explores the power of these critical peace theories in managing the conflict-triggering elements of liberal peace theory and building sustainable peace in post-conflict countries, particularly in Africa.

In this book, contributors go in-depth to analyze the 'crime of aggression', 'crimes against humanity' and their applicability in the context of the invasion of Ukraine.
The ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine brings the principles of Nuremberg to the forefront of discussions on justice, raising questions about the feasibility of Nuremberg-style accountability. The book touches upon the abduction of Ukrainian children and the destruction of Ukrainian cultural heritage. Contributors also discuss the topic of war crime tribunals after Nuremberg, including Timor and former Yugoslavia, as well as tribunals in Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and others leading up to the International Criminal Court (ICC). Including essays by Oleksandra Matviichuk, the Ukrainian Nobel Laureate, and Ambassador Dr. Anton Korynevych, Ukrainian minister and specialist in international law, this book considers the contemporary relevance of the Nuremberg principles in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

This book explores the tangible societal contributions of Zhu Xi (1130-1200) and his disciples during their lifetimes, alongside the enduring impact of their practices on contemporaries and subsequent generations. A towering Neo-Confucian philosopher of the Song Dynasty, Zhu Xi revolutionized Confucianism by synthesizing the metaphysical concepts of li (principle) and qi (material force) into a coherent theoretical framework. His interpretations of Confucian classics became imperial orthodoxy for over 700 years, shaping education, civil service examinations, and social ethics across East Asia. By integrating Buddhist and Daoist insights into Confucian thought, Zhu deepened its philosophical richness while upholding core values such as ren (benevolence) and moral self-cultivation, leaving an indelible mark on traditional Chinese governance, cultural identity, and the intellectual landscapes of Korea, Japan, and Vietnam.

Translated from the Chinese academic monograph Zhuxi jiqi houxue de lishixue kaocha by leading Ming-Qing history scholar Chen Zhiping, this volume diverges from conventional philosophical approaches to Zhu Xi studies. Instead, it centers on concrete actions over abstract ideas. Leveraging his expertise in Chinese economic and social history, Professor Chen delivers a systematic analysis of Zhu Xi and his followers' engagement in governance and daily life, offering fresh perspectives on their historical role and far-reaching influence.

Commons and Public Partnership reimagines the commons as a dynamic third political sphere, one that bridges the gap between the household and the state. Torange Khonsari shows how cultural practices can activate communities, creating neighbourhood-based commons systems that challenge conventional governance.
Drawing on local experiences, Khonsari addresses pressing societal issues, from citizen apathy and institutional distrust, to the lack of awareness around creative practices that can transform political engagement. By repositioning the neighbourhood as a decentralized arena for decision-making, this book advocates for a commons/public partnership model in place of the dominant private/public paradigm.
Rich in theory and grounded in practice, Commons and Public Partnership blends insights from urbanism, public art, architecture, psychology, politics, anthropology, and sociology with practical design methodologies-offering a bold, interdisciplinary framework for rethinking civic life.

This book addresses the theme of peace- and state-building through a comparative study of the intervention of the European Union (EU) in Somalia and Mali between 2006 and 2022, as well as an analysis of the reorientation of the EU's external action post 2022. The main objective was to understand and analyse the EU's intervention under the stabilisation banner and focus on state-building and support to the security sector in countries marked by polycentric governance. It analyses the normative and regulatory role of the EU as an agent of the liberal interventionary order (as per O. Richmond's concept). The research contributes to the emergent post-liberal approach in peace and conflict studies by putting forward context-based knowledge. The theoretical framework is framed around the critique of peace as governance and the broader focus of state-building associated with stabilisation. The author further analysed the EU's attempts at growing actorness, particularly in the post-Lisbon Treaty. The research contributes to the fundamental critique of peacebuilding (critical turn), including through societal perspectives on EU's intervention and informing the local turn. By also encompassing the global turn in International Relations, the research confirmed the growing challenge of maintaining a global order based on multilateral rules and exposed how polycentricity outwitted the EU's normative aspirations.

This book highlights the Church's significant cultural, social, and political presence across the Anglophone Caribbean.

Individual authors collectively provide a series of readings of historical and contemporary issues negotiated by the Anglican Church in the Caribbean that capture the complex, integral role the church played in shaping the individual identities of the islands while seeking also to be a pan-national voice for a shared set of global values and aspirations expressed regionally.

The volume offers religious and secular readers an opportunity to better understand the role and history of the Anglican Church in the region. It acknowledges historical failures, challenges the notion that the church is "colonial," and highlights the continuing importance of the Church to individual lives and regional aspirations. Combining examination of the church's complicated relationship with history and a variety of personal engagements with Anglicanism in the Caribbean, The Anglican Church in the Anglophone Caribbean demonstrates the continuing significance of the Anglican Church in the development and contemporary life of the region.

This book brings together research-practice partnerships that aim to improve language teaching and learning across varied educational contexts. This book examines how teachers, researchers, school leaders, policymakers and communities collaborate to create evidence-informed language education, and why some partnership efforts succeed while others face challenges.

The chapters present projects from local schools to international networks, showing how sustained dialogue and shared goals can strengthen language learning. Key themes include how partnerships are established, what motivates stakeholders, and how research can be translated into accessible and practical classroom approaches.

By highlighting real examples of collaborative work, the book shows how a more inclusive and balanced approach to research can benefit everyone involved in language education. It offers clear insights and lessons for creating effective, long-term partnerships that support practitioner research, make evidence more usable, and foster meaningful change in how languages are taught and learned.

This book sheds light on metrics as a key element of power relations in the EU anti-poverty policy, not least because the calculative infrastructure underlying them actively shapes the distribution of power. These metric-based power dynamics are linked to the fundamental lines of division in the EU, namely the tension between the vested interests of Member States and of supranational bodies, as well as between economic and social policy objectives. The analysis also points to the blurring of the boundaries between the technical and political (interest-based) aspects of the policy-making process. Actors are surprisingly often not only aware of, but openly talk about, the normative choices and negotiations involved in creating indicators and the trade-off between cognitive value and alignment of interests. Many also believe that it is better to use "imperfect" but "commonly agreed" indicators than none at all. By unpacking these hidden infrastructures and everyday practices, this book brings a new perspective to the study of EU policy-making. Drawing on extensive empirical research, it provides a robust empirical account of how Europe governs through numbers.

This book explores how businesses could benefit from responsible innovative practices and leverage technologies to sustain businesses and guides the next generation future; this book covers different technological and business-related issues including ethical use and cultural sensitivity of data used in businesses, managing data privacy and protection, governance standards for digital transformation, executive leadership strategic decisions, business innovation and sustainability, next generation ethical standards, Technology and AI for Human and Talent Management, Responsible Innovation Practices for Green Economy and Sustainability, Emerging Trends, Policies and Practices in the Concept of Society 5.0, etc. This book is authored by leading experts in the field of business sustainability, ethical digitalization, and responsible innovation; the authors diversity reflects quality of research with high level of impact in the research topic. It is written in accessible language that makes it easy for business leaders, researchers, policymakers, and anyone interested in the future of business development to understand the complex concepts and ideas presented in the book. This book provides insight for executive leaders in setting new sustainable practices and strategies towards leveraging responsible innovation with the use of business and technology in different levels of operations to support business sustainability and society 5.0. This book provides different theoretical and practical practices cases studies that could be used as a guideline for policy making and devising innovative directions.

This book offers an alternative narrative of the global history of political economy. From ancient civilizations to modern times, zero-sum logic has been a fundamental, yet often ignored, driving force behind political and economic systems worldwide. The authors reveal the contradictions within various ideologies -particularly liberalism and neoliberalism- that claim win-win scenarios while in fact relying on zero-sum principles.

By examining systems from mercantilism to digital economies, the book shows how zero-sum logic underpins diverse economic and political doctrines, including authoritarianism, democracy, and policies like austerity. It combines economic history, political philosophy, historical sociology, and geopolitics in an interdisciplinary approach and comprehensive analysis. The book uncovers how zero-sum logic has historically informed both ideology and practice, challenging prevailing narratives and highlighting the paradoxes within our global economic system.

The book will appeal to students, scholars, and researchers from these disciplines, interested in a better understanding of the economic dynamics that shape our world, and the need for a new, cooperative approach to global political economy.

This edited book explores recent developments in community translation and interpreting, offering fresh insights into research, practice, and teaching around linguistic access and inclusion. Bringing together international perspectives, it examines how these fields evolve across diverse social, cultural, and ethical contexts.

Drawing on discussions from the 3rd International Conference on Community Translation (Warsaw, 2023) and new global contributions, the chapters address translation technology in non-profit organizations, inclusive language projects, health communication, and the use of artificial and machine translation in public services. Case studies from Canada, Europe, Asia, and Australia highlight how community translation and interpreting promote equity, access to information, and social integration for multilingual and vulnerable populations.

This volume will appeal to students, researchers, practitioners, educators, language service providers, and professionals in healthcare, law and social services seeking to advance inclusion through language access.

This edited volume is a collation of evidence-based test provider and institutional accounts of the remote online delivery and administration of tests originally developed for in-centre delivery. Until recently empirical investigations of remote online language testing were limited and the various types of validation evidence had not been specified. This led to a degree of opacity regarding remote online test administration and delivery. The first-hand accounts of remote testing solutions presented here span a diverse range of languages, countries, contexts and intended purposes. The editors have drawn on these experiences to propose a framework (the Process Framework for Online Test Validation) to support remote online testing as an established mode of delivery. They argue that test providers should be accountable to test users, supporting their choices and assertions with empirical evidence and communicating transparently. Suggestions are based on empirical validation research involving key stakeholders and conducted by language testers delivering remote online tests in various high-stakes contexts. This book will be of interest to both researchers and practitioners in the language assessment field, including but not limited to language testing for admissions purposes, second language assessment and academic literacy.

This book explains how and why conspiracy theories have become such a powerful political weapon. From stolen-election claims to vaccine scepticism and global "elite" plots, conspiracy theories have moved from the political margins to the centre of public life. In an era of polarised politics, digital campaigning, and democratic backsliding, they increasingly shape elections, mobilise voters, and undermine trust in institutions.

Organised around four core themes, the volume analyses the political logic of conspiracy theories, their impact on democratic governance, and the challenges they pose to public debate. It presents original empirical case studies of conspiratorial narratives circulating during election campaigns and across social media, and examines the role of political entrepreneurs, parties, and far-right movements in producing and amplifying them.

By bringing together insights from political theory, sociology, political science and empirical research, this book offers a compelling framework for understanding conspiracy theories as a defining feature of contemporary political conflict. It is essential reading for scholars and students of political sociology, comparative politics, and cultural studies. Drawing on shared theoretical foundations across multiple disciplines, this book provides a comprehensive account of conspiracy theories as a central feature of contemporary politics.