Is Northeast Asia primed for peace or ripe for great-power rivalry? In this turbulent region, all the world-order challenges of arms control and disarmament, global North-South tensions, human rights and humanitarian intervention, environmental protection and eco-development, and democratization and humane governance are concentrated. More than any other part of the world, the divided Korean peninsula is the strategic crossroad where the four major regional/global powers-the United States, Russia, China, and Japan-uneasily interact. This authoritative work explores the complex and evolving interplay of national, regional, and global forces influencing Northeast Asia's security, economy, and identity. Written by a team of leading scholars, the book presents a variety of theoretical perspectives and case studies to offer a comprehensive analysis of the pressures that shape the policy choices of China, Russia, Japan, the United States, North and South Korea, and Taiwan. The authors' historically and culturally informed narratives help track and explain the changes and continuities of relationships within the region and with the United States and Russia. Concise and current, this book will be essential reading for all those concerned with the role of a changing Northeast Asia in world politics.

About the Author
Samuel S. Kim teaches in the Department of Political Science and is a senior research scholar at the Weatherhead East Asian Institute, Columbia University.

Reviews
A very welcome addition to the small but growing number of books that deal with East Asia in a theoretically sophisticated and empirically grounded manner. It will be particularly valuable to teachers and researchers on the international relations of the world. -- Rosemary Foot, St. Antony's College, Oxford
An outstanding survey of the pattern and character of conflict and cooperation in North-East Asia. Beyond providing a sophisticated and comprehensive overview of the international setting of North-East Asia, the book's greatest strength lies in its exploration of the multiple foundations of regional order. Samuel Kim and his contributors are to be congratulated for their empirically rich and theoretically sophisticated analysis of North-East Asia, which will be of considerable use to students, researchers, and policy-makers alike. * International Affairs *
Among many books and articles on Northeast Asia, Samuel S. Kim's recently edited book is a collection of particularly insightful analyses. The authors in this volume correctly perceive the major issues facing Northeast Asia and provide an astute assessment of the region's past, current, and future dynamics. This book delves into questions that are empirically important and theoretically salient. It also harmonizes useful analyses to understand the complexity of Northeast Asia. For undergraduate and graduate students in the field of international relations, this edited volume is a sound textbook for grasping the dynamic interactions in Northeast Asia, and for exploring the theoretical applications for central economic, political and security issues. -- Hyon Joo Yoo, Goergetown University, Washington D.C., U.S.A. * Pacific Affairs, Vol. 78, No. 1 Spring 2005 *
An outstanding survey of the pattern and character of conflict and cooperation in North-East Asia....An empirically rich and theoretically sophisticated analysis [that] will be of considerable use to students, scholars, and policy-makers alike. * International Affairs *
A group of our foremost scholars provides an excellent overview of the contemporary scene, dealing with its complexities in a penetrating fashion. These essays will provide the readers with an understanding of one of the most crucial regions of today's world. -- Robert A. Scalapino, University of California, Berkeley



Book Information
ISBN 9780742516953
Author Samuel S. Kim
Format Paperback
Page Count 384
Imprint Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Publisher Rowman & Littlefield
Weight(grams) 603g
Dimensions(mm) 230mm * 155mm * 24mm