Now available in a revised and updated version, this book examines Western warfare from antiquity to the present day.

Provides an account of war in the West from antiquity to the present day

Combining superb illustration with authoritative text, this is a major political and social history of France from earliest times to the eve of the new millennium. Colin Jones offers not only an expert's account of political, social and cultural developments, but also a fresh and full interpretation of French history. The Cambridge Illustrated History of France places an innovatory emphasis on the importance of issues of regionalism, class, gender and race in the French heritage. Ranging across social, political, geographical and cultural lines - from prehistoric menhirs to the Pompidou Centre, from Louis XIV's Versailles to twentieth-century high-rises, from Marie Antoinette to Marie Claire - the author provides a host of lively and penetrating new insights into the shaping of the modern nation.

Each vol. is divided into 2 parts 1st-7th ed.: Dictionary catalog and Classified catalog; 8th-9th ed. have 3rd. part: Directory of publishers.

In this sumptuously illustrated history, now in its second edition, Patricia Buckley Ebrey traces the origins of Chinese culture from prehistoric times to the present.

Some programs include also the programs of societies meeting concurrently with the association.

Sometimes, the ideology that formed the basis for founding an empire can become the cause of its fall. The decline of the Spanish Empire is a clear example of how ideology may both adversely influence national grand strategies and trigger processes of decline of an empire. The strong religious conviction of the Habsburgs was a fundamental factor in defining an imperial strategy that did not conform to the genuine interests of Spain as the core of the Empire. This strategy did not take into account limited Spanish capabilities that were not enough to achieve its religious goals. The purpose of this research is not to analyze in depth how religion influenced the decline of the Spanish Empire, but to use this process to establish a paradigm to explain how ideologies can become a negative influence on national policies. Once the paradigm is established, it will be compared to a similar process to develop some valid conclusions regarding the importance of defining national strategic objectives according to the interests and capabilities of each state. Over the last two decades, the desire to expand and promote democracy around the world became the dominant ideology in the United States. Therefore, its influence in the evolution of recent American national strategies serves as a valid comparison. This study presents some conclusions that not only might be applicable for the analysis and study of national strategies, but also may help to understand how and when ideologies that may be necessary to maintain the cohesion of nations and empires, can became a source of national decline.

International Relations: Perspectives and Controversies offers an innovative approach to this introductory course. Each of the topical chapters covers an enduring and important debate in the field and examines how political actors or political thinkers explain and defend their different opinions. This format offers the students the chance to understand important issues in International Relations as dynamic struggles over resources and power. Each chapter is structured in four parts. The first part provides a historical overview of the issue, its origins, evolution, and current status. The middle two sections of each chapter map out the opposing or contrasting points of view within the debate. These debates are followed by an evaluation of the merits of each position and the scholarly and political assessment of the situation. The goal of the text is to help students think systematically and critically about international affairs. By distilling the discussion from a variety of viewpoints (rather than simply providing articles by scholars who disagree), the author highlights meaningful distinctions among differing political positions in a way that helps students understand not only the headlines from today and yesterday, but more importantly, those from tomorrow. New! The text has been reorganized to present the discussion of power politics (Chapter 3) before the coverage of war and human nature (Chapter 5). New! Expanded coverage of IOs/NGOs includes the European Union as related to security amidst anarchy (Chapter 3) and the role of Amnesty International and other NGOs in human rights activism (Chapter 10). New! Expanded and updated coverage of the "Clash of Civilizations" in Chapter 12 is found both in the body of the chapter and in the Points of View readings at the end of the chapter. New! Updated Points of View readings, which present primary sources such as official foreign policy statements, government documents, news stories, debate transcripts, and editorials, expand on the chapter discussions. New topics include "Should We Practice Free Trade in Agriculture?"; "Does Foreign Aid Promote Development?"; "Can a Nuclear Iran be Deterred?"; and "Did 9/11 Reflect a Clash of Civilizations?". Marginal glossary allows students to access key terms without interrupting their reading. End-of-chapter pedagogy includes bulleted chapter summaries, a list of key terms with page numbers, suggestions for further reading, critical-thinking questions, endnotes, and references to relevant web sites.