An examination of the three-year border war between Peru and Ecuador reveals new approaches to Latin American leadership and a transformed power structure that integrates domestic and international factors

The study of international relations, has traditionally been dominated by Western ideas and practices, and marginalized the voice and experiences of the non-Western states and societies. As the world moves to a "post-Western" era, it is imperative that the field of IR acquires a more global meaning and relevance. Drawing together the work of renowned scholar Amitav Acharya and framed by a new introduction and conclusion written for the volume, this book exposes the narrow meaning currently attached to some of the key concepts and ideas in IR, and calls for alternative and broader understandings of them. The need for recasting the discipline has motivated and undergirded Acharya's own scholarship since his entry into the field over three decades ago. This book reflects his own engagement, quarrels and compromise and concludes with suggestions for new pathways to a Global IR- a forward-looking and inclusive enterprise that is reflective of the multiple and global heritage of IR in an changing and interconnected world. It is essential reading for anyone who is concerned about the history, development and future of international relations and international relations theory.

Institutional change is a central driving force behind social changes, and thus a central topic in all major fields of social sciences. Yet, no general theory of institutional change exists. Drawing from a diverse literature, this book develops a general theory of institutional change, based on a social evolutionary synthesis of the conflict approach and the harmony approach. The book argues that because the whole process of institutional change can be understood as a process of selecting a few ideas and turning them into institutions, competition of ideas and struggle for power to make rules are often at the heart of institutional change. The general theory not only integrates more specific theories and insights on institutional change that have been scattered in different fields into a coherent general theory but also provides fundamental new insights and points to new directions for future research. This book makes a fundamental contribution to all major fields of social sciences: sociology (sociological theory), political sciences, institutional economics, and political theory. It should be of general interest to scholars and students in all major fields of social science.

Proper implementation and the practice of governance in the public sector improve organizational performance through increased efficiency, productivity, quality, and innovation. Ultimately, governance helps organizations make better decisions, streamline processes, and reduce re-work, whilst also increasing integrity by bringing transparency and greater collaboration among stakeholders. Governance as a Catalyst for Public Sector Sustainability examines the concepts that have powerfully influenced development policy and investigates the role of governance in these institutions and how they have affected current development discourse. Covering topics such as public health sector sustainability, institutional participatory governance, and human resource information systems, this premier reference source is an excellent resource for government officials, policymakers, students and educators of higher education, librarians, researchers, and academicians.