MBR: The International Studies Shelf

The International Studies Shelf

Sunset Tales from the New Iraq
Al Kentway
Akom Publishing House
244 Madison Avenue, Suite 745, New York, NY 10016
9780979913433, $26.95, www (dot) akompublishinghouse (dot) com

America only tends to hear one side of the story about what goes on in
Iraq - but there is another side to the story - multiple other sides
of the story. "Sunset Tales from the New Iraq" tells the tales of
those other perspectives that Americans rarely hear about in the news
media. Stories from soldiers, stories from extremist Islamic zealots,
prisoners in detention centers, and scandalous leaders. "Sunset Tales
from the New Iraq" is a deftly compiled and brilliant look at Iraq,
and a must have for anyone who wants a fresh perspective on the
conflict, also for community library military collections focusing on
current issues.

It's All Chinese to Me
Pierre Ostrowski and Gwen Penner, authors
Gwen Penner, illustrator
All Out Press
Box 1127, Ste. Anne, Manitoba R5H 1C1
9780978440947, $17.95 www (dot) alloutpress (dot) com

It's All Chinese to Me: An Illustrated Overview of Culture and
Etiquette in China is a straight-talk, no-nonsense introduction to
basic Chinese culture and rules for politeness. The simple, cartoony,
black-and-white illustrations help drive home these absolute "must-
know" lessons for tourists and business travelers - especially anyone
responsible for business negotiations! The advice ranges from common
faux pas to avoid (never give clocks or cut flowers as a gift - they
symbolize approaching mortal death), to the titanic importance of
allowing others to "save face" (never rebuke a Chinese person in
public!), to how one should behave when invited to another's house
(guests should always leave a little food on their plates - too much
left suggests that the food was bad, and a clean plate suggests that
the hosts have not fed the guest properly) and much more. It's All
Chinese to Me offers a balanced view of China's cultural strengths and
weaknesses, and should be required reading for international
travelers. Highly recommended.

Architects of Delusion
Simon Serfaty
University of Pennslyvania Press
3905 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-4011
9780812240603, $45.00, www (dot) upenn (dot) edu/pennpress

The United States led invasion of Iraq has provoked a great variety of
reactions from around the globe. But what was the true reason behind
these reactions - are they really looking out for their country's best
interests, or is it something far more petty? "Architects of Delusion:
Europe, America, and the Iraq War" is an examination of these
responses with a focus on the United Kingdom, the United States,
France, and Germany. The results that Serfaty presents are intriguing
and somewhat discomforting. "Architects of Delusion: Europe, America,
and the Iraq War" is a must have for any student of current events and
for community library international studies shelves.

Human Rights at the UN
Roger Normand and Sarah Zaidi
Indiana University Press
601 N. Morton Street, Bloomington, IN 47404
9780253219343, $29.95, www (dot) iupress.indiana (dot) edu

International Human rights are a relatively recent invention, and
there coming into international law can be attributed to the UN.
"Human Rights at the UN: The Political History of Universal Justice"
is a through and scholarly look at the development of human writes
during the periods of shortly before it's creation and immediately
following it, and it's expansion and development over the years
following it all and everything since, as rights for all more and more
often becomes the norm. "Human Rights at the UN: The Political History
of Universal Justice" is highly recommended for community library
international affairs shelves and for anyone who wants to be more
appreciative of what we have now.

The New European Union
Steve Wood and Wolfgang Quaisser
Lynne Rienner Publishers
1800 30th Street, Suite 314, Boulder, CO 80301
9781588265531, $22.00 www (dot) rienner (dot) com

Ever since the introduction of the Euro, Europe has been becoming more
integrated with each other than ever. "The New European Union:
Confronting the Challenges of Integration" explores all the
consequences, beneficial and harmful, be it political, economic, or
strategic, of the continuing unification of Europe. Authors Steve Wood
(a political and international studies lecturer at Flinders
University) and Wolfgang Quaisser (senior researcher at the Osteuropa
Institute) offer their relevant expertise to make "The New European
Union: Confronting the Challenges of Integration" a vital acquisition
for any community library international studies shelf.

Imagined Homes
Hans Werner
University of Manitoba Press
301 St. John's College, Winnipeg, MB, Canada, R3T 2M5
9780887557019, $29.95 www (dot) umanitoba.ca/uofmpress 1-800-565-9523

While immigration is usually considered to be moving from a country of
origin to a foreign nation, it can also refer to ethnic populations
returning from their present country to the one from which their
ancestors had originated in an earlier migration. Such was the case
for groups of ethnic Germans located within the borders of the Soviet
Union who, during the years of the Cold War, migrated out of the
Soviet Union, some to Canada during the late 1940s and early 1950s,
some to West Germany during the early 1970s. This is the subject of a
seminal study by academician Hans Werner (Professor of History,
University of Winnipeg) who found that those ethnic Germans settling
in Winnipeg, Canada expected to have to learn a new language, adjust
to different customs, and generally assimilate into an society and
culture unlike that with which they had drown up. Professor Werner
then contrasts this group's expectations and experiences with those of
the later group of ethnic Germans from the Soviet Union who settled in
Bielefeld, Germany, thinking that they were essentially 'coming home'
to a culture, language, and society within which they would quickly
and easily assimilate. Drawing upon illustrative oral accounts and
writings from members of each of these groups of emigres, "Imagined
Homes: Soviet German Immigrants In Two Cities" is a seminal
sociological study employing a cross-cultural comparative framework
that also encompasses the factors of how the receiving societies
viewed the new arrivals, the impact of secularization, evolving sexual
mores, and media revolutions influenced the perceptions of all sectors
of the receiving communities, and how these factors impacted the two
diverse immigrant experiences. A superbly crafted and deftly presented
study, "Imagined Homes" is especially recommended reading for students
of 20th Canadian History, 20th Century German History, and Immigration
Studies, as well as a valued addition to academic library 20th Century
Sociological Studies reference collections.

The Shaping of Foreign Policy
Harold Karan Jacobson & William Zimmerman (Editors)
Aldine Transaction
c/o Transaction Publishers
35 Berrue Circle, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854-8042
9780202309958, $24.95, www (dot) transactionpub (dot) com

With all the international turmoil and conflict that occurs in today's
world, at some point you have to ask how exactly are these foreign
policy decisions made? "The Shaping of Foreign Policy", in a new
edition, hopes to answer those questions. With seven essays covering
all of the basics of foreign policy - systematic, governmental,
societal, idiosyncratic, and more. With examples illustrated such as
the tense Soviet Union- United States of America relations and
contributions by highly respected and noted diplomat Henry A.
Kissinger, it really and thoroughly covers anything a non-specialized
general interest reader would want to know, while being scholarly and
academic enough for any college community library international
studies collection.

Costa Rica: A Global Studies Handbook
Meg Tyler Mitchell and Scott Pentzer
ABC-CLIO
PO Box 1911, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
9781851099924, $55.00 www (dot) abc-clio (dot) com 1-800-368-6868

Part of the Global Studies: Latin America & The Caribbean series,
Costa Rica: A Global Studies Handbook is a solid educational text
written for students, travelers, businesspeople, and anyone interested
in gaining a better understanding of this beautiful nation. Costa
Rica: A Global Studies Handbook is divided into a narrative section
(which relates the history of the land along with information about
its politics, institutions, society, and culture) and a reference
section (which has a timeline of key events in Costa Rican history, a
listing of significant Costa Rican organizations, and entries of key
Costa Rican historical figures, places, and events). An annotated
bibliography and an index round out this down-to-earth, highly
readable primer.

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