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"International Crises Interrogated: Modeling the Escalation Process with Quantitative Methods" published on by Oxford University Press.

Explores E.N. Chernykh's Great Migration (C-wave) model for explaining long-term changes in world-system behavior across seven periods of crisis/transformation that occurred between 3500 B.C. & 1300 A.D. to argue that he was wrong to claim there was only one pan-Eurasian crisis in the first millennium B.C. Two such crises are described. It is maintained that it is possible to connect actors widely separated in Eurasian space. However, evidence of indirect linkages between Mediterranean & Chinese security problems does not imply that all actors were involved in exactly the same processes at the same time. Attention is given to both the element of continuity that is found when first millennium crises are compared to last second millennium crises & the impact of the two crises of the first millennium B.C. on the later reorientation of trade patterns in the Near East. Although Chernykh's model is useful for analyzing the onset of Eurasian interdependence, his interpretation & crisis dating need to be revised. Tables, Figures, References. J. Lindroth

Explores E.N. Chernykh's Great Migration (C-wave) model for explaining long-term changes in world-system behavior across seven periods of crisis/transformation that occurred between 3500 B.C. & 1300 A.D. to argue that he was wrong to claim there was only one pan-Eurasian crisis in the first millennium B.C. Two such crises are described. It is maintained that it is possible to connect actors widely separated in Eurasian space. However, evidence of indirect linkages between Mediterranean & Chinese security problems does not imply that all actors were involved in exactly the same processes at the same time. Attention is given to both the element of continuity that is found when first millennium crises are compared to last second millennium crises & the impact of the two crises of the first millennium B.C. on the later reorientation of trade patterns in the Near East. Although Chernykh's model is useful for analyzing the onset of Eurasian interdependence, his interpretation & crisis dating need to be revised. Tables, Figures, References. J. Lindroth

An introductory Chpt notes that both Latinos in Los Angeles & poor residents of large Latin American cities are faced with massive unemployment, hunger, high-density housing, poor transportation, & public health crises. Like Los Angeles, Latin American cities have areas that are well-defined by social class; but it is also fairly common in Latin America for the rich & poor to live near each other in better areas of town. However, proximity does not guarantee access to public services, which are biased toward the middle classes, because the rich rely on the private sector for health, education, & security. The drug-free zones, gang-free parks, & closed-circuit surveillance in shopping malls that have been responses to the rioting that erupted in Los Angeles during the 1990s are only available to upper-income groups in Latin America, where the violence of past authoritarian regimes has created a culture of fear. Hopes that the transition to democratic governments would decrease violence & fear have not been realized, & many urban residents live a terror-filled existence that is the focus of the essays in this volume. J. Lindroth

"The European Union (EU) is a unique entity, frequently referred as 'sui generis', and could be viewed as an international actor from many perspectives. However, especially considering recent relative rapid changes to the international agenda, it is debatable if it in fact is, or can truly become, a global power in the near future. The EU faces many challenges in the twenty-first century, including the rise of emergent powers, changes in domestic and international politics, international economic crises, climate change and the corresponding need for sustainable development, as well as energy security and the management of international cross-border crime. The EU agreed to the Lisbon Treaty (which came into force in December 2009) to overcome the challenges ahead by bringing coherence and consistency to the Union's external actions, as well as to enhance its democratic legitimacy and integration. The positions and institutions established by the Lisbon Treaty offer opportunities for the EU to improve its international representation and influence. In my view, seizing this opportunity will depend on two important issues: one is the political will of the member states, and to build a common vision and strategy for the Union's future." (publisher's description)