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The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has developed into a key regional security group in Asia, its member states representing no less than "half of humanity." Alarmists believe that the SCO is making itself into a NATO of the East, thus posing a long-term threat to the West. Moreover, several members are key players in economic development and energy production, hence political developments within the SCO can no longer be ignored by the global market. Even so, the organization has long been disregarded by political leaders in the West and is seldom reported in Western media or analyzed in academic works. As such, this ground-breaking volume with contributors from across the region and beyond will be a key reference for many specialists and academics working on Asian affairs.

There is hardly another country as isolated and with such a bleak image as North Korea. It is portrayed in the Western media as a Hermit Kingdom ruled by an outdated, communist dictatorship whose clandestine nuclear programs alarm its neighbors and which uses dreadful labor camps to control a population wracked by famine. The regime's poor track record on human rights is stressed time and again by both Western governments and international organizations. Prospects look bleak for any improvement in relations let alone the start of a dialogue on human rights. Offering a rare, nuanced analysis of the North Korean situation, this short study argues that not only is a constructive and fruitful dialogue on human rights possible but also it is desirable for both parties.

This intriguing volume explains why, after centuries of Western scholars studying Asia, Asian scholars are beginning to study Western societies in return. Responding to the rise of Nordic studies in China, Japan and Korea, the authors explore how economic success in East Asia is raising issues - like how to deal with an ageing population, income redistribution and provision of social security - that have long been addressed in the Nordic region. Conversely, the Nordic countries have much to learn from the dynamism and flexibility found in East Asia today. Yet, the authors also show how cultural and political differences pose challenges to mutual understanding and learning.