Bøger af Peter Lowe

This updated book (2nd edition published in May 2020) examines how China has emerged from economic ruin to become one of the world's economic giants. This vast nation has shaken off the legacy of old-style communism, to rise to a position that threatens to overhaul the existing world order. Despite enduring a bumpy ride in recent years, China remains the most important driver of world economic growth. Trade and technology tensions with the US and the economic fallout from the global lockdown during 2020 have tested China's economic and political resilience. Therefore, whether China can sustain its spectacular economic transformation, and join the club of advanced economies, remains to be seen.For China's citizens, economic growth has brought about rising living standards, but the coastal provinces have enjoyed far more of the riches than the interior. The result is that China has lost its status of being one of the most equal places in the world. Furthermore, despite the economic liberalisation policies of the ruling Communist Party, secrecy and censorship still prevail in the country, meaning far less political freedom for the country's 1.4 billion people. To add to their woes, China's obsession with economic growth has been to the detriment of its own environment, and in many cases the health of its citizens.Chapters: The Emergence of China as an Economic PowerRegional Development and Inequality in ChinaThe Economic Challenges Facing ChinaChina's Role AbroadChina's Environmental LegacyNew or updated content in this edition: Latest economic and social dataMaps showing inequality in ChinaImpacts on the economy arising from the lockdown during 2020Numerous discussion questions and multiple-choice review questions are included, along with graphs and photos, to create a more interactive and educational experience for the reader.It will be of relevance to A Level and IB Geography teachers and students, as well as anyone with an interest in the emergence of new economic powers and the globalisation of the world economy

This updated book (2nd edition published in April 2020) investigates the nature and origin of the highly destructive conflict in Afghanistan, involving both civil and international war, which has been an ongoing feature of the country since the Soviet invasion of 1979. It examines the anti-Soviet struggle of the 1980s, the vicious civil war and emergence of the Taliban in the 1990s, as well as the 2001 US-led invasion to remove al-Qaeda and the Taliban from Afghanistan.However, success in overcoming the Taliban was short-lived. The Taliban were quick to regroup, and have maintained an effective insurgency movement ever since, despite the costly efforts of the international coalition to suppress them. The book examines the reasons for the Taliban's unrelenting strength, and follows the country's ongoing struggle for stability and peace since the withdrawal of the majority of coalition troops in 2014, including the emerging threat from Islamic State.Decades of conflict have had horrific effects on the lives of Afghanistan's civilians, the economic and social development of the country and the state of its environment. At the same time, war has taken a heavy toll on the many forces involved in the fighting, with repercussions that go far beyond Afghanistan's borders. Therefore, the book examines the consequences of the war, in terms of the resulting economic, social and environmental legacy for Afghanistan and the international players in the conflict.New or updated content in this edition: Latest economic and social dataNature and impacts of the conflict since 2018Conflict resolution since 2018Additional photos, maps and graphsNumerous discussion questions and multiple-choice review questions are included, along with graphs and photos, to create a more interactive and educational experience for the reader. It will be of relevance to A Level and IB Geography teachers and students, as well as anyone with an interest in national or international conflicts, and their impacts on civilian life, economic and social development, environments and ecosystems

This book (1st edition published in June 2020) examines the factors behind the growth of transnational corporations (TNCs) and multinational corporations (MNCs), and how they have become a major force in the increasing interdependence of national economies through their role in international trade, investment and capital. TNCs & MNCs have undoubtedly become key players in the process of globalisation, and vital to the economic development of emerging economies during recent decades. Yet, the geography of their ownership is also changing. The domination of the USA and Europe, as home to the world's largest companies is being challenged by the emergence of powerful corporations from the newly industrialised countries of Asia, particularly South Korea, India and China.The activities of TNCs & MNCs inevitably lead to significant economic, social and environmental consequences for their host countries, as well as on their own country of origin. Both positive and negative impacts are assessed, while case studies of Apple, BP and Dyson provide additional detailed examination of the characteristics, spatial organisation, growth and impacts of three global corporations. Although they differ in their history and geographical origins, product lines and scale of operations, they share a number of common features with each other, particularly in how their growth has facilitated and exploited the opportunities arising from the process of globalisation.Nevertheless, TNCs & MNCs are not all-powerful. They too can be affected by global events outside their control, illustrated most recently by the economic fallout from worldwide lockdowns. History also suggests that, in the battle for power and influence over economies, large corporations are frequently vulnerable to unpredictable decisions from governments; including sudden tax rises, the removal of 'licences' or even the expropriation of their assets.Chapters: Characteristics & Spatial Organisation of TNCs/MNCsReasons for the Growth of TNCs/MNCsImpacts of TNCs/MNCs on Host CountriesImpacts of TNCs/MNCs on the Country of OriginRole of TNCs/MNCs & Nation States in GlobalisationCase Study of Apple Inc.Case Study of BP plcCase Study of Dyson Ltd.Numerous discussion questions and multiple-choice review questions are included, along with graphs and photos, to create a more interactive and educational experience for the reader.It will be of relevance to A Level and IB Geography teachers and students, as well as anyone with an interest in the nature and impacts of transnational & multinational corporations, and their role in the global economy.

This updated book (6th edition published in December 2017) examines how the BRICS countries of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa have emerged as potentially potent forces in the global economy, and the reasons behind their economic rise. Yet, although they share certain advantages, they possess different strengths. China has become a dominant global supplier of manufactured goods, while India has emerged as a key global provider of services. Brazil and Russia have become major global exporters of raw materials, resources that China and India require for their industrialisation. South Africa has a diversified economy, and is regarded as a low-risk destination for investment in Africa.The emergence of the BRICS could signal a shift in economic and political power away from the advanced economies of the West. A close 'alliance' between the BRICS countries is becoming a reality, and could further increase their geopolitical stature, leading to significant changes in the current world order. However, China is the real power in the BRICS group, and rivalry with the other BRICS, due to their overlapping spheres of influence, may create future tensions that prevent the emergence of a new powerful grouping.In addition, despite the balance of global economic power shifting towards the BRICS since the turn of the century, there remain doubts over the sustainability of their economic policies. Weak global demand for commodities in recent years has contributed to stalled economies in Brazil, Russia and South Africa, while unprecedented investment levels in China have led to concerns over its rising public and private debt. India's rapidly growing population and considerable rural poverty are problematic for its future development. Therefore, the book looks at the different set of obstacles faced by each of the BRICS countries, and the challenges that may thwart their individual global ambitions, as well as the ability of the BRICS group to take centre stage in tomorrow's global economy.This book includes content from the book titles - 'The Rise (& Fall) of Brazil in the Global Economy', 'The Rise (& Fall) of Russia in the Global Economy', 'The Rise of India in the Global Economy' and 'The Rise of China in the Global Economy' - in addition to dedicated content on the BRICS group. Numerous discussion questions and multiple-choice review questions are included, along with graphs and photos, to create a more interactive and educational experience for the reader. It will be of relevance to teachers, students, and anyone else with an interest in the emergence of the BRICS countries and the globalisation of the world economy.

For many people, life in post-World War I England was materially and socially harsh, arguably worse than it had been before 1914. Declining agricultural wages led to a depopulation of the countryside and a drift towards towns and cities in search of work, but the industrial foundations upon which the might of the Victorian empire had been built were far from stable. As the effects of a global depression permeated every aspect of the nation s economic life, the social costs of industrialisation, so often written off as the necessary cost of progress, became impossible to ignore. Rarely can this awkward relationship between the England of the history books and the England of the economic slump have been illustrated more effectively than in the 1936 Jarrow Crusade a march to London from the town of Jarrow in the North-East, where the unemployment rate reached 40% in the mid-1930s after the closure of the shipyards. Slowly, but with grim resolution, the ranks of unemployed men, sometimes accompanied by relatives and supporters, wove their way down the spine of England towards the capital, where they hoped to petition the government for a package of economic recovery that would breathe life back into their shattered community. For the writers and artists of the period this tension offered rich material for study, and we find in works from this period discussions of the role of the community, the relationship between the individual and the group, the importance of domestic and public space, and the sense of connection (or the lack of it) between the people and the landscape, both natural and man-made. This book is concerned with the period in which the discussion of English identity assumed such importance because it could not be assumed that the nation itself would survive. It is a period in which the problems that had become apparent in the nation s social, economic, and material fabric in the turbulent 1930s, when speaking of there being at least two Englands was something of a commonplace for many observers, were thrown into sharp relief by the prospect of utter destruction at the hands of Hitler s forces. In such a fraught atmosphere, questions of what the nation was, of what was worth preserving and of what, if an opportunity were to be granted, would have to be changed in the future became both urgent and vital. These questions were raised and discussed in many forums and the responses were often varied and rarely bore a true resemblance to the postwar nation that finally emerged; indeed the prevailing mood of postwar writing may be seen as a sense of disillusionment with what rapidly came to look like the lost opportunities of the postwar settlement. The debate over the country s identity, structure, and future direction, however, was certainly real, and many of the issues it stimulated are very much a part of the ongoing discussion of England s identity today. As such, this book is a valuable addition to collections in literature and history.

A comprehensive work concerning the basic principles of plate theory and its methodology, in which the author discusses both plastic and elastic responses. The reader is taken from relatively elementary aspects of the topic right through to the most recent research findings.

Japan's concern for defending cherished Japanese values during a century of fantastic change (1859-1956) is one of the key themes explored by the ten contributors to this volume.

This is the first title in a new series, Twentieth Century Wars, and is published for the fiftieth anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War. Peter Lowe provides an overview of the origins, nature and aftermath of the war that was fought in the Korean peninsula between 1950 and 1953.

This edition has been revised to take account of new perspectives concerning the two Koreas and the looming presence of China on the world stage. New material has been made available by the fall of the Soviet Union and the partial release of records in China.