From the founding of the Qin dynasty in 221 BCE to the present, the Chinese have been preoccupied with the notion of ordering their world. Efforts to create and maintain order are expressed not only in China’s bureaucratic institutions and methods of social and economic organization but also in Chinese philosophy, religious and secular ritual, and comprehensive systems of classifying all natural and supernatural phenomena. Mapping China and Managing the World focuses on Chinese constructions of order (zhi) and examines the most important ways in which elites in late imperial China sought to order their vast and variegated world. This book begins by exploring the role of ancient texts and maps as the two prominent symbolic devices that the Chinese used to construct cultural meaning, and looks at how changing conceptions of ‘the world’ shaped Chinese cartography, whilst both shifting and enduring cartographic practices affected how the Chinese regarded the wider world. Richard J. Smith goes on to examine the significance of ritual in overcoming disorder, and by focusing on the importance of divination shows how Chinese at all levels of society sought to manage the future, as well as the past and the present. Finally, the book concludes by emphasizing the enduring relevance of the Yijing (Classic of Changes) in Chinese intellectual and cultural life as well as its place in the history of Sino-foreign interactions. Bringing together a selection of essays by Richard J. Smith, one of the foremost scholars of Chinese intellectual and cultural history, this book will be welcomed by Chinese and East Asian historians, as well as those interested more broadly in the culture of China and East Asia.

This book brings together a selection of essays by Richard J. Smith, one of the foremost scholars of Chinese intellectual and cultural history. Mapping China and Managing the World focuses on Chinese constructions of order and examines the most important ways in which elites in late imperial China sought to order their vast and variegated world, and will be welcomed by Chinese and East Asian historians, as well as those interested more broadly in the culture of China and East Asia.

The definitive guide to the world's most contested region Updated edition covering the strategic impacts of Covid-19, China's economic coercion against Australia, the Afghanistan withdrawal, Joe Biden, the Quad and US-China rivalry. The Indo-Pacific is both a place and an idea. It is the region central to global prosperity and security. It is also a metaphor for collective action. If diplomacy fails, it will be the theatre of the first general war since 1945. But if its future can be secured, the Indo-Pacific will flourish as a shared space, the centre of gravity in a connected world. What we call different parts of the world - Asia, Europe, the Middle East - seems innocuous. But the name of a region is totemic- a mental map that guides the decisions of leaders and the story of international order, war and peace. In recent years, the label 'Indo-Pacific' has gained wide use, including among the leaders of the United States, India, Japan, Australia, Indonesia and France. But what does it really mean? Written by a recognised expert and regional policy insider, Contest for the Indo-Pacific is the definitive guide to tensions in the region. It deftly weaves together history, geopolitics, cartography, military strategy, economics, games and propaganda to address a vital question- how can China's dominance be prevented without war? 'The complexities of our region can easily bewilder those used to the Manichaean simplicity of the Cold War. Rory Medcalf's book is an elegant, keenly insightful tour of the Indo-Pacific's strategic horizon.' -Malcolm Turnbull

Mapping Media in China is the first book-length study that goes below the 'national' scale to focus on the rich diversity of media in China from local, provincial and regional angles. This book explores the media as both a reflection of the diversity within China and as an active agent behind these growing differences. It will be invaluable to both students and scholars of Chinese and Asian studies, media and communication studies, geography, anthropology and cultural studies.

This book sets out to analyze how the OBOR initiative will influence the world’s geo-political and geo-economic environment, with specific regard to the ‘Belt and Road’ countries and regions. It evaluates what opportunities the OBOR can offer them in light of the constraints they face, paying particular attention to how security issues may keep some nations from fully participating. Questions are also asked about the tension and conflict along the ‘Belt’ and ‘Road’, which, after all takes in the Middle East’s most tumultuous regions, as well as the much disputed South China Sea. Finally, consideration is given as to how the world’s other economic powers will react when the OBOR inevitably brings about capital and resource competitions.

An international business expert helps you understand and navigate cultural differences in this insightful and practical guide, perfect for both your work and personal life. Americans precede anything negative with three nice comments; French, Dutch, Israelis, and Germans get straight to the point; Latin Americans and Asians are steeped in hierarchy; Scandinavians think the best boss is just one of the crowd. It's no surprise that when they try and talk to each other, chaos breaks out. In The Culture Map, INSEAD professor Erin Meyer is your guide through this subtle, sometimes treacherous terrain in which people from starkly different backgrounds are expected to work harmoniously together. She provides a field-tested model for decoding how cultural differences impact international business, and combines a smart analytical framework with practical, actionable advice.

The narrative of China's history in this book is 'theme-led' rather than conventionally chronicle-based. It covers China's resource endowments, historical contingencies (such as civil wars, invasions and climate changes) and ideologies (including Legalism, Confucianism, Social Darwinism, nationalism, and Marx-Stalinism) that shaped the particular path of growth and development in China over two millennia. This book aims to take the reader through China's remarkably long and colourful saga of growth and development, full of ups, downs, twists and turns. It shows that China's experience has neither been linear nor trouble-free. China's long-term experience showcases the two fundamentals in growth and development: efficiency and equality. The lesson that one can learn from China's long history is that distributing incomes (equality) is as important as producing them (efficiency). By the same token, to secure growth and development, the political economy of government and governance is as critical in determining growth and development as resource endowments, technology, and market exchanges. This applied to China's past, and will inevitably apply to China's future. Contents:IntroductionSize and Longevity of the EmpireEmpire-building and Empire MaintenanceKey InstitutionsPublic Goods ProvisionHighlights of the Economy of the EmpireGrowth after the EmpireConcluding Remarks Readership: Academics, undergraduate and graduates students, professionals interested in China's economic history, economic performance, growth and development, and the political economy of governance. Keywords:Economic Performance;Growth and Development;The Political Economy of GovernanceKey Features:The long scope of China's historyUnique approach to the subjectRich data from Chinese sources