a. The essays examine many unanswered questions and issues in the international negotiation and good governance field. It is not a textbook in the orthodox sense, but can be a very useful addition in university courses to stimulate new ideas, and research and career paths.
b. The book takes on a very multidisciplinary examination of the good governance and international negotiation fields, which makes it useful in a wide array of university courses given in political science, economics, psychology, business, and law departments.
c. The book contains real-life case studies that illustrate the relative effectiveness of different approaches to negotiation and anti-corruption processes under a variety of circumstances. These cases can help explain the underlying drivers of success and failure in discussions in university courses.
d. While the book provides insights into key questions about international negotiation and good governance dynamics, it also focuses the reader's attention on new paths for future research and practice.
e. In addition to being used in the classroom, the book will be of interest to both researchers and practitioners.
"Spector's new book is an insightful glimpse into the felicitous turns of life and opportunity that should help prod young careers into versatility and usefulness. Horatio Alger is still alive in the electronic age and this book tells us how to catch his coattails, personally and professionally."
I. William Zartman, Jacob Blaustein Distinguished Professor Emeritus of International Organization and Conflict Resolution, The Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), USA
"Any plan for better governance requires careful implementation, detailed evaluation and, above all, workable mutual trust. Bertram Spector shows why careful and inclusive negotiation must be central to any such effort from start to finish, offering a realistic yet hopeful view of how governance can be made more effective and just."
Michael Johnston, Charles A. Dana Professor of Political Science, Emeritus, Colgate University, USA
"Bert Spector's remarkable book unites theoretical and professional domains of international relations based on his substantial expertise in international negotiation combined with a life-long career in facilitating good governance. This book is full of real-world examples, but also provides a theoretical framework to support the professional approach that is demonstrated. In an era of increasing international conflict, this book is equally relevant to the seasoned academic willing to extract the many research questions that appear, and the recent postgraduate seeking career guidance."
Larry Crump, Senior Fellow, Griffith Asia Institute, Griffith University, Australia
Bertram I. Spector has more than 45 years of experience in conducting and directing research, training, and technical assistance programs internationally, specializing in the international negotiation and anti-corruption fields. He has been the editor in chief of an international peer-reviewed academic journal, International Negotiation: A Journal of Theory and Practice, since its inception in 1996. He is the author of The Dynamics of International Negotiation: Essays on Theory and Practice (2023), Curbing Corruption: Practical Strategies for Sustainable Change (2022), and Negotiating Peace and Confronting Corruption: Challenges for Post-Conflict Societies (2011) and coeditor of Getting It Done: Post-Agreement Negotiation and International Regimes (2003), among many other edited books, book chapters, and journal articles.
Preface 1. The Unconventional Path 2. Evolutionary Negotiation 3. Promoting Advocacy for Good Governance 4. Fighting Corruption in Fragile Societies 5. Citizen Inclusion at the Governance and Negotiation Tables 6. Detecting Corruption Risks 7. The Corruption-Negotiation Connection 8. Marshaling the Psychology, Creativity, and Values of Negotiation Processes Afterword