Book excerpt: Introduction to International Development is a collection of original essays by leading experts from disciplines as varied as geography, history, sociology, political science, economics, women's studies, and anthropology. Contributed chapters present foundational overviews as well as in-depthcoverage of issues at the heart of today's most pressing international debates - from intensifying environmental threats as we near the expiry of the Kyoto Protocol to the ongoing social and political turmoil in Afghanistan. Fully updated and revised, this second edition features a new chapter onurban development and a new epilogue, along with a fresh, student-friendly design that is sure to engage students in the study of international development.