Contrary to popular belief, organized labor is not dying although its membership has declined in most Western economies. The world membership of organized labor has increased 40 percent since 1980, mainly in Eastern Europe, Africa, and Asia boosting the global union membership from 140 to 166 million between 1995 and 2001. With 16 million union members, the United States has the second largest number of union members of any country in the world after the Russian Federation. The A to Z of Organized Labor captures the dynamism of this fascinating, complex subject and makes it accessible to any...

The A to Z of Australia relates the history of this unique and beautiful land, which is home to an amazing range of flora and fauna, a climate that ranges from tropical forests to arid deserts, and the largest single collection of coral reefs and islands in the world. Through a detailed chronology, an introduction, appendixes, a bibliography, and cross-referenced dictionary entries on some of the more significant persons, places, and events; institutions and organizations; and political, economic, social, cultural, and religious facets, author James Docherty provides a much needed single...

This work explains Scotland's population and migration history using new methods and unpublished sources. It surveys migration to England, Canada, United States, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand to 1990.

Australia's development, from the most unpromising of beginnings as a British prison in 1788 to the prosperous liberal democracy of the present is as remarkable as is its success as a country of large-scale immigration. Since 1942 it has been a loyal ally of the United States and has demonstrated this loyalty by contributing troops to the war in Vietnam and by being part of the "coalition of the willing" in the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003 and in operations in Afghanistan. In recent years, it has also been more willing to promote peace and democracy in its Pacific and Asian neighbors. This...