Philipp Maier offers an examination of the extent to which governments and various interest groups have exerted pressure on central banks. The book looks in particular at the Deutsche Bundesbank - which acted as the blueprint for the European Central Bank (ECB) - and utilizes an original set of indicators to measure external pressure and support from the government and other institutions.

Drawing on numerous interviews with high-ranking and founding members of the European Central Bank (ECB), Karl Kaltenthaler identifies and explains the factors that shape the bank's domestic and international monetary strategies. The policy-making model that offers the best roadmap to a healthy economy is that of the German Bundesbank. To secure the long-term needs of the economy, the decisionmakers in the ECB have created a model that attempts to replicate the Bundesbank's success at the European level and to lend credibility to their own policies. Offering unprecedented access to internal decisionmaking at the ECB, Policymaking in the European Central Bank will interest readers who want to understand this important European institution.

This volume explores the politics and public policy aspects of central banking in Europe through a theoretically-informed and empirically-grounded analysis of central banking governance before and after the establishment of the Economic and Monetary Union.

Invitation to the Sociology of International Law aims to cast light on the under-explored sociological dimension of international law. The book emphasizes that international legal rules are profoundly embedded in diverse social factors and processes, such as norms, identity, and collective memory. Thus, international law often reflects and affects societal factors and processes in state societies and in the international community. The book exposes some central tenets of the sociological perspective and its core theoretical approaches, and presents a sociological analysis of several significant topics in present-day international law. The volume surveys subjects such as compliance, international economic law, legal fragmentation, law-making, and the impartiality of adjudicators, and reveals that a sociological analysis of international law enriches our understanding of social factors involved in the formation, evolution, and implementation of the law. Such analysis may not only explain past and present trends in international law but also bears significant implications for the interpretation of existing legal provisions, as well as suggesting better legal mechanisms for coping with contemporary challenges. In light of the underlying interrelationships between international law and other social factors, this book invites international law specialists to analyse international legal rules in their wider social context and to incorporate sociological tools into mainstream international law scholarship.

The world's best financial minds help us understand today's financial crisis With so much information saturating the market for the everyday investor, trying to understand why the economic crisis happened and what needs to be done to fix it can be daunting. There is a real need, and demand, from both investors and the financial community to obtain answers as to what really happened and why. Lessons from the Financial Crisis brings together the leading minds in the worlds of finance and academia to dissect the crisis. Divided into three comprehensive sections-The Subprime Crisis; The Global Financial Crisis; and Law, Regulation, the Financial Crisis, and The Future-this book puts the events that have transpired in perspective, and offers valuable insights into what we must do to avoid future missteps. Each section is comprised of chapters written by experienced contributors, each with his or her own point of view, research, and conclusions Examines the market collapse in detail and explores safeguards to stop future crises Encompasses the most up-to-date analysis from today's leading financial minds We currently face a serious economic crisis, but in understanding it, we can overcome the challenges it presents. This well-rounded resource offers the best chance to get through the current situation and learn from our mistakes.

This study investigates the behaviour of private interest groups towards monetary policy and central banks. It explores the extent to which interest groups seek to influence monetary policy and their motivations for doing so - or for refraining from doing so. Where evidence for interest group activity with respect to monetary decisions can be found, the study aims to identify the ways in which groups communicate with policymakers. The behaviour of interest groups in the area of monetary policy-making is investigated by means of an empirical case study of the relations between interest groups and the Deutsche Bundesbank in Germany as well as the potential impact of introduction of the single European currency and establishment of the ECB. The study evaluates the relevance of the institutional setting, policy issues and other factors.

Culminating a decade of conferences that have explored presidential speech, The Prospect of Presidential Rhetoric assesses progress and suggests directions for both the practice of presidential speech and its study. In Part One, following an analytic review of the field by Martin Medhurst, contributors address the state of the art in their own areas of expertise. Roderick P. Hart then summarizes their work in the course of his rebuttal of an argument made by political scientist George Edwards: that presidential rhetoric lacks political impact. Part Two of the volume consists of the forward-looking reports of six task forces, comprising more than forty scholars, charged with outlining the likely future course of presidential rhetoric, as well as the major questions scholars should ask about it and the tools at their disposal. The Prospect of Presidential Rhetoric will serve as a pivotal work for students and scholars of public discourse and the presidency who seek to understand the shifting landscape of American political leadership.

Controlling inflation is among the most important objectives of economic policy. By maintaining price stability, policy makers are able to reduce uncertainty, improve price-monitoring mechanisms, and facilitate more efficient planning and allocation of resources, thereby raising productivity. This volume focuses on understanding the causes of the Great Inflation of the 1970s and ’80s, which saw rising inflation in many nations, and which propelled interest rates across the developing world into the double digits. In the decades since, the immediate cause of the period’s rise in inflation has been the subject of considerable debate. Among the areas of contention are the role of monetary policy in driving inflation and the implications this had both for policy design and for evaluating the performance of those who set the policy. Here, contributors map monetary policy from the 1960s to the present, shedding light on the ways in which the lessons of the Great Inflation were absorbed and applied to today’s global and increasingly complex economic environment.

3 breakthrough books deliver innovative global investing strategies for today’s radically new market environment Yesterday’s investment strategies won’t cut it any more! This Collection brings together innovative new approaches from three of this generation’s most successful investors: strategies you simply won’t find elsewhere! In Buying at the Point of Maximum Pessimism: Six Value Investing Trends from China to Oil to Agriculture, Lauren Templeton Capital Management’s D. Scott Phillipsreveals today’s secret for earning consistently outsized profits: In times of maximum pessimism, recognize your long-term opportunities, and pounce! Phillips identifies six powerful value investing themes for the 2010s: emerging areas of long-term growth that become even more compelling in volatile or bear markets. In What Would Ben Graham Do Now?: A New Value Investing Playbook for a Global Age, Jeffrey Towson modernizes value investing for high-growth emerging markets, introducing techniques he mastered working for Prince Alwaleed, the “Arabian Warren Buffet.” Building on Ben Graham’s classic focus on price and quality, he integrates crucial values of political access, reputation, and capabilities that are indispensable for modern global investing. Next, he presents practical investment “playbooks” designed to help you profitably navigate tomorrow’s titanic market collisions. Finally, in The Esoteric Investor: Alternative Investments for Global Macro Investors, Vishaal B. Bhuyanreveals immense new investment opportunities hidden in the coming age wave, pension crisis, and today's massive demographic, economic, and regulatory shifts. Discover how to profit from reverse equity transactions, surprising commodities, and longevity risk markets—the $24 trillion market you've never heard of! From world-renowned leaders in alternative global investment, including D. Scott Phillips, Vishaal B. Bhuyan,and Jeffrey Towson