Even in the relatively serene world of North America and Western Europe, numerous conflicts with the propensity for sustained political violence are carried out by domestic groups with alarming regularity. This in-depth volume explores conflicts and potential hot spot areas in these regions, from anti-globalization protests to immigration politics to the Basque provinces and the ETA. Coverage is divided into three regions-the established democracies of the U.S., Canada, and Western Europe; the democratizing countries of post-communist Europe; and the more volatile region encompassing Russia, the Balkans, the Causasus, and Post-Soviet Eastern Europe-for a greater understanding of geographic interrelationships. This comprehensive volume is a first-stop reference source for the most significant political, cultural, and economic conflicts in North America and Europe today.

Joseph R. Rudolph, Jr. is Professor of Political Science at Towson University. He has published numerous books and articles on ethnic violence and politics, including Greenwood's Encyclopedia of Modern Ethnic Conflicts (2003). He has also worked as an election supervisor in the Balkans regions since 1997, and has worked as a risk consultant for international oil and pipeline companies.