Offering a distinctly Asia-Pacific-oriented perspective to one of the most discussed components of international security policy, human security, this volume of essays by internationally renowned experts assesses countries that have either spearheaded this form of security politics (Japan and Australia) or have recently advanced to become a key player on various aspects of human security in both a domestic and global context (China). The authors provide an interesting investigation into the continued relevance and promise of the human security paradigm against more 'traditional' security approaches. Accordingly, the book appeals to readers across a wide band of the social sciences (international relations, security studies, development studies and public policy) and to practitioners and analysts working in applied settings.

Introduction, William T. Tow; Part I Chinese Perspectives; Chapter 1 Human Security: China's Conceptual Approaches and Policymaking Patterns, Li Jia, Yu Xiaofeng; Chapter 2 A Return to People: China's Approach to Human Security, Ren Xiao, Li Yanxing; Chapter 3 Human Security in China: A New Approach, Zhang Jiadong, Zheng Xin; Part II Japanese Perspectives; Chapter 4 Japan and an Emerging Approach to Human Security: A 'Tokyo Consensus'?, Toshiya Hoshino, Haruko Satoh; Chapter 5 Human Security and Disaster: Lessons from the Great East Japan Earthquake, Yasunobu Sato; Chapter 6 Keizai-Ky?ryoku: On the Life and Times of Japanese Economic Diplomacy, Kiichi Fujiwara; Chapter 7 A Japanese Approach to Improving Refugee Protection: Human Security Perspectives, Satoshi Yamamoto; Chapter 8 In Search of a More Proactive International Role: The Political Dynamism Behind Human Security in Japan, Kaoru Kurusu, Rikki Kersten; Part III Australian Perspectives; Chapter 9 The Human Security Agenda: Australia and Japan, David Walton, Daisuke Akimoto; Chapter 10 Governance and Human Security: Lessons from Fukushima, Rikki Kersten; Chapter 11 Asian Approaches to Human Security, William T. Tow; Chapter 12 State Responses to Human Security: A National Security Framework, Gregory MacCallion; Part IV Conclusion; Chapter 13 The Challenge of Human Security Policymaking, Edward Newman;

William T. Tow is Professor in the Department of International Relations, College of Asia and the Pacific at the Australian National University, Australia. David Walton is Senior Lecturer in International Relations and Asian Studies, School of Humanities and Communication Arts, University of Western Sydney, Australia. Rikki Kersten is Professor of Modern Japanese Political History in the Department of Political and Social Change, College of Asia and the Pacific at the Australian National University, Australia.