This undergraduate textbook introduces political and economic issues important to understand the "other world," a term that is used as a substitute for "Third World," "underdeveloped world," "developing world," "global South," and so on. Thematic chapters discuss colonialism and neocolonialism, general political economy, and women and development before regional discussions of Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, and Central Asia and the "Southern Near Abroad" (i.e. the countries of the Caucasus Mountains). Each of these regional chapters provide overviews of geography, religion, people, language, history, and government; as well as case studies of particular countries and brief discussions of "flashpoints." Annotation :2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com).