"This book brings together a number of distinguished scholars from the US, Asia, and Europe who use the latest political science and international relations thinking to provide insights into the origins, recent dynamics, and prospects of the Taiwan Issue. It clearly illuminates why there is a "Taiwan Problem," why conflict did not escalate to war between 2000 and 2008, and why cross-Strait relations improved after 2008. The book reveals the limits of realism as a device to gain traction into the Taiwan issue, demonstrates the importance of taking into account domestic political variables, and shows how theory can be used to advance the cause of better China-Taiwan relations and to analyze the potential for future conflict over Taiwan."--Publisher's description.