The book paints a comprehensive picture of the situation and prospects in China. The transfer of power from a successful generation of elites in the past decade to a less known generation shaken by numerous upheavals within the ruling Communist Party during the years 2012-2013 raises hopes for liberalization, if not outright democratization. The optimism of dissidents, civil society members, and politicians seems greater today than at any recent historical transition points in the country. However, there are also trends towards a return to a new conservatism and nationalism, as well as a more expansive stance from China, particularly in the Pacific or Africa. Written in the training ground of American diplomacy, Stanford University in the heart of Silicon Valley, the book provides a unique, interdisciplinary overview of the current situation.