New book takes realistic approach to island politics

5:48 am on 14 July 2015

A newly-published book hopes to shine a light on many difficult problems and choices facing the Pacific Islands today.

A Majuro business' shoreline bar and store is blasted by high waves kicked up by a tropical depression that was building to typhoon strength Friday night in the Marshall Islands. The waves caused major damage to the capital atoll's three-mile downtown lagoon shoreline.

A Majuro business' shoreline bar and store is blasted by high waves kicked up by a tropical depression that was building to typhoon strength Friday night in the Marshall Islands. The waves caused major damage to the capital atoll's three-mile downtown lagoon shoreline. Photo: RNZI/Giff Johnson

"Idyllic No More: Pacific Islands Climate, Corruption and Development" is written by long-time Marshall Islands journalist Giff Johnson.

He says it looks at the present state of the region through a series of essays on challenges including climate change, governance, mass migration, fisheries, and many others.

Mr Johnson says the book takes a realistic approach at the political state of the islands, something that is difficult for many cultures to confront.

"There are a whole range of issues that need to be talked about and one of the challenges in a lot of countries is simply that it's hard for people to given the style of the culture to be openly critical of leaders, but this means that it's more difficult to get some of these issues on the table."

Giff Johnson.