The Australia in World Affairs series commenced in 1950 and provides a continuous, researched scholarly account of Australia's foreign policy. The period covered by the eighth volume, Australia in World Affairs 1991–1995: Seeking Asian Engagement, saw a change in emphasis of Australia's foreign policies, particularly a push for closer relations with Asia. Australia's relations with the four newly industrialising countries of Hong Kong, the Republic of Korea, Singapore and Taiwan are introduced for the first time. This volume contains a mix of reflective, thematic and country studies, and covers topics such as Australia and the global economy, Australia and the environment and, for the first time, the relationship between Australia and New Zealand, along with traditional topics such as defence policies and relations with the United States.