This book explores Oceania's role within international systems from the early modern period to the present. It highlights the involvement of Australia and the Pacific Islands in global power networks and examines the imperial conflicts that have shaped the region. The book's primary aim is to understand the current state of international relations in the Pacific, the historical factors driving its renewed significance and the contemporary international networks between Pacific Island Countries (PICs) and major global powers.

David Manzano-Cosano is a Ramón y Cajal Research Fellow at the University of Cádiz, Spain. He holds two PhDs (Contemporary History/Law and Political Sciences). He has held different fellowships across the Pacific region, such as in Australia, the Philippines, Japan, Guam and Hawaii. He is the author of several books, including El Imperio español en Oceanía; he is also the co-author of Exploring Iberian Counterpoints in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth-Century Pacific.