Comparative politics Books

Book SynopsisMarkus Kornprobst examines the common assumption that states usually respond to crises individually, rather than together. He develops an innovative approach to analyse how crisis co-management comes to succeed or fail. He argues that actors draw from repertoires of taken-for-granted ideas, forming a set of pre-judgments. These are then revisited in justificatory encounters, making various degrees of co-management possible or impossible. This judging and justifying in turn leaves an impression on repertoires put to use for co-managing the next crisis. The author uses this model to analyse the attempts by France, Germany and the United Kingdom to co-manage the crises in Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq. He links individual reasoning and communication, paving the way for further research into crisis co-management, and providing novel insights into European attempts to act in international affairs.Trade Review'Written by a world leading constructivist thinker, this book combines intellectual sophistication with meticulous empirical analysis to provide a superb theoretical account of the co-management of international crises. A must read for scholars and practitioners of international relations.' Corneliu Bjola, University of Oxford'In this rich, theoretically rigorous and meticulously researched book, Markus Kornprobst brings forth the micro-foundations of crisis management, especially those involving multiple parties. This is an impressive and valuable contribution on a long-neglected subject and a must read for all those who are concerned about international crises and world order.' T. V. Paul, James McGill Professor of International Relations, McGill University, Canada and author of Restraining Great Powers: Soft Balancing from Empires to the Global Era'This is one of the first books which analyzes the co-management of major international crises by showing how the judgments of European decision-makers is highly dependent on the nature of their communication. A brilliant demonstration on how research can combine psychology of leaders and communication circuits to understand major international decisions.' Christian Lequesne, Sciences Po – CERI, Paris'This conceptually sophisticated and empirically rich study emphasizes the importance of reasoning and communication. Most crises involve multiple parties who must formulate and pursue common goals if they are to succeed. Drawing on literature in international relations, sociology, and psychology, Kornprobst develops an elegant and compelling theoretical framework that examines actor political beliefs and commitments, how they promote possible understandings of a challenge, efforts to communicate and justify these understandings, and subsequent reflection and possible reframings in the course of mutual interactions. He demonstrates the utility of the framework in crises confronted collectively by Britain, France, and Germany. The book should become a classic in the field.' Richard Ned Lebow, King's College London'… the stimulating perspective of Kornprobst genuinely connects theories of communicative action inspired by Jürgen Habermas with the work on social practices of Pierre Bourdieu, therefore demonstrating how profitable European social theories can be to students of IR.' Léonard Colomba-Petteng, European Review of International StudiesTable of ContentsIntroduction; 1. Judgments and justifications; 2. Constellation; 3. Bosnia and Herzegovina; 4. Kosovo; 5. Afghanistan; 6. Iraq; Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisCarsten Jensen and Kees van Kersbergen are both Professors of Political Science at Aarhus University, Denmark.Trade Review"The Politics of Inequality is a timely and lively book that offers important insights about how people in rich democracies use political processes to distribute income and wealth across their populations. It can be read as an update and development of Inequality by Design, that crucial 1996 book by a distinguished team of Berkeley sociologists that demolished The Bell Curve. In the 2016 political debate, such moral arguments over inequality are with us again, and Carsten Jensen and Kees van Kersbergen have contributed a deep analysis of the contemporary political foundations of inequality, one that should be widely read, discussed, and debated." - Jason Beckfield, Harvard University, USA 'This is a superbly researched book and a must read for any student or scholar interested in the politics of inequality. It clearly shows that inequality is not something natural, but dependent on political choices.' - Martin Seeleib-Kaiser, University of Oxford, UKTable of Contents1. What is the Politics of Inequality? 2. Is There Something Morally Wrong With Inequality? 3. Why Should We Care About Inequality? 4. How to Measure Inequality? 5. What are the Empirical Patterns? 6. Does Inequality Matter for Growth? 7. What are the Roads to Riches? 8. Does the Welfare State Reduce Inequality? 9. Does Economic Inequality Lead to Political Inequality? 10. Who Decides in the Politics of Inequality? 11. What Future for the Politics of Inequality?

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Book SynopsisOne of the solutions proposed by the European Union to remedy the effects of the 2008 economic crisis is to increase female labour participation. This book explores the policy changes in four new member states that may reduce the gender employment gap and improve women's equal participation in the labour force.Trade Review'Drawing on rational choice, new institutional and feminist work, Ingrid Bego proposes a powerful new model for understanding contemporary democracy from her systematic qualitative analysis of the adoption AND implementation of two crucial areas of gender equality policy (reconciliation and equal employment) in four new member states of the EU: Bulgaria, Poland, the Czech Republic and Latvia.' Amy G. Mazur, School of Politics, Philosophy and Public Affairs, Washington State University, USA 'Drawing on an innovative blend of rational choice and sociological institutional work, and applying a critical feminist lens, Ingrid Bego offers a rich empirical study of gender equality policy in the Eastern European countries acceding to the European Union. This book uses mixed methods to offer an important and much needed examination that is both rigorous and nuanced. This work should be of interest to scholars broadly interested in gender politics, institutions, and democratization, as well as those specifically interested in the European Union and Eastern Europe.' Celeste Montoya, Associate Professor of Women and Gender Studies, University of Colorado Boulder, USA 'Ingrid Bego's Gender Equality Policy in the European Union: A Fast Track to Parity for the New Member States reclaims the core importance of domestic factors in conditioning the impact of European Union (EU) on its member states' policy and political practices. Its four in-depth country studies, of gender equality policy adoption and implementation in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Latvia and Poland, are executed with exceptional care and clarity. More broadly, by placing gender equality at the center of post-communist transitions, it recalibrates our understanding of democratization and democracy itself.' Dr. Joseph Jupille, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Faculty Associate at the Institute of Behavioral Science, and Director of the Colorado European Union Center of Excellence (CEUCE), USATable of ContentsList of Tables List of Figures AcknowledgementsList of Abbreviations1. Introduction 2. Adoption and Implementation of Equal Employment Policies in Four Countries3. Beyond Employment: Addressing the Private and Public Divide through Reconciliation Policies4. The Role of Formal and Informal Institutions in the Policy Process 5. Modernization and Cultural Explanations with a Strong Dose of Communist Legacy6. Actors, Norms and Institutions: The Necessary Ingredients for a Successful Policy Model7. ConclusionAppendix: Summary of Directives under Study Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisJohn Street is a Professor of Politics at the University of East Anglia, UK. He has written extensively about the relationship between political communication, media and popular culture.Table of ContentsIntroduction PART I: REPRESENTING POLITICS Political Bias Telling Tales: The Reporting of Politics It's Just for Fun: Politics and Entertainment Media Effects PART II: THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF MASS MEDIA State Control and State Propaganda Conglomerate Control: Media Moguls and Media Power Tech Giants and the Global Webs of Media Power Watchdogs or Lapdogs? The Politics of Journalism PART III: MASS MEDIA AND DEMOCRACY Transforming Political Communication? From Political Marketing to Celebrity Politics Digital Media, Digital Politics? Power and Mass Media A Free Press: Democracy and Mass Media Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisNamed one of the New Yorker''s Best Books of 2022An authoritative and intelligent portrait of the global spread of authoritarianism and its dangers...what sets [this] work apart from books like Timothy Snyder's On Tyranny and Michiko Kakutani's The Death of Truth is its unusually comprehensive armada of facts about the international drift over the past two decades toward authoritarian leaders, whether old-style dictators like Kim Jong Un or nominally elected presidents like Vladimir Putin. KirkusAn urgent, thrilling, and original look at the future of democracy that illuminates one of the most important battles of our time: the future of freedom and how to contain and defeat the autocrats mushrooming around the world.In his bestselling book The End of Power, Moisés Naím examined power-diluting forces. In The Revenge of Power, Naím turns to the trends, conditions, technologies and behaviors tha

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Book SynopsisThis volume provides a multidimensional assessment of the diverse ends of the European colonial empires, addressing different geographies, taking into account diverse chronologies of decolonization, and evaluating the specificities of each imperial configuration under appreciation (Portuguese, Belgian, French, British, Dutch).Trade Review'In this collection two ambitious Portuguese scholars assemble an impressive cast of contributors to rethink the demise - or reconfiguration - of European power in Africa. Eschewing morality plays and polemics for historical analysis, the authors add nuance and complexity to the decolonization, the most important phenomenon of 20th century history - making their book essential reading for the growing number of students interested in this crucial topic.' David C. Engerman, Brandeis University, USA 'It is perhaps surprising that decolonisation has remained stubbornly resistant to theorisation. Comparative analysis offers a means to redress things, making this collection especially valuable to researchers and students alike. Interrogating the meanings of decolonisation, its local and global implications, and its material consequences both foreseen and unforeseen, the essays in this collection complement one another well.' Martin Thomas, University of Exeter, UK 'With a range from the 1940s to the 1970s and beyond, the selection of distinguished and innovative younger historians guide the reader through conceptual issues in a way that is consistently compelling. The individual chapters are integrated into an overall, coherent account of a critical period in world history. A vital read for all those interested in the dissolution of the European colonial empires and the aftermath of decolonization.' Wm. Roger Louis, University of Texas, USATable of ContentsIntroduction: The Ends of Empire: Chronologies, Historiographies, and Trajectories; Miguel Bandeira Jerónimo and António Costa Pinto PART I: COMPETING DEVELOPMENTS: THE IDIOMS OF REFORM AND RESISTANCE 1. Development, Modernization, and the Social Sciences in the Era of Decolonization: The Examples of British and French Africa; Frederick Cooper 2. A Modernizing Empire? Politics, Culture and Economy in Portuguese Late Colonialism; Miguel Bandeira Jerónimo and António Costa Pinto 3. Commanders With or Without Machine-Guns: Robert Delavignette and the Future of the French-African 'Imperial Nation-State', 1956-58; Martin Shipway PART II: COMPARING ENDGAMES: THE MODI OPERANDI OF DECOLONIZATION 4. Imperial Endings and Small States: Disorderly Decolonization for Netherlands, Belgium and Portugal; Crawford Young 5. British, French and Portuguese Decolonization Compared: Political Culture and Strategic Options in Multilateral Consultations; Bruno Cardoso Reis 6. Exporting Britishness: Decolonisation in Africa, the British State and its Clients; Sarah Stockwell 7. Acceptable Levels? The Use and Threat of Violence in the Decolonization of British Central Africa, 1953-1965; Philip Murphy PART III: CONFRONTING INTERNATIONALS: THE (GEO)POLITICS OF DECOLONIZATION 8. Inside the Parliament of Man: Decolonization, Apartheid, and the Remaking of the United Nations, 1945-1970; Ryan Irwin 9. Cold War and Decolonisation in the Congo: Lumumba and the Neo-colonial Transfer of Power 1960; John Kent 10. The International Dimension of Portuguese Colonial Crisis, 1961-1968; Luís Nuno Rodrigues Last Days of Empire; John Darwin

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Book SynopsisEvery political system, either developed or adopted, has an impact on the structure of society and the level of development. This book analyzes the evolution and nature of political institutions and their effect on Africa's development. The challenges Africa face in developing viable institutions are not limited to the adoption of foreign institutions, but are also rooted in domestic norms that define society itself. Sometimes, these challenges have to do with the incompatibility between foreign and domestic institutions. The fundamental issue then is to understand the African societies, cultures, and other dynamics that have ensured stability in the past and that need to be recognized when adopting contemporary foreign institutions. This comprehensive text examines three key issue areas in Africa: politics, society, and economy. It demonstrates how the lack of consideration for domestic norms and societal realities explain the weaker institutions and lack of development on the AfricanTrade ReviewThe work by Ali Mazrui and Francis Wiafe-Amoako is an important contribution to our understanding of African institutions, in particular, and the study of institutions as a pivot around which societies hang together in general. . . .The book by Mazrui and Wife-Amoako provides an important frame of reference for understanding Africa’s future political paths and how the continent could play its role in the world. On the whole, the authors are hopeful about the prospects of democracy in Africa. Theirs is not banal hope characteristic of the mood swings in much of the analyses that one day see an Africa that is rising and the next see a hopeless continent. Their hope is grounded in analysis of trends over time, including the fact that military coups are receding, democratisation and economic progress are advancing in countries where institutions are solidifying and women are increasingly realising their political and economic roles in the continent. The analytical and argumentative manner in which the book is written makes it a fascinating and informative text on Africa’s institutions, their lack of maturity and the conditions that are necessary to ensure that they work optimally. * South African Journal of International Affairs *In 2009 President Barack Obama said, rightly in my view, that Africa didn’t need strong men, it needed strong institutions. Professor Ali Mazrui made almost the same point in 1970 in an article aptly titled “The Monarchical Tendency in African Political Culture”. He also grappled with the associated challenges. Now Mazrui’s numerous writings on the subject conveniently re-appear as multiple chapters in African Institutions, ably updated by Dr. Francis Wiafe-Amoako, the book’s co-author. The book is further enriched with Wiafe-Amoako’s own chapters. This is a timely book and an invaluable reference, most ideal for comparative politics, African studies and related fields. -- Seifudein Adem Ph.D, associate director, Institute of Global Cultural Studies, State University of New York, Binghamton, New YorkMuch of what the younger partner to the late Mazrui wrote are contained in our celebrated Mazruian. Yet, it should be stated categorically here that Ali himself was sufficiently impressed by Francis Wiafe-Amoako to break bread with him in their lifetime journey to identify for posterity what must be done to cultivate institutions in modern Africa. In this age of Facebook, CNN, the BBC, and the VOA, the living voice of Mazrui and his colleague Francis will reverberate in the firmaments of African thoughts. -- Sulayman S. Nyang, professor and chairman of the African Studies Department, Howard UniversityTable of ContentsChapter One: Institutions: An Introduction Francis Wiafe-Amoako Chapter Two: Democracide: Who killed democracy in Africa? Clues of the past, concerns of the future Ali A. Mazrui Chapter Three: Political Ideologies and Democratic Consolidation in Africa Francis Wiafe-Amoako Chapter Four: Gender Roles in Africa: Traditional versus Contemporary Institutions Ali A. Mazrui and Francis Wiafe-Amoako Chapter Five: Legitimacy and Rule: Africa in Search of a Political Order Francis Wiafe-Amoako Chapter Six: Democracy and the Politics of Petroleum: Comparative African Perspectives Ali A. Mazrui Chapter Seven: Uhuru Bado Kidogo : Africa’s condition of “Not Yet Uhuru” Ali A. Mazrui Chapter Eight: “Katiba Na Kabila”: If African Politics Are Ethnic-Prone, Can African Constitutions Be Ethnic-Proof? Ali A. Mazrui Resources About the Authors

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Book SynopsisIn the West, Belarus is generally thought of as the last dictatorship in Europe. However, this political stereotype neglects the roots of the country''s identityor identity crisis. In this fascinating study of unfinished nation-building in Belarus, Grigory Ioffe draws on his two dozen research trips to the country to trace Belarus''s history, geography, political situation, society, and economy. The book highlights rapid economic growth in post-1996 Belarus and the underpinnings of the country''s political landscape. The United States has ostracized official Belarus since the mid-1990s and has repeatedly condemned President Lukashenka''s undemocratic ways. However, his presidency has been stable since 1994, and since 2002 he has been successfully reshaping himself from an unabashed Russophile into a kind of Belarusian nationalist. Nevertheless, the Belarusian nation is not yet a defined entitymany Belarusians are not yet certain as to what sets them apart from Russians, and a multiplicTrade ReviewThe scholarly component in this volume is impressively high, making it perhaps the best study in English of a little-known and under-researched country. . . . [Ioffe] bears an immense knowledge of things Belarusian . . . [and] he sheds much needed light on the polity, economy, and society actually obtaining in [Belarus]. * Eurasian Geography and Economics *An important and timely book, articulating topical and emerging issues in Belarusian studies. . . . [Ioffe] takes a critical look at the established views on such issues as Belarusian identity, language use (Belarusian versus Russian), relations with Russia (unification versus independence), Aliaksandar Lukashenka as a political figure (the reasons behind his genuine popularity among his people and his rejection by the west, despite the west’s acceptance of some much less democratic Central Asian leaders), the growth of the Belarusian economy . . . and, finally, the projections for the opposition. . . . [A] carefully researched and significant book that tries 'to understand Belarus on its own terms.’ * Slavic Review *Effortlessly captivates a much broader audience and essentially calls 'well-known truths’ about the country into question. Understanding Belarus is a book about challenging facts, challenging qualifications and polemic conclusions, a book that touches one personally. . . . It craftily weaves together Belarus’ complicated domestics with its foreign relations, in addition to critically assessing the logic of international society. . . . Ioffe successfully manages to turn Belarus’ regime 'inside-out’ to expose its sui generis logic of survival that responds to the often inflexible politics of great powers. * Nationalities Papers *Grigory Ioffe's thorough and extremely insightful study . . . provides a balanced, well-structured and information introduction to the nature of nation-building and the political regime in contemporary Belarus. * Europe-Asia Studies *Grigory Ioffe’s Understanding Belarus and How Western Foreign Policy Misses the Mark is a profound, learned book that will force the reader to question the conventional dogmas about the meaning of democracy in post-Soviet space. Lucidly written, carefully researched, and extraordinarily insightful about the unique dynamics of emerging Belarusian nationalism, this book is a must-read for any scholar of Belarus or post-Soviet countries. -- Ilya Prizel, University of PittsburghGrigory Ioffe set as his goal to create a 'less ideological and more open approach' to an understanding of the history, politics, social system, and economy of Belarus. He has succeeded in producing a persuasive alternative to the well-known earlier interpretations by Jan Zaprudnik and David Marples. Ioffe’s main focus is on the search for Belarusian identity and an explanation of its peculiar relationship to Russia both historically and contemporaneously. Belarus remains for most of us dimly illuminated and something of an enigma. Good policy toward Belarus needs to be founded on a solid understanding, which Grigory Ioffe has provided in this very useful volume. -- James R. Millar, The George Washington UniversityGrigory Ioffe is perhaps our most insightful analyst of contemporary Belarus, and this is a distinguished study that brings together the insights of first-hand experience and the wider concerns of social science. In particular, this is a study that allows him to explore at length the complex nature of the identity of a small European nation that has historically been torn between East and West. All who are interested in the future of European politics as well as the development of the former Soviet republics will want to read this rich and provocative analysis. -- Stephen White, University of GlasgowTable of ContentsChapter 1: Questions of Language Chapter 2: A Search for Identity Chapter 3: Culture Wars, Soul Searching, and Belarusian Identity Chapter 4: Belarusian Economy Chapter 5: Belarusian Political Landscape Chapter 6: Alexander Lukashenka and His Detractors Chapter 7: Opinion Polls and Presidential Elections in Belarus Conclusion

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Book SynopsisEstablished in 2002, the Euro is now the currency of 17 countries used by over 335 million people daily. Although the single currency is much discussed in terms of macroeconomics and global finances, policymakers rarely address its impact on European citizenship in social, cultural, political, and everyday life economics terms. This hidden side of the single currency is the focus of the essays, which use various approaches, from economic history and political sociology to citizenship and legitimacy, to reveal the connections between the Euro and European citizenship. This timely contribution by renowned experts provides a greater understanding of the Euro at a time when it is not clear whether it should be celebrated or commemorated, and looks into aspects of the single currency that are the base of the social trust that supports it and that is at stake in the present crisis. It will be an essential tool to anyone studying the political, social, and economic development of the E.U.Trade ReviewGiovanni Moro's innovative volume examines the crucial but neglected relationship between currency space and political identities in Europe. Its contributors explore very effectively how the project to create "one money" in Europe was linked to the emergence of not just "one market" but also "one people". The eurozone crisis has only reinforced the importance of their message that the study of money must never be left just to economists. -- Eric Helleiner, Faculty of Arts Chair in International Political Economy , Department of Political Science, University of Waterloo, UKThis timely book intends to probe the connection between the single currency and the predicament of European citizenship by asking from various perspectives an intricate question: when the Euro talks, does it tell a story? Whenever citizenship is at stake, as it obvious is in the European constitution-building process, it is always vested in narratives of identity deployed and redeployed at the level of individual and collective memories and expectations. Cogently selected and proficiently introduced by Giovanni Moro, these fourteen essays constitute a relevant resource for those, scholars and policymakers alike, concerned by the prospects of both the Euro zone and the European Union. -- Daniel Barbu, Professor of Political Science, University of Bucharest, RomaniaTable of ContentsIntroduction Giovanni Moro Part I. The Multiple Links between the Single Currency and European Citizenship 1. Building Citizenship in the Post-Modern Era Giovanni Moro, Lucia Mazzuca and Roberto Ranucci 2. Imaginary Europe: the Euro as Symbol and Practice Kathleen McNamara 3. The Only Wealth are Human Beings: Currency Between Economy and Citizenship Thierry Vissol 4. Trust in Euro: The Single Currency as Social Construction of an Institutional Fact Matthias Kaelberer 5. The Unintended "Litmus Test": The Euro as factor of Center-Formation, Trust Enhancement, Identity Building Daniela Piana 6. The Euro in Scientific and Policy Literature Lucia Mazzuca, Roberto Ranucci Part II. The Single Currency and the Construction of European Identity 7. Two Sides of the Same Coin? The Euro and Europeanization of Collective Identities Thomas Risse 8. Why Money Can't Buy Democracy: On the Detachment of the Euro from Citizenship Eva Heidbreder 9. Representations of Identity: Euro and Dollar as Identity Builder Arianna Montanari Part III. European Citizenship in the Euro Turmoil 10. In the Light and Shadow of the Single Currency: European Identity and Citizenship, Political and Social Vivien Schmidt 11. One Currency, Two Faces, Many Problems: The Euro, European Citizenship and Cultural Politics of EMU Cris Shore 12. Between Natural and Moral Order of Things: The Euro and the Problem of Agency Victor Pérez-Diàz 13. Between Illusion and Disillusion: Public Opinion Facing the Euro Crisis Nando Pagnoncelli 14. Back to the Future? The Euro and the Silent Constitution Building Dario Castiglione Conclusion: The Way Forward Giovanni Moro

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Book SynopsisWhy Democracy Needs the Rich challenges the prevailing narrative that wealth undermines democracy, offering a bold, thought-provoking case for the essential role of the rich in sustaining and enhancing democratic institutions. In a time when billionaires are often vilified as symbols of inequality and unchecked power, John O. McGinnis flips the script, arguing that the wealthy are not just vital contributors to innovation and economic growth but also indispensable counterbalances to the influence of other powerful groups. Drawing on history, economics, and political philosophy, McGinnis illustrates how the rich act as stabilizers in a democracy by funding civic institutions, championing diverse ideas, and driving technological progress. He reveals how wealth can counteract the sway of ideologically homogeneous elites in media, academia, and entertainment while serving as a check on the excesses of special interest groups and bureaucracies. With sharp analysis and compelling examples, this book explores the unique role of the wealthy in preserving the balance and dynamism of a free society. It highlights how their financial independence fosters ideological diversity and their investments fuel advancements that benefit all citizens, not just the elite. Far from being a defense of inequality, Why Democracy Needs the Rich is a powerful argument for understanding how wealth, in the right context, strengthens the foundations of representative democracy and fosters a more resilient, vibrant society.

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Book SynopsisWithin the already heavily polarised debate on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, parallels between Israel and apartheid South Africa remain highly contentious. A number of prominent academic and political commentators, including former US president Jimmy Carter and UN Special Rapporteur John Dugard, have argued that Israel's treatment of its Arab-Israeli citizens and the people of the occupied territories amounts to a system of oppression no less brutal or inhumane than that of South Africa's white supremacists. Similarly, boycott and disinvestment campaigns comparable to those employed by anti-apartheid activists have attracted growing support. Yet while the 'apartheid question' has become increasingly visible in this debate, there has been little in the way of genuine scholarly analysis of the similarities (or otherwise) between the Zionist and apartheid regimes. In Israel and South Africa, Ilan Pappé, one of Israel's preeminent academics and a noted critic of the current government, brings together lawyers, journalists, policy makers and historians of both countries to assess the implications of the apartheid analogy for international law, activism and policy making. With contributors including the distinguished anti-apartheid activist Ronnie Kasrils, Israel and South Africa offers a bold and incisive perspective on one of the defining moral questions of our age.Trade ReviewA key book for deepening the discussion of Israel as an apartheid state of a special kind, and for exploring a different future for Palestinians. The essays give no easy answers, but much food for thought, and for hope. This book's insights and analysis will be widely debated - it should be a best seller. * Victoria Brittain, journalist and author of Shadow Lives: The Forgotten Women of the War on Terror *The collection provides some excellent moments of reflection on apartheid in South Africa that are given new perspective through exciting comparative scholarship and can also aid in deciphering the post-apartheid trajectory of the country. * Africa at LSE *A rich accumulation of material and ideas. * Electronic Intifada *For Israel and its allies, any talk of apartheid remains anathema … The essays in this book are evidence of how insightful, and fruitful, such a comparison and analysis can be. * Journal of Palestine Studies *This is an exceptionally important contribution to contemporary debates on Israeli apartheid. There is simply no other collection out there that brings such historical and comparative breadth to bear on this question - a must read! * Adam Hanieh, SOAS, University of London *Israel is trying to refine the nefarious policy of apartheid to keep the Palestinian people apart. This book cogently argues the inefficacy of the policy of divide and rule. A must read. * Arun Gandhi, founder of the M. K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence *One of the most important volumes on the issue of Israeli apartheid. Skilfully incorporating perspectives from various disciplines, the authors provide an excellent and extremely relevant examination of the systemic infrastructure of the Israeli state's colonial and apartheid enterprise. * Farid Esack, University of Johannesburg *Comparing Israel and apartheid South Africa is one of the great taboos of our time. This collection breaks the taboo in examining settler colonialism and apartheid in both Israel itself and the Occupied Palestinian Territory. * John Dugard, former Special Rapporteur to the UN Human Rights Council *It is clear from this finely crafted collection of essays that Israel has much in common with white-ruled South Africa. Indeed, Israel and South Africa provides abundant evidence that Israel is worse than South Africa was, and that Israeli apartheid will be more enduring than the South African variant. This smart and informative book should be read by every person who cares about Israel and its victims. * John J. Mearsheimer, author of The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy *A terrible evil makes the apartheid comparison between Israel and South Africa a valid exercise, that is, the intentional prevention of shared life. On this basis, this book tasks the comparative method as a tool to challenge the dismal reality in Palestine. * Marcelo Svirsky, author of After Israel *Demonstrates how Apartheid as a political system of segregation is not specific to any particular race or country, and why invoking it in the context of Israel /Palestine is both instructive and instrumental. The authors show there's lots to learn from the successful struggle against the Apartheid of South Africa. * Marwan Bishara, Al Jazeera English, and author of Palestine/Israel: Peace or Apartheid *Nine superbly qualified authors confirm from a variety of perspectives the allegations of apartheid directed at Israel. This book is profoundly convincing, and should put an end to serious debate about whether Israel is guilty of apartheid. * Richard Falk, author of Palestine: The Legitimacy of Hope *Table of ContentsIntroduction: The Many Faces of Apartheid - Ilan Pappé Part I: Historical Roots 1. Birds of a Feather: Israel and Apartheid South Africa Colonialism of a Special Type - Ronnie Kasrils 2. The Many Faces of European Colonialism: The Templers, the Basel Mission and the Zionist Movement - Ilan Pappé 3. Apartheid and the Question of Origin - Oren Ben-Dor Part II: The Boundaries of Comparison 4. 'Visible Equality' as Confidence Trick - Jonathan Cook 5. Apartheid, Israel and Palestinian Statehood - Leila Farsakh Part III: Nuanced Comparisons 6. Femicide in Apartheid: The Parallel Interplay between Racism and Sexism in South Africa and Palestine–Israel - Anthony Löwstedt 7. The Many Faces of Protest: A Comparative Analysis of Protest Groups in Israel and South Africa - Amneh Badran Part IV: Future Models and Perspectives 8. The Inevitable Impossible: South African Experience and a Single State - Steven Friedman 9. Redefining the Conflict in Israel–Palestine: The Tricky Question of Sovereignty - Virginia Tilley 10. Israel–Palestine and the Apartheid Analogy: Critics, Apologists and Strategic Lessons - Ran Greenstein

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Book SynopsisThis book argues that democracies emerging from peaceful protest last longer, achieve higher levels of democratic quality, and are more likely to see at least two peaceful handovers of power than democracies that emerged out of violent resistance or top-down liberalization. Nonviolent resistance is not just an effective means of deposing dictators; it can also help consolidate democracy after the transition from autocratic rule. Drawing on case studies on democratic consolidation in Africa and Latin America, the authors find that nonviolent resistance creates a more inclusive transition process that is more resistant to democratic breakdown in the long term.Table of Contents

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Book SynopsisInternational Organizations (IOs) are important actors within global social governance. They provide forums for exchange, contention and cooperation about social policies. Our knowledge about the involvement of IOs varies significantly by policy fields, and we know comparatively little about the specific roles of IOs in social policies. This volume enhances and systematizes our understanding of IOs in global social governance. It provides studies on a variety of social policy fields in which different, but also the same, IOs operate. The chapters shed light on IO involvement in a particular social policy field by describing the population of participating IOs; exploring how a particular global social policy field is constituted as a whole, and which dominant IOs set the trends. The contributors also examine the discourse within, and between, these IOs on the respective social policies. As such, this first-of-its kind book contributes to research on social policy and international relations, both in terms of theoretical substantiation and empirical scope. Table of ContentsPart I Introduction 1 The Architecture of Arguments in Global Social Governance: Examining Populations and Discourses of International Organizations in Social Policies Part II Labor and Migration 2 International Organizations’ Involvement in Youth Unemployment as a Global Policy Field, and the Global Financial Crisis 3 International Organizations and Global Labor Standards 4 International Organizations, Care and Migration: The Case of Migrant Health Care Workers 5 International Organizations and the Global Social Governance of Pensions Part III Family and Education 6 Governing Children’s Rights in Global Social Policy—International Organizations and the Thin Line Between Child Protection and Empowerment 7 Global Discourses, Regional Framings and Individual Showcasing: Analyzing the World of Education IOs 8 IOs’ Role in Global Social Governance: Family Policy 9 Disability as a ‘New’ Global Social Theme: The Role of International Organizations in an Expanding Global Policy Field Part IV Health and Environment 10 Characterizing Global Health Governance by International Organizations: Is There an Ante- and Post-COVID-19 Architecture? 11 IOs and Climate Change: Toward Global Eco-Social Policy 12 Water as Global Social Policy—International Organizations, Resource Scarcity, and Environmental Security 13 International Organizations and Food: Nearing the End of the Lean Season? Part V Conclusion 14 International Organizations and the Architecture of Arguments in Global Social Governance

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Book SynopsisThis open access book analyses the global diffusion of social policy as a process driven by multiplex ties between countries in global social networks. The contributions analyze links between countries via global trade, colonial history, similarity in culture, and spatial proximity. Networks are viewed as the structural backbone of the diffusion process, and diffusion is anlaysed via several subfields of social policy, in order to interrogate which network dimensions drive this process. The focus is on a global perspective of social policy diffusion via networks, and it is the first book to explicitly follow this macro-quantitative perspective on diffusion at a global scale whilst also comparing different networks. The collection tests the network structures in terms of their relevance to the diffusion process in different subfields of social policy such as old age and survivor pensions, labor and labor markets, health and long-term care, education and training, and family and gender policy.The book will therefore be invaluable to students and researchers of global social policy, sociology, political science, international relations, organization theory and economics.Table of ContentsNetworks of Global Social Policy Diffusion: The Effects of Culture, Economy, Colonial legacies, and Geographic Proximity.- The Global Diffusion of Work-Injury Insurance: The Role of Spatial Networks and Nation Building.- Networks of Global Policy Diffusion. The Introduction of Compulsory Education.- The Global Diffusion of Adult Basic Education.- The Emergence of Healthcare Systems.- Introduction of Long-Term Care Systems: The Nascent Diffusion of an Emergent Field of Social Policy.- Origins of Family Policy: Prerequisites or Diffusion.- From Geneva to the World? Global Network Diffusion of Anti-Discrimination Legislation in Employment and Occupation: The ILO’s C111.- The Diffusion of Workplace Anti-discrimination Regulations for the LGBTQ+ Community.- Critical Summary and Concluding Remarks.

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Book SynopsisThe 21st century has witnessed a considerable and increasing number of political revolutions around the world. This contradicts the popular belief of many experts in the 1970s that revolutions occurred mainly in monarchies and empires. Instead, the revolutions of this century have several new characteristics, which call for a renewed analysis of the subject.This handbook offers a comparative perspective on the new wave of revolutions of the last decade. Presenting case studies on the color revolutions, the Arab revolutions of 2010–2011, and the global wave of revolutions in 2013–2018 that spanned regions ranging from Africa to the Caucasus, it offers a better understanding of the varied forms, features, and historical backgrounds of revolutions, as well as their causes. Accordingly, it highlights recent revolutions in their historical and world-systems contexts.The handbook is divided into seven parts, the first of which examines the history of views on revolution and important aspects of the theory of revolution. The second part analyzes revolutions within long-term historical trends and in their world-system contexts. In turn, the third part explores specific major revolutionary waves in history. The fourth part analyzes the first revolutionary wave of the 21st century (2000–2009), the so-called color revolutions, while the fifth discusses the second wave – the Arab Spring (2010–2013) – as an important turning point. The sixth part is dedicated to analyzing revolutions and revolutionary movements beyond the Arab Spring and some revolutionary events from the third wave that began in 2018. The seventh and final part offers forecasts on the future of revolutions. Given its scope, the book will appeal to scholars and students from various disciplines interested in historical trends, sociopolitical change, contentious politics, social movements, and revolutionary processes involving both nonviolent campaigns and political violence. ​"Once again, this volume demonstrates the kind of open-minded, systematic analysis that the field of revolutionary studies requires." (Prof. George Lawson, Department of International Relations, Australian National University Canberra)Table of Contents1. Introduction. Changing yet Persistent: Revolutions and Revolutionary Events.- 2. The Phenomenon and Theories of Revolution.- 3. On Revolutionary Situations, Stages of Revolution, and Some Other Aspects of the Theory of Revolution.- 4. Revolutions, Counterrevolutions, and Democracy.- 5. Revolutions and Historical Process.- 6. Evolution and Typology of Revolutions.- 7. The “Problem of Structure and Agency” and Contemporary Sociology of Revolution and Social Movements.- 8. Revolution and Modernization Traps.- 9. Typology and Principles of Dynamics of Revolutionary Waves in World History.- 10. Revolutionary Waves of the Early Modern Period: Types and Phases.- 11. The European Revolutions and Revolutionary Waves of the 19th Century: Their Causes and Consequence.- 12. Revolutionary Waves and Lines of the 20th Century.- 13. On Revolutionary Waves since the 16th Century.- 14. All Around the World: Revolutionary Potential in the Age of Authoritarian Revanchism.- 15. “Color” Revolutions. Successes and Limitations of Non-Violent Protest.- 16. The Bulldozer Revolution in Serbia.- 17. Serbian “Otpor” and the Color Revolutions’ diffusion.- 18. The Rose Revolution in Georgia.- 19. The Orange Revolution in Ukraine.- 20. Revolutions in Kyrgyzstan.- 21. ‘Moldovan Spring’ 2009. The Atypical ‘Revolution’ of April 7 and the Days that Followed.-22. The Green Movement in Iran: 2009–2010.- 23. The Arab Spring: Causes, Conditions, and Driving Forces.- 24. The Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia and the Birth of the Arab Spring Uprisings.- 25. Egypt’s 2011 Revolution. A Demographic Structural Analysis.- 26. The Arab Spring in Yemen.- 27. The Syrian Revolution.- 28. Revolution in Libya.- 29. The Extent of Military Involvement in Non-Violent, Civilian Revolts and Their Aftermath.- 30. The Arab Spring: A Quantitative Analysis.- 31. Global Echo of the Arab Spring.- 32. Euromaidan Revolution in Ukraine.- 33. Two Experiences of the Islamic “Revival”: The 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran and the Formation of the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq in the 2010s.- 34. Turkey. The (Gülen) Cemaat and the State: An Unfinished Conquest.- 35. The Armenian Revolution of 2018: A Historical-Sociological Interpretation.- 36. Modern Protest Civil Movements in Sub-Saharan Africa in the Context of Global Political Destabilization.- 37. Articulating the Web of Transnational Social Movements.- 38. Revolutions of the 21st Century as a Factor of the World System Reconfiguration.- 39. Global Inequality and World Revolutions: Past, Present and Future.- 40. Revolution Forecasting. Formulation of the Problem.- 41. Conclusion. How Many Revolutions.

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Book SynopsisIntroduction.- General Introduction.- Municipal and political setup.- Methodology.- Housing climate and their challenges.- Description of systems.- Housing related challenges in municipalities.- Connections of housing and climate in policy documents.- Politicians views on housing and climate.- Overall findings.- Reflection on the finding.- Policy advice.-  Concluding discussion.- Reflections for the future.- Final conclusionsAnnex City ProfilesReferences.

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Book SynopsisPart I: Karl Polanyi’s Vision and Beyond.- Chapter 1. Karl Polanyi’s Vision: Free Market Capitalism and the Transformation of the World – Polanyi’s Vision and Its Shortcomings.- Chapter 2. Beyond Polanyi.- Part II: The Economic Transformation to High Technology Industrial Capitalism.- Chapter 3. The Economic Transformation to High Technology Industrial Capitalism.- Chapter 4. The Rapid but Uneven Transition to High Technology Industrial Capitalism.- Chapter 5. Polanyi Again: the Effect of the Market on Human Social Interactions.- Part III: the Social and Cultural Transformations of the 21st Century.- Chapter 6. Global Culture vs. Tribal Identity.- Chapter 7. Women’s Liberation in Historical Perspective.- Chapter 8. Some Unintended Effects of Women’s Liberation.- Chapter 9. Gay Liberation in Socio-historical Perspective.- Chapter 10. Gay Liberation and World Religions.- Chapter 11. Gay Liberation and New Definitions of Gender.- Chapter 12. The Remarkable Case of Greece: Ancient, Byzantine Christianity and Modern.- Part IV: Science and Secular Humanism as the New Global Zeitgeist.- Chapter 13. The History of the Rational-scientific Worldview.- Chapter 14. Science and Religion in the Modern World.- Chapter 15. Science and Humanistic Ethics.- Chapter 16. Emile Durkheim’s Theory of Social Change and Anomie: the Impact of the Social and Cultural Changes on the Emerging Global Society.- Part V: The Political Transformation to Electoral Democracy and Legal-rational Authority.- Chapter 17. The Third Wave of Democracy.- Chapter 18. The New Wave of Dictatorship Begins to Displace the Third Ave of Democracy.- Chapter 19. Max Weber’s Theory of the Transition From Traditional Authority to Legal-rational Authority, With Charismatic Leadership as a Bridge Between Them.- Part VI: Technological Change Beyond Our Imagination and It’s Sociological Impact.- Chapter 20. The Technological Change and Its Sociological Impact.- Part VII: Our Place in the Universe.- Chapter 21. The Universe and Our Place in It.- Chapter 22. Can Humanistic Ethics Predominate on the Big Blue Marble?.

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Book SynopsisThe Syrian Social Nationalist Party devoted itself to reviving and unifying the Syrian nation and establishing this nation’s complete independence over its historical homeland, Greater Syria. It continues its struggle today, influencing and shaping Lebanese and Syrian society and politics. Yet, the party remains largely unknown and misunderstood, a condition that stems from the lack of any comprehensive study of it. This book fills this gap. Syrian nationalism and nationalist movements, generally speaking, have been largely neglected and ignored by historians, scholars, and observers of the Middle East. So, too, has the SSNP. The lack of detailed and nuanced analyses has left significant gaps in the party’s rich history unaddressed and enabled the perpetuation of inaccuracies and misperceptions regarding its past. Given this and the party’s ongoing relevance in Lebanon and Syria, a thorough examination of the early history of the SSNP, the political organization and movement that embodied Syrian nationalism’s most explicit, most cogent expression is even more necessary. Based on an extensive and thorough examination of Arabic, French, and English primary sources, the monograph is the first comprehensive, systematic history of the SSNP to date, detailing its struggle to fulfill its nationalist vision and establish a secular, independent state in Greater Syria through a thorough analysis of its formation, evolution, and political activities in Lebanon and Syria. Table of ContentsThe book is divided into four parts, each with three chapters. The Introduction provides a general historical overview of the development of Syrian nationalism and the idea of Greater Syria, contextualizing the formation of Saʿadeh’s political thought and the establishment of the SSNP within this discourse. It also addresses the popular discourse on the SSNP in Lebanon and Syria during the period studied and, briefly, the book’s sources, methodology, and structure. Part One, A New Generation (Chapters 1-3), examines Saʿadeh’s first attempts at political organization and activism in the South American mahjar until his return to Lebanon in 1930, the party’s pre-history. It then analyzes the first six years of the SSNP’s existence, from its inception as a clandestine movement in 1932 through its discovery by French authorities in 1935 and its open political activities until Saʿadeh’s exile in 1938. Significantly, it details the party’s growth, shedding light on its recruitment methods, ideological and organizational development, and its geographic expansion in the urban and rural centers of Lebanon and Syria. Part Two, The War Years (Chapters 4-6), details the party’s activity in the mahjar and Syria and Lebanon from the beginning of Saʿadeh’s de facto exile in 1938 until the end of World War II. The first five years of this period were characterized by an intense confrontation with the French that would take a heavy toll on the party. The beleaguered party would find respite in an alliance forged with leading Lebanese politicians in 1943, but it came at a price: shunning the party’s ideological commitment to Greater Syria. The decision of the party leadership to shun Syrian nationalism would bring it into conflict with Saʿadeh and others who viewed it as a deviation that needed to be corrected and put to an end. Part Three, The Road to a Failed Revolution and Its Aftermath (Chapters 7-9), analyzes the tumultuous period in the party’s history that preceded and then intensified Saʿadeh’s return to Lebanon in March 1947. This period was characterized by internal party strife and renewed confrontation with Lebanese authorities as the party under Saʿadeh reasserted its Syrian nationalist creed, which directly challenged the idea of Lebanese independence. The confrontation reached its apogee in the SSNP’s failed “social nationalist revolution” and Saʿadeh’s subsequent execution in the summer of 1949, after which the party was outlawed in Lebanon and forced to move the center of its activities to Damascus and bide its time in Lebanon. Part Four, Advance and Retreat (Chapters 10-12), examines the ways in which the SSNP acted to shape the emerging regional and domestic orders in accordance with its ideological vision in the 1950s. Its good relations with Chamoun and his government in Lebanon and Shishakli and his regime in Syria enabled the party to develop its strength and expand its influence in both countries. However, a lack of broad popular appeal and poor decision making would lead the SSNP into open conflict with its increasingly powerful rivals the Baʿth and the communists, who succeeded in defeating the party and forcing it to retreat from the Syrian public sphere. In Lebanon, the party would fight to preserve Lebanon’s independence against Communist and Arab nationalist designs but would reap little reward for its efforts following the events of 1958. The Epilogue, The Rise of Factionalism, examines the party’s journey to its present, fractured state, demonstrating how the seeds of factionalism planted in the party’s early years bore their bitter fruit over time. It addresses the party’s activities during the Lebanese Civil War and the Syrian Civil War, its alliance with Hezbollah, and the party’s major splits and their sources. Finally, it provides an assessment of why the SSNP has failed to transform into a mass political movement and obtain significant, lasting political power, and will likely never do so.

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Book SynopsisWhy are some authoritarian regimes highly competitive and others highly unified? Do they function differently? And what does it mean for our understanding of democracy and democratization? In The Social Roots of Authoritarianism, Natalia Forrat describes two models of authoritarianism: the first in which people see the state as their team leader and the other where they trust informal (non-state) leaders and see the state as a source of perks or punishment. Depending on which vision of the state is dominant in society, she argues that autocrats must use different tools to consolidate their regimes or risk a pushback. If people view the state as their team leader, autocrats rely on social conformity and teamwork logic. If people view the state as an outsider, autocrats rely on clientelist bargains and utility maximization logic. Unpacking the grassroot mechanisms maintaining unity-based and division-based authoritarianisms further, Forrat compares the structures of political machines in four Russian regions. She finds that the two regions with centralized organizational structures bound by social solidarity and team logic delivered predictable, stable results across multiple elections. But the other two regions that relied on decentralized structures with multiple levels of brokers acting independently of each other were less effective in delivering stable results.Carefully crafted and sophisticated, Forrat''s theory of authoritarian power sheds new light on state-society relations in Russia. But it is also broadly applicable beyond Russia and helps explain the divergent patterns of regime maintenance strategies in authoritarian countries throughout the world.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review'A very useful addition to the scholarly literature on India-Pakistan relations.' -Shivshankar Menon, Former National Security Advisor, Government of India'A compelling read.' -M. K Narayanan, Former National Security Advisor, Government of India'[It brings] to light an eminently readable conversation between two protagonists who otherwise refuse to talk to each other.' -Lt. Gen. (retd.) Tariq Waseem Ghazi, Former Defense Secretary, Government of Pakistan'There is much here for decision-makers, scholars, and commentators.' -George Perkovich, Vice President, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Washington DC'Essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the dynamics of the fraught relationship between India and Pakistan.' -Bruce Riedel, Director, Brookings Intelligence Project, Brookings Institution, Washington DC14/01/2019

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Book SynopsisJon Pierre is Professor of Political Science at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. His main research interests include theories of governance, public administration, public management and urban politics. B. Guy Peters is Maurice Falk Professor of American Government at the University of Pittsburgh, USA. His main research interests include areas of public administration and public policy, both for the United States and comparatively.Trade ReviewThis revised and extended version of a classic is as incisive as ever in orienting readers to the major issues associated with the concept of governance. Adopting a state-centric perspective, the book brings to light why and how state-society interaction transforms the character of contemporary governing. * Christopher Ansell, University of California, Berkeley, USA *Impressive! This fully revised new edition of a classic book has retained its great narrative style and original views and insights, yet now also perceives governance with a stronger historical sensitivity as well as a keen eye for new development such as public participation and populism. A must read. * Thomas Schillemans, Utrecht University School of Governance, the Netherlands *Table of ContentsContents: Introduction: What is Governance? 1. Different Ways to Think About Governance 2. Conceptual and Theoretical Perspectives on Governance 3. The Transformation of Governance 4. Governance Beyond the State 5. Multi-level Governance 6. Metagovernance 7. Populism and Participatory Modes of Governance 8. State Strength and Governing Capacity 9. Governance Past, Present and Future Postscript: How do We Study Governance?

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Book SynopsisComparative Politics: Continuity and Breakdown in the Contemporary World is an exciting new core text for introduction to comparative politics courses, focusing on the dynamics of politics: modernization, revolution, coups and democratization.Unlike other texts, Comparative Politics integrates thematic and extensive country-specific material in each chapter, striking a unique balance between discussing a wide range of countries and civilizations in detail, whilst using shorter focused textboxes to clearly illustrate key thematic points.Key features and benefits include: explanations of core concepts such as state, nation, regime, legitimacy, modernization, globalization, revolution, and mass movements an introduction of key theoretical approaches such as institutionalism, structural functionalism, political culture, political economy, and game theory detailed coverage of democratization, advanced democracies, developing counTrade Review'Zagorski has written a book that is at once in-depth and accessible, thorough in its coverage of the topic and rich in the examples it employs. With meticulous care, the book begins by introducing the basic foundations of the discipline and then moves on to the phenomenon of political continuity and breakdown, modernization and revolution, dictatorship and democracy, patrimonialism and autocracy, and globalization and postmodernity, all the meanwhile grounding his analysis in a wide array of case studies. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the study of comparative politics.' - Mehran Kamrava, Georgetown University School of Foreign Serivice, Qatar 'This is a lively textbook that provides an engaging introduction for undergraduates to the field of comparative politics. By focusing on alternative theoretical approaches to the comparative study of political regimes, Zagorski makes a valuable addition to the pedagogical arsenal of modern political science.' - Richard Snyder, Brown University, USA Table of Contents1. Continuity and Breakdown 2. Nation, State, "Democracy": How the Breakdown of the Traditional Order led to the Modern World 3. The Requisites of Democratic Continuity 4. Democratic Institutions 5. Revolution: Breakdown in the Face of Mass Movement 6. Revolutionary Movements in the Contemporary World 7. The Coup D’etat and its Consequences: Breakdown Engineered by Elite Actors 8. Military Regimes 9. Democratization in the Noncommunist World 10. Democratization and Economic Reform in the Communist World 11. The Politics of Contemporary Patrimonial Rule 12. Hybrid Regimes 13. New Political Actors and New Ideologies in the Postmodern Era 14. The Future of Democracy

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Book SynopsisThis book delineates the history of minban/private education in mainland China, particularly its current form. It studies the process of policy implementation in the domain of minban education, on the basis of which the Chinese central-local relationships and the contemporary model of state governance are analyzed.Trade ReviewDing's work is an unusual contribution to the literature about contemporary China. Using private education policies in Shanghai as a microcosm, and with a wealth of field data, she delineates a typical policy processes in China. The book explains some of the major puzzles about China held by those who are outside the system. In particular, she has uncovered the paradox between the apparent distortions during policy implementation on the one hand, and the general progress achieved by such policies on the other. Ding's work starts a new perspective of understanding China. -- Kai-ming Cheng, University of Hong KongThis closely researched study of private schooling should interest those interested not only in Chinese education but also in Chinese policy implementation. -- Daniel Levy, SUNY Distinguished Professor, University at AlbanyThe book is based on a well-designed qualitative study with 65 in-depth interviews in 2001 and 2004. Ding tries to figure out the logic of policy implementation in Shanghai as an “insider” while having a clear awareness of the dilemma of studying a policy issue in her own culture. She makes the best use of her identity as an insider, not only as a Chinese but as someone who knows some “inside” stories concerning the issue interviewed. * Frontiers of Education in China *Table of ContentsChapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: A New Framework for Understanding Chapter 3: Minban Education I: The Nation Chapter 4: Minban Education II: Shanghai Chapter 5: Student Admission and Fee Charging Chapter 6: Converted Schools Chapter 7: The Model of Structural Fracturation

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Book SynopsisAfter the Referendum on whether Scotland should become an independent country in September 2014 - and following a momentous mobilisation of voters by both the Yes and No campaigns - Scotland''s political environment has been fundamentally energised. But how was the Referendum campaign reported and structured in the media in Scotland, the wider United Kingdom, and in other parts of the world, and was it a matter of ''construction'' rather than ''representation''?In this book scholars, commentators and journalists from Britain, Europe and beyond examine how the media across the world presented the debate itself and the shifting nature of Scottish - and British - identity which that debate revealed. Several of the contributors also explore how the emphases and constructions which were put on the debate in their particular countries illuminated these countries'' own responses to nationalism and separatism.The consequences of the Referendum''s No result are traced in the media through until the May general election of 2015.

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Book SynopsisThis is a book about conflicts and fears: how domestic reasons are drawing countries in Europe into international events. Raymond Taras explains why France, Poland and Sweden have become engaged in outside conflicts and tells the story of when and why xenophobia at home is converted into xenophobia abroad.Trade Review'An original and insightful approach to the understanding of foreign policy. Applying cultural, historical and psychological perspectives grounded in classical and modern scholarship, Raymond Taras shows how suspicions, hatreds and fears of real and imagined enemies are major factors in foreign policies. In so doing, he provides a needed corrective to the assumptions of rational decision making.' - William Safran, Professor Emeritus of Political Science, University of Colorado at BoulderTable of ContentsAcknowledgements; 1. Fear and suspicion in contemporary politics: citizens, strangers, elites; 2. Reconnecting culture with foreign policy; 3. Reflections on designing research for the study of fear and foreign policy; 4. French Muslims and France's foreign policy; 5. Poland's Fixation with Russia: Fear or Reason?; 6. Sweden: the limits of humanitarianism at home and abroad; 7. Summing up; Select bibliography; Index.

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Book SynopsisGabriele Cosentino is Assistant Professor in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication at The American University in Cairo, Egypt.Trade ReviewThe book offers a sweeping inquiry into many relevant informational short-circuits and omissions that contributed to the Covid-19 pandemic. * Cristian Vaccari, Loughborough University, UK *Cosentino achieves something incredibly impressive with The Infodemic, succinctly and coherently distilling crucial elements of a complex information ecosystem that roiled the world for over two years. * Marc Owen Jones, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Where did it all begin? 1. The Infodemic 2. Wet Market or Lab Leak? Controversies on the Origin of COVID-19 3. Democratic chaos: QAnon and the COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories 4. You Can’t Arrest a Virus: How Autocrats Exploited the Pandemic Conclusion: How will it end? Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisLays out an account of the origins and development of liberal political and economic theoryTrade Review"Lee Ward brings his immense learning and analytic acumen to the task of reconceptualizing classical liberal political economy as importantly different, morally and politically, from so-called neo-liberalism. And as he would save us from neo-liberalism he would also save us from illiberal democracy"."" -Michael Zuckert, University of Notre Dame

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Book SynopsisExamines how centralised authoritarian regimes upgrade their system of local governance

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