Comparative politics Books

Book SynopsisA uniquely broad and fair-minded guide to making immigration policy ethical.Immigration is now a polarizing issue across most advanced democracies. But too much that is written about immigration fails to appreciate the complex responses to the phenomenon. Too many observers assume imaginary consensus, avoid basic questions, or disregard the larger context for human migration. In Borders and Belonging, Hiroshi Motomura offers a complex and fair-minded account of immigration, its root causes, and the varying responses to it. Taking stock of the issue''s complexity, while giving credence to the opinions of immigration critics, he tackles a series of important questions that, when answered, will move us closer to a more realistic and sustainable immigration policy. Motomura begins by affirming a basic concept--national borders--and asks when they might be ethical borders, fostering fairness but also responding realistically to migration patterns and to the political forces that migration generates. In a nation with ethical borders, who should be let in or kept out? How should people forced to migrate be treated? Should newcomers be admitted temporarily or permanently? How should those with lawful immigration status be treated? What is the best role for enforcement in immigration policy? To what extent does the arrival of newcomers hurt long-time residents? What are the root causes of immigration and how can we address them? Realistic about the desire of most citizens for national borders, this book is an indispensable guide for moving toward ethical borders and better immigration policy.

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Book SynopsisLeadership from Bad to Worse is about how leadership that is bad, invariably, inexorably, gets worse - unless it is somehow, by someone or something, stopped or slowed. The process of going from bad to worse tends to be steady, as opposed to hasty. But once bad burrows in, it digs in. It digs in deeper and then deeper, making it difficult finally to extract or excise without getting rid of whoever and whatever is involved. This work draws on four cases of bad leadership: two in political leadership, two in business leadership. - to show how it goes from bad to worse. Kellerman finds that bad leadership and bad followership go through four phases of development: 1) Onward and Upward; 2) Followers Join In; 3) Leaders Start In; and 4) Bad to Worse.These findings correctly suggest that the book, in addition to being of theoretical interest, is of practical import. It is intended, deliberately, to serve as an early warning system. By breaking bad leadership and followership into phases - ea

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Book SynopsisOver the past 70 years, the United States has undergone major moral shifts surrounding gender, sexual orientation, and race. Although these changes have been incomplete and imperfect, they nonetheless represent stunning improvements in the human condition which have been supported by democracy. While on its face democratic governance embodies the promise of protest, free expression, and social change, the recent surge of populism has provoked some cynicism about democracy and the potential ignorance and irrationality of democratic citizens. This debate raises questions around the role of democracy in social progress, democracy''s definitive principles and ideals, and the tension between democracy''s characteristic aspirations and the disappointing realities of real-world politics.Michael Fuerstein addresses these questions, presenting a fresh philosophical account of social progress that focuses on democracy and delivering an innovative rebuttal to skeptics inspired by the recent populist wave. Following in the tradition of John Dewey, he argues that democracy enables progress through experiments in living: innovations in social practice that transform social emotions and identities and cultivate moral learning.Drawing on research in social psychology and several detailed historical case studies--same-sex marriage, women''s integration into the workforce, and school desegregation--Fuerstein illuminates the critical role of novel experience in building community: linkages of emotion and identity across a democratic public, which enable diverse citizens to flourish together. Challenging technocratic views which imply that democracy is undermined by citizens'' ignorance and incompetence, Fuerstein suggests that the remedy for democracy''s contemporary malaise must target failures of community more than failures of knowledge or skill, a change which will require a new round of experimental innovations in social life.

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Book SynopsisThis is a short history of the political life of this island over a very long period, showing how history can speak clearly to current political debates.Trade Reviewthis book offers a unique look at Britain in a global context. * M.K.Thompson, CHOICE *A Useful History of Britain is undoubtedly remarkable for its sustained debate and selection of material both through time and across space. * Hugh Clout, Cercles *A unique look at Britain in a global context. ... Recommended. * M. K. Thompson, CHOICE *Unlike any history book you've ever read. A Useful History of Britain is intellectually invigorating, politically vital and startlingly unique. You'll never look at British history in the same way again. * Ian Dunt *Braddick is one of the most important historians writing today. Instead of looking at history as a linear story, he explores the various ways we have cooperated with each other, the gap between the individual and the common interest, and the institutional and power dynamics which emerged. You're left with a fundamentally different view of the past – and the present * Ian Dunt *[Braddick's] account of arguments about the European Union is scrupulously balanced. * Lincoln Allison, Times Higher Education *Table of ContentsPower over our world, power over each other Introduction: The history of political life on Britain 1: Political life: collective and differential power What needs to be done and what can be achieved 2: Mobilising ideas 3: Changing material conditions 4: Organizational capacity Patterns in the uses of political power 5: Political inclusion: who gets to make things happen? 6: Geographies of political power and identity: which groups take action for what purposes? 7: Change over time: phases in the history of political life Conclusion: Globalizing Britain's past: parallel and shared histories Further reading

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Book SynopsisWith its coherent analytical framework and accessible style, Foundations of European Politics: A Comparative Approach introduces students to important tools of social science and comparative analysis.Key Features- Adopts a social scientific approach, introducing students to the important theoretical and empirical tools necessary to compare and analyse democratic politics in Europe.- Provides comprehensive coverage of political institutions, political behaviour and voters, and selected important policy outcomes.- Breakout boxes are included in each chapter to go deeper into aspects of European politics, and how to study it. Boxes includes debates about methods and measurement of important concepts, case studies, and academic controversies and debates.New to this Edition- Three new chapters cover topics around how to study European politics using the scientific method, how people receive and process political information and the role social media and political elites play in informing citizens about politics, and how organizations and social movements influence policy-making in Europe. - New and updated, full colour, graphs and figures help to clarify complex data and theoretical topics.- Existing chapters have been restructured and expanded to provide deeper insights and more comprehensive coverage of European politics.Digital Formats and ResourcesFoundations of European Politics is available for students and institutions to purchase in a variety of formats, and it is supported by online resources. Additional data set exercises can be found at www.foundationsofeuropeanpolitics.com.

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Book SynopsisRadical-right behavior is increasing across Western democracies, often very quickly. Previous research has shown, however, that political attitudes and preferences do not change as quickly. Vicente Valentim argues that the role of social norms as drivers of political behavior is crucial for understanding these patterns. Building on a norms-based theory of political supply and demand, he argues that growing radical-right behavior is driven by individuals who already had radical-right views, but who did not act on those views because they thought that they were socially unacceptable. If these voters do not express their preferences, politicians can underestimate how much latent support there is for radical-right policy. This leaves the radical right with less skilled leaders, who are unable to mobilize even radical-right voters to support them. However, if politicians realize that there is more private support for radical-right policy than is typically observable, they have an incentive

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Book SynopsisTimes have not been kind to democracy. This book is in its defense. In the new century, the triumph of democracy at the end of the Cold War turned to retrenchment. The core democracies, in America and Britain, succumbed to polarization and misrule. Dictatorships, such as China, made themselves assertive. New democracies in Central Europe turned to muddled ideologies of illiberal democracy. In this book, Stein Ringen offers a meditation on what democracy is, the challenges it faces, and how it can be defended. Ringen argues that democracy must be rooted in a culture that supports the ability of citizens to exchange views and information among themselves and with their rulers. Drawing on the ideas of Machiavelli, Aristotle, Tocqueville, Max Weber, and others, Ringen shows how power is the fuel of government, and statecraft turns power into effective rule. Democracy should prize freedom and minimizing unfairness, especially poverty. Altogether, Ringen offers powerful insight on thTrade Review"More than any, this book from the 76-year-old author, an accomplished scholar of governance, is a much-needed critique of what he calls the 'detached cynicism' of the death-of-democracy literature. His delightful prose is a feather in the cap of this unsentimental exploration of a hot topic." * Open Magazine *"In recent years, there has been an explosion of studies seeking to explain why, some 30 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the apparent triumph of liberal democracy, democracy is under challenge by the assertive forces of autocracy in both international politics and the homelands of democracy itself. Ringen offers an important addition to this literature. How Democracies Live is accessible, lucid, and thought provoking. Highly recommended." * Choice *“In our era of democratic decline, Ringen returns to the great thinkers for a series of clear-eyed explorations about how to restore our systems of governance. A truly important book for dangerous times.” -- Tom Ginsburg, University of Chicago“A sober and passionate defense of representative democracy as humanity’s best hope for self-government. Chock full of recommendations for repair of the public culture on which effective government depends. The hard case for democracy for unsentimental realists.” -- Joel Rogers, University of Wisconsin–Madison“Ringen opens an erudite and accessible conversation about governance. The power of his bracing analysis of democracy—its value and what imperils it—sneaks up on you, and by the end, you’ll have thought seriously about the things that matter most for the state of contemporary democracy. -- Mark Tushnet, Harvard Law School“Starting with the essential role of government in providing for security and protection, Ringen shows how only representative democracy can deal with the realities of power. If you despaired of finding a work that showed how progressive policy can be rooted in a hard-headed assessment of democracy, this is the book for you.” -- Albert Weale, University College London“With artful and flowing prose, Ringen engages readers in a compelling conversation about the nature of democracy, its current malaise, and future prospects.  He argues, convincingly, that the key to salvaging democracy today is reconstructing its cultural foundations. This daunting task falls primarily on the shoulders of far-sighted leaders.” -- Maurizio Ferrera, Università degli Studi di Milano StataleTable of ContentsPreface We Need Democracy Book One The Problem of Power Book Two The Problem of Statecraft Book Three The Problem of Freedom Book Four The Problem of Poverty Book Five The Problem of Democracy Postscript We Need to Talk about Democracy Acknowledgments Notes References Index About the Author

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Book SynopsisAn illuminating investigation into why some parties evolve with their times while others fall behind. Around the world, established political parties face mounting pressures: insurgents on the Left and Right, altered media environments, new policy challenges, and the erosion of traditional strongholds, to name just a few. Yet parties have differed enormously in their ability to move with the times and update their offers to voters. This variation matters. While adaptation does not guarantee a party's electoral success, the failure to modernize can spell its decline, even collapse, and create openings for radical and populist parties that may threaten the future of liberal democracy. Parties under Pressure examines why some parties adapt meaningfully to social, economic, and political transformations while others flounder, focusing especially on the fate of Western Europe's Christian democratic parties. Matthias Dilling reveals the under-appreciated importance of party factions. Whil

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThis volume provides an overview of political, social, economic and ideological trends in Iran, touching on topics including education, the role of the Supreme Leader, the rule of law and human rights. Vol. 59, 2 2017 * Survival *Table of ContentsNote on TransliterationIntroduction: Politics of Contention and Conciliation in Iran's Semi-AutocracyDaniel Brumberg and Farideh FarhiPART I. The Contested Terrain1. Economic Privatization, Factional Politics, and Regime TransformationPayam Mohseni2. Social Welfare Policies and the Dynamics of Elite and Popular ContentionKevan Harris3. Education as Public Good or Private Resource: Accommodation and Demobilization in Iran's University System. Shervin MalekzadehPART II. Institutional Evolution4. The Office of the Supreme Leader: Epicenter of a TheocracyMehrzad Boroujerdi and Kourosh Rahimkhani5. Electoral Politics, Power, and Prospects for ReformYasmin Alem PART III. Political and Ideological Challenges6. The Rule of Law and Conflict in the Reform EraMehrangiz Kar and Azadeh Pourzand7. The Green Movement and Political Change in IranFatemeh Haghighatjoo8. "This Government Is Neither Islamic nor a Republic": Responses to the 2009 Post-Election CrackdownShadi MokhtariEpilogueDaniel Brumberg and Farideh FarhiSelected BibliographyContributorsIndex

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Book SynopsisBy analytically decoupling war and violence, this book explores the causes and dynamics of violence in civil war. Against the prevailing view that such violence is an instance of impenetrable madness, the book demonstrates that there is logic to it and that it has much less to do with collective emotions, ideologies, and cultures than currently believed. Kalyvas specifies a novel theory of selective violence: it is jointly produced by political actors seeking information and individual civilians trying to avoid the worst but also grabbing what opportunities their predicament affords them. Violence, he finds, is never a simple reflection of the optimal strategy of its users; its profoundly interactive character defeats simple maximization logics while producing surprising outcomes, such as relative nonviolence in the 'frontlines' of civil war.Trade Review“While exciting and extensive, the recent literature on civil wars suffers from poorly specified and empirically untested causal mechanisms. Therefore Stathis Kalyvas' important study is a welcome contribution to the field, as it reaches an unprecedented level of specificity and detail without sacrificing analytical cogency. Going beyond simplistic dichotomizations, such as 'greed' and 'grievance,' Kalyvas offers compelling evidence that civil wars often contain micro-level actions that have little to do with the main conflict dimension of the war in question. Reflecting both intellectual curiosity and impressive erudition, The Logic of Violence in Civil War promises to become an instant classic in conflict research in particular, and comparative political analysis in general.” Lars-Erik Cederman, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich“This superb study will be a landmark in the study of civil wars. It is based on deep and broad knowledge and on a remarkably fertile analytical framework. By focusing on the microdynamics of civil wars Kalyvas is both able to lay old misconceptions to rest and to generate and test a wide range of novel ideas. I predict it will be one of those rare books, an 'instant classic'.” Jon Elster, Collège de France“Some seventeen million people have been killed in civil war violence in the past half-century. Social science has made considerable headway in figuring out which countries are more or less susceptible to a civil war onset. But it is extraordinary that until the appearance of The Logic of Violence in Civil War, there was a dearth of theory and analysis on the dynamics of killing in civil wars. Stathis N. Kalyvas, through his stunning conceptual clarity, his creative synthesis of the historical record, his theoretical formulation, and his path-breaking microanalysis of the patterns of violence in the Greek civil war, has produced a book that would have, if written by the master, made Niccolò Machiavelli proud.” David D. Laitin, Stanford University“This book should become required reading for those interested in the study of civil war and insurgency. It is analytically sophisticated, but also encyclopedic in its sweep and discussion of cases from around the world. While academics and specialists will benefit from the work, the material is accessible for more general readership. Furthermore, the work challenges conventional wisdoms and will provoke controversy.” Roger Petersen, Massachusetts Institute of Technology“Kalyvas’s main aim…is to theorize the role of violence as a specific and separate factor in civil war. The author’s hypothesis is that violence in particular civil war contexts is linked to the level of control that either insurgents or government forces have over a village or region. He tests it against a large amount of empirical data, primarily from areas of Greece during World War II and the subsequent Civil War, and more impressionistically with accounts and micro-level studies of civil wars from elsewhere. Kalyvas’s point is that violence in civil wars cannot be interpreted as simply irrational brutality, but is rather linked to the pursuit of political objectives.” Tara McCormack, Brunel University, Journal of Intervention and StatebuildingTable of ContentsIntroduction; 1. Concepts and definitions; 2. Pathologies; 3. Barbarism; 4. A theory of irregular war I: collaboration; 5. A theory of irregular war II: control; 6. The logic of indiscriminate violence; 7. A theory of selective violence; 8. Empirics I: comparative evidence; 9. Empirics II: microcomparative evidence; 10. Intimacy; 11. Cleavage and agency; Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisThis volume challenges the common perception that legal systems in developing countries are outdated or plagued by enforcement issues. Instead, it presents detailed case studies of private law in the Global South, showcasing how countries in the region have embraced legal doctrines that diverge from traditional approaches in the Global North. Chapters cover core areas of private law, including contracts, property, torts, corporations, and legal personality. The case studies range from India''s adoption of CSR rules to Argentina''s protection of hyper-vulnerable consumers. This volume demonstrates how many countries have incorporated social and distributional concerns into their private law regimes. Through these examples, the book presents a set of under-appreciated and innovative legal developments in the Global South. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.

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Book SynopsisCrowded Out delves into the complex landscape of international non-governmental organizations (INGOs). Bush and Hadden trace INGOs'' rise to prominence at the end of the twentieth century and three significant but overlooked recent trends: a decrease in new INGO foundings, despite persistent global need; a shift towards specialization, despite the complexity of global problems; and a dispersal of INGO activities globally, despite potential gains from concentrating on areas of acute need. Assembling a wealth of new data on INGO foundings, missions, and locations, Bush and Hadden show how INGOs are being crowded out of dense organizational environments. They conduct case studies of INGOs across issue areas, relying on dozens of interviews and a large-scale survey to bring practitioners'' voices to the study of INGOs. To effectively address today''s global challenges, organizations must innovate in a crowded world. This title is also available as open access on Cambridge Core.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisThis book considers how legal reforms and awareness raising associated with building the rule of law have engaged the popular legal consciousness, producing contradictions that have in turn shaped the nature of the resultant legality. How are popular legal-justice beliefs and practices transformed when legal reforms encounter local contexts and cultures? For over a decade, scholars have engaged with the argument that legal reform through rule of law building is the answer to the various ills of countries transitioning from war to peace or authoritarianism to democracy. Yet, scholars have also repeatedly critiqued rule of law building projects: The rule of law, in theory and in practice, is a product of Western liberal thought and development and provides limited space for local culture, norms, and practices. This tension has been playing out in multiple locations, and in the Democratic Republic of Congo for about two decades. This book examines how rule of law reforms in the Table of Contents1. Problems with the Rule of Law and Research in the Eastern DRC 2. Legal Consciousness and the Construction of Emergent Hybrid Legality 3. Fraught Fieldwork: Embodied Experiences and Imagined Spaces 4. Top-Down Approaches to Shaping Legal Consciousness 5. Legal Consciousness in Context: Statutory Rape and Early Marriage 6. Popular Justice and Witchcraft: The Violent Side of Emergent Hybrid Legality 7. The Rule of Law Revisited: Lessons from Emergent Hybrid Legality in the DRC

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Book SynopsisThis book examines European countriesâ engagement in promoting regional integration in the East African Community (EAC). In addition to their usage of the European Union (EU), states employ other bilateral initiatives to channel their regional aid to the EAC. The book explores differing national interests and the decisions to engage with the EAC, both multilaterally via the EU and through their other bilateral channels.In addition to analysing statesâ interests, the book goes further, to examine how lack of coordination of those European initiatives creates various challenges in the EAC. It is shown how EAC bureaucrats have to engage separately with the EU and its member states in their different channels, thus experiencing challenges in different stages of their aid project cycles, for instance in the identification, implementation and reporting phases. This book will be an excellent resource for researchers and practitioners focusing on the topics of European promotion of regional integration, development aid, African and European regional integration processes, as well as foreign policy analysis.

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Book SynopsisStephen White is James Bryce Professor of Politics at the University of Glasgow, UKand Visiting Professor at the Institute of Applied Politics inMoscow, Russia. Paul G.Lewis is Emeritus Professor of Politics at the Open University.Judy Batt holds a Jean Monnet Ad Personam Chair in the European Integration of South East Europe. She is an independent consultant on Balkan affairs.Table of ContentsIntroduction: Defining Central and Eastern Europe; Judy Batt 1. The Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland; Frances Millard 2. The Other New Europeans; Tim Haughton 3. The Western Balkans; Judy Batt 4. The East Europeans: Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova; Andrew Wilson 5. The EU and Central and East European Politics; Nathaniel Copsey 6. The International Transformation and Re-regionalization of Eastern Europe; Rick Fawn 7. Executive Leadership; Ray Taras 8. Elections and Voters; Sarah Birch 9. Representation and Accountability: The Parliaments; David M. Olson 10. Political Parties; Paul G. Lewis 11. Citizens and Politics; Krzysztof Jasiewicz 12. Recovering from Transition in Eastern Europe: Neoliberal Reform in Retrospect; Mitchell A. Orenstein 13. Social Change and Social Policy; Terry Cox 14. The Quality of Post-Communist Democracy; Andrew Roberts.

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Book SynopsisThe American Anomaly systematically analyzes the U.S. political system by way of comparison with other countries, especially other industrialized democracies. It is organized into four sections, respectively covering the constitutional order, governmental institutions, political participation, and public policy. Extended case studies and examples in each chapter draw on all the major regions of the world.Thoroughly revised throughout, the fourth edition includes: Updates to reflect events including the anomalous presidential election of 2016, the start of the unconventional presidency of Donald Trump, and shifting partisan dynamics within Congress. Coverage of recent political developments such as the Black Lives Matter and Antifa left-wing groups, the rise of the Alt-Right and resurgent nationalism, and youth-led movements for immigration reform and gun violence prevention. A newly developed chapter offTable of ContentsPart 1: The Constitutional Order 1. The American Nation, State, and Regime Case Study: The Nation, State, and Regime in Poland 2. The U.S. Constitution Case Study: The Post-Apartheid Constitution of South Africa 3. Federalism Case Study: The Unitary State in Japan Case Study: German Federalism 4. Separation of Powers Case Study: The Westminster Parliamentary Model A Hypothetical Case Study: Parliamentary Checks and Balances Part 2: The Institutions of Government 5. The Executive Branch: The Presidency and the Bureaucracy Case Study: Variations in Executive Power in Southeast Asia 6. The Legislative Branch: The Two Houses of Congress Case Study: Legislative Variation in the Former British Dominions 7. The Judicial Branch: The Supreme Court and the Federal Courts Case Study: The Judiciary in France Part 3: Political Participation 8. Unconventional Political Participation: Activism, Social Movements, and Interest Groups Case Study: The Zapatista Movement in Mexico 9. Voting and Elections Case Study: Voting and Elections in Israel 10. Political Parties A Hypothetical Case Study: Electoral Systems and the Number of Parties 11. Public Opinion and Mass Media Case Study: Public Opinion and Mass Media in Post-Communist Russia Part 4: Public Policy and Policymaking 12. Domestic Policy: Socioeconomic Regulation, Civil Liberties, and Civil Rights Case Study: Social Welfare Policy in Denmark 13. Foreign Policy: The United States in the World Case Study: The Foreign Policy of China Conclusion: The American Anomaly on Balance For Further Study: A Brief Bibliographic Essay on "American Exceptionalism"

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Book SynopsisFully revised and updated, the second edition of The African Union continues to offer the most comprehensive overview of the work of the African Union (AU), with special emphasis on its capacity to meet the challenges of building and sustaining governance institutions and security mechanisms. This new edition: Re-examines the African Union at the historic moment of the golden jubilee of the OAU, its predecessor. It examines the AU's efforts in its first decade, points out some of the organization's weaknesses, and posits options for addressing more effectively the challenges of peace, security, and governance in coming years. Critically reviews several arrangements and initiatives, including the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) and the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). Analyses performance of key institutions and programs of the AU, including the Commission, the Executive Council, the Assembly, and the Pan-Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. The Organization of African Unity: liberation, integration, and mutual preservation 2. The African Union: meeting the challenges of an ambitious and rapidly expanding agenda 3. Challenge of promoting governance, democracy, and the rule of law 4. Challenge of maintaining security and building peace 5. The African Union’s international partners 6. Knowledge and development 7. Addressing the challenges of peace, security, and governance

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Book SynopsisCases and Concepts in Comparative Politics bridges the gap between understanding and doing comparative politics. Concepts are presented in the context of real situations with pedagogy that asks students to apply their new knowledge immediately in country case studies. Students spend more time actually doing the work of comparative politics. Through Dynamic Data Figures in the Norton Illumine Ebook, in addition to InQuizitive, students have even more support in learning the core concepts of comparative politics and applying them to real-world examples.

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Book SynopsisUsing 12 pivotal cases, this book brings comparative politics to life by highlighting the key differences in political systems around the world. Written by renowned textbook author John McCormick, the book opens with two context-setting chapters on the field of comparative politics and the varying nature of political systems. The cases that follow thereafter have been carefully chosen to illustrate a variety of political types, different levels of political development, and to ensure geographical and cultural diversity. The textbook is ideal for both undergraduate and postgraduate students who are taking introductory courses in comparative politics, introduction to politics and political science. Accompanying online resources for this title can be found at bloomsburyonlineresources.com/cases-in-comparative-government-and-politics. These resources are designed to support teaching and learning when using this textbook and are available at no extra cost.Trade ReviewSets a new standard for accessibility and engagement in introductory comparative texts. As a lecturer in Comparative Politics, I think John McCormick’s book should be the go-to guide for every student hoping to gain a better understanding of the political world in which we live. * Zachary Taylor, University of Wyoming, USA *This text offers an excellent introduction to the diversity and breadth of today’s comparative politics. Up to date, clearly written and engagingly presented, the country case studies all closely follow the same clear structure, helping students to think comparatively. * Nicolas van de Walle, Cornell University, USA *Cases in Comparative Politics provides a great balance between highlighting important conceptual themes central to comparative study, and introducing students to the wide empirical variety of political systems around the world. The accessible, systematic case studies provide a great basis for an introductory comparative politics course. * Lucy Barnes, University College London (UCL), UK *One of the most effective and brilliant case-based texts, it explores the political landscape behind twelve diverse countries, shining a light upon the political dynamics that are so crucial to understanding comparative politics. * Daniel Zirker, University of Waikato, New Zealand *This textbook emphasizes the parts of the course that students always find the most exciting: the cases! Conceptual elements are introduced in the opening chapters and then illustrated by reality, demonstrating that comparative politics is best understood through the actual art of comparison. * Tracy Slagter, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, USA *The author brings the discipline to life, writing with clarity, precision and authority. * Elizabeth Monaghan, University of Hull, UK *Table of Contents1. Comparing Government and Politics 2. Political Systems 3. United Kingdom 4. Germany 5. United States 6. Japan 7. France 8. India 9. Mexico 10. Nigeria 11. Turkey 12. Russia 13. China 14. Iran.

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Book SynopsisThe volume examines the causes and consequences of regional turbulence in the Middle East following the 2003 Iraq war and the 2011 Arab uprisings. ?

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Book SynopsisAdvances a new theory for mapping the dynamics of great power politics today.

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Book SynopsisContributors: Anne Applebaum, Anne-Marie Brady, Alexander Cooley, Javier Corrales, Ron Deibert, Larry Diamond, Patrick Merloe, Abbas Milani, Andrew Nathan, Marc F. Plattner, Peter Pomerantsev, Douglas Rutzen, Lilia Shevtsova, Alex Vatanka, Christopher Walker, and Frederic WehreyTrade ReviewThe contributions of this volume are good, and the book as whole represents a solid primer on this new, more authoritarian, world order.—International Studies ReviewTable of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroductionPart I: The Authoritarian "Big Five"Chapter 1. China's ChallengeChapter 2. Forward to the Past in RussiaChapter 3. Iran's Paradoxical RegimeChapter 4. Iran AbroadChapter 5. Autocratic Legalism in VenezuelaChapter 6. Saudi Arabia's Anxious AutocratsPart II: Arenas of "Soft-Power" CompetitionChapter 7. Countering Democratic NormsChapter 8. Election Monitoring vs. DisinformationChapter 9. The Leninist Roots of Civil Society RepressionChapter 10. Civil Society Under AssaultChapter 11. The Kremlin's Information WarChapter 12. China's Foreign Propaganda MachineChapter 13. Cyberspace Under SiegeChapter 14. Dealing with the Authoritarian ResurgenceAbout the AuthorsIndex

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Book SynopsisExamines new authoritarian practices and state control in MENA countries to target and neutralise dissidents

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Book SynopsisConventional wisdom emerging from China and other autocracies claims that single-party legislatures and elections are mutually beneficial for citizens and autocrats. This line of thought reasons that these institutions can serve multiple functions, like constraining political leaders or providing information about citizens. In United Front, Paul Schuler challenges these views through his examination of the past and present functioning of the Vietnam National Assembly (VNA), arguing that the legislature's primary role is to signal strength to the public. When active, the critical behavior from delegates in the legislature represents cross fire within the regime rather than genuine citizen feedback. In making these arguments, Schuler counters a growing scholarly trend to see democratic institutions within single-party settings like China and Vietnam as useful for citizens or regime performance. His argument also suggests that there are limits to generating genuinely "consultative authoritarianism" through quasi-democratic institutions. Applying a diverse range of cutting-edge social science methods on a wealth of original data such as legislative speeches, election returns, and surveys, Schuler shows that even in a seemingly vociferous legislature like the VNA, the ultimate purpose of the institution is not to reflect the views of citizens, but rather to signal the regime's preferences while taking down rivals.Trade Review"Why does a single-party state have well-developed electoral and legislative institutions? Schuler provides a compelling answer to this question in this persuasive, far-reaching account. His work pushes forward our understanding of institutions not only in one of the few remaining Communist states, but also in authoritarian regimes more broadly." -- Jennifer Gandhi * Emory University *"A firecracker of a book and a critical contribution to scholarship on authoritarian institutions and Vietnamese politics. In punchy and thrilling prose, using deep knowledge and cutting-edge empirical tools, Schuler challenges existing theories that parliaments resolve informational problems for autocrats, arguing instead that they are better suited to signal dominance and promote popular legitimacy." -- Edmund Malesky * Duke University *"As a study of political science, Schuler makes a major contribution by challenging the dominant view in scholarship that often conflates legislatures in single-party regimes with other authoritarian or hybrid regimes... Schuler has written an outstanding book that deserves to be read widely by both political scientists and Vietnam experts." -- Tuong Vu * Pacific Affairs *Table of ContentsContents and AbstractsIntroduction: Introduction chapter abstractThe introduction presents the book's central research question and the theory and evidence used to explore it: Why might the Vietnam National Assembly and some single-party legislatures be empowered with greater responsibilities and greater electoral competitiveness? Recent work suggests that legislative institutionalization demonstrates "resilient" or "consultative" authoritarianism, whereby autocrats can inform or constrain themselves through limited debate in a legislature and limited electoral competitiveness. This book challenges this view, arguing that single-party legislatures and elections do not inform or constrain autocrats but instead are meant to signal strength. When such legislatures are active, they are supposed to direct their activity against the autocrat's agents in the government. Elections serve to mobilize compliance with the regime. The theory of this book suggests that autocrats cannot simultaneously encourage input and signal strength through the same institutions. The introduction concludes with a preview of the chapters. 1The Signaling Trap: Why Single-Party Legislatures Must Be Controlled chapter abstractThis chapter examines existing explanations for the role of authoritarian legislatures and elections, raising questions about the applicability of these theories to Vietnam. It also lays out the book's core theoretical argument that while autocrats may use institutions such as legislatures and elections to achieve multiple goals, some goals are incompatible. In particular, if autocrats hope to use legislatures and elections to signal strength, this compromises their ability to use those same institutions to constrain or inform themselves. The chapter then argues that autocrats in single-party regimes are more likely to use legislatures and elections to signal strength at the expense of constraint or information provision because these institutions are publicly visible and state sanctioned. The chapter concludes with the observable implications of the argument for legislative organization, electoral behavior, delegate behavior, and public opinion. 2How Elections Work in Vietnam chapter abstractThis chapter lays out the structure of Vietnam's electoral system, highlighting some of the key institutions that block linkages between citizens and delegates. It focuses in particular on party management of campaigns and vetting institutions to show how the "five gates" system effectively keeps genuinely independent candidates from winning seats. The chapter shows how the regime further undermines the competitiveness of elections by manipulating the districts such that even candidates who survive vetting face bias in favor of the regime's preferred candidates. This chapter serves two purposes: providing important background on Vietnam's electoral institutions, and highlighting important institutions that facilitate the signaling value of elections and give the regime control over legislative behavior. 3"Unconditional Party Government": Legislative Organization in the VNA chapter abstractThis chapter examines legislative organization in the VNA, describing the extremely hierarchical system as "unconditional party government." Building from a theory of "conditional party government" to explain party control of legislatures in democracies, this chapter describes the extreme dominance of the VNA Standing Committee over legislative proceedings and agenda setting. Given the party's role in deciding who will serve on the Standing Committee and fill vital full-time roles in the legislature, the party ensures its control over legislative output and the legislative agenda. As with elections, party dominance of legislative output through the Standing Committee ensures that the VNA serves to signal strength to the population at the expense of the legislature's capacity to inform or constrain. 4Explaining the Evolution of the VNA chapter abstractThis chapter explores the institutionalization of the VNA to examine the argument that the Vietnam Communist Party empowered it to check the government rather than to constrain or inform the party leadership. Before defending this argument, which contradicts existing accounts of the development of authoritarian legislatures and the VNA, the chapter also establishes that the VNA is a most likely case for the competing arguments for authoritarian legislative institutionalization and a least likely case for the book's signaling argument. The chapter then defends the signaling argument by examining the role party leaders played versus those of political and economic reformers at critical moments when the legislature gained increased powers. An examination of the decisions to empower the legislature with greater staff, televised query sessions, and a regularized vote of confidence measure shows that it was the party leaders who supported the measures rather than economic liberalizers in the government. 5Mobilized or Motivated? Voting Behavior in Vietnamese Elections chapter abstractThis chapter examines how electoral institutions impact electoral behavior in a single-party regime. Existing work suggests that citizens in authoritarian regimes vote in a partially informed manner and provide information through their votes. By contrast, this chapter argues that party strength rather than voter interest drives electoral behavior. Using unique data from Vietnam, which for the first time combine actual electoral returns with district-level survey data, this chapter shows little evidence of strategic voting, competitiveness driving turnout, or knowledge of candidates. Instead, connection to the party drives participation. The findings imply that Vietnamese voters are ill informed about their candidates and that their votes contain little informational content. Consequently, elections are largely an exercise in mobilizing public compliance and support for the party. 6Explaining Oversight Behavior: Position Taking or Position Ducking? chapter abstractThis chapter examines legislative behavior in the VNA. The signaling and blame deflection theory of the book holds that the legislature should not criticize the party. By contrast, when the legislature is critical, it should direct its attention toward government leaders. Using an original dataset of public opinion data and legislative behavior, this chapter uses automated text analysis to show that the VNA only debates hot-button issues on government-controlled issues. When issues arise on party-controlled portfolios, the legislature is not called into action. The findings imply that the legislature does not primarily inform or constrain the party through legislative behavior but rather serves to damage rivals in the government. 7Intimidation or Legitimation? The Signaling Value of the VNA chapter abstractA final implication of the book's signaling theory is that legislative behavior and elections should increase support for the party and reduce the likelihood of public resistance. Such an effect could operate through two potential channels. First, it could convince citizens that resistance is futile. Alternatively, it could convince citizens more directly to support the regime. Using an Internet-based survey experiment in Vietnam, this chapter shows that legislative behavior and elections seem to boost public confidence in the legitimacy of the legislature and the electoral process. This in turn leads to greater support for the party and satisfaction in the overall political environment in Vietnam. Conclusion: Conclusion: Curbing our Expectations for the VNA, Single-Party Legislatures chapter abstractThe conclusion examines the implications of the theory and findings for broader understanding of the role of legislatures in single-party and hybrid regimes outside Vietnam. This chapter argues that while elections for legislatures in hybrid regimes may be more informative than in single-party contexts, the importance of legislatures for policy outcomes is likely minimal in these contexts as well. The chapter then examines why such legislatures have been associated with improved investment and economic growth if they have little policy input. It suggests that one reason is that legislative closures are typically correlated with the process of consolidation, which hinders these outcomes. The chapter also considers the implications of the argument for theories of democratization and Vietnam's political development. It argues that while the VNA may facilitate a smoother transition should democratization occur, the VNA and other single-party legislatures are not likely to spearhead such a transition.

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Book SynopsisReferendums are ubiquitous; from Brexit in the United Kingdom in 2016 to same-sex marriage in Australia in 2017 Why are referendums held at all? And when they are held, why are they won or lost? Moreover, what are the consequences of having referendums? Do they strengthen or weaken democracy? Are they mainly won or mainly lost or do they strengthen populist leaders? Or, are referendums a shield against demagogues and overeager politicians? Government by Referendum analyses why politicians sometime submit issues to the people Based on an historical analysis, but with an emphasis on the last two decades, the book shows that referendums often have been lost by powerful politicians. While sometimes used by autocrats, mechanisms of direct democracy have increasingly performed the function of democratic constitutional safeguards in developed democracies.Trade Review'Referendums are increasingly capturing the headlines. Not always for good reasons. While the referendum might have a place as a constitutional safe-guard, Professor Matt Qvortrup’s outstanding analysis shows that they can be dangerous when politicians call them for selfish and tactical reasons'.Arend Lijphart, University of California, San Diego, Author of Patterns of Democracy and former President of the American Political Science Association‘Government by Referendum… is full of interesting information and thought-provoking observations.’Chris Stafford, LSE Review of Books -- .Table of ContentsIntroduction1. The world history of referendums 2. The history of the referendum in Britain3. Brexit campaign: the anatomy of a bitter divorce battle4. The myth of populist referendumsConcluding unscientific postscriptFurther readingReferencesIndex

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Book SynopsisPeople power explores the history of the theory and practice of popular power. Western thinking about politics has two fundamental features: 1) popular power in practice is problematic and 2) nothing confers political legitimacy except popular sovereignty. This book explains how we got to our current default position, in which rule of, for and by the people is simultaneously a practical problem and a received truth of politics. The book asks readers to think about how appreciating that history shapes the way we think about the people’s power in the present. Drawn from the disciplines of history and political theory, the contributors to this volume engage in a mutually informing conversation about popular power. They conclude that the problems that first gave rise to popular sovereignty remain simultaneously compelling, unresolved and worthy of further attention.Table of Contents1 People power – Christopher Barker and Robert G. Ingram 2 Machiavelli’s ‘moments’ – Catherine Zuckert 3 Death and taxes in Machiavelli’s Florentine state – Danielle Charette4 Taming the Parliament: John Locke on legislative limits, prerogative and popular sovereignty – Nathan Pinkoski 5 Montesquieu and the theory of limited sovereignty – William Selinger 6 The revolution for society: rethinking popular sovereignty, American independence and the Age of the Democratic Revolution – James M. Vaughn 7 Filippo Mazzei’s Atlantic revolutions: a new dawn for popular sovereignty or populism? – Anna Vincenzi 8 Popular sovereignty as populism in the early American republic – Joshua A. Lynn 9 Like a god on Earth: popular sovereignty in Tocqueville’s Democracy in America – Heather Pangle Wilford10 Plural voting and popular government in Victorian Britain – Greg Conti11 Modern representation and the popular will – Susan Shell and Paul T. Wilford12 Sovereignty, God and the historians – Robert G. Ingram 13 Conclusion: what is popular sovereignty? – Mark BlitzIndex

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Book SynopsisHow do collective actors move from moderate politics to (violent) extremism? Faced with high risks of repression and implosion, they need to legitimate such radical change to keep members and followers committed to collective action. Drawing on the texts, audios, and videos of five Islamist organisations in the UK and Germany in the 2000s and 2010s, the book develops a transdisciplinary theoretical framework and innovative methodological approach to explore how radical changes in activism are mediated. Clément argues that political violence has to feel right, as a collective, for an organisation and its followers to move from moderate activism to (violent) extremism. She shows that organisations mediate this change by performing collective emotions in and through narrative. The book offers a provocative and nuanced account which departs from conventional interpretations of radicalisation and reminds us of the power of emotions.Trade Review'This exciting new book offers original and powerful demonstration of the importance of shared emotions in political activism. Drawing on examples from the UK and Germany, its emphasis on political violence needing to ‘feel right’ for collectives takes debate far beyond the individualism and idealism of dominant explanatory frameworks. Clément’s book will be widely read by scholars and students in Politics, Sociology, and beyond, deservedly so! Lee Jarvis, Professor of International Politics, University of East Anglia'This outstanding contribution by Maéva Clément brings together two of the hottest topics in IR: emotions and narratives. It convincingly shows how narratives are woven by Islamist organisations in order to aid group radicalisation and legitimise extremism. The book emphasises that humans, including extremists, love storytelling.'Alexander Spencer, Chair of International Relations, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg‘Offering both conceptual depth and empirical detail, Maéva Clément shows how emotions – and in particular the emotional power of group narratives – are crucial to understanding why and how individuals and organisations move from moderate activism to violent extremism. The ensuing insights illuminate the inherently affective relationship between political moderation and escalation. This is an innovative book with important implications for appreciating the linkages between emotions and political violence.’ Emma Hutchison, Associate Professor of International Relations, The University of Queensland -- .Table of ContentsIntroductionPart I: Characterising changes in political activism1 Contextualising Islamist organisations in Western Europe (2001–13)2 Reconstructing phases of activism: group moderation, radicalisation and extremismPart II: Exploring the performance of collective emotions3 A theory of emotionalisation in narrative form4 The romantic narrative of Western Islamist organisations5 Narrative emotionalisation and extremismConclusionIndex

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Book SynopsisThis book offers a crash course in contemporary Russian politics. An updated version of the bestselling 2016 edition, it explores the decline in western relations since the early 2000s, from the disagreements over European security and the war in Syria right up to the invasion of Ukraine. -- .

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Book SynopsisRepresenting the first in-depth qualitative study of how social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube are used to mediate contentious public parades and protests in Northern Ireland, this book explores the implications of mis-and dis-information spread via online platforms for peacebuilding in societies transitioning out of conflict. -- .

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Book SynopsisOver the past decade, the UK has experienced major policy and policy making change. This text examines this shifting political and policy landscape while also highlighting the features of UK politics that have endured. Written by Paul Cairney and Sean Kippin, leading voices in UK public policy and politics, the book combines a focus on policy making theories and concepts with the exploration of key themes and events in UK politics, including: • developing social policy in a post-pandemic world; • governing post-Brexit; and • the centrality of environmental policy. The book equips students with a robust and up-to-date understanding of UK public policy and enables them to locate this within a broader theoretical framework.Table of ContentsPreface: How To Analyse UK Policy Making 1. Introducing UK Politics and Policy Making 2. Perspectives on Policy and Policy Making 3. Explaining UK Politics and Policy Making 4. The Transformation of the UK State 5. What Does State Transformation Tell Us About the UK Policy Process? 6. Crises and Policy Making: The UK Response to COVID-19 7. Constitutional Policy: Brexit 8. Environmental Policy: Climate Change and Sustainability 9. Economic Policy: Austerity 10. Social Policy: Inequalities, Racism, and Protest 11. Foreign Policy: The War on Terror 12. Conclusion References

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Book SynopsisCan one individual influence the course of history? In the example of Churchill and the Middle East during post-World War I, the answer is an irrefutable yes. Winston S. Churchill, first as Secretary for War and Air, and then as Colonial Secretary, both formulated and enacted the British imperial mandate policy for Iraq and Palestine, thereby laying the groundwork for issues that are still relevant today including conflicts in Israel, internal political upheavals in Iraq. The complicated historical intricacies of the postwar period combined with a variety of personal and political confrontations are at the core of Churchill's decisions and finally his parliamentary successes.While most books on Churchill attempt to cover the course of his political and personal career, this volume exclusively focuses on the Middle East during the formative years of 1919-1922 and explores the foundations of some of the Middle East's most problematic issues today.Table of Contents Chapter 1: Winston S. Churchill and the Middle East Chapter 2: Great Britain and the Middle East Chapter 3: Secretary of State for War and Air Chapter 4: Middle East Dilemmas Chapter 5: Secretary of State for the Colonies Chapter 6: The Cairo Conference of 1921 Chapter 7: Approval of Parliament Chapter 8: Slow Progress Chapter 9: No Progress Chapter 10: Iraq: From Stalemate to Solution Chapter 11: Policy for Palestine Chapter 12: Summary and Conclusion

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Book SynopsisCould a religiously observant Jew, in good conscience, run as a Libertarian candidate, promoting a Libertarian platform? Or, would doing so betray fundamental Jewish values? Running in Good Faith? Observant Judaism and Libertarian Politics considers the seemingly irreconcilable values and political commitments of Judaism and Libertarianism. The latter prizes individualism, self-ownership, private property, and freedom, whereas the former emphasizes community, charity, and service of God. This book seeks to determine if we find here an essential clash, or merely an apparent one. This book stimulates a broad discussion of Judaism, values, politics, and political philosophy and calls into question what people think they know, about both Judaism and Libertarianism.Table of Contents Preface & Acknowledgements Introduction. My Brother's Keeper? Chapter One. From Ayn Rand to Libertarianism Chapter Two. Freedom versus Servitude Chapter Three. Ownership versus Stewardship: The Body Chapter Four. Ownership versus Stewardship: Private Property Chapter Five. Ownership versus Stewardship: Charity and Taxation Chapter Six. Individualism versus Community Chapter Seven. Government Tyranny versus Government Protection Conclusion. While Standing on One Foot: All the Rest is Commentary? Glossary of Key Terms and Key People Notes Index

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Book SynopsisThe chapters in this volume examine a few facets in the drama of how the survivors of the Holocaust contended with life after the darkest night in Jewish history. They include the Earl Harrison mission and significant report, the effort to keep Europe's borders open to refugee infiltration, the murder of the first Jew in Germany after V-E Day and its aftermath, and the iconic sculptures of Nathan Rapoport and Poland's landscape of Holocaust memory up to the present day. Joining extensive archival research and a limpid prose, Professor Monty Noam Penkower again displays a definitive mastery of his craft.

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Book SynopsisDrawing on a wide range of sources and historiographical material, Between East and West provides a comprehensive analysis of the efforts of the Moscow princes to form a centralized Russian state. According to the author, the unification of Russia around Moscow was not historically inevitable. Tver, Novgorod, and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania also claimed this role, and if they had been victorious, a less authoritarian, less autocratic and less despotic Russian state could have emerged. Professor Shaikhutdinov rejects the concept of the “Mongol-Tatar yoke” and claims that relations between Moscow and Ulus Jochi (Golden Horde) were more complicated and interdependent. The influence of Ulus Jochi on Moscow was especially strong in the political, economic and military spheres, while the religious field was dominated by the influence from Byzantium. The volume discusses in detail the geopolitical aspirations of Russia and the “Moscow—Third Rome” theory. In sum, the formation of the Moscow state was directly influenced by both internal and external factors, countries of the East and the West.Table of ContentsTable of Contents AcknowledgementsAuthor’s Preface to the American EditionIntroduction 1. Historiography of the Formation of Moscow 2. Moscow as a New Geopolitical Player3. Changing the Balance of Power between Rus and Ulus Jochi4. Rus between the Horde and Lithuania 5. The Course towards the Creation of a Centralized State 6. The Origin of the Russian Autocracy 7. “The Last Gatherer of the Russian Land”Conclusion

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Book Synopsis"Abu Sitta's memoir conveys a still burning sense of outrage at the injustice of the dispossession of the Palestinians and the denial of their rightsa personal and collective Nakba without end."Ian Black, The Guardian The only memoir in English by a Palestinian Arab who grew up in the Beersheba district prior to 1948, now with a new afterwordSalman Abu Sitta was just ten years old when the Nakbathe mass expulsion of Palestinians in 1948happened, forcing him from his home near Beersheba. Like many Palestinians of his generation, this traumatic loss and his enduring desire to return would be the defining features of his life from that moment on. Abu Sitta vividly evokes the vanished world of his family and home on the eve of the Nakba, giving a personal and very human face to the dramatic events of 1930s and 1940s Palestine as Zionist ambitions and militarization expanded under the British mandate. He chronicles his life in exile, from his family's flight to Gaza, his teenage years as a student in Nasser's Egypt, his formative years in 1960s London, his life as a family man and academic in Canada, to several sojourns in Kuwait. Abu Sitta's long and winding journey has taken him through many of the seismic events of the era, from the 1956 Suez War to the 1991 Gulf War. This rich and moving memoir is imbued throughout with a burning sense of justice and a determination to recover and document what rightfully belongs to his people, given expression in his groundbreaking mapping work on his homeland. Abu Sitta, with warmth and wit, tells his story and that of Palestine.

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Book Synopsis'one of the year’s most exciting releases' - The Herald China is building the world’s first digital totalitarian state, a system of hitherto unimaginable social and political control. Internet freedom has been eliminated and ubiquitous surveillance cameras employ the latest facial recognition technology. Through flagrant cyber espionage, it has plundered Western technology on a massive scale, bullied Western tech companies and academics (though many have been willing accomplices) and intimidated critics worldwide. In doing so, it has become a model for aspiring dictators everywhere. Ian Williams examines the extraordinary rise of the Chinese surveillance state, showing how it has been driven by the enigmatic Xi Jinping, now effectively president for life, and how it impacts the daily lives of Chinese citizens, particularly dissidents and those from ethnic minorities. Supporting interviews and first-hand accounts from those whose lives have been turned upside down or worse highlight the chilling and ruthless efficiency with which the government can now act. The book also considers the wider implications for the rest of the world. How to deal with an increasingly strident, aggressive Beijing is one of the biggest challenges facing the West in what has become a technological Cold War.Trade Review'Ian Williams has written a superb and deeply informed study on containing a technological totalitarian state. It is a chilling reminder to all who believe in the rule of law and an open society of China's present threats to our way of life' -- Chris Patten (Lord Patten of Barnes), last governor of Hong Kong and current Chancellor of Oxford University'Forget Soviet Russia, Xi’s China now echoes 1930s Germany' * Sunday Times *'Fascinating… a really interesting book. China has no private companies… you are always dealing with the Chinese Communist State whenever you deal with them. An unarguable fact' -- Stig Abell * Times Radio *'Williams knows his stuff, as an award-winning foreign correspondent reporting for a quarter of a century from Asia with a special interest in China. This is an accessible, valuable, troubling, timely book' -- Ian Martin * Reaction Life *'one of the year's most exciting releases' * The Herald *'I have been reading a superb new book by the journalist Ian Williams called Every Breath You Take: China's New Tyranny. The title comes from the 1982 hit song by the band known as The Police, written by its frontman Sting, who later described it as "a nasty little song. Rather evil. It's about jealousy and surveillance and ownership." It refers to "every move you make … I’ll be watching you." A stalker, not a lover; an oppressor, not a partner. In every sense, the CCP regime. Yet not only watching you. Now, in Hong Kong, lecturing you every day' -- Benedict Rogers * HK Apple Daily *'A devastating exposé' -- Dominic Sandbrook * Daily Mail *'A persuasive, alarming wake-up call' -- Brian Maye * Irish Times *

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Book SynopsisIn the aftermath of the twentieth century's raging warfare, attempts were made to create an environment in which new relationships between European nations could be built around a common identity. Yet, in the twenty-first century, identity conflicts are gaining a new intensity in parts of the continent. In the analysis of some sub-state nationalist parties, the prospect of European Union membership reduces the economic and political risks of secession. Meanwhile, to the east, any moves towards expansion of EU membership are viewed by Russia not as a peace project but as acts of aggression. This volume assembles a series of comparative and single-area case studies drawn from different academic disciplines. While interrogating the history of identity conflict in the European context, an essential component of efforts to reduce such conflicts in the future, the authors bring an array of methodological approaches to analyses of the many intersecting political, cultural and economic factors that influence the formation of nationhood and identity, and the resurgence of nationalism.

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