Comparative politics Books
Springer Verlag, Singapore Democratic Recession, Autocratization, and Democratic Backlash in Southeast Asia
Book SynopsisThis book presents a new organizing framework for studying democratic recession and autocratization in Southeast Asia. By introducing a new concept, “democratic backlash,” the book details how democratic recession inevitably provokes resistance that often forms the nucleus of new democratic movements, and in doing so, argues that it is important to identify these reverse trends that may eventually become dominant.The book contributes to current literature which thus far has sought to understand the causes and consequences of the decline in democracy around the world. Previous literature has focused primarily on advanced democracies, or alternatively, on large scale quantitative comparison. As such, this book helps fill a research gap with its focus on Southeast Asia, employing a comparative case study approach.Chapter authors are experts on Southeast Asia, a region that has experienced democratic recession and autocratization in a variety of ways, from rising populism to military coups.Table of ContentsIntroductionDemocratic Decline and Rising Autocratization in Southeast Asia: A Framework for AnalysisPart One: Democratic Recession in Southeast AsiaThe Sharp Edge of Power: China’s Power and Democratic Erosion in the PhilippinesChallenging the Surveillance State: The Anti-Terrorism Act and the Decline of Philippine DemocracyAnies Baswedan and Sub-State Populism in Jakarta IndonesiaIn Limbo: Islamist Populism and Democratic Stagnation in MalaysiaPart Two: Autocratization and Authoritarian TechniquesThe ‘Backdoor’ Government and Executive Aggrandisement: Democratic Backsliding in MalaysiaThailand’s Authoritarian Innovation and Its Resistance: The Case of Propaganda in ‘ROTC Cyber’ ActivityPart Three: Reinforcing Norms and Democratic StructuresRural Grassroots Governance-Building in MyanmarDemocratization of rural Indonesia through village head election: A glimpse of hope from IndramayuNot So Great Transformation: Democratization and Social Conflict in Timor-LestePart Four: Democratic BacklashRegimes, Repression, Repertoires: Student Protest Movements and the Repertoires of Contention in the Philippines and IndonesiaA Time for Change: From a Hybrid Authoritarian Regime to the Creation of a New Federal Myanmar ArmySocial Media and Democratic Recession in Southeast Asia
£104.49
Springer Verlag, Singapore Comparative Studies on Pandemic Control Policies
Book SynopsisThis book documents and analyses the differentiated control policies, the determinant factors behind, social resilience, and international relations during the pandemic from a comparative perspective in a facts-based, data-supporting manner. The intermittent outbreak of cases, public sentiments after long anxiety, questions over the efficacy of vaccines, have forced governments as well as the public to rethink differing approaches and policies in the combat against not just COVID, but the delta variant. In this context, this book establishes itself as a timely product, perhaps the first of its kind, to provide a widely covered individual country-based observation of policies, with an emphasis on multidimensional determinant factors behind the policies. A comparative study of social resilience during the pandemic constitutes another highlight of the book. The different policies tested social resilience differently in parameters such as mortality rates, vaccination coverage, social mobility, travel arrangements, trust in government, and general human development. Above and beyond observations and analyses at local and national levels, this book expands its scope to incorporate international relations, contemplating over the impacts of the pandemic on international relations, power shifts, and new world/global orders, crystallized in the indisputable rise of China. Table of ContentsIntroduction.- Public Policies in Controlling Pandemic.- Cultural and Historical Comparison of Factors Behind Pandemic Control Policies.- Political, Institutional, and State Theory Comparison. Governmental Intervention or Civil Cooperation? Reliance on Governmental Arrangement Versus Resort to Institutional Power?.- International Relations and Great Power Comparison. Changes in the Soft Power and Nation Branding for Individual Countries Following their Handling of the Pandemic, Etc.- Public Health Systems and Social Policy System Regimes Comparison.- Public Wealth Regimes and Impact on Pandemic Control Policy and Social Resilience.- Economic Comparison: Costs and Benefits of Different Control Policies.- Comprehensive/ “Great Game” Strategy Comparison. Issues Around the Various Schools of Thought, Including Conspiracy Theories, Relationship Between the Pandemic, Pandemic-Control, China’s Rise, and New World Order (International Power Shift), Economic Production, and Global Supply Chain Changes, as Well as Impacts on Policymaking, Etc.- Social Resilience.- Data-Driven, Data-Supported Analysis of Resilience, Like Social and Psychological Resilience Comparison.- Sociology of the Pandemic and the Impact on Social Resilience: Comparative Studies.- Big Data Social Resilience Analysis Comparative Studies.- Economic and Political Comparison in Resilience.- “New Normal” Preparing for and Resulting From “Living With Covid.”.- Public Sentiments, Public Trust in Governance Affect Pandemic Control, Public Backlash After Once Successful Handling Of Pandemic by Coercive Force.- Social Costs and Benefits Analysis of Pandemic Control Policies.- Will Leave for Other Issues of Comparative Nature Surrounding the Pandemic Studies. Current Chapters Include.- Comparison of Pandemics in History. What was the Social, Economic, Diplomatic, as Well as Political Implications by Previous Well-Known Pandemics in History, such as the Black Death in the 14th Century, Harbin Plaque in 1910~1911, The Spanish Flu Pandemic in 1918~1919, and The SARS in 2002-2003?.- Vaccination-Related Topics, such as Comparison of Efficacy of Various Vaccines, Attitudes Towards Vaccine, Vaccine Passport, and Others. China’s International Participation in Vaccine Provision?.- Corona-A New Grand Narrative?.- Other Topics. Geographical Comparison: Routes of Pandemic Spreading and Border Re-Opening.
£107.99
World Scientific Publishing Co Pte Ltd Singapore And Switzerland: Secrets To Small State
Book SynopsisThe cases of Singapore and Switzerland present a fascinating puzzle: how have two small states achieved similar levels of success through divergent pathways? Are both approaches equally sustainable, and what lessons do they hold for each other? While Singapore is the archetypal developmental state, whose success can be attributed to strong political leadership and long-term planning, Switzerland's success is a more organic process, due to the propitious convergence of strong industries and a resilient citizenry. Yet throughout the course of their development, both countries have had to deal with the dual challenges of culturally heterogeneous populations and challenging regional contexts. Edited by Yvonne Guo and Jun Jie Woo, with forewords from Ambassadors Thomas Kupfer and Tommy Koh, Singapore and Switzerland: Secrets to Small State Success features contributions from distinguished scholars and policymakers who explore the dynamics of two small states which have topped international rankings in a dazzling array of policy areas, from economic competitiveness to education to governance, but whose pathways to success could not be more different.
£28.50
NUS Press Unraveling Myanmar's Transition: Progress,
Book SynopsisThe optimism provoked by Myanmar's political reforms in 2011-2012 has now given way to a sense that the uneven nature of change in this nation of 54 million has lead to instability and uncertainty. The liberalization of critical sectors and expansion of certain freedoms - such as political and legal opportunities for expression and mobilization - contrasts with the entrenchment of structural problems. It becomes ever more difficult to tackle ethnic marginalization and conflict, over-dependence on natural resource extraction, inadequate public services, and problems of under-capacity in the civilian bureaucracy.The result is the build up of a toxic environment in which classism, racism, and bigotry threaten to rend Myanmar's already delicate social fabric. The contributors to this volume bring unique perspectives and methodologies to bear to unravel Myanmar's tangled challenges. Whether it is through studying corruption by analyzing the country's real estate bubble, assessing civil society advocacy capacity against extractive industries, or gauging the strength (and surprising weakness) of Myanmar's military, the volume employs unconventional approaches and analytical rigor to address a fundamental question: is Myanmar itself unraveling?Trade Review“Variously wide-ranging and penetrating, the essays assembled in this volume examine Myanmar's short decade of dramatic political and social change in all its complexity. . . . Dense with original research and fresh interpretations of what is happening in Myanmar and why, they bode well for the future of scholarship on this no-longer overlooked country at the nexus of South and Southeast Asia.”
£35.99
World Scientific Publishing Co Pte Ltd Burma Or Myanmar? The Struggle For National
Book SynopsisBurma, also known as Myanmar, strategically located between China and India, is one of the largest and most richly endowed states in Southeast Asia. Yet it remains both economically and politically underdeveloped. Why is this so? We argue that much of the reason has to do with an ongoing struggle for national identity. This struggle involves not only whether the state should be authoritarian or democratic, but how Burma's myriad ethnic minorities should be accommodated within it, what external reference national reference groups the country should identify and align with, and how it should move forward. Identity formation normally occurs much earlier in the national developmental process, but Burma has had unusually intransigent problems that were never successfully resolved during the colonial period and have simply been suppressed by force since then. This protracted divisiveness has stunted the nation's modernization and growth.Written from a unique perspective, this book on Myanmar deviates from the traditional authoritarian versus democratic rhetoric. Although that is certainly part of the picture, this multifaceted analysis focuses rather on the issue of identity formation — an issue that has all too often failed to make the headlines. Much can be learned from Myanmar's identity problems, making this book essential reading for all students and professionals interested in development studies or comparative politics. By whatever name, Burma is not only a fascinating country but one likely to play an increasingly vital role in Asia's future.Table of ContentsMass Politics; Elite Politics; Political Economy; Foreign Policy.
£112.50
World Scientific Publishing Co Pte Ltd Singapore And Switzerland: Secrets To Small State
Book SynopsisThe cases of Singapore and Switzerland present a fascinating puzzle: how have two small states achieved similar levels of success through divergent pathways? Are both approaches equally sustainable, and what lessons do they hold for each other? While Singapore is the archetypal developmental state, whose success can be attributed to strong political leadership and long-term planning, Switzerland's success is a more organic process, due to the propitious convergence of strong industries and a resilient citizenry. Yet throughout the course of their development, both countries have had to deal with the dual challenges of culturally heterogeneous populations and challenging regional contexts. Edited by Yvonne Guo and Jun Jie Woo, with forewords from Ambassadors Thomas Kupfer and Tommy Koh, Singapore and Switzerland: Secrets to Small State Success features contributions from distinguished scholars and policymakers who explore the dynamics of two small states which have topped international rankings in a dazzling array of policy areas, from economic competitiveness to education to governance, but whose pathways to success could not be more different.Table of ContentsIntroduction and Background; Public Administration; Foreign Policy; Trade Policy; Financial Sector Policy; Government-Linked Companies; SME Policy; Education Policy; Language and Cultural Policy; Immigration Policy; Inequality and its Implications; Conclusion;
£99.00
World Scientific Publishing Co Pte Ltd Burma Or Myanmar? The Struggle For National
Book SynopsisBurma, also known as Myanmar, strategically located between China and India, is one of the largest and most richly endowed states in Southeast Asia. Yet it remains both economically and politically underdeveloped. Why is this so? We argue that much of the reason has to do with an ongoing struggle for national identity. This struggle involves not only whether the state should be authoritarian or democratic, but how Burma's myriad ethnic minorities should be accommodated within it, what external reference national reference groups the country should identify and align with, and how it should move forward. Identity formation normally occurs much earlier in the national developmental process, but Burma has had unusually intransigent problems that were never successfully resolved during the colonial period and have simply been suppressed by force since then. This protracted divisiveness has stunted the nation's modernization and growth.Written from a unique perspective, this book on Myanmar deviates from the traditional authoritarian versus democratic rhetoric. Although that is certainly part of the picture, this multifaceted analysis focuses rather on the issue of identity formation — an issue that has all too often failed to make the headlines. Much can be learned from Myanmar's identity problems, making this book essential reading for all students and professionals interested in development studies or comparative politics. By whatever name, Burma is not only a fascinating country but one likely to play an increasingly vital role in Asia's future.
£28.50
ISEAS The Free and Open Indo-Pacific Beyond 2020:
Book SynopsisAmerican Indo-Pacific policy will be driven by its China policy, regardless of whether there is a second-term Donald Trump administration or a first-term Joe Biden administration.The Republicans will continue to frame the major challenge as “balancing” against Chinese power and “countering” the worst aspects of Beijing’s policies. Establishment or moderate Democrats under Biden will choose the softer language of seeking a favourable “competitive coexistence” in the military, economic, political and global governance realms, and the reassertion of American leadership and moral standing.In advancing the FOIP, the current administration argues that disruptiveness and unpredictability are necessary to reverse what they see as the “normalization” of Chinese assertiveness, coercion and revisionism. They also point to the closeness of US cooperation with Japan, Australia and India and bourgeoning strategic relationships with Vietnam. A second-term Trump administration will continue to seek out “fit-for-purpose” existing institutions and relationships, or prioritize new ones.Establishment Democrats believe that the “America First” unilateralist approach is unsettling for allies and partners. In advancing a favourable “competitive coexistence” with China, Democrats will seek to expand the tools of statecraft and achieve a better balance between military/economic/political/governance approaches.Prima facie, a Biden administration might position America as a more consultative guarantor of a preferred order. However, there will be greater pressure on Southeast Asians to accept more collective responsibility to advance common objectives. This means hedging in a manner more suitable to American rather than Chinese preferences. Failing that, more emphasis might be placed on greater institutionalization of the Quad and ad hoc groupings.A Bernie Sanders administration, now an unlikely prospect, would be a disaster for US standing and power in the region, and therefore for Southeast Asia.
£10.10
Martin Chautari Nepal's Federal Conundrum: Negotiating a Strong
Book SynopsisThe deep analyses make clear that the post-2015 period has been one of active negotiations of authority between old and new state institutions as well as citizens and groups.
£12.99
Shs Editions Retour de l'U.R.S.S.
Book Synopsis
£16.15
Bloomsbury Academic Russias Foreign Policy
Book Synopsis
£28.50
Academic Studies Press The Age of Wild Ghosts: Memory, Violence, and
Book SynopsisIn Erik Mueggler’s powerful and imaginative ethnography, an Indigenous community in the mountains of Southwest China struggles to find its place at the margins of a nation-state. Here, people describe the period that began with the Great Leap Famine of 1958-1960 and continued through the 1990s as the “age of wild ghosts.” Their stories of this age converged on a dream of community—a bad dream, embodied in the life, death, and spectral reawakening of a local political and ritual system that expired violently under the Maoist regime. Displaying a sensitive understanding of both Chinese and the Tibeto-Burman language of this community, Mueggler explores memories of this institution, including of the rituals and poetics that once surrounded it and the bitter conflicts that came to haunt it. To exorcise “wild ghosts,” he shows, is nothing less than to re-imagine the state and its power, to trace the responsibility for violence to its morally ambiguous origins, and to articulate demands for justice and longings for reconciliation.
£30.39
