Constitution: government and the state Books
Columbia University Press BenGurions Spy
Book SynopsisDrawing upon uncovered classified documents and interviews with key players, this text recounts the Lavon affair in Israel in 1963. It tells how the affair, which toppled the government of David Ben-Gurion, the nation's founding father, rocked the corridors of power in Israel.Trade ReviewA magnificently documented account of the Lavon affair, the 1960 political scandal that led to the demise of Prime Minister David Ben Gurion's government three years later, and, says Teveth, the original progressive ideals of Zionism. A.L.A. Booklist
£52.70
Columbia University Press Inside the Red Box
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewWorking from North Korean media, Patrick McEachern shows that, whatever might have been the case under Kim Il Sung, North Korea under his son, Kim Jong Il, is not the unknowable and irrational totalitarian state presented by many commentators. Since the elder Kim's death in 1994, the country's political structure has evolved. The younger Kim is undoubtedly powerful but has neither his father's revolutionary credentials nor his personal charisma and does not always succeed in imposing his views. It is these policy debates that lie behind the apparent abrupt swings from engagement to non-engagement, not some inherent irrationality in the North Korean polity, and it pays to study them. This stimulating and well-written book does just that. It should be required reading for all those interested in or involved with North Korea. -- J. E. Hoare, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, and coauthor of North Korea in the Twenty-First Century It is conventional wisdom that information on North Korea is hard to come by, but in fact, the opposite is true. Most researchers quickly find themselves drowning in information, and the real challenge is to make sense of the deluge of data and separate the wheat from the chaff. Patrick McEachern rejects easy routes and embraces the project of using sound social science methodologies to examine a mountain of primary sources. The result of his painstaking analysis is the illumination of domestic politics in Pyongyang-opening up the "red box." While McEachern's findings can be disputed, they cannot be ignored-this book is a must read for any serious student of North Korea. -- Andrew Scobell, Senior Political Scientist, RAND Corporation ...deserve to be added to the list of essential readings on the modern politics of North Korea... -- Marc Lanteigne International Affairs This is a brilliant book that should be read by anyone with an interest in Korean affairs. Survival McEachern's book is a highly useful source for those interested in a comprehensive and nuanced overview of North Korean domestic and foreign policies in the Kim Jong Il era. Korean StudiesTable of ContentsList of Figures and Tables Acknowledgments 1. Introduction 2. Post-totalitarian Institutionalism 3. Historical Context 4. North Korea's Political Institutions 5. Institutional Jostling for Agenda Control, 1998-2001 6. Segmenting Policy and Issue Linkages, 2001-2006 7. Policy Reversals, 2006-2008 8. Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index
£38.25
Columbia University Press Japan South Korea and the United States Nuclear
Book SynopsisTerence Roehrig provides a detailed and comprehensive look at the nuclear umbrella in northeast Asia in the broader context of deterrence theory and U.S. strategy. Roehrig argues that the nuclear umbrella is most important as a political signal demonstrating commitment to the defense of allies and as a tool to prevent further nuclear proliferation.Trade ReviewTerence Roehrig offers an excellent evaluation of extended-deterrence strategies, bringing together theory and policy in their historical context in a readable fashion. -- T. V. Paul, James McGill Professor of International Relations, McGill UniversityTable of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction1. Extended Deterrence and the Nuclear Umbrella2. The Nuclear Umbrella and Extended Deterrence During the Cold War3. The Threats That Drive the Nuclear Umbrella: China and North Korea4. Japan and the U.S. Nuclear Umbrella5. South Korea and the U.S. Nuclear Umbrella6. The U.S. Nuclear Umbrella: Planning, Capabilities, and Credibility7. Implications for Security and Extended Deterrence in Northeast AsiaNotesSelected BibliographyIndex
£25.20
Columbia University Press Sovereignty The Origin and Future of a Political
Book SynopsisTies the evolution of the idea of sovereignty to historical events, from the religious conflicts of sixteenth-century Europe to today’s trends in globalizationTrade ReviewIn this elegant essay, Grimm surveys the thousand-year history of the idea of sovereignty - emphasizing its changing meanings as Western ideas of political legitimacy transform themselves over the centuries. Grimm's work is the first on this subject that combines historical mastery with a sense of the present need to redefine our political understandings. -- Bruce Ackerman, Yale Law School This is a concise and excellent book, which will be useful not only for students of legal and political thought, but for historians as well as cultural theorists. -- Seyla Benhabib, Yale University The old and moldy idea of sovereignty is brought back to life in this engaging study by a major German legal thinker and former Supreme Court Justice. Against those who advance simplistic and even dismissive views of sovereignty, Grimm's masterful conceptual history reminds us of how rich, complicated, and multisided ideas about sovereignty have been. And in opposition to those who would prefer to toss sovereignty into the ashcan of intellectual history, Grimm recalls the pivotal role sovereignty, when properly understood, can play in protecting democracy and self-government. A must-read for political scientists, legal and constitutional theorists, and anyone else interested in the changing contours of political authority in our globalizing world. -- William E. Scheuerman, Indiana University Drawing from both a keen historical recollection of the conceptual transformations of "sovereignty" and a lucid overview of current debates (each a sterling contribution in itself), Grimm shows us a democracy-based case for retention and adaptation of state sovereignty as a first principle of politics, even in today's decidedly post-Westphalian world and even as necessarily shorn of some salient traditional associations so as to fit this world's realities. -- Frank I. Michelman, Harvard Law School Sovereignty is a highly sophisticated, yet accessible introduction not only to the history of the concept but to its contemporary status. Using the method of conceptual history developed by German historians, Dieter Grimm outlines a complex journey whereby sovereignty became the self-representation of the early modern territorial state, overcoming both domestic and international competitors for the supremacy of political power, followed by developments in which the concept understood as unlimited by positive legality came to be reformulated under the limits of both constitutional and international law. Finally, he asks the question whether a yet again refurbished concept can keep some continuity with the classical notion as developed by Bodin and Hobbes, and yet preserve its relevance for an understanding of contemporary regimes, national and international. Not without some hesitation, he opts to keep the concept of sovereignty as indispensible for the legal equality and self determination of the main political actors of international law, namely territorial states, that still remain in his view more hospitable for democracy than supra national organizations or even non state federations. -- Andrew Arato, The New School This is a remarkable little book; it succeeds in being both conceptually vigorous and rich in historical detail, while remaining clear and concise. Survival A learned but accessible history of the concept of sovereignty. Foreign Affairs [Grimm's] pithy and dense analysis covers a vast canvas and provides an even-handed overview. -- Emile Chabal New Global StudiesTable of ContentsSeries Editor's Foreword Preface and Acknowledgments A. Sovereignty in a Time of Changing Statehood B. Development and Function of the Concept of Sovereignty 1. Bodin's Significance for the Concept of Sovereignty 2. Sovereignty in the Constitutional State 3. External Sovereignty C. Sovereignty Today Notes Index
£19.80
Columbia University Press Forms of Pluralism and Democratic
Book SynopsisIn this interdisciplinary volume, a group of prominent international scholars considers alternative political formations to the nation-state, discussing their ability to preserve and expand the achievements of democratic constitutionalism in the twenty-first century and their capacity to deal with deep societal differences.Trade ReviewWhat is the best political form for modern democratic orders—a nation-state, a sovereign state, an empire, a confederation, an international organization, a federation of states, or a federal state? In an age where the classical answers to this question have become unsatisfying, the authors in this book come up with new arguments and answers. The articles are crisply written and very accessible for political scientists, legal scholars, and historians. The book is essential reading for those who want to know about the institutional options in order to keep democracy’s future in the age of globalization alive. -- Hubertus Buchstein, Universität GreifswaldThis unique volume explores the various dimensions of the contemporary crisis of the modern nation-state and the potentialities and dangers of alternative political forms, such as dispersed sovereignty, legal pluralism, and corporate governance. Timely, systematic and wide-ranging, it offers unrivaled insights into the distinctive political challenges of our times. -- Cécile Laborde, University of OxfordDiverse, sharp, and timely, this volume is a welcome intervention in the debate on postnational political forms. The authors explore a panoply of historical and contemporary pluralist ideas and institutions—from empire, federation, subsidiarity, status group pluralism, to transnational corporate jurisdiction—and critically detail their political trajectories and normative possibilities. What makes this volume distinctive is its constructive orientation and global scope. It asks with clarity how these political forms might be revived, reformed, and enacted without undermining the ideals of democratic self-rule and political equality that the nation-state was meant to secure. -- Karuna Mantena, Yale UniversityThe essays in Forms of Pluralism and Democratic Constitutionalism address an important new topic with clarity and substance. All in all, this is an extraordinary book which incorporates the very best of scholarship on a significant topic, constitutionalism and pluralism, and is fundamental reading for the current debates in political theory, law, sociology, and political philosophy. -- David M. Rasmussen, Boston College, Editor-in-Chief, Philosophy and Social CriticismTable of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction: Forms of Pluralism and Democratic Constitutionalism, by Andrew Arato and Jean L. Cohen I. After Empire: Historical Alternatives1. Federation, Confederation, Territorial State: Debating a Post-imperial Future in French West Africa, 1945-1960, by Fred Cooper2. Decolonization and Postnational Democracy, by Gary Wilder3. From the American System to Anglo-Saxon Union: Scientific Racism and Supra-Nationalism in Nineteenth-Century North America, by Joshua Simon4. Constitutions and Forms of Pluralism in the Time of Conquest: The French Debates Over the Colonization of Algeria in the 1830s and 1840s, by Emmanuelle SaadaII. New Federal Formations and/or Subsidiarity5. The Constitutional Identity of Indigenous Peoples in Canada: Status Groups or Federal Actors?, by Patrick Macklem6. Federacy and the Kurds: Might This New Political Form Help Mitigate Hobbesian Conflicts in Turkey, Iraq, and Syria?, by Alfred Stepan and Jeff Miley7. Europe-What’s Left: Towards a Progressive Pluralist Program for EU Reform, by Robert Howse8. Subsidiarity and the Challenge to the Sovereign State, by Nadia UrbinatiIII. Status Group Legal Pluralism9. Indian Secularism and Its Challenges, by Christophe Jaffrelot10. Tainted Liberalism: Israel’s Millets, by Michael Karayanni11. Jurisdictional Competition and Internal Reform in Muslim Family Law in Israel and Greece, by Yuksel SezginIV. The Challenge of Corporate Power12. Corporate Legal Particularism, by Katharina Pistor13. Tax Competition and the Unbundling of Sovereignty, by Tsilly Dagan14. The Politics of Horizontal Inequality: Indigenous Opposition to Wind Energy Development in Mexico, by Courtney JungConclusion: Territorial Pluralism and Language Communities, by Astrid von Busekist List of ContributorsIndex
£95.00
Columbia University Press Chaos in the Liberal Order
Book SynopsisDonald Trump’s election has called into question many fundamental assumptions about politics and society. Collecting a wide range of perspectives from leading scholars, Chaos in the Liberal Order explores the global trends that led to Trump’s stunning victory and the impact his presidency will have on the international political landscape.Trade ReviewChaos in the Liberal Order is a sober guide for turbulent times. It covers an impressive range of issues and perspectives, giving insight into what’s new—and what’s not—in the Trump era. A must-read for anyone looking for context on the direction of American foreign policy in the Trump administration, and beyond. -- Elizabeth N. Saunders, George Washington UniversityA much-needed book that puts the Trump Administration into a proper international and historical perspective. It not only enlightens the reader about current affairs, but also helps us better understand some of the deeper causes for the crisis of liberal democracy. -- O. A. Westad, Harvard Kennedy SchoolThe contribution of this book lies in its timeliness, creativity, and boldness in addressing a still evolving and changing Trump foreign policy. The essays address such important concerns as the future of liberal hegemony, domestic public opinion, and the impact of leaks and fake news on trust in the media. The authors provide a depth of analysis and historical perspective that ensures this book will provide insights into the forces underlying the Trump phenomenon for some time to come. -- Deborah Welch Larson, University of California, Los AngelesThe quality of the writing is excellent and the perspectives of each author differ substantially. * H-Diplo *Table of ContentsIntroduction, by Robert Jervis, Francis J. Gavin, Joshua Rovner, and Diane Labrosse Part I. Trump and International Relations Theory1. President Trump and International Relations Theory, by Robert Jervis2. What Is International Relations Theory Good For?, by Michael N. Barnett3. Why Trump Now: A Third-Image Explanation, by Randall L. Schweller4. The Donald Versus “The Blob,” by Stephen M. WaltPart II. Is Liberal Internationalism Still Alive?5. Has Liberal Internationalism Been Trumped?, by Joshua Busby and Jonathan Monten6. Down but Not Out: A Liberal International American Foreign Policy, by Stephen Chaudoin, Helen V. Milner, and Dustin Tingley7. Does Structure Trump All? A Test of Agency in World Politics, by Brian Rathbun8. Liberal Internationalism, Public Opinion, and Partisan Conflict in the United States, by Robert Y. ShapiroPart III. Whither Pax Americana?9. Trump Against American Exceptionalism: The Sources of Trumpian Conduct, by Stephen Wertheim10. This Is What Nationalism Looks Like, by Thomas W. Zeiler11. The Appeal of “America First”, by John A. Thompson12. The Waning of the Postwar Order: Historical Reflections on 2016 and the Emergence of a Twenty-First-Century World Order, by T.G. Otte13. The Failed Promises of 1989 and the Politics of 2016, by Jonathan Sperber14. Trump’s Ascendancy as History, by Ryan Irwin15. Assessing Trump’s Emerging Counterterrorism Policy, by Daniel Byman16. The “Global Order” Myth, by Andrew J. BacevichPart IV. Trump and the World17. Donald Trump and NATO: Historic Alliance Meets A-historic President, by Stanley R. Sloan18. The Art of the Bluff: The US-Japan Alliance Under the Trump Administration, by Jennifer Lind19. Latin America: Asymmetry and the Problem of Influence, by Tom Long and Max Paul Friedman20. Historical Legacies of United States Policy in the Middle East, by James R. Stocker21. Donald Trump and the Middle East, by F. Gregory Gause, III22. US-Russia Relations Unhinged, by Robert Legvold23. The View from the Asia-Pacific: Loose Nukes and Loose Cannons, by Priscilla Roberts24. The Future of the Atlantic Alliance Under President Trump, by William R. KeylorPart V. The Language and Legacy of Human Rights25. The United States and the Global Human Rights Order, by Mark Philip Bradley26. Donald Trump and the Irrelevance of Human Rights, by Samuel MoynPart VI. The Fourth Estate, Leaks, and Fake News: Historical Perspectives27. Donald Trump and the “Paranoid Style” in American (Intellectual) Politics, by Leo P. Ribuffo28. Leaking About Donald Trump in the Age of Fake News, by Sam Lebovic29. Why Does Donald Trump Have So Much Trouble with the Truth?, by John Schuessler30. Is Donald Trump Jimmy Carter, or Is He Kaiser Wilhelm II?, by Nancy Mitchell31. Aristocracy, Oligarchy, and Donald Trump, by Arthur EcksteinPart VII. Is There a Trump Doctrine?32. Trumpism, History, and the Future of US Foreign Relations, by Frank Ninkovich About the ContributorsIndex
£26.60
Columbia University Press The President on Capitol Hill A Theory of
Book SynopsisJeffrey E. Cohen demonstrates that existing research has underestimated the president’s power to sway Congress. The President on Capitol Hill offers a compelling perspective on presidential-congressional relations and develops a new theory of presidential influence.Trade ReviewCohen offers one of the most clearly articulated theories of presidential influence that is distinct from presidential success. His book is the first attempt at conceptually relating many presidential lobbying strategies into one unified framework. This is the most thorough treatment of these issues and will surely be a contribution to the literature in its own right. -- Sharece Thrower, Vanderbilt UniversityFew scholars of the American presidency have written as widely or as prodigiously as Jeffrey Cohen. In this, his latest, Cohen turns his attention to the effects of presidential lobbying and position taking on Congress and the public. Whereas many scholars see a presidency consigned to, and even subjugated by, a larger political environment, Cohen finds evidence of influence. Success doesn’t just depend upon the hands that presidents are dealt. It depends on how presidents play them. -- William Howell, University of ChicagoInstead of obsessing over presidential winners and losers, Jeffrey E. Cohen focuses our attention on the president’s role in the production of public policy and in the larger political system. He deftly theorizes the bargaining strategies presidents use and presents new evidence about how and to what effect presidents employ the levers of presidential influence. Well-written and clear-eyed, The President on Capitol Hill brings fresh and well-deserved attention to the president’s institutional advantages in a system of separated powers. -- Jon C. Rogowski, Harvard UniversityCohen has written another important book that will change how scholars think of the relationship between Congress and the president. Theoretically innovative and empirically rich, this book brings us new insights into the eternal black box of presidential influence. -- Andrew Reeves, Washington University in St. LouisRigorous and persuasive. * Choice *A must-read for students of the American presidency. * Political Science Quarterly *Required reading for scholars studying presidential-congressional relations. The book will prove useful in graduate seminars on the presidency and/or Congress. It may also be useful in an advanced undergraduate presidency course. * Congress and the Presidency *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments1. On Presidential Influence in Congress2. A Theory of Presidential Influence in Congress3. Estimating Presidential Influence in Congress4. Presidential Influence in the House in the Modern Era5. Political Parties as a Source of Presidential Influence6. The Two Presidencies and Presidential Influence7. Public Opinion as a Source of Presidential Influence8. Presidential Lobbying Effort and Influence9. Modernity and Presidential Influence in Congress10. Comparing the Influence of Premodern and Modern Presidents11. Conclusions: Presidential Influence in CongressNotesReferencesIndex
£83.60
Columbia University Press Stating the Sacred Religion China and the
Book SynopsisStating the Sacred offers a novel approach to nation-state formation, arguing that its most critical element is how the state sacralizes the nation. Focusing primarily on China, Michael J. Walsh argues that the foundational role of the sacred makes all nation-states religious states.Trade ReviewAs an anatomy of sacralization, territorialization, and violence, Stating the Sacred illuminates state formation in China through brilliant exposition, dwelling in vivid details, historical depths, and current controversies, but also through uncovering brutal truths of state formation in the modern world. This book is a major contribution to our understanding of how the sacred works in the modern and how the modern works the sacred. -- David Chidester, author of Empire of Religion: Imperialism and Comparative ReligionIn Stating the Sacred, Michael J. Walsh parses what China's postcoloniality and South African apartheid have in common: the sacredness of violence. Drawing upon a wealth of theoretical insight from Schmidt on political theology, Bataille on sacrifice, to Agamban on profanation, and Barthes on myth, Walsh is especially insightful on how the Chinese avowedly atheist party-state adroitly rules through its stringent and energetic containment of religion, channeling those energies into policies on territorial sovereignty and citizenship itself. These tactics range beyond patriotic Christian organizations and registering all the clergy everywhere, to policing reincarnation among the Tibetan Buddhist and reeducation of Uyghur Muslims in camps. For Walsh, this sense of 'religion,' shared by China with many other places, becomes the modern repository of violence and mythos that he finds fundamental to any nation-state formation. -- Angela Zito, coeditor of DV-Made China: Digital Subjects and Social Transformations after Independent FilmRecommended. * Choice *[A] brilliant analysis of contemporary China. * Reading Religion *This is an innovative study that gives particular consideration to the role of the sacred in the formation of the PRC state, and to nation-states more generally. * Journal of Church and the State *Table of ContentsPreface1. Territory2. Constitution3. Religion4. Reincarnation5. Contact6. NativityGlossaryNotesBibliographyIndex
£72.00
Columbia University Press Stating the Sacred Religion China and the
Book SynopsisStating the Sacred offers a novel approach to nation-state formation, arguing that its most critical element is how the state sacralizes the nation. Focusing primarily on China, Michael J. Walsh argues that the foundational role of the sacred makes all nation-states religious states.Trade ReviewAs an anatomy of sacralization, territorialization, and violence, Stating the Sacred illuminates state formation in China through brilliant exposition, dwelling in vivid details, historical depths, and current controversies, but also through uncovering brutal truths of state formation in the modern world. This book is a major contribution to our understanding of how the sacred works in the modern and how the modern works the sacred. -- David Chidester, author of Empire of Religion: Imperialism and Comparative ReligionIn Stating the Sacred, Michael J. Walsh parses what China's postcoloniality and South African apartheid have in common: the sacredness of violence. Drawing upon a wealth of theoretical insight from Schmidt on political theology, Bataille on sacrifice, to Agamban on profanation, and Barthes on myth, Walsh is especially insightful on how the Chinese avowedly atheist party-state adroitly rules through its stringent and energetic containment of religion, channeling those energies into policies on territorial sovereignty and citizenship itself. These tactics range beyond patriotic Christian organizations and registering all the clergy everywhere, to policing reincarnation among the Tibetan Buddhist and reeducation of Uyghur Muslims in camps. For Walsh, this sense of 'religion,' shared by China with many other places, becomes the modern repository of violence and mythos that he finds fundamental to any nation-state formation. -- Angela Zito, coeditor of DV-Made China: Digital Subjects and Social Transformations after Independent FilmRecommended. * Choice *[A] brilliant analysis of contemporary China. * Reading Religion *This is an innovative study that gives particular consideration to the role of the sacred in the formation of the PRC state, and to nation-states more generally. * Journal of Church and the State *Table of ContentsPreface1. Territory2. Constitution3. Religion4. Reincarnation5. Contact6. NativityGlossaryNotesBibliographyIndex
£22.50
University of Illinois Press Creating the Land of Lincoln
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewRussell P. Strange Memorial Book Award, Illinois State Historical Society, 2019 "Well-written, clearly organized, traditional history that shows the changing issues in Illinois politics and government. The focus on the history of slavery is important and noteworthy. A real contribution." --Ann Durkin Keating, author of Rising Up from Indian Country: The Battle of Fort Dearborn and the Birth of Chicago"Extremely strong in research, clarity, and narrative. As I read, I knew I was in the hands of a skilled researcher, one who had really mastered a complex sequence of events and learned and digested a complex set of political debates." --Robert Michael Morrissey, author of Empire by Collaboration: Indians, Colonists, and Governments in Colonial Illinois Country"Attractively written, this book provides a fresh look at underappreciated elements of Illinois's state formation and early development, with compelling new insights into the story of the state's constitutions."--David Spadafora, President and Librarian"A very informative read. . . . Recommended."--Choice"This book should be in the personal library of every person interested in the history of the state of Illinois." --Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society"Cicero defly assesses the development of the Illinois constitutions and shows how the state dealt with key racial and cultural issues within a complex political system. He highlights the roles of a number of Illinois leaders. This fine book will benefit scholars and the public." --Journal of American History"Carefully researched and engagingly written . . . . Creating the Land of Lincoln is wonderfully rewarding." --The Annals of Iowa
£22.79
Indiana University Press The Growth of American Government Revised and
Book SynopsisTrade Review"This ambitious, well-written book will be a useful resource for scholars . . . an excellent overview . . . a fine, readable introduction that presents its analysis in a straightforward manner free from ideological baggage." —Congress & the Presidency"A refreshingly unorthodox narrative. Campbell [explains] in plain language how government grew. His stance is neither liberal nor conservative, but simply well-informed and reasonable." —Walter Nugent, author of Habits of Empire: A History of American Expansion"The canvas is large, but one comes away from the book with an understanding of what has happened, the factors contributing to these developments, and their consequences. Strongly recommended." —Samuel McSeveney, Vanderbilt University"His overview [of the course and causes of growth] should be a compulsory assignment for any seminar on modern political culture . . ." —The Journal of American History"Campbell's book is a marvelous multidisciplinary synthesis that builds on the findings of historians of national, state, and local government, along with those of economists and political scientists, to provide a coherent account of the rise of modern American governing structures." —Journal of Interdisciplinary History"The book should be useful in the classroom, even for freshmen classes in U.S. history and government." —American Historical Review"Readable, and refreshingly unorthodox, Campbell provides a coherent explanation of how and why government has become so large. His book deserves inclusion in any undergraduate bibliography covering the development of American government." —Political Studies Association"This ambitious, well-written book will be a useful resource for scholars . . . an excellent overview . . . a fine, readable introduction that presents its analysis in a straightforward manner free from ideological baggage." —Congress & the Presidency "A refreshingly unorthodox narrative. Campbell [explains] in plain language how government grew. His stance is neither liberal nor conservative, but simply well-informed and reasonable." —Walter Nugent, author of Habits of Empire: A History of American Expansion "The canvas is large, but one comes away from the book with an understanding of what has happened, the factors contributing to these developments, and their consequences. Strongly recommended." —Samuel McSeveney, Vanderbilt University "His overview [of the course and causes of growth] should be a compulsory assignment for any seminar on modern political culture . . ." —The Journal of American History "Campbell's book is a marvelous multidisciplinary synthesis that builds on the findings of historians of national, state, and local government, along with those of economists and political scientists, to provide a coherent account of the rise of modern American governing structures." —Journal of Interdisciplinary History "The book should be useful in the classroom, even for freshmen classes in U.S. history and government." —American Historical Review "Readable, and refreshingly unorthodox, Campbell provides a coherent explanation of how and why government has become so large. His book deserves inclusion in any undergraduate bibliography covering the development of American government." —Political Studies AssociationTable of ContentsPrefaceAcknowledgmentsIntroduction1. Governing the Cleveland Era2. The Course and Causes of Growth3. The Transition Era4. The Great Depression and Economic Policy5. The Managed Economy since the New Deal6. The New Income Security7. The New Equality8. Paying for Modern Government9. The New Faces of Power10. The Reagan Era and the Restrained Polity11. The Debate over 'Big' GovernmentNotesBibliographyIndex
£22.49
Indiana University Press Why ERA Failed Politics Womens Rights and the
Book Synopsis
£15.19
University of Notre Dame Press The Framers Intentions
Book SynopsisRobert Ross addresses a fascinating and unresolved constitutional question: why did political parties emerge so quickly after the framers designed the Constitution to prevent them? The text of the Constitution is silent on this question. Most scholars of the subject have taken that silence to be a hostile one, arguing that the adoption of the two-party system was a significant break from a long history of antiparty sentiments and institutional design aimed to circumscribe party politics.The constitutional question of parties addresses the very nature of representation, democracy, and majority rule. Political parties have become a vital institution of representation by linking the governed with the government. Efforts to uphold political parties have struggled to come to terms with the apparent antiparty sentiments of the founders and the perception that the Constitution was intended to work against parties.The Framers' Intentions connects political parties and tTrade Review“I found this to be an engaging text on the rise of political parties in early America. The entire book is thoroughly researched, and Robert Ross has clearly immersed himself in the literature. I believe that this book, although it analyzes political battles from over two hundred years ago, can speak to the American people in this era when we are so divided.” —William Bolt, Francis Marion University“Robert Ross has provided us with a provocative argument that contradicts scholarly wisdom regarding the emergence of a two-party system in the early American republic. Ross’s interpretation that the founders were not fighting against parties but rather manipulating their development as legitimate tools is a genuine contribution to the literature for both historians and political scientists.” —John Belohlavek, University of South Florida "Robert Ross challenges the received wisdom on the relationship between the Constitution and political parties. He shows that political parties became deeply entrenched in a constitutional order that was initially intended to work against them. He details how over the course of American political development the Constitution acquired new elements and interpretations that served to strengthen political parties. This book is a must read for scholars of political parties and of American political development." —Marc Landy, Boston College“The heart of this scholarly study is Ross’s thesis, which proposes to scholars that there is another way in which to view the Constitution’s transition from anti-party to party. . . . Ross offers a book that belongs on the library shelves of all academic institutions with advanced history and political science programs.” —Choice"The story of political parties' decline, and how that decline led to Congress's, has yet to be told. Until then, : The Framers' Intentions provides a valuable service by showing the essential role parties have played in making workable our republican government." —Claremont Review of BooksTable of ContentsIntroduction: Antipartyism and the Constitution: Reassessing the “Constitution-Against-Parties” Thesis 1.Antiparty Constitutionalism and the Tradition of Political Parties Partyism Before the Constitution 2.Partyism and the First Amendment: Organizing Opposition and the Partisan Press 3.Partyism and the Presidential Selection System: The Twelfth Amendment and Political Opposition 4.Partyism and Organized Opposition in Elections 5.Partyism and the Electoral College: Completing the Twelfth Amendment 6Partyism, the Election Clause, and the House of Representatives 7.Conclusion: Partyism and the Twenty-Fourth Amendment: Entrenching the Two-Party Constitution
£35.10
MP-WIS Uni of Wisconsin Fieldwork Dilemmas Anthropologists in
Book SynopsisFocusing on former socialist states in Eastern Europe, the contributors disclose the political and physical dangers inherent in field research. They reveal how communities undergo political and economic dislocations, plummeting living standards, and ethnic and nationalist violence.
£18.00
Yale University Press How Democratic Is the American Constitution
Book SynopsisThis work questions the extent to which the American Constitution furthers democratic goals. It reveals the Constitution's potentially antidemocratic elements and explains why they are there, compares the American constitutional system to other democratic systems, and more.Trade Review“A devastating attack on the undemocratic character of the American Constitution.”—Gordon S. Wood, New York Review of Books“Robert A. Dahl . . . is about as covered in honors as a scholar can be. . . . He knows what he is talking about. And he thinks that the Constitution has something the matter with it.”—Hendrik Hertzberg, New Yorker“Some may find it a startling question, as most Americans have an unwavering faith in the Constitution and its principles. But the author argues that we should not be afraid to examine it and to consider other options for achieving a more democratic society.”—Washington Post Book World, “Best Seller List/Washington Is Also Reading”Selected by Choice as a 2003 Outstanding Academic TitleSelected by the American Library Association as one of “The Best of the Best from the University Presses: Books You Should Know About,” 2003Selected by the Association of American University Presses as an Outstanding Book for Public and Secondary School Libraries“This book is vintage Dahl at the highest possible level. It is lucid, acutely analytic, literate, and both consistent with the long series of previous books by Dahl and new in its details and broad contours.”—Fred Greenstein, Princeton University
£16.14
WW Norton & Co The Oath and the Office
Book SynopsisAn essential guide to the presidential powers and limits of the Constitution, for anyone votingor runningfor our highest office.Trade Review"[A] pointed, cogent, and authoritative analysis of presidential policy and power. [Brettschneider] offers a clear explanation of many complex issues. . . including the question of whether obstruction of justice is an impeachable offense. A clear-eyed, accessible, and informative primer: vital reading for all Americans." -- Kirkus (starred review)"An accessible and lively guide to the president’s constitutional powers, essential reading for anyone who seeks to become president—or to hold in check those who do." -- David Cole, national legal director, ACLU, and author of Engines of Liberty"Brettschneider's book, addressed to a presidential aspirant, begins with the question 'What do you need to know to be president?' The answer: 'Most of all, you need to know the U.S. Constitution.' This framing is one of the book's great virtues: It moves the focus away from the too-common and too-narrow question of what the courts might force a president to do in the name of the Constitution to the more capacious question of how a president herself should understand her constitutional role." -- New York Times"Government of, by, and for the people only works when people understand how it works. Corey Brettschneider’s book does a remarkable job of unpacking the modern presidency with precision. A joy to read, a must to understand." -- Amy Gutmann, president, The University of Pennsylvania"An insightful and lively analysis of both the constitutional authority of the president of the United States and of the constitutional constraints imposed on that authority. This work is a critical reminder of the proper role of the chief executive in our nation’s system of constitutional government." -- Geoffrey Stone, author of Sex and the Constitution"In The Oath and the Office, Brettschneider explains both the powers of and the limitations on the chief executive, using an engaging and conversational style that any citizen (and hopefully any president) will easily understand. But even when one disagrees with Brettschneider’s advice, this book is an important manual for anyone who wants to be president—and most of all for We the People who are ultimately the president’s boss." -- Linda R. Monk, author of The Bill of Rights: A User’s Guide"When at the very pinnacles of government the respect required of all parties to operate in a republic is flagrantly disregarded, it’s the job of the people and the Constitution to ensure such disrespect is punished. The Oath and The Office makes it clear that we are close to a reckoning." -- Paste"No office in American government is more studied than the presidency and no figure in American politics is more closely watched than the president. Brettschneider provides the judgment of a renowned constitutional scholar, dramatic cases, historical sweep, a gift for clarity, and a sense of moral urgency. This is a foothold from which we can survey the dangerous course the presidency has taken and our responsibility as citizens to defend the constitution." -- Nancy Rosenblum, Senator Joseph Clark Research Professor of Ethics in Politics and Government, Harvard University"Those who one day may find themselves behind the Big Desk in the Oval Office need to understand the limits of their power as well as its potential. Brettschneider’s cogent and comprehensive user’s manual–grounded in sophisticated legal and political analysis—is exactly the right place to start." -- Gordon Silverstein, Assistant Dean, Yale Law School"'When the President does it, that means it is not illegal.' So said Richard Nixon. What then are the limits on Presidential action? Can the President of the United States pardon himself, fire anyone in the Executive Branch, or wage war without Congressional approval? Can California develop a foreign policy on immigration and sign international climate treaties? In an era of rising executive power, Corey Brettschneider provides an essential guide for citizens and aspiring office holders on the powers of the President and how the U.S. Constitution constrains that power." -- Rob Reich, Professor of Political Science, Stanford University
£16.14
The University of Michigan Press The Presidential Expectations Gap
Book SynopsisFor decades, public expectations of US presidents have become increasingly excessive and unreasonable. Despite much anecdotal evidence, few scholars have attempted to test the expectations gap thesis empirically. This is the first systematic study to prove the existence of the expectations gap and to identify the factors that contribute to the public’s disappointment in a given president.Trade ReviewBy bringing together a unique collection of survey data and qualitative case studies, the authors provide the most comprehensive analysis of the expectations gap to date, demonstrating that the expectations gap is politically consequential and carries meaningful implications for presidential approval and election results in both presidential and midterm contests.” —Thomas Rudolph, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign""The public has high expectations of the president, and it is often disappointed. The authors do us a great service in providing the first systematic study of the expectations gap, explaining its causes and analyzing its consequences.” —George C. Edwards III, Texas A&M University
£25.60
LUP - University of Michigan Press In Contempt
Book SynopsisOffers a faithful, factual testament to the enduring quality of patriotic dissent in America’s evolving democracy - and a loving reconstruction of what it meant to be labelled ‘unAmerican’ for defending the Constitution.Table of Contents Foreword Introduction:Red Diapers Chapter One:A Knock at the Door Chapter Two:Will Not/Cannot Chapter Three:Surprised and Shocked Chapter Four:Lacking Contrition Chapter Five:Snowball in Hell Chapter Six:In Lieu of “Ability” Chapter Seven:Uncompromising Independence Chapter Eight:Under the Velvet Glove Chapter Nine:Not Fine for Yellin Afterword
£16.95
The University of Michigan Press The Limits of Legitimacy
Book SynopsisWhen the US Supreme Court announces a decision, reporters simplify and dramatize the complex legal issues by highlighting dissenting opinions and thus emphasizing conflict among the justices. This often sensationalistic coverage fosters public controversy over specific rulings. In The Limits of Legitimacy, Michael A. Zilis illuminates this link between case law and public opinion.
£38.90
The University of Michigan Press Mobilizing the Metropolis
Book SynopsisFrom selected Port Authority of New York and New Jersey successes and failures, Philip Mark Plotch and Jen Nelles produce a significant and engaging account of a powerful governmental entity that offers durable lessons on collaboration, leadership, and the challenge of overcoming complex political challenges in modern America.Trade Review“Plotch and Nelles offer a novel framework that identifies several factors that explain both the Port Authority’s successes and failures. Anyone who is interested in urban politics, regionalism, urban planning, state and local government, or more specifically in the New York metro area, will find this a fascinating book.” —Richardson Dilworth, Drexel University“This book provides a detailed economic history of the Port Authority of NY and NJ. Yet it is also a work that addresses a number of key questions concerning the political economy of large public organizations. Given the economic and cultural significance of the Port Authority and the key infrastructures for which it is responsible, this is an important contribution with international relevance.” —Iain Docherty, University of StirlingTable of Contents List of Illustrations Acknowledgments 1. Introduction 2. Creation and First Triumphs 3. Grappling with Capacity Problems at the Airports 4. Competing on a Global Scale 5. Fostering Regional Mobility Through Enduring Partnerships 6. Turning Point: A Strike at Autonomy and a Blow to the Culture 7. Moving Three Bridges from the Periphery to Center Stage 8. Building and Rebuilding the World Trade Center 9. The Rhetoric and Reality of Political Independence 10. Conclusion Notes Index
£27.50
The University of Michigan Press Presidential Accountability in Wartime
Book SynopsisWhile other scholars have focused on presidents starting military conflicts abroad or infringing on civil liberties at home, Stuart Streichler integrates international humanitarian law into an analysis of the repercussions of presidential war powers for human rights.
£27.50
LUP - University of Michigan Press The State You See
Book SynopsisUncovers a racial gap in the way the American government appears in people’s lives. The book makes it clear that public policy changes over the last fifty years have driven all Americans to distrust the government that they see in their lives, even though Americans of different races are not seeing the same kind of government.Trade Review“The State You See offers a welcome and timely addition to the growing literature on public policy and political inequality. Rosenthal’s consideration of the racialized feedback effects of multiple policy experiences fills a critical lacuna in our collective understanding of the politics of public policy.”—Mallory E. SoRelle, Duke University“In The State You See (TSYS) Rosenthal argues that policy in the post-civil rights era has developed such that it is unequally visible to White and Black Americans, and this inequality in turn leads to different responses to declining trust in public institutions. Rosenthal’s book takes up the important task of integrating well known but disparate findings around criminal justice system, public welfare provision, and racial and ethnic politics into a unified theory of racialized policy feedbacks. The State You See represents a major step forward in the study of political learning, and the capacity for the state to shape citizens’ attitudes and behaviors.”—Hannah Walker, University of Texas at AustinTable of Contents List of Illustrations and Tables Acknowledgements Chapter 1. Introduction: The Submerged State and the Carceral State Chapter 2. Taxes and Welfare: The Tip of the Iceberg in White America Chapter 3. Police as the Face of Government: State Visibility Among People of Color Chapter 4. Visible in All the Wrong Places: Dual Visibility and American Political Distrust Chapter 5. Invisibility and Membership: How Government Visibility Creates Racially Patterned Political Inequality Chapter 6. Black Lives Matter: Disrupting the Duality Chapter 7. The Politics of Visibility and Prospects for Change Appendix A: Interview Protocol and Post-Interview Survey Appendix B: Ethnographic Research Details Appendix C: Interview Information Appendix D: Dataset Information and Question Wording Notes References Index
£64.95
The University of Michigan Press Mobilizing the Metropolis
Book SynopsisFrom selected Port Authority of New York and New Jersey successes and failures, Philip Mark Plotch and Jen Nelles produce a significant and engaging account of a powerful governmental entity that offers durable lessons on collaboration, leadership, and the challenge of overcoming complex political challenges in modern America.Trade Review“Mobilizing the Metropolis is a gem. Not only does it artfully tell the story of the organizational evolution and successes of nation’s first public authority in the 20th century but also it underlines the critical importance of regional infrastructure projects—airports, bridges, tunnels, ports, ferries, terminals, and their connectors in forging the NY-NJ metro area into the powerful economic force it has become over the past 100 years. Most notable, it offers a pathway for the transformation of PANYNJ into an effective 21st century institution.” —Eugenie L. Birch, FAICP, Stuart Weitzman School of Design“Mobilizing the Metropolis offers an authoritative account of how the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey grew and shaped the metropolitan region. Exhaustively researched, it offers a trenchant analysis of the key factors accounting for the Port Authority’s spectacular rise and recent struggles. There are valuable lessons learned applicable to other public agencies and regions. This is a significant contribution to the study of public bureaucracy and infrastructure and should attract a broad audience.” —Steven P. Erie, Professor Emeritus of Political Science, University of California San Diego“Mobilizing the Metropolis is both the definitive history of the Port Authority and an impressive critical analysis of its evolution, strengths, and weaknesses over its century-long existence. Highly readable, it contains important lessons about how any public authority should, or should not, be created and operated.” —Jim Burnley, Chair, Eno Center for Transportation, Former United States Secretary of Transportation“Plotch and Nelles hit the mark with this tour-de-force review of major infrastructure project delivery and the golden rule of effective coalitions. They explain that, in order to succeed, projects must have crystal clear scope, positive, enabling stakeholder relations, and coalitions that are singularly focused on successful budgetary and schedule outcomes.” —Andy Byford, former Commissioner of Transport for London, president of NYC Transit, and CEO of Toronto Transit Commission“Plotch and Nelles offer a novel framework that identifies several factors that explain both the Port Authority’s successes and failures. Anyone who is interested in urban politics, regionalism, urban planning, state and local government, or more specifically in the New York metro area, will find this a fascinating book.” —Richardson Dilworth, Drexel University“This book provides a detailed economic history of the Port Authority of NY and NJ. Yet it is also a work that addresses a number of key questions concerning the political economy of large public organizations. Given the economic and cultural significance of the Port Authority and the key infrastructures for which it is responsible, this is an important contribution with international relevance.” —Iain Docherty, University of StirlingTable of Contents List of Illustrations Acknowledgments 1. Introduction 2. Creation and First Triumphs 3. Grappling with Capacity Problems at the Airports 4. Competing on a Global Scale 5. Fostering Regional Mobility Through Enduring Partnerships 6. Turning Point: A Strike at Autonomy and a Blow to the Culture 7. Moving Three Bridges from the Periphery to Center Stage 8. Building and Rebuilding the World Trade Center 9. The Rhetoric and Reality of Political Independence 10. Conclusion Notes Index
£64.95
The University of Michigan Press Presidential Accountability in Wartime
Book SynopsisWhile other scholars have focused on presidents starting military conflicts abroad or infringing on civil liberties at home, Stuart Streichler integrates international humanitarian law into an analysis of the repercussions of presidential war powers for human rights.Trade Review“President Bush unlawfully endorsed the use of torture after 9/11 despite categorical prohibitions in both US and international law. Stuart Streichler’s well-documented yet eminently readable new book recounts how Bush endeavored to work around the law while critically examining the larger issues of presidential wartime authority and the challenges of holding top officials accountable for law of war violations. A must-read for anyone concerned about executive war powers and compliance with the rule of law.”—David Glazier, Loyola Marymount University“I found that I kept wanting to turn the pages. Streichler manifests excellent scholarship and, just as importantly, a very accessible writing style.”—Sanford V. Levinson, University of Texas“Streichler does an admirable job of bringing together thousands of pieces of information into a coherent, lucid story. Presidential Accountability in Wartime is a page turner.”—David Luban, Georgetown UniversityTable of Contents Preface Introduction 1. The Law of War 2. The New Paradigm 3. Congress and an Unchecked Presidency 4. The Court versus the Commander in Chief 5. The Torture Debate Conclusion Appendices A: Presidential Memorandum B: Common Article 3 C: War Crimes Act Abbreviations Notes Bibliography Index
£56.95
LUP - University of Michigan Press The Governors Lobbyists
Book SynopsisToday, approximately half of all American states have lobbying offices in Washington, DC, where governors are also represented by their own national, partisan, and regional associations. Jennifer M. Jensen draws on quantitative data, archival research, and more than 100 in-depth interviews to detail the political development o fthis constellation of advocacy organisations.Trade Review“This book is an extremely valuable contribution to our understandingof the key intergovernmental organization in the U.S.—the NationalGovernors Association. Professor Jensen provides a careful and welldocumentedlongitudinal analysis of this important peak associationrepresenting states.” - Carol Weissert, Florida State University
£64.95
The University of Michigan Press Electoral Incentives in Congress
Book SynopsisInvestigates whether legislators in earlier historical eras were motivated by many of the same factors that influence their behaviour today, especially with regard to the pursuit of reelection. In this respect, they examine the role of electoral incentives in shaping legislative behaviour across a wide swath of the nineteenth century.Trade ReviewElectoral Incentives in Congress renews a focus on one of the most important books ever written about Congress, draws together disparate matters that together make up the Congress of the 1800s, and makes a significant contribution to our understanding of legislative and party politics in that era."" - Andrew Taylor, NC State University""The authors present an impressive array of data and evidence to support their arguments . . . this book makes a major contribution to the field of American Political Development."" - Jon R. Bond, Texas A&M University
£64.95
The University of Michigan Press Founding Factions
Book SynopsisTraditional accounts of the 1787 Constitutional Convention gloss over the complicated coalition politics that produced important compromises. Founding Factions helps us understand the nature of shifting majorities and how they created the American government.
£60.95
The University of Michigan Press Isolation and Engagement
Book SynopsisPresidents and their advisors consistently seek to improve the management of foreign policy decision processes. This book analyses administrations from Kennedy to Nixon as they sought to strike a balance between the personal style of the president and the need for a strong interagency structure that could systematically evaluate policy options.Trade Review“This work is an important scholarly contribution. Newmann carefully reconstructs, with meticulous attention to archival sources, case studies of decision making on China policy across the Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon presidencies. Yet there is more: he explores how the evolving decision-making structures and processes of each of these presidents, and the presidential actors themselves, affected policy outcomes. His overall analysis of a dynamic, ‘evolutionary-balanced’ model for understanding presidential choice is intriguing and worthy of attention.” —John P. Burke, John G. McCullough Professor of Political Science Emeritus, University of Vermont “In Isolation and Engagement, William Newmann provides us with invaluable insight into the continual adaptation in the processes of presidential decision making, changes that are driven by the interaction of institutional political forces and idiosyncratic aspects of each president.” —George C. Edwards III, University Distinguished Professor and Jordan Chair Emeritus, Texas AM University, and Distinguished Fellow, University of OxfordTable of Contents List of Figures and Tables Acknowledgments Note on Chinese Transliteration and Sources Chapter One: Introduction Chapter Two: The Evolution-Balance Model Chapter Three: John F. Kennedy: “A Livelier Sense of Duty” Chapter Four: Kennedy and China Chapter Five: Lyndon B. Johnson: “Energy in the Executive” Chapter Six: Johnson and China Chapter Seven: Richard M. Nixon: “If Men Were Angels…” Chapter Eight: Nixon and China Chapter Nine: Conclusion
£73.10
University of California Press State Politics in Zimbabwe
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£63.90
University of California Press Democracy in Captivity
Book SynopsisWho ought to govern those held in custody, and by what right?Democracy in Captivityexamines various efforts to answer these questions, centering on two case studies at custodial institutions: the rise and demise of patient self-governance at St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington, DC, between 1947 and 1965 and the prisoner-organized governance of Massachusetts's Walpole State Prison following a 1973 prison-guard strike. As Christopher D. Berk shows, the promise of these initiatives was tempered by the custodians' backlash to their wards' attempts at self-rule. This backlash arrived not only in the blunt forms of restraint chairs, riot gear, and a surgeon's scalpel but also as more covert measures taken under the cover of so-called democratic managementwhich in turn entrenched disenfranchisement and naturalized authoritarian rule. Turning from these case studies to a wider consideration of custody and democracy, Berk explores pathologies that have captured the politics of punishment, witTable of ContentsContents Acknowledgments 1. Custody and Democracy 2. Patients, Prisoners, Children, and Travelers 3. Mad Politics 4. Community Control in Custody 5. On Prison Democracy 6. Democratic Erosion Notes Bibliography Index
£27.00
John Wiley and Sons Ltd The Good Polity Normative Analysis of the State
Book SynopsisThis volume presents a set of new essays by leading economists, philosophers and political scientists concerned with the normative underpinnings of the state. The Good Polity is devoted to the analysis of detailed substantive issues arising within the normative theory of the state rather than with the exegesis of received views or the polemical statement of alternative positions. The essays are grouped around the themes of democracy, contract and compliance, and the responsibility of the state. Each author provides a detailed and freestanding examination of one aspect of the normative analysis of the state, and the resulting collection clearly displays the growing interaction between academic disciplines. The editors provide an introduction which sets out the analytic prerequisites for the normative theory of the state. The contributors are: Geoffrey Brennan, Joshua Cohen, Partha Dasgupta, Robert Goodin, Alan Hamlin, Russell Hardin, Philip Pettit, Robert Sugden, Albert Weale.Table of ContentsPreface 1. The Normative Analysis of the State: Some Preliminaries Alan Hamlin and Philip Pettit Part I - Democracy 2. Deliberation and Democratic Legitimacy Joshua Cohen 3. The Limits of Democracy Albert Weale 4. Politics with Romance: Towards a Theory of Democratic Socialism Geoffrey Brennan Part II - Contract and Compliance 5. Maximizing Social Welfare: Is it the Government's Business? Robert Sugden 6. Liberty, Contract and the State Alan Hamlin 7. Political Obligation Russell Hardin Part III - The Responsibility of the State 8. The State as a Moral Agent Robert E. Goodin 9. The Freedom of the City: A Republican Ideal Philip Pettit 10. Power and Control in the Good Polity Partha Dasgupta Bibliography Contributors Index.
£35.10
John Wiley and Sons Ltd A History of the Modern British Isles 16031707
Book Synopsisaeo The first volume to be published in a major new textbook series. aeo Provides a coherent analysis of one of the most turbulent and most popular periods of British history. aeo Offers thorough analysis of social and political themes within a chronological overview of the period. aeo Gives full consideration to the a Britisha context.Trade Review"Dr Nicholls has proved to be a resourceful choice ... he delivers an accurate, sensitive and engaging account, never allowing the reader to be lost in the quagmires of scholarly debate." The Historical AssociationTable of ContentsList of Illustrations. List of Maps. List of Genealogical Tables. List of Abbreviations. Preface. 1. 1603: Union of the Crowns. 2. Great Britain's Solomon. 3. The Ascendancy of Buckingham. 4. The Personal Rule of Charles. 5. The Collapse of Multiple Monarchies. 6. War in Three Kingdoms. 7. The British Republic. 8. The Restoration of the British Monarchies. 9. Court and Country. 10. Exclusion and Reaction. 11. A Glorious Revolution?. 12. Britain under William and Anne. 13. 1707: Union of the Kingdom. Bibliographical Essay. Appendices. Index.
£113.00
John Wiley and Sons Ltd Continuity and Change in the Westphalian Order
Book SynopsisThis special issue of International Studies Review focuses on the Westphalian Moment when the modern system of territorially organized states is said to have come into existence.Table of ContentsChanges in the Westphalian Order: Territory, Public Authority, and Sovereignty James A. Caporaso The Westphalian Deferral David L. Blaney and Naeem Inayatullah The End of Empire and the Extension of the Westphalian System: The Normative Basis of the Modern State Order Hendrik Spruyt Popes, Kings, and Endogenous Institutions: The Concordat of Worms and the Origins of Sovereignty Bruce Bueno de Mesquita Environment, Wealth, and Authority: Global Climate Change and Emerging Modes of Legitimation Karen T. Litfin Sovereignty Bargains in Regional Integration Walter Mattli Changing the Rules: Reconceiving Change in the Westphalian System Kurt Burch
£53.15
John Wiley and Sons Ltd State Space
Book SynopsisThis groundbreaking, interdisciplinary volume brings together diverse analyses of state space in historical and contemporary capitalism. The first volume to present an accessible yet challenging overview of the changing geographies of state power under capitalism. A unique, interdisciplinary collection of contributions by major theorists and analysts of state spatial restructuring in the current era. Investigates some of the new political spaces that are emerging under contemporary conditions of globalization''. Explores state restructuring on multiple spatial scales, and from a range of theoretical, methodological and empirical perspectives. Covers a range of topical issues in contemporary geographical political economy. Contains case study material on Western Europe, North America and East Asia, as well as parts of Africa and South America. Trade Review"This useful and interesting reader addresses an emergent research agenda on the production and transformation of state space" Johanna Kantola, Univeristy of BristolTable of ContentsAcknowledgments. Introduction: State Space in Question: Neil Brenner, Bob Jessop, Martin Jones, Gordon MacLeod (New York University; Lancaster University; University of Wales Aberystwyth; University of Durham). Part I: Theoretical Foundations:. 1 Exploration, Cartography and the Modernization of State Power: Marcelo Escolar (Director of the Institute de Geografía). 2 The Autonomous Power of the State: Michael Mann (University of Virginia). 3 The Nation: Nicos Poulantzas. 4 Space and the State: Henri Lefebrve. 5 The State as Container: Territoriality in the Modern World System: Peter J. Taylor (University of Newcastle). Part II: Remaking State Territorialities:. 6 The State of Globalization: Towards a Theory of State Transformation: Martin Shaw (University of Sussex). 7 The Rise of East Asia and the Withering Away of the Interstate System: Giovanni Arrighi (The Johns Hopkins University). 8 The Struggle over European Order: Transnational Class Agency in the Making of 'Embedded Neo-Liberalism'': Bastian Van Apeldoorn. 9 The Imagined Economy: Mapping Transformations in the Contemporary State: Angus Cameron and Ronen Palan (University of Leicester; University of Sussex). 10 Debordering the World of States Towards a Multi-Level System in Europe and a Multi-Polity System in North America? Insights from Border Regions: Joachim K. Blatter (University of Konstanz). 11 Re-articulating Spatial Scale and Temporal Horizons of Trans-border Spaces: Ngai-Ling Sum (University of Lancashire). Part III: Reshaping Political Spaces:. 12 Remaking Scale: Competition and Cooperation in Prenational and Postnational Europe: Neil Smith (Graduate Center and Hunter College). 13 The National and the Regional: Their Autonomy vis-à-vis the Capitalist World Crisis: Alain Lipietz. 14 The Invention of Regions: political restructuring and territorial government in Western Europe: Michael Keating. 15 Globalization Makes States: Local Governance in the Age of the World City: Roger Keil. 16 Cities and Citizenship: James Holston and Arjun Appadurai (University of California, San Diego: University of Chicago). 17 Citizenship, Territoriality and the Gendered Construction of Difference: Nira Yuval-Davis. 18 Shadows and Sovereigns: Caroline Nordstrom. Subject Index. Name Index.
£101.66
John Wiley and Sons Ltd StateSpace A Reader
Book Synopsis* The first volume to present an accessible yet challenging overview of the changing geographies of state power under capitalism. * A unique, interdisciplinary collection of contributions by major theorists and analysts of state spatial restructuring in the current era.Trade Review"This useful and interesting reader addresses an emergent research agenda on the production and transformation of state space" Johanna Kantola, Univeristy of BristolTable of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction: State Space in Question 1 Neil Brenner, Bob Jessop, Martin Jones, and Gordon MacLeod Part I Theoretical Foundations 27 1 Exploration, Cartography and the Modernization of State Power 29 Marcelo Escolar 2 The Autonomous Power of the State: Its Origins, Mechanisms and Results 53 Michael Mann 3 The Nation 65 Nicos Poulantzas 4 Space and the State 84 Henri Lefebvre 5 The State as Container: Territoriality in the Modern World-System 101 Peter J. Taylor Part II Remaking State Territorialities 115 6 The State of Globalization: Towards a Theory of State Transformation 117 Martin Shaw 7 The Rise of East Asia and the Withering Away of the Interstate System 131 Giovanni Arrighi 8 The Struggle over European Order: Transnational Class Agency in the Making of ``Embedded Neo-Liberalism'' 147 Bastiaan van Apeldoorn 9 The Imagined Economy: Mapping Transformations in the Contemporary State 165 Angus Cameron and Ronen Palan 10 Debordering the World of States: Toward a Multi-Level System in Europe and a Multi-Polity System in North America? Insights from Border Regions 185 Joachim K. Blatter 11 Rethinking Globalisation: Re-articulating the Spatial Scale and Temporal Horizons of Trans-Border Spaces 208 Ngai-Ling Sum Part III Reshaping Political Spaces 225 12 Remaking Scale: Competition and Cooperation in Pre-National and Post-National Europe 227 Neil Smith 13 The National and the Regional: Their Autonomy Vis-aÁ-Vis the Capitalist World Crisis 239 Alain Lipietz Government in Western Europe 256 Michael Keating 15 Globalization Makes States: Perspectives on Local Governance in the Age of the World City 278 Roger Keil 16 Cities and Citizenship 296 James Holston and Arjun Appadurai 17 Citizenship, Territoriality and the Gendered Construction of Difference 309 Nira Yuval-Davis 18 Shadows and Sovereigns 326 Carolyn Nordstrom Subject Index 344 Name Index 354
£32.25
Harvard University Press State and Economy in Republican China
Book SynopsisThis manual for students focuses on archival research in the economic and business history of the Republican era (19111949). Following a general discussion of archival research and research aids for the Republican period, the handbook introduces the collections of archives in the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China on Taiwan.
£46.71
Harvard University Press We the People
Book SynopsisThis text argues that constitutional change, seemingly so orderly, and refined, has in fact been a revolutionary process from the first. It sets contemporary events, such as the Reagan revolution, in deeper, constitutional perspective and considers fundamental reforms that might resolve them.Trade ReviewIt sounds rather, well, unconstitutional to say the Constitution can be ignored when great issues are at stake, so long as the People are on your side. But that concept, according to Mr. Ackerman, is the key to understanding our constitutional system...Mr. Ackerman is attempting [a] revolution in the way we look at constitutional law. It's a massive endeavor...[which] mates history and legal theory at a time when specialization has sent the two disciplines in different directions...[It has] drawn much praise--Sanford Levinson, of the University of Texas's law school, has called it 'The most important project now under way in the entire field of constitutional theory'...This is one professor, it's safe to say, who couldn't be accused of dodging the big questions. -- Christopher Shea * The Chronicle of Higher Education *We the People: Transformations is a welcome return to a sort of constitutional and political history that is no longer fashionable in the academy, where social history is now ascendant. It is, in addition, a lively and informative read. -- Adam Wolfson * Commentary *[Bruce Ackerman's] particular constitutional focus is Article Five, that lays down the rules for the process of constitutional amendments, and how "We the people" have transformed the constitution in ways not laid down by such rules in the three most significant constitutional processes in American history: 1787, Reconstruction, and the New Deal...[This] book may serve as an instance of American Studies at its very best...Ackerman's analyses and arguments may at times be controversial but they are always clearly and convincingly expressed. Running through its narrative and serving to make it a compelling one is the story of how the United States has developed from a federation of states to a nation. -- Orm Overland * American Studies in Europe *We the People offers a thoroughly researched, provocative, and passionate counterpoint to the now stale debate over original intent as a guide to constitutional understanding. -- Kermit L. Hall * Journal of American History *This is a superb, provocative, and often gripping account of how We the People mobilize to produce constitutional change. A wonderful blend of history, political science, and constitutional law, this volume attempts to vindicate Ackerman's striking claim that the Civil War and the New Deal inaugurated large-scale constitutional transformations. -- Cass Sunstein, University of Chicago Law SchoolTwo myths sustain the American people, Ackerman suggests. The first holds that the federal government consistently ignores the will of the people, whose mandate must constantly be pressed against its compromised and uncompromising leaders. The second is that our Constitution is so artfully constructed that changing it, for good or bad, is nearly impossible. Drawing on subtle legal argument and a solid command of history, Ackerman goes on to suggest that although the first scenario may seem to be accurate, the second is certainly not; governments have frequently bent the Constitution to serve their ideological ends...Readers well grounded in constitutional law will find Ackerman's arguments fascinating and provocative. * Kirkus Reviews *In an analysis which is by turns breezy, scholarly and impassioned, Ackerman investigates the origins of those 'transformative moments' in the past when the American people have engaged in a 'deepening institutional dialogue' with political elites to adapt and renew the United States Constitution, thereby reaffirming and extending popular sovereignty…The energy and learning with which its case is advanced make Transformations the most provocative intellectual history of constitutional issues published in many a year. -- Peter Thompson * English Historical Review *Table of Contents* Acknowledgments Part 1: In the Beginning * Higher Lawmaking * Reframing the Founding * The Founding Precedent Part 2: Reconstruction * Formalist Dilemmas * Presidential Leadership * The Convention/Congress * Interpreting the Mandate * The Great Transformation Part 3: Modernity * From Reconstruction to New Deal * Rethinking the New Deal * The Missing Amendments * Rediscovery or Creation? * Reclaiming the Constitution * Frequently Cited Works * Notes * Index
£29.66
Harvard University Press Controlling the State
Book SynopsisGordon explores the main venues of constitutional practice in ancient Athens, Republican Rome, Renaissance Venice, the Dutch Republic, seventeenth-century England, and eighteenth-century America—and describes how constitutionalism has developed since then into the modern concept of constitutional democracy.Trade ReviewWhile not defending any particular version of constitutionalism as best, Gordon argues persuasively that some form of constitutional government is necessary for both prosperity and the preservation of individual liberty. -- R. Hudelson * Choice *An unusually sweeping book...[Gordon] provides a...concise and accessible introduction to the history of constitutional government ... Particularly valuable for its distinctive emphasis on countervailing power as the cornerstone of constitutional governance and its broad survey of the practice and idea of constitutionalism over the course of Western history. -- Keith E. Whittington * Law and Politics Book Review *Table of ContentsPreface Introduction 1. The Doctrine of Sovereignty The Classical Doctrine of Sovereignty The People as Sovereign Parliament as Sovereign Critics of Sovereignty 2. Athenian Democracy Constitutional Development The Athenian Political System The Theory of the Athenian Constitution The Doctrine of Mixed Government The Constitutional Totalitarianism of Sparta 3. The Roman Republic The Development of the Republic, and Its Fall The Political System of the Republic Theoretical Interpretation of the Republican System 4. Countervailance Theory in Medieval Law, Catholic Ecclesiology, and Huguenot Political Theory Canon Law and Roman Law Catholic Ecclesiology and the Conciliar Movement The Huguenot Political Theorists 5. The Republic of Venice Venice and Europe The Venetian System of Government Venetian Constitutionalism Church and State The Myth of Venice Venice, Mixed Government, and Jean Bodin 6. The Dutch Republic The Golden Age of the Dutch Republic The Political History of the Republic, 1566-1814 The Republican Political System Dutch Political Theory 7. The Development of Constitutional Government and Countervailance Theory in Seventeenth-Century England Religious Toleration and Civic Freedom The Roles of Parliament "Mixed Government" and the Countervailance Model The Early Stuart Era From the Civil War to the Revolution of 1688 The Provenance of English Countervailance Theory The Eighteenth Century, and Montesquieu 8. American Constitutionalism The Political Theory of the American Revolution The State Constitutions The National Constitution The Bill of Rights and the Judiciary A Note on Provenance 9. Modern Britain Archaic Remnants: The Monarchy and the House of Lords The House of Commons and the Cabinet The Bureaucracy The Judiciary Unofficial Political Institutions: Pressure Groups Epilogue References Index
£34.81
Harvard University, Asia Center Dividing the Realm in Order to Govern
Book SynopsisThis book uses Song China to explain how a pre-industrial regime organized itself spatially in order to exercise authority. By detailing the relationship between the court and local administration, Mostern complicates the received paradigm of Song centralization and decentralization.
£35.66
Harvard University Press Americas Forgotten Constitutions
Book SynopsisRobert Tsai’s history invites readers into the circle of defiant groups who refused to accept the Constitution’s definition of who “We the People” are and how their authority should be exercised. It is the story of America as told by dissenters: squatters, Native Americans, abolitionists, socialists, internationalists, and racial nationalists.Trade ReviewEngaging to read… [Tsai’s] picture is far richer than the grim founder worship usually found in American political orthodoxy… For Tsai’s constitution writers, the U.S. Constitution stands as an obligatory model, something they necessarily define themselves in relation to. All designed some sort of republic. All detailed mechanisms for ‘popular decision making, divided powers, and enumerated rights.’ And all, in the end, underline just how largely the Constitution figures in the American political imagination: less a charter of freedom than a document of power. -- Tom Arnold-Foster * Daily Beast *Offers a refreshing and innovative take on a centuries-old topic… These stories of ‘forgotten constitutions’ offer a tantalizing glimpse into the power of the written word in shaping American political discourse and ideas, both popular and philosophical, about American society. This is not merely a collection of assorted oddities or constitutional anecdotes from America’s political margins, however. Taken together, they comprise a chronological narrative of some of the key issues galvanizing political activism throughout the past 200 years of American history… By exploring the efforts of those who went beyond mere intellectual debate, and who actually tried to build alternative nations or states within the U.S., Tsai offers a unique vantage into the ideological struggles underpinning American history and politics… These constitutional efforts all represent efforts by everyday Americans to take charge of the society immediately surrounding them, express their grievances with the status quo and literally re-write the conditions of their lives. -- Hans Rollman * PopMatters *Offers an enlightening, refreshing take on constitutional history that is accessible to legal veterans and newcomers alike. * Harvard Law Review *Tsai recovers extensive and diverse traditions of alternative constitution writing from across the political spectrum. He thus highlights the deep plurality of American constitutional culture as well as the centrality of dissident chords in shaping our legal and political institutions. The book is a remarkable feat of excavation, one that offers a much-needed corrective to the conventional histories of American constitutionalism—histories that deemphasize the vitality and importance of popular suspicion toward the federal Constitution. -- Aziz Rana * Texas Law Review *Magisterial…surely one of the most captivating works on American political thought and American constitutional history to be written in the last several years. -- Susan McWilliams * Tulsa Law Review *Tsai examines eight instances of dissenting constitutions written by groups representing cultural attitudes out of the norm seeking unconventional sovereignty… The author succinctly explains each of these constitutions with the thoroughness of a legal mind and writing that avoids legalese. * Kirkus Reviews *Tsai has selected eight transformative legal texts to show how legality and social process interact in dissident communities and diverse settings. The documents represent an astonishing array of ideologies from utopian socialism and internationalism to Confederate and black power movements. Using an analytical framework based on categories of sovereignty and self-rule, each chapter considers the historical significance and dynamic growth of its community, culminating in marginalization or integration of its philosophies into the broader legal and political culture of this nation. The organization is historical, beginning with 19th-century social campaigns to nascent Aryan nation communities. The author successfully demonstrates the difficulties of establishing and maintaining alternative legal cultures even with strong, visionary leadership… A deft, readable investigation of this country’s complex legal traditions with lessons for contemporary fringe groups. * Library Journal *Tsai’s recovery of the constitutional plans of dissenting political communities challenges our sense of a stable constitutional history. America’s Forgotten Constitutions masterfully exposes the disturbingly shaky foundations of constitutional identity; yet it also shows the (mildly reassuring) consistency of constitutional thinking, even among white supremacists, land-grabbers, and moralistic ideologues. -- Sarah Barringer Gordon, author of The Spirit of the Law: Religious Voices and the Constitution in Modern AmericaFor two centuries, dissenters from the American mainstream have drawn inspiration from the U.S. Constitution—and chafed at it. Tsai elegantly maps the margins of our constitutional landscape to reveal one of the Framers’ great forgotten legacies. A brilliantly conceived book. -- John Fabian Witt, author of Lincoln’s Code: The Laws of War in American History
£31.41
Harvard University, Asia Center Maos Invisible Hand
Book SynopsisObservers have been predicting the demise of China's Communist state since Mao's death. Yet policymakers have managed the fastest sustained economic expansion in world history. This book shows that many contemporary techniques of governance have their roots in experimental policy generation and implementation dating to the revolution and early PRC.Trade ReviewMao’s Invisible Hand is one of those books that make one feel good about scholarship. It describes inner workings of Chinese Communist society about which few nonexperts know anything—it may even surprise the experts—and it will interest anyone professionally interested in China. Its central purpose is to explain how China has escaped the disintegration of other Communist states. -- Jonathan Mirsky * New York Review of Books *This is one of the most insightful and thought-provoking books published in recent years on the critical questions about China’s developmental path and the role of history. -- Chen Xi * China Beat *One of the most sophisticated works of this sort. -- Jeffrey Wasserstrom * Miller-McCune.com *
£22.46
Harvard University Press Obama and Americas Political Future The Alexis De
Book SynopsisObamaâs 2008 victory, coming amid the greatest economic crisis since the 1930s, opened the door to major reforms. But he quickly faced skepticism from supporters and fierce opposition from Republicans. What happened? Skocpol surveys the political landscape to help us to understand Obamaâs triumphs and setbacks and see where we might be headed next.Trade ReviewSkocpol's incisive account of the first two years of the Obama presidency's "new New Deal" begins by highlighting contrasts with the original New Deal era. She emphasizes significant contextual differences (economic conditions, media biases, public attitudes toward government) that would have daunted FDR himself, who, unlike Obama, enjoyed bipartisan support at the beginning of his administration…Informed by pathbreaking research on the Tea Party, Skocpol's provocative, original, and lively analysis is supplemented by contributions from Larry M. Bartels, Mickey Edwards, and Suzanne Mettler. Anyone who is passionately concerned about politics and prefers thoughtful discussion to polemic will find this book invaluable. * Publishers Weekly *Did America sweep into office a candidate promising to remake health care and then punish him a mere two years later for doing just that? More complicated factors were at work, and the Harvard sociologist and political scientist Theda Skocpol attempts to unravel them in Obama and America's Political Future...Whatever is happening with the Democrats, Skocpol's take-home message is that we need to recognize the substantial rightward slide of the Republican Party--a fact that she says has only been underscored by Mitt Romney's choice of Paul Ryan as his running mate...In the book, Skocpol homes in on the Tea Party, the members of which she and her colleagues have spent many hours interviewing. She's careful to draw a nuanced view of them, to explain that they are not the strict anti-government activists many make them out to be. -- Jesse Singal * Daily Beast *If you read only one book about Obama this electoral season, read Obama and America's Political Future, the slim volume that includes Skocpol's essay and three smart responses. Together, they rise above the tick-tocks and polemics that characterize too much of the United States' political writing. -- Chrystia Freeland * New York Times *A crisp, intelligent report card on Obama's domestic-policy record. -- John T. McGreevy * Commonweal *
£32.36
Harvard University Press Diary of Charles Francis Adams: Volume 8
Book SynopsisTable of ContentsDescriptive List of Illustrations Introduction 1. Charles Francis Adams, Diarist, 1836-1840 2. The Manuscripts and the Editorial Method Acknowledgments Guide to Editorial Apparatus 1. Textual Devices 2. Adams Family Code Names 3. Descriptive Symbols 4. Location Symbols 5. Other Abbreviations and Conventional Terms 6. Short Titles of Works Frequently Cited Diary of Charles Francis Adams, June 1836--February 1838
£128.76
Harvard University Press To Rouse the Slumbering Land
Book SynopsisThis is the sixth and final volume collecting the letters of an outstanding figure in American history. During the years when these letters were written, Garrison was secure, both financially and in his reputation as distinguished abolitionist. Although officially retired, he remained vigorously concerned with issues crucial to him--the relationship of the races, woman suffrage, temperance, national and international affairs, and, above all, his family. He writes about the Alabama Claims and the proposed annexation of Santo Domingo, aligning himself with the Radical Republicans. His letters support President Grant, despite the charges of corruption that surrounded him, but his public views on Rutherford B. Hayes change from cautious optimism to condemnation. He is saddened by the return to power in the South of the white ruling class, and to the end of his life he is deeply involved with the plight of minority groups in the country. The center of Garrison's life was his family, and his correspondence reveals the ways his days passed in association with those nearest to him. There is evidence of friction in the family, but his relationships are warm and loving. His private letters tell of the death of his wife in 1875 and his failing health. He died in 1879, an old reformer still fighting for the rights of humanity.Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Editorial Statement Abbreviations of Works Cited Letters 1868-1879 Calendar of Letters Known 1868-1879 Index of Recipients Index of Names
£98.36
Harvard University Press Papers of John Adams
Book SynopsisThese volumes document John Adams's thinking and actions during the final years of his congressional service and take him through his first five months as a Commissioner in France in association with Benjamin Franklin and Arthur Lee.Trade ReviewThese two volumes…bring the corpus of Adams family materials available in a modern letterpress edition to twenty-eight superb volumes. Just as earlier volumes in this series gave an object lesson on how determined men initiated and justified a revolution for political independence, these two illustrate in detail how many of the same men sustained that revolution. The nearly six hundred documents printed and calendared here are more than a record of the activities of John Adams; they are a cross section, with Adams as the epicenter, of the multitude of particular details that had to be attended to in making the struggle for independence successful. -- Constance B. Schulz * Journal of Southern History *Two by two emerge the volumes from the Adams family manuscripts reposing at the Massachusetts Historical Society. And with the publication of every pair we have reason for gratitude, pleasure, and even awe… Taylor, Lint, and Walker guide us through manuscripts from two of the most exciting years in John Adams’ life and in the history of a struggling new nation. These volumes show what Adams himself contended, that his role at home and abroad during the Revolutionary era was more significant than was generally understood… As these newest volumes of John Adams papers show, no more important editorial and publishing undertaking exists than that of the Adams Papers. Anyone who has struggled through all the microfilm reels of unedited Adams Papers emerges knowing that these amazing manuscripts contain the broadest and most rewarding vantage point we have to view more than a century of American history. -- Paul C. Nagel * New England Quarterly *Table of ContentsVOLUME 5 Descriptive List of Illustrations Introduction 1. "Weary...almost with my Life" 2. Adams in France 3. Notes on Editorial Method Acknowledgements Guide to Editorial Apparatus 1. Textual Devices 2. Adams Family Code Names 3. Descriptive Symbols 4. Location Symbols 5. Other Abbreviations and Conventional Terms 6. Short Titles of Works Frequently Cited Papers of John Adams, August 1776-March 1778 VOLUME 6 Descriptive List of Illustrations Papers of John Adams, March-August 1778 Index
£208.76
Harvard University Press Overreach Delusions of Regime Change in Iraq
Book SynopsisIn the run-up to the Iraq invasion, a number of Americans thought the idea was crazy. Now everyone, except a few die-hards, thinks it was. So what was going through the minds of the talented and experienced men and women who planned and initiated the war? What were their assumptions? Overreach aims to recover those presuppositions.Trade ReviewExcellent… MacDonald is profoundly and chillingly right in his diagnosis of the mentality that ultimately set this disastrous chain of events in motion. -- James B. Rule * Dissent *In Overreach, MacDonald methodically dissects the top ten reasons most often used to explain why the war was a failure, and in the process shows each to be self-serving, inadequate, misleading—or all of the above. He does the same for explanations of why we went to war in the first place. -- Scott Beauchamp * Bookforum *MacDonald demonstrates vigorously and with intellectual clarity why the tenets of American exceptionalism do not usually translate to other areas of the world, with Iraq being just one example. A useful analysis of failed American military initiatives that could inform future debates about interventions in traditionally despotic nations that are also split among historically hostile religious factions. * Kirkus Reviews *With gloomily apt timing, as U.S. bombs drop once again on a now deeply fractured Iraq, international relations specialist MacDonald analyzes the usual explanations for why the Bush administration launched its invasion of Iraq in 2003 and finds them lacking. MacDonald argues that, beyond oil, the Israeli lobby, or Bush family history, the Iraq War and its horrific outcomes owe their existence to a more general trait in U.S. foreign policy, namely, a tendency to equate the country’s values with its interests. * Publishers Weekly *Overreach is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand how and why the project of ‘regime change’ in Iraq not only failed, but was incoherent from the outset. With his characteristic political acumen, meticulous research practices, and marvelously lucid prose, MacDonald reveals the tragic political (not cultural!) blindness suffered by American architects of that project. This is a gripping, sad, and immensely important story. -- Wendy Brown, University of California, BerkeleyIt is easy to forget how many supported the Iraq War in 2002 and 2003. For anyone who wants to remember what happened—and what went wrong—this is an absorbing read. We misunderstood Iraq and the war, MacDonald shows, because we misunderstood ourselves—profoundly and tragically. -- Russell Muirhead, Dartmouth College
£32.36
Harvard University Press We the People
Book SynopsisIntegrating themes from American history, political science, and philosophy, We the People confronts popular sovereignty in America. Rejecting arguments of judicial activists, proceduralists, and neoconservatives, Ackerman’s new model of judicial interpretation synthesizes the constitutional contributions of many generations into a coherent whole.Trade Review[We the People] cuts through the futile and absurd search for the ‘original intent of the founders’ as the way to discover the will of the people. It recognizes that the great and extraordinary occasions required for action by the people have not been confined to a single instance in the eighteenth century. It deflates the pretensions of politicians in normal politics but magnifies the importance of political leadership in mobilizing popular support for constitutional politics when constitutional politics is needed. It gives pragmatic meaning to government of, by, and for the elusive, invisible, inaudible, but sovereign people. -- Edmund S. Morgan * New York Review of Books *This book is one of the most important contributions to American constitutional thought in the last half-century. -- Cass R. Sunstein * New Republic *We the People can be recommended to anyone seeking a readable and complete introduction to the state of current Constitutional thought. Its analysis of the constraints on past and present judges and legal theorists, and the weaknesses in a panoply of jurisprudential positions is lucid and elegant. -- Stephen Presser * Chicago Tribune *The most important project now underway in the entire field of constitutional theory…to be published in this decade…indeed, perhaps in the past half-century… Ackerman posits a complex process of ‘Publian politics’ where ‘We the People’ become authorized to change the Constitution without ever invoking the procedures laid out in Article V… We the People can also lay claim to being the most significant work in ‘constructive’ American political thought since Louis Hartz’s The Liberal Tradition in America, published some 35 years ago… Ackerman is reopening the question about ‘American exceptionalism’ and arguing, with extraordinary vigor, that American political development is indeed importantly different from European and other models. -- Sanford Levinson, University of Texas School of Law[We the People is] one of the most distinguished works on the American Constitution since World War II. It combines law, political theory, political science—and even a little economics—with a rare attention to history, and it does so while developing an extremely innovative and original argument, one that has a solid claim to acceptance… There is no doubt that the book will be highly influential. I think that it will significantly alter the way that people think and talk about the American Constitution… The book is extremely well-written. Indeed, it successfully carries out the most unusual task of making difficult matters accessible to an extremely wide audience… This is a truly distinguished contribution to constitutional thought, one that will reorient the field in major ways. -- Cass R. Sunstein, University of Chicago Law SchoolTable of ContentsAcknowledgments PART 1: DISCOVERING THE CONSTITUTION 1. Dualist Democracy 2. The Bicentennial Myth 3. One Constitution, Three Regimes 4. The Middle Republic 5. The Modern Republic 6. The Possibility of Interpretation PART 2: NEO-FEDERALISM 7. Publius 8. The Lost Revolution 9. Normal Politics 10. Higher Lawnmaking 11. Why Dualism? Notes Index
£26.96
Harvard University Press The Federal Judiciary
Book SynopsisNo sitting federal judge has ever written so trenchant a critique of the federal judiciary as Richard A. Posner does in this, his most confrontational book. He exposes the failures of the institution designed by the founders to check congressional and presidential power and resist its abuse, and offers practical prescriptions for reform.Trade ReviewThe book is an interesting and boldly written tour of the judicial branch of the federal government. -- Thomas Filbin * Arts Fuse *[Posner’s] call to arms against originalism and outdated procedures in the American judicial system are as urgently relevant as they have ever been…The Federal Judiciary is very much worth reading. Posner demonstrates beyond a reasonable doubt that originalism is a bankrupt legal philosophy. He reminds us that eighteenth century Americans could not foresee NSA spying, lethal injections, or public sector unions…Posner demonstrates as well that Justice Scalia, the emperor of originalism, had no clothes. Indeed, Posner cites several cases in which Scalia abandoned originalism when it got in the way of a result he preferred. -- Glenn C. Altschuler * Huffington Post *Persuasive…Serious-minded readers who relish an intellectually challenging read…will appreciate Posner’s reasoning. * Publishers Weekly *Posner’s newest book is a delightfully iconoclastic critique of ideas many judges and academics hold dear, full of interesting, original, and wide-ranging claims for reform in the federal judiciary and law school teaching. -- Victoria Nourse, author of Misreading Law, Misreading DemocracyIn this book on the federal judiciary, Judge Posner takes aim at every sacred legal cow: the Supreme Court and its Justices; law schools; the existence, even desirability, of apolitical judges. His critique of the federal bench as dangerously enthralled to backward-looking judicial standpattism will be controversial, as will his proposals for reform, but they cannot be ignored. -- William D. Popkin, Indiana University Maurer School of Law[Posner’s] persistent assault on the sanctimony and pomposity of federal judicial culture is acutely entertaining, signaling to some of his more arrogant colleagues that they’re not as important or intelligent as they might think…His frank irritability is strangely charming, and charmingly strange. The federal judiciary has lost a maverick but gained a needed detractor. -- Allen Mendenhall * Los Angeles Review of Books *
£32.36
