Constitution: government and the state Books

Book SynopsisSmugglers and Saints of the Sahara describes life on and around the contemporary border between Algeria and Mali, exploring current developments in a broad historical and socioeconomic context. Basing her findings on long-term fieldwork with trading families, truckers, smugglers and scholars, Judith Scheele investigates the history of contemporary patterns of mobility from the late nineteenth century to the present. Through a careful analysis of family ties and local economic records, this book shows how long-standing mobility and interdependence have shaped not only local economies, but also notions of social hierarchy, morality and political legitimacy, creating patterns that endure today and that need to be taken into account in any empirically-grounded study of the region.Trade Review'The Sahara is neither a romantic land of luxury-laden camel caravans nor a vast empty darkness hiding the likes of al-Qa'ida. Judith Scheele's Sahara is the most dynamic 'space' in today's Africa, one brought alive by ceaselessly expanding and contracting human networks that invest in 'place' even as mobility defines 'community'. Scheele brings us into al-Khalil, the infamous Malian-Algerian-frontier trans-shipment centre where 'men are men', virtue non-existent and 'family-loyalty' the definition of survival. She introduces us to the multi-national work teams of enormous transport trucks that criss-cross the desert with foodstuffs, cigarettes and cocaine, licit and illicit loads side-by-side, protected by always-present AK-47s. During sixteen months, Scheele … observed, questioned, interviewed … [and] accessed family-held Arabic documents … Scholarship is impressive, arguments convincing; this is the book many who know the Sahara will wish they had written.' E. Ann McDougall, University of Alberta'[This] is an informative book based on tireless multisite research in local and colonial archives and among long-distance entrepreneurs, dispersed families and itinerant communities. Scheele approaches Saharan truck stops and oasis towns as dynamic nodes dependent on constant interchange with other nodes that together form a web of 'Saharan connectivity'. This is a must-read for anyone interested in the region and in carrying out trans-Saharan fieldwork.' Ghislaine Lydon, University of California, Los AngelesTable of Contents1. Founding saints and moneylenders: regional ecologies and oasis settlement; 2. Saints on trucks: Algerian traders and settlement in the biblād al-sūdān; 3. Dates, cocaine, and AK 47s: moral conundrums on the Algero–Malian border; 4. Struggles over encompassment: hierarchy, genealogies, and their contemporary use; 5. Universal law and local containment: assemblies, qudāh and the quest for civilisation; 6. Settlement, mobility, and the daily pitfalls of Saharan cosmopolitanism; Conclusion: Saharan connectivity and the 'swamp of terror'; Glossary; References; Index.

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Book SynopsisCharting the turbulent history of US-North Korea relations from the 1960s to 2010, Van Jackson surveys the role of reputation to understand why most - but not all - North Korean threats are dismissed and why their acts of unreciprocated violence against more powerful states do not lead to war.Table of Contents1. Introduction; 2. The 'reputations in rivalry' framework; 3. The USS Pueblo crisis (1968); 4. The EC-121 shoot-down (1969); 5. The Panmunjom crisis (1976); 6. The North Korean nuclear crisis (1993–4); 7. Nuclear conflict and North-South provocations; 8. Implications for theory and policy; Bibliography; Index.

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Book SynopsisDo elections turn people into democratic citizens? Elections have long been seen as a way to foster democracy, development and security in Africa, with many hoping that the secret ballot would transform states. Adopting a new approach that focusses on the moral economy of elections, Nic Cheeseman, Gabrielle Lynch and Justin Willis show how elections are shaped by competing visions of what it means to be a good leader, bureaucrat or citizen. Using a mixed-methods study of elections in Ghana, Kenya and Uganda, they explore moral claims made by officials, politicians, civil society, international observers and voters themselves. This radical new lens reveals that elections are the site of intense moral contestation, which helps to explain why there is such vigourous participation in processes that often seem flawed. Demonstrating the impact of these debates on six decades of electoral practice, they explain why the behaviour of those involved so frequently transgresses national law and inTrade Review'A fresh and nuanced exploration of elections in Africa through the lens of moral virtue. How do political actors – citizens, politicians, officials – endeavor to 'do the right thing' (as they see it) about voting, seeking office and managing the polls? Using multiple research methods, the authors uncover a range of complex popular conceptions of good leadership and proper elections. They find that, in resolving tensions between civic virtue and patrimonial obligation, many Africans are constructing forms of political accountability that are culturally authentic.' Michael Bratton, Michigan State University'Cheeseman, Lynch and Willis critically examine the behavior of key actors in Africa's electoral processes. Drawing on the tension between civil and patrimonial registers, this book offers new and provocative insights into the dynamics of African elections. Highly relevant for students and scholars of African politics and beyond.' Sebastian Elischer, University of Florida'A timely and important book on ideas of virtue and the moral economy of elections in Africa. It is comprehensive in its comparison of Ghana, Kenya, and Uganda and is an essential read for scholars of politics.' Peace A. Medie, University of Bristol'Why do people invest time, money and energy in elections that are not free and fair? This provocative book draws on careful research in Kenya, Uganda and Ghana to persuasively argue that a politics of virtue is at play, in which both voters and politicians use elections to stake out moral claims. The book, which challenges conventional understandings of elections, such as those that focus on patrimonial and ethnic politics, is certain to gain recognition as one of the most important theoretical works on African politics.' Aili Mari Tripp, University of Wisconsin, Madison'Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates. Graduate students and faculty.' C. E. Welch, ChoiceTable of ContentsIntroduction. Writing African elections; 1. Towards a moral economy of elections in Africa; 2. Elections, states and citizens: a history of the ballot in Ghana, Kenya and Uganda; Part I. Promoting Civic Virtue: National Exercises: 3. Making states and citizens through the ballot; 4. The eyes of the world are upon us: the aspirations and limitations of international election observation; 5. Creating democrats: Civil society and voter education; Part II. The Moral Economy in Action: 6. Performing virtue: politicians, leadership and election campaigns; 7. Navigating multiple moralities: popular expectations and experiences of the polls; 9. Conclusion: the electoral fallacy revisited.

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Book SynopsisIn From Media Systems to Media Cultures: Understanding Socialist Television, Sabina Mihelj and Simon Huxtable delve into the fascinating world of television under communism, using it to test a new framework for comparative media analysis. To understand the societal consequences of mass communication, the authors argue that we need to move beyond the analysis of media systems, and instead focus on the role of the media in shaping cultural ideals and narratives, everyday practices and routines. Drawing on a wealth of original data derived from archival sources, programme and schedule analysis, and oral history interviews, the authors show how communist authorities managed to harness the power of television to shape new habits and rituals, yet failed to inspire a deeper belief in communist ideals. This book and their analysis contains important implications for the understanding of mass communication in non-democratic settings, and provides tools for the analysis of media cultures globallTrade Review'From Media Systems to Media Cultures is a wonderful contribution to comparative media studies. It theorizes the complex and little-known world of state socialist television, and provides a compelling example of what it means to compare media cultures, and how this is related to the study of media systems.' Daniel C. Hallin, University of California, San Diego'This ambitious volume performs exemplary comparative research on socialist television, shifting the emphasis from media systems to media cultures. This book makes a major contribution to the study of mass communication under authoritarian rule and is a significant intervention in global communication and media research.' Aniko Imre, author of TV Socialism'This book fruitfully uses the state socialist TV landscape to reset our notions of media culture across diverse national contexts. Refracting the idea of comparative media through the gaze of entangled modernities, it complicates existing understandings of Cold War TV and recasts it in terms more consonant with culture. A creative and generative study that promises to have decisive impact on how we think about comparative media research.' Barbie Zelizer, Raymond Williams Professor of Communication, University of Pennsylvania'In this pioneering, deeply researched and remarkably wide-ranging study, Mihelj and Huxtable have brought the insights of media studies to bear on the history of socialist television. They are sensitive to cultural particularities but always alive to comparisons and connections, both between individual socialist countries and between socialist 'East' and liberal democratic 'West'. Historians and theorists of Western media will have much to learn from this book as they reflect on their own fields.' Stephen Lovell, King's College LondonTable of Contents1. Introduction; 2. Media cultures; 3. Historical context; 4. Varieties of modernity; 5. Publications; 6. Privacy; 7. Transnationalism; 8. Everyday time; 9. History; 10. Extraordinary time; 11. Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisThis Element aims to provide an overview of Thai politics with an up-to-date discussion of the characteristics of political regimes, political economy, and identity and mobilization that are grounded in historical analysis stretching back to the formation of the modern nation state.

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A comprehensive and detail-oriented analysis of the rule of law in the Islamic Republic of Iran and its social, political and historical contexts. The interdisciplinary and comparative nature of the book appeals to readers at the crossroads of comparative law, social science, Middle East and Islamic studies.

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Book SynopsisAn original textbook providing a much-needed new perspective on how the European Union's policies and institutions have changed in light of the multiple crises and transformations since 2010. Its unique critical perspective will appeal to undergraduate and graduate students of politics and European studies taking courses on the politics of the EU.Trade Review'In this textbook, leading EU scholars provide a comprehensive account of how EU institutions and policies have changed during and after the multiple crises the EU has been facing since 2008.' Prof. Dr Tanja A. Börzel, Chair for European Integration at the Otto-Suhr-Institute for Political Science, Freie Universität Berlin'A textbook for the troubled times in which we live, placing those troubles at the very heart of the analysis. Exciting, innovative, timely and, above all, honest in its analysis, this is the new key reference for all students of European integration and disintegration.' Colin Hay, Professor of Political Sciences in the Centre for European Studies and Comparative Politics, Sciences Po, Paris'This exciting new book studies the European Union by incorporating the many challenges that it is facing, in a host of policy-making areas, whether they be the Brexit, politicization of European integration, or the legacies of the migration and financial crises. It also examines the ongoing issues ahead: differentiation, social inequalities and what the EU can do to improve global governance. This much-awaited book provides a novel take on European integration in the current challenging times and is bound to become a very important must-read book for students, researchers and practitioners.' Amy Verdun, Professor of Political Science, University of VictoriaTable of ContentsForeword; Chronology; Glossary; Abbreviations; 1. The European Union as a political regime, a set of policies and a community after the crisis: an overview Ramona Coman, Amandine Crespy and Vivien Schmidt; Part I. The EU's political regime: 2. European regional integration from the 20th to the 21st century Kiran Klaus Patel; 3. Institutions and decision-making in the European Union Sergio Fabbrini; 4. Regulatory networks and policy communities Jacob Hasselbalch and Eleni Tsingou; 5. Old and new concepts of EU governance: intergovernmentalism, supranationalism, and parliamentarism Vivien A. Schmidt; Part II. Key policy areas in flux: 6. Cohesion and the EU budget: is conditionality undermining solidarity? John Bachtler and Carlos Mendez; 7. Agriculture and environment: greening or greenwashing? Gerry Alons; 8. The internal market: increasingly differentiated? Michelle Egan; 9. The European Monetary Union: how did the Euro area get a lender of last resort? Cornel Ban; 10. Social policy: is the EU doing enough to tackle inequalities? Amandine Crespy; 11: Labour markets and mobility: how to reconcile competitiveness and social justice László Andor; 12: Managing the refugee crisis: a divided and restrictive Europe? Sarah Wolff; 13: Security in the Schengen Area: limiting rights and freedoms? Julien Jeandesboz; 14: Trade policy: which gains for which losses? Ferdi De Ville; 15. Global tax governance: is the EU promoting tax justice? Rasmus Corlin Christensen and Len Seabrooke; 16. The common security and defence policy in transition: towards 'strategic autonomy'? Jolyon Howorth; Part III: Existential debates: 17. North and south, east and west: is it possible to bridge the gap? Kristin Makszin, Gergő Medve-Bálint and Dorothee Bohle; 18. Democracy and the rule of law: how can the EU uphold its common values? Ramona Coman; 19. Democracy and disintegration: does the state of democracy in the EU put the integrity of the Union at risk? Joseph Lacey and Kalypso Nicolaïdis; Appendices; Index.

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Book SynopsisWhat explains the explosive growth of school vouchers in the last two decades? In America''s Voucher Politics, Ursula Hackett shows that the voucher movement is rooted in America''s foundational struggles over religion, race, and the role of government versus the private sector. Drawing upon original datasets, archival materials, and more than one hundred interviews, Hackett shows that policymakers and political advocates use strategic policy design and rhetoric to hide the role of the state when their policy goals become legally controversial. For over sixty years of voucher litigation, white supremacists, accommodationists, and individualists have deployed this strategy of attenuated governance in court. By learning from previous mistakes and anticipating downstream effects, policymakers can avoid painful defeats, gain a secure legal footing, and entrench their policy commitments despite the surging power of rivals. An ideal case study, education policy reflects multiple axes of conflict in American politics and demonstrates how policy learning unfolds over time.Trade Review'This theoretically rich, empirically compelling analysis shows how conservatives have used devilishly clever, evolving policy designs and obfuscating rhetorical strategies to achieve their goal of limiting the role of government and breaking unions. A seminal contribution to American political development, public policy, public law, and education policy which I read with awe.' Andrea Louise Campbell, Massachusetts Institute of Technology'America's Voucher Politics answers one of the most interesting policy puzzles of our time: how did school vouchers go from the fringes to the mainstream? As important as that question is, however, this book is about more than education policy. In telling the tale of school vouchers, Hackett illuminates policy-making more broadly, by shining a light on the many ways that policymakers make it hard for voters to see what government is doing. And, she does it effectively, as the book is a case study in how to write about public policy. The argument is compelling, the evidence convincing, and the prose engaging.' David Campbell, University of Notre Dame'Hackett's brilliant and timely analysis transforms the way we understand state policy and politics. Weaving together racial, religious, and civic foundational orders in US history, policy design, legal cases, and political rhetoric, the book reveals the complex, long-term strategies that political elites use to obfuscate public policy goals when they face public opposition or potential legal challenge. The result is a set of state policies that are not merely hidden, but constitute a form of doubly distanced attenuated governance. It is hard to imagine that state politics and policy research will ever be the same.' Lisa L. Miller, Rutgers University'… Hackett's book provides a roadmap for how to structure and carry out this type of work and encourages those of us who study the hidden welfare state to think more deeply about what it means that the state is hidden and why.' Chloe N. Thurston, American Politics'For readers well informed about the history of voucher politics in US education, this volume will add additional layers of analysis and understanding. Those new to the debate will find this book offers a meaningful, in-depth overview along with well-reasoned arguments about how and why the present situation has come to be and ways to adjust the system … Highly recommended.' W. Miller, Choice'America's Voucher Politics: How Elites Learned to Hide the State is an extraordinary study offering research based and insightful analysis of the history and contemporary employment of school vouchers and their selective education purposes, as well as their political implications … highly recommended as a unique and critically important contribution to our on-going national discussion of school vouchers.' The Midwest Book Review; Library BookwatchTable of ContentsIntroduction. Subtle forms of circumvention; 1. America's foundational identity struggles; 2. Two dimensions of attenuated governance; 3. The racial struggle: segregation grants in the Brown era; 4. The religious struggle: vouchers and the church-state question; 5. The public-private struggle: union opposition and the educational establishment; 6. Tax credit scholarships in an era of Republican dominance; 7. Education savings accounts and controversies beyond; Conclusion. Attenuated governance and the state.

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Book SynopsisA central question in political representation is whether government responds to the people. To understand that, we need to know what the government is doing, and what the people think of it. We seek to understand a key question necessary to answer those bigger questions: How does American public opinion move over time? We posit three patterns of change over time in public opinion, depending on the type of issue. Issues on which the two parties regularly disagree provide clear partisan cues to the public. For these party-cue issues we present a slight variation on the thermostatic theory from (Soroka and Wlezien (2010); Wlezien (1995)); our implied thermostatic model. A smaller number of issues divide the public along lines unrelated to partisanship, and so partisan control of government provides no relevant clue. Finally, we note a small but important class of issues which capture response to cultural shifts.Table of Contents1. Introduction; 2. Implied Thermostatic Response; 3. Absolute Opinion Change; 4. Conclusion; Appendix: Comparing the Survey Research Agenda to the Congressional Agenda.

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Book SynopsisAssaults on democracy are increasingly coming from the actions of duly elected governments, rather than coups. Backsliding examines the processes through which elected rulers weaken checks on executive power, curtail political and civil liberties, and undermine the integrity of the electoral system. Drawing on detailed case studies, including the United States and countries in Latin America, Eastern Europe, and Africa, the book focuses on three, inter-related causal mechanisms: the pernicious effects of polarization; realignments of party systems that enable elected autocrats to gain legislative power; and the incremental nature of derogations, which divides oppositions and keeps them off balance. A concluding chapter looks at the international context of backsliding and the role of new technologies in these processes. An online appendix provides detailed accounts of backsliding in 16 countries, which can be found at www.cambridge.org/backsliding.Trade Review'… Stephan Haggard and Robert Kaufman offer some clarity through a theoretical framework designed to help explain this political phenomenon.' Democracy ParadoxTable of Contents1. Backsliding: Concept, Mechanisms, Measurement; 2. Social and Political Origins of Backsliding: The Role of Polarization; 3. Constitutions in the Balance: Parties, Legislatures and the Collapse of the Separation of Powers; 4. The Backsliding Process; 5. Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisPolitics in the United States has become increasingly polarized in recent decades. Both political elites and everyday citizens are divided into rival and mutually antagonistic partisan camps, with each camp questioning the political legitimacy and democratic commitments of the other side. Does this polarization pose threats to democracy itself? What can make some democratic institutions resilient in the face of such challenges? Democratic Resilience brings together a distinguished group of specialists to examine how polarization affects the performance of institutional checks and balances as well as the political behavior of voters, civil society actors, and political elites. The volume bridges the conventional divide between institutional and behavioral approaches to the study of American politics and incorporates historical and comparative insights to explain the nature of contemporary challenges to democracy. It also breaks new ground to identify the institutional and societal sourcTable of ContentsPart I. Why Might Polarization Harm Democracy? Theory and Comparison; 1. How Democracies Endure: The Challenges of Polarization and Resilience Robert C. Lieberman, Suzanne Mettler, and Kenneth M. Roberts; 2. Polarization and the Durability of Madisonian Checks and Balances: A Developmental Analysis Paul Pierson and Eric Schickler; 3. Pernicious Polarization and Democratic Resilience: Analyzing the United States in Comparative Perspective Jennifer McCoy and Murat Somer; Part II. Political Institutions in Polarized Times; 4. Cross-Cutting Cleavages, Political Institutions, and Democratic Resilience in the US Frances E. Lee; 5. Unilateralism Unleashed? Polarization and the Politics of Executive Action Douglas L. Kriner; 6. Court-Packing and Democratic Erosion Thomas M. Keck; Part III. Social Polarization and Partisanship; 7. The Social Roots, Risks, and Rewards of Mass Polarization Lilliana Mason and Nathan P. Kalmoe; 8. The Great White Hope: Threat and Racial Resilience in the Age of Trump Christopher Sebastian Parker and Matt A. Barreto; 9. The Religious Sort: The Causes and Consequences of the Religiosity Gap in America Michele F. Margolis; 10. Weaponized Group Identities and the Health of Democracy: Why the National Rifle Association is Good at Democracy but Bad for It Matthew J. Lacombe; Part IV. Vicious Circles? The Relationship Between Polarized Behavior and Institutions; 11. Polarization, the Administrative State, and Executive-Centered Partisanship Desmond King and Sidney Milkis; 12. Laboratories of What? American Federalism and the Politics of Democratic Subversion Philip Rocco; 13. Conservative Extra-Party Coalitions and Statehouse Democracy Alexander Hertel-Fernandez; Part V. Can Political Action Save Democracy in Polarized Times? 14. Elections, Polarization, and Democratic Resilience David A. Bateman; 15. Citizen Mobilization and Partisan Polarizations from the Tea Party to the Anti-Trump Resistance Theda Skocpol, Caroline Tervo, and Kirsten Walters.

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Book SynopsisHow did England, once a minor regional power, become a global hegemon between 1689 and 1815? Why, over the same period, did she become the world's first industrial nation? Gary W. Cox addresses these questions in Marketing Sovereign Promises. The book examines two central issues: the origins of the great taxing power of the modern state and how that power is made compatible with economic growth. Part I considers England's rise after the revolution of 1689, highlighting the establishment of annual budgets with shutdown reversions. This core reform effected a great increase in per capita tax extraction. Part II investigates the regional and global spread of British budgeting ideas. Cox argues that states grew only if they addressed a central credibility problem afflicting the Ancien RÃgime - that rulers were legally entitled to spend public revenue however they deemed fit.Trade Review'Seventeenth-century British public finance stands at the intersection of several fields of scholarship - economics, political science, and history - and research on it lies at the foundation of contemporary political economy. In this important work, Gary W. Cox revisits the topic and offers an interpretation of his own. The book is pure Cox: deeply researched, closely argued, and profound - political economy done right.' Robert H. Bates, Harvard University, Massachusetts'This is a major contribution to institutional economics, the application of those methods to understanding British political development, the comparative history of fiscal constitutions, and an interesting extension of arguments about the Industrial Revolution.' Michael Braddick, Sheffield University'Cox combines attention to history with carefully laid out models of political economy to understand just how England arrived at limited government. This is the most important book in historical political economy in the last decade.' Jean-Laurent Rosenthal, California Institute of Technology'Cox provides us with an important new analysis of a critical historical episode, the growth of parliamentary responsibility in Britain, its economic consequences, and the diffusion of this practice to other countries. He adds greatly to our understanding of how the modern state came to be.' David Stasavage, New York University'Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty.' B. B. Andrew, ChoiceTable of Contents1. Sovereign credibility and public revenue; Part I. The Glorious Revolution and the English State: 2. The market for taxes and platforms; 3. More credible platforms, more taxes; 4. Pricing sovereign debts; 5. Establishing monopoly brokerage of sovereign debts; 6. The consequences of monopoly brokerage of debt; 7. Property rights; 8. From constitutional commitment to Industrial Revolution; 9. Summarizing the Revolution; Part II. The English Constitutional Diaspora: 10. Exporting the Revolution - the early adopters; 11. Exporting the Revolution - the late adopters; 12. Good political institutions.

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Book SynopsisGiovanni Botero is a significant but often overlooked figure in early modern political thought. This translation of his 1589 volume, Della ragion di Stato, which first popularised the term 'reason of state', introduces Botero to a wider Anglophone audience and demonstrates his opposition to Machiavelli's seminal work, The Prince.Table of ContentsPart I. Book 1; Part II. Book Two; Part III. Book Three; Part IV. Book Four; Part V. Book Five; Part VI. Book Six; Part VII. Book Seven; Part VIII. Book Eight; Part IX. Book Nine; Part X. Book Ten; Part XI. Appendix A; Part XII. Appendix B; Part XIII. Appendix C; Part XIV. Appendix D.

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Book SynopsisHow does the selection of judges influence the work they do in important constitutional courts? Does mixed judicial selection, which allows more players to choose judges, result in a court that is more independent and one that can check powerful executives and legislators? Existing literature on constitutional courts tends to focus on how judicial behaviour is motivated by judges'' political preferences. Lydia Brashear Tiede argues for a new approach, showing that, under mixed selection, institutions choose different types of judges who represent different approaches to constitutional adjudication and thus have different propensities for striking down laws. Using empirical evidence from the constitutional courts of Chile and Colombia, this book develops a framework for understanding the factors, external and internal to courts, which lead individual judges, as well as the courts in which they work, to veto a law.Table of Contents1. Introduction; 2. The implications of mixed judicial selection on decision-making; 3. Mixed judicial selection: prevalence and variation; 4. The Chilean Constitutional Tribunal in political context; 5. The Colombian Constitutional Court in political context; 6. Determinants of legal invalidation by constitutional judges; 7. Determinants of legal invalidation by constitutional courts; 8. Weak judicial vetoes and contentious politics; 9. Conclusion: Judicial selection and decision-making.

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Electoral autocracies regimes that adopt democratic institutions but subvert them to rule as dictatorships have become the most widespread, resilient and malignant non-democracies today. They have consistently ruled over a third of the countries in the world, including geopolitically significant states like Russia, Turkey, Venezuela, Egypt, Indonesia, Nigeria and Pakistan. Challenging conventional wisdom, Popular Dictators shows that the success of electoral authoritarianism is not due to these regimes'' superior capacity to repress, bribe, brainwash and manipulate their societies into submission, but is actually a product of their genuine popular appeal in countries experiencing deep political, economic and security crises. Promising efficient, strong-armed rule tempered by popular accountability, elected strongmen attract mass support in societies traumatized by turmoil, dysfunction and injustice, allowing them to rule through the ballot box. Popular Dictators argues that this cris

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Book SynopsisIn the wake of the unprecedented uprisings that swept across North Africa and the Middle East in late 2010 and 2011, there was much speculation that these events heralded the beginning of a new age of democratic transition across the region. The result of a four-year research project, this book offers a cross-country analysis of the dynamics of democratic transition and of the state of democracy and authoritarianism from Tunisia, Sudan and Egypt to Syria, Kuwait and Lebanon. Elbadawi and Makdisi identify specific economic, political and social conditions influencing the transition across the region and in each of the individual countries, as well as the requisite conditions for consolidating democracy once the process is initiated. It examines the struggling, halted and painful transitions, where these have for the time being failed, as well as instances in which democratic consolidation can be observed. This is a unique and wide-ranging examination of Arab development and democracy foTrade Review'The book provides ample amounts of data and thorough economic analyses which caters to the cross-country study of the relationship between democracy and the Arab world in general and with respect to specific countries like Tunisia, Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, Kuwait and Sudan. The volume combines plenty of primary data from various countries within a convincing analytical and quantitative approach.' Zeba Khan, DemocratizationTable of ContentsIntroduction Ibrahim Elbadawi and Samir Makdisi; Part I. Conceptual and Cross-Country Perspectives: 1. Explaining democratic transitions in the Arab world Ibrahim Elbadawi and Samir Makdisi; 2. Overcoming induced insecurities: stabilising Arab democracies after the Spring Abdelwahab El-Affendi; Part II. Case Studies: Successful, Protracted and Painful Transitions: 3. Tunisia: the prospects for democratic consolidation Mongi Boughzala and Saoussen Ben Romdhane; 4. Egypt: the protracted transition from authoritarianism to democracy and social justice Noha El Mikawy, Mohamed Mohieddin and Sarah El Ashmaouy; 5. Syria: the painful transition towards democracy Raed Safadi and Simon Neaime; 6. Kuwaiti democracy: elusive or resilient? Ibrahim Elbadawi and Atif Kubursi; 7. Lebanon: sectarian consociationalism and the transition to a fully fledged democracy Samir Makdisi and Youssef El Khalil; 8. Sudan: transition to democracy after 2011, a dismembered state navigating uncertainties Atta Elbattahani; Part III. Concluding Observations: 9. Resistance to and prospects for democracy Ibrahim Elbadawi and Samir Makdisi.

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Book SynopsisThis book traces the development of constitutional courts in Latin America, and develops concepts such as judicial autonomy and authority. It aims to understand the design of judicial institutions and combines qualitative and quantitative evidence to explore the basic purpose of constitutional justice.Trade Review'For some thirty years now, constitutional politics in general and, more specifically, the performance of higher courts, have become topics of primary public importance in Latin America. In spite of this, however, until now we did not have a critical and systematic study of these issues. Daniel M. Brinks and Abby Blass's book not only fills this void, but it does so on the basis of magnificent empirical work, and offering theoretical reflections on the subject that place this work in the vanguard of existing analyses of constitutional politics.' Roberto Gargarella, Universidad Torcuato Di Tella, Buenos Aires'Daniel M. Brinks is one of the world's leading scholars of judicial politics in the Global South. In The DNA of Constitutional Justice in Latin America, he and Abby Blass offer an innovative and compelling account of the origins of different models of constitutional justice in Latin America since the 1970s. They explain why some justice systems are much more autonomous in relation to the executive than others, and why some have constitutionalized a much wider range of issues than others. The DNA of Constitutional Justice in Latin America offers important conceptual, theoretical, and empirical contributions.' Scott Mainwaring, Jorge Paulo Lemann Professor for Brazil Studies, Harvard Kennedy School of Government'The increasing political importance of courts and constitutional justice, raises urgent questions about the nature of judicial power. Brinks and Blass offer fresh insights by skilfully combining legal analysis with institutional theory and political economy perspectives on constitution-making - literatures that otherwise rarely speak. They show why we need to pay careful attention to 'the DNA of constitutional governance' - the institutional design inscribed in the constitutional text, that establishes the judges' autonomy and scope of authority - and to the power dynamics and motives that gave rise to these provisions and the coalitions that sustain them. With a rare combination of conceptual innovation, theoretical sophistication, rigorous quantitative analysis, and fine-grained case studies, the book is highly relevant for all scholars and students interested in constitutional governance. It is invaluable for anyone who care about constitutional politics and governance in Latin America - and is a model for similar studies elsewhere.' Siri Gloppen, Universitetet i Bergen, Norway and Research Director, Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI), Norway Table of Contents1. Constitutional justice in the Americas at the turn of the Millennium; 2. Judicial power and the design of constitutional justice; 3. The political origins of powerful constitutional courts: constitutional governance and the politics of judicial design; 4. Identifying the political origins of constitutional justice through quantitative analysis; 5. Guatemala (1985): building constitutional justice in the shadow of Civil War; 6. Argentina (1994): negotiating a plural space of constitutional justice; 7. Bolivia (2009): governance logic in the new constitutionalism; 8. Conclusion: the politics of constitutional justice; Appendix A. Judicial power: concepts and measures.

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Book SynopsisGlobalization has reconfigured both the external institutional framework and the intrinsic operating mechanisms of capitalism. The global triumph of capitalism implies the embracing of the market by the state in all its variants, and that global capitalism is not confined to the shell of nation-state democracy. Guoguang Wu provides a theoretical framework of global capitalism for specialists in political economy, political science, economics and international relations, for graduate and undergraduate courses on globalization, capitalism, development and democracy, as well as for the public who are interested in globalization. Wu examines the new institutional features of global capitalism and how they reframe movements of capital, labor and consumption. He explores how globalization has created a chain of connection in which capital depends on effective authoritarianism, while democracy depends on capital. Ultimately, he argues that the emerging state-market nexus has fundamentally shaTable of Contents1. Introduction; 2. Capitalism in institutional reconfiguration by globalization: a theoretical framework; 3. Institutional oligopoly and embedded coordination: concentrative movements of capital; 4. Human (im)mobility, social poverty and political inability: 'economic man' on the segmented labor market; 5. The shaping of the caged anarchy: standardized consumption, atomized consumers; 6. Global inequalities challenge democracy: sociopolitical impacts of transnational stratification; 7. Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisWith gridlock, presidents increasingly rely on unilateral actions - means not requiring legislative statutes - which many view as tantamount to power. Using a variety of approaches, Chiou and Rothenberg show that this need not be the case as, under many conditions, the chief executive''s employment of such tools is constrained. Rather, presidents contemplating issuing executive orders are often constrained by worries about challenging the legislature and the courts. Most notably, the ability of Congress to employ extra-statutory means, involving efforts by legislators and their parties that don''t require passing a law, limit how presidents utilize their discretion. Additionally, political parties can influence presidential choices and actions both by restricting the ideological direction in which presidents can push policy via discretionary authority and by agenda-setting and disciplining members in the legislative process. Nor are all presidential actions equal, as the policy area inTrade Review'Over the past two decades, few features of our Constitutional system have been scrutinized as thoroughly as the apparent rise of presidential powers that has accompanied the rise of the administrative state. But often times the arguments paint with too broad a brush - presidents are too powerful or they are too weak. Thus, Chiou and Rothenberg's nuanced account of the conditions for the successful exercise of presidential power will be an important contribution to this debate.' Nolan McCarty, Susan Dod Brown Professor of Politics and Public Affairs, Princeton University'Theoretically informed empirical work is alive and well. Chiou and Rothenberg's models feature Congress countering presidential unilateral actions with tools that go well beyond the simple passage of a new law. Support for these models uncovers a robust system of checks and balances, with majority-party strength in Congress seriously constraining imperial instincts of presidents. Challenging past work, this book is a must-read for students of American political institutions.' Craig Volden, University of Virginia'Chiou and Rothenberg combine exhaustive new data with impressively innovative methods to generate real insight. They have made a key contribution to our understanding of the significance of presidential unilateralism. It's a topic that will only become more central to the field, and more importantly to the country, in the years to come.' Andrew Rudalevige, Thomas Brackett Reed Professor of Government, Bowdoin College, MaineTable of Contents1. Introduction; 2. Thinking about power: theoretical models; 3. Not all unilateral actions are created equal: measuring the significance of executive orders; 4. The race for power: empirically examining competing models; 5. Bringing the parties in: legislative partisan influence and presidential power; 6. The subtleties of power - assessing the two presidencies; 7. Conclusions - solving the enigma of presidential power.

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Book SynopsisAmerica’s liberal media keeps getting the news wrong.In Suppression, Deception, Snobbery, and Bias, Fleischer notes that half the country is keenly aware that they are routinely mocked and looked down on by much of the media.

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Book SynopsisAN INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERCan the political be way too personal? What if most radical activists are trying to change their lives by changing the whole country?When Jesse Watters set out to interview a few dozen radical activists to find out where their wild ideas came from, he discovered two things that shocked him:First, he liked these people.Second, their political positions were not primarily from books, teachers, or other activists. They originated in personal drama. Most of these people didn’t need legislation. They needed a therapist.In Get It Together, the number one New York Times bestselling author and Fox News primetime host takes on Wokeism in a way no one else has. Through a series of (sometimes very) personal interviews with some of the most radical activists in the country, Watters discovers that these activists may be overlooking the most

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Book SynopsisThis is a book for everyone who has developed an unexpected nostalgia for political ''norms'' during the Trump years . . . Other books on the Trump White House expertly detail the mayhem inside; this book builds on those works to detail its consequences. Carlos Lozada (one of twelve books to read to understand what''s going on)Perhaps the most penetrating book to have been written about Trump in office. Lawrence Douglas, The Times Literary SupplementThe definitive account of how Donald Trump has wielded the powers of the American presidencyThe extraordinary authority of the U.S. presidency has no parallel in the democratic world. Today that authority resides in the hands of one man, Donald J. Trump. But rarely if ever has the nature of a president clashed more profoundly with the nature of the office. Unmaking the Presidency tells the story of the confrontation between a person and the institution he almost wholly emb

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Book SynopsisThe establishment of South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission was a pioneering international event. Never had any country sought to move forward from despotism to democracy both by exposing the atrocities committed in the past and achieving reconciliation with its former oppressors. At the center of this unprecedented attempt at healing a nation has been Archbishop Desmond Tutu, whom President Nelson Mandela named as Chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. With the final report of the Commission just published, Archbishop Tutu offers his reflections on the profound wisdom he has gained by helping usher South Africa through this painful experience.In No Future Without Forgiveness, Tutu argues that true reconciliation cannot be achieved by denying the past.  But nor is it easy to reconcile when a nation 'looks the beast in the eye.' Rather than repeat platitudes about forgiveness, he presents a bold spirituality that recognizes the horrors Trade Review"The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa has put the spotlight on all of us... In its hearings Desmond Tutu has conveyed our common pain and sorrow, our hope and confidence in the future."--Nelson Mandela

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Book Synopsis"I envy the reader who sits in on these conversations for the first time, and with such a readable text."—John CiardiTrade Review"No one should think of going to a liberal arts college without reading Plato's Republic. It is one of the basic books of the European mind and culture, now freshly and readably rendered by Sterling and Scott. I envy the reader who sits in on these conversations for the first time, and with such a readable text." -- John Ciardi "The best translation of the Republic or a Platonic dialogue I know. It gives the reader who has no Greek... a sense of the powerful and delicate style of the dialogue and it is not only a success for Plato's inimitable Greek; it is brilliant in its translations of the Greek poetry quoted in the course of the Republic." -- Diskin Clay, Duke University "This new version of Plato's Republic... is founded on a sensitively accurate and highly readable fusion of form and content, style and substance. Plato emerges, as he should, as both thinker and philosophical poet-something that cannot be said of competing versions." -- William Arrowsmith, Emory University

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Book Synopsis"A major event in contemporary political philosophy."-Peter Singer, The New York Review of Books

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Book SynopsisA New York Times BestsellerA provocative guide to how we must reenvision citizenship if American democracy is to surviveThe United States faces dangerous threats from Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, terrorists, climate change, and future pandemics. The greatest peril to the country, however, comes not from abroad but from within, from none other than ourselves. The question facing us is whether we are prepared to do what is necessary to save our democracy. The Bill of Obligations is a bold call for change. In these pages, New York Times bestselling author Richard Haass argues that the very idea of citizenship must be revised and expanded. The Bill of Rights is at the center of our Constitution, yet our most intractable conflicts often emerge from contrasting views as to what our rights ought to be. As former Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer pointed out, “Many of our cases, the most difficult ones, are not about right versus wrong. They are about right versus right.” The lesson is clear: rights alone cannot provide the basis for a functioning, much less flourishing, democracy.But there is a cure: to place obligations on the same footing as rights. The ten obligations that Haass introduces here are essential for healing our divisions and safeguarding the country’s future. These obligations reenvision what it means to be an American citizen. They are not a burden but rather commitments that we make to fellow citizens and to the government to uphold democracy and counter the growing apathy, anger, selfishness, division, disinformation, and violence that threaten us all. Through an expert blend of civics, history, and political analysis, this book illuminates how Americans can rediscover and recover the attitudes and behaviors that have contributed so much to this country’s success over the centuries.As Richard Haass argues, “We get the government and the country we deserve. Getting the one we need, however, is up to us.” The Bill of Obligations gives citizens across the political spectrum a plan of action to achieve it.

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Book SynopsisExamining the long-standing issue of the limits of political dissent in wartime, the book asks the critical historical question of what reasonable lengths a legitimate government can go to in order to protect itself and its citizens from threats, whether external or internal.

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Book SynopsisWhat does the US Constitution mean for you?One of the most revered, imitated, and controversial governmental documents in the world, the US Constitution serves as the foundation for the American government and shapes the lives of Americans every day. But what do you know about its history and the impact it has on guiding an ever-evolving nation? This book provides a clear look at the single document that defines America, including the birth of the Constitution and the history and details of its amendments.This revision covers recent court rulings related to the Constitution and how those decisions have ramifications for everyday Americans. If you''ve never fully read the Constitution before, this guide will give you an opportunity to learn about the most influential document in US history.

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Book SynopsisEnding with a discussion of possible methods of revitalization and reform, this timely book does much to explain the reasons behind Americans' disenchantment with parties and the party system.Trade ReviewThe great contribution of this book is its historical look at how different presidents have conceived of political parties. From the founding generation of Jefferson and Madison, through the reform years of Teddy Roosevelt's third party efforts, and on up to FDR's purge campaign, Milkis displays his expertise of presidential politics. Virginia Quarterly Review A fine book that deserves a large audience. -- Arthur Sanders Political StudiesTable of ContentsSeries Editor's ForewordPreface Chapter 1. Parties And American DemocracyChapter 2. Localism, Political Parties, and Democratic ParticipationChapter 3. Progressivism and Direct Democracy: The Revival Of The Constitution-Against-PartiesChapter 4. The New Deal Liberalism And The Doctrine Of Responsible Party Government Chapter 5. Remaking American Politics: Participatory Democracy And The Triumph Of Administrative PoliticsChapter 6. Divided Government And Beltway Partisanship: Can There Be Another Realignment In American Democracy?Chapter 7. Political Parties, Progressive Democracy, And The Future Of Politics In AmericaNotesIndex

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Book SynopsisAt once far-reaching and detailed, Place and Belonging in America offers a though-provoking new perspective on the myriad, often spiritual connections between territoriality, national identity, and civic culture.Trade ReviewPlace and Belonging in America should provoke reflection on the importance of issues such as immigration, geographic mobility, and globalization for the viability of politics, properly understood. -- Jeremy Beer Perspectives on Political Science Jacobson's lucid and insightful analysis is multilayered and interdisciplinary. Along with deft historical interpretation and incisive sociological investigation, he integrates discussions on politics, philosophy, literature, and religion, highlighting their roles in revealing American's evolving sense of place and identity. Virginia Quarterly Review Paying keen attention to interpretation, textuality, and the social uses of landscape, Jacobson's study engages questions that make it a must read. -- Susan Kollin Journal of American History A thoughtful overview of major events and changes to the American linkages of place and identity to the landscape. -- William G. Holt Contemporary SociologyTable of ContentsContents: Acknowledgments Introduction: Terra Firma ONE An American Eden TWO Surveying the Landscape THREE Nature's Nation: Preserving the Future FOUR Spatial Rhythms: Changing the Past FIVE Intangible Property: A Multihued Landscape CODA The Labyrinth of the Soul Notes Index

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Book SynopsisSchmitter, European University Institute, Florence; Doh Chull Shin, University of Missouri at Columbia.Trade ReviewAn important milestone in the study of democratic quality, and an excellent resource for both scholarly researchers and graduate courses on comparative democracy and democratization. -- Daunis Auerson Political Studies Review 2007Table of ContentsAcknowldgmentsIntroductionI. Dimensions of Democratic Quality1. Why the Rule of Law Matters2. The Ambiguous Virtues of Accountability3. Freedom as the Foundation4. Addressing Inequality5. The Chain of Responsiveness6. A Skeptical PerspectiveII. Comparative Case Studies7. Italy and Spain8. Chile and Brazil9. Bangladesh and India10. South korea and Taiwan11. Poland and Romania12. Ghana and South AfricaIndex

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Book SynopsisPresidential Secrecy and the Law will be the standard in presidential powers studies for years to come.Trade ReviewThe well-organized and clearly written book illustrates the way the president's use of document classification and state-secrets privilege to solidify presidential control are reinforced by legal decisions sympathetic to presidential power. Chronicle of Higher Education 2007 Robert Pallitto and William Weaver provide a well-written discussion of a controversial issue related to American governance... Given the comprehensive scope and depth of analysis throughout the book, the authors are successful in providing a thoughtful and challenging approach to an evolving governmental matter. -- Amanda Harmon Cooley Political Studies Review 2010Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction: The Secret Presidency1. The Secret Presidency in Historical-Theoretical Perspective2. The Classified President3. State Secrets and Executive Power4. The Shadow President: The Attorney General, Executive Power, and the New Anti-Terror Laws5. The President and National Security Surveillance6. The New Executive PrivilegeConclusion: A Secret Presidency for the New Millennium?NotesIndex

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Book SynopsisSchamis, Andreas Schedler, Mitchell A. Seligson, Lourdes Sola, Arturo Valenzuela, Donna Lee Van CottTrade ReviewConveniently summarizes important arguments by leading scholars. -- Richard Feinberg Foreign Affairs 2009 This valuable collection is essential for all. Choice 2009 A good many insightful analyses of recent events in Latin America. -- Daniel M. Brinks Journal of Latin American Studies 2010Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroductionPart I: Trends in the RegionChapter 1. Latin American Presidencies InterruptedChapter 2. The Crisis of Representation in the AndesChapter 3. Latin America's Indigenous PeoplesChapter 4. Populism, Socialism, and Democratic InstitutionsChapter 5. Explaining the Left's ResurgenceChapter 6. The Rise of Populism and the LeftChapter 7. The Transformation of the Labor ArenaPart II: Case Studies: South AmericaChapter 8. Argentina: From Kirchner to KirchnerChapter 9. Politics, Markets, and Society in BrazilChapter 10. Problems of Success in ChileChapter 11. An Unlikely Comeback in PeruChapter 12. Colombia Hews to the Path of ChangeChapter 13. Venezuela: Chávez and the OppositionChapter 14. Ecuador: Correa's Plebiscitary PresidencyPart III: Case Studies: Mexico, Central America, the CaribbeanChapter 15. Mexico's Contentious ElectionChapter 16. The Mobilization of Distrust in MexicoChapter 17. Looking to Mexico's FutureChapter 18. From Turmoil to Stability in Central AmericaChapter 19. The Caribbean: Democracy Adrift?Index

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Book SynopsisIt will be essential in setting research agendas and policy discussions for a broad range of scholars and practitioners.Trade Review"Democracies in Danger harnesses cutting-edge research by world-class scholars to the urgent task of designing feasible proposals to make new democracies work better. The result is an invaluable contribution that will be required reading for academics and practitioners alike." - Richard Snyder, Brown University"Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction: Undertheorized Political Problems in the Founding Democratization LiteraturePart I: Managing Potential Cultural Conflicts Democratically Chapter 1. Civil Society, Islam, and Ethnocommunal ConflictChapter 2. Debating Secession Peacefully and Democratically: The Case of CanadaPart II: Toward Creating and Controlling Democratically Usable Security ServicesChapter 3. The New "Double Challenge": Democratic Control and Efficacy of Military, Police, and IntelligenceChapter 4. Beyond Threats to Democracy from the Armed Forces, Police, and Intelligence: The Spanish CasePart III: Refining Presidentialism and Semi-PresidentialismChapter 5. Latin America's Interrupted Presidencies: Alternatives?Chapter 6. The Predicament of Semi-presidentialismConclusion: The Way ForwardNotesList of ContributorsIndex

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Book SynopsisSchmitter, Amartya Sen, Alfred Stepan, Palle Svensson, Nicolas van de Walle, Lucan A. WayTrade ReviewIn all, this is an excellent book for students of politics, and would also be a great benefit to many of democracy's practitioners. -- Prof. Damien Kingsbury Forum 2010Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroductionPart I: What is Democracy?Chapter 1. What Democracy Is...And Is NotChapter 2. What Makes Elections Free and Fair?Chapter 3. Delegative DemocracyChapter 4. How Far Can Free Government Travel?Chapter 5. From Liberalism to Liberal DemocracyPart II: What Sustains Democracy?Chapter 6. Three Paradoxes of DemocracyChapter 7. What Makes Democracies Endure?Chapter 8. Bowling Alone: America's Declining Social CapitalChapter 9. Religion, Democracy, and the "Twin Tolerations"Part III: What Institutions Work Best?Chapter 10. Constitutional Design for Divided SocietiesChapter 11. Federalism and Democracy: Beyong the U.S. ModelChapter 12. The Import of InstitutionsChapter 13. Constitutional Courts: A Primer for Decision MakersChapter 14. Stronger Legislatures, Stronger DemocraciesChapter 15. Constitutional MedicinePart IV: Elections Without Democracy?Chapter 16. Thinking About Hybrid RegimesChapter 17. The Rise of Competitive AuthoritarianismChapter 18. The Menu of ManipulationChapter 19. Africa's Range of RegimesChapter 20. International Linkage and DemocratizationPart V: Is Democacy a Universal Value?Chapter 21. Democracy as a Univeral ValueChapter 22. Democracy and Liberty: The Cultural ConnectionChapter 23. Confucianism and DemocracyChapter 24. Buddhism, Asian Values, and DemocracyChapter 25. Muslims and DemocracyChapter 27. The Rise of "Muslim Democracy"Index

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