Constitution: government and the state Books

Book SynopsisNow updated with new information about efforts to interfere with the 2020 election and Donald Trump’s obstruction of justice.It has been called the political crime of the century: a foreign government, run by a brutal authoritarian leader, secretly interfering with the American presidential election to help elect the candidate of its choice. Now Greg Miller, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter at the Washington Post, drawing upon hundreds of exclusive interviews and confidential documents, uncovers the truth about the Kremlin’s covert attempt to help Trump win the presidency, the fate of the Mueller investigation, the Ukrainian “quid-pro-quo”, ongoing White House attempts to cover up evidence, and Trump’s continuing deference to Vladimir Putin’s wishes.  “A vital contribution to our understanding of how we got here.” —Charles Kaiser, Th

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Book SynopsisA must-read for this era.”—Jake Tapper, CNN Anchor and Chief Washington Correspondent An insightful, urgent, and perennially relevant handbook that lays out in common sense language how the United States Constitution works, and how its protections are eroding before our eyes—essential reading for anyone who wants to understand and parse the constantly breaking news about the backbone of American government.The Constitution is the most significant document in America. But do you fully understand what this valuable document means to you? In How to Read the Constitution--and Why, legal expert and educator Kimberly Wehle spells out in clear, simple, and common sense terms what is in the Constitution, and most importantly, what it means. In compelling terms and including text from the United States Constitution, she describes how the Constitution’s protections are eroding—not only i

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Book SynopsisDonald Trump is the exact threat our Founding Fathers feared.Joe Walsh is as rock-ribbed a conservative as they come.

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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 SynopsisWINNER OF THE RABBI SACKS BOOK PRIZE A nuanced examination of the Israel’s past, present, and future, after reaching its seventy-fifth anniversary and enduring its most challenging year ever, from the two-time National Jewish Book Award-winning author of Israel. Revised and updated throughout for the paperback edition.In 1948, Israel’s founders sought a “national home for the Jewish people,” where Jewish life would be transformed. The state they ultimately made, says Daniel Gordis, is a place of extraordinary success and maddening disappointment, a story of both unprecedented human triumph and great suffering.When it marked its seventy-fifth anniversary, Israel was in the throes of a judicial reform crisis, its most dangerous internal rupture ever. Then, with the October 7th War, it was attacked from the outside and plunged into existential uncertainty. In light of those first seventy-five years and the events of 2023 that shook the country to its core, Gordis asks: Has Israel fulfilled the dreams of its founders?Using Israel’s Declaration of Independence, Gordis measures Israel’s achievements, critiques its failures, and acknowledges its inherent contradictions—ultimately suggesting that, though it has often fallen short, the Jewish state is a success far beyond anything its founders could have imagined.

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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 Synopsis“For anyone who wants an insight into the nature of Russian society before the revolution, there is no doubt that Professor Pipes has written the book.”—Lionel Kochan, Jewish Chronicle This highly acclaimed study from Richard Pipes analyzes the evolution of the Russian state from the ninth century to the 1880s and its unique role in managing Russian society. The harsh geographical conditions and sheer size of the country prevented the creation of participatory government, and a “patrimonial” state emerged in which Russia was transformed into a gigantic royal domain. Richard Pipes traces these developments and goes on to analyze the political behavior of the principal social groupings—peasantry, nobility, middle-class, and clergy—and their failure to stand up to the increasing absolutism of the tsar. In order to strengthen his powers, legal and institutional bases were set up that led to the creation of a bureaucratic police stateTable of ContentsChapter 1 The environment and its consequences: The geographic setting - vegetation, soils, climate, precipitation and waterways; The influence of Russia's northern location on her economy - short farming season, poor yields, lack of markets, unprofitability of farming, industrial side-occupations (promysly); Influence on population movement; Influence on social organization - joint family, peasant commune (obshchina); Influence on political organization - incompatibility of means and ends, the "patrimonial" system as solution. PART 1 THE STATE: Chapter 2 The genesis of the patrimonial state in Russia: Slav colonization of Russian territory; The Norman (Kievan) state - the commercial nature of the state, succession pattern, assimilation of Normans, origins of the name Rus'-Rossiia, the Norman legacy; The dissolution of the Kievan state - centrifugal forces, north-west - Novgorod, Lithuania and Poland; The appanage (patrimonial) principality of the north-east: the colonization of the Volga-Oka region, new political attitudes, the appanage principality as property, the prince's domain, the princely administration within and without, Boyars and boyar land, "Black land"; The problem of feudalism in appanage Russia - political decentralization, vassalage, conditional land tenure, the political consequences of the absence in Russia of feudal tradition; Mongol conquest and domination - the invasion, character of rule and its influence on Russian politics. Chapter 3 The Triumph of patrimonialism: The rise of Moscow - "monocracy" and "autocracy", the great principality of Vladimir and the Nevsky clan, Ivan I. Kalita, succession by primogeniture; The patrimonial principality - confusion of dominium and imperium, domainial origin of Russia's administration, failure to distinguish crown and state properties; The politicization of Moscow's patrimonial rulers - dissolution of the Golden Horde and collapse of Byzantium, the Mongol-Tatar sources of the Russian idea of kingship, Gosudar' as sovereign; The expansion of Moscow - its psychological effects, the conquest of Novgorod by Ivan III, subsequent acquisitions. Chapter 4 The anatomy of the patrimonial regime: Servitors and commoners; The service estate - Boyars lose-right of free departure, Mestnichestvo as last Boyar weapon, the rise of dvoriane, the oprichnina, terms and forms of service; Commoners - Tiaglo, serfdom - its rise and spread; The administration - Duma, Sobor, bureaucracy; Mechanism of control and repression - denunciation as civic duty, closed frontiers. Chapter 5 The partial dismantling of the patrimonial state: The crisis of the patrimonial system; The military reforms of Peter I - shortcomings of the old army, creation of a standing army, effect on commoners - soul tax and conscription, effect on servitors - compulsory schooling and table of ranks; Construction of St Petersburg; The idea of "public good" and its implications; Creation of a political police under Peter I. (Part contents).

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Book SynopsisIn The Prime Minister: the Office and its Holders since 1945, Peter Hennessy explores the formal powers of the Prime Minister and how each incumbent has made the job his or her own. Drawing on unparalleled access to many of the leading figures, as well as the key civil servants and journalists of each period, he has built up a picture of the hidden nexus of influence and patronage surrounding the office. From recently declassified archival material he reconstructs, often for the first time, precise prime ministerial attitudes towards the key issues of peace and war. He concludes with a controversial assessment of the relative performance of each Prime Minister since 1945, from Clement Atlee and Winston Churchhill to Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair, and proposes a new specification for the premiership as it enters its fourth century. ''I really can''t praise it too highly: a tremendous achievement ... an instant classic''  AnTable of ContentsPart 1 Prelude: the platonic idea and the constitutional deal; continuity and cottage pie. Part 2 The premiership: the double-headed nation; organized by history - the premiership before 1945; beyond any mortal? the stretching of the premiership since 1945; where the buck stops - premiers, "war cabinets" and nuclear war planning since 1945. Part 3 The prime ministers: a sense of architectronics - Clement Atlee, 1945-51; in history lie all the secrets - Winston Churchill, 1951-55; the Colonel and the drawing room - Anthony Eden, 1955-57; quiet, calm deliberation - Harold Macmillan, 1957-63; country values - Alec Douglas-Home, 1963-64; centre forward - Harold Wilson, 1964-70; the somersaulting modernizer - Edward Heath, 1970-74; centre half - Harold Wilson, 1974-76; the sea-changer - James Callaghan, 1976-79; a tigress surrounded by hamsters - Margaret Thatcher, 1979-90; the solo-coalitionist - John Major, 1990-97; command and control - Tony Blair, 1997-. Part 4 Coda: the premier league - the inevitability of disappointment; towards a new specification - premiership for the 21st century.

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Book SynopsisMan was born free, and he is everywhere in chainsThese are the famous opening words of a treatise that has not ceased to stir vigorous debate since its first publication in 1762. Rejecting the view that anyone has a natural right to wield authority over others, Rousseau argues instead for a pact, or 'social contract', that should exist between all the citizens of a state and that should be the source of sovereign power. From this fundamental premise, he goes on to consider issues of liberty and law, freedom and justice, arriving at a view of society that has seemed to some a blueprint for totalitarianism, to others a declaration of democratic principles.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoriTable of ContentsThe Social Contract Translator's acknowledgmentsIntroductionForewordBook IBook IIBook IIIBook IV

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Book SynopsisIn On Royalty Jeremy Paxman delves deep into Britain''s royal past. What is the point of Kings and Queens? What do they do all day? And what does it mean to be one of them?Jeremy Paxman is used to making politicians explain themselves - but royalty has always been off limits. Until now. He takes a long hard look at our present incumbents to find out just what makes them tick. Along the way he discovers some fascinating and little-known details. Such as:how Albania came to advertise in England for a kingwhich English queen gave birth in front of 67 peoplehow easy it is to beat up future kings of England and how meeting the Queen is a bit scary - whoever you are ...No other book will tell you quite as much about our kings, queens, princes and princesses: who they are and what they''re for.''Paxman''s book is everyhing that royalty is not allowed to be - witty, stylish, intelligent, pugnacious and political. The TimesTrade ReviewPaxman's book is everyhing that royalty is not allowed to be - witty, stylish, intelligent, pugnacious and political. * The Times *On Royalty is an absorbing, well-researched book, part serious enquiry, part rollicking anecdote. * Evening Standard *Action-packed and entertaining. -- The * Sunday Telegraph *On Royalty is an absorbing, well-researched book, part serious enquiry, part rollicking anecdote. * Evening Standard *

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Book SynopsisThroughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves - and each other. They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged, provoked and comforted. They have enriched lives - and destroyed them. Now Penguin brings you the works of the great thinkers, pioneers, radicals and visionaries whose ideas shook civilization, and helped make us who we are.

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Book SynopsisNiccolò Machiavelli''s brutally uncompromising manual of statecraft, The Prince is translated and edited with an introduction by Tim Parks in Penguin Classics.As a diplomat in turbulent fifteenth-century Florence, Niccolò Machiavelli knew how quickly political fortunes could rise and fall. The Prince, his tough-minded, pragmatic handbook on how power really works, made his name notorious and has remained controversial ever since. How can a leader be strong and decisive, yet still inspire loyalty in his followers? When is it necessary to break the rules? Is it better to be feared than loved? Examining regimes and their rulers the world over and throughout history, from Roman Emperors to renaissance Popes, from Hannibal to Cesare di Borgia, Machievalli answers all these questions in a work of realpolitik that still has shrewd political lessons for today. Tim Parks''s acclaimed contemporary translation renders Machiavelli''s no-nonsense original as alarming and enlightening as when it was first written. His introduction discusses Machiavelli''s life and reputation, and explores the historical background to the work.Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527) was born in Florence, and served the Florentine republic as a secretary and second chancellor, as ambassador and foreign policy-maker. When the Medici family returned to power in 1512 he was suspected of conspiracy, imprisoned and tortured and forced to retire from public life. His most famous work, The Prince, was written in an attempt to gain favour with the Medicis and return to politics.If you enjoyed The Prince, you might like Plato''s Republic, also available in Penguin Classics.''A gripping work, and a gripping translation''Nicholas Lezard, Guardian''Tim Parks''s swift and supple new translation brings out all its chilling modernity'' Boyd Tonkin, IndependentTrade Review“[Machiavelli] can still engage our attention with remarkable immediacy, and this cannot be explained solely by the appeal of his ironic observations on human behaviour. Perhaps the most important thing is the way he can compel us to reflect on our own priorities and the reasoning behind them; it is this intrusion into our own defenses that makes reading him an intriguing experience. As a scientific exponent of the political art Machiavelli may have had few followers; it is as a provocative rhetorician that he has had his real impact on history.” –from the Introduction by Dominic Baker-Smith

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Book Synopsis''Magisterial ... Immensely readable'' Douglas Alexander, Financial Times''Insightful, productively provocative and downright brilliant'' New York Times A compelling history of catastrophes and their consequences, from ''the most brilliant British historian of his generation'' (The Times) Disasters are inherently hard to predict. But when catastrophe strikes, we ought to be better prepared than the Romans were when Vesuvius erupted or medieval Italians when the Black Death struck. We have science on our side, after all. Yet the responses of many developed countries to a new pathogen from China were badly bungled. Why? While populist rulers certainly performed poorly in the face of the pandemic, Niall Ferguson argues that more profound pathologies were at work - pathologies already visible in our responses to earlier disasters. Drawing from multiple disciplines, including economics and network science, Trade ReviewMagisterial reach ... immensely readable ... Ferguson [applies] his prodigious intellect to placing the present pandemic on a wider historic canvas. -- Douglas Alexander * Financial Times *This is not just about a virus but a collision of politics, panic, digital media, human behaviour and incompetence. Niall Ferguson's Doom looks at each of these aspects, putting them into historical perspective in a book of dazzling range and rigour. -- Fraser Nelson * The Spectator *Niall Ferguson's Doom is often insightful, productively provocative and downright brilliant. * New York Times *A superb history of the lost art of handling a crisis. * The Telegraph *Stimulating ... Each chapter of this thought-provoking book is worth reading for the ideas, perceptiveness and well-told stories of landmark events ... It's a useful reminder that what may feel like having unprecedented restrictions imposed on our lives today is nothing new... readers will find much to relish. -- Martin Bentham * Evening Standard *Elegant, pacey, gripping ... a wealth of deep research. * The Economist *Doom covers an impressive sweep of history at a lively narrative clip and weaves a lot of disparate strands together into an engaging picture. -- Rafael Behr * The Guardian *Timely and refreshing ... An informative, amusing and thought-provoking read that is full of steadying good sense for these troubled times. -- Peter Neville-Hadley * South China Morning Post *Performs a crucial public service ... Doom is far more than just a page-turner, though that it certainly is: it's that most precious of things in a history book - an account of the past that truly helps us understand where we are today. -- Ryan Bourne * CapX *

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Book SynopsisA selection of nineteen essential essays from The Federalist Papers in their original lengths by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and John Jay, with notes by Richard BeemanPenguin presents a series of six portable, accessible, and—above all—essential reads from American political history, selected by leading scholars. Series editor Richard Beeman, author of The Penguin Guide to the U.S. Constitution, draws together the great texts of American civic life to create a timely and informative mini-library of perennially vital issues. Whether readers are encountering these classic writings for the first time, or brushing up in anticipation of the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act, these slim volumes will serve as a powerful and illuminating resource for scholars, students, and civic-minded citizens.Written at a time when furious arguments were raging about the best way to govern America, The Federalist Papers had the imme

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Book SynopsisThe definitive and revealing account of the extraordinary parliamentary battle over Brexit and what it means for British democracy.Trade ReviewA terrific overview of the battles within Parliament to try to stop Brexit. * Paul Donnelley, Express.co.uk *This book is of paramount importance. The first proper look at what happened in those dreadful years, by extremely authoritative figures, taking no prisoners in its assessment. Absolutely vital reading. * Ian Dunt, Columnist, i Newspaper & Host, Origin Story podcast *I was engrossed in Brexit for years it feels as though it's finally possible to get some perspective, and Meg [Russell] and Lisa James's book does that brilliantly * Ros Taylor, The Bunker Podcast *I doubt whether anyone will ever improve on Russell & Jamess account. It is highly detailed, lucid, and painstakingly accurate... sure-footed and faultless. * Chris Grey, Brexit and Beyond Blog *An authoritative, comprehensive guide, written with great analytical lucidity and narrative verve. * Rafael Behr, Politics on the Couch *A beautifully researched, thoughtful, and morally alert examination of one of the most difficult and divisive issues in British history. * Rory Stewart, Former Conservative Cabinet Minister and co-host of The Rest is Politics podcast *In their analysis of these nuances, contradictions and complexities, Russell and James have written a book that will undoubtedly stand as the definitive text on the parliamentary battle for Brexit. * Katy Hayward, International Affairs *Brexit was a serious and destabilising political event, but also an extraordinary parliamentary soap opera. This accessible book provides a definitive, compelling account of every improbable plot twist, while identifying important lessons for the future of our democracy. * Dr Hannah White, Director, Institute for Government *Parliament was often the centre of national attention on Brexit. For a while in 2019, the BBC's Parliament channel's ratings even beat those for MTV. To really understand what went on, and what it all means, you can do no better than to read this meticulously researched book. * Anand Menon, Director of UK in a Changing Europe and Professor of European Politics and Foreign Affairs at King's College, London *The 2016 referendum and its aftermath crystallised long-running divisions over our EU membership, within political parties and the wider public. This thoughtful book charts what happened, identifies what could have been handled better, and helps outline how we can overcome the divisions and return to a more consensual democratic discourse. * Gisela Stuart, former Labour MP and chair of the 2016 Vote Leave campaign *Impressive and meticulously researched...[The Parliamentary Battle over Brexit] offers a clear chronological explanation and thematic analysis of those difficult years. * Ben Wellings, Australian Book Review *Thoughtful and carefully researched. * Emily Jones, Times Literary Supplement *Russell and James have written a book that will undoubtedly stand as the definitive text on the parliamentary battle for Brexit. * Katy Hayward, International Affairs 99: 6 *[A] clear-eyed study of the events of 2016. * New Statesman *A comprehensive account of The Parliamentary Battle Over Brexit which is well worth reading. * Sam Freedman, Comment is Freed *This book explores the power of Parliament, how Brexit challenged this power, and the lessons learned....Recommended. Advanced undergraduates through faculty; professionals. * Choice *Table of Contents1: Introduction 2: The parliamentary path to the Brexit referendum 3: The referendum 4: Theresa May and the triggering of Article 50 5: Seeking, but losing, a majority: the 2017 general election 6: Determining the form of Brexit 7: The emerging deal and the meaningful vote 8: Backbenchers 'seize control' 9: Shut down parliament! Boris Johnson and the prorogation crisis 10: The 2019 general election and the Brexit mandate 11: Conclusion: Brexit, parliament and the constitution

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Trade ReviewDecision combines the scholar's meticulous research with the journalist's instinct for reporting. A reader feels like a witness to the exercise of the best legal minds on the Court (and of those that sometimes fell short). In the end, this book is a reassuring picture of those who wield unreviewable power. * Marcia Coyle, The New York Times Book Review *This fascinating book shows how the major decisions of the Supreme Court came to be, including Roe v. Wade.... In all, a terrific primer on the Supreme Court, the true lawgivers of the republic. * Booklist *Shows that the justices...make law through a much more collaborative and less individualistic process than is generally assumed.... Reading about the justices' foibles and personality conflicts is all the more entertaining given the veil of secrecy behind which they normally work.... Thoughtful and illuminating. * Kirkus Reviews *While Supreme Court decisions determine the rights of all individuals and the powers of all government officials, the Court's deliberations and actions that lead to these vitally important decisions are largely shielded from public view. By shedding valuable light on the Court's behind-the-scenes workings, Decision should enrich public understanding and support of our constitutional liberties and the Justices who uphold them. * Nadine Strossen, President, American Civil Liberties Union, and Professor of Law, New York Law School *Privy to heretofore unrevealed internal memoranda, Professor Bernard Schwartz has produced a remarkable scholarly analysis of Supreme Court practice and the thought processes of past and present justices who have been at the helm of our nation's judiciary. * Stanley Mosk, Justice, Supreme Court of California *Arguably the leading Supreme Court scholar of the day. * Supreme Court Historical Society Quarterly *

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Book SynopsisConstitutional Democracy systematically examines how the basic constitutional structure of governments affects what they can accomplish. This relationship is especially important at a time when Americans are increasingly disillusioned about government''s fundamental ability to reach solutions for domestic problems, and when countries in the former Soviet block and around the world are rewriting their constitutions. Political economist Mueller illuminates the links between the structure of democratic government and the outcomes it achieves by drawing comparisons between the American system and other government systems around the world. Working from the public choice perspective in political science, the book analyzes electoral rules, voting rules, federalism, bicameralism, citizenship, and separation of powers. It will be of great interest to students and scholars of political economy.Trade Review"...Constitutional Democracy is a useful addition to the literature on public choice theory and on constitutions. It opens up an interesting area for discussion and deserves to be widely studied."--The American Journal of Legal History"...An extaordinarily interesting book. Those who dislike public choice literature because of its frequent use of symbolic notation and first or second derivatives will be pleasantly surprised by Mueller's book. It is almost entirely prose and leaves the mathematical proof of his statements to notes. A tremendous advantage of Mueller's book is that it provides material for the teaching of many courses."--The Law and Politics Book Review"...Mueller has done a superb job in bringing together in one volume a very complete coverage of the essential economics....Constitutional Democracy will become the standard reference for those who take the next step to constitutional economics."--Constitutional Political Economy

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Book SynopsisMany leading historians have argued that the Constitution of the United States was a proslavery document. But in The Slaveholding Republic, one of America''s most eminent historians refutes this claim in a landmark history that stretches from the Continental Congress to the Presidency of Abraham Lincoln. Fehrenbacher shows that the Constitution itself was more or less neutral on the issue of slavery and that, in the antebellum period, the idea that the Constitution protected slavery was hotly debated (many Northerners would concede only that slavery was protected by state law, not by federal law). Nevertheless, he also reveals that U.S. policy abroad and in the territories was consistently proslavery. Fehrenbacher makes clear why Lincoln''s election was such a shock to the South and shows how Lincoln''s approach to emancipation, which seems exceedingly cautious by modern standards, quickly evolved into a Republican revolution that ended the anomaly of the United States as a slaveholding republic. Advances our knowledge of the critical relationships of slavery to the American government, placing it in perspective and explaining its meaning.... One could hardly ask for more.--Ira Berlin, The Washington PostTrade ReviewDon E. Fehrenbacher's final book, ably completed and edited by his former student Ward M. McAfee, examines the U.S. government's relations with slavery from the founding of the republic through the Civil War ... because of its clear thesis, broad view, and lively narration, The Slaveholding Republic will surely make an influential contribution to the historiography of American politics and slavery. And, like all good books, it raises important questions that deserve further examination. * American Nineteenth Century History *The Slaveholding Republic not only advances our knowledge of the critical relationships of slavery to the American government, placing it in perspective and explaining its meaning, but it also helps frame contemporary debates over the perennial question about the relative power of the nation and the locality. One could hardly ask for more. * Ira Berlin, The Washington Post *A major historian addresses a major theme in the late Don Fehrenbacher's The Slaveholding Republic. Rigorously based on the original sources, this book accurately and soberly relates the shameful story of how the federal government treated human beings as property. * Daniel Walker Howe, Rhodes Professor of American History, Oxford University *Engagingly written, thoughtfully conceived, and filled with flashes of insight. Here is a compelling contribution to the ongoing debate about the nation's ends and means, its better angels, and its fundamental law. * Phillip Shaw Paludan, author of "A People's Contest": The Union and the Civil War *Table of ContentsPreface ; I. Introduction ; II. Slavery and the Founding of the Republic ; III. Slavery in the National Capital ; IV. Slavery in American Foreign Relations ; V. The African Slave Trade, 1789-1842 ; VI. The African Slave Trade, 1842-1862 ; VII. The Fugitive Slave Problem to 1850 ; VIII. The Fugitive Slave Problem , 1850-1864 ; IX. Slavery in the Territories ; X. The Republican Revolution ; XI. Conclusion

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Book SynopsisIn modern nations, political disagreement is the source of both the gravest danger and the greatest security, writes Cass Sunstein. All democracies face intense political conflict. But is this conflict necessarily something to fear? In this provocative book, one of our leading political and legal theorists reveals how a nation''s divisions of conviction and belief can be used to safeguard democracy. Confronting one explosive political issue after another, from presidential impeachment to the limits of religious liberty, from discrimination against women and gays to the role of the judiciary, Sunstein constructs a powerful new perspective from which to show how democracies negotiate their most divisive real-world problems. He focuses on a series of concrete concerns that go to the heart of the relationship between the idea of democracy and the idea of constitutionalism. Illustrating his discussion with examples from constitutional debates and court-cases in South Africa, Eastern Europe,Trade ReviewSunstein takes the reader on a nuanced but spirited journey across a broad terrain of constitutional issues, from race discrimination to religious rights and presidential impeachment. Designing Democracy is a welcome change from the many books on constitutional law that sink under the weight of hermetic debates about interpretive methods. ...this approach brings a fresh perspective to many of the well-worn but still vital issues of American constitutional debate. * New York Times Book Review *One of our finest constitutional thinkers, Cass Sunstein develops here a powerful new understanding of a constitution's purpose and resources. In this important book, Professor Sunstein discusses the way a democratic constitution can turn a nation's political differences, however sharp, into a constructive force. * William Jefferson Clinton, former president of the United States *A powerful, persuasive critique of the conditions that distort [democratic] deliberation. * Washington Post Bookworld *

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Book SynopsisEngland is ruled directly from Westminster by institutions and parties that are both English and British. The non-recognition of England reflects a longstanding assumption of ''unionist statecraft'' that to draw a distinction between what is English and what is British risks destabilising the union state. The book examines evidence that this conflation of England and Britain is growing harder to sustain, in light of increasing political divergence between the nations of the UK and the awakening of English national identity. These trends were reflected in the 2016 vote to leave the European Union, driven predominantly by English voters (outside London). Brexit was motivated in part by a desire to restore the primacy of the Westminster Parliament, but there are countervailing pressures for England to gain its own representative institutions, and for devolution to England''s cities and regions.The book presents competing interpretations of the state of English nationhood, examining the viTrade ReviewThis lucid, literate and compelling book is a joy to read... a book to which future historians of British politics will turn for decades... a distinguished work of scholarship, written with energy of thought and clarity of style * Derek Hawes, Journal of Contemporary European Studies *Table of ContentsAlun Evans: Foreword Acknowledgements Notes on the Contributors Part I: England and the Union State 1: Michael Kenny, Iain McLean & Akash Paun: Introduction: English Identity and Institutions in a Changing United Kingdom 2: Arthur Aughey: England and Britain in Historical Perspective 3: Akash Paun: Sovereignty, Devolution, and the English Constitution 4: Jim Gallagher: The Ghost in the Machine? The Government of England 5: Meg Russell & Jack Sheldon: An English Parliament: An Idea Whose Time has Come? Part II: Speaking for England? The Political Parties 6: Daniel Gover & Michael Kenny: Interpreting EVEL: Latest Station in the Conservative Party's English Journey? 7: John Denham: Labour and the Governance of England 8: Robert Ford & Maria Sobolewska: UKIP, Brexit, and the Disruptive Potential of English National Identity Part III: An England of Cities and Regions 9: Mick Moran, John Tomaney, & Karel Williams: Territory and Power in England: The Political Economy of Manchester and Beyond 10: Tony Travers: London Within England - a City State? 11: Iain McLean: England in a Changing Fiscal Union Part IV: English Identity and Attitudes 12: John Curtice: How Do People in England Want to Be Governed? 13: Michael Kenny: English Nationalism in Historical Perspective

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Book SynopsisFiefs and Vassals has changed our view of the medieval world. It offers a fundamental challenge to orthodox conceptions of feudalism. Susan Reynolds argues that the concepts of the fief and of vassalage, as understood by historians of medieval Europe, were constructed by post-medieval scholars from the works of medieval academic lawyers and tha they provide a bad guide to the realities of medieval society.This is a radical new examination of relations between rulers, nobles, and free men, the distillation of wide-ranging research by a leading medieval historian. It has revolutionized the way we think of the Middle Ages.Trade Review`utterly absorbing and important. If Dr Reynolds's arguments are accepted, then most textbooks on medieval history will have to be recalled for repair like defective washing-machines ... Dr Reynolds's superb book is bound to generate much scholarly debate.' * Observer *Offers a broad set of criteria through which to analyse the evidence, in order to establish the nature of social status and relationships...In establishing her negative conclusion, the inadequacy of the feudo-vassalic orthodoxy, she is triumphantly successful. She is also vividly persuasive in her depiction of the gradual transformation of localised societies based on a great diversity of customs. * History Today *`this is a quietly original re-examination of the medieval world and of the feudal system in particular. "It has the austerity, compression and concentration of Sibelius's Fourth Symphony" (Stuart Airlie) * Observer *the reader's way is greatly eased by a lucid, engaging style that avoids jargon and any attempt at deconstructive methodology. Undoubtedly it will form a watershed in our understanding of medieval society. * The Historian *'For once the hype is worth attending to: this is a quietly original re-examination of the medieval world and of the feudal system in particular.' * The Observer *`she clarifies this feudal business so thoroughly that it ought now to be possible for the first time to discuss it without talking nonsense. ... anyone who understands the title ought to read the book. It will be bought by university libraries.' * The Spectator *`a book whose intellectual courage is as stirring as its range is wide and its scholarship deep. There have been none that so meticulously examines its manifestations in nearly all major medieval contexts.' * Times Literary Supplement *Dr Reynolds pits her formidable resources of learning, subtlety and not least common sense. Her...book sets out to show how it simply is not true that medieval society was organised or even envisaged in accordance with the feudal principles at any date until long after what historians regard as their heyday...she substitutes an alternative, more modulated and so inherently more plausible model of the history of the relationships in question...This, then, is a book whose intellectual courage is as stirring as its range is wide and its scholarship deep. * The Times Literary Supplement *Susan Reynolds gained our enduring respect in 1984 with her magisterial Kingdoms and Communities in Western Europe, 900-1300, and now with this work, her reputation will only be enhanced......Reynolds uncovers a plethora of items for further research that will keep scholars busy on important topics for a long time..... Those of us who have merely picked away at the feudal Middle Ages in our articles and books are immeasurably in her debt for this heroic effort. * Albion *Reynolds uncovers a plethora of items for further research that will keep scholars busy on important topics for a long time ... her contribution is massive and dominating in its breadth and depth. Those of us who have merely picked away at the feudal Middle Ages in our articles and books are immeasurably in her debt for this heroic effort. * Bernard S. Bachrach, University of Minnesota, Albion *Our champion is mightily armed: the learning and erudition that Dr Reynolds has at her disposal may be seen not just in the substantial bibliography but on every page of this long (and very attractively priced) book. * Roger Collins, University of Edinburgh, History *the reader's way is greatly eased by a lucid, engaging style that avoids jargon and any attempt at deconstructive methodology ... Undoubtedly it will form a watershed in our understanding of medieval society. * Richard Kay, University of Kansas, The Historian *The underlying thesis, sustained with verve and learning, is that much early medieval evidence has been given a misleading juridical coherence ... the book should make us far more sensitive both to vocabulary and to our own preconceptions. * Timothy Reuter, University of Southampton, Early Medieval Europe 1996 5(2) *

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Book SynopsisThe State is the most powerful of political ideas but where does it come from? This broad-ranging new study traces the history of the word and the concept back to the systems of law and justice created by medieval kings and shows how legal institutions acquired political force.Trade ReviewMedieval Law and the Foundations of the State is a substantial and scholarly study of medieval law, political theory, and political practice, which engages with a vast body of source material in very close argument in tracing the 'pre-theoretical understanding' (p.v) of the medieval state. * Medium Aevum *Table of Contents1. Introduction: State - Word and Concept ; 2. Frankish and Anglo-Saxon Justice ; 3. The Courts of Lords and Townsmen ; 4. The Spread of Organized Peace ; 5. The Judicial Systems of France and England ; 6. New High Courts and Reform of the Regime ; 7. The Legal Ordering of 'the State of the Realm' ; 8. The Monarchical State of the Later Middle Ages ; 9. From Law to Politics ; 10. Conclusion: Law and the State in History ; Bibliography

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Book SynopsisStein Rokkan was one of the leading social scientists of the post-war world. He was a prolific writer whose main contribution to social science - the conceptual and developmental map of Europe - is presented here for the first time in an integrated and systematic way.Trade Reviewsets the standards in cross-national comparative research to extraordinarily high levels of academic excellence. * Luis Moreno, Nationalism & Ethnic Politics, Vol.6, No.3, Autumn 2000 *A long introduction written by Peter Flora serves the purpose of providing the reader with useful insights and interpretations on how to make sense of the vast amount of data and information provided in subsequent chapters. A cascade of concepts and ideas put forward by Rokkan are analysed in a clarifying manner. * Luis Moreno, Nationalism & Ethnic Politics, Vol.6, No.3, Autumn 2000 *A much needed compiliation of Rokkan's prolific work has finally seen the 'public light'. * Luis Moreno, Nationalism & Ethnic Politics, Vol.6, No.3, Autumn 2000 *`A wonderful book about the thinking of the greatest modern European social scientist.' Professor Arend Lijphart, University of California, San DiegoTable of ContentsSTATE FORMATION AND NATION-BUILDING; BASIC CONCEPTS, MODELS, MAPS; DIFFERENTIATIONS AND BOUNDARY-BUILDING; CENTRES AND PERIPHERIES; THE BASIC MODEL; A MODEL AND CONCEPTUAL MAP OF EUROPE; THE TERRITORIAL STRUCTURING OF EUROPE; CONDITIONS OF STATE FORMATION AND NATION BUILDING; NATION-BUILDING AND LANGUAGE; THE SURVIVAL OF PERIPHERAL IDENTITY; FEDERAL VERSUS UNITARY STRUCTURE; B. MASS POLITICS; III. THE DEMOCRATISATION OF EUROPE; 1. EXIT AND VOICE; 2. THE FOUR THRESHOLDS OF DEMOCRATISATION; 3. NUMERICAL DEMOCRACY AND CORPORATE PLURALISM; IV CLEAVAGE STRUCTURES AND PARTY SYSTEMS; CLEAVAGES AND THEIR POLITICAL TRANSLATIONS; CRITICAL JUNCTURES, ALLIANCES, AND OPPOSITIONS; 3. PARTY SYSTEMS AND THE MODEL OF EUROPE

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Book SynopsisIn the increasingly questioning world of the 1990s, the role of the monarchy in a democracy is again coming under scrutiny. Its critics argue that the monarchy is a profoundly conservative institution which serves to inhibit social change; that it has outlived its usefulness; that it symbolizes and reinforces deference and hierachy; and that its radical reform is therefore long overdue. Rejecting these arguments Vernon Bogdanor makes a powerful case for the positive role that monarchy plays in modern democratic politics. Ranging across law, politics, and history he argues that far from undermining democracy, the monarchy sustains and strengthens democratic institutions; that constitutional monarchy is a form of government that ensures not conservatism but legitimacy. The first serious examination of the political role of the monarchy to appear in many years, this book will make fascinating reading for all those interested in the monarchy and the future of British politics.Trade Reviewvery readable ... It is a timely publication ... Its five useful appendices and select bibliography provide a menu of facts and preliminary reading which should be compulsory for anyone thinking of lifting the pen to write on the subject in future. * Canon Peter Boulton, Ecclesiastical Law Journal, Issue 18, January 1996 *a lively and provocative read * Lilian Pizzichini, Independent on Sunday *Table of Contents1. The Evolution of Constitutional Monarchy ; 2. The Basic Constitutional Rules: The Rules of Succession ; 3. The Basic Constitutional Rules: Influence and the Prerogative ; 4. The Appointment of a Prime Minister ; 5. The Constitutional Crises ; 6. Hung Parliaments and Proportional Representation ; 7. The Financing of the Monarchy ; 8. The Sovereign's Private Secretary ; 9. The Sovereign and the Church ; 10. The Sovereign and the Commonwealth ; 11. The Future of Constitutional Monarchy ; Appendix 1. Sovereigns since Henry VIII ; Appendix 2. British Prime Ministers since 1782 ; Appendix 3. Private Secretaries since 1870 ; Appendix 4. Member states of the Commonwealth, 1995 ; Appendix 5. Some Constitutional Episodes Involving the Use of Royal Power since 1900

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Book SynopsisFood, water, health, housing, and education are as fundamental to human freedom and dignity as privacy, religion, or speech. Yet only recently have legal systems begun to secure these fundamental individual interests as rights. This book looks at the dynamic processes that render economic and social rights in legal form. It argues that processes of interpretation, enforcement, and contestation each reveal how economic and social interests can be protected as human and constitutional rights, and how their protection changes public law. Drawing on constitutional examples from South Africa, Colombia, Ghana, India, the United Kingdom, the United States and elsewhere, the book examines innovations in the design and role of institutions such as courts, legislatures, executives, and agencies in the organization of social movements and in the links established with market actors. This comparative study shows how legal systems protect economic and social rights by shifting the focus from minimuTrade ReviewSocial and economic rights are growing apace throughout the world. Anyone seeking a thoughtful and comprehensive overview of the different ways in which courts throughout the world are enforcing them could do no better than read this sharp-eyed and fluent book. * Albie Sachs *Katharine Young proposes an original theory about the development of economic and social rights, linking such development to their philosophical foundations, to their institutionalization in binding legal norms, and to their impacts in real life. It is an illuminating and well-informed account of how rights evolve, as a result of the tensions between these poles. This book is a breakthrough in scholarship on economic and social rights. * Olivier De Schutter, Former UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food (2008-2014), Member of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (2015-2018) *Young's work comes from a deeper sense of injustice with current world affairs and offers an imaginative and thought provoking account of the potential merits, and pitfalls, of rights based constitutionalism. * Jamie Burton, Public Law *A brilliant discussion of an extremely difficult subject of great importance to policy making and practical reasoning. Katharine Young's lucidity is exemplary, and so is the originality of her approach to human rights. * Amartya Sen, Nobel Prize winner in Economics and Thomas W. Lamont University Professor, and Professor of Economics and Philosophy, at Harvard University *Katharine Young's book is both an ideal introduction to the discourse of social and economic rights and an important advance of the field. She offers a spirited defense of the possibility of a human rights practice that is both grounded and emancipatory. Skeptics will find that their reservations are extensively and fairly considered. Activists will find many provocative challenges to their conventional wisdom. All readers will be grateful for her lucid and lively exposition. * William H. Simon, Arthur Levitt Professor of Law, Columbia Law School *Table of ContentsPART I: CONSTITUTING RIGHTS BY INTERPRETATION ; PART II: CONSTITUTING RIGHTS BY ENFORCEMENT ; PART III: CONSTITUTING RIGHTS BY CONTESTATION

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Book SynopsisAs citizens, why do we care about the everyday life of ministers and civil servants? We care because the decisions of the great and the good affect all our lives, for good or ill. For all their personal, political, and policy failings and foibles, they make a difference. So, we want to know what ministers and bureaucrats do, why, and how. We are interested in their beliefs and practices. In his fascinating piece of political anthropology, Rod Rhodes uncovers exactly how the British political elite thinks and acts. Drawing on unprecedented access to ministers and senior civil servants in three government departments, he answers a simple question: ''what do they do?'' On the basis of extensive fieldwork, supplemented by revealing interviews, he tries to capture the essence of their everyday life. He describes the ministers'' and permanent secretaries'' world through their own eyes, and explores how their beliefs and practices serve to create meaning in politics, policy making, and publicTrade ReviewBeyond these observations, and for the reasons already mentioned, the book makes an original contribution, it is rigorous and highly stimulating for those interested in governance practices and shaping of its elites, even outside Britain. * Mariana Heredia, Luisina Perelmiter, Perfiles Latinoamericanos 41 *One of the best books I have ever read about how the public service works. * Fran Thorn, President of the Institute of Public Administration, Australia *Rhodes skilfully paints a lucid picture of how beliefs and practices create meaning in politics, policy-making, and public service delivery. The reader is left with a firm impression of a story-telling political administrative elite that uses willed-ordinariness, underpinned by routines, rituals, protocols, and language, to domesticate the rude surprises that punctuate everyday government. * Alistair Davey, Public Administration *Some will read this fine and engaging book for its sharp observation of ministers and their private offices at work. Others will value it as a detailed and methodologically explicit example of the value of observation as part of the political scholars tool-kit: indeed, it is an excellent case study in using ones research as a showcase or ones ontology and epistemology (in this case, an interpretivist position which emphasises the interaction of narratives and practices). * Andrew Connell, Political Studies Review *Rhodes' writing is personal, assertive, challenging, informed and always interesting. * Evert A. Lindquist, Canadian Public Administration *Everyday Life in British Government by R.A.W. Rhodes, one of Britains foremost executive scholars, is both an important and a very personal book. This rare combination flows not just from the authors truly passionate interest in his subjects but also, and more importantly, from the particular methodological approach to studying British government ministers and civil servants used in this book. * Ludger Helms, Innsbruck *One of the "must have" books on politics for 2011... a fascinating and surprisingly readable and entertaining book. Politicians and bureaucrats, believe it or not, are just like us - well maybe not quite. They swear, make mistakes, and bitch and gossip about each other and their enemies (usually the Treasury)... a fascinating insight into the inner workings of the Whitehall. * Dr Steve Coulter, LSE blog *Table of ContentsPART I: THE SETTING ; PART II: THE ACTORS ; PART III: SCENES

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Book SynopsisContemporary democracies have granted an expansive amount of power to unelected judges that sit in constitutional or supreme courts. This power shift has never been easily squared with the institutional backbones through which democracy is popularly supposed to be structured. The best institutional translation of a ''government of the people, by the people and for the people'' is usually expressed through elections and electoral representation in parliaments.Judicial review of legislation has been challenged as bypassing that common sense conception of democratic rule. The alleged ''democratic deficit'' behind what courts are legally empowered to do has been met with a variety of justifications in favour of judicial review. One common justification claims that constitutional courts are, in comparison to elected parliaments, much better suited for impartial deliberation and public reason-giving. Fundamental rights would thus be better protected by that insulated mode of decision-making.Trade Review"The strength of the book is in its detailed examination of what still largely remains at least from the perspective of deliberative theory a black box: the internal processes of constitutional courts. Mendes is more of a systematizer and presenter of taxonomies than a purveyor of simple answers. His language waxes metaphorical, even sometimes lyrical. By asking the questions he does, Mendes encourages us to probe the roles and possibilities of deliberation on multi-member courts." * Ron Levy, Brazilian Political Science Review *"Overall, the monograph provides a welcome insight into the omissions in wider challenges faced by scholarship concerning "good" constitutional courts in democracies. Given the diversity in both institutional set ups and legal cultures, future work in this area will require an empirical turn." * Hayley Hooper, Law Quarterly Review *Constitutional Courts and Deliberative Democracy is an inestimable contribution to explain what a 'forum of principle' or a 'dialogue' between powers entail and to provide a critical account of the ethical virtues, the facilitators, the legal constraints, and the political circumstances of judicial deliberation." * Thomas Bustamante , Modern Law Review *Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION

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Book SynopsisA fresh perspective on an ancient institution; Exploring Parliament offers an engaging and real-life insight into the inner workings, impact, and relevance of twenty-first century Parliament. Short academic and practitioner chapters are combined with highly relevant and practical case studies, to provide a new and accessible introduction to Parliament''s structures, people, and practices. As well as covering the broader structure of UK Parliament, this text explains the role of small parties in law making, the design and space of Parliament, and offers illuminating case studies on highly topical areas such as the Backbench Business Committee, the Hillsborough Inquiry and recent pieces of legislation such as the Assisted Dying Bill.This text is complemented by the following online resources for students and lecturers:- Video tours of Parliament- Podcasts to explain and explore the work of Parliament- Web links to help students to explore Parliament even furtherTable of ContentsPART I: THE ORGANISATION OF PARLIAMENT; PART II: LAW MAKING; PART III: SCRUTINY AND ACCOUNTABILITY; PART IV: REPRESENTATION; PART V: CHALLENGES AND REFORM

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Book SynopsisCan constitutional amendments be unconstitutional? The problem of ''unconstitutional constitutional amendments'' has become one of the most widely debated issues in comparative constitutional theory, constitutional design, and constitutional adjudication. This book describes and analyses the increasing tendency in global constitutionalism to substantively limit formal changes to constitutions. The challenges of constitutional unamendability to constitutional theory become even more complex when constitutional courts enforce such limitations through substantive judicial review of amendments, often resulting in the declaration that these constitutional amendments are ''unconstitutional''.Combining historical comparisons, constitutional theory, and a wide comparative study, Yaniv Roznai sets out to explain what the nature of amendment power is, what its limitations are, and what the role of constitutional courts is and should be when enforcing limitations on constitutional amendments.Trade Review[This] book not only ranges across constitutional amendment limitation provisions [worldwide], but also provides deep theoretical treatment of a central normative constitutional issue... The book joins deep theory, doctrinal subtlety, and an empirical breadth that exhibits a boundary-pushing interdisciplinarity of a truly outstanding calibre. It is likely to be a key reference point on this crucial issue for a considerable time to come. * Jeff King, David Law, Joana Mendes, and Anne Peters (chair), ICON-S Book Prize 2018 committee *The book skilfully introduces the phenomenon of unconstitutional constitutional amendments and provides a sophisticated justification for constitutional unamendability... The book's appeal is not only to those studying constitutional change, but also to scholars of comparative law and comparative politics, as well as those brooding over what it means to uphold democracy. It also promises to be an invaluable reference book with its extensive bibliography... Institutional and personal libraries alike had better make room for Unconstitutional Constitutional Amendments. * Tarik Olcay, Constitutional Change *Roznai's book provides a comprehensive and detailed analysis of unconstitutional constitutional amendments. Roznai discusses the constitutions containing provisions regarding this fascinating phenomenon (be they express or implied), and the courts' reactions to them. The book provides an in-depth analytical review of the problems that eternity clauses present the political authorities and the courts. This is an excellent book that discusses one of the central problems of modern constitutionalism. * Aharon Barak, Professor of Law, Radzyner Law School, The Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya *This excellent book is not just another addendum to the list of technical problems handled by constitutional experts. In his analysis of the character of the amending power - 'an exceptional authority, yet a limited one' - Yaniv Roznai reaches the very core of constitutionalism. Setting aside the formal positivistic framework, his rich and illuminating reconstruction of the role of 'the people' and the meaning of democracy in a constitutional polity refreshes and deepens the understanding of liberal democracy. In times when liberal democracy is under severe stress almost everywhere and challenged by advocates of illiberal democracy, this book could not be more timely. * Ulrich K. Preuß, Freie Universität Berlin and Hertie School of Governance, Berlin *The problem of unconstitutional constitutional amendments is one of the most topical issues in comparative constitutional law. Roznai's book offers a rigorous framework for analysis and a global knowledge base. It is a welcome addition to the literature on constitutional amendment and will be an essential reference for unconstitutional amendments for some time to come. * Cheryl Saunders, Laureate Professor Emeritus, Melbourne Law School; President Emeritus, International Association of Constitutional Law *An unconstitutional constitutional amendment - does it exist? More often than you may have thought. But rarely has it been explored. This book, which truly fills a gap, gives a thorough account of and a theoretical foundation for constitutional unamendabilitya subject that gains more and more importance in modern constitutionalism. * Dieter Grimm, Professor of Law at Humboldt University Berlin, Visiting Professor at Yale Law School, and Justice of the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany (1987-1999) *The theory of constitutional amendments has, somewhat surprisingly, emerged as one of the most central questions for contemporary constitutional theory. Providing a comprehensive overview of worldwide practice regarding judicial review of constitutional amendments, Yaniv Roznai offers the most sophisticated theoretical account yet of constitutional amendments. This is a work of fundamental importance to everyone concerned with the basics of constitutional theory. * Mark Tushnet, William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Law, Harvard Law School *[Unconstitutional Constitutional Amendments] provides a persuasive and both normatively and empirically well-informed contribution to the debate on the limits of constitutional amendments. For its clear-cut normative theory alone, this book is seminal reading and will be an essential reference to scholars of constitutional law and constitutional politics for years to come. * Michael Hein, Verfassung und Recht in Übersee *Unconstitutional Constitutional Amendments is a work of great breadth and theoretical sophistication. It may well be the final word on the coherence of constitutional unamendability and the legitimacy of judicial review of amendments. * Rehan Abeyratne, Indian Law Review *Roznai's comparative constitutional law account makes the book an essential source, not specifically limited to this subject, but also for studies of constitutional theory and constitutional design. * Ali Acar, European Constitutional Law Review *It is absolutely terrific in every way, from its truly dazzling scholarship to the intellectual depth on every page. * Sanford Levinson, W. St. John Garwood and W. St. John Garwood, Jr., Centennial Chair in Law, University of Texas at Austin *Unconstitutional constitutional amendments ... pose a major challenge for public law. Roznai has taken up this challenge and has produced an illuminating analysis of the problem. His book has already been the subject of much praise. Various workshops and conference panels have been devoted to the work and its author. This popularity is well deserved. The book summarizes the previous debate concisely, argues diligently, and makes an innovative contribution to a genuinely difficult problem. Probably the greatest strength of the book is its truly global approach, which sets new standards for comparative constitutional studies. The clarity and rigor of his writing helps Roznai to navigate the reader through dozens of jurisdictions and decades of legal scholarship. * Thomas Wischmeyer, International Journal of Constitutional Law Review *A veritable encyclopaedia of amendatory power and what various apex courts have done (or not done) with it. And for the cognoscenti, it is a rich theory festival. ... this work is of compelling merit; both painstakingly researched, and elegantly presented in a reader-friendly way ... The work offers an embarrassment de riches and for long will be a source of many comparative constitutional theory studies. * Upendra Baxi, Indian Journal of Constitutional & Administrative Law *Roznai's book is a terrifically executed account of a constitutional theory justifying the concept of unconstitutional constitutional amendments and the practice of judicial review thereof... The work is a real accomplishment... and deserves reading and consideration by all concerned with constitutional theory. * Vicki C. Jackson, The Vienna Journal on International Constitutional Law *The best case yet for limits to the amending power, and Roznai's knowledge of comparative politics is superb. * John R. Vile, Dean and Professor of Political Science, Middle Tennessee State University *Any response to this book should acknowledge the depth of its scholarship, the clarity of its analysis and the elegance of its proposed solution. Moreover, the argument successfully unscrambles the apparent conceptual confusion in the idea of an unconstitutional constitutional amendment. * Adrienne Stone, The Vienna Journal on International Constitutional Law *The cancerous growth of populism is infecting electoral procedures and may, sooner or later, produce democratically elected majorities capable and willing to adopt constitutional reforms deforming the European acquis constitutionnelle. The debate on unconstitutional constitutional amendments cannot be regarded as devoid of any practical importance. We are fortunate that the doctrinal writings on constitutional amendments are on the rise and that we have publications of such intellectual quality and thoroughness as this book. * Lech Garlicki and Zofia A. Garlicka, The Vienna Journal on International Constitutional Law *Yaniv Roznai's book will certainly foster scholarly debate on constitutional identity and constitutional change, as well as the role of constitutional courts in the enforcement of limits to the amending power. Overall, the text is interesting, well-written and enjoyable for the reader … a significant contribution to the scholarly debate on constitutional change. * Sabrina Ragone, The Vienna Journal on International Constitutional Law *[This is an] extremely fascinating and engaging book ...[that] gives us a wonderful theoretical and practical perspective with which to look at that diversity of the application of constitutional unamendability. Every single analysis of the doctrine is attractive and based on evidence... [it is] a relevant and rich source of theories and practices of constitutional unamendability in a truly comparative context. * Ridwanul Hoque, Indian Journal of Constitutional & Administrative Law *[This is the] most authentic [text] on the theme of unconstitutional constitutional amendments... [It will] serve the interests of all who are engaged in learning the subject or are engaged in making a constitution or those who are engaged in interpreting and applying the constitution in day to day affairs of a country. Its easy reading, appropriate, and convincing arguments, and examples in support of its theme, are an additional attraction for all those who have any concern for the theory or practice of constitution making or applying. * M.P. Singh, Indian Journal of Constitutional & Administrative Law *This is an exhaustive book which has achieved the outstanding outcome of sketching out a theoretically challenging and empirically relevant field of constitutional studies. There is still room for more work on the topic, but this is certainly a remarkable beginning. * Marco Goldoni, Public Law *Yaniv Roznai's Unconstitutional Constitutional Amendments: The Limits of Amendment Powers, is, to my knowledge, the first book to deal with these problems and questions [raised by constitutional unamendability] from both a theoretical and comparative (global) perspective. * Joel I. Colón-Ríos, Constitutional Commentary *

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Book SynopsisThis book examines the conceptual puzzles that multilevel pluralism poses for our constitutional theories. It offers fresh perspectives by addressing the pluralism of norms and authorities from the viewpoint of legality and legitimacy, proposing novel solutions for pluralizing constitutional theory in the light of multilevel governance.Trade ReviewI strongly believe that New Constitutional Horizons is a well-constructed and thorough contribution to a debate that never gets old. I recommend its reading as it pushes us to rethink common places in constitutional pluralism and analytical legal theory. * Francesco Rizzi Brignoli, University of Bologna, Jurisprudence *New Constitutional Horizons: Towards a Pluralist Constitutional Theory by Cormac Mac Amhlaigh is an invitation to rethink constitutional theory from a multifaceted perspective. The book correlates multilevel interactions of power, that are influenced by various factors, including constitutional law, as well as explores the possibility of a normative model capable of solving the peculiarities of this complex relationship, involving the participation of internal democratic institutions within each country, as well as those that operate at the international level. For instance, power dynamics can arise among individuals, groups, organisations, and institutions, and may be affected by variables such as race, gender, social class, religion, and nationality. * Maurício Sullivan Balhe Guedes, Jindal Global Law Review *New Constitutional Horizons:Towards a Pluralist Constitutional Theory clarifies our new legal and political reality...In a world where boundaries between legal systems are constantly increasing in obscurity, Mac Amhlaigh's book provides us with much needed clarity. The advancements in legal and constitutional theory made therein render this contribution an essential handbook to all those who wish to advance, or simply understand, constitutional pluralism and plurality. * Oskar Gabriel Polański, The Modern Law Review *New Constitutional Horizons: Towards a Pluralist Constitutional Theory by Cormac Mac Amhlaigh is an invitation to rethink constitutional theory from a multifaceted perspective. * Maurício Sullivan Balhe Guedes, Jindal Global Law Review *This proposed solution meets legitimacy head-on: transnational constitutionalism is legitimate insofar as it successful achieves the valuable tasks we set for it. * Alex Latham-Gambi, Assistant Professor, Birmingham Law School, Public Law *This is a rich and provocative book...It will be required reading for scholars of transnational constitutionalism, and more generally of interest to legal theorists, political philosophers, and international, transnational and EU lawyers. * Alexander Latham-Gambi, Birmingham Law School *Table of Contents1: Introduction: The 'Circumstances of Constitutional Pluralism' Part I: Legality 2: The Possibility of Constitutional Plurality 3: Law Beyond the Shadow of the State 4: Moving Beyond the Monist Manner in Theorizing Constitutional Plurality Part II: Legitimacy 5: Constitutional Dualisms 6: What's Wrong with Constitutionalism? Between Cacophony and Coercion 7: What's Wrong with Transnational Constitutionalism? Dealing with the No-Demos Thesis 8: What's Right with (Transnational) Constitutionalism: Towards an Interpretive Transnational Constitutional Pluralism

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Book SynopsisThis is the first full-length study of Scottish royal government in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries ever to have been written. It uses untapped legal evidence to set out a new narrative of governmental development. Between 1124 and 1290, the way in which kings of Scots ruled their kingdom transformed. By 1290 accountable officials, a system of royal courts, and complex common law procedures had all been introduced, none of which could have been envisaged in 1124.The Shape of the State in Medieval Scotland, 1124-1290 argues that governmental development was a dynamic phenomenon, taking place over the long term. For the first half of the twelfth century, kings ruled primarily through personal relationships and patronage, only ruling through administrative and judicial officers in the south of their kingdom. In the second half of the twelfth century, these officers spread north but it was only in the late twelfth century that kings routinely ruled through institutions. Throughout thiTrade ReviewIn the next generation, all arguments on Scottish governance (and much else) will start from this book. * Paul R. Hyams, American Historical Review *This volume represents a truly remarkably scholarly achievement. Without doubt, it is the single most significant work to be published on the Scottish legal system during the central Middle Ages in over 20 years. ... Its revolutionary conclusions convincingly explain how the laws of the realm were transformed by shifting power structures in twelfth-century and thirteenth-century Scotland ... it achieves this goal in such a way as to demonstrate that the Scottish experience is of great comparative significance. * Andrew R.C. Simpson, Comparative Legal History *[Alice Taylor] is to be congratulated and thanked, not only for a remarkable contribution to our knowledge and understanding of medieval Scotland and its systems of government and law, but also for the stimulation which her work will undoubtedly provide. * Hector L. MacQueen, Edinburgh Law Review *"excellent ... a historian with Taylor's rare accomplishments will be able to shed more light on the matter ... So much illumination has already been provided by this remarkable book that to ask for more would be unreasonable * J.D. Ford, Modern Law Review *[A]uthoritative new study....Through a close reading of the surviving source material that challenges several long-held assumptions, Taylor breaks new ground. This book is the culmination of more than a decade of detailed studies by Taylor. It is a challenging work, informed by profound scholarship and a keen sense of purpose. It is sure to lead to considerable discussion and inspire further work in this difficult area of study. * J.S. Hamilton, Scotia: Interdisciplinary Journal of Scottish Studies *Every generation or so a book is produced that is truly transformative of our understanding of the historical processes that led to evolutionary step changes in the development of a culture or polity. Such is the status of Alice Taylor's magisterial study of the formation of the medieval Scottish state. ... Through Alice Taylor's scholarship we have been presented with a new historiographical horizon; now we need to populate the new landscape with the detail of the new world beyond it. * Richard Oram, Renaissance Quarterly *In this hugely significant and ambitious book, Alice Taylor offers a detailed survey of the developing form of royal government in Scotland during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries... Through rigorous and insightful analysis, Taylor has constructed a vital interpretive model for understanding the dynamics of royal power in Scotland during this period. * Victoria Hodgson, University of Stirling *The Shape of the State in Medieval Scotland is a work of great scholarship and insight. Through its penetrating analysis of detailed evidence and complex sources, it builds a picture of the gradual development of the state in early Scotland, drawing upon fresh approaches and evidence to yield a textured and nuanced understanding of the growth of royal government in 12th and 13th-century Scotland ... Situating its analysis in a European perspective, it makes an important contribution to the study of medieval kingship, statecraft and the aristocracy. This is a ground-breaking book which will set the terms of debate for many years to come. * Judges' comments for the 2017 Whitfield Prize of the Royal Historical Society *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements List of Maps and Tables List of Abbreviations Preliminary notes Introduction Part 1: Rulers and Ruled, 1124-1230 1: The early Scottish state? 2: Common Burdens in the Regnum Scottorum 3: Written law and the maintenance of order, 1124-1290 Part II: The emergence of a bureaucratic state, c.1170-1290? 4: The institutions of royal government, c.1170-1290 5: The development of a common law, 1230-1290 6: Accounting and Revenue, c.1180-1290 7: A bureaucratic government? Conclusion Appendix Bibliography

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Book SynopsisHighly respected and international contributors examine the development of democratic government in Latin America and Europe, and the role that world politics play in shaping it in this revised edition of a highly acclaimed volume.Trade ReviewReview from previous edition Whitehead gathers an impressive group of scholars to examine the range of ways international actors, institutions, structures, and norms have influenced democratization in Latin America and Southern Europe...important contribution. * - Katherine Hite. Political Science Quarterly. Summer 1998. *Table of ContentsI: COMPARATIVE ; II: THE AMERICAS ; III: EUROPE

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Book SynopsisCombining the approaches of three fields of scholarship - political science, law and Russian area- tudies - the author explores the foundations and future of the Russian Federation. Russia''s political elite have struggled to build an extraordinarily complex federal system, one that incorporates eighty-nine different units and scores of different ethnic groups, which sometimes harbor long histories of resentment against Russian imperial and Soviet legacies. This book examines the public debates, official documents and political deals that built Russia''s federal house on very unsteady foundations, often out of the ideological, conceptual and physical rubble of the ancien régime. One of the major goals of this book is, where appropriate, to bring together the insights of comparative law and comparative politics in the study of the development of Russia''s attempts to create - as its constitution states in the very first article - a ''Democratic, federal, rule-of-law state''Trade Review"Dr. Jeffrey Kahn's admirable and thoroughly researched study offers invaluable materials and insights on what has been transpiring in the world of Russian federalism (and beyond) from the earliest Soviet days to the present, with particular emphasis and depth on the post-Soviet decade." William E. Butler, Michigan Law Review"I have not seen a better account, or a more perceptive one, in any language." William E. Butler, Michigan Law Review"Kahn's study is the best and most thoughtful account available of the early experience." William E. Butler, Michigan Law ReviewTable of Contents1. Introduction ; 2. Federal Theory ; 3. Soviet 'Federalism' ; 4. Gorbachev's Federalism Problem ; 5. The Process of Federal Transition ; 6. Inter-Governmental Relations Under Yeltsin's New Federalism ; 7. Federal Effects on Transitions in Russia's Republics ; 8. The Federal Reforms of Vladimir Putin ; 9. Conclusion

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Book SynopsisThe fifth edition has been completely restructured and expanded in order to provide the definitive introduction to British Politics. There are 16 new chapters. The book focuses on the international context in which Britain operates and addresses institutions, processes, new issues and policies. The book incorporates student learning features and has a companion web site.Trade ReviewBritish Politics 5e is the best textbook I've seen at engaging with current research in a cutting edge way and including summaries of major articles and books. Students sometimes find it easier to engage with these summaries instead of the theory itself. The book has a feeling of quality and substance. * Dr Richard Grayson, Head of Politics, Goldsmiths, University of London *An excellent introduction to the core themes and issues involved in the study of British politics. Interesting, engaging, and comprehensively thorough. * Dr. Steven Kettell, Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Warwick *Table of ContentsPART ONE: THE CONTEXT OF BRITISH POLITICS; PART TWO: INSTITUTIONS AND PROCESSES; PART THREE: POLICY

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