Constitution: government and the state Books

Book SynopsisIn this thought-provoking book, Günter Frankenberg explores why authoritarian leaders create new constitutions, or revise old ones. Through a profound analysis of authoritarian constitutions as phenomena in their own right, Frankenberg reveals their purposes, the audiences they seek to address and investigates the ways in which they fit into the broader context of autocracies. Frankenberg outlines the essential features of authoritarianism through a discussion of a variety of constitutional projects in authoritarian settings: the executive style of opportunist, informal governing, political power as private property, participation as complicity, and the cult of immediacy that is geared towards fantasies of a community of the followers and their leader. He also takes a comparative approach to authoritarian constitutions, drawing out the relationships between them, as well as providing a critique of the discourse around populism and authoritarianism. Authoritarianism will be critical reading for scholars of constitutional law, as well as political scientists, who will find its comparative analysis of political systems in this context invaluable. It will also be useful to students of comparative law and political science for its clear explanation of the characteristics of authoritarianism across regimes.Trade Review‘Authoritarianism remains an important contribution to the literature on both the political practices of authoritarianism and the purposes for which authoritarian actors deploy constitutions.’ -- Stijn Smet,International Journal of Constitutional Law‘The analysis is comprehensive and cuts deep into critical aspects of both authoritarianism and what is usually cast as its significant other: liberalism. The book contributes to the theoretical, historical, and comparative scholarship on constitutionalism, from a substantive point of view, while also putting diligently into practice the methodological commitments that ought to underlie constitutional research in the age of both the liberal democratic dream and the creeping, increasingly recurrent authoritarian nightmare. Frankenberg has managed to thoughtfully dissect authoritarianism and colour the conventional understanding of constitutionalism with perhaps less comforting and familiar but unquestionably more truthful and fascinating shades. The work is a much-needed testimony to the fact that both the naive faith in the virtues of constitutions and the cynical disregard for their failures are ill-fated scholarly attitudes, unfit for recognizing, studying, and correcting the shortcomings and crises of constitutional modernity.’ -- Giusto Amedeo Boccheni, International Journal of Public Law and Policy''Why do authoritarian regimes bother with a constitution? This book pursues this seeming paradox with deep theoretical insight and broad empirical reach. The result is an indispensable guide to understanding the emerging varieties of authoritarianism and the magical allure that constitutions offer autocrats and democrats alike. This book also holds a mirror back to liberal constitutional regimes illuminating their colonial, ethnocentric, violent and parochial features to which they may have become ''comfortably numb.''' --Alvaro Santos, Georgetown University Law Center, US'''The good therapist fights darkness and seeks illumination, while romantic love is sustained by mystery and crumbles upon inspection.'' If Irving Yolem is Love's executioner, Günter Frankenberg is Authoritarianism's executioner. Rather than romanticizing or despising authoritarian regimes, he deconstructs their authority, technology and power to reveal their deepest pathologies. In departing from the comparative constitutional orthodoxy, obsessed with constitutional backsliding to restore liberal legalism, Frankenberg exposes the existential pain and anxiety of liberals and warns them about their complicity in authoritarianism.' --Fernanda G. Nicola, Washington College of Law, American University, USTable of ContentsContents: Preface Introduction 1. Constitutions 2. Authority/Power 3. Authoritarian Moments of Liberal Constitutionalism 4. Political Technology of Authoritarianism 5. Authoritarian Power as Private Property 6. Participation as Complicity 7. The Cult of Immediacy 8. Audiences and Purposes of Authoritarian Constitutions 9. Notes on the Pandemic of Authoritarianism 10. Epilogue Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThis thought-provoking book investigates the increasingly important subject of constitutional idolatry and its effects on democracy. Focused around whether the UK should draft a single written constitution, it suggests that constitutions have been drastically and persistently over-sold throughout the years, and that their wider importance and effects are not nearly as significant as constitutional advocates maintain.Analysing a number of issues in relation to constitutional performance, including whether these documents can educate the citizenry, invigorate voter turnout, or deliver ‘We the People’ sovereignty, the author finds written constitutions consistently failing to meet expectations. This innovative book also examines how constitutional idolatry may frustrate and distort constitutional change, and can lead to strong forms of constitutional paternalism emerging within the state. Ultimately, the book argues that idolising written constitutions is a hollow endeavour that will fail to produce better democratic outcomes or help solve increasingly complicated societal problems.Engaging and accessible, Constitutional Idolatry and Democracy will be a key resource for both new and established scholars interested in comparative constitutional law, constitutional theory, law and democracy and written vs. unwritten constitutions.Trade Review‘It is a thought-provoking book, and contains a huge array of ideas, information and literature, some of it slightly out of the way. The author argues his case powerfully, often convincingly, and commendably concisely. . . every public lawyer and student of public law would benefit from reading it to test their assumptions.’ -- David Feldman, Law Quarterly Review‘This is an important and timely intervention.’ -- Tanzil Chowdhury, Public Law‘The distinctive value in Jones’s contribution here is the breadth and depth with which he engages with and analyzes one of the core (but often overlooked) distinctions in constitutional theory.’ -- Edward Willis, I•CON‘What Jones does in this book is to make a bold statement: written constitutions have become idols, and the time is past due for us to put aside the false faith that they are the saviours of society.’ -- Renato Saeger M Costa, University of Queensland Law Journal‘Jones systematically asks the sceptical questions that must be asked in any serious conversation about constitutional codification.’ -- Asanga Welikala, JOTWELL‘Constitutional Idolatry and Democracy is a thought-provoking and timely work that presents its case in an accessible manner.’ -- James R Zink, Governance‘I can’t imagine a better book to discuss in a seminar, whether of students or senior academics.’ -- Sanford Levinson, IACL-AIDC blog'This is a timely intervention in the debates over the necessity, sufficiency and desirability of written constitutions and one which speaks directly to both United States and United Kingdom audiences.' --Janet McLean, University of Auckland, New Zealand'This powerful book explores the limits of written constitutions and the ways in which we idolise them. Jones develops an impressive critique of dominant constitutional thinking, assessing the broader impact of written constitutions on our democracy, our politics and our citizens. The book offers an important challenge to those who assume a written constitution is the best way to reform the UK's political system, and clearly reveals the risks of overstating what written constitutionalism can achieve.' --Michael Gordon, University of Liverpool, UK'In this wide-ranging, innovative, and truly excellent study of constitutional forms, Brian Christopher Jones challenges the conventional wisdom that codified constitutions hold decisive advantages over uncodified ones. From one chapter to the next, Jones takes readers on a voyage around the world, drawing from his rich repository of deep comparative insights to identify, elaborate, and theorize the dangerous consequences of constitutional idolatry that inhere in master-text constitutions. From now on, no defense of constitutional codification will ever be complete without confronting the compelling arguments in this important work.' -- Richard Albert, The University of Texas at Austin, USTable of ContentsContents: 1. What is constitutional idolatry? 2. Venerating a text: some positive aspects of constitutional idolatry 3. Educating the citizenry? 4. The reality of ‘We the People’ constitutional claims 5. Invigorating democracies? 6. A ‘good’ constitution is essential to state survival 7. Constitutional paternalism: the rise and problematic use of constitutional guardian rhetoric 8. Idolatry and constitutional change 9. Constitutional idolatry and democracy: a preliminary conclusion Index

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Book SynopsisConstitutional law is a ‘semi-autonomous’ discipline, where texts and doctrines are completely and complexly intertwined with the political systems within which constitutional law is found. This timely Research Handbook develops the idea that understanding constitutional law means understanding constitutional politics as well.Using both comparative and political analysis, this forward-looking reference work deals with the politics of constitutional law around the world, delivering global treatment of the politics of constitutional law across issues, regions and legal systems. The chapters are meticulously organised around ‘foundations’, ‘structures’, ‘rights’ and ‘futures’, providing a well-rounded overview of the topic and noting the key recent developments in the field. The distinction between law and politics is of course a contested one and the selection of prominent established and emerging scholars and contributors to this Handbook implicitly offer varying perspectives on it.Offering an innovative, critical approach to an array of key concepts and topics, this book will be a key resource for both legal scholars and political science scholars. Students with interests in law and politics, constitutions, legal theory and public policy will also find this a beneficial companion.Trade Review‘The separation of law and politics, long a staple of both popular and jurisprudential commentary, has for some time been exposed as a potentially harmful fiction that often obscures the essence of the legal process. Rarely, however, has this essence been so comprehensively explored, and with such breadth of coverage, as it is in this splendid volume. Tushnet and Kochenov have masterfully curated this vitally needed collection, dispelling any remaining argument for the idea that there is something oxymoronic in the practice of constitutional politics. In so doing, they have provided a compendium of groundbreaking work that will open multiple pathways for further scholarly investigation.’ -- Gary Jacobsohn, University of Texas at Austin, US‘The law-politics distinction is at once fluid, hard to define and yet crucial to our understanding of constitutional law. This Research Handbook brings together a dazzling array of constitutional thinkers to explore this distinction and in doing so offers valuable insights about constitutional law and politics in a range of jurisdictions world wide. Methodologically and thematically eclectic in scope, it promises to be an essential reference for constitutional lawyers, political scientists and theorists for many years to come.’ -- Rosalind Dixon, University of New South Wales, AustraliaTable of ContentsContents: 1 Introduction to the Research Handbook on the Politics of Constitutional Law 1 Mark Tushnet and Dimitry Kochenov PART I FOUNDATIONS 2 The ideal of the rule of law and private power 14 Martin Krygier 3 The politics of legal ideology 30 Julie Novkov 4 Constitutionalism and behavioural concepts 46 Dariusz Adamski 5 Emotions in constitutional law 70 András Sajó 6 Popular sovereignty, constitutional democracy and the mental construal of political representations 88 Zoran Oklopčić 7 Liminal rights: sovereignty, constitutions and borders 105 Audrey Macklin 8 Unrecognised entities: politics of constitutionalism at the fringes 128 Aistė Mickonytė and Benedikt C. Harzl 9 The politics of constitution making 143 Mark Tushnet 10 The constitutional politics of emergency powers 163 Victor V. Ramraj 11 Japan: a case against the amendment politics? 176 Tokujin Matsudaira 12 The politics of constitutional interpretation 199 Tamas Györfi PART II STRUCTURES 13 The gradual creation of a Leviathan: Latin America’s main constitutional failure 215 Roberto Gargarella 14 Constitutional politics of federalism in Latin America 228 Juan F. González Bertomeu 15 The rise and protection of judicial independence 246 Georg Vanberg, Benjamin Broman and Christopher Ritter 16 Politics of judicial governance 262 David Kosař and Katar’na Šipulová 17 The politics of judicial dialogue 286 David Law and Mark Tushnet 18 Republicanism redefined: the constitutional status of political parties after the ratification of the twelfth amendment 310 Franita Tolson 19 Transatlantic ‘administrative constitutionalism’: New Deal models and supranational governance in Europe Since the 1950s 329 Peter L. Lindseth 20 The politics of the constitutionalisation of corporate power in Europe 350 Jacquelyn D. Veraldi and Matthew R. Hassall 21 Advocates general and the court of justice: the early years 377 Margot Horspool 22 The neo-liberal bias of the EU constitutional order: a critical analysis 386 Bojan Bugaric 23 The politics of the constitutionalisation of international law: The United Nations sovereign (in)equality of states, good neighbourliness and use of force 410 Elena Basheska PART III RIGHTS 24 The politics of constitutional rights 432 Adam Chilton and Mila Versteeg 25 Pretext as a legal matter 453 Mariam Begadze 26 The constitutional politics of religion 467 Ioanna Tourkochoriti 27 The constitutional politics of merit 483 Sarah Ganty 28 Minorities: a view from South Asia 514 Kamala Sankaran 29 The politics of sexual identity and the emerging constitutional battles in Europe 533 Alina Tryfonidou 30 Abstract citizenship in the age of concrete human rights 551 Dimitry Kochenov PART IV FUTURES 31 The cold war’s continuing power: US constitutional law and historical memory 572 Aziz F. Rana 32 The politics of constitutional memory: mnemonic constitutionalism, historical memory, and collective identity in Poland, Germany and Russia 593 Aleksandra Gliszczyńska-Grabias 33 Use, misuse and abuse of constitutional identity in Europe 612 Petra Bárd, Nóra Chronowski and Zoltán Fleck 34 Populist constitutional politics and civil society fundamentalism 635 Paul Blokker 35 Militant democracy: a friend or enemy of democratic backsliding? 659 Violeta Beširević 36 Hindu Zion: the politics of constitutional accommodation 675 Suryapratim Roy and Rahul Sambaraju 37 The politics of constitutional meltdown 696 Paul Craig 38 The paradox of evil law 711 Anna Lukina Index

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Book SynopsisPrecedent is an important tool of judicial decision making and reasoning in common law systems such as the United States. Instead of having each court decide cases anew, the rule of precedent or stares decisis dictates that similar cases should be decided similarly. Adherence to precedent promotes several values, including stability, reliability, and uniformity, and it also serves to constrain judicial discretion. Yet while adherence to precedent is important, there are some cases where the United States Supreme Court does not follow it when it comes to constitutional reasoning. Over time the US Supreme Court under its different Chief Justices has approached rejection of its own precedent in different ways and at varying rates of reversal. This book examines the role of constitutional precedent in US Supreme Court reasoning.The author surveys the entire history of the US Supreme Court up until 2020, keying in on decisions regarding when it chose to overturn its own constitutional precedent and why. He explores how the US Supreme Court under its different Chief Justices has approached constitutional precedents and justified its reversal and quantifies which Courts have reversed the most constitutional precedents and why.Constitutional Precedent in US Supreme Court Reasoning is essential reading for law professors and students interested in precedent and its role in legal reasoning. Law libraries which will find this book of importance to their collections on legal reasoning and analysis.Trade Review‘Schultz offers a timely book on the importance, history, and uses of legal precedent, especially in Supreme Court cases. This book is especially timely because Schultz uses the Supreme Court nominations of Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett to discuss the shift in precedent during the Roberts Court, especially regarding Roe v Wade prior to its post-publication overturning in June 2022. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Undergraduates and general readers.’ -- T.T. Gibson, CHOICE‘Students and scholars alike will find a trove of materials on how the US Supreme Court has treated its own precedents over the past 230 years. Never has this been more important than today, as a newly empowered conservative majority is poised to reconsider the rulings of the past.’ -- Daniel Farber, University of California, Berkeley, US‘The book clearly explains genesis and the role of legal precedent in the construction of American law. What is extremely interesting, that David Schulz in a very convenient way shows us how the precedents are set, how they are modified, and what is a role of judges, especially of chief justices, for the ideology and the content of the court’s decisions.’ -- Dalia Vasarienė, Mykolas Romeris University, Lithuania and The Supreme Court of LithuaniaTable of ContentsContents: Introduction: The nature of legal precedent in American law 1. Jay to Vinson Courts 2. The Warren Court 3. The Burger Court 4. The Rehnquist Court 5.The Roberts Court Index

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Book SynopsisPolitical leadership is a concept central to understanding political processes and outcomes, yet its definition is elusive. Many disciplines have contributed to the study of leadership, including political theory, history, psychology and management studies. Political Leadership reviews the contributions of these disciplines along with a discussion of the work of classic authors such as Niccolo Machiavelli, Max Weber and Robert Michels. Howard Elcock develops an account of the various governing, governance and allegiance roles political leaders play and discusses the devices by which their ability to lead effectively can be improved. He examines the processes of uncertainty reduction, increasing creativity and facilitation of collective learning. He concludes that the preoccupation with 'new public management' over the last twenty years has caused fundamental debates about political and social values to be neglected. Only a new focus on leaders and leadership, he argues, can correct this problem and provide guidance for politicians and officials in a world of increasingly rapid and unpredictable change.As an eminently readable book, this will be welcomed by scholars of political science and history, public administration and management as well as anyone involved, or with an interest, in politics and government.Trade Review'. . . a fine analysis and a mine of information that should be in all libraries, particularly on booklists on leadership. . .' -- John Gaffney, Regional and Federal Studies'Howard Elcock's book is an enjoyable and thought-provoking read. It provides an eclectic and wide-ranging review of the voluminous literature on leadership . . . there is much to commend in this book. The writing style is accessible and academically unpretentious. His breadth and depth of knowledge of political leadership in different countries (in particular Britain, USA, Germany) provides the basis for a richness and variety of examples . . . The book is recommended reading for anyone who is interested in political leadership . . . a topical and well-informed synthesis of the literature.' -- Steve Leach, Local Government Studies'In this volume Elcock offers both a systematic analysis of leadership and reflections informed by his considerable experience as scholar and participant in the realms of British and comparative local government. . . . Students and practitioners whether elected politicos or professional administrators can benefit from his wide-ranging scholarship and wise counsel. Academics interested in political leadership will find the literature reviews valuable and enjoy the author's opinion on a variety of topics, among them his disdain for 'spin doctors' and for rational choice theories of politics.' -- Richard Flickinger, British Politics Group NewsletterTable of ContentsContents: Preface Part I: Theories of Leadership 1. Why is Leadership Important? 2. Some Classic Analyses of Political Leadership 3. The Personalities and Environments of Political Leaders 4. Leadership, Administration and Management 5. The Psychology of Leadership Part II: Leadership Roles 6. The Functions of Leadership: Governing Roles 7. The Functions of Leadership: Governance and Allegiance Roles 8. The Apparatus of Leadership 9. Case Study: Leadership in British Local Government 10. Setting the Course: Leadership, Not Management Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThis book aims to extend the current research and debate in constitutional economics by using a positive economics approach. Born out of discontent with the current state in constitutional economics, this book presents an inquiry in the possibilities of a positive constitutional economics, and how societies choose their constitutional rules.Drawing on economics, the book examines the emergence of constitutions and how and why they change over time. The author proposes that model constitutions are based on, and backed by institutions which have developed spontaneously. He presents some predictions on the scope of constitutional change under various constitutional settings and factors which cause constitutional change. Stefan Voigt concludes that constitutional change is reconceptualized as the outcome of a bargaining game, in which changes reflect the altered bargaining power of the actors.This book will be welcomed by academics working in the fields of political economy, law and economics as well as those from the public choice and new institutional schools of thought.Table of ContentsContents: Preface 1. A New Research Program Emerges: Constitutional Economics 2. Two Competing Approaches to Constitutional Economics – A Comparison of Buchanan and Hayek 3. The Possibility of Positive Constitutional Economics 4. Positive Constitutional Economics – A Survey 5. Breaking with the Notion of Social Contract: Constitutions as Based on Spontaneously Arisen Institutions 6. Bargaining for Constitutional Change – Towards an Economic Theory of Constitutional Change 7. Implicit Constitutional Change – Changing the Meaning of the Constitution without Changing the Text of the Document 8. Constitutional Competition – Foreign Factors Causing Constitutional Change? 9. Outlook: Connecting Positive Constitutional Economics with the Theory of Economic Policy References Index

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Book SynopsisCivil Service Systems in Anglo-American Countries presents a comprehensive overview of the important issues in modern bureaucracies, combined with a comparative analysis of the civil service systems and administrative traditions of five Anglo-American nations: Australia, Canada, Great Britain, New Zealand and the United States.In each chapter, expert contributors undertake a systematic analysis of each country's civil service from three broad perspectives: external relations, internal constituent features and patterns of change. By employing a comparative framework in conjunction with empirical research, they are able to emphasise the specific nature, characteristics and development of each civil service system. They also highlight the historical developments and reforms associated with the Anglo-American model, which are often highly distinctive compared with other OECD nations. The book concludes with a systematic comparison of each civil service system, attempting to find parallels and variations between them.Scholars and students of public administration, political science and international affairs will value this unique comparative study of the civil service traditions of Anglo-American countries.Table of ContentsContents: 1. Anglo-American Civil Service Systems: An Overview 2. Administrative Traditions and the Anglo-American Democracies 3. The Civil Service in Britain: A Case Study in Path Dependency 4. The Australian Public Service: Redefining Boundaries 5. The New Zealand Public Service: National Identity and International Reform 6. The Canadian Public Service: Balancing Values and Management 7. Civil Service and Administrative Reform in the United States 8. Anglo-American Civil Service Systems: Comparative Perspectives Index

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Book SynopsisConstitutional political economy applies an economic approach to the analysis of constitutional choice. Initially, research clearly leaned towards legitimizing the state and its actions. However, the transitions taking place in Central and Eastern Europe have made apparent the necessity to improve our knowledge of the working properties of alternative constitutional rules, thus stressing the importance of positive analysis. The authors analyse both the opportunities and dangers of importing constitutions from around the world into this area.The papers assembled in this volume deal with the question of what individual transition processes have taught us in terms of constitution-building. The book contains analyses of post 1989 constitutional developments in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe from the perspectives of varied disciplines; including academics, politicians and the judiciary.Constitutions, Markets and Law will be welcomed by scholars of transition studies and political economists as well as practitioners of, and academics with an interest in, constitutional law.Trade Review'Studies such as these, which allow a better understanding of the relationship between law and economics deserve to be widely welcomed.' -- The Commonwealth LawyerTable of ContentsContents: Preface Introduction 1. What Belongs in a Constitution? 2. Comment by Horst Hegmann 3. On the Relationship Between State and Economy in Transformation 4. Comment by Mark Oelmann 5. The Demand for Constitutional Law 6. Comment by Ivan Baron Adamovich 7. Some Remarks on the Separation of Powers in the Polish Constitution 8. Invisible Contexts, Invisible Constraints. The Limits of the Normative Explanation of Constitutional Change 9. Market-making as State-making. Constitutions and Economic Development in Post-communist Eastern Europe 10. Comment by Claus Offe 11. Are ‘Western’ Constitutions Relevant to Anything Other than the Countries they Serve? 12. Comment by Stephan Panther 13. On Implicit Constitutional Change 14. Comment by Frank Bönker 15. On the Delegation of Powers – with Special Emphasis on Central and Eastern Europe 16. Comment by Gerard C. Rowe 17. Constitutionalism Beyond the Nation State 18. Comment by Anne van Aaken 19. Constitutions in Transition Index

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Book SynopsisFor the last two centuries, the nation state has posed a formidable challenge to multinational empires. It has served as a base for modernisation, secularisation and democratisation -- and also for the formation of totalitarian regimes. Today, the nation state faces challenges from multiple directions. National minorities demand self-determination while religious forces challenge secular governments, and global migration movements undermine the cultural uniformity once considered essential for the formation and preservation of nation states. This is the third of a three-volume set (detailed below) which addresses key challenges facing the contemporary nation state from a global perspective but with special emphasis on the Middle East and Israel. Publication reflects research conducted under the auspices of The Israel Democracy Institute's "Nation State Project", which analyses Israel's complex reality in which a Jewish majority contends with an Arab minority, ultra-Orthodox religious forces reject the authority of the nation state, and an immigrant society exhibits substantial cultural and ethnic variance. Volume III explores the cultural, social and political effects of immigration on the contemporary nation state -- its character, cohesion, and possible future, as well as on contemporary liberal democracy. Contributions deal with such issues as different liberal approaches to the issue of immigration and immigrant integration, nation-building narratives and their implications for immigrants and minorities, citizenship tests and integration policy in the United States and in Europe, as well as Israel's Law of Return and the debate about it and other aspects of immigration policy.

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Book SynopsisThe study of civil-military relations in Latin America produced a rich debate and research agenda prior to 2000. But this agenda was largely abandoned during the past decade as the spectre of military dictatorship has virtually disappeared, with the political role of the military in many countries dramatically diminished. Indeed, in no country that has initiated a process of holding the military accountable to civilian control has the military openly rebelled. Yet, the institutions and public attitudes that guarantee democratic civilian control of the military exist in a general context of political polarisation, citizen insecurity and in many countries a sense of developing ungovernability. The military coup in Honduras (2009), the military response to the police rebellion in Ecuador (2010), and the speculation concerning the Venezuelan military's behaviour in the event that Hugo Chavez is incapacitated or dies (2013), demonstrates the relevance and importance of the civil-military relationship today. In this volume leading scholars from Latin America, the U.S. and Spain debate the ability of contemporary Latin American civil-military relationships to weather these challenges. The authors examine new types of regimes (the rise of participatory democracy), new political orientations (the renaissance of the Left in Latin America), and new missions for the military. Debate centres on the indicators to evaluate the level of consolidation of civilian control, the manner in which these indicators are measured, and the empirical ambiguities that arise. These challenges must be confronted in order to effectively address the question of how much progress has been made in the region in subordinating the military to civilian control, which countries are lagging behind, and why. Published in association with CILAS, University of California, San Diego.

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Book SynopsisThis accessible and detailed book takes an interdisciplinary approach in exploring the position of national parliaments in the EU polity and in particular their position within the EU governance framework.Adam Cygan analyzes the impact of subsidiarity monitoring upon national parliaments and to what extent this provides new opportunities for national parliaments to be engaged in, and exert influence over, the EU legislative process. While the post-Lisbon position of national parliaments may have improved, this book questions whether national parliaments can really be considered as central actors in EU affairs. The author also queries whether subsidiarity monitoring has the capacity to create a collective bloc of horizontal actors which exert effective accountability over the EU legislative process.Accountability, Parliamentarism and Transparency in the EU will strongly appeal to academics, parliamentarians/parliamentary officials working in EU affairs, as well as EU civil servants.Contents:Introduction 1. National Parliaments, Accountability and Transparency in a European Perspective 2. European Integration and Deparliamentarisation 3. National Parliaments in the EU Treaties 4. The Ordinary Legislative Process and National Parliaments 5. Subsidiarity as a Regulatory Principle in EU Law 6. Subsidiarity Control after Lisbon 7. Accountability and Legitimacy in a Multi-Level Context 8. National Parliaments after Lisbon: A New Dawn of Accountability or Remaining on the Periphery? Bibliography IndexTrade Review'It was a great pleasure to find such a rich analysis of the role of national parliaments in the EU. What I particularly like - and what proves to be particularly fruitful - is the combination of perspectives; the EU law and national constitutional perspective - including a comparative dimension, the perspective that explains the role of national parliaments in the EU from past to present (and even near future) and last but not least, the perspective of the interaction between the legal frameworks and the political reality. There is every reason to congratulate Adam Cygan wholeheartedly on this book.' --Ton Van Den Brink, Europa Instituut Utrecht, The Netherlands'One of the most outstanding specialists on the role of national parliaments in the EU has produced another impressive book about this dynamic topic. It provides an illuminating overview of current practices, it sharply analyses the legal status quo, and it brings theoretical depth to the topic in multiple perspectives.' --Olaf Tans, Amsterdam University College, The NetherlandsTable of ContentsContents: Introduction 1. National Parliaments, Accountability and Transparency in a European Perspective 2. European Integration and Deparliamentarisation 3. National Parliaments in the EU Treaties 4. The Ordinary Legislative Process and National Parliaments 5. Subsidiarity as a Regulatory Principle in EU Law 6. Subsidiarity Control after Lisbon 7. Accountability and Legitimacy in a Multi-Level Context 8. National Parliaments after Lisbon: A New Dawn of Accountability or Remaining on the Periphery? Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisA just society guarantees its members rights to basic civil liberties protecting the political liberties associated with democratic governance, while ensuring state accountability and responsiveness to citizens. Despite broad agreement on these abstract requirements, the conditions that foster justice, thus understood, are a matter of long-standing controversy in political theory.This important collection addresses these controversies with over fifty articles on basic political institutions such as the rule of law, judicial review, federalism, separation of powers, freedom of speech, elections and parties, direct democracy, organized social groups, and administrative agencies.Trade Review'Contemporary political theorists and political scientists have good reasons to compliment Cohen and Fung on compiling this extremely useful and thought provoking set of volumes.'Table of ContentsContents: Volume I: Acknowledgements Part I: The Rule of Law Part II: Protecting Rights Through Judical Review Part III: Federalism and The Separation of Powers Index • Volume II: Acknowledgements Part I: Freedom of Speech as an Instrument of Democracy Part II: Voting, Parties, and Popular Control of Government Index • Volume III: Acknowledgements Part I: Direct Democracy Part II: Group Politics and Democratic Governance Index • Volume IV: Acknowledgements Part I: Democracy, and Administrative Power Part II: Constitutionalism, Democracy and War Powers Part III: Beyond the State Index

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Book SynopsisThis valauble book presents fresh perspectives on constitutional change in modern Britain. Each contributor - a leading authority in his particular field - focuses on an institution or aspect of the constitution and asks what has changed, why has it changed and what is likely to happen in the future. In conclusion, Philip Norton challenges the growing pressure for a new constitutional settlement. The British system of government, he argues, is under threat from a fragmentation of power: it needs to be protected not weakened. A new constitution offers the prospect of political inertia and failed expectations.The book will be essential and stimulating reading for both students and practitioners of British politics.Trade Review'It is an ideal volume to stimulate discussion among students of British government, central and local.' -- G.W. Jones, Local Government Studies'. . . this book contains a good deal that is informative. It achieves its goal of avoiding a rehash of the constitutional debate familiar from other sources. And although focusing on some of the less common themes, still contributes to current discussion of future developments in the British system.' -- Jorgen Rasmussen, British Politics Group NewsletterTable of ContentsContents: 1. Introduction (Philip Norton) 2. How Much Room at the Top? Margaret Thatcher, the Cabinet and Power Sharing (Peter Hennessy) 3. Judicial Independence in Britain: Challenges Real and Threats Imagined (Gavin Drewry) 4. The Changing Face of Parliament – Lobbying and its Consequences (Philip Norton) 5. Now Nobody Understands the System: The Changing Face of Local Government (R.A.W. Rhodes) 6. The Community and Britain: The Changing Relationship Between London and Brussels (Lord Clinton-Davis) 7. Parliamentary Sovereignty in the 1990s (J. Enoch Powell) 8. In Defence of the Constitution – A Riposte to the Radicals (Philip Norton)

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Book SynopsisThe State and its Critics is an authoritative selection of recent essays in normative political philosophy on the state as a form of political institution, focusing on its role with respect to such values as freedom, justice, well-being, economic efficiency, community, democracy and peace. These essays represent a variety of views about the state, from anarchist to statist and a variety of philosophical orientations, conservative, libertarian, Marxian and liberal.Table of ContentsTHE STATE AND ITS CRITICS Volume I Part I Anarchism 1. James M Buchanan (1978), ‘A Contractarian Perspective on Anarchy.’ 2. Richard A Falk (1978), ‘Anarchism and World Order.’ 3. Michael Taylor (1982), ‘Social Order Without State.’ Part II Alternatives to the States 4. John Burnheim (1985), ‘Democracy and the State.’ 5. John Burnheim (1985), ‘The Alternative to Electoral Democracy‘ from ‘Democracy and Respresentation.’ Part III The Minimal State 6. Robert Nozick (1974), ‘Why State-of-Nature Theory?’ 7. Robert Nozick (1974), ‘The State of Nature’. 8. Robert Nozick (1974), ‘The State.’ 9. Geoffrey Hunt (1988), ’The Paradox of the Minimal State.’ 10. Jeffrey D. Goldsworthy (1987), ‘Nozick's Libertarianism and the Justification of the State.’ Part IV State Imperfections 11. F.A. Hayek (1979), ‘Majority Opinion and Contemporary Democracy.’ 12. F.A. Hayek (1979). ‘The Division of Democratic Powers.’ 13. James M. Buchanan (1975), ‘The Threat of Leviathan.’ 14. James M. Buchanan (1975), ‘Beyong Pragmatism: Prospects for Constitutional Revolution.’ 15. Robert D. Tollison (1982), ‘Rent-Seeking: A Survey.’ 16. Gary J. Miller and Terry M. Moe (1983), ‘Bureaucrats, Legislators and the Size of Government.’ 17. Kenneth A. Shepsle and Barry R. Weingast (1984), ‘Political Solutions to Market Problems.’ 18. Sam Peltzman (1980), ‘The Growth of Government.’ 19. Charles Wolff, Jr. (1979), ‘A Theory of Non-Market Failure: Framework for Implementation Analysis.’ 20. Richard A. Musgrave (1985), ‘Excess Bias and the Nature of Budget Growth.’ Volume II Part I The Welfare State 1. Christopher W. Morris (1988), ‘A Hobbesian Welfare State?’ 2. Michael Davis (1987), ‘Nozick's Argument "for" the Legitimacy of the Welfare State.’ 3. James P. Sterba (1985), ‘A Libertarian Justification for a Welfare State.’ 4.Robert E. Goodin (1985), ‘Vulnerabilities and Responsibilities: An Ethical Defense of the Welfare State.’ 5. Robert E. Goodin (1990), ‘Stabilizing Expectations: The Role of Earnings-Related Benefits in Social Welfare Policy.’ 6. Julian Le Grand (1990), ‘Equity versus Efficiency: The Elusive Trade-Off.’ 7. Brian Barry (1990), ‘The Welfare State Versus the Relief of Poverty.’ 8. Nancy Fraser (1989), ‘Women, Welfare and the Politics of Need Interpretation.’ Part II State Power and Class Power 9. Claus Offe and Volker Ronge (1975), ‘Theses on the Theory of the State.’ 10. Bob Jessop (1977), ‘Recent Theories of the Capitalist State.’ 11. David Easton (1981), ‘The Political System Besieged by the State.’ 12. Ralph Miliband (1983), ‘State Power and Class Interests.’ Part III Socialism and the State 13. Roger Harris (1987), ‘Socialism and Democracy: Beyond State and Civil Society.’ 14. Andrew Levine (1987), ‘The Socialist State.’

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Book SynopsisWritten in response to violent conflict in many of the former socialist countries and unease about European integration in the West, this informative and contemporary book presents a multi-sectoral assessment of the future of the nation state in Europe.The 13 articles included in The Future of the Nation State in Europe offer a wide-ranging, insightful analysis by an international group of distinguished scholars who argue that the question of the nation state in Europe will remain one of the foremost issues confronting social scientists. Contributions by Paavo Vayrynen, Ernst Gellner, Aira Kemilainen and Jyrki Iivonen on the concept of ‘nation state’ and its definition, are followed by two historical articles by Giovanni Arrighi and Erik Allardt, the former discussing the development of historical capitalism while the later connects the question of the nation state to different forms of technology. Later essays deal with various contexts of the nation state, including articles by Jaan Kaplinski on the future of national cultures in Europe, by Ali Kazancigil on the effects of unification on the national state, by Allan Rosas on the decline of sovereignty in international law and by Raimo Vayrynen on the relationship between territory and nation state. The volume concludes by examining the effects of regional changes on ethnic developments in Europe with articles by Thomas Henschel on German unification, Risto Alapuro on Russian civil society and Mate Szabo on East European Political development. Offering perspectives drawn from history, sociology, anthropology, law and political science, this major volume will be welcomed by political scientists, commentators and all those concerned with questions of European statehood.Table of ContentsPart 1 Concepts and definitions: introduction - nation states in Europe, Jyrki Iivonen; nation state - some basic concepts and definitions, Paavo Vayrynen; nationalism and the development of European societies, Ernest Gellner; patriotism and nationalism, Aira Kemilainen. Part 2 Historical processes: the three hegemonies of historical Capitalism, Giovanni Arrighi; the nation state and nationalism with different forms of technology, Erik Allardt. Part 3 Different contexts of nation state: the future of national cultures in Europe, Jaan Kaplinski; a prospective view on the European nation state and unification, Ali Kazancigil; the decline of sovereignty - legal perspectives, Allan Rosas; territory, nation state and nationalism, Raimo Vayrynen. Part 4 Regional processes: German national consciousness and the nation state, Thomas R. Henschel; civil society in Russia?, Risto Alapuro; nationalism, nation state and prospects of democratization in Eastern Europe, Mate Szabo.

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Book SynopsisStrategic Choice and Path-Dependency in Post-Socialism focuses on the distinctive institutional legacies of state socialism and their impact on the transformation of Poland, Hungary and the former Czechoslovakia. Strategic dilemmas and problems of institutional design involved in the transition from state socialism to democratic and market-orientated societies are also addressed in this ground breaking volume.A distinguished group of scholars from Eastern and Central Europe, as well as the West, addresses the transformation process from the institutional and evolutionary perspectives in political economy and the social sciences. The first part presents six essays by Western scholars reflecting on institutional design, strategic dilemmas, path-dependency, and the dynamics of post-socialism with a general relevance to the transformation process. The remaining papers provide detailed, contemporary analyses of the transformation of Poland, Hungary, and the former Czechoslovakia respectively. Each part covers the same broad set of themes so that the reader obtains an insightful and authoritative overview of the problems of institutional design, strategic dilemmas and path dependency.This strong combination of theoretically informed comparative analysis with up-to-date case studies, drawing on several years' experience of the countries discussed, will ensure that this major new volume will be welcomed by students and researchers interested in Eastern and Central Europe, comparative economics, politics and sociology.Trade Review'. . . is a stimulating and provocative book. . .' -- Martin Myant, The Economic Journal'. . . it results in a useful collection which begins to lay the basis for a better understanding of interest group dynamics in post-communist economies.'– George Blazyca, Europe-Asia StudiesTable of ContentsPart 1 Institutional design, stategic dilemmas, and the dynamics of post-Socialist transformations: designing institutions for East European transitions, Claus Offe; not by design - the myth of designer capitalism in Eastern Europe, David Stark; reflections on the fiscal crisis of post-Communist states, John L. Campbell; alternative scenarios for Central Europe, Hans van Zon. Part 2 Institutional dynamics of the transition in Poland: the free market of a social contract as bases for systemic transformation, Tadeusz Kowalik; financial crisis of the post-Socialist state - the Polish case, Stanislaw Owsiak; from corporatism to ... corporatism - the transformation of interest representation in Poland, Jan Gorniak and Jaroslaw Jerschina. Part 3 Institutional dynamics of the transition in Czechoslovakia: transition to a market economy in the former Czechoslovakia, Jan Adam; transformation of the Czech and Slovak economies 1990-1992 - design, problems, costs, Pavel Mertlik; can the Czech Republic develop a negotiated economy?, Ludek Rychetnik. Part 4 Institutional dynamics of the transition in Hungary: reforming alliances - labour, management and state bureaucracy in Hungary's economic transformation, Laszlo Bruszt; centralization, re-nationalization and redistribution - government's role in changing Hungary's ownership structure, Eva Viszka; post-Socialist transformation in Hungary? entering a second stage?, Judit Habuda.

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Book SynopsisLessons for Citizens of a New Democracy provides an authoritative analysis of the foundations of democracy, with relation to the demise of communist ideology. This significant contribution by a leading expert details the tentative process towards democracy in the successor states of the former Soviet Union and attempts to prioritise the issues of central importance in structuring a new democratic state.Table of ContentsContents: 1. Democracy: Just another Experiment? 2. Must we be something other than what we are? 3. Fools or Geniuses: What are Voters like in a Democracy? 4. Must we vote to be Democratic? 5. What is a fair and Competitive Election? 6. Economics or Politics: Which is the Chicken and which is the Egg? 7. Constitutional Rights: Mere words of Sustainable Guarantees? 8. Democratic Institutions: Why would they influence anything? 9. A New Constitution: Should we cut trees to print it? 10. Constitutions: Are there rules for how to write them? 11. Federalism: Ingredient for stability or a recipe for Dissolution? 12. Political Parties: A Source of Faction or Agents of Stability? 13. Legislatures: Can they govern us if they cannot govern themselves? 14. A Two-Chamber Legislature: Isn’t one more than enough? 15. Parliaments versus Presidents: Legislative Incoherence versus Authoritarian Rule? 16. Emergency Clauses: Essential Precaution or a lack of faith? 17. Russia’s Choices: An accident waiting to happen? 18. Can we be a Democracy? Index

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Book SynopsisThe process of European integration is at a crossroads. As the Union becomes larger in terms of members, the institutional structures and decision making procedures will have to change in order for it to make policy initiatives. To meet these challenges, the Union will need an effective institutional and constitutional structure which must be both democratic and acceptable to its citizens.This major book evaluates recent developments, considers the present situation and assesses the prospects for the future of the European Union. A wide variety of institutional and constitutional issues are addressed, with special attention being paid to three main topics; decision making and including a critique of attempts to analyse European decision making using traditional power indices and a discussion of the different procedures laid down in the comitology decision; federal structures, with an analysis of the politics of European federalism among other issues; institutional change which compares the relative merits of enlarging or deepening the Union, suggesting a fifth freedom by a single European market for governments and discussing non-technical aspects of legislation in the European Union.Constitutional Law and Economics of the European Union will of interest to policymakers, academics and students of European economic and political affairs and institutional and constitutional structures.Trade Review'. . . Most papers are followed by remarks from two commentators, which provide a useful summary of the issues at stake.' -- Keith Tribe, The Economic Journal'. . . with its constitutional law and economics approach to European integration, this book is both interesting and useful for academics, policymakers and students of the EU.'– Nina Grager, Journal of Peace ResearchTable of ContentsContents: Introduction (D. Schmidtchen and R. Cooter) Part I: Decision Making Part II: Federal Structures Part III: Institutional Change Index

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Book SynopsisThe structures of the world's national and international, political and economic institutions have largely resulted from intuitive and ad hoc organization with reforms taking place on a costly trial-and-error basis. This book offers a comprehensive evaluation of the tools which can be used for a more rational and formal approach to institutional design.As new institutions and, indeed, new national governments are being formed and developed all the time, there is a considerable need for formal models that can facilitate their design. This book offers conceptual approaches and theories that shed new light on how various social and political institutions can emerge as the outcome of goal-directed rational behaviour. The author provides tools for evaluating existing institutions and for setting up new ones, demonstrating the applicability of decision and game theoretic tools, social choice theory and mechanism design to the construction of political and economic institutions. Using these approaches he particularly discusses the practical implications for the design of institutions in the European Union.This important book will be welcomed by students and scholars interested in government and political science, rational choice theory, methodology in the social sciences, and the microeconomics of rational behaviour.Trade Review'. . . the comprehensive book should not be missing in any library that deals with individual and collective decisions taken in institutions - be it in the department of political science or that of economics.' -- S. Napel, Journal of Economics/Zeitschrift fur Nationalokonomie'Nurmi's book on rational behaviour and its implications for the design of institutions is a valuable contribution to the analysis of collective decision-making. Though written by a political scientist the book shall be of use not only for students and scholars in political science, but also in political economy or rational choice theory.' -- Matthias Sutter, Kyklos'One of the characteristics of a good teacher and clear thinker is making complex issues seem simple. In this indispensable book Hannu Nurmi teaches the lessons for institutional design to be learned from social choice and game theory. He provides the essential grounding for the education of "great men" and the propogation of wise laws based on institutional rational choice theories.' -- Keith Dowding, London School of Economics and Political Science, UKTable of ContentsContents: 1. Introduction 2. Rational Decisions 3. Games 4. Constitutions 5. Social Choice 6. Strategic Behaviour and Institutional Design 7. Designing the Institutions of the European Union 8. Conclusion

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Book SynopsisThis book offers a new view suggesting that European integration has been driven by political rather than economic considerations. The author makes it clear that from the end of the Second World War any plan of economic or monetary cooperation in Europe was almost exclusively motivated by politics. He argues that the very foundation of the organization of Western Europe was based on preventing further conflict between France and the newly partitioned Germany. Specifically, Robert Lieshout analyzes the initial stages of European cooperation between 1947 and 1957. He demonstrates that European institutions usually associated with economic integration, such as the European Economic Community, were actually laid to achieve the political aim of reconciliation between France and Germany. The fact that the very reasons for establishing a more formal organization of Europe have changed, i.e. the re-unification of Germany in 1990, makes for an interesting conclusion on future developments in European integration.This book will be warmly welcomed by both academics and students interested in European integration, international political economy, history, international relations, European Studies and economics.Trade Review'Robert Lieshout makes an important contribution to the growing historical and theoretical literature on the development of European institutionalized cooperation since World War II. Lieshout's main method to pursue this line of inquiry is a careful,thoughtful and engaging historical reconstruction of the political concerns, motives and efforts of the top foreign policy officials of [the] countries [involved]. Lieshout draws for us, in a concise but careful way, all of the key elements of the European diplomatic landscape in the aftermath of World War II. Finally, Lieshout presents a fine analysis of German foreign policy in these years, and especially of Chancellor Konrad Adenauer's efforts to pursue European institutionalized cooperation as a mechanism to effect reconciliation with France and to reincorporate Germany into Western Europe as an independent but reliable and, above all, peaceful partner. Lieshout has provided us with a book that is empirically rich and theoretically fruitful. This book, especially when read in conjunction with the works by Lundestad and Moravcsik, provides us with a superb understanding of the diplomacy that produced the Europe of today.' -- Joseph Grieco, Acta Politica'This is a most unusual book for a professor of international relations to have written, for it is based on a detailed reading of recent historical monographs and historical journals. The outcome is a lively, argumentative and historically-based interpretation of the European Communities and the European Union. . . . a brisk, highly readable and challenging ninth chapter for the years 1957 to the present. . . . As a coherent account of the way national strategies devised by elites led to a Europe in which the common market did become the central pin of its organization, when solely for economic purposes there were often better choices around. . . his book can however be recommended, both as a sustained argument and as evidence that international relations and political science reach a higher plane when their practitioners read the full history of their subject.' -- Alan Milward, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK and European University Institute, Italy'. . . the book is very well written. Lieshout has an attractive combative style and is well able to engage the reader's attention and interest . . . the emphasis is on the foundation of what today we call the European Union . . . he points out that the foundation of "Europe" was motivated by political and not economic considerations. This is a good point to make since whilst academics (such as myself) have always understood this to be the case, the general public has persistently tended to regard it as an economic venture. The search for peace and tranquillity in Europe ("What shall we do about the Germans?") together with a collective response to the Communist threat (external but also internal) have been the main driving forces. The book, which skilfully takes us through the various negotiating phases (successes and failures) of the post-war founding process, also spells out the enormously important role played by the USA . . . All in all Lieshout's book is a welcome addition to the English language literature on European Union.' -- Dennis Swann, Loughborough University, UK'Many analyses of European Economic and Monetary Union and the introduction of the euro focus almost exclusively on the economic costs which these will entail and the benefits they will bring . . . European integration is not just an economic event; it is also driven by political motives. Indeed, this fact must be acknowledged if one is to understand what is happening in the process of European integration and why. The book has been written precisely from this perspective. The author even argues that political factors have had and continue to have the upper hand in many areas of European co-operation . . . Since Europe is about more than just economics - however important this may be - it is useful that analyses like this one, focusing on the political aspect of European integration, are being written. They deserve to be read.' -- From the foreword by W. F. Duisenberg, President of the European Central BankTable of ContentsContents: Foreword by W.F. Duisenberg 1. Introduction 2. The States System 3. The German Problem 4. The Might of the Dollar: From Marshall Plan to OEEC 5. From Treaty to Organization: The Creation of NATO 6. Westbindung: From Schuman Plan to ECSC 7. Westbindung: From Pleven Plan to WEU 8. Das Junktim: The EEC and Euratom 9. The Continuing Struggle Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisNevada’s politics are in large measure the result of its turbulent history and harsh environment. Michael W. Bowers’s concise volume explains the dynamics of the political formation process, which is strikingly unique among the fifty states. Even today, Nevada is unlike the other states in its politics and culture: economically right, yet libertarian and home to widespread gaming and a 24/7 lifestyle. It has a high percentage of federally owned lands and one of the highest rates of urbanism in the United States, yet is often dominated by rural legislators.This comprehensive and insightful explanation discusses how Nevada’s history has shaped its political culture, and how its government operates today. The Sagebrush State serves as a highly readable and accessible text for the study of Nevada’s political history and constitution, which is a graduation requirement at the state’s colleges and universities. The fifth edition is updated through 2017 and includes the full text of the state constitution with extensive annotations of all amendments to the original 1864 document.Trade Review“This is a volume that would be a worthwhile addition to the bookshelf of anyone looking for a reliable reference work on Nevada government and politics.”—Western Historical Quarterly“This concise work explains how Nevada government actually works and how the area’s history has shaped its political culture.”—Journal of the West

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Book SynopsisSan Francisco is a city of contradictions. It is one of the most socially liberal cities in America, but it also has some of the nation’s worst income inequality. It is a playground for tech millionaires, with an outrageously high cost of living, yet it also supports vibrant alternative and avant-garde scenes. So how did the city get this way? In San Francisco Year Zero, San Francisco native Lincoln Mitchell traces the roots of the current situation back to 1978, when three key events occurred: the assassination of George Moscone and Harvey Milk occurring fewer than two weeks after the massacre of Peoples Temple members in Jonestown, Guyana, the explosion of the city’s punk rock scene, and a breakthrough season for the San Francisco Giants. Through these three strands, Mitchell explores the rifts between the city’s pro-business and progressive-left politicians, the emergence of Dianne Feinstein as a political powerhouse, the increasing prominence of the city’s LGBT community, punk’s reinvigoration of the Bay Area’s radical cultural politics, and the ways that the Giants helped unify one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse cities in the nation. Written from a unique insider’s perspective, San Francisco Year Zero deftly weaves together the personal and the political, putting a human face on the social upheavals that transformed a city. Trade Review"Lincoln Mitchell presents a new and brilliant understanding of San Francisco, America's most progressive city, by describing and interpreting its culture through the extraordinary prism of politics, baseball, and the punk rock scene in the seventies. The reader learns how and why San Francisco, frequently chided derisively by President Trump and other right wing politicians for our ‘San Francisco values,’ developed those values that eventually become an indelible part of American values everywhere.” -- Art Agnos * Mayor of San Francisco, 1988-1991 *"San Francisco Year Zero parses the year 1978--the annus horribilis and nadir--of San Francisco's 'time of troubles.' Mitchell's brilliant political analysis has, as a counterpoint,an analysis of the 1978 Giants season. This creative mixture makes San Francisco Year Zero an extraordinarily important contribution to the historiography of San Francisco." -- Charles A. Fracchia Sr. * Historian, author, founder and president emeritus of the San Francisco Historical Society *"Mitchell's comprehensive portrayal of the zeitgeist of 1978 San Francisco is illuminated by a prism sided by the unlikely trio of baseball, punk, and our city’s political traumas. His writing manifests the passion of a participant with the certainty of a historian. He has perfectly captured that dark uncertain moment when San Francisco was seen in black and white, between the psychedelic era of hippies and the city's reemergence as a diverse cultural Mecca." -- Penelope Houston * singer and songwriter, the Avengers *"The 1978 Giants were a truly special, exciting and fun team. Mitchell does a wonderful job telling the story of that team, but what makes this book truly compelling is that he shows why baseball and the Giants were so important to the extraordinary period in San Francisco that 1978 was. By doing that, Mitchell provides an indispensable perspective and resource not only for baseball fans, but for anybody who wants to understand how San Francisco got to be the city it is today. Mitchell has woven a tale of politics, murder, cults, punk rock and baseball together to provide an entertaining, powerful, cohesive and holistic picture of San Francisco during the year that changed everything in our city." -- Bob Lurie * San Francisco Giants Owner, 1976-1992 *"From the perspective of an adolescent growing up in post-hippie San Francisco, Lincoln Mitchell brings a totally new and riveting perspective to every facet of San Francisco in 1978 from Major League Baseball, to the early days of punk rock to the tragic, tumultuous and violent politics. San Francisco Year Zero sheds new light on how the events of that pivotal year shaped politics in San Francisco and the rest of our country for the next four decades and to this day. And it’s a gentle reminder that it’s still not too late for us to once again chart the progressive political course that was cut short by the political assassinations and messianic violence that rocked San Francisco and America 40 years ago." -- San Francisco Supervisor Aaron Peskin"The book is both rigorous political science that would be very useful to scholars of urban politics generally and San Francisco more specifically, but is also a highly readable and fun book that gives a deeper perspective into San Francisco in 1978. Mitchell captures both the larger political issues that defined the city then and continue to impact it now as well as the feel of what it meant to be growing up in San Francisco at the time.” -- Kenneth Sherrill * Professor Emeritus of political science, Hunter College, CUNY *"1978 was a year that shook and reshaped San Francisco just as brutally and profoundly as 1906 had, though the changes it wrought were due to cultural, social and political upheaval instead of shifting tectonic plates. In San Francisco Year Zero, Lincoln Mitchell paints a cinematic and insightful portrait of a year in which such disparate characters as Harvey Milk, Jim Jones, Johnny Rotten, Jello Biafra, Jerry Garcia, Bill Graham, Dianne Feinstein, Penelope Houston, Vida Blue and Jack Clark all left lasting marks on The City By The Bay. If you love San Francisco, urban history, baseball and/or punk rock, this is an essential read." -- Dan Epstein * author of Big Hair and Plastic Grass: Baseball and America in the Swinging '70s *"This freewheeling narrative captures the chaos of 1978 well, with a decade’s worth of highs and lows packed into one memorable calendar year....San Francisco Year Zero is still a rollicking look at a very unique year in a very unique city." * Foreword Reviews *The Page 99 Test: Lincoln A. Mitchell's "San Francisco Year Zero" http://page99test.blogspot.com/2019/10/lincoln-mitchells-san-francisco-year.html * The Page 99 Test *"Dead Kennedys in the West: The Politicized Punks of 1970s San Francisco - The New Punk Generation Made the Hippies Look Past Their Prime" excerpt from San Francisco Year Zero https://lithub.com/dead-kennedys-in-the-west-the-politicized-punks-of-1970s-san-francisco/ * Literary Hub *"Lincoln Mitchell connects the dots of the last 41 years of San Francisco" - California Sun podcast http://californiasun.libsyn.com/lincoln-mitchell * California Sun podcast *"‘Year Zero’ uses baseball, politics to explain how 1978 forever changed SF" by Brandon Yu https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/books/year-zero-uses-baseball-politics-to-explain-how-1978-forever-changed-sf * San Francisco Chronicle *Sports Byline interview with Lincoln Mitchell * Sports Byline *"The Year That Was: 1978 and the Making of Contemporary San Francisco" https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/archive/podcast/year-was-1978-and-making-contemporary-san-francisco * The Commonwealth Club Podcast *"What does baseball have to do with punk rock and politics?" by Victoria Ivie http://pcccourier.com/main-story/what-does-baseball-have-to-do-with-punk-rock-and-politics.html * PCC Courier *"Lincoln A. Mitchell writes fluidly and skillfully about his old home with wistful nostalgia. A reconciliation of the good times with the worst times are difficult but nevertheless compelling. A+ narrative." * San Francisco Book Review *"New Books Network--New Books in the American West" interview with Lincoln Mitchell https://newbooksnetwork.com/lincoln-mitchell-san-francisco-year-zero-rutgers-up-2019/ * New Books Network *Baseball by the Book podcast interview with Lincoln Mitchellhttps://baseballbythebook.libsyn.com/episode-229-san-francisco-year-one * Baseball by the Book podcast *Bergino Baseball Clubhouse podcast interview with Lincoln Mitchell https://berginobaseballclubhouse.podbean.com/e/san-francisco-year-zero-with-lincoln-mitchell/ * Bergino Baseball Clubhouse *KCRW "Press Play" interview with Lincoln Mitchell https://www.kcrw.com/news/shows/press-play-with-madeleine-brand/how-rep-karen-bass-sees-impeachment-playing-out/1978-shaped-san-francisco-into-a-modern-city * "Press Play," KCRW *"All in all it is a very interesting book. Well worth purchasing for not only punk rock fans but also for people interested in the history of San Francisco." * Punk Globe *Lincoln Mitchell discusses San Francisco Year Zero on Bar Crawl Radio https://player.acast.com/bar-crawl-radio/episodes/san-francisco-1978-murder-gay-rights-jonestown-no-end-trump * Bar Crawl Radio *"What lessons can the US learn from the British election results?" interview with Lincoln Mitchell * Al Jazeera English *Drinks with Tony podcast interview with Lincoln A. Mitchell http://www.drinkswithtony.com/lincoln-a-mitchell-65/ * Drinks with Tony *Infinite Inning podcast - Episde 130 "A Death in the Family" interview with Lincoln Mitchell https://www.spreaker.com/user/11343337/infinite-inning-130-a-death-in-the-famil * Infinite Inning podcast *"1978: the year that changed San Francisco forever" by Lincoln A. Mitchell https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jan/05/san-francisco-1978-changed-city * The Guardian *"Sound On: Impeachment, 2020 Fundraising, Vaping Ban" podcast interview with Lincoln Mitchell https://www.bloomberg.com/news/audio/2020-01-03/sound-on-impeachment-2020-fundraising-vaping-ban-podcast * Bloomberg Radio *"For those who aren’t as politically inclined, Mitchell covers the key cultural components of San Francisco in 1978. Whether it is cheering on a mediocre Giants team at an awful stadium, a growing concern for fellow San Franciscans who had left for Guyana with Jim Jones, or the evolving music scene, Mitchell paints a vivid picture of the city in 1978. I learned a lot from this book and came away with a much better view of the complexities of San Francisco. If you are looking for an interesting read, I would suggest picking up a copy." * Start Spreading the News *"Essential reading for newcomers and old-timers alike." * The Frisc *Lincoln Mitchell interview on "The Chip Franklin Show," KGO 810 https://omny.fm/shows/the-chip-franklin-show/january-28-2020-how-san-francisco-became-san-franc * "The Chip Franklin Show," KGO 810 *"Lincoln Mitchell on His Love of Baseball and Politics" https://www.storiedsf.com/episodes/s3e5-part-1-lincoln-mitchell-on-his-love-of-baseball-and-politics * Storied SF *"Lincoln Mitchell on San Francisco in 1978," Part II https://www.storiedsf.com/episodes/s3e5-part-2-lincoln-mitchell-on-san-francisco-in-1978 * Storied SF *Lincoln Mitchell interview on the Marty Lurie Show http://www.loveofthegameproductions.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Mitchell_Lincoln041820.mp3 * Marty Lurie Show - KNBR *"How San Francisco's quirky politics gave California an edge in the Covid-19 fight" by Lincoln Mitchell https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/21/opinions/san-francisco-california-covid-19-response-mitchell/index.html * CNN.com *"Mitchell writes with clarity, effortlessly switching between the main parts of the narrative while simultaneously bringing in other peripheral observations and facts. I am sure San Fransicans will reveal in this, while those who have never ventured to the city should find the events of 1978 captivating." * Scanner Zine *"Mitchell charts the tensions in San Francisco's politics between the struggle for progressive policies—led by the emergent political force of the LGBT community and influenced by the radicalism of punk rock—and the pro-business policies that were ultimately implemented. His recounting of the Giants 1978 season, which unified the city, is meticulous. This book is a good starting point to understand today's San Francisco. Recommended." * Choice *"SSTN Interview with Lincoln Mitchell" * Start Spreading the News *"Talkin' Yankees" interview with Lincoln Mitchell * Talkin' Yankees *"7 Questions on San Francisco, Social Movements, and Politics with Author Lincoln Mitchell" https://www.thecampaignworkshop.com/blog/7-questions/social-movements?utm_content=131047336utm_medium=socialutm_source=twitterhss_channel=tw-1012407859831820291 * The Campaign Workshop *Jeff Santos Show - 6/19/20 HR-3 Joe Sanberg Lincoln Mitchell interview https://soundcloud.com/ron-crider/61920-hr-3-joe-sanberg-lincoln-mitchell * Jeff Santos Show *"The Jeff Santos Show" interview with Lincoln Mitchell https://soundcloud.com/ron-crider/72920-hr-3-joe-williams-lincoln-mitchell * Jeff Santos Show *"San Francisco Year Zero makes a welcome contribution to the urban history of this left-coast city and will be an engaging read for those interested in the city’s political, musical, and baseball past." * Journal of Urban Affairs *"Harvey Milk's murder is a stark reminder of the persistence of police brutality" by Lincoln Mitchell https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/nov/27/harvey-milk-assassination-police-brutality * The Guardian *"The author’s enthusiasm for [baseball] and the [Giants] come through, both in the minute detail in which he reports statistics that only a hardcore fan will understand, but in making us care about a baseball season in which the Giants finish, after all, only in third place. Here, the mix of the author’s own memories of going to games as an 11-year-old with his scholarly reflections on the team’s 1978 season pay off." * Urban History *"1978 was a harrowing year of tragedy and political upheaval in San Francisco, but there were also some bright spots — including a burgeoning punk rock scene and a Giants team that spent much of the summer atop the NL West — and Mitchell ties it all together in this compulsively readable tome." * Los Angeles Daily News *28 all-star books about California baseball including the Giants, Dodgers, A’s and more: "1978 was a harrowing year of tragedy and political upheaval in San Francisco, but there were also some bright spots — including a burgeoning punk rock scene and a Giants team that spent much of the summer atop the NL West — and Mitchell ties it all together in this compulsively readable tome." * San Jose Mercury News *Table of ContentsContents List of Tables Preface 1 New Year’s 1978 2 San Francisco in 1978 3 Spring Training 4 Heading to the ‘Stick 5 Harvey Milk 6 The Band is Called What? 7 The Pennant Race 8 A Month Like No Other 9 The Long Shadow of 1978 10 Neighborhoods, Natives and Those Hills Acknowledgments Index

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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