Democracy Books

Book Synopsis'D'Ancona makes his case well... The book is well written and thoughtful' -- The Times'A heartfelt attempt to renew liberal ideals for the coming decades... How sorely our public debate needs others to express themselves similarly.' -- Henry Mance, Financial Times'An urgent and exhilarating account of how populism, prejudice & polarisation have corrupted objective truth and public discourse. D'Ancona's sparkling prose provides an explanation of how we got here and, crucially, how we might get out.' -- James O'Brien'A book so rich in thought, wisdom and persuasion I find myself sharing the ideas within it with everyone I meet... In the much-mourned absence of Christopher Hitchens, d'Ancona is fast becoming the voice of enlightenment for our bewildered age.' -- Emily Maitlis'A tonic for our times that blows open any complacency following Trump's defeat that the demise of populism and nativism is inevitable. In beautifully written prose, D'Ancona puts forward hopeful ideas and timely inspiration for a progressive politics to replace it.' -- David Lammy'A brilliant, lucid, fearless tract, just what the historical moment ordered.' -- Andrew O'Hagan'D'Ancona's regular practical suggestions help to take it beyond mere theory and into the real world... Decision-makers would do well to read it.' -- Charlotte Henry, TLS***This is a call to arms. The old tools of political analysis are obsolete - they have rusted and are no longer fit for purpose. We've grown lazy, wedded to the assumption that, after ruptures such as Brexit, the pandemic, and the rise of the populist Right, things will eventually go 'back to normal'.Award-winning political writer Matthew d'Ancona invites you to think afresh: to seek new ways of challenging political extremism, bombastic populism and democratic torpor on both Left and Right. In this ground-breaking book, he proposes a new way of understanding our era and plots a way forward. With rigorous analysis, he argues that we need to understand the world in a new way, with a framework built from the three I's: Identity, Ignorance and Innovation.Trade Review'No-one captures or explains the zeitgeist as well as Matthew d'Ancona - in fact he is the Zeitgeist Whisperer. This book nails completely the dominant forces shaping and currently breaking society with clarity, insight and, mercifully, some answers.' -- Julia Hobsbawm, founder, Editorial Intelligence and author of The Simplicity PrincipleAn urgent and exhilarating account of how populism, prejudice & polarisation have corrupted objective truth and public discourse. D'Ancona's sparkling prose provides an explanation of how we got here and, crucially, how we might get out. He clearly describes the profound dangers of seeing recent political events as temporary aberrations and cautions against complacently believing that normal service will soon resume. If civilised society is under attack, fighting back becomes a public duty. D'Ancona provides us with powerful weapons with which to do so. -- James O'BrienA book so rich in thought, wisdom and persuasion I find myself sharing the ideas within it with everyone I meet. Matthew d'Ancona tackles the (often febrile) subjects of our time with courage, moral clarity and sensitivity. His guiding narrative - that arguments must be aired, and uncensored - that pluralism of voices and perspective will bring the best freedom to choose well - raises questions of free speech, marginalisation, race and identity that are often unsettling but always electrifying. In the much-mourned absence of Christopher Hitchens, d'Ancona is fast becoming the voice of enlightenment for our bewildered age. We are lucky to have him. -- Emily Maitlis'Identity, Ignorance, Innovation is a tonic for our times that blows open any complacency following Trump's defeat that the demise of populism and nativism is inevitable. In beautifully written prose, D'Ancona puts forward hopeful ideas and timely inspiration for a progressive politics to replace it.' -- David Lammy

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Book SynopsisBaltimore. Ferguson. Tottenham. Clichy-sous-Bois. Oakland. Ours has become an "age of riots" as the struggle of people versus state and capital has taken to the streets. Award-winning poet and scholar Joshua Clover offers a new understanding of this present moment and its history. Rioting was the central form of protest in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, yet it was supplanted by age of the glorious strike and labour protests of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. From, from the seventies on, we're seen a return of the strike - now changed along with the coordinates of race and class.From early wage demands to recent social justice campaigns pursued through occupations and blockades, Clover connects these protests to the upheavals of a sclerotic economy in a state of moral collapse. Riot.Strike.Riot is a tour de force of political and theoretical analysis.Trade ReviewRiot, in this absolutely necessary book, is considered as differential procedure and rigorous improvisational method, as essential repertoire on the way from general malaise to general strike. But then this conception folds tightly yet disorderly into a new and open set of questions. It's not that the raging, ragged entrance to the new golden age is the new golden age. It's not that theory can't bear a riot. It's just that riot makes new ways of seeing what theory can and can't do and imposes upon us a kind of knowledge of our own embarrassing and already given resources of enjoyment. Joshua Clover says riot deserves a proper theory but here-sly, stone cold-he gives us more than that. Now we have some guidelines for the new and ongoing impropriety that fleshes forth and fleshes out our optimal condition. -- Fred Moten, scholar, activist, poet and author of In the Break: The Aesthetics of the Black Radical Tradition and The Undercommons: Fugitive Planning and Black StudyIn its sweep, rigor, and elegance, Riot. Strike. Riot. is pleasurable and provocative, worthy of the urgent debates it should inspire. -- Jeff Chang, author of Can’t Stop Won’t Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation and Who We Be: The Colorization of AmericaRiot. Strike. Riot. is the crystalline analysis of this fraught moment-between communism and anarchism, between street protest and economic strike. Clover's text is clear without being simple, contemporary yet historical, and affectionate without being mawkish-much like a riot, in fact, it opens up the future while remembering that the past is comprised of little other than exploitation, exclusion and the kinds of violence that deliberately are attributed to the very people who suffer most from it. -- Nina Power, senior lecturer in philosophy at Roehampton University and author of One-Dimensional WomanOne of the liveliest, sharpest, and erudite cultural theorists in the US. -- Charles Mudede * The Stranger *Frisky, audacious . Riot. Strike. Riot screams across the sky of our electoral theater. -- Michael Robbins * Chicago Tribune *[Riot. Strike. Riot] thrills. It elucidates and, in a way, valorizes a taboo fixture of the political arena in an era of seemingly perpetual economic crisis and withering patience for mere reform. -- Sam Lefebvre * East Bay Express *Phenomenal...The genius of Riot. Strike. Riot lies in its concise and historically confident analysis of riots. -- Justin Slaughter * Public Books *Joshua Clover provides a history of the present that is at once erudite and militant. In unfailingly elegant prose he not only traces where today's struggles came from but also proposes how they can chart the path to a new future. -- Michael Hardt, co-author of AssemblyIf communism is, as Marx wrote, "the real movement which abolishes the present state of things," then Joshua Clover is its most lucid and uncompromising contemporary theorist. Among its many virtues, Riot.Strike.Riot explains how our time of stagnant economic growth, exclusionary state violence, and uprisings of those left without reserves, might be capitalism's end times. In doing so, he challenges all of us who are committed to bending the status quo toward justice to an ambition adequate to its breaking point. -- Nikhil Pal Singh, author of Race and America’s Long WarWhy do we find police in places where there was once an economy? This unique book is abrilliant, clearheaded analysis of the historical relation between two forms of struggle, focusingon the riot, a pre-capitalist form returning in the transformed mode of "riot prime" as one of themost telling forms of our late capitalist present. Along the way, Joshua Clover gives us muchneeded concepts to deal with the strange new negations we have come to encounter in thismoment of waning accumulation-Long Crisis, the production of nonproduction, aerosolizedproduction-as capital shifts its center of gravity to circulation, and nonlabor struggles emerge asthe logical form of social conflict based on shared distance from labor markets rather than sharedlabor conditions. R-S-R' is a theory of riot but as such, crucially, a theory of periodization; it isessential reading for all students of the present. -- Sianne Ngai, author of Our Aesthetic Categories: Zany, Cute, Interesting

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Book SynopsisWe're used to hearing that we live in an age of unprecedented division, that the great storms that have engulfed British politics over the past ten years have driven us further apart than ever, with no hope of finding common ground. Penny Mordaunt and Chris Lewis disagree. In this lively and insightful book, they argue that although differences of opinion are a natural part of healthy political debate, some of our current division is caused by a need for political reform. A wave of scandals has corroded public confidence in leadership in all walks of life, fuelled by a hyper-individualistic social media landscape - but by rebuilding public trust we can restore national pride and positive, competent politics. Greater lays out a plan for post-Brexit Britain. Delving into our history, our institutions and our culture, it explains how we arrived at this point and how the British character points the way towards practical national missions. It explores Britain's role in the world and how to balance global and local priorities; makes the case for the United Kingdom based on the mutuality that binds us; and calls for modernising reform in politics, government and markets. It describes the role of social media in culture wars and calls for a relentless focus on aspiration and a social enterprise revolution. Above all, it reminds us of the many reasons we have to be optimistic.Trade Review"Utterly uplifting and inspiring." Sir Richard Branson; "Smart, thoughtful, passionate." Dominic Sandbrook; "Loving, invigorating and delivered with characteristic wit." Boris Johnson; "Uplifting and highly readable." Tony Blair; "Reminds me of so many things I love about the UK." Richard Curtis; "Thoughtful, affectionate and surprisingly funny." Ruth Davidson; "Eloquent, eccentric and bloody good fun." Michael Dobbs; "This book lays out a clear plan for Britain. It says we need to modernise, socially, culturally and economically. I cannot recommend it highly enough." Jacqueline de Rojas

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Book SynopsisEvery day we hear that the rise of populism threatens democracy around the world, but is this really true? Did populism cause the current crisis, or is it the other way around? To understand the state of our politics right now, we must get to grips with this contested concept. Simon Tormey breaks down the defining aspects of populism, what sets it apart from other styles of politics, and what – if anything – we ought to do about it.Trade Review‘In this provocative, well-written new book, Tormey argues that populism can be both a threat to democratic values and process, but equally a means for the expansion of democracy… Essential reading for those seeking to understand one of the most important, but often misunderstood, political phenomena of the twenty-first century.’ -- Duncan McDonnell, Professor of Politics, Griffith University‘An important dissenting voice in today’s chorus of populist critics, Tormey casts populism in a new light, inviting readers to consider whether it might not be a threat to democracy but rather something democracy needs for its renewal.’ -- Lisa Disch, Professor of Political Science, University of Michigan‘The world is changing. Democracy is under threat. Simon Tormey’s Populism: A Beginner’s Guide provides a wonderfully sophisticated yet beautifully accessible guide to these changing times.’ -- Matthew Flinders, Professor of Politics, University of Sheffield, and President of the Political Studies Association of the United Kingdom‘While we all think we know what populism means, if we dig a little deeper we find ourselves lost in definitional problems and ambiguities… Tormey navigates through these…with admirable clarity and perception, drawing upon historical and contemporary examples of populist movements, and exploring key factors that explain their rise.’ -- Saul Newman, Professor of Political Philosophy, Flinders University

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Book SynopsisAlthough contemporary Western societies refer to themselves as democratic, the bulk of the population spend much of their lives in workplaces that have more in common with tyranny. Gigantic corporations such as Amazon, Meta, Exxon, and Walmart are among the richest and most powerful institutions in the world yet accountable to no one but their shareholders. The undemocratic nature of conventional firms generates profound problems across society, hurting more than just the workplace and contributing to environmental destruction and spiraling inequality.Against this backdrop, Isabelle Ferreras proposes a radical but realistic plan to democratize the private firm. She suggests that all large firms should be bicamerally governed, with a chamber of worker representatives sharing equal governance power with the standard board representing owners. In response to this proposal, twelve leading experts on corporate behavior from multiple disciplines consider its attractiveness, viability

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Book SynopsisA rivalry that remade the political world as we know it today Politics today doesn’t look much like it did fifty years ago. Electorates that were once divided by economics—with blue-collar workers supporting leftwing parties while the wealthy trended right—are now more likely to split along cultural lines. Campaigns have gone high-tech, hoping to use big data and sophisticated mathematical models to turn electioneering into a science. Meanwhile, a permanent class of political consultants has emerged, replacing the ward-heeling party hacks of yesteryear with teams of pollsters, message gurus, and field operatives. Taken together, all this amounts to a silent revolution that has transformed politics across much of the globe. Left Adrift provides a new perspective on this transformation by following the lives of two political strategists who watched it unfold firsthand. Stan Greenberg and Doug Schoen were Zeligs of the inte

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Book SynopsisMany experts have observed a world-wide trend toward democratic deconsolidation, reflected in America through declining trust in government at all levels and the rise of authoritarian thinking. The trend is rooted in extreme partisan polarization, which serves as fertile soil for the rise of anti-democratic movements and tendencies. This book aims to combat that disturbing trajectory, offering readers the tools to engage in and aspire toward a more responsive and accountable democracy. Its 46 brief and accessible articles outline a number of institutional, structural, process-oriented, and policy-related challenges to American democracy. In most cases, specific proposals for reform are discussed, encouraging the reader to think about how to make tangible progress toward a more perfect Union.

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Book SynopsisWhat was happening in Burnley Town Hall when the British National Party was winning and holding seats there? What lay behind the far right’s advance, and what effect did it have on local government and wider policy trends? How did mainstream parties respond? This is the inside story of these developments, written by the council worker responsible for promoting good race relations in Burnley during the turbulent years following the ‘northern town disturbances’ of 2001. The book connects the story of one Lancashire town to contemporary social divisions and political trends across the UK: - The rise of right-wing populism, widespread antipathy to immigration, and a deep distrust of established politicians - The success of Boris Johnson's Conservatives in offering nationalism as an answer to some people's sense of abandonment in deindustrialised areas - Labour’s attempts to ‘reconnect’ and win back support in northern constituencies like Burnley, which voted 67 per cent for Brexit and was one of the ‘red wall’ seats that Labour lost at the 2019 general election. On Burnley Road is both a remarkable example of granular social history and an urgent contribution to current debates on issues which affect us all. MakinWaite’s perspectives on political identities, multiculturalism, and the potential of ‘civic mediation’ will interest anyone who is looking for effective ways forward to overcome racism and inequality, and to rebuild our democratic culture.Table of ContentsForeword by Professor Claire Alexander 1. Introduction: riots in retrospect 2. What we learned in the Weavers’ Triangle 3. How political space gets created 4. When tomorrow belonged to them 5. 'How do we get back to normal?' 6. Cohesion in context 7. 'How do we handle the BNP?' 8. From Belfast to Burnley 9. Mapping future options 10. From Burnley to Brexit … and beyond Roundtable discussion: Rushanara Ali MP, Jo Broadwood, Deborah Grayson, Professor Anoop Nayak

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Finalist for the North American Society for Social Philosophy Book Award""Open Democracy envisions what true government by mass leadership could look like. Her model is based on the simple idea that, if government by the people is a goal, the people ought to do the governing."---Nathan Heller, New Yorker"A great defence of both sortition and deliberation as complements to representative democracy."---Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Open Magazine"A bold exploration of how we can move beyond a purely electoral conception of democratic representation. Using normative democratic theory and real-world examples of innovations in citizen representation, Hélène Landemore argues for a vision of democracy that is more faithful to popular rule, more likely to tap into democratic reason, and more stable and durable than electoral democracy."---Erica Yu, Erasmus Journal for Philosophy and Economics"Ambitious. . . . A scheme that breaks with two liberal-democratic institutions that are usually taken for granted: elections and political parties."---Jan-Werner Mueller, Project Syndicate"[Landemore] argues that we need a new, more inclusive system of governance that is less elitist and more participatory to cure what ails democracy." * The Nation *"A fascinating, wide-ranging book."---Rachael Walsh, International Journal of Constitutional Law"Important."---Christopher Kutz, Los Angeles Review of Books

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Greenberg . . . a longtime critic of expanded state power after 9/11, draws a straight line between the early U.S. response to the attacks and the abuses of the Trump administration."---Quinta Jurecic, Washington Post"Subtle Tools strikes a . . . note of guarded hope for the rule of law against populist lawlessness."---Jonathan Stevenson, Survival"This is an expertly researched cri de coeur regarding recapturing the processes and procedures of American democracy, which Greenberg (Fordham Univ. School of Law) argues were lost in the 20 years between the 9/11 attacks and the present." * Choice *

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Book SynopsisMaged Mandour is an Egyptian political analyst who writes regularly for outlets such as Middle East Eye, openDemocracy, the Arab Digest, and the journal of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He has made a number of media appearances as a commentator on Egyptian affairs and is a graduate of the University of Cambridge, UK.Trade ReviewMaged Mandour's is a voice that is crucial to an understanding of contemporary Egypt. The acute economic analyses and political acumen he brings to all his work is the measure of a writer committed to rigorous, objective and robust journalism. For anyone even mildly interested in the country and its trajectory Egypt Under Sisi is a must-read. * Wlliam Law, Editor, Arab Digest *Mandour captured the essence of the past decade’s trajectory in Egypt. Maged carefully traces the re-emergence of Egypt’s military within a polarized social and political context. Painstaking, thoughtful, and vivid, Mandour’s voice not only bears witness but cuts through to the crux of Egypt's current dynamics. A highly recommended read for anyone looking to understand Egypt and grapple with its future. * Intissar Fakir, Senior Fellow and Director, Middle East Institute · *In this striking and beautifully written analysis of Egypt under Al-Sisi, Maged Mandour tears away the façade of military continuity, laying bare how, in the wake of Tahrir Square, deep restructuring and ideological transformation concentrated power in a dictatorship that is a radically new phenomenon – not only violently repressive but also structurally barricaded against democracy. It is a shocking, meticulously documented account of the complete militarization of the Egyptian state, which Mandour subtly reveals is also ruinously brittle, a flaw that could eventually shatter the whole edifice. * Roxane Farmanfarmaian, Dr, University of Cambridge, UK *Mandour demonstrates powerfully through this detailed anatomy of the regime of Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi that it represents a radical break in modern Egyptian history, differing significantly from all the authoritarian regimes that preceded it since the army overthrew the monarchy in 1952. Mandour makes two special contributions. First, revealing the extent to which “the regime is following a deliberate policy of militarization of civilian institutions.” And second, showing that this regime is wedded to violence to a pathological degree - we are used to associating depraved, pleasure-taking violence to the brutal regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Asad, but Sisi’s draws from similar wells. * Yezid Sayigh, Senior Fellow, Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center *Egypt under El-Sisi is without a doubt a necessary read for anyone trying to grasp the basic ways Egyptian political life has been transformed under Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. -- Usman Butt * The New Arab *Table of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1: Genesis Chapter 2: The New Leviathan Chapter 3: There will be blood Chapter 4: Pots, Pans, and Guns Chapter 5: Ozymandias

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Book SynopsisThis book draws on the author's research on Deliberative Polling to chart a unique path to fixing democracy's many problems. It suggests empowering democratic reform that would strengthen rather than replace our current institutions.

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Book SynopsisDemocracy, free thought and expression, religious tolerance, individual liberty, political self-determination of people, sexual and racial equality - these values have firmly entered the mainstream in the decades since they were enshrined in the 1948 UN Declaration of Human Rights. This book deals with this topic.Trade Review"Spinoza's radicalism was certainly frightening in its time, and Israel has valuably if aggressively opened the question of its influence on the Enlightenment and the era of revolution."--Samuel Moyn, Nation "Israel is right to emphasize the importance of this intellectual movement, but since his is such a sweeping revision of so many generations of received ideas, his work raises the question of why the radical Enlightenment has been misunderstood or obscured for so long in favor of such colorful figures as Voltaire (in Israel's telling, a witty, snobbish sycophant)... We are lucky that a historian of Israel's caliber has taken these subjects on and lucky, too, that he has now produced a readable introduction to them."--Benjamin Moser, Harper's Magazine "Israel's reasoned assertion for the influence of the Radical Enlightenment on democratic thought is certainly compelling, making this essential reading for students of the Enlightenment era as well as anyone interested in the foundations of modern democracy."--Library Journal "Israel's new book is a breathtaking rethinking of the Enlightenment and its impact in the modern world."--Choice "Perhaps no active scholar has shaped the conversation about the sources and meaning of the Enlightenment more than Jonathan Israel... Almost miraculously, Israel manages to embody the greatest intellectual virtues and vices."--Christian Century "Israel succeeds commendably in a great evaluation and dissemination of generally unknown texts from beyond the familiar territories of France, England, and America. In this respect, he broadens the common conception of where Enlightenment ideas were debated and implemented, unlike Isaiah Berlin, who failed to notice the American Enlightenment."--Rivka Weisberg and Carl Pletsch, 1650-1850 "In telling this fascinating story, A Revolution of the Mind reveals the surprising origins of our most cherished values--and helps explain why in certain circles they are frequently disapproved of and attacked even today."--World Book Industry "The book is obligatory reading."--Antal Szantay, Israel, European History Quarterly "[T]hanks to Israel's engaging narrative style, this is an accessible and entertaining, yet hugely informative read."--Sinead Fitzgibbon, Marginalia "Israel's book is itself a demonstration of just how alive Enlightenment values and ideals still are."--Alan Apperley, European LegacyTable of ContentsPreface vii CHAPTER I: Progress and the Enlightenment's Two Conflicting Ways of Improving the World 1 CHAPTER II: Democracy or Social Hierarchy? The Political Rift 37 CHAPTER III: The Problem of Equality and Inequality: The Rise of Economics 92 CHAPTER IV: The Enlightenment's Critique of War and the Quest for "Perpetual Peace" 124 CHAPTER V: Two Kinds of Moral Philosophy in Conflict 154 CHAPTER VI: Voltaire versus Spinoza: The Enlightenment as a Basic Duality of Philosophical Systems 199 CHAPTER VII: Conclusion 221 Notes 243 Index 267

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Book SynopsisThis translation is considered by many to be the definitive edition of de Tocqueville's classic work. Annotated, and with substantial references, placing the work and its author in the broader contexts of political philosophy, the volume also contains a comprehensive introduction.Trade Review"The best edition of the best book on America"; "What we need, here at the beginning of the century, is a fresh examination - one that begins from Tocqueville's own concerns and not from our desire to use him for our political battles. Mansfield and Winthrop... have contributed immeasurably to that task by providing hundreds of notes identifying events, allusions, and names that are no longer familiar, and by providing an accurate and readable translation of Democracy in America, one far superior to the old editions." - Daniel J. Mahoney, Weekly Standard "The Mansfield-Winthrop work will henceforth be the preferred English version of Democracy in America not only because of the superior translation and critical apparatus, but also because of its long and masterly introductory essay, itself an important contribution to the literature on Tocqueville." - Roger Kimball, The New Criterion

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Book SynopsisWritten during the prolonged world war between totalitarian and democratic forces, this book takes up the question of how democracy as a political system can best be defended.Trade Review"I love him. He's one of my favorite philosophers." (President Barack Obama) "Dr. Niebuhr is in our time one of the ablest spokesmen among theologians. And he brings to his chosen task rare gifts and wide-ranging interests." (New Republic) "[A] clear and impressive statement of [Niebuhr's] views on fundamental political and social problems." (Spectator) "[A] brilliant and creative vindication of democracy... a theology of Western culture which remains intellectually unsurpassed." (Larry Rasmussen in Reinhold Niebuhr: Theologian of Public Life)"

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Book SynopsisPopulism suddenly is everywhere, and everywhere misunderstood. Nadia Urbinati argues that populism should be regarded as government based on an unmediated relationship between the leader and those defined as the “good” or “right” people. Mingling history, theory, and current affairs, Urbinati illuminates populism’s tense relation to democracy.Trade ReviewMe the People arguably ranks as the best available analysis of populism in any language. Nadia Urbinati persuasively interprets populism as an autoimmune disease of democracy; as a new form of disfigured representative government gripped by leaders who pose as the embodiment of a ‘true’ people—enthusiastic but loyal subjects who have little or no taste for free media, independent courts, and other ‘intermediary’ power-restraining institutions. Urbinati’s message is timely and disturbing. -- John Keane, author of The Life and Death of DemocracyThe study of populism has become all too fashionable, but this volume stands out for its great originality. Unlike so many scholars jumping on the populism bandwagon, Nadia Urbinati has a well-developed theory of democracy, which she deftly deploys to pinpoint the dangers of populism. She also draws on her profound knowledge in the history of political thought to advance her arguments. -- Jan-Werner Müller, author of What Is Populism?With her erudition and clear-eyed assessment of the decline of parties and partisanship, Nadia Urbinati delivers a bold theory of how populist democracy works today. As populism goes from political movement to holding power, the familiar elements—the leader who embodies the people, the hostility to pluralism, the repudiation of mediating institutions—come together in a new and unaccountable form of governing. Me the People prepares us for the challenge. -- Nancy Rosenblum, author of A Lot of People Are Saying: The New Conspiracism and the Assault on DemocracyIn an increasingly crowded field, Nadia Urbinati develops a novel and sophisticated theory of the phenomenology of populism. She engages with the populist critique of what went wrong with democracy and shows how populist solutions, instead of leading to radical democracy, will lead to its disfigurement. -- Carlos de la Torre, editor of The Promise and Perils of PopulismUrbinati has produced an exceptional scholarly work on a highly relevant socio-political phenomenon. Her line of argument is necessarily complex and deep. Her research is outstandingly extensive. -- Deepak Tripathi * New York Journal of Books *Urbinati’s book is the grand historical-theoretical narrative not only of populism but of democracy and democratic theory more broadly…Her account provides an overview of democratic formations and their different conceptualizations over time, with populism being one among them…Accepting a main position of hers that populism is an expression of legitimate complaints and demands for change within representative democracy, one only wishes that the people making these demands were more savory and less corrupt than they are. -- Hans J. Rindisbacher * The European Legacy *With considerable debate around the concept of populism, and its intersections with democracy and authoritarianism, this book provides an important contribution to advance understanding of how populism is transforming contemporary democracies. -- Sarah Cameron * European Political Science *

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Book SynopsisJoan C. Tronto argues that we need to rethink American democracy, as well as our own fundamental values and commitments, from a caring perspective.Trade Review"The Institute chose to celebrate Joan C. Tronto's work because it forces people to rethink the obligations we have to one another in democratic societies. Modern rhetoric about democracy places due emphasis on personal freedom, but responsibilities can get overlooked. Tronto also stresses that caring for one another is less a burden than a fulfilling act, which reminds us all of how dependent we are on one another across the country and across the generations." -- John Gastil, Director, McCourtney Institute for DemocracyTable of ContentsIntroduction1. When We Understand Care, We'll Need to Redefine Democracy2. Care, Inc.3. Making the Caring-With Revolution HappenNotes Bibliography

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Book SynopsisWhy our democracies need urgent reform, before it''s too lateA generation after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the world is once again on the edge of chaos. Demonstrations have broken out from Belgium to Brazil led by angry citizens demanding a greater say in their political and economic future, better education, heathcare and living standards. The bottom line of this outrage is the same; people are demanding their governments do more to improve their lives faster, something which policymakers are unable to deliver under conditions of anaemic growth. Rising income inequality and a stagnant economy are threats to both the developed and the developing world, and leaders can no longer afford to ignore this gathering storm.In Edge of Chaos, Dambisa Moyo sets out the new political and economic challenges facing the world, and the specific, radical solutions needed to resolve these issues and reignite global growth. Dambisa enumerates the four headwinds of demoTrade ReviewEdge of Chaos is intensely focused in its purpose and forthright in its findings. It has narrative drive; it is not self-indulgent or too long; and it uses statistics and other factual evidence from wide-ranging sources to powerful polemical effect * Literary Review *Moyo's familiarity with the dismal science radiates through her provocative new work, Edge of Chaos, as she argues compellingly that the global failure to achieve sustained, inclusive growth underpins the rampant political turmoil * New York Times *

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Book SynopsisThis book addresses the challenges facing socialists and the recent shift from protest to politics. It examines the limits and possibilities for class, party and state transformation and the democratic and socialist insurgencies inside the Labour Party in Britain, and the Democratic Party in the USA.Table of ContentsCONTENTS: Introduction: The revival of democratic socialism; class, party, state: the twentieth century socialist experience; From protest to party to state: lessons from Syriza; Corbyn's challenge: from party insurgency to state transformation?; Sanders challenge: economic democracy beyond `responsible capitalism'?; Planning for democratic socialism.

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Book SynopsisThis book exposes how powerful consulting firms influence public policy; with grave consequences for democracy, essential services, and the common good.

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Book SynopsisThe first major book to deal with the dual crises of democracy and climate change as one interrelated threat to the human future and to identify a path forward.Democracy in a Hotter Time calls for reforming democratic institutions as a prerequisite for avoiding climate chaos and adapting governance to how Earth works as a physical system. To survive in the “long emergency” ahead, we must reform and strengthen democratic institutions, making them assets rather than liabilities. Edited by David W. Orr, this vital collection of essays proposes a new political order that will not only help humanity survive but also enable us to thrive in the transition to a post–fossil fuel world.Orr gathers leading scholars, public intellectuals, and political leaders to address the many problems confronting our current political systems. Few other books have taken a systems view of the effects of a rapidly destabilizing climate on our laws and governance or

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewChina's first iconic modern intellectual. His lucid and prolific writings, touching on all major concerns in his own time and anticipating many in the future, inspired several generations of thinkers including the much younger Mao Zedong. -- Pankaj Mishra

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Book SynopsisThis brilliant deep dive into international law offers a unique perspective on an unjust war, highlighting why democracy is not safe unless Putin can be put - at least metaphorically - behind bars.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“In these linked portraits of activists and radicals at a watershed moment in history, David and Margaret Talbot tell a profound story about idealism in action and the rousing, inspiring, often messy ways in which popular movements and charismatic individuals fight injustice and bring about revolutionary transformation. By turns sweeping and intimate, and built on fresh interviews and original reporting, By the Light of Burning Dreams feels like necessary reading in our own tumultuous moment: an urgent reminder that change can happen and a vivid illustration of how it does.” — Patrick Radden Keefe, author of Say Nothing “An intelligent and sympathetic reappraisal of the political upheavals of the ’60s and’ 70s. . . . An abundance of fresh material gives this book an intergenerational appeal. . . . Through sharp reporting and good storytelling, the authors enliven a journalistic genre that in less skilled hands might have gone flat.” — Kirkus “If you’ve read either of the Talbot siblings, you know they don’t write anything dry. Simple saviors and canned profiles in courage are not for them. These essays bristle with energy and contention. . . . Whether covering the labor organizing of Cesar Chavez, the gay pride of Craig Rodwell or the celebrity activism of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, the Talbots are guided by dogged reporting and an instinct for finding and telling a story. Even if you know these revolutionaries, you’ll find details here to surprise you. They might even make you want to go out and make a difference yourself.” — San Francisco Chronicle “The timing is perfect for By the Light of Burning Dreams: The Triumphs and Tragedies of the Second American Revolution, a fresh, deeply-reported examination of some of the most effective movement organizers to emerge in the 1960s….After a global pandemic dramatically increased already untenable inequity overlapped with the radical reassertion ― in the streets and online ― that America is built on fundamentally false pretenses when it comes to equality, the Talbots provide a memorable blueprint for how individuals can continue the work even when the TV crews move on.” — Scheer Post “[The Talbots] survey the seismic sociocultural changes that transpired in the U.S. during the 1960s and 1970s—what they call the Second American Revolution—by identifying seven discrete yet often intertwining movements or events of consequence…. The authors clearly admire the courage, political savvy, and sheer physical effort required to create and then sustain such critical movements, but they’re also unsparing in saying that mistakes were made…. As a result, the Talbots have created a coherent narrative of mid-century political activism, from which readers can see the through lines of modern-day success or failure, and proceed from there.” — Booklist, starred review “By the Light of Burning Dreams crackles with the radical energy of the 1960s and 70s. It’s a shot in the arm of bold idealism, an indispensable companion for today’s revolutionaries that reminds us what can happen if we dare to believe in – and fight for – a better world." — Jessica Bruder, author of Nomadland “Charismatic but flawed figures dominate this vibrant portrait of 1960s radical movements. . . . An exhilarating, inspiring outing.” — Publishers Weekly “Wide-ranging yet accessible…. A loving but critical portrait of a generation whose effects are still felt today.” — Library Journal "A moving chronology of the activism that burned bright in the decades of the ’60s and ’70s. Each movement is written about with a compassionate, yet practical view of their attributes and their shortcomings. The successes elicit joy, the setbacks provoking consternation, but the history provided in this treasure is illuminating and concludes with optimism. A+ History." — Seattle Book Review "Inspiring.... No hagiographers here; the Talbots point to the failures and imperfections in their characters, making their legacies human and real." — The National Book Review "David Talbot and Margaret Talbot take us back to that tumultuous time fifty years ago... [and] successively spotlight some of the most compelling personalities of the 1960s and 70s.... It’s a painful story to read because it highlights how sadly incomplete that revolution proved to be. And it brings to mind the ferocity of the Right-Wing reaction that followed later in the 1970s and beyond, setting the stage for the sad state of the American scene today." — Berkleyside "Did the actions of radicals transform the nation in any fundamental way? Or did they blaze too quickly across the landscape?. ... David Talbot and Margaret Talbot, siblings and veteran journalists, have crafted a book of personal narratives rich with the kinds of details that might help answer such queries.... The book brims with vivid descriptions of how all these characters looked, dressed, got along with one another (or didn’t), and how they came across in public. The Talbots sprinkle in factual nuggets that might surprise even former activists from those years or the historians who write about them (this reviewer belongs to both clusters)." — The New Republic

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Book SynopsisPaul Collier is a professor of economics at Oxford University. The author of The Bottom Billion, which won the 2008 Lionel Gelber Prize for the world's best book on international affairs, he has lectured widely on the subjects of economics and international relations.Trade ReviewVery important ideas based on extremely thorough empirical research...put him in the same camp as real heavyweights such as the Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz -- Misha Glenny * Guardian *Collier comes up with very concrete proposals and some ingenious solutions * The Times *Collier knows Africa intimately... It is hard to be unmoved by his anger about the world's blindness to realities, and his passion to do things better -- Max Hastings * Sunday Times *With its verve, wit and lateral thinking, this is a book that changes its readers' horizons * Observer *It is always a pleasure to discover Paul Collier's latest thoughts...always illuminating and grounded in rigorous social science...it's gripping stuff -- Allister Heath * Literary Review *

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Book SynopsisProbably written by a student of Aristotle, The Athenian Constitution is both a history and an analysis of Athens' political machinery between the seventh and fourth centuries BC, which stands as a model of democracy at a time when city-states lived under differing kinds of government. The writer recounts the major reforms of Solon, the rule of the tyrant Pisistratus and his sons, the emergence of the democracy in which power was shared by all free male citizens, and the leadership of Pericles and the demagogues who followed him. He goes on to examine the city's administration in his own time - the council, the officials and the judicial system. For its information on Athens' development and how the democracy worked, The Athenian Constitution is an invaluable source of knowledge about the Athenian city-state.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, PenTable of ContentsThe Athenian ConstitutionList of Illustrations and MapsIntroductionTHE ATHENIAN CONSTITUTIONTHE EPITOME OF HERACLIDESNotesChronological TableBibliographyGlossary and Subject IndexIndex of Persons and Places

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Book SynopsisOne of the most influential political texts ever written on America, and an indispensable authority on the nature of democracy In 1831 Alexis de Tocqueville, a young French aristocrat and civil servant, made a nine-month journey through eastern America. The result was Democracy in America, a monumental study of the strengths and weaknesses of the nation''s evolving politics. Tocqueville looked to the flourishing democratic system in America as a possible model for post-revolutionary France, believing its egalitarian ideals reflected the spirit of the age. This edition, the only one that contains all Tocqueville''s writings on America, includes the rarely translated ''Two Weeks in the Wilderness'', an evocative account of Tocqueville''s travels among the Iroquois and Chippeway, and ''Excursion to Lake Oneida''. Translated by Gerald Bevan with an Introduction and Notes by Isaac KramnickTrade Review“No better study of a nation’s institutions and culture than Tocqueville’s Democracy in America has ever been written by a foreign observer.” –The New York Times“The Bradley edition of Tocqueville’s classic is the best now available in English.” –Charles A. Beard“Professor Bradley’s edition should remain the standard one for our time.” –F. O. MatthiessenWith an Introduction by Alan RyanTable of ContentsChronology; further reading; translator's notes; democracy in America, notes; "Two Weeks in the Wilderness"; "Excursion to Lake Oneida".

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Book SynopsisEarly Americans were suspicious of centralized authority and executive power. Casting away the yoke of England and its king, the founding fathers shared in this distrust as they set out to pen the Constitution. Weighing a need for consolidated leadership with a demand for states'' rights, they established a large federal republic with limited dominion over the states, leaving most of the governing responsibility with the former colonies. With this dual system of federalism, the national government held the powers of war, taxation, and commerce, and the ability to pass the laws necessary to uphold these functions. Although the federal role has grown substantially since then, states and local governments continue to perform most of the duties in civil and criminal law, business and professional licensing, the management of infrastructure and public services: roads, schools, libraries, sanitation, land use and development, and etc. Despite the critical roles of state and local governments, there is little awareness-or understanding-of the nature and operations of the federal system. This Very Short Introduction provides a concise overview of federalism, from its origins and evolution to the key events and constitutional decisions that have defined its framework. Although the primary focus is on the United States, other federal systems, including Brazil, Canada, India, Germany, Russia, South Africa, Switzerland, and the EU, are addressed.Table of ContentsList of illustrations Preface 1: American federalism in comparative perspective 2: Federalism, American style 3: The evolution of federalism in law 4: What state and local governments do 5: Fiscal federalism 6: Advantages and disadvantages of federalism 7: Federalism in the world Conclusion: An American model for the world? References Index

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Book SynopsisWe live in a time of crises - economic turmoil, workplace disempowerment, unresponsive government, environmental degradation, social disintegration, and international rivalry. In The 99 Percent Economy, Paul S. Adler, a leading expert on business management, argues that these crises are destined to deepen unless we radically transform our economy. But despair is not an option, and Adler provides a compelling alternative: democratic socialism. He argues that to overcome these crises we need to assert democratic control over the management of both individual enterprises and the entire national economy. To show how that would work, he draws on a surprising source of inspiration: the strategic management processes of many of our largest corporations. In these companies, the strategy process promises to involve and empower workers and to ensure efficiency and innovation. In practice, this promise is rarely realized, but in principle, that process could be consolidated within enterprises andTrade ReviewThis is an important book on an issue crucial to organizational theorists of every stripe. Adler is dealing with fundamental issues about how best to structure and manage our organizations, and he has done so in a way that will provoke the kinds of conversations that our field and our world desperately need. * Mark S. Mizruchi, University of Michigan, Administrative Science Quarterly *What does "democratisation" mean in concrete terms? Some millennial socialists say everyone should be guaranteed a job; others want a universal basic income, a drastic reduction in the working week, or both. It also means promoting non-traditional forms of business organisation, including co-operatives, which give workers a decisive role in the day-to-day management of their company. Mr. Adler thinks through how such plans would function. Drawing on his expertise in management, he explains in detail how firms could be managed along socialist lines. * The Economist *From Bernie Sanders to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, candidates who call themselves socialists are winning more elections and wielding wider influence. Paul Adler's timely new book helps us imagine what a political economy, based on socialist ideas, might actually look like and how it might operate for the benefit of millions of Americans who are not well-served by our current system. The 99 Percent Economy is not just a compelling indictment of capitalism run amuck. Adler makes a clear and convincing case for economic planning, expanded public investment, and greater social ownership and democratic management of productive enterprises. His book will be an essential educational tool for activists in labor and on the left. * Steve Early, Former International Representative for the Communications Workers of America and author of Refinery Town: Big Oil, Big Money, and the Remaking of an American City *Lucidly written and powerfully argued. Rarely do we get insight into the opportunities a truly democratic socialist economy might offer from an expert who knows how decisions are really made in leading corporations and large institutions. A must read for anyone interested in the creation of a progressive future. * Gar Alperovitz, Author of America Beyond Capitalism and CoFounder of The Democracy Collaborative *Paul Adler asks whether society can be reorganized for the benefit of its majority, that is, help those regularly disempowered? His book, The 99 Percent Economy begins with a radical premise that the economy should serve the vast majority rather than the other way around. Adler asks us to engage in a discussion about a different future that can move humanity away from the abyss and in the direction of a socialism that is democratic, radical, and visionary. * Bill Fletcher, Jr., Former president of TransAfrica Forum; writer and labor activist *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Five crises 2. The capitalist roots of these crises 3. A growing tension 4. The promise and limits of reform 5. Managing our economy, democratically and effectively 6. A democratic socialist America 7 . Getting there References

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Book SynopsisDemocratic equality entails a principle that everyone whose basic interests are affected by policies should be included in the process of making them. Yet individuals and groups often claim that decision making processes are dominated by only some of the interests and perspectives in the society. What are the ideals of inclusion through which such criticisms should be made, and which might guide more inclusive political practice? This book considers that question from the point of view of norms of democratic communication, processes of representation and association, and how wide the scope of political jurisdictions should be. Democratic theorists have not sufficiently attended to the ways processes of debate and decision making often marginalize individuals and groups because the norms of political discussion are biased against some forms of expression. Inclusion and Democracy broadens our understanding of democratic communication by reflecting on the positive political functions of nTrade ReviewYoung advances a nuanced way of thinking about the problem of political exclusion, and its potential remedies ... Young's book is a timely intervention urging an enlargement of political vision. Inclusion and Democracy is an important text, which will rightly generate a deal of provocative debate. * Radical Philosophy *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; Democracy and Justice ; Inclusive Political Communication ; Social Difference as a Political Resource ; Representation and Social Perspective ; Civil Society and Its Limits ; Residential Segregation and Regional Democracy ; Self-Determination and Global Democracy

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Book SynopsisDemocratization is the most comprehensive volume on this critical field of contemporary politics, with insightful coverage of all the key theories, actors, dynamics, and developments. Unrivalled in its up-to-date empirical material and range of expert contributors, this text is an invaluable resource to all students of democratization.Trade ReviewAn important and brilliant book which will be essential reading for students and scholars of democracy and democratization. * Yosef Kamal Ibssa, University of Copenhagen *Review from previous edition Authoritative, clearly written, and well integrated, this book will be an invaluable resource to students at all levels, from undergraduates to practicing scholars in related fields and disciplines. * Sarah Birch, University of Essex *The book is the new Bible of democratization research, offering an intellectual adventure for both scholars of democratization studies in their further research, and university students eager to learn about the current practices of democratizing states. * Attila Agh, Budapest Corvinus University *Table of Contents1: Christian Welzel, Ronald Inglehart, Patrick Bernhangen, and Christian W. Haerpfer: Introduction Part One: Theoretical and Historical Perspectives 2: Christian Welzel: Theories of Democratization 3: Richard Rose: Democratic and Undemocratic States 4: Patrick Bernhagen: Measuring Democracy and Democratization 5: Dirk Berg-Schlosser: Long Waves and Conjunctures of Democratization 6: John Markoff and Daniel Burridge: The Global Wave of Democratization Part Two: Causes and Dimensions of Democratization 7: Hakan Yilmaz: The International Context 8: Patrick Bernhagen: The Political Economy of Democracy 9: Christian Welzel and Ronald F. Inglehart: Political Culture, Mass Beliefs and Value Change 10: Pamela Paxton and Kris Velasco: Gender and Democratization 11: Natalia Letki: Social Capital and Civil Society 12: Federico M. Rossi and Donatella della Porta: Social Movements and Contention in Democratization Processes Part Three: Actors and Institutions 13: Ian McAllister and Stephen White: Conventional Citizen Participation 14: Leonardo Morlino: Political Parties 15: Matthijs Bogaards: Institutional Design in New Democracies 16: Katrin Voltmer and Gary Rawnsley: The Media 17: Larry Diamond and Zak Whittington: Social Media 18: Laura Jakli, M. Steven Fish, and Jason Wittenburg: A Decade of Democratic Decline and Stagnation Part Four: Regions of Democratization 19: Richard Gunther: Southern Europe 20: Andrea Oelsner and Mervyn Bain: Latin America 21: Christian W. Haerpfer and Kseniya Kizilova: Post-Communist Central and Eastern Europe Europe 22: Christian W. Haerpfer and Kseniya Kizilova: Post-Soviet Eurasia 23: Francesco Cavatorta: The Middle East and North Africa 24: Michael Bratton: Sub-Saharan Africa 25: Doh Chull Shin and Rollin F. Tusalem: East Asia Part 5: Conclusions and Outlook 26: Christian Welzel, Ronald F. Inglehart, Patrick Bernhagen, and Christian Haerpfer: Conclusions: The Future of Democratization

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Book SynopsisIndia is heralded as the world''s largest democracy. Yet, there is now growing alarm about its democratic health. To Kill a Democracy gets to the heart of the matter.Combining poignant life stories with sharp scholarly insight, it rejects the belief that India was once a beacon of democracy but is now being ruined by the destructive forces of Modi-style populism. The book details the much deeper historical roots of the present-day assaults on civil liberties and democratic institutions. Democracy, the authors also argue, is much more than elections and the separation of powers. It is a whole way of life lived in dignity, and that is why they pay special attention to the decaying social foundations of Indian democracy. In compelling fashion, the book describes daily struggles for survival and explains how lived social injustices and unfreedoms rob Indian elections of their meaning, while at the same time feeding the decadence and iron-fisted rule of its governing institutions. Much moreTrade ReviewThe authors plunge into India's postindependence public-policy inadequacies with unsparing accounts laden with telling anecdotes and a host of pertinent statistics. * %Sumit Ganguly, Journal of Democracy *A searing and original polemic. * James Crabtree, Financial Times *A richly sourced and fast-paced directory of the unevenly distributed life chances of ordinary Indians. * Sonia Faleiro, Times Literary Supplement *An urgent survey of India's democratic shortcomings... The book is a happy marriage of the authors' skills and expertise. A thoroughgoing, finely grained awareness of Indian politics and society is blended with a rigorous understanding of how democracy works and what is needed for it to thrive. The book avoids academic jargon, with the result that it is clear, accessible and compelling... it will be a fascinating read for anyone who cares about the fate of the world's biggest democracy. * Abhinmanyu Arni, Literary Review *A fiercely urgent book, expansively researched and reported. * Liesl Schwabe, Los Angeles Review of Books *Well-researched. * Mihir Bose, Irish Times *The evidence of India's democratic slide that Roy Chowdhury and Keane amassed impresses with its sheer scope and detail. .. their findings highlight the myriad flaws that now pockmark the country's political system. * Sumit Ganguly, Journal of Democracy *In vivid and compelling terms, [Chowdhury and Keane] detail [India's] various 'social emergencies'... They sketch equally distressing pictures of its politics, not least the malign influence of money, the ubiquity of violence, the unravelling of law and order, and the near disappearance of accountability. * Ian Hall, Australian Book Review *Debasish Roy Chowdhury and John Keane refreshingly use history, marshal facts and weave a complex and compelling narrative on why India's democracy stands at a dangerous crossroad... [an] important and well-written book. * Seema Chishti, The Hindu *In marrying academic theories of democracy with eyewitness experiences, Chowdhury and Keane make a compelling argument for judging a democracy from a human-centric position and measuring its success on the resilience and nurturing of its social foundations. * Amrit Swali, The World Today *An important new book analyzes the deep-seated forces behind the long decline of the 'world's largest democracy'... Few will find nothing new to learn from this book. Practically every aspect of life in India, and not just elections or the other bare bones of democracy, is covered in detail. * David Simmons, Asia Times *In a hard-hitting, relentless chronicle of social and political ills, Chowdhury and Keane trace the decomposition of Indian democracy since the hopeful time of independence in August 1947... This book sounds an urgent alarm. * Kirkus *A must-read for anyone who wants to understand the challenges facing democracy in the modern world. * Matthew Taylor, Chief Executive, The Royal Society of Arts *Debasish Chowdhury and John Keane's nuanced portrayal of Indian democracy offers a sobering account of the ways in which inequality manifests itself in a democracy with tremendous potential and immense shortcomings. This book contains important observations for those who care about the future of India particularly in the realm of education reform, labour reform and electoral politics. We are living at a moment in time when illiberal democracies are successfully consolidating their power, creating a condition which the authors describe as elective despotism. While India is their focus, a reader in the United States, Europe or even Malaysia will find much to contemplate in his or her own national consideration of the pursuit of justice and fairness. * Anwar Ibrahim, President, People's Justice Party, Malaysia *As democratic malaise gathers strength the world over, To Kill a Democracy spotlights the gradual erosion of norms and institutions in the world's largest democracy, India. At once quick-paced and sober, this book addresses a key puzzle about modern politics: why do poor citizens in a poor democracy continue to be left behind? * Milan Vaishnav, Director and Senior Fellow, South Asia Program, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace *Table of ContentsPart 1 the India Story Part 11 Social Emergencies A Million Famines Ground Realities Motion Sickness Writing on the Wall A New Slavery Part 111 Towards Despotism Vote, Or Else Chremacracy Elective Despotism Justice Defiled Bad News Remaking the People Further Reading Illustrations Index

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Book SynopsisOne of the most far-reaching transformations in our era is the wave of digital technologies rolling over--and upending--nearly every aspect of life. Work and leisure, family and friendship, community and citizenship have all been modified by now-ubiquitous digital tools and platforms. Digital Technology and Democratic Theory looks closely at one significant facet of our rapidly evolving digital lives: how technology is radically changing our lives as citizens and participants in democratic governments. To understand these transformations, this book brings together contributions by scholars from multiple disciplines to wrestle with the question of how digital technologies shape, reshape, and affect fundamental questions about democracy and democratic theory. As expectations have whiplashed--from Twitter optimism in the wake of the Arab Spring to Facebook pessimism in the wake of the 2016 US election--the time is ripe for a more sober and long-term assessment. How should we take stock oTrade Review“At a moment when democracy around the world is being weakened, challenged, and attacked, this volume is a timely and essential addition that will help its audience understand the affordances—but also the very real detrimental effects—of social media in society on our governing principles and institutions. We urgently need this expert realist approach and global perspective if we are to have any chance of effectively engaging with these tech firms and their technologies and any hope of guarding democracy against the outsize impact of both.” -- Sarah T. Roberts, University of California, Los Angeles“This book serves the much-needed purpose of advancing the conversation about the impact of technology on democratic theory and the role of democratic theory in helping us to understand the relationship between technology and power. This diverse collection of essays addresses how to reimagine the informational diet of democracy, free speech and association, the boundaries of the demos and political exclusion. An important and engaging read!” -- Beth Simone Noveck, director, The Governance Lab"Ten papers examine how digital technologies shape, reshape, and affect fundamental questions about democratic practice and theory, focusing on how democratic ideals might provide a framework for understanding and shaping today’s digital transformation." * Journal of Economic Literature *"Each of the chapters is written in a clear and engaging manner and will not exclude students, nonspecialists, and, indeed, a wider interested and informed audience. This is to the editors’ credit. The drawback of tackling questions related to new technologies in book form is, as the authors admit, that the speed of events in the digital world means the arguments made here might be left behind very quickly. However, the timing of this book’s publication leaves it feeling instead rather prescient, in the sense that much of its content is now of a far wider interest than might otherwise have been the case. The call made by the contributors to this collection is now urgent, rather than just timely, and the arguments made here will be of significant influence on the theoretical reimagination of democracy that must surely follow." * Perspectives on Politics *"Drawing a necessarily wide scope, the volume includes theoretical work alongside the kind of novel empirical input necessary to give a full account of the ways in which democracy and digital technology intersect. Indeed, a strength of the book is that it does not focus solely on contributions from 'traditional' democratic theorists but includes researchers working in fields as diverse as communications, economics, and computer science. . . . As is made clear in the opening pages, this breadth is both a strength and a necessity, because the kinds of challenges presented to democratic theory by the structural changes brought by new technologies are unlikely to be resolved through conventional means." * Dacombe Review *"Digital Technology and Democratic Theory is an important contribution to a field previously overlooked by democratic theorists. In an age in which digital environments create new barriers to equal rights and political participation, the volume carefully assembles an array of cross-disciplinary perspectives and asks the question: is there a need for a digital democratic theory?" * LSE Review of Books *"Can we use digital technologies to forward democratic ends? In a collection of essays written by political scientists, computer scientists, and an array of other academics... Digital Technology and Democratic Theory offers answers to this question. The book could not be more timely." * Contemporary Sociology *Table of ContentsIntroduction Lucy Bernholz, Hélène Landemore, and Rob Reich 1 Democracy and the Digital Public Sphere Joshua Cohen and Archon Fung 2 Open Democracy and Digital Technologies Hélène Landemore 3 Purpose-Built Digital Associations Lucy Bernholz 4 Digital Exclusion: A Politics of Refusal Seeta Peña Gangadharan 5 Presence of Absence: Exploring the Democratic Significance of Silence Mike Ananny 6 The Artisan and the Decision Factory: The Organizational Dynamics of Private Speech Governance Robyn Caplan 7 The Democratic Consequences of the New Public Sphere Henry Farrell and Melissa Schwartzberg 8 Democratic Societal Collaboration in a Whitewater World David Lee, Margaret Levi, and John Seely Brown 9 From Philanthropy to Democracy: Rethinking Governance and Funding of High-Quality News in the Digital Age Julia Cagé 10 Technologizing Democracy or Democratizing Technology? A Layered-Architecture Perspective on Potentials and Challenges Bryan Ford Acknowledgments Index

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Book SynopsisBecause We Say So is Noam Chomsky''s essential counter punch to American hegemonyIn 1962, the eminent statesman Dean Acheson enunciated a principle that has dominated global politics ever since: that no legal issue arises when the United States responds to a challenge to its ''power, position, and prestige''. In short, whatever the world may think, U.S. actions are legitimate because they say so. Spanning the impact of Edward Snowden''s whistleblowing and Palestinian-Israeli relations to deeper reflections on political philosophy and the importance of a commons to democracy, Because We Say So takes American imperialism head on.''Noam Chomsky is one of a small band of individuals fighting a whole industry. And that makes him not only brilliant, but heroic'' Arundhati Roy''The world''s greatest public intellectual'' ObserverTrade ReviewPublisher's description. From Edward Snowden and Palestinian-Israeli relations to political philosophy and the nature of democracy, Because We Say So offers a cross-section of perspectives on the question of America's ongoing hegemony. * Penguin *Chomsky is one of a small band of individuals fighting a whole industry. And that makes him not only brilliant, but heroic -- Arundhati RoyChomsky's work is neither theoretical, nor ideological: it is passionate and righteous * Times Literary Supplement *The world's greatest public intellectual * Observer *

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Book Synopsis''If I were a voter in Britain, I would vote for [Jeremy Corbyn]'' - Noam Chomsky, 2017Global Discontents is an essential guide to geopolitics and how to fight back, from the world''s leading public intellectualWhat kind of world are we leaving to our grandchildren? How are the discontents kindled today likely to blaze and explode tomorrow?From escalating climate change to the devastation in Syria, pandemic state surveillance to looming nuclear war, Noam Chomsky takes stock of the world today. Over the course of ten conversations with long-time collaborator David Barsamian, spanning 2013-2016, Chomsky argues in favour of radical changes to a system that cannot possibly cope with what awaits tomorrow.Interwoven with personal reflections spanning from childhood to his eighth decade of life, Global Discontents also marks out Chomsky''s own intellectual journey, mapping his progress to revolutionary ideas and global prominence.Trade ReviewIf you've never read any Chomsky before, and you want to know what all the fuss is about, this book is a good place to start. Yet more evidence of why Chomsky deserves his position as one of the world's foremost intellectuals * The Times Literary Supplement *

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Book SynopsisNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A work of tremendous originality and insight. Makes you see the world differently.Washington PostTrade Review"Splendid.... Mr. Zakaria flies his colors bright and bold." -- Wall Street Journal"Intensely provocative and valuable." -- BusinessWeek"In his brave and ambitious book, Fareed Zakaria has updated Tocqueville.... The range of Zakaria's knowledge is impressive.... It deserves a wide readership." -- New York Times Book Review"With a command of history and contemporary politics on a global scale, Zakaria persuasively shows that democracy by itself is not the answer to peace and prosperity.... Essential reading for anyone worried about the promotion and preservation of liberty." -- Chicago Tribune"Zakaria's provocative and wide-ranging book is eminently worth reading.... His book displays a kind of argumentation, grounded in history and political philosophy, of which there is precious little these days, particularly among opinion columnists." -- Foreign Affairs"Fareed Zakaria, one of the most brilliant young writers, has produced a fascinating and thought-provoking book on the impact of Western constitutional principles on the global order." -- Henry Kissinger"In this incisive book, Fareed Zakaria asks searching questions and offers provocative answers. The Future of Freedom is an impressive contribution to our understanding of the crises of democracy that lie darkly ahead." -- Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.

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Book SynopsisAn insightful exploration of political polling and a bold defence of its crucial role in a modern democracyTrade Review"Poll-bashing is fashionable, but G. Elliott Morris astutely exposes why they go wrong and how to fix them—to reinvigorate our democracy. The book reads like a suspenseful whodunnit, tragedy and love-story for data. Packed with surprising history, fresh insights and wise reforms, this is a landmark work that everyone who cares about society and politics must read." -- Kenneth Cukier, co-author of The New York Times bestseller Big Data"In this lively story of the struggles and successes of polling from Gallup to the present day, Morris makes a convincing case that the measurement of public opinion is a key component of modern democracy" -- Andrew Gelman, Higgins Professor of Statistics, Columbia University"In this short, valuable guide, G Elliott Morris gives us a brief history of how polls came to play such an important role in politics, and how they work." -- Sam Freedman - The Guardian"A lively new book... Polling is flawed, and some of those flaws seem unfixable. But Mr Morris’s repeated refrain is that the critics of opinion surveys overstate their case. If you think polls can mislead, just try understanding the electorate without them." -- Tim Harford - The Economist

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Book SynopsisThe thesis of this original and provocative book is that representative government should be understood as a combination of democratic and undemocratic, aristocratic elements. Professor Manin challenges the conventional view that representative democracy is no more than an indirect form of government by the people, in which citizens elect representatives only because they cannot assemble and govern in person. The argument is developed by examining the historical moments when the present institutional arrangements were chosen from among the then available alternatives. Professor Manin reminds us that while today representative institutions and democracy appear as virtually indistinguishable, when representative government was first established in Europe and America, it was designed in opposition to democracy proper. Drawing on the procedures used in earlier republican systems, from classical Athens to Renaissance Florence, in order to highlight the alternatives that were forsaken, ManiTrade Review'Manin's book is scholarly written, thought-provoking, a pleasure to read and challenging to modern representative democracy.' Manfred Holler, Homo oeconomicus XVTable of ContentsIntroduction; 1. Direct democracy and representation: selection of officials in Athens; 2. The triumph of election; 3. The principle of distinction; 4. A democratic aristocracy; 5. The verdict of the people; 6. Metamorphoses of representative government; Conclusion; Index.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"A detailed look at religion’s role in American democracy." * Kirkus Reviews *

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Book SynopsisAn increase in tolerance is least marked, however, for unilateral action of a coercive nature, which in the Western Hemisphere usually means action that the Unites States has taken on its own initiative.-from the IntroductionTrade ReviewA valuable collection of essays edited by a well-respected law professor and human rights activist who directs the Law and International Relations program at American University, this volume focuses on the tension between collective action for the defense of democracy and traditional notions of sovereignty in the Western Hemisphere. Foreign AffairsTable of ContentsForewordAcknowledgments Chapter 1. Collectively Defending Democracy in the Western Hemisphere: Introduction and OverviewPart I: Theory: Sovereignty and Democracy in the 1990sChapter 2. Changing Perceptions of Domestic Jurisdiction and InterventionChapter 3. Democracy in Latin America: Degrees, Illusions, and Directions for ConsolidationPart II: Practice and Policy: The Role of Nonstate ActorsChapter 4. The United Nations, Democracy, and the AmericasChapter 5. The Organization of American States and the Protection of DemocracyChapter 6. Nongovernmental Organizations, Democracy, and Human Rights in Latin AmericaChapter 7. The International Donor Community: Conditioned Aid and the Promotion and Defense of DemocracyPart III: Practice and Policy: National, Transnational, and Foreign ActorsChapter 8. Haiti: Sovereign Consent Versus State-Centric Sovereignty Chapter 9. El Salvador: Lessons in Peace ConsolidationChapter 10. Chile: External Actors and the Transition to DemocracyChapter 11. Peru: Collectively Defending Democracy in the Western HemisphereChapter 12. International Support for Democratization: A Map and Some Policy Guidelines Derived from the Four Case StudiesChapter 13. External Pressures and Domestic Constraints: The Lessons of the Four Case StudiesPart IV: Two Impending ChallengesChapter 14. Cuba in the International Community in the 1990s: Sovereignty, Human Rights, and DemocracyChapter 15. Treading Lightly and Without a Stick: International Actors and the Promotion of Democracy in Mexico NotesNotes on ContributorsIndex

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Book Synopsis

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