Elections and referenda / suffrage Books

Book SynopsisTrade ReviewIn this important book, Adam Harris develops a novel theory of how ethnic attributes shape attachments to identities with implications for political behavior. He rigorously scrutinizes his theory using a range of original experimental and observational approaches, which are ultimately compelling. In turn, Everyday Identity and Electoral Politics simultaneously contributes to scholarly literatures on comparative ethnic politics and to our understanding of racial politics in the important South African case. * Evan Lieberman, Total Professor of Political Science and Contemporary Africa, Massachusetts Institute of Technology *Harris deftly moves us beyond binaries of 'co-ethnic' and 'non-coethnic', developing a nuanced concept of ethnic distance, to understand political behavior in diverse societies. Through a rich, multi-method study around the 2014 South African elections, as well as evidence from the United States and Uganda, Harris's must-read book elevates literatures on ethnic politics to new theoretical and empirical heights. * Gwyneth McClendon, Associate Professor in the Wilf Family Department of Politics, New York University *In an exciting twist to the co-ethnic voting literature, Harris argues for the importance of 'everyday' interactions in shaping political behavior. Individuals who look different from the group norm vote against the group norm and do so because other group members treat them differently. Required reading for anyone interested in the microfoundations of ethnic voting. * Karen Ferree, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of California-San Diego *Adam Harris has produced an impressive study that takes us beyond conventional wisdom in understanding how ethnic and racial identities shape political preferences. Based on insightful theorizing and original empirics, Harris provides a nuanced depiction of identity construction and how it differentially affects people's everyday life experiences. This book offers profound insights for anyone who seeks to understand the complex impact of race or ethnicity on political behavior in diverse societies around the world. * Leonardo R. Arriola, Director of the Center for African Studies, University of California, Berkeley *

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Book Synopsis NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Explosive... A blistering tell-all.---Washington Post People should sit up, take notes and change things.---Ace Smith, Los Angeles Times Brazile most certainly has a story to tell.... Vivid.---The GuardianFrom Donna Brazile, former DNC chair and legendary political operative, an explosive and revealing new look at the 2016 election: the first insider account of the Russian hacking of the DNC and the missteps by the Clinton campaign and Obama administration that enabled a Trump victory.In the fallout of the Russian hacking of the Democratic National Committee--and as chaos threatened to consume the party''s convention--Democrats turned to a familiar figure to right the ship: Donna Brazile. Known to millions from her frequent TV appearances, she was no stranger to high stakes and dirty opponents, and the longtime Democratic straTrade ReviewWith bracing honesty, enchanting self-awareness, and a wonderful storyteller's voice, Donna Brazile recounts the fascinating inside story of the 2016 campaign and what it was like being hacked. It is a deeply emotional story, but she tells it with great humor and insight. Her book is filled with urgent history and vital lessons for living in this age of cyber warfare and political discontent. This book is a triumph. - Walter Isaacson, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Steve Jobs, The Innovators, and Leonardo da VinciThe former DNC chair's memoir of election defeat has it all... Brazile most certainly has a story to tell.... An easy and vivid read, everything one expects in a first-person campaign narrative--except for its detailed discussion of Russia's hacks, WikiLeaks, and threats to Brazile herself. On that score, the book is down-right alarming. - The GuardianExplosive... Perhaps not since George Stephanopoulos wrote All Too Human, a 1999 memoir of his years working for former president Bill Clinton, has a political strategist penned such a blistering tell-all. - Washington Post

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Book SynopsisThis volume features key political issues for 1990s Britain: the reform of the Labour party; the use of opinion polls; the impact of the media; European integration; Scotland and regional trends; and the bases of party support.Table of ContentsContemporary British History- "This book provides an invaluable source of up-to-date information on parties, elections and voting behavious in Britain, drawn from contemporary cutting-edge research...The four editors are to be congratulated on producing the very model of an edited, research based book...This is a llively and scholarly testimony to the continuing vitality of the EPOP research community and its role in ur developing understanding of contemporary history, providing an invaluable source of reference for scholars and research students alike."Parliamentary Afairs -" the standard of papers is high and there is a useful compendium of data and further reading at the back."Political Studies- "As in previous volumes, these articles are followed by an invaluable reference section. This remains a "must buy" for all those with even a passing interest in elections or party politics."Contemporary Review- " This should prove an invaluable source for future students of British political life at the end of the twentieth century"Contemporary Review"This series has now become an indispensible part of our understanding of modern British politics

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewIn exploring the history of presidential campaign songs, Schoening and Kasper (both, Univ. of Wisconsin, Barron County) researched a wide range of primary and secondary sources. Following the brief introduction are eight chapters divided into three parts dealing with the "traditional era," the "mass media era," and the "popular music era." The authors begin with the earliest campaigns (1789), in which music was sparse. The 1840 campaign was the first to feature music, and campaign songs proliferated through the latter half of the 19th century and into the 20th. Campaigns increasingly used commercially produced pop songs after midcentury. In discussing all this, the authors provide information on the candidates, details on changes in technology (from songbooks to the Internet), and the words to many of the songs. Though third-party presidential efforts, such as the Henry Wallace Progressive Party campaign (1948), are unfortunately overlooked, there is an interesting discussion of the role of the Internet in the 21st century. There is a very helpful, although selective, bibliography, which includes such important sources as Songs America Voted By, comp. and ed. by Irwin Silber (1971). Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty; general readers. * CHOICE *In this book, Benjamin Schoening and Eric Kasper capture the power of music in politics in ways that are informative, engaging, illuminating, and (in some cases) inspiring. Combining their interests and expertise, the authors explore identity forming national anthems from around the world, as well as the politics of censorship and dissent. The result is nothing less than a delightful success. Schoening and Kasper have produced a book that will be enjoyed by scholars, students, and anyone interested in the soundtrack of our political world. -- Joseph J. Foy, University of Wisconsin CollegesBenjamin Schoening and Eric Kasper have written an important book on the use of music in American presidential politics. Covering a lot of history and a lot of music, the book is must reading for those interested in the rapidly expanding field of political musicology, especially relating to elections and voting. -- Courtney Brown, author of Politics in Music: Music and Political Transformation from Beethoven to Hip-HopBecause music can have a large impact on emotion, and emotion has a significant influence on political decisions, this book is a necessary read for anyone who wants to more fully understand political messaging and campaign politics. -- Timothy M. DaleSchoening and Kasper offer an intriguing and thought provoking expose on the use (and misuse) of music to further political ends. -- Craig W. Hurst, University of Michigan, University of Wisconsin WaukeshaSchoening and Kasper recount a fascinating history of presidential songs, from their tentative origins in the campaigns of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, through the major breakthrough in campaign marketing achieved by William Henry Harrison in 1840, to the rancorous campaigns of the late 19th century and the exuberant songsmithing of the vaudeville era. * Pasatiempo *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Preface Introduction: Why Music Matters Part One: The Traditional Era of Campaign Music Chapter 1: The Early Use of “Campaign” Music (1789-1840) Chapter 2: Campaign Music Post Tippecanoe (1844-1916) Part Two: The Mass Media Era Chapter 3: Women’s Suffrage&“Wireless” Technology (1920-1948) Chapter 4: Good Night, And Good Luck (1952-1968) Chapter 5: Campaign Music Transitions to the Pop Era (1972-1984) Part Three: The Popular Music Era and Beyond Chapter 6: The “Canned” CampaignSong (1988-2004) Chapter 7: Facebook, YouTube, & MySpace, Oh My! (2008 and Beyond) Chapter 8: Campaign Music of the Past, Present, and Future Bibliography Index About the Authors

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Book SynopsisTheodore Rosenof details how realignment theory emerged as the predominant explanation of electoral change and how, after decades of analysis, it remains a subject of continuing influence and controversy. The first history of this important theory, Realignment weaves history and political science into a compelling look at American elections.Trade ReviewFor an excellent recent account of how many analysts have dealt with the realignment concept, see Theodore Rosenof's Realignment: The Theory That Changed the Way We Think about American Politics. In fact, Rosenof's book is an invaluable guide to the voluminous literature on American elections and political parties since the 1940s. -- Alexander P. Lamis, Case Western Reserve UniversityCompelling, wonderfully written, and fast-paced biography of a concept. This is a first-rate read for those specializing in American electoral politics. Essential. * CHOICE *A fascinating and worthwhile contribution ot the literature on parties and elections. * Political Science Quarterly *In this informative work, Theodore Rosenof provides the most comprehensive recounting to date of the history of the realignment perspective on American political history. * Journal of American History *This book is the first full treatment of the evolution of "realignment theory," and it is intellectual history of a high order. It should appeal to students interested in American parties and elections as well as, more broadly, those interested in the development of American political science. -- David R. Mayhew, Sterling Professor of political science, Yale University * Journal of Interdisciplinary History *This book makes a substantial contribution to our understanding of the history of American political science, and it will be of value to a wide audience of scholars. It is written in a clear and accessible way and the research is thorough. It provides a very valuable treatment of the history of the concept of realignment—this concept is important enough that the book will be of interest to all analysts of American political institutions who want to understand the distinctive patterns of change and continuity that have appeared in the United States. -- David Plotke, New School UniversityA useful primer for anyone interested in the evolution of a major theory that shaped political research for over forty years. * Journal of Southern History *Table of ContentsChapter 1 Acknowledgments Chapter 2 Introduction Chapter 3 The Study of Behavior Chapter 4 Discerning Patterns Chapter 5 Evaluators of Transition Chapter 6 The Breakthrough of Samuel Lubell Chapter 7 The Advent of V. O. Key Chapter 8 Origins of the Michigan School Chapter 9 The Crystallization of Theory Chapter 10 Assessing Coalitions Chapter 11 Weighing Upheaval Chapter 12 Prophets of Transformation Chapter 13 The Onset of Revision Chapter 14 Grappling with Incongruity Chapter 15 Divergent Scenarios Chapter 16 Realignment in Retrospect Chapter 17 Coda: The Future of Realignment Theory Chapter 18 Notes

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Book SynopsisExamines the workings of various systems of elections and voting behaviour in the UK.Table of Contents1. Introduction and Principles; Part One - Electoral Systems; 2. Plurality Systems; 3. Majoritarian Systems; 4. Proportional Systems; Part Two -Voting Behaviour; 5. Traditional Debates on UK Voting Behaviour; 6. Voting Behaviour in Elections for UK Members of the European Parliament; 7. Voting Behaviour in Elections to the Scottish Parliament; 8. Voting Behaviour in Elections to the National Assembly for Wales; 9. Voting Behaviour in Elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly; Conclusion: Identifying Trends in Voting Behaviour Across the United Kingdom.

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Book SynopsisLooks at the Scottish elections of 2007 and asks: was the outcome of the 2007 Scottish election revolutionary or a natural progression in Scottish Politics?Table of ContentsIntroduction; 1. A watershed election?; Part I: The Impact of Devolution; 2. What do Scots want? Identities, values and attitudes; 3. What has devolution achieved? The public's view; 4. Governing Scotland: what do people want?; Part II: The Parliamentary Election; 5. What swayed voters? Records, Personalities and Issues; 6. Why did the SNP win?; Part III: The Local Elections; 7. Do voters care about parties any more?; 8. A personal vote? How voters used the STV ballot; Conclusion; 9. The 2007 Elections: Revolution or Evolution?; Appendices; 1. Summary of results of Parliamentary and Local Elections; 2. Technical Details of Survey

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Book SynopsisFurthermore, not only did voting take place in public, so landlords could and did evict tenants who voted against their wishes, but voting qualifications also differed from place to place. All the major reforms are covered: Catholic Emancipation, further Reform Acts, the end of the House of Lords veto and, of course, votes for women.

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Book SynopsisThe New Campaign Finance Sourcebook has been integrated with the award-winning and frequently visited Brookings website to provide a timely, interactive tool for policymakers, journalists, and scholars. Four of the country''s leading experts on campaign finance reform have contributed original essays on important facets of finance law and administration. The essays are accompanied by a list of corresponding documents available on the website. The book offers a thorough overview and analysis of this highly controversial issue, including the history of campaign finance regulation and the current state of the law, current practices and trends in the flow of money, the constitutional debate, the use of political party money, issue advocacy, public financing of presidential elections, implementing and enforcing campaign finance laws, and campaigning on the internet. The authors conclude with a broad overview of alternative approaches to reform. The related website (www.brookings.edu

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Book SynopsisNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER NOW WITH NEW MATERIAL Hts the bull's-eye. ?Publishers Weekly (starred review)From the WHITE HOUSE BUREAU CHIEF OF POLITICO and the host of MSNBC''s WAY TOO EARLY comes a probing and illuminating analysis of the current state of American politics, democracy, and elections.[Lemire] has done his homework. The GuardianJonathan Lemire uncovers that The Big Lie, as it's been termed, isn't just about the 2020 election. It''s become a political philosophy that has only further divided the two parties.Donald Trump first tried it out in 2016, at an August rally in Ohio. He said that perhaps he wouldn't accept the election results in his race against Hillary Clinton, that the election was rigged. He didn't have to challenge the result that year, but the stage was set. When he lost in 2020, he started the lie back up again and to devastating results: an insurrection at the Capitol in January 2021.

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewJenkins’s rousing work will inspire students to educate themselves on the issues—and, when the time comes, to vote early and often. * School Library Journal - STARRED review *“This is a great year to brush up voting rights, especially the laws surrounding distance voting, and this book is a great start.” * GeekMom *“Written with a progressive tone, this work’s clear factual nature makes it a worthy read for anyone across the political spectrum…” * Library Journal *“A panoptic history of the vote that breaks down everything from gerrymandering to Americans for Prosperity's dark influence, Drawing the Vote is a great pick for both adults and young Americans who want to understand what it means to be a voter.” * Shelf Awareness *The exposition and Lacker’s simple but energetic illustrations combine to pack valuable information on each page, while making even complex issues (such as the racism of white suffragists who fought for the 19th Amendment) easy to follow. Suited best to younger readers new to the topic, Jenkins’s work lays out the high-stakes history clearly and succinctly. * Publishers Weekly *

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Book SynopsisThis book evaluates the presidency of Donald Trump from a comparative, historical approach to connect his populist style to his predecessors.

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Book SynopsisDonald J. Trump's presidency has delivered a seismic shock to the American political system, its public sphere, and to our political culture worldwide.

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Book SynopsisWhat's wrong with targeted advertising in political campaigns? Are echo chambers a matter of genuine concern? How does data collection impact on trust in society? As decision-making becomes increasingly automated, how can decision-makers be held to account? This collection consider potential solutions to these challenges.

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Book SynopsisAnalyses how midterm elections have shaped the American presidency

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Book SynopsisFrom political insider and New York Times bestselling author Roger Stone, unofficial advisor to Donald Trump, and subject of the documentary Get Me Roger Stone comes a hard-hitting look at a ruthless and flawed political dynasty.Roger Stone smashes through the layers of lies and secrecy that have surrounded and protected our country’s most successful political dynasty for nearly two centuries. Here is a blistering indictment, exposing the true history and monumental hypocrisy of the Bushes. In Stone’s usual “go for the jugular” style, this is a no-holds-barred history of the Bush family, comprised of smug, entitled autocrats who both use and hide behind their famous name. They got a long-overdue taste of defeat and public humiliation when Jeb’s 2016 presidential bid went down in flames.Besides detailing the vast litany of Jeb’s misdeeds — including receiving a $4 million taxpayer bailout when his father was vice president as well as his startlingly-close alignment with supposed “enemy” Hillary Clinton — Stone travels back to Bush patriarchs Samuel and Prescott, right on through to presidents George H. W. and George W. Bush to weave an epic story of privilege, greed, corruption, drug profiteering, assassination, and lies. A new preface to this paperback edition features explosive information, including the family’s Machiavellian plan to propel Jeb’s son George Prescott Bush forward as the family’s next political contender. Chapters include: The Preppy Drug Dealer Jeb Bungles Immigration Issue The S&L Scandal Benefits the Bushes Jeb’s Shady Partner, Fugitive Miguel Recarey How Jeb Made His Money An Indifference to Ethics Russians and Nazis Make Strange Bedfellows George Herbert Walker Bush (aka “Poppy”) Recruited by the CIA? Bush and Watergate The CIA in the ‘70s The Iran-Contra Quagmire The Pedophile Network Getting Started in the Family Business The Bush Dynasty—Now and in the Future And much more! The Bush Crime Family will have readers asking, “Why aren’t these people in prison?”Trade Review"This book is very tough."President Donald Trump "Known for hard-ball politics and a cloak and dagger sensibility."New York Times "Stone exposed LBJ, now he rips the veil off the Bush crime syndicate,"East Orlando Post "Skilled in the dark arts of politics."The Atlantic "A dashing, colorful artist of the underhanded."David Brooks, New York Times "The most dangerous man in America."Village Voice "Stone has been a colorful and at times maligned figure in the Republican Party who relishes political combat and playing a role in causing or exposing unseemly scandals."Washington Post "Possibly The Most Dangerous Man In Politics."MSN.com"Stone is one of the best sources in Washington for 'inside dirt.'"Slate.com"This book is very tough."President Donald Trump "Known for hard-ball politics and a cloak and dagger sensibility."New York Times "Stone exposed LBJ, now he rips the veil off the Bush crime syndicate,"East Orlando Post "Skilled in the dark arts of politics."The Atlantic "A dashing, colorful artist of the underhanded."David Brooks, New York Times "The most dangerous man in America."Village Voice "Stone has been a colorful and at times maligned figure in the Republican Party who relishes political combat and playing a role in causing or exposing unseemly scandals."Washington Post "Possibly The Most Dangerous Man In Politics."MSN.com"Stone is one of the best sources in Washington for 'inside dirt.'"Slate.com

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Book SynopsisThe purpose of Political Campaigning in the U.S.: Managing Chaos is to provide readers with a comprehensive yet concise and accessible overview of modern election campaign practices.

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Book SynopsisIt doesn't require a strong imagination to get a sense of the mayhem Trump will unleash if he loses a closely contested election. It is no less disturbing to imagine Trump still insisting that he is the rightful leader of the nation. With millions of diehard supporters firmly believing that their revered president has been toppled by malignant forces of the Deep State, Trump could remain a force of constitutional chaos for years to come. WILL TRUMP GO? addresses such questions as:How might Trump engineer his refusal to acknowledge electoral defeat? What legal and extra-legal paths could he pursue in mobilizing a challenge to the electoral outcome?What legal, political, institutional and popular mechanisms can be used to stop him?What would be the fallout of a failure to remove him from office? What would be the fallout of a successful effort to unseat him?Can our democracy snap back from Trump?Trump himself has essentially told the nation he will never accept electoral defeat. A book that prepares us for Trump's refusal to concede, then, is hardly speculative; it is a necessary precaution against a coming crisis.

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Book SynopsisThe struggle between the defenders of America as an exceptional nation and the forces of anti-Americanism is reaching a fever pitch. These forces have grown so large, so well-financed, so entrenched and aggressive that they must be studied closely and understood completely if America is to survive this imminent civil war.In Beyond Biden, bestselling author Newt Gingrich brings together the various strands of the movement seeking to destroy true, historic American values and replace this country with one that's imposed on us by the combined power of government and social acceptance.

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Book SynopsisIn Trumpism, Bigotry, and the Threat to American Democracy, Larry N. Gerston examines the near-lethal combination of American bigotry and the ability of Donald Trump to take advantage of this scourge to satisfy his own political objective. The result is an individual who won election to the American presidency by adroitly pitting members of American society against one another, while presenting himself as the only person in the position to save America from itself. Having succeeded to the nation’s most important political office, Trump proceeded to use the position for his own benefit, irrespective of laws, norms, and, most important, the Constitution. So powerful was Trump that he and his minions came close to overturning the 2020 presidential election with the January 6, 2021 insurrection against the nation’s Capitol. While Trump failed in his attempt to remain in office, the threat to the wellbeing of the United States remains real. Trade ReviewBy placing Donald Trump’s presidential campaigns in the broader context of comparative democracies and American political history, Larry Gerston shows how they fit within larger processes that threaten the stability of democracy at home and abroad. Whatever happens in his trials, and regardless of whether he wins the Republican presidential nomination and is reelected president in 2024, Gerston makes the case that the American political system will be dealing with the consequences of Donald Trump for many years to come. -- Benjamin Highton, University of California, DavisTable of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroductionPart I: The Delicacy of DemocracyChapter 1: Democracy’s Promise and PerformanceChapter 2: Why Democracies DeclinePart II: The Impact of BigotryChapter 3: Bigotry as a Threat to DemocracyChapter 4: Racism in the United States: A Brief HistoryChapter 5: Donald Trump and BigotryPart III: Trumpism: An American Brand of AuthoritarianismChapter 6: Trump, Bigotry, and the 2016 Presidential ElectionChapter 7: A Bitter PresidencyChapter 8: Trump, Bigotry, and the 2020 ElectionChapter 9: The January Sixth Insurrection: Before, During, and After Chapter 10: Trump on the Wane?Part IV: Trumpism, Bigotry, and the Threat to American DemocracyChapter 11: Understanding the Threat to American DemocracyChapter 12: Saving the American ExperimentBibliographyAbout the Author

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Book SynopsisCornerstone's Electoral Legislation covers the five principal kinds of UK elections: Parliamentary; European; Local Government; Parish; and Referendums. The legislation governing the conduct of elections is necessarily technical and highly prescriptive with electoral officers expected to absolutely adhere to the rules. As legislation is amended every year this title enables electoral officers ready access to up-to-date legislation. This is a new title in the ‘Cornerstone’ series which is published with the highly respected chambers. This title is included in Bloomsbury Professional's Local Government Law online service.Trade ReviewA useful single volume to carry into conferences or court... -- Daniel Greenberg * Statute Law Review *...an impressive and useful publication and one whose greatest asset is its ambitious and comprehensive coverage of election legislation in a small portable hard copy format...I will certainly be taking it with me to our next election count... -- David M G Lawson * Local Government Lawyer *Table of ContentsForeword Legislation Tables and Index

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Book SynopsisIn the space of one election cycle, authoritarian governments, moneyed elites and fringe hackers figured out how to game elections, bypass democratic processes, and turn social networks into battlefields. Facebook, Google and Twitter – where our politics now takes place – have lost control and are struggling to claw it back. Prepare for a new strain of democracy. A world of datafied citizens, real-time surveillance, enforced wellness and pre-crime. Where switching your mobile platform will have more impact on your life than switching your government. Where freedom and privacy are seen as incompatible with social wellbeing and compulsory transparency. As our lives migrate online, we have become increasingly vulnerable to digital platforms founded on selling your attention to the highest bidder. Our laws don’t cover what is happening and our politicians don’t understand it. But if we don’t change the system now, we may not get another chance.Trade Review‘Excellent.’ * New Statesman *‘Democracy Hacked gets beyond the headlines – a compelling, informed and highly readable account of how democracy is being disrupted by the tech revolution, and what can be done to get us back on track. One of the best expositions I’ve read yet of what is the biggest political challenge of our generation.’ -- Jamie Bartlett, author of The People Vs Tech and The Dark Net‘Enormously wide-ranging and deeply researched, this is the definitive account of how digital technology has changed the entire political landscape, with profound consequences for democracy. From Brexit to Trump, and from Estonia to the Philippines, Martin Moore uncovers the real stories behind the fake ones. You’ll discover that the truth is often stranger than fiction and that the future is more open than you think.’ -- David Runciman, author of How Democracy Ends‘The world is belatedly waking up to some frightening realities about the intersection of digital technologies and the health of democracies. Martin Moore’s book is a sharp wake-up call – ambitious in its sweep and urgent in its important message.’ -- Alan Rusbridger, author of Breaking News‘Eye-opening… An important, timely, and clearly written look at a crucial subject.’ * Booklist *‘Moore demonstrates how data has affected elections across the world, in the Philippines, Turkey, India, Iran, Britain and beyond... Engrossing, instructive, and urgently necessary.’ * Kirkus *

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Book SynopsisThe smartphone and social media have transformed Africa, allowing people across the continent to share ideas, organise, and participate in politics like never before. While both activists and governments alike have turned to social media as a new form of political mobilization, some African states have increasingly sought to clamp down on the technology, introducing restrictive laws or shutting down networks altogether. Drawing on over a dozen new empirical case studies – from Kenya to Somalia, South Africa to Tanzania – this collection explores how rapidly growing social media use is reshaping political engagement in Africa. But while social media has often been hailed as a liberating tool, the book demonstrates how it has often served to reinforce existing power dynamics, rather than challenge them. Featuring experts from a range of disciplines from across the continent, this collection is the first comprehensive overview of social media and politics in Africa. By examining the historical, political, and social context in which these media platforms are used, the book reveals the profound effects of cyber-activism, cyber-crime, state policing and surveillance on political participation.Trade ReviewMethodologically innovative, rich in data and analytically profound. This is one of the most important studies of social media in Africa in recent times. * Dr George Ogola, Associate Professor of Journalism, University of Central Lancashire *Brilliant, rich and much-needed! Dwyer and Molony have done a fantastic job of bringing social media to the core of the present, and future, of African politics. * Dr Toussaint Nothias, Post-doctoral Research Fellow, Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society’ *Moving beyond technological utopianism, this exciting edited collection provides much-needed nuanced analysis of the way in which social media both challenge and reproduce power relations. * Dr Wendy Willems, Associate Professor, Department of Media and Communications, London School of Economics and Political Science *Table of Contents1. Mapping the Study of Politics and Social Media Use in Africa - Maggie Dwyer & Thomas Molony 2. ‘Igu sawir gone too far’? Social media and state reconstruction in Somalia - Peter Chonka 3. ‘We are not just voters, we are citizens’: Social Media, the #ThisFlag Campaign, and Insurgent Citizenship in Zimbabwe - George Karekwaivanane & Admire Mare 4. Social Media and Protest Movements in South Africa: #FeesMustFall and #ZumaMustFall - Tanja Bosch 5. Enemy Collaborators: Social imaginaries, global frictions, and a gay rights music video in Kenya - Brian Ekdale 6. Between Excitement and Scepticism: The Role of WhatsApp in Sierra Leone’s 2018 Elections - Maggie Dwyer, Jamie Hitchen, & Thomas Molony 7. Chaos and Comedy: Social Media, Activism, and Democracy in Senegal - Emily Riley 8. Social Media and Elections in Nigeria: Digital Influence on Election Observation, Campaigns, and Administration - Nkwachukwu Orji 9. From FM radio stations to Internet 2.0 overnight: information, participation and social media in post-failed coup Burundi - Jean-Benoît Falisse & Hugues Nkengurutse 10. Cybercrime and the policing of politics in Tanzania - Charlotte Cross 11. A familiar refrain: Political discourse and Facebook use in Mombasa, Kenya - Stephanie Diepeveen 12. Inside the #OperationUsalamaWatch echo chamber: Twitter as site of disruption or elite conversation? - Alisha Patel 13. From Whispers to the Assemblage: Surveillance in Post-Independence East Africa - Denis Galava Postscript: Research Trajectories in African Digital Spheres - Bruce Mutsvairo & Kate Wright

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Book SynopsisThe storming of the US Capitol building in January 2021 focused attention on the multiple threats facing contemporary liberal democracies. Beyond the immediate problem of Covid-19, the past two decades saw political polarization, a dramatic rise in inequality, global warming and other environmental threats, as well as the growth of dangerous cultural and political divisions. Western liberal democracies find themselves in the midst of what political theorists call a legitimation crisis: major portions of the population lack confidence in the ability of governments to address our most pressing problems. This distrust in government and traditional political parties opened the door to populist leaders and a rising tide of authoritarianism.Liberal democracies face major structural and normative challenges in the near future that require us to look beyond the traditional set of solutions available. Democracy in Crisis points back to the world''s first democratic government, Ancient Athens, to see what made that political arrangement durable and resistant to both internal and external threats. The argument focuses on several distinctive Athenian institutions and practices, and considers how we might reimagine them in the modern world. The book addresses questions of civic ideology and institutions, with extended treatment of two distinctive Athenian institutions, ostracism and sortition.

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Book SynopsisIreland's Suffragettes is a collection of biographical essays introducing the suffragettes who influenced Ireland's struggle for women's rights. Many of the women were political activists while others became militant suffragettes between 1912 and 1914. The struggle of the suffragettes is different to that of the UK, in that many Irish suffragettes were also included in the struggle for independence and the inclusion of women in the trade unions movement. Drawing on primary sources located in the National Archives and the National Library, Ireland's Suffragettes will bring to life not only the most famous names in the suffragette movement but also the other women who made women's rights their lives work.

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Book SynopsisAs the aftermath of Brexit continues to unfold, people around the world are wondering just how Brexit happened, where post-referendum Britain is heading, and what lessons might be learned by the global community. Gary Gibbon, a preeminent political broadcaster who had extraordinary access to both sides of the campaign leading up to the referendum, explores all of these issues in Breaking Point. Examining official and off-the-record meetings with both senior politicians and ordinary voters, Gibbon addresses tough questions that are troubling the entire European continent: Now that the United Kingdom has voted for Brexit, to what extent can it truly “leave” a set of relationships that extend to the country’s doorstep? And will the decision be a lethal blow to the European Union, perhaps spurring on copycat secession movements?

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Book SynopsisThe 2015 General Election is just two months away and whilst the debates are heating up, experts are unanimous on one thing: that this is set to be the most important and unpredictable election since World War Two. So who’s who in the current landscape of UK party politics? Who most represents your views? What would a country governed by that party look like? Co-author of Scotland’s Referendum: A Guide for Voters and author of 100 Days of Hope and Fear, David Torrance is here to give you all the information you need to make your vote count. This pocket-sized guide features a chapter on Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party, the SNP and UKIP, and another dedicated to the other parties contesting seats. The guide is rounded off with a prediction of possible outcomes and an overview of the constitutional implications the election has for Scotland.Trade ReviewThe voters’ companion in choosing the route and in helping us to keep track of the horse-trading which will occur thereafter.From the foreword by Kevin McKennaTable of ContentsForeword by Kevin McKenna How Westminster Works 1. Introduction 2. Scottish Conservatives 3. Scottish Greens 4. Scottish Labour Party 5. Scottish Liberal Democrats 6. Scottish National Party 7. UK Independence Party 8. Other Parties 9. Possible Outcomes 10. Constitutional Implications Policy Grid Timeline

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