Elections and referenda / suffrage Books

Book SynopsisThe fourth volume of Aspects of the Orange Revolution continues the previous volume's discussion on the impact of foreign actors on Ukrainian politics. It provides both scholarly analyses and first-hand accounts. The collection not only investigates, but also gives voice to, some of those involved in the events of 2004. While most of the volume's contributors have an academic background, some of them report here from the perspective of official election or informal participant observers of the three rounds of the Ukrainian presidential elections. Part One juxtaposes some contrasting views on how far Russia's and the West's various interests, activities and tools influencing the Orange Revolution were comparable to each other, and adequate given the circumstances. Part Two presents individual reports by a number of international election observers who were following the campaign and voting in various parts of Ukraine in 2004. Part Three presents three additional on-the-ground observations focusing solely on the notorious electoral district No. 100 of Kirovohrad Oblast. The contributions by Andreas Umland, Iris Kempe, Iryna Solonenko, Vladimir Frolov, Valentin Yakushik, Matthias Brucker, Jake Rudnitsky, Rory Finnin, Adriana Helbig, Paul Terdal, Tatiana Terdal, Peter Wittschorek, Hans-Jörg Schmedes, Adrianna Melnyk, Ingmar Bredies, Oxana Shevel and Volodymyr Bilyk add a number of novel points of view to those presented in the previous volumes. These partly contradictory and emotional texts as well as a number of photographs document the tense atmosphere and confrontational climate within which Ukraine's second phase of post-Soviet democratisation started in 2004.Trade ReviewThese 45 papers and supplemental election reports provide an excellent overview of the Ukrainian 2004 events as well as their historical and political context. -- Uwe Dathe OsteuropaTable of ContentsList of Tables List of Pictures Introduction: Domestic and Foreign Factors in the 2004 Ukrainian Presidential Elections, by Andreas Umland Part I. Political Transition and External Forces in Post-Soviet Societies Foreign Involvement and International Orientation in the Orange Revolution, by Iris Kempe and Iryna Solonenko Democracy by Remote Control, by Vladimir Frolov The Orange Revolution and the Distortion of the Citizenry's Will: Material for a Complaint by the Party of Regions, by Valentin Yakushik Trans-national Actors in Democratizing States: The Case of German Political Foundations in Ukraine, by Matthias Brucker Part II. Voices from the Ground: Reports by International Election Observers Ukrainians in the Mist: Gorilla Tactics in the Campaign for Ukraine's Highest Office, by Jake Rudnitsky Prelude to a Revolution: Reflections on Observing the 2004 Presidential Elections in Ukraine, by Rory Finnin and Adriana Helbig Observations from the Cherkasy Region, by Paul Terdal and Tatiana Terdal From Sunset to Sunrise in a Territorial Election Commission: Special Observations during a Crucial Night, by Peter Wittschorek and Hans-Jorg Schmedes Optimism and Gratitude: Reflections of an Election Observer in the Poltava Region, by Adrianna Melnyk Part III. The Special Case of Electoral District No. 100 Election Observation in a 'Notorious' Region: The 100th Constituency in Kirovohrad Oblast, by Ingmar Bredies The Repeat Second Round of the 2004 Presidential Elections in Kirovohrad, by Oxana Shevel My Experience of a Lifetime: Elections in Kirovohrad, by Volodymyr Bilyk

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Book SynopsisThe third volume of Aspects of the Orange Revolution complements the essays of the first two collections providing further historical background on, and analytical insight into, the events at Kyiv in late 2004. Its seven contributions by both established and younger specialists range from electoral statistics to musicology, and deal with, among other issues, such questions as: Why had blatant election fraud not generated mass protest before 2004, but, in that year, did? How was Viktor Yushchenko able to collect enough votes to defeat the establishment candidate Viktor Yanukovych, and become the new President of a socially, geographically and culturally divided country? How was it possible to prevent large-scale violence, and which role did the judiciary play during the quasi-revolutionary events in autumn-winter 2004? What legal foundations and court decisions made the repetition of the second round of the presidential elections possible? Which campaign instruments, and political 'technologies' were applied by various domestic and foreign actors to activate the Ukrainian population? How did the internet and music become factors in the emergence of mass protests involving hundreds of thousands of people? To which degree and how did external influences affect the Orange Revolution? Erik S Herron, Paul E Johnson, Dominique Arel, Ivan Katchanovski, Ralph S Clem, Peter R Craumer, Hartmut Rank, Stephan Heidenhain, Adriana Helbig and Andrew Wilson present a multifarious panorama of the origins and dynamics of the processes that changed the nature of political and civic life during and between the three rounds of Ukraine's fateful 2004 presidential elections.Trade Review"These 45 papers and supplemental election reports provide an excellent overview of the Ukrainian 2004 events, as well as their historical and political context." -- Uwe Dathe, OsteuropaTable of ContentsIntroduction Approaches to a 'Watershed' in Ukrainian Politics, by Ingmar Bredies, Andreas Umland and Valentin Yakushik Part 1. Prelude to a Mass Rebellion Fraud before the 'Revolution': Special Precincts in Ukraine's 2002 Parliamentary Election, by Erik S. Herron and Paul E. Johnson Part 2. Why and How It Happened Orange Ukraine Chooses the West, but Without the East, by Dominique Arel Regional Political Cleavages, Electoral Behavior, and Historical Legacies in Post-Communist Ukraine, by Ivan Katchanovski Shades of Orange: The Electoral Geography of Ukraine's 2004 Presidential Elections, by Ralph S. Clem and Peter R. Craumer Part 3. The Context of a Mass Uprising The Legal Evolution behind the Orange Revolution, by Hartmut Rank and Stephan Heidenhain The Cyberpolitics of Music in Ukraine's 2004 Orange Revolution, by Adriana Helbig Foreign Intervention in the 2004 Elections: 'Political Technology' versus NGOs, by Andrew Wilson

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Book SynopsisReports by international governmental and non-governmental organisations on the 2004 presidential elections in Ukraine constituted a significant factor in generating, facilitating and completing the Orange Revolution. Ukrainian civil society, mass media, courts and political parties were the main driving force behind the popular uprising that returned Ukraine to the path of democratisation it had embarked on in 1991. Yet, the unambiguous stance and political weight of such institutions as the EU, PACE, NATO, and, above all, OSCE played their role too. The democratic movement benefited from the spectre of international isolation and stigmatisation of the Ukrainian state had President Leonid Kuchma decided to prevent a repetition of the second round of the voting. The volume collects not all, but some of the most widely discussed reports, including English translations of selected sections of the three reports produced by the CIS International Observers Mission. The latter as well as a report by an Israeli institute depart from the assessments of the other organisations represented here, allowing for comparison of diverging evaluations of the same events. The volume assembles full or excerpted official reports of the International Republican Institute, Tel Aviv Institute for the Countries of Eastern Europe and CIS, European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, and Commonwealth of Independent States. Contributions by Jevgen Shapoval and Roman Kupchinsky introduce and conclude the collection.Trade Review"These 45 papers and supplemental election reports provide an excellent overview of the Ukrainian 2004 events, as well as their historical and political context." -- Uwe Dathe, OsteuropaTable of ContentsList of Tables and Figures Introduction: The Institute of International Election Observation in Ukraine, by Yevgen Shapoval 1. Reports by Non-Governmental Institutions 2. Reports by Governmental Institutions Conclusions: Monitoring the Election Monitors, by Roman Kupchinsky

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Book SynopsisPost-communist democratic revolutions have, so far, taken place in six countries: Slovakia (1998), Croatia (1999-2000), Serbia (2000), Georgia (2003), Ukraine (2004) and Kyrgyzstan (2005). The seven chapters in this volume situate these events within a theoretical and comparative perspective. The volume draws upon extensive experience and field research conducted by political scientists specialising in comparative democratisation, regime politics, political transitions, electoral studies, and the post-communist world. The papers by Valerie Bunce and Sharon Wolchik, Henry Hale, Paul D'Anieri, David R Marples, Taras Kuzio, Lucan A Way and Steven Levitsky, as well as Anika Locke Binnendijk and Ivan Marovic explore different regime types and opposition strategies in post-communist states, the diffusion of opposition strategies between states in which democratic revolutions were attempted, the strategic importance of youth NGO's in mobilising oppositions towards democratic revolutions, the use of non-violent strategies by the opposition, path dependent, theoretical and comparative explanations of the sources of successful and failed democratic revolutions, and the factors that lie behind divergent post-revolutionary trajectories. The volume represents a breakthrough in our understanding of why and how democratic revolutions take place in the post-communist world. It provides an integrated analysis of why such upheavals succeed in some, but fail in other states. The contributions point to, among other issues, why the post-revolutionary breakthroughs in Serbia, Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan have encountered obstacles, the ousted regime was never fully defeated and its representatives were able to launch counter-revolutions, as well as why, in Serbia and Ukraine, the political forces of the ousted regimes have returned to power in free elections held after democratic revolutions. Post-Communist Democratic Revolutions in Comparative Perspective will be important reading for scholars and policy makers alike.Trade Review"These 45 papers and supplemental election reports provide an excellent overview of the Ukrainian 2004 events, as well as their historical and political context." -- Uwe Dathe, OsteuropaTable of ContentsInternational Diffusion and Postcommunist Electoral Revolutions, by Valerie Bunce and Sharon Wolchik Democracy or Autocracy on the March? The Colored Revolutions as Normal Dynamics of Patronal Presidentialism, by Henry E. Hale Explaining the Success and Failure of Post-Communist Revolutions, by Paul D'Anieri Color Revolutions: The Belarus Case, by David R. Marples "Civil Society, Youth and Societal Mobilization in Democratic Revolutions", by Taras Kuzio The Dynamics of Autocratic Coercive Capacity after the Cold War, by Lucan A. Way and Steven Levitsky Power and Persuasion: Nonviolent Strategies to Influence State Security Forces in Serbia (2000) and Ukraine (2004), by Anika Locke Binnendijk and Ivan Marovic

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Book SynopsisIn December 2001, Taiwan held an election that many observers said, in addition to the 2000 election that resulted in opposition party leader Chen Shui-bian winning the presidency, consolidated its democracy. This election made President Chen's party, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), the largest party in the legislature and gave him an opportunity to implement his agenda. President Chen had not been able to do previously due to the opposition's large legislative majority and the political gridlock that had plagued Taiwan for some months.This book examines the political milieu in which the campaign was conducted, the candidates, party platforms and strategies, the campaign, and the results of the election. It also assesses the domestic and international responses to the election and its political ramifications.The author argues that the DPP won using questionable tactics, thus diminishing its otherwise significant victory while creating doubts about the “Taiwan political miracle”. The KMT lost badly. The People First Party, created by James Soong after the 2000 presidential election, performed very well in this election. Former president Lee Teng-hui helped found a new party shortly before this election to help President Chen by drawing support away from the KMT; it performed well.The author concludes that the election mirrored Taiwan's new four-party system, which is divided into two camps. While the “green” bloc (the DPP and Lee's new party) performed well, the “blue” team (the KMT and Soong's party) won a majority. Taiwan's party politics, the author says, remain in flux.

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Book SynopsisOver time the presidential election of 1964 has come to be seen as a generational shift, a defining moment in which Americans deliberated between two distinctly different visions for the future. In its juxtaposition of these divergent visions, this volume is the first full account of this critical election and its legacy for US politics.Trade Review"Clearly written and accessible to the lay reader, Two Suns of the Southwest ably synthesizes the extensive scholarship on Goldwater, Johnson, and the civil rights era, while drawing from archival research to present a straightforward study that would especially benefit undergraduates focused on history and political science."—Journal of Southern History"Comprehensive and well-researched . . . Young clearly shows [1964] was really a pivotal event in the development of the nation’s two major political philosophies. College instructors looking to enliven classroom discussion [should] consider the adoption of Two Suns of the Southwest."—Southwestern Historical Quarterly"A concise academic history of the presidential election of 1964. A worthy contribution to the American Presidential Elections series, it pays equal attention to Republicans and Democrats, while framing the candidates through their visions of the rising Sunbelt."—Journal of Arizona History"This important and thoughtful book carefully examines an election that because of the inadequacy of Barry Goldwater as a candidate—and the rout by Johnson—is often overlooked."—VVA Veteran "Nancy Beck Young has written a well argued and carefully researched study of one of the most significant elections in twentieth-century America. Its echoes still sound today. In style and length and with a balance of primary and secondary sources, it is an ideal primer for classes in American political history."—Robert A. Goldberg, author of Barry Goldwater"Two Suns of the Southwest tells the riveting and timely story of the 1964 US presidential election, when the lion of modern liberalism, Lyndon Johnson, and cowboy-crusader of western conservatism, Barry Goldwater, waged battle over the future of the country. With careful command of her sources and engaging and approachable prose, Nancy Beck Young shows us how 1964 was both a product of long-simmering tensions in the Democratic Party and especially the GOP, and a dramatic pivot in the political destiny of this country. Highly illuminating and instructive, this is a must read for students of all ages and standing who want to understand one of the most important elections in American history, as well as the political moment in which we now live."—Darren Dochuk, Author of From Bible Belt to Sunbelt: Plain-Folk Religion, Grassroots Politics, and the Rise of Evangelical Conservatism"This is the work of a careful, thoughtful, and thorough scholar. It amazes me to note that we have reached the day in political historiography when we need an overview of the 1964 campaign. There are plenty of works examining specific aspects of the election, detailing Republican, Democratic, and conservative viewpoints. There are works putting the campaigns into the broader context of the key issues of the times and those that analyze the election results' long-term significance. What this author does is to bring all of those perspectives together in one package. This is an important step in the historiography of conservatism. It signals how far we have come from the days when no political historian would examine figures like Goldwater and Buckley without inviting scorn from the academy."—Mary C. Brennan, author of Turning Right in the Sixties: The Conservative Capture of the GOPTable of Contents Editors' Foreword Preface Introduction 1. The Myth of Republican Moderation in the 1950s 2. A New Frontier for the Democratic Party? 3. A Republican Civil War Begins 4. Pyrrhic Triumph or Extremist Victory? 5. "That was Lyndon Baines Johnson!" 6. Backlash, Frontlash, Smearlash 7. "Government is not an Enemy of the People. It is the People" Conclusion Appendix A: Republican Primary Results Appendix B: Democratic Primary Results Appendix C: General Election Results, Popular Vote Totals 1964 Appendix D: General Election Results, Electoral College Totals 1964 Appendix E: Lyndon B. Johnson's Inaugural Address, January 20, 1965 Notes Bibliographic Essay Index

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"[An] engaging study of men who came up short in the presidential arena but still had a significant effect on the life of the nation…." —Wall Street Journal "Scott Farris shines a welcome spotlight on the neglected subject of presidential also-rans. In this impressive new book, Farris shows that the losers and their ideas have sometimes transformed their political parties, and moved the nation ahead. Meticulously researched, Almost President is rich in detail and anecdotes, and a pleasure to read." —Joseph Wheelan, author of Mr. Adams's Last Crusade: John Quincy Adams's Extraordinary Post-Presidential Life in Congress and Libby Prison Breakout "Scott Farris has penned a series of fascinating portraits of candidates who triggered sea changes in our political process. Informative to readers at all levels." —David Pietrusza, author of 1948: Harry Truman's Improbable Victory and the Year that Transformed America "I absolutely lost myself in Scott Farris's Almost President: The Men Who Lost the Race but Changed the Nation. I loved the book so much that we invited Scott to be a guest on Saturday. I can't wait for the chance to talk with him about how often we focus exclusively on winners and forget all of the ways that 'political losers' actually have the power to change conversations, set agendas and alter the course of history." —blog post by MSNBC anchor Melissa Harris-Perry"To those demoralized by today's fiercely partisan political arena, take heart! Scott Farris's superb history of losing Presidential candidates reassures us all that even out of bitter campaigns and defeats, losers do come back and contribute profoundly to major realignments, decency, and equality in American politics." —The Honorable David Abshire, former Ambassador to NATO, and current President, Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress"Farris writes with a lively flair, skillfully illustrating his solid historical research with revelatory anecdotes and facts." –Publishers Weekly"A lively, opinionated examination of the instructive role of the loser in presidential races…. [R]iveting, sympathetic treatments…. A most useful aide-mémoire for situating the upcoming presidential slugfest." —Kirkus Reviews

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Book SynopsisIn the crucible of the 2017 general election, a small group of progressive activists set about trying to change British political life for the better. Armed with the conviction that the old politics was irretrievably broken, the progressive alliance set itself the task of breaching the walls of Britain's tribal political culture. Over the seven weeks of the campaign, even as the struggle between Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn built up to a stunning and utterly unexpected climax, the progressive alliance fought its own battle. Its aim was to bridge divides, start conversations and forge alliances on the ground between progressives - socialists, social democrats, liberals, Greens, Welsh and Scottish nationalists - working together against their common foe instead of competing self-destructively against one another. Based on first-hand testimony, All Together Now tells the dramatic story of how the progressive alliance helped shape the story of the 2017 election - and why its aims, its methods and above all its values will shape the future of 21st century politics.

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Book SynopsisFox hunting with Godfrey Bloom; lunching on expenses with Janice Atkinson;talking 'shock and awful' campaign tactics with Douglas Carswell - nothingis off the table when you're on the trail of UKlP's People's Army.Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72 meets Louis Theroux, FollowingFarage recounts one hack's journey as he follows, drinks with, laughs atand even occasionally defends the phenomenon that is the United Kingdomlndependence Party as it prepares to march upon Westminster.With exclusive interviews and unfettered access to all the disgracedgenerals, trusty foot soldiers, deserters and dissenters who make up itsranks, Bennett delivers the inside scoop on what makes the People's Armytick - all the while making the transition from elbowed-out hanger-on tothe journalist Farage calls for an honest, post-election run-down of events.From the initial skirmishes and battle plans (the successful and thescuppered) to the explosive events of the battle for No. 10 itself -and the all-out civil war that broke out in its aftermath - FollowingFarage leaves no stone unturned, avenue untrod or pint undrunkin its quest for the truth about Britain's newest and mostcontroversial political force.Trade ReviewAn eyewitness, behind-the-scenes account of exactly how the wheels can fall off any bandwagon. Ukippers ought to read it, but they won't dare. Everyone else will wet their pants. Fleet Street FoxTable of ContentsAcknowledgements ixPart 1: SkirmishesChapter 1 From Hoddesdon to Eternity 3Chapter 2 A Bloom Too Far 11Chapter 3 Do You Hear the People Swear They Are Not Racist? 25Chapter 4 Damnatio Memoriae 41Chapter 5 Dr Frankenstein Will See You Now 49Chapter 6 The Strange Case of Mr Carswell 61Chapter 7 Heart of Doncaster 81Chapter 8 Saving Private Reckless 101Chapter 9 The Man Who Would Be Champ 133Chapter 10 Hunting High and Low 159Chapter 11 Janice Atkinson - My Part in Her Downfall 181Chapter 12 Unlocking the War Chest 209Chapter 13 The Ego Has Landed 235Part 2: WarChapter 14 The General Election Campaign 243Part 3: DefeatChapter 15 Oh! What a Lovely War 335Chapter 16 Farage Explains It All 351Epilogue 371

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Book SynopsisThis textbook provides a comprehensive introduction to the political systems of all ASEAN countries and Timor-Leste from a comparative perspective. It investigates the political institutions, actors, and processes in eleven states, covering democracies as well as autocratic regimes. Each country study includes an analysis of the current system of governance, the party and electoral system, and an assessment of the state, its legal system, and administrative bodies. Students of political science and area studies also learn about processes of democratic transition and autocratic resilience, as well as how civil society and the media influence the political culture in each country. This second edition features revised and updated versions of all country studies and a new chapter that discusses the trends of democratization and autocratization in Southeast Asia in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Table of ContentsChapter 1. Government and Political Regimes in Southeast Asia: An Introduction.- Chapter 2. Brunei Darussalam: Malay Islamic Monarchy and Rentier State.- Chapter 3. Cambodia: From UN-Led Peace-Building to Post-genocidal Authoritarianism.- Chapter 4. Indonesia: Challenges of Conflict and Consensus in the Era of Reformasi.- Chapter 5. Laos: The Transformation of Periphery Socialism.- Chapter 6. Malaysia: Competitive Authoritarianism in a Plural Society.- Chapter 7. Myanmar: Political Conflict and the Survival of the Praetorian State.- Chapter 8. Philippines: People's Power and Defective Elite Democracy.- Chapter 9. Singapore: Contradicting Conventional Wisdom About Authoritarianism, State and Development.- Chapter 10. Thailand: The Vicious Cycle of Civilian Government and Military Rule.- Chapter 11. Timor-Leste: Challenges of Creating a Democratic and Effective State.- Chapter 12. Vietnam: The Socialist Party-State.- Chapter 13. Comparing Governments and Political Institutions in Southeast Asia.- Chapter 14. Democracy and Dictatorship in Southeast Asia – Retrospective and Prospective.

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Book SynopsisThis book examines the representativeness of party membership and analyses the potential consequences of changing representativeness. Parties with high membership ratios, as well as those experiencing severe decline, are compared and examined across countries with varying constitutional arrangements and party systems. The book discusses whether changing representative capacities lead to declining political representation of (group) interests, less representative party candidate selection processes and declining legitimacy for the political system. The book bridges two subareas that are usually not in conversation with each other: literature on the decline of party membership and that on group representation (gender, ethnic minorities and other social groups). This text will be of key interest to students and scholars of party politics, political parties, representation and elections, and more broadly to people interested in European and comparative politiTable of Contents1. Party Membership as Linkage [Knut Heidar and Bram Wauters] 2. Descriptive Representation in Local Party Associations and Its Implications for Representation in Parliament: findings from the Canadian Case [William Cross] 3. Not Exactly a Mirror Image: British Parties’ Members and Voters Compared [Tim Bale, Monica Poletti, and Paul Webb] 4. Do Australian Parties Represent? [Anika Gauja and Jordan McSwiney] 5. Germany: The Politicization of Party Membership [Klaus Detterbeck] 6. Belgium: Parties as Distorting Mirrors. Descriptive and Substantive Representativeness in Flemish Parties under Scrutiny [Robin Devroe, Benjamin de Vet, Nicolas Van de Voorde and Bram Wauters] 7. Something for Everyone? Political Parties, Party Members and Representation in the Netherlands [Josje den Ridder, Ruud Koole and Joop van Holsteyn] 8. Norwegian Parties at Work: Representative Capacities and Political Trust [Knut Heidar] 9. A Skewed Channel of Participation in Denmark – and an Even More Skewed Recruitment Pool [Karina Kosiara-Pedersen] 10. Representativeness of Parties: Old Problems, New Challenges [Knut Heidar and Bram Wauters]

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Book SynopsisThe 2017 general election was supposed to be a walkover for the Conservative Party – but the voters had other ideas. In The Lost Majority, Lord Ashcroft draws on his unique research to explain why the thumping victory the Tories expected never happened. His findings reveal what real voters made of the campaign, why Britain refused Theresa May’s appeal for a clear mandate to negotiate Brexit and where the party now stands after more than a decade of `modernisation’ . And, critically, Ashcroft examines the challenges the Tories face in building a winning coalition when 13 million votes is no longer enough for outright victory. This is an indispensible guide that will provide food for thought to anyone wishing to examine in detail what really happened on 8 June, 2017, and how this will impact on future elections.

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Book SynopsisTells the story of the epic clash between Senator John F Kennedy and Vice-President Richard M Nixon. This book imbues America's presidential election process.Trade Review"A notable achievement. White has written a fascinating story of a fascinating campaign." -- Time magazine "No book that I know of has caught the heartbeat of a campaign as strikingly as Theodore White has done in The Making of the President 1960." -- New York Times "A masterpiece ... full of deep insights into political power in America and how our democracy works in choosing the President. It gripped me from beginning to end as very few books have." -- William L. Shirer "More than a fascinating account of how one man succeeded in reaching the White House, while other failed; it is a graduate lesson in the rough, relentless, subtle and devious workings of American politics. It is a magnificent job of reporting, but it is also history." -- Saturday Review "[White] revolutionized the art of political reporting." -- William F. Buckley

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Book SynopsisBarack Obama's presidential victory naturally led people to believe that the United States might finally be moving into a post-racial era. This title argues that the 2008 election was more polarized by racial attitudes than any other presidential election on record.Trade Review"Obama's Race is a timely, provocative, and important book that anyone with even a passing interest in politics simply must read. In their careful and detailed analysis, Tesler and Sears make a persuasive case for why Obama's election does not represent a fundamental sea change in how people think about politics. The results are striking, sobering, and deeply revealing." - Cindy D. Kam, Vanderbilt University"

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Book SynopsisThis is the first systematic and comprehensive analysis of Clinton as a native-son presidential candidate employing local, country, state, and national data to show how elections can be derived from values and beliefs.Trade ReviewSophisticated and impressive. Journal of American StudiesTable of ContentsForeward Preface Introduction Prologue 1. Elections 1. Epistemology and the Native-Son Candidate 2. Theory 3. Methodology 2. The Political Context of a Native-Son Candidate 4. The Arkansas Electorate 5. The African American Electorate 3. The Making of a Native-Son Candidate 6. The Congressional Vote for Clinton 7. The Attorney General Vote for Clinton 8. The Gubernatorial Vote for Clinton 4. The Native-Son Presidential Candidate 9. The Presidential Vote for Clinton 10. The Regional Vote: Clinton and Carter 5. The Native-Son Candidate and Democratic Elections 11. The Democratic Party in Presidential Elections: The Native-Son Theory Revisited Endnotes Appendix: The Election Data-A Research Note

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Book SynopsisA long-time public servant explicitly connects the various phases of our presidential election system to the content and conduct of American foreign policy.Trade ReviewMichael H. Armacost has created a detailed history of post-World War II American foreign policy, organized and interpreted in the phases of our presidential election process. His insights about the dynamic interplay between campaign politics and foreign policy do not reassure that the world's major power can produce leaders with the vision and experience to effectively manage America's international engagement. Yet despite political dysfunction, our presidents have shown skill in learning on the job and using our substantial national resources in the service of the security and international interests of the United States. -- Richard H. Solomon, former director of policy planning and assistant secretary of state, former president of the United States Institute of Peace, and senior fellow at the RAND Corporation Drawing on careful study as well as his own rich experience as a diplomat, Michael H. Armacost offers unique and nuanced insights. This is a superb discussion of U.S. foreign policy in the context of presidential politics since the elections of 1948. With less than two years to go before our next presidential contest, this is an especially timely and thoughtful read. -- John Negroponte, former deputy secretary of state ...fascinating study... Publishers Weekly Readers will find this a useful, accessible survey of the topic, enriched by Armacost's firsthand recollections from his diplomatic career. Library Journal Don't miss this thought-provoking read that places American politics in a uniquely global context. Biographile A readable, balanced, and detailed account. ChoiceTable of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction 1. Elections, Parties, and Politics 2. Quest for the Nomination: Appealing to the Base 3. Campaigns: Opportunities and Challenges for Incumbents 4. Campaigns: Opportunities and Obstacles for Challengers 5. Presidential Transitions 6. Launching a Presidential Term Conclusion Notes Index

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewMichael H. Armacost has created a detailed history of post–World War II American foreign policy, organized and interpreted in the phases of our presidential election process. His insights about the dynamic interplay between campaign politics and foreign policy do not reassure that the world's major power can produce leaders with the vision and experience to effectively manage America's international engagement. Yet despite political dysfunction, our presidents have shown skill in learning on the job and using our substantial national resources in the service of the security and international interests of the United States. -- Richard H. Solomon, former director of policy planning and assistant secretary of state, former president of the United States Institute of Peace, and senior fellow at the RAND CorporationDrawing on careful study as well as his own rich experience as a diplomat, Michael H. Armacost offers unique and nuanced insights. This is a superb discussion of U.S. foreign policy in the context of presidential politics since the elections of 1948. With less than two years to go before our next presidential contest, this is an especially timely and thoughtful read. -- John Negroponte, former deputy secretary of state[A] fascinating study. * Publishers Weekly *Readers will find this a useful, accessible survey of the topic, enriched by Armacost's firsthand recollections from his diplomatic career. * Library Journal *Don't miss this thought-provoking read that places American politics in a uniquely global context. * Biographile *A readable, balanced, and detailed account. * Choice *For readers looking for one book to explain the possible effects of the 2016 U.S. presidential election on America’s foreign policy, Ballots, Bullets, and Bargains is a fantastic starting point. It provides a great read for newcomers and aficionados of U.S. politics alike. * International Affairs *Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction1. Elections, Parties, and Politics2. Quest for the Nomination: Appealing to the Base3. Campaigns: Opportunities and Challenges for Incumbents4. Campaigns: Opportunities and Obstacles for Challengers5. Presidential Transitions6. Launching a Presidential TermConclusionNotesIndex

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Book SynopsisOver the past decade, fact-checking outlets have shaken up the political world by holding public figures accountable for what they say. Deciding Whatâs True recounts the routines of the journalists at these innovative news organizations and plots a compelling, personality-driven history of the fact-checking movement and its recent evolution.Trade ReviewA lively page-turner about political fact-checking that also digs deep into the very foundations of public knowledge. What do we really know, and how do we know it? Graves provides thought-provoking answers. In an age of partisan warfare, this urgently needed book reveals the transformations, tensions, and continuing virtues of journalistic objectivity. -- Rodney Benson, New York University In Deciding What's True, Lucas Graves provides a thoughtful, empirically grounded analysis of the major fact-checking organizations, studying their evolution and importance in the rapidly changing world of journalism. It is absolutely essential reading for journalists, news executives, and their audiences. -- Herbert Gans, Columbia University A timely, compelling, and important account of the rise of political fact-checking, a development-indeed, a movement-aimed at not only improving the quality of public discourse but also invigorating the practice of journalism. This book amounts to nothing less than a genuinely new chapter in the history of modern American journalism. -- Theodore L. Glasser, Stanford University Graves follows a cadre of journalists in their attempts to nail down that most slippery of objects-the fact. In so doing, he shows that, in a networked age, 'the facts' have never been more central, or more problematic, for the culture of journalism. A must-read for anyone interested in the state of journalism today. -- David Ryfe, University of Iowa School of Journalism In an era marked by broad challenges to the credibility of journalism, Deciding What's True provides an insightful look at major transformations in the knowledge-making regimes that foster the veracity of news. Drawing on a vast array of sources and evidence, Graves sheds light on the practices and experiences of fact-checking and its effect on the interplay among politics, media, and society. -- Pablo J. Boczkowski, Northwestern University A keenly observed visit to a new world whose geography we can now better comprehend. Kirkus ReviewsTable of ContentsAcknowledgments Part I. The Landscape of Fact-Checking Introduction 1. Ink-Stained Fact-Checkers 2. Objectivity, Truth Seeking, and Institutional Facts Part II. The Work of Fact-Checking 3. Choosing Facts to Check 4. Deciding What's True 5. Operating the Truth-O-Meter Part III. The Effects of Fact-Checking 6. Fact-Checkers and Their Publics 7. The Limits of Fact-Checking Epilogue Notes Selected Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisAndrew Sidman offers a systematic explanation for how political polarization affects the electoral influence of district-level federal spending. Pork Barrel Politics is an empirically rich account of the surprising repercussions of bringing pork home, with important consequences in our polarized era.Trade ReviewProviding new insights about a very old practice of government, Pork Barrel Politics details how pork barrel spending operates and shapes Congressional politics and policy making over the history of the Republic in an exhaustive and comprehensive analysis. Sidman demonstrates how legislators use and benefit from pork barrel spending, affecting a host of electoral and policy outcomes. A crucial book. -- Robert Stein, coauthor of Perpetuating the Pork Barrel: Policy Subsystems and American DemocracySidman convincingly explains why Republicans and Democrats respond so differently to the pork barrel, once thought to be an unambiguous benefit to all members of Congress, and why the impact of pork barreling has varied over time. His central insight is that the electoral impact of pork depends on the type of benefits awarded and on levels of polarization. A rich historical account with persuasive theory and wide-ranging, sophisticated empirical analysis. -- Diana Evans, author of Greasing the Wheels: Using Pork Barrel Projects to Build Majority Coalitions in CongressA comprehensive and timely study, Pork Barrel Politics traces the history of distributive spending in Congress and its relation to Congressional elections at the primary and general election stages. Sidman finds that the effects of distributive benefits vary across parties, and can include significant indirect effects by deterring potential party primary challengers. -- Gregory Koger, University of MiamiWhile several scholars have found that Republicans do not benefit from pork barrel spending, this book engages in a more comprehensive analysis of the relationship between party and pork barrel spending, presents a more robust body of evidence and—most importantly—models the effects of party polarization. -- Daniel Palazzolo, author of The Speaker and the Budget: Leadership in the Post-Reform House of RepresentativesThought-provoking. . . . A book for anyone interested in federal spending, electoral politics, Congress, or political polarization. * Choice *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments1. Incumbents and Pork Barrel Politics2. Pursuing the Pork Barrel3. An Electoral History of the Pork Barrel4. Attitudes, Voting, and the Pork Barrel5. Challenges from Within the Party6. General-Election Challengers and Campaigns7. Election OutcomesConclusion NotesReferencesIndex

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Book SynopsisAndrew Sidman offers a systematic explanation for how political polarization affects the electoral influence of district-level federal spending. Pork Barrel Politics is an empirically rich account of the surprising repercussions of bringing pork home, with important consequences in our polarized era.Trade ReviewProviding new insights about a very old practice of government, Pork Barrel Politics details how pork barrel spending operates and shapes Congressional politics and policy making over the history of the Republic in an exhaustive and comprehensive analysis. Sidman demonstrates how legislators use and benefit from pork barrel spending, affecting a host of electoral and policy outcomes. A crucial book. -- Robert Stein, coauthor of Perpetuating the Pork Barrel: Policy Subsystems and American DemocracySidman convincingly explains why Republicans and Democrats respond so differently to the pork barrel, once thought to be an unambiguous benefit to all members of Congress, and why the impact of pork barreling has varied over time. His central insight is that the electoral impact of pork depends on the type of benefits awarded and on levels of polarization. A rich historical account with persuasive theory and wide-ranging, sophisticated empirical analysis. -- Diana Evans, author of Greasing the Wheels: Using Pork Barrel Projects to Build Majority Coalitions in CongressA comprehensive and timely study, Pork Barrel Politics traces the history of distributive spending in Congress and its relation to Congressional elections at the primary and general election stages. Sidman finds that the effects of distributive benefits vary across parties, and can include significant indirect effects by deterring potential party primary challengers. -- Gregory Koger, University of MiamiWhile several scholars have found that Republicans do not benefit from pork barrel spending, this book engages in a more comprehensive analysis of the relationship between party and pork barrel spending, presents a more robust body of evidence and—most importantly—models the effects of party polarization. -- Daniel Palazzolo, author of The Speaker and the Budget: Leadership in the Post-Reform House of RepresentativesThought-provoking. . . . A book for anyone interested in federal spending, electoral politics, Congress, or political polarization. * Choice *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments1. Incumbents and Pork Barrel Politics2. Pursuing the Pork Barrel3. An Electoral History of the Pork Barrel4. Attitudes, Voting, and the Pork Barrel5. Challenges from Within the Party6. General-Election Challengers and Campaigns7. Election OutcomesConclusion NotesReferencesIndex

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Book SynopsisPatrick J. Charles charts the rise of gun rights activism from the early twentieth century through the 1980 presidential election, pinpointing the role of the 1968 Gun Control Act. Offering a deep dive into the politicization of gun rights, Vote Gun reveals the origins of the acrimonious divisions that persist to this day.Trade ReviewIn Vote Gun, Patrick Charles sheds light on the historical origins of the gun debate, drawing on painstaking archival research and challenging received wisdom about the historical role of the “gun lobby.” This book is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the balance of gun rights and regulation in the United States. -- Joseph Blocher, coauthor The Positive Second Amendment: Rights, Regulation, and the Future of HellerVote Gun challenges the NRA’s narrative of its own history, including the claim that it has the power to swing elections, as well as the conventional wisdom that the NRA only became a fierce gun lobby in the late 1970s. The book is an important history of the role of the gun rights movement, as well as the evolution of gun politics and policy, throughout the first eight decades of the twentieth century. -- Kristin Goss, coauthor of The Gun Debate: What Everyone Needs to KnowAn illuminating history of an oft-misunderstood political movement, Vote Gun is a thorough and persuasive account of the rise and transformation of gun rights politics. Patrick Charles is one of the most respected voices on gun law historiography, and this meticulous account will further cement that status. -- Eric Ruben, Southern Methodist University Dedman School of LawNo study has excavated NRA history to this depth and detail. The basic outlines of this narrative have been often told, but Charles here provides a degree of detail, nuance, and complexity that has not been brought to light until now. This alone makes it an important, and also highly readable, contribution. -- Robert J. Spitzer, author of The Gun Dilemma: How History Is Against Expanded Gun RightsThe story put together here is an important one. * National Review *Table of ContentsPrefaceIntroduction1. “A Shot Sure to Be Heard Around Congress”2. The Rise of the “Gun Lobby”3. The Great “Gun Lobby” Awakening4. A Political Synopsis of the Great “Gun Lobby” Awakening5. The Evolution of the NRA and Firearms Control Politics6. 1968: Firearms Control Becomes an Election Issue7. 1969–1970: The “No Compromise” Gun Rights Movement Arrives8. 1971–1974: Firearms Control Politics and the Saturday Night Special9. 1974–1980: The Gun Rights ReformationEpilogueNotesIndex

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Book SynopsisExplores the complicated history of the suffrage movement in New York State by delving into the stories of women who opposed the expansion of voting rights to women.Trade Review"Goodier has demonstrated the important role the Great War played in affecting domestic political campaigns. Any scholar interested in woman's rights, conservatism, or New York history will learn a tremendous amount from the work. And no future scholar studying either the suffrage movement or the anti-suffrage campaign will be able to think about the subject without first taking Goodier's analysis into full consideration."--The Hudson River Valley Review "Goodier provides a compelling study of the female-led anti-suffrage movement in New York. A valuable addition to the study of women's suffrage and voting in the US. Highly recommended."--Choice "Goodier adds to the historical discussion an emphasis on the interaction between the "suffs" and the "antis" and her focus on the differing impact of World War I on the anti-suffrage movement is also important. Another significant contribution of the work is to highlight the fact that antisuffrage women did not share the suffragists' dilemma over whether to join the traditional political parties after ratification."--The Journal of American History"This book rescues at last some of the anti-suffragists from their stereotyped oblivion as the puppets of hostile male interests and reintroduces them as committed activist women who disagreed with suffragists for their own carefully considered reasons. Thus it is a valuable contribution to suffrage studies that enriches our understanding of the complexities and consequences of this important movement."--American Historical Review"A valuable contribution to suffrage studies that enriches our understanding of the complexities and consequences of this important movement."--American Historical Review"By focusing on New York, Goodier is able to devote particular attention to two suffrage referenda that took place in that state in 1915 and 1917, and here she makes an important contribution to scholarship. . . . An innovative account of the 1917 New York referendum that will command the attention of all scholars who seek to understand the vicissitudes of the women's movement."--The Journal of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era"No Votes for Women fills an important gap in the current historical literature about suffrage and anti-suffrage movements. For the first time, Goodier describes the complicated, creative, and energetic dance of point and counter-point that suffragists and anti-suffragists created, revealing the ways in which suffragists and anti-suffragists learned from each other. A path-breaking work."--Judith Wellman, author of The Road to Seneca Falls: Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the First Woman's Rights Convention

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Book SynopsisRevealing the relationship between presidential campaign agendas and policymakingTrade Review "An interesting and provocative book with a lot to offer scholars of both political behavior and political institutions. . . . this book is highly original and provocative, and it points to a new way of thinking about accountability."--Public Opinion Quarterly "A pleasure to read. This beautifully written and important contribution to the literature on the presidency is grounded in its equal attention to citizens and elites and will be of interest to students and scholars of American politics, presidential campaigns, and democratic representation."--Tracy Sulkin, author of Issue Politics in Congress"Highly original and provocative. . . . points out a new way of thinking about accountability."--Public Opinion Quarterly"Recommended."--ChoiceTable of ContentsIllustrations vii Acknowledgments ix Introduction: Campaigning for Accountability 1 1. The Meaning of Presidential Accountability 9 2. Agenda Accountability in Action 25 3. Campaigning on Issues 41 4. Hearing the Campaign 56 5. Candidate Messages and Citizen Expectations 72 6. Campaign Connections and Presidential Evaluations 90 7. Beyond the Voting Booth: Clinton 1993 and Obama 2009 114 8. Campaign-Driven Accountability 148 Appendix A: Most Frequently Aired Ads in 2000 161 Appendix B: Estimated Models for Chapter 4 165 Appendix C: Estimated Models for Chapter 5 169 Notes 175 References 187 Index 201

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Book SynopsisIn 1907, physician Lawrence A. Nixon fled the racial violence of central Texas to settle in the border town of El Paso. There he became a community and civil rights leader. His victories in two Supreme Court decisions paved the way for dismantling all-white political primaries across the South. Will Guzmán delves into Nixon's lifelong struggle against Jim Crow. Linking Nixon's activism to his independence from the white economy, support from the NAACP, and the man's own indefatigable courage, Guzmán also sheds light on Nixon's presence in symbolic and literal borderlands--as an educated professional in a time when few went to college, as an African American who made waves when most feared violent reprisal, and as someone living on the mythical American frontier as well as an international boundary. A powerful addition to the literature on African Americans in the Southwest, Civil Rights in the Texas Borderlands explores seldom-studied corners of the Black past and the civil rigTrade ReviewC. Calvin Smith Award, Southern Conference on African American Studies (SCAASI), 2016. "Guzmán adroitly opens a window onto the relations between African Americans, Mexican Americans, and Anglos while illuminating the challenges and barriers Dr. Nixon confronted as he labored to keep bodies well and hope alive." --Darlene Clark Hine, author of Black Victory: The Rise and Fall of the Texas White Primary "This book breaks new ground in an area scholars have seldom tackled. Highly recommended."--Choice "An ambitious and courageous professional and activist, Nixon's life and works rightfully deserve scholarly attention. With his exploration of archival and oral history sources, Will Guzman has undertaken an important subject."--Southern Spaces "A much-needed addition to borderlands, U.S. West, and African American scholarship."--West Texas Historical Review"Guzmán's engaging and accessible writing style really brings this story to life, making it a perfect fit for undergraduate and graduate students as well as general audiences. --Civil Rights in the Texas Borderlands is a must read for anyone interested in Texas history, African American history, and the Southwest borderlands." --Western Historical Quarterly"This worthwhile study contributes to borderlands history and the literature on black physicians in the civil rights movement, and it shifts the Jim Crow terrain to the American Southwest."--Journal of Southern History"Will Guzmán has written an excellent, thorough life story of one of the twentieth century's most influential civil rights activists."--Southwestern Historical Quarterly"Guzmán's narrative establishes Nixon's importance for the equal rights campaigns in El Paso and explains convincingly how his actions, decisions, and legal battles influenced the national movement."--Journal of African American History "Will Guzmán's gracefully written biography of Dr. Lawrence A. Nixon is a valuable addition to studies of the borderlands and the political and civil rights struggles of residents in underserved communities. Guzmán adroitly opens a window onto the relations between African Americans, Mexican Americans, and Anglos while illuminating the challenges and barriers Dr. Nixon confronted as he labored to keep bodies well and hope alive."--Darlene Clark Hine, author of Black Victory: The Rise and Fall of the Texas White Primary "Will Guzmán restores Lawrence A. Nixon to his proper place as one of the borderland's leading African American physicians and a pioneering opponent of Jim Crow."--Karl Jacoby, author of Shadows at Dawn: An Apache Massacre and the Violence of History "More than a biography, Will Guzmán's book offers a fresh window onto the U.S.-Mexico borderlands. Guzmán skillfully brings together African American history, western history, Chicana/o history, and the history of medicine into a fascinating and lively account of civil rights pioneer Lawrence Nixon."--Pablo Mitchell, author of Coyote Nation: Sexuality, Race, and Conquest in Modernizing New Mexico, 1880–1920 "This well-researched book makes a major contribution to multiple fields including Black studies, Chicano studies, the civil rights movement, and the history of medicine."--Gerald Horne, author of Black and Brown: African Americans and the Mexican Revolution, 1910–1920

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Book SynopsisA gripping narrative of politics and the Presidency in time of warTrade ReviewDavid M. Jordan tells the story of the 1944 presidential election, and he tells it very well. In a clearly written, well-researched narrative he describes the various contenders for the Republican nomination, which eventually went to Thomas E. Dewey. * Journal of American History *This book alone proves Jordan has what it takes to allow the reader to check out of present day and visit a time period like no other in history. I commend him for that because he allowed me to do so. * thepoliticsofjamiesanderson.blogspot *[Jordan's] writing style is superb. He has a sense of narrative cadence and a dramatic rhythm reminiscent of an earlier chronicler of presidential campaigns, Theodore White. . . . Jordan exudes a gift for characterization and an eye for a quotation. * Intl Social Science Review *Jordan provides a detailed account of the 'infighting and horse-trading' of this hard-fought, wartime campaign. * Survival *This is a fun volume on an often overlooked presidential contest. . . . This book is worth it for the political junkie who wants to check the 1944 election off their list. -- Karl Rove[T]his book is informative, interesting (especially for the political history geek) and suspenseful in spite of the fact that we all know how the story is going to end. * bookish.livejournal.com *Table of ContentsPreface and AcknowledgmentsPrologue: An Evening at the Statler1. A Nation at War2. Politics in Midwar3. The Republicans4. The Democrats5. Willkie Pushes Hard6. President and Congress7. Wendell in Wonderland8. The Bandwagon Rolling9. It Looks Like Dewey10. The Republican Convention11. Meanwhile, the Democrats12. The Ailing President13. Will Roosevelt Run?14. Who Runs with Roosevelt?15. The Democrats Arrive in Chicago16. Democrats in Convention17. Campaign on the High Seas18. The Republicans Go to Work19. Dewey Heads West20. The Battle Is On21. The October Campaign Kicks In22. Death in October23. Dewey on the Offensive24. FDR Strikes Back25. Down to the Wire26. Bricker's Campaign27. The Man from Missouri28. The Last Days29. Election Day30. Summing UpEpilogue: The Fourth TermNotesBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisIn Ecological Ethics and the Human Soul: Aquinas, Whitehead, and the Metaphysics of Value, Francisco J. Benzoni addresses the pervasive and destructive view that there is a moral gulf between human beings and other creatures. Thomas Aquinas, whose metaphysics entails such a moral gulf, holds that human beings are ultimately separate from nature. Alfred North Whitehead, in contrast, maintains that human beings are continuous with the rest of nature. These different metaphysical systems demand different ethical stances toward creation.Benzoni analyzes and challenges Thomas''s understanding of the human soul, his primary justification for the moral separation, arguing that it is finally philosophically untenable. The author finds promising the alternative metaphysics of Whitehead, for whom human beings are a part of natureeven if the highest part; all creatures have a degree of subjectivity and creativity, and thus all have intrinsic value and moral worth, independent oTrade Review“Eminently clear in concept and analysis, profound in insight, and precise in reasoning, this book not only contributes a distinguished study of Aquinas but also reshapes contemporary ecological ethics by relating it to basic issues of metaphysics. Both subsequent moral theory attentive to Aquinas and subsequent formulations of ecological ethics will be incomplete without taking account of Benzoni's argument.” —Franklin I. Gamwell, Shailer Mathews Distinguished Service Professor of Religious Ethics, the Philosophy of Religion, and Theology, The University of Chicago Divinity School“In the introduction and conclusion, Francisco Benzoni makes clear the broader significance of this work for the field of ecological ethics and the future well-being of the human species on this earth. One can learn a great deal about the philosophy of both Aquinas and Whitehead in working through these pages.” —Joseph Bracken, Xavier University“Aquinas believes that humans are finally separate from nature and that the former have moral worth and the latter does not; Whitehead believes that all entities exist along a metaphysical spectrum and all creatures have some degree of moral worth. Taking these two positions as a starting point, Benzoni explores such topics as the metaphysical grounding of goodness, the soul as an entity, and intrinsic value and moral worth.” —Research Book News“Benzoni does an admirable job once again in managing to present very challenging and complex material in a clear and accessibly way. Benzoni's focus on the metaphysics of the soul as the primary basis for the bifurcation of humans from non-humans is both interesting and suggestive. His critique of Aquinas should interest anyone concerned with the metaphysics of value and its history, and his sketch of a Whiteheadian alternative will also be helpful to anyone interested in rethinking our place within nature and the general scheme of things.” —Philosophy in Review“Benzoni's excellent and challenging work is a densely argued analysis of the metaphysical foundations of ethical systems, mainly those of Thomas Aquinas and Alfred North Whitehead, with a view to providing an adequate basis for an ethical understanding of the ecological crisis facing the world today. Highly recommended.” —Catholic Books Review“Benzoni’s contribution to environmental ethics is to present a careful analysis of why Thomas Aquinas’ metaphysical theory is wrong, and to propose that of Alfred North Whitehead in its stead. Benzoni’s exposition is valuable in being accessible to an inquirer, and particularly to one coming from the scholastic tradition of Thomas Aquinas.” —Environmental Ethics

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Book SynopsisBrazil has been troubled by political corruption in recent years. The essays in this book diagnose areas of strength, weakness, and potential improvement in Brazilian politics.Trade Review"Timothy Power and Matthew Taylor have produced a compelling, comprehensive volume on accountability dynamics in Brazil that will inform future policy and research regarding corruption. The analyses in this book raise important questions for practitioners and for the general public. In pursuit of answers to these questions, this team of researchers does not sugarcoat matters. They document dimensions of improved accountability as well as resilient dynamics of impunity. This well-organized book is accessible to academics, policy makers, and students." —Charles H. Blake, James Madison University"Corruption stories are often told as lurid tales of individual greed. This book persuasively insists instead that corruption and the responses to it are embedded deep in national institutions—one might say they are politics by other means. This first-rate collection presents a powerful analysis of recent Brazilian democracy in practice, showing how accountability institutions have greatly strengthened since the transition to democracy, while remaining weak in ways that undermine citizens' trust in their government. While closely focused on Brazil, the book also embodies an approach worth emulating for studying corruption elsewhere." —Kathryn Hochstetler, University of Waterloo“By focusing on the largest democracy in Latin America, Brazil, a country with both a history vexed by political corruption and an elaborate web of accountability-enhancing institutions and organizations, Timothy Power and Matthew Taylor have produced a study of extraordinary value for comparative politics. They have gathered a rich array of original research by top scholars on major areas of the network of accountability. Each chapter answers the editors’ core questions regarding how corruption operates, can be detected, and is preventable, while making clear those aspects that remain a drag on Brazil’s quality of democracy.” —Alfred P. Montero, Carleton College“This is a timely, insightful, and cohesive volume that will greatly benefit students of Brazil and analysts of corruption in developing countries. The authors are very much on top of their subject matter, much of which is not easily accessible in the academic literature despite the emphasis on corruption being so pervasive and harmful.”—Wendy Hunter, University of Texas, Austin“Among Latin American countries, Brazil has the reputation of being most corrupt. . . . The present volume addresses the institutional development of accountability that is being fleshed out by civil and governmental groups in the press, the electoral system, the legislative controls, the various police units, and the courts. The analysis is penetrating. . . . Recommended for all Latin American collections and those concerned with transparency.” —Choice“The contributors to this volume are professionals in their fields with extensive experiences in researching governmental processes and cultures as well as familiarity with Brazil’s bureaucracy.” —Colonial Latin American Historical Review“This insightful discussion of the ways in which Brazilian institutions combine to make corruption all but inevitable provides a convincing opening argument for the editors’ case that it is institutional design, and not the personal proclivities of political actors, that have so firmly entrenched the culture of corruption in Brazil.” —International Law and Politics

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Book SynopsisThe book evaluates America’s new political landscape in light of the 2008 election and examines presidential politics, foreign policy, history, and celebrity culture.Trade Review“Readers who enjoy the works of the great International Herald Tribune columnist William Pfaff and the estimable New York Times reporter and columnist Thomas Friedman will find comparable delight in Schmuhl’s book. . . . [T]he book ranges confidently across presidential politics, foreign policy, history, the celebrity culture and the present crisis of the news business, all with impressively sure footing.” —Chicago Tribune“Bob Schmuhl is the guy I read when I want to understand how things political, cultural, and journalistic interact—and how the world works as a result. He’s an analyst who is cool and collected, and so it’s cool to know that he’s collected, between two covers.” —David M. Shribman, Pulitzer Prize winner and executive editor of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette“I’ve known and respected the work of Bob Schmuhl my entire professional life. This expanded version of his work shines with enthusiasm for journalism, American culture, and the English language.” —Roy Peter Clark, senior scholar, The Poynter Institute, and author of Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer

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Book SynopsisThis book analyzes how the behavior of voters, parties, and the mass media in European Parliament elections affects domestic politics and how, in turn, domestic politics affects those behaviors. The contributors discuss election turnout and party choice, the contract between the European Parliament and national elections, the importance of citizens'' attitudes toward European integration, the relationship between political parties'' domestic policies and their stances on European integration, and the ways in which the mass media and election campaigns affect electoral outcomes. On the basis of this information, the authors present possible scenarios for future European elections and their relationship to the domestic politics of the EU member-states.The product of superb empirical research, European Elections and Domestic Politics is based on a unique combination of data from voter surveys, party manifestos, and mass media reports across all members of the European UTrade Review“Political and communications scholars from across the continent came together as the European Elections Study Group in 1988, and have been analyzing European parliament elections since then. Here they address some questions that arise because when people vote for the European Parliament, they cannot stop thinking about electoral processes, voters, political parties, mass media, and other elements of the mere national dimension.” —Research Book News“This is the most comprehensive book ever written on European Parliament elections. For the first time, the latest research on voter turnout, voting behavior, party manifestos, election outcomes, the effect of the elections on national politics, and media coverage of European Parliament elections has been brought together in a single volume.” —Simon Hix, London School of Economics“This book represents the best of the intersection on EU studies and the study of comparative European politics. This sort of scholarship is the cornerstone of those interested in the domestic politics of European integration. . . a work of the first order of quality.” —Paul Taggart, University of Sussex“The definitive analysis of elections to the European Parliament, by a first-rate line-up of scholars, this study provides a masterclass on understanding the way that European elections, national politics, and the process of EU integration interact in complex and unexpected ways. An invaluable study for those interested in elections and voting behavior, European democracy, comparative politics, political communications, and political parties.” —Pippa Norris, Director, Democratic Governance Group, United Nations Development Program and John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University

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