National liberation and independence Books

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

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis title describes the brutal impact of capitalism and colonialism on both the colonizer and the colonized, exposing the contradictions and hypocrisy implicit in western notions of progress and civilisation.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThomas Paine was born in1737 at Thetford, Norfolk in England, as a son of a Quaker. He immigrated to America in 1774. There he published works criticising the slavery and supporting American independence. He became very popular but returned to England where he became involved in the French Revolution. After that he returned to America where he died in 1802.Isaac Kramnick is Professor of Government at Cornell University and has edited of The Federalist Papers and the Thomas Paine Reader.Table of ContentsBackground to the American Revolution, 1776 from staymaker to revolutionary - the life and career of Tom Paine; the argument of common sense; Bourgeois radicalism - the ideology of Tom Paine; Paine and the American bicentennial. Common sense: introduction; of the origin and design of government in general of monarchy and hereditary succession; thoughts on the present state of American affairs; of the present ability of America, with some miscellaneous reflexions. Appendix: to the representatives of the religious society of the people called Quakers.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom 1926 onward, Sinn Féin, which had been instrumental in the revolutionary period of 1919–23, faded into oblivion. This book unravels a chapter of history that has not been dealt with in detail until now, although the operation of the party raises fundamental questions on issues such as democracy and the role of history in the construction of a national narrative. Through a close analysis of newspaper reports, fortnightly Standing committee minutes, and interviews carried out by the author, it looks at the manner in which the party operated and put itself forward as the guardian of Republicanism in Ireland. The book offers a valuable insight into the meaning of Republicanism, and its narrative represents an integral part of the political and social fabric of contemporary Irish society, which will be of relevance to academics and to all readers with an interest in Irish republicanism.Table of ContentsIntroduction1. Pragmatism versus principles, 1923–322. Oblivion, 1932–19453. The Funds Case, 1941–19484. Sinn Féin, 'political wing' of the IRA, 1948–69Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe World in a Grain of Sand offers a framework for reading literature from the global South that goes against the grain of dominant theories in cultural studies, especially, postcolonial theory. It critiques the valorization of the local in cultural theories typically accompanied by a rejection of universal categories - viewed as Eurocentric projections. But the privileging of the local usually amounts to an exercise in exoticization of the South. The book argues that the rejection of Eurocentric theories can be complemented by embracing another, richer and non-parochial form of universalism. Through readings of texts from India, Sri Lanka, Palestine and Egypt, the book shows that the fine grained engagement with culture, the mapping of ordinary lives not just as objects but subjects of their history, is embedded in much of postcolonial literature in a radical universalism - one that is rooted in local realities, but is able to unearth in them the needs, conflicts and desires that stretch across cultures and time. It is a universalism recognized by Marx and steeped in the spirit of anti-colonialism, but hostile to any whiff of exoticism.Trade ReviewPraise for The Other Side of Terror An Anthology of Writings on Terrorism in South Asia:"A brave attempt to locate political violence in a milieu that neocons are averse to. It succeeds in raising questions that the establishment seeks to drown in its shrill rhetoric and shattering sounds of carpet-bombing." * New Indian Express *Praise for The Other Side of Terror An Anthology of Writings on Terrorism in South Asia:"The anthology aims to give the subject of terror a genealogy other than the one ascribed to it by the Bush doctrine, to examine its impacts in places other than the United States of the 21st century, but most importantly to allow us to engage with the phenomenon in the most complex, situated, historicized, and empathetic way possible. The attempt to canvas literature to make these arguments is quite unique." -- Aparna Sundar * Against The Current *Praise for The Other Side of Terror An Anthology of Writings on Terrorism in South Asia:"It privileges literary texts as forms of media where imaginative and empathetic dialogues can be forged with the histories of occluded and supposedly silent others." -- Amit R Baishya * North East Review *Praise for The Other Side of Terror An Anthology of Writings on Terrorism in South Asia:"An attempt to represent a holistic view that is contrary to the new global understanding of terrorism with rich philosophical insights [and] an innovative way to counter the idea of methodological universalism in understanding social reality." -- Bhagat Oinam * South Asian Popular Culture *A bracing critique of postcolonial orthodoxy from a standpoint decisively to the left of it. Some books are enjoyable but not necessary; this one is both. -- Terry EagletonA bracing critique of postcolonial orthodoxy from a standpoint decisively to the left of it. Some books are enjoyable but not necessary; this one is both. -- Terry EagletonMore than three decades after its intellectual and institutional beginnings, postcolonial theory must still learn to read-and how not to read-postcolonial literature. So argues, convincingly, Nivedita Majumdar in this careful and militantly progressive new work of postcolonial literary criticism and interpretation. A theory launched by high poststructuralism and a then stylish postmodernism's cult of difference and allergy to universals trips over literary narratives that, on the contrary, have everything to do with the concrete universals inseparable from struggles against gender and class oppression. Whether, as Majumdar carefully demonstrates, these narratives (here mostly Anglo- and, refreshingly, non-Anglo-Indian) ultimately prove to be truthful reflections of such struggles and their underlying social realities or not, their genuinely critical reading presupposes a radical universalism at odds with many of the originating texts of postcolonial theory-a theory that Majumdar here goes a long way towards rectifying and redeeming. -- Neil LarsenIn crisp, honest, prose, Majumdar treats the academy's postcolonial royalty with remarkable candor in a series of sharp, often acerbic, close readings. We too often call dissent what are really acts of accommodation, she argues, and ignore the real-world fiction of the periphery - the work, say, of Sharatchandra Chattopadhyay, Mahasweta Devi, and A. Sivanandan - who take their stand not with a classless "difference" but with radical universalism. A compelling case that the darling texts of the Western awards industry (the novels of Ondaatje, Lahiri, and Neel Mukherjee) reflect troubling neo-Orientalist or neoliberal ideas. -- Timothy BrennanIn this vigorously discriminating and deeply engaged book, Professor Majumdar seeks to restore to Postcolonial Studies its pristine political purpose. Going beyond or behind the pervasive complicities of the Postcolonial with Cultural Studies, World Literature and the New Left, she argues for a more meaningful resistance based on the older certitudes of class struggle. She proposes an alternative Postcolonial canon in which the little-known Sharatchandra and Sivanandan are put forward as being more particular and therefore more universal than liberal global figures such as Tagore and Ondaatje. This return to the local, in her affirmation, is a more radical and universalist new turn. -- Harish Trivedi, University of Delhi

Read more less

Book SynopsisKenyan novelist and playwright Ngugi wa Thiong'o is the author of WEEP NOT CHILD (1964), THE RIVER BETWEEN (1965), and PETALS OF BLOOD (1977). Ngugi was chair of the Department of Literature at the University of Nairobi from 1972 to 1977. He left Kenya in 1982 and taught at various universities in the United States before he became professor of comparative literature and performance studies at New York University in 1992.

Read more less

Book Synopsis''Essential reading ... will not be bettered'' Ferdinand Mount, Wall Street Journal''Gandhi''s finest biographer'' David Kynaston, GuardianThe magnificent new biography of Gandhi by India''s leading historianA New York Times Notable Book of 2018Gandhi lived one of the great 20th-century lives. He inspired and enraged, challenged and galvanized many millions of men and women around the world. He lived almost entirely in the shadow of the British Raj, which for much of his life seemed a permanent fact, but which he did more than anyone else to destroy, using revolutionary tactics. In a world defined by violence on a scale never imagined before and by ferocious Fascist and Communist dictatorship, he was armed with nothing more than his arguments and example.This magnificent book tells the story of Gandhi''s life, from his departure from South Africa to his assassination in 1948. It is a book with a Tolstoyan sweep, both allowing us to see Gandhi as he was understood by his contemporaries and the vast, varied Indian societies and landscapes which he travelled through and changed beyond measure. Drawing on many new sources and animated by its author''s wonderful sense of drama and politics, Gandhi is a major reappraisal of the crucial years in this titanic figure''s story.Trade ReviewGandhi: The Years That Changed the World will not be bettered, and it is essential reading even for those who do not think of themselves as India buffs, because Gandhi is a maker of our whole modern world -- Ferdinand Mount * Wall Street Journal *Gandhi's finest biographer. -- David Kynaston * Guardian *Magisterial . . . balanced and brilliantly readable . . . This biography reads like the final word on its subject. . . . In fact, this masterly assessment should serve for several generations, and for non-Indians as well -- Bernard Porter * Literary Review *Ramachandra Guha is as dogged a researcher as Gandhi was an agitator. . . . [This book] is the most exhaustive account yet of Gandhi's temporal and spiritual crusades. A vivid and absorbing read. . . . Gandhi's character and mission demands rigorous exploration and Guha weaves together the narrative as deftly as Gandhi's homespun cloth. . . . A remarkable, pioneering leader who changed the world and still has much to teach us ... a monumental biography -- Tarquin Hall * Sunday Times *Unearths fascinating nuggets about India's complex hero ... Guha has scoured archives to search out fascinating nuggets and he marshals them with skill. -- Mihir Bose * Irish Times *A thoroughly researched and well-written account and a faithful chronicle * New Statesman *Deeply affecting * Financial Times *Ramachandra Guha's magisterial biography illuminates the public and private man * Economist *A portrait of a complex man whose remarkable tenacity remained constant, even when his beliefs changed. It is also extraordinarily intimate ... approaches Gandhi on his own terms while trying not to gloss over his flaws ... a fair, thorough and nuanced portrait of the man. Gandhi spoke for himself more than most people in history, but even the most controlling people cannot control how history sees them. Guha lets Gandhi appear on his own terms, and allows him to reveal himself in all his contradictions. -- Alex von Tunzelmann * The New York Times *Through Gandhi's life, a reminder that we have forgotten the value of religious pluralism and the virtues of non-violence he wants to narrate Gandhi's life for today's generation. It is a courageous and worthwhile endeavour, even if Guha admits in the epilogue that we have forgotten the lessons Gandhi taught us: the value of religious pluralism, and the virtues of non-violence and civil disobedience. Guha is the quintessential story teller. He displaces Gandhi from the pedestal generations have placed him on. He shows us a man who was known for taking political time by the forelock, for shaping history, and for his readiness to admit his own mistakes. -- Neera Chandhoke * The Hindu *

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThe best history of Greece around... Beautifully written and packed with insights about the culture and the people. I will be dipping into this book for the rest of my life. -- Victoria Hislop * The Week *His new book - judicious, well-researched and commendably up-to-date - deserves to be the standard general history of modern Greece in English for years to come. * Financial Times *This book explores the history, not of a Greece of romantic or philhellenic imagination, but the reality of the country as it has become today. The empathy it evokes for the survival of modern Greek statehood against a recurring pattern of often existential crisis is all the more compelling, subtle and above all human in its many-sidedness. Beaton's account instantly becomes the single most outstanding treatment of its subject and shows us why - as Lord Palmerston expressed it succinctly for his own times - 'Greece' is an emotional word that still matters to contemporary society. -- Professor Robert HollandA wonderfully engaging narrative ... It is a superb achievement and to be recommended to anyone with even the most rudimentary interest -- Professor Kevin FeatherstoneA perceptive analysis of Greece's financial crisis, the embers of which continue to threaten to derail the single currency project of the EU * Country Life *Praise for Byron's War: Indispensable * Literary Review *

Read more less

Book SynopsisOver several centuries, England imposed itself by force and by treaty on the other three nations of the Hiberno-British Isles to form its own English Empire. For much of its life, the United Kingdom has only endured out of shared interest in overseas territorial expansion--a British Empire built on slavery. In his new history, Victor Bulmer-Thomas charts the slow rise and rapid decline of English imperialism at home, from the fourteenth century to the present. When independence movements in the colonies began challenging the British Empire, a Commonwealth was constructed to hold together both former imperial possessions--including the Irish Free State-- and the four nations of the internal empire. The Commonwealth was later supplanted by the European Economic Community, but Europe's potential as a long-term source of cohesion for the UK was dashed when the English voted to leave the EU in 2016, dragging the whole UK with them. With Empire, Commonwealth and Europe all gone, British unity is more fragile than ever. Facing the prospect of an independent Scotland, a reunited Ireland and an increasingly autonomous Wales, England may yet have to acknowledge its forgotten history as an aggressive imperial force on Britain's own, often unwilling, soil.Trade Review‘This is a remarkable book, remarkable in the considerable period it covers, from the early Middle Ages virtually to last year, for the immense complexity of the issues discussed and the clarity with which they are expounded, for the manner in which the four nations are addressed in turn, and finally remarkable for the boldness with which recent controversies such as Brexit are approached. . . [This is] a brave and formidable book, enterprisingly exploring the nature of identities in all four nations of the Hibernian and British Isles.’ — John M. MacKenzie, The Round Table

Read more less

Book SynopsisShould Wales leave the UK? It’s a conversation that has – unfairly – been all but disregarded by many, including some of the Welsh themselves, with all the focus on their Celtic cousins in Scotland. But independence movements are gaining momentum across Europe, and Wales will be a key voice in these debates. Support for Welsh autonomy is at an all-time high, with the latest polls suggesting as many as one in three are in favour. This is not just unprecedented; it is all but revolutionary. Scotland’s 2014 referendum taught us that once the independence genie is out of the bottle, it does not go back in. Meanwhile, the Brexit campaign demonstrated that these arguments come with inflated claims, misinformation and scaremongering that can easily poison a complex debate. In Independent Nation, Will Hayward brings nuance back to the arena for this crucial national conversation. Brimming with interviews from experts and painting a detailed, colourful picture of the realities of life in Wales – from extreme poverty and disconnected infrastructure to expensive urban regeneration and cafés of Gavin and Stacey fame – this is an open-eyed look at the truths and falsehoods around the country’s future. Impartial, informed and thoroughly entertaining, Independent Nation raises the standard of debate around an issue that will affect us all.

Read more less

Book SynopsisEarly in life, Walter Rodney became a major revolutionary figure in a dizzying range of locales that traversed the breadth of the Black diaspora: in North America and Europe, in the Caribbean and on the African continent. He was not only a witness of a Pan-African and socialist internationalism; in his efforts to build mass organizations, catalyze rebellious ferment, and theorize an anti-colonial path to self-emancipation, he can be counted among its prime authors. Decolonial Marxism records such a life by collecting previously unbound essays written during the world-turning days of Black revolution. In drawing together pages where he elaborates on the nexus of race and class, offers his reflections on radical pedagogy, outlines programs for newly independent nation-states, considers the challenges of anti-colonial historiography, and produces balance sheets for a dozen wars for national liberation, this volume captures something of the range and power of Rodney's output. But it also demonstrates the unbending consistency that unites his life and work: the ongoing reinvention of living conception of Marxism, and a respect for the still untapped potential of mass self-rule.Trade ReviewIf Walter Rodney's assassins were under the impression that they could arrest the flow of his ideas by destroying his body, they could have not been more wrong ... In the context of the new resistance to global capitalism, his captivating analysis resonates more than ever before. -- Angela Davis, author of Women, Race and ClassRodney's perspective is alive, dazzling with the potential of revolution. -- Vijay Prashad, author of The Poorer Nations and Director of the Tricontinental Institute for Social ResearchHighly original ... It is very rare to find a thinker in the contemporary world who is equally committed to both theory and action and perhaps Rodney is one those few who does it seamlessly and that is what marks him as unique. -- Viswesh Rammohan * Marx & Philosophy *Walter Rodney galvanised liberation by awakening radical Pan-African consciousness ... [Decolonial Marxism's] messages are consequential for our day and age. -- Donari Yahzid * Race & Class *Table of ContentsEditorial Note IntroductionPart 1: Marxist Theory and Mass Action1. A Brief Tribute to Amilcar Cabral2. Masses in Action3. Marxism and African Liberation4. Marxism as a Third World Ideology 5. Labour as a Conceptual Framework for Pan-African Studies 6. The Angolan QuestionPart 2: Development and Underdevelopment7. The Historical Roots of African Underdevelopment8. Problems of Third World Development 9. Slavery and UnderdevelopmentPart 3: Their Pedagogy and Ours10. The British Colonialist School of African Historiography and the Question of African Independence11. Education in Colonial Africa 12. Education in Africa and Contemporary TanzaniaPart 4: Building Socialism13. Tanzanian Ujamaa and Scientific Socialism14. Class Contradictions in Tanzania 15. Transition 16. Decolonization

Read more less

Book SynopsisEd Moloney has been Northern Ireland Editor of both the Irish Times and the Sunday Tribune. He has written for a wide range of newspapers and magazines in Ireland, the UK and the USA. In 1999 he was Irish Journalist of the Year. He currently lives in New York.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn accessible overview of Ireland's War of Independence, 1919-21. From the first shooting of RIC constables in Soloheadbeg, Co Tipperary, on 21 January 1919 to the truce in July 1921, the IRA carried out a huge range of attacks on all levels of British rule in Ireland.

Read more less

Book Synopsis ‘This is history bursting at the seams with English eccentrics and Indian gentry…the charm of Tunzelmann’s approach is to restore her cast to full and vital life’ Observer‘A compelling narrative, sometimes controversial, occasionally perverse, never boring or unintelligent’ SpectatorFully revised and updated for the 70th anniversary. The stroke of midnight on 15 August 1947 liberated 400 million Indians from the British Empire. One of the defining moments of world history had been brought about by a tiny number of people, including Jawaharlal Nehru, the fiery prime minister-to-be; Gandhi, the mystical figure who enthralled a nation; and Louis and Edwina Mountbatten, the glamorous but unlikely couple who had been dispatched to get Britain out of India without delay. Within hours of the midnight chimes, however, the two new nations of India and Pakistan would descend into ana

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn inspiring and intersectional re-imagining of the path to liberation in PalestineTrade Review'An inspiring call to action that deconstructs the many oppressive systems we currently find ourselves struggling against, and shows us the way forward' -- Adam Horowitz, Executive Editor at Mondoweiss'The book our movements deserve. Crafted from decades of transnational activism, Nada Elia brilliantly weaves together the challenges of our time and the political frameworks necessary to overcome them' -- Noura Erakat, Associate Professor at Rutgers University, New Brunswick in Africana Studies and the Program in Criminal Justice'I am so grateful that a book such as Greater Than the Sum of Our Parts finally exists! Reading it felt like drinking cold water on a parched day. The writing is bold and brave, the analysis clear-sighted and unflinching. And yet somehow, on top of all this, the book is full of heart, fierce love and radical empathy. A must read' -- Jen Marlowe, author of 'I Am Troy Davis' and 'The Hour of Sunlight''Offers a new map altogether: a map of survival, possibility, and hope. Like the Palestinian struggle for freedom itself, this map is collective, collaborative, built on and for radical love' -- Sherene Seikaly, Associate Professor, Department of History, University of California, Santa Barbara'A compelling, even irresistible case for moving beyond rights and statehood for Palestine to a truly decolonial future. Grounded in the analysis of actual struggles, the book is informed by Elia's commitment to abolitionist feminist practice, which reorients the vision of what a post-Zionist Palestine could look like in crucial ways. Defined by solidarity rather than exceptionalism, this is a truly necessary book' -- David Lloyd, Department of English, University of California, US‘A book about community, resistance, and hope … heart-wrenching, inspirational’ -- ‘Mondoweiss’‘Provides a unique view into the problems of Palestine and the resourcefulness of indigenous people, feminists, and the LGBTQ community globally’ -- ‘Palestine Chronicle’‘Probes us to ask: where do we believe knowledge lies? What does it mean to practise solidarity across differences? How can we work to build a liberated future? Read the book, ask yourself these questions, and then organise to answer them – our liberation depends on it.’ -- ‘Red Pepper’‘A book of hope and purpose … an important contribution to the Palestinian fight for self-determination’ -- ‘Bella Caledonia’Table of ContentsIntroduction Part One: Unsettling Indigeneity 1. From Cowboys to Indians: Zionism’s Opportunistic Discourse 2. On this Land: Indigenous Struggles from Turtle Island to Palestine Part Two: Overcoming State-Sanctioned Settler Supremacy 3. Déjà Vu: The Apartheid Analogy 4. Lessons Learned: Looking Forward Part Three: We Teach Life, Sir 5. Social and Political Liberation 6. Conclusion: Beyond Boundaries: Greater than the Sum of Our Parts

Read more less

Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE DUFF COOPER PRIZE 2021SHORTLISTED FOR THE RUNCIMAN AWARD 2022A NEW STATESMAN AND TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT BOOK OF THE YEAR 2021''Deserves to remain the standard treatment of the subject in English for many decades to come'' Roderick Beaton, Times Literary SupplementIn the exhausted, repressive years that followed Napoleon''s defeat in 1815, there was one cause that came to galvanize countless individuals across Europe and the United States: freedom for Greece.Mark Mazower''s wonderful new book recreates one of the most compelling, unlikely and significant events in the story of modern Europe. In the face of near impossible odds, the people of the villages, valleys and islands of Greece rose up against Sultan Mahmud II and took on the might of the imperial Ottoman armed forces, its Turkish cavalrymen, Albanian foot soldiers and the fearsome Egyptians. Despite the most terrible disasters, they helTrade ReviewThe Greek Revolution offers the best and fullest explanation, to date, for a series of events whose effects would change the entire geopolitics of Europe. Written with compassion and understanding for the human cost of that achievement, it deserves to remain the standard treatment of the subject in English for many decades to come. -- Roderick Beaton * Times Literary Supplement *Exquisite detail, altogether impressive ... a cornucopia of revolution. -- Gerard DeGroot * The Times *Compelling and disturbing, enriched by many new sources and excellent colour illustrations, and paying attention to the role of Ottomans and Albanians as well as Greeks, Mazower's book will become the standard account of this crucial revolution. -- Philip Mansel * The Spectator *An engaging combination of fast-flowing narrative and insightful analysis. -- Tony Barber * Financial Times *Encyclopaedic ... superbly subtle and thorough. -- Julian Evans * Daily Telegraph *With vivid detail, impeccable scholarship and great nuance, Mazower shows how the modern idea of the nation emerges out of the complex, sometimes random and often messy interactions between a plurality of agents ... An illuminating account of both the unifying power of myths about the past, and the dangers inherent when such myths are connected to political reality. -- Lea Ypi * New Statesman *As the subtitle of Mark Mazower's new book maintains, events in Greece 200 years ago helped shape modern Europe. His elegant and rigorous account also holds lessons for modern geopolitics: about the galvanising effects of violence, the role of foreign intervention and the design flaws in dreams. * The Economist *An epic narrative, both scholarly, breathlessly page-turning and packed with hauntingly romantic characters. Few historians dig so deep or with such sympathy into what history felt like to those living through it ... anyone in search of an opera plot should scour these drama-packed pages. -- Noonie Minogue * The Tablet *Broad in scope and colorful in detail, this is a masterful portrait of a historic watershed. ... [A] sweeping history of Greece's 1821 war of independence against the Ottoman Empire. [Mazower] recounts the revolution's inception among Greek emigrés with an idealistic dream of Hellenic nationalism and its actuality as a murky, eight-year struggle fought mainly by peasants and warlords who were motivated less by patriotism than by religious hatred of Muslims, factional vendettas, and mercenary self-interest ... A lucid, elegantly written, and often gripping account. * Publishers Weekly *On the bicentennial of the Greek revolution, a prominent scholar tracks the historical detail and enormous international significance of the improbable, largely grassroots uprising against the Ottoman Empire. Mazower, a Columbia professor and winner of the Wolfson Prize for History who has written extensively about Greece and the Balkans, ably ties together the many disparate threads of this complex history of Greek independence. ... An elucidating history that is relevant to understanding the geopolitics of Greece today. * Kirkus Reviews *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe story of the rhetorical and practical assistance that Britain has given to the Zionist movement and the state of Israel since 1917Trade Review'The most dramatic centenary account of the Balfour Declaration' -- Robert Fisk, journalist and author'Sheds light in the dark corners of western imperialist policies that wreak havoc in most of the world. This one about British policies over the 100 years since Balfour is worthy of reading not only by every British person interested in truth but all humans who yearn for peace and justice' -- Mazin Qumsiyeh, Professor at Bethlehem University'Shows how Britain erected and for decades maintained the scaffolding that gave birth to a settler-colonial state in Palestine and the Palestinian Nakba. Acknowledging Britain's moral responsibility towards the Palestinians is a key message of this timely and courageous book' -- Nur Masalha, editor, Journal of Holy Land and Palestine Studies'Cronin exposes Britain as an enabler of Israeli apartheid. He blends indignation with meticulous objectivity in an alternative history that is concise but comprehensive' -- Raymond Deane, Composer'Describes vividly how, by deception, Britain's imperial designs and perceived need for international Jewish support in wartime gave birth to the Balfour Declaration of November 1917' -- Tim Llewellyn, former BBC Middle East Correspondent'Challenges Theresa May's propagandist celebration through its exposure of the declaration's fundamental illegitimacy, supported by a wealth of factual detail on arms and money transfers, methods of repression and racist discourse' -- Rosemary Sayigh, author of Palestinians: From Peasants to Revolutionaries and Too Many Enemies: The Palestinian Experience in LebanonBalfour's Shadow is a passionate, cogently argued presentation of the tragic and devastating consequences of the 1917 Balfour Declaration. Cronin's work provides a unique insight into the historic and current relationship between Britain, Israel and the Palestinians. -- Selma Dabbagh, novelist and playwright 'This superb book is a revelation, uncovering the dreadful history - and present - of Britain's connivance with Israeli atrocities' -- Mark Curtis, author of Secret Affairs: Britain's Collusion with Radical IslamTable of ContentsTimeline of Key Events Text of Balfour Declaration Introduction 1. Laying the Foundations 2. Bringing in the Black and Tans 3. ‘We Must Shoot to Kill’ 4. Sowing the Seeds of Ethnic Cleansing 5. Arming Israel (1953-1956) 6. Arming Israel (1957-1979) 7. Sidelining the PLO 8. The Loyal Lieutenant 9. Partners in Crime Postscript: Israel’s Greatest Friend? Notes Acknowledgements Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisAMERICAN COLONIES starts with the earliest years of human colonization of the American continent and environs with the Siberian migrations across the Bering Strait 15,000 years ago. It ends in around 1800 when the rough outline of the contemporary North America could be perceived.Dropping the usual Anglocentric description of North America''s fate, Taylor brilliantly conveys the far more vivid and startling story of the competing interests--Spanish, French, English, Native, Russian--that over the centuries shaped and reshaped both the continent and its ''suburbs'' in the Caribbean and the Pacific. It is one of the greatest of all human stories.Trade Review"Formidable...provokes us to contemplate the ways in which residents of North America have dealt with diversity." -The New York Times Book Review"A superb overview of colonial America." -Christian Science Monitor"Compelling, readable, and fresh, American Colonies is perhaps the most brilliant piece of synthesis in recent American historical writing." —Phillip J. Deloria, Carroll Smith-Rosenberg Collegiate Professor of American Culture and History at the University of Michigan“Even the serious student of history will find a great deal of previously obscure information. The book offers a balanced understanding of the diverse peoples and forces that converged on this continent and influenced the course of American history.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)“Crammed full of fascinating material uncovered by historians, archaeologists, and anthropologists in the past half-century.” —NewsdayTable of ContentsIntroductionPart I. Encounters1. Natives, 13,000 B.C.-A.D. 14922. Colonizers, 1400-18003. New Spain, 1500-16004. The Spanish Frontier, 1530-17005. Canada and Iroquoia, 1500-1660Part II. Encounters6. Virginia, 1570-16507. Chesapeake Colonies, 1650-17508. New England, 1600-17009. Puritans and Indians, 1600-170010. The West Indies, 1600-170011. Carolina, 1670-176012. Middle Colonies, 1600-1700Part III. Empires13. Revolutions, 1685-173014. The Atlantic, 1700-8015. Awakenings, 1700-7516. French America, 1650-175017. The Great Plains, 1680-180018. Imperial Wars and Crisis, 1739-7519. The Pacific, 1760-1820AcknowledgmentsBibliographyIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrantz Fanon's psychiatric career was crucial to his thinking as an anti-colonialist writer and activist. Much of his iconic work was shaped by his experiences working in hospitals in France, Algeria and Tunisia. The writing collected here was written from 1951 to 1960 in tandem with his political work and reveals much about how Fanon's thought developed, showing that, for him, psychiatry was part of a much wider socio-political struggle. His political, revolutionary and literary lives should not then be separated from the psychiatric practice and writings that shaped his thinking about oppression, alienation and the search for freedom.Table of ContentsPlates Illustrations Frantz Fanon: Works Cited General Introduction, by Jean Khalfa and Robert J.C. Young Fanon: A Revolutionary Psychiatrist, by Jean Khalfa 1. Mental alterations, character modifications, psychic disorders and intellectual deficit in spinocerebellar heredodegeneration: A case of Friedreich’s ataxia with delusions of possession 2. Letter to Maurice Despinoy 3. Trait d’Union 4. On some cases treated with the Bini method 5. Indications of electroconvulsive therapy within institutional therapies 6. On an attempt to rehabilitate a patient suffering from morpheic epilepsy and serious character disorders 7. Note on sleep therapy techniques using conditioning and electroencephalographic monitoring 8. Our Journal 9. Letter to Maurice Despinoy 10. Social therapy in a ward of Muslim men: Methodological difficulties 11. Daily life in the douars 12. Introduction to sexuality disorders among North Africans 385 13. Currents aspects of mental care in Algeria 14. Ethnopsychiatric considerations 15. Conducts of confession in North Africa (1) 16. Conducts of confession in North Africa (2) 17. Letter to Maurice Despinoy 18. Maghrebi Muslims and their attitude to madness 19. TAT in Muslim women: Sociology of perception and imagination 20. Letter to the Resident Minister 21. The phenomenon of agitation in the psychiatric milieu:General considerations, psychopathological meaning 22. Biological study of the action of lithium citrate on bouts of mania 23. On a case of torsion spasm 24. First tests using injectable meprobamate for hypochondriac states 25. Day hospitalization in psychiatry: Value and limits 26. Day hospitalization in psychiatry: Value and limits. Part two: – doctrinal considerations 27. The meeting between society and psychiatry Frantz Fanon’s Library and Life Franz Fanon’s Library Key dates of Fanon’s chronology Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis''Important . . . powerful . . . . an explanation of why Black protest is such a dangerous prospect to the white power structure'' Kehinde Andrews, GuardianWhere is the path to racial justice? In this ground-breaking book, philosopher Lewis R. Gordon ranges over history, art and pop culture - from ancient African languages to the film Get Out - to show why the answer lies not just in freeing Black bodies from the fraud of white supremacy, but in freeing all of our minds. Building on the influential work of Frantz Fanon and W. E. B. Du Bois, Fear of Black Consciousness is a vital contribution to our conversations on racial politics, identity and culture. ''Expansive . . . reminds us that the ultimate aim of Black freedom quests is, indeed, universal liberation'' Angela Y. Davis Trade ReviewLewis Gordon's expansive philosophical engagement with the current moment - its histories and globalities, its politics and protests, its visual and sonic cultures - reminds us that the ultimate aim of Black freedom quests is, indeed, universal liberation -- Angela Y. Davis * author of Women, Race and Class *Powerful . . . one of the most prominent scholars of racism, tries to enrich our knowledge with his unique brand of intellectual precision and analysis -- Kehinde Andrews * Observer *Gordon's surprising observations crack open the mind to connect various creative disciplines -- Vanessa Willoughby * Literary Hub *Reading Fear of Black Consciousness had me nodding so often and so vigorously, I got a mild case of whiplash . . . With surgical precision, laser sharp wit, and the eye of an artist, Lewis Gordon doesn't just dissect race, racism, and racial thinking but offers a clarion call to embrace Black Consciousness, to take political responsibility for decolonizing and transforming the world as it is -- Robin D G Kelley * author of Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original *A thinker whose reflections on race have produced singular illuminations on our times . . . he draws on a wide range of colonial histories, African popular culture, aboriginal histories, contemporary films and stories, to show the critical powers of creativity in dismantling racism by the making of Black consciousness, the making of a world where breath and love and existence become possible -- Judith Butler * author of Gender Trouble *Striking... You will want Lewis Gordon's Fear of Black Consciousness among your primary intellectual road supplies for the future -- Hortense Spillers * author of Black, White and in Color *As atrocity, injury, white supremacy, and racial violence loom, Gordon holds steady a Fanonian outlook, theorizing black consciousness as the realization of possibility - that is, a sustained political commitment that recalculates the stakes of freedom -- Katherine McKittrick * author of Demonic Grounds *A resolute response to the ongoing pessimism . . . Gordon seamlessly weaves together discussions of contemporary and historical Western philosophers such as Gabriel Marcel and Friedrich Nietzsche with his analyses of film, music, culture, and more . . . Sprinkled with personal stories, witty anecdotes, and powerful arguments, the book encourages readers to rethink historical descriptions of anti-black violence as well as the vocabulary used to talk about race and racism today. -- Edward O'Byrn * The Philosophical Quarterly *

Read more less

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

Read more less

Book Synopsis "Probing, jargon-free and written with the pace of a detective story... [Procter] dissects western museum culture with such forensic fury that it might be difficult for the reader ever to view those institutions in the same way again. " Financial Times 'A smart, accessible and brilliantly structured work that encourages readers to go beyond the grand architecture of cultural institutions and see the problematic colonial histories behind them.' - Sumaya KassimShould museums be made to give back their marbles? Is it even possible to 'decolonize' our galleries? Must Rhodes fall?How to deal with the colonial history of art in museums and monuments in the public realm is a thorny issue that we are only just beginning to address. Alice Procter, creator of the Uncomfortable Art Tours, provides a manual for deconstructing everything you thought you knew about art history and tells the stories that have been left out of the canon.The book is divided into four chronological sections, named after four different kinds of art space: The Palace, The Classroom, The Memorial and The Playground. Each section tackles the fascinating, enlightening and often shocking stories of a selection of art pieces, including the propaganda painting the East India Company used to justify its rule in India; the tattooed Maori skulls collected as 'art objects' by Europeans; and works by contemporary artists who are taking on colonial history in their work and activism today.The Whole Picture is a much-needed provocation to look more critically at the accepted narratives about art, and rethink and disrupt the way we interact with the museums and galleries that display it.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe most authoritative and highly regarded single-volume history of India from ancient time to the modern day. Five millennia of the sub-continent's social, economic, political and cultural history are interpreted by one of our finest writers on India and the Far East.India's history begins with a highly advanced urban civilisation in the Indus valley, regressing to a tribal and pastoral nomadism, and then evolving into a uniquely stratified society. The pattern of inward invasion plus outward migration was established early: from Alexander the Great via the march of Islam and the great Moghuls to the coming of the East India Company and the establishment of the British Raj.Older, richer and more distinctive than almost any other, India's culture furnishes all that the historian could wish for in the way of continuity and diversity. The peoples of the Indian subcontinent, while sharing a common history and culture, are not now, and never have been, a single unitary state; the book accTrade Review‘A delight…one of the best general studies of the subcontinent.’ Andrew Lycett, Sunday Times ‘Ambitious, colourful and fascinating.’ Lawrence James, The Times ‘It is hard to imagine anyone succeeding more gracefully in producing a balanced overview than John Keay has done in ‘India: A History’…a book that is as fluent and readable as it is up-to-date and impartial. Hardly a page passes without some fascinating nugget or surprising fact…one can only hope that John Keay’s ‘India’ will be widely read, and its lessons taken to heart.’ Guardian ‘Certainly the most balanced and lucid history…his passion for India shines through and illuminates every page…puts Keay in the front rank of Indian historiographers.’ Spectator

Read more less

Book SynopsisMasterfully blending narrative and interpretation, and R.F. Foster's Modern Ireland: 1600-1972 looks at how key events in Irish history contributed to the creation of the 'Irish Nation'. 'The most brilliant and courageous Irish historian of his generation'  Colm Tóibín, London Review of Books 'Remarkable ... Foster gives a wise and balanced account of both forces of unity and forces of diversity ... a master work of scholarship'  Bernard Crick, New Statesman 'A tour de force ... Anyone who really wants to make sense of Ireland and the Irish must read Roy Foster's magnificent and accessible Modern Ireland'  Anthony Clare 'A magnificent book. It supersedes all other accounts of modern Irish history'  Conor Cruise O'Brien, Sunday Times 'Dazzling ... a masterly survey not so much of the events of Irish history over the past four centuries as of the way in which those events acted upon the peoples living in IreTable of ContentsList of MapsList of TablesList of FiguresPrefaceAcknowledgmentsPart OnePrologue: Varieties of IrishnessChapter One: 'Wild Shamrock Manners': Ireland in 1600Chapter Two: 'Nationalism' and RecusancyChapter Three: Plantation: Theory and PracticeChapter Four: Confederate IrelandChapter Five: Cromwellian IrelandChapter Six: Restoration IrelandChapter Seven: Shipwreck and Deliverance: The Foundations of AscendancyPart TwoChapter Eight: The Ascendancy MindChapter Nine: Economy, Society, and the 'Hidden' IrelandChapter Ten: The Structure of PoliticsChapter Eleven: Americans, Volunteers and the Politics of 'Patriotism'Chapter Twelve: 'Enthusiasm Defying Punishment': Revolution, Republicanism and ReactionPart ThreeChapter Thirteen: The Mobilization of Popular PoliticsChapter Fourteen: The Famine: Before and AfterChapter Fifteen: Ireland AbroadChapter Sixteen: Land, Politics and NationalismChapter Seventeen: The Politics of PanellismPart FourChapter Eighteen: The 'New' NationalismChapter Nineteen: War and RevolutionChapter Twenty: The TakeoverChapter Twenty-one: In a Free StateChapter Twenty-two: The de Valera DispensationChapter Twenty-three: 'Modern' Ireland?Appendix:Proclamation of the RepublicChronologyReferencesBibliographical EssayIndex of SubjectsIndex of Names

Read more less

Book SynopsisMuch has been written on the how colonial subjects took up British and European ideas and turned them against empire when making claims to freedom and self-determination. The possibility of reverse influence has been largely overlooked. Insurgent Empire shows how Britain's enslaved and colonial subjects were not merely victims of empire and subsequent beneficiaries of its crises of conscience but also agents whose resistance both contributed to their own liberation and shaped British ideas about freedom and who could be free. Insurgent Empire examines dissent over the question of empire in Britain and shows how it was influenced by rebellions and resistance in the colonies from the West Indies and East Africa to Egypt and India. It also shows how a pivotal role in fomenting dissent was played by anti-colonial campaigners based in London at the heart of the empire.Trade ReviewGopal has calmly and authoritatively produced this impressive study of resistance against Empire, in the face of the kind of constant hostility that only serves to reminds us why her work is so urgent in the first place. We all owe her a debt. -- Afua Hirsch, author of Brit(ish)an astonishing writer and thinker, one who is fearless in how she uses history to explain where we are now. Her work is essential to showing how empire and colonialism pervades every nook and cranny of the British establishment today and why we should all continue to speak truth to power, like she does every damn day. -- Nikesh Shukla, editor of The Good ImmigrantA superb study of anticolonial resistance -- GuardianThis impressive book challenges the assumptions that underpin many academic and journalistic understandings of the British empire; it restores the idea of resistance and dissent, placing anti-colonial struggle from the 1857 uprising in India, to Mau Mau in Kenya, at the heart of historical change. It argues convincingly that, when it did occur, British anti-colonialism in the metropole was forged through exposure to imperial insurgency. By doing so, it tackles the whole premise of British liberal imperial progress and benevolence which remains so pervasive to this day. It's also a hopeful book, indicating ways out of mythological cul-de-sacs. Erudite, but highly readable, this book will be definitely be on my reading lists for students. -- Yasmin Khan, Associate Professor of History at Kellogg College, OxfordAn outstanding contribution to our understanding of the struggles against the British empire -- Andrew Murray * Morning Star *sets out to celebrate the political agency of colonised peoples, its importance in bringing an end to empire and the impact it had on metropolitan liberal and radical thinking. -- Matthew Reisz * Times Higher Education *A tremendous book that deserves the widest possible readership ... one of the most important books on the British Empire of the last Decade. * Race & Class *Punchy * Prospect *Impressive in its scope and rigour...Insurgent Empire is an important challenge to those that would rather uncritically accept the myth of a benevolent imperial power than work to celebrate radicalism and resistance as part of a national history. * Hong Kong Review of Books *[Gopal] mounts a powerful challenge to the notion that anticolonial resistance was born of an education in British notions of liberty. -- Adom Getachew * London Review of Books *Gopal's meticulously researched study is a major contribution to the historiography of the British Empire, as notable for its research as it is for its lucid, forceful prose. -- Chandak Sengoopta * Journal of British Studies *Incisive ... Insurgent Empire demonstrates how often critics have hacked at the pedestals of imperial pieties, and how consistently voices outside Britain have inspired them. -- Maya Jasanoff * New Yorker *A compelling account of how anti-colonial ideas were repeatedly re-litigated in the face of fierce opposition and shows the tireless work of these groups and individuals in slowly constructing and deconstructing concepts of liberty and equality. -- Michael Taster * LSE Review of Books: Best Books of 2020 *Excellent ... Gopal's exploration of the interplaybetween anti-colonial resistance in India, the West Indies and Britain deploys biography, history and cultural studies to support her persuasive argument that the colonies were not just the passive recipient of Britain's "civilising mission" but also the sources of a more refined understanding of key principles like equality and freedom. -- Ferdinand Dennis * Big Issue *Few academics are doing so much, and so boldly, to expose how the legacy of empire continues to warp our thinking and institutions. * Prospect: The world’s top 50 thinkers 2021 *Wonderful ... turn[s] upside down the cliched and self-serving argument that British imperialism brought 'western' ideas of democracy and freedom to their poor benighted black and brown subjects in the colonies -- Neil Rogall * rs21 *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book explores the hidden history of the Bengali squatters' movement. Faced with institutional discrimination in council housing and the existential threat of the National Front, hundreds of Bengali families in 1970s East London decided to squat, taking over entire streets and estates.

Read more less

Book SynopsisGandhi''s non-violent struggles against racism, violence, and colonialism in South Africa and India had brought him to such a level of notoriety, adulation that when asked to write an autobiography midway through his career, he took it as an opportunity to explain himself. He feared the enthusiasm for his ideas tended to exceed a deeper understanding of his quest for truth rooted in devotion to God. His attempts to get closer to this divine power led him to seek purity through simple living, dietary practices, celibacy, and a life without violence. This is not a straightforward narrative biography, in The Story of My Experiments with Truth, Gandhi offers his life story as a reference for those who would follow in his footsteps.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom acclaimed historian John Ferling, a major, global reappraisal of the Revolutionary War on its 250th Anniversary.In April 1775, British troops marched to Lexington, where an armed group of Yankees awaited them. Despite an order to disperse, shots rang out. Militiamen were killed. The British continued marching, only to find even greater trouble in Concord and all the way down the road back to Boston. The Revolutionary War had begun.Shots Heard Round the World is a bold, comprehensive rendering of the world war that erupted out of America's battle for independence. Ferling highlights underestimated pivotal moments to reveal why the British should have put down the rebellion within a couple years of fighting. As European rivals France, Spain, and the Dutch Republic entered the fray, Britain's problems grew, but after seven long years, the war's outcome remained very much in doubt. Ferling assesses military and civilian leaders, the choices they faced, and the political, tactical, and strategic decisions they made as the war raged in North America, the Caribbean, Central America, Europe, Asia, and on the high seas, affecting peoples and countries miles from American soil.Long after the soldiers laid down their arms, future generations have reckoned with the Revolution and its far-reaching consequences. Shots Heard Round the World is the definitive account of the war and its monumental legacy.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFifty years ago, Nigeria endured a period of violent disturbance leading to the breakaway of the Eastern Region under the name Biafra. The resulting conflict (1967-70) aroused shock and protests around the world because of mass starvation in the war zone. While Britain supplied arms to the federal Nigerian government, and France to the Biafrans, relief agencies with contributions from countless individuals organised a memorable airlift of food and medicine to the Biafrans' Uli airstrip. Jonathan Derrick, then a journalist for the London weekly West Africa, followed these events closely and recorded the war in the magazine's news pages, right up to the federal forces' final victory and the remarkable reconciliation between supporters of Biafra--predominantly Igbo--and other Nigerians. He later worked for some years in Nigeria, and has studied much of the material published on the war since 1970. Here, he recounts the history of the conflict as documented in West Africa, referring to later literature on and analysis of the events, which inspired passion at the time and have provoked debate ever since. His account deals with myths, misapprehensions and controversies surrounding the conflict, while recalling the tragic facts of a grim episode in African history.Trade Review'Invaluable to scholars investigating different aspects of the Nigerian Civil War. This is a good read; readers will find it rewarding.' -- H-Net'Those who want to understand the nature of Biafran agitation today would do well to get a copy of 'Biafra in the News' to draw from the raw material of history to help them along the way.' -- Desmond Davies, Africa Briefing Magazine'A striking despatch from the epistemological coalface, providing a truly fascinating insight into the nuts and bolts of how the "first draft of history" is prepared. Compelling and immediate, this is a priceless addition to the story of Nigeria.' -- Paddy Docherty, author of Blood and Bronze'A timely account of the civil war, whose shadow still falls on a dysfunctional Nigeria, and another Federal commander's term in the presidency is ending. Derrick's vantage point at West Africa, then the authoritative London weekly, is strengthened by research since, and detailed, argued analysis.' -- Richard Bourne, author of Nigeria: A New History of a Turbulent Century'Derrick offers a unique perspective on the Biafra war, reflecting on both the successes and short-comings of contemporary British news coverage. His even-handed account, based on personal experience and subsequent research, is an impressive addition to the literature on this often-forgotten war.' -- S. Elizabeth Bird, Professor Emerita of Anthropology, University of South Florida, and co-author of Surviving Biafra'With this clear-eyed and timely examination of what the international media got wrong, and what they got right, Derrick has fashioned an engaging history of the war for Biafra, a conflict many still struggle to understand.' -- Andrew Walker, journalist and author of 'Eat the Heart of the Infidel''The Biafra war is still a deep wound in the hearts of many Nigerians. This careful, balanced exploration of the events that led to this tragedy may provide some relief for those in the Igbo community still struggling with the memories of the atrocities committed against them.' -- Martin Plaut, Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London'Combines the immediacy and detail of great journalism with the thoughtful analysis and broad perspectives of great historical writing. Perhaps uniquely for books about this war, it is neither dominated by re-visited obsessions of the past nor filtered through the selective vision of the present; I found so much here that other accounts have ignored or forgotten.' -- Oliver Owen, Departmental Lecturer in Social Anthropology, University of Oxford

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"Winner of the Alice Davis Hitchcock Medallion, Society of Architectural Historians of Great Britain""Winner of the President’s Award for Research in History and Theory, Royal Institute of British Architects""One of the Financial Times' Summer Books of 2020: Architecture""Winner of the First Book Prize, International Planning History Society""Highly commended for the inaugural Architectural Book of the Year Award, History Category""This is one of those books that turns a discipline upside down – the cold war, state socialism, eastern Europe and 20th-century architecture all look different in the light of its findings . . . [it is] a pioneering work of revisionist history that ought to be read far beyond the those already interested in architecture . . . what [Stanek] achieves here is enormous: a book that rewrites not only the history of the cold war, but also the history of globalisation and global urbanization."---Owen Hatherly, The Guardian"A fascinating snapshot of a historic moment in which the future was in flux."---Edwin Heathcote, Financial Times"Architecture in Global Socialism strikes a generally successful balance between theoretical exposition and historical analysis, liberally illustrated, suitably informed but accessible to the general reader."---Alexander Adams, The Critic"This incisive book presents a new understanding of global urbanization and its architecture through the lens of socialist internationalism, challenging long held notions about modernization and development in the global South."---Georgina Johnston, World Architecture News"An epic, revisionist study many years in the making, centering on how Non-Aligned countries in the post-war era employed professionals from Eastern and Central Europe to plan and build their post-colonial urban spaces."---Owen Hatherley, Tribune"[Stanek’s] omniscience is impressive."---Jonathan Meades, Literary Review"[Architecture in Global Socialism] challenges cold-war preconceptions of the roles played by those from Eastern European socialist countries who worked collectively to urbanise and develop the Global South during the Soviet era."---Michael Boncza, Morning Star"Rather than describing global urbanisation as a process that was visited upon societies in the developing world by western consultants, Stanek’s history reveals the role played by socialist architects in constructing a negotiated future in which local rulers, authorities and communities took an active interest in shaping their own destinies. Free from big-name architects and landmarks, Architecture in Global Socialism also gives voice to a largely forgotten body of professionals who travelled to the non-aligned world – neither communist nor pro-West – during the Cold War and whose lives and careers were enriched and globalised in the process."---Nick Leech, The National"Architecture in Global Socialism is not only a book that successfully lifts the curtain on the importance of the “forgotten” socialist network with its backdrop and real effects on the life and environment of millions of people. It is also a refreshing point of view that allows you to look with valid optimism at the complex reality that surrounds us and the possibilities of understanding and describing it."---Alicja Gzowska, Polish History"Stanek’s book is extraordinarily well researched, clearly written and convincing in its conclusions. Being the first comprehensive presentation of an important chapter in recent architectural history, there is no doubt that it will soon become a classic in the field."---Florian Urban, Planning Perspectives"An important correction to architectural history’s neglect of detailed studies into West Africa and the Middle East."---Ben Tosland, Architectural Histories"Beautifully illustrated, extremely well researched, and extensively documented, this is a fascinating examination of the role played by architects, planners, and sometimes builders from the communist countries of Eastern Europe in the architecture of newly independent countries in Africa and the Middle East in the post–WW II era. . . . The large format of the volume does justice to the numerous illustrations, including drawings and buildings, a great many in color; these are accompanied by Stanek's perceptive comments, a host of endnotes, and an extensive bibliography. The result is an impressive investigation of an overlooked topic in 20th-century architectural history." * Choice *"The book will be a milestone, not just because of the almost encyclopaedic completeness of the contents but because it offers a repeatable research methodology, capable of communicating multiple dialogues between different cultures and identities."---Fabrizio Gallanti, Arbitare"Architecture in Global Socialism provides important lessons on many levels. It is not only groundbreaking in terms of filling an enormous “blind spot” in historiography, or through its development of a methodology that is not simply postulated but works in practice – it also proves to be relevant in discussions about the current urban condition."---Alicja Gzowska, View: Theories and Practices of Visual Culture"Architecture in Global Socialism is a much needed revisionist account of architectural practice and urbanism in the second half of the twentieth century."---Hannah Neate, Eurasian Geography and Economics"A welcome addition to the growing body of scholarship reassessing socialist architecture and urban design within the Cold War’s myriad economic and diplomatic networks . . . this book sets an undoubtedly strong precedent for further research on socialist architecture in a global context. . . . Architecture in Global Socialism [is] a truly compelling study."---Holly Bushman, Art Margins"A book about architecture, modernity and the world system of 'actually existing socialism' in the Soviet bloc and its allies. With rare photographs and designs, Stanek takes a tour through the forgotten world of the future society and cities architects planned and built."---Gerry Hassan, Scottish Review"Architecture in Global Socialism constitutes a significant contribution to the historiography of modern architecture in Eastern Europe, West Africa, and the Middle East. It is the kind of book we need more of: expansive in scope, specific in analysis, and rigorous in argumentation. It recognizes the pluralism of actors and contexts in the Global South, which further dismantles the myth of a monolithic modernism and demands additional scholarship that both revises and builds. Stanek’s book promises to remain an essential reference for scholars and students well into the future."---David Rifkind, Art Bulletin"[In Architecture in Global Socialisms,] Łukasz Stanek shifts the lens to the so-called weak actors of Eastern European socialist states, as well as to professional groups that ‘built’ modernity—architects, but also contractors, building supervisors, and foreign trade representatives. This excellent study thus shows, convincingly, that global processes—in this case urbanization—were not monolithic and one cannot talk of exceptions to an existing rule of ‘globalization.’ —Victor Petrov, H-Net Reviews""Architecture in Global Socialism is an indispensable contribution to our understanding of the multifaceted process of globalization. . . . [The book is] the first study of its kind in architectural history. Ambitious in scope and breadth, it compellingly conveys the sheer scale and magnitude of the presence and work of architects from the socialist bloc in West Africa and the Middle East from 1957 (the year of Ghana’s independence) to the end of the Cold War. . . . The importance of [this book] cannot be overestimated."---Ayala Levin, Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians"Architectural historians have recently discovered the outsize role that the former socialist world played in the Global South in the postwar decolonization process. Łukasz Stanek’s book Architecture in Global Socialism . . . was a signal achievement in this respect, as it mapped for the first time the astonishing extent of architectural exports from Eastern Europe to Africa and the Middle East."---Vladimir Kulić, The Architect’s Newspaper "Architecture in Global Socialism provides much-needed cornerstones to advance spatial political economy."---Franklin Obeng-Odoom, Housing Studies

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis fascinating book shows how the later years of the British Empire were characterised by accidental oversights, irresponsible opportunism and uncertain pragmatismTrade ReviewIt won't please jingoists, but this unsparing account of the British Empire... exposes the dangerous folly of imperial pretensions -- Sally Cousins * Sunday Telegraph *Refreshing, original and well-researched ... "Britain knows best" arrogance is unmasked in chapter after chapter of this devastating book ... No one will understand the political situation in the world today who has not grasped the truths enshrined in Kwarteng's brilliant book -- A.N. Wilson * Evening Standard *Highly thought-provoking ... original, stimulating and insightful * Times Literary Supplement *A successful and convincing biography of the empire's ruling elites and their modern day legacies * Economist *Well-written, witty, but above all fair-minded, this is the best general overview of the British Empire to appear in years. Kwasi Kwarteng has emerged as a significant scholar on the historical scene * Andrew Roberts *I learned something new on virtually every page of this fine book * Michael Burleigh *Smart, witty and personable ... This is a book alive with wild and wonderful characters ... A cracking debut from a very accomplished historian * Daily Telegraph *

Read more less

Book SynopsisSituates famous and lesser-known eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Haitian revolutionaries, pamphleteers, and political thinkers within the global history of ideas, showing how their systems of knowledge and interpretation took centre stage in the Age of Revolutions.Trade Review[A] magisterial recounting of Haiti's intellectual history . . . . The book is the latest in Daut's constellation of works on the Caribbean intellectual tradition, and Daut is herself one of the most dynamic contemporary voices on Haiti."—Laurent Dubois, Los Angeles Review of Books

Read more less

Book Synopsis"One of those rare, transformative novels" KARIM MISKE"Funny and poignant" TIFFANY TSAO, author of The MajestiesInitially a little intrigued, all babies eventually return the security guard's smile.The security guard adores babies. Perhaps because babies do not shoplift.Babies adore the security guard. Perhaps because he does not drag babies to the sales.The 1960s - Ferdinand arrives in Paris from Côte d'Ivoire, ready to take on the world and become a big somebody.The 1990s - It is the Golden Age of immigration, and Ossiri and Kassoum navigate a Paris on the brink of momentous change.The 2010s - In a Sephora on the Champs-Élysées, the all-seeing eyes of a security guard observes the habits of those who come to worship at this church to consumerism.Amidst the political bickering of the inhabitants of the Residence for Students from Côte d'Ivoire and the ever-changing landscape of French immigration policy, Ferdinand, Ossiri and Kassoum, two generations of Ivoirians, attempt to make their way as undocumented workers, taking shifts as security at a flour mill.Sharply satirical, political and poignant, Standing Heavy is a searingly witty deconstruction of colonial legacies and capitalist consumption, an unprecedented and unforgettable account of everything that passes under a security guard's gaze.Translated from the French by Frank Wynne"Inventive and very funny" Guardian"A compact, humane satire" Financial TimesTrade ReviewBeautifully written from the point of view of a Black, Marxist security guard, Standing Heavy is one of those rare, transformative novels. Beware: it might make your next shopping trip somewhat trickier -- KARIM MISKEA funny and poignant intergenerational tale of three Ivoirian men newly arrived in Paris. And a sharp social and political commentary, delivered via the sharp eyes of the black security guards that white Paris relies on to keep itself safe. -- TIFFANY TSAO * author of The Majesties and translator of International Booker-longlisted Happy Stories, Mostly *Dura lex sed... dura! The harsh standing life of an immigrant. A pataphysical ethnography of the consumer society written by an undocumented anthropologist with an exemplary critical humour -- ALBERTO PRUNETTI * author of Down and Out in England and Italy *This inventive and very funny debut novel offers a whistle-stop, whizz-bang tour of Franco-African history * Guardian *This compact, humane satire, deftly translated by Frank Wynne, entertains as much as it informs. -- Lucy Popescu * Financial Times *I ended up laughing out loud * Huffington Post *Gauz castigates the excesses of our society with a humorous first novel in which political satire takes on airs of a poetry slam * Stylist (France) *Brutal, fierce and often awkward, this little book will feel like a body search * Lire *An alert, offbeat and indispensable book * La Nouvelle Vie Ouvrière *A cunning observer and a disenchanted protestor, Gauz makes shopping an ethnological mine, a priceless sketch and a combat sport * Elle *What an eye! Gauz saw everything, observed everything, analysed everything during his experiences as a security guard. He takes a dive in time and into the territory of the Ivorians of Paris. The whole French immigration policy emerges through this book . . . Fresh and witty * L'Express *A powerful book * Huma *Full of hilarious observations * Le Figaro *A formidable keenness of observation and a sarcastic wit * La Croix *A tender and ironic look at our consumer society * Marie-France *Gauz honours the sufferings, pitfalls and joys of the African community in Paris, by painting a grotesque portrait of our consumer society * Pèlerin *Gauz casts a tender, yet lucid gaze on the African community. By devoting a book to the shadowy men of security, Gauz finally gives voice and life to those who, oddly enough, are invisible * Le Matricule des Anges *Under the guise of fun, the author shows the pathos of the buying fever in the West, mixing the madness of the sales with the history of Ivorians in Paris * Nouvel Observateur *No-one is spared in this biting, satirical account of cosmopolitan life -- Conrad Landin * New Internationalist *

Read more less

Book SynopsisNow fully updated to 2009, this acclaimed history of Latin America tells its turbulent story from Columbus to Chavez. Beginning with the Spanish and Portugese conquests of the New World, it takes in centuries of upheaval, revolution and modernization up to the present day, looking in detail at Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, Chile and Cuba, and gives an overview of the cultural developments that have made Latin America a source of fascination for the world. 'A first-rate work of history ... His cool, scholarly gaze and synthesizing intelligence demystify a part of the world peculiarly prone to myth-making ... This book covers an enormous amount of ground, geographically and culturally' Tony Gould, Independent on SundayTable of ContentsThe Penguin History of Latin AmericaPrefacePart One: The Age of Empire1. Discovery and Conquest2. Indians and Iberians3. Spain in America4. The Spanish Indies5. Colonial BrazilPart Two: The Challenge of the Modern World6. Reform, Crisis and Independence7. The Quest for Order: Conservatives and Liberals in the Nineteenth Century8. 'Civilization and Barbarism': Literary and Cultural Developments IPart Three: The Twentieth Century9. Nationalism and Development: An Overview10. Mexico: Revolution and Stability11. Brazil: Order and Progress12. Cuba: Dependency, Nationalism and Revolution13. Argentina: The Long Decline14. Chile: Democracy, Revolution and Dictatorship15. Identity and Modernity: Literary and Cultural Developments IIPart Four: Towards a New Era16. Globalization and Reform: An OverviewStatistical AppendixFurther ReadingMapsGlossary of Key TermsIndex of SubjectsIndex of Names

Read more less

Book Synopsis''This is a miracle of a book'' George Lamming''Compelling. Stuart Hall''s story is the story of an age'' Owen Jones ''Sometimes I feel I was the last colonial''This is the story, in his own words, of the extraordinary life of Stuart Hall: writer, thinker and one of the leading intellectual lights of his age. Growing up in a middle-class family in 1930s Jamaica, then still a British colony, Hall found himself caught between two worlds: the stiflingly respectable middle class in Kingston, who, in their habits and ambitions, measured themselves against the white planter elite; and working-class and peasant Jamaica, neglected and grindingly poor, though rich in culture, music and history. But as colonial rule was challenged, things began to change in Jamaica and across the world.When, in 1951, a scholarship took him across the Atlantic to Oxford University, Hall encountered other Caribbean writers and thinkers, from Sam Selvon and George Lamming to V. S. Naipaul. He also forged friendships with the likes of Raymond Williams and E. P. Thompson, with whom he worked in the formidable political movement, the New Left, and developed his groundbreaking ideas on cultural theory. Familiar Stranger takes us to the heart of Hall''s struggle in post-war England: that of building a home and a life in a country where, rapidly, radically, the social landscape was transforming, and urgent new questions of race, class and identity were coming to light.Told with passion and wisdom, this is a story of how the forces of history shape who we are.Trade ReviewMuch more than a memoir, Familiar Stranger is a fascinating insight into how a life shapes a brilliant mind -- Andrea LevyThis is a miracle of a book -- George LammingCompelling. Stuart Hall's story is the story of an age. He was a pioneer in the struggle for racial, cultural, and political liberation. He has transformed the way we think -- Owen JonesVivid... a subtle and subversive memoir of the end of Empire -- Colin Grant * Guardian *

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn 2019, Solomon Islands made international headlines when the country severed its decades-old alliance with Taiwan in exchange for a partnership with Beijing. The decision prompted international condemnation and terrified security experts. This penetrating investigation into the switch sheds light on China's wider foreign policy. -- .

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe end of slavery started in what was then San Domingo. In 1791, the enslaved people of the most prized French sugar plantation colony revolted against their masters. For over twelve years, against a backdrop of the French Revolution, they fought an epic black liberation struggle for control of the island. Theirs was the first and only successful slave revolution. It was the creation of Haiti as a nation, the first independent black republic outside of Africa, and an international inspiration to the persecuted and enslaved. This is the impassioned and beautifully drawn story of the Haitian Revolution and its incredible leader: Toussaint Louverture. The text of this graphic novel is a play by C. L. R. James that opened in London in 1936 with Paul Robeson in the title role. For the first time, black actors appeared on the British stage in a work by a black playwright. The script had been lost for almost seventy years when a draft copy was discovered among James's archives. Now this extraordinary drama has been reimagined by artists Nic Watts and Sakina Karimjee.Trade ReviewOne of the year's top works of nonfiction. -- Rob Salkowitz, Best Graphic Novels Of 2023 * Forbes *A very intense treatment of the uprising in Haiti that paralleled and deeply involved the French Revolution. -- Best Books of 2023 * Comics Grinder *The adaptation is exciting, educational, and the perfect gift for the lefties in your life. -- Hank Kennedy, The Best of 2023 * The Comics Journal *The drawings are fantastic and the energy palpable on every page. -- Joe Sacco, journalist and comic book artist, author of PalestineA marvellous adaptation of one of the most important black history and slave history books ever written. C.L.R. James would be delighted. -- Paul Buhle, authorized biographer of C. L. R. James and editor of more than twenty radical history graphic novelsAn epic work of graphic history - a compelling, dramatic, detailed, delicate, and human rendition of this incredible tale of resistance -- Kate Evans, author of Red Rosa: The Graphic Biography of Rosa LuxemburgThe inspiring spirit of the men, women and children who made the Haitian Revolution has been beautifully and vividly brought to life as never before. This extraordinary work is a wonderful tribute to not only C. L. R. James but also to the greatest ever movement to demand Black Lives Matter. -- Christian Høgsbjerg, co-author of Toussaint Louverture: A Black Jacobin in the Age of RevolutionsA historically important story, cinematic drawings, a powerful work. -- Charles Johnson, author of Middle PassageThe basis for this graphic novel is C. L. R. James' 1934 play, adapted by Watts and Karimjee; readers who don't know what to expect from the graphic-novel adaptation of a play will be pleased with the result...An important piece of history that shouldn't be forgotten. * Booklist *Adapting C.L.R. James's 1934 play, Karimjee and Watts's evocative black-and-white drawings channel the rebellious spirit of the Haitian Revolution in its fight for Black liberation. * The New York Times Book Review *This fiery primer offers education and insights into Haiti's fight for independence. * Publishers Weekly *This is the impassioned and beautifully drawn story of the Haitian Revolution and its incredible leader: Toussaint Louverture * Comics Beat *Their illustrations do justice to the original work, beautifully rendered and depicting dynamic characters and exciting drama. * Keith Harris History *The comic book format, constantly zooming out to the big picture and in on the details, proves immensely suited to the complex parallels between personal and universal struggles around which James's play revolves. -- Mark Rappolt * Art Review *This is quite a comic! A very intense treatment of the uprising in Haiti that paralleled and deeply involved the French Revolution and yet was treated for centuries as a mere sidebar to world events. Readers will need to think hard, even now, about the reasons why. -- Paul Buhle * Comics Grinder *The caricaturing at work in Toussaint Louverture is impressive. Each character has a distinct, stylized, expressive face ... While the aim of this volume is educational, entertainment is not forgotten. * The Comics Journal *Nic Watts and Sakina Karimjee's brilliant graphic novelisation of CLR James own stage adaptation of his book The Black Jacobins will both inspire and convince that, whatever the circumstances, change is possible. * Philosophy Football *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Moving and hopeful ... will stay with me for a long time' Daisy Buchanan'A fearless, young new voice' Carol Ann Duffy'One of the most exciting debuts I've read in ages' Kaveh Akbar'One of the most startling and original poets of her generation' Joy HarjoThe voice of Tayi Tibble is one of most exciting in poetry today. In Poukahangatus (pronounced 'Pocahontas'), her debut volume, Tibble challenges a dazzling array of mythologies - Greek, Maori, feminist, kiwi - peeling them apart and respinning them in modern terms. Her poems move from rhythmic discussions of the Kardashians, sugar daddies and Twilight to exquisite renderings of precise emotions and the natural world alike. Tibble is also a master narrator of teenage womanhood, its exhilarating highs and devastating lows; her high-camp aesthetics chart the overflowing beauty, irony and ruination of her surroundings.Poem by poem, Tibble carves out a bold new way of engaging history without merely telling it, of straddling modernity and ancestry, desire and exploitation. These are warm, provocative and profoundly original poems, written from a world in which the effects of colonization, land, work and gender are intimately and insidiously connected. Along the way, Tibble scrutinizes perception and asks how she as a Maori woman fits into trends, stereotypes and popular culture. With language that is at once colourful, passionate and laugh-out-loud funny, Poukahangatus announces the presence of a surpassingly daring new poet.Trade ReviewA fearless, young new voice with a huge range, from history to pop culture, with that sense of joy in its own word-music which immediately heralds the start of a poetic and political journey. Along with Hera Lindsay Bird, Tayi Tibble adds excitement to the new poetry coming from New Zealand -- Carol Ann DuffyStartlingly evocative, lush, moving and hopeful - this is a powerful and thrilling new voice that will stay with me for a long time -- Daisy BuchananHurls us into a lush biome of sensual density ... one feels in the presence of a singular, searching mind rigorously excavating its own psychospiritual station. Poukahangatus is one of the most exciting debuts I've read in ages -- Kaveh AkbarTayi Tibble is one of the most startling and original poets of her generation. Her poetry makes doorways of insight into turbulent history. At the end, there we are, all standing together, listening -- Joy HarjoTayi Tibble's Poukahangatus was an incredibly rhythmic and refreshing read! Ripe with dazzling imagery, culture and history, this collection offers readers a tale of identity, cross-generational references and so much more. Tibble's rich language breathes new life into poetry and tethers readers to the history of the Maori people and the lasting impact of colonization. The writing screams, 'I was here before & I'll be back again!' I'd suggest this book to every twenty-something trying to find their way! -- Roya MarshI love your collection [Rangikura], it's so good, I'm so impressed ... You totally encapsulate the heady vibe of being a young woman in New Zealand -- Lorde * Metro NZ *Tibble's luscious, widely praised debut poetry collection [channels] her Maori heritage and the zeitgeist of her childhood ... Tibble transforms tales of mundanity into spellbinding, melodiousencounters. Boys embroiled in a rugby scrum become gritty and vicious ... A game of Cowboys and Indians is incidentally wounding but also depicted as a sharp indictment of the White Savior Complex ... Tibble's running prose poems bubble over with lush imagery and serve as canny time capsules ... Like the stylistic lovechild of Rupi Kaur and Teresia Teaiwa, Tibble is a poet of effervescent verve and great promise -- Diego Báez * Booklist *This chatty, winsome debut by a young New Zealand poet mines family history, Maori myth and the residue of pop culture to fashion a striking sensibility * New York Times Book Review *Tibble's affinity for poetry was literally written in the stars ... Tibble blends past and present, peppering her poems with pop culture references -- Serena Smith * Dazed *

Read more less

Book SynopsisWith two of the most important documents in American history, this handsome edition features both the Constitution of the United States and the Declaration of Independence.

Read more less

Book Synopsis''A superb book...genuinely innovative'' Jack Spence OBE, King''s College LondonOver the last half century, sub-Saharan Africa has not had one history, but many. Histories that have intertwined, converged and diverged. They have involved a continuing process of decolonization and state-building, conflict, economic problems but also progress and the perpetual interplay of structure and agency. This new view of those histories looks in particular at the relationship between territorial, economic, political and societal structures and human agency in the complex and sometimes confusing development of an independent Africa. The story starts well before the granting of independence to Ghana in 1957, but the book also looks at Africa in the closing decades of the old millennium and opening ones of the new. This is a book, too, about the history of the peoples of Africa and their struggle for economic development against the global economic straitjacket into which they were strapped by colonial rule and decolonisation. The importance of imposed or inherited structures, whether the global capitalist system, of which Africa is a subordinate part, or the artificial and often inappropriate state borders and political systems is discussed in the light of the exercise of agency by African peoples, political movements and leaders.Trade ReviewThis unusually accessible study of Africa's many histories since 1970 owes its distinctiveness to the author's career...a thoughtful, passionate account by a senior BBC journalist who spent three decades working on and in Africa. His intimacy with places and people give the book a grittiness that library research never provides. -- Richard Rathbone, Professor of African History, SOASA superb book...genuinely innovative, demonstrating a fine understanding of the role of structure and agency in the continent's 'many histories'. The argument will appeal to an audience seeking a convincing and well-researched account. -- Jack Spence, OBE, Professor of Diplomacy, King's College London

Read more less

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

Read more less