Political economy Books

Book SynopsisThe issue of debt and how it affects our lives is becoming more and more urgent. The Austerity model has been the prevalent European economic policies of recent years led by the German model. Elettra Stimilli draws upon contemporary philosophy, psychology and theology to argue that austerity is built on the idea that we somehow deserve to be punished and need to experience guilt in order to take full account of our economic sins. Following thinkers such as Max Weber, Walter Benjamin and Michel Foucault, Debt and Guilt provides a startling examination of the relationship between contemporary politics and economics and how we structure our inner lives. The first English translation of Debito e Colpa, this book provokes new ways of thinking about how we experience both debt and guilt in contemporary society.Trade ReviewElettra Stimilli’s new book offers a deeply-informed, succinct and far-ranging account of the debates around our contemporary condition of “universal indebtedness.” By asking fundamental questions and putting major figures into dialogue, she has rebooted and redrawn a whole field of political thinking. Her book deserves to be widely read by those—both in and out of academia—who believe that the present regime of debt and guilt cannot have the last word. -- Richard Dienst, Associate Professor of English, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, USA and author of 'The Bonds of Debt'What a bracing, challenging, and compelling analysis and conceptual genealogy of the devastations of financial capitalism. Stimilli writes with clarity, eloquence, and brilliance. She not only shows how debt is the essential mechanism enabling the osmosis between the contemporary neoliberal state and the global financial market but also demonstrates the psychic, cultural and ultimately theological dimensions of debt in all its vicissitudes. This is essential reading for anyone who is trying to make sense of the current disaster. -- Rebecca Comay, Professor of Philosophy and Comparative Literature, University of Toronto, CanadaTable of ContentsIntroduction Chapter One: Debt: Between Appropriation, Exchange, and Gift 1. The Problematic Context 2. Appropriation 3. Exchange 4. Gift Chapter Two: An Open Question 1. The Neoliberal Turn 2. The Society of Generalized Debt 3. The Paradigm of Man in Debt Chapter Three: Between Political Theology and Economic Theology 1. Beyond the Boundaries of Economic Science 2. Religion, Politics, and Economics 3. “Faith” in the Era of the Predominance of Finance 4. Debt and Sacrifice 5. Guilt and Violence: At the Origin of Juridical Power Chapter Four: The Religion of Debt 1. Bare Life and the Law 2. Capitalism: A Cult with no Theology 3. Economy and Regulatory Experimentation 4. The Invention of Oikonomia 5. Debt as Investment Chapter Five: The Psychic Life of Debt 1. The Guilt of Being in Debt 2. Establishing the Rule: Psychic Dimension and Social Sphere 3. Feminism and Neoliberalism 4. The Mystery of Guilt and the Psychic Life of Power 5. Envisioning New Ways of Assuming Power Conclusions Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThis student-friendly textbook offers a comprehensive introduction to globalization studies and the European Union within a multipolar world. It provides its readers with critical analysis of the key concepts of multilateral global and regional governance and Europe's role in the world; and this in an accessible and intelligible fashion. This volume collects contributions by eminent scholars from world class universities from five different continents. As such, this unique exercise in transnational multi-disciplinary cooperation, provides extensive coverage of the main issues pertaining to multilateral cooperation - notably its history, troubles, legitimacy challenges and efficiency questions - from a variety of national perspectives. The book covers the major issues confronting students of European and global studies, amongst which: pressing security challenges, new forms of institutionalized cooperation, shifting international trade flows, the notion of responsibility to prTrade Review'This may be the most multi-dimensional textbook in international politics ever published. Its multiple authors are multi-cultural and even multi-continental; its approach is multi-disciplinary and multi-layered; its topics are multi-lateralism and multi-polarism; its units of analysis are multi-regional and multi-functional; its observations are multi-faceted and multi-cautious. If this were not enough, they are all brought to bear on the multi-ambiguous process of globalization! Nevertheless, it does manage to present a coherent and challenging message to the advanced student of political science - whether he or she is interested in the national, regional of global level of aggregation. This owes a great deal to the exceptional quality of its contributors and the innovative program that brought them together.' Philippe C. Schmitter, European University Institute, Italy. 'Mario Telò and his contributors have done a superb job of conceptualizing, analysing and synthesizing the whole complex called globalization studies. Using the European Union as a multipolar and multilevel entity which the tide of globalization permeates relentlessly, they present a much-needed user-friendly textbook.' - Takashi Inoguchi, University of Niigata Prefecture, Japan.Table of ContentsIntroduction Part I: Towards a Common Language: Critically Exploring Key Concepts1. Globalisation: Trends, Limits, and Controversies 2. The Three Historical epochs of Multilateralism 3. Which Multipolarity? Power and World Order 4. Peculiarities of the European Union’s External Action Part II: The State of Art: Disciplinary Approaches to Global Governance5. Comparative Institutionalisms 6. Normative Approaches to Global Justice 7. International Political Economy 8. Legal Studies and Global Governance 9. Comparative Regionalist StudiesPart III: Efficiency and Legitimacy of the Global Multilateral System: The Institutional Set10. Troubles with the UN 11. The Pillars of the International Trading System 12. The IMF and the Challenge of Global Monetary Governance 13. Global Environmental GovernancePart IV: Issues at Stake14. The Complex Social Side of Globalisation 15. New Multilateralisms for Regional Development: Africa Post-2015 16. Cultural Conflicts, Global Governance, and International Institutions17. Civil Society, Global Governance, and the Quest for Legitimacy 18. The Responsibility to Protect 19. Regional Security Communities 20. Interregional Relations21. Multilateral Institutions/Regimes and the Dissemination of WMD 22. Multilateralism and Conflict Management: Assessing Peace Operations Appendix: Regional, Interregional and Global Arrangements and Multilateral Organisations

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Book SynopsisExplains why poverty has persisted in South Africa. Jeremy Seekings and Nicoli Nattrass demonstrate who has and who has not remained poor, how public policies both mitigated and reproduced poverty, and how and why these policies were adopted.Table of ContentsChapter 1: glances briefly at the nature of poverty in the colonial and pre-colonial past; Chapter 2: considers how racialised patterns of poverty were established around a set of key institutions and practices: labour migrancy, segregated cities, the colour bar, and white political power; Chapter 3: examines the changing faces of poverty among black South Africans during the first half of the 20th century; Colin Bundy is one of South Africa's foremost historians and the former Principal of Green Templeton College, Oxford. His books include The Rise and Fall of the South African Peasantry and three Jacana pocketbooks, biographies of Nelson Mandela and Govan Mbeki and Short-changed? South Africa since Apartheid; Chapter 4: reviews some startling changes in the nature of poverty during the four decades of apartheid; Chapter 5: explores the responses of successive ANC governments to an inherited legacy of mass poverty rooted in mass unemployment; Finally, Chapter 6: asks what policy options are available to any South African government trying to reduce poverty, unemployment and inequality.

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Thoroughly revised and updated, this foundational text provides the basic economic tools for students to understand the problems facing the countries of Latin America. In the fourth edition, Patrice Franko analyzes challenges to the neoliberal model of development and highlights recent macroeconomic changes in the region. Including charts and tables with the most current data available, the book also offers a wealth of new boxed discussions and vignettes.

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Book SynopsisAn illuminating account of Raymond Aron's political philosophy and its enduring relevance today

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Book SynopsisThis book deals with the ongoing processes of migration and boundary-(re)making in Europe and other parts of the world.

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Book SynopsisExplores the resistance of a marginalised female migrant workforce through the intersection of space, economics and labour

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Book SynopsisExamines how the control of land affects production, profit, prices and inequality in today's cities

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Book SynopsisThe backlash against globalization and the rise of cultural anxiety has led to considerable re-thinking among social scientists. This book provides multiple theoretical, historical, and methodological orientations to examine these issues. While addressing the rise of populism worldwide, the volume provides explanations that cover periods of both cultural turbulence and stability. Issues addressed include populism and cultural anxiety, class, religion, arts and cultural diversity, global environment norms, international trade, and soft power. The interdisciplinary scholarship from well-known scholars questions the oft-made assumption in political economy that holds culture "constant," which in practice means marginalizing it in the explanation. The volume conceptualizes culture as a repertoire of values and alternatives. Locating human interests in underlying cultural values does not make political economy's strategic or instrumental calculations of interests redundant: the instrumental logic follows a social context and a distribution of cultural values, while locating forms of decision-making that may not be rational.Trade Review"This book offers a multifaceted approach to problems of social order, inclusion, difference, value, and values. During a time when there is a tendency to simplify complex problems with reductive recipes, slogans, and tweets, Cultural Values in Political Economy is a timely contribution to reviving and rethinking our collective approach to political economy." -- Paolo Quattrone * Alliance Manchester Business School *"Understanding the ever-changing relationship between culture, economy, and politics is among the herculean tasks of the social sciences. With Cultural Values in Political Economy, J.P. Singh has collected excellent essays by leading scholars that revisit this relationship in the context of 21st-century shifts." -- Helmut K. Anheier, Hertie School * Berlin *"This masterful collection illuminates many of the all-important interfaces between culture and economy. Distinguished authors from diverse fields show how economies order cultural values, and how cultural change can reshape economic policies. These insights have never been more important than in these times when cultures and economies are being challenged." -- W. Lance Bennett, University of Washington * Seattle *"Topics include social class dynamics, religious values, cultural anxiety, the humanities and cultural diversity, the global environment and the green revolution, worldwide trade patterns, and the soft power of persuasion as employed by some countries to influence the policies of other nations.The latter is particularly salient in the conduct of relationships by major powers among developing nations in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and South America, where international education agendas and the development of natural resources are frequently contested... Recommended." -- S. Prisco III * CHOICE *"Understanding the relationship between culture, economy, and politics is an essential future task in the development of the social sciences, and the book edited by J. P. Singh is an important and timely contribution to this challenging research agenda." -- Trine Bille * International Journal of Cultural Policy *Table of ContentsContents and AbstractsForeword: Cultural Mediations and Political Economy chapter abstractCulture is often treated as a marginal or residual factor in explanations of economic and political behavior. The foreword argues that to understand the interconnected role of values, interests, and agency in the study of global transactions in political economy, culture needs to be seen as independent, generative, and future oriented. By taking this richer approach to culture, many phenomena that escape the net of rational choice theory become more understandable, especially in a world of new connections, mobilizations, and innovations in the political sphere. 1Introduction: Cultural Values in Political Economy chapter abstractAn intrinsic part of culture is its history. However, at any given time, different cultural values are sifted through this history and mobilized for collective action. This chapter provides a context for understanding the role of cultural values in political economy examined in this book. Conceptually, the book attempts to provide an interdisciplinary and comprehensive understanding of cultural values imbricated in political economy and the way to move from collective to individual interests, and vice versa. These theoretical moorings allow the authors to operationalize culture through a variety of methods including historical, ethnographic, case-study, and quantitative evidence. Part I provides the conceptual foundations that engender the cultural assumptions held implicit or constant in a few analyses and explains the contexts under which cultures transform interests. Part II presents chapters that examine the processes of cultural interactions that flow from underlying values. 2Culture and Preference Formation chapter abstractEconomists take preferences to be comparative evaluations of alternatives that incorporate every factor the agent takes to influence her choices other than beliefs and constraints. Rational choice is determined by rational preferences among the alternatives that agents believe to be feasible and, to a reasonable degree of approximation, the theory of rational choice does double duty as a theory of actual choice. It may seem impossible to employ the economist's model to make sense of the influence of culture or of the mechanisms of cultural change because the economist's model treats norms and ideals as merely different influences on preferences. Yet, as this chapter argues, nothing in the economist's model rules out incorporating additional mechanisms of preference formation and change. Moreover, it argues that doing so is helpful both in understanding the interactions between culture and action and in articulating a more detailed and promising theory of rational choice. 3Value and Values in Economics and Culture chapter abstractIssues of value and valuation are fundamental to any consideration of the relationships between economics and culture. This chapter discusses these relationships at both macro and micro levels. First, we consider the possible connections between the cultural values of different societies and their national economic performance. Then, turning to a functional sense of culture, the chapter argues that in addressing questions of the value of art and culture, it is essential to distinguish between economic value and cultural value, in which the latter refers to aspects of value that are not expressible in monetary terms. Illustrations are drawn from studies of the value of the visual arts, literature, and music. Next, we consider culture in international economic relations, discussing value and valuation in the areas of intercultural dialogue, cultural diversity, and sustainable development. The chapter concludes with a plea for more dialogue at an interdisciplinary level. 4Creating a Culture of Environmental Responsibility chapter abstractThis chapter explores possibilities for creating a new culture of environmental responsibility, drawing mainly on recent work in environmental political theory and philosophy. It begins from the assumption that culture—conceived as a repertoire of shared values—is crucial to understanding the interests that people feel themselves to have and that cultural values can powerfully influence long-term changes in society. If we want to improve environmental outcomes, we will need a new culture of environmental responsibility. Key to establishing this culture is novel ways of thinking about what responsibility means and creating new political and economic practices to support it. 5Cosmopolitans and Parochials: Economy, Culture, and Political Conflict chapter abstractBoth political economy and culture have been marshalled as explanations for parochialism and cosmopolitanism, opposing orientations that influence contemporary politics and foreign policy. Simple models based on international economic position do not adequately explain parochial attitudes on such issues as Brexit or immigration. Cosmopolitan attitudes are linked to a particular, often local, cultural infrastructure (information environment, educational institutions, and transnational experience). In explaining both parochial and cosmopolitan attitudes and action, the effects of globalization on local culture and politics are of central importance. The link from economy to political behavior and outcomes is created by divergent locational effects of globalization and the local cultures they produce: globalized urban environments versus disadvantaged hinterlands that perceive themselves as left behind. International political economy must illuminate this link between economy and culture, which has important public policy implications. 6Crossing Borders: Culture, Identity, and Access to Higher Education chapter abstractThrough the adoption of a semiotic approach to culture, this chapter aims to assist in the development of a cultural explanation of global political culture. A semiotic approach asserts that meaning is assigned by participants to social patterns and behaviors found in society. The experience of boundary spaces offers a laboratory of sorts for revealing the contours of culture and cultural differences, including class differences. It is the experience of stepping out of a comfort zone and into alien space, a place where one does not necessarily know what goes with what, that is most revealing. Habituated roles create the contours of borders and boundaries that come with attendant expectations and customs associated with nation, class, race, gender, and age, among other identities. 7Ideology, Economic Interests, and American Exceptionalism: The Case of Export Credit chapter abstractThis chapter analyzes the sources and implications of American exceptionalism in the area of export credit. For virtually all major economies, export credit is an important industrial policy tool to promote economic growth. Remarkably, however, while its rivals are dramatically increasing their use of export credit, the United States has become a major outlier. An ideologically driven campaign led by the Tea Party sharply constrained the operations of the US Export-Import Bank: the bank was shut down entirely for five months in 2015 and subsequently limited to financing only minor transactions for nearly four years. This chapter argues that American exceptionalism on export credit cannot be understood without reference to culture, specifically the market fundamentalist ideology of the Tea Party, which has led to a conception of national economic interests and preferences that departs radically from other states. 8Strangest of Bedfellows: Why the Religious Right Embraced Trump and What That Means for the Movement chapter abstractThis chapter outlines the connection and disconnection between cultural and material factors in the rise of the religious right in the United States. This social movement comprises socially conservative and politically active born-again and evangelical Christians, as well as some ultraconservative Catholics. This movement comes out of a unique subculture that is suspicious of mainstream political and social institutions and that rejects many of the conventional norms of a democratic society. At once, this subculture claims moral superiority in what it considers a corrupted society while pursuing access to levers of power in order to conform the mainstream culture more to its own idealized image of the United States. Religious conservatives were the key to electing Donald J. Trump as president, and this chapter explores linkages of social and cultural issues to the broader economic factors that played a substantial role in religious conservative support for his election. 9Applying the Soft Power Rubric: How Study Abroad Data Reveals International Cultural Relations chapter abstractA country's ability to attract foreign students to its universities is one common way to understand its soft power in the international community. Applying the Soft Power Rubric to empirical data, this chapter reveals the preferences of students who go abroad and uncovers South Africa's and Malaysia's roles as rising regional hubs and France's slowing growth as a global hub, which complicate our understanding of North-South or core-periphery postcolonial relations. The rubric reconceives soft power as when foreigners transform their thinking from "us" and "them" to a collective "we," emphasizing the perspective of the countries at the periphery rather than at the core, unveiling important networks of cultural relations, offering a path forward to bring cultural data into empirical modeling, and pointing to fruitful areas for future work. The chapter also offers a contrast with others in this book that emphasize a reaction against globalization.

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Book SynopsisThis powerful and empowering text offers a way forward for alleviating human suffering, presenting a realistic roadmap for enhanced global governance that can create workable solutions to mass poverty. William Felice and Diana Fuguitt emphasize the critical links between international human rights law, international political economy, and global organizations to formulate effective public policy to alleviate human suffering and protect basic human rights for all. They introduce students to the key legal and economic concepts central to economic and social human rights, including the right to education, a healthy environment, food, basic health care, housing, and clean water. They analyze the legal approaches undertaken by the United Nations and explain the key theories of international political economy (including liberalism, nationalism, and structuralism) and central economic concepts (including global public goods, economic equality, and the capabilities approach). In the last decade, a backlash against economic globalization has been fueled by a variety of politicians around the world. A resurgent nationalism is often pitted against international organizations and frameworks for global cooperation. In this new edition, Felice and Fuguitt account for how the current global political climate has affected national and global policies for the provision of public goods and the protection of human rights. They focus on practical policies and actions that both state and nonstate actors can take to uphold economic and social rights. As the first book to integrate these legal and economic approaches, it provides a practical path to action for students, academics, and policy makers alike.Table of ContentsTABLE OF CONTENTS Global Policy Choices International Political Economy (IPE) and Economic and Social Human Rights International Law & Economic & Social Human Rights Economic and Social Human Rights as Global Public Goods—Integrating Economics and Law The United States and Economic and Social Human Rights: A Contrast with Europe The Environment and Economic and Social Human Rights Race and Economic and Social Human Rights Gender and Economic and Social Human Rights Military Spending and Economic and Social Human Rights The Global New Deal

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Book SynopsisThese are your elected officials. Some are slyly taking advantage of the system. They are hoping no one is savvy enough to notice. But Matt Lewis has. And this is what he's learned.Today's politicians are an unsavoury lot-a hybrid of plutocrats and hypocrites. And it's worse (and more laughable) than you can imagine. Lewis will introduce you to a crop of latte liberals, ivy league populists, insider traders, trust-fund babies, and swamp creatures as he exposes how truly ludicrous money in politics has gotten.In Filthy Rich Politicians, Lewis embarks on an investigative deep dive into the ridiculous state of modern American democracy-a system where the rich get elected and the elected get rich. One of the brightest conservative writers of his generation, Lewis doesn't just complain: he articulates how Americans can achieve accountability from their elected leaders through radically commonsense reforms. But many of these ruling-class elites have a vested financial interest in rejecting the reforms so desperately needed to rebuild Americans' trust in the institutions that once made our nation great.This is not an "eat the rich" kind of book, and it is not for those who want to stoke class warfare, topple the whole regime, and burn it all to the ground. This is a must-read book for thoughtful readers who yearn for transparency and will commit to holding their elected leaders accountable to those they are supposed to represent-we the people.The reforms spelled out in this book would incentivize good behaviour in our leaders, stymie corruption, and prevent politicians from using the system (and our taxpayer dollars) to feather their filthy rich nests.It is only by taking these steps to reform the system that we can rebuild trust in our institutions and preserve American democracy for future generations. There really is no richer inheritance we could leave them.

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Book SynopsisAn examination of the relationship between policy-makers and African economic researchers with regards to promoting sustainable development in African countries.

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Book SynopsisThe essays in this collection reflect on the experience of the crisis in Greece and its political implications for the whole world.

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Book SynopsisFrom schools to hospitals, from utilities to food banks, over the past thirty years corporatization has transformed the public sector in Canada. Economic elites take control of public institutions and use business metrics to evaluate their performance, transforming public programs into corporate revenue streams.

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Book SynopsisTwenty-first-century capitalism has little more to offer than a menu of despair: pandemics, deepening inequality, worsening depression, runaway climate change, intensifying authoritarianism and escalating militarism. Twilight Capitalism offers a wide-ranging analysis of the origins, implications and scope of the "combined" social crisis of 2020 and beyond. A compelling case is made that Karl Marx's critical analysis of capitalism, along with his program of class-struggle socialism, is essential to understanding and addressing the most important social, economic and ecological problems of our time.

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Book SynopsisScoundrels and Shirkers examines the deep relationship between capitalism and poverty in England since the 12th century. It exposes the dynamics of capitalism, from its origins in the long transition from feudalism to its current crisis under neoliberal capitalism, in producing poverty.The book, unique in the historical breadth of its focus, shows conclusively that poverty is an inevitable consequence of capitalism. In the search for profits and control of society's economic surplus, capitalism expands, adapts and innovates, producing not only commodities and wealth but also, and necessarily, poverty.With the partial but important exception of the 1945–51 period, and to a lesser extent the time between 1906 and 1914, there has never been a serious attempt to solve poverty. Efforts have always been to manage and control the poor to prevent them from starving or rebelling; to punish and blame them for being poor; and to force them into poverty-level jobs. Any real solution would require the logic of capitalism to be deeply disrupted. While possible in theory, such a change will require massive social movements.

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Book SynopsisInspired by trailblazing work in the field, this wide-ranging collection makes an essential and timely intervention through new theoretical contributions that build on decades of critical analysis of the Canadian state as an agent active in capitalist development in a global era. The Canadian State explores the state's distinctive role in the development of a political economy shaped by capitalism and settler colonialism. Paying critical attention to how the state exercises accumulation, legitimation, and coercion in unique ways, the book provides an essential guide to understanding the multidimensional character of Canada's contemporary state form. Leading contributors in their field provide cutting edge chapters on settler colonialism, land ownership, extractivism, energy, services, care work, democracy, finance, commercialization, employment, and trade and investment.

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Book SynopsisVince Cable's bestselling book, The Storm, explored and explained the causes of the 2008 world economic crisis and how Britain should respond to the great challenges it brought. In After the Storm, Cable, who was Business Secretary in the 2010-2015 Coalition Government, provides a unique perspective on the state of the global financial markets and how the British economy has fared since 2008. Providing a previously unreported inside view of the Coalition, After the Storm offers a carefully considered perspective on how the British economy should be managed over the next decade and beyond. This timely book is a fascinating and urgent intervention from one of the key figures in British politics of the past two decades.Trade ReviewA Book of the Year 2015 * Observer *[A] thoughtful sequel to [Cable's] earlier bestseller on the global financial crisis, both for what it says about the state of the nation and for its occasional insights into life in the coalition government. -- Chris Mullin * Observer *A remarkably rounded work... Cable has produced a book that makes a serious and relevant contribution to the continuing debate about banking, infrastructure, housing, China, executive pay, short-termism and many of the other topics which continue to top the business and political agenda. * Evening Standard *[After the Storm] is a lucid, erudite analysis of the global economy, and Britain's place in it, between 2010 and 2015, as viewed from the vantage point of a senior member of the coalition * Observer *

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Book SynopsisWhile the Occupy movement faces many strategic and organizational challenges, one of its major accomplishments has been to draw global attention to the massive disparity of income, wealth and privilege held by 1% of the population in nations across the world. In The 1% and the Rest of Us, Tim Di Muzio explores what it means to be part of a socio-economic order presided over by the super-rich and their political servants. Incorporating provocative and original arguments about philanthropy, social wealth and the political role of the super-rich, Di Muzio reveals how the 1% are creating a world unto themselves in which the accumulation of ever more money is really a symbolic drive to control society and the natural environment.Trade ReviewDistills the concepts of capitalism, political economy, finance, inequality, the profligacy of the 1%-ers, and much more in morally coherent chunks of need-to-know information. It is a superb book. * Dissident Voice *Capital is power, wealth is social, the rich are undeserving, growth is unsustainable. In this timely book Di Muzio takes aim not only at the emergence of a global super rich, but also at the ideologies of wealth generation that keep them in their place and us in ours - an indignant call to put people and planet above profit and status. * Amin Samman, City University London *Tim Di Muzio debunks the radically antisocial belief that wealth is the sole result of individual efforts and talents. His contribution is novel and original, but it is also a significant part of a growing clamour for change. * Danny Dorling, author of Inequality and the 1% and Population 10 Billion *Tim Di Muzio has produced a remarkable book: remarkable for its original reading of available evidence on the rise of the 1%; remarkable for the creative interweaving of empirical findings and theoretical insights; and remarkable for its politicization of the inequality issue. Di Muzio gives the Capital as Power approach a concrete and down-to-earth bite. * Henk Overbeek, VU University Amsterdam *A highly accessible must-read primer for anyone interested in the world's dominant capital, its incessant drive to accumulate power, and the impact this has on our lives and future. * Jonathan Nitzan, co-author of Capital as Power *This compelling and original work is a must read: it brilliantly illuminates a world dominated by a tiny, immensely powerful ruling class who have accumulated enormous wealth, even during the global economic crisis. It explains why and how that has happened , who they are, and not least how such plutocratic power can be resisted and transformed to better serve the majority of people on the planet. * Stephen Gill, York University, Toronto *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Towards a Global Political Economy of the 1% 1. The Unusual Suspects: Identifying the Global 1% 2. Capital as Power and the 1% 3. Wealth, Money and Power 4. Differential Consumption: The Rise of Plutonomy 5. Society vs. the Superman Theory of Wealth 6. The Party of the 99%: Resistance and Future Prospects

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Book SynopsisVladimir Putin's first invasion of Ukraine, in 2014, set off a global economic clash, as the West used its clout with international markets to deter and penalise the Kremlin. The battlelines of this 'war by other means' traversed a series of deep economic connections, built up during Russia's oil, gas and commodities boom: global equity and capital markets, and transnational kleptocracy. Maximilian Hess's startling book lifts the lid on Russia's response to Western sanctions, and the ensuing skirmishes in London's courts, on Swiss trading desks and in boardrooms in New Delhi. He explores how pipelines, mines, loans and crypto-markets were weaponised. This narrative sets the stage for Putin's all-out assault on Kyiv in February 2022, which turned financial, food and fuel markets into bona fide battlefields, bringing the fight into everyone's home, from Pennsylvania to Pakistan. Rather than a 'new Cold War', we are witnessing a conflict over finance, energy and capital markets. How such economic warfare turns out will determine the future of liberalism and democracy; it will also set a precedent for economic relations between the West and China, as the two diverge into rival spheres of influence and power.Trade Review'Hess examines how Russia’s response to the west’s economic sanctions following the first invasion of Ukraine in 2014 helped to set the stage for [the current] conflict.' * Financial Times *‘Much has been said about Putin’s background in the KGB, but Hess makes a convincing case that his days in the St. Petersburg government, when he served as a liaison between the city, foreign business and, occasionally, criminal underworld, were just as formative.’ -- The Washington Post'Timely.' -- Diplomatic Courier, '15 Books to Look Forward to in 2023'‘An accessible but detailed account of the economic war between Russia and the West.’ -- Informed Comment‘A welcome addition to a growing body of research on Russia’s invasions of Ukraine.’ -- CHOICE'An outstanding account, filled with insights and details. If you want to understand why we are already in an age of Global Conflict, there is no better place to start.' -- Peter Frankopan, author of 'The Silk Roads' and 'The Earth Transformed''A critical book for understanding Russia's war against Ukraine and the West's response. Tracing Russia's tactics of economic warfare across the world, from Beijing to Istanbul, from Caracas to London's bond markets, this is the most detailed and far-reaching analysis of the economic war with Russia yet.' -- Chris Miller, author of 'Chip War''Economic War shows how trade, finance, and information are the new battlegrounds in a world where traditional warfare is becoming obsolete. A unique perspective on the largest crisis in Europe since the Cold War, this is a must-read for anyone seeking a better understanding of the conflict, and its implications for global politics.' -- Michelle Caruso-Cabrera, former Chief International Correspondent, CNBC'From sanctions to bonds of war, Economic War is an essential guide to how a decade of conflict between Russia and Ukraine has redrawn the global economic order.' -- Jack Farchy, co-author of 'The World for Sale'

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Book SynopsisIt's no secret that the 1%-the business elite that commands the largest corporations and the connected network of public and private institutions-exercise enormous control over the US government. While this control is usually attributed to campaign donations and lobbying, Levers of Power argues that corporate power derives from control over the economic resources on which daily life depends. Government officials must constantly strive to keep capitalists happy, lest they go on "capital strike"-that is, refuse to invest in particular industries or locations, or move their holdings to other countries-and therefore impose material hardship on specific groups or the economy as a whole. For this reason, even politicians who are not dependent on corporations for their electoral success must fend off the interruption of corporate investment. Levers of Power documents the pervasive power of corporations and other institutions with decision-making control over large pools of capital, particularly the Pentagon. It also shows that the most successful reform movements in recent US history-for workers' rights, for civil rights, and against imperialist wars-succeeded by directly targeting the corporations and other institutional adversaries that initiated and benefitted from oppressive policies. Though most of today's social movements focus on elections and politicians, movements of the 99% are most effective when they inflict direct costs on corporations and their allied institutions. This strategy is also more conducive to building a revolutionary mass movement that can replace current institutions with democratic alternatives.Trade ReviewPraise for Radical Protest and Social Structure: The Southern Farmers' Alliance and Cotton Tenancy, 1880-1890:Michael Schwartz's book is really three books in one-an analysis of the structural changes that produced one of the most oppressive social systems the world has known (the one-crop cotton tenancy economy and the system of institutionalized racism and authoritarian one-party politics that was required to preserve the fragile economic arrangement); a theoretical analysis of the origins, mobilization, and outcome of insurgent challenges; and a meticulous application of that theory to the rise and collapse of the Populist movement. -- Craig Jenkins * Theory and Society *Praise for Blood of the Earth, Resource Nationalism, Revolution, and Empire in Bolivia:The importance of this book to contemporary conversations about extractivism in Bolivia cannot be overstated. * Latin American Perspectives *Praise for Blood of the Earth, Resource Nationalism, Revolution, and Empire in Bolivia:[Young] draws a complex and fascinating picture of the struggles over mining and oil from the Chaco War in the 1930s through the 1952 Revolution and the unraveling of the revolutionary state in the 1960s. * Against the Current *Praise for Blood of the Earth, Resource Nationalism, Revolution, and Empire in Bolivia:Young is to be congratulated on creating a comprehensive history of recent Bolivian history that also offers a new lens for interpreting Latin American populism. It is one of the finest examples of the recent, and very welcome, production of works on Latin American economic history. * The Americas *Praise for Blood of the Earth, Resource Nationalism, Revolution, and Empire in Bolivia:Young expertly contextualizes his discussion of resource nationalism with previous attempts to bring natural resources under governmental control...[A] compelling and wonderful book. * American Historical Review *Praise for Blood of the Earth, Resource Nationalism, Revolution, and Empire in Bolivia:Blood of the Earth makes a significant contribution to the historiography of the Bolivian revolution and provides new analytical insights into U.S. Cold War objectives in Latin America. * Diplomatic History *Praise for Blood of the Earth, Resource Nationalism, Revolution, and Empire in Bolivia:Blood of the Earth provides a compelling retelling of a Cold War story against the grain, in which the United States funded and tamed a revolution instead of intervening with force. * Hispanic American Historical Review *Young, Banerjee and Schwartz identify the importance of capital strikes in forcing government officials to provide the tax cuts, subsidies and regulatory cutbacks business demands. Focusing on key episodes during the Obama era, Levers of Power explains how capitalists really exert pressure on legislators and regulators and shows why popular forces accomplish more when they pressure capitalists with strikes, boycotts and demonstrations rather than targeting elected officials. This book is essential if we want to understand what tactics will be most effective in building mass power. -- Richard LachmannLevers of Power disrupts American democratic myths. Through rigorous research and penetrating analysis, Levers of Power dissects the power of elections, courts, Congress, politicians, presidents, lobbyists, social movements, and major corporations. It provides jarring and surprising conclusions of who really rules America; changes how we think about American centers of power; and which among them governs our lives. Everyone interested in democracy should read Levers of Power to become enlightened citizens. -- Aldon Morris, Author of The Scholar DeniedLevers of Power is a powerful tool for activists and scholars alike, detailing how power remains in the hands of the 1% while also showing how elite institutions and structures can be undermined and even defeated, creating a world of, by, and for the 99%. -- Marina Sitrin

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Book SynopsisWhat if our financial system were organized to the benefit of the many rather than simply empowering the few? Robert Hockett and Fred Block argue that an entirely different financial system is both desirable and possible. They outline concrete steps that could get us there. Financial systems move the worlds savings from investment to investment, chasing the highest rates of return. They run on profit. But what if investment went to the enterprises or institutions that provided things that the majority of people would prioritize? Democratizing Finance includes six responses that seek to amend, elaborate, and challenge the arguments developed by Hockett and Block. Some of the core arguments put forward by other contributors include calls for the rapid elimination of private financial entities, the dilemmas of the politics associated with financial reforms, and the fate of parallel proposals advanced in the US in the 1930s.

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Book SynopsisThis special issue of Aphasiology brings together papers from six countries in three continents on the ways in which computers are being used in the domain. Information technology is now well established as a means of delivering treatment to people with aphasia and this issue includes papers which describe the latest ways in which this is being carried out. Doesborgh et. al. report on Multicue, a way in which the capabilities of computers are used to support cueing approaches to the treatment of naming difficulties; and Mortley et. al. use the internet as a means of delivering innovative treatment approaches to the client at home. It is important that the high tech glamour of the technology does not obscure the need to critically evaluate the contribution of this mode of treatment. Two papers, Wallesch & Johanssen-Horbach, and Wertz & Katz, review and critique the outcomes and effectiveness of computer mediated therapy.In the 21st century computers are increasingly a part of everyday life and two papers address ways in which people with aphasia may benefit from this and engage in the emerging "information society", Van de Sandt-Koenderman looks at ways in which the technology can be used to support communication in day to day life by the provision of appropriate communication aids. Egan et. al. report on training people with aphasia to access the internet on their own account so that they may fully engage with this resource as active citizens.Trade Review'The publication seems timely given a increase in the number of aphasic individuals seen in clinic who already have considerable experience in the use of computers in their professional and/or private lives. It provides a very interesting read for those who are considering the use of computers in the delivery of therapy to their clients with aphasia.' William van Steenbrugge, Flinders University, Australia. In Aphasiology 20, 2006.Table of ContentsB.Petheram, Editorial.S., M. van de Sandt, D. Frans van Harskamp, P. Koudstaal, E. Visch-Brink, Cues on Request: The Efficacy of Multicue, a Computer Program for Word Finding Therapy.J. Mortley, J. Wade, P. Enderby, Superhighway to Promoting a Client-therapist Partnership? Using the Internet to Deliver Word-retrieval Computer Therapy, Monitored Remotely with Minimal Speech and Language Therapy Input.C.W. Wallesch, H. Johannsen-Horbach, Computers in Aphasia Therapy - Effects and Side-effects.R.T. Wertz, R. Katz, Outcomes of Computer-Provided Treatment for Aphasia.M. van de Sandt, High- tech AAC and Aphasia: Widening Horizons?J. Egan, L. Worrall, D. Oxenham, Accessible Internet Training Package Helps People with Aphasia Cross the Digital Divide.

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Book SynopsisIn this urgent and timely book, Vince Cable explains the causes of the world economic crisis and how we should respond to it. He shows that although the downturn is global, the complacency of the British government towards the huge 'bubble' in property prices and high levels of personal debt, combined with increasingly exotic trading within the financial markets, has left Britain badly exposed. This paperback edition has been fully revised and updated to include Vince Cable's latest assessment of the recession.Trade Review"'The best book you can read to understand what on earth is going on out there.' Independent * 'Anybody with an interest in the causes of the deepest economic crisis since the great depression - and that is most of us these days - can easily digest it in a single sitting, and be much better informed as a result.' Guardian 'No one has a greater right to say: "I told you so" than Vince Cable... The Storm is an urgent admirably clear book which studies each stage of the crisis and asks what it portends.' Observer 'Vince Cable is the only politician to emerge from the credit crunch a star... [The Storm] is a lucid guide to the present mess.' Sunday Times 'Vince Cable is a phenomenon of our troubled times... the most popular politician in Britain... a lone voice in a sea of complacency.' Economist"

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Book SynopsisIn the early '90s the Balkans was rocked by the collapse of communism and the violent break-up of Yugoslavia. But the last decade has seen a transformation of South-Eastern Europe into one of the most dynamic emerging markets in the world. This book explains how the political scene has moved from conflict to cooperation, and how the economic recovery has been driven by growing investment and trade opportunities. Also explained is how the region's economic prospects have been turned around in recent years, with strong growth between 2000 and 2008. The recent global economic crisis has adversely affected economic performance, but the downturn is likely to be temporary; the Balkan region is well placed to take advantage of a global recovery, whenever that takes place.Trade ReviewA remarkable book...short, readable and full of insights. The authors bring unrivalled knowledge and understanding of the region to this project. -- Professor Willem Buiter, CBE; Chief Economist, CitigroupThis book is a welcome contribution by virtue of emphasizing regional long-term opportunities rather than dealing exclusively with regional problems. Providing a brief historical overview of the post-Second World War decades, the narrative focuses primarily on the transition of the above-mentioned countries from the one-party state and centrally planned economy to democracy and market economy. The authors' knowledge of the region is outstanding, and their analysis is comprehensive and lucid. -- Klejda Mulaj, University of Exeter, UK

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Book SynopsisAbu Dhabi is a new economic superpower that will soon wield enormous influence across both developing and developed worlds. The principal emirate of the United Arab Emirates federation commands over 8 percent of global oil reserves, has nearly $1 trillion in sovereign wealth funds to invest and is busily implementing a thoughtful economic master plan. It has also pumped huge amounts of money into culture, sport and infrastructural development in an attempt to eclipse even its ubiquitous UAE partner-Dubai-as an international household name. Abu Dhabi will host the Formula One Championship decider in 2009, is opening the world's first Ferrari theme park, has a rapidly expanding airline and is setting up satellite branches of the Guggenheim and Louvre museums. Gulf expert Christopher Davidson's book charts the emirate's remarkable trajectory from its origins as an eighteenth-century sheikdom to its present position on the cusp of preeminence. Abu Dhabi's impressive socio-economic development, he offers a frank portrayal of a dynasty's dramatic survival, demonstrating the newfound resilience of a traditional monarchy in the twenty-first century and its efforts to create a system of 'tribal capitalism' that incorporates old political allegiances into modern engines of growth. Finally, he turns his attention to a number of problems that may surface to impede economic development and undermine political stability. These include an enfeebled civil society and invasive media censorship, a seemingly unsolvable labor nationalization paradox, an under performing education sector, and increasing federal unrest.Trade ReviewDavidson's book is a tour de force. His presentation of the ruling families and especially of the royal family is detailed, thorough and … accurate. The author introduces an understanding of family politics, which no one has done until now, to the discussion of who's who in the Emirates. … Altogether, no student, business person, firm or government entity should consider learning about Abu Dhabi and the UAE without reading this book and underlining its key passages. As is the case with all other works by Davidson, the narrative is excellent, the style is highly readable and the information by and large is priceless. -- International AffairsDavidson's new book on Abu Dhabi … is a timely and thoughtful contribution to the thus-far scanty literature on the emirate, discussing its 'dramatic trajectory' over the past two centuries. … As this highly enjoyable book demonstrates, with the world watching and its people asking questions, Abu Dhabi has everything to play for. -- Times Higher EducationDavidson's book is likely to see significant sales as academics, journalists, nervous investors or even curious ordinary citizens seek to understand the recent economic drama in the UAE. While all will find Davidson's text to be both engaging and useful, it is clear that this was not a hastily penned attempt to cash in on high public interest. Davidson's Abu Dhabi is instead a meticulously researched account of the emirate. … If Davidson's book is to be measured by its predictive power, it is perhaps already a success. Abu Dhabi's $10 billion bailout of Dubai last year was hailed as 'surprising' and 'unexpected,' yet Abu Dhabi shows it to be anything but that. -- Middle East PolicyA book well worth reading for those interested in Abu Dhabi and the Gulf states, their fascinating tribal history, the development of the modern petro-state, and the recent adjustment to a modern society. -- Middle East JournalDavidson's book gives those new to the political landscape of Abu Dhabi a much needed and detailed insight into the rise of what is now one of the wealthiest states in the world. ... His analysis applies to Abu Dhabi and also to the wider Gulf region. In this sense, not only is it recommended reading for interested historians and economists, but also for policy makers and members of the business community who are involved in this complex region. -- Arab Studies QuarterlyAs an introduction to the emirate, Davidson's book provides an excellent overview with a good balance of history and contemporary and future issues. Readers may also gain a greater understanding of the wider Gulf region. -- Middle East International

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Book SynopsisChange occurs rapidly in the Persian Gulf. While some states have capitalised on the fast-paced nature of globalised fiscal transactions and have become important markets for foreign investment, others have fallen victim to such speculations. The 'Dubai Model' of economic diversification is being re-evaluated as the GCC states continue to seek the best means of organizing their economies and competing within the global order. Explaining the different ways in which globalising forces have shaped new dimensions to the political economy of the Persian Gulf states, this book evaluates the changes that have occurred, especially in light of the ongoing global economic crisis. Mutually beneficial rentier arrangements have guided the GCC countries formation of oil-based economies and labor relations in the past, but will this necessarily be the case in the future? This book addresses key issues including discussion on the future demographic aspects of the GCC; the feasibility of establishing a GCC monetary union; the effects of rentierism on state autonomy; and analysis of sovereign wealth funds and Islamic banking models.Trade Review'The book's central thematic interest is the growing significance of the Persian Gulf on the global stage and the concomitant socio-economic changes these countries have been experiencing for the last ten years. - it presents a multi-faceted, subtle and complementary picture of the current economic dynamics in the GCC and Iran, the social and economic achievements, as well as the long-term trends plaguing the region's development. - Undoubtedly, it is bound to become a key point of reference for any work on the economy and political economy of Iran and the Gulf monarchies and a prerequisite for researchers interested in the political economy of the Middle East and more broadly in post-rentier and developmental strategies in the region and elsewhere.' * Dr Marc Valeri, author of Oman: Politics and Society in the Qaboos State *'This unique collection, the first of its kind to focus explicitly on the political economy of the Persian Gulf countries as a group, brings together the best international scholars on the region to tackle issues of theoretical importance and political relevance.' * F. Gregory Gause, III, Chair, Political Science Department, University of Vermont and author of The International Relations of the Persian Gulf *

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Book SynopsisAlthough most Arab countries remain authoritarian, many have undergone a restructuring of state-society relations in which lower- and middle-class interest groups have lost ground while big business has benefited in terms of its integration into policy-making and the opening of economic sectors that used to be state-dominated. Arab businesses have also started taking on aspects of public ser- vice provision in health, media and education that used to be the domain of the state; they have also become increasingly active in philanthropy. The 'Arab Spring,' which is likely to lead to a more pluralistic political order, makes it all the more important to understand business interests in the Middle East, a segment of society that on the one hand has often been close to the ancien regime, but on the other will play a pivotal role in a future social contract. Among the topics addressed by the authors are the role of business in recent regime change; the political outlook of businessmen; the consequences of economic liberalisation on the composition of business elites in the Middle East; the role of the private sec- tor in orienting government policies; lobbying of government by business interests and the mechanisms by which governments seek to keep businesses dependent on them.Trade Review'This is a superb volume on a critically important topic that often does not receive the careful attention it deserves. The book is impressive in both breadth and depth as it offers incisive analyses on significant issues related to business politics across the Middle East, especially insofar as public and private sector reforms and the 2011 uprisings are concerned. With essays rich in empirical data and with robust analytical frameworks, this is a significant contribution to the literature on the political economy of the Middle East.' * Mehran Kamrava, Professor and Director of the Center for International and Regional Studies at the Georgetown University' School of Foreign Service in Qatar *'After years of apparent political stability, economic growth and liberal reform, the Middle East is in turmoil and many of the business groups that anchored this development have all but vanished from the political scene. For those who want to understand this dynamic - who are the business leaders, what has been their impact, and what are their prospects now? - this volume provides valuable insight.' * Lisa Anderson, President of The American University in Cairo *

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Book SynopsisThis book investigates how ecology and politics meet in the Middle East and how those interactions connect to the global political economy. Through region-wide analyses and case studies from the Arabian Peninsula, the Gulf of Aden, the Levant and North Africa, the volume highlights the intimate connections of environmental activism, energy infrastructure and illicit commodity trading with the political economies of Central Asia, the Horn of Africa and the Indian subcontinent. The book's nine chapters analyse how the exploitation and representation of the environment have shaped the history of the region--and determined its place in global politics. It argues that how the ecological is understood, instrumentalised and intervened upon is the product of political struggle: deconstructing ideas and practices of environmental change means unravelling claims of authority and legitimacy. This is particularly important in a region frequently seen through the prism of environmental determinism, where ruling elites have imposed authoritarian control as the corollary of 'environmental crisis'. This unique and urgent collection will question much of what we think we know about this pressing issue. Trade Review'A comprehensive assessment of the problems and challenges linked to the process of greening arid Gulf landscapes . . . this book is a must-read.''An enormously valuable contribution to the increasing global concern with Middle Eastern water politics. This volume should be required reading for scholars, experts, and social activists, as well as all those who have a stake in managing the dangerous future of our over-crowded planet.' -- Roger Owen, A.J. Meyer Professor of Middle East History, Harvard University'To call this volume pioneering would not do it justice. Rich in historical and technical detail, it makes sense of the challenges facing a region awash with crude oil yet beleaguered by rapidly degrading environmental conditions. An urgent and pathbreaking book, it will shape debates for years to come.' -- Anoush Ehteshami, Director of the Institute for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies and Al-Sabah Chair in the School of Government and International Affairs, Durham University'Drawing on novel and empirically rich case studies, this book is a necessary and powerful call to center environmental politics in discussions of authoritarianism, social mobilization, financial accumulation, and the political economies of development and infrastructural manipulation, in the Middle East, and beyond.' -- Alan Mikhail

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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