Political parties and party platforms Books

Book SynopsisAs a field of scholarship, gender and politics has exploded over the last fifty years and is now global, institutionalized, and ever expanding. The Oxford Handbook of Gender and Politics brings to political science an accessible and comprehensive overview of the key contributions of gender scholars to the study of politics and shows how these contributions produce a richer understanding of polities and societies. Like the field it represents, the handbook has a broad understanding of what counts as political and is based on a notion of gender that highlights masculinities as well as femininities, thereby moving feminist debates in politics beyond the focus on women. It engages with some of the key aspects of political science as well as important themes in gender and feminist research (such as sexuality and body politics), thereby forging a dialogue between gender studies in politics and mainstream political science. The handbook is organized in sections that look at sexuality and body politics; political economy; civil society; participation, representation and policymaking; institutions, states and governance as well as nation, citizenship and identity. The Oxford Handbook of Gender and Politics contains and reflects the best scholarship in its field.Trade ReviewThe editors of Oxford University Press's Handbook of Gender and Politics have provided the field with an essential research and teaching gem. The tome is global, timely, thoughtful, theoretical, and thorough. We should tip our sun bonnets, hijabs, hats, helmets, and veils to these editors for the hard work aforethought, careful and sensitive planning for and accomplishment of an inclusive wisdom which went into this stellar Oxford Handbook of Gender and Politics. * Asian Women *This text, from the first, takes an academically rigorous, socially aware and culturally enlightened approach to a rather ambiguous title, and in so doing, makes a significant contribution to the rapidly developing field, of not just political science as a discipline, but to every discipline, and, outside of academia, every person, to whom the issues discussed are relevant and therefore life affecting. * London School of Economics EUROPP blog *Table of ContentsAbout the Contributors ; Introduction: Gender and Politics: A Gendered World, a Gendered Discipline ; Karen Celis, Johanna Kantola, Georgina Waylen, and S. Laurel Weldon ; Part I Gender and Politics: Concepts and Methods ; Section Introduction ; 1 Sex, Gender, and Sexuality: From Naturalized Presumption to Analytical Categories ; Mary Hawkesworth ; 2 Intersectionality ; Patricia Hill Collins and Valerie Chepp ; 3 Feminisms ; Rita Kaur Dhamoon ; 4 Power, Politics, Domination, and Oppression ; Moya Lloyd ; 5 Methods and Methodologies ; Brooke Ackerly and Jacqui True ; Part II Body Politics ; Section Introduction ; 6 The Body and Politics ; Diana Coole ; 7 Heteronormativity and Sexuality ; Amy Lind ; 8 Reproductive Rights ; Veronique Mottier ; 9 Gender Violence ; R. Amy Elman ; Part III Gendered Political Economy: Production and Reproduction ; Section Introduction ; 10 Gender and (International) Political Economy ; Shirin M. Rai ; 11 Households, Families, and Social Reproduction ; Shahra Razavi ; 12 Gender, Care, and Welfare ; Diane Sainsbury ; 13 Gender, Work, and the Sexual Division of Labor ; Lucy Ferguson ; Part IV Civil Society ; Section Introduction ; 14 Sex, Gender and Civil Society ; Dara Z. Strolovitch and Erica Townsend-Bell ; 15 Organizing Around Gender Identities ; Kelsy Kretschmer and David S. Meyer ; 16 The Comparative Study of Women's Movements ; Karen Beckwith ; 17 Feminist Organizing: What's Old, What's New? History, Trends, and Issues ; Christina Ewig and Myra Marx Ferree ; 18 Local-Global-Local: Women's Global Organizing ; Jutta Joachim ; Part V Participation and Representation ; Section Introduction ; 19 Political Representation ; Sarah Childs and Joni Lovenduski ; 20 Political Systems and Gender ; Aili Mari Tripp ; 21 Party Politics ; Miki Caul Kittilson ; 22 Electoral Institutions ; Mona Lena Krook and Leslie Schwindt-Bayer ; 23 Judicial Politics and the Courts ; Rachel Cichowski ; Part VI The State, Governance, and Policymaking ; Section Introduction ; 24 The State and Governance ; Louise Chappell ; 25 Gender, Institutions and Multilevel Governance ; Kate Bedford ; 26 Women's Policy Agencies and State Feminism ; Dorothy E. McBride and Amy G. Mazur ; 27 Policy Making ; Emanuela Lombardo, Petra Meier and Mieke Verloo ; 28 Policy Outputs ; Merike Blofield and Liesl Haas ; Part VII Nation, Citizenship and Identity ; Section Introduction ; 29 Equality and Universalism ; Judith Squires ; 30 Citizenship ; Birte Siim ; 31 Multiculturalism and Identity ; Baukje Prins and Sawitri Saharso ; 32 Gender, Nations, and Nationalisms ; Suruchi Thapar-Bjorkert ; 33 Security, Conflict, and Militarization ; Lene Hansen ; Index

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Book SynopsisPoliticians have used immigrants as scapegoats for the nation''s problems throughout American history. No group achieved more success with this tactic than the Know Nothing Party, which directed its attacks primarily against Catholic immigrants. Within a year of its appearance in 1854, the party had elected eight governors, over one hundred members of Congress, and thousands of local officials. Prominent politicians of every persuasion joined the organization, which eventually became known as the American Party. Many observers predicted that the party would elect the next President. The Know Nothings experienced a precipitous decline, however, and in the 1856 election their presidential candidate, Millard Fillmore, carried only one state. The Know Nothings have not attracted much interest from historians, because the events involved in the coming of the Civil War eclipsed interest in a movement that was apparently only peripherally involved with Civil War issues. In this important new Trade ReviewA first-rate study of the political realignment patterns of the 1850s in general and the Know Nothing movement in particular....An essential book in the bibliography of antebellum U.S.--Gerald Michael Schnabel, Bemidji State UniversityThe main thrust of Nativism and Slavery, and what makes it both interesting and valuable, is the very powerful and convincing argument put forward by the author, and buttressed by numerous statistical tables, charts and maps, that the unparalleled success of the Know Nothings in the mid-1850s occurred because Northerners chose to express their intense antislavery sentiments through this party.--New York Times Book ReviewPerceptive....Tyler Anbinder has solved the mystery of how the antislavery tail could wag the nativist dog....This fine book steers the study of antebellum politics back on course from the diversion of ethnocultural historians.--The New RepublicIn his excellent new book, Tyler Anbinder presents the first detailed political history of the Northern Know Nothings....There is much food for thought in this stimulating book....Anyone interested in the causes of the Civil War should read this book not only for its own quantities, but also for its stimulating contributions to a continually interesting period in American historiography.--Civil War NewsTyler Anbinder's impressively researched study provides the first book-length history of the northern Know Nothing Party. Retilling familiar ground, he unearths fresh and valuable information and makes a welcome contribution....Anbinder's book...contains important information and will deservedly become a standard source on northern Know Nothings.--American Historical ReviewAn important and provocative book.--ChoiceThis nicely crafted history of the northern Know-Nothing party fills in a gap in the literature of the much-studied 1850s....Tyler Anbinder captures much about the brief moment of Know-Nothingism....He makes important contributions to our knowledge.--The Journal of American HistoryTyler Anbinder has made a distinguished contribution to our understanding of the Northern Know Nothing movement....a study to which historians will react for years to come.--The Catholic Historical ReviewNativism and Slavery makes a major contribution to our understanding of mid-nineteenth-century American politics. It is an absorbing account of the spectacular rise and fall of the Know Nothing party....Anbinder...not only tells the story; he makes sense of it--more sense, in fact, than any previous historian. Time after time he provides interpretive insights of the first order....The book is solidly researched, cogently argued, and a delight to read. It promises to be the standard work in its field for years to come.--Annals of IowaExcellent....Professor Anbinder has done an outstanding job in presenting his thesis that the Know Nothings were successful not only because of their nativism but also because of their antislavery positions....Those interested in the use of religion in political contests will find this a most impressive study.--Journal of Church and StateA very important work...--Historical Journal of MassachusettsImpressively researched and gracefully written.--Journal of Interdisciplinary History[A] detailed and careful study....Historians of American Christianity will find much of interest,,,,Nativism and Slavery offers a convincing solution to the historical puzzle of the precipitous decline of the Know Nothings and their latter-day cousin, the American Party.--Church History

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Book SynopsisThe ways in which the Cold War and McCarthyism circumscribed dissent are well known; less documented are the opportunities they inadvertently created. This book shows how pervasive and influential Left politics were in children''s book writing, illustrating, publishing, and dissemination during the middle third of the twentieth century - precisely the time when Americans were most concerned about protecting their children against Communist influences. Many critically acclaimed and best-selling children''s books were written and/or illustrated by Communists, former Communists, or fellow travellers, the same groups of people who were fired from teaching jobs and blacklisted. Children''s literature written by those on the Left embraced pan-ethnic, anti-racist, pro-labor, and internationalist values, injecting books for children with real-world concerns, and leaving lasting changes on books for youth.Trade ReviewMickenberg delivers a painstakingly drawn account of the multifold ways radicals influenced children's literature in the first decades of the twentieth century. * The Journal of American History *Table of Contents'

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Book SynopsisThe Broken Branch offers both a brilliant diagnosis of the cause of Congressional decline and a much-needed blueprint for change, from two experts who understand politics and revere our institutions, but believe that Congress has become deeply dysfunctional. Mann and Ornstein, two of the nation''s most renowned and judicious scholars of government and politics, bring to light the historical roots of Congress''s current maladies, examining 40 years of uninterrupted Democratic control of the House and the stunning midterm election victory of 1994 that propelled Republicans into the majority in both House and Senate. The byproduct of that long and grueling but ultimately successful Republican campaign, the authors reveal, was a weakened institution bitterly divided between the parties. They highlight the dramatic shift in Congress from a highly decentralized, committee-based institution into a much more regimented one in which party increasingly trumps committee. The resultant changes in Trade ReviewThe Broken Branch...reveals their relationship with the national legislature to be much more profound than mere observation. Frankly, it's love. And they are deeply distressed by Congress's current low esteem. Urging reform at every opportunity, they seem like the loyal spouse of an alcoholic or drug addict, desperately pushing their beloved into rehab. * The New York Times Book Review *Two of the most knowledgeable congressional scholars. * washingtonpost.com *Mann and Ornstein document a litany of abuses so excruciating that their reaction to the impeachment debacle of 1998 is this: 'We didn't think they could sink any lower. We were wrong.' Examples abound. Minority Democrats are routinely given only hours to read the text of thousand-page bills before they're brought up for a vote. Conference committees are stacked exclusively with friendly members. Oversight committees lie dormant and cabinet secretaries treat congressional inquiries with open contempt. Lobbying and pork-barrel spending are at record highs. * Kevin Drum, Washington Monthly *It is easy to recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Congress, how it works and how it should work. * Robert G. Kaiser, Washington Post Book World *Tom Mann and Norm Ornstein have few peers as Congress watchers, but their affection for this very human institution drives their analyses in The Broken Branch as much as their experience. You don't have to agree with every point in their criticism to feel renewed respect for their lifetime of devotion to helping make the people's branch of government a better functioning and more constructive tribune of the public interest. * U.S. Senator John McCain *Poll after poll shows a dramatic decline in public esteem for the Congress. In the opinion of many Americans, Republicans and Democrats alike, the institution simply does not work. Tom Mann and Norm Ornstein, two of the nation's very finest Congressional scholars, have shown in sharp, clean prose what has gone wrong and why and refreshingly suggest ways to get the First Branch of government back on track. This book is essential reading for Americans concerned about our country and our government. * Thomas S. Foley, Former Speaker of the House *The Constitution makes the legislative branch Article 1. It precedes the presidency and the judiciary by design. Today the legislative branch is too weak, too dysfunctional, and too out of touch with modern times to fulfill its constitutional duties. Mann and Ornstein understand well the glaring gap between the framers' design and today's reality. The Broken Branch is a serious step toward strengthening the Congress and moving America back toward a more stable and safer system. * Newt Gingrich, Former Speaker of the House *This book confirms what many of us have long known. Norm Ornstein and Tom Mann are two extremely admired and knowledgeable students of the United States Congress. It is a 'must-read' not only for Members of Congress, but for all Americans who care about the success of this vital institution of our Republic in these troubled times. * Tom Daschle, Former Senate Majority Leader *If you have ever worried about the declining influence of Congress in American political life, listen up! This timely book is for you. A first-rate, close up story of congressional problems and institutional decline...historically informed, institutionally sophisticated, told by two of Washington's best informed observers of American politics. * Richard F. Fenno, Jr., University of Rochester *For anyone wondering why they should vote out the Republicans, this book provides the answer. * The Morning Call *An important new book... * Cox News Service *Table of ContentsPreface ; 1. Introduction ; 2. The First Branch of Government: Theory and Practice ; 3. The Seeds of the Contemporary Problem, 1969-1994 ; 4. A Decade of Republican Control ; 5. Institutional Decline ; 6. The Case of Continuity ; 7. Conclusion ; 8. Epilogue: Is the Broken Branch on the Mend? ; Notes ; Acknowledgments ; Index

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Book SynopsisTrump, Wilders, Salvini, Le Pen - during the last decades, radical right-wing leaders and their parties have become important political forces in most western democracies. Their growing appeal raises an increasingly relevant question: who are the voters that support them and why do they do so? Numerous and variegated answers have been given to this question, inside as well as outside academia. Yet, curiously, despite their quantity and diversity, these existing explanations are often based on a similar assumption: that of homogeneous electorates. Consequently, the idea that different subgroups with different profiles and preferences might coexist within the constituencies of radical right-wing parties has thus far remained underdeveloped, both theoretically and empirically. This ground-breaking book is the first one that systematically investigates the heterogeneity of radical right-wing voters. Theoretically, it introduces the concept of electoral equifinality to come to grips with this diversity. Empirically, it relies on innovative statistical analyses and no less than 125 life-history interviews with voters in France and the Netherlands. Based on this unique material, the study identifies different roads to the radical right and compares them within a cross-national perspective. In addition, through an analysis of almost 1400 tweets posted by Geert Wilders and Marine Le Pen, the book shows how the latter are able to appeal to different groups of voters. Taken together, the book thus provides a host of important new insights into the heterogeneous phenomenon of radical right support.Trade ReviewRoads to the Radical Right offers an enhanced understanding of the variation in national constituencies based on rich data in France and the Netherlands. It thus provides a promising comparative research agenda for scholars and students of elections, the radical right, and populism. Damhuis successfully debunks the simplistic idea that voters of RRPPs are homogeneous and makes an impressive theoretical and empirical effort to deconstruct and critique their simplified social representation often conveyed by the media. * Catherina Froio, Sciences Po, Centre d'études européennes et de politique comparée, Perspective on Politics *Table of Contents1: Introduction: Wholes-of-Parts 2: Theoretical Framework 3: The Design of the Study 4: Inside the Political Supply of the Radical Right 5: Radical Right Supporters in the Social Space 6: Hard-Done-Byness 7: Contributionism 8: Radical Conservatism 9: Conclusions and Perspectives

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Book SynopsisResponding to Populist Parties in Europe: The ''Other People'' vs the ''Populist People'' provides a new theoretical tool kit exploring how those who disagree with populist parties oppose them and what kinds of opposition initiatives work, why, and to what ends. It argues that analogies with the interwar rise of fascism and postwar communist takeover to the East do not easily fit the reality of today''s Europe. Those opposing populist parties often swim in muddier waters than the past, necessarily navigating more complex questions about whether populist opponents deepen or threaten democracy. Populists also operate in a globalized, interdependent Europe, with overlapping spheres of territorial governance. This novel context, the book claims, not only helps us understand the rise of populist parties, but also the constraints of opposition. It begins with a new typology of tolerant and intolerant initiatives opposing populist parties, not just from public authorities and political parties operating at state and international levels, but also lesser-known initiatives from civil society. This forms the foundations of a ''bottom up'' approach for evaluating the effectiveness of opposition to populist parties, acknowledging substantial variation in opposition forms country-to-country and party-to-party. The book then outlines a goal-attainment theory of effective opposition, focusing on whether opponents manage to curb illiberal and anti-democratic policies, reduce support for populist parties, diminish their resources, or induce moderation, without producing perverse effects.Table of ContentsList of Tables and Figures Abbreviations Opposing Populist Parties in Europe 1: Muddy Waters: Populism and Democratic Defence 2: Mapping initiatives opposing populist parties in Europe 3: Manipulation of voter and party choice 4: Enforcement through the Constitution, Courst, and Coercion 5: Leverage, International Sanctions, and Disruption 6: Persuasion, Talk, and New Ideas Conclusion References Appendices

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Book SynopsisElectoral systems matter. They are a crucial link in the chain connecting the preferences of citizens to the policy choices made by governments. They are chosen by political actors and, once in existence, have political consequences for those actors. They are an important object of study for anyone interested in the political process, and in this book we subject them to systematic analysis. In addition to some comparative chapters, the book contains full accounts of the operation of electoral systems in 22 countries: France, the UK, Germany, Italy, Israel, Spain, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, The Netherlands, Ireland, Hungary, Russia, Australia, Canada, India, the USA, Japan, New Zealand, Chile, and South Africa. The book provides detailed analyses of the operation of a diverse set of electoral systems in their national context. Each chapter explains how the electoral system really works in the given country, examining the strategic incentives the system provides to voters, candiTrade ReviewReview from previous edition It is a treasure trove of information about electoral systems and comprehensively examines how votes get translated into seats across the democratic world * Times Higher Education Supplement *This is not just any book on the politics of electoral systems; it is probably the book on the politics of electoral systems ... The authors of these studies are all highly talented scholars, who usually know the comparative literature as well as their countries. In other words, they know what they are talking about, and they have been given reasonably generous space and good editorial guidance with which to do it. The result is truly impressive. * West European Politics *This is a very useful book which, not only for its biblical proportions, could justly claim to be a bible of electoral systems * Irish Political Studies *Overall, this is a superb collection, produced by scholars who know their subject matter and can present it in a very accessible form...this is a book for which much praise is due. * Parliamentary Affairs *This excellent book highlights much of the best in electoral systems research. With top-quality authors, rigorous attention to some key issues and first-rate comparative overviews to introduce and summarize the chapters on individual countries, this book will be one of the first to be read by both experts and newcomers to electoral systems. * Adrian Blau, Party Politics *covers a wide variety of electoral systems from theoretical and empirical perspectives - and it does so excellently. This brand new work is destined to become no less than the bible of electoral systems ... this anthology is already a classic * Canadian Journal of Political Science *In the foreword to the Gallagher and Mitchell collection, Arend Lijphart describes the book as "an outstanding contribution to the electoral systems literature". It is difficult to disagree with this judgement * Political Studies Review *political science and politics of electoral systems are treated in an understandable and at the same time comprehensive manner for a wide range of national electoral systems ... it is a very useful handbook of electoral systems for both specialists and students alike * Acta Politica *It is a valuable and important work of reference for anyone in academia or policy development with a serious interest in comparative electoral systems * Representation *Table of ContentsForeword ; PART 1: INTRODUCTION: ELECTORAL SYSTEMS AND ELECTORAL SYSTEMS RESEARCH ; 1. Introduction to Electoral Systems ; 2. Comparative Electoral Systems Research: The Maturation of a Field and New Challenges Ahead ; 3. Why are There so many (or so few) Electoral Reforms? ; PART 2: SINGLE-MEMBER CONSTITUENCY SYSTEMS ; 4. Australia: The Alternative vote in a Compliant Political Culture ; 5. Canada: Sticking to First-past-the-Post, for the Time Being ; 6. France: Stacking the Deck ; 7. India: Two-Party Contests Within a Multi-Party System ; 8. United Kingdom: Plurality Rule Under Siege ; 9. United States of America: Perpetual Campaigning in the Absence of Competition ; PART 3: MIXED SYSTEMS ; 10. Germany: Stability and Strategy in a Mixed-Member Proportional System ; 11. Hungary: Holding Back the Tiers ; 12. Italy: A Case of Fragmented Bipolarism ; 13. Japan: Haltingly Toward a Two-Party System ; 14. New Zealand: The Consolidation of Reform? ; 15. Russia: The Authoritarian Adaptation of an Electoral System ; PART 4: CLOSED LIST SYSTEMS ; 16. Israel: The Politics of Extreme Proportionality ; 17. South Africa: One Party Dominance Despite Perfect Proportionality ; 18. Spain: Proportional Representation with Majoritarian Outcomes ; PART 5: PREFERENTIAL LIST SYSTEMS AND PR-STV ; 19. Austria: A Complex Electoral System with Subtle Effects ; 20. Belgium: Empowering Voters or Party Elites? ; 21. Chile: The Unexpected (and Expected) Consequences of Electoral Engineering ; 22. Denmark: Simplicity Embedded in Complexity (or Is it the Other Way Round?) ; 23. Finland: One Hundred Years of Quietude ; 24. The Netherlands: The Sanctity of Proportionality ; 25. Ireland: The Discreet Charm of PR-STV ; PART 6: CONCLUSION ; 26. Conclusion ; Appendix A - The Mechanics of Electoral Systems ; Appendix B - Indices of Fragmentation and Disproportionality ; Appendix C: Effective Threshold and Effective District Magnitude ; Appendix D: Values of Indices for 22 Countries at Most Recent Election ; Appendix E: Web Sites Related to Elections, Election Results, and Electoral Systems

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Book SynopsisThe ''sequel'' to his best-selling Classes and Cultures, Ross McKibbin''s latest book is a powerful reinterpretation of British politics in the first decades of universal suffrage. What did it mean to be a ''democratic society''? To what extent did voters make up their own minds on politics or allow elites to do it for them? Exploring the political culture of these extraordinary years, Parties and People shows that class became one of the principal determinants of political behaviour, although its influence was often surprisingly weak. McKibbin argues that the kind of democracy that emerged in Britain was far from inevitable-as much historical accident as design-and was in many ways highly flawed.Trade ReviewThe distillation of a lifetime's reflection, and as compelling as it is engaging. The historian's art at its most disciplined and distinguished. * Times Higher Education *[A] subtly argued study. * Paul Smith, Times Literary Supplement *A model of careful scholarship * Vernon Bogdanor, New Statesman *The political history so readably, as well as convincingly, analysed by McKibbin has plenty of dramatic surprises and unexpected reversals of fortune. * W. G. Runciman, London Review of Books *This is a book that is certainly well written and offers a beguiling explanation of the events that created England's present, but far from inevitable, system of democracy. It deserves to be widely read. * Keith Laybourn, History *An elegant and engaging addition to the history of English democracy. * Laura Beers, Reviews in History *An excellent guide to current thinking on these issues, and should be very useful for students as well as faculty concerned with the social basis of British politics. Highly recommended. * H.L. Smith, CHOICE *offer[s] a fascinating discussion ... This book can be read and enjoyed by the general reader as we ll as the academic specialist * Iain Sharpe, Journal of Liberal History *an outstanding piece of scholarship: it is a major original contribution to the field ... a path-breaking work that will demand attention of all those working on the period. * Andrew Thorpe, English Historical Review *Ross McKibbin has encouraged a rich and complex approach to British history. We are all in his debt. * Rohan McWilliam, Tribune Magazine *Table of Contents1. Edwardian Equipoise and the First World War ; 2. Unstable Equilibrium, 1918-1929 ; 3. The Crisis of Labour and the Conservative Hegemony, 1929-39 ; 4. The Party System Thrown Off Course ; 5. The English Road to Socialism ; 6. England: Social Change, Historical Accident and Democracy

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Book SynopsisIn God's Own Party, Daniel K. Williams presents the first comprehensive history of the Christian Right, uncovering how evangelicals came to see the Republican Party as the vehicle through which they could reclaim America as a Christian nation.Trade ReviewI have long sought a book that would present the history of how the GOP became, in the mind of most conservative Christians, God s Own Party...This is the book I have been waiting for...For an interesting and objective history of the Christian Right, I highly recommend Williams book. * Laurence M. Vance, LewRockwell.com *This book is a needed addition to scholarship on the rise of the New Right. * Religious Studies Review *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; Chapter 1: From Isolation to Influence ; Chapter 2: The Emergence of a Fundamentalist Right ; Chapter 3: God and Country during the Kennedy Presidency ; Chapter 4: The Christian Silent Majority ; Chapter 5: Nixon's Evangelical Strategy ; Chapter 6: The Grassroots Campaign to Save the Family ; Chapter 7: Culture Wars in the Carter Years ; Chapter 8: Moral Majority ; Chapter 9: Reagan ; Chapter 10: Crashing the Party ; Chapter 11: Capturing the White House ; Notes ; Index

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Book Synopsis''Engrossing'' Daniel Beer, Guardian''A beautiful book... incisive, radiant'' Olivia Laing''Illuminating, dramatic... majestic writing'' Spectator''Enthralling... a triumph'' Andrew SolomonAlex Halberstadt returns to Russia, the troubled, enigmatic land of his birth, where decades of Soviet totalitarianism shaped and fractured three generations of his family, in this haunting work of memoir and history.In Ukraine, Halberstadt tracks down his paternal grandfather - most likely the last living bodyguard of Joseph Stalin. He revisits Lithuania, his Jewish mother''s home, to examine the legacy of the Holocaust and the pernicious anti-Semitism that remains largely unaccounted for. And he returns to his birthplace, Moscow, where his grandmother designed homespun couture for Soviet ministers'' wives, his mother consoled dissidents at a psychiatric hospital, and his father made a dangerous living by selTrade ReviewAn act of literary archaeology... [in] finely wrought prose... melding the genres of biography, history and memoir. The book is more than just an account of one family's ordeals: it is an engrossing account of dictatorship, war and genocide, and how the toxic legacy they left behind has etched itself into successive generations of Soviet citizens. -- Daniel Beer * The Guardian *A loving and mournful account that's also skeptical, surprising and often very funny... Lush and moving. -- Jennifer Szalai * New York Times *Illuminating, dramatic... It's as if [Halbertstadt's] feelings about Russia were frozen in time when he emigrated, leaving shards of perception that are peculiarly incisive... Majestic writing. -- Matthew Janney * Spectator *Alex Halberstadt is a magnificent writer. Young Heroes of the Soviet Union is a beautiful book about trauma and its impact on one extraordinary family, and an incisive, radiant look at the long legacy of suffering and war.This terrific, gripping book, part family memoir, part history...[is] a superb evocation of the Soviet Union in the 1960s and '70s. -- David Herman * Jewish Chronicle *Enthralling... Alex Halberstadt describes the disjunction between his Soviet childhood and his American adolescence with incandescent wit, a sometimes bitter but always compelling nostalgia, and great literary flair. This book is a triumph. -- Andrew SolomonSurprising, sad, funny, and engrossing... This is history as memoir, and vice versa. -- John Jeremiah Sullivan[An] elegant testimony to the subordination of human life to the will of an overmighty state. -- Robert Leigh-Pemberton * Daily Telegraph *Fascinating. -- Julia Llewellyn Smith * Mail on Sunday *This truly excellent book will transform your understanding of what memoir can do. -- Wells Tower

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Book SynopsisExamines the pamphlet war between Edmund Burke and the followers of Henry St John, First Viscount Bolingbroke during the mid-eighteenth century. In this book, the author points out that while parties have always existed, the party government that we know today is possible only because parties are now considered respectable.Trade Review"Many readers will be grateful to him for his candor and bravado." (Weekly Standard)"

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Book SynopsisThroughout the contest for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination, politicians and voters alike worried that the outcome might depend on the preferences of unelected superdelegates. This book shows that for several decades, unelected insiders in both major parties effectively selected candidates long before citizens reached the ballot box.Trade Review"The Party Decides is an important book that will set a new standard for understanding the primary election process. The authors use history, anecdotes, and newspaper stories to great advantage, enriching the impressive collection of data they have compiled to support their argument that the nomination process is dominated by a mix of players, but is mainly based on partisans and policy demanders." - David Brady, Stanford University"

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Book SynopsisProvides a way for understanding politics and appreciating the significance of politics at the micro level by comparatively analyzing key turning points and institutions history. This work presents a sociology of human interactions, and shows that political autonomy can be generated.

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Book SynopsisPresents a study of political activism at the micro level by comparatively analyzing key turning points in history. This book presents a sociology of human interactions that lead from small to large dissent around the old Soviet bloc; life on the streets in Warsaw, Prague, and Bucharest in 1989; and the religious and Internet mobilizations.Trade Review"Sociologist Jeffrey C. Goldfarb serves up an absolutely inspiring book-length treatise on the positive ways radical politics are evolving, and what kinds of prospects for change this might open up.... Every old-school activist ought to read this. There is indeed life outside the so-called party." - Tikkun"

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Book SynopsisHowe studies the American Whigs with the thoroughness so often devoted their party rivals, the Jacksonian Democrats. He shows that the Whigs were not just a temporary coalition of politicians but spokesmen for a heritage of political culture received from Anglo-American tradition and passed on, with adaptations, to the Whigs' Republican successors. He relates this culture to both the country's economic conditions and its ethnoreligious composition.

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Book SynopsisWhy do majority congressional parties seem unable to act as an effective policy-making force? They routinely delegate their power to othersinternally to standing committees and subcommittees within each chamber, externally to the president and to the bureaucracy. Conventional wisdom in political science insists that such delegation leads inevitably to abdicationusually by degrees, sometimes precipitously, but always completely. In The Logic of Delegation, however, D. Roderick Kiewiet and Mathew D. McCubbins persuasively argue that political scientists have paid far too much attention to what congressional parties can't do. The authors draw on economic and management theory to demonstrate that the effectiveness of delegation is determined not by how much authority is delegated but rather by how well it is delegated. In the context of the appropriations process, the authors show how congressional parties employ committees, subcommittees, and executive agencies to accomplish policy goals.

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Book SynopsisWhy do majority congressional parties seem unable to act as an effective policy-making force? They routinely delegate their power to othersinternally to standing committees and subcommittees within each chamber, externally to the president and to the bureaucracy. Conventional wisdom in political science insists that such delegation leads inevitably to abdicationusually by degrees, sometimes precipitously, but always completely. In The Logic of Delegation, however, D. Roderick Kiewiet and Mathew D. McCubbins persuasively argue that political scientists have paid far too much attention to what congressional parties can't do. The authors draw on economic and management theory to demonstrate that the effectiveness of delegation is determined not by how much authority is delegated but rather by how well it is delegated. In the context of the appropriations process, the authors show how congressional parties employ committees, subcommittees, and executive agencies to accomplish policy goals. This innovative study will force a complete rethinking of classic issues in American politics: the autonomy of congressional committees; the reality of runaway federal bureaucracy; and the supposed dominance of the presidency in legislative-executive relations.

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Book SynopsisA look at the increasing political polarization of America that locates its roots in, among other things, our increasing physical isolation from those with different views.Trade Review"Uncivil Agreement opens a window to a better understanding of the 'why' behind the polarization of contemporary American politics. This is a groundbreaking book, combining an interesting and important theoretical approach with strong empirical data, and it will have real impact."---David P. Redlawsk, University of Delaware

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Book SynopsisResearch on the US House of Representatives focuses on the effects of partisanship. In response to the increase in senatorial partisanship, this title includes a series of original essays that focus on the effects of parties in the workings of the upper chamber.Trade Review"Timely, sophisticated, and well written, this volume contains an unusual number of new and important pieces. There is no comparable book on Senate politics." - Steven S. Smith, Washington University in St. Louis"

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Book SynopsisResearch on the US House of Representatives focuses on the effects of partisanship. In response to the recent increase in senatorial partisanship, this title presents a series of original essays that focus on the effects of parties in the workings of the upper chamber.Trade Review"Timely, sophisticated, and well written, this volume contains an unusual number of new and important pieces. There is no comparable book on Senate politics." - Steven S. Smith, Washington University in St. Louis"

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Blum documents the history of the Tea Party with a diversity of evidence and methodological virtuosity. She argues that the Tea Party’s presence within the Republican Party is, essentially, a ‘party within a party,’ a new way of thinking about ‘intraparty mobilization’ as a strategy undertaken by movements. How the Tea Party Captured the GOP enjoys the properties of a must-read work for those who care about the future of the Republican Party—indeed, for those who care about the future of the country.” -- Christopher Sebastian Parker, University of Washington“For all the talk of polarization, we know less than we should about the pressures pushing parties away from the median, which makes this book particularly welcome. As Blum traces the relation between the Tea Party and the Republican Party that the insurgency sought, with great success, to push rightwards, she brings impressive evidence to bear, including long-form interviews with Tea Party activists, network analysis, and use of text-as-data.” -- Daniel Schlozman, Johns Hopkins University

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Book SynopsisThe rise of the Tea Party redefined both the Republican Party and how we think about intraparty conflict. What initially appeared to be an anti-Obama protest movement of fiscal conservatives matured into a faction that sought to increase its influence in the Republican Party by any means necessary. Tea Partiers captured the party's organizational machinery and used it to replace established politicians with Tea Partystyle Republicans, eventually laying the groundwork for the nomination and election of a candidate like Donald Trump. In How the Tea Party Captured the GOP, Rachel Marie Blum approaches the Tea Party from the angle of party politics, explaining the Tea Party's insurgent strategies as those of a party faction. Blum offers a novel theory of factions as miniature parties within parties, discussing how fringe groups can use factions to increase their political influence in the US two-party system. In this richly researched book, the author uncovers how the electoral losses oTrade Review“Blum documents the history of the Tea Party with a diversity of evidence and methodological virtuosity. She argues that the Tea Party’s presence within the Republican Party is, essentially, a ‘party within a party,’ a new way of thinking about ‘intraparty mobilization’ as a strategy undertaken by movements. How the Tea Party Captured the GOP enjoys the properties of a must-read work for those who care about the future of the Republican Party—indeed, for those who care about the future of the country.” -- Christopher Sebastian Parker, University of Washington“For all the talk of polarization, we know less than we should about the pressures pushing parties away from the median, which makes this book particularly welcome. As Blum traces the relation between the Tea Party and the Republican Party that the insurgency sought, with great success, to push rightwards, she brings impressive evidence to bear, including long-form interviews with Tea Party activists, network analysis, and use of text-as-data.” -- Daniel Schlozman, Johns Hopkins University

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Book SynopsisTo many observers, Congress has become a deeply partisan institution where ideologically-distinct political parties do little more than engage in legislative trench warfare. A zero-sum, winner-take-all approach to congressional politics has replaced the bipartisan comity of past eras. If the parties cannot get everything they want in national policymaking, then they prefer gridlock and stalemate to compromise. Or, at least, that is the conventional wisdom. In The Limits of Party, James M. Curry and Frances E. Lee challenge this conventional wisdom. By constructing legislative histories of congressional majority parties' attempts to enact their policy agendas in every congress since the 1980s and by drawing on interviews with Washington insiders, the authors analyze the successes and failures of congressional parties to enact their legislative agendas. ? Their conclusions will surprise many congressional observers: Even in our time of intense party polarization, bipartisanship remains the key to legislative success on Capitol Hill. Congressional majority parties today are neither more nor less successful at enacting their partisan agendas. They are not more likely to ram though partisan laws or become mired in stalemate. Rather, the parties continue to build bipartisan coalitions for their legislative priorities and typically compromise on their original visions for legislation in order to achieve legislative success.Trade Review“The Limits of Party a powerful and authoritative work that should invest our understandings and our classrooms. The book is rich in data and argument. The authors ask:  How much has congressional lawmaking changed during recent decades? The answer: Not as much as we might think! There is an awful lot of continuity in our cumbersome separation-of-powers system.” -- David Mayhew, Yale University“In this provocative and cogently-argued book, Curry and Lee demonstrate convincingly the very real limits of congressional majority party power. While contemporary congressional politics may be marked by highly partisan and centralized processes, the factors that govern lawmaking and legislative outcomes have remain largely unchanged over the past half-century. The authors show that laws are generally enacted with broad bipartisan support, and majority parties still face struggles to coordinate internally, even though they face fewer ideological divides than in the past. This important book adds nuance to the literature on party influence and serves as a meaningful corrective to arguments that polarization has changed everything about Congress. It will be deservedly widely read and discussed.” -- Tracy Sulkin, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign"I highly recommend this book not only to congressional scholars, but to those who work in and around the Congress. It offers a refreshingly new and counterintuitive perspective on what is really going on under that dome on the Hill, and why." * Congress & The Presidency *Table of ContentsOne / Majority Party Capacity in a Polarized Era Two / The Persistence of Bipartisan Lawmaking Three / Why Do Majority Parties Fail? Four / How Do Majority Parties Succeed? Five / Bipartisanship and the Decline of Regular Order Six / Credit Claiming and Blaming: How Members React to Legislation in Public Seven / Constancy and Continuities Acknowledgments Appendix A. Majority Party Agenda Priorities Appendix B. Additional Quantitative Analyses Appendix C. Notes on the Interviews Notes References Index

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Book SynopsisSince the Second World War, congressional parties have been characterized as declining in strength and influence. Research has generally attributed this decline to policy conflicts within parties, to growing electoral independence of members, and to the impact of the congressional reforms of the 1970s. Yet the 1980s witnessed a strong resurgence of parties and party leadershipespecially in the House of Representatives. Offering a concise and compelling explanation of the causes of this resurgence, David W. Rohde argues that a realignment of electoral forces led to a reduction of sectional divisions within the partiesparticularly between the northern and southern Democratsand to increased divergence between the parties on many important issues. He challenges previous findings by asserting that congressional reform contributed to, rather than restrained, the increase of partisanship. Among the Democrats, reforms siphoned power away from conservative and autocratic committee chairs and pu

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Book SynopsisSince the Second World War, congressional parties have been characterized as declining in strength and influence. Research has generally attributed this decline to policy conflicts within parties, to growing electoral independence of members, and to the impact of the congressional reforms of the 1970s. Yet the 1980s witnessed a strong resurgence of parties and party leadershipespecially in the House of Representatives. Offering a concise and compelling explanation of the causes of this resurgence, David W. Rohde argues that a realignment of electoral forces led to a reduction of sectional divisions within the partiesparticularly between the northern and southern Democratsand to increased divergence between the parties on many important issues. He challenges previous findings by asserting that congressional reform contributed to, rather than restrained, the increase of partisanship. Among the Democrats, reforms siphoned power away from conservative and autocratic committee chairs and pu

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"The book makes an important contribution to the growing body of research on what may be becoming the most pressing issue in contemporary American politics: political polarization." * Choice *“Kalmoe and Mason’s impressive theoretical insights and evidence on the causes and consequences of radical partisanship make their book the definitive account of violent partisan hostilities in twenty-first-century American politics. With the profound implications of those outstanding analyses exposed for the whole world to see during the January 6 Capitol insurrection, Radical American Partisanship has the potential to be one of the most important political science books in decades.” -- Michael Tesler, University of California, Irvine“This provocative book by two of political science’s rising stars asks readers to consider what only recently would have seemed implausible. Is American democracy on the brink? Will the kind of political violence that most Americans connect to remote outposts in other parts of the world become a feature of our own deeply polarized political system? Readers will find themselves deeply unsettled by Kalmoe and Mason’s evidence and conclusions.” -- Marc J. Hetherington, University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill“A disturbing analysis of special interest to policymakers.” * Kirkus *Table of ContentsChapter 1. Recognizing Partisan Extremes Chapter 2. Radical Historical Roots Chapter 3. Radical Partisan Psychology Part I. Identifying Radical Partisans Chapter 4. The Scope of Radicalism Chapter 5. Trends: Stumbling toward a Breakdown Chapter 6. Who Are the Radical Partisans? Part II. Radical Behaviors and the Impact of Conditions and Events Chapter 7. From Radical Views to Aggressive Behavior Chapter 8. Historical Precedents and Reasons for Violence Chapter 9. Reactions to Election Losses and Violent Events Part III. Communicating Radicalism Chapter 10. Words Matter Chapter 11. The Future of Radical Partisanship: Risks and Opportunities Acknowledgments Notes References Index

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"The book makes an important contribution to the growing body of research on what may be becoming the most pressing issue in contemporary American politics: political polarization." * Choice *“Kalmoe and Mason’s impressive theoretical insights and evidence on the causes and consequences of radical partisanship make their book the definitive account of violent partisan hostilities in twenty-first-century American politics. With the profound implications of those outstanding analyses exposed for the whole world to see during the January 6 Capitol insurrection, Radical American Partisanship has the potential to be one of the most important political science books in decades.” -- Michael Tesler, University of California, Irvine“This provocative book by two of political science’s rising stars asks readers to consider what only recently would have seemed implausible. Is American democracy on the brink? Will the kind of political violence that most Americans connect to remote outposts in other parts of the world become a feature of our own deeply polarized political system? Readers will find themselves deeply unsettled by Kalmoe and Mason’s evidence and conclusions.” -- Marc J. Hetherington, University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill“A disturbing analysis of special interest to policymakers.” * Kirkus *Table of ContentsChapter 1. Recognizing Partisan Extremes Chapter 2. Radical Historical Roots Chapter 3. Radical Partisan Psychology Part I. Identifying Radical Partisans Chapter 4. The Scope of Radicalism Chapter 5. Trends: Stumbling toward a Breakdown Chapter 6. Who Are the Radical Partisans? Part II. Radical Behaviors and the Impact of Conditions and Events Chapter 7. From Radical Views to Aggressive Behavior Chapter 8. Historical Precedents and Reasons for Violence Chapter 9. Reactions to Election Losses and Violent Events Part III. Communicating Radicalism Chapter 10. Words Matter Chapter 11. The Future of Radical Partisanship: Risks and Opportunities Acknowledgments Notes References Index

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"This book will stimulate great classroom discussions. Highly recommended." * Choice *"Matthew Levendusky’s book, Our Common Bonds, focuses on partisan divisions, but his methods and data are different from those of [other] authors. Rather than focusing on ideology or issue attitudes, his concern is affective polarization, or the growing hostility and mistrust Americans feel for the other party and its supporters—a trend that he, like many observers, sees as corrosive of democratic norms. . . He contends that these attitudes are based in part on misinformation about the other side and can be mitigated by reminders of shared identities: not only 'Americanness' but also more mundane connections like shared allegiance to sports teams, friendships, or family ties cutting across party lines." * Perspectives on Politics *“Twenty-first-century American politics has been defined by polarization. In two prior seminal books, Levendusky offered crucial insights into how ideological sorting and partisan media have shaped the ways in which citizens have polarized. This book is yet another foundational contribution, revealing what strategies can counteract dangerously high levels of affective polarization. The book greatly advances what we know about citizen reasoning, partisanship, and identity more generally. It is required reading for all who want to understand and improve American democracy. In short, Levendusky has yet again provided an agenda-setting book.” -- James N. Druckman, Northwestern University

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"This book will stimulate great classroom discussions. Highly recommended." * Choice *"Matthew Levendusky’s book, Our Common Bonds, focuses on partisan divisions, but his methods and data are different from those of [other] authors. Rather than focusing on ideology or issue attitudes, his concern is affective polarization, or the growing hostility and mistrust Americans feel for the other party and its supporters—a trend that he, like many observers, sees as corrosive of democratic norms. . . He contends that these attitudes are based in part on misinformation about the other side and can be mitigated by reminders of shared identities: not only 'Americanness' but also more mundane connections like shared allegiance to sports teams, friendships, or family ties cutting across party lines." * Perspectives on Politics *“Twenty-first-century American politics has been defined by polarization. In two prior seminal books, Levendusky offered crucial insights into how ideological sorting and partisan media have shaped the ways in which citizens have polarized. This book is yet another foundational contribution, revealing what strategies can counteract dangerously high levels of affective polarization. The book greatly advances what we know about citizen reasoning, partisanship, and identity more generally. It is required reading for all who want to understand and improve American democracy. In short, Levendusky has yet again provided an agenda-setting book.” -- James N. Druckman, Northwestern University

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Book SynopsisDouglas Dillon advocated for evolution and reform over radicalism and placed the national interest above party interest. With exclusive access to the family’s archive, in The Dillon Era Richard Aldous sets fresh eyes on a well-documented period in American history, unfolding a deeply influential but somewhat overlooked political career.Trade Review“Douglas Dillon had one of the most important American public careers of the 1950s and 1960s. In this gracefully written and engaging book, Richard Aldous adroitly recounts Dillon’s role in the domestic and foreign policies of the United States in those years and his considerable influence on both.” Michael Mandelbaum, Johns Hopkins University and author of The Four Ages of American Foreign Policy: Weak Power, Great Power, Superpower, Hyperpower“Richard Aldous vividly brings to life a vastly underappreciated, extraordinarily accomplished “wise man” of the post-war period who played an outsized role in helping Ike, JFK, and LBJ navigate the Cold War and nourish prosperity for America and the world. With a fast-paced writing style, and with gripping detail that he uses to great effect, Aldous shows how the calm, courteous, measured, and understated Douglas Dillon grew from political neophyte to savvy Washington insider, from a Wall Street banker of great privilege to a tough, adroit, polished, and ultimately commanding figure of great U.S. and global influence. I learned a great deal from The Dillon Era, enjoyed the literary ride immensely, and can’t recommend it highly enough to Cold War historians and the general public alike.” Lawrence J. Haas, author of The Kennedys in the World: How Jack, Bobby, and Ted Remade America’s Empire“With vivid insights and lively prose, Richard Aldous resurrects a forgotten man of mid-twentieth-century America, a Wall Street banker who served Ike, JFK, and LBJ with equal loyalty and distinction – a natural balancer whose life makes for poignant reading in our polarized age.” David Reynolds, Cambridge University and author of America, Empire of Liberty“An informative, appreciative study of C. Douglas Dillon, secretary of the Treasury in the Kennedy administration … Mr. Aldous, a history professor at Bard College and the author of a well-regarded biography of Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr., makes a persuasive case for Dillon’s beneficial role in the tumultuous history of postwar America.” The Wall Street Journal"Aldous, a professor at Bard College in New York state, underscores Dillon’s achievements, portraying his seminal contributions to American foreign and economic policy. These are detailed in an excellent work of historical non-fiction. Calm, reasonable and measured, Dillon did not draw attention to himself; he just quietly shaped and implemented policy. Aldous’s study rescues Dillon from historical obscurity, illuminating an unsung figure." The Winnipeg Free Press

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Book SynopsisExamines the debates and developments about House of Lords reform since 1911, and notes that disagreements have occurred within, as well as between, the main political parties and governments throughout this time. It draws attention to how various proposals for reform have raised a wider range constitutional and political problems.Table of ContentsIntroduction Firing the First Shots: The 1911 Parliament Act and Inter-War Initiatives Labour Learns the Complexities of Lords Reform: The 1949 Parliament Act Pouring New Wine into the Old Bottle: The 1958 Life Peerages Act A Right of Renunciation: The 1963 Peerage Act Crossman Can't Convince his Colleagues: The 1969 Parliament (No.2) Bill 202 Out With the Hereditary Peers – or most of them: The 1999 House of Lords Act and Beyond Conclusion: A Constant Constitutional Conundrum

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Book SynopsisRe-examines a nineteenth-century strategy called fusion, in which a dominant-party candidate ran on the ballots of both the established party and a third party. This book concludes by analyzing the 2000 presidential election as an object lesson in the tyranny of the two-party system. It also includes suggestions for voting experiments.Trade ReviewDisch's book is strong and unique as it strays from many of the traps that plague third-party literature. Her book does not focus solely on a single party in an attempt to generalize from a unique example, nor does it fall prey to the "easy answer" syndrome: telling the reader why a third party erupted and why it could no longer retain its electoral viability. Disch presents a refreshingly unconventional take on American party history that is unique within this genre of party literature. -- Spencer Jones Congress and the Presidency Disch argues for the legal acceptibility of 'fusion' tickets in which candidates can appear on ballots as nominees of more than one party. Choice Fascinating and colorful -- Brian Doherty Reason [T]his book is a critique of the current partisan organization of American politics, its legal and institutional underpinnings, and a celebration of 'third party' alternatives to the political status quo... Disch provides both an interesting story of one reform effort and an enlightening analysis of how the status quo came to be. -- Keith E. Whittington Perspectives on PoliticsTable of ContentsIntroduction: The Tyranny of the Two-Party System The Politics of Electoral Fusion 1994-1997 The Politics of the Two-Party System The Two-Party System: A Genealogy of a Catchphrase The Teleological Temporality of the Two-Party System Oppositional Democracy and the Promise of Electoral Fusion Beyond the Tyranny of the Two-Party System

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Book SynopsisKenneth Janda sheds new light on the Republican Party’s transformations, drawing on a wide range of quantitative and qualitative evidence. He examines nearly three thousand planks from every Republican platform since 1856 as well as candidate statements and historical sources.Trade ReviewThis fascinating study traces the Republican Party’s view of the world and itself from birth to the present. Janda’s scholarship provides information and insights that people of good intention can employ to save this fast-failing political institution, which in turn threatens American democracy. This book belongs on the must-read list needed to save our two-party system and our democracy. -- John W. Dean, former Nixon White House counsel, author of Authoritarian Nightmare: Trump and His FollowersOutstanding! This book represents the definitive analysis of the Republican Party, its policy commitments, changes that have taken place over time, and how the party has evolved from its birth in 1856 to the cult of Trump in contemporary times. It stands out for the quality, originality, and comprehensiveness of its analysis. A tightly reasoned explanatory framework adds a historical perspective. The book sets the standard for the field. -- William Crotty, professor emeritus of political science, Northeastern UniversityJanda stunningly combines scholarly discoveries with worrisome insights into the realities of contemporary politics. His research on Republican ideology from Lincoln to Trump is—in one word—the best study of party platforms ever published. But, sadly, his unique research also reveals the deterioration of the once Grand Old Party to an ethnocentric tribe and personality cult that threatens the future of American democracy. -- Gerald Pomper, professor emeritus of political science, Rutgers UniversityCompeting political parties committed to democratic values and institutions are essential ingredients of pluralist democracy. But in recent years, as the highly respected comparative politics specialist Kenneth Janda shows, the Republican Party has been undermining rather than upholding essential democratic norms. The Republican Evolution is a timely analysis of a democracy in crisis, how America got there, and what needs to be done if the United States is to serve as inspiration rather than warning. -- Archie Brown, emeritus professor of politics, University of OxfordKenneth Janda’s The Republican Evolution is a persuasive analysis of what has happened to one of our two great political parties. The GOP once governed with competence and compassion under Lincoln, TR and Eisenhower, and once was a “champion of national authority and political equality.” But in the last half-century, Janda charts how it has become increasingly narrow and cramped, advocating states’ rights, defending racial inequalities and—in the recent past—become dominated by corrosive tribal politics and the destructive personality cult of Donald J. Trump. -- David H. Bennett, professor emeritus of history, Syracuse UniversityAn expansive and prescriptive study of the Grand Old Party since 1860, Janda’s The Republican Evolution highlights how divisive issues define but divide the modern Republican Party. Examining party platforms since 1856, Janda maps the evolution of the Republican Party on issues like trade policy, law and order, and civil rights, adeptly demonstrating how the Party moved from being the “Party of Lincoln” to an antigovernment party and diagnosing the ills of the party system along the way. This book is important for scholars of political parties and a must read for anyone concerned about American democracy. -- Brandon Rottinghaus, University of HoustonJanda’s book is the culmination of decades of research. His detailed analysis of how the Republican Party has abandoned its historical roots, going from a party of freedom to an insurgent outlier that represents an ongoing threat to our democratic institutions, is both timely and welcome. -- John Kenneth White, Catholic University of AmericaJanda gives us the long view of changes in the Republican Party, with observations of critical points and periods of transformation well supported by close examination of historical documents and presenting statistical evidence. This is an illuminating work potentially of interest to a wide readership, with suggestions for Republicans to regain connection with and to honor their roles in forming America's heritage. -- Jack Flynn, professor emeritus of history and geography, St. Catherine UniversityA very useful addition to classes on party, ideology, and social movements, and it provides plenty of useful grist for discussions among undergraduate and graduate students. -- Seth Masket * Presidential Studies Quarterly *That today’s Republican Party fundamentally differs from the party of old is something that few would venture to dispute. In this well-written, carefully researched book, Janda uses social-science tools to shed new light on the political history that nurtured that epochal change. * Survival *Table of ContentsPrefaceIntroductionPart I: Political Parties and Principles1. Political Parties2. Government Benefits3. Party Platforms and PrinciplesPart II: Republican Party Planks4. Beyond Liberal and Conservative5. Republican Platform Planks Since 1856Part III: Principles of Republicanism6. Original Principles7. Financing Government8. Economic Affairs9. Law and Order10. Culture and Order11. Conservation and Conservatives12. Elections13. Evolving to EthnocentrismPart IV: Republicans as Team, Tribe, and Cult14. Electoral Teams15. The Political Tribe16. The Personality CultPart V: Republican Restoration17. The Party in Peril18. A Republican EpiphanyEpilogue: The Next Republican EraAppendix A: Validating the CodingAppendix B: Accounting for All 2,722 Republican Platform PlanksAcknowledgmentsNotesBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisThe bestselling book that inspired the Bafta-winning BBC dramaCorruption. Blackmail. Conspiracy to murder. A Very English Scandal has all the hallmarks of a classic thriller with one difference. It''s all true.In the late 1960s Jeremy Thorp, the charismatic leader of the Liberal Party, was at the height of his political career. But homosexuality had only just been legalized, and a former relationship with a younger man named Norman Scott threatened to destroy Thorp''s carefully curated facade. Helped by fellow politicians, Thorpe schemed, deceived and embezzled until he saw only one way to silence his ex-lover for good.Meticulously researched and endlessly extraordinary, Thorp''s trial captured the moment that British society discovered the truth about its political class - and learned just how far the Establishment will go to protect its own.''Gripping. A story of cack-handed assassins, buffoonish policemen, dodgy Home Secretaries'' Trade ReviewThe shocking true story of the first British politician to stand trial for murder * Publisher's description *This is a brilliant, sad, startling nonfiction novel about the Jeremy Thorpe murder-plot scandal. It is as funny and dark as anything by Evelyn Waugh or Jonathan Coe. And in these post Cyril Smith/Jimmy Saville days, it's so timely and relevant * Jon Ronson *A terrific book and brilliantly researched. John Preston writes wonderful dead-pan prose and reveals the depths of depravity, the absurd power of snobbery and the old boy networks of the time -- Claire TomalinA brilliant exploration of an extraordinary political scandal... deeply researched, fluently written, and darkly comic, it reads like a thriller -- Ben MacintyreI loved it; eccentric, dark, humane and English in the very best sense. It's going to be a sure fire-hit -- Alain de BottonThe most forensic, elegantly written, compelling account of one of the 20th century's great political scandals... a real page-turner' * Observer *Very funny and endlessly extraordinary... makes for amazing reading -- Catherine Shoard * Guardian *Impeccably researched... full of shocks, surprises and laugh-out-loud moments. Preston revives a forgotten era and delves into the personalities behind the headlines. * Times Crime Club *Retold with masterful skill... It grips like a detective story, as compelling as BBC2's Life of Duty and every bit as dirty in what it exposes about the upper echelons of society in the Sixties and Seventies * Daily Mail Book of the Week *This brilliant account made me feel I was hearing the tale for the first time ... Preston is an enthralling narrator * Mail on Sunday *Gripping ... cack-handed assassins, buffoonish policemen, dodgy Home secretaries and sozzled judges. The conclusion of an Establishment cover-up is hard to avoid * Daily Telegraph *The unbelievable truth... Preston is a natural storyteller ... he provides the context for actions that seem unbelievable today * The Times *Wonderfully readable ... John Preston is the ideal author, having researched for years many minor characters and talked to dozens of well-known political and literary friends and enemies of Thorpe * Standpoint *Fluent, readable ... a vivid tableau of the players in Thorpe's long, tragic downfall * Evening Standard *I spent a thrilling 48 hours reading it. The narrative is so vivid, the characterisation so brilliant... I thought I knew all about these events, but the full horror of them has only now become apparent -- Antonia FraserA gripping account of the Jeremy Thorpe case. The details make one laugh out loud or gasp with amazement -- Charles Moore * Spectator *The whole affair is retold here compellingly and fluently, bringing to life the cast of characters with some verve * The i *Nothing comes close to the eyepopping outrageousness of the gay murder shenanigans that engulfed and almost destroyed a Liberal leader. Reads like a comic thriller -- Rachel JohnsonA wonderful, wonderful read -- Nick Robinson, BBC Today Programme

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Book Synopsis''If bravery itself could write, it would write like she does'' John BergerWhy rebel?Because our footprint on the Earth has never mattered more than now. How we treat it, in the spirit of gift or of theft, has never been more important.Because we need a politics of kindness, but the very opposite is on the rise. Libertarian fascism, with its triumphal brutalism, its racism and misogyny - a politics that loathes the living world.Because nature is not a hobby. It is the life on which we depend, as Indigenous societies have never forgotten.Only when it is dark enough can you see the stars, and they are lining up now to write rebellion across the skies.From the author of Wild, this passionate, poetic manifesto for urgent rebellion is also a paean to the deep and extraordinary beauty of the natural world.Jay Griffiths helped redefine activism for a generation, combining detailed research with a poeTrade ReviewThere is just one question left today for all writers. What would Nature say to us if Nature had a voice? I know of nobody who is facing up to that question with more honesty, courage and commitment than Jay Griffiths * John Ashton, independent activist and former UK Climate Change Ambassador *

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Book SynopsisAuthoritarian Legacies and Democracy in Latin America and Southern Europe brings together well-known comparative political scientists to define and explore the effects of authoritarian rule in post-authoritarian regimes in Southern Europe, the Southern Cone, and Brazil. Contributors to this volume use the research of historians, social psychologists, anthropologists, and sociologists to formulate their conceptualizations of legacies. Their analysis is also sensitive to the experiences of those who live with the consequences of authoritarian regimes. Each chapter offers a multi-case comparison either from within Latin America or between Latin America and Southern Europe.Among the challenges for democracies in Latin America and Southern Europe are weakened political parties, politicized militaries, compromised judiciaries, corrupt police forces, and widespread citizen distrust. Utilizing a historical-sociological methodology that incorporates both the formal-legal and cuTrade Review“A superb point of entry into the rich and varied scholarship on real-world democracies after transitions from dictatorship. This coherent, well-edited collection has clearly benefited from interaction among different scholars and disciplines over time. It makes a persuasive case that the concept of ‘authoritarian legacies’ can be utilized with analytical rigor, attentive to the symbolic and expressive sides of politics as well as to institutions, interests, policies and power.” —Alexander Wilde, Ford Foundation“We know that sturdy democratic regimes are not built on prefabricated and interchangeable foundations, yet we understand very little about how local landscapes, particularly the shadow of the past, shape the familiar ideas and institutions of democracy. This book is a valuable contribution to our appreciation of the varied ways in which history, particularly authoritarian political history, molds democratic practice. Elegant case studies from Latin America and Southern Europe yield important lessons not only for regional scholars but for everyone interested in democratization and democracy promotion around the world.” —Lisa Anderson, Columbia University“This collection documents the hidden impediments to democratizing reforms, and recognizes the inherent limits of democratization in these two areas of the world. Recommended.” —Choice"The collection contains many interesting findings and arguments." —Political Studies Review"The work as a whole is interesting and in some ways illustrative. This reviewer has no doubt that historical analysis can help illuminate contemporary realities in all kinds of ways, and the articles in this collection broadly succeed in doing this. ...this edited collection includes some interesting discussion, and successfully illuminates some significant aspects of the behavior of state actors in Brazil and the southern cone of South America, and to a lesser extent elsewhere." —The Americas

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Book SynopsisThis book compares eastern and western German state legislators in the decade following unification.Trade Review"A volume in the series Contemporary European Politics and Society compares the political attitudes and values of east and west German state legislators after German reunification. Implications for successful democratization and institutional resilience are discussed." —Worldwide Political Science Abstracts "Contrasts the political attitudes and behavior of the state legislators in eastern and western Germany during the decade following the unification; finds little evidence that the easterners' values have hindered their adaptation to the new system." —The Chronicle of Higher Education"The emphasis on 'becoming' provides a unique perspective on when and how successful post-communist politicians of eastern Germany learn to function in a new democratic political system. This examination of state-level legislators concentrates on a discrete decade, shared by all post-communist countries, but under the unique circumstances of sudden absorption into west Germany. Using a wide range of materials, Becoming Party Politicians shows how legislators unlearn the anti-party attitudes and habits of the one-party state to become 'party politicians' in a multi-party nation." —David M. Olson, Professor Emeritus, University of North Carolina at Greensboro"This study builds on earlier research on the implications of the German model of post-communist transition; it asks important questions about the effects of transferring western German political institutions on eastern German legislators' behaviors. In its examination of the integration of two culturally distinct groups, Becoming Party Politicians has relevance well beyond the German case. Davidson-Schmich's analysis is sharp, tightly organized and accessible to undergraduates as well as advanced scholars." —Jennifer A. Yoder, Colby College"Becoming Party Politicians addresses an intriguing issue that in one form or another faces all new democracies: how, and how successfully, do such regimes acquire and socialize the political elites they need to lead them? In her exploration of that issue, and in her choice of members of east German state parliaments, Davidson-Schmich has written an interesting, well-researched, and well-executed study." —Thomas A. Baylis, University of Wisconsin

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Book SynopsisRobert Ross addresses a fascinating and unresolved constitutional question: why did political parties emerge so quickly after the framers designed the Constitution to prevent them? The text of the Constitution is silent on this question. Most scholars of the subject have taken that silence to be a hostile one, arguing that the adoption of the two-party system was a significant break from a long history of antiparty sentiments and institutional design aimed to circumscribe party politics.The constitutional question of parties addresses the very nature of representation, democracy, and majority rule. Political parties have become a vital institution of representation by linking the governed with the government. Efforts to uphold political parties have struggled to come to terms with the apparent antiparty sentiments of the founders and the perception that the Constitution was intended to work against parties.The Framers' Intentions connects political parties and tTrade Review“I found this to be an engaging text on the rise of political parties in early America. The entire book is thoroughly researched, and Robert Ross has clearly immersed himself in the literature. I believe that this book, although it analyzes political battles from over two hundred years ago, can speak to the American people in this era when we are so divided.” —William Bolt, Francis Marion University“Robert Ross has provided us with a provocative argument that contradicts scholarly wisdom regarding the emergence of a two-party system in the early American republic. Ross’s interpretation that the founders were not fighting against parties but rather manipulating their development as legitimate tools is a genuine contribution to the literature for both historians and political scientists.” —John Belohlavek, University of South Florida "Robert Ross challenges the received wisdom on the relationship between the Constitution and political parties. He shows that political parties became deeply entrenched in a constitutional order that was initially intended to work against them. He details how over the course of American political development the Constitution acquired new elements and interpretations that served to strengthen political parties. This book is a must read for scholars of political parties and of American political development." —Marc Landy, Boston College“The heart of this scholarly study is Ross’s thesis, which proposes to scholars that there is another way in which to view the Constitution’s transition from anti-party to party. . . . Ross offers a book that belongs on the library shelves of all academic institutions with advanced history and political science programs.” —Choice"The story of political parties' decline, and how that decline led to Congress's, has yet to be told. Until then, : The Framers' Intentions provides a valuable service by showing the essential role parties have played in making workable our republican government." —Claremont Review of BooksTable of ContentsIntroduction: Antipartyism and the Constitution: Reassessing the “Constitution-Against-Parties” Thesis 1.Antiparty Constitutionalism and the Tradition of Political Parties Partyism Before the Constitution 2.Partyism and the First Amendment: Organizing Opposition and the Partisan Press 3.Partyism and the Presidential Selection System: The Twelfth Amendment and Political Opposition 4.Partyism and Organized Opposition in Elections 5.Partyism and the Electoral College: Completing the Twelfth Amendment 6Partyism, the Election Clause, and the House of Representatives 7.Conclusion: Partyism and the Twenty-Fourth Amendment: Entrenching the Two-Party Constitution

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Book SynopsisBetween 1830 and 1886, Liberals dominated British politics. Focusing on the strategies of successive Liberal leaders, this study gives an overview of that dominance and argues that liberalism was a much more coherent force than has generally been recognized by historians.

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Book SynopsisAn account of liberal thought from its roots in 17th-century English thinking to the end of the 18th century. The author rescues the term "Whig" from the low regard attached to it, and argues that although Whigs may have strayed from liberal principles on occasion, many were true progressives.

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Book SynopsisCan a single organization be committed to political activism and charitable good works while simultaneously dispatching suicide bombers to attack civilian targets? This book provides a documented assessment of Hamas, showing the alarming extent to which the group's political and social welfare leaders support terrorism.Trade Review“Levitt provides a thoroughly documented exposure of the organization’s dark side.”—Isabel Kershner, Washington Post“Levitt offers the fullest picture that can be drawn from available sources. His tone is rigorously analytical and nondramatic.”—David Pryce-Jones, Wall Street Journal“[Levitt] draws on intelligence reports and his own experience in the West Bank, naming names and providing figures, to judge that Hamas is less a charitable organisation and more a threat to world peace.”—Times (UK)“Compelling. . . . Levitt’s book is a solid guide to a despicable terrorist organization that is both influential and lethally effective.”—Ari Melber, New York Post“Copiously documented and detailed.”—Caroline Glick, Jerusalem Post“Levitt’s timely and thoroughly researched new book, Hamas . . . goes well beyond [the] tantalizing headlines. It is an important book that will serve the useful function of destroying any illusions readers may have about Hamas.”—Patrick Grady, Toronto Globe and Mail“Levitt has provided a major service. A debate over how to undermine a terrorist organization cannot even begin if one buys into the idea of separate social and political wings. Hamas definitively dispels this myth. More important still, Levitt has shown us that the general idea of such a construct did not originate with Hamas itself. Rather, it was inherited from the group’s predecessor and inspiration: the Muslim Brotherhood. Only by seeing precisely how the Muslim Brotherhood and its more radical offshoots prey upon Western democracies through their mastery of the art of rhetoric and propaganda can we begin to truly understand them—and to confront them. Levitt’s work brings us a bit closer to that goal.”—Glen Feder, Journal of International Security Affairs“Levitt builds a convincing case to demonstrate that while the notion that radical Islamist groups have distinct violent and non-violent wings may be convenient for terrorists and their supporters, it does not hold up to close scrutiny. . . . A solid account of Hamas by one of the world’s most respected experts.”—Stewart Bell, Books in Canada“By coincidence, just as the Anti-Cair and Harris lawsuits were being shut down, Yale University Press released the most detailed study of the Hamas terror group ever offered to readers without a security clearance. The book is Hamas: Politics, Charity, and Terrorism in the Service of Jihad; the author is Matthew Levitt, the chief intelligence officer of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and one of the world’s leading experts on Hamas.”—David Frum, Canada National Post“The evidence presented by Levitt is well done and provides a very good insight into the foundation and support system of many like organisations. This should be read by scholar and military member alike for a deeper understanding of what and who motivates and supports organisations that condone terror.”—Major Mark Davey, Australian Defence Force Journal“As we search for a new way to understand the Middle East, it is imperative that both Israel and the rest of the world see Hamas for what it really is. For this, Levitt’s book is a superb place to start. . . . As a clarion call for a re-evaluation of our perception of and policy toward Hamas, there is no better book than Hamas, and for that, we should be grateful.”—Yechiel M. Leiter, Azure“This is very much the prosecution case against Hamas . . . and there are rich pickings for prosecution counsel. . . . An indictment of the sinister and alarming aspects of the Hamas agenda. . . . Useful background material for policy-makers and analysts seeking to predict future developments in a highly volatile situation.”—Deaglan de Breadun, Irish TimesA 2007 Top Seller in Politics and Law as compiled by YBP Library ServicesSelected as a 2007 AAUP University Press Book for Public and Secondary School Libraries“Matthew Levitt is undoubtedly one of the world’s foremost experts on Hamas and an outstanding commentator on terrorism in general. I read everything he writes, and I have a very high regard for his work.”—Daniel Benjamin, former member of President Clinton’s National Security Council“In a compelling and authoritative manner, Matthew Levitt masterfully demonstrates that the charitable and social components of Hamas cannot be separated from its true terrorist nature.”—Dennis M. Lormel, former chief, Terrorist Financing Operations Section at the Federal Bureau of Investigation“Far and away the best thing on this subject I’ve ever seen; well-written, careful, professional, fascinating.”—R. James Woolsey, former director of Central Intelligence“After painstaking research, Matthew Levitt, a pre-eminent specialist on Middle Eastern terrorism, dissects Hamas’ international support network. Hamas is a remarkable investigation that must be read both by the specialist and by the public.”—Rohan Gunaratna, author of Inside Al Qaeda: Global Network of Terror

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Book SynopsisIt is hard to imagine a book, essay or pamphlet outside of the Bible that has been more influential, and widely read, than Marx and Engels' "Communist Manifesto". Part of the "Rethinking the Western Tradition" series, this edition of the "Manifesto" features essays that address its relevance in the post-1989, post-Cold War world.

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Book SynopsisA takedown of the GOP’s deceitful propaganda machine from the blogger of Salon’s Unclaimed Territory and the author of the New York Times bestsellers How Would a Patriot Act? and A Tragic Legacy.Ever since the cowboy image of Ronald Reagan was sold to Americans, the Republican Party has used the same John Wayne imagery to support its candidates and take elections. We all know how they govern, but the right-wing propaganda machine is very adept at hijacking debate and marketing their candidates as effectively as the Marlboro Man. For example: Myth: The Republican nominee is an upstanding, regular guy who shares the values of the common man.Reality: He divorced his first wife in order to marry a young multimillionaire heiress whose family then funded his political career. Myth: Republicans are strong on defense and will keep us safe.Reality: They prey on f

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Book Synopsis“Uttering lines that send liberals into paroxysms of rage, otherwise known as ‘citing facts,’ is the spice of life. When I see the hot spittle flying from their mouths and the veins bulging and pulsing above their eyes, well, that’s when I feel truly alive.”So begins If Democrats Had Any Brains, They’d Be Republicans, Ann Coulter’s funniest, most devastating, and, yes, most outrageous book to date. Coulter has become the brightest star in the conservative firmament thanks to her razor-sharp reasoning and biting wit. Of course, practically any time she opens her mouth, liberal elites denounce Ann, insisting that “She’s gone too far!” and hopefully predicting that this time it will bring a crashing end to her career. Now you can read all the quotes that have so outraged her enemies and so delighted her legions of fans. More than just the definitive collection of Coulterisms, If Democrats Had An

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