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 SynopsisLegislatures are political bodies essential to democracy and the rule of law. They present social scientists with numerous intriguing puzzles, with far-reaching implications for our understanding of political institutions. Why, and how, have these ancient assemblies, established in pre-democratic times, survived the transition to mass democracies? How have they adapted? How do they structure such processes as budgeting, legislation, and executive oversight? How do their members get selected, and what consequences flow from differences in these rules? What roles do committees and political parties play in contemporary legislatures? What functions do legislatures perform in autocratic, semi-democratic or recently democratized societies? What explains the similarities and differences in legislative rules, powers and recruitment? What are the policy and other consequences of variation in how legislatures are organized and function? The 33 chapters in The Oxford Handbook of Legislative StudTrade ReviewThis Handbook is fundamental reading for all scholars devoted to the study of political institutions, political parties and legislative studies. * Eugenio Salvati, Political Studies Review *Table of ContentsPART I: THEORIES; PART II: METHODS; PART III: REPRESENTATION AND LEGISLATIVE CAREERS; PART IV: ORGANISATION AND RULES; PART V: PARTIES IN THE LEGISLATURE; PART VI: POLICY MAKING AND OVERSIGHT; PART VII: EXPANDING THE SCOPE OF LEGISLATIVE ANALYSIS

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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 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 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 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 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 SynopsisAcknowledgements - Abbreviations - Introduction - The Early KPD: Responses to Weakness - The National Question 1918-1922 - The 1923 Crisis - The Stabilisation Era, 1924-28: General Developments - The Stabilisation Era, 1924-28: The KPD and Right-Radicals in the Factories - Communist-Nazi Relations 1928-32: The Ideological Dimension - The Sociology of Communist-Nazi Relations - The Battle for the Unemployed and for Territory - The Struggle in the Workplace - Conclusion - Notes - Sources - Glossary of German words and terms used in the text - IndexTable of ContentsAcknowledgements - Abbreviations - Introduction - The Early KPD: Responses to Weakness - The National Question 1918-1922 - The 1923 Crisis - The Stabilisation Era, 1924-28: General Developments - The Stabilisation Era, 1924-28: The KPD and Right-Radicals in the Factories - Communist-Nazi Relations 1928-32: The Ideological Dimension - The Sociology of Communist-Nazi Relations - The Battle for the Unemployed and for Territory - The Struggle in the Workplace - Conclusion - Notes - Sources - Glossary of German words and terms used in the text - Index

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Book SynopsisThis book addresses the paradox of political mobilization and the failings of governance in India, with reference to the conflict between secularism and Hindu nationalism, authoritarianism and democracy. It demonstrates how the Internal Emergency of 1975 led to increased support of groups such as the BJS and the RSS, accounting for the rise of political movements advocating Hindu nationalism - Hindutva - as a response to rapid political mobilization triggered by the Emergency, and an attempt by political elites to control this to their advantage. Vernon Hewitt argues that the political disjuncture between democracy and mobilization in India is partly a function of the Indian state, the nature of a caste-class based society, but also - and significantly - the contingencies of individual leaders and the styles of rule. He shows how, in the wake of the Emergency, the BJP and the RSS gained popularity and power amid the on-going decline and fragmentation of the Congress, whilst, Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Emergencies, States and Societies: The Study of Indian Politics 2. State-Society Relations 1947-1950: A Democratic Polity? 3. Political Mobilisations: 1963-1971 4. The State and Political Crisis 1971-75 5. The State As Political Impasse: 1975-1980 6. Political Mobilisations: 1980-1996 7. Hindutva as Crisis: 1996-2004. Conclusions

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Book SynopsisJames Madison Rules America examines congressional party legislative and electoral strategy in the context of our constitutional separation of powers. In a departure from recent books that have described Congress as ''the broken branch'' or the ''Second Civil War,'' William Connelly argues that partisanship, polarization and the permanent campaign are an inevitable part of congressional politics. The strategic conundrum confronting both parties in the House of Representatives whether to be part of the government or part of the opposition provides evidence of how concretely James Madison''s Constitution governs the behavior of politicians to this day. Drawing on a two-hundred year debate within American political thought among the Federalists, Anti-Federalists, Alexis de Tocqueville and Woodrow Wilson, James Madison Rules America is as topical as current debates over partisan polarization and the permanent campaign, while being grounded in two enduring and important schools of thought wTrade ReviewBill Connelly connects the dots on our seemingly scattershot political panorama and reveals a pattern of recurring conflict and gridlock traceable to the scheme's designer, James Madison. Connelly affirms Madison's wisdom and in so doing gives us a better appreciation for it. -- Donald R. Wolfensberger, Director of The Congress Project, The Woodrow Wilson International Center for CongressIn this outstanding book, William F. Connelly, Jr. reminds us that the Constitution continues to shape national politics. Drawing on his deep knowledge of the theory and practice of American government, he cogently explains that compromise and conflict are both part of our country's genetic code. James Madison Rules America is a timely treatment of a timeless topic. Full of unexpected insights and subtle wisdom, it asks us to look beyond Internet headlines and intellectual fads to the things that really matter: the structures that the Founders put in place more than two centuries ago. This book is a remarkable intellectual achievement, handling profound issues with clarity and erudition. It would be a valuable addition to courses on Congress andAmerican national politics.. -- John J. Pitney Jr., Roy P. Crocker Professor of American Politics, Claremont McKenna CollegeMandatory reading for all involved or interested in politics today so they will understand the foundations of our system. -- Jerry Climer, The Congressional Institute, Inc.No author has done more than William Connelly to show how the Constitution guides, structures, and influences the hard realities of Congressional politics. Past and present, theory and practice, and law and politics are joined in this fine volume to reveal the strategies and dilemmas that have confronted congressional party leaders from James Madison and Henry Clay to Newt Gingrich and Nancy Pelosi. -- James W. Ceaser, University of VirginiaIn this lively and provocative interpretation of James Madison’s political thought, Bill Connelly brings a fresh understanding to U.S. Congress today. Congress, he argues, is not broken. Despite its real and apparent imperfections, Madisonian pluralism shapes congressional politics and always has. James Madison Rules America lowers the fever-pitch criticism of Congress and applies a skeptical intelligence to popular ideas for reform. Connelly shows that much of the current hand-wringing about Congress may stem from too little appreciation of Madison’s constitutional handiwork and of politics in general. -- Catherine E. Rudder, George Mason UniversityIn James Madison Rules America, William F. Connelly explains the interplay of political and constitutional forces that shape politics and public policy making in the United States. Connelly finds that the underlying constitutional structure frames the possibilities our political process may contemplate. Viewed through the lens of constitutional theory, the American political system manages to channel partisan forces into public policy outcomes. Every American should read this book. -- Ronald Peters, Regents' Professor Carl Albert Center and Department of Political ScienceIn this outstanding book, William F. Connelly, Jr. reminds us that the Constitution continues to shape national politics. Drawing on his deep knowledge of the theory and practice of American government, he cogently explains that compromise and conflict are both part of our country's genetic code. James Madison Rules America is a timely treatment of a timeless topic. Full of unexpected insights and subtle wisdom, it asks us to look beyond Internet headlines and intellectual fads to the things that really matter: the structures that the Founders put in place more than two centuries ago. This book is a remarkable intellectual achievement, handling profound issues with clarity and erudition. It would be a valuable addition to courses on Congress and American national politics. -- John J. Pitney Jr., Roy P. Crocker Professor of American Politics, Claremont McKenna CollegeWe are hearing a great deal about the role of the Constitution and the significance of congressional parties. In James Madison Rules America, William F. Connelly Jr. explains their connection. Drawing on his vast knowledge of contemporary politics and the Founding era, Connelly shows how Madison’s handiwork shapes congressional behavior. Under the separation of powers, he argues persuasively, neither party is ever simply the “government” or the 'opposition'.... [A] lucidly written and thoroughly documented analysis. * National Review, July 2010 *Connelly offers an important new contribution to the study of congressional partisanship. The author, a well-regarded scholar of Congress, political parties, and interest groups, argues that much of the prevailing scholarship and public opinion about Congress as an institution is misinformed because it has not been properly grounded in an understanding of how the Constitution shapes the behavior of the institution. Relying on an extensive array of sources ranging from personal interviews to political theory, Connelly challenges a great deal of the conventional wisdom about Congress. Specifically, he takes exception to the belief that Congress today is defined more by dysfunction than competence and that the cause of this dysfunction stems principally from behavioral sources—namely, the self-interest of elected officials. He counters this perception by arguing that contemporary congressional politics is shaped by constitutional design and that partisanship and conflict are simply by-products of the constitutional system. The choices made by congressional leaders to pursue compromise or conflict, partisanship or pluralism, are influenced by Madisonian design and do not represent a defect of politics that requires remedy. Summing Up: Highly recommended. * CHOICE *The book is an important work of scholarship on Congress, the separation of powers, and American political parties. Connelly carefully weaves virtually all major works on Congress into his analysis and thoroughly explains to the reader why James Madison still rules America.Table of ContentsChapter 1 Dedication Chapter 2 Acknowledgments Chapter 3 Chapter 1: Congressional Party Strategy Chapter 4 Chapter 2: House Democrats: The Wilderness Years Chapter 5 Chapter 3: House Republicans: Newt the Anti-Federalist? Chapter 6 Chapter 4: Woodrow Wilson's Congressional Government Chapter 7 Chapter 5: Alexis de Tocqueville's Congress Chapter 8 Chapter 6: The Federalist Revisited Chapter 9 Chapter 7: Practical Consequences of Constitutional Principle: The 1790s Chapter 10 Chapter 8: Practical Consequences of Constitutional Principle: The 1980s and 1990s Chapter 11 Chapter 9: The Constitution Governs: Partisanship and Bipartisanship Chapter 12 Bibliography Chapter 13 Index Chapter 14 About the Author

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Book SynopsisChristopher Solomon is an analyst specializing in Middle East history and politics, and works for a US defense consultancy in Washington, D.C., USA.Trade ReviewA needed analysis of a dynamic group pursuing political change ... This book should be required for advanced students navigating the modern history of the Levant. * Choice *Provides the reader with an accessible and comprehensive overview of the [SSNP's] history. * The Middle East Journal *Chris Solomon provides an insightful and invaluable account into one of the oldest political movements in the Levant. Abundant with assassinations, betrayals and military coups, there is no dull moment in the history of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party which continues to be very relevant today as Solomon demonstrates in this book. It is a vital resource for anyone aiming to understand Levantine politics and modern history. -- Rim Turkmani, London School of Economics and Political Science, UKIn Search of Greater Syria is interesting, bright, eloquent and readable, presenting the reader with the first comprehensive picture of the history of the SSNP. This is therefore a must-read book for anyone seeking to learn the history of the party but also the turbulent history of Syria and Lebanon. * Eyal Zisser, Tel Aviv University, Israel *In Search of Greater Syria is the most detailed account ever written on the fascinating political movement of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party.Christopher Solomon analyses with great skill how this relatively small anti-sectarian and secular party, which eschewed ethnicity and language in favor of history and territory, has been attractive for people from minorities in both Syria and Lebanon. He shows eloquently how the SSNP developed from a fierce competitor of the Ba’th Party in Syria during the 1950s, into being its ally during the Syrian civil war (which started in 2011). While the SNNP over the decades pragmatically scaled down its original ideal of a wider Fertile Crescent unity (including Iraq) in favor of a more restricted unity of a Greater Syria (including Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine), the pan-Arab ideals of the Ba’th regime in Syria likewise faded down in favor of a kind of pan-Syrianism, as a result of which both parties, ideologically speaking, came closer to one another. This study shows convincingly that the SSNP will be an essential factor to watch in the future, as long as this party does not overplay its hand, as a result of which it would risk renewed persecution. -- Nikolaos van Dam, former Dutch ambassador and author of Destroying a Nation: The Civil War in Syria.Table of ContentsChapter 1: Introduction and why the SSNP matters Chapter 2: The Party of the Martyr Chapter 3: The SSNP’s Ideology Chapter 4: The SSNP’s beginnings in Syria Chapter 5: Under the shadow of Nasser Chapter 6: The Lebanese Civil War Chapter 7: From guerillas to politicians, the SSNP in Lebanese politics Chapter 8: The SSNP in the Syrian Civil War Chapter 9: Women, youth, and social media Chapter 10: The SSNP’s future in Syria Key figures and factions A list of SSNP presidents A timeline of the SSNP's factions and historic splits

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

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Book SynopsisIs there more social protest now than there was prior to the movement politics of the 1960s, and if so, does it result in a distinctly less civil society throughout the world? If everybody protests, what does protest mean in advanced industrial societies? This volume brings together scholars from Europe and the U.S., and from both political science and sociology, to consider the ways in which the social movement has changed as a political form and the ways in which it continues to change the societies in which it is prevalent.Table of ContentsChapter 1 A Movement Society: Contentious Politics for a New Century Chapter 2 The Structure and Culture of Collective Protest in Germany since 1950 Chapter 3 Are the Times A-Changin'? Assessing the Acceptance of Protest in Western Democracies Chapter 4 The Institutionalization of Protest in the United States Chapter 5 Policing Protest in France and Italy: From Intimidation to Cooperation? Donatella della Porta Chapter 6 Institutionalization of Protest during Democratic Consolidation in Central Europe Chapter 7 Democratic Transitions as Protest Cycles: Social Movement Dynamics in Democratizing Latin America Chapter 8 A Movement Takes Office Chapter 9 Stepsisters: Feminist Movement Activism in Different Institutional Spaces Chapter 10 Transnational Advocacy Networks in the Movement Society

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