Political science and theory Books

4608 products


  • The Fourth Turning Is Here: What the Seasons of

    Simon & Schuster The Fourth Turning Is Here: What the Seasons of

    3 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe visionary behind the bestselling phenomenon The Fourth Turning looks once again to America’s past to predict our future in this startling and hopeful prophecy for how our present era of civil unrest will resolve over the next ten years—and what our lives will look like once it has. Twenty-five years ago, Neil Howe and the late William Strauss dazzled the world with a provocative new theory of American history. Looking back at the last 500 years, they’d uncovered a distinct pattern: modern history moves in cycles, each one lasting roughly eighty to one hundred years, the length of a long human life, with each cycle composed of four eras—or “turnings”—that always arrive in the same order and each last about twenty years. The last of these eras—the fourth turning—was always the most perilous, a period of civic upheaval and national mobilization as traumatic and transformative as the New Deal and World War II, the Civil War, or the American Revolution. Now, right on schedule, our own fourth turning has arrived. And so Neil Howe has returned with an extraordinary new prediction. What we see all around us—the polarization, the growing threat of civil conflict and global war—will culminate by the early 2030s in a climax that poses great danger and yet also holds great promise, perhaps even bringing on America’s next golden age. Every generation alive today will play a vital role in determining how this crisis is resolved, for good or ill. Illuminating, sobering, yet ultimately empowering, The Fourth Turning Is Here takes you back into history and deep into the collective personality of each living generation to make sense of our current crisis, explore how all of us will be differently affected by the political, social, and economic challenges we’ll face in the decade to come, and reveal how our country, our communities, and our families can best prepare to meet these challenges head-on.Trade Review“There is always profit in reading prophets…. The Fourth Turning Is Here is big history and bold futurology.” —The Wall Street Journal“Driven by a deep sense that American democracy is at serious risk… [yet Howe predicts that] out of today’s polarization and partisanship will come a new egalitarian, outward-facing, confident and unified America.” —Francis Fukuyama, The New York Times “Arresting, mind-opening, and endlessly stimulating, The Fourth Turning Is Here is a monumental achievement. It's a big, complex, challenging book, daunting in its sweep and erudition, but well worth the effort.” —Amy Chua, Yale Law Professor and New York Times bestselling author of Political Tribes“Riveting and revelatory... A road map to a future that's challenging yet also full of hope.” —Tony Robbins, New York Times bestselling author of Life Force“Neil Howe is a genuis at mapping the present and future. This book explains how we arrived at today's era of crises, polarization, and conflicts. Fortunately, Howe also shows us the promised land that awaits on the other side.” —Jack A. Goldstone, Professor of Public Policy, George Mason Univeristy“The most difficult thing in the world is to see history as we are living it, and no one does that with clearer eyes and a fuller heart than Neil Howe. The Fourth Turning is Here is a tour de force.” —Ben Hunt, creator of Epsilon Theory “Neil Howe always sees things about America that other observers miss, harnessing a remarkable command of history and demography to help us think more clearly about current problems and summoning a remarkable imagination to help us envision the big changes ahead.” —Nicholas Eberstadt, political economist at the American Enterprise Institute “A vitally important book.” —Michael J. Meese, PHD, brigadier general, US Army (retired) “The riveting follow-up to The Fourth Turning…. All readers should enjoy this wild ride by an entertaining writer who seems to have read every relevant source. A fascinating work of global history and look to the future.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)“Far-ranging [and] intriguing.” —Publishers Weekly

    3 in stock

    £17.00

  • Rise and Fall of the Great Powers

    HarperCollins Publishers Rise and Fall of the Great Powers

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE WOLFSON HISTORY PRIZEPaul Kennedy's international bestseller is a sweeping account of five hundred years of fluctuating economic muscle and military might.Kennedy's masterwork begins in the year 1500, at a time of various great centres of power including Minh China, the Ottomans, the rising Mughal state, the nations of Europe. But it was the latter which, through competition, economic growth and better military organisation, came to dominate the globe until challenged later by Japan, the Soviet Union, and the United States. Now China, boosted by its own economic prowess, rises to the fore. Throughout this brilliant work, Kennedy persuasively demonstrates the interdependence of economic and military power, showing how an imbalance between the two has historically led to spectacular political disaster.Erudite and brilliantly original, The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers is essential reading for anyone with an interest in the politics of power.Trade Review‘A brilliantly original book…It is intended for the intelligent layman as well as the academic historian, combining in Toynbee-esque manner the sweeping conception with careful attention to historical detail’ Financial Times ‘This book is falling out of briefcases all over Washington DC, both because it looks and sounds erudite and because it purports to answer an increasingly common question: Has the United States already embarked on its journey into the sunset of empire? It is administering a lot of frissons to trend-watchers’ Christopher Hitchens ‘Outstanding…He ranges across five centuries and around the whole world. He seems to have read every relevant book in every possible language. And he has produced a general argument so deceptively simple that no politician, however busy, should ignore or misunderstand it’ Observer ‘One of the masterpieces of modern historical writing’ Daily Telegraph ‘A masterpiece of exposition. It is erudite and elegantly written’ New Society ‘A remarkable book…long, clever, often funny, and crammed with remarkable insights; it is tinged with the genius that unravels complexity’ Evening Standard ‘Shows a master historian’s ability to use evidence like a boxing champion’s uppercut’ TES ‘One of those rare (and irresistible) books which successfully combine the scope and sweep of ‘popular’ history with the discriminating rigour of professional historiography, making it both a bloody good read and a thought-provoking one’ Listener

    Out of stock

    £15.29

  • Vibrant Matter

    Duke University Press Vibrant Matter

    7 in stock

    Book SynopsisTheorizes the political agency of things and natural phenomena—such as trash, food, weather, and electricity—to examine how non-human elements exert force on human politics and social relations.Trade Review“Jane Bennett’s Vibrant Matter is an important work, linking critical movements in recent continental philosophy, namely a vitalist tradition that runs from Bergson to Deleuze and even, on Bennett’s reading, to Bruno Latour, and (on the other hand) a ‘political ecology of things’ that should speak to anyone conscious enough to be aware of the devastating changes underway in the world around us. There is good reason Bennett’s book has, in short order, gained a wide following in disparate areas of political theory and philosophy.” - Peter Gratton, Philosophy in Review“For the sake of assuaging harms already inflicted we have always cobbled together publics that deal with vibrant matters of floods, fires, earthquakes and so on. For the sake of preventing unseen future harms, Bennett’s book argues that we need to take a closer look at how we are embedded in a web of mutual affect that knows no bounds between living and nonliving, human and nonhuman. It is in this refreshingly naïve ‘no-holds-barred’ approach that Bennett’s work has much to offer for a reconsideration of our role as thinking, speaking humans in a cosmos of vibrant matter that we continually depoliticize even in our efforts to ‘protect’ and ‘save’ the earth . . . a highly recommended read.” - Stefan Morales, M/C Reviews“Jane Bennett’s Vibrant Matter is an admirable book for at least three reasons. First, it is wonderfully written in a comfortable personal style, which is rare enough for academic books. Second, Bennett makes an explicit break with the timeworn dogmas of postmodernist academia. . . . The third pointthat makes this book admirable is Bennett’s professional position: Chair ofPolitical Science at Johns Hopkins University. That someone in a PoliticalScience department at an important university could write as candid a workof metaphysics as Vibrant Matter is an encouraging sign. Perhaps philosophical speculation on fundamental topics is poised for a comeback throughout the humanities. “ - Graham Harman, New Formations“Vibrant Matter is a fascinating, lucid, and powerful book of political theory. By focusing on the ‘thing-side of affect,’ Jane Bennett seeks to broaden and transform our sense of care in relation to the world of humans, non-human life, and things. She calls us to consider a ‘parliament of things’ in ways that provoke our democratic imaginations and interrupt our anthropocentric hubris.”—Romand Coles, author of Beyond Gated Politics: Reflections for the Possibility of Democracy“Vibrant Matter represents the fruits of sustained scholarship of the highest order. As environmental, technological, and biomedical concerns force themselves onto worldly political agendas, the urgency and potency of this analysis must surely inform any rethinking of what political theory is about in the twenty-first century.”—Sarah Whatmore, coeditor of The Stuff of Politics: Technoscience, Democracy, and Public Life“This manifesto for a new materialism is an invigorating breath of fresh air. Jane Bennett’s eloquent tribute to the vitality and volatility of things is just what we need to revive the humanities and to redraw the parameters of political thought.”—Rita Felski, author of Uses of Literature “Bennett’s is one of those books where, on finishing, you want to begin immediately again to experience the excitement and élan vital of eloquent, simple ideas presented in clear, concise and considered prose, wherein the presence of a generous, kind and unpretentious author speaks straight into your understanding. Vibrant Matter is fresh, alert, quiet and potent, a door opening in a stuffy room to let the outside in, which lets it speak so as to embolden us to breathe differently. It will redraw the boundaries of political thought; it’s already doing so. Read it.” -- Mark Jackson * Emotion, Space and Society *“Orienting us to re-encounter both nature and familiar objects as newly strange and pulsing with ‘thing-power,’ Bennett challenges our worn assumptions concerning the hierarchy between humans and things, the workings of causality, and our deep cultural attachment to matter and nature as inanimate. . . . Her book is surprising, refreshing, and troubling.” -- Lori J. Marso * Political Theory *“For the sake of assuaging harms already inflicted we have always cobbled together publics that deal with vibrant matters of floods, fires, earthquakes and so on. For the sake of preventing unseen future harms, Bennett’s book argues that we need to take a closer look at how we are embedded in a web of mutual affect that knows no bounds between living and nonliving, human and nonhuman. It is in this refreshingly naïve ‘no-holds-barred’ approach that Bennett’s work has much to offer for a reconsideration of our role as thinking, speaking humans in a cosmos of vibrant matter that we continually depoliticize even in our efforts to ‘protect’ and ‘save’ the earth . . . a highly recommended read.” -- Stefan Morales * M/C Reviews *“Jane Bennett’s Vibrant Matter is an admirable book for at least three reasons. First, it is wonderfully written in a comfortable personal style, which is rare enough for academic books. Second, Bennett makes an explicit break with the timeworn dogmas of postmodernist academia. . . . The third pointthat makes this book admirable is Bennett’s professional position: Chair ofPolitical Science at Johns Hopkins University. That someone in a PoliticalScience department at an important university could write as candid a workof metaphysics as Vibrant Matter is an encouraging sign. Perhaps philosophical speculation on fundamental topics is poised for a comeback throughout the humanities. “ -- Graham Harman * New Formations *“Jane Bennett’s Vibrant Matter is an important work, linking critical movements in recent continental philosophy, namely a vitalist tradition that runs from Bergson to Deleuze and even, on Bennett’s reading, to Bruno Latour, and (on the other hand) a ‘political ecology of things’ that should speak to anyone conscious enough to be aware of the devastating changes underway in the world around us. There is good reason Bennett’s book has, in short order, gained a wide following in disparate areas of political theory and philosophy.” -- Peter Gratton * Philosophy in Review *"Bennett is a philosopher and political theorist. But her intellectual work is not primarily about creating new theories. In her writing, she expertly distills and juxtaposes the ideas of Gilles Deleuze, Immanuel Kant, Martha Nussbaum, and others, but her goal is often to create a mood. She wants readers to adopt and embody an ethos that makes room for the vitality of matter." -- Morgan Meis * The New Yorker *Table of ContentsPreface vii Acknowledgments xxi 1. The Force of Things 1 2. The Agency of Assemblages 20 3. Edible Matter 39 4. A Life of Metal 52 5. Neither Vitalism nor Mechanism 62 6. Stem Cells and the Culture of Life 82 7. Political Ecologies 94 8. Vitality and Self-interest 110 Notes 123 Bibliography 157 Index 171

    7 in stock

    £17.99

  • The Transgender Issue

    Penguin Books Ltd The Transgender Issue

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisTHE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER ''Few books are as urgent as Shon Faye''s debut ... Faye has hope for the future - and maybe so should we'' Independent ''Unsparing, important and weighty ... a vitally needed antidote'' Observer ''A moving and impressively comprehensive overview of trans life'' Vogue Trans people in Britain today have become a culture war ''issue''. Despite making up less than one per cent of the country''s population, they are the subjects of a toxic and increasingly polarized ''debate'' which generates reliable controversy for newspapers and talk shows. This media frenzy conceals a simple fact: that we are having the wrong conversation, a conversation in which trans people themselves are reduced to a talking point and denied a meaningful voice. In this powerful new book, Shon Faye reclaims the idea of the ''transgender issue'' to uncover the reality of what it means to be trans in a transphobic society. In doing so, she provides a compelling, wide-ranging analysis of trans lives from youth to old age, exploring work, family, housing, healthcare, the prison system and trans participation in the LGBTQ+ and feminist communities, in contemporary Britain and beyond. The Transgender Issue is a landmark work that signals the beginning of a new, healthier conversation about trans life. It is a manifesto for change, and a call for justice and solidarity between all marginalized people and minorities. Trans liberation, as Faye sees it, goes to the root of what our society is and what it could be; it offers the possibility of a more just, free and joyful world for all of us. ''Fundamentally not a culture-war book. It operates outside the narrow coverage of trans people in the mainstream, and lays bare the inarguable facts'' New Statesman ''Monumental and utterly convincing - crystal clear in its understanding of how the world should be'' Judith ButlerTrade ReviewFew books are as urgent as Shon Faye's debut ... The analysis is thorough and heartbreaking ... it's a highly fact-based book backed up with statistics and case studies, but she manages to write it in a hugely emotive and powerful way ... Faye has hope for the future - and maybe so should we. -- Prudence Wade * Independent *Faye puts forward a powerful case not of what separates us but what brings us together. Above all, her book is a cry for compassion for an embattled community and a plea to be treated with dignity and fairness. It is, surely, the very least anyone can do. -- Fiona Sturges * The Guardian *I am profoundly grateful that [this book] exists ... A book such as this one, in which a trans person has the opportunity to speak clearly and compellingly on their own terms, is a vitally needed antidote ... One book cannot, of course, outweigh such a continual outpouring of animosity. Nevertheless, as drops in the bucket go, this book is an important and weighty one. -- Felix Moore * The Observer *Enter Shon Faye. The journalist and former lawyer might have gathered a following on Twitter for her wry humor, but her first book offers a cold, hard, and, most importantly, convincing look into the facts surrounding trans rights both past and present, as well as a moving and impressively comprehensive overview of trans life in Britain today. Leavened by Faye's sharp, sparkling writing style ... The Transgender Issue is a vital resource for readers outside of the U.K. to understand just what is happening there in terms of trans rights - and how to bring about a long-overdue change to the conversation. * Vogue *A detailed overview of the systemic violence and discrimination trans people face in Britain today ... [Faye is] sanguine, relaxed, and funny while eloquently delivering complex philosophical arguments which, as she explains them, sound so obvious that you wonder why you've never thought of them before ... The Transgender Issue is fundamentally not a culture-war book. It operates outside the narrow coverage of trans people in the mainstream, and lays bare the inarguable facts of being trans: that's it's rare, that it's misunderstood, that society makes it dangerous. -- Sarah Manavis * New Statesman *A welcome contribution to the trans debate ... Faye has written a clear and concise analysis of the presenting issues for trans people today. -- Stella O'Malley * Evening Standard *Faye's language is precise and the arguments well evidenced. This will be a challenging book for those lulled by the nonsense that sometimes passes for journalism about trans lives ... I don't recall a work like Shon Faye's that takes the status quo by the lapels and gives it such a shaking. -- Christine Burns * Times Literary Supplement *Draws on wide-ranging research to make her arguments ... Faye is highly intelligent and writes with compassion and clarity about marginalised groups that suffer a lot. -- Christina Patterson * Sunday Times *Sets the record straight on a lot of subjects, many of which are hard to misrepresent with the facts in front of you ... Once picked up, the book was hard to set down ... The book isn't just about highlighting problems - there are plenty of solutions offered, many of them radical. -- Lee Hurley * Vice *The Transgender Issue, argues this [feminist] inheritance with energy and clarity ... Faye writes well. -- Mary Harrington * UnHerd *Incisive and illuminating in addressing myriad aspects of trans life in the UK, without ever being dogmatic. -- Robin Craig * Huck *An important work of non-fiction that should change the tired conversation we've been having about trans people. Not only that, it's a book for anyone who cares about building a fairer and more just society. -- Vic Parsons * Refinery29 *A passionately reasoned defence ... If you know what you think about all this, she - Faye - might move you to think again. -- James McConnachie * The Times Books of the Year 2021 *Shon Faye has written a book that models clarity in its writing and its moral vision. Focused on the UK, this book will doubtless have a strong and lasting impact in the world. One learns here how to distinguish between arguments that merit a response and those which should be refused because they are either cruel or stupid. This is a monumental work and utterly convincing - crystal clear in its understanding of how the world should be. -- Judith Butler, Professor, University of California BerkeleyThe Transgender Issue is an urgent interrogation of the manufactured moral panic which scapegoats and marginalises trans people. With precision, wit, and clarity, Shon Faye exposes how cultural and institutional discrimination against transgender people makes all of us less free. If you're sick of seeing people's humanity reduced to cannon fodder for the culture war, read this book. -- Ash SarkarThis book feels like a moment. In clear and eloquent writing, Shon Faye expands the discussion around trans history and experience, the huge impact on BAME trans people, and how economic and political inequalities intersect with trans experience. It's heartfelt but analytical, in-depth and utterly humane. Faye, with calm intelligence, unpacks so many of the problematic ways trans people are marginalised and discriminated against, with so many acts of violence perpetrated on trans bodies. I learned a lot from this book and it adds hugely to a wider conversation around inclusion of and support for our trans sisters and brothers. A landmark piece of work. -- Sinéad GleesonA clear, intelligent, experience-based explanation of why the scapegoating of trans people must stop, while enthusiastically encouraging more trans people to join feminist, anti-racist movements for economic and social change. -- Sarah SchulmanThere is a full-blown moral panic under way in Britain about trans people, and The Transgender Issue is the wake-up call we need. It is an inspiring call for coalition, across the divides of class, race, sexual identity and gender. Shon Faye shows with courage and clarity that the struggle of trans people is the struggle of us all. This book is a game-changer. -- Owen JonesFrom the very first words of The Transgender Issue, it is clear the reader is in the hands of someone with absolute clarity about the world we live in, and the one we deserve. ... Refusing to water down the radicalism and urgency of her demands, Shon's argument for justice is both a heartfelt outcry against injustice, and an utterly convincing vision for change rooted in analysis and research. -- Florence WelchWriting with astonishing patience, clarity, and ethical force, Shon Faye has gifted us an essential primer for our times. The Transgender Issue calls us into a much-needed solidarity, and makes the project of constructing and inhabiting a more free and just world for everyone feel urgent, possible, and exhilarating. -- Maggie Nelson, author of ON FREEDOMWith clarity, precision and great humanity, Faye definitively draws to a close the harmful debate on trans lives, supporting her findings with iron-clad evidence. Truly the final word on the matter, this is a book for anyone who wants our society to be a kinder, fairer, more inclusive one. -- Juno DawsonWith extraordinary clarity and intellectual vigour, Shon Faye cuts through the concern-trolling, the sly bigotry, and the unserious moral panics that so often characterise the discourse surrounding transgender lives. Though she writes out of the authority of experience, her work transcends the personal, making a plain and impassioned case for solidarity and human rights. The result is an invigorating and deeply researched polemic, and a necessary addition to the evolving conversation on civil rights in the twenty-first century. -- Mark O'ConnellAn extraordinary achievement. A smart, academic and yet totally accessible and patient analysis of what it is to be trans in the UK today and a convincing argument for how we can and must improve ... I urge everyone to read it. -- Joe LycettAn utterly monumental work. A bullet proof text that places trans people at the centre of the conversation, and puts forth a vision of the world that can liberate us all. A truly exhilarating book. -- Amrou Al-KadhiAn important, thorough and excellently written book by the legendary Shon Faye. Buy it. Share it. Support her work. She is a fearless leader in this conversation. -- Jameela JamilEveryone should read this. -- Little MixI recommend everyone reads The Transgender Issue, which is a great starting point to learn about what it's like to be a trans person in Britain at the moment. At the end of the day, we simply can't do this work on our own. -- Vic Parsons * Elle *A forward-thinking analysis of how capitalist and patriarchal systems backseat trans liberation ... a vital read that clearly communicates the extent of how deeply anti-transness is embedded in our society and how much work is to be done to achieve trans liberation. * Gay Times Book of the Year 2021 *This vital, lucid book is so much more than an argument for justice on behalf of transgender people; it's a clarion call for gender liberation, a tonic for our politically reactionary times. -- Susan Stryker, author of TRANSGENDER HISTORYShon Faye's work [has] so informed me and made me feel hopeful and human ... do read The Transgender Issue if you want someone to clearly and calmly explain UK trans politics in a voice that's both wry and kind. -- Alexandra Heminsley, author of SOME BODY TO LOVEShon Faye makes a compelling case that transgender issues are inexorably linked with other social justice causes. The result is a bold and pragmatic guide for challenging societal transphobia comprehensively and intersectionally. -- Julia Serano, author of SEXED UPIt's a manifesto for change, a call for healthier conversations about being trans, and a clear-sighted, landmark book that explains how a more compassionate society benefits us all. -- Charlie Carroll * Exeter Living *

    15 in stock

    £10.44

  • Democracy in America

    Wordsworth Editions Ltd Democracy in America

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisAbridged, with an Introduction by Patrick Renshaw. Democracy in America is a classic of political philosophy. Hailed by John Stuart Mill and Horace Greely as the finest book ever written on the nature of democracy, it continues to be an influential text on both sides of the Atlantic, above all in the emerging democracies of Eastern Europe. De Tocqueville examines the structures, institutions and operation of democracy, and shows how Europe can learn from American success and failures. His central theme is the advancement of the rule of the people, but he also predicts that slavery will bring about the 'most horrible of civil wars', foresees that the USA and Russia will be the Superpowers of the twentieth century, and is 150 years ahead of his time in his views on the position and importance of women.

    1 in stock

    £6.30

  • Leviathan

    Wordsworth Editions Ltd Leviathan

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisWith an Introduction by Dr Richard Serjeantson, Trinity College, CambridgeSince its first publication in 1651, Thomas Hobbes’s Leviathan has been recognised as one of the most compelling, and most controversial, works of political philosophy written in English. Forged in the crucible of the civil and religious warfare of the mid-seventeenth century, it proposes a political theory that combines an unequivocal commitment to natural human liberty with the conviction that the sovereign power of government must be exercised absolutely. Leviathan begins from some shockingly naturalistic starting-points: an analysis of human nature as being motivated by vain-glory and pride, and a vision of religion as simply the fear of invisible powers made up by the mind. Yet from these deliberately unpromising elements, Hobbes constructs with unparalleled forcefulness an elaborate, systematic, and comprehensive account of how political society ought to be: ordered, law-bound, peaceful. In Leviathan, Hobbes presents us with a portrait of politics which depicts how a state that is made up of the unified body of all its citizens will be powerful, fruitful, protective of each of its members, and — above all — free from internal violence.

    15 in stock

    £5.90

  • Confronting Leviathan: A History of Ideas

    Profile Books Ltd Confronting Leviathan: A History of Ideas

    10 in stock

    Book Synopsis'Bracingly intelligent ... a wonderful read' Guardian 'Incredibly timely ... presented [with] wonderful elegance and clarity' Irish Times Based on the History Of Ideas podcast series by Talking Politics host David Runciman, Confronting Leviathan explores some of the most important thinkers and prominent ideas lying behind modern politics - from Hobbes to Gandhi, from democracy to patriarchy, and from revolution to lock down. While explaining the most important and often-cited ideas of thinkers such as Constant, De Tocqueville, Marx and Engels, Hayek, MacKinnon and Fukuyama, David Runciman shows how crises - revolutions, wars, depressions, pandemics - generated these new ways of political thinking. This is a history of ideas to help make sense of what's happening today.Trade ReviewBracingly intelligent ... a wonderful read -- Mark Mazower * Guardian *Incredibly timely ... wonderful elegance and clarity through which complex ideas are presented ... That the book helps make thinking about the state enjoyable is just the least of its many exceptional qualities -- Paschal Donohoe * Irish Times *A brilliant introduction for anyone looking to engage with political debates beyond the headlines ... Excellent -- Joshua Pugh Ginn * Herald *A studiously accessible work * Times Higher Education *Praise for How Democracy Ends: Presented in pellucid prose free of the jargon of academic political science, it is a strikingly readable and richly learned contribution to understanding the world today...one of the most luminously intelligent books on politics to have been published for many years. -- John Gray * New Statesman *Full of intriguing new lines of thought -- Gideon Rachman * FT *Clear-headed, compact and timely * Irish Times *Refreshingly free of received and rehearsed wisdoms, Runciman doesn't tiptoe around sacred cows and invites us to take part in that most adult way of thinking: to examine contradictory ideas in tandem and ponder what the dissonance amounts to. . . . [H]e argues lucidly, persuasively, even exhilaratingly at times. The nightly news will never appear exactly the same again * Australian *Refreshingly, rather than a knicker-twisting diatribe about Trump and Brexit, Runciman offers a thoughtful analysis about what popular democracy means, and its alternatives -- Katrina Gulliver * Spectator *

    10 in stock

    £10.44

  • The Discourses Penguin Classics

    Penguin Books Ltd The Discourses Penguin Classics

    5 in stock

    Book SynopsisIt is not the well-being of individuals that makes cities great, but the well-being of the communityFew figures in intellectual history have proved as notorious and ambiguous as Niccolò Machiavelli. But while his treatise The Prince made his name synonymous with autocratic ruthlessness and cynical manipulation, The Discourses (c.1517) shows a radically different outlook on the world of politics. In this carefully argued commentary on Livy's history of republican Rome, Machiavelli proposed a system of government that would uphold civic freedom and security by instilling the virtues of active citizenship, and that would also encourage citizens to put the needs of the state above selfish, personal interests. Ambitious in scope, but also clear-eyed and pragmatic, The Discourses creates a modern theory of republic politics.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literatureTable of ContentsThe DiscoursesPrefaceIntroduction by Bernard CrickSo Many MachiavellisThe Prince and The DiscoursesRepublics as Mixed GovernmentThe Mixture as AdaptabilityThe Value of ConflictFactors of Social ClassThe Conditions for Republican RuleTheory and MethodPolitics and MoralityThe Letter to VettoriSuggestions for Further ReadingTHE DISCOURSES OF NICCOLÒ MACHIAVELLITable of ContentsThe TextNotes

    5 in stock

    £10.44

  • The Federalist Papers

    Penguin Books Ltd The Federalist Papers

    10 in stock

    Book SynopsisA series of letters by some of America's Founding Fathers, whose defenses of the Constitution are still relevant todayOriginally published anonymously, The Federalist Papers first appeared in 1787 as a series of letters to New York newspapers exhorting voters to ratify the proposed Constitution of the United States. Still hotly debated, and open to often controversial interpretations, the arguments first presented here by three of America’s greatest patriots and political theorists were created during a critical moment in our nation’ s history, providing readers with a running ideological commentary on the crucial issues facing democracy. Today The Federalist Papers are as important and vital a rallying cry for freedom as ever. This edition features the original eighteenth-century text, with James Madison’s fascinating marginal notations, as well as a complete text of the Constitution.For more than seventy yea

    10 in stock

    £12.34

  • Capital Critique of Political Economy

    Penguin Books Ltd Capital Critique of Political Economy

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisMarx's major work was the product of 30 years' close study of the most advanced industrial society of his day. Marx devoted most of his adult life to analyzing theTable of ContentsCapital Introduction by Ernest MandelTranslator's PrefacePreface to the First EditionPostface to the Second EditionPreface to the French EditionPostface to the French EditionPreface to the Third Edition (by Engels)Preface to the English Edition (by Engels)Preface to the Fourth Edition (by Engels)BOOK I: THE PROCESS OF PRODUCTION OF CAPITAL Part One: Commodities and MoneyChapter 1: The Commodity1. The Two Factors of the Commodity: Use-Value and Value (Substance of VAlue, Magnitude of Value)2. The Dual Character of the Labour Embodied in Commodities3. The Value-Form, or Exchange-Value(a) The Simple, Isolated, or Accidental Form of Value(1) The two poles of the expression of value: the relative form of value and the equivalent form(2) The relative form of value(i) The content of the relative form of value(ii) The quantitative determinacy of the relative form of value(iii) The equivalent form(iv) The simple form of value considered as a whole(b) The Total or Expanded Form of Value(1) The expanded relative form of value(2) The particular equivalent form(3) Defects of the total or expanded form of value(c) The General Form of Value(1) The changed character of the form of value(2) The development of the relative and equivalent forms of value: their interdependence(3) The transition from the general form of value to the money form(d) The Money Form4. The Fetishism of the Commodity and Its SecretChapter 2: The Process of Exchange Chapter 3: Money, or the Circulation of Commodities1. The Measure of Values2. The Means of Circulation(a) The Metamorphosis of Commodities(b) The Circulation of Money(c) Coin. The Symbol of Value3. Money(a) Hoarding(b) Means of Payment(c) World MoneyPART TWO: THE TRANSFORMATION OF MONEY INTO CAPITAL Chapter 4: The General Formula for CapitalChapter 5: Contradictions in the General FormulaChapter 6: The Sale and Purchase of Labour-PowerPART THREE: THE PRODUCTION OF ABSOLUTE SURPLUS-VALUEChapter 7: The Labour Process and the Valorization Process1. The Labour Process2. The Valorization ProcessChapter 8: Constant Capital and Variable Capital Chapter 9: The Rate of Surplus-Value1. The Degree of Exploitation of Labour-Power2. The Representation of the Value of the Product by Corresponding Proportional Parts of the Product3. Senior's "Last Hour"4. The Surplus ProductChapter 10: The Working Day 1. The Limits of the Working Day2. The Voracious Appetite for Surplus Labour. Manufacturer and Boyar3. Branches of English Industry without Legal Limits to Exploitation4. Day Work and Night Work. The Shift System5. The Struggle for a Normal Working Day. Laws for the Compulsory Extension of the Working Day, from the Middle of the Fourteenth to the End of the Seventeenth Century6. The Struggle for a Normal Working Day. Laws for the Compulsory Limitation of Working Hours. The English Factory Legislation of 1833-647. The Struggle for a Normal Working Day. Impact of the English Factory Legislation on Other CountriesChapter 11: The Rate and Mass of Surplus-Value PART FOUR: THE PRODUCTION OF RELATIVE SURPLUS-VALUEChapter 12: The Concept of Relative Surplus-ValueChapter 13: Co-operationChapter 14: The Division of Labour and Manufacture1. The Dual Origin of Manufacture2. The Specialized Worker and His Tools3. The Two Fundamental Forms of Manufacture - Heterogeneous and Organic4. The Division of Labour in Manufacture, and the Division of Labour in Society5. The Capitalist Character of ManufactureChapter 15: Machinery and Large-Scale Industry 1. The Development of Machinery2. The Value Transferred by the Machinery to the Product3. The Most Immediate Effects of Machine Production on the Worker(a) Appropriation of Supplementary Labour-Power by Capital. The Employment of Women and Children(b) The Prolongation of the Working Day(c) Intensification of Labour4. The Factory5. The Struggle between Worker and Machine6. The Compensation Theory, with Regard to the Workers Displaced by Machinery7. Repulsion and Attraction of Workers through the Development of Machine Production. Crises in the Cotton Industry8. The Revolutionary Impact of Large-Scale Industry on Manufacture, Handicrafts and Domestic Industry(a) Overthrow of Co-operation Based on Handicrafts and on the Division of Labour(b) The Impact of the Factory System on Manufacture and Domestic Industries(c) Modern Manufacture(d) Modern Domestic Industry(e) Transition from Modern Manufacture and Domestic Industry to Large-Scale Industry. The Hastening of this Revolution by the Application of the Factory Acts to those Industries9. The Health and Education Clauses of the Factory Acts. The General Extension of Factory Legislation in England10. Large-Scale Industry and AgriculturePART FIVE: THE PRODUCTION OF ABSOLUTE AND RELATIVE SURPLUS-VALUE Chapter 16: Absolute and Relative Surplus-ValueChapter 17: Changes of Magnitude in the Price of Labour-Power and in Surplus-Value1. The Length of the Working Day and the Intensity of Labour Constant; the Productivity of Labour Variable2. The Length of the Working Day and the Productivity of Labour Constant; the Intensity of Labour Variable3. The Productivity and Intensity of Labour Constant; the Length of the Working Day Variable4. Simultaneous Variations in the Duration, Productivity and Intensity of LabourChapter 18: Different Formulae for the Rate of Surplus-Value PART SIX: WAGESChapter 19: The Transformation of the Value (and Respectively the Price) of Labour-Power into WagesChapter 20: Time-WagesChapter 21: Piece-WagesChapter 22: National Differences in WagesPART SEVEN: THE PROCESS OF ACCUMULATION OF CAPITALChapter 23: Simple ReproductionChapter 24: The Transformation of Surplus-Value into Capital1. Capitalist Production on a Progressively Increasing Scale. The Inversion which Converts the Property Laws of Commodity Production into Laws of Capitalist Appropriation2. The Political Economists' Erroneous Conception of Reproduction on an Increasing Scale3. Division of Surplus-Value into Capital and Revenue. The Abstinence Theory4. The Circumstances which, Independently of the Proportional Division of Surplus-Value into Capital and Revenue, Determine the Extent of Accumulation, namely, the Degree of Exploitation of Labour-Power, the Productivity of Labour, the Growing Difference in Amount between Capital Employed and Capital Consumed, and the Magnitude of the Capital Advanced5. The So-Called Labour FundChapter 25: The General Law of Capitalist Accumulation 1. A Growing Demand for Labour-Power Accompanies Accumulation if the Composition of Capital Remains the Same2. A Relative Diminution of the Variable Part of Capital Occurs in the Course of the Further Progress of Accumulation and of the Concentration Accompanying It3. The Progressive Reduction of a Relative Surpluse Population or Industrial Reserve Army4. Different Forms of Existence of the Relative Surplus Population. The General Law of Capitalist Accumulation5. Illustrations of the General Law of Capitalist Accumulation(a) England from 1846 to 1866(b) The Badly Paid Strata of the British Industrial Working Class(c) The Nomadic Population(d) Effect of Crises on the Best Paid Section of the Working Class(e) The British Agricultural Proletariat(f) IrelandPART EIGHT: SO-CALLED PRIMITIVE ACCUMULATION Chapter 26: The Secret of Primitive AccumulationChapter 27: The Expropriation of the Agricultural Population from the LandChapter 28: Bloody Legislation against the Expropriated since the End of the Fifteenth Century. The Forcing Down of Wages by Act of ParliamentChapter 29: The Genesis of the Capitalist FarmerChapter 30: Impact of the Agricultural Revolution on Industry. The Creation of a Home Market for Industrial CapitalChapter 31: The Genesis of the Industrial CapitalistChapter 32: The Historical Tendency of Capitalist AccumulationChapter 33: The Modern Theory of ColonizationAppendix: Results of the Immediate Process of Production Introduction by Ernest MandelI. Commodities as the Product of CapitalII. Capitalist Production as the Production of Surplus-ValueIII. Capitalist Production is the Production and Reproduction of the Specifically Capitalist Relations of ProductionIV. Isolated FragmentsQuotations in Languages Other than English and GermanIndex of Authorities QuotedGeneral IndexNote on Previous Editions of the Works of Marx and EngelsChronology of Works by Marx and Engels

    15 in stock

    £17.09

  • The Republic

    Penguin Books Ltd The Republic

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisPresented in the form of a dialogue between Socrates and three different interlocutors, this book is an enquiry into the notion of a perfect community and the ideal individual within it. It addresses the purpose of education and the role of both women and men as 'guardians' of the people.

    15 in stock

    £10.44

  • The End of Poverty

    Penguin Books Ltd The End of Poverty

    10 in stock

    Book SynopsisJeffrey Sachs is the Director of The Earth Institute, Quetelet Professor of Sustainable Development, and Professor of Health Policy and Management at Columbia University as well as Special Advisor to United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan. He is internationally renowned for his work as economic advisor to governments in Latin America, Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, Asia and Africa.

    10 in stock

    £11.69

  • The Prince

    Penguin Books Ltd The Prince

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisToday The Prince is still seen as the Bible of realpolitik, read by strategists, businessmen and political animals everywhere as the ultimate guide to gaining and maintaining power in a dangerous world.

    15 in stock

    £7.59

  • Identity and Violence

    Penguin Books Ltd Identity and Violence

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisProfound and humane, Amartya Sen''s Identity and Violence: The Illusion of Destiny examines some of the most explosive problems of our time and shows how we can move towards peace as firmly as we have spiralled towards war. In this penetrating book, Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen argues that we are becoming increasingly divided along lines of religion and culture, ignoring the many other ways in which people see themselves, from class and profession to morals and politics. When we are put into narrow categories the importance of human life becomes lost. Through his lucid exploration of such subjects as multiculturalism, fundamentalism, terrorism and globalization, he brings out the need for a clear-headed understanding of human freedom and a constructive public voice in Global civil society. The hope of harmony in today''s world lies in a clearer understanding of our sheer diversity. ''Identity and Violence is a moving, powerful essay about tTrade Review'Identity and Violence is a moving, powerful essay about the mischief of bad ideas' Economist

    1 in stock

    £10.44

  • Captive Mind

    Penguin Books Ltd Captive Mind

    4 in stock

    Book SynopsisWritten in Paris in the early 1950s, this book created instant controversy in its analysis of modern society that had allowed itself to be hypnotized by socio-political doctrines, and to accept totalitarian terror on the strength of a hypothetical future.Table of ContentsThe pill of the Murti-Bing; looking to the West; Ketman; Alpha, the moralist; Beta, the disappointed lover; Gamma, the slave of history; Delta, the troubadour; man, his enemy; the lessons of the Baltics.

    4 in stock

    £11.69

  • The Communist Manifesto

    Penguin Books Ltd The Communist Manifesto

    15 in stock

    Book Synopsis''The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains.''Marx and Engels''s revolutionary summons to the working classes - one of the most important and influential political theories ever formulated.Introducing Little Black Classics: 80 books for Penguin''s 80th birthday. Little Black Classics celebrate the huge range and diversity of Penguin Classics, with books from around the world and across many centuries. They take us from a balloon ride over Victorian London to a garden of blossom in Japan, from Tierra del Fuego to 16th-century California and the Russian steppe. Here are stories lyrical and savage; poems epic and intimate; essays satirical and inspirational; and ideas that have shaped the lives of millions.Karl Marx (1818-1883) and Friedrich Engels (1820-1895). Marx''s works available in Penguin Classics are Capital, Dispatches for the New York Tribune, Early Writings, Grundrisse, The Portable Karl Marx and Revolution and War.

    15 in stock

    £5.63

  • The Prince

    Penguin Books Ltd The Prince

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisHow can a leader be strong and decisive, yet still inspire loyalty in his followers? When is it necessary to break the rules? Is it better to be feared than loved? In this book, the author answers all these questions in a work of realpolitik that still has shrewd political lessons.

    15 in stock

    £7.59

  • The New Map

    Penguin Books Ltd The New Map

    7 in stock

    Book Synopsis''The direction of travel in the global energy system seems clear: a historic shift away from fossil fuels is under way. Who better to chart it than Daniel Yergin? ... a flair for dramatic detail and sprightly insights'' Pilita Clark, Financial TimesThe Pulitzer Prize-winning author and global energy expert reveals how climate change and the shale revolution in oil and gas are shaking the global order, challenging nations and industries, and accelerating a second energy revolution - the quest for renewables and for ''net zero carbon''.UPDATED WITH A NEW EPILOGUE''A tour de force'' David Von Drehle, Washington Post''A kaleidoscopic survey of seemingly every geopolitical development in history, all seen through the lens of energy . . . Admirable, well-researched, highly readable'' Keith Johnson, Foreign PolicyTrade ReviewThere are many ... stories in this wonderful book, all of them directed at the transformation of the global map of power and wealth that has happened in the 21st century. Don't waste your time on Boris or Trump, Covid or novichock, just read this to find out what is really happening. -- Bryan Appleyard * The Sunday Times *Daniel Yergin won a Pulitzer in 1992 for The Prize, an acclaimed history of petroleum and political power ... In The New Map he turns his talents to what might be called geopolitical cartography ... Fans of the author's previous books will appreciate the snappy prose and plethora of well-told anecdotes ... revealing and apposite ... The book brings the general reader admirably up to date on the many subjects it covers. -- Edward Lucas * The Times *Yergin is the most respected chronicler of energy history and politics today. Yergin has enviable talents. He writes fluently in a style that brings to life the arcane dynamics of the energy business. He is deeply knowledgeable and analytically prescient... The New Map is an excellent read because, through multiple interconnected storylines, it pulls together the transformative occurrences that have shaped the energy world in recent years into a cogent framework from which the reader can discern the future pathways of the next energy transition. -- Vikram S Mehta * Indian Express *

    7 in stock

    £13.49

  • What White People Can Do Next

    Penguin Books Ltd What White People Can Do Next

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES AND IRISH TIMES BESTSELLER''An absolute blockbuster of clear thinking and new angles...the most clear, alliance building, shame removing look at race. Emma is once-in-a generation clever'' Caitlin MoranWe need to talk about racial injustice in a different way: one that builds on the revolutionary ideas of the past and forges new connections. In this incisive, radical and practical essay, Emma Dabiri - acclaimed author of Don''t Touch My Hair - draws on years of research and personal experience to challenge us to create meaningful, lasting change.''Impactful . . . Emma expertly outlines how the idea of race was constructed to bolster capitalism and explains how, in a divided world, unity and coalition are needed to create a future that works for everyone'' Cosmopolitan Trade ReviewEssential . . . accessible and yet so full of scholarship. Witty, insightful, a must-read -- Owen JonesFascinating, invigorating . . . this book is for everyone . . . we have an academic like Emma Dabiri writing as if James Connolly and Audre Lorde had a love child -- Jess Kav * Irish Times *A gamechanging skewering of social-media discourse with a historically grounded analysis of anti-racism, collectivism, neoliberalism, and post-colonialism -- Jason Okundaye * Vogue *Deftly and wittily deconstructs allyship and white saviour tropes to give an unblinkered takedown of what needs to happen next -- Francesca Brown * Stylist *A thoughtful, nuanced read that is deftly researched and studded with relevant reflections from Dabiri's own life in Ireland, the UK and the US... Dabiri is on top form when applying her razor-sharp analysis to the symbiotic relationship between capitalism and racism, and how it harms us all -- Georgina Lawton * iNews *Vital, needs to be read by as many people as possible . . . One of those rare books that is completely clarifying and that you find yourself referring back to for years to come -- Ellie Mae O'Hagan (via twitter)I really loved What White People Can Do Next: so smart, so readable, so helpful. There is so much I hadn't thought about before - 'whiteness' as a confection, the empty performance of online rhetoric, the impossibility of transferring privilege - and so much that I had somewhere in the back of my mind but that I'd struggled to articulate. -- Nick Hornby * author of Just Like You *Refreshing . . . A nuanced and historical analysis of post-colonialism, anti-racism and collectivism. The sharpest of any book out on 'race' in recent years -- Good Readers ClubVitally important and written with intelligence and insight, this book is an essential companion for anyone seeking to understand racism, on the journey towards an anti-racist future -- Jeffrey BoakyeFantastic . . . a wonderfully concise deconstruction of race and racism Emma is challenging the inherent power dynamics in the concept of allyship, arguing instead for coalition when it comes to how people can confront the structures of racism * The Blindboy Podcast *Concise, sure-footed and complete . . . a battle cry against racism for even the most socially aware . . . Dabiri's reflections have been a very, very long time coming -- Tanya Sweeny * Irish Independent *

    15 in stock

    £7.59

  • An Introduction to Political Philosophy

    Oxford University Press An Introduction to Political Philosophy

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisAn Introduction to Political Philosophy is a concise, lucid, and thought-provoking introduction to the most important questions of political philosophy, organised around the major issues. Wolff provides the structure that beginners need, whilst also introducing some distinctive ideas of his own.Trade ReviewThis is a staple text on any political philosophy reading list. I always recommend it to my students. * Dr Sarah Fine, Faculty of Philosophy, University of Cambridge *Jonathan Wolff's An Introduction to Political Philosophy is still the best introduction to the subject that I know. It guides the reader through deep questions in a way that is clear, approachable and thought-provoking. * Professor Michael Rosen, Department of Government, Harvard University, USA *The best introductory text about political philosophy currently available. The contents are easy for the newcomer to the subject of political philosophy to assimilate. The narrative is clear and thought provoking. * Professor Ian Godfrey Finlayson, European School of Economics, UK *The go-to teaching guide for the key themes in political philosophy. * Dr Pete Woodcock, University of Huddersfield, UK *An elegantly written introduction, structured by a topical approach to the field. While introducing canonical authors, the focus is on contemporary problems of political philosophy. * Dr Egbert Klautke, University College London, UK *A useful and accessible tool to get students thinking clearly about the political and philosophical thought that conditions their understanding of the world. * Dr Michael Kyriacou, The University of East Anglia, UK *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1: The State of Nature 2: Justifying the State 3: Who Should Rule? 4: The Place of Liberty? 5: The Distribution of Property? 6: Justice for Everyone, Everywhere? Guide to Further Reading

    15 in stock

    £31.99

  • Rethinking Political Thinkers

    Oxford University Press Rethinking Political Thinkers

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisRethinking Political Thinkers explores a uniquely diverse set of political thinkers, from traditionally canonical theorists such as Plato, Aristotle, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, and Mill, to marginalized women and thinkers of colour, such as hooks, Du Bois, Butler, Fanon, Firestone, Said, and Goldman. Placing traditional thinkers alongside and in conversation with neglected and unheard voices opens up important debates, and presents political thought in a new light. Each thinker is examined within the contexts of patriarchy, white supremacy, and imperialism, and the relations and structures of race, gender, and class which different theories have reflected, defended, or challenged. The text is organized thematically, rather than simply chronologically, in order to explore central ideas such as social contract theory and its critics, freedom and revolution, the liberal self and black consciousness, colonial domination, and the environment. In each chapter students are encouraged to thinTrade ReviewThis well-conceived and well-executed book offers accessible and thoughtful chapters on theorists (including Gandhi, C.L.R. James, DuBois and Fanon) and themes (including black consciousness and colonial domination) that do not usually find a place in political theory textbooks, and yet have been central to political thinking in modern times. It will be welcomed by teachers and students who want to avoid the seemingly incorrigible Eurocentrism of their discipline. * Sanjay Seth, Professor and Director of the Centre for Postcolonial Theory, Goldsmiths, and author of Beyond Reason: Postcolonial Theory and the Social Sciences (OUP 2020). *The book provides a refreshing overview of key political thinkers, bringing to the fore ideas and authors which have long been unjustly neglected in the discipline and thus offering a richer and more inclusive introduction to the defining questions and debates in political theory. * Dr Davide Schmid, Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK *Rethinking Political Thinkers answers a long-felt need of students and faculty alike. Through obviously careful planning, Ramgotra and Choat have pulled together a superb resource to restructure political theory curricula so as to bring critical engagement with questions of race, gender, sexuality, and colonialism into university coursespositioning such questions as integral rather than supplemental to understanding the history, present, and future of political theory. Rethinking political Thinkers will very quickly become an essential text for undergraduate courses. * Dr Samantha Frost, Professor, University of Illinois, USA *This is the dream textbook we have been looking for. It offers a way to rethink the teaching of political theory that does not abandon the canon, but instead expands and interrogates it, situating the thinkers within contemporary concerns. * Dr David Moon, Senior Lecturer in Politics, University of Bath, UK *An excellent volume which can be used to widen the curriculum of political theory to include more diverse authors and cover important subjects such as colonialism, imperialism, slavery, non-Western philosophy, feminism and poststructuralism critiques. Accessible for students, and a clear resource for lecturers keen to vary their teaching, it is a welcome addition to the field. * Dr Charles Devellennes, Senior Lecturer in Political and Social Thought, University of Kent, UK *This is a ground-breaking introduction to political thought. It offers an indispensable tool for students and teachers and shows how political theory can be taught in a way that respects diversity and shows the radical potential of political thought. * Dr Alasia Nuti, Senior Lecturer, University of York, UK *This timely volume highlights positive possibilities for the future of political theory and philosophy. By refocusing our attentions on many of those intellectual voices who have usually held them the least, the volume's chapters refuse-in theme and method- to narrowly conform to the accepted modes of the discipline. Indeed, the volume excels in making clear that, should it wish to, political theory and philosophy are eminently capable of allowing for innovations in thought and method drawn from as full an epistemic range as the historical and contemporary world offers. As the editors emphasise, the benefit will be to the discipline and, also, to the intellectual understandings of our societies. Certainly, this volume will inspire new and diverse entrants into political thought- who will, as a result, be unafraid to break and cultivate ever more original ground. * Dr Eniola Anuoluwapo Soyemi, Nuffield College, University of Oxford, UK *Table of ContentsI. Boundaries of the Political 1: Simon Choat and Manjeet Ramgotra: Introduction 2: Patrizia Longo: Plato, Socrates and Sojourner Truth 3: Manjeet Ramgotra: Aristotle and bell hooks 4: Deepshikha Shahi: Kautilya II. Social Contract Theory and its Critics 5: Signy Gutnick-Allen: Thomas Hobbes 6: Caroline Williams: Baruch de Spinoza 7: Hagar Kotef: John Locke 8: Allauren Forbes: Mary Astell 9: Peter Hallward: Jean-Jacques Rousseau 10: Terrell Carver: Carole Pateman and Charles Mills III. Liberal Modernity and Colonial Domination 11: Manjeet Ramgotra: Charles-Louis de Secondat Montesquieu 12: Inder S. Marwah: John Stuart Mill 13: Simon Choat: Karl Marx 14: Willow Verkerk: Friedrich Nietzsche 15: Ayesha Omar: Sayyid Qutb 16: Edward W. Said, Rahul Rao IV. Freedom and Revolution 17: Alan Coffee: Catharine Macaulay and Edmund Burke 18: Robbie Shilliam: C. L. R. James 19: Kei Hiruta: Hannah Arendt 20: Viren Murthy: Zhang Taiyan V. Inclusion and Equality 21: Ashley Dodsworth: Mary Wollstonecraft 22: Neus Torbisco-Casals: Iris Marion Young 23: Varun Uberoi: Bhikhu Parekh 24: Nikita Dhawan: Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak VI. Violence, Power, and Resistance 25: Yves Winter: Niccolo Machiavelli 26: Ruth Kinna: Emma Goldman 27: James Casas Klausen: Mahatma Mohandas Gandhi 28: Keally McBride: Frantz Fanon VII. The Liberal Self and Black Consciousness 29: Stella Sandford: Immanuel Kant 30: Kiara Gilbert and Karen Salt: Frederick Douglass 31: Elvira Basevich: W. E. B. Dubois 32: Maeve McKeown: John Rawls VIII. Sex and Sexuality 33: Paul Patton: Michel Foucault 34: Victoria Margree: Shulamith Firestone 35: Manjeet Ramgotra: Angela Davis 36: Clare Woodford: Judith Butler IX. The Environment, Human, and Non-Human 37: Eva-Maria Nag: Dipesh Chakrabarty 38: Claire Colebrook: Donna Haraway 39: Esme G. Murdock: Indigenous ecologies

    1 in stock

    £39.99

  • Rights of Man Common Sense and Other Political

    Oxford University Press Rights of Man Common Sense and Other Political

    15 in stock

    Book Synopsis`An army of principles will penetrate where an army of soldiers cannot . . . it will march on the horizon of the world and it will conquer.'' Thomas Paine was the first international revolutionary. His Common Sense (1776) was the most widely read pamphlet of the American Revolution; his Rights of Man (1791-2) was the most famous defence of the French Revolution and sent out a clarion call for revolution throughout the world. He paid the price for his principles: he was outlawed in Britain, narrowly escaped execution in France, and was villified as an atheist and a Jacobin on his return to America. Paine loathed the unnatural inequalities fostered by the hereditary and monarchical systems. He believed that government must be by and for the people and must limit itself to the protection of their natural rights. But he was not a libertarian: from a commitment to natural rights he generated one of the first blueprints for a welfare state, combining a liberal order of civil rights with egalitarian constraints. This collection brings together Paine''s most powerful political writings from the American and French revolutions in the first fully annotated edition of these works. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World''s Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford''s commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.Trade Review'OUP's excellent series continues with a collection from the Christopher Hitchens de ses jours.' GuardianTable of ContentsCommon Sense ; American Crisis 1 ; American Crisis X111 ; Letters to Jefferson ; Rights of Man ; Rights of Man. Part the Second ; Letter Addressed to the Addressers on the Late Proclamation ; Dissertation on the First Principles of Government ; Agrarian Justice

    15 in stock

    £6.99

  • Reflections on the Revolution in France

    Oxford University Press Reflections on the Revolution in France

    5 in stock

    Book SynopsisEdmund Burke was the dominant political thinker of the last quarter of the eighteenth century in England. His reputation depends less on his role as a practising politician than on his ability to set contemporary problems within a wider context of political theory. Above all, he commented on change. He tried to teach lessons about how change should be managed, what limits should not be transgressed, and what should be reverently preserved. Burke''s generation was much in need of advice on these matters. The Industrial Revolution, the American Revolution, and catastrophically, the French Revolution presented challenges of terrible proportions. They could promise paradise or threaten anarchy. Burke was acutely aware of how high the stakes were. The Reflections on the Revolution in France was a dire warning of the consequences that would follow the mismanagement of change. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World''s Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford''s commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

    5 in stock

    £8.99

  • Selected Essays

    Oxford University Press Selected Essays

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisIn his writings, David Hume set out to bridge the gap between the learned world of the academy and the marketplace of polite society. This collection, drawing largely on his Essays Moral, Political, and Literary (1776 edition), which was even more popular than his famous Treatise of Human Nature, comprehensively shows how far he succeeded.From `Of Essay Writing'' to `Of the Rise and Progress of the Arts and Sciences'' Hume embraces a staggering range of social, cultural, political, demographic, and historical concerns. With the scope typical of the Scottish Enlightenment, he charts the state of civil society, manners, morals, and taste, and the development of political economy in the mid-eighteenth century. These essays represent not only those areas where Hume''s arguments are revealingly typical of his day, but also where he is strikingly innovative in a period already famous for its great thinkers. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World''s Classics has made available the Trade ReviewThis reviewer found Copley and Edgar's edition to be the easiest to read, and as such it may be appropriate for less experienced students of Hume's work. * Scottish Tradition *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; Note on the Text ; Select Bibliography ; Chronology ; 1. Of Essay Writing ; 2. Of the Middle Station of Life ; 3. Of the Delicacy of Taste and Passion ; 4. That Politics may be Reduced to a Science ; 5. Of the First Principles of Government ; 6. Of the Origin of Government ; 7. Of the Parties of Great Britain ; 8. Of Superstition and Enthusiasm ; 9. Of the Dignity or Meanness of Human Nature ; 10. Of Civil Liberty ; 11. Of the Rise and Progress of the Arts and Sciences ; 12. The Epicurean ; 13. The Stoic ; 14. The Platonist ; 15. The Sceptic ; 16. Of National Characters ; 17. Of Tragedy ; 18. Of the Standard of Taste ; 19. Of Commerce ; 20. Of Refinement in the Arts ; 21. Of Interest ; 22. Of the Balance of Trade ; 23. Of Public Credit ; 24. Of Some Remarkable Customs ; 25. Of the Populousness of Ancient Nations ; 26. Of the Original Contract ; 27. Of the Protestant Succession ; 28. Idea of a Perfect Commonwealth ; 29. On Suicide ; 30. On the Immortality of the Soul

    Out of stock

    £10.44

  • Discourses on Livy

    Oxford University Press Discourses on Livy

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisDiscourses on Livy (1531) is as essential to an understanding of Machiavelli as his famous treatise, The Prince. Equally controversial, it reveals his fundamental preference for a republican state. Comparing the practice of the ancient Romans with that of his contemporaries provided Machiavelli with a consistent point of view in all his works. Machiavelli''s close analysis of Livy''s history of Rome led him to advance his most original and outspoken view of politics - the belief that a healthy body politic was characterized by social friction and conflict rather than by rigid stability. His discussion of conspiracies in Discourses on Livy is one of the most sophisticated treatments of archetypal political upheaval every written. In an age of increasing political absolutism, Machiavelli''s theories became a dangerous ideology.This new translation is richly annotated, providing the contemporary reader with sufficient historical, linguistic, and political information to understand and interpret the revolutionary affirmations Machiavelli made, based on the historical evidence he found in Livy.The complete Livy in English, available in five volumes from Oxford World''s Classics. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World''s Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford''s commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.Trade Review...a great author requires a careful translator; and it is befitting for Conaway Bondanella and Bondanella, in presenting a text translated from Italian to English, to assert that Machiavelli has been misunderstood because of poor translations. * Sixteenth Century Journal *

    Out of stock

    £9.49

  • Selected Speeches

    Oxford University Press Selected Speeches

    2 in stock

    Book Synopsis''Even if everyone else succumbs to slavery, we must still fight for our freedom.''Admired by many in the ancient world as the greatest of the classic Athenian orators, Demosthenes was intimately involved in the political events of his day. As well as showing a master orator at work, his speeches are a prime source for the history of the period, when Athens was engaged in a doomed struggle against the rising power of Macedon under the brilliant father and son, Philip and Alexander. Demosthenes wrote for the courts, both for political trials in which he was involved and for other cases in which he acted as ghost-writer for plaintiff or defendant, and his lawcourt speeches give an unrivalled glimpse of the daily life of ancient Athens. He also played a central role in education in Greece and Rome from the Hellenistic period onward, and was imitated by the greatest of Roman orators, Cicero.This selection includes the fullest range of Demosthenes'' speeches, for trials both public and privTrade Review[Demosthenes' speeches] impress with their emotional intensity, brilliance and variety of argument (dishonest or not), irony, forceful imagery, wit and general sense of mastery of the spoken word, in Robin Waterfields fine new translations. * Peter Jones, Classics for All *Table of ContentsDELIBERATIVE SPEECHES; TRIALS IN PUBLIC CASES; PRIVATE AND GHOST-WRITTEN SPEECHES

    2 in stock

    £11.69

  • An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice

    Oxford University Press An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis''To a rational being there can be but one rule of conduct, justice, and one mode of ascertaining that rule, the exercise of his understanding.'' Godwin''s Political Justice is the founding text of philosophical anarchism. Written in the immediate aftermath of the French Revolution, it exemplifies the political optimism felt by many writers and intellectuals. Godwin drew on enlightenment ideas and his background in religious dissent for the principles of justice, utility, and the sanctity of individual judgement that drove his powerful critique of all forms of secular and religious authority. He predicts the triumph of justice and equality over injustice, and of mind over matter, and the eventual vanquishing of human frailty and mortality. He also foresees the gradual elimination of practices governing property, punishment, law, and marriage and the displacement of politics by an expanded personal morality resulting from reasoned argument and candid discussion. Political Justice raises deep philosophical questions about the nature of our duty to others that remain central to modern debates on ethics and politics.This edition reprints the first-edition text of 1793, and examines Godwin''s evolving philosophy in the context of his life and work. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World''s Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford''s commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

    1 in stock

    £12.34

  • Taxation

    Oxford University Press Taxation

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisTaxation is crucial to the functioning of the modern state. Tax revenues pay for public services - roads, the courts, defence, welfare assistance to the poor and elderly, and in many countries much of health care and education too. More than one third of national income in the industrialized (OECD) countries is on average taken in taxation. Taxes affect individuals in many ways. Taxes paid on income and spending directly reduce taxpayer disposable income, taxpayers face the hassle of tax returns and making payments, and they may be anxious about the possibility of investigation and enforcement action. People also adapt their activities in various ways to reduce the impact of taxation - putting money into tax-free savings accounts, or making shopping trips to other countries where taxes are lower. Taxation is therefore central to politics and public debate. Politicians that make reckless campaign promises about taxation then have to live with the uncomfortable consequences if elected. Businesses lobby for tax breaks that they claim will create jobs and prosperity. In this Very Short Introduction Stephen Smith shows how taxes have real effects on citizens and the economy that tax policy-makers have to balance. Although tax policy will always be a highly political issue, he argues that public decisions about taxation would be improved by a better understanding of the role of taxation, and of the nature and effects of different taxes.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade Reviewa very short book on taxation I wish were longer... a clever, detailed and entertaining guide to tax policy. * Prospect, Philip Collins *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. What are taxes, and why do we need them? ; 2. The structure of taxation ; 3. Who bears the tax burden? ; 4. Taxation and the economy ; 5. Tax evasion and enforcement ; 6. Issues in tax policy ; Further Reading ; Index

    Out of stock

    £9.49

  • The Major Political Writings of JeanJacques

    The University of Chicago Press The Major Political Writings of JeanJacques

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisFew philosophers have been the subject of as much or as intense debate, yet almost everyone agrees on one thing: Jean-Jacques Rousseau is among the most important and influential thinkers in the history of political philosophy. This book brings together fresh translations of three of Rousseau's works.Trade Review"Scott's translations combine great exactness with thoroughly readable English. The outstanding accompanying materials include notes that are illuminating but never intrusive, a chronology of Rousseau's life, a bibliography, and above all a substantial introduction that offers a masterful overview of Rousseau's notoriously complex thought. A genuine contribution that will aid scholars and especially students for many years to come." (Robert C. Bartlett, Boston College) "Scott's is the first single-volume translation of the Discourses and Social Contract to appear in twenty-five years, and instructors who teach all three texts will find the volume particularly useful. The excellent introduction, fluent translation, and detailed notes will make the volume a favorite for many scholars as well. (If one sought to summarize the significance of Rousseau's political thought in three pages or less, it is doubtful that one could do better than the first pages of Scott's introduction.)" (Political Theory)"

    1 in stock

    £16.00

  • The Silence of Animals On Progress and Other

    Penguin Books Ltd The Silence of Animals On Progress and Other

    4 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe powerful, beautiful and chilling sequel to the bestselling Straw Dogs''By nature volatile and discordant, the human animal looks to silence for relief from being itself while other creatures enjoy silence as their birthright''Why do humans seek meaning to life? How do our imaginations leap into worlds so far beyond our actual reality? In this chilling and beautiful sequel to Straw Dogs, John Gray explores how we decorate our existence with countless fictions, twisting and turning to avoid acknowledging that we too are animals. Drawing on an extraordinary array of writers who are mesmerized by extremity, from Ballard to Conrad, Gray makes us re-imagine our place in the world.Trade ReviewThe Silence of Animals is a new kind of book from Gray, a sort of poetic reverie on the human state, on the state, that is, of the human animal ... He blends lyricism with wisdom, humour with admonition, nay-saying with affirmation, making in the process a marvellous statement of what it is to be both an animal and a human in the strange, terrifying and exquisite world into which we straw dogs find ourselves thrown -- John Banville * Guardian *Interesting, original and memorable ... The Silence of Animals is a beautifully written book, the product of a strongly questioning mind. It is effectively an anthology with detailed commentary, setting out one rich and suggestive episode after another -- Philip Hensher * Spectator *A secular prophet, sensationally truth-telling, clear-sighted and unperturbed by the illusions under which the rest of us labour ... what's more unexpected is how beautifully the unbearable quality of that desperation is evoked -- Shahidha Bari * Times Higher Education *Full of richness ... a pleasure to read -- Jane Shilling * Daily Telegraph *He takes down utopians of various stripes and then starts wiggling the dentist's drill in the liberal molar ... In Gray's book, it's humanity that is the problem: we need to get over ourselves -- Sam Leith * Sunday Times *For all its dark thrills, Gray's aria of negativity is intended to prepare the reader for a revelation. "Nothingness," he writes, "may be our most precious possession" -- Talitha Stevenson * Evening Standard *

    4 in stock

    £10.44

  • Two Treatises of Government and A Letter

    Yale University Press Two Treatises of Government and A Letter

    Book SynopsisTwo of John Locke's most mature and influential political writings and three brilliant interpretive essays have been combined here in one volume. The complete texts are accompanied by interpretive essays by three prominent Locke scholars.Trade Review"The new standard edition of Locke for students of political theory. Dunn, Grant, and Shapiro combine authoritative historical scholarship and contemporary political theory to give us Locke for our time."—Elisabeth H. Ellis, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Texas A&M University "In criticisms of ‘liberalism’ over the past two decades, the political philosophy of John Locke has been denigrated as hopelessly old-fashioned, and even downright conservative. John Dunn, Ruth Grant, and especially, Ian Shapiro present Locke to us afresh. They recover precisely the progressively innovative, and even radically democratic quality of Lockean political thought."—John P. McCormick, University of Chicago "An elegant edition of three of Locke’s works that have been too infrequently published together. The accompanying essays, with their additional secondary source references, and delightful index, make it all the more useful for both teaching and research."—Judith A. Swenson, Boston University

    £27.92

  • Public Policy A New Introduction Textbooks in

    Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Public Policy A New Introduction Textbooks in

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisProf. Dr. Christoph Knill is Professor of Politics and Public Administration at the Geschwister Scholl Institute of Political Science at Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Germany.Prof. Dr. Jale Tosun is Professor of Political Science at the Institute of Political Science at Heidelberg University, Germany, and a co-director of the Heidelberg Center for the Environment.Trade ReviewChristoph Knill and Jale Tosun have provided an excellent update and extension of their textbook on public policy. The first edition provided an excellent introduction to the field for students, and the new edition will be an even more valuable resource for understanding contemporary public policy. * B. Guy Peters, University of Pittsburgh, USA *The first edition of Public Policy rapidly became a modern classic in the field, a must-read for all those working on public policy, whether students or established scholars. The epithets elegant, concise, profound and clear easily attached themselves to the well-written and useful book that stands head and shoulders above all its competitors. It is very welcome indeed to have the second edition that retains all the strengths of the first, but is fully updated to reflect recent thinking and scholarship in public policy as well as taking account of the profound changes in politics and policy that have occurred in recent years. Christoph Knill and Jale Tosun have pulled off a tremendous feat. * Peter John, King’s College, London, UK *This book is an outstanding introduction to studies of public policy. It combines both traditional approaches with innovative perspectives on the design and implementation of public policies. It is the best text book for policy studies in Europe. * Karin Ingold, University of Bern, Switzerland *There is no better policy textbook with a global perspective than Knill and Tosun’s. It combines the leading paradigms with innovative insights in a well-written, comprehensive and state-of-the-art account of the policy process. This volume belongs in the personal library of any student, scholar and practitioner who wants to master the essentials of public policy-making around the world. * Raymond Tatalovich, Loyola University Chicago, USA *The radically updated second edition of Public Policy engages with empirical developments, such as climate change, digitization and the questioning of the global international order, that have a path-changing significance for public policy. The authors successfully integrate theoretical, analytical and methodological advances in the book, which reflects that Jale Tosun and Christopher Knill are leading scholars in the field. I strongly recommend this book to scholars and educators of public policy and related fields. * Caroline de la Porte, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark *In this fresh edition of their Public Policy textbook, Knill and Tosun offer a comprehensive review of the theories that students must master if they want to make a difference in the policy world. This is the go-to resource book for all those who seek to formulate workable solutions to complex societal problems. * Arjen Boin, Leiden University, the Netherlands *Knill and Tosun’s Public Policy has proved to be an excellent text for introducing my students to fundamental ideas in public policy and policy making. It structures theoretical content in a clear and thoughtful way, and uses relevant real world examples to demonstrate the complexities of policy making across national and international contexts. * Alex Mankoo, University of Sussex, UK *Knill and Tosun have written a highly accessible and comprehensive textbook that not only discusses traditional policy theories but also highlights the importance of public-private governance and policy-making beyond the state. This text forms an excellent introduction for students and the new edition’s increased attention to climate change in particular makes this book even more indispensable than before. * Stefan Renckens, University of Toronto, Canada *Public Policy is a highly accessible book introducing public policy through examples drawn from all over the world. The authors survey and present a wide range of theoretical perspectives in a clear and concise fashion. It is a tremendous introduction to public policy and points the reader where to go next for detailed work on each topic. * Martin Hansen, Brunel University London, UK *Public Policy continues to provide an excellent foundation in key theories and debates regarding policy processes. This revised edition not only reflects development in the fields of academic debate but also political changes to provide an excellent introduction for new students. The revised conclusion provides useful practical guidance for students and practitioners alike. * Lee Gregory, University of Birmingham, UK *Table of Contents1. Introduction 2. The Nature of Public Policies 3. The Context for Policy Making: Central Institutions and Actors 4. Theoretical Approaches to Policy Making 5. Problem Definition and Agenda Setting 6. Decision-Making 7. Implementation 8. Evaluation 9. Governance: A Synoptic Perspective on Policy Making 10. Public Policies Beyond the Nation-State 11. Policy Change and Policy Convergence 12. Conclusions: Theoretical Insights and Practical Advice.

    1 in stock

    £35.14

  • Theory and Methods in Political Science Political

    Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Theory and Methods in Political Science Political

    4 in stock

    Book SynopsisVivian Lowndes is Professor of Public Policy at the University of Birmingham, UK.David Marsh is Director of Research, Institute for Governance and Policy Analysis, University of Canberra, Australia.Gerry Stoker is Professor at the University of Southampton and Centenary Research Professor, Institute for Governance and Policy Analysis, University of Canberra.Table of ContentsIntroduction; Vivien Lowndes, David Marsh and Gerry Stoker PART I: THEORY AND APPROACHES 1. Behavouralism; David Sanders 2. Rational Choice; Andrew Hindmoor and Brad Taylor 3. Institutionalism; Vivien Lowndes 4. Constructivism and Interpretive Theory; Craig Parsons 5. Feminist and Gender Approaches; Meryl Kenny and Fiona Mackay 6. Marxism: A global perspective; Ray Kiely 7. Poststructuralism; Mark Wenman 8. Political Psychology; Frank Mols and Paul 't Hart 9. Normative Theory; Chris Armstrong PART II: METHODS AND RESEARCH DESIGN 10. Ontology and Epistemology in Political Science; David Marsh, Selen A. Ercan and Paul Furlong 11. Meta-Theoretical Issues in Political Analysis; David Marsh 12. Research Design; Dimiter Toshkov 13. Qualitative Methods; Ariadne Vromen 14. Quantitative Methods; Peter John 15. Comparative Methods; Matt Ryan 16. The Experimental Method: Prospects for field and laboratory studies; Helen Margetts and Gerry Stoker 17. Big Data: Methods for collection and analysis; Michael J. Jensen 18. The Relevance of Political Science; B. Guy Peters, Jon Pierre and Gerry Stoker.

    4 in stock

    £35.14

  • Politics

    Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Politics

    Out of stock

    Book SynopsisAndrew Heywood is the author of such bestselling texts as Global Politics, Political Ideologies and Political Theory, used by hundreds of thousands of students around the world.Trade ReviewPolitics was the first textbook I bought and read as an undergraduate and I have seen it benefit many more students since. Successive editions have provided a brilliant foundation for those eager to learn, engaging them with the joy of new understandings of complex political phenomena. * Matthew Ryan, University of Southampton, UK *As with every edition that has preceded this latest, updated edition, Andrew Heywood manages to render complex concepts, ideas, institutions and debates accessible and engaging for students. This is a comprehensive and incredibly useful resource for both student and educator alike. * Narelle Miragliotta, Monash University, Australia *This comprehensive and coherent textbook provides the best available introduction to the study of politics. Andrew Heywood organizes the material into meaningful categories, explores the major disciplinary debates with remarkable clarity, and carefully selects detailed examples that greatly enhance understanding. The book is highly accessible, and yet also sophisticated. Students are well advised to hang on to their copies for future reference. The fifth edition, meanwhile, seamlessly integrates such hot-button issues as populism, post-truth politics, and the growing prominence of autocracy, and manages overall to capture the dynamic character of politics in a transitional era. * Bruce Morrison, Western University, Canada *There is hardly a better textbook to approach the study of politics. This is an easy-to-read yet systematic and engaging introduction to political science. This new edition has received a timely update and now covers topics such as populism, illiberal democracy and the crises of the EU. Heywood’s book is a key reference text that students should always keep on their desk for consultation as they progress through their degree in politics. * Edoardo Bressanelli, King’s College London, UK *A stellar textbook that covers the essential introductory topics for first-year students while at the same time delves into contentious contemporary issues. The fifth edition includes a new thought-provoking final chapter that addresses the wave of anti-establishment fervour circulating in Western liberal democracies. Students who study political science are looking for answers and guidance in understanding today’s political disillusionment. Heywood’s text provides both and goes the extra mile by also discussing solutions with the clearest and most up-to-date advice on “mending politics.” * Roberta Haar, Maastricht University, the Netherlands *Politics remains the text that still best hits the sweet spot between accessibility and academic sophistication. * Stephen Thornton, Cardiff University, UK *Thoughtfully organized, attractively presented, and eminently approachable, Heywood raises the bar for introductory politics texts. Instructors seeking a comprehensive overview of key concepts, theories, scholars, events, and political actors will find everything they need and more in this thoroughly updated edition of Politics. * Scott Fitzsimmons, University of Limerick, Ireland *Heywood's Politics is the by far the best introductory text to political science currently on the market. It does an excellent job of introducing vital concepts for the study of politics in an accessible, easy to grasp format. * Johannes van Gorp, American University of Sharjah, UAE *This book is a marvel of erudition and compilation. It is accessible and user friendly. It remains the first stop for lecturers and students studying Politics. * Cillian McGrattan, University of Ulster, Ireland *Heywood’s Politics stands out as one of the most comprehensive and accessible textbooks in the market. Students will benefit especially from its illustrations of case studies and debates in politics. * James Wong, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology *Table of Contents1. What is Politics? 2. Political Ideas and Ideologies 3. Politics and the State 4. Democracy and Legitimacy 5. Regimes of the Modern World 6. Nations and Nationalism 7. Political Economy and Globalization 8. Politics, Society and Identity 9. Political Culture and the Media 10. Representation, Elections and Voting 11. Parties and Party Systems 12. Groups, Interests and Movements 13. Constitutions, Law and Judges 14. Political Executives and Leadership 15. Assemblies 16. Bureaucracies 17. Multilevel Politics 18. Security: Domestic and International 19. World Order and Global Governance 20. Is Politics Broken?

    Out of stock

    £46.99

  • Resonance: A Sociology of Our Relationship to the

    John Wiley and Sons Ltd Resonance: A Sociology of Our Relationship to the

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe pace of modern life is undoubtedly speeding up, yet this acceleration does not seem to have made us any happier or more content. If acceleration is the problem, then the solution, argues Hartmut Rosa in this major new work, lies in “resonance.” The quality of a human life cannot be measured simply in terms of resources, options, and moments of happiness; instead, we must consider our relationship to, or resonance with, the world. Applying his theory of resonance to many domains of human activity, Rosa describes the full spectrum of ways in which we establish our relationship to the world, from the act of breathing to the adoption of culturally distinct worldviews. He then turns to the realms of concrete experience and action – family and politics, work and sports, religion and art – in which we as late modern subjects seek out resonance. This task is proving ever more difficult as modernity’s logic of escalation is both cause and consequence of a distorted relationship to the world, at individual and collective levels. As Rosa shows, all the great crises of modern society – the environmental crisis, the crisis of democracy, the psychological crisis – can also be understood and analyzed in terms of resonance and our broken relationship to the world around us. Building on his now classic work on acceleration, Rosa’s new book is a major new contribution to the theory of modernity, showing how our problematic relation to the world is at the crux of some of the most pressing issues we face today. This bold renewal of critical theory for our times will be of great interest to students and scholars across the social sciences and humanities.Trade Review"If in the rush to increase production and wealth, we ever pause to consider what a good life would be like, and whether we’re missing something essential, Rosa’s book Resonance would be a good place to start. This remarkable work combines systematic theory with a host of valuable insights into human fulfillments that we too easily forgo."—Charles Taylor, McGill University "Affirmation of ordinary life is a key feature of modernity, but alienation from the world is a persistent experience of modern men and women. In Resonance, Rosa offers sketches of an alternative relation to the world and thereby a foundation for a sociology of the good life. A very important text and highly recommended."—Miroslav Volf, Yale University "Hartmut Rosa is one of the leading and most distinctive voices in contemporary social theory. In Resonance he continues the important analysis of the very nature of modernity laid out in Social Acceleration, and offers a new approach to basic human relationships, both to other people and to the world. This is a truly important book."—Craig Calhoun, Arizona State UniversityTable of ContentsAcknowledgments xii In Lieu of a Foreword: Sociology and the Story of Anna and Hannah 1 I Introduction 17 PART ONE: THE BASIC ELEMENTS OF HUMAN RELATIONSHIP TO THE WORLD II Bodily Relationships to the world 47 III Appropriating World and Experiencing World 83 IV Emotional, Evaluative, abd Cognitive Relationships to the World 110 V Resonance and Alienation as Basic Categories of a Theory of Our Relationship to the World 145 PART TWO: SPHERES AND AXES OF RESONANCE VI Introduction: Spheres of Resonance, Recognition, and the Axes of Our Relationship to the World 195 VII Horizontal Axes of Resonance 202 VIII Diagonal Axes of Resonance 226 IX Vertical Axes of Resonance 258 PART THREE: FEAR OF THE MUTING OF THE WORLD: A RECONSTRUCTION OF MODERNITY IN TERMS OF RESONANCE THEORY X Modernity as the History of Catastrophe of Resonance 307 XI Modernity as the History of Increasing Sensitivity to Resonance 357 XII Deserts and Oases of Life: Modern Everyday Practices in Terms of Resonance Theory 367 PART FOUR: A CRITICAL THEORY OF OUR RELATIONSHIP TO THE WORLD XIII Social Conditions of Successful and Unsuccessful Relationships to the World 381 XIV Dynamic Stabilization: The Escalatory Logic of Modernity and Its Consequences 404 XV Late Modern Crises of Resonance and the Contours of a Post-Growth Society 425 In Lieu of an Afterword: Defending Resonance Theory against Its Critice -- and Optimism agaibst Skeptics 444 Notes 460 References 504 Index 529

    15 in stock

    £18.04

  • Free Speech: A Global History from Socrates to

    John Murray Press Free Speech: A Global History from Socrates to

    3 in stock

    Book SynopsisA global history of free speech, from the ancient world to today.Hailed as the "first freedom," free speech is the bedrock of democracy. But it is a challenging principle, subject to erosion in times of upheaval. Today, in democracies and authoritarian states around the world, it is on the retreat.In Free Speech, Jacob Mchangama traces the riveting legal, political, and cultural history of this idea. Through captivating stories of free speech's many defenders - from the ancient Athenian orator Demosthenes and the ninth-century freethinker al-Razi, to Mary Wollstonecraft, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and modern-day digital activists - Mchangama demonstrates how the free exchange of ideas underlies all intellectual achievement and has enabled the advancement of both freedom and equality worldwide. Yet the desire to restrict speech is also a constant, and he explores how even its champions can be led down this path when the rise of new and contrarian voices challenge power and privilege of all kinds.Meticulously researched, deeply humane and provocative, Free Speech challenges us all to recognise how much we have gained from this principle - and how much we stand to lose without it.Trade ReviewJacob Mchangama's history of the world's strangest, best idea is the definitive account we have been waiting for. It teems with valuable insights, lively characters, and the author's passion for the cause he has done so much to advance. Mchangama brings to life the ancient struggles which established free speech and also the modern dangers which embattle it. Free Speech is that rare book which will impress scholars as much as it entertains readers, all while telling the world's most improbable success story -- Jonathan Rauch, author of The Constitution of KnowledgeFreedom of speech has emerged as a major issue of this decade, but most of the discussion consists of outrages over speech or the repression of speech. Missing is the intellectual background: What does free speech really mean? What is its history? How has it played out in world events? Why should we defend it? Jacob Mchangama lays out this context with deep erudition, strong writing, and a light touch -- Steven Pinker, Johnstone Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, and the author of Enlightenment Now and RationalityThe best history of free speech ever written and the best defense of free speech ever made. Jacob Mchangama never loses sight of the trouble freedom causes but always keeps in mind that lack of freedom creates horrors -- P.J. O’RourkeIn Free Speech, Jacob Mchangama presents a compelling case for the unique, universal, enduring importance of free and equal speech for all people, regardless of their particular identities or ideologies. This fascinating account, of magisterial scope, demonstrates the constant liberating and equalizing force of free speech, throughout history and around the world. It also documents the constant censorial pressures, including many that reflect positive aims, and their inevitable suppression of full and equal human rights -- Nadine Strossen, Former National President, American Civil Liberties UnionA lot of people now claim that free speech is a danger to democracy or social inclusion. In this vital book, which is as entertaining as it is erudite, Jacob Mchangama shows why that is dead wrong. Drawing on both historical analysis and normative argument, he makes a compelling case for why anyone who cares about liberty or justice must defend free speech -- Yascha Mounk, author of The Great Experiment: Why Diverse Democracies Fall Apart and How They Can Endure and associate professor at Johns Hopkins UniversityJacob Mchangama's panoramic exploration of the history of free speech offers a vivid, highly readable account of how today's most pitched battles over free speech reflect tensions and impulses that are as old as history itself. Mchangama persuasively dismantles the persistent claims, common to every era and technological evolution, that unprecedented new threats warrant expanded constraints on speech. This indispensable book is a must for both defenders of free speech and, even more so, for those entertaining the notion that free speech should or must be traded away in order to advance other public goods -- Suzanne Nossel, CEO of PEN America and author of Dare to Speak: Defending Free Speech for All (2020)Mchangama has written an insightful, nicely woven history that provides a coherent picture of how free speech has developed globally . . . With accessible and engaging writing, Mchangama's book is a highly recommended intellectual history -- Library Journal, Starred Review[Free Speech makes] a persuasive argument that free discourse is essential to democracy, breaking down systems of oppression, and challenging existing social hierarchies . . . Readers on both the right and the left seeking insights into modern day debates over free speech will welcome this evenhanded and wide ranging history -- Publishers WeeklyThis outstanding book gets it in one: free speech, as that right and privilege has been fought for and exercised as a key component of our always fragile democracies, is currently experiencing the greatest threat imaginable. To learn exactly how and why, and what we can do to eliminate or minimise this threat, everyone needs to read this deeply researched and powerfully written, truly global history covering everything from the face-to-face world of the ancient Greeks to our own, very different world of anonymous digital media -- Paul Cartledge, A.G. Leventis Professor of Greek Culture, emeritus, University of CambridgeScholarly in its erudition, but also immensely readable . . . Free speech is not a fashionable value - often perceived in 2022 as an outright threat to modern notions of social justice. This superb book is a corrective to that intellectual and cultural wrong turn and, as such, deserves as wide a readership as possible -- Matt d’Ancona, Tortoise Media[Free Speech] is not only a broad and deep global history of free speech - from antiquity to the Reformation to our current social-media era - but an argument for its enduring power and necessity.The book shows just how old the current arguments over free speech are - and how often they have been made over the centuries -- Daniel Sharp, Areo MagazineFascinating and ultimately rewarding -- David Waywell, ReactionA soaring global account of free speech's origins and fortunes. Readers interested in the past and future of this embattled right should rush to purchase a copy . . . Among volumes dedicated to our 'first freedom,' it will not soon be surpassed -- National ReviewMchangama, a Danish lawyer, has been an important voice for liberty over the last decade . . . His book is an excellent guide for anyone who wants to know why free speech matters -- Reason[A] 500-page door-stopper, which combines a history of free speech with a persuasive case for its defence . . . [Mchangama] succeeds magnificently -- The SpectatorAn impressive book on a subject of vital importance -- Daniel Ben-Ami[Mchangama's] conclusions, presented in a crisp and confident march through Western history, are sobering -- The EconomistExcellent history of free speech here . . . principled, literate and deeply knowledgeable -- Ian Dunt, iNews

    3 in stock

    £21.25

  • Perpetual War for Perpetual Peace: How We Got to

    Clairview Books Perpetual War for Perpetual Peace: How We Got to

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe United States has been engaged in what the great historian Charles A. Beard called "perpetual war for perpetual peace." The Federation of American Scientists has cataloged nearly 200 military incursions since 1945 in which the United States has been the aggressor. In a series of penetrating and alarming essays, whose centerpiece is a commentary on the events of September 11, 2001 (deemed too controversial to publish in this country until now) Gore Vidal challenges the comforting consensus following September 11th and goes back and draws connections to Timothy McVeigh's bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City. He asks were these simply the acts of "evil-doers?" "Gore Vidal is the master essayist of our age." -- Washington Post "Our greatest living man of letters."--Boston Globe "Vidal's imagination of American politics is so powerful as to compel awe."--Harold Bloom, The New York Review of Books

    1 in stock

    £9.49

  • Values The mustread book on how to fix our

    HarperCollins Publishers Values The mustread book on how to fix our

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERHorrified by the current financial crisis? Want to learn how we might get out of it? This is a pivotal moment in our economy. With the markets in free-fall, financial challenges are growing for us all. A winter of inflation and spiralling energy costs looms. But it doesn't have to be this way. As former Governor for the Bank of England Mark Carney said to the BBC: The message from the financial markets is there's a limit to unfunded spending and unfunded tax cuts in this environment.'His book is essential reading for today's economic crisis and provides answers to your questions as well as solutions for the future.In Value(s), Carney offers a roadmap out of this chaos and towards a better, fairer society. This moment could be an opportunity for change, for overhaul. We cannot go on as we have, something must change. Drawing on a truly international perspective, this book offers a blueprint for how we can channel the dynamism of the market to transform intractTrade Review Winner of the Parliamentary Book Award for Best Political Book by a Non-Parliamentarian ‘This assault on the modern free market is a landmark achievement. It will help arm the best in business, finance and government and disarm the worst’WILL HUTTON, OBSERVER ‘A remarkably good read’Gillian Tett, FINANCIAL TIMES ‘A sweeping intellect … This is an important book’EVENING STANDARD ‘A stimulating read … offering hope that we can build a post-pandemic economy based on solid values’DAILY MAIL ‘This is an important book, deserving of a wide audience. We know things need to change and that we are in big trouble if we don’t’IRISH TIMES ‘A radical book that speaks out accessibly as to how we get everyone involved in solving our problems’BONO ‘Mark Carney’s indispensable new book asks how we can go from knowing the price of everything to understanding its true value … this is the essential handbook for 21st century leaders, policymakers and everyone who wants to build a fair and sustainable world’CHRISTINE LAGARDE ‘A roadmap to a fairer and more responsible, resilient world … This book is irradiated with the inspiring and critical conviction that money can be transformed into a tool of collective good’ANTONY GORMLEY ‘A fantastic read for anyone interested in the most pressing issues facing us. The need for a world of profit with better purpose is explained in such a clear and persuasive style. I hope it gets read by many people ‘JIM O’NEILL ‘Thought-provoking and readable… As societies struggle to rebuild solidarity in the post-Covid world, it will be an essential guide’RAGHU RAJAN ‘Mark Carney draws on his unique experience of running two central banks to offer original and thought provoking solutions to the world’s biggest challenges – from Covid to climate change’GORDON BROWN

    1 in stock

    £11.69

  • San Fransicko

    HarperCollins Publishers Inc San Fransicko

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisSan Francisco and other West Coast cities — Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland — had gone beyond merely tolerating homelessness, drug dealing, and crime to actively enabling them.San Fransicko reveals that the underlying problem isn’t a lack of housing or money for social programs.Trade Review“San Fransicko is outstanding. Michael Shellenberger pries loose the truth about homelessness and housing in America in this myth-shattering book — and proposes tested, humane alternatives that work.” — Richard Rhodes, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Making of the Atomic Bomb "San Fransicko is a lucid lesson in how self-serving ideological fads yank progressivism into a ditch, creating misery in the name of enlightenment. Shellenberger shows us one of the keys to running a city: knowing the difference between virtue signaling and getting results." — John McWhorter, linguist, writer for The Atlantic and The New York Times, and associate professor of English and comparative literature at Columbia University "Civilized urban life is a precious accomplishment — difficult to achieve and easy to squander. In this humane and reasoned book, Michael Shellenberger diagnoses the mistakes progressives made and maps out a practical, evidence-based path to improvement.” — Steven Pinker, author, Enlightenment Now, and Johnstone Professor of Psychology, Harvard University "In his compassionate, pragmatic, and truly indispensable book, Michael Shellenberger takes on the devastation of the urban environment. The sprawl of chaotic tent encampments populated by psychotic and addicted people is a daunting problem — one that too many progressive authorities don’t know how to solve. Or, worse, don’t really want to. Shellenberger lays out a humane blueprint to help the suffering, revive the cities, and restore civic order.” — Sally Satel, M.D., Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute, and Lecturer, Yale University School of Medicine. “In this compelling and well-written book, Shellenberger challenges many long-held shibboleths about how we think about cities and social policy. Required reading for us liberals as we try to reimagine what cities should do, look like and whose interests they should serve.” — Dalton Conley, Henry Putnam University Professor of Sociology, Princeton University “What explains the shocking breakdown of public order in many of America’s leading cities? Michael Shellenberger, with the erudition and iconoclasm he is known for, shows how catastrophe can result when good intentions are combined with bad ideas. San Fransicko is devastating.” — Michael Lind, author of The New Class War: Saving Democracy from the Managerial Elite “San Fransicko peels back layers of “progressive” rhetoric with peer reviewed science and data to show that the vast majority of California’s unsheltered residents suffer from drug and alcohol addiction, and complex medical conditions, that cannot be solved by a key to a hotel room or higher cash stipends. Fierce bullies who make a living “protecting” the homeless status quo are the villains of this catastrophe, enabled by the feckless electeds and hippie nostalgia of Baby Boomers. Enough.” — Jennifer Hernandez, civil rights lawyer

    1 in stock

    £18.00

  • Introduction to Politics

    Oxford University Press Introduction to Politics

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe only introductory textbook to bring together theory, comparative politics, and international relations, to provide the most comprehensive and global introduction to politics available.Table of Contents1: Introduction: The Nature of Politics and Political Analysis Part 1: Concepts and Ideologies 2: Politics and the State 3: Political Power, Authority, and the State 4: Democracy and Political Obligation 5: Freedom and Justice 6: Traditional Ideologies 7: Challenges to the Dominant Ideologies Part 2: Comparative Politics 8: Institutions and States 9: Political Culture and Non-Western Political Ideas 10: Laws, Constitutions, and Federalism 11: Votes, Elections, Legislatures, and Legislators 12: Political Parties 13: Executives, Bureaucracies, Policy Studies, and Governance 14: Civil Society, Interest Groups, and the Media 15: Democracies, Democratization, and Authoritarian Regimes Part 3: Global Politics 16: Introducing Global Politics 17: Traditional Theories in Global Politics 18: Critical Approaches to Global Politics 19: Security and Insecurity 20: Diplomacy and Foreign Policy 21: International Organizations in Global Politics 22: Global Political Economy 23: Conclusion: Towards a Globalizing, Post-Western-Dominated World

    2 in stock

    £45.99

  • The Concept of Law

    Oxford University Press The Concept of Law

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisFifty years on from its original publication, HLA Hart''s The Concept of Law is widely recognized as the most important work of legal philosophy published in the twentieth century, and remains the starting point for most students coming to the subject for the first time.In this third edition, Leslie Green provides a new introduction that sets the book in the context of subsequent developments in social and political philosophy, clarifying misunderstandings of Hart''s project and highlighting central tensions and problems in the work.Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. Persistent Questions ; 2. Laws, Commands, and Orders ; 3. The Variety of Laws ; 4. Sovereign and Subject ; 5. Law as the Union of Primary and Secondary Rules ; 6. The Foundations of a Legal System ; 7. Formalism and Rule-Scepticism ; 8. Justice and Morality ; 9. Laws and Morals ; 10. International Law ; Postscript

    1 in stock

    £45.12

  • The Prince

    The University of Chicago Press The Prince

    7 in stock

    Book SynopsisInitially denounced as a collection of sinister maxims and a recommendation of tyranny, this text has more recently been defended as the first scientific treatment of politics, challenging the traditions of ancient and medieval thought and morality.

    7 in stock

    £11.94

  • After the Last Sky

    Columbia University Press After the Last Sky

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisA searing portrait of Palestinian life and identity that is at once an exploration of Edward Said's dislocated past and a testimony to the lives of those living in exile.Trade ReviewWhen Said shows us the Palestinian experience min al-dakhil, from the inside, he means not the inside of the place, but the inside of the mind. Palestine becomes a state of mind. And that is what makes the book so exceptional. It is an extended voyage through the mind of exile. The Nation The power and magic of [Said and Mohr's] collective statement lies in this--no matter how displaced or dispossessed, a decisive border separates the native and the tourist. Jerusalem Post A very personal text, and a very moving one, about an internal struggle: the anguish of living with displacement, with exile... The most beautiful piece of prose... about what it means to be a Palestinian. The Guardian

    15 in stock

    £23.80

  • Social Acceleration

    Columbia University Press Social Acceleration

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisTrade ReviewWhen I first picked up this book, I was looking forward to a leisurely reading on obscurantist Heideggerian bullshit. I was wrong. But once I got over my deep disappointment that the book was, in fact, intelligible and not littered with ramblings about Dasein, I began to appreciate the book for what it was. Critical Theory BlogTable of ContentsTranslator's Introduction In Place of a Preface Introduction Part 1. The Categorial Framework of a Systematic Theory of Social Acceleration 1. From the Love of Movement to the Law of Acceleration: Observations of Modernity 2. What Is Social Acceleration? Part 2. Mechanisms and Manifestations: A Phenomenology of Social Acceleration 3. Technical Acceleration and the Revolutionizing of the Space-Time Regime 4. Slipping Slopes: The Acceleration of Social Change and the Increase of Contingency 5. The Acceleration of the "Pace of Life" and Paradoxes in the Experience of Time Part 3. Causes 6. The Speeding Up of Society as a Self-Propelling Process: The Circle of Acceleration 7. Acceleration and Growth: External Drivers of Social Acceleration 8. Power Part 4. Consequences 9. Acceleration 10. Situational Identity: Of Drifters and Players 11. Situational Politics: Paradoxical Time Horizons Between Desynchronization and Disintegration 12. Acceleration and Rigidity: Attempt at a Redefinition of Modernity Conclusion: Frenetic Standstill? The End of History Bibliography Index

    15 in stock

    £23.80

  • Emancipation After Hegel

    Columbia University Press Emancipation After Hegel

    7 in stock

    Book SynopsisSimultaneously an introduction to Hegel and a fundamental reimagining of Hegel’s project, this book presents a radical Hegel for the twenty-first century. Todd McGowan contends that the revolutionary core of Hegel’s thought is contradiction.Trade ReviewThis is the book we were waiting for after long years of being bombarded by Hegel as a closet liberal whose last word is recognition. With Todd McGowan, the revolutionary Hegel is back—however, it is not the old Marxist Hegel but the Hegel AFTER Marx, the Hegel who makes us aware that revolution is an open and risked process which necessarily entails catastrophic failures. Hegel’s problem—how to save the legacy of the French revolution after its breakdown—is our problem today: how to save the project of radical emancipation after the catastrophe of Stalinism. In a truly democratic country, Emancipation After Hegel would be reprinted in hundreds of thousands of copies and distributed for free to all students. Read this book… or ignore it at your own risk! -- Slavoj Žižek, author of Less Than Nothing and Absolute RecoilTodd McGowan's Emancipation After Hegel could not come at a more appropriate time: the time when we truly need to carefully (re)think and reestablish the idea of emancipation. The book does this in a brilliant and compelling way, taking contradiction—as understood by Hegel—as the key to the understanding of emancipation and its relationship to freedom. -- Alenka Zupančič, author of What Is Sex?In Emancipation After Hegel, Todd McGowan forges an unprecedented type of left Hegelianism. From Marx and Engels onward, leftist defenders of Hegel either downplay or repudiate Hegel's accounts of Christianity and the state. McGowan's distinctive achievement is to prove that Hegelian freedom would not exist without both the Christian legacy and the modern state. McGowan opens up new horizons precisely by venturing where traditional left Hegelianisms have feared to go. -- Adrian Johnston, author of A New German Idealism: Hegel, Žižek, and Dialectical MaterialismThe ten chapters canvass a wide range of topics—logic, reason, history, love, freedom, politics, experience, universality. In each case, McGowan shows with devastating clarity how the received view of Hegel has been founded on serious misreadings, then unfolds a fresh interpretation as deeply insightful as it is far-reaching. The result is an absolute tour de force. In McGowan's book, Hegel rises from the dead and assumes the status of an indispensable resource for the next chapter of Western intellectual history. -- Richard Boothby, author of Freud as Philosopher: Metapsychology After LacanSparklingly articulate. * Marx and Philosophy Review of Books *If Todd McGowan’s book on Hegel didn’t exist, we would have to invent it. McGowan is the giant of Vermont, the Bernie Sanders of the academy, the Larry David of Lacanian theory. * Continental Thought and Theory *This book is particularly helpful for someone trying to better understand Slavoj Žižek’s thought. Žižek resonates with McGowan’s emphasis on the necessity of embracing contradiction for understanding anything. * European Legacy *Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction: Divided He Falls1. The Path to Contradiction: Redefining Emancipation2. Hegel After Freud3. What Hegel Means When He Says Vernunft4. The Insubstantiality of Substance: Restoring Hegel’s Lost Limbs5. Love and Logic6. How to Avoid Experience7. Learning to Love the End of History: Freedom Through Logic8. Resisting Resistance, Or Freedom Is a Positive Thing9. Absolute or Bust10. Emancipation Without SolutionsConclusion: Replanting Hegel’s TreeNotesIndex

    7 in stock

    £18.00

  • In the Ruins of Neoliberalism

    Columbia University Press In the Ruins of Neoliberalism

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisWendy Brown explains the hard-right turn in Western politics. She argues that neoliberalism’s intensification of nihilism coupled with its accidental wounding of white male supremacy generates an apocalyptic populism willing to destroy the world rather than endure a future in which this supremacy disappears.Trade ReviewWendy Brown is the great radical theorist of democracy of our time, in the grand tradition of Sheldon Wolin. This book is the best treatment we have of the aftermath of the high moments of our neoliberal age and the descent into antidemocratic darkness. Yet Brown's profound analysis and mature vision give us a glimmer of hope! -- Cornel West, Professor of the Practice of Public Philosophy, Harvard UniversityIn this fascinating book, Wendy Brown demonstrates that neoliberal rationality, more than merely economistic in spirit, also contains a reactionary moralism. The two elements dovetail in curtailing every form of equality. This has devastating effects, as we can observe in the world from Trump to Bolsonaro to Erdogan. -- Étienne Balibar, author of Secularism and Cosmopolitanism: Critical Hypotheses on Religion and PoliticsWendy Brown is our most astute and far-reaching political anatomist. Here, she deepens and revises her prior, influential excavations of neoliberal reason, demonstrating how the global resurgence of far-right authoritarianism, white nationalism, and neofascism is less a reaction to economic distress or a return of repressed hatreds than a political mutation born of a long, steady corrosion of social capacities, public goods, democratic subjectivities, and information ecologies. In the Ruins of Neoliberalism exposes a novel and deadly symbiosis of neoliberal policy and reactionary politics in our time; in doing so, it provides essential orientation for all of us working to salvage democratic politics. -- Nikhil Pal Singh, New York UniversityBrown attends to the perceived puzzles of neoliberalism that have baffled other analysts and solves them outright. In the Ruins of Neoliberalism offers a complete rethinking of our current political reality. -- Nicholas Xenos, Director of the Amherst Program in Critical TheoryWhat makes Brown such a compelling political thinker — her unique ability to resist the terms in which political problematics present themselves and to reframe them in a way that opens up new lines of sight. * Los Angeles Review of Books *Brilliant. . . . Essential. * Choice *Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction1. Society Must Be Dismantled2. Politics Must Be Dethroned3. The Personal, Protected Sphere Must Be Extended 4. Speaking Wedding Cakes and Praying Pregnancy Centers: Religious Liberty and Free Speech in Neoliberal Jurisprudence 5. No Future for White Men: Nihilism, Fatalism, and RessentimentNotesIndex

    15 in stock

    £18.00

  • Fascism and Democracy

    Penguin Books Ltd Fascism and Democracy

    15 in stock

    Book Synopsis''The feeling that the very concept of objective truth is fading out of the world ... this prospect frightens me much more than bombs''On the 70th anniversary of George Orwell''s death, a new collection of his brilliant essays written during the Second World WarFascism and Democracy collects five brilliant examples of Orwell''s writing during the darkest days of World War Two. Grappling with the principles of democracy and the potential of reform, the meaning of literature and free speech in times of violence, and the sustainability of objective truth, Orwell offers a compelling portrayal of a nation where norms and ideals can no longer be taken for granted. Like the best of Orwell''s writing, these essays also serve as timeless reminders of the fragility of freedom.

    15 in stock

    £5.02

  • Leadership

    Penguin Books Ltd Leadership

    Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThis is an extraordinary book, one that braids together two through lines in the long and distinguished career of former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. The first is grand strategy: No practical geopolitical thinker has more assuredly mastered the way the modern global system works or how nations use the tools of statecraft to bend an often-resistant world to their will. But Mr. Kissinger is also an astute observer of the personal element in strategy-the art and science of leadership, or how, on the executive level, "decisions [are] made, trust earned, promises kept, a way forward proposed." In Leadership he presents a fascinating set of historical case studies and political biographies that blend the dance and the dancer, seamlessly. ... In doing so, he lays out a set of graspable tools that leaders can use effectively today. ... Kissinger puts a high premium on a deep and considered knowledge of history, coupled with a strength of inner character. -- James Stavridis * Wall Street Journal *Do individuals matter in shaping the course of events? Henry Kissinger thinks they do, and in his latest book he draws on case studies and his own experience to argue that the individual leader, and his or her statecraft, can sometimes determine history ... Although Kissinger, now aged 99, has not held office since 1977, he has advised virtually every US president since Nixon... For Kissinger, good leaders have a deep appreciation of the past and an ability to imagine possible futures ... Elder statesman is an overused term but Kissinger is the genuine article, and worth listening to. -- Margaret MacMillan * Financial Times *As he heads towards his century, Kissinger has lost none of the intellectual firepower that set him apart from other foreign policy professors and practitioners of his and subsequent generations. -- Niall Ferguson * Sunday Times *Yoda for foreign policy geeks -- Andrew Anthony * Observer *The 99-year-old Kissinger has written what purports to be a handbook for the leaders of today and tomorrow, built around six portraits of global figures from the second half of the 20th century: Konrad Adenauer, Charles de Gaulle, Nixon, Anwar Sadat, Lee Kuan Yew and Margaret Thatcher. Kissinger draws interesting parallels between them. All six lives were shaped by what he calls the Second Thirty Years War - the period of global conflict from 1914 to 1945. ... Kissinger knew them all and enlivens his text with accounts of his own interactions with the leaders and those around them. ... informed and authoritative -- Jeremy Cliffe * New Statesman *They all triumphed over their modest starts in life, through their great ability and drive, to reach the pinnacle of power. All of his six subjects, Kissinger argues, show that "transformative leadership" by great people matters more than impersonal forces in shaping history. -- Phillips O’Brien * The Times *authoritative... given the pitiful state of leadership in the western world today, a few of those already in high office would lose nothing except, perhaps, their idiocy by reading it. -- Simon Heffer * Daily Telegraph *There is no denying his intellectual potency ... this tome is a robust study of six leaders who he asserts 'transcended the circumstances they inherited'. ... he makes shrewd comments about the way in which leaders operate today in an era dominated by social media and identity-based factionalism. -- Piers Brendon * Literary Review *One of America's most legendary diplomats finds the soul in statecraft in these enlightening sketches of world leaders. . . . Kissinger infuses his lucid policy analyses with colorful firsthand observations. . . . Kissinger's portraits of politicians spinning weakness and defeat into renewed strength are captivating. This is a vital study of power in action. * Publishers Weekly *Now aged 99, Henry Kissinger is still writing books. Here he profiles six leaders he has known - Lee Kuan Yew, Konrad Adenauer, Richard Nixon, Charles de Gaulle, Margaret Thatcher and Anwar Sadat - and draws general lessons about the character and intellect of leaders who are able to change the world. -- Gideon Rachman * Financial Times Book of the Year *Henry Kissinger's Leadership, looks at the same period, but through six people he knew personally - de Gaulle, Adenauer, Sadat, Lee Kwan Yew, Thatcher and, most controversially, Nixon - and argues why they were successful... it is always worth hearing from this astonishing eyewitness to history. -- Simon Heffer * The Telegraph Book of the Year *

    £23.75

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