Political structure and processes Books

Book SynopsisBringing together ten leading researchers in the field of deliberative democracy, this important book examines the features of a Deliberative Mini-Public (DMP) and considers how DMPs link into democratic systems. It examines the core design features of DMPs and their role in the broader policy process and takes stock of the characteristics that distinguish them from other forms of citizen participation. In doing so, the book offers valuable insights into the contributions that DMPs can make not only to the policy process, but also to the broader agenda of revitalising democracy in contemporary times.Table of Contents1. Introduction 2. The Diversity of Mini-Publics: A Systematic Overview 3. Recruitment 4. The Deliberative Experience 5. Evidence in Deliberative Mini-Publics 6. Outputs 7. Legitimacy of Deliberative Mini-Publics 8. Deliberative Mini-Publics in Democratic Systems 9. Conclusion

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Book SynopsisWhy has Libya fallen apart since 2011? The world has largely given up trying to understand how the revolution that toppled Muammar Gaddafi has left the country a failed state and a major security headache for Europe. Gaddafi's police state has been replaced by yet another dictatorship, amidst a complex conflict of myriad armed groups, Islamists, tribes, towns and secularists. What happened? One of few foreign journalists to have lived in post-revolution Tripoli, Ulf Laessing has unique insight into the violent nature of post-Gaddafi politics. Confronting threats from media-hostile militias and jihadi kidnappings, in a world where diplomats retreat to their compounds and guns are drawn at government press conferences, Laessing has kept his ear to the ground and won the trust of many key players. Understanding Libya Since Gaddafi is an original blend of personal anecdote and nuanced Libyan history. It offers a much-needed diagnosis of why war has erupted over a desert nation of just 6 million, and of how the country blessed with Africa's greatest energy reserves has been reduced to state collapse.Trade Review'A cautionary tale of how the cement applied by dictatorship can, once broken, yield chaos. ... Laessing’s is a tale of many villains, from feuding fighters to meddling outside powers who have turned the renewed civil war into a proxy international conflict.' * Financial Times *‘What makes this book interesting is the fact that the author’s analysis is interlaced with his personal experience of reporting from the country. We get a taste of the country that rarely comes across in standard news reports.’ -- Middle East Monitor'Well written and comprehensible even for those unfamiliar with Libya, a very complex country.' -- The Maghreb Review'This frank, fascinating account highlights the difficulties and dangers of press reporting from post-Gadafi Libya. It reveals how and why political, economic and social anarchy dominates a country where rival armed militias are "still the true rulers".' -- John Wright, former chief political commentator and analyst of the BBC Arabic Service, and author of 'A History of Libya' and 'Libya, Chad and the Central Sahara''Ulf Laessing is widely recognised as one of the most astute observers of post-Gaddafi Libya. He has traveled throughout the country, reporting in dangerous conditions. A must-read, this volume offers an informed, objective, and balanced account of Libya's current travails.' -- Ronald Bruce St John, author of 'Libya: From Colony to Revolution' and 'Libya: Continuity and Change''Laessing's book is a fascinating account of the chaos in Libya following Gaddafi's overthrow. It is a necessary book for all those who seek to understand Libya today.' -- Luis Martinez, author of 'The Libyan Paradox''Ulf Laessing blends analysis and on the ground observation to produce an outstanding account of why Libya remains mired in chaos today--his book will undoubtedly remain the go-to in order to understand Libya's enduring problems and complexities.' -- Dirk Vandewalle, Associate Professor of Government, Dartmouth College, and author of 'A History of Modern Libya''Ulf Laessing's new book, Understanding Libya Since Gaddafi is an excellent exposition of the reasons for the continuing conflict in Libya since the 2011 revolution. It is packed with personal insights and anecdotes from his travel throughout Libya and his meetings with key political. tribal, military and economic players, as well as with ordinary Libyans. It also explains the origins of the tribal and regional divisions within the country and the way power, money and status drive the competing ambitions of the country's leaders. Laessing underlines the need for a genuine national dialogue and shows how outside interference is sustaining a disastrous conflict on Europe's borders. A valuable addition to the compendium of books and studies about this troubled country.' -- Peter Millet, former British ambassador to Libya'Ulf Laessing delivers a highly readable book-- richer and better thought-out than just another reporter's travelogue. Over the better part of the last decade, the Reuters veteran has frequently travelled both sides of the troubled nation's main fault-line, a truly rare feat. Both in Tripolitania and Cyrenaica, Laessing spent long periods of time witnessing events historic and mundane alike. The net result is a first-hand account nobody interested in post-2011 Libya can afford to skip.' -- Jalel Harchaoui, research fellow and Libya specialist at the Clingendael Institute, The Hague'Laessing's insights into the disruptive militias are uniquely vivid and insightful. He captured wonderfully well the "fluid, transactional and opportunistic" aspects of post-Qaddafi Libya, the fragmentation and networks that made (and continue to make) it so challenging and difficult to arrive at durable agreements and roadmaps for progress.' -- Deborah K Jones, former US ambassador to Libya.

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Book SynopsisThe End of Certainty is a classic study of power, personality and national destiny. From boom to recession, Hawke to Keating, and Labor's victory for the 'true believers' in 1993, Paul Kelly has written the ultimate inside story of how the 1980s changed Australia and its political parties forever. His detailed scrutiny of the inner working of the Hawke-Keating partnership and its slow disintegration, his unravelling of the crippling rivalries for the Liberal Party leadership and his burrowing into cabinet room struggles over the deregulation of Australia's financial system reveal the brutal realities of Australian politics and how it is played at the very top. But above all, he reminds us of the sheer pace of economic and social change the country lived through and the wake of uncertainty it left behind. Joining The Hawke Ascendancy, this second instalment in Paul Kelly's analysis of modern Australian politics, remains as compelling and incisive as when it was first written.

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Book SynopsisDrawing on twelve compelling international contributions, this important book argues that traditional technocratic ways of designing policy are now inadequate and suggest co-production as a more democratic alternative. The book will be a valuable resource for researchers and students.Trade Review"An important contribution at the forefront of debates about the future of public policy and public services. The authors have assembled an impressive range of contributors and skilfully drawn together a narrative that convincingly integrates theory and practice" Janet Newman, The Open University"This accessible text on co-production is long overdue. It draws together academic, policy and practice insights to advance knowledge and thinking in relation to participatory policy making and research." Lisa Goodson, University of Birmingham"An excellent analysis of the policy process, why it doesn’t work and how it can work. With a focus on design principles, it brings together a strong cast of contributors from the academic, policy and practice worlds to show what an intelligent approach to co-production really means. Essential reading." Marilyn Taylor, Institute for Voluntary Action Research and University of the West of EnglandTable of ContentsIntroduction: Why is redesign of public policy needed? Chapter One: Possibilities for policy design; Chapter Two: Conventional policy design Chapter Three: Co-productive policy design Section One • Challenges and Change Within Conventional Policy Design: Can crisis ever be good for policy design? ~ Katy Wilkinson; Challenges in policy redesign ~ Paul McCabe; The hidden politics of policy design ~ Simon Burall and Tim Hughes; Designing policy for localism ~ Robert Rutherfoord and Lucy Spurling; Creative disruption for cultural change ~ Toby Blume; Section Two • Vision in Co-Productive Policy Design: Establishing principles for value-driven policy ~ Teresa Córdova and Moises Gonzales; Doing politics to build power and change policy ~ Jess Steele; Participatory action research and policy change ~ Brett G. Stoudt, María Elena Torre, Paul Bartley, Fawn Bracy, Hillary Caldwell, Anthony Downs, Cory Greene, Jan Haldipur, Prakriti Hassan, Einat Manoff, Nadine Sheppard and Jacqueline Yates; Section Three • Grammar in Co-Productive Policy Design: Using technology to help communities shout louder ~ Phil Jones, Colin Lorne and Chris Speed ; Generating community conversations ~ Amina Lone and Dan Silver; Policy design as co-design ~ Michaela Howell and Margaret Wilkinson; Using mediation to resolve conflict ~ Maura Rose; Chapter Four: Debating co-productive policy design Chapter Five: Governance for co-productive policy designs Epilogue: Co-producing research.

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Book SynopsisIf farce follows tragedy, what follows farce? Where does the double predicament of a post-truth and post-shame politics leave artists and critics on the left? How to demystify a hegemonic order that dismisses its own contradictions? How to belittle a political elite that cannot be embarrassed, or to mock party leaders who thrive on the absurd? How to out-dada President Ubu? And, in any event, why add outrage to a media economy that thrives on the same? What Comes After Farce? comments on shifts in art, criticism, and fiction in the face of the current regime of war, surveillance, extreme inequality, and media disruption. A first section focuses on the cultural politics of emergency since 9/11, including the use and abuse of trauma, paranoia, and kitsch. A second reviews the neoliberal makeover of art institutions during the same period. Finally, a third section surveys transformations in media as reflected in recent art, film, and fiction. Among the phenomena explored here are "machine vision" (images produced by machines for other machines without a human interface),"operational images" (images that do not represent the world so much as intervene in it), and the algorithmic scripting of information so pervasive in our everyday lives.Trade ReviewEvery word cuts to the quick in this extraordinary book. Foster shows that true criticism must be swift and surgical, but it must also hurt. He casts his relentless and unflinching gaze on the crises of our time, from new fundamentalisms to alternative facts, from cultural imperialism to perpetual war. And yet these essays do not pose the twenty-first century as a cycle of tragedy and farce, doomed to repeat itself, but as a threshold-through which art can, and perhaps must, take us * Michelle Kuo *What Comes After Farce confirms what many have known for a long time: Hal Foster is indisputably the most important cultural critic writing in English today. No one else consistently offers such nuanced and cogent analyses of the tangled trajectories of the arts and media in this era of globalized financial capitalism. At the same time, few come close to Foster's discerning familiarity with the work of the most venturesome artists, novelists, filmmakers, and architects or to his critical understanding of the difficulties and challenges now facing them in our current state of emergency. -- Jonathan Crary, author of 24/7These essays, mostly on art (and culture and politics and violence and technology), read as one seamless and disturbing account of a catastrophic historical epoch: our own. Hal Foster offers no solace but instead his deft and trenchant wisdom on how we got here. -- Rachel KushnerIlluminating, theoretically informed criticism of contemporary art. -- Kevin Brazil * art-agenda *The rapid pace of Foster's prose captures the frenzied historical moment he is exploring, and his reluctance to offer simple answers acknowledges that multiple possibilities for reshaping our culture are currently ranged against each other. ... [this] lively and eloquent book convinces us that provocative artistic interventions remain possible. -- Oliver Eagleton * Guardian *Foster traces how artists have responded to the political situation, while also asking how art criticism should respond to artworks and, through them, the broader moment ... The title [What Comes After Farce?] is apt, not only because it invokes a great problem facing the left-how to imagine a future amid this mess-but also because it reflects the interrogative quality of the book's texts. -- Erika Balsom * Art in America *The clarity of his prose is satisfying in itself ... While I was reading What Comes After Farce? I felt that I was in the hands of one of the most skillful critics at work today. -- Barry Schwabsky * The Nation *Foster's various texts move smartly and broadly across spheres ranging from sculpture and painting to cinema and literature, but most consistently he choreographs a dance between art and the larger culture that is its cradle. The articulation of one always imprints the other. Time and again in this respect, Foster is a pleasure to read for his sweeping statements that are still earned in their matter-of-factness, as when he makes short work of the contemporary art world's spiraling expansion in tandem with shifting economic structures. -- Tim Griffin * Artforum *Magisterial ... [Foster possesses] a breathtaking erudition that he wears lightly. -- PopMatters * Vince Carducci *

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Book SynopsisAn in-depth exploration of social media and emergent technology that details the inner workings of modern propagandaTrade Review“A century ago, Walter Lippmann recognized that ‘manufacture of consent’ is a new art in the practice of democracy. By now an outgrowth, ‘manufacturing consensus’ has become a science, a way to ‘leverage computational propaganda to spin information flows over social media.’ We are introduced here to a dazzling array of systems of manufacturing consensus in the digital communication age, with an astonishing variety of actors—and ominous implications.”—Noam Chomsky, Massachusetts Institute of Technology“This timely, well-written, and impactful book reintroduces the term propaganda to readers in a relatable and contemporary way. It is exceptionally modern in its approach, and places the term propaganda at center stage of any conversation on politics, democracy, and technology.”—Zizi Papacharissi, University of Illinois Chicago“I always turn to Samuel Woolley’s work in order to understand computational propaganda. This lucid, eye-opening book illuminates the many (sometimes sinister) ways that bot-based influence campaigns operate in the digital world.”—Meredith Broussard, author of More Than a Glitch: Confronting Race, Gender, and Ability Bias in Tech“This book is for anyone wanting to understand the complex landscape of online propaganda, including the role of states, algorithmic tools, and social media companies.”—Kate Crawford, author of Atlas of AI“A thoughtful and often humorous primer on computational propaganda, drawing from cases that crisscross continents. If you want to learn about the intersection of politics and the internet, start here.”—Emerson Brooking, coauthor of Likewar: The Weaponization of Social Media

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Book SynopsisEconomics has the power to make the world a better, happier and safer place: this book shows you howOur world is in a mess. The challenges of climate change, inequality, hunger and a global pandemic mean our way of life seems more imperilled and society more divided than ever; but economics can help! From parenting to organ donation, housing to anti-social behaviour, economics provides the tools we need to fix the biggest issues of today. Far from being a means to predict the stock market or enrich the elite, economics provides a lens through which we can better understand how things work, design clever solutions and create the conditions in which we can all flourish. With a healthy dose of optimism, and packed with stories of economics in everyday situations, Erik Angner demonstrates the methods he and his fellow economists use to help improve our lives and the society in which we live. He shows us that economics can be a powerful force for good, awakening the possibility of a happier, more just and more sustainable world.

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Book SynopsisTHE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERAmerica is suffering from PTSD. The Reckoning diagnoses its core causes and helps begin the healing process.For four years, Donald J Trump inflicted an onslaught of overlapping and interconnected traumas upon the American people, targeting anyone he perceived as being an 'other' or an enemy. Women were discounted and derided, the sick were dismissed as weak and unworthy of help, immigrants and minorities were demonised and discriminated against and money was elevated above all else. In short, he transformed America into a macro version of his malignantly dysfunctional family.How can Americans make sense of the degree to which their institutions and leaders have let them down? How can they negotiate a world in which all sense of safety and justice seems to have been destroyed? How can they - as individuals and as a nation - confront, process and overcome this loss of trust and the ways they have been forever altered by chaos, division and cruelty? And when the dust finally settles, how can they begin to heal, in the midst of ongoing health and economic crises and the greatest political divide since the Civil War?Mary L Trump is uniquely positioned to answer these difficult questions. She holds a PhD in clinical psychology specialising in trauma, has herself been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and happens to be Donald J Trump's only niece. In The Reckoning, she applies her unique expertise to the task of helping Americans confront an all-encompassing trauma, one that has taken an immense toll on their nation's health and well-being.A new leader alone cannot fix the situation. Donald J Trump is only the latest symptom of a disease that has existed within the body politic since America's inception - from the original sin of slavery through its population's unceasing, organised commitment to inequality. An enormous amount of healing must be done to rebuild the lives of Americans, their faith in leadership and their hope for their nation. It starts with The Reckoning.Trade ReviewA revealing blend of family lore, history, policy and anger casts light on the background and legacy of Donald Trump * The Observer *The book puts forth a concise, traumatic version of American history with events that textbooks often gloss over, diehard party-liners push from memory, and her uncle continually gaslit. [...] Dr. Trump has proven again her talent as she places words clearly on the page, calling upon her degrees in literature and psychology as well as her unparalleled experience as a family member. -- Loriann Oberlin * Psychologies *Mary Trump offers food for thought - and grist for the mill. -- Lloyd Green * Guardian *A scathing takedown * Guardian (on TOO MUCH AND NEVER ENOUGH) *Insights that no biographer can match * The Sunday Times (on TOO MUCH AND NEVER ENOUGH) *The most devastating, most valuable, and all-round best Trump book since he started running for president. * Politico (on TOO MUCH AND NEVER ENOUGH) *After many, many Trump books, this is an essential one. * Vanity Fair (on TOO MUCH AND NEVER ENOUGH) *A true insider in an era where 'insider' accounts of the president are a dime-a-dozen * Bloomberg (on TOO MUCH AND NEVER ENOUGH) *Table of Contentsi: Introduction ii: PART I: A SHORT HISTORY OF AMERICAN FAILURE: 1865-2020 1: Atrocities 2: Impunity iii: PART II: HERE THERE BE MONSTERS 3: American Carnage 4: Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here iv: PART III: AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM 5: Suffering in Silence 6: We Hold These Truths v: PART IV: THE RECKONING 7: The Precipice 8: The Long Shadow 9: Facing the Truth vi: Epilogue vii: Acknowledgments viii: A Note on Sources ix: References x: About the Author

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Book Synopsis"One of America's most experienced and exemplary journalists has written an unsparing analysis of the dreadful consequences -- for journalism and the nation -- of 'how the news lost a race to the bottom with itself.'" -- George F. WillIn this national bestseller, Chris Stirewalt, a former Fox News political editor, takes readers inside America's broken newsrooms that have succumbed to the temptation of "rage revenue."One of America's sharpest political analysts, Stirewalt employs his trademark wit and insight to reveal how these media organizations slant coverage - and why that drives political division and rewards outrageous conduct. The New York Times wrote that Stirewalt's book "is an often candid reflection on the state of political journalism and his time at Fox News, where such post-mortem assessments are not common..." Broken News is a fascinating, deeply researched, conversation-provoking study of how the news is made and how it must be repaired. Stirewalt goes deep inside the history of the industry to explain how today's media divides America for profit. And he offers practical advice for how readers, listeners, and viewers can (and should) become better news consumers for the sake of the republic.

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Book SynopsisThis book compares Trump and Hitler as political performance artists. In addition, the book addresses seemingly peripheral issues like the reasons behind Hitler's toothbrush moustache and Trump's hairstyle. By demystifying Hitler and Trump, the author throws new light on both of them.

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Book SynopsisTheories of the Policy Process provides a forum for the experts in policy process research to present the basic propositions, empirical evidence, latest updates, and the promising future research opportunities of each policy process theory.In this thoroughly revised fifth edition, each chapter has been updated to reflect recent empirical work, innovative theorizing, and a world facing challenges of historic proportions with climate change, social and political inequities, and pandemics, among recent events. Updated and revised chapters include Punctuated Equilibrium Theory, Multiple Streams Framework, Policy Feedback Theory, Advocacy Coalition Framework, Narrative Policy Framework, Institutional and Analysis and Development Framework, and Diffusion and Innovation. This fifth edition includes an entirely new chapter on the Ecology of Games Framework. New authors have been added to most chapters to diversify perspectives and make this latest edition the most internatioTrade Review"Theories of the Policy Process, Fifth Edition continues to define public policy scholarship more than two decades after the first edition was published. The authors, under the editorial guidance of Chris Weible, deliver theoretically innovative material through the circumspect curation of updated chapters, a feat not insignificant for the fifth edition of an edited volume. Moreover, Theories of the Policy Process is most empirically relevant in substance and form: the expanding geographical scope of the theories’ practical applications renders the material spatially aware whereas the author teams are diverse, producing polyphonic scholarship. Theories of the Policy Process charted my own career path almost two decades ago—the fifth edition is a compass every student and researcher must possess in order to navigate the complex public policy questions of our time."Evangelia Petridou, Mid Sweden University, Sweden and NTNU Social Research, Norway"Theories of the Policy Process, Fifth Edition provides the most comprehensive set of theoretical lenses, including comparative lens, to observe complex policy processes. Each lens offered within this book is clear, unique and up to date. It is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the policy process quickly and conduct policy process research better."Fang Chen, School of Public Affairs, Xiamen University, China"The study of public policy processes is fundamental to our understanding of how governments, organizations and individuals interact over time. In this Fifth edition of the famous Theories of the Policy Process book, Christopher Weible manages to give readers a new and improved set of theories and concepts of the policy process. From Punctuated Equilibrium Theory to Narrative Policy Framework to Institutional Analysis and Development, chapter authors (all of them experienced policy process scholars) offer excellent and accessible theoretical insight into how public policy works as well as diverse frameworks and theories to understand it. Keeping Paul Sabatier’s legacy alive, Christopher Weible’s Theories of the Policy Process book is, and will remain, an indispensable source for policy scholars, practitioners and government officials worldwide."Raul Pacheco-Vega, Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales (FLACSO) Sede México, MexicoTable of ContentsIntroduction: The Scope and Focus of Policy Process Research and Theories Part I: Theoretical Approaches to Policy Process Research 1. The Multiple Streams Framework: Foundations, Refinements, and Empirical Applications 2. Punctuated Equilibrium Theory: Explaining Stability and Change in Public Policymaking 3. Policy Feedback Theory 4. The Advocacy Coalition Framework: Progress and Emerging Areas 5. The Narrative Policy Framework 6. The IAD Framework and Its Tools for Policy and Institutional Analysis 7. Policy Diffusion and Innovation 8. The Ecology of Games Framework: Complexity in Polycentric Governance Part II: Comparisons and Conclusions 9. How Should We Compare Theories of the Policy Process? 10. Struggle and Triumph in Fusing Policy Process and Comparative Research 11. Advancing Policy Process Research and Theories

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Book SynopsisAn examination of what algorithmic polarization means for society and how conservative elites use media literacy tactics to spread propagandaTrade Review“The Propagandists’ Playbook offers a frightening description of how some very bad actors radicalize people of good will into beliefs that are contrary to their own interests and that harm America and democracy. U​nderstanding such methods is key to protecting the country and to offering hope to those who might be de-radicalized.”—Craig Newmark, Founder of Craigslist“The Propagandists’ Playbook brilliantly and empathetically illuminates the interplay between religious communities, political conservatism, hate groups, and technology to explain our contemporary struggle with disinformation and polarization. Informative and grounding, Tripodi’s book provides a framework for going beyond quick-fix thinking. This is essential reading for anyone anxious about partisan politics, social media, or information disorder.”—danah boyd, author of It’s Complicated: The Social Lives of Networked Teens“The Propagandists’ Playbook takes readers down the rabbit hole of the conservative media disinformation complex, showing lies are a path to power. This is a vital, meticulously researched warning on the threat posed by conservative media manipulation.”—Victor Ray, The University of Iowa "Tripodi provides a Rosetta stone for understanding how conservative voters interpret news, legislation and politicians' pronouncements. Through her guidance, much of what’s so baffling about contemporary US political discourse becomes disturbingly clear."—Ethan Zuckerman, author of Mistrust: Why Losing Faith in Institutions Provides the Tools to Transform Them

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"A clear and cogent exposition."---Colin Woodard, Washington Post"The situation, Mr. Kettl concludes, ‘is serious, perhaps even bleak.’ He chooses to believe that it ‘need not be fatal to the nation’s grand democratic vision.’ In these perilous times, made worse by a pandemic, one can only hope he is right."---Glenn C. Altschuler, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette"The book sets the stage for a more informed inquiry into the quintessential public administration problem – can we use historical knowledge to design better institutions and incentives to address socioeconomic inequalities of the future."---Meril Antony, Journal of Public Affairs Education

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Book SynopsisA cautionary but optimistic book about the world’s changing climate and the fate of humanity, from Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac—who led negotiations for the United Nations during the historic Paris Agreement of 2015.The authors outline two possible scenarios for our planet. In one, they describe what life on Earth will be like by 2050 if we fail to meet the Paris Agreement’s climate targets. In the other, they lay out what it will be like to live in a regenerative world that has net-zero emissions. They argue for confronting the climate crisis head-on, with determination and optimism. The Future We Choose presents our options and tells us what governments, corporations, and each of us can, and must, do to fend off disaster.

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Book SynopsisHow can we transform society in a way that unleashes its positive, creative potentials, instead of its violent, destructive ones? Unlearn shows how we can tackle today’s systemic crisis by acknowledging its deep roots. By going on a journey of unlearning, as individuals and collectively, we have the potential to become someone else – a process that redefines how we see ourselves, and thus reshapes our common future. Hanno Burmester works at the intersection of societal, organisational and individual transformation. With his company Unlearn, he helps companies transform towards cultures of self-organisation. As Policy Fellow at the Berlin-based think tank Das Progressive Zentrum, Hanno designs, writes and facilitates around the future of democracy. Hanno is host of the Unlearning Journey. You can learn more about his work at unlearn-book.com. hannoburmester.com

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Book SynopsisFlips the script on communication disability, positioning the unruly, disabled speaker at the centre of analysis to challenge the belief that more communication is unquestionably good. Joshua St Pierre brings together the dysfluent speaker, the talking head, and the troll to show how speech is made cheap to meet the inhuman needs of capital.Trade Review“St. Pierre has produced a work that is philosophically and theoretically rich while remaining accessible to a wide range of readers. The book’s careful attention to non-normative modes of communication and exchange works to push past the boundaries of liberal humanist understandings of intelligibility and inclusion towards radically new spaces of political belonging.”— Anne McGuire, University of TorontoTable of Contents Acknowledgements Introduction. Stuttering, Trolls, and Talking Heads One. Putting Fluency to Work Two. Controlling Communication Three. Becoming Talking Heads Four. Stuttering Parrhesia Coda. Rehabilitation Bibliography Index

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Book Synopsis Liberate yourself by understanding and mastering power dynamics All social relations are laden with power. Getting out from under dominant power relations and mastering power dynamics is perhaps the most essential skill for change agents across all sectors seeking to ignite positive change in the world.This concise action manual explores major concepts of power, with a focus on the dynamics of domination and liberation, and presents methods for shifting power relations and enacting freedom. The Power Manual: Clearly distills the major theories of power from post-modern and feminist theory to business management and developmental psychology, and beyond Examines key ways that power is deployed and transformed in society Presents a new theory of power based on enactment-the bringing of something to life through one''s actions Explains how to refuse powerless identities and enact powerful ones Helps readTable of ContentsIntroduction Section OnePOWER + IDENTITY | Refusing Powerless Identities Power + Identity Intro 1 | Effective InteractionsSupremacist Power and Liberator Power 2 | Interaction PatternsPatterns of Domination and Patterns of Resistance 3 | Transmission of AffectLife-affirming and Life-draining Affects 4 | The Sources of Power RelationsDevelopmental Stages and Mind Forms 5 | Powerless and Powerful IdentitiesHegemony and Supreme Power Section TwoPOWER + CHOICE | Triggering Choice Power + Choice Intro 6 | Decision and ChoiceThe Efficient Unconscious and the Effort of Intention 7 | The Social Aspects of ChoiceParticipation in Decision Making 8 | Supreme ChoiceMastery Over Inner Experience Section ThreePOWER + THRESHOLDS | Creating the Self Power + Thresholds Intro 9 | Rites of PassageSelf Formation in Liminal Space 10 | Theater as Interaction and Identity CreationHigh Status and Low Status Characters Section FourPOWER + GAMES | Playing with Power Power + Games Intro 11 | The Purpose of PlayPlay As Evolution 12 | The Structure of GamesOrdering Interactions 13 | The Party GameSign Reading 14 | The Stand, Sit, Kneel GameDeconstruction 15 | The Tongue Twister GameReconstruction 16 | The Meisner GameReconstruction 17 | The Yes, But/Yes, And GameSign Reading, Deconstruction 18 | The Circle GameReconstruction 19 | The Lane GameReconstruction 20 | The Body Language GameSign Reading 21 | The Switching GameReconstruction 22 | The Status Master GameSign Reading, Deconstruction, Reconstruction 23 | The Scene Study GameDeconstruction 24 | The Character Study GameReconstruction ReferencesIndexAbout the AuthorA Note about the Publisher

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Book SynopsisThis accessible new textbook situates the European Union in a dramatically changed world order. Resisting a more traditional and abstract introduction to the institutions, structures and policy making processes of the EU, this innovative new text cuts through the jargon to demonstrate how hard the EU must work to retain its international influence. Taking into account the latest empirical developments, including the spread of war and violence in the East with Ukraine and the ongoing turbulent politics of North Africa and the Middle East, Richard Youngs an expert in the field introduces us to how the EU has been forced to act differently. The book is unique in offering an outside-in conceptual framework that inverts the way that the EU external action is studied and understood. It unpacks the different international challenges the EU has faced in recent years, including the weakening of global order, the need for more protective security, geo-economic competition, climate change and cTable of ContentsChapter 1 Introduction I: Background Chapter 2 The evolution and institutions of EU external action Chapter 3 An outside-in framework for EU external action II: Themes Chapter 4 Navigating the new international order Chapter 5 The EU and the rise of protective security Chapter 6 Geo-economic Europe Chapter 7 Enlargement and its limits Chapter 8 Climate change and energy security Chapter 9 Democracy and human rights III: Regional Challenges Chapter 10 Geopolitical shifts in the Middle East and North Africa Chapter 11 War in Ukraine and Russian challenges in Eastern Europe Chapter 12 Recasting the EU’s international influence

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Book SynopsisSouth Africa marks the 20th anniversary of the TRC. 15 April 2016 marked 20 years since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) hearings began. The TRC was set up to give an opportunity for perpetrators of human rights transgressions to come clean about the atrocities that happened during those evil days of apartheid.

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Book SynopsisThis vibrant, illustrated guide to the ins and outs of United States politics provides a clearer understanding of the current events and regular processes that shape this nation and the world.Decipher the American political system with this clear, easy-to-understand guide to the basics of the United States political system, from the founding of the thirteen colonies, to the foundations of the constitution, to how elections work. You’ll also find information about the history and context of current issues, like how Supreme Court justices are appointed; the electoral college and the popular vote; and how to get involved in the political process. Perfect for anyone looking for information on basic political processes, The Infographic Guide to American Government includes graphics that help simplify a range of topics from the Revolutionary War to all about a free press.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"A clear and cogent exposition."---Colin Woodard, Washington Post"The situation, Mr. Kettl concludes, ‘is serious, perhaps even bleak.’ He chooses to believe that it ‘need not be fatal to the nation’s grand democratic vision.’ In these perilous times, made worse by a pandemic, one can only hope he is right."---Glenn C. Altschuler, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette"The book sets the stage for a more informed inquiry into the quintessential public administration problem – can we use historical knowledge to design better institutions and incentives to address socioeconomic inequalities of the future."---Meril Antony, Journal of Public Affairs Education

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Book Synopsis*Winner of the Enlightened Economist Prize 2019**Winner of Debut Writer of the Year at the Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards 2020**Longlisted for the Financial Times & McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award 2019*'Extreme Economies is a revelation - and a must-read.' Andy Haldane, Chief Economist at the Bank of EnglandTo understand how humans react and adapt to economic change we need to study people who live in harsh environments. From death-row prisoners trading in institutions where money is banned to flourishing entrepreneurs in the world's largest refugee camp, from the unrealised potential of cities like Kinshasa to the hyper-modern economy of Estonia, every life in this book has been hit by a seismic shock, violently broken or changed in some way.In his quest for a purer view of how economies succeed and fail, Richard Davies takes the reader off the beaten path to places where part of the economy has been repressed, removed, destroyed or turbocharged. He tells the personal stories of humans living in these extreme situations, and of the financial infrastructure they create. Far from the familiar stock reports, housing crises, or banking scandals of the financial pages, Extreme Economies reveals the importance of human and social capital, and in so doing tells small stories that shed light on today's biggest economic questions.'A highly original approach to understanding what really makes economies tick.' Mervyn King, former Governor of the Bank of EnglandTrade ReviewA highly original approach to understanding what really makes economies tick. Both insightful and accessible to non-economists. * Mervyn King, former Governor of the Bank of England *Davies visits economies pushed to the limit and examines what their response teaches us about resilience in the face of climate change, demographic shifts and state failure. * Financial Times *An exploration of the lessons to be drawn from disaster-stricken economies and imperilled (but innovative) people, which ranges from the jungles of Panama to post-tsunami Indonesia to the prison system of Louisiana and Syrian refugee camps. * The Economist - Books of the Year 2019 *Financial Times Best Books of 2019: Extreme Economies is a reflection on human resilience. The author takes you from a prison to a refugee camp to Kinshasa and Santiago to explain how economies work in extreme circumstances and why markets succeed or fail. Weaving economic theory and individual life stories, this is an important and enjoyable read.We learn most about ourselves at times of extreme stress and challenge. Using nine compelling country case studies, Richard Davies brilliantly demonstrates that the same is true of our economic systems. In its approach and insights, Extreme Economies is a revelation - and a must-read. * Andy Haldane, Chief Economist at the Bank of England *

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Book SynopsisA SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER In the past few decades, legislatures throughout the world have suffered from gridlock. In democracies, laws and policies are just as soon unpicked as made. It seems that Congress and Parliaments cannot forge progress or consensus. Moreover, courts often overturn decisions made by elected representatives. In the absence of effective politicians, many turn to the courts to solve political and moral questions. Rulings from the Supreme Courts in the United States and United Kingdom, or the European court in Strasbourg may seem to end the debate but the division and debate does not subside. In fact, the absence of democratic accountability leads to radicalisation. Judicial overreach cannot make up for the shortcomings of politicians. This is especially acute in the field of human rights. For instance, who should decide on abortion or prisoners' rights to vote, elected politicians or appointed judges? Expanding on arguments first laid out in the 2019 Reith Lectures, Jonathan Sumption argues that the time has come to return some problems to the politicians.Trade Reviewbrisk, entertaining, brilliant ... one of the great lawyers of our time -- Bryan Appleyard * the Sunday Times *magisterial -- Edward Fennell * the Times *

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Book SynopsisFeatures the secret of Trippi's political success - his use of the Internet - and a desire to overthrow politics. This book reveals how the power of technology is being harnessed - for politics and beyond, into the realms of business and other aspects of life. It offers a glimpse of how power, in the hands of all of us, changes everything.

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Book SynopsisNATIONAL BESTSELLER Lichtman has written what may be the most important book of the year.  The HillWhat are the ranges and limitations of presidential authority? What are the standards of truthfulness that a president must uphold? What will it take to impeach Donald J. Trump? Professor Allan J. Lichtman, who has correctly forecasted thirty years of presidential outcomes, answers these questions, and more, in The Case for Impeachmenta deeply convincing argument for impeaching the 45th president of the United States. In the fall of 2016, Allan J. Lichtman made headlines when he predicted that Donald J. Trump would defeat the heavily favored Democrat, Hillary Clinton, to win the presidential election. Now, in clear, nonpartisan terms, Lichtman lays out the reasons Congress could remove Trump from the Oval Office: his ties to Russia before and after the election,

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Book SynopsisIs it a state? An empire? Is Europe ruled by Germany or by European bureaucrats? Does a single European economy exist after all these years of economic integration? And should the EU have been awarded the Nobel peace prize in 2012? This book offers an introduction to the European Union - its history, its politics, and its role today.Trade ReviewThe European Union: A Citizen's Guide by Chris Bickerton is a good place to find out how Europe works: the European council, the council of Europe and the Byzantine committee structure that operates in virtual secrecy... My advice is this. Use Bickerton... to learn how the EU works... And then, whatever Cameron says, you can make up your own mind about the future -- Roland White * Sunday Times *An unlikely bestseller * Daily Telegraph *A lucid, helpful guide to the EU's structures and operating methods -- Tony Barber * Financial Times *An indispensable book for these times * Big Issue *Provocative * Economist *A timely account of the EU's byzantine bureaucratic procedures and political rules * The Times Literary Supplement *

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Book SynopsisA New York Times Notable Book!A New York Times Book Review Editors' ChoiceThe story of how Newt Gingrich and his allies tainted American politics, launching an enduring era of brutal partisan warfare When Donald Trump was elected president in 2016, President Obama observed that Trump “is not an outlier; he is a culmination, a logical conclusion of the rhetoric and tactics of the Republican Party.” In Burning Down the House, historian Julian Zelizer pinpoints the moment when our country was set on a path toward an era of bitterly partisan and ruthless politics, an era that was ignited by Newt Gingrich and his allies. In 1989, Gingrich brought down Democratic Speaker of the House Jim Wright and catapulted himself into the national spotlight. Perhaps more than any other politician, Gingrich introduced the rhetoric and tactics that have shaped Congress and the Republican Party for the last three decades. Elected to Congre

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Book SynopsisNew York Times bestelling author T. R. Reid travels around the world to solve the urgent problem of America's failing tax code, unravelling a complex topic in plain English - and telling a rollicking story along the way. The U.S. tax code is a total write-off. Crammed with loopholes and special interest provisions, it works for no one except tax lawyers, accountants, and huge corporations. Not for the first time, we have reached a breaking point. That happened in 1922, and again in 1954, and again in 1986. In other words, every thirty-two years. Which means that the next complete overhaul is due in 2018. But what should be in this new tax code? Can we make the U.S. tax system simpler, fairer, and more efficient? Yes, yes, and yes. Can we cut tax rates and still bring in more revenue? Yes.   Other rich countries, from Estonia to New Zealand to the UK—advanced, high-tech, free-market democracies—have all devised tax regimes that a

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Book SynopsisAn essential guide to the impeachment process that rises above politics and goes beyond punditry, from one of America's foremost legal experts.

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Book SynopsisIf you wanted to build a machine that would distribute propaganda to millions of people, distract them from important issues, energize hatred and bigotry, erode social trust, undermine respectable journalism, foster doubts about science, and engage in massive surveillance all at once, you would make something a lot like Facebook. Of course, none of that was part of the plan. In this fully updated paperback edition of Antisocial Media, Siva Vaidhyanathan explains how Facebook devolved from an innocent social site hacked together by Harvard students into a force that, while it may make personal life just a little more pleasurable, makes democracy a lot more challenging. It''s an account of the hubris of good intentions, a missionary spirit, and an ideology that sees computer code as the universal solvent for all human problems. And it''s an indictment of how social media has fostered the deterioration of democratic culture around the world, from facilitating Russian meddling in support oTrade ReviewFortunately, finally, we seem ready to have the necessary conversations about how social media has changed our hearts and minds and politics, including the hard conversations. And this is the right book for our moment. It lays out, in crisp, compelling language, why Facebook may be good for some individuals but not good for democracy. Antisocial Media is not negative or defeatist. But it does not sugarcoat the facts. We can only remake technology to conform to new social values if we do the hard work of committing to what they are. That's a problem that Facebook can't solve. This is history, philosophy, and a call to action." -Sherry Turkle, Professor of the Social Studies of Science and Technology, MIT, and author of Reclaiming Conversation and Alone TogetherHello, reader. Do you use Facebook? Do you see it more times in a given day than you, say, drink a glass of water? If so, I suggest you find out from Siva Vaidhyanathan to what it is that you've given not only yourself, but also your crucial little portion of our world. He's the one who can tell you." -Jonathan Lethem, author of Motherless Brooklyn and Fortress of SolitudeAs a San Franciscan, I've had a front-row seat for the rise of Silicon Valley as a global power, and what the glossy new oligarchs have brought us terrifies me, as has the widespread obliviousness to the consequences of their new systems of information control. It's made me enormously grateful for Siva Vaidhyanathan, who set out after the election to dissect exactly how Facebook had helped corrupt our minds, our culture, our elections, and our governments. His scathing conclusions here should both chill you and equip you to face the perils the new information megacorporations pose to each and all of us." -Rebecca Solnit, author of Hope in the DarkAn eye -opening and provocative examination of the unintended consequences that this tech giant inflicted on the global community it created. * Kathleen Hall Jamieson, Elizabeth Ware Packard Professor of Communication, Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, and author of Cyberwar *Facebook's plan to connect the world has backfired. Democratic societies are unraveling everywhere. Conflict is trumping community, suspicion is undermining trust. Antisocial Media is the best account of how and why the world's leading tech firms have contributed to this crisis, here and across the globe. Vaidhyanathan's message is not merely necessary; it's urgent. * Eric Klinenberg, Professor of Sociology at NYU and author of Palaces for the People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life *Vaidhyanathan does have some solutions in mind, but they are not the simple tweaks Facebook proposes. There's no way at this point to reengineer a platform that rewards hasty, emotional, shallow engagement or moderates content to ensure two billion people behave themselves. We need to work across borders to make these steps multinational if not global. And we need to do it soon. The lamps are going out all over Europe again, and far beyond. * Barbara Fister, Inside HigherEd *In "Antisocial Media," University of Virginia professor Siva Vaidhyanathan gives a full and rigorous accounting of Facebook's sins. Much of the criticism will be familiar to anyone who has been following the news about the company. What distinguishes the book is Vaidhyanathan's skill in putting the social media phenomenon into a broader context - legal, historical and political. * Nicholas Carr, The Washington Post *In a post-Cambridge Analytica, post-Donald Trump election world, Vaidhyanathan's book [Antisocial Media] is a critique of the "Facebook machine" and the ways it operates on users in terms of "pleasure, surveillance, attention, protest, politics, and disinformation." - Express Newspaper Service, The Indian ExpressVaidhyanathan has written a structured response to the behemoth that is Facebook. He acknowledges all the rhetorically valid ways in which Facebook might offer emotionally fulfilling interactions (the author himself is a user), but he buttresses these emotive motivations with close readings of the filter bubble, monetization of all transactions on the platform, and even the inherent vice of "good" business... Verdict: Ideal for readers who live in the world of social media who want to put these platforms into context. * Jesse A. Lambertson, Library Journal *An excellent critique of the social media giant underlines the threat it poses to us all - and suggests how it can be tamed. * John Naughton, The Guardian *With 30 per cent of the world's population on Facebook, Vaidhyanathan contends that the platform could become the operating system of our lives. And while it's fun to catch up with old school friends, its "mediated cacophony" is a powerful tool for the vocal minority to quickly subvert silent majorities. Zuckerberg himself is curiously complacent. Facebook, he says, "is just too big to govern. We are victims of its success. * Nick Smith, Engineering & Technology *This thoroughly researched and persuasively argued account of social media's noxious effects on the very fabric of society is the first study of its kind: a trenchant analysis of Facebook's unwholesome side effects. It needed saying, and it's supremely well said." - Juanita Coulson, The LadyFrom propagating fake news to violating our privacy, from empowering authoritarian regimes to enabling anti-Semitic advertising, Facebook has become the social network everyone loves to hate. Vaidhyanathan, whose previous books include "The Googlization of Everything" - and "Why We Should Worry", has produced a valuable guide, written in clear, non-academic prose, to the monstrous force Facebook has become. And if his overview of what's gone wrong with Facebook will seem familiar to those of us who obsess about these things, it nevertheless serves as a worthwhile introduction to the Zuckerborg and all that it has wrought. If only Vaidhyanathan had some compelling ideas on what to do about it. If only any of us did." - Dan Kennedy, The Arts FuseVaidhyanathan has been a strenuous critic of the technology industry, and the book is best described by his own pithy summary: "The problem with Facebook is Facebook." He's spent the past several years reading and thinking with scholarly depth about not just how Facebook works, but why it was built the way that it was." - Alexis C. Madrigal, The AtlanticVaidhyanathan writes with conviction and a deep sense of history. His research is sharp and diverse and his long association with media studies and readings on the philosophy of modern technology is vividly reflected in his writing. Personally, it was a pleasure to know that Vaidhyanathan had worked with the New York University where legendary social commentator and a critic of technology, Neil Postman, taught, and his anecdotes on Postman's ideas are a social media student's delight." - Jinoy Jose P, The HinduI think your book has to be, in my mind, one of the most important nonfiction books of this year, if not in the last decade... It's extremely important for the users especially to look at the mechanics of this monster that's been created over the last decade or so." - Juan González, Daily Show Co-Host, Democracy Now!14/01/2019Table of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1: The Pleasure Machine Chapter 2: The Surveillance Machine Chapter 3: The Attention Machine Chapter 4: The Benevolence Machine Chapter 5: The Protest Machine Chapter 6: The Politics Machine Chapter 7: The Disinformation Machine Conclusion: The Nonsense Machine Acknowledgements

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Book SynopsisAfter three decades of "reform and opening up," China is closing its doors, clamping down on Western influence in the economy, media, and civil society. At the same time, President Xi Jinping has emerged as a champion of globalization, projecting Chinese power abroad and seeking to reshape the global order. Herein lies The Third Revolution.Trade ReviewThe Third Revolution is an excellent example of high-quality academic research on China * Tian He, Pacific Affairs *One of Iolitico's "Ten Names That Matter on China Policy"How should observers, especially those in Washington, assess Xi's China? In The Third Revolution, Elizabeth Economy offers a nuanced, persuasive answer: while China's heft in world affairs is growing rapidly, so too are the contradictions inherent in the attempt of an authoritarian country to shape what remains a predominantly liberal world order. * Global Asia *Economy . . . offers an engaging look at how areas such as internet regulation, reform of state-owned enterprises, and foreign policy are evolving under Xi's leadership. * Reuters Breakingviews *To understand and navigate China in the coming years, this is the book to read. At the heart of doing business in this opaque and contradictory country is understanding Xi Jinping, a masterful and complex politician. Elizabeth Economy's exceptionally clear account gives you the tools to do just that. * Fred P. Hochberg, Former Chairman and President, Export-Import Bank of the United States *The Third Revolution is enormously valuable for anyone seeking to understand the ways in which China is changing (and not changing) under Xi's leadership, and how the U.S. should best approach its relationship with China. Essential. * Robert E. Rubin, Former Secretary of the Treasury *The one book that tells you all you need to know about how China has changed under Xi Jinping. A clear-eyed, richly researched, and engaging account by one of America's most knowledgeable China experts. * Susan L. Shirk, University of California, San Diego *Timely and sobering analysis of the profound * and disturbingpolitical change that has occurred since the rise of Xi Jinping. This is by far the most insightful and illuminating study of China's new political landscape, and should be required reading for those concerned with China's future under strongman rule.Minxin Pei, Author, China's Crony Capitalism *Leading China expert Elizabeth Economy provides a clear-eyed net assessment of China under Xi Jinping: its global ambitions, domestic limitations, and the paradox of its external hubris and internal insecurities. Thoroughly researched and engagingly written, The Third Revolution should become staple reading for all who want to understand China today and where it is headed in the future. The findings are both illuminating and disturbing." * David Shambaugh, George Washington University and author of China Goes Global *Americans are slowly realizing that they live in a bipolar world with China, a nation that is incontrovertibly rising despite the destabilizing effects of serial self-reinvention. The advent of the latest progenitor of rejuvenation, Xi Jinping, has raised a host of vexing questions, but Economy's wonderfully lucid and well-researched book fills in many of the blanks regarding Xi's strengths and weaknesses. * Orville Schell, Arthur Ross Director, Asia Society Center on U.S.-China Relations *For the first time in modern history, we have a communist country poised to be the biggest and most important driver of the global free market. That's astonishing. And we still don't know what makes China's political leadership and Xi Jinping in particular tick. If that freaks you out (and it should), Liz Economy's book is the place to start. * Ian Bremmer, President and Founder, Eurasia Group *The timing of The Third Revolution is impeccable. Economy convincingly demonstrates how Beijing has used its heft to influence technological and political standards." - The Financial TimesA work of cool-headed analysis." - Foreign Affairs14/01/2019Table of ContentsChapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: Heart of Darkness Chapter 3: Chinanet Chapter 4: The Not-So-New Normal Chapter 5: Innovation Nation Chapter 6: War on Pollution Chapter 7: The Lion Awakens Chapter 8: The Road Forward

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Book SynopsisWinner of the Society for History in the Federal Government''s George Pendleton Prize for 2013The United States Senate has fallen on hard times. Once known as the greatest deliberative body in the world, it now has a reputation as a partisan, dysfunctional chamber. What happened to the house that forged American history''s great compromises?In this groundbreaking work, a distinguished journalist and an eminent historian provide an insider''s history of the United States Senate. Richard A. Baker, historian emeritus of the Senate, and the late Neil MacNeil, former chief congressional correspondent for Time magazine, integrate nearly a century of combined experience on Capitol Hill with deep research and state-of-the-art scholarship. They explore the Senate''s historical evolution with one eye on persistent structural pressures and the other on recent transformations. Here, for example, are the Senate''s struggles with the presidency--from George Washington''s first, disastrous visit to tTrade ReviewThere is much to admire in this single volume, such that the general reader will find their interest whetted while the specialist will be inspired to deepen their understanding of this unique institution. * William Sheward, Political Studies Review *This first-rate comprehensive study is likely to set the standard for historical scholarship on the US Senate. Chock-full of fascinating stores from insider's prespectives, The American Senate is entertaining and engaging. The American Senate is a must read for any serious historian or political scientist, yet still accessible to the general public. Highly recommended. * CHOICE *Whether discussing money and elections, campaign reform, the origins of the filibuster, the Senate's investigatory power or its role in ratifying treaties or debating the great issues of the day, the authors pack the narrative with wide-ranging information and anecdotes." * Kirkus Reviews *An excellent choice for history buffs and political scientists. * Library Journal *A multidimensional study of the history, traditions and culture of the United States Senate... Whether discussing money and elections, campaign reform, the origins of the filibuster, the Senate's investigatory power or its role in ratifying treaties or debating the great issues of the day, the authors pack the narrative with wide-ranging information and anecdotes. A useful, engaging primer for anyone wishing to understand the politics, precedent and procedures that have shaped the Senate. * Kirkus Reviews *The American Senate should be required reading for anyone new to the chamber: interns, staffers, even senators. There's unlikely to be another single volume quite as comprehensive anytime soon, a fact that can probably be attributed to the authors." * Roll Call *[A] thoroughly researched book by two veteran Senate observers . . . Baker has done a superb job of combining his deep knowledge of the Senate with that of McNeil, to complete it and illuminate the evolution of the upper chamber of Congress through the efforts of the more than 1,900 people who have served." * The Hill *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments ; Preface ; Prologue: Entering the Contemporary Senate ; 1: Money and Politics: Electing U.S. Senators ; 2: The Collapse of Campaign Finance Reform ; 3: Dancing with Presidents: A Wary Embrace ; 4: Struggling for Primacy: From TR to FDR ; 5: Losing Ground to the Imperial Presidency ; 6: Living with the House of Representatives ; 7: The Center to Which Everyone Comes ; 8: Leadership Empowered: The Modern Era ; 9: The Senate Investigates ; 10: The Watchdogs ; 11: Debate, Deliberation, and Dispute ; 12: Dilatory Tactics ; 13: Reform and Reaction ; To the Future ; Notes ; Selected Bibliography ; Index

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