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Book SynopsisThe 1980s was the revolutionary decade of the twentieth century. To look back in 1990 at the Britain of ten years earlier was to look into another country. The changes were not superficial, like the revolution in fashion and music that enlivened the 1960s; nor were they quite as unsettling and joyless as the troubles of the 1970s. And yet they were irreversible. By the end of the decade, society as a whole was wealthier, money was easier to borrow, there was less social upheaval, less uncertainty about the future. Perhaps the greatest transformation of the decade was that by 1990, the British lived in a new ideological universe where the defining conflict of the twentieth century, between capitalism and socialism, was over. Thatcherism took the politics out of politics and created vast differences between rich and poor, but no expectation that the existence of such gross inequalities was a problem that society or government could solve - because as Mrs Thatcher said, 'There is no such thing as society ... people must look to themselves first.'From the Falklands war and the miners' strike to Bobby Sands and the Guildford Four, from Diana and the New Romantics to Live Aid and the 'big bang', from the Rubik's cube to the ZX Spectrum, McSmith's brilliant narrative account uncovers the truth behind the decade that changed Britain forever.Trade ReviewIt was a wild, wild decade: strong politics, riots, revival, bad hair, great comedy, some dreadful music, lurid newspapers and a war or two. The Margaret Thatcher rollercoaster carried so many of us into today's Britain, with so many bumps and shrieks, that it needs a writer of cool judgement and a reporter who misses nothing to tell its story. Andy McSmith has managed it, ranging from barcodes to TVam, feminism to Torvill and Dean, and Sloane Rangers to flying pickets. It's hard to see how this account could be bettered. * Andrew Marr *McSmith has a sharp eye for a revealing story. * The Sunday Times *A fine account of the decade. * Independent on Sunday *....an enjoyable romp through the decade. * The Spectator *A rollicking read. * Metro *(McSmith) presents his views and his recollections clearly, accurately and accessibly in a very readable, social document. * The Scotsman *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Shortlisted for the BISA Susan Strange Best Book Prize, British International Studies Association"

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Book SynopsisAll you need to know about elections, politics, and government!Too often, textbooks turn the noteworthy details of government into tedious discourse that would put even the president to sleep. American Government 101 cuts out the boring explanations, and instead provides a hands-on lesson that keeps you engaged as you learn. From the backstory of the Constitution to the institution of the Electoral College, this primer is packed with hundreds of entertaining tidbits and concepts to help you learn about how the government of the United States actually works. So whether you want to learn about how policies and laws are created, or just want to become a better-informed voter, American Government 101 has all the answers--even the ones you didn''t know you were looking for.

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Book SynopsisAn eminent authority presents a new perspective on affirmative action in a provocative book that will stir fresh debate about this vitally important issueTrade Review“A delight: terse, well-argued, and utterly convincing.”—Economist “Among contemporary economists and social theorists, one of the most prolific, intellectually independent, and iconoclastic is Thomas Sowell. . . . Enormously learned, wonderfully clear-headed, he sees reality as it is, and flinches at no truth. . . . Sowell’s presentation of the data is instructive and illuminating—and disturbing.”—Carl Cohen, Commentary“Another brilliant, bracing achievement by Thomas Sowell. With characteristic lucidity, erudition, and depth, Sowell examines the true effects of affirmative action around the globe. This book is compelling, important, mind-opening.”—Amy Chua, author of World on Fire: How Exporting Free Market Democracy Breeds Ethnic Hatred and Global Instability

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Book SynopsisDemocracy for Realists assails the romantic folk-theory at the heart of contemporary thinking about democratic politics and government, and offers a provocative alternative view grounded in the actual human nature of democratic citizens. Christopher Achen and Larry Bartels deploy a wealth of social-scientific evidence, including ingenious original analyses of topics ranging from abortion politics and budget deficits to the Great Depression and shark attacks, to show that the familiar ideal of thoughtful citizens steering the ship of state from the voting booth is fundamentally misguided. They demonstrate that voters--even those who are well informed and politically engaged--mostly choose parties and candidates on the basis of social identities and partisan loyalties, not political issues. They also show that voters adjust their policy views and even their perceptions of basic matters of fact to match those loyalties. When parties are roughly evenly matched, elections often turn on irrelevant or misleading considerations such as economic spurts or downturns beyond the incumbents' control; the outcomes are essentially random. Thus, voters do not control the course of public policy, even indirectly. Achen and Bartels argue that democratic theory needs to be founded on identity groups and political parties, not on the preferences of individual voters. Democracy for Realists provides a powerful challenge to conventional thinking, pointing the way toward a fundamentally different understanding of the realities and potential of democratic government.Trade ReviewWinner of the 2017 PROSE Award in Government & Politics, Association of American Publishers One of Bloomberg's Best Books of 2016 One of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2016 "The best book to understand the 2016 campaign."--Matthew Yglesias "For decades, political scientists have blasted away at electoral models based primarily on the idea of rational choice. In the most recent and sophisticated entry in the field, Democracy for Realists, Christopher Achen and Larry Bartels argue that even well-informed and politically engaged voters mostly choose candidates based on their social identities and partisan loyalties. Judging from the 2016 polls, that theory looks pretty good."--E.J. Dionne, Washington Post "In an important recent book, Democracy for Realists, Christopher Achen and Larry Bartels show that 'group attachments' and 'social identities' are key to understanding voting behavior."--Fareed Zakaria, Washington Post "It flies in the face of decades of political science conventional wisdom about 'the rational voter' and other such dicta (what the authors call the 'folk theory' of democracy), but it seems to me obviously true, particularly in our age."--Michael Tomasky, New York Review of Books "[A] provocative book."--Edward Luce, Financial Times "Democracy for Realists, by Christopher Achen and Larry Bartels, shows that however cynical you are about the democratic process, it's worse than you think. All the flaws in cognition that psychologists have been teaching for decades make a mockery of the folk theory that democracy produces responsive governments."--Steven Pinker, Harvard Crimson "Brutally depressing."--Tyler Cowen, Marginal Revolution "One of the most bracing books of political science to arrive in a long time... An impressively comprehensive statement on the limits of electoral democracy, a book that can both explain the emergence of Trump and potentially charts a new course for the field."--Lee Drutman, Chronicle of Higher Education "It will confirm much that you may already have intuited--issues do not much matter--and it may make you want to jump out of a window, if you didn't already."--Kevin Williamson, National Review (Summer Reading Recommendation) "The folk theory of American democracy is that citizens deliberate on the issues and choose a candidate. That is false. The truth, as political scientists Christopher Achen and Larry Bartels describe in Democracy for Realists: Why Elections Do Not Produce Responsive Government, is that voters are tribalistic."--Jamelle Bouie, Slate "A comprehensive analysis that lays the foundation for a discussion of necessary reforms and how they can be achieved."--Kirkus (starred review) "Their writing is clear, concise, and appropriately whimsical on occasion. Certain to become a classic."--Choice "Democracy for Realists is essential reading for anyone interested in the problem of voter ignorance, and the future of democracy more generally. It illuminates a dangerous problem that may well bedevil democracy for a long time to come."--Ilya Somin, History News Network "Provocative, persuasive and unsettling, Democracy for Realists is a profoundly important--and timely--book."--Glenn Altschuler, Tulsa World "The most comprehensive recent study of the American voter."--Neal Miner, Honolulu Civil Beat "According to some conventional accounts of democracy, these systems work. Voters toss out incumbents in hard times and retain them in good times... The genius of Achen and Bartels' work--the depressing genius of it--is the breadth of evidence they marshal that this is simply not the case."--Peter Loewen, Ottawa Citizen "The book might make dreary reading about the failings of democracy. But by applying what Achen and Bartels say to what is happening in the elections... It is possible to make some sense."--Han Fook Kwang, Singapore Straits Times "An important book. The authors basically destroy our most cherished ideas about democracy."--Helio Schwartsman, Folha De S. Paolo "The 2016 election cycle has confounded a good deal of scholarship and punditry so far. But one book that's coming out smelling like a rose is Christopher Achen and Larry Bartels' new book Democracy for Realists: Why Elections Do Not Produce Responsive Government. This book's novel argument is that we've been thinking about democracy all wrong."--Seth Masket, Pacific Standard "This more than erudite book couldn't have been published at a more apt, if not fractious climate amid modern British and European political history... Democracy for Realists will set minds thinking and trigger an array of debate; which, at the end of the day, is what democracy is all about."--David Marx Book Reviews "Democracy for Realists is essential reading for 2016, an empirically and theoretically rigorous political science treatise that debunks traditional defenses of democracy as a way to reflect the 'will of the people' or allow well-informed and rational voters to guide the country. In their place, Christopher Achen and Larry Bartels advance a theory of democracy grounded in group identities and social psychology."--Jason Furman, Bloomberg "The myth of the informed democratic voter is itself an example of long-ingrained, stubborn anti-knowledge. In their brilliant new Democracy for Realists, the political scientists Christopher H. Achen and Larry M. Bartels explain that laypeople and experts alike have developed a 'folk theory' holding that American democracy is built on an engaged electorate that casts its votes for rational policy reasons. Unfortunately, as Achen and Bartels demonstrate, decades of research have shredded this theory, stomped on it, and set the remains on fire."--Noah Berlatsky, Reason "One of last year's most-celebrated works of political science."--Eric Levitz, New York Magazine Daily IntelligencerTable of ContentsList of Illustrations ix Preface xiii 1 Democratic Ideals and Realities 1 2 The Elusive Mandate: Elections and the Mirage of Popular Control 21 3 Tumbling Down into a Democratical Republick: "Pure Democracy" and the Pitfalls of Popular Control 52 4 A Rational God of Vengeance and of Reward? The Logic of Retrospective Accountability 90 5 Blind Retrospection: Electoral Responses to Droughts, Floods, and Shark Attacks 116 6 Musical Chairs: Economic Voting and the Specious Present 146 7 A Chicken in Every Pot: Ideology and Retrospection in the Great Depression 177 8 The Very Basis of Reasons: Groups, Social Identities, and Political Psychology 213 9 Partisan Hearts and Spleens: Social Identities and Political Change 232 10 It Feels Like We're Th inking: Th e Rationalizing Voter 267 11 Groups and Power: Toward a Realist Th eory of Democracy 297 Appendix Retrospective Voting as Selection and Sanctioning 329 References 335 Index 371

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Book SynopsisThis new, authoritative introduction to Rosa Luxemburg's two most important works presents the full text of Reform or Revolution and The Mass Strike, with explanatory notes and introductions. One of the most important Marxist thinkers and leaders of the 20th century, Rosa Luxemburg is finding renewed interest among a new generation of activists and critics of global capitalism. Born in 1871, Luxemburg became a leader of the international socialist movement.

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Book Synopsis‘A combination of all that is best in memoir, biography and history.’ – Caroline Moorehead 'In this remarkable book... Jauncey has performed the great service of reminding us of a wonderful figure from Scotland’s recent history.' – Alexander McCall Smith It would be impossible to invent Don Roberto today – a fantastic combination of Don Quixote and Sir Gawain, Indiana Jones and the Lone Ranger. He was so multi-faceted, so complex, that every chapter in his story reveals some new and contradictory aspect of his personality. He is best known as the co-founder, with Keir Hardie, of the Scottish Labour Party, and later as the founding president of the Scottish National Party. But in a long and extraordinary life he was many other things besides.

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Book SynopsisThis is the first complete, one-volume English translation of the ancient Chinese text Xunzi, one of the most extensive, sophisticated, and elegant works in the tradition of Confucian thought. Through essays, poetry, dialogues, and anecdotes, the Xunzi presents a more systematic vision of the Confucian ideal than the fragmented sayings of ConfuciusTrade Review"This is a long-awaited translation, and I envisage that it will become a standard of scholarship and an invaluable source to which both specialists and non-specialists will be indebted."--Winnie Sung, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews "Eric Hutton's new translation of this rich and multifaceted text is ... a truly valuable gateway for introducing newcomers in the field of Chinese and comparative philosophy, as well as more advanced students and scholars, to the philosophy of Xunzi."--Ori Tavor, Dao: A Journal of Comparative Philosophy "The decision by Eric Hutton to translate the verse sections as poetry means that this book can be appreciated not only as an important work of early Confucian thought, but also as a literary text."--Olivia Milburn, Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society "Hutton's work is an improvement over that of Knoblock, as well as that of Dubs and Watson. It is an enormous task to translate from beginning to end a text as difficult as the Xunzi. We should be grateful to Hutton for undertaking it and for devoting so much hard work to completing it."--Jeffrey Riegel, Journal of Chinese StudiesTable of ContentsAcknowledgments ix Introduction xi A Traditional Timeline of Early Chinese History xxxi Chapter 1: An Exhortation to Learning 1 Chapter 2: Cultivating Oneself 9 Chapter 3: Nothing Improper 16 Chapter 4: On Honor and Disgrace 23 Chapter 5: Against Physiognomy 32 Chapter 6: Against the Twelve Masters 40 Chapter 7: On Confucius 47 Chapter 8: The Achievements of the Ru 52 Chapter 9: The Rule of a True King 68 Chapter 10: Enriching the State 83 Chapter 11: The True King and the Hegemon 99 Chapter 12: The Way to Be a Lord 117 Chapter 13: The Way to Be a Minister 133 Chapter 14: On Attracting Men of Worth 141 Chapter 15: A Debate on Military Affairs 145 Chapter 16: The Strong State 163 Chapter 17: Discourse on Heaven 175 Chapter 18: Correct Judgments 183 Chapter 19: Discourse on Ritual 201 Chapter 20: Discourse on Music 218 Chapter 21: Undoing Fixation 224 Chapter 22: Correct Naming 236 Chapter 23: Human Nature Is Bad 248 Chapter 24: The Gentleman 258 Chapter 25: Working Songs 262 Chapter 26: Fu 277 Chapter 27: The Grand Digest 288 Chapter 28: The Right-Hand Vessel 318 Chapter 29: The Way to Be a Son 325 Chapter 30: The Proper Model and Proper Conduct 330 Chapter 31: Duke Ai 333 Chapter 32: Yao Asked 339 Appendix 1: Important Terms and Names 344 Appendix 2: Cross-Reference List 347 Textual Notes 359 Bibliography 385 Index 387

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Book SynopsisThis striking collection of more than 200 full-color infographics is a vivid portrait of Israeli settler colonialism and the Palestinian struggle for freedom. As a new generation of movement-builders seek to understand Israel’s brutal, illegal occupation of Palestine, Visualizing Palestine''s vivid and informative graphics reveal deep truths about the decades-long Palestinian struggle for freedom. The infographics present more than just data: colorful, accessible, and thoughtfully arranged, the oppression they document in stark detail dovetails with stories of perseverance and strength. From the history of Zionist settlement to the depopulation of Palestinian villages; from the construction of an apartheid wall to the destruction of olive trees; from hunger strikes to mass protests to boycotts, Visualizing Palestine’s graphics are powerful, comprehensive, and demand our attention.

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Book SynopsisSuccinct, accessible, and authoritative, Thomas Piketty’s The Economics of Inequality is the ideal place to start for those who want to understand the fundamental issues at the heart of one the most pressing concerns in contemporary economics and politics. This work now appears in English for the first time.Trade ReviewIn a work that is aligned with but antecedent to his grand synthesis, Capital in the Twenty-First Century, French economist Piketty examines the structural causes of inequality… A discussion worth having and a book worth reading. * Kirkus Reviews *Piketty’s The Economics of Inequality is an excellent book and a great companion to Capital. This book is a remarkable mix of extensive data, attention to theory, and concern for policy. -- Axel Gosseries, Fund for Scientific Research (FRS-FNRS) and University of Louvain (UCL)If Piketty is right, inequality is increasing and cannot be cured by the free market; we must understand the problem to understand how to address it. This should be required reading for every concerned citizen. * Publishers Weekly *Even a brief guide to basic concepts in Piketty’s field of study can remind you, at every turn, that something profound is going on within the global economic system. The data, especially the data from recent decades, does not conceal the tale…Avarice and plunder play no part in the language of economics, but they too are causes and consequences of the phenomena Piketty describes. In some respects, his work is an assault on the kind of cult thinking that these days passes for economic and political analysis. -- Ian Bell * Glasgow Herald *Piketty’s The Economics of Inequality, which acts as a primer, provides a useful starting point for a wide audience. -- Tom Healy * Irish Times *Translated into English for the first time, it offers an exceptionally clear, cogent, and coherent discussion of economic inequality. -- Richard N. Cooper * Foreign Affairs *

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Book SynopsisThe Political Martyrs memorial in Edinburgh looms large on the city's skyline but its history is relatively unknown. And that is not by accident. As Edinburgh's New Town was constructed, a narrative of kilts and loyalty was created for Scotland, with its radical history deliberately excluded. The French Revolution lit a spark in Scotland, inspiring radicals and working people alike, and uniting them in opposition to the King and his government. The oligarchy of landowners that ran Scotland was worried. Leading radicals like Thomas Muir and fellow political martyrs were later rounded up and transported to Botany Bay. But the radicals fought back and formed the United Scotsmen, seeking widespread political reform throughout the Union and prepared to use physical force in defence of their ideals and as social and economic hardship followed in Waterloo's wake, the flame of radicalism was further ignited. This is Scotland's Radical History.

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Book SynopsisUpdated and revised edition.Trade ReviewReviews of the first edition (1855-1974): 'Bahru Zewde, one of present-day Ethiopia's leading historians, must be thanked for producing the first serious history of his country from the coronation of the reforming emperor Tewodros in 1855 to the Ethiopian Revolution of 1974. The work encompasses the lives of Ethiopia's four last, and most important, monarchs: Tewodros, Yohannes, Menilek and Hayla Sellase, whose reigns, as the author presents them, form an historical continuum. The text is valuable in that it provides an historical overview of virtually the entire area of present-day Ethiopia, with sections on the south of the country, largely ignored by previous historians, as well as on the better-documented Semitic north. ... The book, though less than 250 pages in length, is packed with information not readily available elsewhere, and contains valuable new historical insights. There are moreover interesting discussions of how events in one part of the region influenced the situation in others...there are also interesting sections on such topics as Hayla Sellase's ideas of government. ...The author does not ignore the more positive features of the occupation. ... Bahru's work is the first history of modern Ethiopia to be written by an Ethiopian, and thus provides a new perspective. Though later imprisoned for several years by Ethiopia's post-imperial regime he does not see the Hayla Sellase era, through which he lived as a student, with rosy spectacles. -- Richard Pankhurst * JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY *...gaping void now filled with distinction by Bahru Zewde...He achieves too, the difficult tasks of balancing the political history of warlords and emperors with social and economic developments, and relating internal developments to the progressive increase in external pressures. His judgements are succinct and illuminating. ...In short, it is a model of its kind. -- Christopher Clapham * AFRICAN AFFAIRS *... timely ... wealth of illustrative material ... Required reading for practitioners, graduate students and advanced undergraduates. - * CHOICE *Table of ContentsPreface to 2nd edition - The background - Unification & independence 1855-1896 - From Adwa to Maychaw 1896-1935 - The Italian occupation 1936-1941 - From liberation to revolution 1941-1974 - Revolution & its Sequel - Conclusion

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Book SynopsisBlanton/Kegley''s WORLD POLITICS: TREND AND TRANSFORMATION, 18th Edition, combines cutting-edge research with real-world events, giving you a deep understanding of what''s happening on the global stage and why it matters. Engage in discussions that challenge you to analyze the choices that shape our global future. Explore complexities of recent challenges to global peace and prosperity, including the rise of China, Russia''s invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing impact of Covid-19. Dive into topics like non-state armed groups, terrorism, military advancements, autonomous weapons systems, global economy, human rights, inequality, threats to health and the environment and more. Equip yourself with the knowledge and critical thinking skills necessary to navigate the complexities of the global political landscape. Join the ranks of informed and engaged college students who are shaping the future.

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Book SynopsisFirst cross-disciplinary collection exploring the anarcho-punk scene.

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Book Synopsis‘A must read for anyone interested in the future of Europe and the world as a whole.’ Serhii Plokhy, author of The Last Empire An essential insight into Russia’s relations with Ukraine, the US and beyond Why did Vladimir Putin launch his catastrophic invasion of Ukraine in February 2022? And how much are failures of Western policy towards Russia since the end of Communism to blame for the bloodiest war on European soil since 1945? These are the questions at the heart of Who Lost Russia?, an updated edition of which Oneworld will be publishing this July. In the original version of this book, critically acclaimed on both sides of the Atlantic when it appeared in 2017, Peter Conradi, Europe Editor of The Sunday Times, analysed the series of mistakes and misunderstandings on both sides since the end of the Soviet Union in 1991. This new edition contains 15,000 words of original material that brings the story bang up to date, examining the events leading to the invasion and setting out what the conflict will mean for the future of Europe and the world.Trade Review‘Engrossing.’ * Mail on Sunday *‘Authoritative and readable.’ * Daily Mail *‘A timely account of the diplomatic history of what increasingly looks like a new Cold War… Nervous Europeans might like to send Conradi’s book to the White House.’ * The Times *‘Fast-paced, comprehensive, solidly researched and, most importantly, essential reading for anyone who wants to understand one of the great crises of our times…uncannily up-to-the-minute…this book couldn’t be better timed.’ * Owen Matthews, Literary Review *‘Conradi wisely examines the forest’s contours, avoiding the trees. He writes engagingly and enlivens his smart, balanced analysis with colorful anecdotes.’ * New York Times Book Review *'Essential reading.' * The Herald *‘Manages to tell a complex story…with a much-needed sense of balance. The author’s skill in seamlessly linking historical events to present-day international relations makes this book an insightful and rewarding read.’ * Prospect *‘Seamlessly written…it is fascinating to read the author’s summary of Russia’s actions in Syria in the context of recent events.’ -- Wall Street Journal‘Elegantly written, informed…provides many valuable insights into our times.’ * Evening Standard *‘Skilfully constructed.’ * Sunday Times *‘Profoundly important.’ * Country Life *‘Peter Conradi is a cool-headed and even-handed guide to the past 25 years of Western-Russian relations...It is refreshing to read so well-written and dispassionate an account.’ * New Statesman *‘A fine narrative of postcommunist Russia's relations with the United States and Europe.’ * Library Journal *‘Fast-moving and utterly compelling and spans the decades revealingly.’ * Irish Independent *‘Balanced and timely…a smooth narrative that provides welcome context for Russia’s recent revanchist behavior and insight into prospects for ongoing U.S.-Russian relations.’ * Publishers Weekly, starred review *‘To understand what went wrong in Russia over the last few decades and the impact it has had on the world, one can’t find a better guide than this well researched and argued book – a must read for anyone interested in the future of Europe and the world as a whole.’ -- Serhii Plokhy, author of The Man with the Poison Gun and The Last Empire‘Nuanced yet fast-paced, this is the essential guide to our rocky relationship with a country we ignored at our peril. Russia is back at the top of the news: and this book couldn’t be more timely.’ -- Peter Pomerantsev, author of Nothing is True and Everything is Possible: Adventures in Modern Russia‘Clear, thought-provoking, disturbing. Anyone who wants to understand the rise of Vladimir Putin and the resurgence of Russian nationalism should read Peter Conradi’s impeccably researched and impressive book.’ -- Victor Sebestyen, author of 1946: The Making of the Modern World‘The West has always struggled to comprehend the byzantine workings of Russia, not just during the Cold War but even more so in the post-communist era. This important book presents a crucial analysis of the rise of Putin and our continuing inability to read him. Few people are as well placed as Peter Conradi, who witnessed the collapse of Communist Russia 25 years ago first hand as a Moscow correspondent, to present such an important and revealing study as we approach the 100th anniversary of the Russian Revolution. This is a book to which we all need to pay attention.’ -- Helen Rappaport, author of Caught in the Revolution: Petrograd 1917‘As NATO and the West come to terms with a Russia which, in the words of Dmitri Trenin, Director of the Moscow Carnegie Centre, believes it has been at war with the West since 2014, the risks of miscalculation and the potential for catastrophe have not been higher since the end of the Cold War. Who Lost Russia? lays out, with startling clarity and precision, the steps that have led us to the present situation. Understanding is the pre-requisite for the development of strategy. This book provides that essential understanding and should be compulsory reading for our political leadership, and the policymakers who support them, together with the general reader.’ -- General Sir Richard Shirreff, author of War with Russia‘How the world careened from one cold war into another with a friendly but all too brief pit stop between them is the subject of this quite wonderful book. Bringing to bear his seven years as a Moscow correspondent, and a gift for clear, sparkling prose, Peter Conradi’s spirited, well-informed narrative brings to life the ups and downs, colourful characters, and turning points that didn’t turn along the way.’ -- William Taubman, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Khrushchev: The Man and his Era‘Peter Conradi takes a calm, considered look at developments in East–West relations that threaten to divide the world. In an era of inflamed partisan debate, he provides the historical context vital for a rational assessment of where we stand and where we are headed.’ -- Martin Sixsmith, author of Russia: A 1,000-Year Chronicle of the Wild East‘A systematic account of Russia’s emergence from the wreckage of the Soviet Union with a renewed sense of authoritarian mission… A cold-eyed examination of recent Russian history that seems to show that there was never a solid plan to integrate Russia into the West.’ * Kirkus *

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Book SynopsisNew York Times Notable Books of 2018 Financial Times Book of the Year Award-winning journalist Rania Abouzeid presents reportage of unprecedented scope in this engaging, character-driven investigation that exposes the secret dealings that armed and betrayed an uprising. Taking readers deep into Assad’s prisons, to clandestine meetings and to the highest levels of Islamic militancy, Abouzeid dissects the tangle of ideologies and allegiances that make up the Syrian conflict, and lays bare the tragedy of the Syrian War through the stories of those seeking safety and freedom in a shattered country. Based on more than five years of frontline reporting, No Turning Back is an utterly engrossing human drama that shows how hope can flourish even amid one of the twenty-first century’s greatest humanitarian disasters.Trade Review‘An extraordinary piece of reportage that explains the Syrian war through the stories of individuals caught up in the fighting. Abouzeid’s book has the gripping and tragic qualities of a first-rate novel.’ * Financial Times Book of the Year *'Excellent... Probably the most perceptive journalistic account of the war so far... Abouzeid’s understated bravery and ability to merge into the background speak to the power of immersive eyewitness reporting, foregrounding the experience of the people she meets and writing with modesty.' * New York Review of Books *'An unparalleled account of the Syrian uprising, drawing on six years of immersive reporting.' * New Yorker *'A stunning take on Syria’s tragedy by the veteran Middle East reporter Rania Abouzeid... Abouzeid’s writing is clear, her analysis sharp, her sympathy deep as she answers this key question of our age.' * The Spectator *‘There is no better way to refocus on Syria than to read Rania Abouzeid’s book… What could simply be a standard journalistic device succeeds triumphantly because of the skill and sensitivity of Abouzeid’s writing, the depth of her reporting and the extraordinary nature of the stories she tells. As a result, her book has the compelling qualities of a novel, rather than simply a work of reportage…an extraordinary book that deserves to be read widely.’ * Financial Times *'This is journalism at its very best: brave; personal; written with aching beauty.' * Lyse Doucet, BBC's Chief International Correspondent *‘Painfully gripping.’ * Prospect *'This narrative of the Syrian war from 2011 through 2016 offers page after page of extraordinary reporting and exquisite prose, rendering its individual subjects with tremendous intimacy.' * New York Times Notable Books of 2018 *‘Offers page after page of extraordinary reporting and many flashes of exquisitely descriptive prose… Abouzeid’s remarkable journalistic and literary work has given us, at last, a book worthy of the enormous tragedy that is Syria.’ * New York Times Book Review *‘For those confused by the country's descent into chaos and the myriad factions now battling it out for supremacy, it is indispensable... A masterpiece: a forensic, yet accessible anatomy of how a peaceful uprising was hijacked by external forces who cared less about ridding Syria of dictator Bashar al-Assad than furthering their own agendas… Abouzeid writes compellingly throughout.’ * Big Issue *'[No Turning Back] offers page after page of extraordinary reporting and exquisite prose, rendering its individual subjects with tremendous intimacy.' * New York Times, '8 Books We Recommend this Week' *'Eloquent and devastating … Abouzeid relates the drama of this chaos in gripping prose.' * Christian Science Monitor *'Searing and sparingly beautiful… War, she reminds us, alters the architecture of the city as much as it scrambles the human psyche.' * Los Angeles Review of Books *'Rania Abouzeid has produced a masterpiece.' * Robert F. Worth, author of A Rage For Order *'This is an essential read not only for those interested in Syria and the Middle East, but for anyone who strives to understand the mechanics of a society torn by civil war.' * Ghaith Abdul-Ahad, Guardian Middle East Correspondent *‘An astonishing work, in its ambition, its scope and its humanity…these stories are woven with consummate skill by Abouzeid who does not moralize and does not judge. Through their lived experiences she has shown the human faces, the human suffering behind the headlines.’ * New Internationalist *'After No Turning Back, you won’t be able to hear anything more about Syria without feeling that you too know the people who are living (and dying) through it.' * Barbara Demick, author of Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea and Logavina Street: Life and Death in a Sarajevo Neighborhood *'No Turning Back is a monumental achievement. I can think of few other journalists, past or present, who have reported on any war as courageously, analyzed it as trenchantly, or rendered the lives of its participants and victims as movingly, as Abouzeid has done here for the war in Syria. The book will no doubt endure as a work of literature.' * Luke Mogelson, author of These Heroic, Happy Dead *'No Turning Back works both on the level of deeply reported personal narratives of a tragedy that continues to unspool and also as a major work of history.' * Peter Bergen, author of United States of Jihad and Manhunt: The Ten Year Search for Bin Laden *'Rania Abouzeid brings the century's deadliest conflict to life...' * Irish Times, Books to look out for in 2018 *'An intimate portrait of a chaotic war. A must read.' * Deb Amos, author of Eclipse of the Sunnis: Power, Exile, and Upheaval in the Middle East *'Rania Abouzeid has produced a work of stunning reportage from the very heart of the conflict, daring to go to the most dangerous places in order to get the story.' * Dexter Filkins, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Forever War *‘A fabulous and illuminating account of the Syrian conflict told by a world-class journalist at the height of her powers. This is about real people, their real stories and how they web together to tell the wider story of a nation in crisis. A rich and rewarding book that informs, excites and inspires. A truly first-class piece of high-end reportage.’ * Tim Butcher, author of Blood River *

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Book SynopsisA ground-breaking analysis from one of the world's foremost experts on global trends, including answers on how COVID-19 will amplify and accelerate each of these changesTrade ReviewWe do not know what the world will look like in 2030. But we do know the underlying trends that will shape it, argues Guillén of the Wharton School. This thought-provoking book illuminates the most important: demographic shifts, notably the African baby boom; the changing nature of ageing and retirement; the emergence of a new global middle class; the rise of women as entrepreneurs and leaders; the challenges to cities; “more cell phones than toilets”; the sharing economy; and the future of money. It is fun. Enjoy -- Martin Wolf * Financial Times Best Books of 2020 *

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Book SynopsisPrivate Eye: The 60 Yearbook is a history of the last 60 years, as seen by Britain's first, most successful and indeed only fortnightly satirical magazine. From the Beatles to Brexit, JFK to Trump, the Moon landings to the Mars landings, it tells the story of the past six decades as they were recorded in the Eye's pages. The news stories you remember - and plenty you may have forgotten - are retold in cartoons, covers and the magazine's legendary spoofs as well as extensive extracts from some of its best-loved features like Mrs Wilson's Diary, Dear Bill and The Secret Diary of John Major. It is also the story of the headlines Private Eye made itself, from the earliest stirrings of investigative journalism exposing the Poulson Scandal and Ronan Point, through major miscarriages of justice like the Stephen Lawrence case and the Lockerbie cover-up and national scandals that have cost the country billions in dodgy PFI contracts, government cock-ups and secret sweetheart tax deals. Inside are the stories that led to the fall of two cabinet ministers, countless corrupt business figures and even the official in charge of making sure everyone else in Whitehall's behaviour was above board. It includes writing by such satirical giants as Peter Cook, Richard Ingrams, Craig Brown, Auberon Waugh and Ian Hislop, and pictures by some of the world's best cartoonists including Michael Heath, Gerald Scarfe, Nick Newman, Willie Rushton, Robert Thompson and Ken Pyne.

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Book SynopsisThrough economics, our politicians have the power to transform people's lives for better or worse. Think Deng Xiaoping who lifted millions out of poverty by opening up China; Franklin D Roosevelt whose 'New Deal' helped the USA break free of the Great Depression. Or Peron and his successors in Argentina who brought the country to the brink of ruin.In this magisterial history, economist and politician Vince Cable examines the legacy of 16 world leaders who transformed their countries' economic fortunes and who also challenged economic convention. From Thatcher to Trump, from Lenin to Bismarck, Money and Power provides a whole new perspective on the science of government. Examining the fascinating interplay of economics and politics, this is a compelling journey through some of the most significant people and events of the last 300 years.Trade ReviewVince Cable brings economics to life in this thrilling history, revealing how 16 leading politicians over the last 250 years have used it in their own totally different ways to make the world anew. * Sir Anthony Seldon, author of May at 10 *A wonderful journey through the economic ideas that have shaped leading politicians throughout history. * Dame Minouche Shafik, Director of LSE *Impressive... The essay on Robert Peel lucidly explains his pioneering influence on the politics of trade. Similarly, thechapter on Juan Peron is an excellent summary of his political career as prime minister and the Peronist model of government and economics. * Irish Times *From Hamilton and Lenin to Abe and Trump, these brilliant essays are true to the dictum that 'people don't believe in ideas, they believe in people who believe in ideas'. This is a book which will change the way you think about politics and the leaders and ideas which have driven it forward in the last three centuries. * Lord Andrew Adonis *Vince Cable brings out with spectacular clarity how important and radical leaders end up combining economic theory, political ideology and practical administration. This book needs to be read by anyone who is interested in how the world's economies are really run. * Sir Oliver Letwin *Money and Power provides a masterly analysis of how economic policy has determined the success and failure of political leaders through the ages. * Vicky Pryce, former Joint Head of the UK Government Economic Service *As a former policymaker, Cable has an eye for the sort of political detail that brings a historical episode to life. It's an accessible read that helps us see the long-standing links between money and power all over the world. * Linda Yueh, author of The Great Economists: How Their Ideas Can Help Us Today *Cable shows the influence of leaders in the course of history and the influence of economic ideas on their thoughts and actions. A brilliant project and splendidly delivered. * Professor Lord Nicholas Stern, LSE *A fast-paced, highly readable account of political leaders who transformed their countries - for better or worse - through the economic ideologies of their time. As an economist turned politician, Vince Cable is uniquely placed to provide a critical, but fair judgment of those who have shaped today's major economies. * Dame DeAnne Julius, senior adviser, Chatham House *A lucid, erudite analysis of the global economy, and Britain's place in it. * Observer on After the Storm *A remarkably rounded work... Cable has produced a book that makes a serious and relevant contribution to the continuing debate about banking, infrastructure, housing, China, executive pay, short-termism and many of the other topics which continue to top the business and political agenda. * Evening Standard on After the Storm *The undisputed heavyweight champion of the credit crunch in parliament'. * Robert Peston *Table of Contents0: Introduction: Politicians and the Politics of Economics 1: Hamilton: The Economic Founding Father 2: Peel: Free Trade 3: Bismarck: The Economics of 'Iron and Blood' 4: Lenin: From War Communism to State Capitalism 5: Roosevelt: The Keynesian Revolution Without Keynes 6: Erhard: The Social Market and Ordoliberalism 7: Erlander: The Social Democratic Model Made Real 8: Perón: Peronism and Economic Populism 9: Park: The Development State and Hypergrowth 10: Lee: The Eclectic Economics of Lee Kuan Yew 11: Thatcher: Thatcherism and Its Cousin, Reaganomics 12: Deng: China's Economic Architect 13: Manmohan Singh: The Quiet Reformer 14: Balcerowicz: Big Bang Theory and Practice 15: Abe: Japan Pioneers Abenomics 16: Trump: Trumponomics, Economic Nationalism and Pluto-populism 17: Conclusion: Sixteen Politicians: Sixteen Varieties of Economics

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Book SynopsisWhy do some democratic governments succeed and others fail? This book offers empirical evidence for the importance of 'civic community' in developing successful institutions. It focuses on an experiment begun in 1970 when Italy created new governments for each of its regions.Trade ReviewWinner of the 1994 Charles H. Levine Memorial Book Prize Winner of the 1994 Gregory Luebbert Award Winner of the 1993 Louis Brownlow Book Award, National Academy of Public Administration Honorable Mention for the 1993 Award for Best Professional/Scholarly Book in Government and Political Science, Association of American Publishers "Seminal, epochal, path-breaking: All those overworked words apply to a book that, to make the point brazenly, is a Democracy in America for our times."--David L. Kirp, The Nation "A great work of social science, worthy to rank alongside de Tocqueville, Pareto, and Weber... If [Putnam's] claims about the essential conditions of successful democracy are correct (and they almost certainly are), then politicians and political scientists alike will have to think again about democracy's prospects in Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe."--The Economist "A remarkable study of 'civic traditions.'"--Steven Lukes, The Times Literary Supplement "It is rare that one comes across a classic in political science, yet in Robert D. Putnam's Making Democracy Work we undoubtedly have one... Mr. Putnam's seminal work addresses in a rigorously empirical way the central question of democratic theory: What makes democratic institutions stable and effective? ... [His] findings strikingly corroborate the political theory of civic humanism, according to which strong and free government depends on a virtuous and public-spirited citizenry--on an undergirding civic community... One crucial implication of Making Democracy Work is that feeble and corrupt government, operating against the background of a weak and uncivic society, tends not to foster the creation of wealth, but rather to renew poverty. Overmighty government may stifle economic initiative. But enfeebled government and unrepresentative government kills it, or diverts it into corruption and criminality... This may not, perhaps, be a universal truth; but it is directly relevant to the prospects of democracy in the United States today."--The New York Times Book Review

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Book SynopsisThe definitive collection of Nigel Farage's witty quips, wise pronouncements and political insights. He enjoys fishing, drinking beer and scaremongering, and dislikes evidence-based politics and Belgians.** Please note that this book is, of course, entirely blank **

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Book SynopsisOxford Handbooks of Political Science are the essential guide to the state of political science today. With engaging contributions from 55 major international scholars, the Oxford Handbook of Public Policy provides the key point of reference for anyone working in public policy and beyond.Trade ReviewSpanning all of the major substantive areas and approaches in modern political science, this blockbuster set is a must-have for scholars and students alike. Each volume is crafted by a distinguished set of editors who have assembled critical, comprehensive, essays to survey accumulated knowledge and emerging issues in the study of politics. These volumes will help to shape the discipline for many years to come. * Theda Skocpol, Victor S. Thomas Professor of Government and Sociology, and Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University *Judging from the editors, contributors, and topics covered, the forthcoming Oxford Handbooks of Political Science will be a landmark series...This is a series that not only university libraries, but more specialized social science and political science libraries, will want to have on their shelves * Robert O. Keohane, Professor of International Affairs, Princeton University *This extraordinary series offers 'state of the art' assessments that instruct, engage, and provoke. Both synoptic and directive, the fine essays across these superbly edited volumes reflect the ambitions and diversity of political science. No one who is immersed in the discipline's controversies and possibilities should miss the intellectual stimulation and critical appraisal these works so powerfully provide. * Ira Katznelson, Ruggles Professor of Political Science and History, Columbia University *Under the general editorship of Robert E. Goodin, a large group of intellectually attractive authors has charted the entire field of political science in an unbiased multi-paradigmatic way. Minerva's owl would make a nice logo for this monumental collective work of the Oxford Handbooks: what moves us forward is looking back at what we know. * Claus Offe, Professor of Political Science, Hertie School of Governance, Berlin and Institute for Social Science, Humboldt University, Berlin. *a treasure-trove of useful informationGet this Handbook and its companion volumes...You will find it very thought-provoking! * Energy Bar Association Update *Table of ContentsPART 1. INTRODUCTION; PART II. INSTITUTIONAL AND HISTORICAL BACKGROUND; PART III. MODES OF POLICY ANALYSIS; PART IV. PRODUCING PUBLIC POLICY; PART V. INSTRUMENTS OF POLICY; PART VI. CONSTRAINTS ON PUBLIC POLICY; PART VII. POLICY INTERVENTION: STYLES AND RATIONALES; PART VIII. COMMENDING AND EVALUATING PUBLIC POLICIES; IX. PUBLIC POLICY, OLD AND NEW

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Book SynopsisIn the once beautiful city of Aleppo, one Syrian family collapses into tragedy and ruin. The mother, abandoned by her husband, struggles to raise her children alone. Her daughter Sawsan flirts with the militias, the ruling party, and finally religion, seeking but never finding salvation. All are slowly choked in the fog of violence and decay, as their lives are plundered and their dreams wrecked by the brutal Assad regime. Set between the 1960s and 2000s, No Knives in the Kitchens of this City is a graceful and profound depiction of life under tyranny. Through the story of a single family, we read the disintegration of a whole society over half a century. This novel teaches us about grief, fear, and the end of beauty.Trade Review"Khaled Khalifa writes about his native city with sensuality and an almost feral intensity . . . . No Knives in the Kitchens of This City offers a glimpse into how terrified and empty of hope the people of a city must be to rise up in revolt. The future offers them nothing. It is a castle of closed doors. . . . The sights, smells and horror of living in Aleppo come pounding to life in this book. The place, to me, is no longer an abstraction, and Mr. Khalifa clearly fears for its fate throughout."--New York Times"One of the rising stars of Arab fiction . . . a rare public voice."--New York Times"Critically acclaimed . . . [No Knives in the Kitchens of this City] traces the degrading and destructive impact of Syria's dictatorship on the lives of a family from Aleppo."--Financial Times"Intricately plotted, chronologically complicated and a pleasure to read. . . . The writing is superb--a dense, luxurious realism pricked with surprising metaphors. It is lyrical, sensuous and so semantically rich that at times it resembles a prose poem . . . . A sad but beautiful book, providing important human context to the escalating Syrian tragedy."--The Guardian"Khalifa writes a raw, exquisite account of the Assad regime's loosening grip on [Syria] and the accompanying chaos."--Washington Independent Review of Books"Required reading for anyone who wants to better understand the roots of the uprising and current conflict in Syria."--Literary Hub"A searing indictment of the Syrian regime."--The NationalThe poetry and lyricism of the prose make for an easy and compelling read. . . . The author gives us an encapsulated view of the region s political and social history from the First World War to the American-led invasion and occupation of Iraq. A very timely read. PowellsBooks.BlogMagnificent . . . offers a bigger vision, reminding us that all politics are personal. Barnes & Noble Review"It's a nuanced, sensual read which should leave the reader thinking about Aleppo's future and whose hands (or knives) will shape it."--Washington Independent Review of Books "[Khalifa is] one of the rising stars of Arab fiction . . . a rare public voice."--New York Times"Critically acclaimed . . . [No Knives in the Kitchens of this City] traces the degrading and destructive impact of Syria's dictatorship on the lives of a family from Aleppo."--Financial Times"Intricately plotted, chronologically complicated and a pleasure to read. . . . The writing is superb--a dense, luxurious realism pricked with surprising metaphors. It is lyrical, sensuous and so semantically rich that at times it resembles a prose poem . . . . A sad but beautiful book, providing important human context to the escalating Syrian tragedy."--The Guardian"Khalifa writes a raw, exquisite account of the Assad regime's loosening grip on [Syria] and the accompanying chaos."--Washington Independent Review of Books"Required reading for anyone who wants to better understand the roots of the uprising and current conflict in Syria."--Literary Hub"A searing indictment of the Syrian regime."--The National

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Book SynopsisThis is the second volume of Judith Shklar's work and brings together essays on a number of themes, including the place of the intellect in the modern political world and the dangers of identity politics.

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Book SynopsisIn this saga of brilliant triumphs and magnificent failures, David E. Hoffman, the former Moscow bureau chief for the Washington Post, sheds light on the hidden lives of Russia's most feared power brokers: the oligarchs. Focusing on six of these ruthless men, Alexander Smolensky, Yuri Luzhkov, Anatoly Chubais, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Boris Berezovsky, and Vladimir Gusinsky,Hoffman shows how a rapacious, unruly capitalism was born out of the ashes of Soviet communism.Trade Review"[Hoffman's] account is the most dramatic and comprehensive yet... What makes this account both devastating and entertaining is the way Hoffman has pieced it together... he has read far and wide, and operated like a probing private eye." (New York Times Book Review) "[Hoffman's] book may well be the most authoritative account we will ever get of the early days of the four true 'oligarchs'... He describes and analyzes so well the methods by which money and power were grabbed in the new Russia." (New York Review of Books) "One of the most vivid and well-researched accounts to date of this tumultuous period in recent Russian history." (Newsweek) "Hoffman makes the tale of the men's rise and fall a masterful blend of adventure and serious, informed analysis." (Foreign Affairs) "In his devastating portrait of the so-called Russian oligarchy...Hoffman's... account provides us with more than its share of instruction...Hoffman brilliantly shows how seemingly halting and insignificant acts finally culminated in changes in a whole society." (Washington Post)"

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Book SynopsisPulling back the curtain on patriarchy's current workings to reveal not only blatant sexism, but complicity and tokenism dressed up as modernisation.

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Book SynopsisAchille Mbembe is one of the world’s most profound critics of colonialism and its consequences. In Out of the Dark Night, he offers a rich analysis of the paradoxes of the postcolonial moment that points toward new liberatory models of community and humanity.Trade ReviewAn important, provocative, and powerful intervention into the politics and the production of knowledge after colonialism in France and about the French empire's former colonies after they became independent. -- Mamadou Diouf, Leitner Family Professor of African Studies, Columbia UniversityAchille Mbembe’s work awakens the written word, bursts the limits of language, calls prophetically, warms the flesh. The profane rubs up against the sacred, the incisive mind impels the reaching hand. Mbembe is a brilliant diagnostician, not only of postcolonial space and time but of the world of power and possession, enclosure and sovereignty. He writes from and of and for Africa, and he writes for a more African humanity. Every work of his offers tools to build a new world. -- Anne Norton, Henry and Stacey Jackson President’s Distinguished Professor of Political Science, University of PennsylvaniaAchille Mbembe declares that Frantz Fanon is one of the few who have tackled the philosophical significance of decolonization, not just as a considerable historic moment of transfer of power but above all as a movement of recreation of humanity and a sense of futurity. That was sixty years ago, at the dawn of African independences. We can declare as well today that with this examination of decolonization as the continuing process of coming out of the dark night and as the manifestation of a will to life, which he shows to be currently at work in the experimentations and innovations taking place on the continent, Mbembe has produced one of the very best works in the spirit of Fanon’s thought. -- Souleymane Bachir Diagne, author of Open to Reason: Muslim Philosophers in Conversation with the Western TraditionOut of the Dark Night offers a reading of the contemporary world quite unlike any other. Its erudition is breathtaking, its critical acuity singular. Scarcely anything of significance to our troubled age goes unmentioned; race, colonialism/decolonization/decoloniality, globalization, capitalism, democracy, knowledge, history, and much besides are theorized anew from an Afropolitan perspective, leavened by both Francophone and Anglophone critique. This is a foundational exercise in intellectual “disenclosure,” the shattering of old boundaries in pursuit of a visionary grasp of the history of the present. -- John Comaroff, Hugh K. Foster Professor of African and African American Studies and of Anthropology, Harvard UniversityTable of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction1. Planetary Entanglement2. Disenclosure3. Proximity Without Reciprocity4. The Long French Imperial Winter 5. The House Without Keys6. AfropolitanismEpilogue: The Politics of the Future WorldNotes

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Book SynopsisWith vision, hard-nosed judgment, and biting humor, Julius Nyerere confronted the challenges of nation building in modern Africa. Constructing Tanzania out of a controversial Cold War union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar, Nyerere emerged as one of independent Africa’s most influential leaders.Trade Review“Bjerk succeeds in debating the legacy of Nyerere through six short chapters. The book recognises the highs and lows of Nyerere’s illustrious political careers and balances this in a manner befitting a great African statesman … This book offers that opportunity to understand Tanzania’s political culture and history through the life and times of Mwalimu Nyerere.” * Africa at LSE *“A highly welcome and urgently needed addition to the historical literature on African politicians.…Due to its readability, brevity, and appealing portrayal of the complexities of politicking, the book is well suited for classroom use, but it is also of interest to those already familiar with Tanzanian history.…The book can be wholeheartedly recommended to students of political biographies, postcolonial politics, decolonization, and African contemporary history, and anybody interested in socialist thought and experiments across the globe.” * H-Net *“Bjerk’s embrace of contradiction and complexity allows him to address [an] amorphous question of legacy, and he draws deeply on the full range of existing scholarship about Tanzania.” * Global Africana Review *

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Book SynopsisCalls for an imaginative surge to fix our battered societies, fusing bold ideas and practical experiment. As the world confronts the fast catastrophe of Covid and the slow calamity of climate change, we also face a third, less visible emergency: a crisis of imagination. We can easily picture ecological disaster or futures dominated by technology. But we struggle to imagine a world in which people thrive and where we improve our democracy, welfare, neighbourhoods or education. Many are resigned to fatalism—yet they desperately want transformational social change. This book argues that, although the threats are real, we can use creative imagination to achieve a better future: visualising where we want to go and how to get there. Political and social thinker Geoff Mulgan offers lessons we can learn from the past, and methods we can use now to open up thinking about the future and spark action. Drawing on social sciences, the arts, philosophy and history, Mulgan shows how we can recharge our collective imagination. From Socrates to Star Wars, he provides a roadmap for the future.Trade Review'Mulgan has a sophisticated appreciation of the forces that create modern economic and social conditions…There is wisdom and insight in this book.' -- The Irish Times'A manifesto for creativity, and for thinking big.' -- New Statesman'[An] important contribution.' -- Financial Times'This book is the tonic the world needs, particularly the West. Read it!' -- Anne-Marie Slaughter, CEO, New America'We desperately need to renew our sense of what is possible, and imagine the future in ways that are simultaneously creative, open and practical. This wonderful, eclectic and deeply interesting book is crammed with ideas of just how we might do so. If you care about where we’re headed, you must read this.' -- Rebecca Henderson, Harvard Business School, author of Reimagining Capitalism in a World on Fire'A dizzying cornucopia of cases for imagination mattering more than rote learning and political orthodoxy. From deconstructing property rights and promoting universal basic income, to the sharing of intelligence by the state rather than its hoarding, this is an inspiring call for a more imaginative tomorrow.' -- Professor Danny Dorling, University of Oxford, author of 'Slowdown' and 'Peak Inequality''Geoff Mulgan reminds us that we can imagine and create change, not just fix what is broken. His book offers hope and the power of possibility.' -- Sonal Shah, former Director of Social Innovation & Civic Participation, Obama Administration, and Executive Director of the Beeck Center for Social Impact & Innovation, Georgetown University

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Book SynopsisPositive Vibrations tells of how reggae was shaped by, and in turn helped to shape, the politics of Jamaica and beyond, from the rudies of Kingston to the sexual politics and narcotic allegiances of the dancehall. Insightful and full of incident, it explores how the music of a tiny Caribbean island has worked its way into the heart of global pop. From Marcus Garvey's dreams of Zion, through ska and rocksteady, roots, riddims and dub, the story closes with the Reggae Revival, a new generation of Rastas as comfortable riding rhythms in a dancehall style as they are singing sweet melodies from times gone by. Impeccably informed, vibrant and heartfelt, Positive Vibrations is a passionate and exhaustive account of the politics in reggae, and the reggae in politics.

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Book SynopsisPopulism is an expression of anger; its appeal stems from being presented as the solution to disorder in our times. The vision of democracy, society, and the economy it offers is coherent and attractive. At a time when the words and slogans of the left have lost much of their power to inspire, Pierre Rosanvallon takes populism for what it is: the rising ideology of the twenty-first century. In The Populist Century he develops a rigorous theoretical account of populism, distinguishing five key features that make up populist political culture; he retraces its history in modern democracies from the mid-nineteenth century to the present; and he offers a well-reasoned critique of populism, outlining a robust democratic alternative. This wide-ranging and insightful account of the theory and practice of populism will be of great interest to students and scholars in politics and the social sciences and to anyone concerned with the key political questions of our time.Trade Review“This is not just a book about populism, important though that is, but contains vital reflections on the nature of democracy. Rosanvallon views democracy as a permanent exploration, to be developed through multiple procedures and institutions – the opposite of the way it is understood by populism, which dangerously sees democracy as the politicization of all institutions under the centralized control of a leader.”Colin Crouch, Emeritus Professor at the University of Warwick"Multi-faceted and challenging, The Populist Century is important reading for scholars of populism and democracy alike."Journal of Populism StudiesTable of ContentsIntroduction: Conceptualizing populismI. Anatomy1. A Conception of “The People”: The People as One Body2. A Theory of Democracy: Direct, Polarized, Immediate3. A Mode of Representation: A Leader Embodying the People4. A Politics and a Philosophy of Economics: National Protectionism5. A Regime of Passions and Emotions6. The Unity and Diversity of PopulismsII. History1. History of Populist Moments (I): Caesarism and Illiberal Democracy in France2. History of Populist Moments (II): The Years 1890-19143. History of Populist Moments (III): The Latin American Laboratory4. Conceptual History: Populism as a Democratic FormIII. Critique1. Introduction2. Polarized Democracy vs. Pluralized Democracy3. From an Imaginary People to a Constructable Democratic Society4. The Horizon of Democratorship: The Issue of IrreversibilityConclusion: The Spirit of an AlternativeAnnex: History of the word “populism”Works CitedNotesIndex

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Book SynopsisWhen John Bercow retired as Speaker of the House of Commons on 31 October 2019, he had become one of the most recognisable and iconoclastic figures in British politics, occupying a ringside seat during one of the most febrile periods in modern British history. In his no-holds-barred memoir, he offers verdicts on the leading figures of his era - from Tony Blair to David Cameron, Theresa May to Boris Johnson, and charts his extraordinary political journey. UNSPEAKABLE is essential reading for anyone interested in politics and how our democracy is - or should be - run.Trade Review[Bercow] has used this memoir to settle many old scores, but he [is] charming, attractively self-depracating and he addresses the head-on charges against him -- Chris Mullin * Prospect *

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Book Synopsis"It is really worth a read…" -- Former Vice President Joe Biden, interviewed on Pod Save AmericaNow in paperback with a new Foreword by Mark Cuban and a new Preface by the author, White Working Class explains why so much of the elite's analysis of the white working class is misguided, rooted in class cluelessness.Joan C. Williams, described as having "something approaching rock star status" by the New York Times, explains that many people have conflated "working class" with "poor"--but the working class is, in fact, the elusive, purportedly disappearing middle class. They often resent the poor and the professionals alike. But they don't resent the truly rich, nor are they particularly bothered by income inequality. Their dream is not to join the upper middle class, with its different culture, but to stay true to their own values in their own communities--just with more money. While white working-class motivations are often dismissed as racist or xenophobic, Williams shows that they have their own class consciousness.White Working Class is a blunt, bracing narrative that sketches a nuanced portrait of millions of people who have proven to be a potent political force. For anyone stunned by the rise of populist, nationalist movements, wondering why so many would seemingly vote against their own economic interests, or simply feeling like a stranger in their own country, White Working Class will be a convincing primer on how to connect with a crucial set of workers--and voters.

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Book SynopsisOn 7 July 2014, in an apparent response to the murder of three teenagers, Israel launched a major offensive against the Gaza Strip, lasting 51 days, killing 2145 Palestinians (578 of them children), injuring over 11,000, and demolishing 17,200 homes. The usual news machine rolled up, and the same distressing images and entrenched political rhetoric were broadcast, yet almost nothing was reported of the on-going lives of ordinary Gazans – the real victims of the war. One of the few voices to make it out was that of Atef Abu Saif, a writer and teacher from Jabalia Refugee Camp, whose eye-witness accounts (published in The Guardian, The New York Times, and elsewhere) offered a rare window into the conflict for Western readers. Here, Atef’s complete diaries of the war allow us to witness the full extent of last summer’s atrocities from the most humble of perspectives: that of a young father, fearing for his family’s safety, trying to stay sane in an insanely one-sided war.Trade Review‘Witnessed, lived, and recorded page by page. A searing account of living through the 2014 bombardment of Gaza. We who report it can never capture the true scale of individual and collective suffering. As a Gaza resident, Atef Abu Saif's diary provides an insight no outsider could ever have achieved.’ – Jon Snow; 'In this luminous account of Israel’s 2014 invasion of Gaza, Atef Abu Saif creates a literary equivalent to Goya’s Disasters of War. The Drone Eats with Me deserves to become a modern classic of war literature. But for all the surrealist absurdity of the horrors Abu Saif chronicles, the book pulses throughout with the sublime, mundane and ferocious love for life.' – Molly Crabapple, author of Drawing Blood; 'The Drone Eats with Me is a devastating contemporary war journal. This is what war is like in the 21st century – the voice of a civilian in the onslaught of drone warfare, a voice we have never heard before.' – Michael Ondaatje, author of The English Patient and Divisadero.

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Book Synopsis'It's fair to say that Peter Hitchens remains one of the most misrepresented figures in the British media... Hitchens is in reality one of the most thought-provoking and intelligent commentators on life in contemporary Britain' -- Neil Clark, Spectator From identification cards to how we protect our property, public debate rages over what our basic human rights are, and how they are to be protected.In this trenchant and provocative book Peter Hitchens sets out to show that popular views of these hotly contested issues - from crime and punishment to so-called 'soft drugs' - are based on mistaken beliefs, massaged figures and cheap slogans. His powerful and counter-intuitive conclusions make challenging reading for those on both the Left and the Right and are essential reading for all concerned with creating a lawful and peaceful society.The Abolition of Liberty argues that because of the misdemeanours of the few, the liberty of the many is seriously jeopardized.'The issues Hitchens is addressing are important and his willingness to challenge shibboleths is often illuminating ... he is rightly scathing about attempts to deal with crime by raising the conviction rate.' -- John Willman, Financial Times'It is a pleasure to read a lucid polemic by a man who is so obviously more interested in the welfare of the common man than in the approbation of his peers' Theodore Dalrymple, Sunday Telegraph'[This book] should not be ignored... there are several pressing challenges to liberals and the left in particular.' -- Jonathan Freedland, GuardianTrade ReviewHitchens is both wise and brave to call for a revival of morality and responsibility -- Joshua Rozenberg, Daily Telegraph'The issues Hitchens is addressing are important and his willingness to challenge shibboleths is often illuminating ... he is rightly scathing about attempts to deal with crime by raising the conviction rate.' -- John Willman, Financial Times'It is a pleasure to read a lucid polemic by a man who is so obviously more interested in the welfare of the common man than in the approbation of his peers' Theodore Dalrymple, Sunday Telegraph'[This book] should not be ignored... there are several pressing challenges to liberals and the left in particular. -- Jonathan Freedland, Guardian

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Book SynopsisOffers a history of the monarchy of Belgium, a country artificially created in 1817. This book argues that the pan-European super-state resembles a ''Greater-Belgium'' rather than a ''Greater-Switzerland''.

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Book Synopsis'Fascinating . . . the most incredible argument for why a female model of leadership might actually be the more powerful and sustainable one' Scarlett Curtis'A bold, rigorous and lyrical work which feels both timely and essential' Musa Okwonga, author of One of ThemWomen have been told to 'lean in' and act like men to get ahead. But as our systems crumble, isn't it time we had a different plan? While some at the top are telling us 'it is what it is' as we face financial collapse, a global pandemic, the devastation of our environment and the disintegration of democracies, a new generation of leaders are showing the world how to be better. They're building trust, investing wisely and actively decisively - and they've got one thing in common.In Strong Female Lead, Arwa Mahdawi investigates the qualities of female leaders who show us how it's done, drawing on original research and interviews with Madeleine Albright, Mary Robinson, Audrey Tang and many others and answering a vital question: what can women in power teach all of us about leadership?Trade ReviewA fascinating, important read and the most incredible argument for why a female model of leadership might actually be the more powerful and sustainable one. I'm giving each of my brothers a copy for Christmas. I'm OBSESSED * Scarlett Curtis *This is a bold, rigorous and lyrical work which feels both timely and essential. Please read it. Engage with it. Then pass it on. -- Musa OkwongaThis timely book explores the potential of women to transform the world * Woman's Own *As razor sharp as it is compelling -- Chimene Suleyman

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