Politics and government Books

Book SynopsisThe push for independence in African nations was ultimately an incomplete process, with the people often left to wrestle with a partial, imperfect legacy. Rather than settle for liberation in name alone, the people engaged in an ongoing struggle for meaningful freedom. Phyllis Taoua shows how the idea of freedom in Africa today evolved from this complex history. With a pan-African, interdisciplinary approach, she synthesizes the most significant issues into a clear, compelling narrative. Tracing the evolution of a conversation about freedom since the 1960s, she defines three types and shows how they are interdependent. Taoua investigates their importance in key areas of narrative interest: the intimate self, gender identity, the nation, global capital, and the spiritual realm. Allowing us to hear the voices of African artists and activists, this compelling study makes sense of their struggle and the broad importance of the idea of freedom in contemporary African culture.Trade Review'African Freedom: How Africa Responded to Independence is a refreshingly ambitious work of synthesis that revisits many canonical works of postcolonial African fiction and cinema to reframe them as creative explorations of the idea of freedom. It places these works in dialogue with the key political figures of anticolonial struggle and national liberation and argues that the creative voices on freedom both critique the limitations of the new political dispensation after independence and keep alive an aspirational yearning for 'meaningful' freedom that is more than just an ideal.' Eleni Coundouriotis, University of Connecticut'This is highly accomplished. A very expansive and stimulating exploration of an enduring theme. A true labor of love.' Tejumola Olaniyan, University of Wisconsin, Madison'… this is a fine work; it provides a comprehensive perceptive and engaging intervention into the multifaceted concept and realities of freedom that continue to materially affect Africa. We are forced to challenge our own understanding of freedom and, through pan-African cultural case studies, rethink how we perceive the continent.' Matt Graham, Times Higher Education'Describing the liberation of Africa as an 'incomplete process', Taoua looks at how freedom is conceived of by contemporary Africans. She identifies what she sees as three key types of freedom and discusses their importance for nations, global capital, gender identity and more.' Jessica Watson, Survival'… a powerful and important book that opens up new perspectives on the history of the struggle for freedom in Africa, and it deserves a wide readership.' Emma Hunter, H-DiploTable of ContentsIntroduction. The meaning of freedom in Africa; 1. The self: unfettering identity after independence; 2. Gender: women's engagement with freedom; 3. The nation: from liberation to meaningful freedom; 4. Global Africa: pillaging with less impunity in the era of neoliberal capital; 5. The spiritual realm: Okonkwo's unraveling and other responses; Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisIn every era of communications technology - whether print, radio, television, or Internet - some form of government censorship follows to regulate the medium and its messages. Today we are seeing the phenomenon of ''machine speech'' enhanced by the development of sophisticated artificial intelligence. Ronald K. L. Collins and David M. Skover argue that the First Amendment must provide defenses and justifications for covering and protecting robotic expression. It is irrelevant that a robot is not human and cannot have intentions; what matters is that a human experiences robotic speech as meaningful. This is the constitutional recognition of ''intentionless free speech'' at the interface of the robot and receiver. Robotica is the first book to develop the legal arguments for these purposes. Aimed at law and communication scholars, lawyers, and free speech activists, this work explores important new problems and solutions at the interface of law and technology.Trade Review'Collins and Skover have long been among the finest minds focused on free expression in America. In this remarkable book, they now turn insightfully to an incredibly complex and timely issue associated with 'robotic expression': how should the First Amendment handle contests involving regulation of 'robot speech' as artificial intelligence grows rapidly in prominence? This book conveys their deep knowledge - and the knowledge of other noted scholars - of the history, law, and technology that inform the way we should think about this emerging field of constitutional inquiry.' John Palfrey, Head of School at Phillips Academy, Massachusetts; former Executive Director of the Berkman Center for Internet and Society, Harvard University, Massachusetts; and author of Born Digital'Collins and Skover have produced a wonderfully readable, thorough, and insightful exploration of the intersection of technology and free speech theory, from the beginning of time well into the future. If any current scholarly work of free speech theory survives into the next century, it will undoubtedly be this book.' Martin Redish, Louis and Harriet Ancel Professor of Law and Public Policy, Northwestern University Law School, Illinois, and author of The Adversary First Amendment: Free Expression and the Foundations of American DemocracyTable of ContentsThe thesis; Ronald Collins and David Skover; Prologue: technology and communication; 1. The progress and perils of communication; 2. Robots and their receivers; 3. The new norm of utility; Epilogue: from Areopagitica to Robotica; The commentaries; Robotica in context: an introduction to the commentaries Ryan Calo; The age of sensorship Jane Bambauer; Speech in, speech out James Grimmelmann; An old libel lawyer confronts Robotica's brave new world Bruce E. H. Johnson; What's old is new again (and vice-versa) Helen Norton; Reply Ronald Collins and David Skover; Robotica refined.

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Book SynopsisA pioneering comparative study of the two major attempts to build secular states - where the state''s constitutional identity and fundamental character are not based on or derived from any religious faith - in the non-Western world. This book explains the origins, evolution and latterly the decline of secularism as a core principle of the state in India and Turkey. The anti-secular political transformations of the twenty-first century are the rise of a Sunni-Islamist definition of Turkish national identity to hegemonic power, and Hindu nationalism as India''s pre-eminent political force. Both secular-state models adopted a similar operational doctrine of state intervention in and regulation of the religious sphere, rather than a Western-style separation of church and state. But, Turkish state-secularism took a culturally deracinated and harshly authoritarian form that led to its failure, whereas India''s secular state - though flawed in practice - followed a culturally rooted and democTrade Review'The book shows why secular politics consistently fails to deliver on its promises.' Nick Spencer, The TabletTable of ContentsPreface; 1. The discontents of secularism; 2. Paths to the secular state; 3. Paradoxes of the secular state; 4. India: the anti-secularist ascendancy; 5. Turkey: the anti-secularist triumph; 6. Secular and anti-secular authoritarianisms: i. The case of Kemalism ii. The case of Hindu-nationalism; 7. The futures of secularism; Bibliography; Index.

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Book SynopsisHumanity is confronted by and attracted to extremes. Extreme events shape our thinking, feeling, and actions; they echo in our politics, media, literature, and science. We often associate extremes with crises, disasters, and risks to be averted, yet extremes also have the potential to lead us towards new horizons. Featuring essays by leading intellectuals and public figures arising from the 2017 Darwin College Lectures, this volume explores ''extreme'' events, from the election of President Trump, the rise of populism, and the Brexit referendum, to the 2008 financial crisis, the Syrian war, and climate change. It also celebrates ''extreme'' achievements in the realms of health, exploration, and scientific discovery. A fascinating, engaging, and timely collection of essays by renowned scholars, journalists, and intellectuals, this volume challenges our understanding of what is normal and what is truly extreme, and sheds light on some of the issues facing humanity in the twenty-first cenTable of ContentsNotes on contributors; Acknowledgements; On the notion of 'extremes' Julius F. W. Weitzdörfer; 1. Dealing with extremism David Runciman; 2. Extreme weather Emily Shuckburgh; 3. Probability, risk, and extremes Nassim Nicholas Taleb; 4. Extreme rowing Roz Savage; 5. Extremes of war: stories of survival from Syria Lyse Doucet; 6. Extreme politics: the four waves of national populism in the West Matthew Goodwin; 7. Extreme longevity Sarah Harper; 8. Extremes of power in the universe Andrew C. Fabian; Index.

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Book SynopsisExploring Bahrain''s modern history through the lens of repression, this concise and accessible account work spans the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, looking at all forms of political repression from legal, statecraft, police brutality and informational controls. Considering several episodes of contention in Bahrain, from tribal resistance to the British reforms of the 1920s, the rise of the Higher Executive Committee in the 1950s, the leftist agitation of the 1970s, the 1990s Intifada and the 2011 Uprising, Marc Owen Jones offers never before seen insights into the British role in Bahrain, as well as the activities of the Al Khalifa Ruling Family. From the plundering of Bahrain''s resources, to new information about the torture and murder of Bahrain civilians, this study reveals new facts about Bahrain''s troubled political history. Using freedom of information requests, historical documents, interviews, and data from social media, this is a rich and original interdisciplinary Trade Review'A meticulously researched and troubling historical account of political violence in the small island of Bahrain. Jones captures the many dark sides of state repression, inflicted on individuals, activists and communities. A rich study of how policing citizens, spreading fear, and extracting consent operate in a context where there is no accountability and justice. A must-read.' Madawi Al-Rasheed, London School of Economics'Little understood, often ignored, and with unwavering support from Western powers, Bahrain is home to one of the most oppressive regimes in the world. Jones' fascinating and troubling study is a must-read for those concerned about violence, human rights, and the obstacles to justice in the oil-rich Persian Gulf.' Toby C. Jones, Rutgers University'A must-read for those interested in understanding the resilience of colonial legacies in the Arabian Gulf. This is a well-documented analysis of dynamic relationship between various forms of repression and resistance. Jones skillfully positions his narrative of Bahrain's modern history within academic accounts of subordination and domination.' Abdulhadi Khalaf, Lund University'Original, thoroughly researched, theoretically framed and utterly compelling, this is the only systematic scholarly examination of the nature, tools and uses of repression as a key feature of Bahrain's politics over the past century. A key point of reference for further work on Bahrain, on the politics of the Gulf states more generally, and for the comparative study of repression and autocratic rule.' Gerd Nonneman, Georgetown University'Marc Owen Jones breaks new ground in this fascinating study of how the nature and pattern of political repression in Bahrain has evolved over time and in response to changes in circumstance. The result is a book that adds greatly to our understanding of the survival strategies of authoritarian regimes.' Kristian Ulrichsen, Rice UniversityTable of ContentsIntroduction: Political Repression in Bahrain in the Twentieth and Twenty-First Century; 1. Defining Political Repression; 2. The Repression Playbook; 3. Political Statecraft: Between Democratisation, Discord and Division; 4. Torture, Arrests, and other Personal Integrity Violations; 5. Repressive Law and Legal Repression; 6. Information Controls: From Surveillance to Social Media and Fake News; Conclusion: Between Retrograde Repression and Repression 3.0.

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Book SynopsisWhy has secularism faced such challenges in the Middle East and in Lebanon in particular? In light of dominating headlines about the spread of sectarianism and the so-called death of Arab secularism, Mark Farha addresses the need for a thorough examination of the history of secular thought and practice in the region. By offering a comprehensive, systematic account of the underlying ideological, socio-economic, and political factors involved, Farha provides a new understanding of the historical roots of secularism as well as the potential causes for the continued resistance a fully deconfessionalized state faces both in Lebanon and in the region at large. Drawing on a vast corpus of primary and secondary sources to examine the varying political parties and ideologies involved, this book provides a fresh approach to the study of religion and politics in the Arab world and beyond.Trade Review'The book combines a unique analysis of secularism and sectarianism as political phenomena and breaks new ground in the study of Lebanese history and politics.' P. Rowe, ChoiceTable of ContentsForeword: why Lebanon? Why secularism?; Introduction and conceptual framework; 1. Definitions and genealogies of secularism; 2. Prototypes of secularism in Lebanon; 3. Waystations of the Lebanese Republic; 4. Socio-economic globalization and secularism 1990–2005; Conclusion: secularism and Lebanon in the eye of the sectarian storm.

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Book SynopsisA pioneering comparative study of the two major attempts to build secular states - where the state''s constitutional identity and fundamental character are not based on or derived from any religious faith - in the non-Western world. This book explains the origins, evolution and latterly the decline of secularism as a core principle of the state in India and Turkey. The anti-secular political transformations of the twenty-first century are the rise of a Sunni-Islamist definition of Turkish national identity to hegemonic power, and Hindu nationalism as India''s pre-eminent political force. Both secular-state models adopted a similar operational doctrine of state intervention in and regulation of the religious sphere, rather than a Western-style separation of church and state. But, Turkish state-secularism took a culturally deracinated and harshly authoritarian form that led to its failure, whereas India''s secular state - though flawed in practice - followed a culturally rooted and democTrade Review'The book shows why secular politics consistently fails to deliver on its promises.' Nick Spencer, The TabletTable of ContentsPreface; 1. The discontents of secularism; 2. Paths to the secular state; 3. Paradoxes of the secular state; 4. India: the anti-secularist ascendancy; 5. Turkey: the anti-secularist triumph; 6. Secular and anti-secular authoritarianisms: i. The case of Kemalism ii. The case of Hindu-nationalism; 7. The futures of secularism; Bibliography; Index.

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Book SynopsisAn illustrious African liberation fighter in the 1970s and, until his suspicious death in 2011, an important figure in Robert Mugabe''s ruling ZANU PF party in Zimbabwe, this first full-length biography of General Solomon Mujuru or Rex Nhongo throws much needed light onto the opaque elite politics of the 1970s liberation struggle, post-independence army and ZANU PF. Based on the unparalleled primary interviews with informants in the army, intelligence services, police and ZANU PF elites, Blessing-Miles Tendi examines Mujuru''s moments of triumph and his shortcomings in equal measure. From his undistinguished youth and poor upbringing in colonial Rhodesia''s Chikomba region, his rapid rise to power, and role as the first black commander of independent Zimbabwe''s national army, this is an essential record of one of the most controversial figures within the history of African liberation politics.Trade Review'This is the book everyone interested in Zimbabwean political history has been waiting for. Its biographical lens provides unique new insight into the ruling party and military. Moving from Mugabe's rise to power in Mozambique, through the ceasefire, army integration and persecution of ZIPRA cadres in the early 1980s, to the bitter succession struggle of the 2000s, it reveals the workings of the deep state against Mugabe's adversaries.' JoAnn McGregor, University of Sussex'Tendi's General Solomon Mujuru is an energetic, believable, Zimbabwean freedom fighter, post-independence politician, and eventual antagonist of President Robert Mugabe's despotism. Tendi's enthralling biography encapsulates the entire modern political evolution of a desperate country where even heroes are in the end destroyed by their fearful rivals.' Robert I. Rotberg, Harvard University'In telling Mujuru's story, Tendi delivers a ground-breaking contribution to our understanding of Zimbabwean politics, but also sets a benchmark for the utility of biography in writing African politics.' Sara Rich Dorman, University of Edinburgh'This erudite, well-argued and elegantly presented book confirms Tendi's position as one of the leading scholars in contemporary Zimbabwean and indeed Southern African historical and political studies. What is offered here is an academic masterpiece on the opaque life and legacy of General Solomon Mujuru, drawing from a meticulous combination of biography and oral history as both method and source.' Sabelo J. Ndlovu-Gatsheni, University of South Africa'Tendi's biography of Rex Nhongo/Solomon Mujuru is a tour de force … Tendi's careful attention to detail is matched by his deft hand at synthesizing and interpreting his material … Tendi has set a high standard for others seeking to write history through biography, but his success will surely inspire more to follow his example.' Sara Rich Dorman, Journal of Interdisciplinary History'... this book is a major achievement. Tendi's study will be of great interest to scholars and students of Zimbabwean politics, security studies, civil-military relations, post-civil war military integration and the liberation wars of Southern Africa more generally.' Matthew J. Lord, Civil WarsTable of Contents1. Preamble; 2. Fireborn I; 3. Ghost of Chitepo; 4. Kingmaker; 5. The longest time; 6. 'We are free … we are here'; 7. 'A big small man'; 8. Gods of violence; 9. Fortune, love and politics; 10. Fireborn II.

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Book SynopsisUnderstanding events and key actors in Iran has been pivotal to understanding global history and politics, and this is ever-more evident now. With this introduction to Iranian history since 1800, Yann Richard offers a comprehensive and powerful narrative of the challenges encountered by Iranians in modern times.Trade Review'The book is well written, covers the main events in modern Iranian history up to the present, and will be an important source for scholars and others interested in understanding modern Iran.' G. M. Farr, Choice'[Richard's] passion for the country shines through the chapters of this work. The views expressed are quite trenchant in tone. Within the confines of 300-odd pages, the book is able to provide a broad-sweep explanation of all the major watershed events …' The Commonwealth Lawyer JournalTable of ContentsPreface; 1. Iran under the Qajars; 2. Three Shahs, three wars, three reformers (1797–1896); 3. From revolts to the revolution (1880–1906); 4. The Constitutional Revolution: from illusion to reality (1905–08); 5. The nationalists' bitter victory (1908–12); 6. Iran in the Great War; 7. The end of the Qajars; 8. Rezā Khān to Rezā Shāh: defender of the nation; 9. From Persia to Iran: foreign relations; 10. The democratic awakening (1941–53); 11. The last reign of an immortal kingdom, Mohammad-Rezā Shāh; 12. An Islamic Republic in Iran; Conclusion lies and truth; Chronology; Bibliography; Index.

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Book SynopsisDiscrimination against Muslim Americans has soared over the last two decades with hostility growing especially acute since 2016 - in no small part due to targeted attacks by policymakers and media. Outsiders at Home offers the first systematic, empirically driven examination of status of Muslim Americans in US democracy, evaluating the topic from a variety of perspectives. To what extent do Muslim Americans face discrimination by legislators, the media, and the general public? What trends do we see over time, and how have conditions shifted? What, if anything, can be done to reverse course? How do Muslim Americans view their position, and what are the psychic and sociopolitical tolls? Answering each of these questions, Nazita Lajevardi shows that the rampant, mostly negative discussion of Muslims in media and national discourse has yielded devastating political and social consequences.Trade Review'Outsiders at Home is a deep and expansive investigation into the nature of US Islamophobia. At the heart of this book is a wide-ranging, rigorous analysis of an incredible variety of sources that help us to understand public attitudes toward Muslims. At the same time, Lajevardi's book, including her attention to the perceptions of Muslims related to discrimination and hostility, is a poignant reflection on the nature of belonging in the United States.' Janelle Wong, University of Maryland'An outstanding and comprehensive treatment of the discrimination and racialization of Muslim Americans today. Lajevardi illustrates with sophisticated empirical data and methodologies the ways in which Muslim Americans are discriminated against by society, elected officials and the media. She also demonstrates the consequences of this racialization and discrimination on Muslim Americans. It's a must read!' Amaney A. Jamal, Edwards S. Sanford Professor of Politics, Princeton University'This urgent book constitutes a powerful, landmark study of the status of Muslims within the American political system. Innovative theory and remarkable empirical data underpin Lajevardi's exploration of widespread discrimination and exclusion in the United States.' Dalia Mogahed, co-author of Who Speaks for Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think'A must-read for anyone interested in the lives of Muslim Americans and the importance of belonging, inclusion and human rights.' Ms Magazine'… this text will inform audiences beyond political science, including those interested in patterns of racialization, political engagement, and efforts to undo structural inequality.' J. deGuzman, ChoiceTable of Contents1. A climate of Muslim American hostility; 2. Theoretical framework: the sociopolitical positioning of Muslim Americans; 3. Introducing the 'Muslim American resentment' scale; 4. Muslim American prospects for political incorporation; 5. The news media's portrayals of Muslim Americans; 6. Improving mass attitudes: the media's role in shaping group attitudes and policy preferences; 7. Muslim American representation: outsiders in their own country?; 8. The flipside: Muslim American experiences of discrimination; 9. Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisAssuming a central place in Muslim life, the Qur''an speaks of one community of the faith, the umma. This unity of the faithful is recognised as the default aspiration of the believer, and in the modern era, intellectuals and political leaders have often vied both to define, and to lead it. Based on case studies of actors such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, and ISIS, James Piscatori and Amin Saikal consider how some appeals to pan-Islam prove useful, yet other attempts at cross-border institutionalisation including the Sunni Caliphate or the modern Shi''i-inspired Islamic Revolution, founder on political self-interest and sectarian affiliations. Accompanied by a range of scriptural references to examine different interpretations of the umma, Piscatori and Saikal explore why, despite it meaning such widely different things, and its failure to be realised as a concrete project, neither the umma''s popular symbolic appeal nor its influence on a politics of identity has diminished.Trade Review'… this is a very timely, informative, and insightful book.' A. T. Kuru, Choice'Piscatori and Saikal fill a lacuna among existing publications in their book's blending of political theory with a novel analysis of political practices among contemporary Muslims … This book should be the default text for fellow practitioners and anyone who wishes to understand the rapidly changing pace of events in Islam and politics today.' Ravza Altuntaş-Çakır, Insight TurkeyTable of Contents1. Introduction; 2. Sunni constructions of the Umma; 3. Shi'a Islam and the Umma; 4. Saudi 'guardianship' of the Umma; 5. ISIS's conception of the Umma; 6. Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisIndia's State-run Media presents a new perspective on broadcasting by bringing together two neglected areas of research in media studies in India - the intertwined genealogies of sovereignty, public, religion, and nation in radio and television, and the spatiotemporal dynamics of broadcasting into a single analytic inquiry. It argues that the spatiotemporalities of broadcasting and the inter-relationships among the public, religion, and nation can be traced to an organizing concept that shaped India's late colonial and postcolonial histories - sovereignty. The book contends that studies of television have glossed over the meanings, experiences, and practices of the religious in televisual narratives and viewers' interpretations of television programs. Drawing on the philosophical writings of Paul Ricoeur and Michel Foucault, connecting their ideas with media, cultural, and religious studies, it examines cultural discourses, power relations, repertoire of meanings, social events, etc. iTrade Review'This ambitious and wide-ranging book uses the form and force of state-run media (radio and television as well as music broadcasts) in India, to stage a broader argument about critical and postcolonial media studies, drawing on Foucault and Ricoeur. It will be of great interest to media scholars, postcolonial theorists and South Asia experts.' Arjun Appadurai, New York UniversityTable of ContentsList of figures and tables; Acknowledgements; Introduction; 1. Broadcasting, spatiotemporalities, and power; 2. Doordarshan, literary drama, and narrative identity; 3. Televisual representations of socio-spatial conflicts, and the religious-secular imaginaries; 4. Patriotism and its avatars: tracking the national-global dialectic in music videos and television commercials; 5. Remembering Doordarshan: figurations of memories and nostalgia on Blogs, YouTube, and in oral interviews; Epilogue; Bibliography; Index.

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Book SynopsisSituating Britain's new towns programme of urban development within a global context, Thatcher's Progress revises our understanding of the welfare state. Guy Ortolano reveals a dynamic social democracy during its decade of crisis, while also showing how public sector actors begrudgingly accommodated the alternative politics of market liberalism.Trade Review'[S]mart, forensic, geographically situated … Ortolano shows us how the government policies of the 1980s - never repudiated - prefigured the terrible housing crisis in Britain today.' Susan Pedersen, London Review of Books'Ortolano's brilliant book allows us not only to grasp that cultural world, but more generally to appreciate how the construction of Milton Keynes illustrates fundamental changes in British society.' Martin Daunton, The Journal of Modern History'Ortolano not only gives us a strikingly rich account of a key state investment, but also contributes to a wider discussion about how we frame post-war British history … This book is a key text within the 'New Urban Political History'.' Tom Kelsey, English Historical Review'[A] wide-ranging, elegantly written, deeply serious, forcefully argued book, with an impressive command of multiple historiographies … It should become a model for writing histories that provide inventive answers to intellectually ambitious questions …' Otto Saumarez Smith, Reviews in History'… Ortolano situates a seemingly provincial moment of British planning in a distinctly global context … In Thatcher's Progress, Ortolano has produced one of the stand-out studies of urban history in the last few years. This is precise, stimulating material that showcases the characteristic thoughtfulness and precision of the author's work … This book deserves to be read widely and will likely find a market beyond the academy …' James Greenhalgh, Urban History'… by revealing the real and potential dynamism of social-democratic politics, architecture, and ideology in one community, [Ortolano] suggests and provides a way for scholars to rethink the features and fortunes of other political orders, such as New Deal liberalism, at every scale.' Daniel Wortel-London, Journal of Urban History'… Thatcher's Progress will be essential reading for a diverse range of scholars - from those interested in the history of urban space, architecture, and housing to those concerned with questions of identity, transnational intellectual politics, or the legacies of empire - and its approach will encourage every historian of postwar Britain to reconsider linear narratives which flatten social democracy's vibrant history.' David Civil, Journal of British Studies'Rectifying decades of denigration, Thatcher's Progress is a story of unintended consequences, unrealised futures, and historical change from the perspective of history's losers, charting the complex relationship between the two rival ideological formations that dominated the latter half of the twentieth century.' Freddie Meade, Contemporary British History'… Ortolano's new book is an insightful approach for those interested not only in British and urban history, but also in terms of revealing the dynamic and shifting nature of ideologies from a historical perspective.' Iker Itoiz Ciáurriz, Journal of Contemporary History'Modern British political history is coming to be written through urban history. With great deftness, and a nice sense of irony, Guy Ortolano tracks the transition from social democracy to neo-liberalism through the history of Milton Keynes. The result is a significant new study of the continuities as well as the changes in 'Thatcherism'.' Simon Gunn, University of Leicester'A fascinating account of the spatial politics of the British new towns program. Ortolano's lively history of Milton Keynes illuminates the rise and fall of British social democracy and the legacy of postwar urban planning. Thatcher's Progress is a masterly portrait of an iconic urban place. Elegantly written and a trailblazing interpretive frame makes this an instant classic in urban history.' Rosemary Wakeman, author of Practicing Utopia: An Intellectual History of the New Town Movement'… [An] important and highly erudite book. [It] makes an original and largely persuasive case, one less about Milton Keynes alone than about how later twentieth-century British and intellectual history is too one-dimensionally periodized, as is the enduring vitality of progressive ideas.' Jeremy Nuttall, American Historical ReviewTable of ContentsList of maps; List of illustrations; Acknowledgments; Introduction; 1. Horizons; 2. Planning; 3. Architecture; 4. Community; 5. Consulting; 6. Housing; Conclusion; Select bibliography; Index.

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Book SynopsisOur understanding of civil war is shot through with the spectre of quagmire, a situation that traps belligerents, compounding and entrenching war''s dangers. Despite the subject''s importance, its causes are obscure. A pervasive ''folk'' notion that quagmire is intrinsic to certain countries or wars has foreclosed inquiry, and scholarship has failed to identify quagmire as an object of study in its own right. Schulhofer-Wohl provides the first treatment of quagmire in civil war. In a rigorous but accessible analysis, he explains how quagmire can emerge from domestic-international interactions and strategic choices. To support the argument, Schulhofer-Wohl draws upon field research on Lebanon''s sixteen-year civil war, structured comparisons with civil wars in Chad and Yemen, and rigorous statistical analyses of all civil wars worldwide fought between 1944 and 2006. The results make clear that the ''folk'' notion misdiagnoses quagmire and demand that we revisit policies that rest upon it. Schulhofer-Wohl demonstrates that quagmire is made, not found.Trade Review'This brilliant and erudite book, the outcome of assiduous and painstaking research, pulls together the premises underlying the heuristic metaphor of Quagmire. It is a master stroke. Destined, in my view, to become a landmark, a tour de force, even a classic for the analysis of civil wars in their diverse origins and manifestations. Like other classics, Professor Schulhofer-Wohl offers an enlightened theoretical paradigm, grounded empirical fieldwork, sustained by compelling prose. Equally appealing, he adopts a multilayered approach that draws on both internationally and domestically-centered perspectives to analyze the strategic interactions between foreign states and internal warring parties. In short, to understand how belligerents become entrapped in civil wars.' Samir Khalaf, Emeritus Professor of Sociology, American University of Beirut'It is sometimes said that powers 'find' themselves bogged down in quagmires. In this lucidly written work, Jonah Schulhofer-Wohl argues that 'quagmires are made, not found.' Schulhofer-Wohl shows just how foreign backers and belligerents make quagmires through the interaction of their strategic choices. Quagmire in Civil War is not only a significant contribution to our understanding of why some civil wars become prolonged, but also an important work adding to our comprehension of the preferences and interlocking strategic choices of external and domestic actors in civil war in general.' Roger Petersen, Arthur and Ruth Sloan Professor of Political Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology'Professor Schulhofer-Wohl penetrates deeply into the question of why some - but not all - civil wars entrap governments, rebels, and foreign backers. Quagmire's analysis sheds light on Syria's civil war after 2011. It explains why both pro-government and rebel forces often fell back to non-territorial warfare between 2014 and 2016 and why the balance shifted in favor of Asad when Russia especially escalated to back the Syrian government's move for costly territorial control and rebel backers declined to match the escalation. Aspiring policymakers need to go beyond simplistic descriptions of the evolution of civil wars to consider Schulhofer-Wohl's analysis about how decisions by different actors can together produce outcomes not originally foreseen or intended by any side in a civil war.' Robert S. Ford, US Ambassador to Syria, 2011–2014'In this magisterial book, Schulhofer-Wohl takes on a big question: Why do some civil wars become 'quagmires' while others do not? His innovative answer points to the strategic structure of a conflict and associated decision-making problems for the warring parties and their potential foreign backers. Moving research on civil wars in new directions, he brings conceptual rigor to the notion of a civil war quagmire and highlights key mechanisms leading to their emergence. His rigorous empirical approach, which combines hypotheses derived from a formal model, original fieldwork in Lebanon, cross-national statistical tests, and comparative historical research on Chad and Yemen, inspires confidence in his arguments.' Melani Cammett, Clarence Dillon Professor of International Affairs, Harvard University'While many scholars have viewed the Lebanese Civil War as a key case study in comparative research on armed conflict, it was never quite written. Jonah Schulhofer-Wohl has finally done that job, and no one could have done it better. Quagmire in Civil War at once provides theoretical sophistication, in-depth empirical analysis, and policy relevance. It is one of the best studies on Lebanon and the Middle East I have seen in a very long time; a strong rebuke to anyone still claiming that Middle East studies fails to contribute to political science and the comparative study of war and peace.' Reinoud Leenders, Reader at the Department of War Studies, King's College London, and author of Spoils of Truce: Corruption and State-Building in Postwar Lebanon'How do warring parties get trapped in interminable civil wars, unable either to win or withdraw? In this important new book, Jonah Schulhofer-Wohl explains why quagmire is the tragic consequence of particular strategic interactions between contending factions and their foreign backers, and not the result of domestic constraints, strategic myopia, or other decision-making pathologies. Theoretically rigorous and empirically rich, Quagmire in Civil War is an exemplary work of policy-relevant social science.' Stephen M. Walt, Robert and Renée Belfer Professor of International Affairs, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University'Quagmire in Civil War offers not only a fascinating read on a highly relevant topic, but provides a model for how statistics, game theory, history, and political science can present a challenging topic.' Jerry Lenaburg, New York Journal of Books'Quagmire in Civil War is a masterpiece of conflict studies, combining a variety of research methods to explain a confusing phenomenon which tends to compound war's dangers and bog down superpowers in foreign theaters.' Giuseppe Spatafora, Journal of Peace Research'This is an excellent and important academic book that will interest Middle East scholars, political scientists, and political economists.' Laia Balcells, The Middle East Journal'… the book provides a rigorous understanding of the mechanisms of foreign-domestic entanglement in civil wars. The quantitative comparative analysis of 140 civil wars that follows the in-depth study of the Lebanese case convincingly points to the wide applicability of the theory. From this perspective, the book is a vital reference for scholars of civil wars and internationalisation of local conflicts, setting the stage for a new research agenda for the study of quagmire, its causes, duration, effects and implications for local belligerents, foreign powers and most crucially the civilian populations that are always at the receiving end of the nightmares of quagmires.' Marina Calculli, The International SpectatorTable of Contents1. Introduction; 2. A theory of quagmire; 3. The Lebanese civil war, 1975–1990: issues, actors, turning points, explanations; 4. Mechanisms of quagmire in Lebanon; 5. Civil wars worldwide, 1944–2006; 6. Comparative evidence from Chad and Yemen; 7. A field guide to quagmire.

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Book SynopsisStarting as a civil uprising calling for liberal reforms in March 2011, the unrest in Syria rapidly deteriorated into a proxy-led armed conflict involving multiple state-sponsored and non-state actors, including foreign militias and local armed groups. The current state of affairs in Syria, and the uncertainty regarding its future, raise numerous questions for scholars and practitioners of both international law and politics about justice within the context of a changing political reality in Syria. This book contributes uniquely to the scholarship on the Syrian war, raising voices from the Middle East and beyond not often heard within this research context. The volume is divided into three sections: Part I sets the factual and legal framework for the Syrian conflict; Part II focuses on the implications of the conflict for the Syrian neighbourhood; and Part III analyses possible post-conflict scenarios. Together, they address the key themes and questions of the conflicts.Table of Contents1. Introduction: an overview of stakeholders and interests Hilly Moodrick, Even Khen, Nir Boms and Sareta Ashraph; Part I. The Syrian War: Factual and Legal Framework: 2. Syria- international use of force and humanitarian intervention Amichai Cohen; 3. Legal classification of the conflict(s) in Syria Tom Gal; 4. The Syrian government's war against its people Eyal Zisser; 5. All the red lines: the Syrian conflict and its assault on international humanitarian law Sareta Ashraph; 6. Scorched earth in Syria: between crimes against humanity and genocide Hilly Moodrick, Even Khen and Yael Siman; 7. Weaponising gender: sexual violence in the Syrian conflict Lina Biscaia; Part II. The Syrian Neighbourhood: 8. Proxy wars in Syria: exploitation of the Palestinian issue in the Syrian crisis Moran Levanoni; 9. A northern dilemma: understanding Israel's actions facing the Syrian War Nir Boms; 10. The spillover effects of the Syrian Civil War: regional ramifications Joel D. Parker; 11. Syrian refugees in Europe: assessing challenges, practices and integration policies Francesco Farinelli; Part III. A New Syria in a New World Order? Assessing Legal and Political Implications: 12. Transitional justice without transition: the international community's efforts in Syria Beth Van Schaack; 13. Syrian Kurds: rising from the ashes of persecution Sirwan Kajjo; 14. Epilogue: the future of Syria and the Middle East Kamal Allabwani; 15. Conclusion Hilly Moodrick-Even Khen, Nir Boms and Sareta Ashraph.

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Book SynopsisBy analysing Anglosphere foreign policy debates during the Syrian Civil War from 2011 to 2019, this book is a significant contribution to the literature in three fields. First, the book analyses the entirety of the Syrian Civil War in an innovative four-phase chronology, as the conflict evolved from calls for democracy, through chemical weapons concerns, to the rise of ISIL and the onset of Great Power proxy war. Second, the book maps and theorises Anglosphere foreign policy, charting the history and future of the US-UK-Australian military alliance during a key period of political uncertainty, defined by Donald Trump''s presidency and the UK''s Brexit negotiations. Third, the book develops a post-constructivist framework for the analysis of transnational political debates which determine war and peace in Syria and beyond. This framework emphasises the hard nature of soft power and the coercion of political opponents through forceful words.Trade Review'This meticulous exploration of the construction and selling of the Syrian crisis will be urgent reading for analysts and students of international security. The confidence with which Holland charts the rise and fall of discourses on democracy promotion, chemical weapons prohibition, ISIL, and proxy war offers enviable evidence of an author in complete command of his archive. His attention to the role of the Anglosphere, moreover, poses a provocative and significant theoretical challenge to familiar state-centric models of world politics. Holland's analysis – from the tragic, haunting, opening pages onwards - will stay with his readers for a very long term: deservedly so.' Lee Jarvis, University of East Anglia'In this topical and important book, Holland provides us with compelling insights into both the acutely complex nature of the war in Syria and the decision-making – and selling – of foreign policy among the Anglosphere states of the USA, UK and Australia. Drawing on a sophisticated conceptual framework he points to the construction of the war in Syrian between and within these states, in the process illuminating the key contours of foreign policy discourse in the Anglosphere.' Matt McDonald, University of Queensland'This book develops an alternative way of understanding the outcome of the Syrian Civil War as a contest of ideas within 'the old Anglosphere coalition' of Australia, the UK and the US. In doing so, it gives substance to the view that we need to break with the habit of analyzing foreign policy discourse exclusively in national terms. Readers are bound to be provoked by its analytical themes and conclusions.' Srdjan Vucetic, University of Ottawa, and the author of The Anglosphere: A Genealogy'If you want to make sense of the West's seemingly heartless and erratic response to the horrors of the Syrian civil war, look no further than this book. The author provides a theoretically sophisticated, empirically meticulous, clear and incisive analysis of this most distressing of contemporary conflicts, and the role of the Anglosphere Coalition in the perpetuation of insecurity in the Middle East. In fact, if you want to understand war and peace in the world today, start here. A brilliant piece of IR scholarship, and a major contribution to critical constructivism.' Richard Jackson, University of OtagoTable of ContentsIntroduction; 1. The Syrian civil war; 2. The Anglosphere; 3. Selling war and peace; 4. Democracy and human rights; 5. Chemical weapons; 6. Islamic State; 7. Proxy war; Conclusion; References; Index.

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Book SynopsisAmong our greatest leaders are those driven by impulses they cannot completely control - by lust. Lust is not, however, an abstraction, it has definition. Definition that, given the impact of leaders who lust, is essential to extract. This book identifies six types of lust with which leaders are linked: 1. Power: the ceaseless craving to control. 2. Money: the limitless desire to accrue great wealth. 3. Sex: the constant hunt for sexual gratification. 4. Success: the unstoppable need to achieve. 5. Legitimacy: the tireless claim to identity and equity. 6. Legacy: the endless quest to leave a permanent imprint. Each of the core chapters focuses on different lusts and features a cast of characters who bring lust to life. In the real world leaders who lust can and often do have an enduring impact. This book therefore is counterintuitive - it focuses not on moderation, but on immoderation.Trade Review'In this path-breaking book, one of the most perceptive and prolific scholars in leadership, Barbara Kellerman, teams up with one of the most talented and promising social scientists, Todd Pittinsky, to pierce an important veil. Instead of telling us what leaders should be like, we learn how they truly are. This is an eye-opening must read.' David Gergen, White House Adviser to four US Presidents and founding Director of the Center for Public Leadership, Harvard Kennedy School'This book paints an unforgettable picture of leaders with outsized appetites for power, money, sex, success, legitimacy, or legacy. Instead of treating leaders as one-dimensional paragons of either virtue or vice, the authors show them as human beings with strengths and weaknesses. The result is fascinating, beautifully written, and highly entertaining.' Dennis Tourish, Professor of Leadership and Organization Studies, University of Sussex, UK, and editor of Leadership'Leaders Who Lust is a great read. It offers a compelling contribution to our critical conversations about those who shape the course of human affairs. The authors achieve something entirely new and different.' Margaret Shih, Professor of Management and Organizations, UCLA Anderson School of Management'Is a never-ending desire for gratification a neglected leadership trait? Is lust a critical factor in explaining exceptional leadership? Making this provocative argument through a series of gripping biographical sketches, this book offers a host of refreshingly iconoclastic and original insights for scholars and practitioners alike.' Christopher Pietroni, Professor of Leadership Practice, University of BirminghamTable of ContentsPrologue: Lust as Stimulus; 1. Lust for power; 2. Lust for money; 3. Lust for sex; 4. Lust for success; 5. Lust for legitimacy; 6. Lust for legacy; Epilogue: Lust and leadership.

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Book SynopsisIndonesia is the world''s third largest democracy and its courts are an important part of its democratic system of governance. Since the transition from authoritarian rule in 1998, a range of new specialised courts have been established from the Commercial Courts to the Constitutional Court and the Fisheries Court. In addition, constitutional and legal changes have affirmed the principle of judicial independence and accountability. The growth of Indonesia''s economy means that the courts are facing greater demands to resolve an increasing number of disputes. This volume offers an analysis of the politics of court reform through a review of judicial change and legal culture in Indonesia. A key concern is whether the reforms that have taken place have addressed the issues of the decline in professionalism and increase in corruption. This volume will be a vital resource for scholars of law, political science, law and development, and law and society.Trade Review'This volume is a major forward contribution to and commentary on the pioneering work of Dan S. Lev on the law, courts and Politics of Indonesia – an ideal path for bring comparativists up to date.' Martin Shapiro, University of California, Berkeley'Unprecedented in scope and depth, The Politics of Courts in Indonesia is a milestone in scholarly analysis of the third branch of government in Indonesia. Focusing on the array of specialist courts that have proliferated in the country over the last twenty years, it casts a critical eye on numerous aspects of the functioning – and, often, dysfunction – of the Indonesian judiciary. The contributors make a signal contribution to our understanding of the achievements and shortcomings of judicial reform, and of the place of courts in Indonesian society writ large.' Edward Aspinall, Australian National University'This volume presents a remarkable series of critical analyses of Indonesian constitutionalism, politics, and legal practice over the two decades since the fall of Suharto's New Order – through critical re-engagements with socio-legal approaches to more than a dozen distinct court systems in the country. It is thus both an impressive tribute to the legacy of Dan S. Lev, and an important original contribution to Asian legal studies in its own right.' R. Michael Feener, Oxford Centre for Islamic StudiesTable of Contents1. The judicial reform landscape in Indonesia: innovation, specialisation and the legacy of Dan S. Lev Melissa Crouch; Part I. Continuity and Change in the General Court System: 2. The Supreme Court: Reformasi, independence and the failure to ensure legal certainty Rifqi Assegaf; 3. The District Courts: sentencing decisions as evolving legal culture? Daniel Pascoe; 4. The 'justice system postman': the Indonesian prosecution system at work Fachrizal Afandi; Part II. Specialised Courts Established under the New Order: 5. The Religious Courts: does Lev's analysis still hold? Stijn Cornelius van Huis; 6. The Administrative Courts: the quest for consistency Adriaan Bedner and Herlambang Perdana Wiratraman; Part III. Specialised Courts as Judicial Reform Strategy: 7. The Anti-corruption Courts and the persistence of judicial culture Simon Butt; 8. The Commercial Court: a story of unfinished reforms Gustaaf Reerink, Kevin Omar Sidharta, Aria Suyudi and Sofie Hewitt; 9. The Small Claims Court: an innovation in judicial reform Binziad Kadafi; 10. The Fisheries Court: government-led judicial development? Indriaswati Dyah Saptraningrun; 11. The Constitutional Court: a Levian take on its place in the Reformasi Theunis Roux; Part IV. Courts and Rights: 12. The Juvenile Courts and children's rights: good intentions, flawed execution Putri K. Amanda, Shaila Tieken, Sharyn Graham Davies and Santi Kusumaningrum; 13. The Human Rights Courts: embedding impunity Ken Setiawan; 14. The Industrial Relations Court: challenges for labour rights Surya Tjandra; 15. The media: megaspectacles and transparency in the courts Ross Tapsell and Sita Dewi; 16. Lev on the links between legal evolution, political change and activism Frank Munger; Epilogue Fritz Siregar.

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Book SynopsisCalvo and Murillo consider the non-policy benefits that voters consider when deciding their vote. While parties advertise policies, they also deliver non-policy benefits in the form of competent economic management, constituency service, and patronage jobs. Different from much of the existing research, which focuses on the implementation of policy or on the delivery of clientelistic benefits, this book provides a unified view of how politicians deliver broad portfolios of policy and non-policy benefits to their constituency. The authors'' theory shows how these non-policy resources also shape parties'' ideological positions and which type of electoral offers they target to poorer or richer voters. With exhaustive empirical work, both qualitative and quantitative, the research documents how linkages between parties and voters shape the delivery of non-policy benefits in Argentina and Chile.Trade Review'This complex and nuanced theory helps explain moderate party positions in Argentina and ideological differences in Chile. The level of analysis is impressive but requires readers to examine each part in detail. The summaries at the end of each chapter and the conclusion provide clear interpretations for those who are not familiar with the two countries or the types of statistical analyses.' M. L. Godwin, ChoiceTable of ContentsPrologue; 1. Non-policy politics; 2. A demand-side model of non-policy politics; 3. Tracing political preferences and party organization in Argentina and Chile; 4. Mapping voter preference in Argentina and Chile: 5. Party organization: how activists reach voters; 6. Voters' preferences and Pparties' electoral offers; 7. Party activists and their conditional effect on the vote; 8. Targeting patronage in Argentina and Chile; 9. Back to policy offers; 10. Non-policy politics and electoral responsiveness; 11. Appendices.

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Book SynopsisIn 2008 the world experienced the Great Recession, a financial and economic crisis of enormous proportions and the greatest economic downturn since the 1930s. In its wake, unemployment became a key preoccupation of West European publics and politicians. This comparative study considers the policy debates surrounding unemployment in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Denmark and Switzerland since 2008. With an over-arching focus on drawing out cross-national commonalities and differences, the authors ask whether patterns of political communication vary across countries. Their analysis draws on interviews with labour market policy-makers in the six selected countries, and paints a revealing picture. Appealing to researchers in comparative politics, political communication and welfare state research, this book will also interest practitioners involved in labour market policy.Trade Review'Written by policy experts and public communication specialists, this volume provides a very effective analysis of the debate on unemployment in Europe in the aftermath of the Great Recession. It convincingly shows that the link between policies and discourse is key to our knowledge of the politics of unemployment. A great read for anyone who wants to understand how complex political economies react when things go wrong.' Giuliano Bonoli, Université de Lausanne'This highly important book studies policy debates about unemployment at the height of the Great Recession in six Western European countries on the basis of innovative survey and interview data and rigorous comparative analysis. It shows that these debates are regime-dependent, and they also strongly depend on the arenas they take place in (parliamentary or administrative/corporatist). Therefore, this masterful book is equally important for scholars in political communication and in policy analysis: the contents and dynamics of debates cannot be understood without context-specific policy knowledge; and understanding policy change requires linking ideas to agency through the study of debates.' Silja Häusermann, Universität ZürichTable of ContentsPart I. The Context Structures and the Policy-Specific Debates: 1. Introduction: shaping the debate on unemployment and the labor market Hanspeter Kriesi, Laurent Bernhard, Flavia Fossati and Regula Hänggli; 2. Theoretical framework: production of policy-specific political communication Regula Hänggli and Flavia Fossati; 3. The political contexts of the national policy debates Hanspeter Kriesi, Flavia Fossati, Laurent Bernhard; 4. The variety of national debates Hanspeter Kriesi, Laurent Bernhard, Flavia Fossati, Regula Hänggli and Christian Elmelund-Præstekær; Part II. The Political Actors and Their Assets: 5. What affects power in the labor market domain? Laurent Bernhard; 6. The labor market policy space Flavia Fossati; 7. Beliefs or interests: what is the driving force behind coalition formation? Laurent Bernhard; 8. The action repertoires for shaping the debates Laurent Bernhard; Part III. Communicating in Public: 9. Framing strategies: important messages in public debates Regula Hänggli; 10. The positioning of the actors in the public debates Hanspeter Kriesi and Regula Hänggli; 11. Inside the interaction context Laurent Bernhard; 12. Quality of public debates Regula Hänggli and Richard van der Wurff; Part IV. Conclusion: 13. Conclusion Laurent Bernhard.

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Book SynopsisIn times of extreme violence, what explains peace in some places? This book investigates geographic variation in Hindu-Muslim violence in Gujarat in 2002, an event witnessed closely by the author. It compares peaceful and violent towns, villages, and neighbourhoods to study how political violence spreads. A combination of statistical and ethnographic methods unpack the mechanisms of crowd behaviour, intergroup relations, and political incentives. Macro-level risk factors that led to the violence are analysed to provide a close understanding of the behaviour of people who participated in the violence, were targeted by it and, often, compelled to carry on living alongside their perpetrators. Findings systematically demonstrate the implicit political logic of the violence. Most of all, by moving up close to the people caught in the middle of violence; findings highlight the interplay between politics, the spatial environment, and the cognitive decision-making processes of individuals.Table of ContentsList of tables; List of images; List of figures; Preface; Acknowledgements; 1. Explaining variation in violence: an introduction; 2. Peace and violence: concepts and theory; 3. The political logic of violence: anti-Muslim pogrom in Gujarat; 4. Ahmedabad; 5. Spatial configuration: variation in violence across neighbourhoods; 6. Monitoring and control in two peaceful neighbourhoods; 7. So near, and yet so far: group relations between victims and perpetrators of violence; 8. BJP's Muslim supporters in Ahmedabad; 9. Ethnic violence: connecting the macro with the micro; Bibliography; Index.

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Book SynopsisThe problems of entrenched poverty and economic underdevelopment in American urban cores involve multiple overlapping challenges that have stymied consistent and long-term progress. Good laws, and good lawyering, can contribute enormously to overcoming these challenges. This book is for anyone concerned about the current state of American urban cores.Table of Contents1. Introduction; Part I. Change on the Ground: Case Studies of Law Reform in Action: 2. The drive for economic justice at America's Port Scott Cummings; 3. Making good on the 'primacy of labor': a case study of democratic participation in a pioneering American cooperative Rashmi Dyal-Chand; Part II. Reimagining Law for the Urban Core: 4. Community development finance and economic justice Peter Pitegoff; 5. How to increase our affordable housing stock Robert Solomon; Part III. The Legal Academy and the Urban Core: 6. Focused ethnography: a methodological approach for engaged legal scholarship Tonya L. Brito, Daanika Gordon and David J. Pate, Jr; 7. Legal education, democracy, and the urban core Kathleen S. Morris; 8. Education and social justice: urban schools and law schools Peter Enrich; 9. Conclusion: legal scholarship from the ground up.

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Book SynopsisOur understanding of civil war is shot through with the spectre of quagmire, a situation that traps belligerents, compounding and entrenching war''s dangers. Despite the subject''s importance, its causes are obscure. A pervasive ''folk'' notion that quagmire is intrinsic to certain countries or wars has foreclosed inquiry, and scholarship has failed to identify quagmire as an object of study in its own right. Schulhofer-Wohl provides the first treatment of quagmire in civil war. In a rigorous but accessible analysis, he explains how quagmire can emerge from domestic-international interactions and strategic choices. To support the argument, Schulhofer-Wohl draws upon field research on Lebanon''s sixteen-year civil war, structured comparisons with civil wars in Chad and Yemen, and rigorous statistical analyses of all civil wars worldwide fought between 1944 and 2006. The results make clear that the ''folk'' notion misdiagnoses quagmire and demand that we revisit policies that rest upon iTrade Review'This brilliant and erudite book, the outcome of assiduous and painstaking research, pulls together the premises underlying the heuristic metaphor of Quagmire. It is a master stroke. Destined, in my view, to become a landmark, a tour de force, even a classic for the analysis of civil wars in their diverse origins and manifestations. Like other classics, Professor Schulhofer-Wohl offers an enlightened theoretical paradigm, grounded empirical fieldwork, sustained by compelling prose. Equally appealing, he adopts a multilayered approach that draws on both internationally and domestically-centered perspectives to analyze the strategic interactions between foreign states and internal warring parties. In short, to understand how belligerents become entrapped in civil wars.' Samir Khalaf, Emeritus Professor of Sociology, American University of Beirut'It is sometimes said that powers 'find' themselves bogged down in quagmires. In this lucidly written work, Jonah Schulhofer-Wohl argues that 'quagmires are made, not found.' Schulhofer-Wohl shows just how foreign backers and belligerents make quagmires through the interaction of their strategic choices. Quagmire in Civil War is not only a significant contribution to our understanding of why some civil wars become prolonged, but also an important work adding to our comprehension of the preferences and interlocking strategic choices of external and domestic actors in civil war in general.' Roger Petersen, Arthur and Ruth Sloan Professor of Political Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology'Professor Schulhofer-Wohl penetrates deeply into the question of why some - but not all - civil wars entrap governments, rebels, and foreign backers. Quagmire's analysis sheds light on Syria's civil war after 2011. It explains why both pro-government and rebel forces often fell back to non-territorial warfare between 2014 and 2016 and why the balance shifted in favor of Asad when Russia especially escalated to back the Syrian government's move for costly territorial control and rebel backers declined to match the escalation. Aspiring policymakers need to go beyond simplistic descriptions of the evolution of civil wars to consider Schulhofer-Wohl's analysis about how decisions by different actors can together produce outcomes not originally foreseen or intended by any side in a civil war.' Robert S. Ford, US Ambassador to Syria, 2011–2014'In this magisterial book, Schulhofer-Wohl takes on a big question: Why do some civil wars become 'quagmires' while others do not? His innovative answer points to the strategic structure of a conflict and associated decision-making problems for the warring parties and their potential foreign backers. Moving research on civil wars in new directions, he brings conceptual rigor to the notion of a civil war quagmire and highlights key mechanisms leading to their emergence. His rigorous empirical approach, which combines hypotheses derived from a formal model, original fieldwork in Lebanon, cross-national statistical tests, and comparative historical research on Chad and Yemen, inspires confidence in his arguments.' Melani Cammett, Clarence Dillon Professor of International Affairs, Harvard University'While many scholars have viewed the Lebanese Civil War as a key case study in comparative research on armed conflict, it was never quite written. Jonah Schulhofer-Wohl has finally done that job, and no one could have done it better. Quagmire in Civil War at once provides theoretical sophistication, in-depth empirical analysis, and policy relevance. It is one of the best studies on Lebanon and the Middle East I have seen in a very long time; a strong rebuke to anyone still claiming that Middle East studies fails to contribute to political science and the comparative study of war and peace.' Reinoud Leenders, Reader at the Department of War Studies, King's College London, and author of Spoils of Truce: Corruption and State-Building in Postwar Lebanon'How do warring parties get trapped in interminable civil wars, unable either to win or withdraw? In this important new book, Jonah Schulhofer-Wohl explains why quagmire is the tragic consequence of particular strategic interactions between contending factions and their foreign backers, and not the result of domestic constraints, strategic myopia, or other decision-making pathologies. Theoretically rigorous and empirically rich, Quagmire in Civil War is an exemplary work of policy-relevant social science.' Stephen M. Walt, Robert and Renée Belfer Professor of International Affairs, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University'Quagmire in Civil War offers not only a fascinating read on a highly relevant topic, but provides a model for how statistics, game theory, history, and political science can present a challenging topic.' Jerry Lenaburg, New York Journal of Books'Quagmire in Civil War is a masterpiece of conflict studies, combining a variety of research methods to explain a confusing phenomenon which tends to compound war's dangers and bog down superpowers in foreign theaters.' Giuseppe Spatafora, Journal of Peace Research'This is an excellent and important academic book that will interest Middle East scholars, political scientists, and political economists.' Laia Balcells, The Middle East Journal'… the book provides a rigorous understanding of the mechanisms of foreign-domestic entanglement in civil wars. The quantitative comparative analysis of 140 civil wars that follows the in-depth study of the Lebanese case convincingly points to the wide applicability of the theory. From this perspective, the book is a vital reference for scholars of civil wars and internationalisation of local conflicts, setting the stage for a new research agenda for the study of quagmire, its causes, duration, effects and implications for local belligerents, foreign powers and most crucially the civilian populations that are always at the receiving end of the nightmares of quagmires.' Marina Calculli, The International SpectatorTable of Contents1. Introduction; 2. A theory of quagmire; 3. The Lebanese civil war, 1975–1990: issues, actors, turning points, explanations; 4. Mechanisms of quagmire in Lebanon; 5. Civil wars worldwide, 1944–2006; 6. Comparative evidence from Chad and Yemen; 7. A field guide to quagmire.

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Book SynopsisAssuming a central place in Muslim life, the Qur''an speaks of one community of the faith, the umma. This unity of the faithful is recognised as the default aspiration of the believer, and in the modern era, intellectuals and political leaders have often vied both to define, and to lead it. Based on case studies of actors such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, and ISIS, James Piscatori and Amin Saikal consider how some appeals to pan-Islam prove useful, yet other attempts at cross-border institutionalisation including the Sunni Caliphate or the modern Shi''i-inspired Islamic Revolution, founder on political self-interest and sectarian affiliations. Accompanied by a range of scriptural references to examine different interpretations of the umma, Piscatori and Saikal explore why, despite it meaning such widely different things, and its failure to be realised as a concrete project, neither the umma''s popular symbolic appeal nor its influence on a politics of identity has diminished.Trade Review'… this is a very timely, informative, and insightful book.' A. T. Kuru, Choice'Piscatori and Saikal fill a lacuna among existing publications in their book's blending of political theory with a novel analysis of political practices among contemporary Muslims … This book should be the default text for fellow practitioners and anyone who wishes to understand the rapidly changing pace of events in Islam and politics today.' Ravza Altuntaş-Çakır, Insight TurkeyTable of Contents1. Introduction; 2. Sunni constructions of the Umma; 3. Shi'a Islam and the Umma; 4. Saudi 'guardianship' of the Umma; 5. ISIS's conception of the Umma; 6. Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisThe Fourth Ordeal tells the history of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt from the late 1960s until 2018. Based on over 140 first-hand interviews with leaders, rank-and-file members and dissidents, as well as a wide range of original written sources, the story traces the Brotherhood''s re-emergence and rise following the collapse of Nasser''s Arab nationalism, all the way to its short-lived experiment with power and the subsequent period of imprisonment, persecution and exile. Unique in terms of its source base, this book provides readers with unprecedented insight into the Brotherhood''s internal politics during fifty years of its history.Trade Review'This superb oral history offers a forensic analysis of the Brotherhood's far from inevitable rise and fall from power in Egypt. Brothers are presented neither as victims nor villains, rather as social actors forced to make difficult choices in unprecedented circumstances. With enviable scholarly impartiality, The Fourth Ordeal is history at its best.' Hazem Kandil, Cambridge University'A highly readable account of the Muslim Brotherhood's modern history, based on a well of primary sources and interviews. Focusing on factional struggles between old-school leaders and younger reformists, the book offers an insightful interpretation of the background to the failed Mursi presidency and the violent movement's suppression in 2013.' Brynjar Lia, University of Oslo'A compelling and dramatic account of the rise of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood from suppressed opposition movement to the pinnacle of presidential power, only to be overthrown by the military in 2013 and banned as a terrorist organisation. An outstanding book, drawing on extensive interviews of Muslim brothers and their opponents, Victor J. Willi tells the story of the Muslim Brothers in their own words and as he himself witnessed events in the 2010s. The best book available on the most influential Islamist movement in the world.' Eugene Rogan, University of Oxford'This is a fresh contribution to the much-studied Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, with a novel concentration on the internal voices of this organization … An impressive merit of the book is the 'oral history' approach.' Chaoqun Lian, China International Strategy ReviewTable of ContentsPrologue; Introduction; 1. The Society of the Muslim Brothers; 2. The Second Founding (1968–1981); 3. The Rise of the Vanguard (1981–1991); 4. Brotherhood Incorporated (1991–2001); 5. Struggle for Leadership (2001–2011); 6. Revolution, Rise and Fall (2011–2013); 7. The Beginning of the Fourth Ordeal (2013–2018); Conclusion; Epilogue.

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Book SynopsisSince its independence from Britain in 1960, Nigeria has emerged as Africa''s second largest economy and one of the biggest producers of oil in the world. Despite its economic success, however, there are deep divisions among its two hundred and fifty ethnic groups. Centered around three of the dominant themes of Nigeria''s post-colonial narrative - ethnicity, democracy and governance, this is an accessible and comprehensive introduction to the history and events that have shaped these three areas. World-renowned expert in Nigerian history, Toyin Falola shows us how the British laid the foundations of modern Nigeria, with colonialism breading competition for resources and power and the widening cleavages between the Hausa-Fulani, Yoruba, and Igbo ethnic groups that had been forced together under British rule, the choice of federalism as a political system, and the religious and political pluralism that have shaped its institutions and practices. Using an examination of the outcomes of tTrade Review'Another great book from one of Nigeria's finest scholars. Falola has brought together under one cover answers to all the questions anyone may want to ask about Nigeria but have never been able to frame up in a question. This book will put us in Falola's debt for quite a long time.' Abiodun Alao, Professor of African Studies, King's College London'This book provides one of the most comprehensive and insightful analysis of the complexities of democracy, development, and state-building in Nigeria. Going beyond narratives of post-colonial dysfunction, this book highlights the contradictions, ambiguities, and positive potentials of Africa's most populous country. The depth of analysis and policy prescriptions make the book essential reading for anyone who seeks to understand modern Nigeria.' Bonny Ibhawoh, Senator William McMaster Chair in Global Human Rights, McMaster University'In this magisterial volume, Africa's foremost historian and theoretician weaves a mesmerizing meta-narrative and meta-theory of Africa's largest democracy and economy, Nigeria. Comprehensively capturing yet transcending the dominant scholarship, Falola's triadic framework explains Nigeria's dialectic progress and retrogression. This is the definitive text for a new generation of scholars.' Olajumoke Yacob-Haliso, Dean, Veronica Adeleke School of Social Sciences, Babcock University, NigeriaTable of ContentsPart I. Introduction: 1. Narrating Postcolonial Nigeria; 2. In Search of Modernity; Part II. Context and History: 3. Colonial Modernity; 4. Political Pluralism; 5. Religious Identities; 6. Federalism and Its Fault-Lines; Part III. Democracy and Governance: 7. Ethnicities and Political Identities; 8. Religion and Geopolitics; 9. Democracy and Its Limits; 10. Governance, Citizenship and the State: Part IV. Development Crises: 11. Corruption; 12. The Political Economy of Oil; 13. Environment and Sustainable Development; 14. Food, Society, and Human Capabilities; 15. Women's Marginalization; 16. Human and Minority Rights; 17. Political Violence; 18. Challenges of Western Education; Part V: Reforms and Revolutions: 19. Change Agents: Youths and Politics; 20. Hashtags and Social Protests: Reformation and Revolution in the Age of Social Media; 21. Reformist Option: Grassroots and Political Activism; 22. Revolutionary Option: Social Movements and Power to the Citizens; 23. Nationalist Ethos, Collective Reformation, and Citizenry Power; 24. Popular Culture and Politics; Part VI. Conclusion: Pathways to the Future.

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Book SynopsisThis bookexamines the role of the media in environmental politics and activism in the 21st century. It highlights how politics is mediated in myriad ways through newspapers and news channels, through mobile telephony and through social networking sites. Further, it shows how the media creates and influences relevant discourses, builds campaigns and awareness, and adopts and discards issues.With a range of perspectives on issues of environmental justice and equity, the volume scrutinizes how the media discourse on environment shapes our politics, and the role of international politics, finance, youth, newspapers, magazines and 24-hour television. Bringing together academics, activists and media persons, this highly topical book will serve as significant reading for researchers and scholars of development studies and media studies, as well as policymakers, NGOs and environmental campaigners.Read moreTrade Review‘A delight to find a volume that blurs disciplinary boundaries, that dares to ask how discourses about development, environment and politics work together . . . focusing centrally on cases from the global South . . . A fascinating set of readings that will help to define a new terrain of research and activism.’ — Annabelle Sreberny, Centre for Media and Film Studies, SOAS, University of LondonTable of ContentsIntroduction Somnath Batabyal 1. The (Im)possibility of Critique in Developmental Debates Hanna Werner 2. Chasing the Long Tail of Climate Change Matti Pohjonen 3. Greenathon: Organizing the Social-Conscience of Post-Liberalization Urban India Smita Maitra 4. New Delhi’s Times: Creating a Myth for a City Somnath Batabyal 5. Banishing the Hyphen: The Rural-Urban Divide and Mainstream Television in India Pratap Pandey 6. Politics of Body Spectacle: Old Movements Creating New(s) Stories Shalini Sharma 7. A Coming Out Party for Indian Waste Pickers? Pondering the Dilemmas of Making Local Environmentalism Global Bharati Chaturvedi 8. Not Politics of the Usual: Youth Environmental Movements Kartikeya Singh 9. The Environmental Collective of Goiás Youth Tiago E. G. Rodrigues. About the Editor. Notes on Contributors. Index.

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Book SynopsisThe politics of the twenty-first century is marked by dissent, tumult and calls for radical change, whether through food riots, anti-war protests, anti-government tirades, anti-blasphemy marches, anti-austerity demonstrations, anti-authoritarian movements and anti-capitalist occupations. Interestingly, contemporary political protests are borne of both the Right and Left and are staged in both the Global North and South. Globally, different instances of protest have drawn attention to the deep fissures which challenge the idea of globalisation as a force for peace. Given the diversity of these protests, it is necessary to examine the particular nature of grievances, the sort of change which is sought and the extent to which localised protest can have global implications. The contributions in this book draw on the theoretical work of Hardt and Negri, David Graeber and Judith Butler, among others, in order explore the nature of hegemony, the Occupy movement, the Arab Spring, the responTable of Contents1. Introduction: Protest 2. Counter-hegemonic networks and the transformation of global climate politics: rethinking movement-state relations Jackie Smith Reply by Ronaldo Munck 3. Occupy Dame Street as slow-motion general strike? Justifying optimism in the wake of Ireland’s failed multitudinal moment Nicholas Kiersey Reply by Simon Springer 4. The multitude and localized protest: the example of the Quebec student strike Philippe Fournier Reply by Keir Milburn 5. The Global Justice Movement and OccupyWall Street: spillover, spillout, or coalescence? Helma G. E. de Vries-Jordan Reply by Gilberto Algar-Faria 6. Transnational feminist solidarity and lessons from the 2011 protests in Tahrir Square Sally J. Scholz Reply by Wendy Harcourt 7. Who is speaking? The Indignados as political subjects Emmy Eklundh Reply by Ernesto Castañeda 8. Recruitment, counter-recruitment and critical military studies Matthew F. Rech Reply by Ben Wadham 9. The containment of Occupy: militarized police forces and social control in America Matthew Morgan Reply by Victor E. Kappeler 10. Protests, emotions and democracy: theoretical insights from the Indignados movement Paolo Cossarini Reply by Lasse Thomassen 11. Being the change: protest as performative discourse in the Occupy Portland encampment Lois Ruskai Melina Reply by Sanford F. Schram 12. Digital image politics: the networked rhetoric of Anonymous Jason L. Jarvis Reply by Roger Stahl 13. Global days of action, global public transcripts and democracy Catia Gregoratti Reply by Mark Chou 14. Book Review Symposium: The Democracy Project, By David Graeber Reviews by Lasse Thomassen, Gemma Bone, Jonathan Dean Response by David Graeber Book Review Symposium on Rethinking Latin America: Development, Hegemony, and Social Transformation, By Ronaldo Munck 15. Toward a 21st Century reading of Latin America: a sympathetic critique of Ronaldo Munck’s Rethinking Latin America: Development, Hegemony, and Social Transformation William I. Robinson Rethinking political economy from Latin America Ronaldo Munck

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Book SynopsisThe way we once learned history is now history.Developed for students and instructors of the twenty-first century, Becoming America excites learners by connecting history to their experience of contemporary life. You can't travel back in time, but you can be transported, and BecomingAmerica does so by expanding the traditional core of the U.S survey to include the most contemporaryscholarship on cultural, technological, and environmental transformations. At the same time, the program transforms the student learning experience through innovative technology that is at the forefront of the digital revolution. As a result, the Becoming America program makes it easier for students to grasp both the distinctiveness and the familiarity of bygone eras, and to think in a historically focused way about the urgent questions of our times.Table of Contents1 CONVERGENCE OF MANY PEOPLES: AMERICA BEFORE 1600 2 EARLY COLONIES 1600–1680 3 SLAVERY AND RACE 1660–1750 4 BRITISH COLONIES IN AN ATLANTIC ECONOMY 1660–1750 5 EMPIRES, WAR, AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF INDIAN COUNTRY 1700–1765 6 CRISIS AND WAR 1765–1781 7 MAKING A NEW NATION 1776–1792 8 THE EARLY REPUBLIC 1793–1811 9 WAR, EXPANSION, AND INDIAN REMOVAL 1811–1830 10 MARKET SOCIETY AND THE BIRTH OF MASS POLITICS 1825–1845 11 SLAVERY AND THE SOUTH 1831–1844 12 ERA OF MIDDLE-CLASS REFORM 1831–1848 13 EXPANSION, NATIONALISM, AND AMERICA POPULAR CULTURE 1844–1854 14 A UNION UNRAVELING 1848–1860 15 DISUNION AND WAR 1861–1865 16 SOUTHERN RECONSTRUCTION 1862–1883 17 REMAKING THE WEST 1865–1893 18 INDUSTRIALIZING AMERICA 1865–1885 19 POLITICS AND DISCONTENT IN THE GILDED AGE 1878–1896 20 THE PROGRESSIVE ERA 1896–1914 21 THE BIRTH OF A GREAT POWER: AMERICA AND THE WORLD 1880–1914 22 WAR AND PEACE 1914–1920 23 AMERICA IN THE JAZZ AGE 1920–1929 24 AMERICA REMADE: THE GREAT DEPRESSION AND THE NEW DEAL 1929–1939 25 AMERICA GOES TO WAR 1939–1945 26 POSTWAR AMERICA 1945–1953 27 THE AGE OF AFFLUENCE 1953–1960 28 ERA OF DREAMS AND DISCONTENT 1960–1970 29 REACTION, RECESSION, AND GLOBALIZATION 1970–1979 30 DEINDUSTRIALIZING AMERICA 1980–1992 31 GLOBALIZING AMERICA 1992–2012

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Book SynopsisSince the economic crisis unfolded in 2008, the European Union economic governance framework has been profoundly transformed from a legal perspective. The EU has adopted new tools, institutions and rules to tackle the changes and is arguably better prepared to combat any future crises. This book analyses the basic legal framework of EU economic governance and considers the economic underpinnings which underlie legal institutions in this area. It uses analytical dialectics as a method of analysis and the paradigm of ''law as credibility'' as the main model through which the substantive parts of EU economic governance are accounted for. Important issues such as access, exit and expulsion from the euro, the independence of the European Central Bank, the Stability and Growth Pact, bail-outs to member states, and the EU''s economic strategy are addressed in a clear, critical and innovative way.Table of Contents1. Analytical dialectics, rationality, trust; 2. Law as credibility: basic traits; 3. The eurozone: access, exit and expel – revisited; 4. The ECB and the European monetary policy; 5. The European framework of financial regulation and supervision: towards a banking union; 6. The stability and growth pact before the crisis; 7. The stability and growth pact under the crisis – and beyond; 8. European Union bail-outs (I): general aspects; 9. European Union bail-outs (II): bail-outs to member states and MOUS; 10. The European Union economic strategy.

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Book SynopsisLeveraging its absolute power, low human rights advantage, and tolerance by other countries, the Chinese Communist Party has transformed China into a giant corporation. Living and working is not a right, but a privilege granted by the party. State-owned firms are business units or subsidiaries, private firms are joint ventures, and foreign firms are franchisees of the party. ''China, Inc.'' enjoys the agility of a firm and the vast resources of a state. Meanwhile, foreign firms competing with Chinese firms can find themselves matched against the mighty Chinese state. The Rise of China, Inc. will interest many readers: it will compel business scholars to rethink state-firm relationships; assist multinational business practitioners in formulating effective strategies; aid policy-makers in countering China''s expansion; and inform the public of the massive corporate organisation China has become, and how democracies can effectively deal with it.Trade Review'The Rise of the China Inc. probes the political foundations of China's state-capitalism and provides an original explanation of why this system contains the seeds of its destruction even as it undermines the liberal global economic order. Shaomin Li's admirable ability to analyze how the institutions of a one-party regime shape business environment and corporate decisions has produced refreshing insights into the strengths and weaknesses of the world's new economic superpower.' Minxin Pei, Professor of Government, Claremont McKenna College 'Shaomin Li is one of the most well-versed and nuanced scholars writing on China today. This book reflects more than 30 years of both lived experience and scholarship. It is a timely analysis that should be devoured by any scholar, politician, policy maker and business leader wanting to understand 21st Century China.' Timothy M. Devinney, Chair and Professor of International Business, Alliance Manchester Business School'In this deeply researched volume, Li argues that the Chinese Communist Party's rule presents an entirely new challenge to democracies since, unlike the Axis powers in World War II or the USSR in the Cold War, China is closely intertwined with them both economically and socially. Because China relies on these democracies for markets, they must unite to press for the changes they desire, even to the point of delinkage if China does not yield.' June Teufel Dreyer, Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Miami'The rise of China as a global superpower presents a challenge for scholars and managers. Dr. Li presents a new perspective to understand the unique political and economic system of modern China, the state governing the entire economy as a large corporation. His decades-long research on social institutions and governance shows that the boundary between the firm and society is unclear. It presents a novel and refreshing view to explain why the Chinese state can be as swift and agile as the firm while corporations act as resourcefully as the state. This new perspective presents a useful framework for multinational corporations and foreign governments to develop successful strategies and effective policies toward China.' Seung Ho Park, President's Chair and Professor of Strategy and International Business, Nanyang Technological University'China, Inc. provides clear recommendations for corporations to deal with a China that is increasingly inwardly repressive and outwardly aggressive. Li provides a pragmatic view for a world where great power competition is unlike any seen before.' Robert Spalding, Brigadier General (Ret.), USAF, and senior fellow at the Hudson Institute'Are the modern democracies safe? Having survived a hot war with the Axis Powers and a Cold War with the Soviet Union, they now face a challenge from what Shaomin Li astutely calls 'China, Inc.' – a huge autocracy that is run like a corporation. China, Inc. is in some ways as frightening as its two twentieth-century predecessors but is a different kind of animal. It is more intertwined with the democracies, and the battle fronts are more psychological than physical. Accordingly, Li accompanies his wake-up call with some practical advice.' Perry Link, Chancellorial Chair for Teaching Across Disciplines, University of California, Riverside'Shaomin Li's work is groundbreaking. Relation-based countries like China operate on a different set of rules set by the international community. Rule of law is replace with rule by law. China's companies are pawns in the Communist government's grand geopolitical game and self-preservation needs. Prof. Shaomin Li provides a clear and concise treatment of the China Inc phenomenon, its origins and consequences. It is a must read to those studying or doing business in China.' Ilan Alon, Professor of Strategy and International Marketing, University of Agder'A masterpiece in explaining the peculiar convergence – and complicity – of communist dictatorship and capitalist profiteering at the expense of Chinese people's wellbeing and the fate of global democratization. Li's work is a must-read for anyone who cares about human freedom and its predicament presented by the rise of the CCP, Inc.' M. Miles Yu, Professor, Department of History, United States Naval AcademyTable of Contents1. Introduction: Who lost China?; Part I. The Advantage of Low Human Rights: 2. The political foundation of China's competitiveness and its failure to democratize; 3. China's legal system is not about the rule of law: The advantages and limits of the relation-based system; 4. Mao plus Deng: A highly aggressive and productive culture; Part II. The Rise of China, Inc.: 5. The emergence of China, inc.; 6. China's industrial policy as a corporate strategy of China, Inc; Part III. China, inc.'s Achilles' Heel and the World's Response: 7. The Chinese communist party's dilemmas and solutions; 8. Open societies versus closed regime: Who needs whom more?; 9. Policy and strategic options for the governments and firms in the democracies; References; Index.

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Book SynopsisDesigning Indicators for a Plural Legal World engages with the role of quantification in law, and its impact on law and development and judicial reform. It seeks to examine how different institutions shape and influence the making and use of legal indicators globally. This book sheds light on the limitations of existing quantification tools, which measure rule of law due to their lack of engagement with contexts and countries in the Global South. It offers an alternative framework for measurement, which moves away from an institutional look at rule of law, to a bottom up, user centered approach that places importance on the lives that people lead, and the challenges that they face. In doing so, it offers a way of thinking about access to justice in terms of human capabilities.Table of Contents1. Introduction; 2. 'Meanings', 'trust' and 'power': Critical perspectives on legal indicators; 3. Rule of law promotion, legal indicators and legal pluralism; 4. Epistemic diversity and voices from the global south: Countering the managerial implications of measuring justice; 5. A capability approach to access to justice in plural legal systems; Annexure; Bibliography.

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Book SynopsisSeventy-five percent of Americans claim religious affiliation, which can impact their taxpaying responsibilities. In this illuminating book, Samuel D. Brunson describes the many problems and breakdowns that can occur when tax meets religion in the United States, and shows how the US government has too often responded to these issues in an unprincipled, ad hoc manner. God and the IRS offers a better framework to understand tax and religion. It should be read by scholars of religion and the law, policymakers, and individuals interested in understanding the implications of taxation on their religious practices.Trade Review'God and the IRS proceeds from the assumption that tax law is inherently interesting and that its attempts to accommodate religious practices are profoundly important. To see what a free society truly values, we must understand how it navigates the numerous tensions between private belief and public obligation. Whether he is talking about Muslim mortgages, Mormon missionaries, or Methodist parsonages, Samuel D. Brunson writes with patience, humor, and clarity. One need not be an attorney or a tax expert to profit from this book, just an engaged and intellectually curious citizen.' Michael Austin, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, University of Evansville, Indiana'When and how should the tax system accommodate religious practice? Samuel D. Brunson does a great job tackling this important but difficult topic, addressing some of the most common ways in which conflicts arise and offering a framework for deciding future cases. This book should appeal to anyone interested in tax law, religion, or both.' Adam Chodorow, Arizona State University'Samuel D. Brunson's comprehensive and informative new book pulls together a large quantity of historical, legal, and other resources that illustrate how United States tax law accommodates religious practice. Brunson develops a much-needed framework for evaluating tax accommodation of religious practice. This book is an invaluable resource for scholars working at the intersection of tax law and religion.' Shuyi Oei, Boston College Law School'Drawing on a superb mastery of tax law and the historical nuances of many religious traditions, Samuel D. Brunson compellingly argues for a re-examination of American policies at the points where religion and taxation collide. His nuanced and learned proposal for reform should be studied by policy makers, political scientists, sociologists, legal scholars, historians of religion, and anyone concerned about the relationship between money, government, and religious practice in the American context.' Stephen C. Taysom, Cleveland State UniversityTable of ContentsIntroduction; 1. Religion and the state; 2. On making the tax law; 3. Accommodation in the intersection of religious practice and the tax law; 4. Taxing citizens of the Kingdom of God; 5. Housing clergy; 6. Neither a borrower nor a lender be; 7. Deductible contribution or purchase of religious benefit; 8. A right to tithe?; 9. Without purse, scrip, or taxes; 10. Religious communitarians; 11. A framework for religious tax accommodation.

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Book SynopsisIn the search for explanations for three of the most pressing crises of the early twenty-first century (the housing meltdown and financial crisis, the Gulf oil spill, and the nuclear disaster at Fukushima), commentators pointed to the structure of the regulatory agencies charged with overseeing the associated industries, noting that the need to balance competing regulatory and non-regulatory missions undermined each agency''s ability to be an effective regulator. Christopher Carrigan challenges this critique by employing a diverse set of research methods, including a statistical analysis, an in-depth case study of US regulatory oversight of offshore oil and gas development leading up to the Gulf oil spill, and a formal theoretical discussion, to systematically evaluate the benefits and concerns associated with either combining or separating regulatory and non-regulatory missions. His analysis demonstrates for policymakers and scholars why assigning competing non-regulatory missions to Trade Review'In skillfully presenting new theoretical and empirical findings, Christopher Carrigan persuasively challenges long-standing principles about how to organize the many regulatory authorities that oversee business behavior. This innovative book represents the most definitive treatment of the opportunities and challenges involved in structuring the missions and jurisdictions of government agencies. With careful analytical execution and often counterintuitive insight, Carrigan offers a major advance in the study of regulatory politics and public administration, with critical insights for scholars and policymakers alike.' Cary Coglianese, Edward B. Shils Professor of Law and Professor of Political Science, and Director of the Penn Program on Regulation, University of Pennsylvania'Christopher Carrigan has produced the rarest of social science achievements: theoretically grounded, empirically rigorous scholarship that carries indispensable lessons for policymakers seeking to solve the toughest, most salient issues confronting the world today. This book should cause both researchers and practitioners to seriously reconsider what they think they know about government organizations (like the Minerals Management Service prior to the Gulf oil spill) that combine regulatory and non-regulatory objectives.' Steven J. Balla, Associate Professor of Political Science, Public Policy and Public Administration, and International Affairs, The George Washington University, Washington, DC'Whether caught between prudential regulation and consumer protection in financial policy, between foods and medicines in health regulation, or between licensing and safety in the governance of mining, government agencies have multiple, often conflicting jobs to do. Christopher Carrigan has written the best study of this problem, one of the principal crises facing American government in this century. A necessary read for policymakers and students of government alike.' Daniel Carpenter, Allie S. Freed Professor of Government, Harvard University'In this very interesting book, Carrigan explores the relationship between organizational design and regulatory performance. Can we design regulatory agencies to be more effective? When does it make sense to limit agencies to one key task and when to give agencies multiple missions? Deftly mixing careful theorizing and empirical research, Carrigan explains why some regulatory agencies perform poorly and what, if anything, we should do about it. It is an impressive accomplishment and a must read for those interested in regulatory politics, public administration, or public sector performance.' David E. Lewis, Chair, William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor, Department of Political Science, Vanderbilt University'In this sophisticated yet readable volume, Professor Carrigan uses front page news events like the Deepwater Horizon spill to address important questions of government agency behavior. He highlights the crucial conclusion that seemingly obscure decisions, like how agencies are organized, can have important impacts on public policy outcomes.' Stuart Shapiro, Professor and Director, Public Policy Program, Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Rutgers University, New Jersey'Carrigan brings a deep statistical understanding of what drives successful agencies and the realization that goal ambiguity alone didn't cause regulatory failure.' Sam Batkins, Regulation'Overall, this book is an invaluable resource for scholars and practitioners of political science, risk analysis, public policy, and public administration.' Zhoudan Xie, Risk Analysis'Carrigan has … offered a hypothesis ready for empirical inquiry, and one that regulatory scholars are well advised to take up. The contemporary political context suggests that such research stands to make theoretically meaningful and substantively crucial contributions.' David P. Carter, Journal of Public Administration Research and TheoryTable of Contents1. Linking regulatory failures to organizational design; Part I. Examining the Performance of Multiple-Purpose Regulators: 2. Isolated effects or widespread dysfunction?; 3. Appealing to goal ambiguity to explain performance; Part II. Assessing the Role of Regulatory Agency Design in the Gulf Oil Disaster: 4. Balancing conflict and coordination at MMS: 5. Politics and offshore oil and gas policy; Part III. A Theory of Multiple-Purpose Regulators: 6. Policy context and the political choice to combine purposes; 7. Operations, organization, politics, and policy context; Appendix A. Additional description and analyses for chapters 2 and 3; Appendix B. Mathematical context, derivations, and proofs for chapter 6.

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Book SynopsisPolicy makers and academics alike have mistakenly promoted an agenda which takes well-governed democratic and consolidated ''Weberian'' states as the model for the world and the goal of development programs. Whilst Western industrial democracies are the exception, areas of limited statehood where state institutions are weak and ineffective, are everywhere, and, this books argues, can still be well-governed. Three factors explain effective governance in areas of limited statehood: Fair and transparent institutions ''fit for purpose,'' legitimate governors accepted by the people, and social trust among the citizens. Effective and legitimate governance in the absence of a functioning state is not only provided by international organizations, foreign aid agencies, and non-governmental organizations but also by multi-national companies, rebel groups and other violent non-state actors, ''traditional'' as well as religious leaders, and community-based organizations. Börzel and Risse base theiTrade Review'This superb book explores the dimensions of public-private collaborations in politics, and in how this and other relationships lead to the emergence of local and global governance at new levels and in new forms. Locating this exploration firmly in the empirical as well as theoretical, this book offers a compelling critique and alternative to mainstream social science approaches. By focusing on the dynamics of cooperation that spans state and societal, and national and international boundaries, the two authors provide a novel approach to understanding the evolution of the international system. This will be a book that others will have to address, a soon-to-be classic in the field of international relations, as well as in comparative politics for its emphasis on the diverse forms of governance in areas of limited state authority.' William Reno, Professor and Chair of the Department of Political Science, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, Northwestern University'Since the 1990s, the international community has pursued statebuilding as the solution to the problem of fragile states. Borzel and Risse challenge this focus and demonstrate that non-state governance is not only possible but can be effective when would-be governors are competent, legitimate, and trusted. Governance Under Anarchy? is a pathbreaking book that brings insights from the literature on heterogeneous global governance to the question of 'domestic' governance.' David A. Lake, Gerri-Ann and Gary E. Jacobs Professor of Social Science, University of California, San DiegoTable of Contents1. Introduction: the world is not Denmark!; Part I. Setting the Stage: Concepts and Theories: 2. Areas of limited statehood and governance: concepts and measurements; 3. Theorizing governance in areas of limited statehood; Part II. Governance in Areas of Limited Statehood: Empirical Evidence: 4. Who, why, and how? actors and modes of governance; 5. Security; 6. Human rights, rule of law, and democracy; 7. Welfare; 8. Conclusions; 9. References.

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Book SynopsisEuropean unity is a dream that has appealed to the imagination since the Middle Ages. Its motives have varied from a longing for peace to a deep-rooted abhorrence of diversity, as well as a yearning to maintain Europe's colonial dominance. This book offers a multifaceted history that takes in account the European imagination in a global context.Trade Review“Its critical meta-narrative stressing the dark sides and shortcomings attending the imaginings of European unity appears both timely and empirically sound. … this book without doubt not only sets new accents for European studies but also qualifies as an introductory textbook for students.” (Florian Greiner, European History Quarterly, Vol. 48 (1), 2018)“A strikingly rich and nuanced picture of the political and intellectual historical pedigree of European integration … .” (R. Lesaffer, American Historical Review, February, 2017)“It brilliantly shows that, beyond irenic discourses which present Europe as a land of freedom, tolerance, and diversity, there is another reality and another history of violence, exclusion, and obsession with uniformity” (Carl Bouchard, Peace & Change, Vol. 42 (1), January, 2017)“Historians have rarely offered such a well-balanced and well informed history of (Anti-)Europeanism … .” (Peter Pichler, History, Vol. 102 (349), January, 2017)“It is learned, impressively so, without being boring for even a single page, and it is subversive since it shows the dark sides of the noble quest for peace – an inbuilt tendency of the integration project to suppress diversity and to dominate. The current circumstance of Europe gives it a particularly sharp edge”. (J. H. H. Weiler, European Journal of International Law, Vol. 28 (1), 2017)“The period of time covered is, certainly, wide and multifaceted, and the nine chapters that make up the book are densely filled with historical details and information. … Imagining European Unity since 1000 AC encourages a reflection on the lessons from the past, illuminating the understanding of the present.” (Marta Postigo Asenjo, Global Intellectual History, Vol. 1 (2), 2017)“Pasture’s complex analysis works against the historiographic grain for studies on Europeans search for unity. … Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper division undergraduates and above.” (P. G. Wallace, Choice, December, 2015)Table of Contents1. 'Peace for our time': The European Quest for Peace 2. Peace in Christendom? 3. Enlightenment, Revolution, and the Evaporating Dream of a Perpetual Peace 4. Peace during the Concert 5. Between Empire, Market and Nation 6. The Long War 7. Hope and Deception 8. Pacification by Division 9. Epilogue: The EC's Colonial Empire

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Book SynopsisHow well do we really know the man at the helm of the most chaotic, divisive British government in living memory? This explosive book shines a light on the life and times of Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson.

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Book SynopsisFrom the highest halls of power to the remote corners of rural America, featuring amazing technological innovation and an epic battle between the captains of a corrupted industry and Americaâs most politically astute president, here is the story behind the greatest peacetime achievement in US historyâthe electrification of an entire nation.Trade Review'The little known but captivating story of electricity is at the heart of the New Deal. John A. Riggs is the perfect person to tell the tale. The battles between America’s most politically astute president and a powerful industry created the hybrid, public-private electricity system that we know today. The compromises necessary to ensure equity and the public interest while unleashing the energy of private markets can inform the discussion of current issues such as telecommunications, infrastructure, and tax policy.' -- Walter Isaacson'High Tension: Franklin Roosevelt’s Battle to Power America is an innovative history of the chaos and conniving that created America’s transformative electricity system (judged by The Atlantic to be the greatest invention since the printing press). Jack Riggs has given us a compelling read. Thoroughly researched and gracefully written, it crisply covers the historical panorama of the New Deal’s hard-won achievements of breaking up the giant utility holding companies and bringing light and power to the vast darkened regions of our nation. A must for historians, it is also a gripping read for all.' -- Martin J. Sherwin

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Book SynopsisThe perfect purchase for lefty-liberal wokey-snowflakes (or whatever the D**ly M**l is calling us nowadays), Fuck the Tories: An Activity Book is a part-fun, part-painful book of quizzes, word searches, crosswords and more centred around the Tories'' record since 2010. It''s also an outlet for rage.You''ll find eye-popping rounds on voting records, money-wasting schemes, failed manifesto pledges and MP scandals (at the rate they''re going, the whole book could have been this but we restrained ourselves), plus activities offering some much-needed light relief: a dot-to-dot of Liz Truss with some cheese, limericks about well-known Conservatives where you can choose the rhyming words, and a maze where you have to successfully get Dominic Cummings to Barnard Castle for his eye test. It''s the only activity book which will entertain you while you burst a blood vessel.Make sure to post completed pages on social media with #fuckthetories to spread the word.

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisThe ins and outs of Europe through the eyes of leading cartoonist Kipper Williams

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Book SynopsisWinner of the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction''At heart a David and Goliath story fit for the movies ... [A] valuable, discomforting book'' The New York Times Book ReviewSeven years in the making, Amity and Prosperity tells the story of the energy boom''s impact on a small town at the edge of Appalachia and of one woman''s transformation from a struggling single parent to an unlikely activist.Stacey Haney is a local nurse working hard to raise two kids and keep up her small farm when the fracking boom comes to her hometown of Amity, Pennsylvania. Intrigued by reports of lucrative natural gas leases in her neighbours'' mailboxes, she strikes a deal with a Texas-based energy company. Soon trucks begin rumbling past her small farm, a fenced-off drill site rises on an adjacent hilltop, and domestic animals and pets start to die. When mysterious sicknesses begin to afflict her children, she appeals to the company for hTrade ReviewHer sensitive and judicious new book, Amity and Prosperity: One Family and the Fracturing of America, is neither an outraged sermon delivered from a populist soapbox nor a pinched, professorial lecture. Griswold, a journalist and a poet, paid close attention to a community in southwestern Pennsylvania over the course of seven years to convey its confounding experience with hydraulic fracturing . . . What Griswold depicts is a community, like the earth, cracked open . . . Parts of Amity and Prosperity read as intimately as a novel, though its insidious, slow-motion ordeal is all too real -- Jennifer Szalai * The New York Times *A compelling tale ... Griswold's latest work may be your next must-read * Forbes *A morally complex and beautifully-written story of Appalachia, of family, of resources we all use. It's about what binds and tears apart a community and a country -- George Packer * author of The Unwinding, Winner of the National Book Award *Riveting and outraging. An essential account of corporate wrongdoing, regulatory collusion and citizen resistance in an unequal age -- Katherine Boo * author of Behind the Beautiful Forevers, Winner of the National Book Award *Amity and Prosperity is part Erin Brockovich, part Hillbilly Elegy. You'll be inspired by [Stacey Haney, Beth Voyles and Kendra Smith] who called B.S. on what was happening around them, pointing a finger at both money-hungry businessmen and day-tripping liberals studying them like specimens. Their galvanizing activism is proof that, to help someone, first you have to listen -- Elisabeth Egan * Glamour *Griswold creates a complex, elegantly written portrait of Stacey and a community ambivalent about the industry they hope can bring prosperity * BBC *Expertly constructed . . . [Griswold's] relentless, measured narration helped me understand my own blind spots - that sadness over ruined views is a kind of class privilege, the outgrowth of a particular stance toward the land . . . Thoroughly reported and tightly paced, Amity and Prosperity is an essential document of the region's latest go-round with the riches underfoot -- Erika Howsare * Los Angeles Review of Books *Amity and Prosperity is at heart a David and Goliath story fit for the movies. It has everything but a happy ending: bucolic setting concealing fortune and danger; poor but proud locals who've endured sequential boom bust cycles of resource extraction . . . tough, reluctant victim-heroes . . . and a courtroom drama, as a tenacious husband-wife legal team takes on the industry and the state . . . [a] valuable, discomforting book -- JoAnn Wypijewski * The New York Times Book Review *Riveting . . . Page-turner . . . If J.D. Vance's Hillbilly Elegy famously portrayed the Rust Belt ethos of Appalachian transplants into southern Ohio, Amity and Prosperity tells with vivid detail the contours of daily life in Washington and Greene counties . . . Amity and Prosperity becomes not only a glimpse into postindustrial small towns and the environmental consequences of fracking, but also a legal thriller worthy of any novel by John Grisham -- Byron Borger * Pittsburg Post-Gazette *Memorable . . An important addition to the emerging genre of works about fracking and its environmental and human costs. This will find large audiences among concerned citizens and warrants the attention of public officials as well as fans of J.D. Vance's Hillbilly Elegy * Library Journal (Starred Review) *In her new book, Amity and Prosperity, journalist Eliza Griswold provides a deeply human counterpoint to this political fray. She takes on the decidedly fraught issue of energy extraction through a vivid, compassionate portrait of one family living in the long shadow of industry . . . Griswold chronicles these escalating horrors with disarming intimacy -- Meara Sharma * The Washington Post *Powerful and deeply humane * The National Book Review *

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Book SynopsisBooks of 2021, The Economist ''Alex von Tunzelmann is one of the most gifted historians writing today. Brilliant and trenchant, witty and wise, Fallen Idols is a book you will adore, devour, and talk about to everyone you know. Hesitate no longer; buy this book.'' Suzannah Lipscomb, author, award-winning historian and broadcaster''Like all the best historians von Tunzelmann uses the past to explain what the hell is going on today. She does so with a flair, her signature mix of scholarship and succinctness that is so compelling. If you want to make sense of the statues debate, and the coming culture war over our history, this is where you need to start.'' Dan Snow''A timely, sparkling and often hilarious book.'' Michael Wood In 2020, statues across the world were pulled down in an extraordinary wave of global iconoclasm. From the United States and the United Kingdom to Canada, South Africa, the Caribbean, India, BanglTrade ReviewAlex von Tunzelmann is one of the most gifted historians writing today. Brilliant and trenchant, witty and wise, Fallen Idols is a book you will adore, devour, and talk about to everyone you know. Hesitate no longer; buy this book * Suzannah Lipscomb, author, award-winning historian and broadcaster *This timely, sparkling and often hilarious book is all that we have come to expect from Alex von Tunzelmann - witty (often wickedly so) scintillating, skewering pomposity. Readers will relish her eagle-eyed knack of offering jaw dropping anecdote while always keeping us aware of the big picture * Michael Wood, Historian *Like all the best historians von Tunzelmann uses the past to explain what the hell is going on today. She does so with a flair, her signature mix of scholarship and succinctness that is so compelling. If you want to make sense of the statues debate, and the coming culture war over our history, this is where you need to start * Dan Snow *Alexandra von Tunzelmann has chosen a subject akin to a minefield for her new book, except that the mines are statues and very much above ground . . . Tunzelmann is as skilled a guide as one could wish for; her erudition and light touch are major advantages. There is not a dull sentence in the book, which from the moment American revolutionaries topple George III in New York, grips the reader from start to finish. -- Michael Burleigh * Literary Review *It's a lively, engaging and often witty exploration of why statues are put up, why they are taken down and what this teaches us about history and memory . . . If it has an agenda, it's one that urges us to see the layers, the nuance and the different points of view * The Sunday Times *Forensically unpicking polemical arguments from all sides in the debate, von Tunzelmann calmly and deftly guides us through this important issue, while never stopping being hugely informative, surprising and entertaining. * Aspects of History *Timely and necessary. -- Philippe Sands * Financial Times *Alex von Tunzelmann deftly captures ... [that] ... statues are always works in progress: toppled, moved, reworked, re-erected and reinterpreted. There has never been a time when they were not contested. -- Mary Beard * Guardian *It's a timely, well written and often entertaining look at statues that were pulled down not only in 2020's wave of iconoclasm but in other places and at other times too. * New Statesman - Books of the Year, Richard J Evans *Excellent -- Professor Anna Whitelock * BBC History Magazine *

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