Religion and politics Books

Book SynopsisAgamben seeks to separate the Pauline texts from the history of the Church that canonized them, thus revealing them to be "the fundamental messianic texts of the West." He argues that Paul's Letters are concerned not with the foundation of a new religion but rather with the "messianic" abolition of Jewish law.Trade Review"The Time that Remains presents itself as an exegetical seminar on the opening line of the Letter to the Romans ("Paul, called as a slave of Jesus the Messiah, separated as apostle for the announcement of God")... Agamben's insightful close reading of the Pauline corpus sets this book apart from the more free-range grazing over the text modeled by Badiou and iek."—Radical Philosophy Review"Agamben, through the close reading of Pauline letter and the comparison of W. Benjamin's philosophy of history, gives us a fruitful key to better understand Western history and civilization. Philosophers and theologians will learn a great deal from reading this book." —Philosophy in Review/Comptes Rendus philosophiquesTable of Contents@fmct:Contents @toc2:The First Day 000 The Second Day 000 The Third Day 000 The Fourth Day 000 The Fifth Day 000 The Sixth Day 000 Threshold or Tornada 000 @toc4:Appendix 000 Bibliogrpahy 000 Index of Names 000

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Book SynopsisFrom the Bronze Age to the twenty-first century, vying armies have clashed over the territory stretching from the Upper Nile to modern-day Iraq and Iran. Ian Barnes’s Crossroads of War captures five millennia of conflict and conquest in detailed full-color maps, accompanied by incisive, accessible commentary.Trade ReviewFrom the earliest cities to the development of three of the world’s leading religions and from supplying much of the world’s petroleum to ongoing war, the Middle East has greatly affected the history of the entire world… This atlas offers excellent maps and accompanying text that attempt to bring this history to life… With a 5,000-year time span, this important work covers more history than any other atlas of the Middle East. -- G. A. Crawford * Choice *

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Book SynopsisFrom the moment Pope Francis stepped on to the balcony of St Peter''s Basilica for the first time, a global audience sensed that not only the Catholic Church but the world at large could be entering a new spiritual, political and social age. In the days following Pope Francis'' election, there would be further early signs of the simplicity worthy of the first apostles and the leader that inspired them. Not since John XIII appeared on the scene half a century earlier had a new Pope opened the windows of the Church in such a way as to let in some much needed fresh air. Nevertheless, for the excitement generated by the first Latin American Pope and a man who claimed to want to put the poor back at the centre of the Church''s social teaching, people could still only guess where it might be all be leading.Francis: Pope of Good Promise is neither an instant media job, nor a hagiography based on authorised interviews, but the product of diligent investigation across Trade ReviewBurns writes with colour and panache * The Scotsman *His [Burns] scenes and landscapes have a cinematic quality * Independent *His [Burns] experience as a successful international writer and broadcaster and wealth of Argentine and Catholic Church contacts makes him uniquely placed to provide a compelling account of an Argentine Jesuit, the first ever Latin American Pope, who has captured the imagination of the world.

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Book SynopsisA wide-ranging collection of essays on the varieties of liberation theologies emerging in the context of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the hopes that they offer for future reconciliation.Trade Review"The book makes a unique contribution to the field of liberation theology by describing the grassroots spirituality of Palestinian Christians" Katie Leggett, University of Edinburgh, Theological Book Review vol.27 (2017) no.2, pp.123-4Table of ContentsContributors Acknowledgments Introduction -Nur Masalha and Lisa Isherwood 1 Liberation Theology in Latin America and Palestine-Israel: Practical Similarities and Contextual Differences -Samuel Kuruvilla 2 Reflections on Sabeel's Liberation Theology and Ecumenical Work (1992-2013) -Naim Ateek 3 Theologies of Liberation in Palestine-Israel and the Struggle for Peace and Justice -Marc Ellis 4 Reading the Bible with the Eyes of the Philistines, Canaanites and Amalekites: Messianic Zionism, Zealotocracy, the Militarist Traditions of the Tanakh and the Palestinians (1967 to Gaza 2013) -Nur Masalha 5 God's Mapmakers: A Theology of Dispossession -Gareth Lloyd Jones 6 The Quest for Peace with Justice in the Middle East: Christian Zionist and Palestinian Theologies -Rosemary Radford Ruether 7 Transcending Monotheism and a Theology of Land -Lisa Isherwood 8 Beyond Interfaith Reconciliation: A New Paradigm for a Theology of Land -Mark Braverman 9 Confronting the Truth: New Awakenings to the Palestinian Situation -Mary Grey 10 Civil Liberation Theology in Palestine: Indigenous, Secular-Humanist and Post-Colonial Perspectives -Nur Masalha Index

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Book SynopsisThe delegates to the 1787 Constitutional Convention blocked the establishment of Christianity as a national religion. But they could not keep religion out of American politics. This title shows that religion became sectarian and partisan whenever it entered the political fray, and that religious agendas have always mixed with nonreligious ones.Trade Review"Of the writing of books about the rise and rumored fall of the religious right there is no end. But most of these tend toward the genre of the rant, which is why Lambert's new book is important. It gives a history of the intertwining of evangelical faith and political engagement in America that displays no obvious agenda other than to illuminate... The whole book will be useful as a handy, clear and fair treatment of this most contentious subject."--Publishers Weekly "Religion in American Politics ... traces the interplay between pulpits and the public square through nearly two centuries of U.S. history. Some things, [Lambert] writes, never change."--Daniel Burke, Washington Post "For students of U.S. religion and religious history, this is a useful and very interesting book. Despite many attempts to understand the relations between religion and politics, there have been few efforts to trace these interrelationships throughout U.S. history. Lambert takes on such a task enthusiastically and successfully, in a 'short' survey of 250 pages."--J. F. Findlay, Choice "In this election season, with candidates often touting their plans to include religion in their political platforms, Lambert's richly-textured book provides a timely reminder of the divisiveness of religion and the wisdom of the Founding Fathers in keeping it out of national politics."--Henry L. Carrigan, Jr., ForeWord "Despite the constitutional separation of church and state, the two have in fact had a long, convoluted, intertwined history, as explored by Frank Lambert in his new book, Religion in American Politics: A Short History. While no official faith-based litmus test has ever been established for those running for elected office, Lambert, a history professor at Purdue University, posits that the influence of religion is, and has been, both foreground and background in American politics... Perhaps Lambert's most successful achievement with his book is the correction of the perception that this phenomenon is anything new, or that it will go away any time soon."--In the Fray Magazine "Among other things, Lambert shows how the American sons of the Enlightenment were drawn to secularism, at least politically but, in the case of Jefferson and some others, in terms of personal belief as well. The representatives who met in 1787 to write the Constitution (replacing the Articles of Confederation, the looser document that sprang directly from the revolution) ensured that Christianity was not the nation's official state religion. We learn that Adams was hardly alone in his reaction to Jefferson's victory over him. Religious leaders connected to Adams' party, the Federalists, called Jefferson unfit to lead 'a Christian nation', even one that was unofficially so."--George Featherling, Seven Oaks Magazine "The book's fine scholarly grain allows several sides of the story to shine through at once, yet Religion in American Politics: A Short History also paints a welcome big picture... The book's most encouraging aspect is its sensitive treatment of diversity within religious traditions... [T]o read his history is to sense how much poorer American public culture would be without the active participation of people of faith. Imagine the civil rights movement without the spirituals."--Marion Maddox, Australian Review of Public Affairs "It's hard to have a conversation or argument about religion and politics in America without dragging history into it. At the very least, many of us feel compelled to invoke the Founders on behalf of a vision of America either as some sort of 'Christian nation' or as the first and most successful secular republic. In his brief but generally judicious Religion in American Politics, Purdue historian Frank Lambert demonstrates that this is nothing new: Proponents of both visions have been arguing back and forth since the time of the founding. Since his is a 'short history,' Lambert doesn't exhaustively document every intersection of religion and politics. Rather, he picks his moments, showing how they reveal particular versions of our hardy perennial debate."--Joseph Knippenberg, Weekly Standard "Lambert's subtle and learned exposition of the evolution of religion within American culture is admirably clear and engaging."--Andrew Preston, Ecclesiastical History "Religion in American Politics is one of those rare scholarly books that actually manage to deliver more than it promises. In charting the relationship between politics and religion in American life, Lambert manages to provide an elegant, even-handed, and comprehensive account of the role religious faith has played in shaping the nation's destiny."--Shawn Francis Peters, Journal of Church and State "Religion in American Politics is a useful survey, not least because Lambert seeks to probe beyond some of the shopworn examples of religious and political entanglements."--Randall Balmer, Cambridge Journals "Lambert's clear and well-conceived analysis is framed within his understanding of religious culture as a competitive marketplace... Students and scholars interested in church-state issues in the United States will not regret reaching [this] book. Lambert's judicious treatment of sources and his attention to context give his work an authority that quotation warriors usually lack. Religion in American Politics may not be edgy, but it is wise."--Chris Beneke, Journal of Southern History "The reader is introduced to important actors and arguments and, after reading this volume, will have enough direction to pursue further investigation. The book is also a joy to read; Lambert not only has a felicitous style, but often finds just the right quotation from a protagonist or scholar to make a particular point without belaboring it. For general readers, or as a starter for an undergraduate course in American religion and politics, this book would be a fine choice."--James L. Guth, Cambridge JournalsTable of ContentsACKNOWLEDGMENTS ix INTRODUCTION 1 CHAPTER ONE: Providential and Secular America: Founding the Republic 14 CHAPTER TWO: Elusive Protestant Unity: Sunday Mails, Catholic Immigration, and Sectional Division 41 CHAPTER THREE: The "Gospel of Wealth" and the "Social Gospel": Industrialization and the Rise of Corporate America 74 CHAPTER FOUR: Faith and Science: The Modernist-Fundamentalist Controversy 104 CHAPTER FIVE: Religious and Political Liberalism: The Rise of Big Government from the New Deal to the Cold War 130 CHAPTER SIX: Civil Rights as a Religious Movement: Politics in the Streets 160 CHAPTER SEVEN: The Rise of the "Religious Right": The Reagan Revolution and the "Moral Majority" 184 CHAPTER EIGHT: Reemergence of the "Religious Left"? America's Culture War in the Early Twenty-first Century 218 NOTES 251 INDEX 271

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Book SynopsisFour leading thinkers confront the paradoxes and dilemmas attending the supposed stand-off between Islam and liberal democratic values.Trade Review"I can't imagine a set of more rigorous, humane and insightful interlocutors on this vital aspect of the public sphere." -- -Jonathan Boyarin University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill "This conversation among Asad, Brown, Butler, and Mahmood offers an important snapshot of the rich debates on post-secularism and critiques of secularism. These essays provide succinct and accessible discussions of key issues in these debates." -- -Annika Thiem Villanova University "This original and provocative book is an invitation to go beyond political niceties and engage issues of religious difference with candor. Both scholarly and engaging, the book uplifts the level of public debate on the entanglement of religious and secular reasoning in the making of modern publics." -- -Veena Das Johns Hopkins UniversityTable of ContentsIntroduction Wendy Brown Free Speech, Blasphemy, and Secular Criticism Talal Asad Religious Reason and Secular Affect: An Incommensurable Divide? Saba Mahmood The Sensibility of Critique: Response to Asad and Mahmood Judith Butler Reply to Judith Butler Talal Asad Reply to Judith Butler Saba Mahmood

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Book SynopsisV. S. Naipaul was born in Trinidad in 1932. He came to England on a scholarship in 1950. He spent four years at University College, Oxford, and began to write, in London, in 1954. He pursued no other profession.His novels include A House for Mr Biswas, The Mimic Men, Guerrillas, A Bend in the River, and The Enigma of Arrival. In 1971 he was awarded the Booker Prize for In a Free State. His works of nonfiction, equally acclaimed, include Among the Believers, Beyond Belief, The Masque of Africa, and a trio of books about India: An Area of Darkness, India: A Wounded Civilization and India: A Million Mutinies Now.In 1990, V. S. Naipaul received a knighthood for services to literature; in 1993, he was the first recipient of the David Cohen British Literature Prize. He received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2001. He lived with his wife Nadira and cat Augustus in Wiltshire, and died in 20Trade ReviewCompelling, insightful, often somberly beautiful. * Sunday Telegraph *Naipaul travels, he asks, he listens attentively and, above all else, he notices, often seeing what others do not or cannot. That acute gift has never left him . . . he is sustained by the old ideal of unadorned truth-telling. * New Statesman *The quality of Naipaul’s writing – simple, concise, engaging – rarely varies . . . Above all, Naipaul’s latest African journey is eyewitness reporting at its best. * Time *

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Book SynopsisAs the global marketplace grows and becomes more complex, increasing stress is placed upon employees. Businesses are acknowledging this change in work habits by adapting the work place to offer support through multifaith chaplaincy. Multifaith chaplaincy is based on developing relationships of trust between diverse faith communities and the public workplace. Through the experience of starting the first multifaith chaplaincy in Canary Wharf, the author offers insights into current conditions and challenges of chaplaincy in the business community.Writing as an Anglican priest, Fiona Stewart-Darling shows the importance of chaplaincy teams drawing on different faith traditions. This book is an important contribution to the emerging debate around the role of chaplaincy in faith and business communities. This research will be of particular interest to those working in or setting up chaplaincies in different contexts such as hospitals, prisons, town centre chaplaincies working with businesses and business leaders, particularly those involved in diversity and inclusion in the workplace.Trade ReviewA uniquely rich source of guidance for those on the journey to recognise and integrate faith more fully as a key ingredient in our working lives and in our capacity to contribute to society. -- Sir David Walker, former Chairman of the Multi-faith ChaplaincyContains a depth of understanding that combines sharp analysis of the complex coming together of faiths and workplaces in a global economy, facing the key issues (including the awkward ones), and offering wise ways through them. -- David F. Ford, Regius Professor of Divinity Emeritus, University of CambridgeTable of ContentsIntroduction. 1. Welcome to my World. 2. 'After Industrial Mission' - Why We Still Need Workplace Chaplaincy? 3. Multifaith Chaplaincy. 4. The Role of Wisdom alongside Ethics, Values and Culture. 5. Understanding Mission in the Context of Chaplaincy. 6. Why Faith Communities Need Chaplains and Why Chaplains Need Faith Communities. Conclusion: Open Questions. Appendix: The Golden Rule in Core Religious Texts. References. Further Reading.

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Book SynopsisIt is impossible to understand Palestine today without a careful reading of its distant and past. This book offers a detailed interpretation of this critical region's evolution. Starting with the prebiblical and biblical roots of Palestine, it examines the meanings ascribed to the land in the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim traditions.Trade ReviewGudrun Kramer, Winner of the 2010 Gerda Henkel Prize, Gerda Henkel Foundation "The 400 years before the founding of the Jewish state is a historiographical minefield, but Kramer, a professor of Islamic studies at Free University Berlin, manages to produce an illuminating survey of the terrain...Kramer's fluent narrative pairs a much-needed focus on facts--including useful data on contentious issues of population growth and land ownership--with an evenhanded avoidance of partisanship."--Publishers Weekly "We tend not to notice that Palestine existed as a territory before there was an Israel, and before there was a Palestinian national movement. Kramer, professor of Islamic studies at Free University Berlin, goes back to early 19th-century Egyptian rule, and then to the modernization undertaken by the Ottoman Empire, to situate the present in its historical context."--Martin Levin, The Globe and Mail "An excellent source for those desiring an understanding of the background to the present-day unrest in the region."--L. Edward Sizemore, Dallas Morning News "[Kramer] brilliantly contextualizes Arab anti-Semitism by investigating how, for the Palestinian population, the borders between Jew and Zionist gradually became blurred. By making a series of similar investigations, tracing all the defining points of the conflict, she has been able to write a book that stands out as necessary background reading for all scholars intent on investigating the current situation in Palestine."--Jorgen Jensehaugen, Journal of Peace Research "This is a welcome addition to the growing number of studies on this increasingly popular field, and the book will be of much use to those teaching classes on Middle Eastern history, the history of the Ottoman Empire and Israel Studies. It will also prove useful in seminars on the construction of historical narratives, the connection between religion and nationalism, and processes of decolonialization."--Scott Ury, Religious Studies Review "Kramer's is a well-researched and thoroughly referenced work of synthesis offered by a cautious and reflective historian... A History of Palestine is a respectable addition to the synthetic literature in the field. For the non-specialist reader, the book offers a good introduction to the social, political, cultural, and economic history of Palestine and a wealth of statistical information. For specialists, the book is a further reminder of the challenges posed by colonial history and to the importance, in the twenty-first century, of including the voices of the indigenous peoples as well as the colonists."--Abdel Razzaq Takriti, English Historical Review "[T]his is the first serious biography of the mufti to appear in 14 years and only the fourth ever to appear in English. The authors should be encouraged to greatly expand their research for a much larger second edition. The first edition is already valuable for the dark tale it tells."--Marin Sieff, Sunday Times "Gudrun Kramer's book, although its name is not attractive, is a very interesting, well written book, which can enrich even those who know the history of Palestine. For those who will use it as a first book on Palestine, it is a good starting place."--Gideon Biger, Shofar "For anyone seriously interested in the century-old Arab/Jewish struggle for the land they both call holy, you must get acquainted with Gudrun Kramer's A History of Palestine. A professor of Islamic studies at Free University of Berlin, she presents an exhaustive overview of the country's past from the Ottoman conquest to the creation of Israel, albeit with a subtle Arabist slant."--Tim Boxer, 15 Minutes Magazine "[T]his is a comprehensive and readable account which should be useful to both students and scholars. Kramer's insistence on confronting the historiographical dominance of 1882 is a valuable intervention, and her long view of the past gives today's conflict the wider historical context that too many commentators choose to overlook."--Anna Bernard, Modernism/modernityTable of ContentsList of Illustrations vii List of Tables ix Preface xi Abbreviations xiii CHAPTER ONE: Names and Borders 1 CHAPTER TWO: The Holiness of the "Holy Land" 18 CHAPTER THREE: Contrasts: Palestine, 1750-1840 37 CHAPTER FOUR: The Age of Reform, 1840-1914 71 CHAPTER FIVE: Evolving Nationalisms: Zionism and Arabism, 1880-1914 101 CHAPTER SIX: "A Land without a People for a People without a Land"? Population, Settlement, and Cultivation, 1800-1914 128 CHAPTER SEVEN: World War I and the British Mandate 139 CHAPTER EIGHT: Double Standard, or Dual Obligation 164 CHAPTER NINE: "Two Peoples in One Land" 188 CHAPTER TEN: The Mufti and the Wailing Wall 216 CHAPTER ELEVEN: From Unrest to Uprising 238 CHAPTER TWELVE: The Arab Uprising, 1936-39 264 CHAPTER THIRTEEN: Triumph and Catastrophe: From World War II to the State of Israel 296 Bibliography 325 Index 343

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Book SynopsisBy turns tragic and hopeful, the history of Israel and Palestine through the lens of the world's most popular sport.Football has never been shy of politics. This is especially true for Israel and Palestine. A sport introduced by Victorian churchmen swiftly became a vehicle for nationalism and pride. Under British military rule, Jewish and Palestinian teams competed in the same leagues, not only on the pitch, but in smoky committee rooms and street corners, as the two communities fought for control of the sport. After the creation of Israel in 1948, Palestinian football survived among refugees, with Jordan's greatest side hailing from the poorest of the camps on the fringes of the capital. In recent years, Israel's dynamic Premier League has seen some of the country's best teams and players emerge from the Palestinian community - inspiring hope that football might help Arabs and Jews become friends and equals. Meanwhile, in the West Bank and Gaza, a series of s

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Book SynopsisA biography of a remarkable figure, whose politics prefigured today's social justice, ecology, and gender equality movements Ammon Hennacy was arrested over thirty times for opposing US entry in World War 1. Later, when he refused to pay taxes that support war, he lost his wife and daughters, and then his job. For protesting the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, he was hounded by the IRS and driven to migrant labor in the fields of the West. He had a romance with Dorothy Day, founder of the Catholic Worker, who called him a prophet and a peasant. He helped the homeless on the Bowery, founded the Joe Hill House of Hospitality in Salt Lake City, and protested the US development of nuclear missiles, becoming in the process one of the most celebrated anarchists of the twentieth century. To our era, when so much protest happens on social media, his actual sacrifices seem unworldly. Ammon Hennacy was a forerunner of contemporary progressive thought, and he remains a beacon for challenges thTrade ReviewChristian Anarchist shows how the many disparate elements from Hennacy’s family and cultural background—from Quakerism to the Baptist tradition to socialism, to dietary reform to a kind of spirit of independent yeomanry—informed his engagement with a world he was determined to change. Marling evokes Ammon Hennacy’s iconoclastic yet reverent life very faithfully. Will be an important contribution to the literature of the twentieth-century U.S. radicalism. -- James Fisher, co-editor, The Catholic Studies ReaderThought-provoking and rich, Christian Anarchist offers a close look at a deeply challenging and inspiring figure in US history, locating Hennacy in a squarely American context and providing an angle on a Catholic and otherwise religious and radical leftism that has often been overlooked in US intellectual and political history. Beautiful and profound, Marling presents a stark challenge to the definitions of radicalism, activism, and Catholicism. -- John Seitz, Fordham UniversityAmmon Hennacy’s lifetime of uncompromising commitment to Christian pacifist anarchism is long overdue for the rich examination Marling provides. Marling uncovers the leftist icon’s unsettled personal life, humanizing Hennacy’s Sisyphean search for real-life heroes and occasional mythmaking. Hennacy’s praxis of speaking truth and embodying his ideals are highlighted by Marling, who illuminates an extraordinary life that few dared to, or could, equal. -- Brian D. Haley, author of Ammon Hennacy and the Hopi Traditionalist Movement: Roots of the Counterculture’s Favorite Indians

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Book SynopsisCHOICE Outstanding Academic Title, 2022 To better understand current events and threats, this book outlines the organizations and beliefs of domestic terrorists in the United States and how to counter their attacks on American democracy. Who are the American citizensWhite nationalists and militant Islamistsperpetrating acts of terrorism against their own country? What are their grievances and why do they hate? How can this transnational peril be effectively addressed? Homegrown Hate is a groundbreaking and deeply researched work that directly compares White nationalists and militant Islamists in the United States. In this timely book, scholar and holistic justice activist Sara Kamali examines these Americans' self-described beliefs, grievances, and rationales for violence, and details their organizational structures within a transnational context. She presents compelling insight into the most pressing threat to homeland security not only in the United States, but in nations across Trade Review"Eerily prescient. . . . Kamali rebuts the idea that 'lone wolves' drive terrorism and focuses on a comparative analysis of the White nationalist and militant Islamist groups that can drive it. She examines their aims, beliefs, tactics, rhetoric, organizational structures, and influencers, such as the Oath Keepers, Osama bin Laden, Dylann Roof, neo-Nazis, and Timothy McVeigh." * Kirkus Reviews *"The literature on White nationalists and militant Islamists gains an important new entry examining the reasons for acts of terrorism perpetrated by American citizens against the United States. . . . Homegrown Hate's comparative approach allows for a nuanced and complex discussion which not only puts religion at the center of the analysis, but is clear in its assertion that to reduce the activity of terrorists solely to religious motivations ignores the interplay of various social and political factors, reminding the reader that even those who share these corrupted beliefs do not engage in acts of terrorism." * Ethnic and Racial Studies * "Overall, Homegrown Hate is a valuable up-to-date resource not only for scholars and policymakers but for anyone who is looking to gain an in-depth understanding of current security threats and political violence facing the United States and many other countries around the world. . . . The book is a significant contribution to the field- deeply informative and written in an engaging manner." * European Center for Populism Studies *"A must-read for students, academics, journalists and, in particular, policy-makers and actors in security bureaucracy, who are interested in White nationalism, domestic terrorism and counterterrorism in the USA." * Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations *"Homegrown Hate is a model of innovative scholarship. . . . Readers interested in a new perspective on the topic of religion and white nationalism will appreciate her work, as well those interested in media, comparative social movements, and religion and criminology. Finally, those seeking new models of scholarship will find Kamali’s approach to surfacing similarities between two groups who see themselves in a cosmic battle to be an invigorating challenge to how studies of religion are often done." * Reading Religion *"Homegrown Hate is disturbing, yet it is one of the most important new books detailing domestic extremists available today." * CHOICE *"An incisive study. . . . For anyone interested in the full complexities of homegrown hate and case studies that highlight the problems and principles within each movement, the book is highly recommended." * Populism *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction. Empathizing with the Enemy: The Threat Within Part One. Who They Are 1. The Fourteen Words: The Racist Beliefs of White Nationalists 2. Loyalty and Disavowal: The Exclusionary Ideology of Militant Islamists Part Two. Why They Fight 3. #WhiteGenocide: Grievances of White Nationalists 4. The Crusades Redux: Grievances of Militant Islamists Part Three. What They Want 5. (RA)HOWA: (Re)Claiming the United States through (Racial) Holy War 6. America the Beautiful: Establishing a White Ethnostate or Constructing a Caliphate 7. Encouraging the End of Days: The Apocalyptic Rhetoric of Political Violence 8. The Myth of the Lone Wolf: Joining Virtual Packs Online Part Four. What Can Be Done Conclusion. Securing the Homeland: Counterterrorism and the Need for Holistic Justice Notes Selected Bibliography Index

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Book Synopsis Teresa Forcades, Spanish Benedictine nun, theologian, physician and political activist, is one of Europe’s leading radical thinkers. Marrying her Catholic faith with a passion for social justice, she came to prominence for her eloquent condemnation of the abuses of some of the world’s biggest pharmaceutical companies. She has gone on to found a leading Catalonian anti-capitalist independence movement and is one of the leading voices in the world today against the injustices of capitalism and the patriarchy of modern society and of her own church. In Faith and Freedom, her first book written in English, she skilfully weaves together her personal experiences with a reflection on morality, religion and politics to give a trenchant account of how the Christian faith can be a dynamic force for radical change. Placing herself in a powerful tradition of Catholic social doctrine and Liberation Theology, she applies her perspective to the issues most precious to her: freedom and love, social justice and political engagement, public health, feminism, faith and forgiveness. Structured around the five canonical hours that give its peculiar rhythm to the monastic day, this book is a thoughtful and bold polemic against the exploitation and injustice of the status quo. Its call for liberty, love and justice will resonate with anyone disaffected with a savage and destructive political and economic system that marginalises and murders the poor and undermines the very fabric of social life.Trade Review“Teresa Forcades offers a lucid and inspiring reflection on the mutually enriching relationship between contemplation and action, the spiritual and the political, faith and feminism. Structuring her book around the liturgy of the hours, she shows how the Christian life can be lived in a way that is deeply rooted in prayer and tradition, but also radically engaged with the contemporary world.”Tina Beattie, University of Roehampton “Sister Teresa's meditations, gracefully woven out of the daily Benedictine cycle of prayer, confront some of the most profound personal challenges of contemporary life. Let noone say that the religious life is a-political: Sister Teresa combines fearless intellectual analysis, radical resistance to injustice, and an unwavering commitment to the mystery and power of Christian forgiveness.” Sarah Coakley, University of Cambridge “Eye-opening and invigorating, Faith and Freedom demonstrates the power of faith combined with inquiry.”Foreword Reviews"It should be read slowly and prayerfully; there are spiritual gems on almost every page..."Franciscan"Forcades' book, her first in English, may be brief at just over a hundred pages, but with nearly every sentence containing a bit of wisdom, it requires a contemplative reading. If a reader gives the book the time it deserves, however, they will be richly rewarded."Bob Shine, Vice President of the Women's Ordination ConferenceTable of ContentsIntroductionChapter 1MATINS: LOVE AND FREEDOMthe biblical genesis and the Enuma Elish / creation vs. emanation / tzimtzum and perichorese / Augustine’s notion of freedomChapter 2LAUDS: SOCIAL JUSTICEliberation theology / the case of Guatemala / a critique of capitalism / my political experienceChapter 3SEXT: PUBLIC HEALTHpublic health systems / privatization and the WHO / the undue influence of pharmaceutical companies / medicalizationChapter 4RECREATION: FEMINISMmy experience of femininity and of feminism / the mother as object of desire / sexism in today’s society / feminist theologyChapter 5VESPERS: FAITHfaith and reason / the gospel of Judas / Gertrude of Helfta / María Jesús of ÁgredaChapter 6COMPLINE: FORGIVENESSthe testimony of a monastic sister / Lacan’s subject vs. the Christian person / Jesus’ parables / forgiveness and freedom

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Book Synopsis'It is a Lord of the Flies parable with Bhagwan as lord. The book is a fascinating social history, with many celebrities, from Diana Ross to Prince Charles. - Helen Rumbelow, The TimesThis is the story of a Englishman who gave up a job in journalism to spend fourteen years with the controversial Indian mystic Osho, also known as Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and frequently referred to as 'the sex guru'. His guru was always controversial with his teachings on sex and spirituality, rumours of orgies and because he owned ninety-three Rolls Royces.Early in 1976, Subhuti travelled to India to meet Rajneesh in his ashram in Pune, became initiated as his disciple and immediately began to have mystical experiences, which he attributed to the powerful energy field surrounding the guru. He stayed for six months, participating in the ashram's notorious Encounter Group and other therapies designed to release suppressed emotions and awaken sexual energySubhuti would stay to live and work on his master's ashrams for fourteen years, first as his press officer in Pune, India, then as editor of the community's weekly newspaper when Bhagwan and his followers shifted to Oregon, USA, and built a whole new town on the massive Big Muddy Ranch.There Subhuti was a first-hand witness to the scandals and hullabaloo that accompanied the guru, including tales of broken bones in no-holds-barred therapy groups and Tantra groups that encouraged total sexual freedom, and the increasing hostility with the locals which would lead to Bhagwan's attempt to flee America, his arrest and imprisonment. .He was on the Oregon Ranch when Rajneesh's secretary, Ma Anand Sheela, plotted against rival cliques within the ashram as well as a range of murderous crimes against state and federal officials which feature in hit Netflix series Wild Wild Country.Yet, amidst it all, Subhuti could see the profound revolution in spirituality that Bhagwan was creating, leaving a lasting impact on our ideas about society, religion, meditation and personal transformation.According to the author's understanding, it was the controversy itself, plus Bhagwan's refusal to tread the path of a spiritual saint, that became the stepping stone to a new vision of what it means to be a spiritual seeker.

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Book Synopsis''At least in The Handmaid''s Tale they value babies, mostly. Not so in the true stories here'' Margaret Atwood ''[A] furious, necessary book'' Sinéad GleesonUntil alarmingly recently, the Catholic Church, acting in concert with the Irish state, operated a network of institutions for the concealment, punishment and exploitation of ''fallen women''. In the Magdalene laundries, girls and women were incarcerated and condemned to servitude. And in the mother-and-baby homes, women who had become pregnant out of wedlock were hidden from view, and in most cases their babies were adopted - sometimes illegally. Mortality rates in these institutions were shockingly high, and the discovery of a mass infant grave at the mother-and-baby home in Tuam made news all over the world. The Irish state has commissioned investigations. But the workings of the institutions and of the culture that underpinned it - a shame-industrial complex - have long been cloaked in secrecy and silence. For countless people, a search for answers continues. Caelainn Hogan - a brilliant young journalist, born in an Ireland that was only just starting to free itself from the worst excesses of Catholic morality - has been talking to the survivors of the institutions, to members of the religious orders that ran them, and to priests and bishops. She has visited the sites of the institutions, and studied Church and state documents that have much to reveal about how they operated. Reporting and writing with great curiosity, tenacity and insight, she has produced a startling and often moving account of how an entire society colluded in this repressive system, and of the damage done to survivors and their families. In the great tradition of Anna Funder''s Stasiland and Barbara Demick''s Nothing to Envy: Real Lives in North Korea - both winners of the Samuel Johnson Prize - Republic of Shame is an astounding portrait of a deeply bizarre culture of control.''Achingly powerful ... There will be many people who don''t want to read Republic of Shame, for fear it will be too much, too dark, too heavy. Please don''t be afraid. Read it. Look it in the eye'' Irish Times''A must read for everyone'' Lynn Ruane''Republic of Shame is a careful, sensitive and extremely well-written book - but it is harrowing. It would break your heart in two'' Ailbhe Smyth''Hogan''s captivatingly written stories of people who were consigned to what she calls the shame-industrial complex puts faces - many old now, and lined with pain - to the clinical data ... Brilliant'' Sunday Times''Utterly brilliant. Please read it'' Marian Keyes''Riveting, immensely insightful and horrifically recognisable'' Emma Dabiri''[A] sensitive, can''t-look-away book ... Through moving stories, Hogan shows how the past is still present'' NPRTrade ReviewAt least in The Handmaid's Tale they value babies, mostly. Not so in the true stories here.[A] furious, necessary bookAchingly powerful ... There will be many people who don't want to read Republic of Shame, for fear it will be too much, too dark, too heavy. Please don't be afraid. Read it. Look it in the eye * Irish Times *Utterly brilliant. Please read itHogan's captivatingly written stories of people who were consigned to what she calls the "shame-industrial complex" puts faces - many old now, and lined with pain - to the clinical data. ... Brilliant * Sunday Times *[A] searing account of the Church's treatment of women during its period of dominance over Irish society ... It is never less than compelling * Irish Independent *Republic of Shame is a careful, sensitive and extremely well written book - but it is harrowing. It would break your heart in twoRiveting, immensely insightful and horrifically recognisableA must read for everyoneCompelling ... devastatingly human, [Republic of Shame] will make you shake with sadness and anger * RTÉ Guide *A beautifully written and impeccably researched book ... We need more books like thisCaelainn's book brings real people to the fore * Hot Press *A vital and damning portrait of Ireland's mother and baby homes * GCN.ie *I've laughed, cried & RAGED reading this bookFor anyone interested in understanding modern Ireland. A compelling and beautifully written investigation into institutions for "fallen women" and the culture which facilitated themCaelainn Hogan's harrowing account of the "shame industrial complex" shows how the legacy of Ireland's treatment of "fallen women" remains part of the scenery of modern life * Totally Dublin *[A] sensitive, can't-look-away book ... Through moving stories, Hogan shows how the past is still present * NPR *A gripping, eye-opening and challenging read ... Hogan sheds light on the darkest corners of our recent history in Ireland, but also holds up a mirror to today * Dublin Inquirer *

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisThe basic point of the secular in the modern West is to liberate certain pursuits--the state, the economy, science--from the authority of religion. This is also assumed to be the goal and meaning of secular in Islam. Sherman Jackson argues, however, that that assumption is wrong. In Islam the secular was neither outside religion nor a rival to it. Religion, in Islam was not identical to Islam''s sacred law, or shari''ah. Nor did classical Muslim jurists see shari''ah as the all-encompassing, exclusive means of determining what is Islamic. In fact, while, as religion, Islam''s jurisdiction was unlimited, shari''ah''s jurisdiction, as a sacred law, was limited. In other words, while everything remained within the purview of the divine gaze of the God of Islam, not everything could be determined by shari''ah or on the basis of its revelatory sources. Various aspects of state-policy, the economy, science, and the like were differentiated, from shari''ah and its revelatory sources, without

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Book SynopsisClaire McGettrick is an Irish Research Council postgraduate scholar at the School of Sociology at University College Dublin, Ireland. Her research interests focus on adoption, so-called historical abuses, and related injustices in twentieth-century Ireland. She is cofounder of Justice for Magdalenes Research (JFMR) and Adoption Rights Alliance (ARA). She jointly coordinates the multi-award-winning CLANN project with Dr Maeve O'Rourke, as well as the Magdalene Names Project (MNP), which has recorded the details of over 1,900 women who lived and died in Ireland's Magdalen laundries. Katherine O'Donnell is Associate Professor, History of Ideas, UCD School of Philosophy, Ireland, and has published widely on the history of sexuality and gender and the intellectual history of eighteenth-century Ireland. She has been principal investigator on a number of funded research projects, including gathering an archival and oral history of the Magdalen institutions funded by the Irish Research Council. Her teaching awards include the UCD President's Gold Medal for Teaching Excellence and the British Universities' Learning On-Screen Award. She has gained academic honours, including a Fulbright Fellowship and the University of California, Berkeley, Chancellor's Prize for Prose. As a member of Justice for Magdalenes Research (JFMR), she has shared in activist honours, including the Irish Labour Party's Thirst for Justice Award.Maeve O'Rourke is lecturer in human-rights law at the Irish Centre for Human Rights, NUI Galway, and a graduate of University College Dublin, Harvard Law School, and Birmingham Law School, University of Birmingham. She is also a barrister (England and Wales) and attorney-at-law (New York). Since 2009 she has provided pro bono legal assistance to Justice for Magdalenes Research (JFMR) and is currently co-director of the CLANN project, an evidence-gathering and advocacy collaboration between JFMR, Adoption Rights Alliance (ARA), and Hogan Lovells International, LLP. She was named UK Family Law Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year in 2013.James M Smith is an associate professor in the English department at Boston College. He has published articles in Signs, The Journal of the History of Sexuality, Éire-Ireland, and ELH. His book, Ireland's Magdalen Laundries and the Nation's Architecture of Containment (Notre Dame UP), was published in 2007 and was awarded the Donald Murphy Prize for Distinguished First Book by the American Conference for Irish Studies. With Maria Luddy, he coedited a double special issue of Éire-Ireland (Spring/Summer 2009) and the collection Children, Childhood, and Irish Society: 1500 to the Present (Four Courts Press, 2014). He recently coedited a double special issue of Éire-Ireland (Spring/Summer 2020) and the essay collection REDRESS: Ireland and Justice in Transition (forthcoming) on Transitional Justice and institutional abuse in Ireland. He is a member of the advocacy group Justice for Magdalenes Research (JFMR).Mari Steed was one of more than 2,000 children exported from Ireland to the United States, and was born in the Bessborough Mother and Baby Home in Cork, where she also endured being part of the vaccine trials. Mari's mother spent time in a Magdalen laundry. She serves as U.S. coordinator with the Adoption Rights Alliance (ARA). In 2003 Mari cofounded Justice for Magdalens/Research (JFMR), an advocacy organisation that successfully campaigned for a state apology and restorative justice for survivors of Ireland's Magdalen laundries. She currently serves on the group's executive committee. She also serves as vice-president on the executive committee of U.S. adoptee-rights organisation Bastard Nation.Trade ReviewIn many ways, the book is a toolkit for any campaigner engaging with the political system. It exposes a political culture which can too often be frustrating, intransigent, and even cynical when faced with uncomfortable truths. * Dublin Review of Books *[A] significant, moving and powerful account ... The book is a model of social justice campaigning that uses academia, advocacy and activism. * Irish Legal News *Ireland and the Magdalene Laundries: A Campaign for Justice is rightly, lucidly and incisively critical of governmental investigations that have been inefficient and unethical. In short, this book is vital for anyhow interested in the historical arc of social policy in relation to pariah groups. It also highlights the enormous efforts of the JFMR and their continued struggle for justice. * Critical Social Policy *This is a challenging and powerfully repetitive book replete with narrative detail. By far the most compelling elements are where the authors rely on survivor experience to propel their verdict of the insouciance and imprudence of the Irish government. The authors succeed in their ambition of restoring power to the survivors of Ireland’s Magdalene Laundries. * Irish Studies *Ireland and the Magdalene Laundries: A Campaign for Justice details the group's efforts to gain apologies to Magdalene survivors from both the Catholic Church and Irish state, financial redress and comprehensive health care for survivors, and access to church and state archives for survivors seeking their personal records. * National Catholic Reporter *This brave book is an archive of an unfinished movement, a survey of the continuing harms of so-called 'historical abuse', and a set of demands for law reform and political change. In places, it is also a love letter to those who survived Ireland's Magdalene laundries. In devastating detail, it shows how Irish politicians, professionals and members of religious orders have resisted demands that these women be recognised as victims of human rights abuse. More than a description of Justice for Magdalenes' campaigning and research, it is an important challenge to official histories and excuses that stubbornly carry undeserved weight in Irish public discourse. * Máiréad Enright, University of Birmingham *The campaign for justice for the girls and women incarcerated in Magdalene laundries is one of the greatest acts of truth-telling in the recent history of Ireland. The walls of institutional denial have had to be demolished slowly and painfully, brick by brick. The experiences of those most involved in this task, so vividly detailed in this vital book, tell us so much, not just about a history that was shamefully obscured, but about the imperative for every society to really know itself. In helping the survivors to reclaim their dignity, this indispensable book also helps the rest of us to reclaim the true meaning of shared citizenship and common humanity. * Fintan O'Toole, Irish Times Journalist and Orwell Prize winner *It is impossible to describe the toxic fog of shame, distortion and indifference these writers worked through so the truth of the Magdalen Laundries could be seen in a proper light. No one wanted to know. They are my heroes. * Anne Enright, Author and winner of the 2007 Booker Prize *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements List of Abbreviations Foreword Introduction Chapter 1: Ireland’s Magdalene Laundries and the Lives Lived There Chapter 2: Survivors Begin to Be Heard Chapter 3: Anatomy of a Campaign: The Strategies Chapter 4: Anatomy of a Campaign: Developing a Human Rights and Justice Agenda Chapter 5: Publication of the IDC Report: The Campaign Within the Campaign Chapter 6: Never Tell, Never Acknowledge (…everyone knew, but no one said) Chapter 7: Ex Gratia ‘Redress’ Chapter 8: Bringing up the Dead: Burials and Land Deals at High Park Chapter 9: Conclusion: Who Do We Want to Be? Bibliography

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Book SynopsisSecularism can be stifling for religious actors seeking a voice in public life. But it can also be empowering. Sarah Shortall tells the story of France’s nouveaux théologiens, who recast arguments over fascism, communism, democracy, and human rights in theological terms, thereby securing a voice for their faith in twentieth-century politics.Trade ReviewSuperbly expands our knowledge of the nouvelle théologie…The book describes a movement begun in exile and youthful rebellion, tested in clandestine anti-Nazi resistance, and shaken by political turmoil and ecclesiastical opprobrium before eventually remaking the face of the Catholic Church…[A] groundbreaking book. -- Peter Steinfels * Commonweal *Soldiers of God is rich in political and intellectual historical insights, and it paves the way for a new agenda in the literature on secularism, religion, and politics, not least for understanding the role of Christianity in European politics today. -- Anders Berg-Sørensen * Contemporary Political Theory *Shortall’s long-awaited book exceeds expectations. On both the micro- and macro-levels—archival research and overarching narrative—the work marks an inflection point in the study of these twentieth-century Jesuit intellectuals (and their Dominican counterparts)…Will remain a touchstone for years to come. -- Stephen Schloesser * Journal of Jesuit Studies *Demonstrates that the separation of church and state ushered in a period of creativity in French religious thought…deserves to find a wide readership among intellectual historians. -- Carol E. Harrison * Journal of Modern History *A profound and important book. Tracing the history of the nouvelle théologie, Shortall shows how religious thinking can scramble our political categories and open up new ways to imagine the future. -- Edward Baring, author of Converts to the Real: Catholicism and the Making of Continental PhilosophyAcross a tumultuous century, as Sarah Shortall reveals, French Catholic thinkers were able to make momentous contributions to politics precisely because they insisted on the irreducibility of religion. Restoring theology to intellectual history, this book is a remarkable debut. -- Samuel Moyn, author of Not Enough: Human Rights in an Unequal WorldA pathbreaking account of how the nouveaux théologiens reshaped both Catholic theology and secular philosophy in the twentieth century. Shortall thoughtfully retells modern European intellectual history, upending conventional definitions of politics and ultimately transcending the secular–religious divide. -- Elizabeth Shakman Hurd, author of Beyond Religious Freedom: The New Global Politics of ReligionWhat happens when theology and politics mix? Sarah Shortall’s compelling study proposes an answer that is incisive and illuminating from the first page to the last. -- Philip G. Nord, author of After the Deportation: Memory Battles in Postwar France

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Book SynopsisMany American Christians have come to understand their relationship to other Christian denominations and traditions through the lens of religious persecution. This book provides a historical account of these developments, showing the global, theological, and political changes that made it possible for contemporary Christians to claim that there is a global war on Christians. This book, however, does not advocate on behalf of particular repressed Christian communities, nor does it argue for the genuineness (or lack thereof) of certain Christians’ claims of persecution. Instead, this book is the first to examine the idea that there is a “global war on Christians” and its analytical implications. It does so by giving a concise history of the categories (like “martyrs”), evidence (statistics and metrics), and theologies that have come together to produce a global Christian imagination premised upon the notion of shared suffering for one’s faith. The purpose in doing so is not to deny certain instances of suffering or death; rather, it is to reflect upon the consequences for thinking about religious violence and Christianity worldwide using terms such as a “global war on Christians.”Trade Review"Jason Bruner's Imagining Persecution offers a polite, probing, and ultimately devastating deconstruction of the common American Christian belief that there is at this time a global war of persecution against Christians. This is an extraordinarily important book. In its own understated way, it raises this fundamental question—why exactly is it so important for conservative American Christians to believe they are part of a globally persecuted community?"— David P. Gushee, author of Still Christian: Following Jesus Out of American Evangelism. "A significant contribution."— David Smith, author of Religious Persecution and Political Order in the United States "Persecution, Martyrdom, and Christian Identity: 7 Questions with Jason Bruner"— Sacred Matters "New Books Network - New Nooks in Christian Studies" interview with Jason Bruner— New Books Network - New Nooks in Christian StudiesTable of ContentsContents Preface 1. Coming to Terms: Christians, Martyrs, and Persecution 2. Christians, Martyrdom, and Persecution from the New Testament to the Reformation 3. Religious Persecution and American Christianity 4. A Global War on Christians? 5. The Global Politics of the Suffering Body of Christ Notes Bibliography Acknowledgments Index

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Book SynopsisMohammad Ayatollahi Tabaar traces half a century of shifting Islamist doctrines, demonstrating that religious narratives in Iran can change rapidly, frequently, and dramatically in accordance with elites’ threat perceptions. Religious Statecraft constructs a new picture of Iranian politics in which power drives Islamist ideology.Trade Review[An] important and innovative book....a new take on an old puzzle. -- Ray Takeyh * Survival *A welcome new study on Iranian politics and the complex relationship between religion and state since the country's 1979 revolution. * Digest of Middle East Studies *Tabaar depicts Ayatollah Khomeini's nimble ability to tailor religious and nationalist ideology to outmaneuver the Shah, the Iranian Left, and factional opponents. Though unabashed in arguing that political expediency has determined the regime's selections from its toolkit of revolutionary religious doctrine, Religious Statecraft subtly portrays how factions struggle not so much to "tell people what to think" as "what to think about." -- Jack Snyder, Columbia UniversityContinually changing narratives—based on individual, factional, or regime interests rather than on any consistent or immutable commitment to Islamic teachings and principles—define the ebbs and flows of Iran’s postrevolutionary politics. As Tabaar puts it, ‘there is no such thing as political Islam. There is, however, a politics of Islam.’ Through meticulous and extensive use of official, semiofficial, independent, and oppositional media, both in Iran and abroad, Religious Statecraft illustrates and persuasively proves this argument. -- Ali Banuazizi, Boston CollegeThe politics of the Islamic Republic of Iran has been characterized by ideological inconsistency from its beginning. But Tabaar goes beyond describing the way in which leaders change core ideas. He advances a provocative argument that ideology does not guide decision making directly. Instead, leaders mold their principles to meet the political needs of the moment, restrained not by the contents of those ideas but largely by the need to mobilize followers. -- Nathan J. Brown, George Washington UniversityThe author constructs a refreshing, if somewhat dense and detailed, picture of Iranian politics in which power drives Islamist ideology. * Choice *The main thrust of the book is important and worth repeating, considering the world we live in. A misunderstanding of how the Iranian political system works might lead to adoption of policies by powerful regional and global actors with irreparable outcomes. * Middle East Journal *An important and timely contribution...It ought to be on the reading list of any policy maker who wants to better understand the Islamic Republic's foreign policy. * Perspectives on Politics *This book can be of value to a variety of readers. Obviously scholars and students of Iran and Middle East politics will benefit from its insights, as will those scholars of religion and international relations to whom the above theoretical insights apply. But the book could easily be used in courses on a variety of topics in international security, from nuclear proliferation to revolutions. Finally, while I may have preferred more theoretical discussions, the focus on empirics and avoidance of jargon will make this book accessible for non-academics with an advanced interest in Iran. * Terrorism and Political Violence *As historians and foreign policy scholars continue to study Iran’s recent modern era especially since the Green movement, Tabaar’s groundbreaking work describing internal factional conflicts and religious narrative creation will come into an even clearer view. Furthermore, while Tabaar’s book focuses largely on internal Iranian dynamics, its insights within the context of politics, religion, and ideology are applicable across many academic disciplines. * H-War *Stand[s] out among the existing studies of the Islamic Republic and its supposedly unfathomable political behavior. * American Historical Review *Table of ContentsPrefaceIntroduction: The Politics of Islam1. The Factional Causes and Religious Consequences of Politics2. A Shi’a Theory of the State3. The “Islamic” Revolution4. Institutionalizing Velayat-e Faqih5. The Hostage Crisis: The Untold Account of the Communist Threat6. Religion and Elite Competition in the Iran–Iraq War7. The Metamorphosis of Islamism After the War8. The Factional Battle Over Khomeini’s Velayat-e Faqih9. Media, Religion, and the Green Movement10. Historical Revisionism and Regional Threats11. The Domestic Sources of Nuclear PoliticsConclusionNotesIndex

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"A fascinating, well-researched, cogently argued study. . . . A valuable contribution to understanding how people navigate their lives amid rapidly changing religious and legal contexts."---Candy Gunther Brown, Journal of Religion

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Book SynopsisThe long-awaited follow-up to the groundbreaking Massacre at Mountain MeadowsPublished in 2008, Massacre at Mountain Meadows was a bombshell of a book, revealing the story of one of the grimmest episodes in Latter-day Saint history, when settlers in southwestern Utah slaughtered more than 100 members of a California-bound wagon train in 1857. In this much-anticipated sequel, Richard E. Turley Jr. and Barbara Jones Brown examine the aftermath of this atrocity.Vengeance Is Mine documents southern Utah leaders'' attempts to cover up their crime by silencing witnesses and spreading lies. Investigations by both governmental and church bodies were stymied by stonewalling and political wrangling. While nine men were eventually indicted, five were captured and only one, John D. Lee, was executed. The book examines the maneuvering of the defense and prosecution in Lee''s two trials, the second ending in Lee''s conviction. Turley and Brown explore the fraught relationship between Lee and church Trade ReviewThis haunting, exhaustively-researched account stands as the definitive study of the long afterlife of the Mountain Meadows massacre. * Laurie Maffly-Kipp, Washington University in St. Louis *Vengeance is Mine is a riveting account of how justice was pursued and evaded during an era of national transformation. With moving prose and a brisk narrative, Richard E. Turley Jr. and Barbara Jones Brown's tale reveals much about both nineteenth century Latter-day Saints as well as the American nation against whom they nearly waged war. * Benjamin E. Park, author of Kingdom of Nauvoo *A harsh, painful story of the tragic aftermath of the Mountain Meadows Massacre reconstructed from a decades-long investigation of the sources, Vengeance Is Mine is an unflinching account of investigation, cover up, and suffering. Turley and Brown have made startling discoveries that put the story in a new light without relieving the perpetrators of guilt. A complex, enthralling historical narrative. * Richard Lyman Bushman, author of Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling *This impeccably researched and eloquent book tells a story about crime and punishment in a western territory in the years immediately before and after the Civil War. It is a story about the entanglement of local and national politics, about religious zeal and bigotry, and about barriers to achieving justice in a bitterly polarized society. It is a story for today. * Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, author of A House Full of Females: Plural Marriage and Women's Rights in Early Mormonism, 1835-1870 *In Vengeance Is Mine, Brown and Turley clarify and fill in the narrative spaces in the aftermath of the infamous Mountain Meadows Massacre. Using legal transcripts and other primary documents, they unravel the tale of how American Indians were blamed and then used to deflect attention from the principal orchestrators of unimaginable violence. This story reflects events in Mormon history while contextualizing religious and systemic racial attitudes of the nineteenth-century American West. This is a book not to miss. * P. Jane Hafen (Taos Pueblo), co-editor of Essays on American Indian and Mormon History *Based upon years of extensive research, Vengeance is Mine: The Mountain Meadows Massacre and Its Aftermath is a masterpiece that examines not only the catalysts and culmination but also the consequences of one of the most infamous episodes of both Latter-day Saint and Western U.S. history-the Mountain Meadows Massacre...Learning the hard lessons of the past will help us make a better future for ourselves and others. To that end, I am pleased to highly recommend Vengeance is Mine. Who should read it? Everyone! If you are unsure whether you should buy it, do yourself a favor and do it. Read it, weep over it, wrestle with it, and I believe you will be a better person-one more genuine, merciful, tolerant, and thoughtful-by the end. * Sam Mitchell, Association of Mormon Letters *Turley and Brown have accomplished a remarkable feat in capturing so much primary source material and delivering a highly readable text that has lessons for all of us. If you end up finding yourself weeping or not being able to sleep, then the authors have accomplished what they set out to do, making you feel for this senseless tragedy. Vengeance is Mine is worthy of our concentrated attention. * Kevin Folkman, Association of Mormon Letters *Vengeance Is Mine does what any sequel does best: expands what is presented in the first iteration, deepens the audience's understanding of what is being presented, and concludes threads considered in the first text. Vengeance Is Mine connects readers more to one of the main figures in the massacre-John D. Lee-expanding his narrative and outlining the effect his trial had on not only him and his family but on American politics, the treatment of Latter-day Saints, and the Church that nestled itself in the Salt Lake Valley. Because it is both a good standalone and an excellent sequel, I recommend readers taking either path when reading: taking up the first book; if they are interested in a deep dive into the massacre, or reading this text on its own, since it provides the same main points that the first book does. * Adam McLain, Association for Mormon Letters *This is a book worth reading. * Amanda Ray, Association for Mormon Letters *I would say that anyone connected to Latter-day Saint studies should have this book on their bookshelf by the end of the year-it is no exaggeration to say that all historical studies of the Mountain Meadows Massacre converge in Vengeance is Mine. * Greg Seppi, Association for Mormon Letters *Vengeance is Mine: The Mountain Meadows Massacre and Its Aftermath is a stunning achievement… Brown and Turley's book is a phenomenal, breathtaking step toward communal learning. * Conor Hilton, Association for Mormon Letters *I would say that anyone connected to Latter-day Saint studies should have this book on their bookshelf by the end of the year-it is no exaggeration to say that all historical studies of the Mountain Meadows Massacre converge in Vengeance is Mine. * Greg Seppi, Association for Mormon Letters *Vengeance is Mine: The Mountain Meadows Massacre and Its Aftermath is a stunning achievement... Brown and Turley's book is a phenomenal, breathtaking step toward communal learning. * Conor Hilton, Association for Mormon Letters *In addition to providing the definitive narrative of the legal wrangling that followed the massacre and their useful demolition of several myths, the great work Turley and Brown do here is their contextualization of the massacre's investigation in the politics of the nation and the Utah territory. * Matthew Bowman, Nova Religio vol 27.2 *This is a superb treatment of a massacre that has unfairly blackened the Latter-day Saints for more than a century. Highly recommended. General readers through faculty; professionals. * Choice *Table of Contents1. The Angel of Peace Should Extend His Wings 2. Sermons Like Pitch Forks 3. Imposed Upon No More 4. Too Late 5. Forget Everything 6. The Sound of War 7. An Awful Tale of Blood 8. Indians Hostile to All Strangers 9. The Spirit of the Times 10. A Lion in the Path 11. Make the Mormons Pay 12. Fearful Calamities 13. Peacefully Submitting 14. The Moment Is Critical 15. Make All Inquiry 16. Join the Know Nothings 17. A Line of Policy 18. An Inquisition 19. Bring to Light the Perpetrators 20. Nothing But Evasive Replies 21. Make Diligent Inquiry 22. Approach of the Troops 23. Catching Is Before Hanging 24. Precious Legacies from the Departed Ones 25. Unwilling to Rest Under the Stigma 26. The Course Adopted Will Not Prove Successful 27. Vengeance is Mine 28. In the Midst of a Desolating War 29. Too Horrible to Contemplate 30. Cut Off 31. Boiling Conditions 32. Zeal O'erleaped Itself 33. The Time Has Come 34. Do You Plead Guilty 35. Open the Ball 36. Make a Clean Breast of It 37. A Lively Skirmish 38. The Curtain Has Fallen 39. Coerce Me to Make a Statement 40. Mr. Howard Gives Promise 41. The Responsibility Before You 42. Sufficient to Warrant a Verdict 43. The Demands of Justice 44. Allow the Law to Take Its Course 45. Under Sentence of Death 46. Failure to Arrest These Men 47. Haunted Notes

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Book SynopsisUntil the modern period the integration of church (or other religion) and state (or political life) had been taken for granted. The political order was always tied to an official religion in Christian Europe, pre-Christian Europe, and in the Arabic world. But from the eighteenth century onwards, some European states began to set up their political order on a different basis. Not religion, but the rule of law through non-religious values embedded in constitutions became the foundation of some states - a movement we now call secularism. In others, a de facto secularism emerged as political values and civil and criminal law altered their professed foundation from a shared religion to a non-religious basis. Today secularism is an increasingly hot topic in public, political, and religious debate across the globe. It is embodied in the conflict between secular republics - from the US to India - and the challenges they face from resurgent religious identity politics; in the challenges faced by religious states like those of the Arab world from insurgent secularists; and in states like China where calls for freedom of belief are challenging a state imposed non-religious worldview. In this Very Short Introduction Andrew Copson tells the story of secularism, taking in momentous episodes in world history, such as the great transition of Europe from religious orthodoxy to pluralism, the global struggle for human rights and democracy, and the origins of modernity. He also considers the role of secularism when engaging with some of the most contentious political and legal issues of our time: ''blasphemy'', ''apostasy'', religious persecution, religious discrimination, religious schools, and freedom of belief and freedom of thought in a divided world.Previously published in hardback as Secularism: Politics, Religion, and FreedomABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade ReviewCopson has managed to put together an accessible, but surprisingly nuanced and comprehensive, introduction to secularism that would be appropriate for undergraduate classrooms or lay readers interested in the topic. * Mary Leah Friedline, Religious Studies Review *Today's world is in dire need of the noble tradition of secularism, and I know nobody better qualified than Andrew Copson to expound it. * Richard Dawkins *This is an exceptionally careful, fair-minded and positive introduction to the many meanings of a word often carelessly used. It will be an enormous help to all who want to understand better the current controversies about religious belief and modern society. * Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury *A must read. It is a worthwhile introduction that will inform and may correct some assumptions and prejudices. * The Rev Maurice Stafford, Methodist Recorder *Concise and fair-minded ... Secularism helps the reader navigate [the] ... shifting terrain admirably. * Nick Spencer, Times Literary Supplement *Andrew Copson's short book covers a lot of ground. It is one of the best books I've read in this excellent series. Copson [...] provides a balanced and generous interpretation that presents arguments on different sides ... His approach is subtle and intelligent, and is informed by a deep understanding of the positions of those with whom he disagrees. I learnt a great deal from reading this. * Nigel Warburton, Five Books *Recommended. * CHOICE *Copson is even-handed in his analysis ... This is as nuanced a defence of secularism as you'll find * Jonathan Wright, Catholic Herald *Andrew Copson ... looks for genuine debate in Secularism ... It is natural to review books on atheism and secularism together. The intersection of the two groups is large. But one of the chief benefits of reading Copson is that he enables us to think more deeply about how they diverge. * Maximilian de Gaynesford, The Tablet *It is to Andrew Copson's credit that his short book refuses to circumvent ... big issues but rather brings them blinking out into the light and enables readers to understand better and think more clearly about them. It is undoubtedly the author's hope-and by and large this reviewer's too-that by the end of the book readers will look more positively on secularism. But that would mark not the end of a debate, but the start of a new one. Secularism yes. But what kind? * Nick Spencer, Theos *An excellent and sympathetic introduction to secularism * Paradigm Explorer *[Copson's] new book strikes the rare balance of being both entertaining and informative ... [His] gift, it seems, is the ability to condense decades of the evolution and analysis of the concept of secularism into 140 short pages. * The Pink Humanist *Secularism is of growing importance all over the world, yet it is also an approach with deep roots reaching far back into our history. Andrew Copson elegantly explores this history as well as secularism's importance today, showing how it evolved and how it is the key to de-escalating so many of the modern world's points of conflict. * Dan Snow *Andrew Copson is one of the most thoughtful people in the world on secularism. We have never needed a sane, intelligent, persuasive guide to secularism more than now - so I'd say thank God for this excellent book, if that wasn't too obviously ironic. * Johann Hari *A timely tour de force and indispensable analysis for anyone seeking to get to grips with the roots, philosophy, and current controversies surrounding secularism which are challenging our vexed world. * Professor Francesca Klug, author of Magna Carta For All Humanity: Homing in on Human Rights *A secular state embraces freedom of religion or belief, the equal treatment of persons regardless of faith, and the separation of religious and state authorities. In this wide-ranging and timely study Andrew Copson describes the virtues of secularism as the guarantor of equal dignity, freedom, and security for all, but also the various platforms from which it is opposed, and its fragile and increasingly beleaguered state across the world. Scrupulously fair, his book brings much-needed clarity into a confused and embittered area of dispute. * Simon Blackburn, author of Ethics: A Very Short Introduction and Plato's Republic: A Biography *This is a dazzling tour of the history and meanings of Secularism. Copson pulls off that most compelling thing a synthesis of nuance and rigour that is global in its vision, historical in its foundation, but fully contemporary in its relevance. For being so intimately involved in advocacy, the author demonstrates balance and understanding of critical as well as supportive positions, and with its authoritative research base this is immensely useful for student learning in the growing arena of Studies in Nonbelief. * Callum Brown, Professor of Late modern European History, University of Glasgow *Table of Contents1: What is secularism? 2: Secularism in Western societies 3: Secularism diversifies 4: The case for secularism 5: The case against secularism 6: Conceptions of secularism 7: Hard questions and new conflicts Afterword: The future of secularism References and Further Reading Index

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Book SynopsisExamines how English Catholic exiles in Spain used print and other written media to promote the conquest of England and the spiritual renewal of Christendom. Trade Review“Domínguez has provided a focused, informed, and lively account of the publishing activities of Elizabethan English Catholic exiles—and through these activities the exiles’ deep involvement in Spanish political-ecclesiastical culture—during a critical moment in the history of Anglo-Spanish politics.”—Daniel Knapper Reformation“Domínguez makes a clear and forceful argument for the impact of Spanish Elizabethan authors on Spanish politics during the final decades of Philip II’s reign. Yet this book achieves something even more significant for those of us looking to the future of early modern studies. It demonstrates the benefits of transnationalism in furthering our understanding of Europe’s religious and political environment.”—Kelsey J. Ihinger Bulletin of the Comediantes“Scholarship on English Catholicism has started to take greater account of its broadly European and international dimensions, and Domínguez makes an important contribution to this line of scholarship. Radicals in Exile presents a convincing case for the central role of English Catholics in late sixteenth-century Spanish and wider European politics. It casts new light on English Catholics’ links with Spain, and future scholarship will no doubt expand on these links, looking at connections beyond the printed word.”—Jonathan Roche Journal of British Studies“Freddy Domínguez’s important book expands our knowledge of English and Spanish Catholic print culture beyond immediate confessional considerations to illuminate instead the tangled polemics of secular rule and spiritual authority.”—Anne J. Cruz Renaissance and Reformation“Domínguez’s work, with its transnational perspective, rejection of confessional and nationalist narratives, and recovery of marginal voices, contributes positively to encouraging trends in modern Reformation scholarship.”—Alexander DeWitt SJ Archivum Historicum Societatis Iesu“Skillfully researched and written with enviable clarity, Freddy Domínguez’s Radicals in Exile explores in detail a series of texts English Catholics wrote from Spain during the dramatic years of the 1580s and ’90s. His readings of these works are original and illuminating, and they integrate this singular corpus into the wider religious and intellectual history of the period.”—James S. Amelang,author of Parallel Histories: Muslims and Jews in Inquisitorial Spain“This book puts the punch back into early modern religious polemic. Radical English Catholic exiles deftly bob and weave across the pages with hired-gun Protestant apologists. London swings at Madrid, Madrid jabs back at London, while Rome, Paris, and Antwerp stand by, eager to climb into the ring. The many contenders in this post-Reformation prizefight in print yield refreshingly unfamiliar viewpoints, internecine agendas, and a dynamic polyglot literature that has been too often overlooked.”—Earle Havens,Nancy H. Hall Curator of Rare Books & Manuscripts, Johns Hopkins University“Through a meticulous engagement with both English and Spanish works and ideas, Domínguez reminds us that exiles were influenced not only by developments in England, but also by the historical circumstances and ideas present in their adoptive home. Radicals in Exile is a much-needed study, which is sure to make an indelible impact in the field.”—Gonzalo Velasco Berenguer Journal of Modern HistoryTable of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroductionPart I: History in Action1. The Radicalization of Exile Polemic2. Calling the Armada3. English History Made SpanishConclusion to Part IPart II: The King’s Men4. English Voices in Spain5. An Anglo-Spanish Voice in Europe6 Between “English” Providentialism and Reason of StateConclusion to Part IIPart III: (Habsburg) England and Spain Reformed 7. Politics of Succession8. Practical Politics and Christian Reason of StateConclusion to Part IIIConclusionNotesBibliographyIndex

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Book Synopsis'No one else casts such a shrewd and gimlet eye on contemporary life.' - William BoydComic, dark and insightful, What Happened? is Hanif Kureishi's new collection of essays and fiction.

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Book SynopsisJournalist Khaled Ahmed analyzes Pakistan's democracy challenges and religious influence, focusing on post-9/11 terrorism policies. He discusses the country's role as a terrorist safe haven despite joining the US in the war on terror, and delves into the origins of terrorist groups and the forgotten ideologies of Pakistan's founding figures.

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Book SynopsisChallenges to a Liberal Polity by Hamid Ansari explores critical issues in Indian society and politics, including citizenship, religion, democracy, and Muslim identity. The book is comprehensive, argumentative, and relevant for readers, politicians, policymakers, and scholars.

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Book SynopsisBetween the Brown and the Red captures the multifaceted nature of church-state relations in communist Poland, relations that oscillated between mutual confrontation, accommodation, and dialogue. Ironically, under communism the bond between religion and nation in Poland grew stronger.Trade Review“Employing excellent archival research and deft writing, Kunicki weaves the complex saga [of Boleslaw Piasecki’s career] into an analysis of the relationship between authoritarianism, nationalism, communism, and religion in Poland over the decades to the present postcommunist nation…. Summing Up: Highly recommended.” * Choice *“Mikołaj Stanisław Kunicki has written a magnificent political biography of Bolesław Piasecki…. This book will be required reading for any historian of modern Poland and should also appeal to anyone interested in nationalism, communism, the political Right in the twentieth century, the nature of totalitarianism in postwar Eastern Europe, and the persistence of prewar fascist strands in the communist East (hence the book’s title)…. This is an extremely well-researched, wellconceptualized, and original work.” * American Historical Review *“This is an original, thought provoking, often deliberately provocative book, based on a wealth of archival and published sources. It is, as well, a pleasure to read. Between the Brown and the Red takes its place as one of the best studies of the complex relationship of Catholicism and politics in recent Polish history.” * Cosmopolitan Review *“Kunicki provides a concise political history of Poland and its significant leaders. Piasecki, while not a major leader, contributed from the very beginnings of Poland’s turbulent times with a taste of freedom following World War I up to his death in 1979…. This biography, one of the few in English, will be a welcome addition to Polish American historians.” * Polish American Journal *

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Book SynopsisOffers a comprehensive view of St Augustine's political ideas.Trade Review[This volume] offers one-stop access to the political ideas of a major pre-modern thinker. The translations are fresh, accurate, supple, and clear, and the notes and comments are helpful. Ernest Fortin's excellent Introduction sets the central text, the City of God, in historical perspective and outlines problems Augustine faced in trying to reconcile Christian faith with the legitimate demands of civic life. --Alan R. Perreiah, Teaching PhilosophyBrilliantly organized. I particularly like the brief introductions before each section which help to set the context of each piece. --Brian Caza, Georgetown College

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Book SynopsisThe best available introduction to the political thought of Augustine, if not to Christian political thought in general. Included are generous selections from City of God, as well as from many lesser-known writings of Augustine.Trade Review[This volume] offers one-stop access to the political ideas of a major pre-modern thinker. The translations are fresh, accurate, supple, and clear, and the notes and comments are helpful. Ernest Fortin's excellent Introduction sets the central text, the City of God, in historical perspective and outlines problems Augustine faced in trying to reconcile Christian faith with the legitimate demands of civic life. --Alan R. Perreiah, Teaching PhilosophyBrilliantly organized. I particularly like the brief introductions before each section which help to set the context of each piece. --Brian Caza, Georgetown College

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Book SynopsisThis book is an interdisciplinary guide to the religion clauses of the First Amendment with a focus on its philosophical foundations, historical developments, and legal and political implications. The volume begins with fundamental questions about God, the nature of belief and worship, conscience, freedom, and their intersections with law. It then traces the history of religious liberty and church-state relations in America through a diverse set of religious and non-religious voices from the seventeenth century to the most recent Supreme Court decisions. The Companion will conclude by addressing legal and political questions concerning the First Amendment and the court cases and controversies surrounding religious liberty today, including the separation of church and state, corporate religious liberty, and constitutional interpretation. This scholarly yet accessible book will introduce students and scholars alike to the main issues concerning the First Amendment and religious liberty, Trade Review'This is an impressive collection of new work by some of the most distinguished scholars in the field.' Andrew Koppelman, Northwestern University, Illinois'Among the most contested issues in contemporary American life are the prudential and constitutional notions of religious liberty and relationships between religion and the civil state. An all-star line-up of scholars have contributed thoughtful, richly researched, and accessible essays to The Cambridge Companion to the First Amendment and Religious Liberty, ably guiding the specialist and non-specialist reader alike through the historical origins, philosophical considerations, and legal doctrines that have shaped constitutional conceptions of religious liberty in the American experience.' Daniel L. Dreisbach, School of Public Affairs, American University, and author of Thomas Jefferson and the Wall of Separation between Church and StateTable of ContentsIntroduction: assessing the First Amendment and religious liberty in America Michael D. Breidenbach and Owen Anderson; Part I. Philosophical Foundations: 1. The First Amendment and natural religion Owen Anderson; 2. The philosophical meaning of religious exercise Janice Tzuling Chik; 3. Freedom of religion: special, valuable, and qualified John Finnis; Part II. Historical Interpretations: 4. Religious exercise and establishment in early America Glenn A. Moots; 5. The historical context of the religion clauses of the First Amendment Chris Beneke; 6. Religious tests, loyalty oaths, and the ecclesiastical context of the First Amendment Michael D. Breidenbach; 7. Church and state in the nineteenth century Jonathan Den Hartog; 8. The First Amendment religion clauses in the United States Supreme Court Zoë Robinson; Part III. Law, Politics, and Economics: 9. Religious and secular presuppositions in First Amendment interpretations Paul E. Kerry; 10. Two concepts of religious liberty: the natural rights and moral autonomy approaches to the free exercise of religion Vincent Phillip Muñoz; 11. The economic origins of religious liberty Anthony Gill; 12. Corporate religious liberty and the culture wars Steven D. Smith; 13. Which original meaning of the establishment clause is the right one? Donald L. Drakeman; 14. The two separations Marc O. DeGirolami; 15. The challenge ahead: reconnecting religion, reason, and truth Gerard V. Bradley; Index.

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Book SynopsisFor readers interested in how international context interacts with domestic politics in producing state policies toward religious minorities in Turkey and France. It is the first study that employs international context in the study of state policies toward religion and that compares Turkey and France with regard to religious minorities.Trade Review'Through a comparative analysis of state policies toward Christian minorities in Turkey and Muslim minorities in France, Ramazan Kılınç effectively demonstrates how international norms and context can interact with domestic actors to shape state policies toward religious minorities. This is a notable work of research and scholarship. It is theoretically sophisticated and provides a new model to understand complex and often changing domestic state policies toward religious minorities.' J. Christopher Soper, Distinguished Professor of Political Science, Pepperdine University, California'This timely and innovative book is a critical resource for anyone seeking to understand state policies towards religious minorities. Kılınç convincingly shows that domestic actors take advantage of changing international contexts to press for their preferred state policies towards religious minorities. The careful comparative analyses of French policies towards Muslims, and Turkish policies towards Christians, with extensions to additional cases, make this work essential reading in religion and politics. Alien Citizens is also a significant contribution to our understanding of the causal role of international factors in national politics.' Carolyn M. Warner, Vail Pittman Professor of Political Science and Chair of the Department of Political Science, University of Nevada, Reno'In this empirically rich and theoretically ingenious book, Ramazan Kılınç brings the perspectives of International Relations in the analysis of state-religion relations. Alien Citizens examines state policies toward Christians in Turkey and Muslims in France by distinctively explaining how international conditions have shaped these policies.' Ahmet T. Kuru, author of Islam, Authoritarianism, and Underdevelopment: A Global and Historical Comparison'What makes this book compelling and refreshing is its emphasis on the interaction between international and domestic policy arenas through an examination of seemingly opposing policies in two very different contexts.' H. Shambayati, ChoiceTable of ContentsIntroduction; 1. Rethinking state policies toward religious minorities; Part I. Historical Institutions: 2. Secularism and Christians in Turkey; 3. Secularism and Muslims in France; Part II. International Context: 4. The European Union and Christians in Turkey; 5. Islamophobia and Muslims in France; Part III. Domestic Actors and Policy Change: 6. Kemalists, conservatives, and Christians in Turkey; 7. Radical right, liberals, and Muslims in France; Conclusion; 8. Testing the argument beyond the scope of the study; 9: Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisDoes religion influence political participation? This book takes up this pressing debate using Christianity in sub-Saharan Africa as its empirical base to demonstrate that religious teachings communicated in sermons can influence both the degree and the form of citizens'' political participation. McClendon and Riedl document some of the current diversity of sermon content in contemporary Christian houses of worship and then use a combination of laboratory experiments, observational survey data, focus groups, and case comparisons in Zambia, Uganda, and Kenya to interrogate the impact of sermon exposure on political participation and the longevity of that impact. Pews to Politics in Africa leverages the pluralism of sermons in sub-Saharan Africa to gain insight into the content of cultural influences and their consequences for how ordinary citizens participate in politics.Trade Review'This deeply insightful, empirically rigorous, persuasive analysis demonstrates the influence of Christian sermons in Anglophone Africa. These teachings differ by denomination and context, serving as distinct interpretative maps that diagnose political problems - and suggest very different solutions.' Anna Grzymala-Busse, Stanford University, California'McClendon and Riedl have written an excellent and innovative book, in which they set out to discover whether religious teachings - even when not overtly political - shape political behavior. The authors' deep knowledge of context and cases, combined with careful data and methods, show that religious ideas do have political effects, with implications for the culture of democracy.' Melani Cammett, Clarence Dillon Professor of International Affairs, Harvard University, Massachusetts'In this masterful account, McClendon and Riedl achieve something of the holy grail in religion and politics research … Scholars new and old will learn a tremendous amount from this important work, and work going forward will have to grapple with its lessons.' Paul Djupe, Denison University, Ohio'Religious messages are ubiquitous in Africa, yet little is known about how exposure to religious messages shapes political behavior. McClendon and Riedl fill this gap with an insightful and deeply illuminating analysis of the impact of this exposure. From Pews to Politics is a great book: theoretically grounded, empirically rich, and methodologically sophisticated.' Daniel N. Posner, James S. Coleman Professor of International Development, University of California, Los Angeles'From Pews to Politics makes an outstanding contribution to research on religion and politics. By meticulously applying an impressive array of empirical approaches, [it] convincingly demonstrates that Christian denominations' differing emphasis on individual agency affects adherents' willingness to participate in politics and to seek structural change.' Kimuli Kasara, Columbia University, New York'In this powerfully argued and creative book, McClendon and Riedl unpack how Christian sermons shape political life in contemporary Africa … Even if mainly about personal or family topics, sermons give parishioners analytic frameworks for understanding events in the world and how change is possible … These different worldviews carry over into how their parishioners seek political change. The book is a must-read for those interested in contemporary Africa, the role of religion in politics, or the ongoing rise of evangelical and Pentecostal Christianity across the developing world.' Noah Nathan, Foreign Affairs'McClendon and Riedl have written a brilliant book that offers a solid model of both methodological and topical sophistication. The authors take seriously the fact that 90 percent or more of Africans claim a religious affiliation, and the obvious implications of that fact for political action. I can't recommend it highly enough.' Laura Seay, The Washington Post'From Pews to Politics exemplifies comparative politics scholarship at its best. Through a rare combination of conceptual acuity, methodological dexterity, and conscientious contextual grounding, the authors develop powerful insights into an old question: To what extent do religious ideas influence the content, mode, and degree of individuals' political engagement? …' Elizabeth Sheridan Sperber, Perspectives on PoliticsTable of Contents1. Religion as metaphysical instruction, and its influence on political participation; 2. Christianity and politics in Africa; 3. Differences in contemporary Christian sermon content; 4. Effects of sermons on citizens: evidence from the lab; 5. Recharging sermon influence: evidence from surveys and focus groups; 6. Group-level political engagement; 7. Implications and conclusions.

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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 SynopsisReligious freedom is a cherished American value, universal human right, and a Trump administration foreign policy priority. As reported in chapter 1, the State Department has designated Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan as Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act for engaging in or tolerating systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom. The other countries so designated are Eritrea, Sudan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Burma, China, and Vietnam. In India's Freedom of Religion Acts or "anti-conversion" laws are state-level statutes that have been enacted to regulate religious conversions. All of the laws seek to prevent any person from converting or attempting to convert, either directly or otherwise, another person through "forcible" or "fraudulent" means, or by "allurement" or "inducement." Despite criticism of India's anti-conversion laws, some human rights bodies have acknowledged that these laws have resulted in few arrests and no convictions. However, some observers note that the laws create a hostile, and on occasion violent, environment for religious minority communities because they do not require any evidence to support accusations of wrongdoing as discussed in chapter 2. Chapter 3 provides an overview of religious freedom issues in India, beginning with a brief review of U.S.-India relations and India's human rights setting broadly, then discussing the country's religious demographics, religious freedom protections, and conceptions of Hindu nationalism and its key institutional proponents in Indian society. Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim-majority country, and it has long been known for its moderate interpretations of Islam. Yet, in recent years, there have been numerous acts of religious intolerance directed against minority religious groups in the country, including Ahmadis, a Muslim sect as reported in chapter 4. United States Commission on International Religious Freedom began reporting on China in the very first annual report, and has continued to do so every year since, because of that country's systematic, ongoing, egregious violations of religious freedom. As discussed in chapter 5, President Xi Jinping has personally launched efforts to sinicize religion, and the Central Government has issued commands to each Provincial Party Secretary making them responsible to bring religion in line with Communist Party ideology. Chapter 6 examines the right to hold different theological and different ethical and moral positions, even when they go against the prevailing spirit of our age. So long as these views are held and advanced peacefully and do not advocate physical violence that would violate human dignity. Chapter 7 is a copy of the Combating European Anti-Semitism Act of 2017. Chapters 8-12 discuss Supreme Court cases and decisions pertaining to religious freedom.Table of ContentsPrefaceReligious Freedom Violations in the OSCE RegionState Anti-conversion Laws in IndiaIndia: Religious Freedom IssuesReligious Intolerance in IndonesiaChinas War on Christianity and Other Religious FaithsBeyond Tolerance: Faith in the Public SquareCombating European Anti-Semitism Act Of 2017Supreme Court May Reconsider Establishment Clause Jurisprudence in Challenge to Cross Display: Part OneSupreme Court May Reconsider Establishment Clause Jurisprudence in Challenge to Cross Display: Part TwoMasterpiece Cakeshop: Proving Government Hostility to ReligionSupreme Court Vacates Another Opinion Applying Antidiscrimination Laws to Religious ObjectorsNo More Lemon Law? Supreme Court Rethinks Religious Establishment AnalysisIndex.

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Book SynopsisFor a secular age, we have a lot of religious politicians.Theresa May, Vladimir Putin, Angela Merkel, even Donald Trump all profess Christianity, as did Obama, Brown, Sarkozy, Bush and Blair before them. Indeed, it is striking how many Christian Presidents and Prime Ministers have assumed the global stage over recent years. In spite of Alastair Campbell's oft- (and mis-) quoted line, 'We don't do God', it seems like we definitely do.But how sincere is this faith? Is not much of it simply window-dressing for the electorate, paste-on haloes to calm the moral majority? Conversely, how dangerous is it? If we elect our politicians to do our democratic will, do we really want them praying to God for advice?The Mighty and the Almighty looks at some of the biggest political figures of the past forty years - from Thatcher and Reagan, through Mandela and Clinton, to May and Trump - and looks at how they 'did God'. Did their faith actually shape their politics, and if so, how? Or did their politics shape their faith? And does it matter if it did?In an age when religion is more important on the global stage than anyone would have predicted fifty years ago, this book will tell you everything you want to know, and some things you won't, about how the Mighty get on with the Almighty.

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Book SynopsisThe Arab revolutions of 2011 were a transformative moment in the modern history of the Middle East, as people rose up against long-standing autocrats throughout the region to call for 'bread, freedom and dignity'. With the passage of time, results have been decidedly mixed, with initial success stories like Tunisia contrasting with the emergence of even more repressive dictatorships in places like Egypt, with the backing of several Gulf states. Focusing primarily on Egypt, this book considers a relatively understudied dimension of these revolutions: the role of prominent religious scholars. While pro-revolutionary ulama have justified activism against authoritarian regimes, counter-revolutionary scholars have provided religious backing for repression, and in some cases the mass murder of unarmed protestors. Usaama al-Azami traces the public engagements and religious pronouncements of several prominent ulama in the region, including Yusuf al-Qaradawi, Ali Gomaa and Abdullah bin Bayyah, to explore their role in either championing the Arab revolutions or supporting their repression. He concludes that while a minority of noted scholars have enthusiastically endorsed the counter-revolutions, their approach is attributable less to premodern theology and more to their distinctly modern commitment to the authoritarian state.Trade Review‘[An] important study, the first comprehensive account of its kind’ -- Asian Affairs‘Compelling.’ -- Middle East Policy'Ten years after the Arab Spring, little attention has been given to the important role of religious scholars. Al-Azami's excellent book provides an extensive analysis of a myriad of discourses and political alliances. A must-read for researchers of modern Islam and Middle East studies.' -- Heba Raouf Ezzat, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Ibn Haldun University'Literature on the Arab Spring is vast, but a novel perspective and original dimension is rare. Al-Azami's book accomplishes both. He succinctly illustrates that the Arab Revolutions were also an epistemological battle, in which the ulama played a pivotal role. A quintessential read.' -- Wadah Khanfar, former director general of Al Jazeera Media Network and President of the Al Sharq Forum'A comprehensive account and analysis of how the events of the Arab Spring unfolded among the ranks of the ulama. Indispensable for anyone wanting to understand the fault lines which will dominate the Muslim world for years to come.' -- Jonathan A. C. Brown, Professor of Islamic Civilization, Georgetown University

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