Right-of-centre democratic ideologies and movements Books

Book SynopsisJust as Donald Trump's victorious campaign for the US presidency shocked liberal Americans, the seemingly sudden national prominence of white supremacists, xenophobes, militia leaders, and mysterious "Alt-Right" leaders mystifies many. But the extreme Right has been growing steadily in the US since the 1990s, with the rise of Patriot militias; following 9/11, when conspiracy theorists found fresh life; and in virulent reaction to the first black president of the country. Nurtured by a powerful right-wing media sector in radio, TV, and online, the Far Right, Tea Party movement conservatives, and Republican activists found common ground in "Producerist" ideology and "constitutionalist" interpretations of US law-an alternative America that is resurgent, even as it has been ignored by the political establishment and mainstream media.Investigative reporter David Neiwert has been tracking extremists for more than two decades, and here he provides a deeply reported and authoritative report on the background, mindset, and growth on the ground of Far Right movements across the country. The product of years of reportage, and including the most in-depth investigation of Trump's ties to Far Right figures, this is a crucial book about one of the most disturbing sides of the US.Trade ReviewThe seemingly sudden reemergence of the far right in America has left many in a state of panic and bewilderment. Alt-America will be essential in helping us to comprehend the depth of its foundations in national life. -- Angela Nagle, author of Kill All Normies: Online Culture Wars from 4Chan and Tumblr to Trump and the Alt-RightNeiwert looks beyond conservative schisms, left-wing failings and online subcultures to pinpoint the experiences and beliefs that bind the alt-right together, and he calls the world he finds "Alt-America". * Washington Post *An alarming, well-researched account of how the far-right extremist underground became empowered in the era of Trump... A prescient discussion of one of the darkest issues facing America today. * Kirkus *Offers the most comprehensive account of the United States' renewed extremist cultures . Alt-America excites in its ability to connect the seemingly extraordinary alt-right to the broader culture of wing-nut conservatism, drawing white nationalism, 4chan, Donald Trump, Alex Jones and Fox News together into a wonky negaverse version of political life. -- John Semley * The Globe and Mail *Neiwert has not only earned his investigative chops over the past decade or so by exploring the dangerous side of right-wing extremism-he's proven himself to be one of the more lyrical and elegant writers on the beat. * Daily Kos *Tracing the ebbs and flows of this far-right extremism in the United States over the last 20 years, Neiwert argues that white nationalist activity in the age of Trump is simply the latest flare-up of what he calls 'Alt-America,' or the segment of the American population that has fed on conspiracy theories, racist misinformation, and deep distrust of federal institutions for decades. -- J.C. Pan * New Republic *

Read more less

Book SynopsisLate Capitalism is the first major synthesis to have been produced by the contemporary revival of Marxist economics. It represents, in fact, the only systematic attempt so far ever made to combine the general theory of the ‘laws of motion’ of the capitalist mode of production developed by Marx with the concrete history of capitalism in the twentieth century. A landmark in Marxist economic literature, Late Capitalism is specifically designed to explain the international recession of the 1970s and is an invaluable guide to understanding the nature of the world economy today. This edition includes a new introduction by Cédric Durand assessing the book’s continued relevance.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWestern democracies are experiencing a new wave of right-wing populism that seeks to mobilise religion for its own ends. With chapters on the United States, Britain, France, Italy, Austria, the Netherlands, Poland and Israel, Saving the People asks how populist movements have used religion for their own ends and how Church leaders react to them. The authors contend that religion is more about belonging than belief for populists, with religious identities and traditions being deployed to define who can and cannot be part of 'the people'. This in turn helps many populists to claim that native Christian communities are being threatened by a creeping and highly aggressive process of Islamisation, with Muslims becoming a key, if not the, 'enemy of the people'. While Church elites generally condemn this instrumental use of religions, populists take little heed, presenting themselves as the true saviours of the people. The policy implications of this phenomenon are significant, which makes this book all the more timely and relevant to current debate.Trade Review'Compelling and hugely ambitious, this book should be read by everyone'.'Vox Populi, Vox Dei? In the increasingly saturated market of populism books, Saving the People addresses one of the few important black spots: the relationship between religion and populism. A must-read for anyone interested in politics in contemporary western democracies.' * Cas Mudde, School of Public and International Affairs at University of Georgia and Center for Research on Extremism at University of Oslo *'This book explores the relationship of right-wing populism with religion. It shows how these parties have "hijacked" religion, using it not as a set of belief but as an identity marker, to strengthen the border between 'us' and 'them'. And in eight of the ten cases studied, Islam is the target. A major and challenging contribution to the understanding of Western populism.' * Nonna Mayer, Research Director at CNRS, Centre d'etudes europeennes de Sciences Po *

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhat drives Marine Le Pen and France's Front National? Has her party really changed its ways, or is she merely rebranding its old ideas and policies for a new era? In the age of Brexit and Trump, France too has seen a growing audience for identity-based politics. Under 'Marine', the FN is enjoying unprecedented success. But what's her secret? This is a probing investigation into the philosophy of Marine Le Pen's FN. It seeks answers in her speeches, in the history of French nationalism and in revealing interviews with those on the far right--including Jean-Marie Le Pen himself. Michel Eltchaninoff exposes a vision of France tyrannised by liberalism and seduced by the offer of an uncompromising alternative: a Republic 'beyond Left and Right', defined by its enemies and aligned with Putin's Russia. Whatever Marine Le Pen is thinking, she has not forgotten the FN's roots. The French far right is now stronger than ever.Trade Review'Michel Eltchaninoff's task is . . . an important and urgent one: to subject Le Pen's words to rigorous analysis, exposing their true meaning. Unsurprisingly, it turns out that the leopard has not changed its spots.''Drawing on interviews with many of the politicians and thinkers . . . close to . . . Le Pen [Eltchaninoff] . . . . persuasively show[s] how ideas that have shaped the culture [of Le Pen] have in turn shaped [her].''As President Macron tries to save the Eurozone and stabilise the continent, he faces no greater challenge than Marine Le Pen's Front National. This brilliant and carefully argued book shows how despite her efforts to project a more "acceptable" face the party remains the bastion of an anti-globalist, anti-capitalist, xenophobic, anti-European right which continues to borrow from classic anti-semitic tropes.' -- Brendan Simms, Professor of the History of International Relations, University of Cambridge, and author of 'Europe: The Struggle for Supremacy, 1453 to the Present''This book will be of great interest to English readers. It says much about an important, and oddly neglected, political figure but Eltchaninoff also ranges more widely — introducing a range of figures who are influential in the Front National and the intellectual traditions to which they refer.' -- Richard Vinen, Professor of History, King’s College London, and author of 'The Unfree French: Life Under Occupation''In painting a vivid portrayal of the ideas that have shaped Marine Le Pen, Michel Eltchaninoff makes a big contribution to one of the most urgent undertakings of this political moment: to understand the authoritarian populists who are gaining more and more power across North America and Western Europe. An important book that is as engrossing as it is erudite.' -- Yascha Mounk, author of 'The People vs. Democracy: Why Our Freedom is in Danger and How to Save It''There is no point in demonising Marine Le Pen. Instead we must understand the path she has beaten between the liberal right, which has abandoned traditional Gaullism, and the left, which has forgotten about those left behind. Eltchaninoff picks apart her writings, interviews and TV appearances to do just that.' -- Liberation'Marine Le Pen has changed the face of the FN. But Michel Eltchaninoff demonstrates with a sharp pen and a clear-eyed gaze that she hasn’t broken with any of the four pillars of the far right: the land, the people, life and myth. She has dusted them off.' * Marianne *'Marine Le Pen is reinvigorating [the FN] by reforming its ideology. The power of Michel Eltchaninoff’s book is to rip off the mask.' * Stéphane Rio, L’Université Syndicaliste *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis passionately argued book provides the first in-depth investigation of the religious politics of current American neo-conservatism. It shows that behind the neo-imperialism of the White House and George W. Bush lies an apocalyptic vision of the United States's sacred destiny 'at the end of history', a vision that is shared by millions of Americans. Michael Northcott traces the roots of American apocalyptic to Puritan Millennialism and contemporary fundamentalist readings of the Book of Revelation. He suggests that Americans urgently need to recover a critique of Empire of the kind espoused by the founder of Christianity - or else risk becoming idolaters of a new Roman Empire that leads others into servitude.Trade ReviewThe Independent: "a measured but not less urgent account of what's wrong with America" "Northcott delivers an urgent warning that Americans need to take stock of their views on Christianity or risk becoming supporters of a new Roman Empire that leads others into servitude." Publishing News: "This challenging book provided the first in-depth investigation into the religious politics of current American neo-conservatism." "A very unusual slant on a much-debated issue, this is NOT just another book on the world post 9/11." Scientific and Medical Network Review Journal: "a must-read for those who want to understand both the theological and political background of the 'war on terror'". "well-informed at all levels." Expository Times BOOK OF THE MONTH: 'He has read and marshalled a good part of the huge volume of American self critique of the past ten years or so and put it in to an incisive theological frame.' 'What Northcott does, better than anyone I have yet encountered, is to help us to see the theological roots of what is going on, and then to develop a theological critique.' '[He] develops an incisive critique of American apocalyptic religion and argues for an understanding of church as counter-culture to empire. Rather, Christians must resist this new religion of violence and affirm belief in the true apocalypse, which is a message of hope to the victims of history, not to their imperial overlords. Perhaps one should not talk of pleasure in reading a book so serious and so disturbing but not the least of its merits is that Northcott writes beautifully and without the least trace of the barbaric jargon which mars so much current theological writing. The book should be read and attended to. Its importance, as Bush's second term gets underway, will only grow and if we want to understand ourselves and our world, and to respond to it as Christians, we could have no better guide.' THES, 13th May 2005. Review by Steven Bruce: 'This manifesto for "left-wing Christians against Bush" is a fascinating combination of genres... well-written and passionately argued.'

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn the summer of 1999, Michael Ashcroft (now Lord Ashcroft) became the subject of concerted attacks aimed at unseating him as Treasurer of the Conservative Party. His attackers were "The Times" newspaper and the New Labour Government of Tony Blair. This work tells the story of how he fought back.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisCharts the rise and fall of four of the most prominent right-wing broadcasters during the Cold War: H L Hunt, Dan Smoot, Carl McIntire, and Billy James Hargis.Trade Review"What's Fair on the Air? is a fascinating look at the inner world of ultra-conservatism. Funny, insightful, and beautifully researched, it uncovers a group of media activists who played a critical part in building the modern right." (Kimberley Phillips-Fein, author of Invisible Hands: The Making of the Conservative Movement from the New Deal to Reagan)"

Read more less

Book SynopsisCharts the rise and fall of four of the most prominent right-wing broadcasters during the Cold War: H L Hunt, Dan Smoot, Carl McIntire, and Billy James Hargis.Trade Review"What's Fair on the Air? is a fascinating look at the inner world of ultra-conservatism. Funny, insightful, and beautifully researched, it uncovers a group of media activists who played a critical part in building the modern right." (Kimberley Phillips-Fein, author of Invisible Hands: The Making of the Conservative Movement from the New Deal to Reagan)"

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review“Blum documents the history of the Tea Party with a diversity of evidence and methodological virtuosity. She argues that the Tea Party’s presence within the Republican Party is, essentially, a ‘party within a party,’ a new way of thinking about ‘intraparty mobilization’ as a strategy undertaken by movements. How the Tea Party Captured the GOP enjoys the properties of a must-read work for those who care about the future of the Republican Party—indeed, for those who care about the future of the country.” -- Christopher Sebastian Parker, University of Washington“For all the talk of polarization, we know less than we should about the pressures pushing parties away from the median, which makes this book particularly welcome. As Blum traces the relation between the Tea Party and the Republican Party that the insurgency sought, with great success, to push rightwards, she brings impressive evidence to bear, including long-form interviews with Tea Party activists, network analysis, and use of text-as-data.” -- Daniel Schlozman, Johns Hopkins University

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe rise of the Tea Party redefined both the Republican Party and how we think about intraparty conflict. What initially appeared to be an anti-Obama protest movement of fiscal conservatives matured into a faction that sought to increase its influence in the Republican Party by any means necessary. Tea Partiers captured the party's organizational machinery and used it to replace established politicians with Tea Partystyle Republicans, eventually laying the groundwork for the nomination and election of a candidate like Donald Trump. In How the Tea Party Captured the GOP, Rachel Marie Blum approaches the Tea Party from the angle of party politics, explaining the Tea Party's insurgent strategies as those of a party faction. Blum offers a novel theory of factions as miniature parties within parties, discussing how fringe groups can use factions to increase their political influence in the US two-party system. In this richly researched book, the author uncovers how the electoral losses oTrade Review“Blum documents the history of the Tea Party with a diversity of evidence and methodological virtuosity. She argues that the Tea Party’s presence within the Republican Party is, essentially, a ‘party within a party,’ a new way of thinking about ‘intraparty mobilization’ as a strategy undertaken by movements. How the Tea Party Captured the GOP enjoys the properties of a must-read work for those who care about the future of the Republican Party—indeed, for those who care about the future of the country.” -- Christopher Sebastian Parker, University of Washington“For all the talk of polarization, we know less than we should about the pressures pushing parties away from the median, which makes this book particularly welcome. As Blum traces the relation between the Tea Party and the Republican Party that the insurgency sought, with great success, to push rightwards, she brings impressive evidence to bear, including long-form interviews with Tea Party activists, network analysis, and use of text-as-data.” -- Daniel Schlozman, Johns Hopkins University

Read more less

Book SynopsisAttention to care in modern society has fallen out of view as an ethos of personal responsibility, free markets, and individualism has taken hold. The Liberalism of Care argues that contemporary liberalism is suffering from a crisis of care, manifest in a decaying sense of collective political responsibility for citizens' well-being and for the most vulnerable members of our communities. Political scientist Shawn C. Fraistat argues that we have lost the political language of care, which, prior the nineteenth century, was commonly used to express these dimensions of political life. To recover that language, Fraistat turns to three prominent philosophersPlato, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and William Godwinwho illuminate the varied ways caring language and caring values have structured core debates in the history of Western political thought about the proper role of government, as well as the rights and responsibilities of citizens. The Liberalism of Care presents a distinctive vision for oTrade Review"The Liberalism of Care richly re-envisions both the politics of care and the nature of contemporary liberalism through an original and highly illuminating analysis of care in some key contributors to the history of political thought in the West. Fraistat’s searching studies of Plato, Rousseau, and Godwin explore with great nuance and insight the relationship between care and authority, domination, civic engagement, self-development, and solidarity, among other things. Yet even as it shifts how we understand the history of political thought, the book offers a valuable resource for liberal democracies navigating current challenges of authoritarianism, populism, deep dividedness, entrenched injustice, and rising inequality. The Liberalism of Care is an important contribution to political theory and to public life." -- Sharon R. Krause, Brown University"Fraistat’s The Liberalism of Care is an insightful exploration of the deep currents of care that have long existed in Western political thought but have often been overlooked or misunderstood. Through close readings of Plato, Rousseau, and Godwin, Fraistat draws out constructive insights about the importance of care to political life as well as the dangers of illiberal care. The Liberalism of Care is an important book that offers profound lessons about the importance of care to liberalism and the importance of liberal values to good care." -- Daniel Engster, The University of HoustonTable of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1. Plato on Caring for the Self and Caring for Others Chapter 2. Plato and the Politics of Authority as Care Chapter 3. Rousseau on Care, Education, and Domination Chapter 4. Rousseau, Authority, and the Caring Republic Chapter 5. Godwin on Care, Impartiality, and Independence Chapter 6. Godwin and Anarchy as Care Conclusion Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisAttention to care in modern society has fallen out of view as an ethos of personal responsibility, free markets, and individualism has taken hold. The Liberalism of Care argues that contemporary liberalism is suffering from a crisis of care, manifest in a decaying sense of collective political responsibility for citizens' well-being and for the most vulnerable members of our communities. Political scientist Shawn C. Fraistat argues that we have lost the political language of care, which, prior the nineteenth century, was commonly used to express these dimensions of political life. To recover that language, Fraistat turns to three prominent philosophersPlato, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and William Godwinwho illuminate the varied ways caring language and caring values have structured core debates in the history of Western political thought about the proper role of government, as well as the rights and responsibilities of citizens. The Liberalism of Care presents a distinctive vision for oTrade Review"The Liberalism of Care richly re-envisions both the politics of care and the nature of contemporary liberalism through an original and highly illuminating analysis of care in some key contributors to the history of political thought in the West. Fraistat’s searching studies of Plato, Rousseau, and Godwin explore with great nuance and insight the relationship between care and authority, domination, civic engagement, self-development, and solidarity, among other things. Yet even as it shifts how we understand the history of political thought, the book offers a valuable resource for liberal democracies navigating current challenges of authoritarianism, populism, deep dividedness, entrenched injustice, and rising inequality. The Liberalism of Care is an important contribution to political theory and to public life." -- Sharon R. Krause, Brown University"Fraistat’s The Liberalism of Care is an insightful exploration of the deep currents of care that have long existed in Western political thought but have often been overlooked or misunderstood. Through close readings of Plato, Rousseau, and Godwin, Fraistat draws out constructive insights about the importance of care to political life as well as the dangers of illiberal care. The Liberalism of Care is an important book that offers profound lessons about the importance of care to liberalism and the importance of liberal values to good care." -- Daniel Engster, The University of HoustonTable of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1. Plato on Caring for the Self and Caring for Others Chapter 2. Plato and the Politics of Authority as Care Chapter 3. Rousseau on Care, Education, and Domination Chapter 4. Rousseau, Authority, and the Caring Republic Chapter 5. Godwin on Care, Impartiality, and Independence Chapter 6. Godwin and Anarchy as Care Conclusion Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisA portrait of the lawyers who serve the diverse constituencies of the conservative movement. It explains what unites and divides lawyers for the three major groups - social conservatives, libertarians, and business advocates - that have coalesced in recent decades behind the Republican Party.Trade Review"Presenting her subjects straight-forwardly, without making judgments about the issues that they and their organizations support, Ann Southworth rejects the notion that the lawyers for the right are less deserving than lawyers for the left of the 'cause lawyer' title. The topic is fascinating. Southworth's portraits and analyses of the various parties, especially the mediators of the Federalist Society and the Heritage Foundation, are illuminating. And the tone is just right." - Bryant Garth, Southwestern Law School"

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"The book makes an important contribution to the growing body of research on what may be becoming the most pressing issue in contemporary American politics: political polarization." * Choice *“Kalmoe and Mason’s impressive theoretical insights and evidence on the causes and consequences of radical partisanship make their book the definitive account of violent partisan hostilities in twenty-first-century American politics. With the profound implications of those outstanding analyses exposed for the whole world to see during the January 6 Capitol insurrection, Radical American Partisanship has the potential to be one of the most important political science books in decades.” -- Michael Tesler, University of California, Irvine“This provocative book by two of political science’s rising stars asks readers to consider what only recently would have seemed implausible. Is American democracy on the brink? Will the kind of political violence that most Americans connect to remote outposts in other parts of the world become a feature of our own deeply polarized political system? Readers will find themselves deeply unsettled by Kalmoe and Mason’s evidence and conclusions.” -- Marc J. Hetherington, University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill“A disturbing analysis of special interest to policymakers.” * Kirkus *Table of ContentsChapter 1. Recognizing Partisan Extremes Chapter 2. Radical Historical Roots Chapter 3. Radical Partisan Psychology Part I. Identifying Radical Partisans Chapter 4. The Scope of Radicalism Chapter 5. Trends: Stumbling toward a Breakdown Chapter 6. Who Are the Radical Partisans? Part II. Radical Behaviors and the Impact of Conditions and Events Chapter 7. From Radical Views to Aggressive Behavior Chapter 8. Historical Precedents and Reasons for Violence Chapter 9. Reactions to Election Losses and Violent Events Part III. Communicating Radicalism Chapter 10. Words Matter Chapter 11. The Future of Radical Partisanship: Risks and Opportunities Acknowledgments Notes References Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"The book makes an important contribution to the growing body of research on what may be becoming the most pressing issue in contemporary American politics: political polarization." * Choice *“Kalmoe and Mason’s impressive theoretical insights and evidence on the causes and consequences of radical partisanship make their book the definitive account of violent partisan hostilities in twenty-first-century American politics. With the profound implications of those outstanding analyses exposed for the whole world to see during the January 6 Capitol insurrection, Radical American Partisanship has the potential to be one of the most important political science books in decades.” -- Michael Tesler, University of California, Irvine“This provocative book by two of political science’s rising stars asks readers to consider what only recently would have seemed implausible. Is American democracy on the brink? Will the kind of political violence that most Americans connect to remote outposts in other parts of the world become a feature of our own deeply polarized political system? Readers will find themselves deeply unsettled by Kalmoe and Mason’s evidence and conclusions.” -- Marc J. Hetherington, University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill“A disturbing analysis of special interest to policymakers.” * Kirkus *Table of ContentsChapter 1. Recognizing Partisan Extremes Chapter 2. Radical Historical Roots Chapter 3. Radical Partisan Psychology Part I. Identifying Radical Partisans Chapter 4. The Scope of Radicalism Chapter 5. Trends: Stumbling toward a Breakdown Chapter 6. Who Are the Radical Partisans? Part II. Radical Behaviors and the Impact of Conditions and Events Chapter 7. From Radical Views to Aggressive Behavior Chapter 8. Historical Precedents and Reasons for Violence Chapter 9. Reactions to Election Losses and Violent Events Part III. Communicating Radicalism Chapter 10. Words Matter Chapter 11. The Future of Radical Partisanship: Risks and Opportunities Acknowledgments Notes References Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisAlix Olson and Alex Zamalin offer a clear-eyed critical account of how neoliberalism has redefined resistance to thwart social movements and consolidate power.Trade ReviewResistance is a word that has lost its critical edge, as this book demonstrates. Olson and Zamalin name 'restorative resistance' the idea that a return to a pre-Trump era is sufficient. Their critique challenges our coalitions, but this is a challenge that must be taken up to make the change the world needs. Essential reading. -- Linda Martín Alcoff, City University of New YorkHow did suburban lawn signs, social media photo frames, and voter mobilization campaigns for moderate Democrats become 'resistance'? Soberly diagnosing the rise of 'restorative resistance' as the outcome of a decades-long deliberate neoliberal narrowing of the political life of democracy, Olson and Zamalin echo Michel Foucault's fundamental insight that what is called 'resistance' illuminates how power is exercised. Rightfully alarming readers about a hegemonic horizon of reform that prizes channeling people's capacities to endure economic and social injustices they should resoundingly reject, the authors offer compelling guides to reigniting radical imagination and praxis by joining deeply democratic struggles through which we work to reawaken demands for liberation, actual popular sovereignty, and the state itself as ours—in solidarity with each other and the planet—to reimagine. -- Jane Anna Gordon, author of Statelessness and Contemporary EnslavementThe Ends of Resistance sheds an illuminating light on the shocking ways elite media and politicians have appropriated Black political resistance and the #MeToo movement for corporate and individualistic ends. Olson and Zamalin challenge the ways 'anti-racist' tactics have been appropriated to reinforce racial capitalism in a powerful indictment of the nation’s lackluster political will, even among so-called radicals. -- Terrence L. Johnson, author of We Testify with Our Lives: How Religion Transformed Radical Thought from Black Power to Black Lives MatterTable of ContentsAcknowledgments1. The End of Resistance: Reformation Over Transformation2. Neoliberal Resistance: Privatizing Rebellion3. Democracy Domesticated: Resistance as Restoration4. Making Suspicious Citizens: Racializing and Criminalizing Resistance5. Unruly World Building: Toward a Critical Infrastructure of Demanding HopeNotesIndex

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book SynopsisNicholas addresses the failure of reason in modernity to bring about a just society, a society in which people can attain fulfillment. Trade Review"Habermas moved beyond the limitations of earlier Frankfurt School theorists in order to preserve an account of reason as emancipatory. Nicholas uses a conception of reason as tradition-constituted to move beyond Habermas, while still preserving an account of reason as emancipatory. This is a book of the highest interest." —Alasdair MacIntyre, University of Notre Dame"Jeffery Nicholas has written an important and valuable book that invites its readers to discover the difficulties of late modern Western thought from the perspective of twentieth-century critical theory, and to consider a response to those difficulties drawn from the work of Alasdair MacIntyre and Charles Taylor." —Christopher S. Lutz, Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology"Jeffery Nicholas's book is an important and much needed contribution to the development of a critical theory of society. What may surprise some is that he does this not only by developing the work of the Frankfurt School theorists but also by bringing their analysis into a fruitful dialogue with the vital work of a scholar who is often thought of as their opponent: Alasdair MacIntyre. What results is a fascinating study that finds some common ground between MacIntyre and the Frankfurt School and shows the resources each give us for a renewal of critical thought." —Peter McMylor, University of Manchester“Jeffery L. Nicholas is interested in what he calls a substantive conception of reason that is tradition-based, non-formal, non-instrumental and capable of undoing modernity’s differentiation of scientific, moral and aesthetic spheres of rationality. . . . Nicholas’s elucidation and defense of his view comprises a critique of subjective reason that relies on Max Horkheimer’s work, a criticism of Jurgen Habermas’s communicative reason, and an explanation of substantive reason that looks to Alasdair MacIntyre.” —Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews“If you are looking for a ‘safe’ read, a book that will not force you to question your own presuppositions, this is not the book for you. If, however, you are looking to be challenged and entertained, I suggest you pick up a copy of this dangerous tome and be prepared to change the way you think about reason, philosophy, and the world.” —Marx & Philosophy Review of Books“In this impressive and ambitious book Jeffery Nicholas argues that modernity is ‘infected’ by a conception of reason that has been stripped of its ability to raise ethical questions and to discuss important moral issues. . . . For Nicholas, the trouble is not simply that we refuse to examine the policies and positions of our own society or of other cultures. It is rather that even when we do engage in evaluation and critique, our critiques inevitably come up short.” —International Philosophical Quarterly“Nicholas’s approach to these general theses is both interesting and promising.” —Journal of Moral Philosophy

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisHow six conservative media moguls hindered America and Britain from entering World War IITrade Review“A damning indictment against six of the most powerful English-language publishers of the World War II era. . . . The parallels with today’s right-wing media, on both sides of the Atlantic, are unavoidable.”—Matthew Pressman, Washington Post“Reminds readers that nationalist press outlets that disseminate fake news, praise foreign autocrats, and practice dog-whistle politics are nothing new.”—Andrew Moravcsik, Foreign Affairs“A first-rate work of history.”—Ben Yagoda, Wall Street JournalA Foreign Affairs Best Book of 2022“Fascinating. . . . Engagingly written and full of interesting details which presage the future course of transatlantic right-wing politics. . . . The book’s . . . strength is that it takes popular newspapers seriously, demonstrating that, even if their style often seems frivolous, their influence on the course of history is anything but.”—Aaron Ackerley, History TodayWinner of the Sperber Book Prize, administered by Fordham University “An eye-opening, wonderfully researched, deftly written account of the impact six reactionary media barons had on the political culture of Great Britain and the United States on the eve of and during World War II. This timely study fills a huge gap in the history of twentieth-century media and politics.”—Brooke L. Blower, author of Becoming Americans in Paris: Transatlantic Politics and Culture between the World Wars“A fascinating and original study that brings a collective lens to the influence of mass circulation press barons during an important period of world history.”—Everette E. Dennis, Northwestern University“Kathryn Olmsted’s deeply insightful narrative reveals the immense power enemies of liberal internationalism wielded on both sides of the Atlantic. The Newspaper Axis is a landmark in the political history of journalism.”—Michael Kazin, author of What It Took to Win: A History of the Democratic Party“A salutary lesson about what happens when media barons dominate the dissemination of news.”—Rhodri Jeffreys-Jones, author of The Nazi Spy Ring in America: Hitler’s Agents, the FBI, and the Case that Stirred a Nation“Kathryn Olmsted’s powerful book shows how the right-wing media in the United States and Great Britain helped to popularize fascist dictators and undermine efforts to bring them down. The Newspaper Axis is an eye-opening and compelling book for anyone who wants to understand the origins of the right-wing media today.”—Jeremi Suri, author of The Impossible Presidency: The Rise and Fall of America’s Highest Office

Read more less

Book SynopsisCHOICE Outstanding Academic Title, 2022How rural areas have become uneven proving grounds for the American Dream. Late-stage capitalism is trying to remake rural America in its own image, and the resistance is telling. Small-town economies that have traditionally been based on logging, mining, farming, and ranching now increasingly rely on tourism, second-home ownership, and retirement migration. In Dividing Paradise, Jennifer Sherman tells the story of Paradise Valley, Washington, a rural community where amenity-driven economic growth has resulted in a new social landscape of inequality and privilege, with deep fault lines between old-timers and newcomers. In this complicated cultural reality, class blindness allows privileged newcomers to ignore or justify their impact on these towns, papering over the sentiments of anger, loss, and disempowerment of longtime locals. Based on in-depth interviews with individuals on both sides of the divide, this bookexplores the causes and repercussions of the stark inequity that has become commonplace across the United States. It exposes the mechanisms by which inequality flourishes and by which Americans have come to believe that disparity is acceptable and deserved. Sherman, who is known for her work on rural America, presents here a powerful case study of the ever-growing tensions between those who can and those who cannot achieve their visions of the American dream. Trade Review"This quite readable book is not laden with academic jargon or theory, making it excellent for students and scholars of rural sociology. It also makes a significant contribution to the broader American studies literature." * CHOICE *Table of ContentsPrologue: Discovering Paradise Acknowledgments 1. Rural Deindustrialization, Decline, and Rebirth 2. Changing Times in Paradise 3. Living the Dream: Newcomers Making It Work in Paradise 4. Trouble in Paradise: Old-timers' Struggles to Survive 5. "Certain Circles": The Deepening Divide 6. Paradise Lost: Making Sense of Community Change and the Elusive American Dream 7. Crossing the Divide and Reclaiming the Dream Epilogue: The Rural Dream in the Pandemic's Wake Appendix A. Methods, Sample, and Local Demographic Information Appendix B. The Newcomer/Old-timer Distinction Notes References Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisCHOICE Outstanding Academic Title, 2022How rural areas have become uneven proving grounds for the American Dream. Late-stage capitalism is trying to remake rural America in its own image, and the resistance is telling. Small-town economies that have traditionally been based on logging, mining, farming, and ranching now increasingly rely on tourism, second-home ownership, and retirement migration. In Dividing Paradise, Jennifer Sherman tells the story of Paradise Valley, Washington, a rural community where amenity-driven economic growth has resulted in a new social landscape of inequality and privilege, with deep fault lines between old-timers and newcomers. In this complicated cultural reality, class blindness allows privileged newcomers to ignore or justify their impact on these towns, papering over the sentiments of anger, loss, and disempowerment of longtime locals. Based on in-depth interviews with individuals on both sides of the divide, this bookexplores the causes and repTrade Review"This quite readable book is not laden with academic jargon or theory, making it excellent for students and scholars of rural sociology. It also makes a significant contribution to the broader American studies literature." * CHOICE *Table of ContentsPrologue: Discovering Paradise Acknowledgments 1. Rural Deindustrialization, Decline, and Rebirth 2. Changing Times in Paradise 3. Living the Dream: Newcomers Making It Work in Paradise 4. Trouble in Paradise: Old-timers' Struggles to Survive 5. "Certain Circles": The Deepening Divide 6. Paradise Lost: Making Sense of Community Change and the Elusive American Dream 7. Crossing the Divide and Reclaiming the Dream Epilogue: The Rural Dream in the Pandemic's Wake Appendix A. Methods, Sample, and Local Demographic Information Appendix B. The Newcomer/Old-timer Distinction Notes References Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe complete guide to debunking right-wing misinterpretations of the Biblefrom economics and immigration to gender and sexuality. Jesus loves borders, guns, unborn babies, and economic prosperity and hates homosexuality, taxes, welfare, and universal healthcareor so say many Republican politicians, pundits, and preachers. Through outrageous misreadings of the New Testament gospels that started almost a century ago, conservative influencers have conjured a version of Jesus who speaks to their fears, desires, and resentments. In Republican Jesus, Tony Keddie explains not only where this right-wing Christ came from and what he stands for but also why this version of Jesus is a fraud. By restoring Republicans' cherry-picked gospel texts to their original literary and historical contexts, Keddie dismantles the biblical basis for Republican positions on hot-button issues like Big Government, taxation, abortion, immigration, and climate change. At the same time, he introduces readers to an ancient Jesus whose life experiences and ethics were totally unlike those of modern Americans, conservatives and liberals alike. Trade Review“Witty, insightful . . . . A thorough, convincing study that’s perfect for anyone flummoxed by misuses of the teachings of Jesus.” * Publishers Weekly *"Accessible and gracefully written.” * Religion Dispatches *“Engaging, well organized, and historically informed, this book will be valuable not only for those interested in the study of Jesus but also for students of US politics.” * CHOICE *"Keddie’s book makes an accessible, well-written, witty, and utterly convincing case for scholarship on the (often dangerous) politics of biblical citation in the US. One hopes it will send readers to their libraries in search of much more." * Reading Religion *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgments A Note to Readers Introduction PART ONE. WHO IS REPUBLICAN JESUS? 1. A Portrait of Republican Jesus PART TWO. WHERE DOES REPUBLICAN JESUS COME FROM? 2. Early Modern Heralds 3. A Corporate Assault on the New Deal 4. Tea and Prosperity in the Age of Trump PART THREE. WHAT DOES REPUBLICAN JESUS STAND FOR? IS HE RIGHT OR WRONG? 5. Family Values 6. Charity 7. Church and State 8. Protection from Invaders 9. The End of the World Afterword Notes Suggestions for Further Reading Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe complete guide to debunking right-wing misinterpretations of the Biblefrom economics and immigration to gender and sexuality. Jesus loves borders, guns, unborn babies, and economic prosperity and hates homosexuality, taxes, welfare, and universal healthcareor so say many Republican politicians, pundits, and preachers. Through outrageous misreadings of the New Testament gospels that started almost a century ago, conservative influencers have conjured a version of Jesus that speaks to their fears, desires, and resentments. In Republican Jesus, Tony Keddie explains not only where this right-wing Christ came from and what he stands for but also why this version of Jesus is a fraud. By restoring Republicans' cherry-picked gospel texts to their original literary and historical contexts, Keddie dismantles the biblical basis for Republican positions on hot-button issues like Big Government, taxation, abortion, immigration, and climate change. At the same time, he introduces readers toTrade Review“Witty, insightful . . . . A thorough, convincing study that’s perfect for anyone flummoxed by misuses of the teachings of Jesus.” * Publishers Weekly *"Accessible and gracefully written.” * Religion Dispatches *“Engaging, well organized, and historically informed, this book will be valuable not only for those interested in the study of Jesus but also for students of US politics.” * CHOICE *"Keddie’s book makes an accessible, well-written, witty, and utterly convincing case for scholarship on the (often dangerous) politics of biblical citation in the US. One hopes it will send readers to their libraries in search of much more." * Reading Religion *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgments A Note to Readers Introduction PART ONE. WHO IS REPUBLICAN JESUS? 1. A Portrait of Republican Jesus PART TWO. WHERE DOES REPUBLICAN JESUS COME FROM? 2. Early Modern Heralds 3. A Corporate Assault on the New Deal 4. Tea and Prosperity in the Age of Trump PART THREE. WHAT DOES REPUBLICAN JESUS STAND FOR? IS HE RIGHT OR WRONG? 5. Family Values 6. Charity 7. Church and State 8. Protection from Invaders 9. The End of the World Afterword Notes Suggestions for Further Reading Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisA free open access ebook is available upon publication. Learn more at www.luminosoa.org. Until the Storm Passesreveals how Brazil's 19641985 military dictatorship contributed to its own demise by alienating the civilian political elites who initially helped bring it to power. Based on exhaustive research conducted in nearly twenty archives in five countries, as well as on oral histories with surviving politicians from the period, this book tells the surprising story of how the alternatingly self-interested and heroic resistance of the political class contributed decisively to Brazil's democratization. As they gradually turned against military rule, politicians began to embrace a political role for the masses that most of them would never have accepted in 1964, thus setting the stage for the breathtaking expansion of democracy that Brazil enjoyed over the next three decades.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAnthony Badger explains why liberal campaigns for race-neutral economic policies failed to win over white Southerners. When federal programs did not deliver the economic benefits that white Southerners expected, the appeal of biracial politics was supplanted by the values-based lure of conservative Republicans.Trade ReviewAnthony J. Badger’s analysis of liberal white Southerners since the 1930s suggests how difficult it is going to be to bring the white working class back into the fold…Badger identifies promising moments in several decades, including (after the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965) successful biracial electoral coalitions. Yet today there are fewer white Democrats in the South than ever…Badger runs from race, and racism, as explanations, but as he himself concedes, he never gets far. -- James Goodman * New York Times Book Review *[An] important book…For the casual reader, this is a fast-paced introduction to Southern history. For those of us who know and admire Tony Badger, this book is a wonderful overview of a celebrated career, offering personal insight into his evolving study of a region that cries out to be better understood. To know the South is to love it, be confused and horrified by it, and then to fall in love with it all over again. -- Tim Stanley * The Telegraph *This book’s refusal to settle for easy answers is one of its key strengths…Nuanced and thoughtful. -- Daniel K. Williams * Journal of Southern History *Badger, Britain’s leading historian of the US South, explains why liberal Democrats failed to keep the South aligned with the national party after the New Deal. * Choice *Anthony Badger is a master of Southern politics, and this book is a highly readable account of the decades of racist politics that brought us to our present moment. Replete with interesting stories and vivid characters, and backed up by exhaustive research, this is an in-depth account of how white Southerners restructured white supremacy to work in four different political time periods: the New Deal, the post–World War II period, the Civil Rights movement, and the Trump moment. Badger demonstrates how structural racism can be remodeled to incorporate political ‘progress,’ and cloaked in many colors. -- Glenda Gilmore, author of Defying DixieThis is a provocative summary of the history of twentieth-century white Southern liberalism. It is also an honest and engaging personal account of a distinguished scholar trying to make sense of it. -- Joseph Crespino, author of Atticus FinchWhy White Liberals Fail explores how racial fears and the structure and culture of white supremacy influenced the response of moderate politicians to pivotal moments of social disruption in the South. Badger offers a fresh analysis of how Southern politicians met the challenges they faced in the years before the civil rights movement, and explores the consequences of the deeply racialized politics of the South for the trajectory of American history ever since. He brilliantly broadens the lens for understanding our current moment, and sheds critical light on the trajectory of Southern liberalism and American politics in the decades since Jim Crow’s demise. -- Patricia Sullivan, author of Justice Rising

Read more less

Book SynopsisNot long ago Republicans took pride in their tradition of environmental leadership. The GOP helped create the EPA, extend the Clean Air Act, and protect endangered species. Today Republicans denounce climate change as a hoax and seek to dismantle environmental regulations. What happened? James Morton Turner and Andrew C. Isenberg provide answers.Trade ReviewTrace[s] the G.O.P.’s turn against conservation to Ronald Reagan, who equated environmentalism with pessimism, and pessimism with a lack of patriotism. -- Elizabeth Kolbert * New Yorker *Juxtaposes the conservative and environmental movements in the 1960s, offering new insights into their coevolution…A well-written account of the Republican Party’s dramatic transformation on environmental policy over the past 40 years. -- Neal D. Woods * Science *In the 1970s the politics of conservatism and conservationism were intertwined, but in recent decades the Republican Party has transformed itself from an ally of environmentalism to its avowed enemy. In their fascinating The Republican Reversal, Turner and Isenberg chronicle the significant changes inside the party and the staggering consequences for the nation. -- Kevin M. Kruse, author of One Nation Under God: How Corporate America Invented Christian AmericaFor anyone who wants to understand how the GOP, once populated by legions of environmental stalwarts, became the science-denying, fossil fuel–fancying Party of No on environmental protections, Turner and Isenberg have written a must-read book. -- David Farber, author of The Rise and Fall of Modern American ConservatismA well-researched, fair-minded, and often surprising explanation of a stark transformation that will affect us all, The Republican Reversal should interest everyone who cares deeply about the quality of the air we breathe and the water we drink. It will particularly fascinate GOP voters wondering why their party’s leaders started misinforming the public on climate science just as action became urgent for the planet we bequeath to our children and grandchildren. -- Nancy MacLean, author of Democracy in Chains: The Deep History of the Radical Right’s Stealth Plan for AmericaThe Republican Reversal is a timely and compelling analysis of why climate change has become the most polarizing issue in American politics. It is a must-read for anyone hopeful that the United States might once again be an environmental leader. -- Adam Rome, author of The Genius of Earth Day: How a 1970 Teach-In Unexpectedly Made the First Green GenerationZeroes in on the 180-degree change that has taken place in the Republican Party’s policy positions on [environmental] matters, exemplified by Trump’s campaign pledge to eliminate the Environmental Protection Agency and his dismissal of climate science…Turner and Isenberg describe the conservative switcharoo on the environment as one of the most profound turnabouts in modern American political history. -- M. Rupert Cutler * Roanoke Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisExamines an enduring tension within liberal theory: that between many liberals' professed commitment to universal equality on the one hand, and their historic support for the politics of hierarchy and empire on the other.Trade Review"Morefield has provided a sure-handed and tightly argued account of a body of liberal thought whose failings had unfortunate effects on world politics and whose paradoxes continue to be instructive."--Jennifer Pitts, Perspectives on PoliticsTable of ContentsAcknowledgments xi Introduction 1 CHAPTER ONE: Oxford Liberalism and the Return of Patriarchy 24 CHAPTER TWO: An "Oddly Transposed" Liberalism 55 CHAPTER THREE: Mind, Spirit, and Liberalism in the World 96 CHAPTER FOUR: Nationhood, World Order, and the "One Great City of Men and Gods" 136 CHAPTER FIVE: Sovereignty and the Liberal Shadow 175 CHAPTER SIX: Liberal Community and the Lure of Empire 205 Bibliography 231 Index 249

Read more less

Book SynopsisArgues that there is a basic tension between religion and democracy because religion often rejects compromise as a matter of principle while democracy requires compromise to thrive. This book draws on politics, history, and law, to define an approach to the church-state question that protects the religious and the secular alike.Trade Review"The book is a piece of excellent scholarship in the service of an argument that is carefully nuanced and balanced."--Clyde Wilcox, Political Science Quarterly "In his impassioned book, Joseph P. Viteritti asserts that religious freedom is being suppressed by cultural elites...Viteritti finds that most Americans fall into an ambiguous 'hollow middle,' rejecting both rigid secularism and overly intrusive religion. Yet Americans generally favor religion's role in society, unlike the Supreme Court and government, which Viteritti says engineered secularization of public life and the public schools during recent decades."--Richard Ostling, Books and Culture "Professor Viteritti has charted what he envisions to be a sensible, sensitive middle-of-the road solution to the strife between the Religious Right and the Secular Left...The author's line of argument is well informed and vigorous. I believe The Last Freedom is a valuable addition to the church/state school debate."--R.Murray Thomas, Teachers College Record "Viteritti is particularly good when examining the inherent contradictions within the religious provisions of the First Amendment... His examinations of constitutional legal theory are fascinating, and his analysis of the Founders' thinking on religion is absolutely brilliant, a must read for any serious student of American religion."--Andrew Preston, Clare College, Cambridge University, 49th Parallel "For those hoping to better understand not only our current debates about faith, politics, education, and citizenship, but also the history of America's experiment with religious freedom under and through law, The Last Freedom is a welcome and illuminating work."--Richard W. Garnett, First Things "Viteritti, a veteran of the school choice battles in New York City, bring[s] a wealth of practical experience to [his] views on religion and government in America... [A] well-written account ... valuable contributions to our understanding of the productive tension between individual liberty and public virtue in America's rapidly diversifying religious marketplace."--Scott Erwin, The American Interest "In a simple, yet compelling read, Joseph Viteritti chronicles the parallel movements of religion and politics in the United States from the pilgrims to the present, inviting the reader to realize just how seriously our citizens consider religion."--Nancy Gilroy, Catholic Spirit "[Makes] the provocative case ... that seriously religious Americans constitute only a small minority and that the vast majority, despite their superficial religiosity, lead secular lives with essentially secular values. In Viteritti's view, it is 'extreme secularism,' accepted by this get-along, go-along majority, and not ... an evangelical Christian orthodoxy, that threatens to curtail the religious freedom of those devout enough to be different."--Peter Steinfels, American Prospect "On finishing this book, the reader has the feeling of just having completed a rare provocative workshop conducted by a skillful objective observer. To an extremely controversial subject, the author brings insight gained from harvesting the research of many other scholars of American History... It is a textbook for everyone seriously examining the entire perspective of the history of religious freedom in the United States from the revolutionary scene to the 21st century."--Patricia James Sweeney, Catholic Library World "Taken as a whole, the book provides a useful exercise in critical thinking, as well as way for students to engage the broader literature on the religion clauses."--Paul Moke, American Review of PoliticsTable of ContentsPreface ix Acknowledgments xvii Chapter 1: Fear and Loathing 1 Chapter 2: Religion and Public Life 15 Chapter 3: Tennessee Tales 44 Chapter 4: Why Schools Matter 66 Chapter 5: Politics, Education, and Religion 87 Chapter 6: Free Exercise, Vacated and Denied 114 Chapter 7: Ageless Wisdom 145 Chapter 8: American Landscape 176 Chapter 9: Conscience and Compromise 208 Notes 241 Index 263

Read more less

Book SynopsisWritten at the height of the Cold War and in the wake of America's greatest experiment with big government, the New Deal, this book puts forward an argument for the value and importance of conservative principles - freedom, foremost among them - in contemporary political life.Trade Review"The book lays out, clearly and succinctly, [Goldwater's] uncompromising views. Goldwater held freedom as the highest value in American society: freedom from law, freedom from government, freedom from anybody else's vision but your own. You can argue with him on the particulars, but there's something compelling about his quintessentially American notion of self-reliance."--David Ulin, Los Angeles Times "The new Conscience of a Conservative takes what might be called the 'anti-fusionist' side in the Goldwater wars...The Conscience of a Conservative continues to be read today because it isn't a political tract, a soulless campaign book of the sort generated by every other modern presidential effort."--Daniel McCarthy, The American Conservative Praise for the original edition: "Goldwater's conservatism is not isolationism, nor is it a cold-blooded commitment to the 'haves' as against the 'have-nots.' It is the creed of a fighter who has both a warm heart and a clear mind."--John Chamberlain, Wall Street Journal Praise for the original edition: "There is more harsh fact and hard sense in this slight book than will emerge from all of the chatter of this year's session of Congress... Sen. Goldwater is one of a handful of authentic conservatives... [H]e has the clarity of courage and the courage of clarity."--George Morgenstern, Chicago Tribune "It is good that C.C. Goldwater brings us this new edition. It directs new attention to a political figure who, though fiery, was never mean-spirited or unfairly partisan."--Max J. Skidmore, European LegacyTable of ContentsGeneral Editor's Introduction vii Foreword by George F. Will ix Preface xxi Chapter 1: The Conscience of a Conservative 1 Chapter 2: The Perils of Power 7 Chapter 3: States' Rights 17 Chapter 4: And Civil Rights 25 Chapter 5: Freedom for the Farmer 33 Chapter 6: Freedom for Labor 39 Chapter 7: Taxes and Spending 53 Chapter 8: The Welfare State 63 Chapter 9: Some Notes on Education 71 Chapter 10: The Soviet Menace 81 Afterword by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. 121 Index 139

Read more less

Book SynopsisTracing the emergence of liberalism as articulated by some of its greatest proponents, including Locke, Tocqueville, Mill, Dewey, Russell, Popper, Berlin, and Rawls, this book explores key themes such as the meaning and nature of freedom, individual rights, and tolerance.Trade ReviewOne of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2013 "A magisterial volume... It will appeal to specialists on particular thinkers and topics or to those interested in the trajectory of the liberal tradition inaugurated by Hobbes and Locke."--Jeremy Waldron, New York Review of Books "By choosing to consider the rich interface between liberalism and philosophy (rather than, say, sociology or party organisation), Ryan has opened up a vast and exciting field for exploration and debate. The reader will find not only discussion of the manifold contributions of the great philosophers (biographical details where appropriate and available) but also insights into the deeper essence of liberalism as it developed through the centuries. Reference to the changing historical context allows liberalism not only to be confronted with other philosophies, from communitarianism to guild socialism, but also to be seen in the broader context of the times that produced it."--Roger Morgan, Times Literary Supplement "There is a sense ... of closing argument in The Making of Modern Liberalism, a lifetime of reflection now curated around themes and key thinkers. It is a formidable body of work, testament both to its inquisitive author and the scholarly institutions that have supported long and productive years of scholarship. It is the contribution of someone who takes liberalism to heart--opening his own work for careful scrutiny, and inviting the debate to continue."--Glyn Davis, Australian Book Review "Alan Ryan is not only among the most significant political philosophers working today, he is also one of the most exciting."--Troy Jollimore, Philosophers' Magazine "Spanning more than 45 years of scholarship, this collection of 33 articles, book chapters, and essays by political theorist Alan Ryan is an intellectual feast. His seemingly effortless conversational style places the leading figures of liberal political thought in intricate patterns of dialogue... Ryan avoids the twin conceits of both hyper-historicism and hyper-textualism by deftly weaving biography, formal philosophy, economics, and political theory into compelling justifications for personal and political freedom. Specialists will marvel at the ease with which close reading and current scholarship pervade his analyses. Generalists will appreciate how accessibly Ryan's intricately structured arguments unfold. Those who read for sheer intellectual joy will especially like the chapters on culture and anxiety, the liberal community, and liberal imperialism, and will enjoy the subtle humor of the essay on Bertrand Russell's politics. The collection itself becomes an intellectual autobiography that keeps alive and advances the mind and the project of modern liberalism."--Choice "This book will appeal to anyone with an interest in liberalism. It will be of interest primarily to political theorists who are concerned with philosophical discussions of liberalism, and its application to contemporary problems. However, historians of political thought, particularly those with an interest in Hobbes and Mill, will also find much of interest. This is a challenging and thought-provoking collection of essays, which are a testament to Ryan's wide knowledge and deep understanding of his subject."--Daniel Duggan, Marx & Philosophy Review of Books "Ryan himself has certainly contributed to the making of modern liberal and utilitarian thought. Scholars who study these subjects in either historical or contemporary variants will welcome this collection of his stimulating interpretations."--Amy R. McCready, Review of Politics "An easier read than one might expect, and likely to become a staple on university reading lists for some time, it will not be lost on modern Liberals to flick through it and devour a few of the essays that take their fancy."--Stewart Rayment, LiberatorTable of ContentsAcknowledgments vii Introduction 1 Part 1: Conceptual and Practical 19 1. Liberalism 21 2. Freedom 45 3. Culture and Anxiety 63 4. The Liberal Community 91 5. Liberal Imperialism 107 6. State and Private, Red and White 123 7. The Right to Kill in Cold Blood: Does the Death Penalty Violate Human Rights? 139 Part 2: Liberty and Security 157 8. Hobbes's Political Philosophy 159 9. Hobbes and Individualism 186 10. Hobbes, Toleration, and the Inner Life 204 11. The Nature of Human Nature in Hobbes and Rousseau 220 12. Locke on Freedom: Some Second Thoughts 233 Part 3: Liberty and Progress, Mill to Popper 255 13. Mill's Essay On Liberty 257 14. Sense and Sensibility in Mill's Political Thought 279 15. Mill in a Liberal Landscape 292 16. Utilitarianism and Bureaucracy: The Views of J. S. Mill 326 17. Mill and Rousseau: Utility and Rights 346 18. Bureaucracy, Democracy, Liberty: Some Unanswered Questions in Mill's Politics 364 19. Bertrand Russell's Politics: 1688 or 1968? 381 20. Isaiah Berlin: Political Theory and Liberal Culture 395 21. Popper and Liberalism 413 Part 4: Liberalism in America 427 22. Alexis de Tocqueville 429 23. Staunchly Modern, Nonbourgeois Liberalism 456 24. Pragmatism, Social Identity, Patriotism, and Self-Criticism 473 25. Deweyan Pragmatism and American Education 489 26. John Rawls 505 Part 5: Work, Ownership, Freedom, and Self-Realization 521 27. Locke and the Dictatorship of the Bourgeoisie 523 28. Hegel on Work, Ownership, and Citizenship 538 29. Utility and Ownership 556 30. Maximizing, Moralizing, and Dramatizing 573 31. The Romantic Theory of Ownership 586 32. Justice, Exploitation, and the End of Morality 600 33. Liberty and Socialism 617 Notes 631 Index 665

Read more less

Book SynopsisNo state has voted Republican more consistently or widely or for longer than Kansas. To understand red state politics, Kansas is the place. It is also the place to understand red state religion. This title tells the story of religiously motivated political activism in Kansas from territorial days to the present.Trade ReviewFinalist for the 2013 Christianity Today Awards in Christianity and Culture "Robert Wuthnow, a brilliant sociologist of religion and himself a native of Kansas, gives us a careful sociological history of the intertwining of religion and politics in this quintessential red state... In Wuthnow's nuanced and careful study, Kansans come across less as hayseeds or off-the-wall moralizers than as pragmatic conservatives, committed to traditional families and fiscal conservatism. They are skeptical of big government and dedicated to preserving simple and vital virtues. Wuthnow has penned a 'must read' book for those who would understand--and not just caricature--red state religion and how it intertwines with politics."--John A. Coleman, America "With the publication of Red State Religion, we profit greatly from a majestically comprehensive account of Kansas' history. In turn, we get a truer story, one that inspires a less ideological reading of the state, perhaps freeing Kansans themselves from any notion of how they must think--or vote."--Alexander Heffner, Philadelphia Inquirer "[Red State Religion] thoughtfully and compassionately explores the rich and complex political and religious history of the place."--Rebecca Barrett-Fox, Christian Century "Red State Religion is a model of clarity and is surely one of the best books available on the intersection of religion and politics."--Al Menendez, Voice of Reason "Elegantly written, passionately argued, and deeply researched, Red State Religion challenges our basic assumptions about the influence of the Religious Right in particular, and the role of religion in American politics more generally."--Andrew Preston, Journal of Ecclesiastical History "[Wuthnow] takes Kansas state conservatism seriously in grounding his conclusions in archival research rather than journalistic sensationalism."--Choice "Wuthnow does an excellent job tracing the development of religious institutions in the state."--James E. Sherow, Great Plains Research "Red State Religion is an ambitious, comprehensive, and rigorous study that provides a thoughtful corrective to past efforts to portray what's the matter with Kansas."--Finbarr Curtis, ReligionTable of ContentsList of Illustrations vii Preface ix Prologue 1 Murder at the Glenwood 10 Chapter 1:. Piety on the Plains 17 Abraham Lincoln in Kansas 18 Establishing a Civic Order 29 Public Religion 35 Serving the Community 42 Church Expansion 47 Cooperation and Competition 57 Chapter 2:. An Evolving Political Style 67 Prairie Politics 72 Populism and Religious Politics 79 Protesting against Inequality 90 A Divided Party 95 Law and Order 101 For the Children 104 Chapter 3:. Redefining the Heartland 110 Harvest of Progress 112 Consolidation and Expansion 117 Forward-looking Initiatives 124 Church and State 130 Hunkering Down 134 Fundamentalism and the Great Depression 142 Simian Peasants 152 Novel Movements 162 Chapter 4:. Quiet Conservatism 169 Grassroots Resentments 171 The Senator from Pendergast 183 Hometown Religion 187 I Like Ike 200 A Well-Qualified Catholic 208 Chapter 5:. An Era of Restructuring 215 Stirrings on the Right 217 From Desegregation to Black Power 229 Nixon at Kansas State 241 Division in the Churches 252 Chapter 6:. The Religious Right 267 Mobilization on the Right 269 Government Is the Problem 279 The War in Wichita 287 Shifting the Focus 294 Questioning Evolution 303 Chapter 7:. Continuing the Struggle 312 The Churches and Activist Networks 314 Electing George W. Bush 321 Regulating Abortion 326 The Campaign against Gay Marriage 330 Evolution Revisited 338 The Death of Dr. Tiller 347 Swatches of Purple 354 Epilogue 361 Notes 371 Selected Bibliography 445 Index 465

Read more less

Book SynopsisBased on archival research and interviews with leading participants in the movement, this title traces the ascendancy of neoliberalism from the academy of interwar Europe to supremacy under Reagan and Thatcher and in the decades since.Trade ReviewFinalist for the 2014 Presidents' Book Award, Western Social Science Association Shortlisted for the 2012 Gladstone Prize, Royal Historical Society "[I]ntelligent."--Kenneth Minogue, Wall Street Journal "In impressive fashion, Jones analyzes the impact of free market economics and deregulation on political leaders in Washington, D.C., and London since the 1970s... [A]nyone intrigued by the intersection of economic theory and political affairs will appreciate this learned, detailed book."--Publishers Weekly "A cerebral, pertinent exegesis on the thinking behind the rise of the New Right... [A] valuable study that helps flesh out the caricature of conservatives as only believing 'greed is good.'"--Kirkus Reviews "[I]mportant... [A] beguilingly erudite old-fashioned read."--Stephen Matchett, Australian "Stedman Jones ... describes the scene with remarkable accuracy, including its financial underpinning and its ties with conservatism."--Karen Horn, Standpoint "Mr. Stedman Jones offers a novel and comprehensive history of neoliberalism. It is tarred neither by a reverence for the heroes, nor by caricature, for he is a fair and nuanced writer. This is a bold biography of a great idea."--Economist "[A] lucid, richly detailed examination of the evolution of the free market ideology since the end of World War II."--Glenn C. Altschuler, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette "[A] good read... The deep history of neo-liberal thought is fascinating."--Andrew Hilton, Financial World "Clearly written and relevant to a wide audience."--Daniel Ben-Ami, Financial Times Wealth "Masters of the Universe is a firm brief for the independent, causal power of ideas to shape history... [It] does much to help explain the aftermath of 2008 and the ways in which political responses that might have defined another era seem unthinkable in ours."--Jennifer Burns, American Prospect "His lengthy exposition of the views shared by these outstanding economists might encourage many to pay attention to their works."--Alejandro Chafuen, Forbes "This is a timely history of the Anglo-American love affair with the market and the origins of the current economic crisis."--Keith Richmond, Tribune (U.K.) "[T]his is an insightful, substantive historical account of the Anglo-American political economy underpinning the conservative economic agendas of the Thatcher and Reagan administrations."--Choice "Jones gives us the best kind of intellectual history, showing the interplay of ideas, ideology and nascent political movements. The book should be lauded for illustrating that the history of ideas is not straightforward, and a big idea can be bent towards something that its originators might not have imagined."--Joel Campbell, International Affairs "[T]his ambitious book is one of the very best histories we have of the development of neoliberal ideas and ideology before the era of Thatcher and Reagan."--W. Elliot Brownlee, Journal of American History "[A] terrific book."--Enlightened EconomistTable of ContentsAcknowledgments ix Timeline xi List of Abbreviations xiii Introduction 1 The Three Phases of Neoliberalism 6 Neoliberalism and History 10 Transatlantic Neoliberal Politics 15 1. The Postwar Settlement 21 2. The 1940s: The Emergence of the Neoliberal Critique 30 Karl Popper and "The Open Society" 37 Ludwig von Mises and "Bureaucracy" 49 Friedrich Hayek and "The Road to Serfdom" 57 The Mont Pelerin Society and "The Intellectuals and Socialism" 73 3. The Rising Tide: Neoliberal Ideas in the Postwar Period 85 The Two Chicago Schools: Henry Simons, Milton Friedman, and Neoliberalism 89 The Enlightenment, Adam Smith and Neoliberalism 100 Economic and Political Freedom: Milton Friedman and Cold War Neoliberalism 111 The German Economic Miracle: Neoliberalism and the Soziale Marktwirtschaft 121 Regulatory Capture, Public Choice, and Rational Choice Theory 126 4. A Transatlantic Network: Think Tanks and the Ideological Entrepreneurs 134 The United States in the 1950s: Fusionism and the Cold War 138 British Conservatism in the 1950s 147 Neoliberal Organization in the 1950s and 1960s 152 The Second Wave: Free Market Think Tanks in the 1970s 161 Neoliberal Journalists and Politicians 173 Breakthrough? 178 5. Keynesianism and the Emergence of Monetarism, 1945-71 180 Keynes and Keynesianism 182 "A Little Local Difficulty": Enoch Powell's Monetarism 190 American Economic Policy in the 1960s 197 Milton Friedman's Monetarism 201 The Gathering Storm 212 6. Economic Strategy: The Neoliberal Breakthrough, 1971-84 215 The Slow Collapse of the Postwar Boom, 1964-71 217 Stagflation and Wage and Price Policies 225 The Heath Interregnum and the Neoliberal Alternative 230 The Left Turns to Monetarism, 1: Callaghan, Healey, and the IMF Crisis 241 The Left Turns to Monetarism, 2: Jimmy Carter and Paul Volcker's Federal Reserve 247 Thatcherite Economic Strategy 254 Reaganomics 263 Conclusion 269 7. Neoliberalism Applied? The Transformation of Affordable Housing and Urban Policy in the United States and Britain, 1945-2000 273 Postwar Low-Income Housing and Urban Policy in the United States 278 Postwar Low-Income Housing and Urban Policy in Britain 288 Jimmy Carter and the Limits of Government 295 Property-Owning Democracy and Individual Freedom: Housing and Neoliberal Ideas 297 The Reagan Administration 304 Council House Privatization: The Right to Buy Scheme 308 Transatlantic Transmissions: Reagan's Enterprise Zones 315 Hope VI, Urban Regeneration, and the Third Way 321 Conclusion 325 Conclusion - The Legacy of Transatlantic Neoliberalism: Faith-Based Policy 329 Parallelisms: The Place of Transatlantic Neoliberal Politics in History 333 The Apotheosis of Neoliberalism? 338 Reason-Based Policymaking 343 Notes 347 Index 391

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"Racial Realignment is a genuinely illuminating book."--Rich Yeselson, DissentTable of ContentsList of Illustrations vii Acknowledgments xi Chapter 1 Introduction 1 PART 1 TRANSFORMING AMERICAN LIBERALISM Chapter 2 Race: The Early New Deal's Blind Spot 27 Chapter 3 Transforming Liberalism, 1933-1940 45 Chapter 4 Liberalism Transformed: The Early Civil Rights Movement and the "Liberal Lobby" 81 PART 2 REALIGNMENT FROM BELOW: VOTERS AND MIDLEVEL PARTY ACTORS Chapter 5 Civil Rights and New Deal Liberalism in the Mass Public 101 Chapter 6 The African American Realignment and New Deal Liberalism 129 Chapter 7 State Parties and the Civil Rights Realignment 150 Chapter 8 Beyond the Roll Call: The Congressional Realignment 176 PART 3 THE NATIONAL PARTIES RESPOND Chapter 9 Facing a Changing Party: Democratic Elites and Civil Rights 211 Chapter 10 Lincoln's Party No More: The Transformation of the GOP 237 Chapter 11 Conclusions 271 Notes 287 Index 351

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"Racial Realignment is a genuinely illuminating book."--Rich Yeselson, DissentTable of ContentsList of Illustrations vii Acknowledgments xi Chapter 1 Introduction 1 PART 1 TRANSFORMING AMERICAN LIBERALISM Chapter 2 Race: The Early New Deal's Blind Spot 27 Chapter 3 Transforming Liberalism, 1933-1940 45 Chapter 4 Liberalism Transformed: The Early Civil Rights Movement and the "Liberal Lobby" 81 PART 2 REALIGNMENT FROM BELOW: VOTERS AND MIDLEVEL PARTY ACTORS Chapter 5 Civil Rights and New Deal Liberalism in the Mass Public 101 Chapter 6 The African American Realignment and New Deal Liberalism 129 Chapter 7 State Parties and the Civil Rights Realignment 150 Chapter 8 Beyond the Roll Call: The Congressional Realignment 176 PART 3 THE NATIONAL PARTIES RESPOND Chapter 9 Facing a Changing Party: Democratic Elites and Civil Rights 211 Chapter 10 Lincoln's Party No More: The Transformation of the GOP 237 Chapter 11 Conclusions 271 Notes 287 Index 351

Read more less

Book SynopsisFocuses on declassified records of federal employee loyalty program created in response to fears that Communists were infiltrating the US government to reveal how disloyalty charges were used to silence these New Dealers and discredit their policies. This title demonstrates how the Second Red Scare undermined the reform potential of the New Deal.Trade Review"In her persuasive new book, Landon Storrs ... provides a fascinating account of how we lost our path to a New Deal by succumbing to the politics of fear... [T]he powerful anticommunist movement, which silenced feminism (among other social movements), helped to move social policy away from the left-liberal consensus of the thirties and toward the less vital center, where it has remained ever since."--Alice Kessler-Harris, Women's Review of Books "[I]mportant, portentous work ... the means by which the once powerful American Left was reduced to stigmatized impotence were far from pretty. In fact, Storrs argues convincingly that historians have yet to grasp just how ugly they were."--David Hawkes, Times Literary Supplement "Why is there no socialism in the United States? In this book, University of Iowa history professor Landon R. Y. Storrs proposes a new answer: Much more than previously supposed, left-leaning policy makers were targeted by government 'loyalty' investigations and intimidated into adopting conservative ideas. In making the argument, Storrs does a lot of spectacular things."--Rick Perlstein, Bookforum "An exceptional piece of detective work, The Second Red Scare is one of the finest books written on the McCarthy era in the last decade and raises important questions that will no doubt be debated at length in the decade to come."--Alex Goodall, Journal of American Studies "At a time when respect for civil liberties in America seems tenuous, [this] provocative book deserve[s] a wide audience."--Dean J. Kotlowski, International Social Science Review "Storrs' research in the brilliant book is prodigious... Her accomplishment ... is truly awesome, as she creates a giant jigsaw puzzle, methodically putting each piece in its place to reveal an unexpected picture."--M. J. Heale, Reviews in American History "[F]ascinating... [Storrs] has uncovered many fascinating stories of dedicated public servants whose careers were cut short, with a chilling impact on government programs, and further documents the negative aspects of the anticommunist crusade beginning during the New Deal and long continuing."--Choice "[W]ell-documented and tidily written."--Jim Burns, pennilesspress "Storrs casts a wide net with this book and offers a sweeping analysis of an understudied component of the anticommunist investigations of the Second Red Scare. It pushes forward our thinking on the origins of McCarthyism, the effects of New Deal reform on later social movements, and the influence of anticommunist sentiment on American culture, politics, and federal policymaking. In addition to scholars of the period, this well-crafted book will appeal to graduate and undergraduate audiences studying twentieth-century reform efforts."--Aaron D. Purcell, American Historical Review "The book has a wonderful richness and depth, and the whole period is dramatically revived as Storrs uses biographies of individuals who participated in the various movements to illustrate this history."--Bill Barry, Labor Studies Journal "The book provides a fresh and exciting perspective on two aspects of New Deal and early Cold War politics that deserve the forensic attention Storrs affords them... [T]he fact that I ended up asking serious questions about the Left in the United States in these years is testimony to the powerful research and probing of political figures and ideas too often obscured in American historiography but revealed in this book in vibrant detail."--Jonathan Bell, Journal of American History "In this meticulously researched book, Landon Storrs provides a powerful account of a collision between two groups... It is difficult to find fault with this finely crafted and wonderfully researched study."--Fred Block, Women and Social Movements in U.S. "Storrs' work makes incredibly important contributions to our understanding of Cold War liberalism."--Lisa Phillips, AU PressTable of ContentsList of Illustrations ix Abbreviations Used in Text xi Selected Government Officials Investigated under the Federal Loyalty Program xiii Introduction 1 1When the Old Left Was Young ... and Went to Washington 16 2Allegations of Disloyalty at Labor and Consumer Agencies, 1939-43 51 3"Pinks in Minks": The Antifeminism of the Old Right 86 4The Loyalty Investigations of Mary Dublin Keyserling and Leon Keyserling 107 5Secrets and Self-Reinvention: The Making of Cold War Liberalism 147 6"A Soul-Searing Process": Trauma in the Civil Service 177 7Loyalty Investigations and the "End of Reform" 205 Conclusion 259 Appendix 1: Loyalty Case Records and Selection 265 Appendix 2: Case Summaries 268 Appendix 3: Chronology of the Federal Loyalty-Security Program 286 Appendix 4: Statistics of the Federal Loyalty-Security Program 291 Acknowledgments 293 Notes 295 Selected Bibliography of Primary Sources 385 Index 391

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe role of liberalized, ecumenical Protestantism in American history has too often been obscured by the more flamboyant and orthodox versions of the faith that oppose evolution, embrace narrow conceptions of family values, and continue to insist that the United States should be understood as a Christian nation. In this book, one of our preeminentTrade Review"The intensely autobiographical essays of this book add luster but also complexity to David Hollinger's reputation as one of the most noteworthy historical essayists of his generation. The luster comes from the coruscating flow of insight he communicates about the larger meaning of liberal or mainline Protestantism in recent American history. The complexity arises from the book's tight interweaving of personal biography and historical analysis."--Mark Noll, Intellectual History Review "In these tightly argued, elegantly written interlocking essays, Hollinger, one of America's premier historians, examines the career of liberal Protestantism in the United States."--Philip Jenkins, Christian Century "The erudition, insight, range, and quality of these essays cannot be captured in brief summary, but the contribution can. Simply put, no scholar of American religion, American intellectual life, or American politics can afford to ignore After Cloven Tongues of Fire. More than a book on liberal Protestantism, the essays here reshape our understanding of the very nature of modernity in America and what makes it unique."--Matthew S. Hedstrom, Journal of the American Academy of Religion "After Cloven Tongues of Fire succeeds in offering a nuanced and compelling interpretation of liberal Protestantism's engagement with the increasingly complex and diverse cultural and intellectual climate of the twentieth century. Hollinger's work offers much to historians and students of this era as well as to the study of Protestantism in the United States."--Jeffrey Williams, Catholic Historical ReviewTable of ContentsPreface ix 1. The Accommodation of Protestant Christianity with the Enlightenment: An Old Drama Still Being Enacted 1 2. After Cloven Tongues of Fire: Ecumenical Protestantism and the Modern American Encounter with Diversity 18 3. The Realist-Pacifist Summit Meeting of March 1942 and the Political Reorientation of Ecumenical Protestantism in the United States 56 4. Justification by Verification: The Scientific Challenge to the Moral Authority of Christianity in Modern America 82 5. James, Clifford, and the Scientific Conscience 103 6. Damned for God's Glory: William James and the Scientific Vindication of Protestant Culture 117 7. Communalist and Dispersionist Approaches to American Jewish History in an Increasingly Post-Jewish Era 138 8. Church People and Others 170 9. Enough Already: Universities Do Not Need More Christianity 190 10. Religious Ideas: Should They Be Critically Engaged or Given a Pass? 199 Epilogue: Reinhold Niebuhr and Protestant Liberalism 211 Index 227

Read more less

Book SynopsisNo state has voted Republican more consistently or widely or for longer than Kansas. To understand red state politics, Kansas is the place. It is also the place to understand red state religion. This title tells the story of religiously motivated political activism in Kansas from territorial days to the present.Trade ReviewFinalist for the 2013 Christianity Today Awards in Christianity and Culture "Robert Wuthnow, a brilliant sociologist of religion and himself a native of Kansas, gives us a careful sociological history of the intertwining of religion and politics in this quintessential red state... In Wuthnow's nuanced and careful study, Kansans come across less as hayseeds or off-the-wall moralizers than as pragmatic conservatives, committed to traditional families and fiscal conservatism. They are skeptical of big government and dedicated to preserving simple and vital virtues. Wuthnow has penned a 'must read' book for those who would understand--and not just caricature--red state religion and how it intertwines with politics."--John A. Coleman, America "With the publication of Red State Religion, we profit greatly from a majestically comprehensive account of Kansas' history. In turn, we get a truer story, one that inspires a less ideological reading of the state, perhaps freeing Kansans themselves from any notion of how they must think--or vote."--Alexander Heffner, Philadelphia Inquirer "[Red State Religion] thoughtfully and compassionately explores the rich and complex political and religious history of the place."--Rebecca Barrett-Fox, Christian Century "Red State Religion is a model of clarity and is surely one of the best books available on the intersection of religion and politics."--Al Menendez, Voice of Reason "Elegantly written, passionately argued, and deeply researched, Red State Religion challenges our basic assumptions about the influence of the Religious Right in particular, and the role of religion in American politics more generally."--Andrew Preston, Journal of Ecclesiastical History "[Wuthnow] takes Kansas state conservatism seriously in grounding his conclusions in archival research rather than journalistic sensationalism."--Choice "Wuthnow does an excellent job tracing the development of religious institutions in the state."--James E. Sherow, Great Plains Research "Red State Religion is an ambitious, comprehensive, and rigorous study that provides a thoughtful corrective to past efforts to portray what's the matter with Kansas."--Finbarr Curtis, ReligionTable of ContentsList of Illustrations vii Preface ix Prologue 1 Murder at the Glenwood 10 Chapter 1:. Piety on the Plains 17 Abraham Lincoln in Kansas 18 Establishing a Civic Order 29 Public Religion 35 Serving the Community 42 Church Expansion 47 Cooperation and Competition 57 Chapter 2:. An Evolving Political Style 67 Prairie Politics 72 Populism and Religious Politics 79 Protesting against Inequality 90 A Divided Party 95 Law and Order 101 For the Children 104 Chapter 3:. Redefining the Heartland 110 Harvest of Progress 112 Consolidation and Expansion 117 Forward-looking Initiatives 124 Church and State 130 Hunkering Down 134 Fundamentalism and the Great Depression 142 Simian Peasants 152 Novel Movements 162 Chapter 4:. Quiet Conservatism 169 Grassroots Resentments 171 The Senator from Pendergast 183 Hometown Religion 187 I Like Ike 200 A Well-Qualified Catholic 208 Chapter 5:. An Era of Restructuring 215 Stirrings on the Right 217 From Desegregation to Black Power 229 Nixon at Kansas State 241 Division in the Churches 252 Chapter 6:. The Religious Right 267 Mobilization on the Right 269 Government Is the Problem 279 The War in Wichita 287 Shifting the Focus 294 Questioning Evolution 303 Chapter 7:. Continuing the Struggle 312 The Churches and Activist Networks 314 Electing George W. Bush 321 Regulating Abortion 326 The Campaign against Gay Marriage 330 Evolution Revisited 338 The Death of Dr. Tiller 347 Swatches of Purple 354 Epilogue 361 Notes 371 Selected Bibliography 445 Index 465

Read more less

Book SynopsisConservative pundits allege that the pervasive liberalism of America's colleges and universities has detrimental effects on undergraduates, most particularly right-leaning ones. Yet not enough attention has actually been paid to young conservatives to test these claims--until now. In Becoming Right, Amy Binder and Kate Wood carefully explore who coTrade Review"[G]roundbreaking."--Publishers Weekly "A deep dive into the under-examined world of campus conservatives, Amy J. Binder and Kate Wood's book can feel like an anthropological account of a disappearing tribe... Binder and Wood's findings add an important dimension to our understanding of the right. The last two decades have seen historians and political scientists extensively study the rise of conservatism. A trenchant addition to that literature, Becoming Right offers a thick description of the state of college conservatism and explains the factors that shape the student--and, it follows, the citizen. The authors' interrogations leave the promise of a better politics hanging in the air: if Binder and Wood are accurate in their depictions, campus cultures that seek to build a stronger sense of community and ideological tolerance could be one key to a more civil national discourse. The book also enriches our understanding of the right's mentality... Becoming Right yields many valuable insights about the possible future of conservatism. But the vision this illuminating book most vividly conjures is the depressing present of conservatism: ugly, unyielding, and provocative to the point of nihilism."--Elbert Ventura, New Republic "In Becoming Right, Amy Binder and Kate Wood provide an in-depth and informative examination of who the conservatives are, the impact of campus culture on the formation of their identities and activist styles, and the implications for the direction of U.S. politics."--Glenn Altschuler, Boston Globe "[I]f the intellectual interest of this book is the demonstration of how much influence the kind of university has on its students' political culture, a pleasure for the reader is the revelation of the sheer good nature of so many of the study's interviewees; they come across as pretty muddled on many issues but astonishingly rarely as nasty."--Alan Ryan, Times Higher Education "[A] nice discussion of the larger field of conservative politics and how that affects campus protest. Overall, a solid book and one that's essential to studies of campus politics."--Fabio Rojas, Orgtheory.net "Their book [is an] excellent, engaging, well written, and carefully researched study of the ways culture works in and through schools."--Lisa M. Stulberg, Contexts "In their important contribution to the scholarship on modern American conservative movement politics, Binder and Wood analyze the varying experiences of conservative student activists on university campuses. The book succeeds on multiple levels."--Choice "[T]he book is masterfully constructed and extensive in its articulation of the styles of young conservatives and how these diverge into political classes that may share many political beliefs but nevertheless seem worlds apart."--Jeremy Freese, American Journal of Sociology "[T]his study offers as ... insight ... and permits ... questions to reemerge [that] make this book an important and exciting contribution."--Gregory Smulewicz-Zucker, Critical Sociology "Becoming Right is a valuable sociological contribution to the scholarship on American conservatism, and a book that should definitely be read by everyone who studies conservatives."--Louis Prisock, Social Forces "The fact that this study offers as much insight as it does and permits such questions to reemerge makes this book an important and exciting contribution."--Gregory Smulewicz-Zucker, Critical SociologyTable of ContentsPreface ix Chapter 1: Introduction 1 Chapter 2: Who Are Conservative Students? 29 Chapter 3: Sponsored Conservatism: The Landscape of National Conservative Organizations 76 Chapter 4: How Conservatives Think about Campus: The Effects of College Reputations, Social Scenes, and Academics on Student Experience 113 Chapter 5: Provoking Liberals and Campaigning for Republicans: Two Conservative Styles at the Western Public Universities 161 Chapter 6: Civilized Discourse, Highbrow Provocation, and a Fuller Embrace of Campaigning: Three Conservative Styles at Eastern Elite University 213 Chapter 7: Conservative Femininity 270 Chapter 8: The Theory behind the Findings: How Studying College Conservatives Extends Our Understanding of Higher Education, Politics, and Culture 309 Notes 327 References 363 Index 381

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade ReviewWinner of the 2017 Crader Family Book Prize in American Values, Crader Family Endowment at Southeast Missouri State University "[B]lack Republicans are perceived to be the token black person in a group of Republicans, and the token Republican in a group of black people. This sense of isolation has shaped the black Republican experience for decades. Their plight is chronicled exceptionally well in The Loneliness of the Black Republican by Harvard Kennedy School professor Leah Wright Rigueur. Her thorough examination traces the winding journey of black Republicans from the inception of the New Deal to the election of Ronald Reagan."--Theodore R. Johnson, The Atlantic "The Loneliness of the Black Republican is meticulous, well-crafted, and consistently astute about the fractious recent history of the Grand Old Party."--Artur Davis, Weekly Standard "Leah Wright Rigueur's book, The Loneliness of the Black Republican, provides an intellectual and thought-provoking voice to this intriguing debate... [H]er well-researched work is evenhanded--and, at times, sympathetic. In many ways, it's the most significant book ever written about the collapse of black support in the Republican party."--Michael Taube, Washington Times "This book adds much needed depth to the understanding of the diversity of black politics during these years (1930s to 1980)."--Choice "Meticulously researched ... Rigueur ... gives us one of the first attempts at understanding who black Republicans were, the values they held, and how they engaged in party politics."--James Wolfinger, Journal of American History "Rigueur provides a powerful addition to wider scholarship on black political behavior."--Corey D. Fields, Political Science Quarterly "There is much to be admired in Leah Wright Rigueur's groundbreaking work and her bravery in tackling a topic that has been dismissed as insignificant by historians for decades."--Joshua Farrington, H-Net ReviewsTable of ContentsAcknowledgments ix A Brief Note on Sources xv Abbreviations xvii Introduction: The Paradox of the Black Republican 1 1. Running with Hares and Hunting with Hounds 13 2. A Thorn in the Flesh of the GOP 52 3. The Challenge of Change 95 Illustration section follows page 135 4. Richard Nixon's Black Cabinet 136 5. Exorcising the Ghost of Richard Nixon 177 6. More Shadow than Substance 220 7. The Time of the Black Elephant 261 Conclusion: No Room at the Inn 302 Appendix 311 Notes 315 Index 383

Read more less

Book SynopsisA groundbreaking look at how group expectations unify black Americans in their support of the Democratic partyBlack Americans are by far the most unified racial group in American electoral politics, with 80 to 90 percent identifying as Democrats-a surprising figure given that nearly a third now also identify as ideologically conservative, up frTrade Review"Winner of the American Political Science Association Best Book Award""Co-Winner of the Race, Ethnicity, and Politics Section Best Book Award, American Political Science Association""Finalist for the PROSE Award in Government and Politics, Association of American Publishers""Provocative."---Charles Lane, Washington Post

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"Winner of the American Political Science Association Best Book Award""Co-Winner of the Race, Ethnicity, and Politics Section Best Book Award, American Political Science Association""Finalist for the PROSE Award in Government and Politics, Association of American Publishers""Provocative."---Charles Lane, Washington Post

Read more less

Book SynopsisDr. Thayer, who was American press attache in Tokyo from 1962 to 1965, presents a detailed account of conservative politics in Japan. Although he makes some historical comparisons, Dr. Thayer's main focus is on the contemporary workings of the Liberal Democratic Party, the ruling party in Japan. He identifies the political elements: the men are theTable of Contents*Frontmatter, pg. i*Foreword, pg. vii*Note to the Paperback Edition, pg. xiii*Contents, pg. xix*List of Tables, pg. xx*CHAPTER I. Introduction, pg. 1*CHAPTER II. The Factions, pg. 15*CHAPTER III. The Economic Community, pg. 58*CHAPTER IV. The Party, The Prefectures, and The People, pg. 82*CHAPTER V. The Elections, pg. 111*CHAPTER VI. Choosing the President, pg. 148*CHAPTER VII. Making a Cabinet, pg. 180*CHAPTER VIII. Formulating Policy, pg. 207*CHAPTER IX. Reaching a Decision, pg. 237*CHAPTER X. Running the Party, pg. 268*CHAPTER XI. Conclusions, pg. 305*Glossary of Offices and Organizations, pg. 319*Appendix, pg. 323*Bibliography, pg. 333*Index, pg. 341

Read more less

Book SynopsisA critical introduction to the sociology and politics of Emile DurkheimTrade Review'An important contribution to a glaring deficit in the sociological literature' -- Steven Loyal, Senior Lecturer, School of Sociology, University College DublinTable of ContentsPreface 1. Durkheim Declassified 2. Durkheim’s French Republicanism 3. The Division of Labour 4. Durkheim’s Method of Scientific Inquiry 5. Suicide 6. The Elementary Forms of Religious Life 7. Educating Republican Citizens 8. Socialism and Saint-Simon 9. The Limits to Durkheim’s Republican Sociology Notes Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisA cultural analysis of anxiety, alienation and narcissism in America.Trade Review'A profound and insightful analysis of the diverse forces that have led to Trump's election. Everyone should read this book if they want to understand the rise of authoritarianism in the United States' -- Henry Giroux, McMaster University Professor for Scholarship in the Public Interest, author of On Critical Pedagogy'This is a timely book, to say the least. Beyond the moment, however, Grossberg's vision is thought-provoking, stirring, even exciting as well as frightening because it shows that there are new things to say about the morass of American and other democratic politics today and new ways to understand our situation. It's also a rattling good read' -- Meaghan Morris, University of SydneyTable of ContentsPreface Part I: From Trump to the Conjuncture 1. The Terror and the Beast 2. Telling Stories and Stories Told 3. Other Stories are Possible, and Possibly Even Better Part II: In Search of the Conjuncture 4. The New Right 5. The Reactionary Right 6. Affective Landscapes Part III: A Conjunctural Politics 7. Back to the Present: A Reactionary Counter-Modernity 8. Conclusions? Appendix: Cultural Studies and Conjunctural Analysis Bibliography Thanks

Read more less