Search results for ""Edinburgh University Press""

Examines institutional and socio-cultural transformations throughout the Syrian conflict Fills substantial gaps in the literature on Syria regarding state atrophy, covering both institutional and social-cultural formulations Focuses on the five distinct and most consequential aspects of state atrophy during the Syrian conflict: state capture, proliferation and devolution of violence, ethno-religious subjectivities and sectarianisation, the expansion of the religious field and Civilian-led community protection efforts Responds to the need for a synthesis of emergent scholarship as well as developments over the course of the conflict Traces patterns of continuity and change in state-society relations before and throughout the conflict, and identifies their implications for the future of Syria Based on primary sources and original data How do governments contribute to galvanising public hostility against state institutions? And what are the consequences of undermining the state as a strategy for political change? State Atrophy in Syria highlights how the appropriation of state institutions by public officials limits public capacity to demand accountability from government without having to challenge the state or its institutions. This creates consequential trade-offs for the public. As the Syrian case demonstrates, the undermining of state institutions failed to depose the dictatorship, continuously benefitted Assad's foreign allies, Russia and Iran, and engendered unprecedented levels of predatory practices against the public. As Syria continues to play a strategic role on the world's political stage, the book outlines the country's tragic decade and derives lessons for state-society relations in Syria and beyond.

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Considers the contribution of Deleuze and Guattari's philosophical ideas in forging a critique of global terror and counter-terror Contains a new philosophical analysis of global terror and state reactions, as well as military aggression Argues for a micro-level understanding of terror and counter-terror from the perspective of axiomatic thinking on power, violence and structures of dominations Considers different aspects of terror and analyses the basic grammar of violence that includes brutalities inherent in non-religious terror like market terror, cyber terror and social terror What can philosophy offer when we suffer from brutal acts of terror and barbarous acts of counter-terror? Is the very grammar of the network of terror and anti-terror moves locked in the same ideology of power and state-ism that demands a deeper micro-analysis of human fetish for coercion and cruelty? Do we need schizoanalysis of the neurosis of terror and counter-terror where the work of Deleuze and Guattari can offer insight? This collection of essays considers the contribution of Deleuze and Guattari's philosophical ideas in forging a critique of global terror and counter-terror. Deleuze`s concept of nomadic thought provides a starting point for this fetish for coercion and terrorizing power. The contributors identify areas of political terror, state terror, capitalist corporate terror, religious terror, cyber-terror, social terror and cultural terror to enable the inherent power structure within all forms of terror to be unpacked.

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This collection of essays represents a new departure for, and a potentially (re)defining moment in, literary Jewish Studies. It is the first volume to bring together 28 chapters covering a wide range of American, British, South African, Canadian and Australian Jewish fiction.The volume is divided into 3 parts American Jewish Fiction; British Jewish Fiction; and International and Transnational Anglophone Jewish Fiction but many of the essays cross over these boundaries and speak to each other implicitly, as well as, on occasion, explicitly. Extending and redefining the canon of modern Jewish fiction, the volume juxtaposes major authors with more marginal figures, revising and recuperating individual reputations, rediscovering forgotten and discovering new work, and in the process remapping the whole terrain. This volume opens windows onto vistas that previously had been obscured and opens doors for the next generation of studies that could not proceed without a wide-ranging, visionary empiricism grounding their work.

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Time has passed since 'having a PhD in children's literature' was a funny joke in You've Got Mail. Children's literature research is now one of the most dynamic fields of literary criticism and has a bright future ahead as children's writers and publishers invent yet more forms of literature for young people, and researchers find yet more sophisticated ways of exploring them. This collection takes informed and scholarly readers to the utmost frontier of children's literature criticism, from the intricate worlds of children's poetry, picturebooks and video games to the new theoretical constellations of critical plant studies, non-fiction studies and big data analyses of literature. It offers a wide range of interdisciplinary approaches, including a mixture of empirical and theoretical research at the intersection of education and literary studies.

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Studies the making and unmaking of the Ottoman Empire's Kurdish nobility

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Investigates Shakespeare's mode of composition and the way contemporary psychology informs dramatic representation through ekphrasis Describes Shakespeare's own ingenuity and his dramatizations of ingenuity according to classical and renaissance accounts of this activity Explains and illustrates in his plays the function of fantasy in reading the external world, as described in contemporary psychology Participates in the current scholarly interest in the intertextuality of theatrical scripts Traces Shakespeare's adaptations of the hybrid genre tragicomedy from his problem plays" to The Winter's Tale and demonstrates his use of the writings of Giraldi Cinzio and Battista Guarini to give unique shape to this late work Drawing inspiration from Robert Greene's deathbed attack on Shakespeare as "an upstart crow, beautified with our feathers," The Bodger (Elizabethan variant of "botcher," "mender," "patcher") argues that Shakespeare's dramas are compositions of "shreds and patches" pieced together by a mind of extraordinary synthetic acuity. Such patches include passages of dialogue that, as described in the sixteenth century, "lead objects before our eyes" by means of ekphrasis. The book offers substantial art-historical research into the only visual artist named by Shakespeare, Giulio Romano--who performs an important role in The Winter's Tale as the alleged sculptor of a statue of the dead Queen. Giulio, heir to Raphael's workshop, is known primarily as a painter and architect. My research has revealed that he was also a designer of sculpture. Applying historical and theoretical materials to close readings of several plays, I focus on the most critical issues of The Winter's Tale King Leontes' sudden fit of jealousy; Shakespeare's introduction of a surrogate playwright in the personification of Time, who refashions the play from tragedy to comedy, assisted by a behind-the-scenes female ghost writer; and the Queen's statue amazingly "coming to life" through an interactive declaration of faith. "

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A critical re-evaluation of the imaginative transformations of Romanticism by major American writers The study traverses the traditional critical boundaries of prose and poetry in American and Romantic and Post-Romantic writing Reasserts the significance of Second-Generation Romantic writers for American literary culture Reassessing the indebtedness of major American writers to British Romanticism This book provides innovative readings of literary works of British Romanticism and its influence on twentieth- and twenty-first-century American literary culture and thought. It traverses the traditional critical boundaries of prose and poetry in American and Romantic and post-Romantic writing. Analysing significant works by nineteenth-century writers, including Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau and Emily Dickinson, as well as the later writings of William Faulkner, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Saul Bellow, Toni Morrison and Wallace Stevens, the book reasserts the significance of second-generation Romantic writers for American literary culture. Sandy reassesses our understanding of Romantic inheritance and influence on post-Romantic aesthetics, subjectivity and the natural world in the American imagination.

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A cultural history of the contemporary Hollywood animated feature, from Toy Story to The Lego Movie Examines critically a range of prominent contemporary Hollywood animated features Reveals the aspects which make these texts attractive to multiple audience sections Situates the genre in its social, cultural, and industrial contexts Contributes to current debates on children's media Until the 1990s, animation occupied a relatively marginal presence in Hollywood. Today, it is at the very heart of both the film industry and contemporary popular culture. Charting the major changes and continuities in Hollywood animation over the past thirty years, this groundbreaking book offers an authoritative history of Hollywood animation since the 1990s. Analysing dozens of key films, including The Lion King, Toy Story, Shrek, Despicable Me, Frozen and Moana, it examines the emergence of new genres and stylistic approaches, as well as the ongoing blurring of boundaries between animation and live-action. Identifying narrative and thematic patterns, and developments in industry and style, the book explores how animation in the United States both responds to and recapitulates the values, beliefs, hopes and fears of the nation.

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Explores the relationship between US presidents, sport and athleticism in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries Offers an up-to-date overview of the developing and symbiotic relationship between the nation's Commander in Chief and some of the nation's most popular pastimes Traces the connection of sports and the presidency from Theodore Roosevelt to Donald Trump Analyses the relationship between the presidency, sports, and individual athletes, including themes such as fandom, advocacy of sports, and active participation Includes exciting new research from emerging scholars, alongside analysis from more established voices in the field This book presents an overview of the symbiotic relationship between US presidents and some of the nation's most popular pastimes. Starting with Theodore Roosevelt's significant role in linking the presidency with advocacy of and active participation in sports, this book traces how occupants of the White House continued to develop these connections in various guises across the following century for both pleasure and political purposes. Split into three thematic sections, the book approaches the topic from different but related angles to create a multidimensional portrait of the evolving relationship among the US presidency, sports and individual athletes, from the dawn of the twentieth century through to the Trump administration.

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This book explores cosmopolitanism's radical dynamic as expressed in the struggles from below, all over the world, against exclusion and domination, pointing to the horizon of another world that appears possible. It shows that cosmopolitanism emerges negatively through disaffiliation from the given forms of belonging and by questioning of the existing meanings and unjust practices. Through a radical critique, cosmopolitanism goes to the roots of the existing world order based on the nation-state, exposes its exclusionary structure, and brings instead the idea of a World Republic where No One Is Illegal and where all are equal citizens of the world. Caraus captures this radical dynamic in a cluster of novel concepts, such as 'cosmopolitanism of dissent', 'post-foundational cosmopolitanism', 'cosmopolitan ontology', 'institution of critique', 'radical cosmopolitical love', all integrated into an approach of a militant and radical cosmopolitics that reclaims the legacy of the first cosmopolitan stance of the Ancient Cynics.

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Saerom Han provides a reassessment of Tunisian democratisation by exploring why and how unemployed protesters became articulated with the so-called 'War on Terror' within a liberal democratic framework. This book is the first attempt to critically examine the relationship between democratisation and securitisation in Tunisia. It also provides a novel way of thinking about socioeconomic protests in and beyond Tunisia by discussing how their rationalities and techniques can sustain and at the same time challenge the neoliberal regime of power.Drawing on field research and a Foucauldian approach to democracy, resistance and security, this book situates the democracy-security nexus in the context of the neoliberal regime. It shows that the dominant counter-terrorism practices, rather than being a threat to democracy, partly served as a governing mechanism for a neoliberal modality of democracy by managing 'problematic' actors such as unemployed protesters who demanded radical changes in political and economic orders. This book also discusses how the protesters reproduced and at the same time challenged the ways that they were securitised, complicating the relationship between domination and resistance in post-2011 Tunisia.

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Re-evaluates the Athenian Reconciliation Agreement of 403 BCE, its historical causes and its legal legacy.

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Provides the first commentary on the full second book of Sidonius Apollinaris' letters.

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Identifies in 'Silicon Valley Cinema' a recent trend in twenty-first century Hollywood film Reveals how 'Silicon Valley Cinema' builds upon previous Hollywood trends Analyses three distinct subtrends in 'Silicon Valley Cinema': biopics, films about the workplace, and science fiction action films, all of which are set in Silicon Valley Demonstrates how this trend interrogates Silicon Valley's development, impact on our present world, and its potential to determine our human future Silicon Valley corporations such as Facebook, Google, and Apple now dominate our daily lives to the extent that they might even be dictating the entire future of humanity. The 2010s saw a sequence of Hollywood films debate how these corporations achieved this position of dominance. This sequence included biopics of key Silicon Valley figures Mark Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs, science fiction action extravaganzas like Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Venom, and Terminator: Genisys, the dystopian thriller The Circle, and extended to The Internship and Why Him?, whimsical comedies that warned us of the profound dangers of Silicon Valley capitalism. Silicon Valley Cinema argues that these films undercut the messianic pretensions of our Silicon Valley overlords and encourage us to end our immersion in Silicon Valley's technotopia. Releasing ourselves from Silicon Valley's grip, they suggest, will make our working lives more pleasurable, our world a better place, and might even avert a cataclysmic war with genetically enhanced apes or a robot-led apocalypse.

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Provides a novel perspective on the concept and practice of revolutionary movement as an international phenomenon Draws on Deleuze and Guattari's war machine and understanding of hybridity Introduces the concept of hybrid revolutionaries as movements that seek to overturn the existing global order, yet draw on and even reproduce some of its founding principles Advances current theoretical and practical debates on the state system, revolution and violence Deploys the conceptual framework to situate ISIS in larger histories of discontents of the international order This is a book about discontents of the global order. Building on the innovative reading of ISIS as an international revolutionary actor, it explores the movement's everyday political practices and confronts them with other global revolutionaries to arrive at a novel understanding of revolutionary agency in global politics. Benefiting in particular from Deleuze and Guattari's notion of war machine and understanding of hybridity, the book shows how modern revolutionaries seek to disrupt the existing Westphalian order of modern states, yet are inevitably entangled with it and even reproduce in their conduct its founding principles. Including discussions on movements ranging from the Bolsheviks and Palestinian revolutionary groups to Khomeinists, to insurgents in Iraq and ISIS, the book pushes forward debates informed by critical social theory of revolution, violence, resistance and global order.

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Explores the divergence in popular Evangelicalism between Highlands and Lowlands in late nineteenth-century Scotland Follows an accessible chronological and biographical structure Draws on primary sources, including Gaelic poetry in translation never before published, sermon notes Draws on a recently discovered notebook of Kennedy's including the first drafts of parts of his book Addresses current historical debate over the divergence in Scottish Evangelicalism, presenting an argument for the significance of the leadership of John Kennedy Alasdair J. Macleod examines the life and ministry of John Kennedy (1819 84), minister of Dingwall Free Church of Scotland. Drawing on Kennedy's notebooks and published writings, and on source material including unpublished Gaelic poetry, this book explores how Kennedy became the effective leader of the Highland Evangelicals through his preaching, writing and public speaking. Macleod addresses current debate on the divergence in Scottish Evangelicalism and how far Kennedy may have helped to steer the trajectory of Evangelicalism in the Highlands in a conservative direction.

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Examines the impact of the changing geopolitical environment on a range of governance issues in North Africa Discusses cases from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt and Mauritania, using field work carried out throughout the region Situates the North Africa region within several global contexts such as the West, Africa, and the Middle East Offers both in-depth country case studies as well as cross-cutting thematic chapters including a focus on gender issues Tackles major global challenges including climate change, socioeconomic inequality and global power competition (Russia and China) Combines an academic and policy approach to the region to speak to a variety of audiences North Africa was once on the geopolitical periphery of Middle East dynamics, but it has increasingly come to shape regional trends. In addition to internal political and economic transformations that were accelerated by the protests of 2011 and that have upended or reshaped the lives of millions of the region's inhabitants, the region is also contending with a range of external challenges. These include the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated economic transformation, changing market dynamics including energy markets, the growing presence of new regional actors like Russia and China, and the changing role of traditional allies such as the European Union, Gulf Cooperation Council countries, and the United States. These dynamics are compounded by other natural and man-made climate changes and demographic changes that worsen them. This volume shows why North Africa, sometimes considered a backwater within a broader Middle East context, actually is the leading edge of change for the region and deserving of far more attention from the international community. North African countries are facing a dizzying array of challenges related to domestic and global trends--political transformation either recent or underway, economic stagnation now worsened by the pandemic, social challenges associated with a frustrated young population--are giving the region more geopolitical relevance with implications for the broader Middle East, Europe, and sub-Saharan Africa.

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Redefines Mary Wollstonecraft as a multi-lingual cosmopolitan.

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This book examines the heritage of critical theory from the Hungarian Marxist philosopher Georg Lukacs through the early Frankfurt School up to current issues of authoritarian politics and democratisation.

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Examines the cinematic strategies that elicit visceral pleasure in the face of content that is crass, politically problematic, or unethical Discusses the ways in which the cinematic elicits pleasurable sensations Emphasizes the pleasure drawn from abject content Focuses squarely on the visceral experience, as distinct from the emotional appeal of the cinematic Abject Pleasures in the Cinematic examines the cinematic strategies that elicit visceral pleasure tears, goosebumps, sexual arousal, laughter even in the face of content that is crass, politically problematic, or unethical. While there might be a progressive predisposition within our discipline, affect pledges no allegiance to any particular political inclination. Progressives, or progressive content, does not hold a monopoly on affect. The beautiful has no inherent bond to the good (i.e., morally good, or having cultural merit), rather it is an affective experience, and it might come to us in the most unlikely and unsavory places. Pornography, even with the most regressive content, wields the possibility to be sexually arousing even despite our own ethical objections. While well-intended academics routinely claim that watching people get hurt is not funny, and we might appreciate the gesture to cultivate our better angels, but such assertions do not necessarily align with our lived-experience.

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A comprehensive introduction to the philosophy of Georges Didi-Huberman in dictionary form Offers a cross-disciplinary, comprehensive overview of Didi-Huberman's thought Provides both an introductory research tool for those encountering Didi-Huberman's philosophy for the first time as well as a resource for scholars who want to deepen and extend their knowledge of Didi-Huberman's work Presents entries on the key concepts, figures, and motifs in his work and maps the richness of his philosophic, psychoanalytic and cultural references and inspirations Helps to situate Didi-Huberman's critical position on Western metaphysics and humanism Gives insight into the chronological development of his key concepts and theories since 1980s until today Elaborates the contemporary relevance of Didi-Huberman's image theory beyond the areas of philosophical aesthetics and art history in political philosophy, ethics and critical epistemology, as well as for post-colonial thought, critical race analysis and feminism The Didi-Huberman Dictionary is a specialized introduction to the thought of contemporary French philosopher Georges Didi-Huberman, best known for his path-breaking philosophy of image and for his impact on the 'visual turn' in theoretical humanities. With over 150 entries, including 125 main entries, the dictionary is a useful research tool for students coming to Didi-Huberman's work for the first time. Entries range from Theodor Adorno and Anthropology through to Materiality and Memory and on to Aby Warburg and Witnessing. Researchers already familiar with his work, but who want to develop a multi-faceted and more comprehensive understanding of the philosophical and cultural references woven into his thought, will gain deeper knowledge of the nuances of his conceptual apparatus, given the interreferential and intertextual aspects of his work. The dictionary identifies and explains his key figures, inspirations and philosophical metaphors as well as introduces Didi-Huberman's polemics with other contemporary philosophers, including Giorgio Agamben and Jacques Ranci re. Entries on concepts and motifs from Didi-Huberman's major texts that are (as of yet) not translated into English - Ce que nous voyons, ce qui nous regarde (1992), and Ninfa moderna (2002) - are also included. This is your one-stop, go-to resource for learning more about the innovative, exciting work of Georges Didi-Huberman.

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Beginning with Sir William Hamilton's revitalization of philosophy in Scotland in the 1830s, this book takes up the theme of George Davie's The Democratic Intellect and explores a century of debates surrounding the identity and continuity of the Scottish philosophical tradition. Alexander Bain, J F Ferrier, Thomas Carlyle, Alexander Campbell Fraser, John Tulloch, Henry Jones, Henry Calderwood, David Ritchie, and Andrew Seth Pringle-Pattison are among the once prominent, but now neglected thinkers whose reactions to Hume and Reid stimulated new currents of ideas. Graham concludes by considering the relation between the Scottish philosophical tradition and the twentieth-century philosopher John Macmurray.

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Defends conventional and even problematic illness metaphors by emphasizing their varied usability.

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Explores the vibrant, divided and evolving field of Islamic studies in Europe and North America Covers topics ranging from gender and secularism to pop music and modern science Discusses contemporary and historical approaches in Islamic Studies Features contributions from leading scholars studying Islam and Muslims, including Shahzad Bashir, Hadi Enayat, Juliane Hammer, Aaron Hughes, Carool Kersten, Susanne Olsson and Jonas Otterbeck Addresses the role of both Muslims and non-Muslims in the ongoing construction of Islam The study of Islam and Muslims in Europe and North America has expanded greatly in recent decades, becoming a passionately debated and divided field. This collection critically assesses the development of the field of Islamic Studies and its place in society. Featuring contributions from anthropologists, historians and scholars of religion, each chapter contains new empirical material and discusses approaches to the study of Islam, past and present. The book situates Islamic Studies within broader discussions of the construction of identity and its political implications in Europe and North America. Authors also address tensions between normative and non-normative approaches to the study of Islam and Muslims and consider how these might be reconciled.

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This book addresses the relationship between Deleuze's differential immanence and the notion of religion. Gilles Deleuze's philosophy of immanence vigorously denies that there is anything beyond our direct experience. For this reason, people often presume that there is a deep divide between Deleuze's philosophy and religion. Now, Daniel Barber shows that religion and Deleuze's thought share the same motivation: to find new ways to exist. Deleuze and the Naming of God shows a way out of the paralysing debate between religion and the secular. The hardback has sold nearly 200 copies since publication in December 2013; develops the idea of immanence into a way of escaping the stale binary between religion and the secular; changes the perception of Deleuze's philosophy from simple affirmation to one in which themes such as suffering become central and draws on the thought of Adorno and Yoder in addition to Deleuze.

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This is a critical study of the 'happy ending' in classical and contemporary Hollywood cinema. The Hollywood 'happy ending' has long been considered among the most famous and standardised features in the whole of narrative filmmaking. Yet, while ceaselessly invoked, this notorious device has received barely any detailed attention from the field of film studies. This book is thus the first in-depth examination of one of the most overused and under-analysed concepts in discussions of popular cinema. Concentrating especially on conclusions featuring an ultimate romantic union - the final couple - this wide-ranging investigation probes traditional associations between the 'happy ending' and homogeneity, closure, 'unrealism', and ideological conservatism, testing widespread assumptions against the evidence offered by a range of classical and contemporary films. Breaking new critical ground, this book encourages students and scholars of film to reconsider some tenacious critical preconceptions, inviting them to approach afresh their understandings of perhaps the most infamous narrative convention in Hollywood cinema. It defines key features of the Hollywood 'happy ending' through detailed textual analysis and theoretical debate. It traces the historical development of the scholarly approaches taken towards the cinematic 'happy ending'. It reassesses the concept of cinematic closure and its relationship to genre, ideology and 'unrealism'.

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Introduces the most important terms for understanding literature, past and present. Literature Now argues that modern literary history is currently the main site of theoretical and methodological reflection in literary studies. Via 19 key terms, the book takes stock of recent scholarship and demonstrates how analyses of particular historical phenomena have modified our understanding of crucial notions like archive, book, event, media, objects, style and the senses. The book not only reveals a rich diversity of subjects and approaches but also identifies the most salient traits of literature and literary studies today. Leading literary critics and historians offer thought-provoking arguments as well as authoritative explorations of the key terms of literary studies providing students as well as scholars with a rich resource for exploring theoretical issues from a historically informed perspective. Key Features Organised around the key terms used in literary studies today: archive, book, medium, translation, subjects, senses, animals, objects, politics, time, invention, event, generation, period, beauty, mimesis, style, popular and genre Puts literary history at the forefront of theoretical and methodological reflection in literary studies Original chapters by leading literary critics, theorists and historians

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This study focuses on Anthony Trollope’s stylistic innovations in relation to Victorian liberalism In his biography of William Makepeace Thackeray, Anthony Trollope posits the ideal of a man without style: `I hold that gentleman to be the best dressed whose dress no one observes. I am not sure but that the same may be said of an author’s written language’. Trollope’s own appearance, unlike his written language, did not pass without observation, however. A contemporary poet recollects that he was `hirsute and taurine of aspect’. This study unravels this paradox. It disentangles the many threads in Trollope’s ostensibly transparent writing and reassembles the political and intellectual fabric that they weave, thus showing how Trollope’s language exceeds and questions the concepts provided by contemporary ideologies. Key Features: Shows how Trollope’s stylistic peculiarities perform his inflection of Victorian liberalism Reads Victorian literature through the lens of German (post-)Romantic thinkers such as Goethe and Walter Benjamin Presents a panorama of Victorian liberalism in its literary, intellectual, and political context Examines the writings from the last decade of Trollope’s life that have received only scant critical attention, such as his novellas and his biographies

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This book analyses the growth of the American comedy film in relation to world events and cultural trends. This book uses large scale social and cultural trends and major world events to analyse the American comedy film. This is a historical and conceptual study discussing the comedy narrative, comic traditions, and role of visual culture. Grounded in the theoretical writing of Jean Baudrillard, Paul Virilio, Friedrich Kittler and Jacques Derrida, Ryan Bishop brings a new perspective to comedy in film suggesting that it is central to staging cultural criticism. He discusses themes such as repetition, automation, material systems of information media, the level of address in a communicative act, and the shifting role of the image. Close analysis of two films per chapter illustrate key points. Relevant both to film and cultural studies scholars. It provides an in-depth chronological treatment of the comedy genre in the US.

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Explores the role of language in the ongoing social, cultural and political changes of the Arab world Provides a detailed micro- and macro-analysis of Arabic political discourse Presents an innovative framework for the analysis of Arabic discourse in the context of conflict Analyses the strategic shifts in discourse throughout the course of the uprisings in Egypt, Libya and Tunisia Explores how some Arab officials and the Arab public use discourse to position themselves in relation to each other Examines the power of image in conveying discourses at times of conflict 10 years after the eruption of the Arab revolutions, El Mustapha Lahlali explores the dialectical relationship between discourse and social change during and after the conflict. In particular, he examines how Arabic public and political discourse shapes, and is shaped by, the wider social, cultural and political environment. Analysing the dialogue of various actors, Islamic parties and stakeholders as well as marginalised voices Arabic Political Discourse in Transition identifies the key linguistic strategies and features used to frame, represent and position oneself at times of conflict.

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This is a first evaluation of the physical impact of railway construction on the British coast. The building of railways has had a profound but largely ignored physical impact on Britain's coasts. This book explores the coming of railways to the edge of Britain, the ruthlessness of the companies involved and the transformation of our coasts through the destruction or damage to the environment. In many places today, railways are the first defence against the sea and similarly the embankments of long closed lines act as sea walls. It is ironic, at a time when climate change is very much favouring rail as a means of transport, that many lines are increasingly exposed to extreme weather and the very actions associated with their construction have exacerbated coastal erosion. With the benefit of hindsight, many coastal railways have been built in locations that would not have been chosen today. As our climate changes and storminess potentially increases, what might be the implications for some of Britain's lines on the edge? Features: unique combination of environmental and historical research; timely given the impact of the storms of January and February 2014; and, covers the breaching of the South Devon, Cambrian and Cumbrian coastal lines.

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Long description from APFThis book contributes to the (currently sparse) literature on constitutional design in Scotland. The rise of the Scottish national movement has been accompanied by the emergence of a distinct constitutional ideas, claims and arguments. Drawing on the fields of constitutional theory, comparative constitutional law, and Scottish studies, this book examines the historical trajectory of the constitutional question in Scotland and analyses the influences and constraints on the constitutional imagination of the Scottish national movement, in terms of both the national and international contexts. It identifies an emerging Scottish nationalist constitutional tradition that is distinct from British constitutional orthodoxies but nevertheless corresponds to broad global trends in constitutional thought and design. Much of the book is devoted to the detailed exposition and comparative analysis of the draft constitution for an independent Scotland published by the SNP in 2002. The 2014 draft interim Constitution presented by the Scottish Government is also examined, and the two texts are contrasted to show the changing nature of the SNP’s constitutional policy: from liberal-procedural constitutionalism in pursuit of a more inclusive polity, to a more populist and majoritarian constitutionalism. Short description (too long for box) from APF Before the independence referendum in 2014, the First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond promised a written constitution for Scotland in the event of a `Yes’ vote. In most other democratic countries, this would have been unremarkable. But the UK is almost unique in having never adopted a written constitution or other fundamental law. Why did this commitment arise in Scotland? What in Scotland’s constitutional history and recent political trajectory brought this to the fore? What form did the SNP’s proposals take, why, and what did they mean? This book addresses these questions, which remain relevant to scholars of constitutional theory, comparative constitutional law, and Scottish politics.

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This project is the culmination of 7 years of intensive research into Russian-speaking identities in Latvia. Covering a period up to and including the Ukrainian crises of 2014, the research examines the complex relationships between diverse groups of Russian speakers, the Latvian state, the Russian Federation, and Latvia's (often competing) transnational political and cultural spaces. The empirical analysis is grounded on a theoretical model of discourse analysis that is specifically designed to account for temporal change. Utilising this framework, the study traces how Russian-speaking identity positions have been evolving in Latvia since the late Soviet period. By mapping adjustments in how the Latvian and Russian states relate to an imagined community of Russian-speakers, the analysis points to the emergence of distinct identity strategies that simultaneously create, reinvent, and rupture discursive ties with Latvia, Russia, and Europe. In a time when many will question the loyalty of Russian speakers to their various 'host states' this book provides a timely, scholarly account of ethnic politics in Latvia.

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What divides and what unites an ethnically diverse citizenry? From reconciling historical adversaries to addressing whether multicultural policies cause or cure ethnic conflict, George Vasilev explores how solidarity comes about in divided societies. Spanning from small and seemingly insignificant everyday acts to the heady and determined activism of NGOs and international organisations, this book identifies promising new routes for the expansion of mutual responsibility in a world where ethnic conflict is enduring and pervasive. This is the first systematic exploration of solidarity in divided societies. It identifies avenues for conflict transformation beyond and below the nation state. It examines the relationship between solidarity, multicultural policies and deliberative democracy. It advances a conception of solidarity where cultural difference and disagreement define human relations.

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The first complete study of a little known Muslim presence in Europe. Since 9/11, the interest in Muslims in Europe has increased significantly. There has been much public debate and academic research focused on Muslims living in larger Western European countries like Britain, France or Germany, but little is known of Muslims in Ireland. This book fills the gap, providing a complete study of this unexplored Muslim presence, from the arrival of the first Muslim resident in Cork, in the southwest of Ireland, in 1784 until mass immigration to the Republic of Ireland during the 'Celtic Tiger' period from the mid 1990s onwards. Muslim immigration and settlement in Ireland is very recent, and poses new challenges to a society that has perceived itself as religiously and culturally homogeneous. Ireland is also one of the least secular societies in Europe, providing a different context for Muslims seeking recognition by state and society. This book is essential for anyone who wants to understand the diversity of Muslim presences across Europe. It makes an important and original contribution to understanding the diversity of Muslim presences in different national contexts across Europe; combines historical, sociological and ethnographic research methods to provide a rich and multi faceted study of the Muslim presence in Ireland in its historical and contemporary dimensions; provides insights into the dynamics of interaction between Muslims and state and society in one of the least secular societies in Europe and illustrates the central role European networks of the Muslim Brotherhood have played in organising and representing Muslim communities in Europe, with Ireland being a prime example.

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Law Making and The Scottish Parliament: The Early Years offers the first wide-ranging critical analysis of legislative developments in those areas of law and policy devolved to the Scottish Parliament under the devolution settlement. It begins with a brief account of the devolution settlement and summarises the themes emerging from the subsequent chapters. Thereafter, sixteen themed chapters, each dedicated to a discrete area of the law and written by an acknowledged expert in the field, provide critical evaluation of the Scottish Parliament's contribution, highlighting what it has achieved, what it has failed to do and what might be done in the future. In a single volume, Law Making and The Scottish Parliament: The Early Years provides a scholarly evaluation of a number of legislative achievements of Scotland's devolved parliament in its first decade. It will appeal to legal and other scholars and students, lawyers and anyone with an interest in Scottish politics, policy-making and law.

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For the first time, Vernon W. Cisney brings you a scholarly analysis of Jacques Derrida and Gilles Deleuze's contrasting concepts of difference. He distinguishes their responses to Hegel and Nietzsche. He finds that Deleuze formulates an affirmative conception of difference, while Derrida's 'differance' amounts to an irresolvable negativity.

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This is a topical, comparative study of the economic, social and political development of Norway and Scotland since 1800. How did the development of two small countries at the north of Europe, whose histories were joined from about the year 795 AD - including a 300 year alliance - nevertheless diverge sharply in the modern era? This edited collection of essays covers various elements of this analysis including land ownership, politics, agriculture, industry, money and banking, local government, education, religion, access and the outdoor life, as well as several more synthetic chapters. Written as it is by historians, political scientists, economists, sociologists, anthropologists and human geographers, the book moves beyond historical narrative, and outlines elements of a theory of divergent development between Norway and Scotland over the long term, and so towards a novel history which will be of interest to a wider audience. Features: focus on key periods of intensive relationships between Scotland and Norway; new analysis of the differences between the two countries after the medieval period; clear information and analysis of how Norway changed after independence from Denmark; policy ideas on 'independence' issues such as natural resources and land rights; and, exclusive essays from established and new scholars.

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An economic and legal analysis of derivative hedging instruments in Islamic finance. The Islamic finance industry faces the challenging task of attempting to reconcile the risk management demands of business entities with the difficulties posed by the seemingly rigid stance taken by some Shari'ah scholars over hedging practices. Offering a fresh perspective, Sherif Ayoub confronts the challenge by reformulating how we might think about the theorisation of economic matters in the Islamic faith. He also considers the associated perceptions of permissibility that have until now been confined to the legal sphere, with a focus on contractual elements. Ayoub sheds light on the way the Islamic finance industry conceptualises the role of financial instruments. Paying particular attention to derivatives in a market risk management framework that adheres to the objectives of Islamic jurisprudence, readers will come to understand the issues surrounding the avoidance of Riba (usury), Gharar (excessive uncertainty) and Maysir (gambling). It scrutinises the rationale and basis of Shari'ah Resolutions and Standards set by various bodies in the Islamic finance industry prohibiting the use of derivative hedging instruments. It uses economic theory and actual market practices to show the benefits of the contemporary risk management framework. It introduces new topics that are relevant to the discussion including the conceptualisation of money, gambling and financial intermediaries.

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Omnibus films bring together the contributions of two or more filmmakers. Does this make them inherently contradictory texts? How do they challenge critical categories in cinema studies? What are their implications for auteur theory? As the first book-length exploration of internationally distributed, multi-director episode films, David Scott Diffrient's Omnibus Films: Theorizing Transauthorial Cinema fills a considerable gap in the history of world cinema and aims to expand contemporary understandings of authorship, genre, narrative, and transnational production and reception. Delving into such unique yet representative case studies as If I Had a Million (1932), Forever and a Day (1943), Dead of Night (1945), Quartet (1948), Love and the City (1953), Boccaccio '70 (1962), New York Stories (1989), Tickets (2005), Visions of Europe (2005), and Paris, je t'aime (2006), this book covers much conceptual ground and crosses narrative as well as national borders in much the same way that omnibus films do. Omnibus Films is a particularly thought-provoking book for those working in the fields of auteur theory, film genre and transnational cinema, and is suitable for advanced students in Cinema Studies.

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When was the Dome of the Rock built and what meanings was the structure meant to convey to viewers at the time of its construction? These are questions that have preoccupied historians of Islamic art and architecture, and numerous interpretations of the Dome of the Rock have been proposed. This book returns to one of the most important pieces of evidence: the mosaic inscriptions running around the two faces of the octagonal arcade. Detailed examination of the physical characteristics, morphology and content of these inscriptions provides new evidence concerning: the chronology of the planning, construction, and decoration of the building; the iconography of the Dome of the Rock; the evolution of Arabic epigraphy in the early Islamic period; and the public expression of religious concepts under the Umayyad caliphs.

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This book examines the translation of classical Hollywood into Disney's feature films from a Deleuzian perspective. Special Affects retells the emergence of Disney animation and classical Hollywood cinema from the perspective of affect and the embodied modes of generating affection. The emergence of these media enables new modes of perception that create "special" sensations of wonder, astonishment, marvel, and the fantastic. Such affections subsequently become mined by consumer industries for profit, thereby explaining the connection between media and consumerism that today seems inherent to the culture industry. Such modes and their affections are also translated into ideology, as American culture seeks to make sense of the sociocultural changes accompanying these new media, particularly as specific versions of American Dream narratives. Special Affects is the first extended exploration of the connection between media and consumerism, and the first book to extensively apply Deleuzian film theory to animation. Its exploration of the connection between the animated form and consumerism, and its re-examination of 20th century animation from the perspective of affect, makes this an engaging and essential read for film-philosophy scholars and students.

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Exploring the archetypal representation of the straight girl with the queer guy in film and television culture from 1948 to the present day, Straight Girls and Queer Guys considers the process of the `hetero media gaze’ and the way it contextualizes sexual diversity and gender identity. Offering both an historical foundation and a rigorous conceptual framework, Christopher Pullen draws on a range of case studies, including the films of Doris Day and Rock Hudson, the performances of Kenneth Williams, televisions shows such as Glee, Sex and the City and Will and Grace, the work of Derek Jarman, and the role of the gay best friend in Hollywood film. Critiquing the representation of the straight girl and the queer guy for its relation to both power and otherness, this is a provocative study that frames a theoretical model which can be applied across diverse media forms.

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This book deals with post-war culture and society and the Edinburgh Festivals. The Edinburgh Festival is the world's largest arts festival. It has also been the site of numerous 'culture wars' since it began in 1947. Key debates that took place across the western world about the place of culture in society, the practice and significance of the arts, censorship, the role of organised religion, and meanings of morality were all reflected in contest over culture in the Festival City. This book explores the 'culture wars' of 1945-1970 and is the first major study of the origins and development of this leading annual arts extravaganza. This is the first critical history of the first 25 years of the world's biggest arts festival. It uses festivals (and key theatre ventures) in Edinburgh as a lens for understanding wider social and cultural change in post-war Britain. It draws upon a range of archival sources, including original oral history interviews with key players in the arts scene of Edinburgh and beyond.

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Offers a transnational comparative approach to contemporary popular Nordic genre film. Nordic Genre Film offers a transnational approach to studying contemporary genre production in Nordic cinema. It discusses a range of internationally renowned examples, from Nordic noir such as the television show The Bridge and films like Insomnia to high concept 'video generation' productions such as Iron Sky. Other contributions focus on road movies, the horror film, autobiographical films, historical epics and pornography. These are contextualised by discussions of their position in their respective national film and media histories as well as their influence on other Nordic countries and beyond. By highlighting similarities and differences between the countries, the book combines industrial perspectives and in depth discussion of specific films, while also offering historical perspectives on each genre as comes to production, distribution and reception of popular contemporary genre film. It takes a range of approaches to genre in the Nordic context, from analysing the textual features of individual films to exploring industrial tactics in capitalising on cultural reputations; It analyses the production, distribution and the reception of contemporary genre films and offers academic film studies an alternative model for understanding globalisation from a small nation perspective.

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