Search results for ""Lynne Rienner Publishers""

Individuals can make a difference working for peace worldwide. That is the message of People Building Peace II, an inspiring collection of stories of how ""ordinary"" men and women have played a crucial part in conflict prevention and peacebuilding. Thematic chapters, illustrated with compelling case studies, present new trends in the role of civil society in conflict transformation. The cases reflect the variety of activities initiated and sustained by a broad range of actors, including women's groups, youth groups, and faith-based organizations. Such topics as reconciliation, dialogue, networking, and traditional methods of conflict resolution are among the topics throughly explored, as are the successful initiatives of lesser-known NGOs. The resulting rich tapestry, an outcome of the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict, is an invaluable compendium of best practices and lessons learned, and at the same time a stirring call to action.

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It is typically taken for granted that African economies perform poorly, but there are a small but significant number of success stories on the continent. This study explores what accounts for Africa's average stagnation, and for the wide regional variations in developmental fortunes.

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Covering China, Japan, the Koreas, and all of the ASEAN member states, ""Understanding Contemporary Asia Pacific"" provides a comprehensive introduction to one of the most complex and rapidly changing regions in the world today. This accessible, up-to-date volume is designed to be used as a core text for ""Introduction to Asia"" and ""Asian Politics"" courses and also as a supplement in a variety of discipline-oriented curriculums. The authors cover history, politics, economics, and international relations, as well as such topics as the role of the military, population and urbanization, environmental issues, women and development, ethnicity, and religion. Maps, photographs, suggestions for further reading, and an appendix of basic political data enhance the text.

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This anthology presents the voices of a new generation of African poets, drawn from across the continent and representing a wide range of themes, styles and ideologies. These contemporary voices have been shaped in the realities of postcolonial Africa from the mid-1970s to the end of the 1990s.

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The author offers a rare window into the real world of UN peacekeeping missions in Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The author’s story is one of presidents and prelates, warlords and warriors, heroes and villains, achievements and disappointments—and innocent people caught in the midst of deadly violence. As he shares his front-line experiences, he reflects on the reasons for successes and failures and on the qualities that leaders need to successfully guide efforts to rebuild peace and prosperity in devastated societies. Not least, he also considers the UN’s future role in conflict prevention and peacekeeping in a climate of increasing resistance to intervention in “other people’s wars.”

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Can the European Union survive repeated economic crises? If it survives, will it stay as it is or take on a new form? This new edition of The European Union and the Member States, fully revised and updated, addresses these questions as it explores the complex relationship between the EU and each of its now 28 members.The country chapters follow a common format, considering: How and in what areas does EU policy affect, and how is it affected by, the member states? What mechanisms do the member states use to implement EU policy? What is each state’s compliance record? Covering the full range of political, economic, and social issues, the authors offer an insightful discussion of the interplay of EU initiatives with strong, existing national policies and traditions.

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Amidst the many lamentations about the problems of democracy, Joe Foweraker turns his attention to specific questions: Is democracy incompatible with stark social inequalities? Why are so many democratic governments deemed unaccountable and beset by populist pressures? Perhaps most fundamentally, why does democratic theory have no answers to these questions? Foweraker argues that finding answers requires a root-and-branch revision of our thinking about democracy—a revision that asks us to stop talking about “democracy” and start talking about “polity.” Drawing on the political realities of Latin America, he describes polity as a system encompassing the distinct but conjoined domains of oligarchy and democracy; and he offers a conceptual framework that identifies the key components and logic of polity. His innovative analysis affords a better understanding not only of democracy in Latin America, but also of democratic regimes around the world.

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Reflecting the profound changes that are taking place in the world system, this book charts a conceptual framework for understanding emerging patterns of global politics and communication. Tehranian begins by tracing the evolution of the world system from its agrarian origins into today's post-industrial, information-based "pancapitalism". He then draws out the implications of that evolution for global systems of domination, development, and discourse in the context of fragmentation. A study of the complexities of relations between the Islamic and Western worlds demonstrates how systemic distortions in cross-cultural communication have led to tragedies in world politics. The concluding chapter, addressing the pathology of physical and cultural violence, reflects on the possibility of transforming existing conflicts into creative tensions based on the acknowledgement of differences.

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The dominant nation-state model of citizenship, in which political identity and state territory are congruent, is increasingly unable to resolve the contradictions created by global mass migration. Fitzgerald's careful ethnographic fieldwork in Michoacan, Mexico, and Southern California supports a process-based model of extra-territorial citizenship, in which migrants claim citizenship in their places of origin even when they are physically absent. Fitzgerald explains why many Mexican migrants based in the United States want to be ""taken into account"" in the politics and development of their home communities. He focuses on the consequences of ""transnational"" political attitudes and behavior for migrant-sending communities. The analysis has important implications for proposals being discussed in Mexico to extend voting rights in Mexican elections to migrants based abroad and to give them representation in the Mexican Congress. The monograph is written in a highly accessible style and is illustrated with numerous photographs by the author.

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Among the many tools available for teaching comparative politics, the author’s text stands out for its unique exploration of concepts, structures, and illustrative cases. The first part of the book, after setting the stage with a discussion of comparison as a method of inquiry, focuses on the core institutions that affect politics within nations, as well as on political behavior and civil society. In Part 2, those same topics are systematically revisited as they interact in the context of nine detailed, up-to-date (through 2018) country studies. This well-integrated, cross-national, and accessible approach serves perfectly to provide students with the tools and perspectives that they need to better understand the diverse political systems of today’s world.

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Though often overlooked in heated debates, nearly 1.8 million undocumented immigrants are under the age of 18. How do immigration policies shape the lives of these young people? How do local and state laws that are seemingly unrelated to undocumented communities negatively affect them? Marisol Clark-Ibáñez delivers an intimate look at growing up as an undocumented Latino immigrant, analyzing the social and legal dynamics that shape everyday life in and out of school.

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Understanding Revolution concisely, but thoroughly, explains one of the most fundamental sources of political change in the modern world. Designed to be accessible to undergraduate students, the book systematically explores such questions as: What should be defined as a revolution?; Is there a "typical" pattern to the course of a revolution?; What are the roles of ideologies, structures (e.g., the state, class structures in the international system), and individuals in shaping revolutions?; What causes groups to mobilize behind revolutionary leaders?; What happens after a revolutionary group assumes power, or fails?. The discussion highlights points of agreement and debate within the social science literature, and brief case studies of revolutions and revolutionary movements bring concepts to life.

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The third edition of this historically and theoretically grounded analysis of the democratic experience in Latin America reflects important developments both in the region and in the comparative politics literature.Placing the subject in a normative context, John Peeler gives significant attention to the adequacy of a purely electoral concept of democracy. He also addresses the problems that economic globalization pose for building vital democracies. One focus of this new edition is the recent 'left turn' in Latin America, which has seen the majority of the region's countries elect presidents with socialist or social democratic stances that directly challenge the previously dominant free market, neoliberal ideology.

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The fourteen countries in west and equatorial Africa that formed the heart of what was once France's African colonial empire all independent now for more than four decades still retain French as an official language, remain attached to French culture, and maintain political links with France. Each country, however, has developed its own distinctive brand of politics. Victor Le Vine traces the political evolution of these countries, exploring the elements that have shaped their particular political dynamics while allowing them to remain part of a unique francophone sociopolitical community. Le Vine's provocative discussion of topics ranging from the colonial context, political culture, and religion to ""redemocratization,"" informal politics, and international relations offers a comprehensive, unique perspective on the workings of this relatively little-known group of states.

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This hands-on exercise allows students to relate the concepts and issues at the foundation of global politics to the realities of international politics today. As influential leaders in the fictional world of Politica, each team of students governs a country with a unique history, geography, and culture. The teams must use strategy and negotiation to succeed - and survive - seeking to achieve specific territorial, security, and economic objectives. In the process, they grapple with a range of complex challenges: energy security, ethnic conflict, humanitarian intervention, environmental disaster, terrorism, nuclear proliferation, and more. Students also pursue individual objectives based on the governmental post they hold - and quickly learn that self-interest and national interest are not always compatible. Teams are judged on their effectiveness in meeting stated objectives, but must also relate their practical experience to the academic content of the course. Toward this end, the book provides summaries, analysis, study questions, and additional sources of information for each of the theories and issues encountered during the simulation. Guidelines for instructors are also included. ""International Relations in Action"" has been tested in multiple courses, with students and instructors unanimously agreeing that it makes abstract theories practical and accessible, evokes an appreciation for the complexity of international politics, and generates enthusiasm for the study of international relations. In the representative words of one student, ""It was the best learning experience I've ever had.

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The experiences and voices of multiracial individuals are challenging current categories of race, profoundly altering the meaning of racial identity and in the process changing the cultural fabric of the nation. Exploring this new reality, the authors of ""Mixed Messages"" examine what we know about multiracial identities - and the implications of those identities for fundamental issues of justice and equality.

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Although the U.S. has spent more than USD25 billion on international drug-control programs, it has failed to reduce the supply of cocaine and heroin entering the country. It has, however, succeeded in generating widespread, often profoundly damaging, consequences, most notably in Latin America and the Caribbean. The authors of Drugs and Democracy in Latin America offer a comprehensive review of U.S. drug-control policies toward the region, assess the impact of those policies on democracy and human rights, and present eight detailed case studies. A project of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), this major work is the first systematic, region-wide documentation and analysis of the collateral damage caused by the U.S. war on drugs.

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In the midst of significantly changing economic and political relations with the United States, Puerto Rico is struggling to find a new - and effective - development path. James Dietz examines the island's contemporary development trajectory, providing a comprehensive and up-to-date analysis. Dietz considers where Puerto Rico's economy is today, why, and how its challenging state of affairs might be improved. Throughout, building on his acclaimed Economic History of Puerto Rico, he explores the historical, social, and political forces that have accompanied Puerto Rico's course from the 1940s to the first decade of the twenty-first century.

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Was South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) a ""miracle"" that depended on the unique leadership of Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu? Or does it provide a working model for other traumatized nations? Addressing these questions, Lyn Graybill explores the political origins, theological underpinnings, and major achievements of the world's most ambitious truth commission - an institution that offered indemnity to perpetrators of gross human rights abuses, and a process that urged victims to forgive. Graybill distills in one concise and very readable volume a vast amount of information on the TRC, including discussions of a number of groups - the media, religious communities, and the medical and business sectors - that came under the scrutiny of the commission. She also addresses the theory and practice of forgiveness and the relative advantages of amnesty vs. prosecution. She concludes with an indictment of the ANC government's failure to enact the commission's recommendations for substantial reparations to victims and with an overview of NGO efforts to continue the reconciliation process. Graybill explores the political origins, theological underpinnings, and major achievements of the world's most ambitious truth commission.

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The Arab world is experiencing a variety of factors - internal and external - that are leading to change. This work examines such factors that are shaping political liberalisation and democratisation in the Arab context, as well as the role played by particular social groups.

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Bored housewives, kept in seclusion, smuggling in Harlequin romances. Modish young men transformed into Islamic militants. A baker unwittingly caught in a web of intrigue, an imam whose faith is tested by urban corruption, a lonely divorcee accused of prostitution—all take part in Merzak Allouache's novel of a society on the brink of crisis.Allouache tells the story of the people of Bab el-Oued, a poor neighborhood in contemporary Algiers. His experience as a filmmaker lends the work a cinematic quality, bringing it vibrantly and immediately to life. Bab el-Oued's memorable characters draw us into their world. Entering their lives, we come to appreciate the human costs of economic and political decline, and also to understand something of the reasons underlying the power of new and violent forms of Islamic militancy."I wrote this book," said Algerian director Merzak Allouache, "to exorcise the many frustrations that arose when making the film Bab el-Oued City in Algiers. Writing the book gave me a sense of freedom not possible with the constraints of the camera, especially when shooting in a hostile environment, as was the case there." Bab el-Oued City, released to wide acclaim in 1993, is Allouache's fifth full-length film. He now lives in France.

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The half-decade since the sixth edition of Introducing Global Issues appeared has seen enormous changes in the international arena, perhaps most notably a move away from multilateral approaches to solving global problems - climate change, the COVID pandemic, conflict-driven migration, and more. Both the impact of those changes and possible paths to collaborative problem solving are at the centre of this new, fully revised and updated edition of the text.The material has been successfully designed for readers with little or no prior knowledge of the topics covered. Each chapter provides an analytical overview of the issue addressed, identifies central actors and perspectives, and outlines past progress and future prospects. Discussion questions are posed to enhance students' appreciation of the complexities involved, and suggestions for further reading additionally enrich the text.

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Charged with monitoring the huge civilian press corps that descended on Hue during the Vietnam War's Tet offensive, US Army Captain George W. Smith witnessed firsthand a vicious twenty-five day battle. Smith recounts in harrowing detail the separate, poorly coordinated wars that were fought in the retaking of the Hue. Notably, he documents the little-known contributions of the South Vietnamese forces, who prevented the Citadel portion of the city from being overrun, and who then assisted the US Marine Corps in evicting the North Vietnamese Army. He also tells of the social and political upheaval in the city, reporting the execution of nearly 3,000 civilians by the NVA and the Vietcong. The tenacity of the NVA forces in Hue earned the respect of the troops on the field and triggered a sequence of attitudinal changes in the United States. It was those changes, Smith suggests, that eventually led to the US abandonment of the war.

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With Latin America home to some of the most draconian bans on abortion in the world, abortion rights is one of the most controversial and hotly contested topics in Latin American politics today. The author explores the ways in which key actors—from politicians to grassroots activists to the global community—participate and shape strategies in the ongoing debate. The author sheds new light on the dire situation of Latin American women facing unwanted pregnancies, and on the interactions between the state and its most vulnerable members of society.

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What is hybrid warfare? And what role does information play in today’s conflicts? In the context of the technological/information revolution of the last two decades—which has greatly amplified the danger posed by nonmilitary means of political struggle—Hybrid Conflicts and Information Warfare addresses these questions from the perspectives of both Western and Russian experts. Incorporating both theory and contemporary realities, including the case of the Islamic State, the authors offer a unique dialogue on the nature of conflict in the second decade of the twenty-first century.

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In After Homicide, the author explores what the families of murder victims confront as they encounter the multiple members of the criminal justice system—police officers and counselors, prosecutors and judges, and more. The author traces each step of a murder investigation and trial, and also deals with situations where no arrests are made and those where the perpetrator commits suicide at the scene of the crime. Based on extensive field research, her book is a uniquely comprehensive look at how the families of victims are helped, and sometimes hindered, by the justice system.

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What determines the outcome for rebels in contemporary African civil wars? How are “victory” and “defeat “measured? Is there any connection between a rebel group’s organization and its fate? What implications do the answers to these questions have for policymakers concerned with ongoing armed conflicts? Addressing these issues and more the author explores the relationship between rebel groups and regime politics in Africa.

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In this now classic text, December Green and Laura Luehrmann show how history, economics, and politics converge to create the realities of life in the Global South. The authors offer an innovative blend of theory and empirical material as they introduce the politics of what was once called the “third world.” They consistently link theoretical concepts to a set of eight contemporary case studies: China, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, and Zimbabwe. Features of the fourth edition, revised and updated from cover to cover, include: • An entirely new case study, Egypt. • Analysis of the status of regime transitions around the world. • A “report card” on the Millennium Development Goals. • Attention to the UN Global Goals for Sustainable Development and the New Development Bank. • More discussion of contentious politics, social mobilization and everyday forms of resistance. • New material on such continuing challenges as migration, human trafficking, weapons proliferation, pandemic diseases, and the impact of climate change. • An assessment of continuity and change in `international relations, with particular attention to policies during the Obama presidency and the significance for the Global South of the new US administration. The result is a text that has been successfully designed to challenge students’ preconceptions, arouse their curiosity, and foster critical thinking.

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Robert Smith and Richard Seltzer offer fresh insights on the decisive, and often surprising, role of presidents and presidential candidates in polarizing US politics.In a rich, multidimensional narrative, the authors show how presidential rhetoric and policies have served to divide voters along lines of class, party, race, and region. They also underscore the enduring consequences of George Wallace's, Barry Goldwater's, and George McGovern's failed presidential campaigns. Moving beyond the ""guns, God, and gays"" conventional wisdom, their distinctive contribution leads to an enhanced understanding of the political attitudes that have shaped today's polarized polity.

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What is terrorism? How do terrorists operate—what are their means, targets, and motivations? How can governments prevent terrorist attacks from happening? The authors address these questions in their systematic, comprehensive exploration of terrorism and counterterrorism. Notably, this authoritative text: Explains complex issues in an objective, accessible way Traces the phenomenon of terrorism through history Examines law enforcement, as well as intelligence and military operations Features case studies from around the world Includes learning aids for students Designed to appeal to both students and instructors, the text enables readers to deepen their understanding of terrorism today and learn what is being done to combat it.

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