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Israel and Settler Society
by Lorenzo VeraciniThe struggle between Israel and the Palestinians is not unique, whatever the media may suggest. Lorenzo Veracini argues that the conflict is best understood in terms of colonialism, as like many other societies, Israel is a settler society. Looking at the evolution of other colonial regimes - apartheid South Africa, French Algeria and Australia - Veracini presents a thoughtful interpretation of the dynamics of colonialism.*BR**BR*He challenges two important myths: firstly, that the Israeli-Palestinian dispute is unique and defies comparative approaches; and secondly that the struggle is mainly based in nationality and religion and therefore different to typical colonial conflicts. *BR**BR*Comparing and contrasting 'official' apartheid regimes with the more recent history of Israel and Palestine, he offers a critical perspective on colonialism as well as important new insights into patterns of imperialism today.
China's Global Strategy: Towards a Multipolar World
by Jenny CleggThis book takes a look at China's position a range of global issues, arguing that its multipolar diplomacy offers a strategy to constrain US hegemony.*BR* *BR*Many people assume that China will follow an imperialistic strategy and stand in direct conflict with the American empire. However, China is in fact taking a multilateral approach, offering real assistance to developing countries and helping to build the institutions required to run a multipolar world. *BR**BR*Whist acknowledging China's own internal difficulties, the book argues that its international consensus-building could lead to a more peaceful and equitable world.
Ethnic Warfare in Sri Lanka and the UN Crisis
by William ClaranceThis book explains the complex origins and evolution of Sri Lanka's civil war and the resulting massive civilian displacement. It is an account of frontline conditions during a critical period and an overview of the alternating warfare and ceasefires during the last fifteen years. *BR**BR*William Clarance analyses the scope for protecting civilians in a war zone and its implications for UN policy. He argues that Washington's bullying of the UN ironically proves the points it seeks to demolish: the indispensibility of UN legitimacy and the professionalism of its field agencies. *BR**BR*He urges the need to adopt a more actively engaged role to protect civilians in intrastate conflict, the better to address global problems such as the outflow of refugees and asylum seekers it triggers and the seeds of international terrorism it sows.
Empire of the Periphery: Russia and the World System
by Boris KagarlitskyLeading writer Boris Kagarlitsky offers an ambitious account of 1000 years of Russian history. Encompassing all key periods in Russia's dramatic development, the book covers everything from early settlers, through medieval decline, Ivan the Terrible - the 'English Tsar', Peter the Great, the Crimean War and the rise of capitalism, the revolution, the Soviet period, finally ending with the return of capitalism after 1991.*BR**BR*Setting Russia within the context of the 'World System', as outlined by Wallerstein, this is a major work of historical Marxist theory that is set to become a future classic.
From Kosovo to Kabul and Beyond: Human Rights and International Intervention
by David ChandlerThis new and updated edition of David Chandler's acclaimed book takes a critical look at the way in which human rights issues have been brought to the fore in international affairs.*BR**BR*The UN and Nato's new policy of interventionism--as shown in Iraq, Somalia, Bosnia, Kosovo and East Timor--has been hailed as part of a new 'ethical' approach to foreign policy. David Chandler offers a rigorous critique of this apparently benign shift in international relations to reveal the worrying political implications of a new human rights discourse. He asks why the West can now prioritise the rights of individuals over the traditional rights of state sovereignty, and why this shift has happened so quickly. Charting the development of a human rights-based foreign policy, he considers the theoretical problems of defining human rights and sets this within the changing framework of international law. *BR**BR*Meticulous and compelling, From Kosovo to Kabul and Beyond offers a disturbing insight into the political implications of a human rights-led foreign policy, and the covert agenda that it conceals.
The European Union: A Critical Guide
by Steven P. McGiffenThe political dynamics of the European Union can often appear confusing, shrouded as they are in complex legislative processes. This book offers a clear and thorough critical introduction to the origins, development and current direction of the EU, and pinpoints the major policy debates animating decision-makers.*BR**BR*This revised and updated edition offers a well-illustrated analysis of each of the EU's major policy areas, and covers arguments both for and against the EU. McGiffen explores subjects including enlargement, internal and external security, the Euro, trade, the environment, employment, transport and regional policy. He explains how and why the debate about membership is frequently and falsely presented as if it were a conflict between 'nationalism' and 'internationalism', and argues instead that the EU is merely one of a number of possible solutions to the the economic and political problems facing Europe.*BR**BR*Published in association with Spectre.
Comrade or Brother?: A History of the British Labour Movement
by Mary DavisCritical and iconoclastic, Comrade or Brother? traces the history of the British Labour Movement from its beginnings at the onset of industrialisation through its development within a capitalist society, up to the end of the twentieth-century. *BR**BR*Written by a leading activist in the labour movement, the book redresses the balance in much labour history writing. It examines the place of women and the influence of racism and sexism as well as providing a critical analysis of the rival ideologies which played a role in the uneven development of the labour movement.
The Twilight of the Nation State: Globalisation, Chaos and War
by Prem Shankar JhaThis book offers an in-depth historical perspective on the rise of capitalism, written by one of the leading scholars of the Global South. *BR**BR*Arguing that globalisation is poorly understood, it offers a new synthesis of political and economic theory that sheds light on the consequences of rapid industrialisation world wide. *BR**BR*Writing from outside the usual Western perspective, the book challenges many of the usual preconceptions about the impact of globalisation.
100 Years of Permanent Revolution: Results and Prospects
by Bill Dunn Hugo RadiceOne hundred years on from their first appearance in Leon Trotsky's Results and Prospects, this is a critical re-evaluation of two key Marxist theories: uneven and combined development, and permanent revolution. It brings together a formidable array of Marxist intellectuals from across the world including Daniel Bensaid, Michael Löwy, Hillel Ticktin and Patrick Bond.*BR**BR*Marx saw societies progressing through distinct historical stages – feudal, bourgeois and communist. Trotsky advanced this model by considering how countries at different stages of development influence each other. Developed countries colonise less developed countries and exploit their people and resources. Elsewhere, even as many were kept in poverty, the influence of foreign capital and state-led industrialisation produced novel economic forms and prospects for political alliances and change. *BR**BR*The contributors show how, 100 years on from its original publication, Trotsky's theories are hugely useful for understanding today's globalised economy, dominated by US imperialism.
The Second Palestinian Intifada: A Chronicle of a People's Struggle
by Ramzy BaroudThis is a comprehensive account of the momentous events which shaped the political landscape not only of Palestine and Israel but of the entire Middle East region. *BR**BR*Addressing the most controversial issues, including the alarming escalation in suicide bombings, and the construction of the Separation Wall, he reports on the huge rate of unemployment and hunger in the Occupied Territories - statistics so critical that NGOs compare their magnitude to African nations such as the Congo. From the brutality of the Israeli army to the ever-compromising nature of the Palestinian Authority, few are spared Ramzy Baroud’s thoughtful critique.*BR**BR*The book is clear and concise, with one chapter dedicated to the major events of each year, and includes a comprehensive timeline.
Riot!: Civil Insurrection From Peterloo to the Present Day
by Ian Hernon'A riot is at bottom the language of the unheard.' Martin Luther King*BR**BR*Riot! covers, with a reporter's eye, almost 200 years of civil disturbance on mainland Britain, and gives a voice to some of the remarkable men and women involved. Ian Hernon shows that resistance played a part, not always beneficially, in the creation of proper parliamentary democracy, the welfare state, the trade union movement, the rights of immigrants and civil liberties. All of these, it can be argued, are under renewed attack today.*BR* *BR*Hernon tells the story of a largely unacknowledged tradition of violent protest in Britain, from the martyrs of Peterloo to the drug-fuelled street violence of today. Riot! charts how the struggles of individual groups of workers turned into a broader campaign for electoral reform and justice; how excessive use of state force failed to extinguish the fires; how the trade unions pressed for wider social justice; how Thatcherism reversed decades of gradual reform and sparked social turmoil; and how a "good" riot played a part in her downfall. Finishing with an account of the anti-globalisation movement and G8 protests, this lively book shows how the ugly roar of a mob has perhaps done more to change society than measured parliamentary debate.
Little America: Australia, the 51st State
by Erik PaulAustralia is one of the US's most staunch supporters: Australia has sent troops to Iraq, and is an ally in the 'war on terror'. Australian domestic policy also follows the US economic model, as state industries and services have been privatised. *BR**BR*Erik Paul dissects the relationship between Australia and the US. He explores how Australia has become a key player in maintaining American dominance in South East Asia, and looks critically at the contrast between the Australian wealth and the comparative poverty of surrounding nations. *BR**BR*Examining the influence of neoconservative imperialism on Australia's economic and military strategies, he draws some startling conclusions about future Australian relationships in East Asia, in particular, its relationship with China.
Blood and Religion: The Unmasking of the Jewish and Democratic State
by Jonathan CookThis is an account of the Jewish state's motives behind building the West Bank wall, arguing that at the heart of the issue is demography. Israel fears the moment when the region’s Palestinians become a majority.*BR**BR*The book charts Israel’s increasingly desperate responses to its predicament including military repression of Palestinian dissent on both sides of the Green Line; accusations that Israel's Palestinian citizens and the Palestinian Authority are secretly conspiring to subvert the Jewish state from within; a ban on marriages between Israel’s Palestinian population and Palestinians living under occupation to prevent a right of return ‘through the back door’; the redrawing of the Green Line to create an expanded, fortress state where only Jewish blood and Jewish religion count.
How to Read Marx's Capital (How to Read Theory)
by Stephen ShapiroCapital Volume I is essential reading on many undergraduate courses, but the structure and style of the book can be confusing for students, leading them to abandon the text. This book is a clear guide to reading Marx's classic text, which explains the reasoning behind the book's structure and provides help with the more technical aspects that non-economists may find taxing.*BR**BR*Students are urged to think for themselves and engage with Marx's powerful methods of argument and explanation. Shapiro shows that Capital is key to understanding critical theory and cultural production.*BR**BR*This highly focused book will prove invaluable to students of politics, cultural studies and literary theory.
China From the Inside Out: Fitting the People's Republic into the World
by Ronald C. KeithThis book champions China's domestic politics, which will be essential in shaping the country's role in the world.*BR**BR*Many books claim to aid our understanding of China. They assume that it is destined to follow the model of the US; war, empire and unilateralism. However, China From the Inside Out highlights the China's domestic perception of it's own 'rise'. *BR**BR*Critically analysing Chinese policy which straddles the paradox between 'socialism' versus 'capitalism with Chinese characteristics', this book looks at the struggle to create a rule of law and foster human rights through a new stage of democratic reform.
Overcoming Zionism: Creating a Single Democratic State in Israel/Palestine
by Joel KovelIsrael is an incorrigible human rights offender because, by discriminating against Arabs, it is guilty of 'state-sponsored racism' argues Joel Kovel. Like apartheid South Africa, the best hope for peace in Israel is to return to the idea of a one-state solution, where Jews and Palestinians can co-exist in a secular democracy.*BR**BR*Kovel is well-known writer on the Middle East conflict. This book draws on his detailed knowledge to show that Zionism and democracy are essentially incompatible. He offers a thoughtful account of the emotional and psychological aspects of Zionism that helps us understand the relationship between ideology, culture and political processes. *BR**BR*Ultimately, Kovel argues, a two-state solution is essentially hopeless as it concedes too much to the regressive forces of nationalism, wherein lie the roots of continued conflict.
North Korea on the Brink: Struggle For Survival
by Glyn Ford Soyoung KwonNorth Korea's development and testing of nuclear weapons made headlines in the Western media, but is the country really a threat to the rest of the world? *BR**BR*This accessible introduction examines the country's history and focuses on whether the threat is realistic or exaggerated by the US in order to gain international support for the controversial missile defence system. It also shows what the EU can do to engage with North Korea and counterbalance the US policy of isolationism.*BR**BR*North Korea is struggling to survive in the face of US threats of pre-emptive action and regime change by developing its own Weapons of Mass Destruction. For the EU, the challenge is to resolve this stand-off, providing North Korea with sufficient security guarantees to enable them to give up their nuclear weapons, and enough assistance to enable the economic and social reforms that the country so desperately needs.
Your Right to Know: A Citizen's Guide to the Freedom of Information Act
by Heather BrookeHave you ever wanted to know:*BR*- Which doctor has the best operation success rate in your health trust?*BR*- If MI5 has a file on you?*BR*- The actual number and type of crimes that happen in your street?*BR*- Which streets are targeted by parking attendants in your area?*BR*- Which buildings have failed their fire safety inspections?*BR**BR*The public had no right to most of this information - until now. In 2005 the Freedom of Information Act came into force giving the British public a legal right, for the first time, to access information from more than 100,000 public authorities. But in order to take advantage of this new right you first have to know who holds the information and how to get it. This guide gives you the tools you need to get the information you want.*BR**BR*This edition comes with a new foreword by Ian Hislop.
Beyond the Wire: Former Prisoners and Conflict Transformation in Northern Ireland
by Peter Shirlow Kieran McEvoyThis book provides the first detailed examination of the role played by former loyalist and republican prisoners in grass roots conflict transformation work in the Northern Ireland peace process. It challenges the assumed passivity of former prisoners and ex-combatants. Instead, it suggests that such individuals and the groups which they formed have been key agents of conflict transformation. They have provided leadership in challenging cultures of violence, developed practical methods of resolving inter-communal conflict and found ways for communities to explore their troubled past. In analysing this, the authors challenge the sterile demonisation of former prisoners and the processes that maintain their exclusion from normal civic and social life. *BR**BR*The book is a constructive reminder of the need for full participation of both former combatants and victims in post-conflict transformation. It also lays out a new agenda for reconciliation which suggests that conflict transformation can and should begin 'from the extremes'. *BR**BR*The book will be of interest to students of criminology, peace and conflict studies, law and politics, geography and sociology as well as those with a particular interest in the Northern Ireland conflict.
Nomads, Empires, States: Modes of Foreign Relations and Political Economy, Volume I
by Kees van der Pijl*Shortlisted for the Deutscher Memorial Prize 2008* *BR**BR*How we think about international relations theory needs to change. Kees van der Pijl argues that by making the "nation-state" the focus of international relations, the discipline has become Euro-centric and a-historical and that theories of imperialism and historic civilisations, and their relation to world order, have been discarded. With more than half the world's population living in cities, with unprecedented levels of migration, global politics is present on every street corner. The 'international' is no longer only a balance of power among states, but includes tribal relations making a comeback in various ways. *BR**BR*Outlining a new approach to IR theory, the book makes a case for a re-reading of world history in terms of foreign relations, and shows what it reveals about both our past and our future.
Iran on the Brink: Rising Workers and Threats of War
by Andreas Malm Shora EsmailianWhile the world keeps its eyes riveted on Iran's nuclear programme, the Islamic Republic has gone through a crisis of its own. This book shows how soaring unemployment and poverty has given way to social protest. A new labour movement has come to the fore. Although strikes are banned, workers are beginning to organise and underground networks are challenging the rule of the mullahs from within.*BR**BR*The authors offer a unique portrait of the social upheaval, why it is happening and where it may take the country. Following the fall of reformism, the rise of Ahmadinejad and the recent outbursts of ethnic violence, this book provides rare insights into the inner contradictions of the Islamic Republic. *BR**BR*The second part of the book deals with the international issues facing Iran - in particular the nuclear question, Iran's oil reserves and the serious threat of invasion. It is a sobering account of the realities of life in Iran, and the threat that war poses to the democratic aspirations of the Iranian people.
Exodus From Empire: The Fall of America's Empire and the Rise of the Global Community
by Terrence E. PauppThis book lays out a comprehensive vision for a new world order based on cooperation between the developing world and leading Left countries in Latin America. *BR**BR*Arguing that the ravages of corporate capitalism are unsustainable, Terrence E. Paupp presents an energetic critique of the problems of empire, and looks ahead to a global countermovement against the IMF and US hegemony.
Into the Long War: Oxford Research Group International Security Report 2006
by Paul RogersIraq stands on the edge of civil war. As sectarian killings escalate, and troops become more deeply entrenched, is there any prospect of an exit strategy? Into the Long War examines events in Iraq since May 2005 and how they impact on other countries including Afghanistan, Iran and the wider Middle East. *BR**BR*Bringing together the extensive analysis of the renowned Oxford Research Group, the book charts a tumultuous period in the conflict, including a wider international perspective on the terrorist attacks in London and Sharm al Sheik, and an assessment of how US public opinion has changed as the war drags on.*BR**BR*Rogers offers a clear and compelling account of an invasion that was meant to take a matter of weeks - and that now threatens to engulf an entire region for many years to come.
Women's Rights: Small Guides to Big Issues (Small Guides to Big Issues)
by Geraldine TerryWhat are the global challenges of the twenty-first century? All over the world, women and girls are being denied their social, economic, political and civil rights, Geraldine Terry, seeks to expose this structural discrimination across a range of areas where it occurs.*BR**BR*Denial of women's equality occurs in education, access to public services, in reaping benefits from trade and in domestic violence. Increasingly too, the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa has become linked to the denial of rights to women. By looking at positive examples of women acting to transform inequalities and oppression by asserting their rights, Terry argues that sponsoring women's rights is not only a moral issue but also an efficient way to pursue poverty reduction.*BR**BR*The Small Guides to Big Issues series de-bunks myths and raises questions about the global economic and political system and how it works. They are designed for campaigners and activists, students and researchers, and anyone interested in looking behind the headlines. Produced in partnership with Oxfam, each book provides an informative and thought-provoking guide to current trends and debates, and what needs to happen in order to end poverty and injustice.
Government of the Shadows: Parapolitics and Criminal Sovereignty
by Eric WilsonThis book uncovers the activities of clandestine governments. It explores how covert political activity and transnational organised crime are linked - and how they ultimately work to the advantage of state and corporate power. *BR**BR*Using a variety of case studies, from the mafia in Italy to programmes for food and reconstruction in Iraq, the authors illustrate that parapolitical structures are not 'deviant', but central to the operation of global governments. *BR**BR*The creation of this parallel world economy, the source of huge political and economic potential, entices states to undertake new forms of regulation, either through their own intelligence agencies, or through the more shadowy world of criminal cartels.