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Sharing the Land of Canaan: Human Rights and the Israeli-Palestinian Struggle
by Mazin B. QumsiyehThere is no more compelling and dramatic unfolding story, with more profound international ramifications, than the conflict in the Middle East. *BR**BR*Sharing the Land of Canaan is a critical examination of the core issues of the conflict that dares to put forward a radical but logical solution: that a shared state is the best way to achieve justice and peace for Israelis and Palestinians. Mazin B. Qumsiyeh, offers an overview of the issues at stake, and outlines his vision for a lasting peace based on upholding the principles of human rights for all. Tackling taboo subjects, myths and obstacles, he argues convincingly that apartheid in the form of a two-state solution is no longer a feasible way to achieve enduring peace. *BR**BR*At this critical time, when the 'road map' to peace looks more uncertain than ever, this book provides a refreshing counterpoint to the failed strategies of the past. It is a direct and accessible account of the history - and mythology - of the fabled 'Land of Canaan', which lays out hopeful ideas for the future of this truly multiethnic and multicultural region.
State Resistance to Globalisation in Cuba
by Antonio Carmona BáezHow has the government and the people of Cuba actively resisted neo-liberal globalisation? How is it that the Cuban Communist Party continues to exist? To what extent is Cuba affected by global trends and pressures?*BR**BR*Antonio Carmona Báez challenges those on the Left who romantically support the Cuban Revolution as well as those who claim that the free market is the ideal economic model for all states. Instead, he presents an intelligent account of the serious and contradictory consequences of Cuba's social, political and economic restructuring. *BR* *BR*The author revisits the history of the Cuban Revolution, and the crisis after the fall of Cuba's superpower ally, the Soviet Union, to provide answers to these questions.
Contemporary Arab Thought: Studies in Post-1967 Arab Intellectual History
by Ibrahim M. Abu-Rabi'Contemporary Arab Thought is a multifaceted book, encompassing a constellation of social, political, religious and ideological ideas that have evolved over the past two hundred years - ideas that represent the leading positions of the social classes in modern and contemporary Arab societies.*BR**BR*Distinguished Islamic scholar Ibrahim Abu-Rabi' addresses such questions as the Shari'ah, human rights, civil society, secularism and globalisation. This is complimented by a focused discussion on the writings of key Arab thinkers who represent established trends of thought in the Arab world, including Muhammad Abid al-Jabiri, Adallah Laroui, Muhammad al-Ghazali, Rashid al-Ghannoushi, Qutatnine Zurayk, Mahdi Amil and many others.*BR**BR*Before 1967, some Arab countries launched hopeful programmes of modernisation. After the 1967 defeat with Israel, many of these hopes were dashed. This book retraces the Arab world's aborted modernity of recent decades. Abu-Rabi explores the development of contemporary Arab thought against the historical background of the rise of modern Islamism, and the impact of the West on the modern Arab world.
Democracy, Parliament and Electoral Systems (Commonwealth Parliamentary Association)
by Mary Anne Griffith-TraversyThis book examines the importance of democracy as a system of government. Exploring various forms of democratic government throughout the world, the essays assess how democracy works in theory and in practice.*BR**BR*Chapters cover how to improve democracy using case studies from the Caribbean and Spain, how to make parliaments more effective through technology and the structure of parliamentary bodies. the comparative benefits of different electoral systems.*BR**BR*The contributors also examine problems thrown up by various recent elections including the American election in 2000, Sri Lanka, Poland and various African experiences.
True Mission: Socialists and the Labor Party Question in the U.S.
by Eric Thomas ChesterIn the election campaign of 2000, Al Gore and Ralph Nader polled many millions more votes than George W. Bush. Yet the US Left lost out, a casualty of the two-party system. This is a pattern which has been repeated many times over the years. The most contentious issues dividing the Left in the United States have been those related to the Democratic Party. *BR**BR*This book explores the crucial moments in US history where the stranglehold of the two-party system was nearly broken. Presenting a detailed history of Labor party politics, beginning with Henry George's campaign for mayor of New York City in 1886, proceeding to Robert La Follette's independent presidential campaign of 1924, and the Socialist party's relationship to New York's American Labor Party in the early twentieth century, Eric Chester explores the history of Left in America up to and including the Nader campaign of 2000.*BR**BR*Chester identifies key reasons why burgeoning political movements have failed. He examines the part played by trade union-based political parties. He also looks at the inabililty of populist middle-class parties to establish ideological or organisational groundings for a viable third party. Looking to the future, Chester proposes an alternative: drawing on the success of the Socialist Party at the turn of the last century, he lays out ideas for a mass-based socialist party as the only way forward towards genuinely independent politics.
Ireland Beyond Boundaries: Mapping Irish Studies in the Twenty-First Century (Contemporary Irish Studies)
by Liam Harte Yvonne WhelanThis is an an authoritative, up-to-date account of the development of Irish Studies over the past two decades. *BR**BR*The authors examine the key debates that have underpinned recent scholarship and analyse critical concerns that have shaped the subject’s remarkable growth. *BR**BR*They trace the institutional fortunes of Irish Studies in Ireland, the USA, Canada, Australia and Britain and features in-depth critical accounts of specific trends and themes within Irish historiography, literary criticism, religion, migration, music, cultural geography, sport and media culture.
Rethinking War and Peace
by Diana FrancisIs war ever a just way to resolve conflict? Diana Francis argues that it is not. With passion and eloquence, she mounts a head-on challenge to the belief that war as an institution is either necessary or effective for good.*BR**BR*Refuting the notion that human nature condemns us to perpetual carnage, she argues that we can change the ways we think and the systems we live by. In a tightly reasoned discussion of the ethics of war and peace she asserts that war is a gross denial of the core values on which peace depends, and that the Just War Theory has failed and deceived us.*BR**BR*The book explores alternative ways of confronting aggression and injustice, showing that these are neglected but well proven. Francis argues that our security can be enhanced by recognition of our shared responsibility for each other and our planet. Practical solutions require a new level of participation in public affairs. Recent events have shown that this is possible. Francis outlines the steps we must take to bring about the radical shift so urgently needed.
Racism and Anti-Racism in Europe
by Alana Lentin‘Remarkable ... a major contribution to our understanding and handling of one of the crucial contemporary issues that acquires more gravity by the day.’ Zygmunt Bauman *BR**BR*This is an in-depth sociological study of the phenomenon of anti-racism, as both political discourse and social movement practice in western Europe.*BR**BR*Lentin develops a comparative study of anti-racism in Britain, France, Italy and Ireland. While ‘race’ and racism have been submitted to many profound analyses, anti-racism has often been dealt with as either the mere opposite of racism or as a theme for prescriptives or polemics by those concerned with the persistence of racist discrimination. *BR**BR*By contrast, this book views anti-racism as a variety of discourses that are central to the understanding of the politics of modern states. Examining anti-racism gives us insights not only into current debates on citizenship, immigration and Europeanisation, but it also crucially assists us in understanding the nature of race, racism and racialisation themselves. *BR**BR*At a time of mounting state racism against asylum seekers, migrants and refugees throughout Europe and beyond, this book provides a much-needed exploration of the discourse of anti-racism that shapes policy and public opinion today.
War No More: Eliminating Conflict in the Nuclear Age
by Robert Hinde Joseph RotblatAt a time when terrorism is opening the way for new forms of warfare worldwide, this book provides a much-needed account of the real dangers we face, and argues that the elimination of weapons of mass destruction and of war are attainable and necessary goals.*BR**BR*Written by Nobel Peace prize winner and former nuclear physicist Joseph Rotblat, who was involved in the creation of the first atom bomb, and biologist/ psychologist Robert Hinde, War No More provides expert insight into the nature of modern warfare - including weapons of mass destruction. Examining the key factors that contribute to conflict, the authors explain how best to approach a peaceful future. *BR**BR*If war is ever to be eliminated, we must address key issues such as the gap between rich and poor; have fully effective arms controls, and above all we must have better education. The authors emphasise the United Nations - as well as NGOs, religious groups, and grassroots movements - also have important parts to play.
Marx and Other Four-Letter Words
by Georgina Blakeley Valerie BrysonKarl Marx's classic definitions of class and society under capitalism are still widely used today. Ideas such as class, revolution, production and oppression are employed across a broad range of academic subjects, reaching beyond politics, economics and sociology.*BR**BR*Yet these concepts, within a specifically Marxist framework, are not always easy to understand. This book is an ideal student introduction that explains, in clear and concise chapters, the precise meaning and implications of each of Marx's key concepts. Furthermore, the contributors show how these ideas continue to be relevant, and how they relate to modern society.*BR**BR*The contributors include leading academics in the field of politicial science. Outlining clearly what each concept means, they move on to situate it within cutting-edge contemporary political theory.*BR**BR*Concepts include historical materialism, capitalism, class, the state, imperialism, the division of labour, oppression, production and reproduction, revolution, working class internationalism, equality and democracy.
Negotiating Outside the Law: Why Camp David Failed
by Raymond G. HelmickIn the summer of 2000, President Clinton, Ehud Barak and Yasser Arafat came together to negotiate peace between Israel and Palestine. It was a moment laden with hope, that ended in infamous failure. But why did it fail? *BR**BR*The Camp David negotiations made headlines around the world for many months, but the real debates took place behind closed doors. This book is his startling account of the arguments, the relationships and the strategies that played out over the summer of 2000. Based on personal correspondence and position papers with all three leaders, and a long personal association with Yasser Arafat and a whole series of Israeli Prime Ministers dating back to 1985, this book offers a unique account of the real reasons behind the failure of Camp David.
Failing Peace: Gaza and the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict
by Sara RoyDiscussion of Israeli policy toward Palestinians is often regarded as a taboo subject, with the result that few people - especially in the US - understand the origins and consequences of the conflict. This book provides an indispensable context for understanding why the situation remains so intractable.*BR**BR*The book focuses on the Gaza Strip, an area that remains consistently neglected and misunderstood despite its political centrality. Drawing on more than two thousand interviews and extensive firsthand experience, Sara Roy chronicles the impact of Israeli occupation in Palestine over nearly a generation. *BR**BR*Exploring the devastating consequences of socio-economic and political decline, this is a unique and powerful account of the reality of life in the West Bank and Gaza. Written by one of the world's foremost scholars of the region, it offers an unrivalled breadth of scholarship and insight.
Born Again: The Christian Right Globalized
by Jennifer S. ButlerThe Christian Right wields massive political power in the United States and beyond. This is the first book to reveal the growing influence of the Christian Right within the United Nations. *BR**BR*This book reveals how Christian conservative groups are able to shape policy in every corner of the world. Drawing on interviews with religious leaders, it reveals how today's most powerful Christian Right organisations are building interfaith coalitions, connecting Catholic, Mormon and Muslim allies to advance a conservative agenda. *BR**BR*The US under Bush Jr. has given them a significant voice in shaping US policy on issues including women's rights, reproductive health, human cloning, children's rights and AIDS. *BR**BR*In short, the Christian Right is globalising -- a phenomenon that promises to challenge progressive social policy on a world-wide scale - as well as transform the Christian Right itself.
US Foreign Policy in the Middle East: The Role of Lobbies and Special Interest Groups
by Janice J. TerryMillions of dollars are spent every year by companies and special interest groups attempting to influence government policy. They work behind the scenes, lobbying politicians to represent their interests. From tobacco companies, to energy companies, from anti-abortion campaigners to civil rights campaigners, the list is vast. And nowhere is their influence more keenly felt than on the issue of the Middle East.*BR**BR*Israel is America's key ally in the Middle East, and helps maintain US dominance in the region. This book shows how pro-Israeli lobbyists and domestic interest groups have been hugely successful in creating government and financial support for Israel. By contrast, Arab-American groups and Arab governments have had less success putting forward their agendas. *BR**BR*Janice J. Terry shows how special interest groups work, and why certain lobbying techniques are more effective than others. She sets this within the wider cultural context, showing how the US media -- and the general public -- view the Middle East. *BR**BR*To explain how lobbies work, Terry draws on case studies including the Sinai accords and Camp David under Presidents Ford and Carter, the Conflict between Greek and Turkish lobbies over Cyprus, and the major campaign against the Arab boycott. *BR**BR*Making use of primary sources, and unpublished material from various presidential libraries, this is a fascinating expose of the role that lobby groups really play in determining US foreign policy in the Middle East. It will be of interest to students of American politics, and Middle East studies.
Vulnerability and Violence: The Impact of Globalisation
by Peadar Kirby'Vulnerability' is now a key term in globalisation studies. It is used to describe how globalisation impacts on individual security, local communities and even global flows of trade, finance and investment. Yet there has been little attempt to interrogate the term and what it is trying to express about globalisation.*BR**BR*Peadar Kirby examines what is really meant by 'vulnerability' and links it to new forms of violence that have resulted from decreased security and social cohesion. He argues that vulnerability and violence are characteristic features of a new world order dominated by neoliberal globalisation. Illustrating his argument with a wealth of examples taken from all over the world -- from the sudden collapse of the middle class in Argentina to increased levels of poverty internationally -- he offers a robust theoretical grounding that will be of use to anyone studying vulnerability and violence and their relation to contemporary globalisation.
The Philosophy of Antonio Negri, Volume One: Resistance in Practice
by Timothy S. Murphy Abdul-Karim MustaphaThis collection of essays is the first of its kind in English on the work of Antonio Negri, the Italian philosopher and political theorist. The spectacular success of Empire, Negri's collaboration with Michael Hardt, has brought Negri's writing to a new, wider audience. A substantial body of his writing is now available to an English-speaking readership.*BR**BR*Outstanding contributors – including Michael Hardt, Sergio Bologna, Kathi Weeks and Nick Dyer-Witheford - reveal the variety and complexity of Negri's thought and explore its unique relevance to modern politics. Negri is one of the most sophisticated analysts of modern political philosophy. Philosophers and critics alike find his work both difficult and exhilarating, engaging as it does with Marx, Spinoza, Deleuze, Guattari, Tronti and others. *BR**BR*This book is ideal for readers who want to get to grips with Negri's key themes, in particular his theories on labour, capital, power, the state and revolution. It makes a great introduction to his work for students of political philosophy, as well as providing a comprehensive critical approach for Negri enthusiasts.
Power Sharing: New Challenges For Divided Societies
by Ian O'Flynn David RussellIt is widely assumed that internal power-sharing is a viable democratic means of managing inter-communal conflict in divided societies. In principle, this form of government enables communities that have conflicting identities to remedy longstanding patterns of discrimination and to co-exist peacefully. Key arguments in support of this view can be found in the highly influential works of Arend Lijphart and Donald Horowitz.*BR**BR*Power Sharing seeks to explore the unintended consequences of power-sharing for the communities themselves, their individual members, and for others in society. More specifically, it is distinctive in questioning explicitly whether power sharing: perpetuates inter-communal conflict by institutionalising difference at the political level; inhibits conflict resolution by encouraging extremism; stifles internal diversity; and fails to leave sufficient space for individual autonomy.*BR**BR*This book not only provides a theoretical exploration and critique of these questions, but comprehensively examines specific test cases where power-sharing institutions have been established, including in Northern Ireland, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia and Lebanon. It also explores such issues as the role of political leaders, human rights instruments, the position of women, and the prospects for reconciliation within such societies. Furthermore it provides a detailed set of policy recommendations to meet the challenges of transition in deeply-divided societies.
Capitalism and Its Economics: A Critical History
by Douglas DowdAnalysing the relationship between economic thought and capitalism from 1750 to the present, Douglas Dowd examines the dynamic interaction of two processes: the historical realities of capitalism and the evolution of economic theory. He demonstrates that the study of economics celebrates capitalism in ways that make it necessary to classify economic science as pure ideology. A thoroughly modern history, this book shows how economics has become ideology. A radical critic of capitalism, Dowd surveys its detrimental impact across the globe and throughout history. *BR**BR*The book includes biographical sketches and brief analyses of the major proponents and critics of capitalism throughout history, including Adam Smith, Thomas Malthus, Jeremy Bentham, John Stuart Mill, Karl Marx, Thorstein Veblen, Rosa Luxemburg, John Maynard Keynes, Paul Samuelson, Milton Friedman, and Eric Hobsbawm. This new edition includes a new preface and an additional chapter by the author.
God Willing?: Political Fundamentalism in the White House, the 'War on Terror' and the Echoing Press
by David DomkeThe political fundamentalism, offered up by the Bush administration after 9/11, capitalised upon the fear felt by many Americans. In essence, it is a conservative-religious ideology, but via strategic communication choices, it was transformed into a policy agenda that feels political rather than religious. These communications dominated public discourse and public opinion for months on end and came at a significant cost for democracy.*BR**BR*The administration had help spreading its messages. The mainstream press consistently echoed the administration's communications - thereby disseminating, reinforcing and embedding the administration's fundamentalist worldview and helping to keep at bay Congress and any substantive public questioning. *BR**BR*This book analyzes hundreds of administration communications and news stories from September 2001 to Iraq in spring 2003 to examine how this occurred and what it means for U.S. politics and the global landscape.
Global Rivalries From the Cold War to Iraq
by Kees van der PijlThis book offers a highly original analysis of world events in the light of the Iraq War. It explores the history and development of relations between major countries in the international community and the impact that successive wars and changes in the global political economy have had on the way states relate to each other today. *BR**BR*Tracing the liberal state structure back to the closing stages of the English Civil War and settlement in North America, it argues that the rise of the English-speaking West has created rivalries between contender states that are never entirely put to rest. With each round of Western expansion, new rivalries are created. *BR**BR*Offering a truly global analysis that covers every area of the world - from Europe and America to China, the Middle East, Latin America and Russia -- he analyses the development of international relations post WWII, and questions whether the neoliberal project and its human rights ideology have collapsed back into authoritarianism under the guise of the 'war on terror'.
Nation-Building: A Key Concept For Peaceful Conflict Transformation?
by Jochen HipplerThe term 'nation-building' has experienced a remarkable renaissance since the early 1990s. It has been used to describe and to justify the military interventions in Somalia, Afghanistan and Iraq. Linked to the idea of 'failed' or 'failing' states, the concept is used to hide and legitimise a whole range of diverse policies, allowing foreign powers to control and reshape countries in areas of conflict.*BR**BR*Currently the international debate on nation building is heavily dominated by US actors and authors, especially by writers connected to the Bush administration or its policies. This book presents academic and political alternatives, presenting a critical view from 'Old Europe'. *BR**BR*The book combines academic research and analysis with policy orientation, with contributors from both fields. It clarifies the terminology distinguishing developmental, peace-related, imperial and analytical approaches to nation-building. Highlighting its connections to globalization, democracy, ethnic and religious minorities, the contributors consider case studies such as Somalia, the Balkans, Afghanistan, Iraq and Nigeria.
Globalizing Resistance: The State of Struggle
by François Polet CETRIFrom Bolivia to New Zealand, from South Africa to Russia and China, this is a round-the-world tour of resistance to neoliberalism. The anti-globalization movement is truly global, each region has its own specific groups and agendas, this book presents writers and activists from every continent to provide a truly international view of alternative social and political struggles.*BR**BR*Struggles against capitalism, privatisation, social exclusion and exploitation are mobilising many thousands. This book examines what has been achieved so far. The authors examine the World Social Forums as a dynamic for moving things forward. They explore the global anti-war movement and the successful mobilisation for the protests of 15th February 2003; they analyse new media strategies; and they offer a disturbing account on new police arrangements to control demonstrators.*BR**BR*Edited by Francois Polet, who is a member of the Tricontinental Centre and the World Forum for Alternatives -- a group that plays a prominent role in the World Social Forums -- the book includes contributions from Donatella della Porta, Boaventura de Sousa Santos, Verity Burgmann, Paola Manduca and Bernard Dreano.
Unravelling Gramsci: Hegemony and Passive Revolution in the Global Political Economy (Reading Gramsci)
by Adam David Morton‘Powerful and clarifying ... The book’s combination of careful argument and cogent illustration will make this a landmark volume in Gramscian studies.’ John Agnew, University of California, Los Angeles, and author of Hegemony: The New Shape of Global Power*BR**BR*‘Morton draws upon an impressive knowledge of Gramsci’s writings to provide new insights into key processes in today’s world order.’ Anne Showstack Sassoon, Emeritus Professor, Kingston University and Visiting Professor, Birkbeck College, University of London*BR**BR*Unravelling Gramsci makes extensive use of Antonio Gramsci’s writings, including his much-overlooked pre-prison journalism, prison letters, as well as his prison notebooks, to provide a fresh approach to understanding his contemporary relevance in the current neoliberal world order. Adam Morton examines in detail the themes of hegemony, passive revolution and uneven development to provide a useful way of analysing the contemporary global political economy, the project of neoliberalism, processes of state formation, and practices of resistance. The book explores the theoretical and practical limitations of how Gramsci’s ideas can be used today, offering a broad insight into state formation and the international factors shaping hegemony within a capitalist framework.
Empire's Law: The American Imperial Project and the War to Remake the World
by Amy BartholomewCan democracy and human rights really be imposed 'by fire and sword'? *BR**BR*This is a collection of essays debating empire and international law, concerning the relationship between American imperialism, the abuse of 'humanitarian intervention' and its legal implications.*BR**BR*Covering everything from the role of Europe and the UN, to people's tribunals, to broader accounts of the contradictions of war and human rights, the contributors offer new and innovative ways of examining the problems that we face.*BR**BR*Contributors include Leo Panitch, Sam Gindin, Jurgen Habermas, Ulrich Preuss, Andrew Arato, Samir Amin, Reg Whitaker, Denis Halliday and Hans von Sponeck.
Not a Normal Country: Italy After Berlusconi
by Geoff Andrews'I know of no book in English dedicated with such focus and depth on Berlusconi’s politics. ... Geoff Andrew's grasp of political culture is profound and reflective.' Gino Bedani, Research Professor in Italian, University of Swansea*BR**BR*'[Andrews provides] unusually penetrating insights ... Beautifully written.' Jim Newell, Reader in Politics, University of Salford*BR**BR*Not a Normal Country explores Italian politics and culture in the era of Silvio Berlusconi, Italy’s richest man and one of its longest serving prime ministers. Geoff Andrews argues that the ‘Berlusconi phenomenon’ was a populist response to widespread cynicism towards politics. Berlusconi posed as an ‘anti-politician’, and based his appeal on his virtues as a salesman rather than a statesman.*BR**BR*The second part of the book discusses the varied opposition to Berlusconi. This ranges from the anti-global demonstrations in Genoa in 2001 to unconventional protests such as the Girotondo movement led by the film director Nanni Moretti. According to Andrews, this new associationism has helped rebuild Italian politics.*BR**BR*Finally, Andrews looks to the future and, through the examples of anti-mafia protests in Sicily as well as opposition to the Americanisation of Italian culture, considers the prospects for the new post-Berlusconi Italy.