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Books > Social sciences > Politics & government > Political structure & processes > Democracy
Starting from the observation that the European Union now possesses
many of the attributes of modern political systems, Hix and Hoyland
take an innovative approach to analysing, researching and teaching
the EU. Using the general theories of political science to
understand how the EU works, this text covers each of the main
processes in the EU political system - executive, legislative and
judicial politics, public opinion, interest groups and democracy,
and regulatory, monetary and foreign policies - introducing the key
political science tools, reviewing the relevant theories, and
applying the knowledge in detailed descriptive analysis. As well as
incorporating new data and the latest research, this new edition
examines the consequences of the dramatic political and policy
developments in the EU over the past decade. The methodology used
in the text makes the political system of the EU accessible to
political science students as a whole, as well as those
specifically studying and researching the EU.
The Mohammadan Anglo-Oriental College (MAO), that became the
Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) in 1920 drew the Muslim elite into
its orbit and was a key site of a distinctively Muslim nationalism.
Located in New Dehli, the historic centre of Muslim rule, it was
home to many leading intellectuals and reformers in the years
leading up to Indian independence. During partition it was a hub of
pro-Pakistan activism. The graduates who came of age during the
anti-colonial struggle in India settled throughout the subcontinent
after the Partition. They carried with them the particular
experiences, values and histories that had defined their lives as
Aligarh students in a self-consciously Muslim environment,
surrounded by a non-Muslim majority. This new archive of oral
history narratives from seventy former AMU students reveals
histories of partition as yet unheard. In contrast to existing
studies, these stories lead across the boundaries of India,
Pakistan and Bangladesh. Partition in AMU is not defined by
international borders and migrations but by alienation from the
safety of familiar places. The book reframes Partition to draw
attention to the ways individuals experienced ongoing changes
associated with "partitioning"-the process through which familiar
spaces and places became strange and sometimes threatening-and they
highlight specific, never-before-studied sites of disturbance
distant from the borders.
Public Opinion is Walter Lippmann's groundbreaking work which
demonstrates how individual beliefs are swayed by stereotypes, the
mass media, and political propaganda. The book opens with the
notion that democracy in the age of super fast communications is
obsolete. He analyses the impact of several phenomena, such as the
radio and newspapers, to support his criticisms of the
sociopolitical situation as it stands. He famously coins the term
'manufactured consent', for the fomenting of views which ultimately
work against the interests of those who hold them. Lippmann
contends that owing to the masses of information flung at the
population on a daily basis, opinions regarding entire groups in
society are being reduced to simple stereotypes. The actual
complexity and nuance of life, Lippmann contends, is undermined by
the ever-faster modes of communication appearing regularly.
Collier presents a timely and fresh reexamination of one of the
most important bilateral relationships of the last century. He
delves deeply into the American desire to promote democracy in Iran
from the 1940s through the early 1960s and examines the myriad
factors that contributed to their success in exerting a powerful
influence on Iranian politics. By creating a framework to
understand the efficacy of external pressure, Collier explains how
the United States later relinquished this control during the 1960s
and 1970s. During this time, the shah emerged as a dominant and
effective political operator who took advantage of waning American
influence to assert his authority. Collier reveals how this
shifting power dynamic transformed the former client-patron
relationship into one approaching equality.
Democracy and human rights are key focuses in today's world as
countries across the globe attempt to address significant problems
within their territories, such as illiteracy, discrimination, and
gender inequality, in order to develop and evolve. To ensure
countries address these critical human rights issues, further study
is required to understand and identify potential causes and
solutions. Global Dimensions of Democracy and Human Rights:
Problems and Perspectives considers the main principles of
democracy and human rights, including the analysis of personal,
political, economic, social, legal, ethnic, and religious freedoms
as well as the importance of democracy enlargement for the
establishment of peace and stability in the world. The book also
discusses the main obstacles of democracy and human rights
protection and what should be done globally to prevent and resolve
these issues to achieve tolerance and equity in the world. Covering
topics such as civil rights, global development, and digital
technologies, this reference work is ideal for political
scientists, activists, policymakers, government officials, industry
professionals, researchers, scholars, practitioners, academicians,
instructors, and students.
This thought-provoking book investigates the increasingly important
subject of constitutional idolatry and its effects on democracy.
Focused around whether the UK should draft a single written
constitution, it suggests that constitutions have been drastically
and persistently over-sold throughout the years, and that their
wider importance and effects are not nearly as significant as
constitutional advocates maintain. Analysing a number of issues in
relation to constitutional performance, including whether these
documents can educate the citizenry, invigorate voter turnout, or
deliver 'We the People' sovereignty, the author finds written
constitutions consistently failing to meet expectations. This
innovative book also examines how constitutional idolatry may
frustrate and distort constitutional change, and can lead to strong
forms of constitutional paternalism emerging within the state.
Ultimately, the book argues that idolising written constitutions is
a hollow endeavour that will fail to produce better democratic
outcomes or help solve increasingly complicated societal problems.
Engaging and accessible, Constitutional Idolatry and Democracy will
be a key resource for both new and established scholars interested
in comparative constitutional law, constitutional theory, law and
democracy and written vs. unwritten constitutions.
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Citizens
(Paperback)
Jon Alexander, Ariane Conrad; Foreword by Brian Eno
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R270
Discovery Miles 2 700
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Ships in 12 - 17 working days
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MCKINSEY TOP 5 RECOMMENDED READ 'An underground hit' – Best
Politics Books, Financial Times 'Jon has one of the few big ideas
that's easily applied' – Sam Conniff, Be More Pirate 'A
wonderful guide to how to be human in the 21st Century'
–  Ece Temelkuran, How to Lose a Country: the Seven
Steps from Democracy to Dictatorship Citizens opens up a new
way of understanding ourselves and shows us what we must do
to survive and thrive as individuals, organisations, and
nations. Over the past decade, Jon Alexander’s consultancy, the
New Citizenship Project, has helped revitalise some of
Britain’s biggest organisations including the Co-op, the Guardian
and the National Trust. Here, with the New York Times
bestselling writer Ariane Conrad, he shows how history is
about to enter age of the Citizen. Because when our institutions
treat people as creative, empowered creatures rather than
consumers, everything changes. Unleashing the power of
everyone equips us to face the challenges of
economic insecurity, climate crisis, public health threats,
and polarisation. Citizens is an upbeat handbook, full of
insights, clear examples to follow, and inspiring case
studies, from the slums of Kenya to the backstreets of
Birmingham – and a foreword by Brian Eno. It is the perfect
pick-me-up for leaders, founders, elected officials –and
citizens everywhere. Organise and seize the future! Reviews
'Society is like an out of control house party – eating, drinking
and consuming everything. Jon is the organiser of the
campfire gathering behind the party. It’s calm and
welcoming and you won’t want to leave. In Citizens, Jon and
Ariane show how to leave the burning house of the Consumer
Story and join the campfire that is the Citizen
Story.' – Stephen Greene, CEO of RockCorps and
founding Chair of National Citizen Service UK 'The belief
that every single one of us has both the potential and
the desire to make the world better drives me every day, in
everything I do. In Citizens, Jon shows how taking that
belief as a starting point really could transform our world.
This is a truly powerful book, in every sense of the word.' -
Josh Babarinde, Forbes 30 Under 30 Social Entrepreneur 'Every great
transformation requires a new story. A story
that reveals new possibilities and points toward an
optimistic alternative to the current situation. Citizens
presents just such a story.' – Tim Brown, Chair of IDEO and
author of Change By Design 'The shift from consumer to citizen is a
truly big idea. If you’re in a position of strategic
influence, I strongly recommend you engage with this and
consciously explore what it might mean for your organisation.'
– Dame Fiona Reynolds DBE, Former Director General,
National Trust, and Trustee, BBC 'There is such a thing as an
idea whose time has come. This is that idea.' – James
Perry, Board Member, B Lab Global, and Founding
Partner, Snowball Investment Management
This book provides an in-depth look into key political dynamics
that obtain in a democracy without parties, offering a window into
political undercurrents increasingly in evidence throughout the
Latin American region, where political parties are withering. For
the past three decades, Peru has showcased a political universe
populated by amateur politicians and the dominance of personalism
as the main party-voter linkage form. The study peruses the
post-2000 evolution of some of the key Peruvian electoral vehicles
and classifies the partisan universe as a party non-system. There
are several elements endogenous to personalist electoral vehicles
that perpetuate partylessness, contributing to the absence of party
building. The book also examines electoral dynamics in partyless
settings, centrally shaped by effective electoral supply, personal
brands, contingency, and iterated rounds of strategic voting
calculi. Given the scarcity of information electoral vehicles
provide, as well as the enormously complex political environment
Peruvian citizens inhabit, personal brands provide readymade
informational shortcuts that simplify the political world. The
concept of "negative legitimacy environments" is furnished to
capture political settings comprised of supermajorities of floating
voters, pervasive negative political identities, and a generic
citizen preference for newcomers and political outsiders. Such
environments, increasingly present throughout Latin America,
produce several deleterious effects, including high political
uncertainty, incumbency disadvantage, and political time
compression. Peru's "democracy without parties" fails to deliver
essential democratic functions including governability,
responsiveness, horizontal and vertical accountability, or
democratic representation, among others.
"Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the
others" once remarked Winston Churchill. In this day and age this
quotation resonates more than ever. This book explores democracy
from the perspective of social and cultural psychology,
highlighting the importance of the everyday basis of democratic
practices. This approach takes us beyond the simple understanding
of democracy in its institutional guise of free elections and
public accountability, and towards a focus on group dynamics and
personal characteristics of the democratic citizen, including their
mentalities, habits and ways of relating to others. The book
features discussions of the two-way street between democracy and
dictatorship; conflicts within protests, ideology and public
debate; and the psychological profile of a democratic citizen and
its critique. While acknowledging the limitations of today's
democratic systems, this volume aims to re-invigorate democracy by
bringing psychology to the table of current debates on social
change and citizenship.
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