"America's Failure In Iraq" (402 pages, 198 photographs, 2 maps), explores the involvement of the United States in Iraq beginning with the Gulf War of 1991, under the 'leadership' of President George H.W. Bush and Colin Powell. It continues through the post-war years of the impotent United Nations sanctions that destroyed the Iraqi economy, the events of September 11, 2001, and the ineptitude of our nation's senior leadership, that culminated with the US invasion of Iraq in the spring of 2003. The termination of the Gulf War was one of the worst political-military decisions of modern times. But the invasion of Iraq by his son 12 years later led the United States into a 'mini-Vietnam' scenario that has split our nation down the middle again.

The 2000 presidential election underscored the reality that outcomes in presidential contests do not necessarily follow from the votes cast by American voters. Under the Electoral College, a range of outcomes is possible, and what once might have seemed utterly remote now is clearly possible. Alexander Belenky has focused directly on what he calls extreme outcomes of our presidential elections. This topic is understudied and underanalyzed. He makes a real contribution in a timely way. -Dr. Norman Ornstein, CBS election analyst, American Enterprise Institute Sometimes it takes an "outsider's eye" to see the U.S. political system clearly, and Alexander Belenky's analysis of the presidential election system holds several remarkable surprises for me. Very few scholars have directly addressed fundamental flaws in the Electoral College's logic. Belenky lays bare several flaws. -Prof. David King, Institute of Politics, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University Colorado offers . awarding its nine electoral votes proportionate to the popular vote instead of winner take all . Colorado's "make your vote count" initiative seeks to put power in the popular vote . Could success in Colorado start a trend? . Electoral College experts aren't so certain . Alex Belenky, . who has written three books on the topic, including "Extreme Outcomes of U.S. Presidential Elections," says Colorado could prompt some states to dump winner-take-all but argues that the Electoral College is "flexible" and ought to remain in place-at least as a backup. One scenario he favors combines the popular vote and the Electoral College. "If there is at least 50 percent turnout of the electorate, then let the popular vote be decisive," he says, 'If there is not, then rely on the Electoral College." I like it. It's a good incentive to vote. -John Baer, Colo. Offering Electoral Change. Winner Wouldn't "Take All." Philadelphia Daily News, Sept. 28, 2004 ************************************************************************************** The Electoral College got a brief spate of attention in 2000. Many people realized then for the first time that we have a system in which the president is chosen not by the voters, but by 538 electors. It is a ridiculous setup, which thwarts the will of the majority, distorts presidential campaigning and has the potential to produce a true constitutional crisis. -(Abolish The Electoral College, The New York Times, Editorial, August 29, 2004) With another close presidential contest in store, that hardy if decipherable oddity of American Politics, The Electoral College is back in the news. . The Constitution requires someone to win a majority of the electoral votes; otherwise, the House chooses a president from the top three finishers. How do you think the public would react to the discovery that in such a contigent election, each state delegation has one vote, regardless of its size-the Democratic majority from California being matched by single Republican member from Delaware? . . I suspect this whole Electoral College issue is due for serious debate .. -(David Broder, Electoral College Alternatives Deserve Careful Scrutiny, The Seattle Times, Oct 21, 2004) One more surprising features of the controversy surrounding the 2000 election was its failure to spark any substantiated effort to abolish or reform the Electoral College. .The National Commission on Federal Election Reform, headed by former presidents Carter and Ford, decided early on not to even discuss the issue. "I think it is a waste of time to talk about changing the Electoral College," Carter observed. "I would predict that 200 years from now, we will still have the Electoral College'. -(Alexander Keyssar, Peculiar Institution, Boston Globe, October 17, 2004)

When the controversial book, "Personal Influence: The Part Played by People in the Flow of Mass Communications," was published in 1955, it made waves across the fields of communications, public opinion research, political science, and marketing. Written by Elihu Katz and Paul Lazarsfeld, "Personal Influence" became the canonical statement of the two-step flow of communication, which posits that mass media flow to opinion leaders, who in turn influence the behavior and opinions of people around them.

Throughout the last half of a century, "Personal Influence" has undergone rigorous critique, appeared in numerous citations, and become a key text in the history of mass communications. Why is a rereading of this text relevant now?

Upon the 50th anniversary of the publishing of "Personal Influence," the editors of this volume of "The ANNALS "believed it was an ideal time to reflect upon the book s mid-century contexts and contemporary drawing upon enrichments of the field provided by feminism, critical and cultural studies, the new historicism, and progress in the social sciences. This unique volume of "The ANNALS" crosses generational, disciplinary, and national boundaries to piece together and pull apart a historically important text and use it to shed light on the contemporary environment.

Essays in this volume analyze the personalities who played key roles in the making of "Personal Influence," their origins and social identities, the institutional organization of research in which it evolved, and the disciplinary consequences of its success. Other authors reread Katz and Lazarfeld s classic as a way to explore the relations between citizenship and consumption, the nature of media and political involvement today, and the relevance of the two-step flow paradigm for the study of contemporary audiences, social networks, and public campaigns.

A must-read for scholars, students, and professionals in the fields of communication, public opinion, political science, sociology, and marketing, this volume of "The ANNALS" dusts off a time-worn text and renews its significance in the field of mass communications with modern scholarly perspectives and contemporary methodology experience, inspiring a fresh outlook on this historical force. "

Lack of religious enthusiasm is a universal nemesis with long-ranging effects. In Those Challenging Cracks of Secularism, author Rev. Oliver O. Nwachukwu shows how secularism can further deepen dividing lines among people.

The negatives solicited by indifference to authentic religious values and the erroneous use of force to enlist membership by religious extremists are two extremities "Those Challenging Cracks of Secularism" opposes in the search for ultimate truth. Aggrieved by the negative effects of competing alliances on core Christian religious teachings and values, the book discusses the recent ecclesiastical wrangling in the Episcopal Church that began with the ordination of gay priests and blessing of same-sex union.

It further treats the recent clerical sex abuse scandal, allegations of cover-up, the financial burdens on the affected dioceses, as well as homosexuality in the priesthood. The mythological anabasis of the Old Testament books have often been interpreted wrongfully by fanatics to engage in senseless killings of innocent people in the name of God, something that has led to the mistaken practice of shutting religion off public places as private.

No one should be denied the privilege of close relationship with God through attitude of religious indifference. Economic obsessions, technological enslavement, proliferations of arms, racial intolerance and unbridled political correctness have diluted religious values so much that people are constantly burdened with mistrust and skepticism.

Terrorist attacks on America and its allies and persistent violence in the Islamic world point to a crisis in Islamic society, which "States without Citizens" attributes to an unfulfilled quest for an Islamic renaissance. The Islamic states, whose borders were arbitrarily imposed by Western states, are beset by pervasive socioeconomic problems--authoritarian rule, economic inequities, educational shortcomings, development project failures, sexual frustration--that are being exploited by radical Islamists. Native attempts to modernize Islamic society by adopting Western ways have repeatedly foundered because they have sought to replicate the trappings of state power while neglecting their foundation in civic ethics. To mitigate the violence engendered by the Islamic crisis, the author recommends that culturally authentic institutions must be created that will instill a civic ethics of common cause and public service.

The ideals of civic activism and public service that inspired the Western Renaissance are absent in the Islamic world. Islamic religio-moral ethics aim at salvation; Islamic social ethics aim at clan dominance. Western-inspired solutions to the Islamic crisis are inappropriate to Islamic states, in as much as they are states without citizens. To mitigate the violence engendered by the Islamic crisis, culturally authentic institutions must be created that will instill a civic ethics of common cause and public service. The author recommends this approach for policy makers and development managers and deplores the dangerous vacuity of such drumbeat cliches as the clash of civilizations that have gained currency in the war on terrorism.

Nations have risen to power through their might and driven by greed they have held many people in bondage. When the workforce was limited, they bought and sold slaves. Slavery is still taking place on the continent of Africa, and no one is there protesting. Politics It is all about politics and the political game that is being played out in the greatest nation that the world has ever known could be its demise. We will examine the foundation that was laid by those who came from Great Britain and with only thirteen colonies became the ruler of the seas and skies with an army that is unmatched anywhere. Politics Yes, politics played by men and women desiring power and wealth have brought us the very brink of collapse as they tend to forget who it was that gave so much to so few in the beginning. Thousands upon thousands have given their lives for the freedoms that we have in this land, and yet there are many who do not care, preferring a socialist form of government. But there is still hope for a failing nation.

On the margins of the biblical canon and on the boundaries of what are traditionally called 'mainstream' Christian communities there have been throughout history writings and movements which have been at odds with the received wisdom and the consensus of establishment opinion. If one listens carefully, these dissident voices are reflected in the Bible itself-whether in the radical calls for social change from the Hebrew Bible prophets, with Jesus the apocalyptic prophet who also demanded social and economic justice for his oppressed people, or perhaps from the apocalyptic tradition's millenarian visions. The use of the Bible has been fertile ground throughout Christian history for prophetic calls for radical change within society as a whole and the church in particular. The essays contained in this volume examine aspects of this radical tradition, its doctrine, hermeneutics, pedagogy, and social action. They offer a sustained development of the theme of the Bible and its reception and appropriation in the context of radical practices, and an exposition of the imaginative possibilities of radical engagement with the Bible in inclusive social contexts. Part 1 treats New Testament texts directly-the Lukan writings, Paul and the Book of Revelation; Part 2 explores some examples of reception history and of radical appropriation of the Bible in history and literature; Part 3 addresses contemporary issues in liberation theology and public theology. This book is a Festschrift in honour of Professor Christopher Rowland, the Dean Ireland's Professor of the Exegesis of Holy Scripture in the University of Oxford.

Despite best intentions, the reality is that "development" is still conceptualised, planned and "delivered" by change agents and their institutions in a top-down manner. This is problematic for both the beneficiaries and government change agents as it amplifies rather than lessens service delivery challenges and does not lead to a grassroots planning partnership. Development, change and the change agent - facilitation at grassroots contextualises the change agent through his or her relationship with the local beneficiaries of development. This updated second edition, previously titled The development change agent - a micro-level approach to development, consists of thirteen chapters contributed by seventeen authors representing nine universities. The key theme is the challenge to establish authentic and empowering participation, and the importance of change agent and local development beneficiary engagement and partnerships in achieving this. It covers an interdisciplinary field of development-related foci using a holistic, people-centred approach which includes grassroots facilitation, capacity building, empowerment and participation, developmental local government and good governance, and national development planning. It also incorporates social capital, indigenous knowledge systems, action research methodology and project management. Scholars, development practitioners, development consultants, those working for NGOs and CBOs, development corporations/agencies, and politicians and government officials, specifically local ones, will find the publication relevant in confronting contemporary developmental challenges. Francois Theron is a senior lecturer at the School of Public Leadership at Stellenbosch University. Trained in anthropology and development studies, he fully supports interdisciplinary research. In 2014, he co-edited Development, the State and Civil Society in South Africa (Van Schaik Publishers) with Ismail Davids. Ntuthuko Mchunu is a project manager for community-based tourism development at the City of Cape Town municipality. In addition to his public and development management qualifications at Stellenbosch University, he has extensive practical experience in the local government sphere as a change agent. Theron and Mchunu have partnered in numerous previous projects, leading to this 2016 publication.

Providing a snapshot of the world scene, "Comments on the Human Condition" offers a collection of aphorisms, a series of wittily worded opinions, penned by author William J. Cone, a self-described unrepentant curmudgeon.

Providing views on an array of controversial subjects, Cone calls attention to the silliness in everyday life through his amusing, frustrating, and outrageous opinions on a range of subjects applicable to today's world. Topics include "Three Men in a Bar," "Women Reporters in Men's Locker Rooms," "Somali Pirates," "Messages on T-Shirts," "English Accents," What's Wrong with Profiling?" "Buddy, Can You Spare a Dime?" "Contemplating Pompeii," "More Political Stupidity," "Gay Speak in Sports" and "CornHole Tournaments."

An eclectic collection of rants and ravings, "Comments on the Human Condition" offers one man's thoughts and ideas, often humorous, on a host of topics facing humans today, and he's not afraid to tell you how he really feels.

This title tells the story of how the transition to democracy in South Africa enfranchised blacks politically but without raising most of them from poverty. It shows in detail how the continuing strength of the white establishment forces the leaders of the African National Congress (ANC) to compromise plans for full political and economic transformation. Deferring the economic transformation, the new dispensation nurtures a small black elite. The new elite absorbs the economic interests of the established white elites while continuing to share racial identities with the majority of their countrymen, muffling the divisions between rich whites and poor blacks, thus ensuring political stability in the new South Africa. Although democratic South Africa is officially "non-racial," the title shows that racial solidarities continue to play a role in the country's political economy. Ironically, racial identities, which ultimately proved the undoing of apartheid, have come to the rescue of contemporary democratic capitalism. The author explains how and why racial solidarities are being revamped, focusing particularly on the role of black economic empowerment, the black bourgeoisie, and how calls to represent the identities of black South Africans are having the effect of substituting the racial interests of black elites for the economic interests of the black poor.

This volume gathers the latest advances and innovations in the triple helix of university-industry-government relations, as presented by leading international researchers at the II International Triple Helix Summit 2018, held in Dubai, UAE on November 10-13, 2018, which brought together experts, practitioners and academics across disciplines that address the dynamics of government, industry and academia. It covers analysis, theory, measurements and empirical enquiry in all aspects of university-industry-government interactions, as well as the international bases and dimensions of triple helix relations, their impacts, and social, economic, political, cultural, health and environmental implications. It also examines the role of government/academia/industry in building innovation-based cities and nations, and in transforming nations into knowledge-based sustainable economies. The contributions, which were selected by means of a rigorous international peer-review process, highlight numerous exciting ideas that will spur novel research directions and foster multidisciplinary collaboration among different specialists.

"COMMON SENSE" PERSONAL SUCCESS FATHER AND SONS AMERICAN DREAM "Common Sense" Government "Common Sense" Answers "Common Sense" Tax Reform "Common Sense" United Nations Reform "Common Sense" Political Parties "Common Sense" War Realizations "Common Sense" Picking a President "Common Sense" Penal System Reform "Common Sense" Israel-Palestinian Conflict "Common Sense" Religion "Common Sense" Eradicating Terrorism "Common Sense" World Order "Common Sense" Saving the Democratic Disintegration Parties "Common Sense" Illegal Drug Reform "Common Sense" White House Scramble Madness "Common Sense" Respect Your President "Common Sense" Respect Your Flag "Common Sense" Respect Your Country

This book presents a multidimensional, psychosocial and critical understanding of poverty by bringing together studies carried out with groups in different contexts and situations of deprivation in Brazil, Mexico, Paraguay, Nicaragua and Spain. The book is divided in two parts. The first part presents studies that unveil the psychosocial implications of poverty by revealing the processes of domination based on the stigmatization and criminalization of poor people, which contribute to maintain realities of social inequality. The second part presents studies focused on strategies to fight poverty and forms of resistance developed by individuals who are in situations of marginalization.The studies presented in this contributed volume depart from the theoretical framework developed by Critical Social Psychology, Community Psychology and Liberation Psychology, in an effort to understand poverty beyond its monetary dimension, bringing social, cultural, structural and subjective factors into the analysis. Psychological science in general has not produced specific knowledge about poverty as a result of the relations of domination produced by social inequalities fostered by the capitalist system. This book seeks to fill this gap by presenting a psychosocial perspective with psychological and sociological bases aligned in a dialectical way in order to understand and confront poverty. Psychosocial Implications of Poverty - Diversities and Resistances will be of interest to social psychologists, sociologists and economists interested in multidimensional studies of poverty, as well as to policy makers and activists directly working with the development of policies and strategies to fight poverty.

The French kingdom dissolved into civil wars, known as the "wars of religion," for a generation from 1562 to 1598. This book examines the reactions of France's governing groups to that experience. Their major political endeavour was securing peace. They attempted to achieve it through a religious pluralism not envisaged in any other state on this scale in this period. Its achievement would only be fulfilled, however, alongside a reform of the kingdom's institutions and society. Peace and reform went hand in hand --a moral agenda for restoration.
France's notables drew on reservoirs of classical and Christian moral philosophy and wisdom to find practical answers to the difficult problems of governance that confronted them. The resulting public introspection and vocal debates are difficult to match anywhere else in Europe at this time. They were an essential part of the profound sense of crisis that France's governing elites experienced during the later sixteenth century.
Drawing extensively on manuscript and printed sources not hitherto examined, this book analyses for the first time the debates at the Estates General of Blois (1576-7) and the Assembly of Notables at Saint-Germain-en-Laye of 1583-4. It shows the French polity in a fresh light, presenting major issues of political thought in their public and practical context. And it re-examines the crucial and little-understood reign of Henri III, the last Valois king, suggesting how Bourbon France could have emerged very differently from the civil wars of the late sixteenth century.

2008 marks the 40th anniversary of Hollywood s first major assault on the American audience through an insipid campaign known as value manipulation begun by former Hollywood lobbyist Jack Valenti. Through feature films, television, DVDs, video games, music and the internet, the entertainment industry has pumped-up the volume and intensity of coarse, vulgar and gratuitous imagery unlike anything that has ever assaulted the human senses with an extra dose of social/sexual/political agendas. Author Michael Vincent Boyer, a twenty year veteran of the movie industry, takes the reader deep inside the strategy and mindset of the individuals in Hollywood who are giving you what they want you to see and not what "you" want to see and hear as entertainment. The Hollywood Culture War explores the Hollywood-Washington connection, Tinseltown s New Age gods, the imminent death of hip-hop, Hollywood s persecution of religion and sympathy for terrorism and communism, the fight to stop cable companies from forcing new channels on you (and your cable bill), mandatory drug testing for Hollywood industry employees, and an inside expose of Hollywood s manipulation of the 2008 presidential election between John McCain and Barack Obama. Finally, the story of one man who took on every major studio in Hollywood and won - with a little help from the president Boyer s book comes complete with The Entertainment Resource Guide to help protect unsuspecting audiences from becoming victims of assault at the movie house and your house.