An introductory guide to some of the most significant perspectives on the subject of power within social and political theory. Contains extracts from such leading contemporary thinkers as Giddens, Lukes and Bourdieu alongside recent conceptions of power from important twentieth century figures including Weber, Arendt and Foucault. Each chapter concentrates on an individual theoretical perspective, and contains a substantial article or extract with its own comprehensive introduction which places the work in context. An excellent point of departure for understanding more about social and political power. -- .

Disrupt and Deny is the untold story behind Britain's secret scheming against both enemies and friends from 1945 to the present day. British leaders use spies and Special Forces to interfere in the affairs of others discreetly and deniably. Since 1945, MI6 has spread misinformation designed to divide and discredit targets from the Middle East to Eastern Europe and Northern Ireland. It has instigated whispering campaigns and planted false evidence on officials working behind the Iron Curtain, tried to foment revolution in Albania, blown up ships to prevent the passage of refugees to Israel, and secretly funnelled aid to insurgents in Afghanistan and dissidents in Poland. MI6 has launched cultural and economic warfare against Iceland and Czechoslovakia. It has tried to instigate coups in Congo, Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and elsewhere. Through bribery and blackmail, Britain has rigged elections as colonies moved to independence. Britain has fought secret wars in Yemen, Indonesia, and Oman - and discreetly used Special Forces to eliminate enemies from colonial Malaya to Libya during the Arab Spring. This is covert action: a vital, though controversial, tool of statecraft and perhaps the most sensitive of all government activity. If used wisely, it can play an important role in pursuing national interests in a dangerous world. If used poorly, it can cause political scandal - or worse. In Disrupt and Deny, Rory Cormac tells the remarkable true story of Britain's secret scheming against its enemies, as well as its friends; of intrigue and manoeuvring within the darkest corridors of Whitehall, where officials fought to maintain control of this most sensitive and seductive work; and, above all, of Britain's attempt to use smoke and mirrors to mask decline. He reveals hitherto secret operations, the slush funds that paid for them, and the battles in Whitehall that shaped them.

How a lone Florida Sheriff fought the U.S. Justice Department--and won! The amazing career of Bob Vogel began in the Florida Highway Patrol, where he personally took over billion dollars in street value of drugs off the market in just three years. Bob tells his story about the war on drugs, on the controversial practice of profiling, and about his years-long battle to prove that his law enforcement efforts were both lawful and prudent. His results helped stem the flow of drugs north and south up Interstate 95 for a number of years, and he was featured on 60 Minutes for his remarkable record. Bob Vogel had taken the upper hand in the fight against drugs. Word in the drug trade spread - avoid Volusia County. His office and officers received numerous citations for a job well done. What should have followed was thankful support from the local media, the state of Florida and even the U.S. Justice Department. Despite full clearance by two separate FBI investigations and a Governor's Panel, and further vindication from a judge who tossed out a class action lawsuit for lack of evidence, two Department of Justice attorneys spent more than two years investigating Sheriff Vogel and his office, at a cost of millions to taxpayers. Fighting to Win is Bob Vogel's own story of his nightmarish odyssey against forces he never dreamed he'd have to battle. But, as he will tell you throughout this compelling chronicle of his career, when you have right on your side you will ultimately triumph.

The story of Egyptian identity from the beginning of the 20th century is one constructed by statesmen, intellectuals and Islamic thinkers. This book argues that the current fragmentation of Egypt's political scene reflects the increasing social division in a country where 'the people' are demanding a redefinition of their national identity. Scrutinising the society behind the uprisings that began in 2011 and their diverse economic, ideological and sectorial demands, it also looks at the desperate state's attempt to construct a unified Egyptian identity an attempt which has resulted in further splitting Egyptian society.

This book problematises China's current policies towards Tibet and Taiwan and offers a fresh democratic approach. When it comes to talking about democracy in China, Chinese nationalists argue that it cannot solve China's problems, while Chinese liberals remain unduly silenced. But China is facing a national identity crisis, compounded by Tibet and Taiwan, where significant proportions of both populations do not identify with the Chinese nation state. Could democracy realistically address the problems in China's national identity? Baogang He opens up a dialogue in which Chinese liberals can offer viable alternatives in defence of key democratic principles and governance. He upholds the search for a political space in which democratic governance in China can feasibly be developed. It problematises existing hard liners' realist policies towards Tibet and Taiwan by examining how democracy can or cannot provide an answer. It examines the different meanings, practices, institutions and various impacts of democracy with regards to the problem of China's national identity. It presents the difficulties and obstacles to the democratic approach to the respective Tibet and Taiwan questions.