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Books > Social sciences > Politics & government > Political control & freedoms > General
In spite of the intense preoccupation with individual and self in
modern Western thought, the social sciences have tended to focus on
groups and collectives and downplay the individual. This implicit
view has also coloured the study of social life in China where both
Confucian ethics and Communist policies have shaped collective
structures with little room for individual agency and choice. What
is actually happening, however, is a growing individualization of
China - not only changing perceptions of the individual but also
rising expectations for individual freedom, choice and
individuality. The individual has also become a basic social
category in China, and a development has begun that permeates all
areas of social, economic and political life. How this process
evolves in a state and society lacking two of the defining
characteristics of European individualization - a culturally
embedded democracy and a welfare system - is one of the questions
that the volume explores. A strength of this volume is that its
authors succeed in depicting the individualization process in
conceptually acute and empirically sensitive terms, and as
something with its own distinctively Chinese profile. That makes
this book a 'must read' for all those wanting to understand
present-day Chinese society, with all of its ambivalences,
contingencies and contradictions.
Power is classically understood as the playing out of relations
between the ruler and the ruled. Political impasse is often viewed
as a moment in which no clear-cut delineation of power exists,
resulting in an overwhelming sense of frustration or feeling stuck
in a no-win situation. The new globalised world has produced a real
shift in how power works: not only has power been concentrated in
the hands of very few while many millions become more oppressed by
radical shortages and growing costs, but we also have a new
category of political subjectivity in which many find themselves
neither rulers nor radically oppressed. Those who live the
neither/nor of contemporary power live the new global impasse. For
those of us who are stuck and compelled to wait for dominant power
to break, this book uncovers possibilities in thought, imagination,
and self-appropriation through oikeiosis, that is, making oneself
at home in oneself, and constancy.
In 1982 aanvaar Nico Smith ’n beroep na die NG Kerk in Afrika
se Mamelodi-gemeente. Hy en sy vrou laat hulle gemaklike
lewe agter en gaan bly in Mamelodi. Hier leer Nico en Ellen
rêrig die hart van Mamelodi se mense ken, en beleef swaarkry
saam met hulle. Hulle leer wat dit beteken om swart te wees in
Suid-Afrika onder apartheid. Hulle leer ’n ander God ken, nie
die God van Nico se vaders nie, maar die God van die
verworpenes en die verdruktes.
Drawing on archival sources from Czechoslovakia, Poland, East
Germany, Romania and Bulgaria, Perceptions of Society in Communist
Europe considers whether and to what extent communist regimes cared
about popular opinion, how they obtained their information, and how
it helped them implement and maintain their rule. Contrary to
popular belief, communist regimes sought to legitimise their
domination with minimal resort to violence in order to maintain
their everyday power. This entailed a permanent negotiation process
between the rulers and the ruled, with public approval of
governmental policies becoming key to their success. By analysing
topics such as a Stalinist musical in Czechoslovakia, workers'
letters to the leadership in Romania, children's television in
Poland and the figure of the secret agent in contemporary culture,
as well as many more besides, Muriel Blaive and the contributors
demonstrate the potential of social history to deconstruct
parochial national perceptions of communism. This cutting-edge
volume is a vital resource for academics, postgraduates and
advanced undergraduates studying East-Central European history,
Stalinism and comparative communism.
This provocative volume explores how and why the word "patriot" has
been appropriated by those who fight against the U.S.
government-sometimes advocating violence in support of their goals.
Today, as in the past, some "patriot" groups in America long for a
return to traditional values and believe it is their duty to stop
an intrusive government from whittling away at the freedoms that
define the United States. This book looks at the origins and
current activities of such groups through an exploration of the
dual nature of the patriot in American mythos-the unquestioning
lover of the country and its policies versus the man or woman who
places the founding principle of limited government above all else.
Focusing on contemporary patriot groups and their impact on U.S.
society, the work offers insights into factors that have
contributed to the rise of such groups in the past that are again
manifesting themselves. It explores the groups' motivations and
justifications and shows how these groups use the emotionally
powerful sentiment of patriotism to agitate for change and promote
political violence. Perhaps most significant for readers is a
discussion of the beliefs that divide the American public today as
reflected in the ideologies of patriot groups-and what this means
for the future. Addresses the wide range of "patriot" groups
currently active in the United States, covering their origins and
current activities and what they reveal about America's political
state Profiles well-known patriot groups Discusses the political,
economic, and social dynamics that perpetuate the growth of these
movements Explores how and why such groups evolved from guardians
of the principles of restrained government to proponents of
radicalized violence against those they see as being in opposition
to their beliefs Overviews the congruence of patriotism and
political violence in U.S. history, such as how disillusionment in
the wake of the Civil War provided fodder for the forming of the
Klu Klux Klan
Now updated and expanded for its second edition, this book
investigates the role intelligence plays in maintaining homeland
security and emphasizes that effective intelligence collection and
analysis are central to reliable homeland security. The first
edition of Homeland Security and Intelligence was the go-to text
for a comprehensive and clear introduction to U.S intelligence and
homeland security issues, covering all major aspects including
analysis, military intelligence, terrorism, emergency response,
oversight, and domestic intelligence. This fully revised and
updated edition adds eight new chapters to expand the coverage to
topics such as recent developments in cyber security, drones, lone
wolf radicalization, whistleblowers, the U.S. Coast Guard, border
security, private security firms, and the role of first responders
in homeland security. This volume offers contributions from a range
of scholars and professionals from organizations such as the
Department of Homeland Security, the Center for Homeland Defense
and Security at the Naval Postgraduate School, the National
Intelligence University, the Air Force Academy, and the
Counterterrorism Division at the Federal Law Enforcement Training
Center. This breadth of unique and informed perspectives brings a
broad range of experience to the topic, enabling readers to gain a
critical understanding of the intelligence process as a whole and
to grasp what needs to happen to strengthen these various systems.
The book presents a brief history of intelligence in the United
States that addresses past and current structures of the
intelligence community. Recent efforts to improve
information-sharing among the federal, state, local, and private
sectors are considered, and the critical concern regarding whether
the intelligence community is working as intended-and whether there
is an effective system of checks and balances to govern it-is
raised. The book concludes by identifying the issues that should be
addressed in order to better safeguard our nation in the future.
Addresses the most recent changes in homeland security and
intelligence, explains the dynamics and structure of the
intelligence community, and assesses the effectiveness of new
intelligence processes Focuses on the evolving structure of the
intelligence community and its processes in the age of ISIS and
organized, widespread terrorist threats as witnessed by the events
in Boston, San Bernardino, and Paris Contains seven new chapters as
well as revisions and updates throughout this second edition
Underscores how intelligence can work-and needs to function-across
homeland security efforts at the federal, state, and local levels
In 1997, George Henderson, who was staying in a homeless shelter,
asked for the help of author, Dr. Bonnie Clark Douglass. George's
brother Paul Henderson, who was nicknamed "Poncho," was only 17
when he went missing on Halloween night. Poncho's lifeless body was
found a couple of weeks later on Nov. 14th, 1981, at the end of the
catwalk under the Centennial Bridge in Miramichi City. Poncho's
sneakers were found neatly placed, side by side, atop a pillar
approximately 50 yards from the body; not one police report
retrieved mentions this fact. George refused to "live with it,"
after the family was told Poncho fell off the bridge, and that was
not what the Pathologist's report concluded. "I'd say he was
beaten. When a person falls, you expect to see trademark injuries,
especially to the hands and face." Sheriff Pollard said that if he
did not know better, he would guess that someone put Poncho on a
rack and stretched him. (Telegraph Journal, February 6, 1999,
Calvin Pollard, with 25 years combined experience as a sheriff and
coroner). George and Dr. Bonnie dug up every piece of information
they could find. This included old RCMP records retrieved from the
New Brunswick Archives, and news articles from 1981. A
comprehensive written report was submitted to the N.B. RCMP Major
Crime Unit and, in 1999, the RCMP announced that the case was being
opened. After George's violent death in 2007, Dr. Bonnie knew that
one day she had to tell George's story, because of his tenacity and
courage in the face of a system that seemed dead against him.
George remained the eye of the storm, no matter what he came up
against. After starting a Facebook site, miraculously, 10 pages of
tips came in. The truth about that fateful night and what happened
on the catwalk began to unravel. Who would ever believe how the
truth surfaced because of social media? A loyal group of people,
who ravaged the storm and fought to honor George's vow for justice,
are revealed in the story.
Dr. Lee P. Brown, one of America's most significant and respected
law enforcement practitioners, has harnessed his thirty years of
experiences in police work and authored Policing in the 21st
Century: Community Policing. Written for students, members of the
police community, academicians, elected officials and members of
the public, this work comes from the perspective of an individual
who devoted his life to law enforcement. Dr. Brown began his career
as a beat patrolmen who through hard work, diligence and continued
education became the senior law enforcement official in three of
this nation's largest cities. The book is about Community Policing,
the policing style for America in the Twenty-First Century. It not
only describes the concept in great detail, but it also illuminates
how it evolved, and how it is being implemented in various
communities throughout America. There is no other law enforcement
official or academician who is as capable as Dr. Brown of
masterfully presenting the concept of Community Policing, which he
pioneered. As a philosophy, Community Policing encourages law
enforcement officials, and the people they are sworn to serve, to
cooperatively address issues such as crime, community growth, and
societal development. It calls for mutual respect and understanding
between the police and the community. The book is written from the
perspective of someone whose peers identify as the "father" of
Community Policing, and who personally implemented it in Police
Departments under his command. It is a thoroughly amazing book that
has been heralded as a "must read" for anyone who has an interest
in law enforcement. Elected officials, academicians, leaders of the
nation's police agencies and members of the public will be
captivated by Dr. Brown's literary contribution.
This book provides a bold examination of the political use of
history in contemporary Russia. Anton Weiss-Wendt argues that
history is yet another discipline misappropriated by the Kremlin
for the purpose of rallying the population. He explains how, since
the pro-democracy protests in 2011-12, the Russian government has
hamstrung independent research and aligned state institutions in
the promotion of militant patriotism. The entire state machinery
has been mobilized to construe a single, glorious historical
narrative with the focus on Soviet victory over Nazi Germany.
Putin's Russia and the Falsification of History examines the
intricate networks in Russia that engage in "historymaking."
Whether it is the Holocaust or Soviet mass terror, Tsars or Stalin,
the regime promotes a syncretic interpretation of Russian history
that supports the notion of a strong state and authoritarian rule.
That interpretation finds its way into new monuments, exhibitions,
and quasi-professional associations. In addition to administrative
measures of control, the Russian state has been using the penal
code to censor critical perspectives on history, typically advanced
by individuals who also happen to call for a political change in
Russia. This powerful book shows how history is increasingly
becoming an element of political technology in Russia, with the
systematic destruction of independent institutions setting the very
future of History as an academic discipline in Russia in doubt.
This cohesive set of case studies collects scholarly research,
policy evaluation, and field experience to explain how terrorist
groups have developed into criminal enterprises. Terrorist groups
have evolved from orthodox global insurgents funded by rogue
sponsors into nimble and profitable transnational criminal
enterprises whose motivations are not always evident. This volume
seeks to explain how and why terrorist groups are often now
criminal enterprises through 12 case studies of terrorist criminal
enterprises written by authors who have derived their expertise on
terrorism and/or organized crime from diverse sources. Terrorist
groups have been chosen from different regions to provide the
global coverage. Chapters describe and analyze the actors, actions,
problems, and collaborations of specific terrorist criminal
enterprises. Other elements discussed include links to such
facilitating conditions as political culture, corruption, history,
economy, and issues of governance. This work advances scholarship
in the field of counterterrorism by expanding the understanding of
these terrorist groups as entities not driven purely by ideology
but rather by the criminal enterprises with which they often
coincide. Provides a global comparison of major terrorist groups
and their engagement in organized crime Provides in-depth analysis
of regional terrorist and criminal groups Incorporates authors'
expertise on regional terrorist groups and organized crime
Acknowledges a variety of opinions and perspectives
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