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.

From the million reader Substack phenomenon comes a vital narrative that explains how America, once a beacon of democracy, now teeters on the brink of autocracy - and how we can turn back.

In Democracy Awakening, American historian Heather Cox Richardson examines how, over the decades, an elite minority have made war on American ideals. By weaponising language and promoting false history, they are leading Americans into authoritarianism and creating a disaffected population.

Many books tell us what has happened over the last five years. In Democracy Awakening, Richardson wrangles America's meandering and confusing news feed into a coherent story to explain how America got to this perilous point, what we should pay attention to, and what the future of democracy holds.

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.