In interviews with Amin Maalouf, Thierry Hentsch, Sara Suleri, Marlene Nourbese Philip and Ackbar Abbas, history is discussed from a non-European perspective. "What's remarkable is the scope Samuel allows his interview subjects."--"Now""There is no shortage of thought-provoking material here."--"Books in Canada"

There has been renewed and growing interest in exploring the significant role played by law in the centralization of power and sovereignty - right from the earliest point. This timely book serves as an introduction into state theory, providing an overview of the conceptual history and the interdisciplinary tradition of the continental European general theory of the state. Chapters present a theory of the state grounded in cultural analysis and show liberal democracy to be the paradigm of today's western nation-state. The analysis includes the emergence of legal forms and institutions that are linked either to the constitutional state (the securing of civil liberties and fundamental rights), the welfare state (social and welfare law), or the network-state (regulation of complex digital technologies). Thomas Vesting focuses on illustrating the fundamental features of these evolutionary stages - the three layers constituting the modern state - and reveals their cultural and social preconditions. This book will be an ideal read for students, postgraduates, and other academic audiences with interests in state theory, jurisprudence, legal theory, political theory, and legal philosophy.

This ground-breaking book investigates the work of policy professionals. They consist of political actors who, although not elected to office, are nonetheless employed to affect policy and politics on a partisan basis. Through an analysis of the influence and power they wield, this book sheds light on how the growth of this group represents a major transformation of the organization of politics and policy making in advanced democracies. Taking a comparative, longitudinal perspective, Stefan Svallfors examines a combination of rich qualitative and quantitative data from countries such as Sweden, the Netherlands, Ireland and Latvia in order to explore what skills policy professionals deploy, the motivations that drive them, and the demand and use for their skills in various organizations. He links his analysis to fundamental questions about the current state and future of democracy, demonstrating that the work of policy professionals is key to understanding how contemporary political influence and democratic accountability function. Politics for Hire will be a stimulating read for scholars and advanced students in political science, public administration, public policy and sociology. It will also provide useful insights for those working in politics and governance seeking to understand the impact and influence of policy professionals.

This book takes a new approach to post-socialist constitutional change in Europe and Eurasia. It views these constitutions as the products of the collapse of Europe's last empire, the Soviet Union. This book therefore seeks to understand these constitutions as more than just post-authoritarian texts, but also as post-colonial ones. This post-colonial paradigm provides a new set of tools for understanding constitutional dynamics in key countries within the European Union as well as the former Soviet republics to the East. In particular, it helps explain democratic backsliding in Central Europe (such as Hungary and Poland), authoritarian resilience in many of the former Soviet republics (including Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan) as well as ongoing struggles about national identity in places like Ukraine and Moldova. Partlett and Kupper's application of the post-colonial paradigm to the former Soviet world contributes to our understanding of post-colonial constitutionalism. This insightful book therefore appeals to the comparative constitutional academic community as well as the broader academic community interested in post-colonialism. It will also be of interest to a general audience interested in better understanding the former socialist bloc countries.

Over four decades ago, radical scholars began to suggest a new way of looking at South African society, one that blamed the economic power of those who owned property for the racial bondage of the black majority. Their work, and the debates it triggered, are mostly forgotten: but they and their critics have much to say that sheds lights on today's South African realities. Harold Wolpe was arguably the most influential theorist of this generation. His writing played a major role in a revolution in thought and his celebrated escape from prison in the 1960s made him a symbol of alternative action. Race, Class and Power clearly and insightfully examines Wolpe's work in the political, intellectual and social contexts in which it was developed and to which it gave form. Drawing on interviews with those he worked with, disagreed with and inspired, the book also maps his influence on ideas and the culture that emerged in anti-apartheid circles in the 1970s. Wolpe's writing is a prism through which South African society can be viewed; this book is an intellectual biography both of Wolpe and of South Africa's left. Race, Class and Power also assesses and engages with the ongoing impact of Wolpe's ideas into the post-apartheid present. Moreover, it suggests how Wolpe's work can move us towards a way of thinking about and acting upon South Africa's realities differently. `This book is a significant and provocative intervention in three discussions, namely the evolution of the analysis of South African society and its history; the role of intellectuals and social theory in the liberation struggle; and the place and content of social analysis in developing political strategy, and particularly in elaborating alternatives to the sterile policies of the ANC government. `I strongly and forcefully recommend this book.'- Professor Dan O'Meara, Departement de science politique. Universite du Quebec a Montreal.

Utilising international material to explore the roles, functions, tasks, responsibilities, powers and actions of intra-state politicians and the institutions to which they are elected, this insightful book examines how local and regional authorities are pivotal in the democratic and governing arrangements of different countries. Expert contributors examine how regional and local bodies have authority over public services, local spending, land use and local regulation, while operating within the constraints and structures of their own national settings. The Modern Guide also considers the responsibility of local and regional powers in the promotion of community action and cohesion. Taking a comparative approach, country-specific chapters present detailed analyses of the similarities and differences between the shape and purpose of institutions which operate within the state and how they interact with each other and the national institutions of government. Exploring the concepts and principles behind power structures within governmental systems, this book will be a key resource for academics and students of public policy, regulation and governance, and public administration and management. Its presentation of models of the formation of government in an international context will also be beneficial for policy-makers and practitioners in these fields.

After dozens of books and articles by anonymous sources, here, finally, is a history of the Trump White House, with the President and his staff talking openly and on the record. In Inside Trump's White House, Doug Wead offers a sweeping, eloquent history of President Donald J. Trump's first years in the White House, covering everything from election night to the biggest political obstacles of his presidency. The book will include never-before-reported stories and scoops, including how President Trump turned around the American economy, how he "never complains and never explains", and insight into how his actions sometimes lead to misunderstandings with the media and the public. Inside Trump's White House features exclusive interviews with the Trump family about the Mueller Report, and narrates their reactions when the report was finally released. Wead successfully gained interviews with the President in the Oval Office, chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, Jared and Ivanka Kushner, Donald Trump Jr, Eric and Lara Trump, and White House insiders for this illuminating history.

This essential Research Handbook provides a comprehensive and critical assessment of the global governance instruments related to business and human rights from an interdisciplinary perspective. Contributions from a diverse range of leading international scholars offer an overview of the existing literature and rapidly-evolving research discipline, as well as identifying key trends and outlining an ambitious future research agenda. The Research Handbook first examines governance initiatives that operate across economic sectors, discussing both public and private initiatives at state, regional and international levels that seek to develop, implement and enforce rules with regard to the impacts of transnational business activities on human rights. Chapters then investigate particular economic sectors - including textiles, electronics, agro-chemical, construction, and finance - to assess the ways in which different initiatives attempt to mitigate risks and address business-related human rights abuses. Scholars of law, regulatory governance, global governance, management, human rights and social sciences who are interested in gaining a deeper understanding of the emerging business and human rights regime will find this Research Handbook a crucial read. It will also prove a useful and thorough introduction for students, scholars and practitioners new to the field of business and human rights.

Addressing the unprecedented challenges facing public leaders brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, this comprehensive Research Handbook reframes the public leadership debate by offering new ways of thinking about leadership practices. Bringing together contributions from leading scholars across the world, this insightful Research Handbook illustrates how the decisions made by global leaders today will have widespread consequences for future generations. Chapters evaluate innovative leadership models including cooperative leadership and spiritual leadership, analyse international perspectives on leadership in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, and discuss the role of public leadership in practice. Exploring important contemporary case studies including the issues of county lines in the UK and public leadership in the Small Island States of the Anglophone Caribbean (SIDS), it concludes by advocating for a new post-pandemic paradigm of public leadership. Focusing on learning from the practices and experiences of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Research Handbook will be essential reading for students and scholars in business management, economics, public leadership, and public policy and politics. It will also be beneficial for civil servants, politicians, and leadership practitioners in healthcare, education, and non-public sectors.

Making a significant, novel contribution to the burgeoning international literature on the topic, this Handbook charts the various methodological, theoretical, comparative and empirical dimensions of a future research agenda on ministerial and political advisers. With an international approach, a diverse range of expert and emerging scholars perform a thorough sociodemographic analysis of political and ministerial actors across different administrative traditions around the globe. Chapters examine their emergence on the executive stage, the circumstances and various institutional arrangements in which they operate, their contributions as policy workers and their turbulent relationship with the media. Questioning normative stances surrounding corruption in political–administrative relations, this transdisciplinary Handbook provides a constructive, nuanced understanding of the nature and agency of ministerial and political advisers. Addressing both historical and contemporary matters relevant to ministerial and political advisers, this innovative Handbook will prove vital to students and scholars of politics, regulation and governance, public administration, policy and management, and international politics. With fresh and constructive analyses of the field, it will also be a useful resource for private-sector and governmental practitioners seeking insights into the roles and impacts of these advisers.

A New York Times Notable Book of the Year

Twenty-five years ago, after Richard Nixon resigned the presidency, Gerald Ford promised a return to normalcy. "My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over," President Ford declared.

But it was not. The Watergate scandal, and the remedies against future abuses of power, would have an enduring impact on presidents and the country. In Shadow, Bob Woodward takes us deep into the administrations of Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush and Clinton to describe how each discovered that the presidency was forever altered. With special emphasis on the human toll, Woodward shows the consequences of the new ethics laws, and the emboldened Congress and media. Powerful investigations increasingly stripped away the privacy and protections once expected by the nation's chief executive.

Shadow is an authoritative, unsettling narrative of the modern, beleaguered presidency.

This timely and engaging book examines the rise of populism across the globe. Combining insights from linguistics, argumentation theory, rhetoric, legal theory and political theory it offers a fully integrated characterization of the form and content of populist discourse. Throughout the book, eminent scholars address questions central to the topic, such as: how does populism manifest itself rhetorically; how does it relate to liberal democracy; and how can the populist challenge be confronted? Carefully selected case studies are used to examine how populist behaviour deviates from that which we would expect to be the norm in a liberal democracy, for example through the use of obnoxious language and refusal to substantiate vulgar claims. The book also provides key insights into more fundamental issues, such as the opposition between the 'real' people versus the elite and the longing for a 'Heimat'. Offering an in-depth analysis and evaluation at the intersection of language, law and politics, Vox Populi will be of great benefit to students and scholars from a range of disciplines.

The Handbook on Democracy and Security offers an insightful new interpretation of the topic that reframes the contemporary challenge of democracy away from competing ideologies or external existential threats, and centres on the security of democracy in the minds and lived experience of its citizens. With a global focus, it provides a cutting edge understanding of contemporary developments in democratic breakdown, investigating the role of new media, social media and the Internet. Expert contributors explore how democracy is affected by the resurgence of populism, terrorism and migration alongside the decline of independent mass media and associated conspiracy theories. The Handbook further argues that the security of government by the people is best understood through the security of people and examines the analysis of democratic security. Providing a diverse range of perspectives on how democratic breakdown occurs, this Handbook will be an excellent read for political scientists interested in human security and the effect of social media on democracy. Policymakers interested in policy prescriptions and stabilizing democratic backsliding will also find this an illuminating and informative resource.

Despite the recent wealth of literature on national populism, research has often overlooked one crucial aspect: the border. This innovative book bridges these key concepts, providing a new theoretical conceptualisation of the interplay between populism, nationalism and territorial borders. In this book, borders are not considered as mere institutional boundaries between nation states; on the contrary, the authors adopt a multi-dimensional view of borders as narratives, issues and territorial spaces of mobilisation. Reconsidering the contemporary politicisation of borders in Western Europe, the authors investigate how national populism deals with territorial borders and the various meanings they embody. Empirical case studies focusing on the Swiss borderlands explore parties' programmes and discourses, representatives' attitudes, as well as public opinion and voting behaviour, offering key insights into how political actors and citizens react to trends such as growing transnational flows, globalisation and European integration. This timely book, based on original party sources and surveys, will be an essential resource for students and scholars of political science, political sociology, border studies, European integration, Euroscepticism and Swiss politics. Its context-oriented analysis will also prove beneficial to practitioners and representatives involved in cross-border cooperation.

Every American president, from Washington to Biden: Their lives, policies, foibles, and legacies, assessed with clear-eyed authority and wit.

Authors of the acclaimed Killing books, the #1 bestselling narrative history series in the world, Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard begin a new direction with Confronting the Presidents.

From Washington to Jefferson, Lincoln to Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Kennedy to Nixon, Reagan to Obama and Biden, the 45 United States presidents have left lasting impacts on our nation. Some of their legacies continue today, some are justly forgotten, and some have changed as America has changed. Whether famous, infamous, or obscure, all the presidents shaped our nation in unexpected ways.

The authors' extensive research has uncovered never before seen historical facts based on private correspondence and newly discovered documentation, such as George Washington's troubled relationship with his mother.

In Confronting the Presidents, O’Reilly and Dugard present 45 wonderfully entertaining and insightful portraits of each president, with no-spin commentary on their achievements―or lack thereof. Who best served America, and who undermined the founding ideals? Who were the first ladies, and what were their surprising roles in making history? Which presidents were the best, which the worst, and which didn’t have much impact? How do decisions made in one era, under the pressure of particular circumstances, still resonate today? And what do presidents like to eat, drink, and do when they aren’t working―or even sometimes when they are?

These and many more questions are answered in each fascinating chapter of Confronting the Presidents. Written with O’Reilly and Dugard’s signature style, authority, and eye for telling detail, Confronting the Presidents will delight all readers of history, politics, and current affairs, especially during the 2024 election season.

Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business and law, expertly written by the world's leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas. Tackling the complex issues surrounding what shapes a person's vote, this cutting-edge Advanced Introduction analyses the main findings in current research on electoral behavior to provide a comprehensive understanding of electoral choice. Key Features: Treats the voting decision as the cumulation of a lifetime of learning Studies global voting examples, from Europe and the Anglo-American democracies to newly democratic states Places the act of voting in context to cover all dimensions of the voting decision, examining the causes of an individual's vote and how that interacts with the design of the country's institutions Considers the ideological effects of short-term factors like issues and leaders which dominate election campaigns, and long-term factors like social backgrounds, looking at how class and economic interests can influence voters Analysing the incentives behind party loyalties and political participation, this Advanced Introduction will be an invaluable guide for students and scholars interested in political and electoral behavior and comparative politics.

Waris Dirie leads a double life -- by day, she is an international supermodel and human rights ambassador for the United Nations; by night, she dreams of the simplicity of life in her native Somalia and the family she was forced to leave behind. Desert Flower, her intimate and inspiring memoir, is a must-read for anyone who has ever wondered about the beauty of African life, the chaotic existence of a supermodel, or the joys of new motherhood.

Waris was born into a traditional Somali family, desert nomads who engaged in such ancient and antiquated customs as genital mutilation and arranged marriage. At twelve, she fled an arranged marriage to an old man and traveled alone across the dangerous Somali desert to Mogadishu -- the first leg of an emotional journey that would take her to London as a house servant, around the world as a fashion model, and eventually to America, where she would find peace in motherhood and humanitarian work for the U.N.

Today, as Special Ambassador for the U.N., she travels the world speaking out against the barbaric practice of female genital mutilation, promoting women's reproductive rights, and educating people about the Africa she fled -- but still deeply loves.

Desert Flower will be published simultaneously in eleven languages throughout the world and is currently being produced as a feature film by Rocket Pictures UK.

Edward Said is a major 20th-century thinker. His impact on the way we think about identity and postcolonialism has been profound and transformative. In this book of essays, scholars of postcolonial studies, philosophy and literary criticism, informed by Said's wide-ranging scholarship, engage with and extend his work. Robert Young, author of "White Mythologies", focuses his essay on the notion of hybridity and ethnicity in England. Benita Parry explores how a very English story of imperialism is narrated in Conrad's "Nostromo". Other contributors include Bryan Cheyette, Moira Ferguson and Bruce Robbins. The collection also looks at the work of Frantz Fanon and cultural difference in Africa. And following Said's work and activism around the Palestinian question there are also essays exploring the relationship betwen Jewish and Arabic identity. Keith Ansell-Pearson is the author of "Nietzsche, Deleuze and the Philosophy Machine". Benita Parry is the author of "Delusions and Discoveries: Studies on India in the British Imagination" and "Conrad and Imperialism". Judith Squires is the joint editor of "Cultural Remix: Theories of Politics and the Popular" and "Space and Place: Theories of Identity and Location".