Most social science studies of local organizations tend to focus on civil society associations, voluntary associations independent from state control, whereas government-sponsored organizations tend to be theorized in totalitarian terms as mass organizations or manifestations of state corporatism. "Roots of the State" examines neighborhood associations in Beijing and Taipei that occupy a unique space that exists between these concepts.
Benjamin L. Read views the work of the neighborhood associations he studies as a form of administrative grassroots engagement. States sponsor networks of organizations at the most local of levels, and the networks facilitate governance and policing by building personal relationships with members of society. Association leaders serve as the state's designated liaisons within the neighborhood and perform administrative duties covering a wide range of government programs, from welfare to political surveillance. These partly state-controlled entities also provide a range of services to their constituents.
Neighborhood associations, as institutions initially created to control societies, may underpin a repressive regime such as China's, but they also can evolve to empower societies, as in Taiwan. This book engages broad and much-discussed questions about governance and political participation in both authoritarian and democratic regimes.

Most social science studies of local organizations tend to focus on "civil society" associations, voluntary associations independent from state control, whereas government-sponsored organizations tend to be theorized in totalitarian terms as "mass organizations" or manifestations of state corporatism. "Roots of the State" examines neighborhood associations in Beijing and Taipei that occupy a unique space that exists between these concepts.
Benjamin L. Read views the work of the neighborhood associations he studies as a form of "administrative grassroots engagement." States sponsor networks of organizations at the most local of levels, and the networks facilitate governance and policing by building personal relationships with members of society. Association leaders serve as the state's designated liaisons within the neighborhood and perform administrative duties covering a wide range of government programs, from welfare to political surveillance. These partly state-controlled entities also provide a range of services to their constituents.
Neighborhood associations, as institutions initially created to control societies, may underpin a repressive regime such as China's, but they also can evolve to empower societies, as in Taiwan. This book engages broad and much-discussed questions about governance and political participation in both authoritarian and democratic regimes.

The third and final adventure in Benjamin Read and Laura Trinder's magical Midnight Hour series! 'A fantastic magical adventure featuring a cast of Ghibli-esque characters, a feisty heroine and a hedgehog. I loved it.' M.G. LEONARD, author of BEETLE BOY on book 1 'Fans of Nevermoor will love this' THE BOOKSELLER on book 1 'I haven't enjoyed this kind of caper so much since Harry Potter' NEW STATESMAN on book 1 'Pure delight' THE GUARDIAN ON BOOK 1 Emily is locked out of the Midnight Hour, and things have grown dangerously dark in Victorian London. Her friends and family are on the run from the terrifying Midnight Hunt, while the foul Make Britain Dark Again party schemes to break the spell that keeps both worlds safe. It's going to take more than just Emily's big mouth to fix this one. But how's a girl meant to save the day (and night) when she's all out of snacks and her possibly-magic pocket hedgehog is hibernating? The ingeniously-plotted finale to the much-loved Midnight Hour trilogy, which began with The Midnight Hour and The Midnight Howl A hilarious, spooky adventure full of genuine scares and belly laughs! Coraline meets A Wrinkle in Time: all the makings of a modern classic

The second spellbinding adventure in Benjamin Read and Laura Trinder's magical Midnight Hour series! 'A fantastic magical adventure featuring a cast of Ghibli-esque characters, a feisty heroine and a hedgehog. I loved it.' M.G. LEONARD, author of BEETLE BOY on book 1 'Fans of Nevermoor will love this' THE BOOKSELLER on book 1 'I haven't enjoyed this kind of caper so much since Harry Potter' NEW STATESMAN on book 1 'Pure delight' THE GUARDIAN on book 1 Emily needs to work out why magic is leaking from the Midnight Hour - but her shape-shifting Pooka relatives and a terrifying haunting aren't making things easy. Plus ... she's supposed to be grounded. Officer-in-training Tarkus and pet hedgehog Hoggins are on hand to help - but if they can't work out what's going wrong, it will be the end of the midnight world ... The second critically-acclaimed book in the much-loved Midnight Hour series A hilarious, spooky adventure full of genuine scares and belly laughs! Coraline meets A Wrinkle in Time: all the makings of a modern classic Continue the adventure with book 3, The Midnight Hunt