Democracy is emerging as the political system of choice throughout the world. Peoples now freed from the shackles of totalitarian systems seek to share the benefits made possible by democracy in its "home bases" in North America and Western Europe. Yet, paradoxically, in the last decade liberal democracy has been subjected to an onslaught of criticism from thinkers at its "home bases". Criticisms of democracy have been informed by scholarship in feminism, postmodernism and communitarianism as well as the revived interest in applying ethics to public policy. These criticisms raise important questions about the traditional values - liberalism, neutrality or equality, autonomy, and human rights - thought to justify democracy. They also raise questions about the success of democratic systems in promoting alternative values and in protecting lifestyles not desired by majorities. This anthology contains essays by authors at the forefront of the controversy as well as by acute observers of the processes by which "democratic" public policy is formed. The essays include criticisms of democratic theory and practice, defences of liberalism (the set of values often thought to ground democracy), calls for major revisions of democratic institutions and practices, and recommendations for new ways of understanding our rights and responsibilities as members of democratic communities.

This book is a collection of twelve essays devoted to Michael Boylan's important work in moral philosophy, A Just Society. The collection is thematically organized to mirror Boylan's own volume, so the first half explores fundamental issues of justification in ethics while the second half focuses on issues involving ethical discourse, social justice, and the moral foundations of public policy. In their critical and engaging essays, the authors challenge many of the original and controversial arguments developed and defended by Boylan in his book, and Boylan responds in a lengthy and philosophically rich reply. The book will appeal both to philosophers working on the cutting edge of moral and political theory and to public policy practitioners working to make society more just

Every year, thousands of girls and women die at the hands of blood relatives. These victims are accused of committing honor violations that bring shame upon their families: such 'transgressions' range from walking with a boy in their neighborhood to seeking to marry a man of their own choosing, to being a victim of rape. Women in the Crossfire presents a thorough examination of honor killing, an ages-old social practice through which women are trapped and subjected to terror and deadly violence as consequences of the evolution of dysfunctional patriarchal structures and competition among men for domination. To understand the practice of honor killing, its root causes, and possibilities for protection and prevention, Robert Paul Churchill considers the issues from a variety of perspectives: epistemic, anthropological, sociological, cultural, ethical, historical, and psychological. He makes use of original research by analyzing a database of honor killing cases, published here for the first time. Specifically, Women in the Crossfire addresses the salient traits and trends present in honor killing incidents and examines how honor is understood in socio-cultural contexts where these killings occur. The book aims to illuminate causal pathways that combine to produce the tragedy of honor killing. Socialization within honor-shame cultures, factors such as gender construction, child-rearing practices, and adverse experiences prime boys and men to take roles as one-day killers of sisters, daughters, and wives in the name of honor. The book further relies on theories of cultural evolution to explain how honor killing was an adaptation to specific ecological challenges and co-evolved with other patriarchic institutions. The ultimate aim of Women in the Crossfire is to convey promising methods of preventing future honor killings, and to protect girls and women from victimization.

This book is a collection of twelve essays devoted to Michael Boylan's important work in moral philosophy, A Just Society. The collection is thematically organized to mirror Boylan's own volume, so the first half explores fundamental issues of justification in ethics while the second half focuses on issues involving ethical discourse, social justice, and the moral foundations of public policy. In their critical and engaging essays, the authors challenge many of the original and controversial arguments developed and defended by Boylan in his book, and Boylan responds in a lengthy and philosophically rich reply. The book will appeal both to philosophers working on the cutting edge of moral and political theory and to public policy practitioners working to make society more just