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Political science

  • Author:
    Slezkine, Yuri
    Summary:

    Published on the 100th anniversary of the Russian Revolution, the epic story of an enormous apartment building where Communist true believers lived before their destruction.

  • Author:
    Denhez, Marc
    Summary:

    Strategies for the conservation and revitalization of buildings and districts have preoccupied the international community for decades. This book summarizes the five major legislative approaches, the treaties and international declarations (including The Habitat Agenda 1996), outlining how to deal with these properties, e.g. in light of "sustainable development." Positive and negative examples from some twenty jurisdictions are cited, but they are seldom "place specific." Indeed, most of the problems and their solutions could occur in almost any country on earth. "Most European literature on monument conservation deals exclusively with the powers of public authorities. Marc Denhez’s book gives equal space to existing political and legal frameworks, but always with an eye on the potential end-user, the citizen. This conspicuously practical approach is the book’s first advantage; the second, for a European reader, is that it opens new horizons beyond the old Euro-centric view of the subject." - Peter Rupp, Minister of Culture (France) Advisor to the Council of Europe

  • Author:
    Walt, Stephen M.
    Summary:

    From the New York Times-bestselling author Stephen M. Walt, The Hell of Good Intentions dissects the faults and foibles of recent American foreign policy'explaining why it has been plagued by disasters like the "forever wars" in Iraq and Afghanistan and outlining what can be done to fix it. In 1992, the United States stood at the pinnacle of world power and Americans were confident that a new era of peace and prosperity was at hand. Twenty-five years later, those hopes have been dashed. Relations with Russia and China have soured, the European Union is wobbling, nationalism and populism are on the rise, and the United States is stuck in costly and pointless wars that have squandered trillions of dollars and undermined its influence around the world. The root of this dismal record, Walt argues, is the American foreign policy establishment's stubborn commitment to a strategy of "liberal hegemony." Since the end of the Cold War, Republicans and Democrats alike have tried to use U.S. power to spread democracy, open markets, and other liberal values into every nook and cranny of the planet. This strategy was doomed to fail, but its proponents in the foreign policy elite were never held accountable and kept repeating the same mistakes. Donald Trump won the presidency promising to end the misguided policies of the foreign policy "Blob" and to pursue a wiser approach. But his erratic and impulsive style of governing, combined with a deeply flawed understanding of world politics, are making a bad situation worse. The best alternative, Walt argues, is a return to the realist strategy of "offshore balancing," which eschews regime change, nation-building, and other forms of global social engineering. The American people would surely welcome a more restrained foreign policy, one that allowed greater attention to problems here at home. This long-overdue shift will require abandoning the futile quest for liberal hegemony and building a foreign policy establishment with a more realistic view of American power. Clear-eyed, candid, and elegantly written, Stephen M. Walt's The Hell of Good Intentions offers both a compelling diagnosis of America's recent foreign policy follies and a proven formula for renewed success.

  • Author:
    Chapnick, Adam, Kukucha, Christopher J.
    Summary:

    In 2015 the Harper era in Canadian foreign policy was over, suggesting a return to the priorities of a gentler, more cooperative Liberal governments. But was the Harper era really so different? And if so, why? This comprehensive analysis of Canada’s foreign policy during this era addresses these very questions. The chapters, written by leading scholars and analysts of Canadian politics, provide an excellent overview of foreign policy in a number of different policy areas. They also come to a surprising conclusion as to whether the transition from a minority to majority government in 2011 shaped the way the Harper Conservatives conceived of, developed, and implemented international policy.

  • Author:
    Summary:

    The defeat of ZANU-PF in the 2008 parliamentary election marked the end of one-party rule in Zimbabwe. The Global Political Agreement signed later that resulted in a Government of National Unity, and the former ruling party was, for the first time, faced with the reality of sharing power. The Hard Road to Reform presents a penetrating analysis of developments since the GNU was established, reviewing recent political history from a range of perspectives—political, economic, social and historical, and featuring the best work of Zimbabwe's young scholars. As Brian Raftopolos writes in his introduction: 'the book is an attempt to analyse and assess both the hopes and frustrations of the last four years and to confront the harsh challenges that lie ahead.'

  • Author:
    MacDonald, Donald
    Summary:

    Originally published in 1988, this revised and expanded edition of Donald C. MacDonald's acclaimed memoirs provides an inside look at provincial politics in Ontario through the eyes of a party leader. Dubbed "the Happy Warrior" by Tommy Douglas, MacDonald led the Ontario CCF/NDP for seventeen years, and continued to sit in the Legislature for twelve years after stepping down as party leader. During his political career, MacDonald played a significant role in the rise of the CCF/NDP, and provided a strong voice for the left wing in the Legislature. He also witnessed and criticized various scandals that plagued ruling parties.

  • Author:
    Phillips, Rhonda, Musikanski, Laura, Crowder, Jean, Musikanski, Laura
    Summary:

    The Happiness Policy Handbook provides a concise background on happiness studies and science, coupled with practical tools for formulating and integrating happiness policy at all levels of government. Essential reading for policymakers focused on making happiness and well-being the purpose of government.

  • Author:
    Solzhenitsyn, Aleksandr I.
    Summary:

    "BEST NONFICTION BOOK OF THE 20TH CENTURY"--TimeVolume 1 of the gripping epic masterpiece, Solzhenitsyn's chilling report of his arrest and interrogation, which exposed to the world the vast bureaucracy of secret police that haunted Soviet society. Features a new foreword by Anne Applebaum."The greatest and most powerful single indictment of a political regime ever leveled in modern times."--George F. Kennan"It is impossible to name a book that had a greater effect on the political and moral consciousness of the late twentieth century."--David Remnick, The New Yorker"Solzhenitsyn's masterpiece. ... The Gulag Archipelago helped create the world we live in today." --Anne Applebaum, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Gulag: A History, from the foreword

  • Author:
    Connor, Jennifer J., Side, Katherine
    Summary:

    Dr Wilfred Grenfell, physician and folk hero, recruited thousands of volunteer workers for his Newfoundland and Labrador seamen's mission, many of them Americans from Ivy League institutions. As the medical mission grew to become the International Grenfell Association, establishing institutions along the Labrador and northern Newfoundland coasts, Americans also became resident staff leaders in the region, and Grenfell himself married an American, Anne MacClanahan, who led mission activities. The Grenfell Medical Mission and American Support in Newfoundland and Labrador, 1890s-1940s reveals the nature and extent of support from Americans throughout the distributed privately run social enterprise until the 1940s, before the region joined Canada. Essays explore the organization's claims to share an Anglo-Saxon heritage with the United States, American reaction to its financial scandal and creation of an incorporated association, its promotion of sport and masculinity, and the development of education and schools in the region and the mission. The organization's strong ties to the United States are exemplified by Grenfell's friendship with American physician John Harvey Kellogg; the donation of clothing from American donors; the work of one American woman on her affiliated mission unit; the impact of American philanthropy and training on the construction of the mission's main hospital in St Anthony; and the superior American-accredited health care facilities and their clinical achievements. From its corporate base in New York City, the International Grenfell Association blended contemporary social movements and adopted American notions of philanthropy. The Grenfell Medical Mission and American Support in Newfoundland and Labrador, 1890s-1940s offers the first thorough history of an iconic health and social organization in Atlantic Canada.

  • Author:
    Summary:

    This collection features historical speeches given by those aspiring to win over voters and gain positions of power. This collection includes speeches by Franklin D. Roosevelt, Bill Clinton, Barry Goldwater, Barbara Jordan, Bob Dole, Carl Stokes, Bobby Kennedy, Joe Biden, Barack Obama, John F. Kennedy, and others.

  • Author:
    Thompson, Hunter S.
    Summary:

    Features Thompson's early writings, which focus on the political and social turbulence of mid-20th-century America. With his signature style, these essays show his evolution from a sports reporter to the outrageous, insightful and always daring creator of Gonzo Journalism.

  • Author:
    Keneally, Thomas
    Summary:

    In the nineteenth century, Ireland lost half of its population to famine, emigration to the United States and Canada, and the forced transportation of convicts to Australia. Based on unique research among little-known sources, this book surveys eighty years of Irish history through the eyes of political prisoners.

  • Author:
    Hartnett, Lynne Ann.
    Summary:

    The great revolutions of the past 300 years have profoundly shaped the social, cultural, political, and military landscape of the 21st century. These epic changes tore down established orders and built new ones in their place. What drives individuals and groups to embrace revolution? At what point does a society decide to revolt? Is there such a thing as a peaceful revolution? Why have some revolutions failed while others changed the world?Delve into these questions and more in The Great Revolutions of Modern History. Taught by Professor Lynne Ann Hartnett of Villanova University, these 24 eye-opening lessons will give you new insights into the forces that have shaped our political and cultural world. You will travel back in time and around the world to examine some of history's most momentous and influential political transformations. Starting with the motivations and ramifications of the American Revolution and the French Revolution, covering world-changing movements in China, Mexico, India, Haiti, Africa, Russia, and more, Professor Hartnett surveys the shifting tides that inspired each of these revolutions. The fascinating thing about this course is that, no matter how many systems are overthrown or how fraught a particular moment can be, a certain aspect of humanity remains constant. People want freedom, opportunity, justice, and they are willing to fight for these values, even if it costs them their lives. The Great Revolutions of Modern History is a masterful presentation of the human spirit in search of a better way of life.

  • Author:
    Philippon, Thomas
    Summary:

    Why are cellphone plans so much more expensive in the United States than in Europe? It seems a simple question. But the search for an answer took Thomas Philippon on an unexpected journey through some of the most complex and hotly debated issues in modern economics. Ultimately, he reached a surprising conclusion: American markets, once a model for the world, are giving up on healthy competition. Sector after economic sector is more concentrated than it was twenty years ago, dominated by fewer and bigger players who lobby politicians aggressively to protect and expand their profit margins. Across the country, this drives up prices while driving down investment, productivity, growth, and wages, resulting in more inequality. Meanwhile, Europe-long dismissed for competitive sclerosis and weak antitrust-is beating America at its own game. Philippon, one of the world's leading financial economists, did not expect these conclusions in the age of Silicon Valley start-ups and millennial millionaires. But the data from his cutting-edge research proved undeniable. In this compelling tale of economic detective work, we follow him as he works out the basic facts and consequences of industry concentration in the U.S. and Europe, shows how lobbying and campaign contributions have defanged antitrust regulators, and considers what all this means for free trade, technology, and innovation. For the sake of ordinary Americans, he concludes, government needs to return to what it once did best: keeping the playing field level for competition. Downloadable PDF available at: http://chilp.it/7adc8ed

  • Author:
    Swift, Richard
    Summary:

    Any attempt to restore responsible environmental policies, revive and expand our social programs, rebuild our crumbling infrastructure, and boost our flagging economy will be inadequate unless we also address the need to increase governments' fiscal capacity. The tax system can also play a key role in closing the gap between rich and poor& - a gap that is undermining the health of our economy and threatening damage to our democracy. Until recently, many progressive groups, including progressive political parties, have shied away from advocating for tax fairness and tax reform, fearing that the issue is political dynamite. Right wingers have encountered little opposition to their calls for deep tax cuts, especially for the rich and for corporations. But the tide is turning. Public opinion polls tell us that faced with growing inequality and cutbacks to government programs, Canadians now strongly support tax fairness, including higher taxes on the rich and on corporations. The Great Revenue Robbery is a collective effort to stimulate much-needed discussion about how tax policy can help rebuild our social programs, reduce the gap between rich and poor, restore environmental responsibility, and revitalize our country's democracy.

  • Author:
    Appadurai, Arjun
    Summary:

    We are living through a period of dramatic political change ' Brexit, the election of Trump, the rise of extreme right movements in Europe and elsewhere, the resurgence of nationalism and xenophobia and a concerted assault on the liberal values and ideals associated with cosmopolitanism and globalization. Suddenly we find ourselves in a world that few would have imagined possible just a few years ago, a world that seems to many to be a move backwards. How can we make sense of these dramatic developments and how should we respond to them' Are we witnessing a worldwide rejection of liberal democracy and its replacement by some kind of populist authoritarianism' This timely volume brings together some of the world's greatest minds to analyse and seek to understand the forces behind this 'great regression'. Writers from across disciplines and countries, including Paul Mason, Pankaj Mishra, Slavoj 'i'ek, Zygmunt Bauman, Arjun Appadurai, Wolfgang Streeck and Eva Illouz, grapple with our current predicament, framing it in a broader historical context, discussing possible future trajectories and considering ways that we might combat this reactionary turn. The Great Regression is a key intervention that will be of great value to all those concerned about recent developments and wondering how best to respond to this unprecedented challenge to the very core of liberal democracy and internationalism across the world today.

  • Author:
    Volner, Ian
    Summary:

    During his campaign for the presidency, one of Donald Trump's signature promises was that he would build a "great great wall" on the border between the United States and Mexico, and Mexico was going to pay for it. A year and a half into his term, with only a few prototype segments erected, the wall is the 2,000-mile multibillion-dollar elephant in the room of contemporary American life. In The Great Great Wall, architectural historian and critic Ian Volner takes a deep dive into the story of Trump's wall. Volner follows the conception, selling, design, and construction (or lack thereof) of this expensive and consequential barrier, giving listeners a detailed description of what's happening in Washington, DC-and along the border. He also travels far afield, to China, the Middle East, northern England, and back to our border to examine the barriers we've been building for centuries. Why do we build walls? What do they reveal about human history?

  • Author:
    Ghosh, Amitav
    Summary:

    Indian novelist Amitav Ghosh examines our inability to grasp the scale and violence of climate change, and asks us to imagine other forms of human existence, a task to which fiction is the best suited of all cultural forms.

  • Author:
    Krznaric, Roman
    Summary:

    Krznaric reveals six practical ways we can retrain our brains to think of the long view. His aim is to shift our allegiance from this generation to all humanity, to save our planet and our future.

  • Author:
    Arbour, Louise, Schama, Simon, Farage, Nigel, Steyn, Mark
    Summary:

    The world is facing the worst humanitarian crisis since the Second World War. Over 300,000 are dead in Syria, and one and half million are either injured or disabled. Four and a half million people are trying to flee the country. And Syria is just one of a growing number of failed or failing states in the Middle East and North Africa. How should developed nations respond to human suffering on this mass scale? Do the prosperous societies of the West, including Canada and the U.S., have a moral imperative to assist as many refugees as they reasonably and responsibly can? Or, is this a time for vigilance and restraint in the face of a wave of mass migration that risks upending the tolerance and openness of the West?The eighteenth semi-annual Munk Debate, which was held on April 1, 2016, pits former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour and leading historian Simon Schama against leader of the UK Independence Party Nigel Farage and bestselling author Mark Steyn to debate the West’s response to the global refugee crisis.

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