21 Debated: Issues in World Politics, Second Edition

Book Description

This collection of recent, opposing articles on 21 of the most talked-about topics in world politics offers readers a way to tie together theory and concepts with today's headlines. Its informative yet provocative readings encourage discussions, questions, and analytical and critical thought. A seven-part organization covers complexities under the headings of: Global Community, Democracy in the World, Terrorism and Response, Nuclear Weapons and NATO, International Conflict Resolution, International Political Economy, and Environment and Health. MARKET: For anyone interested in international relations, global issues, and world politics.

Customer Reviews:

A book that really informs the reader!.......2000-07-09

In November this country will elect the first President of the New Millennium and as such we as a nation have an obligation to make sure that we understand the issues and the ramifications of the choices made by those we elect to govern us. This book will delve deep into 21 issues that have a major impact on what happens in the next century.

Dividing the book into six parts or sections, the authors take a look at such topics as global economy, national & international security, democracy, conflict resolution, Environment and health. They then break down each section and present the issue that are core to that topics.

What surprised me most about this book is that the authors never, repeat never tell you how to think, they instead give you arguments from both sides and you must make the most informed decision possible. The book is the first I have read that is truly a debate about the issues rather than a political bashing of one party or the other.

387 pages of a first class work makes this book a must read for every voter. This is also a great additional text reference for every first time voter to make sure that they understand what is facing this nation. Outstanding work and I highly recommend this book to everyone.

Great way in understanding what was going on.......2000-04-04

When I read this book , I thought its diverse topics which has been written by the professionals of its area,made the issues of contemporary politics clearer in understanding, and percieving either for beginners or others. The format and the concept are very useful for the students and the instructors to discuss in the class. The issues begin with globalization,the most talked and debated phenomena of recent two decades, through environment and health, rising a new dimension of politics.You can find almost everything what you would interested in today's global politics. The pro-con format of the book provide an in-depth analysis of two sides making the controversy as a battle of thoughts.Also the discussion questions provide the student more complex evolutionary process of brainstorming. Finally, the book is a must read for the international relations students as well as the others in political science . I think this kind of edited books are very helpful. Thanks for Mr. Scott's great effort.

Civil Liberties Vs. National Security In A Post 9/11 World (Contemporary Issues)

Average customer rating:

An accessible and basic analysis of the issues

Civil Liberties Vs. National Security In A Post 9/11 World (Contemporary Issues)

Manufacturer: Prometheus Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Civil Rights & Liberties | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Terrorism | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

U.S. | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Reference | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Human Rights | Constitutional Law | Law | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The War on Our Freedoms: Civil Liberties in an Age of Terrorism
How Patriotic is the Patriot Act?: Freedom Versus Security in the Age of Terrorism
American National Security and Civil Liberties in an Era of Terrorism
More Secure, Less Free?: Antiterrorism Policy and Civil Liberties after September 11
Silencing Political Dissent: How Post-September 11 Anti-Terrorism Measures Threaten Our Civil Liberties

ASIN: 1591022347

Book Description

In the aftermath of September 11, 2001, national security concerns have become the focus of the general public and of federal authorities. But some citizens and commentators have criticized the government for using national security as an excuse to curtail civil liberties. Others argue that the gravity of the terrorist threat warrants the increased security measures that have been implemented even if civil liberties must be compromised. Should the government be able to encroach on its citizens' freedoms in the name of national security? Should all citizens be willing to give up some constitutional rights to protect the nation?

This timely and balanced discussion by leading experts on the trade-offs between national security and civil liberties is divided into six informative sections addressing the main issues of this crucial debate:

The history of civil liberty issues in wartime
Domestic surveillance and the USA PATRIOT Act
Racial profiling
The use of torture in confessions
The designation of "enemy combatants"
PLUS recent developments, such as the Abu Ghraib prison scandal

In addition to excerpts from important recent US Supreme Court decisions on these topics, this volume includes selections from such widely recognized and respected authors as Richard Cohen, Alan M. Dershowitz, Viet D. Dinh, David A. Harris, Nat Hentoff, Philip B. Heymann, Aryeh Neier, Christian Parenti, John T. Parry, Eyal Press, Chief Justice William Rehnquist, Stephen J. Schulhofer, Jay Stanley, Barry Steinhardt, Stuart Taylor Jr., Welsh S. White, Frank H. Wu, and John C. Yoo.

This intriguing collection of expert opinion from across the political, legal, and philosophical spectrums will appeal to readers interested in determining for themselves the acceptable level of infringement on individual freedom in this vital conflict between civil liberties and national security.

Customer Reviews:

An accessible and basic analysis of the issues.......2006-11-13

This book gives an excellent review of the many issues presently being debated concerning the balance between civil liberties and an effective national security. The essays that the editors have chosen are concise and cogent arguments for the different positions. It is very easy to pick up and read one essay at a time right before bed. Overall, a worthwhile purchase for anyone interested in an accessible analysis of the divergent viewpoints on this issue. While not the most in depth book available, it definitely gives a decent analysis of the key issues from racial profiling to torture to surveillance. Recommended for those with an interest in this debate.

The USA Patriot Act: A Reference Handbook (Contemporary World Issues)

Average customer rating:

The USA Patriot Act: A Reference Handbook (Contemporary World Issues)
Howard Ball
Manufacturer: ABC-CLIO
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Civil Rights & Liberties | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Terrorism | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Constitutional Law | Law | Subjects | Books

General | Law | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

How Patriotic is the Patriot Act?: Freedom Versus Security in the Age of Terrorism
Opposing Viewpoints Series - The Patriot Act (paperback edition) (Opposing Viewpoints Series)
The War on Our Freedoms: Civil Liberties in an Age of Terrorism
A User's Guide to the USA PATRIOT Act and Beyond
Patriot Debates: Experts Debate the USA Patriot Act

ASIN: 1851097228
Release Date: 2004-08-30

Islam Without Illusions: Its Past, Its Present, and Its Challenge for the Future (Contemporary Issues in the Middle East)

Average customer rating:

Anti-stereotyping of Islam and Muslims
fair minded, and better toward the end

Islam Without Illusions: Its Past, Its Present, and Its Challenge for the Future (Contemporary Issues in the Middle East)
Ed Hotaling
Manufacturer: Syracuse University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Islam | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

History | Islam | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Terrorism | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Islamic | World | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0815607660

Customer Reviews:

Anti-stereotyping of Islam and Muslims.......2004-07-16

Concise and well written, with a deep understanding and strong background about many of the historical events and personalities in the Muslim, Arab and Middle Eastern cultures. The author hand used many of the authentic resources and translations for the Quran. The author has a great understanding of the background that is familiar to those who come from these cultures. His description of Muhammad's characters, family life, his wives, status of women in early Islamic era is close to perfection.
P87, 88: the author in an interesting analysis about Muhammad states "as a civilian, in Mecca, he was a respected businessman, beloved by his family and friends, a helpful personal counselor, a man centuries ahead of his time on the rights of women, whom he liked, admired and honored, a tolerant leader, who honored the other great faiths. In Medina, he becomes a statesman and diplomat, an innovative general, a tough Arab Chieftain who could have perhaps stopped the massacre of the Jewish men after the Battle of the Confederates, but a diplomat and negotiator with other Jewish communities. All things considered, if Muhammad were alive today, he might well be an American." Ed's connects many of the current events with their roots, and goes through historical stops with great ease and communicates a cohesive message about Bin Laden and his school of thought, and also explains many of the Islamic personalities, Islam, Christianity and Judaism, many historical balanced facts about the real impact of the Crusades. In addition, Ed had a great analysis to the "Why they Hate US?"statement. Ed's concluding chapter about responsibility of each of us today regarding all the new changes that are going on in the world are very timely.

fair minded, and better toward the end.......2004-06-11

This is not a perfect book -- sometimes the prose reflects the author's background in broadcast rather than printed media -- but Ed Hotaling delivers something very helpful if you are trying to understand Islam from a western point of view -- without trying to condemn or confirm one or another set of cultural values.
First of all, Hotaling provides some eye-opening insights into key cultural concepts that are simply hard to find without a religious or political agenda attached. Did you know that when Bin Laden sheltered in a cave, to Muslims he looked like he was emulating the Prophet, while in the West it was portrayed as "going to ground?"
This is not the most profound and important of Hotaling's insights, but it is one of many that illustrate the misunderstandings between our civilizations, and how they can be most cynically manipulated on both sides.
Hotalin's chapters of "Islam for Beginners" lay the groundwork for the critique of political approaches on both sides that ends the book. And it is a little frightening to put this volume down, and realize how little we understand each other.

In The Name Of Terrorism: Presidents On Political Violence In The Post-world War II Era (Suny Series on the Presidency: Contemporary Issues; Suny Series in the Trajectory of Terror)

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In The Name Of Terrorism: Presidents On Political Violence In The Post-world War II Era (Suny Series on the Presidency: Contemporary Issues; Suny Series in the Trajectory of Terror)
Carol K. Winkler
Manufacturer: State University of New York Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Leadership | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

U.S. | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Terrorism | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Vietnam and Other American Fantasies (Culture, Politics, and the Cold War)
Desert Screen: War at the Speed of Light (Continuum Impacts)
Faces of the Enemy: Reflections of the Hostile Imagination
Regarding the Pain of Others
War and Cinema: The Logistics of Perception

ASIN: 0791466175

U.S. Homeland Security: A Reference Handbook (Contemporary World Issues)

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U.S. Homeland Security: A Reference Handbook (Contemporary World Issues)
Howard Ball
Manufacturer: ABC-CLIO
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Terrorism | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Federal Government | Government | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Nonfiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 1851098038
Release Date: 2005-10-05

Counterterrorism: A Reference Handbook (Contemporary World Issues)

Average customer rating:

Good
Impressive background research
Excellent and refreshing!

Counterterrorism: A Reference Handbook (Contemporary World Issues)
Graeme C S Steven , and Rohan Gunaratna
Manufacturer: ABC-CLIO
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Terrorism | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Law Enforcement | Criminal Law | Law | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Nonfiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Professional | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Reference | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Understanding Terror Networks
Inside Terrorism
Inside Al Qaeda: Global Network of Terror
Terror Incorporated: Tracing The Dollars Behind The Terror Networks
The Far Enemy: Why Jihad Went Global (Cambridge Middle East Studies)

ASIN: 1851096663
Release Date: 2004-09-14

Customer Reviews:

Good.......2004-10-13

These guys obviously know what they're talking about. Some of the theory was a bit heavy but I liked the idea of their recommendations on how to coordinate counter-terrorism capabilities at political, strategic and tactical levels, because in practice the various agencies are not coordinated and disagree on how to do things at any level - let alone all three!

Impressive background research.......2004-09-30

An impressive amount of things covered. They discuss definitions of terrorism as well as the different types. They also talk about what causes terrorism and people to become a terrorist. The bits on recruitment and how they finance themselves were not only interesting but alarming as it shows you how organised these groups are. Scary! I think the point they make is that terrorist groups are so organised so anyone working against them really needs to be very organised - A bit of a reality-check!

Excellent and refreshing!.......2004-09-29

Most people only seem to think of Special Forces when discussing counter-terrorism and don't realise how much there is to it. This is one of the few books i've read that gives a comprehensive overview of counter-terrorism in all aspects, and i've advised on security issues for many years. It covers every angle of counter-terrorism and even goes into political ethics. There's something for everyone and is refreshing in the sense that it's not written in academic terms, but more for the layman and interested person. I think everyone can get something from this book whether they are policy-makers, academics, or even those working in counter-terrorism, and those just interested in something that is such a topical point in this day and age!

Cybercrime: A Reference Handbook (Contemporary World Issues)

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Cybercrime: A Reference Handbook (Contemporary World Issues)
Clemens Martin , and Bernadette Schell
Manufacturer: ABC-CLIO
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

History | Business & Culture | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

Culture | Business & Culture | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

Hacking | Business & Culture | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Terrorism | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Criminology | Crime & Criminals | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

History of Science | History & Philosophy | Science | Subjects | Books

History of Technology | Technology | Science | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Computers & Internet | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Nonfiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Science | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 1851096833
Release Date: 2004-10-18

Enemy Combatants, Terrorism, and Armed Conflict Law: A Guide to the Issues (Contemporary Military, Strategic, and Security Issues)

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Enemy Combatants, Terrorism, and Armed Conflict Law: A Guide to the Issues (Contemporary Military, Strategic, and Security Issues)

Manufacturer: Praeger Security International General Interest-Cloth
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

General | Constitutional Law | Law | Subjects | Books

General | Law | Subjects | Books

General | International Law | Law | Subjects | Books

Ethics & Morality | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Terrorism | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

International Law | Law | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0275998142

Book Description

*How do you strike the balance in opposing national security to individual liberties and the rule of law, both internationally and domestically? *Beyond an individual liberties perspective, what does this entail in institutional or structural terms? *How does this tie into long-running changes in international law aspects, including legitimacy and the use of armed force? With a renewed emphasis on national and homeland security, the United States is once again seeking to balance the needs of the state with both the rights of its citizens as well as those of other nations. This book represents an interdisciplinary approach to the legal dilemmas borne out by the war on terror-against the specific background of Afghanistan, Iraq, and this new kind of conflict. It is a strong contribution to a broader debate visible since 9/11, which will remain in the public eye for the foreseeable future. It addresses the overlap between religion, ethics, armed conflict, and law, within the context of the current conflict. While many issues in areas such as intelligence, reconciliation of civil liberties, dealing with terrorist threats, and the permissible bounds of interrogation, treatment of prisoners and laws governing armed conflict have long standing precedents under domestic and international law, this war has challenged even long standing legal interpretations. The contributors to this volume explore those precedents and contemporary challenges to them. Now that traditional wars between nation states are no longer the rule, the terrorist threat has gained credence (popularly, terrorism and its claimed breeding ground in failed states), linked in practice to issues of intervention on the territory of states harboring such groups. In military circles the idea of armed struggle between modern military forces and what were formerly called guerillas has now largely been replaced by asymmetric warfare and the concept of intelligence and preventive action interchangeably within U.S. borders and overseas. Opposing views contemplate that different-and presumably lower-legal standards may apply in internal armed conflicts. Such legal issues are visible under current circumstances of asymmetric warfare in conjunction with questions about prisoner status and detentions, including the permissible bounds of interrogation versus torture following the Abu Ghraib prison scandal in Iraq but also the treatment at the Guantanamo Bay facility of alleged Al Q'aeda captives from Afghanistan. All of the contributors in this book explore the changing circumstances against which these contentious new legal issues now unfold. The experts strike no consensus. Indeed, one of the work's many strengths can be attributed to the fact that the many facets of the ongoing debate are represented herein.

Espionage: A Reference Handbook (Contemporary World Issues)

Average customer rating:

Outstanding Reference for a Complex Subject

Espionage: A Reference Handbook (Contemporary World Issues)
Glenn Hastedt
Manufacturer: ABC-CLIO
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Intelligence & Espionage | Military | History | Subjects | Books

General | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Terrorism | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

U.S. | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Espionage | True Accounts | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

True Crime | True Accounts | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 1576079503
Release Date: 2003-08-13

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding Reference for a Complex Subject.......2006-12-30

Well written and organized, Espionage is divided into 7 sections:
1) Espionage in the U.S. - this is a brief history beginning with the American Revolution and concluding with the post-9/11 period.
2) Understanding the Contemporary Espionage Debate - this covers a variety of topics such as the Intelligence Cycle, Economic Espionage, Counterespionage, etc.
3) Espionage around the World - brief overviews of Great Britain, Israel, China, Soviet Union/Russia, and other states.
4) Biographical Sketches - 35 notable personalities are covered.
5) Documents - a selection of excerpts from key documents related to espionage such as Presidential Orders, Loyalty Programs, and Project MINARET.
6) Chronology - a historical timeline (this is sparse and the least useful part of the book)
7) Print and Nonprint Resources - an excellent guide to further information. (The first 3 sections of the book have additional "further reading" and references listed separately.)

The information seems to be as unbiased and objective as possible. I found it to be very educational and a great introduction to the subject.

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