Governance (Key Concepts)

Book Description

Governance is an easy-to read introduction to an increasingly important concept in political science. It provides a clear overview of how the concept has been used in the sub-fields of public administration and public policy, international relations, European studies and comparative politics. There is no universally accepted and agreed definition of 'governance'. It remains an elusive theory, defined and conceptualized in various ways. In this book, Anne Mette Kjaer guides the reader through the key theoretical debates which have given rise to distinct interpretations of governance. Drawing on a wide range of empirical examples to illustrate her arguments, the author explores how governance has been used in different ways to describe political changes in the modern world. She goes on to weigh up the pros and cons of governance as an analytical term, and concludes with a discussion of the World Bankrsquo;s role as an international organization which aims to promote lsquo;good governancersquo; in poor countries across the globe. This is the first textbook to offer a systematic assessment of current debates around the concept of governance. It will be a valuable resource for undergraduate and postgraduate students of politics, international relations and public policy.

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A clear and readable guide

Justice (Key Concepts)
Harry Brighouse
Manufacturer: Polity Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Public Policy | Government | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

History & Theory | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Law | Subjects | Books

General | Law | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
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Why Social Justice Matters
A Short History of Distributive Justice
Principles of Social Justice
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The Elements of Justice

ASIN: 0745625967

Book Description

Justice is a concise and accessible introduction to the central theories of justice in contemporary political theory. The book aims to provide readers with a clear understanding of the theories and the main objections to them, as well as showing how these theories engage with one another. It offers detailed accounts of John Rawls 's theory of justice as fairness; the alternative 'capabilities approach ' developed by Nobel-prize winning economist Amartya Sen; the libertarian theories of Milton Friedman and Robert Nozick; the 'group-rights ' based theory of Will Kymlicka; and Nancy Fraser 's theory of participatory parity. The book also includes extensive discussions of the nature and purpose of political theorizing, and it asks whether theories of justice should take only social institutions as their subject, or should also comment on personal motivations and behaviour.

Customer Reviews:

A clear and readable guide.......2006-09-19

When my friends saw that I had checked a book out from the library with the simple title "Justice", they laughed. But the title is quite apt. This book, clearly and methodically, lays out the various theories of justice in political philosophy, while at the same time giving a basic introduction to philosophical thinking in general. A great introduction.

Nationalism: Theory, Ideology, History (Key Concepts)

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Not Quite
excellent resource for history students
Excellent summary of Nationalism
Akin to a master-class.
Indispensable resource

Nationalism: Theory, Ideology, History (Key Concepts)
Anthony D. Smith
Manufacturer: Polity Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

History & Theory | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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

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

Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism, New Edition
Nations and Nationalism (New Perspectives on the Past)
Nations and Nationalism since 1780: Programme, Myth, Reality (Canto)
Ethnicity (Oxford Readers)
National Identity (Ethnonationalism in Comparative Perspective)

ASIN: 0745626599

Book Description

For the last two centuries, nationalism has been a central feature of society and politics. Few ideologies can match its power and resonance and no other symbolic language has such worldwide appeal and resilience. However, nationalism is more than an ideological movement & ndash; it is also a form of public culture which draws on much older cultural and symbolic forms.This book provides a concise, accessible introduction to the concept of nationalism. It focuses on competing paradigms and theories of nations and nationalism, and analyses the subject in terms of ideology, theory and history.The approach is broadly comparative and interdisciplinary, with concrete examples and a time-scale stretching from the ancient world to the contemporary global age. The book concludes with an assessment of the prospects of nationalism and of the transcendence of nations and nation states.Anthony Smith's book will appeal to all those interested in this dynamic subject, including students and scholars of anthropology, sociology, history, politics and international relations.

Customer Reviews:

Not Quite.......2007-04-14

This is a fine book that, alas, mirrors a major flaw in the way that nationalism and national identity are taught and understood today: it includes only theorists and analysts, and not a speck of primary source material. If nationalism is truly whatever we define it as, then fine; but, unfortunately, the theorists included in this book did (or should have) worked with primary sources, and students ought to have the same chance.

excellent resource for history students.......2007-02-26

This is an excellent resource for history students interested in the history of nationalism or the studies of nationalism. With excerpts from famous scholars of nationalism like Kedourie, Anderson, Hobsbawm, and Gellner, readers can see almost every aspect of the definition for "nationalism." Slow read, but this isn't for the easily bored either.

Excellent summary of Nationalism.......2006-06-12

This book is a reader on nationalism that does an excellent summary - perhaps the best summary around - of all the key developments on thought about nationalism. This is a field that has rapidly expanded over the last few decades and thus profits greatly from this work of synthesis and comparative analysis. One of the great things about the book is its inclusion of extracts from the writings of luminaries in the field, from Joseph Stalin and Max Weber to more recent commentators like Eric Hosbawm and Benedict Anderson.

The book is divided into a number of chapters, each with an introduction and a selection of extracts from a number of writers. The chapter headings alone indicate the sheer breadth of the book:

1. The question of definition
2. Theories of nationalism
3. The rise of nations
4. Nationalism in Europe
5. Nationalism outside Europe
6. Nationalism and the international system
7. Beyond nationalism?

Students will find this extremely useful as a general survey of the subject. General readers will also be interested the issues flagged up, which bear immense relevance to contemporary politics, society and culture.

A five-star contribution to the field.

Akin to a master-class........2005-03-26

I had the privilege of studying under Professors Smith and Hutchinson at LSE, and this books reflects their syllabus for their course on Nationalism. Many of the readings we studied in their class are excerpted in this reader, providing an excellent review of the theoretical development of nationalism.

Indispensable resource.......2001-02-07

This is a reader that covers the various theories of nationalism as well as varieties of nationalism itself. This makes it a largely indispensable supplement, handbook and reference work for anyone interested in nationalism. This is particularly true today as the scholarship on this social phenomenon continues to grow unabated, and since it is patently obvious that nationalism hardly seems about to disappear. The reader contains important extracts from the major works on nationalism by some of the most important early theorists such as Renan, Max Weber and Stalin (although the views of Marx and Engels themselves or Lord Acton and Friedrich Meinecke would have been welcome additions) and almost all of the most important contemporary scholars (Gellner, Anderson, Connor, A. Smith, etc.). The texts are well-selected and organized, and it really contributes to making a very complex subject and a daunting field of scholarship seem a little easier to grasp.

Deliberative Global Politics: Discourse and Democracy in a Divided World (Key Concepts)

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Deliberative Global Politics: Discourse and Democracy in a Divided World (Key Concepts)
John Dryzek
Manufacturer: Polity Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

History & Theory | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Democracy across Borders: From Dêmos to Dêmoi (Studies in Contemporary German Social Thought)
Deliberating in the Real World: Problems of Legitimacy in Deliberative Democracy
Deliberative Democracy and Beyond: Liberals, Critics, Contestations (Oxford Political Theory)
Disrespect: The Normative Foundations of Critical Theory
Public & Its Problems

ASIN: 0745634133

Book Description

Contending discourses underlie many of the world's most intractable conflicts producing misery and violence. This is especially true in the post 9/11 world. However, contending discourses can also open the way to greater dialogue in global civil society and between states and international organizations. This possibility holds even for the most murderous sorts of conflicts in deeply divided societies.In this timely and original book, John Dryzek examines major contemporary conflicts in terms of clashing discourses. Topics covered include the alleged clash of civilizations; societies divided by ethnicity, nationality, or religion; economic globalization versus resistance, plus an in-depth discussion of the 'war on terror'. Dryzek concludes by highlighting the limitations of current neo-conservative and cosmopolitan approaches, arguing that only deliberative global politics offers unprecedented new possibilities for democratic engagement in the international system.This book will be of interest to students and scholars of international relations, politics, philosophy and sociology.

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Poverty (Key Concepts)
Ruth Lister
Manufacturer: Polity Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

Poverty remains one of the most urgent issues of our time. In this stimulating new textbook, Ruth Lister introduces students to the meaning and experience of poverty in the contemporary world. The book opens with a lucid discussion of current debates around the definition and measurement of poverty in industrialized societies, before embarking on a thought-provoking and multi-faceted exploration of its conceptualization. It draws on thinking in the field of international development and real life accounts to emphasize aspects of poverty such as powerlessness, lack of voice, loss of dignity and respect. In so doing, the book embraces the relational, cultural, symbolic as well as material dimensions of poverty and makes important links between poverty and other concepts like well-being, capabilities, social divisions and exclusion, agency and citizenship. It concludes by making the case for reframing the politics of poverty as a claim for redistribution and recognition. The result is a rich and insightful analysis, which deepens and broadens our understanding of poverty today. This book will be essential reading for all students in the social sciences, as well as researchers, activists and policy-makers.

Human Rights: An Interdisciplinary Approach (Key Concepts)

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Human Rights: An Interdisciplinary Approach (Key Concepts)
Michael Freeman
Manufacturer: Polity Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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

International | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Human Rights | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Human Rights | Constitutional Law | Law | Subjects | Books

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

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

Universal Human Rights
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ASIN: 0745623565

Book Description

Human Rights is an introductory text that is both innovative and challenging. It invites students to think conceptually about one of the most important and influential political concepts of our time. In this unique interdisciplinary approach, Michael Freeman emphasizes the complex ways in which the experiences of the victims of human rights violations are related to legal, philosophical and social-scientific approaches to human rights. By tracing the history of the concept, the book shows that there is a fundamental tension between the philosophy of human rights and the way in which it is understood in the social sciences. This analysis throws light on some of the most controversial issues in the field: Is the idea of the universality of human rights consistent with respect for cultural difference? Are there collective human rights? Should feminists embrace, revise or reject the idea of human rights? Does the idea of human rights distract our attention from the structural causes of oppression and exploitation? What are the underlying causes of human rights violations?; and why do some countries have much worse human rights records than others? The book will appeal to students in the social sciences, as well as students of human rights law who want an introduction to the non-legal aspects of their subject. It will also be read by scholars interested in ethics and the social sciences, as well as the general reader.

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Empire (Key Concepts)
Alejandro Colas
Manufacturer: Polity Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Agents, Structures and International Relations: Politics as Ontology (Cambridge Studies in International Relations)
Planet of Slums
Multitude: War and Democracy in the Age of Empire

ASIN: 0745632521

Book Description

The notion of Empire has in recent years taken on a renewed importance in world politics. US foreign policy has in particular been associated with this concept by both critics and supporters of American global power. But what exactly is an empire? What distinguishes different forms of empire? Is this category still useful in a post-colonial world?These and other related questions are addressed in this historically-informed conceptual introduction to the idea of empire. Alejandro ColÃ¡s draws on interdisciplinary debates surrounding this disputed notion, and offers a survey of different imperial experiences across time and place. Successive chapters consider the imperial organisation of political space, the role of markets in sustaining imperial rule and the contradictory expressions of imperial culture. ColÃ¡s argues that in each of these arenas we can establish differences among empires, but also contrast imperial polities to other forms of political rule. He also suggests that the experiences and legacies of empire are key to an understanding of the world today, including forms of global governance and experiments in nation-building.Using wide-ranging examples, the book discusses some of the major theories of empire and imperialism in an accessible and engaging way. Above all, the text aims to bring the concept of empire alive to those concerned with contemporary world politics and society. It will be of great interest to those studying and teaching world history, international relations, comparative politics or global sociology.

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Globalization: The Key Concepts
Thomas Hylland Eriksen
Manufacturer: Berg Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Globalization | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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What Is Anthropology? (Anthropology, Culture and Society)

ASIN: 1845205243
Release Date: 2007-10-02

Book Description

The causes and the effects of globalization are hotly disputed and the book aims to present the range of arguments in a clear and balanced way. However, arguing that variation is as characteristic of globalization as standardization, the book stresses the necessity for a bottom-up, comparative analysis. Distinguishing between the cultural, political, economic and ecological aspects of globalization, the book highlights the implications of globalization for people's everyday lives. Throughout, the discussion is illustrated with wide-ranging case material. Chapter summaries and a guide to further reading underline the book's concern to clarify this most complex and influential of ideas.

Democracy (Key Concepts in Critical Theory)

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Direct Action for Democracy

Democracy (Key Concepts in Critical Theory)

Manufacturer: Humanity Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Democracy | Government | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Models of Democracy, 3rd Edition
Torture: A Collection
Just and Unjust Wars: A Moral Argument with Historical Illustrations
Participation and Democratic Theory (Structural Analysis in the Social Sciences)
Democracy: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)

ASIN: 1573925500

Customer Reviews:

Direct Action for Democracy.......2003-10-31

Philip Green has put together an edited collection of key readings on democracy which is a good survey of many modern authors on democracy, but an excellent critical reader on contemporary liberal-democracy.

As a survey of key intellectual accounts of democracy the book covers most of the key contemporary issues and many of key authors and perspectives on democracy. It does this thematically, by tracing the development of liberal democracy (or more accurately polyarchy) from its classical roots, and then identifying key critiques and alternatives. Thus the book begins with selections from authors articulating the "classical" view of democracy. It then moves to selections on "Representative Government", the theories and critiques of "Democratic Elitism" and "The Problem of Inequality, before finishing with two sections on "Radical Democracy" and "Democratic Rights".

Along the way we encounter feminist, Marxist, and radical democratic views as well as the more received liberal, conservative and pluralist ones. In this respect my quibbles are mostly minor. Perhaps the one bias that niggled somewhat was the "under-representation" of advocates of deliberative democracy (if you will excuse the pun). I think this had less to do with most of these not being American and more to do with Green's belief in the unavoidability of representation, which he appears to assume (wrongly) that most deliberative democrats do not share. These omissions may also be due to timing as most of the literature on deliberative democracy has emerged at around the same time as Green's reader. Whatever the reason, it is a gap that needs addressing.

When placed in the context of the main objectives of the book, most of the above niggles are alleviated. At its heart the reader is a trenchant critique of polyarchy and lively advocate of alternative democratic models and practices. It is clearly designed to be accessible and stimulate further reading and debate amongst readers not familiar with democratic theory. It is also clearly designed for an American audience, viewing the origins, character and critique of liberal-democracy through an American lens. It succeeds in all these things swimmingly.

Furthermore, despite its American bias the book is deeply relevant for any student of democracy, and not simply because American politics is unavoidably relevant for the rest of us, but because it circumnavigates the central concern of contemporary scholars of democracy: the disjuncture between the participatory ideal of democracy and our experience of the stale remoteness of polyarchy. The frame might be American, but the picture is of a fuller landscape.

One of the things I enjoyed most about the book is that it engages with the disjuncture between the democratic ideal and the real in a spirit which disavows acquiescence and inspires engagement and action. The rationale underlying this is ultimately political. Green's Democracy is part of a series entitled `Key Concepts in Political Theory' edited by Roger S. Gottlieb and published by Humanity Books. The point of the series is to explore the common conceptual vocabulary of critical theories, identifying the overlaps and differences in the definition and deployment of concepts like "racism", "justice", "gender", "ecology", "exploitation" and, of course, "democracy". Gottlieb's hope is that this intellectual process will affirm the complementary conceptual schemes and, by inference, political projects of Marxism, feminism, ecological movements, anti-racist movements and the like. After all, he argues, they struggle against `what is to some extent a common enemy'. Hence, the series, and indeed the Democracy reader, are more than just a survey of a conceptual field, they are also an attempt to unify radical perspectives and motivate action.

It is this spirit which informs the Democracy reader too, and is best brought out in contrast with the more gloomy brilliance of British political theorist John Dunn. In his Western Political Thought in the Face of the Future, Dunn writes: `Today, in politics, democracy is the name for what we cannot have -- yet cannot cease to want.' Philip Green's response seems to be `Today in politics, democracy is the name for what we do not have -- yet will not cease to fight for'.

Key Concepts in Politics (How to Study)
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Key Concepts in Politics (How to Study)
Andrew Heywood
Manufacturer: Palgrave Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Practical Politics | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
General | Political Science | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Political Ideologies: An Introduction

Politics: Third Edition (Palgrave Foundations)

Political Theory: An Introduction, Third Edition

Spotlight on New Jersey Government

World Politics in a New Era (with CD-ROM and InfoTrac )

ASIN: 0312233817

Book Description

Concepts are the "tools" with which we think, criticize, argue, explain, and analyze. Political concepts are nothing less than building-blocks of political understanding: the political world means what our concepts tell us it means. But political concepts are notoriously slippery and subject to controversy. Indeed, political debate is often a debate about the correct use of political terms. This book provides an accessible and comprehensive guide to the major concepts encountered in political analysis. Each is defined clearly and fully, and its significance for political argument and practice is explored. The introduction explains how political concepts are used and why they are so often abused. The book is arranged thematically, in an easy to use way, to be a vital companion for students throughout their course of study, and especially useful as a revision aid.

Book Description

Our world is filled with unseen wonders - the most phenomenal of which is the often hidden beauty of the diversity that surrounds us. Apart from the beauty diversity brings to our lives, it is also absolutely necessary to the sustainability of life itself. The importance of diversity is overlooked in the social realm, yet decisions made in that realm affect all of society for generations. Planners tend to ignore ecological diversity because they don't understand it. Ecological Diversity in Sustainable Development: The Vital and Forgotten Dimension makes that clear. The author tackles this difficult problem: how are we to maintain sustainable diversity in the Earth's ecosystems and our cultural systems? He provides examples of how natural and cultural diversity have been reduced by altering the linkages between climate, soil, water, air, forests, animals, and people. The book is divided into three parts. Part one examines diversity as it is found in nature, part two considers how culture affects diversity through its evolution, and part three explores the diversity of Nature as seen through culture in an attempt to guide culture toward social/environmental sustainability. Anyone who is interested in the quality of life on Earth will want this book. Maser writes in easy-to-read lucid prose, providing a holistic overview of environmental issues that 21st century decision makers must address in shaping our destiny.

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