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Reimagining the Nation: Togetherness, Belonging and Mobility
by Claire SutherlandThis book develops new ways of thinking beyond the nation as a form of political community by seeking to transcend ethnonational categories of ‘us’ and ‘them’. Drawing on scholarship and cases spanning Pacific Asia and Europe, it steps outside assumptions linking nation to state. Accessible yet theoretically rich, it explores how to think about nationhood beyond narrow binaries and even broader cosmopolitan ideals. Using cutting-edge critical research, it fundamentally challenges the positive connotations of British patriotism and UK politics’ increasingly shrill anti-immigrant discourse, pointing to how these continue to reproduce vocabularies of belonging that are dependent on ethnonational and racialised categorisations. With a cross-continental focus, this book offers alternative ways of thinking about togetherness and belonging that are premised on mobility rather than rootedness, thereby providing a constructive agenda for critical nationalism studies.
Reimagining the Revolution: Four Stories of Abolition, Autonomy, and Forging New Paths in the Modern Civil Rights Movement
by Paula Lehman-EwingThese are the architects of the modern civil rights movement: 4 profiles of revolutionary groups making change beyond protestA radically different approach to sustaining social justice movements—4 strategies for abolition and liberation from the new architects of the modern civil rights movementMany of us think, I don&’t support the police. But what should take their place? Or: Prisons don&’t keep us safe. But what new systems could?A lot of books about racial justice ask us how we got here, but Reimagining the Revolution is different: award-winning journalist and activist Paula Lehman-Ewing presents an inside-access look at the activists redefining where we go from here. Readers will hear from:Ivan Kilgore, an incarcerated activist who founded the 501c3 nonprofit United Black Family Scholarship Foundation from behind prison wallsCritical Resistance, one of the oldest grassroots organizations in the nation working to dismantle the prison-industrial complexThe co-founders of Greenwood, a Black-owned financial technology institution designed specifically for Black and Latino people and businesses: Michael Render, aka Killer Mike, Amb. Andrew Young and Ryan GloverIncarcerated activist Heshima Denham on his grassroots efforts to build a society for Black and Brown people independent of the state The Movement for Black Lives, the Alliance for Safety and Justice, BYP 100, and 8toAbolitionIncarcerated and formerly incarcerated artists using art to heal from trauma, connect with other incarcerated people, and amplify abolitionist changeLehman-Ewing frames each profile within two fundamental truths: The current system—built and sustained by oppression, extraction, and inequity by design—cannot be reformed. And, knowing this, we need abolition; we need creative solutions designed by the people most impacted by the systems they fight to change. Reimagining the Revolution is a call to action for each of us: if we can access the tools we have, we can dream bigger, think outside the box, and follow the paths laid out by change-making activists toward nothing short of revolution.
Reimagining the State: Theoretical Challenges and Transformative Possibilities (Social Justice)
by Janet Newman Davina Cooper Nikita DhawanThis book examines what value, if any, the state has for the pursuit of progressive politics; and how it might need to be reimagined and remade to deliver transformative change. Is it possible to reimagine the state in ways that open up projects of political transformation? This interdisciplinary collection provides alternative perspectives to the ‘antistatism’ of much critical writing and contemporary political movement activism. Contributors explore ways of reimagining the state that attend critically to the capitalist, neoliberal, gendered and racist conditions of contemporary polities, yet seek to hold onto the state in the process. Drawing on postcolonial, poststructuralist, feminist, queer, Marxist and anarchist thinking, they consider how states might be reread and reclaimed for radical politics. At the heart of this book is state plasticity – the capacity of the state conceptually and materially to take different forms. This plasticity is central to transformational thinking and practice, and to the conditions and labour that allow it to take place. But what can reimagining do; and what difficulties does it confront? This book will appeal to academics and research students concerned with critical and transformative approaches to state theory, particularly in governance studies, politics and political theory, socio-legal studies, international relations, geography, gender/sexuality, cultural studies and anthropology.
Reimagining War in the 21st Century: From Clausewitz to Network-Centric Warfare (Routledge Critical Security Studies)
by Manabrata GuhaThis book interrogates the philosophical backdrop of Clausewitzian notions of war, and asks whether modern, network-centric militaries can still be said to serve the 'political'. In light of the emerging theories and doctrines of Network-Centric War (NCW), this book traces the philosophical backdrop against which the more common theorizations of war and its conduct take place. Tracing the historical and philosophical roots of modern war from the 17th Century through to the present day, this book reveals that far from paralyzing the project of re-problematisating war, the emergence of NCW affords us an opportunity to rethink war in new and philosophically challenging ways. This book will be of much interest to students of critical security studies, social theory, war studies and political theory/IR. Manabrata Guha is Assistant Professor (ISSSP) at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore, India.
La reina Isabel Tudor: Edición estudiante-maestro (Mujeres Legendarias de la Historia Mundial #4)
by Laurel A. RockefellerLa reina Isabel es quizás el gobernante más legendario y célebre de la historia de Inglaterra. Sin embargo, ¿realmente la conoces tan bien como crees? En esta hermosa biografía narrativa, exploras el camino de Isabel de "Lady Isabel" a "Gloriana" a través del lente de su relación con Robert Dudley, una relación mucho más polémica de lo que la mayoría de la gente cree. La política y la religión chocan, provocando que Isabel se consuele con su música, y una decisión difícil se presenta ante ella mientras los complots contra su vida amenazan su trono. Haz el viaje a Gloriana y descubre un lado de Isabel que nunca supiste que existía. La edición estudiante-maestro incluye preguntas de estudio después de cada capítulo, además de apéndices con seis canciones medievales isabelinas, una cronología detallada y una extensa lista de lecturas sugeridas. Este libro continúa "María Reina delos escoceses".
Reinas de La Resistencia: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (Reinas De La Resistencia Ser.)
by Brenda JonesUna celebración de AOC, la mujer más joven en servir en el Congreso y su nueva superestrella. No hace mucho, nadie podía imaginarse que una latina de veintiocho años se postulase para el Congreso en representación de Queens y el Bronx: era necesario enfrentarse a la maquinaria política de la ciudad, casi exclusivamente blanca y exclusivamente masculina. Pero desde que Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez apareció en la escena con toda su gloria, tweets y tendencia a romper todos los esquemas, el rostro de la política del siglo XXI ha cambiado. Hoy, Ocasio-Cortez es la principal defensora del progreso, ganando apoyo entre sus colegas y generando admiración secreta entre sus enemigos. Está luchando contra un presidente indignante y una esfera mediática conservadora que la coloca bajo ataque constantemente. ¿Por qué? Porque temen su don de desvelar la verdad ante el poder. Con ilustraciones, investigación profunda y escritos tan puntuales como ella, la serie Reinas de la Resistencia rinde homenaje a esta fenomenal mujer.
Reinas malditas: Emperatriz Sissi, María Antonieta, Eugenia de Montijo, Alejandra Romanov y otras reinas marcadas por la tragedia
by Cristina MoratóLas fascinantes vidas de seis reinas marcadas por la tragedia que no pudieron elegir su destino y que dejaron una profunda huella en la Historia. Excéntricas, caprichosas, rebeldes, ambiciosas... Más allá de un mundo de privilegios, riqueza y poder, todas fueron mujeres de carne y hueso obligadas a llevar sobre sus hombros la pesada carga de un imperio. La vida de estas reinas dista mucho de ser un romántico cuento de hadas. Aunque infinidad de películas y novelas nos han mostrado el rostro más amable de su reinado, en general, fueron muy desdichadas. Todas tienen en común la soledad, el desarraigo, la nostalgia, la falta de amor o el sufrimiento por no poder dar un heredero al trono. También comparten la dolorosa pérdida de sus hijos, los fracasos matrimoniales o el sentirse extranjeras en una corte donde no eran bien recibidas. Las suyas no fueron grandes historias de amor porque sus matrimonios eran un «asunto de Estado». Algunas, como Sissi, fueron emperatrices en contra de su voluntad y enfermaron de melancolía; otras, como Cristina de Suecia, escandalizaron con su extravagante comportamiento y sus ansias de libertad. María Antonieta y Alejandra Romanov comparten un trágico final, mientras que la reina Victoria de Inglaterra y Eugenia de Montijo asumieron con extraordinaria dignidad su papel en los momentos más difíciles. A través de los diarios personales y correspondencia familiar, Cristina Morató nos descubre el lado más humano y menos conocido de unas reinas y emperatrices, maltratadas por la historia, que no pudieron elegir su destino. Reseña:«La corona de Francia es una corona de espinas.»Eugenia de Montijo, emperatriz de los franceses
Reinas y princesas sufridoras
by Jaime PeñafielUn recorrido por los episodios más delicados de las reinas y princesas del siglo XX y XXI de la mano de Jaime Peñafiel, uno de los expertos más reconocidos y polémicos en casas reales. Esta es la historia de unas reinas y unas princesas, guapas, jóvenes, enamoradas y felices el día de su boda, el día que se supone tiene que ser el más dichoso. Salvo la triste y comentadísima excepción de Charlène de Mónaco, todas lucían la mejor de sus sonrisas ante los miles de flashes que inmortalizaban su amor. Pero, para muchas, el camino no había sido nada fácil: atrás quedaban, como en el caso de Beatriz de Holanda o de Victoria de Suecia, la férrea oposición de sus padres y de la sociedad, que no veían con buenos ojos a un «príncipe» con un pasado poco ejemplar. Otras tuvieron que soportar multitud de críticas y comentarios porque no se las consideraba apropiadas -Sonia de Noruega, Grace de Mónaco, Letizia- y algunas han sufrido la humillación de saber que sus consortes compartían lecho con otras mujeres: Diana de Gales, Paola de Bélgica... Y, entre otras, doña Sofía, la principal protagonista de este libro y realísima sufridora esposa, una reina, una profesional, que siempre ha sabido estar en su sitio aunque haya sido a costa de mucho dolor, sufrimiento, silencio y públicos desplantes.
Reinforcing Authoritarianism Through Democracy: Participatory Pricing in China
by Xuan QinThis book provides empirical evidence to show how democratic experiments are harnessed to achieve control and support authoritarianism, through the lens of participatory pricing, which is one of the most important forms of deliberative democracy in China. The crucial point is an interlacement of easily perceptible improvement in empowerment (voluntary enrollment, disclosure of information and opportunities for expression during events) and hidden control (delicately designed procedures and pre-existing frameworks that influence participants in how they think, and when they talk).The mixture of these two mechanisms assures participants and educates them, producing cooperative citizens desired by the government. This is referred to as the partial empowerment strategy, which challenges the traditional assumption of the correlation between deliberation and empowerment. When authoritarian control influences deliberations in a form that obstructs the natural developmental process of empowerment, it acts as a filter that encourages only some form of empowerment, but precludes those that are too risky for the government. This exertion of dominance through a participatory form reflects the development of governance capability of China as a modern authoritarian state and explains its “surprising” resilience.
Reinforcing Rule of Law Oversight in the European Union
by Carlos Closa Dimitry KochenovThis book provides the definitive reference point on all the issues pertaining to dealing with the 'crisis of the rule of law' in the European Union. Both Member State and EU levels are considered. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of the concrete legal bases and instruments that the EU may avail itself of for enforcing rule of law, and the volume clearly demonstrates that a number of legally sound ways of rule of law oversight are available. Contributors are leading scholars who assess the potential role to be played by the various bodies in the context of dealing with the EU's rule of law imperfections.
Reinhold Niebuhr: Major Works on Religion and Politics
by Reinhold NiebuhrA definitive collection of the theologian and public intellectual who was the conscience of the American Century. "One of my favorite philosophers," remarked Barack Obama about the theologian Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971) in 2007. President Obama is but one of the many American political leaders--including Jimmy Carter and Martin Luther King Jr.--to be influenced by Niebuhr's writings. Throughout the Depression, World War II, and the Cold War, Niebuhr was one of the most prominent public voices of his time, probing with singular style the question of how to act morally in a fallen world. This Library of America volume, prepared by Niebuhr's daughter, Elisabeth Sifton, collects four indispensable books: Leaves from the Notebook of a Tamed Cynic (1929), Moral Man and Immoral Society (1932), The Children of Light and the Children of Darkness (1944), and The Irony of American History (1952), along with a selection of essays, sermons, lectures, prayers, including his world-famous Serenity Prayer, and writings on current events--Prohibition, the Allied bombing of Germany, apartheid in South Africa, the Vietnam War--many of which are collected here for the first time.
Reinhold Niebuhr and International Relations Theory: Realism beyond Thomas Hobbes (Routledge Research in International Relations Theory)
by Guilherme Marques PedroThis is the first book in international relations theory entirely devoted to the political thought of Reinhold Niebuhr. Focusing on the existential theology which lies at the basis of Reinhold Niebuhr’s theory of international politics, it highlights the ways in which Niebuhrian realism was not only profoundly theological, but also constituted a powerful existentialist reconfiguration of the Realist tradition going back to Saint Augustine. Guilherme Marques Pedro offers an innovative account of Reinhold Niebuhr’s eclectic thought, branching out into politics, ethics, history, society and religion and laying out a conceptual framework through which his work, as much as the realist tradition of international political thought as a whole, can be read. The book calls for the need to revisit classic thinkers within IR theory with an eye to their interdisciplinary background and as a way to remind ourselves of the issues that were at stake within the field as it was growing in autonomy and diversity – issues which remain, regardless of its disciplinary development, at the core of IR’s concerns. This book offers an important contribution to IR scholarship, revealing the great historical wealth, intellectual originality but also the limitations and paradoxes of one of the greatest American political thinkers of the twentieth century.
Reining in the Imperial Presidency: Lessons and Recommendations Relating to the Presidency of George W. Bush
by John C. ConyersThrough transcripts, memos, and analysis, Representative John C. Conyers, Jr. and the House Judiciary Committee reveal how the Bush administration again and again assumed more power than the Constitution allows, and circumvented the traditional checks and balances of our system. From ignoring laws that forbid torturing, to determining that the president himself-not the courts-can decide the reach of the law, to using creative counselors to recast the statutory law or the Constitution itself, the administration's approach to power was, at its core, little more than a restatement of Richard Nixon's famous rationalization of presidential misdeeds: "When the president does it, that means it's not illegal." Reining in the Imperial Presidency includes forty-seven separate recommendations, including calls for continued committee investigation, a blue ribbon commission to fully investigate administration activities, and independent criminal probes. Conyer writes, "The Constitution has been sorely tested over the last eight years. But . . . I am confident in our capacity to self-correct. Doing so will require much hard work and diligence, and that effort only continues with the release of this Report. Our work is far from complete."
El reino de la impunidad: Revelaciones de la megacomisión y la caída de Alan García
by Sergio TejadaEste libro ofrece las pruebas y argumentos para que sea el lector quien juzgue qué lugar le corresponde a Alan García en la historia política del Perú: si alguna mención de honor, o solo las páginas del oprobio. Alan García Pérez (1949-2019) ha sido una figura gravitante en la historia reciente del Perú. Fue presidente del país en dos ocasiones, y en ambas estuvo presente la envolvente sombra de la corrupción. Sergio Tejada, quien lideró la Megacomisión del Congreso encargada de investigar los actos de corrupción del segundo Gobierno de García (2006-2011), cuenta la historia de ese trabajo, lleno de desafíos, dificultades y hallazgos, que develó cómo se impuso durante años el reino de la impunidad. En una época en la que aún no existían los colaboradores eficaces, la Megacomisión encontró abundante evidencia contra García: los Narcoindultos, los Colegios Emblemáticos, el Metro de Lima, entre otros casos. Pero el expresidente nunca estuvo solo. Además del Congreso, contaba con la complicidad del Ministerio Público, del Poder Judicial y del Tribunal Constitucional. La justicia, en aquel entonces, no estaba del lado de las investigaciones sino del lado de los investigados. Por ello, García siempre supo cómo eludirla hasta el final. Este libro ofrece las pruebas y argumentos para que sea el lector quien juzgue qué lugar le corresponde a Alan García en la historia política del Perú: si alguna mención de honor, o solo las páginas del oprobio.
Reinstating the Ottomans
by Isa BlumiThis book focuses on the western Balkans in the period 1820-1912, in particular on the peoples and social groups that the later national history would claim to have been Albanians, providing a revisionist exploration of national identity prior to the establishment of the nation-state.
Reintegrating Afghan Insurgents
by Seth G. JonesSuccessful counterinsurgency requires getting insurgents to switch sides. Former insurgents provide an invaluable source of information on their previous colleagues, and can ultimately cause momentum to shift toward counterinsurgent forces. This document examines reintegrating mid- and low-level insurgents into their local communities in Afghanistan and outlines steps to facilitate that reintegration process. The author discusses the factors that increase the likelihood of reintegrating fighters and the key options for fighters as they consider reintegration. Finally, he outlines operational and tactical steps that should be taken when insurgents consider reintegration.
Reintegrating Armed Groups After Conflict: Politics, Violence and Transition (Routledge Studies in Intervention and Statebuilding)
by Mats Berdal David H. UckoThis book looks at the political reintegration of armed groups after civil wars and the challenges of transforming ‘rebel’, ‘insurgent’ or other non-state armed groups into viable political entities. Drawing on eight case studies, the definition of ‘armed groups’ here ranges from militias, paramilitary forces, police units of various kinds to intelligence outfits. Likewise, the definition of ‘political integration’ or ‘re-integration’ has not been restricted to the formation of political parties, but is understood broadly as active participation in politics, policy-making or public debate through parties, newspapers, social organisations, think-tanks, NGOs or public service. The book seeks to locate or contextualise individual cases within their distinctive social, cultural and historical settings. As such it differs from much of the donor-driven literature that has tended to abstract the challenge of disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) from their political and historical context, focusing instead on technical or bureaucratic issues raised by the DDR process. Among the issues covered by the volume as a whole, three stand out: first, the role of political settlements in creating legitimate opportunities for erstwhile leaders of armed factions; second, the ability of reintegration programmes to create genuine socio-economic opportunities that can absorb former fighters as functional members of their communities; and third, the processes involved in transforming an entire rebel movement into a viable political party, movement or, more generally, allowing it to participate in political life. This book will be of great interest to students of security and development, peace and conflict studies, and IR in general, as well as practitioners and policymakers. Mats Berdal is Professor of Security and Development in the Department of War Studies at King’s College London. From 2000 to 2003 he was Director of Studies at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in London. Mats Berdal is a Visiting Professor at the National Defence and Command College, Oslo. David Ucko is the Programme Coordinator & Research Fellow for the Conflict, Security & Development Research Group, King's College London.
Reintegrating Extremists
by Sarah V. MarsdenThis book presents an in-depth analysis of how statutory and third sector organisations have faced the challenge of dealing with former 'terrorists'. Offering a theoretically robust, empirically rich account of work with ex-prisoners and those considered 'at risk' of involvement in extremism in the United Kingdom, Marsden dissects the problems governments are facing in dealing with the effects of 'radicalisation'. Increasingly, governments are struggling with the challenge of dealing with those who have become involved in extremism, and yet, comparatively little is known about how and why people renounce violence. Nor are existing efforts to 'deradicalise' extremists well understood. Arguing that reintegration is a more appropriate framework than 'deradicalisation', Marsden looks in detail at the mechanisms by which people can be supported to move away from extremism. By drawing out implications for policy, practice and academic debates around disengagement from radical subcultures, this book makes a significant contribution to an issue only likely to grow in importance for scholars of criminological theory, terrorism and justice.
Reintegrating Jihadist Extremist Detainees: Helping Extremist Offenders Back into Society (Contemporary Terrorism Studies)
by Daan Weggemans Beatrice de GraafThis book seeks to understand the processes of reintegration of former Jihadist detainees, as well as the role that the police and other frontline professionals play in this process. Over the past few decades the number of people who have been detained under the suspicion of terrorist activities has grown significantly. This has resulted in an increased scholarly interest in the topic of prisons and terrorism. However, the main focus of academic research has been on the period of incarceration with researchers paying extensive attention to the conditions under which terrorists have been detained as well as to various processes of alienation and (violent) radicalisation that sometimes take root while in prison. Much less has been written about the period after their incarceration and the steps being taken to prepare them for that transition. This book seeks to fill this gap. It argues that sentencing or incarcerating terrorism suspects is not the end of the story, but just the beginning of the next phase: a process of reintegration, or the start of a new cycle of violence. This exploratory study outlines the factors during and after detention that contribute or hinder the reintegration of those who have been incarcerated for violent extremism and terrorism. The overriding aim of this work is to facilitate further research into the radicalisation and de-radicalisation of jihadist suspects. This book will be of much interest to students of terrorism and counter-terrorism, Islamist radicalisation, criminology and security studies in general.
Reintegrative Justice in Practice: The Informal Management of Crime in an Island Community (Welfare And Society Ser.)
by Peter Raynor Helen MilesRecent years have seen the development of a growing international literature on restorative justice, community justice and reintegrative alternatives to formal criminal justice processes. This literature is stronger on theory and advocacy than on detailed evaluative studies. It often relies for its practical examples on the presumed historical practices of the indigenous peoples of colonised territories, or on attempts to revive or promote modified versions of these in a modern context, which has led to debates about how far modern communities can provide a viable setting for such initiatives. This book provides a unique study of the practice of traditional reintegrative community justice in a European society: the Parish Hall Enquiry (PHE) in the Channel Island of Jersey. This is an ancient institution, based on an informal hearing and discussion of a reported offence with the alleged offender and other interested parties, carried out by centeniers (honorary police officers elected to one of Jersey's twelve parishes). It is still in regular use as an integral part of a modern criminal justice system, and it usually aims to resolve offences without recourse to formal prosecution in court. Helen Miles and Peter Raynor's research, arising from direct observation, contributes to the literature on 'what works' in resolving conflicts and influencing offenders, and their detailed case studies of how problems are addressed gives a 'hands on' flavour of the process. The authors also document the aspects of community life in Jersey that facilitate or hinder the continuation of the PHEs, drawing out the implications of these findings for wider debates about the necessary and sufficient social conditions for reintegrative justice to succeed.
Reinterpreting Russia's Strategic Culture: The Russian Way of War (Contemporary Security Studies)
by Nicolò FasolaThis book analyses the categories of thought underpinning Russia’s strategic decision-making and military operations, unpacking their nature, development, and interaction.The work argues that mainstream Western analysis of Russian military and strategic behaviour is affected by two limitations: first, by forcing Russian choices into pre-packaged logics of action, it fails to grasp the peculiar assumptions and intellectual nuances underpinning Moscow’s strategies; second, an overreliance on buzzwords such as ‘hybridity’ has mystified understanding of the Russian military modus operandi, its true character and strong consistencies. The book addresses such limitations by stressing the influence of strategic culture on Russia’s approach to strategy and war-fighting. After proposing an original model of strategic culture, it employs this conceptual framework to interrogate Russian primary sources and military practices between 2008 and 2018. This allows general hypotheses to be formulated about the ultimate principles underpinning the Russian way of war, which are then tested against three case studies: Russia’s interventions in Georgia (2008), Ukraine (2014–2015), and Syria (2015–2018), respectively. While steering clear of making forecasts, this book provides a solid basis on which to build expectations about and to chart strategies for counter-acting Moscow’s actions— including in the context of the current war in Ukraine.This book will be of much interest to students of Russian security, military and strategic studies, foreign policy, and International Relations in general.
Reinterpreting Sub-Saharan Cities through the Concept of Adaptive Capacity
by Liana RicciThis book explores whether and how a reinterpretation of Sub-Saharan cities, through the concept of adaptive capacity, could bridge this distance and contribute to a new understanding of the contemporary city. The research contributes to improved knowledge of urban and environmental planning and of the dynamics of development and environmental management in peri-urban areas of Dar es Salaam. This knowledge highlights the limits of certain common generalizations on the character of peri-urban areas. Moreover, the research provides methodological contribution derived from considerations on the strengths and weakness of tools and methods for investigating adaptive capacity and for environmental management, in the city of Dar es Salaam. Finally, it highlights controversial issues and possible research paths related to the relationship between adaptive capacity and urban and environmental planning.
Réinventer la démocratie: De la participation à l’intelligence collective (Collection 101)
by Jonathan Durand FolcoAs socioeconomic inequality rises, trust in institutions declines, authoritarian populist movements emerge, misinformation spreads more rapidly and online debates become more polarized, democracy is faced with multiple crises. Are we witnessing the end of democracy? Réinventer la démocratie explores the idea that the political system is in the midst of a major crisis, but one which provides the perfect opportunity to examine the origins of the democratic ideal. At the local democratic level—more specifically at the municipal institution level—we can experiment with innovative forms of public deliberation, civic engagement, and collective intelligence.Following an analysis of the origins of and current crises facing democracy, Jonathan Durand Folco outlines some possible solutions using institutional innovations, strategies, and new practices that can be implemented at the local level. Due primarily to their proximity, municipalities are the perfect place for doing democratic experiments, resolving concrete problems, and potentially incorporating collective intelligence. The author offers a critical analysis of various local participatory mechanisms and finally addresses the question of the “virtues” that can be deployed to strengthen the primary tenets of democracy—engagement, deliberation, representation, inclusion, and collective intelligence. Rather than dwell on the intricacies of today’s society, this book acts instead as a compass to illuminate the paths of democratic emancipation.
Reinventing a Small, Worldly City: The Cultural and Social Transformation of Cardiff
by Ana GonçalvesFocusing on Cardiff, the capital city of Wales in the UK, this book reflects on a contemporary small European city – its development, characteristics, and present struggles. Following a century in which it was dubbed the world’s ‘coaltropolis’, the decline in demand for coal meant that Cardiff endured an acute process of de-industrialisation. In seeking to address this and the related high levels of unemployment, it has experienced a process of cultural and social reinvention since the 1980s, and more significantly after Wales turned into a devolved nation in the late 1990s. Cardiff’s development from a small port into a capital city is examined and special attention is paid to the city’s cultural and social transformation in recent decades that has relied on the expansion of specific cultural clusters and tourism, which have been decisive for the transformation of its cultural identity and in shaping the city’s individual and collective memories and identities. Cardiff epitomises a quintessential case of urban reinvention, cultural regeneration, and social transformation, lying between two apparently contradictory paradigms: the need to respond to global demands and the effort to maintain its cultural distinctiveness and Welsh roots. Therefore, it sets the scene for a wider reflection on small cities, especially in the European setting, and what generally characterises these cities: their liveability, cultural creativity and community empowerment, as well as the fact that they facilitate mobility and social interaction. These worldly cities, the book contends, present interesting opportunities and challenges at the urban, economic, social and cultural levels that rely on more human-scale, people-based approaches to cities, thus defying existing urban hierarchies and categorisations.
Reinventing American Health Care: How the Affordable Care Act will Improve our Terribly Complex, Blatantly Unjust, Outrageously Expensive, Grossly Inefficient, Error Prone System
by Ezekiel EmanuelThe definitive story of American health care today-its causes, consequences, and confusionsIn March 2010, the Affordable Care Act was signed into law. It was the most extensive reform of America's health care system since at least the creation of Medicare in 1965, and maybe ever. The ACA was controversial and highly political, and the law faced legal challenges reaching all the way to the Supreme Court; it even precipitated a government shutdown. It was a signature piece of legislation for President Obama's first term, and also a ball and chain for his second.Ezekiel J. Emanuel, a professor of medical ethics and health policy at the University of Pennsylvania who also served as a special adviser to the White House on health care reform, has written a brilliant diagnostic explanation of why health care in America has become such a divisive social issue, how money and medicine have their own-quite distinct-American story, and why reform has bedeviled presidents of the left and right for more than one hundred years.Emanuel also explains exactly how the ACA reforms are reshaping the health care system now. He forecasts the future, identifying six mega trends in health that will determine the market for health care to 2020 and beyond. His predictions are bold, provocative, and uniquely well-informed. Health care-one of America's largest employment sectors, with an economy the size of the GDP of France-has never had a more comprehensive or authoritative interpreter.