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Where Madness Lies: The Double Life of Vivien Leigh
by Lyndsy SpenceVivien Leigh was one of the greatest film and theatrical stars of the twentieth century. Her Oscar-winning performances in Gone with the Wind and A Streetcar Named Desire have cemented her status as an icon of classic Hollywood.Her meteoric rise to fame launched her into the gaze of fellow rising star Laurence Olivier. A tempestuous relationship ensued that would last for twenty years and captured the imagination of people around the world.Behind the scenes, however, Leigh’s personal life was marred by bipolar disorder, which remained undiagnosed until 1953. Largely misunderstood and subjected to barbaric mistreatment at the hands of her doctors, she also suffered the heartbreak of Olivier’s infidelity. Contributing to her image as a tragic heroine, she died at the age of 53.Where Madness Lies begins in 1953, when Leigh suffered a nervous breakdown and was institutionalised. The woeful story unfolds as she tries to rebuild her life, salvage her career and save her marriage.Featuring a wealth of unpublished material, including private correspondence, bestselling author Lyndsy Spence reveals the woman behind the legendary image: a woman who remained strong in the face of adversity
Suddenly an Englishman: 'The Life of Louis Hagen' and 'Arnhem Lift, A German Jew in the Glider Pilot Regiment'
by Louis Hagen‘England is my home, and if someone asks me what I am – German, Norwegian, Jewish or British – I answer, “I’m an Englishman.”’In 1934, aged just 16, Louis Hagen was sent to Lichtenberg concentration camp after being betrayed for an off-hand joke by a Nazi-sympathising family maid. Mercifully, his time there was cut short thanks to the intervention of a school friend’s father, and he escaped to the UK soon after. ‘The Life of Louis Hagen’ follows his adventures across the globe and the characters he met along the way, from the founder of the NHS to a Nobel Prize winner to one of the earliest animated-film directors, all told in lively and unflinching detail.Of the 10,000 men who landed at Arnhem, 1,400 were killed and more than 6,000 were captured – a bloody disaster in more ways than one. ‘Arnhem Lift’ is Hagen’s breathtaking and frank account of what it was like in the air and on the ground, including his daring escape from the German Army by swimming the Rhine. Indeed, it was so honest that Hagen found himself banished to India by his shocked commanding officer soon after its initial publication in 1945.Suddenly an Englishman is the complete story of the remarkable Louis Hagen, a German Jew who survived a concentration camp to become a decorated glider pilot in the British Army Air Corps. His first book, Arnhem Lift, was the earliest published account of the Battle of Arnhem while his accompanying autobiography remained unpublished – until now.
Dirt, Shame, Status: Perspectives on Same-Sex Sexuality in the Bible and the Ancient World
by Thomas KazenA scholarly examination of same-sex sexuality in the Bible in the context of the ancient world Scriptural prohibitions of same-sex sexual acts (so-called &“clobber passages&”) are often used as prooftexts to support the oppression of LGBT communities in the West today. However, such interpretation of these scant references ignores critical sociohistorical context from the ancient world. Analyzing a wealth of primary sources, Thomas Kazen brings biblical studies into conversation with the sexual norms and practices of the ancient world. Near Eastern, Greek, and Roman texts, including the Old and New Testaments, exhibit ancient concerns about hierarchy in sexual relationships. Examining references to sexuality through the lenses of power and subordination, honor and shame, and purity, Kazen sheds light on homophobic passages in the Bible. Special attention is given to the Levitical laws and the Pauline epistles. Ultimately, Kazen calls us to renegotiate the balance between our ancient heritage and our contemporary values. Carefully researched and accessibly presented, Dirt, Shame, Status lends readers insight into the diverse cultural influences on the Bible. Kazen&’s work offers an informed and important perspective on a controversial topic of perennial interest. Scholars, students, and all curious readers of Scripture will find this volume to be an indispensable resource for understanding complex ancient texts and contexts.
On Coming into Possession of Oneself: Transformations of the Interpersonal Field (Psychoanalysis in a New Key Book Series)
by Donnel B. SternThis book is Donnel B. Stern’s latest contribution to the kind of understanding of the psychotherapeutic and psychoanalytic process offered by field theory.Stern anchors his understanding of therapeutic action in the freedom of both patient and analyst to create a meaningful experience with minimum inhibition. The field’s capacity to generate meaning—and thus to make possible fully realized human living—rows from its freedom to respond spontaneously to the feelings, wants, and needs of its participants. To whatever extent this spontaneity is diminished, as it is in unconscious mutual enactment, we can be sure that some part of the field is frozen or otherwise rigidified. This position serves as the foundation of the psychoanalysis that Stern practices. The analyst aims to feel their way into compromises in the field, and then do whatever they can to grasp and dissolve them, knowing that they will have to be visited repeatedly, and dissolved again. These insights into interpersonal and relational field theory lead to descriptions of clinical interventions that are focused on the moment-to-moment emotional experience of both the patient and the analyst.With valuable contributions to theory and emotionally immediate clinical vignettes, this book is essential for all psychoanalysts and psychoanalytic psychotherapists wishing to understand how the analyst’s interventions grow from the analyst’s emotional involvement in the clinical process.
Routledge Handbook of East Asian Translation (Routledge Studies in East Asian Translation)
by Kyung Hye Kim Ruselle Meade Claire ShihRoutledge Handbook of East Asian Translation showcases new research and developments in translation studies within the East Asian context.This handbook draws attention to the diversity of scholarship on translation in East Asia, and its relevance to a variety of established and emerging fields. It focuses on hitherto less-explored interactions, such as intra-Asian translation encounters, translation of minority languages, and translation between East Asian and non-European languages, while also contributing to a thriving body of historical scholarship on East Asian translation traditions. Contributions reflect a growing awareness of the cultural and linguistic heterogeneity within nations, and the reality of multilingualism and plurilingualism among many communities in East Asia. A wide variety of translatorial practices are discussed, including the creative use of Chinese in Japanese-language novels, the use of translation to evade censorship online, community theatre translation, and translation of picture books. The volume also includes contributions by practitioners, who reflect on their experiences of translation and of developing training programmes for community interpreters.This handbook will appeal to researchers and students of translation and interpreting studies. Chapters are likely to be of value to those working, not only in East Asian studies, but also disciplines such as literary studies, global cultural studies, and LGBT+ studies.
Cybersecurity of Discrete Event Systems: From Smart Attacks to Resilient Defence
by Rong SuThis book describes analysis and control against smart cyberattacks in discrete event systems (DES). This is the first technical DES book to provide a thorough introduction to smart cyberattacks on supervisory control systems modelled by regular languages or finite-state automata and possible resilient defence methods against smart cyberattacks."Smart attacks" cannot be detected by the supervisor until an irreversible process toward ensured damage occurs. An attack may be conducted either in the observation channel (i.e., the supervisor’s input of the supervisor) or in the command channel (i.e., the supervisor’s output) or both simultaneously. Therefore, defence strategies against these attacks are urgently needed. Rong Su provides a comprehensive overview of the latest theories and includes empirical examples to illustrate concepts and methods. By centering on what information is available and how such information is used, the readers are provided with methods to evaluate the cyber vulnerability of a given system and design a resilient supervisor against relevant smart attacks. This book comprises two sections. Firstly, Su introduces the required concepts and techniques related to DES and supervisory control. Then he introduces different types of smart attacks that intercept and manipulate information in sensor and command channels in a standard closed-loop control system. Secondly, he presents resilient defence strategies against relevant types of attacks.By focusing on a conceptual introduction and systematic analysis, this book provides a solid theoretical foundation for future exploration by researchers and graduate students who are interested in cybersecurity research, not necessarily limited to those in the DES community. To illustrate the practical relevance of this research, realistic examples are used throughout this book. Readers are recommended to have a background in formal language theory.
Home, History and Possession in Israel-Palestine (Routledge Studies in Middle Eastern Geography)
by Tovi FensterTaking a micro-geographical approach to Israeli-Palestinian relations, this book analyses the history of space and place in West Jerusalem and Jaffa in the context of specific addresses.Based on the unique and innovative ‘archaeology of addresses’ methodology, the book provides an in-depth analysis of 11 specific sites. This ‘micro’ perspective – paying particular attention to the history and past ownership of an individual property – allows the author to draw new insights into the process of ‘population exchange’ that took place in 1948 when Jewish people began to populate Palestinian deserted homes after the Nakba. By looking at archival planning documents, the histories of addresses as ‘contact zones’ between previous and current owners are revealed. Moreover, the research on each address highlights new theoretical understandings, encompassing: the micro-politics of the contact zone; mediated agonism; ruinations and beginnings; creative destruction in urban planning; the right to the city and the right to return; the violence of property; and fragmented settler colonialism. The book concludes by proposing practical applications of the research in teaching and planning practice.The book will prove important reading for students and researchers interested in urban planning, Middle Eastern geography, and the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Emerging Roles of Nanocarrier in Cancer Therapy
by Arun Kumar Singh Rishabha Malviya Sonali SundramThis book addresses the limitations of existing therapeutic approaches using nanoparticles. Emerging Roles of Nanocarriers in Cancer Therapy will further provide information for the development of successful cancer nanomedicine therapies.Features Explains different types of nanoparticles, targeting mechanisms, and approved nanotherapeutics for oncological implications in cancer treatment. Covers in detail the characteristics of various nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems. Discusses passive and active cellular targeting, ligand-based targeting of nanoparticles, and strategies to improve nanoparticle-cellular membrane interaction. Presents the application of nanotherapeutics, current challenges, and prospects, and describes the path of future research. Highlights smart strategies for improving the clinical impact of cancer nanomedicine. The text is primarily written for graduate students, and academic researchers in the fields of biotechnology, nanotechnology, drug delivery, pharmaceutical science, and pharmacology.
Marx (The Routledge Philosophers)
by Brian Leiter Jaime EdwardsThe writings of Karl Marx (1818–1883) have left an indelible mark not only on the understanding of economics and political thought but on the lives of millions of people who lived in regimes that claimed (wrongly) his influence. Trained as a philosopher and steeped in the thought of Hegel, Marx turned away from Hegelian philosophy after 1845 towards a philosophy that incorporated economics and history. It is this Marx that endures and to which this outstanding introduction is devoted.Jaime Edwards and Brian Leiter begin with an overview of Marx's life and intellectual development, including his early years as a journalist in Germany before his exile in London. They then introduce and assess the fundamental elements of Marx’s thought: Marx’s theory of history and historical change (historical materialism) class conflict, the state, and the Communist revolution Marx’s theory of economics, especially the labour theory of value, and his prediction of the collapse of capitalism the nature and role of ideology in Marx’s thought Marx’s theory of human nature and the good life, including his arguments concerning alienation Marx’s legacy and influence, including Western Marxism, the Frankfurt School, and “feminist Marxism”. Including annotated further reading suggestions at the end of each chapter and a glossary of technical terms, this is an indispensable introduction to Marx's philosophical thought. It will also be extremely useful to those in related disciplines such as politics, sociology, history, and political economy.
Sites, Traces, and Materiality: An Alchemy of Medieval Honduras
by Rosemary A. JoyceSites, Traces, and Materiality proposes a new materialist model for archaeology that brings together the concept of site ontology from geography, a novel analysis of archaeological materiality as traces, and engagement with the concept of animacy hierarchy, in order to explore how geological materials can be reconceived as active.Using a sustained analysis of ancient Honduras, the book provides a contribution to global medieval studies showing how the concept of alchemy can help foreground the kinds of experiential knowledge indigenous people used to advance their technological engagements with mineral matter. Addressing a concern often raised with new materialist work in archaeology, the book relies on indigenous philosophy of the contemporary and historic Lenca people-- the descendants of the people who created the archaeological locales the book examines-- for guidance on how to think about minerals as lively. Taking seriously contemporary Lenca concerns with threats to water and land from global industries, the book links the archaeological case study to the present day politics of mineral extraction.Intended for readers interested in history, archaeology, and cultural studies, the book is accessibly written and appropriate for students as well as academics.
Professional Practice for Quantity Surveyors in the 21st Century
by Clinton Aigbavboa Andrew EbekozienThis book covers developing trends and changes occurring in the quantity surveying profession. It begins by explaining the construction industry structure, followed by the quantity surveying practice modalities, professional ethics, roles of regulatory bodies, continuous professional development, and code of professional conduct of quantity surveying practice. Further topics covered include international construction, contract administration, financial management, and liquidated and ascertained damages as applicable to the construction industry.Features: Considers the structure of the construction industry and the interrelationship of professionals in the built environment Provides a compendium of quantity surveying professional practice, including developing country perspectives and examples Includes information on cultural differences and how they may impact quantity surveying practices, such as communication styles, decision-making processes, and work habits Focuses on current industry trends and practices, such as sustainable practices, building information modeling (BIM), and advanced technologies Covers financial statements and progress reports regarding construction projects This book is aimed at professionals and students in construction, quantity surveying/value management, and civil engineering.
Handbook of Molecular Biotechnology
by Dongyou LiuWith a history that likely dates back to the dawn of human civilization more than 10,000 years ago, and a record that includes the domestication and selective breeding of plants and animals, the harnessing of fermentation process for bread, cheese, and brewage production, and the development of vaccines against infectious diseases, biotechnology has acquired a molecular focus during the 20th century, particularly following the resolution of DNA double helix in 1953, and the publication of DNA cloning protocol in 1973, and transformed our concepts and practices in disease diagnosis, treatment and prevention, pharmaceutical and industrial manufacturing, animal and plant industry, and food processing.While molecular biotechnology offers unlimited opportunities for improving human health and well-being, animal welfare, agricultural innovation and environmental conservation, a dearth of high quality books that have the clarity of laboratory manuals without distractive procedural details and the thoroughness of well-conversed textbooks appears to dampen the enthusiasm of aspiring students. In attempt to fill this glaring gap, Handbook of Molecular Biotechnology includes four sections, with the first three presenting in-depth coverage on DNA, RNA and protein technologies, and the fourth highlighting their utility in biotechnology. Recognizing the importance of logical reasoning and experimental verification over direct observation and simple description in biotechnological research and development, the Introduction provides pertinent discussions on key strategies (i.e., be first, be better, and be different), effective thinking (lateral, parallel, causal, reverse, and random), and experimental execution, which have proven invaluable in helping advance research projects, evaluate and prepare research reports, and enhance other scientific endeavors.Key features Presents state-of-the-art reviews on DNA, RNA and protein technologies and their biotechnological applications Discusses key strategies, effective thinking, and experimental execution for scientific research and development Fills the gap left by detailed-ridden laboratory manuals and insight-lacking standard textbooks Includes expert contributions from international scientists at the forefront of molecular biotechnology research and development Written by international scientists at the forefront of molecular biotechnology research and development, chapters in this volume cover the histories, principles, and applications of individual techniques/technologies, and constitute stand-alone, yet interlinked lectures that strive to educate as well as to entertain. Besides providing an informative textbook for tertiary students in molecular biotechnology and related fields, this volume serves as an indispensable roadmap for novice scientists in their efforts to acquire innovative skills and establish solid track records in molecular biotechnology, and offers a contemporary reference for scholars, educators, and policymakers wishing to keep in touch with recent developments in molecular biotechnology.
A Little Bird Told Me: A brand new thrilling cozy crime murder mystery
by Rachael GrayA murder in a quiet village is causing anxiety for a psychologist—who must face her fears to find the killer . . . Psychologist Laurel Nightingale has fled from her problems in search of peace and respite. However, after discovering a dead body shortly after arriving in the tight-knit community of Elderwick, she wonders if village life is as wholesome as she first thought. Local police are convinced the death was accidental, but Laurel suspects murder and enlists her new friend Maggie to join her quest to uncover the truth. When a second body is found, Laurel ruffles feathers by pointing the finger at one of the locals. But when her accusation backfires, she&’s left alienated and afraid. With her fear at an all-time high, her sleuthing partner gone missing, and village gossip spreading like wildfire, Laurel wonders who she can truly trust. Is it time to move on yet again? And will her newly formed friendships be enough to save her from this mysterious murderer?A Little Bird Told Me is the debut whodunit from an exciting new voice in cozy mystery fiction that will put your sleuthing skills to the test.
At School with Dyslexia: A Study Guide for Dyslexic Learners
by Sascha RoosDiscover tools and strategies that help you thrive at school and in your examsDyslexia is a learning difference with its own challenges and strengths. Conventional study techniques do not always suit the dyslexic learner. This book will help you realise your potential, and use your creative and innovative ways of seeing the world and learning to your advantage. It will reveal clever ways of organising your study and provide reassuring tips and advice from fellow dyslexic learners that show it is possible to study and achieve as a dyslexic learner.
Dancing in the Rain: My story of hope, courage and resilience
by Amy DowdenStrictly Come Dancing professional and breast cancer and Crohn's awareness advocate Amy Dowden shares her journey from growing up in the Welsh Valleys to dancing on the glittering stage of prime-time television. Through her debilitating illness as a teen and her recent chemotherapy treatment for stage 3 breast cancer, Amy's is a story of an unbreakable spirit with an irrepressible joy for life and dance; she is living proof that our darkest times do not define us. From her first dance lesson, Amy never wanted to be off the dance floor; when the music is on, nothing else matters, and it has been what has kept her going in the toughest of times. Despite facing the relentless challenges of undiagnosed Crohn's disease through her teens, Amy's love for dance remained unwavering. Her passion led her to win the British Championships with her partner and become the first Welsh professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing. However, Amy's journey took an unexpected turn when she discovered a lump in her breast just before her honeymoon. Despite undergoing a mastectomy and enduring gruelling chemotherapy, her journey was far from over. Complications arose, and she faced the harsh reality of reduced chances of having children. Yet, through it all, Amy's spirit remained unbroken, fuelled by her love for dance and the unwavering support of her family, friends and supporters.In Dancing in the Rain, Amy Dowden shares her poignant and deeply personal story, offering solace and inspiration to anyone navigating life's storms. With courage and vulnerability, she reminds us that no matter the challenge, the human spirit can prevail, and that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope.
No Place Like Home: ‘A universal message … Warm, witty and delightful’ SATHNAM SANGHERA
by Charlene White'White, one of Britain's boldest journalists, has produced a warm, witty, delightful memoir which deserves to be widely read' Sathnam Sanghera, author of Empireland'I loved this book. A fascinating read written by a wonderful woman' Carol Vorderman'To feel as though you belong and knowing who you are are both the most important necessities of life and essential to one's wellbeing. This historic, inspirational book demonstrates that' Baroness Floella Benjamin, OM DBEHome is a vital base for us to thrive, yet, for some, the question of where home is isn't as simple as an address.Depending on circumstance, 'home' may not simply be where we rest, eat and sleep. With the concept of home comes questions of ancestry, identity and belonging, and the understanding that there is no one fixed idea of what or where home is.In No Place Like Home, Charlene White boldly shares her own story and understanding of home as a Jamaican Londoner exploring all the smells, memories and voices from her childhood. Alongside her personal story, White interviews eight individuals who give their perspectives on home and their experiences that are shaped by myriad events from difficult family situations to desperate political upheaval and war. No Place Like Home is a powerful and heartfelt exploration of family, food and finding your place, as well as the moments in history that have changed the way we feel about the simplest of terms: 'home'.
Immaculate Forms: Uncovering the History of Women's Bodies
by Helen KingThroughout history, religious scholars, medical men and - occasionally - women themselves, have moulded thought on what 'makes' a woman. She has been called the weaker sex, the fairer sex, the purer sex, among many other monikers. Often, she has been defined simply as 'Not A Man'.Today, we are more aware than ever of the complex relationship between our bodies and our identities. But contrary to what some may believe, what makes a woman is a question that has always been open-ended.Immaculate Forms examines all the ways in which medicine and religion have played a gatekeeping role over women's organs. It explores how the womb was seen as both the most miraculous organ in the body and as a sewer; uncovers breasts' legacies as maternal or sexual organs - or both; probes the mystery of the disappearing hymen, and asks, did the clitoris need to be discovered at all?
The Book Swap: The 2024 romance novel about book lovers, for book lovers - uplifting, moving, and full of love
by Tessa BickersA REASON TO LIVE.Still grieving the death of her best friend, Erin knows she needs to start living - but has no idea how. Then she loses her favourite book, a heavily annotated and containing her friend's final words to her.A REASON TO LOVE.When James finds Erin's note-filled book in his local community library, it sparks a life-changing conversation. He writes his own message back, and soon they are locked in an anonymous book exchange, with no idea who the other person in the margins might be.A REASON TO FORGIVE?But Erin and James have a shared history that neither of them realise. How will Erin react when she discovers the other writer isn't a stranger at all - but the person she once swore she'd never forgive?A story of second chances and new beginnings, this is a love letter to books - and a love letter to love.Your favourite authors are loving The Book Swap:'Catnip for any book geek' CESCA MAJOR'It's You've Got Mail, but make it even more bookish' NIAMH HARGAN'A gorgeous debut from tremendous Tessa Bickers' SALLY PHILLIPS'What a gorgeous, life-affirming, bookishly beautiful novel this is!' CRESSIDA MCLAUGHLIN'If you love books and you love love, you are going to adore The Book Swap' JULIE COHEN
Expecting Better: Why the Conventional Pregnancy Wisdom is Wrong and What You Really Need to Know
by Emily OsterA groundbreaking guide to pregnancy: empowers women with the facts and allows them to make their own decisions. FREAKANOMICS meets WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU'RE EXPECTING.Award-winning Emily Oster debunks myths about pregnancy to empower women while they're expecting.Pregnant women are often treated as if they were children, given long lists of items to avoid - alcohol, caffeine, sushi - without any real explanation from their doctors about why. They hear frightening and contradictory myths about everything from weight gain to sleeping on your back to bed rest from friends and pregnancy books. In EXPECTING BETTER, Oster shows that the information given to pregnant women is sometimes wrong and almost always oversimplified.EXPECTING BETTER overturns standard recommendations for alcohol, caffeine, sushi, bed rest and induction, while putting in context the blanket guidelines for fetal testing, weight gain, risks of pregnancy over the age of 35, and nausea, among others.Oster offers the real-world advice one would never get at the doctor's office. Knowing that the health of your baby is paramount, readers can know more and worry less. Having the numbers is a tremendous relief - and so is the occasional glass of wine.
It’s Getting Hot in Here: a laugh-out-loud love story for the Menopausing audience
by Jane CostelloHER HOT FLUSHES MUST BE THE PERI-MENOPAUSE. THEY SURELY COULDN'T BE ... LOVE?Lisa Darling - high-flying TV-exec and twice-divorced mother-of-two - has enough on her plate without having to deal with the handsome New Yorker parachuted in to her best friend's job at work.She's already navigating life with a grotty teenage son, organising a PTA cheese & wine event, supporting her oldest friend through breast cancer treatment and, since she hit 47, facing a new perimenopause symptom every day. It's no wonder she never has time for Pilates or that DIY panelling she keeps seeing on Instagram (though she'd be the first to admit she'd rather share a bottle of wine with her friends any day).So when Lisa starts feeling overheated every time she clashes with Zach Russo, she convinces herself it will pass. Maybe her HRT just needs adjusting. Until, that is, she finds herself in a sexy - and seriously ill-advised - clinch with him. And then another . .All of which leads to one question: these long-forgotten feelings couldn't be caused by something else entirely . . . could they? Fun, frank and fabulous, Lisa Darling is the romantic comedy heroine we've ALL been waiting for!
The Masquerades of Spring: The Brand New Rivers of London Novella
by Ben AaronovitchNew York City, New York.Meet Augustus Berrycloth-Young - fop, flaneur, and Englishman abroad - as he chronicles the Jazz Age from his perch atop the city that never sleeps.That is, until his old friend Thomas Nightingale arrives, pursuing a rather mysterious affair concerning an old saxophone - which will take Gussie from his warm bed, to the cold shores of Long Island, and down to the jazz clubs where music, magic, and madness haunt the shadows...****PRAISE FOR THE RIVERS OF LONDON NOVELS'Ben Aaronovitch has created a wonderful world full of mystery, magic and fantastic characters. I love being there more than the real London'NICK FROST'As brilliant and funny as ever'THE SUN'Charming, witty, exciting'THE INDEPENDENT 'An incredibly fast-moving magical joyride for grown-ups'THE TIMES****Discover why this incredible series has sold over two million copies around the world. If you're a fan of Terry Pratchett or Douglas Adams - don't panic - you will love Ben Aaronovitch's imaginative, irreverent and all-round irresistible novels.
The Power of the Badge: Sheriffs and Inequality in the United States
by Mirya R. Holman Emily M. FarrisA sobering exploration of the near unchecked power of sheriffs in the United States. Across the United States, more than 3,000 sheriffs occupy a unique position in the US political and legal systems. Elected by voters—usually in low-visibility, noncompetitive elections—sheriffs oversee more than a third of law enforcement employees and control almost all local jails. They have the power to both set and administer policies, and they can imprison, harm, and even kill members of their communities. Yet, they enjoy a degree of autonomy not seen by other political officeholders. The Power of the Badge offers an unprecedented, data-rich look into the politics of the office and its effects on local communities. Emily M. Farris and Mirya R. Holman draw on two surveys of sheriffs taken nearly a decade apart, as well as election data, case studies, and administrative data to show how a volatile combination of authority and autonomy has created an environment where sheriffs rarely change; elections seldom create meaningful accountability; employees, budgets, and jails can be used for political gains; marginalized populations can be punished; and reforms fail. Farris and Holman also track the increasingly close linkages between sheriffs and right-wing radical groups in an era of high partisanship and intra-federal conflict.
Partisan Nation: The Dangerous New Logic of American Politics in a Nationalized Era
by Paul Pierson Eric SchicklerA provocative exploration of how America’s democratic crisis is rooted in a dangerous mismatch between our Constitution and today’s nationalized, partisan politics. The ground beneath American political institutions has moved, with national politics subsuming and transforming the local. As a result, American democracy is in trouble. In this paradigm-shifting book, political scientists Paul Pierson and Eric Schickler bring a sharp new perspective to today’s challenges. Attentive to the different coalitions, interests, and incentives that define the Democratic and Republican parties, they show how contemporary polarization emerged in a rapidly nationalizing country and how it differs from polarization in past eras. In earlier periods, three key features of the political landscape—state parties, interest groups, and media—varied locally and reinforced the nation’s stark regional diversity. But this began to change in the 1960s as the two parties assumed clearer ideological identities and the power of the national government expanded, raising the stakes of conflict. Together with technological and economic change, these developments have reconfigured state parties, interest groups, and media in self-reinforcing ways. The result is that today’s polarization is self-perpetuating—and intensifying. Partisan Nation offers a powerful caution. As a result of this polarization, America’s political system is distinctly and acutely vulnerable to an authoritarian movement emerging in the contemporary Republican Party, which has both the motive and the means to exploit America’s unusual Constitutional design. Combining the precision and acuity characteristic of their earlier work, Pierson and Schickler explain what these developments mean for American governance and democracy.