This book delves into the extent of government involvement in religion between 1990 and 2002 using both quantitative and qualitative methodology. The study is based on the Religion and State dataset, ...which includes 175 governments across the globe, all of which are addressed individually in this book. The forms of involvement examined in this study include whether the government has an official religion, whether some religions are given preferential treatment, religious discrimination against minority religion, government regulation of the majority religion, and religious legislation. The study shows that government involvement in religion is ubiquitous, that it increased significantly during this period, and that only a minority of states, including a minority of democracies, have separation of religion and state. These findings contradict the predictions of religion's reduced public significance found in modernization and secularization theory. The findings also demonstrate that state religious monopolies are linked to reduced religious participation.
Bastards of Utopia, the companion to a feature documentary film of the same name, explores the experiences and political imagination of young radical activists in the former Yugoslavia, participants ...in what they call alterglobalization or "globalization from below." Ethnographer Maple Razsa follows individual activists from the transnational protests against globalization of the early 2000s through the Occupy encampments. His portrayal of activism is both empathetic and unflinching-an engaged, elegant meditation on the struggle to re-imagine leftist politics and the power of a country's youth. More information on the film can be found at www.der.org/films/bastards-of-utopia.html.
From 1998 to 2005, six elections took place in postcommunist Europe that had the surprising outcome of empowering the opposition and defeating authoritarian incumbents or their designated successors. ...Valerie J. Bunce and Sharon L. Wolchik compare these unexpected electoral breakthroughs. They draw three conclusions. First, the opposition was victorious because of the hard and creative work of a transnational network composed of local opposition and civil society groups, members of the international democracy assistance community and graduates of successful electoral challenges to authoritarian rule in other countries. Second, the remarkable run of these upset elections reflected the ability of this network to diffuse an ensemble of innovative electoral strategies across state boundaries. Finally, elections can serve as a powerful mechanism for democratic change. This is especially the case when civil society is strong, the transfer of political power is through constitutional means, and opposition leaders win with small mandates.
Student fees have saddled graduates with enormous debt, satisfaction rates are low, a high proportion of graduates are in non-graduate jobs, and public debt from unpaid loans is rocketing. This ...timely and challenging analysis gives robust new policy proposals to encourage excellence and ultimately benefit society.
Love stories Manning, Paul
Love stories,
2015, 20150515, 2015, 2015-05-15
eBook
Love Stories offers an ethnography of language and desire
that doubles as an introduction to key linguistic genres and to the
interplay of language and culture.
This text is an introductory survey of German society focusing on the post-unification situation. It raises questions relating to German identity and adopts an integrated approach, considering ...society, culture, politics, economics and history. The stability and normality of the Federal Republic and its position in world affairs is assessed. The book aims to provide the background to contemporary Germany required for students of modern languages, or those courses containing an element of German studies.
'An excellent, concise analysis of the main features of the political, economic and cultural aspects of a changing Germany in a changing Europe.' – Dr Peter James, Newcastle-upon-Tyne ' Understanding Contemporary Germany is an informed, clearly structured, internally well articulated and extremely useful volume for the introduction of crucial history, social, political, cultural and economic aspects of contemporary Germany. It is well worth considering for any "German Studies" curriculum.' – Hans J. Rindisbacher, Popona College, USA. 'This timely book provides a comprehensive account of social, economic, political and intellectual developments in post-war Germany until early 1996. The book includes a useful chronical of political events and a glossary and will provide a reliable guide to the many undergraduates who will doubtless use it.' – Ian Wallace, University of Bath.
This overview of recent research on how institutions matter in tackling environmental problems reports the findings and policy implications of a decade-long international research project.
