Politikk

A brilliant new biography of Boris Johnson from his best biographer, Andrew Gimson

Merchants of death was an epithet used in the USA in the 1930s to attack industries and banks that supplied and funded the First World War (then called the Great War). Originally published in 1934, this book uses the term to expose the international arms industry at the time.

In his riveting new book, Future Tense, Tony Leon captures and analyses recent South African history, with a focus on the squandered and corrupted years of the past decade. With unique access and penetrating insight, Leon presents a portrait of today''s South Africa and prospects for its future, based on his political involvement over thirty years with the key power players: Cyril Ramaphosa, Jacob Zuma, Thabo Mbeki, Nelson Mandela and FW de Klerk. His close-up and personal view of these presidents and their history-making, and many encounters in the wider world, adds vivid colour of a country and planet in upheaval. Written during the first coronavirus lockdown, Future Tense examines the surge of the disease and the response, both of which have crashed the economy and its future prospects. As the founding leader of the Democratic Alliance, Leon also provides an insider view for the first time of the power struggles within that party, which saw the exit of its first black leader in 2019. There is every reason to fear for the future of South Africa but, as Leon argues, ''the hope for a better country remains an improbable, but not an impossible, dream''.

Is the West prepared for a world where power is shared with China? A world in which China asserts the same level of global leadership that the USA currently assumes? And can we learn to embrace Chinese political culture, as China learned to embrace ours?Here, one of the world's leading voices on China, Kerry Brown, takes us past the tired cliches and inside the Chinese leadership - as they lay out a roadmap for working in a world in which China shares dominance with the West.From how, and why, China as a dominant superpower has been inevitable for many years, to how the attempts to fight the old battles are over, Brown digs deeper into the problematic nature of China's current situation - its treatment of dissent, of Xinjiang, Hong Kong, and the severe limitations on its management of relations with other cultures and values. These issues impact the way the West sees China, China sees the West, and how both see themselves.There are obstacles to the West accepting a more prominent place for China in the world - but just because this will be a difficult process does not mean that it should not happen. As Kerry Brown writes: history is indeed ending, but not how the West thought it would.

"This book examines the one state reality in the territories controlled by the state of Israel. The two state solution remains the dominant frame for discussing the present and future relationship between Israel and the Palestinians. In this book we start not with hopes but the reality of an Israel that controls Palestine and the Palestinians and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Starting with the one state reality reshapes how we see the conflict, consider acceptable and unacceptable solutions, and discuss difficult normative questions"--

"Firm footing for a life of holy trouble." - Shane ClaiborneThe Christian faith has a rich tradition of civil disobedience. Old Testament stories of noncooperation with evil, or prophets standing up to Kings at great cost. Jesus, the nonviolent revolutionary, peacemaker, risk-taker. The early Christian communities, repeatedly imprisoned for speaking truth to power-like Dorothy Day or Martin Luther King Jr., centuries later.Nonviolent civil disobedience, when rooted in faith, is not only a way to protest unjust laws; it can be an experience of the sacred. It can be both a symbol and the reality of Christ's love, overcoming the violence that surrounds us. Within this book you'll find a civil resister's field guide to that tradition, and best practices for discernment, court appearances, even jail time. And if there comes a time to cross the line, you'll find yourself in good company.

Security Studies: An Introduction, 4th edition, is the most comprehensive textbook available on the subject, providing students with in-depth coverage of traditional and critical approaches and an essential grounding in the debates, frameworks, and issues of the contemporary security agenda.

From Hannah Arendt, the author of The Origins of Totalitarianism, her influential essay examining the relationship between violence, power, war and politics'Violence can destroy power; it is utterly incapable of creating it'Why has violence played such a significant role in human history? Written in 1970, with the Holocaust and Hiroshima still fresh in recent memory, war in Vietnam raging and the streets of Europe and America exploding into student protest, Hannah Arendt's seminal work dissects violence in the twentieth century: its nature and causes, its relationship with politics and war, its role in the modern age. Arendt warns against the glamorization of violence by revolutionary causes, and argues that true, lasting power can never grow 'out of the barrel of a gun'.'Incisive, deeply probing, written with clarity and grace, it provides an ideal framework for understanding the turbulence of our times' The NationWith an introduction by Arendt expert, Lyndsey Stonebridge, Professor of Humanities and Human Rights at the University of Birmingham.

In response to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the US Federal Reserve and central banks worldwide have deployed tools that past policymakers and economists might have considered radical. Programmes like large-scale securities purchases and a new policy framework remain a source of confusion for investors, journalists and ordinary citizens alike.Twenty-First Century Monetary Policy demystifies these opaque techniques to reveal how economic ideas, historical events and political forces have transformed the Fed's policies over several decades. From the stagflation of the 1970s to the Great Recession and the recent pandemic, Ben S. Bernanke masterfully examines how the Fed's policies-and the institution itself-may change as it grapples with persistently low interest rates, systemic financial risk, rapid technological change and polarised politics. With unparalleled depth of expertise and robust historical sweep, Twenty-First Century Monetary Policy is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding modern finance, investments or US economic policy.

We need to act five times faster to tackle climate change before it is too late. A policy insider, Simon Sharpe provides compelling ideas on how to rethink our strategies and reorganise our efforts in the fields of science, diplomacy, and economics to speed up progress in addressing climate change.

End Times: Elites, Counter-Elites, and the Path of Political Disintegration is a compelling piece of literature penned by the brilliant Peter Turchin. This book, published by PENGUIN PR on June 13, 2023, delves deep into the world of politics, offering a unique perspective on the path of political disintegration. The book is an intriguing exploration of the power dynamics between elites and counter-elites, and the subsequent impact on the political landscape. Turchin masterfully weaves a narrative that is both insightful and thought-provoking, making it a must-read for anyone interested in political science. This book is a testament to Turchin's ability to analyze complex political scenarios and present them in an accessible format. Published by the renowned PENGUIN PR, this book is sure to be a valuable addition to your library.

"Witnesses were mysteriously murdered, and the FBI, NSA, CIA, and even the IRS were on a rampage. It was 1975, and a senator named Frank Church stood almost alone in the face of extraordinary abuses of power. ... Drawing upon hundreds of interviews, thousands of pages of recently declassified documents, and reams of unpublished letters, notes, and memoirs, ... Risen presents [an] untold story of truth and integrity standing against unchecked power--and winning"--Dust jacket flap.

Your guide to becoming a green-fingered vigilante - transforming your neighbourhood's neglected corners into bright pockets of plant life.Guerrilla gardening is the global movement of people planting in public places. From scattering wildflower seeds onto road verges to building community allotments on vacant lots, these peaceful acts of rebellion are where flower power meets people power.With no prior knowledge of gardening or activism needed, this 360° handbook contains all the information and inspiration you need to start greening your streets. Not sure how to pick the right plants, gather a gang, or protect your patch? This guide's got you covered. Follow the 7-step action plan, packed with expert advice, illustrated how-to's, and tales of 'how we did it' from around the world.Ellen Miles is an activist spearheading a new wave of guerrilla gardening. Rooted in social justice and climate action, this growing movement needs you. So, whether you want to boost biodiversity, bring people together, create beauty, grow food, or make a political statement, it's time to get guerrilla gardening.

This isn't a book for people who want to fix Big Tech. It's a detailed disassembly manual for people who want to dismantle it.

"In The Yellow Pad, former United States Secretary of the Treasury and co-chairman of Goldman Sachs Robert Rubin sets out a number of methods and processes that have guided him through moments of crisis. He offers both qualitative and quantitative ways of sifting through difficult economic and social problems, the sum of which is an original intellectual framework that can be applied to both the most global universal problems and the daily dilemmas individuals face. Rubin speaks across generations and the political divide, engaging with the most contested and emotional issues of our times, and seeking to propose realistic policy solutions to move society forward without leaving anyone behind"--

A radical vision for a better future: an economy that works for us, rather than the other way around.As this major German bestseller reports, our world is at a tipping point, and we feel it every day. Costs are rising, the gap between the rich and poor is increasing, natural resources are depleted, and the effects of climate change are starting to take hold. We are under increasing social and environmental stress. But, as leading economist Maja Göpel argues here, there is another path forward.She invites us to imagine what we want our future to look like, and offers solutions that will help us to get there. It's time to question our principles, set new goals, and re-evaluate our priorities. Time to rethink our world and find new ways of living that don't drain our planet any further. We need a fair distribution of wealth, and a way to reconcile the social with the ecological. We need to work smarter, not harder.Critical, yet full of encouragement, Maja Göpel chooses surprising and enlightening examples to illustrate how we can leave behind our familiar ways of living to achieve a better future.