Bøker av Raymond Taras

Through a comprehensive analysis of politics in this young European democracy, the authors explain the complexity and uncertainty of political processes and outcomes in Poland. Poland's past -the flawed Second Republic established after World War I, as well as the imperfect independence in the Soviet shadow following World War II's devastation.

Drawing on extensive research in transnationalism and ethnic conflict around the world, Taras re-evaluates the concepts of nation and nationalism in light of the major demographic changes brought about by global migration. He puts forward a new definition of nationhood that sets it apart from national identity, nationalism and diversity.

Are anti-Muslim attitudes becoming the spectre that is haunting Europe? Is Islamophobia as widespread and virulent as is made out? Or do some EU societies appear more prejudiced than others? To what extent are European fears about unmanaged immigration the basis for scapegoating Muslim communities? And is there an anti-elitest dimension to Europeans' protest about rapid demographic change occurring in their countries?This cross-national analysis of Islamophobia looks at these questions in an innovative, even-handed way, steering clear of politically-correct cliches and stereotypes. It cautions that Islamophobia is a serious threat to European values and norms, and must be tackled by future immigration and integration policy.Key Features:* First comprehensive study of Islamophobic attitudes in Europe: traces their origins and identifies their consequences* Comparative analysis of the roots of European xenophobia and its destructive consequence in the rise and spread of anti-Muslim attitudes* Explores the growing opposition to immigration across Europe, with a special focus on the cases of France and Germany* Textbook features include tables of comparative data and side bars illustrating key issuesKeywords:Europe, Islam, Muslims, Immigration, Xenophobia, Prejudice, Multiculturalism, Integration

This is a book about conflicts and fears: how domestic reasons are drawing countries in Europe into international events. There has been much research into why the U.S. and U.K. militaries intervened in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other conflict zones. But what explains France's newfound international activism, which is taking its military to Libya, Mali and deeper into Africa? Why has Poland become deeply engaged in Ukraine's politics? Why is Sweden, which has not fought a war since 1814, concerned with the fierce internal wars in Iraq and Syria? Can these actions be explained as countries simply protecting their national interests, or could domestic xenophobia also be playing a part? In 'Fear and the Making of Foreign Policy', Raymond Taras explains the causal mechanisms propelling these three EU states to become engaged in outside conflicts and tells the story of when and why xenophobia at home is converted into xenophobia abroad.

"Understanding Ethnic Conflict" provides all the key concepts needed to understand conflict among ethnic groups. Including approaches from both comparative politics and international relations, this text offers a model of ethnic conflict's internationalization by showing how domestic and international actors influence a country's ethnic and sectarian divisions. Illustrating this model in five original case studies, the unique combination of theory and application in "Understanding Ethnic Conflict" facilitates more critical analysis of contemporary ethnic conflicts and the world's response to them.

Ideology in a Socialist State describes the changes in the ideology of Poland's rulers from the October events of 1956 to the lifting of martial law in 1983. Ideology has been one of the most debated and equivocal concepts in social science, yet this is one of the first attempts to examine it in a systematic, longitudinal and empirical way.