Frederic Charles Schaffer, editor

Often regarded as a phenomenon of earlier times and backward places, vote buying has made an impressive comeback in recent decades—primarily as a by-product of democratization. Elections for Sale offers the first comprehensive analysis of this widespread but ill-understood practice. The authors systematically explore a series of key questions: What exactly is vote buying? What are its  More >

Andreas Schedler, Larry Diamond, and Marc F. Plattner, editors

New democracies all over the world are finding themselves haunted by the old demons of clientelism, corruption, arbitrariness, and the abuse of power—leading to a growing awareness that, in addition to elections, democracy requires checks and balances. Democratic governments must be accountable to the electorate; but they must also be subject to restraint and oversight by other public  More >

Andreas Schedler, editor

Today, electoral authoritarianism represents the most common form of political regime in the developing world and the one we know least about. Filling in the lacuna, this new book presents cutting-edge research on the internal dynamics of electoral authoritarian regimes.   Each concise, jargon-free chapter addresses a specific empirical puzzle on the basis of careful cross-national  More >

John A. Scherpereel

Why do democratic leaders sometimes choose not to establish institutions that would promote the consolidation of democracy? And what are the consequences of those choices? Focusing on the cases of the Czech Republic and Slovakia, John Scherpereel explores the interplay of historical institutional legacies, short-term elite interests, and international pressures (i.e., EU conditionality) in the  More >

Asghar Schirazi

Schirazi uses agricultural policy to demonstrate the complications and consequences resulting from the Islamization of development policy in Iran. Refuting claims by Iran's religious leaders that their interpretation of Islam provides the best possible solution for development problems, not only in Iran, but throughout the world, the author concludes from his research that the conception of  More >

Lisa Schirch

Conflict is dramatic. In theater, literature, story telling, and news reporting, it is a powerful mechanism that draws attention, heightens the senses and evokes emotion. Schirch argues that peacebuilding has the potential to do just the same. Examples of peacebuilding often center on the serious, rational negotiations and formal problem-solving efforts in conflict situations. Schirch argues,  More >

Lisa Schirch

A Global Observatory Must-Read Book in Peace and Security! Offering a systematic approach that links practical conflict-assessment exercises to the design, planning, monitoring, and evaluation of peacebuilding efforts, Conflict Assessment and Peacebuilding Planning has been carefully—and realistically—designed to enhance the effectiveness of peacebuilding practice. Lisa Schirch  More >

Michael Schmidt

The year 1994 symbolized the triumphal defeat in South Africa of almost three-and-a-half centuries of racial separation—dating from 1659, the year the Dutch East India Company planted a bitter almond hedge to keep indigenous people out of the company's Cape outpost. But, Michael Schmidt reminds us, for the majority of people in what remains one of the world’s most unequal  More >

Michael Schmidt

Veteran journalist Michael Schmidt explores of the dark corners of South Africa's past, tracing the strains of secrecy, violence, and abuse of privilege that reverberate even today in the country's  deeply unequal society. The book is also a testament to Schmidt's career as a journalist: his uncompromising quest to uncover the truth in what he finds shines through on every page.  More >

Jorge R. Schmidt

How have colonial and partisan politics in Puerto Rico affected the language used in public schools? What can we learn from the conflict over the place of English in Puerto Rican society? How has the role of English evolved over time? Addressing these questions, Jorge Schmidt incisively explores the complex relationships among politics, language, and education in Puerto Rico from 1898, when Spain  More >