This systematic study of China's structural transformation during the past two decades emphasizes the balance-of-power game so ably played by Deng Xiaoping and others among the post-Mao national leadership. Chen argues that to prevent party cadre opposition to market restructuring—the nemesis of change in other communist states—national leaders manipulated legislative channels and    More >

Though Africa historically has been the site of countless military coups d’état, civil-military relations across the continent have changed dramatically in recent years. What do these changes say about the military's ongoing role in Africa's political and social institutions? How useful are conventional models for understanding civil-military relations in the African    More >

Lester Salamon assesses the reality behind the "corporate social engagement" hype in Latin America, examining what forms CSE is taking, how it is being implemented, why businesses chose to participate, variations among countries in their approaches to partnerships between businesses and civil society, and whether CSE has had any positive impact. His brief, accessible book shows how civil    More >

From the newsroom to pop culture, all signs suggest that the United States is finally ready for a woman in the White House. But is the vision of an imminent Madam President truly in line with today’s political reality? Rethinking Madam President offers a critical assessment of the inroads made by female candidates into the previously male bastion of electoral success, exploring whether    More >

With the development of the atomic bomb, Albert Einstein remarked that everything had changed except our thinking about the world. Einstein and Bertrand Russell warned us that "we have to learn to think in a new way. . . . shall we put an end to the human race; or shall we renounce war?" Unfortunately, we are facing the end of this century still in the midst of wars of various    More >

Although it promises great benefits to hosts and guests alike, tourism often has resulted in painful consequences both for local host communities and for the environment. Deborah McLaren explores how communities around the world, especially indigenous peoples, have responded to the challenges and opportunities that tourism and ecotravel bring.    More >

In this fresh look at Venezuelan politics, Steve Ellner emphasizes the central significance of the country's economic and social cleavages. Ellner's journey through modern Venezuelan history—observing popular masses and social actors as much as political elites and formal institutions—fundamentally informs his analysis of Hugo Chávez's presidency and the    More >

Choice Outstanding Academic Book! How pervasive is reverse discrimination in the United States today? What exactly is "affirmative action"? Fred Pincus investigates the nature and scope of reverse discrimination, questioning what effect affirmative action actually has on white men. Beginning with the early opposition to the 1964 Civil Rights Act, Pincus traces the evolution of the idea    More >

Both a history and a critique of South Africa's film industry, this book recounts the long experience of filmmaker and producer Richard Green. Green's story—especially his work in forging the film initiative New Directions Africa—is emblematic of the struggles, negotiations, and competing ideologies that faced South Africa as it emerged from apartheid. He continues to be an    More >

Using El Salvador as an example of the UN's recent multidimensional peacekeeping operations, Johnstone explores the delicate balance between the potentially conflicting goals of peace and justice. Johnstone challenges the view that these twin goals are incompatible, attributing the relative (though still incomplete) success of the Salvadoran peace process to the mutually reinforcing    More >