Struggle in the Levant

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Carollee Bengelsdorf

"A belated, but nontheless very good effort to explore the irreconocilable tension between democracy and authoritarian, paternalist socialism in revolutionary Cuba. Informed by critical Marxism, book challenges the notion that Cuba is an excellent case of 'direct democracy,' laying responsibility for the absence of freedom and accountability squarely on Castro's dictatorial vocation and the Communist party's hegemony. In a surprising departure, author concludes that 'to the degree the (Cuban) leadership continues to insist upon defining the boundaries of civil society, it must in the end fail' (p. 178)"--Handbook of Latin American Studies, v. 57.

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Paul S. Boyer ... [et al

Widely admired for its outstanding scholarship and engaging narrative, The Enduring Vision integrates political, social, and cultural history within a clear chronological framework. It was the first U.S. history textbook to incorporate sustained attention to cultural history, the West, and the environment. The Fifth Edition maintains these strengths as well as the book's distinctive focus on the enduring vision of the American people, "the determination to live up to the values that give meaning to America." - Back cover.

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William C. Berman

In America's Right Turn, historian William Berman examines the political, cultural, and economic context in which Republican conservatives operated over the past several decades and explores the crisis of the liberal welfare state against the background of presidential politics from Nixon to Clinton. Berman demonstrates the key roles played by conservative populism and by the conservative backlash to the rights revolution in the collapse of Democratic hegemony. But, most importantly, he shows how conservative politics became allied with conservative economics - an alliance forged with singular success during the presidency of Ronald Reagan.

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Peter Kien-hong Yu

"This work, written by an expert in the politics of Mainland China and Taiwan, looks at the role the Constitution of the Republic of China has played in the development of Taiwan since 1949 and its potential influence on the People's Republic of China. The Chinese Communists conducted the first long march for the sake of the majority of Chinese people, with the victory of MAO Zedong. In the second long march, CHIANG Kai-shek and his successors tried to convert the Chinese mainland from a Communist, totalitarian system, into a democratic, prosperous one by relying on the spirit of the Republic of China (ROC) constitution and by setting itself as a good example, in gradually guaranteeing freedom and democracy. Needless to say, this march is long and difficult. The Second Long March challenges other models and theories on the study of the relationship between the ROC (Taiwan area) and mainland China or the People's Republic of China (PRC) since China became politically (as opposed to legally) divided in December 1949. Arguably, it is the ROC Constitution that has helped ROC citizens to live in a non-Communist or anti-Communist political system. Actively promoting democracy and freedom on the Chinese mainland (neidi) can further guarantee the Taiwan area's survival. The book will provide valuable scholarship of interest to anyone researching the political history of China and its prospects for democratization."--Bloomsbury Publishing.