Author: Lisa Blaydes File Type: pdf A new account of modern Iraqi politics that overturns the conventional wisdom about its sectarian divisions How did Iraq become one of the most repressive dictatorships of the late twentieth century? The conventional wisdom about Iraqs modern political history is that the country was doomed by its diverse social fabric. But in State of Repression, Lisa Blaydes challenges this belief by showing that the countrys breakdown was far from inevitable. At the same time, she offers a new way of understanding the behavior of other authoritarian regimes and their populations. Drawing on archival material captured from the headquarters of Saddam Husseins ruling Bath Party in the wake of the 2003 US invasion, Blaydes illuminates the complexities of political life in Iraq, including why certain Iraqis chose to collaborate with the regime while others worked to undermine it. She demonstrates that, despite the Bathist regimes pretensions to political hegemony, its frequent reliance on collective punishment of various groups reinforced and cemented identity divisions. In addition, a series of costly external shocks to the economy--resulting from fluctuations in oil prices and Iraqs war with Iranweakened the capacity of the regime to monitor, co-opt, coerce, and control factions of Iraqi society. In addition to calling into question the common story of modern Iraqi politics, State of Repression offers a new explanation of why and how dictators repress their people in ways that can inadvertently strengthen regime opponents. **Review What a tonic Lisa Blaydess new book is. . . . Blaydes deserves a medal for a book that is impeccably researched and challenges so many myths with calm objective analysis. Her argument is one in the eye for those who say the modern state is incompatible with Islam.---Tim Stanley, *Daily Telegraph* Lisa Blaydes has hit a home run with her study of Iraq under Saddam Hussein. Meticulously researched and overflowing with original insights, this impressive volume is at once an in-depth account of Saddams nearly quarter-century of rule and a theoretically informed inquiry into the nature and societal impact of authoritarian rule more generally. Blaydess masterful book is essential reading both for students of Iraq and the Middle East and for students of authoritarian political systems. Mark Tessler, University of Michigan Ever since Saddam Husseins fall, students of authoritarianism have been waiting to learn about the role of repression, patronage, and sectarian politics in sustaining his regime. Now we finally know Lisa Blaydes brings the rigor of a social scientist to archival evidence of unprecedented scope and richness to give the most comprehensive analysis of the inner workings of Saddam Husseins regime to date. Milan Svolik, Yale University Lisa Blaydes provides a superb and analytically satisfying account of the workings of the curious clannish rule of the Bath in Iraq. The intricacies of its systems of exclusion and inclusion are laid bare in absorbing detail, making a good case for the lasting effect this has had on the present fractured landscape of Iraqi politics. Charles Tripp, professor emeritus, SOAS University of London A thorough account of what it was like to live under Saddam Husseins highly oppressive regime, Blaydess exceptional book also speaks broadly about the dynamics and effects of state repression, developing an elegant theory of how repression reinforces or undercuts shared political identities and facilitates or hinders mobilization against the state. The combination of careful quantitative analyses and rich qualitative material from relatively untapped Iraqi archives yields a convincing and absorbing account. Melani Cammett, Harvard University In State of Repression, Lisa Blaydes brilliantly exposes the subtleties of repressive politics. This is a formidable work that weaves an astonishing amount of data into a compelling narrative that captures the tragic reality of Bathist Iraq in all its complexity. An authoritative account that will remain unmatched for a long time to come. Hazem Kandil, University of Cambridge Drawing on fascinating original research about the inner workings of Iraqs Bathist regime, State of Repression enhances our understanding of authoritarian politics. Amaney A. Jamal, Princeton University Using rich and original primary sources, this excellent book looks deeply at the case of Saddam Husseins Iraq to develop a new theory of how cooperation and resistance emerge in oppressive political contexts. Fotini Christia, Massachusetts Institute of Technology From the Back Cover Lisa Blaydes has hit a home run with her study of Iraq under Saddam Hussein. Meticulously researched and overflowing with original insights, this impressive volume is at once an in-depth account of Saddams nearly quarter-century of rule and a theoretically informed inquiry into the nature and societal impact of authoritarian rule more generally. Blaydess masterful book is essential reading both for students of Iraq and the Middle East and for students of authoritarian political systems.--Mark Tessler, University of Michigan Drawing on fascinating original research about the inner workings of Iraqs Bathist regime, State of Repression enhances our understanding of authoritarian politics.--Amaney A. Jamal, Princeton University Using rich and original primary sources, this excellent book looks deeply at the case of Saddam Husseins Iraq to develop a new theory of how cooperation and resistance emerge in oppressive political contexts.--Fotini Christia, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Author: Global Green
File Type: pdf
Blueprint for Green Affordable Housing is a guide for housing developers, advocates, public agency staff, and the financial community that offers specific guidance on incorporating green building strategies into the design, construction, and operation of affordable housing developments. A completely revised and expanded second edition of the groundbreaking 1999 publication, this new book focuses on topics of specific relevance to affordable housing includinghow green building adds value to affordable housingthe integrated design processbest practices in green design for affordable housinggreen operations and maintenanceinnovative funding and financeemerging programs, partnerships, and policies Edited by national green affordable housing expert Walker Wells and featuring a foreword by Matt Petersen, president and chief executive officer of Global Green USA, the book presents 12 case studies of model developments and projects, including rental, home ownership, special needs, senior, self-help, and co-housing from around the United States. Each case study describes the unique green features of the development, discusses how they were successfully incorporated, considers the projects financing and savings associated with the green measures, and outlines lessons learned.Blueprint for Green Affordable Housing is the first book of its kind to present information regarding green building that is specifically tailored to the affordable housing development community.
Author: Peter Worsley
File Type: pdf
Karl Marx probably had more influence on the political course of the last century than any other social thinker. There are many different kinds of Marxism, and the Twentieth Century saw two huge Marxist states in total opposition to one another. In the West, Marxism has never presented a revolutionary threat to the established order, though it has taken root as the major theoretical critique of capitalist society in intellectual circles, and new interpretations of Marxs thought appear each year.Peter Worsley discusses all these major varieties of Marxism, distinguishing between those ideas which remain valid, those which are contestable, and those which should now be discarded. Rather than treating Marxism purely as a philosophy in the abstract, he concentrates upon the uses to which Marxism has been put and emphasises the connections between the theoretical debates and political struggles in the real world. Karl Marx probably had more influence on the political course of the last century than any other social thinker. There are many different kinds of Marxism, and the Twentieth Century saw two huge Marxist states in total opposition to one another. In the West, Marxism has never presented a revolutionary threat to the established order, though it has taken root as the major theoretical critique of capitalist society in intellectual circles, and new interpretations of Marxs thought appear each year.Peter Worsley discusses all these major varieties of Marxism, distinguishing between those ideas which remain valid, those which are contestable, and those which should now be discarded. Rather than treating Marxism purely as a philosophy in the abstract, he concentrates upon the uses to which Marxism has been put and emphasises the connections between the theoretical debates and political struggles in the real world.
Author: Dennie Oude Nijhuis
File Type: pdf
This book examines how the Netherlands managed to create and maintain one of the worlds most generous and inclusive welfare systems despite having been dominated by Christian-democratic or conservative, rather than socialist dominated governments, for most of the post-war period. It emphasizes that such systems have strong consequences for the distribution of income and risk among different segments of society and argues that they could consequently only emerge in countries where middle class groups were unable to utilize their key electoral and strong labor market position to mobilize against the adverse consequences of redistribution for them. By illustrating their key role in the coming about of solidaristic welfare reform in the Netherlands, the book also offers a novel view of the roles of Christian-democracy and the labor union movement in the development of modern welfare states. By highlighting how welfare reform contributed to the employment miracle of the 1990s, the book sheds new light on how countries are able to combine high levels of welfare generosity and solidarity with successful macro-economic performance. **
Author: Anthony Paul Smith
File Type: pdf
In A Non-Philosophical Theory of Nature, Anthony Paul Smith asserts that the old theological and philosophical ideas about the unnatural are no longer tenable. Parts of nature seem to be at war with one another - the human against the rest of the biosphere - and this is because our very understanding of the idea of nature that comes to us from philosophy and theology has perpetuated that war. Smith argues that the very idea of nature must be rethought as ecological. Towards that purpose he uses the methodology of Francois Laruelles non-philosophy to bring together the fields of philosophy, theology, and scientific ecology and treat them as ecological material. Out of this ecology of thought, a new theory of nature emerges for an ecological age. **
Author: Randolph Feezell
File Type: epub
What is sport? Why does sport matter? How can we use philosophy to understand what sport means today? This engaging and highly original introduction to the philosophy of sport uses dialogue a form of philosophical investigation to address the fundamental questions in sport studies and to explore key contemporary issues such as fair play, gender, drug use, cheating, entertainment and identity. Providing a clear, informative and accessible introduction to the philosophy of sport, every chapter includes current sporting examples as well as review questions and guides to further reading. The dialogue form enables students to engage in debate and raise questions, while encouraging them to think from the perspectives of athlete, coach, spectator and philosopher. The issues raised present real and complex ethical dilemmas that relate to a variety of sports from around the world such as soccer, athletics, baseball, basketball, hockey and tennis. No other book brings this rich subject to life through the use of dialogue, making this an indispensable companion to any course on the philosophy or ethics of sport. **