Shaanan challenges the conventional view that unrestricted economic freedom enhances our economic and political well being. He demonstrates that unrestricted economic freedom provides benefits but also inflicts a heavy toll on democracy, free markets and, paradoxically, economic freedom itself.

Culminating a decade of conferences that have explored presidential speech, The Prospect of Presidential Rhetoric assesses progress and suggests directions for both the practice of presidential speech and its study. In Part One, following an analytic review of the field by Martin Medhurst, contributors address the state of the art in their own areas of expertise. Roderick P. Hart then summarizes their work in the course of his rebuttal of an argument made by political scientist George Edwards: that presidential rhetoric lacks political impact. Part Two of the volume consists of the forward-looking reports of six task forces, comprising more than forty scholars, charged with outlining the likely future course of presidential rhetoric, as well as the major questions scholars should ask about it and the tools at their disposal. The Prospect of Presidential Rhetoric will serve as a pivotal work for students and scholars of public discourse and the presidency who seek to understand the shifting landscape of American political leadership.

America in Perspective argues, without hesitation, that America’s best days are ahead if only we can continue to embrace the ideas and values that got us here in the first place. When faced with challenges and conflict, our system of government allows us to self-correct and self-heal, and world history shows that this approach is uniquely American. Today, essential American values are being discredited, such as the American Dream and our meritocratic spirit. America in Perspective reviews American history, warts and all, and presents a path forward for modern America to secure a free and prosperous future for the next generation of Americans.

A collaboration between an attorney and an animal protection advocate, this work utilizes the extremely controversial and high-profile "crush video" case, "US v. Stevens," to explore how American society attempts to balance the protection of free speech and the prevention of animal cruelty. Starting from the detailed case study of a single prominent ruling, the authors provide a masterful survey of important issues facing society in the area of animal welfare. The Stevens case included various "hot topic" elements connected to the role of government as arbiter of public morality, including judicial attitudes to sexual deviance and dogfighting. Because it is one of only two animal rights cases that the US Supreme Court has handled, and the only case discussing the competing interests of free speech and animal cruelty, it will be an important topic for discussion in constitutional and animal law courses for decades to come. The Stevens case arose from the first conviction under 18 USC 48 (Section 48), a federal law enacted in 1999, which criminalized the creation, sale, and/or possession of certain depictions of animal cruelty. The US Congress intended Section 48 to end the creation and interstate trafficking of depictions of animal cruelty in which animals are abused or even killed for entertainment's sake. Proponents of Section 48 predicted that countless benefits to both humans and animals would flow from its enforcement. Opponents of the law argued that it was too far-reaching and would stifle protected speech. Critics of Section 48 appeared to have prevailed when the US Supreme Court struck the law down as unconstitutionally overbroad. Although a law tailored to address the Supreme Court's concerns was quickly enacted, the free speech/animal cruelty controversy is far from over.

How is the life-altering event of migration narrated for children, especially if it was caused by Anti-Semitism and poverty? What of the country of origin is remembered and what is forgotten, and what of the target country when the migration is imagined there a century later? Looking Forward, Looking Back examines today’s representation of Jewish mass migration from Eastern Europe to America around the turn of the last century. It explores the collective story that emerges when American authors look back at this exodus from an Eastern European home to a new one to be established in America. Focusing on children’s literature, it investigates a wide range of texts including young adult literature as well as picture books and hence sheds light on the dynamics of the verbal and the visual in generating images of the self and other, the familiar and the strange. This book is of interest to scholars in the field of imagology, children’s literature, cultural studies, American studies, Slavic studies, and Jewish studies.

American Blindspot: Race, Class, Religion, and the Trump Presidency is a careful exploration of the forces that led to the election of the 45th president of the United States.Author Gerardo Martí synthesizes the latest scholarship and historical research to examine the roles that race, class, and religion have played in politics—both historically and today. This book goes beyond the initial claims that the American working class was the force behind Donald Trump’s election or policies and instead offers a nuanced perspective on how race, religion, and class have shaped our national views, Trump’s election, and his policies.

The Price of Freedom: One Man’s Journey of Hope, Sacrifice, and Fortune What would you sacrifice for a chance at freedom? For Agustín Tenreiro Fernández, a young man from the small town of Pontedeume in Galicia, Spain, the answer was everything. "The Price of Freedom: One Man’s Journey of Hope, Sacrifice, and Fortune" is an autobiographical story of survival, endurance, and the relentless pursuit of a better life in 19th-century Cuba. It’s a story that transcends time and geography, resonating with the heart of every reader who has ever dreamed of forging their own destiny. For the modern reader, Agustín’s story is deeply relatable. His journey mirrors the challenges faced by millions of immigrants who have sought new beginnings in foreign lands—an experience shared by many families, whose ancestors left everything behind in search of opportunity. This book is not just about a physical journey across the ocean; it’s about the emotional and personal journey of growth, sacrifice, and ultimately, the hard-won success that comes with it. Agustín's struggle, captured in his own words, reminds us that freedom, both economic and personal, often comes at a high cost. A Journey Fueled by Hope Agustín’s journey begins in the coast of Galicia, where life is simple but harsh. Born into an average family and was orphaned by his father at an early age, Agustín’s future in Spain looks bleak. At just 18, he makes the heart-wrenching decision to leave his beloved homeland and his mother, whom he would never see again, to chase the promise of opportunity in Havana, Cuba. For Agustín, as for so many immigrants, the decision to leave wasn’t just a matter of seeking wealth—it was about survival. His hometown offered no prospects for a young man with ambitions, so he turned his gaze across the ocean, towards the Americas, where fortunes were made and lost every day. This hope for a brighter future, for the freedom to shape his own destiny, propels him forward. As he boards the ship, the waves of the Atlantic carrying him farther from home, the reader feels Agustín’s inner turmoil. The excitement of new opportunities is tempered by the weight of knowing that he may never return to the world he knows. This tension between hope and fear is the heartbeat of the story and a feeling that will resonate deeply with anyone who has ever faced uncertainty on the road to a new life. At its heart, "The Price of Freedom: One Man’s Journey of Hope, Sacrifice, and Fortune" is about the pursuit of the American Dream—though Agustín’s journey takes place in Cuba, his story mirrors the experiences of countless immigrants who have come to America seeking a better life. His struggle for economic freedom, his desire to build something greater than what he had in his homeland, and the sacrifices he makes along the way are the same struggles that built America. Agustín’s story is both deeply personal and universally relatable. His hopes, his fears, and his triumphs are those of every man or woman who has ever left home in search of a better future. For the American reader, this book offers a window into the immigrant experience, not just in the 19th century, but in all times. It’s a reminder that the pursuit of freedom—whether economic, personal, or political—requires sacrifices that are often unseen by the outside world. Through Agustín’s diary and the letters he writes, readers will feel the weight of his choices, the pain of his separation from family, and the triumph of his eventual success. His story isn’t just a historical account—it’s a human story, filled with emotion, struggle, and the ultimate satisfaction of achieving something meaningful. A Call to Reflect and Remember "The Price of Freedom" isn’t just a story for history buffs or fans of autobiographical tales. It’s a book that invites readers to reflect on their own journeys, their own sacrifices, and the price they have paid for the freedoms they enjoy today. It’s a reminder that behind every success story is a history of struggle, and that the freedom we often take for granted was won through hard work, perseverance, and sacrifice. If you’ve ever wondered about the sacrifices that were made so that we could live in a world of opportunity, if you’ve ever been moved by stories of personal struggle and triumph, or if you simply enjoy a good story about the power of hope, then "The Price of Freedom: One Man’s Journey of Hope, Sacrifice, and Fortune" is a must-read. It’s a story that will inspire you, move you, and make you think about the true cost of the freedoms we often take for granted.

The once rock-solid relationship between Europeans and Americans-based on common interests, shared values, trust, affection, and respect-is fading away, to be replaced by criticism and dissension. Why is this happening? And why does it matter? In Americans and Europeans Dancing in the Dark, Dennis Bark offers an in-depth examination of the deteriorating relationship between America and Europe: our differences and affinities, the reasons behind our conflicts, and the future of our alliance.

The accelerating self-destruction of the United States cannot be hidden when the loss of productivity, loss of faith in government, enflamed identity politics and social fragmentation are constant and are clearly documented. Any national assessment should be grounded in facts, and Prof. Zhang provides a plethora of economic data as a baseline for discussion. The figures and graphs reveal many sides of America that we may generally miss. In addition, Chinese and other Asians familiar with ancient Confucianism have their own sources of wisdom and commentary to guide them in assessing how they and their neighbors think and behave. Here, a Chinese academic familiar with both worlds shares his impressions and his conclusions. Prof. Zhang juxtaposes the political, economic and cultural behavior of America with sparkling quotes from Confucius, Mencius, Xun Zi, as well as Western classical thinkers from Plato to Quesnay and Weber. The book gives us a new perspective on our country — with insights as well from Chaos Theory. In this book we explore how the basic concepts of the yin-yang vision, and socioeconomic chaos theory, can help us understand American civilization, what it represents, and the natural cycles it is going through. Confucianism is more rationalist and sober, in the sense of the absence and the rejection of all non-utilitarian yardsticks, than any other ethical system, with the possible exception of J. Bentham’s. The author presents data on American economic and social trends, and systematically compares the basic ideas of Confucius and Adam Smith. These are interwoven with hundreds of pithy observations on America from a wide spectrum of commentators, from intellectual lumaries to Hollywood stars. The aim of studying the history of human societies, the author says, is to find the equations, i.e., mechanisms, of historical evolution; by stepping back to view events from different perspectives he seeks to present America as an organic whole, going beyond a partial, one-sided view of history — neither the patrician perspective nor that of the workers and the poor. The book is basically an application of the author’s general theory on socioeconomic evolution to provide some insights into America’s evolution by viewing it under an alternative ethical system (ancient Confucianism), with insights from chaos theory.