The author of "State of the Nation" seeks to determine the main reasons for the failings and frustrations associated with government and offers concrete steps that Americans can take to become politically engaged and to help the United States to improve its performance. 3 tables.

The latest financial crisis is explained in a historical context in Trouble with Markets. The Great Depression and other periods of economic downturn are investigated and exposed, as Roger Bootle walks readers through the roles of regulators and bankers, and blames financial crisis on the idea that markets can be left alone.

Taiwan is one of the great paradoxes of the international order. A place with its own flag, currency, government and military, but which most of the world does not recognise as a sovereign country. An island that China regards as a 'rebellious province', but which has managed to survive defiantly for decades. Now with its neighbour China a major power on the world stage and ally United States looking increasingly inward, Taiwan's position has never been more precarious. Kerry Brown and Kalley Wu Tzu-hui reveal how the island's shifting fortunes have been shaped by centuries of conquest and by a cast of dynamic characters, by Cold War intrigue and the rise of its neighbour as a global power, explaining how this tiny island, caught between the agendas of two superpowers, is attempting to find its place in a rapidly changing world order. The Trouble with Taiwan relates the story of a fascinating nation and culture, and how its disputed status speaks to a wider, global story about Chinese control and waning US influence.

Kessler-Mata argues for a constitutive theory of tribal sovereignty based on the interconnected relationships between tribes and non-federal governments.

The McKenzian Blueprint. Some lines are short; some lines are long. All lines are variable. Some appear parallel but connect in latency. Some appear linear. When held against the light they reveal dependence or independence; Freedom or constraints; Empowerment or strife; Subjugation or Justice. The Trouble with Kenya is a microcosm of any given country's social and justice pillars. These pillars have been subordinated to the political and economic pillars in many societies with politics and the economy being deified as the all-encompassing enablers of the advancement of Nations. With the world becoming more connected, happenings in far-flung places are increasingly becoming risk factors locally, precipitating issues of local concern and increasing the impediments to collective human development. All these may appear to be abstract concepts in daily life where making the next pay check, putting food on the table or securing a comfortable future for oneself and family is an exhausting endeavor but those who ignore the harbinger flicks subject themselves to ongoing or future succumb. The story of the founding of Kenya as a country and the continuous strides towards nationhood is similar to many countries globally that have had a monarchy in their founding DNA. Indeed, some countries have excelled in building institutions that ensure an equitable society, while some continue to struggle with cartelization and usurpation of independence of institutions and commensurately experience unjust societal confluence where only a few enjoy the benefits of a nation-wide toil. Why you should get the best historical book you are yet to read Unprecedented Insight: Offering a fresh and unparalleled perspective, this book provides a deep dive into Kenya's history in two volumes, shedding light on pivotal moments and influential figures that have shaped the nation. McKenzian Blueprint Unveiled: The book meticulously explores the McKenzian Blueprint, a historical phenomenon that continues to influence Kenya's social, economic, and political landscape. Readers will gain a profound understanding of its origins, implementation, and lasting effects. Compelling Narration: An engaging writing style and thorough research make complex historical events accessible to a broad audience, ensuring an absorbing and enlightening reading experience. Companion Comic Book: Enhance your understanding with the companion comic book of the same title. Featuring vivid graphic illustrations, the comic book brings key historical moments to life, making it an excellent educational tool and an engaging supplement to the main text. Relevance Today: The book is representative of any given country in the world. Drawing parallels between historical events and contemporary issues, the book underscores the relevance of Kenya's, and indeed, your country's past in understanding its present and shaping its future. "The Trouble with Kenya: McKenzian Blueprint" is a must-read for history enthusiasts, students, and anyone seeking a comprehensive exploration of Kenya's rich and complex heritage. Order now and embark on a captivating journey through the corridors of time.

Postmodern theory has engaged the hearts and heads of the brightest students because of its apparent political and social radicalism. Despite this Professor Gavin Kitching claims that, 'At the heart of postmodernism is very poor, deeply confused and misbegotten philosophy. As a result even the very best students who fall under its sway produce radically incoherent ideas about language, meaning, truth and reality.' This is not another conservative attack on postmodernism. Rather, it is a carefully considered analysis from a dedicated university teacher who is convinced that we have gone terribly astray. He shows that postmodern theory is at best irrelevant to, and at worst undermining of, persuasive political arguments, and reveals the basic philosophical confusion at its heart which makes this so. Essential reading for any student writing a thesis in the humanities and the social sciences, and for their teachers. 'It is the strongest and best attack on the ravages of routine post-modernism that I have ever read. I applaud the way he lists the good causes that students warmly espouse, and then suggests a simpler way to support them without the self-destructive it's all just language that is implicit in their work.' - Professor Sir Bernard Crick, Emeritus Professor of Politics, Birkbeck College, University of London 'Gavin Kitching rattles the cages. Will the inmates hear this? They should, if only for the reason that there is virtue in learning to argue against yourself. This is a serious book.' - Professor Peter Beilharz, Sociology, La Trobe University 'Required reading for anyone who wants to understand how and why postmodernism has had such disastrous pedagogical consequences.' - Professor David G. Stern, Philosophy, University of Iowa

A brilliant assault on our obsession with every difference except the one that really matters—the difference between rich and poor If there's one thing Americans agree on, it's the value of diversity. Our corporations vie for slots in the Diversity Top 50, our universities brag about minority recruiting, and every month is Somebody's History Month. But in this provocative new book, Walter Benn Michaels argues that our enthusiastic celebration of "difference" masks our neglect of America's vast and growing economic divide. Affirmative action in schools has not made them more open, it's just guaranteed that the rich kids come in the appropriate colors. Diversity training in the workplace has not raised anybody's salary (except maybe the diversity trainers') but it has guaranteed that when your job is outsourced, your culture will be treated with respect. With lacerating prose and exhilarating wit, Michaels takes on the many manifestations of our devotion to diversity, from companies apologizing for slavery, to a college president explaining why there aren't more women math professors, to the codes of conduct in the new "humane corporations." Looking at the books we read, the TV shows we watch, and the lawsuits we bring, Michaels shows that diversity has become everyone's sacred cow precisely because it offers a false vision of social justice, one that conveniently costs us nothing. The Trouble with Diversity urges us to start thinking about real justice, about equality instead of diversity. Attacking both the right and the left, it will be the most controversial political book of the year.

The #1 New York Times–bestselling author takes an “unfailingly funny” look at global problems and offers his own political perspective (The Washington Times). In this volume, the political humorist and former National Lampoon editor-in-chief attacks fashionable worries—all those terrible problems that are constantly on our minds and in the news, but about which most of us have no real clue—and crisscrosses the globe in search of solutions to today’s most vexing issues, including overpopulation, famine, plague, and multiculturalism. In the process, he produces a hilarious and informative book which ensures that the concept of political correctness will never be the same again. “One of the funniest, most insightful, dead-on-the-money books of the year.” —Los Angeles Times “O’Rourke’s best work since Parliament of Whores.” —The Houston Post “Bottom line: Buy the book.” —The Wall Street Journal

The recent collapse of the banking system and instability in the financial markets has dramatically shaken confidence in the global economic order. Is the current variant of 'free market' capitalism really sustainable? The Trouble With Capitalism - originally written, with remarkable prescience, in 1998 - anticipates such a development and explains the underlying economic fragility it has revealed. Rather than being merely a temporary blip in the march of capitalism, Shutt argues forcefully that the on-going crisis has arisen as a result of fundamental economic problems, stemming from the growing redundancy of both labour and capital since the 1970s. In doing so, he exposes the sham of the laissez faire prospectus, showing that state power and capital are increasingly being used to prop up capital while pretending that the aim is to roll back the frontiers of the state. The implications of the author's startling conclusion (re-examined in a new foreword) - that the maximisation of profit must cease to be the main basis for allocating resources - are profound.