Books about Socio political from Amazon.com

America's leading historian on Korea offers a nuanced analysis that demolishes familiar generalizations.

Depicted as an insular and forbidding police state with an "insane" dictator at its helm, North Korea —charter member of Bush's "Axis of Evil" —is a country the U.S. loves to hate. Now the CIA says it possesses nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons, as well as long-range missiles capable of delivering them to America's West Coast.

But, as Bruce Cumings demonstrates in this provocative, lively read, the story of the U.S.-Korea conflict is more complex than our leaders or our news media would have us believe. Drawing on his extensive knowledge of Korea, and on declassified government reports, Cumings traces that story, from the brutal Korean War to the present crisis. Harboring no illusions regarding the totalitarian Kim Jong Il regime, Cumings nonetheless insists on a more nuanced approach. The result is both a counter-narrative to the official U.S. and North Korean versions and a fascinating portrayal of North Korea, a country that suffers through foreign invasions, natural disasters, and its own internal contradictions, yet somehow continues to survive..
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This book addresses the pressing issue of severe poverty and inequality, and questions why violations of socio-economic rights are treated with less urgency than violations of civil and political rights, such as the right to freedom of speech or to vote?
Socio-economic rights have been widely regarded as aspirational goals, rhetorically useful, but having few practical implications for government policy and the distribution of resources within a polity. It is not therefore surprising that socio-economic rights have been systematically neglected in the world today, with millions still lacking access to even basic shelter, food or health-care. This book seeks to provide a sustained argument for placing renewed emphasis upon socio-economic rights in the fight against desperate poverty. It utilizes a combination of political philosophy, constitutional law, and public policy in its focus on the right to food, to housing, and to health-care.
Part I involves the development of a philosophical theory of rights that provides a common normative foundation for both civil and political rights and socio-economic rights. This theory involves developing an understanding of value that recognizes individuals have fundamental interests of differing levels of urgency. It also involves drawing an important distinction between conditional rights that flow purely from a normative focus on the equal importance of individuals and unconditional rights that involve competing normative and pragmatic considerations. A general theory of judicial review is also put forward that provides a justification for judicial involvement in the enforcement of socio-economic rights.

Part II then considers the implications of this general philosophical theory for the interpretation and enforcement of socio-economic rights in law. The focus of this more applied discussion is upon South Africa, where entrenched, directly justiciable socio-economic rights are expressly protected in the constitution. The current approach of the South African Constitutional Court to their interpretation and enforcement is considered and criticized primarily for failing to provide sufficient content to such rights. A modified version of the minimum core approach to socio-economic rights is proposed as an alterative way which is supported by the philosophical theory developed in the first part of the book. This approach requires priority to be given to worst off in society through placing a heavy burden of justification on any society that fails to meet the minimal interests of individuals. It also requires concrete steps to be taken towards realizing a higher level of provision that guarantees individuals the necessary conditions for realizing a wide range of purposes. This is also shown to have important policy implications both for developing and developed countries that can, it is hoped, assist in creating an urgency and commitment towards eradicating extreme poverty.
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Price: $38.91 [Notify me when price goes down.]

The period covered in 'Singapore. The socio-economic development of a city-state' is one of great change and tells the story of one of the most successful turnarounds from an underdeveloped to a highly developed nation. It gives us a historical overview of the rapid growth and development of the Singapore economy, detailing the institutions and policies, which have made this growth possible. The content is based on far-reaching library research and an in-depth interview with Dr Albert Winsemius (1910-1996), a Dutch economist, who was Singapore's long-time economic advisor from 1961 to 1984. This book recreates the cultural history of the key institutions and politics which made possible the "miracle" of Singapore, one of East Asia's "little dragons"..
Price: $31.50 [Notify me when price goes down.]

In the first book to focus on African American attitudes toward Japan and China, Marc Gallicchio examines the rise and fall of black internationalism in the first half of the twentieth century. This daring new approach to world politics failed in its effort to seek solidarity with the two Asian countries, but it succeeded in rallying black Americans in the struggle for civil rights.

Black internationalism emphasized the role of race or color in world politics and linked the domestic struggle of African Americans with the freedom struggle of emerging nations "of color," such as India and much of Africa. In the early twentieth century, black internationalists, including W. E. B. Du Bois and Marcus Garvey, embraced Japan as a potential champion of the darker races, despite Japan's imperialism in China. After Pearl Harbor, black internationalists reversed their position and identified Nationalist China as an ally in the war against racism.

In the end, black internationalism was unsuccessful as an interpretation of international affairs. The failed quest for alliances with Japan and China, Gallicchio argues, foreshadowed the difficulty black Americans would encounter in seeking redress for American racism in the international arena..
Price: $65.00 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Established in 1955 as a private advocacy group, the American Friends of Vietnam worked to influence U.S. attitudes and policies toward Vietnam for nearly two decades. AFV members wrote articles, gave speeches, sponsored aid drives, and forged ties with journalists, academics, and government officials in an effort to generate American assistance for South Vietnam. In The Vietnam Lobby, Joseph Morgan shifts the focus away from the much-examined antiwar demonstrations that took place in America to concentrate instead on the actions of those who endorsed U.S. intervention in Vietnam.

Drawing on a wide range of documentary sources, Morgan presents a comprehensive study of the AFV and its activities. He traces the group's establishment and growth, examines its internal organization and politics, and, ultimately, evaluates its effectiveness in guiding government policy and public opinion. Morgan also assesses the charges of antiwar critics who claimed the AFV exerted an excessive, perhaps disastrous, influence in shaping America's Vietnam policy. Finally, he offers insights into the thinking of those who believed that the United States had the unique ability—even the obligation—to help shape Vietnam's future..
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This book transcends current debate on government regulation by lucidly outlining how regulations can be a fruitful combination of persuasion and sanctions. The regulation of business by the United States government is often ineffective despite being more adversarial in tone than in other nations. The authors draw on both empirical studies of regulation from around the world and modern game theory to illustrate innovative solutions to this problem. Their ideas include an argument for the empowerment of private and public interest groups in the regulatory process and a provocative discussion of how the government can support and encourage industry self-regulation..
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"Altman has picked up on things that a good portion of the population has not yet discovered . The First Liberal is a timely book, and one I think will get more than a few people talking It is the kind of talk that has been needed for a long time."-Reverend Fred C. Plumer, president, The Center for Progressive Christianity

Dennis Altman frames a fascinating discussion for both conservatives and liberals. Using Jesus' teachings as logical arguments unadorned by religious overtones, Altman challenges established notions with eye-opening impact.

Altman highlights how Jesus brought humanist values to the Roman world of cruelty and greed. He shows how Jesus was the first liberal voice among religious and political establishments, and the first major advocate for women's and minorities' rights. Altman examines Jesus' teachings in a modern context: our obligations to one another, the dangers of greed, the effective power of nonviolence, and the importance of liberal values in shaping the world for our children.

Regardless of your political or religious orientation, this exciting book will open new doors for you..
Price: $11.93 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Rev. Emeka Obiezu, OSA has attained a remarkable achievement in his book. Both academics and workers in the field focusing on contemporary Africa, especially Nigeria, as well as those interested in our global reality can all find that Fr. Obiezu speaks clearly and urgently to them. I can think of only one audience who will not gladly welcome these well-researched, well-written pages--those people who now profit from an oppression that causes suffering for others. John Paul Szura, OSA, St. Augustine Center of Studies, Quezon City, Philippines What Emeka Obiezu offers with his particular type of analysis is a Christian political theology applicable to the specific situation of Nigeria, but whose implications are global as well. As I read him, Obiezu seems to be advocating for a more robust political theological action that blends the best of Christian theological views and values of compassion with a realistic approach to the actual situation in Nigeria. Marsha Hewitt, Professor of Ethics and Contemporary Theology, Trinity College, University of Toronto Towards a Politics Compassion. includes a wide range of reading in various different areas: philosophy and theology of suffering and compassion; socio-political theologies of liberation and current socio-political issues in Nigeria. It brings the areas of spirituality, political theology, and socio-moral thought into constructive and integrative dialogue. This is a significant contribution from a fine young scholar. Michael Stoeber, Professor of Spirituality and Pastoral Theology, Regis College, University of Toronto. Emeka's book, Towards a Politics of Compassion., exposes his dogged power of reasoning and down-to-earth response to duty. He typically makes a very strong case for the functionality of compassion in operative theology. Emeka's diligent analysis and illustration, makes Christ's participation in sinful humanity without being a sinner very lucid, and thus compels every reader to participate in the cause of poverty eradication in Nigeria and other lands. I am glad that it is coming to Nigeria now that we need such a powerful proposal to reinvent our nation Nigeria. Bartholomew Chidili, OSA, PhD, Professor of Religious Studies at Kaduna State University, Kaduna, Nigeria. Among other noticeable virtues of Towards a Political Compassion: Socio-political Dimensions of Christian Responses to Suffering are its simplicity of structure and clarity of focus. The case made on behalf of "politics of compassion" is done in the light of two viewpoints: (a) an explicit recognition of the inadequacy - even bankruptcy - of self-interest, ambition and force for achieving political and economic justice, and (b) it takes its stand on a Christian premise: that the "way" of Jesus is in fact the most promising 'way' for empirically healing and advancing genuine community at all levels of human and environmental relationships in Nigeria. Jack Costello, SJ, Adjunct Professor of Philosophy, Regis College, University of Toronto Emeka Xris Obiezu, OSA, an Augustinian priest, is a doctoral student of Political Theology at Regis College, University of Toronto, Canada. He has special interest in issues that relate to the socio-political dimension of the mission of the Church especially the Church's relation with international organizations..
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