Reviews (5)

Essays of the master moral philosopher of political liberty
Henry Hardy the devoted student and editor of the work of Isaiah Berlin has reedited and expanded Berlin's on Liberty. These essays are at the heart of Berlin's liberal political philsophy. And their most well- known conception is the distinction between 'negative and positive liberty'.
not another conservative or neo-liberal
I've read amazon reviews of this book that seemed to claim Berlin's liberalism for some kind of conservative or neo-liberal stance.
Brilliant and classic
In these essays, Berlin makes the case for what he calls "negative liberty," in his usual scintillating prose style. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Berlin, Isaiah,    2. History & Theory - General    3. Liberalism    4. Liberty    5. Philosophy    6. Political    7. Political Freedom & Security - Civil Rights    8. Political Science    9. Politics/International Relations    10. Sir    11. Human rights    12. Liberalism & centre democratic ideologies    13. Political Science / History & Theory    14. Politics | Political Theory | Political Philosophy    15. Social & political philosophy   

Reviews (3)

The Philosphy of Economics
The most basic idea, that one person's equality is another's inequality, is explored in detail.Sen illuminates many of the flaws in standard economic thinking, and how the philosophical underpinnings of economics guide and distort economic reasoning.

Fantastic- and I don't agree with a word of it, either!
I read this book in one sitting, and let me say it is a great book. An Excellent piece
Amartya Sen really questions the very foundations that determine of what is equality and development. It is indeed a marvellous piece of work. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. History & Theory - General    3. Legal Reference / Law Profession    4. Political Science    5. Politics/International Relations    6. Public Policy - Social Services & Welfare    7. Welfare Economics    8. Human rights    9. Political Science / General   

Reviews (6)

Scholarly & Representative of the Silent Majority of Muslims
This is a fabulous book!It illustrates the views of millions of Muslims that are never covered in the media or even by academicians.The "Orientalist" view of Islam has been promoted with tiresome frequency in the media and in scholarship as though it represents all of Islam -- it doesn't.This book gives a modern interpretation of Islam (that has nothing to do with terrorism) in a series of a short essays by Muslims and non-Muslims.These are scholarly essays -- not just the unreasoned opinions of journalists who have been cashing in on 9/11 to spin out their own books as fast as they can -- but liberal interpretations of Islam based on original Islamic texts, by renowned academicians.The interpretations of Islam in this book, though prevalent throughout the Islamic world, are usually neglected in the spotlight, eclipsed by juicier portrayals of extremists as representative of all Islam.Even when liberal Islam IS considered by academicians, they tend to put it into a Western framework: that is, with the attitude that in order for Muslims to become modern, they must abandon Islamic tradition altogether.In this book, we are shown how Islam itself can be modern, regardless of what Western tradition is doing. Thanks to Kurzman, these modern, majority interpretations receive attention here, and show us that Islam is a flexible, modern, equitable religion -- one advocating religious tolerance, women's rights, and democracy --and practiced peacefully by millions.

Scholarly & Representative of the Silent Majority of Muslims
This is a fabulous book!It illustrates the views of millions of Muslims that are never covered in the media or even by academicians.The "Orientalist" view of Islam has been promoted with tiresome frequency in the media and in scholarship as though it represents all of Islam -- it doesn't.This book gives a modern interpretation of Islam (that has nothing to do with terrorism) in a series of a short essays by Muslims and non-Muslims.These are scholarly essays -- not just the unreasoned opinions of journalists who have been cashing in on 9/11 to spin out their own books as fast as they can -- but liberal interpretations of Islam based on original Islamic texts, by renowned academicians.The interpretations of Islam in this book, though prevalent throughout the Islamic world, are usually neglected in the spotlight, eclipsed by juicier portrayals of extremists as representative of all Islam.Thanks to Kurzman, these interpretations receive attention here, and show us that Islam is a modern, equitable religion -- one advocating religious tolerance, women's rights, and democracy --and practiced peacefully by millions.

Liberal Islam: A Sourcebook.
Liberal Islam?The editor pre-empts the skepticism in his very first sentence, noting that this "may sound like a contradiction in terms."But, he goes on knowledgeably to show, such a phenomenon does actually exist, even if it is, in his terms, a "neglected tradition" whose power peaked before 1920 and whose exponents have since then been disproportionately the victims of violence.The first selections in this anthology date from the 1920s but the great majority (20 out of 32) of selections date since 1980. Kurzman does an exemplary job of selection-the excerpts are both interesting and important-and of finding writings from across the Muslim world, not just the Middle East.Authors include both those who are the household names of Islamic thinkers (Fazlur Rahman, Mahmoud Mohamed Taha) and others who are deeply obscure (Rusmir Mahmutcehajic, Ali Bulaç).Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Essence, genius, nature    3. Islam    4. Islam - General    5. Islamic renewal    6. Religion    7. Religion - World Religions    8. Human rights    9. Islamic studies    10. Liberalism & centre democratic ideologies    11. Religion & Theology | Islam    12. Religion / Islam    13. Women's studies   

Editorial Review

David Brin takes some of our worst notions about threats to privacy and sets them on their ears. According to Brin, there is no turning back the growth of public observation and inevitable loss of privacy--at least outside of our own homes. Too many of our transactions are already monitored: Brin asserts that cameras used to observe and reduce crime in public areas have been successful and are on the rise. There's even talk of bringing in microphones to augment the cameras. Brin has no doubt that it's only a matter of time before they're installed in numbers to cover every urban area in every developed nation.Read more

Reviews (28)

Puts NSA Wiretapping in Context

I have been giving this book to my friends
This is a "Must Read" for anyone who treasures an open society.The technology is here, and the cost of implementing it is dropping exponentially.The debate about who controls it should begin.This book addresses the question of "Who will watch the watchers" with a level of thoroughness and imagination unavailable anywhere else.
just picked this up
Other reviewers have covered the essentials of Brin's thesis, I won't repeat it. It's important to note that Brin's book is:
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Subjects:  1. Freedom of information    2. Future Studies    3. Political Freedom & Security - Civil Rights    4. Politics/International Relations    5. Privacy, Right of    6. Responsibility    7. Right of privacy    8. Sociology    9. Anthropology    10. Human rights    11. Current Affairs   

Reviews (10)

How can we preserve local communities and economies?
Gary Hart has made a significant contribution to the national discussion on the nature of our political system and our aspirations as a nation.
Misunderstanding Jefferson
This book should be called "misunderstanding Thomas Jefferson". Its interpretation of Jefferson's political philosophy is weak and highly speculative. One has to read everything that Jefferson himself read and wrote, philosophically, to understand him. The author looked at a narrow slice of Jefferson (ward republics) out of context with Jefferson's world view.

Disappointed
This book appeared to be fashionable because it was authored by the name, Gary Hart. Having read just about everything on Thomas Jefferson, I rushed out to get this one. After reading it, I was disappointed. It was long on explaining Mr.Hart's personal opinions and short on explaining Thomas Jefferson's philosophy behind his idea of "ward republics". I have to tell you, I got more information and enjoyment out of another book about Jefferson's philosophy, including a section on ward republics, that pre-dates this book that I read a couple of years ago called "West Point: Character Leadership...Thomas Jefferson" by Norman Thomas Remick. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1743-1826    2. 2001-    3. Democracy    4. Government - U.S. Government    5. History & Theory - General    6. Jefferson, Thomas,    7. Political Science    8. Political participation    9. Politics / Current Events    10. Politics and government    11. Politics/International Relations    12. Republicanism    13. United States    14. United States - General    15. Human rights    16. International relations    17. Jefferson, Thomas    18. Political Science / History & Theory    19. Political and social views    20. Political structures: democracy    21. Politics | American Politics    22. USA   

Reviews (25)

I am gladdened that a somebody -a Somebody-minted this 21st c. concept
Fuller truly breaks ground here and starts the conversation by using real life examples to elucidate the tacit hierachy that shifts and blends and reverses itself as we go through our days in public and private. The concept at the core of all civil rights struggles is that each person , in a democracy- has a value equal to another- regardless of "rank" .There is a rare rare bird who can sidestep the ego and see through the illusions of power that we have created for ourselves. I am looking forward to the author's second book, "All rise"

Rank and Servant-leadership
The purpose for writing this book, the author told us in a foreword, "is to break the taboo on the subject of rank, and reexamine the prerogatives that accompany status in relations between individuals, groups, and nations" because "many of the difficulties we face in personal relationships, schools, and the workplace stem from the misuse of power associated with rank" (p. xix).Bertrand Russell "called power the fundamental concept in social science, `in the same sense in which Energy is a fundamental concept in physics'" (Burns, 1978).
ONE OF THE MANY PINK ELEPHANTS IN SOCIETY
I read this book while completing a leadership training program in New York City.How fortunate to discover this book and to be able to share it with my colleagues as we were being inculcated to the unspoken and sometimes quite obvious disease of RANKISM. Rankism is about folks who cannot help or keep themselves from either feeling shamed and/or needing to shame others in the work place...but in artful, skillful and, unfortunately socially "acceptable" ways.It's also about how systems and cultures will deny rankism and/or explain it away by pointing to the inevitable way that people react around power.
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Subjects:  1. Civics & Citizenship    2. General    3. Multicultural Education    4. Psychology    5. Social Science    6. Sociology    7. Sociology - General    8. United States - 20th Century    9. Education / Multicultural Education    10. Human rights    11. Sociology, Social Studies   

Reviews (1)

Best concise analysis of the subject
As a former student of Dr Worger I can vouch for his deep knowledge of the subject. Here Worger and Clark give the undergradaute or anyone else with an interest in the subject a thoughtful and well researched analysis of a brutally repressive regime that simply did not just come out of nowhere (Africans have been oppressed in what is today South Africa since the 17th century)and will not simply be deposited on the dust heap for history. The legacy of apatheid will be long and painful for the generations that endured it and the new generations that will grow up in its shadow. Woger proves here beyong any doubt that the National Party regime was without a doubt one of the most vicious and murderous regimes of the second half of the 20th century. Even the Soviet bloc post-1956 fell far short in terms of brutality. Noam Chomsky estimates that some 1.5 million deaths can be laid at Pretoria's for the period of 1978-1989 alone (PW Both's tenure in office). I dont doubt it, Worger cornicles how Pretoria raided, bombed, and destablized all the nations of Southern Africa in a desperate attempt to stay in power. It tortrued and murdered its own Africans when they dared to protest. the work also has a very good section on books for further reading and those interested in the topic, such as myself, can delve deeper if they so choose to. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1948-1994    2. Africa - General    3. Apartheid    4. Discrimination & Racism    5. General    6. History    7. History - General History    8. History: World    9. Politics and government    10. Race relations    11. South Africa    12. South Africa - History    13. African history: postwar, from c 1945 -    14. History / General    15. Human rights    16. Postwar period, 1945 to c 2000    17. Racism & racial discrimination    18. Republic of South Africa   

Reviews (5)

Please read and heed this book.
This is a book that could make a real difference in the world.Its chapters are written by a dazzling collection of experts in the field of child development, and It's interesting, readable and informative.Highly recommended!
Honoring Society's "Most Valuable Players" -- our Children
"At this critical point in the history of humankind, the irreducible needs of all children can offer a unifying ethic by which the cultures of our interdependent world might reorder their priorities. Child Honoring is a vision, an organizing principle, and a way of life--a revolution in values that calls for a profound redesign of every sphere of society." --Raffi
exciting new approach to sustainability
"Raffi Cavoukian's vision is a stunning wake-up call for all who care about the world our grandchildren will inherit.This book's exciting new approach to sustainability is an inspiration, for which we owe editors Cavoukian and Olfman great thanks."
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Subjects:  1. Children    2. Children's Studies    3. General    4. Psychology    5. Social conditions    6. Sociology    7. Sociology - Social Theory    8. Child & developmental psychology    9. Family & Health    10. Human rights    11. Psychology & Psychiatry / General    12. Public health & preventive medicine   

Subjects:  1. General    2. Human rights    3. Religion    4. Religion - Socialissues    5. Religious aspects    6. Religion & Beliefs    7. Religion / General   

Reviews (1)

Excellent, thought-provoking and moving.A real eye-opener.
This is a work in the genre of Orwell's "Down and out in Paris andLondon."Immensely readable, despite the very serious nature of thework, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in development issues,untouchablity and in learningabout how it must be to live in abjectpoverty.Kudos to the author for this fine contribution to the few worksthat existon the subject. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1947-    2. Asia - India    3. Asia - India & South Asia    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Business & Economics    6. Economic History    7. Economic conditions    8. Ethnic Cultures - General    9. History: World    10. India    11. Politics and government    12. Poverty    13. Social Classes    14. Asian / Middle Eastern history: postwar, from c 1945 -    15. Biography: general    16. Development studies    17. Human rights    18. Political Science / Economic Conditions    19. Postwar period, 1945 to c 2000    20. Social groups & communities   

Reviews (1)

An introduction to alternative thought on grassroots culture
Esteva and Prakash provide sources of alternative thought about what is important in and of the world.The book offers evidence of how grassroots cultures in non-western nations are combining people interests withenvironmental interests to assure a future for their cultures.The bookgives support to the idea that technological development is not inevitable,but a choice that may be much easier for non-western nations to make. Additionally, the authors offer food for thought for rural sustainablecommunity development in the U. S. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - General    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Culture conflict    5. Economic development    6. General    7. Human Geography    8. International - Economics    9. International cooperation    10. Postmodernism    11. Social Science    12. Social aspects    13. Sociology    14. Sociology - General    15. Cultural studies    16. Development studies    17. Human rights   

Subjects:  1. Child Advocacy    2. Children    3. Children's rights    4. Domestic Relations - Children    5. Family Law - Children    6. Law    7. Legal Reference / Law Profession    8. Legal status, laws, etc    9. Legal status, laws, etc.    10. Parent and child (Law)    11. United States    12. Constitutional & administrative law    13. Human rights    14. Law / Domestic Relations / Children   

Reviews (5)

Fascinating and terrible
Daniel Mannix has written an extraordinarily detailed and intriguing treatise on the history and validity of torture, through every culture, era and continent in the world. From the earliest societies in Greece to modern-day usage, every aspect of torture is covered in this exhaustive volume. Interesting compilation of facts, rumors, and ideals
Daniel P. Mannix has given us a great compilation of facts, rumors, and ideals in "The History of Torture." He examines the pros and cons of torture, discussing whether it even works and in what circumstances it works best, as well as when and why it can be totally ineffective. He discusses the reactions and ideals of the people who did the torturing, delving into what they hoped to accomplish by torturing each other and how the different ways of torturing affected the person being tortured and the people watching, if any. Historical confirmation of the value of love
This book has it all---murder, cruelty, history, execution, murder, boiling oil, cruelty, and lots of enigmatically depraved sentences. Mannix is the MAN!nix. The guy can write---he puts these sentences down that are novels in themselves. I've read most of his books, but none of them touches this one for haiku-like brilliance of his prose. He can roll of a description of the most depraved acts known to man with a terseness befitting a VCR manual. Ace stuff.Read more

Subjects:  1. Correction Of Crime And Delinquency    2. Criminal Law - General    3. Criminology    4. History - General History    5. Law    6. World - General    7. Crime & criminology    8. History / World    9. History of specific subjects    10. Human rights   

Reviews (2)

Highest Recommendation
Even if you're not an activist and don't want to be, as long as you have any sort of interest in social change, this book will be well worth reading. Packed with examples of how movements have succeeded and failed, this extremely readable handbook will inspire through its analysis of strategies and tactics that can be used to accomplish what many of us desperately want. Most of us understand already that simply arguing for social justice will fail to achieve it, but -- as Shaw demonstrates -- Herculean efforts, if miscalculated, will just as surely fail. In this book, Shaw describes successful strategies for community organizers, effective relationships with elected officials, the use of coalitions, ballot initiatives, the media, lawyers, and direct action strategies. The most persuasive theme tying each of these discussions together is that the best defense is an effective offense, that a failure to aggressively pursue positive change is a strategy for worsening the status quo.

GREAT ideas and examples for Activists
This book is highly readable and has GREAT examples and tips.The author shows examples where organizations succeeded and where they failed.As a novice activist, I found it to be very helpful.The examples are diverse so I think there is a great deal for more experienced activits to learn as well.The only drawback of this book is that it focuses only on domestic issues.For those whose causes are on the international level as well as the domestic level would find that to be the only draw back.Still, this is a useful book with great examples and ideas that any activist could use and relate to their own campaign. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Community organization    2. Political Process - General    3. Political activists    4. Politics / Current Events    5. Public Policy - Social Services & Welfare    6. Social Science    7. Social action    8. Sociology    9. Sociology - Urban    10. United States    11. Human rights    12. Political Science / General    13. Political activism    14. Social issues    15. USA   

Editorial Review

In April 1960, Chinese Communist authorities arrested Harry Wu, the son of a well-to-do Shanghai banker. He was cast into a prison camp and, though never formally charged or tried, he spent the next nineteen years in a hellish netherworld of grinding labor, systematic starvation, and torture. Read more

Reviews (9)

Shocking expose of China's hideous gulags that still exist today
Harry Wu spent 19 years in a hellish Chinese Gulag for having come from a Bourgeouis background , and having been judged as insufficiently reformed into a 'new Socialist person'.
One Man¡¯s Response to the Problem if Injustice.
To start with, Harry Wu is a very good storyteller.This is a good story before it is anything else.I make a point of saying that, because there are several other things I liked about the book which probably would not have been as effective if the book had not been, before anything else, a good story.

Subjects:  1. Biography / Autobiography    2. Biography/Autobiography    3. General    4. Historical - General    5. Biography & Autobiography / Historical    6. Biography: general    7. China    8. Human rights    9. Political imprisonment   

Reviews (2)

Crucial book on civil liberties during wartime
Neely gives an excellent and detailed review of how civil liberties suffered during the War Between the States.The right of habeas corpus is Neely's main concern, but trials by military commissons and international law are covered among other topics. Excellent study of a misunderstood aspect of the Civil War
This book gives an excellent look into the policies of the Lincoln administration and the effects of these policies on civil liberties in the United States.A common misconception regarding this subject is that the majority of those arrested as a result of the suspension of habeas corpus were political enemies of Lincoln.This book, however, demonstrates how many of the arrests were not based upon politics, but upon how the crimes committed affected the war effort.Most attention in the past has focused on a few famous cases such as Clement Vallandingham, but this book shows that this case was an exception to the rule.Read more

Subjects:  1. 1809-1865    2. 19th century    3. Bible - CriticismInterpretation - New Testament    4. Civil rights    5. Habeas corpus    6. History    7. History - U.S.    8. History: American    9. Lincoln, Abraham,    10. Political Freedom & Security - Civil Rights    11. President U.S    12. Religion    13. United States    14. United States - Civil War    15. Views on civil rights    16. American history: c 1800 to c 1900    17. History / United States / Civil War Period (1850-1877)    18. History, American | Civil War & Reconstruction    19. Human rights    20. USA   

Subjects:  1. Civil war    2. Human Rights    3. Humanitarian law    4. International    5. Law    6. Legal Reference / Law Profession    7. Legal status, laws, etc    8. Political Freedom & Security - Human Rights    9. Protection of civilians    10. Securities    11. War victims    12. Armed conflict    13. International humanitarian law    14. International relations    15. International space & aerospace law    16. Law of the sea    17. Political Science / International Relations   

Editorial Review

The Isaiah Berlin lectures collected in this volume were originallyaired on BBC radio in 1952. They appear here in print for the first time, thanksto editor Henry Hardy, who produced these fine essays from BBC transcripts andBerlin's own notes. It is perhaps better to read Berlin than hear him; as Hardypoints out in his introduction, the late thinker had the unfortunate habit ofspeaking rapidly. A contemporary once said he was "the only man who pronounces'epistemological' as one syllable." Yet they are a joy to have in any form, asBerlin is a clear and crisp communicato