In Sterke Raad analyseren 41 wetenschappers en praktijkdeskundigen hoe raadsleden hun rol als lid van de gemeenteraad uitvoeren. Daarbij is gebruikgemaakt van een onderzoek onder raadsleden naar wat zij nodig vinden om tot een sterkere raad te komen. Elk hoofdstuk wordt afgesloten met conclusies, aanbevelingen en adviezen. De bijdragen gaan over het vergroten van het gezag en de macht van de raad, de wijze waarop instrumenten voor macht en tegenmacht het beste gebruikt kunnen worden, de hulpt...

'De anatomie van democratie' is een ode aan de democratie. De kernprincipes van democratie en de verschillende componenten die bijdragen aan de effectieve werking ervan komen in dit boek aan de orde. Democratie wordt als het ware ontleed.

In 47 korte hoofdstukken, negen teksten over ‘ondermijning democratie’ en heel veel praktijkvoorbeelden, beschrijft Otto de Loor vier grote thema’s: de democratie als rechtsstaat, de wijze waarop we ons als burgers verhouden tot die rechtsstaat, onze m...

Karl Marx called religion "the opium of the masses" because of the illusory relief it offered from the cold realities of capitalism. Today, the hard reality that we must face is that we have fundamentally and irrevocably damaged life on Earth, and while distracting opiates are everywhere, it is clear that the root cause is none other than capitalism itself.

Building upon a completely unexplored facet of Marx's thought that has been lying dormant for more than a century, Japanese sta...

This highly practical book is essential reading for anyone wanting to know about the many ways to get a job and build a career in the EU public administration.

This 2024 edition has been fully updated to take account of major developments such as the new format of EPSO competitions, the increased availability of internal competitions, and important trends in the types of jobs and career pathways available.

Working for the EU: How to Get In 2024 explains:

• The wide range of positions in th...

'This lucid guide is essential reading' GuardianFrom Donald Trump to Recep Erdogan, populists are on the rise across the globe. But what exactly is populism? Should everyone who criticizes Wall Street or Washington be called a populist? What precisely is the difference between right-wing and left-wing populism? Does populism bring government closer to the people or is it a threat to democracy? Who are "the people" anyway and who can speak in their name? These questions have never been more pr...

Since their classic volume The Breakdown of Democratic Regimes was published in 1978, Juan J. Linz and Alfred Stepan have increasingly focused on the questions of how, in the modern world, nondemocratic regimes can be eroded and democratic regimes crafted. In Problems of Democratic Transition and Consolidation, they break new ground in numerous areas.

They reconceptualize the major types of modern nondemocratic regimes and point out for each type the available paths to democratic transition a...

Designed specifically for introductory globalization courses, Introducing Globalization helps students to develop informed opinions about globalization, inviting them to become participants rather than just passive learners. Identifies and explores the major economic, political and social ties that comprise contemporary global interdependencyExamines a broad sweep of topics, from the rise of transnational corporations and global commodity chains, to global health challenges and policies, to i...

'A compelling warning ... It is hard to disagree with this advice from such a well-informed friend of the west' Martin Wolf, Financial TimesThe West's two-century epoch as global powerhouse is at an end. A new world order, with China and India as the strongest economies, dawns.

How will the West react to its new status of superpower in decline? In Kishore Mahbubani's timely polemic, he argues passionately that the West can no longer presume to impose its ideology on the world, and crucially, ...

A comprehensive and authoritative introduction to China's political history, contemporary political system, and key policy areas, such as the environment, population management, and public health. Politics in China is an authoritative introduction to how the world's second most populous nation and rapidly rising global power is governed today. Written by leading China scholars, each chapter offers an accessible overview of a key topic in Chinese politics.

The opening section provides readers ...

Very Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, InspiringChina is a country of huge economic influence, with ambitions to alter the balance of power between East and West. At the same time, many of its citizens live in poverty, while others occupy futuristic cities with advanced surveillance systems. Modern China: A Very Short Introduction by Rana Mitter offers an integrated picture of Chinese society, culture, economics, politics, and art.

The author addresses China's current international statu...