Subjects:  1. Sociolinguistics    2. Political Ideologies - Conservatism & Liberalism    3. Language Arts / Linguistics / Literacy    4. Semantics    5. Political Science (Specific Aspects)    6. Communication Studies    7. Conservatism & right-of-centre democratic ideologies    8. Political campaigning & advertising    9. Political parties    10. Language Arts & Disciplines    11. United States    12. English language    13. Political aspects    14. Linguistics (Specific Aspects)    15. Language    16. Social aspects   

Reviews (4)

good info
the book has good information and is very throrough, but chapters are wordy and could probably be condensed. overall, the book is of good quality.

Groundbreaking book
This is a truly comprehensive theory textbook that covers complex theories in a manner that makes them accessible to the reader. The authors are to be applauded for making a critical analysis of theory a central component of each chapter and for including theories that most other textbooks have ignored.

Difficult to read
This book is extremely challenging to get through and understand.I was lost a great deal of the time and did not learn what I had hoped.I appreciate the inclusion of the spiritual aspects of theories in the book, but the authors seemed to forget about teaching in an understandable manner. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cognitive Psychology    2. Human behavior    3. Politics / Current Events    4. Psychology    5. Public Policy - Social Services & Welfare    6. Social Psychology    7. Social ecology    8. Social service    9. Political Science / Social Services & Welfare    10. Social welfare & social services   

Reviews (5)

Cannot believe I was required to buy this book
This book is terrible.Every chapter begins with at least one Shakespeare quote which leads one to wonder whether this man spends more time considering politics or indulging in sonnets.The book is structured to make international relations appear as Shakespearean dramas which becomes extremely annoying after the first five pages.The references are vague, many terms left undefined, and somehow beyond the condescending tone of the book he finds a way to make every sentence that actually contains important information structurally unbearable.If I did not have really smart friends who are majoring in International Affairs this book would convince me that such majors are a joke.

Cant say horrible...that title is already taken.
This book is absolutely painful to read.If you have to purchase this book for class, be prepared for chapter 7, 10, & 11.These are the most painful chapters in the book.In these chapters it is very hard to follow the text (i.e. main points).Other students and I got migranes from trying to prepare notes for these chapters for a test.Just horrible.

An Appropriate World Politics Textbook
Rourke covers topics using horizontal and vertical methods. He explaisn the nature of power relationships, non governmental organizations, intergovernmental organizations, and other political structural forms horizontally while explaining political happenings and characters vertically. His section on the nature and conduct of diplomacy is quite well done for a survey textbook. The level of articulation and the engagement of the reader makes this a good choice for a survey or introductory World Politics classroom. AP World History course instructors may also want to examine this book as it may fit well with high school students as well as undergraduates. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. International Relations (General)    2. International Relations - General    3. Political Science    4. Politics/International Relations    5. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT   

Reviews (87)

Somewhat Unfulfilled Promise
I purchased this book for recreational reading -if that tells you anything about what I consider to be fun - shortly after it was published, expecting to read an insider's account of paramilitary forces in Afghanistan and how they interacted with military Special Operations Forces, and in that Berntsen did not disappoint.This book is a fairly quick read and as a first person accounting it makes for some interesting background and fills in some gaps in my understanding of the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, especially on the political aspects of how the CIA was willing, on one hand, to provide so much autonomy to a field operative, but yet could not seem to engage in a truly cooperative venture between the agency and military SOFs.
You have to read between the lines
The jacket cover for Gary Berntsen's "Jawbreaker" claims this is "The book the CIA doesn't want you to read!" I find that a little hard to believe since the CIA has already apparently had their chance at redacting sensitive information leaving wide swaths of black ink on about 75% of the pages. Sometimes one black line apparently stands for several pages of redaction while at other times a small rectangle of black eliminates a single word that obviously wasn't very important to the story. The book's subtitle is "The attack on Bin Laden and al-Qaeda: a personal account the CIA's key field commander". That's another good hint that the CIA isn't too upset about the book being published. I personally think they rather enjoy seeing a successful book which details a CIA mission that was exciting, action-packed, and 99% successful. Only at the very end of the book do we find that second guessing on the part of the White House or Pentagon may have cost us the opportunity to kill Bin Laden at the end of the Afghan war.
A Sandwich with no Meat
Gary Berntsen's book "Jawbreaker" is interesting reading, but it makes one feel as if one is eating a sandwich with no meat and the sandwich is wrapped with cellophane of red tape.The author was drastically limited in writing a complete story by the CIA censors.The CIA censors "redacted" a great amount of detail.As a result, the book falls into the category of being a summarized report rather than a story.Special Forces, CIA and FBI personnel with their experience in intelligence work would understand "Jawbreaker" better than the common everyday-person.Agency and SF personnel would be able to, imaginarily, fill in the blanks.
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Subjects:  1. Government - U.S. Government    2. Intelligence Operations    3. Political Freedom & Security - Intelligence    4. Political Freedom & Security - International Secur    5. Political Freedom & Security - Terrorism    6. Political Science    7. Political Terrorism    8. Politics / Current Events    9. Politics/International Relations    10. Prevention    11. Sociology    12. Terrorism    13. War on Terrorism, 2001-    14. History / Modern / 21st Century   

Reviews (2)

Negotiation versus Regime Change
Scott Ritter provides chapter and verse on how conflict with the Axis of Evil nations could have been avoided with direct negotiation.The mullahs of Iran sought to negotiate with everything on the table, including nuclear weapons and a treaty with Israel. North Korea still wants direct negotiations.So did Saddam. We don't negotiate with regimes we want to remove.Bush prefers to "take them out" no matter how many americans die.

Could have, would have, shoud have...
This could have been one of the most important books of the year. Scott Ritter provides important, but tangential, information related to Israel's influence over U.S. foreign policy, the history of the IAEA in Iran, and the theory of regime change as the real reason for U.S. "concern" over Iran's nuclear weapons infrastructure.
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Subjects:  1. Government - U.S. Government    2. History    3. History: American    4. Political Freedom & Security - International Secur    5. Politics / Current Events    6. Public Policy - General    7. United States - 21st Century    8. Asian / Middle Eastern history: from c 1900 -    9. History / United States / 21st Century    10. International relations    11. Iran    12. USA   

Reviews (12)

Interesting history...
This was an interesting read.Napolitano is a Fox News Contributor who is an advocate of interpreting via natural law and reading the Constitution literally for it's intended meaning.As a result, the Fox News bashers will tend to ignore the book but it's worthy of their attention too because the leftwing liberal idea of reinterpeting the Constitution for today is what lead to legislation like the Patriot Act.In an unbiased way (politically), his criticisms of the current administration are well-balanced with a good explanation and examples of abuse.I've traditionally been a supporter of the Republicans and the Patriot act but the Judge's book have made me rethink the Patriot Act.I was also surprised at how far back in time some of the interpretation contraversies go, some dating back to Hamilton and Jefferson themselves.

Outstanding work by Judge Napolitano
I have never written a review for Amazon but this book was so good that I felt compelled to go through the process.
For Freedom loving Americans
Judge Napolitano commicated what I been seeing happen. He has the legal background to explain how the Federal Government has sized power that was never intended for them to have. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Constitutional history    2. Constitutions    3. Executive power    4. General    5. Government - General    6. Government - Legislative Branch    7. Government - U.S. Government    8. History    9. Political Freedom & Security - General    10. Political Science    11. Politics / Current Events    12. Politics/International Relations    13. Popular works    14. Separation of powers    15. U.S. Constitutional History    16. United States    17. Political Science / General   

Subjects:  1. Civics & Citizenship    2. Constitutions    3. Political Ideologies - Democracy    4. Political Science    5. Politics / Current Events    6. Politics and government    7. Politics/International Relations    8. Textbooks    9. United States    10. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT    11. Political Science / General    12. USA   

Reviews (7)

"Civic-ness" and Democracy
In the early 1970s, political power was decentralized in Italy.The power once held by the central government in Rome was reallocated to the newly created regional governments. Constitutionally, the regions possessed similar political institutions.However, the regions varied socially, economically and in political context.Putnam, seeing a ready laboratory for social science, chose to study the role of environmental factors on institutional performance in the new regional governments.Institutions serve as Putnam's independent variable, while a number of environmental factors act as the dependent variables.As such three main research questions emerged; 1) how does institutional change affect identity, power, and strategy of the regional political actors, 2) how is institutional performance a function of history, and lastly 3) which features of social context most powerfully affect institutional performance (8).
A Classic Text of Modern Political Science
Robert Putnam's work has become a Political Science classic.His work is part of new area of research -- civic participation.During the past decade, this area has exploded from obscurity twenty years ago to being one of the most popular fields today.Putnam's works have had a profound impact on many other areas in the Political Science world, from local governance to international political theory.Regardless of whether you agree with his theories, if you are at all interested in Political Science, it is a must read.Moreover, either "Marking Democracy Work" or "Bowling Alone" are becoming standard texts used in most 100 & 200 level undergraduate courses.

trite conclusions, flawed methodology... but engaging prose
It's unfortunate that given the opportunity and resources to study the birth and development of regional government in Italy over the course of twenty years, the best conclusions Putnam was able to draw from his observations are hackneyed paraphrases from Tocqueville. Most of his most careful fieldwork yields results that are stultifyingly obvious; and it's hard not to think that his questions and indicators were not deliberately chosen to demonstrate foregone conclusions. Probably most irritating to me is Putnam's irresponsible use of history as a tool for proving continuities that are largely imaginary.Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Government - U.S. Government    3. History & Theory - General    4. Political Science    5. Politics / Current Events    6. Politics/International Relations    7. Central government    8. Italy    9. Local government    10. Political Science / History & Theory    11. Political Science and International Relations    12. Political science & theory    13. Political structures: democracy    14. Sociology    15. c 1970 to c 1980    16. c 1980 to c 1990   

Reviews (1)

Best text on labor economics and labor relations
The authors do a good job analyzing the labor market conditons, and cover in great detail labor relations, go into some comperative analysis of circumstances in different economic systems. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business/Economics    3. Economics - General    4. Industrial And Labor Relations    5. Industrial relations    6. Labor    7. Labor & Industrial Relations - General    8. Labor Economics (General)    9. Labor economics    10. Politics / Current Events    11. Business & Economics / Economics / General    12. Labour economics   

Reviews (14)

The best book written on this subject
I follow all of Fouad Ajami's writings.He is a master at observing the people and stories unfolding around him.I am convinced that no current writer knows the Arab world better.Since I have some knowledge of Iraq, as I have traveled there, and have written two books about two special Iraqi women, I can say that if you are going to read only ONE book on Iraq, make it Fouad Ajami's The Foreigner's Gift. I would pick his book above my own books, so you know that I am serious when I urge you to select this book.So much of what he wrote struck home, but I won't go into detail as I want to leave the pleasure of discovery to you.I will add, however, that the fact he is an extremely gifted writer makes the reading journey even more pleasant.Jean Sasson, author of Mayada, Daughter of Iraq and Love in a Torn Land:Joanna of Kurdistan, coming out in 2007.

Unscrambling Iraq
This is first of all a beautifully written book whose narrative flows effortlessly over a broad range of political, religious, and cultural issues that together describe the diverse elements that form Iraq. It is a unique book. Fouad Ajami provides the reader with excellent insights on the Muslim minority called Shia, the strange appeal of Saddam Hussein to Sunni Arabs, and the driving political-religious dynamic of the fundamentalist Islamic movements. In the course of doing this he also pays a gracious and sincere tribute to the courage, dedication, and just plain decency of most of the American military forces serving in Iraq. He also manages to clarify the current politics of the Semitic speaking Arab Near East and put into perspective its ambiguous relationship to Indo-European speaking Iran. All in all this is an excellent read and presents what appears to be an accurate description of post Saddam Iraq and the political and religious forces that are shaping its future. Finally he makes clear that Islam suffers from a host of internal contradictions and schisms that often make Muslims appear hypocritical and inconsistent.
War skeptic overcome by sharp observations here
I did not favor our invasion of Iraq, but The Foreigner's Gift gives me an appreciation of the nobility of our effort.To be sure the Bush administration was grossly incompetant in under-committing troups and resources to the task, a sign of its hubris and arrogance demonstrated also by their lack of postwar planning.
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Subjects:  1. 2003-    2. Contemporary Politics - Middle East    3. International Relations - General    4. Iraq    5. Iraq War, 2003    6. Middle East - General    7. Middle East - History - 20th Century    8. Military relations    9. Political Freedom & Security - General    10. Political Science    11. Politics / Current Events    12. Politics and government    13. Politics/International Relations    14. United States    15. Political Science / International Relations   

Reviews (30)

REALLY GOOD ROLE MODEL, CHALLENGES HISTORY, MAKES YOU RETHINK AND ANALYZE WHAT LEADERSHIP IS
Leadership is neither a good or bad moral obligation. It is an attitude and action. The Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius said that, if you flinch at the idea that you will hurt somebody, you yourself are already dead. Morality cannot sustain mortality, it inevitable that the idea of your own death, takes precedence over the emotion of war and murder.
Pillaging in the Board Room?
Of course, the title is meant to grab you. If nothing else, this book looks good on your coffee table or in your office bookshelf.
Excellent
This book is great, and to the point. Not a a bunch of drown out blah, blah, blah. Quick examples of lessons learned by Attila the Hun. Great to use when dealing with people. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Attila,    2. Business & Economics    3. Business / Economics / Finance    4. Business/Economics    5. Entrepreneurship    6. Leadership    7. Political Process - Leadership    8. d. 453    9. Business & Economics / Leadership    10. Humour   

Subjects:  1. General    2. Government - State & Provincial    3. Local Government    4. Political Science    5. Politics / Current Events    6. Politics/International Relations    7. State Government    8. State governments    9. United States    10. Political Science / General    11. Political science & theory   

Reviews (1)

Totally dissatisfied
I'm really unhappy with both the book and the services provided that come with the book. This has several reasons of which I'd like to point out a few here (though I have to note that I only read the second part - the one about international monetary policy):
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Subjects:  1. Globalization    2. Political Science    3. Politics / Current Events    4. Politics/International Relations    5. International economics    6. Political Science / Globalization   

Editorial Review

Bill Gertz, who covers national security for the Read more

Reviews (113)

Lackluster but marginally revealing...
This is a Washington Times correspondant's look at Clinton Administration boon-doggles from overtures to the Red Chinese to foolish nuclear aid programs to North Korea. Succinctly stated Gertz indicts the former Clinton administration for it's blind eyeon vital national security issues. Though, at times it seems trifling and it seems Gertz is fishing for intrigue. Since the highlight of the book is a spying Russian naval vessel blinding an American with a laser, I was kind of bored. But I still found some of the content redeeming.

Pretty Pernicious stuff
I am beginning to hate to read these books about President Clinton because it seems that everything he did as the President was to line his pockets. Accurate portrayal of a moral relativist former President.
Bill Gertz is probably the foremost authority in the United States on American-Chinese relations. During the Clinton years Gertz kept America informed, through his brilliant articles in The Washington Times, regarding the Administration's ill-advised "policy of engagement" with China, a policy which, at the end of Clinton's eight years in office, had served to permit China to aid rogue nations in the proliferation of nuclear weapons, and to improve its arsenal of ICBMs, many of which were aimed at us, while aiding Mr. Clinton's Hollywood contributors and several unscrupulous high-tech corporations as they developed markets in China for their products.Read more

Subjects:  1. 1946-    2. 1993-2001    3. 20th century    4. Clinton, Bill,    5. Foreign relations    6. General    7. Government - U.S. Government    8. History    9. International Relations - General    10. National Security Issues    11. National security    12. Political Science    13. Politics / Current Events    14. Politics/International Relations    15. U.S. Foreign Relations    16. United States    17. Arms negotiation & control    18. Central government policies    19. Clinton, Bill    20. Political Science / General    21. USA   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Entrepreneurship    5. Leadership    6. Political Process - General    7. Political leadership    8. Political planning    9. Public Administration    10. Public Policy    11. United States    12. Business & Economics / Leadership    13. Business & Economics-Entrepreneurship    14. Civil service & public sector    15. Management & management techniques    16. Political Science-Political Process - General    17. Political structure & processes   

Reviews (29)

Little Errors = Big Distortion?
It's a pretty good book. But it would be easier to believe if it didn't contain a bunch of little inaccuracies like this latest one I noticed:
Kofi Annan & Co allowed companies to ship substandard food and medicines to Iraqis under the Oil for Food program.
The US favored Saddam Hussein's Iraq as a bulwark against revolutionary Iran after 1979 as the lesser of two nasty regimes.Jacques Chirac, however, remarked of Hussein that "it was seen as progressive."France thereby gave Iraq a lot of extra slack; including selling Hussein a nuclear reactor (later decommissioned by Israeli aircraft).The U.N., in a similar vein, gave Hussein the benefit of any doubts it may have had about his intentions.The Oil for Food program was supposedly instituted to keep the Iraqi people alive and healthy while Saddam labored under U.N. imposed sanctions. Somehow, billions of dollars went unaccounted for, though.Benon Sevan was handpicked by Kofi Annan to run the program."The Vocker report [on the gross negligence of the program] concluded that Sevan indeed had 'solicited and received' oil allocations worth approximately 1.5 million."Yet Secretary Annan maintained that Sevan had served the U.N. "beyond the call of duty."What about the Iraqi people? Wasn't he tasked with looking out for their welfare?
Save Your Money
If you are tring to practice you Faux news allegiance I guess you'll enjoy this book.If you looking for fair honest information don't waste your time. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. International Relations - Diplomacy    2. National security    3. Political Freedom & Security - International Secur    4. Political Science    5. Politics / Current Events    6. Politics/International Relations    7. United Nations    8. United States    9. Political Science / International Relations   

Reviews (2)

Gerry Spence is a liberal hate monger
If you're a liberal hate monger, then you'll love this book!The viciousness of the title alone, "Bloodthirsty Bitches And Pious pimps of Power" will have you salivating!If you're the type that is financially independent, yet still believes that evil American corporations have taken over America, you are the choir being preached to.You can read it while you're on vacation (Paid for by the evil corporation you work for).

How Hate is taking over America
Spence argues persuasively that America and its government is owned lock, stock and barrel by the corporate King.The average American is little more than a corporate slave, his alienation and despair exploited by the hate mongering right wing media stars.Spence points out the uncomfortably similarities of modern day America to the rise of the Third Reich.
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Subjects:  1. Biography    2. General    3. Media Studies - Electronic Media    4. Political Ideologies - Conservatism & Liberalism    5. Political Science    6. Politics / Current Events    7. Politics/International Relations    8. Radio personalities    9. Television personalities    10. Television talk shows    11. United States    12. Political Science / General   

Reviews (2)

A good light read
I was actually disapointed in this book. Given the authors background I was hoping for a book that went into some detail into his methods, beliefsand techniques of crisis negotiation. What I got was a very light but enjoyable read that covered his career in the FBI (including his battles with the beaucracy which I felt did not add to the story) and four incidents of crisis negotiating, which had some good basic tips.Waco got a mention- but only to say he will leave it to the next book - rather frustrating.
excellent autobiography
This is a fascinating look from a different perspective at some of the major FBI incidents spanning a twenty-five year career that ended in retirement in 1995.Clint Van Zandt provides a little background material about his growing up and makes no apologies for being a family man who loves his country and his agency.However, the autobiography takes off with the specific incidents including some overseas especially the more famous ones like the 1985 siege of the Covenant, the 1993 Waco confrontation with the Branch Davidians, the Unabomber, and his paradigm suggestion that Oklahoma City was tied to Waco not the Middle East.This is an excellent autobiography of a dedicated law enforcement official who spent a career FACING DOWN EVIL as it is the behind the scenes look at these cases and more that will grip the audience.
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Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Espionage    6. Federal Bureau of Investigation    7. Hostage negotiations    8. Infamous Crimes And Criminals    9. Intelligence Agencies    10. Officials and employees    11. Personal Memoirs    12. Political Freedom & Security - Intelligence    13. True Crime / Espionage    14. United States    15. United States.    16. Van Zandt, Clinton R   

Editorial Review

Conservative talk radio host, lawyer, and frequent