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Mercy Under Fire: War And The Global Humanitarian Community
by Larry MinearFrom Bosnia to Somalia, and most recently from Rwanda to Angola and the Sudan, humanitarian aid and international interventions have gone awry. Although the need for humanitarian assistance has not diminished in the wake of the Cold War, success stories will almost certainly be harder to come by. This book addresses that grim prospect. Based on sch
Mercy on Trial: What It Means to Stop an Execution
by Austin SaratOn January 11, 2003, Illinois Governor George Ryan--a Republican on record as saying that "some crimes are so horrendous . . . that society has a right to demand the ultimate penalty"--commuted the capital sentences of all 167 prisoners on his state's death row. Critics demonized Ryan. For opponents of capital punishment, however, Ryan became an instant hero whose decision was seen as a signal moment in the "new abolitionist" politics to end killing by the state. In this compelling and timely work, Austin Sarat provides the first book-length work on executive clemency. He turns our focus from questions of guilt and innocence to the very meaning of mercy. Starting from Ryan's controversial decision, Mercy on Trial uses the lens of executive clemency in capital cases to discuss the fraught condition of mercy in American political life. Most pointedly, Sarat argues that mercy itself is on trial. Although it has always had a problematic position as a form of "lawful lawlessness," it has come under much more intense popular pressure and criticism in recent decades. This has yielded a radical decline in the use of the power of chief executives to stop executions. From the history of capital clemency in the twentieth century to surrounding legal controversies and philosophical debates about when (if ever) mercy should be extended, Sarat examines the issue comprehensively. In the end, he acknowledges the risks associated with mercy--but, he argues, those risks are worth taking.
Mere Civility
by Teresa M. BejanIn liberal democracies committed to tolerating diversity as well as disagreement, the loss of civility in the public sphere seems critical. But is civility really a virtue, or a demand for conformity that silences dissent? Teresa Bejan looks at early modern debates about religious toleration for answers about what a civil society should look like.
Mere Natural Law: Originalism and the Anchoring Truths of the Constitution
by Hadley ArkesOriginalism Is Not Enough In this profoundly important reassessment of constitutional interpretation, the eminent legal philosopher Hadley Arkes argues that &“originalism&” alone is an inadequate answer to judicial activism. Untethered from &“mere Natural Law&”—the moral principles knowable by all—our legal and constitutional system is doomed to incoherence. The framers of the Constitution regarded the &“self-evident&” truths of the Natural Law as foundational. And yet in our own time, both liberals and conservatives insist that we must interpret the Constitution while ignoring its foundation. Making the case anew for Natural Law, Arkes finds it not in theories hovering in the clouds or in benign platitudes (&“be generous,&” &“be selfless&”). He draws us back, rather, to the ground of Natural Law as the American Founders understood it, the anchoring truths of common sense—truths grasped at once by the ordinary man, unburdened by theories imbibed in college and law school. When liberals discovered hitherto unknown rights in the &“emanations&” and &“penumbras&” of a &“living constitution,&” conservatives responded with an &“originalism&” that refuses to venture beyond the bare text. But in framing that text, the Founders appealed to moral principles that were there before the Constitution and would be there even if there were no Constitution. An originalism that is detached from those anchor - ing principles has strayed far from the original meaning of the Constitution. It is powerless, moreover, to resist the imposition of a perverse moral vision on our institutions and our lives. Brilliant in its analysis, essential in its argument, Mere Natural Law is a must-read for everyone who cares about the Constitution, morality, and the rule of law.
Merely Judgment: Ignoring, Evading, and Trumping the Supreme Court (Constitutionalism and Democracy)
by Martin J. SweetMerely Judgment uses affirmative action in government contracting, legislative vetoes, flag burning, hate speech, and school prayer as windows for understanding how Supreme Court decisions send signals regarding the Court's policy preferences to institutions and actors (such as lower courts, legislatures, executive branches, and interest groups), and then traces the responses of these same institutions and actors to Court decisions. The lower courts nearly always abide by Supreme Court precedent, but, to a surprising degree, elected branches and other institutions avoid complying with Supreme Court decisions. To explain the persistence of unconstitutional policies and legislation, Sweet isolates the ability of institutions to derail the litigation process. Merely Judgment explores the mechanisms by which litigants and their peers have escaped from the clutches of litigation and thus effectively ignored, evaded, and trumped the Supreme Court.
Merged Evolution: Long-term Complications of Biotechnology and Informatin Technology (World Futures General Evolution Studies #Vol. 14)
by Susantha GoonatilakeMerged Evolution charts the implications of two major forces of change, information technology and biotechnology, combined with a third force, that of 'artifactual' information, which is handed down dichronically from computing device to computing device.Through developments anticipated in the near future, Dr. Goonatilake describes the merging of these three systems, a convergence which will profoundly affect the biological, social, and technical fields much more than previous studies have implied. Together these changes yield an entirely different history - and a different future of the world for life, nature and civilization. This book addresses the broader issue arising from these important developments using the unifying perspective of general evolutionary theory to yield a fresh and profound insight.
Merger Delusion
by Peter F. TrentPowerless under the country's constitution, Canadian municipal governments often find themselves in conflict with their provincial masters. In 2002, the Province of Quebec forcibly merged all cities on the Island of Montreal into a single municipality - a decision that was partially reversed in 2006. The first book-length study of the series of mergers imposed by the Parti Québécois government, The Merger Delusion is a sharp and insightful critique by a key player in anti-merger politics. Peter Trent, mayor of the City of Westmount, Quebec, foresaw the numerous financial and institutional problems posed by amalgamating municipalities into megacities. Here, he presents a stirring and detailed account of the battle he led against the provincial government, the City of Montreal, the Board of Trade, and many of his former colleagues. Describing how he took the struggle all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada, Trent demonstrates the ways in which de-mergers resonated with voters and eventually helped the Quebec Liberal Party win the 2003 provincial election. As the cost and pitfalls of forced mergers become clearer in hindsight, The Merger Delusion recounts a compelling case study with broad implications for cities across the globe.
Merger Delusion: How Swallowing Its Suburbs Made an Even Bigger Mess of Montreal
by Peter F. TrentPowerless under the country's constitution, Canadian municipal governments often find themselves in conflict with their provincial masters. In 2002, the Province of Quebec forcibly merged all cities on the Island of Montreal into a single municipality - a decision that was partially reversed in 2006. The first book-length study of the series of mergers imposed by the Parti Québécois government, The Merger Delusion is a sharp and insightful critique by a key player in anti-merger politics. Peter Trent, mayor of the City of Westmount, Quebec, foresaw the numerous financial and institutional problems posed by amalgamating municipalities into megacities. Here, he presents a stirring and detailed account of the battle he led against the provincial government, the City of Montreal, the Board of Trade, and many of his former colleagues. Describing how he took the struggle all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada, Trent demonstrates the ways in which de-mergers resonated with voters and eventually helped the Quebec Liberal Party win the 2003 provincial election. As the cost and pitfalls of forced mergers become clearer in hindsight, The Merger Delusion recounts a compelling case study with broad implications for cities across the globe.
Merging Interests: When Domestic Firms Shape FDI Policy (Business and Public Policy)
by Sarah Bauerle DanzmanWhy do governments open their economies to multinational enterprises (MNEs)? Some argue democratic forces promote this openness, but many citizen groups view multinational business with suspicion. Using quantitative and qualitative analysis, Bauerle Danzman demonstrates how large domestic firms push to liberalize foreign direct investment (FDI) policies to ameliorate financing constraints, often to the detriment of smaller competitors. MNE entry comes with substantial risks, such as higher labour costs and increased productivity pressures, so well-connected domestic firms will prefer to limit access to local markets when the costs of debt financing are relatively low. However, when local environments make debt financing increasingly expensive, firms will be more willing to dismantle restrictive investment policies so that they may overcome liquidity constraints with equity financing from abroad. Bauerle Danzman includes comparative analysis of Malaysia and Indonesia from 1965–2016 to illustrate how governments undertake investment policy reform, and to indicate the interest groups that influence the outcomes of these regulatory changes.
Meridian and The Third Life of Grange Copeland: The Color Purple; Meridian; And The Third Life Of Grange Copeland
by Alice WalkerThe highly acclaimed first two novels by the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Color Purple and &“a lavishly gifted writer&” (The New York Times Book Review). The first African American woman to win a Pulitzer Prize in 1983 for The Color Purple—which also won the National Book Award and was adapted into both an award–winning film starring Whoopi Goldberg and a Tony Award–winning Broadway musical—New York Times–bestselling author Alice Walker is without question &“one of [our] best American writers&” (The Washington Post). Before her success with The Color Purple, Walked penned the two powerful and unforgettable novels collected here. Meridian: This &“classic novel of both feminism and the Civil Rights movement&” is the story of Meridian Hill, who, as she approaches the end of her teen years, has already married, divorced, and given birth to a son (Ms. Magazine). She&’s looking for a second chance, and at a small college outside Atlanta, Georgia, in the early 1960s, she becomes involved in the Civil Rights movement. So fully does the cause guide her life that she&’s willing to sacrifice virtually anything to help transform the conditions of a people whose subjugation she shares. &“Beautifully presented and utterly convincing.&” —The New Yorker &“A fine, taut novel . . . Remarkable.&” —The New York Times Book Review The Third Life of Grange Copeland: In Walker&’s debut novel, Grange Copeland, a deeply conflicted and struggling tenant farmer in the Deep South of the 1930s, leaves his family and everything he&’s ever known to find happiness and respect in the cold cities of the North. This misadventure, his &“second life,&” proves a dismal failure that sends him back where he came from to confront his now-grown-up son&’s disastrous relationships with his own family, including Grange&’s granddaughter, Ruth Copeland, a child Grange grows to love. Love becomes the substance of his third and final life. He spends it in devotion to Ruth, teaching and protecting her—though the cost of doing so is almost more than he can bear. &“[A] splendid novel.&” —Chicago Tribune &“A solid, honest sensitive tale . . . leavened by those moments of humor and warmth that have enabled men and women to endure so much tragedy.&” —Chicago Daily News
Meridian: The Color Purple; Meridian; And The Third Life Of Grange Copeland (Sparknotes Literature Guide Ser.)
by Alice Walker&“A classic novel of both feminism and the Civil Rights movement&” in 1960s Atlanta by the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Color Purple (Ms.). As she approaches the end of her teen years, Meridian Hill has already married, divorced, and given birth to a son. She&’s looking for a second chance, and at a small college outside Atlanta, Georgia, in the early 1960s, Meridian discovers the civil rights movement. So fully does the cause guide her life that she&’s willing to sacrifice virtually anything to help transform the conditions of a people whose subjugation she shares. Meridian draws from Walker&’s own experiences working alongside some of the heroes of the civil rights movement, and the novel stands as a shrewd and affecting document of the dissolution of the Jim Crow South. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Alice Walker including rare photos from the author&’s personal collection.
Merit Aid and the Politics of Education (Studies in Higher Education)
by Erik C. NessWhile a substantial number of studies have evaluated the effects of merit aid programs, there is a surprising lack of any systematic consideration of how states determine eligibility criteria for these scholarships. The selectivity of merit aid eligibility criteria can be as important as whether or not such programs are adopted. If, for example, merit aid programs have broad, easily-attained initial eligibility criteria, then a large proportion of high school graduates, including low-income and under-represented students, will gain eligibility. On the other hand, if the criteria are more rigorous, then a smaller proportion of students, likely those already planning to attend and with the means to afford college, will be eligible. Thus, this innovative book - the first to deepen the descriptive and conceptual understanding of the process by which states determine merit aid scholarship criteria - is crucial to understanding merit aid's success and failures at fulfilling the promise of education.
Merit, Justice, and the Political Theory of Academic Knowledge Production
by Matthew C. Murray Camilla BoisenAcademia has long established itself as an institution of knowledge and ideas. Facing pressure, many academic fields and institutions have turned their attention, singularly and collectively, to the task of what to do to rectify the causes of under-representations both academic knowledge itself and who gets to be an academic producer of knowledge. Boisen and Murray argue that simply solving the contemporary symptoms of inequity in ideas, knowledge production and the academy is not enough. Political Theory must be used to analyze why dominant ideas and institutions, namely merit and the resulting meritocracy and meritocratic procedures, were given power in the first place. In using political theory and theories of justice, the book argues that academia must radically shift rather than procedurally reform these methods of evaluation in order to achieve a more coherent approach to diversity in ideas, academic knowledge producers and academic knowledge production, which are necessary to bring about other forms of social change and reform in our larger world. In questioning the ideals and the use of rival ideals to temper flawed concepts, the present motivations and justifications for producing academic knowledge can be relegated as political tools, allowing true meaningful reform. Boisen and Murray show how contemporary crises in academia around diversification of perspectives can only be solved by considering the justifications of academic knowledge production, and the inherent risk of retaining the established competitive and presumptively ‘natural’, but ultimately biased, methods of deriving academic authority.
Merit: The History of a Founding Ideal from the American Revolution to the Twenty-First Century (American Institutions and Society)
by Joseph F. KettThe idea that citizens' advancement should depend exclusively on merit, on qualities that deserve reward rather than on bloodlines or wire-pulling, was among the Founding ideals of the American republic, Joseph F. Kett argues in this provocative and engaging book. Merit's history, he contends, is best understood within the context of its often conflicting interaction with the other ideals of the Founding, equal rights and government by consent. Merit implies difference; equality suggests sameness. By sanctioning selection of those lower down by those higher up, merit potentially conflicts with the republican ideal that citizens consent to the decisions that affect their lives.In Merit, which traces the history of its subject over three centuries, Kett asserts that Americans have reconciled merit with other principles of the Founding in ways that have shaped their distinctive approach to the grading of public schools, report cards, the forging of workplace hierarchies, employee rating forms, merit systems in government, the selection of officers for the armed forces, and standardized testing for intelligence, character, and vocational interests. Today, the concept of merit is most commonly associated with measures by which it is quantified.Viewing their merit as an element of their selfhood-essential merit-members of the Founding generation showed no interest in quantitative measurements. Rather, they equated merit with an inner quality that accounted for their achievements and that was best measured by their reputations among their peers. In a republic based on equal rights and consent of the people, however, it became important to establish that merit-based rewards were within the grasp of ordinary Americans. In response, Americans embraced institutional merit in the form of procedures focused on drawing small distinctions among average people. They also developed a penchant for increasing the number of winners in competitions-what Kett calls "selection in" rather than "selection out"-in order to satisfy popular aspirations. Kett argues that values rooted in the Founding of the republic continue to influence Americans' approach to controversies, including those surrounding affirmative action, which involve the ideal of merit.
Meritocracy, Populism, and the Future of Democracy
by David StoeszThis book explores the fundamental shift that has occurred in America and Britain as elites accumulate unprecedented capital and influence and a meritocracy has emerged to manage national affairs, a change that means opportunity, affluence, and power have migrated away from most of the population. Arguing the following four points: Geography accounts for the accumulating influence of metropolitan regions, at the expense of smaller cities and rural communities of the heartland. Occupational groups, particularly lawyers, physicians, and financiers, have constructed professional cartels to secure rents at the expense of the prosperity of the public. Think tanks and universities have become the necessary pathways to attain leadership in public affairs. The internationalization of commerce has contributed to a parallel network of economic institutions and think tanks sharing ideas and personnel to lobby for policies favorable to their sponsors. Stoesz connects present and past to look at the progressive-era, the history of professions, and questions of welfare state reform, post-neoliberalism, and marketization. His book will be of great interest to students of sociology, political science, public administration, social policy, history, and economics. Scholars in think tanks and universities as well as political consultants will also find it invaluable.
Merits and Demerits of Political Systems in Dynastic China (China Academic Library)
by Mu Ch'ienBy comparing the political systems in different dynasties, this book illustrates the continuous evolution of traditional Chinese political systems, and evaluates the merits and demerits of the political systems in different dynasties. It also provides detailed records of the evolved government organizations, the names and functions of various offices, the titles and responsibilities of officials. The book consists of five chapters, each of which focuses on one of the five dynasties respectively -- Han, Tang, Song, Ming, and Qing, and a concluding summary. Combining historical facts and anecdotes from history to make the discussion straightforward, interesting, and easy to understand, this is an ideal book for anyone interested in the history of China, particularly its traditional political systems.
Merkel gegen Steinbrück
by Thorsten Faas Jürgen Maier Michaela MaierDie Beiträge des Buches basieren auf einer experimentell angelegten, mehrwelligen Studie im Kontext des TV-Duells zwischen Angela Merkel und Peer Steinbrück sowie des Dreikampfes zwischen Rainer Brüderle, Gregor Gysi und Jürgen Trittin im Vorfeld der Bundestagswahl 2013. Ca. 350 Bürgerinnen und Bürger verfolgten die Debatten an den Universitäten Mainz und Koblenz-Landau. Die Daten wurden per Fragebögen sowie den Einsatz von Real-Time-Response-Techniken gewonnen. Daneben wurde eine inhaltsanalytische Auswertung des Duells selbst, aber auch begleitender Twitter-Beiträge während des Duells durchgeführt. Die Beiträge analysieren, wie sich die Kandidaten in den Diskussionen positioniert haben und welchen Einfluss die Diskussionsrunden letztlich auf den Wahlkampf und die Wahl 2013 gehabt haben.
Merkel's Law: Wisdom from the Woman Who Led the Free World
by Melissa EddyIn the vein of Notorious RBG, a fun and inspiring biography filled with lessons from the most powerful woman in the world, based on more than a decade&’s worth of coverage of German Chancellor Angela Merkel from New York Times Berlin correspondent Melissa Eddy.Angela Merkel is a boss. A trailblazer. An icon of colorful suits. Formerly the new leader of the free world. With an entire hand gesture named after her (the &“Merkel Diamond&”) and celebrated in a viral meme for sparring with Trump, Angela Merkel spent a decade economically and politically revitalizing her country. The first woman chancellor of Germany and one of the longest-serving European leaders ever, Merkel&’s quiet resolve, calculated confidence, and extreme privacy around her personal life have made her a feminist role model for the ages. Merkel&’s Law is a revelatory look at an unlikely vanguard, and at the country she led for sixteen years. No one is better positioned than New York Times Berlin correspondent Melissa Eddy to pull back the curtain on the woman who engineered Germany&’s rise to wealth, power, and an economy worth 3.8 trillion in USD. Drawing upon an unparalleled well of sources close to Merkel, Merkel&’s Law traces her childhood in East Germany as the daughter of a clergyman, her meteoric rise to power, and her more recent public acclaim—as well as the numerous setbacks she faced along the way both from political rivals and from men in her own party who scoffed at her ambition. Painting a portrait of a political genius, savvy businesswoman, and model for modern power, Merkel&’s Law is not only the story of her life, but the lessons we can learn from it.
Merleau-Ponty and Marxism: From Terror to Reform
by Barry CooperInfluenced by Kojève's interpretation of Hegel as well as his direct political experience of the second world war, Maurice Merleau-Ponty abandoned the religious and philosophical position he had assumed in the 1930s and turned to Marxism. This is the first critical study of the French philosopher's political ideas and the context in which they evolved. In its origin and its development, Merleau-Ponty's political thought expressed a subtle dialectic between ongoing political events and the apparent truths of Marx's analysis. With the onset of the cold war, the discovery of the Soviet concentration camps, the repression of Eastern Europe, the Algerian crisis, and the founding of the Fifth Republic, Merleau-Ponty began to take a critical look at Marx's ideas of the genesis of humanism in the light of these disturbing political realities. His reconsideration of the basis of Marxism and his conclusion that it had lost contact with history led to a fundamental reorientation of his attitudes. No longer sympathetic to the use of violence to end violence, he criticized Sartre's external justification of communist violence as 'magical' and advocated instead a new liberalism combining parliamentary democracy with an awareness of the social problems of industrial capitalism.Barry Cooper's study of this important contemporary thinker gives context for an understanding of Merleau- Ponty's politics and, in so doing, brings together the complex issues and ideas that have shaped modern European political and philosophical thought.
Merlin's Mistake
by Robert NewmanWhen Merlin mistakenly endows him with the gift of knowing the future, Tertius finds it more burdensome than useful when all he really wants is to be a knight.
Mermaid Mystery: Book 17 Bumper Special (Secret Princesses #17)
by Rosie BanksA magical new series where best friends become Secret Princesses!Charlotte and Mia are delighted to meet the mermaids who live in the lagoon in the grounds of Wishing Star Palace. But in the middle of all the fun, the lagoon suddenly turns a murky, toxic green. Nasty Princess Poison is up to her old tricks again! Charlotte and Mia have to grant four more wishes to break the evil curse.Freya wishes to find the buried treasure on her family's treature hunt. Can Charlotte and Mia grant Freya's wish and solve the mermaid mystery?This book is a special longer length for even more magical fun.
Merriman Smith's Book of Presidents: A White House Memoir
by Timothy Smith"Espying him waiting with other reporters at the Hyannis Armory, [John F.] Kennedy said, 'If you're here, Smitty, I guess I've really been elected!'" In the foreword, Robert Donovan tells this story about his old friend, and continues: "For a president, in other words, Merriman Smith came with the job. What was unique about Smith was that through skill, opportunity, prodigal exertion, gall, aggressiveness, and showmanship he made himself all but an unofficial appurtenance of the presidency through parts of six administrations: those of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Richard M. Nixon." No other man knew these six modern presidents as well. No other man lived with each of them on such a close and continuing basis. No other man could have collected such a fund of anecdotes about the modern presidency. What the book does is describe the presidency and six presidents in very human terms—what it's like to be president, to live in the White House, to "belong" to the first family either by birth or by duty. Here the son of a great reporter compiles the best of his father’s writings, half from unpublished notes and half from Smith's famous writings, such as the book Thank You, Mr. President, and his Pulitzer Prize coverage of the John Kennedy assassination. The book includes story, tragedy, and humor.
Mesoamerican Myth: A Treasury of Central American Legends, Art, and History
by Anita GaneriIn order to understand the course of economic and social disintegration in the Soviet Union, various questions were put to Soviet officials and economic and other policy advisors of the 1980s. This text assembles the analyses of key issues and turning points into a history of the systemic collapse.
Mess and Contemporary Performance: Complexity, Containment, and Collapse (Routledge Advances in Theatre & Performance Studies)
by Harriet CurtisThis book identifies and theorises mess in contemporary performance and argues that mess offers a site from which subjects might mobilise and find agency, even as the complexity (and indeed messiness) of everyday life conditions and contains.Using a queer feminist and intersectional critical framework, this book analyses how established and emerging artists mess with and mess up capitalist tendencies towards productivity, usefulness, and efficiency. Whilst the materiality of mess provides a starting point and emerges in many of the works analysed, the implications of mess as related to vulnerability, shame, and resistance occupy a larger space in the book’s chapters. These performances are messy not only in content or style; they reveal critical readings of how perceived-as messy' subjects and practices are shaped and regulated. In attending to the public, personal, and structural uses of mess, and emphasising the critical possibilities of what might otherwise be skipped over or cleared away, this book develops and opens out shared understandings of mess as creative chaos and as a practice of political action or change.This book will be of particular interest to students and scholars incontemporary theatre, art, and performance.
Message to the Movement
by Alice Walker Mumia Abu-Jamal"A tour de force for those just discovering themselves within the movement and struggle, and a smack of hope for those who had thought the moment to act was over."--Daniel Olonso, Occupy Columbia University Reflecting on the meaning of struggle, education imperialism, and his own involvement in radical social movements, revolutionary journalist and former Black Panther Mumia Abu-Jamal directly addresses the diverse community of organizers and activists who support and participate in the Occupy movement. Mumia Abu-Jamal is the author of many books including Death Blossoms, We Want Freedom, and Jailhouse Lawyers.