David D. Laitin's Books

Identity in Formation

The Russian-speaking Populations in the Near Abroad

By: David D. Laitin

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Identity in Formation

The Russian-speaking Populations in the Near Abroad

By: David D. Laitin

Laitin portrays these Russian-speakers as a "beached diaspora" since the populations did not cross international borders; the borders themselves receded. He asks what will become of these populations. Will they learn the languages of the republics in which they live and prepare their children for assimilation? Will they return to a homeland many have never seen? Or will they become loyal citizens of the new republics while maintaining a Russian identity?

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Page Count

436

Publisher

Cornell University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0801484952

ISBN 13

9780801484957

Why Muslim Integration Fails in Christian-Heritage Societies

By: Claire L. Adida,David D. Laitin,Marie-Anne Valfort

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Why Muslim Integration Fails in Christian-Heritage Societies

By: Claire L. Adida,David D. Laitin,Marie-Anne Valfort

Amid mounting fears of violent Islamic extremism, many Europeans ask whether Muslim immigrants can integrate into historically Christian countries. In a groundbreaking ethnographic investigation of France’s Muslim migrant population, Why Muslim Integration Fails in Christian-Heritage Societies explores this complex question. The authors conclude that both Muslim and non-Muslim French must share responsibility for the slow progress of Muslim integration. “Using a variety of resources, research methods, and an innovative experimental design, the authors contend that while there is no doubt that prejudice and discrimination against Muslims exist, it is also true that some Muslim actions and cultural traits may, at times, complicate their full integration into their chosen domiciles. This book is timely (more so in the context of the current Syrian refugee crisis), its insights keen and astute, the empirical evidence meticulous and persuasive, and the policy recommendations reasonable and relevant.” —A. Ahmad, Choice

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Page Count

283

Publisher

Harvard University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0674504925

ISBN 13

9780674504929

African States Since Independence

By: Darin Christensen,David D. Laitin

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African States Since Independence

By: Darin Christensen,David D. Laitin

Authors Christensen and Laitin argue that an interplay of geographic, historical, and demographic factors undergird sub-Saharan states' post-independence struggles to eradicate poverty, establish democratic accountability, and quell civil unrest. They set out the founding fathers' challenges in transforming their postcolonial states, many of which are ethnically diverse, geographically diffuse, sparsely populated, and lacking in administrative capacity. With the legacies of the slave trade, partition, Christian missionaries, and extractive colonial institutions complicating their efforts, many African states faced stagnation, authoritarianism, and civil strife. Recent years have seen promising attempts to restore democracy to states under authoritarian rule and to liberalize their economies, suggesting that the region is moving toward a new era. Relying on the best statistical data and richly illustrated with case material, this book is an indispensable source for scholars and policy analysts seeking to understand Africa's post-independence political trajectories.

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Page Count

416

Publisher

Yale University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0300226616

ISBN 13

9780300226614

Nations, States, and Violence

By: David D. Laitin

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Nations, States, and Violence

By: David D. Laitin

Nations, States, and Violence presents a revisionist view of the sources of nationalism, the relationship of the nation to culture, and the implications of nationalism and cultural heterogeneity for the future of the nation-state. It accepts the now-standard view that national identities are not inherited traits but constructed communities in order to serve political ends. But the resulting national identities do not emerge from some metaphorical plebiscite as had been suggested by some; rather they result from efforts by people to coordinate their identities with people who share at least some cultural traits with them. Coordination leads to powerful social and cultural ties that are hard to unravel, and this explains the persistence of national identities. Understood as the result of coordination dynamics, the implications of national homogeneity and heterogeneity are explored. The book shows that national heterogeneity is not, as it is sometimes accused of being, a source of hatred and r s1ence. Nonetheless, there are advantages to homogeneity for the production of public goods and economic growth. Whatever the positive implications of homogeneity, the book shows that in the current world, classic nation-states are defunct. Heterogeneity is proliferating not only due to migration but also because small groups in many states once thought to be homogeneous are coordinating to demand national recognition. With the prohibitive costs of eliminating cultural heterogeneity, citizens and leaders need to learn how best to manage, or even take advantage of, national diversity within their countries. Management of diversity demands that we understand the coordination aspects of national heterogeneity, a perspective that this book provides. In addition to providing a powerful theory of coordination and cultural diversity, the book provides a host of engaging vignettes of Somalia, Spain, Estonia, and Nigeria, where the author has conducted original field research. The result is a book where theory is combined with interpretations of current issues on nationalism, economic growth, and ethnic violence.

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Page Count

184

Publisher

OUP Oxford

Published Date

ISBN 10

0191527882

ISBN 13

9780191527883

Politics, Language, and Thought

The Somali Experience

By: David D. Laitin

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Politics, Language, and Thought

The Somali Experience

By: David D. Laitin

When the Somali Republic received independence, its parliamentary government decided to adopt three official languages: English, Italian, and Arabic—all languages of foreign contact. Since the vast majority of the nation's citizens spoke a single language, Somali, which then had no written form, this decision made governing exceedingly difficult. Selecting any one language was equally problematic, however, because those who spoke the official language would automatically become the privileged class. Twelve years after independence, a military government was able to settle the acrimonious controversy by announcing that Somali would be the official language and Latin the basic script. It was hoped that this choice would foster political equality and strengthen the national culture. Politics, Language, and Thought is an exploration of how language and politics interrelate in the Somali Republic. Using both historical and experimental evidence, David D. Laitin demonstrates that the choice of an official language may significantly affect the course of a country's political development. Part I of Laitin's study is an attempt to explain why the parliamentary government was incapable of reaching agreement on a national script and to assess the social and political consequences of the years of nondecision. Laitin shows how the imposition of nonindigenous languages produced inequalities which eroded the country's natural social basis of democracy. Part 2 attempts to relate language to political thought and political culture. Analyzing interviews and role-playing sessions among Somali bilingual students, Laitin demonstrates that the impact of certain political concepts is quite different when expressed in different languages. He concludes that the implications of choosing a language are far more complex than previously thought, because to change the language of a people is to change the ways they think and act politically.

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Page Count

296

Publisher

University of Chicago Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0226467910

ISBN 13

9780226467917

Hegemony and Culture

Politics and Religious Change Among the Yoruba

By: David D. Laitin

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Hegemony and Culture

Politics and Religious Change Among the Yoruba

By: David D. Laitin

In this ambitious work, David D. Laitin explores the politics of religious change among the Yoruba of Nigeria, then uses his findings to expand leading theories of ethnic and religious politics.

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Page Count

266

Publisher

University of Chicago Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0226467902

ISBN 13

9780226467900

Think Global, Fear Local

Sex, Violence, and Anxiety in Contemporary Japan

By: David Leheny

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Think Global, Fear Local

Sex, Violence, and Anxiety in Contemporary Japan

By: David Leheny

In 1999, responding to international concerns about the sexual exploitation of children, the Japanese Diet voted unanimously to ban child prostitution and child pornography. Two years later, in the wake of 9/11, Junichiro Koizumi's cabinet radically shifted government counterterrorism policy toward new military solutions, and away from an earlier emphasis on law enforcement. Although they seem unrelated, these two policies reveal the unintended consequences of attempts to enforce international norms at the national level. In Think Global, Fear Local, David Leheny posits that when states abide by international agreements to clamp down on transnational crime and security concerns, they respond not to an amorphous international problem but rather to more deeply held and proximate fears. Although opponents of child prostitution and pornography were primarily concerned about the victimization of children in poor nations by wealthy foreigners, the Japanese law has been largely used to crack down on "compensated dating," in which middle-class Japanese schoolgirls date and sometimes have sex with adults. Many Japanese policymakers viewed these girls as villains, and subsequent legal developments have aimed to constrain teenage sexual activities as well as to punish predatory adults. Likewise, following changes in the country's counterterrorism policy, some Japanese leaders have redefined a host of other threats—especially from North Korea—as "terrorist" menaces requiring a more robust and active Japanese military. Drawing from sources as diverse as parliamentary debate records and contemporary film and literature, Leheny uses these two very different cases to argue that international norms can serve as political tools, allowing states to enhance their coercive authority.

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Page Count

250

Publisher

Cornell University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1501727583

ISBN 13

9781501727580

Nation-Building and Minority Politics in Post-Socialist States

Interests, Influence and Identities in Estonia and Latvia

By: David Galbreath

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Nation-Building and Minority Politics in Post-Socialist States

Interests, Influence and Identities in Estonia and Latvia

By: David Galbreath

Despite socialism's best efforts, ethnic identity remained a salient feature in Central and Eastern Europe. Not only did ethno-nationalism help to bring about the fall of the socialist regimes in this region, but it also characterized much of the post-socialist politics. Nation-Building and Minority Politics examines the issue of minority politics in post-socialist states within this dual structure. In particular, it offers an in-depth analysis of post-restoration politics in Estonia and Latvia, covering four issues. First, it looks at the historical context of the current group relations. Second, the study explores the domestic nature of minority politics in Estonia and Latvia by looking at domestic politics and policies. Third, it examines the role of the Russian Federation as an 'external national homeland' through illustrating developments within Russian foreign policy. Finally, the book analyses the role of three significant European organizations, namely the OSCE, EU and the Council of Europe as agents of 'conditionality'. Overall, this study combines old and new theoretical approaches to nation-building and minority politics to exhibit the changing nature of the relationship between majority, minority, external national homeland, and international organizations in today's Europe.

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Page Count

342

Publisher

Columbia University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

3898214672

ISBN 13

9783898214674

Governance for Peace

How Inclusive, Participatory and Accountable Institutions Promote Peace and Prosperity

By: David Cortright,Conor Seyle,Kristen Wall

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Governance for Peace

How Inclusive, Participatory and Accountable Institutions Promote Peace and Prosperity

By: David Cortright,Conor Seyle,Kristen Wall

An evidence-based analysis of governance focusing on the institutional capacities and qualities that reduce the risk of armed conflict.

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307

Publisher

Cambridge University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1108415938

ISBN 13

9781108415934

Barriers to Peace in Civil War

By: David E. Cunningham

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Barriers to Peace in Civil War

By: David E. Cunningham

Civil wars vary greatly in their duration. This book argues that conflicts are longer when they involve more actors who can block agreement (veto players) and identifies specific problems that arise in multi-party bargaining. Quantitative analysis of over 200 civil wars since World War II reveals that conflicts with more of these actors last much longer than those with fewer. Detailed comparison of negotiations in Rwanda and Burundi demonstrates that multi-party negotiations present additional barriers to peace not found in two party conflicts. In addition, conflicts with more veto players produce more casualties, are more likely to involve genocide and are followed by shorter periods of peace. Because they present many barriers to peace, the international community has a poor track record of resolving multi-party conflicts. David Cunningham shows that resolution is possible in these wars if peace processes are designed to address the barriers that emerge in multi-party conflicts.

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Page Count

297

Publisher

Cambridge University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1139499408

ISBN 13

9781139499408

Regression Inside Out

By: Eric W. Schoon,David Melamed,Ronald L. Breiger

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Regression Inside Out

By: Eric W. Schoon,David Melamed,Ronald L. Breiger

Demonstrates new ways to extract knowledge from statistical data and unlock more nuanced interpretations than has previously been possible.

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Page Count

281

Publisher

Cambridge University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1108841104

ISBN 13

9781108841108

Nations, States, and Violence

By: David D. Laitin

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Nations, States, and Violence

By: David D. Laitin

Nations, States, and Violence presents a revisionist view of the sources of nationalism, the relationship of the nation to culture, and the implications of nationalism and cultural heterogeneity for the future of the nation-state. It accepts the now-standard view that national identities are not inherited traits but constructed communities in order to serve political ends. But the resulting national identities do not emerge from some metaphorical plebiscite as had beensuggested by some; rather they result from efforts by people to coordinate their identities with people who share at least some cultural traits with them. Coordination leads to powerful social and cultural ties that are hard to unravel, and this explains the persistence of national identities.Understood as the result of coordination dynamics, the implications of national homogeneity and heterogeneity are explored. The book shows that national heterogeneity is not, as it is sometimes accused of being, a source of hatred and r s1ence. Nonetheless, there are advantages to homogeneity for the production of public goods and economic growth. Whatever the positive implications of homogeneity, the book shows that in the current world, classic nation-states are defunct. Heterogeneity isproliferating not only due to migration but also because small groups in many states once thought to be homogeneous are coordinating to demand national recognition. With the prohibitive costs of eliminating cultural heterogeneity, citizens and leaders need to learn how best to manage, or even takeadvantage of, national diversity within their countries. Management of diversity demands that we understand the coordination aspects of national heterogeneity, a perspective that this book provides.In addition to providing a powerful theory of coordination and cultural diversity, the book provides a host of engaging vignettes of Somalia, Spain, Estonia, and Nigeria, where the author has conducted original field research. The result is a book where theory is combined with interpretations of current issues on nationalism, economic growth, and ethnic violence.

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Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

179

Publisher

Oxford University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

019922823X

ISBN 13

9780199228232

Book's by David D. Laitin

Identity in Formation

Identity in Formation

Why Muslim Integration Fails in Christian-Heritage Societies

Why Muslim Integration Fails in Christian-Heritage Societies

African States Since Independence

African States Since Independence

Nations, States, and Violence

Nations, States, and Violence

Politics, Language, and Thought

Politics, Language, and Thought

Hegemony and Culture

Hegemony and Culture

Think Global, Fear Local

Think Global, Fear Local

Nation-Building and Minority Politics in Post-Socialist States

Nation-Building and Minority Politics in Post-Socialist States

Governance for Peace

Governance for Peace

Barriers to Peace in Civil War

Barriers to Peace in Civil War

Regression Inside Out

Regression Inside Out

Nations, States, and Violence

Nations, States, and Violence

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