Violence and tragedy riddle democracy - not due to fatal shortcomings or unnecessary failures, but because of its very design and success. To articulate this troubling claim, Steven Johnston explores the cruelty of democratic founding, the brutal use democracies make of citizens and animals during wartime, the ambiguous consequences of legislative action expressive of majority rule, and militant practices of citizenship required to deal with democracy's enemies. Democracy must take responsibility for its success: to rule in denial of violence merely replicates it. Johnston thus calls for the development of a tragic democratic politics and proposes institutional and civic responses to democracy's reign, including the reinvention of tragic festivals and holidays, a new breed of public memorials, and mandatory congressional reparations sessions. Theorizing the violent puzzle of democracy, Johnston addresses classic and contemporary political theory, films, little known monuments, the subversive music of Bruce Springsteen, and the potential of democratic violence by the people themselves.
The Truth about Patriotism is a bracing repudiation of the claim that patriotism is essential—or even beneficial—to democracy. Contending that even at its best patriotism subverts the democracy it purports to value, Steven Johnston turns to patriotism’s defenders to show how they must jettison much of democracy to champion patriotism. Closely examined, patriotism itself effectively demonstrates the impossibility of love of country. Patriotism, Johnston argues, tends toward narcissistic self-regard, blind to its violent ways of being in the world and its dependence on death. Thus we would be better off without it. Drawing largely from aspects of American political and popular culture, this wide-ranging book presents a wealth of examples to disclose patriotism’s self-defeating character. They include Richard Rorty’s and John Schaar’s enmity-driven love of country, Socrates’s angry judicial suicide, the violent obsessions of High Noon and Saving Private Ryan, the triumphalist self-display of the World War II Memorial, Oliver Stone’s and Don DeLillo’s spectacular representations of the assassination of President Kennedy, George W. Bush’s symbolic sacrifice of more Americans in commemoration of September 2001, and yet other memorials to and apologies for patriotism. Ultimately, Johnston calls for a vision of democracy that uses the tragic possibilities inherent in politics as a spur to a life-affirming civic ethos of reciprocal generosity.
In this book, political theorist Steve Johnston explores Lincoln’s thought and political philosophy, but also his intentional and shrewdly calculated ambiguity – enabling him to be maximally politically effective in the face of unprecedented challenges.
It’s a Wonderful Life is an American film classic celebrated for its inspirational character. Famously shown during the holiday season, it brings families together in the spirit of mutual love and support. It tells the story of George Bailey, who turns suicidal one Christmas Eve after decades of frustration and sacrifice in which his dreams are repeatedly shattered for the good of others. George is convinced that his life is anything but wonderful. Enter Clarence, his guardian angel, who must find a way to get George to appreciate his family, friends, and all the good he does in life. Clarence does find a way and George returns to his family at film’s close. This might seem like a fairy-tale ending, but it is anything but convincing, which should come as no surprise since the film rehearses an ontological war between contending parties with rival conceptions of what it means to lead a meaningful life. It is a rather one-sided conflict as George finds himself more or less alone in the world. He has been trying to escape his hometown his entire life in order to pursue his Promethean vision in the wider world. To prevent this, God dispatches Clarence to get George to heel. He resorts to a kind of transcendental terrorism to force George to return home and believe it was his own idea. Yet what does it say about a form of life when it resorts to such means to prevail in an existential contest? From a Nietzschean perspective, it is possible to illuminate the film’s extraordinary cruelty. Despite appearances, George’s restoration is temporary at best and there is every reason to believe that eventually he will try to take his life again. Tragically, George must leave Bedford Falls and those who love him must insist that he go.
Roaring Fun with Liam and His Dinosaur Crew! Meet Liam and his unusual pet's. Pet's that happen to be dinosaurs! Read about Liam and the fun he has with his special prehistoric buddies! A great storybook for bedtime that shows fun, different types of friendship and the adventures along the way. Liam’s dinosaurs include. T-Rex, Triceratops, Stegosaurus, Brontosaurus and more!
Moreover, the book offers a critical reading of Rousseau's gender politics, and dissects the attractions and dangers of both his patriotic sensibility and his morality-based politics."--BOOK JACKET.
Political risk is one of the most frequently discussed risks to doing business internationally. But what exactly is political risk and what are the best ways to analyze and prepare for political risks that may jeopardize your business? Based on more than two decades of evaluating political risk to companies doing business all over the world, Steven Johnston explains the fundamentals of effective political risk analysis. What are the foundational principles and approaches for modeling and how can professionals improve accuracy of forecasting political risk? What really works? Why is high quality political risk analysis important to every business operating internationally? It’s not IF your business will be impacted by political events and actions. It is WHEN and HOW? However, effective political risk analysis isn’t limited to the domain of business resiliency and protecting downside risk. It is also a significant competitive advantage when a business can more accurately see just a little farther into the future than competitors and be ready to make earlier moves to avoid problems or take advantage of opportunities. The book spotlights top shelf thinkers about political risk and provides state-of-the-art ways to operationalize their valuable contributions into the business process. In addition to commenting on the current state of the field of political risk analysis, Johnston makes recommendations for improving the domain of political risk analysis. This book should be essential reading for any business professionals investing across borders and especially doing business in emerging economies.
This groundbreaking book is the most comprehensive volume to-date that explores in depth the concept of reverence and strengths-based approaches in the psychotherapy healing process as manifested in a wide variety of treatment modalities such as child and play therapy, family therapy, therapeutic assessments and in training programs.
Superstorm Sandy sent a strong message that a new generation of urban development and infrastructure is desperately needed, and it must be designed with resilience in mind. As cities continue to face climate change impacts while growing in population, they find themselves at the center of resilience and green city solutions, yet political and budgetary obstacles threaten even the best-planned initiatives. In The Guide to Greening Cities, seasoned green city leaders Sadhu Johnston, Steven Nicholas, and Julia Parzen use success stories from across North America to show how to turn a green city agenda into reality. The Guide to Greening Cities is the first book written from the perspective of municipal leaders with successful, on-the-ground experience working to advance green city goals. Through personal reflections and interviews with leading municipal staff in cities from San Antonio to Minneapolis, the authors share lessons for cities to lead by example in their operations, create programs, implement high-priority initiatives, develop partnerships, measure progress, secure funding, and engage the community. Case studies and chapters highlight strategies for overcoming common challenges such as changes of leadership and fiscal austerity. The book is augmented by a companion website, launching with the publication of the book, which offers video interviews of municipal leaders, additional case studies, and other resources. Rich in tools, insights, and tricks of the trade, The Guide to Greening Cities helps professionals, policymakers, community leaders, and students understand which approaches have worked and why and demonstrates multidisciplinary solutions for creating healthy, just, and green communities.
Critical Care: A Problem-Based Learning Approach provides a comprehensive review of the dynamic and ever-changing field of critical care. Its problem-based format incorporates a vast pool of practical, ABA board-exam-style multiple-choice questions for self-assessment, and is an ideal resource for exam preparation as well as ongoing clinical education among trainees and clinicians. Each of its 35 case-based chapters is accompanied by questions and answers, accessible online in a full practice exam. The cases presented are unique, as each chapter begins with a case description, usually a compilation of several actual cases; it then branches out through case-based questions, to increasingly complex situations. This structure is designed to create an authentic experience that mirrors that of working through the nuances of a complicated clinical scenario. The discussion sections that follow offer a comprehensive approach to the chapter's subject matter, thus creating a modern, complete, and up-to-date medical review of that topic.
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