Abstract
by
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003. 297, ISBN 0 521 81807 9
Readership: Postgraduates, academic/research
Rating: ****
(University of Edinburgh)
This book seeks to explain ‘how state institutions affect ethnic mobilization’ (p. xi). In order to do so, the author discusses the emergence and development of nationalist movements in four ethnic republics of the Russian Federation (Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, Chuvashia and Khakassia) during the late perestroika and the early post-Soviet era. He primarily concentrates on the forms that nationalist mobilization takes, rather than the conditions for its emergence, explaining how ethnic and political institutions shape ‘the emergence of nationalist movements on the political scene, the use of resources to create organizational structures, framing of demands, and recruitment of supporters’ (p. 5). Crucially, institutions constrain the options available to political actors and influence the way they define themselves (p. 27). The author questions the role of political elites as ‘key explanatory variable determining timing and location of ethno-nationalist mobilization’ (p. 5) and argues that widespread popular support for nationalist movements largely depends on the extent to which ethnicity is institutionalized by state structures and the strength of collective identities and social networks (p. 263).
This volume is highly recommended. The shift of attention from the whys to the hows of nationalist mobilization appears particularly innovative. The author also convincingly shows that a considerable variation in support for nationalist movements occurs not only across cases (here, Russia's ethnic republics), but within cases as well; in fact, intellectuals and university students receiving native-language education are generally more keen to support nationalist movements than other social groups (p. 198). Two issues could have been further elaborated: the claim that a new wave of nationalist activism in the Russian Federation is ‘likely to occur in the long run’ (this barely deserves a mention at p. 233); and the distinction between political and cultural elites, the boundaries between which are often blurred in practice, especially in non-democratic settings.
by
London: Institute of Latin American Studies, 2003. 246, ISBN 1 900039 53 2
Readership: Postgraduates, academic/research
Rating: ****
Reviewer: JANAINA BILATE MARTINS
(Faculdades Integradas de Caratinga, Brazil)
This book consists of a series of essays by Brazilian and non-Brazilian researchers analyzing Brazil's most recent ‘democratic experience’. Contributions are divided into three main domains, which establishes the three main sections of the book. In the first section, political institutions are examined in order to set the democratic character of the Brazilian democracy. Essays in this section all share pessimistic and negative claims that have either already been proved or are expected, given the existent literature on the Brazilian or Latin American democratic experience. One clear exception is Argelina C. Figueiredo and Fernando Limongi's paper, which convincingly argues that the practices of the Brazilian Congress positively contributed to the Brazilian democracy.
In the second section, emphasis is given to the economic domain. Although the editors see the economic sphere as ‘the core’ to understand the political process in Brazil, it is the smallest section of the book. The contributions vary in their focus, examining internal and external constraints for a number of economic reforms since 1985. Each of them provides a unique analysis of the economic roller-coaster during this period. All the contributions, however, equally point to the failure of post-1985 economic reform to improve income inequality and reduce levels of poverty.
The last section consists of various contributions that focus on the domain of society. There are essays on the state–civil society relations, analyses on class mobility, civil liberties, the prospect of racial politics, the inefficiency of the Brazilian educational system and the role of the media in building a democratic culture. Clear and easy to access, the book is nicely put together and should be a reference for any researcher or student in the field of Brazilian studies.
by
London: Profile Books, 2003. 256, £9.99, ISBN 1861975341
by
Albany NY: State University of New York Press, 2003. 310, $27.95, ISBN 0 7914 5588 2
by
London: Zed Books, 2003. 223, £14.95, ISBN 1 85649 894 8
Reviewer: MADS QVORTRUP
(Robert Gordon University)
‘History’, Karl Marx famously noted, repeats itself first as tragedy, second time as farce. Perhaps so within Marxist theory. But not so in the Middle East in general and Israel/Palestine in particular. Here too, it is correct, history repeats itself but never as farce, always as tragedy. It is with this in mind that the books under review should be read. Bernard Wasserstein's book offers an insight and analysis of the problem and its background. Rejecting the conventional view of the Israel/Palestine conflict as driven by irrational, nationalist and religious ideologies, Wasserstein argued persuasively that the conflict must be seen in less clean cut terms, and with a closer focus on, as it were, more mundane political issues, such as demographic change and environmental challenge.
On current projections, the Jewish state – with its controversially (or illegally) occupied territories will have a Jewish majority in little more than a decade. This alone argues Wasserstein, is a compelling reason for both sides to seek accommodation. This is a familiar argument from similar entrenched conflict e.g. the conflict between Unionists (Protestants) and Nationalists (predominately Catholic) in Ulster/Northern Ireland. In that province, it is often argued, the Unionists sought accommodation with Nationalists, lest the former should be outbred by the later. Whether this logic is as compelling as Wasserstein believes remains to be seen. Wasserstein is optimistic. Perhaps too optimistic. He seems to forget – or wilfully ignore – that nationalist individuals often reach irrational solutions. In spite of this difference in optimism, Wasserstein's book is a good read. It provides food for thought and is thoroughly researched.
If Wasserstein's diagnosis was correct we would expect to find evidence from the literature on Israeli political sociology and election studies. Jonathan Mendilow's book, however, does not provide any evidence for this in practical electoral politics. Indeed, the Palestinian Authority is only mentioned twice and demographic change not at all. Needless to say, this lack of focus on the Palestinian Authority is not, of course, conclusive proof that Wasserstein's focus on demography is ill-conceived or even flawed, but it does suggest that demographics have received scarce attention when these issues have hitherto been at the centre of the debate since before the 1967 war. What is intriguing about Mendilow's book is the extent to which he treats Israel as a ‘normal’ democratic country when this is somewhat questionable. The book is focused on institutions and campaigns and even features a comparative section. It provides a good overview for the uninitiated. It is a book by a political scientist and a good one at that. Yet is also a book which fails adequately to acknowledge the context of the political system in Israel.
The same cannot be said of The Challenge of Post-Zionism: alternatives to Israeli Fundamentalists politics, a collection of essays edited by Ephraim Nimmi. With contributions by both Jewish and Arab Israeli citizens. This book is a welcome reminder that there is a sizeable group in the state of Israel who practice and preach inter-ethnic tolerance. The book challenges the often standard version of Israeli historians on the 1948 War, i.e. it acknowledges the wrongs done by Israel. A central tenant of the book exemplified by the late Edward Said's contribution is that Israel needs to downplay the influence of Judaism in the definition of the state, and move towards the idea that the country should become a secular state for all its citizens. That is a problematic position for some and possibly a politically unacceptable one. Post-Zionism has become a flashy buzz word in academia. Alas it is still unclear after reading this book if it means more than the often rehearsed – and occasionally justified – criticism of Israel's policy vis-à-vis the Palestinians.
Other Areas
New books received
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Erik Berglöf, Andrei Kunov, Julia Shvets and Ksenia Yudaeva (2003) The New Political Economy of Russia. Cambridge MA: MIT Press, 172, £14.50, ISBN 0 262 02542 6
Glen Biglaiser (2002) Guardians of the Nation? Economists, generals, and economic reform in Latin America. Notre Dame IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 250, $23.50, ISBN 0 268 03875 9
James H. Billington (2004) Russia: in search of itself. Baltimore MD: John Hopkins University Press, 234, £17.00, ISBN 0 8018 7976 0
Fran Lisa Buntman (2003) Robben Island and Prisoner Resistance to Apartheid. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 340, ISBN 0 521 00782 8
Anthony Butler (2003) Contemporary South Africa. Basingstoke: Palgrave, 200, £15.50, ISBN 0 333 71519 5
Daryly Champion (2003) The Paradoxical Kingdom: Saudi Arabia and the momentum of reform. London: C. Hurst, 393, £16.95, ISBN 1 85065 668 1
Noam Chomsky (2003) Middle East Illusions. Lanham MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 315, £14.99, ISBN 0 7425 3309 3
Simon Collier (2003) Chile: the making of a republic 1830–1865: politics and ideas. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 271, ISBN 0 521 82610 1
Timothy J. Colton and Michael McFaul (2003) Popular Choice and Managed Democracy: the Russian elections of 1999 and 2000. Washington DC: Brookings Institution Press, 306, £16.50, ISBN 0 8157 1535 8
Stefan Elbe (2003) Strategic Implications of HIV/AIDS. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 96, ISBN 0 19 852912 0
Hugo Frühling, Joseph S. Tulchin and Heather A. Golding (eds) (2003) Crime and Violence in Latin America: citizen security, democracy and the state. Baltimore MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 296, £13.50, ISBN 0 8018 7384 3
Manueal Antonio Garretón, Marcelo Cavarozzi, Peter S. Cleaves, Gary Gereffi and Jonathan Hartlyn (2003) Latin America in the 21st Century: toward a new sociopolitical matrix. Miami FL: University of Miami, 149, ISBN 1 57454 104 8
Stephen Haberm, Armando Razo and Noel Maurer (2003) The Politics of Property Rights: political instability, credible commitments and economic growth in Mexico, 1876–1929. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 382, ISBN 0 521 82067 7
Fiona Hill and Clifford Gaddy (2003) The Siberian Curse: how Communist planners left Russia out in the cold. Washington DC: Brookings Institution Press, 322, ISBN 0 8157 3645 2
Tareq Y. Ismael and Jacqueline S. Ismael (2004) The Iraqi Predicament: people in the quagmire of power politics. London: Pluto, 271, £14.99, ISBN 07453 2149 6
Tareq Y. Ismael and William W. Haddad (eds) (2003) Iraq: the human costs of history. London: Pluto Press, 269, £25.00, ISBN 07453 2148 8
Nikki R. Keddie (2003) Modern Iran: roots and results of revolution. New Haven CT: Yale University Press, 380, £12.50, ISBN 0 300 09856 1
Donald R. Kelly (ed.) (2003) After Communism: perspectives on democracy. Fayetteville AR: University of Arkansas Press, 300, $24.95, ISBN 1 55728 746 5
Charles D. Kenney (2004) Fujimori's Coup and the Breakdown of Democracy in Latin America. Notre Dame IN: Notre Dame University, 379, $30.00, ISBN 0 268 03172 x
Stephen J. King (2003) Liberalization against Democracy: the local politics of economic reform in Tunisia. Indianapolis IN: Indiana University Press, 161, ISBN 1 800 842 6796
Robert Legvold (ed.) (2003) Thinking Strategically. London: MIT Press, 241, £15.95, ISBN 0 262 62174 6
Juan J. Lopez (2003) Democracy Delayed: the case of Castro's Cuba. Baltimore MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 267, £30.50, ISBN 0 8018 7046 1
John Mackinlay and Peter Cross (eds) (2003) Regional Peacekeepers: the paradox of Russian peacekeeping. Tokyo: United Nations University Press, 224, ISBN 92 808 1079 0
Neil J. Melvin (2003) Soviet Power and the Countryside. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 279, £50.00, ISBN 0 333 69252 7
Yemille Mizrahi (2003) From Martyrdom to Power. Notre Dame IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 224, $20.00, ISBN 0 268 02870 2
Rana Mitter and Patrick Major (2004) Across the Blocs: cold war cultural and social history. London: Frank Cass, 184, ISBN 0 7146 8464 3
George Philip (2003) Democracy in Latin America. Cambridge: Polity Press, 232, £16.99, ISBN 0 7456 2759 5
Michael Pusey (2003) The Experience of Middle Australia. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 243, £16.95, ISBN 0 521 65844 6
Maria Guadalupe Moog Rodrigues (2004) Global Environmentalism and Local Politics: transnational advocacy networks in Brazil, Ecuador and India. Albany NY: State University of New York Press, 207, $18.95, ISBN 0 7914 5878 4
Peter Reddaway and Robert W. Orttung (eds) (2004) The Dynamics of Russian Politics: Putin's reform of federal–regional relations. Volume I. Lanham MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 332, £22.95, ISBN 0 7425 2644 5
Robert C. Rowland and David A. Frank (2002) Shared Land, Conflicting Identity: trajectories of Israeli and Palestinian symbol use. East Lansing MI: Michigan State University Press, 405, $74.95, ISBN 0 87013 635 6
Amin Saikal and Albrecht Schnabel (eds) (2003) Democratization in the Middle East: experiences, struggles, challenges. Tokyo: United Nations University Press, 221, $21.95, ISBN 92 808 1085 5
Soumyen Sikdir (2003) Contemporary Issues in Globalization: an introduction to theory and policy in India. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 201, £14.99, ISBN 0 19 566422 1
Alberto Spektorowski (2003) The Origins of Argentina's Revolution of The Right. Notre Dame IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 269, $30.00, ISBN 0 268 02011 6
Nicolas Spulber (2003) Russia's Economic Transitions: from late tsarism to the new millennium. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 444, £55.00, ISBN 0 521 81699 8
Brian D. Taylor (2003) Politics and the Russian Army: civil–military relations, 1689–2000. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, €18.95, ISBN 0 521 01694 0
Frédéric Volpi (2003) Islam and Democracy: the failure of dialogue in Algeria. London: Pluto Press, 176, £14.99, ISBN 0 7453 1976 9
Gabriel Warburg (2003) Islam, Sectarianism and Politics in Sudan since the Mahdiyya. London: C. Hurst, 252, £19.95, ISBN 1 85065 590 1