"Thai politics is driven by actors and actions of paradox such as anti-election movements for accountability or independent, partisan organizations. This lucidly written book uncovers the 'military-led civil affairs' that earn the armed forces the omnipotent role in Thai society. It enriches our understanding of the Thai military in both empirical and theoretical ways. Empirically, the book illuminates how the soldiers have been intensively involved in supposedly civic activities ranging from forest land management to poverty reduction. Such long-lasting and extensive involvement means the military could mobilize the organized mass of over 500,000 strong when necessary. Theoretically, readers will learn how an ideological discourse (“threats to national security”) has been continuously redefined to serve the military’s evolving political and rent-seeking missions from the Cold War era to the twenty-first century. It also traces the persistence and mutation of this highly adaptable organization, the one that knows when to roar and when to camouflage. Still waters run deep; Thai military operations run deeper and wider."--Veerayooth Kanchoochat, Associate Professor of Political Economy, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), Tokyo “A truly monumental work about Thailand’s military from the 1960s until today, this solid study focuses upon the armed forces’ internal security role across Thai society, how the military has succeeded in legitimizing itself and boosting its power as a counterinsurgency force, guardian of monarchy and engine of development. The book also valuably looks at the military’s establishment of mass organizations beginning during the Cold War and mobilization of royalists since 2006. The book thus illustrates how the military has been able to enhance and sustain its overwhelming influence and is thus a valuable study for anyone wanting to understand key power-brokers in Thailand.”— Dr Paul Chambers, Center of ASEAN Community Studies, Naresuan University, Thailand.

Praetorians, Profiteers or Professionals? contributes to the ongoing renaissance in scholarship on Southeast Asia’s armed forces and their political, social and economic roles. This renaissance comes in an era in which the states of the region, and the societies and economies that they govern, have grown complex beyond all recognition. Nevertheless, understanding those states’ armies remains crucial. Emphasizing the ideologies and economic activities of the militaries of two large Mainland Southeast Asian neighbours, this volume transcends clichés about coups, coercion, caudillos and kings. Its findings will challenge the thinking of even long-time observers of the region, not least through its comparative perspective and the fresh understanding of the roles and orientations of the armed forces of Myanmar and Thailand that that perspective suggests.

Claiming Society for God focuses on common strategies employed by religiously orthodox, fundamentalist movements around the world. Rather than employing terrorism, as much of post-9/11 thinking suggests, these movements use a patient, under-the-radar strategy of infiltrating and subtly transforming civil society. Nancy J. Davis and Robert V. Robinson tell the story of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Shas in Israel, Comunione e Liberazione in Italy, and the Salvation Army in the United States. They show how these movements build massive grassroots networks of religiously based social service agencies, hospitals, schools, and businesses to bring their own brand of faith to popular and political fronts.

When Kenneth Johnson's science fiction miniseries V premiered in 1983, it netted more than 40 percent of the television viewing audience and went on to spawn a sequel, a weekly series, novelizations, comic books and a remake. Yet the 2009 V reboot was cancelled in its second season, despite a robust premiere. Both versions were products of their respective times, but the original was inspired by classic works by the likes of Sinclair Lewis and Leo Tolstoy. Johnson's predilection for literature and history helped give his telling of V a sense of heart and depth that the contemporary version sorely lacked. Featuring exclusive interviews with cast and crew, this book examines V's cultural impact and considers the future of the franchise.

This cutting-edge analysis of American and European new religious movements explores the controversies between religious groups and the majority interests which oppose them. It asks how modern societies can best respond to new religious movements,

This dissertation challenges the conventional narrative of Danish colonial history by critiquing the predominant reliance on textual records and archives as primary carriers of historical knowledge. Through case studies focused on landscape and landscaping practices, it offers an alternative approach to understanding the past by actively engaging with material heritage in what is conceptualized as a vibrant archive. Utilizing interdisciplinary and practice-led methodologies, from cultural and memory studies to ecocriticism, the research examines and engages with colonial history through case studies in dialog with contemporary interlocutors. Emphasizing the dynamic nature of landscapes as vibrant archives-in-the-making, building on Jane Bennett’s concept of vibrant matter, the dissertation underscores their capacity to both shape and be shaped by diverse actors and forces. This perspective prioritizes ethical considerations in preserving and interpreting cultural heritage, aiming to foster inclusivity and resilience in shaping future landscapes. As landscapes embody multiple pasts that transcend national borders, they reveal a global network of interconnected material heritage. However, prevailing historical understandings often prioritize certain discursive national formations, limiting a comprehensive grasp of global connectivity. By exploring contemporary investments in constructing new relational pasts, the dissertation seeks to broaden the analytical scope and challenge such dominant narratives. Through an exploration of colonial trauma and the enduring impacts of historical violence, the research delves into the entangled relationships between past, present, and future. Additionally, the dissertation investigates the role of sound recordings in creating immersive narratives and enhancing the communication of findings, offering insights into preservation efforts, cultural revitalization projects, and community-led initiatives in a contemporary context. Throughout the research, there is a consistent advocacy for a more just and inclusive approach to caring for the colonial archive within the context of colonial exploitation and ecological crisis. This emphasis on interconnectedness across social, environmental, and cultural dynamics highlights the urgent need to reckon with colonial legacies to promote social and environmental justice. Denna avhandling utmanar den konventionella berättelsen om dansk kolonialhistoria genom att kritisera den rådande särställning som skrivna dokument och arkiv har i förmedlingen av historisk kunskap. Via fallstudier som fokuserar på landskap och landskapspraktiker erbjuder den ett alternativt tillvägagångssätt för att förstå det förflutna genom att aktivt engagera sig med materiellt arv i det som konceptualiseras som ett vibrerande arkiv. Med hjälp av tvärvetenskapliga och praxisbaserade metoder, från kultur- och minnesstudier till ekokritik, undersöks kolonialhistorien i fallstudier i dialog med samtida samtalspartner. Genom att betona landskapens dynamiska natur som vibrerande arkiv under uppbyggnad, med utgångspunkt i Jane Bennetts begrepp vibrerande materia, framhåller avhandlingen deras förmåga att både forma och formas av olika aktörer och krafter. Detta perspektiv lyfter fram etiska överväganden i bevarandet och tolkningen av kulturellt arv, med målet att främja inkludering och resiliens i utformningen av framtida landskap. Eftersom landskap förkroppsligar flera skepnader av det förflutna som överskrider nationsgränser, vittnar de om ett globalt nätverk av sammanlänkat materiellt arv. Emellertid betonar rådande historiska förståelser ofta vissa diskursiva nationella formationer, vilket begränsar en heltäckande förståelse av en global sammanlänkning. Genom att utforska samtida ansatser att konstruera det förflutna som multipelt och relationellt, strävar avhandlingen efter att bredda den analytiska ramen och utmana sådana dominerande berättelser. Koloniala trauman och de bestående effekterna av historiskt våld utforskas, vilket leder till en fördjupad förståelse av de sammanflätade relationerna mellan förflutet, nutid och framtid. Dessutom undersöker avhandlingen ljudinspelningars roll i att skapa immersiva berättelser och förbättra kommunikationen av forskningsresultat, och erbjuder insikter i bevarandeinsatser, kulturella revitaliseringsprojekt och samhällsledda initiativ i en samtida kontext. Genomgående förespråkas i avhandlingen ett mer rättvist och inkluderande tillvägagångssätt när det gäller omsorgen om det koloniala arkivet inom ramen för kolonial exploatering och ekologisk kris. Denna betoning på sammanlänkning av sociala, miljömässiga och kulturella dynamiker framhäver det akuta behovet av att hantera det koloniala arvet för att främja social och miljömässig rättvisa.

Criminology assumes the position of an established discipline, yet its influence is limited by its primary focus on the West for both theoretical and empirical substance. But the growing interest in comparative criminology now means that countries compare notes, thereby broadening the parameters of criminology. Still relatively ignored in the literature, however, are issues of crime and justice as they affect people of African descent around the globe. Drawing upon materials from countries in Africa, the Caribbean, North and South America, and Europe, this stimulating book reflects on the experiences of people of African descent to offer a convergence of criminologies in and outside the West. Simultaneously, it acknowledges Western criminology as a significant angle from which to comprehend crime and justice as they are conceptualized outside the West. The volume also investigates whether Western criminological accounts are relevant to the comprehension of crime, criminality and systems of justice in Africa, the Caribbean and South America.

This volume is about Latter-day Saints learning from Jews and the Jewish experience. This book is unique. It is not a traditional interfaith dialogue where the goal is to learn from each other. Rather, Latter-day Saints seek to give Jews the microphone, so to speak, and let them talk about themselves on their own terms. Only then do Latter-day Saint respond, and not with the goal of establishing areas of agreement or disagreement but as an opportunity to learn from Jews. This book turns to the wisdom of Jews and Judaism to inform, inspire, and enhance the lived religious experience of Latter-day Saints. The Learning of the Jews brings together fifteen scholars, seven Jewish and eight Latter-day Saint, with a combined academic experience of over four hundred years. The volume is structured around seven major topics, two chapters on each topic. A Jewish scholar first discusses the topic broadly vis-à-vis Judaism, followed by a response from a Latter-day Saint scholar. The seven topics include scripture, authority, prayer, women and modernity, remembrance, particularity, and humor. The intention is that the reader will not only learn a great deal about Judaism and the Jewish experience while reading this volume but also use what they learn to enhance their own cultural and religious experience. Contents: Introduction - Trevan G. Hatch and Leonard J. Greenspoon 1a. Approaching Scripture: Insights from Judaism - Gary A. Rendsburg 1b. Maturing Latter-day Saint Approaches to Scripture - Ben Spackman 2a. Neither Prophet nor Priest: Authority and the Emergence of the Rabbis in Judaism - Peter Haas 2b. What’s the Church’s Official Position on Official Positions? Grappling with “Truth” and “Authority” - Trevan Hatch 3a. Approaching God: A Jewish Approach to Prayer - Peter Knobel 3b. Approaching God: Jewish and Latter-day Saint Prayer and Worship - Loren D. Marks and David C. Dollahite 4a. Women and Judaism in the Contemporary World: Tradition in Tension - Ellen Lasser LeVee 4b. Modern Mormon Women in a Patriarchal Church - Camille Fronk Olson 5a. Faith as Memory: Theologies of the Jewish Holidays - Byron L. Sherwin 5b. Memory in Ritual Life9 - Ashley Brocious 6a. Sacrality and Particularity: Jews in an Early Modern Context9 - Dean Phillip Bell 6b. Building Sacred Community: A Response to Dean Phillip Bell - Andrew C. Reed 7a. It’s Funny, But Is it Jewish? It’s Jewish, But Is It Funny? An Understated Overview of Jewish Humor - Leonard Greenspoon 7b. Why We’ll Probably Never Have Grouchos of Our Own (But Maybe a Seinfeld) - Shawn Tucker

This book traces three decades of securitization in Angola. As a governing strategy during war and peacetime, it muted the aspirations of those on opposing sides, distorted the state, emboldened elites and redefined the identity of Angolans. Through this lens, Paula Cristina Roque provides an original account of Angola's post-conflict state-building. Securitization protected the interests of President dos Santos, the ruling MPLA party and the elites supporting the regime. Angola's array of security forces and infrastructure provided an alternative to a fully functioning executive, at national, provincial and local levels. The intrusive way in which any form of dissent or activism was crushed allowed the presidency to control the direction and narrative of the post-war years. But the facade of democracy, development and stability hid a very different reality for the majority of Angolans, who remained poor, disenfranchised and marginalized. Roque explores the inner workings of the intelligence services, army and presidential guard, explaining the trajectory of a survivalist and fearful regime presiding over scarcities and injustices. She shows that the survival of national security and governing elites was the highest priority. The 'shadows' held far more power than institutions, and weakened them-widening the gap between government and governed.

Contemporary studies on Syria assume that the country’s Ba’thist regime has been effective in subduing its Islamic opposition, placing Syria at odds with the Middle East’s larger trends of rising Islamic activism and the eclipse of secular ideologies as the primary source of political activism. Yet this assumption founders when confronted with the clear resurgence in Islamic militantism in the country since 2004. This book examines Syria’s current political reality as regards its Islamic movement, describing the country’s present day Islamic groups – particularly their social profile and ideology – and offering an explanation of their resurgence. The analysis focuses on: Who are today’s Syrian Islamic groups? Why and how are they re-emerging after 22 years of relative silence as an important socio-economic and political force? How is the Syrian state dealing with their re-emergence in light of Syria’s secularism and ideologically diverse society? Bridging area studies, Islamic studies, and political science, this book will be an important reference for those working within the fields of Comparative Politics, Political Economy, and Middle Eastern Studies.