New Labour: what's published is what counts

Books reviewed in this article:
Barrett-Brown, M. and Coates, K. (1996) The Blair Revelation: Deliverance for Whom?
Blackburn, R. and Plant, R. (eds) (1999) The Labour Government's Constitutional Reform Agenda.
Blair, T. (1996) New Britain: My Vision of a Young Country.
Brivati, B. and Bale, T. (eds) (1997) New Labour in Power: Precedents and Prospects.
Crewe, I., Gosschalk, B. and Bartle, J. (1998) Political Communications: Why Labour Won the General Election of 1997
Denver, D., Fisher, J., Cowley, P. and Pattie, C. (1998) British Elections and Parties Review, Volume 8: The 1997 General Election.
Driver, S. and Martell, L. (1998) New Labour: Politics after Thatcherism.
Ellison, N. (1994) Egalitarian Thought and Labour Politics: Retreating Visions.
Gamble, A. and Wright, T. (1999) The New Social Democracy.
Geddes, A. and Tonge, J. (eds) (1997) Labour's Landslide: The British General Election 1997.
Giddens, A. (1998) The Third Way: the Renewal of Social Democracy.
Hay, C. (1999) The Political Economy of New Labour: Labouring under False Pretences?
Hazell, R. (ed.) (1999) Constitutional Futures: A History of the Next Ten Years.
Jones, T. (1996) Remaking the Labour Party: From Gaitskell to Blair.
Shaw, E. (1996) The Labour Party Since 1945.
Taylor, G. (1997) Labour's Renewal? The Policy Review and Beyond.
Thompson, N. (1996) Political Economy and the Labour Party: The Economics of Democratic Socialism 1884–1995.
Worcester, R. and Mortimore, R. (1999) Explaining Labour's Landslide.     

Book Reviews

Books reviewed in this article: Sieder, Rachel (ed.) (1995), Impunity in Latin America Berger, Mark T. (1995), Under Northern Eyes: Latin American Studies and U.S. Hegemony in the Americas, 1898–1990 Tulchin, Joseph S. with Bernice (eds) (1995) The Consolidation of Democracy in Latin America Norden, Deborah L. (1996) Military Rebellion in Argentina: Between Coups and Consolidation McAdam, Andrew (1996) Antonio F. Cafiero: El Renovador Gibson, Edward (1996) Class and Conservative Parties, Argentina in Comparative Perspective Lewis, Colin and Szusterman, Celia (eds) (1996), Argentina: Foreign Relations and the New Foreign Policy Agenda Randall, Laura (ed.) (1996), Reforming Mexico's Agrarian Reform Tortolero Villasenor, Alejandro (1995), De la coa a la máquina de vapor: actividad agrícola e innovación tecnolbgica en las haciendas mexicanas, 1880–1914 Costa, Hélio da (1995), Em busca da memoria: comissão de fábrica, partido e sindicato no pósguerra Arom, Silvia M. and Ortoll, Servando (eds) (1996) Riots in the Cities: Popular Politics and the Urban Poor in Latin America, 1765–1910 Smith, Courtney A. (1995), Socialist Transformation in Peripheral Economies: Lessons from Grenada Purcell, Susan Kaufman and Simon, Francoise (eds) (1995) Europe and Latin America in the World Economy Nazmi, Nader (1996), Economic Policy and Stabilization in Latin America Lavrin, Asuncion (1995) Women, Feminism, and Social Change in Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay, 1890–1940 Besse, Susan K. (1996), Restructuring Patriarchy: the Modernization of Gender Inequality in Brazil, 1914–1940 Molyneux, Maxine (1996), State, Gender and Institutional Change in Cuba's ‘Special Period’: the Federack de Mujeres Cubanas Townsend, Janet G. in collaboration with Arrevillaga, Ursula, Bain, Jennie, Cancino, Socorro, Frenk, Susan F., Pacheco, Silvana and Perez, Elia (1995), Women's Voices from the Rainforest Painter, M. and Durham, W.H. (eds) (1995), The Social Causes of Environmental Destruction in Latin America Meyer, Doris (ed.) (1995), Reinterpreting the Spanish American Essay: Women Writers of the 19th and 20th Centuries Levinson, Brett (1996) Secondary Moderns: Mimesis, History, and Revolution in Lezama Lima's “American Expression” Pérez de Mendiola, Marina (ed.) (1996), Bridging the Atlantic: Toward a Reassessment of Iberian and Latin American Cultural Ties Katra, William H. (1996) The Argentine Generation of 1837: Echeverria, Alherdi, Sarmiento, Mitre James, C.L.R. (ed. Anna Grimshaw) (1996) Special Delivery. The Letters of C.L.R. James to Constance Webb, 1939–48 Cowley, John (1996), Carnival, Canboulay and Calypso: Caribbean Traditions in the Making Cole, Richard R. (ed.) (1996) Communication in Latin America: Journalism, Mass Media, and Society Langer, Erick and Jackson, Robert H. (eds) (1995) The New Latin American Mission History Hoberman, Louisa Schell and Socolow, Susan Migden (eds) (1996) The Countryside in Colonial Latin America Andrien, Kenneth J. (1995), The Kingdom of Quito, 1690–1830: the State and Regional Development Cornblit, Oscar (1995) Power and Violence in the Colonial City: Oruro from the Mining Renaissance to the Rebellion of Tupac Amaru (1740–1782) O'Brien, Thomas, F. (1996), The Revolutionary Mission: American Business in Latin America, 1900–1945 Frye, David (1996) Indians into Mexicans: History and identity in a Mexican Town Paternosto, César (1996), The Stone and the Thread: Andean Roots of Abstract Art     

Book Reviews

Books reviewed: Applebaum, Nancy P. (2003) Muddied Waters: Race, Region and Local History in Colombia, 1846–1948 Collier, Simon (2003) Chile, The Making of a Republic, 1830–1865: Politics and Ideas Díaz, Arlene J. (2004) Female Citizens, Patriarchs, and the Law in Venezuela, 1786–1904 Haber, Stephen, Razo, Armando and Maurer, Noel (2003) The Politics of Property Rights: Political Instability, Credible Commitments, and Economic Growth in Mexico, 1876–1929 Pasztor, Suzanne B. (2002) The Spirit of Hidalgo: The Mexican Revolution in Coahuila Juárez, José Roberto (2004) Reclaiming Church Wealth: The Recovery of Church Property after Expropriation in the Archdiocese of Guadalajara, 1860–1911 Agostoni, Claudia (2003) Monuments of Progress: Modernization and Public Health in Mexico City, 1876–1910 Mattiace, Shannan L. (2003) To See With Two Eyes: Peasant Activism and Indian Autonomy in Chiapas, Mexico Souza, Laura de Mello e (2003) The Devil and the Land of the Holy Cross: Witchcraft, Slavery, and Popular Religion in Colonial Brazil Sansone, Livio (2003) Blackness Without Ethnicity: Constructing Race in Brazil Peter S. Cahn (2003) All Religions are Good in Tzintzuntzan: Evangelicals in Catholic Mexico Napolitano, Valentina (2002) Migration, Mujercitas, and Medicine Men Haagh, Louise (2002) Citizenship, Labour Markets and Democratization: Chile and the Modern Sequence Burt, Jo‐Marie and Mauceri, Philip (eds) (2004) Politics in the Andes: Identity, Conflict, Reform Philip, George (2003) Democracy in Latin America: Surviving Conflict and Crisis? Roman, Peter (2003) People's Power: Cuba's Experience with Representative Government Weyland, Kurt (ed.) (2004) Learning from Foreign Models in Latin American Policy Reform Kinzo, Maria D'Alva and Dunkerley, James (eds) (2003) Brazil Since 1985: Politics, Economy, and Society González, José Antonio, Corbo, Vittorio, Krueger, Anne, and Tornell, Aaron (eds) (2003) Latin American Macroeconomic Reform. The Second Stage Palma, Ricardo (2004) Peruvian Traditions Hendon, Julia A. and Joyce, Rosemary A. (2004) Mesoamerican Archaeology: Theory and Practice     

Book Reviews

Books Reviewed: Gauderman, Kimberly (2003) Women's Lives in Colonial Quito. Gender, Law and Economy in Spanish America Bauer, Brian (2004) Ancient Cuzco: Heartland of the Inca Chassen‐López, Francie R. (2004) From Liberal to Revolutionary Oaxaca. The View from the South, Mexico 1867–1911 Saney Isaac (2004) Cuba: A Revolution in Motion Chomsky, Aviva, Carr, Barry and Smorkaloff, Pamela María (2004) The Cuba Reader. History, Culture, Politics Diacon, Todd A. (2004) Stringing Together a Nation: Cândido Mariano da Silva Rondon and the Construction of a Modern Brazil, 1906–1930 Racine, Karen (2003) Francisco De Miranda: A Transatlantic Life in the Age of Revolution Joseph, Gilbert M. and Henderson, Timothy J. (eds) (2002) The Mexico Reader: History, Culture, Politics Guenther, Louise H. (2004) British Merchants in Nineteenth‐Century Brazil: Business, Culture, and Identity in Bahia, 1808–50 Deborah Pacini Hernandez; Fernández L'Hoeste, Héctor and Zolov, Eric (eds) (2004) Rockin' Las Americas: The Global Politics of Rock in Latin/o America Warren, Jonathan W. (2001)Racial Revolutions: Antiracism and Indigenous Resurgence in Brazil Diego, Armus (ed.) (2003) Disease in the History of Modern Latin America: From Malaria to AIDS Chasteen, John Charles (2004) National Rhythms, African Roots: The Deep History of Latin American Popular Dance Brass, Tom (ed.) (2003) Latin American Peasants Thoumi, Francisco (2003) Illegal Drugs, Economy, and Society in the Andes Ariel de Vidas, Anath (2004) Thunder Doesn't Live Here Any More. The Culture of Marginality Among the Teeneks of Tantoyuca Vellinga, Menno (ed.) (2004) The Political Economy of the Drug Industry Manz, Beatriz (2004) Paradise in Ashes: A Guatemalan Journey of Courage, Terror and Hope Lauria‐Santiago, Aldo and Binford, Leigh (eds) (2004) Landscapes of Struggle: Politics, Society, and Community in El Salvador Tussie, Diana and Botto, Mercedes (eds) (2003) El alca y las Cumbres de las Américas: ¿una nueva relación público‐privada?     

Book Reviews

Books reviewed: Grandin, Greg (2004) The Last Colonial Massacre: Latin America in the Cold War. Domínguez, Francisco and Guedes de Oliveira, Marcos (eds) (2004) Mercosur: Between Integration and Democracy Shadlen, Kenneth (2004) Democratization without Representation. The Politics of Small Industry in Mexico. Garreton, Manuel Antonio (2003) Incomplete Democracy. Political Democratization in Chile and Latin America. Bennett, Vivienne, Dávila‐Poblete, Sonia and Nieves Rico, María (eds) (2005) Opposing Currents: The Politics of Water and Gender in Latin America. Schneider, Ben Ross (2004) Business Politics and the State in Twentieth‐Century Latin America. de Ferranti, David, Perry, Guillermo E., Ferreira, Francisco H.G. and Walton, Michael (2004) Inequality in Latin America: Breaking with History? Van Oss, A.C. (2003) Church and Society in Spanish America. Florescano, Enrique and García Acosta, Virginia (eds) (2004) Mestizajes tecnológicos y cambios culturales en México. Weiner, Richard (2004) Race, Nation, and Market: Economic Culture in Porfirian Mexico. Dawson, Alexander S. (2004) Indian and Nation in Revolutionary Mexico. Newcomer, Daniel (2004) Reconciling Modernity: Urban State Formation in 1940s León, Mexico. Olsen, Margaret (2004) Slavery and Salvation in Colonial Cartagena de Indias. Larson, Brooke (2004) Trials of Nation Making: Liberalism, Race, and Ethnicity in the Andes. Christiansen, Tanja (2004) Disobedience, Slander, Seduction, and Assault: Women and Men in Cajamarca, Peru, 1862–1900. Watanabe, John M. and Fischer, Edward F. (eds) (2004) Pluralizing Ethnography: Comparison and Representation in Maya Cultures, Histories, and Identities. Knab, Timothy (2004) The Dialogue of Earth and Sky: Dreams, Souls, Curing, and the Modern Aztec Underworld. Kuss, Malena (ed) (2004) Music in Latin America and the Caribbean: An Encyclopedic History, Volume 1, Performing Beliefs: Indigenous Peoples of South America, Central America and Mexico. Burgos, Raúl (2004) Los gramscianos argentinos: cultura y política en la experiencia de Pasado y Presente. Dorfman, Ariel (2004) Other Septembers, Many Americas: Selected Provocations 1980–2004.     

British think tanks: advancing the intellectual debate?

Books reviewed in this article:
Denham, A. and Garnett, M. (1998) British Think Tanks and the Climate of Opinion.
Kandiah, M. and Seldon, A. (eds) (1996a) Ideas and Think Tanks in Contemporary Britain. Volume 1.
Kandiah, M. and Seldon, A. (eds) (1996b) Ideas and Think Tanks in Contemporary Britain. Volume 2.
Stone, D. (1996a) Capturing the Political Imagination. Think Tanks and the Policy Process.
Stone, D., Denham, A. and Garnett, M. (eds) (1998) Think Tanks across Nations. A Comparative Approach.     

Power transition in Northeast Asia: U.S.-China security perceptions and the challenges of systemic adjustment and stability

This article argues that the rise of China and the changing North-east Asian balance of power are creating the classical adjustment problems of Great Power international relations historically associated with power transitions and that three types of misperceptions across five important issues in the Sino-American security relationship are interfering with the prospects of achieving the systemic adjustments required for long-term stability. Power transition and the rise of China are seen as potentially undermining stability in four ways: (1) by generating security dilemmas and arms races, (2) by contributing to increased incidence of conflicting security interests, (3) by aggravating South china Sea maritime disputes, and (4) by undermining Chinese domestic stability in a manner which potentially results in a hostile regime that adopts an aggressive foreign policy coming to power at some point in the future. Systemic adjustment is defined as the process by which major powers peacefully reconcile their opposing interests and is viewed as being an essential feature of stability over the long term. The article argues that three types of misperceptions concerning: (1) salient issues, (2) security interests, and (3) the influence of domestic politics on foreign policy are manifesting themselves in misunderstandings of five security issues that are impeding the systemic adjustment process. These five issues are: (1) the nature of post-cold war Sino-American security relations and international politics, (2) the role of democracy and U.S. human rights in foreign policy, (3) the significance of China’s South China Sea policy, (4) Middle East diplomacy and arms sales, and (5) nuclear weapons and arms control policy. The article concludes with a discussion of policy implications that stresses the importance of consultation and dialogue to reduce misperceptions.     

Book Reviews

Books reviewed: Stokes, Doug (2005) America's Other War: Terrorizing Colombia. Helmke, Gretchen (2005) Courts under Constraints: Judges, Generals, and Presidents in Argentina. Wood, Andrew Grant (ed.) (2004) On the Border: Society and Culture between the United States and Mexico. Ochoa, Gilda L. (2004) Becoming Neighbors in a Mexican American Community: Power, Conflict and Solidarity. Yashar, Deborah J. (2005) Contesting Citizenship in Latin America: The Rise of Indigenous Movements and the Postliberal Challenge. Herrera, Robinson A. (2003). Natives, Europeans, and Africans in Sixteenth‐Century Santiago de Guatemala. Butler, Matthew (2004) Popular Piety and Political Identity in Mexico's Cristero Rebellion: Michoacán, 1927–1929. Whitehead, Neil L. and Wright, Robin (eds) (2004) In Darkness and Secrecy: The Anthropology of Assault Sorcery and Witchcraft in Amazonia. Richard, Nelly (2004) The Insubordination of Signs: Political Change, Cultural Transformation and Poetics of the Crisis Richard, Nelly (2004) Masculine/Feminine: Practices of Difference Steven Palmer and Ivan Molina (eds) (2004). The Costa Rica Reader: History, Culture, Politics.     

Book Reviews

Books reviewed: Serulnikov, Sergio (2003)Subverting Colonial Authority: Challenges to Spanish Rule in Eighteenth‐Century Southern Andes Connaughton, Brian (2003)Clerical Ideology in a Revolutionary Age. The Guadalajara Church and the Idea of the Mexican Nation (1788–1853) Palmer, Steven (2003)From Popular Medicine to Medical Populism: Doctors, Healers, and Public Power in Costa Rica, 1800–1940 Papiernik, Charles (2004)Unbroken: From Auschwitz to Buenos Aires MacLachlan, Colin M. (2003)A History of Modern Brazil: The Past Against the Future. Bulmer‐Thomas, Victor (2003)The Economic History of Latin America since Independence Silverman, Helaine and Proulx, Donald (2002)The Nasca Castro‐Klarén, Sara and Chasteen, John Charles (eds)(2003)Beyond Imagined Communities: Reading and Writing the Nation in Nineteenth‐Century Latin America Lewis, Laura A. (2003)Hall of Mirrors: Power, Witchcraft, and Caste in Colonial Mexico Hirsch, Jennifer S. (2003)A Courtship After Marriage: Sexuality and Love in Mexican Transnational Families Myers, Kathleen Ann (2003)Neither Saints nor Sinners: Writing the Lives of Women in Spanish America Sanford, Victoria (2003)Buried Secrets: Truth and Human Rights in Guatemala Warren, Kay B. and Jackson, Jean E. (eds)(2002)Indigenous Movements, Self‐Representation, and the State in Latin America Burgess, Katrina (2004)Parties and Unions in the New Global Economy Dudley, Steven (2004)Walking Ghosts: Murder and Guerrilla Politics in Colombia Jaguaribe Helio and Álvaro de Vasconcelos (eds)(2003)The European Union, Mercosul and the New World Order Saldaña‐Portillo, María Josefina (2003)The Revolutionary Imagination in the Americas in the Age of Development Trigo, Benigno (ed.)(2002)Foucault and Latin America: Appropriations and Deployments of Discursive Analysis Egan, Linda (2001)Carlos Monsiváis: Culture and Chronicle in Contemporary Mexico Weiss, Jason (2003)The Lights of Home: A Century of Latin American Writers in Paris     

THE ECONOMIC CRISIS IN JAPAN: Mainstream Perspectives and an Alternative View

Various explanations have been proposed for Japan's deepening economic crisis: (1) the country's “anticapitalist” economic institutions, (2) the failure to clean up bad bank loans and bankrupt companies, (3) a deflationary liquidity trap, (4) upward pressures on the value of the yen, and (5) balance-sheet adjustments instigated by the collapse of the 1980s “bubble economy.” Our critical survey suggests that the kernel of truth in all these perspectives lies in their common (mostly unstated and unconscious) implication that Japan faces a crisis of capitalist maturity involving a worsening trade-off between economic stagnation and the exploitative, wasteful, and destructive utilization of productive capacity. This dilemma can only be overcome through an explicit rejection of capitalist priorities and a movement toward a more worker-community-centered economy.     

Book Reviews

Books reviewed in this article: García Canclini, Nestor (trans. Christopher L. Chiappari and Silvina L. López (1995), Hybrid Cultures: Strategies for Entering and Leaving Modernity Beverley, John, Oviedo, José and Aronna, Michael (eds) (1995), The Postmodernism Debate in Latin America Stuempfle, Stephen (1996), The Steelband Movement: the Forging of a National Art in Trinidad and Tobago Browning, Barbara (1995) Samba: Resistance in Motion Vargas, Lucila (1995), Social Uses and Radio Practices: the Use of Participatory Radio by Ethnic Minorities in Mexico Paranagua, Paulo Anntonio (ed.) (1995), Mexican Cinema Valderrama Fernández, Ricardo and Escalante Gutierrez, Carmen (original eds), Gelles, Paul H. and Martinez Escobar, Gabriela (translation, annotations and revised glossary) (1996) Andean Lives: Gregorio Condori Mamani and Asunta Quispe HuamPn Hendrickson, Carol (1995) Weaving Identities: Construction of Dress and Self in a Highland Guatemala Town Morales, Edmundo (1995) The Guinea Pig: Healing, Food, and Ritual in the Andes Brandon, George. (1993), Santeria from Africa to the New World: the Dead Sell Memories Peña, Milagros (1995) Theologies and Liberation in Peru: the Role of Ideas in Social Movements Lovell, W. George (1995) A Beauty that Hurts: Life and Death in Guatemala Starn, Orin, Degregori, Carlos Ivan and Kirk, Robin (eds) (1995), The Peru Reader: History, Culture, Politics Bethell, Leslie (ed.) (1996) Cambridge History of Latin America. Vol. 10. Latin America since 1930: Ideas, Culture and Society Helg, Aline (1995) Our Rightful Share: the Afro-Cuban Struggle for Equality, 1886–1912 Brunk, S. (1995), Emiliano Zapata: Revolution and Betrayal in Mexico Di Tella, Torcuato S. (1996) National Popular Politics in Early Independent Mexico, 1820–1847 Mallon, Florencia E. (1995), Peasant and Nation: the Making of Postcolonial Mexico and Peru Posada-Garbó, Eduardo (1996) The Colombian Caribbean: a Regional History, 187&1950 Joseph, Gilbert M. and Szuchman, Mark D. (eds) (1996), I Saw a City Invincible: Urban Portraits of Latin America Walter, Richard J. (1994), Politics and Urban Growth in Buenos Aires: 191&1942 Kleinpenning, Jan M. G. (1995), Peopling the Purple Land: a Historical Geography of Rural Uruguay, 1500–1915 Avellaneda, José Ignacio (1995), The Conquerors of the New Kingdom of Granada Craig, Alan K. and West, Robert C. (eds) (1994), In Quest of Mineral Wealth. Aboriginal and Colonial Mining and Metallurgy in Spanish America Velázquez, Primo Feliciano (1995, 3rd edition), Codex Chimalpopoca Bierhorst, John (1992) History and Mythology of the Aztecs: the Codex Chimalpopoca Nickson, R. Andrew (1995), Local Government in Latin America Smith, Hazel (1995), European Union Foreign Policy and Central America Bresser Pereira, Luiz C. (1996), Economic Crisis and State Reform in Brazil: Toward a New Interpretation of Latin America Camp, Roderic Ai (1993), Political Recruitment Across Two Centuries: Mexico, 1884–1991 Mainwaring, Scott and Scully, Timothy R. (eds) (1995), Building Democratic Institutions: Party Systems in Latin America Haggard, Stephan and Kaufman, Robert R. (1995), The Political Economy of Democratic Transitions Ryan, David (1995), US-Sandinista Diplomatic Relations: Voice of Intolerance Hall, Linda B. (1995), Oil, Banks and Politics: the United States and Postrevolutionary Mexico, 1917–1924 Philip, George (1994), Political Economy of International Oil Jones, Richard C. (1995), Ambivalent Journey: US Migration and Economic Mobility in North Central Mexico Dosal, Paul J. (1993), Doing Business with the Dictators: a Political History of United Fruit in Guatemala, 1899–1944 Jenkins, Rhys (1995), Trade Liberaiisation and Manufacturing in Bolivia Frenkel, Roberto (ed.) (1994), Strengthening the Financial Sector in the Adjustment Process Morley, Samuel A. (1995) Poverty and Inequality in Latin America: the Impact of Adjustment and Recovery Lustig, Nora (ed.) (1995) Coping with Austerity: Poverty and Inequality in Latin America Pattullo, Polly (1996) Last Resorts: the Cost of Tourism in the Caribbean Murray, Douglas L. (1995) Cultivating Crisis: the Human Cost of Pesticides in Latin America Chevalier, Jacques M. and Buckles, Daniel (1995) A Land Without Gods: Process Theory, Maldevelopment and the Mexican Nahuas Peritore, N. Patrick and Galve-Peritore, Ana Karina (eds) (1995), Biotechnology in Latin America: Politics, Impacts and Risks Stewart, Douglas I. (1994), After the Trees: Living on the Transamazon Highway Simonian, Lane (1995), Defending the Land of the Jaguar: a History of Conservation in Mexico Bose, Christine E. and Acosta-Belén, B. Edna (eds) (1995), Women in the Latin American Development Process Alatorre, Javier, Careaga Gloria, Jusidman, Clara, Salles, Vania, Talamante, Cecilia and Townsend, John (1994), Las mujeres en la pobreza, El Colegio de Mexico and Grupo Interdisciplinario sobre Mujer Johnston, Francis E. and Low, Setha M. (1995), Children of the Urban Poor: the Sociocultural Environment of Growth, Development, and Malnutrition in Guatemala Schneider, Cathy Lisa (1995), Shantytown Protest in Pinochet's Chile Fiddian, Robin (ed.) (1995), Garcia Márquez Marzan, Julio (1995), The Numinous Site: the Poetry of Luis Palés Matos O'Connell, Joanna (1995), Prospero's Daughter: the Prose of Rosario Castellanos Bergman, Emilie L. and Smith, Paul Julian (eds) (1995), ¿Entiendes?: Queer Readings, Hispanic Writings Agosín, Marjorie (ed.) (1995) A Dream of Light and Shadow: Portraits of Latin American Women Writers Halperin Donghi, Tulio, Jaksié, Iván, Kirkpatrick, Gwen, and Masiello, Francine (eds) (1994), Sarmiento, Author of a Nation     

The Rise of Citizen Groups within the Administration and Parliament in Switzerland

This research note presents three newly interconnected and expanded datasets on interest groups’ (IGs) access to the Swiss political decision‐making process: (1) extra‐parliamentary committee seats occupied by IGs (1980, 2000, 2010), (2) parliamentary (committee) seats occupied by IG representatives (1992‐2015), and (3) consultation replies submitted by IGs (2008‐11). We show that the Swiss system of interest intermediation adapted to the multiplication and organizational consolidation of citizen groups, which defend non‐producer interests and do not provide selective benefits to their members (e.g. environmental groups). The share of access granted to citizen groups has increased in both the administration and parliament, across all federal departments and most legislative committees. Moreover, citizen groups benefit from a larger share of access in the recently revitalized parliament, compared to the administration. This suggests that economic groups’ decline in power is also related to the rise of citizen groups.     

Book Reviews

Books reviewed in this article: Savedoff, William D. (1995) Wages, Labour and Regional Development in Brazil Seidman, Gay W. (1994), Manufacturing Militance: Workers' Movements in Brazil and South Africa, 1970–1985 Lesser, Jeffrey (1995), Welcoming the Undesirables: Brazil and the Jewish Question Szuchman, Mark D. and Brown, Jonathan (eds) (1995) Revolution and Restoration: The Rearrangement of Power in Argentina, 1776–1860 Hünefeldt, Christine (1994) Paying the Price of Freedom, Family and Labor among Lima's Slaves, 1800–1854 Nygren, Anna (1995) Forest, Power and Development: Costa Rican Peasants in the Changing Environment Sponsel, Leslie E. (ed.) (1995) Indigenous Peoples and the Future of Amazonia. An Ecological Anthropology of an Endangered World Campbell, Howard (1994) Zapotec Renaissance: Ethnic Politics and Cultural Revivalism in Southern Mexico Spier, Fred (1994), Religious Regimes in Peru: Religion and State Development in a Long-Term Perspective and the Effects in the Andean Village of Zurite Camnitzer, Luis (1994), New Art of Cuba Leiner, Marvin (1994), Sexual Politics in Cuba: Machismo, Homosexuality, and AIDS Mason, Tony (1995) Passion of the People? Football in Latin America Miller, Simon (1995) Landlords and Haciendas in Modernizing Mexico: Essays in Radical Reappraisal Guimaräes, Antônio S., Agier, M. and Castro, Nadya A. (1995), Imagens e identidades do trabalho Newson, Linda A. (1995), Life and Death in Early Colonial Ecuador Swanson, Philip (1995), The New Novel in Latin America: Politics and Popular Culture after the Boom Collier, Simon, Cooper, Artemis, Azzi, Maria Susana and Martin, Richard (1995), Tango! The Dance, the Song, the Story     

Pre‐Election Positions and Voting Behaviour in Parliament: Consistency among Swiss MPs

This article examines the determinants of positional incongruence between pre‐election statements and post‐election behaviour in the Swiss parliament between 2003 and 2009. The question is examined at the individual MP level, which is appropriate for dispersion‐of‐powers systems like Switzerland. While the overall rate of political congruence reaches about 85%, a multilevel logit analysis detects the underlying factors which push or curb a candidate's propensity to change his or her mind once elected. The results show that positional changes are more likely when (1) MPs are freshmen, (2) individual voting behaviour is invisible to the public, (3) the electoral district magnitude is not small, (4) the vote is not about a party's core issue, (5) the MP belongs to a party which is located in the political centre, and (6) if the pre‐election statement dissents from the majority position of the legislative party group. Of these factors, the last one is paramount.     

Book Reviews

Book Reviews in this article:
Brading, D. A. (1994), Church and State in Bourbon Mexico, the Diocese of Michoách 1749–181O)
Andrien, Kenneth J. and Johnson, Lyman L. (eds) (1994), The Political Economy of Spanish America in the Age of Revolution, 1750–1850
Wolfe, Joel (1993), Working Women, Working Men: São Paul0 and the Rise of Brazil's Industrial Working Class, 1900–1955
Florescano, Enrique (trans. Albert G. Bork with the assistance of Kathryn R. Bork) (1994), Memory, Myth, and Time in Mexico: from the Aztecs to Independence
Brumfiel, Elizabeth M; and Fox, John W. (eds) (1994), Factional Competition and Political Development in the New World
Arnold, Dean E. (1993), Ecology and Ceramic Production in an Andean Community
Weber, David J. and Rausch, Jane M. (eds) (1994), Where Cultures Meet: the Frontier in Latin American History
Anderson, Leslie E. (1994), The Political Ecology of the Modem Peasant
Rakowski, Cathy A. (ed.) (1994), Contrapunto: the Informal Sector Debate in Latin America
Linz, Juan J. and Valenzuela, Arturo (eds) (1994), The Failure of Presidential Democracy
Geddes, Barbara (1994), Politician's Dilemma: Building State Capacity in Latin America
Guzman Bouvard, Marguerite 1994), Revolutionizing Motherhood: the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo
Rodriguez, Jeanette (1994), Our Lady of Guadalupe. Faith and Empowerment Among Mexican-American Women
Menton, S. (1993), Latin America's New Historical Novel
Jörgensen, Beth (1994), Engaging Dialogues: the Writing of Elena Poniatowska
Taylor, kathy 1994), The New Narrative of Mexico: Subversions of History in Mexican Fiction     

The enduring influence of electoral systems: investigating Green parties’ attention to local issues in parliament

Scholars argue that members of parliament (MPs) in first-past-the-post (FPTP) systems have stronger incentives to cater to their electoral district than those in proportional representation (PR) types. Yet, few studies have explored whether MPs in PR systems or MPs from small parties engage local issues in general. I build new theory and explore its support through a case study that compares Green party behaviour in an FPTP system (the UK) to a PR system (New Zealand). Results show that MPs focus on local issues in both systems, but the distribution of attention varies in ways consistent with differing electoral incentives.     

Religiöse Pluralität im nationalen Verfassungsstaat

This article is intended to provide a both functionalist and institutionalist understanding of current conflicts regarding a binding cultural core, religious plurality and multiculturalism, which would allow for an explanation of the corresponding historical process. In order to attain this goal, the functional differentiation and institutional shaping of politics is systematically reconstructed with a special focus on the differentiation of religion and politics, church and state, the handling of religious plurality and the political inclusion of religious minorities. The argument unfolds in the following four steps: (1) emergence of the state’s monopoly of power and the separation of spiritual and worldly power (functionalism I); (2) nation state and popular sovereignty as historical forms of the functional differentiation of politics (functionalism II); (3) the constitution as civil religion of politics organized in state form (institutionalism I); and (4) historical forms of civil religion and the institutionalization of religious plurality (institutionalism II).     

Book Reviews

Books reviewed in this article: Bray, Warwick (ed. (1994), The Meeting of Two Worlds: Europe and the Americas 1492–1650 Marcus, Joyce (1992), Mesoamerican Writing Systems: Propaganda, Myth, and History in Four Ancient Civilizations Cervantes, Fernando (1994), The Devil in the New World: The Impact of Diabolism in New Spain Patch, Robert W. (1993), Maya and Spaniard in Yucatan 1648–1812 Melville, Elinor G. K. 1994), A Plague of Sheep: Environmental Consequences of the Conquest of Mexico Minchom, Martin (1994), The People of Quito, 1690–1810: Change and Unrest in the Underclass Ward, Christopher (1994), Imperial Panama: Commerce and Conflict in Isthmian America, 1550–1800 Gootenberg, Paul (1994), Imagining Development: Economic Ideas in Peru's ‘Fictitious Prosperity’ of Guano, 1840–1880 Jacobsen, Nils (1993) Mirages of Transition: The Peruvian Altiplano, 1780–1930 Hales, Charles R. (1994), Resistance and Contradiction: Miskitu Indians and the Nicaraguan State, 1894–1987 Silva, Eduardo (trans. Moyra Ashford) (1993), Prince of the People: The Life and Times of a Brazilian Free Man of Colour Barthélémy, Gérard and Girault, Christian (eds) (1993), La République haitienne: etat des lieux et perspectives Lal, Brij V., Munro, Doug and Beechert, Edward D. (eds) (1993), Plantation Workers: Resistance and Accommodation Nugent, Stephen (1993), Amazonian Cuboclo Society: an Essay on Invisibility and Peasant Economy Whitten, Dorothea S. and Whitten, Norman E. (eds) (1993), Imagery and Creativity. Ethnoaesthetics and Art Worlds in the Americas Peterson, Jeanette Favrot (1993), The Paradise Garden Murals of Malinalco: Utopia and Empire in Sixteenth-century Mexico Britton, John A. (ed.) (1994), Molding the Hearts and Minds: Education, Communications, and social Change in Latin America Martin, Christopher (1994) Schooling in Mexico, Staying in or Dropping Out Salinas Meza, René (1993), Elideario femenino chileno, entre la tradicióny la modernidad. Siglos XVIII al XX Kuppers, Gaby (ed.) (1994), Compañeras: Voices from the Latin American Women's Movement Lomnitz-Adler, Claudio (1993), Exits from the Labyrinth: Culture and Ideology in the Mexican National Space Lowenthal, Abraham F. and Burgess, Katrina (eds) (1993), The California-Mexico Connection Browne, Harry (1994), For Richer, For Poorer: Shaping US-Mexican Integration Cornelius, Wayne A., Craig, Ann L. and Fox, Jonathan (eds) (1994), Transforming State-Society Relations in Mexico: the National Solidarity Strategy De la Peña, Sergio and Wilkie, James (1994), La estadística económica en México. Los orígenes Bulmer Thomas, Victor, Craske, Nikki and Serrano, Monica (eds) (1994), Mexico and the North American Free Trade Agreement: Who Will Benefit? Aspe, Pedro (1993), Economic Transformation: The Mexican Way Sanchez, Manuel and Corona, Rossana (eds) (1993), Privatisation in Latin America Conitrot, Adolfo and Junco, Silva (eds) (1993), Macroeconomic Conditions and Trade Liberalisation Bacha, Edmar L. (ed.) (1993), Savings and Investment Requirements for the Resumption of Growth in Latin America Bernecker, Walther L. and Tobler, Hans Werner (eds) (1993), Development and Underdevelopment in America Baer, Werner and Tulchin, Joseph S. (eds) (1993), Brazil and the Challenge of Economic Reform Payne, Leigh A. (1994), Brazilian Industrialists and Democratic Change Furley, Peter A. (ed.)(1994), The Forest Frontier: Settlement and Change in Brazilian Roraima Rock, David (ed.) (1994), Latin America in the 1940s: War and Postwar Transitions Selbin, Eric (1993), Modern Latin American Revolutions Morley, Morris H. (1994), Washington, Somoza and the Sandinistas: State and Regime in US Policy Toward Nicaragua, 1969–1981 Liss, Sheldon B. (1994) Fidel! Castro's Political and social Thought Gills, B., Rocamora, J. and Wilson, R. (eds) (1993), Low Intensity Democracy: Political Power in the New World Order Manzetti, Luigi (1993), Institutions, Parties and Coalitions in Argentine Politics     

Book Reviews

Books reviewed in this article: The González de la Rocha, Mercedes (1994), The Resources of Poverty: Women and Survival in a Mexican City Roosevelt, Anna (ed) (1994), Amazonian Indians from Prehistory to the present: Anthropological Perspectives Bastian, Jean-Pierre (1994), Le Protestantisme an Amérique Latine: une approche socio-historique Weiss, Judith A. et al (1993), Latin American Popular Theatre; the First Five centuries Versényi, Adam (1993), Theatre In Latin American: Religion, Politics and Culture from cortés to the 1980s Cloudsley, peter(1993), A Survey of Music in Peru, British museum Foweraker, Joe (1995), Theorizing Social Movements Jonas, Susanne and McCaughan, Edward J. (eds) (1994), Latin America Faces the 21st Century: Reconstructing a Social Justice Agenda Maingot, Anthony P. (1994), The United States and the Caribbean Martz, John D. (ed)(1995), United States Policy in Latin America: a Decade of Crisis and Challenge Niblo, Stephen R. (1995), War, Diplomacy, and Development: the United States and Mexico, 1938–1954 Craske, Nikki (1994), Corporatism Revisited: Salinas and the Reform of the Popular Sector Harvey, Neil and Serrno, Mónica(eds)(1994), Party Politics in “An Uncommon Democracy”, Political Paties and Elections in Mexico Cook, Maria Lorena, Middlebook, Kevin J. and Molinar Horcasitas, Juan (eds) (1994), The Politics of Economic Restructuring: State-Society Relations and Regime Change in Mexico Joseph, Gilbert M. and Nugent, Daniel (eds) (1994), Everyday Forms of State Formation: Revolution and the Negotiation of Rule in Modern Mexico Dunkerley, James (1994), The Pacification of Central America Spoor, Max (1995), The State and Domestic Agriculture Markets in Nicargua Vilas, Carlos M. (1995), Between Earthquakes and Volcanoes: Market, State, and the Revolutions in Central America Goodman, Louis W., Mendelson Forman, Johanna Naím, Moíses, Tulichin, Joseph S. and Gary (eds) (1995), Lessons of the Venezuelan experience Rosen, Fred and McFadyen, Deidre (eds) (1995), Free trade and Economic Restructuring in Latin America: a NACLA Reader Kagami Mitsuhiro (1995) The voice of east asia Development Implication for America     

Still a Beacon of Human Rights? Considerations on the EU Response to the Refugee Crisis in the Mediterranean

The European Union is a political union of democracies which protects human rights and presents itself as a beacon of human rights on the global scene. This Profile reviews the measures the EU has introduced in response to the crisis and highlights the problems they pose from a human rights perspective. Overall, a set of five measures were adopted: (1) improving search and rescue missions in the Mediterranean and the Aegean in order to prevent loss of human lives at sea; (2) initiating military intervention to tackle networks of smugglers; (3) introducing resettlement and relocation quotas to alleviate pressure on the EU member states which serve as entry points (Italy, Greece and Hungary) and from the countries neighbouring Syria (primarily Turkey); (4) creating a common list of safe countries to facilitate and speed up the return of failed asylum seekers and undocumented migrants; and finally (5) strengthening cooperation with countries of origin and transit to readmit migrants and to tighten border controls. Whether the EU will be able to respond to the unfolding crisis by providing international protection to those in need while simultaneously securing its external borders will be a yardstick by which to judge its human rights commitment.