Public Policy Books

Susan Buck's book is a good overview of the conecptal framework associated with the growing awarness of The Global Commons. While the book covers a lot of subject matter setting forth international regime formation and the framework for analysis lightly, it does give a well-informed overview of the commons relating to space, the atmosphere, the oceans, and Antarica. This book would make a great political science text read in undergraduate colleges and universities. In fact, relevance is quite timely. I trust that this book is being read by students throughout the United States today. It certainly should be.

This is a very informative and up-to-date book which makes me read right to the end, without stopping. Each chapter prompts me to read the next one. It deals very in depth about the current geopolitical issues affecting our world today - the air, the sea, the space and technology. It also gives a good case study about Antartica. very few geopolitical books that I have read has made such a deep analysis on such immediate issues. Not too intimidating for the reader who has little geopolitical know-how because of its explanation of current concepts and definitions (in the first chapter) as well as a glossary of key terms used.

Product could have arrived a bit quicker, but the prices were a hell of lot better than the local book stores. The book was in great condition.

Martin Nie (associate professor of natural resource policy in the College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana) presents The Governance of Western Public Lands: Mapping Its Present and Future, a big-picture survey of the history and future of America's public lands, with especial attention paid to the contentious debate concerning how they should be used, and to what extent their wildlife should be protected. Examining both individual case studies (such as that of conflict over the forests in southeast Alaska) and broader general dilemmas of opposing viewpoints concerning national resource management, The Governance of Western Public Lands offers a balanced, serious-minded assessment of both present and future needs. "Experimentation could help ground some of the ideological debates discussed... We could use a few concrete cases to examine the virtues and drawbacks of trying something different on our public lands. Experimentation might thus give a strong shot of pragmatism to public land politics by rejecting sweeping generalities and abstract theorizing in favor of more practical experience and empirical knowledge. Instead of hypotheticals, we could focus our attention on the outcome of a particular project." Highly recommended.

I've read plenty of books that deal with questions of the growth of mass incarceration and surveillance in US society, the 'culture of fear' paranoia that defines much of our popular political culture, etc. and so I thought this book would mainly cover familiar material. But I was wrong. Jonathan Simon offers a fresh interpretation of these developments. Central to the development of 'governing through crime' is the emergence of the crime victim as the central figure around which political debate revolves, and the identification of supporting police/prisons/death penalty with solidarity with that victim. Simon shows how this has raised the profile (and political power) of prosecutors and governors (most of our presidents recently, in part because of their ability to wield the death penalty). On the other hand, this development has thrown the judiciary on the defensive, as it is perceived as an obstacle to victim's righteous vengeance through their representatives, the police. Simon also deals with the way crime has defined the governance of families, schools, and, perhaps most originally, workplaces. In the latter, as unions have collapsed, charges of the crime of discrimination have become one of the few recourses workers have against employer power. At the same time, employers treat workers as potentially dangerous criminals who may be responsible for violence in the workplace. Simon ends by tying the logic and limits of governing through crime to the failings of the US in stopping, and later reacting to, the attacks of 9-11.

Simon does not have much to say about the economic changes that have accompanied and been intertwined with the practice of governing through crime. For that you should read Christian Parenti's Lockdown America or Ruth Wilson Gilmore's Golden Gulag. Nevertheless, this book should also definitely be on your reading list to understand this disturbing trend.

How is it that the American state continues to grow in a politically conservative age? Professor Simon argues that the growth of federal crime control policy is the key to understanding this phenomenon. Beginning in the 1960s, and continuing through to century's end, the willingness of national politicians to assume responsibility for crime fighting and the establishment of social order has allowed the federal government to grow, even after Americans grew to doubt the ability of Washington D.C. to solve social and economic problems in the wake of the Great Society. Conservative Chief Executives promised to use the powers of the federal government to stop crime and social disorder and to secure Americans from all manner of threats to life and property. The fact that crime was in fact rising in the 1960s and 1970s gave the crime issue the needed salience to make crime control a seemingly legitimate policy goal for Washington D.C.

Professor Simon excavates how the image and substance of crime fighting proved to be manna for the continued aggrandizement of executive power in the American federal state. Also, conservative politicians in both parties worked in the legislative branch to delegate powers in crime fighting to the President, as well as governors, mayors and district attorneys at the state and local level. For Simon, the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 was the key legislative template for this process; thus, that act ranks right up with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 as one of the most important laws of the decade, though most Americans have never heard of it.

Simon covers this process in the first half of the book. That is his explanation for the modern American state. What about modern American society? In the second half of the book Professor Simon shows how the rhetoric and strategies behind federal crime control policy replicate themselves in all manner of lived experiences in America, from residential patterns, to the acceptance of surveillance in the work place, to the disciplining of students in schools through zero tolerance policies for any sort of real or perceived misbehavior.

This is a great book describing how crime and fear of crime governs our sense of proper governance and, indeed, life. I'd have preferred a bit more on how imperatives of foreign policy work to create a crime control state in domestic policy. How, for example, does the need to surveil foreign activity through the CIA and NSA work to grow federal domestic law enforcement through the FBI, DEA and state and local law enforcement?

This is a quibble though. Read this book to understand how America became security obsessed in the last decades of the twentieth century, and how we can approach strategies for a healthier polity and a more beneficial relationship to our fellow citizens and government.

While this book is not a great work of literature, its content is exceptional. Dr. Arnold Trebach, for decades one of the world's leading experts on drug policy, has hit all the nails right on their heads. As a criminal justice professor, this was required reading in my capstone seminar for seniors, and it is truly a "must read" for any open-minded individuals who want to know the truth about the drugwar and drugwarriors. We need Dr. Trebach's new brand of wisdom to escape the horrors of prohibition and to get down to the real business of dealing with drugs and the human beings who use them. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!! (a recovering drugwarrior)

Given the current trends in the War on Drugs, Mr. Trebach's book offers refreshingly radical and interesting new strategies on how we might deal with the dilemma of illicit drugs. He also gives a great deal of information from behind the scenes of just how we have been dealing with this problem. It is interesting that this book was originally published in 1987, during the height of the drug war

It is a great book. It tells the stories of several planning projects that turn out to be dissaters. Hall clearly identifies the two main reasons for planning disasters: overestimation of demand and underestimation of cost. It provides both practical and theoretical background on those projects. Must be in your libarary.

It is a great book. It tells the stories of planning projects that turn out to be dissaters. It clearly identifies the two main reasons for planning disasters: overestimation of demand and underestimation of cost. It provides both practical and theoretical background on those projects. Must be in your libarary. K. Mert CUBUKCU PhD Candidate The Ohio State University City & Regional Planning Department

Green Plans is not a book about how bad things are today; it is a book about how good things can be tomorrow. It lays out the global environmental problems (and there are a lot of them) in a brutally honest manner,but it does not dwell on them. Instead, it focuses on what is being done, and what must be done on a global and national scale to alleviate our ecological dilemmas. Green Plans is about solutions, and although these solutions are at a national scale, the implementation must be done on an individual level. Herein lies the strength of Green Plans. Johnson writes with a contagious enthusiasm which leaves the reader with the knowledge and desire to help make a difference. Green Plans is a must read not only for planners and government officials but also for business leaders, environmentalists, and concerned citizens alike.

Green Plans are comprehensive, integrated and large-scale national environmental strategies. H. J. Johnson shows us what Green Plans are and what they are not. His examples of pioneering countries, The Netherlands, New Zealand and Canada are very convincing. He shows how those very different countries have developed innovative Green Plans, how they translated the concept of sustainability in practical strategies and action plans. His personal experience, as head of California's Resources Agency, from 1977 to 1982, in developing a comprehensive resource strategy, called Investing For Prosperity (IFP) gave him a basic understanding of Green Plans. He gives us a very good overall view of Green Plans, their ingredients for success, their principles and techniques and the new relationship needed between government and business. His clear vision for the United States should be read by all politicians and concerned citizens. It is still very actual. Of the many books published in environmental protection and sustainable development, this book should be on all bookshelves. And it is a real pleasure to read.

An important book that "gives it to you straight" with real life examples of age old techniques that are still being used to control people today. This book is a must read for all Latinos who are interested in the political field. It is also a must read for anyone trying to understand the political history of Latinos.

This book was fist published in the 70's, when the Chicano movement was still making newspaper headlines. Here, he revises, expands, and updates his previous material. The book is divided into three parts: Powerlessness, 100 New Tricks on How to Handle Mexicans, and the original Gringo Manual on How to Handle Mexicans. (in case you haven't guessed, the title and theme are meant to be taken sarcastically).
He uses examples of modern day racism (100 New Tricks) to illustrate that we are still dealing with crippling racism.
Some parts are hard to read, because they expose the ugliness many of us have to deal with, but he lightens the load with his humor.
Interesting info is offered here, such as the fact that we are undercounted by census takers and that our literature is never to be found in maintsream bookstores (it's scary too, because then shoppers might come to the conclusion that there are only ten or so Chicana/o writers out there, when there are thousands).
He also points out the major problems in the education and voting systems, and how La Raza is being purposely excluded from adequate schools and politics.
He delves into the issue of Mexican "immigrants", and makes some very valid points about the absurdity of the System.
It's a good read for those who believe the rhetoric that everything is equal, as well as for those who are well aware that things are not equal. He's coming out with a new book soon, entitled "The Chicano Manual on How to Deal With Gringos" and I can't wait!

I need buy this book but I don't know how. I don't have shopping card. How can I buy this book? Thanks

This book is filled with photos of puppies and dogs in training. The reader will identify with Honey from her birth in the kennels to life with her puppy raisers, her training in guidework and finally, being paired with her blind partner. The book is a great way to attract children's/students' interest in learning about disabilities.

From back cover:

"Since it was first published in 1991, 'Guide to California Planning' has served as the authoritative textbook on city and county planning practice throughout the state. The first book ever written that covers all aspects of planning in a single state, [this book[ is now used as a textbook in virtually every college- and graduate-level planning program in California.

In this updated and expanded edition, William Fulton lays out planning laws and processes in detail, and also describes how planning REALLY works in California - how cities and counties and developers and citizen groups all interact with each other on a daily basis to shape California communities and the California landscape, for better and for worse. Easy to read and understand, 'Guide to California Planning' is far more than a textbook. It's also an ideal tool for planning professionals, members of allied professions in the planning and development fields, and citizen activists."

This book is the bible of California planning. I have worked in the field of urban planning for several years. The complexity of coastal California development is such that even the majority of people practicing in the field can't explain the whole process. This book is the only reference that I have seen that tells you what the heck is going on, in fact college classes are taught using this book...

In "Harmonizing Europe," Duina and his unique perspective facilitate his ability to do a splendid job of concentrating on the intricacies involved with the merger of Europe into one, more uniform, entity. His detailed analysis of the effects of equal pay and environmental issues on the EU is enlightening. As we move into an era of more political, economic, and social mergers between nations along the lines of NAFTA, ASEAN, CARICOM, etc, this book serves as a model for understanding these phenomenons.

It is not easy to understand a totally new experiment like the one putting together many States with so different racial and cultural background. There are no previous examples to use as reference. Duina decided to take a very detailed picture of a moment in the EU evolution. If we had more pictures like this, that would allow the assembly of a movie, the closest thing man has devised to link together actual information and time. The book is very clearly designed and assembled, an excellent example of normative science implementation.