New Titles from University Presses

Here are three new or soon to be released titles with an academic bent from University Presses:

WITH US AND AGAINST US (Columbia UP; May 22) by Stephen Tankel is subtitled “How America's Partners Help and Hinder the War on Terror” and Tankel provides a rigorous and nuanced analysis in this addition to the Columbia Studies in Terrorism and Irregular Warfare series. An assistant professor at American University, Tankel argues that many states are as much a part of the problem as they are part of the solution. He uses numerous examples including chapters on Algeria, Egypt, Mali, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Yemen to illustrate his points and the complexity of these alliances. Tankel includes extensive notes and references. Overall, WITH US AND AGAINST US is probably a bit too lengthy and scholarly for most of our high school students, but others interested in the field will definitely find it to be valuable.  In particular, the last chapter (“Making the Most of Cooperation”), probes differences in attitudes and policies between the Bush, Obama and Trump administrations and their impact on America’s ability to encourage a local face versus military force in sustaining counterterrorism activities. Tankel consults through the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) and will be speaking later this year about his new book at the University of Maryland’s START (National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism).

PIGSKIN NATION (U of Illinois P; April 11) by Jesse Berrett focuses on the interplay between football and politics primarily during the mid-1960s to mid-1970s; as such, it will appeal mainly to political junkies and some sports fans. However, it is still a fascinating look at the influence that the NFL, with increasing emphasis on televised games, merchandising, and celebrity players, has had on politics and American culture in general. 

Berrett, a historian and teacher, points to the NFL’s associations “with patriotism, the military in Vietnam, even the Bicentennial.” He examines the influence of Commissioner Pete Rozelle, also stresses Nixon’s reinforcing of his own political message with comments about conservative coaches like Vince Lombardi, and the role of players in the 1968 and 1972 Presidential elections. Readers will even reminisce about Reagan’s “win one for the Gipper” references. PIGSKIN NATION could definitely provide a springboard for creative thinking by students looking to apply a similar analysis to other periods (or sports) in American history, even as we learn more about the concussion crisis and/or debate reactions to the playing of the National Anthem today. 

SUSPECT CITIZENS (Cambridge UP, June 30) by Frank R Baumgartner, Derek A Epp and Kelsey Shoub deals with “What 20 Million Traffic Stops Tell Us About Policing and Race,” another high interest topic for many of our students. This text concludes: “First, there are stark differences [in how police interact with the public]; Second, young men of color are clearly targeted for more aggressive treatment. Third, these differences are not fully justified by differences in criminality.  Fourth, the aggressive use of traffic stops … is surprisingly inefficient, rarely leading to arrest for contraband.” 

Baumgartner is a professor at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and has written previous books about social justice issues like the death penalty. Epp is an assistant professor at the University of Texas, Austin and Kelsey Shoub is a graduate student at UNC. In SUSPECT CITIZENS, they use data from traffic stop in the state of North Carolina from 2002 to 2016 to both document racial bias and to support suggestions for improved community relations, believing that public safety is enhanced when trust is restored. Their analysis is supported with statistical modeling and roughly 75 figures and tables, plus an extensive set of references and notes. Hopefully, other jurisdictions are able to use build on this work.

Social Issues explored ...

On the second anniversary of The Women’s March, it is particularly appropriate to craft some reviews about these recent purchases: 

HOW DEMOCRACIES DIE by Harvard professors Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt explores the threats to democracy in several countries including Turkey, Peru, and Hungary. They comment on the Trump presidency and draw several parallels, noting that “America is no longer a democratic model. A country whose president attacks the press, threatens to lock up his rival, and declares that he might not accept election results cannot credibly defend democracy.”  They also describe the “warrior mentality” and partisan polarization which has been increasing for years. Providing extensive endnotes, Levitsky and Ziblatt cite numerous warning signs (e.g., Republican Senate’s refusal to consider Barack Obama’s Supreme Court nominee; gerrymandering or voter “reform”) and forecast increased institutional warfare, creating “democracy without solid guardrails.” They even connect with other books listed here (bemoaning how Republican politicians are increasingly adopting a white nationalist appeal and how they speak about Black Lives Matter). According to them, a central lesson of HOW DEMOCRACIES DIE is “When American democracy has worked, it has relied upon two norms that we often take for granted – mutual tolerance and institutional forbearance. Treating rivals as legitimate contenders for power and underutilizing one’s institutional prerogatives in the spirit of fair play ....”  Are you interested in learning more? Read an excerpt or view Q&A with the authors on the publisher’s page. ADDED Jan. 24 from The New York Times: Is there Something Wrong With Democracy? (video)

Perhaps you are looking at democracy from another perspective, focusing on the growing resistance movement, and would be interested in the memoir WHEN THEY CALL YOU A TERRORIST by Patrisse Khan-Cullors and asha bandele.  In rather angry terms, this tells the story of a Black Lives Matter co-founder and describes how she grew up, gaining strength from charter schools and art classes despite prevailing hostility from society. She and others used social media and civil activism to protest the deaths of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown, eventually forming Black Lives Matter. She writes about now being a “terrifying time,” with concerns about healthcare availability, deportation, and so much else, while also celebrating that “we have centered and amplified the voices of those not only made most vulnerable, but most unheard .... Even still, there is so much work to do.” With an emphasis on women of color and non-gender conforming individuals, Khan-Cullors shared a great deal in this book, both personal and unique observations as well as some surprising facts. More commentary on this movement is provided in the October 2017 American Prospect‘s “What Will It Take for Black Lives to Matter?” by activist and academic Todd Gitlin.  WHEN THEY CALL YOU A TERRORIST received starred reviews from Booklist, Library Journal, and Publisher’s Weekly.

Our Junior Theme student researchers who are looking at racial profiling, the justice system and police activity will also be interested in UNEASY PEACE by Patrick Sharkey (Chair of the Sociology Department at NYU) since that deals with “the great crime decline, the renewal of city life, and the next war on violence.” Citing numerous statistics, Sharkey tends to write in a more hopeful tone; for example, saying “the drop in homicides since the early 1990s led to an improvement in the life expectancy of black men that rivals any public health breakthrough of the last several decades.” Sharkey stresses the benefits of less violence for poorer inhabitants and for children, while also highlighting the need for continued efforts (in areas like affordable housing, policing, and education) funded by public and private sources. UNEASY PEACE is divided into three sections: the new American city; the benefits of the crime decline; and the challenge of violence and urban inequity; plus roughly a fourth of the book contains endnotes and further reading possibilities, all of which will help our researchers.  

UNEASY PEACE received starred reviews from both Booklist and Kirkus.  Curious about other forthcoming books? The Kansas City Star recently provided this overview of new titles dealing with resistance.