Examines the narratives that are the basis of the cultural identity of the United States and demonstrates how the "American mythos" has legitimized American society and prevented it from realizing its ideals.

When do governments merit our allegiance, and when should they be denied it? Ian Shapiro investigates this most enduring of political dilemmas in this innovative and engaging book. Shapiro discusses the different answers that have been proposed by the major political theorists in the utilitarian, Marxist, and social contract traditions over the past four centuries. Showing how these political philosophies have all been decisively shaped by the core values of the Enlightenment, he demonstrates that each one contains useful insights that survive their failures as comprehensive doctrines and that should inform our thinking about political legitimacy. Shapiro then turns to the democratic tradition. Exploring the main arguments for and against democracy from Plato’s time until our own, he argues that democracy offers the best resources for realizing the Enlightenment’s promise and managing its internal tensions. As such, democracy supplies the most attractive available basis for political legitimacy.

"The third edition of this popular classroom text provides thoroughly revised and updated discussions of key topics including ethno-nationalist conflict, terrorism, and poverty and development, as J. Milburn Thompson masterfully brings a Christian perspective to bear on the world situation. With this book, he provides an introduction to current obstacles to justice and peace across the globe, and encourages Christians to draw upon an informed faith to transform themselves and the world"--

Although America is unquestionably a nation of immigrants, its immigration policies have inspired more questions than consensus on who should be admitted and what the path to citizenship should be. In Americans in Waiting, Hiroshi Motomura looks to a forgotten part of our past to show how, for over 150 years, immigration was assumed to be a transition to citizenship, with immigrants essentially being treated as future citizens--Americans in waiting. Challenging current conceptions, the author deftly uncovers how this view, once so central to law and policy, has all but vanished. Motomura explains how America could create a more unified society by recovering this lost history and by giving immigrants more, but at the same time asking more of them. A timely, panoramic chronicle of immigration and citizenship in the United States, Americans in Waiting offers new ideas and a fresh perspective on current debates.

Provides background information on long-term ethnic, religious, political, territorial and economic conflicts between nations today.

This volume draws together essays from leading scholars on the challenges that arise for health, law, policy and ethics at the intersections of health, rights and globalization. The papers in this volume address global issues in public health, globalization and bioethics, and globalization and biotechnology. This volume will be invaluable to all those interested in global issues in health.