Rebels and Robbers is about the political economy of violence in post-colonial Angola. This book provides the first comprehensive attempt at analyzing how the military and non-military dynamics of more than four decades of conflict created the structural violence that stubbornly defines Angolan society even in the absence of war. The book clearly demonstrates that the end of the civil war has not ushered in positive peace. The focus on structural violence enables the author to explore the continuities since colonial times, especially in the ways race, class, ethnicity, and power have been used by governing elites as mechanisms to oppress the powerless. Thus, although corruption as structural violence manifesting itself so ubiquitously in Angola today may have been taken to new levels after independence, its origin is unmistakably colonial. Similarly, the zero-sum character of political interactions that defined colonial Angola is yet to be fully exorcized. But there are also important discontinuities. The unabashed propensity to capture public resources for personal aggrandizement is purely post-colonial. So is the tendency toward personal, unaccountable rule. Given its rich endowments, the end of the civil war provides Angola with an opportunity to finally realize its developmental potential. This will depend on whether the wealth resulting from the exploration of natural resources is directed toward creating the conditions for the citizens " realization of their aspirations for the good life thus ensuring sustainable peace. This book will be valuable to academics, practitioners, and the general public interested in gaining a deeper understanding of the political economy of violence in Africa and, more specifically, the interplay between violence, wealth and power in Angola.

This volume delivers a comprehensive study of banditry in Latin America and of its cultural representation. In its scope across the continent, looking closely at nations where bandit culture has manifested itself forcefully ― Mexico (the subject of the case study), the Hispanic south-west of the United States, Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela and Cuba ― it imagines a ‘Golden Age’ of banditry in Latin America from the mid-nineteenth century to the 1940s when so-called ‘social bandits’, an idea first proposed by Eric Hobsbawm and further developed here, flourished. In its content, this work offers the most detailed and wide-ranging study of its kind currently available.

An engaging, easy-to-digest look at the Bill of Rights highlighting its history, evolution, and significance for kids today Ever wondered why our laws work the way they do? This engaging and thorough look at the Bill of Rights--the first ten amendments of the U.S. Constitution--is told in simple language that middle-grade kids and adults can understand. The book first tackles the paradox that the Bill of Rights that includes the guarantee that no person can be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law, which was written by men, many of whom were enslavers and denied people their guarantee of life, liberty, and property but who also presented a soaring and far-reaching vision of fundamental human rights. The book then introduces each amendment as a chapter, breaking it down into easily digestible parts, and explains each through real court cases, presenting the stories and struggles of actual people. The story of how the Bill of Rights evolved touches on almost all parts of American history: the founding of the nation, the first sedition laws, slavery, the position of women in nineteenth century society as well as today, the Civil War and its aftermath, Prohibition crime, the internment of Japanese citizens during WWII, the rise of the administrative state under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Civil Rights movement, gun control, and more. Well-known cases--such as Plessy v. Ferguson, Brown v. Board of Education, and Roe v. Wade--are presented alongside lesser-known ones bringing to light the meaning and significance of each amendment. Also included throughout are sidebars that provide easy-to-comprehend definitions of legal terms and concepts. The book concludes with the list and brief description of the seven U.S. Constitution articles and the remaining 17 amendments. Rebels, Robbers, and Radicals sheds light on the birth and growth of the American nation, while also highlighting the constitutional goals that our nation still strives to achieve. The book's art is by L.A.-based illustrator Kelly Malka whose clients include Nike, Reebok, Netflix, and Medelo as well as periodicals such as the Los Angeles Times and the Washington Post. Her hip, bold, fluid graphic art is engaging and lively, geared toward middle school readers and teens but sophisticated enough for college students and adults, making the book a great crossover candidate. The book includes a glossary and an index.