On Revolutions
Unruly Politics in the Contemporary World
Erica Chenoweth author George Lawson author Sharon Erickson Nepstad author Mlada Bukovansky author Daniel P Ritter author Colin J Beck author
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Oxford University Press Inc
Published:4th Oct '22
Should be back in stock very soon
This insightful book, On Revolutions, redefines the understanding of revolutions by integrating various academic perspectives and emphasizing their complex nature.
In On Revolutions, six distinguished scholars collaborate to explore the multifaceted nature of revolutions and their implications for the twenty-first century. This book provides a fresh perspective on revolutionary studies by drawing upon insights from various disciplines, such as civil resistance, international relations, social movements, and terrorism. The authors argue that revolutions encompass a spectrum of changes that go beyond traditional categorizations, suggesting a more nuanced understanding of these complex phenomena.
The authors emphasize that structure and agency are not opposing forces but rather interconnected processes that shape revolutions. They contend that contention is rarely purely violent or nonviolent; instead, revolutions often embody a blend of both approaches. Furthermore, the success or failure of revolutions is not absolute; they can achieve certain objectives while simultaneously falling short of others. The interplay between domestic and international factors is also highlighted, illustrating that causal conditions are interdependent rather than isolated.
On Revolutions not only presents a comprehensive framework for analyzing revolutionary movements but also engages with ethical considerations that arise at the intersection of scholarship and activism. By examining a diverse array of case studies, the authors invite readers to rethink conventional wisdom about revolutions and to consider new avenues for conceptual exploration and methodological inquiry.
Yet another primer on revolutionary theory? Not this one! This book reflects on the major typologies of revolutions and finds them wanting, opting instead for a rich and thoughtful examination of actual revolutions, their rooting in domestic and international factors, and their profound importance for political regimes. A must read for students of revolutions, social movements, and contentious politics in general. * Sidney Tarrow, Emeritus Maxwell Upson Professor of Government, Cornell University *
If replacing old dichotomies with fresh synthesis is the basis for progress, as Hegel argued, then this volume means progress in the study of revolutions is finally at hand. The authors of this powerful volume move revolutionary theory away from its old obsessions with "Great" Revolutions and big structural causes, providing instead to a far richer, more multi-causal analysis of the regime changes that have marked the last five decades, from the anti-communist upheavals of 1989 to the Arab uprisings of 2011. These events have become the template for modern revolutions, and this book is a triumph in understanding their development and impact. * Jack A. Goldstone, George Mason University *
Six of the most thoughtful, important, and interesting scholars of revolution and related matters draw from diverse and different perspectives to offer a powerful reconsideration of revolution today. Embracing multiplicities, rejecting staid binaries, boldly reimagining what revolution might be (and for whom, when and where and how), these scholars reconsider revolutionary studies and show us where it might fruitfully go. * Eric Selbin, Holder of the Lucy King Brown Chair, Southwestern University *
On Revolutions is a brilliant steppingstone in the theoretical reformulation of contemporary revolutions that should inspire future scholars of revolutionary studies and social movements. Scholars, graduate students, and policymakers would benefit greatly from this rich and thoughtful road map to understanding revolutions in the twenty-first century. * Arab Studies Quarterly *
ISBN: 9780197638361
Dimensions: 150mm x 226mm x 18mm
Weight: 386g
272 pages