At the Edges of States

At the Edges of States

Author: Michael Eilenberg

Publisher: BRILL

Published: 2012-01-01

Total Pages: 373

ISBN-13: 9004253467

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Set in West Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo, this study explores the shifting relationships between border communities and the state along the political border with East Malaysia. The book rests on the premise that remote border regions offer an exciting study arena that can tell us important things about how marginal citizens relate to their nation-state. The basic assumption is that central state authority in the Indonesian borderlands has never been absolute, but waxes and wanes, and state rules and laws are always up for local interpretation and negotiation. In its role as key symbol of state sovereignty, the borderland has become a place were central state authorities are often most eager to govern and exercise power. But as illustrated, the borderland is also a place were state authority is most likely to be challenged, questioned and manipulated as border communities often have multiple loyalties that transcend state borders and contradict imaginations of the state as guardians of national sovereignty and citizenship.


Book Synopsis At the Edges of States by : Michael Eilenberg

Download or read book At the Edges of States written by Michael Eilenberg and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2012-01-01 with total page 373 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Set in West Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo, this study explores the shifting relationships between border communities and the state along the political border with East Malaysia. The book rests on the premise that remote border regions offer an exciting study arena that can tell us important things about how marginal citizens relate to their nation-state. The basic assumption is that central state authority in the Indonesian borderlands has never been absolute, but waxes and wanes, and state rules and laws are always up for local interpretation and negotiation. In its role as key symbol of state sovereignty, the borderland has become a place were central state authorities are often most eager to govern and exercise power. But as illustrated, the borderland is also a place were state authority is most likely to be challenged, questioned and manipulated as border communities often have multiple loyalties that transcend state borders and contradict imaginations of the state as guardians of national sovereignty and citizenship.

Edges of the State

Edges of the State

Author: John Protevi

Publisher: U of Minnesota Press

Published: 2019-04-01

Total Pages: 111

ISBN-13: 1452961778

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Using philosophical and scientific work to engage the perennial question of human nature This book takes a look at the formation, and edges, of states: their breakdowns and attempts to repair them, and their encounters with non-state peoples. It draws upon anthropology, political philosophy, neuroscience, evolutionary biology, child developmental psychology, and other fields to look at states as projects of constructing “bodies politic,” where the civic and the somatic intersect. John Protevi asserts that humans are predisposed to “prosociality,” or being emotionally invested in social partners and patterns. With readings from Jean-Jacques Rousseau and James C. Scott; a critique of the assumption of widespread pre-state warfare as a selection pressure for the evolution of human prosociality and altruism; and an examination of the different “economies of violence” of state and non-state societies, Edges of the State sketches a notion of prosocial human nature and its attendant normative maxims. Forerunners: Ideas First Short books of thought-in-process scholarship, where intense analysis, questioning, and speculation take the lead


Book Synopsis Edges of the State by : John Protevi

Download or read book Edges of the State written by John Protevi and published by U of Minnesota Press. This book was released on 2019-04-01 with total page 111 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Using philosophical and scientific work to engage the perennial question of human nature This book takes a look at the formation, and edges, of states: their breakdowns and attempts to repair them, and their encounters with non-state peoples. It draws upon anthropology, political philosophy, neuroscience, evolutionary biology, child developmental psychology, and other fields to look at states as projects of constructing “bodies politic,” where the civic and the somatic intersect. John Protevi asserts that humans are predisposed to “prosociality,” or being emotionally invested in social partners and patterns. With readings from Jean-Jacques Rousseau and James C. Scott; a critique of the assumption of widespread pre-state warfare as a selection pressure for the evolution of human prosociality and altruism; and an examination of the different “economies of violence” of state and non-state societies, Edges of the State sketches a notion of prosocial human nature and its attendant normative maxims. Forerunners: Ideas First Short books of thought-in-process scholarship, where intense analysis, questioning, and speculation take the lead

Culture and Power at the Edges of the State

Culture and Power at the Edges of the State

Author: Thomas M. Wilson

Publisher: LIT Verlag Münster

Published: 2005

Total Pages: 380

ISBN-13: 9783825875695

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State borders are somewhere the state is keen to stress its presence and yet are simultaneously places where that presence is challenged. They are sites of resistance to the state, and at the same time places where the national interest is vigorously maintained. This constant ambiguity generates questions about the dynamics of borderland-state relations, and about how what happens along the border can undermine state policies. Using case studies of nation and state relations in borderlands in Europe this book seeks to understand how structures of power are created, experienced, changed and reproduced.


Book Synopsis Culture and Power at the Edges of the State by : Thomas M. Wilson

Download or read book Culture and Power at the Edges of the State written by Thomas M. Wilson and published by LIT Verlag Münster. This book was released on 2005 with total page 380 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: State borders are somewhere the state is keen to stress its presence and yet are simultaneously places where that presence is challenged. They are sites of resistance to the state, and at the same time places where the national interest is vigorously maintained. This constant ambiguity generates questions about the dynamics of borderland-state relations, and about how what happens along the border can undermine state policies. Using case studies of nation and state relations in borderlands in Europe this book seeks to understand how structures of power are created, experienced, changed and reproduced.

Borderlines and Borderlands

Borderlines and Borderlands

Author: Alexander C. Diener

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Published: 2010-01-16

Total Pages: 293

ISBN-13: 0742556352

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From our earliest schooldays, we are shown the world as a colorful collage of countries, each defined by their own immutable borders. What we often don't realize is that every political boundary was created by people. No political border is more natural or real than another, yet some international borders make no apparent sense at all. While focusing on some of these unusual border shapes, this fascinating book highlights the important truth that all borders, even those that appear "normal," are social constructions. In an era where the continued relevance of the nation state is being questioned and where transnationalism is altering the degree to which borders effectively demarcate spaces of belonging, the contributors argue that this point is vital to our understanding of the world. The unique and compelling histories of some of the world's oddest borders provide an ideal context for this group of experts to offer accessible and enlightening discussions of cultural globalization, economic integration, international migration, imperialism, postcolonialism, global terrorism, nationalism, and supranationalism. Each author's regional expertise enriches a textured account of the historical context in which these borders came into existence as well astheir historical and ongoing influence on the people and states they bound. To view more maps from the David Rumsey Map Collection, visit www.davidrumsey.com.


Book Synopsis Borderlines and Borderlands by : Alexander C. Diener

Download or read book Borderlines and Borderlands written by Alexander C. Diener and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2010-01-16 with total page 293 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From our earliest schooldays, we are shown the world as a colorful collage of countries, each defined by their own immutable borders. What we often don't realize is that every political boundary was created by people. No political border is more natural or real than another, yet some international borders make no apparent sense at all. While focusing on some of these unusual border shapes, this fascinating book highlights the important truth that all borders, even those that appear "normal," are social constructions. In an era where the continued relevance of the nation state is being questioned and where transnationalism is altering the degree to which borders effectively demarcate spaces of belonging, the contributors argue that this point is vital to our understanding of the world. The unique and compelling histories of some of the world's oddest borders provide an ideal context for this group of experts to offer accessible and enlightening discussions of cultural globalization, economic integration, international migration, imperialism, postcolonialism, global terrorism, nationalism, and supranationalism. Each author's regional expertise enriches a textured account of the historical context in which these borders came into existence as well astheir historical and ongoing influence on the people and states they bound. To view more maps from the David Rumsey Map Collection, visit www.davidrumsey.com.

Boundaries of the State in US History

Boundaries of the State in US History

Author: James T. Sparrow

Publisher: University of Chicago Press

Published: 2015-10-12

Total Pages: 372

ISBN-13: 022627778X

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The question of how the American state defines its powernot what it is” but what itdoeshas become central to a range of historical discourses, from the founding of the Republic and the role of the educational system, to the functions of agencies and America's place in the world. Here, James Sparrow, William J. Novak, and Stephen Sawyer assemble some definitional work in this area, showing that the state is an integral actor in physical, spatial, and economic exercises of power. They further imply that traditional conceptions of the state cannot grasp the subtleties of power and its articulation. Contributors include C.J. Álvarez, Elisabeth Clemens, Richard John, Robert Lieberman, Omar McRoberts, Gautham Rao, Gabriel Rosenberg, Jason Scott Smith, Tracy Steffes, and the editors.


Book Synopsis Boundaries of the State in US History by : James T. Sparrow

Download or read book Boundaries of the State in US History written by James T. Sparrow and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2015-10-12 with total page 372 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The question of how the American state defines its powernot what it is” but what itdoeshas become central to a range of historical discourses, from the founding of the Republic and the role of the educational system, to the functions of agencies and America's place in the world. Here, James Sparrow, William J. Novak, and Stephen Sawyer assemble some definitional work in this area, showing that the state is an integral actor in physical, spatial, and economic exercises of power. They further imply that traditional conceptions of the state cannot grasp the subtleties of power and its articulation. Contributors include C.J. Álvarez, Elisabeth Clemens, Richard John, Robert Lieberman, Omar McRoberts, Gautham Rao, Gabriel Rosenberg, Jason Scott Smith, Tracy Steffes, and the editors.

Invisible Countries

Invisible Countries

Author: Joshua Keating

Publisher: Yale University Press

Published: 2018-01-01

Total Pages: 295

ISBN-13: 0300221622

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A thoughtful analysis of how our world's borders came to be and why we may be emerging from a lengthy period of "cartographical stasis" What is a country? While certain basic criteria--borders, a government, and recognition from other countries--seem obvious, journalist Joshua Keating's book explores exceptions to these rules, including self-proclaimed countries such as Abkhazia, Kurdistan, and Somaliland, a Mohawk reservation straddling the U.S.-Canada border, and an island nation whose very existence is threatened by climate change. Through stories about these would-be countries' efforts at self-determination, as well as their respective challenges, Keating shows that there is no universal legal authority determining what a country is. He argues that although our current world map appears fairly static, economic, cultural, and environmental forces in the places he describes may spark change. Keating ably ties history to incisive and sympathetic observations drawn from his travels and personal interviews with residents, political leaders, and scholars in each of these "invisible countries."


Book Synopsis Invisible Countries by : Joshua Keating

Download or read book Invisible Countries written by Joshua Keating and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 2018-01-01 with total page 295 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A thoughtful analysis of how our world's borders came to be and why we may be emerging from a lengthy period of "cartographical stasis" What is a country? While certain basic criteria--borders, a government, and recognition from other countries--seem obvious, journalist Joshua Keating's book explores exceptions to these rules, including self-proclaimed countries such as Abkhazia, Kurdistan, and Somaliland, a Mohawk reservation straddling the U.S.-Canada border, and an island nation whose very existence is threatened by climate change. Through stories about these would-be countries' efforts at self-determination, as well as their respective challenges, Keating shows that there is no universal legal authority determining what a country is. He argues that although our current world map appears fairly static, economic, cultural, and environmental forces in the places he describes may spark change. Keating ably ties history to incisive and sympathetic observations drawn from his travels and personal interviews with residents, political leaders, and scholars in each of these "invisible countries."

Conflict at the Edge of the African State

Conflict at the Edge of the African State

Author: Lindsay Scorgie

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Published: 2022-01-05

Total Pages: 319

ISBN-13: 1498561705

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Conflict at the Edge of the African State: The ADF Rebel Group in the Congo-Uganda Borderland studies one of the oldest and most secretive rebel groups in the eastern Congo warscape: the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF). Operating in the Rwenzori borderland of western Uganda and eastern Congo for nearly three decades now, they have proven to be an extremely resilient rebel force, surviving longer than nearly any other violent actor in the area. The ADF have come under increased scrutiny from regional governments and global conflict management actors recently, due to their Islamic character and alleged connections to the Islamic State and other international terrorist actors. Yet, there is a lack of informed discussion on the rebellion and very little understanding of the structures and constitution of the group. In Conflict at the Edge of the African State, Lindsay Scorgie offers a nuanced and ultimately corrective framework for understanding the ADF. Conflict at the Edge of the African State moves away from traditional state-centric concepts of cross-border conflict and instead situates the rebels within a borderland context, examining how their deeply embedded position in local cross-border histories has fueled their resiliency.


Book Synopsis Conflict at the Edge of the African State by : Lindsay Scorgie

Download or read book Conflict at the Edge of the African State written by Lindsay Scorgie and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2022-01-05 with total page 319 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Conflict at the Edge of the African State: The ADF Rebel Group in the Congo-Uganda Borderland studies one of the oldest and most secretive rebel groups in the eastern Congo warscape: the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF). Operating in the Rwenzori borderland of western Uganda and eastern Congo for nearly three decades now, they have proven to be an extremely resilient rebel force, surviving longer than nearly any other violent actor in the area. The ADF have come under increased scrutiny from regional governments and global conflict management actors recently, due to their Islamic character and alleged connections to the Islamic State and other international terrorist actors. Yet, there is a lack of informed discussion on the rebellion and very little understanding of the structures and constitution of the group. In Conflict at the Edge of the African State, Lindsay Scorgie offers a nuanced and ultimately corrective framework for understanding the ADF. Conflict at the Edge of the African State moves away from traditional state-centric concepts of cross-border conflict and instead situates the rebels within a borderland context, examining how their deeply embedded position in local cross-border histories has fueled their resiliency.

Borderscapes

Borderscapes

Author: Prem Kumar Rajaram

Publisher: U of Minnesota Press

Published:

Total Pages: 372

ISBN-13: 1452913234

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Connecting critical issues of state sovereignty with empirical concerns, Borderscapes interrogates the limits of political space. The essays in this volume analyze everyday procedures, such as the classifying of migrants and refugees, security in European and American detention centers, and the DNA sampling of migrants in Thailand, showing the border as a moral construct rich with panic, danger, and patriotism. Conceptualizing such places as immigration detention camps and refugee camps as areas of political contestation, this work forcefully argues that borders and migration are, ultimately, inextricable from questions of justice and its limits. Contributors: Didier Bigo, Institut d’Études Politiques, Paris; Karin Dean; Elspeth Guild, U of Nijmegen; Emma Haddad; Alexander Horstmann, U of Münster; Alice M. Nah, National U of Singapore; Suvendrini Perera, Curtin U of Technology, Australia; James D. Sidaway, U of Plymouth, UK; Nevzat Soguk, U of Hawai‘i; Decha Tangseefa, Thammasat U, Bangkok; Mika Toyota, National U of Singapore. Prem Kumar Rajaram is assistant professor of sociology and social anthropology at the Central European University, Budapest, Hungary. Carl Grundy-Warr is senior lecturer of geography at the National University of Singapore.


Book Synopsis Borderscapes by : Prem Kumar Rajaram

Download or read book Borderscapes written by Prem Kumar Rajaram and published by U of Minnesota Press. This book was released on with total page 372 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Connecting critical issues of state sovereignty with empirical concerns, Borderscapes interrogates the limits of political space. The essays in this volume analyze everyday procedures, such as the classifying of migrants and refugees, security in European and American detention centers, and the DNA sampling of migrants in Thailand, showing the border as a moral construct rich with panic, danger, and patriotism. Conceptualizing such places as immigration detention camps and refugee camps as areas of political contestation, this work forcefully argues that borders and migration are, ultimately, inextricable from questions of justice and its limits. Contributors: Didier Bigo, Institut d’Études Politiques, Paris; Karin Dean; Elspeth Guild, U of Nijmegen; Emma Haddad; Alexander Horstmann, U of Münster; Alice M. Nah, National U of Singapore; Suvendrini Perera, Curtin U of Technology, Australia; James D. Sidaway, U of Plymouth, UK; Nevzat Soguk, U of Hawai‘i; Decha Tangseefa, Thammasat U, Bangkok; Mika Toyota, National U of Singapore. Prem Kumar Rajaram is assistant professor of sociology and social anthropology at the Central European University, Budapest, Hungary. Carl Grundy-Warr is senior lecturer of geography at the National University of Singapore.

Standing at the Edge

Standing at the Edge

Author: Joan Halifax

Publisher:

Published: 2018-05

Total Pages: 301

ISBN-13: 1250101344

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"[This book is] an ... examination of how we can respond to suffering, live our fullest lives, and remain open to the full spectrum of our human experience"--Amazon.com.


Book Synopsis Standing at the Edge by : Joan Halifax

Download or read book Standing at the Edge written by Joan Halifax and published by . This book was released on 2018-05 with total page 301 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "[This book is] an ... examination of how we can respond to suffering, live our fullest lives, and remain open to the full spectrum of our human experience"--Amazon.com.

Border Thinking on the Edges of the West

Border Thinking on the Edges of the West

Author: Andrew Davison

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2014-01-21

Total Pages: 310

ISBN-13: 1134636539

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Drawing on scholarly and life experience on, and over, the historically posited borders between "West" and "East," the work identifies, interrogates, and challenges a particular, enduring, violent inheritance – what it means to cross over a border – from the classical origins of Western political thought. The study has two parts. The first is an effort to work within the Western tradition to demonstrate its foundational and enduring, violent conception of crossing over borders. The second is a creative effort to explore and encourage a fundamentally different outlook towards borders and what it means to be on, at, or over them. The underlying social theoretical disposition of the work is a form of post-Orientalist hermeneutics; the textual subject matter of the two parts of the study is linked using Walter Benjamin's concept of the storyteller. The underlying premise of the work is that the sense of violent possibility on the borders between "West" and "East" existed well before the more recent "age of imperialism" and even before there was a "West" or an "East" to speak of. That sense is constitutive of a political imagination about borders developed deep within the revered sources of Western culture. On the other hand, confronting the influence of such violent imaginaries requires truly novel modes of hermeneutical openness, hospitality and solidarity. Seeking to offer a new understanding and opening in the study of borders, this work will provide a significant contribution to several areas including international relations theory, border studies and political theory.


Book Synopsis Border Thinking on the Edges of the West by : Andrew Davison

Download or read book Border Thinking on the Edges of the West written by Andrew Davison and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2014-01-21 with total page 310 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Drawing on scholarly and life experience on, and over, the historically posited borders between "West" and "East," the work identifies, interrogates, and challenges a particular, enduring, violent inheritance – what it means to cross over a border – from the classical origins of Western political thought. The study has two parts. The first is an effort to work within the Western tradition to demonstrate its foundational and enduring, violent conception of crossing over borders. The second is a creative effort to explore and encourage a fundamentally different outlook towards borders and what it means to be on, at, or over them. The underlying social theoretical disposition of the work is a form of post-Orientalist hermeneutics; the textual subject matter of the two parts of the study is linked using Walter Benjamin's concept of the storyteller. The underlying premise of the work is that the sense of violent possibility on the borders between "West" and "East" existed well before the more recent "age of imperialism" and even before there was a "West" or an "East" to speak of. That sense is constitutive of a political imagination about borders developed deep within the revered sources of Western culture. On the other hand, confronting the influence of such violent imaginaries requires truly novel modes of hermeneutical openness, hospitality and solidarity. Seeking to offer a new understanding and opening in the study of borders, this work will provide a significant contribution to several areas including international relations theory, border studies and political theory.