New Books in Political Science

Hailed in the New York Times as "a naturalist who can unfurl a sentence with the breathless ease of a master angler," Robert Macfarlane brings his glittering style to a profound work of travel writing, reportage, and natural history. Is a River Alive? (W.W. Norton, 2025) is a joyful, mind-expanding exploration of an ancient, urgent idea: that rivers are living beings who should be recognized as such in imagination and law. Macfarlane takes readers on three unforgettable journeys teeming with extraordinary people, stories, and places: to the miraculous cloud-forests and mountain streams of Ecuador, to the wounded creeks and lagoons of India, and to the spectacular wild rivers of Canada--imperiled respectively by mining, pollution, and dams. Braiding these journeys is the life story of the fragile chalk stream a mile from Macfarlane's house, a stream who flows through his own years and days. Powered by dazzling prose and lit throughout by other minds and voices, Is a River Alive? will open hearts, challenge perspectives, and remind us that our fate flows with that of rivers--and always has. Robert Macfarlane's best-selling books include Is a River Alive? and Underland. His work has been translated into more than thirty languages and has won many prizes around the world. He is a Fellow of Emmanuel College, Cambridge. Darius Cuplinskas is director at The Ideas Workshop of the Open Society Foundations. He is based in London. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/political-science

King Hancock: The Radical Influence of a Moderate Founding Father (Harvard UP, 2023) is a rollicking portrait of the paradoxical patriot, whose measured pragmatism helped make American independence a reality. Americans are surprisingly more familiar with his famous signature than with the man himself. In this spirited account of John Hancock's life, Brooke Barbier depicts a patriot of fascinating contradictions--a child of enormous privilege who would nevertheless become a voice of the common folk; a pillar of society uncomfortable with radicalism who yet was crucial to independence. About two-fifths of the American population held neutral or ambivalent views about the Revolution, and Hancock spoke for them and to them, bringing them along. Orphaned young, Hancock was raised by his merchant uncle, whose business and vast wealth he inherited--including household slaves, whom Hancock later freed. By his early thirties, he was one of New England's most prominent politicians, earning a place on Britain's most-wanted list and the derisive nickname King Hancock. While he eventually joined the revolution against England, his ever moderate--and moderating--disposition would prove an asset after 1776. Barbier shows Hancock appealing to southerners and northerners, Federalists and Anti-Federalists. He was a famously steadying force as president of the fractious Second Continental Congress. He parlayed with French military officials, strengthening a key alliance with his hospitable diplomacy. As governor of Massachusetts, Hancock convinced its delegates to vote for the federal Constitution and calmed the fallout from the shocking Shays's Rebellion. An insightful study of leadership in the revolutionary era, King Hancock traces a moment when passion was on the side of compromise and accommodation proved the basis of profound social and political change. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/political-science

Philip Pettit, a renowned philosopher and L.S. Rockefeller University Professor at Princeton, explores the foundations of the state and justice in his latest work, The State. He discusses his neo-republican view of freedom as non-domination, distinguishing it from mere non-interference. Pettit argues for the state as an instrument of justice, emphasizing democratic legitimacy, checks on sovereignty, and the role of states as corporate agents. He also reflects on the implications of group agency and innovative citizen assemblies for future governance.

Yoram Hazony, a prominent political theorist and author of "Conservatism: A Rediscovery," discusses the urgent need to redefine conservatism beyond post-WWII liberalism. He emphasizes religion, nationalism, and economic growth as core pillars. Hazony revives historical thinkers like John Fortescue and John Selden to reclaim the Anglo-American conservative tradition. He critiques modern liberal lifestyles, advocates for stronger family and community ties, and warns of the challenges posed by assimilation on conservative values.

Philip Rocco, a political scientist at Marquette University, dives into the complexities of the 2020 U.S. Census in his new book. He reveals how state and local governments played crucial roles in census outreach, with California leading the way compared to Texas's limited efforts. Rocco discusses the impact of the Trump administration's controversial citizenship question and the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. He emphasizes the importance of federalism in this process and highlights significant undercounts among vulnerable populations, pointing to challenges for future census efforts.

In this discussion, Joe Greenwood-Hau, a Lecturer at the University of Glasgow and author of Capital, Privilege and Political Participation, delves into the intricacies of political engagement. He explores how social, economic, and cultural capital influence who participates in politics and who gets left out. Joe examines unearned privilege and how it manifests in societal structures. He also emphasizes the importance of social networks in fostering participation, suggesting interventions like civic education to bridge political inequalities.

Nina Wilen, Africa director at the Egmont Royal Institute and associate professor at Lund University, dives into her expertise on security and peacebuilding. She discusses the motivations behind external interventions in the Sahel, the dynamics between military missions, and the challenges of intelligence sharing. Wilen highlights how security assistance has shifted local power balances, potentially leading to instability and coup contagion. Her insights reveal the geopolitical complexities that shape contemporary security policies in the region.

Dr. Alvaro Salas-Castro, President and CEO of the Reynolds Foundation, discusses the rising tide of authoritarianism and how philanthropic funding for democracy remains minimal. He highlights innovative civic education initiatives like Freedom Academies aimed at empowering future leaders. Salas-Castro addresses the need for better research and technological tools to aid activists and emphasizes the importance of building trust in communities through collaborative efforts, providing a hopeful vision for youth activists and philanthropic partnerships.

Emily Callaci, a historian and professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, reveals the revolutionary essence of the 1970s Wages for Housework movement. She delves into the lives of its architects, including Selma James and Silvia Federici, and discusses the movement's expansive global reach. Callaci tackles provocative questions about prioritizing care over production and how this shift could reshape society and women's lives. Engaging with resistance from within the left, she highlights the movement's challenges and ambitions, making a compelling case for the significance of unpaid labor.

In this insightful discussion, political scientist Killian Clarke, a Georgetown professor and author of "Return of Tyranny," dives deep into the dynamics of counterrevolutions. He reveals that half of revolutions face counterrevolutionary efforts, often led by regimes reemerging from upheaval. Using Egypt’s 2013 coup as a case study, he explains how unarmed revolutions struggle to maintain power. Clarke emphasizes the importance of elite coalitions and public support to thwart such threats, offering crucial lessons for today’s resurgent authoritarianism.