Book Description
Only available for sale in the United States. The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, a unique, unprecedented document in the history of the Church, serves as a tool to inspire and guide the faithful who are faced with moral and pastoral challenges daily. It is divided into five sections, an introduction, three parts, and a conclusion entitled For a Civilization of Love. The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church is a must-have resource for leaders of social ministry at the diocesan and parish level as well as those in religious education, school, and youth and young adult ministry.
Customer Reviews:
An outstanding resource . . . .......2007-09-04
. . . which belongs on the shelf of priests, deacons, pastoral associates, and social justice ministers throughout the Catholic Church.
The "Compendium" does not break any new ground. It does not promulgate any new doctrine. It offers no new teaching. What it DOES do, is gather under a single cover, a concise presentation of ALL the Church teaching on social issues from Rerum Novarum through its publication in 2005. In other words, it is one of the most useful single-volume reference works available for anyone in ministry. No more having to keep shelves of reference material -- everything even remotely related to social justice, human rights, economic and political concerns, environmental issues, etc. can be found -- and easily accessed -- in this document. In addition to 250+ pages of text, there is a lengthy list of Church documents which are used as source material, and an extremely thorough index. I have personally taught from this book, and am proud to recommend it both personally and professionally.
Very, very highly recommended
A tool to inspire and guide the Catholic community through the moral and pastoral challenges that confront the Church today.......2005-10-14
Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church was published to serve as a tool to inspire and guide the Catholic community through the moral and pastoral challenges that confront the Church today. The informed and informative text is organized into specific sections dedicated to revealing God's plan of love for humanity; the family as the vital nucleus of society; the relationship between social doctrines and ecclesial actions; and the fundamentals required for developing and maintaining a "civilization of love". Enhanced with extensive "Index of References" and an "Analytical Index", Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church is an appropriate and strongly recommended addition to personal and clerical reference collections, seminary and academic library reference shelves, and supplemental reading for pastors and active laity within the Catholic communities throughout the country.
Beautiful, Truthful, Necessary Teaching.......2005-09-01
Be warned that this amazing work is not a page-turning history of this often-neglected and rich history of Catholic Social Teaching. It reads like a John Paul II encyclical, in both its circular, thorough, hypnotic approach to the many aspects of the teaching as well as the sense one gets that one is witnessing transcendent Truth.
Overstatement? Perhaps. I admit to being a huge fan of JPII, but I'm a bigger fan of the One he served so faithfully. I have also had the ability to work full-time in the area of social justice in a faithfully Catholic organization and have often been dismayed by the misunderstandings that many have of Catholic Social Teaching.
There seems to be a large group of non-Catholic or semi-Catholic people who do great work "in the trenches" serving as Christ has called us all to do, but often do so with a hostility toward the Church and her teachings. There also seems to be another group of Catholics who are faithful in general to the Church's sacraments and moral teachings, but don't take the Church's call to solidarity with the poor very seriously. Christ's admonitions to both types of people are easy to find in the Gospel, so there is little need to go into that here, but this volume gives a wake up call to all of us if we will hear it.
If you are Catholic, then you are called to be with and serve those who need our help (Solidarity and Subsidiarity - two key principles). It is not for us to choose to let government do it (sorry, Socialists), to serve with bitter revolutionary intent (ditto, Marxists), or to simply insulate ourselves from the less fortunate, sick and needy with material wealth (sound familiar anyone?). If you are not Catholic, then this work still has a wealth of beautiful ideas that can be shared and can serve as a rallying point for those of different faith traditions.
Whatever you do, it MUST be centered on Christ. This work makes that beautifully clear without singling out anyone. It would be a great subject for group study, or for anyone who would like to understand the depths of the Church's tradition. We have greatly missed the point of JPII's papacy and teachings if we only found in them our preconceived opinions or the expected dogmatic defensiveness. The message that we are called to be Gift to one another as Christ is for the Church is one that we should all hear, and it glows out of every page in this book.
So, yeah, I guess I'd recommend it.
Nothing Short of a Masterpiece!.......2005-08-18
If one is seeking a blueprint, a framework, and a synthesis on putting the Catholic faith 'into practice', 'into action', one will find these qualities in this Compendium. Each sentence carries meaning and there are no unimportant words in this Compendium. It is concise, yet treats each topic with erudite precision. It is inspirational and hopeful! This Compendium makes one ponder deeply about the Catholic faith. It absolutely challenges both the mind and heart of the Catholic religious and lay faithful and exhorts the heart and mind to nobler causes outside of oneself and exhorts us to build a civilization of love, a culture of life. This Compendium, coupled with the previously published Catechism of the Catholic Church, will, in the judgement of history, be considered two classical works, that is, masterpieces. This is a book that all Catholics, at the least, should have on their shelves.
A Goldmine.......2005-08-01
Anyone involved in teaching in a Catholic environment will have come across the question "What is the Church's view about...". This compendium gathers together material from a range of Vatican sources about the Church's teaching on social issues ranging from the dignity of the human person, through the family and work, to the relationship between nations.
Handy to use for reference, this work also sets out clearly the values and principles on which the Church's social teaching is based.
I've found this book extremely useful, and know that I will go on referring to it in the future.
Book Description
Boldly confronting the neoconservative Project for the New American Century, world-renowned physicist and activist Vandana Shiva responds with Earth Democracy, or, as she prophetically names it, "The People's Project for a New Planetary Millennium." A leading voice in the struggle for global justice and sustainability, here Shiva describes what earth democracy could look like, outlining the bedrock principles for building living economies, living cultures and living democracies.
Starting from the initial enclosure of the commons-the privatization of six million acres of public land in eighteenth-century Britain-Shiva goes on to reveal how the commons continue to shrink as more and more natural resources are patented and fenced. Accompanying this displacement from formerly accessible territory, she argues, is a growing attitude of disposability that erodes our natural resources, ecological sustainability and cultural diversity. Worse, human beings are by no means safe from this assignment of disposability. Through the forces of neoliberal globalization, economic and social exclusion work in deadly synergy to perpetrate violence on vulnerable groups, extinguishing the lives of millions.
Yet these brutal extinctions are not the only trend shaping human history. Forthright and energetic, Vandana Shiva updates readers on the movements, issues and struggles she helped bring to international attention-the genetic engineering of food, the theft of culture and the privatization of natural resources-and deftly analyzes the successes and new challenges the global resistance now faces. From struggles on the streets of Seattle and Cancun and in homes and farms across the world has grown a set of principles based on inclusion, nonviolence, reclaiming the commons and freely sharing the earth's resources. These ideals, which Shiva calls "earth democracy," will serve as unifying points in our current movements, an urgent call to peace and the basis for a just and sustainable future.
Customer Reviews:
Academically dishonest book that would actively hurt the left if made mainstream.......2007-06-28
This book is full of flawed logic, false data, endnotes (not footnotes) that reference her own work and the work of like-minded contemporaries, but rarely an opponent (unless to use their quote out of context) or even an expert on topics like history (apparently, Jeremy Rifkin is more of an expert than Robert Darnton).
She advocates a return to medieval, European feudalism. Apparently, life was wonderful for the peasants (For a rebuke, read Darnton). Also, medieval Europe was a time of peace, equality. Also, war and religious intolerance didn't exist before capitalism emerged in the 16th century. Why on earth wouldn't we go back?
Incredibly, she talks about issues of biodiversity and ecology and refers to herself as a scientist. She is a scientist, but not, as you might be led to believe by this book, a biologist. She is a theoretical physicist, whose doctoral thesis was on quantum physics
Also,
There are plenty of anti-capitalist, anti-corporate, anti-globalization arguments to be made and it distresses me that so much of the left gives the rest of us a bad name by relying so much on academically dishonest books like this. This is the left wing equivalent to Ann Coulter (in terms of dishonesty, not personal attacks).
perhaps the world's finest eco-warrior.......2006-12-05
Shiva is a kind of Mama Kali, defending her village farmers and their environments with cool resolve or fact-spitting outrage. Coming off a series of victories over corporate bio-pirates, she shares the state of struggle for the local nature-workers of India to manage their future. Here are a few of her lines:
"What has been called the tragedy of the commons is, in fact, the tragedy of privatization." (p. 55)
"The enclosure of biodiversity and knowledge is the latest step in a series of enclosures that began with the rise of colonialism. Land and forests were the first resources to be enclosed and converted from commons to commodities. Later, water resources were enclosed through dams, groundwater mining, and privatization schemes. Now it is the turn of biodiversity and knowledge to be "enclosed" through intellectual property rights (IPRs)." (p. 39)
[In the Navdanya movement] "More than 200,000 farmers are working to enrich the earth, create properity for rural producers, and provide quality food to consumers. ... [Their work] reintroduces biodiverse farming to both replace chemicals as fertilizers and pesticides and to increase the productivity and nutritional value of crops. ... Navdanya farmers are able to reduce their expenses by the 90 percent that was used to buy chemicals and create corporate profits. ... The incomes of Navdanya farmers are three times higher than the incomes of chemical farmers..." (pp. 67-68)
"Ecological security is our most basic security; ecological identities are our most fundamental identity. We ARE the food we eat, the water we drink, the air we breathe. And reclaiming democratic control over our food and water and our ecological survival is the necessary project for our freedom." (p. 5)
Organic food is a human right!.......2006-10-19
In "Earth Democracy", Indian ecofeminist Vandana Shiva powerfully defends the rights of Third World farmers against agribusiness monopolies, biotechnology and international financial institutions like the WTO, World Bank and IMF. In a brilliant deconstruction of capitalist patriarchy, Shiva explains how market fundamentalism breeds religious fundamentalism and explores the many ways that corporate globalization negatively impacts the lives of low-income women around the world. Importantly, Shiva explains how the colonization of DNA by multinational corporations is an extension of the colonization of Asia, Africa and the Americas by an imperialist male white elite. Outlining how the preservation of seed, water and sustainable food systems are a prerequisite for peace and real security, "Earth Democracy" is a timely and informative read for global justice activists interested in alleviating world hunger, healing the environment and creating peace.
A more peaceful and secure future.......2006-03-05
"Earth Democracy" by Vandana Shiva offers both a masterful critique of globalization and a hopeful vision for a better world. Ms. Shiva compares and contrasts top-down systems of authoritarianism and exclusion with bottom-up systems of egalitarianism and mutual cooperation to discuss how corporate power is proving to be a grave threat to democracy and the long-term viability of the planet. Ms. Shiva contends that a mutually-supportive network of empowered local communities might be able to create a global society that is based on humanitarian principles of peace, compassion and solidarity.
Ms. Shiva has long been highly regarded as an activist and scholar. She has authored many books and is a frequent media commentator. "Earth Democracy" serves to further Ms. Shiva's stature as a leading intellectual who continues to eloquently voice the concerns of the poor. Her unique ability to blend science, history, politics, economics, gender issues and other fields of study into her text is impressive. The result is a book that rewards its readers with many pages of thought-provoking insight and analysis.
Ms. Shiva points out that two thirds of humanity owes its livelihood to a sustenance economy that finds itself under increasing pressure from capital. She finds similarities in the earlier eras of enclosure and colonialism with today's struggle over intellectual property rights and patents, where the powerful use the law to privatize resources for profit. Arguing that overconsumption by the wealthy is the root cause of environmental destruction and human injustice, Ms. Shiva makes a compelling case for granting local communities more control over resources so that alternative, sustainable economies can be nurtured.
Ms. Shiva brilliantly connects the insecurity wrought by globalization with the "ideologies of exclusion" and "cultural nationalism" that fuels war and terrorism. As state power largely serves to protect corporate interests, the economically uprooted and excluded masses seek identity through nationalist conflict and sometimes prove vulnerable to manipulation by religious extremists. On the other hand, Ms. Shiva cites the Indian farmer's struggles over seed and water rights as examples of how people might come together in a positive way to reclaim a more peaceful and secure future.
Ms. Shiva reminds us that Mahatma Gandhi proved how small acts of resistance can hasten the end of empire. She believes that a multiplicity of movements such as Terra Madre that are struggling for food security, the environment, democracy and human rights will help us break free from the self-destructive path that has been prescribed for us by the corporate elite.
I highly recommend this important and inspiring book to everyone.
An excellent primer.......2006-02-24
A well-written discussion of some of the most important issues facing humanity in the 21st Century. The book does, however, jump from topic-to-topic with relatively little deep discussion. Still, "Earth Democracy" is a refreshing change from what passes for "scholarship" in much of the Left-press. On the other hand, being a shorter work does make it more accessible to the neophyte environmentalist who may be unfamiliar with the issues concerned. An excellent primer on the new corporate-ecology facing us all today.
Book Description
In a mere quarter-century, restorative justice has grown from a few scattered experimental projects into a worldwide social movement. Moving beyond its origins within the criminal justice arena, restorative justice is now being applied in schools, homes and the workplace.
The restorative justice approach challenges the idea that state punishment is the best method of achieving justice. This "restorative" alternative strives to directly address the needs of all persons affected by a crime or a harm, often by bringing together victims, offenders and community members in some form of structured mediation or dialogue.
The distinguished contributors to this book are all long-term advocates and practitioners of restorative justice from North America, Europe, Australia/New Zealand and South Africa. The 31 chapters confront the key threats to the integrity and effectiveness of the emerging international restorative justice movement: (1) cooptation or diversion from its core mission, and the possibility that reforms may cause unintended consequences; (2) being relegated primarily to "minor" crimes or conflicts, so that it has minimal impact on the overall system or justice; and (3) inherent flaws that undermine its effectiveness, such as failure to address social problems that breed conflicts, and methods skewed by cultural or gender biases.
Book Description
Peace, Conflict, and Violence brings together the key concepts, themes, theories, and practices that are defining peace psychology as we begin the 21st century. This comprehensive book is rooted in psychology, but includes a wide range of interpersonal, community, national and international contexts, multiple levels of analysis from micro to macro, and multi-disciplinary perspectives. It reflects the breadth of the field and captures the main intellectual currents in peace psychology. Presents 4 main currents: violence, social inequalities, peacemaking, and the pursuit of social justice. Contains a wide range of topics, including ethnic conflict, family violence, hate crimes, militarism, conflict management, social justice, nonviolent approaches to peace, and peace education. Ideal for readers interested in peace education, international studies, psychology, political science, anthropology, and sociology.
Customer Reviews:
Brilliant.......2004-10-21
This book covers the connections between how we think and behave as individuals and communities and the larger political and cultural contexts to further understanding of the aspects that maintain violence and the 7 core feature that promote peace.
Book Description
This clearly articulated statement offers a hopeful and workable apporach to conflict--that eternally beleaguering human situation.
Book Description
Heaven is stirring with extraordinary warnings and graces. Even the most lethargic of Christians know something is afoot. Lately, stories in Life, Time and Newsweek have covered the flood of heavenly phenomena: visions of The Blessed Mother, heavenly messages and warnings, miraculous healings, weeping statues and icons. There is no longer any excuse for someone to plead ignorance. Something is definitely up. Precisely "what" is up is the subject of this book. If the visionaries in this book prove correct, it is the most amazing and important subject ever written about.
This book does what few books on Marian apparitions have done. It provides a comprehensive overview of the phenomena - from Our Lady's appearances in Guadeloupe, Mexico, in 1531, to her flood of visits around the world today. The book also analyzes the many apparitions, searching for a common theme to the messages. It finds one.
It is a theme enunciated by such diverse and unlikely persons as housewives in Ireland and Arizona; teenagers and young people in Ecuador, Italy, Medjugorje, and Garabandal; a converted pagan in Africa; a political prisoner in Ukraine; a factory foreman in Canada; and a disabled laborer in New Jersey. Through visionaries separated from each other by thousands of miles, scores of different languages, and in some cases hundreds of years, the Blessed Mother speaks with one voice.
The world, she warns, increasingly has given itself to sin and debauchery. The time of God's Justice is at hand. Signs and wonders increasing in power and frequency will be given to us, emphasizing the urgency of the need for man to return to God. These are acts of God's ultimate mercy. These calls from God will culminate in what seers call the Warning, a revelation to man that will reveal the state of every single soul. One of Satan's greatest weapons is ignorance. The Warning will allow one to actually understand how God sees the state of his or her soul. Following the Warning will be what visionaries call the Great Miracle - an event that will somehow manifest the power of God more publicly and visibly than ever before. Both of these events will allow mankind to return to God.
Following these events will be the final act of God's Justice. Those who refuse to convert will be dealt with by the only means left - a tremendous Chastisement that will purify the earth.
The messages are so powerful, so extravagant in their promise and warning, that one might be inclined to dismiss them as fantasy or science fiction. Indeed, serious Catholics must be very cautious and prayerfully discerning when investigating reports of such phenomena. It is true that no Catholic need commit himself to any apparition or message. In fact, the authors emphasize that even with "church approved" apparitions, those who choose to believe in them do so only with human faith. The messages are not new. They call us back to the essential message of the gospel: prayer, fasting, conversion, sacrifice, penance, joyful service to our neighbor and reverent worship of God.
For those of us who have tarried at God's call, those who have dallied in the world and put off conversion, the messages and events compiled in this book will serve as a wake-up call. The world is a dangerous place. Time is short, and the stakes are high. Through and unprecedented outpouring of graces and apparitions, God is calling us back to Himself, shouting at us to listen, humbling Himself to tug on our sleeves - desperately trying to get our attention before the Thunder of His Justice strikes.
Customer Reviews:
Great book!.......2002-09-26
Worth every penny! Full of facts and information!
Not a credible book.......2001-11-27
The authors mention many "claimed" Marian apparitians, signs, messages etc. The Catholic Church however recognizes very very few such supposed supernatural events as being credible and having "messages" not in conflict with the church's teachings. The authors were not selective in the authoritative use of such numorous sighting to support their sweeping generalizations and conclusions. Unfortunately, this is the type of books that keeps people away from the Catholic faith and cast suspicion on it's teachings. Why do people persist in trying to predict the timing of the end of the earth as we know it? Christ said to be ready always because no one knows when the end will come except our Heavenly Father.
I did find this book useful in that it is a reference book for many of the Marian sightings
that Church representatives are studying or have looked at and either have passed judgement on or for which no decison has yet been reached. I also wish to say that this book does not shake my belief that Mary is the Mother of the Church and as such has appeared (such as at Fatima or Lourdes) with important spiritual messages for the faithful.
The truth for what it is........2001-01-12
Having studied with real visionareys I can say from the bottom of my heart that this is the one and only strictley truth based book of visions I have ever read. The Authors appeared to be concerned with the truth for what it is and put their and the readers opinions and wishes asside. They tell the truth for what it is and I can assure you that you are going to find some areas that disagree with you so if you are alady set on standerds based on your wishes and assume yourself right before opening the book ( speeking especialey to comon Catholics ) you might as well not open it. If you are sincear and want to see things for what they are, this is the book. Might I also note that some of the predictions in this book have actually happened exactley how they said it would and alot of the "far fetched un-Catholic" things mentioned are WELL known about and highley acted on among the practices of the church up in the depth area ( highley devout and educated ) and are surrouded with evidence from the other side to conferm the validity. Their just not brodcasted all over the Catholic comunity. This is the Apocalypse based book for anyone who realey wants the truth for what it is un-adulturated and is seariues about their spirituael life and relationship with their heavenley father.
The PROVEN truth for what it is.......2001-01-11
I have studied with the real apperissioners and have seen things that will shock the avrage un-concieus. I have also studied prophacy, how to read and accuratley inturput it and what's true and what's false and A sence of vital consern for the truth for what it is and to this day, I try to never follow deception or denial in fear for my soul and love of God as my personal father. This book hits everything right on the head. It tells it for what it is and is the only prediction based book I have ever read that seames to heave absalutley no concern for telling the reader what they do or don't want to here but the peure and un-adulturated truth. Anyone with A big ego, denial etc. especialey speeking to many Catholics will not like this book at all and you can expect them to not be able to finish the book. I have seen plenty of reviews here with symptoms that suggest truth to both of the above. This book if I remember correctley was published in the 80s and speeks of events that have happened before the time it was pubshed all the way to the recent election battle of the preasidents which is convencing reliability in that alot of what it said will happen has happened since. Almost everything schedualed to happen by now. If you want the truth, you will see it clear as day reading this book but if your set on something contradicting and refuse to accept your curent standerd false or somewhat out of reality, you won't get anything out of this book. This books words are only good to someone who nuturaley wants to learn what is going on in this world from Gods eyes and what he wants. If your standerds are set before opening the book, you might as well not open it at all. This book is great for truth and A rareity and is THE ONLY book I have ever read that explaines the warnings and visions for what they are to an understandable prospective and if you openley read it, the accuracy will shock you bigtime being that alot of the pradictions in the book have already come true since it was published. I have never seen so much proven accuracy ( prophacys comeing true as told ) then in this book. As far as visionareys are concerned plenty of this book is recorded interviews from the hourses mouth. If you have the sence for truth, you will treasure this book as A real guift from our father.
This book isn't for you if you want Mary's REAL message!.......2000-07-06
This was the first book I ever read on Marian apparitions. It almost turned me off to the real message of Mary. The book spends almost all its pages outlining horrible visions, i. e. destruction of the earth, three days of darkness with demons swirling all over the place, the Antichrist, and on and on and on until you're scared half out of your mind. Some of this stuff is so disheartening that I wondered, what exactly is the point they're trying to make? They spent too much time on these fatalistic visions and a lot of negativity instead of focusing on the real point: turn back to God and pray often. Read the Wayne Weible books on Medjugorje if you want to understand the true meaning behind Marian apparitions. His books were truly uplifting. These authors do nothing more than scare you and make you feel powerless to stop these nightmarish events. That's not the point of Mary coming here.
Customer Reviews:
EVER MORE ESSENTIAL READING FOR TRUE AND FAITHFUL FOLLOWERS OF JESUS CHRIST.......2006-10-22
The Rev. Father John Dear as always clearly and concisely presents with great courage the essential message of Jesus Christ and His mission to liberate the captive, comfort and free the oppressed, bring sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf and to declare a year of Jubilee (as Father Dear quotes Jesus quoting Isaiah early on).
The importance of this book for prayerful reading by EVERY Christian grows each year as our various elf-proclaimed Christian Churches appear to lose our way in Christ. Read especially around page twenty of how we service the objectives of the current Empire rather than our one true Lord. Not all who cry Lord Lord will get into the Kingdom.
Courageously and clearly, the Rev. Father Dear wrote these words last millenium which grow more relevant each year. Please read them very carefully and prayerfully. Read as well his other volumes, which truly open to us the true meaning of Christ's eternal mission today, and which are available here on amazon very inexpensively. I truly hope some of that goes to support the good work and essential writing of Father Dear.
Item rated with an infinity of stars
A Life Changing Book.......2001-07-04
I was amazed at this book, and the impact it has had on my life, and choices I have orignally made. This book tells of the Gospel of Jesus and relates it to everyday modern life, and choices we must all make. I never really understood the messages behind the gospels I read this book. This book relates the Christian message behind the death penalty, civil disobediance, belief in faith, and your sprititual journey in life. The book is well written and easy to understand. Each chapter starts out with a chapter in one of the Gospels and then relates it to modern day life. I will be forever changed by the reading of this book.
Jesus the Rebel.......2000-07-10
If you want to be comfortable and continue to feel all warm and fuzzy with your Christian faith, don't read this book! John Dears read on the Christian message hits home hard and in a big way. It challenged me on many levels, as material consumer, as peace maker, as one person challenging the system, whether it be political or religious. It clearly outlined the mission, as a call to work for justice at every point in our life. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who is searching for the deeper meaning of the Christian message. Mary Routh Ankeny, Ia joyfam@dwx.com
Book Description
Since 9/11, we need to better understand the terrorism we face and reflect upon how we should best respond to it. Edited by James P. Sterba, this collection of new essays on terrorism and international justice focuses on three central questions: What is the nature and rhetoric of terrorism? Who are the terrorists and why do they hate? and What is a morally justified response to terrorism? Prominent philosophers and political thinkers--including Shannon E. French, Tomis Kapitan, Noam Chomsky, David B. Burrell, Robert L. Phillips, Zayn Kassam, Louis P. Pojman, Daniele Archibugi, Iris Marion Young, Claudia Card, Richard W. Miller, Martha C. Nussbaum, and Sterba himself--provide diverse perspectives on these and other related questions. The first post-9/11 collection of primarily philosophical articles on this topic, Terrorism and International Justice is ideal for courses in moral problems and ethics, social and political philosophy, war and terrorism, international relations and foreign policy, and peace studies. It will also interest anyone who wants to delve more deeply into the philosophical issues of the post-9/11 world.
Customer Reviews:
Boring, Repetitive, Non-productive.......2006-05-04
I read this book for an undergrad philosophy course, and found it pretty worthless. The individual submissions tend towards repetition, with an over-emphasis on defining terrorism, and not much justification for the strategies they propose to combat it. Generally, however, the essays just don't cover much ground, and the discussion helps no one but professional philosophers. Any one with a practical interest in combating terrorism, be they military, political, or in any other field, would find the book unhelpful.
The Chomsky and Sterba submissions are interesting, but others, such as Philips', are just plain weird. Philips' solution to long-term terrorism is to give in to the demands of fundamentalists, and take our society backwards to meet theirs. It would be a scary thought if he could actually argue for it well. Teachers, please don't assign this in class, because in addition to the above mentioned problems, its also very boring.
not for reflective readers!.......2004-07-13
Anyone seeking a serious, intellectually grown-up exploration of this challenging topic will find Terrorism and International Justice to be a grave disappointment. Far from promoting dialogue and reflection, it is as though the editor, James Sterba, plugs his ears and chants the party line at the top of his lungs. While the contributions are by no means uniformly bad, the worst ones show a profound and pernicious disengagement from reality--including the reality of terrorism, the stakes involved, and the significance of how we react to it. Basically, the central (or most persistent) suggestion seems to boil down to this: As Americans, we should accept as legitimate every grievance (real and imagined) that Islamic terrorists have against us, as a means of seeking rapprochement with the Muslim world. Moreover, we should do so without in any way encouraging our would-be interlocutors to examine their own societies' contributions to the situations that fuel their anger towards us. Not that anyone ever actually asserts this explicitly, mind you: but there is no mistaking the tenor of what is said.
Terrorism & International Justice.......2004-05-19
This book investigates the root of terrorism and the reasoning behind it, while exploring how the civilized world can deal with it within just and moral boundaries.
The authors of the various chapters attempt to illuminate differing views about the reasoning behind such acts. However in most cases, the investigation is quickly halted and satisfied in putting the burden on the Western world. In like manner, and in a fairly passive approach, the book downplays the significance of the religious roots that has been at the core of so many wars over the past 1400 years.
It is difficult to find common justice to deal with the terrorism problem on a global scale when the motivating force that initiates the problem is to the contrary of that justice.
Terrorism & International Justice.......2004-05-19
This book investigates the root of terrorism and the reasoning behind it, while exploring how the civilized world can deal with it within just and moral boundaries.
The authors of the various chapters attempt to illuminate differing views about the reasoning behind such acts. However in most cases, the invesitgation is quickly halted and satisfied in putting the burden on the Western world. In like manner, and in a fairly passive approach, the book downplays the significance of the religious roots that has been at the core of so many wars over the past 1400 years.
It is difficult to find common justice to deal with the terrorism problem on a global scale when the motivating force that initiates the problem is to the contrary of that justice.
Book Description
How do nations and aggrieved parties, in the wake of heinous crimes and horrible injustices, make amends in a positive way to acknowledge wrong-doings and redefine future interactions? How does the growing practice of making restitution restore a sense of morality and enhance prospects for world peace? Where has restitution worked and where has it not?
Since the end of World War II, the victims of historical injustices and crimes against humanity have increasingly turned to restitution, financial and otherwise, as a means of remedying past suffering. In The Guilt of Nations, Elazar Barkan offers a sweeping look at the idea of restitution and its impact on the concept of human rights and the practice of both national and international politics. Through in-depth explorations of reparation demands for a wide variety of past wrongs -- the Holocaust; Japanese enslavement of "comfort women" in Korea and the Philippines; the internment of Japanese Americans after Pearl Harbor; German art in Russian museums and Nazi gold in Swiss banks; the oppression of indigenous peoples in Australia, New Zealand, the U.S. mainland, and Hawaii; and the enduring legacy of slavery and institutional racism among African Americans -- Barkan confronts the difficulties in determining victims and assigning blame in the aftermath of such events, understanding what might justly be restored through restitutions, and assessing how these morally and politically charged acknowledgments of guilt can redefine national histories and identities.
Customer Reviews:
An admirable effort, but not engaging.......2001-11-05
I hesitate to write a review of this book because I am reluctant to critique a very noble and dilligent effort by Barkan to document reparations movements and issues from throughout the world; I can only imagine the time and effort it took to write this. It's very well documented, and I cited it in my research. I just didn't find it very engaging personally, but that doesn't mean that others won't find it meaningful.
Callous disregard of the vistims.......2001-03-09
"Those who love to feel guilty will applaud the book." How cynical! I'd have let it pass if it weren't for the "17 of 20 people (who) found the following review (by Derek Parker) helpful." Parker, like most white Australians, is totally into denial that the genocide started by invaders 213 years ago is the one and only cause for the abject state of the indigenous peoples who have not ceded sovereignty. Nine out of 10 were wiped out by slaughter, starvation, disease and dispersal from their lands. Massacres were still happening within the life spans of present-day parents and grandparents. Indigenous Australians live 20 years less on average than other people in the country. I could bore you with endless statistics testifying to the continuing devastation of Australia's First Peoples through the ongoing white war on them: deprival of education, health care, jobs, 20 times the normal imprisonment rate, etc., etc. What Parker obviously doesn't like is that the tyranny of distance no longer works and White Australia's crimes are more and more in the world spotlight, including in this book. Australia is getting plenty of stick in international bodies for not living up to human rights agreements it has signed up to. The issue is if not the biggest, then one of the biggest on the national agenda. Parker and his camp would be yelling loudest if present-day Germans were to shirk their responsibility for restitution to the Jews. Yet to him Australian perpetrators are sacrosanct. Parker alleges that "Barkan acts as if there are no difficult questions at all" in regard to the Aborigines, and "Largely, he accepts the claims put forward by the wronged group, dismissing contrary arguments." I would like Parker to back his claims that Barkan's "selection of evidence seems so one-sided as to almost be misleading" and that he's made a "number of straightforward errors." In my view, Barkan, as a non-Australian, has a remarkably accurate take on our country. "He seems to assume that the fact that someone has been wronged makes anything they say automatically correct." - Barkan does not. To speak of a "victim/victimiser methodology" is callous disregard of the pain our indigenous people still suffer and a vicious panning of those who empathize with them. "There are important issues of human dignity here." - You bet! Yet the Australian government is refusing to allow various United Nations human rights sub-bodies into the country to investigate. "How much responsibility can be placed on the shoulders of people who might well have been ignorant, or even born after, the wrongdoing?" - So we don't attone or restitute in any way once our parents and grandparents are no more? Tough luck for those suffering among us if our ancestors wronged theirs? If we're living off the fat of an invasion, and those invaded still suffer the after-effects? "The case he discusses where, in Australia in the 1960s, half-caste Aboriginal children were removed from their families and placed in (white) foster homes is a case in point. It now seems wrong, but at the time was done with benevolent intent." - The stealing of children went on for more than a hundred years. The plan was to "breed the colour out" of the indigenous people, not some benevolent intent. How can removing children from extended families by force ever be benevolent? Merely on the pretext that a traditional lifestyle did not fit in with the growing white settler population's idea of how one had to live? "Historical injustice deserves a great book." - and a better review than Mr. Parker's. "The Guilt of Nations" is good stuff. Hopefully it will reach many readers and put Australia's deniers on notice that more and more of the world is watching.
Not proven.......2000-07-07
Barkan has to be commended, at least, for taking on a huge subject: the attempts of groups, seen increasingly over the past quarter-century, who have been the victims of government policies and wrongdoing to seek recognition and redress. The Guilt of Nations has introductory and concluding sections that thoughtfully discuss the issues involved, trying to establish a general framework. Philosophically and practically, it's a tough subject. There is, in liberal societies, an ongoing tension between individual and group rights, and limits on government resources. The particular circumstances of the wrongdoing also have to be examined. Barkan, as a means of illustrating the problems, looks at the post-war restitution by Germany to Jews; and, in a concluding section, examines the difficulty of compensating Black Americans for slavery. These parts of the book are well-considered and well-argued. The problem of The Guilt of Nations lies with the case studies that make up the middle section of the book, especially in the chapters dealing with indigenous groups. Here, Barkan acts as if there are no difficult questions at all. Largely, he accepts the claims put forward by the wronged group, dismissing contrary arguments. Indeed, in the chapter on Aboriginal issues in Australia ( a subject this reviewer happens to know something about ) his selection of evidence seems so one-sided as to almost be misleading. There is (in this same chapter) a number of straightforward errors that make one wonder whether his agenda is not more important to Barkan (who is an academic historian) than the facts. He seems to assume that the fact that someone has been wronged makes anything they say automatically correct. This is not to say that victims should be blamed for what might have happened to them: it is to say that human events can be much more complicated than a victim/victimiser methodology. This is a great pity, because there are important issues of human dignity here. The cases of the "comfort women" used by the Japanese army in World War II and the internment of Japanese-Americans by the US government in 1942 are undeniably affecting, especially insofar as a recognition of the wrong done to them was more important to those involved than monetary compensation. Yet Barkan, in what seems to be a rush to condemn the perpetrators (as he refers to those he doesn't like) seems to miss a crucial dilemma: how much responsibility can be placed on the shoulders of people who might well have been ignorant, or even born after, the wrongdoing? (Actually, Barkan does mention this question. But he doesn't answer it in a meaningful form; he sort of assumes it away.) There is another question he skips around: to what extent can the morality of 2000 being applied to quite different social circumstances? True, there are cases where evil is so obvious as to have no defence in circumstances; equally, there are cases where what now seems wrong seemed right, even necessary, at the time. The case he discusses where, in Australia in the 1960s, half-caste Aboriginal children were removed from their families and placed in (white) foster homes is a case in point. It now seems wrong, but at the time was done with benevolent intent. It might have been wrong, but it cannot be called evil if evil requires intent. But Barkan fails to makes such a distinction, and does not even seem interested in trying. Historical injustice deserves a great book. The Guilt of Nations isn't it. Parts of it have interesting things to say, but it veers between seriousness and silliness. Those who love to feel guilty will applaud the book. The rest of us will, and should, treat it with caution.
Customer Reviews:
Required Reading for every President.......2002-06-28
This should be on the coffee table, magazine rack, bookshelf, and waiting room of every serious national leader. Conscientious voters should also read this in order to understand what it takes to make political peace in the world. But Stassen is not merely political, he's actually biblical first of all. He exegetes like a biblical scholar while making applications which only a leading Christian ethicist like he could. Just peacemaking shows that "just war theory" can lead to peace while restraining war, and that passifism is an extremely ACTIVE practice. EXCELLENT!
Great practicle application of the Sermon of the Mount........1998-04-18
Stasson does an incredible job in his ability to interpret and apply the teaching of Jesus to every day life. While often the sermon on the mount is ignored in Christian teaching and literature because so many people find it hard to understand or live up to, Stasson shows how Jesus teachings don't trap people, but rather set them free to break away from the patterns of sin and pain.
Books:
- Complete Audio Holy Bible: King James Version
- Conversations with God : An Uncommon Dialogue (Book 1)
- Doing Justice: Congregations and Community Organizing
- Encountering the New Testament,: A Historical and Theological Survey (Encountering Biblical Studies)
- From Sea to Shining Sea
- Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity
- God's Plan for Man
- Help for the Struggling Student: Ready-to-Use Strategies and Lessons to Build Attention, Memory, and Organizational Skills
- His Little Princess: Treasured Letters from Your King (His Princess)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
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Recommended Books
- Global Strategy
- What to Drink with What You Eat: The Definitive Guide to Pairing Food with Wine, Beer, Spirits, Coff
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- The Breakthrough Factor: Creating Success and Happiness Through a Life of Value
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General
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Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church
Jesus of Nazareth
United States Catholic Catechism for Adults
Truth And Tolerance: Christian Belief And World Religions
Catholic Social Thought: The Documentary Heritage
