Eva Etzioni-Halevy - Böcker

Although a powerful, independent bureaucracy poses a threat to democracy, it is indispensable to its proper functioning. This book provides an overview of the complex relationship between bureaucracy and the politics of democracy and is essential reading for students of sociology, political science and public administration. It is designed to guide students through the maze of classical and modern theories on the topic, to give them basic information on the historical developments in this area and the present them with case histories of the actual relationship between bureaucrats and politicians in democratic societies.

Although a powerful, independent bureaucracy poses a threat to democracy, it is indispensable to its proper functioning. This book provides an overview of the complex relationship between bureaucracy and the politics of democracy and is essential reading for students of sociology, political science and public administration. It is designed to guide students through the maze of classical and modern theories on the topic, to give them basic information on the historical developments in this area and the present them with case histories of the actual relationship between bureaucrats and politicians in democratic societies.

The Divided People describes a fracturing Israel, a deeply divided state whose political system is buckling and whose society is rapidly polarizing into religious and secular camps. Written by a social scientist and drawing upon social science research, the work documents the emergence of separate social networks, residential areas, symbols, and identities—and even a split in the Hebrew language itself. Yet rather than argue for a return to the commonality of the past, Eva Etzioni-Halevy champions Israel's painful transition toward a truly multicultural society prepared to embrace diversity and democracy. This provocative new book carries a supremely important message for a postmodern Israel taking its first painful steps toward pluralism, liberalism, and tolerance, and a wider lesson for western nations grappling with the problems of a devolutionary age.

This collection of readings has been complied on the assumption that for an adequate explanation of the success and failure, the strengths and weaknesses, of democracy, it is necessary to resort to both class and elite theories and to strive for the future development of the extant beginnings of a synthesis between them. For this purpose, it presents the most central and intellectually outstanding readings that illustrate the manner in which the two theories have analyzed democracy, as well as democratization, in various parts of the world.

This collection of readings has been complied on the assumption that for an adequate explanation of the success and failure, the strengths and weaknesses, of democracy, it is necessary to resort to both class and elite theories and to strive for the future development of the extant beginnings of a synthesis between them. For this purpose, it presents the most central and intellectually outstanding readings that illustrate the manner in which the two theories have analyzed democracy, as well as democratization, in various parts of the world.

First published in 1981, Social Change offers a critical review of the main classical and modern theories of social change, and a study of the processes of change in western societies since modernization. It focusses on the cardinal aspects of society, and those that have figured most prominently in various theories: the economy, the class structure, the political structure, and the structure of education, as they changed throughout the process of modernization and up to the 1980s.The book is divided into three parts. Part I presents a general discussion of classical and contemporary theories of the advent and maturation of modern society in Western capitalist and non-Western countries. Part II provides a more detailed discussion of modernization and subsequent changes in the Western, capitalist societies. Part III examines alternative social formations—communes and co-operatives. This book will be a beneficial read for students and researchers of sociology.

First published in 1981, Social Change offers a critical review of the main classical and modern theories of social change, and a study of the processes of change in western societies since modernization. It focusses on the cardinal aspects of society, and those that have figured most prominently in various theories: the economy, the class structure, the political structure, and the structure of education, as they changed throughout the process of modernization and up to the 1980s.The book is divided into three parts. Part I presents a general discussion of classical and contemporary theories of the advent and maturation of modern society in Western capitalist and non-Western countries. Part II provides a more detailed discussion of modernization and subsequent changes in the Western, capitalist societies. Part III examines alternative social formations—communes and co-operatives. This book will be a beneficial read for students and researchers of sociology.

First published in 1985, The Knowledge Elite and the Failure of Prophecy presents a demystification of the role of the Knowledge Elite, or the role many intellectuals have purported to play in modern, Western, society. The author debunks their role as self-proclaimed prophets in charge of foretelling (or ‘forecasting’ as it is more fashionably called) things to come and in charge of guiding society towards a better future – devised by themselves. Scholars who have converged on the idea of the ‘post-industrial’ society have argued that the theoretical knowledge provided by what they call the Knowledge Class has been more useful than ever in guiding society towards greater rationality, affluence, equity, and liberty. In contrast, this book presents the argument that it is precisely in these years that the benefits of the knowledge provided by intellectuals have petered out, that its dubious and even harmful effects have become more prominent, and that the knowledge provided by intellectuals has been instrumental in helping to bring about a more confused society – a society increasingly incapable of coping with its mounting problems.This is a book on intellectuals, for intellectuals, by an intellectual. It is a book of social commentary, critique, and polemic. It is designed not to please, but to challenge intellectuals and to provoke counter-critique and controversy.

First published in 1985, The Knowledge Elite and the Failure of Prophecy presents a demystification of the role of the Knowledge Elite, or the role many intellectuals have purported to play in modern, Western, society. The author debunks their role as self-proclaimed prophets in charge of foretelling (or ‘forecasting’ as it is more fashionably called) things to come and in charge of guiding society towards a better future – devised by themselves. Scholars who have converged on the idea of the ‘post-industrial’ society have argued that the theoretical knowledge provided by what they call the Knowledge Class has been more useful than ever in guiding society towards greater rationality, affluence, equity, and liberty. In contrast, this book presents the argument that it is precisely in these years that the benefits of the knowledge provided by intellectuals have petered out, that its dubious and even harmful effects have become more prominent, and that the knowledge provided by intellectuals has been instrumental in helping to bring about a more confused society – a society increasingly incapable of coping with its mounting problems.This is a book on intellectuals, for intellectuals, by an intellectual. It is a book of social commentary, critique, and polemic. It is designed not to please, but to challenge intellectuals and to provoke counter-critique and controversy.

First published in 1979, Political Manipulation and Administrative Power examines in detail some of the means by which elites in western-style democracies have established and maintained themselves in power. It describes how elites have manipulated the public by methods which run counter to the spirit and the letter of democracy, yet without overtly disrupting the democratic system.In exploring the relationship between political corruption and class interests, the author takes issue with the Marxist perspective to argue that the type of political manipulation under discussion, and its decline in some countries, cannot be explained by the economically dominant classes’ interests. She further contends that such manipulation cannot be explained by the characteristics of the rank-and-file public, such as lack of political awareness, poverty, and disorganization. She maintains that such manipulation can be best explained by certain characteristics of the ruling elites themselves and the power structures (especially administrative) they shape and head. Using an elitist perspective in conjunction with a structural functional one, she goes on to show that the decline of such practices in some countries more than in others can be explained by the normative codes and role definitions which, once adopted and institutionalized by the elites, act as a restraint on the manner in which they entrench themselves in power.A comparative study of Britain, the USA, Australia and Israel, this book is based on general principles which make its argument applicable to other western-style democracies. It will be a beneficial read for students and researchers of politics, comparative studies, and international politics.