For more than a century, the United States has been the world's most powerful state. Now some analysts predict that China will soon take its place. In this compelling essay, world renowned foreign policy analyst, Joseph Nye, explains why the American century is far from over—and what the US must do to retain its lead in an era of increasingly diffuse power politics. America's superpower status may well be tempered by its own domestic problems and China's economic boom, but its military, economic and soft power capabilities, Nye argues, will continue to outstrip those of its closest rivals for decades to come.

"The future of American power is the great question of our century. No-one is better equipped than Joe Nye to answer it."
—Lt. Gen. Brent Scowcroft, USAF (Ret.), former Presidential National Security Advisor

The age of Western hegemony is over. But what will take its place? A Chinese world order? A re-constituted form of American hegemony? In this provocative book, Amitav Acharya offers an incisive answer to this question. While the US will remain a major force in world affairs, he argues that it has lost the ability to shape world order. As a result, the US will be one of a number of anchors including emerging powers, regional forces, and a concert of the old and new powers shaping a new world order. Written by a leading scholar and rising above partisan punditry, this book represents a major contribution to debates over the post-American era.

"A subtle and compelling study on one of the great issues of our day. A work that is bound to provoke widespread debate amongst policy-makers and academics alike."
—Michael Cox, London School of Economics

What is the source of Obama's power? How is it that, after suffering a humiliating defeat in the 2010 mid-term elections, Obama was able to turn the situation around, deftly outmaneuvering his opponent and achieving a decisive victory in the November 2012 presidential election? In this brilliant book, Alexander and Jaworsky argue that neither money nor demography can explain this dramatic turnaround. While persuasively explaining Obama's success, this book also demonstrates a fundamental but rarely appreciated truth about political power in modern democratic societies - namely, that winning power and holding on to it have as much to do with the ability to use symbols effectively and tell good stories as anything else.

"Obama Power is a rare book. It is a page-turner, so well written and engaging that it is difficult to put down. But it also presents a compelling narrative on the performance of politics in Obama’s reelection campaign, which resulted in a decisive victory. Alexander and Jaworsky’s illuminating and captivating study is a must-read."
—William Julius Wilson, Harvard University

The United States today cries out for a robust, self-respecting, intellectually sophisticated left, yet the very idea of a left appears to have been discredited. In this brilliant new book, Eli Zaretsky rethinks the idea by examining three key moments in American history: the Civil War, the New Deal and the range of New Left movements in the 1960s and after—including the civil rights movement, the women's movement and gay liberation. Written in an accessible way for the general reader and the undergraduate student, this book provides a fresh perspective on American politics and political history.

"An exciting and necessary book for anyone interested in the history and future of US politics. Eli Zaretsky has written a sophisticated essay on the significance of the US left, one which is, at the same time, alert to historical contingency and rich with empirical insights."
—Michael Kazin, Georgetown University

21st century conservatism has moved far beyond even the Reagan Revolution of small government, lower taxes and a respect for tradition. Contemporary American conservatism practices a politics that is disciplined, uncompromising, utopian, and enraged, seeking to “take back our country.” The origins of this “anti-establishment conservatism” can be traced back to the right wing that battled both the reigning post-World War II liberal consensus, and the moderate, establishment Republican Party. This book examines the nature of anti-establishment conservatism, traces its development from the 1950s to the Tea Party, and explains its political ascendance.

In this groundbreaking book, sociologist Andrew Perrin shows that rules and institutions, while important, are not the core of democracy. Instead, as Alexis de Tocqueville showed in the early years of the American republic, democracy is first and foremost a matter of culture: the shared ideas, practices, and technologies that help individuals combine into publics and achieve representation. American Democracy provides a fresh, innovative approach to democracy that will change the way readers understand their roles as citizens and participants. Never will you enter a voting booth or answer a poll again without realizing what a truly social act it is. This will be necessary reading for scholars, students, and the public seeking to understand the challenges and opportunities for democratic citizenship from Tocqueville to town halls to Twitter.

"Written with uncommon imagination, this beautifully-realized book deepens our understanding of the foundations of democratic culture, including civic values and the patterns of communication, association, and action that give shape and meaning to democratic citizenship."
—Ira Katznelson, Columbia University