Essays Reflecting the Art of Political and Social Analysis PDF
Preview Essays Reflecting the Art of Political and Social Analysis
CRITICAL POLITICAL THEORY AND RADICAL PRACTICE ESSAYS REFLECTING THE ART OF POLITICAL AND SOCIAL ANALYSIS Lawrence Davidson Critical Political Theory and Radical Practice Series Editor Stephen Eric Bronner Department of Political Science Rutgers University New Brunswick, NJ, USA The series introduces new authors, unorthodox themes, critical interpre- tations of the classics and salient works by older and more established thinkers. A new generation of academics is becoming engaged with immanent critique, interdisciplinary work, actual political problems, and more broadly the link between theory and practice. Each in this series will, after his or her fashion, explore the ways in which political theory can enrich our understanding of the arts and social sciences. Criminal justice, psychology, sociology, theater and a host of other disciplines come into play for a critical political theory. The series also opens new avenues by engaging alternative traditions, animal rights, Islamic politics, mass movements, sovereignty, and the institutional problems of power. Critical Political Theory and Radical Practice thus fills an important niche. Innovatively blending tradition and experimentation, this intellec- tual enterprise with a political intent hopes to help reinvigorate what is fast becoming a petrified field of study and to perhaps provide a bit of inspiration for future scholars and activists. More information about this series at http://www.palgrave.com/gp/series/14938 Lawrence Davidson Essays Reflecting the Art of Political and Social Analysis Lawrence Davidson West Chester University West Chester, PA, USA Critical Political Theory and Radical Practice ISBN 978-3-319-98004-1 ISBN 978-3-319-98005-8 (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98005-8 Library of Congress Control Number: 2018950512 © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG, part of Springer Nature 2019 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Cover design by Tjaša Krivec This Palgrave Macmillan imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature Switzerland AG The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland A cknowledgements This anthology of analyses selected from the author’s blog To The Point Analyses (www.tothepointanalyses.com) is dedicated to Stephen Eric Bronner, in admiration for his work and thanks for his friendship. v c ontents 1 Prologue: On the Art of Analysis 1 On the Art of Analysis 1 Part I—Analysis 1 Part II—Critical Thinking 2 Part III—The Accidental Analyst 3 Part IV—Making It an Art 4 Part V—Pitfalls 4 Part VI—Conclusion 5 2 Some Contemporary Problems 7 Contextualizing Chapter Two 7 Analysis One: The Role of the Intellectual 8 Part I—Watershed Moments 8 Part II—The Fate of the Jewish Intellectual 9 Part III—The Primacy of Group Solidarity 10 Analysis Two: Nationalism vs. Capitalism 11 Part I—Two Ideologies 11 Part II—Ideologies at Odds 11 Part III—Capitalism Wins 13 Part IV—Coping Mechanisms 14 Part V—Conclusion 15 Analysis Three: The Mind of the Poor 15 Part I—Poverty 15 vii viii CoNTENTS Part II—Cognitive Dysfunction 17 Part III—Conclusion 18 Analysis Four: From Charity to Mayhem 19 Part I—An Over Dependence on Charity 19 Part II—An “Under Dependence” on Government 20 Part III—A Perverse Philosophy 20 Part IV—Conclusion 21 Analysis Five: Contextualizing Sexual Harassment 22 Part I—Primitive Instincts 22 Part II—The Role of Culture 23 Part III—Sexual Harassment as a Worldwide Problem 23 Part IV—What to Do? 24 Part V—Conclusion 25 Analysis Six: Free Choice vs. Media Determinism 26 Part I—A Range of Choices Freely Made? 26 Part II—Media Determinism: Commercial 27 Part III—Media Determinism: Political 28 Part IV—Conclusion 29 3 The Importance of International Law 31 Contextualizing Chapter Three 31 Analysis One: International Law and Crimes Against Humanity 31 Part I—Prosecuting Crimes Against Humanity 31 Part II—Undermining the Law 32 Part III—An Example 33 Part IV—The West Gives a Green Light 34 Part V—Conclusion 34 Analysis Two: Why We Need the International Criminal Court 35 Part I—The Need for Rules and Laws 35 Part II—Who Is Above the Law? 36 Part III—The International Criminal Court (ICC) 37 Part IV—Conclusion 37 Analysis Three: International Law vs US Democratic Practice 38 Part I—The Importance of International Law 38 Part II—US Behavior 39 Part III—The Culpability of Special Interest Politics 39 CoNTENTS ix Analysis Four: Trump, Jerusalem, and International Law 40 Part I—The Relevance of International Law 40 Part II—“Open Eyes and Fresh Thinking” 41 Part III—“Alternative Facts” 42 Part IV—Don’t Misunderstand Me 43 Part V—Power and the Will 44 4 The USA 45 Section One—Structural Shortcomings 45 Contextualizing Section One 45 Analysis One: The Structural Problem with Lobbies 46 Analysis Two: Lobby, Lobbification, Lobbified 49 Analysis Three: Democracy Takes a Hit 54 Section Two—Other Domestic Political Problems 58 Contextualizing Section Two 58 Analysis One: A Sober Look at US Democracy 58 Analysis Two: Tolerance as a Prerequisite for Civilization 62 Analysis Three: There Is Nothing Unusual About Ignorance 65 Analysis Four: Freedom and High Anxiety in the USA 68 Analysis Five: Immigrant Irony 71 Analysis Six: Free Speech or Bribery? 74 Analysis Seven: Justice Corrupted 77 Analysis Eight: A Future for the Democratic Party? 81 Section Three—US Foreign Policy 84 Contextualizing Section Three 84 Analysis One: America Gone Stupid Over Iran 85 Analysis Two: The State Department Goes Bad 89 Analysis Three: Customizing Truth 92 Analysis Four: Endless War 95 Section Four: The Attacks on September 11, 2001 98 Contextualizing Section Four 98 Analysis One: Ignorance and 9/11 99 Analysis Two: The Saudi Role on September 11 102 Analysis Three: Will There Be More 9/11s? 106 5 On Trump, Guns and Torture 109 Section One—The Trump Phenomenon 109 Contextualizing Section One 109 x CoNTENTS Analysis One: How Original Is Donald Trump?—A Pre-Election Look 110 Analysis Two: Donald Trump’s America 114 Analysis Three: Cruelty as a Campaign Come-On 116 Analysis Four—The White House–Mercenary Connection 121 Analysis Five: Donald Trump’s Behavioral Legacy 124 Section Two—The Gun Culture 129 Contextualizing Section Two 129 Analysis One: An American Motto—Free, Armed, and Stupid 130 Analysis Two: The Opportunist and the Fanatics 134 Analysis Three: War Culture and Gun Culture—They’re Related 137 Section Three—On Torture, Terror and Abuse 141 Contextualizing Section Three 141 On Torture 141 Analysis One: The Forgotten Futility of Torture 141 On Terrorism 147 Analysis Two: Terrorism and Some Hard Truths 147 Analysis Three: Domestic Terrorism American Style 151 On Institutionalized Abuse 155 Analysis Four: War and Institutionalizing Abuse 155 6 Israel, Zionism, and the Jews 161 Contextualizing Chapter Six 161 Section One: Israel 162 Analysis One: Israel—Legitimacy and Behavior 162 Analysis Two: Why the Israelis Are Repetitively Violent 167 Analysis Three: The Peace Process Hustle 170 Analysis Four: Politicizing Anti-Semitism 173 Section Two: Zionism 176 Analysis Five: The Zionist Scenario—Now and in the Future 176 Analysis Six: Zionism Goes from Bad to Worse, Taking Judaism with It 180 Analysis Seven—Genocidal Yearnings 184 Analysis: Eight: Criminalizing Criticism—A Zionist Project 188 Analysis Nine: Whose Academic Freedom Are We Talking About? 191
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