Andrew Preston

Det var inte länge sedan idén om att vi nått historiens slut vann kraft och spridning: tanken att människans sociokulturella evolution nått fram till en punkt där den knappast kunde nå längre. Ett kvartssekel senare verkar denna optimism ha försvunnit. I stället bevittnar vi nu geopolitikens återkomst. Ett tjugotal experter utforskar i denna antologi hur vi hamnade där vi är idag men också vart vi kan tänkas vara på väg. Huvudredaktörer är Kurt Almqvist och Alexander Linklater.

The story of how FDR and fellow New Dealers created the idea of national security, transforming the meaning of defense and vastly expanding the US government’s responsibilities. National security may seem like a timeless notion. States have always sought to fortify themselves, and the modern state derives its legitimacy from protecting its population. Yet national security in fact has a very particular, very American, history—and a surprising one at that. The concept of national security originates in the 1930s, as part of a White House campaign in response to the rise of fascism. Before then, national self-defense was defined in terms of protecting sovereign territory from invasion. But President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his circle worried that the US public, comforted by two vast oceans, did not take seriously the long-term risks posed by hypermilitarization abroad. New Dealers developed the doctrine of national security, Andrew Preston argues, to supplant the old idea of self-defense: now even geographically and temporally remote threats were to be understood as harms to be combated, while ideological competitors were perilous to the “American way of life.” Total Defense shows it was no coincidence that a liberal like Roosevelt promoted this vision. National security, no less than social security, was a New Deal promise: the state was obliged to safeguard Americans as much from the guns and warships of Nazi Germany and imperial Japan as from unemployment and poverty in old age. The resulting shift in threat perception—among policymakers and ordinary citizens alike—transformed the United States, spearheading massive government expansion and placing the country on a permanent war footing.

Andrew no se daba cuenta de que pod a ser autista hasta que su novia Michelle, le habl al respecto llevando meses en su relaci n. Ninguna cantidad de experiencia de vida pudo haber preparado a Michelle para la confusi n que sinti mientras sal a con Andrew, porque l no era como ning n otro hombre con el que ella hubiera salido antes. A ella nunca se le ocurri que podr a enamorarse profundamente de un hombre que fuera autista o que l no estar a consciente de serlo, aunque estuviera en sus treintas. Cada vez que comparten su historia, siempre les hacen las mismas tres preguntas: C mo se dieron cuenta de que Andrew era autista? C mo le hablaste al respecto? C mo consiguieron un diagn stico? Todas estas son preguntas justas y tienen respuestas interesantes y a menudo divertidas. En este fascinante libro, Michelle y Andrew responden estas preguntas y comparten mucho m s. Ir s con ellos a trav s de su Amistad y como inesperadamente florece en una relaci n. Ver s el Amor florecer entre giros y vueltas rid culas. Ellos te llevan a ver el diagn stico de Autismo que les permiti cultivar un entendimiento m s profundo sobre cada cual. Las contribuciones de Andrew a este libro son invaluables porque proveen perspicacia de c mo es la vida siendo l. El humor de Michelle y su autenticidad son inesperados y refrescantes. Acomp anos en este estrafalario viaje de amistad que se convierte en amor en el espectro. " Te reir s, llorar s y ver s a mucha gente cercana a ti con nuevos ojos Debes leer este libro sin importar tu edad o estilo de vida." - Teresa de Grosbois, autora de cuatro best seller internacionalmente

Andrew no se daba cuenta de que pod a ser autista hasta que su novia Michelle, le habl al respecto llevando meses en su relaci n. Ninguna cantidad de experiencia de vida pudo haber preparado a Michelle para la confusi n que sinti mientras sal a con Andrew, porque l no era como ning n otro hombre con el que ella hubiera salido antes. A ella nunca se le ocurri que podr a enamorarse profundamente de un hombre que fuera autista o que l no estar a consciente de serlo, aunque estuviera en sus treintas. Cada vez que comparten su historia, siempre les hacen las mismas tres preguntas: C mo se dieron cuenta de que Andrew era autista? C mo le hablaste al respecto? C mo consiguieron un diagn stico? Todas estas son preguntas justas y tienen respuestas interesantes y a menudo divertidas. En este fascinante libro, Michelle y Andrew responden estas preguntas y comparten mucho m s. Ir s con ellos a trav s de su Amistad y como inesperadamente florece en una relaci n. Ver s el Amor florecer entre giros y vueltas rid culas. Ellos te llevan a ver el diagn stico de Autismo que les permiti cultivar un entendimiento m s profundo sobre cada cual. Las contribuciones de Andrew a este libro son invaluables porque proveen perspicacia de c mo es la vida siendo l. El humor de Michelle y su autenticidad son inesperados y refrescantes. Acomp anos en este estrafalario viaje de amistad que se convierte en amor en el espectro. " Te reir s, llorar s y ver s a mucha gente cercana a ti con nuevos ojos Debes leer este libro sin importar tu edad o estilo de vida." - Teresa de Grosbois, autora de cuatro best seller internacionalmente

Andrew didn't realize he might be autistic until his girlfriend, Michelle, approached him about it months into their relationship. No amount of life experience could've prepared Michelle for the confusion she felt while dating Andrew, as he was unlike any man she had ever dated before. The thought never dawned on her that she could fall deeply in love with a man who was autistic or that he might be unaware of this, even into his thirties. Whenever they share their story, they are asked the same three questions: How did you figure out Andrew was autistic? How did you approach him about it? How did you get a diagnosis? These are all fair questions and have interesting and often comedic answers. In this compelling book, Michelle and Andrew answer these questions and share much more. You will follow along as their FRIENDSHIP unexpectedly blossoms into a relationship. You will see LOVE flourish among ridiculous twists and turns. They bring you along for the AUTISM diagnosis that allowed them to grow a deeper understanding of each other. Andrew's contributions to this book are invaluable as they give insight as to what life is like to be him. Michelle's humor and authenticity are both unexpected and refreshing. Come along on this outrageous journey of friendship turned to love on the spectrum. "You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll see numerous people you are close to through a whole new lens This book is a must-read for people of all ages and walks of life." Teresa de Grosbois, #1 International Bestselling Author of Mass Influence

Andrew didn't realize he might be autistic until his girlfriend, Michelle, approached him about it months into their relationship. No amount of life experience could've prepared Michelle for the confusion she felt while dating Andrew, as he was unlike any man she had ever dated before. The thought never dawned on her that she could fall deeply in love with a man who was autistic or that he might be unaware of this, even into his thirties. Whenever they share their story, they are asked the same three questions: How did you figure out Andrew was autistic? How did you approach him about it? How did you get a diagnosis? These are all fair questions and have interesting and often comedic answers. In this compelling book, Michelle and Andrew answer these questions and share much more. You will follow along as their FRIENDSHIP unexpectedly blossoms into a relationship. You will see LOVE flourish among ridiculous twists and turns. They bring you along for the AUTISM diagnosis that allowed them to grow a deeper understanding of each other. Andrew's contributions to this book are invaluable as they give insight as to what life is like to be him. Michelle's humor and authenticity are both unexpected and refreshing. Come along on this outrageous journey of friendship turned to love on the spectrum. "You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll see numerous people you are close to through a whole new lens This book is a must-read for people of all ages and walks of life." Teresa de Grosbois, #1 International Bestselling Author of Mass Influence

Det påstås att ungefär 14 500 krig har utkämpats sedan år 3 500 f. Kr. Mänskligheten har bara erfarit 300 år av fred på jorden. Under 1900-talet dödades fler människor i krig än något tidigare sekel. Relativt sett dödar vi dock varandra mer sällan. Håller vi gradvis på att bli mer fredliga? Oavsett hur många som dödas, och med vilken metod, kan vi vara säkra på att krig kommer att fortsätta utkämpas. Ligger orsakerna till krig i samhället eller i biologin, i tävlan om ekonomiska resurser eller sexuella, i historiska omständigheter eller i en universell våldsinstinkt? Allt sedan antiken fram till dagens terrorism har krig varit förstörare och skapare av stater och civilisationer. Essäerna i denna antologi har sitt ursprung i det internationellt välrenommerade Engelsbergsseminariet 2015 och är skrivna av historiker, journalister, tänkare, forskare och författare från hela världen. Huvudredaktörer är Kurt Almqvist och Alexander Linklater.

The fear of living in the end times has a long history. In Decadence and Decay, a group of distinguished international scholars describe how societies over time have handled and interpreted the concept of decline. In times of unrest and transition, declinism the notion that a culture or civilisation is headed towards irreversible decline tends to capture the public imagination. The essays in this volume address how notions of decadence and decay have been used both as opprobrium and as a form of self-definition and empowerment an instrument to protect individualism against collectivistic oppression. From ancient Rome to the present, ideas and expressions of decadence and decay have played a critical role in how we perceive the world.

For better or worse, be it militarily, diplomatically, politically, economically, or culturally, Americans have had a profound role in shaping the wider world beyond them. Unsurprisingly, most non-Americans have passionate views about the nature of U. S. foreign policy. America has been a savior to some, a curse to others-and both have good reason to feel that way. And yet, such views are often also based on a caricature of American actions and intentions. For their part, Americans themselves have strong opinions about their role in the world and how it has evolved over time. Yet these views are shrouded as much in myth as they are grounded in fact. American Foreign Relations, then, suffers from being a subject of immense worldwide importance but almost complete misunderstanding; it provokes strong emotions and much debate in newspapers daily, but is accompanied by little comprehension. This Very Short Introduction aims to offer analysis of key events, episodes, crises, and individuals in the making of American foreign relations. It will discuss events such as the Revolutionary War, the Louisiana Purchase, the War of 1812, manifest destiny, the Mexican War, the Civil War, industrialization, the beginnings of globalization, the Spanish-American War, imperialism, the annexation of the Philippines, informal imperialism and the Open Door policy, World War I, isolationism, World War II, the Cold War from its origins to its end (including the Korean and Vietnam Wars), the Iraq Wars, 9/11, and Afghanistan. Such topics will be situated within an analytical narrative that follows chronology generally, but not strictly or comprehensively. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Was the Vietnam War unavoidable? Historians have long assumed that ideological views and the momentum of events made American intervention inevitable. By examining the role of McGeorge Bundy and the National Security Council, Andrew Preston demonstrates that policymakers escalated the conflict in Vietnam in the face of internal opposition, external pressures, and a continually failing strategy. Bundy created the position of National Security Adviser as we know it today, with momentous consequences that continue to shape American foreign policy. Both today's presidential supremacy in foreign policy and the contemporary national security bureaucracy find their origins in Bundy's powers as the first National Security Adviser and in the ways in which he and his staff brought about American intervention in Vietnam. Presidents Kennedy and Johnson were not enthusiastic about waging a difficult war in pursuit of murky aims, but the NSC's bureaucratic dexterity and persuasive influence in the Oval Office skewed the debate in favor of the conflict. In challenging the prevailing view of Bundy as a loyal but quietly doubting warrior, Preston also revises our understanding of what it meant--and means--to be a hawk or a dove. The War Council is an illuminating and compelling story with two inseparable themes: the acquisition and consolidation of power; and how that power is exercised.