Instrumentalization of the wartime past for political gain is the subject of this study of eleven World War II commemorations. Using a comparative, conceptually original approach, Yoder identifies the actors who manipulate memory surrounding wartime anniversaries, such as the bombing of Dresden and ceremonies to honor fallen soldiers and fascist collaborators. The cases of memory contestation span three geographic regions, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, and Russia, recognizing that each d...

The importance of subnational regions to politics, governance, and economic development in Western Europe has long been recognized. However, far less is known about recent steps to introduce a regional level of politics in East Central Europe. Reforms there are part of the larger process of crafting democracy; that is, regional reforms are linked to the economic and political transition away from communism and toward “Europe,” specifically the European Union.Crafting Democracy offe...

In 1990 Germany launched an experiment to transplant democracy into a formerly communist country, effectively dismantling the system of the German Democratic Republic and rebuilding it in the likeness of the democratic Federal Republic of Germany. From East Germans to Germans? examines the role of the first generation of democratically elected political elites in the former GDR’s transition to democracy.Although the quick transplant of a ready-made democratic system support...

Most citizens know how elections work in their own country, but not all elections are created equally. Elections occur in all democracies and many non-democratic regimes as well. They determine who will hold public office and who will have the power to govern. They connect citizens to those whom they choose to make decisions on their behalf and who regulate their behavior. This book looks comparatively at the key aspects of elections. In addition to describing types of el...

Elections occur in all democracies and many nondemocratic regimes as well. They determine who will hold public office and who will have the power to govern. They connect citizens to those whom they choose to make decisions on their behalf and who regulate their behavior. This book looks comparatively at the key aspects of elections. In addition to describing types of electoral systems, it discusses the implications of the various systems for the administration of elections, voter participa...

This is an exciting time to be an academic advisor—a time in which global recognition of the importance of advising is growing, research affirms the critical role advising plays in student success, and institutions of higher education increasingly view advising as integral to their missions and essential for improving the quality of students' educational experiences. It is essential that advisors provide knowledgeable, realistic counsel to the students in their charge. The New Advisor ...

Tavery Miller is a successful businesswoman whose life is turned upside by a phone call. Forced to relive her childhood experiences she remembers the friends who stood by her side through good times and bad, proving that friendship can overcome anything. After drifting apart, the girls reunite to help each other overcome the worst tragedy they have ever faced.