Brand New Book
Note: At the Bottom Of The Front Cover And  A Few Pages Have Minor Dent

Promoting Democracy: The Force Of Political Settlements In Uncertain Times by Manal A. Jamal

Summary: In Promoting Democracy, Manal A. Jamal answers the question of why democracy promotion efforts - a central pillar of US foreign policy - succeed in some contexts but fail in others. A former journalist and researcher in the Palestinian territories, she offers an up-close perspective on the ways in which Western donor assistance has, on the one hand, undermined political participation in the Palestinian territories, and, on the other hand, succeeded in bolstering political participation in El Salvador.

Based on five fieldwork trips and over 150 interviews with grassroots activists, political leaders, and directors and program officers in donor agencies and NGOs, Jamal brings into focus an often overlooked perspective: the experience of those directly impacted by this assistance.

Promoting Democracy makes an important and timely argument about how political settlements ultimately shape democracy promotion efforts, and what political choices Western state-sponsored donors can make to maximize successful outcomes in post-conflict zones across the world.