{"title":"John M. Owen","description":"\u003cp\u003eJohn M. Owen is an esteemed author whose works explore the complex interplay between politics, history, and current affairs. Delve into his insightful analyses and comprehensive explorations of global issues, where he skilfully unpacks the dynamics shaping our world today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eConfronting Political Islam\u003c\/em\u003e, Owen offers a thought-provoking examination of the ideological clashes defining modern geopolitics. He brings to light the nuanced relationships between Western and Islamic political ideologies, making it a valuable read for anyone interested in understanding international relations and global security.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Ecology of Nations\u003c\/em\u003e is another remarkable work where Owen delves into the interconnectedness of global political landscapes. His expertise in analysing historical contexts provides readers with a profound understanding of how countries interact and evolve over time, making it an essential read for history buffs and political enthusiasts alike.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhether you are passionate about politics, history, or current affairs, John M. Owen's books offer a treasure trove of knowledge. Each piece is crafted to educate and engage, providing readers with a deeper appreciation of the world's political and historical complexities.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"confronting-political-islam-by-john-m-owen-9780691173108","title":"Confronting Political Islam","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePolitical Islam has often been compared to ideological movements of the past, such as fascism or Christian theocracy. But are such analogies valid? How should the Western world today respond to the challenges of political Islam?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTaking an original approach to answer this question, \u003cem\u003eConfronting Political Islam\u003c\/em\u003e compares Islamism's struggle with secularism to other prolonged ideological clashes in Western history. By examining the past conflicts that have torn Europe and the Americas—and how they have been supported by underground networks, fomented radicalism and revolution, and triggered foreign interventions and international conflicts—John Owen draws six major lessons to demonstrate that much of what we think about political Islam is wrong.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOwen focuses on the origins and dynamics of twentieth-century struggles among Communism, Fascism, and liberal democracy; the late eighteenth- and nineteenth-century contests between monarchism and republicanism; and the sixteenth- and seventeenth-century wars of religion between Catholics, Lutherans, Calvinists, and others. He then applies principles learned from the successes and mistakes of governments during these conflicts to the contemporary debates embroiling the Middle East.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHe concludes that ideological struggles last longer than most people presume; ideologies are not monolithic; foreign interventions are the norm; a state may be both rational and ideological; an ideology wins when states that exemplify it outperform other states across a range of measures; and the ideology that wins may be a surprise.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eLooking at the history of the Western world itself and the fraught questions over how societies should be ordered, \u003cem\u003eConfronting Political Islam\u003c\/em\u003e upends some of the conventional wisdom about the current upheavals in the Muslim world.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"NewSouth Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46848733806828,"sku":"9780691173108","price":54.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/1718223482434.jpg?v=1758999178"},{"product_id":"the-ecology-of-nations-by-john-m-owen-9780300260731","title":"The Ecology of Nations","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eHow democracies compete with autocracies to bias international order in their favour—and why democracies are losing\u003c\/b\u003e  \n  \nIt is well known, and much discussed, that liberal democracy is in trouble worldwide. Much of this discussion focuses on conditions within individual countries: their inequalities of wealth, political polarisation, media environments, and dominant ideologies.  \n  \nIn \u003cem\u003eThe Ecology of Nations\u003c\/em\u003e, John M. Owen IV takes a more ecological view and sees the failures of democracy as failures of “ecosystem engineering.”  \n  \nLike beavers, nesting ants, or (most intensely of all) humans, nations actively reshape their environments to make them more favourable for their own species—this, for Owen, is the true meaning of Woodrow Wilson’s phrase “to make the world safe for democracy.” However, liberalism has evolved in ways that are no longer conducive to its own survival; meanwhile, autocratic governments in Russia and China are actively reshaping the international environment to favour autocracy.  \n  \nFocusing on the American political scene, Owen argues that the way to ensure democracy’s survival is to reimagine liberalism as being less about disruption and perpetual openness and more about commitment, community, and country. Liberalism must reject the “great delusion” that it can defeat autocracies everywhere and convert them into liberal democracies, yet also counter moves by China and Russia to make the world safe for autocracy.\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47000777195756,"sku":"9780300260731","price":71.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/24605053482294.jpg?v=1763303823"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.live\/collections\/john-m-owen.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}