{"title":"Bruce Ackerman","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBruce Ackerman\u003c\/strong\u003e explores the intricate intersections of history, philosophy, and political theory. His works delve into the complexities of constitutional democracy and the challenges faced by foundational political ideals over time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eReaders can expect thoughtfully argued analyses that challenge conventional perspectives, blending historical insight with philosophical enquiry on societal and governance dilemmas. His writing invites reflection on how political and legal frameworks evolve in response to contemporary challenges.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"the-postmodern-predicament-by-bruce-ackerman-9780300273502","title":"The Postmodern Predicament","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOne of our most influential political theorists offers a boundary-breaking—and liberating—perspective on the meaning of life in the internet age.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHuman beings have taken one thing for granted since our earliest days: we are bodily creatures dealing with one another on a face-to-face basis. The internet has shattered this fundamental feature of human existence. We are suddenly living our lives in two worlds at once—shifting endlessly from virtual to physical reality as we reach out to others.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWorse yet, we are developing different personal identities in our two worlds. We say and do things in virtual reality that flatly contradict our face-to-face commitments to family, friends, and fellow-workers—and vice versa. \u003cem\u003eThe Postmodern Predicament\u003c\/em\u003e explores these dilemmas at each phase of the life cycle, beginning at the moment a young child picks up a cell phone.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe existentialist tradition of the twentieth century provides a precious perspective on our postmodern dilemmas. Thinkers and doers like Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre considered the fragmentation of modern life as a central source of contemporary anxieties. Like them, Ackerman views the challenges of the internet age as a political, no less than personal, problem—and proposes concrete reforms that could mobilise broad-based support for democracy against demagogic assaults on its very foundations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47000807702764,"sku":"9780300273502","price":71.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/24732763482294.jpg?v=1763306456"},{"product_id":"the-failure-of-the-founding-fathers-by-bruce-ackerman-9780674023956","title":"The Failure of the Founding Fathers","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe ink was barely dry on the Constitution when it was almost destroyed by the rise of political parties in the United States. As Bruce Ackerman shows, the Framers had not anticipated the two-party system, and when Republicans battled Federalists for the presidency in 1800, the rules laid down by the Constitution exacerbated the crisis. With Republican militias preparing to march on Washington, the House of Representatives deadlocked between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBased on seven years of archival research, \u003cem\u003eThe Failure of the Founding Fathers\u003c\/em\u003e describes previously unknown aspects of the electoral college crisis. Ackerman shows how Thomas Jefferson counted his Federalist rivals out of the House runoff, and how the Federalists threatened to place John Marshall in the presidential chair. Nevertheless, the Constitution managed to survive through acts of statesmanship and luck.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDespite the intentions of the Framers, the presidency had become a plebiscitarian office. Thomas Jefferson gained office as the People's choice and acted vigorously to fulfil his popular mandate. This transformation of the presidency serves as the basis for a new look at Marbury v. Madison, the case that first asserted the Supreme Court's power of judicial review. Ackerman shows that Marbury is best seen in combination with another case, Stuart v. Laird, as part of a retreat by the Court in the face of the plebiscitarian presidency. This \"switch in time\" proved crucial to the Court's survival, allowing it to integrate Federalist and Republican themes into the living Constitution of the early republic.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAckerman presents a revised understanding of the early days of two great institutions that continue to have a major impact on American history: the plebiscitarian presidency and a Supreme Court that struggles to put the presidency's claims of a popular mandate into constitutional perspective.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47603226804460,"sku":"9780674023956","price":83.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9780674023956-the-failure-of-the-founding-fathers.jpg?v=1778057979"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.co.nz\/collections\/bruce-ackerman.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}