{"title":"Hari Ramesh","description":"\u003cp\u003eHari Ramesh offers insightful explorations into the workings of power and governance, with a keen focus on political structures and their impact on society. Readers can expect thoughtful analysis that blends academic rigour with an accessible style, ideal for those interested in contemporary political thought.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWorks such as \u003cem\u003eHarnessing the State\u003c\/em\u003e demonstrate Ramesh’s ability to dissect complex current affairs, shedding light on the dynamics that shape policies and influence global and local political landscapes. This collection will appeal to readers seeking depth and clarity in political discourse.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"harnessing-the-state-by-hari-ramesh-9780674293618","title":"Harnessing the State","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBuilding on the work of key twentieth-century US and Indian thinkers, a bold argument that oppressed groups can—and should—make use of state power to create truly democratic societies.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eGroup-based social oppression, along lines such as caste in India and race in the United States, is a persistent problem in nominally democratic countries. Unsurprisingly, many citizens are sceptical that the state can effectively address the problem. Pro-democracy scholars and activists often argue that the state is just a tool of society’s most powerful interests, who will stifle any attempted reform.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eYet some of the twentieth century’s most significant political thinkers offer a more hopeful and fruitful perspective. Foregrounding previously neglected connections between Indian and American sources, Hari Ramesh draws on insights from John Dewey, B. R. Ambedkar, W. E. B. Du Bois, and a key brief from \u003ci\u003eBrown v. Board of Education\u003c\/i\u003e to argue that oppressed groups can in fact wield the tools of the state to claim agency and dismantle the sources of their oppression. In this alternative account, state action fosters a radical vision of democracy, with citizens coming together as equals to formulate and pursue their political aims.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eGroup-based social oppression is not only unjust: by selectively preventing citizens from participating fully and equally in the project of self-government, oppression undermines the possibility of democracy itself. \u003ci\u003eHarnessing the State\u003c\/i\u003e shows a way forward.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47650545336556,"sku":"9780674293618","price":39.95,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9780674293618-harnessing-the-state.jpg?v=1779326706"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.co.nz\/collections\/hari-ramesh.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}