Other books that might interest you

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  The Shocking Truth about...

  Zoey Fraisers

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  Cultural appropriation is the act of taking or borrowing elements of one culture by members of another culture, typically without permission or proper understanding. This often occurs when a dominant culture adopts aspects of a marginalized or minority culture, without recognizing the significance or history behind these cultural symbols, practices, or traditions. While some might argue that cultural exchange is a natural part of globalization, cultural appropriation is controversial because it is frequently associated with power imbalances, exploitation, and the erasure of the identities of those whose culture is being borrowed. 
  At its core, cultural appropriation is not about borrowing something for appreciation or respect, but rather taking something from another culture in a way that is exploitative or disrespectful. For example, wearing traditional garments like a kimono or a Native American headdress as fashion statements, without understanding their cultural importance or context, is often cited as an example of cultural appropriation. These items are not just clothes or accessories; they carry deep meanings and are often tied to spiritual, ceremonial, or political significance. 
  One of the key aspects that distinguishes cultural appropriation from cultural appreciation is power dynamics. The group that appropriates tends to have more social, political, or economic power, while the culture being appropriated is often marginalized. This power imbalance is evident in many cases where elements of minority cultures are commodified and turned into trends or products, while the people from those cultures continue to face oppression, discrimination, and lack of recognition.

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  The Tech Coup - How to Save...

  Marietje Schaake

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  Under the cover of "innovation," technology companies have successfully resisted regulation and have even begun to seize power from governments themselves. Facial recognition firms track citizens for police surveillance. Cryptocurrency has wiped out the savings of millions and threatens the stability of the global financial system. Spyware companies sell intelligence tools to anyone who can afford them. This new reality—where unregulated technology has become a forceful instrument for autocrats worldwide—is terrible news for democracies and citizens. 
   
   
   
  In The Tech Coup, Marietje Schaake explains how technology companies crept into nearly every corner of our lives and our governments. She takes us beyond the headlines to high-stakes meetings with human rights defenders, business leaders, computer scientists, and politicians to show how technologies have gone from being heralded as utopian to undermining the pillars of our democracies. To reverse this existential power imbalance, Schaake outlines solutions to empower elected officials and citizens alike. Democratic leaders can—and must—resist the influence of corporate lobbying and reinvent themselves as dynamic, flexible guardians of our digital world. Schaake offers a frightening look at our modern tech-obsessed world—and a clear-eyed view of how democracies can build a better future before it is too late.

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  Why AI Undermines Democracy and...

  Mark Coeckelbergh

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  Across the world, AI is used as a tool for political manipulation and totalitarian repression. Stories about AI are often stories of polarization, discrimination, surveillance, and oppression. Is democracy in danger? And can we do anything about it? 
   
     
   
  In this compelling and balanced book, Mark Coeckelbergh reveals the key risks posed by AI for democracy. He argues that AI, as currently used and developed, undermines fundamental principles on which liberal democracies are founded, such as freedom and equality. How can we make democracy more resilient in the face of AI? And, more positively, what can AI do for democracy? Coeckelbergh advocates not only for more democratic technologies, but also for new political institutions and a renewal of education to ensure that AI promotes, rather than hinders, the common good for the twenty-first century. 
   
    
   
  Why AI Undermines Democracy and What to Do About It is a must-listen for anyone who is concerned about the fate of democracy.

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  Taken As Red: How Labour Won Big...

  Anushka Asthana

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  How Labour took power and what they're doing with it 
  'Taken As Red stands out for its balance and the depth of its reporting' The Guardian 
  'Revelatory and insightful.' Tim Shipman 
  In Taken As Red acclaimed political journalist Anushka Asthana takes us behind the scenes of the 2024 general election campaign. 
  As the political landscape undergoes a seismic shift, this gripping account provides an unprecedented insider’s perspective on the inner workings of Keir Starmer’s Labour and Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives, and the events of this high-stakes electoral contest as it unfolded. 
  With unparalleled access to key players and exclusive insights, it delves into the strategic decisions, campaign dynamics and unexpected twists that defined the election. From the battle bus to the corridors of power, Asthana analyses just how the result came about. Was it evidence of Labour’s strategic brilliance or the inevitable result of a spiralling decline of trust in the Tories? And what of Reform’s role? 
  Lively, analytical and compelling, Taken As Red reveals the calculated gambles and innovative strategies at play, and the people behind them. And in doing so, it looks forward as well as back. 
  Featuring exclusive interviews with more than 100 political insiders including Rachel Reeves, Wes Streeting, Kwasi Kwarteng and Nigel Farage. 
  Anushka Asthana's Taken As Red is a must-read for anyone interested in the science of elections and campaigns. This non-fiction biography of Britain's political process in the 21st century is a top pick for history buffs. 
  For fans of Bob Woodward (The Trump Tapes) 
  HarperCollins 2024

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  Politics vs Power - Why Facts...

  Lorenzo L. Sellers

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  This audiobook is narrated by an AI Voice.   
  For seven years, Lorenzo Sellers debated MAGA supporters across dinner tables, social media threads, workplaces, and public forums. Not to win. To understand. 
  What he discovered is something most people never see. These debates were never about facts. They were about emotion, identity, belonging, and power. Facts don’t build movements. Strategy does. 
  Politics vs Power is a bold and unflinching guide to understanding why movements like MAGA grow so fiercely and why facts alone will never break their grip. Drawing from real conversations, psychological patterns, and cultural fault lines, Lorenzo reveals the emotional engines that power these movements and how to counter them with precision. 
  Inside you’ll learn: 
  *Why facts fall flat against emotional loyalty 
  *How belonging, power proximity, and rebellion keep people loyal 
  *How to recognize when someone is unreachable and when the real audience is watching 
  *Why outrage fuels movements and clarity dismantles them 
  *How to build spaces that meet emotional needs before extremism exploits them 
  This is not a partisan rant. It is a playbook for those tired of shouting into the void. Politics vs Power shows you how to stop reacting, start strategizing, and build influence that lasts long after the noise fades. 
  Whether you’re trying to reach someone who has fallen deep into the MAGA fold, protect your peace in conversations that go nowhere, or understand the real battlefield beneath the headlines, this book gives you the clarity and strategy you need to stand firm in the storm. 
  Politics is performance. Power is strategy. Learn the difference.

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  Liberalism as a Way of Life

  Alexandre Lefebvre

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  Where do you get your values and sensibilities from? If you grew up in a Western democracy, the answer is probably liberalism. Conservatives are right about one thing: liberalism is the ideology of our times, as omnipresent as religion once was. Yet, as Alexandre Lefebvre argues in Liberalism as a Way of Life, many of us are liberal without fully realizing it—or grasping what it means. Misled into thinking that liberalism is confined to politics, we fail to recognize that it's the water we swim in, saturating every area of public and private life, shaping our psychological and spiritual outlooks, and influencing our moral and aesthetic values—our sense of what is right, wrong, good, bad, funny, worthwhile, and more. This eye-opening book shows how so many of us are liberal to the core, why liberalism provides the basis for a good life, and how we can make our lives better and happier by becoming more aware of, and more committed to, the beliefs we already hold. 
   
   
   
  A lively, engaging, and uplifting guide to living well, the liberal way, Liberalism as a Way of Life is filled with examples from television, movies, stand-up comedy, and social media—from Parks and Recreation and The Good Place to the Borat movies and Hannah Gadsby. Along the way, you'll also learn about seventeen benefits of being a liberal and practical exercises to increase these rewards.

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