Yemen's Road to War

War can be woven into the social fabric of a country. Threats to the national identity of Yemen were not born yesterday, nor was it born when the war began in 2015. This is a story whose depths go all the way back to the middle of the 20^th century and the diverse sectarian and regional actors within Yemen at that time.

Efforts made to uncover the motives of this conflict’s development and motivations included exclusive interviews with the representatives of all Yemeni active parties. By approaching each perspective, this book develops an approach to see where the real roots of the conflict lie, and to explore the possibility that a common ground could be found to restore peace and stability to Yemen.

Tulip for Tebeau

Pioneers and their schools have long had a mutually beneficial bond. This symbiosis was eloquently articulated by a Duke University resident, Broadbent, at the dedication ceremony for the Samuel DuBose Cook Center for Social Equity: “You have led a remarkable life and we are today annexing your name to the fame of this school. Some might say we are honoring you by naming the Center after you, but everyone knows the truth - we are honoring ourselves and this Center by appropriating your enduring legacy.”

Cook, a distinguished political scientist, made history in 1966 as the first Black professor to receive tenure at a predominantly White southern university in the United States. By affiliating themselves with his pioneering work, schools like Duke aim to share in the honor and social capital of civil rights icons. Yet as Broadbent suggests, the true beneficiaries of such naming opportunities are arguably the institutions themselves.

The Reason for Our Evolution

Theories talk about the motives and causes of evolution. Darwin explained our origin from primates and the mechanism of evolution of natural selection, but in our case, it is not yet clear. Are free hands important? What about upright gait and brain volume? It is widely believed that free hands and upright gait made it possible to meet the need for food, thus enabling brain development. The author points out that the brain is important, but its development is the understanding of abstraction! Two million years ago, the volume of our brain (not our hands) developed abruptly. Can you imagine how much of a need there was for such great brain growth? Today we live in a technological age and the volume of the brain has not increased even by a millimeter! In theory, it can be imagined what was the initiator of the brain enlargement. It’s a belief! The author explains how and why the primate began to believe. Over time, belief has enabled the evolution of the brain to understand abstraction. The initial belief evolved through five stages. Belief in the five objects of fertility provides answers to many prehistoric and historical unknowns. Why do the symbols have the shape they have or why was the custom used in just such a form or why did the objects have just this particular shape? All customs and ways of worship have common roots. Belief is our creator, but we are also its creator!

The Prince of Evolution

The Prince of Evolution is the evolutionary reframing of one of the most important and controversial political texts in history. It reframes Machiavelli’s The Prince as a text expressing a revolutionary political theory that expresses an evolutionary ‘best practice’ framework for political competition.

By applying the two patterns of evolution, natural and artificial, discovered by Charles Darwin and David R. Wood. In doing so it reveals new insights and value to be derived from Machiavelli’s original text. Most importantly, by providing an evolutionary framework for every human relationship that has ever existed, and reframes Machiavelli, the man, to be just as human as you or I.

The Prince of Evolution is a groundbreaking work that will disrupt the entire field of political science. And the way we all look at organizations, communities, and ourselves.

The National Debt and Our Grandchildren: Should We Worry?

Throughout our history Americans have embraced the myth that our national debt is immoral and destructive.

This deeply rooted belief goes back to our Founding Fathers: Jefferson excoriated debt as “the greatest of dangers to be feared.” Andrew Jackson demonized debt as “a national curse.” Current political leaders continue to endorse this negative view of our national debt. Obama said that incurring debt was “irresponsible” and “unpatriotic.” John McCain condemned it as “generational theft.”

In this book, the prize-winning economics professor Arthur Benavie, demonstrates in clear and non-technical language that belief in this myth has repeatedly blocked our federal government from creating jobs and investing in our children’s future.

Benavie describes the many occasions, including from the administrations of FDR to Obama, where our leaders were faced with severe political retribution at the mere suggestion that their policies would increase the national debt.

Belief in this myth presents a continuing danger to the wellbeing of our children and grandchildren. Benavie examines several ways to disempower it.

The Engineering of Racism

Racism and white supremacy have survived in the United States for a very long time because from the onset, it was based on sound ‘engineering.’ The book contends that racism is not a belief, practice, or ideology that flared up by accident or through the spur of the moment. Rather, it followed sound engineering stages like planning, design, and construction. Racism was designed to serve a domineering purpose for white people and, therefore, there was a lot of planning that eventually led to its design and construction. Because the architects had a vision of its permanency, they chose the most durable materials for its construction. Metaphorically, they used mortar, bricks, and steel beams. These durable materials, among others, include religion, science, government (including the Supreme Court), the constitution and laws, brutality, and social media. As the centuries rolled by, succeeding architects of this design and construction have done a superb job in maintenance and modifications to elude stumbling blocks. Based on the times and prevailing winds, the racism construct has undergone mutations to evade capture and destruction – even to this day. Like a car, the engineering and engineers have evolved, the models and make are changing, but the underlying engineering remains intact. Today, the overt, brash, and brutal racism has generally ceded to an equally destructive, calculated, politically-correct, less pompous, highly sophisticated, and veiled racism. The book dissects this durable foundational construct and proffers recommendations that will systematically minimize its intensity.

The American

America has gone beyond ethicality. Education is not lacking in ethical behavior, although it is lacking in morality. Children know too well what is good and what is bad. If parents were to fail in teaching so, the entire system will take care of teaching it. America has gone so far by making law enforcement greater every day, that it is becoming unethically ethical. When all is enforced, all actions are watched, and everyone is afraid. When people are afraid, they become violent.

Tales of Agonies

Given the current Nigerian security quicksand, characterized by a plethora of human brutality seen in only very few countries of the world, the book offers coping resources primarily to Christians, who seem to be the most vulnerable group. Of course, these could be of help to non-Christians as well. This intervention has become necessary as people live in constant anxiety, fear, and apprehension and are, in fact, distressed. Consequently, human life is unprotected, miserable, and strained. The social, economic, and political life of the country is off-kilter. Only multiple intensive surgical interventions, such as those offered in the book, can save the day. Thus, a synergy of psychological and spiritual resources and techniques is considered robust enough for this purpose. In this way, they are conducive to effective coping and full functioning, not only in hostile environments.

Scientism: A New World Dream

In Scientism: A New World Dream, the author delves into the rise of left-brain dominance in Western culture and its impact on our understanding of the world. The author argues that this shift has led to a more distanced and factual approach, akin to the denatured view of science and the emergence of scientism. Through examination of cultural movements throughout history, the author suggests that this mindset has resulted in a disregard for actual fact-checking and a reliance on ideas over reality, leading to the prevalence of fake news and opinions. This book provides a thought-provoking examination of the impact of scientism on our society and raises important questions about the nature of truth and reality.

Private Escape: Sometimes I Think!

This collection of poetic themes, philosophy, and personal thoughts is provocatively written to excite the reader’s mind. Duke’s journey into the realms of spiritual redemption and to establish a footing in the truths of reality will stimulate your mind. The romantic ensemble is tasteful and pushes the envelope of erotica, while the prisoner’s pastime section is both sad and rewarding. Written during the first six months of the pandemic, it is emotional and thrilling. 

Politics, Police and Other Earthling Antics

Policy Framing Issues in the World of COVID-19

This book is a somewhat unusual depiction of a difficult policy issue. It transcends almost all boundaries because of its constant change and its movement across many different participants.

It was found attached to a range of policy topics, methodologies and approaches. Some of these were familiar while others seemed new. Interest in this topic was exhibited across the globe and did not appear to be delivered along with a narrow political agenda.

While researchers tended to re-examine classic public policy literatures (such as those dealing with implementation, federalism and budgeting) they did so by raising unusual issues. But this was not typical since analysts are likely to emphasize similarities rather than differences in settings.