After the great revolutions of 1776 in America and 1789 in France, modern nations began to express political struggle as a conflict between Left and Right, a spectrum of ideologies including socialism, liberalism, conservatism, nationalism, and later, communism and fascism, among others. These dominant ideologies reflected the themes of industrial society, powerful nation-states, and the era of class politics. Today, however, a series of rapid social and political transformations have provoked a world-wide crisis of ideologies. New technology threatens the traditional social structure of heavy industry. Increased globalization challenges the sovereignty of the nation-state, and class divisions appear less salient. In light of these changes, do modern ideologies have anything to say to us as citizens of the world today? The Age of Ideology analyzes the contemporary relevance of the main ideologies that have been central to political struggle over the past two centuries. Believing the postmodern critique of ideologies as inadequate for dealing with society's problems, John Schwarzmantel argues convincingly that political ideologies still provide essential organizing frameworks for political debate and action.
John Schwarzmantel is a lecturer in politics at the University of Leeds in England.
"An extremely important contribution to our understanding of the importance of habeas corpus in American law and in American history. Freedman explains and places in their proper context a series of historically important cases, dating from the earliest history of the country to the present and demonstrates the way racial and ethnic prejudice have had, and continue to have, a corrosive effect on our criminal justice process. In an age when Congress has sought to constrict the use and value of habeas corpus, Freedman reminds us why it is vital to a free society, and a fair society, to provide more, not less, access to the 'Great Writ.&8217;" -Paul Finkelman, Chapman Distinguished Professor, University of Tulsa College of Law "Freedman's lively prose and careful analysis of early debates and research into the politics, passions and history of the times give us a new picture of the background to habeas corpus as we know it now." -"New York Law Journal", "Habeas Corpus is a trustworthy account by a distinguished legal historian. It serves both scholars who wish to revisit the underpinnings of habeas corpus as well as beginners seeking to understand what this process has meant to our system." -"Legal Times", "Legal analysis at its best." -Austin Sarat, William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Jurisprudence and Political Science, Amherst College "Provides a fresh analysis of classic Supreme Court opinions by John Marshall, Oliver Wendell Holmes, and Felix Frankfurter. Freedman investigates background materials that illuminate the Court's assessment of its decisions, and introduces and explores historical materials that have only recently become available. . . . He builds an impressive argument that severe limits on federal court jurisdiction can be instituted today only by departing fundamentally from the past. Freedman's treatment of this admittedly complex subject is readily accessible to nonspecialists. This fine new book will be of interest and value to anyone seriously concerned with the function of federal courts in modern American society." -Larry Yackle, Professor of Law, Boston University School of Law
