Books published by Amsterdam University Press

Why do governments still negotiate with trade unions and employers in the design of labour market and welfare reforms despite the steady decline of trade union membership almost everywhere in Europe? Social Concertation in Times of Austerity investigates the political underpinnings of social concertation in this new context with a focus on the regu

This timely volume engages with one of the most important shifts in recent film studies: the turn away from text-based analysis towards the viewer. Historically, this marks a return to early interest in the effect of film on the audience by psychoanalysts and psychologists, which was overtaken by concern with the 'effects' of film, linked to calls

Ecstatic Encounters takes its readers to the threshold of Candomble temples in Bahia, Brazil, where - for many generations -- members of this spirit-possession cult and curious outsiders have been meeting to marvel at each other's otherness. Having allowed himself to be baffled by Candomble's mysteries and miracle productions, the author explores t

Development aid has become the subject of much discussion. Why do we give aid, and does it help? What do we know about the development paths being taken by various countries, or the possibilities of helping them to achieve their goals from outside? How relevant is development aid now that remittances and foreign direct investments have increased as

Divine Interiors is an investigation into the decoration of Greek and Roman temples with wall paintings. Mighty marble facades, sculptures and paintings played an important role in relation to these monuments. While the official temples, which were connected to the city or state, usually had a simple but solemn appearance, the more popular building

During the First World War, belligerents infringed on the rights and duties of neutrals, as these had been codified in international agreements. Both the Allies and the Central Powers pressured the neutrals to modify their policies to favour them over their adversaries. During the four-and-a-half years the war lasted, this pressure mounted until th

Victory Boogie Woogie, Mondrian's unfinished masterpiece created in 1942-44, has come to be regarded as not merely the high point of his oeuvre, but also as a dazzling icon of non-figurative art in the twentieth century. Although Mondrian did not live to give the painting its title, it is known that he regarded it as a development of his earlier wo

Also available in Dutch: ISBN 9789089643803

From Michel Houellebecq to Zadie Smith, from Javier Marias to Arnon Grunberg: this timely study takes its reader on a tour of European literature and the critical discussion around it. Despite recent declarations of postmodernism's demise, contemporary literature turns out to be entangled in a discussion with postmodernism. It is time to critically

In 2003-2006, Patricia Henderson lived in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal where she recorded the experiences of people living with HIV/AIDS. In this illuminating study, she recounts the concerns of rural people and explores local repertoires through which illness was folded into everyday life. The book spans a period when antiretrovir

Strategies of interpretation implicit in antique poetry to the visual art of the Renaissance, concentrating on Raphael's Roman works and their cultural context

In the early 1650s Ferdinand Bol produced a series of wall-covering paintings. This 'painted chamber' is a unique example of a branch of the art of painting which was extremely popular in the seventeenth century, although hardly any of it now remains. Bol's ensemble has always been surrounded by mysteries. Who was the initial owner, what was the re

Summer Sale, Offer lasts until August 31 EURO 59.95 EURO 24.00This important overview explores the connections between Singapore's past with historical developments worldwide until present day. The contributors analyse Singapore as a city-state seeking to provide an in

An extensive historical analysis of utopian narratives in the Chinese and Euro-American traditions.

A comparative scholarly volume on the political culture of the French, Batavian, Helvetic, Cisalpine, and Neapolitan revolutions, bridging the gap between the historiographies of the European revolutionary sphere of the so-called 'Sister' Republics in the period 1789 to 1805.

Engaging, interdisciplinary work exploring the influence of the Jansenist tradition on Alexis de Tocqueville's life and works. The most comprehensive treatment of the subject to date.

The widespread and long-held preconception that all Jews lived in ghettos and were relentlessly subject to discrimination prior to the Enlightenment has only slowly eroded. Geographically speaking, Jews rarely lived in ghettos and have never been confined within the borders of one nation or country. Power struggles and wars often led to the creatio

As the dominant political force in Lebanon and one of the most powerful post-Islamist organizations in the world, Hizbullah is a source of great controversy and uncertainty in the West. Despite the significant attention paid to this group by the media, the details of Hizbullah's evolution have frequently confounded politicians-and even scholars. In