New Releases by Peter Ackerman

Today the deadliest conflicts are not between states but rather within them, pitting tyrants against the populations they oppress. Over a century of data shows that civil resistance campaigns-employing strikes, boycotts, mass protests, and many other nonviolent tactics-are the most powerful means for societies to confront authoritarians. The Checklist to End Tyranny is dedicated to enabling dissidents to become more strategic in their thinking and therefore more skillful in their quest to achieve democracy and human rights. This volume is also a unique resource in helping professionals in the foreign policy and democracy promotion communities to understand at a granular level what it takes for pro-democracy activists to end the dictatorships they are living under. The stakes could not be higher. If the world is to have a Fourth Democratic Wave expanding freedom over oppression, then civil resistance campaigns will lead the way.

Les événements de la dernière décennie exigent de nouvelles approches en matière de prévention des atrocités, qui soient adaptables, innovantes et indépendantes d'une doctrine centrée sur l'État. Dans le but de réduire les facteurs de risque tels que la guerre civile, nous soutenons un nouveau cadre normatif dénommé Droit d'Assistance (DdA), qui renforcerait la coordination internationale et le soutien aux campagnes de résistance civile nonviolente luttant pour les droits, la liberté et la justice face aux processus non démocratiques. Le DdA: impliquerait un large éventail de parties prenantes telles que les ONG, les États, les institutions multilatérales et ainsi de suite; renforcerait divers facteurs de résilience face à la fragilité des États; et inciterait les groupes d'opposition à maintenir leur engagement envers l'utilisation de stratégies de changement nonviolentes. L'adoption de cette doctrine pourrait permettre de réduire la probabilité d'un conflit violent qui augmenterait considérablement le risque d'atrocité, tout en augmentant les perspectives de développement humain constructif.

La Responsabilidad de Proteger (RP) fue desarrollada como una doctrina para evitar atrocidades masivas (genocidio, limpieza étnica, crímenes de guerra, crímenes de lesa humanidad). Dado que ofrece una excepción importante al principio de no intervención, esta depende del Consejo de Seguridad de la ONU para autorizar sus disposiciones más agresivas, como la intervención armada. A pesar de su promesa inicial, una década de práctica de RP ha revelado que esta puede verse fácilmente limitada por objeciones de los estados miembros de la ONU.

Events of the last decade demand new approaches to atrocity prevention that are adaptable, innovative and independent of a state-centered doctrine. With the aim of reducing risk factors such as civil war, Ackerman and Merriman argue for a new normative framework called The Right to Assist (RtoA), which would strengthen international coordination and support for nonviolent civil resistance campaigns demanding rights, freedom and justice against non-democratic rule. RtoA would: 1. engage a wide range of stakeholders such as NGOs, states, multilateral institutions and others; 2. bolster various factors of resilience against state fragility; and 3. incentivize opposition groups to sustain commitment to nonviolent strategies of change. The adoption of this doctrine can reduce the probability of violent conflict that significantly heightens atrocity risk, while increasing the prospects for constructive human development.

A young boy who screams except while eating takes over the cooking, and proves so talented that his parents open a restaurant with him as head chef.

This nationally-acclaimed book shows how popular movements used nonviolent action to overthrow dictators, obstruct military invaders and secure human rights in country after country, over the past century. Peter Ackerman and Jack DuVall depict how nonviolent sanctions--such as protests, strikes and boycotts--separate brutal regimes from their means of control. They tell inside stories--how Danes outmaneuvered the Nazis, Solidarity defeated Polish communism, and mass action removed a Chilean dictator--and also how nonviolent power is changing the world today, from Burma to Serbia.

From the duo who delighted readers with The Lonely Phone Booth comes this wonderful new book featuring a diverse family of memorable characters. Pablo Pressman has homework to do, and Pablo will do almost anything to avoid doing his homework. But when his computer breaks down, he is desperate. His mother takes him up to the attic to discover her old typewriter. A "what-writer"? asks Pablo mystified. When his mother shows him how to strike the keys just so, and the words start to appear on paper, Pablo is delighted. And imagine his triumph when he presents his homework at school and amazes his teacher and all his friends with the story of the mechanical marvel that saved the day.

A sad, forgotten, New York City phone booth becomes a hero in this story of community and caring for others. The Phone Booth on the corner of West End Avenue and 100th Street was one of the last remaining phone booths in New York City. Everyone used it―from ballerinas and birthday clowns, to cellists and even secret agents. Kept clean and polished, the Phone Booth was proud and happy until, the day a businessman strode by and shouted into a shiny silver object, "I'll be there in ten minutes." Soon everyone was talking into these shiny silver things, and the Phone Booth stood alone and empty, unused and dejected. How the Phone Booth saved the day and united the neighborhood to rally around its revival is the heart of this touching story. The Lonely Phone Booth has a lot to say about the enduring power of the faithful things in our lives. For children, it's a wonderful way to talk about their own communities. "A story celebrating the fabric of a neighborhood." ― New York Times Book Review "Evoking the same kind of New York charm as favorites like The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge and The House on East 88th Street, screenwriter Ackerman celebrates a humble phone booth (still standing at 100th Street and West End Avenue) that saves the Upper West Side—and vice versa . . . . Cultural history of the best sort." — Publishers Weekly "The art not only tells a splendid story in and of itself, but it also celebrates the colorful and diverse people who live in New York City." — Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Review

Ever been racially slurred in the sack? Ever been subjected to strangers yelling at you at 3 am about the most intimate details of your life? Ever been to New York? Six characters from wildly different backgrounds make love, war, and hysteria late one night in the cultural, sexual, and generational smorgasbord that is Manhattan. "Peter Ackerman's screwball bedroom comedy consists mainly of a sublimely ridiculous conference call involving three pairs of lovers. The questions about sex and the proper balance between intellectual and physical attraction have no answers, but Ackerman has some interesting suggestions, and, to his credit, comedy outweighs the theorizing." -The New Yorker "THINGS YOU SHOULDN'T SAY PAST MIDNIGHT: A COMEDY IN THREE BEDS is a contemporary sex farce you should see just as soon as you can - even though it's bound to be around for quite some time. This riotously funny work is Peter Ackerman's welcome debut as a playwright ... the hilarious dialogue just gets better and better, as the lines fly by like rapid-fire artillery." -David Kaufman, Daily News "Singles meets Three's Company in this boisterously naughty romp about three couples searching for love (and lust) in New York City. One pair's quarrel - sparked by bizarre, politically incorrect pillow talk - sets off a farcical chain of events that includes an offbeat May-December coupling, a speakerphone-aided group-therapy session, and lots of cheerful bonking." -C C, Entertainment Weekly

Polar bears have fun living in a zoo.

Nonviolent action, well planned and implemented, is shown in this lucid, timely, and compelling work to effect dramatic outcomes against opponents utilizing violence. Ackerman and Kruegler recognize that not all nonviolent efforts meet with success and they are careful to stress that a nonviolent approach involves great risks as well as opportunities. It is the effectiveness of the strategies employed which will determine whether those using nonviolent means can prevail against opponents who rely on violence in pursuit of objectives. Twelve principles of strategic nonviolence are established in this book--they serve as a conceptual foundation and enhance the prospects of success in nonviolent campaigns of resistance. The authors also develop six twentieth century examples of nonviolent action from the early Russian Revolution of 1904-1906 through the Solidarity movement in 1980-1981. Each campaign narrative constitutes a fascinating reading experience and illustrates common themes, strategies, and important aspects of behavior on the part of major participants in nonviolent encounters. This is a singularly important book. It offers more than a mere plea for nonviolence. Ackerman and Kruegler provide hard lessons based on important, and often painful, historical efforts: principles to govern the choice and implementation of strategies when nonviolence is the determined response; and insightful analysis to guide assessment and policy. Finally, the authors consider the evolving international situation and relate current themes and policies to the potential inherent in astute and deliberate programs of nonviolence. A work which will focus analysis, impact decision-making, stimulate policy consideration, and invigorate research, this volume will well serve professionals and students in international relations and numerous related fields.