Books by Richard Davis

Mingzong (r. 926--933) was the most illustrious emperor of the Five Dynasties, and one of the most admired of China's middle period, the Tang to Song. A warrior of Shatuo-Turk ancestry, he ascended the throne of the Later Tang on the heels of a mutiny against his adopted brother,... thus sparing his dynasty an early death. Mingzong's brief reign came to be heralded by historians as the Small Repose -- a happy convergence of peace and prosperity. He marshaled a cluster of eminently able courtiers, men who balanced Confucian charity against the military discipline demanded in a time of transition. These years were marked by trade with bordering states, frenzied diplomatic activity, and a succession of defections from states to the north. Mingzong wisely eschewed military conflict, except as a last resort. Conservative in moral and legal matters, he introduced radical economic reforms that included deregulation of traditional monopolies and timely changes to the tributary system. Drawing extensively on primary sources, including Mingzong's spirited correspondence with his officials, this political and cultural biography brings to life a charismatic emperor who was held up as a model ruler by succeeding generations.
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A vindication of the doctrine of Justification and Union before Faith wherein the great truth of the Grace of our Lord Jesus in his representing the persons of his elect on the cross, of his suffering for them as their Representative is asserted and cleared, and the Eternal Justi...fication and Union of the Lord's chosen people is plainly stated and proved; also the assurance of faith is evidently confirmed; with a clear demonstration of how these precious Gospel Truths do promote holiness and sanctification in the hearts and conversations of true believers.
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The book offers an in-depth empirical examination into the environmental conditions that shape and are shaped by Hamas's use of violence in the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict.

Twitter already has become an important electoral communication tool between candidates, parties and their specific constituencies. No serious candidate campaign ignores Twitter, while political party organizations utilize Twitter to communicate with partisans, reinforce supporte...rs, and mobilize voters. Whereas much scholarship to date has focused primarily on Twitter's political usage in the United States, there still remain many questions about the political uses and effects of Twitter in a global context. Does Twitter effect how reporters interact with candidates or even with each other? Does Twitter increase voter participation? Who is tweeting about elections? Why do people use Twitter in electoral contexts? Which type of candidate is more likely to use Twitter and why? Do parties differ in their use of Twitter, and why? Does Twitter increase candidate-voter interaction? Is Twitter shaping elections in various system contexts, and if so how? What is the influence of system context on Twitter use by parties, candidates, reporters, and voters? Eloquently combining theory and practice, established and rising scholars in the field of political communication have been brought together to provide an essential overview of the influence of Twitter on elections in a comparative perspective. Readers of this book will not only learn everything there is to know about this specific influence of Twitter, but more broadly how to approach the study of various online tools in general.
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Offers a critique of the concept of 'tradition' as it has been applied in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander context. This book argues for an appreciation of the creativity inherent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social life, and the way that knowledge is constructe...d and deployed in intercultural contexts in contemporary Australia.
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