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Clifford Bob, The Global Right Wing and the Clash of World Politics (Cambridge University Press 2012), 240 pages, ISBN 978-0-521-14544- 2.
In this thoroughly researched and well argued book, Clifford Bob tells readers what they probably already know: global civil society is inherently conflictual, with ideologically opposed groups bat- tling each other in pursuit of contending agendas. Indeed, taken at face value, much of this book amounts to stating the obvious. Nevertheless, The Global Right Wing and the Clash of World Politics represents a useful and important con- tribution to the established literature on global civil society and to a burgeoning literature on contentious politics. Employ- ing a thoughtfully constructed analytical framework, supported by detailed case studies of gay rights and gun control, Bob uncovers the how and why behind the fundamental dynamics of global civil society. Along the way, he also explores varied outcomes that can result from battles between opposing groups. In so doing, he provides cogent insights and useful tools that can help us better under- stand the inner workings of contemporary transnational politics.
Since the late 1990s, the issues, actors, and dynamics that comprise global civil society have been the focus of increased scholarly attention. Yet, as Bob contends, much of this work paints global civil society as a broadly harmonious arena peopled by well-intentioned groups pur- suing nobly progressive ends. Studies to date generally have acknowledged the contentious nature of transnational politics, but neither this dynamic nor its varied outcomes have been substantively explored. Bob's argument that transna- tional politics and global civil...