Kieran Allen Knihy

Offers a deeply informed diagnosis of Ireland's current socio-economic and political malaise, suggesting a political earthquake may benefit the left.

A critical introduction to Max Weber's sociology that offers analysis in the context of his political beliefs

Partitioning Ireland was an experiment that has lasted a century. Now it is time for it to come to an end

Why has the work of James Connolly, leader of the Easter Rising, Marxist and Irish national hero, been so misunderstood?

The impact of corporate influence on Irish democracy is critically explored, highlighting how financial power undermines public decision-making. The book discusses significant issues such as the thwarting of initiatives to protect children from advertising and the promotion of alcohol by global corporations. It also examines the transformation of Irish universities into corporate entities, where their research increasingly serves the interests of major pharmaceutical companies, illustrating a troubling shift in priorities away from public welfare.

An expose of how incredible wealth is funnelled through a country without benefiting its people

This history of modern Ireland follows the thread of 1916's 'revolutionary tradition' as it has unravelled across the century.

Max Weber is one of the founding fathers of sociology. He is often referred to as a sophisticated 'value-free' sociologist. This new critical introduction argues that Weber’s sociology cannot be divorced from his political standpoint. Weber saw himself as a ‘class conscious bourgeois’ and his sociology reflects this outlook. Providing clear summaries of Weber's ideas – concentrating on the themes most often encountered on sociology courses – Kieran Allen provides a lively introduction to this key thinker. Kieran Allen explores Weber's political background through his life and his writing. Weber was a neo-liberal who thought that the market guaranteed efficiency and rationality. He was an advocate of empire. He supported the carnage of WW1 and vehemently attacked German socialists such as Rosa Luxemburg. Weber’s most famous book, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, ignores the bloody legacy associated with the early accumulation of capital. Instead, he locates the origins of the system in a new rigorous morality. Using a political framework, Kieran Allen's book is is ideal for students who want to develop a critical approach.

A critical introduction to the sociology and politics of Emile Durkheim

An accessible and comprehensive overview of the ideas of Karl Marx that elucidates his theories and suggests crucial alternatives to capitalism