Overview

In the twentieth century, many European monarchies collapsed, but others are still going strong today--including the British Royal Family, who have weathered their fair share of scandals. When he was deposed in Egypt in 1952, King Farouk predicted that there would be five monarchs left at the end of the century: the kings of hearts, diamonds, clubs, spades, and England. To date, his prediction has proved wrong, and while the twentieth century saw the collapse of monarchies across Europe, many democratic societies have retained them. God Save the Queen is the first book to look at constitutional monarchies globally. Is monarchy merely a feudal relic that should be abolished, or does the division between ceremonial and actual power act as a brake on authoritarian politicians? Is a President Boris Johnson potentially more dangerous than a Prime Minister Boris Johnson? And what is the role of monarchy in the independent countries of the Commonwealth that have retained the Queen as head of state? Monarchy deserves neither the adulation of the right nor the dismissal of the left. In an era of autocratic populism, does constitutional monarchy provide some safeguards against the megalomania of political leaders? A fascinating read through the unexpected durability and potential benefits of constitutional monarchies.

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9781950354986

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Reviews

At 153 pages God Save the Queen is a quick read, and Altman packs a lot into it, whizzing through the histories and current political climates of an array of countries to gain better understanding of the way monarchies have sustained themselves and evolved. ... It's the ability, in such a relatively brief space of words, to capture the breadth of diversity and nuances of modern monarchy, that makes Altman's exploration of the phenomenon truly fascinating. --Ben Pobjie, The Australian This very readable little book encourages us to think more about the game of thrones and the different ways it might be played. --Jeff Sparrow, The Age Praise for Unrequited Love Dennis Altman's peripatetic book Unrequited Love moves from Australia to the United States, across Europe and parts of Asia. Filled with intellectual luminaries such as James Baldwin, Dorothy Porter, Susan Sontag, and Christos Tsiolkas, Altman's life and career has been intense and wide-ranging ... Unrequited Love--a memoir in diaries--is the work of a hugely influential Australian writer and commentator. --Sebastian Sharp, Australian Book Review From Lyndon Johnson to Trump, Altman's diary takes us from the early days of AIDS to gay liberation against a backdrop of Australia's strange love for America. --Gillian Triggs An ingenious combining of memoir and analysis, personal reflection and social science. --Frank Bongiorno Praise for Queer Wars: The global struggle for sexual and gender minority rights is one of the most critical and contested human rights movements of our time. As queer communities mobilize, and the coming generation of young people worldwide express greater tolerance, acceptance and calls for freedom, the pushback has been intense. Altman and Symons have done us all an invaluable service in unpacking the complex politics around LGBT rights, demands, cultures and contexts. Queer Wars is essential reading for all engaged in pressing for more just, open and diverse societies. --Chris Beyrer, Johns Hopkins University, and president of the International AIDS Society Dennis Altman's and Jonathan Symons's work Queer Wars is a timely and accessible intervention on the global state of play for queer rights. --Australian Institute of International Affairs Queer Wars is broad in its scope, engaging in its material, thorough in its conception, and passionate in its argument on how advocacy should build a consensus that protects sexual minorities globally from violence and discrimination. A book for strategists, activists, academics and international workers alike. --Edwin Cameron, constitutional court of South Africa

At 153 pages God Save the Queen is a quick read, and Altman packs a lot into it, whizzing through the histories and current political climates of an array of countries to gain better understanding of the way monarchies have sustained themselves and evolved. ... It's the ability, in such a relatively brief space of words, to capture the breadth of diversity and nuances of modern monarchy, that makes Altman's exploration of the phenomenon truly fascinating. --Ben Pobjie, The Australian This very readable little book encourages us to think more about the game of thrones and the different ways it might be played. --Jeff Sparrow, The Age Praise for Unrequited Love Dennis Altman's peripatetic book Unrequited Love moves from Australia to the United States, across Europe and parts of Asia. Filled with intellectual luminaries such as James Baldwin, Dorothy Porter, Susan Sontag, and Christos Tsiolkas, Altman's life and career has been intense and wide-ranging ... Unrequited Love--a memoir in diaries--is the work of a hugely influential Australian writer and commentator. --Sebastian Sharp, Australian Book Review From Lyndon Johnson to Trump, Altman's diary takes us from the early days of AIDS to gay liberation against a backdrop of Australia's strange love for America. --Gillian Triggs An ingenious combining of memoir and analysis, personal reflection and social science. --Frank Bongiorno Praise for Queer Wars: The global struggle for sexual and gender minority rights is one of the most critical and contested human rights movements of our time. As queer communities mobilize, and the coming generation of young people worldwide express greater tolerance, acceptance and calls for freedom, the pushback has been intense. Altman and Symons have done us all an invaluable service in unpacking the complex politics around LGBT rights, demands, cultures and contexts. Queer Wars is essential reading for all engaged in pressing for more just, open and diverse societies. --Chris Beyrer, Johns Hopkins University, and president of the International AIDS Society Dennis Altman's and Jonathan Symons's work Queer Wars is a timely and accessible intervention on the global state of play for queer rights. --Australian Institute of International Affairs Queer Wars is broad in its scope, engaging in its material, thorough in its conception, and passionate in its argument on how advocacy should build a consensus that protects sexual minorities globally from violence and discrimination. A book for strategists, activists, academics and international workers alike. --Edwin Cameron, constitutional court of South Africa God Save the Queen is a book which deserves a wide readership. --Bernard Whimpress, The Newtown Review of Books

Author Information

Dennis Altman first came to attention with his book Homosexual: Oppression & Liberation in 1972. His recent books include Global Sex, Gore Vidal's America, and Unrequited Love: Diary of an Accidental Activist. Dennis is a Professorial Fellow at La Trobe University in Melbourne. He has been Visiting Professor of Australian Studies at Harvard, and was listed by The Bulletin as one of the 100 most influential Australians ever.

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