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Employing critical analysis of Caribbean intellectual thought and of the postcolonial political economy, Brian Meeks sets about proposing a manifesto for the future. What emerges is a programme for the medium term, which is pragmatic in its efforts to deal with the current crisis without engaging in the romanticism of an all-encompassing revolutionary transformation. Meeks suggests a form of participatory reorganization without, necessarily, dismantling the fundamentals of formal democratic organization. Particular emphasis is placed on rural agro-producers because their empowerment, politically and economically, resolves the problem of elite domination while creating the conditions for economic democracy. He argues, finally, that the proposals can become the basis for a more fundamental social and intellectual transformation from, following Sylvia Wynter, ""man"" to ""human"", based on democracy, community and solidarity.

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The earthquake that struck Haiti on 12 January 2010 thrust the nation into the public consciousness as never before. There is now an unprecedented empathy for and interest in Haiti, and a related need for information on Haitian reality, beyond the clichés often associated with the nation. In particular, there is a special interest in the earthquake and the questions of Haitis future development. Haiti Rising responds to this public interest and has three fundamental aims: to raise awareness of Haiti, its people, culture and history; to allow some who were in Haiti during the earthquake a chance to testify.

The book brings together more than twenty essays written by some of the most prominent authorities on Haiti, and offers insights on the political, social and historical contexts, as well as the uniquely rich culture of the nation. The first part features survivor testimonies  moving accounts of the earthquake and its aftermath written by authors and academics, Haitian nationals and foreign visitors. The second part presents essays on economics, politics, society and culture (music, religion, visual art), and the ways in which they are interrelated in history and in contemporary life. The third section focuses on the history of Haiti from colonial times to the present and shows the ways in which history has shaped Haitian society. It shows how colonial class and colour structures have persisted, how the revolution has shaped subsequent political, cultural and social structures, and how the legacy of the Duvalier dictatorship has lingered. The final section features contributors who were not in Haiti at the time of the earthquake, but who have strong ties to Haiti. These authors write about their personal connections to Haiti, their reactions to the earthquake, and their hopes and recommendations for reconstruction.

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If any doubt still remains, the story of Trinidad and Tobago will dispel the last illusion that money and technical assistance alone can launch a new nation in the world community. The Mechanics of Independence probes the interplay of political and social factors on national development with both commitment and detachment. The author, who is President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is also a political scientist whose perceptions have been sharpened by the demands of his office. As a background for economic reforms and a new constitution, the author traces the political development of the colony under Spanish and British imperial rule, discussing the origin and evolution of the idea that led to the rise of nationalism. Valuable and practical information, supported by charts and statistics, explains how Trinidad and Tobago devised measures to cope with a legacy of economic problems, the tax structure, monetary policy, and international trade following its independence from Great Britain in 1962. The text is a compelling portrait of developmental efforts and a case study of the economic, cultural, and political problems that developing nations faced during the twentieth century and provides historical background for those nations who are facing the mounting challenges inherent in globalization. Originally published in 1971 by the Massasuchetss Institute of Technology Press, this seminal work is as timely today as when it was first published.

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Rock it Come Over describes the music and lore of slavery from the early sixteenth century through emancipation in 1838 to the mid twentieth century. Lewin explores the role of music in the lives of the slaves as a method of communication, as a form of resistance and subversion, as a repository of oral history and beliefs, and, ultimately, as a means of survival. The work is based on decades of research into the music sung and played by the working people of Jamaica. Lewin relates the music to traditions that preserve an African way of life, such as Revivalism and its strong heritage of faith and worship. She has a special interest in the Kumina cult and describes in detail the life and beliefs of Kumina queen, Imogene 'Queenie' Kennedy. Rock it Come Over is the most extensive study of Jamaican folk music yet published. It is also an examination of the roots of that music and a record of the folk heritage that is, in spite of many efforts, rapidly retreating before the pressures of life today.

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The increasing visibility of individuals engaging in small-scale business enterprises outside formal wage employment has been a topic of debate for many years, in many countries. The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is no exception. In fact, the informal economy has become a persistent feature of the regions economic landscape and has been thriving, as documented by leading Caribbean scholars.

Informal Commercial Importers in CARICOM is the first book to examine the various dimensions of informal commercial importing from an aggregate CARICOM perspective, emphasizing the economic dimensions and providing three empirical surveys of informal commercial importing in Guyana, Dominica and Jamaica. Roger Hosein and Martin Franklin provide a rich survey of the literature on shuttle trading, which aids in contextualizing the range of factors that has given rise to shuttle trading in CARICOM and enabled its longevity. They discuss the possible effects of formalizing the informal trade in CARICOM economies and propose strategies that can aid in this formalization process.

While this book is written to appeal to an academic audience, it also provides essential reading for policymakers, research scholars and practitioners alike, and it provides a foundation for further studies of the shuttle trade in a changing Caribbean.

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Gendered Realities is an interdisciplinary reader that situates the present understanding of Caribbean feminist scholarship after fifteen years of indepth and increasingly sophisticated research. The book provides a space for scholars to put forward new and challenging ideas and attempts to encourage new contributors to intellectual thought in the Caribbean. The essays deal with diverse and rich topics including the role of women in Caribbean art and the visual grammars of gender in early Caribbean painting as well as the development of women's history and gendered history in relation to the historiography of the English-speaking Caribbean. Other essays probe the representation of masculinity in Caribbean feminist thought, gender and adult sexuality, and symbols of masculinity in visual art. Of interest to scholars in gender studies, women's studies, minority studies, and Caribbean history and culture.