Corruption in Ukraine

Download Corruption in Ukraine PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Cambridge Scholars Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1443898147
Total Pages : 250 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (438 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Corruption in Ukraine by : Oleg Bazaluk

Download or read book Corruption in Ukraine written by Oleg Bazaluk and published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing. This book was released on 2016-08-17 with total page 250 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Using the methodology of geophilosophy, this book expands the understanding of Ukraine as a limitrophe state, as a frontier between two world cultures, the East and the West. It explains the relationship between the totally corrupt Ukrainian political system and the geographic location of the country. Drawing from open source information, the book constructs psychological portraits of five presidents of Ukraine and various members of their inner-circle in order to show their role in the formation and consolidation of the corrupt mentality of Ukrainian authority. As shown here, such mentalities of Ukrainian rulers, and their Soviet nomenklatura past, have, to a large extent, determined the course of history for the entire country. The book will appeal to a wide range of readers interested in the issues of geopolitics, geophilosophy, and national identity.

Ukraine

Download Ukraine PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Peterson Institute for International Economics
ISBN 13 : 0881327026
Total Pages : 318 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (813 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Ukraine by : Anders Aslund

Download or read book Ukraine written by Anders Aslund and published by Peterson Institute for International Economics. This book was released on 2015-04-17 with total page 318 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ukraine has been wracked by a year of unprecedented political, economic, and military turmoil. Russian military aggression in the east and a legacy of destructive policies and corruption have created an imminent existential crisis for this young democracy. Yet Ukraine also has a great opportunity to break out of economic underperformance. In this study, Anders Åslund, one of the world's leading experts on Ukraine, traces Ukraine's evolution as a market economy starting with the fall of communism and examines the economic impact of its recent difficulties. Åslund argues that Ukraine must undertake sweeping political, economic, social, and government reforms to achieve prosperity and independence. For its part, the West must abandon its hesitant approach and provide broad economic assistance to help Ukraine transform itself.

Ukraine's Revolt, Russia's Revenge

Download Ukraine's Revolt, Russia's Revenge PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Brookings Institution Press
ISBN 13 : 0815739257
Total Pages : 444 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (157 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Ukraine's Revolt, Russia's Revenge by : Christopher M. Smith

Download or read book Ukraine's Revolt, Russia's Revenge written by Christopher M. Smith and published by Brookings Institution Press. This book was released on 2022-03-15 with total page 444 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “This firsthand account of contemporary history is key to understanding Russia's latest assault on its neighbor."—USA Today An eyewitness account by a U.S. diplomat of Russia’s brazen attempt to undo the democratic revolution in Ukraine Told from the perspective of a U.S. diplomat in Kyiv, this book is the true story of Ukraine’s anti-corruption revolution in 2013—14, Russia’s intervention and invasion of that nation, and the limited role played by the United States. It puts into a readable narrative the previously unpublished reporting by seasoned U.S. diplomatic and military professionals, a wealth of information on Ukrainian high-level and street-level politics, a broad analysis of the international context, and vivid descriptions of people and places in Ukraine during the EuroMaidan Revolution. The book also counters Russia’s disinformation narratives about the revolution and America’s role in it. While focusing on a single country during a dramatic three-year period, the book’s universal themes—among them, truth versus lies, democracy versus autocracy—possess a broader urgency for our times. That urgency burns particularly hot for the United States and all other countries that are the targets of Russia's cyber warfare and other forms of political skullduggery. From his posting in U.S. Embassy Kyiv (2012–14), the author observed and reported first-hand on the EuroMaidan Revolution that wrested power from corrupt pro-Kremlin Ukrainian autocrat Viktor Yanukovych. The book also details Russia’s attempt to abort the Ukrainian revolution through threats, economic pressure, lies, and intimidation. When all of that failed, the Kremlin exacted revenge by annexing Ukraine's territory of Crimea and fomenting and sustaining a hybrid war in eastern Ukraine that has killed more than 13,000 people and continues to this day. Ukraine's Revolt, Russia’s Revenge is based on the author’s own observations and the multitude of reports of his Embassy colleagues who were eyewitnesses to a crucial event in contemporary history.

The Struggle for Ukraine

Download The Struggle for Ukraine PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781784132439
Total Pages : 94 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (324 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Struggle for Ukraine by :

Download or read book The Struggle for Ukraine written by and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 94 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

How Ukraine Became a Market Economy and Democracy

Download How Ukraine Became a Market Economy and Democracy PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Columbia University Press
ISBN 13 : 0881325066
Total Pages : 371 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (813 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis How Ukraine Became a Market Economy and Democracy by : Anders Åslund

Download or read book How Ukraine Became a Market Economy and Democracy written by Anders Åslund and published by Columbia University Press. This book was released on 2009-03-01 with total page 371 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One of Europe's old nations steeped in history, Ukraine is today an undisputed independent state. It is a democracy and has transformed into a market economy with predominant private ownership. Ukraine's postcommunist transition has been one of the most protracted and socially costly, but it has taken the country to a desirable destination. Åslund's vivid account of Ukraine's journey begins with a brief background, where he discusses the implications of Ukraine's history, the awakening of society because of Mikhail Gorbachev's reforms, the early democratization, and the impact of the ill-fated Soviet economic reforms. He then turns to the reign of President Leonid Kravchuk from 1991 to 1994, the only salient achievement of which was nation-building, while the economy collapsed in the midst of hyperinflation. The first two years of Leonid Kuchma's presidency, from 1994 to 1996, were characterized by substantial achievements, notably financial stabilization and mass privatization. The period 1996–99 was a miserable period of policy stagnation, rent seeking, and continued economic decline. In 2000 hope returned to Ukraine. Viktor Yushchenko became prime minister and launched vigorous reforms to cleanse the economy from corruption, and economic growth returned. The ensuing period, 2001–04, amounted to a competitive oligarchy. It was quite pluralist, although repression increased. Economic growth was high. The year 2004 witnessed the most joyful period in Ukraine, the Orange Revolution, which represented Ukraine's democratic breakthrough, with Yushchenko as its hero. The postrevolution period, however, has been characterized by great domestic political instability; a renewed, explicit Russian threat to Ukraine's sovereignty; and a severe financial crisis. The answers to these challenges lie in how soon the European Union fully recognizes Ukraine's long-expressed identity as a European state, how swiftly Ukraine improves its malfunctioning constitutional order, and how promptly it addresses corruption.

Addressing Security Risks at the Ukrainian Border Through Best Practices on Good Governance

Download Addressing Security Risks at the Ukrainian Border Through Best Practices on Good Governance PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : IOS Press
ISBN 13 : 1614997101
Total Pages : 148 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (149 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Addressing Security Risks at the Ukrainian Border Through Best Practices on Good Governance by : R. Kęsek

Download or read book Addressing Security Risks at the Ukrainian Border Through Best Practices on Good Governance written by R. Kęsek and published by IOS Press. This book was released on 2016-12 with total page 148 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With the current security crisis in the Ukraine, border security has become a pressing issue. Both the annexation of Crimea and the temporary occupation of the Donbas region represent serious violations of the country's territorial integrity and of the wider international legal order. This book contains 13 presentations delivered during the two-day NATO Advanced Research Workshop (ARW) 'Addressing Security Risks at the Ukrainian Border through Best Practices on Good Governance – Sources and Counter Measures', which took place in Kyiv, Ukraine, in February 2016. The workshop consisted of 5 expert panels devoted to various aspects of building the integrity of the Ukrainian border management agencies to enhance the border security of the eastern flank of NATO. The topics of these panels were: the integrity of the security sector in Ukraine; corruption as a security risk in border management; institutional tools to combat corruption in border management; increasing preparedness for cross-border crises; and bilateral and multilateral dimensions of international cooperation to enhance the integrity of border management agencies. The workshop contributed to raising awareness of emerging border security challenges, as well as providing a forum for the close cooperation of and the exchange of knowledge between the most relevant local and international agencies. It also made possible the discussion of issues such as the current refugee crisis and the implications - for security - of corruption in border management in a wider context.

A Culture of Corruption?

Download A Culture of Corruption? PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Central European University Press
ISBN 13 : 9789639116986
Total Pages : 392 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (169 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis A Culture of Corruption? by : William Lockley Miller

Download or read book A Culture of Corruption? written by William Lockley Miller and published by Central European University Press. This book was released on 2001-01-01 with total page 392 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Focusing on the gap between democratic ideals and performance, three European academics study the common experience and even more common perception of the corrupt behavior of bureaucrats in post-communist Ukraine, Bulgaria, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. The authors conducted focus-group studies, one-on-one interviews, and large-scale surveys to reveal plentiful details about the ways ordinary citizens cope in their day-to-day dealings with low-level officials and state employees, whose decisions can have a critically important impact on people's lives. c. Book News Inc.

Proof of Corruption

Download Proof of Corruption PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : St. Martin's Press
ISBN 13 : 1250273005
Total Pages : 352 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (52 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Proof of Corruption by : Seth Abramson

Download or read book Proof of Corruption written by Seth Abramson and published by St. Martin's Press. This book was released on 2020-09-08 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the third volume of his Proof series, New York Times bestselling author Seth Abramson takes readers on a deep dive into the Ukraine scandal, revealing it to be more sinister, complex, and transnational than previously thought. Abramson’s research on Trump administration corruption positions the Ukraine scandal as the foreseeable culmination of years of clandestine machinations involving scores of players, from Beijing to Budapest, Ankara to Caracas, Warsaw to Jerusalem, Kyiv to Riyadh, and Moscow to D.C. While many know about the July 2019 telephone call that ignited the Ukraine scandal, most don’t know about the concurrent attempts by members of Trump’s inner circle to take over Ukraine’s national gas company and bolster dangerous pro-Kremlin Ukrainian oligarchs—moves that would have benefited Putin and destabilized Ukraine’s government and economy. In Beijing, Trump’s dealings with the Chinese government not only enriched him and his family, but also culminated in him successfully seeking 2020 election interference from Xi Jinping in the form of closely held information about Joe Biden. In Venezuela, many of the actors involved in the Ukraine scandal engaged in similarly secretive, Kremlin-friendly negotiations that undermined U.S. policy. In Syria and Iraq, Trump’s personal indebtedness to autocrats in Turkey, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE cost untold lives. And Abramson brings the story back to an increasingly fractured and depleted United States, where the COVID-19 pandemic exposes the staggering domestic consequences of the Trump administration’s foreign machinations. In Proof of Corruption, Seth Abramson lays bare Trump’s decades-long pattern of corruption. This globe-spanning narrative is an urgent warning about the unprecedented threat posed by a corrupt president and his administration.

Understanding Corruption

Download Understanding Corruption PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781788214438
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (144 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Understanding Corruption by : Robert Barrington

Download or read book Understanding Corruption written by Robert Barrington and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Using case studies to understand the different forms of corruption (bribery, political corruption, kleptocracy and corrupt capital) the book builds a picture of the global threat that corruption poses and the responses that have been most effective.

Ukraine

Download Ukraine PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Reaktion Books
ISBN 13 : 178914020X
Total Pages : 289 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (891 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Ukraine by : Karl Schlögel

Download or read book Ukraine written by Karl Schlögel and published by Reaktion Books. This book was released on 2018-08-15 with total page 289 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ukraine is a country caught in a political tug of war: looking East to Russia and West to the European Union, this pivotal nation has long been a pawn in a global ideological game. And since Russia’s annexation of Crimea in March 2014 in response to the Ukrainian Euromaidan protests against oligarchical corruption, the game has become one of life and death. In Ukraine: A Nation on the Borderland, Karl Schlögel presents a picture of a country which lies on Europe’s borderland and in Russia’s shadow. In recent years, Ukraine has been faced, along with Western Europe, with the political conundrum resulting from Russia’s actions and the ongoing Information War. As well as exploring this present-day confrontation, Schlögel provides detailed, fascinating historical portraits of a panoply of Ukraine’s major cities: Lviv, Odessa, Czernowitz, Kiev, Kharkov, Donetsk, Dnepropetrovsk, and Yalta—cities whose often troubled and war-torn histories are as varied as the nationalities and cultures which have made them what they are today, survivors with very particular identities and aspirations. Schlögel feels the pulse of life in these cities, analyzing their more recent pasts and their challenges for the future.

The Eagle and the Trident

Download The Eagle and the Trident PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Brookings Institution Press
ISBN 13 : 0815730624
Total Pages : 384 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (157 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Eagle and the Trident by : Steven Pifer

Download or read book The Eagle and the Trident written by Steven Pifer and published by Brookings Institution Press. This book was released on 2017-07-11 with total page 384 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An insider’s account of the complex relations between the United States and post-Soviet Ukraine The Eagle and the Trident provides the first comprehensive account of the development of U.S. diplomatic relations with an independent Ukraine, covering the years 1992 through 2004 following the collapse of the Soviet Union. The United States devoted greater attention to Ukraine than any other post-Soviet state (except Russia) after the breakup of the Soviet Union. Steven Pifer, a career Foreign Service officer, worked on U.S.-Ukraine relations at the State Department and the White House during that period and also served as ambassador to Ukraine. With this volume he has written the definitive narrative of the ups and downs in the relationship between Washington and newly independent Ukraine. The relationship between the two countries moved from heady days in the mid- 1990s, when they declared a strategic partnership, to troubled times after 2002. During the period covered by the book, the United States generally succeeded in its major goals in Ukraine, notably the safe transfer of nearly 2,000 strategic nuclear weapons left there after the Soviet collapse. Washington also provided robust support for Ukraine’s effort to develop into a modern, democratic, market-oriented state. But these efforts aimed at reforming the state proved only modestly successful, leaving a nation that was not resilient enough to stand up to Russian aggression in Crimea in 2014. The author reflects on what worked and what did not work in the various U.S. approaches toward Ukraine. He also offers a practitioner’s recommendations for current U.S. policies in the context of ongoing uncertainty about the political stability of Ukraine and Russia’s long-term intentions toward its smaller but important neighbor.

The System Made Me Do It

Download The System Made Me Do It PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : M.E. Sharpe
ISBN 13 : 9780765633484
Total Pages : 240 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (334 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The System Made Me Do It by : Rasma Karklins

Download or read book The System Made Me Do It written by Rasma Karklins and published by M.E. Sharpe. This book was released on 2005-04-25 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Strike up a conversation with a citizen from the post-communist region and invariably the talk will turn to the topic of corruption - the misuse of public power for private gain. People are sure that corruption is widespread, whether from their own experiences or stories they have heard from others. They feel frustrated that there seems to be nothing they can do about it, that they are helpless, and that they are being played for fools. And many are cynical: they feel that they, too, have to play the game because "the system" compels them to do so. But what system exactly? What are the structures and mechanisms of corruption in post-communist societies? "The System Made Me Do It" is the first comprehensive study of the origin, nature, and consequences of corruption in post-communist societies. While international actors decry corruption as a major impediment to democracy building and economic development, the problem is not well understood. This book fills that gap, and suggests innovative and practical institutional strategies for containing corruption. It achieves a rare and perfect balance of disciplined analysis, practicality, and passion.

How Russia Really Works

Download How Russia Really Works PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Cornell University Press
ISBN 13 : 0801470056
Total Pages : 292 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (14 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis How Russia Really Works by : Alena V. Ledeneva

Download or read book How Russia Really Works written by Alena V. Ledeneva and published by Cornell University Press. This book was released on 2014-01-15 with total page 292 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: During the Soviet era, blat—the use of personal networks for obtaining goods and services in short supply and for circumventing formal procedures—was necessary to compensate for the inefficiencies of socialism. The collapse of the Soviet Union produced a new generation of informal practices. In How Russia Really Works, Alena V. Ledeneva explores practices in politics, business, media, and the legal sphere in Russia in the 1990s—from the hiring of firms to create negative publicity about one's competitors, to inventing novel schemes of tax evasion and engaging in "alternative" techniques of contract and law enforcement. Ledeneva discovers ingenuity, wit, and vigor in these activities and argues that they simultaneously support and subvert formal institutions. They enable corporations, the media, politicians, and businessmen to operate in the post-Soviet labyrinth of legal and practical constraints but consistently undermine the spirit, if not the letter, of the law. The "know-how" Ledeneva describes in this book continues to operate today and is crucial to understanding contemporary Russia.

Moneyland

Download Moneyland PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Profile Books
ISBN 13 : 1782833331
Total Pages : 387 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (828 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Moneyland by : Oliver Bullough

Download or read book Moneyland written by Oliver Bullough and published by Profile Books. This book was released on 2018-09-06 with total page 387 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER PRESENTER OF THE BBC RADIO 4 SERIES 'HOW TO STEAL A TRILLION' SHORTLISTED FOR THE ORWELL PRIZE 2019 SUNDAY TIMES BUSINESS BOOK OF THE YEAR AN ECONOMIST POLITICS AND CURRENT AFFAIRS BOOK OF THE YEAR A DAILY MAIL AND TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR 'You cannot understand power, wealth and poverty without knowing about Moneyland.' Simon Kuper, New Statesman 2019: democracy is eating itself, inequality is skyrocketing, the system is breaking apart. Why? Because in 1962, some bankers in London had an idea that changed the world. That idea was called 'offshore'. It meant that, for the first time, thieves could dream big. They could take everything. Join investigative journalist Oliver Bullough on a journey into the hidden world of the new global kleptocrats. See the poor countries where public money is stolen and the rich ones where it is laundered and invested. Watch the crooks at work and at play, and meet their respectable, white-collar enablers. Learn how the new system works and begin to see how we can tackle it.

Ukraine's Maidan, Russia's War

Download Ukraine's Maidan, Russia's War PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : BoD – Books on Demand
ISBN 13 : 3838213270
Total Pages : 450 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (382 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Ukraine's Maidan, Russia's War by : Mychailo Wynnyckyj

Download or read book Ukraine's Maidan, Russia's War written by Mychailo Wynnyckyj and published by BoD – Books on Demand. This book was released on 2019-04-30 with total page 450 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In early 2014, sparked by an assault by their government on peaceful students, Ukrainians rose up against a deeply corrupt, Moscow-backed regime. Initially demonstrating under the banner of EU integration, the Maidan protesters proclaimed their right to a dignified existence; they learned to organize, to act collectively, to become a civil society. Most prominently, they established a new Ukrainian identity: territorial, inclusive, and present-focused with powerful mobilizing symbols. Driven by an urban “bourgeoisie” that rejected the hierarchies of industrial society in favor of a post-modern heterarchy, a previously passive post-Soviet country experienced a profound social revolution that generated new senses: “Dignity” and “fairness” became rallying cries for millions. Europe as the symbolic target of political aspiration gradually faded, but the impact (including on Europe) of Ukraine’s revolution remained. When Russia invaded—illegally annexing Crimea and then feeding continuous military conflict in the Donbas—, Ukrainians responded with a massive volunteer effort and touching patriotism. In the process, they transformed their country, the region, and indeed the world. This book provides a chronicle of Ukraine’s Maidan and Russia’s ongoing war, and puts forth an analysis of the Revolution of Dignity from the perspective of a participant observer.

Empire of Corruption

Download Empire of Corruption PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Glagoslav Publications
ISBN 13 : 1782670734
Total Pages : 180 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (826 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Empire of Corruption by : Vladimir Soloviev

Download or read book Empire of Corruption written by Vladimir Soloviev and published by Glagoslav Publications. This book was released on 2018-01-01 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Empire of Corruption is Vladimir Soloviev’s attempt to share his opinions on Russia’s ways of dealing with corruption. With a certain irony, Soloviev calls the issue ‘the Russian national pastime’, explaining why in the country where everyone is supposedly fighting corruption, corruption still rules. The author’s detailed research into the corruption structure in Russia, with concrete examples and historical references, is now available to the reader in the English language. Soloviev goes further than just talking about the basics of this evil phenomenon; the author suggests a method, a personal path each citizen of Russia may follow to avert corruption in their country. Vladimir Soloviev is a famous Russian journalist, TV and radio host and public figure. His career began after graduating from one of Russia’s main institutes of technology and obtaining a PhD degree in economics. At first, he taught science in high school, then spent two years teaching economics at Alabama State University. Upon his return to Russia, Soloviev went into business. Since the late 1990s he has been a popular host on Russian radio and television, has worked in the theatre and in cinematography, has led corporate training, and has given many lectures. Soloviev’s bibliography consists of more than two dozen titles on the hottest topics in modern Russian society.

The Ukrainian Night

Download The Ukrainian Night PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Yale University Press
ISBN 13 : 0300231539
Total Pages : 339 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (2 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Ukrainian Night by : Marci Shore

Download or read book The Ukrainian Night written by Marci Shore and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 2018-01-09 with total page 339 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A vivid and intimate account of the Ukrainian Revolution, the rare moment when the political became the existential What is worth dying for? While the world watched the uprising on the Maidan as an episode in geopolitics, those in Ukraine during the extraordinary winter of 2013–14 lived the revolution as an existential transformation: the blurring of night and day, the loss of a sense of time, the sudden disappearance of fear, the imperative to make choices. In this lyrical and intimate book, Marci Shore evokes the human face of the Ukrainian Revolution. Grounded in the true stories of activists and soldiers, parents and children, Shore’s book blends a narrative of suspenseful choices with a historian’s reflections on what revolution is and what it means. She gently sets her portraits of individual revolutionaries against the past as they understand it—and the future as they hope to make it. In so doing, she provides a lesson about human solidarity in a world, our world, where the boundary between reality and fiction is ever more effaced.