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Hierarchy (The Agni Yoga Series Book 7) by Agni Yoga Society 4.7 Stars (27 Reviews)    Price verified 8 hours ago

Hierarchy is the seventh book from the Agni Yoga Series which is composed of fourteen books. In them is found a synthesis of ancient Eastern beliefs and modern Western thought and a bridge between the spiritual and the scientific. Unlike previous yogas, Agni Yoga is a path not of physical disciplines, meditation, or asceticism -- but of practice in daily life. It is the yoga of fiery energy, of consciousness, of responsible, directed thought. It teaches that the evolution of the planetary consciousness is a pressing necessity and that, through individual striving, it is an attainable aspiration for mankind. It affirms the existence of the Hierarchy of Light and the center of the Heart as the link with the Hierarchy and with the far-off worlds. Though not systematized in an ordinary sense, Agni Yoga is a Teaching that helps the discerning student to discover moral and spiritual guide-posts by which to learn to govern his or her life and thus contribute to the Common Good. For this reason Agni Yoga has been called a "living ethics." Agni Yoga Society, Inc., New York

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 173 Pages (336 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Dec 9th, 2023

Croatian Radical Separatism and Diaspora Terrorism During the Cold War (Central European Studies) by Mate Nikola Tokić 3.5 Stars (3 Reviews)    Price verified 4 hours ago

Croatian Radical Separatism and Diaspora Terrorism During the Cold War examines one of the most active but least remembered groups of terrorists of the Cold War: radical anti-Yugoslav Croatian separatists. Operating in countries as widely dispersed as Sweden, Australia, Argentina, West Germany, and the United States, Croatian extremists were responsible for scores of bombings, numerous attempted and successful assassinations, two guerilla incursions into socialist Yugoslavia, and two airplane hijackings during the height of the Cold War. In Australia alone, Croatian separatists carried out no less than sixty-five significant acts of violence in one ten-year period. Diaspora Croats developed one of the most far-reaching terrorist networks of the Cold War and, in total, committed on average one act of terror every five weeks worldwide between 1962 and 1980. Toki? focuses on the social and political factors that radicalized certain segments of the Croatian diaspora population during the Cold War and the conditions that led them to embrace terrorism as an acceptable form of political expression. At its core, this book is concerned with the discourses and practices of radicalization -- the ways in which both individuals and groups who engage in terrorism construct a particular image of the world to justify their actions. Drawing on exhaustive evidence from seventeen archives in ten countries on three continents -- including diplomatic communiqués, political pamphlets and manifestos, manuals on bomb-making, transcripts of police interrogations of terror suspects, and personal letters among terrorists -- Toki? tells the comprehensive story of one of the Cold War's most compelling global political movements.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 430 Pages (1,330 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Dec 9th, 2023

Revisiting Migrant Networks: Migrants and their Descendants in Labour Markets (IMISCOE Research Series) by Elif Keskiner (Springer) Price verified 2 hours ago

This open access book provides new conceptualisations on the networks of migrants and their descendants in accessing the labour market. Although references to social networks are common in discussions of migration, simplified ideas of co-ethnic networks often obscure the reality, for example confounding ties with co-ethnics and 'strong ties'. This open access book addresses key questions about the role of networks in migration contexts, particularly in relation to how migrants and their descendants, access the labour market and develop their employment trajectories over time. Rather than adopting a narrow essentializing ethnic lens, the research presented in this book explores intersectional identities of class, generation and gender. By focusing on the kinds of capital circulating between ties, including the dark side of social capital, the book offers insights into power dynamics and the potentially exclusionary dimension of networks. Taking a long term view, across generations, the research in this book shows how migrants and their descendants mobilize resources to tackle discrimination and enhance their position within particular labour markets. Drawing on robust quantitative and rich qualitative data, this book provides a primary source to students, scholars and policy-makers focusing on issues of migration, social networks, social mobility as well as labour market inequalities.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 426 Pages (2,221 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Dec 5th, 2023

Reichenbach’s Paradise: Constructing the Realm of Probabilstic Common “Causes” by Leszek Wronski (De Gruyter Open Poland) 3.8 Stars (7 Reviews)    Price verified 2 hours ago

Since its introduction by Hans Reichenbach, many philosophers have claimed to refute the idea - known as the common cause principle - that any surprising correlation between any two factors that do not directly influence one another is due to some common cause. For example, falsity of the principle is frequently inferred from falsifiability of Bell's inequalities. The author demonstrates, however, that the situation is not so straightforward. There is more than one version of the principle formulated with the use of different variants of Reichenbach-inspired notions; their falsity still remains an open question. The book traces different formulations of the principle and provides proofs of a few pertinent theorems, settling the relevant questions in various probability spaces. In exploring mathematical and philosophical issues surrounding the principle, the book offers both philosophical insight and mathematical rigor.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 126 Pages (1,738 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Dec 5th, 2023

Mobile Hollywood: Labor and the Geography of Production by Kevin Sanson (University of California Press) Price verified 49 minutes ago

A free ebook version of this title is available through Luminos, University of California Press's Open Access publishing program. Visit www.luminosoa.org to learn more. Contemporary film and television production is extraordinarily mobile. Filming large-scale studio productions in Atlanta, Budapest, London, Prague, or Australia's Gold Coast makes Hollywood jobs available to people and places far removed from Southern California -- but it also requires individuals to uproot their lives as they travel around the world in pursuit of work. Drawing on interviews with a global contingent of film and television workers, Kevin Sanson weaves an analysis of the sheer scale and complexity of mobile production into a compelling account of the impact that mobility has had on job functions, working conditions, and personal lives. Mobile Hollywood captures how an expanded geography of production not only intensifies the often invisible pressures that production workers now face but also stretches the parameters of screen-media labor far beyond craftwork and creativity.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 243 Pages (5,759 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Dec 4th, 2023

Problems in American Democracy by Thames Williamson 5.0 Stars (2 Reviews)    Price verified 59 minutes ago

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 588 Pages (1,322 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Dec 4th, 2023

Your Child: Today and Tomorrow Some Problems for Parents Concerning Punishment, Reasoning, Lies, Ideals and Ambitions, Fear, Work and Play, ... by Sidonie Matsner Gruenberg 3.7 Stars (6 Reviews)    Price verified 49 minutes ago

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 133 Pages (449 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Nov 28th, 2023

Is Judaism Democratic?: Reflections from Theory and Practice Throughout the Ages (Studies in Jewish Civilization Book 29) by Leonard J. Greenspoon (Purdue University Press) 3.0 Stars (1 Review)    Price verified 2 hours ago

As government by the people, democracy has always had its proponents as well as opponents. What forms of government have Jewish leaders, both with and without actual political power, favored? Not surprisingly, many options have been offered theoretically and in practice. Perhaps more surprisingly, democracy has been at the heart of most systems of governance. Biblical Israel was largely a monarchy, but many writers of the Bible were critical of the excesses that almost always arise when human kings take charge: the general populace loses its freedom. In rabbinic Judaism, the majority ruled, and many principles that support modern democratic institutions have their basis in interpretations offered by the classical rabbis. This is true even though rabbinic Jews did not govern democratically. When Jews did have some degree of self-governance, democratic principles and institutions were often upheld. At the same time, so most communal leaders insisted, God-the ultimate judge-ultimately judges everything and everyone. Modern Israel provides the first instance of an independent Jewish nation since the Hasmonean monarchy of the second and first centuries BCE. On an almost daily basis, common features uniting democracy and Judaism, as well as flash point of controversy, are highlighted there. The fourteen scholars whose work is collected here are mindful of all of these circumstances-and many more. In a style that is accessible, clear, and balanced, they allow readers to assess these issues based on the most current thinking. This volume is required reading for anyone interested in how religion and politics have interacted, and continue to interact, in Judaism and among Jews.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 272 Pages (2,718 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Nov 25th, 2023

Who Is A Jew?: Reflections on History, Religion, and Culture (Studies in Jewish Civilization Book 25) by Leonard J. Greenspoon (Purdue University Press) 2.0 Stars (1 Review)    Price verified 14 minutes ago

Jewish identity is a perennial concern, as Jews seek to define the major features and status of those who "belong," while at the same time draw distinctions between individuals and groups on the "inside" and those on the "outside." From a variety of perspectives, scholarly as well as confessional, there is intense interest among non-Jewish and Jewish commentators alike in the basic question, "Who is a Jew?" This collection of articles draws diverse historical, cultural, and religious insights from scholars who represent a wide range of academic and theological disciplines. Some of the authors directly address the issue of Jewish identity as it is being played out today in Israel and Diaspora communities. Others look to earlier time periods or societies as invaluable resources for enhanced and deepened analysis of contemporary matters. All authors in this collection make a concerted effort to present their evidence and their conclusions in a way that is accessible to the general public and valid for other scholars. The result is a richly textured approach to a topic that seems always relevant. If, as is the case, no single answer appeals to all of the authors, this is as it should be. We all gain from the application of a number of approaches and perspectives, which enrich our appreciation of the people whose lives are affected, for better or worse, by real-life discussions of this issue and the resultant actions toward exclusivity or inclusivity.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 451 Pages (3,543 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Nov 24th, 2023

President Trump’s First Term: The Year in C-SPAN Archives Research, Volume 5 by Robert X. Browning (Purdue University Press) Price verified 8 hours ago

C-SPAN is the network of record for US political affairs, broadcasting live gavel-to-gavel proceedings of the House of Representatives and the Senate, and to other forums where public policy is discussed, debated, and decided--without editing, commentary, or analysis and with a balanced presentation of points of view. The C-SPAN Archives, located adjacent to Purdue University, is the home of the online C-SPAN Video Library. The Archives has recorded all of C-SPAN's television content since 1987. Extensive indexing, captioning, and other enhanced online features provide researchers, policy analysts, students, teachers, and public officials with an unparalleled chronological and internally cross-referenced record for deeper study. Books in this series present the finest interdisciplinary research utilizing tools of the C-SPAN Video Library. Each volume highlights recent scholarship and comprises leading experts and emerging voices in political science, journalism, psychology, computer science, communication, and a variety of other disciplines. Each section within each volume includes responses from expert discussants. Developed in partnership with the Center for C-SPAN Scholarship & Engagement in the Purdue University Brian Lamb School of Communication with support from the C-SPAN Education Foundation, this volume is guided by the ideal that research based on C-SPAN video can increase our understanding of American politics and democracy based on the ideals of our American experiment. The fifth volume of the C-SPAN Archives research focuses primarily on the Trump presidency in the first term. Chapters address his moral language, his rhetoric on climate change, and African American support for Trump. Other chapters use the C-SPAN Archives to study congressional influence on immigration policy, nonverbal cues in congressional speeches, and local and national perspectives on congressional debates.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 384 Pages (5,580 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Nov 23rd, 2023

The C-SPAN Archives: An Interdisciplinary Resource for Discovery, Learning, and Engagement (The Year in C-SPAN Archives Research) by Robert X. Browning (Purdue University Press) Price verified 2 hours ago

The C-SPAN Archives records, indexes, and preserves all C-SPAN programming for historical, educational, and research uses. Every C-SPAN program aired since 1987, from all House and Senate sessions in the US Congress, to hearings, presidential speeches, conventions, and campaign events, totaling over 200,000 hours, is contained in the video library and is immediately and freely accessible through the database and electronic archival systems developed and maintained by staff. Whereas C-SPAN is best known as a resource for political processes and policy information, the Archives also offers rich educational research and teaching opportunities. This book provides guidance and inspiration to scholars who may be interested in using the Archives to illuminate concepts and processes in varied communication and political science subfields using a range of methodologies for discovery, learning, and engagement. Applications described range from teaching rhetoric to enhancing TV audience's viewing experience. The book links to illustrative clips from the Archives to help readers appreciate the usability and richness of the source material and the pedagogical possibilities it offers. Many of the essays are authored by faculty connected with the Purdue University School of Communication, named after the founder of C-SPAN Brian Lamb.The book is divided into four parts: Part 1 consists of an overview of the C-SPAN Archives, the technology involved in establishing and updating its online presence, and the C-SPAN copyright and use policy. Featured are the ways in which the collection is indexed and tips on how individuals can find particular materials. This section provides an essential foundation for scholars' and practitioners' increased use of this valuable resource. Parts 2 and 3 contain case studies describing how scholars use the Archives in their research, teaching, and engagement activities. Some case studies were first presented during a preconference at the National ...

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 279 Pages (6,040 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Nov 23rd, 2023

Exploring the C-SPAN Archives: Advancing the Research Agenda (The Year in C-SPAN Archives Research) by Robert X. Browning Price verified 2 hours ago

Exploring the C-SPAN Archives is a collection of path-breaking research studies that use video drawn from the C-SPAN Archives. The book, based on the papers presented at a November 2014 conference, includes chapters that explore issues in presidential debates, minority representation, the presentation of the first ladies, stem research, and innovative ways to analyze video. The book is divided into five parts: Part 1 consists of an overview of and common scholarship using the C-SPAN Archives and how this research advances the conversation after previously published studies. Featured are the ways in which the collection is indexed and tips on how individuals can find particular materials. This section is essential for increased scholarship and pragmatic applications. Part 2 contains applied research using the video collection. Topics in this section include a look at oral histories of minority members of Congress, an analysis of presidential debates, and the presentation style of Michelle Obama. Part 3 is focused on STEM research, including concepts and contradictions in the debate over STEM initiatives, expertise and evidence in science presentations in the C-SPAN Archives, and the framing of technology issues in a C-SPAN television series, The Communicators. Part 4 presents innovative research using C-SPAN and new computer technology. Two scholars take different technical approaches to evaluate polarization and communication using audio levels and video images. Finally, in Part 5, David Caputo presents ideas on the value of massive open online courses (MOOCs) using C-SPAN and reflects on the use of C-SPAN for citizen education in what he terms the "postdigital world." Additionally, Patrice Buzzanell contributes a reflective essay on the future directions of research using the C-SPAN Archives based on the essays in this volume.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 397 Pages (6,238 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Nov 22nd, 2023

Advances in Research Using the C-SPAN Archives (The Year in C-SPAN Archives Research) by Robert X. Browning Price verified 9 hours ago

This book is a guide to the latest research using the C-SPAN Archives. In this book, nine authors present original work using the video archives to study presidential debates, public opinion and Congress, analysis of the Violence Against Women Act and the Great Lakes freshwater legislation, as well as President Clinton's grand jury testimony. The C-SPAN Archives contain over 220,000 hours of first run digital video of the nation's public affairs record. These and other essays serve as guides for scholars who want to explore the research potential of this robust public policy and communications resource.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 278 Pages (3,373 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Nov 22nd, 2023

Laying the Foundation: Digital Humanities in Academic Libraries (Charleston Insights in Library, Archival, and Information Sciences) by John W. White (Purdue University Press) Price verified 9 hours ago

Laying the Foundation: Digital Humanities in Academic Libraries examines the library's role in the development, implementation, and instruction of successful digital humanities projects. It pays special attention to the critical role of librarians in building sustainable programs. It also examines how libraries can support the use of digital scholarship tools and techniques in undergraduate education. Academic libraries are nexuses of research and technology; as such, they provide fertile ground for cultivating and curating digital scholarship. However, adding digital humanities to library service models requires a clear understanding of the resources and skills required. Integrating digital scholarship into existing models calls for a reimagining of the roles of libraries and librarians. In many cases, these reimagined roles call for expanded responsibilities, often in the areas of collaborative instruction and digital asset management, and in turn these expanded responsibilities can strain already stretched resources.Laying the Foundation provides practical solutions to the challenges of successfully incorporating digital humanities programs into existing library services. Collectively, its authors argue that librarians are critical resources for teaching digital humanities to undergraduate students and that libraries are essential for publishing, preserving, and making accessible digital scholarship.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 246 Pages (4,402 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Nov 22nd, 2023

American Politics and the Jewish Community (The Jewish Role in American Life: An Annual Review Book 11) by Dan Schnur (Purdue University Press) Price verified 2 hours ago

At its broadest level, politics is the practice of making a community a better, safer, and more tolerant place to live. So it should be of no surprise that America's Jews have devoted themselves to civic engagement and the democratic process. From before the Revolutionary War to the early twenty-first century, when America saw the first Jewish vice presidential nominee of a major party and the first Jewish Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Jewish community has always devoted itself to public service, issue advocacy, and involvement in politics and government at every level. While strong support for the safety and security of the state of Israel has been a hallmark of US foreign policy since Israel's founding, it is by no means the only policy area in which American Jews are involved. Nor are American Jews monolithic in their politics. Although the Jewish community has become a reliable part of the Democratic Party's base in most partisan elections, American Jews represent a wide range of ideologies on most economic and foreign policy matters. In addition to becoming leaders in business and labor, in academia and in philanthropy, Jewish Americans have always helped shape the discussion over the issues that form the country's future. In this volume, a mix of professors, graduate students, and lay people in the field of politics with a breadth of experience debate some central questions: Is Israel still the most important policy concern for American Jews? Why does the Jewish community vote Democratic in such overwhelming numbers? Can American Jews balance economic, security and human rights concerns in a rapidly changing international community? And how will such profound transformations affect the role of America's Jewish community as the United States seeks out its own role in domestic and global politics?

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 213 Pages (2,301 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Nov 22nd, 2023

Anecdotes & Incidents of the Deaf and Dumb by W. R. (William Robert) Roe 3.9 Stars (3 Reviews)    Price verified 29 minutes ago

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 273 Pages (400 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Nov 21st, 2023

Human Rights Standards: Hegemony, Law, and Politics (SUNY series, James N. Rosenau series in Global Politics) by Makau Mutua (SUNY Press) 5.0 Stars (1 Review)    Price verified 4 hours ago

How are human rights norms made, who makes them, and why? In Human Rights Standards, Makau Mutua traces the history of the human rights project and critically explores how the norms of the human rights movement have been created. Examining key texts and documents published since the inception of the human rights movement at the end of World War II, he crafts a bracing critique of these works from the hitherto underutilized perspective of the Global South. Attention is focused on the deficits of the international order and how that order, which is defined by multiple asymmetries, defines human rights in a manner that exhibits normative gaps and cultural biases. Mutua identifies areas of further norm development and concludes that norm-creating processes must be inclusive and participatory to garner legitimacy across various cleavages and divides. The result is the first truly comprehensive critical look at the making of human rights norms and standards and, as such, will be an invaluable resource for students, scholars, activists, and policymakers interested in this important topic. This book is freely available in an open access edition thanks to Knowledge Unlatched -- an initiative that provides libraries and institutions with a centralized platform to support OA collections and from leading publishing houses and OA initiatives. Learn more at the Knowledge Unlatched website at: https://www.knowledgeunlatched.org/, and access the book online at the SUNY Open Access Repository at http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12648/7133 .

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 258 Pages (2,748 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Nov 21st, 2023

Ancient Households on the North Coast of Peru by Ilana Johnson (University Press of Colorado) Price verified 59 minutes ago

Ancient Households on the North Coast of Peru provides insight into the organization of complex, urban, and state-level society in the region from a household perspective, using observations from diverse North Coast households to generate new understandings of broader social processes in and beyond Andean prehistory. Many volumes on this region are limited to one time period or civilization, often the Moche. While Ancient Households on the North Coast of Peru does examine the Moche, it offers a wider thematic approach to a broader swath of prehistory. Chapters on various time periods use a comparable scale of analysis to examine long-term continuity and change and draw on a large corpus of prior research on states, rulership, and cosmology to offer new insight into the intersection of household, community, and state. Contributors address social reproduction, construction and reinforcement of gender identities and social hierarchy, household permanence and resilience, and expression of identity through cuisine. This volume challenges common concepts of the "household" in archaeology by demonstrating the complexity and heterogeneity of household-level dynamics as they intersect with institutions at broader social scales and takes a comparative perspective on daily life within one region of the Andes. It will be of interest to both students and scholars of South American archaeology and household archaeology. Contributors: Brian R. Billman, David Chicoine, Guy S. Duke, Hugo Ikehara, Giles Spence-Morrow, Jessica Ortiz, Edward Swenson, Kari A. Zobler

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 323 Pages (7,022 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Nov 20th, 2023

The Meaning of Life by Vimal Sehgal B.Tech. IIT Delhi 4.1 Stars (48 Reviews)    Price verified one hour ago

Love is divine and Divinity is love personified. The author explains that divine love is the meaning of life and shows the reader how everyone can attain peace, love, immortality and happiness by the easy method of mantra meditation. The book elaborately describes love as the ultimate reality, love is divine, reincarnation and its significance, immortality and bliss, law of karma, mind and meditation, bhakti yoga and the art of dying. The book also presents a synthesis of science and religion by explaining the fundamentals of life and consciousness and by giving the characteristics of life and matter. Included are some fascinating tales from ancient Vedic scriptures which illustrate the philosophy with the medium of real life drama. Love is the highest value. From our experience we can surmise that the feeling of love is the most pleasing and gives us ecstasy and pleasure. The feeling of love is cherished by all and the exchange of feelings of love is remembered fondly within our hearts. Love nourishes us and really love is our life. Without love life is meaningless. Indeed the meaning of life is love. Our present education system does not teach students the meaning of life. The tragedy of life is that, consequently, a person may go through life without ever knowing the meaning of life or why he came to this world in the first place. Topics covered include: ?The Meaning of Life ?Love is divine ?Immortality and bliss ?Meditation and bhakti yoga ?Reincarnation and its significance ?Laws of karma ?Proof of God's existence + Location of soul ?Life is but a dream ?The art of dying About the author: The author is a disciple of the late Swami Mangal Maharaj, secretary Shri Chaitanya Gaudiya Ashram in India. Previously he worked as a systems analyst with Govt. of Canada after graduating in electrical engineering and computer sciences from IIT Delhi and University of Ottawa respectively. EXCERPTS FROM THE BOOK: What is the meaning of life? The answer to this all ...

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 222 Pages (527 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Nov 19th, 2023

Heart (The Agni Yoga Series Book 8) by Agni Yoga Society 4.8 Stars (37 Reviews)    Price verified 3 hours ago

Heart is the eighth book from the Agni Yoga Series which is composed of fourteen books. In them is found a synthesis of ancient Eastern beliefs and modern Western thought and a bridge between the spiritual and the scientific. Unlike previous yogas, Agni Yoga is a path not of physical disciplines, meditation, or asceticism -- but of practice in daily life. It is the yoga of fiery energy, of consciousness, of responsible, directed thought. It teaches that the evolution of the planetary consciousness is a pressing necessity and that, through individual striving, it is an attainable aspiration for mankind. It affirms the existence of the Hierarchy of Light and the center of the Heart as the link with the Hierarchy and with the far-off worlds. Though not systematized in an ordinary sense, Agni Yoga is a Teaching that helps the discerning student to discover moral and spiritual guide-posts by which to learn to govern his or her life and thus contribute to the Common Good. For this reason Agni Yoga has been called a "living ethics."Agni Yoga Society, Inc., New York

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 284 Pages (420 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Nov 17th, 2023

People's Diplomacy: How Americans and Chinese Transformed US-China Relations during the Cold War (The United States in the World) by Kazushi Minami (Cornell University Press) Price verified 9 hours ago

In People's Diplomacy, Kazushi Minami shows how the American and Chinese people rebuilt US-China relations in the 1970s, a pivotal decade bookended by Richard Nixon's 1972 visit to China and 1979 normalization of diplomatic relations. Top policymakers in Washington and Beijing drew the blueprint for the new bilateral relationship, but the work of building it was left to a host of Americans and Chinese from all walks of life, who engaged in "people-to-people" exchanges. After two decades of estrangement and hostility caused by the Cold War, these people dramatically changed the nature of US-China relations. Americans reimagined China as a country of opportunities, irresistible because of its prodigious potential, while Chinese reinterpreted the United States as an agent of modernization, capable of enriching their country and rejuvenating their lives. Drawing on extensive research at two dozen archives in the United States and China, People's Diplomacy redefines contemporary US-China relations as a creation of the American and Chinese people.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 252 Pages
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Nov 17th, 2023

Being Human during COVID by Kristin Ann Hass (University of Michigan Press) Price verified 29 minutes ago

Science has taken center stage during the COVID-19 crisis; scientists named and diagnosed the virus, traced its spread, and worked together to create a vaccine in record time. But while science made the headlines, the arts and humanities were critical in people's daily lives. As the world went into lockdown, literature, music, and media became crucial means of connection, and historians reminded us of the resonance of the past as many of us heard for the first time about the 1918 influenza pandemic. As the twindemics of COVID-19 and racial injustice tore through the United States, a contested presidential race unfolded, which one candidate described as "a battle for the soul of the nation." Being Human during COVID documents the first year of the pandemic in real time, bringing together humanities scholars from the University of Michigan to address what it feels like to be human during the COVID-19 crisis. Over the course of the pandemic, the questions that occupy the humanities -- about grieving and publics, the social contract and individual rights, racial formation and xenophobia, ideas of home and conceptions of gender, narrative and representations and power -- have become shared life-or-death questions about how human societies work and how culture determines our collective fate. The contributors in this collection draw on scholarly expertise and lived experience to try to make sense of the unfamiliar present in works that range from traditional scholarly essays, to personal essays, to visual art projects. The resulting book is shot through with fear, dread, frustration, and prejudice, and, on a few occasions, with a thrilling sense of hope.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 421 Pages (4,608 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Nov 16th, 2023

Translating Human Rights in Education: The Influence of Article 24 UN CRPD in Nigeria and Germany by Julia Biermann (University of Michigan Press) 4.0 Stars (1 Review)    Price verified 9 hours ago

The 2006 United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) is the first human rights treaty to explicitly acknowledge the right to education for persons with disabilities. In order to realize this right, the convention's Article 24 mandates state parties to ensure inclusive education systems that overcome outright exclusion as well as segregation in special education settings. Despite this major global policy change to tackle the discriminations persons with disabilities face in education, this has yet to take effect in most school systems worldwide. Focusing on the factors undermining the realization of disability rights in education, Julia Biermann probes current meanings of inclusive education in two contrasting yet equally challenged state parties to the UN CRPD: Nigeria, whose school system overtly excludes disabled children, and Germany, where this group primarily learns in special schools. In both countries, policy actors aim to realize the right to inclusive education by segregating students with disabilities into special education settings. In Nigeria, this demand arises from the glaring lack of such a system. In Germany, conversely, from its extraordinary long-term institutionalization. This act of diverting from the principles embodied in Article 24 is based on the steadfast and shared belief that school systems, which place students into special education, have an innate advantage in realizing the right to education for persons with disabilities. Accordingly, inclusion emerges to be an evolutionary and linear process of educational expansion that depends on institutionalized special education, not a right of persons with disabilities to be realized in local schools on an equal basis with others. This book proposes a refined human rights model of disability in education that shifts the analytical focus toward the global politics of formal mass schooling as a space where discrimination is sustained.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 206 Pages (2,469 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Nov 2nd, 2023

Trump’s First Year in Office: The Awakening by Tom Ersin (GraniteWord.com) 5.0 Stars (1 Review)    Price verified 8 hours ago

Traditional Republicans made a deal with the devil. The devil had other plans. On Inauguration Day 2017, no one knew the depths of havoc to which the White House would descend. Traditional Republicans thought President Trump would mature into the job. The rest is histrionics. In the last months of the 2016 campaign, my wife and partner, Norma, canvassed for the Democratic Party. She always has paid attention to current events, but what motivated her to volunteer this election cycle was the threat of a Trump administration. Throughout the fall into early November she reported to Macomb County Democratic headquarters each weekend, was assigned a walking partner and a map, and hit the streets talking to residents for three hours each Saturday and Sunday. On Election Day, Nov. 8, all Dem foot soldiers did extra duty, one final push to put Hillary over the top. They knocked on doors from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. At the end of that long shift they retreated to their command center for the last time, cautiously confident. Upon returning, campaign bigwigs were reporting ominous internal exit-polling numbers for the Great Lakes State and they needed all hands for a late surge. Norma and her crew went back to the streets for another two hours. Around noon the next day, Hillary Clinton conceded the election to Donald Trump saying, "We owe him an open mind and a chance to lead."? Get your copy today. [Tom Ersin has degrees in communications and counseling. He's a long-time political observer and author of a half-dozen nonfiction books on 21st century U.S. politics.]

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 246 Pages (639 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Nov 1st, 2023

The Philosophy of Light: by God's Advocate by Dan Anghel 3.4 Stars (13 Reviews)    Price verified 2 hours ago

FREE eBOOK TO FREE YOUR SOUL ! ------------------------------------------------------ May The Power of Love of Jesus Christ give you happiness and Light ! May the Power of Light of Jesus Christ give you wisdom and Love ! GOD LOVES YOU ! God defended the victims from the Beginnings.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 92 Pages (1,486 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Oct 24th, 2023

Japanese Electoral Politics: Creating a New Party System (Nissan Institute/Routledge Japanese Studies) by Steven Reed (Routledge) 4.4 Stars (5 Reviews)    Price verified 7 hours ago

The old Japanese single-party system collapsed in 1993, but a new system has not yet fully evolved. Following the most significant party reform in Japanese history, this book analyses the most recent national elections, examining voter behaviour and how it is influenced. It provides a comprehensive overview of Japanese politics from 1955 to 1993 and a detailed historical study of events leading up to the 1996 and 2000 elections, before presenting statistical analysis of the elections themselves. The authors then look to the future, anticipating what form the new political system will take. Japanese Electoral Politics contains four very detailed case studies and a wealth of new data. It will appeal to students and researchers of Japanese politics and elections and electoral systems.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 231 Pages (4,610 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Oct 20th, 2023

Postfeminism and Health: Critical Psychology and Media Perspectives (Critical Approaches to Health) by Sarah Riley (Routledge) Price verified 9 hours ago

Winner of the 2021 BPS Book Award: Academic Text category, this groundbreaking book employs a transdisciplinary and poststructuralist methodology to develop the concept of 'postfeminist healthism,' a twenty-first-century understanding of women's physical and mental health formed at the intersections of postfeminist sensibilities, neoliberal constructs of citizenship and the notion of health as an individual responsibility managed through consumption. Postfeminist healthism is used in this book to explore seven topics where postfeminist sensibility has the most impact on women's health: self-help, weight, surgical technologies, sex, pregnancy, responsibilities for others' health and pro-anorexia communities. The book explores the ways in which the desire to be normal and live a good life is tied to expectations of 'normal-perfection' circulated across interpersonal interactions, media representations and expert discourses. It diagnoses postfeminist healthism as unhealthy for both those women who participate in it and those whom it excludes and considers how more positive directions may emerge.? By exploring the under-researched intersection of postfeminism and health studies, this book will be invaluable to researchers and students in psychology, gender and women's studies, health research, media studies and sociology.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 212 Pages (709 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Oct 19th, 2023

The Life of the Venerable Mother Mary of the Incarnation by A Religious of the Ursuline Community 5.0 Stars (1 Review)    Price verified 4 hours ago

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 150 Pages (640 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Oct 18th, 2023

Contested Territories and International Law: A Comparative Study of the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict and the Aland Islands Precedent by Kamal Makili-Aliyev (Routledge) 4.4 Stars (7 Reviews)    Price verified 8 hours ago

This book considers the possibilities for resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict in the context of comparative international law. The armed conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the territory of the Nagorno-Karabakh has been on the peace and security agenda since the dissolution of the Soviet Union. This volume draws parallels with a similar situation between Sweden and Finland over sovereignty of the Aland Islands in the early 20th century. Resolved in 1921, it is argued that this represents a model autonomy solution for territorial conflicts that include questions of territorial integrity, self-determination and minority rights. The book compares both conflict situations from the international law perspective, finding both commonalities and dissimilarities. It advances the application of the solution found in the Aland Islands precedent as a model for the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict, and provides appropriate recommendations for its implementation. The book will be of interest to academics, researchers and policymakers in the areas of international law and security, conflict resolution and international relations. The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 126 Pages (707 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Oct 16th, 2023

Participatory Research on Child Maltreatment with Children and Adult Survivors: Concepts, Ethics, and Methods (Emerald Studies in Child Centred ... by Maria Roth 4.0 Stars (1 Review)    Price verified 9 hours ago

The ebook edition of this title is Open Access and freely available to read online. Childhood should be free of violence, and victims of childhood maltreatment should be entitled to participate as expert informants in research about these experiences. Placing children and adult survivors at the heart of research efforts on child maltreatment is critical to effective response and prevention measures in fighting this form of violence. Embedded in the European context, Participatory Research on Child Maltreatment with Children and Adult Survivors presents a mosaic of contexts, theories, and methods relating to children's and adult survivors' participation in research about their adverse experiences. Contributors demonstrate how research can mobilize children and adult survivors to become agents in constructing and disseminating reliable, evidence-based knowledge about child maltreatment. Enriching ongoing debates about ethical concerns and challenges of participatory research in the field of child maltreatment, this contribution to Emerald Studies in Child Centred Practice highlights the advantages that participation as a human right and as a valued endeavour of scientific knowledge accumulation can bring to communities of researchers and helping professionals. The authors of this book are members of a designated working group of the pan-European network on Multisectoral Responses to Child Abuse and Neglect in Europe (Euro-CAN), supported by the European Cooperation on Science Technology (COST Action 19106), that promote children's and child abuse survivors' participation in research on violence.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 507 Pages (12,606 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Oct 15th, 2023

Administering Justice: Placing the Chief Justice in American State Politics by Richard Vining Price verified 14 minutes ago

Administering Justice examines the leadership role of chief justices in the American states, including how those duties require chief justices to be part of the broader state political environment. Vining and Wilhelm focus extensively on the power of chief justices as public spokespersons, legislative liaisons, and reform leaders. In contrast to much existing research on chief justices in the states, this study weighs their extrajudicial responsibilities rather than intracourt leadership. By assessing the content of State of the Judiciary remarks delivered over a period of sixty years, Vining and Wilhelm are able to analyze the reform agendas advanced by chief justices and determine what factors influence the likelihood of success. These analyses confirm that chief justices engage with state politics in meaningful ways and that reactions to their proposals are influenced by ideological congruence with other political elites and the scope of their requests. Administering Justice also examines the chief justice position as an institution, provides a collective profile of its occupants, and surveys growing diversity among court leaders.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 187 Pages (4,487 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Oct 12th, 2023

Elson Grammar School Literature v4 by William H. Elson 5.0 Stars (1 Review)    Price verified 4 hours ago

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 481 Pages (942 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Oct 5th, 2023

International Security in a World of Fragile States: Islamic States and Islamist Organizations by S. Yaqub Ibrahimi (University of Michigan Press) 4.0 Stars (1 Review)    Price verified 9 hours ago

Following the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington, DC, there has been an increasing interest among scholars, students, and the interested public to study and learn about the Islamist-oriented terrorist organizations called Jihadi Salafi Groups (JSGs). Considering that these organizations emerged in highly fragile states, S. Yaqub Ibrahimi asks: how and why is state fragility linked to the emergence of JSGs? Ibrahimi bases his study on three events: the establishment of al-Qaeda in Afghanistan in 1998, the rise of Islamic State in the post-Saddam Hussein Iraq, and the failed al-Qaeda effort to establish a base in Saudi Arabia in 2003. These case studies contain major aspects and features of the rise of JSGs and, together, explain the contribution of state fragility to the process of the formation and expansion of these terrorist organizations. International Security in a World of Fragile States stands out as a pivotal work on the interconnection between the root causes of JSGs and state fragility conditions and their amalgamated role in the formation and evolution of these organizations. It contributes to IR and international security debates by developing a comprehensive but readily understandable narrative of the rise of JSGs in Islamic countries, and examining them in an analytical framework in which their root causes are categorized on individual, group, and international levels.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 231 Pages (1,014 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Sep 28th, 2023

New Global Cities in Latin America and Asia: Welcome to the Twenty-First Century by Pablo Baisotti (University of Michigan Press) 4.0 Stars (1 Review)    Price verified one hour ago

New Global Cities in Latin America and Asia: Welcome to the Twenty-First Century proposes new visions of global cities and regions historically considered "secondary" in the international context. The arguments are not only based on material progress made by these metropolises, but also on the growing social difficulties experienced (e.g., organized crime, drug trafficking, slums, economic inequalities). The book illustrates the growth of cities according to these problems arising from the modernity of the new century, comparing Latin American and Asian cities. This book analyzes the complex relationships within cities through an interdisciplinary approach, complementing other research and challenging orthodox views on global cities. At the same time, the book provides new theoretical and methodological tools to understand the progress of "Third World" cities and the way of understanding "globality" in the 21st century by confronting the traditional views with which global cities were appreciated since the 1980s. Pablo Baisotti brings together researchers from various fields who provide new interpretative keys to certain cities in Latin America and Asia.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 364 Pages (2,771 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Sep 24th, 2023

Empowering Female Climate Change Activists in the Global South: The Path Toward Environmental Social Justice (Diverse Perspectives on Creating a ... by Peggy Ann Spitzer (Emerald Publishing Limited) 5.0 Stars (1 Review)    Price verified 4 hours ago

The ebook edition of this title is Open Access, thanks to Knowledge Unlatched funding, and freely available to read online. The COP27 climate change conference in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt made it clear that fighting global warming will require continuing commitment, cooperation, and collaborative action from multiple constituencies around the world. Urging readers from the Global North to rethink their approaches and potential contributions to long-term change, Empowering Female Climate Change Activists in the Global South explains how woman climate change leaders are confronting patriarchal structures to achieve social justice. Examining the lived experiences of woman climate change activists based in rural areas, Peg Spitzer presents eighty-five original interviews that feature women whose careers in business, education, politics, and the arts have championed women's rights in Asia, environmental defenders who have established projects in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, and woman farmers in three Indian villages who have faced climate-related droughts and floods. Suggesting ways in which successful climate change amelioration and adaptation led by women in the Global South may be replicated elsewhere, Spitzer also considers how NGOs and other organizations from the Global North can best contribute to facilitating positive changes in the communities where they work by focusing on empathetic cooperation. Addressing the urgent need to develop gender-just solutions that uplift and empower those who are experiencing environmental degradation in their communities, Empowering Female Climate Change Activists in the Global South uncovers the flaws in current combative structures and strategies and re-examines scholarly research at the nexus of feminism, transnational advocacy, and hierarchies of need.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 356 Pages (4,523 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Sep 23rd, 2023

Internationalizing "International Communication" (The New Media World) by Chin-Chuan Lee (University of Michigan Press) 4.0 Stars (1 Review)    Price verified 9 minutes ago

International communication as a field of inquiry is, in fact, not very "internationalized." Rather, it has been taken as a conceptual extension or empirical application of U.S. communication, and much of the world outside the West has been socialized to adopt truncated versions of Pax Americana's notion of international communication. At stake is the "subject position" of academic and cultural inquirers: Who gets to ask what kind of questions? It is important to note that the quest to establish universally valid "laws" of human society with little regard for cultural values and variations seems to be running out of steam. Many lines of intellectual development are reckoning with the important dimensions of empathetic understanding and subjective consciousness. In Internationalizing "International Communication," Lee and others argue that we must reject both America-writ-large views of the world and self-defeating mirror images that reject anything American or Western on the grounds of cultural incompatibility or even cultural superiority. The point of departure for internationalizing "international communication" must be precisely the opposite of parochialism - namely, a spirit of cosmopolitanism. Scholars worldwide have a moral responsibility to foster global visions and mutual understanding, which forms, metaphorically, symphonic harmony made of cacophonic sounds.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 338 Pages (984 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Sep 23rd, 2023

Women, Life, Freedom: Our Fight for Human Rights and Equality in Iran (Brown Democracy Medal) by Nasrin Sotoudeh (Cornell University Press) Price verified 9 minutes ago

The Laurence and Lynne Brown Democracy Medal, presented by the McCourtney Institute for Democracy at Penn State, recognizes outstanding individuals, groups, and organizations that produce innovations to further democracy in the United States or around the world. Nasrin Sotoudeh is an Iranian lawyer and human rights activist who has been called "Iran's Nelson Mandela." Sotoudeh is a longtime opponent of the death penalty, advocate of improving imprisonment health conditions, and an activist dedicated to fighting for the rights of women, children, religious and ethnic minorities, journalists and artists, and those facing execution. As a result of her advocacy, Sotoudeh has been repeatedly imprisoned by the Iranian government for crimes against the state; she served one sentence from 2010 to 2013 and was sentenced again in 2018 to thirty-eight years and six months in prison and 148 lashes. Her work has been featured in the 2020 documentary Nasrin, by filmmakers Jeff Kaufman and Marcia S. Ross. For this important work, she is the recipient of the 2023 Brown Democracy Medal from the McCourtney Institute for Democracy, marking the award's tenth year.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 63 Pages (681 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Sep 22nd, 2023

Gender, Food and COVID-19: Global Stories of Harm and Hope (Routledge Focus on Environment and Sustainability) by Paige Castellanos (Routledge) 4.5 Stars (2 Reviews)    Price verified 9 hours ago

This book documents how COVID-19 impacts gender, agriculture, and food systems across the globe with on-the-ground accounts and personal reflections from scholars, practitioners, and community members. During the coronavirus pandemic with many people under lockdown, continual agricultural production and access to food remain essential. Women provide much of the formal and informal work in agriculture and food production, distribution, and preparation often under precarious conditions. A cadre of scholars and practitioners from across the globe provide their timely observations on these issues as well as more personal reflections on its impact on their lives and work. Four major themes emerge from these accounts and are interwoven throughout: the pervasiveness of food insecurity, the ubiquity of women's care work, food justice, and policies and research that can that can result in a resilience that reimagines the future for greater gender and intersectional equality. We identify what lessons we can learn from this global pandemic about research and practices related to gender, food, and agricultural systems to strive for more equitable arrangements. This book will be of great interest to students, scholars and practitioners working on gender and food and agriculture during this global pandemic and beyond. The Open Access version of this book, available at www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 158 Pages (8,011 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Sep 21st, 2023

Operationalisation of Hybrid Peacebuilding in Asia: From Theory to Practice (Security, Development and Human Rights in East Asia) by Yuji Uesugi (Palgrave Macmillan) 4.0 Stars (1 Review)    Price verified 2 hours ago

This open access book explores common critiques in the literature of hybrid peacebuilding, especially the lack of connection between hybridity in theory and practice. Through using a complexity-informed framework, the foundation for introducing the mid-space actor typology is established. Mid-space actors as insider-partial mediators are perceived to be vital agents for peace processes in conflict-affected areas and thus can be important power brokers and focal points for outside actors. In this book, two insider views are examined through analysing mid-space actors in the peacebuilding process in Cambodia and in Mindanao, the Philippines. First, it explores the process of identity-building of Cambodian monks and how such a process enables or hinders the monks to bridge existing cleavages. Then, in the case study of Mindanao, the roles of civil society actors are considered. The next step is to introduce the outsider's perspective on hybrid peacebuilding and how Asian peacebuilding actors such as China and Japan are engaging with mid-space actors who provide key bridges in peacebuilding.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 289 Pages (703 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Sep 15th, 2023

The Assassination of Jacques Lemaigre Dubreuil: A Frenchman between France and North Africa (History and Society in the Islamic World) by William A. Hoisington, Jr. (Routledge) 4.5 Stars (4 Reviews)    Price verified 9 hours ago

This is a political biography of the French industrialist and political activist Jacques Lemaigre Dubreuil (1894-1955), president of the Taxpayers' Federation in the 1930s, entrepreneur in wartime France and Africa, organizer of the 'Group of Five' in Algiers which prepared for the Allied landings in North Africa (November 1942), 'inventor' of General Henri Giraud as a candidate for the leadership of liberated North and West Africa, negotiator of the Murphy-Giraud Agreements and the Anfa Memorandum with President Roosevelt (1942 and 1943), political writer on the postwar future of France in Morocco and the owner of the liberal newspaper Maroc-Presse. He was assassinated in Casablanca by French counter-terrorists in June 1955, a 'turning point' event which pushed the French government to grant independence to Morroco. Was he a rabble-rouser, a demagogue, a betrayer of French interests at home and overseas or a reformer, a patriot, a hero of the anti-German resistance, and a champion of Franco-Moroccan solidarity?

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 162 Pages (12,323 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Sep 11th, 2023

Foundations of a Sociology of Canon Law by Judith Hahn (Springer) 3.0 Stars (1 Review)    Price verified 49 minutes ago

This "Open Access" book investigates the legal reality of the church through a sociological lens and from the perspective of canon law studies, the discipline which researches the law and the legal structure of the Catholic Church. It introduces readers from various backgrounds to the sociology of canon law, which is both a legal and a theological field of study, and is the first step towards introducing a new subdiscipline of the sociology of canon law. As a theoretical approach to mapping out this field, it asks what theology and canon law may learn from sociology; it discusses the understanding of "law" in religious contexts; studies the preconditions of legal validity and effectiveness; and based on these findings it asks in what sense it is possible to speak of canon "law". By studying a religious order as its struggles to find a balance between continuity and change, this book also contributes to the debates on religious law in modernity and the challenges it faces from secular states and plural societies. This book is of interest to researchers and students of the sociology of law, legal studies, law and religion, the sociology of religion, theology, and religious studies. This is an open access book.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 424 Pages (701 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Sep 10th, 2023

Covid Conspiracy Theories in Global Perspective by Michael Butter (Routledge) 4.0 Stars (1 Review)    Price verified 7 hours ago

Covid Conspiracy Theories in Global Perspective examines how conspiracy theories and related forms of misinformation and disinformation about the Covid-19 pandemic have circulated widely around the world. Covid conspiracy theories have attracted considerable attention from researchers, journalists, and politicians, not least because conspiracy beliefs have the potential to negatively affect adherence to public health measures. While most of this focus has been on the United States and Western Europe, this collection provides a unique global perspective on the emergence and development of conspiracy theories through a series of case studies. The chapters have been commissioned by recognized experts on area studies and conspiracy theories. The chapters present case studies on how Covid conspiracism has played out (some focused on a single country, others on regions), using a range of methods from a variety of disciplinary perspectives, including history, politics, sociology, anthropology, and psychology. Collectively, the authors reveal that, although there are many narratives that have spread virally, they have been adapted for different uses and take on different meanings in local contexts. This volume makes an important contribution to the rapidly expanding field of academic conspiracy theory studies, as well as being of interest to those working in the media, regulatory agencies, and civil society organizations, who seek to better understand the problem of how and why conspiracy theories spread. The Open Access version of this book, available at www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 414 Pages (2,848 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Sep 8th, 2023

Collapsing Structures and Public Mismanagement by Wolfgang Seibel (Palgrave Macmillan) 3.0 Stars (1 Review)    Price verified 9 hours ago

This open access book is about mismanagement of public agencies as a threat to life and limb. Collapsing bridges and buildings kill people and often leave many more injured. Such disasters do not happen out of the blue nor are they purely technical in nature since construction and maintenance are subject to safety regulation and enforcement by governmental agencies. This book analyses four relevant cases from Australia, New Zealand, the USA and Germany. Arguing that, while preventing disaster through public oversight is essentially easy, the difficult part for public officials and private contractors and consultants alike is to resist incentives that threaten professional skills and standards. Rather than stressing well-known pathologies of bureaucracy as a potential source of disaster, this book argues, learning for the sake of prevention should aim at neutralizing threats to integrity and strengthening a sense of responsibility among public officials.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 270 Pages (4,645 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Sep 5th, 2023

Youth without Representation: The Absence of Young Adults in Parliaments, Cabinets, and Candidacies by Daniel Stockemer (University of Michigan Press) 4.0 Stars (1 Review)    Price verified 9 hours ago

Officeholders in contemporary parliaments and cabinets are more likely than not to be male, wealthy, middle-aged or older, and from the dominant ethnicity, whereas young adults have an insufficient presence in political office. Young adults -- those aged 35 years or under -- comprise a mere ten percent of all parliamentarians globally, and three percent of all cabinet members. Compared to their presence in the world's population, this age group faces an underrepresentation of one to three in parliament and one to ten in cabinet. In this book, Stockemer and Sundström provide a holistic account of youths' marginalization in legislatures, cabinets, and candidacies for office through a comparative lens. They argue that youths' underrepresentation in political office constitutes a democratic deficit and provide ample evidence for why they think that youth must be present in politics at much higher rates. They further embed this book within what they label a vicious cycle of political alienation, which involves the declining political sophistication of the young, their waning electoral participation, and their insufficient of representation in office. Empirically, the authors combine a global focus with in-depth studies, discussing the country-level, party-level, and individual-level factors that bar young adults' entry to positions of political power. This is the first comprehensive book on youth representation and it has relevance for those broadly interested in issues of representation, democracy, inequality, and comparative politics.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 204 Pages (1,651 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Sep 2nd, 2023

Scriptures, Shrines, Scapegoats, and World Politics: Religious Sources of Conflict and Cooperation in the Modern Era by Zeev Maoz (University of Michigan Press) 4.0 Stars (1 Review)    Price verified 59 minutes ago

The effect of religious factors on politics has been a key issue since the end of the Cold War and the subsequent rise of religious terrorism. However, the systematic investigations of these topics have focused primarily on the effects of religion on domestic and international conflict. Scriptures, Shrines, Scapegoats, and World Politics offers a comprehensive evaluation of the role of religion in international relations, broadening the scope of investigation to such topics as the relationship between religion and cooperation, religion and conflict, and the relationship between religion and the quality of life. Religion is often manipulated by political elites to advance their principal goal of political survival. Zeev Maoz and Errol A. Henderson find that no specific religion is either consistently more bellicose or consistently more cooperative than other religions. However, religious similarity between states tends to reduce the propensity of conflict and increase the opportunity for security cooperation. The authors find a significant relationship between secularism and human security.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 456 Pages (14,759 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Sep 2nd, 2023

International Impacts on Social Policy: Short Histories in Global Perspective (Global Dynamics of Social Policy) by Frank Nullmeier (Palgrave Macmillan) 4.0 Stars (1 Review)    Price verified 8 hours ago

This open access book consists of 39 short essays that exemplify how interactions between inter- and trans-national interdependencies and domestic factors have shaped the dynamics of social policy in various parts of the world at different points in time. Each chapter highlights a specific type of interdependence which has been identified to provide us with a nuanced understanding of specific social policy developments at discrete points in history. The volume is divided into four parts that are concerned with a particular type of cross-border interrelation. The four parts examine the impact on social policy of trade relations and economic crises, violence, international organisations and cross-border communication and migration. This book will be of interest to academics and postgraduate students in the field of social policy, global history and welfare state research from diverse disciplines: sociology, political science, history, law and economics.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 688 Pages (7,618 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Sep 1st, 2023

Social Democratic Parties and the Working Class: New Voting Patterns (Challenges to Democracy in the 21st Century) by Line Rennwald (Palgrave Macmillan) 4.5 Stars (4 Reviews)    Price verified 2 hours ago

This open access book carefully explores the relationship between social democracy and its working-class electorate in Western Europe. Relying on different indicators, it demonstrates an important transformation in the class basis of social democracy. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, the working-class vote is strongly fragmented and social democratic parties face competition on multiple fronts for their core electorate - and not only from radical right parties. Starting from a reflection on 'working-class parties' and using a sophisticated class schema, the book paints a nuanced and diversified picture of the trajectory of social democracy that goes beyond a simple shift from working-class to middle-class parties. Following a detailed description, the book reviews possible explanations of workers' new voting patterns and emphasizes the crucial changes in parties' ideologies. It closes with a discussion on the role of the working class in social democracy's future electoral strategies.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 136 Pages (1,800 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Aug 29th, 2023

Hold Up Your Heads, Girls! : Helps for Girls, in School and Out by Annie H Ryder 5.0 Stars (2 Reviews)    Price verified 8 hours ago

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 100 Pages (351 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Aug 29th, 2023

Jain Rāmāyaṇa Narratives: Moral Vision and Literary Innovation (Routledge Advances in Jaina Studies) by Gregory M. Clines (Routledge) 4.7 Stars (4 Reviews)    Price verified 39 minutes ago

Jain R?m?ya?a Narratives: Moral Vision and Literary Innovation traces how and why Jain authors at different points in history rewrote the story of R?ma and situates these texts within larger frameworks of South Asian religious history and literature. The book argues that the plot, characters, and the very history of Jain R?ma composition itself served as a continual font of inspiration for authors to create and express novel visions of moral personhood. In making this argument, the book examines three versions of the R?ma story composed by two authors, separated in time and space by over 800 years and thousands of miles. The first is Ravi?e?a, who composed the Sanskrit Padmapur??a ("The Deeds of Padma"), and the second is Brahma Jinad?sa, author of both a Sanskrit Padmapur??a and a vernacular (bh???) version of the story titled R?m R?s ("The Story of R?m"). While the three compositions narrate the same basic story and work to shape ethical subjects, they do so in different ways and with different visions of what a moral person actually is. A close comparative reading focused on the differences between these three texts reveals the diverse visions of moral personhood held by Jains in premodernity and demonstrates the innovative narrative strategies authors utilized in order to actualize those visions. The book is thus a valuable contribution to the fields of Jain studies and religion and literature in premodern South Asia.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 180 Pages (3,132 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Aug 27th, 2023

Equality within Our Lifetimes: How Laws and Policies Can Close—or Widen—Gender Gaps in Economies Worldwide by Jody Heymann (University of California Press) 4.5 Stars (2 Reviews)    Price verified 2 hours ago

A free ebook version of this title is available through Luminos, University of California Press's Open Access publishing program. Visit www.luminosoa.org to learn more. Well into the twenty-first century, achieving gender equality in the economy remains unfinished business. Worldwide, women's employment, income, and leadership opportunities lag men's. Building and using a one-of-a-kind database that covers 193 countries, this book systematically analyzes how far we've come and how far we have to go in adopting evidence-based solutions to close the gaps. Spanning topics including girls' education, employment discrimination of all kinds, sexual harassment, and caregiving needs across the life course, the authors bring the findings to life through global maps, stories of laws' impact in courts and beyond, and case studies of making change. A powerful call to action, Equality within Our Lifetimes reveals how gender equality is both feasible and urgently needed to address some of the greatest challenges of our generation.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 488 Pages (21,094 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Aug 24th, 2023

Governing Social Protection in the Long Term: Social Policy and Employment Relations in Australia and New Zealand (Global Dynamics of Social Policy) by Gaby Ramia (Palgrave Macmillan) 4.0 Stars (1 Review)    Price verified 2 hours ago

This open access book examines the comparative evolution of social protection in Australia and New Zealand from 1890 to the present day, focusing on the relationship between employment relations and social policy. Utilising longstanding and more recent developments in historical institutionalist methodology, Ramia investigates the relationship between these two policy domains in the context of social protection theory. He argues that treating employment relations as dynamic, and as inextricably intertwined with changes in the welfare state over time, allows for more accurate portrayal of similarity and difference in social protection. The book will be of most interest to researchers, advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students in social policy, employment relations, public policy, social and political history, and comparative politics.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 298 Pages (732 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Aug 24th, 2023

Appearance as Capital: The Normative Regulation of Aesthetic Capital Accumulation and Conversion by Outi Sarpila (Emerald Publishing Limited) 4.0 Stars (1 Review)    Price verified 3 hours ago

The ebook edition of this title is Open Access and freely available to read online. In an era of hyper visuality, service-based labour markets, consumer culture, and times of uncertainty, physical appearance plays an increasingly important role in producing and reinforcing social inequalities. Taking a sociological approach, the authors of Appearance as Capital examine physical appearance as a normatively regulated form of capital and explore how it is possible to accumulate and convert capital based on physical appearance. The chapters examine how norms of accumulating and converting aesthetic capital intertwine with gender, age and other forms of capital and play a role in shaping inequalities. Demonstrating how different cultural, institutional, group-specific and situational norms regulate the possibilities of accumulating and converting aesthetic capital, the authors take a critical stance towards an economics-inspired analysis of physical appearance as universally defined 'beauty' or 'attractiveness' that has standard value for all individuals. By presenting empirical work based in the context of Finnish society, often considered an egalitarian Nordic welfare state, this book provides a fresh perspective on appearance-based inequalities.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 287 Pages (3,444 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Aug 23rd, 2023

The Importance and Value of Older Employees: Wise Workers in the Workplace by Anne Inga Hilsen (Palgrave Macmillan) 4.0 Stars (1 Review)    Price verified one hour ago

This open access book makes a contribution to our understanding of one of the social challenges facing many western nations i.e. the challenge of an ageing population. It specifically addresses the issue of competence among older employees. Others have studied ageing populations in terms of the economic burden or the pressure on healthcare services and generally view the rising numbers of seniors more as a challenge than an opportunity. In this book, authors discuss ways of gaining positive benefits from our ageing and more experienced work force.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 110 Pages (534 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Aug 23rd, 2023

The Torch Bearer A Look Forward and Back at the Woman's Journal, the Organ of the Woman's Movement by Agnes E. (Agnes Edna) Ryan 5.0 Stars (1 Review)    Price verified 19 minutes ago

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 62 Pages (140 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Aug 20th, 2023

Emotions in Korean Philosophy and Religion: Confucian, Comparative, and Contemporary Perspectives (Palgrave Studies in Comparative East-West ... by Edward Y. J. Chung (Palgrave Macmillan) 4.0 Stars (1 Review)    Price verified 8 hours ago

This pioneering book presents thirteen articles on the fascinating topic of emotions (jeong ?) in Korean philosophy and religion. Its introductory chapter comprehensively provides a textual, philosophical, ethical, and religious background on this topic in terms of emotions West and East, emotions in the Chinese and Buddhist traditions, and Korean perspectives. Chapters 2 to 5 of part I discuss key Korean Confucian thinkers, debates, and ideas. Chapters 6 to 8 of part II offer comparative thoughts from Confucian moral, political, and social angles. Chapters 9 to 12 of part III deal with contemporary Buddhist and eco-feminist perspectives. The concluding chapter discusses ground-breaking insights into the diversity, dynamics, and distinctiveness of Korean emotions. This is an open access book.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 569 Pages (1,315 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Aug 19th, 2023

Druidry for Beginners: Discover Herbs, Ogham, Rituals, Divination, and Druid Tarot Reading in the Ancient Wisdom of Druidry by Alfreda J. Anderson 3.8 Stars (5 Reviews)    Price verified one hour ago

Druidry for Beginners The book Druidry for Beginners tells you everything you need to know about Druidry, an ancient Celtic spiritual practice. Alfreda J. Anderson, an author who is also an experienced druid, wrote this book. It gives a clear overview of this powerful and spiritual practice. From its origins and history to its gods, rituals, and modern uses, Druidry for Beginners is a great book for anyone who wants to learn more about this ancient and deep religion. The first part of the book tells the reader about Druidry's ancient Celtic roots and how it has been changed for the modern world. It talks about how Druidry is a spiritual practice that tries to honor the Earth and its energies. It also talks about how it tries to teach people to have a deep respect for nature and how everything is connected. Alfreda J. Anderson also looks at Druidry's theological and philosophical underpinnings , as well as its rituals, holidays, and festivals. Druidry for Beginners gives an in-depth look at the many tools and methods that modern Druids use. It tells how to connect with the energies of the Earth and honor the gods and goddesses by using sacred objects, rituals, and ceremonies. It also talks about how important it is to be part of a community and how to use divination, meditation, and other spiritual practices to get closer to the divine and understand it better. Also in the book are tips on how to practice Druidry in the modern world. From setting up an altar and choosing sacred objects to making a sacred space and connecting with the gods and goddesses, Druidry for Beginners has all the information you need to start a spiritual practice based on this ancient faith. Alfreda J. Anderson shows how Druidry can be used to help make the world a better place. She tells the reader to use their own spiritual practice to join the larger "Druidry for Peace" movement and help bring about peace and understanding between people and the planet. There are many reasons to learn ...

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 92 Pages (3,513 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Aug 19th, 2023

Banished Men: How Migrants Endure the Violence of Deportation by Abigail Leslie Andrews (University of California Press) Price verified 9 hours ago

A free ebook version of this title is available through Luminos, University of California Press's Open Access publishing program. Visit www.luminosoa.org to learn more. What becomes of men the U.S. locks up and kicks out? From 2009 to 2020, the U.S. deported more than five million people -- over 90 percent of them men. In Banished Men, Abigail Andrews and her students tell 186 of their stories. How, they ask, does expulsion shape men's lives and sense of themselves? The book uncovers a harrowing carceral system that weaves together policing, prison, detention, removal, and border militarization to undermine migrants as men. Guards and gangs beat them down, till they feel like cockroaches, pigs, or dogs. Many lose ties with family. They do not go "home." Instead, they end up in limbo: stripped of their very humanity. Against the odds, they fight for new ways to belong. At once devastating and humane, Banished Men offers a clear-eyed critique of the violence of deportation.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 313 Pages (3,331 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Aug 14th, 2023

Digital Humanism: For a Humane Transformation of Democracy, Economy and Culture in the Digital Age by Julian Nida-Rümelin (Springer) 5.0 Stars (1 Review)    Price verified 3 hours ago

This open access book deals with cultural and philosophical aspects of artificial intelligence (AI) and pleads for a "digital humanism". This term is beginning to be en vogue everywhere. Due to a growing discontentment with the way digitalization is being used in the world, particularly formulated by former heroes of Internet, social media and search engine companies, philosophical as well as industrial thought leaders begin to plead for a humane use of digital tools. Yet the term "digital humanism" is a particular terminology that lacks a sound conceptual and philosophical basis and needs clarification still - and this gap is exactly filled by this book. It propagates a vision of society in which digitization is used to strengthen human self-determination, autonomy and dignity and whose time has come to be propagated throughout the world. The advantage of this book is that it is philosophically sound and yet written in a way that will make it accessible for everybody interested in the subject. Every chapters begins with a film scene illustrating a precise philosophical problem with AI and how we look at it - making the book not only readable, but even entertaining. And after having read the book the reader will have a clear vision of what it means to live in a world where digitization and AI are central technologies for a better and more humane civilization.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 182 Pages (563 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Aug 8th, 2023

What is Europe? by Anna Triandafyllidou (Routledge) 5.0 Stars (2 Reviews)    Price verified 6 hours ago

This authoritative yet accessible introduction to understanding Europe today moves beyond accounts of European integration to provide a wide-ranging and nuanced study of contemporary Europe and its historical development. This fully updated edition adds material on recent developments, such as Brexit and the migrant and Eurozone crises. The concept of Europe is instilled with a plethora of social, cultural, economic, and political meanings. Throughout history, and still today, scholars writing on Europe, and politicians involved in national or European politics, often disagree on the geographic limits of this space and the defining elements of Europe. Europe is, therefore, first and foremost a concept that takes different shapes and meanings depending on the realm of life on which it is applied and on the historical period under investigation. At a given point in time, depending on the perspective we adopt and the situation in which we find ourselves, Europe may represent very different things. Thus, we should better talk about 'Europes' in plural. What is Europe? explores these evolving conceptions of Europe from antiquity to the present. This book is all the more timely as Europe responds to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Britain's departure from the European Union, financial slump, refugee emergencies, and the COVID-19 pandemic. This book offers a fully updated introduction to European studies from an interdisciplinary perspective. It is a crucial companion to any undergraduate or graduate course on Europe and the European Union. The Open Access version of this book, available at www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 278 Pages (1,497 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Aug 3rd, 2023

The Humanities in the Digital: Beyond Critical Digital Humanities by Lorella Viola (Palgrave Macmillan) 5.0 Stars (1 Review)    Price verified 4 hours ago

This open access book challenges the contemporary relevance of the current model of knowledge production. It argues that the full digitisation of society sharply accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic has added extreme complexity to the world, conclusively exposing the inadequacy of our current model of knowledge creation. Addressing many of the different ways in which reality has been transformed by technology - the pervasive adoption of big data, the fetishisation of algorithms and automation, and the digitalisation of education and research - Viola examines how the rigid conceptualisation in disciplines' division and competition is complicit of promoting a narrative which has paired computational methods with exactness and neutrality whilst stigmatising consciousness and criticality as carriers of biases and inequality. Taking the humanities as a focal point, the author retraces schisms in the field between the humanities, the digital humanities and critical digital humanities; these are embedded, she argues, within old dichotomies: sciences vs humanities, digital vs non-digital and authentic vs non-authentic. Through the analysis of personal use cases and exploring a variety of applied contexts such as digital heritage practices, digital linguistic injustice, critical digital literacy and critical digital visualisation, the book shows a third way: knowledge creation in the digital.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 296 Pages (44 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Aug 3rd, 2023

Don’t Say we didn’t Know by Amos Gvirtz 4.0 Stars (81 Reviews)    Price verified 2 hours ago

The Israeli - Palestinian conflict - a new approach! This book is formulated with the understanding that on both sides of the Israeli - Palestinian conflict there are people who want the same thing: peace and protection of human rights. This fact is also what inspires the author to address some very moral questions and raise constructive and productive explanations about: Why don't people want to know about their own country's crimes? Why do Human Rights and Peace movements' activities evoke such strong opposition? This book focuses on the positive aspects of those questions and takes a deeper look into those few movements that were successful, while analyzing what enabled them to turn into massive movements creating major change. The book emphasizes the fact that there can be a way to reach what people on both sides desire - peace and offers a vision of "escalation of nonviolence" to make it happen.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 195 Pages (3,157 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Jul 31st, 2023

A Sense of Brutality: Philosophy after Narco-Culture by Carlos Alberto Sánchez 5.0 Stars (1 Review)    Price verified 9 minutes ago

Contemporary popular culture is riddled with references to Mexican drug cartels, narcos, and drug trafficking. In the United States, documentary filmmakers, journalists, academics, and politicians have taken note of the increasing threats to our security coming from a subculture that appears to feed on murder and brutality while being fed by a romanticism about power and capital. Carlos Alberto Sánchez uses Mexican narco-culture as a point of departure for thinking about the nature and limits of violence, culture, and personhood. A Sense of Brutality argues that violent cultural modalities, of which narco-culture is but one, call into question our understanding of "violence" as a concept. The reality of narco-violence suggests that "violence" itself is insufficient to capture it, that we need to redeploy and reconceptualize "brutality" as a concept that better captures this reality. Brutality is more than violence, other to cruelty, and distinct from horror and terror -- all concepts that are normally used interchangeably with brutality, but which, as the analysis suggests, ought not to be. In narco-culture, the normalization of brutality into everyday life is a condition upon which the absolute erasure or derealization of people is made possible. "The study is original, bringing a wide range of voices into dialogue to present a problem that is pressing and deserving of careful analysis. The study will contribute to the field of Latin American philosophy in important ways... This is the only book by a philosopher on the topic of narco-culture, and I think it's an important contribution to a topic that should be addressed by philosophers." -- Elizabeth Millán, DePaul University

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 170 Pages (3,282 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Jul 26th, 2023

Debating the War in Ukraine: Counterfactual Histories and Future Possibilities by Tuomas Forsberg (Routledge) 5.0 Stars (2 Reviews)    Price verified 14 minutes ago

Debating the War in Ukraine discusses whether the war could have been avoided, and, if so, how? In this dialogical book, the authors discuss nodal points of history in terms of counterfactuals and contrastive explanations, concluding by considering future possibilities. They start in the 1990s where several causal elements of the war originate involving Russia's economic developments and Europe's security arrangements. Moving on to the next decade, they focus on the Iraq war, colour revolutions, and NATO's 2008 announcement that Ukraine and Georgia will become members. Finally, they explore the past decade including the Ukrainian crisis of 2013-2014, the annexation of Crimea, and the consecutive war in east Ukraine. The current war can also be seen as a continuum of that war. The authors agree that NATO's 2008 announcement on Ukraine's and Georgia's NATO membership was an unnecessary provocation, and that the implementation of the Minsk agreement could have prevented the current war, but otherwise their analysis of counterfactual possibilities differs, especially when it comes to the action-possibilities of the West (including diverse actors). These differences are not just dependent on different readings of relevant evidence but, importantly, stem from dissimilar contrast spaces and divergent theoretical understandings of the nature of states and mechanisms of international relations and political economy. This short, highly accessible book will be of great interest to all those studying and working in international relations and its various subfields such as peace and conflict studies and security studies, as well as all those wishing to understand more about the backdrop of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license. The Open Access version of this book was ...

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 110 Pages (590 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Jul 17th, 2023

Latin America in Times of Turbulence: Presidentialism under Stress (Routledge Studies in Latin American Politics) by Mariana Llanos (Routledge) 4.0 Stars (1 Review)    Price verified one hour ago

The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.tandfebooks.com/doi/view/10.4324/9781003324249, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license. This book accounts for and analyses the latest developments in Latin American presidential democracies, with a special focus on political institutions. The stellar line-up of renowned scholars of Latin American politics and institutions from Latin America, Europe, and the United States offer new insights into how democratic institutions have operated within the critical context that marked the political and social life of the region in the last few years: the eruption of popular protest and discontent, the widespread distrust of political institutions, and, of course, the COVID-19 pandemic. Combining different methodological approaches, including cross-national studies, small-N studies, case studies, and quantitative and qualitative data, the contributions cluster around three themes: the problem with fixed terms and other features of presidentialism, inter-institutional relations and executive accountability, and old and new threats to democracy in these times of turmoil. The volume concludes with an assessment of the political consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic in Latin America. Beyond current scholars and students of comparative political scientists, Latin America in Times of Turbulence will be of great interest to a wide spectrum of readers interested in comparative systems of government, democracy studies, and Latin American politics more generally.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 238 Pages (8,330 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Jul 11th, 2023

Innovation Capacity and the City: The Enabling Role of Design (SpringerBriefs in Applied Sciences and Technology) by Grazia Concilio (Springer) 4.0 Stars (1 Review)    Price verified 7 hours ago

This open access book represents one of the key milestones of DESIGNSCAPES, an H2020 CSA (Coordination and Support Action) research project funded by the European Commission under the Call "User-driven innovation: value creation through design-enabled innovation". The book demonstrates that adopting design allows us to embed innovation within the city so as to arrive at feasible answers to complex global challenges. In this way, innovation can become disruptive, while also sparking a dynamic of gradual change in the "urbanscape" it acts within. To explore this potential, the book puts forward the concept of "design enabled innovation in urban environments" and examines the part that the city can play in promoting and facilitating the adoption of design among public and private sector innovators. This leads to a potential evaluation framework in which a given urbanscape is assessed both in terms of its capacity for generating innovation, and of the nature (more or less design-dependent or design-prone) of the innovative initiatives it hosts. This thread of reasoning holds many promising implications, including a possible "third way" between those who dream of an alternative economic model where revenues and growth are sacrificed on the altar of social and environmental respect, and the supporters of the traditional market-based view, who feel it is enough to add a touch of responsibility and concern to a system that should continue rewarding the profitability of innovations.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 157 Pages (965 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Jul 3rd, 2023

Consuming Cities: The Urban Environment in the Global Economy after Rio by Ingemar Elander (Routledge) 4.2 Stars (3 Reviews)    Price verified 9 hours ago

This book is about cities as engines of consumption of the world's environment, and the spread of policies to reduce their impact. It looks at these issues by examining the impact of the Rio Declaration and assesses the extent to which it has made a difference. Consuming Cities examines this impact using case studies from around the world including: the USA, Japan, Germany, the UK, China, India, Sweden, Poland, Australia and Indonesia The contributors all have direct experience of the urban environment and urban policies in the countries on which they write and offer an authoritative commentary which brings the urban 'consumption' dimension of sustainable development into focus.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 337 Pages (11,627 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Jul 3rd, 2023

Transformations in Twentieth Century Korea (Routledge Advances in Korean Studies) by Yun-shik Chang (Routledge) 4.1 Stars (17 Reviews)    Price verified 4 hours ago

This edited collection traces the social, economic, political, and cultural dimensions of Korea's dramatic transformation since the late nineteenth century. Taking an interdisciplinary approach, the chapters examine the internal and external forces which facilitated the transition towards industrial capitalism in Korea, the consequences and impact of social change, and the ways in which Korean tradition continues to inform and influence contemporary South Korean society. Transformations in Twentieth Century Korea employs a thematic structure to discuss the interrelated elements of Korea's modernization within agriculture, business and the economy, the state, ideology and culture, and gender and the family. The essays in this volume encompass the Choson dynasty, the colonial period, and postcolonial Korea. Collectively, they provide us with an original and innovative approach to the study of modern Korea, and show how knowledge of the country's past is critical to understanding contemporary Korean society. With contributions from a number of prominent international scholars within sociology, economics, history, and political science, Transformations in Twentieth Century Korea incorporates a global framework of historical narrative, ideology and culture, and statistical and economic analysis to further our understanding of Korea's evolution towards modernity.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 394 Pages (10,857 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Jul 3rd, 2023

Parental Life Courses after Separation and Divorce in Europe (Life Course Research and Social Policies Book 12) by Michaela Kreyenfeld (Springer) 4.5 Stars (2 Reviews)    Price verified 2 hours ago

This open access book assembles landmark studies on divorce and separation in European countries, and how this affects the life of parents and children. It focuses on four major areas of post-separation lives, namely (1) economic conditions, (2) parent-child relationships, (3) parent and child well-being, and (4) health. Through studies from several European countries, the book showcases how legal regulations and social policies influence parental and child well-being after divorce and separation. It also illustrates how social policies are interwoven with the normative fabric of a country. For example, it is shown that father-child contact after separation is more intense in those countries which have adopted policies that encourage shared parenting. Correspondingly, countries that have adopted these regulations are at the forefront of more egalitarian gender role attitudes. Apart from a strong emphasis on the legal and social policy context, the studies in this volume adopt a longitudinal perspective and situate post-separation behaviour and well-being in the life course. The longitudinal perspective opens up new avenues for research to understand how behaviour and conditions prior or at divorce and separation affect later behaviour and well-being. As such this book is of special appeal to scholars of family research as well as to anyone interested in the role of divorce and separation in Europe in the 21st century.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 523 Pages (6,192 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Jul 3rd, 2023

The Crisis for Young People: Generational Inequalities in Education, Work, Housing and Welfare by Andy Green (Palgrave Macmillan) 4.3 Stars (14 Reviews)    Price verified 9 hours ago

This book is open access under a CC BY 4.0 license. This book provides an original and challenging analysis of one of the most pressing social issues of our times: intergenerational inequality. Based on recent mixed-method research, it explores the extent and scope of generational divides through an up-to-date analysis of the changing opportunities for young people in Britain across different life domains. A central question addressed is whether current changes are best understood as growing inequalities within and across age groups, or whether we face a genuine intergenerational decline over the life course of this and future generations of youth. Andy Green's controversial manifesto for intergenerational equity includes replacing higher education fees with a tax on graduates of all ages; the introduction of capital gains tax on sales of first homes; voting at 16, and a new charter of rights for private tenants.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 187 Pages (1,472 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Jul 3rd, 2023

Empire and Environment: Ecological Ruin in the Transpacific by Jeffrey Santa Ana (University of Michigan Press) Price verified 3 hours ago

Empire and Environment argues that histories of imperialism, colonialism, militarism, and global capitalism are integral to understanding environmental violence in the transpacific region. The collection draws its rationale from the imbrication of imperialism and global environmental crisis, but its inspiration from the ecological work of activists, artists, and intellectuals across the transpacific region. Taking a postcolonial, ecocritical approach to confronting ecological ruin in an age of ecological crises and environmental catastrophes on a global scale, the collection demonstrates how Asian North American, Asian diasporic, and Indigenous Pacific Island cultural expressions critique a de-historicized sense of place, attachment, and belonging. In addition to its thirteen chapters from scholars who span the Pacific, each part of this volume begins with a poem by Craig Santos Perez. The volume also features a foreword by Macarena Gómez-Barris and an afterword by Priscilla Wald.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 321 Pages (4,975 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Jun 29th, 2023

Identities and Intimacies on Social Media: Transnational Perspectives (Interdisciplinary Research in Gender) by Tonny Krijnen (Routledge) Price verified 8 hours ago

This edited collection illuminates the scope with which identities and intimacies interact on a wide range of social media platforms. A varied range of international scholars examine the contexts of very different social media spaces, with topics ranging from whitewashing and memes, parental discourses in online activities, Spotify as an intimate social media platform, neoliberalisation of feminist discourses, digital sex work, social media wars in trans debates and 'BimboTok'. The focus is on their acceleration and impact due to the specificities of social media in relation to identities, intimacies within the broad 'political' sphere. The geographic range of case study material reflects the global impact of social media, and includes data from Belgium, Canada, China, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the USA. This enlightening and rigorous collection will be of key interest to scholars in media studies and gender studies, and to scholars and professionals of social media. The Open Access version of this book, available at www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 234 Pages (832 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Jun 29th, 2023

Moral Teleology: A Theory of Progress (Routledge Studies in Ethics and Moral Theory) by Hanno Sauer (Routledge) 5.0 Stars (1 Review)    Price verified 2 hours ago

This book develops a unified theory of moral progress. The author argues that there are mechanisms in place that consistently drive societies towards moral improvement and that a sophisticated, naturalistically respectable form of teleology can be defended. The book's main aim is to flesh out the process of moral progress in more detail, and to show how, when the right mechanisms and institutions of moral progress are matched together, they create pressure for the desired types of moral gains to manifest. The first part of the book deals with two issues: the conceptual one about what moral progress is, and the broadly empirical one whether it is possible. It shows that cultural evolution successfully explains the origins of modern forms of morally welcome change. The second part argues that there is logical space for a moderate, scientifically credible form of teleology, and that the converse case for moral decline is weak. It addresses the types, drivers, and institutions of moral progress that allow for the storage, transmission, and cumulative improvement of our normative infrastructure over time. Finally, the third part demonstrates why moral progress cannot be accounted for in metaethically realist terms. Moral Teleology will be of interest to researchers and advanced students working in ethics, moral epistemology, and moral psychology. The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 225 Pages (1,457 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Jun 28th, 2023

Refugees on the Move: Crisis and Response in Turkey and Europe (Forced Migration Book 45) by Erol Balkan 5.0 Stars (1 Review)    Price verified 4 hours ago

Refugees on the Move highlights and explores the profound complexities of the current refugee issue by focusing specifically on Syrian refugees in Turkey and other European countries and responses from the host countries involved. It examines the causes of the movement of refugee populations, the difficulties they face during their journeys, the daily challenges and obstacles they experience, and host governments' attempts to manage and overcome the so-called "refugee crisis."

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 518 Pages (2,201 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Jun 21st, 2023

From Seascapes of Extinction to Seascapes of Confidence: Territorial Use Rights in Fisheries in Chile: ElQuisco and Puerto Oscuro by Gloria L. Gallardo Fernandez (Routledge) 5.0 Stars (1 Review)    Price verified 3 hours ago

From Seascapes of extinction to seascapes of confidence. Territorial Use Rights in Fisheries in Chile: El Quisco and Puerto Oscuro by Gloria Gallardo Fernandés is an important contribution to our understanding of the multifaceted challenges underlying sustainable solutions to ecological fisheries, the book describes how, in Chile, indiscriminate harvest of the edible shellfish Concholepas concholepas (false abalone or Loco), has been threatening not only the living of small-scale artisan fishers but also the ecosystem. In an attempt to strengthen the fishersâ?? livelihoods and at the same time recuperate the fish, the Chilean government introduced the regulatory measure: Management and Exploitation Areas for Benthic Resources (MEABRs), locally known as Management Areas (MAs) and internationally as Territorial Use Rights in Fisheries (TURFs).

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 215 Pages (7,066 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Jun 20th, 2023

Socializing Development: Transnational Social Movement Advocacy and the Human Rights Accountability of Multilateral Development Banks (Soziale ... by Leon Valentin Schettler (transcript Verlag) 3.0 Stars (1 Review)    Price verified 9 hours ago

As Multilateral Development Banks increasingly gained influence in shaping global development, transnational social movements pushed to hold them accountable for their human rights impact towards communities. Leon Valentin Schettler presents a novel causal mechanism of movement advocacy towards MDBs, combining disruptive and conventional tactics. Systematically comparing the evolution of human rights standards and complaint mechanisms over the last three decades, he reveals how the combination of 1) declining US hegemony, 2) counter-mobilization by China and 3) movement cooptation by the World Bank bureaucracy led to a dilution of human rights accountability in the 2010s.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 533 Pages (5,828 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Jun 18th, 2023

Book of the Disappeared: The Quest for Transnational Justice (Ethnic Conflict: Studies in Nationality, Race, and Culture) by Jennifer Heath (University of Michigan Press) 5.0 Stars (2 Reviews)    Price verified 4 hours ago

Book of the Disappeared confronts worldwide human rights violations of enforced disappearance and genocide and explores the global quest for justice with forceful, outstanding contributions by respected scholars, expert practitioners, and provocative contemporary artists. This profoundly humane book spotlights our historic inhumanity while offering insights for survival and transformation.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 367 Pages (2,322 KB)
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Added: Jun 6th, 2023

Gender in Focus: Identities, Codes, Stereotypes and Politics by Andreea Zamfira (Verlag Barbara Budrich) 3.0 Stars (1 Review)    Price verified 54 minutes ago

This book deals with the interplay between identities, codes, stereotypes and politics governing the various constructions and deconstructions of gender in several Western and non-Western societies (Germany, Italy, Serbia, Romania, Cameroon, Indonesia, Vietnam, and others). Readers are invited to discover the realm of gender studies and to reflect upon the transformative potentialities of globalisation and interculturality.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 370 Pages (11,409 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: Jun 1st, 2023

Transnational Migration and Work in Asia (Routledge/City University of Hong Kong Southeast Asia Series) by Kevin Hewison (Routledge) Price verified 49 minutes ago

Focusing on the issues associated with migrating for work both in and from the Asian region, this book sheds light on the debate over migration and trafficking. With contributions from an international team of well-known scholars, the book sets labour migration firmly within the context of globalization, providing a focused, contemporary discussion of what is undoubtedly a major twenty-first century concern. Transnational Migration and Work in Asia analyzes workers motivations and rationalities, highlighting the similarities of migration experiences throughout Asia. Presenting in-depth case studies of the real-life experiences and problems faced by migrant workers, the book discusses migrants' relations with the state and their vulnerability to exploitation, as well as the major policy issues now facing governments, employers, NGOs and international agencies.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 252 Pages (3,437 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: May 30th, 2023

Migration and Social Protection in Europe and Beyond (Volume 2): Comparing Consular Services and Diaspora Policies (IMISCOE Research Series) by Jean-Michel Lafleur (Springer) 3.0 Stars (1 Review)    Price verified 2 hours ago

This second open access book in a series of three volumes examines the repertoire of policies and programmes led by EU Member States to engage with their nationals residing abroad. Focusing on sending states' engagement in the area of social protection, this book shows how a series of emigration-related policies that go beyond the realm of social security address the needs of nationals abroad in the area of health care, unemployment, family benefits, pensions and economic hardship. In addition, this volume highlights the variety of sending states' institutions that are involved in these policies (consulates, diaspora institutions, ministries, agencies... ) and their engagement with citizens abroad in other policy areas such as electoral rights, citizenship, language, culture, education, business or religion. As such this book is a valuable read to researchers, policy makers, government employees and NGO's.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 807 Pages (7,303 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: May 30th, 2023

New Horizons for Asian Museums and Museology by Naoko Sonoda (Springer) 3.0 Stars (1 Review)    Price verified 7 hours ago

This book presents up-to-date information about museums and museology in present-day Asia, focusing on Japan, Mongolia, Myanmar, and Thailand.Asian countries today have developed or are developing their own museology and museums, which are not simple copies of European or North American models. This book provides readers with carefully chosen examples of museum activities -- for example, exhibition and sharing information, database construction, access to and conservation of museum collections, relationships between museums and local communities, and international cooperation in the field of cultural heritage. Readers are expected to include museum professionals and museology students.Throughout the course of this book, the reader will understand that a museum is not only a place for collecting, representing, and preserving cultural heritage but also plays a fundamental role in community development. This book is highly recommended to readers who seek a worldwide vision of museum studies.The peer-reviewed chapters in this volume are written versions of the lectures delivered by selected speakers at the international symposium "New Horizons for Asian Museums and Museology" held in February 2015 at the National Museum of Ethnology, Japan.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences [x]
Length: 282 Pages (6,507 KB)
Lending: Not Enabled
Added: May 30th, 2023