The Control Center (Book 1) : THE CHINA AFFAIRS by Brad Good (134 Reviews)    Price verified 46 minutes ago

"A high-stakes political thriller with a deeply romantic undertone... With the way this book ended, I'm eager to find out what happens next." Independent Book Review A chance meeting one night in Shanghai introduces American banker Jack Gold to an Israeli man named Ari, who has a stunning proposition: Help Israel and the United States infiltrate China's heavily guarded Control Center and address the nation with the truth they deserve to hear. China, a country of 1.4 billion citizens, is an existential threat to itself and the rest of the world. With its news and media censored through the Control Center before being broadcast to viewers, the people of China have no hope of realizing their government is only looking to enrich and reward its most prominent leaders. But getting into the Control Center is not going to be easy. And even if such a dangerous undertaking proves successful, though, there is no guarantee that the growing tensions between China and the United States can be quelled. But Jack's love for China, and the beautiful artist he meets one night, pushes him to the brink as he risks everything to help a nation of people whose lives and livelihoods have been stifled by government control. Written by Brad Good, who started living and working in the People's Republic of China in 1988, THE CHINA AFFAIRS is a series of four novels that take place in China. Good brings rare on-the-ground knowledge of contemporary Chinese political, social, and cultural issues, and associated international affairs. Jack Gold is an American in China who is recruited by an Israeli agent to penetrate the Control Center, China's broadcasting hub. (Book 1) Next, at great personal threat, China and the United States solicit his leadership in creating a new trade deal between the countries. (Book 2) Jack is then recruited by the President of China, with the use of artificial intelligence, to transform China and the lives of its citizens. (Book 3) After China elects a new ...

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences

Existence & Consciousness: A Theory of Naturalistic Idealism by Richard Lucido (28 Reviews)    Price verified 46 minutes ago

Existence and Consciousness presents us with a world without space, a world that consists only of information, consciousness, and time. It offers a theory of idealism from an existentialist perspective. Matter, energy, and space are viewed as holding on to no existence outside of their essence (i.e., their defining properties). This is what precludes them from objectively persisting in time. Only consciousness, broken down into its smallest units, is capable of existing beyond its essence. This is what makes it a necessary constituent of reality, for without it the world would be merely an abstraction. Free of new age spiritualism, Existence and Consciousness is a sober and naturalistic attempt at conceptualizing a reality whose primary constituent is consciousness. The book presents its original insights within a broad multidisciplinary backdrop where ideas from contemporary analytical philosophy, existential philosophy, and ancient philosophy are related to empirical findings from psychology, physics, and neuroscience. Its ideas are presented plainly and are intended for a broad educated audience. No prior experience is necessary to engage with this most perplexing and fundamental question: what is the nature of reality? This second edition is updated to include empirical findings that have occurred since the original version was published in 2017.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences

Trans: a satire by Jen Celador Price verified 3 hours ago

Wally has courageously rejected the species identity arbitrarily assigned to him at birth by his bigoted parents. Now he wants them to pay for his species affirmation surgery, but his cishuman father isn't convinced. Things don't look good for Wally, and his transitional journey appears to be at an end until NAFPA - the National Association of Feelings and Personal Affirmation - gets involved and convinces Wally's parents to support his identity for the sake of his mental health. The good news is that Wally doesn't have to undertake his journey alone. He has a whole group of transspecies friends at his side: there's Kitty the tabby-cat, Rover the rottweiler, and Erica the transsexual kangaroo who aren't about to let any biological facts stand in the way as they shake off the shackles of oppressive species bigotry to forge their own identity. Things really heat up, however, when a teacher questions their true identity - igniting a firestorm of outrage all over social media demanding that the transphobic teacher be fired. While these brave heroes face a lot of resistance from transphobic cisspecies humans, they also encounter unexpected resistance from bigoted hippos (the real ones) who are reluctant to accept a trans-hippo into their herd. Naturally this raises the all-important question on everyone's mind: What exactly is a hippo? Wally eventually actualizes his true species identity, becoming a social media star in the process. But his moment in the sun is soon overshadowed by another trans hero who undertakes a new and innovative transition even more brave and revolutionary than Wally's. What happens next is enough to make even his LGBTQ allies transphobic... Join Wally and his Furry friends as they transition from being human to the species of their choice.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences

CREEP: A Short Psychological Thriller by William Cook (King Billy Publications) (85 Reviews)    Price verified 5 hours ago

A dark story of a young woman's date with death! CREEP is a short psychological thriller that will leave you on the edge of your seat. Serial Killers don't always get away with murder, no matter how hard they try. Includes bonus short story - Legacy. From CREEP: "Cassandra pounded on the window and frantically tried to push the rear doors open, first with her shoulders and then with her heels, to no avail. She peered into the dark confines of the garage and saw nothing except her frightened reflection looking back at her in the window, bathed in the dim yellow interior light of the cab. She cupped her neatly manicured hand across her brow and looked out the window again, her button nose touching the smeared glass as she did so. She thought she heard a deep growling noise somewhere nearby outside the cab and then her window was filled with bared teeth and the blackest, evil eyes, she'd ever seen. The huge head of the Rottweiler retreated into the shadows before launching itself back at the vehicle, the razor sharp canines crunching against the window and sending a trail of cracks across the glass. Steaming froth and saliva dripped down the webbed glass as the dog began to bark and thud its massive head against the side of the cab. Cassandra scuttled across the back seat as she wet herself, waves of fear shrinking her into a ball, as the crazed dog leaped at the cab again... " "William Cook tells a gruesome story with a sense of authenticity that makes you question with considerable unease if it really is fiction, after all." - Graham Masterton, author of The Manitou and Descendant "This man is simply scary. There is both a clinical thoroughness and a heartfelt emotional thoroughness to his writing. He manages to shock as well as empathize, to scare as well as acclimatize, yet beneath it all is a well read intelligence that demands to be engaged. I loved Blood Related. Ordinarily I hate serial killer stories, but William Cook won me over. He is a unique and ...

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences

How to Become President: A Practical Handbook by Felix Petitzon (11 Reviews)    Price verified one hour ago

From classical basis through to contemporary examples, expert Felix Petitzon clinically analyses which steps successful candidates undertook to reach the presidency. Witty, yet serious - this manual outlines how to achieve the highest office. It is the 21st century equivalent of Machiavelli The Prince; not eschewing controversial methods, the author sets morality aside and focuses on what is required to win.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences

Handbook for the Anti-Islamic Resistance by George R. Walters (12 Reviews)    Price verified 4 hours ago

It is not just rhetoric to note that a state of war between Islam and the non-Muslim world already exists. Islam is and for nearly its entire history been at war with the non-Muslim world. Thus a defacto state of war exists regardless of the lack of or confused and ineffective response from the those being attacked. For more and more of us the need for an international anti-Islamic resistance is self evident. Many of us already recognize that the Islamic ideology is fascism in a religious context. Islam benefits only a small and brutal oligarchy. Islam is also an existential threat to all non-Muslims, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Bahai's, atheists, agnostics, etc. That threat is becoming increasingly aggressive and will continue to do so in the future. Unfortunately, despite the fact that ordinary Muslims do not benefit from the Islamic ideology, the record of the non-Islamic world in turning back growing Islamic influence and eventual takeover has been dismal in most cases. Clearly more must be done if we are reverse this ominous trend. To many of us the absolute necessity of resistance to the Islamic ideology and its agenda of global conquest is so self-evident that it hardly bears repeating. Unfortunately, however, it has not been in the interests of even the non-Muslim elites and the media that service those elites to admit the obvious. As a result we must necessarily address and re-address truths that may be instinctively and widely held by many, if not most. Of course those truths, no matter how well documented, will be vigorously denied by Islamists, their "useful idiots," and those who are either willfully ignorant or seeking advantage from enabling Islamist conquest. Yet even if Western governments finally admit the obvious and attempt to address the threat to our societies posed by Islam, success is far from guaranteed. This is both because Western societies present such a variety of targets and the "rules of engagement" that governments ...

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences

We'll All Be Murdered in our Beds: The shocking history of crime reporting in Britain by Duncan Campbell (78 Reviews)    Price verified 46 minutes ago

'If it bleeds, it leads' - this maxim is as true now as it was 300 years ago. Crime is the staple of the news, and our appetite for these dark and dangerous stories shows no sign of abating. In this colourful history of crime reporting since 1700, Duncan Campbell reveals what it's really like to deal with murderers, gangsters, robbers, cat burglars, victims, informers and detectives. He introduces us to the 'hacks in the macs' and the 'Murder Gang', who would go to any lengths to get a story - and serve it up to an ever-eager reading public. At a time when the relationships between the press, public, police and criminals are being questioned as never before, We'll All Be Murdered in Our Beds tells the compelling, sometimes scandalous tale of the stories and storytellers that have entertained, shocked and appalled us - and will continue to do so. Praise for We'll All Be Murdered in Our Beds: 'Duncan Campbell remains one of the very few journalists who has retained the criminal fraternity's trust and respect... He is engagingly clever and writes like a dream' - Howard Marks, author of Mr Nice 'When it comes to stellar crime reporting, Duncan Campbell is the absolute maestro. He captures the colour of the courts, the drama of events and the lives of those who appear there, in the most elegant and authentic way. A fascinating read' - Helena Kennedy, QC Duncan Campbell is former crime correspondent of the Guardian, former chairman of the Crime Reporters' Association and winner of the Bar Council's newspaper journalist of the year. He has written for the Observer, New Statesman, LRB, Oldie, Esquire and British Journalism Review. He has presented Crime Desk on BBC Radio 5 Live and the Radio 4 documentary Bandits of the Blitz, has appeared on the Today programme, LBC radio and numerous TV documentaries, and has lectured widely on crime reporting. He is the author of seven books including the bestselling The Underworld and an acclaimed crime novel, If ...

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences

Critical Nuclear War Survival Skills Guide: Essential Tactics and Strategies for Immediate Family Safety and Security in a Post-Apocalyptic World by Carlos Mack (104 Reviews)    Price verified 46 minutes ago

Are you concerned about the possibility of a nuclear war and what it would mean for your family? In today's uncertain world, it's essential to be ready for anything! Whether you're facing a nuclear attack, an EMP strike, or a military invasion on U.S. soil, you need to know how to survive. The thought of surviving a post-apocalyptic world can be daunting, but with the right knowledge and preparation, you can increase your chances of survival. That's where Carlos Mack's Critical Nuclear War Survival Skills Guide comes in. Discover these key benefits: ? Learn how to build a secure shelter that will protect you and your family from the fallout of a nuclear attack ?Discover the essential tools and supplies you need to stockpile to ensure your survival in the aftermath of a disaster ? Master the skills you need to defend yourself and your loved ones against looters and other threats in a lawless society ? Get historical perspective on nuclear war policies and tips and tricks from survivors who have been there and done that ? Develop the mental toughness and resilience necessary to survive and thrive in a harsh new reality This comprehensive playbook will provide your family all the information needed to prepare for and survive a worst-case scenario event. I've got you covered! Everything from the basics of survival, to advanced techniques for staying alive in the most challenging conditions are inside to discover. Prepare yourself to be more self-sufficient and thrive in uncertain times. Your family's future depends on it! So what are you waiting for? If you want to be better prepared for the Apocalypse, then scroll up and click the "ADD TO CART" button.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences

The Other Shoes of Larry Martin: Book Two: On Becoming Laurie Roberts (Larry Martin Novel Series) by Pavane Ravel (Pavane Ravel Press) (3 Reviews)    Price verified 3 hours ago

Readers will highly enjoy Book Two of The Other Shoes of Larry Martin, a novel series with more political intrigue, family drama, and suspense. Another Best-Seller by Author Pavane Ravel! Larry Martin, in his quiet, kind, and mystical way, continues his journey to a new life, a new vision, and a new understanding. Larry has become a rising star in the world of progressive journalism. While only a few short months after being homeless, jobless, and friendless, Larry has acquired a family and friends. He's fallen in love with a brilliant and beautiful woman who loves him in return. Even though Larry is now the most important journalist for a major liberal website in New York City, he has taken on a second full-time position at a prestigious architectural firm in Atlanta. Yet, in spite of all his good fortune, this kind, talented, and generous young man is soon to face insidious lies, outrageous betrayal, and horrific danger, and that is only the tip of the dramatic iceberg! Now Awarded A 5-Star Reader's Favorite 2023 Editorial Book Review!

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences

Race for Citizenship: Black Orientalism and Asian Uplift from Pre-Emancipation to Neoliberal America (Nation of Nations Book 23) by Helen Heran Jun (NYU Press) (3 Reviews)    Price verified 5 hours ago

Helen Heran Jun explores how the history of U.S. citizenshiphas positioned Asian Americans and African Americans in interlocking socio-political relationships since the mid nineteenth century. Rejecting the conventional emphasis on 'inter-racial prejudice,' Jun demonstrates how a politics of inclusion has constituted a racial Other within Asian American and African American discourses of national identity. Race for Citizenship examines three salient moments when African American and Asian American citizenship become acutely visible as related crises: the 'Negro Problem' and the 'Yellow Question' in the mid- to late 19th century; World War II-era questions around race, loyalty, and national identity in the context of internment and Jim Crow segregation; and post-Civil Rights discourses of disenfranchisement and national belonging under globalization. Taking up a range of cultural texts -- the 19th century black press, the writings of black feminist Anna Julia Cooper, Asian American novels, African American and Asian American commercial film and documentary -- Jun does not seek to document signs of cross-racial identification, but instead demonstrates how the logic of citizenship compels racialized subjects to produce developmental narratives of inclusion in the effort to achieve political, economic, and social incorporation. Race for Citizenship provides a new model of comparative race studies by situating contemporary questions of differential racial formations within a long genealogy of anti-racist discourse constrained by liberal notions of inclusion.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences

Dear Barb:: Answers to Your Everyday Questions (Dear Barb: Words of Wisdom Book 1) by Barbara Godin (9 Reviews)    Price verified 47 minutes ago

"Dear Barb: Answers to Your Everyday Questions" advice columnist Barbara Godin shares her wisdom and insights on a wide range of topics. From relationships and family issues to career and personal growth, Barb offers practical and compassionate advice for navigating life's challenges. With over 20 years of experience as an advice columnist, Barbara Godin has heard it all and provides thoughtful responses to even the toughest questions. This book is perfect for anyone looking for guidance and support in their daily life and is packed with helpful tips and insights that readers can apply to their own situations. Whether you're struggling with a difficult decision or simply looking for some words of encouragement, "Dear Barb" has the answers you need.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences

The Granite Key (Arkana Archaeology Mystery Thriller Series Book 1) by N. S. Wikarski (1,037 Review)    Price verified 4 hours ago

If you liked THE DA VINCI CODE, you'll love this series! During the untold millennia before patriarchy was conceived, the world was a very different place... • Series Finale Award Nominated as Best Mystery of the Month • For Fans of Archaeology Adventure, Historical Thrillers, and Treasure Hunt Mysteries THE ARKANA SERIES A myth-shattering treasure hunt that spans continents, centuries, and lost civilizations, pitting a secret society against a ruthless fundamentalist cult. The prize is a cache of hidden artifacts that could rewrite history or end it completely. With the world hanging in the balance, only one faction can win. More importantly, only one can survive. Volume 1 - The Granite Key In THE GRANITE KEY, an antique dealer is murdered for a mysterious cipher stone that reveals the location of a collection of ancient artifacts. The victim's sister Cassie is stunned when she learns about her sibling's double life as an Arkana agent. She's even more stunned to discover the role she's about to play in helping the Arkana recover the cache. Along with two field agents, she travels to Crete to hunt for clues, unaware that ruthless foes are only steps behind. Cassie and her new team have only hours to find what they seek before a Minoan crypt buries them along with their quest.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences

The Fall of White City: Revised 2020 Edition (GILDED AGE CHICAGO MYSTERY SERIES Book 1) by N. S. Wikarski (474 Reviews)    Price verified 4 hours ago

To solve baffling crimes in turn-of-the-century Chicago, you only need to know a single fact. Bygone sins in the White City cast the longest shadows. • Revised 2020 Edition. Nominated for Reader's Choice Awards as Best First Novel and Best Historical Mystery • For Fans of Cozy Mysteries, Amateur Sleuths, and Gilded Age Chicago History GILDED AGE CHICAGO MYSTERY SERIES Gilded Age Chicago is the fastest growing metropolis in America, rivaling New York as the City of the Century. This melting pot of thieves and corrupt politicians, robber barons and immigrants, is rife with scandal and social injustice. An eccentric heiress and a star reporter find themselves repeatedly drawn into the hidden world of intrigue and murder that lurks within the shadows of the White City. Volume One - The Fall of White City Wealthy spinster Evangeline LeClair leads a paradoxical life. By day, she fends off marriage-minded suitors. By night, she teaches English to factory workers at a social settlement in the slums. Evangeline is quite satisfied with the status quo until murder disrupts her routine. One of her students, a penniless immigrant, has been stabbed to death in Chicago's most exclusive hotel. The girl's brother, a known anarchist, is accused of the crime. Evangeline wheedles her admirer, Freddie Simpson, into helping her track down the real killer. Their list of possible suspects is long: a captain of industry, a denizen of the slums, a shady doctor who mixes his own drugs, and a teenage prostitute from a sporting house in the Levee District. The gleaming surface of the World's Fair casts many shadows, and THE FALL OF WHITE CITY exposes the darkness at its core.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences

Congo's Children by Kem Knapp Sawyer (Pulitzer Center) (3 Reviews)    Price verified 3 hours ago

Children in the Democratic Republic of Congo have seen their lives threatened, their families torn apart, their schools destroyed, and their futures compromised. Many are homeless -- abandoned street children, some accused of witchcraft, others born of rape or orphaned by war. But while children are the most vulnerable segment of a broken society, they are also among the most resilient. Congo's Children tells their stories, accompanied by vivid photography and video and drawing on reporting that has appeared in PBS NewsHour, The Washington Post, TruthAtlas, and other outlets. "The stunning photographs and deeply moving text of this book offer a fine introduction to the suffering -- and hopes -- of people in a part of the world we know far too little about." -- Adam Hochschild, author, King Leopold's Ghost "Here's the Congo that doesn't make the news clips or TV screens. The everyday Congo, with people managing to organize, create art, and educate each other despite the odds. A touching paean to the country's resilience." -- Jason Stearns, author, Dancing in the Glory of Monsters: The Collapse of the Congo and the Great War of Africa "The Sawyers' book on Congo's Children is a powerful tool for students of all ages to begin to understand complex issues of poverty and conflict through seeing how knowing people as individuals is a first step in protecting human rights and resolving disputes." -- John B. Hardman, president and chief executive of the Carter Center

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences

Macroeconomics, Agriculture, and Food Security: A Guide to Policy Analysis in Developing Countries by Eugenio Díaz-Bonilla (International Food Policy Research Institute) (3 Reviews)    Price verified 2 hours ago

Why write a book on macroeconomic policies and their links to agriculture and food security in developing countries? The food price spikes of the years just prior to 2010 and the economic, political, and social dislocations they generated refocused the attention of policymakers and development practitioners on the agricultural sector and food security concerns. But even without those traumatic events, the importance of agriculture for developing countries -- and for an adequate functioning of the world economy -- cannot be denied. First, although declining over time, primary agriculture still represents important percentages of developing countries' overall domestic production, exports, and employment. If agroindustrial, transportation, commercial, and other related activities are also counted, then the economic and social importance of agriculture-based sectors increases significantly. Furthermore, large numbers of the world's poor still live in rural areas and work in agriculture. Through the links via production, trade, employment, and prices, agricultural production is also crucial for national food security. Second, it has been shown that agriculture in developing countries has important growth and employment multipliers for the rest of the economy, and agriculture seems to have larger positive effects in reducing poverty than growth in other sectors. Third, agriculture is not only important for individual developing countries, but it has global significance, considering the large presence of developing countries in world agricultural production and the increasing participation in international trade of those products (these three points will be covered in greater detail in Chapter 1).

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences

Foliage: An International Banking Spy Thriller (A Louise Moscow Novel Book 1) by Lorraine Evanoff (230 Reviews)    Price verified one hour ago

BOOK EXCELLENCE AWARD FINALIST, HISTORICAL FICTION NEW APPLE AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE SHELF UNBOUND BEST INDIE BOOK, NOTABLE INDIE AWARD READERS' FAVORITE BOOK AWARD FINALIST Investment banker Louise Moscow is sexy, brazen and fearless in business and in love. With a high-profile dream job wooing rich clientele in late 1980s Paris, she enjoys a lavish lifestyle in a glamorous city. When she stumbles upon criminal activity at her company, the FBI and CIA force her to cooperate and bring down the underhanded bankers in what turns out to be one of the greatest scandals of the twentieth century. Perfect for fans of Erik Larson, Jack Slater and Kathy Reichs, Foliage: An International Banking Spy Thriller (A Louise Moscow Novel Book 1) is the first installment in this highly addictive, suspenseful thriller series by award-winning author Lorraine Evanoff. Buy Foliage today and discover an exciting new mystery you won't be able to put down. What readers are saying about Foliage: - "Great read, beautifully written, I highly recommend." ~ Matthew J. Dowd, Chief Political Analyst, ABC News - "It starts off fast and keeps you hooked." ~ Nelle L'Amour, New York Times Bestselling Author - Evanoff does her homework, and is able to deliver complex material in a light and readable fashion." ~ Patrick "Ubercritic" McDonald, Hollywood Chicago Magazine

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences

Misreading the Bengal Delta: Climate Change, Development, and Livelihoods in Coastal​ Bangladesh (Culture, Place, and Nature) by Camelia Dewan (1 Review)    Price verified 5 hours ago

Perilously close to sea level and vulnerable to floods, erosion, and cyclones, Bangladesh is one of the top recipients of development aid earmarked for climate change adaptation. Yet to what extent do adaptation projects address local needs and concerns? Combining environmental history and ethnographic fieldwork with development professionals, rural farmers, and landless women, Misreading the Bengal Delta critiques development narratives of Bangladesh as a "climate change victim." It examines how development actors repackage colonial-era modernizing projects, which have caused severe environmental effects, as climate-adaptation solutions. Seawalls meant to mitigate against cyclones and rising sea levels instead silt up waterways and induce drainage-related flooding. Other adaptation projects, from saline aquaculture to high-yield agriculture, threaten soil fertility, biodiversity, and livelihoods. Bangladesh's environmental crisis goes beyond climate change, extending to coastal vulnerabilities that are entwined with underemployment, debt, and the lack of universal healthcare. This timely book analyzes how development actors create flawed causal narratives linking their interventions in the environment and society of the Global South to climate change. Ultimately, such misreadings risk exacerbating climatic threats and structural inequalities. Misreading the Bengal Delta is available in an open access edition through the Sustainable History Monograph Pilot, thanks to the generous support of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Open access edition: DOI 10.6069/9780295749624

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences

Library of Congress Workshop on Etexts by Library of Congress Price verified one hour 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

On The Human Species: A Philosophy on Reason and the Emergence of Civilized Humanity by Anthony Pellegrino (14 Reviews)    Price verified one hour ago

On the Human Species is a philosophical and psychological discourse that charts the origin and evolution of our species. The book is an inspired combination of science and philosophy, a brilliant canvas of intellectual thought and discerning anthropology. In this work, Mr. Pellegrino delves within the origin of our species from the conception of reason to the creation of religion. The book also explains human emotions, the origin of vice, and an illusory morality that manifests itself as accountability, but also differentiates our species from the remainder of the animal kingdom.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences

Putting Federalism in Its Place: The Territorial Politics of Social Policy Revisited by Scott L. Greer (University of Michigan Press) Price verified 4 hours ago

What does federalism do to welfare states? This question arises in scholarly debates about policy design as well as in discussions about the right political institutions for a country. It has frustrated many, with federalism seeming to matter in all sorts of combinations with all sorts of issues, from nationalism to racism to intergovernmental competition. The diffuse federalism literature has not come to compelling answers for very basic questions. Scott L. Greer, Daniel Béland, André Lecours, and Kenneth A. Dubin argue for a new approach -- one methodologically focused on configurations of variables within cases rather than a fruitless attempt to isolate "the" effect of federalism; and one that is substantively engaged with identifying key elements in configurations as well as with when and how their interactions matter. Born out of their work on a multi-year, eleven-country project (published as Federalism and Social Policy: Patterns of Redistribution in Eleven Countries, University of Michigan Press, 2019), this book comprises a methodological and substantive agenda. Methodologically, the authors shift to studies that embraced and understood the complexity within which federal political institutions operate. Substantively, they make an argument for the importance of plurinationalism, changing economic interests, and institutional legacies.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences

A Moment of Clarity by Cliff Lengkono (1 Review)    Price verified 2 hours ago

Have you been having trouble coping with loss? Do you want to be prepared for marriage and family? Are you wondering how you are going to deal with parenting? Is it hard for you to start and maintain a relationship? Could it be that there is more about love that you are yet to learn? You have found the book that cover all of those issues and many more. It takes no more than one book for you to have knowledge of and the solution to various problems that everybody faces in their life. A Moment of Clarity gives you the opportunity to see stages of life all at once because there are as many as six distinct sections in it, which are self, dating, relationship, marriage, parenthood, and farewell. It shows you what you can learn from the past, it enables you to make sense and deal with what is happening in your life, and it allows you to know and prepare for what is ahead. After looking inside life and yourself, you will be able to choose or tell what you want, to find ways and to do whatever it takes to get it, to overcome difficulties and tests, and to deal with things greater than yourself. It is easy to understand, it is useful for many people and occasions, it is filled with things you can learn, teach, suggest, and advise. There are many things this book offers you including, but not limited to truth, comfort, solutions, reminder, advice, warning, hope, answers, alternatives, knowledge, signs, ideas, insights, confidence, certainties, explanations, help, courage, strength, motivation, changes, and lessons. To read this book is to see life, humans, and the world like you have never seen before.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences

Step One: Save the World: The Journey of a Water Protector by DJ Rankin (3 Reviews)    Price verified 2 hours ago

??This is a cookbook. This is an adventure novel. This is a love story. This is a tale of survival. This is a spiritual journey. This is a catalog of the oppressions and destructions perpetrated by the machine of mankind. This is a handbook on standing up to the tyranny enacted by a corrupt government through the mechanism of fear. This is a recruitment manual for a global movement of resistance. We are winning. It is time to stand up. Enough is enough. Do what feels right. ??Last winter I was called to Standing Rock to protect the water and my entire world was flipped upside down. I lived in the most amazing, love based, frozen tipi utopia, where I connected with the greatest human beings imaginable, and connected to myself and the universe through the ceremonies of the Lakota people, and through science. I was simultaneously exposed to not only the long list of evils unleashed on our species and planet in the name of money, but witnessed this first hand through a cloud of tear gas and militarized police. It was the greatest experience ever. I mean, I was grilling steaks in a forty below lightening blizzard. You should come over for dinner sometime.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences

Agricultural Extension: Global Status and Performance in Selected Countries by Kristin Davis (1 Review)    Price verified 46 minutes ago

Agricultural transformation and development are critical to the livelihoods of more than a billion small-scale farmers and other rural people in developing countries. Extension and advisory services play an important role in such transformation and can assist farmers with advice and information, brokering and facilitating innovations and relationships, and dealing with risks and disasters. In Agricultural Extension: Global Status and Performance in Selected Countries, researchers from the International Food Policy Research Institute and other experts provide a global overview of agricultural extension and advisory services, assesses and compare extension systems at the national and regional levels, examine the performance of extension approaches in a selected set of country cases, and shares lessons and policy insights. Drawing on both primary and secondary data, the authors apply a common and comprehensive framework -- the "best-fit" approach -- to assessments of extension systems, which allows for comparison across cases and geographies. Insights from the research support reforms -- in governance, capacity, management, and advisory methods -- to improve outcomes, enhance financial sustainability, and achieve greater scale. Agricultural Extension should be a valuable resource for policymakers, extension practitioners, and others concerned with agricultural development.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences

Essays on Suffering-Focused Ethics by Magnus Vinding Price verified 4 hours ago

Essays on Suffering-Focused Ethics is a collection of 34 essays that explore various questions related to the reduction of suffering. Some of the essays provide novel arguments in favor of suffering-focused moral views, while others explore urgent practical questions about how we can best reduce the torment of sentient beings. Taken together, these essays make the case for a principled yet nuanced approach to the prevention of extreme suffering.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences

The Politics of India under Modi: An Introduction to India’s Democracy, Economy, and Foreign Policy (ASIANetwork Books) by Vikash Yadav (Lever Press) (1 Review)    Price verified 46 minutes ago

Since the right-wing, Hindu-nationalist government of Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power at the national level in 2014, and with its consolidation of power in the 2019 general election, India has witnessed a significant realignment of its national politics and a shift toward the right of the political spectrum. The Politics of India under Modi provides a detailed overview of India's political trends, economic prospects, and international relations in the twenty-first century. This book is designed as a supplement and update for existing syllabi that trace India's political economy from the birth of the republic to the quest for economic liberalization and great power status. Undergraduates and scholars interested in India's foreign policy and political reform will find value in this timely book. "The subject of this book is extremely compelling and important, as well as timely. BJP rule and the Modi regime, it is now clear, represent some critical turning points in Indian politics, which have yet to be analyzed in depth academically by experts. I see this book as a key first step in this process." -Rina Verma Williams, School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Cincinnati

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences

The Disarticulate: Language, Disability, and the Narratives of Modernity (Cultural Front Book 8) by James Berger (NYU Press) (1 Review)    Price verified one hour ago

Language is integral to our social being. But what is the status of those who stand outside of language? The mentally disabled, "wild" children, people with autism and other neurological disorders, as well as animals, infants, angels, and artificial intelligences, have all engaged with language from a position at its borders. In the intricate verbal constructions of modern literature, the 'disarticulate' -- those at the edges of language -- have, paradoxically, played essential, defining roles. Drawing on the disarticulate figures in modern fictional works such as Billy Budd, The Sound and the Fury, Nightwood, White Noise, and The Echo Maker, among others, James Berger shows in this intellectually bracing study how these characters mark sites at which aesthetic, philosophical, ethical, political, medical, and scientific discourses converge. It is also the place of the greatest ethical tension, as society confronts the needs and desires of "the least of its brothers." Berger argues that the disarticulate is that which is unaccountable in the discourses of modernity and thus stands as an alternative to the prevailing social order. Using literary history and theory, as well as disability and trauma theory, he examines how these disarticulate figures reveal modernity's anxieties in terms of how it constructs its others.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences

European Strategic Autonomy and Small States' Security: In the Shadow of Power (Routledge Studies in European Security and Strategy) by Giedrius Česnakas (1 Review)    Price verified 46 minutes ago

This book analyses whether the EU's drift towards European strategic autonomy presents a challenge or a window of opportunity for its small member states to advance their security interests. The volume presents small states' perceptions of European strategic autonomy, highlighting their expectations and concerns. The chapters focus on the depth and breadth of European strategic autonomy, national security considerations, assessment of the impact on transatlantic relations, the expected outputs, and its potential impact on the EU's institutional structure. It also shows how systemic circumstances and the interests of powerful states, either belonging to the EU (France, Germany, and Poland) or having a significant say in European security architecture (the US), establish opportunities and constraints for the small states to shape European strategic autonomy. In particular, the study focuses on the diverging interests of the Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania), Belgium, Denmark, Greece, Hungary, and the Netherlands. It demonstrates that, in most cases, European strategic autonomy is perceived not as an alternative to NATO but as a supplementary element that could facilitate the development of national military capabilities, indigenous defence industries and resilience to non-military threats. Ultimately, the book suggests that national approaches towards European strategic autonomy mainly stem from pragmatic national security and foreign policy considerations, while largely ignoring grand strategic ideas. This book will be of much interest to students of European politics, security studies, and international relations. 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

Foreigners in Their Own Country: Identity and Rejection in France by Lawrence M. Martin (Berghahn Books) Price verified 2 hours ago

Based on in-depth interviews with people throughout France who trace their origins to non-European countries, Foreigners in Their Own Country reports on the experience of not being seen as "French" because of one's physical appearance. Paying close attention to how individuals speak about themselves and their feelings of acceptance or rejection, this book provides an intimate account of the challenges faced by the millions of people in France -- and throughout Western Europe -- who fully participate in the life of their country but are often not seen as belonging there.

Genre: Politics & Social Sciences