Central / national / federal government policies Books

Book SynopsisRivers, landscapes, whole territories: these are the latest entities environmental activists have fought hard to include in the relentless expansion of rights in our world. But what does it mean for a landscape to have rights? Why would anyone want to create such rights, and to what end? Is it a good idea, and does it come with risks? This book presents the logic behind giving nature rights and discusses the most important cases in which this has happened, ranging from constitutional rights of nature in Ecuador to rights for rivers in New Zealand, Colombia, and India. Mihnea Tanasescu offers clear answers to the thorny questions that the intrusion of nature into law is sure to raise.Table of ContentsAcknowledgments; Introduction; Rights Meet Nature; From Theory to Practice; Diversity of Practice; The Perils of Totality; From Practice to Theory; Conclusions; Bibliography.

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Entertaining and insightful' -- Evening Standard'One of the most important books of the year... Compelling' Jamie Bartlett, Literary Review'Timely' -- New StatesmanAs the world becomes better connected and we grow ever more dependent on technology, the risks to our infrastructure are multiplying. Whether it's a hostile state striking the national grid (like Russia did with Ukraine in 2016) or a freak solar storm, our systems have become so interlinked that if one part goes down the rest topple like dominoes.In this groundbreaking book, former government minister Oliver Letwin looks ten years into the future and imagines a UK in which the national grid has collapsed. Reliant on the internet, automated electric cars, voice-over IP, GPS, and the internet of things, law and order would disintegrate. Taking us from high-level government meetings to elderly citizens waiting in vain for their carers, this book is a wake up call for why we should question our unshakeable faith in technology. But it's much more than that: Letwin uses his vast experience in government to outline how businesses and government should respond to catastrophic black swan events that seem distant and implausible - until they occur.Trade ReviewEntertaining and insightful... The picture [Letwin] paints is bleak as he uses chapters that alternate between a fictional depiction of chaotic meltdown in the year 2037 and analysis of the real-life causes to show why such disaster could occur. * Evening Standard *One of the most important books of the year... compelling * Jamie Bartlett, Literary Review *Timely... it provides an insight into the mindsets that prevent politicians and civil servants from properly preparing for catastrophes. * New Statesman *A vivid and engaging account of how the risks inherent in our increasing dependence on technology could someday coalesce into a perfect storm with disastrous consequences. Apocalypse How? reads like a dystopian thriller, but makes it clear that the dangers are very real. * Martin Ford, New York Times bestselling author of The Rise of the Robots *A vital guide for anyone in business or government who wants to know how to respond when apparently distant and implausible events strike home. * Prospect *Masterful, disturbing and informed, Letwin takes us to the abyss - to a society paralysed by the total failure of its interconnected power and communications networks. His contingency plans should be mandatory reading. * Professor Richard Susskind OBE, Chair of Advisory Board, Oxford Internet Institute *From severe floods and accelerating climate change to cyber-attacks and space weather, there is a whole series of threats that could bring a modern country to a standstill. Oliver Letwin spent more time than any minister in recent history trying to understand, prevent and combat the unexpected disasters that could engulf a modern government. * David Cameron *Table of Contents0: Prologue 1: Could it happen? 2: The Cabinet Office 3: The social impact of black-swan events 4: Out in the darkness 5: Fragility and resilience 6: A difficult choice 7: Myths and realities 8: For whom the bell tolls 9: The global perspective

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"The Invention of International Order is a worthwhile read for those interested in international relations, gender history, class analysis, as well as cultural studies and rhetoric all of whom may find this work useful to their own thinking."---Azadeh Ghanizadeh, Cambridge Review of International Affairs"[A] rich and ambitious study. . . . Glenda Sluga has written an excellent book—and one that is not just excellent but also important."---Thomas Peak, Perspectives on Politics

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn High Wire, Angela Huyue Zhang provides a comprehensive and sophisticated overview of how China regulates its enormous tech sector. By closely scrutinizing the incentives and interactions among the key players, Zhang introduces a dynamic pyramid model to analyze the structure, process, and outcome of China''s unique regulatory system. She showcases the shrewd self-regulatory tactics employed by Chinese tech titans to survive and thrive in an institutional environment plagued by endemic fraud and corruption. She also reveals how the Chinese State has given a helping hand to digital platforms by offering them indispensable judicial support. Through a robust analysis of the tumultuous 2020-2022 tech crackdown, Zhang explores the model''s profound impact on three vital pillars of Chinese platform regulation, including antitrust, data, and labor enforcement. As Zhang demonstrates, the tech crackdown has led to the private sector''s retreat and the state''s advancement in the tech industr

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe fourth edition of this well-respected textbook includes three new chapters on the history and development of social policy, making social policy in a global context, and how to research and write about social policy. It is up-to-date with the coalition government's welfare agenda, and remains the best introduction to social policy available.Table of ContentsTHE ORIGINS, CHARACTER, AND POLITICS OF MODERN WELFRE SYSTEMS; THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONTEXT OF SOCIAL POLICY; THE FINANCIAL AND ORGANISATIONAL CONTEXT OF SOCIAL POLICY; DELIVERING WELFARE; CONSEQUENCES AND OUTCOMES OF SOCIAL POLICY

Read more less

Book SynopsisThough the “two Wests,” Europe and the United States, differ in crucial respects, they share a common history of social rights. In Democracy and the Welfare State, leading historians and social scientists rethink this history in light of global transformations of the economic order and the onslaught of neoliberalism and right-wing populism.Trade ReviewLinking questions of democracy to those of social provision through the generative concept of the "Two Wests," Kessler-Harris, Vaudagna, and their contributors offer a primer on the crisis of the welfare state, the grip of austerity politics, and the rise of right-wing nationalism that mark our times. An important contribution! -- Eileen Boris, University of California, Santa BarbaraTable of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction: The Uneasy Promise of the Welfare State, by Alice Kessler-Harris 1. Historians Interpret the Welfare State, 1975-1995, by Maurizio Vaudagna Part I. Democracy and the Welfare State in Europe and the United States 2. Reconciling European Integration and the National Welfare State: A Neo-Weberian Perspective, by Maurizio Ferrera 3. Democracy After the Welfare State: An Interview, by Ira Katznelson Part II. Varieties of Retrenchment 4. Privatization and Self-Responsibility: Patterns of Welfare-State Development in Europe and the United States Since the 1990s, by Christian Lammert 5. Paradise Lost? Social Citizenship in Norway and Sweden, by Gro Hagemann 6. Social Citizenship in the U.S. Affordable Care Act, by Beatrix Hoffman 7. In the Shadow of Employment Precarity: Informal Protection and Risk Transfers in Low-End Temporary Staffing, by Sebastien Chauvin 8. From the Welfare State to the Carceral State: Whither Social Reproduction?, by Mimi Abramovitz Part III. Gender, the Family, and Social Provision 9. Family Matters: Social Policy, an Overlooked Constraint on the Development of European Citizenship, by Chiara Saraceno 10. Transforming Gendered Labor Policies in Sweden and the United States, 1960s-2000s, by Ann Shola Orloff 11. Breadwinner Liberalism and Its Discontents in the American Welfare State, by Robert O. Self Part IV. Possibilities of Resistance 12. Nationalism's Challenge to European Citizenship, Democracy, and Equality: Potential for Resistance from Transnational Civil Society, by Birte Siim 13. Poor-People Power: The State, Social Provision, and American Experiments in Democratic Engagement, by Marisa Chappell 14. Grassroots Challenges to Capitalism: An Interview, by Frances Fox Piven Selected Bibliography Contributors Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhy do Peace Corps volunteers often return having lost their idealism? In The Death of Idealism, Meghan Elizabeth Kallman details the combination of social forces and organizational pressures that depoliticizes Peace Corps volunteers, channels their idealism toward professionalization, and leads to cynicism or disengagement.Trade ReviewWith no places to discuss their potentially life-changing experiences with fellow volunteers, and with many rules to follow and forms to fill out, volunteers in the Peace Corps often encounter an organizational void where their political imaginations and hopes might have bloomed. The Death of Idealism confronts the consequences of this void, and makes important contributions to theories of organizations, the history of American volunteering, and the history of the Peace Corps in particular. -- Nina Eliasoph, author of Making Volunteers: Civic Life After Welfare's EndProfessionalization is typically seen as universally good in the worlds of government, nonprofit, and development organizations. Meghan Elizabeth Kallman shows in her insightful study of the U.S. Peace Corps how it can kill idealism and lead to the failure of development. This is a must-read for anyone interested in public service and civic engagement. -- Angela M. Eikenberry, coeditor of Reframing Nonprofit Organizations: Democracy, Inclusion, and Social ChangeA fascinating account of the conflict between professionalization and idealism in the Peace Corps. Kallman presents an important lesson in how organizational practices affect people’s ideas and values in ways that have long lasting consequences for their lives, professional careers, and, in this case, the trajectory of international development practice in the United States. -- Jennifer E. Mosley, coeditor of Human Service Organizations and the Question of ImpactIs a must-read for all those who have a keen interest in international development and fighting poverty since the two are interdisciplinary in the contemporary world. * Voluntas *This strong critique of the program is also a powerful endorsement of the critical ways that volunteering, in this program and more generally, can shape individuals and their lives. * American Journal of Sociology *Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction1. The Peace Corps and Its Volunteers2. The Development of Development: The Peace Corps and USAID3. Ethical and Procedural Professionalization Among Peace Corps Staff4. Volunteers in the Field5. Home Again: Political, Civic, and Occupational Consequences of VolunteeringConclusionAppendix: Book MethodologyNotesIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen science competes with myriad influences in public policymaking, how can we ensure that it does so effectively?Policymakers, like most people today, have a world of information within easy reach, much of it wrong. How, amidst the chaos and misdirection of our day?s information ecosystem, can science compete for the attention and trust of those who make public policy?especially at a time when issues like proliferating infectious diseases and climate change put a premium on accurate and relevant scientific information? What?s needed, Barry Bozeman suggests in Science Competes, is a clearer understanding of how scientific information is conveyed, how it is understood and used, and where it fits in the wide array of information that might be of use to those who make and administer policy, laws, and regulations, as well as citizens who actively participate in public life. Acknowledging the importance of different sorts of information?historical, experiential, political, e.g.?to decision making, Bozeman focuses on enhancing, not maximizing, the effective use of science in public policy. This entails recognizing that valid and useful scientific information is not necessarily formal scientific knowledge, but often takes the form of science by-products such as raw or structured data, graphics, and conceptual models. Explaining how such information can be better distinguished from half-truths and pernicious falsehoods, Science Competes also raises the possibility that effective competition might require improvements in science institutions, norms, and ideas about acceptable behavior.

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review“A worthy contribution to the public debate on America’s role in the world and a tonic for our times.”—John Kerry, Former U.S. Secretary of State“A creative approach to addressing how America’s choices can either arrest or accelerate decline.”—Bruce Cronin, City College of New York“Laced with vivid storytelling, insightful lessons of history, and his own experience on the front lines of U.S. diplomacy, Imbrie takes the reader on an uncomfortable but necessary journey through the difficult problems, places and policy choices facing our leaders. It's foreign policy 'tough love,' to be sure, but it's exactly what we need right now."—Rear Admiral John Kirby, USN (ret)“An important book for our turbulent times. Imbrie shows how America has provided principled leadership in this world and points to ways we can be smart and visionary in the future. It is an elegantly written tribute to the promise of America and a call to action to reclaim that promise once again.”—Walter Isaacson, author of The Innovators and Leonardo da Vinci“A refreshing counsel against despair, this book reminds us that American leadership—born of wise choices at home and abroad—can preserve a world that both advances American interests and protects the common good. It will be essential reading for the renewal of U.S. foreign policy going forward.”—Ashley J. Tellis, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn an age of dwindling economic competition, instead of breaking up corporate giants, we need to compel them to share their technology, data, and knowledgeTrade Review“Bessen is a master of unpacking the nuances of a complex array of interrelated trends to build a coherent story of how the promise of the democratized Internet ended up under the control of just a few. Read The New Goliaths to see how the forest came to have only room for a few tall trees with the rest of us in the undergrowth.”—Joshua Gans, coauthor of Prediction Machines: The Simple Economics of Artificial Intelligence“Information technologies—from the early bar code to cloud computing and artificial intelligence—are transforming our economy. Do firms use these technologies for the greater good or do they take advantage of lax oversight to increase their power and harm workers, consumers, and citizens? How should we regulate the New Goliaths of the digital age? Jim Bessen uses his broad experience and deep knowledge to shed light on these fundamental and contentious issues.”—Thomas Philippon, author of The Great Reversal“Jim Bessen offers the first detailed account of how concretely the IT revolution ended up discouraging growth and creative destruction in the overall economy while dramatically increasing market concentration and income inequality. This book is an absolute must-read for scholars, policy makers, and anyone interested in the history of growth, innovation, and technological revolutions.”—Philippe Aghion, coauthor of The Power of Creative Destruction“The New Goliaths is a deeply researched and innovative interpretation of how software innovation has produced more concentrated markets, higher inequality, and slower innovation, productivity growth, and new firm formation.”—Yochai Benkler, author of The Wealth of Networks: How Social Production Transforms Markets and Freedom

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn accessible, compelling introduction to today's major policy issues from columnist, best-selling author and Nobel Prizewinning economist Paul Krugman.Trade Review"[Arguing with Zombies] is a timely reminder that actual knowledge and ordinary common sense are two of the rarest qualities in mainstream journalism today." -- The Business Telegraph"…Krugman’s book proves that he, a Nobel-prize winning economist, shares two rare qualities with George Orwell, the novelist who also wrote much of the best journalism of the 20th century: deep intelligence and genuine prescience." -- Charles Kaiser - The Guardian"... thoughtful, timely book…" -- Nature"... in terms of easy-to-read economic summaries of some of the biggest issues facing Western (particularly American) financial policy making, this book is a treasure-trove." -- FT Advisor"The gigantic scale of the $1.9 trillion Biden rescue plan, and now the proposed $2 trillion infrastructure investment programme, are testament to a rearrangement of the relationship between economic expertise and politics in the Democratic Party, a rearrangement which Krugman anticipated and for which Arguing with Zombies makes a powerful case." -- Adam Tooze - London Review of Books

Read more less

Book Synopsis This definitive portrait of American diplomacy reveals how the concept of the West drove twentieth-century foreign policy, how it fell from favor, and why it is worth saving. Throughout the twentieth century, many Americans saw themselves as part of Western civilization, and Western ideals of liberty and self-government guided American diplomacy. But today, other ideas fill this role: on one side, a technocratic liberal international order, and on the other, the illiberal nationalism of America First. In The Abandonment of the West, historian Michael Kimmage shows how the West became the dominant idea in US foreign policy in the first half of the twentieth century -- and how that consensus has unraveled. We must revive the West, he argues, to counter authoritarian challenges from Russia and China. This is an urgent portrait of modern America''s complicated origins, its emergence as a superpower, and the crossroads at which it now stands.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisGun-related violence is an intractable problem. This book examines the gun control policy, and explains how it was adopted by discussing the roles and interactions of elected officials, interest groups, political parties, and the public. It focuses on the utility of gun policy.Trade ReviewWilson’s book lucidly examines the key issues surrounding the contemporary debate over gun control. His work is well grounded in the latest scholarly literature and the best available data. -- Gregg L. Carter, Ph.D., Chair of the Department of History & Social Sciences, Bryant UniversityProvides and excellent assessment of why the billions of dollars that have been spent have yielded so little success. -- Philip Kronebusch * Law and Politics Book Review *Wilson strives to bring rationality and logic to an issue too often defined by hysterically emotional arguments and moral claims. Rather than a simple evaluation of various gun policies, Wilson examines the factors and factions involved in the creation of those policies, as well as the effects the policies have had on the political fortunes of the major players in the struggle. Wilson presents an evenhanded account of the issues, and places what can be an alarming and confusing collection of statistics into an easily understood context that helps the reader come to his or her own conclusions outside of the polemical 'noise' typically heard. -- Eric Primm, Pikesville College * Criminal Justice Review, June 2009 *A wonderful introduction to the far-reaching significance of firearms in America. This work is a very good supplement for an Introduction to American Politics class, allowing the instructor to weave a single topic through the many elements covered during such a course. The book helps the reader understand the parameters of the issue, by exploring the current structure of gun control politics and addressing the related conflict over the presentation and interpretation of information related to guns, gun safety, and crime. The author deftly handles a powerful topic, by making sound work accessible to the reader. -- John M. Bruce, Dept of Political Science, University of MississippiTable of ContentsChapter 1 Preface Chapter 2 Introduction Chapter 3 Guns and the Constitution Chapter 4 Statistics and Firearms Chapter 5 Gun Policies Chapter 6 Public Opinion Chapter 7 Interest Groups, Gun Control, and Elections Chapter 8 Guns in the Media Chapter 9 A View from a State: Gun Policy in Virginia Chapter 10 Politics and Gun Control Policy—Present and Future

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe roots of Islamophobia run deep and affect us all. We must resist it togetherTrade Review'Lyrical and uncompromising - Suhaiymah writes to disrupt' -- 'gal-dem''Courageously makes explicit the implicit unfreedoms of our society' -- Lowkey, rapper and activist'I am profoundly grateful to Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan for writing this book. It is brave. It is necessary. It is true. It is what we Muslims have been waiting for. A brilliant, powerful and moving account of Islamophobia, not as an individual moral deficiency, but as rooted in colonial histories of white supremacy and global capitalism. For me, Tangled in Terror triggered long-felt pain, anger, grief at the abuse, torture and genocidal violence Muslims are made to suffer the world over. Violence which not only evades accountability, but seems at times not even to register as harm. Manzoor-Khan carefully traces the origins and shape of the historical and ongoing terrorisation of Muslims, revealing untold injustices, and showing us how to untangle ourselves from terror and instead find threads of resistance' -- Nadine El-Enany, author of '(B)ordering Britain' and Co-Director of the Centre for Research on Race and Law'A fearless writer who cuts through nonsense. Suhaiymah's voice is one of the most exciting of her generation' -- Fatima Manji, award-winning broadcaster and journalist for Channel 4 News'This is the first time the breadth and depth of the Islamophobia we face has been collated in one place and analysed with such precision. It really feels like 'our' book' -- Moazzam Begg, a former prisoner at Guantánamo Bay, author of 'Enemy Combatant' and outreach director for CAGE'A surgical, unflinching account of the forces that have converged to cast Muslims as a permanent threat while profiting off our marginalisation' -- Aamer Rahman, writer and comedian'Suhaiymah's writing is fierce and clarifying. She understands that the task is to resist oversimplified definitions of Islamophobia and instead turn the reader's attention toward its political function - how it increases proximity to violence and impoverishes us all' -- Lola Olufemi, author of ‘Feminism, Interrupted’'Hugely important, unflinching and rigorous' -- Preti Taneja, author of the Desmond Elliot Prize-winning book 'We That Are Young''One of Britain’s most promising young voices’ -- Priyamvada Gopal, author of ‘Insurgent Empire: Anticolonial Resistance & British Dissent’'Unapologetically abolitionist, 'Tangled in Terror' resonates as a powerful act of refusal and resistance. It lays the foundations for a resistance that unequivocally demands an end to ALL forms of violence and ALL forms of racism, together' -- Helen Brewer, migrant justice activist, and a member of the Stansted 15'Offers a rich account of the ways Islamophobia upholds systems of extraction, exploitation and domination, propelled by the urgency of our collective political predicament' -- Sita Balani, co-author of 'Empire's Endgame''A deeply insightful intervention on the ongoing entrenchment of white supremacy and islamophobia. 'Tangled in Terror' is a motivator, to understand, reflect, and take action in deliberate, radical and life-affirming ways' -- Cradle Community, an abolitionist collective'This eloquent book dissects the structures of power which create, uphold and perpetuate Islamophobia and tells us what it is like to be a Muslim woman in this intensely hostile climate' -- Amrit Wilson, writer, journalist and activist'Conveys the trauma that is so often unspoken of in discussions of state enabled bigotry against Muslims, written with deep clarity' -- Omar Suleiman, scholar, civil rights leader, writer and public speaker'Tangled in Terror' brought tears to my eyes and fire to my heart. The gift of this book is feeling the world changing around you with each word. An astounding, ground-shaking piece of work.' -- Sabrina Mahfouz, playwright, poet, writer and editor of 'The Things I Would Tell You''A bold, brave and brilliant account of Islamophobia as a global system of domination and as a continuation of a colonial project, written with clarity and compassion' -- Sara Ahmed, independent scholar and author of 'Complaint!''Suhaiymah has produced crystal clarity out of the darkest fog. ‘Tangled In Terror’ is a visceral dissection of the industry of Islamophobia' -- Inua Ellams, award-winning playwright and poet‘A fresh perspective … looks beyond entrenched narratives of Islamophobia to offer a new thesis’ -- Mariyah Zaman, ‘gal-dem’‘Illuminating and incisive’ -- ‘Huck’‘Written with such clarity. It’s really validating, as a Muslim woman, to have someone say exactly what you’re thinking’ -- Nadia Saeed, ‘PEN Transmissions’‘An essential book, not only for Muslims but for anyone wanting to learn and understand more about the roots and current reality of Islamophobia. It’s an enriching and insightful read into what discussions around Islamophobia should be focusing on and where our energies should be prioritised. In the face of so much division and hate, it’s also a book of hope’ -- Shahed Ezaydi, ‘Amaliah’Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction: Not what it is but what it does 1. A history of race-making: Inventing ‘the Muslim threat’ 2. Never-ending pillaging in the name of international security 3. Who is safer when the nation is secure? 4. Racist prediction as public duty: Prevent 5. Whose parallel lives? Which British values? 6. The revolution must be counter-extremist: Co-opting resistance 7. Compromising Islam for patriotism: A secular state? A Western Islam? 8. Destroying life and hoarding wealth in the name of border security 9. The feminist and queer-friendly West? The patriarchal rest? 10. Islamophobia’s beneficiaries Conclusion: A safe world on our own terms

Read more less

Book Synopsis, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health; Rick Surpin, Independence Care System.Trade ReviewThis text would be helpful for teaching students in medicine, nursing, social work, and health care administration. -- Tina Kenyon, ACSW Family Medicine 2005 This book can be recommended to family caregivers, health care staff, and policy-makers-as well as to those teaching courses in health care, policy, and gerontology. -- Anne P. Glass Journal of Women and Aging 2006 A must read for those who are planning to work in the healthcare field and for those currently employed in it. -- Molly Ranney Journal of Women and Aging 2005 A well-researched and fascinating historical recount of the cultural differences between the family members, health professionals and policy makers... Recommended background reading for geriatric care managers and professionals seeking policy changes in caregiving. -- Kathleen Wall Inside GCM 2005 Editors Levine and Murray and their contributors demonstrate a broad understanding of the culture of caregiving and families. Choice 2005 The collaboration and talents brought together to write this book are phenomenal... This book should be considered an instrument in building and solidifying the bridge between caregivers and the medical community. -- David Sigel Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings 2005 Levine and Murray have taken us beyond complaining about conflicts and problems in providing healthcare across the cultural divide. Instead, they offer insights, knowledge, and, most important, direction for creating remedies to problems. -- Peggy Dilworth-Anderson, Ph.D. JAMA A well-written and thought-provoking book written by professionals in the health care industry, some who are family caregivers themselves. Family Caregiver Alliance The Cultures of Caregiving: Conflict and Common Ground among Families, Health Professionals, and Policy Makers is a well-crafted book. -- Fahmida Hussain Journal of Health Care for the Poor and UnderservedTable of ContentsList of Contributors ForewordPrefaceIntroduction: Caregiving as a Family Affair: A New Perspective on Cultural DiversityPart I: Perspectives on Family Caregiving: Data, Diversity, and Personal ExperienceChapter 1. Family Caregivers and the Health Care System: Findings from a National SurveyChapter 2. On Loving Care and the Persistence of Memories: Reflections of a Grieving DaughterChapter 3. The Weight of Shared Lives: Truth Telling and Family CaregivingPart II: Home Care Past and PresentChapter 4. Family Caregiving in New England: Nineteenth-Century Community Care Gives Way to Twentieth-Century InstitutionsChapter 5. Nurses and Their Changing Relationships to Family CaregiversChapter 6. The Culture of Home Care: Whose Values Prevail?Part III: The Societal ContextChapter 7. Explaining the Paradox of Long-Term Care Policy: An Example of Dissonant CulturesChapter 8. Family Caregivers in Popular Culture: Images and Reality in the MoviesPart IV: Bridging the Gap among CulturesChapter 9. Integrating Medicine and the Family: Toward a Coherent Ethic of CareChapter 10. Project DOCC: A Parent-Directed Model for Educating Pediatric ResidentsChapter 11. Changing Institutional Culture: Turning Adversaries into PartnersConclusion: Building on Common GroundIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisAmerican cities have experienced a remarkable surge in convention center development over the last two decades, with exhibit hall space growing from 40 million square feet in 1990 to 70 million in 2011—an increase of almost 75 percent. Proponents of these projects promised new jobs, new private development, and new tax revenues. Yet even as cities from Boston and Orlando to Phoenix and Seattle have invested in more convention center space, the return on that investment has proven limited and elusive. Why, then, do cities keep building them?Written by one of the nation''s foremost urban development experts, Convention Center Follies exposes the forces behind convention center development and the revolution in local government finance that has privileged convention centers over alternative public investments. Through wide-ranging examples from cities across the country as well as in-depth case studies of Chicago, Atlanta, and St. Louis, Heywood T. Sanders examines tTrade Review"In Convention Center Follies, Heywood Sanders deflates overblown claims that convention centers will contribute to urban economic development and explains why city leaders so easily succumb to these claims. This carefully researched and clearly argued book is an exceptionally important contribution to the study of urban redevelopment and the politics of policy making." * Susan S. Fainstein, author of Policy, Planning, and People: Promoting Justice in Urban Development *"Heywood Sanders describes in rich detail how, beginning in the 1950s and continuing into the twenty-first century, American metropolises have made convention centers key elements in their efforts to revitalize ailing central business districts-and why the billions of dollars spent on the enterprise have yielded such meager results. An eye-opening study written clearly and forcefully, Convention Center Follies is essential reading for anyone interested in understanding the factors that have shaped modern U.S. cities." * Roger Biles, Illinois State University *"Convention Center Follies is political history at its best. Sanders convincingly generalizes across extensive cases and national data to offer a cautionary tale about motives, incentives, and local economic development." * Edward W. Hill, Cleveland State University *

Read more less

Book Synopsis A user's guide to economic, political, social and cultural collapse. In the face of political impotence, resource depletion, and catastrophic climate change, many of us have become reconciled to an uncertain future. However, popular perception of how this future might actually unfold varies wildly from a severe and prolonged recession, to James Howard Kunstler''s long emergency, to the complete breakdown of civilization. In The Five Stages of Collapse , Dmitry Orlov posits a taxonomy of collapse, offering a surprisingly optimistic perspective on surviving the sweeping changes of the day with health and sanity intact. Arguing that it is during periods of disruption and extreme uncertainty that broad cultural change becomes possible, Orlov steers the reader through the challenges of financial, commercial, and political collapse. He suggests that if the first three stages are met with the appropriate responses, further breakdown may be arresteTrade ReviewReview, Charlie Smith, Straight.com July 1, 2013 Five Stages of Collapse is a highly entertaining and enlightening examination of the entrails of what happens when societies are driven into the abyss by greedy, hard-hearted elites and corrupt and incompetent politicians. And if Orlov turns out to be correct, this book just might end up saving your life by revealing steps you can take to prepare for the worst. Review, Carolyn Baker, Speaking Truth to Power April 7,2013 I am a huge fan of Dmitry's work, and I must concur with Richard Heinberg who says, "Even if I believed collapse were impossible I'd still read everything Dmitry Orlov writes: he's that entertaining." Incisive articulation of reality tempered with irrepressible humor and sarcasm define his writing style and not only compel us to stay with what some describe as a "dark Russian perspective," but reveal a man who has found a way to live with what is so and navigate it with buoyant humanity. The Five Stages of Collapse is nothing less than a definitive textbook for a hypothetical course entitled "The Collapse Of Industrial Civilization 101" or perhaps a bible of sorts for an imaginary "Institute of Collapse Studies." While to my knowledge no such courses or organizations presently exist, this book would be an essential aspect of any such entity's credibility. Review, Michael C. Ruppert, April 18, 2013 The writing of this book was a rotten job, but it was absolutely necessary. If someone had to do it, I am very glad that it was Dmitry Orlov. Without his wit, alacrity and experience, the task of beating the horse of the Cartesian approach to understanding our dying world to death would have resulted in something unbearably maddening, dry and uninspiring. In this book he sneaks some LOLROF side-splitters in when you least expect them. One gathers from Orlov's painstaking efforts, the futility of looking to outdated constructs and philosophies for understanding and relief from a crisis that demands complete innovation and inspiration. Reading closely, one sees Orlov carefully planting seeds of reconciliation with our planet and each other throughout--as a fundamental baseline. He arrives at places outside the box of the current meme by using methodologies and analyses that are sacramental within the meme. That's an achievement. Perhaps in his next book he will stand on that ground more forcefully and tell us what he sees. We don't need to understand collapse right now as much as we need to survive it. And that is where Dmitry Orlov rises through the rubble and gives us magnificent gems like this: "At the rock bottom of human survival, there is no individual and there is no state; there is only the family, or, if there isn't, there is something that's not quite human--or there is nothing at all." Profound insight combined with wry humor is such an incendiary weapon I am tempted to call The Five Stages of Collapse an "Orlov Cocktail." His delivery of hard truths laced with irony saturates us in seldom reported but extremely relevant facts about the world. He is one of the best writers on the scene today, working at the top of his game. There is more to enjoy in this book with every page you turn, and in very uncertain times, Orlov's advice is, at its core, kind-spirited and extraordinarily helpful. ---Albert Bates, author, The Biochar Solution Even if I believed collapse were impossible I'd still read everything Dmitry Orlov writes: he's that entertaining. Unfortunately, however, collapse of some sort or other, of some degree or another, is almost guaranteed. Orlov does us all a great service by teasing apart the kinds and degrees of collapse so that we can prepare for what is likely and "dig in our heels" to prevent what is unsurvivable. ---Richard Heinberg, Senior Fellow, Post Carbon Institute, Author, The End of GrowthTable of Contents Introduction: Collapses in General What is collapse? When will collapse occur? What are the stages of collapse? 1. Financial Collapse The root of the problem The wrong math Defaults big and small The end of money Options for cashing out Alternatives to money How we did it Chits, specie and stock-in-trade A likely endgame Cold-starting instructions Beware financial despotism Monetary mysticism The untrustworthy and the trustful Götterdämmerung Case Study: Iceland 2. Commercial Collapse Cascaded failure Liar word: efficiency Life upside down The many advantages of gift Money corrupts Opportunities for gift-giving Meanwhile in Soviet Russia The new normal A cultural flip Case Study: The Russian Mafia 3. Political Collapse Anarchy's charms The nation-state fades out National language Taking care of your own State religion Life after the nation-state The problem of excessive scale The proliferation of defunct states Government services disappear Denationalization of currency What governments are good at Warfare becomes self-defeating The end of law and order The end of the welfare state Virtualized politics Case Study: The Pashtuns 4. Social Collapse The limits of community planning The new rules Social reclamation Religion as organizing principle Charitable giving and taking What society? Case Study: The Roma 5. Cultural Collapse Humans and other animals The limits of language Spoken memory The isolated human The primacy of family Case Study: The Ik Afterword Endnotes Bibliography Index About the Author

Read more less

Book SynopsisFifty years after the passage of Title IX, the institutions that govern college sports undermine initiatives for advancing gender equality. Sex-based segregation, androcentric organizational cultures, and overbearing market incentives prevent policy change. These institutional barriers can sideline any marginalized group from achieving equality.Table of Contents1. Gender equality in college athletics: assessing 50 years of Title IX; 2. Using survey data to study policy support; 3. Student-athlete contact and policy support; 4. Organizational culture and policy support; 5. The public, fans, and policy support; 6. Gender equality in college sports and beyond.

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book SynopsisUnderstanding the Policymaking Process in Developing Countries provides a uniquely comprehensive and practical framework for development practitioners, policymakers, activists, and students to diagnose and improve policy processes in developing countries across a wide range of issues. Based on the classic policy sciences approach, the book offers over 100 diagnostic indicators keyed to identify problems of policy processes, policy content, bureaucratic behavior, stakeholder behavior, and national-subnational interactions. This multi-disciplinary framework is applied to a host of policy problems that particularly plague countries experiencing the ''under-development syndrome'', including aborted programs and projects, policy impasses, distorted implementation, unnecessary harm and conflict, and shortsighted initiatives. These points are illustrated through cases from Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Based on the developing countries'' distinctive challenges, the book also offers recommeTrade Review'This is an excellent book. It is an important step forward in global development scholarship because it combines a highly effective 'reality check' on development theory and practice and it offers accessible practical steps and intelligent advice on how to unpack and overcome persistent challenges to development work. It should be required reading for aspirant development practitioners and policymakers.' Craig Hammer, Program Manager, The World Bank'It is rare to encounter a generalized explanation of the policymaking process in developing countries that doubles as a practical guide for the policy analyst. Understanding the Policymaking Process in Developing Countries is one such contribution. Ascher's structured and thorough explication of the policy process in developing countries, including the social, political, and institutional dimensions, is especially valuable for the practicing policy scientist.' Matthew Auer, Dean of the School of Public and International Affairs, University of Georgia'This timely book by an experienced development thinker helps remind us that good development policies and programs require more than careful analysis. Effective policymaking also requires that those charged with implementing policies and programs be willing and able to ask the right questions about how the policy process works. This book provides valuable advice both on how policymakers and their advisors should pose these questions as well as on how they should might get them answered most effectively.' Sudhir Shetty, Chief Economist, East Asia Pacific, The World BankTable of Contents1. Challenges to effective development policymaking; 2. The policy process in developing countries really is different; 3. The expert's risk: endorsing ill-fated initiatives; 4. The expert's frustration: rejection of sound knowledge or recommendations; 5. Overcoming the impasses that block sound initiatives; 6. Inconsistent or incomplete enactment of initiatives; 7. Inadequate accommodation for excessive deprivation; 8. Reducing avoidable conflict; 9. Minimizing shortsighted policies; 10. Adapting policy initiatives and institutions; 11. Conclusions.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTable of ContentsPreface vi Acknowledgments viii Introduction 1 1 Political versus Apolitical Ecologies 8 2 A Tree with Deep Roots 22 3 The Critical Tools 45 4 Political Ecology Emerges 82 5 Challenges in Ecology 99 6 Challenges in Social Construction 118 7 Challenges in Explanation 137 8 Degradation and Marginalization 149 9 Conservation and Control 168 10 Environmental Conflict 190 11 Environmental Subjects and Identities 206 12 Political Objects and Actors 223 13 Political Ecologies of the Future? 236 Bibliography 245 Index 280

Read more less

Book SynopsisDeveloped by D. Don Welch during his 28 years of teaching ethics and public policy, the rationale behind A Guide to Ethics and Public Policy is to present a comprehensive guide for making policy judgments. Rather than present specific cases that raise moral issues or discuss the role a few concepts play in the moral analysis of policy, this book instead provides a broad framework for the moral evaluation of public policies and policy proposals. This framework is organized around guiding five principles: benefit, effectiveness, fairness, fidelity, and legitimacy. These principles identify the factors that should be taken into account and the issues that should be addressed as citizens address the question of what the United States government should be able to do. Organized by concept, with illustrations and examples frequently interspersed, the book covers both theory and specific issues.A Guide to Ethics and Public Policy outlines a comprehensive ethical framework, proTrade Review"Welch’s superb book should be required reading for politicians, policy makers, and the public. Smart and sensible, Welch dials down the rhetoric and turns up the intellect in helping us think through the most important moral concerns in public policy."—Mark Rom, Georgetown University"The ethical and legal implications of public administration are explained clearly and accessibly by D. Don Welch. His writing style generates a lively interplay between philosophical theories and classic case studies that are relevant to government and policy-making."—Christine A. James, Valdosta State University"Deploying a framework of five basic principles, D. Don Welch provides a lucid, insightful, humane, and practical approach to public policy. He recognizes that the formulation, analysis, and implementation of good policies aren’t easy and in fact that some choices may involve competition among elemental values. But using his framework, makers of policy (indeed, all conscientious citizens) may choose more reflectively, deliberately, transparently, and intelligently. In an era of dysfunctional government, Welch’s approach is a breath of fresh air."—Mark E. Brandon, Vanderbilt University"Welch’s superb book should be required reading for politicians, policy makers, and the public. Smart and sensible, Welch dials down the rhetoric and turns up the intellect in helping us think through the most important moral concerns in public policy."—Mark Rom, Georgetown University"The ethical and legal implications of public administration are explained clearly and accessibly by D. Don Welch. His writing style generates a lively interplay between philosophical theories and classic case studies that are relevant to government and policy-making."—Christine A. James, Valdosta State University"Deploying a framework of five basic principles, D. Don Welch provides a lucid, insightful, humane, and practical approach to public policy. He recognizes that the formulation, analysis, and implementation of good policies aren’t easy and in fact that some choices may involve competition among elemental values. But using his framework, makers of policy (indeed, all conscientious citizens) may choose more reflectively, deliberately, transparently, and intelligently. In an era of dysfunctional government, Welch’s approach is a breath of fresh air."—Mark E. Brandon, Vanderbilt University"This book may be useful as a supplement, however. Readers interested in law and ethics may find this book of interest as well. Recommended for law and/or ethics graduate students and scholars."-- M. L. Godwin, University of La VerneTable of Contents1. Introduction. 2. Ethical Discourse and Public Policy. 3. Defining the Good: Benefit. 4. Stewardship of Resources: Effectiveness. 5. Serving Justice: Fairness. 6. Honoring Commitments: Fidelity. 7. Ownership of Problems: Legitimacy. 8. Benchmarks and Moral Discernment.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAs the world considers how to deal with the impacts of a changing climate, it's vital that we understand the ways in which the United States' policymaking process addresses environmental issues. A mix of existing theory and original analysis, Environmental Policymaking in an Era of Climate Change applies recent policy scholarship to questions of environmental governance, with a particular focus on climate change. The book examines how competing political actors influence policies within and across institutions, focusing on both a macro-level, where formal bodies set the agenda, and a meso-level, where issues are contained within policy subsystems.Divided into two sections, the book incorporates insights from political science and public policy to provide the reader with a better understanding of how environmental policy decisions are made. Part I offers a framework for understanding environmental policymaking, exploring the history of environmental Trade Review"Invoking the language of markets, Nowlin’s volume provides a comprehensive framework for understanding environmental policymaking. This work is rare in its comprehensiveness, thoughtfully mapping the interrelated roles of policy actors within varied institutions and across levels of government, while also providing ample empirical evidence showing how agendas are constructed and why polarization is occurring, among a plethora of other findings. One of the most complete pictures of US environmental policy I have seen and a must for the bookshelves of both academics and advocates." -- Michael Jones, Oregon State University, USA"The inability, or unwillingness, of the US government to address climate change in a meaningful way is a source of puzzlement and frustration for those who see climate change as the central human problem of our time. Nowlin offers students, scholars, and practitioners an insightful and readable framework for understanding our failure to act. His appraisal of contemporary environmental policymaking is both well-grounded and sobering." -- Megan Mullin, Duke University, USA"This is a great book! It offers a framework for understanding policy making and climate change, integrates theoretical insights, and brings to bear rich empirical data to ground its comprehensive coverage. Readers will leave this book with a structured way of thinking about the political challenges associated with climate change and what the future might hold." -- Christopher M. Weible, University of Colorado, USATable of ContentsPART I Foundations 1. Introduction2. A Framework for Environmental Policymaking3. The Green State and the Climate Change Era4. Value Systems and Environmental PolicyPART II The Environmental Policymaking System and Climate Policy5. Agenda-Setting and Issue Definitions in Climate Change Policymaking6. Pathways and Pivots: Macro- Institutions and Climate Change Policy7. The Networked Subsystems, Institutions, and Actors of the Climate Change Regime8. Conclusion

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.tandfebooks.com/, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 3.0 license.There has been an enormous increase in interest in the use of evidence for public policymaking, but the vast majority of work on the subject has failed to engage with the political nature of decision making and how this influences the ways in which evidence will be used (or misused) within political areas. This book provides new insights into the nature of political bias with regards to evidence and critically considers what an improved' use of evidence would look like from a policymaking perspective.Part I describes the great potential for evidence to help achieve social goals, as well as the challenges raised by the political nature of policymaking. It explores the concern of evidence advocates that political interests drive the misuse or manipulation of evidence, as well as counter-concTrade Review‘This book is a marvellous interdisciplinary synthesis, grounded in case examples and at once critical and constructive. As such, it is both instructive for policy practitioners as well as moving the scholarship of the field forward.’ - Vivian Lin, Professor of Public Health, La Trobe University, Australia‘This is essential reading for anybody working on the smarter use of evidence by government. It catalogues the many biases twisting how research is used by policymakers. It also addresses a vital challenge in our sector – a lack of legitimacy. As well as the academic rigour of this book, there are practical tips on what we can do about these problems, and lessons from across the globe showing where we get it wrong – and how we might get it right.’ - Jonathan Breckon, Head of the Alliance for Useful Evidence, U.K‘This important book goes well beyond standard analyses of evidence informed policy with detailed discussions of the politics of evidence and the political origins (and the cognitive psychology) of bias in the use of research evidence. It addresses a core and often overlooked issue of the governance of evidence use - including the need to consider the institutions and processes in place that can enable the appropriate use of evidence in decision making. This book will be a pretty essential read for anyone concerned with the policy, practice or study of using research to inform decision making.’ - David Gough, Professor of Evidence Informed Policy and Practice, Director of the EPPI-‘This book is a marvellous interdisciplinary synthesis, grounded in case examples and at once critical and constructive. As such, it is both instructive for policy practitioners as well as moving the scholarship of the field forward.’ - Vivian Lin, Professor of Public Health, La Trobe University, Australia‘This is essential reading for anybody working on the smarter use of evidence by government. It catalogues the many biases twisting how research is used by policymakers. It also addresses a vital challenge in our sector – a lack of legitimacy. As well as the academic rigour of this book, there are practical tips on what we can do about these problems, and lessons from across the globe showing where we get it wrong – and how we might get it right.’ - Jonathan Breckon, Head of the Alliance for Useful Evidence, U.K‘This important book goes well beyond standard analyses of evidence informed policy with detailed discussions of the politics of evidence and the political origins (and the cognitive psychology) of bias in the use of research evidence. It addresses a core and often overlooked issue of the governance of evidence use - including the need to consider the institutions and processes in place that can enable the appropriate use of evidence in decision making. This book will be a pretty essential read for anyone concerned with the policy, practice or study of using research to inform decision making.’ - David Gough, Professor of Evidence Informed Policy and Practice, Director of the EPPI-Table of ContentsList of Figures List of TablesList of BoxesAcknowledgmentsPart I: Evidence-based policymaking – opportunities and challengesChapter 1. IntroductionChapter 2. Evidence-based policymaking – an important first step, and the need to take the nextPart II: The politics of evidenceChapter 3. Bias and the politics of evidenceChapter 4. The overt politics of evidence – bias and the pursuit of political interestsChapter 5. The subtle politics of evidence – the cognitive-political origins of biasPart III: Towards the good governance of evidenceChapter 6. What is ‘good evidence for policy’? – from hierarchies to appropriate evidenceChapter 7. What is the ‘good use of evidence’ for policy?Chapter 8. From evidence-based policy to the good governance of evidenceIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhile everything appears to be collapsing around us – ecodamage, genetic engineering, virulent diseases, the end of cheap oil, water shortages, global famine, wars – we can still do something about it and create a world that will work for us and for our children’s children. The inspiration for Leonardo DiCaprio’s feature documentary movie The Eleventh Hour and soon to be released HBO special Ice on Fire, Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight details what is happening to our planet, the reasons for our culture’s blind behavior, and how we can fix the problem. Thom Hartmann’s comprehensive book is one of the fundamental handbooks of the environmental activist movement. Now with fresh, updated material on our Earth’s rapid climate change and a focus on political activism and its effect on corporate behavior, The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight helps us understand – and heal – our relationship to

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn recent years, Dutch environmental policy has undergone some pivotal changes, the most significant of which have been decentralization and deregulation, encouraging local communities to develop and deliver policies which are tailor-made to their particular situation. These changes have led to the development of some innovative practical instruments for aiding sustainable environmental spatial policy. This book discusses these new ''methods for environmental externalities'' and their significance in the development and delivery of Dutch environmental policies, particularly how they ensure that issues such as health and hygiene are introduced in the early stages of spatial planning processes. This book highlights the most prominent and relevant of these innovative ''methods for environmental externalities'' as well as comparing them with some of the classic methods, and analysing strengths and weaknesses. It argues that having such a broad and varied choice of methods is the key toTable of ContentsPreface; Smart methods: methods in a changing environmental policy climate; Part A Context and Conditions: Developments in environmental policy: standards, remediation, politics and integrated environmental management; Diversity uncovered: a comparative framework for methods for environmental externalities; Methods in different shapes and sizes: variation for coping with varying circumstances. Part B Methods and Tools: Environmental zoning approaches: separating the a "gooda (TM) and the a "bada (TM); Checklist methods: between quantity and quality; Quality perspectives: towards tailor-made area-specific solutions; 'Zip' methods:integrating by doing; Information methods: showing is knowing; Other methods: outside the box. Part C Relations and Reflections: The methods in relation to each other: going beyond descriptions; Reflection: what does it all mean?; Bibliography; Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe first comprehensive study of village government formation and dissolution in New York State.In Local Hands examines the contemporary (post-2010) village government dissolution movement and renewed state-level effort to encourage local government restructuring against the backdrop of evolving statutory authority, growing fiscal pressures, and state incentives. Drawing on multiple disciplines, Lisa K. Parshall explores the contemporary village dissolution movement in New York State, the impetus behind these reforms, and the impact of the state-level policies and incentives that are driving a growing number of local communities to consider local government reorganization through the elimination of villages as governing entities. Parshall explores the social, political, and narrative contexts in which these community-level debates occur, providing us with a study of local democracy in action and of the power of local control over the creation and dissolution of local governing entities. With its dual within and cross-case study focus on New York State villages, In Local Hands is both timeless and timely, providing valuable contributions to the study of municipal development and reorganization.

Read more less

Book SynopsisResearch for Development offers a comprehensive guide to commissioning, managing and undertaking research in development work. It serves both as a practical reference manual and an indispensable learning tool. Divided into three parts, the book provides a complete overview of the research process spanning: - the uses, planning and management of research - reviewing existing evidence - learning development research skills - choosing research methods - undertaking ethical research - writing an effective research report - promoting research uptake and assessing research - monitoring and evaluation This fully revised second edition also includes a new section on how to use the internet for research. Its 16 chapters are enriched by a variety of international case studies, checklists of key points, learning exercises, helpful references to further reading and engaging illustratiTrade ReviewIn the decade since it was first published, Research for Development has become the ′go to′ text for development practitioners, students and researchers alike. This substantially revised second edition is even better: brought fully up to date with many new topics and chapters, this book is comprehensive, authoritative and highly informative. Whether one is seeking a quick definition or brief explanation of a subject, or needing a more detailed guide to how to go about doing research for development, this book is quite simply indispensible.David LewisProfessor of Social Policy and Development, London School of Economics & Political Science Research for Development is undoubtedly the best guide to its subject that we have. The first edition has become an indispensable work of reference for development researchers and practitioners engaged in commissioning and managing research. Oxfam staff around the world have benefitted from its use, and all of us are looking forward to the publication of the new edition. Sophie Laws, Caroline Harper, Nicola Jones and Rachel Marcus are to be congratulated for the work they have put into updating the text and keeping it relevant to the ever-changing demands of development research, and for their contribution to our common goal of making the world a better place..Duncan GreenSenior Strategic Adviser, Oxfam Drawing from their wide experience, the authors showcase examples from various fields including poverty studies, child trafficking, environmental issues, health and sanitation, and gender studies. This ensures that the book appeals to a wide range of development researchers and practitioners.[...] The clear, engaging written style is suited both to readers looking for an overview of certain research approaches, as well as those with more time who can engage with the exercises in each chapter. The chapters are punctuated with real-life examples and case studies that will help a novice development researcher envision what their own research may look like in the field. -- Chandni SinghTable of ContentsHow to use this book PART ONE: INTRODUCTION AND PLANNING YOUR RESEARCH Introduction: Why Research for Development Matters So What Is Research? ′But I′m not a Researcher′: The Contribution of the Development Worker Who Should Do Research for Development Work? The Broader Issues Research and Social Change How to Tell When Research is the Best Approach to a Problem Using Research in Development Work So What is the Right Approach to Research for Development Work? Two Major Research Approaches Types of Research in Development Work Programme-Focused and Issue-Focused Research Using Research for Programme Development Using Research to Influence Policy Planning for Effective Research Quality in Research Choosing a Research Focus Defining the Research Questions Writing a Research Brief Managing Research Attracting and Engaging with Funders Deciding Who Should Do The Research Selecting and Appointing External Researchers Managing Costs and Time Supervising Researchers Reviewing Existing Evidence How to Look Where to Look How to Use the Internet for Research Learning Development Research Skills Where to Start? Some Ways of Learning Research Skills Supporting Southern Researchers PART TWO: COLLECTING DATA Choosing Methods Choosing a Research Approach Choosing Research Techniques Triangulation: Using More Than One Technique Collecting and Managing Quality Data Introduction Three Characterisics of Good-quality Data Ways to Improve Quality in Data Collection Improving Communication with Respondents Collecting, Recording and Managing Data Ensuring ′Trustworthiness′ Thinking about Ethics in Research Codes of Ethics Responsibilities Towards Respondents: Some Ethical Issues to Consider Wider Accountability Responsibilities to Colleagues Choosing a Sample What Does Sampling Mean? Quantitative or Qualitative Sampling? Probability or Random Sampling Purposive or Non-Random Sampling How to Sample For Cases, Location, Time and Events Including ′Hard-To-Reach′ People Incentives: What Are The Issues? Collecting Data How to Ask Questions Interviews Focus Groups Questionnaires Use of Documentary Sources and Secondary Data Analysis Observation Participatory Research Participation for...? Participation by...? Participation in...? Some Participatory Research Methods Practical Challenges in Participatory Research Critical Perspectives on Participatory Research PART THREE: ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH COMMUNICATION Undertaking Research Analysis Getting Organized What is Analysis? Interpretation The Process of Data Analysis Participation in the Analysis Process Methods of Analysis Qualitative Analysis Quantitative Analysis So What Does It All Mean? Writing Effectively What to Write What Not to Write What Must Be Included How to Write: The Process Writing Press Releases, Policy Briefs or Journal Articles Promoting Research Uptake Building a Successful Communications Strategy Promotion for Implementation: Influencing Programmes Promotion for Policy Influence Some Tools for Communication Dealing with the Media Capacity Building Assessing Research for Development Work What, Who and When? Assessing Research Output Assessing Research Uptake Assessing Research Impact Appendix 1: On Monitoring and Evaluation Appendix 2: Useful Websites Glossary References

Read more less

Book SynopsisProviding the first UK assessment of environmental gerontology, this book enriches current understanding of the spatiality of ageing. It contextualises personal experience in national and local spaces and places, considers the value of intergenerational and age-related living and global to local concerns for population ageing in light of COVID-19.Table of ContentsPreface: Understanding the Structure 1. Person and Environment 2. Theoretical Development 3. The Global Context 4. Environmental Living 5. Housing in Later Life 6. Housing Histories, Housing Options 7. Alternative Environments: Specialised Housing (with care) 8. Care Home Living: A Form of Long-term Care 9. Methodological Development 10. Re-thinking the Spatiality of Ageing

Read more less

Book SynopsisBridging housing studies and social policy, this book analyses competing interpretations of the role and value of social housing in the UK. The author provides new research on the relationship between housing and wellbeing, and challenges the pervasive policy and social consensus that owner-occupation is the natural' choice of aspiring people.Table of Contents1. Introduction: housing, wellbeing and welfare PART I Meaning and purpose: discourses of social housing 2. Wellbeing: meaning and measurement 3. Discourses of dependency: social housing, welfare, and political debate 4. Counter-narratives: dependency, culture, and the myth of worklessness PART II Social housing, wellbeing, and experiences of the home 5. Experiences of the home: place, identity, and security 6. Mental health, happiness, and satisfaction with life PART III Rethinking the ‘social’ in social housing: common needs, shared identities 7. Social housing and welfare spheres 8. Rethinking the ‘social’ in social housing: common needs, shared identities

Read more less

Book SynopsisA rare insight into how industry practices like regional restrictions have shaped global media culture in the digital era This content is not available in your country. At some point, most media consumers around the world have run into a message like this. Whether trying to watch a DVD purchased during a vacation abroad, play an imported Japanese video game, or listen to a Spotify library while traveling, we are constantly reminded of geography's imprint on digital culture. We are locked out. Despite utopian hopes of a borderless digital society, DVDs, video games, and streaming platforms include digital rights management mechanisms that block media access within certain territories. These technologies of regional lockout are meant first and foremost to keep the entertainment industries' global markets distinct. But they also frustrate consumers and place territories on a hierarchy of global media access. Drawing on extensive research of media-industry strategies,Trade Review‘Lockout’—the region code restrictions in DVDs and videogame consoles and geo-blocking in on-demand services—is at once a more insidious and banal form of control than that envisaged by critics of cultural imperialism. In this wide-ranging book, Evan Elkins has brought us up to date on the textured detail of such technological control, and bequeathed us the theory tools to understand its impact on culture, audiences, and producers. -- Stuart Cunningham, co-author of Social Media EntertainmentLocked Out effectively illustrates the complex cultural, technological, regulatory, and economic reasons why consumers’ access to media content remains so unequal on a global basis. Historically informed, methodologically rich, and fluidly written, Locked Out represents a significant contribution to work on global media flows, distribution cultures, and the cultural history of technology. -- Alisa Perren, author of Indie, Inc.: Miramax and the Transformation of Hollywood in the 1990sElkins quickly puts aside the staid dichotomy of critical-cultural and political economy approaches to the study of media industries, and instead engages both arenas to paint a more nuanced picture of how regional lockout shapes global media culture [...] Highly accessible, Locked Out would be a generative text in both undergraduate and graduate courses on digital media, media industries, transnational and global media, and cultural geography, as well as for scholars in these fields. * Media Industries *

Read more less

Book Synopsis‘A well-reported and researched history of the ways in which plucky economists helped rewrite policy in America and Europe and across emerging markets.’ The Economist ‘A highly readable, exhilaratingly detailed biographical account.’ Sunday Telegraph As the post-World War II economic boom began to falter in the late 1960s, a new breed of economists gained influence and power. Over time, their ideas reshaped the modern world, curbing governments, unleashing corporations and hastening globalization. Their fundamental belief? That governments should stop trying to manage the economy. Their guiding principle? That markets would deliver steady growth and broad prosperity. But the economists’ hour failed to deliver on its premise. The single-minded embrace of markets has come at the expense of economic equality, the health of liberal democracy and of future generations. Across the world, from both right and left, the assumptions of the once-dominant school of free-market economic thought are being challenged, as we count the costs as well as the gains of its influence. In The Economists’ Hour, acclaimed New York Times writer Binyamin Appelbaum provides both a reckoning with the past and a call for a different future. ‘A reminder of the power of ideas to shape the course of history.’ New YorkerTrade ReviewThis thoroughly researched, comprehensive, and critical account of the economic philosophies that have reigned for the past half century powerfully indicts them. * Publisher Weekly (starred) *A marvel of popular historical writing. * New York Times *A highly readable, exhilaratingly detailed biographical account. * Sunday Telegraph *That such sophisticated people presided over a dangerous build-up in financial risk suggests that something larger was at work than a naïve faith in markets. Appelbaum’s strength is that he generally acknowledges these complexities. * Atlantic *The New York Times financial writer maps the advance of economists - from the Kennedy administration onward - out of the academy and into government, elevating free markets in the sausage - making of public policy and sparking the inequity that plagues us today. * O Magazine *Lively and entertaining . . . The Economists' Hour is a reminder of the power of ideas to shape the course of history. -- Liaquat Ahamed * New Yorker *"An entertaining and well-written look at how market-oriented ideas rose from the academy and transformed nations. -- Tyler CowenBinyamin Appelbaum has written a powerful must-read for all those interested in reinvigorating the credibility of economics, especially in policymaking circles. -- Mohamed A. El-ErianWriting in accessible language of thorny fiscal matters, the author ventures into oddly fascinating corners of recent economic history . . . Anyone who wonders why government officials still take the Laffer curve seriously need go no further than this lucid book. * Kirkus *A well-reported and researched history of the ways in which plucky economists helped rewrite policy in America and Europe and across emerging markets. * Economist *

Read more less

Book SynopsisG.K. Chesterton delivers insightful commentary on modern behavior and social practices influenced by big business, gender roles, government and other notable figures throughout his lifetime. The book is inspired by his own personal beliefs regarding faith, family and the working man. What’s Wrong with the World is a critical analysis of various topics covered by acclaimed writer G.K. Chesterton. He tackles contemporary ideals that dominate society and dictate culture. This book compiles Chesterton’s most prominent beliefs about the dangers of consumerism and a social hierarchy that thrives on oppression. It’s an indictment of what he considers the world’s most undeniable ills. G.K. Chesterton was a principled man with old fashioned values. His personal views shaped his literary work as well as his opinion of others. His catalog is full of essays offering distinct commentary with an indelible writing style. With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of What’s Wrong with the World is both modern and readable.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis timely book explains how recognition and misrecognition have the power to fuel conflict and to initiate reconciliation. Constance Duncombe presents a detailed conceptual and empirical investigation of one of the most significant flashpoints in global politics: the fraught bilateral relations between the US and Iran. Duncombe uses this relationship to explore the importance of representation in shaping the identity of a state, as well as how it is recognised by others on the world stage. In 2015, Iran and the US reached an agreement on the framework for a long-term deal that allows Iran limited nuclear technological capacity in exchange for the lifting of debilitating economic sanctions. In light of decades of animosity between Iran and the US, which previously thwarted attempts on both sides to reach an amicable agreement, this book asks how we can best explain the initial success of this deal given the Trump administration’s 2018 US withdrawal from the agreement.Trade Review‘This fascinating book is a valuable, well-written and thought-provoking addition to the study of international relations, foreign policy, diplomacy, political psychology and US–Iranian relations. Its critical and balanced approach reinforces discussions on the power of emotions, stories and identities in shaping relations between states and societies, and contributes to a growing literature on these ideas.’ International Affairs'Duncombe shows how emotion interferes with exchanges between governments that are usually presented as rational international dialogue. This is a timely and important book on the way in which the politics of respect and disrespect impact on governments’ representations and recognition of hostile states, and the policies crafted to deal with their elites.'Jan Melissen, Senior Research Fellow at the Clingendael Institute of International Relations in The Hague#'A timely reminder of identity's key importance to foreign policymaking, and a convincing reading of how past injuries muddy present concerns.'Iver B. Neumann, author of Diplomatic Tenses -- .Table of ContentsIntroduction: Representation, recognition and respect in world politicsPart I: Conceptualising the relationship between representation, recognition and identity1 Representation and foreign policy2 Recognition and foreign policyPart II: State identity and foreign policy in Iran and the US3 Identity and foreign policy4 Iranian state identityPart III: Reciprocal representations of identity in Iran and the US5 US representations of Iran and its nuclear program6 Iranian representations of US and Iran’s nuclear program7 Representation, recognition and emotionConclusion: Representation, recognition and possibilities for transformative changeList of interviewSelect bibliographyIndex

Read more less

Book SynopsisNow with new Preface.'This humane, accessible and lucid work will enlighten any voter, and remind any would-be – or currently serving – politician of the pitfalls to avoid' – TLSAs the list of U-turns grows ever longer, the cost of living crisis intensifies and mortgage rates rise, we really need those in charge to get it right. In Why Governments Get It Wrong, Cambridge's Professor Dennis C. Grube gives a timely and incisive examination of the pitfalls, failures and successes of those in power around the world.We live in an era when we really need governments to be effective – the economy, our health and the future of the planet are at stake – but so often they can seem clueless, and their decisions leave us confused.With insight and wit, Grube explains how governments can improve their decision-making and, by examining fascinating case studies, he highlights the key factors that make for effective government.With the stakes higher than ever before, this original and important book is an essential read for any concerned citizen who wants to understand why governments make the wrong decisions and, crucially, what can be done about it.'Convincing' – David Lammy MP'A must-read' – Sebastian Payne, author of The Fall of Boris Johnson‘Highly original and very entertaining' – Gavin Esler, author of How Britain Ends'There is a real gap for this book' – Isabel Hardman, author of Why We Get the Wrong PoliticiansTrade ReviewInsightful . . . A timely book with accessibly provocative arguments -- Steve Richards, author of The Prime Ministers We Never HadA fascinating and timely look at how government decisions affect our lives and how those in charge can do much better. A must-read -- Sebastian Payne, author of The Fall of Boris JohnsonEngaging and accessible -- Ivor Crewe, co-author of The Blunders of Our GovernmentsThere is a real gap for this book . . . International in scope and non-partisan -- Isabel Hardman, author of Why We Get the Wrong PoliticiansHighly original and very entertaining . . . This is the book Boris Johnson should have read before he promised to 'Get Brexit Done' -- Gavin Esler, author of How Britain EndsFrom the pandemic to the climate crisis, we are living in an era of historic policy-making. Dennis Grube’s convincing book teaches all of us how governments get decisions wrong and what we have to do to get them right -- David Lammy MPThis humane, accessible and lucid work will enlighten any voter, and remind any would-be – or currently serving – politician of the pitfalls to avoid * TLS *

Read more less

Book SynopsisOver the past decade, the UK has experienced major policy and policy making change. This text examines this shifting political and policy landscape while also highlighting the features of UK politics that have endured. Written by Paul Cairney and Sean Kippin, leading voices in UK public policy and politics, the book combines a focus on policy making theories and concepts with the exploration of key themes and events in UK politics, including: • developing social policy in a post-pandemic world; • governing post-Brexit; and • the centrality of environmental policy. The book equips students with a robust and up-to-date understanding of UK public policy and enables them to locate this within a broader theoretical framework.Table of ContentsPreface: How To Analyse UK Policy Making 1. Introducing UK Politics and Policy Making 2. Perspectives on Policy and Policy Making 3. Explaining UK Politics and Policy Making 4. The Transformation of the UK State 5. What Does State Transformation Tell Us About the UK Policy Process? 6. Crises and Policy Making: The UK Response to COVID-19 7. Constitutional Policy: Brexit 8. Environmental Policy: Climate Change and Sustainability 9. Economic Policy: Austerity 10. Social Policy: Inequalities, Racism, and Protest 11. Foreign Policy: The War on Terror 12. Conclusion References

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisFew military officers can ascend to the ranks of senior leadership without eventually being assigned to Washington, DC, where newcomers navigating the system inevitably become emmeshed, flabbergasted, and stymied by entrenched bureaucratic processes they had no idea existed. A career in diplomacy or working on the Hill often involves the process-oriented work necessary to keep departments funded and the government functional. In order to succeed, one must understand these rules, especially as they apply to resourcing. Without funding, strategies and policies are merely interesting ideas. Getting an idea or a program resourced requires a thorough understanding of the process.Considering the national security enterprise from the standpoint of strategic resourcing is neither simple nor straightforward. To succeed requires a multidisciplinary approach; a team with substantial background knowledge on such diverse and byzantine topics as the Department of Defense acquisition system, the president''s budget submission, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency''s National Preparedness Frameworks, in addition to a basic understanding of macroeconomics. Further, the development of a cohesive and logical narrative is difficult because the Framers'' intended checks and balances among the executive and legislative branches effectively preclude the possibility of seamless integration among national security priorities. Anyone aspiring to have a career in national security must understand the process in order to be effective.Graduate school programs in security studies, public policy, and political science offer multiple courses that consider bureaucracy from academic and theoretical perspectives, but these classes generally do not attempt to offer a practitioner''s view of surviving and thriving within the Washington bureaucracy. And although individual government departments and agencies such as the Department of Defense''s Joint Staff and the Department of State''s Foreign Service Institute (FSI) offer courses for personnel newly assigned to Washington, the majority of the learning occurs through on-the-job training.This book fills the gap and provides a much-needed, theoretically grounded, and practical guide. Each chapter in this volume is by a practitioner with decades of experience working on resourcing issues in Washington. Their perspectives are informed by the cultures of the agencies in which they have worked and the positions they have held. Many currently teach in DC-based graduate degree programs in a variety of disciplines, including strategy, economics, and organizational leadership. Resourcing the National Security Enterprise will be a valuable resource for aspiring practitioners who are beginning or seeking careers in the American federal government and to those who wish to learn more about the inner workings of resourcing the national security enterprise.*This book is in the Rapid Communications in Conflict and Security (RCCS) Series (General Editor: Dr. Geoffrey R.H. Burn).

Read more less

Book Synopsis"We will make America strong again. We will make America safe again. And we will make America great again. Greater than ever before!” — President Donald J. TrumpThe ultimate collection of President Donald J. Trump's most important speeches and words to the Nation.The Greatest Speeches of President Donald J. Trump is edited by New York Times bestselling author and President Reagan biographer Craig Shirley who also wrote the introduction. This beautiful book will include historical photographs throughout and is the perfect gift for anyone who wants to know the history of how President Trump made America great again. The collection includes speeches from many pivotal and powerful moments in President Trump’s time in office and his presidential campaigns: Trump’s campaign announcement at Trump Tower His surprise Presidential Victory Speech His speech to the People of Poland in Warsaw The Salute to America at Mount Rushmore His Farewell Address to the People of the United States and the World The President's own strong and inspiring words from his final speech to the Nation from Washington D.C. while in office as the 45th President of the United States of America:"We must never forget that while Americans will always have our disagreements, we are a nation of incredible, decent, faithful, and peace-loving citizens who all want our country to thrive and flourish and be very, very successful and good. We are a truly magnificent nation...As long as the American people hold in their hearts deep and devoted love of country, then there is nothing that this nation cannot achieve. Our communities will flourish. Our people will be prosperous. Our traditions will be cherished. Our faith will be strong. And our future will be brighter than ever before.I go from this majestic place with a loyal and joyful heart, an optimistic spirit, and a supreme confidence that for our country and for our children, the best is yet to come.Thank you, and farewell. God bless you. God bless the United States of America."Table of ContentsTable of Contents of THE GREATEST SPEECHES OF PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP by President Donald J. Trump and Edited by Craig Shirley June 16, 2015 Campaign announcement at Trump Towerhttps://time.com/3923128/donald-trump-announcement-speech/ November 9, 2016 Trump Victory Speechhttps://www.cnn.com/2016/11/09/politics/donald-trump-victory-speech/index.html January 20, 2017Inaugural Address https://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/full-text-donald-trump-inauguration-speech-transcript-233907 February 24, 2017 Remarks at CPAC https://time.com/4682023/cpac-donald-trump-speech-transcript/ June 29, 2017Speech at the Unleashing American Energy Eventhttps://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefings-statements/remarks-president-trump-unleashing-american-energy-event/ July 24, 2017Speech at the Boy Scout Jamboreehttps://time.com/4872118/trump-boy-scout-jamboree-speech-transcript/ September 19, 2017Address to the United Nationshttps://www.politico.com/story/2017/09/19/trump-un-speech-2017-full-text-transcript-242879 December 18, 2017Remarks on National Security Strategyhttps://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/read-trumps-full-speech-outlining-his-national-security-strategy January 26, 2018Address at the World Economic Forumhttps://www.politico.com/story/2018/01/26/full-text-trump-davos-speech-transcript-370861 January 30, 2018State of the Union Addresshttps://www.cnn.com/2018/01/30/politics/2018-state-of-the-union-transcript February 1, 2018Remarks at the House and Senate Republican Member Congresshttps://millercenter.org/the-presidency/presidential-speeches/february-1-2018-remarks-house-and-senate-republican-member February 15, 2018Statement on the School Shooting in Parkland, Floridahttps://www.cnn.com/2018/02/15/politics/transcript-trump-parkland-shooting February 23, 2018Remarks at the Conservatives Political Action Conference (CPAC)https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/2/23/17044760/transcript-trump-cpac-speech-snake-mccain March 19,2018Remarks on Combating the Opioid Crisishttps://millercenter.org/the-presidency/presidential-speeches/march-19-2018-remarks-combating-opioid-crisis July 24, 2018 Speech at the Veterans of Foreign Wars National Conventionhttps://millercenter.org/the-presidency/presidential-speeches/july-24-2018-speech-veterans-foreign-wars-national-convention September 25, 2018Address at the 73rd Session of the United National General Assemblyhttps://ee.usembassy.gov/remarks-president-unga2018/ January 19, 2019Remarks About the US Southern Borderhttps://www.cnn.com/2019/01/19/politics/trump-address-immigration-shutdown February 5, 2019State of the Union Addresshttps://time.com/5521860/2019-state-of-the-union-trump-transcript/ February 15, 2019Speech Declaring a National Emergencyhttps://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/02/trumps-declaration-national-emergency-full-text/582928/ September 24, 2019Remarks at the United Nations General Assemblyhttps://millercenter.org/the-presidency/presidential-speeches/september-24-2019-remarks-united-nations-general-assembly September 25, 2019Press Conferencehttps://millercenter.org/the-presidency/presidential-speeches/september-25-2019-press-conference October 27, 2019Statement on the Death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadihttps://www.npr.org/2019/10/27/773842999/read-trump-statement-on-baghdadis-death January 3, 2020Remarks on the Death of Qasem Soleimanihttps://ge.usembassy.gov/remarks-by-president-trump-on-the-killing-of-qasem-soleimani-january-3/ January 8, 2020Statement on Iranhttps://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/08/us/politics/trump-address.html January 24, 2020Speech at March for Lifehttps://millercenter.org/the-presidency/presidential-speeches/january-24-2020-speech-march-life February 4, 2020State of the Union Addresshttps://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/05/us/politics/state-of-union-transcript.html February 6, 2020Remarks after His Acquittal in First Impeachment Trialhttps://www.cnn.com/2020/02/06/politics/trump-acquittal-remarks-transcript/index.html March 11, 2020Statement on the Coronavirushttps://www.cpr.org/2020/03/11/transcript-video-president-donald-trump-addresses-the-nation-on-the-coronavirus-pandemic/ March 13, 2020Press Conference about the Coronavirushttps://millercenter.org/the-presidency/presidential-speeches/march-13-2020-press-conference-about-coronavirus April 13, 2020Coronavirus Task Force Briefinghttps://millercenter.org/the-presidency/presidential-speeches/april-13-2020-coronavirus-task-force-briefing April 15, 2020Press Briefing with the Coronavirus Task Forcehttps://millercenter.org/the-presidency/presidential-speeches/april-15-2020-press-briefing-coronavirus-task-force April 23, 2020Task Force Briefing on the Coronavirus Pandemichttps://millercenter.org/the-presidency/presidential-speeches/april-23-2020-task-force-briefing-coronavirus-pandemic June 1, 2020Statement on Protests Against Police Brutalityhttps://abcnews.go.com/Politics/transcript-trump-mobilize-federal-resources-stop-violence-restore/story?id=71008802 June 13, 2020Address at West Point Graduationhttps://millercenter.org/the-presidency/presidential-speeches/june-13-2020-address-west-point-graduation June 20, 2020 Campaign Rally in Tulsa, Oklahomahttps://millercenter.org/the-presidency/presidential-speeches/june-20-2020-campaign-rally-tulsa-oklahoma July 4, 2020Remarks at Salute to America (Mt. Rushmore) https://millercenter.org/the-presidency/presidential-speeches/july-4-2020-remarks-salute-america August 8, 2020Press Conference on Executive Ordershttps://millercenter.org/the-presidency/presidential-speeches/august-8-2020-press-conference-executive-orders September 7, 2020Labor Day Press Conferencehttps://millercenter.org/the-presidency/presidential-speeches/september-7-2020-labor-day-press-conference September 26, 2020Announcing His Nominee the Honorable Amy Coney Barrettfor the US Supreme Courthttps://millercenter.org/the-presidency/presidential-speeches/september-26-2020-announcing-his-nominee-us-supreme-court October 26, 2020Swearing in Ceremony of the Honorable Amy Coney Barrett to the US Supreme Courthttps://www.rev.com/blog/transcripts/amy-coney-barrett-swearing-in-ceremony-transcript November 5, 2020Remarks on the 2020 Electionhttps://millercenter.org/the-presidency/presidential-speeches/november-5-2020-remarks-2020-election January 6, 2021Speech Urging Supporters to Go Homehttps://millercenter.org/the-presidency/presidential-speeches/january-6-2021-speech-urging-supporters-go-home January 7, 2021Message After US Capitol Protestshttps://millercenter.org/the-presidency/presidential-speeches/january-7-2021-message-after-pro-trump-mob-overruns-us-capitol January 13, 2021Statement about the Violence at the Capitolhttps://millercenter.org/the-presidency/presidential-speeches/january-13-2021-statement-about-violence-capitol January 19, 2021Farewell Address to the Nationhttps://millercenter.org/the-presidency/presidential-speeches/january-19-2021-farewell-address

Read more less

Book SynopsisIf the stories they tell about themselves are to be believed, all of the tech giants—Apple, Google, Microsoft, Facebook, and Amazon—were built from the ground up through hard work, a few good ideas, and the entrepreneurial daring to seize an opportunity when it presented itself. With searing wit and blistering commentary Bit Tyrants provides an urgent corrective to this froth of board room marketing copy that is so often passed off as analysis. For fans of corporate fairy-tales there are no shortage of official histories that celebrate the innovative genius of Steve Jobs, liberal commentators who fall over themselves to laude Bill Gates's selfless philanthropy, or politicians who will tell us to listen to Mark Zuckerberg for advice on how to protect our democracy from foreign influence. In this highly unauthorized account of the Big Five's origins, Rob Larson sets the record straight, and in the process shreds every focus-grouped bromide about corporate benevolence he could get his hands on. Those readers unwilling to smile and nod as every day we become more dependent on our phones and apps to do our chores, our jobs, and our socializing can take heart as Larson provides us with maps to all the shallow graves, skeleton filled closets, and invective laced emails Big Tech left behind on its ascent to power. His withering analysis will help readers crack the code of the economic dynamics that allowed these companies to become near-monopolies very early on, and, with a little bit of luck, his calls for digital socialism might just inspire a viral movement for online revolution.Trade Review"Larson argues that what we need here is the mass strike: widespread strike action, on an international scale, for social good. The tech infrastructure and services which have become central to our lives need to be brought under democratic control, by their workers and their users. Larson recognises that this will not be an easy fight, but there are immediate demands we can make which would be both beneficial in themselves and which would energise activists to fight for the more transformative changes we need." —Counterfire "Larson demonstrates, devastatingly, that the supposedly libertarian and benevolent owners of Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, Google and Facebook — "the five biggest corporations in the world by market value," he notes — used predatory practices to solidify their positions, running roughshod over competitors and their own employees alike....Bit Tyrants is potentially as horrifying as any fiction." —Winnipeg Free Press "Highly informed, lively and readable, this is a badly needed study of the giant high tech corporations that increasingly dominate the means of work and social interaction, amass and scrutinize the details of our lives, seek to shape attitudes and behavior, and like the great virtual monopolies of the past both rely on state power and heavily influence it. Beyond exposing the nature of this awesome and threatening system, Larson goes on to outline how it can, and should, be brought under popular control. A most valuable contribution to understanding and guide to action." —Noam Chomsky "Learning to decode Big Tech is necessary, a basic act of citizenship in a world awash in technology. Reading Bit Tyrants is an important step in acquiring this skill." —Counter Currents "Today's tech giants control technologies that have suffused our lives, and they have generated a self-glorifying mythology and hype to match. Rob Larson's Bit Tyrants helps puncture this ideological reality-distortion field, providing a guide to monopolistic giants like Amazon and Google, as they transform labor, politics, war and more. He does all this with a sarcastic wit that will bring a smile to anyone who has cursed the malign influence of these companies and their plutocratic rulers on 21st Century life...." —Peter Frase, author of Four Futures

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen The Cartoon Introduction to Climate Change was first published in 2014, it offered something entirely new: a fun, illustrated guide to a planetary crisis. If that sounds like an oxymoron, you’ve never seen the carbon cycle demonstrated through yoga poses or a polar bear explaining evolution to her cubs. That creativity comes from the minds of Yoram Bauman, the world’s first and only “stand-up economist,” and award-winning illustrator Grady Klein. After seeing their book used in classrooms and the halls of Congress alike, the pair has teamed up again to fully update the guide with the latest scientific data from the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change). A lot has happened to the climate over the last decade, and the authors tackle the daunting statistics with their trademark humour. They realise it’s better to laugh than cry when confronting mind-blowing facts about our changing world. Readers will become familiar with critical concepts, but they’ll also smile as they learn about climate science, projections, and policy. Sociologists have argued that we don’t address climate change because it’s too big and frightening to get our heads around. The Cartoon Introduction to Climate Change takes the intimidation and gloom out of one of the most important challenges of our time.

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less