Central / national / federal government policies Books

Book SynopsisThis book critically engages with a series of provocative questions that ask: Why are contemporary societies so dependent on constructive and destructive effects of individualization? The innovative answers suggested in this book are focused on two types of challenges accompanying the rise of individualization.Table of Contents1. The Global Context .- 2. Social Reality and Concepts .- 3. Millennia of Individualization .- 4. Upgrading Employability .- 5. Organizational Settings of Individualization .- 6. Cross-Border Migration .- 7. Migration Crisis .- 8. Futures of Individualization.

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Book SynopsisThe domestic phase of America's war on drugs has received considerable criticism over the years. Until recently, however, most critics have not stressed the damage of the international phase to America's Latin American neighbors. That lack of attention has begun to change and Ted Carpenter chronicles the disenchantment with the hemispheric drug war. Some prominent Latin American political leaders have finally dared to criticize Washington while at the same time, the U.S. government seems determined to perpetuate, if not intensify, the anti-drug crusade. Spending on federal anti-drug measures also continues to increase, and the tactics employed by drug war bureaucracy, both in America and abroad, bring the inflammatory 'drug war' metaphor close to reality. Ending the prohibitionist system would produce numerous benefits for both Latin American societies and the United States. In a book deriving from his work at the CATO Institute, Ted Carpenter paints a picture of this ongoing fiasco.

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Book SynopsisThis up-to-date second-edition work will stimulate and clarify readers'' thinking on the key issues surrounding guns in the United Statesespecially on the debate over gun control.Most public debate and discussion about guns in U.S. society is rarely guided by researchnot surprising, as most individuals have a personal opinion on this highly inflammatory topic based on their upbringing or personal experiences. Additionally, most research about gun use in America is confusing and contradictory, making it difficult for citizens to gain much from their attempts to investigate the topic objectively. This book offers concise, understandable coverage of all aspects of the issue, including incidence of gun violence; gun control; gun rights; government regulation, legislation, and court decisions; gun organizations (for gun control and for gun rights); gun enthusiast subculturesfor example, hunters, target shooters, and collectors; and U.S. attitudes toward guns. Many of the covered topics are Trade ReviewThe new content in this critical debate is presented in a balanced approach to educate readers about gun control and the specific laws and legislation in place at federal and state levels of U.S. government. . . . . Summing Up: Recommended. High school through undergraduate students; professionals/practitioners. * Choice *This is a balanced, well-researched, and formidable book in the Contemporary World Issues series. . . . . This book would be a valuable resource for public and academic libraries, and perhaps might be useful in and appropriate for high school libraries which have extensive collections and a strong research focus. Recommended. * School Library Connection *Table of ContentsPreface, 1 Background and History, Introduction, Gun Prevalence, Gun Control, and Violence, Cross-National Comparisons, The Nature of Gun Violence in the United States, Victimization, Homicide, Suicide, Accidental Death and Injury, Crime-Related Injury and Assault, Active-Shooter, Mass-Murder Events, Establishing Causality—Not an Easy Task, The Knotty Problems of Causal Direction and Defensive Gun Use, The Magnification Hypothesis, The Second Amendment, How the Proponents of Gun Control View the Second Amendment, The Gun Rights View of the Second Amendment, A Limited Individual Right, Public Opinion and Gun Control, Do Americans Want Strict Gun Control?, Social and Economic Correlates of Support for Gun Control, Is the Will of the People Being Thwarted?, The Role of Politics, References, 2 Problems, Controversies, and Solutions, Introduction, The Public Health Approach, National Violent Death Reporting Systems, Controlling Guns in the Home: Child Access Protection Laws, Trigger Locks, Internal Locks, and Personalized "Smart Gun" Technologies, Cheap Handgun Control, Tracing Crime Guns to Reduce Illegal FFL Trafficking, Controlling the Trafficking of Cheap Handguns and Other Firearms—Monitoring FFLs and One-Gun-per-Month Laws, Transportation of Guns, Assault Weapons Control, Including High-Capacity Ammunition Magazines, Ballistic Fingerprinting, Bullet Serial Numbers and Microstamping, Registration, Licensing, Training, Point-of-Sale Controls, Background Checks, The Secondary Market, "Shall-Issue" (Right-to-Carry) Concealed Weapons Laws, Open Carry, Gun Buyback Programs, The Law Enforcement Approach, Enforcement of Current Gun Control Laws, Gun-Focused/Place-Oriented Community Policing, Gun Courts, The Lawsuit Approach, Product Liability and Other Legal Theories Used in Gun Lawsuits, Immunity Legislation, Conclusion, References, 3 Perspectives, Introduction, Stricter Gun Laws Are Reasonable and Sensible: Robert J. Spitzer, The United States Doesn't Need More Gun Laws—Indeed Fewer: Lawrence Southwick, Whether Gun Laws Should Be Strict Depends on the Type of Law: David B. Kopel, 4 Profiles, The Gun Control Side: Key Individuals and Organizations, Individuals, Joseph Biden Jr. (1942–), Michael Bloomberg (1942–), Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton (1947–), William J. Clinton (1946–), Philip J. Cook (1946–), Dianne Feinstein (1933–), Gabrielle Giffords (1970–), David Hemenway (1945–), Arthur L. Kellermann (1955–), Barack H. Obama (1961–), Charles E. Schumer (1950–), Robert J. Spitzer (1953–), Franklin E. Zimring (1942–), National Organizations, Americans for Responsible Solutions/Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence/Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, Coalition to Stop Gun Violence/Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence, Everytown for Gun Safety, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health: Harvard Injury Control Research Center, States United to Prevent Gun Violence, United States Conference of Mayors, Violence Policy Center, Violence Prevention Research Program, The Gun Rights Side: Key Individuals and Organizations, Individuals, George W. Bush (1946–), Paul D. Clement (1966–), Chris W. Cox (1978–), Jay W. Dickey Jr. (1939–), John D. Dingell (1926–), Alan Merril Gottlieb (1947–), Alan Gura (1971–), Stephen P. Halbrook (1947–), Marion Hammer (1938–), Don B. Kates Jr. (1941–), Gary Kleck (1951–), David B. Kopel (1960–), Wayne R. LaPierre Jr. (1950–), John R. Lott Jr. (1958–), Larry Pratt (1942–), National Organizations, Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms/Second Amendment Foundation), Gun Owners of America, National Rifle Association, National Shooting Sports Foundation, 5 Data and Documents, Introduction, Summaries of Key Federal Gun Laws, Mailing of Firearms Act (Miller Act) (1927), National Firearms Act (1934), Federal Firearms Act (1938), Federal Aviation Act (1958), Gun Control Act of 1968, Armed Career Criminal Act (1984), Firearms Owners' Protection Act (McClure-Volkmer) (1986), Law Enforcement Officers Protection Act (1986), Undetectable Firearms Act (Terrorist Firearms Detection) (1988, Reauthorized 1998, 2003, 2013), Crime Control Act (1990), Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act (1993), Public Safety and Recreational Firearms Use Protection Act (Assault Weapons Ban) (1994), Gun-Free Schools Act (1994), Lautenberg Amendment (Domestic Violence Offender Gun Ban) (1996), GCA Firearms Safety Updates (1998), The "Bailey Fix" (1998), Nonimmigrant Aliens Firearms and Ammunition Amendments (2002), Arming Pilots against Terrorism Act (2002), Background Check Restriction ("Tiahrt Amendments") (2004), Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act (2004, Amended 2010), Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (2005), Child Safety Lock Act (2005), NICS Improvement Act (2008), Protecting the Right of Individuals to Bear Arms in the National Park and National Wildlife Refuge Systems (2009), Amtrak Checked-Baggage Firearms Program (2010), Key State Gun Laws, Selected Documents, The Second Amendment (1791), District of Columbia v. Heller (2008), 6 Resources, Introduction, Gun Violence: The United States vs. Other Economically Developed Nations, The Second Amendment, Public Opinion, The Role of Politics, Gun Control and Gun Violence: The Public Health Approach, Gun Control and Gun Violence: The Law Enforcement Approach, Defensive Gun Use, 7 Chronology, Glossary, Index, About the Author,

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Book SynopsisThe theory of deliberative democracy promotes the creation of systems of governance in which citizens actively exchange ideas, engage in debate, and create laws that are responsive to their interests and aspirations. While deliberative processes are being adopted in an increasing number of cases, decision-making power remains mostly in the hands of traditional elites.In Democratic Illusion, Genevieve Fuji Johnson examines four representative examples: participatory budgeting in the Toronto Community Housing Corporation, Deliberative Polling by Nova Scotia Power Incorporated, a national consultation process by the Canadian Nuclear Waste Management Organization, and public consultations embedded in the development of official languages policies in Nunavut. In each case, measures that appeared to empower the public failed to challenge the status quo approach to either formulating or implementing policy.Illuminating a critical gap between deliberative democratic tTrade Review‘In this volume Fuji Johnson deftly navigates the choppy waters between cynicism and criticism… The book is a valuable addition to both the literature on deliberative democracy and public policy and it should be read by any scholar concerned about the state of Canadian democracy.’ -- David Moscrop * Canadian Journal of Political Science vol 51:01:2018 *Table of Contents1. The Hope for and Illusion of Deliberative Democracy 2. Participatory Budgeting and the Toronto Community Housing Corporation 3. Deliberative Polling and Nova Scotia Power Incorporated 4. National Consultations and the Nuclear Waste Management Organization 5. Embedded Policy Consultations and Nunavut's Official Languages 6. Contextual Complexity and the Importance of Deliberative Democracy Epilogue. Interpretive Case-Study Research, Its Challenges and Rewards

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Book SynopsisThis manuscript examines Sino-North Africa relations on a bilateral level since World War II. It highlights the depth of China's involvement in the region with each country on a five dimensional approach: energy security, trade relations, political relations, arms sales/security cooperation, and cultural relations. Regarding each of these criteria, North Africa holds a strategic significance to China's national security, vital interests, territorial integrity, sovereignty, regime survival, and economic prosperity. China has been an integral part of the political developments on North Africa political scene since the early 1950s. It has supported the region's quest for independence and national liberation, exchanged diplomatic recognition, and established political partnerships. Apparently, the peoples of the North Africa and Africa at large are enthusiastic about China's increasingly involved role. However, China's heavy involvement in the continent's oil sector, minerals, fisheries, cTable of ContentsChapter One: China and North Africa: An Overview Chapter Two: China and Algeria Chapter Three: China and Egypt Chapter Four: China and Libya Chapter Five: China and Mauritania Chapter Six: China and Morocco Chapter Seven: China and The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Chapter Eight: China and South Sudan Chapter Nine: China and Sudan Chapter Ten: China and Tunisia Chapter Eleven: Prospectus and Conclusions

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Book SynopsisThe nation's approach to managing environmental policy and protecting natural resources has shifted from the national government's top down, command and control, regulatory approach, used almost exclusively in the 1970s, to collaborative, multi-sector approaches used in recent decades to manage problems that are generally too complex, too expensive,, and too politically divisive for one agency to manage or resolve on its own. Governments have organized multi-sector collaborations as a way to achieve better results for the past two decades. We know much about why collaboration occurs. We know a good deal about how collaborative processes work. Collaborations organized, led, and managed by grassroots organizations are rarer, though becoming more common. We do not as yet have a clear understanding of how they might differ from government led collaborations.Hampton Roads, Virginia, located at the southern end of the Chesapeake Bay, offers an unusual opportunity to study and draw comparativTrade ReviewThe idea of participatory democracy and citizen involvement in agency decision making is not new. This is especially true for works on participatory decision making in environmental policy and watershed management. Unfortunately, what sounds like a great idea on the surface rarely works in practice as competing interests often get in the way of compromise and collaboration. This is where The Case for Grassroots Collaboration can prove to be a useful addition to the literature. The authors provide three case studies of situations where the approach did work--the Elizabeth River watershed, the Lynnhaven River watershed, and the Nansemond River watershed. . . .The authors synthesize the factors that led to success in these cases in order to provide a template for future use. This is what is necessary if citizens and policy makers are to bridge the gap between a promising theory and a generally elusive practice and make more widespread use of grassroots participation. For this reason, the work is recommended. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduate collections and above. * CHOICE *This is a richly detailed and carefully supported examination of an under-explored aspect of environmental protection, the role of grassroots organizations. The work is particularly valuable for the specific, well-documented characterizations of these organizations. The mix of history and interpretation, which constitute the heart of the book, is especially noteworthy. This mix provides the necessary scholarly framework within which the reader can place the concrete details that draw the reader into the content deeply. The Case for Grassroots Collaboration has the potential to add to the field's knowledge of an important yet emerging topic. -- Gerald Andrews Emison, Mississippi State UniversityThis work offers a fresh perspective on collaboration by focusing on citizen-based efforts to resolve complex problems. An in-depth examination of three grassroots environmental organizations reveals the power in voluntary collaboration as a catalyst for action. -- Madeleine W. McNamara, University of New OrleansThe Case for Grassroots Collaboration brings together the most current research on environmental collaboration, with a special focus on the potential of local, place-based initiatives to make a significant difference in ecological restoration efforts, such as the Chesapeake Bay. The book’s major theme, “restoring water quality one watershed at a time,” richly illustrated by three in-depth case studies, inspires hope for those discouraged by the limited success of government-led, large-scale environmental collaboration. The message, supported by evidence from these case studies, is that small successes in improving water quality support gains on a larger scale. The rich detail in the case studies, framed by current literature, is valuable to academic researchers, and accessible to citizens who are inspired by their own sense of place to make a difference. -- Christine Reed, University of Nebraska-OmahaTable of ContentsList of Figures List of Abbreviations Foreword Acknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1: Grassroots Collaborations to Solve Environmental Problems Chapter 2: A Framework for Collaboration: Building Social Capital, Improving Environmental Outcomes, and Maximizing Democratic Values Chapter 3: The Chesapeake Bay: Local Efforts, Regional Connections Chapter 4: Restoring Princess Elizabeth’s River Chapter 5: The Return of the Oyster to the Lynnhaven River Chapter 6: The Nansemond: A Tale of Two Rivers Chapter 7: Conclusion: One Watershed at a Time Appendix: List of Interviewees Reference List About the Authors Index

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Book SynopsisThis manuscript examines Sino-Middle Eastern relations on a bilateral level. It highlights the depth of China's involvement in Central Asia with each country on a five dimensional approach: security cooperation, energy security, trade relations, political relations, and cultural relations. Regarding each of these criteria, Central Asia enjoys a strategic significance to China's national security, vital interests, territorial integrity, sovereignty, regime survival, and economic prosperity. China has been an integral part of the political developments on the Central Asian political scene for over the past two millennia. Their bilateral ties grew steadily since the independence of Central Asian republics in 1992, culminating into strategic partnership two decades later. China and its partners in the region have embarked on the construction of the most ambitious gas pipelines network, joint ventures in oil upstreaming and downstreaming, mammoth highway and railroad projects, trade zones, Trade ReviewThis is a much needed treatise on China's involvement in Central Asia that fortunately, and unlike most other works on the region, also includes Afghanistan. The author correctly evaluates Afghanistan as 'the greatest missing link and a major hurdle in the region's development' and its security and stability. I highly recommend this book to anybody interested in global politics and the rise of China as a global power that will pit it against other major players in Central Asia such as Russia and the United States. -- Beat Kernen, Missouri State University, Professor Emeritus, Political Science DepartmentMuhamad Olimat’s new book, China and Central Asia in the Post-Soviet Era, is a natural complement to his earlier works on China’s relations with North Africa and the Middle East. Indeed, the interconnectedness of these regions has been an important topic for centuries, and bears particular importance now in economic, geopolitical, and security related terms. I highly recommend this book for those seeking a useful survey of interactions between key players in recent decades, which also places these interactions in a historical context -- Tod Laursen, Khalifa University, President and Professor of Mechanical EngineeringTable of ContentsChapter 1: China and Central Asia: An Overview Chapter 2: Multilateralism: A Five Dimensional Approach Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Rivalry, Competition, and Accommodation: A Tridimensional Approach Chapter 4: China and Afghanistan Chapter 5: China and Kazakhstan Chapter 6: China and Kyrgyzstan Chapter 7: China and Tajikistan Chapter 8: China and Turkmenistan Chapter 9: Uzbekistan and China Chapter 10: Prospects and Conclusions

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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