Society and culture: general Books

Book SynopsisLunch with the Financial Times has been a permanent fixture in the Financial Times for almost 25 years, featuring presidents, film stars, musical icons and business leaders from around the world. The column is now as well-established institution which has reinvigorated the art of conversation in the convivial, intimate environment of a long boozy lunch. On its 25th anniversary, Lunch with the Financial Times 2 will showcase the most entertaining, incisive and fascinating interviews from the past five years including those with Edward Snowden, Bernie Ecclestone, Hilary Mantel, Sheryl Sandberg, Richard Branson, Rebecca Solnit, Emmerson Mnangagwa, Jordan Peterson, Nigel Farage, Woody Harrelson, Sepp Blatter, (pre-election) Donald Trump and Zoella, illustrated in full colour with James Ferguson''s famous portraits.

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Book SynopsisWhy bother refuting your opponents, when you can just take away their platform or career?Greg Lukianoff was one of the first to raise the alarm about the troubling social and psychological consequences of the growing intolerance of opposing viewpoints on university campuses in America; a phenomenon which then swept through the English-speaking world.In this new book, he teams up with Rikki Schlott to show how this trend has spread to a wide range of workplaces and cultural spaces, which are giving up on a culture of free speech in favour of cancel culture. Drawing on original research and data, along with hundreds of new examples from publishing to psychotherapy, comedy, science and medicine, this book shows how the left and the right both work to silence their enemies in different ways. It''s not simply a matter of Twitter spats; people are losing their jobs, livelihoods and sometimes their lives over it.Eye-opening, urgent and transformative, The Canceling of the American Mind argues that cancel culture is not merely a moral panic, but a dysfunctional way in which people battle for power, status and dominance: moving us away from being able to argue productively, listen generously and ultimately be civil when we disagree. This book offers concrete steps towards reclaiming a culture of free speech, with materials specifically tailored for parents, teachers, business leaders and all those who use social media. It shows how we can all harness intellectual humility to become more resilient and open minded.Trade ReviewNo one has documented the facts and causes of this alarming trend more thoroughly than Greg Lukianoff, joined here by a collaborator, Rikki Schlott -- Steven Pinker * author of Rationality *Brilliant, an essential book... takes us one step further than simply describing and analyzing the problem. They offer serious, rational, and cogent solutions -- Ayaan Hirsi Ali * author of Heretic *Important and very timely... it should be required reading for everyone who believes in freedom of speech -- Piers Morgan * author Wake Up *Greg Lukianoff and Rikki Schlott make an inconvertible case: If we had set out as a society to generate a doctrine designed specifically to demoralize young people-to deprive them of hope and fill them with anxiety-we could not have done better than Cancel Culture, which emphasizes victimhood, emotional fragility, a penchant for avoidance and the absolute right to self-conceptualization. We've enabled the purveyors of malicious gossip, the reputation-savagers, the masters of innuendo-and allowed them to cloak themselves in the guise of compassion. Lukianoff and Schlott are rightly calling on all of us to stand up and say so -- Jordan B. Peterson * author of 12 Rules for Life *Cancel Culture is very real and very dangerous - and this book is the most comprehensive look at the rot threatening our institutions and freedoms -- Ben Shapiro * founder of The Daily Wire *A humanizing and passionate cry for intellectual independence and those who want to think and speak for themselves -- Andrew Yang * co-founder of the Forward Party *This riveting book presents compelling stories about Cancel Culture and its devastating impact ... a game-changer in the Culture Wars -- Nadine Strossen * former president of the ACLU *bold, timely and buttressed by data * The Economist *

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Book SynopsisAn essential exploration of the overlooked impact of disordered eating among Black women?and a prescriptive road map to returning to wholeness within our bodies, from the clinical therapist who founded Black and Embodied Counseling and Consulting PLLC?Lights a radical path away from trauma and blame toward healing, self-acceptance and, ultimately, joy.??Linda Villarosa, author of Pulitzer Prize finalist Under the Skin: The Hidden Toll of Racism on Health in AmericaFood has always been a political tool for the oppressor?and the Black body has always been one of its many battlegrounds.Licensed mental health therapist, somatic healer, and eating disorder specialist Alishia McCullough understands that for far too many Black women, racial trauma?s seismic impact has disrupted their most essential relationship: the one they have with their bodies?and by extension, with their food. African Americans are disproportionately impacted by disordered eating behaviors, yet their experiences are frequently neglected by doctors and mental health experts. As a result, our most vulnerable communities are forced to navigate systems primed to dismiss their needs, leaving them without proper care, or often even the language they need to identify what?s wrong. McCullough?s groundbreaking work radically validates the lived experiences and generational traumas of BIPOC communities. As part of a steadily growing movement among clinicians to ?decolonize therapy,? her deeply affirming approach seeks to understand disordered eating patterns by examining the psychological wounds left by centuries of racism. Weaving together crucial history, compelling client stories, guided meditation, journal prompts, and McCullough?s own journey with disordered eating behaviors, Reclaiming the Black Body offers readers a safe space to feel seen?and a powerful pathway to healing. This revealing, potentially life-saving book illuminates the way home, back to the safety and comfort found within our bodies.

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Book SynopsisThe internet as we know it is broken. Here’s how we can seize back control of our lives from the corporate algorithms and create a better internet—before it’s too late.It was once a utopian dream. But today’s internet, despite its conveniences and connectivity, is the primary cause of a pervasive unease that has taken hold in the U.S. and other democratic societies. It’s why youth suicide rates are rising, why politics has become toxic, and why our most important institutions are faltering. Information is the lifeblood of any society, and our current system for distributing it is corrupted at its heart. Everything comes down to our ability to communicate openly and trustfully with each other. But, thanks to the dominant digital platforms and the ways they distort human behavior, we have lost that ability—while, at the same time, we’ve been robbed of the data that is rightfully ours.The roots of this crisis, a

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Book Synopsis**Picked by Bill Gates for his summer reading list**Recent years have been tough on optimists. Hopes that the Internet might bring people together have been crushed by the ills of social media. Is there a way back?Chris Anderson, the head of TED, believes that we can turn outrage back into optimism. It all comes down to reimagining one of the most fundamental human virtues: generosity. What if generosity could become infectious generosity? Consider: how a London barber began offering haircuts to people experiencing homelessness - and catalysed a movement how two anonymous donors gave $10,000 each to 200 strangers and discovered that most recipients wanted to ''pay it forward'' with their own generous acts how TED itself transformed from a niche annual summit into a global beacon of ideas by giving away talks online, allowing millions access to free learningIn telling these inspiring stories, Anderson offers a playbook forTrade ReviewThis book is a masterpiece, and an important one. It is not only about generosity, but is itself an act of generosity, profound and compelling. I want everyone I know to read this - and everyone I don't know, too * Andrew Solomon, NYT-bestselling author of Far From the Tree, Wellcome Book Prize winner, National Book Award winner and 2002 Pulitzer Prize finalist *This book was a much-needed gift to my weary and news-battered heart. Chris Anderson presents an inspiring body of evidence to support the tremendous and transformative power of generosity - that most beautiful of human impulses. Infectious Generosity is a combination of inarguable data and incredibly moving stories… I flew through these pages with an increasing sense of joy, and was left inspired and hopeful * Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love *Concise and profound * Alain de Botton, author and philosopher *Warning: reading this book may give you an irresistible urge to get up, and take action. Infectious generosity has the potential to spread far and wide, and radically change the world. Simply a wonderful book * Rutger Bregman, bestselling author of Humankind *Truly inspiring! It will change the way you see the world around you * Elizabeth Dunn, Professor of Social Psychology *

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Book SynopsisA 2023 Lambda Literary Award Finalist in NonfictionAn Electric Literature “Most Anticipated LGBTQ+ Book of 2022” SelectionA love letter to the legendary Black and Latinx LGBTQ underground subculture, uncovering its abundant legacy and influence in popular culture.What is Ballroom? Not a song, a documentary, a catchphrase, a TV show, or an individual pop star. It is an underground subculture founded over a century ago by LGBTQ African American and Latino men and women of Harlem. Arts-based and intersectional, it transcends identity, acting as a fearless response to the systemic marginalization of minority populations.Ricky Tucker pulls from his years as a close friend of the community to reveal the complex cultural makeup and ongoing relevance of house and Ballroom, a space where trans lives are respected and applauded, and queer youth are able to find family and acceptance. With each chapter framed as a “cate

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Book SynopsisFrom Playboy to Jay-Z, the racial origins of toxic masculinity and its impact on women, especially Black and ?insufficiently white? womenMore men than ever are refusing loving partnerships and commitment, and instead seeking out ?situationships.? When these men deign to articulate what they are looking for in a steady partner, they?ll often rely on superficial norms of attractiveness rooted in whiteness and anti-Blackness.Connecting the past to the present, sociologist Sabrina Strings argues that following the Civil Rights movement and the integration of women during the Second Wave Feminist movement, men aimed to hold on to their power by withholding love and commitment, a basic tenet of white supremacy and male domination, that served to manipulate all women. From pornography to hip hop, women?especially Black and ?insufficiently white? women?were presented as gold diggers, props for masturbation, and side-pieces.Using historical research, personal stories, and critical analysis, Strings argues that the result is fuccboism, the latest incarnation of toxic masculinity. This work shows that men are not innately ?toxic.? Nor do they hate love, commitment, or sex. Instead, men across race have been working a new code to effectively deny loving partnerships to women who are not pliant, slim, and white as a new mode of male domination.

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Book SynopsisAn inclusive and landmark history, emphasizing how essential Asian American experiences are to any understanding of US historyOriginal and expansive, Asian American Histories of the United States is a nearly 200-year history of Asian migration, labor, and community formation in the US. Reckoning with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the surge in anti-Asian hate and violence, award-winning historian Catherine Ceniza Choy presents an urgent social history of the fastest growing group of Americans. The book features the lived experiences and diverse voices of immigrants, refugees, US-born Asian Americans, multiracial Americans, and workers from industries spanning agriculture to healthcare.Despite significant Asian American breakthroughs in American politics, arts, and popular culture in the twenty-first century, a profound lack of understanding of Asian American history permeates American culture. Choy traces how anti-Asian violence and its intersectio

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Book SynopsisNo Meat Required is a bestselling culinary and cultural history of plant-based eating in the United States that delves into the subcultures and politics that have defined alternative food—Diet for a Small Planet for a new generationThe vegan diet used to be associated only with eccentric hippies and tofu-loving activists who shop at co-ops and live on compounds. We’ve come a long way since then. Now, fine-dining restaurants like Eleven Madison Park cater to chic upscale clientele with a plant-based menu, and Impossible Whoppers are available at Burger King. But can plant-based food keep its historical anti-capitalist energies if it goes mainstream? And does it need to? In No Meat Required, author Alicia Kennedy chronicles the fascinating history of plant-based eating in the United States, from the early experiments in tempeh production undertaken by the Farm commune in the 70s to the vegan punk cafes and anarchist zines of the 90s

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Book SynopsisAn urgent exposition of the pervasive human trafficking that lies just beneath the surface of the US economy—from the stories of its survivorsThe years of the COVID-19 pandemic have brought to light the exploitation of workers. In this moment of heightened visibility, Unbroken Chains demands that readers examine the hidden sector of American trafficked labor and understand its prevalence across our economy.Drawing from nearly two decades of research on US and international human trafficking, Melissa Hope Ditmore sets forth the harrowing stories of human trafficking survivors and grounds their accounts in the long history of US indentured servitude, looking to its iterations in chattel slavery, Chinese contract labor, and prison labor. In this groundbreaking investigation of American trafficking, Ditmore unveils the unnerving reality that forced labor permeates many industries beyond sex work: in almost every aspect of consumption, people who create o

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Book SynopsisAn impassioned exploration of the ways in which social media has manipulated us all‘Witty, rigorous, and as urgent as a fire alarm’ Dorian Lynskey ‘Cooly prosecutorial’ Guardian Nobody meant for this to happen. Facebook didn’t mean to facilitate a genocide. Twitter didn’t want to be used to harass women. YouTube never planned to radicalise young men. But with billions of users, these platforms need only tweak their algorithms to generate more ‘engagement’. In so doing, they bring unrest to previously settled communities and erode our relationships. Social warming has happened gradually - as a by-product of our preposterously convenient digital existence. But the gradual deterioration of our attitudes and behaviour on- and offline - this vicious cycle of anger and outrage - is real. And it can be corrected. Here’s how.Trade Review‘Social media was meant to bring us closer together. Instead, it tore us apart. Charles Arthur has written the definitive account of how arrogance and greed got us into this mess, and how we might get out of it. Witty, rigorous, and as urgent as a fire alarm.’ -- Dorian Lynskey‘A guide to how the apps we use every day are hacking our politics, our society, and even who we are. It reads like science fiction, except he’s describing our world – right now.’ -- Ian Dunt‘Coolly prosecutorial’ * Guardian *‘A compelling account of how a handful of social media platforms came to dominate society and how to minimise the damage they cause, because “We can’t uninvent them”.’ * Mirror *‘The rapidity with which social media has come to dominate communications in this country – in less than two decades – has been breathtaking… Arthur helps bring the whole complex issue into greater focus here. He looks at the origins of social media, describing its early promise, and then follows the dangerous paths the phenomenon has been taking in recent years.’ -- Booklist‘Fascinating… As “connected” as we may feel on social media, Social Warming thoroughly shows how detached we’ve all become not just online but in real life too.’ * Porchlight *

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Book SynopsisThis vibrant book examines individual and societal factors contributing to the rise of lying, cheating, bullying, and narcissism, with emphasis on the influence of Trumpism and the valuing of getting things done over the importance of self-discipline and issues of morality.George Bear explores individual and environmental factors that influence the development of self-discipline. He examines reasons for the growing prevalence of lying, cheating, bullying, and narcissism and their underlying factors, and the role of parenting and peer relationships in their development. The volume highlights the critical roles that moral reasoning, moral emotions, and mechanisms of moral disengagement play in dishonest and harmful behavior.Lying, Cheating, Bullying, and Narcissism is for students and scholars of child development, parenting, psychopathology, and criminology; professionals in psychology, mental health, and education; as well as others interested in the prevalTable of Contents1. Getting Things Done: Trumpism and The New Normal 2. Lying 3. Trump: A role model for lying 4. Cheating 5. Trump: A role model for cheating 6. Bullying 7. Trump: A role model for bullying 8. Narcissism 9. Trump: A role model for narcissism 10. Moral reasoning, moral emotions, and mechanisms of moral disengagement 11. How Trump lies, cheats, and bullies while still loving himself 12. Development of a liar, cheat, bully, and narcissist 13. Implications and recommendations

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Book SynopsisBased upon the interdependencies of human beings as we cooperate and conflict with each other, how we share information, and how culture evolves, this book proposes a sociology of humanity covering three hundred millennia. Grounded in empirical findings from archaeology, history, lab experiments, and field studies supplemented for precision with computational network models of cultural evolution, cooperation, influence, cohesion, warfare, power, social balance, and inequality this is the first attempt at encompassing sociology of humankind. Informed by the theory of cultural evolution, it extends the notion that cultural evolution connects humans of all times in a giant sociocultural network, thereby yielding coherence between a great many empirical findings. It will therefore appeal to scholars of sociology and anthropology with interests in historical sociology, cultural evolution, and social theory.

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Book SynopsisAround the mid-fifth century three Saxon keels cut through the waves towards the southern coast of Britain. They were not the first Germanic warriors or migrants to arrive since direct Roman authority had ended in the early fifth century and would not be the last. Yet the arrival of these particular warriors would prove to be a turning point in the history of these islands. The literary sources that survive point to the arrival of these mercenaries and their subsequent revolt as the pivotal event rather any invasion or mass migration. There have been many books on the Anglo-Saxons. Those that touch on the first arrivals deal only briefly with the fifth and sixth centuries due to the lack of historical records. This book is unique in focusing on the events mentioned by the sources such as Gildas and Bede. It will show that the former Roman Diocese limped on outside direct Roman rule for a generation, beset by constant raiding from Picts and Scots in the north and Saxons and other Germanic pirates in the south. It will look at Roman practices of hiring and settling mercenaries and Germanic groups across the empire. A comparison with these will provide important clues, as well as understanding how and why the diocese and provincial structure fell apart, allowing petty kingdoms to emerge in the sixth century. The subsequent centuries have been termed the Anglo-Saxon period. This book goes back to the very beginning, the adventus Saxonum: The Coming of the Saxons.

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Book SynopsisReligions in Practice provides a comprehensive and primarily theme-based overview for students of the anthropology of religion. Whilst covering traditional topics such as magic, witchcraft, and spiritual healing, the book addresses key contemporary subjects including migration, transnationalism, nationalism, secularism, and law. It offers an issues-oriented perspective on everyday religious behaviors and examines small-scale societies as well as major, established religions. Throughout the text Bowen engages with ongoing debates concerning the place of religion in public life. He successfully balances the presentation of theory and concepts with rich case study examples, integrating theoretical discussion with a wide range of cross-cultural ethnographic material. This seventh edition has been updated throughout. The opening section now focuses more clearly on the question of what is religion' and on approaches to studying religion. There is more on materialityTrade ReviewPraise for the sixth edition:“Bowen's Religions in Practice provides a very compelling introduction to the anthropology of religion, integrating theoretical discussions with ethnographic material from a wide range of societies, especially Islam in its diverse manifestations. While covering traditional topics like magic, witchcraft, and spiritual healing, the book also breaks new ground by covering ultra-contemporary political issues like migration, nationalism, transnationalism, law, and secularism.” - Sean O'Neill, University of Oklahoma “An excellent introduction to Anthropology of Religion. It lays out the issues clearly, describes different theoretical approaches, and illustrates its points with lots of examples.” - Mark Webb, Texas Tech University “An eclectic book build around the practice of the world religions.” - Derrick Lemons, the University of Georgia “Its coverage of a range of issues and phenomena is first-rate. A thorough and very useful textbook, with particularly helpful attention to theory, method, and non-Western religious phenomena.” - James Findlay, California State University Northridge “Clear, anthropologically oriented discussion of the study of religion” - Eric Rovie, Georgia Perimeter College-Newton Campus “It is a clearly written, comprehensive text on the anthropology of religion that focuses primarily on religion as practice rather than as a belief system. It is current and includes important topics relevant to the modern situation. It is well-balanced in terms of the presentation of theory/concepts and case examples.” - Frances Purifoy, University of Louisville Table of ContentsPart One: Theories and Authority1. Studying religion through practice2. Social theory and the anthropology of religion3. Authority and centralization 4. States, secularisms and religionsPart Two: Materialities and Morality5. Meanings and materiality6. Material transformations in Catholicism 7. Transatlantic religions 8. Embodiment and materiality in healing9. Embodied harmfulness 10. Boundaries: shaping time, space, and selvesPart Three: Languages and Movement11. Speech and Grace in Protestantism12. Revelation and Authority in Islam13. Virtual religion14. Migration and diaspora15. Religious mobilizing

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Book SynopsisFirst published in 1997, this volumeâs purpose is to understand and clarify the nature of implicit theories currently held about the mentally disordered offender by respondents who represent a range of agencies: the general lay population, Criminal Justice, Mental Health and Social Services.The significance of this research rests on the premise that a greater understanding of professional and lay perspectives towards the mentally ill offender will help elucidate conflicting assumptions between agencies which, by their very nature, may be seriously disrupting the effective implementation of a number of key criminological and clinical policy initiatives involving the care and management of the mentally ill. In particular, consideration is given to the impact such ideological differences may have with regard to the establishment of community-based psychiatric care programmes, the policy of diverting mentally ill offenders away from the Criminal Justice System and into care by HeTable of Contents1. A Review of the Literature. 2. Methodology. 3. Data Analysis and Presentation of the Results. 4. Discussion. 5. Conclusions.

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Book Synopsis''This is a vital book. Hand this out in schools, in the workplace, everywhere. It''s also beautifully written.'' Olivia Colman''Brilliant. Patriarchy 101'' Amnesty UK''Immersive and accessible'' Dazed ''Maya offers both a practical guide and a refreshing perspective on the challenges, barriers, and obstacles facing women today. This is 21st-century feminism in action.'' Angela Rayner, MPThe essential guide for women everywhere, The Pocket Guide to the Patriarchy is full to the brim with unbelievable stats, shocking figures and emboldening knowledge to understand and fight the patriarchal systems holding all of us back.Across the world, women are still denied opportunities and rights. The home remains the most dangerous place for women to be worldwide; with the majority of homicide victims who are women being killed by partners or relatives. In some countries, women who get abortions after they Trade ReviewA fantastic little guide to understanding the patriarchy and how it impacts women's lives across all areas - from health and income disparities to the criminal justice system. Intersectional, nuanced and thoughtful, this book is a must-read for everyone. * Mireille Harper *An immersive deep dive into the barriers hiding in plain sight that keep women locked out and left behind. Maya makes an often difficult subject accessible for all and the inequalities that patriarchal systems reproduce impossible to deny. * Adele Walton, Journalist and Dazed book columnist *

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Book SynopsisLONGLISTED FOR THE FINANCIAL TIMES AND SCHRODERS BUSINESS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024A Financial Times Summer Reading Pick 2024''Persuasive, uplifting and wise'' Niall Ferguson ''Compelling . . . important and timely'' Financial Times ''Superb'' Martin Wolf ''A must-read book with an important message and many lessons'' Daron Acemoglu ''A revelation on every page'' David SinclairA leading expert on longevity calls for a revolution in the way we think about health, ageing, and the future . . .The last century saw a revolution in life expectancy. Whether you are male or female, born in the global south or north, the chances are that you can expect to live much longer than previous generations. But instead of seeing this as a precious gift of extra life, we see it as a burden, with ageing populations dogged by infirmity, dependent on an ever-decreasing number

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Book SynopsisDesigned to support training and CPD in compulsory mental health work, this book looks at assessment, detention, compulsion and coercion in a variety of settings. With emphasis on theory into practice, the book is essential reading for those looking to develop their reflexive and critical analytical skills.Table of Contents1. Introduction - Jill Hemmington and Sarah Vicary 2. Lived Experience and the Boundaries Between Professionals and Others - Neil Caton and Jen Kilyon 3. Frames and Boundaries of Race and Ethnicity in Mental Health Act Assessments - Hári Sewell 4. Gender and Forensic Services - Rebecca Fish 5. Boundaries of Risks and Rights and Personality Disorder - Andy Brammer 6. Reflective Supervision, Emotional Containment and the Framing of Self and Others - Gill Robinson 7. Reflective Practice, Truth-Telling and Safe Spaces - Kevin Stone 8. Practice Education: Boundaries of Knowledge, Theory and Practice - Che McGarvey-Gill 9. Compulsory Mental Health Work and Multi-Professional Frames: Occupational Therapy in AMHP Work - Rachel Bloodworth-Strong 10. Nurses as AMHPs: From ‘Unclean’ to ‘Honorary Social Worker’ - Sarah Vicary 11. Who Do You Think You Are? Hybrid Professionals, Boundaries and the Context of AMHP Practice - Caroline Leah 12. Framing Mental Capacity and Mental Health Legislation in Decision Making - Matthew Graham 13. Navigating Communication Boundaries: Statutory Assessments As Places for Shared Decision Making - Jill Hemmington 14. Compulsory Mental Health Work: Framing the Future - Jill Hemmington and Sarah Vicary

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Book SynopsisThe Calmanifesto of Happiness''One of the kindest people I have ever met - a beautiful dancer and a beautiful person'' Kevin Clifton''Be good, be kind, be more like Susan Calman'' Kirstie Allsopp''Be kind to yourself - read this book, keep it on your bedside table or on your Kindle - even Kindle has the word kind in it'' Sandi Toksvig''Full of wisdom and humour, with the soft underbelly of the profound'' Fi Glover''It''s a warm, funny and delightful book that is sure to cheer even the grumpiest curmudgeon in your life'' Woman and HomeSusan Calman''s enthusiasm at being on Strictly Come Dancing was an inspiration to all of us. Cheer Up Love, Susan''s first book, had a clear aim: to help people understand depression. Sunny Side Up has a similarly clear path: to persuade people to be kinder to each other and spread more joy. These are extremely difficult and confusing times - people are croTrade ReviewNot only is Susan ridiculously funny but she is also one of the kindest people I have ever met. The time we spent dancing together on Strictly was so much more than dance lessons. We laughed, cried and built a wonderful friendship and I learned as much from her as she did from me. I have always believed that the best dancers are the ones who have an ability to make people feel something and to make people smile. Susan does this on and off the dance floor which in my opinion makes her both a beautiful dancer and a beautiful person. * Kevin Clifton *If you think Susan Calman is sweet and funny you'd be wrong . . . she's hysterical and divine and one of the most life enhancing people you'll ever come across. If you can have ups and downs and come out like Susan then there's hope, lots of it. Be good, be kind, be more like Susan Calman. * Kirstie Allsopp *Be kind to yourself - read this book, keep it on your bedside table or on your Kindle - even Kindle has the word kind in it * Sandi Toksvig *Punctuated by her own life experiences and inspiring stories from other people, she shows how much pleasure can be found in the little things in life. Even without sequins, you can still sparkle! It's a warm, funny and delightful book that is sure to cheer even the grumpiest curmudgeon in your life. * Woman and Home *Full of wisdom and humour, with the soft underbelly of the profound -- Fi Glover, BBC Radio 4 presenterShe started writing it before Strictly and there's a fistful of sequins in there . . . This sheer joy at dancing finds its way into Sunny Side Up * Scotsman *An essential read * Sunday Post *A breath-of-fresh-air funny read * Yours *

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Book SynopsisThis book tells the story of the turbulent decades when the book publishing industry collided with the great technological revolution of our time. From the surge of ebooks to the self-publishing explosion and the growing popularity of audiobooks, Book Wars provides a comprehensive and fine-grained account of technological disruption in one of our most important and successful creative industries. Like other sectors, publishing has been thrown into disarray by the digital revolution. The foundation on which this industry had been based for 500 years – the packaging and sale of words and images in the form of printed books – was called into question by a technological revolution that enabled symbolic content to be stored, manipulated and transmitted quickly and cheaply. Publishers and retailers found themselves facing a proliferation of new players who were offering new products and services and challenging some of their most deeply held principles and beliefs. The old industry was suddenly thrust into the limelight as bitter conflicts erupted between publishers and new entrants, including powerful new tech giants who saw the world in very different ways. The book wars had begun. While ebooks were at the heart of many of these conflicts, Thompson argues that the most fundamental consequences lie elsewhere. The print-on-paper book has proven to be a remarkably resilient cultural form, but the digital revolution has transformed the industry in other ways, spawning new players which now wield unprecedented power and giving rise to an array of new publishing forms. Most important of all, it has transformed the broader information and communication environment, creating new challenges and new opportunities for publishers as they seek to redefine their role in the digital age. This unrivalled account of the book publishing industry as it faces its greatest challenge since Gutenberg will be essential reading for anyone interested in books and their future.Trade ReviewOne of Tyler Cowen's 'Best Non-Fiction Books of 2021' in Marginal Revolution“An expert diagnosis of publishers and publishing, robustly illustrated with charts, graphs, tables, statistics and case studies… For anyone bewildered by the transformation of the book world, Mr. Thompson offers a pointed, thorough and business-literate survey.”The Wall Street Journal“Thompson takes the reader on a wild and exciting ride exploring the changes that have turned book publishing on its head over the last 30 years, with the development of many new technologies that readers may have come to take for granted or never considered… well worth reading to understand where the book was in the latter part of the twentieth century and where it is headed well into the twenty-first.”LSE Review of Books“Book Wars is as comprehensive, wide-ranging and deeply considered an appraisal of the book publishing world as one can imagine – and a sober consideration of what the digital age has meant to a print-centred business. This masterful work should be the foundation for all future thinking about book publishing, and much future thinking about how new technologies change – and don’t change – societies.”Michael Schudson, Columbia University “Thompson weaves together a remarkable account of how and why one of the oldest forms of media has persisted through the challenges posed by digital disruption. Extraordinary in its breadth and depth, Book Wars unpacks the complex implications of digital production and distribution and draws crucial lessons that are relevant well beyond the world of books, providing a valuable lens for examining the profound changes that internet communication has brought to nearly every sector of the economy, and especially media industries.”Amanda Lotz, Queensland University of Technology “John Thompson was there when the digital-driven changes were in full swing, and he uses his bird’s-eye view and thoroughly researched analysis to give the reader the story behind the stories. And it’s a great read too.”John Sargent, CEO of Macmillan Publishers USA“An astute deep dive into the current publishing predicament ─ how we got here and what lies ahead. For anyone who wants to understand the key challenges facing our industry today, this book is highly instructive.”Jonathan Galassi, President, Farrar Straus & Giroux “Thrilling reports from the trade-publishing front lines by a leading (as it were) war correspondent….I once (rather pompously) wrote that we need a 'contemporary history of the book'. Well, now we have it, for trade presses at least. I just didn’t expect it to be so interesting.”Times Higher Education“magisterial”The Independent“insightful and intelligent”Publisher’s Weekly “excellent… Every skirmish, every battle, every standoff is covered objectively with supporting data and entertainingly with the case studies I would have chosen.”Richard Charkin, Publishing Perspectives“An important book for anyone interested in publishing.”The Toronto Star“John B. Thompson’s Book Wars: The Digital Revolution in Publishing is certain to become this year’s must-read for anyone serious about the publishing industry.”Thad McIlroy, The Future of Publishing “an extremely authoritative account of the revolution which at one time looked like it was going to destroy the fusty old world of book publishing, but has actually ended up reinvigorating it in ways that no one predicted… for anybody wanting to get into publishing this should be compulsory reading. If you are about to go for a job interview anywhere in the industry, read this book first!”Authors Electric“Exceptionally well written, organized and presented... Book Wars: The Digital Revolution in Publishing is an extraordinary study and one that is especially and unreservedly recommended for anyone with an interest in how and why the publishing industry works as it does today.”Midwest Book Review “If you’re a serious professional author like me, this book is a must-read because it gives historical perspective. Younger and less experienced writers often lack historical perspective and there aren’t many books on the history of the publishing industry, so Thompson’s book is required reading.”M. L. Ron, Indie Author Confidential Vol. 5 “Thompson’s work is authoritative and will be of tremendous value to future readers and researchers in understanding how a 500-year-old culture of print was able to absorb and adapt. I’m aware of no other title that provides such a useful account of how publishing professionals have fought to ensure stabilization and reliable delivery of content.”The Scholarly Kitchen “magisterial… Thompson has provided an invaluable reference and resource for researchers into the complex and rapidly changing field of book publishing. Elegantly written, thoroughly researched, and remarkably comprehensive, Book Wars tells a fascinating story of how publishers large and small are adapting to the transformational effects of the digital revolution.”Publishing Research Quarterly “Thompson’s Book Wars has been the book-about-book-publishing event of 2021…no one else has Thompson’s ability to marshal the facts into comprehensive and illuminating accounts of publishing in all its splendor.”Publishers Weekly“Nobody arrives better equipped than Thompson to map how the publishing ecosystem has persisted and morphed in the digital environment… it's invaluable to have such thorough documentation of the digital publishing multiverse.”The Los Angeles Review of Books“Thompson sets out to detail the recent history of the digital revolution of books and succeeds in not only providing such a history, but also showing a clear warning sign of how the digital revolution impacts every industry and individual differently… fascinating.”Real Change“fascinating and salutary”The Critic“Thompson is an eloquent and lucid writer who has a real talent for telescoping smoothly from individual cases to a bird's-eye view of the industry of trade publishing… I do not imagine there are many other scholars working today who could provide such a magisterial account of the past two decades of the digital revolution in Anglo-American trade book publishing.”Robert Brown, Journal of Scholarly Publishing“This is a deeply informative book that can be read cover to cover and then put on a nearby shelf as a reference, not only to the grand themes of the digital revolution in books, but to a plethora of companies and organizations that have contributed to every aspect of that revolution, from Smashwords to Booksmart to Blurb to Unbound to Inkshares to so many more.”Alex Holzman, Journal of Scholarly Publishing“Book Wars brings depth and empirical richness to its account of the rapidly changing publishing industry, while contributing to theoretical and conceptual debates about digital platforms and culture industries.”International Journal of Communication“A great book… This is a comprehensive and thoroughly convincing monograph on the digital revolution in publishing. There is just no way round this book, for publishing studies scholars (and students) as well as for book business professionals interested in the inner workings of the digital sector of their industry.”Logos 'a brilliant and singular work'Escola de Llibreria ‘Book Wars presents a comprehensive and compelling narrative of new forms of book production, publication, and dissemination. Anyone considering the current and historical states of Anglo-American trade publishing would benefit from reading this impressive piece of scholarship.’Information & Culture ‘Literary scholars, professionals with a vested interest in books’ value, stand to benefit enormously from Thompson’s account… Book Wars shows that understanding the major forces shaping literary production and circulation requires methods appropriate to resolutely non-textual phenomena. Our disciplinary habitus may not be a reliable guide to the hidden continents of literary media. Thompson’s map of the changing publishing field points to different lines of inquiry for contemporary literary studies—different objects, different questions—than the ones we have so far taken up.’Contemporary Literature ‘Book Wars provides an expansive look at the state of publishing today, and will find readers across a wealth of disciplines and approaches… it will prompt and inform ongoing discussions about the book industry and publishing – and ultimately, help us understand the value of what we still call “the book” in our heavily digitized and media-filled lives.’Zeitschrift für Anglistik und Amerikanistik“Thompson has a long view of publishing, one that isn’t mired in nostalgia. He isn’t dismissive or jaded about the digital revolution, which is exactly the right attitude for any publisher hoping to navigate its turbulent future."The AuthorTable of ContentsPreface Introduction 1 The Faltering Rise of the Ebook 2 Reinventing the Book 3 The Backlist Wars 4 Google Trouble 5 Amazon's Ascent 6 Struggles for Visibility 7 The Self-publishing Explosion 8 Crowdfunding Books 9 Bookflix 10 The New Orality 11 Storytelling in Social Media 12 Old Media, New Media Conclusion: Worlds in Flux Appendix 1: Sales data from a large US trade publisher Appendix 2: Note on Research Methods Index

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Book SynopsisMobile media such as smartphones, apps, and social media are an integral part of everyday life, used by billions of people around the world. For students and researchers, mobile media also offer a treasure trove of new concepts, methods, and techniques to do research representing a new phase in digital methods. Across disciplines, researchers rely upon mobile media for quantitative and qualitative projects, to gather data and document sound and images, engage with participants, and disseminate findings. This is the first textbook devoted to explaining these innovative and groundbreaking mobile media methods. Exploringthe opportunities and limitations mobile media offer for methods, the book covers a range of topics from mobilities and placemaking to virtual reality and AI, as well as new kinds of mobility such as e-scooters and connected cars.Student-friendly features such as practical guidance on how to gather and analyse data alongside exercises are also included.Underscoring the book throughout is thedefinition of methods as not just a series of tools and techniques, but as an invitation to rethink how to conceptualize, practice, study and theorize the relationship between research, data and the field.Drawing from the best of mobile and digital communication research,Mobile Media Methodsoffers a clear, accessible, and practical guide to mobile media methods. It is essential reading and a useful resource for students and scholars of digital technology and research methods.

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Book SynopsisGrey sex is saying yes but thinking no. It's feeling invisible, like you're not even in the room. It's wondering afterwards, is that really what I wanted? or did I just let that happen? Many people have sexual experiences that fall into a grey area between assault and normal sex. Looking at heterosexuality and everyday domination, this book shows that, in doing so, we are neither simply victims nor failing to assert ourselves. We are caught in relations of gendered power that may be hard to name or that may, in a world filled with violence, not seem worth mentioning. Tempting as it is to blame individuals for grey sexual experiences, Kogl argues that we can't make sense of the power at work if we remain stuck in self-blame or point the finger at perpetrators. The personal is still political: the most intimate activities are both shaped by and shapers of unjust sexual hierarchies. Grey Sexwalksus through the shadowy places between good and bad sex. With compelling insight into power relations that shape ambiguous sexual experiences and our sense of freedom, it is a valuable read for people interested in sexual intimacy and relationships, gender-based violence, and inequality.

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Book SynopsisHuman societies have always been deeply interconnected with our ecosystems, but today those relationships are witnessing greater frictions, tensions, and harms than ever before. These dynamics mirror those experienced by marginalized communities across the planet, but they also provide a foundation for transformative thinking and action to address these challenges. In this updated edition of his innovative contribution, David Naguib Pellow introduces a new framework for critically analyzing Environmental Justice scholarship and activism. In doing so he extends the field's focus to topics not usually associated with environmental justice, including policing, incarceration, the Israel/Palestine conflict, and the Black Lives Matter movement. In doing so he reveals that ecological violence is first and foremost a form of social violence, driven by and legitimated by social structures and discourses. He enriches this radical approach to Environmental Justice by drawing on Indigenous Studies, the Black Radical Tradition, Disability Studies, Queer and Transgender Studies, and Multi-Species Justice, among others. Those already familiar with the discipline will find themselves invited to think about the subject in entirely new ways. This book is a vital resource for students, scholars, and policy makers interested in innovative approaches to one of the greatest challenges facing humanity and the planet.

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Book SynopsisHartmut Rosa is a leading social theorist and his books on social acceleration and resonance have become milestones in discussions about the problems and promises of late modern societies. Rosa not only presents a critical diagnosis of our times but also searches for innovative solutions. This new collection of Rosa's essays provides an overview of his work and explores key topics and concepts in depth. Among the topics discussed are Charles Taylor's account of alienation, self-interpretation and social critique; the theory of acceleration and the challenges for identity formation and democratic politics in the high-speed society; the theory of resonance and its relation to alienation and uncontrollability; and the relation between social theory and moral philosophy. Among other things, this volume highlights the influence of Charles Taylor's social philosophy on Rosa's work and it brings out the architecture of Rosa's social theory, in particular the opposition between the concepts of resonance and alienation. In a substantial introduction, Frédéric Vandenberghe provides a comprehensive overview of Rosa's work. This volume, by one of the most creative and influential social theorists writing today, will be essential reading for anyone interested in contemporary social theory, critical theory and the sociology of late modernity.

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Book SynopsisIn times of crisis, having aclear moralcompass and unwavering values is crucial, but so too is a willingness to listen to others. Feminist entrepreneur and policy expert Kristina Lunz argues that empathy and resistance serve as powerful tools for defining our political stance, demonstrating our humanity and driving meaningful change. Although they may appear to be opposed to one another, these elements in fact harmonize perfectly in challenging times, unlocking progress across social, cultural, and political spheres, and are vital for activism and political action. Drawing on a wide range of personal experience, research on empathy and knowledge passed down from feminist peacebuilders worldwide, Lunz develops a convincing account of why we need to reach out to others, listen to them and work together without prejudice. She emphasizes the importance of developing a political stance and remaining steadfast in the face of adversity. At the same time, she encourages openness and a willingness to change our views when compelling arguments arise, for true conviction lies in value-based decisions rather than the rigid adherence to ideology. This passionately argued book by a leading feminist author and activist will appeal to a anyone interested in the task of creating a fairer, kinder world.

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Book SynopsisIn a time of increasing social and economic inequality, this book illustrates the precarity experienced by millennials facing both rising rents and wage stagnation. Featuring the voices of those with lived experience of precarity in north-east London, MacNeil Taylor focuses on intimacy, reproduction and emotional labour. The book widens readers' understanding of a middle-class generation rent' beyond those locked out of anticipated home ownership by considering both social and private renters. Situated in a feminist and queer theoretical framework, the book reveals the crucial role of British policy-making on housing, welfare, and immigration in exacerbating inter- and intra-generational inequality.

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Book SynopsisA profound offering and call to action?collective stories, testimonials, and incantations for renewing political and spiritual liberation grounded in Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and Queer and Trans healing justice lineagesWe reclaim the power, resilience, and innovation of our ancestors through this book. To embody their wisdom across centuries and generations is to continue their legacy of liberation and healing. In this anthology, Black Queer Feminist editors Cara Page and Erica Woodland guide readers through the history, legacies, and liberatory practices of healing justice?a political strategy of collective care and safety that intervenes on generational trauma from systemic violence and oppression. They call forth the ancestral medicines and healing practices that have sustained communities who have survived genocide and oppression, while radically imagining what comes next.Anti-capitalist, Black feminist, and abolitionist, Healing Justice Lineages is a profound and urgent call to embrace community and survivor-led care strategies as models that push beyond commodified self-care, the policing of the medical industrial complex, and the surveillance of the public health system. Centering disability, reproductive, environmental, and transformative justice and harm reduction, this collection elevates and archives an ongoing tradition of liberation and survival?one that has been largely left out of our history books, but continues to this day.In the first section, ?Past: Reckoning with Roots and Lineage,? Page and Woodland remember and reclaim generations-long healing justice and community care work, asking critical questions like: How did our ancestors transform trauma and violence in their liberation work? What were our ancestors reckoning with?and what did they imagine?The next sections, ?Origins of Healing Justice? and ?Alchemy: Theory + Praxis,? explore regional stories of healing justice in response to the current political and cultural landscape. The last section, ?Political + Spiritual Imperatives for the Future,? imagines a future rooted in lessons of the past; addresses the ways healing justice is being co-opted and commodified; and uplifts emergent work that?s building infrastructure for care, safety, healing, and political liberation.

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Book SynopsisHow the emerging field of speculative futures can help us dream--and build--better, sustainable, and more equitable cities for everyone.Speculative futures--design approaches that help us visualize new and potential worlds--move us beyond what currently exists into what could one day be. Inspired by art, film, fiction, and industrial design, they use speculation to provoke, imagine, and dream into what lies ahead.Written for futurists, urbanists, and artists looking to enact city-wide transformation--and for readers at the intersection of disruption, design, innovation, and city living--this book offers creative paths toward urban resilience, using design tools that already exist.Artist and urbanist Johanna Hoffman uses an interdisciplinary lens informed by her experience in architecture, art, engineering, and construction to examine how we can reimagine our cities at every level: as individuals, in community, and on a professional scale.Hoffman blends precedent studies, compelling research, and professional memoir, connecting urban development issues with the processes and actions best positioned to create better solutions for our cities. The result is a dynamic field guide that uses speculative futures to imagine, advocate for, and adapt to modern scales, scopes, and speeds of change.While this book is of great utility to professionals in the urban design and planning industries, it?s also for people who resist received, capitalistic, technocratic ways of thinking--readers who seek new solutions to old problems with anti-colonial, living-systems-oriented lenses.

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Book SynopsisInstant Amazon Best Seller and Hot New ReleaseFor readers of Caste and Radical Dharma, an urgent call to action to end caste apartheid, grounded in Dalit feminist abolition and engaged Buddhism.“Dalit” is the name that we chose for ourselves when Brahminism declared us “untouchable.” Dalit means broken. Broken by suffering. Broken by caste: the world’s oldest, longest-running dominator system...yet although “Dalit” means broken, it also means resilient.    Caste—one of the oldest systems of exclusion in the world—is thriving. Despite the ban on Untouchability 70 years ago, caste impacts 1.9 billion people in the world. Every 15 minutes, a crime is perpetrated against a Dalit person. The average age of death for Dalit women is just 39. And the wreckages of caste are replicated here in the U.S., too—erupting online with rape and death threats, showing up at work, and forcing countless Dalits to live in fear of being outed.    Dalit American activist Thenmozhi Soundararajan puts forth a call to awaken and act, not just for readers in South Asia, but all around the world. She ties Dalit oppression to fights for liberation among Black, Indigenous, Latinx, femme, and Queer communities, examining caste from a feminist, abolitionist, and Dalit Buddhist perspective--and laying bare the grief, trauma, rage, and stolen futures enacted by Brahminical social structures on the caste-oppressed.    Soundararajan’s work includes embodiment exercises, reflections, and meditations to help readers explore their own relationship to caste and marginalization—and to step into their power as healing activists and changemakers. She offers skills for cultivating wellness within dynamics of false separation, sharing how both oppressor and oppressed can heal the wounds of caste and transform collective suffering. Incisive and urgent, The Trauma of Caste is an activating beacon of healing and liberation, written by one of the world’s most needed voices in the fight to end caste apartheid.

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