Search results for ""Author Jan""

Big Cat Phonics for Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised has been developed in collaboration with Wandle Learning Trust and Little Sutton Primary School. It comprises classroom resources to support the SSP programme and a range of phonic readers. The 7+ books are designed for children aged 7+ who need more practice to acquire phonics skills. Farms are not just in the countryside. Town farms and city farms are great places to visit too! You will meet lots of different animals and see what a day on the farm is like. Get ready to milk the cows, feed the chickens, and pet the rabbits in this fun non-fiction book.

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Collins Big Cat Phonics for Letters and Sounds features exciting fiction and non-fiction decodable readers to enthuse and inspire children. The 7+ books are designed for children aged 7+ who need more practice to acquire phonics skills. They have age-appropriate content, more mature images, and are fully aligned to Letters and Sounds Phases 3–5. It all began when Abigail and her brother Lee were at the pond … Abigail tells Lee a spooky tale about the Creep in the Deep, a monster that lives deep in the pond reeds. She finishes the tale when, much to the children's surprise, something emerges from the pond… looking exactly like the Creep! But it turns out to be something more familiar … their pet dog. Blue/Band 4 books offer longer, repeated patterns with sequential events and integrated literary and natural language. The focus sounds in this book are: /sh/ /th/ /ng/ /ai/ /ee/, and adjacent consonants. Pages 22 and 23 allow children to re-visit the content of the book, supporting comprehension skills, vocabulary development and recall. Reading notes within the book provide practical support for reading Big Cat Phonics for Letters and Sounds with children, including a list of all the sounds and words that the book will cover.

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A concise and accessible history of decolonization in the twentieth century The end of colonial rule in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean was one of the most important and dramatic developments of the twentieth century. In the decades after World War II, dozens of new states emerged as actors in global politics. Long-established imperial regimes collapsed, some more or less peacefully, others amid mass violence. This book takes an incisive look at decolonization and its long-term consequences, revealing it to be a coherent yet multidimensional process at the heart of modern history. Jan Jansen and Jurgen Osterhammel trace the decline of European, American, and Japanese colonial supremacy from World War I to the 1990s. Providing a comparative perspective on the decolonization process, they shed light on its key aspects while taking into account the unique regional and imperial contexts in which it unfolded. Jansen and Osterhammel show how the seeds of decolonization were sown during the interwar period and argue that the geopolitical restructuring of the world was intrinsically connected to a sea change in the global normative order. They examine the economic repercussions of decolonization and its impact on international power structures, its consequences for envisioning world order, and the long shadow it continues to cast over new states and former colonial powers alike. Concise and authoritative, Decolonization is the essential introduction to this momentous chapter in history, the aftershocks of which are still being felt today.

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More often than not, humanist, scholarly and 'scientific' correspondences from the early modern period have been analyzed from a rather narrow point of view. They were either exploited to reveal new biographical and historical evidence or assessed as literary achievements, as precious (or not so precious) pearls of artistic prose and composition. However legitimate such an outspokenly positivist and aesthetic approach may be, it does not exhaust the various possibilities for historical and literary study that early modern correspondences offer. It may, for instance, be doubted whether the traditional approach enables us to address, let alone to answer, one of the key questions that can and should be raised when dealing with letter writing in early modern times: how did the genre function as a social practice? This question can be reformulated as follows: who was writing, what, for whom, and why? At first glance, many, if not most, of the correspondences seem to have functioned as a means to discuss business and family affairs, to express friendship (and, to a lesser extent, love), or to communicate scholarly information. If we scrutinize them more carefully, however, we will discover that epistolary exchange was far more signicifant and played a far more crucial role than this superficial enumeration of topics to be found in early modern correspondences would make us believe. It can indeed be argued that many humanists and other intellectuals wrote letters in order to define themselves as literators, scholars, or scientists. In other words, letters were used as a means of self-presentation and social identification. It is through letters that literators, scholars, and scientists presented a particular, quite often highly apologetic, self-image which they wanted to be divulged and perpetuated. It is through letters, moreover, that literators, scholars, and scientists defined themselves as belonging to a specific group of people who shared the same interests and ideals, and were engaged in similar endeavours. Although these issues have not been entirely neglected by scholars in the past, this book brings together philologists, literary historians and historians of ideas to reflect upon the phenomenon of letter writing, and concentrates on four particular issues: the rhetoric of letter writing, friendship and patronage, criticism and libel, reputation and fame. Moreover, particular attention has been given to the functioning of letter writing as a means of self-presentation and social identification, linking together more closely text and context, literature and society.

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This volume offers innovative ways to think about speculation at a time when anticipation of catastrophe in an apocalyptic mode is the order of the day and shapes public discourse on a global scale. It maps an interdisciplinary field of investigation: the chapters interrogate hegemonic ways of shaping the present through investments in the future, while also looking at speculative practices that reveal transformative potential. The twelve contributions explore concrete instances of envisioning the open unknown and affirmative speculative potentials in history, literature, comics, computer games, mold research, ecosystem science and artistic practice.

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The bestselling paranormal action adventure manga series Bleach continues in novel form as an all-new threat arises!The Quincies’s Thousand Year Blood War is over, but the embers of turmoil still smolder in the Soul Society. Tokinada Tsunayashiro, elevated to head of his clan after a slew of assassinations take out every other claimant to the title, has a grand plan to create a new Soul King. His dark ambitions soon sow the seeds of a new total war across the realms, but all is not lost. There is one unlikely Soul Reaper who holds the key to defusing the conflict—Shuhei Hisagi, assistant captain of the Ninth Company and reporter for the Seireitei Bulletin!

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A Foreign Affairs Best Book of 2022 A Financial Times Politics Book of the Year 2021 A fascinating account of Russia’s famous dissident and the politics he embodies. Who is Alexei Navalny? Poisoned in August 2020 and transported to Germany for treatment, the politician returned to Russia in January 2021 in the full glare of the world media. His immediate detention at passport control set the stage for an explosive showdown with Vladimir Putin. But Navalny means very different things to different people. To some, he is a democratic hero. To others, he is betraying the Motherland. To others still, he is a dangerous nationalist. This book explores the many dimensions of Navalny’s political life, from his pioneering anti-corruption investigations to his ideas and leadership of a political movement. It also looks at how his activities and the Kremlin’s strategies have shaped one another. Navalny makes sense of this divisive character, revealing the contradictions of a man who is the second most important political figure in Russia—even when behind bars. In order to understand modern Russia, you need to understand Alexei Navalny. This updated version includes new material following Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

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"His work went beyond fashion and was a fine art." —a Charles James patron Charles James, often considered to be America’s first couturier, was renowned in the 1940s and 1950s as a master at sculpting fabric for the female form and creating fashions that defined mid-century glamour. Although James had no formal training as a dressmaker, he created strikingly original and complex designs, including intricate ball gowns worn by members of high society in New York and Europe. This lavishly illustrated book offers a comprehensive study of James’ life and work, highlighting his virtuosity and inventiveness as well as his influence on subsequent fashion designers. Featuring exciting new photography of the spectacular evening dresses James produced between 1947 and 1955, this publication includes enlightening details of these intricate creations alongside vintage photographs and rarely seen archival items, such as patterns, muslins, dress forms, and sketches. A detailed and illustrated chronology of James’ life describes his magnetic personality, his unorthodox design processes, his colorful supporters—such as Salvador Dalí, Elsa Schiaparelli, Christian Dior, and Cristobal Balenciaga—and profiles of a number of his famous clients, such as Gypsy Rose Lee. With flair and style echoing that of its subject, Charles James brings to life one of the most fascinating and creative figures in American fashion.Published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Distributed by Yale University PressExhibition Schedule:The Metropolitan Museum of Art (05/08/14–08/10/14)

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This textbook covers the entire Business Process Management (BPM) lifecycle, from process identification to process monitoring, covering along the way process modelling, analysis, redesign and automation. Concepts, methods and tools from business management, computer science and industrial engineering are blended into one comprehensive and inter-disciplinary approach. The presentation is illustrated using the BPMN industry standard defined by the Object Management Group and widely endorsed by practitioners and vendors worldwide.In addition to explaining the relevant conceptual background, the book provides dozens of examples, more than 230 exercises – many with solutions – and numerous suggestions for further reading. This second edition includes extended and completely revised chapters on process identification, process discovery, qualitative process analysis, process redesign, process automation and process monitoring. A new chapter on BPM as an enterprise capability has been added, which expands the scope of the book to encompass topics such as the strategic alignment and governance of BPM initiatives.The textbook is the result of many years of combined teaching experience of the authors, both at the undergraduate and graduate levels as well as in the context of professional training. Students and professionals from both business management and computer science will benefit from the step-by-step style of the textbook and its focus on fundamental concepts and proven methods. Lecturers will appreciate the class-tested format and the additional teaching material available on the accompanying website.

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This undergraduate textbook first introduces basic electronic circuitry before explaining more advanced elements such as the Arithmetic Logic Unit, sequential circuits, and finally microprocessors. In keeping with this integrated and graduated approach, the authors then explain the relationship to first assembly programming, then higher-level languages, and finally computer organisation. Authors use the Raspberry Pi and ARM microprocessors for their explanationsThe material has been extensively class tested at TU Eindhoven by an experienced team of lecturers and researchers. This is a modern, holistic treatment of well-established topics, valuable for undergraduate students of computer science and electronics engineering and for self-study. The authors use the Raspberry Pi and ARM microprocessors for their explanations.

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This volume presents a collection of more than twenty articles prepared by members of the "SNTS Johannine Writings Seminar" between 1999 and 2004. The contributions deal with the ongoing methodological debates about the major Theological and Christological themes in the Gospel of John.

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Das Buch ist bestimmt für Abiturienten und Studienanfänger, die sich in Mathematik unsicher fühlen. Damit sie ihre Fähigkeiten auffrischen können, liefert der Band das komplette Grundwissen der Mathematik, das für den Einstieg in ein Universitäts- oder Hochschulstudium in den Bereichen Ingenieur- und Naturwissenschaften, Informatik, Wirtschaftswissenschaften, Mathematik und in verwandten Studiengängen benötigt wird. Übungsaufgaben und die dazugehörigen Lösungen werden in dem Übungsbuch mit kurzen und klaren Erklärungen der Theorie verbunden.

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The debate on the valuation of nature and the environment, sustainable national income and economic growth is one of prime importance in environmental economics. Economic Growth and Valuation of the Environment deals with the fundamental approaches to calculating sustainable national income and their implications for the valuation of the environment. Leading economists present their views on how the UN system of national accounts could be adjusted to include environmental impacts and the depletion of natural resources. The discussion centres on the appropriateness of national income as an indicator for welfare, and specific attention is paid to the question of how to value changes in environmental quality or emissions of pollutants.Centred around the topics raised by the seminal publications of Roefie Hueting, this book will be of great interest to environmental economists and students focusing on environmental and natural resource economics. Environmental policymakers will welcome the lively and up-to-date discussion of a range of policy issues.

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Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Geophysical Monograph Series, Volume 160. Understanding the inner workings of our planet and its relationship to processes closer to the surface remains a frontier in the geosciences. Manmade probes barely reach ˜10 km depth and volcanism rarely brings up samples from deeper than ˜150 km. These distances are dwarfed by Earth's dimensions, and our knowledge of the deeper realms is pieced together from a range of surface observables, meteorite and solar atmosphere analyses, experimental and theoretical mineral physics and rock mechanics, and computer simulations. A major unresolved issue concerns the nature of mantle convection, the slow (1-5 cm/year) solid-state stirring that helps cool the planet by transporting radiogenic and primordial heat from Earth's interior to its surface. Expanding our knowledge here requires input from a range of geoscience disciplines, including seismology, geodynamics, mineral physics, and mantle petrology and chemistry. At the same time, with better data sets and faster computers, seismologists are producing more detailed models of 3-D variations in the propagation speed of different types of seismic waves; new instrumentation and access to state-of-the-art community facilities such as synchrotrons have enabled mineral physicists to measure rock and mineral properties at ever larger pressures and temperatures; new generations of mass spectrometers are allowing geo-chemists to quantify minute concentrations of diagnostic isotopes; and with supercomputers geodynamicists are making increasingly realistic simulations of dynamic processes at conditions not attainable in analogue experiments. But many questions persist. What causes the lateral variations in seismic wavespeed that we can image with mounting accuracy? How reliable are extrapolations of laboratory measurements on simple materials over many orders of magnitude of pressure and temperature? What are the effects of volatiles and minor elements on rock and mineral properties under extreme physical conditions? Can ab initio calculations help us understand material behavior in conditions that are still out of reach of laboratory measurement? What was the early evolution of our planet and to what extent does it still influence present-day dynamics? And how well do we know such first-order issues as the average bulk composition of Earth?

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Essential Tagalog Phrasebook & Dictionary presents the practical language of everyday interactions, conveyed in a way that's clear, concise, accessible and enjoyable. It includes fundamental sentences used when meeting people, starting conversations, and asking and replying to questions, as well as a basic grammar and pronunciation guide to help you start speaking Tagalog right away.Terms and phrases covering mobile phones, wireless and social media help you make the most of the language. In addition, sentences on the essentials of travel help visitors navigate the basics of arranging accommodations, dining out, dealing with transportation and emergencies and more.This resource includes: Over 1,500 essential sentences for everyday use A glossary containing over 2,000 terms and expressions A handy format for finding the information you need quickly and easily Latest Tagalog vocabulary and phrases for smart phones, social media and more In this book you'll find: Expressions for meeting people, asking and answering simple questions and starting up friendly conversations A pronunciation guide and grammar notes explaining the basic sounds and sentence patterns of the language New manga illustrations showing key phrases and situations Phrases for technology, WiFi, smartphones and social media A useful English-Tagalog dictionary so the right word and phrase is always at your fingertips! Travel tips, cultural notes and more—allowing you to interact with Tagalog speakers without making serious blunders Whether you're a total beginner or have some experience with the language, this is a reference you'll turn to again and again when visiting the Philippines or interacting with Tagalog speakers.

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Provides an in-depth treatment of the Traveling Salesman problem--the archetypical problem in combinatorial optimization. Each chapter deals with a different aspect of the problem, and has been written by an acknowledged expert in the field. Focusses on the essential ideas in a self-contained manner. Includes exercises and an extensive bibliography.

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Vor dem Hintergrund der Kontroverse um die Notwendigkeit guter Werke (Majoristischer Streit, unsere Edition Bd. 3) brachen weitergehende Fragen auf. Im Zentrum des Antinomistischen Streits (1556-1571) stand die Frage nach Funktion, Bedeutung und Gebrauch des Gesetzes und des Evangeliums für das Leben der Christen. Insbesondere war strittig, ob der Mensch nach seiner Bekehrung einer besonderen Anleitung zum gottgefälligen Leben durch das Gesetz bedürfe. Die Diskussion wurde ausgelöst durch den Abschied der Eisenacher Synode von 1556, der die Sorge um die rechte Verhältnisbestimmung von Gesetz und Evangelium ansprach. Verschiedene Aspekte diesesProblems wurden an unterschiedlichen Orten des Reichs besonders intensiv debattiert, wobei die Begrifflichkeiten teils sehr schwankend waren. Der Gefahr von Spaltungen innerhalb der Gemeinwesen durch die andauernden theologischen Streitigkeiten suchten die jeweiligen Obrigkeiten teils durch Vermittlung, teils auch durch Zwangsmaßnahmen entgegenzuwirken, so dass es mehrfach zur Entlassung von Predigern kam. Im vierten Band der Edition "Controversia et Confessio" sind für den Streit bedeutsame Texte von Matthias Flacius, Anton Otho, Nikolaus von Amsdorf, Abdias Praetorius, Andreas Musculus, Joachim Mörlin, Andreas Fabricius, Jakob Sybold, Paul Crell, Johann Wigand, Christoph Pezel und anderen versammelt.

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In diesem interdisziplinär angelegten Band werden Fragen der effizienten vertikalen Zuordnung von Kompetenzen in föderalen Systemen sowie der Möglichkeiten und Grenzen föderalen Wettbewerbs aus ökonomischer, rechts- und politikwissenschaftlicher Sicht debattiert.Ein föderaler Staatsaufbau gilt als besonders geeignet, regionale Heterogenität in der staatlichen Ordnung zu berücksichtigen und eine Differenzierung staatlichen Handelns nach regional unterschiedlichen Bedürfnissen zu ermöglichen. Jedes föderale System aber muss die Balance zwischen dem Zentralstaat und den dezentralen Gebietskörperschaften immer wieder neu finden. Hier kommen Ökonomen, Juristen und Politikwissenschaftler zu Wort. Sie diskutieren, wie das Prinzip der Subsidiarität konkret angewendet werden kann, wie dezentrale politische Selbstbestimmung gegen die Tendenz zur Zentralisierung geschützt werden kann und welche Möglichkeiten und Grenzen es für politischen Wettbewerb in föderalen Ordnungen gibt. Dies geschieht insbesondere auch mit einem Blick auf die Europäische Union, die sich immer mehr in Richtung einer föderalen Struktur entwickelt.

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In diesem Band werden die wichtigsten Aspekte der Bundestagswahl 2002 analysiert: der Wahlkampf, die Fernsehduelle, die Wahlkampfanzeigen, die Parteiprogramme, die Wahlbeteiligung, die Briefwahl und die Wahlentscheidung der Bürger.

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Die Genetik ist eines der naturwissenschaftlichen Fachgebiete, deren Wissen am schnellsten wächst und deren Erkenntnisse ständig in Bewegung und in der Diskussion sind. "Genetik für Dummies" erklärt, was überhaupt hinter diesem spannenden Thema steckt. Die Autorinnen Tara Rodden Robinson und Lisa J. Spock erklären einfach und prägnant die Grundlagen der Vererbungslehre, wie beispielsweise die Mendelschen Regeln und die Zellteilung. Sie zeigen auch, wie die DNA aufgebaut ist, wie sie kopiert und richtig in Proteine übersetzt wird. Außerdem gehen sie auf die Bedeutung der Genetik in der Humanmedizin ein, wie Genmutationen entstehen und Erbkrankheiten zur Folge haben. Auch die heißen Themen wie Gentechnik, Stammzellentherapie und der Einsatz der Genetik in der Rechtsmedizin kommen nicht zu kurz.

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Die Beiträge dieses Bandes nähern sich dem Thema der Gotteslehre aus unterschiedlichen Perspektiven (Alttestamentliche und Neutestamentliche Wissenschaft, Kirchengeschichte, klassische Philologie, antike Religionsgeschichte, Judaistik, Systematische und Praktische Theologie). Sie ehren damit Reinhard Feldmeier, dessen biblisch-theologische Erkundungen zum Thema "Gott" stets antike und spätantike Religionsgeschichte einbeziehen und sich dabei durch Anschlussfähigkeit an moderne Religiosität, nicht zuletzt das Christentum im globalen Süden, auszeichnen.

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This extensively updated textbook introduces the transport system and its societal impacts in a holistic and multidisciplinary way. A timely second edition, it includes new analyses of travel behaviour and the transport system’s impacts on health and well-being.Key Features: Guidance for transport policy evaluation methods and modelling approaches Systematic approach to analysing higher-order impacts of interventions in the transport system Discussion of topical issues in transport policy, including analysis of current transport innovations The use of case studies to highlight interconnected aspects of the transport system and their relevance to decision making Exploration of the role of transport systems in providing accessibility and their impact on the environment, safety, health and well-being International in scope, this textbook will be invaluable for undergraduate and postgraduate students studying disciplines such as transport policy and transport geography. It will also be useful to the professionals and policymakers in the transport industry.

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This timely book examines the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), assessing its effect on the international economic order and global governance more broadly. Through a variety of qualitative case studies the book investigates the implementation of the BRI and evaluates its development outcomes both for China and the countries it interacts with under the initiative, along with its international implications. Chapters discuss as-yet-unexplored cases from the ground in brand new studies based on fieldwork by leading academics, as well as providing alternative readings of the rationale behind the BRI. Questions about connectivity and the financial implications of Chinese investments are addressed, taking a balanced approach that demonstrates the complexity and nuance of these issues, and the far-from-linear impact that the BRI is having on global governance. This incisive book will be critical reading for scholars and policy makers working on China and global governance. It will also provide useful insights for officials and practitioners working in BRI countries and international institutions, think-tanks and NGOs. Contributors include: M.A. Carrai, J.-C. Defraigne, J.-F. Di Meglio, D. Freeman, F. Godement, A. Halegua, N. Kassenova, C.-C. Kuik, C. Ljungwall, S. Nanwani, T. Pairault, U. Wissenbach, J. Wouter

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As human rights discourse increasingly focuses on analysing states and the institutions that promote and support the human rights machinery that states have created, this volume serves to recall that despite the growing size of the machinery and unwieldy nature of states, human rights began with real people. It samples a broad range of actors and localities where everyday people fought to ensure that the basic principles of human rights became a reality for all. This volume will give a face to the everyday people to whom credit is due for shaping human rights. It also responds to the perennial question of how to begin a career in human rights by highlighting that there is no single path into this dynamic field, a field built on the back of small initiatives by people across a broad spectrum of career paths.

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Solomon and Marcolf: Vernacular Traditions offers an array of relevant texts, in English for the first time, that display the mysteries of the “rogue biography” that is Solomon and Marcolf. The astonishingly varied and fascinating pieces have been translated from medieval and early modern French, Russian, German, Icelandic, Danish, and Italian.

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Covering deterministic scheduling, stochastic scheduling, and the probabilistic analysis of algorithms, this unusually broad view of the subject brings together tutorials, surveys and articles with original results from foremost international experts. The contributions reflect the great diversity in scheduling theory in terms of academic disciplines, applications areas, fundamental approaches and mathematical skills. This book will help researchers to be aware of the progress in the various areas of specialization and the possible influences that this progress may have on their own specialities. Few disciplines are driven so much by continually changing and expanding technology, a fact that gives scheduling a permanence while adding to the excitement of designing and analyzing new systems. The book will be a vital resource for researchers and graduate students of computer science, applied mathematics and operational research who wish to remain up-to-date on the scheduling models and problems of many of the newest technologies in industry, commerce, and the computer and communications sciences.

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This extensively updated textbook introduces the transport system and its societal impacts in a holistic and multidisciplinary way. A timely second edition, it includes new analyses of travel behaviour and the transport system’s impacts on health and well-being.Key Features: Guidance for transport policy evaluation methods and modelling approaches Systematic approach to analysing higher-order impacts of interventions in the transport system Discussion of topical issues in transport policy, including analysis of current transport innovations The use of case studies to highlight interconnected aspects of the transport system and their relevance to decision making Exploration of the role of transport systems in providing accessibility and their impact on the environment, safety, health and well-being International in scope, this textbook will be invaluable for undergraduate and postgraduate students studying disciplines such as transport policy and transport geography. It will also be useful to the professionals and policymakers in the transport industry.

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This two-volume project provides a multi-sectoral perspective over the EU's external projections from traditional as well as critical theoretical and institutional perspectives, and is supported by numerous case studies covering the whole extent of the EU’s external relations. The aim is to strive to present new approaches as well as detailed background studies in analyzing the EU as a global actor.Volume 1: The first volume “Theoretical and Institutional Approaches to the EU’s External Relations” addresses the EU's overall external post-Lisbon Treaty presence both globally and regionally (e.g. in its "neighborhood"), with a special emphasis on the EU’s institutional framework. It also offers fresh and innovative theoretical approaches to understanding the EU’s international position. - With a preface by Alvaro de Vasoncelos (former Director European Union Institute for Security Studies)Volume 2: The second volume “Policies, Actions and Influence of the EU’s External Relations”, examines in both quantitative and qualitative contributions the EU's international efficacy from a political, economic and social perspective based on a plethora of its engagements.

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This textbook offers for the first time a comprehensive analysis of the classic doctrines and main areas of international law from a European perspective, meeting the needs of the many European law schools teaching public international law in English. Special attention is devoted to the practice of the European Union, the Council of Europe and European States – both civil law and common law countries – with regard to international law. In particular the book analyses the interplay between international law, EU law and national law in the case law of the Court of Justice of the EU, the European Court of Human Rights and national jurisdictions in Europe. It provides the reader with insights into how the international legal practice of the EU and its Member States impacts the development of international law, both in terms of doctrines such as treaty-making and customary law, the exercise of (extraterritorial) jurisdiction, state responsibility and the settlement of disputes, as well as particular sub-fields of international law, such as human rights law and international economic law. In addition the book covers other important areas such as the use of force and collective security, the law of armed conflict, and global and regional international organisations. It provides European perspectives on all these issues and will be of great value to students, scholars and practitioners.

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Hugh Gibson, US Minister to Poland from 1919 to 1924, recorded his involvement with the rocky first years of Polish statehood in this collection of official dispatches and personal letters. This book presents the writings of Hugh S. Gibson, who served from 1919 to 1924 as the first US Minister to the new Second Polish Republic. Crucially involved with world-shaping events, Gibson faithfully recorded his eyewitness impressions and interactions with the nascent Polish state, bickering Allies, and increasingly isolationist Americans. The selected material draws from both State Department dispatches and personal letters, most of it appearing in print for the first time. Editor Vivian Hux Reed, working with experts M. B. B. Biskupski, Jochen Böhler, and Jan-Roman Potocki, provides historical context through a comprehensive introduction and series of annotations. Reminiscences by Gibson's late son Michael Francis Gibson provide personal context. With a flair for pertinent analysis, Gibson records the rocky first years of Polish statehood. He advocated for American support of the young democracy and emphasized to both Polish and US government officials the need for a strong state to protect the rights of all Polish citizens. His words are prophetic, accurately assessing the need for strong state structures to protect all citizens and predicting the danger posed especially to minority groups should such structures fail. VIVIAN HUX REED has an MA in history from Western Oregon University. M. B. B. BISKUPSKI is professor of history, Central Connectictut State University. JOCHEN BÖHLER is a research associate, Imre Kertész Kolleg Jena at Friedrich Schiller University. JAN-ROMAN POTOCKI has an MPhil in International Relations from Cambridge University.

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In the terms of Durheimian sociology, conversion is a "fait social". Although they are rarely treated as a cultural phenomenon, conversions can obviously be examined for the norms, values and presuppositions of the cultures in which they take place. Thus conversion can help us to shed light on a particular culture. At the same time, the term evokes a dramatic appeal that suggests a kind of suddenness, although in most cases conversion implies a more gradual process of establishing and defining a new - religious - identity.From 21-24 May 2003, the University of Groningen hosted an international conference on 'Cultures of Conversion'. The contributions have been edited in two volumes, which pay special attention to the modes of language and idiom in conversion literature, the meaning and sense of religious-ideological discourse, the variety of rhetorical tropes, and the effects of the conversion narrative with allusions to religious or political conventions and idealizations. The present volume contains theoretical contributions on the theory of conversion, with special attention to the rational choice theory, and on the history of research into conversion. It also offers stimulating case studies, ranging from the late Middle Ages to present times and taken from Germany, Great Britain and The Netherlands.The other volume, "Cultures of Conversion", offers in-depth studies of conversion that are mainly taken from the history of India, Islam and Judaism, ranging from the Byzantine period to the new Muslimas of the West.

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