bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Culture and Customs of the Czech Republic and Slovakia
Authors: Cravens Craig
Published: May 2024

The Czech Republic is a red-hot European destination, and the charms of Slovakia are slowly being discovered by Westerners as well. The two countries share fundamental similarities in language and culture, but they never really managed to create a common national Czechoslovak identity, after being merged in 1918 when the Austro-Hungarian Empire collapsed. With the lifting of the Iron Curtain in 1989 through the Velvet Revolution and the final breakup of Czechoslovakia in to two countries in 1993, this up-to-date, substantive insight is much needed. This volume overviews the current social, cultural, and political scene of both countries, so that general readers come away with a solid understanding of where the Czechs and Slovaks have been and where they are going.

The land, people, and history chapter lays the groundwork for the rest of the narrative. In the chapter on religion and thought, the reasons for the widespread atheism of the Czechs and the contrasting religiosity of the Slovaks are explained. Both peoples are shown to have relaxed attitude toward life and a love of celebrations, with a strong beer culture. The state of women and family and feminism in the post-Soviet era is also discussed and readers will learn about the role of romance novels and the Czech Cosmopolitan. The literature chapter emphasizes the Czech sense of humor and the lack of translations of Slovakian works. The crises in journalism and cinema are other important topics. Finally, the strong traditions of theater and music, which have always been part of the Czech national consciousness, are seen to be as alive and vibrant as in any place in the world.
Daily Life along the Mississippi
Authors: Pabis George
Published: May 2024

The Mississippi River has influenced the economy, domestic life, culture, politics, and rhythms of American daily life. The Louisiana Purchase of 1803 and the victory at the Battle of New Orleans in 1813 gave the river a central part in the evolution of the United States. Events such as the birth of jazz and technological advances such as the steamboat solidified its place in American lore. Pabis's rich thematic chapters detail the daily lives of those living along the Mississippi and the culture that surrounded it, from the Native Americans at Cahokia to the rise of major port cities such as New Orleans, St. Louis, and St. Paul. Readers will learn how the river's transportation economy fed America's agricultural heartland, how ethnic ties and technological advances affected home and family life, and how the region's current residents still cope with living in a flood culture. An ideal resource for students of American history.

Pabis's rich thematic chapters explore many aspects of daily life, including the influence of the Trans-Atlantic fur trade on the lives of Native tribes; how the river's transportation economy fed America's agricultural heartland; the effects of ethnic ties and Jim Crow laws on the river communities, the development of food production and cuisine; and how present-day residents cope with life in a flood culture, including the effects of Hurricane Katrina. Mark Twain once called the Mississippi the Body of the Nation. Readers will learn how this influential region lived and breathed from day to day, from pre-Columbian times to the present. An ideal reference source for any student of American history and culture.
Daily Life during the French Revolution
Authors: Anderson James M.
Published: May 2024

The French Revolution sought to change daily life itself. This book looks at the thirteen years between 1789-1802 that experienced the Terror, banning of the aristocracy, and the rearrangement of the calendar. No part of French life was left untouched during this incredible period of turmoil and warfare, from women's role in the family to men's role in the state. Art and theater were invigorated and harnessed for political purposes. Subtleties in one's dress could mean the difference between life and death. The first modern mass army was created. Chapters include the physical make-up of France; the social and political background of the revolution; the First Republic; religion, church and state; urban life; rural life; family life; the fringe society; clothes and fashion; food and drink; the role of women; military life; education; health and medicine; and writers, artists, musicians and entertainment. Anderson breathes life into the day-to-day lives of those living during the French Revolution.

Greenwood'sDaily Life through Historyseries looks at the everyday lives of common people. This book will illuminate the lives of those living during the French Revolution and provide a basis for further research. Black and white photographs, maps, and charts are interspersed throughout the text to assist readers. Reference features include a timeline of historic events, glossaries of terms and names, an annotated bibliography of print and electronic resources suitable for high school and college student research, and an index.
Daily Life in Immigrant America, 1820-1870
Authors: Bergquist James M.
Published: May 2024

Early nineteenth century America saw the first wave of post-Independence immigration. Germans, Irish, Englishmen, Scandinavians, and even Chinese on the west coast began to arrive in significant numbers, profoundly impacting national developments like westward expansion, urban growth, industrialization, city and national politics, and the Civil War. This volume explores the early immigrants' experience, detailing where they came from, what their journey to America was like, where they entered their new nation, and where they eventually settled. Life in immigrant communities is examined, particularly those areas of life unsettled by the clash of cultures and adjustment to a new society. Immigrant contributions to American society are also highlighted, as are the battles fought to gain wider acceptance by mainstream culture.

Engaging narrative chapters explore the experience from the viewpoint of the individua, the catalysts for leaving one's homeland, new immigrant settlements and the differences among them, social, religious, and familial structures within the immigrant communities, and the effects of the Civil War and the beginning of the new immigrant wave of the 1870s.

Images and a selected bibliography supplement this thorough reference source, making it ideal for students of American history and culture.
Daily Life in the Early American Republic, 1790-1820
Authors: Heidler David S. , Heidler Jeanne T.
Published: May 2024

In the early years of the American Republic the political ideals of the Revolution took definite form, and pervaded the daily lives of Americans in multifarious ways, affirming and transforming the country and its people in the process. In this informative and eminently readable resource, award-winning authors David and Jeanne Heidler discuss the people who lived during this critical time, and uncover the essential and unexpected realities of ordinary life in the early American republic.

Rapid developments in agriculture, encouraged by a strong sense of dignity in work and a bold new spirit of ingenuity sharply reduced the percentage of people who made their living in the fields; the tone of religious tolerance taken up by the founders manifested itself in a fervent yet incredibly diverse spiritual community; workingmen and educated citizens alike attended intellectual lectures together in an effort to become responsible and informed citizens; and the family dynamic underwent a profound transformation, especially as it involved children, at the hands of a new democratic idealism. In this informative and eminently readable resource, award-winning authors David and Jeanne Heidler discuss the people who lived during this critical time, and uncover the essential and unexpected realities of ordinary life in the early American republic.

Included are sections on agriculture; rituals of life, love, and death; employment and the economy; leisure; religion; life beyond the mainstream; and life in the military. This volume is ideal for high school and college students, as well as anyone interested in examining the prosaic realities underpinning the lives of the people of the time. A chronology of the time period, maps, illustrations, a bibliography and an index are also included.
Deadly Cults
Authors: Snow Robert L.
Published: May 2024

How does a Vampire Cult differ from a Satanic Cult? How do seemingly normal or ordinary citizens suddenly find themselves committed to a group whose leader promotes criminal activities and isolation from families and friends? What should you do if a loved one becomes indoctrinated by a potentially dangerous cult? This book focuses on various cults and their often criminal belief systems. Most readers are shocked by stories of mass suicides and ritualized cult killings, but few understand how such crimes come to be committed. Snow, a seasoned police officer with experience working on cult crimes, examines those cults that commit offenses from murder and fraud to kidnapping and sexual assault.

By providing specific accounts of dangerous cults and their destructive acts, Snow illustrates how seemingly innocent groups can turn pernicious when under the sway of a charismatic leader with an agenda, or when members take things too far. He offers advice on how to avoid falling victim to cult indoctrination, concluding with chapters on how to identify cults, how to protect yourself and your family, and what to do if a loved one is ensnared by such a group.
Death and the Afterlife
Authors: Taylor Richard P.
Published: May 2024

This cultural encyclopedia examines customs and beliefs relating to death and burial in clear, well written articles covering most major religious and cultural traditions from prehistoric to modern times.

Readers ofDeath and the Afterlife: A Cultural Encyclopediawill find that spending time with death is life-giving in most cultures today and throughout history. The Underworld, whether the Greek Hades or the Chinese Yellow Springs, is not just a repository of the dead, but the source of fertility, wealth, and hidden wisdom bestowed only upon the adventurous who cross the border between this world and the next.

This comprehensive reference work contains hundreds of entries on the sometimes obscure, complicated, and mysterious (but always fascinating) funeral customs of dozens of cultures. More than a gathering of information, this reference draws out the underlying meaning of funeral and afterlife traditions. Each entry is extensively documented and includes the insights of thoughtful native authors and commentaries directly related to the cultural topic at hand. A topic finder by culture, a bibliography, an index, and primary source references are included.
Depression
Authors: Aguirre Blaise A.
Published: May 2024

Diseases have a history, and understanding that history helps us understand how best to treat and control disease today. Today's students are confronted with a panoply of often-frightening illnesses and afflictions - theBiography of Diseasesseries provides students with the information that they need to understand the origin of various maladies, how they impact contemporary society, and how doctors and researchers from around the world are fighting to devise treatments to alleviate or cure these diseases. This volume,Depression, addresses a disease that confronts millions of young people every year, causing significant damage to their emotional and physical health.

Depressionexamines all aspects of the affliction, including: Depression through the ages, from its earliest mention to the present, including how depression is portrayed in the arts. The demographics of the disorder - who is most likely to have depression, and what the prognosis would be. The clinical description of depression, including both physical and psychological symptoms. Current techniques for testing for depression, including DNA testing and brain scans. An examination of the current research, and the possible treatments for the future. The volume includes a glossary of important terms and a bibliography of accessible works that discuss the disease.
Desert Storm at Sea
Authors: Pokrant Marvin
Published: May 2024

Desert Storm was the largest naval operation since World War II. Although naval forces did not play the central role, they fulfilled an important function throughout the operation, facing many formidable challenges and considerable risk. This book provides a close examination of the problems encountered by the Navy, both in the military situation and in dealing with the other services, and the decisions made to address these issues. While interservice rivalries sometimes intruded at higher levels, jointness at the tactical level often led to effective combined-arms operations.

Despite the information revolution and improvements in technology, the Fog of War still obscured the battlefield and affected nearly all decisions. This study offers page-turning action, such as SEAL activity and combat search and rescue missions, as well as the exciting and dangerous surface operations that gained sea control of the northern Persian Gulf. Using primary sources such as interviews and many documents cleared only recently for public release, the author covers the relations between General Schwarzkopf and Vice Admirals Mauz and Arthur; the major contribution of Tomahawk cruise missiles to the first wave of attacks on Baghdad; the controversial use of aircraft carriers in the Gulf; as well as the Navy's possible role in the event of an amphibious assault into Kuwait. Those preparing to fight in future naval actions will learn much from this detailed analysis.
Destroyers
Authors: Osborne Eric W.
Published: May 2024

On July 4, 1991, theArleigh Burkeclass of destroyers, the most powerful surface combatants in naval history, was commissioned. It was the culmination of a century-and-a-half evolution of the destroyer—an evolution captured in this vivid and timely history of the world's most popular warship.

Destroyers: An Illustrated History of Their Impacttells the story of one of the most-recent, most-rapidly evolving additions to the world's navies. Coverage ranges from the 1882 launch of the first destroyer, through the nonstop technical and strategic innovations of the world war eras, to the current high watermarks of destroyer design such as the Arleigh Burke class (named for the navy's most-famous destroyer squadron combat commander).

With its ship-by-ship analysis, this masterful volume shows how destroyers have continually met the challenge of protecting naval and land operations from ever more dangerous attacks. The book also captures the flavor of shipboard life for officers and crew and looks at the crucial role of the destroyer as a standard-bearing status symbol of naval might and political intention.
Early American Nature Writers
Authors: Patterson Daniel
Published: May 2024

At a time when the environment is of growing concern to students and general readers, nature writing is especially meaningful. This book profiles the literary careers of 52 early American nature writers, such as John James Audubon, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Caroline Stansbury Kirkland, Thomas Jefferson, Henry David Thoreau, and Mabel Osgood Wright. Each entry is written by an expert contributor and discusses the writer's life and works. Entries close with primary and secondary bibliographies, and the encyclopedia ends with suggestions for further reading.

Global warming, pollution, and other issues have made the environment a topic of constant discussion these days. Many environmental concerns were treated by early American nature writers, who recognized the beauty of the natural world in an age of commercial expansion. Some of the most famous writers of the 18th and 19th centuries wrote about nature, and their works are stylistic masterpieces. At a time when students are being encouraged to read and write about nonfiction, these masterworks of early American nature writing are all the more important. This book gives students and general readers a welcome introduction to early American nature writers.
Emotional Overeating
Authors: Sirota Marcia
Published: May 2024

This compelling book examines what causes compulsive eating, and provides methods for dealing with the emotional and psychological issues at the root of the problem.

Weight loss has been a struggle for countless people in our food-obsessed culture; even achieving a healthy relationship with food is difficult for many Americans. Why is this? Respected author Marcia Sirota examines this phenomenon, exploring the emotional and psychological factors involved with overeating and food addiction.

Emotional Overeating: Know the Triggers, Heal Your Mind, and Never Diet Againstarts with the root cause of obesity and ends with practical techniques to find freedom from the urge to overeat. The author provides an overview of the overeating and obesity problem, offers a critical look at the downfalls of dieting, and reveals the reasons why many of us use food to supplant a real emotional need. The book includes numerous exercises and specific tools for healing, as well as an avenue to effortless permanent weight loss.
Epidemics and Pandemics
Authors: Hays Jo N.
Published: May 2024

Balancing current and historical issues, this volume of essays covers the most significant worldwide epidemics from the Black Death to AIDS.

Great pandemics have resulted in significant death tolls and major social disruption. Other "virgin soil" epidemics have struck down large percentages of populations that had no previous contact with newly introduced microbes. Written by a specialist in the history of science and medicine, the essays in this volume discuss pandemics and epidemics affecting Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Asia, covering diseases in ancient times to the present. Each entry combines biological and social information to form a picture of the significance of epidemics that have shaped world history.

The essays cover the areas of major pandemics, virgin soil epidemics, disruptive shocks, and epidemics of symbolic interest. Included are facts about what an epidemic was, where and when it occurred, how contemporaries reacted, and the unresolved historical issues remaining. This fascinating material is written at a level suitable for scholars and the general public.
Ernest J. Gaines
Authors: Carmean Karen
Published: May 2024

Drawing on his rich Louisiana past, Ernest J. Gaines creates a fictional world representative of the human experience. His work explores the complex racial relationships—so much a part of Southern history and culture—and the unwritten and unspoken conventions of caste and class. Often structured around journeys of discovery, Gaines' works affirm the integrity of the individual and the unequivocal place in American life for Americans of African descent. This study offers a clear, accessible reading of Gaines' fiction. It analyzes in turn all of Gaines' novels as well as his collection of short stories. A complete bibliography of Gaines' fiction, as well as selected reviews and criticism, completes the study.

Following a biographical chapter on Gaines' life, an overview of his fiction explores his work in light of his literary heritage and use of genre. Each of the following chapters examines an individual novel:Catherine Carmier(1964),Of Love and Dust(1967),The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman(1971),In My Father's House(1978),A Gathering of Old Men(1983),A Lesson Before Dying(1994), and a collection of short stories,Bloodline(1968). The discussion of each work includes sections on plot and character development, thematic issues, and an alternative critical approach from which to read the novel. Carmean shows how each of Gaines' novels focuses on themes of personal value and place and affirms the need for recognizing the value of the individual, regardless of race. This study will help readers to understand the compelling issue of human relationships raised by Gaines and to see why he is one of America's finest writers.
Filmography of World History
Authors: Schultz Deanne
Published: May 2024

Global in scope and a practical tool for students and teachers of history,Filmography of World History: A Select, Critical Guide To Feature Films That Engage The Pastincludes description and analysis of over 300 historical films. A companion to Grant Tracey'sFilmography of American History, this critical reference book selects movies that represent aspects of world history from the middle ages through the twentieth century. These films adopt as their subject a wide range of historical events, people and societies of Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe and Canada, and Latin America. Films are arranged alphabetically, with cross referencing by geographic area, time period, and five themes: History as Biography; Crossing Cultures; Civil, International and Sectarian Conflict; Society: Modernization and Tradition; and Redefining Historical Narrative. Each film entry includes production data, current U.S. home videodistributors, geographical and time setting, plot description, and references to critical literature. Over half of the entries provide extended analysis of the historical interpretation the film brings to the screen.Filmography of World Historyargues for the potential of feature films to teach us about the past and its reconstruction in academe and popular culture.

The book offers an historian's perspective on films as varied asArarat,Black Rain,Lin Zexu,Saladin,Winstanley,Judgment at Nuremberg,Distant Thunder,The Official Story,Cabeza de Vaca,Newsfront,Lumumba,Daresalam, andThe Great White Man of Lambaréné.
Encyclopedia of Folk Medicine
Authors: Hatfield Gabrielle
Published: May 2024

A wide-ranging compilation on themateria medicaof the ordinary people of Britain and North America, comparing practices in both places.

Informative and engaging, yet authoritative and well researched,Encyclopedia of Folk Medicinereveals previously unexamined connections between folk medicine practices on either side of the Atlantic, as well as within different cultures (Celtic, Native American, etc.) in the United Kingdom and America. For students, school and public libraries, folklorists, anthropologists, or anyone interested in the history of medicine, it offers a unique way to explore the fascinating crossroads where social history, folk culture, and medical science meet.

From the 17th century to the present, the encyclopedia covers remedies from animal, vegetable, and mineral sources, as well as practices combining naturalmateria medicawith rituals. Its over 200 alphabetically organized, fully cross-referenced entries allow readers to look up information both by ailment and by healing agent. Entries present both British and North American traditions side by side for easy comparison and identify the surprising number of overlaps between folk and scientific medicine.
Forensic Science
Authors: Houck Max M.
Published: May 2024

From Poe's Dupin and Doyle's Holmes to the television hitsQuincyandCSI, the public's fascination with science employed to solve crimes continues and grows. But this understanding of how science works in the forensic laboratory is filtered through the fictional worlds of books and television-how is science really used to fight crime? What techniques are used to catch criminals and free the innocent? Forensic scientists work with police, investigators, medical personnel, attorneys, and others to uphold justice, but their methods are often misunderstood, overestimated, underestimated, revered, or disputed. Here, the author answers many common questions about forensic science: How is the science conducted and by whom? What are the real limits, and real benefits, of forensic science? What new techniques are emerging to catch 21st Century criminals? Readers are treated to an insider's overview of the realties of forensic science.

Forensic Science: Modern Methods of Solving Crimecovers the basic concepts of forensic science and how it assists in criminal investigations. Starting with a brief history of forensic science, from its early days in Europe to the modern advances of today, the book describes each method and presents cases that highlight the applications of the methods. Houck profiles pioneers in forensic science, offers an overview of such forensic topics as DNA, fibers, fingerprints, and firearms, takes readers through the collection and processing of evidence, and uses frequent examples and anecdotes to illustrate all the major areas of forensic science. This introduction to the field is a useful starting point for anyone wishing to learn more about the real world of forensic science.
Forest Fires
Authors: Omi Phillip Nori
Published: May 2024

From killer fires to ecosystem rehabilitation, an exhaustive survey exploring the ecological, social, and economic consequences of managing fires in U.S. wildland areas.

Fire management involves protecting natural resources from fire but also using controlled burning for land management purposes. Who are the stewards of land management and the researchers who devote their entire careers studying fire? How are ecosystems restored after major fires? What are the economic ramifications and what assessment tools are available?

Forest Fires: A Reference Handbookexplores the historical, ecological, economic, and social dimensions of wildland combustion and their impacts in North America. Explaining how legislation and public perception have been shaped by historic fires and fire seasons, particular emphasis is placed on the summer of 2000 as a way of understanding and managing future fires.
The Future of Foreign Language Education in the United States
Authors: Osborn Terry A.
Published: May 2024

At the dawning of the 21st century, foreign language education in the United States is experiencing a period marked by exciting possibilities. Theorists and practitioners embrace a move from a perceived position of teaching only the elite to a nationally initiated cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural orientation embodied in the latest standards. Given the presence of non-English languages in all parts of the United States, a growing number of scholars are beginning to examine the sociological context in which this educational endeavor is carried out, noting that the figure of professional practice is inextricably linked to issues of cultural and academic context. Theory-informed practice in the coming years, therefore, will include the challenge of examining a broad range of topics related to curricular and instructional principles and procedures.

The text is intended to provide a collection of perspectives related to issues of pluralism and reform as they will influence theory-informed practice of foreign language education in the coming century. Drawing from a variety of contributors from both inside and outside of foreign/second language education, this text brings the voices of scholars together focused on issues of contemporary consequence. The chapters center around a focusing theme in the form of the following question: How does the changing social and academic context of language education in the United States impact the future of our discipline?
Gloria Steinem
Authors: Marcello Patricia Cronin
Published: May 2024

Gloria Steinem represents second-wave American feminism. This new biography recounts her truly fascinating life, one that was remarkable even prior to her association with the feminist movement. Steinem was destined to succeed and showed extraordinary strength dealing with difficult family circumstances, a peripatetic upbringing, and financial straights that forced her as a teenager to support herself and her divorced, emotionally troubled mother. Brains and talent became her tickets to Smith College, travel, journalism, and worldwide fame as a feminist icon.

Marcello's engaging narrative was written with Steinem's cooperation. New details and quotations are presented here for the first time. Students and others unfamiliar with Steinem's youth and pre-Ms. Magazinedays will find much to respect in her character and achievements.
Handbook of Japanese Mythology
Authors: Ashkenazi Michael
Published: May 2024

An introductory guide to the mythology of Japan—one of the most pervasive yet least understood facets of Japanese culture.

Handbook of Japanese Mythologymakes it easy to travel this vast yet little-known mythological landscape. The book reveals the origins of Japan's myths in the very different realms of Buddhism, Shinto, and folklore, and explores related mythologies of the Ainu and Okinawan cultures and recent myths arising from Japan's encounters with modernization. It then offers vivid retellings of the central Shinto and Buddhist myths, plus descriptions of major historical figures, icons, rituals, and events.

For students or long-time enthusiasts, it is the ideal guide for investigating Japanese reverence for the sun, the imperial family, and the virtues of purity and loyalty. Readers will also learn why sumo wrestlers stomp before each match, how a fussy baby creates thunder, why Japan has a god for soccer, and much more.
Handbook of Organized Crime in the United States
Authors: Schatzberg Rufus , Kelly Robert J. , Chin Ko Lin
Published: May 2024

Internationally known authorities in criminal justice provide one of the most comprehensive and detailed surveys today of the diverse ethnic and racial groups in the criminal underworld and their grave threats to the very fabric of American society. This coherent overview describes Mafia, Chinese, African American, Russian, and other criminal activities in different cities currently with historical background, showing the pernicious effects that their illicit operations have had on the economic, social, political, and moral life of the nation. This one-volume reference also assesses law enforcement and crime control programs during the 20th century, defines key problems, analyzes recent trends, and reviews the basic research about organized crime through the years. Lengthy bibliographical data and a full index further enrich this landmark study. This sobering overview should be required reading for specialist and general audiences alike and for broad library use given the serious threat of organized crime to all Americans in the 1990s.
Humanistic Management by Teamwork
Authors: Baldwin David A. , Migneault Robert
Published: May 2024

Humanistic Management by Teamwork (HMBT) is a dynamic leadership paradigm that emphasizes employee development and the use of a team approach for executing organizational and mission-oriented strategies. In this book it is described in relation to global forces, megatrends, and national imperatives that influence the making of academic or university libraries. The authors discuss the need for reshaping the organization and implementing the team-based organizational design, along with issues of staffing, communication, supervision, and performance appraisal. Concrete examples are given to illustrate how HMBT works in actual library settings. Bibliographies at the end of each chapter provide further resources for study. The methods presented readily afford the opportunity for operational ownership, self-renewal, and the realization of continuous managerial excellence. The authors show how, with these powerful techniques, libraries can successfully meet the challenges of the future.
Industry Research Using the Economic Census
Authors: Gaines Leonard M. , Boettcher Jennifer C.
Published: May 2024

Many business researchers, from novice to expert, have been amazed to find that the answers to their questions could be found in the Economic Censuses provided by the U.S. government. Until now, there have been no comprehensive guides to this valuable resource.Industry Research Using the Economic Censusexplains Census concepts, methods, terminology, and data sources in an understandable manner, and assists Census users in locating needed Census data. Designed as a working handbook, it does not duplicate the data from the census, but introduces users to the features, uses, and formats of the data. This guidebook also discusses the important changes that the 1997 and 2002 Economic Censuses introduced from previous versions. Librarians, businesspeople, researchers, faculty, and students will find this guide valuable for mining the riches found in the Economic Censuses.
The Internet and Society
Authors: Schell Bernadette H.
Published: May 2024

An examination of the social impact of the Internet, this volume explores political, social, technical, legal, and economic controversies in a manner accessible to the general reader.

Today more than one billion people worldwide use the Internet for communication, shopping, business, and research. But in the last five years they have lost over $10 billion to malicious computer attacks alone. Is there a way to keep the benefits and avoid the problems?

The Internet and Society: A Reference Handbookexplores both the positive aspects of the Internet and its darker side. Topically organized, it chronicles the background and history of the Internet, with a focus on the 1960s and beyond. Through analysis of the latest research in sociology, political science, economics, law, and computer science, it examines problems, varieties of cybercrime, controversies, and solutions related to the Internet's phenomenal growth. It also illuminates the likely directions of the Internet's future and the ongoing challenges it presents to societies around the globe.
Islamic Political Culture, Democracy, and Human Rights
Authors: Price Daniel
Published: May 2024

What affect does Islamic political culture have on democracy and human rights practices? It has been argued that Islam facilitates authoritarianism, contradicts the values of Western societies, and significantly affects important political outcomes in Muslim countries. This view, Price argues, is based primarily on analysis of Islamic political theory and ad-hoc studies of individual countries, which do not consider other factors. Through rigorous evaluation of the relationship between Islam, democracy, and individual rights at the cross-national level, Price suggests that too much emphasis is being placed on the power of Islam as a political force. Comparative case studies, which focus on factors relating to the interplay between Islamic groups and regimes, economic influences, ethnic cleavages and societal development, are used to explain the variance in the influence of Islam on politics across eight nations.

Price argues that much of the political power that is attributed to Islam can be better explained by other factors. Indeed, the increasing strength of Islamic political groups has often been associated with democratization. To test these assertions, an index of Islamic political culture based on the extent to which Islamic law is utilized and how Western ideas, institutions, and technologies are implemented, has been constructed. This indicator is used in statistical analysis to analyze the relationship between Islam, democracy, and individual rights across 23 predominantly Muslim countries and a control group of non-Muslim developing nations. The results provide strong evidence that Islamic political culture does not have a significant influence on levels of democracy and the protection of individual rights in predominantly Muslim countries.
The Islamic World in Decline
Authors: Sicker Martin
Published: May 2024

The long era of Muslim political ascendancy that began in a small region of western Arabia reached its pinnacle some nine hundred years later with the siege of Vienna by Suleiman the Magnificent in 1529. Suleiman then concluded that, given the increasingly volatile geopolitical environment, Muslim expansionism in Eurasia had run its course. The subsequent decline of Ottoman power also meant, in effect, the decline of political Islam, which had been intimately bound to it for centuries.

As Sicker shows, the problems faced by the Ottoman Empire were also faced by the Persian Empire and both underwent an extended period of political decline and territorial retrenchment in the face of imperialist pressures from Europe and Asia. The greatest challenge to the world of political Islam came from Western Europe, especially France and Great Britain. The Ottoman and Persian empires assumed a global importance in the 19th century, not because of anything in them of intrinsic economic value, but because of their geopolitical and geostrategic significance. They became, in effect, a buffer zone separating Europe from the wealth of the East, at a time when European imperialism was on the march in Asia. It thus came about that the rivalries of the Great Powers, most especially those of Great Britain, France, and Russia, were played out in the Middle East. This book will serve as a vital resource for students, scholars, and other researchers involved with Middle East History, Political Islam, and Modern European History.
Issues in Philosophical Counseling
Authors: Raabe Peter
Published: May 2024

Raabe examines some of the most perplexing problems a client may present to a counselor and how a philosopher would deal with them. He provides a detailed philosophical discussion as well as illustrative case studies of some of the most important issues encountered in any counseling practice.

The first six chapters discuss philosophical counseling in general terms, while the following 15 chapters deal with specific life issues such as the differences between how men and women communicate and how this is relevant to a counseling discussion, the role of medication in therapy, the concept of normalcy, the meaning of life, the motivation behind suicide, dream interpretation, and religious beliefs. An important resource for professionals, students, and scholars involved with philosophical counseling and applied/practical philosophy.
Judy Blume
Authors: Tracy Kathleen
Published: May 2024

Judy Blume is one of the most popular authors of children's and young adult fiction in American history. For over 30 years, her books and career have withstood the test of time and she continues to resonate with new generations of young readers. While she is arguably one of the most important authors of the twentieth century, she is also one of the most banned. What is perhaps the most surprising aspect of Blume's career is that despite today's proliferation of cable channels and easy Internet access, books of hers written decades ago about every day life events that all teenagers experience still manage to find themselves at the center of censorship debates. Rather than change her style, the efforts to censor her books turned Blume into an activist and champion for the First Amendment. Inside this biography Kathleen Tracy explores the life and career of Judy Blume, one of the most successful-and most controversial-authors of twentieth century.

In addition to tracing the events of Bloom's life, this engaging biography discusses historic and current censorship issues in classrooms and libraries across the country. Her association with the National Coalition Against Censorship, a group that Blume says changed her life, as did her friendship with the organization's longtime director, Leanne Katz, is examined in detail as well as how libraries, teachers, publishers and grass-roots activists have responded to the ever-growing attempts to censor children's reading material. In-depth chapters are supplemented with a bibliography of print and electronic sources that provide suggested readings for students and general readers alike. Also included is a timeline, photos, and an appendix of free speech resources.
Liberty
Authors: Roshwald Mordecai
Published: May 2024

The history of mankind is fraught with clashes in the quest for liberty—in the name of often contradictory ideals of freedom. Roshwald explores the diverse understandings of the term liberty and its spectrum of application, in order to achieve a coherent and consistent definition of the concept in respect to both the individual and society. The issue of liberty is examined not only from the traditional angle of political philosophy but also from a philosophical-anthropological perspective. After analyzing examples of specific approaches to freedom, and describing a theoretically and practically viable definition of liberty, the book suggests the possibility and ways of attaining the ideal.

The concept of liberty has been tarnished by propaganda, conflicting political claims, and uncritical usage. This book attempts to restore value to the meaning of liberty, arguing that it must be clearly understood and defined in the context of human experience in order to be universally enjoyed. Through a cogent analysis of contradictions in individual and societal perceptions of the over-used and abused principle, this interdisciplinary volume rescues liberty from its current role as being a mere slogan and presents the possibility for individual and collective freedoms to coexist. A selected Bibliography chronicles historical and contemporary treatises on liberty.
Literature and Science
Authors: Cartwright John H. , Baker Brian
Published: May 2024

A survey of the interaction between science and Anglo-American literature from the late medieval period to the 20th century, examining how authors, thinkers, and philosophers have viewed science in literary texts, and used science as a window to the future.

Spanning six centuries, this survey of the interplay between science and literature in the West begins with Chaucer'sTreatise on the Astrolabeand includes commentary on key trends in contemporary literature.

Beginning with the birth of science fiction, the authors examine the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne as well as Mary Shelley'sFrankensteinwithin the context of a wider analysis of the impact of major historical developments like the Renaissance, the scientific revolution, the Enlightenment, and Romanticism. The book balances readings of literature with explanations of the impact of key scientific ideas. Focusing primarily on British and American literature, the book also takes an informed but accessible approach to the history of science, with seminal scientific works discussed in a critical rather than overly theoretical manner.
The Lochner Court, Myth and Reality
Authors: Phillips Michael J.
Published: May 2024

Conventional wisdom holds that theLochnerCourt illegitimately used the Constitution's due process clauses to strike down Progressive legislation designed to protect the poor and powerless against big business. This book systematically examines all of the U.S. Supreme Court's substantive due process cases from 1897 through 1937 and finds that they do not support long-held beliefs about theLochnerCourt. The Court was more Progressive than commonly imagined, striking down far fewer laws on substantive due process grounds than is generally believed. The laws it overturned were not invariably social legislation, and relatively few due process cases involved freedom of contract. Moreover, Holmes, despite his reputation as a Great Dissenter, joined many of the cases striking down government action.

The book attacks three familiar normative criticisms of theLochnerCourt. It accerts that (1) the Court's substantive due process decisions almost certainly were not motivated by a conscious desire to assist business by suppressing social legislation; only sometimes did the justices' nostalgia for laissez-faire lead to this result; (2) the conservative justices' understanding of business and government often exceeded that found in the typical Brandeis Brief; and (3) most applications ofLochner-era substantive due process cannot readily be described as illegitimate assertions of judicial power lacking justification in the due process clauses.
Making a Life in Yorkville
Authors: Handel Gerald
Published: May 2024

Making a Life in Yorkville, based on the verbatim, unedited life-course narrative of an urban, working-class, middle-aged man, expands our understanding of the human life course beyond the currently dominant approaches. It presents a comprehensive and rounded life-course narrative of an ordinary man through a systematic analysis. By utilizing some established concepts and by formulating some new concepts, particularly relating childhood to adulthood and concepts related to how time is interpreted, Handel offers an advance both in methodology and in the theoretical approach to the study of the life course. Theoretically, the work falls broadly within the symbolic interactionist framework of sociological and social psychological thought. Methodologically, it argues for the careful study of the lives of ordinary people, people who are not celebrities or exotics, thus people who have no claim on public attention. This important new work will be a welcome addition to the literature on life course studies.

The first part of the book explores the idea of the life course in its various contexts: the community, the historical, the narrative, and the theoretical. The second part introduces and reproduces verbatim the life history of Tony Santangelo, an ordinary, working-class man. The third part discusses and analyzes the life history presented. Because most life histories are edited, this book, unique in its exact reproduction of the subject's narrative, makes it possible for the reader to use the information in the life history in ways different from Handel's use.
The Management of People in Mergers and Acquisitions
Authors: Metcalf Gary , Daniel Theresa A.
Published: May 2024

Financials alone don't make an M&A deal work. Equally important is what's behind them--an organization's people. How to understand this reality and benefit from it is the thrust of this unusually comprehensive, practical, readable, but conceptually rigorous book. Daniel and Metcalf see HR executives as change agents during the delicate maneuverings before a deal is done, and then after, when it's time to tackle the fine-grained problems of integrating disparate corporate cultures and the people who vitalize them. They examine the recent and ongoing waves of mergers and acquisitions across industries, setting them in the broader context of organizational change. With concepts, theory, and real-life examples drawn from their long, impressive experience as consultants and executives, Daniel and Metcalf provide step-by-step guidance through the stages common to all corporate combinations. They define and explain the roles to be played in the process by HR professionals and executives elsewhere in the organization, and show how, by interacting productively with each other, they will thus maximize the total contribution to the success of any corporate transaction.
Masterpieces of British Modernism
Authors: Miller Marlowe A.
Published: May 2024

Flourishing during the first 2 decades of the 20th century, British Modernism gave birth to some of the world's most influential literary works. Written expressly for high school students and general readers, this book succinctly yet thoughtfully discusses 7 masterpieces of British Modernism. Included are chapters on Joseph Conrad'sHeart of Darkness,E.M. Forster'sHowards End,James Joyce'sA Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man,D.H. Lawrence'sWomen in Love,T.S. Eliot'sThe Love Song of J. Alfred PrufrockandThe Wasteland,and Virginia Woolf'sMrs. Dalloway.Each chapter provides biographical information; a plot summary; an analysis of themes, style, symbols, and characters; and a discussion of the work's historical and cultural contexts. An introductory essay surveys and defines Modernism, and a bibliography cites works for further reading.