bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Congress Shall Make No Law
Authors: O'Brien David M.
Published: February 2025

The First Amendment declares that 'Congress shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press. . . . ' Yet, in the following two hundred years, Congress and the states have sought repeatedly to curb these freedoms. The Supreme Court of the United States in turn gradually expanded First Amendment protection for freedom of expression but also defined certain categories of expression_obscenity, defamation, commercial speech , and 'fighting words' or disruptive expression-as constitutionally unprotected. From the Alien and Sedition Act of 1798 to the most recent cases to come before the Supreme Court, noted legal scholar David M. O'Brien provides the first comprehensive examination of these exceptions to the absolute command of the First Amendment, providing a history of each category of unprotected speech and putting into bold relief the larger questions of what kinds of expression should (and should not) receive First Amendment protection. O'Brien provides readers interested in civil liberties, constitutional history and law, and the U. S. Supreme Court a treasure trove of information and ideas about how to think about the First Amendment.
Matteo Ricci
Authors: Fontana Michela
Published: February 2025

Matteo Ricci (1552–1610), the first of the early Jesuit missionaries of the China mission, is widely considered the most outstanding cultural mediator of all time between China and the West. This engrossing and fluid book offers a thorough, knowledgeable biography of this fascinating and influential man, telling a deeply human and captivating story that still resonates today.

Michela Fontana traces Ricci's travels in China in detail, providing a rich portrait of Ming China and the growing importance of cultural exchanges between China and the West. She shows how Ricci incorporated his ideas of "cultural accommodation" into both his life and his writings aimed at the Chinese elite. Her biography is the first to highlight Ricci's immensely important scientific work and that of key Christian converts, such as Xu Guangqi, who translated Euclid's Elements together with Ricci. Exploring the history of science in China and the West as well as their dramatically different cultural attitudes toward religious and philosophical issues, Michela Fontana introduces not only Ricci's life but the first significant encounter between Western and Chinese civilizations.
Delusions and the Madness of the Masses
Authors: Reznek Lawrie
Published: February 2025

We all think that we can tell the difference between someone who is mad, or whom psychiatrists call psychotic, and someone who is sane. But can we really tell who is mad and who is not? Do we really know what madness is and how it should be recognized? Have psychiatrists made a sensible distinction between the patient who believes that aliens are beaming messages to him from a foreign planet, and the religious fanatic who believes God communicates to him via automatic writing? Is there a difference between the paranoid patient who believes that the FBI is after him, and the sizeable proportion of our normal population that believe that the US government orchestrated the 9-11 bombings? Here, Reznek hopes to shed light on the delusions of the masses-those delusions that are common to everyday people living so-called ordinary lives. He provides an understanding of madness and the psychological processes that drive us to adopt delusions, arguing that it is a mistake to view only schizophrenic patients as delusional, while excluding large groups of society from such an analysis. If we abandon the idea that whole communities cannot share a delusion, we can come to a better understanding about why the world is such a dangerous place.
Theft of a Nation
Authors: Barak Gregg
Published: February 2025

Theft of a Nation presents a powerful criminological examination of Wall Street’s recent financial meltdown and its profound impact on the rest of the country. This provocative book asks why, if the actions of key players on Wall Street and in the government resulted in an economic downturn that harmed millions of Americans and destroyed capital worldwide, no one was held criminally liable for these actions.

Author Gregg Barak provides a basic history of financial regulation and deregulation, as well as a primer on both securities fraud and mass victimization. Using key concepts in victimology and white collar crime, he explores the diverse ways civil and criminal law enforcement responded to the damaging behavior on Wall Street. The book also assesses Wall Street Financial Reform and the Consumer Protection Act of 2010, showing the ways that Americans may still be at risk.

Theft of a Nation is the first comprehensive criminological investigation of the role of Wall Street and the government in the recent financial crisis, asking critical questions about who has been victimized and why.
The United States and the Global Economy
Authors: Weaver Frederick S.
Published: February 2025

Financial collapse. Global recession. The revival of free-market policies. Massive and increasing inequalities. Housing bubbles and record foreclosures. Severe strain in the European Union. Emergence of China and other major players on the international economic scene. Every day, media outlets bombard us with news and possible explanations for the financial, economic, and political crises. In The United States and the Global Economy, Frederick S. Weaver gives readers a concise introduction to the patterns of change in international financial and trade regimes since World War II in order to clarify recent global economic turmoil. Weaver has compiled a clear chronology of major events in the international economy to show how they have reflected and shaped changes in the domestic economy of the United States. Although U.S. dominance over the world economy is not as complete as it once was, the U.S. domestic economic processes continue to have profound effects on global economic affairs.

The United States and the Global Economy is serious but not grim, and it familiarizes readers with the vocabulary of key elements of international economic analysis and their relationships, such as balances of trade and balances of payments; foreign direct investment and foreign portfolio investment; and the meaning of most-favored-nation agreements. The United States and the Global Economy is a concise, informative book that is of interest to anyone seeking to understand the current international economic and political disarray.
Tyranny of the Textbook
Authors: Jobrack Beverlee
Published: February 2025

Educational reforms and standards have been a topic of public debate for decades, with the latest go-round being the State Common Core Curriculum Standards. But time and again those reforms have failed, and each set of standards, no matter how new and different, has had little impact on improving student achievement. Why? The textbooks. Textbooks sell based on design and superficial features, not because they are based on the latest research on how children learn and how well they promote student achievement. In Tyranny of the Textbook, Beverlee Jobrack, retired from educational publishing, sheds light on why this happens. She gives an engaging and fascinating look behind-the-scenes of how K-12 textbooks are developed, written, adopted, and sold. And, perhaps most importantly, she clearly spells out how the system can change so that reforms and standards have a shot at finally being effective.

Did you know?

Reform efforts have focused on writing and rewriting standards and tests, but these rarely have any effect on the core curriculum that is published.

School districts and states don't use effectiveness as a criterion for evaluating and purchasing textbooks.

Publishers don't offer textbooks with better content or the latest teaching methods because teachers don't want textbooks that require them to change their practices.

Teachers report that they don't rely on a textbook in their class, but research shows that they do.

Three companies publish 75 percent of the K-12 educational materials.

Those three companies are producing similar programs with the same instructional strategies, none of which require teachers to change their practices significantly.

Publishers write textbooks for California and Texas. All of the other markets have to make do with books only superficially adjusted for their states.
Finding Love That Lasts
Authors: Maas Vera Sonja
Published: February 2025

Why do people find themselves repeatedly single when they are desperately searching for the perfect soul-mate with whom to share their future lives? In their determination to find the perfect partner, individuals’ perception is less than accurate when blinded by emotions, expectations, or wishful thinking. Consequently, having made decisions based on incomplete information, all too often, people find themselves once again at the breakup of what had seemed to be a promising relationship. The time has come for dispelling the notion that ‘love is blind’ and for exploring paths that have a more promising outlook for happy endings, paths that include the wisdom of knowing oneself and the willingness to face prospective partners with open eyes and an inquiring mind before considering any commitment. Finding Love that Lasts is not a book about saving or improving relationships; rather it is a book about the often unfortunate combinations of partners deciding to commit to each other for significant parts of their lives and the ways in which people can break the patterns that cause them to seek out similar partners and relationships that are often doomed to fail.

Here, Maass explains why people repeat the patterns that cause them to end up in failed relationships. Case histories from patients, volunteers from the general community, and participants in personal growth groups, help offer insight into the negative patterns people commonly repeat in their search for lasting love and companionship. Readers will come away from this book with a better understanding of those patterns, how to recognize and break them, and how to move forward to healthier and more rewarding relationships.
The New Legions
Authors: Atkeson Edward B.
Published: February 2025

Major General (Ret.) Edward B. Atkeson decries the decade-long campaign the United States has undertaken in the wake of 9/11 and offers a broad plan for global protection of American interests. He proposes shifting the military burden to friendly indigenous fighters recruited, trained, and equipped under United States leadership for operation in their native environments. Atkeson finds ample precedent for the effectiveness of similar legions of fighters. He lays out how such a program would work and shows how these legions could help the United States achieve its global objectives in a more cost-effective way.
Remaking Identities
Authors: Lieberman Benjamin
Published: February 2025

For centuries conquerors, missionaries, and political movements acting in the name of a single god, nation, or race have sought to remake human identities. Tracing the rise of exclusive forms of identity over the past 1500 years, this innovative book explores both the creation and destruction of exclusive identities, including those based on nationalism and monotheistic religion. Benjamin Lieberman focuses on two critical phases of world history: the age of holy war and conversion, and the age of nationalism and racism. His cases include the rise of Islam, the expansion of medieval Christianity, Spanish conquests in the Americas, Muslim expansion in India, settler expansion in North America, nationalist cleansing in modern Europe and Asia, and Nazi Germany’s efforts to build a racial empire. He convincingly shows that efforts to transplant and expand new identities have paradoxically generated long periods of both stability and explosive violence that remade the human landscape around the world.
The Obesity Reality
Authors: Ali Naheed
Published: February 2025

Although every day we read news reports linking health problems to diet and lifestyle, there remains a dearth of books on the topic that consider obesity from a variety of standpoints that include medical, personal, financial, and related considerations. The Obesity Reality discusses these viewpoints to explain how and why the problem exists both in the United States and around the world, and in men, women, children.

More than a billion people are overweight and that number is expected to increase substantially over the next decade. How can we live past 90 while being obese? How can we remain healthy until our last breath? During the last decade, doctors have been successfully applying medical principles to the search for an obesity cure. But there is no magic medication, no vaccine that can head off the obesity epidemic as sweeps across the planet. Dr. Ali discusses the realities of obesity and its repercussions, which include poor health, high medical costs, restrictions on lifestyle and activities, and more. He shows how we can address obesity, starting in childhood, to prevent it from getting worse, both on a personal and on a societal level, and how we can reverse its effects through proper diet, exercise, and lifestyle choices as well as medical procedures and medications.
Crisis of the Strauss Divided
Authors: Jaffa Harry V.
Published: February 2025

“Leo Strauss (1899-1973) was the greatest mind in political philosophy in the twentieth century, and possibly in other centuries as well. That, I am well aware, is a judgment I share with very few, if any.” So writes Harry V. Jaffa in his epilogue to this volume. Including an extensive unpublished essay entitled “Straussian Geography: A Memoir and Commentary,” Crisis of the Strauss Divided brings together a collection of Jaffa’s published arguments defending and explaining that judgment, written during the 40 years since Strauss’s death. The volume includes arguments of those who have disagreed with Jaffa about Strauss's teaching and about the nature of political philosophy. These wide ranging exchanges explore many of the great themes of political philosophy and, in particular, the implications of Strauss's thinking for America and modern civilization.
Child Identity Theft
Authors: Chappell Robert P.
Published: February 2025

Child identity theft is the fastest growing type of identity theft, a crime that affects some 10 million people annually. Each year more than 500,000 children are affected by identity theft – half of them under age six. Countless other cases go unreported because the thief is a relative or parent of the victim. This devastating crime can wreak havoc on a child's future opportunities; it can be difficult to prove, and even harder to undo the damage that has been done. Child Identity Theft speaks to parents everywhere, the majority of whom have no idea that their children's identities have become such prime targets for thieves and criminals.

Here, a veteran law enforcement professional and expert in child identity theft offers parents, educators, law enforcement officials, and others who care for or work with children an inside look at the ways in which children are vulnerable to identity thieves. Chappell presents the vital information in a question and answer format, offering not just information about how child identity theft happens, but also how to prevent it from happening, and what to do if it does.

Among other things, Child Identity Theft explains:

how a loophole in the national credit reporting system allows criminals to target innocent children for their creditworthiness;

the variety of forms that child identity theft can take;

the hidden techniques that thieves use to gain children's identities and personal information;

which children are at a higher risk for identity theft; and

how an increasing number of child identity thefts are perpetrated by parents and relatives.

This book reveals the reality of child identity theft and the steps we all should take to protect our children and ourselves. How many victimized children are out there out there waiting to be discovered? Has your child been victimized? One hopes not, but if so, this book will give you the tools to find out and get help.
Cars, Energy, Nuclear Diplomacy and the Law
Authors: Smith II John Thomas
Published: February 2025

This multigenerational memoir sketches the lives of three generations of the author’s family that were involved with some of the most profound issues of the twentieth century. Smith’s paternal grandfather was present at the creation of General Motors Corporation and served as its Vice President and General Counsel. His maternal grandfather, William G. Maguire, was an entrepreneur and natural gas pipeline pioneer with a visionary grasp of natural gas’s significance in the twentieth century American economy. Smith’s father served as a senior diplomat under five presidents, working to constrain the nuclear arms race between the United States and Russia and to curtail proliferation of nuclear weapons.
A Man Apart
Authors: Gill Harold B. , Curtis George M.
Published: February 2025

The American Revolution radically changed the lives of many, some of them friends of the Revolution, some not, and some who wished to have no part of it for either side. Rarely did one of these reluctant witnesses leave a narrative journal. Nicholas Cresswell, a young English gentry farmer, was one. Arriving in Virginia during the momentous month of May 1774, Cresswell set out to seek his fortune as a farmer in the newer settlements in northwest Virginia. Soon the fortunes of Revolution overwhelmed him and his plans to begin a new life in America. For the next three years, Cresswell struggled to sustain his mission. Time was against him as his combatants on both sides, with increasingly ominous insistence, sought for and demanded his allegiance. This he never ceded. The very act of keeping a journal became dangerous. His written account of his attempt to sustain his liberty has long been a significant window into the turbulence of the Revolution. In offering this singular view of liberty during the Revolution, Nicholas Cresswell stood and still stands as a rebuke to subsequent historians of the Revolution, patriot leaning or loyalist leaning, who had difficulty in accommodating this journal into their generalized views of causation and justification. As a consequence, much of Cresswell's real perspectives were either lost or misinformed. In 1928, an edition of Cresswell's journal was published, but it was expurgated and not annotated. This edition of the Cresswell journal is the first unexpurgated and annotated edition ever published. As such, it offers new light for the better illumination of the turbulent world of revolutionary politics and personalities.
Pharmakon
Authors: Rinella Michael A.
Published: February 2025

Pharmakon: Plato, Drug Culture, and Identity in Ancient Athens examines the emerging concern for controlling states of psychological ecstasy in the history of western thought, focusing on ancient Greece (c. 750-146 BCE), particularly the Classical Period (c. 500-336 BCE) and especially the dialogues of the Athenian philosopher Plato (427-347 BCE). Employing a diverse array of materials ranging from literature, philosophy, medicine, botany, pharmacology, religion, magic, and law, Pharmakon fundamentally reframes the conceptual context of how we read and interpret Plato's dialogues. Michael A. Rinella demonstrates how the power and truth claims of philosophy, repeatedly likened to a pharmakon, opposes itself to the cultural authority of a host of other occupations in ancient Greek society who derived their powers from, or likened their authority to, some pharmakon. These included Dionysian and Eleusinian religion, physicians and other healers, magicians and other magic workers, poets, sophists, rhetoricians, as well as others. Accessible to the general reader, yet challenging to the specialist, Pharmakon is a comprehensive examination of the place of drugs in ancient thought that will compel the reader to understand Plato in a new way.
Suicide and Self-Harm in Prisons and Jails
Authors: Tartaro Christine , Lester David
Published: February 2025

Police and corrections personnel must always be mindful of the possibility that those in their custody may attempt suicide or commit an act of self-mutilation. Persons housed in prisons, jails, and police lockups tend to be at a higher risk for such destructive behavior than members of the general population. Reasons for this can be found by examining the mental health, substance abuse, and physical/sexual abuse histories of inmates in addition to deficits in their coping skills and the stress and uncertainty generated by incarceration. This book explores several topics pertaining to suicide and deliberate self-harm in the corrections setting, including who tends to commit these acts; where, when, and how these incidents occur; screening mechanisms; the role of environmental stimuli in facilitating or preventing acts of self harm; interpersonal relations among inmates and between inmates and staff; and the role of the courts in setting and ruling on suicide prevention policies. The authors discuss the role of prevention techniques that offer a balance between strict opportunity-reduction and softer motivation-reduction strategies. The book also includes suggestions for diversion programs that can keep mentally ill inmates out of prisons and jails and transition planning programs to better prepare outgoing inmates for their re-entry into the community.
Under Wraps
Authors: Vostral Sharra L.
Published: February 2025

Menstruation provides one of the few shared bodily functions that most women will experience during their lifetimes. Yet, these experiences are anything but common. In the United States, for the better part of the twentieth century, menstruation went hand-in-glove with menstrual hygiene. But how and why did this occur? This book looks at the social history of menstrual hygiene by examining it as a technology. In doing so, the lens of technology provides a way to think about menstrual artifacts, how the artifacts are used, and how women gained the knowledge and skills to use them. As technological users, women developed great savvy in manipulating belts, pins, and pads, and using tampons to effectively mask their entire menstrual period. This masking is a form of passing, though it is not often thought of in that way. By using a technology of passing, a woman might pass temporarily as a non-bleeder, which could help her perform her work duties and not get fired or maintain social engagements like swimming at a summer party and not be marked as having her period. How women use technologies of passing, and the resulting politics of secrecy, are a part of women's history that has remained under wraps.
United States-Cuban Relations
Authors: Morales Dominguez Esteban , Prevost Gary
Published: February 2025

United States-Cuban Relations breaks new ground in its treatment of this long and tumultuous relationship. The overall approach, mirroring the political science background of both authors, does not focus on historical detail that has been provided by many other works, but rather on a broad analysis of trends and patterns that have marked the long relationship between the two countries. Dominguez and Prevost argue that U.S. policy toward Cuba is driven in significant measure by developments on the ground in Cuba. From the U.S. intervention at the time of the Cuban Independence War to the most recent revisions of U.S. policy in the wake of the Powell Commission, the authors demonstrate how U.S. policy adjusts to developments and perceived reality on the island. The final chapters of the book focus on the contemporary period, with particular emphasis on the changing dynamic toward Cuba from U.S. civil society. Dominguez and Prevost describe how the U.S. business community, fearful of being isolated from Cuba's reinsertion in the world's capitalist markets, have united with long-standing opponents of the U.S. embargo to win the right to sell food and medicines to Cuba over the last four years. Ultimately, the authors are realists about the possibility of better relations between the U.S. and Cuba, pointing out that, short of the collapse of Cuba's current political and economic system, fundamental change in U.S. policy toward the island is unlikely in the immediate future.
The Films of Leni Riefenstahl
Authors: Hinton David B.
Published: February 2025

After considerable controversy over the bold appraisal of Riefenstahl in his first two editions, Hinton continues to celebrate the life and films of this brilliant woman in the absence of the repetitious clichés that so often accompany a discussion of such a controversial filmmaker.

Provided with access to Leni Riefenstahl's personal archives and film collection, the author explores her career. In addition to examining her most famous wartime works, Triumph of the Will and Olympia, the author also investigates her less recognized Tiefland, her unrealized film projects, and her African and underwater films. David B. Hinton drew on recent interviews with the filmmaker to update this edition. (Previous edition is No. 29 in The Scarecrow Filmmakers Series.)

Reviews of the Previous Edition:

"Raises significant issues involving the relationship between art and politics." —CHOICE

"...a solid piece of research....the author is able to illuminate aspects of the production of Triumph of the Will and Olympia previously unknown."—FILMS IN REVIEW

"It's best to read her [Leni Riefenstahl] memoirs, anybody's memoirs in fact, with some independent scholarship at hand, and the best place to start is David B. Hinton's thoroughly researched The Films of Leni Riefenstahl."—THE MAGAZINE
The Genius of John Paul II
Authors: Spinello Richard A.
Published: February 2025

In this exciting new book, renowned ethicist Richard Spinello offers the first comprehensive presentation of the late John Paul II's great moral vision. Here admirers may read and understand the essential teachings of the pope in his own words as Spinello draws on his extensive research into John Paul II's writings and talks. Subjects covered include reverence for life, concern for the poor and suffering, moral law, conscience, moral choice, intrinsically evil acts, freedom, and goodness.

The purpose of this book is two-fold: it not only persuasively presents the late pope's vital teachings, but also defends them against his critics. This important new work preserves and promotes the extraordinary legacy of John Paul II by focusing on his championing of universal human dignity and objective moral truths.
A World in Chaos
Authors: Boggs Carl , Pollard Thomas
Published: February 2025

A World in Chaos: Social Crisis and the Rise of Postmodern Cinema traces the evolution of postmodern cinema through its multiple and overlapping expressions. Through an analysis of films such as American Beauty, Blade Runner, Natural Born Killers, and Thelma and Loiuse, Carl Boggs and Thomas Pollard explore the historical and theoretical shift from the long era of modernity to an emergent postmodernity and examine its intersection with film culture. Unlike most works on media studies, Boggs and Pollard bring together elements of sociology, history, economics, literature, communications, and pop culture to fully explore the complex developmental interaction between film and society.

The resulting work illuminates the different, often conflicted and contradictory, currents at work in the film industry that long ago departed from the ritualized practices of the classical studio system. Engagingly and clearly written, A World in Chaos is perfect for film and pop culture enthusiasts as well as everyone interested in the role of film in American society.
Landscapes of the Ethnic Economy
Authors: Kaplan David H.
Published: February 2025

Immigration has expanded dramatically in both traditional and emerging receiving nations. This worldwide boom has profoundly altered urban areas as new arrivals have transformed inner cities and suburbs alike into bastions of new ethnic economic activity. Examining the essential role of space in assisting and modifying ethnic business activity, this book considers how ethnic economies are reshaping the urban landscape in the United States, Britain, Australia, Canada, Germany, and Italy. Each chapter explores the significance of urban space and local context in the development of an ethnic economy and how, in turn, ethnic economies have helped to recreate urban neighborhoods. With its international scope and rich case studies, this book will be invaluable for scholars and students alike in the fields of ethnic studies, urban studies, economic development, geography, and sociology.
Mao and the Economic Stalinization of China, 1948-1953
Authors: Li Hua-Yu
Published: February 2025

In the first systematic study of its kind, Hua-yu Li tackles one of the most important unresolved mysteries of the early history of the People's Republic of China_the economic policy shift of 1953. As a result of this policy shift, the moderate economic policies of 'New Democracy' were abruptly terminated_much sooner than specified by the official party line_and replaced with a radical Stalinist economic program called the 'general line for socialist transition.' Utilizing the rich archival materials released in China since the mid-1980s and Russian archival information released since the early 1990s, Li presents a compelling explanation for the policy shift. Placing the analysis within the larger context of the world communist movement, communist ideology, and Mao's complicated relationship with Stalin, this book makes it clear that the policy shift was initiated by Mao and that he did so for two reasons. First, he was committed to a history text compiled under Stalin's guidance that purported to describe the Soviet experience of building socialism in the 1920s and 1930s. Mao relied heavily on this text as a road map for China to follow in building socialism in the early 1950s. Second, Mao was driven by feelings of personal rivalry with Stalin and of national rivalry with the Soviet Union: he wanted China to achieve socialism faster than the Soviet Union had. The precise timing of the change, Li argues, resulted from Mao's belief that China was economically ready to build socialism and from his decision to interpret an ambiguous statement made by Stalin in October 1952 as a clear endorsement of a policy shift. Li asserts that Mao was a committed Stalinist, that he dominated domestic policy decision-making, and that he skillfully maneuvered his way through his negotiations with Stalin in advancing his own agenda. Situating its analysis within the larger context of the world communist movement, this carefully researched book will have a profound impact on the fields of communist studies and Sino-Soviet relations and in studies of Mao, Stalin, and their relationship.
NATO 1948
Authors: Kaplan Lawrence S.
Published: February 2025

This compelling history brings to life the watershed year of 1948, when the United States reversed its long-standing position of political and military isolation from Europe and agreed to an "entangling alliance" with ten European nations. Not since 1800, when the United States ended its alliance with France, had the nation made such a commitment. The historic North Atlantic Treaty was signed on April 4, 1949, but the often-contentious negotiations stretched throughout the preceding year.

Lawrence S. Kaplan, the leading historian of NATO, traces the tortuous and dramatic process, which struggled to reconcile the conflicting concerns on the part of the future partners. Although the allies could agree on the need to cope with the threat of Soviet-led Communism and on the vital importance of an American association with a unified Europe, they differed over the means of achieving these ends. The United States had to contend with domestic isolationist suspicions of Old World intentions, the military's worries about over extension of the nation's resources, and the apparent incompatibility of the projected treaty with the UN charter. For their part, Europeans had to be convinced that American demands to abandon their traditions would provide the sense of security that economic and political recovery from World War II required.

Kaplan brings to life the colorful diplomats and politicians arrayed on both sides of the debate. The end result was a remarkably durable treaty and alliance that has linked the fortunes of America and Europe for over fifty years. Despite differences that have persisted and occasionally flared over the past fifty years, NATO continues to bind America and Europe in the twenty-first century. Kaplan's detailed and lively account draws on a wealth of primary sources—newspapers, memoirs, and diplomatic documents—to illuminate how the United States came to assume international obligations it had scrupulously avoided for the previous 150 years.
No Magic Wand
Authors: Caudill David S. , LaRue Lewis H.
Published: February 2025

Since 1993, Supreme Court precedent has asked judges to serve as gatekeepers to their expert witnesses, admitting only reliable scientific testimony. Lacking a strong background in science, however, some judges admit dubious scientific testimony packages by articulate practitioners, while others reject reliable evidence that is unreasonably portrayed as full of holes. Seeking a balance between undue deference and undeserved skepticism, Caudill and LaRue draw on the philosophy of science to help judges, juries, and advocates better understand its goals and limitations.
Pedagogy of Freedom
Authors: Freire Paulo
Published: February 2025

This book displays the striking creativity and profound insight that characterized Freire's work to the very end of his life-an uplifting and provocative exploration not only for educators, but also for all that learn and live.
Pragmatism and Realism
Authors: Will Frederick L. , Westphal Kenneth R. , MacIntyre Alasdair
Published: February 2025

I have no doubt at all, that if philosophy is to prosper in the coming decades, it will have to treat with great seriousness that splendid seriousness that splendid body of philosophical writing of which the essays in this volume constitute one major part'. from the Foreword by Alasdair MacIntyre When historians of philosophy turn to the work of distinguished philosopher Frederick L. Will, Pragmatism and Realism will be an important part of the discussion. In this collection of nine essays, Will demonstrates that a social account of human knowledge is consistent with, and ultimately requires, realism. A timely contribution to the current debate, the book culminates in a naturalistic account of the generation, assessment, and revision of cognitive, moral and social norms. It is written clearly enough for undergraduates, and includes a critical introduction by the editor discussing the bearing of Will's views on current debates among analytic epistemologists, philosophers of science, and moral theorists.
Supply-Side Follies
Authors: Atkinson Robert D.
Published: February 2025

Supply-Side Follies is a progressive political and economic challenge to the current George W. Bush policies. It debunks commonly held assumptions of conservative economic policies centered on the obsession that tax cuts led to greater productivity and prosperity. These fundamentally flawed policies are setting the United States up for a major economic downturn in the near future. The 21st century knowledge economy requires a fundamentally different approach to boosting growth than simply cutting taxes on the richest investors. The alternative is not, however, to resurrect old Keynesian, populist economics as too many Democrats hope to do. Rather, as Rob Atkinson makes clear, our long-term national welfare and prosperity depends on new economic strategy that fits the realities of the 21st century global, knowledge-based economy: innovation-based growth economics.
Surpassing the Spectacle
Authors: Becker Carol
Published: February 2025

In her newest book, leading social critic Carol Becker offers a timely analysis of the nature of art and its role in politics and society. Completed just before the September 11, 2001 World Trade Center catastrophe, Surpassing the Spectacle is now especially relevant in its analysis of the spectacle society that was omnipresent before that fatal day. This book is remarkably prescient of the new concerns that have now become foremost in our thoughts since the attack. This collection of essays explores such topics as public memorials, America's attempt to hold onto a sense of security while faced with the reality of international terrorists living within our own cities, the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission, restorative justice, and issues of freedom of expression as they relate to incidents such as New York Mayor Guiliani's quest to ban Chris Ofili's painting of 'The Holy Virgin Mary' at the Brooklyn Museum. The essays cohere around Becker's central concerns: the education and role of artists in a post post-modern climate, controversies over public space, iconography, memorializing, and the myth of the global citizen. Throughout, Becker works to reconstruct a vision of humanity that incorporates, and hopefully moves us beyond, a dystopian moment when we no longer were able to use words such as humane, accountable, or the public good without seeming nostalgic and romantic. Becker raises the question of the place of art and the function of public intellectuals in a society desperately in need of creativity and leadership. The book is written in clear and accessible prose, which nonetheless looks at the issues philosophically and does not sacrifice any of the subtleties of thought necessary to contextualize and surpass the spectacle of contemporary U.S. society.
Sinascape
Authors: Xu Gary G.
Published: February 2025

Sinascape: Contemporary Chinese Cinema is one of the most comprehensive studies of transnational Chinese-language films at the turn of the millennium. Gary Xu combines a close reading of contemporary movies from China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong with an intimate look into the transnational Chinese film industry, based on his working relationship with filmmakers. He coins the word "sinascape" to reflect on the intersection between Chinese cinema and global cultural production, referring to cinematic representations of ethnic Chinese people around the globe. Sinascape describes contemporary Chinese cinema as a global network and a group of contact zones where ideologies clash, new identities emerge (through both border crossings and resistance to globalization), and visual innovations and progressive visions become possible. General readers, film enthusiasts, and critics alike will benefit from Xu's discussion of popular film, which leads to a broader conversation about China's economic transformations, global politics, and cultural production. Including discussion of films like Hero, House of Flying Daggers, Kung Fu Hustle, Devils on the Doorstep, Suzhou River, Beijing Bicycle, Millennium Mambo, Goodbye Dragon Inn, and Hollywood Hong Kong, the book emphasizes the transnational nature of contemporary Chinese cinema.
The Odyssey of Political Theory
Authors: Deneen Patrick J.
Published: February 2025

This path-breaking and eloquent analysis of The Odyssey, and the way it has been interpreted by political philosophers throughout the centuries, has dramatic implications for the current state of political thought. This important book offers readers original insights into The Odyssey and it provides a new understanding of the classic works of Plato, Rousseau, Vico, Horkheimer, and Adorno. Through his analysis Patrick J. Deneen requires readers to rethink the issues that are truly at the heart of our contemporary 'Culture Wars,' and he encourages us to reassess our assumptions about the Western canon's virtues or viciousness. Deneen's penetrating exploration of Odysseus's and our own enduring battles between the dual temptations of homecoming and exploration, patriotism and cosmopolitanism, and relativism and universality provides an original perspective on contentious debates at the center of modern political theory and philosophy.
The Orders of Discourse
Authors: Gunnell John G.
Published: February 2025

In this insightful book, distinguished political scientist John G. Gunnell explores the relationship between social science and philosophy, and the range of problems that have attended this relationship. Gunnell argues that social science has turned to philosophy, especially to areas such as the philosophy of science and other sites of philosophical foundationalism, in search of cognitive identity and the grounds for normative and empirical judgment. Gunnell's emphasis is on political and social theory and the theoretical constitution of social phenomena. The Orders of Discourse will be of interest to political theorists, political philosophers, and social scientists.
Violence, Conflict, and World Order
Authors: Barak Gregg
Published: February 2025

This is an ethnographic collection of 12 edited talks and conversations from a conference on violence, conflict, and the world order held at Eastern Kentucky University. The conference was organized by Carole Garrison, Chair of Criminal Justice and Police Studies at EKU, who arranged for video recording and transcription of the talks and conversations. The collection is divided into two parts: domestic and global issues. Some of the topics examined include violence against women, restrictions on women's reproduction, culture and ideology, homeland security, terrorism and invasion, empire, and human rights. The talks themselves are framed by an insightful and exciting prologue and an intriguing epilogue by the editor.
When the Shooting Stopped
Authors: Charlés Laurie L.
Published: February 2025

CharlZs outlines a fundamental methodology for crisis negotiation, as it occurs for law-enforcement officers trained in crisis intervention. When the Shooting Stopped systematically examines the process of negotiation, dissecting the conduct of meaningful discourse, use of language, and use of the collaborative team process. Using case data on a school hostage negotiation, CharlZs reveals the underlying communication processes at work in crisis negotiation. When the Shooting Stopped is a key resource for criminal justice professionals, law enforcement personnel, and family counseling psychologists alike.
Completing Your Doctoral Dissertation/Master's Thesis in Two Semesters or Less
Authors: Ogden Evelyn Hunt
Published: February 2025

A long-term bestseller, this book is a pragmatic step-by-step guide to completing you dissertation or thesis during two semesters, in fifty workdays or less. It covers advisor and topic selection, proposal development, data collection and organization, available assistance, writing, and defense. The author demystifies the process and provides you with essential guidance through the rites of passage that are an integral part of completing your degree.
Debunking the Middle-Class Myth
Authors: Kugler Eileen Gale
Published: February 2025

Many parents search for a 'good' school to enroll their children. They look at the school's standardized test scores and check out demographic statistics, but fail to investigate the strengths of these schools that have a vibrant mix of races and cultures. Eileen Gale Kugler offers a unique perspective on what every educator, parent, and community leader should know about reaping the rich harvest of our diverse schools. This book provides guidance on how we can all work together to dispel the myths and nurture the opportunities that these schools offer such as academic challenge and social advantages. Anecdotes from Kugler's personal experience are included as well as information from 80 interviews with key educators, parents, and students. This book stands alone as a resource that pulls all of this information together. Will be of interest to anyone who cares about education. See Wendy Burt-Thomas's interview with author Eileen Kugler at http://askwendy.wordpress.com/?s=kugler
Perspectives on the Mistreatment of American Educators
Authors: Norris Norman Dale
Published: February 2025

Pressured by a society searching for a simple solution to a complex problem, educators are constantly subjected to a double standard and their work and role marginalized as insignificant despite compelling evidence to the contrary. This enlightening discussion of the misperceptions about the profession offers a thoughtful perspective on the real work done by educators and examines some of the harm done by efforts to "fix" what is wrong.

There is not a group of professionals in the work world who must bear as many demands, yet who are so often undervalued as educators. Norris calls attention to the sociological and physical factors that often influence the work of educators, discussing the general perception of the teaching profession, as well as more specific issues such as reform, research, and political agendas. In a scholarly format, he reports on the double standards, demands, and high expectations that teachers are forced to overcome in order to be successful. This is must reading for anyone concerned about the status of teachers and teaching today.
So You Want to Be a School Board Member?
Authors: Hayes William
Published: February 2025

Dedicated, informed school board members are basic to school improvement and success. This practical book explains the role of the board member, from election to taking office. Potential board members are introduced to timely issues they are likely to face, including school violence, high-stake testing, curriculum reform, and school choice. In addition to an overview of issues, Hayes examines the relational aspect of the job—working with the superintendent, school employees, and the community. All superintendents should buy this book for potential board members, and the readable style will attract anyone interested in the job.
Performance Measurement Using Deterministic and Stochastic Multiplicative Directional Distance Functions
Authors: Zhao Yu
Published: February 2025

Performance measurement is essential for fostering continuous improvement of the production and operation management in a firm or organization. We consider a deterministic scenario based on a flexible structure of production technology and establish a multiplicative relationship between the generalized multiplicative directional distance function (GMDDF) and geometric distance function (GDF). We also introduce a stochastic multiplicative directional distance function (SMDDF). Based on a stochastic scenario, the SMDDF can be estimated by the method of convex nonparametric least squares. As an illustrative application, we investigate the productive performance of Japanese life insurance companies using a panel dataset spanning 2016 to 2020.
Forecasting Techniques and Accuracy of Sales Performance of a Grocery Store
Authors: Kolade Obamiro John , Oluwasegun Kehinde Wasiu , Ehimen Ekpudu Jonathan , David Oluwasegun
Published: February 2025

This study examined forecasting techniques and accuracy of sales performance of a grocery store. The survey and ex-post facto research designs were employed. The study employed Naive, exponential smoothing, least square, moving average, multiplicative decomposition and additive decomposition methods to forecast sales using sales data generated from January, 2017 to August, 2018 while the forecast accuracy was evaluated. The outputs of the methods were compared to determine the optimal forecasts and the demand for the next 14 months using the multiplicative and additive methods. The MAPE for Naïve, Exponential smoothing, Least square, Moving average, Multiplicative and Additive decomposition are 10.9, 10.2, 8.6, 11.9, 7.64, and 7.66%. By comparison, it was observed that multiplicative decomposition is the best technique because it generates the optimal forecast accuracy of 7.64%. Thus, the study recommends that the grocery outlet should maintain effective and reliable sales records for accurate forecasts.