2008-12-01,Lisa Andersen and Kate Oakley,"Making Meaning, Making Money: Directions for the Arts and Cultural Industries in the Creative Age",Hardback,978-1-4438-0065-5,34.99,"The arts have rarely been at the heart of so many policy discussions in so many places at once. All over the world politicians and artists have been making a strong case for the social and commercial value of ‘culture.' It is found in debates about education, industrial policy, criminal justice and community wellbeing. As ‘creative industries,’ it is part of international competitiveness and the future of our cities and towns, from Shanghai to Sheffield to Shepparton. Many practitioners and advocates have welcomed culture’s new prominence in policy discourse and the new markets it offers for cultural production. Others, however, see a danger that instrumental justifications for cultural funding risk overlooking the intrinsic qualities of culture, reducing it to an ‘input’ and blunting any radical edges. This book asks: are we are at ‘a new moment’ for cultural policy? Leading international thinkers from countries including Australia, Britain and the United States provide a timely overview of these issues, debating and discussing the directions that cultural policy should take in the future. Making Meaning, Making Money will be of value to artists, policy makers, cultural managers and planners who are involved in the practices, processes and decision making that constitute contemporary cultural industries and shape emerging cultural economies. ","http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,25651580-16947,00.html ""This book is aimed at providing an Australian value to the global 'creative' buzz and contributing to the Creative Australia debate. This book adds unique value to the discussion topic with it's diversity in angles and depth in content. I would like to recommend this book for academics and practitioners of 'creative' industries, urban and regional planners, community advocates, cultural policy makers, arts consultants, and students of these disciplines."" Richard Hu, University of Canbera, Australia, Australian Planner, vol. 28, no. 1, march 2011, 63-64 ",Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2009-01-01,Shirley Haines-Cooke,Frederick Kiesler: Lost in History; Art of This Century and The Modern Art Gallery,Hardback,978-1-4438-0126-3,39.99,"The material for this book has been taken from the 2006 thesis, Frederick Kiesler’s Art of This Century in New York, (1942-1947), in the Context of the Twentieth Century Art Museum. The prime objective was to establish why so few people remember Art of This Century, which Kiesler designed for Peggy Guggenheim in 1942, and she ruthlessly closed in 1947. A second aim was to investigate why there has been so research carried out on the Gallery, when it was acknowledged as a work of art in its own right at the time of opening. Indeed, in 2004 Thomas Krens, the Guggenheim Foundation’s director expressed concern that due to the lack of research it might slip into oblivion. Such a statement raises questions as to why it has taken the Guggenheim Foundation over half a century to resurrect Art of This Century, in the form of two exhibitions held in Frankfurt and Venice, or instigate its own research. The book opens with an historical account of the development of the modern art museum, as well as an overview of Kiesler’s life and multidisciplinary oeuvre. His association with selected, contemporary architectural theorists, and architects is looked at to establish whether they had any influence on his eclectic thinking. This is followed by a summary of Kiesler’s manifesto, On Correalism and Biotechnique: A Definition of a New Approach to Building Design, 1937-1939. The main body of the work is a detailed description of Art of This Century. The notion that Kiesler’s innovative theories and designs might be better understood in a twenty-first century architectural context is finally explored. ""This book finally restores Frederick Kiesler to his rightful place in the history of twentieth century art and architecture. By a careful analysis of his sometimes fraught collaboration with the mercurial Peggy Guggenheim, Haines-Cooke uncovers the fascinating story of Kiesler’s ground-breaking new vision for the display of abstract art – rendered all the more poignant by its significant yet largely subliminal influence on much of the best in recent museum and gallery architecture."" —Dr Jonathan Hale, University of Nottingham ","'This book successfully illuminates the endeavours of Frederick Kiesler - his life, manifestos and designs - and critically repositions him as an influential figure of the twentieth century. Through insightful exploration of 'Art of This Century', Haines-Cooke reveals his undoubted originality and almost prescient imagination.' Dr Laura Hanks, Associate Professor, Institute of Architecture, University of Nottingham ",Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2009-01-01,"Ingrid Hotz-Davies, Anton Kirchhofer and Sirpa Leppänen",Internet Fictions,Hardback,978-1-4438-0108-9,34.99,"The Internet is nothing less than a medium for the indiscriminate and global dissemination of information if we take “information” in its cybernetic sense as bits of data – any data. As such, it is also a massive, amorphous, rhizomic collection of substantiated facts, guesswork, fantasy, madness, debate, criminal energy, big business, stupidity, brilliance, all in all a seemingly limitless multiplication of voices, all clamouring to be heard. It is a medium which proliferates stories, narratives, fictions, in ways which are both new and familiar. It is as a generator of fictions that the Internet seems to be just waiting to be explored by the disciplines of literary, cultural and linguistic studies: Fan-fiction, slash and straight; scam baiting; fan sites; ‘wild’ or ‘rogue’ interpretive universes; gossip, theories, musings, opinions. As a singularly unstructured – and hence as yet uncanonizable – body of texts, the stories told on the Internet have a distinct element of ‘grass-roots’ fictionalization and so offer an unprecedented opportunity to access, hear and investigate the stories and fantasies woven by non-professional writers alongside their more formally recognized colleagues. As a medium which is beginning to investigate itself by means of various meta-debates within the vast community of Internet fictionalizers, it is also a location where emergent phenomena may be debated in their process of being generated. This collection seeks to explore this for the most part uncharted territory in creative, innovative, theory-savvy ways using the manifold fictions the Internet generates. It brings together a wide variety of expertise from the fields of linguistic, literary, media and cultural studies. All contributors bring to the collection their individual voices and approaches which speak from various positions of involvedness or critique to provide searching and passionate discussions of the issues involved in Internet Fictions. ",,Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2009-01-01,Kathleen O’Dwyer,The Possibility of Love: An Interdisciplinary Analysis,Hardback,978-1-4438-0118-8,39.99,"The Possibility of Love is an exploration of a concept close to the human heart. Grounded in the ordinary, everyday experiences of human living, the book provides an exploration of the diverse obstacles to the experience of love, the consequences of love’s absence, and the unquenchable desire for love which propels, influences and ultimately motivates much of human behaviour. The Possibility of Love poses the question: is love actually possible between human beings, or is it an ideal, a fantasy, an illusion, or a comforting aspiration which enables a palliative denial and distortion of the reality of human being? This expansive question is approached through an interdisciplinary analysis. The author addresses the question of love’s possibility as it is explored in a selection of literature from the disciplines of philosophy, psychoanalysis and poetry. The interdisciplinary nature of the study is based on the assertion of an interconnection between the three disciplines, and that this interconnection enables a unique and insightful exploration of the question of love’s possibility. Thus, the question is explored from diverse view-points, and also from different time-frames; convergences and divergences are noted and discussed, and conclusions are drawn from the ensuing findings. The book is essentially a philosophical analysis of an emotion that significantly impacts on human experience. It attests to the gradually increasing acknowledgement of the power of emotional experience in the search for knowledge, wisdom and truth. Thus, it is a uniquely honest exploration of human nature in contemporary times. ",,Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2009-03-01,Christine de Matos and Robin Gerster,Occupying the “Other”: Australia and Military Occupations from Japan to Iraq,Hardback,978-1-4438-0339-7,44.99,"In late 1945, Australia eagerly put up its hand to join the American-led military occupation of war-devastated Japan: the old enemy was still hated, yet the Australian involvement was motivated by ideals of democratic reconstruction rather than retribution. In the age of Iraq, when Australia has again participated in a US occupation of a “rogue” non-Western state humbled in war, it is time to consider troubling questions surrounding the nation’s engagement in contentious overseas occupations. Can Western conceptions of democracy be imposed militarily on other societies? To what extent has Australia’s willingness to support the United States been an expression of independent policy-making or meek acquiescence in the neocolonial imperatives of the global superpower? How do occupations differ? When does “intervention” become “occupation”? To what extent are entrenched cultural attitudes to race and religion a factor in decisions to occupy, and on how these occupations are perceived at home? And how has the Australian media influenced public attitudes to these ventures? This collection of essays by leading Australian academics and commentators places Australia’s historical role as an occupier on the critical map. Now, as the country juggles complex national, regional and international alliances and obligations, this conversation is as compelling as it is belated. ",,Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2009-07-01,Raymond Aaron Younis,On the Ethical Life,Hardback,978-1-4438-0981-8,34.99,"The question of the ethical life is arguably one of the most compelling, and urgent, questions of our time. As Peter Singer, among others, has pointed out, almost 10 million children die each year due to poverty, some of whom would not die if the amount of aid that we now offer increases significantly. As Singer has also pointed out, the exploitation of human beings and other animals is a major ethical and practical concern. There can be little reasonable doubt that pain and suffering abound, in the world today, due to many causes such as poverty, disease, environmental degradation and destruction and anthropocentrism among others, just as there can be little reasonable doubt that some of the pain and suffering is preventable. So, what does it mean to live ethically today? Does it mean taking the point of view of the universe, as Sidgwick put it, memorably, rather than a narrow anthropocentric or speciesist view? Does it mean living in accordance with duties or obligations, or in light of recognised virtues, or with the minimisation of pain and suffering primarily in mind? Does it entail a consideration of the interests of other species and a rejection of the principle of the sanctity of human life? Does it mean not eating animals when other healthy alternatives are available, especially when those animals have been treated in ways that are inconsistent with their interests, whatever they may be? Does it mean taking active steps to reduce poverty on our part on a day to day basis? Is ethics exhausted in some sense today? And if we could reach some consensus on these questions, what difference would the ethical life make? Some argue that speciesism and the exploitation of human beings and other animals might diminish; that pain and suffering, especially gratuitous pain and suffering, would decrease, or at the very least, not increase; or that we will become more aware of the limitations of things such as “the traditional ethic of the sanctity of life”, as Singer calls it. Some argue that the ethical life is closely related to a life of relationships, reflection and deliberation, all of which deepen our understanding and enrich us personally. Others argue that the ethical life is closely related to our search for a meaningful life – that the ethical life can help us to find meaning in a world in which “meaning”, defined broadly, can seem elusive, enigmatic or unsubstantial. These and related issues and questions are explored in this collection, which illustrates the relevance, vitality and dynamism of ethics today. ",,Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2009-08-01,Alexandre J. M. E. Christoyannopoulos,Religious Anarchism: New Perspectives,Hardback,978-1-4438-1132-3,44.99,"Both religion and anarchism have been increasingly politically active of late. This edited volume presents twelve chapters of fresh scholarship on diverse facets of the area where they meet: religious anarchism. The book is structured along three themes: • early Christian anarchist “pioneers,” including Pelagius, Coppe, Hungarian Nazarenes, and Dutch Christian anarchists; • Christian anarchist reflections on specific topics such as Kierkegaardian indifference, Romans 13, Dalit religious practice, and resistance to race and nation; • religious anarchism in other traditions, ranging from Wu Nengzi’s Daoism and Rexroth’s Zen Buddhism to various currents of Islam, including an original Anarca-Islamic “clinic.” This unique book therefore furthers scholarship on anarchism, on millenarian and revolutionary thinkers and movements, and on religion and politics. It is also of value to members of the wider public interested in radical politics and in the political implications of religion. And of course, it is relevant to those interested in any of the specific themes and thinkers focused on within individual chapters. In short, this book presents a range of innovative perspectives on a web of topics that, while held together by the common thread of religious anarchism, also speaks to numerous broader themes which have been increasingly prominent in the twenty-first century. ","""I am delighted to have been invited to write a letter of recommendation for Alexandre Christoyannopoulos’ edited collection Religious Anarchism: New Perspectives? Bringing together the work of international writers, both new and established scholars and practitioners, this book fills an important gap in the existing literature. Some anarchists will be familiar with the work of Leo Tolstoy and the concept of Christian anarchism, with which Tolstoy is often associated, but few will have probed this relationship or considered more broadly anarchism’s relationship to religion. In ranging beyond this more familiar territory to consider anarchism’s links to Buddhist, Daoist and Muslim thought Dr. Christoyannopoulos’s book genuinely breaks new ground. The book has a number of strengths. One is that it avoids strong preconceptions: whilst the authors challenge those who view anarchism as a necessarily secular ideology, they do not attempt to delimit anarchism’s relationship to religion. Indeed, in considering the possibilities of this relationship and the permeability of its boundaries, the authors encourage readers to reconsider their own preconceptions about both anarchism and religion and offer some new reflections on important perennial problems. Another important strength is that the authors work in variety of disciplinary fields and are thus able to bring insights from history, philosophy and political theory as well as anarchist studies, to bear on the subject. Together the essays collected here provide an outline history of some of the leading currents of religious anarchist thought and develop fresh perspectives on issues central to anarchism including resistance, struggle and counter-cultural experimentation; political detachment, ethnocentrism and community-building. In addition, by testing the intersections of anarchist and religious thought, the authors examine a range of ethical questions about the legitimate boundaries of the state and the limits of authority, the duty of obedience and the primacy of conscience in political action. In summary, this is a bold and important collection which many readers will find provocative and it deserves to get a wide readership."" - Ruth Kinna, Senior Lecturer in Politics, Loughborough University; editor of Anarchist Studies ""This work is a striking and highly original study of connections between anarchism and religion. The book springs from the same spirit that inspired Norman Cohn’s ground breaking work, The Pursuit of the Millennium: it presents a wide range of little known and unexpected sources, inspiring a fresh look at contemporary approaches to change. Each of the collected essays expands on some particular paradigm, which is proper to the specific fields of the authors, some of whom are widely recognized scholars in their discipline. The approaches are varied, being rooted in anarchist thought, theology or philosophy. Each article explores new issues in areas as diverse as Pelagian studies, Hungarian history and Islamic political theology. This collection will be of interest to activists, historians, theologians, philosophers, political scientists, sociologists, students of rhetoric and literature, and those who wish to give serious consideration to their religious beliefs. In sum, this thought-provoking book calls for a wide audience and confronts some of the burning questions of our time."" - Ronald Creagh ",Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2009-10-01,Elavie Ndura-Ouédraogo and Randall Amster,Building Cultures of Peace: Transdisciplinary Voices of Hope and Action,Hardback,978-1-4438-1329-7,39.99,"From violence and abuse within family units, to communities and regions torn apart by inter-group conflict and wars among nations, the human condition is rife with turmoil. The consequences of this seemingly perpetual strife weigh heavily on humanity, often creating feelings of powerlessness and hopelessness that only serve to breed more conflict and violence. In the face of these monumental challenges, initiatives for peace struggle to take root. Seeking effective ways to encourage these efforts, the United Nations adopted three declarations on the eve of the 21st century, including the “Declaration on a Culture of Peace” that broadly defines what the vision looks like and the actions necessary to build cultures of peace. Taking up this central challenge of our time, this volume of collected essays presents multiple perspectives on the critical issues of peace and conflict resolution that pervade the globe, addressing the UN’s charge to develop “values, attitudes, modes of behavior and ways of life conducive to the promotion of peace among individuals, groups, and nations.” Bringing together scholars and practitioners from fields including education, sociology, criminology, political science, and peace studies, this work constructively engages the task of creating peace and fostering hope in a conflict-ridden world. ","“Building Cultures of Peace is an immensely rich, creative, and, above all, an optimistic book. The fifteen very competent chapters approach the issue of a culture of peace based on social justice and equity, as opposed to the ubiquitous culture of violence. Here are concrete programs and ideas; now let us all go out, do it, and get ever higher in the knowledge, skills and art of building peace.” —Johan Galtung, Founder, dr hc mult, TRANSCEND: A Peace, Development and Environment Network “Since the United Nations launched the ‘culture of peace’ to much fanfare but little tangible result, the idea of a culture that would be more conducive to peace than war (which would seem to be an inevitable result of the culture we have today), has taken hold, and that is very helpful. If further proof of that were needed (and unless you are in the peace profession it probably is), this book demonstrates that there is a ‘field’ of peace that is there to help people in all walks of life to understand and indeed contribute their bit, whatever it may be, to peace. There could hardly be a more needed development, and this book, with its diversity and yet its overriding focus on the elusive dream of peace, is a great contribution to it. I would like to see it in every school library—and in the mind and heart of every child.” —Michael N. Nagler, Professor Emeritus, University of California, Berkeley; author of The Search for a Nonviolent Future ",Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2009-10-01,Sudhir Kumbhar and Govind Dhaske,Jata Removal Movement: Unfolding the ‘Gender’ in Politico-Religious Society,Hardback,978-1-4438-1305-1,34.99,"For centuries, India has been known for its politico-religious structures, which have developed casteism and discrimination. Gender-based oppressions have been prominent features of the patriarchal culture in India – both obvious and subtle forms of gender inequity. Multiple rites, customs, traditions and protocols reflect gender discrimination, and in most cases show gender oppression. The subordination of women visible in Indian context can be referred in historic shift from matrilineal structure to bramhinical patriarchy. The body politics and allied symbolism about gender has been rooted in the deceiving collusion and integrated function of political and religious entrepreneurs. Jata (or matted hairs) have been a symbol used by the patriarchal oppressors for a number of sexual, social and gender oppressions. Multifarious oppressions have been created by developing superstitious religious belief systems and hijacking social communication. Through fatalistic sentimentalism of irrational beliefs, progress of rational social communication has been suppressed. The existence of oppressive Devdasi and Jata tradition signifies deep-rooted psychosocial control by the oppressors. Jata Nirmulan Abhiyaan (Matted Hair Removal Movement) has been a scientific movement rooted in rational thinking about beliefs and traditions. The collective act of removing the oppressive symbol of Jata is essential to value of human rights and gender rights. The negative social, psychological, health and development implications of matted hairs need collective attention for remedial actions. At the same time, it is essential to understand the politico-religious traditions , belief systems which rules the psyche of society to act on it ",,Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2009-11-01,"Edin Omerdic, Daniel Toal, John Wallace, Isela Ibrahimovic, Cliff Funnell and Anthony Grehan",Marine Monitoring Platforms: Paradigms for Development in Ireland,Hardback,978-1-4438-1356-3,34.99,"Ireland is a small Island in the North Atlantic with geography, weather and thus way of life dominated by the ocean. This book presents a comprehensive study of the challenges and technologies for observing the ocean environment. It describes the state-of-the-art in marine platforms internationally and provides a vision of platform technology in 2021 and beyond. Opportunities for ocean monitoring are detailed in the Irish context and recommendations are given for future development and investments in marine platforms. ",,Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2010-04-01,Elavie Ndura-Ouédraogo and Randall Amster,Building Cultures of Peace: Transdisciplinary Voices of Hope and Action,Paperback,978-1-4438-1944-2,24.99,"From violence and abuse within family units, to communities and regions torn apart by inter-group conflict and wars among nations, the human condition is rife with turmoil. The consequences of this seemingly perpetual strife weigh heavily on humanity, often creating feelings of powerlessness and hopelessness that only serve to breed more conflict and violence. In the face of these monumental challenges, initiatives for peace struggle to take root. Seeking effective ways to encourage these efforts, the United Nations adopted three declarations on the eve of the 21st century, including the “Declaration on a Culture of Peace” that broadly defines what the vision looks like and the actions necessary to build cultures of peace. Taking up this central challenge of our time, this volume of collected essays presents multiple perspectives on the critical issues of peace and conflict resolution that pervade the globe, addressing the UN’s charge to develop “values, attitudes, modes of behavior and ways of life conducive to the promotion of peace among individuals, groups, and nations.” Bringing together scholars and practitioners from fields including education, sociology, criminology, political science, and peace studies, this work constructively engages the task of creating peace and fostering hope in a conflict-ridden world. ","“Building Cultures of Peace is an immensely rich, creative, and, above all, an optimistic book. The fifteen very competent chapters approach the issue of a culture of peace based on social justice and equity, as opposed to the ubiquitous culture of violence. Here are concrete programs and ideas; now let us all go out, do it, and get ever higher in the knowledge, skills and art of building peace.” —Johan Galtung, Founder, dr hc mult, TRANSCEND: A Peace, Development and Environment Network “Since the United Nations launched the ‘culture of peace’ to much fanfare but little tangible result, the idea of a culture that would be more conducive to peace than war (which would seem to be an inevitable result of the culture we have today), has taken hold, and that is very helpful. If further proof of that were needed (and unless you are in the peace profession it probably is), this book demonstrates that there is a ‘field’ of peace that is there to help people in all walks of life to understand and indeed contribute their bit, whatever it may be, to peace. There could hardly be a more needed development, and this book, with its diversity and yet its overriding focus on the elusive dream of peace, is a great contribution to it. I would like to see it in every school library—and in the mind and heart of every child.” —Michael N. Nagler, Professor Emeritus, University of California, Berkeley; author of The Search for a Nonviolent Future ",Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2010-04-01,Jephias Mapuva,Citizen Participation and Local Governance: Case Study of the Combined Harare Residents Association (Zimbabwe),Paperback,978-1-4438-1954-1,14.99,"The book attempts to bring out the propensity with which civil society can influence citizens’ behaviour towards issues that affect their lives. The author argues that local authorities should strive to serve their constituencies they do not have the prerogative to make arbitrary decision of issues that affect their localities but should endeavour to incorporate contributions from the very people who they are supposed to serve. Through the formation of community-based institutions, like residents’ association, citizens can be able to speak with one voice, thereby buttressing their propensity to engage the local authority. Accordingly, in this book, the author makes attempts to highlight how a Resident Association has engaged the Harare City Council to provide improved service delivery and at the same time exhorting the local authority to incorporate input from ratepayers on how best services could be improved within the City of Harare and to allow citizens to have their destiny into their own hands. The book would be of interest to students of local governance, those in the civics, politicians as well as general practitioners and the casual reader. The author intends to make this book part of a series of editions on the intensification of Local Governance and how best citizens can participate in local authority decision-making processes. ",,Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2010-04-01,Deependra Prashad and Saswati Chetia,New Architecture and Urbanism: Development of Indian Traditions ,Paperback,978-1-4438-1869-8,59.99,"This book on “New Architecture and Urbanism: Development of Indian Traditions” builds on the contributions from various architects, planners, educationists, decision-makers & others from across the world who gathered together to create a forum for the promotion of traditional processes and techniques for the creation of the built environment. This forum was initiated by INTBAU India, The International Network for Traditional Building, Architecture and Urbanism in India, and supported by The Nabha Foundation. This book presents the arguments, axioms and case studies related to Traditional Architecture and Urbanism in a sequential format. Firstly it examines the “New ways of looking at Heritage” by separating it from pure history into a living and evolving process. The book looks at what defines traditional methods and their relevance to the contemporary context. It also examines the aspects of Continuity and Contextual frameworks in the built environment. The section on “Sustainable Buildings, Places and Communities” explores the many facets of locally driven processes from the viewpoint of tradition and sustainability. These include many community based planning methods and their applications in shaping the built environment, aspects of environmental sustainability and on how appropriateness could be ingrained into current architectural education. Lastly, the book delves into a number of executed examples in architecture seeking to learn from tradition and examples in “place-making urbanism” which in turn promotes humane, walkable and connected neighbourhoods. ",,Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2010-05-01,Fiona Cameron and Lynda Kelly,"Hot Topics, Public Culture, Museums",Hardback,978-1-4438-1974-9,44.99,"Hot Topics, Public Culture, Museums engages the highly problematic and increasingly important issue of museums, science centres, their roles in contemporary societies, their engagement with “hot” topics and their part in wider conversations in a networked public culture. Hot topics such as homosexuality, sexual, and racial violence, massacres, drugs, terrorism, GMO foods, H1M1 (swine flu) and climate change are now all part of museological culture. The authors in this collection situate cultural institutions in an increasingly interconnected, complex, globalising and uncertain world and engage the why and how institutions might form part of, activate conversations and action through discussions that theorise institutions in new ways to the very practical means in which institutions might engage their constituencies. ","“This important book, about museums incorporating difficult and contested subjects into their work...helps merge isolated examples onto a more coherent and acceptable practice. The authors wish to propose change because they believe in a different definition of museums.” - Elaine Heumann Gurian (consultant and member of Museum group) “This is a wonderfully assembled, fascinating and significant collection of examples which I hope will augment the confidence of CEOs and boards to break through their widespread inertia.” - Emlyn Koster Ph.D (CEO, Liberty Science Center, Jersey City, USA) ",Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2010-08-01,Leah A. Murray,Politics and Popular Culture,Hardback,978-1-4438-2259-6,39.99,"In recent years we have seen a continuation and perhaps even acceleration in the trend of popular culture having a discernible effect on politics. From The Daily Show to candidates’ use of Facebook and MySpace, politics have opened up to new technologies as we come online for the next generation. Our political world has become popularized, or our popular world has become politicized in a new way, facilitated by the entertainment media and new technologies. This volume’s authors attempt to make sense of the changing political popular world through a series of interdisciplinary essays that explore the ramifications of popular cultural depictions of politics drawing on literature in a variety of fields: political science, history, literature, fine arts and communications. We explore three major phenomena in a politicized popular culture. First, we explore the role that the entertainment media play in understanding politics. What is interesting about our fictional political worlds is we are allowed, as a people, to consider different political ideals without the baggage of our last vote or our ideology. We can step outside ourselves and challenge the way we think on particular issues. Second, we explore the real world of politics as it has been shaped over the last century of new technology. As powerful a medium television proved to be to politics, the latest technological breakthroughs have proved to be a paradigmatic shift. From Twitter to Facebook, our politicians are able to keep in almost constant contact with their constituencies, which has vast implications for the way political discourse will progress. Third, we explore what happens when the real world and media collide. Entertainment media change their messages when major political events happen such as the case when spymaster tropes were forced to evolve when 9/11 changed the international dynamic. Robert Ludlum’s Jason Bourne series had to be conceptualized on film in a new way after this event. The more connected our political world and our popular world become, and given the trends, we can only assume they will become increasingly intertwined, the more important it is for us to understand how these connections affect the world. This volume is a powerful pass at comprehending all that is happening across the politicized popular world. ",,Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2010-09-01,Nikita Desai,A Different Freedom: Kite Flying in Western India; Culture and Tradition,Paperback,978-1-4438-2273-2,34.99,"Kite flying is a sport native to South-East Asia and the Indian subcontinent. Symbolic of both freedom and control, the kite has been used as a metaphor in classical Indian literature, poetry, language and folklore. Uttarayan, a kite festival celebrated in the state of Gujarat, is not merely a religious observance, but also a time when young and old come together in celebration; a time when differences hold little meaning… The culture of flying and fighting kites, its history, politics, language, and the commerce that lies at the core of the Gujarati way of life provide an interesting backdrop to the celebration of Uttarayan. The buying of kites, preparations in the kitchen and the rooftop wars all form a part of this colourful festival. A Different Freedom explorers the world of the kite, as it travels and changes through the centuries, to its current form and the festivities associated with it in modern day Gujarat. ",,Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2011-09-01,Martin Cooper,Brazilian Railway Culture,Hardback,978-1-4438-3191-8,44.99,"Brazilian Railway Culture examines the cultural relationship Brazil has had with its railways since tracks were first laid by British, American and French engineers in the nineteenth century. ‘Railway’ and ‘Brazil’ are words not often found in the same sentence. Yet each year over seven hundred million passengers are carried by train in the major urban centres, and tens of thousands of visitors enjoy heritage steam rides at over a dozen restored lines and museums. Brazilian Railway Culture starts from the premise that Brazilian society and culture is not just samba, football and sex. The book takes a journey through Brazilian cultural output from 1865 to the present day, examining novels, poetry, music, art, film and television, as well as autobiographies, written histories, and museums to uncover ways in which the railway has been represented. This interdisciplinary study engages with theories of informal empire and postcolonialism, Latin American studies, cultural studies, film and television studies, literary criticism, art history and criticism, museum and heritage studies, as well as railway studies. This is a supplementary text for use by students on both undergraduate and postgraduate courses. It will also be of interest to academics, researchers, and railway historians across a range of disciplines. ","“Melding cultural history with an incisive analysis of how today's public engages with railway museums and tourist lines, Martin Cooper takes the study of Brazil's iron roads in new directions. This book is essential reading for anyone interested in how South Americans culturally appropriated a key technology of European imperialism.” – Prof. Colin Divall, Head of the Institute of Railway Studies & Transport History, run jointly by the University of York and the National Railway Museum, York “This work carefully analyses the social and cultural impact of the railway on Brazil, moving beyond the familiar tropes of football and carnival. The book is an innovative and wide-ranging study of the many ways in which the railway has worked its way into and helped form the Brazilian imagination. It provides new and exciting perspectives both on Brazilian culture and on the changing role of railways in moulding modernity in different cultures.” – Dr. Robert Howes, Research Associate in the Department of Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Studies, King’s College, London ",Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2011-09-01,Alexandre J. M. E. Christoyannopoulos,Religious Anarchism: New Perspectives,Paperback,978-1-4438-3189-5,24.99,"Both religion and anarchism have been increasingly politically active of late. This edited volume presents twelve chapters of fresh scholarship on diverse facets of the area where they meet: religious anarchism. The book is structured along three themes: • early Christian anarchist “pioneers,” including Pelagius, Coppe, Hungarian Nazarenes, and Dutch Christian anarchists; • Christian anarchist reflections on specific topics such as Kierkegaardian indifference, Romans 13, Dalit religious practice, and resistance to race and nation; • religious anarchism in other traditions, ranging from Wu Nengzi’s Daoism and Rexroth’s Zen Buddhism to various currents of Islam, including an original Anarca-Islamic “clinic.” This unique book therefore furthers scholarship on anarchism, on millenarian and revolutionary thinkers and movements, and on religion and politics. It is also of value to members of the wider public interested in radical politics and in the political implications of religion. And of course, it is relevant to those interested in any of the specific themes and thinkers focused on within individual chapters. In short, this book presents a range of innovative perspectives on a web of topics that, while held together by the common thread of religious anarchism, also speaks to numerous broader themes which have been increasingly prominent in the twenty-first century. ","""I am delighted to have been invited to write a letter of recommendation for Alexandre Christoyannopoulos’ edited collection Religious Anarchism: New Perspectives? Bringing together the work of international writers, both new and established scholars and practitioners, this book fills an important gap in the existing literature. Some anarchists will be familiar with the work of Leo Tolstoy and the concept of Christian anarchism, with which Tolstoy is often associated, but few will have probed this relationship or considered more broadly anarchism’s relationship to religion. In ranging beyond this more familiar territory to consider anarchism’s links to Buddhist, Daoist and Muslim thought Dr. Christoyannopoulos’s book genuinely breaks new ground. The book has a number of strengths. One is that it avoids strong preconceptions: whilst the authors challenge those who view anarchism as a necessarily secular ideology, they do not attempt to delimit anarchism’s relationship to religion. Indeed, in considering the possibilities of this relationship and the permeability of its boundaries, the authors encourage readers to reconsider their own preconceptions about both anarchism and religion and offer some new reflections on important perennial problems. Another important strength is that the authors work in variety of disciplinary fields and are thus able to bring insights from history, philosophy and political theory as well as anarchist studies, to bear on the subject. Together the essays collected here provide an outline history of some of the leading currents of religious anarchist thought and develop fresh perspectives on issues central to anarchism including resistance, struggle and counter-cultural experimentation; political detachment, ethnocentrism and community-building. In addition, by testing the intersections of anarchist and religious thought, the authors examine a range of ethical questions about the legitimate boundaries of the state and the limits of authority, the duty of obedience and the primacy of conscience in political action. In summary, this is a bold and important collection which many readers will find provocative and it deserves to get a wide readership."" - Ruth Kinna, Senior Lecturer in Politics, Loughborough University; editor of Anarchist Studies ""This work is a striking and highly original study of connections between anarchism and religion. The book springs from the same spirit that inspired Norman Cohn’s ground breaking work, The Pursuit of the Millennium: it presents a wide range of little known and unexpected sources, inspiring a fresh look at contemporary approaches to change. Each of the collected essays expands on some particular paradigm, which is proper to the specific fields of the authors, some of whom are widely recognized scholars in their discipline. The approaches are varied, being rooted in anarchist thought, theology or philosophy. Each article explores new issues in areas as diverse as Pelagian studies, Hungarian history and Islamic political theology. This collection will be of interest to activists, historians, theologians, philosophers, political scientists, sociologists, students of rhetoric and literature, and those who wish to give serious consideration to their religious beliefs. In sum, this thought-provoking book calls for a wide audience and confronts some of the burning questions of our time."" - Ronald Creagh ",Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2011-09-01,Kathryn Vincent and Juan Fernando Botero-Garcia,Voices: Postgraduate Perspectives on Inter-disciplinarity,Hardback,978-1-4438-3183-3,49.99,"Voices: Postgraduate Perspectives on Inter-disciplinarity was created out of a compilation of papers presented at the University of Aberdeen’s annual College of arts and Social Sciences Postgraduate Conference, more widely known as Moving Forward. This conference reached its sixth year in 2009. Both the conference and proposed collection incorporate the colleges of Divinity, History and Philosophy; Education; Language and Literature; Law; Social Sciences; Music and Business. Moving Forward is an annual event, sponsored by the College of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Aberdeen, and the Roberts Fund. Given the variety of papers received for, and the number of disciplines involved in this project, it was deemed that a theme of “voice” would be particularly appropriate. This theme attempts to incorporate the interdisciplinary approach taken both within the selection of papers, and within the papers themselves. Voice is approached in a variety of manners, not only referring to the sound produced from the human vocal cords, or the literary tool of an author, but also through the works of a musical artist, or by using unique research methods to understand the perspectives of those lacking a public voice. This work seeks to demonstrate an entire range of what voices may do, and how they are experienced. ",,Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2011-10-01,Ludovica Marchi Balossi-Restelli,An EU Innovative External Action?,Hardback,978-1-4438-3216-8,44.99,"An EU Innovative External Action? discusses both the EU’s growing challenges from its near and far neighbourhood and the developments within the EU that seek to meet them. The European Security Strategy (2003) and its updating (2008) have pointed out some of the growing external problems. These documents have outlined the goals for the EU’s future activity in terms of general principles and policy rather than of specific actions, adopting a holistic approach covering a wide range of civilian responses as well as the military dimension of security. This book is an empirical investigation which reflects these different aspects and pressures, exploring the interaction between resources and capacities, policies and processes, and influences from within and outside the EU. Its main argument is the need for the EU to work towards meeting its external challenges by developing innovative action. The crucial challenges that this volume explores include the EU’s approach to the European External Action Service; the EU’s handling of Russia, China, and Iran; the legal aspects of the Common Security and Defence Policy’s (CSDP) military operations; legal issues regarding the EU’s combating of piracy and armed robbery in the CSDP Operation Atalanta; the influences and issues inherent in the EU’s coordination of the above military marine operation; the political control and strategic direction on decision-making by the Political Security Committee; the establishment of the EU’s rapid reaction force within the CSDP framework and its present (in)action; and the CSDP’s experimentation in the promotion of peace and security on the African continent. This volume examines EU behaviour in the above policy areas and issues, and how the Union is dealing with the risks it faces today. This book aims to promote an interdisciplinary debate. The contributions to this volume originated from a workshop concerned with the European Union Facing External Challenges held at Pembroke College, Cambridge, in October 2009, organised with the support of Geoffrey Edwards (POLIS, University of Cambridge). These reflect the views of experts from various nations and institutions, operating in diverse cultural realities and fields. The rationale for employing interdisciplinary resources is in line with the way in which the European Union and the European Commission are encouraging a dialogue about EU policies. The authors are academics, political analysts from think tanks, and officials from the European Commission and the European Council, all involved, at various levels, in European affairs. They are Laure Delcour, Gérard Dejoué, Andrea deGuttry, Elina Dzalbe, Roxane Farmanfarmaian, Ludovica Marchi Balossi-Restelli, Jing Men, Antonio Missiroli, Frederik Naert and Alex Vines. Jolyon Howorth (Yale University) contributed to the workshop as a discussant, and this is noticeable in the building up of the book’s argument. An EU Innovative External Action? will be of interest to students and scholars of European studies focused on EU’s external challenges, policy-makers involved in European affairs, and the wider public. ",,Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2011-11-01,Carl Jensen and Rom Harré,Beyond Rationality: Contemporary Issues,Hardback,978-1-4438-3342-4,39.99,"In Beyond Rationality: Contemporary Issues, scholars from a variety of disciplines explore the concept of “irrationality” in today’s increasingly complex world. Combining both theory and practice, this is essential reading for anyone wishing to understand such diverse puzzles as why citizens often readily support dictatorships, how terrorists “reason,” and why seemingly rational people often make irrational choices. ",,Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2011-12-01,Dinusha Dharmaratna,"Demand, Supply and Welfare Aspects of Pipe-borne Water in Sri Lanka",Hardback,978-1-4438-3384-4,39.99,"Water institutions establish the incentives, information, and compulsions that guide behaviour and influence economic outcomes. Water pricing policies that reflect the marginal cost of supply can bring about several positive benefits in the pipe-borne water sector including: 1) greater water use efficiency; 2) an increase in revenues that can be utilised to improve services; and 3) additional funds to enhance and expand the operation and maintenance of pipe-borne water supply systems. In order to design an appropriate pricing policy and bring about these positive changes, managers of pipe-borne water supply systems require an understanding of the determinants of water demand, supply and welfare changes. Further, the use of economic methodologies to estimate the effects of factors that influence pipe-borne water demand, supply and welfare in developing nations can assist water utility operators and policy makers to predict consumption responses to changes in water pricing. In turn, this provides important evidence for these decision makers to determine if price changes will result in higher revenues that can be used to fund critical infrastructure extension and maintenance. This is particularly important for developing nations where revenue constraints on water authorities can limit access to pipe-borne water supplies for large sections of the population. This book identifies under-pricing as the major problem faced by the Sri Lankan pipe-borne water sector. Recently, the water authority in Sri Lanka restructured its pricing strategy for pipe-borne water with the objectives of reducing water consumption and expanding the network. However, the success of the current pricing structure in achieving these objectives is uncertain. Therefore, to overcome the problems, this study examines the use of cost-reflective alternative pricing strategies for pipe-borne water distribution services. The book evaluates current and alternative pricing strategies for water against the criteria of efficiency and equity while maintaining the financial viability of the national water utility. In order to analyse the welfare impacts, understanding the demand for pipe-borne water by different user groups and the cost of pipe-borne water provision must be considered. ",,Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2012-01-01,Avigail Abarbanel,Beyond Tribal Loyalties: Personal Stories of Jewish Peace Activists,Hardback,978-1-4438-3449-0,44.99,"There is an expectation in Jewish communities around the world that all Jews embrace Zionism and offer unquestioning support for Israel, ‘right or wrong’. Jewish identity and Zionism are commonly and deliberately blurred. Jews who criticise Israel or question Zionism are often excluded, vilified and threatened. If they express sympathy for the plight of the Palestinian people, they risk being branded as traitors and accused of ‘supporting the enemies of Israel’. Beyond Tribal Loyalties is a unique collection of twenty-five personal stories of Jewish peace activists from Australia, Canada, Israel, the United Kingdom and the United States. There is an age difference of more than fifty years between the oldest and the youngest contributor. The stories focus on the complex and intensely personal journey that Jewish activists go through to free themselves from the hold of Zionist ideology and its requirement to support all Israeli policies. Like many Jews, most of the contributors were once unquestioning supporters of Israel and Zionism. Something happened in the life of each of these extraordinary people that caused them to question and re-evaluate their understanding of the conflict and their relationship with Israel and the Palestinian people. In many cases this journey involved a reassessment of personal values, belief systems and identity. Beyond Tribal Loyalties seeks to discover what makes it possible for Jewish peace activists to follow through with this transformative journey and their activist work, despite fanatical and sometimes violent opposition. This is an inspiring book for anyone who is interested in the experience of being a peace activist. It offers a fresh and unusual angle on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and is a unique contribution in a field where political analysis is common, but where the personal angle is often lacking. Find Beyond Tribal Loyalties on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Beyond-Tribal-Loyalties-Personal-Stories-of-Jewish-Peace-Activists/116150431829716?sk=wall ",,Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2012-02-01,Chris Baratta,Environmentalism in the Realm of Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature,Hardback,978-1-4438-3513-8,34.99,"The collection of essays titled Environmentalism in the Realm of Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature discusses the environmental and ecocritical themes found in works of science-fiction and fantasy literature. It focuses on an analysis of important literary works in these genres to yield an understanding of how they address the environmental issues we are facing today. Organized into four sections titled “Industrial Dilemmas,” “The Natural World, Community, and the Self,” “Materialism, Capitalism, and Environmentalism,” and “Dystopian Futures,” the essays included also investigate the solutions that these works present to ensure the sustainability of our natural world and, in turn, the sustainability of humanity. This collection will appeal to a broad range of scholars, including those who focus their studies on one of, or all of, the following fields: Ecocriticism, Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature, and Environmentalism in Literature. The essays investigate the myriad ways that science fiction and fantasy literature address environmental concerns, with a focus on the detrimental effects – on humanity, on society – of environmental destruction. With topics ranging from the dangers of industrial progress to the connection between environmental degradation and the destruction of the individual, to environmental dangers posed by capitalistic societies to ignored warnings of ecological crises, the essays each tactfully analyze the relationship between the environmental themes in literature and how readers and scholars can learn from the irresponsible treatment of the environment, while also considering solutions to this crisis that are found in science fiction and fantasy literature. ",,Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2012-04-01,Avigail Abarbanel,Beyond Tribal Loyalties: Personal Stories of Jewish Peace Activists,Paperback,978-1-4438-3796-5,29.99,"There is an expectation in Jewish communities around the world that all Jews embrace Zionism and offer unquestioning support for Israel, ‘right or wrong’. Jewish identity and Zionism are commonly and deliberately blurred. Jews who criticise Israel or question Zionism are often excluded, vilified and threatened. If they express sympathy for the plight of the Palestinian people, they risk being branded as traitors and accused of ‘supporting the enemies of Israel’. Beyond Tribal Loyalties is a unique collection of twenty-five personal stories of Jewish peace activists from Australia, Canada, Israel, the United Kingdom and the United States. There is an age difference of more than fifty years between the oldest and the youngest contributor. The stories focus on the complex and intensely personal journey that Jewish activists go through to free themselves from the hold of Zionist ideology and its requirement to support all Israeli policies. Like many Jews, most of the contributors were once unquestioning supporters of Israel and Zionism. Something happened in the life of each of these extraordinary people that caused them to question and re-evaluate their understanding of the conflict and their relationship with Israel and the Palestinian people. In many cases this journey involved a reassessment of personal values, belief systems and identity. Beyond Tribal Loyalties seeks to discover what makes it possible for Jewish peace activists to follow through with this transformative journey and their activist work, despite fanatical and sometimes violent opposition. This is an inspiring book for anyone who is interested in the experience of being a peace activist. It offers a fresh and unusual angle on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and is a unique contribution in a field where political analysis is common, but where the personal angle is often lacking. Find Beyond Tribal Loyalties on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Beyond-Tribal-Loyalties-Personal-Stories-of-Jewish-Peace-Activists/116150431829716?sk=wall ",,Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2012-04-01,"Matt Foley, Neil McRobert and Aspasia Stephanou",Transgression and Its Limits,Hardback,978-1-4438-3729-3,39.99,"Transgression and Its Limits is a long overdue collection that reads the complex relationship between artistic transgressions and the limits of law and the subject. In mid-twentieth century theoretical understandings of transgressive culture, it is the existence of the limit that guarantees the possibility and success of the transgression. While the limit calls for obedience, it also tempts with the possibility of violation. To breach the limits of the acceptable is to simultaneously define them. However, this classical understanding of transgression may no longer apply under the conditions of post-modernity, late-capitalism, and the simulated or empty transgressions that this period of the simulacra encourages. Context becomes paramount in reading the myriad forms of transgression that encompass politics, aesthetics and the ethics of the obscene; while a range of theoretical perspectives are employed in order to elucidate the economies at work underneath the seemingly transgressive act. The essays selected include explorations of transgression in cinema, photography, art, law, music, philosophy, technology, and both classical and contemporary literature and drama. Professor Fred Botting’s (co-author of Bataille and The Tarantinian Ethics) analysis of transgression from Bataille, to Baudrillard and Ballard compliments the collection’s concerns about the status of transgression. Aside from fourteen critical essays on topics such as early-modern drama, George Bataille, J. G. Ballard, the female necrophilic, “torture-porn” cinema, and the art of Robert Mapplethorpe and Salvador Dali, there is also a new discussion of transgression between novelist Iain Banks and Professor Roderick Watson (Emeritus at the University of Stirling). With its focus on the paradoxical nature of the impulse to transgress, as well at its wide-ranging historical and artistic concerns, Transgression and Its Limits is a landmark book in a rapidly developing scholarly field. ",,Cambridge Scholars Publishing