Choice Outstanding Academic Title 2014 Scores of books have been written by Western experts, mainly American, looking at the root causes of the conflict between Iran and the US. However, none of them have presented an inside look at this complex relationship from within the Iranian culture, society, and most importantly, the Iranian policy-making system. This gap has been the cause of misperceptions, misanalyses, and conflict, followed by the adoption of US policies that have failed to achieve their objectives. Seyed Hossein Mousavian worked for over 30 years on diplomatic efforts between Iran and the West, serving in numerous official posts, and as a confidante, colleague, and peer to many former and current high ranking Iranian officials, including now-President Hassan Rouhani and Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif. Here the former diplomat gives an insider's history of the troubled relationship between Iran and the US. His unique firsthand perspective blends memoir, analysis, and never before seen details of the many near misses in the quest for rapprochement. With so much at stake, the book concludes with a roadmap for peace that both nations so desperately need.

The thought of Emmanuel Levinas is of increasing importance for those working in the diverse fields of phenomenology and continental philosophy, French studies, Jewish studies, ethics, politics and religious studies. In this book, Nigel Zimmermann gives proper attention to the 'incarnate' aspect of the 'other' in Levinas' work, providing a theological reading that explores the basic strands of Levinas' thinking regarding the concrete nature of human living. Human communities, in which politics inevitably plays a crucial role, may learn much from the theological shape of Levinas' philosophy. In all his writings, Levinas cannot be understood apart from his roles as a Talmudic commentator and as a radical thinker who suffered personally under the shadow of the Holocaust.

To understand the cult of the Virgin Mary is to understand the Christian religion. The Virgin Mary is a ubiquitous but enigmatic presence in Christian history and culture. The tradition about Mary forms a vast and multi-layered aspect of Western history, culture and spirituality. It is not just in the Catholic tradition that Mary has become a particular focus of study and interest. Mary has also become a crucial interest for Christians outside this tradition (Protestant, Anglican) as a path to ecumenical understanding. This book is intended as a reference book for the student or scholar seeking knowledge of the history and contemporary practice of the cult of the Virgin Mary. It provides new essays which give overviews of particular areas of study - both historical and thematic - together with texts from primary sources and important scholarly articles, some of which appear in English for the first time. The volume is designed to be suitable for use as a course book at undergraduate and Masters levels. The result is astonishing and will open up whole new avenues for theological and spiritual enquiry. "The Virgin Mary": A resource book for study will be essential for anyone who has a strong theological or devotional interest in Mary. But it will open the eyes of those who do not.

This title considers the way we approach violence and safeguarding in childhood, exploring the victimization of children as well as children who use violence towards others. "Rethinking Children, Violence and Safeguarding" explores the victimization of children as well as children who use violence towards others and presents an overview of key developments in research, policy and practice on children and violence in the context of the recent major shift in thinking from 'child protection' towards 'safeguarding' and evidencing better outcomes. The gaps between rhetoric and practice are considered and Lorraine Radford argues that the way we 'think' about children and violence has had a profound impact on actions against the abuse of children and children who commit violence. Examples of research, reflections on research and key points and guidance on further reading make this a really accessible text. "Rethinking Children, Violence and Safeguarding" is essential reading for those studying childhood and undergraduate and graduate level, and will be of great interest to those working with children in any field. Is childhood changing? What effects are new ideas about childhood having on children's lives? How are children's voices and opinions affecting the services they use? Contemporary debates on the nature of childhood, attitudes towards children, the experiences of children and the emergence of a child rights agenda are resulting in a re-examination of theory, practice and research in many fields. "New Childhoods" offers a re-appraisal of the meaning of childhood - a series of texts that are succinct, accessible and engaging in introducing undergraduates to key areas of Childhood Studies, Education Studies and Sociology, and in disseminating new thinking, research, scholarship and practices. Books in this series will also be of interest to those who are preparing to work with children, such as teachers, early years practitioners, youth workers, health workers and psychologists. Key features include: boxed summaries of research which engage the reader in analysis; case studies to explore each issue in context; tasks to develop critical thinking; and pointers on further reading. Each volume promotes a child rights perspective, and provokes a re-examination of child-adult relationships in the contexts of family, community and state. Insights and experiences across fields such as sociology, philosophy and psychology are combined to encourage an inter-disciplinary approach.

The Politics of Aesthetics rethinks the relationship between art and politics, reclaiming "aesthetics" from the narrow confines it is often reduced to. Jacques Ranciere reveals its intrinsic link to politics by analysing what they both have in common: the delimitation of the visible and the invisible, the audible and the inaudible, the thinkable and the unthinkable, the possible and the impossible. Presented as a set of inter-linked interviews, The Politics of Aesthetics provides the most comprehensive introduction to Ranciere's work to date, ranging across the history of art and politics from the Greek polis to the aesthetic revolution of the modern age. Available now in the Bloomsbury Revelations series 10 years after its original publication, The Politics of Aesthetics includes an afterword by Slavoj Zizek, an interview for the English edition, a glossary of technical terms and an extensive bibliography.

Six masterful works by the Nobel Prize-winning Nigerian playwright. Death and the King's Horseman: 'A transfixing work of modern world drama' (Independent); Madmen and Specialists: 'A luminous play, examining the way in which war exposes and clarifies human conduct' (Observer); Opera Wonyosi, adapted from Gay's The Beggar's Opera: 'Swaggering and scabrous, at once a verbal spree and a fierce assault on totalitarianism' (Observer). The volume also contains The Trials of Brother Jero and Jero's Metamorphosis, classic comedies of modern Nigerian life based on the hilarious and manipulative transformations of a preacher, and Camwood on the Leaves, a haunting radio play, which evokes a divided community.

This is an introduction to feminist and gender-critical perspectives on the New Testament and other early Christian writings.In this introductory book, Vander Stichele and Penner outline a gender-critical approach to the New Testament and discuss the issues involved. Building on feminist analysis, gender-criticism explores the place of both women and men in, behind, and in front of the text, but also understands sexual identities as part and parcel of the study of gender identities in both text and context, assessing the relative configuration of such identities through their broader, rhetorical, ideological, and socio-cultural contexts in the ancient (and modern) worlds.The authors clearly set out the methodology and hermeneutical issues and then give concrete examples of how gender-critical exegesis affects the reading of texts. The New Testament is not considered in isolation, rather the book deals with early Christian Literature in a more general sense, in that the issues discussed are related to the study of that broad body of literature and concrete examples either come from those texts or tackle issues at stake in them. This book is unique in terms of its range as well as in the explicit methodological focus that is fostered. Furthermore, it is a joint project of scholars from different cultural backgrounds, but with a similar interest and complementary skills.

Hegel makes philosophical proposals concerning religion and Christianity that demand critical reflection from contemporary theology. Possible defences and criticisms are given in Hegelian discourse, which raise important questions in current theological inquiry.This religious enquiry runs through publications and writings produced during the development of Hegel's systematic philosophy. De Nys considers the understanding of religion and Christianity that Hegel develops in the "Phenomenology of Spirit". The discussion of religious involvement gives special attention to questions concerning religious discourse, which Hegel addresses in his treatment of representational thinking, including Hegel's critique of Schleiermacher.This leads to a discussion of the problem of the relation between the world and God and the issue of God's transcendence, which requires further analysis of the relation of representational and speculative thinking. These discussions provide a framework for considering Hegel's understandings of specific Christian mysteries. The Hegelian conception of the Trinity, the mysteries of Creation, Incarnation and reconciled indwelling are considered in connection with biblical conceptions of the Trinity.The conclusion examines critical problems surrounding Hegel's essential proposals about religion and Christianity, as well as contributions that Hegel makes to, and the challenges his thinking poses to, contemporary theological inquiry. Throughout, the discussions emphasize an understanding of Hegel's views concerning religion and Christianity as a resource for critical reflection in contemporary theology."The Philosophy and Theology" series looks at major philosophers and explores their relevance to theological thought as well as the response of theology.

A highly readable and illuminating approach to biblical scholarship from the author of Christ the Form of Beauty.At a time when new approaches to biblical analysis are proliferating, Francesca Murphy opens up the literary dimension of the Bible using a lively form of narrative criticism, developing a doctrine of revelation which is both original and radically traditional. Murphy argues that the Bible is written imaginatively, and that the best way to understand its meaning is to imagine how to perform or dramatize it. She follows the sequence of heroes and heroines who carry the plot from Genesis to Revelation and presents a fresh and remarkable picture of biblical revelation as the performance of God's image in history, captured by its writers' moral imagination.

When the mysterious and eccentric Miss Charlotte arrives in the village of Saint-Anatole to take over the tiny library, the locals are surprised to find out that she does things differently. Wearing a long blue dress and a giant hat, she takes her books out for a walk in a wheelbarrow and shows the children that reading can be fun and useful. Sometimes she is so caught up in the magic of the stories she shares with her audience that she forgets all sense of reality - so much so that one day she loses consciousness and the children must find a way to bring her back. The second in Dominique Demers's popular The Adventures of Miss Charlotte series, The Mysterious Librarian, brilliantly illustrated by Tony Ross, is a wonderful story about the magical and inspiring power of books.

A rare insider's account of the true story behind the development of the famous Stanislavski method.

Vasili Toporkov was one of the rare outsiders ever to be invited to join the Moscow Art Theatre. Although already an experienced and accomplished artist, he was forced to retrain as an actor under Stanislavski's rigorous guidance." Stanislavski in Rehearsal" is Toporkov's vivid account of this learning process, offering an eloquent and jargon-free insight into Stanislavski's legendary 'system' and his method of rehearsal that became known as the Method of Physical Action. Spanning ten years - from 1928 to 1938 - Toporkov charts the last crucial years of Stanislavski's work as a director and offers the only reliable biographical sketch that we have.

Through Toporkov's account, Stanislavski is revealed as a multi-faceted personality - funny, furious, kind, ruthless, encouraging, exacting - waging a war against cliches and quick answers, inspiring his actors and driving them to despair in his pursuit of artistic perfection.

Abie follows the arc of a letter from London back to Africa to a coffee plantation that now could be hers if she wants it. Standing among the ruined groves she strains to hear the sound of the past, but the layers of years are too many. Thus begins the gathering of her family's history through the tales of her aunts - four women born to four different wives of a wealthy plantation owner, her grandfather. Asana, Mariama, Hawa and Serah: theirs is the story of a nation, a family and four women's attempts to alter the course of her own destiny.

Professional athletes' careers and livelihoods depend on results, so when they train they make sure they get the most from their training sessions. Experienced trainer Nick Grantham introduces you to performance based conditioning, explaining why athletic-based strength and conditioning training programmes are superior to all other training methods. Providing you with detailed information in a highly accessible manner, the book ensures you can elevate your training programmes to a new level. Revealing the training S&C strategies and principles used by elite athletes, this book will show that, regardless of your current fitness and exercise experience, anyone can train like an athlete. Providing a strong scientific rationale for an athletic approach to training so you can develop a better understanding of physical preparation, The Strength and Conditioning Bible gives you the key elements of an integrated performance-conditioning programme. An essential resource, this book contains a 16-week, 4 stage plan that balances total-body strength, endurance, mobility, balance, coordination and athleticism. You will be able develop a customisable and realistic fitness programme and with the knowledge gleaned from the book, you will develop and enjoy productive and pain-free workouts for years to come.

This easy to understand text provides illustrated "lessons" that demonstrate the various patternmaking methods and how they are used to develop design variations. Each of the Second Edition's four units address one major segment of a garment-the bodice, the collar, the skirt, and the sleeve-with a series of pictorial examples that progress from the most basic dart manipulations to advanced design variations. Students will master the slash and pivot methods of flat pattern design and understand how garment design variations are derived from each other. Simple illustrations demystify the patternmaking process for the beginner student, showing how a few basic techniques can lead to endless design possibilities. New to this Edition: Updated design variations reflect current styles Improved lesson layouts foster even better understanding of concepts Comprehensive glossary defines important terms Index facilitates navigation from one technique to another

Jean-Luc Nancy and the Thinking of Otherness is the first book in English to provide a sustained account of the relationship between Nancy, Levinas and Heidegger. It investigates Jean-Luc Nancy's reading of Heidegger, focusing on the question of Being-with, and starting with the problem of otherness in Heidegger, the book goes on to establish a dialogue between Nancy and the philosophy of Emmanuel Levinas. With intellectual agility and command of cinema, literature and visual art, Daniele Rugo insists on the critical significance of Nancy's project for any future philosophy attempting to define itself beyond foundational acts, and according to the continuous crossings at the heart of existence. By discussing Nancy alongside Heidegger and Levinas, Rugo underlines the essential indecision between philosophy-as-literature and philosophy as the re-appropriation of the question of Being. Rugo offers unexpected associations which return thinking to the play of specificity, rather than restricting it to the passage of abstract formulations.

A must-have collection of fun new songs and chants for practising vocabulary and phrases when learning French. A must-have collection of fun new songs and chants for practising vocabulary and phrases when learning French. These catchy songs and chants help pupils memorise the words, and the upbeat backing tracks will appeal to 8-13 year-olds. Also includes teaching ideas for activities and games to go with each song and chant.

Keeping up with changes in retailing is daunting for both students and instructors, as companies start up, merge, or go out of business. What is retailing? Where is it going? Who are the players and how do they operate? These are just some of the questions this text addresses. Poloian provides examples and references involving retail change such as ownership, technology, and trend-related aspects with the most current information. Many students will go on to build careers in the global marketplace, an understanding of the global nature of business, and new content on the global retail environment is essential. This new edition provides the information and tools necessary to thrive in this competitive industries.

Copleston, an Oxford Jesuit and specialist in the history of philosophy, first created his history as an introduction for Catholic ecclesiastical seminaries. However, since its first publication (the last volume appearing in the mid-1970s) the series has become the classic account for all philosophy scholars and students. The 11-volume series gives an accessible account of each philosopher's work, but also explains their relationship to the work of other philosophers.

A history of doctrines of the Early Church, written and arranged with exceptional clarity by a leading patristic scholar. Canon Kelly describes the development of the principal Christian doctrines from the close of the first century to the middle of the fifth, and from the end of the apostolic age to the council of Chalcedon.

Copleston, an Oxford Jesuit and specialist in the history of philosophy, first created his history as an introduction for Catholic ecclesiastical seminaries. However, since its first publication (the last volume appearing in the mid-1970s) the series has become the classic account for all philosophy scholars and students. The 11-volume series gives an accessible account of each philosopher's work, but also explains their relationship to the work of other philosophers.

What is number sense? How does children's number sense develop? What are the most effective teaching methods and resources? How can research findings inform classroom practice? The fully revised second edition of the best-selling "Teaching Number Sense" is the book to help you answer these questions, and more. This new edition boasts a new chapter on 'The empty number line' as well as a wealth of material on all the latest trends and innovations in mathematics teaching to support children's learning. It is a specialist text that uses a balance of theory and practice to help teachers deal with the problems and issues they will encounter in mathematics teaching, including examples for use specifically in the classroom. This book will prove essential reading for trainee and established mathematics teachers alike.

An exploration of the political significance of the Arctic's vast untapped wealth of natural resources, and a gripping account of the race to exploit them

On August 2, 2007, a Russian submarine captured world headlines by making a dangerous journey to the bottom of the Arctic seabed and planting a metal, rustfree national flag more than 14,000 feet beneath the North Pole. The aim was to assert Russia's legal sovereignty over a region whose importance had only recently started to become apparent as its melting ice had made, or was expected to make, vast natural resources open to exploitation.

The latest estimates are that the region holds around 13% of the world's undiscovered oil and as much as 30% of undiscovered natural gas reserves that would be hugely profitable for any country that managed to secure control over them. Gold, platinum, copper, and other precious metals have also been found along the coast. Neighboring countries -- Russia, the United States, Canada, Denmark, and Norway -- are already doing everything they can to mark out new borders. The ensuing political disagreements over the issue are already rife. In particular, games of political intrigue between Moscow and Washington are being played out in the region. But as the world's resources become increasingly scarce and valuable, could the scramble for Arctic resources become violent? Could a "War for the Arctic" be fought?

Praise for The Oil Hunters"

"The Dramatic Days of oil exploration in the first half of the 20th century are narrated in gripping fashion by Roger Howard." -The Spectator"

"A fascinating story for anyone interested in one of today's main economic problems: How to reduce the hundreds of billions that Americans spend every year to import oil...the book is packed with intrepid geologists, risk-averse business people, hardup Mideast rulers and ingenious promoters- all concerned with driving up profits."-The Associated Press "

Skepticism remains a central and defining issue in epistemology, and in the wider tradition of Western philosophy. To better understand the contemporary position of this important philosophical subject, Allan Hazlett introduces a range of topics, including: * Ancient skepticism * skeptical arguments in the work of Hume and Descartes * Cartesian skepticism in contemporary epistemology * anti-skeptical strategies, including Mooreanism, nonclosure, and contextualism * additional varieties of skepticism * the practical consequences of Cartesian skepticism Presenting a comprehensive survey of the key problems, arguments, and theories, together with additional readings, A Critical Introduction to Skepticism is an ideal guide for students and scholars looking to understand how skepticism is shaping epistemology today.

A lively, critical study of one of the most important innovators, thinkers and directors in contemporary world theatre: Tadashi Suzuki. This book explores Suzuki's theatre practice and contains a DVD with practical Suzuki Method actor-training examples. For over forty years Tadashi Suzuki has been a unique and vital force in both Japanese and Western theatre, creating and directing many internationally acclaimed productions including his most famous production, The Trojan Women, which toured throughout the world. Dr Paul Allain, an experienced practitioner of the Suzuki Method, re-evaluates Suzuki's work, his development towards an international theatre aesthetic and his impact on performance all over the world. The DVD covers an actor training session (featuring both novices and an experienced practitioner with over ten years of Suzuki training) showing the physical moves. "Captures aspects of Suzuki's work with an insider's grasp of theatre-making - an informative and inspirational read" From the foreword by Katie Mitchell.

What do Socrates, Hypatia, Giordano Bruno, Thomas More, and Jan Patocka have in common? First, they were all faced one day with the most difficult of choices: stay faithful to your ideas and die or renounce them and stay alive. Second, they all chose to die. Their spectacular deaths have become not only an integral part of their biographies, but they are also inseparable from their work. A death for ideas is a piece of philosophical work in its own right; Socrates may have never written a line, but his death is one of the greatest philosophical best-sellers of all time. Dying for Ideas explores the limit-situation in which philosophers find themselves when the only means of persuasion they can use is their own dying bodies and the public spectacle of their death. Silenced by brute force, they cannot argue anymore and have to turn philosophy into bodily performance. The phenomenology of this unique situation is as fascinating as it has been neglected.In the manner of a dramatic narrative, the book tells the story of the philosopher's encounter with death as seen from several angles: the tradition of philosophy as a way of life; the body as the locus of fundamental human experiences; death of a classical philosophical topic; fear of death as a torturer of philosophical minds; finally, the philosophers' scapegoating and their live performance of a martyr's death, followed by apotheosis and disappearance into myth. While rooted in the history of philosophy, Dying for Ideas is an exercise in challenging and breaking disciplinary boundaries. This is a book about Socrates and Heidegger, but also about Gandhi's fasting unto death and self-immolation as political protest; about Girard and Passolini, and still about self-fashioning and the art of the essay; Boethius and Montaigne are discussed, and so are Bergman's Seventh Seal and Tolstoy's Death of Ivan Ilyich