This book introduces the non-specialist reader to the principal ideas, nature and purpose of social network analysis. Social networks operate on many levels, from families up to the level of nations, and play a critical role in determining the way problems are solved, organizations are run, and the degree to which individuals achieve their goals. Social network theory maps these relationships between individual actors. Though relatively new on the scene it has become hugely influential across the social sciences.Assuming no prior knowledge of quantitative sociology, this book presents the key ideas in context through examples and illustrations. Using a structured approach to understanding work in this area, John Scott signposts further reading and online sources so readers can develop their knowledge and skills to become practitioners of this research method. A series of Frequently Asked Questions takes the reader through the main objections raised against social network analysis and answers the various queries that will come up once the reader has worked their way through the book.

This title explores the implications of our animal origins and posthuman futures for our understanding of our humanity and our relations with other species. "Beyond Human" investigates what it means to call ourselves human beings in relation to both our distant past and our possible futures as a species, and the questions this might raise for our relationship with the myriad species with which we share the planet. Drawing on insights from zoology, theology, cultural studies and aesthetics, an international line-up of contributors explore such topics as our origins as reflected in early cave art in the upper Palaeolithic through to our prospects at the forefront of contemporary biotechnology. In the process, the book positions 'the human' in readiness for what many have characterized as our transhuman or posthuman future. For if our status as rational animals or 'animals that think' has traditionally distinguished us as apparently superior to other species, this distinction has become increasingly problematic. It has come to be seen as based on skills and technologies that do not distinguish us so much as position us as transitional animals. It is the direction and consequences of this transition that is the central concern of "Beyond Human".

For his 2007 critically acclaimed 33 1/3 series title, "Let's Talk About Love," Carl Wilson went on a quest to find his inner Celine Dion fan and explore how we define ourselves by what we call good and bad, what we love and what we hate. At once among the most widely beloved and most reviled and lampooned pop stars of the past few decades, Celine Dion's critics call her mawkish and overblown while millions of fans around the world adore her "huge pipes" and even bigger feelings. How can anyone say which side is right? This new, expanded edition goes even further, calling on thirteen prominent writers and musicians to respond to themes ranging from sentiment and kitsch to cultural capital and musical snobbery. The original text is followed by lively arguments and stories from Nick Hornby, Krist Novoselic, Ann Powers, Mary Gaitskill, James Franco, Sheila Heti and others. In a new afterword, Carl Wilson examines recent cultural changes in love and hate, including the impact of technology and social media on how taste works (or doesn't) in the 21st century.

Also available as an audio book
Doomed to - or blessed with - eternal life after drinking from a magic spring, the Tuck family wanders about trying to live as inconspicuously and comfortably as they can.  When ten year old Winnie Foster stumbles on their secret, the Tucks kidnap her and explain why living forever at one age is less than a blessing that it might seem.

'Someone ought to start spreading the word that Natalie Babbitt is not only a children's writer ... the style is so fine and subtle that grownups too will take real pleasure. Tuck Everlasting is one of the best books ever written - for any age.' Anne Tyler, New York Times

Kolbrener welcomes us into a world where creativity, pleasure and embracing difference are shown to be the foundation for an authentic and committed religious life. In essays as likely to turn to baseball, Denzel Washington, and the NASDAQ as to "Macbeth", quantum physics and psychoanalysis, William Kolbrener provides powerful - and often surprising - insights into how open mindedness allows for authentic Jewish commitment in an age otherwise defined by fundamentalism and unbelief. "Open Minded Torah" presents - on topics ranging from parenting a son with Down syndrome to Biblical criticism to Talmudic interpretation of dreams - a perspective on Torah which emphasizes scepticism, creativity and the need to embrace difference. Through a personal synthesis of Western and Jewish learning, popular culture and philosophy, Kolbrener offers a compelling new vision where being open minded allows for a non-dogmatic and committed Jewish life. Informed by Kolbrener's considerable erudition, but always accessible, the essays show that scepticism informs belief, commitment grounds creativity, and non-defensive receptiveness makes individual autonomy possible. For every person, it is said, there is a corresponding letter in the Torah: this innovative collection shows Kolbrener writing his letter, and providing the inspiration for others to write their own.

By viewing Islamic fundamentalism as a reactive response to modern challenges and political structures, this book presents a striking analysis of how and why Islamic values have become such a potent contemporary political force, and sheds new light on a much-misunderstood situation. This revised edition offers a rigorous definition of the modern Islamist movement by linking its connotations to the historical background of Muslim traditions. It includes an entirely new section dealing with post-1997 aspects; a section on al-Qaeda and the aftermath of 9/11, as well as a discussion of the global reach of Islamism. This comprehensive volume also explores the advent of a new wave of Islamism and its manifestations in Western countries. "Islamic Fundamentalism" concludes with an overall evaluation of the future prospects of Islamism and alternative Western policies ranging from direct confrontation to political dialogue.

This study of the early church is written from a new religious and theological studies perspective. It builds on recent research in ancient history, archaeology, classical and oriental and cognate studies and also takes account of recent developments in reception studies, in particular in the area of popular literature, fiction, film, art and new religions. One of its aims is to demonstrate how certain perceptions of the early church still dominate the western cultural discourse and how important it is for a fruitful development of that discourse to inform it with a well grounded, well (historically) informed, notion of 'the early church'. The book falls into seven chapters. Chapter I discusses the concepts of 'the early church', 'early Christianity', its wording and history, including wider aspects of reception. Chapter II deals with concepts of history, memory and cultural origins in early Christian thought. Chapter III outlines varieties of religious traditions in the wider context of 'the early church', including 'heresies' or other religions like Gnosticism, Montanism and Manichaeism. Chapter IV introduces religious practices of early Christians and their perception in history, especially in western art. A fifth chapter deals with the emerging separation of religion and society in Late Antiquity. In a sixth chapter we outline the formation of orthodoxy, including the developments of creeds and the phenomenon of councils, and in a seventh chapter we will look at the phenomenon of 'De-Hellenization' and the formation of 'national' 'christianities' on the fringes of the old Mediterranean world.

Nanotechnology is revolutionising modern science, yet the public has little understanding of its ethical implications - this book explores the philosophy behind this hugely topical contemporary debate. Nanotechnology manipulates matter at the atomic level. It leads to innovative processes and products that are revolutionizing many areas of modern life. Huge amounts of public funds are being invested in the science, yet the public has little understanding of the technology or its ethical implications. Indeed, the ethical, social and political dimensions of nanotechnology are only beginning to receive the attention they require - outside of science fiction contexts. Surveillance devices may become so small that they are practically invisible to the naked eye, raising concerns about privacy. Nanomedicine may lead to the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic devices, yet anxieties have been raised about the impact of 'nanobots' circulating in our bodies. Military applications, or misuses, of nanotechnology raise other concerns. This book explores in an accessible and informative way how nanotechnology is likely to impact the lives of ordinary people in the coming years and why ethical reflection on nanotechnology is needed now. Articulate, provocative and stimulating, this timely book will make a significant contribution to one of the most important debates of our time. "Think Now" is a new series of books which examines central contemporary social and political issues from a philosophical perspective. These books aim to be accessible, rather than overly technical, bringing philosophical rigour to modern questions which matter the most to us. Provocative yet engaging, the authors take a stand on political and cultural themes of interest to any intelligent reader.

This book provides a new introduction to Hobbes, guiding the student through the key concepts of his work by examining the overall development of his ideas.Thomas Hobbes was one of the most important and influential philosophers of the seventeenth century. Covering all the key concepts of his work, "Starting with Hobbes" provides an accessible introduction to the ideas of this hugely significant thinker. Thematically structured, this book leads the reader through the full range of Hobbes' ideas and, uniquely, not just his political philosophy. In his day, he was internationally as famous for his theories about knowledge, language, the material nature of reality, mathematics, psychology, and religion, as he was for his politics; and these aspects of his work are fully covered. The book places Hobbes firmly in his historical context, with discussions of his relations to contemporary thinkers such as Galileo and Descartes and of his influence on later thinkers such as Spinoza and Leibniz. This is the ideal introduction for anyone coming to the work of one of the greatest of English philosophers for the first time."Continuum's Starting with"...series offers clear, concise and accessible introductions to the key thinkers in philosophy. The books explore and illuminate the roots of each philosopher's work and ideas, leading readers to a thorough understanding of the key influences and philosophical foundations from which his or her thought developed. Ideal for first-year students starting out in philosophy, the series will serve as the ideal companion to study of this fascinating subject.

This book seeks to identify the recurrent tensions, the blatant points of emphasis, the recurring indications of conflict and polemic. Framing the issue of the disposition of the Scriptural heritage in broad terms, the authors all stress as a single point of insistence, the answer is self-evident. Nearly every Christianity and nearly all known Judaisms appeal for validation to the Scriptures of ancient Israel, their laws and narratives, their prophecies and visions.The authors seek to identify the recurrent tensions, the blatant points of emphasis, the recurring indications of conflict and polemic. Framing the issue of the disposition of the Scriptural heritage in broad terms, they describe what characterizes the Gospels and the Mishnah, the letters of Paul and the Tosefta. In other words, if they take whole and complete the writings of first and second century people claiming to form the contemporary embodiment of Scripture's Israel and ask what they all stress as a single point of insistence, the answer is self-evident.Nearly every Christianity and nearly all known Judaisms appeal for validation to the Scriptures of ancient Israel, their laws and narratives, their prophecies and visions. To Scripture all parties appeal - but not to the same verses of Scripture. In Scripture, all participants to the common Israelite culture propose to find validation - but not to a common theological program subject to diverse interpretation. From Scripture, every community of Judaism and Christianity takes away what it will, but not with the assent of all the others.

An Actor Prepares is the most famous acting training book ever to have been written and the work of Stanislavski has inspired generations of actors and trainers. This translation was the first to introduce Stanislavski's 'system' to the English speaking world and has stood the test of time in acting classes to this day. Stanislavski here deals with the inward preparation an actor must undergo in order to explore a role to the full. He introduces the concepts of the 'magic if' units and objectives, of emotion memory, of the super-objective and many more now famous rehearsal aids. Now available in the Bloomsbury Revelations series to mark the 150th anniversary of Stanislavski's birth, this is an essential read for actors, directors and anyone interested in the art of drama.

This title is a concise and accessible introduction to this key theorist.Alain Badiou is undoubtedly the most exciting and influential voice in contemporary French philosophy and one of the most important theorists at work today. His impact on continental philosophy and the wider philosophy community, politics and the arts in the last twenty years has been immense."Alain Badiou: Live Theory" offers a concise and accessible introduction to his work and thought, laying out the central themes of his major works, including his magnum opus, "Being and Event", and its long-awaited sequel, "Logics of Worlds". Oliver Feltham explores the fundamental questions through which Badiou's philosophy constantly evolves, identifies the key turning points in his ideas, and makes a clear case for the coherence and powerful singularity of his thought when employed in the analysis of political and artistic situations. Feltham examines the thinkers and theorists with whom Badiou has engaged and who have engaged with him, arguing that Badiou's work is exciting precisely because it opens up new genealogies and new polemics in the intellectual landscape. The book includes a brand new interview with Badiou, in which he discusses his current concerns and future plans.This is the ideal companion to study for students and readers encountering this fascinating thinker for the first time.

This book provides an exciting and stimulating introduction to some of the central questions in philosophy.Why should we be good? How do we know what is true? What is it all about? "The Good, the True and the Beautiful" asks crucial questions about who we are and what makes life worthwhile. Michael Boylan offers an accessible and stimulating introduction to philosophy, exploring issues to do with ethics, knowledge and aesthetics and how they relate to our everyday lives. He proposes a highly original understanding of the good, the true and the beautiful that seeks to answer many of the questions that have traditionally occupied philosophers. Using thought experiments to engage the reader in 'doing' philosophy, Boylan explores what it means to be good, true and beautiful in today's world. Get your ticket now for a fascinating journey of self-discovery.

How can large protest crowds be better and more respectfully managed by police? This topical book applies the principles of community-based conflict resolution to the policing of large crowds, suggesting a completely new approach that moves away from the discourse of rabble-rousing mobs towards negotiated management, and a paradigm of mutual respect for protesters as principled dissenters and for police as non-repressive agents of public order. Both are needed, the authors argue, in order for democracy to flourish. The book opens with a foreword from Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Vern Neufeld Redekop is Associate Professor of Conflict Studies at Saint Paul University, Canada. He is the former President of the Canadian Institute for Conflict Resolution.

Shirley Pare is Senior Trainer at the Canadian Institute for Conflict Resolution and a Retired Officer of the Canadian Armed Forces.

How can large protest crowds be better and more respectfully managed by police? This topical book applies the principles of community-based conflict resolution to the policing of large crowds, suggesting a completely new approach that moves away from the discourse of rabble-rousing mobs towards negotiated management, and a paradigm of mutual respect for protesters as principled dissenters and for police as non-repressive agents of public order. Both are needed, the authors argue, in order for democracy to flourish. The book opens with a foreword from Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

How can large protest crowds be better and more respectfully managed by police? This topical book applies the principles of community-based conflict resolution to the policing of large crowds, suggesting a completely new approach that moves away from the discourse of rabble-rousing mobs towards negotiated management, and a paradigm of mutual respect for protesters as principled dissenters and for police as non-repressive agents of public order. Both are needed, the authors argue, in order for democracy to flourish. The book opens with a foreword from Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

This study argues that the book of Hosea ought to be understood and read as a text that was composed in Persian-period Yehud rather than in eight-century Israel. The author challenges the traditional scholarship and emphasizes that there is the evidence to suggest that the book should be viewed as a Judahite text - a book that was composed in the late sixth or early fifth century B.C.E. Bos provides an overview of the state of prophetic research, as well as a discussion of genre and the generation of prophetic books, linguistic dating and provenance; and a survey of Hosea research. Bos discusses various aspects of the book of Hosea that aim to prove his argument the book was composed in Persian-period Yehud - the anti-monarchical ideology of the book, the dual theme of 'Exile' and 'Return' which is consistent with the discourse found in other Judahite books dating to the sixth century; and the historiographical traditions.

International Communication examines the profound changes that have taken place, and are continuing to take place at an astonishing speed, in international media and communication since the beginning of the new millennium.
Building on the success of the first edition, the second edition maps out the expansion of media and telecommunications corporations within the macro-economic context of liberalization, deregulation, and privatization. It then goes on to explore the impact of such growth on audiences in different cultural contexts and from regional, national, and international perspectives. Each chapter contains engaging case studies on topics that exemplify the main concepts and arguments, including Al-Jazeera, the global reach of Bollywood, and the globalization of "reality television." International Communication, Second Edition, is essential reading for all communication and media studies
Features
* The only single-authored volume that deals coherently with the complex global, political, economic, and technological contexts in which media and culture operate.
* Fully updated to include developments since the beginning of the new millennium.
* New case studies throughout, including the "Murdochization" of media, the Al-Jazeera phenomenon, mobile communication, and China and global media.
* New pedagogical features, including discussion questions, suggestions for further reading, and notes on key terms.

Education in Southern Africa is a comprehensive critical reference guide to education in Botswana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. With chapters written by leading regional education experts, the book explores the education systems of each country and critically examines the development of education provision as well as local and global contexts. Including a comparative introduction to the issues facing education in the region as a whole and guides to available online datasets, this it is an essential reference for students, researchers, international agencies and policy-makers at all levels.

Film: the Key Concepts presents a coherent, clear and exciting overview of film theory for beginning readers. The book takes the reader through the often conflicting analyses which make up film theory, illustrating arguments with examples from mainstream and independent films. It isolates 6 key concepts in film theory - the photogenic in film, dialectic film montage, film constructs, imaginary signifiers, voyeuristic pleasures and simulacra - each with its own, short essay. Through these concepts it covers the main sites in film theory: realism, formalism, structuralism, semiotics, Marxism, psychoanalysis, feminism, cognitivism, post-colonialism, postmodernism, gender and queer film theories. Each chapter stands on its own, tracing the historical evolution of each concept to the present. The book as a whole provides a complete overview of the evolution of film theory. In order to help introductory students, each chapter includes boxed summaries of key theorists, bulleted summaries and an Annotated Guide to Further Reading.

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.

Guy Standing's immensely influential 2011 book introduced the Precariat as an emerging mass class, characterized by inequality and insecurity. Standing outlined the increasingly global nature of the Precariat as a social phenomenon, especially in the light of the social unrest characterized by the Occupy movements. He outlined the political risks they might pose, and at what might be done to diminish inequality and allow such workers to find a more stable labour identity.His concept and his conclusions have been widely taken up by thinkers from Noam Chomsky to Zygmunt Bauman, by political activists and by policy-makers. This new book takes the debate a stage further-looking in more detail at the kind of progressive politics that might form the vision of a Good Society in which such inequality, and the instability it produces is reduced. "A Precariat Charter "discusses how rights - political, civil, social and economic - have been denied to the Precariat, and at the importance of redefining our social contract around notions of associational freedom, agency and the commons. The ecological imperative is also discussed - something that was only hinted at in Standing's original book but has been widely discussed in relation to the Precariat by theorists and activists alike.

Machiavelli's influence on modern politics and the importance of his thought for the development of modern political ideas has long been universally acknowledged. The Prince has become a key text in Philosophy and Political Theory, one that is widely read and studied. Machiavelli's most important work is a hugely exciting, yet challenging, piece of philosophical writing. In "Machiavelli's 'The Prince': A Reader's Guide," Miguel Vatter offers a clear and thorough account of this key philosophical work. Setting Machiavelli's text in its historical and philosophical context, the book offers a detailed review of the key themes (epistemological, social, ethical and theological-political) and a lucid commentary that will enable readers to rapidly navigate the text. Geared towards the specific requirements of students who need to reach a sound understanding of the text as a whole, the guide explores the complex and important ideas inherent in the text and provides a cogent survey of the reception and influence of Machiavelli's work. This is the ideal companion to study this most influential of texts.

An introduction to and overview of the Christology of the Synoptic Gospels. It shows how the Synoptists reread Israel's hopes in the light of the Jesus story.

One of Tolstoy's last published works of fiction, The Devil revolves around the young landowner Yevgeny's irrepressible lust for Stepanida, a sensual peasant woman. Even when he gets married to a respectable upper-class lady, he finds himself unable to put an end to his encounters with Stepanida, and becomes increasingly consumed by guilt and helplessness in the face of his urges. In some ways comparable to the controversial Kreutzer Sonata, The Devil shows Tolstoy at his most salacious, and addresses the conflicts between desire, social norms and personal conscience. Also included in this volume is Family Happiness, one of Tolstoy's earliest works, an entertaining and cynical account of marriage from the perspective of a disillusioned wife, and A Landowner's Morning.

This title presents an upper-level introduction to the thought and theology of Pope Benedict XVI. This Guide provides students of theology with a guide around the theoretical axes upon which the theology of Joseph Ratzinger revolves. It begins with a presentation of the key ideas in the works of his intellectual antecedents and contemporary interlocutors and then moves to an account of Ratzinger's responses to a number of theological crises. The work then moves to an account of Ratzinger's understanding of Christianity as an encounter with the Person of Christ and his placement of Christianity within the context of world religions in general. This theme is spread throughout his publications and recurs in the first encyclical of his papacy, Deus Caritas Est. This first encyclical will be treated in depth along with the second and third encyclicals which form a trilogy on the theological virtues (love, hope and faith). The work concludes with an assessment of the primacy of the transcendental of beauty in the theology of Ratzinger, his affinity with Hans Urs von Balthasar and the Augustinian motif of the relationship between love and reason. "Continuum's Guides for the Perplexed" are clear, concise and accessible introductions to thinkers, writers and subjects that students and readers can find especially challenging - or indeed downright bewildering. Concentrating specifically on what it is that makes the subject difficult to grasp, these books explain and explore key themes and ideas, guiding the reader towards a thorough understanding of demanding material.

This is the only book linked to a practical surveying course. Highly practical in nature, and packed with detailed close-up photography, step by step procedures, and helpful checklists, this definitive handbook will prove a godsend to small craft owners who want to check out defects on their own boats or on boats they are planning to buy, as well as practicing surveyors and surveying students.

Featuring surveying bodies, equipment required, assessing defects (including moisture-related defects, and the use of moisture meters) and their severity, the book guides the reader through conducting a thorough inspection, from keel to topsides, coachroof, stern gear, rigging and much more.

The highly practical approach of this book will be invaluable to students of surveying, qualified surveyors and yacht and boat owners everywhere.