People magazine's top reason for Hope in America. Curated from a grassroots social movement, The Front Steps Project is an inspiring, uplifting portrait series capturing how people coped with living in isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Front Steps Project™ demonstrates that even in the most challenging of circumstances, kindness, love, courage, and hope exist to build, bind, and connect communities around the globe. Created on March 18, 2020, The Front Steps Project™ began when friends Kristen Collins and Cara Soulia sought out to unite their neighbors through photographs of life in quarantine. In addition to incorporating work from other local photographers, the women traveled to neighborhoods around Needham, Massachusetts to photograph residents in front of their homes in exchange for donations to their local food pantry. Within days, #TheFrontStepsProject became a grassroots social mission, connecting thousands of people across the globe and raising over $3,250,000 for vital non-profit organizations and local businesses including food pantries, frontline workers, homeless and animal shelters, hospitals and so much more. Through their noble efforts, hundreds of thousands of images and stories of love, sacrifice, compassion, kindness, perseverance, and – ultimately hope – flooded social media. Featured on Good Morning America, The Today Show, People Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe and more, The Front Steps Project brings communities together virtually, despite being – and maybe feeling – isolated. The Front Steps Project contains over 400 photographs and dozens of stories of families during the COVID-19 pandemic. This heartwarming keepsake commemorates a massive effort of courage, unity, and goodwill. As a tribute to the good work of The Front Steps Project, a portion of book sales will be donated to The United Way to help people impacted by the pandemic.

Government policies to reduce environmental pollution and global warming are often criticized as damaging to the economy, particularly by reducing international competitiveness. This book addresses the issue by examining many of the policies concerned, and their effects on competitiveness. It demonstrates that well-designed, market-oriented environmental policies may be expected to improve both domestic and international competitiveness. The authors dismiss the fear that environmental policies will damage competitiveness by approaching the issue from four different perspectives: the economic analysis of competitiveness; a geo-economic approach to trade and foreign investment between Europe, NAFTA and Southeast Asia; studies of the effects of environmental policies on competitiveness; and the formal modelling of carbon taxation, international competitiveness and carbon leakage. The book also includes results from a global econometric model on the potential for carbon leakage, a detailed case study of German national policies, an examination of life cycle analysis and competitiveness, and an empirical study of green product development. This book will be of great interest to academics working in the field of environmental economics and researchers involved in environmental policy.

A commitment to acceptable levels of accommodation for all has meant that housing has normally enjoyed a high place on the agendas of most socialist countries. However this place has not always been undisputed, and housing has to compete with other welfare and economic requirements. As a result the housing policies in the Eastern bloc have not been uniform. This book examines issues related to housing in Eastern Europe. It describes the broad similarities and differences between Eastern and Western Europe, outlines trends in housing conditions since World War II, and discusses the relevance of factors external to housing. The system of housing provision is seen to be contingent on various economic and social factors, and so the current changes in so many aspects of the Eastern European political scene are seen to be of vital significance for the future of housing.

This volume provides an in-depth, qualitative exploration of familial entrepreneurship as an innovative employment model, being established by families in response to difficulties faced by individuals with developmental disabilities in entering the labor market. Drawing on rich qualitative data collected via research with families, this volume explores how and why familial entrepreneurs in the United States have chosen to develop businesses to employ their loved ones. Chapters offer close analysis of the challenges and opportunities associated with familial entrepreneurship and highlight the ways in which this practice supports people with developmental disabilities by providing opportunities for skill development, social interaction, and participation in meaningful activity. Recognizing familial entrepreneurship as a new and distinct hybrid employment model, the text goes on to consider how curricula, policy, and state services might better support families and underpin this form of inclusive work. The volume provides important conclusions that contribute to the fields of Disability Studies, Entrepreneurship, Inclusive Education, Adult Education, Exceptional Student Education, Transition, and Vocational Rehabilitation. It is a key reading for scholars in these fields and across Education more widely.

By now, it is commonly accepted that investments in information and communication technologies (ICTs) can facilitate macroeconomic growth in developed countries. Research standards in ICT for development (ICT4D) are high, and it is a basic expectation that a theoretically sound conceptual investigation should yield actionable results. An additional expectation is that an on-the-ground study conducted in each setting should add to the common body of knowledge based on theory. In other words, one is expected to make a connection between the world of concepts and the world of reality. Middle-range theories and frameworks could help connect the case studies with grand theories, by helping to create a theoretically sound and practically applicable research architecture of ICT4D. This book demonstrates how creative use of various data analysis methods (e.g., data mining [DM], data envelopment analysis [DEA], and structural equation modeling [SEM]) and conceptual frameworks (e.g., neoclassical growth accounting, chaos and complexity theories) may be utilized for inductive and deductive purposes to develop and to test, in step-by-step fashion, theoretically sound frameworks for a large subset of ICT4D research questions. Specifically, this book showcases the utilization of DM, DEA, and SEM for the following purposes: Identification of the relevant context-specific constructs (inductive application) Identification of the relationships between the constructs (inductive application) Development of a framework incorporating the constructs and relationships discovered (inductive application) Testing of the constructed framework (deductive application) The book takes a multi-theoretical perspective to economic development research. It starts with an overview of ICT4D. Next it covers such frameworks and theories as neoclassical growth accounting and the theory of complementarity, complex systems and chaos theories, and the product life cycle (PLC) theory. There are also nontechnical overviews of the DM and data analytic methods that can be used in this research. Also presented is evidence that human capital and investment capital are complementary and are reliable sources of economic growth. The book concludes with methodological frameworks to guide investment decisions and the formulation of strategic policy.

This book presents the findings of new empirical research regarding shifts in public discourses and attitudes in Greek society as a result of the crisis. These findings have shown different shades of Euroscepticism and anti-German sentiments, but they have also revealed a normative conflict within Greek society itself. The book shows how economic crises and strict policy conditionality, causing or deepening economic recession in the countries receiving it, has the potential to set in motion a fragmentation process, which transcends standard material stratification and relates to broader political and even cultural rifts among the population. With this, the book serves as a case study of the impact of wider pressures and shifts weighing upon the European Union (EU) and the way European societies perceive the integration process. This text will be of key interest to scholars and students of EU politics, Greek and Southern European studies and more broadly to cultural and comparative politics and political economy and European politics.

Health care reform has dominated public discourse over the past several years, and the recent passage of the Affordable Care Act, rather than quell the rhetoric, has sparked even more debate. Donald A. Barr reviews the current structure of the American health care system, describing the historical and political contexts in which it developed and the core policy issues that continue to confront us today.

This comprehensive analysis introduces the various organizations and institutions that make the U.S. health care system work--or fail to work, as the case may be. A principal message of the book is the seeming paradox of the quality of health care in this country--on the one hand it is the best medical care system in the world, on the other it is one of the worst among developed countries because of how it is organized.

Barr introduces readers to broad cultural issues surrounding health care policy, such as access, affordability, and quality. He discusses specific elements of U.S. health care, including insurance, especially Medicare and Medicaid, the shift to for-profit managed care, the pharmaceutical industry, issues of long-term care, the plight of the uninsured, medical errors, and nursing shortages. The latest edition of this widely adopted text updates the description and discussion of key sectors of America's health care system in light of the Affordable Care Act.

Originally published in 1987, this book provides a comprehensive history of housing policy in Britain from the beginning of the twentieth century to the end of the 1970s. For every period the author gives a detailed account of the housing situation in which policies operated, the policies pursued and their rationale. Owner-occupation and privately rented housing are fully discussed. Particular emphasis is placed on the financial and economic aspects of housing policy, including the impact on it of the economic situation. Issues such as population growth and the increase in the number of households are also examined.

This book, first published in 1946, collects documents illustrating the foreign policy of the Soviet Union during the Second World War. They show how the fighting alliance of the USSR, Britain and the USA came into being and grew stronger, how relations were restored with other anti-Nazi countries, and how diplomatic relations were extended between the USSR and hitherto un-connected countries. The collection of three parts of translated documents: statements and speeches made by Stalin; documents, treaties, agreements; appendices including press statements and telegrams.

Reveals the ideal of a sustainable ecosocialist world in Marx's writings Karl Marx, author of what is perhaps the world's most resounding and significant critique of bourgeois political economy, has frequently been described as a "Promethean." According to critics, Marx held an inherent belief in the necessity of humans to dominate the natural world, in order to end material want and create a new world of fulfillment and abundance--a world where nature is mastered, not by anarchic capitalism, but by a planned socialist economy. Understandably, this perspective has come under sharp attack, not only from mainstream environmentalists but also from ecosocialists, many of whom reject Marx outright. Kohei Saito's Karl Marx's Ecosocialism lays waste to accusations of Marx's ecological shortcomings. Delving into Karl Marx's central works, as well as his natural scientific notebooks--published only recently and still being translated--Saito also builds on the works of scholars such as John Bellamy Foster and Paul Burkett, to argue that Karl Marx actually saw the environmental crisis embedded in capitalism. "It is not possible to comprehend the full scope of [Marx's] critique of political economy," Saito writes, "if one ignores its ecological dimension." Saito's book is crucial today, as we face unprecedented ecological catastrophes--crises that cannot be adequately addressed without a sound theoretical framework. Karl Marx's Ecosocialism shows us that Marx has given us more than we once thought, that we can now come closer to finishing Marx's critique, and to building a sustainable ecosocialist world.

The Politics of Energy Research and Development examines and evaluates U.S. research and development policies to promote nuclear, solar, conservation, and other technology options. This volume is the third in the series "Energy Policy Studies, "which explores fundamental, long-term social, political, and economic dimensions of energy technology, resources, and use. Contributions represent a wide range of theoretical and policy perspectives, including sociology, economics, political science, urban and regional studies, environmental analysis, and history and philosophy of technology.

Contents: Richard L. Ottinger, "Introduction: The Tragedy of U.S. Energy R&D Policy"; Amor DEGREES B. Lovins, "The Origins of the Nuclear Power Fiasco"; Richard T. Sylves, "Nuclear Exotica: Peaceful Use of Nuclear Explosives"; Eugene Frankel, "Technology, Politics and Ideology: The Vicissitudes of Federal Solar Energy Policy, 1974-1983"; Maxine Savitz, "The Federal Role in Conservation Research and Development"; J. David Roessner, "Commercialization Issues in Energy Technology Policy"; John Byrne and Daniel Rich, "In Search of the Abundant Energy Machine"; and Grant P. Thompson, "Energy Policy in the Interim: Waiting for the Next Shoe to Drop."

First Published in 1984. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

First published in 1984. In the last two decades, countries throughout the Western world have witnessed dramatic changes in social attitudes concerning sex roles. The aim of this book is to review the evidence concerning: a) the factors that limit or constrain male involvement in child care; b) the ways in which some of these factors are being or might be changed; and c) the effects of traditional and increased paternal involvement on men, women, and children.

In the year that marks the 50th anniversary of Labour's 1945 landslide victory and the development of a new invigorated Labour Party under Tony Blair, this collection of essays looks at how the policies of the 1945 government and the following Labour administrations affected cultural life in Britain. The contributors cover a wide range of issues: British cinema of the period, working-class consumer culture, the founding of the NHS, Labour's attempts to house and educate the heroes, literary and artistic culture, post-war feminist activism and the response of the right to their crushing defeat.

Die 2. Auflage von Introduction to Sustainability beschaftigt sich mit den wichtigen Themen aus dem Bereich Nachhaltigkeit und eignet sich sowohl fur interdisziplinare Einfuhrungsveranstaltungen als auch fur Kurse der Fachrichtungen Geographie, Geologie, Soziologie, Planungswesen, Politikwissenschaften und Anthropologie. Dieses Buch gibt unschatzbare Einblicke in die vielen Facetten des sich standig entwickelnden Fachgebiets, ermoeglicht neue Sichtweisen und motiviert Studenten, sich aktiv in den Entwicklungsprozess einzubringen und so langfristig die Nachhaltigkeit unseres Planeten zu sichern. Neue Inhalte der vollstandig uberarbeiteten und aktualisierten 2. Auflage befassen sich mit den jungsten Entwicklungen im Bereich Nachhaltigkeit: oekologische Nachhaltigkeit in Bezug auf Wasser, Lebensmittel und Energie, soziale Nachhaltigkeit mit Themen wie Umweltgerechtigkeit und Transport, oekonomische Nachhaltigkeit wie Grune Unternehmen und wirtschaftliche Entwicklung. Das Schlusskapitel beleuchtet Nachhaltigkeitsfragen an Hochschulen und Universitaten. Brinkmann greift auf viele faszinierende Fallstudien zuruck und ermutigt die Studenten auch mit informativen Textkasten, sich intensiver mit dem Thema auseinanderzusetzen. Dieses Buch vermittelt das komplexe Fachgebiet nicht nur verstandlich, sondern appelliert an die Studenten, ihren Beitrag fur eine bessere Welt leisten.

On March 8th 2004, Steve Moxon was suspended from his job as a Home Office immigration caseworker having blown the whistle on widespread abuse of the government's policy of 'Managed Migration'. His revelations in the "Sunday Times" led to the resignation of immigration minister Beverley Hughes. On July 26th, the author was dismissed for the crime of 'embarrassing ministers'. In this book, Moxon outlines the events that led to the decision that he could no longer participate in a policy that appeared to be at odds with the intentions of Parliament. The book includes an analysis of the relevant scholarly literature in demography, economics and psychology.

Challenges to the Welfare State examines and assesses cultural, economic and political problems facing welfare states in Europe and North America and provides policy suggestions to alleviate these problems. An important group of authors identifies the relative merits of welfare state systems in the United States and Europe. They consider the transition of the welfare state in former Communist countries to more market oriented systems and the status of the European welfare state in the context of deepening European integration. More specifically, these experts address the question of whether further integration in Europe will result in an environment where all citizens are guaranteed only certain basic social rights and are encouraged to take private financial responsibility for health care, pension provision and insurance. The nature of social insurance institutions, the problems of ageing populations and the backlash against increasing taxation are also considered. The authors conclude that the reduction of existing government debt in the context of the move towards European Monetary Union will require either considerable increases in taxation or a significant reduction in entitlements. This book will be required reading for scholars and students of economics, social and public politics, politics and public administration.

The complexity of a multi-layered system of government yields a wealth of issues concerning environmental policy making. This important book presents new original work on the problems that arise from the existence of more than one level of government, and discusses the responsibility of federal, state and local government policy making.This theme of government responsibilty for environmental regulation is expanded to consider the coordination of environmental policy across different levels of government. This is directly related to the question of which level of government should bear the costs of implementing environmental policy, if agreement can be reached between various levels of government. Furthermore the contributors discuss whether the policy targets for environmental quality should be uniform or regionally differentiated. They conclude that there is a role for both a federal government and for regional coordination in the design and application of environmental policies. Moreover, that economic integration through a federal system can result in better and more efficient environmental regulation. The Economic Theory of Environmental Policy in a Federal System will be an invaluable resource for academics, policymakers and government officials.

This book considers Sweden's pandemic management which differed so significantly from much of the rest of the world: it provoked intense and wide-reaching interest, curiosity and criticism. Trans-disciplinary Swedish authors from the humanities, life sciences, social sciences, and cultural studies use a variety of tools to mine deeper into some of the central elements and dimensions in their country's pandemic management such as understandings of freedom, the execution of power, denialism, exceptionalism, patriotism, the role of expertise and trust in the national state to give a deeper understanding of Sweden's decisions, failures, successes, and the lessons to be learned. Aimed at readers with interest in global health and politics it will also be of interest in disciplines such as virology,epidemiology, history, cultural studies, ethics, media studies, medicine and economics. The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license.

Economic Policy for the Environment and Natural Resources presents some of the most important recent work on the theory and application of environmental policy at both the national and international level. At the national level it focuses on instruments for pollution control. At the international level it discusses measures to promote international cooperation for the protection of the environment. This book covers a wide range of major issues including the legal aspects of environmental protection, environmental policy under oligopolistic conditions, voluntary agreements as a policy instrument, participation in international coalitions and environmental policy in dynamic trade models. In discussing the applications of environmental policy, it includes issues such as the profitability of emission saving techniques, water management and acid rain models. This book will be essential reading for both policymakers and professional economists who are concerned with environmental policy.