"Countries that at different times in history were among the world's greatest powers, such as Sweden, the Netherlands, France, Britain, and Germany, have gradually shifted their sights either in the wake of defeat or after protracted periods of grappling with decline, from winning the great power sweepstakes to topping the lists of nations offering the best quality of life." David Rothkopf "One critical measure of the health of a modern democracy is it ability to legitimately extract taxes from its own elites. The most dysfunctional societies in the developing world are those whose elites succeed either in legally exempting themselves from taxation or in taking advantage of lax enforcement to evade them." Francis Fukuyama "Today, the United States has less equality of opportunity than almost any other advanced industrial country. Study after study has exposed the myth that America is a land of opportunity." Joseph E. Stiglitz "Tea Party constitutionalism and conservative originalism more generally are less interested in the Constitution's actual words (or the 'real' intentions of the Founders) than they are in rolling back democratic advances that have been made since 1787." E. J. Dionne

This book offers a comprehensive examination of the generations of women who entered religious life in the United States after 1965. It provides up-to-date demographics for women's religious institutes; a summary of canon law locating religious life within the various forms of life in the Church; an analysis of Church documents on religious life; and data on the views of post-Vatican II entrants regarding ministry, identity, prayer, spirituality, the vows, and community. Beginning each chapter with an engaging narrative, the authors explore how different generations of Catholic women first became attracted to vowed religious life and what kinds of religious institutes they were seeking. By analyzing the results of extensive national surveys, the authors systematically examine how the new generations of Sisters differ from previous ones, and what those changes suggest about the future. The book concludes with recommendations for further understanding of generations within religious life and within the Church and society. Because of its breadth and depth, this book will be regarded by scholars, the media, and practitioners as an essential resource for the sociological study of religious life for women in the United States.

This open access book argues that contrary to dominant approaches that view nationalism as unaffected by globalization or globalization undermining the nation-state, the contemporary world is actually marked by globalization of the nation form. Based on fieldwork in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East and drawing, among others, on Peter van der Veer's comparative work on religion and nation, it discuss practices of nationalism vis-a-vis migration, rituals of sacrifice and prayer, music, media, e-commerce, Islamophobia, bare life, secularism, literature and atheism. The volume offers new understandings of nationalism in a broader perspective. The text will appeal to students and researchers interested in nationalism outside of the West, especially those working in anthropology, sociology and history.

The Bourgeois Charm of Karl Marx & the Ideological Irony of American Jurisprudence employs a well-known body of work, Marx's, to explain the inevitable limits of scholarship, in hopes to encourage academic boldness, and diversity, especially within American jurisprudence. While scholarly meaning-making has been addressed in specific academic areas, mostly linguistics and philosophy, it has never been addressed in a triangular relationship between the text (T1) and its instigator (S1), as well as its subsequent interpellator (S2). Furthermore, while addressed as a result of difference, it has never been addressed for today's liberal theory, which includes liberal jurisprudence, through the mirror of Marxist difference. Scholarship is the unique product of the instigator's private and public subjectivity, as all theory is aimed to be communicated and used by the scholarly community and beyond. Understanding its public life, textual instigators (S1) aim to control its meaning employing various research methods to observe reality and then to convey their narrative, or "philosophy". But meaning is not fixed; it is negotiated by S1 and those theories interpellate (S2), according to their own private and public subjectivity, which covers their ideology. Negotiated meaning is always a surprise to both S1 and S2, surprise which is both ironic and ideological. The book has ten chapters, an index and a list of references

While there is much discussion on Africa-China relations, the focus tends to lean more on the Chinese presence in Africa than on the African presence in China. There are numerous studies on the former but, with the exception of a few articles on the presence of African traders and students in China, little is known of the latter, even though an increasing number of Africans are visiting and settling in China and forming migrant communities there. This is a phenomenon that has never happened before the turn of the century and has thus led to what is often termed Africa's newest Diaspora. This book focuses on analyzing this new Diaspora, addressing the crucial question: What is it like to be an African in China? Africans in China is the first book-length study of the process of Africans travelling to China and forming communities there. Based on innovative intermingling of qualitative and quantitative research methods involving prolonged interaction with approximately 800 Africans across six main Chinese cities--Guangzhou, Yiwu, Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong and Macau--sociolinguistic and sociocultural profiles are constructed to depict the everyday life of Africans in China. The study provides insights into understanding issues such as why Africans go to China, what they do there, how they communicate with their Chinese hosts, what opportunities and problems they encounter in their China sojourn, and how they are received by the Chinese state. Beyond these methodological and empirical contributions, the book also makes a theoretical contribution by proposing a crosscultural bridge theory of migrant-indigene relations, arguing that Africans in China act as sociopolitical, socioeconomic, and sociocultural bridges linking Africa to China. This approach to the analysis of Diaspora communities has consequences for crosscultural and crosslinguistic studies in an era of globalization. Africans in China is an important book for African Studies, Asian Studies, Africa-China relations studies, linguistics, anthropology, sociology, international studies, and migration and Diaspora studies in an era of globalization.

This book develops a new energetic/thermodynamic basis for the cyclic nature of civilizations. The growth of a civilization is due to the ability of the civilization to acquire and utilize resources for growth. The theory developed turns out to be identical to Blaha's previously developed theory, which successfully matches the history of 50+ civilizations. The energetic/thermodynamic theory appears in studies of superorganisms such as ant and bee colonies as well as other organisms including colonies of microbes. It also appears in theories of predator-prey populations such as wolves and rabbits. The consideration of superorganisms, predator-prey population cyclicity, and human civilization cyclicity suggests that there is an underlying unity in Nature in the growth of large groups of organisms and leads to the conclusion that civilizations are superorganisms. Thus this new model of civilizations is called SuperCivilizations. The book begins by overviewing superorganisms including some exciting new evidence for microbial superorganisms on land and in the deep sea. Subsequently we discuss almost all of the known human civilizations within the framework of this theory. We also consider the Richardson theory of arms races and show that Richardson's equations are identical to those of our energetic/thermodynamic model of civilization dynamics. With a suitable choice of parameters the arms race theory has cyclic solutions (as well as the exponential solutions studied by Richardson) that describe the dynamics of armaments growth in the United States - Russia confrontations from 1981 - 2010. The book also describes a program for the exploration and the colonization of the Solar System and a new means of travel to the stars and galaxies with a view towards the development of a space civilization. The probable effects on contemporary human civilizations of meeting an alien civilization are also described in detail. Because of a close analogy with Newtonian dynamics, and realizing that chance plays a major role in human history, the book also develops a probabilistic theory of civilization dynamics. The cyclic theory of civilizations is also generalized to a civilization theory for populations with three interconnected population segments: a dominant minority/leadership, followers, and external immigrants. This generalized theory leads to the cyclic theory of civilizations under reasonable conditions.

Choice Outstanding Academic Title of 2016 Rural queer experience is often hidden or ignored, and presumed to be alienating, lacking, and incomplete without connections to a gay culture that exists in an urban elsewhere. Queering the Countryside offers the first comprehensive look at queer desires found in rural America from a genuinely multi-disciplinary perspective. This collection of original essays confronts the assumption that queer desires depend upon urban life for meaning. By considering rural queer life, the contributors challenge readers to explore queer experiences in ways that give greater context and texture to modern practices of identity formation. The book's focus on understudied rural spaces throws into relief the overemphasis of urban locations and structures in the current political and theoretical work on queer sexualities and genders. Queering the Countryside highlights the need to rethink notions of "the closet" and "coming out" and the characterizations of non-urban sexualities and genders as "isolated" and in need of "outreach." Contributors focus on a range of topics-some obvious, some delightfully unexpected-from the legacy of Matthew Shepard, to how heterosexuality is reproduced at the 4-H Club, to a look at sexual encounters at a truck stop, to a queer reading of TheWizard of Oz. A journey into an unexplored slice of life in rural America, Queering the Countryside offers a unique perspective on queer experience in the modern United States and Canada.

Gathering scholars from five continents, this edited book displaces the elitist image of cosmopolitan as well as the blame addressed to aesthetic cosmopolitanism often considered as merely cosmetic. By considering aesthetic cosmopolitanism as a tool to understand how individuals and social groups appropriate the sphere of culture in a global world, the authors are concerned with its operationalization on two strongly interwoven levels, macro and micro, structural and individual. Based on the discussion of theoretical perspectives and empirically grounded research (qualitative and quantitative, conducted in many countries), this volume unveils new insights, on tourism and food, architecture and museums, TV series and movies, rock, K-pop and samba, by providing resources for making sense of aesthetic preferences in a global perspective. Contributors are: Felicia Chan, Vincenzo Cicchelli, Talitha Alessandra Ferreira, Paula Iadevito, Sukhmani Khorana, Anne Krebs, Antoinette Kujilaars, Franck Mermier, Sylvie Octobre, Joana Pellerano, Rosario Radakovich, Motti Regev, Viviane Riegel, Clara Rodriguez, Leslie Sklair, Yi-Ping Eva Shi, Claire Thoumelin and Dario Verderame.

By their very nature, most newspaper columns and editorials are ephemeral. They are often written in haste to meet a deadline, and what excites interest today may elicit only yawns tomorrow or the next day. This is especially true of community newspapers, whose focus is on matters of interest to a smaller, parochial readership. This book is a collection of pieces that step outside that mold. The author's broad education (four degrees, including a Ph.D. and a J.D.) and wide range of work experiences (college professor, probation officer, prosecuting attorney, professional magician, novelist, editor, publisher, and grocery-store sackboy, to name a few) have provided him with a unusual perspective from which to observe and comment on the problems and pleasures of being a sentient being on Planet Earth in the twenty-first century-and on how we got to this point in human history. Inspired by the example and encouragement of the newspaper editor who gave him his first job in journalism, the author has inflicted upon the readers of several newspapers his reflections on a broad and eclectic range of subjects, from religious and racial intolerance to UFO "sightings" and the beauty of a toad's eye. Throughout it all, the author has been motivated by one unvarying purpose-to make his readers think. Not just about last week's school board meeting or next month's municipal elections, but about ideas and issues with a shelf-life longer than that of ripe tomatoes in your grocer's produce department. Here, then, are half a hundred of those pieces, rescued from dusty newspaper "morgues" and offered to a broader audience than the unsuspecting subscribers to whom they were originally addressed. The author will be pleased if you read them, but he will have failed in his purpose unless reading them makes you think.

The anthology Sociological and Instructional Design Readings provides students and instructors with carefully selected readings that introduce them to sociological and instructional design-based ways of thinking. The articles demonstrate how behavior is influenced, at the individual and group level, and how these behaviors impact learning, society, and globalized behavior. The reader is organized topically into ten distinctive sections and features articles by both sociologists and instructional designers that explain, expand upon, and strengthen various sociological theories, concepts, and perspectives. Opening sections introduce sociology as an area of study, familiarize students with research methods used within the discipline, and offer an overview of fundamental social theories. Latter sections explore designing learning materials through the lens of instructional design, where learning is defined by end goals and the objectives of one's instruction, separate from teaching the subject matter in advance of understanding the needs of the learner. Students read thought-provoking pieces about social stratification, social movements and gender, race, social media, education, and politics. The process of how to analyze learning needs and goals, as well as the development of a delivery system to meet those needs using instructional design and technology, is covered. Face-to-face, blended, and virtual approaches are discussed as ways to be more efficient, effective, and appealing to learners. Sociological and Instructional Design Readings is an ideal supplementary resource for foundational courses in sociology and education.

Montessori: Living the Good Life will surprise you more than you can imagine. With a master's degree in theology, author Connie Ripley Lujan delves deep into Maria's spiritual understanding of the roots of war. Passionately she explains how we can make a difference.

Maria Montessori discovered the secret miracle of childhood over one hundred years ago. Her vision of peace lives on in this passionate memoir of a disciple of her spirit.

Maria's enlightened revelation of the newborn's talent to construct his future life with his own mind is illuminated step by step as each chapter probes deeper into mankind's existence.

The key to assisting the new ones, Maria tells us, lies in the adult's willingness to collaborate with the child's desire for an appropriate environment. Education, for the child and the adult, is the crucial element.

A thoughtful guide for mothers, fathers, grandparents, and all educators and citizens concerned for peace in the home, schools, and world, Montessori-Living the Good Life, about the child in your arms and the child in your heart, is for everyone.

The author goes where no one dares to go, explicating Maria's concepts of the origins of war and peace and how we can make a difference.

The field of high technology focuses on new, rapidly developing technologies, which include electronic technology, new material technology, new energy technology, bioengineering technology, and communication technology. Social Development and High Technology Industries: Strategies and Applications highlights the relationships between contemporary high technology and social development, the development and application of high technology, high technology competition, and economic development as it pertains to high technology. This book addresses society s growing need to adopt emerging technologies for all aspects of business and economic activity and develop innovative solutions to research problems, which will result in the creation of high performance systems.

The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to Political Sociology is a complete reference guide, reflecting the scope and quality of the discipline, and highlighting emerging topics in the field. * Global in focus, offering up-to-date topics from an interdisciplinary, international set of scholars addressing key issues concerning globalization, social movements, and citizenship * The majority of chapters are new, including those on environmental politics, international terrorism, security, corruption, and human rights * Revises and updates all previously published chapters to include new themes and topics in political sociology * Provides an overview of scholarship in the field, with chapters working independently and collectively to examine the full range of contributions to political sociology * Offers a challenging yet accessible and complete reference guide for students and scholars

Jes s Maga a se ha lanzado a un metaf rico viaje hacia el centro del infinito, tratando de conocer simult neamente las verdades que definen al ser humano. En sus obras es f cil discernir que sabiamente, no acepta que exista diferencia alguna entre el hombre y la creaci n, entre el macrocosmos y el microcosmos, nos explica entre las l neas de sus pensamientos, que la mente humana y la mente divina es una; o como nos ense a el TOLTECAYOTL, que en el cosmos, en la creaci n, en el todo existe el secreto abierto de una evidente dualidad que a todo lo unifica y que a todo lo trasciende y que todos somos partes integrales del multiverso, en su obra comparte con nosotros tambi n la realidad de que en todas las edades, en todas las culturas, y en diversas escuelas filos ficas comparten estas ideas aunque se expresen de manera diferente. Siempre ha sido un anhelo de Jes s compartir estas mieles del conocimiento, aun sabiendo que mucho es de car cter especulativo, y como el sostiene para si: "es mejor especular en la b squeda de las verdades existenciales que mantenerse en ese c modo sill n de la ignorancia." En esta obra, Maga a nos conduce de manera objetiva por el camino hacia ese viaje a trav s de puertas metaf ricas dimensionales, para llegar de manera segura a ese punto central del infi nito en donde se acrisolan los pensamientos que nos ayudan a cumplir con la misi n para la que hemos sido tra dos a esta tercera dimensi n en que vivimos. Muchas veces se puede defi nir a un ser humano por su b squeda, por sus amistades, por sus obras, Jes s Maga a es f cil de defi nir es un hombre de mente gil y abierta que ama la creaci n a todos los seres humanos y sobre todo respeta y ama a Dios que para el es el mism simo universo, proclama en su obra que debemos respetar con ah nco a nuestra madre tierra que nos aloja en su seno. Para m es un honor que Jes s Maga a mi amigo, mi compatriota y colega, haya compartido sus escritos y como nos lo dice en uno de los cap tulos: Feliz viaje OSCAR LUIS GUZMAN Fundador de C.A.L.I (CIRCULO ARTISTICO Y LITERARIO LATINOAMERICANO) Dedico mi obra a: Un Gran ser Humano el cual ha sido brote de inspiraci n y respeto. Claudia Alderette, mi amiga, mi productora.

In Teaching Marx & Critical Theory in the 21st Century, authors reflect on, and offer radical arguments regarding, the crucial importance of Marx, critical theory, and critical pedagogy in the 21st century. The essays represent various disciplines while commenting broadly on the need for an engaged, radical critique of the neoliberal paradigm.

Learning About Sociology and the Sociological Imagination invites students to develop a sociological perspective by identifying and considering the links between individual experiences, the current social context, and the past. Through a collection of carefully curated readings, the text helps readers better understand cultural variations in social interaction, the development of self, the formation of families and communities, the processes that produce conformity or deviance, and the conditions that lead to conflict and social change. The anthology familiarizes students with theories and methods of sociology and then challenges them to apply what they've learned to explore the influence of race, class, gender, ethnicity, and age on the human experience. The book features a distinct focus on the social problems of our time, including racial inequality, the problematic nature of the gender binary, social violence, drug and substance abuse, issues related to punishment in society, and more. The text also explores the ways in which these challenges are perceived and dealt with in society. Learning About Sociology and the Sociological Imagination inspires students to critically examine contemporary issues and to better understand their individual place within society. The anthology is an excellent resource for foundational courses in sociology.

A Brief Introduction to Sociology from a Christian Perspective provides students with sociological tools to help them better understand social phenomena. The author integrates elements of faith throughout the texts and allows readers to supplement their biblical exegesis with social and cultural exegesis. Each chapter of the book is centered on a core theme and begins with excerpts from scripture and personal anecdotes to stimulate students' critical thought, highlight major concepts, and draw connections between elements of Christianity and sociology. The opening chapter illustrates how sociology and Christianity can be synergistic rather than mutually exclusive. Students learn why sociology is important and are introduced to early scholars who founded the discipline, as well as key sociological concepts, including the sociological imagination, conflict and integration, and more. Additional chapters explore various methods of inquiry and issues related to race and ethnicity, social class and inequality, sex and gender, and groups and institutions. The final chapter speaks to the future of sociology with an exploration into computational sociology and complexity science. Featuring an approachable and faith-based introduction to the discipline, A Brief Introduction to Sociology from a Christian Perspective is both an ideal and unique supplementary resource for foundational courses in sociology.

This book is about machines: those that have been actualized, fantastical imaginal machines, to those deployed as metaphorical devices to describe complex social processes. Machines argues that they transcend time and space to emerge through a variety of spaces and places, times and histories and representations. They are such an integral fabric of daily reality that their disappearance would have immediate and dire consequences for the survival of humanity. They are part and parcel to our contemporary social order. From labor to social theory, art or consciousness, literature or television, to the asylums of the 19th century, machines are a central figure; an outgrowth of affective desire that seeks to transcend organic limitations of bodies that whither, age and die. Machines takes the reader on an intellectual, artistic, and theoretical journey, weaving an interdisciplinary tale of their emergence across social, cultural and artistic boundaries. With the deep engagement of various texts, Machines offers the reader moments of escape, alternative ways to envision technology for a future yet to materialize. Machines rejects the notion that technological innovations are indeed neutral, propelling us to think differently about those "things" created under specific economic or historical paradigms. Rethinking machines provides a rupture to our current technocratic impetus, shining a critical light on possible alternatives to our current reality. Let us sit back and take a journey through Machines, holding mechanical parts as guides to possible alternative futures.