Thirty years of Butterflies in traditional Lancashire and Cheshire. A regional butterfly atlas with a difference: taking three ten-year periods (last decade of the 20th century and the first two decades of the 21st), this book documents the changes in distribution and abundance of all the butterfly species which occur of have occurred within vice-counties 58, 59, 60 and the furness portion of 69, which equate to the true historic or traditional English counties of Cheshire and Lancashire a " a a no legislation has ever changed the boundaries of Britaina s traditional countiesa a From a base in the MerseyValley, close to the border between the counties, the author explores the length and breadth of both of them, noting how the butterflies have been affected by human activities as well as by the forces of Nature, and also takes a closer look at the 1974-created administrative areas of Merseyside and Greater Manchester, and their central cities of Liverpool and Manchester. There is also a section of flowers which butterflies use for their nutrition within the two counties.

This expansive Handbook guides readers through a multi-layered landscape of the interpretations and uses of transdisciplinary thinking and practices worldwide. It advances understanding of the strengths and limits of transdisciplinary research in the context of societal power relations, institutional structures and social inequalities. Original chapters from 116 scholars and experts in 27 countries create a multi-cultural constellation of conceptual and methodological approaches to transdisciplinary research, teaching, training and community projects, showcasing the diversity and plurality of transdisciplinary contributions. Framed through the core themes of thinking, doing and being, this Handbook thoroughly reviews key topics including philosophies and theories, research and practice, education and training and financial and institutional resources with examples from innovative transdisciplinary global projects. Inclusive in its approach, this Handbook will be an ideal resource for public and private domain professionals wishing to explore collaborative working practices. Scholars looking for a better understanding of transdisciplinarity and how it differs from interdisciplinarity will find the case studies illustrative and informative.

This insightful book explores smaller towns and cities, places in which the majority of people live, highlighting that these more ordinary places have extraordinary geographies. It focuses on the development of an alternative approach to urban studies and theory that foregrounds smaller cities and towns rather than much larger cities and conurbations. Comparative case studies from Australia, Cambodia, India, Korea, the UK and US provide a rich collection of theoretically informed investigations into smaller urban centres that are connected in complex ways to regional, national and international flows of people, goods, ideas and materials. The book further examines policy development and implementation in smaller towns and cities. Chapters analyse core societal challenges, including economic restructuring, urban decline and renewal, and ageing populations. This is a timely and important book for students of human geography, urban studies, planning, and economic geography, particularly those focusing on cities and economic development. It will also appeal to policymakers and planners seeking insights on current debates reframing urban theory to embrace more ordinary towns and cities.

This book asks why socially innovative initiatives, including attempts to rejuvenate democracy by introducing new modes of participation, are not leading to a democratization of the State or overcoming the gap between political leaders and people. It offers a vivid and thought-provoking conversation on why we are at such an impasse and explores concrete possibilities for change. Offering insights on the failures of modern democracies from three leading voices of contemporary social science, the book interrogates the possibilities of progressive socio-political agendas, strategies, and movements seeking to overcome these failures. It highlights examples of bottom-linked forms of governance that provide signs of positive change and focuses on the essential role that progressive institutions play in enabling socio-political transformation. It also analyses how processes of self-emancipation driven by social innovation and political mobilization movements represent the most promising form of political engagement today. Students and scholars of social innovation and governance will find this to be an invigorating read. It will also be helpful to politicians and government officials seeking to understand, respond to, and explore efforts towards democratizing political change.