In the nineteenth century the Dead Sea and the Tigris-Euphrates river system had great political significance: the one as a possible gateway for a Russian invasion of Egypt, the other as a potentially faster route to India. This is the traditional explanation for the presence of the international powers in the region. This important new book questions this view. Through a study of two important projects of the time -- international efforts to determine the exact level of the Dead Sea, and Chesney's Euphrates Expedition to find a quicker route to India -- Professor Goren shows how other forces than the interests of empire, were involved. He reveals the important role played by private individuals and establishes a wealth of new connections between the key players; and he reveals for the first time an important Irish nexus. The resulting work adds an important new dimension to our existing understanding of this period.

Precariousness has become a defining experience in contemporary society, as an inescapable condition and state of being. Living with Precariousness presents a spectrum of timely case studies that explore precarious existences – at individual, collective and structural levels, and as manifested through space and the body. These range from the plight of asylum seekers, to the tiny house movement as a response to affordable housing crises; from the global impacts of climate change, to the daily challenges of living with a chronic illness. This multidisciplinary book illustrates the pervasiveness of precarity, but furthermore shows how those entanglements with other agents, human or otherwise, that put us at risk are also the connections that make living with (and through) precariousness endurable.

Irish migrants in new communities: Seeking the Fair Land? comprises the second collection of essays by these editors exploring fresh aspects and perspectives on the subject of the Irish diaspora. This volume, edited by Mairtin O Cathain and Micheal O hAodha, develops many of the oral history themes of the first book and concentrates more on issues surrounding the adaptation of migrants to new or host environments and cultures. These new places often have a jarring effect, as well as a welcoming air, and the Irish bring their own interpretations, hostilities, and suspicions, all of which are explored in a fascinating and original number of new perspectives.

This open access book takes the upheaval of the global COVID-19 pandemic as a springboard from which to interrogate a larger set of structural, environmental and political fault lines running through the global food system. In a context in which disruptions to the production, distribution, and consumption of food are figured as exceptions to the smooth, just-in-time efficiencies of global supply chains, these essays reveal the global food system as one that is inherently disruptive of human lives and flourishing, and of relationships between people, places, and environments. The pandemic thus represents a particular, acute moment of disruption, offering a lens on a deeper, longer set of systemic processes, and shining new light on transformational possibilities.

For award-winning science writer Margie Pitlak, exploring the unique nature of the Maine coast opens a door to deeper ties and insights. Watching a striped monarch caterpillar transform into a chartreuse pendant dabbed with gold, she realizes the limits of life and what passes between generations. She explores the violent geologic collisions that thrust up and fractured Maine’s mountains; digs into the latest scientific thinking on how animals navigate; reflects on the dizzy dance of plankton under the microscope and the dogfish heart that continued to beat while held in the palm of her hand. She looks at moose, fox, fishers, and the tides as well, and shares a chapter about cleaning up the Maine coast by kayak. These facets of the natural world speak a hidden language that is translated by scientific knowledge and reflection. Nature begins to speak about the nature of life.

Latin America and the Caribbean: Readings in Culture, Geography, and History provides students with a collection of articles that explore the history, cultures, geography, and global relevance of these influential and remarkable regions. The text boasts a multidisciplinary approach and features diverse voices that center on debates and issues surrounding Latin America and the Caribbean. The text is divided into six sections. The first section addresses the environment of Latin America and the Caribbean, including readings on climate change, environmental degradation, and post-carbon politics. Section II focuses on prehistory and European conquest, discussing populations such as the Olmec, Maya, Aztec, and the arrival of African slaves. In Section III, students read about the Haitian and Cuban revolutions. Section IV addresses population, migration, and urbanism issues. In Section V, readings center on culture, gender, and religion, spotlighting the complex ideas of identity for those who live in Latin American and the Caribbean. The final section focuses on economy and social development. Each section features an introduction, recommended readings, and post-reading questions. Designed to encourage discussion, critical thinking, and reflection, Latin America and the Caribbean is an ideal resource for courses in ethnic and cultural studies.