Life in a castle isn't always a fairytale, as the Duchess of Rutland vividly illustrates in her fascinating, revealing and funny autobiography. When Emma Watkins, the pony-mad daughter of a Welsh farmer, imagined her future, she imagined following in her mother's footsteps to marry a farmer of her own. But then she fell in love with David Manners, having no idea that he was heir to one of the most senior hereditary titles in the land. When David succeeded his father, Emma found herself becoming the chatelaine of Belvoir Castle, ancestral home of the Dukes of Rutland. She had to cope with five boisterous children while faced with a vast estate in desperate need of modernisation and staff who wanted nothing to change - it was a daunting responsibility. Yet with sound advice from the doyenne of duchesses, Duchess 'Debo' of Devonshire, she met each challenge with optimism and gusto, including scaling the castle roof in a storm to unclog a flooding gutter; being caught in her nightdress by mesmerised Texan tourists and disguising herself as a cleaner to watch filming of The Crown. She even took on the castle ghosts . . . At times the problems she faced seemed insoluble yet, with her unstoppable energy and talent for thinking on the hoof, she won through, inspired by the vision and passion of those Rutland duchesses in whose footsteps she trod, and indeed the redoubtable and resourceful women who forged her way, whose homes were not castles but remote farmhouses in the Radnorshire Hills. Vividly written and bursting with insights, The Accidental Duchess will appeal to everyone who has visited a stately home and wondered what it would be like to one day find yourself not only living there, but in charge of its future.

Written by some of the founders of complexity theory and complexity theories of cities (CTC), this Handbook expertly guides the reader through over forty years of intertwined developments: the emergence of general theories of complex self-organized systems and the consequent emergence of CTC. Examining studies from the end of 1970 through to the current leading approach to urbanism, planning and design, the book provides an up-to-date snapshot of CTC. Insightful chapters are split into five parts covering the early foundations of the topic, the evolution of towns and cities and urban complexity, the links between complexity, languages and cities, modelling traffic and parking in cities, and urban planning and design. The Handbook on Cities and Complexity concludes with the contributors' personal statements on their observations of COVID-19's impact upon global cities. This book will be an invaluable resource for those researching cities and complexity and also for scholars of urban studies, planning, physics, mathematics, AI, and architecture.

There have been books written in the past purporting to expose the secrets of Freemasonry. By and large these have been written by non-Masons and have generally been somewhat negative and antagonistic towards Freemasons and Freemasonry; missing critical nuances and making unjustified assumptions. There have also been books written by Freemasons and aimed primarily at new Freemasons, as an introduction to Freemasonry, and as such have tended to go over the heads of non-Masons. This book is written by a Freemason specifically for the non-Mason. It does not set out in any way to proselytise, neither does it attempt to justify the case for Freemasonry nor to try and make Freemasonry more acceptable or sanitised. Indeed having read the book a reader may well still continue to be left antagonistic towards Freemasonry but at least will be better informed and know the reasons why.

The artist Steve Cadburn is a full-time professional cartoonist and caricaturist and has the ability to capture facial expressions perfectly. So much so that sometime you wonder if the you're looking at a portrait from your very own lodge! If you love freemasonry this book is sure to amuse, entertain, and offer a unique insight into how Freemasons balance their commitment to families and work. With the duties, obligations and fellowship to be found in Freemasonry A must for all Masons as well as their families and friends.

Interest in 'community' has increased in recent years for a variety of reasons, including civil renewal, active citizenship and the increasing diversity of British society. This is highlighted by the increasing governmental emphasis on 'community', leading up to the current ideas of the 'Big Society'. Understanding community is a topical text providing a clear understanding of policy and theory in relation to community. By examining areas of government policy, such as economic development, education, health, housing, and community safety, this book explores the difficulties that communities face in dealing with state power as well as discussing the new concepts of community cohesion, social capital and community capacity building. The author challenges our understanding of community and assesses the strengths and limitations of this understanding. This book is essential for students studying social policy, social work and sociology, and an invaluable resource for policymakers in community development, urban regeneration and allied fields.

For more than 500 years, the symbology of Freemasonry has fostered a secret stream of radical ideas running just beneath the surface of popular culture today. These ideas, illuminated by public symbols hidden in full view, have influenced and shaped the society we have today. Despite this ongoing record of inspiration, no illustrated guide book to the basic ideas of Masonic Symbology has even been published and the story remains mysterious-until now. This authoritative guide reveals how this symbology has been the backdrop to key historical events in the history of humanity from ancient times and how, in more recent times, inspired leaders have harnessed the symbols' power to bring about change in society. Renowned Freemasonry historian Dr. Robert Lomas takes you inside the Secret Order and shows you how Entered Apprentices first learn their craft and how continual exposure to these mystical symbols can change the way you think. You'll explore the six mysterious Tracing Boards that are at the heart of every Masonic Grand Lodge, ending with the final, most mystical symbol, known as "the Centre." Let The Secret Power of Masonic Symbols be your personal guide and show you how these symbols have made their indelible mark on the past, and how they will continue to influence society in the future.

With human-induced environmental impacts disrupting human life in deeper ways and at a wider scale than anything previously experienced, this multidisciplinary book looks at the ways that current knowledge bases seem inadequate to help us deal with such realities. It offers a critical appraisal of the current knowledge infrastructure, including science, technology, innovation, education and informal knowledge systems. Contributions from a wide spectrum of social scientists, philosophers, activists and decision-makers tackle the importance of knowledge for the Anthropocene using a mosaic of data, theories, cases, models, methods and experiences. Chapters highlight what relevant knowledge will become critical to dealing with deteriorating environmental conditions, as well as how science, technology, education and innovation can be radically transformed to deal with these challenges. The book further explores the behavioural, economic, social and cultural aspects of the Anthropocene, and how knowledge impacts both these and our possible futures. This will be a critical read for human geography and environmental science scholars, as well as social science scholars more broadly, particularly with its in-depth glossary and digital resource list. It will also aid practitioners in the planning, design, management and evaluation of knowledge systems by providing deeper understandings of the potential circumstances of knowledge in the Anthropocene.

Are we in the middle of a generational war? Are Millennials really entitled 'snowflakes'? Are Baby Boomers stealing their children's futures? Are Generation X the saddest generation? Will Generation Z fix the climate crisis?

Revealing and informative, The Generation Divide provides a bold new framework for understanding the most divisive issues raging today: from culture wars to climate change and mental health to housing.

Including data from all over the globe, and with powerful implications for humanity's future, this big-thinking book will transform how you view the world.

Previously published as Generations.

Taking a critical perspective, this book rethinks public space in the context of contemporary global health and economic crises, as well as technological, political and cultural change. In order to do so, Ali Madanipour brings together two often unrelated discourses: public space and social inclusion, interrogating the potential for public spaces to contribute to inclusive social practices. Organized in two parts, the book first highlights various common meanings and philosophical concepts of public space, examining them in their constitution and application. Madanipour runs these concepts past the test of social practice, through the economic, political and cultural dimensions of social exclusion and inclusion. Chapters further analyse public space in its different forms: physical, institutional and technological, offering a wide-ranging and thought-provoking take on the concept. Timely and innovative, this book will be an invigorating read for urban studies, planning and human geography scholars, particularly those focusing on public space, social inclusion and urban processes.

Elgar Research Agendas outline the future of research in a given area. Leading scholars are given the space to explore their subject in provocative ways, and map out the potential directions of travel. They are relevant but also visionary. Setting out a new, path-breaking research agenda for global rural development, this timely book offers an innovative and embedded rural social science capable of both understanding and enacting progress towards diverse and sustainable pathways. It relocates rural development at the heart of global trends associated with widespread but uneven urbanisation, climate change and severe resource depletion, rising population growth, density and inequality, and global political, economic and health crises. Chapters collapse traditional binary notions of development as north-south, rural-urban, global-local and traditional modern, embracing a revised conceptualisation of uneven development as a process dependent upon multiple theoretical and conceptual frameworks. It offers potential routes for substantive, interlinked research agendas, including new ruralities, governance, land rights, agro-ecology, financialisation, power relations, family farming, and the role of markets. Scholars of geography, planning, rural sociology and rural-urban studies looking for a broader understanding of the topic will find this book essential. It will also be beneficial for those engaged in rural development policy and practice.

This book is for anyone in middle or old age (or anyone caring for others of similar age). For the first time, in one publication, the reader is taken through all the essential aspects which arise when considering the onset of one's later years, and eventual death. It explains, in easy lay terms, the important legal, financial, and personal considerations which demand attention when old age beckons, and offers simple and appropriate means of dealing with them - from Making a Will through to financing and planning a Funeral. LifeHolder is backed up by a supporting website - www.lifeholder.co.uk. Together these make for a practical and valuable reference point.

*With a foreword from Tim Keller* A bold vision for Christians who want to engage the world in a way that is biblically faithful and culturally sensitive. In Biblical Critical Theory, Christopher Watkin shows how the Bible and its unfolding story help us make sense of modern life and culture. Critical theories exist to critique what we think we know about reality and the social, political, and cultural structures in which we live. In doing so, they make visible the values and beliefs of a culture in order to scrutinize and change them. Biblical Critical Theory exposes and evaluates the often-hidden assumptions and concepts that shape late-modern society, examining them through the lens of the biblical story running from Genesis to Revelation, and asking urgent questions like: How does the Bible's storyline help us understand our society, our culture, and ourselves? How do specific doctrines help us engage thoughtfully in the philosophical, political, and social questions of our day? How can we analyze and critique culture and its alternative critical theories through Scripture? Informed by the biblical-theological structure of Saint Augustine's magisterial work The City of God (and with extensive diagrams and practical tools), Biblical Critical Theory shows how the patterns of the Bible's storyline can provide incisive, fresh, and nuanced ways of intervening in today's debates on everything from science, the arts, and politics to dignity, multiculturalism, and equality. You'll learn the moves to make and the tools to use in analyzing and engaging with all sorts of cultural artifacts and events in a way that is both biblically faithful and culturally relevant. It is not enough for Christians to explain the Bible to the culture or cultures in which we live. We must also explain the culture in which we live within the framework and categories of the Bible, revealing how the whole of the Bible sheds light on the whole of life. If Christians want to speak with a fresh, engaging, and dynamic voice in the marketplace of ideas today, we need to mine the unique treasures of the distinctive biblical storyline.

The Gateways Club, at the heart of 1960s swinging London, was one of the few places where lesbian women could meet openly. This book tells its story, from its rise in the 1950s to its closure in 1985, as a secret world of escape--new clientele often found the club only by following likely members to its anonymous exterior on the Kings Road, Chelsea. Celebrities, straight and gay alike, from Diana Dors to Dusty Springfield, relished its bohemian atmosphere, and the club reached a wider audience when it was featured as a backdrop in the 1968 film "The Killing of Sister George." Included are interviews with 80 of its members, famous and not so famous. Their accounts--humorous, tragic, and erotic--reveal how life has changed during the half century since the Gateways began.

Over the last 25 years, nearly two billion people across the globe have risen out of poverty and income levels have risen worldwide. Yet in the US, the top 1% earn twice the amount of income as the poorest 50% of the population. In the midst of rising prosperity, economic dissatisfaction--driven by the persistent fear felt by many that they are ''falling behind''--is higher than at any point since the 1930s. In Understanding Economic Inequality, the author brings an economist's perspective informed by new, groundbreaking research on inequality from philosophy, sociology, psychology, and political science and presents it in a form that it is accessible to those who want to understand our world, our society, our politics, our paychecks, and our neighbors' paychecks better. As any history of the 21st century would be incomplete without understanding ''the 99% versus the 1%'', the insights provided by the author will prove valuable to any reader. This book also provides the foundation for undergraduate courses on wealth and income inequality, and an essential reading for introductory economics, labor economics, public policy, law, or sociology courses.

Exploring the ways that contemporary urban life takes the Holocene for granted, this multidisciplinary book warns that anthropogenic environmental impacts are on course to challenge the viability of most human settlements. It highlights how, despite increased warnings, most cities appear to be in denial of the potential impending catastrophes and remain ill-prepared to handle major disruptions. Chapters offer a critical appraisal of the end of an urban epoch: the Holocene city. Moving from more general aspects of urban vulnerability in the face of the Anthropocene, the book then looks at more specific issues and cases illustrating alternative adaptation pathways. It further analyses existing approaches, movements and networks for urban preparedness for the climate crisis, offering visualisations of the ways these can be improved, conceiving alternative futures and reinventing the city. A timely resource for this emerging topic, the book will be beneficial to urban studies, environmental science and development studies scholars. Practitioners in urban planning, design, management and evaluation will also find the critical case studies in the book particularly helpful.

This groundbreaking Research Handbook provides a comprehensive analysis and assessment of the impact of international law on cities. It sheds light on the growing global role of cities and makes the case for a renewed understanding of international law in the light of the urban turn. Written by a group of scholars from a wide range of different geographical and theoretical backgrounds, this Research Handbook contributes to a better understanding of the practice of cities in various fields of international law ranging from climate change over human rights and migration to security governance. Additionally, it offers reflections on how to account for this urban turn in the light of historical and cross-cutting theoretical perspectives from legal and non-legal scholarship alike. Combining doctrinal work and analysis of international practice with critical historical and theoretical contributions, this Research Handbook will be a must-have reference book for researchers and students in the field of international law as well as other disciplines, including human geography, urban studies, sociology and political science.

Urban planners in developed countries are increasingly recognizing the need for closer integration of land use and transport. However, this updated second edition of How Great Cities Happen explains how crises like climate change and the lack of affordable housing demonstrate the urgent need for a broader approach in order to create and sustain great cities. Offering innovative solutions to these contemporary challenges, this second edition of How Great Cities Happen examines new and emerging directions in strategic land use transport planning and analyses how cities function as a home for future generations and other species. Taking an integrated approach, and building on the first edition, chapters explore a broad range of issues concerning strategic urban planning. These include planning for productivity growth; social inclusion and wellbeing, with a particular focus on planning cities for children and youth; housing affordability; environmental sustainability; and integrated governance and funding arrangements. New issues covered in this edition include pressing concerns like climate change and biodiversity protection. The authors adopt a meticulous yet non-technical and accessible approach, grounded in a blend of academic and real-world experience of cities. This transdisciplinary second edition will prove vital to students and scholars of urban planning, transport economics, and social and environmental policy, alongside professional planners and urban policymakers.

This Handbook of Cities and Networks provides a cutting-edge overview of research on how economic, social and transportation networks affect processes both in and between cities. Exploring the ways in which cities connect and intertwine, it offers a varied set of collaborations, highlighting different theoretical, historical and methodological perspectives. International contributions assess the state of the field of network analysis, presenting interdisciplinary insights that draw on theory from geography, economics, sociology, history, archaeology and psychology, and outlining methodological tools that include ethnographic, qualitative and quantitative approaches. Illustrating a framework for integrating the diversity of urban networks, the Handbook demonstrates that by exploring urban networks with different combinations of levels and scales, new insights and opportunities can emerge. Featuring focused studies on specific regions and cities, this state-of-the-art Handbook is essential reading for scholars and researchers of urban studies and regional science, particularly those focusing on the transformation of cities as connected spaces through intracity and intercity networks. Its core theoretical insights will also benefit graduate students in urban studies and network analysis.

Infrastructure systems provide the services we all rely upon for our day-to-day lives. Through new conceptual work and fresh empirical analysis, this book investigates how financialisation engages with city governance and infrastructure provision, identifying its wider and longer-term implications for urban and regional development, politics and policy. Proposing a more people-oriented approach to answering the question of 'What kind of urban infrastructure, and for whom?', this book addresses the struggles of national and local governments to fund, finance and govern urban infrastructure. It develops new insights to explain the socially and spatially uneven mixing of managerial, entrepreneurial and financialised city governance in austerity and limited decentralisation across England. As urban infrastructure fixes for the London global city-region risk undermining national 'rebalancing' efforts in the UK, city statecraft in the rest of the country is having uneasily to combine speculation, risk-taking and prospective venturing with co-ordination, planning and regulation. This book will be of interest to researchers and scholars in the fields of business and management, economics, geography, planning, and political science. Its conclusions will be valuable to policymakers and practitioners in both the public and private sectors seeking insights into the intersections of financialisation, decentralisation and austerity in the UK, Europe and globally.

This title offers a visual memory system for learning Masonic ritual. It is intended to nurture younger Masonic brethren in learning Masonic ritual. As a head teacher and past university lecturer, the author has applied his research into memory retention to learning Masonic ritual. Ritual in Mind is a short booklet that explores the theory behind visual memory retention techniques and applies this to the working tools of the first three degrees in the Craft to enable brethren to become confident ritualists. Learning Masonic ritual can be a daunting prospect. Ritual in Mind explores a visual memory technique that will improve the ability to learn and recite Masonic ritual. In addition, Ritual in Mind could become an essential text for supporting the mentoring process for Provincial mentoring scheme.

Exploring how urban professionals plan, manage and govern cities in emerging economies, this insightful book studies the actions and instruments they employ. It highlights how the paradigms of interventions and approaches to urban management are shifting, indicating that urban governance is becoming increasingly important in dealing with wicked issues, like climate change and social and economic inequalities in cities. Urban Planning, Management and Governance in Emerging Economies offers rich international examples looking at housing, public space, water, climate change, the environment and economic development. Chapters showcase the changing role of urban professionals, with a particular focus on the dynamic social, cultural and economic transformations of cities in emerging economies. Exploring contemporary approaches to urban governance, contributors draw attention to the prevalence of smart cities, new forms of partnerships and just transitions in a changing urban landscape. Researchers and students of urban development, planning, management and governance will appreciate the multiple theoretical angles and the key case studies used throughout the book. The examples and theories will be helpful for urban leaders, strategists and advocates working in emerging economies.