This book presents an accessible and sometimes controversial economic exploration of numerous issues surrounding sex, marriage and family. It analyses the role of 'vanity', defined as social status and self-esteem, in social and economic behaviors.In Veblen's theory of conspicuous consumption, vanity is associated with the consumption of luxuries such as expensive handbags and cars. In this book, C. Simon Fan provocatively argues that vanity is obtained by having a spouse and children with perceived 'high-quality' values, for example, a beautiful wife, a tall husband or intelligent offspring. He demonstrates from various perspectives that vanity plays a crucial role in male-female relationships and intergenerational relationships. In doing so, he challenges the conventional frontier of economics and contributes to other social sciences. This unique book will appeal to the educated general reader and interested academic alike. Contents: 1. Introduction 2. Vanity Economics: A Survey and an Extension 3. Vanity and the Consumption of Material Goods/Services 4. Marriage Markets 5. Vanity in Romance and Marriage 6. Vanity and Virginity 7. Sexual Liberation 8. Prostitution and Commercial Sex 9. Extramarital Affairs 10. Homosexuality 11. Classical Population Theory 12. Gary Becker, Vanity Economics and Modern Population Theory 13. The Cost of Children in Population Theory 14. Child Labour, 'Working Daughters' and Population Theory 15. Old-Age Support, Family Protection and Population Theory 16. Gender Bias, Gender Gaps and Population Theory 19. A 'Population Problem': Theory and Policy 20. Vanity and Divorce 21. Development and Divorce 22. Family Background and Children's Education 23. Parental Behaviours and the Quality of Children 24. Intergenerational Transfers of Wealth 25. Family, Vanity and Consumption Puzzles 26. Vanity and Social Interactions 27. Vanity, Family and Migration 28. Epilogue Index

This book analyzes Chinese nationalism from the perspective of social economics. It posits a conceptual framework in which national status is treated as a "luxury" while material consumption is considered as a "necessity" in people's preferences, which implies that popular nationalism tends to increase with economic development. The book extensively uses the tools of game theory and behavioral economics to analyze inter-ethnical and international conflicts in historical and contemporary China. The author's economic approach to the subject of nationalism brings fresh and critical insights into the Chinese historical events and relations with foreign countries. For example, it helps resolve the following puzzles: Why did most Chinese support an ethnic minority, the Manchus, to be their ruler after the collapse of the Ming dynasty? In the Boxer Rebellion, why did the Qing dynasty declare war against more than eight foreign powers when it knew well that any of the countries could defeat China easily? What are the fundamental causes of the 1962 Sino-Indian War and the 1979 Sino-Vietnamese War? Who is responsible for the bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade? This book attempts to answer the questions based on the theories of social economics and rational choice, which will interest those researching on nationalism, China studies, international relations, history and political economy.

How does culture shape history, and history shape culture? This book answers this question by bringing readers on a fascinating journey through the evolution of Chinese culture, political and legal institutions, and "national character" of historical and contemporary China. It illustrates how "national character" evolves endogenously along with an institutional environment through the use of economic theories. Recognizing the unique role of "personality" in violence and social order - important variables that contribute to successful economies, the book provides a meaningful take on "personality" from the "average personality" of a country's people. It analyses the relationship between culture, institution and "national character", providing gainful, interesting insights into the monumental transformation of China.

This book presents an accessible and sometimes controversial economic exploration of numerous issues surrounding sex, marriage and family. It analyses the role of 'vanity', defined as social status and self-esteem, in social and economic behaviors.In Veblen's theory of conspicuous consumption, vanity is associated with the consumption of luxuries such as expensive handbags and cars. In this book, C. Simon Fan provocatively argues that vanity is obtained by having a spouse and children with perceived 'high-quality' values, for example, a beautiful wife, a tall husband or intelligent offspring. He demonstrates from various perspectives that vanity plays a crucial role in male-female relationships and intergenerational relationships. In doing so, he challenges the conventional frontier of economics and contributes to other social sciences. This unique book will appeal to the educated general reader and interested academic alike. Contents: 1. Introduction 2. Vanity Economics: A Survey and an Extension 3. Vanity and the Consumption of Material Goods/Services 4. Marriage Markets 5. Vanity in Romance and Marriage 6. Vanity and Virginity 7. Sexual Liberation 8. Prostitution and Commercial Sex 9. Extramarital Affairs 10. Homosexuality 11. Classical Population Theory 12. Gary Becker, Vanity Economics and Modern Population Theory 13. The Cost of Children in Population Theory 14. Child Labour, 'Working Daughters' and Population Theory 15. Old-Age Support, Family Protection and Population Theory 16. Gender Bias, Gender Gaps and Population Theory 19. A 'Population Problem': Theory and Policy 20. Vanity and Divorce 21. Development and Divorce 22. Family Background and Children's Education 23. Parental Behaviours and the Quality of Children 24. Intergenerational Transfers of Wealth 25. Family, Vanity and Consumption Puzzles 26. Vanity and Social Interactions 27. Vanity, Family and Migration 28. Epilogue Index

For effective preparedness, emergency managers must comprehend how a disaster impacts not only the physical infrastructure of the affected community but also the population. They must understand how the people interact with one another, how they interact with government, and how they react to the disaster event. In other words, they must have social intelligence. Emergency Management and Social Intelligence: A Comprehensive All-Hazards Approach provides a comprehensive framework for understanding a community before, during, and after a disaster in order to best mitigate the effect of a disaster on its people. After an overview of what we've learned and what we haven't learned from past events, the book provides detailed case studies on a spectrum of disasters spanning a century, including hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, and oil spills. This context provides a framework for understanding a host of essential issues, including: The interplay between how people perceive people in their communities, the public policy which results from socially constructed views, and the issues which surface during and after disaster as a result The base logic of Social Intelligence which is rooted in the U.S. national security and intelligence apparatus The application of the intelligence cycle in emergency management and how to develop and understand situational awareness Baseline data points applicable to any community or jurisdiction and how they can be woven together to build on existing jurisdictional competence and real-time situational awareness How geographic information systems (GISs) are used in emergency management, along with their limitations and the different software programs available Modeling for disasters and how this helps the emergency management community plan for and respond to disasters How emergency managers can use social intelligence to build resiliency at the local level and harness preexisting community strength before, during, and after a disaster The insight presented in this volume supplies emergency managers, policy makers, and elected officials with a powerful blueprint for implementing social intelligence in any community or organization, maximizing the effectiveness of disaster recovery efforts. Equally important, this volume supplies emergency managers, municipalities, government organizations, and private sector entities with a framework to understand and identify social and economic fault lines in communities.

How does culture shape history, and history shape culture? This book answers this question by bringing readers on a fascinating journey through the evolution of Chinese culture, political and legal institutions, and "national character" of historical and contemporary China. It illustrates how "national character" evolves endogenously along with an institutional environment through the use of economic theories. Recognizing the unique role of "personality" in violence and social order - important variables that contribute to successful economies, the book provides a meaningful take on "personality" from the "average personality" of a country's people. It analyses the relationship between culture, institution and "national character", providing gainful, interesting insights into the monumental transformation of China.

Written for students and professionals, this revised textbook surveys the mineral industry from geological, environmental and economic perspectives. Thoroughly updated, the text includes a new chapter on technology industry metals as well as separate chapters on mineral economics and environmental geochemistry. Carefully designed figures simplify difficult concepts and show the location of important deposits and trade patterns, emphasising the true global nature of mineral resources. Featuring boxes highlighting special interest topics, the text equips students with the skills they need to contribute to the energy and mineral questions currently facing society, including issues regarding oil pipelines, nuclear power plants, water availability and new mining locations. Technical terms are highlighted when first used, and references are included to allow students to delve more deeply into areas of interest. Multiple choice and short answer questions are provided for instructors online at www.cambridge.org/kesler to complete the teaching package.

The first part of the book defines the concept of uncertainties and the mathematical frameworks that will be used for uncertainty modeling. The application to system reliability assessment illustrates the concept. In the second part, evidential networks as a new tool to model uncertainty in reliability and risk analysis is proposed and described. Then it is applied on SIS performance assessment and in risk analysis of a heat sink. In the third part, Bayesian and evidential networks are used to deal with important measures evaluation in the context of uncertainties.

This classic text sets a standard in this subject by outlining the scientific aspects that underlie pathological processes, relating these to specific organ systems and placing all in a context that the student of medicine or pathology can appreciate, understand and enjoy. The clearly defined and easy-to-follow structure, enhanced by numerous photographs and explanatory line diagrams, focuses on core material without neglecting novel concepts and up-to-the minute detail. A one-stop-shop in pathology, it reflects fully the integration of pathology into clinical teaching whether system or problem-based, and will take the student right through medical school and beyond to postgraduate training.

With tremendous growth over the last five years, mechanochemistry has become one of the most important topics in current polymer science research. With a particular focus on polymers and soft materials, Mechanochemistry in Materials looks at the subject from the application of macroscopic forces to solid systems of macroscopic dimensions. The book has been divided according to length scale covering both experimental and theoretical considerations simultaneously. The first section of the book focuses on inspiration from nature, exploring and explaining multiple biological phenomena. The second section discusses molecular mechanochemistry, including the theoretical understanding of the transduction of mechanical force and its impact on covalent bonds cleavage and formation. The final section considers the implementation of these phenomena at the mesoscale and discusses the use of supramolecular/reversible aspects with similarities to biological systems. The book provides a unique comparison with natural systems and contains all the important achievements in the area from the last decade. Appealing to a broad range of materials scientists, working in industry and academia, this well-presented and comprehensive title will be essential reading for researchers.

This classic text sets a standard in this subject by outlining the scientific aspects that underlie pathological processes, relating these to specific organ systems and placing all in a context that the student of medicine or pathology can appreciate, understand and enjoy. The clearly defined and easy-to-follow structure, enhanced by numerous photographs and explanatory line diagrams, focuses on core material without neglecting novel concepts and up-to-the minute detail. A one-stop-shop in pathology, it reflects fully the integration of pathology into clinical teaching whether system or problem-based, and will take the student right through medical school and beyond to postgraduate training.

These workshop proceedings aim to provide a broad overview of recent developments in the study of hot stars, both from the observational and the theoretical point of view. Included are first results from the Hubble Space Telescope and ROSAT, the effects of non-radial pulsations, mass loss, magnetic fields, and diffusion, as well as modern theoretical methods to treat radiative transfer and compute model atmospheres. Many new results are described, including the discovery of a B star in the halo of M31. Together the reviews provide a general overview of hot-star spectroscopy suitable for preparing advanced lecture courses and as an introductory text for graduate students.

Drawing on traditional sources as well as his vast experience in the Jewish world, Rabbi Michael Simon's "The Blue and White Road: A Path for a Fulfilling Jewish Life," presents a compelling vision of Judaism and its continued importance in our lives. Covering a wide range of topics and issues of concern today, such as Jewish Identity, God, Heritage and Tradition, Ethics and Values, Community and Civility, and Education, Rabbi Simon engages the reader as if he or she were having a personal conversation with the author while providing inspiration, direction and comfort for anyone seeking to understand what Judaism is all about and what it has to offer. This book raises questions, offers answers, but most of all encourages and guides the reader to seek his or her own path towards making Judaism a more meaningful and fulfilling part of one's life. In the words of noted historian David Dalin, "The Blue and White Road should be read by anyone who wishes to better understand our rich tradition and its continuing relevance for Jews and Jewish life today."