The rhetoric of heroism pervades politics. Political leaders invoke their own heroic credentials, soldiers are celebrated at sporting events, ordinary citizens become state symbols (or symbols of opposition), and high profile celebrities embody a glamorized, humanitarian heroism. Using analytical tools drawn from international relations, gender studies, war studies, history, and comparative politics, this book examines the cultural and political phenomenon of heroism and its relationship to the process of creating, sustaining and challenging political communities. Arguing that heroism is socially constructed and relational, the contributors demonstrate that heroes and heroic narratives always serve particular interests in the ways that they create and uphold certain images of states and other political communities. Studying the heroes that have been sanctioned by a community tells us important things about that community, including how it sees itself, its values and its pressing needs at a particular moment. Conversely, understanding those who are presented in opposition to heroes (victims, demonized opponents), or who become the heroes of resistance movements, can also tell us a great deal about the politics of a state or a regime. Heroes are at once the institutionalization of political power, and yet amorphous--one can go from being a hero to a villain in short order. This book will appeal to scholars and students working on topics related to international relations, gender, security and war studies, comparative politics, state building, and political communities.

The Welding of Aluminium and its Alloys is a practical user's guide to all aspects of welding aluminium and aluminium alloys. It provides a basic understanding of the metallurgical principles involved showing how alloys achieve their strength and how the process of welding can affect these properties. The book is intended to provide engineers with perhaps little prior understanding of metallurgy and only a brief acquaintance with the welding processes involved with a concise and effective reference to the subject.
It is intended as a practical guide for the Welding Engineer and covers weldability of aluminium alloys; process descriptions, advantages, limitations, proposed weld parameters, health and safety issues; preparation for welding, quality assurance and quality control issues along with problem solving.
The book includes sections on parent metal storage and preparation prior to welding. It describes the more frequently encountered processes and has recommendations on welding parameters that may be used as a starting point for the development of a viable welding procedure. Included in these chapters are hints and tips to avoid some of the pitfalls of welding these sometimes-problematic materials. The content is both descriptive and qualitative. The author has avoided the use of mathematical expressions to describe the effects of welding.
This book is essential reading for welding engineers, production engineers, production managers, designers and shop-floor supervisors involved in the aluminium fabrication industry.
A practical user's guide by a respected expert to all aspects of welding of aluminiumDesigned to be easily understood by the non-metallurgist whilst covering the most necessary metallurgical aspectsDemonstrates best practice in fabricating aluminium structures

The rhetoric of heroism pervades politics. Political leaders invoke their own heroic credentials, soldiers are celebrated at sporting events, ordinary citizens become state symbols (or symbols of opposition), and high profile celebrities embody a glamorized, humanitarian heroism. Using analytical tools drawn from international relations, gender studies, war studies, history, and comparative politics, this book examines the cultural and political phenomenon of heroism and its relationship to the process of creating, sustaining and challenging political communities. Arguing that heroism is socially constructed and relational, the contributors demonstrate that heroes and heroic narratives always serve particular interests in the ways that they create and uphold certain images of states and other political communities. Studying the heroes that have been sanctioned by a community tells us important things about that community, including how it sees itself, its values and its pressing needs at a particular moment. Conversely, understanding those who are presented in opposition to heroes (victims, demonized opponents), or who become the heroes of resistance movements, can also tell us a great deal about the politics of a state or a regime. Heroes are at once the institutionalization of political power, and yet amorphous--one can go from being a hero to a villain in short order. This book will appeal to scholars and students working on topics related to international relations, gender, security and war studies, comparative politics, state building, and political communities.