Why are we here? What is the point of all our efforts? And can our activities and endeavors really bring us true happiness? Rarely in our complex world do we have the opportunity to consider the larger picture, and for those who wish to gain some understanding of the traditional Jewish approach to these and similar questions, the task can be daunting. Uncovering Judaism's Soul provides answers to these basic philosophical questions, and it bases these answers on original Jewish source material. Judaism is complex, and traditional Jewish religious literature is vast-for the uninitiated, the basic answers are difficult to find. Furthermore, the original sources are written in Hebrew and Aramaic, and although English translations exist for many of the better-known works, much has not been translated. With help, however, answers to fundamental questions can be uncovered: Why did God create the universe? What is the purpose of human life? How can a person find fulfillment in life?...

The economics of substance use and abuse deals with the consumption of goods that share two properties. First, they are addictive in the sense that an increase in past consumption of the good leads to an increase in current consumption. Second, their consumption harms the consumer and others. This second property makes them of interest from policy, legal, and public health perspectives. The tremendous expansion in research in the economics of substance use and abuse since the early 1980s and the presence of many unresolved issues motivate this volume. While most of the papers are by economists, the disciplines of medicine, political science, and psychology also are represented. Any successful attempt to address substance use must adopt an interdisciplinary perspective. The aim of the volume to cover issues pertaining to individual behavior, social interactions, markets, and politics makes this all the more necessary. Some of the twenty papers in the volume contain new estimates of the price sensitivity of alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana, cocaine, and heroin. Others focus on the effects of consumption on earnings, crime, suicide, and sexually transmitted diseases. Still others address the roles of psychobiology, social interaction, hyperbolic discounting, and peer effects in shaping decisions with regard to the use of harmfully addictive substances. To a larger or lesser extent, all the papers contain implications for policy-making. A number of papers, however, are more directly concerned with policy-making and with the policy-making environment, including evaluations of the costs and benefits of treatment services for abusers. Readers of this volume should gain a much betterunderstanding of what we know and what we still need to know about the economics of substance use and abuse.

Currently developed countries pay much more attention to harmfully addictive substances than developing countries. However, the experience of developed countries is very relevant to the developing world since substance abuse is likely to impose a continually increasing burden of disease in this region in the near future. This book extends the frontiers of research on the economics of substance use and abuse in a variety of extremely significant ways. It focuses on the determinants and consequences of the consumption of cigarettes, alcohol, betel quid, and illicit drugs in the United States, Great Britain and Taiwan. The authors use a variety of empirical techniques to examine the roles of price, advertising, risk perception, time preference and forward-looking behaviour in consumption decisions and the effects of these decisions on labour market outcomes, unintended pregnancies and criminal violence. Economic Analysis of Substance Use and Abuse will be required reading for scholars of economic development and health economics.

National Role Conceptions in a New Millennium examines the transformation of the international system through an examination of the role conceptions adopted by the different global actors. Advancing current role theory scholarship in International Relations, the contributors take as their starting point the question of how international actors are responding to the reordering of the global system. They reflect on the rise of new actors and the reemergence of old rivalries, the decline of established norms, and the unleashing of internal political forces such as nationalism and parochialism. They argue that changes in the international system can impact how states define their roles and act as a variable in both domestic and international role contestations. Further, they examine the redefinition of roles of countries and the international organizations that have been central to the US and western dominated world order, including major powers in the world (the US, Russia, China, Britain etc.) as well as the European Union, NATO, and ASEAN. By looking at international organizations, this text moves beyond the traditional subjects of role theory in the study of international relations, to examine how roles are contested in non-state actors. National Role Conceptions in a New Millennium is the first attempt to delve into the individual motivations of states to seek role transition. As such, it is ideal for those teaching and studying both theory and method in international relations and foreign policy analysis.

Part of a series which focuses on health economics and health services research, this volume discusses topics including cost-benefit evaluations in mental health and the demand for health care for the treatment of mental problems among the elderly.

Obesity, which has increased in most developed countries in the past few decades, is the result of genetics, environment, and individual choices. Economics is useful for studying the individual choices that lead to obesity, explanations for the recent rise in obesity, the treatment options for obesity, and the costs and consequences of obesity for the individual and society.
The papers in this volume, devoted to the economics of obesity, illustrate the wide usefulness of the economic approach. The papers in the first section propose and test economic explanations for food-consumption choices and obesity. In particular, they assess the impact of food quality, access to fast food, food prices, legislation, and other factors on diet, physical activity, and body weight.
Treatments for obesity, specifically bariatric surgery and anti-obesity drugs, are studied in the second section of this volume. The third section is devoted to the labor market impacts of obesity; evidence from fifteen countries is presented and evaluated. The fourth and final section calculates the impact of obesity on hospital costs and examines the externalities imposed by obesity through health insurance.
Taken together, the papers in this volume advance the frontier of knowledge about the causes, implications, and consequences of obesity, and validate the usefulness of the economic approach for studying obesity in particular and medical conditions more generally.
*Studies obesity from an economic perspective
*Proposes economic explanation for food consumption choices, treatment of obesity, and treatment of the condition
*International in scope - provides evidence from 15 countries

This book provides a broad analysis of the legacy of the Obama presidency, representing multiple perspectives across the partisan and disciplinary divides. The chapters in this book are grouped into three major legacy categories: domestic policy, foreign policy, and rhetoric. Domestically, the contributors examine the "Obama coalition" and its staying power in the age of Trump, President Obama's legacy regarding the use of executive power, his impact on intergovernmental relations, and his impact on the welfare state and education. On the foreign policy front, the central focus is on whether Obama was in fact much different from his predecessor, what impact he had on the Middle East and Afghanistan, and whether his pivot to Asia yielded the hoped-for results. The contributions in this book also aim to (re-)assess the Obama legacy in light of the subsequent efforts by his successor to undo many of the policies embraced and implemented during the Obama years.

National Role Conceptions in a New Millennium examines the transformation of the international system through an examination of the role conceptions adopted by the different global actors. Advancing current role theory scholarship in International Relations, the contributors take as their starting point the question of how international actors are responding to the reordering of the global system. They reflect on the rise of new actors and the reemergence of old rivalries, the decline of established norms, and the unleashing of internal political forces such as nationalism and parochialism. They argue that changes in the international system can impact how states define their roles and act as a variable in both domestic and international role contestations. Further, they examine the redefinition of roles of countries and the international organizations that have been central to the US and western dominated world order, including major powers in the world (the US, Russia, China, Britain etc.) as well as the European Union, NATO, and ASEAN. By looking at international organizations, this text moves beyond the traditional subjects of role theory in the study of international relations, to examine how roles are contested in non-state actors. National Role Conceptions in a New Millennium is the first attempt to delve into the individual motivations of states to seek role transition. As such, it is ideal for those teaching and studying both theory and method in international relations and foreign policy analysis.

The fields of pharmaceutical economics and health economics/policy are reaching a point of convergence. This is due to both the widespread availability of pharmaceutical treatments, accompanied by broader insurance coverage, and the regulation of prescription drugs in both private and government plans. This book will bridge the gap. We will explore developments in both U.S. and International setting. The system of the U.S. is characterized by a mix of private and government insurance for prescription drugs with the expansion of Medicare Part D. Most other developed countries are characterized by social insurance with either the government as a single payer such as in Canada or Australia, or a national health service as in many other European countries.

Human capital is embodied in human beings. It embraces the individual's capacity to perform and enjoy activities that provide money and/or psychic income. Health behaviour affects human capital and is itself affected by the individual's human capital. This volume consists of original theoretical and empirical contributions to our knowledge of the interdependence between Human Capital and Health Behaviour.

FORENSIC CHEMISTRY FUNDAMENTALS strives to help scientists & lawyers, & students, understand how their two disciplines come together for forensic science, in the contexts of analytical chemistry & related science more generally, and the common law systems of Canada, USA, UK, the Commonwealth. In this book, forensics is considered more generally than as only for criminal law; workplace health & safety, and other areas are included. And, two issues of Canadian legal process are argued as essays in the fi nal two chapters.

Medical technology broadly defined to include all aspects of the process of treating disease (e.g., pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and surgical procedures) is profoundly important for individual health and, consequently, also for general welfare. Advances in medical technology convey the prospect of both improved population health and increased general welfare. However, because of the extensive regulation of the markets for healthcare goods and services, the development and application of medical technologies differs fundamentally from non-medical technological advances. In this volume of the "Advances in Health Economics and Health Services Research" series we present several papers that provide theoretical and empirical evidence about the market for medical technology.

Highlighting the relevance of deep contextual and comparative analysis, this open access volume offers new perspectives on how religious beliefs and frameworks intersect with the politics of violent radicalisation across different narratives, geographies and cultures. The role of religion and religiosity in processes of radicalisation to violence has been at the forefront of debates around terrorism and extremism for decades. The events of 9/11 gave new impetus to these debates, cementing assumptions about the role of Islam as the key driver for religiously inspired violent radicalisation, and defining the way in which radicalisation to violence is understood. The years since 9/11 have seen a striking diversification in the terrorist and violent extremist landscape, yet the treatment of how religious beliefs, concepts and histories are entangled with established and emergent violent ideologies and social movements has changed far less, impeding our understanding of how religious and ideological belief systems intersect and influence each other in different social, cultural, political and regional contexts. By looking beyond Islamist-inspired or attributed terrorism, this volume explores how violent extremists instrumentalise religion and religiosity in unexpected ways, from Orthodox Christianity and Hindutva to ‘conspirituality’, far-right extremism, and single-issue social movements. With contributions from range of regions and disciplines, this offers theoretically compelling and empirically rich new insights that speak to contemporary developments in the relationship between religion and violent extremism. The eBook editions of this book are available open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com.

This collection of Michael Grossman's most important papers adds essential background and depth to his work on economic-based determinants of public health. Grossman organizes his essays into four categories and includes an introduction to each section that addresses the issues covered and the larger stakes of his work. An afterword discusses the effect of Grossman's approach to subsequent research on health economics and the work others have done to advance and extend his innovative perspective. Determinants of Health begins with a section on the theoretical underpinnings and empirical results of Grossman's groundbreaking health economics model, first introduced in the 1970s. It follows with sections on the relationship between health and schooling; determinants of infant health, with a special emphasis on public policies and programs; and the economics of unhealthy behaviors. These essays explain how the economic choices people make influence health and health behaviors. Grossman treats health as a form of human capital, and he shows that public policies and programs that determine the price and availability of key inputs have critical effects on outcomes ranging from birthweight and infant mortality to cigarette smoking, alcohol abuse, illegal drug use, and obesity. Grossman's approach has led to a major stream of literature in the field with contributions by the world's leading health economists, including Joseph Newhouse, Jonathan Gruber, Amy Finkelstein, Michael Greenstone, and David Cutler. His clarity on the economic decisions that lead people to make good or poor health choices is immensely valuable to the debate over how we spend on and legislate health.

The media have become principal actors on the American political scene. Politicians and their press secretaries release news items with one eye on the event and the other on the millions of voters who depend on the White House press corps to keep them informed about the workings of their government.

"Portraying the President" explores the inner workings of the relationship between the White House and the press. Rather than emphasize the well-publicized sparring between inquisitive reporters and evasive administrative spokesmen intent on enhancing the President's public image, the authors stress the vast amount of cooperation between journalists and their sources. They point out the similarities of the White House-media relationship in recent administrations and suggest what shape it is likely to take in the future.

The authors also address the key issues of information management and manipulation by both the administration and the press. Grossman and Kumar demonstrate that, whether a lower level staff member leaks a news item to elevate his own status or an official spokesman mentions a new policy proposal in order to gather support, the release of information to the White House press corps involves complicated strategies among a number of administrative personnel. Washington reporters, aware of some of these tactics, compensate by cultivating personal sources and trading information with officials. Nevertheless, the routine nature of White House reporting and the competitiveness of modern news organizations often trap the reporter into what has been called "pack journalism."

Interviews with current and former White House reporters, including Bob Schieffer, Tom Brokaw, James Naughton, James Reston, and John Osborne, give "Portraying the President" an authentic, firsthand sound and feel. Comments from Ron Nessen, Gerald Rafshoon, Jody Powell, and other presidential spokesmen and advisors, give insight into White House operations during the Nixon, Ford, and Carter administrations.

"Portraying the President" provides information vital to an appreciation of the modern American political system. Its thought-provoking conclusions will be of interest political scientists, media specialists, and anyone interested in current affairs.

Why are we here? What is the point of all our efforts? And can our activities and endeavors really bring us true happiness? Rarely in our complex world do we have the opportunity to consider the larger picture, and for those who wish to gain some understanding of the traditional Jewish approach to these and similar questions, the task can be daunting. Uncovering Judaism's Soul provides answers to these basic philosophical questions, and it bases these answers on original Jewish source material. Judaism is complex, and traditional Jewish religious literature is vast-for the uninitiated, the basic answers are difficult to find. Furthermore, the original sources are written in Hebrew and Aramaic, and although English translations exist for many of the better-known works, much has not been translated. With help, however, answers to fundamental questions can be uncovered: Why did God create the universe? What is the purpose of human life? How can a person find fulfillment in life?...

Perhaps the world's longest coming-of-age story, SHRINKWRAPPED shows how one man's search for a better life worked-at last. In a blue-collar Michigan town where corporal punishment was seen as positive parenting, troubled families rarely sought professional help. But Michael Grossman's teachers sent him to see a Freudian psychoanalyst at age 7. It was the first of a parade of therapies that would include Rogerian bear-hugs, Gestalt dream analysis, Rolfing, Bioenergetics and even LSD. Sitting beside Michael on a succession of "shrinks'" couches, the reader follows his progress through one defense after another until he finally achieves a joyful capacity to care for others. Untangling the complex, sometimes eccentric and other times abusive family relationships that enmeshed his Midwestern boyhood in the mid-20th century, the author finally faces fundamental truths that lead to a profound transformation. By turns funny, poignant and shocking, Shrinkwrapped is a story of hope, of growing insight and ultimately of love reborn.

Leading scientists are identified as much by their ability to communicate ideas and results as by the quality of their research. Ideas and results that are not communicated effectively will not contribute to new knowledge, so it is important that scientists learn to improve their communication skills. There are many types of scientific communication, the principal ones being journal papers and popular science articles, as well as oral and poster presentations at scientific meetings. In each case, the ABC of science communication is that it should be Accurate and Audience adapted, Brief and Clear. presentations so that your message can be transmitted clearly and concisely to the reader or listener. Techniques for improving your writing, literature searching and training students in communication are also discussed. In this revised edition a few more topics have been added, such as electronic submission of manuscripts, writing statistics, and writing research proposals. research results, experienced scientists wanting to make their communications more effective, university students at all levels, and teachers involved in the instruction of communication skills.

Indigenous Australian cultures were long known to the world mainly from the writing of anthropologists, ethnographers, historians, missionaries, and others. Indigenous Australians themselves have worked across a range of genres to challenge and reconfigure this textual legacy, so that they are now strongly represented through their own life-narratives of identity, history, politics, and culture. Even as Indigenous-authored texts have opened up new horizons of engagement with Aboriginal knowledge and representation, however, the textual politics of some of these narratives - particularly when cross-culturally produced or edited - can remain haunted by colonially grounded assumptions about orality and literacy. Through an examination of key moments in the theorizing of orality and literacy and key texts in cross-culturally produced Indigenous life-writing, "Entangled Subjects "explores how some of these works can sustain, rather than trouble, the frontier zone established by modernity in relation to 'talk' and 'text'. Yet contemporary Indigenous vernaculars offer radical new approaches to how we might move beyond the orality-literacy 'frontier', and how modernity and the a-modern are productively entangled in the process.