A fresh new approach to Victorian medievalism, showing it to be far from the preserve of the elite. This book offers a challenge to the current study of nineteenth-century British medievalism, re-examining its general perception as an elite and conservative tendency, the imposition of order from above evidenced in the work of Walter Scott, in the Eglinton Tournament, and in endless Victorian depictions of armour-clad knights. Whilst some previous scholars have warned that medievalism should not be reduced to the role of an ideologically conservative discourse which always and everywhere had the role of either obscuring, ignoring, or forgetting the ugly truths of an industrialised modernity by appealing to a green and ordered Merrie England, there has been remarkably little exploration of liberal or radical medievalisms, still less of working-class medievalisms. Essays in this book question a number of orthodoxies. Can it be imagined that in the world of Ivanhoe, the Eglinton Tournament, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Alfred Tennyson, the working class remained largely oblivious to, or at best uninterested in, medievalism? What, if any, was the working-class medievalist counter-blast to conservatism? How did feminism and socialismdeploy the medieval past? The contributions here range beyond the usual canonical cultural sources to investigate the ephemera: the occasional poetry, the forgotten novels, the newspapers, short-lived cultural journals, fugitive Chartist publications. A picture is created of a richly varied and subtle understanding of the medieval past on the part of socialists, radicals, feminists and working-class thinkers of all kinds, a set of dreams of the Middle Agesto counter what many saw as the disorder of the times.

The academic field of behavioral science has developed rapidly in recent decades. The field draws on research from across the social and natural sciences, and it has consistently shown that humans are not always rational. This insight has had a profound impact on multiple fields, including economics, political science, and law. Since the early 2000s, the application of behavioral science to public policy has also grown exponentially. Policymakers and practitioners now regularly use behavioral science to rethink how they develop programs and solve social problems. The impact has been far-reaching; behavioral science has transformed how we think about the economy, public health, education, and beyond. In practice, behavioral insights have been used to raise tax revenues, help people access social welfare program benefits and employment opportunities, increase voter turnout, boost medication adherence, and more. There are now hundreds of entities – international organizations, governments, business, and nonprofits – building and investing in internal behavioral science teams. Unfortunately, most of the hard work of putting these teams together and applying behavioral science insights happens “behind the scenes.” This book unearths some of the stories and insights from pioneers in applied behavioral science, in their own words. How did their teams come about, and how did they grow? What projects have worked, and which have not? What have they learned, and what would they recommend to others seeking to build behavioral science teams of their own?

Benjamin Disraeli (1804-81) was one of the most important political figures in 19th century Britain. However, before rising to political prominence he had established himself as a major literary figure. This set takes a critical look at Disraeli's early work.

Benjamin Disraeli (1804-81) was one of the most important political figures in 19th century Britain. However, before rising to political prominence he had established himself as a major literary figure. This set takes a critical look at Disraeli's early work.

Benjamin Disraeli (1804-81) was one of the most important political figures in 19th century Britain. However, before rising to political prominence he had established himself as a major literary figure. This set takes a critical look at Disraeli's early work.

Benjamin Disraeli (1804-81) was one of the most important political figures in 19th century Britain. However, before rising to political prominence he had established himself as a major literary figure. This set takes a critical look at Disraeli's early work.

'Engaging, fact-filled and profoundly illuminating. It's inspiring to read - and it should help make the world a lot better.' Cass Sunstein, author of Nudge The rise of social media has sent our social instincts into overdrive, and the impact of our networks has never been greater. But what if we could reclaim the positive power that influences our decisions, to behave better and be happier? In this groundbreaking book, Sanders and Hume build on the incredible findings of their own cutting-edge research from their work at the world's first Nudge Unit, as well as illuminating case studies from experts around the world, to show how small changes in our environments can have a huge impact on where our instincts lead us. At a time when our trust in each other is being destroyed on a global scale, it's never been more important to understand what motivates us and how to use our predictable behaviours to drive positive change. From helping us to run more cohesive organizations, to building important relationships and connections that matter, this is an essential roadmap back to our better social selves.

The last decade has seen a growing focus on producing evidence-based policy and practice in governments around the world - with a specific focus on causal evidence of the impacts of a particular policy on outcomes for citizens. The UK is a key example of this, with the establishment of 14 What Works Centres which collate, create and translate evidence in different policy and practice domains. In this book, leaders, researchers and practitioners from these institutions share insights to help understand what has worked so far in the Centres, and what could be done better in future. It offers guidance to policy makers and funders looking to establish new centres, and for academics looking to create similar institutions that can have a practical impact on the improvement of the world around us.