This book, by one of the world's leading sociologists of religion. brings together a collection of essays written over the last decade and explores the dynamics internal to churches and other religious bodies. The second half of the book examines the consequences of these internal dynamics including world system theory, the cultureal impact of cults, and the relationship between religious and ethnic identities.

"Pretty much like the rest of the country, only more so." This quip from Wallace Stegner well-represents the Pacific region's religious culture. California, Nevada, and Hawaii emerged more recently, more quickly and with more diversity and fluidity than the other United States. Although influenced by Mexican Catholicism, Native Traditions, Asian Religions, and Euro-American Christianity, no religious tradition dominates, and a secular ethos usually reigns. But this very religious indifference makes California and the rest of the region open to all sorts of missionary movements and religious innovations. New organizational forms, new spiritual therapies, and new religious hybrids all compete for residents' attention along with secular ways for making meaning. With all these options, residents of the region mix, match, and move between religious identities more than other Americans. Without ignoring its diversity, Religion and Public Life in the Pacific Region highlights the key aspects of the region's fluctuating religions and its spirituality's impact on political life.

Data Engineering has become a necessary and critical activity for business, engineering, and scientific organizations as the move to service oriented architecture and web services moves into full swing. Notably, the US Department of Defense is mandating that all of its agencies and contractors assume a defining presence on the Net-centric Global Information Grid. This book provides the first practical approach to data engineering and modeling, which supports interoperabililty with consumers of the data in a service- oriented architectures (SOAs). Although XML (eXtensible Modeling Language) is the lingua franca for such interoperability, it is not sufficient on its own. The approach in this book addresses critical objectives such as creating a single representation for multiple applications, designing models capable of supporting dynamic processes, and harmonizing legacy data models for web-based co-existence. The approach is based on the System Entity Structure (SES) which is a well-defined structure, methodology, and practical tool with all of the functionality of UML (Unified Modeling Language) and few of the drawbacks. The SES originated in the formal representation of hierarchical simulation models. So it provides an axiomatic formalism that enables automating the development of XML dtds and schemas, composition and decomposition of large data models, and analysis of commonality among structures.
Zeigler and Hammond include a range of features to benefit their readers. Natural language, graphical and XML forms of SES specification are employed to allow mapping of legacy meta-data. Real world examples and case studies provide insight into data engineering and test evaluation in various application domains. Comparative information is provided on concepts of ontologies, modeling and simulation, introductory linguistic background, and support options enable programmers to work with advanced tools in the area. The website of the Arizona Center for Integrative Modeling and Simulation, co-founded by Zeigler in 2001, provides links to downloadable software to accompany the book.
* The only practical guide to integrating XML and web services in data engineering
* Introduces linguistic levels of interoperability for effective information exchange
* Covers the interoperability standards mandated by national and international agencies
* Complements Zeigler's classic THEORY OF MODELING AND SIMULATION

The United States is founded upon the principles of freedom of religion, although it has been difficult at times to understand and apply those principles. Phillip Hammond argues that the Constitution assumes a radical religious liberty, which protects the convictions of individual Americans, whether or not those convictions are explicitly religious. This book is an excellent guide to the church-state debate of today, and deepens that discussion by examining the root cause of disagreement about what freedom of religion means in America.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1985.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1985.