Although decentralization and reactions against it have become increasingly important policy trends in developing countries, the study of this nearly ubiquitous phenomenon has been largely fractured across academic disciplines, geographic regions, and the academic-practitioner divide. The contributors to this edited volume begin to cross some of these constraining, artificial boundaries. Considering decentralization from an interdisciplinary, historical, and comparative perspective, they collectively explore why it has evolved in particular ways and with varied outcomes. In addition to taking an atypically comparative perspective, the volume highlights the importance of an historical analysis of decentralization and links this to institutional and public policy outcomes. Placing decentralization in this context illustrates why it has taken dissimilar shapes and produced varying results over time in different countries. This in turn helps to clarify the types of institutions and conditions required for the development and survival of decentralization, paving the way for more creative thinking and informed policymaking. The countries covered include: Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Bolivia, Argentina, Mexico, Peru and Brazil. Students and scholars of economics, political science and development will find the policy and theoretical discussions enlightening. The volume will also prove useful to policymakers and development institutions confronting issues of decentralization.

Examining cutting-edge issues of international relevance in the ongoing redesign of the South African local government fiscal system, the contributors to this volume analyze the major changes that have taken place since the demise of apartheid. The 1996 Constitution and subsequent legislation dramatically redefined the public sector, mandating the development of democratic local governments empowered to provide a wide variety of key public services. However, the definition and implementation of new local functions and the supporting democratic decision-making and managerial capabilities are emerging more slowly than expected. Some difficult choices and challenges commonly faced by developing countries must be dealt with before the system can evolve to more effectively meet the substantial role envisioned for local governments. The contributors outline these choices and challenges, consider options for meeting them, and review the implications of different decisions. Their analyses also highlight the interrelationships among the elements of the local fiscal structure, and emphasize the often-ignored challenge of how to define an appropriate fiscal decentralization implementation strategy in an environment where local governments are extremely diverse in terms of needs, resources and capacities. Though the research, much of it based on newly collected data, is specific to South Africa, the approach provides a model for other countries facing similar fiscal decentralization policy challenges. Applied public finance and policy academics, policymakers in developing countries, researchers and program managers in international development organizations, and students interested in local government finance in developing countries will find this timely and comprehensive volume a valuable addition to their libraries.

Many educators already know that hip-hop can be a powerful tool for engaging students. But can hip-hop save our schools-and our society? Hip Hop Genius introduces an iteration of hip-hop education that goes far beyond studying rap music as classroom content. Through stories about the professional rapper who founded the first hip-hop high school and the aspiring artists currently enrolled there, sam seidel lays out a vision for how hip-hop's genius-the resourceful creativity and swagger that took it from a local phenomenon to a global force-can lead to a fundamental remix of the way we think of teaching, school design, and leadership. This 10-year anniversary edition welcomes two new contributing authors, Tony Simmons and Michael Lipset, who bring direct experience running the High School for Recording Arts. The new edition includes new forewords from some of the most prominent names in education and hip-hop, reflections on ten more years of running a hip-hop high school, updates to every chapter from the first edition, details of how the school navigated the unprecedented complexities brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and uprising in response to the murder of George Floyd, and an inspiring new concluding chapter that is a call to action for the field.

A primer on thinking about peace in a nuclear age, this book describes the kinds of peace efforts that have been tried-and those that might be tried-from the highest echelons of government policymaking to the grassroots level of individual endeavour. Its primary goal is to enable the reader to understand ways of eliminating the threat of nuclear war and to be empowered to take action. The book describes and compares nine basic methods people have used to achieve peace, ranging from such conventional approaches as the theories of deterrence and balance of power to more unconventional strategies such as nonviolent resistance. Essentially all significant ideas for achieving and maintaining international peace fall into one of these nine categories or combine features from several. Many have been tried, but all clearly have been found wanting. Yet the authors' tone is one of optimism as they explore some of the major changes of the past quarter century. They contend that these changes alter the balance of advantages and disadvantages among the various paths to peace, so that what seemed partially workable in the past may not be appropriate to the present and what seemed totally impractical in the past might have a chance of working today. The book concludes with a scenario that may make a stable peace possible in the foreseeable future.

Taking a sociocultural and educational approach, Language and Linguistics in Context: Readings and Applications for Teachers: *introduces basic linguistic concepts and current perspectives on language acquisition; *considers the role of linguistic change (especially in English) in the politics of language; *acknowledges the role of linguists in current policies involving language; *offers insights into the relationship between the structure of language systems and first- and second-language acquisition; the study of language across culture, class, race, gender, and ethnicity; and between language study and literacy and education; and *provides readers with a basis for understanding current educational debates about bilingual education, non-standard dialects, English only movements, literacy methodologies, and generally the importance to teaching of the study of language. The text is organized into three thematic units - "What is Language and How is It Acquired?"; "How Does Language Change?"; and "What is Literacy?". To achieve both breadth and depth - that is, to provide a "big picture" view of basic linguistics and at the same time make it specific enough for the beginner - a selection of readings, including personal language narratives, is provided to both introduce and clarify linguistic concepts. The readings, by well-known theoretical and applied linguists and researchers from various disciplines, are diverse in level and range of topics and vary in level of linguistic formalism. Pedagogical features: This text is designed for a range of courses in English and language arts, bilingualism, applied linguistics, and ESL courses in teacher education programs. Each unit contains a substantive introduction to the topic, followed by the readings. Each reading concludes with Questions to Think About including one Extending Your Understanding question, and a short list of Terms to Define. Each unit ends with additional Extending Your Understanding and Making Connections activities that engage readers in applying what they have read to teaching and suggested projects and a bibliography of Print and Web Resources. The readings and apparatus are arranged so that the material can be modified to fit many course plans and schemes of presentation. To help individual instructors make the most effective use of the text in specific classes, a set of matrixes is provided suggesting configurations of readings for different types of linguistics and education classes.

A primer on thinking about peace in a nuclear age, this book describes the kinds of peace efforts that have been tried-and those that might be tried-from the highest echelons of government policymaking to the grassroots level of individual endeavour. Its primary goal is to enable the reader to understand ways of eliminating the threat of nuclear war and to be empowered to take action. The book describes and compares nine basic methods people have used to achieve peace, ranging from such conventional approaches as the theories of deterrence and balance of power to more unconventional strategies such as nonviolent resistance. Essentially all significant ideas for achieving and maintaining international peace fall into one of these nine categories or combine features from several. Many have been tried, but all clearly have been found wanting. Yet the authors' tone is one of optimism as they explore some of the major changes of the past quarter century. They contend that these changes alter the balance of advantages and disadvantages among the various paths to peace, so that what seemed partially workable in the past may not be appropriate to the present and what seemed totally impractical in the past might have a chance of working today. The book concludes with a scenario that may make a stable peace possible in the foreseeable future.

The essays in this book focus on political strategies, pedagogical models, and community programs that enable adult ESL learners to become vital members of North American society. This is particularly important in our present time of contraction and downsizing in the education of non-native speakers. The authors represent a broad range of programs and perspectives, but they all have in common the goal of enabling both faculty and students to become full participants in our society and thereby to gain control over their futures. Readers of this book will develop an understanding of the ways in which innovative educators are creating strategies for maintaining language programs and services.

The essays in this book focus on political strategies, pedagogical models, and community programs that enable adult ESL learners to become vital members of North American society. This is particularly important in our present time of contraction and downsizing in the education of non-native speakers. The authors represent a broad range of programs and perspectives, but they all have in common the goal of enabling both faculty and students to become full participants in our society and thereby to gain control over their futures. Readers of this book will develop an understanding of the ways in which innovative educators are creating strategies for maintaining language programs and services.

Taking a sociocultural and educational approach, Language and Linguistics in Context: Readings and Applications for Teachers:introduces basic linguistic concepts and current perspectives on language acquisition;considers the role of linguistic change (especially in English) in the politics of language;acknowledges the role of linguists in current policies involving language; offers insights into the relationship between the structure of language systems and first- and second-language acquisition; the study of language across culture, class, race, gender, and ethnicity; and between language study and literacy and education; andprovides readers with a basis for understanding current educational debates about bilingual education, non-standard dialects, English only movements, literacy methodologies, and generally the importance to teaching of the study of language. The text is organized into three thematic units - "What is Language and How is It Acquired?"; "How Does Language Change?"; and "What is Literacy?". To achieve both breadth and depth - that is, to provide a "big picture" view of basic linguistics and at the same time make it specific enough for the beginner - a selection of readings, including personal language narratives, is provided to both introduce and clarify linguistic concepts. The readings, by well-known theoretical and applied linguists and researchers from various disciplines, are diverse in level and range of topics and vary in level of linguistic formalism. Pedagogical features: This text is designed for a range of courses in English and language arts, bilingualism, applied linguistics, and ESL courses in teacher education programs. Each unit contains a substantive introduction to the topic, followed by the readings. Each reading concludes with Questions to Think About including one Extending Your U

There are some questions we can't avoid. Questions about meaning and morality, about belief and evidence and truth - about things that are reflected in our lives, whether or not we ever analyze them explicitly. This is the conviction that drives Making Sense of Brief Lives, first to identify with stark clarity the practical philosophical questions we face in life, and then to drive toward decisive answers.

Look around New York, and you'll probably see birds: wood ducks swimming in Queens, a stalking black-crowned night-heron in Brooklyn, great horned owls perching in the Bronx, warblers feeding in Central Park, or Staten Island's purple martins flying to and fro. You might spot hawks and falcons nesting on skyscrapers or robins belting out songs from trees along the street. America's largest metropolis teems with birdlife in part because it sits within the great Atlantic flyway where migratory birds travel seasonally between north and south. The Big Apple's miles of coastline, magnificent parks, and millions of trees attract dozens of migrating species every year and are also home year-round to scores of resident birds. There is no better way to identify and learn about New York's birds than with this comprehensive field guide from New York City naturalist Leslie Day. Her book will quickly teach you what each species looks like, where they build their nests, what they eat, the sounds of their songs, what time of year they appear in the city, the shapes and colors of their eggs, and where in the five boroughs you can find them-which is often in the neighborhood you call home. The hundreds of stunning photographs by Beth Bergman and gorgeous illustrations by Trudy Smoke will help you identify the ninety avian species commonly seen in New York. Once you enter the world of the city's birds, life in the great metropolis will never look the same.

Imagine an urban oasis with hundreds of thousands of trees and whose mayor wants to plant a million more. That sylvan place is New York City, and this is a guide to the diverse trees that line its streets.

"Field Guide to the Street Trees of New York City" acquaints New Yorkers and visitors alike with fifty species of trees commonly found in the neighborhoods where people live, work, and travel. Beautiful, original drawings of leaves and stunning photographs of bark, fruit, flower, and twig accompany informative descriptions of each species. Detailed maps of the five boroughs identify all of the city's neighborhoods, and specific addresses pinpoint where to find a good example of each tree species.

Trees provide invaluable benefits to the Big Apple: they reduce the rate of respiratory disease, increase property values, cool homes and sidewalks in the summer, block the harsh winds of winter, clean the air, absorb storm water runoff, and provide habitat and food for the city's wildlife.

Bald cypress, swamp oak, silver linden, and all of New York's most common trees are just a page turn away. Your evening walk will never be the same once you come to know the quiet giants that line the city's streets.

This is a comprehensive academic writing skills book that includes authentic readings and a study of grammar. This Teacher's Manual provides teaching guidelines and tips, suggestions for creating a communicative classroom and for responding to students' writing, and a complete set of answers for the Student's Book activities.