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Education Reform and Social Class in Japan: The emerging incentive divide (Routledge/University of Tokyo Series)
by Takehiko KariyaUntil the early 1990s, Japanese education was widely commended for achieving outstanding outcomes in global comparison. At the same time, it was frequently criticized for failing to cultivate 'individuality' and 'creativity' in students. Wide-ranging education reforms were enacted during the 1990s to remedy these perceived failings. However, as this book argues, the reforms produced a different outcome than intended, contributing to growing disparity in learning motivation and educational aspiration of students from different class backgrounds instead. Takehiko Kariya demonstrates by way of empirical sociological analysis that educational inequality in Japan has been expanding, and that a new mechanism of educational selection has begun to operate, which he calls the 'incentive divide'. Casting light on recent changes in Japanese society to critically reassess educational policy choices, this book's quantitative and qualitative analyses of the 'mass education society' in post-war Japan offer important insights also for understanding similar problems faced in other parts of the world at present. Translated into English for the first time, the Japanese language version of Education Reform and Social Class in Japan won the first Osaragi Jirō Prize for Commentary sponsored by the Asahi shinbun. This book will be of interest to students and scholars in the fields of Asian studies, Japanese studies, education, sociology and social policy.
Researching Social Life
by Nigel Gilbert Dr Paul StonemanPaul Stoneman and Nigel Gilbert breathe new energy into this classic bestselling textbook providing clear, relevant advice and extensive coverage of all the research methods you need to understand today’s society. Packed full of examples from across the social sciences, Researching Social Life sets out all of the challenges and opportunities of interpreting and conducting research with qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods. The book follows the chronology of a typical research project, from initial conception through to the collection, management and analysis of data; it also includes material on how best to write up and disseminate your research. This pragmatic approach mirrors the reality of conducting research and allows the handpicked, internationally renowned contributors to embed real case studies from their own research in each chapter. The student-oriented pedagogy is carefully woven throughout the book and further supported by a cutting-edge website. Key tools include: In-depth worked examples Case studies Discussion questions Checklists Annotated further reading Practical top tips for doing research. With unparalleled breadth and depth this trusted and respected textbook is an essential guide for anyone engaging with social research.
Researching Social Life
by Professor Nigel Gilbert Dr Paul StonemanPaul Stoneman and Nigel Gilbert breathe new energy into this classic bestselling textbook providing clear, relevant advice and extensive coverage of all the research methods you need to understand today's society. Packed full of examples from across the social sciences Researching Social Life sets out all of the challenges and opportunities of interpreting and conducting research with qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods. The book follows the chronology of a typical research project, from initial conception through to the collection, management and analysis of data; it also includes material on how best to write up and disseminate your research. This pragmatic approach mirrors the reality of conducting research and allows the handpicked, internationally renowned contributors to embed real case studies from their own research in each chapter. The student orientated pedagogy is carefully woven throughout the book and further supported by a cutting-edge website. Key tools include: · In-depth worked examples · Case studies · Discussion questions · Checklists · Annotated further reading · Practical top tips for doing research With unparalleled breadth and depth this trusted and respected textbook is an essential guide for anyone engaging with social research.
The Poetics of Information Overload
by Paul StephensInformation overload is a subject of vital, ubiquitous concern in our time. The Poetics of Information Overload reveals a fascinating genealogy of information saturation through the literary lens of American modernism. Although technology has typically been viewed as hostile or foreign to poetry, Paul Stephens outlines a countertradition within twentieth- and twenty-first-century literature in which avant-garde poets are centrally involved with technologies of communication, data storage, and bureaucratic control. Beginning with Gertrude Stein and Bob Brown, Stephens explores how writers have been preoccupied with the effects of new media since the advent of modernism. He continues with the postwar writing of Charles Olson, John Cage, Bern Porter, Hannah Weiner, Bernadette Mayer, Lyn Hejinian, and Bruce Andrews, and concludes with a discussion of conceptual writing produced in the past decade.By reading these works in the context of information systems, Stephens shows how the poetry of the past century has had, as a primary focus, the role of data in human life.
Linguistic Ethnography: Collecting, Analysing and Presenting Data (Palgrave Advances In Language And Linguistics Ser.)
by Dr Angela Creese Fiona CoplandThis is an engaging interdisciplinary guide to the unique role of language within ethnography The book provides a philosophical overview of the field alongside practical support for designing and developing your own ethnographic research. It demonstrates how to build and develop arguments and engages with practical issues such as ethics, transcription and impact. There are chapter long case studies based on real research that will explain key themes and help you create and analyse your own linguistic data. Drawing on the authors' experience they outline the practical, epistemological and theoretical decisions that researchers must take when planning and carrying out their studies. Other key features include: A clear introduction to discourse analytic traditions Tips on how to produce effective field notes Guidance on how to manage interview and conversational data Advice on writing for different traditions Annotated suggestions for further reading Full glossary This book is a master class in understanding linguistic ethnography, it will of interest to anyone conducting field research across the social sciences.
Aboriginal Canada Revisited: Politics And Cultural Expression In The 21st Century (International Canadian Studies Series)
by Kerstin KnopfExploring a variety of topics—including health, politics, education, art, literature, media, and film—Aboriginal Canada Revisited draws a portrait of the current political and cultural position of Canada’s Aboriginal peoples. While lauding improvements made in the past decades, the contributors draw attention to the systemic problems that continue to marginalize Aboriginal people within Canadian society.From the Introduction: “[This collection helps] to highlight areas where the colonial legacy still takes its toll, to acknowledge the manifold ways of Aboriginal cultural expression, and to demonstrate where Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people are starting to find common ground.”Contributors include Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal scholars from Europe and Canada, including Marlene Atleo, University of Manitoba; Mansell Griffin, Nisga’a Village of Gitwinksihlkw, British Columbia; Robert Harding, University College of the Fraser Valley; Tricia Logan, University of Manitoba; Steffi Retzlaff, McMaster University; Siobhán Smith, University of British Columbia; Barbara Walberg, Confederation College.
Be Happy Without Being Perfect
by Alice D. Domar Alice Lesch KellyDo you have trouble going to bed at night when there’s a mess in the kitchen? Do you think you would be happier if only you could lose weight, be a better parent, work smarter, reduce stress, exercise more, and make better decisions? You’re not perfect. But guess what? You don’t have to be. All of us struggle with high expectations from time to time. But for many women, the worries can become debilitating–and often, we don’t even know we’re letting unrealistic expectations color our thinking. The good news is, we have the power to break free from the perfectionist trap–and internationally renowned health psychologist, Dr. Alice Domar can show you how. Be Happy Without Being Perfectoffers a way out of the self-imposed handcuffs that this thinking brings, providing concrete solutions, practical advice, and action plans that teach you how to: • Assess your tendency toward perfectionism in all areas of your life • Set realistic goals • Alleviate the guilt and shame that perfectionism can trigger • Manage your anxiety with clinically proven self-care strategies • Get rid of the unrealistic and damaging expectations that are hurting you–for good! Filled with the personal insights of more than fifty women,Be Happy Without Being Perfectis your key to a happier, calmer, and more enjoyable life. From the Hardcover edition.
The Ingenuity Gap: Can We Solve The Problems Of The Future?
by Thomas Homer-Dixon"The most persuasive forecast of the 21st century I have seen. " -- E. O. Wilson, author ofConsilience: The Unity of Knowledgeand twice winner of a Pulitzer prize “Human beings have been smart enough to turn nature to their ends, generate vast wealth for themselves, and double their average life span. But are they smart enough to solve the problems of the 21st century?” --Thomas Homer-Dixon Can we create ideas fast enough to solve the very problems -- environmental, social, and technological -- we’ve created? Homer-Dixon pinpoints the “ingenuity gap” as the critical problem we face today, and tackles it in a riveting, groundbreaking examination of a world that is rapidly exceeding our intellectual grasp. InThe Ingenuity Gap, Thomas Homer-Dixon, "global guru" (theToronto Star), "genuine academic celebrity" (Saturday Night) and "one of Canada's most talked about and controversial scholars" (Maclean's) asks: is our world becoming too complex, too fast-paced to manage? The challenges facing us -- ranging from international financial crises and global climate change to pandemics of tuberculosis and AIDS- converge, intertwine, and remain largely beyond our ken. Most of suspect the "experts don't really know what's going on; that as a species we've released forces that are neither managed nor manageable. We are fast approaching a time when we may no longer be able to control a world that increasingly exceeds our grasp. This is "the ingenuity gap" -- the term coined by Thomas Homer-Dixon, political scientist and advisor to the White House -- the critical gap between our need for practical, innovative ideas to solve complex problems and our actual supply of those ideas. Through gripping narrative stories and incidents that exemplify his arguments, he takes us on a world tour that begins with a heartstopping description of the tragic crash of United Airlines Flight 232 from Denver to Chicago and includes Las Vegas in its desert, a wilderness beach in British Columbia, and his solitary search for a little girl in Patna, India. He shows how, in our complex world, while poor countries are particularly vulnerable to ingenuity gaps, our own rich countries are not immune, and we are caught dangerously between a soaring requirement for ingenuity and an increasingly uncertain supply. When the gap widens, political disintegration and violent upheaval can result, reaching into our own economies and daily lives in subtle ways. In compelling, lucid, prose, he makes real the problems we face and suggests how we might overcome them -- in our own lives, our thing, our business and our societies. From the Trade Paperback edition.
My Bondage and My Freedom
by Frederick DouglassDouglass (1817-1895) recounts his escape from slavery and life afterwards, and more generally describes the experience of slaves in antebellum Maryland. The complete 1855 edition is augmented with an introduction by Bill E. Lawson (philosophy, Michigan State U. ) and appendices of speeches and letters. Annotation c. Book News, Inc. , Portland, OR (booknews. com)
Betrayal
by Linda Chavez Daniel Gray“Simply put, the leftist labor unions have the Democrats in their pockets. And we’re all paying the price. ” Linda Chavez, President George W. Bush’s original choice for Secretary of Labor and a former union official, is one of the foremost authorities on America’s labor unions. Now, in the explosive new bookBetrayal, she and fellow union expert Daniel Gray expose the corrupt bargain between the labor movement and the Democratic Party. Committed to a far-left political agenda—and to enhancing their own power—union bosses funnel at least half a billion dollars into Democratic coffers every year. And they do it, illegally, by using dues money that workers are forced to pay as a condition of their employment—dues money that each year brings the unions $17 billion, all of it tax-free. What do labor bosses get in return? The power to call the shots in Democratic campaigns and on party policy, extraordinary influence at all levels of government, billions of dollars in taxpayer-funded federal grants, and special legal privileges that leave them free to act as they please, no matter the consequences for the American people. The cycle of corruption is seemingly endless. Chavez and Gray name names, exposing the many politicians who are in Big Labor’s pocket—including the leading lights of the Democratic Party. Betrayal also reveals: • Big Labor’s all-out efforts in the 2004 election, including how just one local union has launched a $35-million campaign to unseat President Bush • How corrupt union officials use members’ hard-earned money to fund lavish lifestyles—and how their Democratic supporters let them get away with it • How unions flout the law by failing to report any of their political spending to the IRS • How a government report uncovered the Democrats’ sellout to Big Labor—but how the unions and the Democrats sued to keep the report from going public • How the U. S. government lets unions practice legalized terrorism against American citizens • How public-employee unions extort concessions from the government and put Americans at risk by refusing to provide vital services like policing and firefighting • How Americans now live under a system of legal apartheid—one set of rules for labor bosses, another for the rest of us All of us foot the bill for this corrupt system. Now it’s up to us to do something about it.
Change of Heart
by Daniel LevyA Change of Heartis a detailed account of the revolutionary Framingham Heart study -- which, over the years, has provided conclusive evidence that cardiovascular disease is largely the result of measurable and modifiable risk factors. First begun in 1948, not long after Franklin Delano Roosevelt succumbed to a massive stroke, the study of over 5,000 citizens of Framingham, Massachusetts, changed the course of medical history. The lessons learned in Framingham allow each of us to control our risk of heart disease and stroke, two of the leading causes of death in the United States. Here is a clear-eyed and intriguing assessment of the achievements of this study and of its continuing importance to our health today.
Counterculture Through the Ages
by Ken Goffman Dan JoyAs long as there has been culture, there has been counterculture. At times it moves deep below the surface of things, a stealth mode of being all but invisible to the dominant paradigm; at other times it’s in plain sight, challenging the status quo; and at still other times it erupts in a fiery burst of creative–or destructive–energy to change the world forever. But until now the countercultural phenomenon has been one of history’s great blind spots. Individual countercultures have been explored, but never before has a book set out to demonstrate the recurring nature of counterculturalism across all times and societies, and to illustrate its dynamic role in the continuous evolution of human values and cultures. Countercultural pundit and cyberguru R. U. Sirius brilliantly sets the record straight in this colorful, anecdotal, and wide-ranging study based on ideas developed by the late Timothy Leary with Dan Joy. With a distinctive mix of scholarly erudition and gonzo passion, Sirius and Joy identify the distinguishing characteristics of countercultures, delving into history and myth to establish beyond doubt that, for all their surface differences, countercultures share important underlying principles: individualism, anti-authoritarianism, and a belief in the possibility of personal and social transformation. Ranging from the Socratic counterculture of ancient Athens and the outsider movements of Judaism, which left indelible marks on Western culture, to the Taoist, Sufi, and Zen Buddhist countercultures, which were equally influential in the East, to the famous countercultural moments of the last century–Paris in the twenties, Haight-Ashbury in the sixties, Tropicalismo, women’s liberation, punk rock–to the cutting-edge countercultures of the twenty-first century, which combine science, art, music, technology, politics, and religion in astonishing (and sometimes disturbing) new ways, Counterculture Through the Ages is an indispensable guidebook to where we’ve been . . . and where we’re going.
The Death of Innocents
by Helen PrejeanFrom the author of the national bestseller Dead Man Walking comes a brave and fiercely argued new book that tests the moral edge of the debate on capital punishment: What if we're executing innocent men? Two cases in point are Dobie Gillis Williams, an indigent black man with an IQ of 65, and Joseph Roger O'Dell. Both were convicted of murder on flimsy evidence (O'Dell's principal accuser was a jailhouse informant who later recanted his testimony). Both were executed in spite of numerous appeals. Sister Helen Prejean watched both of them die.As she recounts these men's cases and takes us through their terrible last moments, Prejean brilliantly dismantles the legal and religious arguments that have been used to justify the death penalty. Riveting, moving, and ultimately damning, The Death of Innocents is a book we dare not ignore.From the Trade Paperback edition.ng on the forensic evidence, which he claimed would exonerate him, but the courts refused. After his execution on July 23, 1997, the state destroyed the evidence. As a result, its conviction of O'Dell could never be scrutinized. "The reader of this book will be the first 'jury' with access to all the evidence the trial juries never saw," says Prejean, who accompanied both men to their executions. By using the withheld evidence to reconstruct the crimes for which these two men were convicted, Prejean shows how race, prosecutorial ambition, poverty, election cycles, and publicity play far too great a role in determining who dies and who lives.Prejean traces the historical underpinnings of executions in this country, demonstrating that it is no accident that over 80 percent of executions in the past twenty-five years have been carried out in the former slave states. She also raises profound constitutional questions about an appeals system that decides most death cases on procedural grounds without ever examining their merits.To date, 113 wrongfully convicted persons have been freed from death row. If constitutional protections-due process, assistance of counsel, and equal justice under law-are truly being respected, how is it possible that these people were convicted in the first place? And how can we accept a system so rife with error?Sister Helen Prejean takes us with her on her spiritual journey as she accompanies two possibly innocent human beings to their deaths at the hands of the state. Prejean implores us to reflect on what is perhaps the core moral issue of the death penalty debate: Honorable people disagree about the justice of executing the guilty, but can anyone argue about the injustice of executing the innocent?From the Hardcover edition.
Deliberate Acts of Kindness
by Meredith GouldAn indispensable guide to the spiritual and the practical aspects of devoting one’s time and energies to the service of others. Deliberate Acts of Kindnessis for people who are ready to supplement"random acts of kindness" with intentional acts of generosity, decency, and integrity. More than simply a handbook for volunteers, it explores the significance of service as an expression of spirituality and the commitment to something greater than oneself. Meredith Gould guides readers through their journeys, from recognizing when they are ready to answer the call to service to finding the right place to donate their time and talents. She offers invaluable advice on discovering the types of work that best suit their personalities and the areas in which they can make the greatest contributions. There is helpful information on how to get involved, as well as sensible suggestions about what to do when things go wrong in a service situation. An easy-to-read mix of tips, quotations, reflections, and short narrative passages,Deliberate Acts of Kindnesspresents a comprehensive, honest look at what service is like on a day-to-day basis. Its insights will help new volunteers and veterans alike negotiate the practical difficulties that sometimes arise and achieve the spiritual maturity that comes from answering the call to service. From the Trade Paperback edition.
Flesh and Machines: How Robots Will Change Us
by Rodney A. BrooksAre we really on the brink of having robots to mop our floors, do our dishes, mow our lawns, and clean our windows? And are researchers that close to creating robots that can think, feel, repair themselves, and even reproduce? Rodney A. Brooks, director of the MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory believes we are. In this lucid and accessible book, Brooks vividly depicts the history of robots and explores the ever-changing relationships between humans and their technological brethren, speculating on the growing role that robots will play in our existence. Knowing the moral battle likely to ensue, he posits a clear philosophical argument as to why we should not fear that change. What results is a fascinating book that offers a deeper understanding of who we are and how we can control what we will become.
Hollywood Nation
by James HirsenFrom the bestselling author ofTales from the Left Coast. Now entering Hollywood Nation, where fact blurs with fiction, virtue with vice Now more than ever, stars like Michael Moore, Sean Penn, and Susan Sarandon are acting as self-appointed celebrity pundits, blurring the lines between entertainment and news to force their views onto the rest of the country. With their politically charged films, distorted documentaries, and skewed docudramas, they’re trying to set the agenda with little regard for the truth. Even worse, many so-called journalists are doing the same thing, dangerously mixing information and entertainment in an attempt to ratchet up ratings—and to inject their own views into the news. InHollywood Nation,New York Timesbestselling author and media critic James Hirsen reveals how the New Media are leading the counterattack against the relentless liberal assault from East Coast newsrooms and Left Coast studios. Through his extensive research and exclusive interviews with news and entertainment iconoclasts—including Bill O’Reilly, Mel Gibson, and Ann Coulter—Hirsen shows how liberals are losing their stranglehold on political and cultural debates. With a new chapter full of news about the ongoing Hollywoodization of America, Hirsen’s smart and compellingHollywood Nationgives us ammunition for the battle to reclaim our country and our culture.
Idyll Banter: Weekly Excursions to a Very Small Town
by Chris BohjalianIn March 1986, while living in Brooklyn, Chris Bohjalian and his wife were cab-napped on a Saturday night and taken on a forty-five-minute joy ride in which the driver ignored all traffic lights and stop signs. Around midnight he deposited the young couple on a near-deserted street, where police officers were about to storm a crack house. Bohjalian and his wife were told to hit the ground for their own protection. While lying on the pavement, Bohjalian's wife suggested that perhaps it was time to move to New England. Months later they traded in their co-op in Brooklyn for a century-old Victorian house in Lincoln, Vermont (population 975), and Bohjalian began chronicling life in that town in a wide variety of magazine essays and in his newspaper column, "Idyll Banter. " These pieces, written weekly for twelve years and collected here for the first time, serve as a diary of both this writer's life and how America has been transformed in the last decade. Rich with idiosyncratic universals that come with being a parent, a child, and a spouse, Chris Bohjalian's personal observations are a reflection of our own common experience. "Chris Bohjalian is a terrific columnist—thoughtful and thought-provoking. Just like me! No, really, this guy is good. " —Dave Barry, author ofBoogers Are My Beat “The best book I’ve ever read about life in a contemporary village. There’s no doubt that Chris Bohjalian has established himself as one of America’s finest, most thoughtful, and most humane writers. ” —Howard Frank Mosher From the Hardcover edition.
In Praise of Nepotism
by Adam BellowBellow, former editorial director of the Free Press, examines the stigmatized practice of nepotism, the favored treatment of one's relatives. Drawing on insights of modern evolutionary theory, he shows how nepotism is rooted in our biological nature, and surveys the natural history of nepotism from its practice in ancient societies to the present American experience, looking at famous families including the Rothschilds, the Roosevelts, and the Bushes. Annotation (c)2003 Book News, Inc. , Portland, OR (booknews. com)
Nine Minutes, Twenty Seconds: The Tragedy and triumph of ASA flight 529
by Gary PomerantzIn August 1995, twenty-six passengers and a crew of three board a commuter plane in Atlanta headed for Gulfport, Mississippi. Shortly after takeoff they hear an explosion and some see a mangled engine lodged against the wing. From that moment, nine minutes and twenty seconds elapse until the crippled plane crashes in a west Georgia hayfield. Gary Pomerantz takes listeners deep into the hearts and minds of the people aboard, each of whom prepares in his or her own way for what may come. Ultimately, nineteen people survive both the crash and its devastating aftermath, all of them profoundly affected by what they have seen and more important, what they have done to help themselves and others. This psychologically illuminating real-life drama about ordinary people and how they behave in extraordinary circumstances is surprisingly optimistic. In telling the remarkable stories of these twenty-nine men and women, Gary Pomerantz has written one of the most compelling books in recent memory. Nine Minutes, Twenty Secondsspeaks as powerfully about our capacity to care for others as it does about the strength of our will to live. This rich and rewarding audiobook will linger in your mind long after you finish listening.
Revolutionary Wealth
by Alvin TofflerStarting with the publication of their seminal bestseller, Future Shock, Alvin and Heidi Toffler have given millions of readers new ways to think about personal life in today’s high-speed world with its constantly changing, seemingly random impacts on our businesses, governments, families and daily lives. Now, writing with the same rare grasp and clarity that made their earlier books classics, the Tofflers turn their attention to the revolution in wealth now sweeping the planet. And once again, they provide a penetrating, coherent way to make sense of the seemingly senseless. Revolutionary Wealth is about how tomorrow’s wealth will be created, and who will get it and how. But twenty-first-century wealth, according to the Tofflers, is not just about money, and cannot be understood in terms of industrial-age economics. Thus they write here about everything from education and child rearing to Hollywood and China, from everyday truth and misconceptions to what they call our “third job”—the unnoticed work we do without pay for some of the biggest corporations in our country. They show the hidden connections between extreme sports, chocolate chip cookies, Linux software and the “surplus complexity” in our lives as society wobbles back and forth between depressing decadence and a hopeful post-decadence. In their earlier work, the Tofflers coined the word “prosumer” for people who consume what they themselves produce. In Revolutionary Wealth they expand the concept to reveal how many of our activities—whether parenting or volunteering, blogging, painting our house, improving our diet, organizing a neighborhood council or even “mashing” music—pump “free lunch” from the “hidden” non-money economy into the money economy that economists track. Prosuming, they forecast, is about to explode and compel radical changes in the way we measure, make and manipulate wealth. Blazing with fresh ideas, Revolutionary Wealth provides readers with powerful new tools for thinking about—and preparing for—their future. From the Hardcover edition.
Seven Soulful Secrets
by Stephanie Stokes OliverFrom the author of "Daily Cornbread" comes seven soulful secrets that will motivate women to become not just better than they are, but the best they can be. Copyright © Libri GmbH. All rights reserved.
Más que plata o plomo
by Gustavo Duncan#Esta aproximación a las implicacionespolíticas de la guerra contra el narcotráfico sugiere una historia máscompleja que la de una simple disputa del estado contraviolentas organizaciones criminales con alta capacidad de corrupción. Esen realidadla historia, por un lado, de cómo sectoressubordinados en la sociedad aprovechanla disponibilidad de coerción ycapital para organizar un proceso de acumulación de poder y riqueza y,por otro lado, de cómo alrededor de este proceso las sociedadesperiféricas son de manera espontánea y sin ningún plan preconcebidoincluidas dentro de la economía y la política nacional. Es también lahistoria de cómo el estado es forzado a compartir, y en ocasionesdelegar, el ejercicio de la coerción para satisfacer demandas sociales.Y recurrentemente es la historia de los desencuentros entre elestado y las organizaciones criminales por imponer sus institucionesa lo largo de la geografía nacional, con las consiguientesexplosiones de violencia que desbordan los actores directamentecomprometidos en el enfrentamiento e involucran a poblacionesque en apariencia nada tienen que ver con la guerra contra lasdrogas#.Gustavo Duncan
Girldrive: Criss-Crossing America, Redefining Feminism
by Nona Willis Aronowitz Emma Bee BernsteinWhat do young women care about? What are their hopes, worries, and ambitions? Have they heard of feminism, and do they relate to it?These are just a few of the questions journalist Nona Willis Aronowitz and photographer Emma Bee Bernstein set out to answer in Girldrive. In October 2007, Aronowitz and Bernstein took a cross-country road trip to meet with the 127 women profiled in this book, ranging from well-known feminists like Kathleen Hanna, Laura Kipnis, Erica Jong, and Michele Wallace, to women who don't relate to feminism at all. The result of these interviews, Girldrive is a regional chronicle of the struggles, concerns, successes, and insights of young women who are grappling-just as hard as their mothers and grandmothers did-to find, define, and fight for gender equity.
Reframing Convenience Food
by Christine Wenzl Valerie Viehoff Angela Meah Frej Daniel Hertz Maria Fuentes Jonathan Everts Helene Brembeck Bente Halkier Peter JacksonThis book questions the simplistic view that convenience food is unhealthy and environmentally unsustainable. By exploring how various types of convenience food have become embedded in consumers’ lives, it considers what lessons can be learnt from the commercial success of convenience food for those who seek to promote healthier and more sustainable diets. The project draws on original findings from comparative research in the UK, Denmark, Germany and Sweden (funded through the ERA-Net Sustainable Food programme). Reframing Convenience Food avoids moral judgments about convenience food, and instead provides a refreshingly novel perspective guided by an understanding of everyday consumer practice. It will appeal to those with an interest in the sociology and politics behind health, consumerism, sustainability and society.
Fighting for NOW: Diversity and Discord in the National Organization for Women
by Kelsy KretschmerAn unparalleled exploration of NOW’s trajectory, from its founding to the present—and its future A new wave of feminist energy has swept the globe since 2016—from women’s marches and the #MeToo movement to transwomen’s inclusion and exclusion in feminism and participation in institutional politics. Amid all this, an organization declared dead or dying for thirty years—the National Organization for Women—has seen a membership boom. NOW presents an intriguing puzzle for scholars and activists alike. Considered one of the most stable organizations in the feminist movement, it has experienced much conflict and schism. Scholars have long argued that factionalism is the death knell of organizations, yet NOW continues to thrive despite internal conflicts. Fighting for NOW seeks to better understand how bureaucratic structures like NOW’s simultaneously provide stability and longevity, while creating space for productive and healthy conflict among members. Kelsy Kretschmer explores these ideas through an examination of conflict in NOW’s local chapters, its task forces and committees, and its satellite groups. NOW’s history provides evidence for three basic arguments: bureaucratic groups are not insulated from factionalism; they are important sites of creativity and innovation for their movements; and schisms are not inherently bad for movement organizations. Hence, Fighting for NOW is in stark contrast to conventional scholarship, which has conceptualized factionalism as organizational failure. It also provides one of the few book-length explorations of NOW’s trajectory, from its founding to the modern context. Scholars will welcome the book’s insights that draw on open systems and resource dependency theories, as well as its rethinking of how conflict shapes activist communities. Students will welcome its clear and compelling history of the feminist movement and of how feminist ideas have changed over the past five decades.