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Perspectives on Deduction: Contemporary Studies in the Philosophy, History and Formal Theories of Deduction (Synthese Library #481)
by Antonio Piccolomini D'AragonaThis book provides philosophers and logicians with a broad spectrum of views on contemporary research on the problem of deduction, its justification and explanation. The variety of distinct approaches exemplified by the single chapters allows for a dialogue between perspectives that, usually, barely communicate with each other.The contributions concern (in a possibly intertwined way) three major perspectives in logic: philosophical, historical, formal. The philosophical perspective has to do with the relationship between deductive validity and truth, and questions the alleged conclusiveness of deduction and its epistemic contribution. It also discusses the role of linguistic acts in deductive practice, and provides a cognitive-didactic contribution on how we may learn through deduction. In the historical perspective, the contributions discuss the ideas of some major historical figures, such as Bolzano, Girard, Gödel, and Peano. Finally, in the formal perspective, the mathematics of deduction is dealt with mainly from an intuitionistic-constructivist or proof-theoretic point of view, with focus on “ecumenic” or internalistic approaches to logical validity, on the nature and identity of proofs, and on dialogical setups.Chapter [14] is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.
Culture Change in Organizations: A Toolkit for Applied Psychology in Change Management
by Svea von Hehn Nils I. Cornelissen Claudia BraunCulture change in four steps!This extraordinary and well-illustrated book offers you valuable insights and tools for the four iterative phases of cultural change. It serves as a reference and shows you how large-scale change happens through viral change.It offers valuable insights and combines important findings from applied psychology, case studies and practical instructions for action with valuable insights from behavioral economics and neuroscience. ContentsConcrete tools for the four iterative phases of cultural changePractical case studies from the corporate world, including digital change and New WorkIn-depth background knowledge on behavioral and mindset changeTips for culture change agents on how to use emotional intelligence and mindfulness to build resilience and master change in the face of resistanceHelpful didactics through illustrations, summaries, checklists of success factors, background,reflection and exercise boxesTarget groupsExecutives, human resources professionals, people from organizational development, consultants in startups, mid-sized companies and global international corporations as well as public organizationsAuthorsDr. Svea von Hehn has been working internationally as a management consultant (including for McKinsey & Company) since 1999. She holds a PhD in Psychology, is a multi-certified systemic coach and is a partner at RETURN ON MEANING.Nils I. Cornelissen has been working internationally as a management consultant (including for McKinsey & Company) since 2003. He holds a degree in Communications and a master's degree in Psychology and Sociology. He is a certified coach as well as a facilitator and partner at RETURN ON MEANING.Claudia Braun has been working internationally as a management consultant (including for McKinsey & Company) since 2007. She holds a degree inInternational Business Administration, a Master of Public Administration, a Master of Public Policy as well as various certifications. She is a partner at RETURN ON MEANING.The translation was done with the help of artificial intelligence. A subsequent human revision was done primarily in terms of content.
Ultrafine-Grained Materials (The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series)
by Ruslan Z. Valiev Igor V. Alexandrov Megumi Kawasaki Terence G. LangdonThis book summarizes and provides a detailed overview of the enhanced mechanical and functional properties of bulk nanostructured metallic materials with respect to their potential applications. These applications include nanostructured Ti-based materials in bio-medical engineering, Al alloys and Cu in electrical engineering and nanostructured steels in construction engineering. Moreover, this book describes the application of severe plastic deformation for the formation of hybrid metal systems from simple powders and solid metals for an enhancement in the functional properties of materials. Authored by global leaders in the field, this book will serve as a bridge between researchers and professionals engineering the newest nanomaterials.
Optimization in Green Sustainability and Ecological Transition: ODS, Ischia, Italy, September 4–7, 2023 (AIRO Springer Series #12)
by Maurizio Bruglieri Paola Festa Giusy Macrina Ornella PisacaneThis book collects selected contributions of the “Optimization and Decision Science - ODS2023” international conference on the theme of optimization in green sustainability and ecological transition. ODS2023 was held in Ischia, 4–7 September 2023, and was organized by AIRO, the Italian Operations Research Society. The book offers new and original contributions on operations research, optimization, decision science, and prescriptive analytics from both a methodological and applied perspectives with a special focus on SDG related topics.It provides a state-of-the art on problem models and solving methods to address a widely class of real-world problems, arising in different application areas such as logistics, transportation, manufacturing, health, ICT and mobile networks, and emergency/disaster management. In addition, the scientific works collected in this book aim at providing significant contributions in the themes of sustainability, traffic and pollution reductions, and energy management.This book is aimed primarily at researchers and Ph.D. students in the Operations Research community. However, due to its interdisciplinary contents, this book is of high interest also for students and researchers from other disciplines, including artificial intelligence, computer sciences, finance, mathematics, and engineering as well as for practitioners facing complex decision-making problems in logistics, manufacturing production, and services.
Reliability Prediction for Microelectronics (Quality and Reliability Engineering Series)
by Joseph B. Bernstein Alain Bensoussan Emmanuel BenderRELIABILITY PREDICTION FOR MICROELECTRONICS Wiley Series in Quality & Reliability Engineering REVOLUTIONIZE YOUR APPROACH TO RELIABILITY ASSESSMENT WITH THIS GROUNDBREAKING BOOK Reliability evaluation is a critical aspect of engineering, without which safe performance within desired parameters over the lifespan of machines cannot be guaranteed. With microelectronics in particular, the challenges to evaluating reliability are considerable, and statistical methods for creating microelectronic reliability standards are complex. With nano-scale microelectronic devices increasingly prominent in modern life, it has never been more important to understand the tools available to evaluate reliability. Reliability Prediction for Microelectronics meets this need with a cluster of tools built around principles of reliability physics and the concept of remaining useful life (RUL). It takes as its core subject the ‘physics of failure’, combining a thorough understanding of conventional approaches to reliability evaluation with a keen knowledge of their blind spots. It equips engineers and researchers with the capacity to overcome decades of errant reliability physics and place their work on a sound engineering footing. Reliability Prediction for Microelectronics readers will also find: Focus on the tools required to perform reliability assessments in real operating conditionsDetailed discussion of topics including failure foundation, reliability testing, acceleration factor calculation, and moreNew multi-physics of failure on DSM technologies, including TDDB, EM, HCI, and BTI Reliability Prediction for Microelectronics is ideal for reliability and quality engineers, design engineers, and advanced engineering students looking to understand this crucial area of product design and testing.
Primary English: Knowledge and Understanding (Achieving QTS Series)
by Jane A Medwell David Wray George E Moore Vivienne GriffithsThe essential subject knowledge text for primary English. Secure subject knowledge and understanding is the foundation of confident, creative and effective teaching. The trainee teacher′s guide to all the subject knowledge required to teach primary English. Includes practical and reflective tasks to help deepen your understanding and self assessment tests to check your knowledge and identify areas where more study is needed. This 10th edition has been updated throughout and is now linked to the ITT Core Content Framework.
Primary English: Knowledge and Understanding (Achieving QTS Series)
by Jane A Medwell David Wray George E Moore Vivienne GriffithsThe essential subject knowledge text for primary English. Secure subject knowledge and understanding is the foundation of confident, creative and effective teaching. The trainee teacher′s guide to all the subject knowledge required to teach primary English. Includes practical and reflective tasks to help deepen your understanding and self assessment tests to check your knowledge and identify areas where more study is needed. This 10th edition has been updated throughout and is now linked to the ITT Core Content Framework.
Creativity in the Early Years: Engaging Children Aged 0-5
by Simon TaylorThis book offers an accessible and comprehensive new introduction to the subject and practise of creativity in early years education. Taylor takes a uniquely rights-based and inclusive approach to creativity, providing students with a holistic, internationally-minded overview of creativity and its place both inside and outside the classroom. Sections focus on: Defining creativity and its benefits Different modes of creativity Creativity in a policy and social context Creative pedagogy in practice Creative leadership Each chapter offers questions for critical reflection, illustrative contemporary case studies, and ample suggestions for further reading.
Creativity in the Early Years: Engaging Children Aged 0-5
by Simon TaylorThis book offers an accessible and comprehensive new introduction to the subject and practise of creativity in early years education. Taylor takes a uniquely rights-based and inclusive approach to creativity, providing students with a holistic, internationally-minded overview of creativity and its place both inside and outside the classroom. Sections focus on: Defining creativity and its benefits Different modes of creativity Creativity in a policy and social context Creative pedagogy in practice Creative leadership Each chapter offers questions for critical reflection, illustrative contemporary case studies, and ample suggestions for further reading.
Extracellular Vesicles: From Bench to Bedside
by Qian Wang Lei ZhengThis book aims to provide a comprehensive and systematic understanding of research on extracellular vesicles (EVs). Extracellular vesicles, including exosomes and microvesicles, are nano-sized lipid bilayer encapsulated membranes carrying proteins, lipids, nucleic acids. They are shed by the majority of the cells into the extracellular milieu and present in many biological fluids (blood, urine, saliva, breast milk, cerebrospinal fluid, follicular fluid, semen, lung lavage, and tears). With numerous research publications in recent years, the study of EVs is the emerging field across plenty of disciplines. Many researches and efforts have shown their biogenesis, multiple roles in physiological and pathophysiological processes, and their potential roles as therapeutic agents. The book is organized by outstanding scientists in EV field from the Chinese Society for Extracellular Vesicle (CSEV). It covers the biological basic research of EVs, especially on technologies and methods, as well as the clinical application of EVs as biomarkers for disease diagnosis and therapy.
The Sociolinguistics of South African Television: Language Ideologies in Selected Case Studies
by Kealeboga AisengThis book explores the interwoven relationship between language, media, and society in post-Apartheid South Africa. The author examines selected case studies from the sociolinguistic landscape of South African television, analysing dominant language ideologies and illuminating the challenges, opportunities, and potential for transformation. He argues for the power of television in shaping language ideologies, fostering cultural understanding, and advocating for more inclusive and equitable language usage in the media. This book contributes to the field of sociolinguistics by emphasizing the complexity of multilingualism in South Africa and inviting ongoing exploration and dialogue in this landscape. It will be of interest to students and scholars of Sociolinguistics, Media Studies, African Culture and History, and Language Policy and Planning.
Accidental: The Greatest (Unintentional) Science Breakthroughs and How They Changed The World
by Tim James'Who said science was dry? Certainly not Tim James' New York Post 'James writes with infectious enthusiasm and optimism' Kirkus Reviews 'A science teacher by profession, Mr. James knows how to get his audience's attention' Wall Street Journal 'Humorous, yet deep' Professor Charles AntoineA rip-roaring adventure through science gone wrong, and accidentally changing humanity (mostly) for the better.We may imagine that science is a process of breakthroughs and light bulb moments. But in reality, science goes wrong 99% of the time.Almost every idea a scientist comes up with is quickly disproved by a failed experiment or rival research. Science moves at a rate of inches per decade and we often like it that way. But occasionally, just occasionally, a complete fluke happens and changes everything as we know it. From an untimely sneeze in a petri dish leading to the groundbreaking creation of antibiotics, to the incredible discovery of microwaves via melted chocolate, Accidental is a rip-roaring adventure through science gone wrong, and accidentally changing humanity for the better.
Diagnosis in Social Fields and Networks: Theories and Practice in Complex Social Contexts
by Sotirios Chtouris DeMond S. MillerContaining a novel compilation of theoretical and methodological approaches, this textbook lays out the most relevant foundations of clinical sociology. Relying heavily on well-recognized medical models and concepts to help communicate ideas (e.g. treatment, diagnosis, clinical, cure), the methods of social diagnosis and social therapy presented in this book will help in better and socially informed protection of vulnerable individuals and citizens as well as an informed design of protection policies for macro, meso and micro levels of society. The book explains that many problems, perceived as economic, psychological-individual, and political, are rooted in social functions and structures of the wider society, and how these social structures and functions interact in everyday life. Through the application of the theoretical and methodological approaches in case studies on recent issues, such as the Covid pandemic, or the Hurricane Katrina disaster, the book will allow readers to easily cope with the complexity of clinical sociology and to develop clinical competencies and pertinent training. This renders the book not only highly useful for advanced undergraduate and graduate students of clinical and applied sociology but also for the preparation of courses for theoretically informed practitioners who are keen to work by defining learning objectives and learning paths.
The Age of Wood: Our Most Useful Material and the Construction of Civilization
by Roland EnnosA &“smart and surprising&” (Booklist) &“expansive history&” (Publishers Weekly) detailing the role that wood and trees have played in our global ecosystem—including human evolution and the rise and fall of empires—in the bestselling tradition of Yuval Harari&’s Sapiens and Mark Kurlansky&’s Salt.As the dominant species on Earth, humans have made astonishing progress since our ancestors came down from the trees. But how did the descendants of small primates manage to walk upright, become top predators, and populate the world? How were humans able to develop civilizations and produce a globalized economy? Now, in The Age of Wood, Roland Ennos shows for the first time that the key to our success has been our relationship with wood. &“A lively history of biology, mechanics, and culture that stretches back 60 million years&” (Nature) The Age of Wood reinterprets human history and shows how our ability to exploit wood&’s unique properties has profoundly shaped our bodies and minds, societies, and lives. Ennos takes us on a sweeping journey from Southeast Asia and West Africa where great apes swing among the trees, build nests, and fashion tools; to East Africa where hunter gatherers collected their food; to the structural design of wooden temples in China and Japan; and to Northern England, where archaeologists trace how coal enabled humans to build an industrial world. Addressing the effects of industrialization—including the use of fossil fuels and other energy-intensive materials to replace timber—The Age of Wood not only shows the essential role that trees play in the history and evolution of human existence, but also argues that for the benefit of our planet we must return to more traditional ways of growing, using, and understanding trees. A brilliant blend of recent research and existing scientific knowledge, this is an &“excellent, thorough history in an age of our increasingly fraught relationships with natural resources&” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review).
Gas Installation Technology
by Andrew S. Burcham Stephen J. Denney Roy D. TreloarUnderstand the core competencies of gas installation with this accessible textbook Gas operatives in the UK must be Gas Safe registered, suitably qualified and assessed as competent in the aspect of gas work that they wish to undertake. Qualification is gained by means of an industry recognised Managed Learning Programme or a gas aligned National Vocational Qualification (NVQ/SNVQ). Periodic renewal thereafter is by means of the National Accredited Certification Scheme (ACS). Gas Installation Technology is the definitive textbook for students enrolled in any of these courses. Now fully updated to reflect new standards and the most up to date best practices, it remains the indispensable reference for anyone working in the gas industry. Readers of the third edition of Gas Installation Technology will also find: Coverage of commercial, domestic, and LPG installations New or updated material on ‘net zero’ targets, climate change, and other aspects of the gas industry’s future Notes and examples within each chapter to facilitate learningGas Installation Technology is ideal for students in gas installation or plumbing courses, as well as for professional gas installers renewing their certification.
New Perspectives on the First World War: Beyond No Man’s Land
by Mandy Link Matthew M. StithTaken collectively, the chapters in New Perspectives on the First World War: Beyond No Man’s Land not only illuminate pieces of the Great War that remain in the shadow of the broader narratives, but also, and more importantly, foster new perspectives, pose distinct questions, and suggest fresh directions from which future work might emerge. Transnational approaches, the cultural and environmental history of war, and gender’s ubiquitous but heretofore marginalized role in the larger conflict together merit fresh research and careful new interpretation.
Rescaling Urban Poverty: Homelessness, State Restructuring and City Politics in Japan (RGS-IBG Book Series)
by Mahito HayashiRESCALING URBAN POVERTY “In this path-breaking book, Mahito Hayashi explores the rescaled geographies of homelessness that have been produced in contemporary Japanese cities. Through an original synthesis of regulationist political economy and immersive place-based research, Hayashi situates urban homelessness in Japan in comparative-international contexts. The book offers new theoretical perspectives from which to decipher emergent forms of urban marginality and their contestation.” —Neil Brenner, Lucy Flower Professor of Urban Sociology, University of Chicago “Mahito Hayashi traces the shifting spatial strategies of unhoused people as they create spaces of emancipation within Japanese cities. Attending to the complexities of contentious class politics and livelihoods barely sustained by the survival economies, Rescaling Urban Poverty is a unique and valuable contribution to the study of the geographies of urban social movements.” —Nik Theodore, Head of the Department of Urban Planning and Policy, University of Illinois Chicago Rescaling Urban Poverty provides the essential understanding of how state rescaling ensnares homeless and impoverished people in the interplay of the state, domiciled society, public space, urban class relations, social movements, and capitalism. Its three angles—national states, public and private spaces, and urban social movements—uncover the hidden dynamics of rescaling that emerge, and are resisted, at the fringes of mainstream (domiciled) society and its housing regimes/classes. Evidence is drawn from Japanese cities where the author has conducted long-term fieldwork and develops robust urban narratives by mobilising spatial regulation theory, metabolism theory, state theory, and critical housing theory. Rescaling Urban Poverty cross-fertilises these strands through meticulous efforts to reinterpret both old and new texts. By building bridges between classical and contemporary interests, and between the theories and Japanese cities, this book attracts various audiences in geography, sociology, urban studies, and political economy.
Chinese Rule of Law Path and Cultivation of Foreign-Related Rule of Law Talents
by Xiaobo Dong Jie GuoThis book systematically explores the historical development, connotation, characteristics and cultural resources of Chinese rule of law path based on the combination theory and practice. It also comprehensively reveals the overall objectives and promotion models of Chinese rule of law path, theoretically expounds the people-oriented nature of Chinese Thought on the Rule of Law and the global initiatives of Chinese rule of law path, and proposes the important guarantee of realizing the global initiatives of Chinese rule of law path——the cultivation of foreign-related rule of law talents. From this book, readers, not only scholars and experts specialized in relevant fields but also layman interested in legal life of modern China, can truly grasp the rich connotation of the socialist rule of law with Chinese characteristics in the new era and have a refreshing understanding of contemporary legal culture of China.
Indigenous Entrepreneurship in Southeast Asia: Theoretical and Practical Implications (Palgrave Studies in Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Indigenization in Business)
by Emiel L. Eijdenberg Thirumaran K Pengji Wang Caroline WongThis book provides an in-depth exploration of indigenous entrepreneurship and its challenges while addressing ways to make businesses more inclusive and sustainable in the long term. Offering a balanced mix of critical perspectives, theoretical insights and practical implications, provided by both academics and practitioners, it examines how indigenous entrepreneurship practices in Southeast Asia challenge existing theories in business and management research. The chapters also explore the role of various stakeholders, such as the larger community and society, supply chain members, policy-makers, etc., in facilitating indigenous entrepreneurship.Highlighting the uniqueness and diversity of indigenous entrepreneurship in Southeast Asia, this book renders a comprehensive overview of contemporary indigenization topics, organized by Southeast Asian cultural and national contexts.
Händlerbewertungen als Conversiontreiber: Umgang mit Bewertungen im E-Commerce – mit Handlungsleitfaden
by Connor MoselerIn diesem Buch erhalten Sie Know-how und Praxis-Tipps, wie Sie als E-Commerce-Anbieter Kundenbewertungen Ihres Unternehmens angemessen und sinnvoll managen können. Denn: der richtige Umgang mit Bewertungen und Rezensionen als Onlinehändler hat maßgeblichen Einfluss auf den Verkauf.Ein florierender E-Commerce stützt sich nicht allein auf ein erstklassiges Produktangebot, sondern auch auf dem Vertrauen Ihrer Kunden in Ihr Unternehmen. Händlerbewertungen – in Ergänzung zu Produktbewertungen – sind ein Abbild Ihrer Leistungen und zugleich ein kraftvolles Werkzeug, um das Vertrauen potenzieller Kundschaft zu gewinnen und Ihre Conversion-Rate zu steigern. Der richtige Umgang mit diesen Bewertungen hat großen Einfluss auf den Verkauf. Das Buch ist aus der Praxis für die Praxis geschrieben. Es basiert auf einer Literaturrecherche ergänzt um eine Umfrage mit über 100 Kunden mit E-Commerce-Erfahrung. Die Umfrage ermöglicht einen detaillierten Einblick in die Welt der Bewertungen und Rezensionen von E-Commerce-Unternehmen aus Kundensicht. Sie erhalten fundiertes Wissen, entdecken faszinierende Zusammenhänge und bekommen Anregungen, wie Sie professionell, situativ und zielgruppenorientiert auf Bewertungen Ihres Unternehmens reagieren können.Dieses Buch ist ein unverzichtbarer Begleiter für E-Commerce-Unternehmer, Marketingexperten und alle, die das volle Potenzial von Händlerbewertungen ausschöpfen möchten.Aus dem Inhalt Warum Vertrauen in der E-Commerce-Branche so wichtig ist und wie KI die Karten neu mischtStrategien zur Vertrauensbildung im E-Commerce Methoden zur Steigerung positiver Bewertungen Methoden zum professionellen Umgang mit negativen Bewertungen Leitfaden für den Aufbau einer nachhaltigen Bewertungsstrategie
Thermomorphogenesis: Methods and Protocols (Methods in Molecular Biology #2795)
by Meng ChenThis detailed collection explores thermomorphogenesis, a discipline that unravels the intricacies of warm temperature responses in plants. How plants perceive, interpret, and respond to elevated temperatures has far-reaching implications for agriculture, ecology, and our fundamental understanding of plant development, and this book presents techniques to help researchers delve into this area of study. Beginning with a section on thermomorphogenesis responses, the volume continues with numerous chapters on temperature sensing and temperature signaling. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step and readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Thermomorphogenesis: Methods and Protocols serves as an ideal guide to this vital subject for research laboratories, as well as for graduate and undergraduate laboratory courses in plant molecular biology.
Thoracic Surgery Clerkship: A Guide for Senior Medical Students (Contemporary Surgical Clerkships)
by Thomas Ng Travis GeraciThis quick-reference guide is the first book written specifically for the many third- and fourth-year medical students rotating on the thoracic surgery service. The book focuses on the diagnosis and management of the most common pathologic entities. Each chapter covers history, physical examination, imaging, and common diagnoses. For each diagnosis, the book sets out the typical presentation, options for non-operative and operative management, and expected outcomes. Chapters include key illustrations, quick-reference charts, tables, diagrams, and bulleted lists. Students can read the text from cover to cover to gain a general foundation of knowledge that can be built upon when they begin their rotation, then use specific chapters to review a sub-specialty before starting a new rotation or seeing a patient with a sub-specialty attending. Topics covered include lung cancer, pulmonary resection, pleural empyema, thoracic outlet syndrome, esophageal disorders, tracheal malignancies, and much more.Practical and user-friendly, Thoracic Surgery Clerkship is the ideal, on-the-spot resource for medical students and practitioners seeking fast facts on diagnosis and management. Its bullet-pointed outline format makes it a perfect quick reference, and its content breadth covers the most commonly encountered problems in clinical practice.
Women Vloggers, Cultures & Nature: Narrativising Rural Lifescape (Palgrave Studies in Life Writing)
by Alberta Natasia AdjiThis book explores the nature-inspired and place-based vlogging activities of five young women who have become global icons in the last five years, and whose digital projects are a form of ‘nature life writing’ in the Anthropocene. Li Ziqi, Dianxi Xiaoge, Jonna Jinton, Annabel Margaret and Paola Merrill draw on their culture and use technological equipment and social media (especially YouTube) to build dynamic narratives about living in the countryside. Through their online platform they show unique, picturesque footage of their daily routines and rural environments, and present the ways in which they nurture connections between people in the community and animals and landscapes. The study shows how, paradoxically, their digital life writing projects attempt to resist the attention economy but at the same time use strategies to sustain it. Through the various lenses of ecobiography, cultural ecology, digital archiving, ecospirituality, phytography, and ethological poetics, this book also foregrounds the significance of plant life and landscapes – they are reminders of how human lives are inextricably entangled with traditional values and the natural world.
Energy, Ecology and Environment: A Sustainable Nature
by Gopal Nath TiwariThis book covers topics related to climate change, weather, greenhouse effect, solar energy, various cycles including carbon, hydraulic, sulphur, renewable energy conservation, ecology and sustainable environment. The contents of the book include pedagogical elements, such as exercises, tables and figures at appropriate places in each chapter, including problems and objective questions at end of each chapter, to aid in learning. Further, the unit conversion from FPS system to SI unit of each parameter, namely length, energy, power, velocity and pressure force, etc, and some standard constants used in examples are also provided in the book. The book also includes discussion about renewable energy sources, namely solar energy, wind energy, biomass energy and geothermal energy, etc, their availability and eco-friendly nature. This book can be a useful reference for those in academia and industry.
Imagining the American Polity, Second Edition: Political Science and the Discourse of Democracy
by John G. GunnellAmericans have long prided themselves on living in a country that serves as a beacon of democracy to the world, but from the time of the founding they have also engaged in debates over what the criteria for democracy are as they seek to validate their faith in the United States as a democratic regime. In this book John G. Gunnell shows how the academic discipline of political science has contributed in a major way to this ongoing dialogue, thereby playing a significant role in political education and the formulation of popular conceptions of American democracy. Gunnell traces the dynamics of conceptual change and continuity as American political science evolved from a focus in the nineteenth century on the idea of the state, through the emergence of a pluralist theory of democracy in the 1920s and its transfiguration into liberalism in the mid- 1930s, up to the rearticulation of pluralist theory in the 1950s and its resurgence, yet again, in the 1990s. Along the way he explores how political scientists have grappled with a fundamental question about popular sovereignty: Does democracy require a people and a national democratic community, or can the requisites of democracy be achieved through fortuitous social configurations coupled with the design of certain institutional mechanisms?