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Smart Innovations in Energy and Mechanical Systems: Proceedings of SIEMS-2025 (Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems #1480)
by Dmytro Pavlenko Pavlo Tryshyn Natalia Honchar Olena KozlovaThis book appeals to researchers and professionals working in the field of artificial neural networks. It offers insights into the application of neural networks in engineering contexts, providing valuable case studies and methodologies for those looking to bridge the gap between AI theory and practical engineering solutions. Engineers and technicians involved in additive manufacturing will find relevant content in this book. It covers advanced techniques and applications of 3D printing in aerospace and mechanical engineering, offering a unique perspective on how these technologies are shaping the future of manufacturing. The book caters to professionals and students focusing on machine learning and artificial intelligence, particularly in industrial applications. It demonstrates how these technologies are being integrated into energy systems and mechanical engineering, providing real-world examples and potential future directions. Robotics enthusiasts and engineers will benefit from the book's coverage of cutting-edge developments in industrial and aerospace robotics. It offers insights into autonomous systems, control algorithms, and the integration of robotics in smart manufacturing environments. Graduate and undergraduate students in STEM fields beyond traditional engineering, such as computer science or data science, will find value in the book's interdisciplinary approach. It showcases how advanced computational methods are applied to solve complex engineering problems. This book is of interest to enterprises that are involved in the implementation of green energy technologies, resource-saving technologies, and support the concept of decarbonization of the energy system.
Microbial Allies: Understanding Plant-Microbe Interactions in Sustainable Agriculture
by Olubukola Oluranti Babalola Ayansina Segun AyangbenroThe world struggles with the dual problem of feeding a growing global population and ensuring environmental protection. Yet, current agricultural techniques cannot guarantee food security and environmental safety. Hence, there is a need to explore the transformational potential of sustainable agriculture as a preferred alternative. This book analyses the roles of beneficial microbes, which are often considered the unsung heroes of agriculture, in revolutionizing food production and reducing the adverse impact of agriculture on the environment. Readers are guided through the complex web of interactions between plants and microbes while also being introduced to a wide range of microorganisms essential to these interactions. Furthermore, the book unravels the intricate methods by which these microbial allies promote nutrient absorption, strengthen plant defenses against pathogens, prevent nutrient runoff and improve stress tolerance while lowering the dependency on synthetic chemical use. It also makes a compelling case for continued research and innovation in this field as we strive to harness the full potential of microbial allies to shape the future of agriculture.
Smart Grid and Internet of Things: 8th EAI International Conference, SGIoT 2024, Taichung, Taiwan, November 23–24, 2024, Proceedings (Lecture Notes of the Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering #633)
by Der-Jiunn Deng Jyh-Cheng ChenThis book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 8th EAI International Conference on Smart Grid and Internet of Things, SGIoT 2024, held in Taichung, Taiwan, during November 23–24, 2024. The 19 full papers included in this book were carefully reviewed and selected from 45 submissions. They were organized in topical sections as follows: IoT, Artificial Intelligence, Edge Computing; Wireless Sensor Network, Mobile Robot, Smart Manufacturing; and Protocol, Algorithm, Services and Applications.
Distributed Computing and Artificial Intelligence, Volume 2: Special Sessions 18th International Conference (Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems #332)
by Alfonso González-Briones Roussanka Loukanova Roberto Casado-Vara Sara Rodríguez González George Katranas José Manuel Machado Jaroslaw WikarekThis book highlights the latest research on distributed computing and artificial intelligence. DCAI 2021 is a forum to present applications of innovative techniques for studying and solving complex problems in artificial intelligence and computing areas. The present edition brings together past experience, current work and promising future trends associated with distributed computing, artificial intelligence and their application in order to provide efficient solutions to real problems. This year’s technical program will present both high quality and diversity, with contributions in well-established and evolving areas of research. Specifically, 55 papers were submitted to main track and special sessions, by authors from 24 different countries representing a truly “wide area network” of research activity. Moreover, DCAI 2021 Special Sessions have been a very useful tool in order to complement the regular program with new or emerging topics of particular interest to the participating community. The technical program of the Special Sessions of DCAI 2021 has selected 23 papers. We would like to thank all the contributing authors, the members of the Program Committees, the sponsors (IBM, Armundia Group, EurAI, AEPIA, APPIA, CINI, OIT, UGR, HU, SCU, USAL, AIR Institute and UNIVAQ) and the Organizing Committee of the University of Salamanca for their hard and highly valuable work.
A Critical Phenomenology of Music: Disclosing/Transposing the Habitual Body Schema
by Rachel ElliottDrawing a link between music and what Maurice Merleau-Ponty calls the habit body – a quasi-transcendental structure at the heart of our perceptual, social, and agential being – this book helps articulate why music has the power to express as well as shape our existence at a fundamental level. Using phenomenology, research in the cognitive sciences, and first-person descriptions of musical experiences, this book addresses topics such as the relationship of music to identity, the capacity of music to be personally and socially transformative, the role of music in our perception of others, the connection between music and trauma, and the possibility of engendering we-experiences through shared musical time.
Proceedings of International Conference on Next-Generation Communication and Computing: NGCCOM 2024, Volume 1 (Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems #1305)
by Rohit Sharma Sheng-Lung Peng Devendra Kumar SharmaThis book presents high-quality papers from the International Conference on Next-Generation Communication and Computing (NGCCOM 2024). It discusses the latest technological trends and advances in major research areas such as 5G and Beyond, Internet of Things (IoT), wireless communications, optical communication, signal processing, image processing, big data, cloud computing, intelligent computing, artificial intelligence and sensor network applications. This book includes the contributions of national and international scientists, researchers and engineers from both academia and the industry. The contents of this book will be useful to researchers, professionals and students alike.
Proceedings of The International Conference on Material Science: MatZone-2024, 17–19 December, Kerala, India (Springer Proceedings in Physics #316)
by Sindhu Raveendran Reshmy Rajasekharan Libin P. OommenThe proceedings of MatZone 2024 encompasses cutting-edge research in nanomaterials and biomaterials, highlighting their interdisciplinary applications in sciences, engineering, biomedical, packaging, environmental, and health sectors. Topics include biocomposites for advanced electronic and optical devices, tissue engineering scaffolds, and environmental solutions like dye and heavy metal removal. Special attention is given to biotechnological advancements that promote human life sustainability. Emerging materials such as cellulose, chitosan, PLA, PHB, and other bio-derived composites are emphasized, along with innovative techniques like membrane studies, chromatographic separation, and biosensor development. The proceedings offer a comprehensive insight into the current trends and future directions in biomaterials research.
Analyzing Motives in Semi-Structured Interview Data: A Guide for the Social Sciences
by Luis Antonio Vila-Henninger Rosario Rizzo LaraThis book advances the emerging work on using semi-structured interview data to analyze motives by providing the first book-length treatment of this underdeveloped methodological area in sociology and social science more broadly. Exploring key methodological and theoretical debates on this topic in-depth, the authors apply a dual-process model approach to demonstrate how we can analyze motives effectively in semi-structured interview data, and in tandem, understand the sociological reasoning behind society's moral judgments and political decision-making. Additionally, the authors develop the accessible and rigorous 5Rs methodology, which synthesizes insights from an array of literatures into a novel, cohesive analytic tool for analyzing motives in semi-structured interview data. Balancing transparency with theoretical nuance, it enables researchers to revisit and reuse previously collected data that may have been considered unsuitable for motive analysis, either because of prevailing disciplinary assumptions, or because of how data were initially framed and coded. Applicable to various cultural contexts and disciplines, the methodology explored in this book is thus of international interest to researchers and students of qualitative sociology, sociology of culture and cognition, migration studies, cognitive science, and moral psychology, with wider implications for qualitative methodologies in the social sciences.
Lesions of the Scalp and Cranial Vault: State-of-the-Art Concepts
by Walter A. Hall Mehmet Turgut Ali Akhaddar Ahmet T. TurgutWritten and edited by leading international authorities in the field, this book provides an in-depth review of the knowledge of the lesions of the scalp and cranial vault, with emphasis on their accurate diagnosis and the medical and often multidisciplined surgical approach to treating these disease processes. It includes chapters, organized into six main groups: first, general characteristics of lesions of the scalp and calvarium, including definitions, classifications, history, anatomy and histology, regeneration, clinical and imaging features; secondly, congenital and anatomic variants of the scalp and calvarium, including craniosynostosis and craniopagus conjoined twins; thirdly, benign disorders of the scalp and calvarium, including benign lesions with and without atrophy and neoplasms, scarring and pressure sores, and metabolic disorders; fourthly, traumatic, vascular and infectious lesions of the scalp and calvarium, including iatrogenic lesions, infectious or inflammatory, and vascular lesions and malformations; fifthly, malignant neoplasms and secondary malignancies of the scalp and calvarium, including hematologic and intracranial neoplasms; and sixthly, treatment and outcome for lesions of the scalp and calvarium, including nonsurgical treatment, principles of surgery, postoperative complications, prognosis as well as the medicolegal aspects related to these lesions. The uniqueness of this compilation lies in the fact that all aspects of these disease entities are compiled into one singular definitive work. All these issues are adequately addressed with clinical illustrations and examples. This comprehensive reference book is an ideal source for neuroscientists at all levels, from graduate students to researchers in specific disciplines studying this region including neurosurgeons, neurologists, pediatricians, plastic and reconstructive surgeons, neuroradiologists, neuropathologists, dermatologists, and neuroscientists in developmental neuroscience who seek both basic and more advanced information regarding the lesions of the scalp and cranial vault.
STEM Education in Poverty: Insights from Zimbabwe and Beyond
by Brantina Chirinda Gladys Sunzuma Perkins MuredziThis book is about Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education in poverty and the lessons we learn from Zimbabwe. The world is driving towards the fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), where economic growth has been attributed to STEM education. STEM education is vital in this era, where both developed and developing countries are undergo rapid changes. Globally, STEM education has been practised differently in schools and universities. University programs, new school curricula, instructional methods, extracurricular programs, and professional development programs for in-service teachers have been created to cater to STEM subjects. STEM education is envisioned to produce critical thinkers, inventors, creators, problem solvers, innovators, and professionals who will solve the world’s ever-changing challenges, including inequity, food insecurity, climate change, inequality, and poverty. STEM is essential to modern education. Zimbabwe has faced significant economic challenges but has made remarkable strides in STEM education. By examining the successes and challenges of STEM education in Zimbabwe, we can learn valuable lessons about improving STEM education in underserved communities. This book contributes to the international debate surrounding the optimal STEM education for students in underserved schools. It incorporates detailed accounts of STEM education in Zimbabwe schools, shedding light on the challenges students and educators face in impoverished areas. In Zimbabwe, STEM education faces significant challenges such as materials and facilities, pedagogy, policy reform, access, and relevance. Some of the main issues highlighted in this book are the need for more resources, including funding, teaching materials, and adequate laboratories. Effective STEM pedagogy is hampered by an education system that emphasises the curriculum and teacher-centred focus instead of focusing on how students can be taught or learn. Research has shown that in Zimbabwe, STEM teachers must apply inventive pedagogies and suitable learner-centred STEM teaching approaches. As a result, there is a need for more STEM-related programs and courses in schools and universities to improve the opportunities for students to pursue careers in these fields. Another challenge is the need for more awareness about the opportunities and importance of STEM education and interest in STEM subjects among students, which can be attributed to a lack of exposure and understanding of the relevance and importance of these fields in today's world. While lack of resources and other challenges hinder effectiveness, opportunity lies in promising pathways of policy and practice. In Zimbabwe, there is a varying degree of success in the implemented competence-based curriculum, which emphasises inquiry-based learning and STEM education. Finally, there is a need for early exposure to STEM-based career opportunities and for more collaboration between the government, private sector, and educational institutions to address these challenges and promote STEM education in Zimbabwe. This book uses Zimbabwe as an example to explore STEM education in poverty. By examining the successes and challenges of STEM education in Zimbabwe, this book offers valuable insights into how STEM education can be integrated into the curriculum in countries with developing and emerging economies. This book is an essential resource for anyone interested in improving STEM education in underserved communities.
Fog: Formation, Chemistry, Dynamics, Impact and Dissipation
by Anil Kumar Gupta Pallavi Saxena Rogert SoríThis book addresses the atmospheric phenomenon of fog formation and its impacts on plant and human life. It covers the chemistry, formation, dynamics, impacts and dissipation of the fog. It also elucidate basic concepts of formation of fog, role of meteorology in fog formation, chemistry of fog, how different chemical constituents present in fog affects its quality and surrounding atmosphere, impacts on plant species, human health, visibility and economy and dissipation of fog by cost effective techniques. It also highlights the use of some plant species in managing the fog induced pollution. This book is of interest to teachers, researchers, climate change scientists, professionals involved in air quality, meteorology, plant and humans related research, capacity builders and policymakers. Also the book serves as additional reading material for undergraduate and graduate students of agriculture, forestry, ecology, and environmental sciences. National and international environmentalists, policy makers will also find this to be a useful read.
Rethinking Security: The Human Side of Risk Management (Crime Prevention and Security Management)
by Tymur SuslovThis short Pivot argues for a paradigm shift towards a human-centric approach, emphasising the importance of understanding and managing human behaviour as a fundamental aspect of effective security strategies. It explores the intersection of psychology, criminology, and security, providing a comprehensive framework for integrating behavioural insights into security practices. The book questions the dependence on technology solutions and provides a new viewpoint, emphasising human behaviour as the core cause of security challenges. It explains complex psychological and criminological insights and provides straightforward explanations of psychological and criminological ideas that are critical to comprehending security issues. It advocates for paradigm shift in security practices and encourages a move from control-based to cooperative security paradigms.
The Quiet Damage: QAnon and the Destruction of the American Family
by Jesselyn CookThe &“gripping&” (The Atlantic) story of five families shattered by pernicious, pervasive conspiracy theories, and how we might set ourselves free from a crisis that could haunt American life for generations.&“Excellent . . . This is the intimate side of the cold civil war America has been stuck in for nearly a decade.&”—Michelle Goldberg, The New York Times &“SHED MY DNA&”: three excruciating words uttered by a QAnon-obsessed mother, once a highly respected lawyer, to her only son, once the closest person in her life. QAnon beliefs and adjacent conspiracy theories have had devastating political consequences as they&’ve exploded in popularity. What&’s often overlooked is the lasting havoc they wreak on our society at its most basic and intimate level—the family. In The Quiet Damage, celebrated reporter Jesselyn Cook paints a harrowing portrait of the vulnerabilities that have left so many of us susceptible to outrageous falsehoods promising order, purpose, and control. Braided throughout are the stories of five American families: an elderly couple whose fifty-year romance takes a heartbreaking turn; millennial sisters of color who grew up in dire poverty—one to become a BLM activist, the other, a hardcore conspiracy theorist pulling her little boy down the rabbit hole with her; a Bay Area hippie-type and her business-executive fiancé, who must decide whether to stay with her as she turns into a stranger before his eyes; evangelical parents whose simple life in a sleepy suburb spirals into delusion-fueled chaos; and a rural mother-son duo who, after carrying each other through unspeakable tragedy, stop speaking at all as ludicrous untruths shatter a bond long thought unbreakable.Charting the arc of each believer&’s path from their first intersection with conspiracy theories to the depths of their cultish conviction, to—in some cases—their rejection of disinformation and the mending of fractured relationships, Cook offers a rare, intimate look into the psychology of how and why ordinary people come to believe the unbelievable. Profound, brilliantly researched, and beautifully written, The Quiet Damage lays bare how we have been taken hostage by grifters peddling lies built on false hope—and how we might release our loved ones, and ourselves, from their grasp.
Lake Effect: A Memoir
by Rich CohenA bittersweet coming-of-age story that quietly bores to the essence of friendship and how it survives even as it is destined to change.&“So outrageous and so true.... the book rockets along, powered by the high octane of Cohen&’s candor [and] off-beat observations.&” —The New York Times Book Review Raised in an affluent suburb on the North Shore of Chicago, Rich Cohen had a cluster of interesting friends, but none more interesting than Jamie Drew. Fatherless, reckless, and lower middle class in a place that wasn&’t, Jamie possessed such an irresistible insouciance and charm that even the teachers called him Drew-licious. Through the high school years of parties and Cub games and girls, of summer nights on the beach and forbidden forays into the blues bars of Chicago&’s notorious South Side, the two formed an inseparable bond. Even after Cohen went to college in New Orleans (Jamie went to Kansas) and then moved to New York, where he had a memorable interlude with the legendary New Yorker writer Joseph Mitchell, Jamie remained oddly crucial to his life.
Marvel: What If . . . Marc Spector Was Host to Venom? (What If . . . ? #3)
by Mike ChenMarc Spector and Venom engage in a battle of wills in the next adventure of an epic multiversal series reimagining iconic Marvel origin stories.So many worlds, so little time. Infinite possibilities, creating infinite realities. Long have I watched Marc Spector cheat death in the name of the Egyptian god Khonshu. But . . . what if Moon Knight was subsumed by a Venom from another universe?Marc Spector is used to voices in his head. He&’s used to waking up disoriented, unsure what his alters, Jake and Steven, might have been up to. He&’s used to having an Egyptian god command him as Moon Knight, his avatar of justice and revenge. What he&’s not used to: staring into the face of a literal out-of-body doppelgänger. Another Marc crash-landed from an alternate reality, begging for help? Yeah, that is a new one, even for him. But before he can really process anything beyond Khonshu&’s incessant alarm bells, it becomes clear this other Marc didn&’t travel solo. Some kind of alien—a symbiote named Venom—casts off its current host and begins to merge with Marc, forcing Khonshu away from his chosen champion and claiming Moon Knight for its own. The formerly stark white suit that struck fear into the hearts of criminals now looms as a jet-black shadow over friends and foes alike. Marc&’s lethal prowess, fueled by Venom&’s penchant for violence, carves a trail of chaos as they comb through the vigilante&’s torturous past. Yet a sliver of hope remains: Finally free of Venom&’s control, the other Jake and Steven regain consciousness to find themselves in a strange reality, without their Marc but with a strange bird-like god insisting that &“they will do.&” Desperate, lost, and running out of time, the pair make a deal: become Khonshu&’s new avatar to track Venom&’s path of destruction, save this universe, and just maybe figure out a way back to their own.
Doing Good Better: How Effective Altruism Can Help You Help Others, Do Work that Matters, and Make Smarter Choices about Giving Back
by William MacAskillMost of us want to make a difference. We donate our time and money to charities and causes we deem worthy, choose careers we consider meaningful, and patronize businesses and buy products we believe make the world a better place. Unfortunately, we often base these decisions on assumptions and emotions rather than facts. As a result, even our best intentions often lead to ineffective—and sometimes downright harmful—outcomes. How can we do better? While a researcher at Oxford, trying to figure out which career would allow him to have the greatest impact, William MacAskill confronted this problem head on. He discovered that much of the potential for change was being squandered by lack of information, bad data, and our own prejudice. As an antidote, he and his colleagues developed effective altruism, a practical, data-driven approach that allows each of us to make a tremendous difference regardless of our resources. Effective altruists believe that it&’s not enough to simply do good; we must do good better. At the core of this philosophy are five key questions that help guide our altruistic decisions: How many people benefit, and by how much? Is this the most effective thing I can do? Is this area neglected? What would have happened otherwise? What are the chances of success, and how good would success be? By applying these questions to real-life scenarios, MacAskill shows how many of our assumptions about doing good are misguided. For instance, he argues one can potentially save more lives by becoming a plastic surgeon rather than a heart surgeon; measuring overhead costs is an inaccurate gauge of a charity&’s effectiveness; and, it generally doesn&’t make sense for individuals to donate to disaster relief. MacAskill urges us to think differently, set aside biases, and use evidence and careful reasoning rather than act on impulse. When we do this—when we apply the head and the heart to each of our altruistic endeavors—we find that each of us has the power to do an astonishing amount of good.
Klassenwiederholungen verstehen und vermeiden: Hintergründe, Auswirkungen und Alternativen
by Florian KlapprothIn diesem Buch wird das komplexe Thema der Klassenwiederholung fundiert und vielschichtig beleuchtet. Es bietet einen Einblick in die Faktoren, die zu Wiederholungsentscheidungen führen, und zeigt deren Auswirkungen auf schulische Leistungen, Selbstbewusstsein, soziale Integration und emotionales Wohlbefinden von Schülerinnen und Schülern. Empirische Befunde – auch international – ergänzen die Analyse. Das Buch hinterfragt kritisch, welche Schülermerkmale und pädagogischen Konzepte Klassenwiederholungen begünstigen und welche Rolle Umweltfaktoren dabei spielen. Zugleich stellt es wirksame Alternativen wie differenzierten Unterricht und Summerschools vor und lädt dazu ein, die bisherige Praxis zu überdenken. Abschließend gibt das Buch praxisnahe Empfehlungen, wie Schulen Alternativen umsetzen und gezielt Veränderungsprozesse anstoßen können. Es richtet sich an Lehrkräfte und Bildungsexpert:innen, die an einem zukunftsorientierten Schulsystem mitwirken wollen.
The SAP S/4HANA Handbook for EPC Projects: An End-to-End Solution for the Engineering, Construction and Operations (EC&O) Industry
by Sohail AhmedThe SAP S/4HANA Handbook for EPC Projects equips you with the knowledge and insights needed to successfully manage and execute complex Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) projects using the power of SAP S/4HANA. Building upon your existing knowledge of SAP solutions, this handbook provides advanced insights into EPC project management and addresses the operational challenges unique to the Engineering, Construction and Operations (EC&O) industry by connecting business processes with relevant SAP solutions. It is an essential guide enabling you to gain a deeper understanding of optimizing your project management capabilities using SAP S/4HANA. Whether you are an SAP Solution Architect in Finance, Human Resources, or Supply Chain Management, or a project manager in the EC&O industry, this book will help you understand how projects can be managed with SAP. We begin by examining the world of EPC, EPC/M (Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Management), and ETO (Engineer-To-Order) projects.Looking at detailed planning, controlling, and execution solutions of EPC projects with S/4HANA Project System, CPM (Commercial Project Management), PPM (Project & Portfolio Management), S/4HANA Add-ons, SAP Cloud Solutions, and to integrate these with other engineering and project management software such as Tekla and Primavera through SAP BTP (Business Technology Platform). You will follow a construction company secure an EPC contract of a refinery upgrade project and demonstrates how SAP is used at every step of the way, from bidding to project closure. Through real-world use-cases, supported by tables and visual aids, you will find the practical solutions offered by SAP S/4HANA. The SAP S/4HANA Handbook for EPC Projects is the ultimate resource bridging theory with practical applications, offering a framework to navigate the complexities of modern project management in the EC&O industry. You Will Learn To: Understand project management processes with business use cases and their application in SAP Apply detailed planning, scheduling, resource and management strategies, as well as for risk and claim managmement in large-scale projects. <span style="font-size: 11.0pt !msorm; font-family: 'Calibri',sans-serif !msorm; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin !msorm; mso-hansi-th
A Pragmatic Approach to Conceptualization of Health and Disease (Philosophy and Medicine #151)
by Maartje Schermer Nicholas BinneyThis open access book is an integrated historical and philosophical investigation of several problematic situations that emerge from diverse areas of medical practice. These include (but are not limited to): Paying less attention to patients who are suffering with symptoms because no identifiable pathological lesion or pathophysiological process can be found. Paying too much attention to patients who are not suffering with symptoms because pathological lesions or pathophysiological processes have been found. The tendency to understand patients at risk of developing pathology as being diseased. The tendency to disregard the importance of wider societal consequences of definitions of disease and health. The book shows that many of these problems are related to what disease and health are considered to be and argues that these problems can be addressed by reconsidering the concepts of health and disease employed in practice. It argues for a pragmatic reconceptualization of health and disease that allows clinicians, researchers, and lay people to understand health and disease in many ways, depending on the specific context in which they find themselves and the problems they are trying to solve. In doing so, authors are careful to show how this pragmatism does not endorse “silly” forms of relativism, in which knowledge is reduced to belief or to whatever people find expedient to believe. This work is relevant for philosophers and historians a well as for doctors, health policy makers and other health professionals because it addresses problems sourced from medical practice, albeit using philosophical and historical methods.
Negotiating Peace in Kosovo: Local Perspective on European Union Mediation Efforts
by Ramadan Ilazi Bekim Çollaku Fisnik RexhepiThis book offers an account of the European Union (EU) facilitated dialogue for normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, examining how the EU&’s approaches, local politics, and civil society shaped the process. Rich with sources, it is essential reading for peace negotiations and EU&’s work in the Western Balkans. Using first-hand experience, the book explains why the talks scored significant wins but have yet to achieve full normalization of relations between the two countries. Chapter 1 outlines the objectives of the normalization dialogue. Chapter 2 examines why the normalization dialogue became necessary even after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Kosovo&’s independence was legal. Chapter 3 dissects the dialogue's so-called &‘technical&’ phase, while Chapter 4 examines the shift to the political phase. Chapter 5 showcases civil society's corrective power and limits, while the conclusion deduces lessons for future EU mediation approaches and conflict resolution.
Interkulturelle Kompetenz online vermitteln (Key Competences for Higher Education and Employability)
by Gundula Gwenn Hiller Ulrike Zillmer-Tantan Reema FattohiBei interkulturellen Trainings geht es um den Erwerb des kommunikativen Handlungswissens sowie die Arbeit an der inneren Haltung. Voraussetzungen dafür sind eine vertrauensvolle Atmosphäre und Interaktion. Wie lässt sich das online umsetzen? Dieses Buch liefert darauf Antworten, in 3 Teilen:• Theoretische Grundlagen vermitteln didaktische Prinzipen • Praxisberichte inspirieren zur Umsetzung innovativer Lehr-Lernkonzepte, und • Eine praxiserprobte Methoden-Sammlung von über 50 Trainer*innen liefert eine breite Auswahl an Tools für interkulturelles Lernen. Trainer*innen und Lehrende finden hier solides handwerkliches Wissen mit konkreten Umsetzungstipps.
Who Is Government?: The Untold Story of Public Service
by Edited by Michael Lewis&“Perhaps never before has there been a book better timed or more urgent.&” —Washington Post&“Michael Lewis has this incredible ability to zoom in on one person's story, and from there reveals something much bigger about our culture. His books leave you seeing the world differently, and his books about federal workers are no exception.&” —Katie CouricAs seen on CBS Mornings, CNN Anderson Cooper, ABC News Live, MSNBC Morning Joe, and many moreWho works for the government and why does their work matter? An urgent and absorbing civics lesson from an all-star team of writers and storytellers.The government is a vast, complex system that Americans pay for, rebel against, rely upon, dismiss, and celebrate. It&’s also our shared resource for addressing the biggest problems of society. And it&’s made up of people, mostly unrecognized and uncelebrated, doing work that can be deeply consequential and beneficial to everyone.Michael Lewis invited his favorite writers, including Casey Cep, Dave Eggers, John Lanchester, Geraldine Brooks, Sarah Vowell, and W. Kamau Bell, to join him in finding someone doing an interesting job for the government and writing about them. The stories they found are unexpected, riveting, and inspiring, including a former coal miner devoted to making mine roofs less likely to collapse, saving thousands of lives; an IRS agent straight out of a crime thriller; and the manager who made the National Cemetery Administration the best-run organization, public or private, in the entire country. Each essay shines a spotlight on the essential behind-the-scenes work of exemplary federal employees.Whether they&’re digitizing archives, chasing down cybercriminals, or discovering new planets, these public servants are committed to their work and universally reluctant to take credit. Expanding on the Washington Post series, the vivid profiles in Who Is Government? blow up the stereotype of the irrelevant bureaucrat. They show how the essential business of government makes our lives possible, and how much it matters.
The Incident of the Book in the Nighttime: A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery (A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery)
by Vicki DelanyBookshop owner Gemma Doyle heads to London for a wedding, but when a body is found in connection with a rare book, Gemma sets out to sleuth the slaying in bestselling author Vicki Delany's tenth Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery.Gemma Doyle and her friends have packed their bags and headed to London for her sister Pippa&’s wedding. Waiting for her in the hotel lobby is none other than Gemma&’s ex-husband, Paul Erikson. Paul has a rare book he wants her to see—calling it &“the real deal&”—so Gemma agrees to meet him at their old shop, Trafalgar Fine Books, the following day. But when Gemma arrives, accompanied by Grant, a rare book dealer, they find Paul dead in his office.Paul had been down on his luck, but Gemma never expected this. Had he borrowed money from people he shouldn&’t have? And where is the valuable book he was so anxious for Gemma to see? It&’s nowhere to be found in the shop. Because of their previous relationship, Gemma feels she owes something to Paul and vows to find his killer.As Gemma and her best friend Jayne Wilson follow Paul&’s trail of friends, enemies, clients, and ex-lovers through London to Yorkshire, she realizes the puzzle of Paul&’s last days is more twisted than she originally thought.This mystery is anything but elementary, and Gemma and Jayne have to use all their wit to get to the bottom of it before their time in London—or in life—is over.
A Killer Clue: A Hunter and Clewe Mystery (A Hunter and Clewe Mystery #2)
by Victoria GilbertPerfect for fans of Anthony Horowitz and Jenn McKinlay, acclaimed author Victoria Gilbert is back with more devious clues and deadly secrets as Hunter and Clewe take on a new case in the second Hunter and Clewe mystery.When Eloise Anderson, the owner of an antiquarian bookshop, arrives at the grand Aircroft estate to ask retired librarian Jane Hunter and eccentric collector Cameron Clewe for help, Jane and Cam expect a bookish inquiry. But the bookseller has a different sort of assistance in mind—clearing her mother&’s name of a murder Eloise is convinced she didn&’t commit.Eloise&’s mother has just died after spending many years in prison for allegedly killing Eloise&’s father. Armed with new information found in her mother&’s effects, the bookseller is determined to uncover the true killer so her mother can rest in peace, even though the case is now colder than ice. When Jane tracks down the original detective from the investigation and discovers him stabbed to death in Eloise&’s bookshop, Jane and Cam are sure this murder is connected to the cold case. They think it&’s the same killer, but the police unfortunately have their own prime suspect, and this time around it&’s Eloise.Cam and Jane&’s cold-case sleuthing turns urgent—find who committed the murders or watch another innocent woman rot in jail as a cold-blooded killer walks free.
Northwest Know-How: Haunts
by Bess LovejoyEntertaining, educational and highly giftable, Northwest Know-How: Haunts showcases the haunted hotspots, cemeteries and graveyards, ghost towns, and curiosities in Oregon and Washington.True crime and the supernatural are more popular than ever and Northwest Know-How: Haunts explores the ghosts, legends, and haunted spots of the Pacific Northwest. From the many haunted spots of Seattle&’s Pioneer Square and Pike Place Market to Oregon&’s many haunted hotels, lighthouses, and theaters, this book uncovers the events that inspired the hauntings as well as the reports of the hauntings themselves. Read about the ghost of Simon Benson, a teetotaling spirit who has been known to knock over drinks at his namesake Benson Hotel in Portland. And discover why it might be prudent to steer clear of the honeymoon suite at the Columbia Gorge Hotel. Spectral sightings extend to the water as well: a ghost ship appears off Seattle&’s Pier 70…and reputedly foretells doom. Haunts will be a must-have for anyone who likes their history with a side of spooky.