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Towards Relational Sociology (International Library of Sociology)
by Nick CrossleyTowards Relational Sociology argues that social worlds comprise networks of interaction and relations. Crossley asserts that relations are lived trajectories of iterated interaction, built up through a history of interaction, but also entailing anticipation of future interaction. In addition, he demonstrates how networks comprise multiple dyadic relations which are mutually transformed through their combination. On this conceptual basis he builds a relational foundation for sociology. Over the course of the book, three central sociological dichotomies are addressed - individualism/holism, structure/agency and micro/macro – and utilised as a foil against which to construct the case for relational sociology. Through this, Crossley is able to argue that neither individuals nor ‘wholes’ - in the traditional sociological sense - should take precedence in sociology. Rather sociologists should focus upon evolving and dynamic networks of interaction and relations. The book covers many of the key concepts and concerns of contemporary sociology, including identity, power, exchange and meaning. As such it is an invaluable reference tool for postgraduate students and researchers alike.
Towards Reforming the Legal Framework for Secured Transactions in Nigeria
by Chima Williams IhemeThis book offers a valuable guide to one of the most challenging areas of commercial law, now frequently referred to as secured transactions, with a focus on Nigerian, Canadian and United States perspectives. A debtor's ability to provide collateral influences not only the cost of the money borrowed, but also in many cases, whether secured lenders are willing to offer credit at all. The book proposes that increasing access to, and indeed, lowering the cost of credit could tremendously boost economic development, while at the same time arguing that this would best be achieved if the legal framework for secured transactions in Nigeria, and of course, any other country with similar experiences, were designed to allow the use of personal property and fixtures to secure credit. Similarly, the creation, priority, perfection, and enforcement of security interests in personal property should be simplified and supported by a framework that ensures that neither the interests of secured lenders nor debtors are hampered, so as to guarantee the continuous availability of affordable credit as well as debtors' willingness to borrow and do business. The book further argues that in addition to the obvious preference for real property over personal property by secured lenders due to the unreformed secured-transactions legal framework in Nigeria, its compartmentalized nature has also resulted in unpredictability in commerce and the concomitant effects of poor access to credit. Through the comparative research conducted in this book utilizing the UCC Article 9 and Ontario PPSA as benchmarks, the author provides reformers with a repository of tested secured-transactions law solutions, which law reformers in the Commonwealth countries in Africa and beyond, as well as the business community will find valuable in dealing with issues that stem from secured transactions.
Towards Recovery in Pacific Asia (Esrc Pacific Asia Programme Ser.)
by David S. G. Goodman Gerald SegalAttempts to define the Asian Crisis and its future course continue to be hotly contested. Towards Recovery in Pacific Asia deals with financial and industrial reform, defence policies, the 'Asian-Values' debate, corruption and croneyism; as well as China, Japan and intra-regional affairs. Rather than trying to resolve the heated debate about the causes of the crisis, this book reflects on underlying trends to examine the possible paths of recovery. Bringing together experts in the field, Towards Recovery in Pacific Asia suggests that recovery is by no means impossible nor as difficult as might at first have seemed. But it requires political reform, tackling specific economic problems and the international support of the US, European Union and World Bank. There are still causes for concern, such as Indonesia's transition from the Suharto era and political reform in China and, most significantly, Japan. With its highly topical focus on the social, political and economic development of the Asia Pacific region, this book represents a vital, up-to-date analysis for students and researchers in Asian studies, International Relations, International Political Economy, as well as policy makers and professionals working in, or with, Pacific Asia.
Towards Recognition of Minority Groups: Legal and Communication Strategies (Law, Language and Communication)
by Marek Zirk-Sadowski Bartosz WojciechowskiThis volume analyses current debates concerning problems in the nature, justification, and legal protection of human rights for minorities, with reference to the issues surrounding social milieu as a source of any legitimized law, which is in itself in need of legal recognition as well as being an object of legal protection. With contributions from a global network of scientists across several continents, the work examines the debate dedicated to the understanding of the normative framework, expressed in terms of human rights that guarantee autonomous action in public and private for minority groups as well as individuals. The chapters go on to study the particular claims that need to be audible and visible for others in the public sphere with reference to the legal protection of human rights. The work concludes with the completion of an interpretative circle debating the issues of legal consensus and legal identity with respect to the specificity of the patterns and modes guiding human interactions. Going beyond the legal analysis to discuss communication strategies in human rights, this collection will be of great interest to those studying the philosophy and theory of law, practical philosophy in general, political sciences and theory of democracy.
Towards Rational Education: A Social Framework of Moral Values and Practices (Routledge Research in Education)
by Demetris KatsikisTowards Rational Education explores how education can become rational by serving character building, rational thinking and the common good. It uses evidence-based psychology, philosophy, sociology and political science to support transforming education and provides a brand-new framework for effective universal education. This book endorses Rational-Emotive Behavior Theory (REBT) and rational education philosophy theories as main vehicles paving a viable set of rational education values and practices. Collective wisdom, rational living, freedom, mental health, altruism, solidarity, equality and fraternity are seen as the foundational values for shaping already existing schools of the world become more rational and in establishing Rational Education Communities (REC) and Rational Schools (RS). Calling for a philosophical and socio-political shift in education values and practices, the book cites principles, tools and practices that rational educators, philosophers, psychologists, other related scientists-practitioners and people have offered us as a legacy for building a more rational and positive education for all people universally, without sacrificing cultural sensitivity and expressivity. This book will be of great interest for the general audience and a special interest for academics, researchers and post-graduate students in the fields of the philosophy of education, positive psychology, educational psychology and educational policy.
Towards Radical Regeneration: Design Modelling Symposium Berlin 2022
by Christoph Gengnagel Mette Ramsgaard Thomsen Olivier Baverel Giovanni Betti Mariana Popescu Jan WurmThis book reflects and expands on the current trends in the Architecture Engineering and Construction (AEC) industries to respond to the unfolding climate and biodiversity crisis. Shifting away from the traditional focus, narrowly centered on efficiency, the book presents a variety of approaches to move the AEC community from an approach that presents new challenges in all areas of the industry, from a linear, extractive paradigm to circular and regenerative one. The book presents contributions including research papers and case studies, providing a comprehensive overview of the field as well as perspectives from related disciplines, such as computer science, biology and material science. The chapter authors were invited speakers at the 8th Design Modelling Symposium “Towards Radical Regeneration”, which took place at the University of the Arts in Berlin in September 2022.
Towards Queer Literacy in Elementary Education: Always Becoming Allies (Queer Studies and Education)
by Selena E. Van HornThis book blends multiple research studies, historical and current events, reflective teaching examples, and guidance for LGBTQ+ inclusion and queer pedagogy in elementary schools. It is divided into three sections to guide the readers from a broad understanding of the hxstories of LGBTQ+ discriminations, rights, and some communities’ resistance to LGBTQ+ children, teachers, and curriculum to a focused invitation into the author's own reflections, teaching, and discussions with children about LGBTQ+ literature and topics. The volume provides hxstories, theoretical and methodological inquiry, resources, and encouragement for teacher-researchers ready to engage LGBTQ+-inclusion and queer literacy pedagogy in their classrooms, schools, and communities.
Towards Quality Care: Outcomes for Older People in Care Homes (In Association With Pssru (personal Social Services Research Unit) Ser.)
by Alistair Burns David Challis Caroline Sutcliffe Caroline Mozley Peter Huxley Heather Bagley Lis CordingleyThis unique evaluation of the outcomes of residential and nursing home care for older people identifies the factors determining the quality of life of older people who have moved into care homes. It examines the relationship between older people's psychological well-being and the kinds of care received in residential homes. The volume draws on a study of UK care homes, interviewing new entrants soon after admission and then on two further occasions, to ascertain their experience of care and their quality of life. Interviews were also undertaken with care staff and their managers, and the care environment of each home was assessed. The authors provide valuable evidence of the factors which can influence older people's well-being on entering a care home and how they adjust either positively or not to their new surroundings. The volume offers clear pointers towards ways to improve quality of residential and nursing home care.
Towards Professional Wisdom: Practical Deliberation in the People Professions
by David Carr Chris Clark Liz Bondi Cecelia CleggPeople professions - such as social work, teaching, nursing, ministry and counselling - are at heart ethical or moral enterprises. Much recent theorizing has been concerned to show that effective professional deliberation and judgement cannot be reduced either to technical rationality or to simple obedience to general occupational procedures or prescriptions. Professional judgement would seem to require the development of a distinctive mode of practical (ethical) reflection or 'wisdom' - perhaps along the lines of Aristotle's 'phronesis' or practical wisdom. Reflection is required to address such key professional concerns as: What is the impact of official prescription and regulation on professional judgement? How should conflicts of professional judgement and public/political accountability be resolved? How might one reconcile tensions between universal justice and equality and particular client need? What is the role of emotion and/or affect in 'people professional' practice? This ground-breaking work addresses, in a thoroughly multidisciplinary way, the central question of the nature of professional judgement and deliberation that has recently come to the fore in the academic literature of profession and professionalism. It proposes a marked shift - in theory, practice and policy-making - away from technical-rational approaches to professional decision-making in favour of reflection and deliberation informed by responsible moral judgement. This reflects a significant progressive trend in this literature by taking practical wisdom, rather than technical rationality, to lie at the heart of professional judgement. It is unique in bringing together key authors from different professional fields to address the issue of professional wisdom in a cross-professional and multidisciplinary way.
Towards Process Safety 4.0 in the Factory of the Future
by André LaurentThe rapid development of new technologies in the industry of the future implies a major evolution in the industrial safety measures needed to be met, such as societal requirements. Towards Process Safety 4.0 in the Factory of the Future presents the concept of Safety 4.0 from the point of view of process safety, occupational safety and health, as well as systems’ cyber security. Numerous examples illustrate the different approaches of the identified methods and techniques of Safety 4.0. Their concepts, paradigms, structural bases, couplings, complexities and flaws are systematically analyzed. This comprehensive approach to Safety 4.0 is aimed at the wide variety of actors working in the industry of the future.
Towards Principled Oceans Governance: Australian and Canadian Approaches and Challenges (Routledge Advances in Maritime Research)
by Donald R. Rothwell David L. VanderZwaagAustralia and Canada have been at the forefront of efforts to operationalize integrated oceans and coastal management. Throughout the 1990s both countries devoted considerable effort to developing strategies to give effect to international ocean management obligations. This key book focuses on principles of marine environmental conservation and management, maritime regulation and enforcement, and regional maritime planning and implementation. With contributions from respected scholars, this informative book collectively assesses the obligations, compliance, implementation and trends in international ocean law, particularly in giving effect to an Oceans Policy, regional maritime planning, international oceans governance, and maritime security. This book will be of interest to all academics involved with maritime studies and international law.
Towards Practical Brain-Computer Interfaces
by Anton Nijholt Brendan Z. Allison Robert Leeb Stephen Dunne José Del R. MillánBrain-computer interfaces (BCIs) are devices that enable people to communicate via thought alone. Brain signals can be directly translated into messages or commands. Until recently, these devices were used primarily to help people who could not move. However, BCIs are now becoming practical tools for a wide variety of people, in many different situations. What will BCIs in the future be like? Who will use them, and why? This book, written by many of the top BCI researchers and developers, reviews the latest progress in the different components of BCIs. Chapters also discuss practical issues in an emerging BCI enabled community. The book is intended both for professionals and for interested laypeople who are not experts in BCI research.
Towards Posthumanism in Education: Theoretical Entanglements and Pedagogical Mappings (Routledge New and Critical Studies in Education)
by Jessie A. Bustillos Morales Shiva ZarabadiThis edited volume presents a post-humanist reflection on education, mapping the complex transdisciplinary pedagogy and theoretical research while also addressing questions related to marginalised voices, colonial discourses, and the relationship between theory and practice.Exhibiting a re-imagination of education through themed relationalities that can transverse education, this cutting-edge book highlights the importance of matter in educational environments, enriching pedagogies, teacher-student relationships and curricular innovation. Chapters present contributions that explore education through various international contexts and educational sectors, unravelling educational implications with reference to the climate change crisis, migrant children in education, post-pandemic education, feminist activists and other emergent issues. The book examines the ongoing iterations of the entanglement of colonisation, modernity, and humanity with education to propose a possibility of education capable of upholding heterogeneous worlds.Curated with a global perspective on transversal relationalities and offering a unique outlook on posthuman thoughts and actions related to education, this book will be an important reading for students, researchers and academics in the fields of philosophy of education, sociology of education, posthumanism and new materialism, curriculum studies, and educational research.
Towards Post-Native-Speakerism
by Stephanie Ann Houghton Kayoko HashimotoThis book probes for a post-native-speakerist future. It explores the nature of (English and Japanese) native-speakerism in the Japanese context, and possible grounds on which language teachers could be employed if native-speakerism is rejected (i. e. , what are the language teachers of the future expected to do, and be, in practice?). It reveals the problems presented by the native-speaker model in foreign language education by exploring individual teacher-researcher narratives related to workplace experience and language-based inclusion/exclusion, as well as Japanese native-speakerism in the teaching of Japanese as a foreign language. It then seeks solutions to the problems by examining the concept of post-native-speakerism in relation to multilingual perspectives and globalisation generally, with a specific focus on education.
Towards Positive Systems of Child and Family Welfare: International Comparisons of Child Protection, Family Service, and Community Caring Systems
by Gary Cameron Nancy FreymondThe need for services that respond to the ‘maltreatment’ of children and to the struggles of families is at the core of social service systems in all developed nations. While these child and family welfare systems confront similar problems and incorporate common elements, there are substantial differences in philosophy, organization, and operation across international settings and models.In this new collection of essays, Nancy Freymond and Gary Cameron have brought together some of the finest international minds to provide an original and integrated discussion of child protection, family service, and community caring models of child and family welfare. The volume not only examines child protection and family service approaches within Western nations – including Canada, the United States, England, the Netherlands, France, and Sweden – it is also the first comparative study to give equal attention to Aboriginal community caring models in Canada and New Zealand.The comparisons made by the essays in this volume allow for a consideration of constructive and feasible innovations in child and family welfare and contribute to an enriched debate around each system. This book will be of great benefit to the field for many years to come.
Towards Paraconsistent Engineering
by Seiki AkamaThis book presents a collection of contributions from related logics to applied paraconsistency. Moreover, all of them are dedicated to Jair Minoro Abe,on the occasion of his sixtieth birthday. He is one of the experts in Paraconsistent Engineering, who developed the so-called annotated logics. The book includes important contributions on foundations and applications of paraconsistent logics in connection with engineering, mathematical logic, philosophical logic, computer science, physics, economics, and biology. It will be of interest to students and researchers, who are working on engineering and logic.
Towards Pan-Africanism: Africa’s Cooperation through Regional Economic Communities (RECs), Ubuntu and Communitarianism
by Stephen M. MaguThis book traces the development and impact of regional economic communities (RECs) in Africa and addresses a timely question: do REC members, and the REC itself, positively influence member states’ behaviors towards other members and more broadly, regionally and continentally due to REC membership? ‘Changing member states’ behaviors’ is measured across three ‘interconnected, fundamental dimensions of societal-systems’ proposed by Marshall and Elzinga Marshall in CSP’s Global Repot 2017. These are i) the persistence of conflict or its counterpoint, achieving peace, ii) fostering democratization and better governance, and iii) achieving socio-economic development and (as proposed by this research, a fourth dimension), iv) being active participants in multilateralism? Is membership in a REC ultimately beneficial to the member and other countries in the region? While there are no clear and obvious – at least, discernible traditional – benefits such as increase in trade (perhaps because Africa’s overall trade relative to the world is about 3 percent), there are other non trade benefits (e.g., decrease in conflict, coercion to take certain actions towards peace and refrain from others, coups and wars) presenting in REC member states. These in/actions, abilities, coercions, exclusions and cooperation instances are outlined and discussed in the book.
Towards Organizational Knowledge
by Kimio Kase Hirotaka Takeuchi Georg Von Krogh César González CantónIn recognition of Professor Ikujiro Nonaka's contribution to the field of Knowledge Management this book, forming part of The Nonaka Series on Knowledge and Innovation from Palgrave Macmillan, deals with a variety of aspects of the Knowledge Management (KM) theory and the knowledge-based view of the firm.
Towards Organizational Fitness: A Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment
by Gerry Randell John ToplisWork organizations can lose their fitness and become sick, just as people can. Just like people, they may become both physically and behaviourally sick; physically sick when plant and equipment breaks down or the money runs out; behaviourally sick when the resources are badly managed or the staff become alienated. Gerry Randell and John Toplis' Towards Organizational Fitness addresses two main issues: firstly, how to investigate and manage problems involving people at work - a task analogous to that of a medical doctor working with a sick patient; secondly, how to assess and develop the capability and fitness of an organization - like a medical doctor who wishes to improve a patient's health. The message of this book is clear, that organizations should not proceed to change any of their policies, procedures, processes or practices until a systematic thorough diagnosis of the root cause underpinning the need to change has taken place. The process of diagnosis that leads to a technically sound, administratively convenient, politically defensible and socially acceptable decision to change an organization in some way is fraught with difficulty. Towards Organizational Fitness provides managers with a conceptual and practical path through this complex and difficult arena.
Towards Optimal Point Cloud Processing for 3D Reconstruction (SpringerBriefs in Electrical and Computer Engineering)
by YangQuan Chen Guoxiang ZhangThis SpringerBrief presents novel methods of approaching challenging problems in the reconstruction of accurate 3D models and serves as an introduction for further 3D reconstruction methods. It develops a 3D reconstruction system that produces accurate results by cascading multiple novel loop detection, sifting, and optimization methods.The authors offer a fast point cloud registration method that utilizes optimized randomness in random sample consensus for surface loop detection. The text also proposes two methods for surface-loop sifting. One is supported by a sparse-feature-based optimization graph. This graph is more robust to different scan patterns than earlier methods and can cope with tracking failure and recovery. The other is an offline algorithm that can sift loop detections based on their impact on loop optimization results and which is enabled by a dense map posterior metric for 3D reconstruction and mapping performance evaluation works without any costly ground-truth data. The methods presented in Towards Optimal Point Cloud Processing for 3D Reconstruction will be of assistance to researchers developing 3D modelling methods and to workers in the wide variety of fields that exploit such technology including metrology, geological animation and mass customization in smart manufacturing.
Towards Optimal Management of Diabetes in Surgery
by Sanjeev Kelkar Shubhangi Muley Prakash AmbardekarThis book addresses key principles in the optimal management of diabetes to facilitate smooth and safe anesthesia and surgery with the best possible outcomes. It addresses a range of topics, including: diabetic emergencies, glycemic control in emergencies, the routine perioperative setting, preoperative evaluation in routine and emergency surgery, intra- and post-operative management for neurosurgery, cardiothoracic surgery, gestational diabetes, bariatric surgery and other major surgeries. A dedicated chapter on Metabolic Havoc of Uncontrolled Diabetes provides the in-depth understanding of diabetic pathophysiology required in surgical situations, while a special chapter addresses commonly asked questions on surgery and diabetes. Despite many recent advances in surgery, anesthesia, and diabetes research, perioperative diabetes management is often not addressed adequately. This is largely due to an insufficient understanding of insulin physiology and its pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics under normal and stressful conditions. The optimal management of surgery in diabetes calls for an integrated, collaborative, and proactive approach. Surgeons, anesthetists and physicians should know the central, basic aspects of perioperative diabetes management and understand the contribution that each one makes to the best outcome, as well as their limitations.
Towards Openly Multilingual Policies and Practices
by Johanna Laakso Anneli Sarhimaa Sia Spiliopoulou Åkermark Reetta ToivanenThis book investigates the maintenance of multilingualism and minority languages in 12 different minority communities across Europe, all of which are underrepresented in international minority language studies. The book presents a number of case studies covering a broad range of highly diverse minorities and languages with different historical and socio-political backgrounds. Despite current legislation and institutional and educational support, the authors surmise there is no guarantee for the maintenance of minority languages, suggesting changes in attitudes and language ideologies are the key to promoting true multilingualism. The book also introduces a new tool, the European Language Vitality Barometer, for assessing the maintenance of minority languages on the basis of survey data. The book is based on the European Language Diversity for All (ELDIA) research project which was funded by the European Commission (7th framework programme, 2010 2013). "
Towards Open and Trustworthy Digital Societies: 23rd International Conference on Asia-Pacific Digital Libraries, ICADL 2021, Virtual Event, December 1–3, 2021, Proceedings (Lecture Notes in Computer Science #13133)
by Hao-Ren Ke Chei Sian Lee Kazunari SugiyamaThis book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 23rd International Conference on Asia-Pacific Digital Libraries, ICADL 2021, which was held in December 2021. Due to COVID-19 pandemic the conference was held virtually.The 17 full, 14 short, and 5 practice papers presented in this volume were carefully reviewed and selected from 87 submissions. The papers were organized in topical sections named: Knowledge Discovery from Digital Collections; Search for Better User Experience; Information Extraction; Multimedia; Text Classification and Matching; Data Infrastructure for Digital Libraries; Data Modeling; Neural-based Learning.
Towards Nuclear Zero (Adelphi series)
by David Cortright Raimo VäyrynenRarely in the atomic age have hopes been raised as high as they are now for genuine progress toward disarmament. The new receptivity reflected in the policy declarations of many governments was sparked by a wave of private initiatives led by former senior policy leaders in many countries. This book examines practical steps for achieving progress toward disarmament, realistically assessing both challenges and opportunities associated with achieving a world without nuclear weapons. The book places the current debate over nuclear abolition in the context of urgent non-proliferation priorities and the need to prevent nuclear weapons from falling into the hands of extremist regimes and terrorists. It examines the reasons why more than two dozen states have given up nuclear programs over the years and distils lessons from the end of the cold war to offer policy recommendations for moving toward lessened global reliance on nuclear weapons. Also included are in-depth analyses of proliferation challenges and disarmament opportunities in North Korea and Iran. The book concludes with a detailed roadmap for moving progressively toward global nuclear zero. It proposes a new international security regime based on shared missile defences, nonweaponized deterrence and greater efforts to enhance transnational cooperation.
Towards North American Monetary Union?: The Politics and History of Canada's Exchange Rate Regime
by Eric HelleinerHelleiner finds little support in the U.S. for the concessions that would be necessary to make a North American monetary union palatable in Canada. Comparing the U.S. Federal Reserve and the European Monetary Union, he argues that the influence of Canada within a North American monetary union would be far less than that of individual countries within the European community. He also considers the seemingly paradoxical support of Quebec sovereignists for free trade and monetary union.