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In Defence of Open Society: The Legendary Philanthropist Tackles the Dangers We Must Face for the Survival of Civilisation
by George SorosGeorge Soros is among the world's most prominent public figures. He is one of the history's most successful investors and his philanthropy, led by the Open Society Foundations, has donated over $14 billion to promote democracy and human rights in more than 120 countries. But in recent years, Soros has become the focus of sustained right-wing attacks in the United States and around the world based on his commitment to open society, progressive politics and his Jewish background. In this brilliant and spirited book, Soros offers a compendium of his philosophy, a clarion call-to-arms for the ideals of an open society: freedom, democracy, rule of law, human rights, social justice, and social responsibility as a universal idea. In this age of nationalism, populism, anti-Semitism, and the spread of authoritarian governments, Soros's mission to support open societies is as urgent as it is important.
In Defence of Serendipity
by Seb OlmaIn Defence of Serendipity is a lively and buccaneering work of investigative philosophy, treating the origins of "serendipity, accident and sagacity", both as riddles and philosophical concepts that can be put to a future political use. Taking in Aristotle, LSD, Tony Blair and techno-mysticism, Olma challenges the prevailing faith in the benevolence of digital technology and the illegitimate equation of innovation and entrepreneurship, arguing instead that we must take responsibility for the care of society's digital infrastructure, and prevent its degeneration into an apparatus of marketing and finance. For although there is nothing wrong with marketing and finance per se, if they alone lead technological development, free of any discretionary political interference, the freedom to be exploited will be as much a part of the future as our ability to intervene freely in our lives, will be a thing of the past.
In Defense Of Self And Others ...: Issues, Facts And Fallacies -- The Realities Of Law Enforcement's Use Of Deadly Force
by John C. Hall Urey W. PatrickIn Defense of Self and Others comprehensively addresses the issue of the use of deadly force by law enforcement officers. Beginning with a survey and analysis of the legal standards that define the authority of law enforcement officers to use deadly force, the book provides a detailed discussion of the practical elements that affect an officer's capacity to perceive a threat and to respond in an appropriate and timely fashion. For example, observing that law enforcement officers are always in a reactive mode and responding to the actions of others, the book explains how and why officers are compelled to make quick decisions under severe time constraints where "action beats reaction." Moreover, a thorough discussion of "wound ballistics" illustrates why officers do not possess a reliable means of instantaneously stopping a perceived threat and explains how that affects tactics, training and risk assessments. There are additional chapters that discuss tactics and training, physiological factors of high intensity stress, suicide by cop, the effects of policy and training on the ability of officers to make appropriate decisions regarding the use of force, and much more. Numerous case histories are cited to illustrate the points made. Undoubtedly, the most unique aspect of this book is the expertise of the authors. Acquired during almost 60 years of combined law enforcement experience, Patrick and Hall's expertise reflects a blend of the legal with the practical that is unprecedented. The Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that an officer's decision to use force must be reviewed from the "perspective of a reasonable officer on the scene." The object of this book is to provide insight into that perspective by placing the reader in the shoes of an officer on the scene. The book stands alone as a source of information for the law enforcement, legal, and educational communities. It will also be of great interest and benefit to the media, and to the general reader who is interested in this important and frequently controversial topic.
In Defense of American Higher Education
by Philip G. Altbach, Patricia J. Gumport and D. Bruce JohnstoneThe current era in higher education is characterized by increased need for accountability and fiscal constraint coupled with demands for increased productivity. Higher education is expected to meet the demand of changing student demographics, as well as requests for research and service from government and industry. To preserve the academy's ability to meet these demands, the editors and contributors to this volume argue that, while change is inevitable and desirable, any radical alterations to the practices that have established and upheld the excellence of higher education in the United States must be carefully considered.The editors and contributors cherish the best ideals of higher education: academic freedom, commitment to both inquiry and teaching, and preservation of an independence of mind and spirit in the face of external pressures. At the same time, the authors of these essays also reflect upon the failings of higher education, including problematic historical legacies such as racism, sexism, and anti-semitism. In Defense of American Higher Education is a careful analysis of what we have inherited, undertaken with a critical eye for constructive reform. It will be of interest to anyone concerned about the future of American higher education.
In Defense of Capitalism: Debunking the Myths
by Rainer ZitelmannCapitalism, its critics say, prioritizes profits over humanity, creates dominant monopolies, and undermines democracy. Zitelmann scrutinizes each of these arguments in turn and reveals the critical flaws that debunk them.Rainer Zitelmann examines the ten most common objections to capitalism: that capitalism leads to hunger and poverty, to rising inequality, to unnecessary consumption, to environmental destruction, to climate change and wars. Capitalism, its critics say, prioritizes profits over humanity, creates dominant monopolies, and undermines democracy. Zitelmann scrutinizes each of these arguments in turn and reveals the critical flaws that debunk them. He offers counter arguments to each charge, deploying a wealth of historical evidence and eye-opening facts to prove that it is not capitalism that has failed, but a century of anti-capitalist experiments.
In Defense of Deflation
by Philipp BagusThis book analyses the causes and consequences of deflation. In contrast to the widespread belief that deflation would be harmful to the economy as a whole, the author argues that free market deflation is liberating and beneficial. Several myths of deflation are exposed and the reasons for the widespread deflation phobia that serves to justify expansionary monetary policy, i. e. , inflation are investigated. Two historical case studies, the growth deflation in the US after the Civil War and the bank credit deflation in Germany during the Great Depression are discussed to illustrate the points made in the theoretical analysis of deflation.
In Defense of Farmers: The Future of Agriculture in the Shadow of Corporate Power (Our Sustainable Future)
by Sara Alexander Jane Gibson John K. HansenIndustrial agriculture is generally characterized as either the salvation of a growing, hungry, global population or as socially and environmentally irresponsible. Despite elements of truth in this polarization, it fails to focus on the particular vulnerabilities and potentials of industrial agriculture. Both representations obscure individual farmers, their families, their communities, and the risks they face from unpredictable local, national, and global conditions: fluctuating and often volatile production costs and crop prices; extreme weather exacerbated by climate change; complicated and changing farm policies; new production technologies and practices; water availability; inflation and debt; and rural community decline. Yet the future of industrial agriculture depends fundamentally on farmers’ decisions.In Defense of Farmers illuminates anew the critical role that farmers play in the future of agriculture and examines the social, economic, and environmental vulnerabilities of industrial agriculture, as well as its adaptations and evolution. Contextualizing the conversations about agriculture and rural societies within the disciplines of sociology, geography, economics, and anthropology, this volume addresses specific challenges farmers face in four countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, and the United States. By concentrating on countries with the most sophisticated production technologies capable of producing the largest quantities of grains, soybeans, and animal proteins in the world, this volume focuses attention on the farmers whose labors, decision-making, and risk-taking throw into relief the implications and limitations of our global industrial food system. The case studies here acknowledge the agency of farmers and offer ways forward in the direction of sustainable agriculture.
In Defense of Globalization
by Jagdish BhagwatiPassionate defense of economic and social aspects of globalization.
In Defense of Liberal Democracy: What We Need to Do to Heal a Divided America
by Manuel HindsIn Defense of Liberal Democracy is a clarion call for today's divided time: a bold reaffirmation of the liberal democratic principles that have carried America through each crisis in its history--and can do so again.Merging expert historical, political, and economic analysis, In Defense of Liberal Democracy shows how our recent technological revolution--what high-profile economist Manuel Hinds calls the Connectivity Revolution--has led to a crisis of divisiveness. Assessing the angry rhetoric and polarization of current political and social discourse in the US, Hinds considers the dangers of seeking populist solutions to our current upheaval and shows how the traditions and institutions of liberal democracy restored prosperity, freedom, and social equity during the Industrial Revolution, the Great Depression, and other periods of political instability. Hinds examines our national past and present (up to and including the 2020 presidential election) to illustrate how current events can be as dramatic as any historical legacy in warning us of the danger of abandoning our democratic principles.
In Defense of Monopoly: How Market Power Fosters Creative Production
by Dwight Lee Richard McKenzieIn Defense of Monopoly offers an unconventional but empirically grounded argument in favor of market monopolies. Authors McKenzie and Lee claim that conventional, static models exaggerate the harm done by real-world monopolies, and they show why some degree of monopoly presence is necessary to maximize the improvement of human welfare over time. <p><p> Inspired by Joseph Schumpeter's suggestion that market imperfections can drive an economy's long-term progress, In Defense of Monopoly defies conventional assumptions to show readers why an economic system's failure to efficiently allocate its resources is actually a necessary precondition for maximizing the system's long-term performance: the perfectly fluid, competitive economy idealized by most economists is decidedly inferior to one characterized by market entry and exit restrictions or costs. <p> An economy is not a board game in which players compete for a limited number of properties, nor is it much like the kind of blackboard games that economists use to develop their monopoly models. As McKenzie and Lee demonstrate, the creation of goods and services in the real world requires not only competition but the prospect of gains beyond a normal competitive rate of return.
In Defense of Open Society
by George SorosAn impassioned defense of open society, academic and media freedom, and human rights.George Soros -- universally known for his philanthropy, progressive politics, and investment success--has been under sustained attack from the far right, nationalists, and anti-Semites in the United States and around the world because of his commitment to open society and liberal democracy.In this brilliant and spirited book, Soros brings together a vital collection of his writings, some never previously published. They deal with a wide range of important and timely topics: the dangers that the instruments of control produced by artificial intelligence and machine learning pose to open societies; what Soros calls his "political philanthropy"; his founding of the Central European University, one of the world's foremost defender of academic freedom; his philosophy; his boom/bust theory of financial markets and its policy implications; and what he calls the tragedy of the European Union. Soros's forceful affirmation of freedom, democracy, the rule of law, human rights, social justice, and social responsibility as a universal idea is a clarion call-to-arms for the ideals of open society.
In Defense of Post-Keynesian and Heterodox Economics: Responses to their Critics (Routledge Advances in Heterodox Economics)
by Marc Lavoie Frederic S. LeePost-Keynesian and heterodox economics challenge the mainstream economics theories that dominate the teaching at universities and government economic policies. And it was these latter theories that helped to cause the great depression the United States and the rest of the world is in. However, most economists and the top 1% do not want mainstream theories challenged—for to do so would mean questioning why and how the 1% got where they are. Therefore, numerous efforts have been and are being made to discredit if not suppress Post-Keynesian and heterodox economics. These efforts have had some success; this book is a response to them. This book makes it clear that Post Keynesian/heterodox economics is, in spite of internal problems, a viable and important approach to economics and that it should resist the attempts of the critics to bury it. The reader will also find arguments that directly engage the critics and suggest that their views/criticisms are vacuous and wrong. As such, this will appeal to all who are interested in economic theory, economic history and who believe in challenging the orthodoxy.
In Defense of Processed Food
by Robert L. ShewfeltIt has become popular to blame the American obesity epidemic and many other health-related problems on processed food. Many of these criticisms are valid for some processed-food items, but many statements are overgeneralizations that unfairly target a wide range products that contribute to our health and well-being. In addition, many of the proposed dangers allegedly posed by eating processed food are exaggerations based on highly selective views of experimental studies. We crave simple answers to our questions about food, but the science behind the proclamations of food pundits is not nearly as clear as they would have you believe. This book presents a more nuanced view of the benefits and limitations of food processing and exposes some of the tricks both Big Food and its critics use to manipulate us to adopt their point of view. Food is a source of enjoyment, a part of our cultural heritage, a vital ingredient in maintaining health, and an expression of personal choice. We need to make those choices based on credible information and not be beguiled by the sophisticated marketing tools of Big Food nor the ideological appeals and gut feelings of self-appointed food gurus who have little or no background in nutrition.
In Defense of Troublemakers: The Power of Dissent in Life and Business
by Charlan NemethAn eminent psychologist explains why dissent should be cherished, not fearedWe've decided by consensus that consensus is good. In In Defense of Troublemakers, psychologist Charlan Nemeth argues that this principle is completely wrong: left unchallenged, the majority opinion is often biased, unoriginal, or false. It leads planes and markets to crash, causes juries to convict innocent people, and can quite literally make people think blue is green. In the name of comity, we embrace stupidity. We can make better decisions by embracing dissent. Dissent forces us to question the status quo, consider more information, and engage in creative decision-making.From Twelve Angry Men to Edward Snowden, lone objectors who make people question their assumptions bring groups far closer to truth--regardless of whether they are right or wrong. Essential reading for anyone who works in groups, In Defense of Troublemakers will radically change the way you think, listen, and make decisions.
In Defiance
by Gabriel Nadeau-DuboisOn February 7, 2012, as students in Quebec prepared to vote to go on strike, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois gave a rousing speech: “What you do today will be remembered. The decision you make will tell future generations who we were. And you already know what is being said today about our generation. That we are the generation of comfort and indifference, the generation of cash and iPods; that we are individualists, egotists; that we don’t care about anything, except our navels and our gadgets. Aren’t you tired of hearing this? Well, I am. Luckily, today we have a chance to prove that it’s not true, that it has never been true.” The “Maple Spring” saw more than 300,000 students across Quebec protest a tuition fee hike by striking from their classes. Nadeau-Dubois takes readers step-by-step through the strike, recounting the confrontations with journalists, ministers, judges, and police. Along the way he exposes the moral and intellectual poverty of the Quebec elite and celebrates the remarkable energy of the students who opposed the mercenary attitude of the austerity agenda. In Defiance is translated from the 2014 Governor General’s Literary Award winner for non-fiction, Tenir tête (Lux Éditeur) We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the National Translation Program for Book Publishing, an initiative of the Roadmap for Canada’s Official Languages 2013-2018: Education, Immigration, Communities, for our translation activities.
In Dependence: Women and the Patriarchal State in Revolutionary America (Early American Places)
by Jacqueline BeattyExamines the role of the American Revolution in the everyday lives of womenPatriarchal forces of law, finance, and social custom restricted women’s rights and agency in revolutionary America. Yet women in this period exploited these confines, transforming constraints into vehicles of female empowerment. Through a close reading of thousands of legislative, judicial, and institutional pleas across seventy years of history in three urban centers, Jacqueline Beatty illustrates the ways in which women in the revolutionary era asserted their status as dependents, demanding the protections owed to them as the assumed subordinates of men. In so doing, they claimed various forms of aid and assistance, won divorce suits, and defended themselves and their female friends in the face of patriarchal assumptions about their powerlessness. Ultimately, women in the revolutionary era were able to advocate for themselves and express a relative degree of power not in spite of their dependent status, but because of it.Their varying degrees of success in using these methods, however, was contingent on their race, class, and socio-economic status, and the degree to which their language and behavior conformed to assumptions of Anglo-American femininity. In Dependence thus exposes the central paradoxes inherent in American women’s social, legal, and economic positions of dependence in the Revolutionary era, complicating binary understandings of power and weakness, of agency and impotence, and of independence and dependence. Significantly, the American Revolution provided some women with the language and opportunities in which to claim old rights—the rights of dependents—in new ways. Most importantly, In Dependence shows how women’s coming to consciousness as rights-bearing individuals laid the groundwork for the activism and collective petitioning efforts of later generations of American feminists.
In Extremis Leadership
by Joseph W. Pfeifer Thomas A. KolditzIn this extraordinary book Col. Kolditz explains that his research on in extremis leadership, where followers perceive their lives to be threatened, reveals that the leadership lessons and principles in evidence in dangerous settings also apply to leading in business and everyday life. The book shows how leadership literally defines the promise of hope or future life and that extremely capable leaders are needed in all walks of life. The book describes a variety of high-risk situations that are ideal settings to seek and find great leaders, assess how they might be different, and to glean valuable insights for extraordinary leadership in our everyday lives. Through heart-stopping real-life stories of leaders in these extreme situations, Kolditz insists that leaders at all levels can improve their effectiveness.
In Fashion
by Elaine Stone Sheryl A. FarnanThis book offers a concise and colorful overview of the key components of fashion-from its history, movements, and trends-to the materials, producers, and retailers that impact the business on a global level. Fashion students will gain a foundation and language for understanding how the current fashion industry works and explore an array of exciting career opportunities.
In Fashion: From Runway to Retail, Everything You Need to Know to Break Into the Fashion Industry
by Annemarie IversonFor anyone who has ever dreamed of working at "Vogue," photographing supermodels, or outfitting celebrities, "In Fashion" will equip them with everything they need to know to get an "in" into fashion. Packed with insightful tips, along with advice from leaders at Michael Kors, Bergdorf Goodman, Conde Nast, and more, "In Fashion" offers straightforward, honest, and insightful advice to land a dream job in fashion.
In Fashion: Fun! Fame! Fortune!
by Elaine StoneChoosing a career in fashion? InFashion: Fun! Fame! Fortune! is an introduction as dynamic as the business itself. Students will learn about the big picture-fashion's history, cyclical nature, and development-and all about materials, producers, and retailing. Whether the plan is to be a designer, stylist, product developer, merchandiser, buyer, manufacturer, or entrepreneur, the various career paths available are woven into each chapter's structure so that students will learn how to accomplish their goals in today's fast-paced, everchanging industry. Hundreds of examples and color illustrations bring this exciting world alive.
In Fed We Trust: Ben Bernanke's War on The Great Panic
by David Wessel"Whatever it takes. " That was Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's vow as the worst financial panic in more than fifty years gripped the world and he struggled to avoid the once unthinkable: a repeat of the Great Depression. Brilliant but temperamentally cautious, Bernanke researched and wrote about the causes of the Depression during his career as an academic. Then when thrust into a role as one of the most important people in the world, he was compelled to boldness by circumstances he never anticipated. The president of the United States can respond instantly to a missile attack with America's military might, but he cannot respond to a financial crisis with real money unless Congress acts. The Fed chairman can. Bernanke did. Under his leadership the Fed spearheaded the biggest government intervention in more than half a century and effectively became the fourth branch of government, with no direct accountability to the nation's voters. Believing that the economic catastrophe of the 1930s was largely the fault of a sluggish and wrongheaded Federal Reserve, Bernanke was determined not to repeat that epic mistake. In this penetrating look inside the most powerful economic institution in the world, David Wessel illuminates its opaque and undemocratic inner workings, while revealing how the Bernanke Fed led the desperate effort to prevent the world's financial engine from grinding to a halt. In piecing together the fullest, most authoritative, and alarming picture yet of this decisive moment in our nation's history, In Fed We Trust answers the most critical questions. Among them: What did Bernanke and his team at the Fed know--and what took them by surprise? Which of their actions stretched--or even ripped through--the Fed's legal authority? Which chilling numbers and indicators made them feel they had no choice? What were they thinking at pivotal moments during the race to sell Bear Stearns, the unsuccessful quest to save Lehman Brothers, and the virtual nationalization of AIG, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac? What were they saying to one another when, as Bernanke put it to Wessel: "We came very close to Depression 2. 0"? How well did Bernanke, former treasury secretary Hank Paulson, and then New York Fed president Tim Geithner perform under intense pressure? How did the crisis prompt a reappraisal of the once-impregnable reputation of Alan Greenspan? In Fed We Trust is a breathtaking and singularly perceptive look at a historic episode in American and global economic history.
In Good Company
by Dinah RajakUnder the banner of corporate social responsibility (CSR), corporations have become increasingly important players in international development. These days, CSR's union of economics and ethics is virtually unquestioned as an antidote to harsh neoliberal reforms and the delinquency of the state, but nothing is straightforward about this apparently win-win formula. Chronicling transnational mining corporation Anglo American's pursuit of CSR,In Good Companyexplores what lies behind the movement's marriage of moral imperative and market discipline. From the company's global headquarters to its mineshafts in South Africa, Rajak reveals how CSR enables the corporation to accumulate and exercise power. Interested in CSR's vision of social improvement, Rajak highlights the dependency that the practice generates. This close examination of Africa's largest private sector employer not only brings critical attention to the dangers of corporate dominance, but also provides a lens through which to reflect on the wider global CSR movement.
In Good Conscience: Do the Right Thing While Building a Profitable Business
by Nicholas Ind Oriol IglesiasWhen a customer, employee, or investor is faced with a choice of companies amidst a sea of competitors, they increasingly consider how responsible that organization is. Customers want to buy ethical and sustainable; employees want to feel a sense of purpose at work, and investors need reassurance that their investments are good for the long term. To be competitive and valuable to society, firms need to develop an organizational conscience that drives key strategic decisions and spurs sustainable and responsible innovation. In this book, the authors argue that organizations need to think critically about their role and to use their conscience to guide actions. With plenty of concrete suggestions based on substantive research, it shows how firms can reconcile the competing interests of stakeholders, create an organization that is fair, open and transparent and do the right thing while building a profitable business.With integrated videos and international case studies featuring multinational companies as well as small firms, this book explains how firms can make the transition to becoming conscientious.
In Her Hands: Shaping the Future of Manufacturing in Africa: A Woman’s Story
by Demi SamandeAfrica is seen as the next large growth economy, but with this potential comes concerns about exploitation from outside interests. Based on the real-world experiences of Demi Samande, award-winning entrepreneur, this book provides a toolkit for aspirational and savvy African entrepreneurs, as well as insights for responsible investors to seize the opportunity and to help transform the African economy for the benefit of Africa. As a practical guide, the book will inspire a new generation of entrepreneurs to tackle the challenges of doing business and the steps to creating sustainable, successful companies, both large and small. It features interviews with entrepreneurs who are already having success, as well as business executives, artists and creatives who are inspiring the transformation of African business from within and from overseas. Demi’s own story, which she draws upon to illustrate how to build a successful business from scratch, starts in a London flat and traces the development of her company in Nigeria to becoming the premier manufacturer of luxury furniture in West Africa. It also tells her story from the perspective of a female entrepreneur. The book provides a hands-on roadmap for building and sustaining a business of any size and can be used on its own or in conjunction with training, either for entrepreneurs who are already in the process of building a business or for budding entrepreneurs in the classroom.
In Her Own Voice: A Woman's Rise to CEO: Overcoming Hurdles to Change the Face of Leadership
by Jennifer McCollumBased on 25 years of research into the specific hurdles facing women in business, In Her Own Voice offers sage advice and empowerment for any woman striving to advance her career—and any organization ready to improve gender equity at every level. The world has awakened to the urgent need to focus on women&’s advancement—companies with gender-balanced leadership are far more likely to outperform their peers, and the evolving expectations of leadership align to women&’s natural strengths. Yet just 10 percent of Fortune 500 CEOs and less than 30 percent of senior leaders are women, and the pace of growth is shockingly slow, made worse by COVID-19 and its aftermath. What does it take for women to ascend to the highest levels of leadership? In Her Own Voice from Jennifer McCollum, CEO of Linkage, a global leadership development firm, sheds light on this timely topic. Backed by in-depth and enlightening research, this book examines the specific challenges women still face in the workplace. Whether we&’re contending with our own inner critic, being expected to prove our value time and again, or navigating the often-intimidating world of negotiating for ourselves, women today still have unique obstacles as we advance our careers—but they need not become roadblocks. In Her Own Voice outlines how readers can overcome these obstacles, with key competencies and action steps such as quieting your inner critic, discarding biases, building confidence, gaining clarity about the future, and more. Supported by data and infused with compelling real-life stories, it&’s a blueprint for helping readers identify, measure, and conquer what&’s holding women back at any stage of their careers.