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Understanding the Caribbean Enterprise
by Lawrence A. A. Nicholson Jonathan G. G. LashleyThis engaging book fills a substantial gap in the understanding of Caribbean enterprises, focusing upon FOBs (family-owned businesses) about which, despite accounting for 70% of private sector employment in the region, very little is known. Concentrating on MSMEs which represent the majority of FOBs in the English-speaking Caribbean, the authors compare and contrast their experiences to those in developed countries, focusing in particular on areas such as family business succession, business financing and marketing. Understanding the Caribbean Enterprise provides context-specific lessons from a historical perspective of business and entrepreneurship, which in turn provide an understanding of the current issues facing MSMEs and FOBs in the English-speaking Caribbean.
Understanding the Causes and Consequences of School Exclusions: Teachers, Parents and Schools' Perspectives
by Feyisa DemieThis book outlines a study of the causes and consequences of school exclusions. It explores the experiences of schools, teachers, parents, and governors and includes a focus on the experience of Black and minority ethnic students and those with special educational needs and disabilities. The book presents the results of detailed empirical research from English schools that studied teachers, school leaders, parents, governors, educational psychologists, and school staff experience with school exclusions. The book examines the scale of the problem and underlying factors, the disproportionality of exclusions for SEND and minority ethnic students, comparative international literature on exclusions and implications for policy, practice, and research. Providing a comprehensive overview of the factors affecting school exclusions, the book will be of great interest to researchers, academics, and students in the areas of education policy, inclusion and special education needs in education. It will also be of interest to policy makers and education professionals including special educational needs co-ordinators and headteachers.
Understanding the Chiapas Rebellion: Modernist Visions and the Invisible Indian
by Nicholas P. HigginsTo many observers in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Mexico appeared to be a modern nation-state at last assuming an international role through its participation in NAFTA and the OECD (Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development). Then came the Zapatista revolt on New Year's Day 1994. Wearing ski masks and demanding not power but a new understanding of the indigenous peoples of Mexico, Subcomandante Marcos and his followers launched what may be the first "post" or "counter" modern revolution, one that challenges the very concept of the modern nation-state and its vision of a fully assimilated citizenry.
Understanding the China Threat
by Bradley A. Thayer Lianchao HanThis book examines the contours of the U.S.–China confrontation and its future trajectories. It delineates the two major causes of the friction in Sino-American relations—change in the balance of power in China’s favor and the conflicting ideologies of the two states—and emphasizes why it is imperative for the U.S. to hold on to its ideological principles. It demonstrates the ultimate and irreconcilable gap in the visions the two competitors have for international politics and consequently why conflict—certainly cold, and very possibly hot—is inevitable. The authors also suggest measures which the U.S. can adopt to sustain its leadership and deter China’s ideology and vision for the future of global politics. A significant contribution to the study of Sino-American relations, the volume will be of interest to scholars and researchers of international relations, foreign policy, and U.S. and Chinese politics. It will be of great interest to think tanks, public policy professionals, and the interested general reader.
Understanding the Cold War: History, Approaches and Debates
by Elspeth O'RiordanThis book provides an advanced introduction to the Cold War, assessing its origins, development and conclusion as a dynamic interaction between superpower confrontation and complex regional and local situations. The evolution of the subject’s scholarly debate is discussed throughout and the contest situated alongside enduring historical themes including decolonisation, development, nationalism and globalisation. Regional case studies, on Europe, East and Southeast Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, illuminate the Cold War’s global reach. Thematic analysis considers competition in military, strategic and economic spheres, as well as in aspects of culture, ideology, society, and Human Rights. The Cold War’s transnational elements and facets of international cooperation are also highlighted. The book unpacks the subject’s extensive scholarly discourse, underlining the interdisciplinary character of today’s Cold War historiography and the importance of understanding that its development has been informed by a vibrant interface between international history, international relations and the Cold War itself.
Understanding the Common Agricultural Policy (Earthscan Food and Agriculture)
by Berkeley HillThe majority of recent publications on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) of the European Union address current issues and specific applications. There is little available which attempts to increase understanding of the nature of existing policies, their development, intentions, problems and successes. The aim of this book is to improve knowledge and understanding of the ‘policy process’ and its application to the CAP, focussing on the principles of policy analysis. For while the details of agricultural and environmental policies evolve, the principles upon which they are based endure. The author uses economics as a basis for his exploration, as fairly simple economics holds the key to understanding many of the fundamental pressures to which agriculture and rural areas are subject. He explains the importance of the political and administrative context in which the process occurs, acknowledging the influence of environmental and sociological concerns. Such knowledge of the conceptual framework of the ‘policy process’ and its application to the CAP is essential for all concerned with agriculture and rural livelihoods, both within the European Union and in those countries trading with the EU. This includes both students and professionals. The book provides an understanding of these principles in terms of how and why policy changes, thus increasing the efficiency and efficacy of the process.
Understanding the Constructions of Identities by Young New Europeans: Kaleidoscopic selves
by Alistair RossHow do young people construct their identities in the complexity of their own country, belonging to the European Union, and being part of global society? This book is based on a unique empirical study of a thousand young people, aged between eleven and nineteen, from fifteen European countries. Covering East European states that joined the EU be
Understanding the Cost of Welfare: What Welfare Costs And How To Pay For It (Understanding Welfare: Social Issues, Policy and Practice)
by Howard GlennersterThe challenge of meeting the growing cost of welfare is one of the most pressing issues facing governments of our time. Glennerster’s authoritative Understanding the cost of welfare assesses what welfare costs and how it is funded sector-by-sector. The book is written in a clear, accessible style, ideally suited to both teaching and study, and the general reader. This substantially revised third edition includes: • Discussion of the many funding issues now facing welfare states, such as demographic change, tax resistance, slow growth and austerity programmes • The theory and practice of devolved tax and budgetary responsibilities between UK nations and in comparison with other countries • New chapters on pensions and post-16 education • More regular and extensive comparative analysis Divided into 3 sections, covering Principles, Service funding, and The Future, the book Includes questions for discussion and suggestions for further reading, making it an easy-to-use, essential resource for both undergraduate and post-graduate students of Social Policy, Sociology, Politics and Public Administration.
Understanding the Creative Economy and the Future of Employment
by Charles Harvie Jorge Eduardo Fernandez-PolThe motivation of this book is simple, yet fundamental: No complete understanding of the modern economy is possible without a thorough grounding in the field of innovation as an economic activity.The book, as its title emphasizes, aims at helping readers to gain a comprehension of two inextricably linked issues: challenging innovation and the future of human work. To this end, the book integrates a triad of topics: innovation as an economic activity, modus operandi of an innovation-driven economy, and the persistent progression toward automation of human jobs.The main message conveyed by this book is that a creative economy will converge to an economy governed by smart machines aka robots, but will produce benefits if addressed in a rational manner.As to the salient features of this book, Accessibility: Accessible to readers with only cursory knowledge (if any) in economicsStyle: Adherence to a discursive, non-mathematical styleBrevity: Covers material in a succinct, easily understandable manner, drawing upon real world examplesAppendices: Each chapter is supplemented with appendices that elaborate upon pertinent real world examples and applicationsSelf-contained: All the key concepts are defined and exemplified within the bookApplicability: Uses examples that resonate with a wide audience of readers concerned about the advance of robotsNon-mathematical diagrams: Provides accessible and readily understandable figures/graphsProtective stance: Contains a rational response to the march of the robots which is useful for workers of all ages
Understanding the Creeping Crisis
by Arjen Boin Mark Rhinard Magnus EkengrenThis open access book explores a special species of trouble afflicting modern societies: creeping crises. These crises evolve over time, reveal themselves in different ways, and resist comprehensive responses despite periodic public attention. As a result, these crises continue to creep in front of our eyes. This book begins by defining the concept of a creeping crisis, showing how existing literature fails to properly define and explore this phenomenon and outlining the challenges such crises pose to practitioners. Drawing on ongoing research, this book presents a diverse set of case studies on: antimicrobial resistance, climate change-induced migration, energy extraction, big data, Covid-19, migration, foreign fighters, and cyberattacks. Each chapter explores how creeping crises come into existence, why they can develop unimpeded, and the consequences they bring in terms of damage and legitimacy loss. The book provides a proof-of-concept to help launch the systematic study of creeping crises. Our analysis helps academics understand a new species of threat and practitioners recognize and prepare for creeping crises.
Understanding the Crisis in Greece
by Theodore Pelagidis Michael MitsopoulosAs the tensions in the Greek economy take centre stage in the international headlines, this book examines the failed policies and political corruption that have bankrupted the nation. The authors comment on recent bailouts and haircuts and explore the uncertain future of Greece in the Eurozone.
Understanding the Current International Order: [Building a Sustainable International Order series]
by Andrew Radin Cevallos Astrid Stuth Michael J. Mazarr Miranda PriebeIn the first report of a series on the emerging international order, RAND researchers examine the liberal order in effect since World War II, including the mechanisms by which the order affects state behavior, the engines that drive states to participate, and the U.S. approach to the order since 1945.
Understanding the Dynamics of Global Inequality
by Alexander Lenger Florian SchumacherDespite the fact that the globalization process tends to reinforce existing inequality structures and generate new areas of inequality on multiple levels, systematic analyses on this very important field remain scarce. Hence, this book approaches the complex question of inequality not only from different regional perspectives, covering Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin and Northern America, but also from different disciplinary perspectives, namely cultural anthropology, economics, ethnology, geography, international relations, sociology, and political sciences. The contributions are subdivided into three essential fields of research: Part I analyzes the socio-economic dimension of global exclusion, highlighting in particular the impacts of internationalization and globalization processes on national social structures against the background of theoretical concepts of social inequality. Part II addresses the political dimension of global inequalities. Since the decline of the Soviet Union new regional powers like Brazil, China, India and South Africa have emerged, creating power shifts in international relations that are the primary focus of the second part. Lastly, Part III examines the structural and transnational dimension of inequality patterns, which can be concretized in the rise of globalized national elites and the emergence of multinational networks that transcend the geographical and imaginative borders of nation states.
Understanding the EU’s Norm and Policy Diffusion in ASEAN through Trade and Security Cooperation: Normative or Normal Power? (Globalisation, Europe, and Multilateralism)
by Xuechen ChenThis book examines the European Union’s (EU’s) norm and policy diffusion in relation to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). By looking at the EU’ engagement with ASEAN in trade and non-traditional security, the book analyzes the drivers, processes, and effectiveness of the EU’s norm and policy diffusion in ASEAN and explains the EU’s foreign policy and power projection in the context of its relationship with ASEAN. In doing so, it helps to advance knowledge about the EU’ external relations and power projection in relation to regional political entities beyond its immediate borders and affords firsthand empirical material on how the EU’s power in global politics is impacted by external perceptions and responses in different policy fields. This book will be of key interest to scholars, students, and practitioners of EU foreign policy, EU–SEAN relations, and ASEAN politics and more broadly to European Studies, Comparative Regionalism, Asian Studies, and International Relations
Understanding the Energy Transition: Civil society, territory and inequality in Italy
by Natalia Magnani Giovanni CarrosioThe transformation of the dominant model of centralized energy production from fossil fuels to renewable energies is at the center of the public and scientific debate, as well as the subject of national and European policies, as it is connected to highly topical issues such as climate change, emissions reduction and natural disasters, security of supply and sustainability of the current economic development model.Up to now this topic has been mainly addressed by the economic and engineering sciences, with a research focus on the hardware rather than on the human and social software.However, energy systems, and the possibilities of change, are not only economic or technological but involve also patterns of social life, representations, organizational models and relational structures. In order to generate the social preconditions for the transition to a low-emission society, focused on a growing production of energy from renewable sources and on a greater sustainability of consumption, it is therefore urgent to reaffirm the centrality of a sociological approach to energy.This book focused on three core research areas which are crucial to understand what is at stake with the energy transition: conflicts over the construction and location of renewable energy production plants; collective action on renewable sources that promote a new model of energy system in which consumers are also producers; and the social-territorial impact of energy policies.
Understanding the European Constitution: An Introduction to the EU Constitutional Treaty
by Clive H. Church David PhinnemoreThe European Union is now entering a crucial phase as the ratification process accelerates and key debates and referenda take place in existing and potentially new member states. The Union’s Constitutional treaty is often cast as either a blueprint for a centralized and protectionist super-state or as the triumph of Anglo-Saxon economics. Yet it has been little read, particularly in the United Kingdom. This book puts this right by publishing the full text of the crucial first part of the document and showing that it does not justify either of the extreme interpretations imposed on it. Written by two experts of the treaties, Understanding the European Constitution sets the Constitutional Treaty in context, examining its main themes and content and considering the implications of any rejection. It does this in uncomplicated language and with the help of explanatory tables and a glossary. Those who wish to make a considered verdict on the basis of the facts will find it invaluable.
Understanding the European Union's External Relations (Routledge/ECPR Studies in European Political Science #No.29)
by Sebastiaan Princen Michèle KnodtThe European Union is one of the world's biggest economies. However, its role as an international actor is ambiguous and it's not always able to transform its political power into effective external policies. The development of an 'assertive' European Union challenges the image of an internal project aimed at economic integration and international relations theories based on unitary state actors. This book systematically links the EU's external relations to existing political theories, showing how existing theories need to be modified in order to deal with specific characteristics of the EU as an international actor.
Understanding the Further Education Sector: A critical guide to policies and practices (Further Education)
by Susan WallaceThose working towards QTLS are required to demonstrate a critical understanding of the Further Education (FE) sector and the role of the FE practitioner. This book clearly identifies, particularly for the student teacher with no prior experience, the social, cultural and political context of the sector’s beginnings and explores how this continues to shape and constrain the sector’s status and purpose, and the role and status of its teachers. The text encourages critical thinking about possible routes for change and future development. As increasing numbers of QTLS students are being encouraged to gain part of their qualification at M level, the need for an accessible and critical sourcebook about the FE sector, such as this, is essential.
Understanding the Global Experience: Becoming a Responsible World Citizen
by Anthony Weston Thomas Arcaro Mathew Gendle Duane Mcclearn Laura Roselle Jean Schwind Kerstin Sorensen Rosemary Haskell Jeffrey C. Pugh Robert G. Anderson Ann J. Cahill Chinedu Ocek" Eke Lawrence A. Basirico Jeffrey Pugh Anne Bolin Stephen Braye Ann Cahill Brian Digre Ocek EkeThis cross-disciplinary anthology of contemporary global issues explores a number of topics and methodologies critical to developing responsible world citizenship. Globalism, Globalization, Culture, Environmentalism, Western Imperialism, Global Media and News; Global Media and News. For anyone wishing to better understand globalization and its impact.
Understanding the Global Experience: Becoming a Responsible World Citizen
by Anthony Weston Robert Anderson Thomas Arcaro Mathew Gendle Laura Roselle Jean Schwind Kerstin Sorensen Rosemary Haskell Jeffrey Pugh Anne Bolin Stephen Braye Ann Cahill Brian Digre Chinedu Eke Duane McClearnFirst Published in 2016. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an Informa company.
Understanding the Globalization of Intelligence
by Adam D.M. SvendsenThis book provides an introduction to the complexities of contemporary Western Intelligence and its dynamics during an era of globalization. Towards an understanding of the globalization of intelligence process, Svendsen focuses on the secretive phenomenon of international or foreign intelligence cooperation ('liaison'), as it occurs in both theory and practice. Reflecting a complex coexistence plurality of several different and overlapping concepts in action, the challenging process of the globalization of intelligence emerges as: essential for complex issue management purposes during a globalized era characterized by transnational terror, crises (man-made and natural), and organized crime; while simultaneously raising several valid accountability and oversight concerns, including proportionality questions. The book spans several bodies of literature in a connective and exploratory manner offering an interdisciplinary and comprehensive analytical framework on a topical theme.
Understanding the History of the Aceh Conflict: Social Revolution in Post-Independence Indonesia (1945-1949)
by SM AminThis book is the first English translation of the original text Atjeh Sepintas Lalu published in 1950 in Bahasa Indonesia by one of Indonesia’s leading lawyers, writers, and political figures, examining the history of the continuously turbulent Aceh. The book describes the legal and political situation in Aceh between 1945 and 1949, considering the events and incidents that related to the government, judiciary, civil servants, and life of the parties at the time. It unpacks the dispute between two major streams of thoughts that cut across the people of Aceh during that era – one based on religious teachings, and the other on secular principles. What followed was the unavoidable emergence of disparate groups, which, in turn, yielded conflict. The author, as a former insider in the Aceh government, was able to uncover the 'inside story' on the ground, in analyzing and discussing this fragment of the history of Aceh. A unique resource, this translation – presented six decades after it was first made available – is still invaluable today, allowing readers to interpret the events that occurred in Aceh at the time in the context of an understanding of Aceh’s development today. This book will be of keen interest to specialists in Islamic law, regionalism, historians of Indonesia, as well as social scientists interested in the early post-independence history of Indonesia.
Understanding the Horizontal and Vertical Nature of Africa Migration in Contemporary Times (Africa's Global Engagement: Perspectives from Emerging Countries)
by Mfundo Mandla Masuku Stanley Osezua Ehiane Kekgaoditse SupingThe book project strives to establish and interpret the experiences and realities of African migration using African epistemology and philosophy. The significance of this book is triggered by an observation that seeks to propound the Eurocentric paradigm as not being the only dominating, acceptable, or legitimate approach to knowledge in explaining the evolution and dynamics of African migration. Africans have a long history of migration, both involuntary and voluntary. Contemporary African migrants have experienced three (3) types of migration, namely labour migration, forced migration or refugee movement, and skilled professional migration. These types of migration take place within the continent and between Africa and other continents. The book seeks to explore and cover a wide array of issues experienced by contemporary African migrants. This includes, but is not limited to, what and who a contemporary African migrant is; factors that influence contemporary African migration; the role and impact of regional institutions and other transnational entities on contemporary African migration; the challenges of contemporary African migrants; the impact of contemporary African migrants in national, regional, international politics and economy; the role of a contemporary African migrant on regional integration.
Understanding the Humanitarian World (Global Institutions)
by Daniel G Maxwell Kirsten GelsdorfConflict and disaster have been part of human history for as long as it has been recorded. Over time, more mechanisms for responding to crises have developed and become more systematized. Today a large and complex ‘global humanitarian response system’ made up of a multitude of local, national and international actors carries out a wide variety of responses. Understanding this intricate system, and the forces that shape it, are the core focus of this book. Daniel G Maxwell and Kirsten Gelsdorf highlight the origins, growth, and specific challenges to, humanitarian action and examine why the contemporary system functions as it does. They outline the main actors, explore how they are organised and look at the ways they plan and carry out their operations. Interrogating major contemporary debates and controversies in the humanitarian system, and the reasons why actions undertaken in its name remain the subject of so much controversy, they provide an important overview of the contemporary humanitarian system and the ways it may develop in the future. This book offers a nuanced understanding of the way humanitarian action operates in the 21st century. It will be essential reading for anyone with an interest in international human rights law, disaster management and international relations.
Understanding the Impact of Emotional Stress on Crisis Decision Making
by Noel Allan SawatzkyMotivational models are critical to understanding crisis decision making because leaders and their advisors are emotionally involved, intent on reducing stress, and motivated to find ways of advancing their interests while minimizing the risk of war. The principal theoretical work on the subject is Irving Janis and Leon Mann’s classic study of decision making, published in 1977. While useful, the book has a significant flaw: Janis and Mann theorize that policy maker stress during crisis is derived from decision deliberation, leading to a circular approach. This book solves the identified problem by addressing circularity between the rise of psychological stress, decision deliberation, and dysfunctional behavior with an independent measure of decision conditions using cognitive complexity. With an effective independent measure of stress, the key contribution of this volume is a reformulation of Janis and Mann’s model to render the construct more rigorous and empirically useful to the present-day study of crisis decision making.