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Understanding Lone Wolf Terrorism
by Ramon SpaaijWhat drives the lone wolf terrorist to commit mass violence? What are their ideologies and motivations? How do they plan and carry out their attacks, and who do they target? How can lone wolf terrorism be effectively countered? One of the first in-depth analyses of lone wolf terrorism, this publication sets out to answer these questions. Drawing on extensive international data and qualitative case studies, it examines the global patterns in and key features of lone wolf terrorism over the past four decades. This engaging text will be essential reading for students and researchers on terrorism and violent conflict and offers unique and invaluable insights to those working to prevent or minimize the effects of terrorism and political violence.
Understanding Luxury Fashion: From Emotions to Brand Building (Palgrave Advances in Luxury)
by Teresa Sádaba Isabel CantistaOffering an original contribution to the field of luxury and fashion studies, this edited collection takes a philosophical perspective, addressing the idea that humans need luxury. From this framework it delves deep into two particular dimensions of luxury, emotions and society, and concludes with cases of brand building in order to illustrate the two dimensions at work. Comparative analysis between countries is brought together with an emphasis on China. Chapters address the ongoing growth in the market, as well as the significant changes in the sector brought about by fast international expansion and an increased focus on ethical supply and sustainability, making the book an insightful read for scholars of fashion business, luxury and branding.
Understanding Marital Violence: A Case Study from Northeast India
by Kausiki SarmaThis book examines the roles and interconnections between structural factors and individual agency in marital violence, focusing on women in heterosexual marital relationships. With the overall aim of improving recognition and strengthening responses to marital violence, it underlines what occurs as marital violence and why it is possibly occurring in the manner it does, while simultaneously demonstrating how it is dealt with and resisted.Based upon in-depth qualitative data focussing upon the experiences of women facing marital violence and key informants from Assam in Northeast India, this book sheds light upon four key areas. To begin with, what is named or recognised (and not recognised) as marital violence is assessed and a typology (and associated denials) informed by the capabilities approach is developed. Further, the re-victimisation that happens through and within both civil and criminal justice is explored. In addition to this, the existing structural context highlighting changes that occur at a broader economic, political, and social level, contextualising a society that is in transition, has been emphasised. To conclude, conditioned by distinct material-cultural constraints-enablers and acknowledging the role played by emotions, a temporal agential trajectory in response to marital violence is mapped, specifically through the concepts of Habitus and Reflexivity. In short, this book attempts to decolonise certain aspects of academic knowledge around marital violence by asserting the need to consider distinct natures and forms of violence and violations that occur within marriages and the acknowledgement of a spectrum of actions in the agential trajectory so that victims-survivors are not solely assessed by their decisions to stay or to leave an abusive marriage.It will be of interest to scholars, students, professionals, and policymakers working within social work, social policy, gender studies, and violence prevention.
Understanding Material Culture
by Dr Ian Woodward"In his interdisciplinary review of material culture, Ian Woodward goes beyond synthesis to offer a theoretically innovative reconstruction of the field. It is filled with gems of conceptual insight and empirical discovery. A wonderful book." - Jeffrey C. Alexander, Yale University "A well-grounded and accessible survey of the burgeoning field of material culture studies for students in sociology and consumption studies. While situating the field within the history of intellectual thought in the broader social sciences, it offers detailed and accessible case studies. These are supplemented by very useful directions for further in-depth reading, making it an excellent undergraduate course companion." - Victor Buchli, University College London Why are i-pods and mobile phones fashion accessories? Why do people spend thousands remodelling their perfectly functional kitchen? Why do people crave shoes or handbags? Is our desire for objects unhealthy, or irrational? Objects have an inescapable hold over us, not just in consumer culture but increasingly in the disciplines that study social relations too. This book offers a systematic overview of the diverse ways of studying the material as culture. Surveying the field of material culture studies through an examination and synthesis of classical and contemporary scholarship on objects, commodities, consumption, and symbolization, this book: introduces the key concepts and approaches in the study of objects and their meanings presents the full sweep of core theory - from Marxist and critical approaches to structuralism and semiotics shows how and why people use objects to perform identity, achieve social status, and narrativize life experiences analyzes everyday domains in which objects are important shows why studying material culture is necessary for understanding the social. This book will be essential reading for students and researchers in sociology, anthropology, cultural studies, consumer behaviour studies, design and fashion studies.
Understanding Media Cultures: Social Theory and Mass Communication
by Nicholas StevensonPraise for the First Edition: `I can't think of a book in media studies that handles so well the diversity of perspectives and issues that Stevenson addresses. Whether reconstructing Marxism or deconstructing postmodernism, tackling the pleasures of soap opera or the repetitive structures of daily news presentation, Stevenson is always clear and insightful' - Sociology The Second Edition of this book provides a comprehensive overview of the ways in which social theory has attempted to theorize the importance of the media in contemporary society. Now fully revised to take account of the recent theoretical developments associated with `new media' and `information society', as well as the audience and the public sphere, Understanding Media Cultures: - Critically examines the key social theories of mass communication - Highlights the work of individual theorists including Fiske, Williams, Hall, Habermas, Jameson, McLuhan and Baudrillard. - Covers the important traditions of media analysis from feminism, cultural studies and audience research. - Now includes a discussion of recent perspectives developed by Castells, Haraway, Virilio and Schiller. - Provides a glossary of key terms in media and social theory. Retaining all the strengths of the previous edition, Understanding Media Cultures offers a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the field. It will be essential reading for students of social theory, media and cultural studies.
Understanding Media Psychology
by David C. Giles Gayle S. Stever J. David Cohen Mary E. MyersUnderstanding Media Psychology is the perfect introductory textbook to the growing field of media psychology and its importance in society, summarizing key concepts and theories to provide an overview of topics in the field. Media is present in almost every area of life today, and is an area of study that will only increase in importance as the world becomes ever more interconnected. Written by a team of expert authors, this book will help readers to understand the structures, influences, and theories around media psychology. Covering core areas such as positive media psychology, the effects of gaming, violence, advertising, and pornography, the authors critically engage with contemporary discussions around propaganda, fake news, deepfakes, and the ways media have informed the COVID-19 pandemic. Particular care is also given to addressing the interaction between issues of social justice and the media, as well as the effects media has on both the members of marginalized groups and the way those groups are perceived. A final chapter addresses the nature of the field moving forward, and how it will continue to interact with closely related areas of study. Containing a range of pedagogical features throughout to aid teaching and student learning, including vocabulary and key terms, discussion questions, and boxed examples, this is an essential resource for media psychology courses at the undergraduate and introductory master’s level globally.
Understanding Mental Health: A critical realist exploration
by David PilgrimDavid Pilgrim PhD is Professor of Health & Social Policy in the Department of Sociology, Social Policy and Criminology at the University of Liverpool.
Understanding Mental Illness: A Comprehensive Guide to Mental Health Disorders for Family and Friends
by Carlin Barnes Marketa WillsGet the straight facts about mental illness from two Harvard trained psychiatrists. More than 40 million people in the US suffer from mental health problems—yet less than half receive adequate care and treatment. Even in the 21st century with the most advanced medical care in the world, social stigma still surrounds psychiatric problems, and this, combined with a lack of understanding, perpetuates a national mental health crisis affecting those in need and their families. Ignoring and/or being unaware of a problem can have devastating effects in our families and for society at large—many people living with mental illness go untreated, and as a result, people with untreated mental illnesses make up one third of the nation’s homeless population and can be imprisoned. To meet these challenges, Dr. Carlin Barnes and Dr. Marketa Wills have written this necessary and comprehensive, practical guide to educate and help everyone better understand mental health. Each chapter offers insights and wisdom concerning a variety of psychiatric conditions, including: Mood disordersAnxiety disordersPersonality disordersSubstance abuse issuesEating disordersWomen’s mental health issuesSuicide in AmericaGeriatric mental healthProfessional athletes and mental healthAnd more Armed with this knowledge, you and your loved one can better appreciate the real struggles at hand, and as a result, seek the proper care needed.
Understanding Military Workforce Productivity
by Robert M. Bray Laurel L. Hourani Jason Williams Marian E. Lane Mary Ellen MarsdenFrom the stresses of repeated deployments to the difficulties of re-entry into civilian life, we are just beginning to understand how protracted conflicts, such as those in Iraq and Afghanistan, are affecting service members. Issues such as risky health behaviors and chemical dependence raise productivity concerns as they do with all organizations, but they also have a profound impact on the safety and readiness of troops--and by extension, the military as a whole--in life-or-death situations. Understanding Military Workforce Productivity cuts through the myths and misconceptions about the health and resilience of today's active-duty armed forces. This first-of-its-kind volume presents up-to-date findings across service branches in core health areas including illness and injury, alcohol and drug abuse, tobacco use, obesity, and mental health. The short- and long-term implications discussed relate to the quality of the lives of service members and their families, the quality and preparedness of the military as a workforce, and prevention and intervention efforts. The book: Presents data from ten large-scale health behavior surveys sponsored by the Department of Defense. Offers background context for understanding health and behavioral health and productivity among service members. Introduces a health and behavioral health model of productivity loss in the armed forces. Compares key indicators of substance abuse, health, and mental health in military and civilian populations. Reviews approaches for improving military productivity. Identifies areas for further study. Understanding Military Workforce Productivity offers a rare close-up of health issues in the services, making it an invaluable source of information for practitioners and researchers in mental health, substance abuse, health behaviors, and military behavioral health.
Understanding Modernity: Toward a new perspective going beyond Durkheim and Weber (Routledge Library Editions: Emile Durkheim)
by Richard MunchFirst Published in 1988, this volume works towards a new understanding and exploration of the rise and development of modern society, taking its lead from two classical theorists, Emile Durkheim and Max Weber. The key concept of this approach is the 'interpenetration' of different spheres of action. Richard Münch begins with an exploration of the points of convergence and divergence in the works of Durkheim and Weber. He then builds, from Durkheim, a new theory of social order as a complex set of ordering, dynamizing, identity-producing and goal-setting factors. Münch also constructs a new theory of personality development, based on Durkheim's view of the duality of human nature. He concludes by assessing weber's contribution to our understanding of how modern social order emerged, showing that the unique features of modern society emerged from the 'interpenetration' of cultural, political, communal and economic spheres in action.
Understanding Multivariate Research: A Primer For Beginning Social Scientists
by William BerryAlthough nearly all major social science departments offer graduate students training in quantitative methods, the typical sequencing of topics generally delays training in regression analysis and other multivariate techniques until a student's second year. William Berry and Mitchell Sanders's Understanding Multivariate Research fills this gap with a concise introduction to regression analysis and other multivariate techniques. Their book is designed to give new graduate students a grasp of multivariate analysis sufficient to understand the basic elements of research relying on such analysis that they must read prior to their formal training in quantitative methods. Berry and Sanders effectively cover the techniques seen most commonly in social science journals--regression (including nonlinear and interactive models), logit, probit, and causal models/path analysis. The authors draw on illustrations from across the social sciences, including political science, sociology, marketing and higher education. All topics are developed without relying on the mathematical language of probability theory and statistical inference. Readers are assumed to have no background in descriptive or inferential statistics, and this makes the book highly accessible to students with no prior graduate course work.
Understanding National Identity
by McCrone, David and Bechhofer, Frank David Mccrone Frank BechhoferWe live in a world in which being a 'citizen' of a state and being a 'national' are by no means the same. Amidst much scholarly debate about 'nations' and 'nationalism', comparatively little has been written explicitly on 'national identity' and a great deal less is solidly evidence-based. This book focuses on national identity in England and Scotland. Using data collected over twenty years it asks: does national identity really matter to people? How does 'national identity' differ from 'nationality' and having a passport? Are there particular people and places which have ambiguous or contested national identities? What happens if someone makes a claim to a national identity? On what basis do others accept or reject the claim? Does national identity have much internal substance, or is it simply about defending group boundaries? How does national identity relate to politics and constitutional change?
Understanding Neighbourhood Dynamics
by Nick Bailey Duncan Maclennan Ludi Simpson Maarten Van Ham David ManleyThis rare interdisciplinary combination of research into neighbourhood dynamics and effects attempts to unravel the complex relationship between disadvantaged neighbourhoods and the life outcomes of the residents who live therein. It seeks to overcome the notorious difficulties of establishing an empirical causal relationship between living in a disadvantaged area and the poorer health and well-being often found in such places. There remains a widespread belief in neighbourhood effects: that living in a poorer area can adversely affect residents' life chances. These chapters caution that neighbourhood effects cannot be fully understood without a profound understanding of the changes to, and selective mobility into and out of, these areas. Featuring fresh research findings from a number of countries and data sources, including from the UK, Australia, Sweden and the USA, this book offers fresh perspectives on neighbourhood choice and dynamics, as well as new material for social scientists, geographers and policy makers alike. It enriches neighbourhood effects research with insights from the closely related, but currently largely separate, literature on neighbourhood dynamics.
Understanding Non-Monogamies (Routledge Research in Gender and Society)
by Darren Langdridge Meg BarkerMost social scientific work on intimate relationships has assumed a monogamous structure, or has considered anything other than monogamy only in the context of 'infidelity'. Yet, in recent years there has been a growing interest among researchers and the public in exploring various patterns of intimacy that involve open non-monogamy. This volume gathers contributions from academics, activists, and practitioners throughout the world to explore non-monogamous relationships. Featuring both empirical and theoretical pieces, contributors examine the history and cultural basis of various forms of non-monogamy, experiences of non-monogamous living, psychological understandings of relationship patterns, language and emotion, the discursive construction of mono-normativity as well as issues of race, class, disability, sexuality and gender. This volume will be of interest to academics and practitioners working in the social sciences and anyone who is seeking greater insight into the intricacies of non-monogamous relationships.
Understanding Offending Behaviour
by David Smith John Stewart Cedric FullwoodBased on a survey of probation work with almost 1400 young adult offenders, this book provides a unique insight into the realities of probation practice in a context of increasing poverty, drug use and community breakdown. Starting with an outline of the current policy environment, the book discusses the relevance of criminological theory to the harsh experience of young offenders in modern Britain. It goes on to develop a typology of offending behaviour on the basis of detailed and often disturbing accounts of the histories and troubles of young people afflicted by poverty, disruption of family relationships and long term unemployment. While much of the book is concerned with the difficulties young offenders experience, and the problems probation officers have in trying to help them change, the overall message of the book is not one of despair. The authors show that good probation practice can make a difference, and the book is written in a way which will be useful to practitioners and policy-makers involved with supervising offenders in the community. From the typology of offending the authors extract lessons for appropriate and relevant practice which should help to improve the quality and effectiveness of the probation service. Some of these implications are explored in the concluding chapter, by Cedric Fullwood, Chief Probation Officer of Greater Manchester. As well as criminal justice practitioners, students of criminology, probation trainees and other social work students will find in the book many vivid examples of how sociological theory can be used to understand and interpret practice. The book is likely to provoke much debate about what constitutes positive practice in a probation service facing the challenges of the future.
Understanding Open Source and Free Software Licensing: Guide to Navigating Licensing Issues in Existing & New Software
by Andrew M. St. LaurentIf you've held back from developing open source or free software projects because you don't understand the implications of the various licenses, you're not alone. Many developers believe in releasing their software freely, but have hesitated to do so because they're concerned about losing control over their software. Licensing issues are complicated, and both the facts and fallacies you hear word-of-mouth can add to the confusion.Understanding Open Source and Free Software Licensing helps you make sense of the different options available to you. This concise guide focuses on annotated licenses, offering an in-depth explanation of how they compare and interoperate, and how license choices affect project possibilities. Written in clear language that you don't have to be a lawyer to understand, the book answers such questions as: What rights am I giving up? How will my use of OS/FS licensing affect future users or future developers? Does a particular use of this software--such as combining it with proprietary software--leave me vulnerable to lawsuits?Following a quick look at copyright law, contracts, and the definition of "open source," the book tackles the spectrum of licensing, including:The MIT (or X), BSD, Apache and Academic Free licensesThe GPL, LGPL, and Mozilla licensesThe QT, Artistic, and Creative Commons licensesClassic Proprietary licensesSun Community Source license and Microsoft Shared Source projectThe book wraps up with a look at the legal effects--both positive and negative--of open source/free software licensing.Licensing is a major part of what open source and free software are all about, but it's still one of the most complicated areas of law. Even the very simple licenses are tricky. Understanding Open Source and Free Software Licensing bridges the gap between the open source vision and the practical implications of its legal underpinnings. If open source and free software licenses interest you, this book will help you understand them. If you're an open source/free software developer, this book is an absolute necessity.
Understanding Organisation Development
by Paul ToseyUnderstanding Organisation Development is essential reading for students studying Organisation Development (OD) as part of a wider HR degree or professional qualification, is the core textbook for the CIPD level 5 Unit 5UOD, and is ideal for professionals looking for a solid theoretical grounding that they can apply in practice. With a clear and accessible format, it will enable readers to understand and analyse the concept of Organisation Development (OD) and its relationship with learning and development (L&D), and develop their understanding of the evolution of OD in contemporary organisations and its role in contributing to major organisational change.Working step-by-step through the broad framework of OD, Understanding Organisation Development takes the reader through its concept and purposes, historical development, the relationship between OD and HRM, the different models of OD and the common processes involved. This essential text will give you a thorough understanding of the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to function effectively in an OD practitioner role.
Understanding Organization as Process: Theory for a Tangled World (Routledge Studies In Management, Organizations And Society Ser.)
by Tor HernesOrganization takes place in a tangled world, intermeshed by changing markets, products, standards, technologies, institutions and social groups. Coming to grips with the complexity and fluidity of organization and management is a persistent problem for scholars and practitioners alike, which is why process issues have received renewed interest in r
Understanding Organizational Culture (Organizational Culture Ser.)
by Mats AlvessonUnlike prescriptive books about organizations, Understanding Organizational Culture challenges and provokes the reader to think critically. It provides an insight into organizational culture, aided by numerous empirical illustrations from ethnographic studies that develop and illustrate how cultural thinking can be used in managerial and non-managerial organizational theory and practice. <P><P> Mats Alvesson answers questions of definition, explores alternative perspectives and exands on substantive issues, before discussing key issues of research and developing his framework. Further more, the advances in the field of organizational culture are synthesized for the reader by drawing upon the range of relevant literature within organization studies. <P> Understanding Organizational Culture provides great breadth within a textbook approach - covering a wide spectrum of management and organization while at the same time developing a new theoretical approach to organizational culture. The new edition contains improved pedagogy and expanded coverage of topics such as identity and organizational change.<P> It is essential reading for students taking undergraduate and postgraduate modules in Organizational Behaviour and Organizational Theory on Management and Organization Studies programmes, including MBA.
Understanding Organizations
by Howard LuneSocial life is a collective process, and virtually all of social life in contemporary industrial nations is shaped by formal organizations and recognized social institutions. One can no longer hope to understand a complex society without understanding its organizations, any more than one can fully understand organizational life without grasping the social processes that shape it. <p><p> Understanding Organizations takes a fresh look at the sociology of organizations, blending classic theories of industrial society with contemporary cultural studies, labor studies, social movement theory, and the role of nonprofits. In each chapter, Lune describes the major ideas and the new work that define the topic, as well as asking how these assumptions came about and how they impact us in our daily lives. <p><p> This book will be the ideal companion to courses on organizations across the social sciences, and has insights to offer all students of organized life, whether one is interested in entering the corporate world, starting an arts organization, or mobilizing for social change.
Understanding Organizations...Finally!: Structuring in Sevens
by Henry MintzbergThe iconic Henry Mintzberg provides a crystal-clear map to the forms and forces that shape all human organizations, synthesizing his fifty years of research.We live in a world of organizations, from our birth in hospitals until our burial by funeral homes. In between, we are educated, employed, entertained, and exasperated by organizations. We had better understand how these strange beasts really work. But where can we go to find out? Welcome to Understanding Organizations . . . Finally! For half a century, Mintzberg has been observing organizations, advising them, engaging them, and escaping them. Here he offers a masterful update and revision of his 1983 classic, Structure in Fives.Believing there is one best way to structure organizations is the worst way to do so. A better place to start is by recognizing different species of organizations. Mintzberg identifies seven-personal enterprises, programmed machines, professional assemblies, project pioneers, and others. He explores these forms and the seven forces that drive them toward hybrids and across their life cycles. You will find no better guide to the care and feeding of these extraordinarily varied and vital creatures than this book.
Understanding Organizations: Theories and Images
by Udo StaberUnderstanding Organizations: Theories and Images introduces students to the key principles of understanding, designing, and managing organizations in an accessible and practical way. The book provides a conceptual toolkit containing the essential models, theories and concepts needed for working in, managing and evaluating organizations. Key Features: Insightful anecdotes discuss how for- and not-for profit organizations fit within our current society from a social and economic perspective. Theoretical framework and multi-perspective approach focuses on economics, institutionalism and evolution theory highlighting the relationship between organizations, employees and the broader society. Research-focused approach analyses organizational phenomena in light of recent studies. This textbook is ideal for undergraduates and postgraduates studying general management, organizational theory, organizational design, and organizational sociology.
Understanding Passion: The Key to Success (SpringerBriefs in Psychology)
by Hermundur Sigmundsson Magdalena ElnesThis book explores the concept of 'Passion' as a strong motivational force that can increase well-being and quality of life. The authors focus on the importance of having passion in various areas of life, to increase well-being, life satisfaction, and promote meaning in life. They go on to present how we can find and increase passion, supported by various psychological theories and research. Finally, the authors connect passion to expertise. They argue that it is essential to maintain passion during the process that leads to expertise, which is characterized as a long and demanding process that can be associated with negative consequences.
Understanding Peace and Conflict Through Social Identity Theory
by Neil Ferguson Shelley Mckeown Reeshma HajiThis volume brings together perspectives on social identityand peace psychology to explore the role that categorization plays in both conflictand peace-building. To do so, it draws leading scholars from across the worldin a comprehensive exploration of social identity theory and its application tosome of the world's most pressing problems, such as intrastate conflict,uprising in the middle east, the refugee crisis, global warming, racism and peace building. A crucial theme of thevolume is that social identity theory affects all of us, no matter whether weare currently in a state of conflict or one further along in the peace process. The volume is organized into two sections. Section 1 focuseson the development of social identity theory. Grounded in the pioneering workof Dr. Henri Tajfel, section 1 provides the reader with a historical backgroundof the theory, as well as its current developments. Then, section 2 bringstogether a series of country case studies focusing on issues of identity acrossfive continents. This section enablescross-cultural comparisons in terms of methodology and findings, and encouragesthe reader to identify general applications of identity to the understanding ofpeace as well as applications that may be more relevant in specific contexts. Taken together, these two sections provide a contemporary and diverse accountof the state of social identity research in conflict situations and peacepsychology today. It is evident thatany account of peace requires an intricate understanding of identity both as acause and consequence of conflict, as well as a potential resource to beharnessed in the promotion and maintenance of peace. Understanding Peace and Conflict Through Social Identity Theory: ContemporaryGlobal Perspectives aims to helpachieve such an understanding and as such is a valuable resource to thosestudying peace and conflict, psychologists, sociologists, anthropologists,public policy makers, and all those interested in the ways in which socialidentity impacts our world.
Understanding Petitionary Prayer: Ask, and Ye Might Receive (Routledge Studies in Religion)
by Shane SharpThis book explores the “whats,” “whys,” and “hows” of petitionary prayer. Millions of people every single day ask God or some other supernatural being to make some outcome or event happen, whether it be to keep their children safe during a road trip, to give them the willpower to avoid succumbing to the temptation of alcohol, or to help them find a job. The chapters in this volume draw on 130 in-depth interviews conducted in the United States, including non-Christian believers. The author provides extensive documentation and analyses of believers’ experiences and beliefs regarding petitionary prayer. He explores what outcomes believers feel they can legitimately seek through petitionary prayer, how people use petitionary prayer to persuade supernatural beings to make outcomes and events happen, why they believe petitionary prayer is actually effective, and why they believe their prayers went “unanswered.” Studying prayer in general and petitionary prayer in particular is an important part of describing and understanding people’s religious lives. The book will be of interest to scholars and students of religious studies, the sociology of religion, the psychology of religion, social psychology, and symbolic interactionism.