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The Secret Life of Data: Navigating Hype and Uncertainty in the Age of Algorithmic Surveillance (The Information Society Series)
By Aram Sinnreich, Jesse Gilbert. 2024
How data surveillance, digital forensics, and generative AI pose new long-term threats and opportunities—and how we can use them to…
make better decisions in the face of technological uncertainty.In The Secret Life of Data, Aram Sinnreich and Jesse Gilbert explore the many unpredictable, and often surprising, ways in which data surveillance, AI, and the constant presence of algorithms impact our culture and society in the age of global networks. The authors build on this basic premise: no matter what form data takes, and what purpose we think it&’s being used for, data will always have a secret life. How this data will be used, by other people in other times and places, has profound implications for every aspect of our lives—from our intimate relationships to our professional lives to our political systems.With the secret uses of data in mind, Sinnreich and Gilbert interview dozens of experts to explore a broad range of scenarios and contexts—from the playful to the profound to the problematic. Unlike most books about data and society that focus on the short-term effects of our immense data usage, The Secret Life of Data focuses primarily on the long-term consequences of humanity&’s recent rush toward digitizing, storing, and analyzing every piece of data about ourselves and the world we live in. The authors advocate for &“slow fixes&” regarding our relationship to data, such as creating new laws and regulations, ethics and aesthetics, and models of production for our data-fied society.Cutting through the hype and hopelessness that so often inform discussions of data and society, The Secret Life of Data clearly and straightforwardly demonstrates how readers can play an active part in shaping how digital technology influences their lives and the world at large.Unfit to Fight: How Woke Policies Are Destroying Our Military
By Amber Smith. 2024
Our Woke Military Could Lose the Next WarWokeness used to be an annoying distraction in the U.S. military. Now it…
is a major threat to national security.Faster than most of us thought possible, our military has become a woke, dysfunctional bureaucracy focused not on winning wars but on identity politics, gender ideology, climate change, and other favored causes of the leftist elite.Don&’t think that China isn&’t watching. Don&’t think that Russia, Iran, and North Korea haven&’t noticed.But so has Amber Smith, a former U.S. Army combat helicopter pilot and Deputy Assistant to the Secretary of Defense. In her riveting new book, Unfit to Fight, she sounds the alarm that our military and our nation are at grave risk.In Unfit to Fight, you&’ll learn:Why the military should not &“reflect American society,&” but be a select group of lethal professionalsHow the Pentagon rewards lowered standards for the sake of &“diversity&”Why failure often leads to promotion—if you have the right friendsWhy a return to combat merit, battlefield mission, and trust in leadership are essential—or we will lose our next warElections, as they say, have consequences, and catastrophic damage to national security is among the most important. Amber Smith&’s Unfit to Fight needs to be in the hands of everyone who cares about our military and our survival as a nation.Konspiration: Soziologie des Verschwörungsdenkens
By Andreas Anton, Michael Schetsche, Michael K. Walter. 2024
Spätestens seit der Corona-Pandemie werden Verschwörungstheorien zunehmend als gesellschaftspolitisches Problem wahrgenommen und sind zum Politikum geworden. Wohl noch nie zuvor…
gab es im öffentlichen Diskurs eine derart hohe Sensibilität für das Thema. Ängste vor Verschwörungen einerseits und Ängste vor Verschwörungstheorien andererseits schaukeln sich offenbar gegenseitig hoch. Dies führt zu einer anwachsenden gesellschaftlichen Polarisierung und zu einem Klima von Misstrauen, Empörung und Gereiztheit. Zehn Jahre nach der Erstauflage des vorliegenden Bandes erscheint die Analyse des gegenwärtigen Verschwörungsdenkens dringender denn je. Im Rahmen von sechs neuen Beiträgen nimmt die erweiterte Neuauflage aktuelle Entwicklungen in den Blick. In Kombination mit den ursprünglichen Aufsätzen soll so zu einem umfassenden und differenzierten Bild des sozialen Phänomens Verschwörungstheorien beigetragen werden.Priority of Needs?: An Informed Theory of Need-based Justice
By Bernhard Kittel, Stefan Traub. 2024
This book develops an empirically informed normative theory of need-based justice, summarizing core findings of the DFG research group FOR2104…
“Need-based Justice and Distributive Procedures”. In eleven chapters scholars from the fields of economics, political science, philosophy, psychology, and sociology cover the identification and rationale of needs, the recognition and legitimacy of needs, the dynamics and stability of procedures of distributions according to needs, and the consequences and sustainability of need-based distributions. These four areas are studied from the perspective of two mechanisms of need objectification, the social objectification by the discursive generation of mutual understanding (transparency) and the factual objectification by the transfer of decisions to uninvolved experts (expertise). The volume addresses academics in the fields of justice research, ethics, political theory, social choice and welfare, framing, individual and group decision making, inequality and redistribution, as well as advanced students in the contributing disciplines.The Political Economy of Kidnapping and Insecurity in Nigeria: Beyond News and Rumours (Advances in African Economic, Social and Political Development)
By J. Shola Omotola, Samuel Oyewole. 2024
Providing unique perspectives on one of the leading hotspots of kidnapping in the world, this book examines the political and…
socioeconomic dimensions of the causes, manifestations, and consequences of kidnapping in Nigeria, as well as some of the control measures that have been adopted at different levels of governance and their effectiveness. The topics covered in the volume include details on the framework of understanding kidnapping, the evolution of kidnapping from pre-colonial to post-colonial eras, and the relationship between ungoverned spaces and kidnapping in the country. The book further sheds light on kidnapping in the context of insurgent campaigns, with insights into oil-related militancy in the Niger Delta region, with the Islamist Boko Haram insurgency and terrorism in the Northern region of Nigeria. It discusses non-insurgent kidnapping, situating kidnapping in the contexts of banditry, ransoming, ritualism, baby factory, and human trafficking. Additionally,the volume analyses the emerging gender and transnational frontiers of kidnapping in Nigeria. Expanding the discussion on state responses, this book also looks into responses of non-state actors to kidnapping as well as negotiations in hostage crisis management. Finally, it examines other unique subjects, such as media coverage of kidnapping, and the consequences for Nigeria’s international image. The book will appeal to students, scholars, and researchers of political science, international relations, economics, sociology, history, law and business management in general, as well as African studies, security studies, criminology, peace and conflict studies, and geography and area studies. It will also be helpful for public policy-makers, African security experts and professionals, as well as business managers, risk analysists and insurance industry that are interested in a better understanding of kidnapping and associated political, social, economic, and security dynamicsin Nigeria and beyond.AQA A level Computer Science
By Bob Reeves. 2015
Exam Board: AQALevel: AS/A-levelSubject: Computer ScienceFirst Teaching: September 2015First Exam: June 2016This title has been approved by AQA for use…
with the AS and A-level AQA Computer Science specifications. AQA A-level Computer Science gives students the chance to think creatively and progress through the AQA AS and A-level Computer Science specifications. Detailed coverage of the specifications will enrich understanding of the fundamental principles of computing, whilst a range of activities help to develop the programming skills and computational thinking skills at A-level and beyond. - Enables students to build a thorough understanding of the fundamental principles in the AQA AS and A-Level Computer Science specifications, with detailed coverage of programming, algorithms, data structures and representation, systems, databases and networks, uses and consequences.- Helps to tackle the various demands of the course confidently, with advice and support for programming and theoretical assessments and the problem-solving or investigative project at A-level.- Develops the programming and computational thinking skills for A-level and beyond - frequent coding and question practice will help students apply their knowledge of the principles of computer science, and design, program and evaluate problem-solving computer systems. Bob Reeves is an experienced teacher with examining experience, and well-respected author of resources for Computing and ICT across the curriculum.Organizing the Dutch Energy Transition (Routledge Studies in Energy Transitions)
By Hans Van Kranenburg, Sjors Witjes. 2024
This book addresses learnings from the energy transition in the Netherlands.This book brings together contributions from experts in academia and…
practice to the Dutch energy transition by sharing their knowledge and experience gained over many years and from different roles and responsibilities. The chapters are clustered around four key perspectives – Policy, Sector, Organization, and Future – and explore the impact of policy decisions of governments and strategic decisions of firms operating in the energy sector on the energy transition process. The different perspectives present many promising strategies, policies, and innovations on each aspect, resulting in a deeper understanding of how each of these strategies, policies, and innovations may hinder or contribute to foster the energy transition. It concludes with a reflection on lessons learned and specific managerial and policy recommendations.This volume will be of great interest to students, scholars, and industry professionals researching and working in the areas of energy transitions, sustainable business, energy technology, and energy policy.Urban Soundscapes: A Guide to Listening for Landscape Architecture and Urban Design
By Usue Ruiz Arana. 2024
Sound and listening are intrinsically linked to how we experience and engage with places and communities. This guide puts forward…
a new conceptual framework of embodied affectivity that emphasises listening in urban research and design and advances new ways of knowing and making. The guide invites landscape architects and urban designers to become soundscape architects and offers practical advice on sound and listening applicable to each stage of a design project: from reading the environment to intervening on it.Urban Soundscapes foregrounds listening as an affective mediator between subjects and multispecies environments, and a vehicle to think and conceptualise environmental research and design beyond prevailing visual and human-centred modes. The guide expands landscape architects’ and urban designers’ tools and skills to assess existing soundscapes, predict how those soundscapes will be altered through their designs, consider sound as a creative and active part of the design process and envisage how users might perceive and be affected by those soundscapes as they evolve in time. The volume sits in the interface of research and practice and interweaves theoretical, methodological and creative contributions from acoustic ecology, ecoacoustics, bioacoustics and sound art. Each of the design stages is illustrated through project examples that demonstrate the many advantages of incorporating attentive listening and sound into Landscape Architecture and Urban Design Practice. This book shows how incorporating listening and sounding as part of the design process promotes slow and subtle ways of practice, adds social and ecological value through the reduction of noise pollution and by monitoring the health of habitats, and enables the design of soundscapes that complement the character and design intent of a scheme and elicit joy and wonder.The book will be of interest to practitioners and academics in landscape architecture, and other design and spatial fields such as urban design, architecture, geography and engineering, who play a primary role in the composition of the soundscape.Violence, Politics and Religion: A General Theory of Violent Radicalization (ISSN)
By Sergio García-Magariño. 2024
This book offers a general theory of violent radicalization and uses case studies from a variety of different countries and…
groups to illustrate this.The first and fundamental objective of the book is to provide an explanatory framework to understand phenomena related to violent radicalization, deradicalization, the prevention of radicalization and to political violence; in particular, that inspired by religion. The second objective follows from the first. Understanding violent radicalization of religious inspiration implies delving into two key concepts: violent radicalization and religion. This second objective is indeed elusive, since, on the one hand, many liberal democracies have undergone processes of secularization or, at least, have lost interest in examining religion in public debates. Therefore, rigorously exploring social problems where religion seems to be involved, in one way or another, is complicated. Moreover, the notion of violent radicalization, in turn, is highly contested and confused with other ideas, such as polarization, extremism, terrorism or nonviolent radicalization. Finally, the book aims to bring theory into dialogue with empirical phenomena, and to test it against concrete cases related to violent radicalization and its prevention, on the one hand, and religion, on the other. The book’s originality comes from both its innovative, methodological approach and its breadth, with cases from several countries (Spain, the United States, Ireland, India, Israel, Russia and Colombia) and different ideological groups (revolutionary communists, nationalist movements, Jihadist groups, white and black supremacists).This book will be of much interest to students of terrorism and political violence, radicalization, sociology and international relations in general.Systemic Thinking for Public Managers: Five Practices for Creating a Vibrant Organization
By Sheila Murphy, Tracey Regenold, Philip Reed. 2024
Offering a pathway to vibrant organizations, this book integrates systems thinking, critical thinking, and design thinking, and provides the tools…
needed to proactively apply them in the social systems where we live and work. Systemic thinking—the combination of systems thinking, critical systems thinking, and design thinking—provides a way of addressing the complexity of problems faced by public sector managers. Far too often systemic thinking has been discussed theoretically rather than practically. This book changes that, enabling public sector managers and leaders to connect staff, partners, and stakeholders in the pursuit of thoughtfully designed and responsive service. Clearly written and designed to be put to immediate use on the job, each chapter provides a discussion of one specific practice. Included are guiding principles, a case study, relevant practical tools, and suggestions of for additional practice and reading.Using this book, managers of social systems such as public welfare, healthcare, public schools and libraries, housing and community development, and students of public administration will gain a deeper understanding of organizational systems and design, and a new toolkit to fortify their own organizations.The Organisation of Crime and Harm in the Construction Industry (Routledge Studies in Organised Crime)
By Jon Davies, Hanna Malik. 2024
Drawing on empirical work and secondary analysis from the UK and Finnish construction industries, this book contributes a deep-rooted analysis…
of construction industry harms that originate from corporate-industrialstate processes.The UK context arguably represents a classic ‘neoliberal’ system categorised by privatisation of services and minimal regulation, whereas Finland broadly provides a ‘social democratic’ alternative with its relatively strong national regulation and public sector oversight of industry. These concepts interlink strongly with the notion of state-corporate crime, since this perspective shifts attention away from individualistic explanations for crime and harm towards symbiosis between states and corporations. This book argues that existing explanations based on organised crime and individual ‘rogues’ are insufficient to account for the wider range and subtlety of harms that occur in construction, and therefore offers a unique perspective into organisational, industry, and state dynamics in this sector.An accessible and compelling read, this book will appeal to students and scholars of criminology, sociology, organized crime, and those interested in harms in the construction industry.Advanced Manufacturing Processes
By Vasdev Malhotra. 2024
The field of manufacturing over the years has seen the introduction of new and innovative technologies for enhancing output, increasing…
quality and reducing material inventory. This textbook discusses fundamental concepts, principles, technologies and applications of advanced manufacturing processes. It comprehensively discusses key manufacturing technologies including reconfigurable manufacturing processes, computer integrated manufacturing processes, agile manufacturing processes, cellular manufacturing processes, rapid prototyping and flexible manufacturing processes.This book: Discusses rapid prototyping techniques in detail Covers automation systems and their techniques Examines issues related to reconfigurable manufacturing processes, flexible manufacturing processes and agile manufacturing processes Discusses actuators and sensors, industrial robots, lean production, comparison of lean and agile and rapid prototyping techniques Covers matrix approach techniques to understand the barriers index value The textbook is primarily written for senior undergraduate and graduate students in the field of mechanical engineering, industrial and production engineering.The Inflection Election: Democracy or Fascism in 2024?
By Mark Green. 2024
Rep. JAMIE RASKIN (D-MD): &“This fine book is an essential primer about the stakes in &’24. We owe Mark a…
debt of gratitude.&”LAURENCE TRIBE: &“Written with searing clarity and biting humor.&” The Inflection Election: Democracy or Fascism in 2024? aims to warn busy and credulous Americans that this November will be a choice between a Party of Progress and a Party of Dangerous Extremism that may determine the path for American governance for generations. This is not a &“both-sides&” analysis by a journalistic spectator, but is instead a blunt &“one-sided&” guide by an experienced partisan—a public interest lawyer, elected Democrat, and prolific author. Mark Green makes the case for Democracy and Freedom and against Trump&’s blatant Caesarism and MAGA&’s fringeworthy agenda. While neither side has a prohibitive advantage as of mid-2024, the stakes are no mystery. If the GOP should now win both the White House and Congress—with a reactionary Supreme Court already in its column—a numerical minority of Americans would then enjoy a temporary governing majority that could cancel a century of progress and make the world&’s oldest democracy no longer democratic. There must be a word that binds together such threats but it sure isn't &“conservative&” in the way Eisenhower, Reagan, or the Bushes would have understood it. For if all the corruption, lies, violence, and racism described throughout The Inflection Election were aggregated into a pointillist painting, the portrait would resemble Orbán far more than Obama. This is extremism posing as patriotism . . . whether it&’s called fascism, dictatorship, autocracy, or authoritarianism. While the country can hope that the courts will hold Trump accountable, Green concludes that crushing it in 2024 is the best way to return to a healthy two-party system where losers respect the choice of voters, like in the good old days of 1789–2020. In a likely close 2024 national contest, The Inflection Election is an entertaining and informative manifesto that will become part of this year&’s urgent political conversation. It is a one-stop primer that synthesizes fresh phrases, narratives and values to keep Democrats on offense and Trump&’s MAGA party on-the-ropes. Green&’s conclusion is that the GOP &“sounds like a casting call for the delirious jury in the classic film Idiocracy, which was supposed to be a satire on reverse Darwinism, not reality TV.&” November 5, 2024 is either/or time. This book explains why.Domestic Enemies: The Founding Fathers' Fight Against the Left
By Daniel Greenfield. 2024
The secret history of the American Left.The Left is America&’s oldest enemy. It was here long before the 1960s, calling…
for the execution of George Washington, plotting to stop the ratification of the Constitution, and collaborating with foreign enemies. Stolen elections, fake news, race riots, globalism, and socialism aren&’t new problems; Americans faced them from the very beginning. Domestic Enemies reveals the true origins of the Democratic Party and its radicals, who—even two centuries ago—were calling for the redistribution of wealth, the end of marriage, and the use of schools for political indoctrination. From political battles to street fights, Domestic Enemies takes you into the heart of a century of forgotten struggles between America&’s greatest heroes—such as Washington, Hamilton, Davy Crockett, and Abraham Lincoln—and radical villains like Aaron Burr. This is a 1619 Project for the American Left: a history of the Democrats as you&’ve never heard it before, told through the political debates, naval battles, race riots, scandals, secret societies, and domestic terrorism that made the Left what it is today. Learn how the Founding Fathers defeated the Left before, and how we can beat it again.Synbiotics in Human Health: Biology to Drug Delivery
By Kamal Dua. 2024
This reference book discusses the role of synbiotics in a wide range of disease states, including cardiovascular, reproductive, metabolic, neurodegenerative,…
gastrointestinal, thrombotic, skin, and inflammatory disorders. It reviews the functions of probiotics in the diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of various disease states. The book further covers improving the targeting efficiency of synbiotics through advanced drug delivery systems such as nanoparticles, microparticles, liposomes, microemulsion, solid lipid nanoparticles, and nano lipid carriers. The chapter addresses the implications of oral and topical delivery of synbiotics in different diseases and presents the safety assessment of synbiotics and clinical trials associated with synbiotics containing drug delivery systems for the treatment of diseases. The book also explores the synergistic welfare of synbiotics nutraceuticals in various conditions such as chronic respiratory diseases, gut health, and neurological functions and examines the toxicological profile, and regulatory aspects of nutraceutical supplements. As such, this book is a valuable resource for academics, research and industry professionals working in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Food Biotechnology, Immunology, and Health Sciences.Science Teaching and a New Teacher Culture: Challenges and Opportunities (Sociocultural Explorations of Science Education #31)
By Mario Roberto Quintanilla Gatica, Agustín Adúriz-Bravo. 2024
This edited volume discusses various epistemological positions about science teaching and the complex processes of understanding and learning in the…
classroom. Including discussions around Natural Sciences teacher training models, as well as the development of logics of reflection on practice based on critical and dialogic interpretative visions guiding higher level competency learning. It brings together contributions from researchers promoting a coherent and robust methodological analysis, theoretically based on the systematization of evidence in different contexts within Europe and Latin America.While supporting innovation in teacher training and science teaching, it offers specific contributions and suggestions for classroom work in the subjects of Physics, Chemistry and Biology. It includes didactic guidelines for experimental practices, for the evaluation of scientific learning, as well as for the use of epistemology and the history of science in teaching. In addition, it’s considered an important contribution to the challenge of rebuilding science education programs as well as its correct implementation in schools and universities. This book is a translation of an original Spanish publication. The translation was done with the help of artificial intelligence (machine translation by the service DeepL.com). A subsequent human revision was done primarily in terms of content, so that the book will read stylistically differently from a conventional translation.Proceedings of the 3rd Annual International Conference on Material, Machines and Methods for Sustainable Development: Volume 2: Materials Applications, Machining, and Renewable Energy (Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering)
By Banh Tien Long, Kozo Ishizaki, Hyung Sun Kim, Yun-Hae Kim, Nguyen Duc Toan, Nguyen Thi Hong Minh, Pham Duc An. 2024
This book presents selected, peer-reviewed proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Material, Machines and Methods for Sustainable Development (MMMS2022),…
held in the city of Can Tho, Vietnam, from 10 to 13 November 2022. The purpose of the conference is to explore and ensure an understanding of the critical aspects contributing to sustainable development with a focus on advanced mechanical engineering, automation, materials, machines and methods. The contributions published in this book come from authors representing universities, research institutes and industrial companies and reflect the results of a very broad spectrum of research, from micro- and nanoscale materials design and processing, to mechanical engineering technology in industry. Many of the contributions selected for these proceedings focus on materials modeling, eco-material processes and mechanical manufacturing. Volume 2 of this book focuses on topics dedicated to materials applications, machining, and renewable energy. Selected topics include: material machinability and economic efficiency, sustainable development manufacturing technology, environmental protection, as well as green development and climate change prevention.European Human Rights Grey Zones: The Council of Europe and Areas of Conflict
By Null Andrew Forde. 2024
Forde examines the effectiveness of the human rights system of the Council of Europe (CoE) in conflict-affected regions and advances…
a novel approach to understanding how the European Convention on Human Rights can better serve the 10+ million rights-holders living in so-called human rights 'grey zones'. Building on the premise that nowhere in Europe should be deprived of access to Europe's human rights architecture, Forde argues that areas of conflict give rise to a collective public order imperative on Member States to seek maximal effectiveness of the CoE human rights system. Despite Kosovo's sui generis status, much of the CoE's experience of engagement with Kosovo could inspire more proactive efforts in relation to other areas of conflict. This book advocates a judicious engagement of the CoE's unique assets and acquis in affected regions based on the collective responsibility of Member States and the normative will of the Secretary General.Crossings: How Road Ecology Is Shaping the Future of Our Planet
By Ben Goldfarb. 2023
Shortlisted for the NYPL's 2024 Helen Bernstein Book Award for Excellence in Journalism A New York Times Notable Book of…
2023 and an Editors' Choice • A Science News Favorite Book of 2023 • A Kirkus Reviews Best Nonfiction Book of 2023 • A Smithsonian Staff Favorite of 2023 • A New Yorker Best Book of 2023 • A Booklist Top 10 Book on the Environment & Sustainability for 2024 An eye-opening account of the global ecological transformations wrought by roads, from the award-winning author of Eager. Some 40 million miles of roadways encircle the earth, yet we tend to regard them only as infrastructure for human convenience. While roads are so ubiquitous they’re practically invisible to us, wild animals experience them as entirely alien forces of death and disruption. In Crossings, environmental journalist Ben Goldfarb travels throughout the United States and around the world to investigate how roads have transformed our planet. A million animals are killed by cars each day in the U.S. alone, but as the new science of road ecology shows, the harms of highways extend far beyond roadkill. Creatures from antelope to salmon are losing their ability to migrate in search of food and mates; invasive plants hitch rides in tire treads; road salt contaminates lakes and rivers; and the very noise of traffic chases songbirds from vast swaths of habitat. Yet road ecologists are also seeking to blunt the destruction through innovative solutions. Goldfarb meets with conservationists building bridges for California’s mountain lions and tunnels for English toads, engineers deconstructing the labyrinth of logging roads that web national forests, animal rehabbers caring for Tasmania’s car-orphaned wallabies, and community organizers working to undo the havoc highways have wreaked upon American cities. Today, as our planet’s road network continues to grow exponentially, the science of road ecology has become increasingly vital. Written with passion and curiosity, Crossings is a sweeping, spirited, and timely investigation into how humans have altered the natural world—and how we can create a better future for all living beings.World on the Brink: How America Can Beat China in the Race for the Twenty-First Century
By Dmitri Alperovitch, Garrett M. Graff. 2024
The leading national security expert who predicted Putin&’s intention to invade Ukraine argues that China&’s Xi Jinping is preparing to…
conquer Taiwan in the coming years—with dire stakes for America and the world if he is not deterred We are fully in the midst of Cold War II, this time with China. Taiwan is a new West Berlin, a perilous strategic flashpoint where localized events could trigger a devastating war between nuclear powers. But this outcome is far from inevitable. Laying out the grand strategy for the United States and allies to avoid this fate, the highly respected security analyst Dmitri Alperovitch reveals key actions that could enable America to win the race for the twenty-first century. This sharp, timely book is the essential blueprint for preventing a catastrophe.