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• Word - Accessible Word output, which can be unzipped and opened in any tool that allows .docx files

Why War? (Pelican Books)

Why has warfare always been part of the human story?From biology to belief, what explains the persistence of violent conflict?What light can this shed on humanity’s past – and its future?There can be few more important but also more contentious issues than attempting to understand the human propensity for conflict. Our history is inextricably tangled in wave after wave of inter-human fighting from as far back as we have records.Repeatedly humans have foresworn war, have understood its appalling risks and have wished to create more pacific, productive societies. And yet almost inevitably circumstances emerge under which war once more seems inevitable or even desirableHow can we make sense of what Einstein called 'the dark places of human will and feeling'? Richard Overy draws on a lifetime's study of conflict to write this challenging account of how we can understand the causes of war. Looking at every facet of war from biology to belief, psychology to security, Overy allows readers to understand the many contradictory or self-reinforcing ways in which warfare can suddenly appear a legitimate option, and why it is likely to be part of our future as well as our past.

Winding Paths to Success: Chart a Career in Uncertain Times

An inspirational compilation of stories from successful Japanese professional women In Winding Paths to Success: Chart a Career in Uncertain Times, experienced management consultant Nobuko Kobayashi delivers an engaging and insightful discussion of the professional and personal successes of senior Japanese women executives, academics, and entrepreneurs who started their career in the late ‘80s to ‘90s, the dawn of gender equity at work in Japan. You’ll discover how these remarkable people carved out a long and rewarding career in a challenging environment. The author describes the substantial diversity of Japanese professional life, exploring the rich and varied histories of women who are often stereotyped and relegated to a one-size-fits-all story. Their creative navigation amid uncertainties inspires anyone who wishes to establish a career in the highly volatile world of today. You’ll also find: Personal and forthcoming stories from women executives Recommendations for public and private sector employers to further enhance diversity and inclusiveness in the workplace Individual strategies for crafting successful careers from a minority positionPerfect for those building a career, managers, executives, entrepreneurs, founders, and other business leaders, Winding Paths to Success is a must-have resource for aspiring and practicing business leaders in Japan and other countries.

Winding Paths to Success: Chart a Career in Uncertain Times

An inspirational compilation of stories from successful Japanese professional women In Winding Paths to Success: Chart a Career in Uncertain Times, experienced management consultant Nobuko Kobayashi delivers an engaging and insightful discussion of the professional and personal successes of senior Japanese women executives, academics, and entrepreneurs who started their career in the late ‘80s to ‘90s, the dawn of gender equity at work in Japan. You’ll discover how these remarkable people carved out a long and rewarding career in a challenging environment. The author describes the substantial diversity of Japanese professional life, exploring the rich and varied histories of women who are often stereotyped and relegated to a one-size-fits-all story. Their creative navigation amid uncertainties inspires anyone who wishes to establish a career in the highly volatile world of today. You’ll also find: Personal and forthcoming stories from women executives Recommendations for public and private sector employers to further enhance diversity and inclusiveness in the workplace Individual strategies for crafting successful careers from a minority positionPerfect for those building a career, managers, executives, entrepreneurs, founders, and other business leaders, Winding Paths to Success is a must-have resource for aspiring and practicing business leaders in Japan and other countries.

Winning Through Platforms: How to Succeed When Every Competitor Has One (American Marketing Association)

Winning through Platforms is your new go-to guide for modern competitive advantage. Digital platforms are no longer for just the tech elite. They’re spreading to every company and industry, powered by the growth of customer sensors, streaming data, and artificial intelligence—lighting the valuable customer Use journey that was formerly dark. How will you succeed when your markets get platform-crowded? Three senior advisers to the world’s leading technology companies reveal how to win through platforms when every competitor has one. Winning through Platforms decodes growth moves from a decade of platform competition, communicates them through a platform playbook. It’s a treasure trove of 24 proven platform strategies—such as customer coalition design, in-use enrichment, AI branding, and much more. These playbook strategies are delivered through engaging stories of over 50 companies, plus proprietary frameworks and workshop-style questions that lead you to act. This game-changing playbook will teach you how to: Revitalize your business through strategic use of platforms Design platforms that are compelling to customers and hard for competitors to match Accelerate in-market growth through brand-and-demand excellence that spans your customer’s entire platform journey Innovate in high-impact benefit areas to differentiate your platform Elevate your customer’s personal platform experience Transform your enterprise and operations to drive superior performance Every CEO, innovator, go-to-market leader, and aspiring professional will gain valuable insight through this book. Whether your company is just starting on its first platform journey or is a born platform disruptor, this book will transform your ability to win. Learn the platform playbook. Find and apply your plays. This book forms part of the American Marketing Association (AMA) leadership series.

Winning Through Platforms: How to Succeed When Every Competitor Has One (American Marketing Association)

Winning through Platforms is your new go-to guide for modern competitive advantage. Digital platforms are no longer for just the tech elite. They’re spreading to every company and industry, powered by the growth of customer sensors, streaming data, and artificial intelligence—lighting the valuable customer Use journey that was formerly dark. How will you succeed when your markets get platform-crowded? Three senior advisers to the world’s leading technology companies reveal how to win through platforms when every competitor has one. Winning through Platforms decodes growth moves from a decade of platform competition, communicates them through a platform playbook. It’s a treasure trove of 24 proven platform strategies—such as customer coalition design, in-use enrichment, AI branding, and much more. These playbook strategies are delivered through engaging stories of over 50 companies, plus proprietary frameworks and workshop-style questions that lead you to act. This game-changing playbook will teach you how to: Revitalize your business through strategic use of platforms Design platforms that are compelling to customers and hard for competitors to match Accelerate in-market growth through brand-and-demand excellence that spans your customer’s entire platform journey Innovate in high-impact benefit areas to differentiate your platform Elevate your customer’s personal platform experience Transform your enterprise and operations to drive superior performance Every CEO, innovator, go-to-market leader, and aspiring professional will gain valuable insight through this book. Whether your company is just starting on its first platform journey or is a born platform disruptor, this book will transform your ability to win. Learn the platform playbook. Find and apply your plays. This book forms part of the American Marketing Association (AMA) leadership series.

Winning Together: A UX Researcher's Guide to Building Strong Cross-Functional Relationships

UX research, the key to comprehending users' behaviors, motivations, and preferences for developing delightful experiences, thrives on effective teamwork and collaboration. This comprehensive guide brings together the expertise and insights from seasoned researchers, cross-functional partners, and product leaders in order to transform how you collaborate and unlock the true potential of UX research. Key Features Includes a comprehensive selection of ready-to-use templates Incorporates insights and advice from cross-functional stakeholders Offers a wide range of strategies tailored to various expertise levels, catering to both novice and advanced practitioners Presents universally applicable methodologies and insights, equipping a diverse range of researchers, including consultants, vendors, and in-house professionals From experienced professionals to those just starting out, and freelancers to in-house researchers, this comprehensive guide offers practical strategies to navigate the pitfalls of UX research, enhancing collaboration and, ultimately, driving success.

Winning Together: A UX Researcher's Guide to Building Strong Cross-Functional Relationships

UX research, the key to comprehending users' behaviors, motivations, and preferences for developing delightful experiences, thrives on effective teamwork and collaboration. This comprehensive guide brings together the expertise and insights from seasoned researchers, cross-functional partners, and product leaders in order to transform how you collaborate and unlock the true potential of UX research. Key Features Includes a comprehensive selection of ready-to-use templates Incorporates insights and advice from cross-functional stakeholders Offers a wide range of strategies tailored to various expertise levels, catering to both novice and advanced practitioners Presents universally applicable methodologies and insights, equipping a diverse range of researchers, including consultants, vendors, and in-house professionals From experienced professionals to those just starting out, and freelancers to in-house researchers, this comprehensive guide offers practical strategies to navigate the pitfalls of UX research, enhancing collaboration and, ultimately, driving success.

Wisdom, Well-Being, Win-Win: 19th International Conference, iConference 2024, Changchun, China, April 15–26, 2024, Proceedings, Part III (Lecture Notes in Computer Science #14598)

The Three-volume set LNCS 14596, 14597 and 14598 constitutes the proceedings of the 19th International Conference on Wisdom, Well-Being, Win-Win, iConference 2024, which was hosted virtually by University of Tsukuba, Japan and in presence by Jilin University, Changchun, China, during April 15–26, 2024. The 36 full papers and 55 short papers are presented in these proceedings were carefully reviewed and selected from 218 submissions. The papers are organized in the following topical sections: Volume I: Archives and Information Sustainability; Behavioural Research; AI and Machine Learning; Information Science and Data Science; Information and Digital Literacy. Volume II: Digital Humanities; Intellectual Property Issues; Social Media and Digital Networks; Disinformation and Misinformation; Libraries, Bibliometrics and Metadata. Volume III: Knowledge Management; Information Science Education; Information Governance and Ethics; Health Informatics; Human-AI Collaboration; Information Retrieval; Community Informatics; Scholarly, Communication and Open Access.

Wisdom, Well-Being, Win-Win: 19th International Conference, iConference 2024, Changchun, China, April 15–26, 2024, Proceedings, Part I (Lecture Notes in Computer Science #14596)

The Three-volume set LNCS 14596, 14596 and 14598 constitutes the proceedings of the 19th International Conference on Wisdom, Well-Being, Win-Win, iConference 2024, which was hosted virtually by University of Tsukuba, Japan and in presence by Jilin University, Changchun, China, during April 15–26, 2024. The 36 full papers and 55 short papers are presented in these proceedings were carefully reviewed and selected from 218 submissions. The papers are organized in the following topical sections: Volume I: Archives and Information Sustainability; Behavioural Research; AI and Machine Learning; Information Science and Data Science; Information and Digital Literacy. Volume II: Digital Humanities; Intellectual Property Issues; Social Media and Digital Networks; Disinformation and Misinformation; Libraries, Bibliometrics and Metadata. Volume III: Knowledge Management; Information Science Education; Information Governance and Ethics; Health Informatics; Human-AI Collaboration; Information Retrieval; Community Informatics; Scholarly, Communication and Open Access.

Wisdom, Well-Being, Win-Win: 19th International Conference, iConference 2024, Changchun, China, April 15–26, 2024, Proceedings, Part II (Lecture Notes in Computer Science #14597)

The Three-volume set LNCS 14596, 14596 and 14598 constitutes the proceedings of the 19th International Conference on Wisdom, Well-Being, Win-Win, iConference 2024, which was hosted virtually by University of Tsukuba, Japan and in presence by Jilin University, Changchun, China, during April 15–26, 2024. The 36 full papers and 55 short papers are presented in these proceedings were carefully reviewed and selected from 218 submissions. The papers are organized in the following topical sections: Volume I: Archives and Information Sustainability; Behavioural Research; AI and Machine Learning; Information Science and Data Science; Information and Digital Literacy. Volume II: Digital Humanities; Intellectual Property Issues; Social Media and Digital Networks; Disinformation and Misinformation; Libraries, Bibliometrics and Metadata. Volume III: Knowledge Management; Information Science Education; Information Governance and Ethics; Health Informatics; Human-AI Collaboration; Information Retrieval; Community Informatics; Scholarly, Communication and Open Access.

The Wise Leader: A Practical Guide for Thinking Differently About Leadership

The Wise Leader offers readers a succinct perspective on wise leadership based on theory, practice, and the authors’ own experience. The five sections of the book describe the Wise Leader model, five mantras that distil the essence of wisdom for leading. Each section has a theoretical component, theory that the authors seek to bring to life through everyday examples, followed by practical ideas and guidance as to what you can next do in service of becoming a wiser, more effective leader. Each mantra then includes fresh perspectives for leadership development, aimed at supporting organisations globally to maximise their considerable investment in this critical area. This book is written for leaders at every level of an organisation, providing a perspective of wise leadership that lends itself to practical application. It can also be used by leadership development professionals, offering guidance on how to build practical programs to cultivate enhanced levels of wise leadership in your organisation.

The Wise Leader: A Practical Guide for Thinking Differently About Leadership

The Wise Leader offers readers a succinct perspective on wise leadership based on theory, practice, and the authors’ own experience. The five sections of the book describe the Wise Leader model, five mantras that distil the essence of wisdom for leading. Each section has a theoretical component, theory that the authors seek to bring to life through everyday examples, followed by practical ideas and guidance as to what you can next do in service of becoming a wiser, more effective leader. Each mantra then includes fresh perspectives for leadership development, aimed at supporting organisations globally to maximise their considerable investment in this critical area. This book is written for leaders at every level of an organisation, providing a perspective of wise leadership that lends itself to practical application. It can also be used by leadership development professionals, offering guidance on how to build practical programs to cultivate enhanced levels of wise leadership in your organisation.

Within and Beyond Capitalism: A Twofold Transformation (Critiques and Alternatives to Capitalism)

This book argues for a twofold transformation to mitigate environmental catastrophe, avert war and overcome poverty and authoritarianism: a struggle for democratic, peace-oriented, social and ecological changes within the framework of a post-neoliberal, but still bourgeois-capitalist society, and a drive towards entry-level projects aimed at a great transformation beyond capitalism. Calling for the embrace of core values and institutions aligned with solidarity as opposed to capitalism, it advances four guiding ideas for the pursuit of such a path: redistribution of life chances and power, socio-ecological restructuring, redesign of democratic institutions, and reversal from confrontation to peace through international cooperation and solidarity. A presentation of the fundamental elements of a left strategy for socioecological transformation, this volume will appeal to scholars of social, political and economic theory with interests in post-capitalist futures.

Within and Beyond Capitalism: A Twofold Transformation (Critiques and Alternatives to Capitalism)

This book argues for a twofold transformation to mitigate environmental catastrophe, avert war and overcome poverty and authoritarianism: a struggle for democratic, peace-oriented, social and ecological changes within the framework of a post-neoliberal, but still bourgeois-capitalist society, and a drive towards entry-level projects aimed at a great transformation beyond capitalism. Calling for the embrace of core values and institutions aligned with solidarity as opposed to capitalism, it advances four guiding ideas for the pursuit of such a path: redistribution of life chances and power, socio-ecological restructuring, redesign of democratic institutions, and reversal from confrontation to peace through international cooperation and solidarity. A presentation of the fundamental elements of a left strategy for socioecological transformation, this volume will appeal to scholars of social, political and economic theory with interests in post-capitalist futures.

Women and the Sikh Diaspora in California: Singing the Seven Seas (Ocean and Island Studies)

This book charts the transoceanic history of South Asian women in California through their speech and songs across the twentieth century.Nicole Ranganath reimagines the history of the South Asian diaspora through an examination of gender and the dynamic interplay of water and land in the cultural history of Sikhs, a faith and cultural community that emerged in the Punjab region of north South Asia over 550 years ago. It shows how the history and music of transoceanic communities, in this case Sikhs, spilled beyond the boundaries of regions, empires and nation-states. It emphasizes the heterogeneity of the South Asia diaspora by uncovering the distinct history of women’s migration experiences, as well as an alternative oceanic imaginary among Sikhs that envisions unity in the cosmos. It foregrounds the pivotal role that women played in transforming Sikh communities in California through songs and female affinities. Based on six years of fieldwork in rural northern California, it explores song as a window into the interior lives of Sikh women through their performance of diverse genres: gadar anti-colonial songs, folk music, hymns, and autobiographical songs. This sonic history of South Asian women in the diaspora dislodges dominant paradigms in diaspora studies and oceanic humanities that depict men as mobile and women as stationary.Women and the Sikh Diaspora in California will interest scholars of migration, South Asia and South Asian American studies, oceanic humanities, Sikh studies, music, and women’s studies. It is also essential reading for anyone who is curious about global music and migration, as well as Sikh history.

Women and the Sikh Diaspora in California: Singing the Seven Seas (Ocean and Island Studies)

This book charts the transoceanic history of South Asian women in California through their speech and songs across the twentieth century.Nicole Ranganath reimagines the history of the South Asian diaspora through an examination of gender and the dynamic interplay of water and land in the cultural history of Sikhs, a faith and cultural community that emerged in the Punjab region of north South Asia over 550 years ago. It shows how the history and music of transoceanic communities, in this case Sikhs, spilled beyond the boundaries of regions, empires and nation-states. It emphasizes the heterogeneity of the South Asia diaspora by uncovering the distinct history of women’s migration experiences, as well as an alternative oceanic imaginary among Sikhs that envisions unity in the cosmos. It foregrounds the pivotal role that women played in transforming Sikh communities in California through songs and female affinities. Based on six years of fieldwork in rural northern California, it explores song as a window into the interior lives of Sikh women through their performance of diverse genres: gadar anti-colonial songs, folk music, hymns, and autobiographical songs. This sonic history of South Asian women in the diaspora dislodges dominant paradigms in diaspora studies and oceanic humanities that depict men as mobile and women as stationary.Women and the Sikh Diaspora in California will interest scholars of migration, South Asia and South Asian American studies, oceanic humanities, Sikh studies, music, and women’s studies. It is also essential reading for anyone who is curious about global music and migration, as well as Sikh history.

Women in Agriculture: Breaking the Grass Ceiling

The lives of women in rural India cannot be visualized without agriculture and allied activities. As per census 2011 figures, four out of five women workers in rural India work as agriculture workers, as owner cultivators or as wage workers. This research monograph is about women farmers—women who are engaged primarily in the cultivation of vegetables and fruits and predominantly belong to small and marginal land holdings households. It is the outcome of a baseline survey done in the year 2010-11 in three districts of Uttar Pradesh as part of an action intervention project. Based on the survey findings, it discusses the structural and other factors that promote and perpetuate gender inequality and prevent women from realizing their full potential as farmers; presents the struggles, positive experiences and practices; explores possible interventions at different levels for different stakeholders; and suggests a framework keeping the women's agency/empowerment at center stage while simultaneously enhancing their wellbeing. This title is co-published with Aakar Books. Print editions not for sale in South Asia (India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Bhutan)

Women in Agriculture: Breaking the Grass Ceiling

The lives of women in rural India cannot be visualized without agriculture and allied activities. As per census 2011 figures, four out of five women workers in rural India work as agriculture workers, as owner cultivators or as wage workers. This research monograph is about women farmers—women who are engaged primarily in the cultivation of vegetables and fruits and predominantly belong to small and marginal land holdings households. It is the outcome of a baseline survey done in the year 2010-11 in three districts of Uttar Pradesh as part of an action intervention project. Based on the survey findings, it discusses the structural and other factors that promote and perpetuate gender inequality and prevent women from realizing their full potential as farmers; presents the struggles, positive experiences and practices; explores possible interventions at different levels for different stakeholders; and suggests a framework keeping the women's agency/empowerment at center stage while simultaneously enhancing their wellbeing. This title is co-published with Aakar Books. Print editions not for sale in South Asia (India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Bhutan)

Women in Policing: A History Through Personal Stories

The Women of Anna Freud’s War Nurseries: Their Lives and Work

In this volume, Christiane Ludwig-Körner describes the lives and work of the staff members of the War Nurseries set up and run by Anna Freud and Dorothy Burlingham during the Second World War.The Women of Anna Freud’s War Nurseries looks in turn at each of the women who helped run the homes in Hampstead: Alice Goldberger, Sophie and Gertrud Dann, Manna Friedmann, Anneliese Schnurmann, Ilse Hellman and Hansi Kennedy. As young women, they narrowly escaped the Holocaust and dedicated themselves to children who had suffered the same fate. Few arrived with any knowledge of psychoanalytic theories or methods; this volume charts their education from Freud and Burlingham, which eventually lead to both Freud’s independent psychoanalytic child therapy training and the young women’s embarkment on careers as professional analysts. Using case studies throughout, Ludwig-Körner illustrates the intense relationships often experienced between children in care and their analysts/carers, and uses the children of the War Nurseries as examples for how contemporary psychoanalysts can work with children today.This book is essential reading for psychoanalysts, especially those working with children, as well as scholars and professionals interested in the history of child analysts and childhood trauma.

The Women of Anna Freud’s War Nurseries: Their Lives and Work

In this volume, Christiane Ludwig-Körner describes the lives and work of the staff members of the War Nurseries set up and run by Anna Freud and Dorothy Burlingham during the Second World War.The Women of Anna Freud’s War Nurseries looks in turn at each of the women who helped run the homes in Hampstead: Alice Goldberger, Sophie and Gertrud Dann, Manna Friedmann, Anneliese Schnurmann, Ilse Hellman and Hansi Kennedy. As young women, they narrowly escaped the Holocaust and dedicated themselves to children who had suffered the same fate. Few arrived with any knowledge of psychoanalytic theories or methods; this volume charts their education from Freud and Burlingham, which eventually lead to both Freud’s independent psychoanalytic child therapy training and the young women’s embarkment on careers as professional analysts. Using case studies throughout, Ludwig-Körner illustrates the intense relationships often experienced between children in care and their analysts/carers, and uses the children of the War Nurseries as examples for how contemporary psychoanalysts can work with children today.This book is essential reading for psychoanalysts, especially those working with children, as well as scholars and professionals interested in the history of child analysts and childhood trauma.

Women’s Club Football in Brazil and Colombia: A Critical Analysis of Players, Media and Institutions (Liverpool Latin American Studies #30)

The first women’s football book on Latin America centring the perspectives of players brings rare interview material that cuts through the clichés to uncover the lived reality of women footballers. It includes the first large-scale survey of South American women footballers’ views into dialogue with institutional and media perspectives. The early chapters consider the backdrop Latin American women footballers operate in, a media and institutional panorama that privileges a heteronormative athletic femininity whilst ensuring women’s football is never portrayed as anything other than an inferior version of the hegemonic (men’s) game. Following this, drawing on nine months of ethnographic fieldwork in which 33 semi-structured interviews were carried out with players and institutional figures, this pioneering book foregrounds the lived reality of women’s football in three strategic locations. Firstly, three months were spent in the Amazon region of Brazil where Esporte Clube Iranduba provides a fascinating alternative model for the growth of women’s football. This is contrasted with Santos FC, where women’s football tends to be constantly overshadowed by the presence of banal patriarchy, and finally with another fleeting glimpse of how another model is possible at Atlético Huila of Colombia, the surprise winner of the women’s Copa Libertadores in 2018.

Women’s Contribution to Science and Technology through ICWES Conferences (Women in Engineering and Science)

This book discusses the legacy of the conference series The International Conferences of Women Engineers and Scientists (ICWES), which spans the second half of the Twentieth Century and the beginning of the twenty-first. The book first discusses how, at a time when there were few women engineers and scientists, a group of women organized a conference, in June 1964 in New York, which attracted 486 women. They presented their scientific achievements and discussed how to attract more women in STEM. This effort was carried out by volunteers, continuing the ICWES conferences over a period of 59 years. The authors discuss the organizers, the hosting societies, the scientific content, the changes in issues over time, and how the continuity has endured. The authors also discuss the importance of global involvement, shown through past conferences in locations such as USA, UK, Italy, Poland, France, India, Ivory Coast, Hungary, Japan, Canada, and Korea. The authors also outline how the efforts were aided by the development of a not for profit Canadian corporation, the International Conference of Women in Sciences and engineering (INWES), which ensures the continuation of the conference series. Claire Deschênes and Monique Frize ensured that the conference database was digitalized and is now available at the Canadian Archive of Women in STEM, University of Ottawa Library, with the hope that researchers will continue to explore this rich database. As an important part of the Women in Science and Engineering book series, the work hopes to inspire women and men, girls and boys to study and work in STEM fields. This book is important historically because it documents a unique adventure created by women in STEM through vision and leadership. Their efforts established modes of networking and sharing their contributions in science, technology, and on gender issues.

Women's Empowerment and Public Policy in the Arab Gulf States: Exploring Challenges and Opportunities (Gulf Studies #11)

This open access book explores the various dimensions of women’s empowerment in public policy in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, with a particular focus on Qatar, comparing the country to the other Gulf states. Through its rich compilation of empirical qualitative research, the text unpacks the various ways in which women’s empowerment materializes in the GCC context, providing insights into public policy perspectives in high-income rentier states more broadly. The Arab world has long been part of the global dialogue on women’s economic and political empowerment and the GCC has, over the past decade, situated women’s empowerment amongst their respective national priorities and long-term strategies. In turn, the Gulf has seen gradual implementation of policies aimed at women, specifically, in looking to attract and retain them in the labour market, and in the public sector more broadly. The collection surveys and evaluates the progress made in recent decades, paying close attention to the cultural and policy constraints still limiting women’s empowerment in the Gulf. With a key linkage to SDG5, this book is a timely text addressing the context and drivers behind policies centering on women in the Arab region, in its analysis of the interplay of international women’s empowerment discourse and regional public policy decisions. It is relevant to researchers and policy makers focused on women and gender issues in relation to social, cultural, economic, and political empowerment in the Gulf specifically, but also in the Arab world and beyond.

Women's Football, Culture, and Identity (Critical Research in Football)

This book examines the experiences of amateur players in women’s football, challenging conventional discourses that centre male, masculine, and heterosexual identities and offering a new narrative that re-positions women’s voices.Based on original empirical research, including extended interviews with female players, the book outlines current debates in women’s football around gender, identity, and intersectionality. It explores football as a space of contestation, examining the creative ways in which women have negotiated opportunities to play football and the friendships and sociality that emerge from playing the game. The book examines resistance to historically bound cultural norms that privileges men’s participation, reflecting on mixed-sex football, femininity, embodiment, physical capital, and authenticity, and considers how this deeper understanding of football cultures might help in the future development of the women’s game.This is fascinating reading for anybody with an interest in football, women’s sport, the sociology of sport, or gender studies.