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From Risk Profiling to Enterprise Resilience: Interdependencies in Management (ISSN)
by Piotr Jedynak Sylwia BąkFrom Risk Profiling to Enterprise Resilience introduces readers to a new approach to risk profiling theory and methodology, as well as relationships between an enterprise’s risk profile and its resilience to crises.Given the need to reflect on changes in approaches to risk and risk management in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the book attempts to characterize the interdependencies between risk profiling processes and the processes of shaping and improving enterprise resilience. After reading the book, the readers will firstly gain theoretical knowledge of risk management in non-crisis and crisis conditions, risk mitigation and risk profiling. Secondly, they will also acquire the practical skills of performing risk profiling, identifying risk mitigation actions, perceiving relationships between individual enterprises’ risk profiles (and their changes), and the building and improving of their resilience. The inclusion of graphics, tables, diagrams, charts, instructions and recommendations will make the content is also easy to understand for a non-specialist audience.This book will be of great interest entrepreneurs, managers and risk management professionals, who can use the content included in the book in their management processes, as well as stakeholders of various enterprises, business and academic communities and students of all levels.
Postdigital Play and Global Education: Reconfiguring Research (Postqualitative, New Materialist and Critical Posthumanist Research)
by Kerryn Dixon Karin Murris Joanne Peers Theresa Giorza Chanique LawrencePostdigital Play and Global Education: Reconfiguring Research is a re-turn to a large-scale, international project on children’s digital play. Adopting postqualitative and posthumanist theories, research practices are reconfigured all the way down from what counts as ‘data’, ‘tools’, ‘instruments’, ‘transcription’, research sites’, ‘researchers’, to notions of responsibility and accountability in qualitative research. Through a series of vignettes involving complex human and more-than-human collaborators (e.g., GoPros, octopus, avatars, diaries, sackball, LEGO bricks), the authors challenge who and what can be playful and creative across contexts in the global north and global south. The diffractive methodology enacted interrupts Western developmental notions of agency that are dominant in research involving young children.The concept of ‘postdigital’ offers fresh opportunities to disrupt dominant understandings of children’s play. Play emerges as an enigmatic and shape-shifting human and more-than-human agentic force that operates beyond digital/non-digital, online/ offline binaries. By attuning to race, gender, age and language, invisible and colonising aspects of postdigital worldings the authors show how global education research can be reimagined through a posthumanist decentering of children without erasure.Postdigital Play and Global Education puts into practice Karen Barad’s agential realism, but also a range of postdevelopmental and posthumanist writings from diverse fields. The book will be of particular interest to researchers looking for guidance to enact agential realist and posthumanist philosophies in research involving young children.
Postdigital Play and Global Education: Reconfiguring Research (Postqualitative, New Materialist and Critical Posthumanist Research)
by Kerryn Dixon Karin Murris Joanne Peers Theresa Giorza Chanique LawrencePostdigital Play and Global Education: Reconfiguring Research is a re-turn to a large-scale, international project on children’s digital play. Adopting postqualitative and posthumanist theories, research practices are reconfigured all the way down from what counts as ‘data’, ‘tools’, ‘instruments’, ‘transcription’, research sites’, ‘researchers’, to notions of responsibility and accountability in qualitative research. Through a series of vignettes involving complex human and more-than-human collaborators (e.g., GoPros, octopus, avatars, diaries, sackball, LEGO bricks), the authors challenge who and what can be playful and creative across contexts in the global north and global south. The diffractive methodology enacted interrupts Western developmental notions of agency that are dominant in research involving young children.The concept of ‘postdigital’ offers fresh opportunities to disrupt dominant understandings of children’s play. Play emerges as an enigmatic and shape-shifting human and more-than-human agentic force that operates beyond digital/non-digital, online/ offline binaries. By attuning to race, gender, age and language, invisible and colonising aspects of postdigital worldings the authors show how global education research can be reimagined through a posthumanist decentering of children without erasure.Postdigital Play and Global Education puts into practice Karen Barad’s agential realism, but also a range of postdevelopmental and posthumanist writings from diverse fields. The book will be of particular interest to researchers looking for guidance to enact agential realist and posthumanist philosophies in research involving young children.
The Polls Weren't Wrong
by Carl AllenInterpreting poll data as a prediction of election outcomes is a practice as old as the field, rooted in a fundamental misunderstanding of what poll data means.By first understanding how polls work at a fundamental level, this book gives readers the ability to discern flaws in the current methods. Then, through specific political examples from both the United States and the United Kingdom, it is shown how polls famously derided as "wrong" were, in fact, accurate. While polls are not always accurate, the reasons we can and can’t (rightly) call them "wrong" are explained in this book.This book will equip readers with the tools to navigate the mismatch of expectations. It is not intended to replace more technical applications of statistics but is accessible to anyone interested in learning more about how poll data should be understood, compared to how it’s currently misunderstood.
The Polls Weren't Wrong
by Carl AllenInterpreting poll data as a prediction of election outcomes is a practice as old as the field, rooted in a fundamental misunderstanding of what poll data means.By first understanding how polls work at a fundamental level, this book gives readers the ability to discern flaws in the current methods. Then, through specific political examples from both the United States and the United Kingdom, it is shown how polls famously derided as "wrong" were, in fact, accurate. While polls are not always accurate, the reasons we can and can’t (rightly) call them "wrong" are explained in this book.This book will equip readers with the tools to navigate the mismatch of expectations. It is not intended to replace more technical applications of statistics but is accessible to anyone interested in learning more about how poll data should be understood, compared to how it’s currently misunderstood.
BrAsian Family Practices and Reflexivity: Behind the Boxing Ropes (Routledge Advances in Sociology)
by Izram ChaudryContesting stereotypical and deterministic accounts of British South Asian Muslims (BrAsians), which have largely contributed towards the perpetuation of Islamophobia, this book analyses how the influence of parents, extended family, and community support and constrain the lives of a younger generation of amateur and professional boxers. Through an analysis of several case studies involving men and women amateur and professional boxers, complemented with immersive ethnographic accounts, BrAsian Family Practices and Reflexivity: Behind the Boxing Ropes challenges stereotypical depictions of BrAsian parental practices. Offering an alternative perspective, this book considers how BrAsian parents engage in reflexive deliberation as opposed to passively adhering to religious edicts or cultural diktats prior to promoting or preventing their child’s personal projects. In the process Chaudry unearths how family relationship dynamics reflect their religious, cultured, gendered and classed beliefs. This book will be of interest to students, academics, think tanks, policy makers and those studying sociology of family, family practices, multi-cultural societies, ethnography, and sports/leisure studies.
BrAsian Family Practices and Reflexivity: Behind the Boxing Ropes (Routledge Advances in Sociology)
by Izram ChaudryContesting stereotypical and deterministic accounts of British South Asian Muslims (BrAsians), which have largely contributed towards the perpetuation of Islamophobia, this book analyses how the influence of parents, extended family, and community support and constrain the lives of a younger generation of amateur and professional boxers. Through an analysis of several case studies involving men and women amateur and professional boxers, complemented with immersive ethnographic accounts, BrAsian Family Practices and Reflexivity: Behind the Boxing Ropes challenges stereotypical depictions of BrAsian parental practices. Offering an alternative perspective, this book considers how BrAsian parents engage in reflexive deliberation as opposed to passively adhering to religious edicts or cultural diktats prior to promoting or preventing their child’s personal projects. In the process Chaudry unearths how family relationship dynamics reflect their religious, cultured, gendered and classed beliefs. This book will be of interest to students, academics, think tanks, policy makers and those studying sociology of family, family practices, multi-cultural societies, ethnography, and sports/leisure studies.
Understanding Social Sustainability in a Hill Town: Water Governance in Shillong (Transition in Northeastern India)
by Bankerlang KharmylliemNestled amidst rolling hills, Shillong, the Himalayan capital city of Meghalaya in India’s northeast, faces a growing challenge of water scarcity. This timely book examines the role of urban and traditional village councils (the Khasi dorbar shnong) in shaping equitable water distribution and management through the lens of social sustainability. The book navigates through the complexities of water governance, shedding light on the challenges and opportunities and elucidating the interplay between tradition and modernity in urban governance. It also features narratives of success and struggle, and covers diverse themes, including social capital and gender. It initially foregrounds social sustainability setting the context for the study. It ventures into a detailed examination of the institutions of the village councils, with particular attention to water equity and water governance, including highlighting differences between municipal and non-municipal areas. The volume offers significant theoretical and empirical insights into Shillong's water challenges, filling a gap in the literature on northeast hill towns/cities.Part of Transitions in Northeastern India series, this book will be valuable to a diverse audience including students, researchers, policy practitioners, community leaders, and general readers interested in urban studies, sociology, development studies, public administration, Asian studies, sustainability, and those concerned about our urban-water future.
Exploring China's Religious Sites: Digital and Spatial Insights (ISSN)
by Zhaohui HongThis book employs cutting-edge digital and spatial methodologies to tackle the critical issue of religious site scarcity across China for five major religions: Protestantism, Catholicism, Buddhism, Daoism, and Islam, spanning the period from 1911 to 2004.Drawing from Chinese government datasets and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), this comprehensive work presents official information concerning religious sites and pinpoints specific cities facing shortages in such sites. The book also offers an in-depth analysis of religious sites, delving into their statistical, historical, comparative, and religious contexts and evolving significance within China, shedding light on the unique challenges and opportunities each religion faces.This groundbreaking book uncovers spatial patterns and relationships, providing new insights into the distribution of religious sites and the evolution of Chinese religious practices since 1911. It will be an invaluable resource for students and scholars of modern China, religious studies, and digital and spatial humanities.
Exploring China's Religious Sites: Digital and Spatial Insights (ISSN)
by Zhaohui HongThis book employs cutting-edge digital and spatial methodologies to tackle the critical issue of religious site scarcity across China for five major religions: Protestantism, Catholicism, Buddhism, Daoism, and Islam, spanning the period from 1911 to 2004.Drawing from Chinese government datasets and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), this comprehensive work presents official information concerning religious sites and pinpoints specific cities facing shortages in such sites. The book also offers an in-depth analysis of religious sites, delving into their statistical, historical, comparative, and religious contexts and evolving significance within China, shedding light on the unique challenges and opportunities each religion faces.This groundbreaking book uncovers spatial patterns and relationships, providing new insights into the distribution of religious sites and the evolution of Chinese religious practices since 1911. It will be an invaluable resource for students and scholars of modern China, religious studies, and digital and spatial humanities.
Understanding Social Sustainability in a Hill Town: Water Governance in Shillong (Transition in Northeastern India)
by Bankerlang KharmylliemNestled amidst rolling hills, Shillong, the Himalayan capital city of Meghalaya in India’s northeast, faces a growing challenge of water scarcity. This timely book examines the role of urban and traditional village councils (the Khasi dorbar shnong) in shaping equitable water distribution and management through the lens of social sustainability. The book navigates through the complexities of water governance, shedding light on the challenges and opportunities and elucidating the interplay between tradition and modernity in urban governance. It also features narratives of success and struggle, and covers diverse themes, including social capital and gender. It initially foregrounds social sustainability setting the context for the study. It ventures into a detailed examination of the institutions of the village councils, with particular attention to water equity and water governance, including highlighting differences between municipal and non-municipal areas. The volume offers significant theoretical and empirical insights into Shillong's water challenges, filling a gap in the literature on northeast hill towns/cities.Part of Transitions in Northeastern India series, this book will be valuable to a diverse audience including students, researchers, policy practitioners, community leaders, and general readers interested in urban studies, sociology, development studies, public administration, Asian studies, sustainability, and those concerned about our urban-water future.
The Essential Speeches of the Cold War: A Primary Source Collection (Routledge Studies in Modern History)
by Sean BrennanThis book is a primary source collection of 30 speeches of the Cold War from 1917 to 1991, representing a cross section of leaders on all sides of the conflict from North America, the Caribbean, Europe and Asia.As ideological conflict between superpowers returns to the world, it is more essential than ever to understand the superpower conflict which dominated the second half of the previous century. The Cold War was fought with rhetoric and propaganda as much as economic or military strength. The Essential Speeches of the Cold War explores all stages of the Cold War from its origins after the Russian Revolution to its conclusion with the collapse of the Soviet Union seven decades later, offering a clear understanding of its history and turning points as told through its public diplomacy. Each speech has a historical introduction written by the author, as well as extensive historical footnotes discussing its significance and historical context.This useful guide to how the rhetoric used during the Cold War helped shape our modern world will be a valuable resource for undergraduate and graduate scholars of the conflict, as well as for students of modern political rhetoric in international relations.
Routledge Handbook of Esports (Routledge International Handbooks)
by Seth E. JennyThe Routledge Handbook of Esports offers the first fully comprehensive, interdisciplinary study of esports, one of the fastest growing sectors of the contemporary sports and entertainment industries. Global in coverage, the book emphasizes the multifaceted nature of esports and explores the most pressing issues defining the competitive video gaming landscape today. Featuring the work of 93 leading esports academics and industry specialists from around the world, and rigorously peer-reviewed, the book is structured around ten key themes: 1) Introduction to Esports, 2) Esports Research, 3) Esports Players, 4) Esports Business and Management, 5) Esports Media and Communication, 6) Esports Education, 7) Critical Concerns in Esports, 8) Global Esports Cultures, 9) Esports Future Directions, and 10) Key Terms Definitions. Examining the current state of esports, emerging areas of interest and the ongoing debates shaping the esports industry, each of the 62 chapters offers key highlights, an assessment of the latest research, practical esports examples and recommendations, and is complemented by enlightening case studies or industry interviews. For further academic and professional depth, chapters also include a guide to recommended additional resources. Explaining technical terms and gaming jargon in a user-friendly manner, and maintaining a balanced tone throughout, this handbook is essential reading for any student or researcher with an interest in esports, gaming, or sport studies, and for any practitioner or policy-maker working in the esports industry.
The Essential Speeches of the Cold War: A Primary Source Collection (Routledge Studies in Modern History)
by Sean BrennanThis book is a primary source collection of 30 speeches of the Cold War from 1917 to 1991, representing a cross section of leaders on all sides of the conflict from North America, the Caribbean, Europe and Asia.As ideological conflict between superpowers returns to the world, it is more essential than ever to understand the superpower conflict which dominated the second half of the previous century. The Cold War was fought with rhetoric and propaganda as much as economic or military strength. The Essential Speeches of the Cold War explores all stages of the Cold War from its origins after the Russian Revolution to its conclusion with the collapse of the Soviet Union seven decades later, offering a clear understanding of its history and turning points as told through its public diplomacy. Each speech has a historical introduction written by the author, as well as extensive historical footnotes discussing its significance and historical context.This useful guide to how the rhetoric used during the Cold War helped shape our modern world will be a valuable resource for undergraduate and graduate scholars of the conflict, as well as for students of modern political rhetoric in international relations.
Routledge Handbook of Esports (Routledge International Handbooks)
The Routledge Handbook of Esports offers the first fully comprehensive, interdisciplinary study of esports, one of the fastest growing sectors of the contemporary sports and entertainment industries. Global in coverage, the book emphasizes the multifaceted nature of esports and explores the most pressing issues defining the competitive video gaming landscape today. Featuring the work of 93 leading esports academics and industry specialists from around the world, and rigorously peer-reviewed, the book is structured around ten key themes: 1) Introduction to Esports, 2) Esports Research, 3) Esports Players, 4) Esports Business and Management, 5) Esports Media and Communication, 6) Esports Education, 7) Critical Concerns in Esports, 8) Global Esports Cultures, 9) Esports Future Directions, and 10) Key Terms Definitions. Examining the current state of esports, emerging areas of interest and the ongoing debates shaping the esports industry, each of the 62 chapters offers key highlights, an assessment of the latest research, practical esports examples and recommendations, and is complemented by enlightening case studies or industry interviews. For further academic and professional depth, chapters also include a guide to recommended additional resources. Explaining technical terms and gaming jargon in a user-friendly manner, and maintaining a balanced tone throughout, this handbook is essential reading for any student or researcher with an interest in esports, gaming, or sport studies, and for any practitioner or policy-maker working in the esports industry.
Harold Wilson
by Alan JohnsonThe ex-politician and bestselling author’s take on the life and premierships of Harold Wilson.
Bayou: Feasting Through the Seasons of a Cajun Life
by Melissa M. MartinAward-winning author of Mosquito Supper Club, Melissa Martin shares a year in the life of South Louisiana cooking and all the dishes that are eaten to celebrate life&’s big and small moments * Named one of Publishers Weekly&’s Top 10 Cookbooks for Fall 2024 People on the Louisiana bayou mark the seasons of the Cajun calendar with traditions, emotions, and gatherings around the table to feast. In this highly anticipated next book from the author of the James Beard Award-winning Mosquito Supper Club, Melissa Martin shares a year of celebrations, both big and small, through 100 Southern Louisiana recipes that combine humble ingredients, such as onions, potatoes, and peppers, and the local bounty, including shrimp and crabs. Made-to-share recipes like Carnival Crawfish Boil and Etouffee ring in the New Year and kickstart the Carnival season, which is a time for abundance and decadence. Lent unfolds with simple, fresh foods like Cabbage Slaw and Fried Fish Collars. Summer ushers in the bright bounty of shrimp season. Families and friends band together in October for boucheries, feasting on Cracklins and Back Bone Stew, then gather with loved ones for hearty homey holiday dishes like Fried Turkey, Holiday Dressing, and Red Velvet Cake. With illuminating sidebars and stunning photography, Martin illustrates what Cajun people already know: the table is a place for restoration, nourishment, and communion.
Two Lies and a Lord: Seduction 4 (The Seduction)
by Eloisa James'Nothing gets me to a bookstore faster than Eloisa James' Julia QuinnWhen a surprise lands on Daisy's doorstep, she blurts out a lie that leads to marriage . . . And then realises her wedding night looms! A new hilarious, sexy convenient marriage story by bestselling author Eloisa James.Miss Daisy Wharton had grown accustomed to thinking of Lord Miles Devin as a man who can solve any problem, so when her half-sister Belle is left in a basket at her door, she turns to Miles, hoping he can save Belle from an orphanage.Miles has decided to marry, but impetuous Daisy is out of question-until he is forced to propose. After her lie unravels, Daisy promises to be an honourable, virtuous, and perfect wife in every way. When she isn't, their marriage breaks down.Miles loathes falsehoods. What can make him admit the most significant lie is his own:Pretending that he doesn't love his wife just as she is?......Praise for Eloisa James:'Eloisa James is extraordinary' Lisa Kleypas'Smart heroines, sensual heroes, witty repartee and a penchant for delicious romance have made James a fan favorite . . . readers will be hooked from beginning to end' RT Book Reviews'Romance writing does not get much better than this' People'Eloisa James writes with a captivating blend of charm, style, and grace that never fails to leave the reader sighing and smiling and falling in love' Julia Quinn'Charming, romantic and unexpectedly funny' Kirkus
All I Want is You: The dreamiest new rivals-to-lovers, second-chance, bookish Christmas romance!
by Falon Ballard'Somehow simultaneously heart-wrenching and cozy, Ballard has written the most stunning second-chance holiday romance. Filled to the brim with spice and tension, All I Want Is You, is a fast-paced, sincere, and unputdownable read' HANNAH BONAM-YOUNG'Falon Ballard is the queen of sexual tension! A gorgeous second chance romance full of holiday spice that is deliciously naughty and nice! I loved it!' JENNY BAYLISS______________________Bitter exes. Professional rivals. Just one bed. What could go wrong? Jessica Carrington always wanted her own happily ever after. But, until that happens, she spends her days as a small-time romance writer, penning satisfying Happily Ever Afters to soothe the heartache left by her ex-boyfriend Nick Matthews, a fellow romance writer and now her biggest rival, who has found success writing love stories without happy endings. It's clearly what he's good at, after all . . . So, when their professional obligations find them snowed in - and forced to share a room! - at the same remote inn a few days before Christmas, Jess and Nick are both fuming. But what's more fitting for two romantic writers in a slump? And when they realise the friction between them might be the only cure for their writer's block, they decide to turn their frustration into fiction . . . and the pages start flying. Jess can't shake the feeling that Nick is the last guy on earth she should be falling for (again), but, as they both finally get back in their flow, is he actually all she wants for Christmas?________________________'Falon's writing sizzles with wry humor, spiced holiday heat, and boughs of charm-this is her best yet! All I Want is You is a one-sitting read that will make you believe in the miracle of happily ever after' JEN COMFORT'Ballard cements herself as one of the genre's most binge-worthy authors. Delay those holiday plans because you will not be able to put this book down. Dim the lights, top off the cocoa, and snuggle-up-All I Want Is You is the season's sweetest and steamiest addiction!' COURTNEY KAE'All I Want Is You made me laugh out loud because what's not to love about this second chance, forced proximity, enemies-to-lovers Christmas romance about two competing authors? A fun, sexy read that romance lovers are sure to adore. Add this sugar'n'spice treat to your holiday reading list right away' HOLLY CASSIDY
A Tide of Black Steel
by Anthony Ryan'Sprawling in scope, forged with depth of lore and living history, full of betrayals and deaths and twists and epic battles' Grimdark MagazineA NEW AGE HAS DAWNED. AN AGE OF BLOOD AND STEEL. AN AGE OF WRATH. The land of Ascarlia, a fabled realm of bloodied steel and epic sagas, has been ruled by the Sister Queens for centuries. No one has dared question their rule.Until now.Whispers speak of longships of mysterious tattooed warriors, sailing under the banners of a murderous cult of oath-breakers long thought extinct. A tide of black steel that threatens to vanquish all in its path.Thera of the Blackspear, favoured servant of the Sister Queens, is ordered to uncover the truth. As Thera sails north, her reviled brother, Felnir, sets out on his own adventure. He hopes to find the Vault of the Altvar - the treasure room of the gods - and win the Sister Queens' favour at his sister's expense.Both siblings - along with a brilliant young scribe and a prisoner with a terrifying, primal power - will play a part in the coming storm.The Age of Wrath has begun.A Tide of Black Steel begins a new blockbuster epic fantasy series from international bestseller Anthony Ryan, whose books have sold more than a million copies worldwide. Praise for Anthony Ryan'A gritty, heart-pounding tale of betrayal and bloody vengeance' John Gwynne'The Pariah is Anthony Ryan at his best. A fast-paced, brutal fantasy novel with larger-than-life characters and a plot full of intrigue and suspense' Grimdark Magazine'This is Anthony Ryan's best book yet' Michael Fletcher'Fantastic writing, an amazing world, a plot that won't quit, and an unforgettable character . . . Anthony Ryan is one of the best epic fantasy authors out there' Bookworm Blues'Gritty and well-drawn, this makes a rich treat for George R. R. Martin fans' Publishers Weekly (starred review)Books by Anthony RyanRaven's ShadowBlood SongTower LordQueen of FireRaven's BladeThe Wolf's CallThe Black SongDraconis MemoriaThe Waking FireThe Legion of FlameThe Empire of AshesThe Covenant of SteelThe PariahThe MartyrThe TraitorWriting as A. J. RyanRed River Seven
Adam and Evie's Matchmaking Tour
by Nora NguyenA rollicking, unforgettable romance about two strangers finding love despite their best efforts as they embark on a sweeping matchmaking tour through Việt Nam.Evie Lang's life is in shambles. On the heels of losing her beloved aunt, she's unceremoniously fired from her poetry professorship. Lacking income and inspiration, she has no idea how to move forward - until hope arrives in the form of a surprising letter.Auntie Hảo has left her house in San Francisco to Evie. The catch? To inherit, she must go on a pre-arranged matchmaking tour in Việt Nam.Adam Quyền has a chip on his shoulder. He's working for his sister's elite matchmaking company and desperate to prove himself, so when she challenges him to join the first tour, he reluctantly agrees.Adam thinks Evie is chaotic and unpredictable. Evie thinks Adam is grumpy and uptight. But their chemistry is undeniable, their animosity charged with attraction. Will they find their perfect match in the last place they thought to look? An enemies-to-lovers romcom for everyone who's lost their faith in love.
One on One: a steamy enemies-to-lovers workplace romance
by Jamie Harrow'Move over, hockey romance fans. There's a new game in town . . . The perfect blend of romance, spice, and a healthy dollop of a serious issue that bears addressing' Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling author of By Any Other Name'I will be shouting about my love for One on One until my voice gives out . . . A new all-time favorite' Jessica Joyce, USA Today bestselling author of You, With a View'An immersive, sexy, absolute winner of a debut . . . Jamie Harrow has a forever fan in me!' Sarah Adler, USA Today bestselling author of Happy Medium A steamy enemies-to-lovers workplace romcom for fans of Sally Thorne, Hannah Grace and Beth O'LearyAnnie Radford swore she'd never work in college basketball again, but eight years after fleeing her job with the Ardwyn Tigers, she has no choice but to accept a role as the team's hype woman and videographer.Annie's old friend and colleague, Ben Callahan, is as sexy and wholesome as ever, but why is he so determined to undermine her? Clearly, he hasn't forgiven her for disappearing on them in senior year.When Annie and Ben find themselves competing to keep their jobs, tensions rise and old feelings come sizzling to the surface.With everything on the line, including their hearts, can they put their differences aside to work together and save the team? Or will the truth of why Annie left destroy their tentative new relationship . . . ?
The Metaverse: A Critical Introduction
by Maggi Savin-Baden David BurdenThe Metaverse: A Critical Introduction provides a clear, concise, and well-grounded introduction to the concept of the Metaverse, its history, the technology, the opportunities, the challenges, and how it is having an impact on almost every facet of society. The book serves as a stand-alone introduction to the Metaverse and as an introduction to the range of topics that will be covered by the specialist volumes in The Metaverse Series.Key Features: a concise history of the Metaverse idea and related implementations to date; an examination of what the Metaverse actually is; an introduction to the fundamental technologies used in the Metaverse; an overview of how the different uses and aspects of the Metaverse are having an impact on our lives across multiple disciplines and social contexts; a consideration of the opportunities and challenges of the evolving Metaverse; and a sense of how the Metaverse may mature over the coming decades. This book is a primer and Metaverse reader, drawing on academic research and practical and commercial experiences and taking inspiration from the science fiction origins and treatments of the Metaverse. The book explores the use of the increasing number of virtual worlds and proto-Metaverses which have existed since the late 1990s and includes a critical consideration of recent developments in cryptoworlds and mixed reality. The aim is to provide professional and lay readers, researchers, academics, and students with an indispensable guide to what counts as a metaverse, the opportunities and challenges, and how the future of the coming Metaverse can best be guided.
Ontological Security-Seeking: National Identities under Stress (Routledge Global Security Studies)
by Regina KarpThis book addresses a central puzzle in ontological security theory, namely the relationship between identity continuity and change, and the role anxiety plays in fostering and inhibiting change.The work argues for a more nuanced perspective on how change and threats to national identity relate, thus advancing our understanding of the role anxiety plays in shaping state choices. The case studies of Sweden and Germany show that national identity can experience highly disruptive challenges when the external security environment changes. According to extant ontological security theory, these structural challenges should lead to heightened anxiety and identity crises as national narratives become unstable and fragile. Instead, empirical evidence shows that states turn ontological anxiety into strategies of anxiety abatement, management, and ontological innovation. The evidence also reveals that states go to extraordinary lengths to maintain existing narratives, discursively maneuvring between the twin needs of biographical continuity and responsiveness to change. In their efforts to adapt and preserve identity, states embrace ontological ambiguity; they neither fully respond to change, nor do they ignore it. Rather, they strive for discursive innovation where new interpretations of how to be are balanced with new interpretations of the meaning of necessary change. In the process, ontological ambiguity becomes the new normal. These findings suggest that Sweden and Germany may not be outliers, and that being and becoming is an inherent feature of social life all state actors must engage with.This book will be of interest to students of security studies, European politics, foreign policy, and international relations.
Democratic Backsliding in Post-Mubarak Egypt
by ArshadArshad examines the phenomenon of ‘democratic backsliding’ in post-2011 Egypt. Capturing a critical juncture in Egyptian politics, this book explains the failure of Egypt’s nascent democratic experiment and its relapse into authoritarianism.Egypt is the crucial playbook to understand the reversal of a country towards an authoritarian regime and what measures state and non-state actors should employ to prevent backsliding. The book is an essential model for understanding democratic backsliding through ‘structural and agential’ factors. The former encompasses society, politics, economics, and the military, while the latter deals with the choices and attitudes of the leadership during the political transition. Providing crucial insights into what went wrong during the democratic transition process, this text acts as a guide to curbing the rise of authoritarian regimes in the face of the next potential revolution.The book is a valuable resource for scholars who are interested in democratisation, authoritarian regimes, military leadership, political protests, and political leadership.