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Fire and Blood: The inspiration for HBO’s House of the Dragon (A Song of Ice and Fire #Book 3)
by null George R.R. MartinTHE INSPIRATION FOR HBO AND SKY TV’S EMMY NOMINATED HOUSE OF THE DRAGON. Centuries before A Game of Thrones, an even greater game began, one that set the skies alight with dragon flame and saw the Seven Kingdoms turned to ash. So began the Targaryens’ bloody rule, with fire and blood. Setting brother against brother, mother against daughter, and dragon against dragon. Chronicled by a learned maester of the Citadel, this thrilling and bloody history of Westeros tells the story of where the battle for the Iron Throne began…
Murder on the Dance Floor (The Sequin Mysteries #1)
by null Shirley Ballas null Sheila McClureBehind the sequins and the sparkles, the competition is about to turn deadly . . . ‘I loved it! I’m quite convinced I’ve danced with Lily Richmond, and if anyone can solve a few crimes she can …’ ANTON DU BEKE 💃 🕺 🔪 When a promising young dancer collapses during the opening tango of a major competition, Lily Richmond, dance legend, teacher and one-time world champion, is convinced that murder is afoot. There’s only one person who can help Lily solve the mystery: her former student, now turned private detective, Susie Cooper. But Susie vowed she’d never return to the ballroom … As the competition gets fiercer and the bodies pile up, Susie will be forced to go undercover in Blackpool and come face to face with a man she thought she’d left behind. Can Lily and Susie unravel the rumours from the rumbas and expose the murderer’s identity before they strike again? Sex, lies and ballroom dancing. Murder on the Dance Floor is a backstage pass to a world where the most ambitious will stop at nothing to win. 🔎🔎 Two amateur detectives on the case 🌹 One second chance romance 🌶 Sex, lies and backstabbing 🔪🔪🔪 And a whole lot of deadly ambition… If you like your crime deadly and your romance spicy, look no further * * * Readers are LOVING Murder on the Dance Floor: ‘If you are a Strictly fan, get reading’ ‘Loved this twisty, turny murder mystery set in the ruthless world of ballroom dancing’ ‘A glamorous and intriguing whodunnit … No one could bring it better to life than Shirley Ballas’ ‘It’s a ten from me…Who would have thought the world of dancing could make such a great backdrop for a murder mystery?’ ‘Full of fun, mystery, sequins and, of course, dance!’
The Twilight Garden
by null Sara Nisha AdamsThe spellbinding new novel from the acclaimed author of The Reading List Welcome to The Twilight Garden – the neighbourhood's best-kept secret… ‘It was a complete joy’ Sally Page, bestselling author of The Keeper of Stories __________________________________________________________ For too long, Winston has lived a quiet life. But when a mystery parcel drops on his doormat – a curious collection of photographs showing a community garden, his garden, bursting with life years ago – it sparks a bigger change than he could ever imagine. Who is the secret gardener? And what are they trying to tell him? All Winston knows is The Twilight Garden holds an extraordinary story; humming with memories just waiting to be unearthed. And the garden can work its magic on the community again – if only he finds the courage to invite people in… Readers love Sara Nisha Adams’ storytelling: ‘I laughed, smiled, cried, and didn't want it to end’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘So beautifully written and I loved every single character! This is so much hope and love in every page’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Thoroughly uplifting and at times poignant. Wonderful book!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘One of the most heartwarming and inspiring books I've ever read’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘If you need a book that gives you hope, this is it’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Advances in Pilot Wave Theory: From Experiments to Foundations (Boston Studies in the Philosophy and History of Science #344)
by Paulo Castro John W. M. Bush José CrocaThis book provides a state-of-the-art review of Pilot Wave Theory at the beginning of the XXI century. It contains the best contributions of the first International Conference on Advances in Pilot Wave Theory, held in Lisbon in 2021. The event brought together physicists from the new emerging field of Hydrodynamic Quantum Analogs (HQA) and philosophers of science. Three main themes were discussed: 1. Hydrodynamic quantum analogs, 2. Theoretical advances in pilot wave physics and, 3. Philosophical foundations of pilot wave theory. Recent experimental work in HQA has provided impetus to develop the pilot-wave approach into a realistic basis of quantum mechanics, specifically a dynamical completion of the existing theory of quantum statistics. To that end, the meeting featured theoretical work that advanced Louis de Broglie original pilot wave theory. This collection shows how several aspects of quantum systems have been reproduced in the hydrodynamic environment, and how the power of analogy suggests the possibility of a relatively intelligible quantum realm. Most notably, the notion of memory, as engendered in the pilot-wave-hydrodynamic system, suggests a profitable direction to explore in developing a more complete description of quantum phenomena. This book is expected to be of great interest to physicists, computer scientists and philosophers of science interested in the foundations of Quantum Mechanics. Chapter 1 and Chapter 12 are available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.
Praxisorientiertes Managementwissen: Die Existenz von Unternehmen in schwierigen Zeiten sichern
by Valentin Schackmann Werner ZieglerUnternehmen sind zunehmend sukzessiven und disruptiven Entwicklungen ausgesetzt und müssen sich entsprechend anpassen, um die eigene Existenz zu sichern. Es geht darum, schnell zu lernen, anpassungsfähig und innovativ zu sein. Möchten Verantwortliche auf den Wandel nicht nur reagieren, sondern ihn aktiv gestalten, benötigen sie grundlegendes und fundiertes Wissen über die aktuellen Veränderungsprozesse. Dieses Fachbuch richtet sich an Führungskräfte, Geschäftsführer, Gesellschafter und Mitarbeiter und hilft dabei, eine übergeordnete, integrierende Perspektive einzunehmen, um verantwortungsvoll sowie zukunftsorientiert entscheiden und handeln zu können. Die Beitragsautoren geben zu nachfolgenden Kernthemen einen verständlichen, wissenschaftlich fundierten und praxisorientierten Überblick: Management ist Entscheidung und Verantwortung Menschliche Entscheidungen verstehen und systematische Entscheidungsfallen vermeiden Unternehmertum – ein vielschichtiges, zeitloses und nachhaltiges Konzept VUCA, Stress und Ressourcen: Analysen und Gestaltungsempfehlungen für Führungskräfte aus wirtschaftspsychologischer Sicht Corporate Governance: Implikationen verantwortungsvoller Unternehmensführung Management by Future – Zukunftstrends als Wegweiser in der Transformation Internationalisierung und Globalisierung Innovationsmanagement: Die acht Felder der Innovation Das Management von Transformation Digitalisierung von Unternehmen Betriebswirtschaftliche Konzepte mit Schwerpunkt Finanzwesen
Fluorescence Spectroscopy and Microscopy in Biology (Springer Series on Fluorescence #20)
by Radek Šachl Mariana AmaroThis book provides the reader with an updated comprehensive view of the rapidly developing and fascinating field of fluorescence spectroscopy and microscopy. In recent years, fluorescence spectroscopy and microscopy have experienced rapid technological development, which has enabled the detection and monitoring of single molecules with high spatial and temporal resolution. Thanks to these developments, fluorescence has become an even more popular method in physical, biological and related fields. This book guides the reader through both basic and advanced fluorescence spectroscopy and microscopy approaches with a focus on their applications in membrane and protein biophysics. Each of the four parts: A - Fluorescence Spectroscopy, B - Fluorescence Microscopy, C - Applications of Fluorescence Spectroscopy and Microscopy to biological membranes and D - Applications of Fluorescence Spectroscopy to protein studies are written by experts within the field. The book isintended for both complete beginners who want to quickly orient themselves in the large number of existing fluorescent methods, as well as for advanced readers who are interested in particular methods and their proper use. Chapter “Dynamics and Hydration of Proteins Viewed by Fluorescence Methods: Investigations for Protein Engineering and Synthetic Biology” is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.
Streptococcus suis: Methods and Protocols (Methods in Molecular Biology #2815)
by Jesús Arenas BustoThis volume covers the classic and new techniques used to study the zoonotic pathogen Streptococcus suis. The chapters in this book cover are organized in four sections and cover topics such as techniques for cultivation, isolation, typing of S. suis biofilm formation and genetic manipulation; analysis of antibiotic resistance and transference; detection in pigs and infection models; and evaluation of economic impact and prevention. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Comprehensive and thorough, Streptococcus suis: Methods and Protocols is a valuable resource for both novel and expert researchers who want to expand their knowledge of this important field.
Frontiers in Membrane Technology: 7th IWA-RMTC 2024 (Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering #525)
by Giorgio Mannina How Yong NgThis volume highlights the latest advances, innovations, and applications related to membrane technologies for water and wastewater treatment as presented by leading researchers at the 7th IWA Regional Membrane Technology Conference (IWA-RMTC), held in Palermo, Italy on June 18-21, 2024. The event took place together with the International Conference on Wider-Uptake of Water Resource Recovery from Wastewater Treatment (ICWRR). The contributions cover a wide range of topics such as membrane materials and configurations, hybrid membrane processes, drinking water treatment, domestic/industrial wastewater treatment, water reuse, resource recovery from wastewater, energy recovery from water and wastewater, desalination, membrane fouling mechanisms and control. The contributions were selected by means of a rigorous peer-review process and highlight many exciting ideas that will spur novel research directions and foster multidisciplinary collaboration among different water specialists.
Preventive Cardiovascular Nursing: Resilience across the Lifespan for Optimal Cardiovascular Wellness
by Sandra B. Dunbar Lynne T. BraunThis book provides a comprehensive overview of essential concepts and evidence that guide the practice of contemporary preventive cardiovascular nursing. The sections incorporate a lifespan approach to cardiovascular wellness, and provide perspectives on sources of known and emerging cardiovascular risk factors as well as the spectrum of multidimensional factors including biological, behavioral, psychological and sociocultural influences on cardiovascular wellness, risk, and the evolution of cardiovascular conditions. Unique features address: 1) building resilience across the lifespan such that optimal cardiovascular wellness can be attained within multiple contexts of health states to increase a healthy lifespan and longevity; 2) behavior change skills for risk factor reduction; 3) risk factors and risk reduction approaches with special populations defined by gender, , age and aging, heath states, and health equity issues; and 4) high level roles for cardiovascular nurses as provider - risk assessor, communicator and care provider; educator, leader, patient and health advocate. Relevant case studies are included throughout to facilitate the application of the content. This book fills a gap in that there is no other book on preventive cardiovascular nursing care and roles , and it provides support for the nurse to lead relevant interdisciplinary teams. The book will empower nurses to build knowledge and skills for cardiovascular prevention and to provide leadership for optimal cardiovascular wellness for patients and communities.
Information Security Theory and Practice: 14th IFIP WG 11.2 International Conference, WISTP 2024, Paris, France, February 29 – March 1, 2024, Proceedings (Lecture Notes in Computer Science #14625)
by Samia Bouzefrane Damien SauveronThis volume constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 14th IFIP WG 11.2 International Conference on Information Security Theory and Practices, WISTP 2024, held in Paris, France. The 12 full papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from 30 submissions. The papers presented in this proceedings focus on emerging trends in security and privacy, including experimental studies of fielded systems while exploring the application of security technology, and highlighting successful system implementations.
Das letzte Coaching: Wie Sie eigene Stärken durch Selbstcoaching erfolgreich fördern (essentials)
by Yevhen BohdanovWarum sind manche Menschen erfolgreicher und glücklicher als andere? Geht es um Talente oder Genies? Nein! Ihre Stärken haben Sie genügend! Unser Problem ist nicht, dass wir weniger Stärken als nötig haben; unser Problem ist, dass wir das Vorhandene nicht anwenden. Welche Stärken haben Sie persönlich, wie lässt es sich feststellen und wie können Sie sie umsetzen? Was wird Ihnen nie gelingen, auch wenn Sie sich anstrengen? Im Buch nehme ich Sie an die Hand und zeige Ihnen an Praxisbeispielen sowie mehrjähriger Beobachtungen meinen ganz pragmatischen Ansatz. Viel Spaß und Erfolg!
Proportions and Their Music: What Fractions and Tone Sequences Have to Do with Each Other
by Karlheinz SchüfflerSounds can be harmonic, number sequences too - a coincidence?This book deals with a musical theory of proportions, i.e. the ancient doctrine of proportions as the oldest and most important common anchorage of the two cultural sciences mathematics and music.The musical theory of tones, intervals, tetrachords, sounds and scales is in fact the exact musical image of the laws of arithmetic and its symmetries in the set of rules of playing with numbers, their proportions and their medievals. Alone the miracle of the so-called Harmonia perfecta maxima 6 - 8 - 9 - 12, whose proportions determine the fifth as well as the fourth, form the octave and have the brazen whole tone in their center, shaped the musical edifice of Pythagorean music for thousands of years. This elementary chain of proportions 6 : 8 : 9 : 12 is, moreover, completely symmetrical and built up from the arithmetic as well as from the harmonic medieta of the octave numbers 6 and 12.This book develops the theory of proportions as a mathematical science and always contrasts it with the musical motivation by means of numerous examples. The main idea is the derivation of a theory of symmetry from the Harmonia perfecta maxima to the Harmonia perfecta infinita abstracta, a process of unlimited tone generations by Babylonian mean iterations. From this, both the classical-antique diatonic is simultaneously extracted and the path "from the monochord to the organ" is re-examined.Finally, the work contains a mathematically guided introduction to the ancient tetrachordics as well as to the church tonal scales and concludes with an excursion into the sound worlds of the organ. Here the "foot-number rule of the organ" leads us by means of examples into the world of the tonal dispositions of this instrument and shows the omnipresence of the ancient theory of proportions. This book is suitable for anyone with an interest in mathematics and music.This book is a translation of the original German 1st edition Proportionen und ihre Musik by Karlheinz Schüffler, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature in 2019. 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. Springer Nature works continuously to further the development of tools for the production of books and on the related technologies to support the authors.
Complex Networks & Their Applications XII: Proceedings of The Twelfth International Conference on Complex Networks and their Applications: COMPLEX NETWORKS 2023 Volume 1 (Studies in Computational Intelligence #1141)
by Hocine Cherifi Chantal Cherifi Luis M. Rocha Murat DonduranThis book highlights cutting-edge research in the field of network science, offering scientists, researchers, students and practitioners a unique update on the latest advances in theory and a multitude of applications. It presents the peer-reviewed proceedings of the XII International Conference on Complex Networks and their Applications (COMPLEX NETWORKS 2023). The carefully selected papers cover a wide range of theoretical topics such as network embedding and network geometry; community structure, network dynamics; diffusion, epidemics and spreading processes; machine learning and graph neural networks as well as all the main network applications, including social and political networks; networks in finance and economics; biological networks and technological networks.
Education, Engagement, and Youth Crime: Case Studies in the Lived Experience of Education and Recidivism (Education in the Asia-Pacific Region: Issues, Concerns and Prospects #71)
by Cassandra Thoars David MoltowThis book presents insights into how affective educational experiences may be associated with youth criminal behaviour and the pathway to recidivism. It explores the perspectives and lived school experiences of five young adult male prison inmates, including while they were incarcerated as youths. Through these case studies, the book explores the relationship between affective engagement in education and recidivism.This book shows that participants were affectively disengaged from education prior to their initial incarceration in a youth detention facility, and that their disaffection before, during, and after youth incarceration both generated and impacted on their cognitive and behavioural disengagement from education. Moreover, a range of additional factors not directly causally related to their schooling were shown to have had a significant effect on their engagement in education. The book considers a number of key findings. First, the foundational role that a sense of belonging plays in how young people experience education and its relation to crime. Second, the importance of individualized transition plans for youth at risk, and youth offenders before, during, and after incarceration. Third, the extent to which successful transition from youth offending and recidivism hinges on interagency collaboration. This book will be beneficial to teacher educators, education researchers, criminologists and sociologists.
Deep Learning and Computational Physics
by Deep Ray Orazio Pinti Assad A. OberaiThe main objective of this book is to introduce a student who is familiar with elementary math concepts to select topics in deep learning. It exploits strong connections between deep learning algorithms and the techniques of computational physics to achieve two important goals. First, it uses concepts from computational physics to develop an understanding of deep learning algorithms. Second, it describes several novel deep learning algorithms for solving challenging problems in computational physics, thereby offering someone who is interested in modeling physical phenomena with a complementary set of tools. It is intended for senior undergraduate and graduate students in science and engineering programs. It is used as a textbook for a course (or a course sequence) for senior-level undergraduate or graduate-level students.
Geographies of the Platform Economy: Critical Perspectives (Economic Geography)
by Mário Vale Daniela Ferreira Nuno RodriguesThis book provides a wider understanding of the geographies of the platform economy, focusing on the critical perspectives that have emerged on this new economic and digital context. Technological development, particularly the emergence of big data in combination with platforms, additive manufacturing, advanced robotics, machine learning and the internet of things, has created conditions for the appearance of a new economic context predominantly based on new forms of services. This new economic context has been described as the platform economy or platform capitalism. Other designations have also appeared to describe particular consequences of this new phenomena, such as the gig economy or the sharing economy.There is a significant diversity of scientific fields that are studying topics related to the platform economy. Several studies have emerged from different fields, including, but not limited to, geography, economy, sociology, information science, management, marketing, or the humanities. However, geography has become an important field to understand the platform economy given its critical position over the economic, cultural, and social issues that stem from this new economic context. The purpose of this book is to approach these discussions and offer a critical view of the platform economy from the perspective of geography, stemming from the different subfields of the discipline and not restricted to what has been referred to as Digital Geography.This book will appeal to scholars, undergraduate and postgraduate students in the social sciences. It will be particularly relevant to those with research interests in digital geographies and economic geography, economics and business.
Professionalism and Social Change: Processes of Differentiation Within, Between and Beyond Professions
by Lara Maestripieri Andrea BelliniThis book guides the reader in discovering contemporary professions and the critical changes they have lived through after the post-industrial transformation of advanced capitalist societies. Two interrelated concepts are used to interpret what is happening in professional work: differentiation, namely the set of processes by which professions and professionalism have become more diverse, and heterogeneity, the outcomes of such processes. A novel analytical framework delves into differentiation and understands heterogeneity based on three dimensions: within (how professions are structured internally), between (how professions distinguish themselves from other occupations and from each other), and beyond (how professions govern societal changes and influence differentiation processes). The book presents a collection of studies covering different countries and professions to demonstrate the analytical potential of the within-between-beyond model. The conclusions show how “neo-liberal” professionalism is putting the very idea of collegiate professions at stake while exposing emerging professions to market risks. Chapters 1 and 10 are available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.
Resource Recovery from Wastewater Treatment: ICWRR 2024 (Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering #524)
by Giorgio Mannina Antonio Mineo Alida CosenzaThis volume highlights the latest advances, innovations, and applications in the field of water resource recovery from water treatment as presented by leading researchers at the International Conference on Wider-Uptake of Water Resource Recovery from Wastewater Treatment (ICWRR), held in Palermo, Italy on June 18-21, 2024. The event took place together with the 7th IWA Regional Membrane Technology Conference (IWA-RMTC). The contributions cover a wide range of themes from innovative and nature-based solutions for water and wastewater management to circularity assessment tools and environmental policy and legislation. The topics include resource recovery from wastewater, wastewater treatment, membrane bioreactors, greenhouse gases from wastewater treatment, LCA, water reuse & rainwater harvesting, mathematical modelling of wastewater treatment plants, metagenomics analysis and environmental microbiology, environmental policy and legislation in the water sector, plant-water-soil nexus, fertilizers from wastewater. The contributions were selected by means of a rigorous peer-review process and highlight many exciting ideas that will spur novel research directions and foster multidisciplinary collaboration among different water specialists.
Area-Based Management of Shipping: Canadian and Comparative Perspectives
by Claudio Aporta Aldo Chircop Floris Goerlandt Ronald PelotThis open access book fills a gap in the literature on shipping in a number of cross-cutting fields (including marine transportation law and policy, law of the sea, Indigenous rights, marine environmental management, and risk and safety studies). Moreover, the book includes a focus on the consideration of Indigenous rights in shipping, a topic of emerging importance. There are, to our knowledge, no directly competing titles with the same interdisciplinary approach to conceptualize, understand, and describe best practices for area-based management approaches. There are, however, related titles which cover some aspects of area-based management, usually from narrow disciplinary perspectives. Area-based management in the governance of shipping has become a useful and effective approach to promote maritime safety, maritime security, and pollution prevention and to mitigate the adverse impacts of shipping on the marine environment and coastal communities. Based on the results of a research project and a major workshop convened at Dalhousie University in Canada, this book consists of multidisciplinary studies and analyses of major issues pertaining to area-based management in shipping from a comparative perspective, but with the principal focus on Canada. The book contains both theoretical and empirical contributions.
Studying Verbal Irony and Sarcasm: Methodological Perspectives from Communication Studies and Beyond
by Natalia Banasik-Jemielniak Piotr Kałowski Maria ZajączkowskaThis volume provides a comprehensive yet accessible introduction to the phenomenon of verbal irony and sarcasm and the methodological aspects of its study. The chapters employ quantitative and qualitative measures of the use of verbal irony and sarcasm in both adults and children, with methods ranging from questionnaires and comment elicitation through experimental studies to a qualitative analysis of naturalistic data. By examining the phenomena in a range of contexts, the volume also show that cultural norms of communication may affect both the use and understanding of irony in specific ways and should therefore be taken into account in research.
Numerische Mathematik: Eine anschauliche modulare Einführung
by Markus NeherDieses Lehrbuch bietet einen breit aufgestellten und dennoch kompakten Überblick zu den gängigen Verfahren der Numerik. Durch zahlreiche Beispiele und erläuternde Bemerkungen ist es besonders anschaulich und eignet sich auch – aber keinesfalls ausschließlich! – gut für Lehramtsstudierende.Behandelt werden numerische Verfahren zur Lösung linearer und nichtlinearer Gleichungssysteme, zur Eigenwertberechnung bei Matrizen, zur Approximation univariater Funktionen sowie zur näherungsweisen Integration bezüglich einer Veränderlichen. Ein einführendes erstes Kapitel schafft insbesondere das nötige Grundverständnis für die zentralen Begriffe Kondition und Stabilität, die aber erst im letzten Kapitel rigoros diskutiert werden um den Einstieg in die Numerik nicht durch aufwändige Stabilitätsanalysen zu erschweren.Die einzelnen Kapitel sind größtenteils unabhängig voneinander, teilweise können auch einzelne Abschnitte separat gelesen werden. Punktuelles Lernen und Nachschlagen ist damit problemlos möglich.
Shakespeare and the Political: Elizabethan Politics and Asian Exigencies
by Rita Banerjee and Yilin ChenShakespeare and the Political: Elizabethan Politics and Asian Exigencies is a collection of essays which show how selected Shakespearean plays and later adaptations engage with the political situations of the Elizabethan period as well as contemporary Asian societies. The various interpretations of the original plays focus on the institutions of family and honour, patriarchy, kingship and dynasty, and the emergent ideologies of the nation and cosmopolitanism, adopting a variety of approaches like historicism, presentism, psychoanalysis, feminism and close reading.The volume also looks at Shakespearean adaptations in Asia – Taiwanese, Japanese, Chinese and Indian. Using Douglas Lanier's concept of the 'rhizomatic' approach, it seeks to examine how Asian Shakespearean adaptations, films and stage performances, appropriate and reproduce originals often 'unfaithfully' in different social and temporal contexts to produce independent works of art.
Doppelganger: A Trip Into the Mirror World
by Naomi Klein*WINNER OF THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION* *THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER**A BOOK OF THE YEAR FOR THE TIMES, NEW YORK TIMES, GUARDIAN, OBSERVER, AND PROSPECT*‘If I had to name a single book that makes sense of these last few dark years, it would be this one’ New York Times‘A deeply compelling read … urgent and necessary’ Evening StandardNaomi Klein, author of era-defining bestsellers, The Shock Doctrine, This Changes Everything and No Logo, is back with her most compulsive and personal book yet: a revelatory journey into the mirror world of our polarised ageWhen Naomi Klein discovered that a woman who shared her first name, but had radically different, harmful views, was getting chronically mistaken for her, it seemed too ridiculous to take seriously. Then suddenly it wasn't. She started to find herself grappling with a distorted sense of reality, becoming obsessed with reading the threats on social media, the endlessly scrolling insults from the followers of her doppelganger. Why had her shadowy other gone down such an extreme path? Why was identity - all we have to meet the world - so unstable?To find out, Klein decided to follow her double into a bizarre, uncanny mirror world: one of conspiracy theories, anti-vaxxers and demagogue hucksters, where soft-focus wellness influencers make common cause with fire-breathing far right propagandists (all in the name of protecting 'the children'). In doing so, she lifts the lid on our own culture during this surreal moment in history, as we turn ourselves into polished virtual brands, publicly shame our enemies, watch as deep fakes proliferate and whole nations flip from democracy to something far more sinister.This is a book for our age and for all of us; a deadly serious dark comedy which invites us to view our reflections in the looking glass. It's for anyone who has lost hours down an internet rabbit hole, who wonders why our politics has become so fatally warped, and who wants a way out of our collective vertigo and back to fighting for what really matters.
Elite Rivalry, Mass Killing and Genocide in Authoritarian Regimes: Why Autocrats Kill (Routledge Studies in Civil Wars and Intra-State Conflict)
by Eelco van der MaatThis book explains how mass killing is driven by elite politics within authoritarian regimes.Mass killing and genocide defy reason and explanation. How can genocidal elites present defenceless victims as an existential threat? Why use indiscriminate killing that drives victims to coordinated resistance? Mass killing seems counterproductive, irrational, and therefore inherently ideological. By building on new insights on authoritarian politics, this book argues that mass killing is not ideological, but instead is a rational response to elite rivalry within authoritarian regimes. Mass killing is therefore not driven by rivalries between groups, but by elite rivalry within groups. In Rwanda, for example, the genocide was not driven by conflicts between Hutu and Tutsi, but by conflicts within the Hutu regime. The work demonstrates how mass killing helps elites build coalitions with groups that benefit from violence and how it divides support coalitions of rival elites. Mass killing can therefore help elites win dangerous internal rivalries. By qualitatively and quantitatively exploring elite rivalry and mass killing, this book provides a new explanation for a host of mass killings and genocides. It demonstrates that well-known genocides, such as the Rwandan and Cambodian genocides, which are seemingly ideological are instead better explained by elite rivalry. Mass killing is therefore not driven by the random madness of leaders, nor by the desire to kill an outgroup, but by the internal threats that authoritarian elites face.This book will be of much interest to scholars and students of civil wars, genocide, political violence, and International Relations in general.
Elite Rivalry, Mass Killing and Genocide in Authoritarian Regimes: Why Autocrats Kill (Routledge Studies in Civil Wars and Intra-State Conflict)
by Eelco van der MaatThis book explains how mass killing is driven by elite politics within authoritarian regimes.Mass killing and genocide defy reason and explanation. How can genocidal elites present defenceless victims as an existential threat? Why use indiscriminate killing that drives victims to coordinated resistance? Mass killing seems counterproductive, irrational, and therefore inherently ideological. By building on new insights on authoritarian politics, this book argues that mass killing is not ideological, but instead is a rational response to elite rivalry within authoritarian regimes. Mass killing is therefore not driven by rivalries between groups, but by elite rivalry within groups. In Rwanda, for example, the genocide was not driven by conflicts between Hutu and Tutsi, but by conflicts within the Hutu regime. The work demonstrates how mass killing helps elites build coalitions with groups that benefit from violence and how it divides support coalitions of rival elites. Mass killing can therefore help elites win dangerous internal rivalries. By qualitatively and quantitatively exploring elite rivalry and mass killing, this book provides a new explanation for a host of mass killings and genocides. It demonstrates that well-known genocides, such as the Rwandan and Cambodian genocides, which are seemingly ideological are instead better explained by elite rivalry. Mass killing is therefore not driven by the random madness of leaders, nor by the desire to kill an outgroup, but by the internal threats that authoritarian elites face.This book will be of much interest to scholars and students of civil wars, genocide, political violence, and International Relations in general.