Humanities & Social Sciences

"Language is a human universal reflecting our deeply social nature. Among its essential functions, language enables us to quickly and efficiently share information. We tell each other that many things are true—that is, we routinely make assertions. Information shared this way plays a critical role in the decisions and plans we make. In Knowledge and the Norm of Assertion, a distinguished philosopher and cognitive scientist investigates the rules or norms that structure our social practice of assertion. Combining evidence from philosophy, psychology, and biology, John Turri shows that knowledge is the central norm of assertion and explains why knowledge plays this role. Concise, comprehensive, non-technical, and thoroughly accessible, this volume quickly brings readers to the cutting edge of a major research program at the intersection of philosophy and science. It presupposes no philosophical or scientific training. It will be of interest to philosophers and scientists, is suitable for use in graduate and undergraduate courses, and will appeal to general readers interested in human nature, social cognition, and communication."

Verletzbarkeit als Fähigkeit und als dezidiert politische und feministische Haltung: Diesen Ansatz verfolgt eine Reihe radikal autobiografischer Schreibweisen, die in den letzten Jahren aus den sozialen Medien in den Literaturbetrieb eingezogen sind. Anhand von Beispielen aus dem deutsch-, englisch- und chinesischsprachigen Internet beschreibt Lea Schneider Ästhetiken radikaler Verletzbarkeit, ihre medialen Affordanzen sowie die Wertungskämpfe, die sie beim Eintritt in den etablierten Literaturbetrieb auslösen – bis hin zu einer Neudefinition des Literaturbegriffs selbst.

This open access reference book is a critical analysis of sharia for the 21st century. It serves as a critical introduction to a modernist, progressive and neo-traditionalist perspective on Islamic thought and practice regarding sharia. This approach reflects the efforts undertaken by Muslims - particularly those in the diaspora - to forge an alternative Muslim modernity based on creative engagement with both Islamic tradition and modern Western forms of knowledge. The book highlights the ground-breaking work of some of these seminal thinkers in various fields of law. The book is divided into thirteen chapters. It first covers what sharia is, its origins and how it developed in real time for Muslim societies. This discussion is then followed by chapters on each of the most challenging subjects of Islamic law in the contemporary world, including: constitutionalism, human rights, gender justice, biomedical ethics, religious freedom, criminal law, economics and finance and property rights. Each of these themes is discussed by the co-authors in light of the state-of-the-art literature available, each topic’s individual history, and the current debates and diverse global case studies that relate to each theme. The aim is to highlight that there is no monolithic version of sharia. Rather, sharia is an active set of humanistic principles that inspires Muslims around the world to live according to the ethics of their faith. The book is a collaboration by two experts from different professional backgrounds and aims to take a panoramic view of the subject to appeal to a wide audience. Each chapter can be read ‘stand alone’ while contributing to the book’s broader framework. All together, the chapters challenge misconceptions about sharia and showcase the developments surrounding sharia in the Muslim world and within the Muslim diaspora. The ebook editions of this book are available open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com. Open access was funded by The Institute of Ismaili Studies.

This open access book introduces the reader to the foundations of AI and ethics. It discusses issues of trust, responsibility, liability, privacy and risk. It focuses on the interaction between people and the AI systems and Robotics they use. Designed to be accessible for a broad audience, reading this book does not require prerequisite technical, legal or philosophical expertise. Throughout, the authors use examples to illustrate the issues at hand and conclude the book with a discussion on the application areas of AI and Robotics, in particular autonomous vehicles, automatic weapon systems and biased algorithms. A list of questions and further readings is also included for students willing to explore the topic further.

On Making in the Digital Humanities fills a gap in our understanding of digital humanities projects and craft by exploring the processes of making as much as the products that arise from it. The volume draws focus to the interwoven layers of human and technological textures that constitute digital humanities scholarship. To do this, it assembles a group of well-known, experienced and emerging scholars in the digital humanities to reflect on various forms of making (we privilege here the creative and applied side of the digital humanities). The volume honours the work of John Bradley, as it is totemic of a practice of making that is deeply informed by critical perspectives. A special chapter also honours the profound contributions that this volume’s co-editor, Stéfan Sinclair, made to the creative, applied and intellectual praxis of making and the digital humanities. Stéfan Sinclair passed away on 6 August 2020. The chapters gathered here are individually important, but together provide a very human view on what it is to do the digital humanities, in the past, present and future. This book will accordingly be of interest to researchers, teachers and students of the digital humanities; creative humanities, including maker spaces and culture; information studies; the history of computing and technology; and the history of science and the humanities.

Engraved Gems and Propaganda in the Roman Republic and under Augustus deals with small, but highly captivating and stimulating artwork – engraved gemstones. Although in antiquity intaglios and cameos had multiple applications (seals, jewellery or amulets), the images engraved upon them are snapshots of people's beliefs, ideologies, and everyday occupations. They cast light on the self-advertising and propaganda actions performed by Roman political leaders, especially Octavian/Augustus, their factions and other people engaged in the politics and social life of the past.Gems can show both general trends (the specific showpieces like State Cameos) as well as the individual and private acts of being involved in politics and social affairs, mainly through a subtle display of political allegiances, since they were objects of strictly personal use. They enable us to analyse and learn about Roman propaganda and various social behaviours from a completely different angle than coins, sculpture or literature.The miniaturism of ancient gems is in inverse proportion to their cultural significance. This book presents an evolutionary model of the use of engraved gems from self-presentation (3rd-2nd century BC) to personal branding and propaganda purposes in the Roman Republic and under Augustus (until 14 AD). The specific characteristics of engraved gems, their strictly private character and the whole array of devices appearing on them are examined in respect to their potential propagandistic value and usefulness in social life.The wide scope of this analysis provides a comprehensive picture covering many aspects of Roman propaganda and a critical survey of the overinterpretations of this term in regard to the glyptic art. The aim is the incorporation of this class of archaeological artefacts into the well-established studies of Roman propaganda, as well as the Roman society in general, brought about by discussion of the interconnections with ancient literary sources as well as other categories of Roman art and craftsmanship, notably coins but also sculpture and relief.

Over the last ten years deliberate and determined efforts have been made to improve schooling. This book charts recent and current developments in the practical business of changing classroom practice to make schools more effective. It is devoted to detecting the effects on classroom practice of the efforts made to improve schools and classrooms, and to understanding how classroom practice changes. Contributors include advisory teachers, Higher Education HE tutors and researchers, and work described ranges from early years' classrooms to post-experience course outcomes and the tracking of Inservice education and training INSET effectiveness.

The scientific discovery and mastery of electricity created as many important changes in modern society as did the invention of alphabetical writing in antiquity and movable type in the fifteenth century. It is more than a natural phenomenon that science has harnessed for human use; it is a central feature of the modern episteme. It has inspired writers and artists, propelled industry and innovation, and reshaped human social behaviour. Looking at a variety of topics including film, politics, and contemporary art, this volume explores the impact of electricity on knowledge, social practices, media, community life, and subjective experience.

Electromagnetic Wave Scattering by Aerial and Ground Radar Objects presents the theory, original calculation methods, and computational results of the scattering characteristics of different aerial and ground radar objects. This must-have book provides essential background for computing electromagnetic wave scattering in the presence of different kinds of irregularities, as well as Summarizes fundamental electromagnetic statements such as the Lorentz reciprocity theorem and the image principle Contains integral field representations enabling the study of scattering from various layered structures Describes scattering computation techniques for objects with surface fractures and radar-absorbent coatings Covers elimination of "terminator discontinuities" appearing in the method of physical optics in general bistatic cases Includes radar cross-section (RCS) statistics and high-range resolution profiles of assorted aircrafts, cruise missiles, and tanks Complete with radar backscattering diagrams, echo signal amplitude probability distributions, and other valuable reference material, Electromagnetic Wave Scattering by Aerial and Ground Radar Objects is ideal for scientists, engineers, and researchers of electromagnetic wave scattering, computational electrodynamics, and radar detection and recognition algorithms.

Monique Saint-Hélier became quite successful during the 1930s in particular because of the violent controversy that surrounded her second novel, Bois-Mort. How is it that Saint-Hélier’s work provoked such passionate criticism, but encountered nothing but disinterest after the war? Studying unpublished sources as well as a vast corpus of book reviews, the author explores by this quite particular literary path, as well as the variations in how a work is received over time.

To build a new energy system is the key towards China's goal of carbon emissions peak and achieving carbon neutrality. The new energy system will reshape the conventional energy system in an integrated and revolutionary way. It will not only bring about major changes in energy production, utilization and consumption, as well as emissions of greenhouse gas (GHG) and local pollutants, but also have profound implications on technological innovation and economic development. Based on quantitative and systematic analysis, this study depicts the energy system by 2030 and by 2060, analyzes the impacts of the energy system on economic and social development, studies and judges the key risk points, and proposes the path and policy system for building a new energy system. This is an open access book.

Political Science

This book examines how feminists in Russia and Serbia view power dynamics within transnational feminism in the context of rising authoritarianism. These authoritarian regimes co-opt emancipatory narratives, particularly the critique of Western hegemony, to delegitimize feminism as a ‘foreign’ threat to traditional values. It examines how changing perceptions of power shape feminists’ agency, priorities, and strategies for resistance. Using a comparative case study, the book challenges critical theory’s argument that transnational feminism primarily acts as an exercise of Othering, cementing Western domination. Drawing on interviews with over 70 feminists, conference proceedings, memoirs, and feminist scholarship, it shows that this critique loses relevance under authoritarianism. In fact, Serbian and Russian feminists reject it because it echoes their regimes’ rhetoric, which frames feminism and ‘gender ideology’ as Western tools used to undermine traditional values and national identity. These feminists’ focus thus shifts to resisting authoritarian narratives, redefining power relations not only transnationally but also domestically. As a result, one central strategy for feminists in Russia and Serbia is to craft alternative, non-co-optable visions of transnational feminism. The book traces these alternative visions across four different post-communist generations of feminists. As such, the book argues for rethinking power in critical theory to remain relevant and emancipatory, recognizing that what was once liberatory may now reinforce oppression. This work updates critical theory by incorporating the lived experiences of feminists under authoritarian rule, offering insights into sustaining feminist agency and subversion in constrained political landscapes.

Abendvolkshochschulen bildeten sich als bedeutende Institutionalisierungsform des Lernens Erwachsener in der Weimarer Republik heraus. Der Sammelband beinhaltet zahlreiche Analysen zu ihrer Pluralität. Als Grundlage dienen archivierte Arbeits- und Lehrpläne, von denen viele erstmals erschlossen wurden. Der praxeologische Zugang zu dem historischen Material eröffnet Perspektiven, die die Historiografie der Volkshochschulen um bedeutende Befunde erweitern: Wie waren die Arbeits- und Lehrpläne der Volkshochschulen inhaltlich gestaltet und organisatorisch eingebunden? Welche unterschiedlichen Profile von Volkshochschulen lassen sich erkennen? In welche lokalen Kontexte sind die einzelnen Volkshochschulen eingebunden? Welche Dozent*innen haben in der Volkshochschularbeit auf welche Weise gewirkt?

The linguistic relality in the Netherlands during the Golden Age was in fact one of multilingualism: so many languages and dialects were used. Nicoline van der Sijs and Marc van Oostendorp show how the emergence of the Dutch language can only be understood against this multilinguistic background.