Back Stages


Book Description

Shannon Jackson explores a range of disciplinary, institutional, and political puzzles that engage the social and aesthetic practice of performance in this collection of twenty essential essays spanning her career. Back Stages starts by considering the historical connection between performance practice and movements of social reform, while later writings analyze disciplinary debates on the place of performance in higher education and within the contemporary field of socially engaged art, tracking fraught and allied relationships to literary studies, art history, visual culture, theater, social theory, and critical theory. At a time of increased aesthetic experimentation and political debate within the art world, these essays alight on artists, groups, and cultural organizations whose experiments have challenged conventions of curation and critique, including Theaster Gates, Paul Ramírez Jonas, Harrell Fletcher, and My Barbarian. Throughout, Jackson navigates the political ambivalences of performance, from the late nineteenth to the twenty-first century, tracking shifts in participatory art that seek to resist capitalism, even as such performance work paradoxically risks neoliberal appropriation by a post-Fordist experience economy. Back Stages surfaces unexpected cross-disciplinary connections and provides new opportunities for mutual engagement within a wide network of educational, artistic, and civic sectors. A substantial introduction excavates the critical links between the essays and a variety of disciplines and movements.




Front Stage, Backstage


Book Description

In this carefully detailed and rigorous study of the social processes of labor negotiations, the author uncovers the pressures and motivations felt by negotiators, showing why the bargaining process persists largely in its traditional form despite frequent calls for change. Raymond Friedman approaches labor negotiations with a conviction that negotiators are situated in a social network that greatly influences bargaining styles. In this carefully detailed and rigorous study of the social processes of labor negotiations, he uncovers the pressures and motivations felt by negotiators, showing why the bargaining process persists largely in its traditional form despite frequent calls for change. Friedman first focuses on the social structure of labor negotiations and the logic of the traditional negotiation process. He then looks at cases where the traditional rituals of negotiation were set aside and new forms emerged and, in the light of these examples, addresses the options for and obstacles to change.In an unusual twist Friedman describes the persistence of the traditional negotiation process by developing a dramaturgical theory in which negotiators are seen as actors who perform for teammates, constituents, and opponents. They try to convince others of their skill, loyalty, and dedication, while others expect them to play the role of opponent, representative, and leader. Friedman shows that the front-stage drama fulfills these needs and expectations, while backstage contacts between lead bargainers allow the two sides to communicate in private. The traditional labor negotiation process, he reveals, is an integrated system that allows for both private understanding and public conflict. Current efforts to change how labor and management negotiate are limited by the persistence of these roles, and are bound to fail if they do not account for the benefits as well as the flaws of the traditional rituals of negotiation. For negotiation scholars, Friedman's perspective provides an alternative to the rational-actor models that dominate the field; his dramaturgical theory is applicable to any negotiations done by groups, especially ones that face political pressures from constituents. For labor scholars, this is the first integrated theory of the negotiation process since Walton and McKersies's classic text, and one that helps unite the four elements of their model. For sociologists, the book provides an example of how a dramaturgical perspective can be used to explain the logic and persistence of a social institution. And practitioners will appreciate this explanation of why change is so difficult. Organization Studies series




Introduction to Sociology


Book Description

Join the conversation with one of sociology’s best-known thinkers. The Third Edition of Introduction to Sociology, thoroughly revised and updated, continues to show students the relevance of the introductory sociology course to their lives. While providing a rock-solid foundation, George Ritzer illuminates traditional sociological concepts and theories, as well as some of the most compelling contemporary social phenomena: globalization, consumer culture, the Internet, and the “McDonaldization” of society. As technology flattens the globe, students are challenged to apply a sociological perspective to their world, and to see how “public” sociologists are engaging with the critical issues of today.




The New Rocket Science


Book Description

This book describes a new type of rocket science needed to create low-cost, reliable, responsive space transportation. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to understand the issues explored within this book. The text is beyond the current state-of-the-art engineering of modern launch vehicles, going into a scientific investigation that opens the door to true design optimization. The purpose of this work is to enable the reader to understand how low-cost space transportation is practical, and why it has been so hard to achieve.




Changing Theories


Book Description

"This is exactly what we need for contemporary theory courses. Hancock and Garner brilliantly dissect the four most eminent theorists who will continue to define the future of sociological theory well into the twenty-first century." - Ron Mize, Cornell University




Seven Stages of Authenticity


Book Description

Seven Stages of Authenticity is a clear and detailed map that will help you find everything you need for health, success and happiness. Seven Stages of Authenticity guides you, stage by stage, on a deep personal journey using easy to understand language, exercises and recommendations of movies, books and music to inspire you on your way.




Close Encounters


Book Description

Taking a relational approach to the study of interpersonal communication, this best-selling text helps students better understand their relationships with romantic partners, friends, and family members. The authors offer research-based insights and content illustrated with engaging scenarios to show how state-of-the-art research and theory can be applied to specific issues within relationships-with a focus on issues that are central to describing and understanding close relationships. While maintaining the spotlight on communication, the authors also emphasize the interdisciplinary nature of the study of personal relationships by including research from such disciplines as social psychology and family studies. The book covers issues relevant to developing, maintaining, repairing, and ending relationships. Both the "bright" and "dark" sides of interpersonal communication within relationships are explored.




Essentials of Sociology


Book Description

Join the conversation with one of sociology’s best-known thinkers. Essentials of Sociology, Second Edition adapted from George Ritzer’s Introduction to Sociology, Third Edition, provides the same rock-solid foundation in a shorter and more streamlined format. Like the original Ritzer text, Essentials of Sociology illuminates traditional sociological concepts and theories, and focuses on some of the most compelling contemporary social phenomena: globalization, consumer culture, the Internet, and the “McDonaldization” of society. As technology flattens the globe, students are challenged to apply a sociological perspective to their world, and to see how “public” sociologists are engaging with the critical issues of today.




Stage Performance for Singers


Book Description

There are about ten books in the world on stage performance training. Most of them are in English, but there are a few in Spanish. There are none in Russian, although the father of modern theater, Konstantin Stanislavski, was born in Russia. In singing, regardless of genre and style, the element of stage performance is missing. There is no normal training for communicating with the audience. It is accepted by most vocal pedagogues that it is enough to sing the notes correctly, but there is much more to do. For singers who study opera and operetta, it is essential to stretch the limits of performance, and that is why they also study acting. For everyone else, this is not necessary, because they have other tasks on stage. They must learn to self-regulate, not to wait for directional instructions. This book is valuable in that it teaches singers to direct their own stage performance. Representing the author’s conclusions based on careful analysis of a number of successful and unsuccessful stage performances of numerous singers of different stature, it gives them the basic knowledge and guidance on how to approach and develop their show from one song to one concert. It teaches singers how to be more successful on stage, how to be more charismatic and how to manage their audience the way they want.




Aerospace Propulsion Systems


Book Description

Aerospace Propulsion Systems is a unique book focusing on each type of propulsion system commonly used in aerospace vehicles today: rockets, piston aero engines, gas turbine engines, ramjets, and scramjets. Dr. Thomas A. Ward introduces each system in detail, imparting an understanding of basic engineering principles, describing key functionality mechanisms used in past and modern designs, and provides guidelines for student design projects. With a balance of theory, fundamental performance analysis, and design, the book is specifically targeted to students or professionals who are new to the field and is arranged in an intuitive, systematic format to enhance learning. Covers all engine types, including piston aero engines Design principles presented in historical order for progressive understanding Focuses on major elements to avoid overwhelming or confusing readers Presents example systems from the US, the UK, Germany, Russia, Europe, China, Japan, and India Richly illustrated with detailed photographs Cartoon panels present the subject in an interesting, easy-to-understand way Contains carefully constructed problems (with a solution manual available to the educator) Lecture slides and additional problem sets for instructor use Advanced undergraduate students, graduate students and engineering professionals new to the area of propulsion will find Aerospace Propulsion Systems a highly accessible guide to grasping the key essentials. Field experts will also find that the book is a very useful resource for explaining propulsion issues or technology to engineers, technicians, businessmen, or policy makers. Post-graduates involved in multi-disciplinary research or anybody interested in learning more about spacecraft, aircraft, or engineering would find this book to be a helpful reference. Lecture materials for instructors available at www.wiley.com/go/wardaero