Exploring Common Ground


Book Description

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Love as Common Ground


Book Description

This book explores the way in which the study and practice of love creates a common ground for different faiths and different traditions within the same faith. For the contributors, “common ground” in this context is not a minimal core of belief or a lowest common denominator of faith, but a space or area in which to live together, consider together the meaning of the love to which various faiths witness, and work together to enable human flourishing. Such a space, the contributors believe, is possible because it is the place of encounter with the divine. This book is the fruit of a Project for the Study of Love in Religion which aims to create this space in which different traditions of love converge, from Islam, Judaism, and the Christianity of both East and West. Tools employed by the contributors in exploring this space of love include exegesis of ancient texts, theology, accounts of mystical experience, philosophy, and evolutionary science of the human. Insights about human and divine love that emerge include its nature as a form of knowing, its sacrificial and erotic dimensions, its inclination towards beauty, its making of community and its importance for a just political and economic life.




Animals and the Environment


Book Description

Contemporary Earth and animal activists rarely collaborate, perhaps because environmentalists focus on species and ecosystems, while animal advocates look to the individual, and neither seems to have much respect for the other. This diverse collection of essays highlights common ground between earth and animal advocates, most notably the protection of wildlife and personal dietary choice. If earth and animal advocates move beyond philosophical differences and resultant divergent priorities, turning attention to shared goals, both will be more effective – and both animals and the environment will benefit. Given the undeniable seriousness of the environmental problems that we face, including climate change and species extinction, it is essential that activists join forces. Drawing on a wide range of issues and disciplines, ranging from wildlife management, hunting, and the work of NGOs to ethics, ecofeminism, religion and animal welfare, this volume provides a stimulating collection of ideas and challenges for anyone else who cares about the environment or animals.




Encountering Other Faiths


Book Description

An examination of the imperative of interreligious dialogue within the world and within the United States: an introduction to both individuals and study-groups to the exciting and necessary enterprise in its several modalities.




Understanding the Social Dimension of Sustainability


Book Description

The imperative of the twenty-first century is sustainability: to raise the living standards of the world's poor and to achieve and maintain high levels of social health among the affluent nations while simultaneously reducing and reversing the environmental damage wrought by human activity. Scholars and practitioners are making progress toward environmental and economic sustainability, but we have very little understanding of the social dimension of sustainability. This volume is an ambitious, multi-disciplinary effort to identify the key elements of social sustainability through an examination of what motivates its pursuit and the conditions that promote or detract from its achievement. Included are theoretical and empirical pieces; examination of international and local efforts; discussions highlighting experiences in both the developing and industrialized nations; and a substantial focus on business practices. Contributors are grounded in sociology, economics, business administration, public administration, public health, geography, education and natural resource management.







Reshaping Technical Communication


Book Description

This anthology brings together voices from industry and academia in a call for elevating the status, identity, value, and influence of technical communicators. Editors Barbara Mirel and Rachel Spilka assert that technical communicators must depart from their traditional roles, moving instead in a more influential and expansive direction. To help readers explore the possibilities, contributions from innovative thinkers and leaders in technical communication propose ways to redefine the field's identity and purposes and to expand the parameters of its work. The chapters included here all point toward new directions for greater growth and influence of the field. Contributors depart from traditional ideas and solutions and discuss new and in some cases radical points, provoking further thought and discussion. Its exploration of fresh territory uncovers new research topics and directions, and provides an examination of both internal, industry-academia relationships and external relationships between technical communicators and other professionals. In its entirety, this collection represents an inclusive vision for the future, targeting such wide-ranging issues as creating effective professional organizations, disseminating research to diverse audiences, transitioning to more influential job roles, exerting leadership in usability, and creating hybrid identities and collaborative programs between industry and academic to support them. The diverse voices from industry and academia will inspire readers to think differently about the discipline's identity and direction, and to build on the ideas they find herein to effect change within their own spheres. As required reading for academics and professionals in technical communication, this collection is a critical step in reshaping and reinvigorating the technical communication field to ensure its survival and growth in the 21st century.




Managing Interdisciplinary Projects


Book Description

1. Interfaces -- 2. Communication -- 3. Trust -- 4. Discussions -- 5. Decisions -- 6. Context -- 7. Assembly -- 8. Development -- 9. Learning -- 10. Implementation.




ISLAMIC ESCHATOLOGY


Book Description

"ISLAMIC ESCHATOLOGY: Awaiting Al-Mahdi—The Twelfth Imam and the Future of Islam" is an in-depth exploration of the profound and often misunderstood doctrines within Islamic eschatology and their global implications. This comprehensive study dives into the Islamic vision of global dominance, examining the historical, theological, and geopolitical narratives that shape this vision. The book provides an exhaustive analysis of key Islamic eschatological figures, including the Mahdi, Jesus (Isa) in Islamic theology, and the Dajjal, often likened to the Antichrist in Christian eschatology. Through fifteen detailed chapters, the author navigates the complex terrain of Islamic end-times scenarios, contrasting them with Christian eschatological views to offer a balanced perspective. The book scrutinizes the phenomenon of radical Islam, dissecting the ideological roots and global impact of movements like Al-Qaeda, ISIS, Hamas, and Hezbollah. It explores the intricate relationship between jihadist ideology and actions, dissecting the strategic use of Shariah Law and the socio-political dynamics within Islamic societies. The chapters on jihad, da'wah, and the role of mosques reveal a three-pronged strategy employed in the spread of radical Islamic ideologies. The book does not shy away from discussing the controversial aspects of radical Islam, including the infiltration strategies alleged to be used by radicals in Western societies. "ISLAMIC ESCHATOLOGY" also dedicates significant focus to theological and apologetic responses, encouraging dialogue and understanding between Islamic and Christian eschatological beliefs. The final chapters offer reflections on the challenges posed by radical Islam and the role of faith, education, policy, and community in combating extremism, concluding with a call for global cooperation and a look towards a future where understanding and hope can coexist with eschatological divergences. This book is an essential resource for anyone seeking to understand the complexities of Islamic eschatology, its intersection with global politics, and the challenges posed by radical interpretations within Islam. It offers a comprehensive, scholarly, and unflinching look at one of the most pressing theological and geopolitical issues of our time.




Interpersonal Communication


Book Description

Interpersonal communication has been studied in terms of both communication functions and specialized contexts. This handbook comprehensively covers the field including research on processes of social influence, the role of communication in the development, maintenance and decline of close personal relationships, nonverbal communication, cognitive approaches, communication and conflict, bargaining and negotiation, health communication, organizational socialization and supervisor-subordinate communication, social networks, and technologically-mediated interpersonal communication. Two chapters are dedicated to research methods in the field. The handbook includes chapters by widely recognized and respected scholars in the field.