The New Class Society


Book Description

The New Class Society introduces students to the sociology of class structure and inequalities as it asks whether or not the American dream has faded. The fourth edition of this powerful book demonstrates how and why class inequalities in the United States have been widened, hardened, and become more entrenched than ever. The fourth edition has been extensively revised and reorganized throughout, including a new introduction that offers an overview of key themes and shorter chapters that cover a wider range of topics. New material for the fourth edition includes a discussion of "The Great Recession" and its ongoing impact, the demise of the middle class, rising costs of college and increasing student debt, the role of electronic media in shaping people's perceptions of class, and more.




FECS 2012


Book Description




The Early Years Handbook for Students and Practitioners


Book Description

The Early Years Handbook for Students and Practitioners is a comprehensive and accessible course text for all degree level students undertaking programmes related to early years and childhood studies. Designed and written by the SEFDEY Professional Association and a team of new expert contributors, this text provides a balanced approach to the subjects discussed and encourages you to consider and challenge perceptions of early years and to promote good professional practice. This edition has been extended to cover the learning and development of children from birth to 8 years and features new chapters on research, risk, neuroscience, the environment and more. Divided into four parts - The Student-Practitioner-Professional; The Learning and Development of Children 0-8; The Child, Family and Society; and The Senior Practitioner-Professional - the book covers all aspects of working with young children and engages you with theory that is explicitly linked to your practice. In each chapter, the book seeks to help you develop your professional identity and includes: Activities to help you to reflect on your own practice Debates and dilemmas to promote discussion between students and colleagues Real-life case studies and photographs to illustrate key points Extended "reflective thinking" boxes outlining key research in the field and implications for practice Suggestions for key projects to help those looking for research topics The book is supported by a companion website featuring, for students, links to useful websites and video material, and an interactive flashcard glossary. Online support for lecturers includes ideas for tasks and activities to use in class and the diagrams and images in the book available to download.




Campaigning for President 2012


Book Description

In this important and timely volume, Dennis W. Johnson has assembled an outstanding team of political scientists and political professionals to examine one of the fiercest and most closely fought presidential elections of our time. Like its predecessor, Campaigning for President 2008, Campaigning for President 2012: Strategy and Tactics focuses on political management. It is written by both elections/campaign scholars and practitioners, who highlight the role of political consultants and campaigns while also emphasizing the strategy and tactics employed by the candidates, the national political parties, and outside interests. The contributors explore the general mood of the electorate in the 2012 election, the challenges Obama faced after his first term, the primaries, money, communication, the important issues of the election, and finally the election itself.




The Early Years Handbook for Students and Practitioners


Book Description

The Early Years Handbook for Students and Practitioners is a comprehensive and accessible course text for all students studying at levels 4 and 5, including on Foundation Degrees and Early Childhood Studies degrees. Designed and written by the Chair of the SEFDEY (Sector-Endorsed Foundation Degree in Early Years) Network and a team of expert contributors, this book covers the essential skills, knowledge and understanding you need to become an inspiring and effective early years practitioner. Divided into four parts: The Student-Practitioner-Professional; The Learning and Development of Children 0-5; The Child, Family and Society; and The Senior Practitioner-Professional, the book covers all aspects of working with young children and engages you with theory that is explicitly linked to your practice. Throughout there is a strong emphasis on supporting your transition to undergraduate study, developing your academic skills and encouraging you to be an active learner. In every chapter, the book seeks to help you develop your professional identity and features: Activities to help you to reflect on your own practice ‘Provocations’ to promote discussion and debate Case study examples and photographs to illustrate key points ‘From Research to Practice’ boxes outlining key research in the field and implications for practice. The book is supported by a companion website featuring, for students, links to useful websites and video material, and an interactive flashcard glossary. Online support for lecturers includes ideas for tasks and activities to use in class and the diagrams and images in the book available to download.




Dark Money, Super PACs, and the 2012 Election


Book Description

More than two billion dollars. That’s how much money was spent in the 2012 presidential campaign—the most expensive campaign in history. Each party raised and spent more than one billion dollars as the traditional boundaries of campaign financing were ignored. Both parties could do so because they were playing in a game with new rules—rules that largely developed after the 2010 Supreme Court ruling known as Citizens United. That case removed many restrictions on donation limits, particularly for corporations and unions. The result was the development of a new set of political players called “Super PACs” that were allowed to enter the political arena and spend an unlimited amount of money on behalf of clients. This book looks at how Super PACs raised and spent money and influenced the 2012 election. It provides an insightful look at how both right- and left-leaning groups approached the election and impacted the political process.




Dirty Deals? [3 volumes]


Book Description

An encyclopedia unlike any other, this work focuses on lobbying, corruption, and political influence in America to inspire readers to think critically about the U.S. government and to appreciate the opportunities of citizenship. Even before the founding of the Republic, James Madison expressed the concern that special interest influence could become "adverse to the rights of other citizens [as well as] the permanent and aggregate interests of the community." In modern times, examples of lobbying scandals and corruption associated with political campaign contributions abound—and yet our political system can and does further the larger goals of American democracy. Suited for advanced high school students, undergraduates, and general readers, this set examines the three powerful forces that affect every level of government but typically operate out of public view. This three-volume work exhaustively covers the evolution and impact of lobbying, political influence, and corruption from the Colonial era to today. Volume 1 contains detailed scholarly essays on various aspects of lobbying, corruption, and political influence. Volume 2 comprises informative A–Z entries on people, events, laws, organizations, and legal decisions. The entries demonstrate the linkages among the topics but give equal attention to each as an independent influence on U.S. government and politics. Developments since 1990 and the extensive proliferation of the Internet and social media receive additional emphasis. Volume 3 contains primary documents that include executive orders, court cases, state and federal lobbying forms, and codes of conduct related to lobbying, campaign finance reform, and anti-corruption measures.




Vital Statistics on the Presidency


Book Description

Looking beyond the individual office holders to the office itself, this Fourth Edition of Vital Statistics on the Presidency covers George Washington’s tenure through the 2012 election. The book’s expansive view of the presidency allows readers to recognize major themes across administrations and to reach overall conclusions about the nature of the institution and its future. The illuminating data is put into context by thoughtful essays explaining key statistical patterns, making this edition an intriguing and comprehensive reference to important patterns throughout the history of the presidency.




Political Campaigns in the United States


Book Description

A Choice Highly Recommended Title—January 2017 This book is an interpretive analysis of political campaigns in America: instead of focusing on how campaigns are designed and run, it investigates the role campaigns play in our American politics, and the close symbiosis between campaigns and those politics. The text examines how campaigns are an important manifestation of how we "do" politics in this country. Hallmarks of this text include: showing how campaigns can undermine our democracy and asking how democratic they—and by extension, our politics--really are; demonstrating that the ability of the media to accurately, fairly, and deeply report on campaigns has been severely compromised, both because of the growing "distance" between campaigns and media outlets and because of the structure of "Big Media" corporate ownership and its tight relationship to "Big Money." It asks important questions about the media including: How do the media, reporters in particular, cover campaigns? What pressures and forces shape what and how they present campaigns? What is the impact of the ever-increasing chasm separating campaigns and the media? How does the close tie between corporate mainstream media and Super PAC money affect campaign coverage? How does the ability of campaigns and media to segment voters into ever-smaller slices influence how campaigns are covered? tracking the continuing growth of unregulated, private, unaccountable "dark money" in campaigns as a threat to our democratic elections and politics. Democracy rests fundamentally on transparency and accountability – sunlight – and our campaign laws and norms now allow and encourage exactly the opposite, largely because of decisions by the United States Supreme Court.




Practitioner Research in College-Based Education


Book Description

Scholars and educators worldwide are grappling with the challenge of translating innovative research findings into tangible improvements within their classrooms. The chasm between theory and practice hinders the progress of education and leaves a wealth of untapped potential. The need for a process or approach to bridge these elements is urgent. Practitioner Research in College-Based Education serves as this much-needed resource for scholars seeking to overcome this enduring challenge. This innovative book offers a roadmap for academic scholars, providing insights into practitioner-led research across the global landscape of college-based education. This book is more than a collection of theoretical frameworks; it is a solution-oriented guide that illuminates the intricacies of research practices, methodologies, and their real-world applications within the context of academic institutions.