5 Politics, Sociology eBooks

Dennis Chong, "Rational Lives: Norms and Values in Politics and Society"
Wesley T Church II, David , Albert R Roberts, "Juvenile Justice Sourcebook"
Dan Boylan, T. Michael Holmes, "John A. Burns: The Man and His Times"
American Education (Sociocultural, Political, and Historical Studies in Education), 18th Edition by Joel H. Spring
Cornelia Flora, "Interactions Between Agroecosystems and Rural Communities"

*Dennis Chong, "Rational Lives: Norms and Values in Politics and Society"

2000 | pages: 305 | ISBN: 0226104389 | PDF | 16,6 mb
Those who study value conflicts have resisted rational choice approaches in the social sciences, contending that political conflict over cultural values is best explained by group loyalties, symbolic motives, and other "nonrational" factors. However, Chong shows that a single model can explain how people make decisions across both social and economic realms. He argues that our preferences result from a combination of psychological dispositions, which are shaped by social influences and developed over the life span.
Chong's book yields insights about the circumstances under which preferences, beliefs, values, norms and group identifications are formed. It offers a provocative explanation of how ingrained social norms and values can change over time despite the forces maintaining the status quo.
"Going beyond the tired polemics on both sides, [Chong] constructs a new interpretation of human behavior in which culture and individual rationality both matter. The synthesis is a more comprehensive and powerful explanatory framework than either side could have produced, and Chong's creativity should influence subsequent interpretations of our social life in fundamental ways."—Christopher H. Achen, University of Michigan

*Wesley T Church II, David , Albert R Roberts, "Juvenile Justice Sourcebook"

2014 | pages: 706 | ISBN: 0199324611 | PDF | 2,5 mb
Several million reported and unreported delinquent acts take place each year. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, juvenile delinquency, acting-out and oppositional behavior, illegal drugs, guns, and youth violence are pervasive throughout American society. Juvenile Justice Sourcebook is the first comprehensive volume devoted exclusively to the biopsychosocial assessment, police and juvenile court processing, and institutional and community-based treatment and rehabilitation of juvenile offenders. The overriding objective of this sourcebook is to trace the tremendous progress achieved toward resolving juvenile justice issues, dilemmas, and controversies, while providing futuristic visions for the juvenile justice field. Each chapter, authored by preeminent expert practitioners and researchers, explores topics ranging from innovative counseling and multisystemic programs, to restorative justice, to rehabilitation programs such as aggression replacement training, wilderness programs, family treatment, substance abuse treatment, restitution, and aftercare.
This volume, grounded in history and exhaustive research, presents the latest evidence-based policies, programs, and innovative treatment alternatives. Examining the entire juvenile justice system, including juvenile law, policies, practices, and research, the Juvenile Justice Sourcebook will be invaluable to all juvenile justice practitioners, policy analysts, researchers, and students.

*Dan Boylan, T. Michael Holmes, "John A. Burns: The Man and His Times"

2000 | pages: 377 | ISBN: 0824822773 | PDF | 2,7 mb
The period 1945–1975 is often referred to as "The Burns Years" in Hawai‘i history books, and rightfully so. John A. Burns looms as Hawai‘i’s most significant political figure of the last half of the twentieth century. Burns entered politics at the close of World War II, working closely with organized labor leaders and Japanese-American war veterans to forge a Democratic party that would be an instrument of social change in Hawai‘i. For twelve years, over the course of three successive terms as governor, Burns helped to shape many important elements of Hawai‘i’s social and political structure that continue to this day.
The central feature of Burns’ success was the coalition of labor and Americans of Japanese ancestry he created and worked so hard to sustain as party leader, Delegate-to-Congress, and Governor. That coalition took control of Hawai‘i’s legislature in 1954, its congressional delegation in 1956, and its executive office in 1962―and has held on to all three ever since.

*American Education (Sociocultural, Political, and Historical Studies in Education), 18th Edition by Joel H. Spring

English | September 20th, 2017 | ISBN: 1138087254, 9781138087255 | 351 Pages | True PDF | 2.24 MB
Featuring current information and challenging perspectives on the latest issues and forces shaping the American educational system—with scholarship that is often cited as a primary source, Joel Spring introduces readers to the historical, political, social, and legal foundations of education and to the profession of teaching in the United States.
In his signature straightforward, concise approach to describing complex issues, he illuminates events and topics that are often overlooked or whitewashed, giving students the opportunity to engage in critical thinking about education. Students come away informed on the latest topics, issues, and data and with a strong knowledge of the forces shaping the American educational system.
Thoroughly updated throughout, the 18th edition of this clear, authoritative text remains fresh and up to date, reflecting the many changes in education that have occurred since the publication of the previous edition.
Topics and issues addressed and analyzed include
• The decline of the Common Core State Standards, particularly as result of a Republican-controlled administration currently in place
• Increasing emphasis on for-profit education, vouchers, charter schools and free-market competition between schools, expected to surge with the appointment of the new U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos
• Current debates about immigration and "Dreamers"—new statistics on immigrant education, discussion of education proposals to accommodate the languages, cultures and religions of newly arrived immigrants
• New education statistics on school enrollments, dropouts, education and income, school segregation, charter schools and home languages
• The purposes of education as presented in the 2016 platforms of the Republican, Democratic, Green, and Libertarian parties
• Discussions around transgender students

*Cornelia Flora, "Interactions Between Agroecosystems and Rural Communities"

2001 | pages: 289 | ISBN: 0849309174 | PDF | 11,6 mb
There is an increasing realization among biophysical scientists that human behavior drastically impacts the degree to which sound agroecosystems are implemented. Written by an international team of experts assembled by a leading rural sociologist, Interactions Between Agroecosystems and Rural Communities shows how human behavior impacts agroecosystems both positively and negatively and provides an understanding of alternative ways of working with human communities to increase agroecosystem sustainability.
Through a general overview and a series of case studies, this text demonstrates how changes in the economy influence what local people can do to sustain agroecosystems. It also addresses specific community-based actions located in both temperate and tropical zones in Europe, North America, Asia, Central America, and Latin America that have resulted in more sustainable agroecosystems. With 30 diagrams and illustrations, this volume enables the reader to understand fully the impact of exogenous forces on agroecosystems.