This book explores sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Jesuit contributions to the rhetorical tradition established by Isocrates, Aristotle, Cicero and Quintilian. It analyses the writings of those Jesuits who taught rhetoric at the College of Rome, including Pedro Juan Perpina, (1530-66), Carlo Reggio (1539-1612), Francesco Benci (1542-94), Famiano Strada (1572-1649) and Tarquinio Galluzzi (1574-1649). Additionally, it discusses the rhetorical views of Jesuits who were not based in Rome, most notably Cypriano Soarez (1524-93), the author of the popular manual De arte rhetorica. Jesuit education, Ciceronianism and civic life feature as the key themes of the book.

Early Jesuits and the Rhetorical Tradition, 1540-1650 argues that, in line with Cicero, early modern Jesuit teachers and humanists associated rhetoric with a civic function. Jesuit writings, not only on rhetoric, but also on moral, religious and political themes, testify to their thorough familiarity with Cicero's civic philosophy. Following Cicero, Isocrates and Renaissance humanists, early modern Jesuit teachers of the studia humanitatis coupled eloquence with wisdom and, in so doing, invested the rhetorician with such qualities and duties which many quattrocento humanists ascribed to an active citizen or statesman. These qualities centred on the duty to promote the common good by actively participating in civic life.

This book will appeal to scholars and students alike interested in the history of the Jesuits, history of ideas and early modern history in general.

Critical Race Theory and Qualitative Methods provides insights and examples of why and how Critical Race Theory (CRT) serves and makes a powerful connection to qualitative study in education. The chapters in this volume speak to the ways that validate CRT as a methodological framework to understand and strategize against racialized neglect, political attacks, and building community.

The volume builds and extends upon previous CRT qualitative methodological foundations research with the goal of continuing to center the experiences and voices of those historically shut out of education narratives. Chapters represent a wide swath of qualitative methodologies that illustrate the interdisciplinary nature of CRT and display both the utility and the broad scope of CRT research being conducted in the field of Education. Furthermore, the historical perspectives provided in the book allow for an understanding of where CRT methodologies have been and where scholars may take them into the future.

This book will be a key resource for researchers and scholars of educational research, educational leadership and policy, educational studies, sociology, ethnic and racial studies, and research methods. This book was originally published as a special issue of International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education.

Focusing on the work of contemporary African women researchers, this volume explores feminist perspectives in relation to African Indigenous Religions (AIR). It evaluates what the Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians' research has achieved and proposed since its launch in 1989, their contribution to the world of knowledge and liberation, and the potential application to nurturing a justice-oriented world. The book considers the methodologies used amongst the Circle to study African Indigenous Religions, the AIR sources of knowledge that are drawn on, and the way in which women are characterized. It reflects on how ideas drawn from African Indigenous Religions might address issues of patriarchy, colonialism, capitalism, racism, tribalism, and sexual and disability-based discrimination. The chapters examine theologies of specific figures. The book will be of interest to scholars of religion, gender studies, Indigenous studies, and African studies.

Being oblivious to the motivational nuances behind human behavior could lead one to overlook the distinction that a good action does not always indicate a good character. Conversely, this book argues that such nuances are paramount. Focusing on character over consequences is vital because motivational differences have fundamental implications for the welfare of the individual and society. Drawing on Aristotelian virtue ethics, the book argues that the utilitarian economic rhetoric, the rise of identity politics, and the growing commodification have allowed an illusion that moral and economic lives can be detached to take root in our culture. The book provides a robust philosophical argument articulating the inadequacy of the modern conception of morality (as a set of universal rules) that underlies economics and many modern-day institutions and aims to create a greater awareness of the connection between virtuous character and leading fulfilled lives. Integrating contemporary empirical findings with theoretical/philosophical insights, the book develops a coherent and convincing framework that could help transform the welfare ideology that underlies economic policies and modern institutions. This book is essential for anyone interested in questions of ethics in economics and related fields, including welfare economics, microeconomics, political economy, institutional economics, evolutionary economics, social economics, and behavioral economics.

This book offers a rigorous, detailed, and balanced analysis of the various contributions to the Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) debate, incorporating both the arguments of proponents and those who point to its limitations and obstacles. Modern Monetary Theory has soared in popularity, particularly in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent impacts on the economy which have led to deeper discussions about monetary and financial systems, fiscal and monetary policies, inflation, and employment. The main characteristic of Modern Monetary Theory is that it offers a revolutionary way of thinking about all these issues, allowing us to abandon many of the myths that conventional economic theory installed in the collective imagination. Breaking down these false beliefs is an essential requirement for thinking and devising economic policy proposals that allow full employment to be achieved without suffering worrying inflation rates. However, this approach has also attracted many criticisms and it is also instructive to consider these in more detail to reach a fully rounded conclusion about the potential or merits of MMT. Written to be accessible to the non-economist, this book will be of great interest to readers from across the social sciences, and outside of academia who want to gain a fuller understanding of the Modern Monetary Theory phenomenon.

Emerging technologies generate data sets of increased size and complexity that require new or updated statistical inferential methods and scalable, reproducible software. These data sets often involve measurements of a continuous underlying process, and benefit from a functional data perspective. Functional Data Analysis with R presents many ideas for handling functional data including dimension reduction techniques, smoothing, functional regression, structured decompositions of curves, and clustering. The idea is for the reader to be able to immediately reproduce the results in the book, implement these methods, and potentially design new methods and software that may be inspired by these approaches.

Features:

• Functional regression models receive a modern treatment that allows extensions to many practical scenarios and development of state-of-the-art software
• The connection between functional regression, penalized smoothing, and mixed effects models is used as the cornerstone for inference
• Multilevel, longitudinal, and structured functional data are discussed with emphasis on emerging functional data structures
• Methods for clustering functional data before and after smoothing are discussed
• Multiple new functional data sets with dense and sparse sampling designs from various application areas are presented, including the NHANES linked accelerometry and mortality data, COVID-19 mortality data, CD4 counts data and the CONTENT child growth study
• Step-by-step software implementations are included, along with a supplementary website (www.FunctionalDataAnalysis.com) featuring software, data, and tutorials
• More than 100 plots for visualization of functional data are presented

Functional Data Analysis with R is primarily aimed at undergraduate, master's and PhD students, as well as data scientists and researchers working on functional data analysis. The book can be read at different levels and combines state-of-the-art software, methods, and inference. It can be used for self-learning, teaching, and research, and will particularly appeal to anyone who is interested in practical methods for hands-on, problem-forward functional data analysis. The reader should have some basic coding experience, but expertise in R is not required.

This book is an easy-to-understand guide to modeling productivity and efficiency using modern statistical tools. It introduces readers to the fundamentals of stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) and gradually takes them to the forefront of academic research in this area, examining the latest concepts and methods related to the use of copulas in SFA.

Following a comprehensive review of classic methodology, Professor Artem Prokhorov covers topics in panel data modeling, in endogeneity in SFA, in joint modeling of technical and allocative inefficiency, and in optimal and robust prediction of inefficiency scores. This is done using copulas to capture various kinds of statistical dependence that have been previously ignored when modeling production. The classic and advanced topics are illustrated using practical examples and codes written in modern programming languages. As an important example, the book spells out the case where both the values of output and the ratio of inputs used in production are optimized simultaneously. Such simultaneity, if ignored, leads to biased estimates of productivity and returns-to-scale and may understate inefficiency.

The book offers a useful reference for those interested in the newest robust methods of business analytics in the area of productivity and efficiency, with implications for strategy, budgeting, resourcing and benchmarking of firms, industries and production units more generally.

Ecological dynamics are tremendously complicated and are studied at a variety of spatial and temporal scales. Ecologists often simplify analysis by describing changes in density of individuals across a landscape, and statistical methods are advancing rapidly for studying spatio-temporal dynamics. However, spatio-temporal statistics is often presented using a set of principles that may seem very distant from ecological theory or practice. This book seeks to introduce a minimal set of principles and numerical techniques for spatio-temporal statistics that can be used to implement a wide range of real-world ecological analyses regarding animal movement, population dynamics, community composition, causal attribution, and spatial dynamics. We provide a step-by-step illustration of techniques that combine core spatial-analysis packages in R with low-level computation using Template Model Builder. Techniques are showcased using real-world data from varied ecological systems, providing a toolset for hierarchical modelling of spatio-temporal processes. Spatio-Temporal Models for Ecologists is meant for graduate level students, alongside applied and academic ecologists.

Key Features:

• Foundational ecological principles and analyses
• Thoughtful and thorough ecological examples
• Analyses conducted using a minimal toolbox and fast computation
• Code using R and TMB included in the book and available online

China is caught in the rapids of the largest policy crackdown in history. The ferocity of this far-reaching crackdown, dispersed across every market sector, has cast into scrutiny a newly emerging era of development and raised new questions about what it means for the future of Chinese governance and development. Has China abandoned its modern commitment to market-oriented reforms? Is this a reversion to the bygone days of Maoist Communism? The ongoing crackdown, this book argues, is not a break from but a continuation of the legacy of development initiated 50 years ago under Deng Xiaoping. Drawing on rich economic and developmental data, the book recasts old ideas about Chinese governance with cutting-edge insights into the economic machinery and policy regime that drive modern China. As it shows, the seemingly unconnected parts of the ongoing crackdown across China - the shadow banking network, real estate, Internet technology, entertainment, housing, private education - can all be understood in terms of a consistent, continuous economic model. It explores the social structure of this economic model, from an ideological foundation that is not political but cultural in nature, to its institutional arrangements and macroeconomic and fiscal policies. The book discusses the policy interventions and development goals motivated by these social structures, offering a major new contribution to understanding the social and economic challenges that face China today - and its next 50 years. The book will appeal to a broad academic audience, especially given the growing prominence of Chinese development in the context of development in the Asia-Pacific at large.

The United States and China are each actively pursuing development of a Blue Economy to promote greater marine, maritime, and naval capabilities through more innovative, sustainable and environmentally friendly means. This book examines China's approach to developing a Blue Economy, compares China's efforts to developments in the United States, analyses prospects for cooperation, and competition, and outlines strategic implications arising from China's linkage of the Blue Economy development concept to its Maritime Silk Road initiative. An understanding of the Blue Economy as it is being pursued in China and the Indo-Pacific region is extremely relevant for academics, industry professionals, and government officials.

Features

• Describes in detail the development of the Blue Economy concept in China over time
• Includes geostrategic analysis based on the author's extensive research and explains the implications of China's Blue Economy strategy for the Indo-Pacific region
• Discusses timely and important topics of interest to government, industry, and academic experts, both present and future
• Adds value to the studies, interdisciplinary collaborations, and expertise on a complex issue of strategic, technological, and economic concern
• Clarifies the linkages among Blue Economy, environmental and sustainable development and recognizes the importance of understanding the Blue Economy concept at a global scale

This book is written for everyone interested in Blue Economy studies, those who study and practice international relations, environmental policy and development, marine policy and governance, maritime and naval strategy, international and Asian affairs, as well as Indo-Pacific security matters.

India's Economic Corridor Initiatives highlights key aspects of current discourses on India's initiative of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and Chabahar, and their geo-economic significance.

INSTC was founded by India, Russia, and Iran, and the Chabahar port in Iran provides a major prospective conduit for India's interchange and commerce with West Central Asia while maintaining a strategic distance from Pakistan's entry route. This book analyses the drastic changes in the equation of international relations in general, and more particularly between India and Eurasian countries. Contributors from Iran, Central Asia, Russia, Armenia and Europe provide a wide spectrum of opinion and analysis on the subject. The chapters claim that these corridors provide an alternative to the BRI and can play a pivotal role in de-escalating tensions through negotiations.

A new addition to the debate on contemporary dynamics in Eurasia and India, this book will be of interest to researchers studying economic corridors, transnational and trans-regional economic relationships, security studies, regional and area studies, international relations and Indo-Iran-Russia relations.

Economic capital is the subject of great debate among academics and professionals in the field of risk management. Conceptually, Islamic finance's encouragement of risk-sharing eliminates the debt burden encountered by the conventional banking sector. The majority of the Islamic banking system is based on equity-based financing. To be effective in practice, a variety of well-functioning institutions are required to translate Islamic banking concepts into a 'real-world' financial system. In spite of this, the regulatory, legal, product and operational requirements specific to Islamic banks may necessitate a distinct strategy for managing capital-related risks. This book provides a comprehensive review of the theoretical and practical aspects of Islamic economic capital in relation to contemporary Islamic finance.

Drawing on the risk-sharing concept, this book delves into the core concept of economic capital from an Islamic perspective, including comparisons to conventional finance theory. Furthermore, it introduces alternative models and offers practical examples to strengthen the regulation and supervision of the Islamic banking system. It also addresses critical policy challenges concerning economic capital in Islamic finance, especially in dual banking countries. This book seamlessly integrates new theory with empirical insights and discusses emerging themes, including stress testing and Shari'ah compliance issues. Most of the chapters are illustrated with real-world cases and practical examples.

This book is intended for advanced degree students in finance, and investment professionals, as well as financial practitioners and advisors, particularly those who are pursuing Islamic economics and finance courses.

Giving Voice to Values is a very important tool that has helped many professionals better align what they do with what they value and believe. This book introduces the methodology of Socratic Dialogue as a complementary set of tools for creating spaces of joint reflection in which one can gain clarity about one's values and gain the confidence to voice them effectively.

Socrates' main concern was to progressively reach a higher alignment between ideas and actions: that is, to achieve a harmony between what we think, what we say and what we do. The first step to giving voice to our values involves introspection and dialogue with others - which is how we can become aware of what we really think and value. An examined life, Socrates reminds us, is a fulfilled one. Based on the authors' more than ten years' experience teaching Socratic Dialogue to business and law students, executives and professionals, faculty, incarcerated people and other vulnerable groups, the book provides teachers and practitioners with a roadmap to conceive, design and conduct Socratic Dialogue courses and sessions. It provides context for the method and its adaptation to the challenges of the 21st century. The book also offers guidance on how to structure a Socratic Dialogue classroom, as well as a series of tried-and-true activities and exercises, practical recommendations and testimonies of the transformative impact that dialogue courses have had on participants.

The book is of prime interest to professors and educators of business ethics, as well as professional consultants working to help organizations become more responsible and introduce ethical reasoning in their decisions. It also serves as a valuable resource for social educators and practitioners in prisons and rehabilitation units, as well as teachers in primary and secondary education.

Intellectual property rights and assets have become a major contributor to market capitalization for different companies. This book discusses the processes of valuation of patents and the legal and regulatory concerns around patent securitization.

Patents are used as an instrument of securitization to attract funds towards supporting further research and monetisation which opens-up new areas of research. They are utilised through means such as licensing, sale and purchase, financing and others. This book provides an in-depth look into the importance of patents and more importantly their securitization. It analyses the patent securitization applications as well as existing methods towards gauging the suitability of patents. The authors explore simple yet suitable methods for the valuation of patents that can be applied to the existing models to arrive at a pragmatic value. The book also includes studies and tests these systems for their reliability and application in different research areas and companies.

This book will be of interest to practitioners involved in financing and monetisation of patents, academics, researchers and students working in patent valuation, financial management, economics international economics.

New technology and changes in the regulatory framework have had a significant impact; various new players have emerged, and new business models have evolved. API-based ecosystems have become the new normal and collaboration in the financial and banking industry has reached new levels. Digital Project Practice for Banking and FinTech focuses on technology changes in the financial industry and their implications for business practice.

A combination of practical experience in the field as well as academic research, the book explores a wide range of topics in the multifaceted landscape of FinTech. It examines the industry's various dimensions, implications, and potential based on academic research and practice. From project management in the digital era to the regulation and supervision of FinTech companies, the book delves into distinct aspects of this dynamic field, offering valuable insights and practical knowledge. It provides an in-depth overview of various unfolding developments and how to deal with and benefit from them.

The book begins by exploring the unique challenges and opportunities project management presents in the digital era. It examines the evolving role of project management and provides strategies for effectively navigating the complexities of digital transformation initiatives. The book then covers such topics as:

• Financial Technology Canvas, a powerful tool for facilitating effective communication within fintech teams
• Process automation implementation in the financial sector and related benefits, challenges, and best practices to drive operational efficiency and enhance customer experiences
• Robotic process automation in financial institutions
• Cyptoeconomics and its potential implications for the diffusion of payment technologies
• The efficiency and risk factors associated with digital disruption in the banking sector.

At its core, this book is about real-world practice in the digital banking industry. It is a source of different perspectives and diverse experiences from the global financial and banking industry.

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The issue of riba, that is, interest/the "excess" or "surplus" on loans is crucial for both Islamic and non-Islamic countries. Western economic systems use interest to distribute financial resources efficiently for investment and/or consumption, while Islamic economies pursue a completely different strategy for financing loans, which adheres to Islamic laws and prohibits the activities of conventional banking systems with regard to interest. This book argues that there is scope for new definitions and analysis based on alternative concepts which respect Islamic values and principles, yet pave the way for modification and debate.

The book comprises of two parts. Theoretical issues are dealt with in the first section. The first two chapters examine conventional Islamic views on the prohibition of riba, while Chapters 3 and 4 contain unprecedented and alternative theoretical analysis based on concepts such as "earned" (halal-permitted-legal) vs. "unearned" (haram-impermissible-illegal) income and SUKUK, that is, Islamic interest-free bonds. The second part of the book tackles another unconventional aspect of Islamic finance, that is, the concept of NAS. The book considers whether the NAS-influenced anti-inflationary interest policy was a success or failure. Empirical data is evaluated in terms of bank incomes, inflation rate, interest rate, and the distribution of income.

This book will be a useful guide for students, scholars, and researchers of Islamic banking and finance.

This title demystifies arti?cial intelligence (AI) and analytics, upskilling individuals (healthcare professionals, hospital managers, consultants, researchers, students, and the population at large) around analytics and AI as it applies to healthcare.

This book shows how the tools, techniques, technologies, and tactics around analytics and AI can be best leveraged and utilised to realise a healthcare value proposition of better quality, better access and high value for everyone every day, everywhere. The book presents a triumvirate approach including technical, business and medical aspects of data and analytics and by so doing takes a responsible approach to this key area.

This work serves to introduce the critical issues in AI and analytics for healthcare to students, practitioners, and researchers.

This is the book for professionals in the payments industry. Written in an engaging and accessible style, it enables new and experienced payments practitioners alike to understand the fundamentals of the various payment ecosystems, and to quickly get up to speed on developments in the industry.

From cards to bank and alternative payments, the jargon is debunked and myths are busted. For each ecosystem, a simple framework is used: mechanics, economics, risks, and future outlook, enabling comparison and the evaluation of the best applications in different scenarios. The book also provides an overview of the global regulatory landscape. Drawing on real examples throughout, it weaves together the underpinning ecosystem principles, legislation, and key stakeholders. It offers readers practical advice regarding, and insights into, the key disciplines and equips them with an understanding of the key issues and opportunities. Also including an extensive and comprehensive glossary of terms - the first of its kind in the payments industry - this book will be used as an essential reference for years to come.

Understanding Payments will enable payments practitioners, private sector corporations, and regulators to keep up with a fast-evolving and extremely competitive industry. It can be used across businesses to help train staff and as part of continuing professional development, and will be useful to those involved in mergers and acquisitions, investors wanting to understand the industry, professional services firms, law firms and consultants, and policy makers.

Banks play the most vital role in the economy by acting as financial intermediaries and providing the necessary credit to fund consumption and investment, thereby effecting real economic activity. Banks have been in existence for centuries and while the core of their function remains the same, their business model has changed dramatically over the years. Most notably, banking internationalisation has gained prominence in the last three decades.

This book offers a comprehensive understanding of the business model, challenges and benefits of international banks.

It features banks that are global and highlights their overseas activities. It documents the recent trends in international banking activity and serves as a one-stop-shop for students and scholars. Furthermore, in the post-financial crisis of 2007-09 there has been a surge in the FinTech industry where banks have sought an opportunity to expand and compete, the core of which is the provision of services via the newly established online technology as well as the green finance initiative. The book brings together the issues and opportunities ahead as global banks respond to market and environment conditions in these arenas.

The text will be a useful resource for students, researchers and scholars of banking, international finance and international economics as well as students wishing to pursue a professional career in banking. Given the vital role banks play in the economy, their structure and activities are of great interest to policy makers also.

This book provides an introduction to sustainable aquaculture practices, focusing on how we develop social, economic and environmental resilience.

Aquaculture has seen phenomenal worldwide growth in the past 50 years, and many people view it as the best solution for the provision of high-quality protein to feed the world's growing population. This new edition has been fully revised and updated to reflect new developments in the field and includes new case studies. Focusing on developing more sustainable aquaculture practices and aquatic food systems, the book provides a toolbox of approaches to support widespread adoption and appropriate adaptation of regenerating aquaculture strategies, ensuring that it has practical relevance for both students and professionals. Drawing on a range of case studies from around the world, the book shows where progress, in terms of developing ecologically sound and socially responsible forms of aquaculture, has been made. The book is based on extensive evidence and knowledge of best practices, with guidance on appropriate adaptation and uptake in a variety of environmental, geographic, socio-economic and political settings. Concentrating on low-impact aquaculture systems and approaches, which have minimal adverse effects on the environment, the book also emphasizes socially responsible and equitable aquaculture development to enhance the natural resource base and livelihoods.

Principles of Sustainable Aquaculture is essential reading for students and scholars of aquaculture, fisheries, marine and water resource governance, and sustainable agriculture and sustainable food systems more broadly. It will also be of interest to professionals working in the aquaculture and fisheries industries.

Standing Under the Cross focuses on Bonhoeffer's rich theological and ethical thinking. This open access book places Bonhoeffer in conversation with a wide range of modern theologians, including Karl Barth, Franz Rosenzweig, Juergen Moltmann, and James Cone. The book gives particular attention to hermeneutics, the body, and Bonhoeffer's rich reflections on community and discipleship. Mawson attends to the complex ways in which these aspects of Bonhoeffer's thinking work together, and shows how they can assist us in responding to some of the challenges confronting us today.

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 University of Auckland.

As a social worker, you must make sense of complex situations and determine the needs of various individuals. As star constellations offer a guide by which to navigate, social work theories offer ways to make sense of practice.

Tackling the major theories used within social work, this book gives a concise and engaging overview of how practice is influenced by each approach described. The book outlines the origins and historical context of social work, which allows the reader to see how theoretical fashions have changed and adapted to certain times, and offers advice on the best way forward for the modern-day social worker. Packed with thought-provoking case studies and reflective questions on each topic, readers will be encouraged to question the theories outlined - a skill crucial to being a truly effective social work practitioner.

The book is ideal for quick reference in lectures, on placement or in practice. Whether you're a student, a newly qualified social worker or a 'seasoned' professional, you will return to this indispensable text time and time again.

A Brief Introduction to Social Work Theory is also available in audiobook format from audiobook retailers.

This book examines the concept of health psychology following its trajectory from ancient to contemporary times. It analyses the theories, practice and research in health psychology from both Indian and Western perspectives.

The volume brings together knowledge diversified across various narrow subfields. It expounds upon physiological psychology; chronic illnesses associated with physiological systems; and biopsychosocial approaches to treatment and management with therapeutic interventions integrated throughout the book. It further discusses health promotive and health risk behaviour with reference to health policies and databases at national and global levels.

This book will be beneficial to the students, researchers and teachers of psychology, applied psychology, public health, public policy, community health, and medical and paramedical studies. It will also be indispensable to the policy-makers and NGOs working in the field of public health.