While scientific consensus on climate change is widely accepted, political responses to the crisis remain slow and inadequate. Current approaches often rely on incremental reforms or technological fixes, while the language of "sustainability" has failed to inspire broad democratic action. These limits stem from deep-seated assumptions-human exceptionalism, capitalist growth, and the idea that ecosystems are mere "resources." As climate disruption accelerates, we need a new way of thinking that moves beyond these constraints and sparks collective imagination.

Green Abolitionism offers a new approach. Drawing on abolitionist traditions and ecological economics, Christopher C. Robinson introduces "green abolitionism" as a framework for reimagining environmental politics around freedom rather than sustainability. Across nine engaging lectures, Robinson blends political theory, ecological critique, and stories of activism to show how anti-capitalist, democratic strategies can transform our relationship to the planet. Accessible yet thought-provoking, Green Abolitionism invites readers to see climate action not as technical adjustment but as a bold, abolitionist project-one that demands creativity, justice, and hope.

Cruising Politics revalues the weaknesses of weak ties in political life, considering instead how these conditions enable different relational forms and tactics of direct democratic action. By "cruising politics," Galloway surfaces the novel affective intensities, modes of relationality, and ethical valences animating the political affairs of contemporary radical agonistic democrats. Through critical engagements across objects ranging from philosophical allegory, wartime surrealist verse, and pre-AIDS queer film to hacktivist memes and mobile performative critique, they demonstrate that the fleeting, anonymous, and public affairs of cruising politics are not only amenable to but are today driving radical democratic politics under conditions of networked publicity. Whether analyzing the queer vicissitudes of the "Ass Festival" that concludes Nietzsche's Thus Spake Zarathustra, or examining how Critical Mass fashioned a radical democratic institutional form suited to recurrent events of contentious celebration, Galloway shifts our perspective on politics to the dynamics of the encounter, where receptivity to others responds to a shared desire while exercising a pluralist mode of judgment that conduces to concerted action around the pleasure of the deed and its recurrence.

This volume uncovers fresh perspectives and compelling new data about how Europe is perceived beyond its borders. Much of the literature on the EU and international relations tends to follow elites and policymakers in looking from the top down and from the inside out. The enquiry attempts a double reversal of the gaze: it probes Europe from the outside in, and from the bottom up. It explores how the continent is seen through the eyes of other global powers (China, India, Turkey, Russia, the United States) and their younger generations, whose views often tend to elude scholarly attention. Qualitative and quantitative lenses combine to provide an original account of how power affects international perceptions, and how international perceptions affect power.

This book explores how trust, media, and democracy are deeply connected in times of digital change and political uncertainty. It shows how trust in democratic institutions and government is built, challenged, and contested through old and new media. The early chapters introduce key ideas about social and political trust and explain why trust and distrust both matter for democracy. It then examines the role of news media and journalism as mediators of trust, before turning to major contemporary challenges such as digitalisation, political polarisation, populism, and the spread of misinformation. Drawing on comparative research from across Europe, including the Covid-19 pandemic, later chapters analyse how citizens judge governments, experts, and media institutions. The book concludes by proposing a model of "enlightened trust" that highlights the importance of critical publics, media responsibility, and democratic debate. It will be of interest to readers searching for insights on trust, media, democracy, and the future of journalism and the public sphere.

Democratic Alternatives investigates the intersection of social democracy, market socialism, and the radical critique of the Situationist International. While the Situationists rejected reformism outright, their analysis of alienation, commodification, and the spectacle provides a powerful lens for evaluating institutional reforms in contemporary capitalism. This book argues that policies such as universal basic income, reduction of the working day, participatory urbanism, and cooperative management of resources-though not revolutionary in themselves-can open cracks in the dominant logic of capital. Drawing on a novel analytical framework, the book evaluates reforms through Situationist categories such as decommodification, autonomy, spatial reappropriation, and detournement of institutions. Two case studies-Iceland's working-time reduction experiment and the Mondragon cooperative movement-illustrate both the transformative potential and risks of co-optation. The book positions itself between the intransigent legacy of the Situationists and the practical necessity of reform, arguing for 'non-reformist reforms' that create conditions for social experimentation, creativity, and political participation. Written with academic rigor and critical sensitivity, it offers scholars, students, and activists a methodological tool to assess when and how reforms may contribute to a post-spectacular society.

Welche Eigenschaften und Faehigkeiten sollten ideale Fuehrungspolitiker:innen auszeichnen? Was ist kluges Regieren?

Fragen wie diese stellen sich nicht nur Politiker:innen und Journalist:innen in der Gegenwart, sondern trieben auch die Verfasser von Fuerstenspiegeln des 13. bis 18. Jahrhunderts um. Fuerstenspiegel bilden ein Genre, das in verschiedenen Epochen und Kulturkreisen beheimatet war. Sie vermittelten einerseits Vorschlaege und Programme zur Erziehung von Fuersten, andererseits Handlungsanleitungen fuer eine kluge und erfolgreiche Herrschaftsausuebung. Ihre Verfasser widmeten sich der politischen Paedagogik und konkreter Politikberatung, sie eroerterten Tugenden und Laster, illustrierten ihre Ueberlegungen mit Beispielen guter und schlechter Herrscher und mit Geschichten politischen Erfolgs oder Scheiterns. Fuerstenspiegel versprachen damit aufzuzeigen, wie ein disziplinierter Herrschaftsapparat organisiert, Frieden und Stabilitaet nach innen und aussen gesichert und Politikziele erfolgreich durchgesetzt werden koennten. Wie diese Konzeptionen politischer Fuehrungskompetenz aussahen, wie sie rezipiert, tradiert und diskutiert wurden, zeigt dieser Band.

This book explores Pakistan's internal and external political dynamics within the framework of its post-colonial strategic culture. Since gaining independence, Pakistan has charted a course distinct from India's, shaped by unique geopolitical challenges and ideological forces. The book seeks to uncover the underlying factors driving Pakistan's behavior on the regional and international stage. It provides a comprehensive analysis of the nation's political thought, institutional structures, and evolving foreign policy. Organized into six thematic chapters, it examines key issues such as civil-military relations, governance models, security priorities, and diplomatic strategies. This book offers valuable insights into the complexity of Pakistan's political identity and its impact on both domestic affairs and global interactions.

This book provides a panoramic and comparative view of how Europe is currently redefining its security and defence in an age of renewed geopolitical tension and uncertainty. After Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Europe finds itself at a crossroads, caught between a fading reliance on the United States, growing hybrid threats, and the urgent need to strengthen its own resilience and defence capabilities. The book explores how this moment is reshaping Europe's identity, priorities, and strategic posture. Drawing on insights from authors across EU Member States and neighbouring countries, the book offers a guide to the continent's diverse perceptions of threats, definitions of security, and positioning within a broader European security architecture. Written in a concise and accessible style, it offers invaluable insights for policymakers, scholars, and all readers interested in understanding how Europe is now preparing for peace in a time of war.

This book provides a brief history of web-based virtual reality and shows readers how to build three-dimensional web content for businesses using the A-Frame framework. Topics include building a basic scene with A-Frame primitives, applying textures and models, implementing navigation and collision detection, adding multiuser support, and integrating WebRTC for audio, video, and screen sharing. Features are illustrated using real-world business examples, including scenes for real estate, travel, retail, education, and enterprise. This book is intended for students and business practitioners with minimal programming experience who are interested in creating business-oriented virtual reality experiences on the web. It may also be used by educators looking to introduce web-based virtual reality concepts in a classroom setting.

This book brings together papers from the Social Science International Research Conference (SSIRC) 2025, a global forum hosted by North-West University, South Africa, that brings together scholars, practitioners, and emerging researchers to explore the evolving landscape of social sciences in the age of artificial intelligence.Focusing on the theme "Social Sciences Research in the AI Era: Opportunities, Challenges and Threats," the papers explore contemporary issues across business management, finance, economics, law, human resource management, marketing, education, and emerging technologies.This volume offers valuable perspectives for academics, policymakers, and professionals navigating the intersection of social sciences and technological innovation.

The Role of Psychedelics in the Development of Human Religious Practices explores how mind-altering substances have shaped humanity's search for the sacred. Drawing on neuroscience, archaeology, ethnopharmacology, and art history, Denis Paval offers an accessible, balanced synthesis of a rapidly evolving field. This Brief examines the phenomenology and neuropharmacology of psychedelic experiences, evaluates claims about their historical use in ritual and religion, and addresses the current psychedelic renaissance. Challenging both uncritical enthusiasm and outright skepticism, it provides a concise, evidence-based guide for researchers, clinicians, students, and readers interested in consciousness, spirituality, and the origins of religious practice across cultures worldwide.

This collection prints and analyzes the 12 formal presidential farewell addresses in U.S. history, situating them within the context of biblical, classical, and other literary antecedents.

Presidents have numerous attempts to say hello, not simply when they give a victory speech on election night, but also when they announce their candidacies, accept their party's nominations, and otherwise campaign throughout the nation. Opportunities for saying goodbye are less regular, in part because presidents are sometimes struck down before the completion of their terms and in part because not all choose to do so in a formal speech. When presidents do choose to give a formal farewell address, however, the speech is an invaluable glimpse into not only the figure who gave it but also the larger political landscape of the time. This book details the evolution of the presidential farewell address, documenting how the genre has shifted and become more institutionalized over time.

This open access book is the first of its kind that examines the urban development trajectory, sustainability, and urban policies' role across seven different countries in Asia and Africa. It offers theoretical and policy contributions emerging from a rigorous analysis of conditions on the ground in each city, combined with a critical engagement with urban policy in the respective city/country. It examines key developments in national urban policy over the years and maps emerging urbanization trends, social cohesion and social inclusion, including public health and neighbourhood planning, particularly in light of the 2015 UN Sustainable Development Goals. It is an essential reading for graduate and post-graduate level students interested in urban studies, public policy, and urban planning.

This book examines the critical function of being able to think and respond fluidly. Rigid patterns-like rumination, narrow ways of interpreting events, or behavioral avoidance-are often linked to problems such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders and obsessive compulsive spectrum disorders. Because of this, many effective therapies focus on helping people broaden their thinking and try new, healthier behaviors. This book brings together research from both science and clinical practice to explain what flexibility is and why it matters for mental health. It translates recent scientific findings into practical guidance for therapists and highlights current treatment approaches that target inflexible thinking and behavior.

This book offers the first integrated account of how psychological assessment has taken shape across Ibero-America by presenting country by country analyses of the development of the field in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Spain, Uruguay and Venezuela. It traces institutional milestones, degree programs, and professional regulation, clarifying how psychodiagnosis, psychometrics, test adaptation, and ethical frameworks have evolved within diverse educational, clinical, occupational, and forensic settings.

Written by leading scholars and practitioners, the volume synthesizes historical trajectories-from early laboratories and guidance institutes to contemporary commissions and societies-while examining persistent obstacles such as reliance on foreign instruments, uneven standardization, and access to materials. The chapters foreground reliability, validity, consequential validity, and responsible test use; they review cross cultural adaptation practices, item response theory, computerized adaptive testing, and ecological momentary assessment, alongside the roles of national councils, colleges of psychologists, and international bodies in improving test quality and governance.

Beyond documenting achievements, Origins and Challenges of Psychological Assessment in Ibero-American Countries delineates pragmatic pathways for strengthening assessment through research networks, indexed publication, and transparent quality criteria to support evidence based diagnosis and intervention. Its balanced scope-historical, methodological, and policy oriented-makes it a timely reference for students, academics, and professionals seeking rigorous, context aware assessment in Latin America and Spain.

This is an English edition of a book originally published in Spanish. The translation from Spanish into English was done with the help of artificial intelligence. A subsequent human revision was done primarily in terms of content.