Beyond Smart Housing: Bridging Culture, Technology, and Community introduces a holistic understanding of smart living that values both efficiency and empathy, repositioning the idea of smart housing within a human-centered, culturally grounded, and socially aware framework.

In recent decades, the notion of "smart housing" has evolved into a dominant paradigm within architecture, planning, and urban innovation. Yet, much of this discourse remains narrowly focused on technological efficiency, automation, and energy optimization. This book challenges this limited view by exploring the deeper layers of what it truly means for a home, and by extension, a community, to be "smart." It argues that genuine intelligence in housing cannot be reduced to devices, data, or digital connectivity alone, but must also encompass cultural meaning, social interaction, and emotional attachment. The book unfolds in three analytical layers: 1. The House: as an individual unit of living, exploring its psychological, spatial, and sensory meanings; 2. The Home: as a lived and emotional space, shaped by identity, memory, and self-expression; 3. Housing and Neighborhood: as collective systems of life, where cultural intelligence and everyday practices sustain social cohesion. The book draws inspiration from real-world examples including the Dutch woonerf and field observations from Bojnord, Iran, to show how the idea of "everyday intelligence" already exists within lived social patterns. These cases illustrate that true smartness may arise not only from technology but from community behavior, shared awareness, and mutual care.

This book invites scholars and students, urban policymakers, designers, architects, and anyone who has ever wondered what makes a home and neighborhood truly smart to rethink the smart home as a living, learning environment: one that cultivates resilience, inclusivity, and emotional well-being.

This book is the first in-depth analysis of classism and the law.

Why doesn't the law protect class? Why do people often ignore classism as a form of discrimination? Why does legal scholarship sideline class and classism?

Arguing that class and classism have been ignored in much legal analysis, this book presents a new framework for approaching classism as a form of discrimination. Its examination of a much-overlooked topic combines theoretical argument with detailed analysis of the law. While accepting the dangers of using the law to protect against classism, this book suggests that reform in this area is long overdue.

This is a thoughtful, nuanced and important work on a crucial question.

A new text for academic librarianship courses written for today's complex library environment.

Academic libraries are the heart of academic communities and embrace their university or colleges' missions in complex, diverse, and dynamic circumstances. This text captures the essence of that complexity, demonstrates academic libraries' value, and provides a comprehensive resource for students and professional librarians.

The text's eight parts give LIS students a thorough overview of how academic libraries work:

? The Academic Environment
? Administration
? Library Spaces
? Scholarly Communication and Resources
? Research, Outreach, and Instruction
? Technology
? Promoting the Library
? Other Trends and Perspectives

Written by contributors experienced in both teaching academic librarianship and working in academic libraries, this text is reflective of changes within higher education, the library profession, and the expectations of stakeholders. Chapters include case studies and discussion questions written by the book's editors.

Public Space, Peace, and Everyday Life delves into the intricate relationships between public spaces, peace, and the rhythms of daily life. The book explores how peace is actively constructed in public spaces through the dynamics of place, community, and environment. Framed by the entry points of comfort, negotiation, and co-existence, it offers a compelling lens to understand the transformative potential of public spaces in fostering peaceful interactions.

Providing a rich theoretical foundation and post-humanist methodologies to conceptualise the interplay between everyday life and public spaces, the book spans a wide range of disciplines, including urban studies, urban design, urban planning, human geography, urban sociology, anthropology, and urban ecology. This approach is examined through case studies from Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas, to explain how peace is contextually embedded and constructed across diverse spatio-temporal scales. Readers will gain insights into frameworks for understanding public spaces, methodologies for exploring their dynamics, and reflections that bridge activism, research, and practice.

This book will be of interest to scholars and professionals in urban studies, human geography, sociology, and anthropology, as well as urban planners, designers, and ecologists. By providing spaces that allow users in their everyday lives to move towards co-presence, collaboration and co-dependence, peace would emerge on an ongoing basis. By offering a multidisciplinary perspective, it equips readers with tools to critically engage with the role of public spaces in shaping peaceful and hopeful futures.

Beyond the Lean Strategy Canvas, the authors provide practical frameworks and tools for analysing the economic market - including customers, competition, and risks - and translating tactics into disciplined execution. The Lean Strategy Development is grounded in research and enriched by startup case studies and interviews across multiple ecosystems. It explores the impact of integrating AI-enabled decision-making and sustainability considerations into the logistics of maintaining agility. The authors' experience of mentoring businesspersons acts as a foundation to present clear and actionable approaches to building schemes in unsettled environments.

Researchers and academics of business and operations management will benefit from the book's contributions to the intersection of strategic management and entrepreneurship. This is an essential read for early-stage business founders due to its structured yet agile approach tailored to startup realities.

"[The] written style is admirably clear, conversational and free from jargon ... It will be of immense interest to anybody with a general interest in UK law, politics and history." Times Higher Education

This engaging, authoritative text has, since its very first edition, maintained its position as the market-leading introduction to the constitution of the United Kingdom. Adopting a thematic approach, it discusses questions of history, sources and conventions, the role of the Crown, Parliament and the electoral system, government and the executive, the judiciary, and the territorial distribution of power. In addition, it offers analysis of the evolution of the UK's historic non-codified constitution, its strengths and perceived weaknesses, and of reform initiatives. The new edition systematically examines the impact of the recent developments, including how COVID changed how government operated, the revolving door of Prime Ministers, the election of the Labour government, and the accession of King Charles III.

Though introductory in approach, it does not shy away from the complexity of the constitutional landscape in the United Kingdom. It provides a contextual overview of the principles, doctrines and institutions that underpin the elusive constitution, allowing students of law and politics, both from the UK and abroad, to develop an informed view of how it actually works.

Acknowledging that there several accepted definition of wisdom, a global array of contributors present interdisciplinary perspectives on its societal impact. They embrace the inherent complexity and elusiveness of the concept to address its role in personal development, business, political leadership and individual efforts to make positive contributions to a troubled world. Combining scientific, philosophical and spiritual approaches, entries explore the implications of metaphysics and consciousness, integrating practical and theoretical knowledge to provide a broad and deep overview of wisdom.

The Elgar Encyclopedia of Wisdom Research is an essential resource for scholars and students of psychology, business and management, sociology, the humanities and innovation studies. Business leaders as well as ethics policymakers and educators will similarly benefit from its broad analysis and practical recommendations.

Key Features:

• Showcases entries from leading thinkers from around the world, including the Global South
• Analyses the social pre-conditions which foster wisdom to enhance community-led development
• Examines the implications of wisdom for neuroscience, spirituality, religious studies, ethics and philosophy
• Investigates aspects of wisdom that have been under-emphasised in contemporary wisdom research

This book presents a comprehensive overview of urban economic development in the Global South, a region experiencing rapid urbanisation. Anchored by INHAF, it brings together perspectives from public administration, urban planning, economics, geography, and social work to present an interdisciplinary social science approach to urban economic development. Drawing on empirical evidence, case studies, and policy discourses from across the world, the book explores key drivers and challenges confronting urban economies in the Global South, including infrastructure development, climate change-induced livelihood vulnerabilities, technological shifts, and circular economy transitions. Accessibly written, this book will serve as an essential resource for policymakers, urban planners, researchers, and readers interested in the complex dynamics of economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental sustainability. It will be essential reading for students of urban planning and governance, public administration, geography and economics.

This book offers a practical and accessible guide to support anyone who wants to pursue a career in Psychology, and work in mental health and associated areas.

Based on UK applied psychologist career paths, featuring psychologist profiles from across the main disciplines, this book illuminates the possibilities of a career in psychology. It outlines the varied and exciting different areas to consider, including clinical, educational, forensic, counselling, health, occupational, and sports and exercise psychology, and academic and research careers. The book provides career guidance for each area of applied psychology, along with case studies that offer real life examples from practitioners in the field, including those from racially minoritised groups. The author discusses each area, what different psychologists do, qualifications and experience needed, and different routes, presenting all the information necessary to make informed decisions about a career in psychology.

Offering an inclusive, realistic and clear overview of what it's like to build and maintain a career in the applied psychology professions, the book is for all students, graduates and career transitioners looking to understand their career options in the field.

This book is a definitive guide to the study and practice of tourism. Conceived as an ultimate encyclopaedia and reference guide, it offers a structured, insightful, and contemporary exploration of the tourism sector in all its dimensions. The author critically engages with the complexities of the tourism industry and contributes meaningfully to its innovation and growth. Through global case studies and practical illustrations, the book equips readers with a comprehensive understanding of the tourism system-encompassing destinations, experiences, travellers, and service providers. It delves into emerging themes such as digital transformation, sustainability, changing consumer behavior, and post-pandemic recovery, making it an essential guide for navigating the dynamic future of tourism.

An all-encompassing resource that bridges academic theory with industry application, it will be indispensable for students, educators, trainers, researchers, tourism professionals, government departments, tourism boards, and industry associations. It will also serve as a core academic text and as a practical manual, supporting training, policymaking, and professional development.

This timely book explores how social stress is reshaping higher education today. By placing the polarizing MAGA-DEI conflict in historical and contemporary perspective, Higher Education and Social Stress encourages discussion and social action within campus organizations amid dismantled social and public health programs. Drawing on higher education, political science, sociology, and mental health, this interdisciplinary work examines cultural conflicts across social classes and faith traditions to unpack political and social tensions within families, communities, and campuses. Written for scholars, educators, and researchers, it provides opportunities for reflection and dialogue in universities and communities affected by the loss of federal funding for social support, medical services, and educational opportunities.

John R. Hipp evaluates innovative techniques such as measuring and estimating spatial mobility and the impact of the larger city context on neighborhood-level crime modeling. Chapters assess the importance of longitudinal data, neighborhood change and the feedback effects of crime in understanding why crime concentrates in some neighborhoods and not others. Posing key questions for scholars, the book debates the future direction of research on the social, spatial and structural forces that shape the geography of urban crime.

Rethinking Neighborhoods, Crime and Place is an invaluable resource for scholars and students of criminology and criminal justice, geography and sociology, especially those seeking a greater understanding of the relationship of crime to spatial scale. Practitioners and policymakers in urban planning, housing and policing will also benefit from its timely insights.

Entries address governance, power and the distribution of profits and risks within GVCs. Exploring how production is organized within global networks, the Encyclopedia reflects upon economic, social and environmental upgrading in an evolving landscape. Renowned academics in the field discuss how digitalization, geopolitical tensions, sustainability pressures and corporate strategies are transforming global production. Interdisciplinary in scope, it combines foundational concepts on governance and development with emerging research on social and environmental sustainability, digitalization and geopolitics.

Key Features:

• 
  
• Connects analytical concepts to pressing global challenges including inequality, climate change and global trade tensions
• Brings together insights from eminent and emerging scholars from economic sociology, international business and development studies
• Highlights sectoral depth and empirical richness: it includes examples focused on key industries such as apparel, natural resources, agriculture and services

This Encyclopedia is an essential reference for students and scholars of development studies, geography, international management, business and economics. Policymakers as well as consultants and practitioners working in national and international organizations will benefit from its discussion of applications and cutting-edge debates.

Libya: Continuity and Change offers a comprehensive reappraisal of Libya's modern history, challenging conventional narratives that overemphasise rupture while overlooking enduring structural patterns.

This third edition traces Libya's development from its early historical foundations through the colonial and post-colonial periods to the rule of Mu?ammar al-Qaddafi and the instability that followed his fall in 2011. Moving beyond leader-centric accounts, the book situates Qaddafi's policies within broader historical, social, and political continuities, showing how his revolutionary project both drew upon and reconfigured existing structures. It further demonstrates how, in the post-Qaddafi era, deep-rooted institutional and socio-economic legacies have continued to shape political fragmentation, conflict, and governance challenges. By highlighting the interplay between continuity and change, the study offers a more nuanced understanding of Libya's trajectory and the persistent influence of the past on present dynamics.

This book will appeal to students and scholars of Middle East and North African politics, international relations, and modern history, as well as policymakers and analysts seeking a deeper understanding of Libya's ongoing political crisis and prospects for stability.

The African continent will be hit hardest by climate change, despite its people contributing the least to global warming. Indeed, African rural populations have a long tradition of adapting their needs to the soil, vegetation and climate. This tradition is understudied yet is significant for adapting to climate change. This book provides insight into how these communities have lived and used their land in relation to climate and vegetation.

This 36th volume of Palaeoecology of Africa presents an interdisciplinary perspective on the historical relationship between humans and their environment, as well as the evolution of the climate in sub-Saharan and tropical Africa. It also explores the challenges posed by climate change and its consequences. It covers a wide geographical area extending from west to east across the center of the African continent. Furthermore, this book covers a broad timeframe, from Pleistocene and Holocene epochs, through the Iron Age, to the last five millennia, up to the present day. Using data and archaeological findings, this book sheds light on Africa's environmental history and climate dynamics. Natural resource exploitation, changes and degradation in vegetation, climate change and the relationship between humans and their environment are introduced and discussed by numerous case studies with the aim to stimulate the international climate debate and future sustainable management practices. Junior and established scientists from Germany, Switzerland, South Africa and Madagascar have strengthened their cooperation and networking in sub-Saharan Africa, a region rich in natural resources and home to a diversity of people, vegetation and animal species.

This Open Access book establishes a strong foundation for future research into the climate and vegetation of sub-Saharan Africa, as well as the relationship between humans and natural resources. It enables us to understand the dynamics of climate change and how humans adapt to their natural environment. It will be of interest to anyone concerned with climate evolution, vegetation dynamics and the transformation of the natural environment by humans, particularly in the sub-Saharan and tropical regions.

This book examines AI's transformative impact on higher education, from enhancing teaching and learning to raising ethical challenges like academic integrity and bias. It provides a balanced exploration of AI-driven tools, policies, and governance, aligning with SDG 4: Quality Education, to ensure that AI is used responsibly and effectively. It serves as a comprehensive guide for navigating the opportunities and risks of AI integration in academia.

A key highlight is the book's focused exploration of generative AI and OpenAI tools, distinguishing it from broader discussions. It specifically addresses how these technologies impact assessment and academic integrity. This book offers a practical, structured approach by integrating AI concepts with established educational taxonomies such as Bloom's and SOLO. This allows for a targeted discussion on personalized learning and skill development. It provides case studies, real-world applications, and comparative analyses of institutional strategies, offering actionable guidance for educators and policymakers. Delving into policies and governance, it helps universities navigate the complexities of AI adoption.

This book's research-based insights and practical focus make it an essential guide for managing AI in a rapidly evolving academic landscape. This book is for researchers and practitioners, including educators and policymakers, seeking a comprehensive and practical guide to understanding and responsibly implementing AI in higher education.

This book critically examines the role of evidence-informed decision-making in tourism planning, destination management, and policymaking, emphasizing its importance for sustainable tourism development. Through a blend of conceptual reflections and innovative empirical case studies from diverse international contexts, it highlights good practices such as participatory approaches, actionable simulations, and local systems thinking. This book also identifies gaps and challenges in enhancing evidence use, offering valuable insights for improving theory and practice in sustainable tourism.

Covering broad subject areas such as sustainable tourism, destination management, policymaking, and evidence-based planning, this book is ideal for academics, policymakers, tourism professionals, and students seeking to deepen their understanding of evidence-informed approaches in tourism development.

The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of Journal of Sustainable Tourism.

What does it mean to live freely, authentically, and responsibly in the twenty-first century? What use do we have for existentialism today? Is it just a tangle of irrational and individualist pessimism, or does it speak to our contemporary minds?

Stereotypically ascribed to the cliques of Bohemia, pretentious cafe dwellers and tyro philosophers, existentialism is probably the most misunderstood and caricatured of philosophical movements. Rather than offering a dry history of ideas or an angsty guide to intellectual despair however, Existentialism Now shows that existentialist understandings of concepts like freedom, embodiment, ambiguity, authenticity and responsibility speak urgently to the pressures and possibilities of contemporary modern life.

21 iconic quotations from Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Beauvoir, Fanon, Sartre, Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty and others bring the electrifying force of existentialist thought to bear on our contemporary moment. Lines including: "One is not born, but rather becomes, woman", "Hell is other people", and "Remain true to the earth" offer pathmarks for navigating a world shaken by ecological crisis, political polarisation and technological acceleration, and are launch points for exploring gender, race, trauma, anxiety, technology, ecology, politics, violence, love, and the future of humanity. Ultimately, Nik Farrell Fox argues that we can overturn the misinterpretations that plague existentialism and find instead their renewed relevance to contemporary thought.

Early Chinese Cinema and Two-Way World Flows explores how the term 'transnational' became a condition-a site of translations, transactions, and transitions in Chinese cinema. Drawing on a broad range of previously untapped sources by and about female directors, writers, actresses, and moviegoers, including personal recollections from the family of female director Marion Evelyn Hong, this book offers new perspectives on the dynamic multidirectional flow of films, culture, and communities in the early twentieth century at a time of intense global political upheaval. At its heart are 'transnational' films and the women, audiences, and immigrants who positioned themselves across borders.

This pioneering scholarship shows how cinema emerges as an affective medium and a tool of negotiation, enabling women to navigate political and immigrant experiences. It also examines how film production and circulation became strategic responses to racial misrepresentation, with diasporic Chinese communities playing a central role in these early economic and cultural exchanges between China and the United States.

By highlighting the role of film in diasporic culture and economic transactions, this book opens new frontiers for scholars of feminist, diasporic, and global film studies, revealing the layered complexities of Chinese and Chinese American diasporic film cultures. It was originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Chinese Cinemas.

This second edition delivers a comprehensive update on the progress, challenges, and developments shaping the landscape of college access and completion in the United States over the past decade.

Chapters explore key changes in student demographics, laws and policies, financial aid reforms, and more, addressing critical questions about what is currently known and unknown in the research. Leading scholars offer evidence-based insights and actionable recommendations to overcome challenges and improve outcomes for all students, with a particular emphasis on underserved populations. With refreshed discussion of financial wellness, transfer pathways, and student success initiatives, this new edition is an essential resource for graduate students, educators, policymakers, and researchers.

This book offers valuable insights into the evolving landscape of human communication shaped by AI and persuasive technologies, and their use in facilitating and enhancing communication processes.

Highlighting the central role of communication in utilizing persuasive technologies to analyze human behaviors, interpersonal communication, and cognitive processes, the book sheds light on the profound impact of AI communication on individuals and their society. First critically presenting and examining the foundational theories and principles that form the bedrock of persuasive technology, the book then moves to explore AI equality and other ethical considerations - including privacy concerns, data security, manipulation, and trustworthiness in AI systems - as well as the broader societal impacts of AI communication in areas such as health care, politics, marketing, and social media, shedding light on its implications for our digital society.

This book will be an interdisciplinary resource for researchers and students in communication studies, information sciences and business, specifically those working on human-computer interaction, social media communication, social media for social change, and digital media and society.

This book explores the fascinating world of border tourism, showing how borders are not just lines on a map but vibrant spaces where cultures meet, identities evolve, and unique travel experiences emerge. It brings together global perspectives to reveal how politics, culture, and human connections shape tourism in border regions across the world

Through engaging case studies and fresh perspectives, this book helps readers understand how border tourism works in real-life contexts. It covers themes like cultural exchange, virtual tourism, sustainability, and the economic impact of tourism in border areas. It also helps discover how destinations transform borders into attractions and how tourism can foster connection and development. The chapters offer both practical insights and theoretical understanding, making it easier to apply ideas in research, policy-making, or industry practice. Overall, the book equips readers with the knowledge and inspiration to rethink borders as opportunities rather than limitations

This book is ideal for students, researchers, and educators in tourism and geography, as well as professionals, planners, and policymakers interested in border tourism and sustainable development. It is especially useful for anyone curious about how tourism connects people, places, and cultures across boundaries.

Chapters outline the contemporary state of tax harmonisation by exploring core topics of EU tax law such as tax collection, information exchange, dispute resolution, fiscal state aids and the taxation of passive investments. Acknowledging the overarching impact of international tax legislation on European strategies, the Research Handbook analyses how treaty freedoms and association trade agreements influence, and are resisted by, EU member state policy. With updated chapters on environmental law and corporate taxation, a diverse array of contributors from across Europe capture the essence of this dynamic area of EU law and present informed predictions for future policies and research areas.

This revised Research Handbook on European Union Taxation Law is an invaluable resource for scholars and students of European law, tax law and fiscal policy. Tax lawyers and practitioners seeking to develop their understanding of this rapidly evolving field will similarly benefit from its forward-thinking lens.