'All men are created equal...' When Thomas Jefferson wrote these words in June 1776, in the American Declaration of Independence, he started something that was very much bigger than he imagined. This book looks at the history around that Declaration, and at the Revolution that led to the birth of the United States of America

A 'Tall Tale' is a story that's hard to believe, and the five tall tales in this book all tell of ghosts. Some have dark secrets buried in the past, others bring messages for the living. Some are laughable, some are sad, and some are just evil. Sometimes there's a logical explanation for the strangest happenings, but often things cannot be explained by logic alone. Either way, you're sure to find some frightening reading between the covers of this book.

Thomas Gradgrind believes that facts and money are more important than feelings and imagination. After Cissy Jupe — a circus child — is left alone in the world, Gradgrind takes her into his house, looking after her and teaching her facts with his own children Tom and Louisa. Some years later the Gradgrind family meets hard times. Louisa becomes a prisoner in a loveless marriage, and Tom has problems at work. In the end, Thomas Gradgrind learns the importance of feelings and imagination.

One cold winter morning, a famous movie star and her teenage daughter are driving along a country road... A blue van is waiting for them. Tom is in the van, but he's not a kidnapper — he's an artist. He usually draws pictures for adventure stories. Now he's in a real life adventure.

In its essence, Critical Theory is Western Marxist thought with the emphasis moved from the liberation of the working class to broader issues of individual agency. Critical Theory emerged in the 1920s from the work of the Frankfurt School, the circle of German-Jewish academics who sought to diagnose — and, if at all possible, cure — the ills of society, particularly fascism and capitalism. In this book, Stephen Eric Bronner provides sketches of famous and less famous representatives of the critical tradition (such as George Lukacs and Ernst Bloch, Theodor Adorno and Walter Benjamin, Herbert Marcuse and Jurgen Habermas) as well as many of its seminal texts and empirical investigations. Though they shared a Marxist bent, the Frankfurt School's scholars came from a variety of fields — philosophy, economics, psychoanalysis, and even music — and they initially sought not only to do interdisciplinary work but also to combine theory with practice, criticism with empirical data. Forced by the rise of Hitler to flee to the United States, by the late 1930s the Frankfurt School left behind the emphasis on empiricism, beginning instead to specialize in philosophical inquiry into the nature of social control, which combined the work of Hegel, Marx, Freud, and Nietzsche. This VSI is ultimately organized around the cluster of concepts and themes that set critical theory apart from its more traditional philosophical competitors. Bronner explains and discusses concepts such as method and agency, alienation and reification, the culture industry and repressive tolerance, non-identity and utopia. He argues for the introduction of new categories and perspectives for illuminating the obstacles to progressive change and focusing upon hidden transformative possibilities. Only a critique of critical theory can render it salient for a new age. That is precisely what this very short introduction seeks to provide.

The sixteenth and seventeenth centuries witnessed such fervent investigations of the natural world that the period has been called the Scientific Revolution. New ideas and discoveries not only redefined what human beings believed, knew, and could do, but also forced them to redefine themselves with respect to the strange new worlds revealed by ships and scalpels, telescopes and microscopes, experimentation and contemplation. Driven by religious devotion, by practical need, by the promise of fame and profit, or by the simple desire to know, a broad range of thinkers and workers explored and reconceptualized the world around them. Explanatory systems were made, discarded, and remade by some of the best-known names in the entire history of science — Copernicus, Galileo, Newton — and by many others less recognized but no less important. In this Very Short Introduction Lawrence M. Principe explores the exciting developments in the sciences of the stars (astronomy, astrology, and cosmology), the sciences of earth (geography, geology, hydraulics, pneumatics), the sciences of matter and motion (alchemy, chemistry, kinematics, physics), the sciences of life (medicine, anatomy, biology, zoology), and much more. The story is told from the perspective of the historical characters themselves, emphasizing their background, context, reasoning, and motivations, and dispelling well-worn myths about the history of science.

Madness is something that frightens and fascinates us all. It is a word with which we are universally familiar, and a condition that haunts the human imagination. Through the centuries, in poetry and in prose, in drama and in the visual arts, its depredations are on display for all to see. A whole industry has grown up, devoted to its management and suppression. Madness profoundly disturbs our common sense assumptions; threatens the social order, both symbolically and practically; creates almost unbearable disruptions in the texture of daily living; and turns our experience and our expectations upside down. Lunacy, insanity, psychosis, mental illness — whatever term we prefer, its referents are disturbances of reason, the passions, and human action that frighten, create chaos, and yet sometimes amuse; that mark a gulf between the common sense reality most of us embrace, and the discordant version some humans appear to experience. Social responses to madness, our interpretations of what madness is, and our notions of what is to be done about it have varied remarkably over the centuries. In this Very Short Introduction, Andrew Scull provides a provocative and entertaining examination of the social, cultural, medical, and artistic responses to mental disturbance across more than two millennia, concluding with some observations on the contemporary accounts of mental illness.

As the founder of Islam Muhammad is one of the most influential figures in history. The furor surrounding the Satanic Verses and the Danish cartoon crisis reminded the world of the tremendous importance of the prophet of Islam, Muhammad. Learning about his life and understanding its importance, however, has always proven difficult. Our knowledge of Muhammad comes from the biography of him written by his followers, but Western historians have questioned the reliability of this story in their quest to uncover the 'historical Muhammad'. As modern controversies have shown, whatever the truth about Muhammad's life, his persona has taken on numerous shapes and played a crucial role in Muslim life and civilization. This Very Short Introduction provides an introduction to the major aspects of Muhammad's life and its importance, providing both the Muslim and Western historical perspectives. It also explains the prominent roles that Muhammad's persona has played in the Islamic world, from the medieval to the modern period.

A landmark contribution to New Zealand English, the Oxford Dictionary of New Zealandisms is the most up to date and comprehensive work of its kind. The Oxford Dictionary of New Zealandisms collects six and a half thousand distinctive New Zealand words and usages, and encompass the full range of New Zealandisms, drawn from a wide variety of domains and areas of New Zealand life. The Oxford Dictionary of New Zealandisms is the first to represent the entire spectrum of New Zealand English vocabulary since the publication of the late Harry Orsman's monumental Dictionary of New Zealand English in 1997.

This book explores how domestic courts contribute to the maintenance of the rule of international law by providing judicial control over the exercises of public powers that may conflict with international law. The main focus of the book will be on judicial control of exercise of public powers by states. Key cases that will be reviewed in this book, and that will provide empirical material for the main propositions, include Hamdan, in which the US Supreme Court reviewed detention by the United States of suspected terrorists against the 1949 Geneva Conventions; Adalah, in which the Supreme Court of Israel held that the use of local residents by Israeli soldiers in arresting a wanted terrorist is unlawful under international law, and the Narmada case, in which the Indian Supreme Court reviewed the legality of displacement of people in connection with the building of a dam in the river Narmada under the ILO Indigenous and Tribal Populations Convention 1957 (nr 107). This book primarily explores what it is that international law requires, expects, or aspires that domestic courts do, and against this backdrop of what international law requires it seeks to map patterns of domestic practice in the actual or possible application of international law, and to determine what such patterns mean for the protection of the rule of international law.

The second edition of Understanding Strategic Management continues to build upon the strengths of the first edition with its excellent writing style, ability to convey complex information in a clear manner, the use of analysis, relevant up-to-date case material and coverage of different perspectives in strategic management. With an emphasis on providing students with the essential tools of analysis, the second edition also links material in the textbook far more closely with the Online Resource Centre (ORC). This also hosts additional quantitative material, which is signposted throughout the textbook. This edition includes coverage of strategy relating to the public sector, complete with public sector examples. Online Resource Centre: The Online Resource Centre (ORC) accompanying the text provides all the teaching and learning materials needed to support each chapter, removing the need for lecturers to look for additional seminar and test materials, and giving students the resources they need to check and build upon their understanding. Seminar activities can be based around the additional online case studies with suggested answers, and students can test themselves using online multiple choice questions with feedback and internet exercises which build on the analysis in each chapter. The new edition has a far greater integration between the textbook and the online material with a new Tools and Techniques feature which links to more quantitative material hosted on the ORC, and a brand new Key Work feature which provides more in-depth information online. These new features add depth and detail to the content without adding to the books page extent. For students: Tools and Techniques; links from the text to more quantitative material to enable students to delve deeper into this field Key Work; offers additional detail to enable a deeper understanding and broader knowledge of interesting aspects of Strategic Management Multiple choice questions, Abstracts of journal articles, Resource box; offers a comprehensive list of resources, websites, and material you will find useful for further study in Strategic Management Internet exercises, Flashcard glossary. For lecturers: PowerPoint lecture slides, Diagrams and tables, Test bank, Answers to some discussion questions, Further case material; including 3 brand new short cases and 2 new long cases, specifically written to support the text, and supported by questions for students.

Now in its third edition, Taking a Case to the European Court of Human Rights is written by an experienced human rights practitioner. It provides practical and accessible guidance on taking cases to the European Court of Human Rights. It incorporates a step-by-step approach to the litigation process, covering areas such as lodging the initial application, legal aid, costs, interim measures, friendly settlement, third party intervention, just satisfaction, enforcement of judgments, and Grand Chamber referrals. An explanation of the key principles underlying the European Convention on Human Rights precedes an expanded and up-to-date article-by-article commentary on the substantive law of the European Convention, including derogation, reservation, and damages. The new edition has been fully revised to take account of the changes introduced by Protocol 14 in 2010. The book includes key substantive case law developments, commentary and guidance on the amended Court rules and new practice directions, and recent changes in the Court's processing of cases, together with advice and information on drafting pleadings, fact-finding and merits hearings before the Court. The Court's admissibility criteria, a critical aspect of the Convention system, are dealt with in detail, and a comprehensive set of Court forms and other precedents are included in the appendices.

The Oxford Primary Atlas is a clear, bright and informative atlas for all 7-11 year olds. This new edition includes up-to-date country data and easy-to-read colourful mapping, presented in an accessible visual layout based on research into how young children use maps. It features key curriculum themes such as landscapes, water, settlements, connections, and environments. It includes easy-to-use features such as learning statements to summarize each theme, focus panels to prompt independent or group enquiry, innovative grid codes to help children find places listed in the index, colourful photographs to aid children's understanding of map symbols, attractive artwork to provide a sense of place, and stimulating graphics to make large numbers easy to understand. This new edition of the Oxford Primary Atlas, specially written to support the requirements of primary geography at Key Stage 2, and incorporating the most popular features of the bestselling Oxford Junior Atlas, uses simple, clear mapping and colourful illustration to create a stimulating and informative atlas for all 7-11 year olds. The Oxford Primary Atlas is also accompanied by the Activity Book for independent work to develop map literacy skills, and the e-Atlas CD-ROM for whole class display on interactive whiteboard.

Where does our conscience come from? How reliable is it? In the West conscience has been relied upon for two thousand years as a judgement that distinguishes right from wrong. It has effortlessly moved through every period division and timeline between the ancient, medieval, and modern. The Romans identified it, the early Christians appropriated it, and Reformation Protestants and loyal Catholics relied upon its advice and admonition. Today it is embraced with equal conviction by non-religious and religious alike. Considering its deep historical roots and exploring what it has meant to successive generations, Paul Strohm highlights why this particularly European concept deserves its reputation as one of the prouder Western contributions to human rights and human dignity throughout the world. Using examples from popular culture including the Disney classic Pinocchio, as well as examples from contemporary politics, he explores the work of thinkers such as Nietzsche, Freud, and Aquinas, to show how and why conscience remains a motivating and important principle in the contemporary world.

In 1961 John F. Kennedy pledged to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade. Nine years later, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon. Ten years later, Richard Nixon echoed this pledge by declaring a 'war' on cancer. More than 30 years later, however, cancer remains one of the largest causes of death worldwide, with around 1 in 3 developing the disease. Curing cancer is not rocket science, but the question is, why has cancer proved to be harder to tackle than the moon landings turned out to be? Cancer research is a major economic activity. There are constant improvements in treatment techniques that result in better cure rates and increased quality and quantity of life for those with the disease, yet stories of breakthroughs in a cure for cancer are often in the media. In this Very Short Introduction Nick James, founder of the CancerHelp UK website, examines the trends in diagnosis and treatment of the disease, as well as its economic consequences. Asking what cancer is and what causes it, he considers issues surrounding expensive drug development, what can be done to reduce the risk of developing cancer, and the use of complementary and alternative therapies.

My friends have all got fun cats. They jump, and chase, and play and hunt. But my cat doesn't do any of those things. My cat just sleeps. A charming story of one little girl and her beloved, sleepy cat. She can't help but compare him to all her friends' cats who do exciting things, when all her cat does is snooze. But why exactly is he so sleepy? Is there something about him that his owner doesn't know?

Most of us recognize that organizations are everywhere. You meet them on every street corner in the form of families and shops, study in them, work for them, buy from them, pay taxes to them. But have you given much thought to where they came from, what they are today, and what they might become in the future? How and why do they have so much influence over us, and what influences them? How do they contribute to and detract from the meaningfulness of lives, and how might we improve them so they better serve our needs and desires? This Very Short Introductions addresses all of these questions and considers many more. Mary Jo Hatch introduces the concept of organizations by presenting definitions and ideas drawn from the a variety of subject areas including the physical sciences, economics, sociology, psychology, anthropology, literature, and the visual and performing arts. Drawing on examples from prehistory and everyday life, from the animal kingdom as well as from business, government, and other formal organizations, Hatch provides a lively and thought provoking introduction to the process of organization.

All living things on Earth are composed of cells. A cell is the simplest unit of a self-contained living organism, and the vast majority of life on Earth consists of single-celled microbes, mostly bacteria. These consist of a simple 'prokaryotic' cell, with no nucleus. The bodies of more complex plants and animals consist of billions of 'eukaryotic' cells, of varying kinds, adapted to fill different roles — red blood cells, muscle cells, branched neurons. Each cell is an astonishingly complex chemical factory, the activities of which we have only begun to unravel in the past fifty years or so through modern techniques of microscopy, biochemistry, and molecular biology. In this Very Short Introduction, Terrence Allen and Graham Cowling describe the nature of cells — their basic structure, their varying forms, their division, their differentiation from initially highly flexible stem cells, their signalling, and programmed death. Cells are the basic constituent of life, and understanding cells and how they work is central to all biology and medicine.

Religion is currently gaining a much higher profile. The number of faith schools is increasingly, and religious points of view are being aired more frequently in the media. As religion's profile rises, those who reject religion, including humanists, often find themselves misunderstood, and occasionally misrepresented. Stephen Law explores how humanism uses science and reason to make sense of the world, looking at how it encourages individual moral responsibility and shows that life can have meaning without religion. Challenging some of the common misconceptions, he seeks to dispute the claims that atheism and humanism are 'faith positions' and that without God there can be no morality and our lives are left without purpose. Looking at the history of humanism and its development as a philosophical alternative, he examines the arguments for and against the existence of God, and explores the role humanism plays in moral and secular societies, as well as in moral and religious education. Using humanism to determine the meaning of life, he shows that there is a positive alternative to traditional religious belief.