The No-nonsense Guide to Class, Caste & Hierarchies

The No-nonsense Guide to Class, Caste & Hierarchies PDF

Author: Jeremy Seabrook

Publisher: Verso

Published: 2002

Total Pages: 150

ISBN-13: 9781859844656

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With globalization, traditional societies are being replaced by an international working class and a small minority of the global rich. In such a situation, who is to guarantee social justice?

The No-nonsense Guide to Water

The No-nonsense Guide to Water PDF

Author: Maggie Black

Publisher: Verso

Published: 2004

Total Pages: 148

ISBN-13: 9781844675098

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Water sustains life: without it, humans cannot survive for more than a few days. And yet this precious fluid is becoming increasingly politicized as the debates about control and ownership of water itself, and of the many organizations which govern its use, gain force. Maggie Black explores the many roles water plays in human life and, as the defense of water rights looks set to become an explosive issue, provides a clear overview on the vital issues of distribution, technology, irrigation, land use and commodification.

The No-nonsense Guide to Global Media

The No-nonsense Guide to Global Media PDF

Author: Peter Steven

Publisher: Verso

Published: 2003

Total Pages: 148

ISBN-13: 9781859845813

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The power and influence of the mass media grows daily, crucially affecting the way all of us see and understand each other. The No-Nonsense Guide to Global Media introduces readers to the political economy of the major mediafilm, television, radio, recording, publishing and the Internet. Peter Steven looks at the ever greater concentration of ownership and at the convergence of technologies and media functions. At the same time, he emphasizes the diversity of local media production and media around the world. The media is more than the economics of ownership and the technology of production, he stresses; it is also audiences, in all their annoying and wonderful diversity.

The No-nonsense Guide to the Arms Trade

The No-nonsense Guide to the Arms Trade PDF

Author: Gideon Burrows

Publisher: Verso

Published: 2002

Total Pages: 148

ISBN-13: 9781859844267

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The ending of the Cold War was supposed to increase global security and divert expenditure previously earmarked for arms purchases to more constructive ends. Instead, the arms trade has flourished. Not only conventional arms, but also police and surveillance equipment, have been provided by Western countries seeking to make a profit from conflict in unstable parts of the world. Foreign debt has remained high, development has been held back, and human rights have been systematically abused, all with the connivance of an arms trade prepared to turn a blind eye to the uses to which increasingly sophisticated weaponry is put, so long as hefty profits can be reaped. This disturbing book names the players in the arms trade and charts the impact that it has had on war, human rights, and development. The financial and trade mechanisms that permit the arms trade to continue are revealed, amid sordid tales of bribery and corruption. Gideon Burrows concludes his examination by reviewing the ways in which this trade can be controlled or even abolished.

The No-nonsense Guide to World Poverty

The No-nonsense Guide to World Poverty PDF

Author: Jeremy Seabrook

Publisher: Verso

Published: 2003

Total Pages: 142

ISBN-13: 9781859845660

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At the turn of the new millennium, the United Nations determined that world poverty would be halved by 2015. International agencies are all committed to "poverty abatement." The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank have renamed their structural adjustment policies "poverty reduction strategies." But can this work? No, argues Jeremy Seabrook, not if we fail to understand the meaning of poverty. Drawing on testimonies from around the world, as well as on the hard facts, he challenges the assumption that wealth overcomes poverty, and demonstrates that the opposite of "poor" is not "rich" but "self-reliant." Appealing passionately for a shared sense of "sufficiency," he gives verbal snapshots of people's lives to show how poverty shifts, changes and endures in response to the growth of wealth.

The No-nonsense Guide to Terrorism

The No-nonsense Guide to Terrorism PDF

Author: Jonathan Barker

Publisher: Verso

Published: 2003

Total Pages: 148

ISBN-13: 9781859844335

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Terrorist or freedom fighter? Analyzing the causes and contexts of terrorism the world over, Barker guides readers through the moral and political theories justifying and guiding terrorist acts.

The No-nonsense Guide to Islam

The No-nonsense Guide to Islam PDF

Author: Ziauddin Sardar

Publisher: Verso

Published: 2004

Total Pages: 148

ISBN-13: 9781859844540

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Even before 11 September 2001, Muslims were generally viewed in the West as enemies of "freedom" and "progress". Yet there is far more to Islam than the stereotypical Occidental view. This No-Nonsense Guide looks at how Islam, a complex faith and civilization, can reconcile itself with the twenty-first century. Critically minded Muslims everywhere are rethinking and reformulating Islam as a contemporary moral and ethical force. Merryl Wyn Davies and Zia Sardar explain the Islamic worldview, examining the Qur'an and Islamic law (sharia), Islam in history, Islam's relationship with the West and its contemporary nature. They analyse the struggle within the faith for a more humane and holistic interpretation of their religion; examine the issues surrounding women, democracy, and economic development; and suggest how we can all move forward after 9/11.