Book Description
The Deliberative Democracy Handbook is a terrific resource for democratic practitioners and theorists alike. It combines rich case material from many cities and types of institutional settings with careful reflection on core principles. It generates hope for a renewed democracy, tempered with critical scholarship and political realism. Most important, this handbook opens a spacious window on the innovativeness of citizens in the U.S. (and around the world) and shows how the varied practices of deliberative democracy are part of a larger civic renewal movement.
Customer Reviews:
An excellent collection of case studies of public deliberation in the aim of influencing government decision-making........2007-04-19
John Gastil and Peter Levine have done important service for the academics and practitioners in the field of public participation in government decision-making. This 300 page text book provides 19 chapters of research into diverse contemporary demonstrations of deliberative democracy mostly within the U.S.A. but also some in-depth reviews of important European, Australian and Brazilian systems. An excellent variety of models are discussed including all levels of government decision-making from city planing to national policies. The research is presented by diverse authors with first hand experience. The writing is a good balance of academic rigour and perspective as well as practitioner friendly explanations and observations.
The only problem with this text is the use of "handbook" in the title. While the clearly written case studies are insightful for practitioners and the various practical suggestions found through out the book could help inform a processes plan, they do not constitute the definition of handbook, which is supposed to be an easily referenced manual of instructions. For a real handbook in deliberative democracy try "The Community Planning Handbook: How People Can Shape Their Cities, Towns and Villages in Any Part of the World" by Nick Wates which is clearly written and structured to guide people in the practical implementation of community deliberation to direct local decision-making. You may also be interested in handbooks for specific participatory democracy systems such as the classic "Preferred Futuring", the popular "Open Space Technology", the proven "Consensus Conference" or the new and ultra-simple "Advanced Dotmocracy".
Exactly what it promises, in an engaging style........2006-09-22
I read this book on assignment, and was surprised at how enjoyable it was. Gastil and Levine pull together experiences from across the country, all through the 20th Century, distilling them into clear lessons and practical advice. And they write well! While it could have been a dry tome of lists and statistics, instead they bring it alive with insight and lively writing.
The review below calling it a 'puff piece' implies an expectation of step-by-step instructions; totally off base. The sub-title is spot on: Strategies for Effective Civic Engagement. I read this book to learn how -and how not- to create and participate in civic debate and education (it's a much bigger field than I realized), which is exactly what I learned. And, while they don't give you a numbered checklist, there ARE enough details and caveats to effectively structure your own town hall meeting. (That reviewer should read the last chapter again.)
What Gastil and Levine do, the importance of which becomes increasingly apparent as one reads the book, is provide a general framework for creating, understanding, and evaluating various forms of deliberation WITHOUT boxing the reader into a one-size-fits-all structure. We're in the middle of exciting (ahem...) political times, and the value of this handbook exists in both the clarity and timing of the authors.
This book was great!.......2005-11-04
I just finished "The Deliberative Democracy Handbook" and recommend it as a welcome addition to interdisciplinary studies of researchers, policy-makers,students, and practitioners. In explaining the course of national deliberation and its history, Gastil and Levine present a well-argued history of civic engagement that includes transnational, grass-roots, and bureaucratic dialogues. Noting that the resurgence of deliberation in the 1990's might be short-lived, the authors present case studies of what has and hasn't worked,
such as deliberative polls, on-line dialogues, and town meetings. Perhaps most useful is the handbook's application to other types of discourse; for instance,an analysis of how NGOs may benefit civic culture is relevant to efforts in
international relief and development, particularly if you want to use the Participatory Rural Appraisal or similar methods
of measuring realities. I think the authors shine a much-needed spotlight on the promise of public deliberation in encouraging and restoring multiple citizen voices.
Puff pieces - a real disapointment.......2005-08-04
I ordered this book hoping that it would indeed be a handbook that would be appropriate for teaching college undergraduates about this exciting approach to problem-solving and capacity-building. With gathering dismay I leafed through the chapters, finding one after another to be merely a collection of breezy comments, written principally by the originator of one or another slightly varying technique, that uncritically promoted the value of that technique. The material appears plucked from a foundation grant proposal. Surprisingly, considering the deep familiarity of the authors with these techniques, the book contains little in the way of actual operational advice. Rather, most of the chapters are unsupported and grandious claims for the utility of each approach, presumably designed to entice the reader to sign a lucrative consulting contract with the author. Folks, this is why we have academic research - to avoid empty and meaningless self-promoting efforts like this one.
Average customer rating:
|
Budgeting for Better Performance Super Series, Fourth Edition (ILM Super Series)
Manufacturer: Pergamon Flexible Learning
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Human Resources & Personnel Management
| Industries & Professions
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Management
| Management & Leadership
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
All Amazon Upgrade
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Business & Investing
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
ASIN: 0750658800 |
Book Description
With forty well structured and easy to follow topics to choose from, each workbook has a wide range of case studies, questions and activities to meet both an individual or organization's training needs. Whether studying for an ILM qualification or looking to enhance the skills of your employees, Super Series provides essential solutions, frameworks and techniques to support management and leadership development.
* Developed by the ILM to support their Level 3 Introductory Certificate and Certificate in First Line Management
* Well-structured and easy to follow
* Fully revised and updated
Book Description
* First ever collection of findings about the proliferation of urban agriculture written by the world’s leading authority in the field
* Urban agriculture feeds hundreds of millions of people worldwide and is a rapidly emerging issue in urban and development studies
* Accessible, jargon-free style, making it ideal for policymakers, city managers, students, and general readers
Urban agriculture is an increasingly popular practice in cities worldwide, and a sustainable future for it is critical, especially for the urban poor of the developing world. This book presents the first findings of original field research projects funded by IDRC’s AGROPOLIS International Graduate Research Awards on Urban Agriculture. Countries studied include Cuba, Argentina, Botswana, France, the UK, Zimbabwe, Ivory Coast, Togo, and Tunisia. Together, these studies examine concrete strategies to better integrate "city farming" into the urban landscape.
Customer Reviews:
Urban agricultural issues revealed.......2006-04-23
Luc J.A. Mougeot's AGROPOLIS: THE SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL DIMENSIONS OF URBAN AGRICULTURE offers a detailed, in-depth survey of urban agricultural issues, presenting the first findings of original field work funded by IDRC's AGROPOLIS project, conducted in mostly third world countries around the world. These studies consider how to blend 'city farming' into an urban landscape, discussing changing perspectives on regional urban agriculture, local sustainable development programs, and political and economic issues from urban area samplings.
Book Description
This digital document is a journal article from Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, published by Elsevier in 2007. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Description:
Average customer rating:
|
Principles of Long-Baseline Stellar Interferometry
Peter Lawson
Manufacturer: Wiley-Interscience
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Astronomy
| Astronomy
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Physics
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Astronomy
| Astronomy
| Professional Science
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Professional
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Science
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
ASIN: 0471713414 |
Book Description
Principles of Long-Baseline Stellar Interferometry provides a comprehensive graduate-level introduction to the rapidly expanding field of long-baseline stellar interferometry. Author Peter Lawson describes the fundamental principles of astronomical interferometry, emphasizing the physics and engineering aspects of stellar interferometers. Based on a substantial revision of Principles of Long Baseline Stellar Interferometry, which was published by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in 2000, the revised text includes contributions from numerous experts in the field, updated material, new chapters, and a standardized use of variables.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Account of Science in Action.......2007-03-05
This was probably the first piece of scientific "field-study" literature I've ever read, and i would consider it a must-read for anyone in the biological or environmental fields. Carr does an excellent job of portraying a contrast in cultures and simultaneously gives the reader an incredible understanding of the natural climate of the regions he visits as well. His writing style and content both keep the reader engaged, and years after my first read of it, I find myself coming back to the work to read through various sections from time to time. As a young conservation ecologist, this, along with Aldo Leopold's Sand County Almanac, constitutes my professional bible.
Naturalist's Humor and Wry Observations Save Story.......2004-02-17
I found the Windward Road a rather dull account of the author's search for the green turtle. While I appreciated his folksy humor and wry observations, the book failed to be an absorbing adventure. The turtle he is after doesn't turn up until the last two chapters of the book. In fact, the last two chapters were the most interesting for me. I did enjoy Mr. Carr's interactions with the local natives in his wanderings. They carried the knowledge of where to find turtles in their community. Overall I tired of reading about Carr watching native people dig up turtle eggs from their clutch, Carr witnessing the bludgeoning of captured turtles, going on hunts to harpoon turtles and Carr being served up various turtle delicacies. I realize the book was written 50 years ago and sentiments about animals were very different. To that point, it is probably important to read something like this to understand some early turtle nesting areas and how the turtle sustained a native people.
A delightful book by a wonderful naturalist.......2002-01-05
Archie Carr was the Godfather of modern sea-turtle biology and an outspoken advocate of turtle conservation who did more than anyone else to bring our attention to these creatures. The Windward Road is a masterpiece of Natural History writing, capturing a magical moment in time as Carr delves into the secret lives of the great green turtles and takes us with him on journeys to Caribbean islands as yet largely unspoiled by the wave of development that was to come. Anyone interested in conservation biology or with a love of a good yarn should get hold of this book, sink back and hear the trade winds blow -and then get out of your chair & do something to carry on the struggle that Carr waged for so long to preserve turtles and their habitats. This is a book that you will come back to repeatedly & pass on to friends and students with enthusiasm.
Customer Reviews:
okay.......2004-03-09
Lots of useful information, but should by no means be the only book you take with you. Entries are sparse and there's really nothing in it that you can't find on a Belize travel website.
Great Expectations.......2001-04-10
We just returned from a 3 week trip to Belize. It was our first trip to Belize, or even any where south of the border. We planned the trip with the help of this book and one other. We found the reccommendations, suggestions, and other helpful info to be right on the mark. We're only slightly adventurous but with the help of this book, felt confident enough to use the local buses, make and change plans as needed mid-stream, and immerse ourseves in the local culture. Our trip was great.
Superb guide for nature lovers.......1999-11-10
If you're looking for more than a lazy week on the beach, this guide is an excellent resource. I just spent a week in Belize and found it very helpful in deciding how to best spend my time and what to see in each place.
In addition to standard guidebook material, it has a chapter on Belize's animal and plant life, which I found to be a great resource while visiting the Cockscomb jaguar preserve. And there's a long section on various outdoor activities (snorkeling, caving, etc.), in addition to more standard guidebook content (regional info, history, etc.)
You always wonder if a guidebook writer really knows what he's talking about, but after using this guide to get around Belize, I can say that Richard Mahler really knows this little gem of a country.
Excellent guide to Belize with a valuable eco emphasis.......1999-11-02
I'm the editor and publisher of Belize First Magazine (Webedition available) the Belize guidebooks on the market. This is one of the best, with good basic coverage of hotels, restaurants, sightseeing, tours, dive and snorkel options, etc. plus refreshingly different coverage of the natural side of Belize, both on the mainland and on the cayes. Richard Mahler knows his stuff.
--Lan Sluder Editor & Publisher Belize First Magazine
Fully updated and revised in 1999.......1999-06-05
I am now the sole author of this book (my friend Steele Wotkyns has moved on to other projects) and spent several months in early 1999 revising the text, photos, maps, and all hotel, restaurant, transportation, and outfitter listings. I've been traveling regularly to Belize since 1986 and have been particulary fascinated by its natural beauty, Maya ruins, diverse cultures, and national parks. If you have a spirit of adventure and a desire to experience everything this delightful country has to offer, I think you'll find this book the most useful among all the available guides to Belize. It's chock full of practical information (from on-line addresses and websites to hotel recommendations and adventure travel specialists) as well as some gorgeous photos by the country's best nature photographers: Tony Rath and Kevin Schafer. Obviously, I'm biased, but I hope you'll check out this new edition if you or a friend are considering a trip to Belize.
Average customer rating:
- A Great Caribbean Adventure Guide
|
Adventures in Nature Caribbean
Michael Defreitas
Manufacturer: Avalon Travel Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Caribbean
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
Guidebooks
| Reference & Tips
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Adventure
| Specialty Travel
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
Travel with Pets
| Specialty Travel
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Travel
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1562614525 |
Book Description
This guide is for people who want to get away from tourist-filled resorts and restaurants and get close to the things that make the Caribbean so special -- unspoiled beaches, teeming coral reefs, abundant tropical wildlife, and friendly people. Covering all the major islands and island groups plus Puerto Rico and Cuba, Caribbean: Adventures in Nature zeroes in on each locale's natural history and culture and presents scores of excursions and activities -- from kayaking and bird-watching to caving and archaeological tours -- not found in other guides.
Customer Reviews:
A Great Caribbean Adventure Guide.......2000-02-20
My wife and I are active travelers and enjoy planning our own trips. When we decided to visit the Caribbean we were not sure which island to visit, but wanted someplace with lots of natural diversity. "Caribbean Adventures in Nature" helped us select a great adventure in the Windward Islands. We looked at dozens of other guides which were heavy on hotels and restaurants, but light on good practical outdoor information and opted for this guide. It is jam packed with all the information you need to plan every aspect of your adventure including, email addresses, web sites, operators, etc. The information is well organized and the down-to-earth writing style makes it an easy read. If you are planning a foray into the Caribbean then this book is all you will need to plan your adventure.
Average customer rating:
|
Rare and Endangered (Caribbean Island Eco-Adventure)
John Dowd
Manufacturer: Tandem Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: School & Library Binding
Action & Adventure
| Literature
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Literature
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Fiction
| Nature
| Science, Nature & How It Works
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Ages 9-12
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Literature & Fiction
| Teens
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0613495934 |
Book Description
A riveting narrative that delivers adventure, suspense, and realistic characters while sending an important message about environmental conservation IN THIS SEQUEL to Hogsty Reef, teenagers Jim and Julia reunite in the Turks and Caicos Islands to work in a research station studying endangered wildlife. While on the island, these two inquisitive youngsters become involved in the search for a missing naturalist. But this quest leads them directly into the hands of poachers who have ravaged the island's precious fauna and intend to sell them in the black market of endangered and threatened animals. Jim, Julia, and their new friend Miles are caged with the animals and flown to the Dominican Republic just as a hurricane blows in. How will they escape their captors and the deadly storm? Will they be able to stop the poaching operation? With one eye on a twisting and turning plot line and the other on a message concerning the importance of conservation and ecological balance, John Dowd will teach and delight readers.
Book Description
Secrets of the Ninja Grandmaster is a collection of heart-to-heart lessons from ninja grandmaster Masaaki Hatsumi to his senior student and first American disciple, Stephen K. Hayes. When this book was first published in 1987, it gave Western martial artists their first chance to learn what the grandmaster himself had to say about the essence of warrior training that emphasized real-world battlefield fighting methods (jissen-gata) - from the use of weapons to ninja invisibility to kuji warrior spirituality - as opposed to art or sport. This important volume is now available once again through Paladin Press, with an all-new epilogue and a techniques section that illustrates various classical ninja fighting defenses. This is essential reading for every martial artist who has ever wanted to go beyond the stereotypical images of the ninja sensationalized in action-adventure movies and gain access to the true secrets of the ninja grandmaster.
Customer Reviews:
A Welcome Return of a Great Classic.......2003-08-07
I was delighted to see this in print again. If you have any interest in what the art of ninjutsu is about, this book will give you keen insights and serve as a great teaser to find out if one of hatsumi's students os teaching near you.
One of the catchy characteristics of this book is that is is for the most part the transcript of a meeting that Hayes and his wife had with Hatsumi over 12 years ago, back in 1986. Its new conclusion is a modern transcript of a meeting that the three had a year ago.
You will especially enjoy this book if you have trained with Hatsumi or his more skilled students. I would also recommend his other books, along with Stephen Hayes' books. Please take the time to look into getting Stephen Turnbull's books on Japanese martial arts. They are very well done and well illustrated!
A real gem! Enjoy!
The Welcome Return Of An Old Classic.......2003-04-15
Palladin Press has certainly done an outstanding job of reissuing a definite classic in the canon of Ninpo books. The harcover edition is built for endurance, a thankful thing in my dog-eared library of martial arts texts.
If you've never experienced authentic ninjutsu before (because there are certainly plenty of fraudulent hucksters out there purporting to teach the real thing) then this book might confuse you at certain points, given the interesting taped-conversation transcripts that make up the bulk of this tome. At certain times, Hatsumi-sensei seems to say things which are contradictory to other statements he's made in the past. Fools will say this simply proves the man is nothing but a fraud. People who have known Hatsumi-sensei and experienced the true nature of this art will understand that such spoken contradictions are merely another aspect of what may well be the most comprehensive and fascinating system of self protection available anywhere. Hatsumi-sensei teaches quite a lot when he talks...and even more when he doesn't.
Most interesting to me was the updated chapter "Twelve Years later" which brings both Stephen K. Hayes and Masaaki hatsumi together once again in the recently opened Hombu Dojo to discuss the world of their art since the original conversations in 1986. Hatsumi-sensei once again has a great deal of important things to say - things that a lot of people should listen very carefully to. Having been over at the Hombu Dojo with a group of friends back in February of this year made the chapter all the more stirring for me.
There are some illustrated techniques at the end of the book, but the draw for me was to have this book to replace the beaten-to-hell Xeroxed copy I made from another friend's book, since I couldn't find this years ago. I'm glad to have the book itself now, made all the better with the updated chapter and excellent hardcover edition.
Don't miss this book!
Book Description
French is not only the language of love, it's the language of diplomacy, business, fine wines, and style. With The Everything® Learning French Book with CD, 2nd Edition, you'll speak everyday French in a matter of days. With these easy-to-follow vocabulary lists, along with complete instruction on written and spoken grammar, you'll learn:
- C vs. Ç: The basics of the French alphabet and accents
- Bonjour! Comment allez-vous?: Common French phrases and greetings
- Je voudrais un café au lait, s'il vous plait: The polite way to place orders and make requests
- Merci beaucoup: Guidelines to French etiquette
This completely updated edition includes a new audio CD to help you perfect your accent and talk like a native. Be prepared for anything! Travel abroad, apply for a job with a French company, or order dinner in flawless French maintenant!
Bruce Sallee taught high-school level French immersion classes for seven years at Garden City Collegiate in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He is the coauthor of The Everything® Learning French Book, 1st Edition. Mr. Sallee lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
David Hebert is a freelance writer who is fluent in French. He is the coauthor of The Everything® Learning French Book, 1st Edition. He lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Customer Reviews:
Not impressed.......2007-06-29
The title of this book "The Everythng Learning French..... in No Time" is a bit deceiving. I have taught intensive French for over 25 years and was the Director of an Intensive French Program. You simply cannot learn French or any other language "in no time", a few key words and expressions perhaps. And of course there are people who are trilingual and are just "picking up" French, but in general it is deceptive to claim to be able to teach a casual tourist a foreign language in a few classes. There are plenty of Elementary French books as well as "method" type books out there. Some are better than others. This one wasn't bad just not one I would consider using. The pronunciation part was especially poor.
Everything Learning French Book.......2007-02-17
I found this book to be very informative and easy to learn the French language. It has everything you need to know, very good.
Ideal as a refresher, NOT for learning the language.......2006-10-22
First, this is an excellent French reference book. I took quite a bit of French in school, but needed some in-depth review so I could help my home-schooled daughter with her "passe compose". Perfect book for that... or if you need to review your reflexive verbs, etc. Well laid out... rules are explained in depth, but in very understandable terms.
Unfortunately, though, this book markets itself as a beginner's book. "Learning a language has never been so quick and easy - or so much fun!" the back cover boasts. I love the French language, but this is NOT a "fun" book... it is 98% grammar, 2% practice. You can literally go pages without seeing a sentence in French.
Great refresher book.......2004-02-02
This is a great book, it has everything a person who wants to learn French wants in a book.
Has grammar rules, basic phrases, verbs rules, has lots of tables with vocabulary.
It is also excellent for a person who wants to get a quick refresher of the language.
Highly recommended!
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Theological Studies, published by Thomson Gale on June 1, 2006. The length of the article is 733 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Contemporary Catholic Health Care Ethics.(Book review)
Author: Marilyn Martone
Publication:
Theological Studies (Magazine/Journal)
Date: June 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 67
Issue: 2
Page: 444(3)
Article Type: Book review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Conscience, published by Catholics for a Free Choice on June 22, 2005. The length of the article is 1523 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Virtue is in the middle.(book by David F. Kelly)(Book Review)
Author: James F. Drane
Publication:
Conscience (Magazine/Journal)
Date: June 22, 2005
Publisher: Catholics for a Free Choice
Volume: 26
Issue: 2
Page: 46(3)
Article Type: Book Review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Books:
- The Diversity Scorecard: Evaluating the Impact of Diversity on Organizational Performance (Improving Human Performance)
- The Fortune Encyclopedia of Economics
- The Globalization Gap: How the Rich Get Richer and the Poor Get Left Further Behind (Financial Times Prentice Hall Books)
- The Good Society: The Humane Agenda
- The Information Paradox: Realizing the Business Benefits of Information Technology
- The Mind and the Market: Capitalism in Modern European Thought
- The Nature and Logic of Capitalism
- The Ordinary Business of Life: A History of Economics from the Ancient World to the Twenty-First Century
- The Oxford Handbook of Economic Geography (Oxford Handbooks)
- The Public Relations Handbook for Nonprofits: A Comprehensive and Practical Guide
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl
- The South Beach Diet: The Delicious, Doctor-Designed, Foolproof Plan for Fast and Healthy Weight Los
- The Essential Kitchen Design Guide
- The Adventures and Misadventures of Peter Beard in Africa
- The Anatomy Coloring Book
- The New Eighteenth-Century Style: Rediscovering a French Décor
- The Eagle Catcher
- Rose Windows and How to Make Them: Coloured Tissue Paper Crafts
- The Architectural History of Venice: Revised and enlarged edition
- He Sees You When You're Sleeping : A Novel
The Public Participation Handbook: Making Better Decisions Through Citizen Involvement
Why Deliberative Democracy?
Hearing the Other Side: Deliberative versus Participatory Democracy
Empowered Participation: Reinventing Urban Democracy
A New Engagement?: Political Participation, Civic Life, and the Changing American Citizen
![Agropolis: The Social, Political and Environmental Dimensions of Urban Agriculture, Luc J.A. Mougeot ed., Earthscan and the International Development Research ... Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment]](http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/I/21PEA4S0N2L.jpg)
