Alessandro Ferrara explains what he terms 'the democratic horizon' - the idea that democracy is no longer simply one form of government among others, but is instead almost universally regarded as the only legitimate form of government, the horizon to which most of us look. Professor Ferrara reviews the challenges under which democracies must operate, focusing on hyperpluralism, and impresses a new twist onto the framework of political liberalism. He shows that distinguishing real democracies from imitations can be difficult, responding to this predicament by enriching readers' understanding of the spirit of democracy; clearing readers' views of pluralism from residues of ethnocentrism; and conceiving multiple versions of democratic culture, rooted in the diversity of civilizational contexts.
How and to what extent do people take into account the intentions of others? Alessandro Duranti sets out to answer this question, showing that the role of intentions in human interaction is variable across cultures and contexts. Through careful analysis of data collected over three decades in US and Pacific societies, Duranti demonstrates that, in some communities, social actors avoid intentional discourse, focusing on the consequences of actions rather than on their alleged original goals. In other cases, he argues, people do speculate about their own intentions or guess the intentions of others, including in some societies where it was previously assumed they avoid doing so. To account for such variation, Duranti proposes an 'intentional continuum', a concept that draws from phenomenology and the detailed analysis of face-to-face interaction. A combination of new essays and classic re-evaluations, the book draws together findings from anthropology, linguistics and philosophy to offer a penetrating account of the role of intentions in defining human action.
Alessandro Palma Di Cesnola (1839–1914) travelled to Cyprus in 1873 to take up an honorary post secured by his brother Luigi, who was the American consul there and also an amateur archaeologist. Obtaining funding from the British financier Edwin Lawrence, Alessandro carried out his own excavations, chiefly around Salamis. Replete with more than 700 illustrations, this 1882 publication records the most notable artefacts from the Lawrence–Cesnola collection, including gold jewellery, ivory objects, engraved gems, coins, and terracotta statuettes. The book sheds considerable light on the ancient Egyptian, Phoenician, Greek and Roman influences that shaped Cypriot art over the centuries. Di Cesnola's activities generated controversy, however, as he had flouted regulations in removing these artefacts. After the British Museum declined to acquire the whole collection, the bulk of it was sold at auction. His brother's finds were recorded in Cyprus: Its Ancient Cities, Tombs, and Temples (1877), which is also reissued in this series.
Innovative and evidence-based, this introduction to the main concepts and issues in language teaching uses a 'key questions' structure, enabling the reader to understand how these questions have been addressed by researchers previously, and how the findings inform language teaching practices. Grounded in research, theory and empirical evidence, the textbook provides students, practitioners and teachers with a complete introductory course in language teaching. Written in a clear and user-friendly style, and avoiding use of jargon, the book draws upon real-life teaching experiences and scenarios to provide practical advice. A glossary of key terms, questions for discussion and further reading suggestions are included. The book is perfectly suited to language teaching modules on English Language, TESOL and Applied Linguistics courses.
Innovative and evidence-based, this introduction to the main concepts and issues in language teaching uses a 'key questions' structure, enabling the reader to understand how these questions have been addressed by researchers previously, and how the findings inform language teaching practices. Grounded in research, theory and empirical evidence, the textbook provides students, practitioners and teachers with a complete introductory course in language teaching. Written in a clear and user-friendly style, and avoiding use of jargon, the book draws upon real-life teaching experiences and scenarios to provide practical advice. A glossary of key terms, questions for discussion and further reading suggestions are included. The book is perfectly suited to language teaching modules on English Language, TESOL and Applied Linguistics courses.
String theory is a leading candidate for the unification of universal forces and matter, and one of its most striking predictions is the existence of small additional dimensions that have escaped detection so far. This book focuses on the geometry of these dimensions, beginning with the basics of the theory, the mathematical properties of spinors, and differential geometry. It further explores advanced techniques at the core of current research, such as G-structures and generalized complex geometry. Many significant classes of solutions to the theory's equations are studied in detail, from special holonomy and Sasaki–Einstein manifolds to their more recent generalizations involving fluxes for form fields. Various explicit examples are discussed, of interest to graduates and researchers.
The field of economics has proliferated in complexity and importance since the Second World War. Alessandro Roncaglia recounts the history of the different approaches (marginalist, neoclassical, Keynesian, Austrian, monetarism, rational expectations, institutionalist, evolutionary, classical-Sraffian) and the different fields (micro, macro, money and finance, industrial and game theory, institutions, public finance, econometrics), illustrating the thought and personality of the most important contemporary economists (from Hayek to Sraffa, from Modigliani and Samuelson to Friedman, from Simon to Sen, and many others), focusing on the conceptual foundations of the different streams. At the same time he appraises critically the important debates and controversies in the field and concludes by discussing possible future directions for economic thought. This follow-up to The Wealth of Ideas: A History of Contemporary Economic Thought is a readable introduction to the contemporary economics discourse, accessible to economics students and informed general readers, and an important complement for advanced students and economists active in specialized fields.
In this book, Alessandro Pierattini offers a comprehensive study of the evolution of pre-archaic Greek temple architecture from the eleventh to mid-seventh century BCE. Demystifying the formative stages of Greek architecture, he traces how temples were transformed from unassuming shrines made of perishable materials into large stone and terracotta monuments. Grounded in archaeological evidence, the volume analyzes the design, function, construction, and aesthetic of the Greek temple. While the book's primary focus is architectural, it also draws on non-architectural material culture, ancient cult practice, and social history, which also defined the context that fostered the Greek temple's initial development. In reconstituting this early history, Pierattini also draws attention to new developments as well as legacies from previous eras. Ultimately, he reveals why the temple's pre-Archaic development is not only of interest in itself, but also a key to the origins of the Greek monumental architecture of the Archaic period.
This Cambridge Element examines the role and nature of focus on form in second language acquisition. An overall assessment of the role of instruction and the nature of language is provided. Instruction might have a facilitative role in the rate of acquisition. The element briefly reviews empirical research examining the relative effects of different types of focus on form and presents some of the key implications for second language learning and teaching. An effective focus on form type is one that is input and meaning oriented. Manipulating input to facilitate language processing and form-meaning connections might enhance second language acquisition.
The crisis of the Roman Republic and its transformation into an Empire have fascinated generations of scholars. It has long been assumed that a dramatic demographic decline of the rural free peasantry (which was supplanted by slaves) triggered the series of social and economic developments which eventually led to Rome's political crisis during the first century BC. This book contributes to a lively debate by exploring both the textual and the archaeological evidence, and by tracing and reassessing the actual fate of the Italian rural free population between the Late Republic and the Early Empire. Data derived from a comparative analysis of twenty-seven archaeological surveys – and about five thousand sites – allow Dr Launaro to outline a radically new picture according to which episodes of local decline are placed within a much more generalised pattern of demographic growth.
The field of economics has proliferated in complexity and importance since the Second World War. Alessandro Roncaglia recounts the history of the different approaches (marginalist, neoclassical, Keynesian, Austrian, monetarism, rational expectations, institutionalist, evolutionary, classical-Sraffian) and the different fields (micro, macro, money and finance, industrial and game theory, institutions, public finance, econometrics), illustrating the thought and personality of the most important contemporary economists (from Hayek to Sraffa, from Modigliani and Samuelson to Friedman, from Simon to Sen, and many others), focusing on the conceptual foundations of the different streams. At the same time he appraises critically the important debates and controversies in the field and concludes by discussing possible future directions for economic thought. This follow-up to The Wealth of Ideas: A History of Contemporary Economic Thought is a readable introduction to the contemporary economics discourse, accessible to economics students and informed general readers, and an important complement for advanced students and economists active in specialized fields.
Developmental biology is seemingly well understood, with development widely accepted as being a series of programmed changes through which an egg turns into an adult organism, or a seed matures into a plant. However, the picture is much more complex than that: is it all genetically controlled or does environment have an influence? Is the final adult stage the target of development and everything else just a build-up to that point? Are developmental strategies the same in plants as in animals? How do we consider development in single-celled organisms? In this concise, engaging volume, Alessandro Minelli, a leading developmental biologist, addresses these key questions. Using familiar examples and easy-to-follow arguments, he offers fresh alternatives to a number of preconceptions and stereotypes, awakening the reader to the disparity of developmental phenomena across all main branches of the tree of life.
Developmental biology is seemingly well understood, with development widely accepted as being a series of programmed changes through which an egg turns into an adult organism, or a seed matures into a plant. However, the picture is much more complex than that: is it all genetically controlled or does environment have an influence? Is the final adult stage the target of development and everything else just a build-up to that point? Are developmental strategies the same in plants as in animals? How do we consider development in single-celled organisms? In this concise, engaging volume, Alessandro Minelli, a leading developmental biologist, addresses these key questions. Using familiar examples and easy-to-follow arguments, he offers fresh alternatives to a number of preconceptions and stereotypes, awakening the reader to the disparity of developmental phenomena across all main branches of the tree of life.
New and updated English translation of the highly successful book on digital media This book introduces readers to the vast and rich world of digital media. It provides a strong starting point for understanding digital media’s social and political significance to our culture and the culture of others—drawing on an emergent and increasingly rich set of empirical and theoretical studies on the role and development of digital media in contemporary societies. Touching on the core points behind the discipline, the book addresses a wide range of topics, including media economics, online cooperation, open source, social media, software production, globalization, brands, marketing, the cultural industry, labor, and consumption. Presented in six sections—Media and Digital Technologies; The Information Society; Cultures and Identities; Digital Collaboration; Public Sphere and Power; Digital Economies—the book offers in-depth chapter coverage of new and old media; network infrastructure; networked economy and globalization; the history of information technologies; the evolution of networks; sociality and digital media; media and identity; collaborative media; open source and innovation; politics and democracy; social movements; surveillance and control; digital capitalism; global inequalities and development; and more. Delivers a reliable, compact and quick introduction to the core issues analyzed by digital culture studies and sociology of information societiesInterweaves main topics and theories with several examples and up-to-date case studies, often linked to our everyday lives on the internet, as well as suggestions for further readingsAnchors examples to discussions of the main sociological, political, and anthropological theoretical approaches at stake to help students make sense of the changes brought about by digital mediaUses critical sociological and political theory alongside every day examples to discuss concepts such as online sociality, digital labor, digital value creation, and the reputation economy Clear and concise throughout, Introduction to Digital Media is an excellent primer for those teaching and studying digital culture and media.
New and updated English translation of the highly successful book on digital media This book introduces readers to the vast and rich world of digital media. It provides a strong starting point for understanding digital media’s social and political significance to our culture and the culture of others—drawing on an emergent and increasingly rich set of empirical and theoretical studies on the role and development of digital media in contemporary societies. Touching on the core points behind the discipline, the book addresses a wide range of topics, including media economics, online cooperation, open source, social media, software production, globalization, brands, marketing, the cultural industry, labor, and consumption. Presented in six sections—Media and Digital Technologies; The Information Society; Cultures and Identities; Digital Collaboration; Public Sphere and Power; Digital Economies—the book offers in-depth chapter coverage of new and old media; network infrastructure; networked economy and globalization; the history of information technologies; the evolution of networks; sociality and digital media; media and identity; collaborative media; open source and innovation; politics and democracy; social movements; surveillance and control; digital capitalism; global inequalities and development; and more. Delivers a reliable, compact and quick introduction to the core issues analyzed by digital culture studies and sociology of information societiesInterweaves main topics and theories with several examples and up-to-date case studies, often linked to our everyday lives on the internet, as well as suggestions for further readingsAnchors examples to discussions of the main sociological, political, and anthropological theoretical approaches at stake to help students make sense of the changes brought about by digital mediaUses critical sociological and political theory alongside every day examples to discuss concepts such as online sociality, digital labor, digital value creation, and the reputation economy Clear and concise throughout, Introduction to Digital Media is an excellent primer for those teaching and studying digital culture and media.
Unique state-of-the-art book on an important topic in renewable materials The purpose of this monograph is to provide a thorough outlook on the topic related to the synthesis and characterization of original macromolecular materials derived from plant oils, an important part of the broader steadily growing discipline of polymers from renewable resources. The interest in vegetable oils as sources of biodiesel and materials has witnessed a remarkable growth of scientific and industrial interest since the beginning of the third millennium responding to the pressing drive to implement sustainability in the energy and materials sectors. The book highlights the most relevant strategies being pursued to elaborate polymers derived from a variety of common oils, by direct activation or through chemical modifications yielding novel monomers. Because glycerol is the main byproduct of biodiesel production, it is treated here as the other logical source of macromolecular synthesis. Each of the different approaches is illustrated by an introductory layout of the underlying chemical mechanisms, followed by examples of notable achievements in terms of the properties and potential applications of the ensuing materials, which span a wide range of structures and performances. In particular, original pathways involving click-chemistry reactions as thiol-ene and Diels-Alder couplings and metathesis polymerizations are discussed and shown to reflect the involvement of a growing number of research programs worldwide.
Electronics in Advanced Research Industries A one-of-a-kind examination of the latest developments in machine control In Electronics in Advanced Research Industries: Industry 4.0 to Industry 5.0 Advances, accomplished electronics researcher and engineer Alessandro Massaro delivers a comprehensive exploration of the latest ways in which people have achieved machine control, including automated vision technologies, advanced electronic and micro-nano sensors, advanced robotics, and more. The book is composed of nine chapters, each containing examples and diagrams designed to assist the reader in applying the concepts discussed within to common issues and problems in the real-world. Combining electronics and mechatronics to show how they can each be implemented in production line systems, the book presents insightful new ways to use artificial intelligence in production line machines. The author explains how facilities can upgrade their systems to an Industry 5.0 environment. Electronics in Advanced Research Industries: Industry 4.0 to Industry 5.0 Advances also provides: A thorough introduction to the state-of-the-art in a variety of technological areas, including flexible technologies, scientific approaches, and intelligent automatic systemsComprehensive explorations of information technology infrastructures that support Industry 5.0 facilities, including production process simulationPractical discussions of human-machine interfaces, including mechatronic machine interface architectures integrating sensor systems and machine-to-machine (M2M) interfacesIn-depth examinations of Internet of Things (IoT) solutions in industry, including cloud computing IoT Perfect for professionals working in electrical industry sectors in manufacturing, production line manufacturers, engineers, and members of R&D industry teams, Electronics in Advanced Research Industries: Industry 4.0 to Industry 5.0 Advances will also earn a place in libraries of technicians working in the process industry.
FURAN POLYMERS AND THEIR REACTIONS Understand furan polymers and their roles in industrial production Furans are platform chemicals from biomass which have a range of functions in the production of solvents, biofuels, and monomers for industrial polymer synthesis. As the search for sustainable industrial processes makes biomass resources ever more vital, a more detailed understanding of these compounds and their industrial uses has never been more critical. Furan Polymers and their Reactions surveys these crucial compounds and their contributions to polymer synthesis. It discusses the biorefinery of furans, identifies furfural and 5-hydroxymethyl furfural as the key furan monomer precursors for different polymer synthetic processes, and analyzes all the major reactions furans undergo during these processes and the structures, properties and applications of the ensuing materials. The results are a vital contribution to the growing field of renewable industry. Furan Polymers and their Reactions readers will also find: Detailed analysis of key polymerization reactions such as the Diels-Adler reaction, chain-growth and step-growth polymerizations, as well as the chemical modifications of some of these polymers.An authorial team with decades of combined experience in furan chemistry and polymer synthesis Furan Polymers and their Reactions is an essential resource for researchers and professionals in industrial engineering, polymer science, and biotechnology, as well as for any industry professionals working with platform chemicals or polymer synthesis.
5G Non-Terrestrial Networks Provides a complete and detailed description of the non-terrestrial component in the 5G ecosystem 5G Non-Terrestrial Networks is the first multi-authored reference dedicated to the integration of non-terrestrial networks (NTN) into the 5G ecosystem. Written by leaders in the development of the 3GPP 5G NTN specification, this authoritative resource addresses all key aspects of non-terrestrial components of 5G systems, including standardization, architecture, protocols, and regulatory considerations. Drawing from their expertise in academic and industrial research and development, the authors introduce fundamental principles of non-terrestrial communications, define the NTN architecture and radio protocol stacks, describe applications to support mobility and radio resource management, and more. The book covers 5G New Radio-based technology for NTN as well as LTE NB-IoT/eMTC, providing a well-rounded understanding of the unique characteristics of 5G-NTN systems. Throughout the text, the authors offer insights on various design approaches, technical choices, and trade-off options. In addition, the book: Addresses the integration of non-terrestrial networks into 5G systems at all levelsDescribes the principles of non-terrestrial systems, including orbital parameters, link budget, propagation, and space/ground segmentsIncludes a detailed overview of 5G-NTN system architectures, deployment scenarios, and spectrum aspectsCovers NB-IoT and eMTC in NTN, NTN use cases, 5G QoS, and New RadioDiscusses the potential of non-terrestrial components of 5G in the future 6G ecosystem 5G Non-Terrestrial Networks is a must-have for communication engineers, satellite network operators, aerospace and electrical engineers, network engineers, academic researchers and industry professionals involved in 5G infrastructure development, as well as advanced students taking courses on 5G and satellite communication.
SYSTEMS ENGINEERING NEURAL NETWORKS A complete and authoritative discussion of systems engineering and neural networks In Systems Engineering Neural Networks, a team of distinguished researchers deliver a thorough exploration of the fundamental concepts underpinning the creation and improvement of neural networks with a systems engineering mindset. In the book, you’ll find a general theoretical discussion of both systems engineering and neural networks accompanied by coverage of relevant and specific topics, from deep learning fundamentals to sport business applications. Readers will discover in-depth examples derived from many years of engineering experience, a comprehensive glossary with links to further reading, and supplementary online content. The authors have also included a variety of applications programmed in both Python 3 and Microsoft Excel. The book provides: A thorough introduction to neural networks, introduced as key element of complex systems Practical discussions of systems engineering and forecasting, complexity theory and optimization and how these techniques can be used to support applications outside of the traditional AI domains Comprehensive explorations of input and output, hidden layers, and bias in neural networks, as well as activation functions, cost functions, and back-propagation Guidelines for software development incorporating neural networks with a systems engineering methodology Perfect for students and professionals eager to incorporate machine learning techniques into their products and processes, Systems Engineering Neural Networks will also earn a place in the libraries of managers and researchers working in areas involving neural networks.
