52 results for "Public Policy"

Ivory Bridges Connecting Science and Society

Gerhard Sonnert,Gerald Holton
A study of two bridges between science and society: governmental science policy and scientists' voluntary public-interest associations. According to a widespread stereotype, scientists occupy an ivory tower, isolated from other parts of society. To some extent this is true, and the resulting freedom to pursue curiosity-driven research has made possible extraordinary scientific advances. The spinoffs of "pure" science, however, have also had powerful impacts on society, and the potential for future impacts is even greater. The public and many policymakers, as well as many researchers, have paid insufficient attention to the mechanisms for interchange between science and society that have developed since World War II. Ivory Bridges examines two such mechanisms: governmental science policy (often involving the participation of "scientist administrators") and scientists' voluntary public-interest associations. The examination of science policy is guided by the notion of "Jeffersonian science"---defined as basic research on topics identified as being in the national interest. The book illustrates the concept with a historical case study of the Press-Carter Initiative of the late 1970s and proposes that a Jeffersonian approach would make a valuable addition to future science policy. The book also looks at the activities of citizen-scientists who have organized themselves to promote the welfare of society. It shows that their numerous and diverse organizations have made major contributions to the commonweal and that they have helped to prevent science from becoming either too subservient to government or too autonomous. An extensive appendix profiles a wide variety of these organizations.
MIT Press 2002-03-15 240 pages

A World More Attractive A View of Modern Literature and Politics

Irving Howe
A World More Attractive: A View of Modern Literature and Politics is a non-fiction book written by Irving Howe. The book provides an insightful and thought-provoking analysis of the intersection of literature and politics in the modern world. Howe explores the ways in which literature reflects and shapes our political beliefs and values, and how political ideologies can influence the literary works of authors.The book is divided into three parts. The first part examines the role of literature in shaping our understanding of the world, and how literature can be used to challenge or reinforce political ideologies. The second part delves into the political themes and messages in modern literature, focusing on the works of authors such as George Orwell, James Baldwin, and Saul Bellow. The third part explores the relationship between literature and political activism, and how literature can inspire social change.Throughout the book, Howe draws on his vast knowledge of literature and politics to provide insightful commentary and analysis. He offers a nuanced and complex view of the relationship between literature and politics, highlighting the ways in which they are interconnected and influence one another. The book is written in a clear and engaging style, making it accessible to both academic and general readers.Overall, A World More Attractive is a must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of literature and politics. It offers a fascinating and insightful exploration of this complex and important topic, and is sure to spark lively debate and discussion.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
Literary Licensing, LLC 2012-07 322 pages

Threats of pain and ruin

Dalrymple, Theodore
What is written without pain, said Doctor Johnson, is rarely read with pleasure. Rarely perhaps, but not, I hope, never: for the little essays in this book were written, I must confess, without much angst. In part this was because, in writing them, I had no thesis to prove, no axe to grind, except that the world is both infinitely interesting and amusing, and provides us with an inexhaustible source of material for philosophical reflection. Many of the subjects treated of in this book were found by serendipity or came to me in flashes - it would be immodest to call them of inspiration - of previously unsuspected connection and interest. I can only hope that they entertain the reader as they have entertained me. At least they will do no harm, in compliance with the first principle of medical ethics. - Theodore Dalrymple
New English Review Press 2014 225 pages

The Arrogant Autocrat Stephen Harper's Takeover of Canada

Mel Hurtig
For more than four decades, Canadian nationalist, publisher and best-selling author, Mel Hurtig, has been warning Canadians about the negative influences of the excessive corporate takeover of Canada, including the impacts of foreign ownership and so-called free-trade agreements. In this short but important book, Mel Hurtig turns his attention to the devastating impact that the Stephen Harper government has had on Canada, radically altering the democratic, social and economic fabric of the country. He shows how Stephen Harper's single-minded pursuit of big oil and the tar sands, at a time when the world must take dramatic action to arrest climate change, has inflicted enormous damage on our country and on our international reputation. He contends that Harper rose to power with an agenda so contrary to Canadian principles and values, that the only way he could pursue it was through a takeover of Canadian democracy. Mel Hurtig is the legendary Edmonton bookseller, publisher and creator of The Canadian Encyclopedia who became a political activist, then an author in 1991 with his huge bestseller The Betrayal of Canada. He is also the author of Pay the Rent or Feed the Kids, The Vanishing Country, Rushing to Armageddon and The Truth About Canada. He is an Officer of the Order of Canada, and has received many honorary degrees and other honours. He lives in Vancouver.
Mel Hurtig Publishing 2015-04-30 154 pages

Pay the Rent Or Feed the Kids The Tragedy and Disgrace of Poverty in Canada

Mel Hurtig
Canadian politicians have, from time to time, proclaimed a war against poverty. What they are really prosecuting, however, is a war against the poor. Unemployment benefits are routinely denied to people who, over the course of a lifetime, have contributed a portion of their earnings to UI (now called EI). Welfare rolls have been slashed by provincial governments. The downloading of government services combined with tax cuts that benefit the rich have resulted in the reduction or elimination of countless programs, from hot lunches in the schools to subsidized housing. Politicians and bureaucrats have responded by inventing new definitions of poverty but people without food remain just as hungry as before and people without shelter are still without homes. At no time since the Great Depression has the gap between rich and poor been so wide and the outlook for poor people been so grim. Hard-hitting and outspoken, Hurtig builds a compelling portrait of Canadian society under the rule of the "neo-Neanderthals." He puts together the latest and most reliable statistics with stories told by people on the front lines of the poverty wars. Many of these stories are as heart-rending as the comments from politicians and their corporate supporters are callous. Pay the Rent or Feed the Kids challenges all Canadians to re-examine the society we are living in and to demand changes for the better.
McClelland & Stewart 2000-09-15 357 pages

Islam in the Modern National State

Erwin Isak Jakob Rosenthal
Dr Rosenthal describes the contemporary spiritual and intellectual crisis of Islam. The unity of religion and politics, essential in classical Islam, has largely disappeared. In Islam there has been no counterpart of the Reformation in the West; and, in the absence of radical reform, a vulnerable religious and political system has capitulated step by step to a secular nationalism which in turn has grown out of resentment of foreign influence and domination. The result is a very confused situation, close analysis of which is essential to an understanding of the place of Islam in the modern national state. Dr Rosenthal bases part of his book on the available source material; but the greater part derives from personal observation during visits to Pakistan, India, Malaya, Iran, Turkey, Tunisia and Morocco. He writes always as a detached observer and does not apply the criteria of the West to what are essentially Muslim dilemmas and problems.
Cambridge University Press 1965-01-02 416 pages

Getting to Zero Australia's Energy Transition - Quarterly Essay

Alan Finkel
An essential guide to how Australia can tackle the climate crisis The world is overheating, and despite good intentions and significant efforts, emissions increase nearly every year. The challenge is immense, but there are solutions. In this lucid, inspiring essay, Alan Finkel maps Australia's path forward. He explains the solar and wind revolution, and addresses the challenge of intermittent supply. He introduces hydrogen, the energy hope of the future. He traces the rise and rise of the electric car. He shows how we can build a zero-emissions world. Taking into account economics, science and emotions, Getting to Zero is an essential guide to how Australia can tackle the climate crisis with realism and ingenuity. "Change is in the air. I sense we will live through a technological revolution this decade as exciting as the conquest of space in the 1960s. If Australia handles the challenge well, we can build an economy that takes advantage of the transition. If we cling to the past, we will miss opportunities that the rest of the world will seize."-Alan Finkel, Getting to Zero
Black Incorporated 2021-03-22 164 pages