Emerald Publishing Limited

With Artificial Intelligence (AI) reshaping how businesses operate, the integration of intelligent technologies into Knowledge Management (KM) processes offers new opportunities for optimizing data-driven decision-making and enhancing organizational performance.

AI-Driven Knowledge Management Assets explores KM as a critical element of business strategy and managerial practice, especially in an era of rapid AI adoption. Authors examine KM’s foundational and advanced aspects through a managerial lens, highlighting how AI is reshaping contemporary KM practices, and delve into traditional KM strategies and cutting-edge AI applications. Each chapter is enriched with case studies and empirical research that showcase the real-world benefits and challenges of integrating AI into KM. From uncovering the theoretical underpinnings of KM to examining AI-driven innovations that create competitive advantages, this work offers actionable insights and perspectives on future developments. Authors address ethical, sustainability and managerial issues, equipping readers with the tools to navigate the complexities of AI-infused KM practices.

Providing a valuable resource for business leaders, academics, and students, this volume supports those looking to integrate AI into KM to drive strategic decision-making and operational efficiency. Merging traditional knowledge management practices with the latest AI advancements, it prepares readers to harness technology for innovative solutions, positioning their organizations for success in the modern business landscape.

As cities evolve to meet the demands of the 21st century, the concept of "smart cities" has gained significant traction. While much of the discourse focuses on digitalization and the role of information and communication technology (ICT), the fundamental impact of architecture and design in shaping sustainable and user-friendly environments is often overlooked. The built environment, which includes its structures, interiors, and public spaces, plays a crucial role in determining how livable and adaptable a city truly is.

Design and Architecture for Sustainable, Resilient, and User-Friendly Cities and Interiors inserts itself into this ongoing debate by shifting the focus away from technology as the primary driver of smart urban development. Instead, this volume explores how architecture and design serve as the foundation for creating cities that are not only smart but also livable, sustainable, and adaptable to future challenges. Divided into three parts, the authors of this collected edtion examine contemporary design and architectural principles, innovative approaches to sustainable product development, and case studies that highlight the intersection of design, user experience, and urban resilience. By centering infrastructure and spatial planning in discussions on smart cities, this edited collection offers a fresh and necessary perspective that redefines the role of design in urban evolution.

Bringing together scholars and practitioners from diverse disciplines, this volume is an essential resource for architects, urban planners, designers, and policymakers seeking to create cities that prioritize both technological advancement and human well-being. Addressing critical gaps in existing literature, this work provides a new framework for understanding how the built environment contributes to the future of sustainable urban living.

In England and Wales, the controversial decision was made to add American XL Bully-type dogs to the prohibited breeds list of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. The XL Bully Ban is the first book on this topic that explores the impacts on caregivers and, uniquely, their exempted dogs.

Informed by a critical review of breed-specific legislation, the authors highlight the lack of consideration of the impacts of the XL Bully ‘ban’ on caregivers and exempted dogs themselves. By delving into these impacts, which include financial, emotional, practical, and quality-of-life issues, and giving voice to caregivers and companion animals, this book contributes towards building an evidence-base that can be considered in relation to future global debates. Considering alternative methods of reducing dog attacks, the authors draw out the implications of their findings for policymakers as well the wider, international debate on breed-specific legislation.

The first book written on this contemporary topic, this is cutting edge reading for scholars interested in human-animal interactions, issues of species justice, sentience and victimology, breed specific legislation, and harm-reduction. It is also of interest to practitioners and advocates working with those affected by the ban, and policymakers as they consider how to respond to continued reports of dog attacks.

Putting Institutional Theory to Work During Times of Crisis addresses a persistent challenge in management research: bridging the gap between rigorous theory and practical application. Despite the perceived complexity of institutional theory, this collection shows how it offers valuable insights for practitioners navigating organizational and societal crises.

Revisiting James D. Thompson's (1956) vision of administrative science as an applied field, the editors assert that institutional theory can guide decision-makers in understanding and responding to challenges from eroding democratic institutions to climate change. With papers divided into two sections, Section A foregrounds institutions themselves, examining the practical implications of institutional dynamics; and Section B focuses on activities within and around institutions, exploring the implications of extended institutional forces. Contributing authors identify relevant stakeholders, specify actionable strategies, and delineate appropriate contexts for application. By synthesizing seemingly disparate studies, the papers present a cohesive narrative about the practical value of institutional theory in addressing contemporary crises.

Illuminating the complex interplay between actors, practices, and institutional contexts, Putting Institutional Theory to Work During Times of Crisis provides a nuanced understanding of how change can be affected within structural constraints. This work demonstrates how institutional theory can fulfil its potential as both a rigorous academic pursuit and a valuable guide for real-world decision-making.

Written from an equitable data perspective, Questioning Technology: Addressing Divisive Data in Research and Practice translates the pressing challenges within data collection, data categorization and data commercialisation to enable researchers, SMEs, and practitioners to better question why and how they use data.

Offering an alternative that diverges from the current narrative of subjective ethics, this guide affords authentic perspective and confidence to respectively question the function of technology and the intensity of data collection, the ethics of data use, data collection risks and mitigation, data commercialisation, and the impact this has on digital policy. Split into three parts, the first part of the guide introduces the concepts surrounding digital inclusion, data dignity, technical language and the way in which humans are part of the digital ecosystem. The second part discusses and elaborates on the challenges within data collection, data categorization and commercialisation. The third part of the guide focuses on existing and recent policy progression around data and AI and to what degree this knowledge can be applied in the digital and physical realm.

Through a shared and accurate technological language informed by clear and equitable digital terminology and characteristics, O’Higgins and Halliday call for a step-change that can be used in industry and academia to bridge the language and knowledge gap for aligned collaboration through accessibility towards true digital equity.

Universities are in a unique position to be agents of change in their communities and to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This edited collection features an up-to-date collection of in-depth case studies from universities in the MENA region, as well as comparative global cases, which demonstrate the impact of higher education on the SDG agenda.

Addressing an important gap in otherwise limited and fragmented literature on the MENA region, this collection provides a comprehensive overview of the role of universities in achieving the SDGs in the MENA region – showcasing specific initiatives, case studies, policies and research efforts from a wide range of universities in the region. The chapters focus on themes such as the role of universities in achieving the SDGs, how universities integrate sustainability goals into their strategic plans, the challenges that universities face in implementing the SDGs, SDG implementation differences between developed and developing countries, partnerships between universities and other stakeholders in order to achieve the SDGs, and assessment of the methodology and impact of Times Higher Education's Impact Ranking on university strategies to achieve the SDGs.

Highlighting and celebrating examples of good practices and effective strategies from different universities and providing practical recommendations and policy suggestions, this is a roadmap for higher education institutions to engage in community and international development work. It serves as a reference for faculty and students in higher education institutions around the world, as well as practitioners in the field of community engagement.

At a time when concerns about sexual violence, online harms and the efficacy of Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) frameworks are at the forefront of public discourse, this book offers a timely and necessary intervention. Presenting the concept of ‘safe uncertainty’ as a transformative framework for understanding adolescent intimacies and relationships, authors Setty and Hunt critique current deficit models in relationships and sex education in place of a more nuanced engagement with digital intimacies, online sexual learning and sex media, healthy relationships, gender and consent.

Traditional approaches to RSE, while well-intentioned, can reduce complex social and emotional dynamics to simplistic binaries, leaving young people ill-equipped to navigate the inherent ambivalences and ambiguities of intimacy and relationality. Drawing on original research and case studies from the authors’ practice, this text demonstrates how safe uncertainty acknowledges ambiguity and ambivalence as integral parts of relationships and intimacy and involves creating environments where young people can explore their perspectives and experiences without fear of judgment or rigid moral or legal solutions. Aligned with a broader need for relational, developmental and contextual approaches to understanding adolescent intimacies, Setty and Hunt explore how this framework encourages educators, policymakers and researchers to move beyond knowledge-transfer models and instead focus on equipping young people with the skills to navigate uncertainty in ways that promote emotional resilience and ethical decision-making as sexual citizens.

Connecting the concept of safe uncertainty with critical debates on consent, gender and digital culture, this timely contribution bridges gaps between research, practice and policy on both a national and an international scale.

A network analysis that ignores social harm is merely a technical exercise. A social critique that ignores the network is incomplete. Navigating the Web of Disinformation closes this critical gap.

Mariann Hardey and Wasim Ahmed offer a vital socio-technical examination of digital falsehoods, using Social Network Analysis (SNA) to connect the mechanics of digital diffusion to their real-world consequences. The result is a powerful visual and analytical account of how digital manipulation directly fuels social instability. As a critical contribution to the field, this book equips researchers and policymakers with a practical method to not only identify false information but to understand its social impact, proposing grounded solutions to defend the integrity of public discourse.

A vital contribution to the field, this publication equips policymakers, researchers, and practitioners with the insights needed to mitigate the spread of false information.

Utilising personal narratives and theoretical frameworks, International Student Experiences in Australian Higher Education critically explores the academic hurdles, cultural adjustments, and job prospects of Chinese and Indian International Master's students as they live, study and work in Australia.

Uniquely combining autoethnographic narratives with theoretical frameworks such as the Life-long Life-wide Learning Ecology Framework, each chapter offers a deep exploration of various facets of international student experiences from a different perspective, addressing issues like academic writing challenges, cultural acculturation, employability concerns, and the transition from student to teacher-researcher. The book's originality lies in its focus on personal narratives, which provide a nuanced understanding of the challenges and aspirations of international students, coupled with theoretical discussions that contextualise these experiences within broader educational frameworks. By bringing together diverse voices and perspectives, the book offers a comprehensive exploration of the complexities of international education.

Notably, the book aligns with the UN's Sustainable Development Goal for Quality Education by amplifying student voices and offering strategic recommendations for policymakers and institutions. By prioritising student representation and providing a valuable resource for academics and policymakers, this research is a significant contribution to the fields of international education and higher education policy.

Educational Embodiments: Life Writing the Body focuses on life writing that centers body politics and embodiment in educational spaces. The aim of the book is to consider, examine, and voice the lived, fleshy, textured body as a site of politics, a site of embodied educative experiences, and a site of learning and teaching. Researchers and educators alike have long championed the disembodied researcher and teacher as the ideal collectors and vehicles for knowledge production and emphasized the intellect over the body in pedagogies, analyses, and fieldwork. We are always enfleshed in diverse ways in various locales, always changing, moving, becoming, aging, singing, aching, growing, becoming marred and scarred and stronger and bigger, and smaller again. We are embodied with others, interacting with other body-mind-souls that awaken interrelational proxemics and kinesthetic experiences.

Educational Embodiments offers perspectives from which scholars, teachers, and students can draw to support their work. The 14 chapters in this collection attend to national, international, and local concerns, include varied theoretical and methodological approaches, and reflect a range of class, ethnic, and racial heritages. Chapters consider practical, theoretical, ethical, and educational issues. The authors include established and emerging scholars. The book sparks conversation, debate, and reflection and is a valuable resource that inspires scholarship about how embodied intersections shape the life-writing inquiry process.

Kindness Through Africentricity: Living as Caring Human Beings draws on Africentric philosophy, the principles of Ubuntu, and intersectionality to offer a groundbreaking exploration of kindness within African Nova Scotian communities. This volume challenges conventional understandings by positioning kindness not only as a moral virtue, but as a powerful and transformative force rooted in cultural, communal, and historical contexts. It bridges theory and lived experience, providing a critical Africentric perspective that invites readers to consider kindness as both a personal ethic and a communal practice.

As part of the Kindness at Work series, this interdisciplinary collection brings together scholars and community leaders of African ancestry in Nova Scotia to examine kindness through educational, organizational, and cultural lenses. It offers practical strategies for implementing Africentricity in education and community contexts, while also contributing to the growing but still underexplored field of kindness in management and organizational studies. By centering African Nova Scotian voices and experiences, Kindness Through Africentricity expands the theoretical scope of kindness and reclaims it as a valuable, strategic, and culturally grounded approach to leadership, learning, and community-building.

This volume contains two Open Access chapters.

Organizational Resilience: Interdisciplinary Insights explores the interplay between resilience and neighboring concepts like crisis management, power, paradoxes, hybridity, sustainability and more. A curated collection of contributions from leading figures in these areas, authors acknowledge the multifaceted ways in which resilience is both used and misused both by scientific audiences and practitioners, investigate the inner and outer boundaries underpinning resilience as a social and organizational phenomenon and advance a comprehensive and inclusive research agenda that considers the novelty emerging from collaborations across adjoining fields.

There is clear evidence that teacher work is increasingly unsustainable, leading to an impact on health and well-being, and sector-wide and international challenges such as teacher retention and recruitment. Leadership, Organisation and the Sustainability of Teacher Work focuses on the intersections between educational leadership, organisational processes, well-being and how these relate to concerns regarding teacher work, workload and the sustainability of the profession.

Amidst the performative pressures on teachers, the authors explain that central to all these issues is the process of leadership and its embedded nature within organisations. Leaders play an important role in developing positive workplace environments in which teachers can thrive, but their work is part of a wider flow of activities which constitute the essential nature of organisations and hence teacher work. By advocating a view of leadership, organisation and teacher work as complex, intertwined tangles of processes, this book begins to sketch out an alternative perspective for understanding educational organisations and how the work of teachers might be made sustainable.

Leadership, Organisation and the Sustainability of Teacher Work argues for the need to understand leaders and leadership as part of a wider network of processes and relationships so as to draw out the complexity of the work involved for all within educational organisations. Drawing on organisational sciences, sociology, psychology and education research, it is offered for reflection and challenge to scholars in those fields interested in a sustainable future for the teaching profession.

Industry Transformation: Strategies for Digital Innovation and AI Adoption Technologies offers a timely and comprehensive guide to navigating the evolving landscape of digital transformation across industries. As organisations face mounting pressure to adapt to technological disruption and shifting market demands, this timely work provides a strategic framework for integrating artificial intelligence, big data, IoT, blockchain, and cybersecurity into business operations. Drawing on real-world case studies and actionable insights, it bridges the gap between theory and practice, equipping readers with the tools to lead successful digital initiatives.

Beyond the technical dimensions, the authors address the ethical and regulatory considerations essential to responsible AI adoption. With a balanced focus on both innovation and human-centric approaches, it empowers executives, managers, policymakers, and academics to foster sustainable growth in the digital age. By synthesising cutting-edge research and industry expertise Industry Transformation serves as an indispensable resource for those seeking to unlock the full potential of digital innovation in their sectors.

During the 2010s, the body positivity movement experienced a meteoric rise in mainstream recognition. It became a cultural phenomenon, generating celebrities, boosts in industries and a modest body diversity in popular media representation. However, body positivity’s celebration was not without critique, as its popularity grew, criticisms relating to the types of bodies that became the focus of body positivity demonstrated the movement’s shortcomings and complexities.

The Body Positivity Movement: A Story of ‘Acceptable’ Fatness investigates the contemporary body positivity movement, its triumphs and its shortcomings. Using memoirs and life writing from activists, body positive advocates, and her own personal recollections, author Gemma Gibson traces body positive activities and practices through the fat activist movement in the UK and North America. The Body Positive Movement demonstrates how body positivity has been an important tool for many fat activists, but also how the movement has been vulnerable to political dilution in mainstream media, advertising and social media.

This research uses an activist perspective to explore body positivity through the lens of fat activism. This thought-provoking work has resonance in Sociology, Cultural Studies, Fat Studies and Women’s and Gender Studies. Students, instructors and activists will find The Body Positivity Movement useful for exploring body positivity and popular feminism.

Contesting Platform Power explores the practices and discourses of data activists, by shifting the focus from critical digital studies to critical platform studies through the theoretical lens of affordances, to understand the material means by which activist’s software and applications strives to empower users through data control.

Papa critically explores the ways platform affordances, actions associated to the features of the platform which might be hidden or perceptible to the user, can create the possibilities for both action and constraint, but it ultimately rests upon users to either comply or resist. Platform affordances in this study are not to be conflated with specific features of the platform such as shares, clicks or reaction buttons, but refers the communicative practices and habits they allow or refuse to users within a technological space.

An innovative contribution to the field of critical platform studies, chapters explore the theoretical underpinnings of affordances to sow the seeds for further critical analysis into the software and applications of data activists, while also suggesting a new typology that can aid researchers in identifying and analysing such practices. Featuring case studies of data activists’ examples, Papa demonstrates that such efforts can be used in a tactical manner by users to counter the hegemonic power of corporate platforms and AI.

Although substantial research has been conducted on Artificial Intelligence (AI), environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing, and the rise of tokenized assets individually, there remains a gap in literature which analyzes how these topics and trends overlap and are influence each other. Professionals and scholars alike continue to face a shortage of practically oriented books and content with either technical or purely conceptual writings and content dominating market share.

In Artificial Intelligence, ESG Investments and The Future of Tokenized Assets, award winning researcher and academic Sean Stein Smith addresses this gap, offering a rapid, accessible guide to the intersections and implications of these transformative technologies. Covering topics from AI utilization by financial institutions and professionals for both quantity and quality of data reporting, to the implications of these changes for accounting, finance, and economics professionals needing to contend with an AI-driven tokenized financial landscape, Stein Smith dives into the future of transformative technologies, with examples, resources, and places where readers can learn more will be embedded within every chapter.

Academics and practitioners can discover actionable business intelligences to enable both an understanding and implementation of technologies such as AI, and tokenization across business and service lines.

This book contains an Open Access Chapter.

Latinas represent one of the fastest-growing populations in the US, yet Latina faculty in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers remain underrepresented. Advancing Latinas in STEM Academic Careers shares ideas, strategies, and best practices in the following areas: (1) work-life issues, policies/practices, mentoring, and climate that affect the pathways/pipelines, recruitment, retention, and advancement/leadership of Latinas in academic STEM careers; (2) challenges and opportunities for STEM Latinas across faculty rank and within and outside academia; (3) best practices and lessons learned in the recruitment and advancement of STEM Latinas; (4) intersectionality issues, particularly those related to gender and ethnic diversity in STEM; and (5) pipeline/pathways for advancing Latinas in STEM.

Academic research in STEM is often conducted without the perspectives of members of underrepresented groups, including Latinas. An increase in the number and representation of underrepresented minorities and women in STEM has the capacity to build more informed public policy formulation, discussion, and implementation. Having an inclusive STEM faculty that advances Latinas exposes students to a range of perspectives and experiences, counters stereotypes students might have about Latinas and BIPOC populations, strengthens the pipeline for Latina/o students, and prepares non-Latina/o students to work productively in an increasingly diverse and competitive workforce. The audience for this book includes researchers in STEM equity and Latina/o studies, college and university administrators, and faculty, especially Hispanic Serving Institutions seeking knowledge, best practices, and resources for advancing Latinas in STEM academic careers.

Active and Engaging Classrooms: A Practical Exploration of P-12 School Contexts empowers educators to transform their classrooms into vibrant spaces where students actively lead their own learning. This edited volume explores how teachers can design and facilitate learning environments that promote student agency, curiosity, and collaboration. It emphasizes that active and engaging learning is not accidental—it requires intentional planning, responsive teaching, and a deep understanding of how students learn best.

The book offers practical strategies for creating classroom climates that support meaningful participation, including classroom management techniques, systems thinking, and the importance of trust in student-teacher relationships. It also explores how active learning connects with multicultural education and Culturally Responsive Teaching, providing inclusive approaches that resonate with diverse learners. Real-world examples include project-based learning, dual-enrollment courses, problem-solving games, and the integration of multimedia and AI.

Designed for both new and experienced educators, as well as teacher educators, this collection provides a comprehensive look at how to cultivate classrooms where students are not just engaged—but empowered. Whether you're refining your teaching practice or preparing future educators, this book offers the tools and insights needed to foster dynamic, student-centered learning environments.

Volume 23 of Research in Occupational Stress and Well-Being explores the intricate relationship between stress, well-being, and the evolving nature of work in the 21st century. In light of profound global disruptions—including the COVID-19 pandemic—and the rapid acceleration of technology, the workplace has undergone fundamental transformation. This volume critically examines how these shifts have reshaped the meaning, structure, and experience of work, often resulting in greater precarity, alienation, and psychological strain for workers. Through empirical studies and theoretical commentaries, contributors investigate the psychosocial impact of these changes on individuals and organisations alike.

Topics addressed in this volume span a wide range of contemporary issues, including the rise of remote work and its implications for employee identity and teamwork, the growth of precarious and gig employment, and the resurgence of labour movements and worker activism. Additional chapters examine the role of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics in both alleviating and exacerbating workplace stress, as well as organisational responses to crisis and the integration of immigrant and refugee populations into the workforce. Together, these contributions provide a timely and comprehensive analysis of how stress and well-being are being redefined in a world of work that is increasingly fluid, digital, and uncertain.

This is an era of rapid technological development and digital transformation which is impacting on all aspects of work, business and life. Technological skills are essential for success in business, especially for entrepreneurs and visionary startups, as business models now need to be agile, responsive, flexible and adaptable.
The research is a compass for entrepreneurs who are willing to embed emerging technologies in their business models, helping them chart their course toward success. In addition to the facts and roadmaps it provides, it highlights various success stories for the best techpreneurship adoption. Abaddi integrates concepts from various disciplines, such as business, technology, digital skills, and entrepreneurship; and addresses how emerging technologies like AI, blockchain, and the metaverse can be utilized in business models and appeals to a broad audience, including technologists and business strategists. This cross-pollination of ideas from different fields enriches the content and makes it relevant to multiple research communities.

Enterprise Metaverse: Crafting Competitive Advantage in Virtual Realities offers a critical guide to navigating the rapidly advancing landscape of the metaverse, diving into the strategic and operational implications of virtual worlds that are reshaping business, entertainment, and interpersonal interaction. With detailed analysis, it presents the tools necessary to leverage emerging technologies like virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), blockchain, and artificial intelligence (AI), equipping readers with the knowledge to gain a competitive edge in these new digital environments.

While existing resources often focus solely on the technological or cultural aspects of the metaverse, Enterprise Metaverse integrates these with a strategic business framework tailored for leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, and academics. Through innovative case studies and actionable insights, it guides readers in capitalising on the metaverse’s potential, predicting key trends, and navigating ethical and social considerations. This comprehensive resource empowers readers to stay ahead in the next frontier of digital innovation, whether seeking market expansion, entrepreneurial opportunity, or in-depth understanding of the metaverse’s potential.

Gender sustainability is a critical area of research within the social sciences, focusing on the ongoing efforts to understand and address the diverse challenges faced by individuals of marginalised gender identities. It involves creating a society where all genders can thrive without facing discrimination or inequality. Navigating Gender Identity in India addresses the significant gap in research by examining the specific problems encountered by female, male, intersex, and other gender-fluid identities in their daily lives in India. By aligning its analysis with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, this work underscores the importance of fostering gender equality and reducing inequalities, contributing to the advancement of a more equitable and just society.

This edited collection delves into a wide range of gender-related issues, including workplace discrimination, caste and class-based challenges, and the resistance and negotiations of mothers with disabilities. Chapters cover gender-based microaggressions against women, gender-based violence in Northeast India, and the difficulties women face after career breaks. Other topics include gentrification in urban spaces, gender stereotyping and representation in social media, societal reforms and acceptance of queer communities, gender intersectionality, and the impact of religion on urban women. This diverse thematic presentation highlights the contemporary relevance of these issues in Indian society.

This collection is an invaluable resource for researchers and students in gender studies and related fields, offering real-life experiences from diverse non-Western settings. It is particularly beneficial for NGOs and policymakers aiming to understand the varied gender challenges across different societies, aiding them in developing new policies and guidelines for global societal betterment.

Solving Contemporary School Leadership Challenges: A Case Learning Approach is for aspiring school principals, connecting theoretical and practical knowledge with the current realities of school leadership. The featured cases link to relevant Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL) standards and cover a range of problems encountered by school principals including cyber bullying, diversity, equity and inclusion issues, school community relationships and supervision of personnel.

Adopting this case learning approach, the intended use of the cases as an instructional tool, engages aspiring leaders in problem framing, critical thinking, decision-making and reflective practice. The case studies bring reality into theory, involve students in personal learning and promote creation of a community of learners.

The twelve papers collected in this volume of Research in Political Economy mark a new phase in the study of capitalism, centred on the reproduction of total social capital. They address the widely felt need to reconnect political economy with real-world phenomena, including financial crises, long-term stagnation, poverty, inequality, and economic injustice.

Seeking to renew pluralist dialogue among all currents critical of the dominant neoclassical paradigm—particularly those aiming to move beyond the equilibrium framework that permeates it—the volume offers important new insights into Marx’s value theory. These constitute a significant addition to both the existing body of Marx studies and to a broader understanding of capitalist reproduction, accumulation, and the sources of their recurrent failures.

This shared engagement rests on the recognition that the study of the circuit of capital can shed fresh light on the fundamental concepts of money, price, value, and credit, and on their role in explaining capitalism’s ‘laws of motion’: accumulation, historical origins, and reproduction itself. The volume thus advances critical debates and paves the way for future research on the dynamics of capitalist reproduction.

Although women are performing well academically, are they reaching the heights that their male counterparts are? If not, why not? Practitioner, Professor, Researcher, Reformer: Women’s Atypical Stories shows why gender inequalities persist in the academy and beyond.

Jackie Carter and Linda Baines shed light on why women might choose to leave academia, while also asking questions about how to bring lived experience and knowledge transfer into academia from those who chose a different career path initially. Educational structures such as recruitment, promotion and reward have barely changed in the last 100 years. Through a thematic analysis of personal narratives from thirty women the authors examine the structural issues that persist (e.g. care giving as a gendered domain, routes into higher education, elitism within the academy). They argue that to create a workforce that values activism and practitioner experience higher education needs a radical rethink. And to achieve better gender equality, a reform of recruitment and reward in higher education may be long overdue.

Practitioner, Professor, Researcher, Reformer: Women’s Atypical Stories is essential reading for researchers and practitioners who want to discover what it means for women to be in and of the academy in the 21st century.

Globalization continues to reshape economies, societies, and the environment in profound ways, influencing everything from trade and labor markets to climate policy and social justice. While it has facilitated unprecedented economic growth and innovation, its effects on sustainability and equity remain complex and contested. As the world grapples with the challenges of environmental degradation, income inequality, and shifting geopolitical dynamics, the need for a deeper understanding of globalization’s role in shaping a fairer future has never been more pressing.

Globalization, Social Dividend, and Sustainable Development Goals: Shaping a Fairer Future is a timely and comprehensive study that examines the intricate relationship between globalization, sustainable development, and social equity. Bringing together a diverse group of scholars from across the globe, including experts from the United States, Italy, Turkey, Australia, India, Bhutan, Ghana, Sri Lanka and Eritrea, this volume offers a multidisciplinary perspective on the ways globalization impacts economic and social policies. Covering topics such as gender wage discrimination, financial inclusion, climate-induced migration, and the circular economy, this work provides critical insights into harnessing globalization for sustainable and equitable progress.

Offering an invaluable resource for scholars, policymakers, and students, this volume serves as a vital tool for understanding and addressing the complex interactions between globalization and social dividends. By engaging with this work, readers will gain a deeper appreciation of the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead in the pursuit of a more just and sustainable world.

Advances in Accounting Education is a high-quality publication of both empirical and non-empirical research that investigates vital matters in teaching, learning, and curriculum development. By focusing on these topics, it supports the improvement of accounting programs at colleges and universities and fosters innovative discussion and meaningful contributions to faculty development.

This 29th volume features 11 peer-reviewed manuscripts organized around four interrelated themes: (1) Faculty and Professional Pipeline; (2) Valuation; (3) Pedagogy and Curriculum Design; and (4) Technology and Innovation.

Accounting faculty, program designers, and higher education policymakers will find this volume both insightful and timely. It addresses pressing concerns about enrolment and pipeline issues, explores new pedagogical frontiers, and considers how emerging technologies are reshaping the accounting classroom.

Teachers matter. Stories matter, too. However, in the context of education, teachers’ stories matter even more. What happens in classrooms -in New Zealand and elsewhere - affects not only the teachers and pupils concerned but also those interested in teaching pedagogy and teaching in general. Teacher stories are a way to tell others about the personal experiences that inform educational environments.

From a Dutch Colony to a New Zealand Classroom: The Teaching Story of Will Potter tells part of the personal and teaching story of one post-primary commerce teacher - Will Potter - who taught in New Zealand from 1958 until 1976. He was also Jacqui Burne’s father. Will’s story has unique features: he was an immigrant who came to teaching later in life at age 51 without a degree or teaching qualifications, English was not his first language, and he went on to write textbooks in his chosen subjects. He also began teaching in the 1950s - a time when school enrollments were increasing, but facilities and teachers were limited. The Thomas Report of 1944, with its emphasis on education of the whole pupil as well as the revised School Certificate and the introduction of new subjects, also shaped the time. Will had a colonial upbringing in what was the Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia, and was also interned in concentration camps during the Second World War. These experiences added to his personal history. Will passed away in 1993.

Will’s story is an intrinsic case study of a rich teaching life. His story helps illustrate a teacher’s life in context revealing how aspects of the time, such as the lack of classrooms in the 1950s, affected teachers’ experiences and pedagogy. From a Dutch Colony to a New Zealand Classroom is vital reading for those interested in the history of education and the biographical and professional insights of teacher stories.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced digital technologies, like virtual reality (VR), the metaverse, neuroarchitecture, and nanotechnology are rapidly reshaping the fields of architecture and design. These innovations offer unprecedented opportunities to enhance sustainability, human well-being, and energy efficiency in these domains. However, alongside these developments come pressing questions about authorship, ethical responsibility, and the broader impact of AI-driven tools on the art and practice of design and architecture. As AI regulation continues to evolve globally, architects, designers, and scholars must engage in critical discussions about how new technologies can be harnessed responsibly. This volume of Emerald Studies in Sustainable Architecture and Design examines the intersection of AI and architecture and provides a comprehensive exploration of AI-based tools and their role in shaping contemporary architectural practice. Divided into three parts, this edited collection investigates AI’s influence on design processes, its integration into architectural education, and its transformative potential in interior design and the metaverse. Through real-world case studies and expert contributions, this volume highlights both the opportunities AI presents and the ethical dilemmas it raises. By framing AI’s role within the broader context of sustainability and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this work makes a unique and timely contribution to the field. Bridging research and practice, this collection is an invaluable resource for academics, students, and professionals in architecture, design, urban studies, and sustainability. Offering both theoretical insights and practical applications, it equips readers with the knowledge needed to navigate the evolving landscape of AI-driven design.

Creativity and Critical Pedagogy in Education is a bold call to reimagine education as a powerful force that shapes learners into Socially Conscious Individuals (SCIs). At its heart is the CritiCreative Communication Framework (CCCF), a dynamic, learner-centered model where creativity and critical pedagogy come together to nurture socially sensitive, reflective, and ethically grounded minds.

Rooted in Indian philosophy and aligned with National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the book reimagines the classroom as a collaborative space for growth. The CCCF offers a timely response to the crisis of character in today's society.

One of the book’s most innovative contributions is Creative Aerobics, a series of mental exercises designed to promote holistic brain development. The authors also explore the Four Ps of Creativity - Place, Person, Product, and Process, and integrate them with a structured and accessible approach to critical pedagogy.

This book offers practical strategies to develop self-awareness, empathy, critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving. A valuable resource for educators and changemakers, it champions character, creativity, and consciousness in education.

In an era where traditional marketing techniques are losing their effectiveness, businesses must embrace innovative and forward-thinking strategies to maintain a competitive edge. AI-Driven Blue Ocean Strategies offers business managers, marketers, and entrepreneurs a detailed reference on how to leverage artificial intelligence to create and sustain new Blue Ocean strategies. By combining the power of Artificial Intelligence with the principles of Blue Ocean Strategy, this book provides actionable insights on uncovering new market opportunities, developing differentiated value propositions, and ensuring long-term business success.

With contributions from a diverse team of experts, this book presents a robust framework for applying AI in market research, consumer analysis, and trend forecasting. Through real-world case studies, readers will learn how leading companies are using AI-driven approaches to break free from saturated markets and establish new, uncontested market spaces. The authors provide an avenue for discussion of all aspects of how AI is transforming marketing and customer experience, from big data analysis and predictive analytics to content generation and real-time customer interactions.

Thriving in Higher Education: Uncovering Institutional Counter-Stories Through Abolitionist Feminist Mentoring shares personal narratives that highlight the critical role of mentoring in academic success—especially for women and people of color on the tenure track. Institutions often use mechanisms of control to shame those who challenge hegemonic norms and expectations. These shaming practices serve to silence and isolate victims, contributing to the hidden and ongoing nature of these mechanisms. In this book, scholars share experiences of microaggressions, racial battle fatigue, and institutional retaliation, revealing the hidden costs of advocating for justice and truth within academia.

These nineteen chapters, authored by multidisciplinary educators—some in collaboration with their mentors or mentees—serve as both guidebooks and cautionary tales necessary to navigate the potential perils of higher education through mentoring relationships. These brave counter-stories present tales of joy, resistance and solidarity for scholars deemed outsiders, troublemakers, boat-rockers, critical scholars, truth tellers, and the like.

While the work of dismantling institutional oppression is often costly—bringing stress, fear, and even trauma—this book stands as a beacon of hope. It offers readers not only validation and solidarity, but also practical strategies for building empowering mentoring relationships rooted in care, resistance, and community. Thriving in Higher Education is both a call to action and a testament to the resilience of those who dare to thrive in spaces not built for them.

Featuring accounts of P-12 educators, Rebellious Education: Joyful Teaching as Resistance in the American South and Appalachia offers a rebellious counter-narrative to the modern tale that teaching is a profession void of joy. Like the teaching profession itself, the American South and Appalachia are areas with juxtaposed narratives, both romanticized and villainized in popular culture. In this book, teachers in Southern and Appalachian spaces reveal their experiences of enacting their practice in challenging situations, but this is balanced with purposeful pedagogies and powerful accounts of teaching as an act of joyful resistance, pushing back against the stereotypes and false narratives currently plaguing the profession.

This book is written for educators to provide a collection of accounts that offer hope and resilience to those working to make our schools better places in geographic locations that often experience lower pay and less support. The book also serves as a tool to help motivate and sustain beginning and veteran teachers alike; it provides a community of voices against the ever-present message that teaching is not a profession worth pursuing.

Mentoring in Formal and Informal Contexts was intended to meet a gap in the academic literature that addressed mentoring practice in different contexts. The book highlights practice and research in higher education of both faculty and students, K-12 teacher education (both general and special education), healthcare education and practice, and business. 

This new edition provides potential readers with four new chapters that enhance the book by providing research and practice on mentoring: junior tenure track university faculty, a collaborative community of learners, k-12 educators engaged in new methods of science teaching, and pharmacy education faculty charged with utilizing new assessment methods for their students. These chapters provide a fresh, updated look at how mentoring can be applied in both formal and informal settings in new and different ways. New models have emerged from the mentoring research and are applied in contexts new to the book. Additionally, a new Introduction is provided to update readers as to the book’s changes. 

Internal Consultants: The Driving Force Behind Innovation and Success in Organizations spotlights a powerful yet often underrecognized force in modern business: the internal consultant. In an era of unprecedented change and disruption, internal consultants are emerging as key agents of transformation—driving innovation, generating value, and navigating complex challenges across industries. While external consultants have long dominated the spotlight, this volume reframes internal consultants as strategic leaders shaping the future of organizations from within.

Part of the Research in Management Consulting series, this book traces the evolution of internal consulting, offering a rich exploration of its origins, current practices, and growing impact. Chapters delve into the unique challenges internal consultants face, the distinct value they bring to their organizations, and the best practices that define effective internal consulting. From navigating internal politics to building trust and credibility, the insights shared here are both practical and research-driven.

Written by a diverse group of scholar-practitioners, this volume bridges theory and real-world application, making it an essential resource for academics, consultants, HR leaders, and executives alike. Whether you're building an internal consulting function or looking to elevate its strategic role, Internal Consultants offers the tools and perspectives needed to harness their full potential.

Green Policies and Augmented Reality in InsurTech: Catalysts for Sustainability and Innovation offers a timely and in-depth exploration of the convergence between environmental sustainability and advanced technologies within the insurance sector. As the industry responds to the dual pressures of climate change and rapid digital transformation, this contributed work examines how green policies and augmented reality (AR) are reshaping insurance practices, unlocking new market opportunities, and driving innovation. Through detailed case studies and practical insights, it provides professionals, researchers, and policymakers with the knowledge needed to adapt and thrive in a changing landscape.

By addressing the intersection of sustainability and InsurTech—areas typically treated separately—this book fills a critical gap in current academic and professional literature. It offers a comprehensive overview of sustainable insurance products, implementation strategies for AR and VR technologies, and a forward-looking analysis of regulatory and market trends. With an interdisciplinary perspective that connects environmental science, financial services, and emerging technologies, the book presents a clear framework for developing future-ready, responsible insurance solutions that align with both business goals and global sustainability imperatives.

HR 5.0 Integration: Unleashing the Potential of the Digital Twin Revolution encapsulates the transformation of Human Resources (HR) through Digital Twin technology. The book provides numerous practical strategies and case studies for implementing Digital Twin technology to revolutionize organizational efficiency, agility, and competitiveness in the digital age.

Digital Twins, or virtual replicas of physical assets or processes, is a technology which could revolutionize HR practices through real-time monitoring, analysis, and simulation of workforce dynamics, to model employees and their interactions within the organisation. By leveraging data analytics and machine learning, HR 5.0 optimizes talent acquisition, enhances employee engagement, predicts future trends, fosters personalised employee experiences, facilitates skill development, and creates a culture of continuous improvement.

Covering the vast array of technological advancements, from ethical concerns such as data privacy, to case studies of organisational success, the book bridges theory and practice to drive HR innovation into the age of 5.0. Various HR functions such as recruitment, onboarding, learning and development, performance management, and workforce planning can all be rationalised by the creation and implementation of Digital Twins in HR, including AI, Internet of Things, data analytics, and privacy considerations.

In a time when digital technology is changing every part of our lives, The Digital Shift in Organizations explores the big effects of this technological change on businesses, employees, consumers, and society as a whole.

Dubosson and Fragnière look at the good and bad points of the digital age and give useful advice for dealing with it. Chapters examine the changes that can't be seen, caused by screens, networks and digital minds, and think about what the so-called Fifth Industrial Revolution might mean. Finding out how the growth in knowledge and the vital part that education plays are changing the world of work, and the changes affecting workers today, they look at how people's buying habits have changed in the digital age, the rise of the prosumer (someone who is both a producer and a consumer), and the power imbalances created by digital ecosystems. Look into how digital citizens can help protect democracy, the problems with e-voting, and what the future might hold for digital public services.

The Digital Shift in Organizations uncovers the issues around digital manipulation, misinformation, data control and algorithmic transparency to discover how people and groups can deal with problems caused by new technology, and why it's important to balance new technology with people's well-being.

Multinational organizations are faced with ongoing shifts in socio-economic conditions and cultural demands in diverse market contexts. Adapting to these changing conditions will require a balance between hierarchical and networked structures that enable integration of autonomous and inclusive modes of local business activities. From this vantage point, we explore central aspects of empathy and mindfulness as the means to accommodate different assumptions between headquarter managers and employees dispersed across host countries with diverse cultural norms and values. Chapters are presented here from around the world exploring operational management, the global-local nexus, tacit knowledge in MNCs, corporate culture, employee mindfulness and setting out a future pathway for developing effective MNC structures. Emerald Studies in Global Strategic Responsiveness aspires to disseminate new inspiring research insights as a potential catalyst for the development of effective approaches to deal with the exposures imposed by dynamic complexities in the global business environment. The implied organizational and societal challenges require effective responses from both public and private organizations induced by supportive policy initiatives. The associated challenges are beyond the control of executive powers and exceed the capacity of single institutions thus underpinning a call for collaborative approaches and collective actions to foster viable solutions for a sustainable future.

AI and Deep Learning Enabled Surveillance System Using Image Processing is an essential resource for anyone interested in the convergence of advanced technologies to enhance surveillance capabilities. This book explores in detail how artificial intelligence and deep learning can be applied to image processing, offering a transformative approach to modern surveillance systems. It covers foundational concepts of AI and deep learning, explaining how these technologies are reshaping the way we understand and utilize image data. The book emphasizes practical implementation, guiding readers through the integration of AI algorithms with image processing techniques to create sophisticated, real-time surveillance solutions.

Through in-depth discussions and real-world case studies, the book highlights the applications of AI in various surveillance contexts, such as public safety, traffic monitoring, and access control. Readers will learn about the latest advancements in neural networks, object detection, and anomaly detection, gaining insights into developing and deploying intelligent surveillance systems. Additionally, the book addresses critical ethical and privacy considerations, ensuring that readers are aware of the balance between enhanced security and individual privacy rights. This comprehensive guide is an invaluable tool for professionals and researchers aiming to harness the power of AI and deep learning in the field of surveillance.

Artificial Intelligence (AI), an umbrella term that includes any device capable of emulating or even exceeding human capabilities, emerged as computer technologies became more sophisticated and complex. Recent rapid developments in AI have utilized the pattern-matching capacity to create words, images, and sounds, often referred to as Generative AI. In 2022, Open-AI unveiled ChatGPT, a computer program designed to simulate conversation with users. After receiving input from users, ChatGPT displayed the capacity to provide lifelike answers, that appeared filled with human insight.

Given the rapid advancement of AI in transforming social life, authors in this volume explore the implications of the emergent interaction between humans and AI technologies. They each provide a fine-grain view of the social forms associated with the use of AI technologies, using symbolic interactionist concepts such as identity, reflexivity, the self, the generalized other, time, place, and more as pivots of analysis.

Symbolic Interaction and AI demonstrates the utilities of symbolic interactionist theorizing in understanding the consequences of AI use in social life, as well as how the research of AI technologies could enhance the development of symbolic interactionist theories.

There is an urgent need for nutrition-sensitive interventions in the face of rising malnutrition, food insecurity, and climate change. As global initiatives such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) emphasize dietary diversity as a pathway to achieving better health, food security, and gender equity, this study examines the prevalence, determinants, and broader implications of dietary diversity in low-resource settings, offering a nuanced perspective that integrates global health and sustainable development frameworks.

Grounded in empirical research from rural Tanzania, Dietary Diversity for Sustainable Development delves into the crucial intersection of food systems, culture, gender, and nutrition, highlighting actionable strategies for improving nutritional outcomes among women of reproductive age. By employing a culturally sensitive approach and leveraging context-specific data, the authors present practical recommendations for improving nutrition within rural communities which foregrounds women’s nutritional challenges, links local insights to global imperatives, and offers replicable strategies for improving diet quality in similar low-resource settings.

Bridging the gap between policy discourse and on-the-ground realities, Dietary Diversity for Sustainable Development provides a groundbreaking analysis of dietary diversity as both an indicator and a driver of sustainable development. Essential for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners, this book contributes valuable evidence-based perspectives on sustainable food systems and development.

Inspectors General: Duty, Authority, Integrity examines the firsthand experiences and insights of practitioners who work in an omnipresent yet little understood government watchdog institution, the Office of Inspector General (OIG). OIGs continuously monitor, and ensure accountability of public employees, contractors, and beneficiaries within their jurisdiction . Although OIGs were originally not found outside of military settings, since the mid-1970s, they are now an established part of most federal executive agencies in the United States, as well as of state and local governments; they are tasked with fighting waste, fraud, abuse and to improve the efficacy of Medicare, Medicaid among over a hundred other HHS programs. Yet most US Master of Public Administration programs, political science departments, and law schools do not teach about OIGs as an important mechanism of ethics, accountability and oversight. They are relatively understudied despite their ubiquitousness and impact.

This book presents chapters authored by leading academics and practitioners to provide a comprehensive and in-depth overview of the institution, and its history, design, challenges, and successes.

Inspectors General: Duty, Authority, Integrity is essential reading for those working in public administration or political science; legal scholars; government consultants; healthcare providers, and those who study public management, government accountability and oversight, democratic control of the executive branch, institutional design, and public agency performance. Faculty members would find it invaluable not only as a collection of academic research but also consider its use for master’s level and doctoral classes. Additionally, professionals in the world of federal, state, and local OIGs, compliance officers, as well as in positions of oversight generally. would have an interest in this book.

Autoethnography and psychobiography, while distinct in focus and application, share key similarities that make them compatible for combined use in research. Despite these commonalities, combining autoethnography and psychobiography remains surprisingly rare. This text introduces a groundbreaking approach to collaborative qualitative research, merging personal narrative with psychological life-study methods.

Patrick Hopkinson and Mats Niklasson provide an in-depth exploration of Digital Collaborative Autoethnographical Psychobiography (DCAP), a research method that enables diverse teams to study complex life experiences and mental health issues with depth and nuance. Through the combination of personal storytelling, cultural reflection, and psychological analysis, the authors explore how DCAP opens doors to studying topics and individuals, often overlooked in traditional research. With chapters on the foundations of autoethnography and psychobiography, the methodology behind DCAP, and real-world studies, DCAP offers a rich, inclusive framework for researchers to gain insights that resonate on both personal and societal levels. The exploration culminates with discussions on national and international applications of DCAP, making it an invaluable resource for those seeking reflective approaches to understanding human experiences.

Offering innovative qualitative methods for exploring complex human experiences, this resource is ideal for researchers and scholars focused on mental health, creativity, culture and diversifying research methods.

Africa’s creative economy is capturing global attention, powered by bold storytelling, digital innovation, and deep cultural authenticity. From Nollywood’s cinematic rise to the worldwide influence of Afrobeats and the emergence of circular fashion, the continent’s creative industries are not only thriving—they are redefining Africa’s place on the world stage.

Africa’s Creative Frontiers brings together leading scholars and practitioners to examine how fashion, music, and film are transforming African economies. It explores intersections with tourism, sustainability, and entrepreneurship, highlighting perspectives from across Africa, including Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa. This book offers critical perspectives on the challenges and opportunities shaping Africa’s creative industries, country-level and regional insights into key sectors and strategic guidance on innovation, intellectual property, and evolving business models.

An essential resource for academics, policymakers, and cultural entrepreneurs. This book reimagines Africa’s creative future and its growing influence on global cultural and economic landscapes.

Volume 38 of Advances in Management Accounting uses a variety of methods, from experiments and case studies to surveys, to build upon existing knowledge within the management accounting discipline. Containing a diverse range of authors from around the world, this publication focuses on theoretically sound and practical research which has a cutting-edge and wide-reaching appeal to academics and practitioners.

Showcasing methods of and analysis on varied statistical testing and performance measurement models, this edited collection will appeal to both management accounting academics and professionals. Topics analysed include the effects and significance of statistical testing, the limits and goals of such testing and modelling, compensation moderation, and how to handle ethical issues affecting management accounting.

Advances in Management Accounting (AIMA) publishes thought-provoking volumes that advance knowledge in the management accounting discipline and are of interest to both academics and practitioners. The series seeks thoughtful, well-developed articles on a variety of current topics in management accounting, broadly defined. AIMA seeks to publish commentaries on research methodology and new management accounting areas of interest as well as papers using research methods including survey research, field tests, case studies, experiments, meta-analyses, and modelling.

Teaching World Languages in Middle and Secondary Schools: A Critical Introduction is an introductory textbook for teacher education candidates, at either the undergraduate or graduate levels, who are seeking certification to teach a world/foreign language. It might also be used as a methods textbook in programs preparing teachers to work with English Language Learners (ELLs) in public school contexts. There is a growing shortage of world language teachers in the United States, and the market for such educators is likely to increase dramatically in the years ahead. Currently, only about 20% of US students study a language other than English, although this may change if more individuals are prepared to teach world languages. This book stands out from most world language education methodology books by combining ideas, concepts, and practices from two traditions in the world language education literature that rarely overlap: the technical skills and knowledge needed to be an effective and competent classroom teacher, and the growing literature on critical pedagogy in the specific context of world language education.

In recent decades, Latin America has grappled with crises, conflicts, and inherent contradictions deeply rooted in the capitalist fabric of social relations. In his groundbreaking research, author Daniel Felipe López Pérez delves into the historical foundations of enduring capitalist hegemonies across the region.

Central to López Pérez’s exploration is the notion of “hegemonic vehicles”—a powerful lens for comprehending global politics. He redirects the focus of hegemony strategy, emphasizing how local bourgeoisies skilfully create, adapt, and perpetuate social institutions to mold social interactions in their favor. These institutions, often arising from significant historical, political, economic, and cultural milestones, underpin the current social order. Drawing on a class analysis spanning Colombia, Chile, Peru, and Mexico, López Pérez sheds light on the resilience of capitalist systems even amidst conflicts and crises. By tracing the historical trajectory of capitalist dominance, his work equips critics, scholars, activists, and the working class with tools to scrutinize the existing social system and strategically strive for a more equitable society.

Through an exploration of historiographies, a contextual class analysis, and critiques of underlying ideologies, López Pérez challenges conventional interpretations of Latin American history. His deep dive into the nuanced relationships between power, social orders, and capitalism is essential reading for scholars in the fields of Latin American studies, political economy, and sociology.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) seek to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all by 2030. While in the past, the overarching purpose of the companies was to enhance shareholder value, the SDGs also provide an opportunity for companies to reinvent their purpose considering the needs of various stakeholders and contribute towards a more sustainable future.

The research presented here assimilates fresh insights into the implementation challenges companies face concerning the adoption of the SDGs and how they can effectively align business strategies in addressing the SDGs and brings together diverse perspectives and novel research investigating how the business sector is engaging and contributing toward achieving the SDGs.

Contributing to an evolving albeit nascent field of inquiry and providing new perspectives on the role of businesses in achieving the SDGs, The Sustainable Development Goals and the Business Sector is an important read for corporate practitioners, policymakers, consultants, supranational organizations’ experts, academics, students who seek to understand linkages between business sustainability and the SDGs discourse in developing, emerging, and developed economies.

Corporate Sustainability and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: Global Challenges and Opportunities book series examines the broad agenda of the SDGs, which requires the participation of multiple disciplines and sectors to be delivered.

Advanced technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) the Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data and Cyber Physical Systems are not only reshaping business operations, but also redefining competition across industries.

This book provides insight into the characteristics and implications associated with Industry 4.0 and 5.0 technologies. It also offers frameworks for integrating these technologies into business operations to foster innovation, enhance efficiency, and gain a competitive edge. It investigates the paths of these technologies and their potential impact on various industries.

Perspectives from a range of experts in divergent fields makes this an invaluable resource suitable for various audiences: from business executives and entrepreneurs to scholars and students alike this publication serves as a reference material that equips them with knowledge and tools necessary for thriving in the era of intelligent technology.

Quality 4.0, born from the digital transformation of Industry 4.0, bridges the gap between digital and physical realms by integrating technologies, human intelligence, and systems to enhance organizational performance and achieve excellence. Just as Industry 4.0 prioritizes digital integration for manufacturing efficiency, Quality 4.0 utilizes technology to improve product quality, elevate customer satisfaction, and optimize quality management systems.

In Quality 4.0: From Theory to Practice authors address the emerging concept of Quality 4.0. Despite its potential, organizations face challenges in understanding and implementing Quality 4.0 effectively. This comprehensive volume not only provides a theoretical framework but also offers a number of case studies from various industries, organization sizes, and locations. Through these case studies, readers gain valuable insights into real-world transitions towards Quality 4.0, equipping them with the knowledge and guidelines necessary to navigate this transformative journey within their own organizations. While Quality 4.0 presents opportunities for enhanced performance and growth, its implementation requires addressing challenges such as resource constraints, awareness gaps, and cultural transformation, underscoring the complexities inherent in adopting this paradigm shift in quality management.

This collected edition is essential reading for academics and professionals in quality management, digital transformation, and organizational development. Whether aiming to improve quality practices, adopt emerging technologies, or achieve organizational excellence, this work is a crucial resource for staying ahead in today’s dynamic business environment.

Machine Learning Based Air Traffic Surveillance System Using Image Processing analyses how advanced machine learning algorithms and image processing technologies are revolutionising air-traffic management. By integrating real-time visual data analysis with sophisticated artificial intelligence techniques, this book highlights the potential to enhance situational awareness, safety, and efficiency in managing increasingly complex and congested airspaces. It delves into the use of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and deep learning models to identify, track, and analyse aircraft movements, offering precise and actionable insights for air-traffic controllers.

This comprehensive resource combines theoretical foundations with practical applications, including real-world case studies and discussions on system implementation. It addresses critical aspects such as object detection, anomaly identification, and trajectory prediction, alongside regulatory, ethical, and cybersecurity considerations. With its blend of cutting-edge research and practical insights, this book is an invaluable guide for professionals, researchers, and students in aerospace engineering, artificial intelligence, and computer vision, providing a roadmap for advancing air-traffic surveillance and management in the era of intelligent systems.

In the rapidly evolving landscape of modern industry, staying ahead of the curve is not merely an advantage; it's a necessity. The transition from Industry 4.0 to Industry 5.0 represents a quantum leap in the way businesses operate and interact with technology. Industry 4.0 was characterised by the integration of digital technologies, automation, data analytics, and the Internet of Things (IoT) into manufacturing processes. Industry 5.0, also known as "human-centred industry" or "symbiotic industry," represents a shift from pure automation to greater collaboration between humans and machines, emphasising human skills, creativity, and problem-solving alongside advanced technologies.

Industry 5.0: Pioneering Business and Management Transformations aims to provide a comprehensive guide to understanding, preparing for, and thriving in the era of Industry 5.0. Key topics covered include Advanced Automation and AI Integration; Human-machine collaboration; Customisation and Personalisation; Data security and Privacy; Regulatory and Policy changes; and Sustainability and Ethical considerations. The book will appeal to academic researchers; students of business at undergraduate and MBA level; as well as business practitioners.

Entrepreneurship and the Dynamics of Contexts: Contemporary Issues and Challenges aims to expand the discourse on entrepreneurship-context, with the goal of probing conventional knowledge. Recent efforts in contextualising entrepreneurship research have predominantly concentrated on the 'where.' While these studies have contributed significantly to scholarly discussions by sharing findings across geographical divides, it is evident that the 'when' and 'how' of contextualised entrepreneurship versions remain under-theorised and underexplored.

The book aims to make two central points. The first point involves distinguishing between current assumptions and new findings and determining whether existing assumptions can be sustained or if new knowledge needs to be established. The second point emphasises the necessity of sharpening insights by balancing theories and concepts about contexts. This collection aims to contribute to a significant widening of the field.

The International Studies in Small Business and Entrepreneurship Research Series opens a new chapter, as it seeks to advance discussions that consolidate conventional knowledge. The purpose of this initiative is to invite new reflections on the nature of entrepreneurship and small business across contexts. The collections in this series aim to improve the theoretical rigour and practical relevance of the field. The emphasis is to advance contemporary contributions that matter for small business and entrepreneurship, directing us to underexplored and under-theorised contexts.

In an era where gender equality remains elusive despite significant strides, women’s empowerment is more relevant than ever. This ongoing struggle for equal rights and opportunities spans sectors such as education, employment, and politics. It involves dismantling gender stereotypes, achieving work-life balance, and fostering entrepreneurship among women. Addressing these issues requires a holistic approach that integrates insights from sociology, economics, psychology, and business studies.

Empowering Women through Italy’s Recovery and Resilience Plan provides a comprehensive examination of women’s empowerment within the framework of Italy’s Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). Part One establishes the general framework, exploring the Next Generation EU initiative and Italy’s PNRR, focusing on social cohesion, inclusion, and gender equality. This section delves into the concept of empowerment, breaking it down into components such as leadership, identity, and mentoring, and addresses the impact of gender stereotypes, the significance of work-life balance, and the challenges and opportunities in women’s entrepreneurship. Part Two analyses good practices, starting with the methodology and metrics for evaluating gender equality initiatives. It presents case studies of diversity management strategies in both the private and public sectors, discusses the role of Single Guarantee Committees in promoting gender equality in public organizations, and examines the certification process for gender equality by the Italian Department of Equal Opportunities.

Providing multidisciplinary analysis and practical solutions, this edited collection equips readers with the knowledge and tools to address the complex challenges women face across sectors. It is essential for policymakers, academics, industry leaders, and activists committed to advancing gender equality.

Human 2.0: Reimagining HR in the Age of Transhumanism explores the transformative effects of transhumanist technologies, such as AI, biotechnology, and neuro-enhancements, on the field of human resources (HR). As technological advances blur the boundaries between human and machine, HR professionals find themselves at a pivotal juncture, where traditional workforce models must evolve to remain relevant. This edited collection provides a comprehensive analysis of how these emerging technologies will reshape HR practices, presenting a future-oriented view of a workplace enriched by innovations that amplify human capability and efficiency.

Addressing the imperative for ethical new HR paradigms, Human 2.0 bridges theory and practice through case studies and data-driven insights. Key topics include the integration of AI and machine learning into HR processes, the role of biotechnology in enhancing employee wellness and productivity, and the potential of neuro-enhancements to foster cognitive development. This forward-looking guide serves both as an academic resource and a practical toolkit, empowering HR professionals to navigate and harness technological advancements for a competitive advantage in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Eco-HR: Integrating Sustainability into Workforce Management explores the critical intersection of environmental sustainability and human resource management. A diverse team of authors provides HR professionals with actionable solutions, practical examples, and proven strategies to embed sustainability into the workplace. By empowering organisations to adopt eco-friendly practices, it aims to drive meaningful change while addressing the growing demand for sustainable operations.

Blending theory with practice, this contributed work delves into how sustainability can be seamlessly integrated into core HR functions such as staffing, employee development, morale enhancement, and cultural transformation. Featuring best practices, step-by-step guidelines, and real-world examples, it equips HR managers, sustainability officers, academics and organisational leaders with the tools to foster an environmentally responsible workforce. Whether you're seeking to implement green policies or transform your organisational culture, this resource offers the insights and guidance to make sustainability a tangible reality.

Digital Marketing Advanced in Tourism explores the dynamic intersection of digital marketing and the tourism industry, offering readers a comprehensive understanding of how digital strategies can elevate and transform tourism brands. Through real-world case studies, the book delves into how companies within the tourism sector have successfully leveraged digital marketing to enhance their visibility, increase engagement, and build a strong presence in an increasingly competitive market. From destinations promoting unique local experiences, to global tourism brands scaling their influence, this book highlights the pivotal role of digital tools in modern tourism.

As the tourism industry continues to grow and diversify, it faces the challenge of distinguishing itself in a crowded marketplace. Digital Marketing Advanced in Tourism outlines the evolving nature of tourist offerings, from traditional attractions like beaches and cultural heritage to niche experiences that appeal to today’s more sophisticated traveller. By integrating digital marketing concepts with real-world examples, this contributed work is an essential resource for anyone in the academic and professional space seeking to explore the digital tourism landscape.

Mental health struggles affect millions, yet personal stories of resilience and recovery often go unheard. In a world that still stigmatises mental health challenges, first-person narratives offer powerful insights into the realities of trauma, healing, and hope. These stories not only illuminate the lived experiences of individuals navigating mental distress but also challenge dominant societal perceptions, fostering empathy, connection, and a deeper understanding of the human condition.

Stories of Mental Health, Resilience and Recovery is a compelling exploration of personal strength in the face of adversity. This volume brings together seven deeply moving first-person accounts, highlighting the resilience of individuals who have faced trauma, discrimination, and profound psychological struggles. Taking an autoethnographic approach, these narratives are gathered with empathy, ethical sensitivity, and a commitment to amplifying voices too often marginalised. By weaving together these powerful testimonies, this work not only provides insight into personal journeys of recovery but also challenges societal norms, encourages self-reflection, and advocates for greater inclusion and justice for those experiencing mental health difficulties.

Offering invaluable perspectives for individuals with similar experiences, as well as educators, policymakers, and mental health professionals, Stories of Mental Health, Resilience and Recovery is an essential read for anyone seeking to deepen their understanding of resilience, recovery, and the transformative power of storytelling.

Businesses often face criticism for engaging in financial activities with no genuine business purpose other than to minimise taxes or enhance financial statements. Opponents of financial engineering highlight notorious cases like WorldCom, Enron, and Long-Term Capital Management, where accounting abuses and aggressive tax avoidance strategies created significant public backlash. For many critics, any financial structure that reduces taxes, bypasses regulations, or artificially inflates financial metrics is inherently suspect and deserving of condemnation. Rule Arbitrage challenges that view, arguing that a subset of these financial transactions, often criticised as rule arbitrage, can be legitimate, providing real benefits while staying within the bounds of both legal language and legislative intent.

Through clear explanations and 20 detailed case studies, Oussama A. Nasr defends these structures, showing they can achieve legitimate tax savings, regulatory relief, or other business advantages without violating the spirit of the rules they operate within. Written in accessible language, the book covers a range of financial topics including senior/subordinated debt, prepaid forwards, collateralized loan obligations, and credit default swaps.

Designed to educate both casual readers and finance experts alike, Nasr provides insight into how these structures work, addressing objections, and demonstrating why many of these transactions are deserving of respect rather than condemnation. With an eye toward both practical application and regulatory context, this work offers a balanced perspective on the complex world of rule arbitrage.

Servant Leadership in Educational Organisations: Leading with Empathy and Purpose is a comprehensive guide to leading with empathy and purpose. It explores key leadership principles and practical strategies that empower leaders to foster collaboration and create positive change in educational settings.

At the heart of the book is a contemporary model of servant leadership, a holistic and integrative framework that connects leadership mindsets, behaviours, and organisational practices within an Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (EDIB) context. Providing an in-depth discussion of servant leadership tailored for educational leaders seeking to enhance their leadership skills, the authors begin with an in-depth definition and historical overview, offering a solid foundation of the origins and evolution of this leadership approach. Chapters then cover a wide range of topics essential for understanding and practicing servant leadership, including self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and the creation of a supportive work environment. Key principles such as empathy, humility, and ethical decision-making are thoroughly examined, providing readers with a framework for implementing these values in their leadership practices.

Throughout the book, real-world case studies referred to as 'Spotlights of Practice’ illustrate how servant leadership is implemented across diverse educational settings. These examples demonstrate how a servant leadership practices can lead to improved employee engagement, trust, and organisational effectiveness. The combination of theory, reflective insights, and evidence-informed practices makes this an essential read for any current and aspiring educational leaders seeking to make a positive difference in their organisations.

Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles are essential for organizations to embrace, but what impact does digital technology have on ESG and corporate social responsibility?

The research presented in the book examines how this intersection is transforming corporate governance practices and sustainability programs, with an in-depth exploration of the digital tools and technologies that are contributing to beneficial impacts on ESG performance, accountability, and stakeholder engagement. The chapters offer a comprehensive and detailed analysis of the latest developments, difficulties, and possibilities in digital ESG management. They provide practical and effective approaches for organizations to successfully navigate the intricate aspects of sustainability in the digital era. Readers acquire useful insights into the implementation of digital governance frameworks and the utilization of technology to improve ESG performance and stakeholder communication.

It offers readers useful insights and practical approaches to promote positive transformations in corporate governance and sustainability.

While AI is driving advancements in business and society, it also introduces challenges like ethical dilemmas and e-pollution. Its impact on both economic and social fronts is undeniable, with the potential to drive innovation, increase efficiency, and reduce waste. However, this great potential comes with significant responsibility, as the ethical implications and risks of AI must be carefully managed to harness its benefits for addressing global issues.

In Artificial Intelligence in Business and Society: Global Insights, authors delve into the multifaceted impacts of AI on business economics and social structures. This edited volume is divided into two sections: the first examines AI’s influence on economic growth, financial inclusion, and technological innovation, with contributions from experts across various fields. The second section explores AI’s social implications, including its role in education, job markets, health outcomes, elections, and human rights. Through diverse international perspectives, this work provides a comprehensive understanding of AI’s potential to drive sustainable development and address global challenges.

This collected edition is essential for policymakers, educators, business leaders, and anyone interested in the transformative power of AI. It offers valuable insights into how AI can drive sustainable development, improve human well-being, and address global challenges, while also highlighting the ethical considerations and risks involved.

During the International Study Group meetings at the Literacy Research Association (LRA) Conference in December of 2019, we discovered that LRA scholars were engaged in innovative research, initiatives, and publications in very different contexts around the globe, especially in multilingual environments. The variety of studies offered promising cross-border insights with the potential to enhance international research and global collaboration efforts in education around the globe.

Literacy Pedagogies in Global Contexts provides a collection of research experiences around the globe that are rooted in indigenous, translingual and cross-cultural literacies. It includes chapters on indigenous literacies related to the diverse ways of knowing, communicating, and making meaning in rural Latin America and Africa that are rich, complex, and deeply contextual. Other chapters on translingual literacies describe how moving fluidly across languages to communicate, make meaning, and express identity can support learning in schools. Finally, there are chapters that highlight cross-cultural literacies that support a needed understanding to navigate, interpret, and communicate effectively across different cultural contexts.

One of the key strengths of this book lies in its diverse range of research methodologies, encompassing quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method approaches. Another significant contribution is its inclusion of perspectives from a wide array of geographical regions, including Kenya in Africa; Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador in Latin America; South Korea and China in Asia; as well as the southeastern United States.

Framing the Opioid Crisis in Canada empirically examines public debates about the opioid crisis by politicians, journalists, and the general public, focusing on who they blame for the crisis and their proposed solutions.

Delving into the complex public discourse surrounding one of the most pressing health crises in Canada, the research investigates how politicians, journalists, and the general public attribute responsibility for the opioid crisis and the solutions they propose. By employing a mixed method approach including the use of various digital tools, this book addresses critical gaps in understanding the opioid crisis. Who do these actors blame for the opioid crisis, and what are the differences and similarities in their perspectives? How have their sources and narratives evolved over time? What solutions do they propose, and how have these solutions changed?

Revealing a polarized discussion and crisis communication that often overlooks the urgent needs of drug users, this is essential reading not only for Canada but also for international audiences facing similar challenges. The multidisciplinary approach provides valuable insights for different academics, health professionals, and policymakers for a better understanding of public health crises worldwide.

Community lending programs play a pivotal role in promoting financial inclusion for marginalized populations, offering access to resources and opportunities that traditional financial systems often overlook. However, these initiatives frequently grapple with deep-seated conflicts driven by social inequities, power imbalances, and group dynamics. As marginalized individuals navigate the complexities of group membership, intersecting factors such as caste, gender, and economic status exacerbate tensions, sometimes leading to extreme measures like coercion and exclusion. Addressing these conflicts is critical for realizing the potential of community lending programs as tools for socio-economic development.

Development and Conflict in Community Lending Programs: A Socio-Cultural Perspective explores the intricate challenges and opportunities within community lending initiatives. This comprehensive study uses case studies and theoretical frameworks, including development conflict theory, mass communication theory, and transformational leadership theory, to examine the root causes of conflict and offer strategies for resolution. Author Nishi Malhotra highlights the roles of state intervention, financial leadership, and communication strategies in mitigating conflicts and building consensus. Drawing on examples from both developed and developing nations, this work provides a nuanced analysis of how institutional designs and leadership approaches shape the outcomes of community lending programs, ultimately advancing financial inclusion and development goals.

Offering theoretical insights and practical guidance, this study is an essential resource for policymakers, academics, practitioners, and entrepreneurs committed to fostering equitable and sustainable financial systems. Its case studies and actionable recommendations make it a valuable tool for understanding and addressing the socio-cultural dimensions of community lending.

As the world grapples with the impacts of climate change, emerging markets are approaching an inflection point. The heightened vulnerability of economic growth, social stability, and ecological integrity due to severe weather and environmental degradation may have far reaching consequences for developing economies. However, these challenges also present significant opportunities for innovation, resilience, and sustained development.

Climate Risk and Emerging Markets: Valuation, Volatility, and Portfolio Strategies delves into the unique challenges that emerging economies encounter, including the threats posed by rising sea levels and disruptions to agriculture. Authors provide a thorough analysis of how climate change impacts trade, investments, and overall GDP in these regions. They also explore a range of strategies to enhance adaptability and resilience, such as diversifying investments, utilizing risk management tools, and implementing policy adaptations. Additionally, the collections highlight the potential of green finance and sustainable investment opportunities, showcasing promising industries and successful climate-conscious initiatives. Emphasizing the need for robust policy frameworks and global collaboration, authors advocate for cooperative efforts and present exemplary methodologies to support emerging countries in their transition towards climate resilience.

With practical case studies and innovative perspectives, this work is a valuable resource for investors, CEOs, policymakers, academics, and forward-thinking individuals, providing insights into the challenges and opportunities of achieving sustainability in emerging markets.

The global economic environment is evolving at an unprecedented pace, with technological advancements, geopolitical shifts, and climate change reshaping the way economies function. Islamic countries, rich in natural resources and cultural heritage, are uniquely positioned to navigate these changes. However, many of these nations face challenges such as political instability, economic diversification, and infrastructural deficits.

The Economic Potential of Islamic Countries, Part A delves into the multifaceted economic landscape of Islamic nations, providing a comprehensive analysis of their strengths, opportunities, and challenges. In an era of rapid globalization and shifting economic paradigms, this book arrives at a crucial juncture, offering fresh insights and strategic recommendations for leveraging the collective potential of these countries. The data-driven analysis also provides case studies from countries such as Malaysia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and others, offering a comparative analysis of economic policies and outcomes in various Islamic countries, drawing lessons from both successes and failures.

Readers will benefit from the interdisciplinary insights, providing a holistic view that addresses the multifaceted challenges and opportunities in Islamic economies. In addition, it provides practical policy recommendations grounded in empirical research, guiding policymakers, business leaders, and academics towards effective strategies for sustainable economic development.

This is an edited collection of sustainability efforts in academic libraries, partnering with various types of institutions and organizations, including libraries from higher education that are public or private, research universities, degree-awarding or vocational, among others. This volume includes research, case studies, and reflective narratives from academic libraries and their collaborations working with varied partners toward operationalizing the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This collection offers valuable insight into how academic library partnerships, both direct and indirect, contribute to sustainability efforts, with a focus on social equity, economic feasibility, and environmental stewardship to nurture community resilience. Structured into five sections, it highlights the global impact of academic libraries and their partners in adopting and implementing the SDGs to drive social change. These sections specifically explore how libraries are: serving the mission of higher education, extending education to sustainable cities, becoming embedded in communities, forming partnerships for greater impact, and achieving cross-cutting impacts across various initiatives.

These insightful chapters include innovative strategies and global perspectives on some of the cutting-edge work initiated and/or led by academic libraries to build sustainable and resilient communities, through collaborative ventures and out-of-the-box partnerships.

Addressing Climate Risk in Coastal Urban Areas of East and Southeast Asia provides an in-depth exploration of the multifaceted challenges posed by climate hazards in coastal urban areas of East and Southeast Asia. It addresses interconnections between climate science, physical climate threats, engineering solutions, financial impacts and strategies for resilience. With contributions from leading experts, the book presents a collaborative and multidisciplinary approach for tackling physical climate risk, combining scientific knowledge with practical solutions.

The book is divided into three parts, covering:

• analysis of key issues and pain points in tackling physical climate risk from the perspectives of meteorological, engineering and financial sectors
• a methodology integrating principles of resilience, climate change science and financial risk assessment to provide a comprehensive framework for enhancing resilience
• a range of case studies that offer practical examples of state-of-the-art approaches, demonstrating how theoretical concepts can be applied in real-world situations.

This book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding and tackling the complex challenges posed by climate hazards in East and Southeast Asia’s coastal urban areas. It serves as a valuable resource for researchers, practitioners and decision-makers in each sector, helping them to plan, design, operate, and manage their assets under uncertainty.

Families and Migration: Examining the Human Meaning of Migration provides a broad examination of immigrant families, with a particular focus on examining the human meaning of migration. Chapters analyze the complex interplay between migration and family dynamics across various global contexts, addressing key themes such as integration, cultural identity, mobility aspirations, and caregiving.

This edited collection explores diverse case studies, including the integration perspectives of Ukrainian refugees in East Germany and the theoretical frameworks for understanding the family-migration nexus. It delves into the cultural significance of traditional clothing across generations, the mobility aspirations of young migrant descendants in Portugal, and the settlement experiences of a Bangladeshi family in Canada through arts-based ethnography. Further, the authors examine migration trends, policy implications, and well-being among transnational families in North America, and the caregiving experiences of Polish immigrants caring for individuals with Alzheimer's disease.

Offering significant contributions to the field of migration studies by providing a nuanced understanding of how migration shapes and is shaped by family dynamics, Families and Migration: Examining the Human Meaning of Migration is an essential resource for anyone interested in the socio-cultural impacts of global mobility and the intricate dynamics of migrant families.

Algebra in the Middle Grades addresses topics that are formalized in the first half of an Algebra 1 course, focusing on linear equations, their graphs and their applications to problem solving. The book is intended to be used by students in the middle school in preparation for the formal study of Algebra 1. In this, it is a truly Pre-Algebra program.

Algebra in the Middle Grades is an approach that brings Algebra to the students. It is written to have the essential elements of Algebra be understood on an inductive level so that when students later address the topic formally, there will be an informal background to create deep understanding.

The approach is extremely visual using both algebra tile-type diagrams along with graphs for equations and grids for ratio. In this way, the text gives students 3 aspects of a topic, the Numerical, the Geometric and the Algebraic. The text places the Numerical and Geometric first having understanding in these contexts leading to understanding in an Algebraic, symbolic context.

Critical qualitative research and social education are vital for the world of the 21st century. The onslaught of neoliberalism, corporatization, standardization, testing, and the continuing attack on public schools and educators necessitate critical approaches to teaching and learning along with critical qualitative research in social education. Ongoing issues with equity and social justice tied to race, ethnicity, class, orientation, age, and ability linking to schooling, education, teaching and learning must be addressed. The struggle between unbridled capitalism and democracy warrant these investigations in the 21st century, hopefully leading to advocacy and activism.

This book explores critical qualitative research in social education, focusing on power, privilege, and social justice. It covers various topics, including the role of relationships, collaborative autoethnography, critical historical thinking, and transforming social studies classrooms. The chapters address issues like special education, deficit thinking, literacy skills, and international education, offering diverse perspectives and methodologies to empower educators and students.

Post-Qualitative Inquiry in Sport, Health and Physical Education provides emerging insights on post-qualitative research in Sport, Health, and Physical Education and introduces new ways of engaging with multiple forms of inquiry in this broad field. By acknowledging that post-qualitative inquiry is metaphysical, speculative and empirical, the volume questions the privileging of knowledge in Sport, Health, and Physical Education through totalizing research paradigms. The volume embraces knowing as an assemblage, knowing as embodiment, knowing as limitless and not yet actualized, knowing as becoming through deliberate imprecision, and knowing as affective enquiry.

This volume constitutes a significant and exciting advance in Sport, Health, and Physical Education research– highlighting how the considerable promise of post-qualitative and innovative approaches to inquiry can enhance new conceptual openings and reorient established forms of thinking in this broad field.

Post-Truth’s Assault on America’s Schools and Colleges presents a wide-ranging analysis of the psychological, historical, philosophical, and socio-political perspectives on how the post-truth age has become a serious peril to American life and polity in general, and to our schools and colleges in particular. Confirmation bias, religious and political fanaticism (e.g., White Christian nationalism), and disinformation and propaganda (especially in social media) are among the main currents in American culture that are examined in detail through the lenses of critical social theory, critical race theory, analytic philosophy, and qualitative research methods.

Particular attention is given to those states most in danger. Today’s P-12 schools and post-secondary education face serious attacks on various fronts: outrageous book bans; efforts to distort curricula (especially in English, history, and social studies); attempts to denigrate and undermine women, Black Americans, Jewish Americans, children, LGBTQ+ citizens amongst, others, while avowing authoritarian agendas that endanger freedom and democratic governance. Education, at every level, should play a major role in combating this existential assault on the substance - indeed, the soul - of America.

It is hoped that this book will provide hope for those who are fighting the assault on truth in school and society and will spur readers to engage in more concerned civic reflection - and action. It is critically relevant for everyone who is deeply interested in America’s political and educational systems. It will be particularly useful for teachers and administrators in P-12 schools; college faculty and staff; and undergraduate and graduate students in teacher education, higher education, and the social sciences.

Understanding how food is communicated through media and campaigns is key to shaping sustainable food practices.

Food and Sustainability presents a comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach to food studies by gathering voices from communications, sociology, ethnology, and even fashion. This edited collection maps the intersections of food, sustainability, and responsibility, with contributions that analyse professional chefs, media portrayals, and food security issues. The first section explores the nuances of food sustainability in media, gender dynamics, and lived experiences, while the second focuses on how public relations advances a culture of responsibility across societal contexts—from health campaigns to corporate practices and educational efforts.

With its dual focus on empirical analysis and innovative methodologies, this study expands both theoretical and practical approaches to food communication in a changing world.

Designers' Guide to EN 1992-1-1:2023: Eurocode 2: Strengthening of Existing Concrete Structures with Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) provides clear guidance on the new design procedures to help practicing engineers to grasp the theoretical basis in accordance with the design rules for EN 1992-1-1. This book focuses on the design procedures, detailing rules and durability considerations providing simplified methods and refined analysis allowing practising designers to choose the appropriate method, understand better the design conditions and required material characteristics. Through practical design guidance and worked examples aligned with the design principles this book highlights the developments of the design methods and examines potential benefits for the design output.

It includes chapters on

• basis of design
• materials
• durability
• ULS strengthening, including flexure with or without axial load, and shear
• fatigue
• serviceability limit state
• bond and anchorage
• detailing.

This book is essential reading for any practicing engineer, specialist or industry professional tasked with using FRP to Eurocode 2.

Economics and Tourism: New Perspectives in Social Sciences provides a comprehensive examination of how economic principles and social science perspectives intersect within the tourism sector. This scholarly volume assembles insights from academics and industry professionals to explore the multifaceted dynamics of tourism economics. Beginning with foundational economic theories and frameworks, the book delves into the application of these models to understand tourism demand, investment strategies, and policymaking. Readers are guided through discussions on tourism’s significant role in economic development, considering factors such as job creation, infrastructure expansion, and the enhancement of regional economies.

Beyond traditional economic approaches, the book addresses transformative modern issues such as the impact of digital technology on tourist behaviour and destination management, along with the growing emphasis on sustainability in tourism. Global case studies illustrate innovative methods for balancing economic growth with environmental responsibility and community welfare, while the exploration of trends like cultural tourism, experiential travel, and niche markets highlights tourism’s evolving economic influence. Through empirical research and theoretical advancements, contributors present analytical tools and actionable insights for navigating the tourism sector's complexities. With its rich interdisciplinary focus, Economics and Tourism is an essential resource for scholars, policymakers, and professionals looking to enhance sustainable practices, foster inclusive growth, and drive innovation in the global tourism economy.

In today’s interconnected world, the strategic interaction between the goals of different countries plays a crucial role in achieving meaningful results. Economic development in particular should be analysed as a multi-faceted, nonlinear, and dynamic process, with systematically shifting interaction patterns that require changes in policies and institutions. Changing Dimensions in Economic Development: Theories and Empirics examines the shift from the traditional welfare approach into a non-welfarist approach, which allows for treating individual welfare as multi-dimensional and takes into account the notions of capability, freedom of choice, and social justice.

By exploring the different dimensions of interdisciplinary research on development economics and its shifting paradigms, strategies can be devised to develop more comprehensive and effective strategies to promote inclusive and sustainable development globally. As the field continues to evolve, paradigms within development economics will shift to reflect the transformative power of ideas. The dynamic nature of this field demands a willingness to challenge established norms, question assumptions, and embrace innovative approaches which will appeal to academics and practitioners alike.

Why We Love to Tour: Gazing from the Serious Leisure Perspective offers a fresh and nuanced exploration of tourism, distinct from traditional industry-focused narratives. Stebbins delves into tourism as a rich tapestry of leisure activities that provide personal satisfaction and self-fulfilment, framed within the social worlds and lifestyles that accompany these pursuits. This book expands and enriches the gaze, tracing leisure experiences across serious pursuits in art, science, sports, and entertainment; casual leisure in activities like sightseeing and nature exploration; and project-based leisure through unique, one-time adventures such as climbing Mount Fuji, visiting Paris, or swimming with dolphins.

Why We Love to Tour thus complements and extends the understanding of the tourist gaze, making it a valuable resource for academics as a monograph, for upper-division undergraduate and graduate students as supplementary reading, and for professionals within the tourism industry seeking deeper insights into the motivations driving modern tourists.

Social studies, perhaps more so than any other content area, also serves as the catalyst of change when we, the people, use our experiences to our own and others’ advancements. At its core, social studies has been both a concurrent limiting and freeing pursuit of knowledge, a pursuit that discourages and encourages us to learn from and about our experiences and associations, to learn of ourselves and others. In Social Studies Instruction, Learning, and Assessment in the Contemporary World: Leveraging the Past to Form a New Future, Epps and Harper reimagine social studies moving from the limitations it imposes and towards the freedom that it envisions for each one of us. In place of the previously adopted one-size-fits-all majority-controlled education in which most American learners were forced to comply, practices that are identifiable and relatable to all students are proposed. The book reflects that social studies teaching should be recursive and fluid, allowing for movement forward, backward, inward, and outward, thus creating opportunities for students to examine events, not just through the rote memorization of dominant facts and figures, but through critical inquiry and reflection.

Rather than a list of events and names to be memorized, the book adopts the idea that history is a ‘mode of thinking’ and the book is laid out as such. Topics are addressed and explored by theme and overarching ideas in each chapter to enable meaningful social studies learning, which occurs when students see the interconnectedness of multiple social studies concepts, ideas, and the interconnectedness of life.

School Discipline and Administrator Decision-Making has been developed for leaders, practitioners, and researchers to explore the theory and practice of decision-making, with specific reference to school administrators and their response to school discipline. This work delves into the experiences of Canadian and Mauritian principals faced with tensions―sometimes racial―regarding discipline.

School leaders have the potential to make valuable changes within their schools as their influence touches on all aspects of the school building and culture. Yet, often discipline presents a challenge for school leaders as it requires a certain degree of discretion, especially when examining the issue of racial discipline disparity gaps in schools.

Exploring both a Western and non-Western context, the opening chapters highlight the rigidity of behavioural policies and the desire to break from such neoliberal practices despite fears of repercussion in Mauritius. This is followed by an exploration of the decision-making of principals in Ontario and Nova Scotia in a Canadian context. The chapters challenge neoliberal policies and guidelines by questioning current practices and proposing various leadership frameworks.  By incorporating both a Canadian and Mauritian context, the authors highlight various strategies which can be used to rethink our current approaches to decision-making.

Against the backdrop of transformations which have reconfigured access to information, communication, and collective discourse, The Political Economy of the Public Sphere critically examines the evolution of the public sphere from its origins in the 18th century to its contemporary digital transformation across Europe and the United States.

Adopting a political economy lens, the book analyzes how this crucial space for public communication and opinion formation is intrinsically linked to capitalism. It is shaped by market dynamics, the concentration of media ownership, and the commodification of audiences and their attention. Author Nikos Smyrnaios delves into the material and immaterial resources—like infrastructure, technology, influence, and agenda-setting—that affect the public sphere's functioning. Identifying key turning points—from the rise of mass media and deregulation to the dominance of digital platforms—the chapters demonstrate the impact of theory, civic engagement, state interventions, and corporate influence. In doing so, the work navigates the tension between the ideal of a democratic public sphere and its reality as a space embedded in power relations and contributing to the reproduction of inequalities.

Offering a comprehensive theoretical and historical overview of the transformations shaping today’s media environment, the book provides a rigorous foundation for critically understanding the possibilities and limitations of mediated discourse in the 21st century. Ideal for scholars and students of media studies, political science, sociology and communication theory, it invites readers to reflect on historical precedents, confront current inequalities, and imagine alternative pathways for collective expression and democratic participation.

Providing a comprehensive overview and analysis of the implementation status of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG-4) in Asia-Pacific countries, Quality Education for All in Asia-Pacific Countries provides a timely update on steps taken to achieve the 2030 goal of inclusive and equitable quality education for all.  

The targeted regions for analysis include notable countries such as India, South Korea, Japan, Australia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Chapter authors from each region delve into the period from 2015 to 2023 and present a thorough examination of policy initiatives designed to enhance the quality of education. Beyond the regional boundaries, each chapter sheds light on the global scenario of SDG-4 implementation, especially in the global south. This global awareness will contribute to international efforts and collaborations in achieving the UN-SDGs, and assist developing and developed countries in understanding the specific actions taken by these nations to improve the quality of education.

In addition to reporting the current status of SDG-4 in Asia Pacific countries, chapters include awareness modules to highlight key aspects, lists of best practices adopted by these countries, attention to challenges faced by Asia-Pacific nations in implementing SDG-4 and forward-looking strategies for continued progress.

Across many parts of the world, education is increasingly being shaped by demands for practicality, immediate economic returns, and direct employability. Nowhere is this trend more evident than in Sub-Saharan Africa, where philosophy as a discipline is often dismissed as impractical, outdated, or irrelevant to the urgent developmental needs of emerging economies. However, this perspective overlooks the fundamental role philosophy plays in fostering critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and intellectual curiosity. The question, therefore, is not whether philosophy has value, but rather how its principles can actively contribute to education, societal progress, and human development in contemporary Sub-Saharan Africa.

Rethinking Philosophy for Education, Society and Human Development offers both a theoretical and empirical justification for the continued relevance of philosophy in higher education and beyond. This timely and thought-provoking volume, edited by Stephen Azubuike Oguji and Kingsley Ekene Amaechi, brings together scholars from diverse disciplines to challenge the growing indifference towards philosophy in African universities. Through twelve insightful chapters, this edited collection explores philosophy’s indispensable role in shaping education, decolonizing curricula, enhancing diplomatic and legal reasoning, and addressing national development challenges. It refutes the false dichotomy between philosophy and practical utility, arguing that philosophy’s rigorous inquiry and foundational principles should remain central to academic and societal advancement in the region.

Providing a crucial resource for educators, policymakers, scholars, and students, this collection underscores philosophy’s enduring significance. Engaging with this volume is not just about defending a discipline. It is about reimagining the very foundation of education and human progress in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Narrative Inquiries Into Being and Becoming Educators: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives provides stories and narratives of the struggle and strengths of the teachers within the educational landscape. Keeping the temporal perspective wide, the chapters are situated across history, from 1700 to the present and through a variety of perspectives or lenses. This approach aligns with the three dimensions of narrative inquiry: the personal and social (interaction); the past, present, and future (continuity); and place or situation. Each chapter takes a unique positioning across time and situation, illuminating the personal and social interactions while using narratives as data to inquire into “becoming” a teacher. Most importantly, this book unpacks diverse experiences of teachers from the past and present, and it is critically important to understanding the emergence of teachers’ identities or “stories to live by” expressed in narrative terms. Each of the featured authors evidenced this through serial interpretation, and broadening and burrowing to construct meaning.

Teacher education is inextricably linked to teachers’ lives, and narrative inquiry studies lives in motion. Therefore, each of these chapters employs narrative inquiry as the research method or a way of thinking to explore how educators’ unique teaching experience and perspective impacted the educational landscape. The book looks at the art and science of “becoming” a teacher, not just from the temporal perspective of pre-service education, but from a holistic view of becoming throughout the storied life of a teacher. The contributors to this book understand that narrative inquiry is a rich and complex method that allows them to explore the meanings that participants derived from their experiences, and to catch the voices that may have otherwise remained silent.

This book acts as a compass for navigating the seas of narrative inquiry approaches and makes important knowledge contributions to the local, national, and international research base on teaching and teacher education.

Geopolitical Challenges to the Global Influence of Western Society examines complex shifts, exploring how emerging forces, from geopolitical realignments to technological innovations and demographic changes, are redefining global power structures.

Exploring the decline of Western-centric dominance, alongside the rise of new power centers such as BRICS nations and regional powers, chapters assess the evolution of international governance and supranational institutions, the role of energy resources, the impact of trade disputes, and technological advancements that are reshaping international relations. Through an interdisciplinary lens, discussion spans the challenges posed by populist movements, migration, and shifting economic dynamics, offering readers a comprehensive understanding of the underlying forces that threaten the existing world order. Authors provide thorough historical context and current analyses of global trends, making a case for why a nuanced understanding of these factors is crucial for both scholars and policymakers. As new geopolitical alliances form, and the influence of Western nations faces unprecedented challenges from emerging powers, this book offers fresh insights into the mechanisms driving these changes and their potential future impacts.

Focusing on providing in-depth case studies and real-world examples, this publication contributes significantly to the fields of political science, international relations, and global governance, making it an essential resource for academics, researchers, policymakers, and business leaders.

Harnessing the Potential of Artificial Intelligence to Promote Environmental Sustainability provides a comprehensive examination of how AI is transforming environmental conservation and sustainability efforts. This scholarly work delves into cutting-edge AI technologies—such as automation, data analytics, and machine learning—and explores their potential to address pressing environmental challenges. Through in-depth analysis and practical case studies, the book demonstrates how AI can enhance resource management, support sustainable practices, and improve environmental monitoring.

Beyond technical solutions, the authors engage with the ethical considerations and potential risks of deploying AI in environmental contexts. Issues such as fairness, transparency, and accountability in AI systems are explored, along with the need for regulatory frameworks to mitigate negative impacts. An essential resource for researchers, professionals, policymakers, and anyone interested in the intersection of technology and environmental stewardship, this contributed work offers a roadmap for leveraging AI to foster a sustainable future, emphasising the crucial role of advanced technologies in addressing global environmental challenges.

The Metaverse is emerging as a transformative force, reshaping industries, consumer behaviour, and societal interactions in the era of digital transformation. Metaverse Dynamics: Exploring the Intersection of Technology, Business Transformation, and User Experience offers a deep exploration of the Metaverse phenomenon, its evolution, and its profound implications for businesses, individuals, and society. This interdisciplinary collection delves into the technological, sociological, and cultural foundations of the Metaverse, tracing its conceptual roots from science-fiction, to its contemporary realities. Each chapter unpacks the intricate interplay of advanced technologies—NFTs, Web 4.0, Augmented Reality (AR), and Virtual Reality (VR)—and their collective potential to revolutionize industries across sectors.

Blending theoretical insights with empirical analysis and real-world case studies, Metaverse Dynamics offers a practical guide to understanding and navigating the Metaverse. The book investigates the strategic imperatives, challenges, and opportunities presented by digital transformation, highlighting the role of AR and VR in optimizing business operations and enhancing customer experiences. A vital resource for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers, Metaverse Dynamics pushes the discourse forward, fostering innovation and informed decision-making in an increasingly digital world.

The mental health effects of climate change and other ecological crises have become the object of intense public concern, giving rise to wide-ranging academic and popular debates over “eco-anxiety” and “climate anxiety.” This book offers the first extended sociological analysis of the phenomenon of eco-anxiety, engaging critically with the varied and ongoing claims-making activities through which it has been constructed as an urgent social problem.

Arguing that a critical sociological perspective can shed new light upon the complex social and cultural influences feeding into the alleged “epidemic” of eco-anxiety, Soron adopts a constructionist approach to eco-anxiety that highlights the processes by which this putative condition has come to be framed as a crisis demanding a concerted collective response. Addressing key gaps and tensions within eco-anxiety discourse, this book addresses the ways in which expressions of distress over mounting environmental crises, and the various political claims that flow from them, are being shaped though the highly specific idiom of therapeutic culture.

Without disputing the legitimacy of popular concerns over an environmentally uncertain future, Eco-Anxiety Rising brings debates over eco-anxiety and climate anxiety into an extended dialogue with the emergent literature on therapeutic culture and the sociology of social problems, seeking to contextualize and engage critically with a problem that has been discussed primarily from a psychological or medical vantage point.

Families: An Essential Component of Special Education focuses on fundamental pedagogies implemented with families of students with disabilities resulting in positive outcomes. Special education has changed over the years since its inception because of legislation, new trends, and current research investigations and this volume will address the importance of involving families in the special education process impacting teachers, administrators and schools regarding students with disabilities.

This is an excellent resource for special educators, administrators, mental health clinicians, school counsellors, and psychologists, addressing how incorporating families is essential to the success of educational programming for students with disabilities.  

The UN estimates that there are approximately 476 million indigenous people around the world, and there are 1.8 million Native Americans in the USA. These individuals face recurring challenges with high rates of unemployment, poverty, unequal access to health care, low educational levels, and housing and food insecurity. They also face cultural dominance by one or more European countries, the confiscation of indigenous lands, environmental degradation, racism, higher suicide rates, shorter longevity rates, and countless indignities.

Another one of the biggest challenges facing Native Americans and indigenous people is that they often experience unfair discrimination in the employment process and exclusion from work organizations, which perpetuates their high rates of poverty. Despite these problems, there has been little or no research on Native American work issues in human resource management or related fields. The Dignity of Native Americans and Indigenous Peoples' Experiences at Work considers the factors that affect unfair discrimination, racism, and the exclusion of indigenous people in work organizations; highlights the benefits of including indigenous people in organizations; develops a better understanding of indigenous people’s work values, job choices, and reward preferences so organizations can attract and retain them; and offers directions for future research and practice on the plight of indigenous people in organizations.

Along with Native American and Indigenous Peoples' World of Work these volumes are unique in being the first titles on Native American or indigenous work issues, and many authors are indigenous people.

“Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in Sub-Saharan Africa is essential reading for anyone wishing to integrate an intersectional, rights-based approach to digital innovation and technologies to move towards substantive equality.”

-from the foreword by TLALENG MOFOKENG, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health

In Sub-Saharan Africa, digital innovation and emerging technologies are reshaping the landscape of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). As digital solutions gain ground, they offer hope for improved access to services, enhanced health outcomes, and community empowerment. However, these advancements also present privacy, regulation, and equity concerns, particularly where healthcare access is uneven and digital literacy varies widely. Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Role of Digital Innovation and Emerging Technologies explores the intersection of digital innovation and SRHR within the African context. Edited by renowned experts, this work explores how digital tools can improve the accessibility, quality, and reach of SRHR services, while also addressing legal, ethical, and human rights considerations. Authors highlight both the promise and pitfalls of digital health solutions, offering insights into how policies can be shaped to protect rights and promote the responsible use of technology.

Transportation, Post-Penal Identity and the Life Course explores the life-courses of convicts who, after being transported to Van Diemen’s Land, now Tasmania, and released from servitude, died in pauper establishments.

Presenting new case studies that look at the whole lives of former convicts dying in poverty to understand the long-term effects of the convict transportation system, Watkins facilitates an exploration of a broader view of the charitable institutions and its connections with the penal system. Delving into the path dependency and the criminalization of poverty the author uses criminal justice records, civil records, and newspapers for life-course analysis, along with colonial statistical returns and correspondence of officials to contextualize those life-courses. Exploring the Vandemonian charitable system within its post-penal identity and socio-economic context, this book looks at the social mobility of pauper emancipists to disrupt the enduring belief that all convicts who were transported to Australia were ‘better-off’ and that Australia was a ‘working man’s paradise’ in the context of a re-emerging glorification of empire.

An interdisciplinary work exploring historical documentation and using criminological methodologies to uncover the lives of working-class people, this is insightful reading for researchers interested in the histories of charitable and criminal justice institutions, working class lives, life-course methodology, and criminalization.

In an era of rapid technological innovation and digital transformation, artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the way organizsations approach talent acquisition and management. Artificial Intelligence for Digital Talent Acquisition and Management: Analytical Approaches, Practices, Models for Digitalization analyses the intersection of AI and workforce strategies, offering readers a thorough exploration of analytical approaches, cutting-edge practices, and innovative models.

Bridging the gap between AI theory and practical application, the authors provide actionable frameworks and strategies for leveraging AI in workforce management. From streamlining talent acquisition to enhancing management practices, the authors present a comprehensive roadmap for navigating the transformative impact of AI on digital talent strategies. Whether you're a business leader, HR professional, or academic, this book equips you with the tools and knowledge to thrive in the ever-evolving landscape of digitalization.