Emerald Publishing Limited

Environment, Social, Governance (ESG) has become the noun, verb, and adjective of the modern business era. Faced with societal and regulatory pressure, big business in America, Asia, and Europe has been forced to define and articulate ESG goals to combat climate change and save the planet. The only problem is that ESG has been captured by the PR hype machine as a few prominent business leaders make bold promises to save the planet but are vague about how they propose to achieve this. Eager to showcase their green credentials, companies are making all kinds of promises to reduce their carbon footprint and to play their part in reducing global warming and improving social outcomes. How to separate fact from fiction and exaggerated commitments from realistic goals?

Vasuki Shastry spent several years at the coal face itself – running ESG for a major international bank in the City of London – and argues that corporate cultures are too focused on the profit motive and quarterly business targets. Change can only really come through a paradigm shift for business which aligns business with social purpose. Getting there will require a corporate revolution which will disrupt and dislodge the ancien régime and usher in a new age of sustainable business. The author offers a solution in the form of a Climate Manifesto for Business that will Make Our Planet Great Again!

Winning through Platforms achieved #1 bestseller status, and is a Best Business Book Awards winner for 2024. It is your new go-to guide for modern competitive advantage.

Digital platforms are no longer for just the tech elite. They’re spreading to every company and industry, powered by the growth of customer sensors, streaming data, and artificial intelligence—lighting the valuable customer Use journey that was formerly dark.

How will you succeed when your markets get platform-crowded? Three senior advisers to the world’s leading technology companies reveal how to win through platforms when every competitor has one.

Winning Through Platforms decodes growth moves from a decade of platform competition, communicates them through a platform playbook. It’s a treasure trove of 24 proven platform strategies—such as customer coalition design, in-use enrichment, AI branding, and much more. These playbook strategies are delivered through engaging stories of over 50 companies, plus proprietary frameworks and workshop-style questions that lead you to act.

This game-changing playbook will teach you how to:

• Revitalize your business through strategic use of platforms
• Design platforms that are compelling to customers and hard for competitors to match
• Accelerate in-market growth through brand-and-demand excellence that spans your customer’s entire platform journey
• Innovate in high-impact benefit areas to differentiate your platform
• Elevate your customer’s personal platform experience
• Transform your enterprise and operations to drive superior performance

Every CEO, innovator, go-to-market leader, and aspiring professional will gain valuable insight through this book. Whether your company is just starting on its first platform journey or is a born platform disruptor, this book will transform your ability to win.

Learn the platform playbook. Find and apply your plays.

This book forms part of the American Marketing Association (AMA) leadership series.

Empirical Design in Structural Engineering explores the history, applicability and uses of empirical design. This book aims to show that empirical design is practised much more widely than is generally understood, that it can make a particularly valuable contribution to your structural engineering design, and that it can be found embedded within the procedures of rational engineering design. Through examples of practices from North America, Europe and Asia, the author investigates the capabilities of the key materials for structural engineering – steel, concrete, wood and masonry – and how they connect to engineering, especially the engineering of building structures.

This book also considers the value of prior experience in determining the configuration and size of designed structures including bridges, buildings and other structures. With case studies that focus on historic structures, forensic engineering and reinforced concrete, this book explores: philosophical empiricism and rationalism; engineering empiricism and rationalism; empirical builders and their products; contemporary building codes; ethical issues in the application of empirical design; and contemporary uses of empirical design.

This book will be of interest to any student or practising engineer interested in the role that empirical design can play in their project. It will have additional appeal to those interested in or engaged with architecture, construction management and buildings management..

Public Administration, Civic Engagement, and Spanish-Speaking Communities builds on the first bilingual (Spanish–English) special session at the National Academy of Public Administration’s 2022 Social Equity Leadership Conference. Expanding on the themes of that groundbreaking conversation, this interdisciplinary volume addresses the urgent need to center multilingual voices in the pursuit of social equity in public administration. It examines the lived experiences and systemic challenges faced by Spanish-speaking communities in the United States—from language and cultural barriers to generational divides and unequal access to technology—while also highlighting innovative approaches to inclusive service delivery and democratic participation.

With 31 contributors representing diverse identities and disciplines, this volume models walking the social equity talk. Most chapters are coauthored by teams of scholars, students, and practitioners at different career levels, bringing forward the voices of Spanish-speaking communities alongside allies and social equity champions.

Designed for faculty, students, researchers, and practitioners alike, the book offers both breadth and depth: each chapter can be read on its own, yet together they create a comprehensive portrait of civic engagement, governance, and social equity in Spanish-speaking contexts.

Have you ever known colleagues who the minute they stepped into the conference room, on stage, or onto the playing field, elevated the performance of everyone around them? Someone whose impact within the team could be seen in nearly everything that was said and done.

These individuals are catalysts - they spark excellence in the behavior and the performance of the entire team. 

The Catalyst Effect identifies the behaviors and skills needed to lead from wherever you are, regardless of your role or title. It describes powerful leadership and teamwork principles—12 clearly defined competencies, based on field research with professionals in business, sports, the arts, and non-profit organizations—that will elevate the performance of individuals, teams, and your entire organization. 

This essential guide will show you how to learn and practice these catalytic competencies and help your group and organization achieve greater success, improve team dynamics, and help teammates grow in stature while magnifying their value.

Business fluency is essential today for effective strategic communication. To fulfill the mandate of trusted counselors and advisors to executives and the C-suite, communication professionals must no longer just have excellent communication skills, but they must understand and speak the language of the business world. The challenge is that many communication graduates and professionals did not go to business school and do not hold an MBA.

Business Acumen for Strategic Communicators: The Workbook provides the essential practical learning needed to help upskill communication professionals into bona fide business leaders and advisors. Through briefs, exercises and discussion activities, readers will learn to analyze and interpret key business materials produced by companies and nonprofit organizations, including CEO letters, annual reports, financial statements, earnings releases, CSR, DEI and ESG reports, and more. A revised and expanded glossary is provided, as are answer keys for the exercises.

Drawing on the success of Ragas and Culp’s prior books, this innovative workbook offers hands-on learning opportunities to help put newly acquired business acumen knowledge into practice.

This volume explores education in the Deep South, with a focus on LGBTQ students and educators, and on queer theoretical perspectives in education. The topics in this volume include teaching LGBTQ issues and queer studies in the Deep South, educational policy and practice in the Deep South as related to queer issues, and efforts to introduce queer literature to libraries and queer collections to archives. Authors in this volume examine what realities exist in education in the U.S. South currently, and what possibilities might be imagined in the future.

Racism by Another Name: Black Students, Overrepresentation, and the Carceral State of Special Education is a thought-provoking and timely book that provides a landscape for understanding and challenging educational (in)opportunities for Black students who are identified for special education. This book provides a historical and contemporary analysis through the eyes of Black children and their families on how they navigate and push against inequitable schooling, ways they are reframing discourse about race, dis/ability, and gender in schools, how educators, administrators, and school counselors contribute to disproportionality in special education, and ways that parents are collectively organizing to dismantle injustices and the carceral state, or criminalization, of special education.

Each chapter provides a ground level view of what Black students with dis/abilities experience in the classroom, and examines how the intersection of race, dis/abilty, and gender subject Black students to dehumanizing experiences in school. This book includes qualitative and quantitative approaches to exploring the material realities of Black students who are isolated, whether in separate or general education classrooms. Drawing from Critical Race Theory, DisCrit, Critical Race Feminism, and other race-centered frameworks this book challenges dominant norms of schools that reinforce inequality and racial segregation in special education.

At the end of each chapter the authors present practitioner-based notes and resources for readers to expand their knowledge of how Black students, their family, and guardians advocate for themselves and their own children. This book will leave educational advocates for Black children with a clearer understanding of the obstacles and successes that they encounter when striving for a just and equitable education. Furthermore, the book challenges readers to be active agents of change in their own schools and communities.

The ebook edition of this title is Open Access and freely available to read online.

Racism remains a pervasive issue worldwide, affecting individuals and communities in both overt and subtle ways. In Norway, a country often seen as a model of equality, the challenges faced by Black individuals reveal the deep-seated nature of racial biases. This broader societal problem encompasses themes of white privilege, visibility, and systemic injustice, demanding urgent attention and action.

Too Black to Be Here? Exploring Racism in Norway through Four Critical Case Studies offers an authentic perspective on race in Norway from a Black-Norwegian academic, a voice rarely represented in the literature. Author Paul Thomas explores four high-profile cases: the murder of Benjamin Hermansen, which starkly exposes the deadly impact of unchecked racism; Anders Breivik’s attacks, highlighting the violent anxiety rooted in white supremacy; Sumaya Jirde Ali’s racial abuse, revealing the silence and complicity surrounding racial injustice; and Johanne Ihle-Hansen’s adoption case, examining the structural racism in adoption practices. Employing an interdisciplinary approach that draws from critical race theory, whiteness studies, post-structural, and postcolonial theories, this work provides a nuanced and thorough analysis of these issues, offering both a scholarly and personal narrative.

This important work is not only an academic inquiry but also a call to action, aiming to foster a more inclusive and equitable society. Educators, policymakers, advocates, and anyone committed to racial justice and equity will find valuable insights to inspire meaningful change and promote racial literacy in the global context.

In a post-COVID-19 pandemic era of cost-of-living crises and global displacements of people due to conflicts and climate challenges, food poverty is a growing and ever-pressing issue across both the Global North and the Global South. Presenting a collection of cases drawn from higher education research, teaching and learning, as well as campus and community-based initiatives, Higher Education and SDG2 addresses food security, nutrition, sustainable and resilient agriculture, and ending hunger for all.

Featuring chapters and cases from Australia, Canada, China, Indonesia, Italy, Malawi, Northern Ireland, Peru, Turkey, the UK, the USA, Vietnam and Zimbabwe, this edited collection demonstrates the fundamental role Higher Education has in helping deliver Zero Hunger. The chapters cover education, research and community engagement initiatives that aim to address how this issue impacts the nations that face the most widespread and severe effects of hunger, food insecurity, malnutrition, and unsustainable food systems. Focusing on opportunities for Higher Education to positively influence academic, innovation, and policy agendas, this synthesis of global approaches is an inspirational call to action for increasing meaningful engagement by universities and colleges to address SDG2 Zero Hunger.

Higher Education and the Sustainable Development Goals is a series of 17 books that address each of the SDGs through the lens of higher education. Adopting a solutions-based approach, each book focuses on how higher education is advancing delivery of Agenda 2030. The series is edited by Wendy Purcell, Professor with Rutgers University and Academic Research Scholar with Harvard University; Emeritus Professor and University President Emerita.

Sustainable Water is a practical and accessible book for built environment professionals who play vital roles in creating and maintaining water services. It outlines a framework of fundamental principles, methodologies and approaches needed to deliver high quality, economical and sustainable infrastructure across the globe by approaching it from the time-limited, output-driven perspective of practical infrastructure engineers and practitioners. 

The applied examples from existent civil engineering projects identify the key sustainability issues and challenges for the water sector, their common principles and how these can be applied in practice.

As an invaluable resource Sustainable Water:

• Identifies the sector priorities for change to sustainability
• Uses the latest best practice
• Describes opportunities and methodologies with leading edge examples
• Discusses the barriers and potential ways to innovate
• Identifies opportunities and constraints
• Advises on the right questions to ask at each stage of project delivery

Sustainable Water identifies and applies the critical changes needed to provide more sustainable solutions, and to embed these into a tradition of excellent by delivering sufficient water through a good service, of the right quality and at an affordable cost, as straightforwardly as possible.

Modern day buildings are now expected to be low energy or near zero energy to reduce carbon emissions. A key step in making building low energy is to minimise heat transfer through the building fabric with insulation fabrics. However, how can a practitioner choose the most effective fabric for the job in hand? With so many thermal insulation materials on the market and each making claims associated with their performance, it is difficult for a specifier, contractor or an end user to select the insulation material most appropriate for a specific building project. Thermal Insulation Materials for Building Applications aims to address that problem.  

This book presents the variations, technical details and capabilities of state-of-the-art of thermal insulation materials for building applications. As a single source of information on all aspects of insulation materials, the reader can make an informed choice and select the necessary insulation accordingly.

Thermal Insulation Materials for Building Applications includes discussions on various properties of thermal insulation materials such as

• thermal conductivity
• heat capacity
•  moisture resistance
• moisture adsorption and absorption capacity
• role of thermal and hygric mass in dynamic hydrothermal boundary conditions
• sustainability with regards to insulation materials
• embodied and operational energy with regards to insulation materials
• bio-based and synthetic insulation materials
• durability of insulation materials
• acoustics and insulation materials and economics of insulation materials.

It is an essential purchase for any practitioner looking to understand and select the right modern thermal insulation materials for their building project.

A Guide to the Reservoirs Act 1975 provides expert guidance on the application of the Reservoirs Act 1975, reflecting the current views and practices of the dam engineering profession.

This fully updated second edition for reservoirs located in England incorporates the latest amendments introduced through the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, reflecting a more risk-based approach to reservoir regulation. The new edition also incorporates updates from the Water Act 2003.

Designing for Cycle Traffic compares and evaluates international principles and practices for designing for cycle traffic. It sets design for cycling in the wider context of public realm design, traffic planning, traffic engineering and traffic management. The book mainly draws on UK, Dutch, Danish and North American principles, and it enables readers to understand how effective design can create efficient transport systems that support economic vibrancy, social activity, and environmental sustainability. A key theme is that only distinct and separate provision for cycle traffic can ensure the creation of attractive and comfortable infrastructure for cyclists.

Coverage includes:

• principles for design to ensure inclusivity
• planning processes for cycle route networks 
• design approaches, including capacity calculations for links and junctions, roundabouts and crossings, and signal control
• modelling and level of service assessment approaches.
• each chapter is extensively illustrated, provides a concise overview of the topic, and includes an introductory overview and summary of chapter highlights.
• Written in an accessible style by an established international authority, Designing for Cycle Traffic is essential reading for students, designers and planners in the fields of traffic and highway engineering, spatial and transport planning, architecture and urban design.

Welcome to Bardstown, KY: The Bourbon Capital of the World®

Bourbon’s popularity is now a global phenomenon, but you need only look at Bardstown, Kentucky, to see its remarkable and evolving impacts. This historic city of 13,500 people is booming as a result, but it’s also enduring growing pains.

The economic impacts from a massive influx of tourists to what is now America’s bourbon epicenter are positive on many levels, but with those crowds comes pressure on infrastructure, services and accommodations. The demand for hotels, bars and restaurants is at an all-time high, and investors from across the globe are addressing those needs.

Still, as a two-century-old Kentucky cultural and entertainment center long before it was discovered by bourbon drinkers ;– many locals want to ensure the traditional Bardstown experience doesn’t disappear amid novel entertainment options.

Navigating an Evolving Sustainable Built Environment: Delivering Net Zero Carbon and Climate Resilience aims to provide an overview of sustainability practice in the built environment, drawing together the interrelated strands of sustainability policy and practice with reflections on past, current and future opportunities for practitioners. The book aims to empower and inspire readers to begin or strengthen their integration of purposeful sustainability into all aspects of their work. Framework thinking is introduced where the book seeks to inspire readers to begin or continue to develop their own path to purposeful integration of sustainability in their practice.

In this book, the authors assess evolution of the definitions of sustainability goals and matrices of measuring sustainability approaches in the built environment, and use a range of international leading examples across five continents of different scales to illustrate their implementations with details from the viewpoints of developers, designers and end users where possible, identifying their transformative impact. Three transformation capacities are used: Vision and Technology advancement, leading in Action and Governance to showcase each case study’s impact on sustainability transformation.

It provides an assessment of the emerging trends including climate adaptation, health and wellbeing, design for performance, net zero and circular economy and tools and processes that aim to accelerate the changes towards the end goals of sustainability. What does the future hold for us? The authors attempt to provide a synopsis of gazing to the future exploring the twin major forces of change, climate and AI and their impact on future living, future energy and indeed our humanity at end of this century. This book aims to show how we have got to this place in our journey and how we can begin to take the next steps with optimism and purpose.

As the volume and complexity of mental health needs of school-aged children has grown, the capacity of schools to meet those needs has been challenging at best. School closures and social isolation during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated disconcerting trends regarding levels of anxiety, depression, and suicidality in children and adolescents. As resources continue to be strained for many schools, innovative approaches to addressing school mental health are necessary.

Promising Practices for Engaging Families and Communities around Mental Health in Schools is part of the Family School Community Partnership Issues series. This volume explores promising practices for engaging families and communities around mental health in schools. Through compelling case studies, it highlights collaborations that creatively engage systems of care to help schools respond to mental health concerns.

This book also introduces new paradigms for whole child support within the school-family-community context. It offers thoughtful analysis of the ethical, policy, and practical tensions that arise when addressing mental health in partnership with families and communities. Promising Practices for Engaging Families and Communities around Mental Health in Schools is an essential resource for educators, mental health professionals, and policymakers seeking inclusive, collaborative solutions to today’s school mental health challenges.

Curriculum Windows: What Curriculum Theorists of the 2010s Can Teach Us About Schools and Society Today is an effort by students of curriculum studies, along with their professor, to interpret and understand curriculum texts and theorists of the 2010s in contemporary terms.

The authors explore how key books/authors from the curriculum field of the 2010s illuminate new possibilities forward for us as scholar educators today: How might the theories, practices, and ideas wrapped up in curriculum texts of the 2010s still resonate with us, allow us to see backward in time and forward as well – perhaps all at the same time? How might these figurative windows of insight, thought, ideas, fantasy, and fancy make us think differently about curriculum, teaching, learning, students, education, leadership, and schools? Further, how might they help us see more clearly, even perhaps put us on a path to correct the mistakes and missteps of intervening decades and of today? Or even create the possibilities for a bold, just, robust future for all, supported by outstanding educational access and experiences for all?

The chapter authors, all doctoral students at Miami University in the Department of Educational Leadership in Oxford, Ohio, interpret several of the most important books in the curriculum field of the 2010s. The book’s Foreword is by renowned curriculum theorist and friend of the Curriculum Windows series, William H. Schubert.

Academic Talk for Higher Education brings together several current debates around oracy, dialogic teaching, and the role that academic talk can play in both widening access to higher education and creating more equitable learning opportunities.

Exploring the notion that a focus on purposefully using academic discourse in university classroom settings can support students to better engage, argue, and connect with their learning, peers, and educators, Academic Talk for Higher Education examines the relationship between academic discourse, equity, and student preparation for higher education and provides a theoretical and empirical account of enabling education, policy drivers, and widening participation cohorts. Working with extensive prior research conducted by the authors focused on ‘alternative pathway’ teaching contexts—Enabling Education in Australia and Foundation Programmes in the UK, chapters draw on teachers’ and students’ perspectives and experiences of academic preparedness to conceptualise the need for more explicit pedagogic focus on academic talk.

Concluding with an agenda for both policy and practice to value academic talk as a vehicle for equity, the authors offer recommendations for how to explicitly embed academic talk into the higher education curriculum, particularly in preparatory and foundation courses. This is significant at a time of great turbulence in the higher education sectors in both the UK and Australia, and when activities to support widening participation, retention and progression of all university students are needed more than ever.

The world of work has changed considerably since the second edition of Merit Pay was published. Advances in technology, changes in job design, alternate forms of work processes, differences in workforce demographics form many of these changes. In addition, compensation (in general) and merit pay (in particular) also have experienced changes based on these trends and events. The third edition addresses how these occurrences have introduced new theory and research impacting merit pay plans.

While much has changed in the compensation world since the second edition, merit pay remains popular – with perhaps as many as 90% of U.S. firms using it despite its controversial nature. The timeliness of this edition could not be better, occurring on the heels of major events and trends. Readers will benefit from over 230 new references added to the third edition. Moreover, this edition provides study questions and case studies to increase understanding of concepts, principles, and applications. Finally, in selected areas of the book, we added a new feature - current events in merit pay. These events explore innovative and often provocative subjects, aiming to leave readers with meaningful ideas to reflect upon.

Merit Pay is essential reading for undergraduate and graduate students studying compensation administration, as well as professionals working in pay administration, human resource management, industrial and organizational psychology, and labor economics.

The ebook edition of this title is Open Access and freely available to read online.

Environmental sustainability and social responsibility are of key importance for organizations in the 21st century and beyond, but business models are not achieving this, nor the expectations of consumers.

The book addresses the critical need for innovative, research-based and practice-oriented approaches to tackle vulnerabilities and challenges of the current business environment by incorporating sustainable practices into business and place strategies. These practices are guided by principles such as the circular economy, inclusivity, stakeholder participation, place authenticity, and regeneration. These principles/practices are essential for transitioning businesses and places towards sustainability, making them more resilient to external shocks and more beneficial to local communities.

The Entrepreneurial Behaviour series is dedicated to communicating innovative and multi-disciplinary new research that advances theory and practice in Entrepreneurial Behaviour. The series is focused on expanding the scope of Entrepreneurial Behaviour theory and analysis and enriching practice by encouraging multi-theoretical, multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary approaches.

Healthcare faces immense challenges. Ensuring both clinicians and the public remain healthy to negotiate a world of increasing complexity, misinformation and uncertainty is urgent. Does scientific knowledge help them do this?

In Thinking, healthcare professionals and researchers Brown, Harvey Bluemel, and Coccia explore how philosophy can help us think differently about health. Drawing from history, culture, literature, and lived experience, they trace the deep connections between ideas, healing, and human flourishing. Each chapter offers accessible explanations of key philosophical ideas, with examples and exercises to help readers bring those ideas into their own lives.

This book invites readers to slow down and give thinking the attention it deserves. Thinking is a guide, but also an invitation to ask better questions; make space for reflection; and to rediscover the value of thought in an age that prizes speed and certainty over depth and understanding.

Higher Education and SDG12 focuses on how higher education institutions worldwide are furthering Sustainable Development Goal 12 ‘Responsible Consumption and Production’ through the integration of knowledge and practice toward sustainability in their campuses, curriculum, collaborations, and cultures.

Offering an international view, the chapters present research findings, recommendations, and practical insights from countries in the Global South and North addressing challenges relating to campus operations, changes in the curriculum, collaborations with industry and communities, and cultural change. Real world examples of innovative approaches globally are offered in teaching and learning, community involvement, partnerships with industry, activism and the empowerment of students, with academics and communities leading change on the SDG12 agenda. A dedicated resource for fostering sustainable development in higher education, the book offers a structured approach to identifying and developing sustainability practices. Showcasing a wide array of responsible consumption and production solutions, this insightful text equips educators, administrators, and policymakers with the necessary resources to drive meaningful change.

Higher Education and the Sustainable Development Goals is a series of 17 books that address each of the SDGs through the lens of higher education. Adopting a solutions-based approach, each book focuses on how higher education is advancing delivery of Agenda 2030. The series is edited by Wendy Purcell, Professor with Rutgers University and Academic Research Scholar with Harvard University; Emeritus Professor and University President Emerita.

Working-class academics often experience difficult and turbulent times during their journey into and through academia. The terms working class and academic are somewhat paradoxical, as the assumption is, since becoming an academic, they have moved away from their class. For some, this may be true, for others, not so.

Presenting a collection of life stories written by Irish-identifying working-class academics, Notions explores the lives of those not born into the elite but occupying an elite position in higher education — how they got there, what their journey was like, what their experiences were, if they faced any struggles, and if they had to, or still do, (re)negotiate their identities.

The first autoethnographic collection of working-class experiences of academia in Ireland, Notions is a valuable contribution to the existing body of literature on social class, inequalities, widening participation and higher education that will be of interest to any reader interested in Irish society and culture.

Global Perspectives on Gender offers a multidisciplinary exploration of gender as a global, dynamic, and deeply embedded social construct. Coming 30 years after the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, this book examines the construction of gender roles and related influences, including culture, history, religion, and structural inequality. The first section introduces key theoretical frameworks, using the biopsychosocial model, and addresses global patterns for women, men, and gender diverse individuals.

The second section analyzes gender within major societal domains, including violence, health, religion, and climate change, highlighting how gender inequities are reinforced or challenged across institutions. The third section presents region-specific case studies from India to Oceania, exploring how colonization, modernization, policy, and local traditions impact gender ideals and experiences. Additional topics addressed throughout the book include gender-based violence, intersectionality, the enduring impact of colonialism, the role of technology, and building resilience in marginalized communities.

Global Perspectives on Gender concludes by posing the question: Will gender become so fluid that it becomes increasingly irrelevant? Readers of all backgrounds, from scholars to students to practitioners, are invited to analyze present constructs to advance gender equity worldwide.

The rapid expansion of data in every facet of modern life from research and education to public policy and private industry demands a critical re-examination of how data is collected, analyzed, interpreted, and used. Bias and Beyond: Rethinking Data Practices and Inspiring collective dialogue responds to this call by exploring how bias enters the data lifecycle and how inclusive, reflexive, and equity-centered methodologies can improve the validity and impact of data-driven decisions.

Structured around the four stages of the data lifecycle including problem formulation, data collection, analysis, and use, this volume brings together diverse voices to interrogate systemic inequities and offer practical strategies for inclusive data practices. Drawing from qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods, each chapter highlights the role of researcher positionality, power, and representation in shaping outcomes and knowledge.

Bias and Beyond is anchored in a commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), not only as aspirational values but as methodological imperatives that must inform every aspect of data practice. It will serve as a timely and essential resource for researchers, educators, policymakers, and students committed to data justice and ethical inquiry.

The term "culture wars" has taken centre stage in British social and political discourse, characterized by deep divides over values, identity, and sovereignty. These conflicts, driven by class and emancipatory struggles, continue to evolve, highlighting critical divisions over issues such as Brexit, Scottish independence, and attitudes toward the monarchy.

Nick Hubble reframes the debate, demonstrating how British culture wars are both unique and interconnected with broader global trends. They explore how cultural divisions shaped British society over the past century, challenging the pervasive narrative of British exceptionalism. Drawing on sources like the British Social Attitudes surveys, political studies, and even literary works such as those by George Orwell, the book traces the legacy of social liberalization and the authoritarian counter-revolution that has emerged in response. With clarity and nuance, Hubble unpacks the ideological dynamics behind terms like "identity politics" and "woke liberalism," offering a fresh framework for understanding the realities of cultural conflict in Britain today.

Discourse Analysis in Practice: Perspectives and Lessons Learned is a comprehensive and multifaceted exploration of discourse analysis methodologies and their applications across a range of contemporary issues and contexts. By compiling contributions from diverse scholars, this book aims to highlight the versatility and depth of discourse analysis, showcasing its potential to uncover hidden power dynamics, societal structures, and cultural implications within various discourses. The book extends current knowledge in the field, offering new insights and critical perspectives that address previously unrecognized or infrequently considered topics. It serves as both a reference volume and a practical guide for academics, researchers, and practitioners, enhancing their understanding and application of discourse analysis in their respective domains.

The primary audience for this book is educators and researchers who are interested in implementing discourse analysis in their research and/or practice in K-16 contexts. Readers can utilize this book as a reference guide to gain insights into various discourse analysis methodologies and their applications. It serves as an advanced guide for conducting research and analyzing different types of discourse in educational, social, and political contexts.

The current turbulent global political climate has led to unprecedented numbers of economic migrants and refugees seeking asylum, many of whom are school-aged children in need of linguistic, cultural, and emotional support. The title of this volume, Redirecting the Flow of Knowledge Across Languages and Cultures, reflects an intentional effort to challenge Western hegemonic traditions and promote an inclusive, pluralistic vision of language, culture, and identity—one that foregrounds the transformative potential of multilingualism and intercultural awareness.

This collection reimagines literacy learning through diverse cultural frameworks and linguistic systems, offering alternative pathways for education that are responsive to global realities. The contributing chapters showcase innovative autobiographical methodologies and research designs grounded in culturally sustaining pedagogies. The contributors—experienced educators and scholars with rich linguistic and cultural backgrounds—offer insights of particular relevance to teacher education programs across varied educational contexts.

Redirecting the Flow of Knowledge Across Languages and Cultures affirms the foundational premise that students from linguistically and culturally diverse backgrounds bring invaluable knowledge to the classroom and to the teaching and learning process. The volume interrogates and illuminates critical themes such as language awareness, cultural competence, and the implementation of pedagogical practices that sustain diverse identities. Collectively, the scholars in this volume share a commitment to advancing methodological approaches that recognize identity as a central component of learning—an aspect too often overlooked in contemporary classrooms. The book ultimately advocates for culturally sustaining pedagogies, critical language awareness, and educational practices rooted in social justice.

In an era where advanced education is gaining unprecedented attention from educators, policymakers, and families, the landscape of learning is evolving rapidly. Over the past 15 years, significant strides have been made in theory, research, and practice, transforming classrooms around the globe. This progress not only enhances the quality of advanced education but also increases the number of students excelling at higher levels.

As the spotlight on advanced students intensifies, there is a growing call for innovative and comprehensive approaches to talent development. The Future of Advanced Education and Talent Development brings together insightful essays from leading scholars and practitioners worldwide, offering a deep dive into current practices and envisioning future directions for advanced learning.

This compelling collection covers traditional topics such as identification, acceleration, and social and emotional development. It also explores the expansive nature of the field, addressing after-school and summer programs, technology integration, and career and technical education, among other critical areas. Each essay presents thought-provoking ideas and actionable recommendations, sparking meaningful discussions about the future of advanced education. Whether you are an educator or policymaker, this book provides a comprehensive overview of the latest advancements and future possibilities in advanced education and talent development.

This book contains an Open Access chapter.

Public policy actors spend considerable time writing policy, advising politicians, eliciting stakeholder views on policy concerns, and implementing initiatives. Yet, they also ‘hang out’ chatting at coffee machines, discuss developments in the hallway walking from one meeting to another, or wander outside to carparks for a quick word and to avoid prying eyes. Rather than interrogating the rules and procedures which govern how policies are made, this volume asks readers to begin with the informal as a concept and extend this to what people do, how they relate to each other, and how this matters.

Emerging from a desire to enquire into the lived experience of policy professionals, and to conceptualise afresh the informal in the making of public policy, Informality in Policymaking explores how informality manifests in different contexts, spaces, places, and policy arenas, and the implications of this. Including nine empirical chapters, this volume presents studies from around the world and across policy domains spanning the rural and urban, and the local to the supranational. The chapters employ interdisciplinary approaches and integrate creative elements, such as drawings of hand gestures and fieldwork photographs, in conjunction with ethnographic ‘thick descriptions’.

In unveiling the realities of how policy is made, this deeply meaningful and thoughtfully constructed collection argues that the formal is only part of the story of policymaking, and thus only part of the solutions it seeks to create. Informality in Policymaking will be of interest to researchers and policymakers alike.

Occupational Training in the Future of Work explores how societies can prepare people for meaningful careers in a rapidly changing world. Technological disruption, environmental imperatives, demographic shifts, and the growing demand for equity and inclusion are transforming how we define, access, and engage in work. This timely volume offers a multidisciplinary response to these challenges, presenting forward-looking insights and evidence-based strategies for navigating the evolving landscape of work

At the heart of this collection is a central question: how can education and innovation work together to build a more adaptive and inclusive workforce? Contributors from across academia, industry, and policy explore what it means to be “career-ready” in the 21st century. They examine how higher education can better align with labor market needs, and how alternative credentials, data-informed approaches, and non-traditional pedagogies can open new and equitable career pathways.

Whether you are an educator, policymaker, employer, or researcher, this book offers practical guidance and critical perspectives on the future of occupational training. Occupational Training in the Future of Work is an essential resource for anyone committed to building a workforce that is resilient, responsive, and ready for the challenges ahead

A timely and updated second edition, this version of Crises and Popular Dissent moves on from a focus on the causes of populism to a wider analysis of the global struggle between liberal democracy and authoritarianism, including the continuing impact of populism. Within this epoch defining conflict, O’Donnell analyses related themes such as repression/liberty, identity-culture/social-political solidarity, climate change/immigration, the impact of digital revolution, and the late modern restructuring of power and wealth.

O’Donnell outlines contemporary crises in a global context, mainly in relation to Europe and the Americas and with recurrent reference to the Global South. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, supported, but without major direct military engagement, by China, Iran, and North Korea, revives, in a different form, the ‘cold war’ ideological and territorial conflict between Russia and ‘the West’. Add the deeply disturbing humanitarian and democratic issues raised by the Israel-Hamas war, O’Donnell chronicles a liberal democracy in a state of crisis. Revitalising discussion around the ‘contradiction’ in liberal democracy between free market capitalism and social inequality in the politico-cultural crises of the current century: various extra-parliamentary protest movements, of left and right are discussed. Drawing partly on democratic forms adopted by a variety of populist. and non-populist social movements, ‘radical democracy’ is introduced as a way of reorienting the liberal progressive dynamic.

Centring around three broad political groupings – liberal, authoritarian, and social movements of protest – the chapters represent the different ideologies and political strategies at the core of the crises discussed. Exploring their origins, outcomes, and extrapolating their likely trajectories, O’Donnell also makes suggestions for institutional change and socio-political policy reform.

Since the Age of Enlightenment, Black bodies have been sites of trauma. Drawing on anti-colonial theory, From the Enlightenment to Black Lives Matter interrogates how this has shaped understandings of Black life, Black trauma and Black responses to trauma within psychiatry and other mental health professions.

Focusing on the impact of racism on the mental health of Black communities in Canada, the UK and the US, author Ingrid R.G. Waldron examines the structural inequities that have contributed to the legacy of racial trauma in Black communities. Drawing on existing literature, as well as the voices of Black Canadians who participated in recent studies conducted by the author, Waldron uses an intersectional analysis to pinpoint how the intersections of race, culture, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, age and citizenship status shape experiences of racial trauma, mental illness and help-seeking in Black communities. Tracing the ideological representations of Black people within psychiatric and other mental health institutions that influence the diagnoses applied to them, chapters also highlight the beliefs and perceptions Black communities hold about mental health and help-seeking.

A timely challenge to the colonial and imperial legacy of psychiatry, From the Enlightenment to Black Lives Matter demonstrates how the politics of race and psychiatric diagnosis collide when diagnosing Black people and what this means for our current public health crisis.

Acknowledging efforts to dismantle racism at multiple levels, Racism and Anti-Racism Today examines racism and anti-racism as interconnected rather than isolated issues and proposes a framework for effective anti-racist policy and practice.

Providing a unique side-by-side view on current conceptualizations, debates, and policy-praxis, the ten thematic chapters examine the impact of race, racism, and intersecting inequities on contemporary society. They highlight the enduring significance of racial identity politics in shaping social divisions. Engaging in interdisciplinary theoretical debates, Amanuel Elias’s scholarship adopts a comparative perspective, incorporating research findings and examples from different geographic contexts. Offering policy recommendations and directions for further research, he contends with fundamental questions that continue to plague the study of racism and its social and economic impact. Why does racism continue to exist and affect societies today despite apparent progress in the acquisition of knowledge, digital connectedness, and human rights discourse? What challenges across societies are blocking efforts to racial equity? What promising anti-racism policy-praxis can we envisage for tackling the impact of racial inequity?

Drawing on over a decade of interdisciplinary research, Racism and Anti-Racism Today provides cutting-edge discussion about the present relevance of prejudice to envision an anti-racist future.

Recruitment and retention problems existed within the teaching sector before the COVID-19 pandemic, with an increasing number of teachers deciding to leave the profession for either early retirement, careers in other sectors, or for teaching jobs in other countries. However, the pandemic, and the period subsequent to it, have amplified the problems of a sector in crisis.

Aimee Quickfall and Phil Wood offer insights into a profession overburdened by central diktat and performance management, and a system which is inefficient, overbearing and in many cases responsible for poor mental health and unsustainable pressures. Through a consideration of teachers’ experiences both during and after the pandemic they outline a policy direction concerning the work of teachers and leaders which is necessary to reorientate the education system in England to one which encourages individuals to become teachers, and which sustains them in a supportive professional environment once they are there.

Transforming Teacher Work reflects on lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic to consider how we might renew and revitalise a failing system.

Intelligent Buildings and Infrastructure with Sustainable and Social Values, Third edition is a comprehensive guide and an international reference source to the latest knowledge on the design, management, operation and technology of intelligent buildings and cities for sustainable developments that meet the needs of users now and in the future. A transdisciplinary approach underpins the beliefs expressed in the book. Written by authors from industry and academia, the book considers cultural changes affecting the way people live and work, the importance of an integrated approach to design and management, and the benefits technological developments can bring in developing sustainable buildings that meet users' needs and those to mitigate climate change.

Fully revised and updated with contributions on the latest developments, the book focuses on:

• intelligent liveable buildings which are a vital part of the infrastructure that make up towns and cities, whether new build or undergoing renovation
• innovative approaches which make buildings and cities less stressful, more sustainable, more humane and creative places to be in, providing better services and opportunities
• the importance of user-centred design, artificial intelligence and emerging monitoring technologies in the successful implementation of intelligent systems to create an environment capable of continually interacting with occupants to provide places with high social value
• learning lessons from nature to inspire engineering applications and more sustainable architecture
• how buildings can make the best use of technology in the least complicated way
• case studies from across the UK to demonstrate how intelligent design, construction, management and technology has been used successfully in practice.

The third edition of Intelligent Buildings and Infrastructure with Sustainable and Social Values extends the thinking in the first and second editions of Intelligent Buildings. It remains an invaluable practical guide with a rich source of references for architecture, engineering and construction professionals, building owners and developers involved in procurement, design, management and operation of buildings, as well as students studying architecture, engineering, building services, facilities management and other built environment courses.

In an ever-evolving educational landscape, traditional methods face unprecedented challenges. The Impact of ChatGPT on Higher Education takes you on a trailblazing journey into ChatGPT's transformative potential and the ethical considerations in higher education.

Authored by experts at the forefront of educational transformation and technology's impact on learning, this book offers invaluable insights for educators, leaders, policymakers, and AI enthusiasts. Dive deep with the authors as they navigate from theory to practice, unravelling power dynamics, social structures, and ChatGPT's profound influence. Real-world examples and a captivating case study from MEF University provide tangible evidence of ChatGPT's impact on education. Explore how ChatGPT raises critical questions about course planning, assessments, teaching, and AI's role in education. The authors illuminate issues related to academic honesty, ethics, bias, misinformation, cost, equity, and data privacy.

As AI technologies continue to evolve and impact education, The Impact of ChatGPT on Higher Education provides valuable guidance and insights for educators and researchers seeking to harness the power of ChatGPT in their work.

The area of trauma-informed positive education (TIPE) is a recently emerging field in educational studies. Schools serving communities contending with educational inequity have many students identified as trauma-affected, with significant unmet learning and social emotional needs.

This groundbreaking study and first book in the Emerald Studies in Trauma-Informed Education series is the first longitudinal research in trauma informed positive education, and the first research to link the professional learning and ongoing implementation of TIPE pedagogical practices to changed student perceptions of school and collective teacher efficacy over a four-year period.

Providing examples of how schools implement TIPE and using case studies from two schools that were experiencing difficulty with their delivery of learning and wellbeing outcomes for students, the authors explore how implementing TIPE pedagogical practices can bring about school change. There is a focus on student wellbeing, collective teacher efficacy and assisting students to be ready to learn. The case studies that are explored will be of interest to school practitioners and system leaders working with students who are are not yet ready to learn and disengaged from school.

Exploring how the boundary between the extremist far right and centre-right parties and politics became blurred, Normalization of the Global Far Right: Pandemic Disruption deconstructs one of the most pressing issues of today: the rise of the far right. Taking a critical look at the ‘normalisation’ of far-right thinking underpinned by gendered racisms, Vieten and Poynting trace the emergence of transnational far right populist movements and how these have been shaped by European colonialism, white supremacy, and ideological legacies of the Empire alike.

What does it mean to innovate? What skills are needed? What thought processes are involved? Answers to these questions can be found in the real-life stories of Agents of Innovation.

Louis Jacques Filion and chapter co-authors Rico J. Baldegger, Candido Borges, Fernando Dolabela, Joëlle Hafsi and Francine Richer, present six fascinating case histories of three different types of agents of innovation: entrepreneurs, who create new products or services, facilitators, or process innovators, who help entrepreneurs to develop their enterprises, and intrapreneurs, who innovate within the organizations that employ them. In the second part of Agents of Innovation, a set of exercises guide readers as they develop their own innovative thinking process.

Valuable to researchers, students, and those about to branch out into the world of business, Agents of Innovation informs many different disciplines, and in particular strategy – the sister discipline of entrepreneurship as far as the implementation of innovation is concerned.

As Generation Z transitions into adulthood, communication, technology, commerce, education, politics, health, travel, and work have become increasingly globalized. But, most studies about Generation Z have been conducted independently by researchers in various countries regarding their specific populations. While this is useful from a national perspective, these studies typically employ different methodologies, survey questions, and even timing, making it challenging to compare data across geographic and cultural boundaries. More so, it becomes challenging to gain an understanding of the global Generation Z cohort.

Gen Z Around the World, however, incorporates research from eighty-one countries to provide a holistic view of Generation Z. The researchers present chapters on everything ranging from communication, happiness, and learning styles to emotional wellbeing, career values, and social change.

Learning about Generation Z from a worldwide perspective can expand our understanding to better work with, engage with, supervise, and educate young people in every corner of the globe.

Rape culture, a colloquial term often used to describe society’s normalization and cultural acceptance of sexual violence, especially of men towards women, can be defined in a variety of ways. Academic discussions surrounding this topic often lack the theorization needed to elevate these conversations from their specific contexts to a broader, more conscious cultural awareness.

Providing clearly defined, historical and cross-cultural definitions of this well-used term, Defining Rape Culture addresses current debates with a fresh international perspective that does not limit itself to whiteness or the Global North. Examining the culture around sexual violence through an intersectional feminist lens, Rebecca M. Hayes interrogates the historical origins of sexual violence that are steeped in colonization and white supremacy, proving how the thread of rape culture has persisted even among very different cultures. Tackling how legal and institutional indifference to sexual misconduct has allowed it to fester unpunished, chapters also reveal the role that social media has played in exposing the shared trauma that rape culture perpetuates.

From #notallmen to #MeToo, Defining Rape Culture acts as an in-depth primer on how these outdated attitudes continue to persist, but also the role we can play in shifting this cultural mindset and create lasting social change.

Drawing from extensive ethnographic research on abortion debates in public spaces, this book explores the beliefs, motivations and practices of UK anti-abortion activists. Whilst they represent a tiny minority, there is recent evidence of an increase in activism outside UK abortion clinics; faith-based groups regularly organise 'vigils' seeking to deter service users from entering clinics. In response to this, pro-choice groups launched a campaign for buffer-zones around clinics. Although there is overwhelming public support for abortion, it remains an area of public contestation that touches on ideas about bodily autonomy, religious freedom and reproductive rights. Despite being active in the UK since before the 1967 Abortion Act, anti-abortion activism has received little attention.

Taking a lived religion approach, Anti-Abortion Activism in the UK explores the sacred and profane commitments of anti-abortion activists and counter-demonstrations outside clinics, examining the contestations over space. The authors argue that as a moral reform social movement, the anti-abortion activists typically frame their activism in terms of risk and abortion harm, but their religiously-informed understanding of ultra-sacrificial motherhood as ‘natural’ for women undermines this framing. Their conservative gender and sexuality attitudes position them culturally as a moral minority. The displays of public religion are also anomalous in a country in which religion is usually seen as a private issue. Their presence outside abortion clinics causes a significant amount of distress, but public support for the establishment of safe zones outside of abortion-service provision is strong and is a proportionate response to safeguard the freedoms of those seeking abortion.

The last decade has seen significant changes in global attitudes, policies and practices that impact the lives of trans people, but the world of sport has been slow to follow these initiatives.

Contributors to this book document the formidable social-cultural and legal challenges facing trans athletes, particularly girls and women, at the global, national, and local levels, in contexts ranging from school sport to international competition. They demonstrate how proponents of trans exclusion rely on flawed or inconclusive science, selectively employed to support their purported goal of ‘protecting women’s sport’. Politicians in the US, UK, and elsewhere who have shown little interest in women or in sport exploit the issue to advance broader conservative agendas, while hostile mainstream and social media coverage exacerbates the problem.

Bringing insights from sociology, philosophy, science and law, contributors present cogent analyses of these developments and explore the way forward, providing thoughtful and original recommendations for changes to policies and practices that are inclusive, innovative and democratic.

Shortlisted for the CMI (Chartered Management Institute) Book of the Year Award 2024 in association with BAM (British Academy of Management) and CABS (Chartered Association of Business Schools). These awards will celebrate substantial business and management research that is informing policy, business, and third sector practices. https://www.managers.org.uk/knowledge-and-insights/article/management-publication-of-the-year-2024/

Bridging the gap between business and business schools: fulfilling potential or thwarted ambition.

The Engaged Business School is a road map to unlocking the potential between business and business schools at a time when it really matters: responding to a global, economic and social recovery. It is a call for academics and businesses to come together and realise the potential that is so often unfulfilled.

On a practical level it presents the idea of an engaged business school using three tools – a model, a framework, and a process. The model shows how success factors are interconnected in order to bring engagement to life. The framework provides a structure to clarify the building blocks for effective engagement. Finally, the process identifies the steps and stages which will need to be considered to translate the model and framework into action.

Aimed at a dual audience of business schools and businesses, Sturgess argues that there is a need for the academic and business communities to join together and build an engaged business school. Too much of the debate about business school relevance has taken place in academia. The Engaged Business School starts with business needs and then unites the two perspectives together.

This volume contains an Open Access Chapter.

Authenticity has become a buzzword for our times. Much of the travel industry is built around the provision of ‘authentic’ experiences, global brands fight to be seen as ‘authentic’ and social media platforms are awash with arguments about the authenticity of this post or that vlogger. But what do we mean by authenticity? And why have these debates grown so dramatically in the last two decades?

This collection explores the complex and at times controversial idea of authenticity. Addressing the concept from an interdisciplinary perspective and offering a diverse range of topical cases, the authors bring together the latest empirical and conceptual scholarship addressing authenticity and its centrality to debates about contemporary culture, media and society. In this way, the authors are able to pinpoint the growing significance of the concept of authenticity, the various ways in which different disciplines approach the topic, and possible ways of advancing the field across disciplines.

With sections covering travel and tourism, branding and marketing, popular culture, social media and political communication this exciting and innovative collection will make fascinating and crucial reading for scholars and students across the social sciences and humanities, and helps to define what these different disciplines mean by authenticity.

African Leadership is an edited collection enriched by the people who have lived and experienced indigenous leadership first-hand, demonstrating how African leadership is distinctive from usual Western hegemonic paradigms.

Providing an indepth discussion of the components, context, followers, and skills that contribute to the success of African leaders, African Leadership concludes with meaningful applications for 21st-century leaders globally.

This collection of chapters from established thinkers and emerging scholars provides a series of unique insights into collaboration between schools and the means by which the policy context influences such activity. Taking a global perspective, the chapters within this book follow a common framework to explore how macro-level factors help to create the conditions in which school-to-school collaboration is likely to succeed or fail ‘on the ground’. The result is a nuanced and original analysis that explores why and how collaborative activity between schools is intrinsically linked to broader policy contexts.

School collaboration and networking is a rapidly growing area of interest. This book will appeal to the increasing number of emerging scholars and established experts with an interest in this area and other related sub-fields including school effectiveness and improvement, critical policy studies and educational leadership and management. It will also be of interest to policymakers seeking to capitalise on the potential of collaboration between schools and to educational professionals seeking improvement through partnership and dialogue.

Widening access to university has become a major component of education policy in the past few decades, particularly in the UK and Europe. The aim is to make a university education more accessible for people from traditionally under-represented backgrounds and to ensure student bodies reflect the diversity of wider society. This key volume presents, for the first time, a critical analysis of the 'business of widening participation’ in a marketised context, featuring contributions from some of the major academic and practitioner researchers in the field. Encompassing how WP policy (as a subset of HE policy) is made, enacted and implemented at various stages, also presented are multiple professional and cultural perspectives on how WP is experienced and understood by those enacting policy.

Chapter authors explore how the two aspects of the ‘business of widening participation’ work together to shape how WP is understood and done, as well as the possibilities for doing otherwise by employing a dual usage of the term 'business' in relation to WP. The first, figurative, usage explores the ways in which WP has been drawn into institutional positionality as HE providers differentiate themselves in the market; the second, literal, usage explores the ways in which WP policy is actuated by HE providers (including 'alternative' providers and FE colleges), state actors and third sector and private organisations increasingly engaged in the delivery of WP interventions and as policy stakeholders in this field. Offering both a comprehensive policy history of widening participation in UK higher education and exploration of how that policy has translated into institutional practices in different contexts, this timely work offers new analysis to academics familiar with the field whilst also offering sufficient background to practitioners who may be less familiar with the historical context and academic debates around WP.

The First Sourcebook on Nordic Research in Mathematics Education: Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Denmark and contributions from Finland provides the first comprehensive and unified treatment of historical and contemporary research trends in mathematics education in the Nordic world.

The book is organized in sections co-ordinated by active researchers in mathematics education in Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Denmark, and Finland. The purpose of this sourcebook is to synthesize and survey the established body of research in these countries with findings that have influenced ongoing research agendas, informed practice, framed curricula and policy. The sections for each country also include historical articles in addition to exemplary examples of recently conducted research oriented towards the future. The book will serve as a standard reference for mathematics education researchers, policy makers, practitioners and students both in and outside the Nordic countries.

Drop-out, Push-out, or Walk-out?: (Re)imagining Education for Young Mothers and Pregnant Adolescents delves into the pressing issues of social justice and equity for pregnant learners and school-aged mothers within international contexts. Based on an award-winning dissertation, this book centers on the experiences of pregnant learners and student mothers in southern Malawi, situating in-school pregnancy as a global phenomenon affecting both the 'Global North' and the 'Global South.' Despite re-admission and continuation policies, many young mothers still drop out of primary and secondary schools after pregnancy. Existing research confirms that school climates are often hostile and intolerant towards pregnant learners and student mothers. This book challenges the assumption that these young women are simply dropping out, arguing instead that they are being pushed out by structural forces within schools and society.

To address the existential threats to schooling post-pregnancy and reimagine inclusive, continuation-oriented education for pregnant learners and student mothers, this book amplifies the voices of mothering and pregnant adolescents. Employing a novel methodological approach rooted in Ubuntu, the book challenges conventional paradigms about who belongs in schooling spaces and what education looks like for pregnant and mothering students. It also provides insights into the socio-economic, historical, cultural, and political contexts for schooling and pregnancy, as well as its global implications for women’s and girls’ education.

Key arguments include

• Systemic "push-out": The departure of pregnant and mothering students is both institutionally influenced and a personal decision due to structural inequalities
• Inside-outside schooling supports: Support for schooling post-pregnancy goes beyond the curriculum, drawing connections between home-based and school-based support systems
• Southern-based indigenous knowledges: The book centers on young women's stories, showcasing non-normative ways of navigating schooling post-pregnancy by offering the “Critical Afro-Feminist Education” (CAFE) framework as a unique form of theorizing through African indigenous perspectives
• Continuation-oriented alternative education: Challenging normative approaches to education and utilizing communal structures for alternative education options, such as night schools, to create transformative spaces
• Reconstructing studenthood and belongingness: Redefining what it means to be a student and challenging deficit constructions of student motherhood.

Drop-out, Push-out, or Walk-out?: (Re)imagining Education for Young Mothers and Pregnant Adolescents is a significant contribution to the field of comparative and international education, offering new knowledge and practical recommendations for researchers, educators, policymakers, and advocates supporting pregnant and mothering students.

In an era of unprecedented challenges for educational leadership, Problems of Practice: Case Studies of the Superintendency emerges as an indispensable guide for navigating the complex realities of school administration. This vital volume delves into the multifaceted issues superintendents confront daily, from critical topics like school finance and personnel management to conflict resolution and intricate superintendent-board relations, all identified as paramount by the AASA Decennial Study (2020). Beyond these core areas, the book expands its scope to pressing post-pandemic problems of practice that define the contemporary educational landscape.

Through a collection of insightful, real-world case studies, each chapter offers a detailed examination of specific challenges faced by superintendents, alongside the practical policies, processes, and procedures employed to address them. Readers will gain profound understanding from the lived experiences of leaders who have successfully navigated complex district problems, fiscal crises, and diverse stakeholder relationships. Whether you are an aspiring superintendent seeking to build a robust foundation, a current leader refining your approach, or an academic researcher exploring the nuances of educational leadership, this book provides invaluable lessons, actionable recommendations, and crucial reflective opportunities.

Authored by experienced practitioners and scholars, Problems of Practice bridges theory and practice, offering a holistic view that empowers leaders to foster deeper understanding, make informed decisions, and drive proactive change within their educational communities. Prepare to engage with compelling narratives that will equip you with the knowledge and strategies essential for an effective and impactful superintendency.

NEC4 Engineering and Construction Contract: Frequently Asked Questions is a valuable resource that provides a solid foundation for understanding and using the NEC4 Engineering and Construction Contract (ECC). It offers a concise, accessible overview, answering many of the common queries that arise when encountering the ECC for the first time and helping readers navigate the contract with confidence.

Logically structured to follow the layout of the ECC, the book is designed for easy navigation and quick referencing of specific sections. It includes chapters on each of the core clauses, main option and secondary option clauses, equipping readers with a comprehensive understanding of the NEC4 framework. Authored by a seasoned expert with over 30 years’ experience in this area, the book draws on real industry questions and scenarios. It will support better decision making and assist users in pro-actively following ECC processes and procedures.

NEC4 Engineering and Construction Contract: Frequently Asked Questions is ideal for a diverse audience, including contractors, subcontractors, clients, ECC Project Managers, and construction solicitors, and particularly beneficial for those with limited contract knowledge or experience.

Neurodiversity in the workplace is an increasingly important topic with critical implications for the workforce. However, organizations still struggle to support neurodivergent employees. The following chapters explore the challenges and opportunities associated with neurodiversity at work by presenting different perspectives on neurodiversity in organizations.

The authors provide an overview of how organizations can better support neurodivergent employees, particularly those with Autism and ADHD. These chapters address structural barriers, recruitment and hiring practices, and disclosure for neurodiverse employees. The chapters also offer practical recommendations for workplace accommodations and emphasize the need for organizational changes to support a more inclusive workplace culture. Ultimately, the insights presented in these chapters look to bridge the gap between science and practice, providing a roadmap for creating workplaces that not only value, but empower neurodiverse talent.

The collective insights from these chapters highlight interventions for organizations to consider for developing a career-long inclusive culture and improving person-organization fit for neurodiverse employees. From recruitment and hiring processes that accommodate different communication styles, to leadership development programs that foster neurodiverse workers, the authors provide clear evidence that workplaces are able to move beyond awareness of neurodiversity (i.e.., the “fitting in” form of person-organization fit) to taking meaningful steps towards an inclusive culture for neurodiverse employees across a career (i.e., the “doing well” form of person-organization fit).

The goal of this volume, Neurodiversity in the Workplace, is not only to call attention to the experience of neurodivergent individuals at work, but also to highlight methods for organizations and employees seeking to support neurodivergent individuals at work to use.

The ebook edition of this title is Open Access and freely available to read online.

The U.S. Monetary Policy Forum (USMPF) is an annual conference that brings academics, market economists, and policymakers together to discuss U.S. monetary policy. A standing group of academic and private sector economists (the USMPF panelists) has rotating responsibility for producing a report on a critical medium-term issue confronting the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC). The 2014 USMPF panel includes private-sector members Michael Feroli (JP Morgan Chase), David Greenlaw (Morgan Stanley), Jan Hatzius (Goldman Sachs), Ethan Harris (Bank of America Merrill Lynch), Peter Hooper (Deutsche Bank), as well as academic panelists Stephen Cecchetti (Brandeis), James Hamilton (UC San Diego), Anil Kashyap (Chicago Booth), Frederic Mishkin (Columbia), Hyun Song Shin (Princeton), Kermit Schoenholtz (New York University) and Kenneth West (Wisconsin). This volume reports the results of the eighth USMPF conference, held on February 28, 2014 in New York, N.Y.

Beyond the Spectrum: Navigating the Mental Health Landscape of LGBTQ+ Youths delves into the multifaceted experiences of LGBTQ+ youths, unraveling the intricate interplay between mental health and identity within this diverse community. As societal attitudes shift, and acceptance grows, this book provides a comprehensive and empathetic exploration of the unique mental health challenges faced by LGBTQ+ youths.

This book encompasses an in-depth examination of the intersectionality within the LGBTQ+ spectrum, acknowledging that mental health struggles are shaped by various factors, including sexual orientation, gender identity, race, and socioeconomic status. Through personal narratives, scholarly insights, and mental health professionals' perspectives, the book aims to shed light on the diverse stories and struggles faced by LGBTQ+ youths, recognizing both resilience and vulnerability.

Beyond the Spectrum also seeks to contribute to the ongoing dialogue around LGBTQ+ mental health, fostering understanding, compassion, and actionable insights for mental health professionals, educators, parents, and the LGBTQ+ community at large. By navigating the complex and often overlooked mental health landscape of LGBTQ+ youths, this book aims to empower individuals, challenge stereotypes, and advocate for a more inclusive and affirming mental health paradigm.

Storied Advice for Aspiring Latinas in Educational Leadership is a powerful anthology of lived wisdom, resilience, and cultural pride. Co-edited by Latina practitioners and researchers in K–12 and higher education, this collection offers deeply personal and transformative guidance for the next generation of Latina leaders.

Each chapter is a heartfelt consejo—a culturally rooted piece of advice—passed down with love, intention, and the hope of lighting the path for others. In Latino/a culture, consejos are more than words; they are teaching tools, vessels of shared knowledge, and acts of resistance against erasure. Through these stories, readers gain insight into the non-traditional and often challenging journeys of Latina educators who have carved out space in leadership despite systemic barriers.

This book speaks directly to every Latina who has ever been told, “Calladita te miras más bonita”—you look prettier when you're quiet. The authors respond in one unified voice, rejecting silence and embracing the power of truth-telling. Their experiences confront the realities of the glass ceiling, cultural stereotypes, and the lack of representation in leadership roles, while offering hope, strategy, and solidarity.

Whether you're an aspiring educator, a seasoned leader, or someone seeking to understand the Latina experience in education, this book is a call to action, a celebration of identity, and a roadmap for change.

Life Course of Trauma and Resilience offers a profound exploration into the cultural psychology of resilience throughout the human life course. Drawing from the publicly available autobiography of Danish author Lisbeth Zornig, this book delves into the resilience that emerges from a series of psychologically dramatic and traumatic life events. By analyzing full life courses through idiographic science, this work leverages autobiographies where all original materials are in the public domain.

The chapters provide an in-depth examination of the construction of the self in relation to others, the pivotal role of education, and the value of imagination as both a developmental tool and a coping mechanism. Additionally, the book explores the intricate connection between mind, body, and trauma. This innovative approach to the cultural psychology of life course analysis introduces new methodological tools that combine macrogenetic analysis with the study of how semiotic mediators help individuals develop new personal strengths to navigate their lives.

Whether you are a scholar, practitioner, or someone interested in the dynamics of resilience, Life Course of Trauma and Resilience presents a comprehensive and insightful perspective on how individuals can overcome adversity and build resilience through their life journeys.

The BERA Guide to Environmental and Sustainability Education aims to engage and inspire educators and education researchers to (re)engage with environmental and sustainability education and reflect on the intersections between their own areas of expertise and practice. This BERA Guide has been developed through the collaboration of eleven authors, working together to bring varied experiences, ideas and approaches to explore a diverse and vibrant field of environmental and sustainability education and research. Each chapter offers insight into a broad range of theories and methodological approaches which pay particular attention to themes of justice and futures in environmental and sustainability education research and practice.

These chapters draw on research from across a range of geographical and educational contexts and through reflective questions, provide opportunities for readers to consider these ideas individually and/or collaboratively, as part of varied communities of practice. In these ways, The BERA Guide to Environmental and Sustainability Education aims to support and foster the development of environmental and sustainability education which is orientated towards action, to achieve a just future for all.

Published in partnership between the British Educational Research Association (BERA) and Emerald Publishing, The BERA Guides are short, research-informed yet accessible introductions to key, interdisciplinary topics impacting education research and practice for a broad academic audience.

Leadership Learning as a Way to Thrive explores the dynamic connection between personal thriving and leadership learning. This timely and thought-provoking book invites students to reimagine leadership learning as a catalyst for well-being.

Rooted in the idea that thriving means evolving energetically, the book integrates key leadership theories with well-being science and positive psychology to support both leader and follower growth. Drawing on the work of scholars, the authors highlight essential elements of thriving, such as environmental mastery, adaptive leadership, growth mindset, emotional intelligence, meaning and purpose, relationships, accomplishments, innovation, engagement, resilience, and self-efficacy.

Through a blend of research, reflection, and practical insight, this book offers a compelling framework for how leadership learning can foster holistic development. It also serves as a call to action for professionals seeking to create environments where students don’t just succeed - they thrive.

Whether you're on your own leadership learning journey, designing leadership programs for peers, mentoring students, or shaping institutional strategy, Leadership Learning as a Way to Thrive will inspire you to spark new conversations, ignite fresh ideas, and champion well-being through leadership education.

Mathematics Outreach: Examples and Impact From Across the Globe focuses on mathematics outreach, which involves people sharing their passion for and knowledge of mathematics with the goal of broadening access to and engagement in mathematics learning experiences.  

Chapters contain rich descriptions and examples of mathematics outreach, together with reports of impact and effectiveness. Examples come from Ireland, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, and the United States. Authors describe outreach that engages people in a variety of mathematical experiences such as math circles, museum activities, mathematics festivals, problem-based puzzle environments, and math walks in the community.

All chapter authors report on parameters of their mathematics outreach, including duration of activities, funding, facilitating the activities, and sustaining the outreach over time. Authors of two chapters describe surveys of the literature about mathematics outreach. We expect Mathematics Outreach may be of value to readers interested in developing and considering the impact of mathematics outreach in their own contexts. 

Walk With Me: Lessons in Transcendent Leadership is a powerful exploration of leadership beyond position and performance—offering a visionary model rooted in spiritual intelligence, ethical courage, and communal elevation. Authored by Dr. Hakim J. Lucas, a transcendent higher education leader, this book reimagines what it means to lead in institutions facing complexity, constraint, and change—especially in the context of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), faith-based organizations, and social-impact institutions.

Transcendent leadership, as defined in this work, is not hierarchical but relational. It is not driven by ego or authority, but by authenticity, resilience, and divine purpose. Through deeply reflective storytelling, institutional case studies, and African fables, Dr. Lucas offers a leadership framework that values transparency over perfection, process over position, and people over politics.

More than a personal memoir or leadership manual, Walk With Me is an invitation: for presidents, provosts, pastors, and changemakers to lead with soul, serve with integrity, and walk with those they lead—not ahead or above, but beside. In a time when higher education, especially at mission-driven institutions, requires bold vision and prophetic imagination, this book is a guide for becoming the kind of leader who not only transforms—but transcends. This is not just leadership. This is a walk of purpose.

This book is dedicated to the memory of the departed descendants of John Glasse of Taunton, Somerset, England, who braved the dangers of a transatlantic crossing in the early 1600s in search of religious liberty and a safer more prosperous life, who wrested an existence from the forests and rocky hills of Plymouth, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Vermont, who traveled the Great Lakes region in search of arable land to sustain growing families, who fought in the Civil War for the Union, who followed the expansion of the transcontinental railroad that opened the West, and who labored in the emerging trades of the early 20th Century, so that we, the living descendants of John Glasse can enjoy the safety, comforts, and peace of the 21st Century. May we, the living, do as well by our descendants.

Nonviolence as Educational Praxis, offers an international perspective on integrating nonviolence into educational practices. Featuring contributions from scholars in the USA, Canada, South Africa, Brazil, England, Estonia, and beyond, this volume emphasizes the urgency of practicing nonviolence in the international educational landscape.

It centers nonviolence in the educational field within and beyond schools in terms of nonviolent communication, autobiography, storytelling, psychoanalytical implications, relational dynamics and ecological perspectives, and much more. This book illustrates how educators can create spaces that encourage empathy, interconnection, and growth.

Nonviolence as Educational Praxis serves as an important resource for educators and practitioners dedicated to enacting meaningful change in their classrooms and communities, reinforcing the urgent need for a worldwide commitment to nonviolence in education in today’s chaotic and violent world.

In contemporary educational discourse, the language of holism and whole person learning has become increasingly prevalent. Yet the deeper philosophical and pedagogical foundations of holistic teaching and learning are often overlooked. Holistic Education Part 1: Enduring Principles and Practices returns to these origins, engaging with the theoretical and practical dimensions that have shaped the field.

Building upon Carol Flake’s seminal 1993 collection, Holistic Education: Principles, Perspectives, and Practices, revisits the original vision of holistic education as articulated by its early advocates, educators committed to integrating intellectual, emotional, physical, and spiritual dimensions of human development. Contributors examine the evolution of holistic principles in relation to spirituality, embodied and earth-based learning, ecological awareness, and global citizenship.

By situating holistic education within enduring philosophical traditions and emerging global challenges, this volume affirms the continued relevance of holistic approaches for education and the professions. It invites scholars, practitioners, and policymakers to consider education not merely as a means of instruction, but as a transformative process aimed at cultivating wholeness in persons, communities, and the wider world.

Sales Punks is a bold manifesto for a new era of B2B selling. In a world where buyers are savvier, more independent, and harder to reach than ever, traditional sales tactics are failing fast. Kyle D. Hegarty throws out the outdated rulebook and replaces it with a rebellious, practical framework designed for today’s market realities. Packed with real-world stories, sharp insights, and unapologetic advice, Sales Punks empowers sales professionals to break the mould, rethink their approach, and win more deals by being smarter, not louder.

At the heart of Sales Punks is a call to arms: re-skill, re-engage, and reimagine what it means to sell. With five transformative pillars—from consultative coaching to navigating complex ecosystems—this invaluable guide offers a fresh, actionable blueprint for building resilient, high-performing sales teams. Whether you're a sales leader, enablement strategist, or frontline rep, this book delivers the tools, mindset, and momentum needed to thrive in a buyer-first world. It’s not just a book—it’s a movement.

The ebook edition of this title is Open Access and freely available to read online.

Listed Family Companies are a focal point of family business research on the management side. This is hardly surprising, as the data situation here is much better than for private family businesses. At the same time, one can ask how representative the listed family business is of the much more common form of private family business. The listed family business inevitably has non-family shareholders and is subject to more intensive regulation, particularly in terms of transparency. This specific legal framework is what makes the interdisciplinary perspective of law and management on the listed family business so useful.

The book addresses topics such as the status quo of, and gaps in, the management literature about Listed Family Companies; how family companies communicate with the capital market and how capital market participants view family companies; a stewardship perspective on the listed family company; an in-depth look at listed family companies in Turkey; and general and country-specific legal chapters on France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. The book concludes with a chapter on future research opportunities that emerged from the discussions at the conference.

The pioneering Law and Management of Family Firms series publishes volumes following the annual Hamburg Conference: Law and Management of Family Firms, the international and interdisciplinary forum for family business research. The conference is organized by the Max Planck Institute and the Institute for Mittelstand and Family Firms (HSBA Hamburg School of Business Administration). It brings together two distinct and previously disconnected disciplines of law and management, benefiting scholars, lawyers, consultants, and family office practitioners.

Developing Conscious Gratitude in Schools addresses deep inequalities in the American education system, offering a holistic approach to reimagining schools as transformative spaces that support students, particularly those from low-income and marginalized backgrounds. Jerell Hill explores how systemic challenges impact educational opportunities and provides a strategic blueprint for creating inclusive, empowering learning environments.

Chapters explore interconnected social policies, highlighting how factors like neighborhood conditions, public health, housing, and segregation profoundly affect school performance. By presenting research, case studies, and practical strategies, the blueprint presented is a new approach to education policy that addresses systemic inequality comprehensively.

This book is not merely an academic exercise, but a powerful catalyst for transformative change in education. Unlike theoretical works that merely describe problems, Developing Conscious Gratitude in Schools provides concrete, research backed strategies grounded in real world experiences that educators and administrators can immediately implement. By directly addressing the critical issues of systemic inequality in education, Hill moves beyond diagnosis to prescription, offering a transformative approach to educational design and practice.

Learning, Identity, and Difference: Mary Darmanin’s Inspiration brings together important contributions to the large area of Sociology of Education and around themes of social and ecological difference. It also foregrounds identity issues in an intersectional manner, covering social class, gender (including sexual orientation and women’s studies), race/ethnicity, and the politics of enablement. Featuring chapters on topics such as promoting gender equality, challenging classist discourse through critical pedagogies, and transforming education through neuroscience, as well as a contribution by Mary Darmanin herself, this important volume champions and highlights the importance of approaching identity issues in a sensitive way that supports and nurtures students in their learning.

The ebook edition of this title is Open Access and freely available to read online.

As Africa stands at the threshold of rapid global and technological change, Transforming Africa offers a timely, agenda-setting response to the urgent call for bold, future-oriented innovation across the continent.

This edited volume explores how African countries can reshape their innovation ecosystems to meet contemporary challenges and opportunities. It brings together diverse perspectives on emerging issues such as artificial intelligence, fintech, and smart agriculture, alongside critical socio-economic themes including food systems, health, education, culture, fashion, and peacebuilding. Transforming Africa is a call to action: to reimagine Africa’s innovation agenda with greater urgency, creativity, and contextual relevance. It highlights the rise of alternative paradigms and local approaches to innovation that challenge dominant models and offer more inclusive and sustainable pathways forward.

Rich in insight and grounded in practice, this volume is essential reading for policymakers, entrepreneurs, researchers, and students interested in Africa’s development and innovation futures. It is the third in a series produced by the Africa Innovation Summit Foundation and is supported by ICESCO.

Stress and Coping of English Learners addresses the many ways that ELs face academic and socioemotional stress in the K–12 school environment, the consequences of this stress at school, how they cope with this stress, and how school personnel and families can provide support and help. While enrollment in school programs offers assistance to many ELs, it often fails to provide the socioemotional support that ELs need as they navigate the rough waters of schooling. American schooling is often not prepared and/or unwilling to help ELs as they adapt to an unfamiliar language, culture, social norms, communication techniques, and teachers' expectations. Given the proper foundation and emotional support, ELs will be positioned for greater academic success, comfort at school, and a decrease in their sense of alienation in both the school environment and at home as they try to negotiate between two cultural environments.

In our rapidly evolving "complexponential" world, where complexity and exponential change intersect, traditional leadership models are failing us. Drawing profound wisdom from nature's patterns and ancient Taoist principles, The Four Forces reveals how emergent generative team leadership can transform teams and organizations. Self-organizing, autonomous teams exercise this team-led leadership close to stakeholders where responsive decisions matter most.

At the heart of this revolutionary approach lie four fundamental forces that mirror nature's own organizing principles. When team members align with intent, clear purpose that guides without constraining, they create space for authentic emergence. Through hope, they cultivate resilience and possibility thinking that enables teams to navigate uncertainty with confidence. Care becomes the nurturing force that allows individual talents to flourish while maintaining collective coherence. And love emerges as the binding energy that creates unshakeable connection, trust, and commitment.

Perhaps most critically, this book illuminates how relationships become the stabilizing anchor in our turbulent times. Just as ecosystems derive their resilience from interconnected webs of relationship, teams that prioritize authentic human connection find stability amid chaos. These relational foundations do not constrain change, they enable it, creating the psychological safety and mutual trust necessary for true innovation and adaptation.

The Four Forces offers leaders a pathway beyond command-and-control toward something far more powerful: the ability to ignite collective intelligence, foster genuine collaboration, and create organizations that thrive in complexity rather than merely survive it. This is leadership that works with life's natural flow rather than against it.

Vol. II: Short-Term Programs features eight OST STEM programs for females from across the United States that run one to three days in length, in most cases, a single day. In this book, the chapter authors describe their programs, the effectiveness of those programs, and practical implications of their program evaluation data. This book series is the first of its kind to offer researchers, educators, school administrators, policy makers, and others detailed insight into the promise and practice of out-of-school-time STEM programs for females.

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines play a pivotal role in societal progress and economic prosperity, in addition to enhancing individual lives. However, U.S. students lack strong STEM performance in an international context. The pool of STEM-proficient workers is thus insufficient to fuel the nation, with females being one group that is noticeably absent.

Out-of-school-time (OST) programs, which are on the rise, are increasingly suggested as a way to support and encourage underrepresented groups in STEM. Participants in OST programs have shown improved achievement, interest, and confidence in STEM, as well as greater awareness of STEM role models and careers.

This guidebook is designed to be the high school teacher’s friend in addressing a wide variety of questions regarding the use of educational and instructional technologies. It can serve as a companion and guide through the myriad challenges and opportunities related to the effective use of technology in one’s classroom and school.

A sample of U.S. high school teachers provided us with detailed answers about their experiences with using technology in their teaching. Specifically, they shared their challenges, barriers, ideas, and suggestions for working successfully with administrators, technology specialists, students, fellow teachers, and parents when teaching with technology. We have organized the teachers’ experiences and recommendations according to each stakeholder group.

Rather than recommending or reviewing specific educational technology companies, applications, or tools, we provide a large number of strategies that are “built to last” and should be applicable regardless of the specific tool under consideration. We assume that it doesn’t ultimately matter what the tool or technology is that you’re using—it’s how and why you’re using it for teaching and learning that will determine whether it is successful or not. The “how” and “why” aspects encompass the built-to-last strategies included in this guidebook.

Students’ school motivation and engagement are key contributors to the quality of their academic learning and performance, as well as growth in other important areas of life (social, emotional, and physical health). Fostering motivation and engagement is thus a meaningful educational purpose, both in and of itself and as a pathway to holistic student development. However, motivation and engagement do not develop in a vacuum, and effort seeking to facilitate them cannot be effectively pursued without understanding their underpinning sociocultural influences. In the first edition of this volume, “Big Theories Revisited” (McInerney & Van Etten, 2004), authors of major models of school motivation and engagement were ‘challenged’ to look into their theoretical work through a sociocultural lens. The volume has been well received as objectively reflected in the number of citations of its chapters.

Significant progress has since been made in the theorizing and research of ‘big theories’ of school motivation and engagement. In this volume, we invited a group of internationally-renowned scholars to re-examine their theoretical and conceptual work by highlighting the ‘what’ (factors) and ‘how’ (processes) of sociocultural influences in association with the key motivation and/or engagement construct(s) of their expertise. We made it clear to our contributors that we solicited new chapters rather than chapters with merely rehashed materials. As a result, this volume, “Big Theories Revisited 2” (Liem & McInerney, 2018) contains chapters that critically discuss sociocultural influences on school motivation and engagement constructs as viewed from focal theories including self-determination theory, achievement goal theory, personal investment theory, expectancy value theory, self-efficacy theory, self- and co-regulated learning models, and many others. Whereas some of the chapter topics covered in the initial edition are also part of this edition, some are new and provide fresh sociocultural angles on achievement-relevant processes and outcomes. Likewise, whereas some of the authors contributed to the earlier edition of the Volume, many of them are different. What appears to be the same across the two editions is the scholarly distinction of the authors and the substantive rigor of the chapters in advancing our current understanding of this field of enquiry. Readers will learn much from and be inspired by stimulating ideas presented in this volume.

Second Language Testing for Student Evaluation and Classroom Research and its accompanying Student Workbook are introductory-level resources for classroom teachers of all levels of experience, and early-career graduate students in applied linguistics, TESOL, and second/foreign language teaching programs. The book gives a balance between practice and theory for student evaluation, and also aims for readers to use testing to connect to classroom research and to their own teaching. Indeed, Second Language Testing for Student Evaluation and Classroom Research aims at self-discovery and empowerment for readers, even as second language testing as a field undergoes major shifts in scope and areas of concern.

Second Language Testing offer a strong basis for readers who wish to analyze and improve their own classroom tests, and for readers who wish to evaluate standardized tests they are required to use, or are thinking of using. We work with the general idea, “OK, now that I know test X has these strengths and weaknesses, what do I do?” Or, “Alright here are students’ scores, now how do I use them in my teaching?” At the same time our book provides more in-depth treatments of key testing topics for those readers who want to know “Why?” and “How?” “Why these terms?” “Why this or that analysis?” “Why does it work?” “How does it work?” “What do these numbers mean?” “How do I use them and how do I explain them to my students, my colleagues, my supervisors?” Second Language Testing for Student Evaluation and Classroom Research includes five Appendices for those readers whose interests continue into more advanced areas. Our information and observations on issues such as rater training (Appendix B) are current and discerning, and our Reference section and Glossary would be valued by any advanced testing practitioner or researcher.

Second Language Testing is useful to readers at varied levels of engagement, at their choice.

In a society that is still experiencing the crisis generated by the pandemic due to the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, aggravated also by the conflict in Ukraine, it is necessary to rethink the concept of culture, which must be declined in its factual reality of everyday life, since the cultural system and its elements not only produce relationships (meaningful interactions) but also individual and collective social action, hence the use of the term rela(c)tion in the title.

The text proposes to discuss the theme of culture and cultural processes with an innovative slant that takes into account the changes that have occurred in recent years. One thinks, for example, of the great interest in processes that lead to social justice, particularly in the Global South, and the sustainability strongly brought about by Generation Z. The authors, without omitting theoretical insights necessary for understanding the transformation of this concept, will proceed to outline the areas, dimensions and cultural processes that influence the dynamics of everyday life and that in turn influence culture itself.

The idea behind this book was to construct a reflection on culture that goes beyond the individual definitions of this concept and allows for the exploration of the processes that take place in contemporary society on different levels (individual, social, and cultural) in the unfolding of individuals' everyday lives. To sum up, the objective pursued is to provide a picture of the dynamics, but at the same time of the future challenges to be faced by the different cultural systems due to the continuous changes in society, without neglecting to highlight what may be the orientations and/or innovative models (sustainability, social justice, democratic culture, etc.) that should be pursued for the construction of a cultural system that favours the peaceful and cohesive existence of differences.

Leading the Transition toward Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Schools brings together the latest educational research and powerful first-person narratives to explore how culturally responsive and sustaining practices can reshape K–12 education for the better.

This timely and essential volume highlights the work of school principals, teacher leaders, student and parent advocates, district administrators, and external consultants who are actively leading change in their communities. Each section pairs research-based chapters with authentic testimonials, followed by expert analysis that draws out key themes and actionable insights. Together, these voices offer a rich, multidimensional portrait of what it takes to create inclusive learning environments.

Leading the Transition toward Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Schools offers a roadmap for navigating systemic challenges with courage, care, and a commitment to justice. A vital resource for practitioners and students of educational leadership, this book charts a path toward schools where all students can thrive.

Ideas always have and always will change the world, whether this be via incremental shifts in understanding or behaviour, or from the introduction of revolutionary new ways of knowing and being. Being Human presents the concept of an ideas-informed society, in which new thinking and innovation drive decision-making and citizens are encouraged to engage in and actively participate in this process.

Chris Brown and Ruth Luzmore present a practice-orientated manifesto that details what is needed to actualise an ideas-informed world, and the role of education systems and policymakers in facilitating an increasingly happier, healthier, smarter and more fulfilled society.

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.

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.

The distinct nature of LGBTQ+ Leadership in Education is often misunderstood, overlooked, and undervalued. This groundbreaking book explores the contributions and transformative potential of LGBTQ+ educational leaders, weaving together personal stories, strategic insights, and critical analysis. Across job functions, contexts, and career stages, it explores the challenges, priorities, and contributions of LGBTQ+ leaders—including educators with multiple marginalised identities.

Grounded in the realities of the UK education sector, LGBTQ+ Leadership in Education highlights the vital role of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in leadership, recognising the advocacy work of LGBTQ+ leaders and the transformative power of queer networks in shaping institutional cultures. Chapter authors offer a nuanced appreciation of authenticity, visibility, influence, and leadership development, while engaging with queer theory to challenge dominant models that perpetuate inequality.

An essential resource for educators at all levels, it empowers leaders to reexamine, refine, and strengthen their own leadership practice, fostering inclusive and effective educational environments for all.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.