Social Science : Social Issues

Engaging, articulate, and brilliantly argued, On Drugs is destined to become a revolutionary classic that redefines what it means to be “high.” Calling for the acceptance of a “diversity of consciousness,” Lenson delivers a searing critique of the War on Drugs as an effort based, like all attempts to eradicate “getting high,” on an incomplete understanding of human nature. more...

Price: $60.00

John Hagedorn explores the international proliferation of the urban gang as a consequence of the ravages of globalization. Looking closely at gang formation in Chicago, Rio de Janeiro, and Capetown he discovers that gangs have institutionalized as a strategy to confront a hopeless cycle of poverty, racism, and oppression and provides vital insights into the ideology and persistence of gangs around the world. more...

Price: $24.95

Imagine an everyday world in which the price of gasoline (and oil) continues to go up, and up, and up. Think about the immediate impact that would have on our lives. Of course, everybody already knows how about gasoline has affected our driving habits. People can't wait to junk their gas-guzzling SUVs for a new Prius. But there are more, not-so-obvious changes on the horizon that Chris Steiner tracks brilliantly in this provocative work. Consider the following societal changes: people who own homes in far-off suburbs will soon realize that there's no longer any market for their houses (reason: nobody wants to live too far away because it's too expensive to commute to work). Telecommuting will begin to expand rapidly. Trains will become the mode of national transportation (as it used to be) as the price of flying becomes prohibitive. Families will begin to migrate southward as the price of heating northern homes in the winter is too pricey. Cheap everyday items that are comprised of plastic will go away because of the rising price to produce them (plastic is derived from oil). And this is just the beginning of a huge and overwhelming domino effect that our way of life will undergo in the years to come. Steiner, an engineer by training before turning to journalism, sees how this simple but constant rise in oil and gas prices will totally re-structure our lifestyle. But what may be surprising to readers is that all of these changes may not be negative - but actually will usher in some new and very promising aspects of our society. Steiner will probe how the liberation of technology and innovation, triggered by climbing gas prices, will change our lives. The book may start as an alarmist's exercise.... but don't be misled. The future will be exhilarating. more...

Price: $24.99

The 2004 Annual Review of Development Effectiveness looks at the recent growth and poverty reduction experience of client countries. It assesses the extent to which Bank interventions have contributed to growth and poverty reduction and the effectiveness of different types of interventions. The review uses the key elements of the Bank's 2001 poverty reduction strategy to examine the extent to which these elements respond to the needs of the poor, are actually being carried out, and are having an impact. more...

Price: $22.00

Abortion in the United States: A Reference Handbook offers a balanced, objective look at the ultimate ìwedgeî issue in American culture. This volume offers a revealing history of abortion politics and policy from the 1800s to Roe v. Wade to the present, with clear analyses of disputes such as public funding for abortion, the status of the fetus, contraception, abortion as a ìlitmus testî for candidates and judicial nominees, and more.||A separate chapter looks at abortion politics throughout the world and places the United States in a global context. Biographies of major players, extensive data and documents, and a bibliography of important resources make this an essential resource on one of the most controversial topics in our national dialog. more...

Price: $77.00