Books

Economic Development and Social Change (Routledge Studies in the History of Economics)
Love of Money
The Market, Competition and Democracy: A Critique of Neo-Austrian Economics
State, Market and Peasant in Colonial South and Southeast Asia (Variorum Collected Studies Series, 616)
The Seaport Economy: A Study of the Singapore Experience
OECD Small and Medium Enterprises Outlook
Overseas Trade and Traders: Essays on Some Commercial, Financial and Political Challenges Facing British Atlantic Merchants, 1600-1775 (Collected Studies Series, 554)
British Monetary Policy And The Balance Of Payments 1951-1957 (Harvard Economic Studies)
Abstracts of Working Papers in Economics 1998: The Official Journal of the Awpe Database (Vol 15, No 5)
Rudolf Steiner : Economist
Abstracts of Working Papers in Economics (Vol 15, No 2)
Economic & Social Changes in Czech Society After 1989: an Alternative View
The Estudios de Historia Economica y Social: de La Revolucion Industrial a la Globalizacion Neoliberal
Thorstein Veblen : A Critical Reappraisal: Lectures and Essays Commemorating the Hundredth Anniversary of Veblen's Birth
Chinese Maritime Activities and Socioeconomic Development, c. 2100 B.C. - 1900 A.D. (Contributions in Economics and Economic History)
Oecd Reviews of Regulatory Reform: United Kingdom Challenges at the Cutting Edge (Oecd Reviews of Regulatory Reform)
Research in the History of Economic Thought and Methodology, Volume 20 : Richard T. Ely. The Story of Economics in the United States
United States Tax Court Reports
Adam Smith into the Twenty-First Century (Shaftesbury Papers, Vol 7)
Collected Works of Michal Kalecki: Capitalism : Economic Dynamics (Collected Works of Michal Kalecki)
Co-Design for a New East Asia After the Crisis
An Inquiry Into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations
Economics, Welfare Policy and the History of Economic Thought: Essays in Honour of Arnold Heertje
Capitalism vs. Collectivism (African American Political Thought in the 20th Century, Volume Two)
Historical Foundations of Globalization (Globalization of the World Economy, 5)

Spirits of Resistance and Capitalist Discipline (Suny Series in Anthropology of Work)

Average customer rating:

Difficult to get through, but worth the effort
A Postmodernist Approach
a clear explanation of malaysian factory women's resistence
Ong's work is necessary in any discussion of globalization.

Spirits of Resistance and Capitalist Discipline (Suny Series in Anthropology of Work)
Aihwa Ong
Manufacturer: State University of New York Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Trobrianders of Papua New Guinea (Case Studies in Cultural Anthropology)
Mirror for Humanity: A Concise Introduction to Cultural Anthropology, with PowerWeb
Exotic No More: Anthropology on the Front Lines
Travesti: Sex, Gender, and Culture among Brazilian Transgendered Prostitutes (Worlds of Desire: The Chicago Series on Sexuality, Gender, and Culture)
Through the Eye of the Needle: A Maori Elder Remembers (Case Studies in Cultural Anthropology)

ASIN: 0887063810

Customer Reviews:

Difficult to get through, but worth the effort.......2005-06-24

I have used Ong's book in a number of classes (I am an anthropologist). I use it as an example of the impact of globalization and industrialization on women. I like it because Ong specifically addresses this issue in the book: she gives an overview of the historical processes that have shaped Malaysia (i.e., industrialization didn't just happen in a vacuum: there were historical precedents), and she clearly outlines how industrialization has reshaped gender relations in rural Malaysian society.

However, her prose can be very difficult to wade through at times. Her theoretical approach is postmodernist, relying heavily on Foucault. There's a lot of jargon here, and undergraduates can be put off by that. In class, I have to help them with a bit of an overview of postmodernism and Foucault more specifically. For the general reader, a book like Postmodernism for Beginners (which uses comics to explain theory) might be useful!

I'd like to add that I disagree with Palanisamy Ramasamy's review: she writes that Ong argues that returning to the past (the "old tranquil kampung life") is the solution for women. I don't think that that is what Ong argues at all. I don't think she sees "traditional" kampung life as being all that positive a thing for women; but she also argues that industrialization ("modernity") -- while providing kampung women with some escape from rigid gender roles -- has produced a whole new set of problems for kampung women as they challenge those roles. My impression is that kampung women can be "stuck between a rock and a hard place" as Malaysia attempts to transition from what is basically a subsistence/horticultural society into an industrialized society (for better or worse).

However, I do think she's right to say that Ong's discussion of resistance is pretty thin: one wonders if women don't resist in other ways, and/or if they even consider spirit possession a form of resistance. There is no evidence presented that they do. Ong doesn't even seem sure of that. Thus, the book ends on an ambiguous note.

A Postmodernist Approach.......2000-02-29

Ong has come out with an interesting and well-researched piece on the subject of female resistance. But unfortunately, she only focusses on mass hysteria as the most commonly articulated resistance among young Malay women. But what about other forms of resistances such as overt and collective. What is the solution for women? Ong is under the impression that the old tranquil kampung life is the best remedy. Can these workers go back to the past? Is there a time-tunnel?

a clear explanation of malaysian factory women's resistence.......1999-04-16

Aihwa Ong takes an anthropological perspective in defining the occurences of spirit posessions and mass hysteria among the female factory workers in malaysia. By illustrating the evolution of the malaysian economy from agrarian to industrial, disintegration of the traditional family norms and reifying the responsibility of kin, the stage is set to portray the culture shock. the author uses case studies to show the diverse changes that affect the family and the distribution of economic responsibility. further, the conflict between the factory operators and the control imposed on them by upper levels of management adds to the tension that these factory workers must cope with. as these women use religious responses instead of more pragmatic methods to confront the issues of corporate and social control that are enacted upon them, they maginify the cultural perceptions that women are the spiritually susceptible, therefore, enabling a break and a vent for the archived anger and frustration that this economic system has smelted. I found the book informative and a better resource for sociological studies than anthropological endeavors, easy to read, and a worthy text for an Anthropology 101 or Sociology 111 course.

Ong's work is necessary in any discussion of globalization........1998-10-12

The American Dream. An ideal, the golden land, something to strive for, capitalism. For most immigrants of the early twentieth century, the "American" way of life was sought after as a better way than that found in the old country. Imagine the dilemma posed to you if that same type of capitalistic market was forced onto you, the villager of rural Malaysia, never having wanted a change in lifestyle. In her book, Spirits of Resistance and Capitalist Discipline, Aihwa Ong aims to show how the experiences of Malay women working in neoteric factories and capitalistic life culminate in spirit attacks on the factory floor. Ong succeeds in this endeavor and allows for the intellectual discussion of the possible ramifications of the development of capitalistic ventures on a global scale. Ong addresses her work to a unique group of scholars familiar with the affairs of Southeast Asia, supplementing the anthropological studies of others such as Michael Taussig. She notes, "Spirit possession episodes, in which women become violent and scream abuses, are to be deciphered not so much as a noncapitalist critique of abstract exchange values (Taussig 1980) but as a protest against the loss of autonomy/humanity in work (7-8)." Ong proves this thesis by examining the different aspects of Malay life that have been effected since British colonization: "In the specified spheres of social welfare, sexuality, and education, to name only a few, the everyday lives of village Malays are being reconstituted according to new concepts, language, and procedures (55)." Before the British introduced capitalism to Malaysia, the peasant household strove to be self-sufficient and adapted to easy relocation. While the village (kampung) still exists today, life within it has changed. Children learning English integrate words and phrases into the native Malay tongue as a symbol of their knowledge of the outside world. Marriage and dating practices have changed drastically. Ong notes of her experience in Malaysia in this arena: "Almost all factory women chose their potential spouses either directly, through correspondence, or by accepting a suitor's overtures. This autonomy was directly based on their earning power, since increasingly, village women were expected to save and contribute towards their own wedding expenses and bridal furnishings (199)." Even time spent during the day has changed with schoolgirls still being expected to contribute to household work while "boys spend most of their free time in ball games, scouting, and other extracurricular activities (94)." Given the field specific language of the above observations, the work is dominated by strong cultural text often unfamiliar to the reader. Ong is presenting the conclusions of an anthropological study, and such technical terms and references dominate the diction of the work. Nevertheless, she allows for lay readers to experience the lives of otherwise distant cultures and people. In this pursuit, Ong succeeds in opening a view of globalization that would have otherwise would have been kept shut. The specialized language does not prohibit a meaningful read that has effects on a larger scale. Ong relates her study of the change of the Malay culture to the world as a whole, sparking the reader's interest in the global village. Using the oil crisis of the 1970s as another example of the influx of transnational corporations, Ong explains the connection between the Malaysian situation and the possibility of the same occurrence in another nation. "To escape mounting labor costs at home and gain market access abroad, transnational corporations headquartered in Japan, the United States, and Western Europe began to scatter labor-intensive production processes throughout the third world." The introduction of these TNCs into rural Malay life "facilitated the large-scale entry of kampung women into industrial employment," and thus changed Malay traditions and practices (145). At the same time, however, Malay women did not wish to question the overall male-dominated systems that governed over all areas of life. "They wished for an improvement in their economic position but not a social emancipation in which they would share power with men in general (193)." Ong constructs a model from her case study of Malaysia that can be applied to other nations that are faced with the introduction of TNCs. Each example drawn from Malaysia discloses pertinent information about this model, unfolding an intriguing perspective in which to evaluate world affairs. As the Malay society changed, ordinary men and women refashioned their own culture, incorporating capitalistic ideals while struggling to maintain their cultural heritage. One example is the paradox that seems to exist as women gain more independence in certain areas of their lives (e.g. dating and marriage practices), but at the same time have no wish for total social emancipation. Ong acknowledges that hantu symbolism speaks of the right for factory women to be treated as human beings and not simply as the toys of capitalism. On the global level, this calls into question whether certain cultural practices are safe to foreign intervention and whether others are susceptible to change. Ong sets out "to demonstrate how spirit attacks speak to the contemporary experiences of Malay women and their families as they make the transition from peasant society to industrial production (Preface xiii)." Spirits of Resistance and Capitalist Discipline is an integral part of any discussion of globalization due to its stress on the loss of autonomy within those effected directly by capitalism (i.e. neophyte factory women). It calls into question the basic assumptions of culture, beliefs, practices, and tradition. It forces the reader to evaluate the good of transnational corporations, and then to look at the negative effects caused by those same organizations. It pushes intellectual thought past conventional lines into an arena of intercultural sensitivity where readers can do nothing but empathize with those who must encounter spirits of resistance in the contemptuous face of capitalist discipline.

The Sustainability Revolution: Portrait Of A Paradigm Shift

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A complete primer on sustainability

The Sustainability Revolution: Portrait Of A Paradigm Shift
Andres R. Edwards
Manufacturer: New Society Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Green to Gold: How Smart Companies Use Environmental Strategy to Innovate, Create Value, and Build Competitive Advantage

ASIN: 0865715319

Book Description

Sustainability has become a buzzword in the last decade, but its full meaning is complex, emerging from a range of different sectors. In practice, it has become the springboard for millions of individuals throughout the world who are forging the fastest and most profound social transformation of our time-the sustainability revolution.

The Sustainability Revolution paints a picture of this largely unrecognized phenomenon from the point of view of five major sectors of society:

Community (government and international institutions)
Commerce (business)
Resource extraction (forestry, farming, fisheries etc.)
Ecological design (architecture, technology)
Biosphere (conservation, biodiversity etc.)

The book analyzes sustainability as defined by each of these sectors in terms of the principles, declarations and intentions that have emerged from conferences and publications, and which serve as guidelines for policy decisions and future activities. Common themes are then explored, including:

An emphasis on stewardship
The need for economic restructuring promoting no waste and equitable distribution
An understanding and respect for the principles of nature
The restoration of life forms
An intergenerational perspective on solutions

Concluding that these themes in turn represent a new set of values that define this paradigm shift, The Sustainability Revolution describes innovative sustainable projects and policies in Colombia, Brazil, India and the Netherlands and examines future trends. Complete with a useful resources list, this is the first book of its kind and will appeal to business and government policymakers, academics and all interested in sustainability.

Andres R. Edwards is an educator, author, media designer and environmental systems consultant who has specialized in sustainability topics for the past 15 years. The founder and president of EduTracks, an exhibit design and fabrication firm specializing in green building and sustainable education programs for parks, towns and companies, he lives in northern California.

Customer Reviews:

A complete primer on sustainability.......2005-08-05

"The Sustainability Revolution" is a thorough review of the evolution of sustainability. For a text loaded with facts and details, Andres wrote it so it would be understandable for those who are new to the history and principles of sustainability. The resources section is especially helpful because it lists organizations and contacts mentioned in the book along with brief descriptions about them. I'm sure that many of our customers -- for the DVD "Architecture to Zucchini: The people, companies and organizations pioneering sustainability" -- would be very interested in this book. I highly recommend it to higher education, consultants and business leaders.

Paths of Change: Strategic Choices for Organizations and Society

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A briljant meta-model
"...profoundly influenced my professional practice..."

Paths of Change: Strategic Choices for Organizations and Society
Will McWhinney
Manufacturer: Sage Publications, Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Creating Paths of Change: Managing Issues and Resolving Problems in Organizations
Images of Organization
The Craft of Research, 2nd edition (Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing)

ASIN: 0761910174

Book Description

The same elements that are necessary in any great adventure--a deep appreciation of the terrain, an intuitive sense of direction, and the courage to carry through--are also essential to the resolution of complex issues in organization and society, says McWhinney. In Paths of Change, Will McWhinney outlines a new foundation for theories of change, initiating a discipline of praxis using concepts from psychology, sociology, anthropology and new methods of working with ontological and narrative concepts to produce intentional changes in society. The components of his theory include: a map of four alternative realities, a guidance theory based on two great myths that have been used in many cultures over the past millennia, and the qualities required to deal courageously with the paradoxes of change and resolution efforts. He indicates the critical role of leaders and followers, and of the coevolution of cultures that must accompany efforts to resolve major issues. McWhinney builds on the proposition that the most frequently encountered sources of conflict are the very changes we make in attempts to resolve related issues. The illustrative cases used are mostly derived from organizational life--a rich variety of examples drawn from history, politics, and technology indicate the broad relevance and practicality of the ideas. The theoretical developments provide a base for exploring topics as different as selection of tools for problem solving, formation of cultures, and new logics of transformative processes. As the theory emerges, it incorporates elements of action research, management and community development work, future studies, and aspects of system thinking that borrow from the human sciences. This synthesis is a new vessel within which to develop a positive human science of action for the 21st century.

Customer Reviews:

A briljant meta-model.......2006-02-25

This book contains a meta-model that is applicable to almost everything. It gives the reader an opportunity to check if he has looked at all points of view that are possible.

"...profoundly influenced my professional practice...".......1999-11-29

This book breaks new ground and will impact many organization development theory and practice areas, such as cognitive styles, change management, and leadership for many years to come. McWhinney begins by introducing the reader to a model of "reality archetypes" that he claims underlie all individual and collective thinking processes in Western society. The four realities remind one of Jungian types, but differ in that these are more like worldviews than personalities.

On one level, by using an instrument called "The Reality Inventory," one can learn how his/her personal worldview maps over McWhinney's model. This is useful for understanding how interpersonal conflicts are often, in essence, not as much fueled by divergent issues and interests, but by different mental models that influence how people define issues and communicate their interests. How often have we intervened in a conflict, only to discover that what appears to be a "real" difference over a substantive issues, turns out to be a battle over semantics? However, lest we be tempted to jump to "Men are from Mars..." pop psychological conclusions, it's important to note that McWhinney's approach goes any beyond any static "styles" theory.

The reality model serves as a basis for new insight into the dynamic nature of change. Most of us know that when a major organizational change conflicts with existing organizational culture, the culture most often prevails and the change effort dies. This happens when change agents and their sponsors fail to understand that most planned change interventions require an organization to move into a new collective reality (or mental model, worldview, frame of reference, etc.). The symptom we call "resistance" develops as underlying conflicts between old and new worldviews surface. McWhinney describes six modes of change to help organizations traverse the "territory" of the reality map. Interestingly, these also connote six leadership styles.

A short review doesn't do McWhinney's ideas justice. Repeated readings will yield new insights. I also highly recommend the companion volume, "Creating Paths of Change," especially for practitioners. Suffice it to say that this material has profoundly influenced my professional practice, as well as my personal life.

Organizational Change for Corporate Sustainability (Understanding Organizational Change)
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Organizational Change for Corporate Sustainability (Understanding Organizational Change)
Dexter Dunphy
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Sustainability Advantage: Seven Business Case Benefits of a Triple Bottom Line (Conscientious Commerce)

Cultural Intelligence: People Skills for Global Business

ASIN: 0415287413

Book Description

This title is a unified approach to corporate sustainability, combining ecological and human sustainability. Key areas covered include HRM, strategic, organizational and environmental issues. Not only valuable to students, it will also prove invaluable to practitioners as a practical guide for change agents in bringing about sustainability in a systematic way. Practice and theory are carefully balanced; uniquely the authors provide a combination of insight into the subject and practical assistance with implementation.

Just and Lasting Change: When Communities Own Their Futures

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new Reformation
A methodology for durable social change in poor communities

Just and Lasting Change: When Communities Own Their Futures
Daniel Taylor , and Carl E. Taylor
Manufacturer: The Johns Hopkins University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Peru In Focus: A Guide to the People, Politics and Culture (In Focus Guides)
Grant Application Writers Handbook, Fourth Edition
Jamkhed
International Public Health: Diseases, Programs, Systems and Policies
Development as Freedom

ASIN: 0801868254

Book Description

Just and Lasting Change presents how to transform communities rapidly and inlocally appropriate ways. Daniel Taylor-Ide and Carl Taylor have been present at key events and worked with key thinkers in dealing with the large forces of inequity, environmental change, and globalization. The approach they have synthesized builds on what has worked over the last century--and can now be implemented rapidly and cost-effectively in many parts of the world. It relies on a three-way partnership of "bottom-up" initiatives from the community level, "top-down" support from government agencies, and "outside-in" ingenuity and objectivity from experts. Based on both a diverse range of case studies--from the earliest attempts to promote social development in India a century ago to current efforts in Tibet, the Peruvian Andes, China, and the American Southwest--and engaging personal experiences, this book describes, step-by-step, how SEED-SCALE can be effectively implemented.

With contributions from leading international experts in community-based development and public health, Just and Lasting Change offers a hopeful description of how people have made a difference in diverse communities around the world and a practical, accessible handbook for those trying to improve the quality of life in underdeveloped communities everywhere.

Customer Reviews:

new Reformation.......2004-06-25

As we watch news reports of the world in chaos and trouble this Book offers not just salve to ease the pain of some of these small communties but also real solution as they being to restore their dignity with justice for all involved.
The Model SEED/Scale is one that I believe should be studied and applied in some of the rural areas, small towns in this part of Southwest Oklahoma. This method is about a reformation of attitude, self-awareness , and possibilites for growth and change bringing the best healthiest new life possible.
I think that Churches could apply the model as well as a way to restoring justice and change withn themselves and within the communities they serve. Revitalization is something that churches in rural arears everywhere talk about I believe this model could be applied with success.
This book should have a broad readership. It could help change the world.
Rev. Bobbie G. McGarey, Southwest Oklahoma Presbyerian Parish Pastor, Frederick, Temple, Walters, Chattanooga, and Grandfield. Oklahoma.

A methodology for durable social change in poor communities.......2003-10-01

The poor communities of the world are, unfortunately, a laboratory for many thousands of mostly failed experiments in how to improve their situation. This important and valuable book builds on decades of practical experience by the authors in the successful, durable transformation of poor communities. The authors' key insights are (1) the necessity for change to be driven by the collaboration of the community, outside experts, and local government; (this may seem obvious, but many projects fail because they treat one of these three groups as an enemy or obstacle rather than a vital element), (2) to have measurable results, (3) to use the power of the community to modify behavior that is an obstacle to success. This book should be read by donors as well as those directly involved in development activities such as community leaders, government officials, and NGO workers.

Modernization, Cultural Change, and Democracy: The Human Development Sequence

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A Scientific Reexamination of Modernization

Modernization, Cultural Change, and Democracy: The Human Development Sequence
Ronald Inglehart , and Christian Welzel
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Sacred and Secular: Religion and Politics Worldwide (Cambridge Studies in Social Theory, Religion and Politics)
Democracy and Development: Political Institutions and Well-Being in the World, 19501990 (Cambridge Studies in the Theory of Democracy)
Democracies in Flux: The Evolution of Social Capital in Contemporary Society
Polyarchy: Participation and Opposition
Patterns of Democracy: Government Forms and Performance in Thirty-Six Countries

ASIN: 0521609712

Book Description

This book demonstrates that people's basic values and beliefs are changing, in ways that affect their political, sexual, economic, and religious behavior. These changes are roughly predictable because they can be interpreted on the basis of a revised version of modernization theory presented here. Drawing on a massive body of evidence from societies containing 85% of the world's population, the authors demonstrate that modernization is a process of human development, in which economic development triggers cultural changes that make individual autonomy, gender equality, and democracy increasingly likely.

Customer Reviews:

A Scientific Reexamination of Modernization.......2006-01-27

This is a major study by any standard. It presents both a grand synthesis and a great depth of hard data to back it up, and I can see nothing that would cast it in serious doubt. Inglehart and Welzel make a very strong case that for the most part socioeconomic conditions drive popular values and that these values in turn drive the institutions of government. If you take a subsistence agricultural society and industrialize it then, after a time, its people will turn away from a sense of impotence in the face of divine forces toward a confidence in society's potential to master nature and itself. If their government already had elements of democracy then they will probably embrace more democratization, based in mass parties and movements. But if they lack a democratic tradition they may well turn to the apparent strength and security of mass totalitarian government.

Moreover, if this industrial society becomes rich enough and sophisticated enough to move into an era of postindustrialism - an era in which industry produces more and more wealth with less and less direct labor and more and more people find secure and well-paid work in directing and facilitating industry through skilled mental labor - further values changes will come, but in a different direction. These postindustrial humans will grow suspicious and even hostile toward authority and relatively more concerned about freedom for themselves and others than further enrichment. This, in turn, will bring overthrow of any totalitarian institutions and both a broadening and deepening of democracy and popular commitment to democracy. But it will be democracy of autonomous individuals rather than disciplined masses.

While socioeconomic changes are strongly correlated with movements of values in particular directions, the starting point - the basic values of the particular culture - continues to matter for as long as anyone has so far measured. Values associated with religion in particular tend to persist, even if formal mass religious institutions fade. Hopes and fears of spreading "westernization" or "Americanization" are unfounded. Democracy and freedom are not western or American exports - they arise anew wherever socioeconomic conditions and values favor them, always rooted in the local society.

But there is no "end of history" here. The process can work equally well in reverse and serious regression in socioeconomic conditions can bring dark consequences for values and political institutions.

All this is not simply theory, buttressed perhaps by a sprinkling of selective historical analysis. These processes have been observed and statistically measured in a great many societies, worldwide, over the past 15 years and more. There is good evidence that the flow of cause is from economics to social values to politics, and not much if at all in the other direction. And while we lack much information for periods before 1980, what we do know suggests that these processes have operated in pretty much the same way for many decades, and even longer. In short, this seems to be something that is deeply embedded in the nature of human society.

I have a much longer and more detailed review (much more than will fit here) on my Web site at analysis.williamdoneil.com

Development and Social Change: A Global Perspective (Sociology for a New Century Series)

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Not a bad introduction, but there are better
Fabulous!
An excellent place to start
Beyond modernization and underdevelopment

Development and Social Change: A Global Perspective (Sociology for a New Century Series)
Philip D. (David) McMichael
Manufacturer: Pine Forge Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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World-Systems Analysis: An Introduction (A John Hope Franklin Center Book)

ASIN: 0761988106

Book Description

The distribution of the world’s material wealth is far from even. And while most of the western world may be accustomed to a commercial culture, there are other cultures (e.g., Amish, Islamic, peasant) that are not commercial or are uncomfortable with commercial definition. Because cultural meaning is not universally defined through the market, "globalization," as it is currently understood, is not necessarily a universal aspiration.

Why then, is there so much talk of globalization? In this Third Edition of Development and Social Change: A Global Perspective, author Philip McMichael provides a narrative of how development came to be institutionalized as an international project, pursued by individual nation-states in the post-colonial era. This new edition has been updated and revised to incorporate the treatments of fundamentalism, terrorism, the AIDS crisis, and the commercialization of services via the World Trade Organization.

The evident failure of many countries to fulfill this promise of development and the world’s growing awareness of environmental limits have forced a reevaluation of the development enterprise. Development and Social Change traces the changing fortunes of development efforts, the shortcomings of which have produced two responses. One is to advocate a thoroughly global market to expand trade and spread the wealth. The other is to reevaluate the economic emphasis and to recover a sense of cultural community.

Features of this book:

A world-historical perspective that situates globalization in the declining fortunes of the postwar development project.
A political perspective that views development and globalization as practices managed by historic elite groupings, as mechanisms of power and world ordering.
An emphasis on resistance and social movements as actors shaping the meaning and direction of both development and globalization, as they impact societies around the world.
A series of case studies that allow in-depth examination of development/globalization dilemmas and paradoxes.

Development and Social Change is the first book to present students with a coherent explanation of how "globalization" took root in the public discourse and how "globalization" represents a shift away from development as a way to think about non-western societies. This is an ideal text for undergraduate and graduate students studying globalization, social development, and social change in Sociology, Political Science, Anthropology, and International Studies.

To read a sample chapter from Development and Social Change click on "Additional Materials" in the left column under "About This Book" or simply click here.

Customer Reviews:

Not a bad introduction, but there are better.......2006-02-14

This book is an introduction to the social analysis of the development project. If amazon gave the option, I would rate it 3 1/2 stars instead. The book gives a brief history of international development and the analysis focuses on overarching themes, such as decolonization, the shift from keynesian to neoliberal models, and disharmonies. Case studies are interspersed throughout to give examples. The book is light on economics and even lighter on theory. It is accessible to anyone with the most basic of understandings in trade. The reason I give the book 3 stars is because the first 2 parts, or 200 pages or so, of the book contribute very little original material or insights, and lack in depth. Unless you do well from a textbook format, I would recommend a separate historical text on development combined with a socio-cultural analysis. The two are not combined well in this work in my opinion. That said, for someone new to sociology of development this is a good starting point.

One interesting and valuable approach is that he attempts to seed the narrative with the question of "whether and to what extent development is a process often realized through the intensification of inequalities, despite its stated intentions." This should tell you something about the subtle political leanings of the author, which did not distract from the goals of providing students with foundational knowledge in international development.

Fabulous!.......2001-07-03

Usually professors who assign their own book for a class tend to be egotists. McMichael bucked that trend, however, by assigning his book which explained everything I ever needed or wanted to know about how the world works. The structure of the book makes it easy for anyone to understand and explains the state of the world today using historical context, which I found fascinating. However cheesy this may be, I honestly think the world would be a better place if more people read this book.

An excellent place to start.......2000-11-19

I completely agree with Mr. Jones' review. I can name countless books that offer strong arguments and good research. I can also recommend many books that are written with such clear and graceful style that they are a pleasure to read. McMichael is one of the few authors who can manage to combine these two aspects. I thank him for making it both easy and interesting for me to learn about this field of study.

Beyond modernization and underdevelopment.......1997-11-27

McMichael avoids the classic pitfall of falsely dichotomizing his development themes into modernization and/or underdevelopment theory. Nor does he leave us in the postmodern paralysis of absolute relativity. His straightforward and readable style reveals the entire postwar development project and its consequences, as well as the rise of the globalization project now under way. McMichael underscores his points with case studies and acutely observes the cultural phenomena and localized resistance of our times. Development and Social Change brings the sociology of development to the edge of modernity and the end of our century, in a vocabulary and style open to laypersons and sociologists alike.

The Natural Step for Communities: How Cities and Towns Can Change to Sustainable Practices

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Sustainability
How to foment sustainable revolution

The Natural Step for Communities: How Cities and Towns Can Change to Sustainable Practices
Sarah James , and Torbjorn Lahti
Manufacturer: New Society Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0865714916

Book Description

Sustainability may seem like one more buzzword and cities and towns like the last places to change, but The Natural Step for Communities provides inspiring examples of communities that have made dramatic changes toward sustainability and explains how others can emulate their success.

Chronicled in the book are towns like Overtornea, whose government operations recently became 100 percent fossil fuel-free, demonstrating that unsustainable municipal practices really can be overhauled. Arguing that the process of introducing change-whether converting to renewable energy or designing compact development-is critical to success, the authors outline why well-intentioned proposals often fail to win community approval and why an integrated approach-not "single-issue" initiatives-can surmount challenges of conflicting priorities, scarce resources and turf battles.

The book first clarifies the concept of sustainability, offering guiding principles-the Natural Step framework-that help identify sustainable action in any area. It then introduces the 60+ eco-municipalities of Sweden that have adopted changes to sustainable practices throughout municipal policies and operations. The third section explains how they did it and outlines how other communities in North America and elsewhere can do the same. Key to success is a democratic, "bottom-up" change process and clear guiding sustainability principles, such as the Natural Step framework.

The book will appeal to both general readers wishing to understand better what sustainability means and practitioners interested in introducing or expanding sustainable development in their communities.

Sarah James is the principal of a community planning consulting firm. She co-authored the American Planning Association's Planning for Sustainability Policy Guide and has published articles throughout the U.S. on this subject.

Torbjorn Lahti was the planner for Sweden's first eco-municipality and is directing a five-year sustainable community demonstration project. He was instrumental in forming the Swedish National Association of Eco-municipalities.

Customer Reviews:

Sustainability.......2007-05-05

My participation in a local "sustainable cities" study circle included reading and studying this book. The book is a study of the renewal that has taken place in Sweden. Faced with a collapsing economy, cities, with collective cooperation from businesses, the government and their citizens brought prosperity back to Sweden. What we mean by "sustainable cities" is a community that is self-supportive--an equilibrium. And this brings about a cleaner, more efficient way of life.

Sweden can be an example for us to follow, especially their developments and the sense of community. The U.S. is not Sweden, nor do we want it to be. Sweden is a socialistic country. That means the government controls more than it should. That's why it needs to start at the bottom, with each individual--a new mindset or outlook. There are things cities can do to bring themselves closer to sustainability without damaging their economy. In fact, with incentives, there may be new growth never before seen.

The book has many positives and negatives. Planning starts with the local municipalities, not the federal or state government. We need to be careful when we try and solve one environmental problem only to create a whole new problem. The book is rife with socialistic thinking. The authors would have been better off leaving "global warming" and politics out.

America is prosperous, it took Sweden a meltdown to come to grips with its future as a nation. In a democracy, with God as its foundation, we will stay strong. There are amazing things that Sweden has done, we should take a look at them.

Wish you well
Scott

How to foment sustainable revolution.......2006-02-13

In the 1980s, Lahti's hometown of Overtornea, Sweden was dying. The worldwide recession left the village in an inhospitable climate with no major industry and a declining population. Lahti organized community residents and developed a plan to revitalize Overtornea using principles of environmental, economic, and social sustainability. Thus was born the sustainability revolution in Sweden that is taking hold in Europe and spreading to other parts of the world. This is not a story, but a how-to manual. The king of Sweden has endorsed Lahti's methods and seen a resurgence of vital business throughout the country while reducing waste and fossil fuel consumption.

Marketing Social Change: Changing Behavior to Promote Health, Social Development, and the Environment (Jossey Bass Nonprofit & Public Management Series)

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Very good basic book on social marketing
The definitive book

Marketing Social Change: Changing Behavior to Promote Health, Social Development, and the Environment (Jossey Bass Nonprofit & Public Management Series)
Alan R. Andreasen
Manufacturer: Jossey-Bass
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Social Marketing: Improving the Quality of Life
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The Art of Cause Marketing: How to Use Advertising to Change Personal Behavior and Public Policy

ASIN: 0787901377

Book Description

This important book offers a revolutionary approach to solving a range of social problems--drug use, smoking, unsafe sex, and overpopulation--by applying marketing techniques and concepts to change behavior. For example, it shows that at-risk teenagers are consumers who decide whether or not to "buy" safe sex practices. This successful approach is based on Alan R. Andreasen's more than twenty years of experience in consulting, teaching, and research with social marketing programs around the world.

Andreasen shows that effective social change starts with a thorough understanding of the needs, wants, and perceptions of the target consumer--who has ultimate control over the outcomes. The book offers a detailed explanation of how to design a step-by-step program that will move the customer from ignorance and indifference to action and ultimately maintenance of that action. Marketing Social Change offers a wealth of information for developing an effective social marketing plan.

Customer Reviews:

Very good basic book on social marketing.......2004-10-10

This book provides a very good overview of social marketing. I use this as a text book in a graduate course that I teach and find it useful in giving students a clear idea of how social marketing relates to the broader topic of nonprofit marketing, without requring them to wade through all of the additional information that a more general marketing textbook would offer. Author Alan Andreason is a leading thinker on the topic of social marketing and has organized this relatively short book in a straightforward manner that makes it easy to separate the preparatory work from the actual execution of social marketing plans.

The one complaint I have about this book, and the reason that I have not awarded it five stars, is that the examples used are less than exciting and I find that I need to supplement this book with additional titles so that my students get the bigger picture of how social marketing principles play out in various cultures around the world, not just in the United States. For those who are looking to expand their understand of social marketing in the developing world and in emerging economies, see also Marketing the Public Sector by Seymour Fine. Sadly, this great book is a bit dated, as it was published in 1992, but balanced with this Andreason book (or a comparable book by Philip Kotler) you will be able to give yourself a solid grasp of the topic.

The definitive book.......2002-07-17

This is the best book to give you grounding in social marketing. It also is a handy reference that you'll go back to again and again. It's well written and very accessible.

High Frontiers: Himalayan Pastoralists in a Changing World

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Cultural Ecology and Human Agency in the Himalayas
Understanding a culture in transition

High Frontiers: Himalayan Pastoralists in a Changing World
Kenneth Michael Bauer
Manufacturer: Columbia University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Tibetan Diary: From Birth to Death and Beyond in a Himalayan Valley of Nepal
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ASIN: 0231123906

Book Description

Dolpo is a culturally Tibetan enclave in one of Nepal's most remote regions. The Dolpo-pa, or people of Dolpo, share language, religious and cultural practices, history, and a way of life. Agro-pastoralists who live in some of the highest villages in the world, the Dolpo-pa wrest survival from this inhospitable landscape through a creative combination of farming, animal husbandry, and trade.

High Frontiers is an ethnography and ecological history of Dolpo tracing the dramatic transformations in the region's socioeconomic patterns. Once these traders passed freely between Tibet and Nepal with their caravans of yak to exchange salt and grains; they relied on winter pastures in Tibet to maintain their herds. After 1959, China assumed full control over Tibet and the border was closed, restricting livestock migrations and sharply curtailing trade. At the same time, increasing supplies of Indian salt reduced the value of Tibetan salt, undermining Dolpo's economic niche. Dolpo's agro-pastoralists were forced to reinvent their lives by changing their migration patterns, adopting new economic partnerships, and adapting to external agents of change. The region has been transformed as a result of the creation of Nepal's largest national park, the making of Himalaya, a major motion picture filmed on location, the increasing presence of nongovernmental organizations, and a booming trade in medicinal products. High Frontiers examines these transformations at the local level and speculates on the future of pastoralism in this region and across the Himalayas.

Customer Reviews:

Cultural Ecology and Human Agency in the Himalayas.......2004-08-13

Bauer presents an excellent ethnographic and historical analysis of the changes the people of Dolpo have encountered since 1959, and he demonstrates to us that cultural survival and cultural change are not antithetical to one another. His examination of the resilience and adaptability of Dolpo-pa brings to life the practical importance of local environmental knowledge, human agency, and cultural innovation. As founder of the grass-roots organization DROKPA (meaning "nomad" in Tibetan), Bauer also directs his excellent analytic understanding of pastoralism toward working along with pastoralist populations to respond to the many political, economic, and environmental challenges they face in the 21st century. Very fine research and writing.

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