"An absorbing history of Europe's nine most puzzling texts, including the biggest mystery of all: the Voynich Manuscript. Books can change the world. They can influence, entertain, transport, and enlighten. But across the centuries, authors have disguised their work with codes and ciphers, secret scripts and magical signs. What made these authors decide to keep their writings secret? What were they trying to hide? Garry J. Shaw tells the stories of nine puzzling European texts. Shaw explores the unknown alphabet of the nun Hildegard of Bingen; the enciphered manuscripts of the prank-loving physician Giovanni Fontana; and the angel communications of the polymath John Dee. Along the way, we discover how the pioneers of science and medicine concealed their work, encounter demon magic and secret societies, and delve into the intricate symbolism of alchemists searching for the Philosopher's Stone. This highly enjoyable account takes readers on a fascinating journey through Europe's most cryptic writings--and attempts to shed new light on the biggest mystery of all: the Voynich Manuscript"-- Publisher's description

"This book is the first to examine women's experiences of working in the police in Pakistan. It draws on extensive ethnographic research including interviews with 250 female officers and a few hundred hours of observation. Adopting a postcolonial and intersectional approach, the book sheds light on the diversity of women's experiences of recruitment, policing and career prospects and how these differ across rank, cadre and region. It reveals why some female officers are able to support women's access to justice and facilitate gendered change among the police while others reproduce dominant organisational - and sometimes even patriarchal - values and systems"--

Experienced franchisor Shelly Sun shares practical advice, insights, and her own compelling experiences to help readers discover the power and avoid the pitfalls of franchising their businesses. This title features a low-risk, low-capital path to astounding growth. In today's economic environment, and long into the future, access to capital is limited. Successful business owners have few options for dramatically expanding their brand, taking it to the regional, national, or even international arena. This book describes how readers, through franchising, can use other people's money and leverage their success for rapid growth; Covers the entire process of franchising. Most books on franchising focus on educating the franchisee, but this book is designed to fully educate the franchisor. The author walks readers through each stage of the franchising process: from determining if they have a franchisable concept, to assembling a professional team without wasting money, to adjusting the business model along the way for optimum growth, to growing as a leader to assume new challenges; Written by an experienced, nationally lauded franchiser. Unlike many authors of books on franchising, Shelly Sun has been through the process, growing her business from $1 million to $100 million in five years. She's been named entrepreneur of the year by the International Franchise Association and is being featured on a network prime-time show about compelling companies. The book offers practical advice like that in "Franchising for Dummies", with a focus on business growth for the franchisor, as in "Franchising and Licensing" by Andrew Sherman.

Personal narratives have become one of the most potent vehicles for advancing human rights claims across the world. These two contemporary domains, personal narrative and human rights, literature and international politics, are commonly understood to operate on separate planes. This study however, examines the ways these intersecting realms unfold and are enfolded in one another in ways both productive of and problematic for the achievement of social justice. Human Rights and Narrated Lives explores what happens when autobiographical narratives are produced, received, and circulated in the field of human rights. It asks how personal narratives emerge in local settings; how international rights discourse enables and constrains individual and collective subjectivities in narration; how personal narratives circulate and take on new meanings in new contexts; and how and under what conditions they feed into, affect, and are affected by the reorganizations of politics in the post cold war, postcolonial, globalizing human rights contexts. To explore these intersections, the authors attend the production, circulation, reception, and affective currents of stories in action across local, national, transnational, and global arenas. They do so by looking at five case studies: in the context of the Truth and Reconciliation processes in South Africa; the National Inquiry into the Forced Removal of Indigenous Children from their Families in Australia; activism on behalf of former 'comfort women' from South/East Asia; U.S. prison activism; and democratic reforms in the aftermath of the Tiananmen Square Massacre in China...

The relation between education and gender identity formation is a contested terrain: Located between reproducing society's status-quo and inhabiting the potential to resist this reproduction and making room for alternative being, education constitutes an ambivalent nexus. Nicole Haring investigates how gender norms with their intersections are negotiated in Austria's educational system. She presents results from a participatory intergenerational storytelling workshop as co-creation of knowledge, amplifiying the similarities and differences between generations of educators with regard to the interplay of education and gender.

This book provides analysis of the legal status of territories of the former Princely State of Jammu and Kashmir, considering potential opportunities for Kashmir conflict resolution.Containing a detailed survey of relevant legislation and international documents, chapters throughout this book investigate the attempts and failures of Kashmir conflict resolution, holding up factors which could enable more peaceful relations between India and Pakistan with inclusion of the inhabitants of the erstwhile Princely State of Jammu and Kashmir. The book goes further than outlining how India and Pakistan determine the legal status of their portions of Kashmir by demonstrating the complexity of legal arrangements and why this protracted conflict is so difficult to resolve. As the Kashmir conflict is not only about territory and irredentism, themes such as cultural and national identity, power procurement, territorial security, communal rivalry, religious radicalisation, economic factors, and social issues are all taken into consideration.Law and Conflict Resolution in Kashmirwill appeal to students and scholars of peace and conflict studies, international relations, international law studies, and South Asian studies..

Modern Sociologists on Society and Religion provides an introduction to some of the most influential figures in contemporary social theory with an emphasis on their analyses of society and religion. The profiles include: Erving Goffman Zygmunt Bauman Michel Foucault Peter L. Berger Thomas Luckmann Jürgen Habermas Pierre Bourdieu Anthony Giddens Arlie Hochschield Richard Sennett Patricia Hill Collins. The introduction places these sociologists in contemporary social discourse. Each chapter begins with an introduction to the main work and social analyses of the sociologist in question. After a brief critical assessment, it outlines their view on religion, followed by examples of how other sociologists have used their theories to study religion. Each chapter ends with the authors suggestions for how their perspectives can be used to analyze the role of religion in contemporary society. The book provides a general introduction and overview of social analyses in modern sociology. It is a rich resource for scholars and students on all levels who is interested in social theory and the complexity of religion in contemporary society. Inger Furseth is professor in sociology at the University of Oslo, Norway. Pål Repstad is professor emeritus in sociology of religion at the University of Agder, Norway.

The history and contemporary situation of Muslim communities in Eastern Europe are explored here from three angles. First, survival, telling of the resilience of these Muslim communities in the face of often restrictive state policies and hostile social environments, especially during the Communist period. next, their subsequent revival in the aftermath of the Cold War. And last, transformation, looking at the profound changes currently taking place in the demographic composition of the communities and in the forms of Islam practiced by them. The reader is shows a picture of the general trends common the Muslim communities of Eastern Europe, and the special characteristics of clusters of states, such as the Baltics, the Balkans, the Višegrad states and the European states of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

The world's most widely accepted graduate admissions test, the GRE® General Test is taken by graduate, business and law school applicants from all over the world. Created by the company that makes the actual test, Official GRE Quantitative Reasoning Practice Questions, Third Edition, Volume 1 is the only study guide to focus on the Quantitative Reasoning measure of the test. This guide includes vital test-taking information, instructional material, and more than 150 actual GRE Quantitative Reasoning questions with answers and explanations. This updated third edition reflects the most current version of the test.

"The best way to prepare for the Verbal Reasoning measure of the GRE General Test is with real GRE test questions - and that is what you will find in this unique guide! Specially created for you by ETS, it offers 150 actual GRE Verbal Reasoning questions with complete explanations. Plus, this guide includes an authoritative overview of the GRE Analytical Writing measure, complete with sample writing tasks and scored sample responses. Only ETS can show you exactly what to expect on the test. So for in-depth practice and accurate test preparation for the GRE Verbal Reasoning measure, this guide is your best choice! Look inside to find: real GRE Verbal Reasoning test questions arranged by question type and difficulty level - to help you build your test-taking skills. Plus, mix practice sets; answers and explanations for every question; ETS's own test-taking strategies: valuable hints and tips that can help you do your best on the test; official information on the GRE Verbal Reasoning measure: the facts about test content, structure, and scoring - straight from ETS; plus: an overview of the GRE Analytical Writing measure with writing strategies, sample writing tasks, and sample scored essays."--Back cover.

Take a look at Americans in their natural habitat: guys shopping for barbecue grills, doing that special walk men do when in the presence of lumber; superefficient soccer Ubermoms who chair school auctions, organize PTAs, and weigh less than their kids; and suburban chain restaurants, which if they merged would be called Chili's Olive Garden Hard Rock Outback Cantina. Are we as shallow as we look? Many around the world see us as the great bimbos. Sure, Americans work hard and are energetic, but that is because we are money-hungry and don't know how to relax.But if you probe deeper, you find that we behave the way we do because we live under the spell of paradise. We are the inheritors of a sense of limitless possibilities, raised to think in the future tense and to strive toward the happiness we naturally accept.On Paradise Drive, at once serious and comic, describes this distinct American future-mindedness that shapes our personalities and underlies our beliefs.

Pakistan Foreign Policy Dilemma: A Parennial Quest For Survival By Shamshad Ahmad, book stands out as a thorough and stimulating study of Pakistan's foreign policy that combines a diplomat's experience with academic discourse. It is not a chronology of major developments in Pakistan's interaction with the rest of the world. The book examines the nature and dynamics of Pakistan's foreign policy and security problems from different angles, covering historical, geographical, domestic, regional and global factors.

Looking at Pakistan's foreign policy since 1947, one theme stands out with unmistakable clarity: the sheer weight of geography and history in its relationship with India. It is plain to see how the proximity has been both a source of strategic anxiety and a wellspring of unrealized potential. So many of Pakistan's policies derive from being a neighbor of India. The hopes, the misgivings, the overtures toward peaceful coexistence, and the opportunities and concerns that emanate from it - all seem to orbit around one question: Pakistan and India have remained stuck between a fractured past and an uncertain future. Is it because they could not resolve disputes or is there a larger obstacle to peace? This book is an attempt to answer that question. It examines the missteps of the past and explores whether a different and more hopeful future might yet be in reach.

Reimagining Education in Pakistan explores the urgent need to rethink how we teach, learn, and lead in a rapidly changing world. It examines the deep-rooted inequalities, policy failures, and ideological blind spots that have shaped Pakistan’s education system. The book offers a bold, critical, and hopeful vision of education as a force for justice, creativity, and transformation. From classroom practices to language policy and academic freedom, it challenges readers to imagine a more equitable and forward-looking future for education in Pakistan. A valuable resource for students, teachers, curriculum developers, and policymakers, this book provides insights that can help shape meaningful educational reform.---Dr. Shahid Siddiqui is one of Pakistan's most esteemed educationists, with over forty years of research and writing on the country's education system. In his latest work, Reimagining Education in Pakistan, he examines urgent contemporary educational issues and proposes practical, research-backed solutions. The book is a must-read for anyone interested in the future of education, including teachers, students, policymakers, politicians, and citizens who believe education can transform society.—Dr. Tariq Rahman, National Distinguished ProfessorReimagining Education in Pakistan offers a penetrating exploration of Pakistan's educational landscape: its philosophical roots, systemic failures, and untapped potential. Traversing themes from ideology, inequality, and language politics to the impact of technology and teacher education, the book critically examines how education shapes freedom, justice, and development. It challenges entrenched assumptions, exposes institutional decay, and envisions transformative possibilities for the 21st century. A vital read for educators, policymakers, and thinkers seeking to reclaim education as a force for intellectual and social transformation in Pakistan.—A. H. Nayyar, Educationist, Policy AnalystReimagining Education in Pakistan critically examines the deep-rooted challenges and systemic failures plaguing the nation's education system. From outdated curricula and rote learning to stark inequalities in access and quality, Shahid Siddiqui exposes how education perpetuates social divides rather than bridging them. He calls for a transformative shift towards critical thinking, creativity, and equity to meet the demands of the 21st century. This urgent and insightful work is a call to action for policymakers, educators, and society to reclaim education as a tool for justice and progress.—Dr. Nasir Mahmood, Vice Chancellor, Allama Iqbal Open University.

A wider perspective on representation and empowerment by examining the changes between access and existing power relations. As an academic resource, the book highlights the need to deconstruct existing literature through the strict parameters of inquiry, models, and frameworks to achieve insight that mirrors a holistic reality of Pakistani women's political agency.

In The Book, Keith Houston reveals that the paper, ink, thread, glue, and board from which a book is made tell as rich a story as the words on its pages. In an invitingly tactile history of this 2,000-year-old medium, Houston follows the development of writing, printing, the art of illustrations, and binding to show how we have moved from cuneiform tablets and papyrus scrolls to the hardcovers and paperbacks of today.

"With more than a million copies sold since its first publication, The Craft of Research has guided generations of readers at all levels to become better researchers, thinkers, and communicators. The original authors--all of them legendary teachers--believed that research is a communal activity and illustrated how to choose meaningful topics, make sound and compelling arguments, and convey these arguments effectively in writing for the benefit of other researchers. While preserving the book's proven approach to the research process, as well as its distinctive voice and general structure, this new edition recognizes the more diverse ways research is conducted and communicated today. Thoroughly revised by Joseph Bizup and William T. FitzGerald, it acknowledges that research may end in a product other than a paper--or no product at all--and includes a new chapter about effective presentations. It features new examples on contemporary research topics and accounts for new technologies used in research, including basic guidelines for appropriate use of generative AI. And it ends with an expanded chapter on ethics that addresses researchers' broader obligations to their research communities and audiences as well as systemic questions about ethical research practices. This beloved classic is now ready for a new and more diverse generation of researchers"-- Provided by publisher.

If you're looking for the best, most authoritative guide to the GRE General Test, you've found it! The Official Guide to the GRE General Test is the only GRE guide specially created by ETS--the people who actually make the test. It's packed with everything you need to do your best on the test and move toward your graduate, business, or law school degree. Only ETS can show you exactly what to expect on the test, tell you precisely how the test is scored, and give you hundreds of authentic test questions for practice!"-- Provided by publisher

"The Sage Handbook of Decolonial Theory is a pioneering resource that expands the epistemological and geographical horizons of decolonial thought. This handbook prioritizes the Global South, fostering North-South and South-South inter-epistemic dialogues and situating decolonial thought in sites of struggle. It builds on a foundation of Black, Indigenous, and campesino decolonial thought and praxis from regions such as Chile, Colombia, Brazil, and Guatemala. Addressing the erasure of knowledge production from the Global South in dominant academic spaces, this handbook brings together decolonial scholars and activist intellectuals from the Global South and engages with scholars in the Global North. It emphasizes the ethics of knowledge production and the importance of collaborative projects with marginalized regions and communities. Organized into five parts, the handbook includes conceptual essays and empirical studies on decolonial thought and praxis. It covers a range of topics from (de)coloniality, geopolitics, and transdisciplinarity to decolonial feminist, gender, and sexuality studies, racial capitalism, and Pan-Africanism. The chapters convey a sense of urgency and a committed political voice, demonstrating how decolonial theory can interrogate and intervene in the modern/colonial racial capitalist heteropatriarchal world. The Sage Handbook of Decolonial Theory is not just for academics; it is written for anyone interested in radical thought and praxis. It recognizes decolonial theory as a plural and dynamic field, concerned with power relations, historiographical interventions, and epistemological critiques of Eurocentrism. Ultimately, it teaches us how to think with and act alongside others in the struggle for liberation. Part I: Key Debates in Decolonial Theory Part II: Geopolitics and Geographies Part III: Transdisciplinarity Part IV: Feminisms, Genders, & Sexualities Part V: Racial Capitalism"--