The Spanish nobility continues to be influential in the early 21st century in politics, academia, and the economy. The polarized socio-cultural environment in Spain in the early decades of the millennium is paralleled by an increasingly divisive political discourse and deadlock in terms of governance. Understanding the subcultures of the most influential socio-political groups is important to be able to interpret the political developments. A vast array of studies have been conducted about the rise of the extreme left but there is a dearth of studies dealing with the impact of the traditional nobility in contemporary Spain. The present study presents an emic model of elite culture through the application of a grounded theory approach to texts released by five of the main noble associations in Spain during the last ten years. An inductive approach focuses on the identification of important themes and concepts as expressed and understood by the participants. Traditional noble associations are the focus of the study, in particular, the associations under Royal patronage. The resulting emic model aims to map the mores, norms, and values of a highly visible social group about which there are very few sociological and anthropological studies.

Discovery The Tales of the Samurai: Honor, Loyalty, and Bushido in Feudal Japan

A witty, provocative, story-filled inquiry into the indispensable virtue of loyalty—a tricky ideal that gets tangled and compromised when loyalties collide (as they inevitably do), but a virtue the author, a prizewinning columnist for The Wall Street Journal, says is as essential as it is impossible. Felten illustrates the push and pull of loyalties— from the ancient Greeks to Facebook—with stories and scenarios in which conflicting would-be moral trump cards trap the unlucky in painful ethical dilemmas. The foundation of our greatest satisfactions in life, loyalty also proves to be the root of much misery. Can we escape the excruciating predicaments when loyalties are at loggerheads? Can we avoid betraying and being betrayed? When looking for love and friendship—the things that make life worthwhile—we are looking for loyalty. Who can we count on? And who can count on us? These are the essential (and uncomfortable) questions loyalty poses. Loyalty and betrayal are the stuff of the great stories that move us: Agamemnon, Huck Finn, Brutus, Antigone, Judas. When is loyalty right, and when does the virtue become a vice? As Felten writes in his thoughtful and entertaining book, loyalty is vexing. It forces us to choose who and what counts most in our lives—from siding with one friend over another to favoring our own children over others. It forces us to confront the conflicting claims of fidelity to country, community, company, church, and even ourselves. Loyalty demands we make decisions that define who we are.

Regarded by many as the foremost American idealist, Royce (1855-1916) offers in this book a key to understanding his influence on the development of pragmatism. (Philosophy)

An examination of the nature and virtuousness of loyalty and of some of its primary associations: friends, families, organizations, professions, nations, countries (patriotism), and religion (absolute loyalty). Loyalty is distinguished from its cognates and contrasts, its role in human associative life is articulated, and its status as a virtue is defended. The particularist-universalist debate is addressed, the idea of a loyal opposition explored, and its limits defined.

This innovative microhistory of a fascinating yet neglected city shows how its loyalty to Venice was tested by military attack, economic downturn, and demographic collapse. Despite these trials, Brescia experienced cultural revival and political transformation, which Bowd uses to explain state formation in a powerful region of Renaissance Italy.

A by-the-books accountant who’s sworn off love meets the irresistible psychic who’s dreamed about him since she was a little girl. A one-night stand? Sure. A no-strings fling? No problem. Love and marriage? Hell no. Loyal Diamond has gotten down on one knee twice. He’s had his heart broken twice. He’s not risking it ever again—and most certainly not for a psychic fraud like his brother’s best friend. Roxanna Kent had a vision of a loyal and true soul mate when she was nine. She didn’t expect him to be named Loyal, or that he would be bitter and jaded and completely closed off to love. One unexpected night has them seeing each other in a different light, and suddenly Loyal finds himself coming up with all kinds of reasons to get up close and personal. Will his heart survive a third blow when it comes to light she might be the con-woman he first thought? New series. New family. New drama. Love Loyal and True is the second book in Stacey Joy Netzel’s Must Love Diamonds series. The Diamonds are the First Family of Colorado. They have money, looks, and charisma galore, but they don’t all have love... Yet. Complete Series: Must Love Frosting, book 1 – available now Love Loyal and True, book 2 – July 23, 2019 Love You, Baby, book 3 – November 12, 2019 To Love and Protect, book 4 – 2020

Few topics are more ubiquitous in everyday life and, at the same time, more controversial in practice, than that of one’s moral obligation to loyalty. Featuring essays by scholars working in a variety of subjects from law to psychology, Loyalty presents diverse perspectives on dilemmas posed by potential conflicts between loyalties to specific institutions or professional roles and more universalistic conceptions of moral duty. The volume begins with a philosophical exploration of theories of loyalty, both Eastern and Western, then moves to examine several problematic situations in which loyalty is often a factor: partisan politics, the armed forces, and lawyer-client relationships. A fair and balanced analysis from a wide range of disciplinary and normative viewpoints, Loyalty infuses new life into an oft-tread avenue of scholarly inquiry. Contributors: Ryan K. Balot, Paul O. Carrese, Yasmin Dawood, Bernard Gert, Kathleen M. Higgins, Sanford Levinson, Daniel Markovits, Lynn Mather, Russell Muirhead, Nancy Sherman, Paul Woodruff Sanford Levinson is the W. St. John Garwood and W. St. John Garwood, Jr. Centennial Chair in Law and Professor of Government at the University of Texas at Austin and author or co-author of many books, including Framed: America's 51 Constitutions and the Crisis of Governance and Our Undemocratic Constitution: Where the Constitution Goes Wrong (And How We the People Can Correct It). Paul Woodruff is former dean of the School of Undergraduate Studies and currently Darrell K. Royal Professor in Ethics and American Society at the University of Texas at Austin. His latest book is The Ajax Dilemma: Justice, Fairness and Rewards. Joel Parker is Lecturer in the Department of Political Science and Geography at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

So you've read "The Secret," but your life is pretty much the same. Your thoughts on abundance didn't improve that crummy job; in fact, the amount of tedious work you had to do increased. You thank your coffee every morning, and now you drink more of it rather than need it less. Years after reading Deepak Chopra's "The Seven Spiritual Laws," you can't remember anything about the laws of intent -- only that it's important to bring a flower to the host when attending a dinner party. You tried meditating, but mostly just fell asleep. Oh, and yes, all you learned from Louise Hay's "You Can Heal Your Life" was that your sinus headaches are caused by your irritation with all those crazy people close to you. Humph. Are you ready to "really" understand how those spiritual laws work? Then let's take it to the next level. About the Author May Sinclair earned her doctorate in the philosophy of metaphysics soon after her fiftieth birthday. An award-winning and internationally acclaimed author, she writes extensively about ancient disciplines connected with symbolism and teaches private workshops on dream interpretation and analysis from a Jungian perspective. She also writes under her nom de plume, Mason Clare. All her work draws upon her knowledge of ancient and modern philosophical teachings, fostering a merging of our physical, mental, and spiritual selves.