A systematic examination of five western nations arguing that - despite Marx's and Weber's insistence that capitalist societies become increasingly more ordered - we now live in an era of "disorganized capitalism."

In this thought-provoking new book, Anthony Smith analyses key debates between historians and social scientists on the role of nations and nationalism in history. In a wide-ranging analysis of the work of historians, sociologists, political scientists and others, he argues that there are three key issues which have shaped debates in this field: first, the nature and origin of nations and nationalism; second, the antiquity or modernity of nations and nationalism; and third, the role of nations and nationalism in historical, and especially recent, social change. Anthony Smith provides an incisive critique of the debate between modernists, perennialists and primordialists over the origins, development and contemporary significance of nations and nationalism. Drawing on a wide range of examples from antiquity and the medieval epoch, as well as the modern world, he develops a distinctive ethnosymbolic account of nations and nationalism. This important book by one of the world’s leading authorities on nationalism and ethnicity will be of particular interest to students and scholars in history, sociology and politics.

'Teaching Geography as if the Planet Matters provides a timely outline of powerful knowledge and arguments that will be needed to counter a strengthening of current curriculum orthodoxies. Not until school geography undergoes the revolution that this book outlines can it honestly claim to be contributing to more sustainable futures.' - John Huckle, Visiting Fellow at the University of York and was formerly Principal Lecturer in Educaton at De Montfort University. We are surrounded by images and warnings of impending environmental disaster. Climate change, famine, population growth and urban crisis coupled with more recent financial chaos all threaten our sense of what it will be like to live in the future. This thought-provoking text looks at how Geography teachers can develop approaches to curriculum and learning which help students understand the nature of the contemporary world. It sets out a model for teaching and learning that allows teachers to examine existing approaches to teaching and draw upon the insights of geography as a discipline to deepen students’ understanding of urban futures, climate change, ‘geographies of food’ and the ‘geographies of the credit crunch’. Features include: examples of suggested teaching activities questions and activities for further study detailed case studies sources of further reading and information The true worth of a school subject is revealed in how far it can account for and respond to the major issues of the time. The issue of the environment cuts across subject boundaries and requires an interdisciplinary response. Geography teachers are part of that response and they have a crucial role in helping students to respond to environmental issues and representations.

"A gem of a book. Its topics are timely and provocative for cultural studies, sociology, English, literary theory, and education classes. The authors are brilliant thinkers and clear, penetrating writers." -Peter McLaren, UCLA, author of Capitalists and Conquerors: A Critical Pedagogy Against Empire Class in Culture demonstrates the power of moving beyond cultural politics to a deeper class critique of contemporary life. Making a persuasive case for class as the material logic of culture, the book is written in a double register of short critiques of life practices-from food and education to race, stem-cell research, and abortion-as well as sustained critiques of such theoretical discourses as ideology, consumption, globalization, and 9/11. Surpassing the orthodoxies of cultural studies, Class in Culture makes surprising connections among seemingly unrelated cultural events and practices and offers a groundbreaking and complex understanding of the contemporary world.

This volume introduces readers to the central debates oforganization studies through a series of 'point' and 'counterpoint'debates by major figures in the field. Introduces readers to the central tensions and debates oforganization studies. Celebrates the productive heterogeneity of the field by placingcompeting perspectives side by side. Includes contributions from major figures in the field. Structured in an innovative 'point' and 'counterpoint'format.

Recent developments have made obsolete the division of the globe into three worlds of capitalist, state socialist and underdeveloped countries. This book traces the interconnectedness of the 'disorganisation' of capitalism in the industrialised west, the transformation of former state socialist societies, and the divergent fortunes of third world countries. It argues that comparative sociology continues to have relevance in the age of globalisation and provides a framework within which these developments can be placed in their proper perspective.

The concealment of income, wealth and profits in tax havens has brought the topic of offshoring into public debate, but as John Urry shows in this important new book offshoring is a much more pervasive feature of contemporary societies. These often secretive activities offshore also involve relations of work, finance, pleasure, waste, energy and security. Powerful and pervasive offshore worlds have been generated, posing huge challenges both for governments and for citizens. This book documents the various patterns of offshoring Ð of the economy, sociability, politics and the environment. In each case, offshoring generates new patterns of power, reduces the responsibilities of the powerful 'offshore class', and limits the conditions for democratic governance. Offshore, out of sight, over the horizon are some of the troubling processes and metaphors by which much life has been rendered opaque and dependent upon secrets and lies. By analysing these patterns and processes, Urry sheds fresh light on the hidden worlds of offshoring and exposes the dark side of globalization. The book concludes by considering whether offshoring can be reversed Ð whether it is possible to bring about the systematic ‘reshoring’ of relations that would be good for democracy and for developing low-carbon futures. Urry portrays the coming century as being poised between even more extreme offshoring and various endeavours to bring back 'home' that which has currently escaped 'over the horizon'.

"The three worlds theory is perhaps still the basis for our dominant assumptions about geopolitical and geocultural order," writes Frederick Buell, "but its hold on our imagination and faith is passing fast. In its place, a startlingly different model—the notion that the world is somehow interconnected into a single system—has emerged, expressing the perception that global relationships constitute not three separate worlds but a single network." In the wake of disillusionment with anticolonial nationalism, and in response to a wide variety of economic, political, demographic, and technological changes, Buell argues, we have come increasingly to view the world as complexly interconnected. In National Culture and the New Global System he considers how the notion of national culture has been conceived—and reconceived—in the postwar period. For much of the period, the "three world" theory provided economic, political, and cultural models for mapping a world of nation-states. More recently, new notions of interconnectedness have been developed, ones that have had profound—and sometimes startling—effects on cultural production and theory. Surveying recent cultural history and theory, Buell shows how our understanding of cultural production relates closely to transformations in models of the world order.

Full of practical advice for HR and other business professionals, The Social Organization is a clear guide to addressing the urgent need for companies to shift their focus from developing individuals to enabling networks and relationships between employees. Case studies from leading companies such as Whole Foods, P&G, The Cleveland Clinic, Spotify and Cisco illustrate how relationship-based strategies can be implemented successfully to increase organizational performance. Following a foreword by Dave Ulrich, Part One of The Social Organization explores the context of social capital and analyses how and why HR and others responsible for talent management need to foster and develop social capabilities. Part Two provides practical guidance for developing higher quality connections and social capital by improving the alignment and effectiveness of organizational architectures, including through workplace design. Part Three outlines how HR and related professionals can identify and implement appropriate changes throughout the whole employee life cycle: this includes initial recruitment and job design, social learning, performance management, employee retention, talent management, organization development and the role of social media and other technology as well as social analytics. The Social Organization is an essential book for all professionals needing to develop the social capital of their organizations for improved performance.