by John Dobson (2009)
This encyclopedia offers authoritative coverage of the concepts, traditions, events, and individuals that shaped United States' foreign relations from the American Revolution to the present. The United States is often portrayed as country that gradually, even at times grudgingly, entered the realm of international diplomacy. But in fact, diplomatic alliances have been an essential component of the American story from the very beginning, when the young nation used its connections to bolster its revolutionary efforts, patch together a country out of a variety of foreign territories, and protect itself from its enemies. Belligerents, Brinkmanship, and the Big Stick: A Historical Encyclopedia of American Diplomatic Concepts is the first comprehensive encyclopedic work to focus specifically on America's extraordinary history of political engagement with the world.^ With hundreds of alphabetically organized entries and a rich collection of primary sources, it offers a unique way of understanding the centrality of diplomacy and the role of foreign relations throughout U.S. history. The encyclopedia is divided into five chronological sections, each containing a brief introduction, topical entries, biographical portraits, and representative documents. It is designed to help readers gain a deeper understanding of both general ideas as well as specific policies like the Monroe Doctrine, the Open Door Policy, and Shuttle Diplomacy. By examining seminal events, important ideas, and individual contributions in the context of U.S. history, the encyclopedia reveals the underlying traditions and motivations of American foreign policy as it has evolved over time.^ Features: Five chronologically arranged sections, each with an introduction that describes key events and relationships; Over 200 chronological and alphabetic listings of major concepts and events in the history of American foreign relations as well as brief biographical entries on individuals who made major diplomatic contributions; Excerpts from a number of key foreign policy documents, statements, and treaties that relate to the subject and individual entries; Maps illustrating the results of various treaties and international agreements as well as photographs and illustrations of key individuals and events; Bibliographic listings of print and online resources for each entry, enabling readers to explore topics further; A comprehensive index plus alphebetical and subject area listings of entries in each section. - Publisher.
David M. Jones and Brian L. Molyneaux
From the earliest times, people have told stories of all-powerful gods and goddesses, mighty spirits and fabulous creatures to explain the mysteries of life.
John F.A. Sawyer, J.M.Y. Simpson
"The Concise Encyclopedia of Language and Religion provides the specialist and the general reader with accurate, up-to-date information on every aspect of the crucial interface between language and religion. Easy access to material in over 300 articles by scholars in many fields is provided both in a clear thematic arrangement, and by means of a comprehensive and detailed general index." "The Concise Encyclopedia of Language and Religion brings together articles and biographical entries drawn from the award-winning Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics, all of which have been revised and updated appropriately. These are supplemented by over 110 completely new articles specially written for the present work, and a Glossary of basic concepts and terms in linguistics, making this volume coherent, comprehensive, and accessible to a wide audience."--Jacket.
Mario Bunge
"This enlarged edition of Mario Bunge's Dictionary of Philosophy is a superb reference work for both students and professional philosophers. In one volume Bunge covers all the major branches of contemporary philosophy, logic, semantics, metaphysics, and epistemology, as well as practical and applied philosophies." "Most entries are brief and nontechnical in nature, highlighting useful philosophical terms rather than trendy ones. Placing his emphasis on living philosophy, Bunge deliberately excludes many of the archaic terms and philosophical curios of other dictionaries. He incorporates a number of minipapers or longer definitions of some terms, and critically analyzes such influential doctrines as existentialism, deconstructionism, phenomenology, idealism, pragmatism, materialism, utilitarianism, deontological ethics, and many others. Bunge offers constructive alternatives to all philosophical approaches he criticizes."--Jacket.
David E. Newton
The 236 entries in this book comprise an A-Z overview of water's manifold roles in human society and the natural world throughout history. Topics include boats and ships, dams, groundwater, hydrology, ice, the Johnstown Flood, Scripps Institute of Oceanography, sea monsters, surface tension, and water wheels, and much more. Scientific and technical issues are explored, including the physical and chemical properties of water, steam, and ice; the uses to which water and steam are put; and the purification, transfer, and uses of water by communities. The hydrologic cycle is explained, with attention to the properties and distribution of ice masses, and the properties of oceans and rivers. Philosophical, mystical, metaphorical, and symbolic roles of water in literature, mythology, religion, the visual arts, and music are considered, as are individuals and organizations responsible for contributing to our understanding of water. Each entry concludes with a list of further readings. Attention is also paid to the philosophical, mystical, metaphorical, and symbolic role that water has played for humans in literature, mythology, religion, the visual arts, and music. Finally, a number of individuals and organizations that now make and have made important contributions to our understanding of water and its role in human life and in the natural world are included.