Building dams in India, planting trees in Burkina Faso, rescuing street children in Brazil - these are images of aid and international development with which we can all identify. However, what passes for development all too often improves life for the better off while actively hurting the very people the venture was meant to support. Maggie Black exposes the hypocrisy and reveals a more accurate picture of what is happening in development's name, arguing for a process to be put inplace that trule defends the interests of poor people.

Globalisation has become one of the most used and encompassing words over the past decade, of undeniable influence in economics, politics and activism. Globalisation is literally all around; every aspect of life is affected by a global structure of communication and economy. This fully revised and updated guide condenses this complex subject into clear, concise commentary. It examines the debt trap, the acceleration of neoliberalism, competition for energy resources, the links between the war on terror, the arms trade and the alternatives to corporate control.

"Overseas aid" and "international development" are catch-all terms that cover a multitude of activities – and abuses. Building dams in India, planting treesin Burkina Faso, and rescuing street children in Brazil are images of development with which we can all identify. But what few people realize is that the terms "aid" and "development" often mask confusion, contradiction, and even downright deceit. The updated version of 2002’s best-selling No-Nonsense Guide to International Development explains what "development" actually is – and explores its political and economic roots in history. It shows what can happen in the name of development and argues for a more organic, social approach with those it seeks to serve as equal partners in the process.

Wayne Roberts puts under the microscope a global food system that is under strain from climate change and from economic disaster. He shows how a world food system based on supermarkets and agribusiness corporations is unsustainable and looks at new models of producing healthy food from all over the world.

Commercial culture and the Western consumer model has globalized while gaps in wealth, food security and social provision continue to grow. This book provides a critique of the orthodoxy of economic growth in a world of finite natural resources and a blueprint for a new economic architecture.

Since the Declaration of Human Rights over fifty years ago, we acknowledge that universal rights exist, but what does this mean to someone who is tortured or denied education, work, or asylum? This No-Nonsense Guide to Human Rights looks at the theories of rights and universalism. It explores the difficult task of trying to protect human rights in war, the legal advances that have led to some rights abusers facing justice, and the conflicts that can occur when rights collide with culture.

The ending of the Cold War was supposed to increase global security and divert expenditure previously earmarked for arms purchases to more constructive ends. Instead, the arms trade has flourished. Not only conventional arms, but also police and surveillance equipment, have been provided by Western countries seeking to make a profit from conflict in unstable parts of the world. Foreign debt has remained high, development has been held back, and human rights have been systematically abused, all with the connivance of an arms trade prepared to turn a blind eye to the uses to which increasingly sophisticated weaponry is put, so long as hefty profits can be reaped. This disturbing book names the players in the arms trade and charts the impact that it has had on war, human rights, and development. The financial and trade mechanisms that permit the arms trade to continue are revealed, amid sordid tales of bribery and corruption. Gideon Burrows concludes his examination by reviewing the ways in which this trade can be controlled or even abolished.

A balanced portrayal of |real Islam|, looking beyond the common perceptions and polemical debates. It shows what Islam has achieved and shows why a better understanding of Muslims is needed throughout the world. But it also explains why Islam needs to make itself more relevant by showing it can create a tolerant and peaceful society, and explores the steps for reform. A plain-speaking, independent view that informs current debates and puts modern developments into the context of the history of Islam and its people.

This book provides a straight forward and pragmatic guide to leadership, management and team working in contemporary library and information services. Contemporary managers and leaders in library and information services are working in a challenging context; dealing with multiple demands on their time, expertise and resources. This book translates theories in team work, management and leadership into practical guidance backed up with examples and case studies from current library and information workers globally. There is a focus on attitudes, values and practices that make for good leadership and management. The book covers: -analysing your environment, understanding culture and developing strategies -working in the senior team and making an impact -confident leadership and management, decision making, problem solving and managing crises -leading, managing and supervising your team, establishing working practices and conflict management -delegation, dealing with overload and evaluating outcomes -managing large and small projects and the people side of projects -innovation and management of the change process -communications, managing e-mails and text messages and effective use of social media -recruitment and selection and performance management -managing and leading complex teams including collaborative, multi-professional, partnership and virtual teams -budgeting, managing finances, tendering, crowdfunding and taking part in audits -managing work/life balance, coaching and mentoring, emotional intelligence, resilience and mindfulness. The No-Nonsense Guide to Leadership, Management and Teamwork is a book that a new or aspiring manager or team leader will use to guide them through the first few years in their new role. It will also provide guidance and support to new or aspiring directors of library services and help them to navigate their way through decision making and problem solving at senior levels. In addition, individual practitioners who are struggling to understand the management and leadership practices that they are experiencing may find that it helps them to make sense of their current environment.