In this exploration of the human condition, the central role of science in shaping our lives and beliefs is discussed. The health fads, environmentalism, mass communications and the politics of today are analysed and explained as the outcome of how science changes our perspective of ourselves and the universe.

Music moves through time; it is not static. In order to appreciate music wemust remember what sounds happened, and anticipate what sounds might comenext. This book takes you on a journey of music from past to present, from the Middle Ages to the Baroque Period to the 20th century and beyond!

Understanding Contemporary Society: Theories of the Present is a comprehensive textbook to guide students through the complexities of social theory today. Over 30 chapters, written by an international team of contributors, demonstrate clearly the practical applications of social theory in making sense of the modern world. Students are both introduced to the most significant theories and guided through the major social developments which shape our lives. Key features of the book are: clearly structured and readable prose; bullet pointed summaries and annotated further reading for each topic; makes complex issues accessible to undergraduates; focuses on relevance and practicality; chapter lay-out which is ideal for t

Understanding BIM presents the story of Building Information Modelling, an ever evolving and disruptive technology that has transformed the methodologies of the global construction industry. Written by the 2016 Prince Philip Gold Medal winner, Jonathan Ingram, it provides an in-depth understanding of BIM technologies, the business and organizational issues associated with its implementation, and the profound advantages its effective use can provide to a project team. Ingram, who pioneered the system heralding the BIM revolution, provides unrivalled access to case material and relevance to the current generation of BIM masters. With hundreds of colour images and illustrations showing the breadth and power of BIM, the book covers: The history of BIM What BIM is in technical and practical terms How it changes the day to day working environment Why we need BIM and what problems it can solve Where BIM is headed, particularly with regards to AI, AR, VR and voice recognition International case studies from a range of disciplines including: architecture, construction management, and retail Professionals and students in any field where the inter-disciplinary aspects of BIM are in operation will benefit from Ingram’s insights. This book is an authoritative account of and reference on BIM for anyone wanting to understand its history, theory, application and potential future developments.

The widespread adoption of smartphones, ridesharing and carsharing have disrupted the transport sector. In cities around the world, new mobility services are both welcomed and challenged by regulators and incumbent operators. Mobility as a Service (MaaS), an ecosystem designed to deliver collaborative and connected mobility services in a society increasingly embracing a sharing culture, is at the center of this disruption. Understanding Mobility as a Service (MaaS): Past, Present and Future examines such topics as: How likely MaaS will be implemented in one digital platform app Whether MaaS will look the same in all countries The role multi-modal contract brokers play Mobility regulations and pricing models MaaS trials, their impacts and consequences Written by the leading thinkers in the field for researchers, practitioners, and policy makers, Understanding Mobility as a Service (MaaS): Past, Present and Future serves as a single source on all the current and evolving developments, debates, and challenges. Includes case studies to show how MaaS is delivered around the world Covers foundational aspects of MaaS, clarifying what it is for those new to the concept Offers an in-depth analysis on a wide range of MaaS topics including governance, contracts, consumer and supplier preferences, links to societal objectives, the role of trials, assessments, and more

The British Sociological Association held a conference on the theme "Sociology and History". In 1964, E.H. Carr had called for an open frontier between the disciplines. This book examines the traffic across this frontier and in particular, what might be called the sociological uses of history.

This is a brief, authoritative and accessible introduction to the idea of modernity, written by a leading social theorist. Wagner shows that modernity was based on ideas of freedom, reason and progress, but he examines the extent to which these ideas have been, and can be, realized in the modern world.

Science Be Dammed is an alarming reminder of the high stakes in the management—and perils in the mismanagement—of water in the western United States. It seems deceptively simple: even when clear evidence was available that the Colorado River could not sustain ambitious dreaming and planning by decision-makers throughout the twentieth century, river planners and political operatives irresponsibly made the least sustainable and most dangerous long-term decisions. Arguing that the science of the early twentieth century can shed new light on the mistakes at the heart of the over-allocation of the Colorado River, authors Eric Kuhn and John Fleck delve into rarely reported early studies, showing that scientists warned as early as the 1920s that there was not enough water for the farms and cities boosters wanted to build. Contrary to a common myth that the authors of the Colorado River Compact did the best they could with limited information, Kuhn and Fleck show that development boosters selectively chose the information needed to support their dreams, ignoring inconvenient science that suggested a more cautious approach. Today water managers are struggling to come to terms with the mistakes of the past. Focused on both science and policy, Kuhn and Fleck unravel the tangled web that has constructed the current crisis. With key decisions being made now, including negotiations for rules governing how the Colorado River water will be used after 2026, Science Be Dammed offers a clear-eyed path forward by looking back. Understanding how mistakes were made is crucial to understanding our contemporary problems. Science Be Dammed offers important lessons in the age of climate change about the necessity of seeking out the best science to support the decisions we make.

Understanding the Classical Music Profession is an essential resource for educators, practitioners and researchers who seek to understand the careers of classically-trained musicians, and the extent to which professional practice is reflected within existing classical performance-based music education and training. Taking Australia as a case-study, Dawn Bennett outlines how Australia is now a service economy, and an important component of service provision is in the culture and recreation industries. Despite this, employment in culture and recreation is poorly understood and a lack of cultural intelligence contributes to a less than satisfactory environment that inhibits the creative potential of cultural practitioners. Musicians in the twenty-first century require a broad and evolving base of skills and knowledge to sustain their careers as cultural practitioners. Bennett maintains that a musician cannot be simply defined as a performer, but that a musician is someone who works within the profession of music in one or more specialist fields. The perception of a musician as a multi-skilled professional working within a portfolio career has significant implications for policy, funding, education and training, and for practitioners and students seeking to achieve sustainable careers. This indispensable book provides a comprehensive analysis of life as a musician, from education and training to professional practice as well as revealing the structure of the Australian cultural industries. Although Australia is the focus of the book, the basis of the research originates from many different places and most of the issues discussed relate directly to other countries throughout the world.

The field of paleoclimatology relies on physical, chemical, and biological proxies of past climate changes that have been preserved in natural archives such as glacial ice, tree rings, sediments, corals, and speleothems. Paleoclimate archives obtained through field investigations, ocean sediment coring expeditions, ice sheet coring programs, and other projects allow scientists to reconstruct climate change over much of earth's history. When combined with computer model simulations, paleoclimatic reconstructions are used to test hypotheses about the causes of climatic change, such as greenhouse gases, solar variability, earth's orbital variations, and hydrological, oceanic, and tectonic processes. This book is a comprehensive, state-of-the art synthesis of paleoclimate research covering all geological timescales, emphasizing topics that shed light on modern trends in the earth's climate. Thomas M. Cronin discusses recent discoveries about past periods of global warmth, changes in atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations, abrupt climate and sea-level change, natural temperature variability, and other topics directly relevant to controversies over the causes and impacts of climate change. This text is geared toward advanced undergraduate and graduate students and researchers in geology, geography, biology, glaciology, oceanography, atmospheric sciences, and climate modeling, fields that contribute to paleoclimatology. This volume can also serve as a reference for those requiring a general background on natural climate variability.