Gerald A. McBeath - Böcker

With only 54 years of existence, the Constitution of the State of Alaska is in its developmental infancy compared to the constitutional history of the rest of the United States. However, having had the benefit of over 300 years, the Alaskan Constitution is a pioneer and model in--among other things--simplicity, coherence, vision and accessibility.The Alaska State Constitution provides an outstanding constitutional and historical account of the state's governing charter. In addition to an overview of Alaska's constitutional history, it provides an in-depth, section-by-section analysis of the entire constitution, detailing the many significant changes that have been made since its initial drafting. This treatment, along with a table of cases, index, and bibliography provides an unsurpassed reference guide for students, scholars, and practitioners of Alaska's constitution. Previously published by Greenwood, this title has been brought back in to circulation by Oxford University Press with new verve. Re-printed with standardization of content organization in order to facilitate research across the series. This title, as with all titles in the series, is set to join the dynamic revision cycle of The Oxford Commentaries on the State Constitutions of the United States.The Oxford Commentaries on the State Constitutions of the United States is an important new series that reflects a renewed international interest in constitutional history and provides expert insight into each of the 50 state constitutions. Each volume in this innovative series contains a historical overview of the state's constitutional development, a section-by-section analysis of its current constitution, and a comprehensive guide to further research. Under the expert editorship of Professor G. Alan Tarr, Director of the Center on State Constitutional Studies at Rutgers University, this series provides essential reference tools for understanding state constitutional law. Books in the series can be purchased individually or as part of a complete set, giving readers unmatched access to these important political documents.

Alaska is the largest and one of the least populated of the fifty states—extremes that create a unique government. Tied together by tiny airports and vast pipelines, the state features abundant natural resources and a remoteness that make it one of the last outposts of the United States, a role that Alaskans savor. Gerald A. McBeath and Thomas A. Morehouse examine Alaska's character and the forces shaping it. Underlying their descriptions are the themes of independence, dependence, and the search for sustainable economic development. While independence and individualism are well-known attributes of Alaskans and their political process, their experience has also been colored by dependency. Alaska was the last region in the New World colonized by Westerners. It was not organized as a territory until 1912 and did not achieve statehood until 1959, evolving in only one generation from a territory with a weak government to a wealthy state with a powerful system of state and local government.McBeath and Morehouse describe the workings of Alaska's government: the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, as well as the state's relations with the federal government. The ongoing pattern of federal control and Alaskans' sporadically virulent response to it are emblematic of the tensions between dependence on federal policies and the struggle for equal influence with the other forty-nine states.Geographic barriers, impeding transportation and communication, have left Alaska's regions, communities, and people separated from one another and from the outside. Yet, as Alaska Politics and Government demonstrates, the ability to deal with Alaska's future challenges is found in the vibrant and resilient character of its land and its people.

The first comprehensive examination of Alaska's urban and rural governments since statehood in 1959. Also explores the question of whether the state will be able to sustain them in the future. Compares and contrasts the two systems with local governments elsewhere in the U.S.

China's environmental issues have been the subject of global criticism long before authors Gerald McBeath and Jenifer Huang McBeath began their study, yet often overlooked are the sizable efforts of the Chinese people and government to change attitudes and behavior in order to improve environmental outcomes.This much-needed book offers a comprehensive introduction to environmental education in China, from consideration of the environment in Confucian philosophy and provision of environmental education in schools and colleges, to the role of non-state actors and the media. The authors' examination of conditioning factors and educational variation within China - particularly their focus on the application of directives, new guidelines and analysis of teacher training in compulsory, secondary and college education - offers an insightful measure of the efficacy of environmental education over time.This unique book will appeal to researchers, scholars and educators interested in the areas of comparative education and environmental studies, both in China and internationally.

First published in 1998, this volume examines the ‘economic miracle’ of Taiwan’s remarkable transition from poverty to one of the world’s most affluent economies, ten years after its emergence from martial law. Gerald A. McBeath explores Taiwan from its time as a country barely recovered from Japanese occupation and wartime damage to a nation filled with new office buildings and skyscrapers where few think twice about frequenting expensive restaurants. Beginning with the State of Taiwan between 1945 and 1986, McBeath progresses through the transformation of the Party-State, the changing status of economic interests, policy-making in the democratic era and Taiwan’s internationalisation campaigns.

First published in 1998, this volume examines the ‘economic miracle’ of Taiwan’s remarkable transition from poverty to one of the world’s most affluent economies, ten years after its emergence from martial law. Gerald A. McBeath explores Taiwan from its time as a country barely recovered from Japanese occupation and wartime damage to a nation filled with new office buildings and skyscrapers where few think twice about frequenting expensive restaurants. Beginning with the State of Taiwan between 1945 and 1986, McBeath progresses through the transformation of the Party-State, the changing status of economic interests, policy-making in the democratic era and Taiwan’s internationalisation campaigns.