Matthew Costello – författare

This A–Z encyclopedia provides a broad and evenhanded overview of America's complex relationship with marijuana, examining political, recreational, cultural, medical, and economic aspects of marijuana use both historically and in the present day.Marijuana in America is an accessible and comprehensive exploration of the many changes in medical, legal, and cultural issues surrounding cannabis in the United States. This multidisciplinary volume features contributions from several different fields to explain all facets of marijuana, including its chemical composition, evolving depictions in popular culture, and historical, legal, and social settings in which marijuana use occurs.A mix of coverage provides readers with a full and accurate understanding of the spectrum of issues and controversies swirling around marijuana today, including: the changing legal landscape pertaining to the sale, possession, and use of marijuana, both at the state and federal levels; the factual basis for arguments for and against so-called "medical marijuana"; claims that marijuana is a gateway drug to harder drugs; changing cultural attitudes about marijuana and "potheads"; economic arguments for and against marijuana legalization; and the impact of marijuana on families, communities, the economy, and the criminal justice system.

In the year 2145...after disobeying a direct order, former special ops Marine Lieutenant John Kane found himself stripped of his rank and reassigned to the "U.S. Space Marines" -- the private army of the Union Aerospace Corporation. Now little more than a glorified security guard, Kane reluctantly accepts his fate on Mars City, the environmental community/lab center on the legendary red planet. But Kane could never have imagined the unspeakable horrors that awaited him there -- nightmarish aberrations of nature and unholy unions of flesh and machine awakened by unsuspecting researchers attempting to divulge the arcane secrets of this planet's extraordinary past. As the terrifying violence grows, Kane and a ragtag band of survivors must call on all of their skills if they can ever hope to make it out of Mars City alive -- even as those at the highest echelons of power continue their own covert and deadly machinations in a relentless bid to seize the ultimate source of power....

This comprehensive Research Handbook places the study of hate and hate crimes into historic and cross-national contexts, examining the reasons behind, and the effects of, the reported increase in hate crimes in recent years. James Hawdon and Matthew Costello bring together a diverse array of experts to highlight the ongoing empirical and conceptual challenges that scholars and practitioners face when studying this topic.Chapters address a variety of types of hate, including hate based on race, immigration status, religion, and sexual orientation, as well as the definitional and methodological issues involved in the study of hate. With findings from around the world, authors discuss both online and offline hate crimes in different cultural contexts. The Research Handbook assesses the complex relationship between hate crime and state actors, both in historic contexts and in contemporary society. Ultimately, it offers new insights into how to deal with the complexities of hate and understand its variability across both time and space.The Research Handbook on Hate and Hate Crimes in Society is a vital read for students and scholars of criminology, sociology and discrimination. Due to its practical suggestions for intervention strategies and victim support, it will also appeal to practitioners working in the field of hate crime prevention.

This book contains two Open Access chapters.In an era where the digital landscape is increasingly marred by online hate, this groundbreaking book delves into this multifaceted world, offering an in-depth exploration of the origins, evolution, and impact of online hate material over the past decade.Supported by a robust series of quantitative analyses, Online Hate and Extremism draws on unique datasets collected from large, random samples of Internet users in the U.S. and Europe from a period of over a decade. Offering a comparative analysis across different countries, the chapters provide a broader understanding of cyberhate in various cultural contexts. Analysing both perpetrators and victims, the authors investigate who produces online hate material and why, as well as who is likely to be victimized and the consequences of such victimization. Offering practical insights, this insightful study also considers ways to reduce the spread of online hate and provides strategies to avoid being targeted.With timely data collection surrounding the 2024 U.S. presidential election, Online Hate and Extremism provides a snapshot of how current electoral politics influence the flow of online hate. By examining cyberhate cross-nationally and over time, this book offers a unique and essential perspective on one of the most pressing issues in the digital age.