Michael Edwards - Böcker

In the past two decades, '"civil society" has become a central organizing concept in the social sciences. Occupying the middle ground between the state and private life, the civil sphere encompasses everything from associations to protests to church groups to nongovernmental organizations. Interest in the topic exploded with the decline of statism in the 1980s and 1990s, and many of our current debates about politics and social policy are informed by the renewed focus on civil society. Michael Edwards, author of the most authoritative single-authored book on civil society, serves as the editor for The Oxford Handbook of Civil Society. Broadly speaking, the book views the topic through three prisms: as a part of society (voluntary associations), as a kind of society (marked out by certain social norms), and as a space for citizen action and engagement (the public square or sphere). It does not focus solely on the West (a failing of much of the literature to date), but looks at civil society in both the developed and developing worlds. Throughout, it merges theory, practice, and empirical research. In sum, The Oxford Handbook on Civil Society will be the definitive work on the topic.

M. Fabius Quintilianus was a prominent orator, declaimer, and teacher of eloquence in the first century CE. After his retirement, he wrote the Institutio oratoria, a unique treatise in antiquity because it is both a handbook of rhetoric and an educational treatise. Quintilian's fame and influence are not only based on the Institutio, but also on the two collections of Declamations which were later attributed to him. The Oxford Handbook of Quintilian aims to present Quintilian's Institutio as a key treatise in the history of Greco-Roman rhetoric and to trace its influence on the theory and practice of rhetoric and education up to the present day. Topics include Quintilian's educational programme, his concepts and classifications of rhetoric, his discussion of the five canons of rhetoric, his style, his views on literary criticism, declamation, and the relationship between rhetoric and law, and the importance of the visual and performing arts in his work. His legacy is presented in successive chapters devoted to Quintilian in late antiquity, the Middle Ages, the Italian Renaissance, Northern Europe during the Renaissance, Europe from the eighteenth to the twentieth century, and the United States of America. Other chapters examine the biographical tradition, the history of printed editions, and modern assessments of Quintilian. The contributors represent a wide range of expertise and scholarly traditions, offering a unique, multidisciplinary perspective.

In the past two decades,'civil society' has become a central organizing concept in the social sciences. Occupying the middle ground between the state and private life, the civil sphere encompasses everything from associations to protests to church groups to nongovernmental organizations. Interest in the topic exploded with the decline of statism in the 1980s and 1990s, and many of our current debates about politics and social policy are informed by the renewed focus on civil society. Michael Edwards, author of the most authoritative single-authored book on civil society, serves as the editor for The Oxford Handbook of Civil Society. Broadly speaking, the book views the topic through three prisms: as a part of society (voluntary associations), as a kind of society (marked out by certain social norms), and as a space for citizen action and engagement (the public square or sphere). It does not focus solely on the West (a failing of much of the literature to date), but looks at civil society in both the developed and developing worlds. Throughout, it merges theory, practice, and empirical research in innovative ways. In sum, The Oxford Handbook on Civil Society is a definitive work on the topic.

In the last decade the use of non-governmental agencies (NGOs) to promote development and reduce poverty and hunger has become a major feature of development policy. Donors have poured funds into NGOs, governments have allocated them major responsibilities and their number and size has grown. Has this popularity helped them to solve the problems of poverty or has it changed them so that they are now part of the 'development industry' that they used to criticize?;This book provides the most detailed study available of the ways in which NGO-State-Donor relationships have changed the role that NGOs play in development. Its papers are introduced by two international experts on the topic and the contributors are leading academics and senior practitioners. The picture that emerges from the general reviews and detailed case studies of African, Asian and Latin American NGOs, is a complex one. However, the authors conclude that there is much evidence that NGOs are 'losing their roots' - getting closer to donors and governments and more distant to the poor and disempowered who they seek to assist.

The language of the Bible can be beautiful but profoundly elusive, possessing a strangeness that only deepens the committed reader’s sense of its impenetrability. Based on the 2022 Richard E. Myers lectures given by renowned literary scholar Michael Edwards—the first Englishman ever elected to the Académie française—this book offers a close reading of the Bible itself, directing attention to the text rather than to commentaries or to ostensible lessons to be discovered by paraphrase.Edwards explores the apparently simple instruction in Proverbs to eat honey and reveals unexpected complexity. He sounds the unfathomable depths of St. Paul’s revelation that the Christian has "died" and yet now lives in Christ—and goes on to ask what it would mean to take the awesome expression "the kingdom of heaven is at hand" seriously. Three final meditations complete the movement by scrutinizing the visionary world of Revelation: the riddle of the work’s composition, of its images, and of the enigmatic time in which its events occur.

The language of the Bible can be beautiful but profoundly elusive, possessing a strangeness that only deepens the committed reader’s sense of its impenetrability. Based on the 2022 Richard E. Myers lectures given by renowned literary scholar Michael Edwards—the first Englishman ever elected to the Académie française—this book offers a close reading of the Bible itself, directing attention to the text rather than to commentaries or to ostensible lessons to be discovered by paraphrase.Edwards explores the apparently simple instruction in Proverbs to eat honey and reveals unexpected complexity. He sounds the unfathomable depths of St. Paul’s revelation that the Christian has "died" and yet now lives in Christ—and goes on to ask what it would mean to take the awesome expression "the kingdom of heaven is at hand" seriously. Three final meditations complete the movement by scrutinizing the visionary world of Revelation: the riddle of the work’s composition, of its images, and of the enigmatic time in which its events occur.

Founded in Barcelona in 1914, Puig is one of the leading companies in premium beauty, its portfolio including fashion and beauty brands such as Carolina Herrera, Charlotte Tilbury, Rabanne, Jean Paul Gaultier, Dries Van Noten, Nina Ricci, and Byredo. This book tells the complete story of the house s astonishing family endeavor. From the influence of Barcelona on the inception of the group to the values that helped the company thrive, fourteen of the Puig brands are explored in depth: Rabanne s iconic metallic chainmail, Byredo s collaborations with prominent artists, Nina Ricci s mythology as an expression of femininity, the influence of Dries Van Noten s garden on his story and creativity, the transmission of a legacy between Carolina Herrera and Wes Gordon, and Loto del Sur as a tribute to Latin America and its botanical treasures. Edwards investigates the history and development of niche perfumes, one of Puig s specialties; the process of fragrance making is told by the group s creatives and artisans. With exclusive new imagery as well as rare archival materials, this book is a heartfelt and comprehensive portrait of the company s remarkable international development. In keeping with the group, the book is also a stunning piece of bookmaking with each chapter having a special feature such as different paper stocks, inserts, or gold text.

A comprehensive overview of project risk management, providing guidance on implementing and improving project risk management systems in organizationsThis book provides a comprehensive overview of project risk management. Besides offering an easy-to-follow, yet systematic approach to project risk management, it also introduces topics which have an important bearing on how risks are managed but which are generally not found in other books, including risk knowledge management, cultural risk-shaping, project complexity, political risks, and strategic risk management. Many new concepts about risk management are introduced. Diagrams and tables, together with project examples and case studies, illustrate the authors’ precepts and ideas.Each chapter in Managing Project Risks begins with an introduction to its topic and ends with a summary. The book starts by providing an understanding and overview of risk and continues with coverage of projects and project stakeholders. Ensuing chapters look at project risk management processes, contexts and risk drivers, identification, assessment and evaluation, response and treatment options, and risk monitoring and control. One chapter focuses entirely on risk knowledge management. Others explore the cultural shaping of risk, political risk in projects, computer applications, and more. The book finishes by examining the current state and potential future of project risk management.In essence, this book:  Effectively communicates a conceptual and philosophical understanding of riskEstablishes the nature of projects and the stakeholders involved in themPresents a systematic and logically progressive approach to the processes of project risk managementDemonstrates how to recognize the drivers of project risks and the factors which shape themEmphasizes the importance of capturing and exploiting project risk knowledgeProvides guidance about implementing and building (or improving) project risk management systems in organizationsManaging Project Risks will benefit practitioners and students of project management across a wide range of industries and professions.

Since the book was first published, NGOs have continued to rise in prominence, but our concerns have been little redressed. The new Preface and Afterword to this IPE Classic provide an up to date review of the debates on NGOs and the development sector that consolidate on this argument and look briefly at some of the reactions it has received.

The last decade has seen some significant changes in international development and in the status of non-governmental organisations operating in the field. Not only has the number of NGOs virtually doubled; many of them have seen a considerable growth in their budgets, and have grown closer to governments and official aid agencies. NGOs are acknowledged by many to be more effective agents of development than governments or commercial interests ? even as a ?magic bullet? for development problems.Despite these positive trends, the real impact of the NGO sector is not well documented. This is partly because NGO performance-assessment and accountability methods are weak, and partly because NGOs are caught up increasingly in the world of official aid, which pushes them towards certain forms of evaluation at the expense of others. This unique book takes a hard and critical look at these issues, and describes how NGOs can, and must, improve the way they measure and account for their performance if they are to be truly effective.

Originally published in 1985, Land Rent, Housing and Urban Planning looks at the crucial social relationships associated with land ownership, and how these have played a crucial role in the economic development of many societies. The understanding of these relationships within modern capitalist societies has proved difficult. Land ownership relations emerge as requiring specific historical analysis for specific periods and societies and as being integral aspects of the capitalist mode of production as a whole – not merely mechanisms which redistribute some independently-determined surplus.

Originally published in 1985, Land Rent, Housing and Urban Planning looks at the crucial social relationships associated with land ownership, and how these have played a crucial role in the economic development of many societies. The understanding of these relationships within modern capitalist societies has proved difficult. Land ownership relations emerge as requiring specific historical analysis for specific periods and societies and as being integral aspects of the capitalist mode of production as a whole – not merely mechanisms which redistribute some independently-determined surplus.

A comprehensive and highly practical overview of project risk management emphasising pragmatic solutions and user-friendly methods without advanced mathematical techniques Managing Project Risks provides a comprehensive treatment of project risk management, offering a systematic but easy-to-follow approach. This book explores critical topics that influence how risks are managed, but which are rarely found in other books, including risk knowledge management, cultural risk-shaping, project complexity, political risks, and strategic risk management. The book commences with foundational concepts, providing an overview of risk, project definitions, project stakeholders, and risk management systems. Subsequent chapters explore the core processes of project risk management, including risk identification, analysis, evaluation, response strategies, and risk monitoring and control. Additional topics include risk knowledge management, the influence of culture on risk, political risks in projects, and relevant software applications. Experienced readers may choose to navigate directly to the later chapters, which focus on strategic risk management and offer recommendations for planning, building, and maturing a project risk management system. Throughout, the authors impart a practical approach that does not rely on high level expertise or advanced mathematical techniques; the emphasis remains on pragmatic solutions, user-friendly techniques, and reliable communication, enabling readers to seamlessly integrate theory into practice. Updates to the newly revised Second Edition of Managing Project Risks include: Additional tools and techniques for risk identification and an expanded treatment of risk communicationA new tool for early-stage project complexity assessment—the stage where uncertainties, and thus threat and opportunity risks, are at their highest levelA more substantial treatment of planning for crisis response and disaster recovery, taking into consideration climate change and the increasingly prevalent impacts of severe weather phenomenaMore information on strategic risk management, now including public and organizational policy development with respect to risks in projectsManaging Project Risks is an essential resource for practitioners of project management across architecture, construction, engineering, and technology disciplines, for undergraduate and postgraduate students, and for public and private sector stakeholders involved in decision-making and policy development. It is useful wherever project-driven activities are undertaken.

Now in its fourth edition, Civil Society has become a major work of reference for those who seek to understand the role of voluntary citizen action in a troubled world.Recent economic and political developments do not bode well for the theory and practice of civil society: communities are increasingly divided; inequality is on the rise; authoritarians and populists have gained a foothold even in advanced democracies; restrictions on freedom of speech and association are increasingly common and recent scandals have even reduced trust in charities. Worryingly, public spheres seem incapable of addressing these concerns. Yet, as Michael Edwards makes clear, ideas about the civil sphere can shed much light on what is happening, why, and how we might respond to polarization, privatization, and authoritarians of various stripes.Fully updated to take account of recent work on digital culture, democracy, and philanthropy, Civil Society will be required reading for anyone who is interested in creating a better world through voluntary citizen action.

Now in its fourth edition, Civil Society has become a major work of reference for those who seek to understand the role of voluntary citizen action in a troubled world.Recent economic and political developments do not bode well for the theory and practice of civil society: communities are increasingly divided; inequality is on the rise; authoritarians and populists have gained a foothold even in advanced democracies; restrictions on freedom of speech and association are increasingly common and recent scandals have even reduced trust in charities. Worryingly, public spheres seem incapable of addressing these concerns. Yet, as Michael Edwards makes clear, ideas about the civil sphere can shed much light on what is happening, why, and how we might respond to polarization, privatization, and authoritarians of various stripes.Fully updated to take account of recent work on digital culture, democracy, and philanthropy, Civil Society will be required reading for anyone who is interested in creating a better world through voluntary citizen action.

An optimistic assessment of the prospects for a new international order - acting as a "counter-blast" to global pessimism. The text explains how the international system operates, the pressures it faces and the changes it must undergo, and offers concrete ideas to re-frame international relations.

As Western aid budgets are slashed and government involvement with aid programmes reduced, NGOs in the voluntary sector are finding themselves taking an ever-increasing share of development work overseas. As they do so, they are forced to grow and to assume new responsibilities, taking more important and wide-ranging decisions - in many cases, without having had the chance to step back and review the options before them and the best ways of maximizing the impact they make. This collection of essays explores the strategies available to NGOs to enhance their development work, reviewing the ways that options can be understood, appropriate programmes and likely problems.

The last decade has seen some significant changes in international development and in the status of non-governmental organisations operating in the field. Not only has the number of NGOs virtually doubled; many of them have seen a considerable growth in their budgets, and have grown closer to governments and official aid agencies. NGOs are acknowledged by many to be more effective agents of development than governments or commercial interests ? even as a ?magic bullet? for development problems.Despite these positive trends, the real impact of the NGO sector is not well documented. This is partly because NGO performance-assessment and accountability methods are weak, and partly because NGOs are caught up increasingly in the world of official aid, which pushes them towards certain forms of evaluation at the expense of others. This unique book takes a hard and critical look at these issues, and describes how NGOs can, and must, improve the way they measure and account for their performance if they are to be truly effective.

An optimistic assessment of the prospects for a new international order - acting as a counter-blast to global pessimism. The text explains how the international system operates, the pressures it faces and the changes it must undergo, and offers concrete ideas to re-frame international relations, foreign aid and humanitarian intervention, without using jargon or simplistic judgements.