Information Technology and Society examines the social, political and technological implications of the information revolution. The book explores the major social and technological issues surrounding the introduction of information technology into everyday life; presents historical and comparative perspectives on the social and technological processes involved in the uses of, control of and access to IT; critically examines the assumptions underpinning technological development. Divided into five sections, each with a detailed introduction, the book provides a comprehensive overview of information technology, and its implications for all of us - in the workplace, in education and in the home. Key issues, from technological determinism to globalisation, privacy to labour relations, and telework to disability, are discussed from comparative and interdisciplinary perspectives. The collection also examines future applications of the technology including advanced telecommunications and virtual reality. Contributors place the debates around IT in an intemational context, illustrating the importance of social values as well as government policy. Providing a complete overview of the issues that inform any discussion about the impact of information technology, this is an invaluable resource for teaching and research on information technology. Information Technology and Society is Course Reader for the new Open University Course THD204
`In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in applying the systemic ways of working developed in the context of family therapy to couples work, but without a corresponding body of literature to foster and support this. Therefore any additions... are welcome. This publication benefits from an approach which makes systemic ideas comprehensible and approachable to those not familiar with them... an accessible introduction' - Sexual and Marital Therapy Individuals within a couple relationship are asked by their partner to fulfil a multitude of needs - for example, for companionship, security, intimacy - and are often expected to play a number of roles: lover, friend and problem-solver. These ideals can bring disappointment and result in the previously balanced relationship becoming unsatisfying. This practical book focuses on the methods and techniques which counsellors can use to reassert that balance in the partnership. Bubenzer and West examine the nature of couple relationships and emphasize that the task of counselling couples is about motivating them, helping them to have a functional comprehension of their concerns and encouraging them to increase their behavioural management skills. They describe the features of couple relationships that are amenable to change and clearly explain how counsellors can stimulate that change. Case studies are provided and guidelines also illustrate how the counselling sessions can be structured and show the steps which couples can take to break their old patterns of behaviour outside the counselling arena.
This textbook provides an overview of the applications of social psychology to a wide range of problems and issues in contemporary society. Part 1 outlines a number of general frameworks that inform the applications of social psychology, namely, language, attitudes, decision-making and survey research. Part 2 focuses on major behavioural domains, including health and economic behaviour. Part 3 explains the relationship between social psychology and social institutions, highlighting, for instance, the media, law and politics.
This fascinating book explores the interface between global processes, identity formation and the production of culture. Examining ideas ranging from world systems theory to postmodernism, Jonathan Friedman investigates the relations between the global and the local, to show how cultural fragmentation and modernist homogenization are equally constitutive trends of global reality. With examples taken from a rich variety of theoretical sources, ethnographic accounts and historical eras, the analysis ranges across the cultural formations of ancient Greece, contemporary processes of Hawaiian cultural identification and Congolese beauty cults. Throughout, the author examines the interdependency of the world market and local cultural transformations, and demonstrates the complex interrelations between globally structured social processes and the organization of identity. Jonathan Friedman also documents the development and significance of a global perspective in an anthropology that illuminates a wide variety of domains from prehistory to world hegemony. In so doing, he interrogates the emergence of the concept of culture and suggests that anthropology itself is best understood within the trajectory of modernity.
Management Knowledge from the 19th to 21st Centuries
This text demonstrates that American management ideas - still exported around the world as "universal verities" - are culturally specific to an historical United States, are inappropriate now and will be even more so in the 21st century. Amongst the topics considered: the carryover of 19th century pre-management notions into 20th century management; the emergence of industrial organization and big business; the evolving construct of the 'employee' throughout the 20th century; current management topics such as leadership, motivation, power, productivity, efficiency, work and the family; current management ideas such as "Total Quality Management" and "Reengineering". The critical history of US management thinking and discourse is concerned not only with the past and its influence, but also provides pointers to management in the 21st century.
This book explores the use and effects of psychotherapy with the mentally handicapped. It discusses the issues involved in providing psychotherapy for this client group, including the implications of prejudice and stereotyping and the clients' own constructions of their disabilities. The authors outline the theory, practice and techniques of a range of individual or group therapeutic approaches for different circumstances, including psychotherapy within families for mentally handicapped children. The policy and training implications for practitioners are reviewed. The overall aim of this guide is to show the importance of, and provide a resource for, the adoption of therapeutic approaches in the treatment of mentally handicapped people.
The life, contributions and influence of Eric Berne, founder of Transactional Analysis counselling and author of titles such as "The Games People Play", are presented in this clear, accessible book. The book is the ideal companion to Stewart: "Transactional Analysis Counselling in Action" (SAGE 1990). Theory and practice, criticisms and rebuttals form the major part of this book. "Key Figures in Counselling and Psychotherapy" is a new series which will cover all the founding figures in psychology and psychotherapy, whose work has had a profound practical impact on the practice of counselling and psychotherapy.
This study of 12 nurseries in Italy, Spain and the UK, examines how they are organized, who works in them and which children attend them. It explores what staff think about the work they are doing and traces how these views are put into action, and how they affect the children. It also explores what contribution the context and location of the nurseries makes to their practice. The author compares her observations of daily practice in these nurseries, drawing conclusions about the values and practices which support "good" nursery provision.
This book brings together a group of leading international criminologists from all sides of the political spectrum. In the first part they examine the formation and implementation of official crime prevention and control policies, while in the second they look at a range of critical perspectives which explore the definition of crime and discuss proposals for its prevention and control.
