Book Reviews

Book Reviews

Models for Social Responsibility Action by Higher Education Institutions

The compilation of research studies provided in this book is informative on many levels. Perhaps its most compelling feature is the in-depth research regarding programs that involve the seemingly intangible, yet possible, advantages of higher education – social responsibility, spiritual generosity, resilience, social- emotional learning, woman empowerment, self-regulation, the justice ecosystem, thought leadership, et al. It could serve as an international guide to developing and/or replicating programs that empower students to help others while strengthening their own abilities. I recommend it highly.” – Peter L. Schneller, PhD, Emeritus Professor, University of Mount Union Alliance, OH USA

75 Years of the Pion

A comprehensive book on the wide-range aspects of the pion is highly desirable and – due to its 75 anniversary of its discovery – is written at the right time. Due to its Goldstone boson nature, the pion has intricate properties, the π ⁰ → γ γ decay was one of the first QCD tests and a proof of color. At the same time, the pion was the working horse for high-energy physics for some decades.” – Eberhard Klempt, Professor Emeritus of Physics, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms Universität Bonn, Bonn, Germany

“The year of the discovery of the pion was 1947, an interesting year for several reasons. That discovery was not the only new thing that happened in the Bristol group in 1947, it occurred exactly three quarters of the way through the history of particle physics, which began of course exactly 125 years ago with the discovery of the electron by J. J. Thomson in 1897. In the following 75 years, to 1947, some important progress was made, the discoveries of the positron, neutron, pion and muon and V particle. For these and other reasons, the authors do not restrict themselves to the pion discovery but tell readers also of other events taking place at about that time, which form an essential background to the discovery of the pion. The year 1947 was also a watershed in the sense that the pion and muon discoveries stimulated an explosion of accelerator building: the subject thereafter moved into top gear, and for the first time, detailed and controlled experiments at accelerators began to take over a field which had so far been dominated by cosmic ray experiments where events were rare, and you had to take what Nature gave us.” –  Leonid Nemenov, Professor of Physics, JINR, Dubna, Russia

“I am happy to endorse publication in book form of the collection of 14 articles on aspects of the structure, interactions, and reactions of the pion by the leading active experts on the topic. The pion (or pi-meson), which was discovered 75 years ago, is the lightest of the class of hadrons called “mesons.” It has a fundamental role as the carrier of the longest range part of the nuclear force, which binds neutrons and protons in atomic nuclei. The pion field is the basic field in the hadronic chiral effective field theory representation of quantum chromodynamics (“QCD”), which describes the strong interaction between elementary particles. The book provides a comprehensive description of all the current phenomenological and theoretical aspects of the pion. It is also unique, in that there will be little overlap between this book and other recent literature on the pion and related topics.” – Dan-Olof Riska, Professor Emeritus, University of Helsinki, Finland

“The pion is the force actor in nuclear physics. Finally, a book is available that covers essentially all aspects of pion physics, from its discovery, properties, and interactions to pion polarizability and pionium. Much hard-to-find pion mathematics is included. Researchers in the different areas of pion physics have described in detail the current knowledge in their areas.” –  L. David Roper, Professor Emeritus of Physics, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, USA

Inside Hong Kong’s Arts and Cultural Scene: Conversations with Hong Kong’s Leading Arts and Cultural Administrators, Educators, Producers and Presenters

“I am so glad that we are getting to know Inside Hong Kong’s Arts & Cultural Scene: Conversations with Hong Kong’s Leading Arts & Cultural Administrators, Educators, Producers and Presenters, a book by Dr. Patrick Lo, Wei-En HsuDr. Rebekah OkpotiProf. Hermina Anghelescuand Dr. Dickson Chiu. As China’s gateway between the West and the East, Hong Kong’s development is always closely watched by the world. Thus the publishing of this most updated collection of brilliant thoughts from the movers and shakers of Hong Kong’s ever-evolving arts scene is well timed. It affords us a glimpse through this unique sphere inside-out.” — Bright Sheng, The Leonard Bernstein Distinguished University Professor of Music, School of Music, Theater and Dance, University of Michigan, Helmut and Anna Pao Sohmen Professor-at-Large, Institute for the Advanced Studies, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

“As Hong Kong’s cultural and creative industries are moving forward at full speed in the post-Covid19 recovery, Inside Hong Kong’s Arts & Cultural Scene: Conversations with Hong Kong’s Leading Arts & Cultural Administrators, Educators, Producers and Presenters presents timely and unique voices of the movers and shakers in the education, service and commercial sectors of visual and performing arts. A nice pair to Dr. Patrick Lo’s previous Creating a Global Cultural City via Public Participation in the Arts: Conversations with Hong Kong’s Leading Arts and Cultural Administrators.” – Professor Emilie Yueh-Yu Yeh, Lam Wong Yiu Wah Chair Professor of Visual Studies, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Director of Centre for Film and Creative Industries, Lingnan University, Hong Kong

“This is an important collection of conversations with major figures in Hong Kong’s Arts and Cultural Scene, giving the readers an informed understanding and fresh perspectives to make sense of ongoing changes and future development.” — Professor Lui Tai-lok JP, Chair Professor of Hong Kong Studies; Director, The Academy of Hong Kong Studies

Inside Hong Kong’s Arts & Cultural Scene: Conversations with Hong Kong’s Leading Arts & Cultural Administrators, Educators, Producers and Presenters has provided a comprehensive picture of cultural mediators and their contributions over the last decades. We can see how art promotors, at every level, drive organisational excellence and unleash the full potential of Hong Kong being a Global Cultural City.” — Heidi Lee, Executive Director, The Hong Kong Ballet

“This book provides a clear vision of art and cultural industry in Hong Kong by interviewing several important representatives currently active in the related fields. Through their interviews, the reader can grasp an overarching—yet solid and coherent—idea about the definitions and contents of different administrative and institutional subjects ranging from executives, directors, chairpersons, curators, composers, to performers. As their interviews unfold, we can cross compare the diverse aspects of different careers in terms of their (1) criteria, education background, and specific qualification requirements, (2) mission and responsibility, and (3) challenge, development, and achievement.  For those who are interested in art and cultural politics and developments in HK, Inside Hong Kong’s Arts & Cultural Scene, with many concrete working experiences shared by leading experts in their respective areas, is surely a resource that you must consider.” – Dr. Yi-Cheng Daniel Wu, Associate Professor of Music Theory, Soochow University School of Music

 

The Bay of Bengal Geo-Politics and the QUAD

“Reading a book with up-to-date information not only provides new knowledge but also gives the reader the opportunity to make connections between the politics, history, geography, and economics of the region. I find Professor Karim’s work to be quite thought-provoking, and it has even inspired me to re-read the book. The figures and maps included in the work make it even more impressive and easier to understand.” To read the full review, CLICK HERE.>>> – Dr. Indu Saxena, senior expert and fellow at the Consortium of Indo-Pacific Researchers

Messy Ethnography: Does Englishness Exist?

“Forrest challenges cherished orthodoxies by resurrecting a Boasian style of holistic anthropology in Messy Ethnography: Does Englishness Exist? In an important departure from traditional ethnographies of England, the author embraces contemporary British national multi-ethnicity; neglected in other ethnographies, this aspect leaves the impression that the English nation is exclusively White, middle class, and speak English. For example, Forrest examines the languages and places of birth of current residents of England, noting that Polish, not South Asian languages, is the commonest second language spoken after English. I strongly endorse this significant work for publication.” – Dr. Carole Crumley, Professor Emeritus, Department of Anthropology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC USA

“John Forrest has an impressive publication record, and the proposed volume promises to be another well written and valuable addition to the anthropological and related literature. I endorse your publication of Messy Culture.” – Dr. Barbara Miller, Professor of Anthropology and International Affairs, George Washington University, Washington, DC USA

Ventilator Induced Lung Injury in Non-Invasive Ventilatory Support: Pathophysiology, Treatment and Prevention

“Dr. Esquinas, an internationally known expert in the field, has put together an outstanding group of experts from around the globe to address the physiologic effects of non-invasive ventilation. This well-organized book truly covers the material in a well written easy to understand manner. This text exceptionally covers the concepts of biotrauma, lung mechanics, inflammatory cascades, barotrauma and the effects of atelectasis giving the reader a better understanding of adverse effects on the clinical and cellular level. It also addresses the aspects of the time course of use and how it will impact patients. The authors genuinely address these topics and through excellent editing material is reinforced throughout the book in a very clear manner. One very important topic that is covered in the text is self-induced lung injury as this is one of the few therapies widely used by patients at home. I believe this information can be used as a keystone of patient education. In summary, this textbook belongs in the library of every physician and respiratory therapist. It is an outstanding reference and will add greatly to the education of our students, residents, and fellows in the use of non-invasive ventilation.” To read the full review, click here.>>> – Peter J. Papadakos MD FCCM FCCP FAARC FNIV, Director Critical Care Medicine, Professor Anesthesiology, Surgery, Neurology and Neurosurgery , University of Rochester, Rochester New York USA; Professor Medicine Mercer School of Medicine, Macon Georgia USA

Bibliometry from a Global Perspective: Library and Classroom Outreach and the Future Ranking of Political Scientists and Publishers

“In a world obsessed with rankings, Professor Arno Tasuch’s latest book questions traditional notions of what constitutes proper scientific rankings and citations and their relevance to scholarship globally, but political science, in particular. Meticulously researched, scientifically approached, Tausch’s book is a tour de force, examining such diverse issues as book publication in Denmark and the Netherlands to the implications of the incorporation of publications from churches and the Vatican as well as the Arab World. He examines what is the ideal platform for assessing the significance of scholarly work from Research gate and SCOPUS to OCLC World Cat data. His conclusion is sobering and profound and would be of relevance to every scholar and university administrator.” – Dr. Hussein Solomon, Senior Professor: Centre for Gender and Africa Studies; Faculty: The Humanities, Republic of South Africa

“Professor Arno Tausch is known for his knowledge and work on many topics and world regions. This new book about world library and classroom presence of books generates thrilling insights and shows the strength of his truly global approach. Tausch convincingly shows the power effects of Anglo-Saxon dominance within political science and how this can be countered – looking more at global reach instead of (English) citations.” – Ulrich Brand, Professor of International Politics at the University of Vienna, co-author of the book, The Imperial Mode of Living. Everyday Life and the Ecological Crisis of Capitalism

Discovering the Leader Within You

A must read for all current leaders and aspiring readers. Discovering the Leader within You offers a wealth of insights about leadership, and the importance of self introspection, moral courage, humility, trust, empathy, and a servant attitude. The book highlights the challenge of finding one’s voice and unique character as a leader through a continuous process of self-discovery, evolution and adaptation. This is a must read for all those aspiring to ascend the leadership ladder, and all those seeking to become better more effective leaders.” – Dima Jamali, Dean of the College of Business, University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

Farewell – Peace and Justice? A Look Back at (My) Half a Century of Political Science in Times of the Ukraine Crisis

“Arno Tausch is a scholar who developed during half a century a productive world-system perspective on global dynamics and dependencies, inequalities and exclusion as well as changing subjectivities in many different fields: Theoretically sound, methodologically innovative and empirically insightful. Tausch is a truly transnational intellectual with a clear cosmopolitan and social-liberal democratic compass, always with a healthy distance to the false comfort of Anglo-Saxon dominance in social sciences. In a way, his autobiography contains also a strong and motivating message to younger scholars: Develop a critical thinking, reflect on the highly uneven conditions of knowledge production and your position within the system – and find your own way! In Tausch´s own words: “one must always be one’s own teacher.” Today´s world is in deep trouble and needs such a thinking out of the box that contributes to understanding the “big picture.” Ulrich Brand, Professor of International Politics at the University of Vienna, Austria, and Co-Author (with Markus Wissen) of “The Imperial Mode of Living. Everyday Life and the Ecological Crisis of Capitalism”, London 2021

“Arno Tausch shares with us his intellectual biography, looking back at half a century of doing political science research in an ever-changing world. He eloquently combines his personal life and the beginning of his career and visits abroad with larger questions of the world system. A quantitatively oriented scholar, he introduces us not only to his perspectives on value surveys but circles back to basic questions of how to make sense of the global order against the backdrop of Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine.” – Farid Hafez, Class of 1955 Distinguished Visiting Professor of International Studies, Williams College,  Williamstown, MA, USA

 “Arno Tausch is in his early 70s and thus looks back in this remarkable intellectual autobiography on a life with many distinct professional phases, as a university researcher in the fields of political science and political economy, as a diplomat witnessing the dramatic phases of systemic transition in Warsaw/Poland and as a civil servant in the field of social policies. This book testifies to his inquisitive mind confronting and investigating some of the great challenges the world is and has been facing (from the problems development-underdevelopment in the 1970s, to nationalism and populism over the 2000s, up to the more recent escalation of military conflict in Europe). He employs a variety of tools of analysis in an original way (from theoretical approaches of dependencia and world systems theories, to the heterodox approaches of Kaleckian and Keynesian economics, to the use of a spectrum of empirical tools applied in particular to World Values Survey data). Interesting are also his account of interactions with many intellectual figures who influenced his work, to name just a few: Friedrich v. Hayek, Karl Deutsch, Anton Pelinka, Andre Gunder Frank, Dieter Senghaas, Kurt Rothschild and many others. The book reflects a remarkable life of an intellectual always engaged in the pressing social and political issues of the time.”  – Professor Dr. Michael Landesmann, Johannes Kepler University and Former Scientific Director, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (wiiw) Wien, Austria

 “This is the exciting autobiography of an unorthodox scholar whose prolific writings and fine insights on an array of topics of grave importance have enriched our world. I recommend this book with enthusiasm!” – Andrei S. Markovits, Karl W. Deutsch Collegiate Professor of Comparative Politics and German Studies, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

This book is a must to all students of political science. I also, firmly believe that professor Arno Tausch’s analysis would serve many politicians and decision makers around the world in their daily assessment as to the direction they would like to navigate to in a reality of constant tectonic confrontation between East and West. Such a concise book with so much content and reflection!” – Colonel (ret. ) Dr. Jacques Neriah, Former Head of Assessment at Israel’s Directorate of Military Intelligence, Senior Researcher at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, and Senior Security Commentator on i24news TV Channels.

“Arno Tausch’s intellectual biography tells us the story of a political scientist who neither drifted in the waves of changing mainstreams nor put too much effort in fighting them. Instead, he explored the “sidestreams” in different areas of social sciences, from (political) “world system” theory, the (economic) concept of “long cycles” and the role of “global values” to the deeper origins of “putinism” and its terrible consequences nowadays in the Ukraine. A stimulating read.” – Stephan Schulmeister, Economic Researcher and University Lecturer, Homepage: https://stephanschulmeister.wifo-pens.at/

The Impossible Quintic Made as Simple as Possible

This book presents a simple and readable account of Galois’ proof almost 200 years ago that almost all degree five equations cannot be solved by any standard method. The prologue presents an attractive and engaging introduction to the aim and promise of the book. This book provides access to this wonderful mathematics for anyone with a mathematics training up to the level of university entrance. In summary, this is a fascinating book, full of exciting new concepts for a reader coming straight from school. For such readers it would be a challenging read. The book traces the variety of mathematics involved in exploring an amazing proof of a stunning mathematical truth.” – Cheryl E. Praeger, AC, FAA, Emeritus Professor of Mathematics at the University of Western Australia; former president of the Australian Mathematical Society and a recipient of many distinguished international awards