Book Reviews

Book Reviews

Photovoice: Participation and Empowerment in Research

“From literally cover-to-cover, this book delivers what its title promises- “Photovoice: Participation and Empowerment in Research.” Whether read collectively or individually, the nine essay chapters here-in, thoughtfully interweave scholarly practice with professional research. The result is the affirmation of the endless value and timeless vitality of “Photovoice” as a catalytic tool for system-wide change. Whether new to this methodology of inquiry or seasoned in its use, readers will be witness to its art and science as it both captures and amplifies the images and voices of all involved. This book is a ‘must read’ for everyone who appreciates the interconnections between and among individuals, their families and communities, and the policies that are intended to serve them. “Photovoice: Participation and Empowerment in Research” is a ‘must have’ for those of us committed to ensuring that our collaborations with communities are not just community- placed, they are genuinely community-based!” – Darlyne Bailey, Ph.D., LISW, Professor and Dean Emeritus, Director, Social Justice Initiative and Special Assistant to the President for Community Partnerships, Bryn Mawr College, USA, Co-Chair, Special Commission to Advance Macro Practice in Social Work, Co- author, The Alignment of Leadership Development and Participatory Action Research

“This new work edited by Drs. Moya and Chávez-Baray gives step-by-step instructions for implementing Photovoice, an asset-based approach that has the potential to empower and give voice to those who are too often unheard in society. The diverse applications captured by the experienced authors of the book’s chapters illustrate the flexibility of the method across different disciplines, contexts, and populations, and provide ideas for future work. The book is an essential toolbox for the qualitative community-based participatory researcher who is interested in both gaining insight into the lives of community members and working alongside them to effect meaningful change. However, it is also accessible to those who have never conducted research and who seek a documentary medium that has simultaneous potential for active intervention.” – John Wiebe, PhD, Professor of Psychology, Interim Provost, Vice President for Academic Affairs, The University of Texas at El Paso

“This incredible book is a compendium of information on the Photovoice method from a global perspective. It is very readable, and clearly documents the effectiveness of Photovoice as a method of research and empowerment in communities. This methodology also has a clear theoretical base of feminist theory, critical theory, and use of photography as a method. The first chapter is a clear explanation of the Photovoice method and has excellent appendices on the methodology of using this community based qualitative research. The following chapters detail the practical use of this method worldwide, in Mexico, and in the United States. It is clear that Photovoice has impacted many communities in the world and is change agent to impact policy makers. Reading this book will benefit practitioners, students, and academicians.” – Dr. Steven Granich, Lock Haven University, Pennsylvania, USA

For more information about this book, please click here.

Spinal Cord and Spinal Column Tumors

“Management of spinal cord and spinal column tumors has extended the reach of the neurosurgeon. This book reviews the main tumors of this area of the nervous system and gives an overview on the main approaches in a step-by-step fashion. The goal of this book is, therefore, to assist neurosurgeons and spinal surgeons to better understand the main neoplastic pathologies of this area, and limits and possibilities of spinal approaches. I am pretty sure that this volume will lead to improve the knowledge on spinal cord and spinal column tumors and their management for better care of patients.” – Giovanni Grasso, MD, PhD, Associate Professor, Neurosurgical Clinic, Department of Experimental Biomedicine & Clinical Neurosciences, Deputy Rector for Relationships with Medical & Scientific Associations and Charities, University of Palermo, Italy

“Dr. Landi and Dr. Defini have edited a most comprehensive text on spinal cord and spinal column tumors. By starting with the basic anatomy and biochemistry, they lay the groundwork for a better understanding of all the following chapters. This approach is laudable. The topic is one of the most important in the field of neurosurgery. Spinal cord tumors are poorly understood, and often overlooked. Not since the book from Johns Hopkins Hospital “Surgery for Skull Base Tumors (Contemporary Issues in Neurological Surgery)” edited by Donlin Long, MD, PhD, has there been such a comprehensive text on these issues. According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, primary tumors arising from the spinal cord, spinal nerve roots and dura are rare compared to CNS tumors that arise in the brain. Overall prevalence is estimated at one spinal tumor for every four intracranial lesions. About 10,000 Americans develop primary (30%) or metastatic (70%) spinal cord tumors each year. This book, edited by Dr Landi and Dr. Defini brings new clarity of understanding of this rare, but potentially devastating clinical process. Any neurosurgeons will greatly benefit from this volume.” – Nelson Hendler, MD, MS, Former assistant professor of neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Former associate professor of physiology University of Maryland School of Dental Surgery

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Chimpanzee Behaviour: Recent Understandings from Captivity and the Forest

“With this book, Dr. Mary Lee Jensvold offers us insight into chimpanzee behavior through the writings of a fascinating group of people, who have in common an in-depth knowledge of chimpanzees. Rarely is such diversity in topics (art to meat-eating) and settings (US language-laboratory to African field sites) available in a single volume that highlights the proclivities of our closest living relatives. Jensvold, and the other experts contributing chapters, truly enhance our understandings by sharing their views of what makes chimpanzees so special, enriching our care for them in captivity and reinforcing their conservation needs in the wild.” – Dr. Kim Bard, Professor of Comparative Developmental Psychology, University of Portsmouth UK

“Chimpanzee Behaviour is a compendium of papers describing new results of studies of chimpanzees both in captivity and the wild. This is a valuable contribution to the literature on chimpanzees, and further testimony to how much more there is to learn about our closest relatives.” – Dr. Craig Stanford, Professor of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California

For more information about this book, please click here.

Mechanisms of Evolution

Mechanisms of Evolution is a refreshing rethinking of the forces behind the evolutionary process. Particularly interesting and stimulating is the discussion of the relationship between biological and cultural evolution. You don’t have to agree with this book but you will learn from reading it.” – Michael Ruse

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Emotionally, Socially, and Learning Disabled Gifted Children: Theory and Treatment

“Educators, counselors, and parents will find this volume inspiring and practical. Anyone interested in double-exceptional children will find theory combined with cases illustrating the struggles of families and children with being gifted along with having a disability. The author confronts issues like ADHD, underachievement, dropping out of school, and home schooling, asking crucial questions, and offering recommendations based on her own experience consulting gifted children and their parents over the years. The last chapter provides a summary and raises more questions like “To what extent is the severity of the disability a main factor in materializing the student’s gifts? Addressing myths. This book written by a psychologist, brings a wealth of knowledge on the important topic of double-exceptionality tied with a personal perspective.” – Dr. Hava Vidergor, PhD, Senior Lecturer, Gordon Academic College, Arab Academic College, Haifa, Israel

“This unique book, aimed for students, professionals in the fields of psychology and education, as well as parents of double-exceptional children and use, offers the reader an experience uncommon among scientific materials. Emotionally, Socially, and Learning Disabled Children: Theory and Treatment is an interesting book which combines fluency with a solid scientific base for its insights and new ways of looking at well-accepted assumptions such as “dropping out of school should be prevented if only possible” or “the severity of a learning-or-other disability determines the prospects of overcoming it”. The case studies and the vignettes I the book are based on the 3-decade experience of the writer as a counselor of gifted children with and without disabilities.” – Dr. Hasan Said Tortop, Professor of Special Education Department, the Gifted Education Division, the University of Istanbul Aydin, Turkey, Editor of Journal for the Education of Gifted Young Scientists (JEGYS) and Journal of Gifted Education and Creativity

“This book on Emotional, Sociology and Learning disable children is an exceptional formulation of socio-psychological theory and treatment for the gifted students and especially to the parents of gifted children towards understanding their need, ability and intelligence about being gifted. Moreover, this book is well constructed with academic and rigorous scientific research which eventually support to educational, clinical psychology and social lives contributions.” – Mani Man Singh Rajbhandari, Ph.D., Founder and Editor-in-Chief Journal of Interdisciplinary Sciences; Professor/Researcher: Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru. CENTRUM Graduate Business School; Director/Senior Researcher: Organization for Research Development and Training (ORDT)

For more information about this book, please click here.

Lean Manufacturing: Implementation, Opportunities and Challenges

“This book deals with a hot topic and it is extremely useful for understanding integrated production management processes as well as solving the new challenges of industry 4.0.” – Professor Anónio Bastos Pereira, University of Aveiro, Portugal

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The Dissipative Mind: The Human Being as a Triadic Dissipative Structure

“This book represents a true novelty in the field of life sciences and epistemology. The authors have reached an authoritative expertise in the complex biological fields of neuroscience (SC) and immunology (SC, AV) and, with particular reference to Dr Giovanni Vella, who began the approach in the early 1990, in this editorial effort they attempted to elucidate the role and the underneath neural-psychic mechanisms of the Navigator therapy, a psychotherapeutic approach based on the “bodily-cognitive re-structuring.” READ MORE…Professor Tatyana Belikhina, MD, PhD (Psychiatrist-Deputy of Director, Center of Nuclear Medicine and Oncology, Semey University, Kazakhstan), and Dr. Geir Bjørklund (President- Council for Nutritional and Environmental Medicine (CONEM), Mo i Rana, Norway)

“This book attracted my attention, the logical texture of a psychologist, because the authors attempted a bold effort to reach the “hard problem” starting from the apparently “crude” biology. I think honestly that this book deserves to be read and expanded in those fields where science debates too much little about the human being.” READ MORE…Nicola C. Capobianco, Ph.D., Psychologist and Phyxhotherapist, Tecno Bios S.S. Appia km 7 zona P.i.p., Apollosa (Benevento), Italy

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Improving the Academic Writing Experience in Higher Education

This book analyzes the work of Sanches, Antunes and Lopes (2019) who, starting by addressing the concepts underlying the theoretical framework related to the development of writing in an academic context, invites us to reflect on the impact that the regularity of this practice can have on the academic success of higher education students. It also presents the notion that the competencies associated with the planning, guidance, dissemination and analysis of scientific information are based on knowing how to read in a careful way, thinking correctly, arguing logically and writing clearly, which, in the work under analysis, the authors consider to be a basic condition for the transfer of knowledge. It is concluded by proceeding to the approach of the implication and challenge that these formative conditions constitute for the ability to communicate science through a new architectural and morphological structure that, while traditionally already existing, now challenges the authors, but also the professors and librarians, added that it was the new and disruptive paradigm of publication in models associated with Open Science…To read more, click here.– Isabel Sousa Andrade, National School of Public Health, NOVA University of Lisbon

“The book “Improving the Academic Writing Experience in Higher Education” is a solid resource for diverse groups working in academia: faculty, librarians, academic stakeholders, and students. It explores interesting issues related to academic writing. The contributors investigate this topic from different perspectives what widens horizons and allows to better understand the subject…To read more, click here.– Zuza Wiorogórska, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Information Studies, Faculty of Journalism, Information and Book Studies. University of Warsaw, Poland

Introduction of Forensic Nanotechnology as Future Armour

“The intent of this book is to direct results and findings via intermediation of nanotechnology, which is applicable to forensic science. The paradigm of forensic science research is moving toward the development of highly selective, accurate, reliable, rapid, and cost-effective methods for the identification, analysis, and interpretation of physical evidence to determine the truth behind the crime. With the advent of the use of nanotechnology in forensic science, I am sure that this book will be helpful to students, scientists, and researchers to explore and to enhance research opportunities in this diverse field.” – Professor Henry C. Lee, Director, Forensic Research and Training Center, Henry C. Lee Institute of Forensic Science, Distinguished Chair Professor in Forensic Science, University of New Haven, West Haven, CT, USA

“Forensic science, the application of scientific methods and techniques for the purposes of justice, is an interdisciplinary subject. Nanotechnology, which has emerged as a super specialty in the last three decades, leading to tremendous improvement in the analytical methods and techniques in almost every discipline of science, is slowly and gradually infusing into forensic science as well. The present treatise, Introduction of Forensic Nanotechnology as Future Armour, aims to fill the immediate need of a comprehensive book on nanotechnology and its application in various areas of forensic science. I am sure the book will prove to be of immense benefit to the students of forensic science, teachers, members of the judiciary, police, and other law enforcing agencies.” – P.K. Chattopadhyay, Visiting Professor, College of Medicine and Forensics, Jiaotang University, Xi’an, China; Former Professor of Forensic Science, Punjabi University, Patiala, Panjab, India; Ex-President, Indo-Pacific Association of Law, Medicine and Science

“I think that major concerns in forensic investigation and security are on site analysis at trace levels with high reliability because of the chances of losing evidence. This book is definitely motivation to focus on this new area of research to solve the crime on site with the help of nanotechnology in various fields of forensic science, such as detecting explosives, biological mediators, document preservation, fingerprint enhancement, and food adulteration. A must read book for researchers.” – Dr. Shobhana K. Menon, Former Director, School of Sciences, Head of Chemistry and Forensic Science Department, Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, India

For more information about this book, please click here.

The End of Suicidology: Can We Ever Understand Suicide?

“This book may well mark a historic turning point for suicidology: not the end, but a re-awakening. This is a wake-up call.” – C. A. Soper, PhD, Author of “The Evolution of Suicide”

For more information about this book, please click here.