Europe Decoded

Yet again a new history of Europe that deals with the story of man in the great land mass from the very beginning of his existence to our own time. But this history is different because it says not only what events took place in the past but also why they happened. Unlike various other previous works on European history, this innovative work undertakes to interpret history with the help of a well-laid logical pattern. Assuredly, it is a unique history because the readers are going to acquaint with the dynamic forces that shaped the history of Europe, in addition to chronologies of kingdoms and empires, lives of kings and emperors, strategies of war and peace, influences of ideas and techniques and impacts of cyclic and linear evolution processes which form the usual topics of history in our own times.

The European Union (EU) and the Eurozone became the economic integration example to follow for years. However, the worldwide economic crisis that unfolded in 2007 put the whole economic integration process in question, the European project in jeopardy and the euro under pressure, with serious doubts that it can survive its first crisis. The core argument of this book is twofold. First, it seeks to explain the difficult political, economic and fiscal idiosyncrasies of all member states in order to put the reasons for the economic crisis into a new and clear perspective. Second, it argues that the institutional response put forward to explain this tremendous crisis is flawed and dangerous because it does not solve the main underlying problem: the deep differences among member states on their understanding of economic and financial behavior. This study counters the leading institutional explanation for the economic crisis that has impacted the entire EU. It presents a unique and provocative explanation of why the EU and the Eurozone are still immersed in an economic crisis and will be of key interest to students and scholars of European Politics and Economics.

The European Union (EU) and the Eurozone became the economic integration example to follow for years. However, the worldwide economic crisis that unfolded in 2007 put the whole economic integration process in question, the European project in jeopardy and the euro under pressure, with serious doubts that it can survive its first crisis. The core argument of this book is twofold. First, it seeks to explain the difficult political, economic and fiscal idiosyncrasies of all member states in order to put the reasons for the economic crisis into a new and clear perspective. Second, it argues that the institutional response put forward to explain this tremendous crisis is flawed and dangerous because it does not solve the main underlying problem: the deep differences among member states on their understanding of economic and financial behavior. This study counters the leading institutional explanation for the economic crisis that has impacted the entire EU. It presents a unique and provocative explanation of why the EU and the Eurozone are still immersed in an economic crisis and will be of key interest to students and scholars of European Politics and Economics.

This unique and provocative explanation of why the EU and the Eurozone are still immersed in an economic crisis seeks to explain the difficult political, economic and fiscal idiosyncrasies of all member states in order to put the reasons for the economic crisis into a new perspective. Second, it argues that the institutional response put forward to explain this tremendous crisis is flawed and dangerous because it does not solve the main underlying problem: the deep differences among member states on their understanding of economic and financial behavior. This study counters the leading institutional explanation for the economic crisis that has impacted the entire EU.

The debate over genetically modified organisms: health and safety concerns, environmental impact, and scientific opinions. Since they were introduced to the market in the late 1990s, GMOs (genetically modified organisms, including genetically modified crops), have been subject to a barrage of criticism. Agriculture has welcomed this new technology, but public opposition has been loud and scientific opinion mixed. In GMOs Decoded, Sheldon Krimsky examines the controversies over GMOs—health and safety concerns, environmental issues, the implications for world hunger, and the scientific consensus (or lack of one). He explores the viewpoints of a range of GMO skeptics, from public advocacy groups and nongovernmental organizations to scientists with differing views on risk and environmental impact. Krimsky explains the differences between traditional plant breeding and “molecular breeding” through genetic engineering (GE); describes early GMO products, including the infamous Flavr Savr tomato; and discusses herbicide-, disease-, and insect-resistant GE plants. He considers the different American and European approaches to risk assessment, dueling scientific interpretations of plant genetics, and the controversy over labeling GMO products. He analyzes a key 2016 report from the National Academies of Sciences on GMO health effects and considers the controversy over biofortified rice (Golden Rice)—which some saw as a humanitarian project and others as an exercise in public relations. Do GMO crops hold promise or peril? By offering an accessible review of the risks and benefits of GMO crops, and a guide to the controversies over them, Krimsky helps readers judge for themselves.

The European Union Explained provides a concise overview of the structure, history, and policies of the European Union. Anyone who needs a quick and accessible introduction to the EU -- including scholars and professionals in government, business, media, or the nonprofit sector -- will find this volume a valuable tool. Ideal for advanced high school and college text use, it is also useful background reading for those planning overseas study, work, or research. Drawing on many years of teaching and consulting, Andreas Staab offers basic terms and interpretive frameworks for understanding the evolution of the EU; the overall structure, purpose, and mandate of its main constituent divisions; and key policy areas, such as market unification.

Using clear language and numerous examples, each chapter of this guide analyses an individual plateau from Deleuze and Guattari's A Thousand Plateaus, interpreting the work for students and scholars.

Bringing together an interdisciplinary team from across the EU, this book connects elements of cultural and planning theories to explain differences and peculiarities among EU member states. A 'culturized planning model' is introduced to consider the 'rules of the game': how culture affects planning practices not only on an explicit 'surface' but also on a 'hidden' implicit level. The model consists of three analytical dimensions: 'planning artifacts', 'planning environment' and 'societal environment'. This book adopts these dimensions to compare planning cultures of different European countries. This sheds light not only on the organizational or institutional structure of planning, but also the influence of deeper cultural values and layers on planning and implementation processes.