Human Relations

In this volume, John Warner grapples with one of Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s chief preoccupations: the problem of self-interest implicit in all social relationships. Not only did Rousseau never solve this problem, Warner argues, but he also believed it was fundamentally unsolvable—that social relationships could never restore wholeness to a self-interested human being. This engaging study is founded on two basic but important questions: what do we want out of human relationships, and are we able to achieve what we are after? Warner traces his answers through the contours of Rousseau’s thought on three distinct types of relationships—sexual love, friendship, and civil or political association—as well as alternate interpretations of Rousseau, such as that of the neo-Kantian Rawlsian school. The result is an insightful exploration of the way Rousseau inspires readers to imbue social relations with purpose and meaning, only to show the impossibility of reaching wholeness through such relationships. While Rousseau may raise our hopes only to dash them, Rousseau and the Problem of Human Relations demonstrates that his ambitious failure offers unexpected insight into the human condition and into the limits of Rousseau’s critical act.

Human Relations: Strategies for Success covers both new and time-tested theories of human relations, and shows the relationship between human relations skills and career success in one-on-one situations, groups, and organizations. Self-esteem, self-awareness, attitude, motivation, and values are covered as the text explores the personal side of human relations and how it relates to management theory. Human Relations: Strategies for Success stresses the human relations skills and management principles essential to functioning successfully in a global business environment.

During the 1950s, amid increased attention to the problems facing cities—such as racial disparities in housing, education, and economic conditions; tense community-police relations; and underrepresentation of minority groups—local governments developed an interest in “human relations.” In the wake of the shocking 1965 Watts uprising, a new authority was created: the Los Angeles City Human Relations Commission. Today, such commissions exist all over the United States, charged with addressing such tasks as fighting racial discrimination and improving fair housing access. Brian Calfano and Valerie Martinez-Ebers examine the history and current efforts of human relations commissions in promoting positive intergroup outcomes and enforcing antidiscrimination laws. Drawing on a wide range of theories and methods from political science, social psychology, and public administration, they assess policy approaches, successes, and failures in four cities. The book sheds light on the advantages and disadvantages of different commission types and considers the stresses and expectations placed on commission staff in carrying out difficult agendas in highly charged political contexts. Calfano and Martinez-Ebers suggest that the path to full inclusion is fraught with complications but that human rights commissions provide guidance as to how disparate groups can be brought together to forge a common purpose. The first book to examine these widely occurring yet understudied political bodies, Human Relations Commissions is relevant to a range of urban policy issues of interest to both academics and practitioners.

As a teacher, how can I increase my personal effectiveness, and how can I improve the quality of relationships in the classroom? These are the two fundamental questions which Human Relations in Education sets out to answer - in a way that will appeal to all those concerned with education. Eric and Carol Hall examine issues such as self-concept, social and emotional learning, the dynamics of the staffroom and the classroom, as well as stress management and relaxation. They demonstrate how these affect human relations in schools and colleges. Interpersonal communications and counselling skills are then examined in terms of language, imagery and non-verbal communication. With its original blend of theory and practical exercises, Human Relations in Education is essential reading for both experienced teachers and teachers in training.