Zones Of Contention

Addresses the questions: What might be the role of the artist in the 21st century? How essential is art to the psychic and political well-being of American society?

How much 'say' should employees have in the running of business organizations, and what form should the 'voice' take? This is both the oldest and latest question in employment relations. Answers to these questions reflect our fundamental assumptions about the nature of the employment relationship, and inform our views on almost every aspect of Human Resource Management (HRM) and Employment Relations. Voice can also mean different things to different people. For some, employee voice is a synonym for trade union representation which aims to defend and promote the collective interests of workers. For others voice, is means of enhancing employee commitment and organisational performance. Others advocate workers control as an alternative to conventional capitalist organisations which are run for shareholders. There is thus both a moral and political argument for a measure of democracy at work, as well as a business case argument, which views voice as a potential link in the quest for increased organisational performance. The key debate for employment relations is which of the approaches 'works best' in delivering outcomes which balance competitiveness and productivity, on the one hand, and fair treatment of workers and social justice on the other. Policy makers need pragmatic answers to enduring questions: what works best in different contexts, what are the conditions of success, and what are the drawbacks? Some of the most significant developments in employee voice have taken place within the European Union, with various public policy and employer experiments attracting extensive academic research. The book offers a critical assessment of the main contemporary concepts and models of voice in the UK and Europe, and provides an in-depth theoretical and empirical exploration of employee voice in one accessible and cohesive collection.

From the targeted demolition of Mostar’s Stari-Most Bridge in 1993 to the physical and social havoc caused by the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami, the history of cities is often a history of destruction and reconstruction. But what political and aesthetic criteria should guide us in the rebuilding of cities devastated by war and natural calamities? The title of this timely and inspiring new book, Architects Without Frontiers, points to the potential for architects to play important roles in post-war relief and reconstruction. By working “sans frontières”, Charlesworth suggests that architects and design professionals have a significant opportunity to assist peace-making and reconstruction efforts in the period immediately after conflict or disaster, when much of the housing, hospital, educational, transport, civic and business infrastructure has been destroyed or badly damaged. Through selected case studies, Charlesworth examines the role of architects, planners, urban designers and landscape architects in three cities following conflict - Beirut, Nicosia and Mostar - three cities where the mental and physical scars of violent conflict still remain. This book expands the traditional role of the architect from 'hero' to 'peacemaker' and discusses how design educators can stretch their wings to encompass the proliferating agendas and sites of civil unrest.

Applied geography, a new frontier in geographic discipline, distinguishes itself from other branches of geography through the application of geographical knowledge and its techniques in solving practical problems of the land and the environment. Explorations in Applied Geography is a felicitation volume in honour of Professor L.R. Singh, Department of Geography, University of Allahabad, who has established his international credentials as a leading exponent of Applied Geography. He considers public policy to be one of the applications of applied geographic principles, since many problems facing society today have a geographical dimension. To Professor L.R. Singh, Applied Geography is the strategy of the trinity of men, space and resources which need to be harmonized in advancing human well-being. This volume, contributed by geographers of eminence within the country and from other parts of the globe, focuses on the following thrust areas: • Natural and environmental hazards • Environmental change and management • Challenges of the human environment • Application of techniques of spatial analysis In a nutshell, the book emphasizes the important proactive role that the Applied Geography must play in the formulation of public policies and programmes for sustainable human development. This comprehensive and classic compendium will not only be useful to post-graduate students in geography but also provide new vistas in geographic research.