Kategoria BISAC: Social Science >> Reference

Library research has changed dramatically since Marilyn Lutzker and Eleanor Ferrall's Criminal Justice Research in Libraries was published in 1986. In addition to covering the enduring elements of traditional research, this new edition provides full coverage of research using the World Wide Web, hypertext documents, computer indexes, and other online resources. It gives an in-depth explanation of such concepts as databases, networks, and full text, and the Internet gets a full chapter. The chapters on bibliographic searching, the library catalog, and comparative research are almost...

This work is a compilation of diverse information on depression in the elderly, covering the time period from 1970 to 1996. The information comes from many forms, including articles, audio- and videocassettes, books, conference papers, theses and dissertations, and television programs. The work is organized into 12 chapters, with a list of acronyms, three appendixes, and separate author and subject indexes. This book is intended for students as well as health care and related professionals.

Throughout history, people have been intrigued with spirits, angels, or devas as sources of wisdom and guidance. They are not only interesting as those who possess an insight into events and circumstances, but also as proof of life after death. In this clear and useful reference guide, Bjorling presents a listing of the literature on the various ways in which people of different cultures have consulted spirits--through shamans and oracles, magic, mediums, Voodoo, and psychics. Each chapter contains a general introduction to the respective topic as well as a listing of pertinent books,...

Natives and immigrants, men and women, people from all regions, races, religions, and walks of life, have brought varying perspectives to the long-running debate on immigration. Drawing from a large cast of characters--from Thomas Jefferson, Booker T. Washington, and Cesar Chavez to Jane Addams, Henry Ford, and Patrick McCarran--this book introduces students to people who have contributed to U.S. immigration policy from the Revolution to the present. Showing how each person's opinion drew from personal experience and thus added a new dimension to the debate, the book encompasses such...

Typically, other reference works on organized crime in the United States focus primarily on the Mafia and La Cosa Nostra, and neglect the many new ethnic and racial criminal organizations that permeate American society today. This reference fills those gaps while providing systematic detailed coverage of traditional crime families, individuals, significant events, and terms. More than 250 entries provide in-depth information on major underworld figures, from Al Capone to John Gotti and Sammy the Bull Gravano, and key criminal events and milestones. In addition, Kelly, an expert on...

America today is witnessing the largest and most sustained wave of immigrants its borders have ever seen. Although factors like the Great Depression, World War II, and quota restrictions had slowed the massive influx of Europeans from the early part of the 20th century, policies like the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act have relaxed quotas and opened America's doors to hundreds of thousands of immigrants a year, from both Eastern and Western hemispheres, to reach a height of over 9 million immigrants in the 1990s. Today, immigrants and policy-makers alike grapple with issues regarding...

A type of folklore, myth is central to all cultures. Myths convey serious truths learned over generations and provide practical advice for living within a society. And while many myths go back to antiquity, they are also an important part of popular culture. Because they are so fundamental to civilization, myths are studied in a range of disciplines and at all levels. This reference is a comprehensive but convenient introduction to the role of myth in world cultures.

Written by a leading authority, this handbook is of use to high school students, undergraduates, and general...

In light of Los Angeles' gang state of emergency, ethnic and minority gangs are arguably more high profile now than at any other time in our history. News media typically focus on the crime and violence associated with gangs, but not much else. This encyclopedia seeks to illuminate the world of gangs, including gang formations, routine gang activities, aberrations and current developments. One hundred essay entries related to gangs in the United States and worldwide provide a diffuse overview of the gang phenomenon. Each entry defines and explains the term, provides an historical overview,...

For the first time, the Middle Passage--the experience of slaves on the trans-Atlantic ships--receives a full reference treatment in an encyclopedia. This A-to-Z reference consists of 226 signed entries arranged alphabetically, exhaustively covering the Middle Passage from a variety of perspectives for student research and browsing. Each essay entry concludes with suggestions for further reading. The encyclopedia includes an introductory overview of the trans-Atlantic slave trade as well as illustrations, bibliography, and chronology.

As a handy ready-reference, the...

This thought-provoking reference work explores the evolution of America's heated abortion debate in a selection of over 40 primary documents from the 19th century to the present day. The guide includes not only key laws and court cases that have determined abortion policy, but also political speeches, medical essays, theological writings, newspaper advertisements, magazine articles, and popular books that offer insight into America's changing attitudes towards women, race, the medical field, and the role of government in its citizens' personal lives. Each document is preceded by an...

With more than 1,100 entries written by an international group of over 150 contributors, the Encyclopedia of Contemporary German Culture brings together myriad strands of social, political and cultural life in the post-1945 German-speaking world.

With a unique structure and format, an inclusive treatment of the concept of culture, and coverage of East, West and post-unification Germany, as well as Austria and Switzerland, the Encyclopedia of Contemporary German Culture is the first reference work of its kind.

Containing longer overviews of up to 2,000...