The book begins by providing a theoretical and historical overview of empathy as a term and educational tool in the English speaking context. The first two chapters lay the groundwork for the remaining close reading chapters by introducing two new terms: 'pop empathy' and 'empathic education'. I argue that pop empathy is defined by neoliberalism and the commodification of empathy in marketing, advertising, politics and artificial intelligence and that this is impacting the rhetoric of contemporary educational policy in Australia and the United States. Empathic education is defined by educational theory and practice where the experience of empathy is foregrounded as a form of knowledge creation or acquisition. I draw pop empathy and empathic education into conversation throughout the book and use both terms to assist my argument that a complex approach to empathy for literary studies may benefit classroom teaching and learning by resisting over-systematised education.

The remaining chapters of the book offer four unique approaches to empathic literary criticism informed by interdisciplinary methodologies, including educational theory, cognitive science, the philosophy of psychology and literary studies. Chapters 3, 4, 5 and 6 provide readings of texts frequently prescribed for English literary study belonging to different genres: Shakespeare's Hamlet, the poetry of John Keats, the short stories 'A Good Man Is Hard to Find' and 'Everything That Rises Must Converge' by Flannery O'Connor, and Mark Haddon's novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Each chapter engages with the text's historical educational context and its contemporary relation to empathy while offering fresh close readings by applying a critical empathy lens. As a result, these chapters complicate and contribute to debates about the empathic value of subject English. I show how the authors and texts studied bear the mark of empathic education and as a result they offer unique impressions of empathy's make-up and capabilities. Through my readings, I show how empathy has consistently featured in literary studies across time periods and genres while complicating popular rhetorical uses of empathy. I address this wide scope of historical and generic texts as they relate to the current educational landscape because I argue for a new approach to integrating empathy into subject English that privileges empathy as a form of critical interpretation rather than a student outcome.

While Michell had success in theatre and television, the focus here is on his twenty-year career in film and the particular qualities he brought to adaptation and character-driven storytelling. The book explores his handling of relationships and place, from the quiet emotional detail of Persuasion to the observational humour of The Duke, and highlights his ability to subvert narrative conventions through careful attention to mood, tone and performance.

McFarlane's study positions Michell as a perceptive and underappreciated figure in contemporary British cinema, whose work continues to reward close viewing.

Working beyond the strict realm of design and the commissioned briefs, LBA discovered that architects could sometimes become agents of change, negotiators or policy-makers, thus changing both the culture of commissioning projects and the spatial propositions for the future city by adding new layers of community interaction and cultural use to the overall design. It is a labour of generosity that is at the core of the architectural agenda, when we architects are able to address the client's desires and add our own agendas in response to inherent urban issues to fulfil our true civic responsibility.

Through comparative case studies of Italy and the Netherlands, it analyses how parties deploy gendered narratives to oppose feminist and LGBTQ+ rights, justify anti-immigrant policies, and consolidate political power. Drawing on political speeches, campaign materials, manifestos, media coverage, and electoral data, the study reveals the intersections of gender with race, religion, and class in shaping political discourse. The monograph shows that gender is not a peripheral concern but a central axis in far-right strategies, influencing public opinion, social norms, and policy outcomes. By uncovering these dynamics, the book offers insights into the broader implications of far-right politics for democracy, social justice, and inclusive governance in Europe.

The book's primary goal is to propose local solutions for South African communities' peace and security challenges, emphasising peacebuilding approaches. It aims to publish lessons learned from the real-life experiences of scholars and practitioners regarding solutions for preventing violence in South African communities through transformative approaches to mediation.

Sokfa John is a researcher and practitioner in peace mediation, conflict transformation and digital peacebuilding. His research focuses on digital peacebuilding in Africa, localisation and ethnoreligious conflicts.

Excavating the Castle demonstrates that the Gothic novel was present in the selective tradition almost from its inception, was present in the first durable consolidation of English literary history written after its emergence, and that the Gothic concept crystalised more than half a century earlier than historians of the Gothic had realised previously. The historiography of the Gothic has long been considered a settled story, though the findings of this book call that story into significant question. How did we miss so much of the story? This is above all a work of literary history, but it is a work of literary history designed to serve the needs of the field of Gothic studies. That said, it is also about more than the Gothic, implicating much larger issues related to the history of ideas; book history; information and library sciences; the materials, methods, and practice of literary history; the digital humanities; and even questions of individual positionality and human contingency.

Musicians on Twitch: Creativity, Challenges, and the Reality Behind Live Streaming offers a compelling look into the lives of musicians who have embraced Twitch as a platform to share their art, connect with audiences and seek financial stability. While Twitch is often seen as a hub for creativity and innovation, this book uncovers the stark realities lurking beneath the surface. Through a multi-method qualitative research design, it explores the opportunities and challenges 'musician-streamers' face in a gamified, attention-driven ecosystem. From the dominance of a small elite to the relentless pressure to remain 'always on', the book highlights the precarious balance musicians must navigate between personal well-being and professional success.

Combining critical analysis with empathetic storytelling, this book is an essential read for academics, students and anyone interested in the intersections of music, technology and creative labour in the digital age.

The book situates these discussions within the broader context of Latin America's colonial legacy and ongoing decolonization efforts. It demonstrates how the region's nation-states, often founded on myths of cultural homogeneity, have grappled with the complex realities of diverse populations. Through detailed case studies, the book showcases how cultural diversity has become a powerful tool for social empowerment, particularly among racialised groups and other marginalised communities. It also offers insights into the evolution of these policies, tracing the ways in which they have responded to grassroots movements and the global discourse on cultural citizenship.

Furthermore, this work contributes to global debates by positioning Latin America as a key player in rethinking cultural policies that promote diversity, justice, and inclusion. It reflects on the lessons learned from observing these policies, urging readers to consider the broader implications for social cohesion and inclusive development. This work not only provides a thorough analysis of Latin America's unique contributions to cultural policy but also underscores the urgent need for more dynamic, intercultural approaches to address the challenges of the 21st century.

It introduces the key ideas that frame Kripke's sceptical challenge, then analyses the main components of the 'sceptical argument' Kripke attributes to Wittgenstein and elucidates the 'sceptical solution' he takes Wittgenstein to propose as an alternative to classical realism. It also explores how both the sceptical problem and an additional 'special problem' arise in the attributing sensations and in traditional approaches to the problem of other minds. The concluding chapters survey the major responses to Kripke's interpretation developed by philosophers working on the topic since the 1980s, including John McDowell, Simon Blackburn, Gordon Baker, Peter Hacker, Colin McGinn, Crispin Wright, Paul Boghossian, Philip Pettit, Barry Stroud, Hannah Ginsborg, Alexander Miller, George Wilson, Scott Soames, Noam Chomsky, Paul Horwich, as well as Norman Malcolm, Donald Davidson, David Lewis, Christopher Peacocke, Jerry Fodor, David Stern, Alex Byrne, Ruth Millikan, Hilary Putnam and John Searle.

Philosophy of Life looks at the person's relationship to their world. Such a relationship is impregnated with tension arising from constant decision making. By making decisions, a person shifts their modal (possible) worlds, which include their sets of circumstances and their vistas on various aspects of life. A shift between different positions on one's existence in this world creates structural cognitive, emotional and strategic changes that transform what is possible and what is impossible with regard to one's life choices. The decision-making process, on fundamental life issues, is crucially related not only to one's general values but also to one's view of logical possibilities. The book explores the practical aspects of modal logic in decision making and casts it as the foundation of a philosophy of life.

Textiles are an artistic means of articulation: sensitive, political, defiant. Ever since the 1960s in particular, textile arts have become increasingly recognised and subsequently established as an art form in their own right, with female artists blowing apart traditional concepts in their work: textiles became sculptures, installations, social gestures and a medium of feminist empowerment.

This current publication focuses on 40 specially selected 20th- and 21st-century female positions in Europe that evince the multifaceted development of textile expression up to the present day. The charged relationship of textile and body runs through many of the compiled works. For textiles are frequently experienced up close they touch us, literally. And it is in precisely this closeness that the functional or critical, fragile and poetic potential of many textile works unfolds.

This book combines a range of cutting-edge scholarship on themes including Mansfield's school life, telephony, the weather, literary sources and influences, music, and hotels, also including reviews of relevant publications in the field, a diverse range of creative writing, and the first publication of notes by Mansfield's early friend and contemporary in London, Margaret Wishart.

The biography draws extensively on previously unused archive material, including the research papers assembled by Ruth Elvish Mantz for her 1933 biography of Mansfield, detailed reminiscences of former school friends and acquaintances, Mansfield's autograph book, birthday book, her early letters, notebooks and family papers. Using this rich seam of material, Gerri Kimber explores Mansfield's home life and school days, her friendships, first infatuations and sexual experimentation both with young men and young women and her travels through the volcanic North Island of New Zealand and examines her earliest published stories which appeared in school magazines. What emerges is a picture of a feisty, mischievous, young girl and an expressive, non-conformist teenager: the unruly Kass Beauchamp who became Katherine Mansfield, the famous modernist writer.

Showcasing new work by an international and interdisciplinary group of scholars, essays in this collection draw upon a wide range of sources to present familiar topics in original ways, while opening up unexpected vistas for our historical sight.

Essays range from innovative interpretations of famous people and well-known events to examinations of the thoughts and activities of ordinary Scots, with consideration also for how people from the past are publicly commemorated today. Together, they demonstrate the centrality of gender in the shaping of Scottish history.

With the help of eighteen newspapers ten Bavarian and eight Breton alongside a rich variety of both primary and secondary sources, this book examines how the Section francaise de l'Internationale ouvriere (SFIO) and the Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands (SPD) navigated political messaging in two traditionally conservative regions. Focusing on electoral campaigns and May Day-related events between 1919 and 1939, the study challenges the prevailing view of these parties as inflexible and doctrinaire. Instead, it reveals a surprising adaptability and nuance in their approaches, questioning the notion that both parties inevitably became more bureaucratic and conservative during this period.

Through detailed analysis of press coverage and party activities, Red Missionaries uncovers unexpected similarities between the SFIO and SPD, suggesting that their strategies were more aligned than previously assumed. Ultimately, this book not only reconsiders established narratives but also deepens our understanding of socialist politics in inter-war Europe.

Whether you're navigating your first career move, seeking clarity in a leadership transition, or mentoring others, Mentorship invites you to rethink outdated models and embrace the power of authentic mentoring. Through the transformative ACE Framework Align, Collaborate, Evolve this book explores how to build relationships that are flexible, individualised, and rooted in mutual growth. Along the way, you'll develop the Seven Cs of Mentoring: Coachability, Connection, Co-Creation, Capital, Cultivation, Courage, and Competence key competencies that will help you lead with confidence and grow with intention.

With practical tools, guided reflections, and online resources including worksheets, community access, and a digital Take the Lead Toolkit Mentorship is more than a book. It's a roadmap for career growth, leadership development, and meaningful, mentee-led professional development.

To make sense of the copious information on dementia, the book introduces four distinct modes of understanding dementia care, each offering a unique perspective and source of strength. The Describing mode helps caregivers grasp the medical realities of dementia. The Understanding mode addresses the shifting landscape of communication as cognitive abilities change. The Advocating mode guides readers through the complexities and anxieties of securing proper care within an often-confusing health care system. Finally, the Imagining mode reveals how creativity can foster moments of joy and connection, even in the midst of loss.

By filtering the vast array of information on dementia through these practical and empathetic modes, Surviving Dementia Care empowers caregivers to find the guidance they need at each stage of the journey, avoid information overload, and preserve the loving bonds that inspired their caregiving in the first place.

Educators Elaine Beltran-Sellitti and Margaret MacDonald follow the story and findings of a nine-month long research project that took place in a living, environmentally friendly, 'more than green' building housing two university-run childcare centres. The building of interest was designed with many of Reggio Emilia's learning principles in mind. Together, the authors asked the questions: What can children and teachers learn from and with this environmentally conscious Reggio-inspired building? And what is the educator's role in supporting their resultant curiosity and learning? In addition to understanding the special context that was engendered by the living building, the book also addresses the wide-ranging tensions and pressures affecting contemporary teaching practices of curriculum as living inquiry.

This book includes the articulation of a vision for curriculum that is attuned to the elements of sustainability reflected in the architecture of the childcare building, in its furnishings and materials, in the intention to avoid waste, and in the relationships with the forest and garden. It highlights an emergent curriculum project attuning to children's imaginative meaning-making through the structure of the building. Nurtured by varied perspectives including the pedagogy of Reggio Emilia, social constructivism, and new materialism, this book embraces a future for sustainability achieved through the nourishment of meaningful curriculum.

Elaine Beltran-Sellitti is a PhD candidate in educational theory and practice at Simon Fraser University. She is an instructor in the Faculty of Early Childhood Care and Education at Capilano University.

Tracing the contours of Mr. Wilson's fascinating journey, renowned Canadian business historian Dimitry Anastakis brings to light an inspiring story of commitment, determination, and service. Born in Port Colborne in 1940, L. R. 'Red' Wilson's trajectory as a student, foreign service officer, senior civil servant, business leader, supporter of higher education, and philanthropist is an extraordinary tale of post-Second World War Canada. Mr. Wilson held executive leadership positions in some of Canada's largest and most important firms, including Redpath Sugar, the Bank of Nova Scotia, and Bell Canada Enterprises. Recipient of the 1994 International Business Executive of the Year Award, Mr. Wilson was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1997, and he has received honourary degrees from several universities, including McMaster University, where he was Chancellor from 2007-13.
portrays Mr. Wilson's professional and personal lessons, learned from a lifetime of choices, and illustrates the importance of a strong character and astute values in achieving greatness.

Mariaconcetta Costantini is Professor of English Literature at G. d'Annunzio University, Chieti-Pescara, Italy.

Julia Kuehn is Professor of Modern English Literature at the University of Groningen, The Netherlands.

Drawing on a comprehensive study of Italy, Poland, Sweden, and the UK, this ground-breaking research investigates the often-overlooked power structures within civil society. By combining elite studies with civil society research, the book uncovers how a distinct civil society elite emerges and how it interacts with leaders in politics and business.

The findings reveal a fascinating paradox. While this elite may be a powerful engine for social change, its integration into wider power circles risks reproducing the very inequalities it seeks to dismantle. By exploring how this elite can become disconnected from its grassroots, the book provides essential insights into the future of civil society and its democratic promise.

Malin Arvidson is Associate Professor of Social Work at Lund University, Sweden.

Jayeon Lee is Senior Lecturer in Social Work, Gothenburg University, Sweden.

Roberto Scaramuzzino is Associate Professor of Social Work at Lund University, Sweden.

All authors are well published in reputable journals such as Journal of civil society, Voluntary Sector Review, Comparative Migration Studies, Disability & Society, Sociology of Health and Illness and have published books for Routledge, Palgrave, amongst others.

Reconsidering the accepted chronology of the 'global turn', The art of decolonisation shows that the roots of global art discourse run deeper than the 1990s, and were already forming during the era of independence struggles.

Boris Johnson's tenure as prime minister was marked by a series of scandals that severely eroded trust in the government. From questionable PPE tenders to the 'partygate' fiasco, every aspect of public life seemed tainted. How did this downward spiral begin, and what can be done to reverse it?

John Bowers KC presents a fearless examination of the decline in ethical standards before, during and after the Johnson government. Through interviews with insiders, he reveals how the institutions responsible for holding the government to account have been bypassed, and shines a light on a culture of favouritism, where standards are upheld based on little more than the assumption those in power can be trusted to behave.

The Labour victory in July 2024 marked a changing of the guard, but the system remains vulnerable to abuse. Downward spiral presents concrete proposals for creating an alternative that is more transparent and accountable.

The centuries-old craft of basketmaking and collection of baskets from around the world, from ancient Egypt to the current day, is interwoven with rich and diverse human stories. This account charts the last 200 years of the Kew collection.

Weaving Nature takes a holistic and interdisciplinary view of the journey from plant to basket it explains why certain plants are favoured by makers and shows how raw materials are worked to achieve the desired use. New discoveries in the historic ethnobotanical collections of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew unravels the complex web of empire, trade and exploration that contributed to this vast collection. Rich in stories and images, Weaving Nature offers new ways of appreciating one of humankind's oldest art forms.

Ruth Stungo worked for a decade as the Chelsea Physic Garden's taxonomist and historical researcher. Since undertaking a three-year basketry course, she explores Kew's rich collections.

In the midst of the First World War, an extraordinary intelligence unit operated from Cairo's Savoy Hotel, combining the skills of archaeologists, academics and soldiers to revolutionise how Britain gathered information and shaped events in the Middle East. Overshadowed by Lawrence of Arabia, the Arab Bureau's true significance has remained hidden in plain sight ever since.

This fascinating study uncovers the Bureau's remarkable story through newly discovered Arabic documents and previously overlooked archives. At its heart lies an astonishing find: Thawrat al-Arab, an ambitious Arabic-language book and the longest piece of British propaganda produced during the war. From the Arab Bulletin's secret intelligence reports to sophisticated propaganda campaigns, the Bureau was decades ahead of its time. The team including archaeologists fresh from desert digs and scholars fluent in local dialects developed new methods of cultural intelligence that would influence future generations.

Eamonn Gearon's compelling narrative reveals how this unique organisation navigated the complexities of Arab politics, tribal rivalries and Ottoman intelligence, while developing techniques that resonate with today's challenges in intelligence-gathering. Essential reading for anyone interested in intelligence history, the Middle East or how innovation occurs in wartime, this book transforms our understanding of a crucial moment in world history.

Europe is a place of natural wonders, from the icy expanses of the tundra to the arid beauty of deserts and the lush vibrancy of rainforests. This illustrated guide covers all the continent's major habitats, providing an invaluable resource for understanding and preserving its breathtaking landscapes, ecosystems, and wildlife. Unlike standard habitat classification systems that focus solely on plant communities, Habitats of Europe offers a unique approach to understanding habitats by combining animal assemblages with descriptions of habitat structure, climate, soils, and vegetation. Perfect for nature lovers and ecologists. Whether you're a seasoned ecologist or a curious nature lover, this one-of-a-kind field guide will inspire you to explore and protect the rich biodiversity of Europe.

• Features engaging, fact-filled descriptions of 56 major habitats
• Includes a wealth of climate graphs, silhouettes, and breathtaking colour photos
• Presents an easy-to-use system for assessing and understanding habitats developed in collaboration with experts in conservation, birding, and tour guiding
• Encourages the reader to look beyond individual species and understand the intricate interactions that define each ecosystem
• Makes habitat science accessible to a wider audience, enticing the reader to discover more about the continent and its ecology
• An ideal travel companion for birders, naturalists, and wildlife enthusiasts
• The go-to reference for conservation organizations, ecologists, and policymakers

Iain Campbell is a professional nature guide and habitat ecologist whose books include Habitats of Africa and Habitats of North America (both Princeton) and multiple bird guides.

Pete Morris is a highly regarded bird tour guide and wildlife photographer. He is the coauthor of Birds of Madagascar.