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This book explores the application of Soft Systems Methodology in educational research as a qualitative research tool to generate theory, and identifies the mechanisms that engender the behaviours and discourse of social groups. Grounded within the literature from philosophy and science, the approach is predicated on the ontology and epistemology of critical realism. The authors consider the tenets of systems thinking, recognizing that emergent features appear at higher levels of complexity within a hierarchy and that unintended consequences can occur when making decisions in complex situations with interacting components. The central element of the book is the formulation of a research strategy entitled ‘Worldview, Metaphor and Power of Social Objects’ (Womposo) and its application to a research study of the practicum experience of teachers in training. Integral to the methodology is the creation of rich pictures and diagrams. Additionally, images representing different stakeholders’ views of the whole system are presented in revealing illustrations, allowing the reader to grasp each holistic metaphor. It is suitable for postgraduate students and researchers in education and other social science programmes

The Titanic. The Britannic. The Olympic. They are some of the most famous ships in history, but for the wrong reasons. The Olympic Class liners were conceived as the largest, grandest ships ever to set sail. Of the three ships built, the first only lost the record for being the largest because she was beaten by the second, and they were both beaten by the third. The class was meant to secure the White Star Line's reputation as the greatest shipping company on earth. Instead, with the loss of both the Titanic and the Britannic in their first year of service, it guaranteed White Star's infamy. This unique book tells the extraordinary story of these three extraordinary ships from the bottom up, starting with their conception and construction (and later their modification) and following their very different careers. Behind the technical details of these magnificent ships lies a tragic human story – not just of the lives lost aboard the Titanic and Britannic, but of the designers pushing the limits beyond what was actually possible, engineers unable to prepare for every twist of fate, and ship owners and crew who truly believed a ship could be unsinkable. This fascinating story is told with rare photographs, new computer-generated recreations of the ships, and unique wreck images that explore how well the ships were designed and built. Simon Mills offers unparalleled access to shipbuilders Harland & Wolff's specification book for the Olympic Class, including original blueprints and - being made widely available for the first time - large fold-out technical drawings showing how these extensive plans were meant to be seen.

Health promotion is a key mechanism in tackling the foremost health challenges faced by developing and developed nations. Covering key concepts, theory and practical aspects, this new edition continues to focus on the themes central to health promotion practice worldwide. Social determinants, equality and equity, policy and health, working in partnerships, sustainability, evaluation and evidence-based practice are detailed, and the critical application of health promotion to practice is outlined throughout the book. Beginning with the foundations of this important area, in this new edition the authors then place greater emphasis on the role of power within health and communities. Drawing upon international settings and teaching experience in the global North and South, it finishes with a summary of the future directions of professional health promotion practice. Placing a strong emphasis on a global context, this book provides an accessible and engaging resource for postgraduate students of health promotion, public health nursing and related subjects, health practitioners and NGOs.

"For three decades psychiatrists have turned to Lishman's Organic Psychiatry as the standard neuropsychiatry reference. It stood as the last great single author reference text in medicine, a combination of meticulous, exhaustive research conveyed in a beautifully clear style. Now the mantle has been passed to a group of five distinguished authors and it is to their considerable credit that the attributes which made Organic Psychiatry such a distinctive voice remain. The fourth Edition of Lishman's Organic Psychiatry is a rich blend of detailed clinical inquiry and up to date neuroscience. It should be on every psychiatrist;s book shelf." —Anthony Feinstein, MPhil, PhD., FRCP, Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Canada Over the past 30 years, thousands of physicians have depended on Lishman's Organic Psychiatry. Its authoritative and reliable clinical guidance was - and still is - beyond compare. The new edition of this classic textbook has now been extensively revised by a team of five authors, yet it follows the tradition of the original single-authored book. It continues to provide a comprehensive review of the cognitive, emotional and behavioural consequences of cerebral disorders and their manifestations in clinical practice. Enabling clinicians to formulate incisive diagnoses and appropriate treatment strategies, Lishman's Organic Psychiatry is an invaluable source of information for practising psychiatrists, neurologists and trainees. This new edition: covers recent theoretical and clinical developments, with expanded sections on neuropsychology and neuroimaging includes a new chapter on sleep disorders whilst the chapters on Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, Epilepsy, Movement disorders and Traumatic brain injury have been extensively revised reflecting the greatly improved understanding of their underlying pathophysiologies showcases the huge advances in brain imaging and important discoveries in the fields of molecular biology and molecular genetics has been enhanced with the inclusion of more tables and illustrations to aid clinical assessment incorporates important diagnostic tools such as magnetic resonance brain images.

This important book explores how community-based interventions can bridge the gap between health services and the voluntary sector to create more sustainable, healthy communities. Moving beyond a technologically driven, medicalised approach to healthcare, the book shows how social prescribing can provide a direct pathway to improving community health, embracing connection and challenging inequality. Written by a practicing GP, and illustrated through practical guidance, it demonstrates how this can offer a cost-effective, preventative means to improving health outcomes, enabling communities to be more resilient when confronting major issues such as climate change or pandemics. Building to a case study of how these methods were used in one town, Ross-on-Wye, the book will be invaluable reading for those working in healthcare, public health, local authorities, and the voluntary sector, as well as students and researchers interested in these areas.