In religious studies, theory and method research has long been embroiled in a polarized debate over scientific versus theological perspectives. Ronald L. Grimes shows that this debate has stagnated, due in part to a manner of theorizing too far removed from the study of actual religious practices.

A worthwhile theory, according to Grimes, must be practice-oriented, and practices are most effectively studied by field research methods. The Craft of Ritual Studies melds together a systematic the...

An introduction to the mathematical concepts and techniques needed for the construction and analysis of models in molecular systems biology. Systems techniques are integral to current research in molecular cell biology, and system-level investigations are often accompanied by mathematical models. These models serve as working hypotheses: they help us to understand and predict the behavior of complex systems. This book offers an introduction to mathematical concepts and techniques needed for t...

For one-semester, undergraduate-level courses in Optoelectronics and Photonics, in the departments of electrical engineering, engineering physics, and materials science and engineering. This text takes a fresh look at the enormous developments in electo-optic devices and associated materials-such as Pockels (Lithium Niobate) modulators.

Physical Chemistry: Quanta, Matter, and Change 2nd edition takes an exciting and innovative molecular approach to the teaching of physical chemistry. The text focuses on our understanding of the properties of matter at the molecular level, and how these can be linked to the macroscopic world via statistical mechanics and thermodynamics. For the second edition the structure of the text has been radically re-organised.

Instead of being in chapters, material is broken down into 97 short 'topics'...

A detailed overview of the theories, concepts, research methods, and findings in the field of language policy is provided here in one accessible source. The author proposes new methodological, theoretical, and conceptual directions and offers guidance for doing language policy research.

First published in 1945, Maurice Merleau-Ponty monumental Phenomenology de la perception signalled the arrival of a major new philosophical and intellectual voice in post-war Europe. Breaking with the prevailing picture of existentialism and phenomenology at the time, it has become one of the landmark works of twentieth-century thought. This new translation, the first for over fifty years, makes this classic work of philosophy available to a new generation of readers.

Phenomenology of Percept...

Philosophy of Economics: A Contemporary Introduction is the first systematic textbook in the philosophy of economics. It introduces the epistemological, metaphysical and ethical problems that arise in economics, and presents detailed discussions of the solutions that have been offered. Throughout, philosophical issues are illustrated by and analysed in the context of concrete cases drawn from contemporary economics, the history of economic ideas, and actual economic events.

This demonstrates ...

Social Research Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Methods is a highly regarded text that presents a comprehensive and balanced introduction to both qualitative and quantitative approaches to social research with an emphasis on the benefits of combining various approaches.

For the calculus-based General Physics course primarily taken by engineers and science majors (including physics majors). This long-awaited and extensive revision maintains Giancoli's reputation for creating carefully crafted, highly accurate and precise physics texts. Physics for Scientists and Engineers combines outstanding pedagogy with a clear and direct narrative and applications that draw the student into the physics.

The new edition also features an unrivaled suite of media and on-line...

For briefer traditional courses in elementary differential equations that science, engineering, and mathematics students take following calculus. The Sixth Edition of this widely adopted book remains the same classic differential equations text it's always been, but has been polished and sharpened to serve both instructors and students even more effectively.Edwards and Penney teach students to first solve those differential equations that have the most frequent and interesting applications. P...