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![]() Free Download Josep Maria Castellà Andreu, "Populism and Contemporary Democracy in Europe: Old Problems and New Challenges" English | ISBN: 3030928837 | 2022 | 357 pages | PDF | 3 MB This book provides a comprehensive analysis of the impact of populism on the European democratic polity. In the last two decades, European democracies have come under strain amid growing populism. By asserting the superiority of the majority over the law, of direct democracy over representation, and claiming the necessity to defend national sovereignty against foreign interferences, the populist conception of democracy is in stark contrast with the longstanding Western notion of liberal democracy. This volume investigates populist attempts to radically change what Bobbio called the "rules of the game" of democracy from an eminently legal perspective. Weaving together normative and empirical analysis, the contributions focus on the institutions that have suffered the most from the rise of populism as well as those that have better resisted the populist tide. Special attention will be paid to the Venice Commission's opinions and documents, as they represent the best European standards to evaluate the extent to which populism deviates from constitutional democracy requirements. The book also considers the responses of European States to the explosion of the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has indeed been an accelerator of known and studied trends in most constitutional systems, such as the concentration of powers in the executive hands and the consequential loss of parliament's centrality. Various forms of populism across Europe have thus found an ideal breeding ground to implement their agenda of granting the executive broad regulatory and decision-making powers while loosening parliamentary and judicial checks. Against this backdrop, the book analyses how European democracies should adapt to the challenges posed by the pandemic, as this reflection can help respond to populist threats and propose a way forward for liberal democracy. ![]() Free Download Yoann Doignon, "Population Dynamics in the Mediterranean: A Demographic Convergence? " English | ISBN: 3031377583 | 2023 | 180 pages | PDF | 36 MB This open access book makes a comparative overview of the demographic evolution of the Mediterranean populations. It addresses all the demographic issues since 1950 such as fertility, mortality, growth, demographic aging, and the age structure of the population. The book discusses the major demographic changes and its consequences for the Mediterranean region and describes the socio-economic and societal opportunities such as the silver economy, improvement in health of the population, and progress in education. By providing insights into the past demographic evolutions and analyzing the most recent indicators, this book constitutes an essential reference work for those who wish to better understand the major transformations that Mediterranean societies are undergoing. ![]() Free Download Population Control Policies in China and India: Comparisons with Social and Cultural Factors by Gabe T. Wang English | 2024 | ISBN: 1032309563 | 152 Pages | True ePUB | 1.26 MB ![]() Free Download Rupayan Mukherjee, "Popular Literature: Texts, Contexts, Contestations" English | ISBN: 3838216660 | 2022 | 300 pages | EPUB, PDF | 717 KB + 3 MB This volume offers a selection of critical essays on texts that can be broadly categorized as popular literature. The essays are inclined to question the idea of 'the Canon' and re-consider the divide between the canonical and the popular. As such, besides engaging in a serious critical reading of typical popular literary texts like The Jungle Book and The Hound of the Baskervilles, the book also considers populist tendencies in literary classics like Jane Eyre and Frankenstein. It will be of interest to young scholars and readers of popular literature, science fiction, detective fiction, genre studies, and culture studies. ![]() Free Download Andrew Lack, "Poppy " English | ISBN: 1780236530 | 2016 | 224 pages | PDF | 23 MB Few weeds have been more successful throughout history than the poppy. Hated by farmers for its stubbornness, the poppy has been a favorite of artists and poets, due to its distinct and brilliant color, and it has functioned symbolically as everything from a war memorial to an emblem of the exotic cultures of the East. In this book, Andrew Lack explores all the aspects of one of our most familiar flowers, combining biology, history, and culture to paint a bright portrait of this fascinating plant. ![]() Free Download Bryan Cussen, "Pope Paul III and the Cultural Politics of Reform: 1534-1549 " English | ISBN: 9463722521 | 2020 | 208 pages | PDF | 2 MB When Paul III was elected in 1534, hopes arose across Christendom that this pope would at last reform and reunite the Church. During his fifteen-year reign, though, Paul's engagement with reform was complex and contentious. A work of cultural history, this book explores how cultural narratives of honour and tradition, including how honour played out in politics, significantly constrained Pope Paul and his chosen reformers in framing strategies for change. Indeed, the reformers' programme would have undermined the culture of honour and weakened Rome's capacity to ward off current threats of invasion. The study makes a provocative case that Paul called the Council of Trent to contain reform rather than promote it. Nevertheless, Paul and the Council did sow seeds of reform that eventually became central to the Counter-Reformation. This book thus sheds new light on a pope whose relationship to reform has long been regarded as an enigma. ![]() Free Download Tom Ryan, "Pop Quiz (Orca Limelights)" English | 2017 | pages: 128 | ISBN: 1459812220 | EPUB | 0,8 mb Fifteen-year-old Aiden is a minor cast member on a long-running high school "dramedy" with a low budget and a loyal following. ![]() Free Download Mark James Russell, "Pop Goes Korea: Behind the Revolution in Movies, Music, and Internet Culture" English | 2009 | pages: 260 | ISBN: 1933330686 | EPUB | 8,4 mb "Mr. Russell's book is the first by a non-Korean to explain the rise of Korea's entertainment industries....the book could hardly be more approachable."-Wall Street Journal ![]() Free Download Mitchell Zuckoff, "Ponzi's Scheme: The True Story of a Financial Legend" English | 2005 | pages: 171 | ISBN: 0812968360, 1400060397 | EPUB | 1,0 mb It was a time when anything seemed possible-instant wealth, glittering fame, fabulous luxury-and for a run of magical weeks in the spring and summer of 1920, Charles Ponzi made it all come true. Promising to double investors' money in three months, the dapper, charming Ponzi raised the "rob Peter to pay Paul" scam to an art form. At the peak of his success, Ponzi was raking in more than $2 million a week at his office in downtown Boston. Then his house of cards came crashing down-thanks in large part to the relentless investigative reporting of Richard Grozier's Boston Post. A classic American tale of immigrant life and the dream of success, Ponzi's Scheme is the amazing story of the magnetic scoundrel who launched the most successful scheme of financial alchemy in modern history. ![]() Free Download Ponds: A Practical Guide to Design, Construction and Planting by David Kerr English | January 2, 2024 | ISBN: 0719842530 | 208 pages | MOBI | 72 Mb It's almost impossible to overstate the benefits of creating a well-planned pond in your garden or field. This detailed and practical guide will give the novice and experienced gardener alike a straightforward explanation of how to plan, construct and plant a thriving pond, avoiding common problems and establishing a haven for wildlife. |