Why is there such an active and ongoing resistance to mandatory vaccination? This book examines why vaccination as a public health measure continues to be highly controversial.Objections to mandatory vaccination are widespread in the world today. Rather than being a new development, such objections have existed since vaccinations were first introduced. This book provides complete coverage of the history and background of vaccination issues in the United States and ...

Environmental Justice: A Reference Handbook, Second Edition offers a current overview of the environmental inequities faced by poor and minority communities and the development of the grassroots movement working to address them.Building on the original edition's focus on the link between social inequalities and the uneven distribution of environmental hazards in the air, water, and soil, Environmental Justice: A Reference Handbook, Second Edition ...

This thoroughly updated edition provides readers with the background and resources needed to understand one of the greatest civil rights issues of our time.When it was first published in 1994, Gay and Lesbian Rights: A Reference Handbook was acclaimed in School Library Journal for taking "a sober and balanced approach in addressing this emotionally charged and complex topic." The new edition shows just how far the nation has come in securing legal...

This single-volume resource provides sound, up-to-date information and authoritative resources for research on the controversial topics of the use of marijuana for medical and recreational purposes and the effects of marijuana use on society.The use of marijuana has consistently been a highly controversial, polarizing, and emotional topic, so much so that social, cultural, and religious factors have largely influenced public opinion, legislation, and law enforcemen...

Sexual Health provides teenagers with a comprehensive review of common problems related to sexual health, offering suggestions and resources for understanding and working through those issues.What are the major types of sexually transmitted diseases and how are they contracted and treated? How effective are different types of contraception? How do you recognize the stages of puberty? The defining feelings of sexual orientation? This candid, authoritative h...

Robots: A Reference Handbook differs from most other books on robotics in the variety of resources that it provides to readers of all ages.Robots: A Reference Handbook teaches readers about a wide variety of robots. It opens with a history of robotics, dating to ancient Greece and Rome, at which time an impressive array of automata were invented for entertainment, religious, and instructional purposes. It follows the development of automata and ro...

This outstanding resource guide for students and young adults provides an introduction to the history of prescription drug abuse that explains how this problem has arisen and examines the social, political, economic, and health issues associated with prescription drug abuse in modern society.Evidence suggests that both adults and youth are abusing a wider range of prescription drugs and abusing them more frequently than has been the case in the past. Prescription d...

While covering the fascinating history of wind power as a whole, this timely handbook focuses on current technological developments and the promise—and pitfalls—of wind energy as part of the world's energy future.The use of wind power for the generation of electricity holds vast potential for solving the world's energy problems, but numerous technical and social issues must be addressed before that potential can be realized. This handbook will both educate students...

A 2022 Choice Outstanding Academic Title"This concise, informative, and revealing overview of hate groups is an excellent starting point for researchers and readers." – Library JournalHate Groups: A Reference Handbook offers answers to essential questions about hate groups in a way that is accessible to students and general readers interested in this important topic.This book covers the topic of ha...

This book provides a detailed introduction to natural disasters and the ways in which they have had and continue to have, profound effects on human society.Natural Disasters: A Reference Handbook surveys the impact of these events on human civilization. The opening chapter provides a general history and background of the major types of natural disasters, including earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, severe storms, and forest fires. The information presented i...

Providing an exhaustive background on the history of genetically modified organism (GMO) crops and foods as well as the controversies surrounding these products, this book allows readers to develop their own particular viewpoint on the production and use of GMO substances.Genetic engineering has long been used to impart desirable characteristics to food plants in order to improve crop yield, pest resistance, and herbicide tolerance. Genetic modification of foods, h...

A comprehensive overview of opioid use throughout human history, current problems surrounding opioid abuse, and suggested approaches to solving these problems.Dependence on opioids has grown into an epidemic, its effects felt globally and most of all in the United States. The Opioid Crisis: A Reference Handbook provides a detailed and accurate history of opioid use, helping readers to understand how the crisis developed, as well as a review of problems ari...