“Oh! I have grown so tired of this continual round of parties, calls, and theatre going; I do wish something would happen to break the monotony of my life.” The foregoing remark was made by Mabel Miller, who spoke in a very discontented manner. “Why, Mabel, how can you talk of monotony? There is not a girl in our acquaintance who has more delightful changes of amusement than yourself. What with your winters, a succession of gaieties, your summers at Santa Cruz or Monterey, I don’t see how ...

This groundbreaking book provides a comparative perspective on water management and federalism across multiple countries. Through a collection of case studies, this book explores the water management experiences and lessons learned in nine federal countries and China. The territorial division of power in federations, plus the interconnected politics at the national and regional levels, present a classic governance test for waters shared across multiple political jurisdictions. This is incr...

Scottish and Irish Romanticism is the first single-author book to address the main non-English Romanticisms of the British Isles. Murray Pittock begins by questioning the terms of his chosen title as he searches for a definition of Romanticism and for the meaning of 'national literature'. He proposes certain determining 'triggers' for the recognition of the presence of a national literature, and also deals with two major problems which are holding back the development of a new and...

An engaging and authoritative history of Scotland's influence in the world and the world's on Scotland, from the Thirty Years' War to the present dayScotland is one of the oldest nations in the world, yet by some it is hardly counted as a nation at all. Neither a colony of England nor a fully equal partner in the British union, Scotland has often been seen as simply a component part of British history. But the story of Scotland is one of innovation, exploration, res...

READ IN A DAY. REMEMBER FOR A LIFETIMEScotland is one of the oldest nations in Europe. Its territory remains fundamentally unchanged since the fifteenth century, and its southern border with England has barely altered since 1237. And yet Scotland – a country with a global brand, its own law, education and church – is not a state at all. In The Shortest History of Scotland, Murray Pittock argues that this very ambiguity is what has made the nation a central ...

Is the ‘United’ Kingdom really as united as its name might suggest? For many people in the UK, increasing nationalism in Scotland raises serious questions about what Britain is, and where its future lies. In The Road to Independence?, Murray Pittock not only gives an account of modern Scottish nationalism, but also explains what Scotland’s role in Britain has been historically, and why it has changed radically in the last fifty years, with the debate about independence coming to t...

With the global population expected to reach nine billion by 2050, our capacity to provide enough food, water and energy relies on our understanding and management of the complex interdependencies in the climate-energy-water nexus. This book presents a comprehensive and up-to-date analysis of the interdependencies between these sectors and the knock-on consequences of those interactions for other sectors, such as food production and biodiversity conservation. The interdisciplinary nature o...

"Ecosystem Services and Management Strategy in China" is a two-year international cooperation project that culminated from the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development’s Task Force on Ecosystem Services and Management. It combines case studies, scenario analysis, and stakeholder consultations that focus on Chinese forest, grassland and wetland ecosystems and assesses the economic and social benefits of sustainable ecosystems management. It also identifies ...

Since the Rio 'Earth' Summit of 1992, sustainable development has become the major policy response to tackling global environmental degradation, from climate change to loss of biodiversity and deforestation. Market instruments such as emissions trading, payments for ecosystem services and timber certification have become the main mechanisms for financing the sustainable management of the earth's natural resources. Yet how effective are they - and do they help the planet and developing coun...

In "The God of Civilization," M. A. Mrs. Pittock explores the intricate relationship between cultural values and the constructs of civilization. Employing an insightful narrative style that deftly blends historical analysis and philosophical inquiry, Pittock examines how religious and ethical frameworks have shaped societal progress. The book situates itself within a broader dialogue about civilization's dual nature'—its capacity for both enlightenment and oppression'—inviting readers to e...

Is the United Kingdom really as united as its name might suggest? For many people in the UK, increasing nationalism in Scotland raises serious questions about what the UK is, and where its future lies. In The Road to Independence?, now available in a revised and expanded Second Edition, Murray Pittock not only gives an account of modern Scottish nationalism, but explains what Scotland’s role in Britain has been historically and why it has changed radically in the last 50 years, wi...