It is incredibly satisfying to judge the historical figures of the 18th century by the highly evolved moral standards of the 21st century. It is also intellectually dishonest and sociologically dangerous. Presentism is the cognitive bias of projecting contemporary cultural values onto the past, effectively judging historical actors by rules they had no concept of. This chronological arrogance completely ignores the brutal, complex socio-economic realities and limited information ecosystems...

This book examines folk music and dance revival movements in Russia, exploring why this folk culture has come to represent Russia, how it has been approached and produced, and why memory and tradition, in these particular forms, have taken on particular significance in different periods. Above all it shows how folk "tradition" in Russia is an artificial cultural construct, which is periodically reinvented, and it demonstrates in particular how the "folk revival" has played a key role in st...

A fun and delightful rapper book on the Jewish holidays for children and adults.

"Poignant" Jo Freeman, civil rights activist, a founding member of the feminist movement, author"Badass" Bill Ayers, political organizer, anti-war activist, authorNow 80 years old, retirement and advanced age have dissipated the spirit of six college radicals of the 1960s, who jointly had participated in civil rights campaigns and anti-war protests. Having engaged in only periodic communication over the decades, they suddenly receive an inv...

Revealing the dark truth about the impact of predatory private equity firms on American health care.Won Gold from the Axiom Book Award in the Category of Business Ethics, the Benjamin Franklin Awards by the Independent Book Publishers Association and the North American Book Award in the Catergory of Business Finance, Finalist of the American Book Fest Best Book Social Change and Current Events by the American Book FestPrivate equity (PE) firms pervade all a...

In 1965, the United States government enacted legislation to provide low-income individuals with quality health care and related services. Initially viewed as the friendless stepchild of Medicare, Medicaid has grown exponentially since its inception, becoming a formidable force of its own. Funded jointly by the national government and each of the fifty states, the program is now the fourth most expensive item in the federal budget and the second largest category of spending for almost ever...

Now 80 years old, retirement and advanced age have crushed the spirit of six committed college radicals of the 1960s, who together had participated in civil rights campaigns and anti-war protests. Having pursued separate careers and engaging in only periodic communication with each other over the decades, they suddenly receive an invitation to gather for an extended weekend at a country cabin. Struggling with the vagaries of old age, they have divergent expectations from the get-together. ...

How financial profiteering has reshaped long-term care and jeopardized the well-being of nursing home residents.Nursing homes care for some of the nation's most vulnerable citizens. They are also increasingly controlled by financial actors whose priorities lie far from the bedside. In Financialization of the US Nursing Home Industry, Laura Katz Olson and Michael K. Gusmano examine how for-profit companies—and increasingly private equity firms and real estate invest...

Combining expert knowledge and first-hand experience, a noted elder care researcher confronts the long-distance care of her own mother.Winner of a Gold Medal, 2017 Living Now Book Award in the Caregiving categoryShortlisted for the 2016 Sarton Women's Book Awards in the Memoir category presented by the Story Circle NetworkFor millions of Americans caregiving is the "new normal." For Laura Katz Olson, a respected res...

Attitudes toward long-term care contain a strong residue of negativity in today‘s society and current problems with the system augment such perceptions. Unless dealt with now, this will only get worse, as the 85-and-older crowd is the fastest growing part of the population, and the first wave of Baby Boomers is approaching 60. Exploring and delinea

Religion and politics are never far from the headlines, but their relationship remains complex and often confusing. This book offers an engaging, accessible, and balanced treatment of religion in American politics. It explores the historical, cultural, and legal contexts that motivate religious political engagement and assesses the pragmatic and strategic political realities that religious organizations and people face. Incorporating the best and most current scholarship, the authors exami...

Scholarship on the role of religion in American public life has taken on a new urgency in the increasingly contentious wake of the attacks of September 11, 2001. This volume brings together an impressive group of scholars to build on past work and broaden the scope of this crucial inquiry in two respects: by exploring aspects of the religion-politics nexus in the United States that have been neglected in the past, and by examining traditional questions concerning the religious tincture of ...