Constructive Approximation

As a partner to Volume 1: Dimensional Continuous Models, this monograph provides a self-contained introduction to algebro-geometric solutions of completely integrable, nonlinear, partial differential-difference equations, also known as soliton equations. The systems studied in this volume include the Toda lattice hierarchy, the Kac-van Moerbeke hierarchy, and the Ablowitz-Ladik hierarchy. An extensive treatment of the class of algebro-geometric solutions in the stationary as well as time-dependent contexts is provided. The theory presented includes trace formulas, algebro-geometric initial value problems, Baker-Akhiezer functions, and theta function representations of all relevant quantities involved. The book uses basic techniques from the theory of difference equations and spectral analysis, some elements of algebraic geometry and especially, the theory of compact Riemann surfaces. The presentation is constructive and rigorous, with ample background material provided in various appen

This simple, compact toolkit for designing and analyzing stochastic approximation algorithms requires only basic literacy in probability and differential equations. Yet these algorithms have powerful applications in control and communications engineering, artificial intelligence and economic modelling. The dynamical systems viewpoint treats an algorithm as a noisy discretization of a limiting differential equation and argues that, under reasonable hypotheses, it tracks the asymptotic behaviour of the differential equation with probability one. The differential equation, which can usually be obtained by inspection, is easier to analyze. Novel topics include finite-time behaviour, multiple timescales and asynchronous implementation. There is a useful taxonomy of applications, with concrete examples from engineering and economics. Notably it covers variants of stochastic gradient-based optimization schemes, fixed-point solvers, which are commonplace in learning algorithms for approximate

Continued fractions, studied since Ancient Greece, only became a powerful tool in the eighteenth century, in the hands of the great mathematician Euler. This book tells how Euler introduced the idea of orthogonal polynomials and combined the two subjects, and how Brouncker's formula of 1655 can be derived from Euler's efforts in Special Functions and Orthogonal Polynomials. The most interesting applications of this work are discussed, including the great Markoff's Theorem on the Lagrange spectrum, Abel's Theorem on integration in finite terms, Chebyshev's Theory of Orthogonal Polynomials, and very recent advances in Orthogonal Polynomials on the unit circle. As continued fractions become more important again, in part due to their use in finding algorithms in approximation theory, this timely book revives the approach of Wallis, Brouncker and Euler and illustrates the continuing significance of their influence. A translation of Euler's famous paper 'Continued Fractions, Observation' is

How is theology liberating? In the context of a post-Gorbachev world, where many demand freedom which the Western powers seem ill-equipped to deliver, is it even possible to envisage a liberative theology? Taking as his starting point the Marxist complaint that Christianity is ideological, Peter Scott argues that it is not enough for Christian theology to talk about liberation: it must be liberative. Stressing with feminist and liberation theologies the embodied, contextual nature of theology, the constructive proposal made here locates God's liberating abundance toward society in an interpretation of resurrection as social. Only in this way, in the author's view, can a trinitarian Christian account of liberation be adequately grounded. The book will be of interest to all those who wish to know if theology may speak truthfully about the transformation of society: it offers the shape of a liberative theology pointing towards social freedom.

Presenting a thorough overview of the theoretical foundations of non-parametric system identification for nonlinear block-oriented systems, this book shows that non-parametric regression can be successfully applied to system identification, and it highlights the achievements in doing so. With emphasis on Hammerstein, Wiener systems, and their multidimensional extensions, the authors show how to identify nonlinear subsystems and their characteristics when limited information exists. Algorithms using trigonometric, Legendre, Laguerre, and Hermite series are investigated, and the kernel algorithm, its semirecursive versions, and fully recursive modifications are covered. The theories of modern non-parametric regression, approximation, and orthogonal expansions, along with new approaches to system identification (including semiparametric identification), are provided. Detailed information about all tools used is provided in the appendices. This book is for researchers and practitioners in

This work seeks to identify the potentials and shortcomings of different approaches to international conflict resolution involving third parties, focusing on the differences between adjudicative and a

If you need a book that relates the core principles of quantum mechanics to modern applications in engineering, physics, and nanotechnology, this is it. Students will appreciate the book's applied emphasis, which illustrates theoretical concepts with examples of nanostructured materials, optics, and semiconductor devices. The many worked examples and more than 160 homework problems help students to problem solve and to practise applications of theory. Without assuming a prior knowledge of high-level physics or classical mechanics, the text introduces Schrödinger's equation, operators, and approximation methods. Systems, including the hydrogen atom and crystalline materials, are analyzed in detail. More advanced subjects, such as density matrices, quantum optics, and quantum information, are also covered. Practical applications and algorithms for the computational analysis of simple structures make this an ideal introduction to quantum mechanics for students of engineering, physics, nan

This book attacks the assumption found in moral philosophy that social control as such is an intellectually and morally destructive force. It replaces this view with a richer and deeper perspective on the nature of social character aimed at showing how social freedom cannot mean immunity from social pressure. The author demonstrates how our competence as rational and social agents depends on a constructive adaptation of social control mechanisms. Our facility at achieving our goals is enhanced, rather than undermined, by social control. The author then articulates sources, contracts, and degrees of legitimate social control in different social and historical settings. Drawing on a wide range of material in moral and political philosophy, law, cognitive and social psychology, anthropology and literature, Professor Schoeman shows how the aim of moral philosophy ought to be to understand our social character, not to establish fortifications against it in the name of rationality and autono

Dan Bar-On's psychosocial approach sees identity as dynamic, constructed in contra-distinction to various 'Others'. Drawing parallels to other societies, he looks most closely at identity formation among Israelis, or more precisely, among the largely secular Jews from European lands who formed the hegemonic backbone of Israeli society. Case studies and analysis depict various stages in identity formation, as do 'personal windows' onto the author as he experienced these stages. Others such as Diaspora Jews, Jews from Muslim countries, and Arabs represent repressed aspects of the collective self. Monolithic identity disintegrates over time, in ways that are often confusing and painful. The perception of threat often creates a 'neo-monolithic backlash'. Yet the book holds out the possibility of a constructive dialogue, internal and among groups in society, that will give rise to a better-integrated and more inclusive identity construction.

Dan Bar-On's psychosocial approach sees identity as dynamic, constructed in contra-distinction to various 'Others'. Drawing parallels to other societies, he looks most closely at identity formation among Israelis, or more precisely, among the largely secular Jews from European lands who formed the hegemonic backbone of Israeli society. Case studies and analysis depict various stages in identity formation, as do 'personal windows' onto the author as he experienced these stages. Others such as Diaspora Jews, Jews from Muslim countries, and Arabs represent repressed aspects of the collective self. Monolithic identity disintegrates over time, in ways that are often confusing and painful. The perception of threat often creates a 'neo-monolithic backlash'. Yet the book holds out the possibility of a constructive dialogue, internal and among groups in society, that will give rise to a better-integrated and more inclusive identity construction.

Threats to fungi and fungal diversity throughout the world have prompted debates about whether and how fungi can be conserved. Should it be the site, or the habitat, or the host that is conserved? All of these issues are addressed in this volume, but coverage goes beyond mere debate with constructive guidance for management of nature in ways beneficial to fungi. Different parts of the world experience different problems and a range of examples are presented; from Finland in the North to Kenya in the South, and from Washington State, USA in the West to Fujian Province, China in the East. Equally wide-ranging solutions, are put forward, from voluntary agreements, through land management techniques, to primary legislation. Taken together, these provide useful suggestions about how fungi can be included in conservation projects in a range of circumstances.

In this book, David Novak conducts an historical, philosophical and theological reflection on the central Jewish doctrine of Israel's election by God, also known as the idea of the chosen people. Historically, he analyses the great change in modern Jewish thought brought about by Spinoza's inversion of the doctrine: that it was not God who elected Israel, but Israel who elected God. The development of that inversion is illustrated by the thought of the German philosopher-theologian, Hermann Cohen. Philosophically, Novak explores the ontological implications of the two differing theologies of election. Theologically, he argues for the correlation of election and revelation, and maintains that a theology of election is required in order to deal with two central questions, namely: who are the Jews, and how are Jews to be related to the world? The constructive picture which results leads to a fresh understanding of Jewish modernity.

What does it mean today to 'think like a lawyer'? Drawing on extensive interviews with men and women attorneys, the authors explore how moral reasoning affects lawyers' understanding of justice and their own role in promoting it. This examination of personal and institutional imperatives in the legal profession, illustrated with quotations from the lawyers themselves, raises questions that transcend traditional discussions of legal ethics. The authors examine: the relationship between gender and patterns of moral thinking; the ways that personal morality affects public and professional responsibility; the legal system's response to social changes in public ethics and in women's roles. In conclusion the authors offer suggestions for constructive changes in legal education and the code of professional ethics to foster morally responsive democracy. All those concerned with moral reasoning, gender roles, and the evolution of the legal system will find this stimulating and timely reading.

The seven original essays included in this volume from 2000, written by some of the world's most distinguished moral and legal philosophers, offer a sophisticated perspective on issues about the objectivity of legal interpretation and judicial decision-making. They examine objectivity from both metaphysical and epistemological perspectives and develop a variety of approaches, constructive and critical, to the fundamental problems of objectivity in morality. One of the key issues explored is that of the alleged 'domain-specificity' of conceptions of objectivity, i.e. whether there is a conception of objectivity appropriate for ethics that is different in kind from the conception of objectivity appropriate for other areas of study. This volume considers the intersection between objectivity in ethics and objectivity in law. It presents a survey of live issues in metaethics, and examines their relevance to theorizing about law and adjudication.

This book offers key insights into how to manage software development across international boundaries. It is based on a series of case studies looking at the relationships between firms from North America, the UK, Japan and Korea with Indian software houses. In these case studies, which have typically been compiled over a 3-4 year timespan, the authors analyse the multi-faceted challenges encountered in managing these Global Software Alliances (GSAs). These challenges range from the conflicts that managers face when dealing with distance, to the tensions of transferring knowledge across time and space, to issues in trying to establish universal standards in a context of constant change, and the problems of identity that developers and clients experience in having to deal with different organizations and countries. Throughout the book, the authors draw on their extensive research and experience to offer constructive advice on how to manage GSAs more effectively.

The simulation of physical systems requires a simplified, hierarchical approach which models each level from the atomistic to the macroscopic scale. From quantum mechanics to fluid dynamics, this book systematically treats the broad scope of computer modeling and simulations, describing the fundamental theory behind each level of approximation. Berendsen evaluates each stage in relation to its applications giving the reader insight into the possibilities and limitations of the models. Practical guidance for applications and sample programs in Python are provided. With a strong emphasis on molecular models in chemistry and biochemistry, this 2007 book will be suitable for advanced undergraduate and graduate courses on molecular modeling and simulation within physics, biophysics, physical chemistry and materials science. It will also be a useful reference to all those working in the field. Additional resources for this title including solutions for instructors and programs are available

Statistical physics has its origins in attempts to describe the thermal properties of matter in terms of its constituent particles, and has played a fundamental role in the development of quantum mechanics. Based on lectures taught by Professor Kardar at MIT, this textbook introduces the central concepts and tools of statistical physics. It contains a chapter on probability and related issues such as the central limit theorem and information theory, and covers interacting particles, with an extensive description of the van der Waals equation and its derivation by mean field approximation. It also contains an integrated set of problems, with solutions to selected problems at the end of the book and a complete set of solutions is available to lecturers on a password protected website at www.cambridge.org/9780521873420. A companion volume, Statistical Physics of Fields, discusses non-mean field aspects of scaling and critical phenomena, through the perspective of renormalization group.

Ethnic conflict often focuses on culturally charged symbols and rituals that evoke strong emotions from all sides. Marc Howard Ross examines battles over diverse cultural expressions, including Islamic headscarves in France, parades in Northern Ireland, holy sites in Jerusalem and Confederate flags in the American South to propose a psychocultural framework for understanding ethnic conflict, as well as barriers to, and opportunities for, its mitigation. His analysis explores how culture frames interests, structures demand-making and shapes how opponents can find common ground to produce constructive outcomes to long-term disputes. He focuses on participants' accounts of conflict to identify emotionally significant issues, and the power of cultural expressions to link individuals to larger identities and shape action. Ross shows that, contrary to popular belief, culture does not necessarily exacerbate conflict; rather, the constructed nature of psychocultural narratives can facilitate

Ethnic conflict often focuses on culturally charged symbols and rituals that evoke strong emotions from all sides. Marc Howard Ross examines battles over diverse cultural expressions, including Islamic headscarves in France, parades in Northern Ireland, holy sites in Jerusalem and Confederate flags in the American South to propose a psychocultural framework for understanding ethnic conflict, as well as barriers to, and opportunities for, its mitigation. His analysis explores how culture frames interests, structures demand-making and shapes how opponents can find common ground to produce constructive outcomes to long-term disputes. He focuses on participants' accounts of conflict to identify emotionally significant issues, and the power of cultural expressions to link individuals to larger identities and shape action. Ross shows that, contrary to popular belief, culture does not necessarily exacerbate conflict; rather, the constructed nature of psychocultural narratives can facilitate

Mechanisms of imitation and social matching play a fundamental role in development, communication, interaction, learning and culture. Their investigation in different agents (animals, humans and robots) has significantly influenced our understanding of the nature and origins of social intelligence. Whilst such issues have traditionally been studied in areas such as psychology, biology and ethnology, it has become increasingly recognised that a 'constructive approach' towards imitation and social learning via the synthesis of artificial agents can provide important insights into mechanisms and create artefacts that can be instructed and taught by imitation, demonstration, and social interaction rather than by explicit programming. This book studies increasingly sophisticated models and mechanisms of social matching behaviour and marks an important step towards the development of an interdisciplinary research field, consolidating and providing a valuable reference for the increasing numb

Adam Smith is the best known among economists for his book, The Wealth of Nations, often viewed as the keystone of modern economic thought. For many he has become associated with a quasi-libertarian laissez-faire philosophy. Others, often heterodox economists and social philosophers, on the contrary, focus on Smith's Theory of Moral Sentiments, and explore his moral theory. There has been a long debate about the relationship or lack thereof between these, his two great works. This work treats these dimensions of Smith's work as elements in a seamless moral philosophical vision, demonstrating the integrated nature of these works and Smith's other writings. This book weaves Smith into a constructive critique of modern economic analysis (engaging along the way the work of Nobel Laureates Gary Becker, Amarty Sen, Douglass North, and James Buchanan) and builds bridges between that discourse and the other social sciences.

The focus of this book is the continuing strength of pure mathematics in Russia after the post-Soviet diaspora. The authors are eight young specialists who are associated with strong research groups in Moscow and St. Petersburg in the fields of algebraic geometry and number theory. Their articles are based on lecture courses given at British universities. The articles are mainly surveys of the recent work of the research groups and contain a substantial number of original results. Topics covered are embeddings and projective duals of homogeneous spaces, formal groups, mirror duality, del Pezzo fibrations, Diophantine approximation and geometric quantization. The authors are I. Arzhantsev, M. Bondarko, V. Golyshev, M. Grinenko, N. Moshchevitin, E. Tevelev, D. Timashev and N. Tyurin. Mathematical researchers and graduate students in algebraic geometry and number theory worldwide will find this book of great interest.

Semantic Leaps explores how people combine knowledge from different domains in order to understand and express new ideas. Concentrating on dynamic aspects of on-line meaning construction, Coulson identifies two related sets of processes: frame-shifting and conceptual blending. Frame-shifting is semantic reanalysis in which existing elements in the contextual representation are reorganized into a new frame. Conceptual blending is a set of cognitive operations for combining partial cognitive models. By addressing linguistic phenomena often ignored in traditional meaning research, Coulson explains how processes of cross-domain mapping, frame-shifting and conceptual blending enhance the explanatory adequacy of traditional frame-based systems for natural language processing. The focus is on how the constructive processes speakers use to assemble, link and adapt simple cognitive models underlie a broad range of productive language behaviour.

A natural sequel to the author's previous book Combinatorial Matrix Theory written with H. J. Ryser, this is the first book devoted exclusively to existence questions, constructive algorithms, enumeration questions, and other properties concerning classes of matrices of combinatorial significance. Several classes of matrices are thoroughly developed including the classes of matrices of 0's and 1's with a specified number of 1's in each row and column (equivalently, bipartite graphs with a specified degree sequence), symmetric matrices in such classes (equivalently, graphs with a specified degree sequence), tournament matrices with a specified number of 1's in each row (equivalently, tournaments with a specified score sequence), nonnegative matrices with specified row and column sums, and doubly stochastic matrices. Most of this material is presented for the first time in book format and the chapter on doubly stochastic matrices provides the most complete development of the topic to dat

Departing from the conventional view of mishnaic transmission as mindless rote memorisation, Transmitting Mishnah, first published in 2006, reveals how multifaceted the process of passing on oral tradition was in antiquity. Taking advantage of the burgeoning field of orality studies, Elizabeth Shanks Alexander has developed a model of transmission that is both active and constructive. Proceeding by means of intensive readings of passages from tractate Shevuot and its Talmudic commentaries, Alexander alerts us to the fact that transmitters and handlers of mishnaic text crafted both the vagaries of expression and its received meanings. She illustrates how the authority of the Mishnah grew as the result of the sustained attention of a devoted community of readers and students. She also identifies the study practices and habits of analysis that were cultivated by oral performance and shows how they were passed on in tandem with the verbal contents of the Mishnah, thereby influencing how th

Developments in sensor and processor sophistication have created a need for effective estimation and control algorithms for hybrid, nonlinear systems. This book presents an effective, flexible family of estimation algorithms that can be used in estimating or controlling a variety of nonlinear plants. Several applications are studied, including tracking a manoeuvring aircraft, automatic target recognition, and the decoding of signals transmitted across a wireless communications link. The authors begin by setting out the necessary theoretical background and then develop a practical, finite-dimensional approximation to an optimal estimator. Throughout the book, they illustrate theoretical results by simulation of control and estimation in real-world hybrid systems, drawn from a variety of engineering fields. The book will be of great interest to graduate students and researchers in electrical and computer engineering. It will also be a useful reference for practising engineers involved in

This graduate/research level text introduces the theory of multi-electron transitions in atomic, molecular and optical physics, emphasising the emerging topic of dynamic electron correlation. The book begins with an overview of simple binomial probabilities, classical scattering theory, quantum scattering and correlation, followed by the theory of single electron transition probabilities. Multiple electron transition probabilities are then treated in detail. Various approaches to multiple electron transitions are covered including the independent electron approximation, useful statistical methods and perturbation expansions treating correlation in both weak and strong limits. The important topic of the dynamics of electron correlation is a central theme in this book. The text contains a comprehensive summary of data for few and many-electron transitions in atoms and molecules, including transitions on different atomic centres, fast ion-atom and electron-atom interactions, and recent ob

Animal Traditions maintains that the assumption that the selection of genes supplies both a sufficient explanation of the evolution and a true description of its course is, despite its almost universal acclaim, wrong. Eytan Avital and Eva Jablonka contend that evolutionary explanations must take into account the well-established fact that in mammals and birds, the transfer of learnt information is both ubiquitous and indispensable. The introduction of the behavioural inheritance system into the Darwinian explanatory scheme enables the authors to offer new interpretations for common behaviours such as maternal behaviours, behavioural conflicts within families, adoption and helping. This approach offers a richer view of heredity and evolution, integrates developmental and evolutionary processes, suggests new lines for research, and provides a constructive alternative to both the selfish gene and meme views of the world. It will make stimulating reading for all those interested in evoluti

Adam Smith is the best known among economists for his book, The Wealth of Nations, often viewed as the keystone of modern economic thought. For many he has become associated with a quasi-libertarian laissez-faire philosophy. Others, often heterodox economists and social philosophers, on the contrary, focus on Smith's Theory of Moral Sentiments, and explore his moral theory. There has been a long debate about the relationship or lack thereof between these, his two great works. This work treats these dimensions of Smith's work as elements in a seamless moral philosophical vision, demonstrating the integrated nature of these works and Smith's other writings. This book weaves Smith into a constructive critique of modern economic analysis (engaging along the way the work of Nobel Laureates Gary Becker, Amarty Sen, Douglass North, and James Buchanan) and builds bridges between that discourse and the other social sciences.

The prediction of turbulent flows is of paramount importance in the development of complex engineering systems involving flow, heat and mass transfer, and chemical reactions. Arising from a programme held at the Isaac Newton Institute in Cambridge, this volume reviews the current situation regarding the prediction of such flows through the use of modern computational fluid dynamics techniques, and attempts to address the inherent problem of modelling turbulence. In particular, the current physical understanding of such flows is summarised and the resulting implications for simulation discussed. The volume continues by surveying current approximation methods whilst discussing their applicability to industrial problems. This major work concludes by providing a specific set of guidelines for selecting the most appropriate model for a given problem. Unique in its breadth and critical approach, this book will be of immense value to experienced practitioners and researchers, continuing the U

This book provides a thorough introduction to one of the most efficient approximation methods for the analysis and solution of problems in theoretical physics and applied mathematics. It is written with practical needs in mind and contains a discussion of 50 problems with solutions, of varying degrees of difficulty. The problems are taken from quantum mechanics, but the method has important applications in any field of science involving second order ordinary differential equations. The power of the asymptotic solution of second order differential equations is demonstrated, and in each case the authors clearly indicate which concepts and results of the general theory are needed to solve a particular problem. This book will be ideal as a manual for users of the phase-integral method, as well as a valuable reference text for experienced research workers and graduate students.

Reissued in the Cambridge Mathematical Library this classic book outlines the theory of thermodynamic formalism which was developed to describe the properties of certain physical systems consisting of a large number of subunits. It is aimed at mathematicians interested in ergodic theory, topological dynamics, constructive quantum field theory, the study of certain differentiable dynamical systems, notably Anosov diffeomorphisms and flows. It is also of interest to theoretical physicists concerned with the conceptual basis of equilibrium statistical mechanics. The level of the presentation is generally advanced, the objective being to provide an efficient research tool and a text for use in graduate teaching. Background material on mathematics has been collected in appendices to help the reader. Extra material is given in the form of updates of problems that were open at the original time of writing and as a new preface specially written for this new edition by the author.

Collocation based on piecewise polynomial approximation represents a powerful class of methods for the numerical solution of initial-value problems for functional differential and integral equations arising in a wide spectrum of applications, including biological and physical phenomena. The present book introduces the reader to the general principles underlying these methods and then describes in detail their convergence properties when applied to ordinary differential equations, functional equations with (Volterra type) memory terms, delay equations, and differential-algebraic and integral-algebraic equations. Each chapter starts with a self-contained introduction to the relevant theory of the class of equations under consideration. Numerous exercises and examples are supplied, along with extensive historical and bibliographical notes utilising the vast annotated reference list of over 1300 items. In sum, Hermann Brunner has written a treatise that can serve as an introduction for stu

Certain functions, capable of expansion only as a divergent series, may nevertheless be calculated with great accuracy by taking the sum of a suitable number of terms. The theory of such asymptotic expansions is of great importance in many branches of pure and applied mathematics and in theoretical physics. Solutions of ordinary differential equations are frequently obtained in the form of a definite integral or contour integral, and this tract is concerned with the asymptotic representation of a function of a real or complex variable defined in this way. After a preliminary account of the properties of asymptotic series, the standard methods of deriving the asymptotic expansion of an integral are explained in detail and illustrated by the expansions of various special functions. These methods include integration by parts, Laplace's approximation, Watson's lemma on Laplace transforms, the method of steepest descents, and the saddle-point method. The last two chapters deal with Airy's i

This 2004 textbook provides a pedagogical introduction to the formalism, foundations and applications of quantum mechanics. Part I covers the basic material which is necessary to understand the transition from classical to wave mechanics. Topics include classical dynamics, with emphasis on canonical transformations and the Hamilton-Jacobi equation, the Cauchy problem for the wave equation, Helmholtz equation and eikonal approximation, introduction to spin, perturbation theory and scattering theory. The Weyl quantization is presented in Part II, along with the postulates of quantum mechanics. Part III is devoted to topics such as statistical mechanics and black-body radiation, Lagrangian and phase-space formulations of quantum mechanics, and the Dirac equation. This book is intended for use as a textbook for beginning graduate and advanced undergraduate courses. It is self-contained and includes problems to aid the reader's understanding.

Convex optimization problems arise frequently in many different fields. This book provides a comprehensive introduction to the subject, and shows in detail how such problems can be solved numerically with great efficiency. The book begins with the basic elements of convex sets and functions, and then describes various classes of convex optimization problems. Duality and approximation techniques are then covered, as are statistical estimation techniques. Various geometrical problems are then presented, and there is detailed discussion of unconstrained and constrained minimization problems, and interior-point methods. The focus of the book is on recognizing convex optimization problems and then finding the most appropriate technique for solving them. It contains many worked examples and homework exercises and will appeal to students, researchers and practitioners in fields such as engineering, computer science, mathematics, statistics, finance and economics.

This is the first book to examine in detail the roles that the news media can play in an ongoing peace process. Gadi Wolfsfeld explains how the press's role in such processes varies over time and political circumstance. He examines three major cases: the Oslo peace process between Israel and the Palestinians; the peace process between Israel and Jordan; and the process surrounding the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland. Wolfsfeld's central argument is that there is a fundamental contradiction between news values and the nature of a peace process. This often leads the media to play a destructive role in attempts to make peace, but variations in the political and media environment affect significantly exactly how the media behave. Wolfsfeld shows how the media played a mainly destructive role in the Oslo peace process, but were more constructive during the Israel-Jordan process and in Northern Ireland.

This is the first book to examine in detail the roles that the news media can play in an ongoing peace process. Gadi Wolfsfeld explains how the press's role in such processes varies over time and political circumstance. He examines three major cases: the Oslo peace process between Israel and the Palestinians; the peace process between Israel and Jordan; and the process surrounding the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland. Wolfsfeld's central argument is that there is a fundamental contradiction between news values and the nature of a peace process. This often leads the media to play a destructive role in attempts to make peace, but variations in the political and media environment affect significantly exactly how the media behave. Wolfsfeld shows how the media played a mainly destructive role in the Oslo peace process, but were more constructive during the Israel-Jordan process and in Northern Ireland.

May we speak, in the present age, of holy scripture? And what validation of that claim can be offered, robust enough to hold good for both religious practice and intellectual enquiry? John Webster argues that while any understanding of scripture must subject it to proper textual and historical interrogation, it is necessary at the same time to acknowledge the special character of scriptural writing. His 2003 book is an exercise in Christian dogmatics, a loud reaffirmation of the triune God at the heart of a scripture-based Christianity. But it is written with intellectual rigour by a theologian who understands the currents of modern secular thought and is able to work from them towards a constructive position on biblical authority. It will resonate with anyone who has wondered or worried about the grounds on which we may validly regard the Bible as God's direct communication with humanity.