Results 131 to 140 of 153 | « previous | next »
- The dying citizen : how progressive elites, tribalism, and globalization are destroying the idea of America / by Hanson, Victor Davis,author.;
- Includes bibliographical references and index."Most of human history is full of the stories of peasants, subjects, or tribes. The concept of the "citizen," an idea we take for granted, is historically quite rare-and was, until recently, amongst America's most profoundly cherished ideals. But without shock treatment, warns historian and conservative political commentator Victor Davis Hanson, American citizenship as we have known it for well over two centuries may soon vanish. In The Dying Citizen, Hanson outlines the forces that have brought us to the twilight of American citizenship, and led to the deeply fractured politics of the present era. Over the last half-century, numerous forces from both above and below have conspired to undermine the value we place in the idea of citizenship-and our vigilance in protecting it. To be self-governing, citizens must be economically autonomous, but the evisceration of the middle class and the rise of inequality have made many Americans dependent on the federal government. Citizenship exists within delineated borders-but open borders and the elite concept of "global citizenship" have rendered meaningless the idea of allegiance to a particular place. Citizenship relies on the renunciation of tribal identity in favor of the state, but identity politics have eradicated the idea of a collective civic sense of self. A vastly expanded unelected bureaucracy has overwhelmed the power of elected officials, thereby destroying the sovereign power of the citizen. Progressive academics and activists lay siege to the institutions and traditions of constitutional citizenship. As in the revolutionary years of 1848, 1917, and 1968, 2020 has ripped away our complacency about the future of our most cherished ideals. Americans are forced to confront the fragility of citizenship-indeed, the fragility of our nation. But this calamitous year may also teach Americans to rebuild and recover what we have lost. The choice is ours"--
- Subjects: Citizenship; Citizenship; Elite (Social sciences); World citizenship.;
- Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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- Code dependent : living in the shadow of AI / by Murgia, Madhumita,author.;
- Includes bibliographical references and index."A riveting story of what it means to be human in a world changed by artificial intelligence, revealing the perils and inequities of our growing reliance on automated decision-making. On the surface, a British poet, an UberEats courier in Pittsburgh, an Indian doctor, and a Chinese activist in exile have nothing in common. But they are in fact linked by a profound common experience -- unexpected encounters with artificial intelligence. In Code Dependent, Murgia shows how automated systems are reshaping our lives all over the world, from technology that marks children as future criminals, to an app that is helping to give diagnoses to a remote tribal community. AI has already infiltrated our day-to-day, through language-generating chatbots like ChatGPT and social media. But it's also affecting us in more insidious ways. It touches everything from our interpersonal relationships, to our kids' education, work, finances, public services, and even our human rights. By highlighting the voices of ordinary people in places far removed from the cozy enclave of Silicon Valley, Code Dependent explores the impact of a set of powerful, flawed, and often-exploitative technologies on individuals, communities, and our wider society. Murgia exposes how AI can strip away our collective and individual sense of agency, and shatter our illusion of free will. The ways in which algorithms and their effects are governed over the coming years will profoundly impact us all. Yet we can't agree on a common path forward. We cannot decide what preferences and morals we want to encode in these entities -- or what controls we may want to impose on them. And thus, we are collectively relinquishing our moral authority to machines. In Code Dependent, Murgia not only sheds light on this chilling phenomenon, but also charts a path of resistance. AI is already changing what it means to be human, in ways large and small, and Murgia reveals what could happen if we fail to reclaim our humanity"--
- Subjects: Artificial intelligence; Decision making; Human-computer interaction.;
- Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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- From seed to seed [videorecording] / by Buelow, Wendy,film producer.; Du Toit, Jean,film producer.; Stieffenhofer, Katharina,film producer,screenwriter,film director.; McIntyre Media,film distributor.;
- Director of photography, Bryan Sanders ; picture editor, Joh Gurdbeke ; music, Jason Staczek, Richard Moody, Anita Lobosch.Terence Mierau and Monique Scholte, Martin Entz, Vandana Shiva, Ian Mauro."Feature-length documentary about the growing momentum of ecological agriculture, a blend of small and large scale farmers, cutting edge science with age old traditions, and fascinating folks. On this journey through a growing season from seeding to harvest, we experience this beautiful and sometimes harsh world of those who grow our food. Terry Mierau and Monique Scholte-- the heart and soul of this film - gave up a life as opera singers in Europe to fulfill their passion for ecological, small-scale farming. Terry, Monique and their three young children live in a house barn in the traditional single street Village of Neugberthal, in Southern Manitoba. They are equally determined to grow healthy food, a healthy family and community vitality in the process. In addition to Terry and Monique we follow several other Manitoba farmers of various scales and experience the complexities, challenges and rewards that this way of life can present. We also meet Dr. Martin Entz, and his team of scientists and researchers, who are dedicated to working with farmers to develop improved methods and technologies that are driving the organic practice forward. Activist, Dr. Vandana Shiva, and Climate Scientist, Dr. Ian Mauro, address issues related to farming in a Changing Climate. Consumers and processors discuss the growing preference for organic food and how this increased demand drives the momentum in ecological agriculture. At its core, this film is a celebration of all farmers, the return to Natural Systems Agriculture and the people who are part of this slow and steady revolution. By providing a Canadian perspective this film highlights the global social movement toward the regeneration of the land, farming, and communities for a healthier and truly sustainable future for all of us."E.DVD.
- Subjects: Documentary films.; Feature films.; Nonfiction films.; Agricultural ecology.; Organic farming; Sustainable agriculture; Vegetable gardening;
- For private home use only.
- Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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- Contesting intersex : the dubious diagnosis / by Davis, Georgiann,author.;
- Includes bibliographical references and index."When sociologist Georgiann Davis was a teenager, her doctors discovered that she possessed XY chromosomes, marking her as intersex. Rather than share this information with her, they withheld the diagnosis in order to 'protect' the development of her gender identity; it was years before Davis would see her own medical records as an adult and learn the truth. Davis' experience is not unusual. Many intersex people feel isolated from one another and violated by medical practices that support conventional notions of the male/female sex binary which have historically led to secrecy and shame about being intersex. Yet, the rise of intersex activism and visibility in the US has called into question the practice of classifying intersex as an abnormality, rather than as a mere biological variation. This shift in thinking has the potential to transform entrenched intersex medical treatment. In Contesting Intersex, Davis draws on interviews with intersex people, their parents, and medical experts to explore the oft-questioned views on intersex in medical and activist communities, as well as the evolution of thought in regards to intersex visibility and transparency. She finds that framing intersex as an abnormality is harmful and can alter the course of one's life. In fact, controversy over this framing continues, as intersex has been renamed a 'disorder of sex development' throughout medicine. This happened, she suggests, as a means for doctors to reassert their authority over the intersex body in the face of increasing intersex activism in the 1990s and feminist critiques of intersex medical treatment. Davis argues the renaming of 'intersex' as a 'disorder of sex development' is strong evidence that the intersex diagnosis is dubious. Within the intersex community, though, disorder of sex development terminology is hotly disputed; some prefer not to use a term which pathologizes their bodies, while others prefer to think of intersex in scientific terms. Although terminology is currently a source of tension within the movement, Davis hopes intersex activists and their allies can come together to improve the lives of intersex people, their families, and future generations. However, for this to happen, the intersex diagnosis, as well as sex, gender, and sexuality, needs to be understood as socially constructed phenomena"--
- Subjects: Intersex people.; Intersexuality; Sexual disorders.;
- Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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- Prequel : an American fight against Fascism / by Maddow, Rachel,author.;
- Includes bibliographical references (pages 327-362) and index."Rachel Maddow traces the fight to preserve American democracy back to World War II, when a handful of committed public servants and brave private citizens thwarted far-right plotters trying to steer our nation toward an alliance with the Nazis. Inspired by her research for the hit podcast Ultra, Rachel Maddow charts the rise of a wild American strain of authoritarianism that has been alive on the far-right edge of our politics for the better part of a century. Before and even after our troops had begun fighting abroad in World War II, a clandestine network flooded the country with disinformation aimed at sapping the strength of the U.S. war effort and persuading Americans that our natural alliance was with the Axis, not against it. It was a sophisticated and shockingly well-funded campaign to undermine democratic institutions, promote antisemitism, and destroy citizens' confidence in their elected leaders, with the ultimate goal of overthrowing the U.S. government and installing authoritarian rule. That effort worked -- tongue and groove -- alongside an ultra-right paramilitary movement that stockpiled bombs and weapons and trained for mass murder and violent insurrection. At the same time, a handful of extraordinary activists and journalists were tracking the scheme, exposing it even as it was unfolding. In 1941 the U.S. Department of Justice finally made a frontal attack, identifying the key plotters, finding their backers, and prosecuting dozens in federal court. None of it went as planned. While the scheme has been remembered in history -- if at all -- as the work of fringe players, in reality it involved a large number of some of the country's most influential elected officials. Their interference in law enforcement efforts against the plot is a dark story of the rule of law bending and then breaking under the weight of political intimidation. That failure of the legal system had consequences. The tentacles of that unslain beast have reached forward into our history for decades. But the heroic efforts of the activists, journalists, prosecutors, and regular citizens who sought to expose the insurrectionists also make for a deeply resonant, deeply relevant tale in our own disquieting times"--
- Subjects: Antisemitism; Disinformation; Fascism; National socialism; Nazis; Right-wing extremists; Trials (Sedition); World War, 1939-1945;
- Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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- Wildflower : a memoir / by James, Aurora,1984-author.;
- "This extraordinary memoir of struggle and perseverance offers new ways of envisioning economic equality for everyone--from a leading activist and fashion pioneer. Aurora James's story is not a "success story." Or at least, it shouldn't be told that way. Having dropped out of high school, struggled with body image, and dabbled in street racing, her eventual arrest might have been her rock bottom. But as a visionary and optimist, that experience became one of many that reshaped her way of thinking about the world. After a brief modeling stint, James discovered the real power in creating for the runway and started her own business in a flea market, a sustainable fashion line showcasing traditional African design that would become an award-winning international brand. Then she founded one of the fastest-growing social justice nonprofits, the Fifteen Percent Pledge. But none of this came from a desire to "succeed." It came from a desire to forge a new creative path--and to lift others up alongside her. Already a rising star in fashion and the first Black American female designer to win a CFDA Award, James was inspired by the activism that swept the nation in the summer of 2020 to think bigger about how to empower Black business owners. With an idea and an Instagram post, she founded the Fifteen Percent Pledge, which challenges retailers to commit 15% of their shelf space and spending power to Black businesses. To date, more than two dozen of the world's most recognized retailers have taken the pledge, redirecting $10 billion in revenue to Black brands. Empowering and full of heart, Wildflower is the story of how Aurora James got to where she is now and a rallying cry for those eager to make change"--
- Subjects: Biographies.; Autobiographies.; James, Aurora, 1984-; Abused women; African American fashion designers; Fashion designers;
- Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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- Black ghost of empire : the long death of slavery and the failure of emancipation / by Manjapra, Kris,1978-author.;
- Includes bibliographical references and index."The 1619 Project illuminated the ways in which every aspect of life in the United States was and is shaped by the existence of slavery. Black Ghost of Empire focuses on emancipation and how this opportunity to make right further codified the racial caste system-instead of obliterating it. To understand why the shadow of slavery still haunts society today, we must not only look at what slavery was, but also the unfinished way it ended. One may think of "emancipation" as a finale, leading to a new age of human rights and universal freedoms. But in reality, emancipations everywhere were incomplete. In Black Ghost of Empire, acclaimed historian and professor Kris Manjapra identifies five types of emancipation--explaining them in chronological order--along with the lasting impact these transitions had on formerly enslaved groups around the Atlantic. Beginning in 1770s and concluding in 1880s, different kinds of emancipation processes took place across the Atlantic world. These included the Gradual Emancipations of North America, the Revolutionary Emancipation of Haiti, the Compensated Emancipations of European overseas empires, the War Emancipation of the American South, and the Conquest Emancipations that swept across Sub-Saharan Africa. Tragically, despite a century of abolitions and emancipations, systems of social bondage persisted and reconfigured. We still live with these unfinished endings today. In practice, all the slavery emancipations that have ever taken place reenacted racial violence against Black communities, and reaffirmed commitment to white supremacy. The devil lurked in the details of the five emancipation processes, none of which required atonement for wrongs committed, or restorative justice for the people harmed. Manjapra shows how, amidst this unfinished history, grassroots Black organizers and activists have become custodians of collective recovery and remedy; not only for our present, but also for our relationship with the past. Timely, lucid, and crucial to our understanding of the ongoing "anti-mattering" of Black people, Black Ghost of Empire shines a light into the deep gap between the idea of slavery's end and its actual perpetuation in various forms--exposing the shadows that linger to this day"--
- Subjects: Liberty; Race relations; Slavery;
- Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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- A good war : mobilizing Canada for the climate emergency / by Klein, Seth,1968-author.;
- Includes bibliographical references and index."A bold blueprint to retool our economy and transform our politics for a zero-carbon future. The IPCC's 2018 report told us in no uncertain terms that the world has just ten years to at least halve our greenhouse gas emissions if we are to have a hope of holding global warming to a 1.5°C increase. Canada is not on a path to meet its greenhouse gas reduction targets, and radical change to the way we live and work must happen at high speed, but how are we ever to do this? Well, we've actually done it before. During the Second World War, Canadians and their government completely remade the economy -- retooling factories, transforming the workforce, and creating common cause among Canadians for the war effort. In A Good War, author and activist Seth Klein looks at the Second World War strategies and shows how they can be repurposed today for a rapid transition. He demonstrates that this change can create jobs and reduce inequality while tackling our climate obligations. From enlisting broad public support to new economic models, and new job creation to investment in green infrastructure, Klein shows us a bold, practical policy plan for a zero-carbon Canada. In a coincidence almost too uncanny, COVID-19 has brought change upon our world that would have been unthinkable a few months ago, change very like what Klein presciently proposes in these pages. It turns out the world can turn on a dime if necessary. Now is the time to use the billions of dollars governments are spending to support their economies to invest in climate change and social infrastructure for a better future. And the blueprint is in your hands."--
- Subjects: Climate change mitigation; Climate change mitigation; Climatic changes; Economic policy; Environmental economics; Environmental policy; Environmental policy; Sustainable development;
- Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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- What can I do? : my path from climate despair to action / by Fonda, Jane,1937-author.;
- "In the fall of 2019, frustrated with the obvious inaction of politicians and inspired by Greta Thunberg, Naomi Klein, and student climate strikers, Jane Fonda moved to Washington, DC to lead weekly climate change demonstrations on Capitol Hill. On October 11, she launched Fire Drill Fridays (FDF), and has since led thousands of people in non-violent civil disobedience, risking arrest to protest for action. In her new book, Fonda weaves her deeply personal journey as an activist alongside interviews with leading climate scientists, and discussions of specific issues, such as water, migration, and human rights, to emphasize what is at stake. Most significantly, Fonda provides concrete solutions, and things the average person can do to combat the climate crisis in their community. No stranger to protest, Fonda's life has been famously shaped by activism. And now, on the eve of the next presidential election, she is once again galvanizing the public to take to the streets. Too many of us understand that our climate is in a crisis, and realize that a moral responsibility rests on our shoulders. 2019 saw atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases hit the highest level ever recorded in human history, and our window of opportunity to avoid disaster is quickly closing. We are facing a climate crisis, but we're also facing an empathy crisis, an inequality crisis. It isn't only earth's life-support systems that are unraveling. So too is our social fabric. This is going to take an all-out war on drilling and fracking and deregulation and racism and misogyny and colonialism and despair all at the same time"--
- Subjects: Climatic changes; Greenhouse effect, Atmospheric; Public health;
- Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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- Admissions Granted. by Wu, Hao,film director.; Wang, Miao,film director.; MSNBC Films (Firm),dst; Kanopy (Firm),dst;
- Originally produced by MSNBC Films in 2023.In June 2023, the 6-3 conservative majority at the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in higher education in the landmark Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) v. HARVARD and SFFA v. UNC cases, dealing a crushing blow to progressives who had labored to address racism in America through race-conscious policies.The film revisits the district court trial of this case and tracks the case’s emotional, high-stakes journey to the Supreme Court. It documents how Edward Blum and activists on both sides strategize and hustle to win in court and in public opinion, and highlights the ways the case has divided the Asian American community. Woven throughout are incisive observations from The New Yorker’s Jeannie Suk Gersen, former Harvard president Neil L. Rudenstine, former Dean of Howard University (now Mount Holyoke College president) Danielle Holley, and professor Natasha Warikoo, who dig deeper into why the heated debate of affirmative action sits at the intersection of American beliefs.Combining interviews, news archive, and verité footage with dynamic animated sequences that bring the closed-door court hearings to life, ADMISSIONS GRANTED takes an honest and thoughtful look at the complexity of the affirmative action debate, the divisions within the Asian American community and our nation’s increasing polarization on matters of race, equity, and inclusion.Mode of access: World Wide Web.
- Subjects: Documentary films.; Enthnology.; Social sciences.; Criminal law.; Education.; History, Modern.; Americans.; Foreign study.; Sociology.; Documentary films.; Educational films.; Ethnicity.; Current affairs.; United States--Politics and government.; History.; Political participation.; Equality.; Asian Americans.; Trials.; United States. Supreme Court.; Universities and colleges.;
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Results 131 to 140 of 153 | « previous | next »