The essays revolve around a collection of recent works by artists Chema Alvargonzales, Gino Bueza, Frankie Callaghan, Francis Commeyne, Jerwin Collado, Maria Cruz, Marina Cruz Garcia, Lizza May David, Phillip Hohenwarter, Oswaldo Ruiz, Gerardo Tan, Rodel Tapaya and Kim Westerstrom. Translated into German by Indira Aguilera Kohl. Book design by David Cano Leal

Social Policy, the Media and Misrepresentation examines aspects of news media reporting of social policy and how such coverage can influence processes of policy-making and implementation. It offers an appraisal of the complex inter-relationships between news media, news sources, the content of media coverage of social policy and its impact on audiences, public opinion and policy makers. Through detailed case studies, the various contributors explore: *social work and child protection *housing and homelessness *the charity and voluntary sectors *poverty and welfare policy *health (including HIV/AIDS) and mental health *education and crime and juvenile justice.

Shalamaine Reicher is a comely girl from the other sides of the tracks. Luck favored her with a rescue by a compassionate woman from the streets who cleaned her up and fostered her. They created a phony genealogy to acquire legitimate identification so the girl could be enrolled in school, giggling over the ease of the process, and settled on the name Shalamaine Reicher – as good or as bad as any she could have chosen from the repertoire of her mother’s lovers (clients) – and now Celeste is her official aunt. After graduating college and earning a master’s degree, she got a job in journalism at the local newspaper, a profession for which she found a passion and bettering herself in the newspaper business. But she was sorely disillusioned (left for dead) by a brutal rape and beating by her “peers.” She was still a party favor! Picking herself up again, she relocated to survive, “butching” up her image being tall and strong, diminishing her feminine attributes, and concentrating on her mental skills and ability in journalism. But a man, her new boss, offers friendship, affection … and deep down she still wants to believe, even trust, until her carefully manufactured metamorphosis starts unraveling.

David Graceson knows who orchestrated 911 and who killed Kennedy. What he doesn't know is, who wants him dead. The Pope, a King and his best friend are dead. And if the past president of the United States has his way, Graceson will die violently and without mercy.