The theory is applied to the domain of politics, including the debate about the war in Iraq, where political leaders' speeches serve as a case study for detailed contextual analysis."--BOOK JACKET.

For historians of mathematics and those interested in the history of science, 'A Discourse Concerning Algebra' provides an new and readable account of the rise of algebra in England from the Medieval period to the later years of the 17th century. Including new research, this is the most detailed study to date of early modern English algebra, which builds on work published in 1685 by John Wallis (Savilian Professor of Geometry at Oxford) on the history of algebra. Stedall's book follows the reception and dissemination of important algebraic ideas and methods from continental Europe (especially those of Viéte) and the consequent revolution in the state of English mathematics in the 17th century. The text emphasises the contribution of Wallis, but substantial reference is also provided to other important mathematicans such as Harriot, Oughtred, Pell and Brouncker.

In a wide-ranging and provocative new study, Bert A. Spector provides a critical analysis of past and present theories of leadership. Spector asserts that our perception of leadership influences who we vote for, who we hire and promote, and ultimately, who we choose to grant our authority to. Focusing on leadership in discourse, the book sets out to explore how the notion of leadership has been articulated, studied and debated by academics, but also by practitioners, journalists, and others who seek to influence the thoughts of others. Paying particular attention to the social, economic, political, intellectual and historical forces that have helped shape the discussion, Discourse on Leadership offers an insightful historiography of leadership as a concept and considers how our understanding of it continues to evolve.