The reach of the social and behavioral sciences is currently so broad and interdisciplinary that staying abreast of developments has become a daunting task. The thirty papers that constitute Leading Edges in Social and Behavioral Science provide a unique composite picture of recent findings and promising new research opportunities within most areas of social and behavioral research. Prepared by expert scholars under the auspices of the National Academy of Sciences, these timely and well-documented reports define research priorities for an impressive range of topics: Part I: Mind and Brain Part II: Behavior in Social Context Part III: Choice and Allocation Part IV: Evolving Institutions Part V: Societies and International Orders Part VI: Data and Analysis

This is an exploration of the creative work done by leading sociologists who were inspired by the scholarship of Neil Smelser.

From the 1960s onwards, the clothing industry in the Netherlands and elsewhere in the European Union, experienced a deep crisis. Numerous went bankrupt and, even more so, workers lost their jobs. Imports from low wage countries started providing the bulk of retailers' collections. In the high wage economy of the Netherlands there seemed to be no more room for labour intensive industry such as clothing. However, in the 1980s a surprising development took place. In Amsterdam, a substantial number of new small clothing firms were established, focusing on short-cycle fashion production. Most of these firms were run by Turkish immigrants. During the 1990s, most of these firms disappeared again. At the same time the pattern of imports changed as well, with nearby countries in the Mediterranean region and Eastern Europe increasing their share of the fashionable clothing market. Migration and fashion played an important role in these processes. In this study, Stephan Raes analyses these developments and tries to explain why they occurred. He offers an elaborate multilevel theoretical framework to deal with the changes in the spatial organization of clothing supply. His analysis shows how large retailers have become the most powerful players in the Dutch clothing sector, and how the changes in the spatial pattern of clothing supply have to be understood against the changing logistics of their sourcing. The study takes us from the history of the Dutch clothing industry in the 19th century, to the detailed description of migrants entrepreneurs in the sector, and the changes in trade patterns. It focuses on the interaction of retailers with other actors in the sector, such as suppliers, consumers and governments. Finally, it takes places these developments against the background of transformations in the political economy of the Netherlands and Turkey.

This volume explores the scientific frontiers and leading edges of research across the fields of anthropology, economics, political science, psychology, sociology, history, business, education, geography, law, and psychiatry, as well as the newer, more specialized areas of artificial intelligence, child development, cognitive science, communications, demography, linguistics, and management and decision science. It includes recommendations concerning new resources, facilities, and programs that may be needed over the next several years to ensure rapid progress and provide a high level of returns to basic research.

The social sciences rely more on the comparative method than on experimental data mainly because the latter is difficult to acquire amongst human populations. The International Social Survey Programme has played a pioneering role in creating and sustaining methodologically-sophisticated mass attitude surveys across the globe. Starting in 1984 with five nations, it now encompasses forty-five nations spread over five continents, each administering an identical annual survey to a random sample of their population. Analyses of the data or descriptions of the methodology already appear in over 3,000 publications. This book contains new contributions from three dozen eminent scholars who analyse and compare the perceptions and attitudes of citizens across all five continents, nations and over time. Subjects range from inequality and the role of the state; ethnic, national and global identities; the changing relevance of religion, beliefs and practices; gender roles, family values and work orientations; household and society. Some chapters focus on methodological issues; others focus on substantive findings. This book sets new standards for cross-cultural research.