Fiction has a major social impact, not least because it co-shapes the image that society has of various social groups. Drawing on a collection of 170 contemporary Dutch-language novels, Character Constellations presents a range of data-driven, statistical models to study depictions of characters in terms of gender, race, ethnicity, class, age, sexuality, and other identity categories. Incorporating the tools of network analysis, each chapter highlights an aspect of fictional social networks that affects the representation of social groups: their centrality, their communities, and their conflicts. While reading individual novels in light of emerging statistical patterns, combining the formal methods of social network analysis with the interpretive tools of narratology, this study shows how central societal themes such as (in)equality and emancipation, integration and segregation, and social mobility and class struggle are foregrounded, replicated, or distorted in the Dutch novel. Showcasing what character-based critiques of literary representation gain by integrating data-driven methods into the practice of critical close reading, Character Constellations contributes to societal debates on cultural representation and identity and the role

Merges works of contemporary North American Indian literature with imaginative illustrations by U.S. and Canadian artist.

This edited volume brings together a select group of leading organizational scholars for the purpose of developing a foundation-setting book on positive relationships at work. Positive Relationships at Work (PRW) is a rich new interdisciplinary domain of inquiry that focuses on the generative processes, relational mechanisms and outcomes associated with positive relationships between people at work. This volume builds a solid foundation for this promising new area of scholarly inquiry and offers a multidisciplinary exploration of how relationships at work become a source of growth, vitality, learning and generative states of human and collective flourishing. A unique feature of the book is the use of a connecting commentator chapter at the end of each section. The Commentator Chapters, written by preeminent scholars, uncover and discuss integrative themes that emerge within sections. The editors approach the topic from multiple levels, each level providing critical, valuable insights into the dynamic process underlying positive relationships at work. These levels are arranged in five parts: an introduction to positive relationships at work; Individuals and Dyads; Groups and Communities; Organizations and Organizing; and a conclusion that offers an engaging invitation and multi-level map for guiding future research. This volume will appeal to academics and practitioners, as well as scholars and graduate students in organizational psychology, management, human resources, and inter-personal communications.

In the natural world, the process of appropriating a place for ones own use involves planning, organization, and strategies for implementation. Getting to know the people, language, and culture is a valuable asset for effective communication. Possibly the greatest need in succeeding is the provision of a leader to act or speak on behalf of the new government. A person who is knowledgeable of the government and loyal to its king would be an ideal candidate. The key here seems to be an acknowledgment of and commitment to the process. We first see the process of colonization as Gods choice to make earth an extension of heaventhe place created for Him. God is a spirit, and therefore, we understand that He lives in a spiritual place. It is invisible. The extension, however, is visible. It is a garden given to His creation, humankind, with instructions. There is evidence that socialization, education, empowerment, and complementary relationships are parts of the preparation process of those who are made representatives of heavens government. Gods design for teaching humankind to think like He thinks is the perfect blue-print. It seems that as believers, children of God, and kingdom citizens, we have not completed the process. We must move from being believers to kingdom representatives. We must learn to think like our King, which will be reflected in our behavior. Having developed a kingdom mind-set, we must then help other believers experience the process.

Family constellations work has broadened and developed in many different fields as a method of counseling and therapy. In addition to constellations in organizations and schools, applying this approach to working with illness and disease has expanded the potential for healing effects in the field of medicine as well. A view of transgenerational entanglements and family dynamics casts a new light on health and disease, and the insights gained from constellations with illness and health problems have led to a more holistic view of those who are ill. In Even if it Costs me my Life, Stephan Hausner aims to provide a picture of the healing potential of systemic constellations, entering into the reciprocal effects of family dynamics and illness. Extensive use of case studies demonstrates this technique in action, revealing how existing illnesses and pathologies are rooted within the family dynamic, and setting up healing postures to facilitate growth, development, and direction.

"Boundary Spanners of Humanity tackles the growing severity of global problems and our strained ability to collaborate by critically re-examining two pivotal tools: communication and public diplomacy. R.S. Zaharna, a leading scholar of public diplomacy and international strategic communication, exposes the limitations of intercultural communication and state-based public diplomacy and proposes a pan-human vision of communication that can revolutionize how we communicate globally. The book reveals how dominant views of communication and public diplomacy are based on a 19th-century mindset of separateness that clashes with today's global connectivity and diversity. In a radical break from outdated models that divide humanity into cultural categories, Zaharna introduces a vision of humanity-centered public diplomacy featuring three complementary logics of communication. Used together, these communication logics are key to leveraging diversity, navigating connectivity, and enhancing our capacity for collaboration. Zaharna's innovative approach stems from decade-long, interdisciplinary research spanning ancient cosmologies, diverse intellectual heritages, contemporary social science, and emerging neuro-biological science. Boundary Spanners of Humanity provides a rich array of examples from ancient diplomacies to the covid-19 pandemic to illustrate a vision of pan-human communication that spans our diversity and harnesses it as an essential strength in collective problem solving and global collaboration"--

Initially designed to be a new edition of Wilmot's well-respected DYADIC COMMUNICATION (1987), this entirely new, highly original work is aimed at second-level courses in interpersonal communication. Written by one of the discipline's top scholars, it features Wilmot's own cutting edge research and insights, as well as a very thorough and up-to-date literature review of other top scholarship in the field and from other relevant disciplines (i.e. psychology).