Andrew Thompson

When it comes to upholding human rights both at home and abroad, many Canadians would like to believe that we have always been "on the side of the angels." This book tells the story of Canada's contributions – both good and bad – to the development and advancement of international human rights law at the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) from 1946 to 2006. The CHR gave Canada the opportunity to forge a reputation as a human rights leader. This book scrutinizes this reputation by examining Canada's involvement in a number of contentious human rights issues – political, civil, racial, women's, and Indigenous, among others. It finds that Canada's record was mixed, its priorities motivated by a variety of considerations, both domestic and international. An in-depth historical overview of six decades of Canadian engagement within the UN human rights system, On The Side of the Angels offers new insights into the nuances, complexities, and contradictions of Canada's human rights policies.

First published in 1991, The Dictionary of Contemporary Politics of Central America and the Caribbean provides a guide to the most important organizations, figures, events and themes in the contemporary politics of Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. The countries covered include Mexico, Guatamala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Grenada, St Vincent, St Lucia, Dominica, St Kitt’s-Nevis, Antigua and Puerto Rico. The background information supplied in the book explains how, for many in Central America, the guerrilla wars have merely been the intensification of a conflict previously fought by the likes of Nicaragua’s Sandino or the Salvadorean Farabundo Marti, and before them by the Indian leaders who resisted the Spanish settlement. Although first published in 1991, this book will be a valuable resource for journalists, students, diplomats, business people, and anyone else who is interested in the politics of this richly diverse continent.

MORE THAN 200 FUN FACTS--FROM BAFFLING AND BIZARRE TO ENTERTAINING AND ENLIGHTENING This curious, captivating collection of trivia will surprise and intrigue readers with amazing answers to questions like: *Is Jurassic Park possible? *What causes "the shakes" after drinking a lot of alcohol? *Why do dogs walk in circles before lying down? *What makes popcorn pop? The follow-up to the bestselling What Did We Use Before Toilet Paper?, Can Holding in a Fart Kill You? has even more fun and fascinating trivia. Perfect for the ever-curious trivia lover, this book is the ultimate in truly extraordinary information. From silly to serious to outright bizarre, this expansive collection offers surprising answers and unexpected facts on everything from history and science to pop culture and nature. From the everyday to the fantastical--it's all here.

'He pulled a cassette out of the glove box and put it in the stereo, pressed rewind and then play. Was it still 1980 in Memphis? Some fast-paced blues crackled out of the speakers.' *************** 'The guide book said it was 'well worth making the trip to this colourful outdoor market'. It was a market of just fruit and nothing else. It was time we stopped listening to the crap guide book recommendations...time to find our own way.' *************** Dog Days is a lively account of a three-month road trip that Andrew and his girlfriend Lucy took around the United States. They drove 15,000 miles around 45 states, by car and Greyhound bus, known as the 'Dog' by the fearsome locals who ride it. Follow Andrew and his girlfriend Lucy through landmarks including Monument Valley and Yellowstone, to a New York Yankees baseball game, a dude ranch in Montana and a rodeo in Wyoming. More than just a travel memoir, Dog Days provides vivid descriptions of the physical landscape, and unravels the characters they encountered along the way -- with some very candid observations of America and its people. They began their trip believing they knew a lot about the country, but quickly discovered just how different from the rest of the world it really is.

The European Commission is arguably the world's most powerful international administration. It plays a central role in the political system of the European Union. The Commission is a permanent presence in the life of the member states, but its influence is felt far beyond their borders. Viewed historically as the motor of European integration, the Commission is the subject of intense controversy. It is portrayed frequently as technocratic, monolithic, and unaccountable, but also as fragmented and weakly led. According to accepted wisdom, it is populated by career bureaucrats, who want only to expand the competencies of the Union and therefore their own power. This book tests these views. It asks: Who are the people who work for the organization? What are their educational and professional backgrounds? What do officials believe about the role of the Commission in the EU today and whether the Union should have more or less power? What leads them to choose to pursue a career in the Commission, and how do they navigate its complexities? How does the Barroso Commission compare to previous Commissions? How harmonious are relations between cabinets and the services? What has been the impact on the Commission of reform and of the 'big bang' enlargement? Co-authored by an international team of researchers, this book draws on original data from the largest attitudinal survey ever conducted by independent researchers inside the Commission, as well as a structured programme of interviews with senior officials. It provides an authoritative account of the European Commission of the twenty-first century.

Since 9/11 and the onset of the "war on terror," the principal challenge confronting liberal democracies has been to balance freedom with security and individual with collective rights. In Defence of Principles sheds new light on the evolution of human rights norms in liberal democracies by charting the activism of four Canadian NGOs on issues of refugee rights, hate speech, and the death penalty, including their use of difficult, often controversial legal cases as platforms to assert human rights principles and shape judicial policy-making. Although human rights principles are often spoken of in absolute terms, this book reminds us that they are never certain – even in countries that have a vibrant civil society, a long tradition of rule of law, and a judiciary that possesses the constitutional authority to engage in judicial review. The struggles of these NGOs reveal not only the fragility but also the resilience of ideas about rights in liberal democracies.

Since 9/11 and the onset of the "war on terror," the principal challenge confronting liberal democracies has been to balance freedom with security and individual with collective rights. In Defence of Principles sheds new light on the evolution of human rights norms in liberal democracies by charting the activism of four Canadian NGOs on issues of refugee rights, hate speech, and the death penalty, including their use of difficult, often controversial legal cases as platforms to assert human rights principles and shape judicial policy-making. Although human rights principles are often spoken of in absolute terms, this book reminds us that they are never certain – even in countries that have a vibrant civil society, a long tradition of rule of law, and a judiciary that possesses the constitutional authority to engage in judicial review. The struggles of these NGOs reveal not only the fragility but also the resilience of ideas about rights in liberal democracies.

Discover the baffling, bizarre and utterly entertaining answers to all the questions you never thought to ask. This witty and compulsive collection of trivia will captivate and surprise you with its fun and funky revelations: -Why is New York called "the Big Apple"? -How do people count cards at casinos? -What keeps the head on a glass of beer? -Why don't you ever see baby pigeons? -Why is getting married called tying the knot?

This work contains a Foreword by Merrill Goozner, Author and Director, Integrity in Science, Center for Science and the Public Interest, Washington DC. This book exposes why healthcare costs have been rapidly increasing and includes a close examination of over-priced drugs. It contains a detailed explanation of how the drug industry takes billions of dollars from society each year and proposes radical new ideas to reign in excessive spending on medicine. Based on the latest research, its unique approach takes into account the pharmaceutical industry, healthcare policy and society to offer a wide ranging account. It is invaluable for all healthcare professionals, especially managers and doctors and nurses with budgetary responsibilities. It will also be useful for researchers, policy makers and shapers, pharmaceutical company executives and general readers with an interest in medical expenditure. "While most discussions about the fiscal problems caused by aging societies have focused on pensions and income security, the more serious landmine in the road ahead is health-care finance, which will be in full-blown crisis sometime early in the next decade. That's why this book is timely. Until we learn to talk openly and honestly about what constitutes good health, good health care, and the best and most cost-effective way of achieving both, we'll never have an affordable health-care system." - Merrill Goozner, in the Foreword.

Theorizing Nationalism provides a comprehensive and accessible review of the main theoretical approaches to understanding nations, nationalism and national identities. Its systematic and clearly structured approach makes it an ideal purchase for undergraduate students of Sociology, Politics and International Relations. Well illustrated with a variety of international examples, it gives a detailed insight into the contributions of key social theorists, including Anderson, Billig, Gellner, Hobshawn and Smith. It shows how the analysis of nationalism is linked to contemporary studies of gender, 'race' and ethnicity and it gives due consideration to important recent developments in the field, including liberal nationalism, globalization and the formation of national identities. Throughout the book, the authors place developments in the study of nationalism in the context of wider changes taking place in social theory, and show how shifting theoretical perspectives pose new questions about the meaning and importance of nations and nationalism. This is a balanced and wide-ranging text that opens up debates in a clear and helpful manner for students who are new to the field.

Theorizing Nationalism provides a comprehensive and accessible review of the main theoretical approaches to understanding nations, nationalism and national identities. Its systematic and clearly structured approach makes it an ideal purchase for undergraduate students of Sociology, Politics and International Relations. Well illustrated with a variety of international examples, it gives a detailed insight into the contributions of key social theorists, including Anderson, Billig, Gellner, Hobshawn and Smith. It shows how the analysis of nationalism is linked to contemporary studies of gender, 'race' and ethnicity and it gives due consideration to important recent developments in the field, including liberal nationalism, globalization and the formation of national identities. Throughout the book, the authors place developments in the study of nationalism in the context of wider changes taking place in social theory, and show how shifting theoretical perspectives pose new questions about the meaning and importance of nations and nationalism. This is a balanced and wide-ranging text that opens up debates in a clear and helpful manner for students who are new to the field.

Europe has changed significantly and is now facing even more dramatic transformations with the enlargement of the European Union, the introduction of the euro and its increased role as a global actor in world affairs. This clear and accessible textbook provides an introduction to the key issues now shaping the new Europe and its citizens. The book features: * a history of the idea of 'Europe' and the development of the European nation state * analysis of European identity and the challenges posed by citizenship, migration, human rights, regionalism and nationalism * examination of the enlargement process and the impact of globalisation * key learning points, text boxes and guides for further reading to help students

Europe has changed significantly and is now facing even more dramatic transformations with the enlargement of the European Union, the introduction of the euro and its increased role as a global actor in world affairs. This clear and accessible textbook provides an introduction to the key issues now shaping the new Europe and its citizens. The book features: * a history of the idea of 'Europe' and the development of the European nation state * analysis of European identity and the challenges posed by citizenship, migration, human rights, regionalism and nationalism * examination of the enlargement process and the impact of globalisation * key learning points, text boxes and guides for further reading to help students

This new second edition of 'Managing People' provides a practical approach to applying up-to-the-minute management techniques, and is a vital source of information for professionals in the hotel and catering industry responsible for personnel and training. Riley explores how aspects such as labour cost, utilization, labour market behaviour and pay are inseparable from the skills of people management. In the new edition he extends his ideas on productivity so as to encompass its relationship with functional flexibility. In a similar manner, thinking about motivating people is extended to include modern ideas about commitment. We all loosely refer to peoples' attitude but here he shows the complexity that lies behind them. It is especially of relevance for managers with responsibility for personnel and training, and degree-level students will also find its non-prescriptive, user-friendly approach helpful. Michael Riley has extensive experience in the hotel and tourism industry and communicates in a way that reflects that experience.

First Published in 2000. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.