Richard Bourne

Encountering theology for the first time is exciting, but it can also be daunting. Some struggle to connect with doctrinal discussion they perceive to be abstract or abstruse. Others may find the scope of theology, and the connections between different theological issues, dizzying. In order to address these difficulties and keep the initial excitement alive, A New Introduction to Theology offers a range of accessible, practical, experiential and interactive encounters with the major elements of academic Christian theology. The guiding motif of this book is the claim that theology is full-bodied thought. The phrase ‘full-bodied’ shows both the richness of the experience of theology and its nature as a thoroughly embodied encounter with ways of knowing God and God’s ways with the world. This motif allows the authors to bring together topics ranging from theology through the arts, sexuality and the body and the nature of the church’s everyday life, to mystical theology, spirituality, political action and ecology. Working imaginatively with the five senses and the notions of loving and resting, each chapter provides a range of activities, guided discussions and reflections on key theological texts, authors and issues. This is a unique introduction to the key innovative and interdisciplinary elements from contemporary theology, ideal for individual reflection, classroom work, or flexible and distributed learning.

Encountering theology for the first time is exciting, but it can also be daunting. Some struggle to connect with doctrinal discussion they perceive to be abstract or abstruse. Others may find the scope of theology, and the connections between different theological issues, dizzying. In order to address these difficulties and keep the initial excitement alive, A New Introduction to Theology offers a range of accessible, practical, experiential and interactive encounters with the major elements of academic Christian theology. The guiding motif of this book is the claim that theology is full-bodied thought. The phrase ‘full-bodied’ shows both the richness of the experience of theology and its nature as a thoroughly embodied encounter with ways of knowing God and God’s ways with the world. This motif allows the authors to bring together topics ranging from theology through the arts, sexuality and the body and the nature of the church’s everyday life, to mystical theology, spirituality, political action and ecology. Working imaginatively with the five senses and the notions of loving and resting, each chapter provides a range of activities, guided discussions and reflections on key theological texts, authors and issues. This is a unique introduction to the key innovative and interdisciplinary elements from contemporary theology, ideal for individual reflection, classroom work, or flexible and distributed learning.

For over twelve years in the first half of the nineteenth century, Giuseppe Garibaldi, the hero of Italian unification, lived, learned and fought in South America. He was tortured, escaped death on countless occasions, and met his Brazilian wife, Anita, who eloped with him in 1839. From then on, she would share in Garibaldi's personal and political odyssey, first in the breakaway republic of Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil, and then as Montevideo's admiral and general in the Uruguayan civil war. Richard Bourne breathes life and understanding into these spectacular South American adventures, which also shed light on the creation of Italy. Garibaldi's Redshirts liberated Sicily and Naples wearing ponchos adopted by his Italian Legion in Montevideo. His ideas, his charismatic command of volunteers, and his naive dislike of politicking were all infused by his earlier experiences in South America. Bourne combines historical research with his travels in Uruguay and southern Brazil to explore contemporary awareness of and reflection on how the past can influence or be transformed by the needs of today. Now, at a time of narrow identity politics, Garibaldi's unifying zeal and advocacy for subjugated peoples everywhere offer an exemplary lesson in transnational political idealism.

Originally published in 1990. The Harmsworth family, starting with Lord Northcliffe (1865-1922) is the greatest and most influential press dynasty Britain has known. The dynasty has had by far the greatest impact on the shape of the press today of all the great press families. The Harmsworths were big, bold characters, enormously rich and with a gift for flamboyant use of their wealth. Much more important though is the way they used their influence on public opinion to steer the country’s political and social life. ‘Public opinion’ was a force that the Harmsworths harnessed before anyone else, and they quickly understood how to use it as a political tool. This book is constructed as four biographies which together make up the central story of the popular press in Britain. Their story continues to have relevance.

'If you want to understand Nigeria's history in one succinct go, this is a very good choice.'Noo Saro-WiwaKnown as the African Giant, Nigeria's story is complex and often contradictory. How, despite the ravages of colonialism, civil war, ongoing economic disappointment and most recently the Boko Haram insurgency, has the country managed to stay together for a hundred years? Why, despite an abundance of oil, mineral and agricultural wealth, have so many of its people remained in poverty? These are the key questions explored by Richard Bourne in this remarkable and wide-ranging account of Nigeria's history, from its creation in 1914 to the historic 2015 elections and beyond. Featuring a wealth of original research and interviews, this is an essential insight into the shaping of a country where, despite the seemingly dashed optimism that was raised at independence, there still remains hope 'the Nigeria project' may still succeed.

Originally published in 1990. The Harmsworth family, starting with Lord Northcliffe (1865-1922) is the greatest and most influential press dynasty Britain has known. The dynasty has had by far the greatest impact on the shape of the press today of all the great press families. The Harmsworths were big, bold characters, enormously rich and with a gift for flamboyant use of their wealth. Much more important though is the way they used their influence on public opinion to steer the country’s political and social life. ‘Public opinion’ was a force that the Harmsworths harnessed before anyone else, and they quickly understood how to use it as a political tool. This book is constructed as four biographies which together make up the central story of the popular press in Britain. Their story continues to have relevance.

No one in 1980 could have guessed that Zimbabwe would become a failed state on such a monumental and tragic scale. In this incisive and revealing book, Richard Bourne shows how a country which had every prospect of success when it achieved a delayed independence in 1980 became a brutal police state with hyperinflation, collapsing life expectancy and abandonment by a third of its citizens less than thirty years later. Beginning with the British conquest of Zimbabwe and covering events up to the present precarious political situation, this is the most comprehensive, up-to-date and readable account of the ongoing crisis. Bourne shows that Zimbabwe's tragedy is not just about Mugabe's 'evil' but about history, Africa today and the world's attitudes towards them.

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's dramatic life story has captured the imagination of millions, and his progressive politics have brought hope and excitement to Brazil - and the world. This compelling work is the first major English-language biography of the metalworker who became president of Latin America's largest and most powerful country. In a clearly written, vividly detailed narrative, Richard Bourne describes Lula's childhood hardships in an impoverished family, his days as a revered trade unionist, and the strike movement that brought down Brazil's military dictatorship. The book chronicles Lula's campaigns for the presidency, his first term in office beginning in 2002, a major corruption scandal, and his re-election in 2006. Throughout, "Lula of Brazil" connects this charismatic leader's life to larger issues, such as the difficulty of maintaining a progressive policy in an era of globalization. Brazil's contemporary history, parallels with other developing countries and other world leaders, the conservatism of Brazilian society, and other themes provide a rich backdrop for assessing the struggles, achievements, and failures of this major figure on both the Brazilian and the world stage.

Ex-President Lula of Brazil has a life that reads like a film script. The child of a dysfunctional family, his early life was one of poverty and chaos. In the 1970s, at a time when his country and continent were ruled by right-wing dictators, he switched from football-mad metalworker to militant trade union leader. Dissatisfied with the power of existing parties to bring about change, he founded the Partido dos Trabalhadores, the Workers Party. He was elected as president in 2002 and again in 2006. As a progressive leader in a globalizing world, he has walked a difficult tightrope in international relations with the US, Africa and the Middle East; and in trying to improve the lot of poor and black Brazilians at home. Lula of Brazil is an objective study of an unfinished political odyssey; the story of one man set against the contemporary history of a major emerging power. From climate change to inequality, Lula and his country are grappling with the greatest challenges facing the modern world.

This compact and affordable text serves as an introduction to a wide range of social problems. Social Problems, Second Edition, is unique in that all chapters are organized in a consistent format, beginning with the definition and prevalence of the social problem covered, followed by levels of causation, consequences, and interventions. Each chapter includes a discussion of the future of each social problem covered and a summary of its substantive issues. All chapters conclude with discussion questions, references, and a list of relevant websites. This lively, readable volume introduces students to a variety of sociological viewpoints on social problems. Every topic is analyzed from individual, cultural, and structural perspectives. This diversity allows instructors to compare explanations that incorporate such structural factors as social class and economic structure to explanations that focus on cultural factors or on biological and psychological characteristics of the individual. Social Problems, Second Edition, emphasizes the importance of gender, race, and class for understanding social problems. The text focuses on the U. S., but incorporates comparative, cross-cultural material when appropriate. Unique features of this book include the following: * A consistent approach that offers solutions to social problems, not just explanations * Full chapters on the topics of cities and urban decline, and on food and population * Coverage of such issues as the criminalization of pregnancy, domestic violence as a health issue, and aging and homosexuality To stimulate student interest, each chapter begins with an "In the News" section that consists of several newspaper articles on current issues. Every chapter also includes "A Closer Look" inserts to heighten student interest by describing ongoing efforts to resolve current social issues. Some inserts highlight the impact of social policy, while others summarize research or challenge "common sense" assumptions. A comprehensive Instructor's Resource Guide/Testing Program and a Website accompany the text.