Narrative is a powerful element of human culture, storing and sharing the cherished parts of our personal memories and giving structure to our laws,... entertainment, and history. We experience narrative in words, pictures, and film, yet regardless of how the tale is told, story remains independent from the media that makes it concrete. Narrative follows humans wherever they travel and adapts readily to new forms of communication. Constantly evolving and always up-to-date, narrative is a necessary strategy of human expression and a fundamental component of human identity.In order to understand human interaction, award-winning scholar Rick Altman launches a close study of narrative's nature, its variation in different contexts, and the method through which it makes meaning. Altman's approach breaks away from traditional forms of analysis, identifying three basic strategies: single-focus, dual-focus, and multiple-focus. Unpacking an intentionally diverse selection of texts, Altman demonstrates how these strategies function in context and illustrates their theoretical and practical applications in terms of textual analysis, literary and film history, social organization, religion, and politics. He employs inventive terminology and precise analytical methods throughout his groundbreaking work, making this volume ideal for teaching literary and film theory and for exploring the anatomy of narrative on a more general level.

Winner of the 1993 Distinguished Book Award, Pacific Sociological Association "A major work in three different areas of sociology, [A Theory of... Religion] is a model of how to build a systematic theory, a leading accomplishment of the rational choice school, and a comprehensive theory of religion. . . . It is a sobering as well as penetrating vision. [This] book deserves a great deal of attention, both in the sociology of religion and in wider realms of social theory."--Randall Collins, Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion "The value of [this book] lies in the distance it carries sociology toward a scientific theory of religion and in the sustained rigor of its deductive application. It is a 'must read' for anyone interested in the scientific study of religion or the formal axiomatization of sociology."--Thomas Ryba, Zygon "Stark and Bainbridge have made pioneering and enduring efforts in writing this book, and to a large extent they have been successful in their attempt to explain deductively why and how the phenomena of religion occur."--K. Peter Takayama, Journal of Church and State In this unique text, Stark and Bainbridge begin with basic statements about human nature and, employing the principles of logic and philosophy, build toward increasingly complex propositions about societies and their religious institutions. They provide a rigorous yet flexible sociological theory or religion as well as a general sociological model for deriving macrolevel theory from microlevel evidence. Rodney Stark is a professor of sociology and of comparative religion at the University of Washington and co-author of The Churching of America, 1776-2005: Winners and Losers in Our Religious Economy (Rutgers University Press). William Sims Bainbridge is director of the sociology program at the National Science Foundation and author of Goals in Space: American Values and the Future of Technology.

This handbook is a comprehensive guide to developing and writing graduate level research. It takes the reader on a step-by-step journey through the... entire thesis process from initial ideas to a completed product or even a published article. Examples from actual student theses provide concrete illustrations of each step and function as a starting point for one’s own project. Tips for organizing tasks and completing them on time help orient readers to the research process and give them confidence to achieve their own research goals. Unique step-by-step guide for successfully completing the thesis projectfrom development through defense. Examples from theses done by students provide concrete illustrations and a starting point for ideas and discussion. Broad range of quantitative and qualitative thesis methodologiesgives readers an overview of the basic tools of the research process. Tips for organizing tasksand completing the project on time. Those looking for assistance with writing a thesis.

At a moonlit Indian ruin—where "thieves of time" ravage sacred ground in the name of profit—a noted anthropologist vanishes while on the verge of... making a startling, history-altering discovery. At an ancient burial site, amid stolen goods and desecrated bones, two corpses are discovered, shot by bullets fitting the gun of the missing scientist. There are modern mysteries buried in despoiled ancient places. And as blood flows all too freely, Navajo Tribal Policemen Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee must plunge into the past to unearth an astonishing truth and a cold-hearted killer.

A noted anthropologist vanishes at amoonlit Indian ruin where "thieves of time" ravage sacred ground for profit. When two corpses appear amid stolen... goods and bones at an ancient burial site, Navajo Tribal Policemen Lt. Joe Leaphorn and Officer Jim Chee must plunge into the past to unearth the astonishing truth behind a mystifying series of horrific murders.

Written in an approachable, student-friendly style, Philosophy of Religion provides broad, up-to-date coverage of the major topics in contemporary... analytic philosophy of religion.  Each chapter begins with a brief preview laying out the key issues that will be discussed, and a “hook” that will capture the reader's attention.  "At a Glance" summaries, in the form of a bulleted list at the end of each chapter, provide a road map to help readers navigate the often complicated arguments within the philosophy of religion. This book is intended to stimulate clear thinking and careful attention to the reasons and argument for taking up views on religious questions.

The case studies in this book use authentic injury assessment examples to help readers link theory and clinical practice with the goal of becoming... competent clinicians. The situations are realistic and present more than 130 of the injuries that athletic trainers may encounter in the real world. The questions that accompany the cases ask readers to identify clinical and differential diagnoses, critique the evaluating clinician's actions, recommend treatment, and make many of the decisions they will face in the field. The cases encourage readers to think and problem solve; evidence-based answers (for select cases in the text and for all cases in the instructor's manual) ensure that the recommended clinical decisions are based on the best available research, clinical expertise, and patient preferences rather than on anecdotal practice. Key Features Each case study includes a variety of questions to foster critical thinking and allow practice in choosing the path of diagnosis and treatment. Select cases in the book include answers to the questions; an instructor's manual (available to instructors upon adoption) includes all of the answers. Anatomical overviews in each chapter provide a useful review of the body area being discussed. The cases are organized by area of the body and can be used for certification exam preparation or assigned as homework, discussed in class, or used for role playing. The scenarios cover a wide range of situations, including injuries sustained during athletics, recreation, and military bootcamp; occupational accidents; and others. The cases were developed using the clinical proficiences of the National Athletic Trainers' Association Education Council and will help future athletic trainers prepare for the BOC Certification Examination.

Great athletes make difficult moves look effortless with a combination of skill, strength, and balance. Traditional conditioning builds a fitness... base, but modern sports training takes into account athletic movement patterns. Athletic Body in Balance is the first guide of its kind to show you how to train for smooth, fluid movement and prevent muscle imbalances, mobility restrictions, stability problems, and injuries.Physical therapist and sports conditioning expert Gray Cook has proven the effectiveness of his approach through the performances of athletes in the NFL, NBA, NHL, WNBA, and Reebok® University's sports training system. Cook's methods will help you identify functional weaknesses; correct imbalances; explore your potential; and refine sport-specific movement skills such as jumping, kicking, cutting, and turning. You will see where conditioning is breaking down and how to get your body back on track.Whereas other books concentrate on maximizing your strengths, Athletic Body in Balance focuses on exposing and overcoming your weaknesses to form a foundation for long-term training gains. Learn how to maintain what you gain and build on your improvements. Make this comprehensive assessment tool your training guide. Prepare and repair your body for ultimate athletic performance with Athletic Body in Balance.

Great athletes make difficult moves look effortless with a combination of skill, strength, and balance. Traditional conditioning builds a fitness... base, but modern sports training takes into account athletic movement patterns. The Athletic Body in Balance book and DVD first of its kind to show you how to train for smooth, fluid movement and prevent muscle imbalances, mobility restrictions, stability problems, and injuries.Physical therapist and sports conditioning expert Gray Cook has proven the effectiveness of his approach through the performances of athletes in the NFL, NBA, NHL, WNBA, and Reebok® University's sports training system. Whereas other books concentrate on maximizing your strengths, the Athletic Body in Balance book focuses on exposing and overcoming your weaknesses to form a foundation for long-term training gains. Cook will help you identify functional weaknesses; correct imbalances; explore your potential; and refine sport-specific movement skills such as jumping, kicking, cutting, and turning. You will see where conditioning is breaking down and how to get your body back on track.The Athletic Body in Balance DVD then covers five assessment tests to help you find the imbalances in movement patterns, sample corrective exercises to improve mobility and stability, and ways to integrate these exercises into a regular training program. The tests include-deep squat—assessing the mobility and stability of the hips, knees, and ankles-hurdle steps—evaluating bilateral mobility and stability of the hips, knees, and ankles-in-line lunge—determining hip mobility and stability, quadriceps flexibility, and ankle and knee stability on both sides of the body-straight leg raise—gauging hamstring flexibility-seated rotation—measuring uppertrunk stability during a combined upper- and lower-body movementMove more efficiently and achieve real gains in performance with the Athletic Body in Balance book and DVD.Human Kinetics DVDs are coded for universal playback and can be played in all regions of the world.

For junior and senior high school athletic directors and assistant administrators, this practical resource provides hundreds of tested strategies and... reproducible materials to help increase visibility and build leadership skills.

Finally, here is a conditioning program designed to fully develop a young athlete's physical skills without dropout, injury, or burnout. Athletic... Fitness for Kids enhances athletic skills for young athletes using a fun, self-directed, and self-tested system. Gamelike activities help young athletes develop seven key sport skills: -Flexibility-Coordination-Balance-Stamina-Strength -Speed-Agility Athletic Fitness for Kids includes drills, games, and exercises that cross over with popular sports such as baseball, basketball, football, hockey, lacrosse, soccer, and tennis. Sport-specific drill suggestions are also included. Developed by Scott Lancaster, founder and CEO of Youth Evolution Sports, and Radu Teodorescu, fitness adviser, Athletic Fitness for Kids will maximize athletic potential and open doors to a lifetime of fitness and sport participation.

These six stories from acclaimed author Chris Crutcher are about athletes, but are not simply sports stories. Here he presents characters from some of... his best–loved novels, as well as creating some unforgettable new personalities, in tales of love, death, bigotry, heroism, and coming of age. Ages 11+

Completely overhauled and updated, Athletic Taping and Bracing, Second Edition, is a leading text in its field. Like the popular first edition, it... continues to integrate the science of anatomy and injury mechanisms with the practice of athletic taping and bracing. The new edition is updated to reflect changes in the National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) Education Council's “Competencies in Athletic Training” and the fourth edition of the NATA Board of Certification's “Role Delineation Study.” Both students and professionals will use this text time and again as a reliable reference.Athletic Taping and Bracing, Second Edition, has been significantly improved with the addition of more than 450 full-color illustrations and photos. These include 60 superb three-dimensional anatomical images from Primal Pictures. The photos that illustrate taping sequences feature tape with darkened edges that enable readers to distinguish the layers and patterns of the tape applied in each step. With its concise anatomical descriptions and detailed anatomical illustrations similar to those normally found in advanced texts on anatomy, the book clearly highlights the mechanisms of injury that are crucial for understanding effective taping and bracing. The text thoroughly discusses and illustrates the general principles of taping and bracing for each major joint and body region. It also contains step-by-step instructions for 36 taping and wrapping procedures, some of which are broken down into as many as 16 steps. It illustrates procedures for fabricating protective pads and orthotics, and it details the dos and don'ts of taping and bracing. To emphasize rehabilitation as well as prevention, Athletic Taping and Bracing, Second Edition, also presents basic stretching and strengthening exercises for injury rehabilitation. These exercises, presented and illustrated for each body part, focus on flexibility, strength, and proprioception. Combined with the taping and bracing procedures, the exercises will help rehabilitated athletes maintain strength and flexibility and safely return to play. Through Athletic Taping and Bracing, Second Edition, readers will learn the foundations and techniques of taping and bracing. Taping and bracing are presented as adjuncts to, rather than panaceas for, the athlete's total rehabilitation. The emphasis on rehabilitation as well as prevention will help readers become more effective health care providers for athletes and other active people with musculoskeletal injuries and problems.Athletic Taping and Bracing, Second Edition, captures the art and science of taping and bracing through detailed explanations and spectacular images. It stays in step with current NATA competencies and practices, and it offers top-quality instruction. With all this, Athletic Taping and Bracing, Second Edition, is the premier text in its field.

The premier text for athletic taping and bracing is now revised in a stunning third edition. Athletic Taping and Bracing retains its emphasis on... the techniques most commonly used by athletic trainers and therapists while integrating the science of anatomy and injury mechanisms with the practice of athletic taping and bracing. Plus, the third edition expands on traditional taping by including methods for rigid strap taping and elastic kinesiology taping. Athletic Taping and Bracing, Third Edition, includes more than 480 full-color illustrations and photos, providing invaluable visual aids for both students and professionals. These include superb three-dimensional anatomical images from Primal Pictures. The photos that depict taping sequences feature tape with darkened edges that enable readers to distinguish the layers and patterns of the tape applied in each step. With its concise anatomical descriptions and detailed anatomical illustrations similar to those normally found in advanced texts on anatomy, the book clearly highlights the mechanisms of injury that are crucial for understanding effective taping and bracing. The text thoroughly discusses and illustrates the general principles of taping and bracing for each major joint and body region. The third edition adds step-by-step instructions for 10 additional techniques, including elastic kinesiology taping and rigid strap taping techniques for gastrocnemius strains, Achilles tendinitis, and arch problems; knee, quadriceps, and hip problems; shoulder and elbow hyperextension laxity; epicondylitis; and wrist and hand issues. The book also features newly added instructor resources consisting of an image bank and testing checklists to help students master the taping procedures. The text covers the 46 most frequently applied taping and bracing procedures in clinical practice, some of which are broken down into as many as 16 steps. It illustrates procedures for fabricating protective pads and orthotics, and it details the dos and don’ts of taping and bracing. To emphasize rehabilitation as well as prevention, Athletic Taping and Bracing, Third Edition, also presents basic stretching and strengthening exercises for injury rehabilitation. These exercises, presented and illustrated for each body part, focus on flexibility, strength, and proprioception. Combined with the taping and bracing procedures, the exercises will help rehabilitated athletes maintain strength and flexibility and safely return to play. With Athletic Taping and Bracing, Third Edition, readers will learn the evidence-based foundations and techniques of taping and bracing, as well as how taping and bracing can aid an athlete’s total rehabilitation. The coverage of rehabilitation exercises as well as prevention will help readers become more effective health care providers for athletes and other active people with musculoskeletal injuries and problems.