Are new reproductive and genetic technologies racing ahead of a society that is unable to establish limits to their use? Have the "new genetics"... outpaced our ability to control their future applications? This book examines the case of preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), the procedure used to prevent serious genetic disease by embryo selection, and the so-called "designer baby" method. Using detailed empirical evidence, the authors show that far from being a runaway technology, the regulation of PGD over the past fifteen years provides an example of precaution and restraint, as well as continual adaptation to changing social circumstances. Through interviews, media and policy analysis, and participant observation at two PGD centers in the United Kingdom, Born and Made provides an in-depth sociological examination of the competing moral obligations that define the experience of PGD. Among the many novel findings of this pathbreaking ethnography of reproductive biomedicine is the prominence of uncertainty and ambivalence among PGD patients and professionals--a finding characteristic of the emerging "biosociety," in which scientific progress is inherently paradoxical and contradictory. In contrast to much of the speculative futurology that defines this field, Born and Made provides a timely and revealing case study of the on-the-ground decision-making that shapes technological assistance to human heredity.

This is a book about women who choose to give birth at home against the wishes and indeed the interests of established medicine. It focuses on... conditions in the US. It places the issue within the context of the continuing health care crisis in this country and poses surprisingly traditional alternatives to the mechanized and impersonal care delivery that accompanies that crisis and indeed arises from it. BORN AT HOME is brief and inexpensive - indeed free when bundled- and designed to be used in an introductory Anthropology class with a core textbook or in an upper division course alongside additional readings. It offers an intimate look at an emerging movement that runs counter to established medical practice and yet poses a viable alternative to that practice. The writing is direct and personal and filed with numerous individual accounts. It is designed to inspire discussion - indeed to provoke controversy - and yet set on sound scholarly principles.

Infants have a lot to make sense of in the world: Why does the sun shine and night fall; why do some objects move in response to words, while others... won’t budge; who is it that looks over them and cares for them? How the developing brain grapples with these and other questions leads children, across cultures, to naturally develop a belief in a divine power of remarkably consistent traits––a god that is a powerful creator, knowing, immortal, and good—explains noted developmental psychologist and anthropologist Justin L. Barrett in this enlightening and provocative book. In short, we are all born believers. Belief begins in the brain. Under the sway of powerful internal and external influences, children understand their environments by imagining at least one creative and intelligent agent, a grand creator and controller that brings order and purpose to the world. Further, these beliefs in unseen super beings help organize children’s intuitions about morality and surprising life events, making life meaningful. Summarizing scientific experiments conducted with children across the globe, Professor Barrett illustrates the ways human beings have come to develop complex belief systems about God’s omniscience, the afterlife, and the immortality of deities. He shows how the science of childhood religiosity reveals, across humanity, a “natural religion,” the organization of those beliefs that humans gravitate to organically, and how it underlies all of the world’s major religions, uniting them under one common source. For believers and nonbelievers alike, Barrett offers a compelling argument for the human instinct for religion, as he guides all parents in how to effectively encourage children in developing a healthy constellation of beliefs about the world around them.

Tanuja Desai Hidier's fantastically acclaimed cross-cultural debut comes to PUSH!Dimple Lala doesn't know what to think. Her parents are from India,... and she's spent her whole life resisting their traditions. Then suddenly she gets to high school and everything Indian is trendy. To make matters worse, her parents arrange for her to meet a "suitable boy." Of course it doesn't go well -- until Dimple goes to a club and finds him spinning a magical web . Suddenly the suitable boy is suitable because of his sheer unsuitability. Complications ensue. This is a funny, thoughtful story about finding your heart, finding your culture, and finding your place in America.

The first generation of “Digital Natives”—children who were born into and raised in the digital world—are coming of age, and soon our world will be... reshaped in their image. Our economy, our politics, our culture, and even the shape of our family life will be forever transformed. But who are these Digital Natives? And what is the world they’re creating going to look like?In Born Digital, leading Internet and technology experts John Palfrey and Urs Gasser offer a sociological portrait of these young people, who can seem, even to those merely a generation older, both extraordinarily sophisticated and strangely narrow. Exploring a broad range of issues, from the highly philosophical to the purely practical, Born Digital will be essential reading for parents, teachers, and the myriad of confused adults who want to understand the digital present—and shape the digital future.

The first generation of “digital natives” – children who were born into and raised in the digital world – are coming of age, and soon our world... will be reshaped in their image. Our economy, our cultural life, even the shape of our family life will be forever transformed.But who are these digital natives? How are they different from older generations – or “digital immigrants” – and what is the world they’re creating going to look like? In Born Digital, leading internet and technology experts John Palfrey and Urs Gasser offer a sociological portrait of this exotic tribe of young people who can seem, even to those merely a generation older, both extraordinarily sophisticated and strangely narrow.Based on original research, Born Digital explores a broad range of issues, from the highly philosophical to the purely practical: What does identity mean for young people who have dozens of online profiles and avatars? Should we worry about privacy issues – or is privacy even a relevant concern for digital natives? How does the concept of safety translate into an increasingly virtual world? Is “stranger-danger” a real problem, or a red herring? What lies ahead – socially, professionally, and psychologically – for this generation?A smart, practical guide to a brave new world and its complex inhabitants, Born Digital will be essential reading for parents, teachers, and the myriad of confused adults who want to understand the digital present – and shape the digital future.

Uncover the startling importance of empathy From birth, when babies' fingers instinctively cling to those of adults, their bodies and brains seek... an intimate connection—a bond made possible by empathy, the remarkable ability to love and to share the feelings of others. In this unforgettable book, award-winning science journalist Maia Szalavitz and renowned child-psychiatrist Bruce D. Perry explain how empathy develops, why it is essential both to human happiness and for a functional society, and how it is threatened in the modern world.

An inside look at the power of empathy: Born for Love is an unprecedented exploration of how and why the brain learns to bond with others—and a... stirring call to protect our children from new threats to their capacity to love From birth, when babies' fingers instinctively cling to those of adults, their bodies and brains seek an intimate connection, a bond made possible by empathy—the ability to love and to share the feelings of others. In this provocative book, renowned child psychiatrist Bruce D. Perry and award-winning science journalist Maia Szalavitz interweave research and stories from Perry's practice with cutting-edge scientific studies and historical examples to explain how empathy develops, why it is essential for our development into healthy adults, and how it is threatened in the modern world. Perry and Szalavitz show that compassion underlies the qualities that make society work—trust, altruism, collaboration, love, charity—and how difficulties related to empathy are key factors in social problems such as war, crime, racism, and mental illness. Even physical health, from infectious diseases to heart attacks, is deeply affected by our human connections to one another. As Born for Love reveals, recent changes in technology, child-rearing practices, education, and lifestyles are starting to rob children of necessary human contact and deep relationships—the essential foundation for empathy and a caring, healthy society. Sounding an important warning bell, Born for Love offers practical ideas for combating the negative influences of modern life and fostering positive social change to benefit us all.

Africa does not give up its secrets easily. Buried there lie answers about the origins of humankind. And yet, though vital clues still remain hidden,... scientists have over the last century transformed our understanding about the beginnings of human life. In Born in Africa, Martin Meredith follows scientists’ trail of discoveries about human origins, recounting their intense rivalry, personal feuds, and fierce controversies as well as their feats of skill and endurance. And he limns their momentous accomplishments: Scientists have identified more than twenty species of extinct humans. They have firmly established Africa as the birthplace not only of humankind but also of modern humans. They have revealed how early technology, language ability and artistic endeavour all originated in Africa; and they have shown how small groups of Africans spread out from Africa in an exodus sixty-thousand years ago to populate the rest of the world.

Adopted at over 450 colleges and universities in its First Edition, Born in Blood and Fire has quickly become the standard survey history of Latin... America.Drawing on the most current scholarship, this concise text presents a direct, compelling narrative that spans six centuries and twenty countries. Carefully revised in light of recent Latin American history, the Second Edition introduces new maps, helpful chapter timelines, and a new Student Web site.

The most readable and highly regarded history of Latin America for our times.Born in Blood and Fire spans six centuries and covers twenty countries in a... compelling narrative of the Latin American experience, animated by stories about men and women from all walks of life and enriched by insightful analysis. This is a story of despair and hope, the processes of conquest and colonization, race mixing and class construction, revolution and republic formation, and the elusive quests for sustained economic growth and political and social equality. Nearly 100,000 copies sold!

Capturing readers in a story exposing the complexities of a diverse region peopled by characters such as Cortes, Eva, and Juan Peron, Sister Inor Suarez... and Che Guevara, John Chasteen focuses on the major events of Mexico, Brazil and Argentina. Working within a chronological framework, this text incorporatres the histories of individual countries into the history of a region, providing students with a foundation for further study. It embraces race, class and gender as principle issues in the Latin American experience and recognizes relationships between sociocultural, political and economic forces.

Capturing readers in a story exposing the complexities of a diverse region peopled by characters such as Cortes, Eva, and Juan Peron, Sister Inor Suarez... and Che Guevara, John Chasteen focuses on the major events of Mexico, Brazil and Argentina. Working within a chronological framework, this text incorporatres the histories of individual countries into the history of a region, providing students with a foundation for further study. It embraces race, class and gender as principle issues in the Latin American experience and recognizes relationships between sociocultural, political and economic forces.

John Chasteen’s carefully crafted companion reader to Born in Blood and Fire follows the table of contents of the main text and provides glimpses into... the everyday life and texture of the Latin American experience during the last six centuries.Born in Blood and Fire: Latin American Voices includes colorful and engaging narrative accounts taken from novels, journals, essays, newspaper articles, and other documentary sources, many appearing in English for the first time and many translated by John Chasteen. Selections mirror the chronological and geographical coverage of Born in Blood and Fire.