In 2006, the contemporary American Pentecostal movement celebrated its 100th birthday. Over that time, its African American sector has been markedly... influential, not only vis-à-vis other branches of Pentecostalism but also throughout the Christian church. Black Christians have been integrally involved in every aspect of the Pentecostal movement since its inception and have made significant contributions to its founding as well as the evolution of Pentecostal/charismatic styles of worship, preaching, music, engagement of social issues, and theology. Yet despite its being one of the fastest growing segments of the Black Church, Afro-Pentecostalism has not received the kind of critical attention it deserves.Afro-Pentecostalism brings together fourteen interdisciplinary scholars to examine different facets of the movement, including its early history, issues of gender, relations with other black denominations, intersections with popular culture, and missionary activities, as well as the movement’s distinctive theology. Bolstered by editorial introductions to each section, the chapters reflect on the state of the movement, chart its trajectories, discuss pertinent issues, and anticipate future developments.Contributors: Estrelda Y. Alexander, Valerie C. Cooper, David D. Daniels III, Louis B. Gallien, Jr., Clarence E. Hardy III, Dale T. Irvin, Ogbu U. Kalu, Leonard Lovett, Cecil M. Robeck, Jr., Cheryl J. Sanders, Craig Scandrett-Leatherman, William C. Turner, Jr., Frederick L. Ware, and Amos Yong

Afrocentrism and its history have long been disputed and controversial. In this important book, Wilson Moses presents a critical and nuanced view of... the issues. Tracing the origins of Afrocentrism since the eighteenth century, he examines the combination of various popular mythologies, some of them mystical and sentimental, others perfectly reasonable. A level presentation in what is often a shouting match, Afrotopia is a rich history of black intellectual life and the concept of race.

Having made The 9/11 Commission Report understandable for everyone, the award-winning, bestselling graphic novel team of Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colón... use all their considerable talents to explain the post-9/11 world. Working from news reports drawn from multiple international media, Jacobson and Colón depict the critical events, decision makers, and consequences of America’s “war on terror,” and, most important, the context in which the war began, unfolded, and unraveled. The most demanding story they have ever tackled, After 9/11 is also the most tailor-made for their medium, capturing simultaneous events, geographic complexity, numerous participants, and a vast array of economic, statistical, and quantitative information—compellingly told through the sequential panel art narrative form unique to graphic books. Proving yet again that graphic novels best meet the challenge of giving the most information with the least amount of ink, Jacobson and Colón answer with clarity and unforgettable imagery the question: How the hell did we end up where we are?

Enrollment at America's community colleges has exploded in recent years, with five times as many entering students today as in 1965. However, most... community college students do not graduate; many earn no credits and may leave school with no more advantages in the labor market than if they had never attended. Experts disagree over the reason for community colleges' mixed record. Is it that the students in these schools are under-prepared and ill-equipped for the academic rigors of college? Are the colleges themselves not adapting to keep up with the needs of the new kinds of students they are enrolling? In After Admission, James Rosenbaum, Regina Deil-Amen, and Ann Person weigh in on this debate with a close look at this important trend in American higher education. After Admission compares community colleges with private occupational colleges that offer accredited associates degrees. The authors examine how these different types of institutions reach out to students, teach them social and cultural skills valued in the labor market, and encourage them to complete a degree. Rosenbaum, Deil-Amen, and Person find that community colleges are suffering from a kind of identity crisis as they face the inherent complexities of guiding their students toward four-year colleges or providing them with vocational skills to support a move directly into the labor market. This confusion creates administrative difficulties and problems allocating resources. However, these contradictions do not have to pose problems for students. After Admission shows that when colleges present students with clear pathways, students can effectively navigate the system in a way that fits their needs. The occupational colleges the authors studied had close monitoring of student progress, regular meetings with advisors and peer cohorts, and structured plans for helping students meet career goals in a timely fashion. These procedures helped keep students on track and, the authors suggest, could have the same effect if implemented at community colleges. As college access grows in America, institutions must adapt to meet the needs of a new generation of students. After Admission highlights organizational innovations that can help guide students more effectively through higher education.

Mark Steyn's "New York Times" bestseller, "After America", is now in paperback! Featuring a new introduction and updated throughout, "After America"... takes on Obama's disastrous plan for our nation, and reveals exactly what a post-American world will look like if we don't change our ways soon. Says Steyn: "Nothing is certain but debt and taxes. And then more debt. If the government of the United States had to use GAAP ("The Generally Accepted Accounting Practices" that your company and the publisher of this book have to use), Uncle Sam would be under an SEC investigation and his nephews and nieces would have taken away the keys and cut up his credit card". Slim as it is, however, Steyn argues there is still hope. "Americans face a choice: you can rediscover the animating principles of the American idea-of limited government, a self-reliant citizenry, and the opportunities to exploit your talents to the fullest-or you can join most of the rest of the western world in terminal decline. This is a battle for the American idea, and it's an epic one, but you can do anything you want to do. So do it." Bitingly funny and wickedly clever, "After America" is Mark Steyn at his best.

The politics of legitimacy is central to international relations. When states perceive an international organization as legitimate, they defer to it,... associate themselves with it, and invoke its symbols. Examining the United Nations Security Council, Ian Hurd demonstrates how legitimacy is created, used, and contested in international relations. The Council's authority depends on its legitimacy, and therefore its legitimation and delegitimation are of the highest importance to states. Through an examination of the politics of the Security Council, including the Iraq invasion and the negotiating history of the United Nations Charter, Hurd shows that when states use the Council's legitimacy for their own purposes, they reaffirm its stature and find themselves contributing to its authority. Case studies of the Libyan sanctions, peacekeeping efforts, and the symbolic politics of the Council demonstrate how the legitimacy of the Council shapes world politics and how legitimated authority can be transferred from states to international organizations. With authority shared between states and other institutions, the interstate system is not a realm of anarchy. Sovereignty is distributed among institutions that have power because they are perceived as legitimate. This book's innovative approach to international organizations and international relations theory lends new insight into interactions between sovereign states and the United Nations, and between legitimacy and the exercise of power in international relations.

"To truly engage in mathematics is to become curious and intrigued about regularities and patterns, then describe and explain them. A focus on the... behavior of the operations allows students starting in the familiar territory of number and computation to progress to true engagement in the discipline of mathematics." -Susan Jo Russell, Deborah Schifter, and Virginia Bastable Algebra readiness: it's a topic of concern that seems to pervade every school district. How can we better prepare elementary students for algebra? More importantly, how can we help all children, not just those who excel in math, become ready for later instruction? The answer lies not in additional content, but in developing a way of thinking about the mathematics that underlies both arithmetic and algebra. Connecting Arithmetic to Algebra invites readers to learn about a crucial component of algebraic thinking: investigating the behavior of the operations. Nationally-known math educators Susan Jo Russell, Deborah Schifter, and Virginia Bastable and a group of collaborating teachers describe how elementary teachers can shape their instruction so that students learn to: *notice and describe consistencies across problems *articulate generalizations about the behavior of the operations *develop mathematical arguments based on representations to explain why such generalizations are or are not true. Through such work, students become familiar with properties and general rules that underlie computational strategies-including those that form the basis of strategies used in algebra-strengthening their understanding of grade-level content and at the same time preparing them for future studies. Each chapter is illustrated by lively episodes drawn from the classrooms of collaborating teachers in a wide range of settings. These provide examples of posing problems, engaging students in productive discussion, using representations to develop mathematical arguments, and supporting both students with a wide range of learning profiles. PLCs and book-study groups! Save $47.25 when you purchase 15 copies with the Book Study Bundle. Staff Developers: Available online, the Course Facilitator's Guide provides math leaders with tools and resources for implementing a Connecting Arithmetic to Algebra workshop or preservice course. For information on the PD course offered through Mount Holyoke College, download the flyer.