Epistola publishing house is a family-owned company founded in 2009. We seek to provide quality reading with variety of themes to enrich the lives of young readers. Our books have distinctively educational purpose, inspiring discussion with parents, teachers or other children. In order to provide the best possible reading and achieve quality, we collaborate with renowned domestic and foreign authors.
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Singapore's largest independent publisher of fiction and non-fiction for all ages. Check out our latest catalogue here: July – December 2018 (PDF.)
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Im Zentrum der traditionellen analytischen Philosophie steht die Suche nach hinreichenden und notwendigen Bedingungen des jeweils zu untersuchenden Begriffs. Craig zeigt, daß solche Untersuchungen im Hinblick auf den Wissensbegriff zwar nützliche Daten liefern können, bisher aber gescheitert sind und im Grunde genommen am Witz dieses Begriffs vorbeigehen. Statt der analytischen Untersuchung will Craig verstehen, auf welches (praktische) Bedürfnis die Menschen mit der Entwicklung des Wissensbegriffs reagieren. Dieser Ansatz wird im Sinne einer pragmatischen Untersuchung ausgebaut und anhand von Beispielen unter steter Berücksichtigung der klassischen Analyse (»Wissen« = »wahre Überzeugung mit triftiger Begründung«) erörtert. Der so gewonnene »pragmatische« Wissensbegriff wird sodann mit Gegenbeispielen konfrontiert, und es wird gezeigt, daß ein für Menschen brauchbarer Wissensbegriff objektiv sein muß. Der bei diesen Untersuchungen in Anspruch genommene und begründete Pragmatismus steht in gespannter Beziehung zu allen Formen des Skeptizismus. Bei der durch dieses Spannungsverhältnis ausgelösten Auseinandersetzung mit dem Skeptizismus unterscheidet Craig zwischen kulturgeschichtlichen Gründen für die skeptizistische Einstellung und solchen, die auf den pragmatischen Ursprung des Wissensbegriffs und die Deutung des Objektivierungsprozesses zurückgehen. Erörtert werden dabei einerseits theologisch/religiös und naturwissenschaftlich motivierte Formen des Skeptizismus und andererseits solche, die im Umkreis der Zweckfrage bezüglich des Wissens entstehen, womit der Zusammenhang zwischen der nie zur Ruhe kommenden skeptischen Problematik und den Ergebnissen der vorangehenden Untersuchungen hergestellt wird.
The book offers a novel lens to situate Europeanisation as violence - through institutions and technologies of development, cultural heritage, and borders, among others - by bringing South and East within a relational frame. Through four inter-related sections, it foregrounds Europeanisation as infrastructural violence and colonial asymmetries, slow violence and the construction of stratified subalternities, epistemic dispossession, and border epistemologies.
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Die Kybernetik war angetreten, die »zwei Kulturen« der Geistes- und Naturwissenschaften im Rahmen eines neuen Erklärungsversuchs miteinander zu versöhnen. Begriffe wie »Regelung« oder »Selbststeuerung« wurden auf den Menschen übertragen mit dem Ziel, eine »kybernetische Anthropologie« zu ermöglichen, mit deren Hilfe eine letzte einheitliche Bestimmung des Menschen gelingen sollte. Stefan Rieger entziffert in seiner materialreichen Studie diesen Entwurf einer Anthropologie als Episteme im Sinne Foucaults, in deren Zentrum der Begriff des »Bildes« alle Erklärungsanliegen bündeln soll: der Status des Menschen, seine Stellung im Kosmos, seine Abgrenzung von Tier, Maschine und Umwelt. Der Mensch ist auf Bilder und Bildtypen angewiesen, und diese Struktur wird zum Definiens von Virtualität. Im Namen der Virtualität wird dem Menschen des 20. Jahrhunderts noch einmal der Versuch einer wesensmäßigen Bestimmung zuteil.
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This book provides a powerful diagnosis of why the global governance of science struggles in the face of emerging powers. Through unpacking critical events in China and India over the past twenty years, it demonstrates that the 'subversiveness' assumed in the two countries' rise in the life sciences reflects many of the regulatory challenges that are shared worldwide. It points to a decolonial imperative for science governance to be responsive and effective in a cosmopolitan world. By highlighting epistemic injustice within contemporary science, the book extends theories of decolonisation.
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Medien konstruieren Wirklichkeit, vermitteln als Realität, was Kommunikatoren beobachten und kommunizieren, erzeugen in kommunikativen Formen und Mustern menschlicher Rationalität, was als Geschehen in der Welt externalisiert wird. Medien und Kommunikation erweisen sich als Schlüsselfunktionen sozialer Wirklichkeitskonstruktion unter den Bedingungen kognitiver Autonomie. Kognition, Kommunikation, Medien und Kultur verschränken sich zu komplementären Momenten onto-, phylo- und soziogenetischer Prozesse, die wir verkörpern und deren Zeugen wir deshalb nicht sein können. Die Kommunikations- und Medienwisseschaft hat die konstruktivistische Herausforderung in den letzten Jahren immer deutlicher angenommen. Sie hat in der Kommunikations- und Verstehenstheorie, in der Wirkungsforschung, in der Medien-, Kultur- und Systemtheorie, in der Journalistik und in der Diskussion um virtuelle Wirklichkeiten konstruktivistische Einsicht fruchtbar gemacht: Die Kommunikationsmodelle sind komplexer geworden. Der hermeneutisch geprägte Verstehensbegriff wird kognitiv-sozial entmystifiziert. Die Modelle der Medienwirkung werden multifaktoriell. Die Medien- und Kommunikationskultur gewinnt immer stärker Implikationen für die Episteme, die Ethik, die soziale und politische Kultur. Die Virtualität auch der menschengenerierten Wirklichkeit kommt immer klarer zu Bewußtsein. Der Band versammelt repräsentative Beispiele nicht nur für diesen konstruktiven Dialog, sondern auch für die kritischen Stimmen, die ihn begleiten. Literarische und künstlerische Arbeiten komplettieren den DELFIN in gewohnter Manier.
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"Lao Tzu", also known as "moral classics," Taoist classics, according to legend, is the late Spring and Autumn Chu people Lao Ji, all received a total of 81 chapters. Lao Tzu is a speech collection of Lao Tzu's philosophical thoughts, systematically expounding Lao Tzu's outlook on the universe, politics and epistemology. "Tao" is the basic category in which Lao Zi-Zhe does not think. Lao-tzu believes that "Tao" is the origin of the universe. It is independent of anything else and changes constantly and continuously. And "virtue" Is the concrete application of "Tao" in life, social and political life. The English translation of this book is one of the more influential English versions, with some revisions made in the book. The book is accompanied by the silk book Laozi unearthed in the Mawangdui Han Tomb of Changsha in 1972.
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Developing the concept of 'disobedient knowledge', this book provides new perspectives on activism and everyday struggles against racism and bordering. Drawing on empirical material from distinct contexts in Northern, Western and Southern Europe, the chapters explore how different kinds of (b)orders are challenged and possibly also maintained in everyday antiracism, activism and struggles against borders. The book examines resistance and disobedience in relation to borders, social orders, conventional practices and hegemonic discourses. It underscores the importance of studying racism and bordering as intertwined phenomena. With a focus on the historical layers of resistance, disobedient practices and ways of building shared struggles, the book provides invaluable knowledge about postcolonial Europe and its future possibilities.
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This volume in the Critical Theory and Contemporary Society series explores the arguments between critical theory and epistemology in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Focusing on the first and second generations of critical theorists and Luhmann's systems theory, the book examines how each approaches epistemology. It opens by looking at twentieth-century epistemology, particularly the concept of lifeworld (Lebenswelt). It then moves on to discuss structuralism, poststructuralism, critical realism, the epistemological problematics of Foucault's writings and the dialectics of systems theory. This unique work takes a comparative look at structuralism and post-structuralism's epistemological theory with special reference to scientific reason. It also investigates Luhmann's works in epistemology. The aim is to explore whether the focal point for epistemology and the sciences remain that social and political interests actually form a concrete point of concern for the sciences as well.
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In the wake of 9/11, the Asian crisis and the 2004 tsunami, traditional analytical frameworks are increasingly unable to explain how individuals and communities are rendered insecure, or advance individual, global or environmental security. In the Asia-Pacific, the accepted wisdom of realism has meant that analyses rarely move beyond the statist, militarist and exclusionary assumptions that underpin traditional realpolitik. This innovative new book challenges these limitations and addresses the missing problems, people and vulnerabilities of the Asia-Pacific region. It also turns a critical eye on traditional interstate strategic dynamics. Critical security in the Asia-Pacific applies both a critical theoretical approach that interrogates the deeper assumptions underpinning security discourses, and a human-centred policy approach that focuses on the security, welfare and emancipation of individuals and communities. Leading Asia-Pacific researchers combine to apply these frameworks to the most pressing issues in the region, from the Korean peninsula to environmental change, Indonesian conflict, the 'war on terror' and the plight of refugees. The result is a sophisticated and accessible account of often-neglected realities of marginalization in the region, and a compelling argument for the empowerment and security of the most vulnerable.
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How can anti-colonial research methodologies be transformative and achieve knowledge justice? This book brings together an eclectic group of leading scholars from around the world to share methodological knowledge grounded in First Nations and majority-world expertise and wisdom. The authors challenge western-centric and colonial approaches to knowledge production and redefine the possibilities of what we can achieve through social research. First Nations and majority-world perspectives are contextual and unique. They share a common aim of disrupting established beliefs on research methodologies and the unquestioned norms that dictate whose knowledge the academy values. The ten chapters in this edited collection describe how the authors draw on Indigenous knowledge systems, feminist frameworks, and creative methodologies as anti-colonial research praxis. The examples span several disciplines such as development studies, geography, education, sexual and reproductive health, humanitarian studies, and social work. Authors use a reflexive approach to discuss specific factors that shape how they engage in research ethically, to lead readers through a reflection on their own practices and values. The book reimagines social research using an anti-colonial lens and concludes with a collaboratively developed and co-written set of provocations for anti-colonial research praxis that situate this important work in the context of ongoing colonial violence and institutional constraints. This book is an essential guide for researchers and scholars within and beyond the academy on how anti-colonial research praxis can produce meaningful outcomes, especially in violent and troubled times. Cover art courtesy of Tawny Chatmon
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The field of social research is characterized by its broad scope and interdisciplinary nature, encompassing the examination of human behaviour, societies, and various facets of social existence; however, it is influenced by numerous factors, including technological advancements. It is therefore no surprise that Artificial Intelligence (AI) has rapidly become a driving force, bringing about substantial transformations within the field. The use of AI-assisted tools and programmes for the collection, analysis, and interpretation of both quantitative and qualitative data is increasing at a remarkable pace. The implications of utilizing these applications are significant and noteworthy. While these technologies present numerous opportunities, it is important to acknowledge the accompanying dilemmas and risks associated with this form of technological advancement. With a focus on AI's research implications, this book explores various considerations and examples across different disciplines of social research. It highlights the considerable promise AI holds for revolutionizing the discipline while also guiding readers in contemplating the potential drawbacks and various concerns. By doing so, researchers can optimize the capabilities of AI and promote its responsible, reliable, and beneficial application in enhancing and advancing social research.
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This collection aims to inaugurate a new direction in research on counterterrorism by exploring global connections - both in terms of practices and discourses, as well as shared ideas and epistemes - that animate counterterrorism practices. The chapters - grouped under the themes of postcoloniality and coloniality, and entanglements of the transnational and the local, and counterterrorism and right-wing extremism - are attentive to global connections and are mindful of the complexities of global historical processes that constitute the politics of counterterrorism. This book aims to bring together scholars studying counterterrorism in the global North and the global South to explore convergence and divergence in how counterterrorism policies function in a range of national and local contexts.
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Bajautopia is a book that aims to reflect on both the struggles and hopes of the Bajau Laut community. Bajautopia is both a manifesto and a provocation. This edited volume contains a collection of inspiring essays to reveal the life and culture of the Bajau Laut. The book brings together a wide range of essay contributors, led by the foremost writers and scholars from the fields of architecture, history, film studies, anthropology, tourism, political science, and urban planning in Malaysia. Considered as a dialogue between scholars/writers from different cultural backgrounds and epistemological contexts, this book explores a diverse range of topics integral to the livelihood of the Bajau Laut.
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Critical theory and Independent Living explores intersections between contemporary critical theory and disabled people's struggle for self-determination. The book highlights the affinities between the Independent Living movement and studies of epistemic injustice, biopower, and psychopower. It discusses in depth the activists' critical engagement with welfare-state paternalism, neoliberal marketisation, and familialism. This helps develop a pioneering comparison between various welfare regimes grounded in Independent Living advocacy. The book draws on the activism of disabled people from the European Network on Independent Living (ENIL) by developing case studies of the ENIL's campaigning for deinstitutionalisation and personal assistance. It is argued that this work helps rethink independence as a form of interdependence, and that this reframing is pivotal for critical theorising in the twenty-first century.
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This volume brings together insights which look at the intersection of governance, culture and conflict resolution in India and the European Union. Two very different but connected epistemic, cultural and institutional settings, which have been divided by distance, colonialism and culture; yet have recently been brought closer together by ideas and practices of what is known as liberal peace, neoliberal state and development projects. The differences are obvious in terms of geography, culture, the nature and shape of institutions, and historical forces: and yet the commonalities between the two are surprising. This is the first book to compare contemporary Indian and European Union approaches to peace and is based on strong case studies and rigorous analysis. Postgraduate students, peace and conflict researchers, policy-makers and practitioners will benefit immensely from insights provided in this book. ;
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This book aims to examine the nature of and resistance to gendered urban violence among Brazilian women in London and in the favelas of Maré, Rio de Janeiro. Drawing on the conceptualisation of translocational gendered urban violence framework, it highlights the importance of examining direct forms of gender-based violence across private, public and transnational spheres as interlinked with structural, symbolic and infrastructural violence. The book also explores the embodied and spatialised nature of gendered urban violence, explored through artistic engagements and arts-based methods. In developing a translocational feminist tracing methodological and epistemological approach across the social sciences and the arts, the book argues for the importance of a collaborative approach among academic, civil society organisations, artists and creative researchers with a view to engendering empathetic transformation to address gendered urban violence in the long-term.
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This volume collects and revises the key essays of Gunther Teubner, one of the world's leading sociologists of law. Written over the past twenty years, these essays examine the 'dark side' of functional differentiation and the prospects of societal constitutionalism as a possible remedy. Teubner's claim is that critical accounts of law and society require reformulation in the light of the sophisticated diagnoses of late modernity in the writings of Niklas Luhmann, Jacques Derrida and select examples of modernist literature. Autopoiesis, deconstruction and other post-foundational epistemological and political realities compel us to confront the fact that fundamental democratic concepts such as law and justice can no longer be based on theories of stringent argumentation or analytical philosophy. We must now approach law in terms of contingency and self-subversion rather than in terms of logical consistency and rational coherence.
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Many early modern plays use poison, most famously Hamlet, where the murder of Old Hamlet showcases the range of issues poison mobilises. Its orchard setting is one of a number of sinister uses of plants which comment on both the loss of horticultural knowledge resulting from the Dissolution of the Monasteries and also the many new arrivals in English gardens through travel, trade, and attempts at colonisation. The fact that Old Hamlet was asleep reflects unease about soporifics troubling the distinction between sleep and death; pouring poison into the ear smuggles in the contemporary fear of informers; and it is difficult to prove. This book explores poisoning in early modern plays, the legal and epistemological issues it raises, and the cultural work it performs, which includes questions related to race, religion, nationality, gender, and humans' relationship to the environment.
