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57 long form entries

The 2024 Almanac of American Politics marks the 51st edition for this political reference icon. The Almanac of American Politics continues to be the gold standard of accessible political information, relied on by everyone involved, invested, or interested in politics in the United States of America. Highly regarded for its in-depth analysis and comprehensive profiles of every congressional district, state, governor and member of Congress, The Almanac is the tool readers need to better understand the context of the people and perspectives shaping the issues that matter to readers. The 2024 edition includes:

• Brand new profiles of every member of Congress and every governor.

• New in-depth narrative descriptions of ALL 50 states and 435 House districts and how they have been changed by redistricting.

• New profiles of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris by Lou Peck.

• New essays featuring political analyses of co-author Charlie Cook and founding author Michael Barone.

• Analysis of the 2022 elections for Senate, House, and governor races, and how those results shape the public policy debates in Congress and the nation.

• A breakdown of the votes cast for President in 2020 for all states and districts (updated to account for new congressional districts), including primaries.

• Campaign finance data for all Senators and House members—plus their challengers--in the most recent election, including all-new listings of the “outside money” spent in those contests.

• Analysis of voter turnout in each state and new congressional districts for the 2020 presidential elections.

• More than 60 brand new state and congressional district maps, the key votes cast by members of the House and Senate, interest group ratings, and more.

• “Almanac Vote Ratings” on congressional members.

• Lists of Statewide Elected Officials.

• Updated voter registration data.

• Vital statistics on Congress data tables.

• Updated demographic information for every state and district, including information from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, with new categories of economic, occupational, social, and geographic data.

• Census data featuring updated veteran status data, healthcare data including the rate of insured vs. uninsured in each congressional district, and new public assistance data.

• Essential reference and contact information.

Over 7,000 entries

Roberts’ dictionary is a comprehensive yet concise guide to the various legal, regulatory, technical, commercial, and financial abbreviations, acronyms, terms and phrases which define the oil and gas industry today. Written by a leading practitioner and containing over 7,000 definitions plus a series of technical and narrative appendices, this is an essential guide to interpreting the industry’s extensive and complex jargon.

96 articles

The Oxford Encyclopedia of African Archaeology brings together contributions from a global community of leading scholars to present a comprehensive overview of the current state of the field. The Encyclopedia covers the width of topics and leading questions in the practice and study of archaeology across the continent, from the emergence of human ancestors and the earliest manifestation of human culture to the role of cultural heritage in the present day.

138 long form essays

The earliest examples of Buddhist studies originating in the Western world tended to frame Buddhism as a religion similar to Abrahamic monotheisms. This involved, among other things, an emphasis on philological, doctrinal, and textual studies, as well as an assumption that the Buddha compares directly to the messianic figures central to other traditions. Starting in the late twentieth century, Buddhist studies scholars have been creatively moving outside of this rubric, and indeed outside of the familiar boundaries of the academy. This movement has allowed them to examine subjects, perspectives, and methodologies not previously engaged by the mainstream of Buddhist studies. Such a wider approach fosters greater awareness of external versus internal critiques of the religion, inclusion of new disciplines and previously marginalized voices, and an appreciation of the decentralized nature of Buddhism and the varied personal experiences of lived practice. As a result, Buddhist studies has attracted a growing audience within the humanities and has been at the forefront of the discourse on cultural exchange, globalization, colonialism and postcolonialism, and the ongoing changes in the religious landscape.

Reflecting these innovations, The Oxford Encyclopedia of Buddhism is a first-of-its-kind reference project: a systematic effort to identify and analyze the ways in which Buddhist studies continues to develop, the new sub-fields of inquiry, and the evolving relationships between the related disciplines. Consisting of 138 in-depth articles, the Encyclopedia covers several major thematic areas, including historical and historiographical studies, historical figures, buddhas and deities, regional studies, global and diasporic Buddhism, art and architecture, contemporary social and academic issues, rituals, philosophical and doctrinal studies, textual and philological studies, and the most influential educational institutions. Moreover, the Encyclopedia frames Buddhist studies as a field rather than as a discipline, meaning that it covers a rich variety of intellectual projects. This approach balances independent specialized studies with interconnected and interdisciplinary studies, inviting research that is both sharper and more nuanced. It is this perspective, gazing toward the future of the field, that marks the volume as an essential work of contemporary scholarship and an organically evolving encyclopedia for study and research.

The Oxford Encyclopedia of Industrial, Work, and Organizational Psychology offers a wide array of articles on key topics dealing with the important challenges and transformations within the field of Industrial, Work, and Organizational (IWO) Psychology. Across nearly 80 articles, organized into 14 sections, the Encyclopedia tackles the main subject areas within the discipline and offers relevant knowledge and forward-looking approaches that are crucial for IWO Psychology research and professional practice.

The sections within the Encyclopedia present a rich and integrated knowledge and perspective. They cover the field’s history, key theories and research methods, the environment and context of organizations and work, the main psychological individual processes, diversity in its different forms, issues concerning jobs and work systems, the interpersonal and social components of organizational life, organizational processes and organizational change, the core topics within human resources psychology and occupational health, as well as the main individual and organizational outcomes.

The diversity of the contributing authors ensures a wide, international approach, and the attention to cross-cultural issues is one of the Encyclopedia’s strengths. The articles offer systematic overviews of the key topics and are well grounded in research and theoretical and empirical contributions, all while paying close attention to the needs and challenges that organizations and professional psychologists face in their practice to serve multiple stakeholders. Many articles also provide important inputs for psycho-social interventions and insights for professional practice. In addition, the style in which the contributions are written is appealing and accessible to non-specialists, such as students in the social sciences and other interested readers.

72 long form essays

Queer communication studies is not a new field of study, although the uneven and hesitant embrace of queer topics and perspectives across the subfields of communication studies is evident to anyone who browses book series or journals in the field. The Oxford Encyclopedia of Queer Studies and Communication gathers the world’s expertise on these topics in one resource allows readers to appreciate the work of the scholars who have persevered at this intellectual intersection to demonstrate how the central questions of these two seemingly disparate disciplines share common concerns about bodies, modes of relationality, representation, and cultural norms.

Articles in this resource address the international flows of queer identities, practices, and representation. Communication studies and queer studies rightfully have been critiqued for their Western biases. With these problematics in mind, then, the authors in this Encyclopedia interrogate whether and how queerness matters on five continents. Other contributors in this volume reassess communication theory through a queer lens to make visible the creative capacities of individuals and groups to redefine default assumptions about relationships and communities. Still other articles explore the ongoing conversation between queer studies and trans studies.

The 72 articles in this Encyclopedia fall into seven main categories: Queer Media, Queer Kinship, Queer Identities, Queer Health, Global Queer Studies, Queer Methodology, and Key Terms. The Oxford Encyclopedia of Queer Studies and Communication is a key reference for anyone involved in the study, research, or practice of media and communication studies.

Over 75 articles

The Oxford Encyclopedia of Race and Education provides scholars, students, and teachers access to research, theories, and historical and contemporary reviews of the complex and intersectional ways in which race is enacted in educational practices around the world. Understanding race in education requires multiple voices and histories, as well as research that crosses geographic and conceptual boundaries. This Encyclopedia features contributors whose research in race and education provides clear, nuanced, and critical global perspectives in order to furnish readers an authoritative and sophisticated treatment of this growing field.

Unsurprisingly, people are consumed with interest in people - themselves, other people, how we interact as individuals in close relationships or as members of groups, and how groups interact with other groups. Attraction, love, language, communication, influence, persuasion, leadership, conformity, self and identity, culture, aggression, prejudice, and discrimination are all part of the human condition and of our everyday lives. It is therefore not unexpected that people might be preoccupied to understand the psychology underlying these phenomena, and this is precisely what social psychology offers - more than a century of systematic scientific research on, and associated theorizing of, the breadth and diversity of social behavior.

The Oxford Encyclopedia of Social Psychology synthesizes what we know about human social behavior and explores avenues for future research. Across 79 scholarly and exhaustively referenced chapters, all written in an accessible style, nearly every topic that social psychologists study is comprehensively covered. Each chapter, which is self-contained but carefully cross-referenced, is written by a distinguished social psychologist and internationally prominent expert on the topic. The Encyclopedia is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in discovering what social psychology has discovered. It is a trusted source that can be turned to with confidence by students and researchers across the social and behavioral sciences, as well as by those who work in policy and applied settings, or by those who are simply interested in social psychology and human social behavior.

Over 3,000 entries

This bestselling dictionary contains entries on both physical and human geography, covering topics such as cartography, surveying, meteorology, climatology, ecology, population, industry, and development. Over 70 diagrams complement the text, and many entries include worked examples. This edition has been fully revised and updated, and includes useful web links which can be accessed on the dedicated companion website.

This A–Z reference is clear, concise, and authoritative, and is an essential companion for all students and teachers of geography.

‘The definitive reference for all things meteorological’—Bill Giles

Over 2,300 entries

An authoritative and comprehensive dictionary of weather, forecasting, and climate terms with illustrative examples of specific events and extremes. Weather records and climate data from around the world are given and key terms from the related fields of oceanography, hydrology, and climatology are also covered.

Revised and updated, this edition includes 270 new and revised entries, such as Bergen School, hair ice, Lightning Imaging Sensor, meddy, Sir William Reid, and sun pillar.

This is a unique dictionary and an essential reference source for meteorology and geography students, whether at school or university, as well as for amateur meteorologists and the general reader.

189 articles

The Encyclopedia of Macro Social Work (EOMSW) updates and expands upon all of the macro content in the Encyclopedia of Social Work to create a multi-volume work unlike any other. The EOMSW includes nearly 200 long-form overview articles written by 334 diverse authors that address macro practice methods (i.e. organizations, community, and policy), as well as macro theories, concepts, ideologies, problems, and contexts relating to macro social work. All articles typically cover the history and context of a given topic; challenges and opportunities for social workers; future trends and directions; and relevant issues that advance social, racial, environmental, political, and economic justice. The inaugural print edition of the EOMSW is destined to become an essential resource for the field: there is simply no similar work available that takes this sort of wide-ranging, expansive view of all that macro social work encompasses. It is a must-read guide to the field for educators, researchers, students, and practitioners who are located in organizational, community, and/or policy practice settings.

‘If someone is to own just one wine book, Ms. Robinson's mighty effort is the fail-safe proposition.’ Wall Street Journal

‘A masterpiece of vinous scholarship.’ David Williams, The Observer

‘As well as a huge weight of information, this wonderful book also manages to entertain and delight.’ Stephen Brook, Decanter

Over 3,800 entries

A uniquely comprehensive and in-depth A-Z reference book on every aspect of wine, covering topics from history through geography, geology, soil science, viticulture, winemaking, packaging, labelling, academia, technology, and regulations to people and places, tasting, writing, and the language of wine.

This new fifth edition, which benefits from the knowledge and experience of over one hundred new contributors, all experts in their field or geographical region, is expanded by 264 new entries, and every existing entry has been reviewed, updated, and polished. The text is more international than ever, written for wine lovers of every persuasion, including those who love wine but want to know more in order to increase their enjoyment of this endlessly fascinating liquid, and those who are intent on studying wine, professionally or privately. This is a huge treasure trove of knowledge, for the first time breaking the barrier of one million words, and the language, while not shying away from complex science, is intended to open the door to every curious reader looking for answers on every question they have ever wanted to ask about wine.

61 articles

The Oxford Encyclopedia of Sensory Systems brings together a comprehensive account of the diversity of mechanisms that organisms use to sense the natural world. Organized into topical sections, with chapters written by more than 100 leading experts in the field of sensory neuroscience, the Encyclopedia presents foundational and emerging topics, all with an eye toward suggesting directions for future research.

The Oxford Encyclopedias of the Bible series is a major reference work, consisting of comprehensive essays by scholars from many countries and with a wide variety of perspectives on Biblical Studies. The Digital Collection represents an online expansion of the project, featuring articles previously published on Oxford Biblical Studies Online, now exclusive on Oxford Reference. With bibliographic references and suggestions for further reading, each entry provides a thorough overview of the topic and serves as an entrance point to further research for both seasoned scholars and beginning students.

In this timely and important work, John Esposito and John Voll explore the development of contemporary Islamic movements and thought through the biographies of nine major activist intellectuals who represent a wide range of Muslim societies. Many Muslims have combined revivalist activism with intellectual efforts, but only a few have achieved significant international visibility and influence. By examining the lives and work of nine such internationally recognized figures, Esposito and Voll provide a new understanding of the intellectual foundations of contemporary Islamic awareness and politics. Included are profiles of: Ismail Ragi al-Faruqi (U.S./Palestine), Khurshid Ahmad (India/Pakistan), Maryam Jameelah (U.S./Pakistan), Hasan Hanafi (Sudan), Rashid Ghannoushi (Tunisia), Hasan al-Turabi (Sudan), Abdolkarim Soroush (Iran), Anwar Ibrahim (Malaysia), and Abdurrahman Wahid (Indonesia).

These thinkers contributed to some of the most significant intellectual and activist developments in the Muslim world during the 1980s and 1990s--the period during which Islamic movements became a major force in Muslim societies and international affairs. They helped to organize and lead the movements of Islamic renewal and provided the conceptual foundations for the programs those movements advocate. Together, they represent a distinctive phase in the evolution of Islamic thinking: the ongoing effort to create an effective synthesis of modernity and Islamic tradition. Their work supplies the core of the Islamic resurgence of the1990s and the foundation for what it can become in the twenty-first century.

This second, revised, and expanded edition of Dictionary of American Family Names contains more than 80,000 of the most commonly occurring surnames in the United States, reflecting better than ever the unique diversity of the American population. All surnames with more than 300 bearers in the 2010 US Census are now included, increasing the number of names discussed by over 10,000 and widening the representation of languages and cultures from North and South America, Eastern Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and East Asia, many of which were absent from the first edition. Native American and African American surnames have been given particular attention, though much research still remains to be done in these important areas of American family history and naming practices. The product of a seventeen-year research project, gathering the contributions of over thirty linguistic consultants from all over the world, the dictionary explains the meanings—some intuitive, some amusing, and some quite surprising—of the family names for more than 90 percent of the US population, giving their comparative frequencies, linguistic and historical explanations, selected associated forenames, and occasional genealogical notes. The edition includes tens of thousands of new and corrected or improved etymologies, origins, and name histories, as well as authoritative introductory essays, many of them new or revised, describing naming customs across the globe.

‘If legal language is a fog, this is a valuable flashlight’ Times Educational Supplement

Over 4,800 entries

The bestselling title in the Oxford Quick Reference series, this dictionary is an authoritative and comprehensive source of jargon-free legal information. This tenth edition features over 4,800 clear and concise definitions on major terms, concepts, and processes within the English legal system, and is a useful source of information for any of the many countries that base their legal system on English law.

The dictionary includes more than 120 new entries, including acid attacks, lasers, Nightingale Courts, Northern Ireland Protocol, and retained EU Law. Many of the new and revised entries reflect changes brought about by Brexit and the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020. There have also been significant increases of coverage in the areas of constitutional law, medical law, and employment law and professional regulation.

Over 4,500 entries

When Bryan Garner published the first edition of A Dictionary of Modern American Usage in 1999, the book quickly became one of the most influential style guides ever written for the English language. After four previous editions and over twenty years, our language has evolved in many ways, and the powerful tool of big data has revolutionized lexicography. This extensively revised new edition fully captures these changes, featuring a thousand new entries and over two hundred replacement entries, thoroughly updated usage data and ratios on word frequency based on the Google Ngram Viewer, a more balanced coverage of World Englishes, not just American and British, and the inclusion of gender-neutral language. However, one thing has not changed: in no sense is this a “regular” dictionary but a masterpiece of lexicography written with wit and personality by one of the preeminent authorities on the English language. To put it in David Foster Wallace’s words, Garner’s discussion of rhetoric and style still “borders on genius.”

From the (lost) battle between self-deprecating and self-depreciating to the misuse of it’s for its, from the variant spelling patty-cake taking over pat-a-cake in American English to the singular uses of they, Garner explains the nuances of grammar and vocabulary and the linguistic blunders to which modern writers and speakers are prone, whether in word choice, syntax, phrasing, punctuation, or pronunciation. His empirical approach liberates English from two extremes: from the “purists” who maintain that split infinitives and sentence-ending prepositions are malfeasances and from the linguistic relativists who believe that whatever people say or write must necessarily be accepted.

The purpose of Garner’s dictionary is to help writers, editors, and speakers use the language effectively. And it does so in a playful and persuasive way that will help you sound “grammatical but relaxed, refined but natural, correct but unpedantic.”

As knowledge of Latin continues to diminish, its frequent use in cases, textbooks, treaties, and scholarly works frequently baffles law students, practitioners, and scholars alike.

The Guide to Latin in International Law seeks to fill the gaps left by the commonly used law dictionaries by taking a comprehensive approach to the subject which includes literal translations of Latin terms and phrases as well as definitions that take into account the common uses of the terms. It also includes examples that show the terms used in context by international law scholars, diplomats, or judges, wherever such examples would be helpful to readers.

Furthermore, the guidebook also features the modern English pronunciation for each term as well as the classical or “restored” pronunciation. In addition, the entries frequently contain etymological information, and each entry is also cross-referenced to related terms for ease of use.

The second edition adds approximately 60 (mostly less common) Latin terms and phrases used in international law writings that were absent from the first edition. It also contains additional examples of usage and etymological information as well as enhanced cross-references.

Because the understanding of Latin is a critical skill for scholars and practitioners who hope to gain a better understanding of sources of law and each other, this book assists international lawyers and law students seeking to master, or at least to decipher, the Latin terminology that permeates scholarly writings in the field, treaties, judgments of international courts and tribunals, and other sources of international law.

The Oxford History of Islam offers the most wide-ranging and authoritative account available of the second largest--and fastest growing--religion in the world. John L. Esposito, Editor-in-Chief of The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Islamic World , has gathered together sixteen leading scholars, both Muslim and non-Muslim, to examine the origins and historical development of Islam--its faith, community, institutions, sciences, and arts. Beginning in the pre-Islamic Arab world, the chapters range from the story of Muhammad and his Companions, to the development of Islamic religion and culture and the empires that grew from it, to the influence that Islam has on today's world. The book covers a wide array of subjects, casting light on topics such as the historical encounter of Islam and Christianity, the role of Islam in the Mughal and Ottoman empires, the growth of Islam in Southeast Asia, China, and Africa, the political, economic, and religious challenges of European imperialism in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and Islamic communities in the modern Western world. In addition, the book offers excellent articles on Islamic religion, art and architecture, and sciences as well as bibliographies. This edition includes updates made in 2015.

An invaluable resource, The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Islamic World offers extensive comparative and systematic analyses of Islamic beliefs, institutions, movements, practices, and peoples on an international scale. The Digital Collection represents an online expansion of the project, featuring articles previously published on Oxford Islamic Studies Online, now exclusive on Oxford Reference.  Articles range from brief essays to major interpretive and synthetic treatments of topics such as the Islamic state, pilgrimage, law, marriage, and foreign relations. Related entries cover areas of general interest such as social and political movements, women, Muslim minorities, human rights, Islam in the West, and interreligious affairs.

‘a national monument’ David Martin, TLS

Over 6,500 entries

First published to great acclaim in 1957, The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church is firmly established as an indispensable resource for members of the clergy, and an invaluable tool for academics, teachers, and students of church history and theology, as well as for the general reader. It encompasses theology, churches and denominations, patristic scholarship, the Bible, the Church calendar and organization, and biographical entries of many of its leaders.

The Fourth Edition represents a shift in focus to a more global perspective, with expanded coverage of Christianity in Asia, Africa, Latin America, North America, and Australasia, and a wider range of voices and viewpoints. Significant updates have also been incorporated on liturgy, canon law, non-Anglican missionary activity, moral and pastoral theology, and recent and international developments, among many other topics.

115 entries

The Oxford Encyclopedia of Brazilian History and Culture brings together a variety of specialists from around Latin America, Europe, and the United States. The encyclopedia’s 115 entries range from the nation’s prehistory until the beginning of the 21st century and feature original research on the history and legacies of slavery, political history, international relations, economic history, social history, cultural history, and more, with special attention paid to arts and sciences. The collection is divided into four large chronological sections: the precolonial and long colonial periods, the short imperial period, and the republican period that continues to the present day. It also seeks to reinvent the historiographical tradition by securing the participation of historians from across generations whose contributions compare themes and models of interpretation that correspond to specific phases of historical research. Written in clear explanatory prose and incorporating the latest research, the encyclopedia’s articles offer a marvelous narrative that will be of use to scholars, students, and the general reader.

85 long form essays

Contemporary societies are increasingly crisis-prone, and crises have profound implications for the rapidly changing political, economic, and social landscape. Crises pose major challenges to governments, communities, leaders, and organizations. The Oxford Encyclopedia of Crisis Analysis provides a comprehensive overview of the rapidly emerging and evolving field of crisis studies and explores its connection to several relevant neighboring fields of knowledge. Crises are complex, unfold in diverse political and socio-technical contexts, and must be studied and understood from multiple angles and disciplinary perspectives. This Encyclopedia brings together contributions by experts from political science, public administration, management, international relations, public health, sociology, economics, media and mass communications, the law, and many other fields to explore important theoretical, methodological, empirical, and practical issues related to crisis and crisis management. Articles focus on concepts (crisis as well as closely related concepts such as emergency, disaster, resilience, security etc.), contingencies (natural hazards, major accidents, pandemics, terrorism, social and political conflict among many others), historical and contemporary cases, classic and cutting edge research methods, different “phases” of the crisis/emergency management cycle, as well as documenting a wide range of pitfalls and good practices that can help to forewarn and forearm current and future crisis managers.

The 85 essays in this Encyclopedia fall into six main categories: Theory, Concepts, Metatheory and Methodology, Crisis Governance and Regional Perspectives, Bridging Gaps, and Cases & the Evolving Socio-Technical Context. The Oxford Encyclopedia of Crisis Analysis is a key reference for anyone involved in the study, research, or practice of crisis and emergency analysis and management.

72 entries

Criminology in the 21st century has gone global. It has increasingly been drawn to thinking and research that addresses criminological matters in international, transnational, and comparative registers. Issues at the intersection of criminology/criminal justice and social forces, economic policies, political conflict, national security concerns, legal changes and reforms, environmental issues, legacies of colonialism, technological developments and more are best understood when framed as global phenomena. The Oxford Encyclopedia of International Criminology includes state of the art essays that offer critical reviews of scholarship – including theoretical, empirical, and methodological work – on crime and victimization and the social and legal responses that both receive; historical, social, cultural, legal, and interpretive processes underlying crime and justice; problems of equity and social transformation that increasingly drive debate and discussions of policy, international law, and political activism. The contributors are established and highly distinguished academics as well as emerging scholars whose work is having an impact on their respective fields. They are an international cast of writers drawn from both the Global North and Global South, representing multiple disciplinary orientations, as well as interdisciplinary perspectives. Aside from covering the major issues in their subject areas and incorporating useful bibliographies, the authors offer guidance on how to further explore the various aspects of the topics. The Oxford Research Encyclopedia of International Criminology will prove helpful to students, scholars, and the informed public interested in learning about cutting edge issues in the study of crime and justice in a comparative, global context.

Over 175 articles

The Oxford Encyclopedia of Literary Theory gives a comprehensive coverage of every aspect of literary theory, both traditional and contemporary. Led by Editor John Frow and Associate Editors Mark Byron, Pelagia Goulimari, Sean Pryor, and Julie Rak, the encyclopedia features around 175 essays written by a wide range of experts and distinguished scholars to explore the problems, the concepts, and the methodologies that arise when we discuss literary texts. They ask what systems of value go into making this category, separating “literary” from other kinds of texts or other language games; what a “text” is, what kinds of text there are, and who decides what it means to “read a text”: to understand it literally, to react to it emotionally, to look for broader structures of meaning, to understand it in relation to the context in which it was written or the contexts in which it was later understood; who “we” are who read; how reading relates to writing, and who or what the author of a text is and what authority they have over its reception; what background understandings shape our reading, how we acquire a knowledge of the norms and conventions that govern reading, how our class or our gender or our ethnicity form our understanding and the differences between our understandings; and whether some readings can be said to be better than others. Ranging across the analysis of formal concepts, of the institutions that support the production, dissemination, interpretation, and valuation of literary texts, of the identities of the real and textual persons who interact in the study of texts, and of the systematic methodologies of literary interpretation and understanding, the Encyclopedia is the most advanced and comprehensive collection of essays on literary theory ever published.

53 articles

The Oxford Encyclopedia of Neuroendocrine and Autonomic Systems provides an up-to-date survey of the wide range of scholarship being conducted on these two systems in the field of neuroendocrinology. The Encyclopedia includes more than 50 articles—each approximately 8,000 words in length—that provide thorough overviews of a diverse set of topics in neuroendocrine regulation, neuroimmunology, behavioral neuroendocrinology, autonomic regulation, stress, thirst and water balance, regulation of food intake, and biological rhythms and sleep, among many others. All authors were commissioned specifically for the Encyclopedia, and all articles received blind peer reviews. The articles provide critical and synthetic examinations, as well as the history, progress, direction, and debates about research on a given topic, surveying developments and different perspectives, and discussing important contributors and contributions. The Encyclopedia offers coverage of core and emerging areas of research to provide readers a reliable source of specialist information on topics not discussed in existing reference works. As such, The Oxford Encyclopedia of Neuroendocrine and Autonomic Systems represents a unique contribution to scholarship in neuroendocrinology and will be a standard reference for researchers, students, and professionals in the field.

108 entries

This edited collection provides a comprehensive, global, invitational, and accessible overview of contemporary issues in the field of philosophy of education. It includes a wide range topics, ideas, and diverse perspectives from around the world. Each chapter is an in-depth exploration of a philosophic topic or issue relevant to teaching, education, pedagogy, and/or schooling. Authors include well-known and emerging scholars who write in invitational ways to a non-specialist audience. Taken together, the chapter authors illuminate the kinds of questions that philosophers ask about education and schooling, and the tools and resources they bring to bear on these questions. They show the ways in which educational philosophers uncover fundamental assumptions, describe relationships among ideas, analyze concepts, unpack taken-for-granted claims, connect disparate viewpoints, identify the validity and consistency of claims, unsettle commonsense, propose hypothetical experiments, provide critical commentary on ideas, render givens as contingent, explore the interactions of ideas and experience, and offer alternative possibilities.

The volume is organized into ten sections: philosophical traditions and explorations in education; non-Western, indigenous, and post/decolonial philosophies of education; race, gender, sexuality, and marginalized perspectives; globalization, democracy, and citizenship education; ethics, justice, morality, and character education; philosophical issues in research and educational practice; philosophical issues and controversies in K-12 education; philosophy of childhood, parenting, upbringing, and formation; philosophical issues in arts and aesthetics in education; and contemporary topics and issues in philosophy of education.

91 entries

Public administration is a sprawling, diverse field that contains elements of political science, economics, law, sociology, ethics, and many other disciplines while also comprising issues and approaches distinctive to public administration. The Oxford Encyclopedia of Public Administration comprehensively examines the full range of concerns surrounding the core question of governance through administration. It provides significant theoretical perspectives, along with comprehensive assessments of the alignments of people, systems, and action, capturing the rich interconnectedness of public administration, policy, and governance. Contributors have been selected to reflect the diverse international community of scholars in this field, providing a wide range of insights into public administration as the enduring basis on which public affairs are arranged and managed.

The 91 essays in this Encyclopedia fall into four main categories: Theoretical Approaches & Research; People in Public Administration; Systems & Instruments of Public Administration; and Public Administration in Action. The Oxford Encyclopedia of Public Administration is a critical resource for scholars, professionals, and students involved in the study, research, or practice of public administration.

89 articles

The Oxford Encyclopedia of School Reform is a landmark publication that provides a wid-ranging collection of school reform strategies from several geographical regions around the world. It illustrates both the theory and practical outcomes of reform efforts situated in different cultural contexts. The major theme that runs through the Encyclopedia is both the successes and failures of reforms: the detailed analyses offered in the text have a unique potential to guide future reforms. The power of the text is its ability to shift readers out of their culturally myopic perspective, and to seriously engage with alternative ways of conceptualizing and solving educational problems.

The history of psychology as a scholarly field has grown and diversified since the landmark volumes of E. G. Boring’s A History of Experimental Psychology (1929, 1950). It is now a site of scholarly inquiry that attracts practitioners from a range of disciplines. Psychological concepts and practices hold interest for people from all walks of life and from around the globe. The Oxford Encyclopedia of the History of Modern Psychology reflects the range of such interest. The essays found here explore topics from everyday subjective experiences to deep connections among esoteric laboratory sciences and Enlightenment philosophies. Our contributors seek to answer difficult questions about how psychology developed, not only in the Western world, but across the globe. Human history has many examples of how people have used knowledge about themselves, others, and their world to try and change or improve their lives. How did these experiences help make possible a science and profession of psychology? In turn, how has scientific and professional psychology shaped or influenced the psychology of everyday life?

The reader will find in these essays key insights into the profound differences that have marked the growth of Western modernity—race, gender, sexuality among them—and what they reveal about selfhood, identity, and possibilities for human freedom and oppression. In our own time, we see the psychological, economic, and political legacy of past practices and the profound inequities that we now must address. We hope these histories will help readers find or create counter-histories that help us move toward a more equitable world.

over 120 entries

This encyclopedia provides the definitive resource for exploring the role that military personnel and organizations have played in politics. Many of the articles examine how the military has been involved in politics in specific states. Other articles link the country-specific accounts to broader questions concerning the military in politics, such as what factors encourage military coups, what are the consequences of military rule, how do military personnel vote, and whether military expenditures boost economic growth. No other work has examined the relationships between governments and their military with such breadth. As a result, the Oxford Encyclopedia of the Military in Politics is a necessary resource for students, specialists, and scholars.

Since the events of September 11, 2001, students and people everywhere are filled with questions about Islam. What do Muslims believe? Who is Osama bin Laden? What is a jihad? Even though Islam is a major religion with more than one billion followers worldwide and more than six million in the United States alone, there is still uncertainty and misunderstanding about the ideas, tenets, and practice of Islam.

Understanding Islam and the people who believe in it has become crucially important in the greater world. The Islamic World: Past and Present is the ideal source for fostering understanding and answering questions. John Esposito's acclaimed four-volume The Encyclopedia of the Modern Islamic World (1995) set the standard in references on Islam. Adapted from this award-winning set, The Islamic World: Past and Present brings all the scholarship and information of the original to general readers and college and high school students.

In addition to the more approachable language and user-friendly page layout, this reference covers events and changes of the last eight years. It also includes entirely new entries to provide coverage of the pre-modern world of Islam. Containing more than 300 articles, it provides an excellent, comprehensive resource for gaining understanding into a belief system that seems mysterious and incomprehensible to many.

Over 4,500 entries

This dictionary is the most wide-ranging and comprehensive of its kind, covering the essential vocabulary for everyday archaeological work in the English language. There is coverage of principles, theories, techniques, artefacts, materials, people, places, monuments, equipment, and descriptive terms.

The dictionary focuses especially on Europe, the Old World, and the Americas, and covers legislation relating to the United Kingdom and the USA, though this third edition does add a fair number of entries relating to the Near East and Asia. These include Angara Style, Donghulin Culture, Hasanlu, Samarra Culture, and Tel Tsaf, as well as a new appendix listing Chinese rulers and dynasties.

Written by a leading authority, the dictionary’s detailed but clear entries provide an essential reference source for students, teachers, professionals, and enthusiasts alike.

Over 1,500 entries

For nearly half a century, James D. Hart's Oxford Companion to American Literature has offered a matchless guided tour through American literary culture, both past and present, with brief biographies of important authors, descriptions of important literary movements, and a wealth of information on other aspects of American literary life and history from the Colonial period to the present day.

In this second edition of the Concise version, Wendy Martin and Danielle Hinrichs bring the work up to date to more fully reflect the diversity of the subject. Their priorities have been, foremost, to fully represent the impact of writers of color and women writers on the field of American literature and to increase the usefulness of the work to students of literary theory.

To this end, over 230 new entries have been added, including many that cover women authors; Native American, African American, Asian American, Latino/a, and other contemporary ethnic literatures; LGBT, trans, and queer studies; and recent literary movements and evolving areas of contemporary relevance such as eco-criticism, disability studies, whiteness studies, male/masculinity studies, and diaspora studies.

Over 43,000 entries

‘“What’s in a name?” Juliet asked as she and Romeo tried to puzzle their way around the troubling problem of their warring families. Well, plenty, the most detailed investigation into surnames in the UK and Ireland has found.’

Steven Morris, The Guardian (of The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland)

This new dictionary provides up-to date and authoritative explanations of family names found in Britain. It is an edited version of The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names of Britain and Ireland, published to great acclaim in 2016, which provided evidence for the origins, history, and geographical distribution of tens of thousands of family names current in Britain, many of them never explained before. The Concise Dictionary includes almost all the names originally covered, plus some additional rarer names, in a more concise and accessible format, and will be a key research tool for those investigating their family history.

Each entry includes British frequencies and main locations as evidenced in the 1881 Census, as well as etymological detail and variants of the name. It tells you what type of name it is – perhaps an occupational name such as Taylor, or a nickname such as Short – the name’s original language and culture, and any multiple origins.

Over 4,000 entries

This informative A to Z provides clear, jargon-free definitions of a wide variety of mathematical terms. Its articles cover both pure and applied mathematics and statistics, and include key theories, concepts, methods, programmes, people, and terminology.

For this sixth edition, around 800 new terms have been defined, expanding on the dictionary’s coverage of algebra, differential geometry, algebraic geometry, representation theory, and statistics. Among this new material are articles such as cardinal arithmetic, first fundamental form, Lagrange’s theorem, Navier-Stokes equations, potential, and splitting field. The existing entries have also been revised and updated to account for developments in the field.

Numerous supplementary features complement the text, including detailed appendices on basic algebra, areas and volumes, trigonometric formulae, and Roman numerals. Newly added to these sections is a historical timeline of significant mathematicians’ lives and the emergence of key theorems. There are also illustrations, graphs, and charts throughout the text, as well as useful web links to provide access to further reading.

‘Concise, current information … highly recommended’ – Choice, the magazine of the American Library Association

Over 2,800 entries

This authoritative dictionary provides informative and analytical entries on the most important people, organizations, events, movements, and ideas that have shaped the world we live in. Covering the period from 1900 to the present day, this fully revised and updated new edition presents a global perspective on recent history, with a wide range of new entries from Tony Abbott, the European migration crisis, and ISIS to Narendra Modi, Hassan Rouhani, and UKIP. All existing entries have been brought up to date. Handy tables include lists of office-holders for countries and organizations and winners of the Nobel Peace Prize.

This comprehensive reference resource will be invaluable to students of history, politics, and international relations as well as to journalists, policymakers, and general readers interested in the modern world.

Over 10,000 entries

The new edition of this bestselling and trusted dictionary has been fully revised to take account of recent developments in nursing practice and related fields. Updates to this edition cover many areas, with a particular focus on radiography, public health and the NHS, theoretical concepts familiar in nursing education, and key vocabulary used in the 2018 Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) Standards of Proficiency for Registered Nurses.

Written by medical and nursing specialists, the dictionary provides comprehensive coverage of the ever-expanding vocabulary of the nursing professions. As well as nursing-specific terms, there are also many entries in the fields of medicine, anatomy, physiology, ethics, psychiatry, nutrition, statistics, and pharmacology. Almost 100 helpful illustrations and tables, and 16 appendices covering the calculation of drug dosages, essential skill clusters, religion and nursing practice, recommended alcohol intake, and much more, help to make this an essential reference tool for all nursing students and professionals.

Over 1200 entries

Anthropologists and historians have confirmed the central role alcohol has played in nearly every society since the dawn of human civilization, but it is only recently that it has been the subject of serious scholarly inquiry. The Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails is the first major reference work to cover the subject and explores the historical, technical, and cultural aspects of this branch of the alcohol family. Compiled by world authority David Wondrich, with the assistance of a team of experts from around the globe, it stands beside the hugely successful Oxford Companions to Wine and Beer, providing an authoritative, enlightening and entertaining overview of this third branch of the alcohol family.

With entries ranging from Manhattan and mixology to sloe gin and stills, the Companion combines coverage of the range of spirit-based drinks around the world with clear explanations of production processes, and the history and culture of their consumption.

‘a valuable piece of scholarship, and the definitive reference work on architecture and landscape design’ – Hannah Malone, Architectural History

Over 5,000 entries

Beautifully illustrated and written in a clear and concise style, this dictionary covers every period of Western architectural history. The text is complemented by over 250 beautiful and meticulous line drawings, labelled cross-sections, and diagrams. This updated edition adds more than 40 completely new entries, including many new biographies of notable architects, and essential updates to several existing entries.

Over 3,800 entries

This unique dictionary covers the majority of family names that are established and current in Ireland, both in the Republic and in Northern Ireland. It establishes reliable and accurate explanations of historical origins (including etymologies), and provides variant spellings and geographical distribution for each name. Additionally, where relevant, it includes genealogical and bibliographical notes for family names that have more than 100 bearers in the 1911 census of Ireland.

An extensive introduction gives the history and formation of Irish family names, of Gaelic and English-language origin, and the research methods and sources used to compile the dictionary. The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names of Ireland will be of the greatest interest not only to those interested in Irish history, students of the Irish language, genealogists, and geneticists, but also to the general public, both in Ireland and in the Irish diaspora in North America, Australia, and elsewhere.

Over 3,000 entries

Newly updated to incorporate recent additions to the English language, this popular dictionary provides a fascinating exploration of the origins and development of words in the English language. Drawing on Oxford's unrivalled dictionary research programme and language monitoring it brings to light the intriguing and often unusual stories of some of our most used words and phrases.

The A-Z entries include the first known use of the term along with examples, related lexes, and expressions which uncover the etymological composition of each word. Also featured are 22 expanded entries that give overviews of broad topic areas, 5 of which are completely new and that variously cover words from Oceania, word blends, eponyms, and acronyms. New findings in the OED since the previous edition have also been added including emoji, mansplain, meeple, meme, and spam.

An absorbing resource for language students and enthusiasts, but also an intriguing read for any person interested in the development of the English language, and of language development in general. It also includes an extended introduction on the history of the English language.

115 entries

The Oxford Encyclopedia of Curriculum Studies (OECS) addresses the central question of Curriculum Studies as: What is worthwhile? The articles show how the public, personal and educational concerns about composing lives are the essence of curriculum. Writ large, Curriculum Studies pertains to what human beings should know, need, experience, do, be, become, overcome, contribute, share, wonder, imagine, invent, and improve. While the OECS treats curriculum as definitely central to schooling, it also shows how curriculum scholars also work on myriad other institutionalized and non-institutionalized dimensions of life that shape the ways humans learn to perceive, conceptualize, and act in the world. Thus, while OECS treats perennial curriculum categories (e.g., curriculum theory, history, purposes, development, design, enactment, evaluation), it does so through a critical eye that provides counter-narratives to neoliberal, colonial, and imperial forces that have too often dominated curriculum thought, policy, and practice. Thus, OECS presents contemporary perspectives on prevailing topics such as science, mathematics, social studies, literacy/reading/literature/language arts, music, art, physical education, testing, special education, liberal arts, many OECS articles also show how curriculum is embedded in ideology, human rights, mythology, museums, media, literature/film, geographical spaces, community organizing, social movements, cultures, race relations, gender, social class, immigration, activist work, popular pedagogy, revolution, diasporic events, and much more. To provide such perspectives, articles draw upon diverse scholarly traditions in addition to (though including) established qualitative and quantitative approaches (e.g., feminist, womanist, oral, critical theory, critical race theory, critical dis/ability studies, Indigenous ways of knowing, documentary, dialogue, postmodern, cooperative, posthuman, and diverse modes of expression). Moreover, such orientations (often drawn from neglected work Asia, the Global South, Aboriginal regions, and other often excluded realms) reveal positions that counter official or dominant neo-liberal impositions by emphasizing hidden, null, outside, material, embodied, lived, and transgressive curricula that foster emancipatory, ecologically interdependent, and continuously growing constructs.

129 entries

The Oxford Encyclopedia of Educational Administration is a first-of-its-kind transnational survey of the field of educational administration and leadership. The Encyclopedia’s 125+ overview articles, written and reviewed by recognized scholars from around the world, are intended for professors, practitioners, and university-level readers, including advanced undergraduates, graduate students, and researchers in education and adjacent fields. The articles provide a critical examination of the history, progress, direction, and debates about perspectives in a given topic, surveying developments and tensions, and discussing important contributors and contributions. Authors were sought to cover the breadth of schools/universities and leadership practices at both the micro and macro levels, from theories of administration, management, and leadership to practices in specific contexts. The Encyclopedia provides a wide breadth of concepts and themes in the hopes of serving the complex world of practitioners and research scholars with courage, curiosity, and imagination.

75 entries

The Oxford Encyclopedia of Educational Psychology brings together leading scholars from the vast and varied global domain of educational psychology and its allied academic fields to provide a common language for researchers, practitioners, and students. The Encyclopedia is the first truly comprehensive, systematic, theory-driven, and evidence-based reference work on educational psychology and distinguishes itself through its strong international representation. It situates educational psychology within the larger contexts of psychology and education, and its totalizing view provides new insights into the intricate relationships among the various mechanisms operating in educational psychology. The empirical findings have practical implications for practitioners in education and beyond, and for all individuals engaged in learning, whether it be school learning or everyday learning.

More than 140 entries

This encyclopedia offers the most comprehensive and up-to-date resource on the European integration process. Under the editorial directorship of Finn Laursen and associate editors Derek Beach, Roberto Domínguez, Sung-Hoon Park, Sophie Vanhoonacker, and Amy Verdun, the publication brings together peer-reviewed contributions by leading researchers on the European Union as a global actor. Topics include the basic treaties, institutions and policies of the European Union and the previous European Communities, the European Coal and Steel Community, the European Economic Community, and the European Atomic Energy Community. It also includes articles on the various conceptual frameworks and theories that have been developed by political scientists to guide research into the integration process and the policy- and decision-making processes with a focus on the roles of the different institutions, the European Council, the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the Court of Justice of the EU. Additionally, the publication includes articles on the member states as well as external relations and foreign policies of the EU. As a result, the Oxford Encyclopedia of European Union Politics is a vital resource for students, scholars, and policymakers.

91 entries

As schools in all countries move toward being more inclusive of all learners, The Oxford Encyclopedia of Inclusive and Special Education provides policy makers, educators, and researchers with lessons learned and research findings from around the world. This expansive collection of articles addresses the historical and philosophical foundations, and effective practices, policies, and workforce preparation initiatives that underpin and guide the implementation of successful inclusive education.

94 entries

This encyclopedia reviews and interprets a broad array of research on Latin American politics, including topics related to political institutions, processes, and parties; social movements; political economy; racial and gender politics; and Latin America’s international relations. Under the editorial directorship of Harry E. Vanden and Gary Prevost and associate editors Jennifer Cyr, Kwame Dixon, Mary K. Meyer McAleese, Gabriel Ondetti, and Richard Stahler-Sholk, this publication brings together peer-reviewed contributions by leading researchers and offers the definitive resource for understanding contemporary politics in the region. As a result, the Oxford Encyclopedia of Latin American Politics is a necessary resource for students and as well as both new and established scholars.

This encyclopedia reviews and interprets a broad array of social science and humanities research on LGBT people, politics, and public policy around the world. The articles are organized around six major themes of the study of identity politics, with a focus on movement politics, public attitudes, political institutions, elections, and the broader context of political theory. Under the editorial directorship of Donald P. Haider-Markel and associate editors Carlos Ball, Gary Mucciaroni, Bruno Perreau, Craig A. Rimmerman, and Jami K. Taylor, this publication brings together peer-reviewed contributions by leading researchers and offers the most comprehensive view of research on LGBT politics and policy to date. As a result, the Oxford Encyclopedia of LGBT Politics and Policy is a necessary resource for students and as well as both new and established scholars.