Skip to main content
View Cart

Books in Arts and humanities

Elsevier's Arts and Humanities titles encompass a rich spectrum of scholarship that explores human culture, history, philosophy, and creative expression. These works offer deep insights into language, literature, visual arts, and critical theory, supporting the academic community in understanding diverse perspectives and cultural legacies. Designed for scholars, educators, and students, this collection bridges classic studies with contemporary issues, fostering a deeper appreciation and knowledge of the human experience.

  • Incest: A Biosocial View

    • 1st Edition
    • MOST
    • English
    Incest: A Biosocial View focuses on the sociobiological theory of incest and compares it with other theoretical approaches to the problem. The argument made in this book is that the existence of culture does not lead to the exemption of Homo sapiens from the evolutionary process. Instead, it creates a coevolutionary process, of which the evolution of incest avoidance in human beings is the simplest, yet most instructive, example. Comprised of 11 chapters, this volume begins with an introduction to the problem of incest, followed by a discussion on the sociobiological theory in general and some important methodological issues. Epigenetic rules and the importance of reproduction are considered, along with inclusive fitness and kin selection; kinship altruism (nepotism); reciprocal altruism; mate selection and parental investment, parent-child and sibling conflict; aggression and social order; and the biosocial view of culture. The next three chapters survey the theories and empirical findings that led to the sociobiological theory of incest, with particular reference to the views of Edward Westermarck as well as the kibbutz and the sim-pua. The propositions of the sociobiological theory of incest are then outlined. The book concludes by summarizing the classic theories of incest and synthesizing them in light of the sociobiological theory. This monograph is relevant to psychoanalysts, sociologists, biologists, anthropologists, and psychologists studying the problem of incest.

  • Hepatitis Viruses of Man

    • 1st Edition
    • Arie J. Zuckerman + 1 more
    • T. W. Tinsley + 1 more
    • English
    Hepatitis Viruses of Man covers the advances and developments in the study of viral hepatitis. The book discusses the history, epidemiology, and clinical features of viral hepatitis; the nomenclature and morphology of hepatitis viruses and their antigens; and the pathology of the liver in acute viral hepatitis. The text also describes the biochemical and biophysical properties of hepatitis B surface antigen; the nature and immunopathogenesis of hepatitis B; and the laboratory tests for hepatitis B surface antigen and antibody and hepatitis B core antigen and antibody. The carrier state; maternal transmission of hepatitis B and neonatal infection; and Hepatitis B virus and primary liver cancer are also considered. The book further tackles the laboratory tests for hepatitis A and the nature of the virus; immunization against hepatitis; and interferon and antiviral therapy in chronic hepatitis B infection. Microbiologists, pathologists, and medical doctors will find the book useful.

  • Advances in Communication Systems

    Theory and Applications
    • 1st Edition
    • A. V. Balakrishnan
    • English
    Advances in Communication Systems: Theory and Applications, Volume 1 focuses on the innovations in the methodologies, technologies, processes, and applications in communication systems. The selection first offers information on signal selection theory for space communication channels, theories of pattern recognition, and digilock orthogonal modulation system. Discussions focus on digilock mechanization of an orthogonal modulation system, restrictions placed on practical system waveforms, minimum of distance recognition, synthesis of threshold function, and regular simplex coding. The text then ponders on telemetry and command techniques for planetary spacecraft and communication from weather satellite, including planetary missions, telemetry and command system philosophy, Tiros operation and performance, and the Nimbus spacecraft system. The book examines the information theory of quantum-mechanical channels, as well as the capacity of an ideal quantum-mechanical channel, amplifiers in spatial representation, quantum theory of parametric amplifiers, photon correlation, and moment formula for phase-locking amplifiers. The selection is a dependable reference for researchers in communications interested in the advancements in communication systems.

  • Advances in Archaeological Method and Theory

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 6
    • English
    Advances in Archaeological Method and Theory, Volume 6 is a collection of papers dealing with the study of man's ancestors in antiquity. One paper compares archaeology in Europe and in North America where turn-of-the-century archaeologists, both professionals and amateurs, have contributed to the development of the science. Their contribution has led to an institutional sense of delineating professionals and amateurs in archaeological science and, more substantially, in matters of defining stone tools, cultural occupations, and cultural change. Another paper discusses large-scale stylistic trait distribution in broad terms related to archaeology, sociology, and geography. A model of cultural evolution simplifies anthropological concept of cultural complexity into inequality and heterogeneity, which are measurable variables to test hypotheses of cultural evolution. One paper cites the case of the Maya as subsistence and complex societies to show the diversity of Maya agriculture and other subsistence subsystems. One paper notes that the concepts and theory which archaeologists are using tend to be more sophisticated than their ability to provide samples of observations for testing. The collection is suitable for professional or amateur archaeologists, anthropologist, sociologists, and researchers interested in pre-historical times and cultures.

  • Exchange Systems in Prehistory

    • 1st Edition
    • T. Earle + 1 more
    • English
    Exchange Systems in Prehistory provides an accurate description of prehistoric exchange and a more thorough investigation of the significance of exchange in prehistory. This book discusses the four aspects of archaeological research on prehistoric exchange, including systemic modeling, chemical characterization, descriptive modeling and application of ethnographic and ethnohistorical research. Organized into five parts encompassing 14 chapters, this book begins with an overview of the basic procedures in chemical characterization of any raw material. This text then describes the many steps required in the sampling and resolution of turquoise sources and artifacts from Mesoamerica and the American Southwest. Other chapters consider the measures of transportation cost for raw materials, including estimates of work along probable transport routes, social distances, and intermediary populations. This book discusses as well how anomalies may be used to identify central places or general hierarchical structure in settlement. This book is a valuable resource for archeologists and sociologists.

  • Current Algebras and Their Applications

    International Series of Monographs in Natural Philosophy
    • 1st Edition
    • B. Renner
    • D. ter Haar
    • English
    International Series of Monographs in Natural Philosophy, Volume 12: Current Algebras and their Applications provides an introduction to the underlying philosophy and to the technical methods associated with the use of the Current Algebra for the investigation of questions in elementary particle physics. This text contains 10 chapters and begins with the preliminary concepts and basic ideas of current algebras. The next chapters deal with the approximate symmetry and the dispersion theory of current algebras, as well as the current algebra sum rules with PCAC. These topics are followed by reviews of the principles of the low-energy theorems, the Schwinger terms, and the features of the dispersion theory. The last chapter examines the possible connections of current algebras and dynamics. This book will prove useful to mathematicians, physicists, teachers, and students.

  • Sensory Functions of the Skin in Primates

    With Special Reference to Man
    • 1st Edition
    • Yngve Zotterman
    • English
    Sensory Functions of the Skin in Primates: With Special Reference to Man deals with sensory functions of the skin in primates, particularly humans. The discussions are organized around three themes: mechanoreception, thermoception, and nociception. Comprised of 43 chapters, this volume begins with a detailed treatment of the natural and paranatural stimulation of sensory receptors, followed by an analysis of a theory of sympathetic-sensory coupling. The reader is then introduced to the "receptripse", the desmosome-like lamellar-axonal junction subserving mechano-electric transduction and inducing the sympathetic actions on the pacinian sensor. Subsequent chapters focus on differences in timing of corticocuneate and corticogracile actions; organization and neuronal morphology of the spinocervical tract; skin mechanoreceptors in the human hand; and cellular mechanisms in the parietal cortex in alert monkeys. The book also examines the response of central trigeminal neurons to cutaneous thermal stimulation and the role of thermoreceptors in thermoregulation. This monograph will be of interest to specialists in fields ranging from anatomy and biology to physiology and neurophysiology.

  • Decision Table Languages and Systems

    • 1st Edition
    • John R. Metzner + 1 more
    • Robert L. Ashenhurst
    • English
    ACM Monograph Series: Decision Table Languages and Systems focuses on linguistic examination of decision tables and survey of the features of existing decision table languages and systems. The book first offers information on semiotics, programming language features, and generalization. Discussions focus on semantic broadening, outer language enrichments, generalization of syntax, limitations, implementation improvements, syntactic and semantic features, decision table syntax, semantics of decision table languages, and decision table programming languages. The text then elaborates on design implications, decision structure tables, spectrum of decision table use, and history of decision table programming. Topics include feature evaluation method, breadth of decision table applicability, and suggested design procedure. The book also takes a look at sequential test procedures and language references. The publication is a vital reference for researchers interested in decision table languages and systems.

  • Macroeconomics

    Private and Public Choice
    • 1st Edition
    • James D Gwartney + 1 more
    • English
    Macroeconomics: Private and Public Choice discusses the principle of macroeconomics, particularly government expenditure, taxation, public choice theory, and labor markets. The book also covers aggregate supply, fiscal policy, inflation, unemployment, traditional Keynesian theory, low productivity, rapid inflation. The text explains international economics and comparative systems such as the export-import link, export taxes, and foreign finance. It analyzes the existence of trade barriers as being due to domestic protectionism policies, special interest nature of trade restrictions, and economic illiteracy. The book examines the economics of government failure, namely, the collective decision-making process as being both beneficial and limited of public sector economic action. Among the reasons cited for government failure are voter ignorance, inefficient public policy, existence of special interests, imprecise knowledge of consumer preferences, as well as government shortsightedness. The book also examines why government intervention in some activities can be beneficial, for example, weak market competition or monopoly, uninformed consumers, and when conditions of external benefits can be achieved. Economists, sociologists, professors in economics, or policy makers involved in economic and rural development will find the text valuable.

  • Museum Documentation Systems

    Developments and Applications
    • 1st Edition
    • Richard B. Light + 2 more
    • English

Related subjects