Download or read book Alleviating World Suffering written by Ronald E. Anderson and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-03-01 with total page 448 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the first volume on the subject of the alleviation of world suffering. At the same time it is also the first book framing the fields of global socio-economic development, world health, human rights, peace studies, sustainability, and poverty within the challenge of alleviating suffering and improving quality of life. Both international studies and global development have become specialized and fragmented, whereas this work assembles all of these development fragments together in order to determine whether common ground exists to make headway in reducing global suffering. Leading experts in these various fields of development and suffering have been recruited worldwide to give scholarly assessments of the major human problems and how they can be successfully tackled.
Download or read book World Suffering and Quality of Life written by Ronald E. Anderson and published by Springer. This book was released on 2015-02-04 with total page 447 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the first book tackling the topic of world suffering. It compiles in one place the ideas, perspectives, and findings of researchers from around the world who pioneered research-based understanding of human suffering. Some chapters use the paradigm of ‘quality of life’ to explore ways to enhance knowledge on suffering. Other chapters show how concepts and knowledge from suffering research can benefit studies on quality of life. By bringing together in one volume, ideas and research experience from the best minds and leading researchers in the fields of pain, suffering, poverty, deprivation, disability and quality of life (including well-being and happiness), this volume advances social science solutions to a number of major threads of research, most notably suffering. As a whole, the volume advances the fields of suffering and deprivation by suggesting a working typology of suffering and by pointing out the major paradigms for relief of suffering, such as humanitarianism, human rights, caring, and healing. This volume provides a wealth of insights about the interaction between suffering and quality of life, the most up-to-date characterization of worldwide suffering, and a grasp of the implications of these data for local and global policy on health and social well-being.
Download or read book Spontaneous Venturing written by Dean A. Shepherd and published by MIT Press. This book was released on 2022-11-01 with total page 249 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Identifying a new approach to disaster response: spontaneous, compassionate, and impromptu actions to alleviate suffering. In Spontaneous Venturing, Dean Shepherd and Trenton Williams identify and describe a new approach for responding to disaster and suffering: the local organizing of spontaneous, compassionate, and impromptu actions—the rapid emergence of a compassionate venture. This approach, termed by the authors “spontaneous venturing,” can be more effective than the traditional “command-and-control” methods of large disaster relief organizations. It can customize and target resources and deliver them quickly, helping victims almost immediately. For example, during the catastrophic 2009 bushfires in Victoria, Australia—the focal disaster for the book—residents organized an impromptu relief center that collected and distributed urgently needed goods without red tape. Special bonds and friendships formed among the volunteers and victims; some were both volunteer and victim. Many victims were able to mobilize resources despite considerable personal losses. Shepherd and Williams describe the lasting impact of disaster and tell the stories of Victoria residents who organized in the aftermath of the bushfires. They consider the limitations of traditional disaster relief efforts and explain that when victims take action to help others, they develop behavioral, emotional, and assumptive resilience; venturing leads to social interaction, community connections, and other positive outcomes. Finally, they explore spontaneous venturing in a less-developed country, investigating the activities of Haitians after the devastating 2010 earthquake. The lesson for communities hit by disaster: find opportunities for compassionate action.
Download or read book Humanitarianism in Question written by Michael Barnett and published by Cornell University Press. This book was released on 2012-05-15 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Years of tremendous growth in response to complex emergencies have left a mark on the humanitarian sector. Various matters that once seemed settled are now subjects of intense debate. What is humanitarianism? Is it limited to the provision of relief to victims of conflict, or does it include broader objectives such as human rights, democracy promotion, development, and peacebuilding? For much of the last century, the principles of humanitarianism were guided by neutrality, impartiality, and independence. More recently, some humanitarian organizations have begun to relax these tenets. The recognition that humanitarian action can lead to negative consequences has forced humanitarian organizations to measure their effectiveness, to reflect on their ethical positions, and to consider not only the values that motivate their actions but also the consequences of those actions. In the indispensable Humanitarianism in Question, Michael Barnett and Thomas G. Weiss bring together scholars from a variety of disciplines to address the humanitarian identity crisis, including humanitarianism's relationship to accountability, great powers, privatization and corporate philanthropy, warlords, and the ethical evaluations that inform life-and-death decision making during and after emergencies.
Download or read book Suffering Focused Ethics written by Magnus Vinding and published by Independently Published. This book was released on 2020-05-29 with total page 314 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The reduction of suffering deserves special priority. Many ethical views support this claim, yet so far these have not been presented in a single place. Suffering-Focused Ethics provides the most comprehensive presentation of suffering-focused arguments and views to date, including a moral realist case for minimizing extreme suffering. The book then explores the all-important issue of how we can best reduce suffering in practice, and outlines a coherent and pragmatic path forward. "An inspiring book on the world's most important issue. Magnus Vinding makes a compelling case for suffering-focused ethics. Highly recommended." - David Pearce, author of The Hedonistic Imperative and Can Biotechnology Abolish Suffering? "We live in a haze, oblivious to the tremendous moral reality around us. I know of no philosopher who makes the case more resoundingly than Magnus Vinding. In radiantly clear and honest prose, he demonstrates the overwhelming ethical priority of preventing suffering. Among the book's many powerful arguments, I would call attention to its examination of the overlapping biases that perpetuate moral unawareness. Suffering-Focused Ethics will change its readers, opening new moral and intellectual vistas. This could be the most important book you will ever read." - Jamie Mayerfeld, professor of political science at the University of Washington, author of Suffering and Moral Responsibility and The Promise of Human Rights "In this important undertaking, Magnus Vinding methodically and convincingly argues for the overwhelming ethical importance of preventing and reducing suffering, especially of the most intense kind, and also shows the compatibility of this view with various mainstream ethical philosophies that don't uniquely focus on suffering. His careful analytical style and comprehensive review of existing arguments make this book valuable reading for anyone who cares about what matters, or who wishes to better understand the strong rational underpinning of suffering-focused ethics." - Jonathan Leighton, founder of the Organisation for the Prevention of Intense Suffering, author of The Battle for Compassion: Ethics in an Apathetic Universe "Magnus Vinding breaks the taboo: Today, the problem of suffering is the elephant in the room, because it is at the same time the most relevant and the most neglected topic at the logical interface between applied ethics, cognitive science, and the current philosophy of mind and consciousness. Nobody wants to go there. It is not good for your academic career. Only few of us have the intellectual honesty, the mental stamina, the philosophical sincerity, and the ethical earnestness to gaze into the abyss. After all, it might also gaze back into us. Magnus Vinding has what it takes. If you are looking for an entry point into the ethical landscape, if you are ready to face the philosophical relevance of extreme suffering, then this book is for you. It gives you all the information and the conceptual tools you need to develop your own approach. But are you ready?" - Thomas Metzinger, professor of philosophy at the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, author of Being No One and The Ego Tunnel
Download or read book When Helping Works written by Michael Bamwesigye Badriaki and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2017-05-03 with total page 172 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Today, people from various parts of the world who are interested in helping fellow human beings impacted by famine, epidemics, wars, and poverty are uniquely positioned. They are interconnected due to globalization's impact, which also has implications for intercultural work and global missions. The ability to help people is a constructive asset, which calls for the need to build friendships and partnerships across the globe. Helping well depends on a number of factors, yet this book looks into the impact of stereotype threat and its effects on intercultural identities, the perceptions of others, and performance in intercultural missions. Human interactions continue to suffer due to fears, anxious reactions about confirming negative stereotypes about a person's identity, abilities, and effectiveness in global missions. Stereotype threat happens when caricatures and negative understandings about people's identities are invoked.
Download or read book Becoming a Citizen of the World written by Donald H. Dunson and published by Orbis Books. This book was released on 2013 with total page 201 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This study of the nature of our moral obligations to alleviate suffering on a global level addresses many of the vexing questions that face practitioners of Christian compassion: how do we avoid a kind of "poverty tourism" or "slacktivism" in our response to suffering, particularly far from home? How do we respond authentically and effectively in our strategies for solidarity with the poor and the underprivileged? Using personal anecdotes as well as philosophical and theological reflection, Donald and James Dunson emphasize the power of moral argument as well as personal experience in addressing what can seem an insurmountable catalog of evils and suffering in the world. Approaching these issues from a number of backgrounds academic philosophy, pastoral counseling, theology, social science, and narrative approaches Dunson and Dunson have created a text perfect for use with high school and college classrooms, immersion groups, parish study groups, and service-learning programs.
Download or read book Living Beyond Your Pain written by JoAnne Dahl and published by New Harbinger Publications. This book was released on 2006 with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Using mindfulness-based techniques and cognitive behavioral tools, a leading expert on the use of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) teaches readers to transcend the experience of chronic pain by reconnecting with other, more valued aspects of their lives.
Download or read book The Suffering Human Being written by Katie Eriksson and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 108 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book No Storm Lasts Forever written by Terry A. Gordon, Dr. and published by Hay House, Inc. This book was released on 2012-07-17 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As a cardiologist, Dr. Terry Gordon dealt with life-and-death circumstances on a daily basis. He learned that life is precious and tenuous; it can change in an instant. Such a dramatic shift occurred when his son, Tyler, was involved in a car accident, sustaining a severe spinal-cord injury that left him paralyzed. Leading his family through the experience, Terry’s journey resulted in a spiritual awakening to a clearer understanding of life and the truths it has to offer. Terry has learned that our experiences become calamities only if we make the conscious decision to make tragedies out of them. Rather than lamenting the so-called adversities, we can choose to be grateful for them, embracing them as gifts from the Divine. These gifts provide fertile soil for growth and enlightenment, offering us the opportunity to transform turmoil, disappointment, and suffering into understanding, insight, and resolve . . . and such gifts are presented to you in No Storm Lasts Forever.
Download or read book Condemned to Repeat written by Fiona Terry and published by Cornell University Press. This book was released on 2013-04-12 with total page 299 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Humanitarian groups have failed, Fiona Terry believes, to face up to the core paradox of their activity: humanitarian action aims to alleviate suffering, but by inadvertently sustaining conflict it potentially prolongs suffering. In Condemned to Repeat?, Terry examines the side-effects of intervention by aid organizations and points out the need to acknowledge the political consequences of the choice to give aid. The author makes the controversial claim that aid agencies act as though the initial decision to supply aid satisfies any need for ethical discussion and are often blind to the moral quandaries of aid. Terry focuses on four historically relevant cases: Rwandan camps in Zaire, Afghan camps in Pakistan, Salvadoran and Nicaraguan camps in Honduras, and Cambodian camps in Thailand. Terry was the head of the French section of Medecins sans frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) when it withdrew from the Rwandan refugee camps in Zaire because aid intended for refugees actually strengthened those responsible for perpetrating genocide. This book contains documents from the former Rwandan army and government that were found in the refugee camps after they were attacked in late 1996. This material illustrates how combatants manipulate humanitarian action to their benefit. Condemned to Repeat? makes clear that the paradox of aid demands immediate attention by organizations and governments around the world. The author stresses that, if international agencies are to meet the needs of populations in crisis, their organizational behavior must adjust to the wider political and socioeconomic contexts in which aid occurs.
Download or read book Encountering Pain written by Deborah Padfield and published by UCL Press. This book was released on 2021-02-15 with total page 444 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What is persistent pain? How do we communicate pain, not only in words but in visual images and gesture? How do we respond to the pain of another, and can we do it better? Can explaining how pain works help us handle it? This unique compilation of voices addresses these and bigger questions. Defined as having lasted over three months, persistent pain changes the brain and nervous system so pain no longer warns of danger: it seems to be a fault in the system. It is a major cause of disability globally, but it remains difficult to communicate, a problem both to those with pain and those who try to help. Language struggles to bridge the gap, and it raises ethical challenges in its management unlike those of other common conditions. Encountering Pain shares leading research into the potential value of visual images and non-verbal forms of communication as means of improving clinician–patient interaction. It is divided into four sections: hearing, seeing, speaking, and a final series of contributions on the future for persistent pain. The chapters are accompanied by vivid photographs co-created with those who live with pain. The volume integrates the voices of leading scientists, academics and contemporary artists with poetry and poignant personal testimonies to provide a manual for understanding the meanings of pain, for healthcare professionals, pain patients, students, academics and artists. The voices and experiences of those living with pain are central, providing tools for discussion and future research, shifting register between creative, academic and personal contributions from diverse cultures and weaving them together to offer new understanding, knowledge and hope.
Download or read book On the Christian Meaning of Human Suffering written by Pope John Paul II and published by . This book was released on 2014-01-01 with total page 107 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Published on February 11, 1984, Salvifici Doloris addresses the question of why God allows suffering. This 30th anniversary edition includes the complete text of the letter plus commentary by Myles N. Sheehan, SJ, MD, a priest and physician trained in geriatrics with an expertise in palliative care. Acknowledgments of recent episodes of violence bring the papal document into a modern context. Insightful questions suited for individual or group use, applicable prayers, and ideas for meaningful action invite readers to personally respond to the mystery of suffering.
Download or read book The Poor Will Be Glad written by Peter Greer and published by ReadHowYouWant.com. This book was released on 2011-03-31 with total page 354 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A compelling call to carry God's mercy and compassion to the hurting people of this world This eminently practical book by two leading experts in the field of poverty reduction offers a clear plan to help ordinary Christians translate their compassion into thoughtful action. Authors Peter Greer and Phil Smith draw on their personal experiences t...
Download or read book Beyond Suffering and Reparation written by Timothy James Bowyer and published by Springer. This book was released on 2018-11-01 with total page 338 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book presents the key issues, debates, concepts, approaches, and questions that together define the lives of rural people living in extreme poverty in the aftermath of political violence in a developing country context. Divided into nine chapters, the book addresses issues such as the complexities of human suffering, losing trust, psychic wounds, dealing with post-traumatic stress situations, and disillusionment after change. By building knowledge about human and social suffering in a post-conflict environment, the book counters the objectification of human and social suffering and the moral detachment with which it is associated. In addition, it presents practical ways to help make things better. It discusses new methodological concepts based around empathy and participation to show how the subjective reality of human and social suffering matter. Finally, the book maps a burgeoning field of enquiry based around the need for linking psychosocial approaches with the actual lived experience of individuals and groups.
Download or read book Alleviating Global Hunger written by United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Foreign Relations and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 76 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Proceedings Thirty First Annual Convention of Rotary International written by and published by Rotary International. This book was released on with total page 490 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
