Download or read book Built Environments Constructed Societies written by Benjamin N. Vis and published by Sidestone Press. This book was released on 2009 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Archaeology, as the discipline that searches to explain the development of society by means of material remains, has been avoiding the big issues involved with its research agenda. The topic of social evolution is concealed by anxiety about previous paradigmatic malpractice and the primary archaeological division of the world in culture areas still suffers from the archaic methods by which it was established. Archaeological inference of developing societies is weighed down by its choice of particularism within agency approaches and overtly reductionist due to the prevalence of statistical, classificatory and biological approaches. This book addresses these issues through a perspective on the spatial analysis of the built environment. As one of the principal properties of our dataset, as well as being the first materialisation of sociality, such spatialities are suggested to be a fundamental key for enabling an understanding of the developing social identity of places, regions and areas. In order to arrive at a truly social inference of spatial datasets, archaeology's usual analysis working from material remains towards socio-cultural interpretations needs to be inverted. The vantage point of this study consists of aprioristic social theory. It constructs its arguments through an epistemological foundation comprising a selection of essential ideas regarding the three constitutive axes of developing societies: time, human action and human space. As it recognises the inherent position of these axes combined in the discipline of human geography, a historical comparison of these two disciplines presents the angle from which plausible theoretical advancements can be made. The core of the book explores selected works of human geographers Allan Pred, Benno Werlen and Andreas Koch against the backdrop of theories like structuration or systems theory, phenomenology, action theory, and to a lesser extent Actor Network Theory and autopoiesis. From this follows its own theoretical proposal called the social positioning of spatialities. On this basis hypotheses for methodological opportunities are discussed, establishing a research agenda. Firmly placing its efforts in current paradigmatic debates in the discipline, this study offers archaeological theorists an incentive to leave the safety of materially bound science and adapt an alternative perspective. It is an attempt to put archaeology back in the forefront of the social theoretical debates it should contribute to.
Download or read book Buildings and Society written by Anthony D. King and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2003-10-04 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Buildings are essentially social and cultural products. They result from social needs and accommodate a variety of functions - economic. social. political. religious. Their size. appearance. location and form result not simply from physical factors such as materials. climate or technology. nor from architects· designs. but from a society's ideas. its forms of economic and social organisation. and the beliefs and values which prevail at any one time. Society produces its buildings and the buildings help to maintain many of its social forms.
Download or read book Intersections written by Kathleen McCormick and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Based on worldwide public health data, this report lays out the premise for building healthy places and illuminates the role of the real estate and development community in addressing public health issues. This is an essential resource for public officials, real estate developers, engineers, consultants, and students of urban planning.
Download or read book Cities Made of Boundaries written by Benjamin N. Vis and published by UCL Press. This book was released on 2018-09-17 with total page 419 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cities Made of Boundaries presents the theoretical foundation and concepts for a new social scientific urban morphological mapping method, Boundary Line Type (BLT) Mapping. Its vantage is a plea to establish a frame of reference for radically comparative urban studies positioned between geography and archaeology. Based in multidisciplinary social and spatial theory, a critical realist understanding of the boundaries that compose built space is operationalised by a mapping practice utilising Geographical Information Systems (GIS). Benjamin N. Vis gives a precise account of how BLT Mapping can be applied to detailed historical, reconstructed, contemporary, and archaeological urban plans, exemplified by sixteenth to twenty-first century Winchester (UK) and Classic Maya Chunchucmil (Mexico). This account demonstrates how the functional and experiential difference between compact western and tropical dispersed cities can be explored. The methodological development of Cities Made of Boundaries will appeal to readers interested in the comparative social analysis of built environments, and those seeking to expand the evidence-base of design options to structure urban life and development.
Download or read book Microbiomes of the Built Environment written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2017-10-06 with total page 318 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: People's desire to understand the environments in which they live is a natural one. People spend most of their time in spaces and structures designed, built, and managed by humans, and it is estimated that people in developed countries now spend 90 percent of their lives indoors. As people move from homes to workplaces, traveling in cars and on transit systems, microorganisms are continually with and around them. The human-associated microbes that are shed, along with the human behaviors that affect their transport and removal, make significant contributions to the diversity of the indoor microbiome. The characteristics of "healthy" indoor environments cannot yet be defined, nor do microbial, clinical, and building researchers yet understand how to modify features of indoor environmentsâ€"such as building ventilation systems and the chemistry of building materialsâ€"in ways that would have predictable impacts on microbial communities to promote health and prevent disease. The factors that affect the environments within buildings, the ways in which building characteristics influence the composition and function of indoor microbial communities, and the ways in which these microbial communities relate to human health and well-being are extraordinarily complex and can be explored only as a dynamic, interconnected ecosystem by engaging the fields of microbial biology and ecology, chemistry, building science, and human physiology. This report reviews what is known about the intersection of these disciplines, and how new tools may facilitate advances in understanding the ecosystem of built environments, indoor microbiomes, and effects on human health and well-being. It offers a research agenda to generate the information needed so that stakeholders with an interest in understanding the impacts of built environments will be able to make more informed decisions.
Download or read book Mapping Spatial Relations Their Perceptions and Dynamics written by Susanne Rau and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-12-13 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is the product of an eponymous workshop, which took place in Erfurt in May, 2012, and which has since then been supplemented with four further contributions. The topics focus on the potential mapping of perceived urban space and spatial hierarchies as a consequence of social usage (undertaken by a variety of active participants) together with spatio-temporal changes as a result of factors such as demographic urban growth and decline. Historians, cartographers and geographers are brought together to present and discuss different models, ideas and new methods of spatial analysis and modes of representing changes in perceptions. The two main subjects are: the epistemology of spatial change and the question of (historical) media and adequate presentation. This work represents a first step toward the development of a new model for mapping urban changes and spatial relations concerning the past, present and future.
Download or read book Professionalism for the Built Environment written by Simon Foxell and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2018-09-03 with total page 505 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower tragedy, this new book provides thought provoking commentary on the nature of the relationship between society, the prevailing economic system and professionalism in the built environment. It addresses the changing responsibilities of professionals and in particular their obligation to act in the wider public interest. It is both an introduction to and an examination of professionalism and professional bodies in the sector, including a view of the future of professionalism and the organisations serving it. Simon Foxell outlines the history of professionalism in the sector, comparing and contrasting the development of the three major historic professions working in the construction industry: civil engineering, architecture and surveying. He examines how their systems have developed over time, up to the current period dominated by large professional services firms, and looks at some options for the future, whilst asking difficult questions about ethics, training, education, public trust and expectation from within and outside the industry. The book concludes with a six-point plan to help, if not ensure, that the professions remain an effective and essential part of both society and the economy; a part that allows the system to operate smoothly and easily, but also fairly and to the benefit of all. Essential reading for built environment professionals and students doing the professional studies elements of their training or in the process of applying for chartership or registration. The issues and lessons are applicable across all building professions.
Download or read book Green Transition Impacts on the Economy Society and Environment written by Y?ld?r?m, Seda and published by IGI Global. This book was released on 2024-08-14 with total page 479 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The challenge of achieving sustainability is complex and multifaceted, with varying approaches and policies across different countries and industries. This lack of universal standards poses a significant obstacle to the global transition towards a sustainable future. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated these disparities, highlighting the urgent need for cohesive and practical sustainability strategies. What sets Green Transition Impacts on the Economy, Society, and Environment apart is its comprehensive and unique solution to this pressing issue, offering a unified framework for sustainability that can be applied across diverse contexts. By gathering insights and approaches from researchers worldwide, this book provides a holistic view of sustainability, addressing critical issues such as climate change, energy security, and social responsibility. It offers practical solutions and case studies demonstrating effective strategies for achieving sustainability goals. Through this approach, the book aims to equip policymakers, practitioners, and researchers with the knowledge and tools needed to navigate the complexities of sustainability in the 21st century.
Download or read book Architecture Materiality and Society written by Anna-Lisa Müller and published by Springer. This book was released on 2015-05-27 with total page 269 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book examines the extent to which the insights of STS can be used to analyse the role of architecture in and for social life. The contributions examine the question of whether architecture and thus materiality as a whole has agency. The book also proposes a theoretical and methodological approach on how to research architecture's agency.
Download or read book Creating Built Environments written by Roderick J. Lawrence and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2020 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Built environments are complex, emergent, systemic, and require contextual analysis. They should be understood before reconsidering how professionals and researchers of the built environment are educated and trained to reduce the gap between knowledge, practice and real-world circumstances. There is an urgent need to rethink the role of policy makers, researchers, practitioners and laypeople in the construction, renovation and reuse of the built environment in order to deal with numerous environmental/ecological, economic/financial and social/ethical challenges of providing a habitat for current and future generations in a world of continual change. These challenges are too complex to be dealt with only by one discipline or profession. Combinations of different types of knowledge, knowing in praxis and tacit knowledge are needed. This book presents and illustrates recent innovative contributions with case studies focusing on five strategic domains and the interrelations between them. These transdisciplinary contributions apply concepts, methods and tools that facilitate convergence and concerted action between participants collaborating in policy definition and project implementation. The methods and tools include experiments in living-labs, prototypes on site and virtual simulations, as well as participatory approaches including citizen science, the development of alternative scenarios, and visioning plausible futures.
Download or read book Digital Geoarchaeology written by Christoph Siart and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-12-03 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book focusses on new technologies and multi-method research designs in the field of modern archaeology, which increasingly crosses academic boundaries to investigate past human-environmental relationships and to reconstruct palaeolandscapes. It aims at establishing the concept of Digital Geoarcheology as a novel approach of interdisciplinary collaboration situated at the scientific interface between classical studies, geosciences and computer sciences. Among others, the book includes topics such as geographic information systems, spatiotemporal analysis, remote sensing applications, laser scanning, digital elevation models, geophysical prospecting, data fusion and 3D visualisation, categorized in four major sections. Each section is introduced by a general thematic overview and followed by case studies, which vividly illustrate the broad spectrum of potential applications and new research designs. Mutual fields of work and common technologies are identified and discussed from different scholarly perspectives. By stimulating knowledge transfer and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, Digital Geoarchaeology helps generate valuable synergies and contributes to a better understanding of ancient landscapes along with their forming processes. Chapters 1, 2, 6, 8 and 14 are published open access under a CC BY 4.0 license at link.springer.com.
Download or read book The Social and Built Environment in an Older Society written by Institute of Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 1988-02-01 with total page 305 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Third in the series, this book addresses the social implications of architectural and interpersonal environments for older people. It suggests how society and its structures can enhance the productivity of, and preserve the quality of life for, older residents in a community. The study investigates new approaches to the problem, including new housing alternatives and new strategies for reflecting the needs of the elderly in housing construction.
Download or read book Society and the Environment written by Michael Carolan and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2018-05-15 with total page 314 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Society and the Environment examines today's environmental controversies within a socio-organizational context. After outlining the contours of 'pragmatic environmentalism', Carolan considers the pressures that exist where ecology and society collide, such as population growth and its associated increased demands for food and energy. He also investigates how various ecological issues, such as climate change, are affecting our very own personal health. Finally, he drills into the social/structural dynamics (including political economy and the international legal system) that create ongoing momentum for environmental ills. This interdisciplinary text features a three-part structure in each chapter that covers 'fast facts' about the issue at hand, examines its wide-ranging implications, and offers balanced consideration of possible real-world solutions. New to this edition are 'Movement Matters' boxes, which showcase grassroots movements that have affected legislation. Discussion questions and key terms enhance the text's usefulness, making Society and the Environment the perfect learning tool for courses on environmental sociology.
Download or read book Prehistoric Europe written by Andrew Jones and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2008-11-10 with total page 395 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Prehistoric Europe: Theory and Practice provides a comprehensive introduction to the range of critical contemporary thinking in the study of European prehistory. Presents essays by some of the most dynamic researchers and leading European scholars in the field today Ranges from the Neolithic period to the early stages of the Iron Age, and from Ireland and Scandinavia to the Urals and the Iberian Peninsula
Download or read book Human Factors Business Management and Society written by Vesa Salminen and published by AHFE International. This book was released on 2022-07-24 with total page 464 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Human Factors, Business Management and Society Proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics (AHFE 2022), July 24–28, 2022, New York, USA
Download or read book The SAGE Handbook of Environment and Society written by Jules Pretty and published by SAGE. This book was released on 2007-10-30 with total page 641 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "A monumental and timely contribution to scholarship on society and environments. The handbook makes it easy and compelling for anyone to learn about that scholarship in its full manifestations and as represented by some of the most highly respected researchers and thinkers in the English-speaking world. It is wide-reaching in scope and far-reaching in its implications for public and private action, a definite must for serious researchers and their libraries." - Bonnie J McCay, Rutgers University "This is the desert island book for anyone interested in the relationship between society and the environment. The editors have assembled a masterful collection of contributions on every conceivable dimension of environmental thinking in the social sciences and humanities. No library should be without it!′ - Robyn Eckersley, University of Melbourne The SAGE Handbook of Environment and Society focuses on the interactions between people, societies and economies, and the state of nature and the environment. Editorially integrated but written from multi-disciplinary perspectives, it is organised in seven sections: Environmental thought: past and present Valuing the environment Knowledges and knowing Political economy of environmental change Environmental technologies Redesigning natures Institutions and policies for influencing the environment Key themes include: locations where the environment-society relation is most acute: where, for example, there are few natural resources or where industrialization is unregulated; the discussion of these issues at different scales: local, regional, national, and global; the cost of damage to resources; and the relation between principal actors in the environment-society nexus. Aimed at an international audience of academics, research students, researchers, practitioners and policy makers, The SAGE Handbook of Environment and Society presents readers in social science and natural science with a manual of the past, present and future of environment-society links.
Download or read book The Autopoiesis of Architecture Volume II written by Patrik Schumacher and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2012-04-24 with total page 786 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the second part of a major theoretical work by Patrik Schumacher, which outlines how the discipline of architecture should be understood as its own distinct system of communication. Autopoeisis comes from the Greek and means literally self-production; it was first adopted in biology in the 1970s to describe the essential characteristics of life as a circular self-organizing system and has since been transposed into a theory of social systems. This new approach offers architecture an arsenal of general comparative concepts. It allows architecture to be understood as a distinct discipline, which can be analyzed in elaborate detail while at the same time offering insightful comparisons with other subject areas, such as art, science and political discourse. On the basis of such comparisons the book insists on the necessity of disciplinary autonomy and argues for a sharp demarcation of design from both art and engineering. Schumacher accordingly argues controversially that design as a discipline has its own sui generis intelligence – with its own internal logic, reach and limitations. Whereas the first volume provides the theoretical groundwork for Schumacher’s ideas – focusing on architecture as an autopoeitic system, with its own theory, history, medium and its unique societal function – the second volume addresses the specific, contemporary challenges and tasks that architecture faces. It formulates these tasks, looking specifically at how architecture is seeking to organize and articulate the complexity of post-fordist network society. The volume explicitly addresses how current architecture can upgrade its design methodology in the face of an increasingly demanding task environment, characterized by both complexity and novelty. Architecture’s specific role within contemporary society is explained and its relationship to politics is clarified. Finally, the new, global style of Parametricism is introduced and theoretically grounded.
