New Book | "The Conflicted Superpower: America's Collaboration with China and India in Global Innovation" | by Andrew B. Kennedy, CUP

The Conflicted Superpower: America's Collaboration with China and India in Global Innovation

by Andrew B. Kennedy, Columbia University Press, 2018, Hardback, ISBN: 9780231546201.

About the Book: Innovation is globalizing. Cross-border flows of brainpower have reached unprecedented heights, while multinationals invest more and more in high-tech facilities abroad. In this new world, the technological leadership of the United States increasingly involves collaboration with other countries. China and India have emerged as particularly prominent partners, unrivaled suppliers of intellectual talent to the United States, and U.S. companies are the largest foreign investors in research and development in both countries. In The Conflicted Superpower, Andrew Kennedy explores how the world's most powerful country navigates the policy of its collaboration with these two rising powers.
Whereas China and India have embraced global innovation, policy in the United States is conflicted. Kennedy explains why, through in-depth case studies of U.S. policies toward skilled immigration, foreign students, and offshoring. These make clear that U.S. policy is not strategic but rather the outcome of domestic battles between competing interests. Pressing for openness is the "high-tech community"--the technology firms and research universities that embody U.S. technological leadership. Yet these pro-globalization forces can face resistance from a range of other interests, including labor and anti-immigration groups, and the nature of this resistance powerfully shapes just how open national policy is. Kennedy concludes by asking whether U.S. policies are accelerating or slowing American decline, and considering the prospects for U.S. policymaking in years to come.  

Table of Contents

Introduction

1. The Rise of Global Innovation

2. Innovation Leadership and Contested Openness

3. The Swinging Door: Skilled Workers

4. The Open Door: Foreign Students

5. The (Mostly) Open Door: Global R&D

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New Book | "Energy Law and Policy" | edited by Usha Tandon, OUP

Energy Law and Policy

Edited by Usha Tandon, Oxford University Press, New Delhi, 2018, Hardback, ISBN: 9780199482979.

About the Book: Ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all is one of the goals of sustainable development. In order to meet the increasing demand for various forms of energy—whether derived from fossil fuel, nuclear substances, or renewable sources—conservation, equitable use, and efficient management of its usage have gained primacy. Energy Law and Policy provides a constructive understanding of energy law, a relatively new area in the discourse of environmental law. It argues the importance of looking into existing legal imperatives to frame a robust, and comprehensive legal framework on renewable energy at national and international levels. In this volume, leading energy law experts shed light on crucial aspects of energy law, such as the linkages between energy and sustainable development, energy trade, energy tax, and intellectual property rights in clean energy. Providing a comparative perspective, the volume discusses domestic laws of India, China, Mauritius, and Nigeria, and links the legal instruments developed by environmental law to an energy regime where economic motives dominate and differ across nations depending on the availability of their natural resources. 

About the Editor: Usha Tandon is professor of environmental law, population law, and gender justice at Campus Law Centre, University of Delhi, India.

Table of Contents

Foreword by Richard L. Ottinger 

Introduction

Part I International Perspectives 

1. The Atmosphere as a Global Commons and Cleansing It with New Energy Options | Klaus Bosselmann and Pushpa Kumar Lakshmanan 

2. Making Sense of Energy and Natural Resource Law in the Anthropocene Epoch | Upendra Baxi 

3. Regulation of Nuclear Energy for Sustainable Development: A Critical Overview of International Regime with Special Reference to IAEA | Usha Tandon 

4. International Energy Law and WTO: Issues and Challenges | V. Chandralekha 

5. Intellectual Property in the Way of a Clean and Green Environment: Is Licensing the Solution? | Nikita Pattajoshi and Akash Kumar 

Part II National Perspectives 

6. Clean Energy in India: Supply and Prospects | Armin Rosencranz, Rajnish Wadehra, Neelakshi Bhadauria, and Pranay Chitale 

7. Renewable Energy Development in India: The Need for a Robust Legal Framework | Sanjay Upadhyay 

8. Examining the Legal Impediments in the Development of Renewable Energy in Nigeria | Erimma Gloria Orie 

9. Sustainable Energy for Sustainable Development: World View on Nuclear Energy with Special Reference to India | Abdul Haseeb Ansari 

10. The Indian Energy Conservation Law: A Critical Overview | C.M. Jariwala 

11. Information Disclosure: A Policy Tool for Managing Environmental and Energy Challenges | Shivananda Shetty and Surender Kumar 

12. Assessing the Legal Framework of Mauritius on Sustainable Energy: Is It Robust Enough to Achieve the Dream of 'Mauritius: A Sustainable Island'? | Amar Roopanand Mahadew 

13. Eco-Tax on Energy Resources: A Critical Appraisal with Special Reference to India | Neeraj Kumar Gupta and Pratibha Tandon 

14. Humanity, Energy and Law: Urgencies and Challenges | M. Afzal Wani 

15. Achieving Redistributive Energy Justice: A Critical Analysis of Energy Policies of India | Maansi Verma

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New Books | Structural Reforms in India: Achievements of the Modi Government - New Initiatives for Rejuvenating the Indian Economy, Vol. I & II | edited by Shalini Sikka & Pawan Sikka

New Books

Structural Reforms in India: Achievements of the Modi Government - New Initiatives for Rejuvenating the Indian Economy

edited by Shalini Sikka & Pawan Sikka, Volume I, Synergy Books India, 2019, ISBN 9789382059783. 

About the Book

A select few national public policies are incorporated in this book, namely, Juvenile Justice, Skills Development, Aadhaar Card, Patents & IPR, SC/ST Act, eWaste Management, Healthcare, Motor Vehicles Act, etc.

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Structural Reforms in India: Achievements of the Modi Government - New Initiatives for Rejuvenating the Indian Economy

edited by Shalini Sikka & Pawan Sikka, Volume II, Synergy Books India, 2019, ISBN 9789382059790. 

About the Book

A select few national public policies are incorporated in this book, namely, Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, Medical Devices Bill, the Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill, Goods and Services Tax (GST) Act, Consumer Protection Bill, etc.

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New Book | Development and Disaster Management: A study of the Northeastern States of India

Development and Disaster Management: A study of the Northeastern States of India

Edited by Amita Singh,  Milap Punia, Nivedita P. Haran & Thiyam Bharat Singh; Palgrave Macmillan, 2018, ISBN: 9789811084843.

About the Book

This book highlights the relationship between disasters and development through a socio-cultural study of human geography and governance institutions. It studies the cause, context and consequences of disasters in one of the most fragile Himalayan regions in India. The book establishes the fact that disaster management is built within the framework of good governance, without which it has no meaning. For lack of effective and responsive governance, development has lagged behind and even though the frequency of disasters has been increasing, little is being done to redesign developmental frameworks to prevent ensuing losses. Besides, the near absence of governmental support during recurrent disasters, communities have cumulatively become reservoirs of innovations to cope up with disasters. The resilience plans need not follow implanted models but may be cost effective only if they apply a bottom up approach. Just as the region is culturally diverse so are the challenges encountered by local communities in terms of generating resilience to every disaster. Despite more than a decade of the Disaster Management Act (DMA) of 2005, most of the states in this northeastern fringe of India continue to wait for its implementation beyond mere structures and offices. The book suggests that urgent action is required in accordance with the DMA 2005 towards inter-agency coordination, proactive participation of local governance, mobilization of Community based Organizations (CBOs) and curriculum based training in every academic and technical institution. Governments of these northeastern states of India should establish accountability of State Disaster Management Authorities and inspire them to participate proactively with communities for an effective resilience building in the region.

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New Book | Disaster Risk Reduction: Community Resilience and Responses

Disaster Risk Reduction: Community Resilience and Responses

Edited by Bupinder Zutshi,  Akbaruddin Ahmad, & Ananda Babu Srungarapati; Palgrave Macmillan, 2018, ISBN: 9789811088445.

About the Book

This book discusses the interconnected, complex and emerging risks in today's societies and deliberates on the various aspects of disaster risk reduction strategies especially through community resilience and responses. It consists of selected papers presented at the World Congress on Disaster Management, which focused on community resilience and responses towards disaster risk reduction based on South Asian experiences, and closely examines the coordinated research activities involving all stakeholders, especially the communities at risk. Further, it narrates the experiences of disaster risk-reduction in different communities that have policy implications for mitigation of future disaster risks in the societies affected by these types of disasters. Written from the social science perspective to disasters rather than an engineering approach, the book helps development and governance institutions to prioritize disasters as a problem of development rather than being parallel to it.

Table of Contents (21 chapters)

Law Can Set a Stage for Disaster Risk Reduction: A Study on Nepal | Ahmad, Akbaruddin (et al.)

Coordination Does Matter for Disaster Management in Bangladesh | Marzina Begum, Mst. (et al.)

Integrating Disaster Management Content into Social Work Curriculum-Voices of Social Work Students | Baikady, Rajendra (et al.)

Indigenous Knowledge and Practices in Disaster Management: Experiences of the Coastal People of Bangladesh | Haque, Mahfuzul

Mapping Vulnerable Earthquake Disaster Class-I Cities for Disaster Risk-Reduction and Community Resilience in India | Zutshi, Bupinder (et al.)

Mainstreaming Nuclear Disaster Risk Reduction in India | Kumar, Rajesh

Bridging the Gap Between Academicians and Bureaucrats: The NYSAF Way | Haran, Nivedita

Sustainability of Community Managed Disaster Risk Reduction Projects | Joseph, Neena

Innovative Use of Technology (GIS) for Disaster Risk Reduction: A Case Study | Agrawal, Namrata

A Sociological Perspective on "Institutional Coordination" for Disaster Risk Reduction in India | Nath, Sanghamitra

From Response to Responsibility: An Academe–Industry Partnership on Solid Waste Management in the Philippines | Era, Marlon de Luna

The Struggles of Women: An Experience from the Flood-Prone Area | Yadav, Shishir Kumar

Structural Inequality and Disaster Risk Reduction: An Indian Experience | Kumar, Binod

Linking Gender Vulnerability and Disasters | Sikandar, Rahila (et al.)

Women and the Gaps in Framework of Disaster Risk Reduction | Jha, Priyanka

Post-disaster Economic Vulnerability of Female-Headed Households | Sealza, Isaias S.

Child Centered Disaster Risk Reduction (CC DRR)/Resilience | Kancharla, Ray

Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience Building Among the Coastal Zone Communities in Lakshwadeep and Kerala | Dutta, Mondira

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Depression Among the Survivors of Nepal Earthquake: A Need Assessment Study | Zahir Ahmed, Md

Cyclone Aila: Immediate Challenges and Impact on Socio-economy | Banu, Nasim

Recovery After Disasters—Problems and Prospects: The Case of Koslanda-Meeriyabedda Landslide in Sri Lanka | Fernando, R. Lalitha S. (et al.)

Further Details

New Book | Altmetrics for Research Outputs Measurement and Scholarly Information Management

Altmetrics for Research Outputs Measurement and Scholarly Information Management

Edited by Mojisola Erdt, Aravind Sesagiri Raamkumar, Edie Rasmussen, Yin-Leng Theng; Springer Nature, Singapore, ISBN: 9789811310522.

About the Book: This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the International Workshop on Altmetrics for Research Outputs Measurements and Scholarly Information Management, AROSIM 2018, held in Singapore, in January 2018. The book investigates how social media based metrics along with traditional and non-traditional metrics can advance the state-of-the-art in measuring research outputs.

Table of Contents

• Introduction to the Workshop on Altmetrics for Research Outputs Measurement and Scholarly Information Management (AROSIM 2018) | Mojisola Erdt, Aravind Sesagiri Raamkumar, Edie Rasmussen, Yin-Leng Theng
  
• Using Altmetrics to Support Research Evaluation | Mike Thelwall
  
• Towards Greater Context for Altmetrics | Stacy Konkiel
  
• Monitoring the Broader Impact of the Journal Publication Output on Country Level: A Case Study for Austria | Juan Gorraiz, Benedikt Blahous, Martin Wieland
  
• New Dialog, New Services with Altmetrics: Lingnan University Library Experience | Sheila Cheung, Cindy Kot, Kammy Chan
  
• How Do Scholars Evaluate and Promote Research Outputs? An NTU Case Study | Han Zheng, Mojisola Erdt, Yin-Leng Theng
  
• Scientific vs. Public Attention: A Comparison of Top Cited Papers in WoS and Top Papers by Altmetric Score | Sumit Kumar Banshal, Aparna Basu, Vivek Kumar Singh, Pranab K. Muhuri
  
• Field-Weighting Readership: How Does It Compare to Field-Weighting Citations? | Sarah Huggett, Chris James, Eleonora Palmaro
  
• A Comparative Investigation on Citation Counts and Altmetrics Between Papers Authored by Top Universities and Companies in the Research Field of Artificial Intelligence | Feiheng Luo, Han Zheng, Mojisola Erdt, Aravind Sesagiri Raamkumar, Yin-Leng Theng
  
• Scientometric Analysis of Research Performance of African Countries in Selected Subjects Within the Field of Science and Technology | Yusuff Utieyineshola
  

Further Details

Blogger's Meet on Digital Games for Learning: A Brief Report

Blogger's Meet on Digital Games for Learning: A Brief Report

On 14th September 2018 at New Delhi, UNESCO MGIEP organized a Blogger's Meet on Digital Games for Learning where Chris Crowell, critically acclaimed game designer, shared his philosophy of creating enjoyable and immersive experiences for learners. Chris is a veteran of the video games industry, having over 20 years of experience working with globally known brands such as NASCAR, Tiger Woods, The Sims, and Kung Fu Panda.

This meet was an opportunity for young bloggers to come together for the discussion on how the digital learning space is enriched with the digital games. Games allow a learner to proceed at their own pace, thereby placing the student at the centre of the learning journey. Experts believe that games are an excellent pedagogical tool as they fundamentally encourage project-based learning and decision-making for young learners. With massive growth predicted in education technology, it is time that digital games be taken seriously for the interactive and immersive experience they provide a player.

In his insightful lecture, Chris Crowell argued that digital games always have to be fun. It is possible to make digital games for learning fun as well. He further discussed why Digital Games for Learning are important for the societies in the 21st Century. He also elaborated on how Digital Games for Learning are being developed and deployed globally.

Why

• "Games help you develop critical thinking. It teaches you to get up, go at it and get better at it."
  
• "Games help you take action, determine your success or failure. With this agency, you inculcate the life skill of responsibility".
  
• "Gaming helps you apply the learnings of the virtual world in the real world."
  
• "Gaming is a sure shot way of igniting your grey cells".
  
• "These days our devices give us access to the digital world. In that sense, games have the power to impact education."
  

How

• "My goal when designing a game is to understand how it will benefit educators in a practical way", while discussing his 'To Do' list while designing games.
  
• "Games analyse the happenings of the real world and incorporate it in their mode. We designers often take inspirations from the real world."
  
• "Games are not a joke. They can be implemented as a serious tool for learning but in a fun way."
  
• "Bloggers have the potential to spread their ideas virally in this digital world."
  

The lecture attracted intriguing questions and comments from the learned audience. Some of the pertinent questions asked include: "What kind of thought processes are put in action when creating a game from scratch?", "How to wage the gap between virtual reality and the real world for games?", and "Can traffic violence be reduced through gaming?".

UNESCO MGIEP is organizing the TECH-2018 Conference on theme "From Transmissive to Transformative Pedagogies: Digital Technologies for Fostering 21st Century Competencies" in Visakhapatnam on 15–17 November 2018, where "Digital Games for Learning" will be discussed in great details. 

Inputs & Photos from UNESCO MGIEP Twitter hashtags #GamesforLearning #Tech2018.