Potentials Of Disorder

The Caucasus and the Balkan region are almost automatically associated with conflict and war. At the core of these struggles lies the quest for a new institutional relationship between territory, the state and ethnic groups. Both regions share a similar historical and institutional legacy which must be regarded as having paved the ground for a rise in ethno-nationalism. There is, as a result, wide potential for conflict in both regions. However, similar structural conditions do not always turn into violent conflicts. Rapid institutional change, as occuring in the former Yugoslavia and the former Soviet Union, can lead to new institutional arrangements on smaller scales - which may in turn provide stability in inter-group relations and border management. Therefore, it is of vital importance to the study of conflict analysis to identify what conditions foster new orders, and what factors, actors and institutions are necessary to create a stable equilibrium in intra- and inter-group conflicts. This book brings together a selection of case studies and theoretical approaches aimed at identifying the institutions which prevented or fostered escalation of conflict in the Caucasus and former Yugoslavia, and, will be of great benefit to students of these topics.

This electronic version has been made available under a Creative Commons (BY-NC-ND) open access license. This book deals with the institutional framework in post-socialist, after-empire spaces. It consists of nine case studies and two contributions of a more theoretical nature. Each of these analytical narratives sheds some light on the micro-politics of organised violence. After 1990, Serbs and Croats were competing over access to the resources needed for institution building and state building. Fear in turn triggered ethnic mobilisation. An 'unprofessional' riot of Serbs in the Krajina region developed into a professional war between Serbs and Croats in Croatia, in which several thousand died and several hundred thousand people were forcefully expelled from their homes. The Herceg-Bosnian style of resistance can be surprisingly effective. It is known that most of the heroin transported along the Balkans route passes through the hands of Albanian mafia groups; that this traffic has taken off since summer 1999. The concept of Staatnation is based on the doctrine according to which each 'nation' must have its own territorial State and each State must consist of one 'nation' only. The slow decline and eventual collapse of the Soviet and the Yugoslav empires was partly triggered, partly accompanied by the quest for national sovereignty. Dagestan is notable for its ethnic diversity and, even by post-Soviet standards, its dramatic economic deprivation. The integrative potential of cooperative movements at the republican, the regional and the inter-state level for the Caucasus is analyzed. The book also offers insights into the economics of ending violence. Finally, it addresses the question of reconciliation after ethnic cleansing.

The Caucasus and the Balkan region are almost automatically associated with conflict and war. At the core of these struggles lies the quest for a new institutional relationship between territory, the state and ethnic groups. Both regions share a similiar historical and institutional legacy which must be regarded as having paved the ground for a rise in ethno-nationalism. There is, as a result, wide potential for conflict in both regions. However, similar structural conditions do not always turn into violent conflicts. Rapid institutional change, as occurring in the former Yugoslavia and the former Soviet Union, can lead to new institutional arrangements on smaller scales - which may in turn provide stability in inter-group relations and border management. Therefore, it important that the study of conflict analysis to identify what conditions foster new orders and what factors, actors and institutions are necessary to create a stable equilibrium in intra- and inter-group conflicts. This text brings together a selection of case studies and theoretical approaches aimed at identifying the institutions which prevented or fostered escalation of conflict in the Caucasus and former Yugoslavia, and as such, should be of benefit to students of these topics.

The understanding of how to reduce risk factors for mental disorders has expanded remarkably as a result of recent scientific advances. This study, mandated by Congress, reviews those advances in the context of current research and provides a targeted definition of prevention and a conceptual framework that emphasizes risk reduction. Highlighting opportunities for and barriers to interventions, the book draws on successful models for the prevention of cardiovascular disease, injuries, and smoking. In addition, it reviews the risk factors associated with Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, alcohol abuse and dependence, depressive disorders, and conduct disorders and evaluates current illustrative prevention programs. The models and examination provide a framework for the design, application, and evaluation of interventions intended to prevent mental disorders and the transfer of knowledge about prevention from research to clinical practice. The book presents a focused research agenda, with recommendations on how to develop effective intervention programs, create a cadre of prevention researchers, and improve coordination among federal agencies.

Bringing together treatment and referral advice from existing guidelines, this text aims to improve access to services and recognition of common mental health disorders in adults and provide advice on the principles that need to be adopted to develop appropriate referral and local care pathways.

Social isolation and loneliness are serious yet underappreciated public health risks that affect a significant portion of the older adult population. Approximately one-quarter of community-dwelling Americans aged 65 and older are considered to be socially isolated, and a significant proportion of adults in the United States report feeling lonely. People who are 50 years of age or older are more likely to experience many of the risk factors that can cause or exacerbate social isolation or loneliness, such as living alone, the loss of family or friends, chronic illness, and sensory impairments. Over a life course, social isolation and loneliness may be episodic or chronic, depending upon an individual's circumstances and perceptions. A substantial body of evidence demonstrates that social isolation presents a major risk for premature mortality, comparable to other risk factors such as high blood pressure, smoking, or obesity. As older adults are particularly high-volume and high-frequency users of the health care system, there is an opportunity for health care professionals to identify, prevent, and mitigate the adverse health impacts of social isolation and loneliness in older adults. Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults summarizes the evidence base and explores how social isolation and loneliness affect health and quality of life in adults aged 50 and older, particularly among low income, underserved, and vulnerable populations. This report makes recommendations specifically for clinical settings of health care to identify those who suffer the resultant negative health impacts of social isolation and loneliness and target interventions to improve their social conditions. Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults considers clinical tools and methodologies, better education and training for the health care workforce, and dissemination and implementation that will be important for translating research into practice, especially as the evidence base for effective interventions continues to flourish.

In the seven years since the first edition of this book was published there have been many important developments in knowledge of neuromuscular diseases. These are reflected in this new edition. We have taken the opportunity to add much new clinical and scientific material to the book, particularly in relation to metabolic myopathies and neuropathies, and to include more information on genetic aspects of neuromuscular diseases, quantitative electromyo graphic techniques, plexus and root lesions and cardiomyopathies. The aim of the book remains unchanged, but we have rearranged some of the material so that there are several new chapters. The illustrations have also been extensively revised and there are many new references. We hope that it will continue to provide a convenient source of practical and theoretical information that will not only be useful in managing patients with neuromuscular diseases, but will stimulate research. London, May 1987 Michael Swash Martin S. Schwartz Preface to the First Edition Neuromuscular diseases are common in clinical practice. Patients with these disorders may be referred to neurologists, rheumatologists, orthopaedic surgeons, paediatricians or to general physicians, and their investigation, utilising electromyography (EM G) and muscle biopsy, often requires the help of the clinical neurophysiologist and of the pathologist.

This work offers an evaluation of competing theoretical perspectives and nosological systems for personality disorders. The editors have brought together recognized authorities in the field to offer a synthesis of competing perspectives that provide readers with an assessment for each disorder. The result is a comprehensive, current, and critical summary of research and practice guidelines related to the personality disorders. Key Features focuses on controversies and alternative conceptualizations; separate chapters are dedicated to each personality disorder and considered from various points of view. It presents authoritative perspectives; leading scholars and researchers in the field provide a critical evaluation of alternative perspectives on each personality disorder. And it frames the current state of personality disorder research and practice issues; cutting edge and streamlined research is presented to be used in courses on diagnosis, assessment, psychopathology and abnormal psychology, especially those that include the DSM IV. It also offers an integrative understanding of elusive personality categorizations; wherever possible, case examples are offered as illustrations of each disorders clinical presentation. The use of technical terms are minimized; each contributor takes the approach of a user friendly summary and integration of major trends, findings, and future directions.

Social anxiety disorder is persistent fear of (or anxiety about) one or more social situations that is out of proportion to the actual threat posed by the situation and can be severely detrimental to quality of life. Only a minority of people with social anxiety disorder receive help. Effective treatments do exist and this book aims to increase identification and assessment to encourage more people to access interventions. Covers adults, children and young people and compares the effects of pharmacological and psychological interventions. Commissioned by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). The CD-ROM contains all of the evidence on which the recommendations are based, presented as profile tables (that analyse quality of data) and forest plots (plus, info on using/interpreting forest plots). This material is not available in print anywhere else.