The SAGE Encyclopedia of Online Education
Steven L. Danver, editor
Sage Publications/Mesa Verde Publishing, 2016
The SAGE Encyclopedia of Online Education is a first-of-its-kind comprehensive treatment of the world of online education. This three-volume project provides a thorough, engaging reference work on the ever-expanding field of online education, which has many aspects that are not well understood. This work serves to remedy this with authoritative materials for users at every position within the online educational structure, from students to administrators. More so than the technology itself, though, the use of such technology to facilitate effective learning by students will be the central focus. The perspective, much like the subject itself, will be interdisciplinary, and the content should prove useful to administrators, teaching faculty, and students alike.
Key topics explored through over 350 entries include:
- Technology used in the online classroom
- Institutions that have contributed to the growth of online education
- Pedagogical basis and strategies of online education
- Effectiveness and assessment
- Different types of online education and best practices
- The changing role of online education in the global education system
The Encyclopedia of the Industrial Revolution in World History
Kenneth E. Hendrickson III, Steven L. Danver, and Justin Corfield, Editors
Rowman & Littlefield/Mesa Verde Publishing, 2015
It is difficult if not impossible to overestimate the importance of the Industrial Revolution. The changes that collectively go under that name have proved so profound, and have produced results so anomalous with all the rest of previous human history that, even more than two centuries into the period, we have yet to understand its full impact. We therefore propose this encyclopedia both because the market seems now open to such a product, but also because the topic itself is of such enduring and fundamental importance. Consider the momentous and radical transformations engendered during the Industrial Revolution.
Since the end of the nineteenth-century, industrialization has become a global phenomenon. After the relative completion of the advanced industrial economies of the West post-1945, patterns of rapid economic change invaded societies beyond the confines of Western Europe, North America, the British Commonwealth, and Japan. In the process, these societies experienced their own versions of the costly transition. In some places like parts of India, parts of China, and some oil producing lands of the Middle East, the worst dislocations seem to be over. Vastly larger regions still face fundamental problems of transition, or stand outside the industrial transformation altogether. As a result of these continuing factors, The Encyclopedia of the Industrial Revolution in World History surveys the Industrial Revolution in a world historical, rather than just Western, scope, providing articles discussing the advent of industrial change in the so-called Developing World, emphasizing the complexities of the globalizing economy which dominate political and policy discussions today.
Reviews: The Encyclopedia of the Industrial Revolution in World History
“The work succeeds admirably in augmenting the standard reference works suitable for undergraduate collections that treat the subject…[t]he new set provides students and others unfamiliar with the topic a valuable overview of the people, events, and institutions that forever transformed the modern world.” – Choice, November 2015
“This is the best three-volume historical study of the Industrial Revolution to date; it offers a valuable chronicle of the great economic change that affected 19th-century Western Europe, North America, the Commonwealth, and Japan…[a]n admirable work that is recommended for all libraries with collections on U.S. and economic history.” – Library Journal, September 2015
“This 1,000-entry work provides a wide understanding of the changes brought about by invention, discovery, and manufacturing processes that have shaped the past three centuries. A-Z entries cover the people, events, documents, nations, businesses, and institutions, which are described clearly in signed entries. Birth and death dates of key people are included. Information is accurate and balanced, and the work is especially strong on manufacturing in the past, the impact of technology on warfare, and in its international focus.” – Booklist, November 2015
Encyclopedia of the Politics of the American West
Steven L. Danver, Editor
CQ Press, 2013
This is the first comprehensive treatment of this sort on Western politics. The perspective, much like the subject itself, is interdisciplinary and accessible to readers seeking perspectives from multiple disciplines. It deals extensively with both the traditional dimensions of Western politics (elections, urbanization, natural resources, personalities, and immigration), and also with under-treated topics such as women in Western politics, and the scholars and writers who shaped the study of the West.
The principle focus of the volume is the 20th century transformation of Western politics and the emerging patterns in the 21st century. Particular topics of the 19th century political experience in the West are also given substantial treatment, especially as the events of the settlement and urbanization of the region give shape to the topics and political events of the 20th and 21st centuries. The scope of topics covered includes major political actors in Western politics, significant political events in Western politics, unique institutions and practices of the West, political movements and organizations, and major theories of political behavior, institutional organization, and political change that are important to discussions of the politics of the West. However, the area of largest attention is the unique role that the natural resources (water, oil, minerals, land, etc.) and their exploitation have played in the political development of the region. As race relations may be considered one of the bellwether topics of Southern political history, so natural resource development (along with population growth and American Indian politics) is one of the dominant topics in the West.
Review: Encyclopedia of the Politics of the American West
While there are any number of reference works regarding the Western states generally, this set, which appears unique in its examination of the intersection of geography and politics, sets a high bar for subsequent forays into this field. Highly recommended. – Library Journal, December 2013
Native Peoples of the World: An Encyclopedia of Groups, Cultures, and Contemporary Issues
Steven L. Danver, Editor
M.E. Sharpe, 2012
This three-volume encyclopedia examines the complex relationships between the world’s indigenous groups and the societies that surround them. Of particular interest are borderlands issues that arise when indigenous groups are either migratory across international borders or have territories that span international borders. It serves both as a primer for people wishing to learn about indigenous relations worldwide, and a ready-reference resource for people wishing to easily locate information on specific groups, nations, and topics. Because of its organization and different types of entries, it provides both a depth and a breadth of information, making it an indispensable resource on the topic.
Reviews: Native Peoples of the World
“In sum, this encyclopedia is authoritative, engrossing, current, intelligently designed, and handsomely produced. Highly recommended.” – Choice, July 2013
“Because of its quality and its scope, this excellent work is recommended for school, academic, and public libraries.” – Library Journal, January 2013
Encyclopedia of Water Politics and Policy in the United States
John Burch and Steven L. Danver, Editors
CQ Press, 2011
There is a saying out West: “whiskey’s for drinking, water’s for fighting.” Since water resources are becoming scarcer every day across the United States, it is important for people to have a reference tool that allows them to learn how the present-day water problems came to exist. People, from academe to the general public, also need to know about the legislation and legal cases that have impacted the development of water resources in the past, because those documents continue to impact people today. One can scarcely do anything to a waterway today without having to consult a number of different governmental institutions and private organizations for comment. What is consequently being learned today is that well-intentioned legislation passed decades ago has created unanticipated bureaucratic nightmares that make it extremely difficult for many locales to address their present-day water needs.
Water Politics and Policy in the United States is a two-volume reference tool containing entries on regions of the United States discussing the particular water-related environmental factors and the history of water development in each region, places and project entries discussing specific water developments and locations, law and governance entries discussing laws, court cases, agreements, and government oversight over the development of water resources and the environment, and issues entries discussing issues that have impacts that can be seen across regions and water developments.
Review: Water Politics and Policy
“Here, on the other hand, is a clear, single-volume, up-to-date work focused on social and political issues related to water in the United States. This unique resource will appeal to general readers as well as students in many fields, including science, history, and social justice.” – Library Journal, September 2011
Revolts, Protests, Demonstrations, and Rebellions in American History: An Encyclopedia
Steven L. Danver, Editor
America has a long history of rebellions extending back before 1776. Revolts have taken place because of economic hard times, the denial of civil rights, racism, sexism, and classism. Studying the reasons for and results of these uprisings provides a window into the life of the American body politic—and what moves the American people to action. This three-volume work traces the history of revolts and rebellions from the colonial era to the 20th century.
Revolts, Protests, Demonstrations, and Rebellions in American History: An Encyclopedia details the history of popular actions from the colonial era to the 20th century. Each event in the three-volume encyclopedia is covered by an overview entry that details who was involved, why the revolt took place, what happened, and what the aftereffects were. Shorter subentries provide further detail on the important people, places, events, and ideas that were a part of the action. By presenting both the broad themes and the specifics, the encyclopedia enables readers to gain a general knowledge of the event or drill down to acquire a greater understanding.
Features and Highlights
- 71 chronologically arranged entries detail the revolts and uprisings that have shaped the history of the United States, with 2-5 subentries that drill down into those histories
- Each entry includes an overview essay, followed by entries on related people, groups, organizations, ideas, and places, along with select primary sources
- Contributions come from a distinguished group of American historians from across the nation and across historical disciplines
- One volume is comprised entirely of primary source documents
- Illustrations and photographs show events discussed
- Looks at the American experience through the lens of the popular movements that have been the lifeblood of change throughout the nation’s history
- Examines each incident or event in a parallel way, covering the historical context for the event; the main people, groups, and ideas behind the event; the history as it played out; and the ramifications of the event
- Includes both well-known, large conflicts such as the Rodney King riots and smaller, lesser-known events like the Ludlow Massacre
- Provides students an ideal work through which to find the detailed history of specific events and understand the history of popular action throughout American history
Review: Revolts, Protests, Demonstrations, and Rebellions in American History
“Danver’s encyclopedia stands out among the many reference works focused on American social history…This unique encyclopedia, with its well thought-out organization, is a welcome addition to the large body of American social history encyclopedias. It is recommended.” – Reference and User Services Quarterly, Fall 2011
Popular Controversies in World History: Investigating History’s Intriguing Questions
Steven L. Danver, Editor
Popular Controversies in World History: Investigating History’s Intriguing Questions offers a unique way of looking at pivotal events and puzzling phenomena. From the geographic location of human origins to the purpose of Stonehenge, Volume 1 covers a series of ongoing debates that have captivated both the historical community and the public at large. In each chapter, established experts offer credible opposing arguments related to a particular question, providing readers with resources for independent critical thinking on the issue. It is a format that lets students, scholars, and other interested readers participate in some of the most intriguing conundrums facing historians today.
Volume 2 presents a series of high-profile debates from 2,000 years before Christianity to 1,000 years after, this volume provides a format that invites readers to draw their own conclusions. The Ark of the Covenant … The monoliths of Easter Island … The origins of the Celtic Church … The Toltecs and Mayans … The time period from 2,000 years before Christianity to the millennium gave rise to many mysteries that have intrigued historians for ages. Some are the sources of vigorously argued controversies that remain unresolved to this day.
Volume 3 ranges around the world and across 1,000 years of human history to explore mysteries that captivate the public and inspire the community of historians. Topics include Norse explorations of the New World, Galileo and the Inquisition, and the “lost dauphin” of the French Revolution. By providing authoritative reasoning to support both sides of these controversies, the work sets the stage for readers to investigate, speculate, and argue for themselves.
Volume 4 covers the modern world with chapters on topics such as: Could the Titanic have been rescued? Were Niccolo Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti innocent? Was British Prime Minister Harold Wilson a Soviet spy? Popular Controversies in World History: gives students, scholars, and anyone interested in historical analysis the resources they need to critically assess these and other lingering questions of the 20th and early 21st century.
Features and Highlights
- 58 chapters on significant historical questions from the ancient to the modern world.
- The pro and con debate format encourages readers to evaluate the validity of arguments and evidence
- Presents the facts from all sides of popular historical controversies, allowing the reader to draw their conclusions and opinions
- Builds vital critical thinking skills for historical analysis and any number of other academic disciplines
- Offers new ways of looking at familiar vestiges of early and human times.
Review: Popular Controversies
“These volumes of solid scholarship and coherent design will be of assistance to instructors preparing lesson plans as well as students compiling reports. Recommended.” – Booklist, April 2011
Weapons & Warfare, Revised Edition
John Powell, Editor; Steven L. Danver, Acquiring Editor
Salem Press, 2009
Originally published in 2002, Weapons and Warfare, Revised is designed to meet the needs of students seeking information about weaponry, tactics, and models of warfare from ancient times to the present, worldwide. Written with the needs of students and general readers in mind, the articles contained in this set present clear discussions of the topics, explaining any terms or references that may be unclear. The focus on the technical and strategic development of weapons and tactics, more than on a narrative chronological history of events, allows students of history, political science, science and technology alike to gain a broad understanding of the technological and strategic advances made over time and geography. The new third volume adds the essential dimension of placing these topics in broad social, cultural, and political contexts.
Approximately 140 topics arranged chronologically and thematically, with volume 1, Ancient and Medieval, covering weapons and strategies from ancient times to 1500; volume 2, The Modern Era, covering weapons and strategies from approximately 1500 to the present; and volume 3, Warfare: Culture and Concepts providing valuable overviews of the way warfare, weapons, and military history have been expressed socially, politically, and in the arts. Each essay ranges from 1,500 words to 7,000 words. The first two volumes open with overviews of major weapons groups (for example, in volume 1 “Clubs, Maces, and Slings,” “Sieges and Siegecraft”; in volume 2, “Swords, Daggers, and Bayonets,” “Rockets, Missiles, and Nuclear Weapons”), followed by chronologically arranged sections covering major historical periods and regions of the world and their contributions to military weapons, technologies, and strategies. Volume 3 touches on all sociocultural and political aspects of weapons and warfare: literature, film, society, science, ethics, and basic “behind the battlefield” theories, strategies, and policies.
Features and Highlights
- Weapons overview articles are organized with sections on “Nature and Use” and “Development” of each weapons type.
- The geographically arranged warfare articles feature sections on “Political Considerations” (where relevant), “Military Achievement,” “Weapons, Uniforms, and Armor,” “Military Organization,” and “Doctrine, Strategy, and Tactics.
- Geographically focused articles also feature a section on the primary sources from which historians base their observations and evaluate the best sources for understanding the warfare of the period.
- Culture/concept overviews (new) approach warfare and weaponry from several different perspectives: sociological, geographical, cultural, ritual, political, ethical, religious, tactical, and strategic.
- Volume 3 contains several appendixes, including listings of War Films, War Literature, a comprehensive Lexicon, a list of Military Theorists, a detailed Time Line, a list of Web Sites, and a complete Subject Index.
Review: Weapons and Warfare
“The new material adds value to this well-organized and accessible resource, which would be a good addition to high-school, academic, and public library collections.”
– Booklist, July 2010
The Great Depression and the New Deal: A Thematic Encyclopedia
Daniel Leab, Kenneth J. Bindas, Alan Harris Stein, Justin Corfield, and Steven L. Danver, Editors
Breadlines. Hoovervilles. Unprecedented poverty. The Great Depression brought “The Land of Opportunity” to the brink of revolutionary upheaval. In response, Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal redefined the government’s role in promoting the general welfare of its citizens. Now, at a time of increasing economic anxiety—with ongoing debates over government intervention and regulation—what can we learn by looking back at the most pervasive domestic crisis in U.S. history?
In two volumes, The Great Depression and the New Deal: A Thematic Encyclopedia captures the full scope of a defining era of American history. Like no other available reference, it offers a comprehensive portrait of the nation from the Crash of 1929 to the onset of World War II, exploring the impact of the Depression and the New Deal on all aspects of American life.
The book features hundreds of alphabetically organized entries in sections focusing on economics, politics, social ramifications, the arts, and ethnic issues. With an extraordinary range of primary sources integrated throughout, The Great Depression and the New Deal is the new cornerstone resource on a historic moment that is casting a shadow on our own unsettled times.
Features and Highlights
- Over 650 alphabetically organized entries on the impact of the Depression and the New Deal on the nation’s economy, politics, society, arts, and minorities
- 45 contributors at the forefront of current scholarship on 1930s America and the continuing aftershocks of that tumultuous time
- Primary documents integrated throughout, including Woody Guthrie songs, writings and speeches from Huey Long and Father Coughlin, murals by Diego Rivera, excerpts from The Grapes of Wrath, and contemporary newspaper articles
- Illustrations providing definitive images of the Depression/New Deal era, including federally funded work such as Dorothea Lange’s photography for the Farm Security Administration
- A comprehensive chronology that marks the origins, course, and consequences of the Depression and the New Deal
- Bibliographic listings for each entry and a comprehensive index of people, places, events, and key terms
- Covers all aspects of 1930s American life as impacted by the Depression and the government’s response to it, with unmatched authority and comprehensiveness
- Organized thematically to make it easy for students and other readers to find information on specific topics
- Includes entries on minority populations during the Depression—an area not usually examined in such depth
- Looks at the role of New Deal programs in the lives of people through the arts
Reviews: The Great Depression and the New Deal
“Recommended. Lower- and upper-level undergraduates; graduate students.”
“…this work is a good choice to help students begin research on this era.”
– School Library Journal
Seas and Waterways of the World: An Encyclopedia of History, Uses, and Issues
John Zumerchik and Steven L. Danver, Editors
Today, our use of the Earth’s seas and waterways is more widespread and efficient than ever, yet the basic technology has changed little over time. Many types of equipment still in use would be recognized by ancient seamen. Even though water is no longer the quickest and easiest way to move people and goods, it is still an essential component to all life.
Seas and Waterways of the World: An Encyclopedia of History, Uses, and Issues offers a comprehensive introduction to humanity’s historical reliance on the world’s seas and waterways and how that reliance continues to evolve.
Over the course of two volumes, this extraordinary resource describes the world’s major nautical features, the wide variety of uses for those waterways, and a number of essential issues arising from water-borne commerce. The encyclopedia marks the emergence of the aquarium, cruise, energy, fishing, insurance, mining, trade, transportation, recreation, and sport industries, and includes entries on harbors, ports, and coastal development that play a part in the economics of commercial water use. Also included is coverage of a number of significant themes such as the rise and fall of the Erie Canal as the gateway to the Midwest, and the declining popularity of the Panama Canal.
Features and Highlights
- 134 entries, organized alphabetically within 3 sections
- Approximately 50 contributors—experts in the study and practice of water-based commerce
- A chronology of important events in nautical history
- A rich selection of photographs, illustrations, and maps
- Investigates the ever evolving importance of the seas to civilization and activities surrounding resource acquisition
- Presents the historical importance of the world’s seas and waterways through an interdisciplinary approach combining history, the sciences, economics, and political science
- Outlines both the histories of specific bodies of water and the issues that span all of the world’s nautical resources
Reviews: Seas and Waterways of the World
“This encyclopedia does contain a great deal of useful information on many important subjects…” – Reference Reviews
“…this is a rather unique reference source…Recommended for high school, public, and college and university libraries.” – Reference & User Services Quarterly