In the United States we elect members of the House of Representative from single-member districts: the candidate who receives the most votes from each geographically defined district wins a seat in the House. This system—so long in place that it seems perfectly natural—is, however, unusual. Most countries use proportional representation to elect their legislatures. Electing the House is the first book-length study to explore how the US came to adopt the single-member district system, how it solidified into a seemingly permanent fixture of American government and whether it performs well by the standards it was intended to achieve. The US Constitution grants the states the authority to elect representatives in a manner of their own choosing, subject to restrictions that Congress might impose. Electing the House reminds us that in the nation's early years the states exercised this privilege and elected their representatives using a variety of methods. Dow traces the general adoption of the present system to the Jacksonian Era—specifically to the major franchise expansion and voter mobilization of the time. The single-member district plurality-rule system was the Federalists' solution to tyranny of the majority under the expectation of universal franchise, and the Jacksonian-Whigs–Era response to the political uncertainty caused by large-scale voter mobilization. The system was solidified concurrently with the enfranchisement of women in the early twentieth century and African Americans in the Civil Rights Era. Dow persuasively argues that the single-member district system became the way that we elect our representatives because it fits especially well within the corpus of political thought that informs our collective understanding of good governance and it performs well by the standards it was meant to achieve, and these standards are still relevant today. Locating the development of single-member district system within the context of American political thought, Dow's study clarifies the workings and the significance of a critical electoral process in our time. In the process, the book informs and enhances our understanding of the evolution of the American political system.
This book provides comprehensive and in-depth explanations of all topics related to quantitative remote sensing and its applications in terrestrial, biospheric, hydrospheric, and atmospheric studies. It elucidates how to retrieve quantitative information on a wide range of environmental parameters from various remote sensing data at the highest accuracy possible and expounds how different aspects of the target of remote sensing can be quantified using diverse analytical methods and level of accuracy. Written in an easy-to-follow language, logically organized, and with step-by-step examples, the book assists readers to deepen their understanding of the theory and cutting-edge research on quantitative remote sensing. Features Explains how to retrieve quantitative information on a wide range of environmental parameters from various tailored remote sensing data at the highest accuracy possible. Manifests the author's decades of teaching and research in quantitative remote sensing and approaches the subject from both theoretical and pragmatic perspectives, informed by the latest research outcomes. Includes practical and real-life examples to illustrate how the quantitative information on a target can be retrieved from a given type of remote sensing data. Focuses on the latest developments in the field of quantitative remote sensing. Introduces sufficient mathematical concepts to reveal how remotely sensed data are converted to quantitative information while providing quality assurance of the retrieved results. This is a suitable textbook for upper-level undergraduate or postgraduate students and serves as a handy and valuable reference for professionals working in monitoring the environment. By reading this book, readers gain a sound understanding of how to retrieve quantitative information on the environment from diverse remote sensing data using the most appropriate cutting-edge methods and software.
This book presents a comprehensive coverage of remote sensing technology used to gather information on 12 types of natural hazards in the terrestrial sphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere. It clarifies in detail how to yield spatial and quantitative data on a natural hazard, including its spatial distribution, severity, causes, and the likelihood of occurrence. The author explains multiple methods of attaining data, describes the pros and cons of each method, and encourages readers to choose the best method applicable to their case. The author offers a practical approach to data analysis using the most appropriate methods and software. 1. Covers all major natural hazards including hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, and avalanches. 2. Studies each natural hazard holistically, ranging from spatial extent, severity, impact assessment, causes, and prediction of occurrence. 3. Explains different remotely sensed data and the most appropriate method used. 4. Compares different ways of sensing and clarifies the pros and cons of any selected data or their analysis. 5. Provides ample examples of each aspect of a natural hazard studied augmented with graphic illustrations and quality assurance information. All professionals working in the field of natural hazards, senior undergraduate, and graduate students, will find in-depth approaches and sufficient information to become knowledgeable in the methods of yielding and analyzing data provided with remote sensing technology, ultimately providing a deeper understanding of natural hazards.
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