Ray, Larry J's Books

Theorizing Classical Sociology

By: Ray, Larry J

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Theorizing Classical Sociology

By: Ray, Larry J

* How did classical sociology emerge and take shape? * What is the significance of classical sociology for current theoretical debates? * How can the classical tradition in social theory inform our understanding of the crisis of modernity? Social theory has been formed through elaboration and critique of the classical tradition, and this introductory volume illuminates current theoretical terrain by examining major classical theories - of Saint-Simon, Comte, Marx, Durkheim, Dilthey, Tonnies, Simmel and Weber - highlighting recurring themes and debates. It explains how classical sociology emerged through a debate with the Enlightenment, in which the concept of the 'social' took shape. This was constructed around various themes emphasizing contrasting components of social life - including material, cultural, rational and moral factors. These divergent theorizations set the scene for the play of theoretical oppositions that characterize much subsequent theoretical dispute. Along with these debates there were questions about the very identity of sociology, which in turn relate to a core issue in the discipline - grasping the crisis of modernity. This authoritative text introduces the key issues of classical sociology to undergraduates, making use of student-friendly features such as clear summaries, further reading and a glossary. It lays the foundations for an understanding of contemporary discussion, and will also be recognized at the postgraduate level as a key reference in the field.

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234

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McGraw-Hill Education (UK)

Published Date

ISBN 10

0335198651

ISBN 13

9780335198658

The New York Times Book of Science Questions & Answers

200 of the best, most intriguing and just plain bizarre inquiries into everyday scientific mysteries

By: C. Claiborne Ray

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The New York Times Book of Science Questions & Answers

200 of the best, most intriguing and just plain bizarre inquiries into everyday scientific mysteries

By: C. Claiborne Ray

Why is glass transparent? Why do cats purr? Why do men have nipples? These are but a handful of the thousands of questions that over the years have been asked and answered in The New York Times "Science Q&A" column. At last, the best and most interesting questions-and their replies-have been collected in a book for general readers. From wild animals to outdoor vegetation, from the human body to the heavens above, The New York Times Book of Science Questions and Answers takes readers on a thoroughly entertaining and informative journey through the world we live in. Like David Feldman's bestselling books Do Penguins Have Knees? and Why Do Clocks Run Clockwise?, this is science at its fun-filled best. Featuring answers from a wide variety of leaders across the country in scientific research and education, and illustrated by the delightful drawings of Victoria Roberts, The Times Q&A column is one of the best read features in the Science Times, which is one of the most popular sections of the newspaper. With a daily circulation of 1.2 million people, The New York Times is a leader in conveying scientific information to the general public. This fact-filled handbook for the scientifically curious should prove invaluable as a family reference book, as a classroom resource, as an entertaining subway diversion, and even as a supplement to public libraries' Frequently Asked Questions lists.

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242

Publisher

Anchor

Published Date

ISBN 10

0307813525

ISBN 13

9780307813527

After Expulsion

1492 and the Making of Sephardic Jewry

By: Jonathan S Ray

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After Expulsion

1492 and the Making of Sephardic Jewry

By: Jonathan S Ray

A “groundbreaking” portrait of the migration and resettlement of Spain’s Jewish community after 1492, and how the Sephardic identity emerged (American Historical Review). Honorable Mention, Jordan Schnitzer Book Award in Medieval and Early Modern Jewish History presented by the Association for Jewish Studies On August 3, 1492, the same day that Columbus set sail from Spain, the long and glorious history of that nation’s Jewish community officially came to a close. The expulsion of Europe’s last major Jewish community ended more than a thousand years of unparalleled prosperity, cultural vitality, and intellectual productivity. Yet, the crisis of 1492 also gave rise to a dynamic and resilient diaspora society spanning East and West. After Expulsion traces the various paths of migration and resettlement of Sephardic Jews and Conversos over the course of the tumultuous sixteenth century. Pivotally, the volume argues that the exiles did not become “Sephardic Jews” overnight. Only in the second and third generation did these disparate groups coalesce and adopt a “Sephardic Jewish” identity. This is a new and fascinating portrait of Jewish society in transition from the medieval to the early modern period—a portrait that challenges many longstanding assumptions about the differences between Europe and the Middle East. “A rich and compelling history . . . With its intense focus on one century, Ray’s book makes a distant time and trauma painfully vivid and immediate to the reader.” ―Jewish Currents Magazine

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226

Publisher

NYU Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0814729134

ISBN 13

9780814729137

Robert F. Kennedy

And the 1968 Indiana Primary

By: Ray E. Boomhower

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Robert F. Kennedy

And the 1968 Indiana Primary

By: Ray E. Boomhower

This account of a dramatic moment, and a classic speech, is “a must-read for anyone interested in presidential politics” (Indiana Magazine of History). On April 4, 1968, Senator Robert F. Kennedy Jr., arrived in Indiana to campaign for the state’s Democratic presidential primary. As Kennedy prepared to fly from an appearance in Muncie to Indianapolis, he learned that civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., had been shot outside his hotel in Memphis, Tennessee. Before his plane landed in Indianapolis, Kennedy heard the news that King had died. Despite warnings from Indianapolis police that they could not guarantee his safety, and concerns from his own staff, Kennedy decided to proceed with plans to address an outdoor rally to be held in the heart of the city’s African American community. On that cold and windy evening, Kennedy broke the news of King’s death in an impassioned, extemporaneous speech on the need for compassion in the face of violence. It has proven to be one of the great speeches in American political history. This book explains what brought the politician to Indiana that day, and explores the characters and events of the 1968 Indiana Democratic presidential primary—in which Kennedy, who had been an underdog, would go on to a decisive victory.

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208

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Indiana University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0253007755

ISBN 13

9780253007759

Japanese Democracy and Lessons for the United States

Eight Counterintuitive Lessons

By: Ray Christensen

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Japanese Democracy and Lessons for the United States

Eight Counterintuitive Lessons

By: Ray Christensen

This book presents a collection of lessons on how best to run elections and politics, using examples from the Japanese experience and showing how elections operate in a non-Western democracy. Featuring extensive data and evidence from both Japan and the United States, the themes covered include one-party rule, ballot security and voting procedures, election regulations, malapportionment and gerrymandering, court interventions, voter attachments, and distortions of the public will by election rules. In so doing, the analysis challenges conventional wisdom in both Japan and the United States, highlighting surprising and counterintuitive findings from decades of observation. This book also explicitly compares Japan to other, similarly situated democracies. Japan is therefore not treated as a standalone case but, rather, the lessons from Japan are contextualized for greater understanding and can be used to inform discussions about comparative elections and democracy. Offering practical advice in relation to elections and the functions of democracy, Japanese Democracy and Lessons for the United States will be useful to students and scholars of Japanese, US, and comparative politics.

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199

Publisher

Routledge

Published Date

ISBN 10

1000036766

ISBN 13

9781000036763

The Singularity Is Near

When Humans Transcend Biology

By: Ray Kurzweil

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The Singularity Is Near

When Humans Transcend Biology

By: Ray Kurzweil

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Celebrated futurist Ray Kurzweil, hailed by Bill Gates as “the best person I know at predicting the future of artificial intelligence,” presents an “elaborate, smart, and persuasive” (The Boston Globe) view of the future course of human development. “Artfully envisions a breathtakingly better world.”—Los Angeles Times “Startling in scope and bravado.”—Janet Maslin, The New York Times “An important book.”—The Philadelphia Inquirer At the onset of the twenty-first century, humanity stands on the verge of the most transforming and thrilling period in its history. It will be an era in which the very nature of what it means to be human will be both enriched and challenged as our species breaks the shackles of its genetic legacy and achieves inconceivable heights of intelligence, material progress, and longevity. While the social and philosophical ramifications of these changes will be profound, and the threats they pose considerable, The Singularity Is Near presents a radical and optimistic view of the coming age that is both a dramatic culmination of centuries of technological ingenuity and a genuinely inspiring vision of our ultimate destiny.

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992

Publisher

Penguin

Published Date

ISBN 10

1101218886

ISBN 13

9781101218884

The Sephardic Frontier

the reconquista and the Jewish community in medieval Iberia

By: Jonathan Ray

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The Sephardic Frontier

the reconquista and the Jewish community in medieval Iberia

By: Jonathan Ray

No subject looms larger over the historical landscape of medieval Spain than that of the reconquista, the rapid expansion of the power of the Christian kingdoms into the Muslim-populated lands of southern Iberia, which created a broad frontier zone that for two centuries remained a region of warfare and peril. Drawing on a large fund of unpublished material in royal, ecclesiastical, and municipal archives as well as rabbinic literature, Jonathan Ray reveals a fluid, often volatile society that transcended religious boundaries and attracted Jewish colonists from throughout the peninsula and beyond. The result was a wave of Jewish settlements marked by a high degree of openness, mobility, and interaction with both Christians and Muslims. Ray's view challenges the traditional historiography, which holds that Sephardic communities, already fully developed, were simply reestablished on the frontier. In the early years of settlement, Iberia's crusader kings actively supported Jewish economic and political activity, and Jewish interaction with their Christian neighbors was extensive. Only as the frontier was firmly incorporated into the political life of the peninsular states did these frontier Sephardic populations begin to forge the communal structures that resembled the older Jewish communities of the North and the interior. By the end of the thirteenth century, royal intervention had begun to restrict the amount of contact between Jewish and Christian communities, signaling the end of the open society that had marked the frontier for most of the century.

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215

Publisher

Cornell University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0801461774

ISBN 13

9780801461774

Yours, Till Heaven

The Untold Love Story of Charles and Susie Spurgeon

By: Ray Rhodes Jr.

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Yours, Till Heaven

The Untold Love Story of Charles and Susie Spurgeon

By: Ray Rhodes Jr.

Enter the remarkable untold love story of Charles and Susie Spurgeon. Charles Spurgeon is esteemed for his writing, preaching, and passion for the Lord. But behind the great man was a great wife—and between the man and wife was a profound marriage. Yours, Till Heaven invites you into the untold love story of Charles and Susie Spurgeon to discover how the bond between this renowned couple helped fuel their lifelong service to the Lord. Discover how Charles and Susie traversed the challenges of loneliness, physical affliction, popularity, controversy, and other trials together with a heavenly vision. Just as the Spurgeons lived their lives as witnesses of Christ, in Yours, Till Heaven their marriage continues to be an example for how all marriages today can remain faithful, loving, and joyful despite the challenges that life may bring. With historical precision and narrative craft, Spurgeon scholar Ray Rhodes Jr. captures the inner-life of this Victorian romance that not only served the Spurgeons in their day, but that can also continue to empower and encourage couples today. For more on the lives of the Spurgeons, find Susie by Ray Rhodes Jr.

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217

Publisher

Moody Publishers

Published Date

ISBN 10

0802498159

ISBN 13

9780802498151

Violence and Society

By: Larry Ray

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Violence and Society

By: Larry Ray

This highly respected title comes revised and updated in a second edition to provide you with a contemporary overview of violence and society. Clearly and lucidly written, this book offers broad coverage of theoretical debates, using case studies from the author’s own extensive research to bring the various theories alive. With a sociological approach throughout, it provides up-to-date coverage of key topics including gender and violence, collective violence and media and violence. New to this edition: Three new chapters on ‘Collective Violence’, ‘Violence and the Visual’ and ‘Theories of Violence′ Material on sex offending and the night-time economy Learning features in each chapter and an ‘at-a-glance’ overview within the introduction

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327

Publisher

SAGE

Published Date

ISBN 10

152645355X

ISBN 13

9781526453556

Against Academia

The History of the Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association and the Popular Culture Movement, 1967-1988

By: Ray Broadus Browne

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Against Academia

The History of the Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association and the Popular Culture Movement, 1967-1988

By: Ray Broadus Browne

The history of the study of popular culture in American academia since its (re)introduction in 1967 is filled with misunderstanding and opposition. From the first, proponents of the study of this major portion of American culture made clear that they were interested in making popular culture a supplement to the usual courses in such fields as literature, sociology, history, philosophy, and the other humanities and social sciences; nobody proposed that study of popular culture replace the other disciplines, but many suggested that it was time to reexamine the accepted courses and see if they were still viable. Opposition to the status quo always causes anxiety and opposition, but when the issues are clarified, often opposition and anxiety melt away, as they now are doing. Anxiety and opposition were generated on another level when people in academic and curricular power felt that voices were being raised that questioned their credentials and control. They flailed out with every argument at their command, generally thinking only of their self interest and not that of the students and the future of academic education. Generally this wall of opposition has also been breached. The Popular Culture Association and its many friends and backers in academia, in the United States and abroad, has demonstrated that the study of our everyday and dominant culure should be taken seriously, understandingly and analytically, just as all other aspects of culture should be. Taken that way the study can be useful in developing better educated and responsible citizens from the cradle to the grave. The humanities and social sciences are too important for any portion--especially the majority portion--to be ignored or downplayed. The study of popular culture constitutes a significant and important element, one that can be ignored only at peril.

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218

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Popular Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0879724528

ISBN 13

9780879724528

Organizing Modernity

New Weberian Perspectives on Work, Organization and Society

By: Larry Ray,Michael Reed

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Organizing Modernity

New Weberian Perspectives on Work, Organization and Society

By: Larry Ray,Michael Reed

This book provides a reassessment of the significance of Max Weber's work for the current debates about the institutional and organizational dynamics of modernity. It re-evaluates Weber's sociology of bureaucracy and his general account of the trajectory of modernity with reference to the strategic social structures that dominated the emergence and development of modern society. Included here are detailed analyses of contemporary issues such as the collapse of communism, fordism, coporatism and traditionalism in both Western and Eastern societies. All of the contributors are scholars of international repute. They undertake analyses of Weber's texts and his broader intellectual inheritance to reassert the centrality of Weberian sociology for our understanding of the moral, political and organizational dilemmas of late modernity. These analyses challenge orthodox readings of Weber as the prophet of the iron cage. Instead they offer interpretations of his work which emphasize the reality of modernity as a dual process with the potential for both disarticulation of rational structures and deeper colonization of daily life. Not only is this book essential reading for Weber specialists but it also provides compelling analyses of modernity and the inherently contingent nature of global cultural and stuctural transformation. Martin Albrow, Roehampton Institute; Stewart Clegg, University of Western Sydney; David Chalcraft, Oxford Brookes University; John Eldridge, Glasgow University; Larry J

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249

Publisher

Routledge

Published Date

ISBN 10

1134879164

ISBN 13

9781134879168

A George Herbert Companion (Routledge Revivals)

By: Robert H. Ray

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A George Herbert Companion (Routledge Revivals)

By: Robert H. Ray

First published in 1995, this title provides the reader with a compendium of useful information for any reader of George Herbert to have at hand. It includes key biographical information, situates the poetry in its historical and cultural context, and, where appropriate, explains theological concepts and traditions which have a direct bearing on the verse. The aim throughout is to enhance understanding and appreciation, without being exhaustive. A George Herbert Companion will be of most use to general readers and undergraduate students coming to this poetry for the first time, and will interest students of Anglican Caroline theology and hymnology.

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236

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Routledge

Published Date

ISBN 10

1317681894

ISBN 13

9781317681892

An Andrew Marvell Companion (Routledge Revivals)

By: Robert H. Ray

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An Andrew Marvell Companion (Routledge Revivals)

By: Robert H. Ray

First published in 1998, this title provides for the reader of the renowned metaphysical poet and politician a valuable reference and resource volume. It is a compendium of useful information for any reader of Andrew Marvell, including crucial biographical material, historical contextualisation, and details about his life’s work. The intention throughout is to enhance understanding and appreciation, without being exhaustive. The major portion of the volume, in both importance and size, is ‘A Marvell Dictionary’. Its entries are arranged alphabetically: they identify, describe and explain the most influential persons in Marvell’s life and works, as well as places, characters, allusions, ideas, concepts, individual words, phrases and literary terms that are relevant to a rounded appreciation of his poetry and prose. An Andrew Marvell Companion will prove invaluable for all students of English poetry and seventeenth-century political history.

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227

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Routledge

Published Date

ISBN 10

1317681770

ISBN 13

9781317681779

Representation Theory and Harmonic Analysis

A Conference in Honor of Ray A. Kunze, January 12-14, 1994, Cincinnati, Ohio

By: Ray Alden Kunze

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Representation Theory and Harmonic Analysis

A Conference in Honor of Ray A. Kunze, January 12-14, 1994, Cincinnati, Ohio

By: Ray Alden Kunze

This volume stems from a special session on representation theory and harmonic analysis held in honour of Ray Kunze at the 889th meeting of the American Mathematical Society on January 12-15 1994. It is intended for graduate students and research mathematicians interested in topological groups, lie groups and abstract harmonic analysis.

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270

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American Mathematical Soc.

Published Date

ISBN 10

0821803107

ISBN 13

9780821803103

Social Theory and Postcommunism

By: William Outhwaite,Larry Ray

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Social Theory and Postcommunism

By: William Outhwaite,Larry Ray

Social Theory and Postcommunism undertakes a thorough studyof the implications of post-communism for sociological theory.Written by two leading social theorists, the book discusses thethesis that the fall of communism has decimated alternativeconceptions of social organizations other than capitalism. Analyzes the implications of the fall of communism on socialtheory Discusses alternative ideas of social organizations other thancapitalism, in the wake of the collapse of communism Covers state/civil society, globalization, the future of“modernity,” and post-socialism

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264

Publisher

John Wiley & Sons

Published Date

ISBN 10

1405137843

ISBN 13

9781405137843

Changing and Unchanging Face of U.S. Civil Society

By: Marcella Ridlen Ray

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Changing and Unchanging Face of U.S. Civil Society

By: Marcella Ridlen Ray

Ray has written a book that should be read by anyone interested in the current debates about the general health of civil society in the United States.--American Journal of Sociology The formation, maintenance, and well being of American civil society is a topic of intense debate in the social sciences. Until now, this debate has lacked rigor, with the term ""civil society"" commonly used interchangeably and imprecisely with other terms such as civic engagement. Today's discourse also lacks methodological discipline and relies too heavily on narrowly selected evidence in support of a particular argument. In this invaluable contribution to the debate, Marcella Ridlen Ray supplies an empirical study based on a theoretical model of democratic civil society, one that posits high levels of communication, diversity, autonomy, mediation, and voluntary association. In Ray's account, the emergent story of U.S. civil society is that of a dynamic institution, not necessarily one that is linear in its progression. It is a tale of flux, resilience, and stability over the long term that is consistent with subtexts on political equilibrium she notes in the work of early political analysts such as Aristotle, Machiavelli, Locke, Burke, and, later, Tocqueville. Ray dispels the widely accepted myth that Americans are increasingly apathetic and withdrawn from common interests. The evidence reveals a persistence of long-standing public spiritedness, despite the fact that individuals use wider discretion in deciding if and how to attach to community and despite a historical lack of enthusiasm for performing civic duties in lieu of more pleasurable leisure activity. This public-spiritedness continues to reflect embedded religious-cultural values that disproportionately influence how and when people dedicate time and money to associational life. U. S. civil society has grown more inclusive and democratic as Americans venture, at growing rates, across differences in perspective,

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Page Count

268

Publisher

Routledge

Published Date

ISBN 10

1351529501

ISBN 13

9781351529501

Social Problems

By: James William Coleman,Donald Ray Cressey

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Social Problems

By: James William Coleman,Donald Ray Cressey

Organization is a key strength of this best-selling introduction to social problems. The book opens with an overview of the sociological tools and perspectives that are used in the study of social problems. It then lays a solid foundation by discussing fundamental changes and problems in the four basic social institutions, the economy, government, education, and family, before examining more specific topics, such as health care and poverty. The writing is clear, direct, and reinforced with high-impact, full-color graphics throughout. This edition has been updated to include two new features: "Signs of Hope" boxes, which help promote a positive outlook on today's social problems, and "Personal Perspectives" boxes, which present personal accounts of individuals' own experiences with particular social problems.

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Page Count

664

Publisher

Prentice Hall

Published Date

ISBN 10

0321018486

ISBN 13

9780321018489

Native Americans on Network TV

Stereotypes, Myths, and the "Good Indian"

By: Michael Ray FitzGerald

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Native Americans on Network TV

Stereotypes, Myths, and the "Good Indian"

By: Michael Ray FitzGerald

The American Indian has figured prominently in many films and television shows, portrayed variously as a villain, subservient friend, or a hapless victim of progress. Many Indian stereotypes that were derived from European colonial discourse—some hundreds of years old—still exist in the media today. Even when set in the contemporary era, novels, films, and programs tend to purvey rehashed tropes such as Pocahontas or man Friday. In Native Americans on Network TV: Stereotypes, Myths, and the “Good Indian,” Michael Ray FitzGerald argues that the colonial power of the U.S. is clearly evident in network television’s portrayals of Native Americans. FitzGerald contends that these representations fit neatly into existing conceptions of colonial discourse and that their messages about the “Good Indian” have become part of viewers’ understandings of Native Americans. In this study, FitzGerald offers close examinations of such series as The Lone Ranger, Daniel Boone, Broken Arrow, Hawk, Nakia, and Walker, Texas Ranger. By examining the traditional role of stereotypes and their functions in the rhetoric of colonialism, the volume ultimately offers a critical analysis of images of the “Good Indian”—minority figures that enforce the dominant group’s norms. A long overdue discussion of this issue, Native Americans on Network TV will be of interest to scholars of television and media studies, but also those of Native American studies, subaltern studies, and media history.

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