Robert W Balch's Books

Heaven's Gate

America's UFO Religion

By: Benjamin E Zeller,Robert W Balch

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Heaven's Gate

America's UFO Religion

By: Benjamin E Zeller,Robert W Balch

2015 Best Book Award from the Communal Studies Association The captivating story of the people of Heaven’s Gate, a religious group focused on transcending humanity and the Earth, and seeking salvation in the literal heavens on board a UFO In March 1997, thirty-nine people in Rancho Santa Fe, California, ritually terminated their lives. To outsiders, it was a mass suicide. To insiders, it was a graduation. This act was the culmination of over two decades of spiritual and social development for the members of Heaven’s Gate. In this fascinating overview, Benjamin Zeller not only explores the question of why the members of Heaven’s Gate committed ritual suicides, but interrogates the origin and evolution of the religion, its appeal, and its practices. By tracking the development of the history, social structure, and worldview of Heaven’s Gate, Zeller draws out the ways in which the movement was both a reflection and a microcosm of larger American culture. The group emerged out of engagement with Evangelical Christianity, the New Age movement, science fiction and UFOs, and conspiracy theories, and it evolved in response to the religious quests of baby boomers, new religions of the counterculture, and the narcissistic pessimism of the 1990s. Thus, Heaven’s Gate not only reflects the context of its environment, but also reveals how those forces interacted in the form of a single religious body. In the only book-length study of Heaven’s Gate, Zeller traces the roots of the movement, examines its beliefs and practices, and tells the captivating story of its people.

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Page Count

364

Publisher

NYU Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1479811130

ISBN 13

9781479811137

An Arch Guidebook to Los Angeles

By: Robert Winter

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An Arch Guidebook to Los Angeles

By: Robert Winter

Known as "the bible" to Los Angeles architecture scholars and enthusiasts, Robert Winter and David Gebhard's groundbreaking guide to architecture in the greater Los Angeles area is updated and revised once again. From Art Deco to Beaux-Arts, Spanish Colonial to Mission Revival, Winter discusses an impressive variety of architectural styles in this popular guide that he co-authored with the late David Gebhard. New buildings and sites have been added, along with all new photography. Considered the most thorough L.A. architecture guide ever written, this new edition features the best of the past and present, from Charles and Henry Greene's Gamble House to Frank Gehry's Disney Philharmonic Hall. This was, and is again, a must-have guide to a diverse and architecturally rich area. Robert Winter is a recognized architectural historian who lives in Los Angeles, and has led architectural tours through the Los Angeles area since 1965. He is a professor at Occidental College in Los Angeles.

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Page Count

546

Publisher

Gibbs Smith

Published Date

ISBN 10

1423608933

ISBN 13

9781423608936

Verdict

Assessing the Civil Jury System

By: Robert E. Litan

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Verdict

Assessing the Civil Jury System

By: Robert E. Litan

The right to a jury trial is a fundamental feature of the American justice system. In recent years, however, aspects of the civil jury system have increasingly come under attack. Many question the ability of lay jurors to decide complex scientific and technical questions that often arise in civil suits. Others debate the high and rising costs of litigation, the staggering delay in resolving disputes, and the quality of justice. Federal and state courts, crowded with growing numbers of criminal cases, complain about handling difficult civil matters. As a result, the jury trial is effectively being challenged as a means for resolving disputes in America. Juries have been reduced in size, their selection procedures altered, and the unanimity requirement suspended. For many this development is viewed as necessary. For others, it arouses deep concern. In this book, a distinguished group of scholars, attorneys, and judges examine the civil jury system and discuss whether certain features should be modified or reformed. The book features papers presented at a conference cosponsored by the Brookings Institution and the Litigation Section of the American Bar Association, together with an introductory chapter by Robert E. Litan. While the authors present competing views of the objectives of the civil jury system, all agree that the jury still has and will continue to have an important role in the American system of civil justice. The book begins with a brief history of the jury system and explains how juries have become increasingly responsible for decisions of great difficulty. Contributors then provide an overview of the system's objectives and discuss whether, and to what extent, actual practice meets those objectives. They summarize how juries function and what attitudes lawyers, judges, litigants, former jurors, and the public at large hold about the current system. The second half of the book is devoted to a wide range of recommendations that w

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Page Count

557

Publisher

Brookings Institution Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

081572019X

ISBN 13

9780815720195

POL BEY COER: NW IDEA TWNETYF CEN - 1E

A New Idea for a Twenty-first Century Mandate

By: Robert J. Kane

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POL BEY COER: NW IDEA TWNETYF CEN - 1E

A New Idea for a Twenty-first Century Mandate

By: Robert J. Kane

This book examines, describes, and explains the current state of American policing. It proposes a new paradigm that emphasizes the protection of life as the primary mandate, moving away from mere coercion and social control"--

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Page Count

382

Publisher

Aspen Publishing

Published Date

ISBN 10

1543832849

ISBN 13

9781543832846

Religious and Spiritual Groups in Modern America

By: Robert Ellwood,Harry Partin

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Religious and Spiritual Groups in Modern America

By: Robert Ellwood,Harry Partin

This text explores the major new or unconventional religions and spiritual movements in America that exist outside the Judeo-Christian tradition.

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Page Count

373

Publisher

Routledge

Published Date

ISBN 10

1315507234

ISBN 13

9781315507231

Destroying the World to Save It

Aum Shinrikyo, Apocalyptic Violence, and the New Global Terrorism

By: Robert Jay Lifton

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Destroying the World to Save It

Aum Shinrikyo, Apocalyptic Violence, and the New Global Terrorism

By: Robert Jay Lifton

National Book Award winner and renowned psychiatrist Robert Jay Lifton reveals a world at risk from millennial cults intent on ending it all. Since the earliest moments of recorded history, prophets and gurus have foretold the world's end, but only in the nuclear age has it been possible for a megalomaniac guru with a world-ending vision to bring his prophecy to pass. Now Robert Jay Lifton offers a vivid and disturbing case in point in this chilling exploration of Aum Shinrikyo, the Japanese cult that released sarin nerve gas in the Tokyo subways. With unprecedented access to former Aum members, Lifton has produced a pathbreaking study of the inner life of a modern millennial cult. He shows how Aum's guru Shoko Asahara (charismatic spiritual leader, con man, madman) created a religion from a global stew of New Age thinking, ancient rituals, and apocalyptic science fiction, then recruited scientists as disciples and set them to producing weapons of mass destruction. Taking stock as well of Charles Manson, Heaven's Gate, and the Oklahoma City bombers, Lifton confronts the frightening possibility of a twenty-first century in which cults and terrorists may be able to bring about their own holocausts. Bold and compelling, Destroying the World to Save It charts the emergence of a new global threat of urgent concern to us all.

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Page Count

388

Publisher

Metropolitan Books

Published Date

ISBN 10

146682784X

ISBN 13

9781466827844

In Pursuit of Satan

The Police and the Occult

By: Robert D. Hicks

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In Pursuit of Satan

The Police and the Occult

By: Robert D. Hicks

Mutilated animals. Defaced tombstones. Sexual abuse in daycare centers. Is America threatened by a satanic conspiracy? In this book, Robert D. Hicks exposes law enforcement''s obsessive preoccupation with satanism as a model for criminal behavior. While satanic belief has played a part in crimes ranging from petty vandalism to serial murders, Hicks avows that there is no substantial evidence for the existence of a nationwide satanic crime continuum.Hicks points out that the satanic criminal model is expedient largely due to its simplicity and economy, reducing to simple formulas such complex problems as drug abuse, teen suicide, and sexual molestation. His research utilizes a unique blend of law-enforcement methodology, anthropology, folklore, history, sociology, psychology and psychiatry. He attributes the cult conspiracy theory to beliefs fueled by Christian fundamentalist sects and to the ungovernable mechanisms of rumor-panics, subversive mythology, and urban legend.In Pursuit of Satan documents examples of rumor-panics in which the police have fomented fear by attributing crimes to satanists, indulging in sheer speculation and promulgating misinformation through the sensationalist news media. Hicks examines the construction of the satanic ideology among law enforcement officials, focusing on the exploitation of satanism as a new scapegoat for public fears and addressing the phenomenon of credulity among police forces and allied professionals in social work, psychiatry, and psychology.

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Page Count

420

Publisher

Prometheus Books

Published Date

ISBN 10

1615927042

ISBN 13

9781615927043

Faith Has Its Reasons

Integrative Approaches to Defending the Christian Faith

By: Kenneth Boa,Robert M. Bowman Jr.

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Faith Has Its Reasons

Integrative Approaches to Defending the Christian Faith

By: Kenneth Boa,Robert M. Bowman Jr.

A most accessible but thoroughly practical primer on apologetics.

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Page Count

680

Publisher

InterVarsity Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0830858911

ISBN 13

9780830858910

History of the Presbyterian Church in KY

With a Preliminary Sketch of the Churches in the Valley of Virginia

By: Robert Davidson

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History of the Presbyterian Church in KY

With a Preliminary Sketch of the Churches in the Valley of Virginia

By: Robert Davidson

With our American Philosophy and Religion series, Applewood reissues many primary sources published throughout American history. Through these books, scholars, interpreters, students, and non-academics alike can see the thoughts and beliefs of Americans who came before us.

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390

Publisher

Applewood Books

Published Date

ISBN 10

1429018208

ISBN 13

9781429018203

From Bricks to Brains

The Embodied Cognitive Science of LEGO Robots

By: Michael Wilson,Brian Dupuis

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From Bricks to Brains

The Embodied Cognitive Science of LEGO Robots

By: Michael Wilson,Brian Dupuis

Even simple agents, such as LEGO robots, are capable of exhibiting complex behaviour when they can sense and alter the world around them. From Bricks to Brains offers an introduction to embodied cognitive science and illustrates its foundational ideas through the construction and observation of LEGO Mindstorms robots. Discussing the characteristics that distinguish embodied cognitive science from classical cognitive science, the authors place a renewed emphasis on sensing and acting, on the importance of physical embodiment, and on the exploration of distributed notions of control. They also show how synthesizing simple systems and observing their behaviour can generate new theoretical insights. Numerous examples are brought forward to illustrate a key theme: the importance of environment to an actor. Even simple agents, such as LEGO robots, are capable of exhibiting complex behaviour when they can sense and alter the world around them.

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Page Count

355

Publisher

Athabasca University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

1897425783

ISBN 13

9781897425787

A William Faulkner Encyclopedia

By: Robert W. Hamblin,Charles Peek

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A William Faulkner Encyclopedia

By: Robert W. Hamblin,Charles Peek

Sometimes called the American Shakespeare, William Faulkner is known for providing poignant and accurate renderings of the human condition, creating a world of colorful characters in his fictional Yoknapatawpha County, and writing in a style that is both distinct and demanding. Though he is known as a Southern writer, his appeal transcends regional and even national boundaries. Since winning the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1950, he has been the subject of more than 5,000 scholarly books and articles. Academic interest in his career has been matched by popular acclaim, with some of his works adapted for the cinema. This reference is an authoritative guide to Faulkner's life, literature, and legacy. The encyclopedia includes nearly 500 alphabetically arranged entries for topics related to Faulkner and his world. Included are entries for his works and major characters and themes, as well as the literary and cultural contexts in which his texts were conceived, written, and published. There are also entries for relatives, friends, and other persons important to Faulkner's biography; historical events, persons, and places; social and cultural developments; and literary and philosophical terms and movements. The entries are written by expert contributors who bring a broad range of perspectives and experience to their analysis of his work. Entries typically conclude with suggestions for further reading, and the volume closes with a bibliography and detailed index.

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Page Count

505

Publisher

Bloomsbury Publishing USA

Published Date

ISBN 10

0313007462

ISBN 13

9780313007460

Buffalo Bill in Bologna

The Americanization of the World, 1869-1922

By: Robert W. Rydell,Rob Kroes

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Buffalo Bill in Bologna

The Americanization of the World, 1869-1922

By: Robert W. Rydell,Rob Kroes

When it comes to the production and distribution of mass culture, no country in modern times has come close to rivaling the success of America. From blue jeans in central Europe to Elvis Presley's face on a Republic of Chad postage stamp, the reach of American mass culture extends into every corner of the globe. Most believe this is a twentieth-century phenomenon, but here Robert W. Rydell and Rob Kroes prove that its roots are far deeper. Buffalo Bill in Bologna reveals that the process of globalizing American mass culture began as early as the mid-nineteenth century. In fact, by the end of World War I, the United States already boasted an advanced network of culture industries that served to promote American values. Rydell and Kroes narrate how the circuses, amusement parks, vaudeville, mail-order catalogs, dime novels, and movies developed after the Civil War—tools central to hastening the reconstruction of the country—actually doubled as agents of American cultural diplomacy abroad. As symbols of America's version of the "good life," cultural products became a primary means for people around the world, especially in Europe, to reimagine both America and themselves in the context of America's growing global sphere of influence. Paying special attention to the role of the world's fairs, the exporting of Buffalo Bill's Wild West show to Europe, the release of The Birth of a Nation, and Woodrow Wilson's creation of the Committee on Public Information, Rydell and Kroes offer an absorbing tour through America's cultural expansion at the turn of the century. Buffalo Bill in Bologna is thus a tour de force that recasts what has been popularly understood about this period of American and global history.

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Page Count

222

Publisher

University of Chicago Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0226732347

ISBN 13

9780226732343

Book's by Robert W Balch

Heaven's Gate

Heaven's Gate

An Arch Guidebook to Los Angeles

An Arch Guidebook to Los Angeles

Verdict

Verdict

POL BEY COER: NW IDEA TWNETYF CEN - 1E

POL BEY COER: NW IDEA TWNETYF CEN - 1E

Religious and Spiritual Groups in Modern America

Religious and Spiritual Groups in Modern America

Destroying the World to Save It

Destroying the World to Save It

In Pursuit of Satan

In Pursuit of Satan

Faith Has Its Reasons

Faith Has Its Reasons

History of the Presbyterian Church in KY

History of the Presbyterian Church in KY

From Bricks to Brains

From Bricks to Brains

A William Faulkner Encyclopedia

A William Faulkner Encyclopedia

Buffalo Bill in Bologna

Buffalo Bill in Bologna

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