In this ground-breaking book, we navigate the uncharted terrain of social virtual reality (VR), a technology that, while offering unprecedented immersive experiences, brings forth significant governance challenges. By merging theoretical insights with practical examples, the book examines the risks of harm in social VR environments, including both content and conduct issues. It charts a course for developing inclusive and safe social VR spaces that are respectful of diverse users’ rights a...

Blockbuster lawsuits, artificial intelligence, backroom deals, millions in lobbying dollars and grand Silicon Valley idealism - the story of Google and copyright law is action-packed. By tracing Google's legal, commercial and political negotiations over copyright, Google Rules explains how Google became one of the most influential actors in the history of digital copyright. Today, Google reigns over a technological and economic order that features empowered private companies and r...

Blending personal narrative with critical analysis, Big Tech Dynasties reckons with the place of Google, Apple, Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon in modern life. It argues that while each company may be a product of platform capitalism, each is also historically familiar; Big Tech is familiar because it is dynastic—and because it is dynastic, Big Tech is inherently undemocratic.Drawing on political economy, law, media studies, and historical analysis, Big Te...

Empowering, customizable, and backed by organizational research, this book introduces the PROACTIVE work design model and diagnostic tool to help organizations create optimal conditions for proactivity at work to flourish.The pressures and expectations of 21st-century life have led to short-term, reactive behavior in the workplace, however, long-term business success relies on proactive behavior, which is self-directed, future-focused, and change-orientated. But proactivity does no...

Grief and loss are fundamental aspects of the human experience. Narrative and Grief examines the desire to make sense out of the nonsensical by exploring specific stories of loss and grief, spanning from the loss of a parent, child, or partner, loss within larger family systems; and ambiguous and anticipatory loss to broader cultural aspects of grief. The autoethnographic essays in this book reflect on the unique and individual experiences of each contributor’s story. Simultaneously, these...

Captivated by the allure of his own portrait, Dorian Gray gives his soul in exchange for eternal youth and beauty. His friend Lord Henry Wotton draws him into a double life of secret vice, while to the world outside he preserves his immaculate facade. As his hidden portrait becomes uglier with each new sin, Dorian begins to lose control, and his past comes around to haunt him.Oscar Wilde's only novel is half gothic horror, half morality tale, and is as timeless as his plays and poe...

Completely updated and revised, Cruise Ship Tourism, 2nd Edition covers the economic, social and environmental impacts of cruising, combining the latest knowledge and research to provide a comprehensive account of the subject. Despite the industry growing rapidly, there is a substantial gap in the related literature, and this book addresses the key issues for researchers, students and industry professionals. This second edition: - Reviews the fundamental principles of the industry, the cru...

This bundle features two classic books narrated by Jake Urry.The Picture of Dorian GrayCaptivated by the allure of his own portrait, Dorian Gray gives his soul in exchange for eternal youth and beauty. His friend Lord Henry Wotton draws him into a double life of secret vice, while to the world outside he preserves his immaculate facade. As his hidden portrait becomes uglier with each new sin, Dorian begins to lose control, and his past comes around to haunt...

Whatever happened to the last painting of Mark Rothko? According to rumor Rothko gave it to two Russian spinsters in Atlanta in 1970. But they’re dead and the painting has vanished. Art historian Helena Gandolfi learns from her young friend, Justine Foxcroft, that her uncle, real estate agent Finny McGinley, has the painting stashed in a closet. Determined to keep the work secret, Helena and Justine hide it. Drawn into the high stakes world of the art industry, they become the targets of s...