Doucet and Weaver begin this empirical, analytical, and narrative study with an analysis of the evolution of land development as an enterprise and continue with an examination of house design and construction practices, the development of the apartment building, and an account of class and age as they relate to housing tenure. They also relate developments in Hamilton to the current state of urban historiography, using their case study to resolve discrepancies and contradictions in the literature. Among the major themes the authors deal with is a controversial exploration of what they see as a central North American urge: the desire to own a home. Other themes include the social allocation of urban space, the quality and affordability of housing, the increased interest of large corporations in the land development and financial service industries, and a comparative analysis of housing in Canada and the United States. The authors have drawn on civic and business records dating from the early nineteenth century to the latest planning data. Combining this information with their comprehensive analysis, Doucet and Weaver show that current housing problems and potential solutions are better understood when seen as part of a historical process. They provide a critical assessment of the ways in which contemporary society produces shelter and question the use of technical innovations alone to resolve housing crises.

Housing the North American City

History

Doucet, Michael

Weaver, John C.

Americas

McGill-Queen's University Press

Crimes, Constables, and Courts: Order and Transgression in a Canadian City, 1816-1970

Using Hamilton, Ontario, as his model, Weaver makes extensive use of newspaper accounts and police, court, and jail records in a revealing exploration of individual crime cases and overall trends in crime. Tracing the origin and evolution of courts, juries, police, and punishments, Weaver takes into account various social and cultural issues. For example, he shows how increasing centralization and professionalization of the criminal justice system and police have deprived communities of input, and how the legal system continues to be male dominated and biased against newcomers, strangers, and marginalized social groups. Often critical of the "state," Weaver paints a sympathetic view of police constables, who play an ambiguous role in the community while being saddled with an expanding array of onerous duties. Crimes, Constables, and Courts is history at its best - informative, entertaining, and accessible with a lively human element woven throughout. "Truly outstanding." Rod C. Macleod, Department of History, University of Alberta.

Using Hamilton, Ontario, as his model, Weaver makes extensive use of newspaper accounts and police, court, and jail records in a revealing exploration of individual crime cases and overall trends in crime. Tracing the origin and evolution of courts, juries, police, and punishments, Weaver takes into account various social and cultural issues. For example, he shows how increasing centralization and professionalization of the criminal justice system and police have deprived communities of input, and how the legal system continues to be male dominated and biased against newcomers, strangers, and marginalized social groups. Often critical of the "state," Weaver paints a sympathetic view of police constables, who play an ambiguous role in the community while being saddled with an expanding array of onerous duties. Crimes, Constables, and Courts is history at its best - informative, entertaining, and accessible with a lively human element woven throughout. "Truly outstanding." Rod C. Macleod, Department of History, University of Alberta.

The Great Land Rush and the Making of the Modern World, 1650-1900 describes European appropriation and distribution of land in the new world. Integrating the often violent history of colonization of this period and the ensuing emergence of property rights with an examination of the decline of an aristocratic ruling class and the growth of democracy and the market economy, John Weaver describes how the landscapes of North America, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa were transformed by the pursuit of resources. He underscores the tragic history of the indigenous peoples of these regions and shows how they lost "possession" of their land to newly formed governments made up of Europeans with European interests at heart. Weaver shows that the enormous efforts involved in defining and registering large numbers of newly carved-out parcels of property for reallocation during the Great Land Rush were instrumental in the emergence of much stronger concepts of property rights and argues that the period was marked by a complete disregard for previous notions of restraint on dreams of unlimited material prosperity.

The Great Land Rush and the Making of the Modern World, 1650-1900

Europe

More people die by suicide each year than by homicide, wars, and terrorist attacks combined. Witnesses and survivors are left perplexed and troubled. Doctors, clinical psychologists, and social workers try to deal with it through their professional routines; sociologists and psychiatrists attempt to provide theoretical explanations of it. In a study of nearly 7000 suicides from 1900 to 1950 in New Zealand and Queensland, Australia, John Weaver documents the challenges that ordinary people experienced during turbulent times and, using witnesses' testimony, death bed statements, and suicide notes, reconstructs individuals' thoughts as they decide whether to endure their suffering. Bridging social and medical history, Weaver presents an intellectual and political history of suicide studies, a revealing construction and deconstruction of suicide rates, a discussion of gender, life stages, and socio-economic circumstances in relation to suicide patterns, reflections on reasoning processes and intent, and society's reactions to suicide, including medical intervention. A Sadly Troubled History marshals thousands of suicide inquests, replete with observations on the anxieties of unemployment, the heartbreak of romantic disappointment, the pain of domestic turmoil, and the torments of mental illness, to demonstrate that history - although, like biochemistry, sociology, psychology, and psychiatry, reliant on remarkable yet imperfect information - can contribute to a better understanding of the suicidal act and its motives.

A Sadly Troubled History: The Meanings of Suicide in the Modern Age (McGill-Queen’s/Associated McGill-Queen's/Associated Medical Services ... of Medicine, Health, and Society) (Volume 33)

Self-Help

Death & Grief

In Sorrows of a Century, John Weaver describes how personal relationships, work, poverty, war, illness, and legal troubles have driven thousands to despair. His study is set in twentieth-century New Zealand where - in spite of high standards of living and a commitment to social welfare - citizens have experienced the profound losses and stresses of the human condition. Focusing on New Zealand because it has the most comprehensive and accessible coroners' records, Weaver analyzes a staggering amount of information to determine the social and cultural factors that contribute to suicide rates. He examines the country's investigations into sudden deaths, places them within the context of major events and societal changes, and turns to witnesses' statements, suicide notes, and medical records to remark on prevention strategies. His extensive survey of twelve thousand cases also provides an insightful assessment of psychiatry and psychology in the last century. In reviewing the motives and methods of suicide, Weaver points out the complications facing deterrence. Moving beyond the timeless present of the social sciences and the irrationality emphasized in psychology, Sorrows of a Century marshals testimony to highlight the historical context and rational conduct behind suicide.

Sorrows of a Century: Interpreting Suicide in New Zealand, 1900-2000 (Volume 40) (McGill-Queen's Associated Medical Services Studies in the History of Medicine, Health, and Society)

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Weaver, John C.. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Weaver, John C.

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Weaver, John C.. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Housing the North American City

Crimes, Constables, and Courts: Order and Transgression in a Canadian City, 1816-1970

Crimes, Constables, and Courts: Order and Transgression in a Canadian City, 1816-1970

The Great Land Rush and the Making of the Modern World, 1650-1900

The Great Land Rush and the Making of the Modern World, 1650-1900

A Sadly Troubled History: The Meanings of Suicide in the Modern Age (McGill-Queen’s/Associated McGill-Queen's/Associated Medical Services ... of Medicine, Health, and Society) (Volume 33)

Sorrows of a Century: Interpreting Suicide in New Zealand, 1900-2000 (Volume 40) (McGill-Queen's Associated Medical Services Studies in the History of Medicine, Health, and Society)