Segments Of Civil Society Research Articles

Penal hybridization: State influence and local resistance at a community-based reentry organization

As mass incarceration and supervision decline in the U.S., subtler forms of “invisible punishment” continue to affect individuals with a history of legal system involvement. Increasingly, the state recedes from direct involvement in invisible punishment, instead devolving responsibility—and potentially controlling at a distance—community-based organizations. In the process, punishment in the community is shaped by both the state and various segments of civil society. The present ethnography examines how staffers at a community-based reentry organization are subject to and resistant to state influence, and how this resistance generates new forms of invisible punishment. While state influence directs staffers to provide services focused on altering clients’ internal dispositions, staffers resist state influence by encouraging members to be their own advocates against the penal system. This agonistic process of resistance generates a hybridized form of invisible punishment, commingling the organizational goals and routines of penal state authorities with those of reentry staffers who see advocating against structures of punishment as a core mission. The final, hybridized form of this mode of penalty requires the client not only to look inward to effect dispositional changes, but also to look outward to be an active agent advocating against the exclusionary penal structures affecting them.

Populist Constitutionalism and the Judicial Overhaul in Israel

AbstractIn the last year Israel has been going through its most severe constitutional crisis in its history. The newly elected right-wing government has initiated a judicial overhaul that would limit the authority of the judiciary and grant the executive almost absolute powers. In response, the country has witnessed unprecedented civil protestations and opposition from nearly all segments of civil society, academia and economic sectors. In this article we argue that the judicial overhaul must be analysed as a populist constitutional project. We also explain that compared with other systems, Israeli democracy is especially vulnerable to populism, because of its unique institutional design factors coupled with social factors. Only with understanding these factors can one grasp the risks that the judicial overhaul poses to Israeli democracy.

Defending a Vulnerable yet Resilient Democracy: Civil Society Activism in Jokowi's Indonesia

For the first two decades after the end of the authoritarian New Order regime, Indonesian civil society was widely hailed as a bulwark against elite attempts to roll back the country's democratic achievements. More recent assessments, however, have highlighted how polarisation, socio-religious conservatism and growing state repression have increasingly restricted civil society's ability to defend Indonesian democracy against further backsliding. In the face of these growing pressures, political activists have nonetheless demonstrated adaptability, resourcefulness and resilience, and, despite the narrowing space for dissent and protest, occasionally succeeded in halting and even reversing anti-democratic trends. In this article, we focus on two segments of civil society – women's rights groups and environmental activists – to illustrate under what circumstances progressive political activism in contemporary Indonesia can still be effective in upholding diagonal accountability and defending human rights.

Moral and patriotic coordinates of volunteer activity as a means of building educational and socio-pedagogical work

In the article, the built picture of the four-vector phenomenology of voluntary activity (heroic, victim, transformative, life-affirming) can serve as a kind of “ethical map” for measuring the motivation for participation in volunteering. In addition, it can serve as the basis for determining the goals and mission of building educational and socio-pedagogical work in various volunteer associations. The problem of the formation of social activity of student youth in the conditions of reforming Ukrainian society is analyzed, the criteria of social activity, the importance of social activity for the further development of society and the professional development of students are considered. The concept of volunteering as a segment of civil society, the main directions of volunteering in modern Ukraine, the impact of hostilities in the East of the country on the development of volunteering have been studied. The thesis about the dialectical relationship between social activity and students' participation in volunteer activities is substantiated, where volunteer activity is considered as a manifestation of social activity and as a factor in its formation. An example of the activities of a higher educational institution regarding the involvement of students in volunteer practice as an important factor in the formation of students' social activity is given.

Estado laico e dinâmicas religiosas no Brasil: tensões e dissonâncias

Este texto busca examinar as tensões e dissonâncias na relação entre religião e espaço público no Brasil contemporâneo. Partindo de uma sociologia e antropologia dos fenômenos da secularização e da laicidade, pretende demonstrar a porosidade do sistema público/político brasileiro com o meio religioso. Recorrendo a uma perspectiva sócio-histórica procura compreender como as fronteiras entre religião e política no Brasil foram precariamente construídas ao longo da constituição do nosso Estado, sem nunca haverem sido institucionalmente bem demarcadas. Vácuo, que gerou concessões por parte do Estado às religiões majoritárias cristãs, assegurando legitimidade pública à seus símbolos religiosos nos espaços estatais, à princípio, neutros e seculares. Entretanto a Constituição de 1988, representou o influxo de uma legislação moderna e laica que legitimou sujeitos de direitos como mulheres, negros, índios, LGBTs, ambientalistas, etc. Diante deste quadro, esta reflexão ambiciona contribuir para a interpretação da complexidade que significa a presença múltipla e contraditória na esfera pública, tanto das religiões majoritárias cristãs, assentadas em uma agenda de valores religiosos conservadores quanto de projetos liberais e libertários acionados por segmentos da sociedade civil e agentes públicos gerando tensões e dissonâncias. Para compreender esta realidade, enquanto mosaico de interações e antagonismos, buscar-se-á trabalhar com a noção de pluri-confessionalidade do sociólogo mexicano Roberto Blancarte; assim como com aquelas de laicidade “de reconhecimento” e de “integração” do cientista político francês Philippe Portier. Com isto, procura-se aproximar teórica e empiricamente de uma compreensão mais ampla e nuançada do nosso sistema público-político na relação com a dimensão religiosa

Educação popular e Extensão Universitária em Segurança Alimentar e Nutricional e Direito Humano à Alimentação Adequada e Saudável: um caminho metodológico possível

Introdução: A temática da segurança alimentar e nutricional e do direito humano à alimentação adequada e saudável tornou-se uma questão política no Brasil, no período de 2003 a 2016. No entanto, a tarefa de manutenção de direitos sociais não estava concluída e hoje encontra-se politicamente ameaçada, demandando a conscientização e mobilização de segmentos da sociedade civil para a compreensão crítica da realidade e a retomada da construção de caminhos possíveis para a exigibilidade do direito e garantia da segurança alimentar e nutricional. Objetivo: Este trabalho buscou relatar a experiência e evidenciar as expressões pedagógicas dos princípios da educação popular ao longo do processo de ensino-aprendizagem da edição de 2018 do curso, realizado no município de Colinas do Sul, Goiás. Métodos: Na Universidade de Brasília, em 2018, instituiu-se um Programa de Extensão e Ação Continuada, o MultiplicaSAN. Dentre suas atividades, estava a realização de um curso de formação e promoção da cultura de direitos visando à formação da sociedade civil nas temáticas de segurança alimentar e nutricional e direito humano à alimentação adequada e saudável, utilizando como referência a pedagogia freireana e os princípios da Política de Educação Popular. Resultados: A experiência do projeto de extensão proporcionou aprofundamento sobre a educação popular, mostrando a riqueza da construção do conhecimento junto com uma comunidade de trabalhadoras. Conclusão: Revelou, ainda, o potencial transformador de um processo educativo pautado nos princípios da educação popular: amorosidade, dialogicidade, conscientização, construção do conhecimento, a partir da realidade concreta, transformação do mundo e sistematização do conhecimento na formação de educadoras e educandas.

Civic Organization beyond the ‘Open Society’ Battle: Cases from Hungary

Our paper aims to contribute to the understanding of civil society in Hungary by looking beyond the struggles around open society and international NGOs, a topic that has dominated public debates on civil organizations in Hungary for the last decade. Our starting point follows the literature that has broadened the understanding of NGOs in the post-socialist space with the perspective of their insertion in global hierarchies in terms of unequal knowledge and resource transfer, material dependencies and the effects in local social settings. More attention recently has been given to the social positions of domestic civil organizations and the political and material dependencies they operate within. The analysis of organizations which represent and defend different interests within different social strata is crucial to understanding civil society in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). Following this thread of discussions, we look at three segments of civil society which were previously understudied, to expand on how social relations structure civil society in contemporary CEE: 1) nationalist but anti-governmental organizations, for example in the field of housing; 2) urban and rural informal self-organization in order to cope with material hardships collectively has been significantly growing in the recent years; 3) rural civil organizations aligned with local elites, embedded in material dependencies, which have been present since 1990, but occupy a more and more significant role after the illiberal turn. We think that adding these segments to the study of civil society in CEE can help to broaden the analysis beyond the discursively and ideologically thematized struggles around NGOs, and contribute to a better understanding of illiberal regimes and the counter-movements they produce.

Activities of the Socially Oriented Organizations of the Russian Orthodox Church: The Regional Aspects

Introduction. The article analyzes the results of the sociological research undertaken by the authors in 2018 within the framework of the research project “Social Projects of the Russian Orthodox Church” in terms of comparing motivation, social technologies and social consequences of implementing Orthodox social projects in the capital and other regions of Russia in order to identify factors contributing to and hindering their successful implementation at the regional level. The purpose of the empirical research was to identify the social functions fulfilled in the process of developing and implementing social projects by organizations within the structure of the Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate), as well as by lay organizations created and headed by parishioners of the Russian Orthodox Church. Materials and Methods. The study used qualitative methods of collecting and analyzing sociological data such as observation, in-depth interviews with people participating in social activities of the Orthodox projects and with the members of their target groups. The qualitative study used theoretical sampling and the method of selecting typical cases, which made it possible to describe and analyze social technologies and the consequences of the Orthodox social activities in different areas of impact on the society, including helping the poor and the socially deprived strata of the population, rehabilitation of the disabled, ‘pro-life’ movements, as well as educational activities. Results. In the process of research, based on the analysis of the survey data, the goals of the Orthodox social projects and their hierarchy have been identified, as well as the peculiarities of motivation of the activities of the participants of the Orthodox social projects studied and the specifics of the forms of organizing social assistance in Moscow, the Republic of Mordovia, and the Ivanovo Region. The social technologies of direct and indirect influence of the Orthodox social projects in terms of educational activities have been studied. The authors sought to assess the transformational consequences of implementation of the Orthodox social projects studied at the levels of the individual, social institutions, and groups. Discussion and Conclusion. The study has revealed that the Orthodox social initiatives help their participants master such skills as fundraising, interaction with the society, government bodies and commercial entities, thus becoming an important segment of civil society. The main difficulties the Orthodox social projects encounter have been revealed: poor systemic work and dependence on the personality of the leader, dependence on grants. The scientific results of the study can be used when developing strategies and implementing social policies with the participation of Orthodox non-profit organizations through a comprehensive analysis of methods and social technologies.

Consciência política e participação dos representantes da sociedade civil no Conselho Municipal de Assistência Social de Vitória - ES

Resumo Neste artigo visa-se compreender como se configuram a consciência política e a participação dos conselheiros titulares e suplentes representantes da sociedade civil no Conselho Municipal de Assistência Social de Vitória (ES). A discussão baseia-se no modelo de consciência política para compreensão da participação em ações coletivas, de Sandoval (2001). Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa, cujos dados - posteriormente submetidos à análise de conteúdo (BARDIN, 2004) - foram obtidos por meio de análise de documentos, observação não participante às plenárias e entrevistas semiestruturadas com 8 conselheiros titulares e suplentes representantes da sociedade civil no Conselho. Os resultados revelaram configurações diferentes de consciência política entre os três segmentos representativos da sociedade civil no conselho: representantes dos usuários demonstraram-se mais propensos a sentimentos envolvendo a identidade coletiva, eficácia política e sentimentos de justiça e injustiça. Representantes de entidades mostraram-se mais ligados a sentimentos de identidade coletiva, interesses antagônicos e adversários e eficácia política. Representantes dos trabalhadores da área demonstraram sentimentos ligados a eficácia política e sentimentos de justiça e injustiça. Conclui-se que diferentes consciências políticas interferem na participação dos representantes: representantes de trabalhadores participam de maneira limitada às plenárias, focando-se mais em comissões temáticas e ONGs. Representantes de usuários participam de maneira mais abrangente de movimentos sociais, associações de bairros e cobram da administração pública ações de interesse social. Representantes de entidades participam de movimentos sociais, de ações em relação ao poder público e de movimentos que envolvem os assistidos pelas entidades.

Imagining an Old City in Nineteenth-Century France: Urban Renovation, Civil Society, and the Making of Vieux Lyon

Urban histories of nineteenth-century France have tended to focus on Paris and emphasize state actions. This has obscured movements that were crucial in shaping modern cities, particularly segments of civil society that worked on preserving old neighborhoods. This article focuses on Lyon—a “second city”—and analyzes how state-driven urban renovations under the Second Empire fostered a fin-de-siècle localist reaction that sought to preserve what was seen as Lyonnais urban forms (in particular neighborhoods defined by their narrow and crooked streets). Through an antiquarian discourse, cultural elites argued that these urban forms were an essential part of Lyonnais identity—which they feared was being infringed upon by Paris. The actions of these prideful and anxious Lyonnais show that antiquarian history was, in fact, a modern phenomenon that played a key role in shaping the modern city.

It’s the Occupation, Stupid!

It’s the Occupation, Stupid!

Participation and relative autonomy in the EBC’s Curator’s Council

This paper aims to analyze the acting of the Curator’s Council of Empresa Brasil de Comunicação (EBC), the main space of civil society participation of the communication company of public service in the country. From the analysis of documents, it seeks to analyze the profile of the actors who take part of the Curator’s Council and the segments of civil society they represent, reflecting on the relative autonomy of the organism. In addition, it is adopted a content analysis of the debates about the EBC work plans in order to think about the participation of the actors in the deliberations of the Curator’s Council. In this sense, it is adopted a maximalist perspective of participation, understanding that it goes beyond the interaction with the content, in the media sphere. Similarly, it is understood the limitations of the representation process and, therefore, the proposal is to reflect on what groups can take part of this space, since the beginning of EBC until today. Furthermore, it is understood that the process of participation of civil society and the autonomy of the Curator’s Council reflect on the relative autonomy of the enterprise as a whole.

Corruption, the Challenge for Kosovo Institutions

The subject as per work, corruption, the challenge for Kosovo institutions, is broadly and actual theme that covers the theoretical and practical treatment. The corruption, which has been described as using the public power for certain purposes, is a very complex subject. Stands for the characteristics of many societies and states and for the last couple of years it has been understood as in great form present phenomenon within the countries in transition, within those which are undeveloped as well as with developed ones, and stands for an obstacle for democracy implementation. From a systematically point of view, corruption has caused, and it continues to do so, many concerns in all countries on Earth, and especially in Kosovo. In accordance to Transparency International report, corruption is one of the biggest challenges of contemporary world. The aim of the importance of studying of this problem through this subject is identifying the scope, structure and dynamics of this phenomenon; to analyse overall impact of general factors. In accordance to identification of corruption problems, local and international reports with of high level of this kind of criminal act, among other areas as well as per security issues, corruption has been seen as serious wound for our society. The justification of this work is logical consequence of corruption phenomenon in the Republic of Kosovo. The reason, consequences and the fight against the corruption is always the subject of numerous researches and conversation between researches, politicians and other actors dealing with this problem, not leaving aside the segment of civil society. These problems stand for the subject of study of this work from my point of view with the purpose of sharing the overall concern due to this phenomenon. During this study many different methodologies will be used, as well as the methodology of analyses of cases of corruption, method of comparative analyses, comparative methodology and statistical method of creation and fight against the corruption in Kosovo from 2012 – 2104. For fight and suppression of corruption, the society and institutions in Kosovo, among the prevention measures, would have to implement so far reached measures in criminalistics in accordance to contemporary trends in secure management. The final aim of this work is practical use of its results and statistics in society’s efforts to prevent, to limit or to eliminate the corruption phenomenon in Kosovo

Hybrid War in Ukraine: Oligarchic Discourse

This article is devoted to the phenomenon of hybrid war. Based on the fact that the military actions can be represented as the particular process, it is proposed to analyze the phenomenon on the technological approach. In addition, the study of the phenomenon does not occur within the traditional democratic paradigm, and based on the assertion that in modern Ukraine the model of social and political order with an oligarchs in the center was formed. All state institutions and segments of civil society are in a tough financial and economic dependence from the social group of oligarchs. The goals, objectives, principles, directions, forms, methods and techniques of conducting hybrid warfare are discussed. The general and the particular to the phenomena of the conventional war and the hybrid war is determined. Focuses on the complex nature of the phenomenon, its layered structure. In this connection, emphasizes the fact that the main actors of the war at different levels perform different roles, which is fixed by experts who analyze the situation. In particular, Ukraine can be considered as the subject of a hybrid war at the regional level, but it also becomes the purpose and the object as to the subjects of higher geopolitical level. In general, the phenomenon of hybrid war characterized by a lack of principles in building of the technological process. In the specific case of Ukraine, the lack of clear principles in the organization of the process dictated by economic interests of oligarchic clans that joined the struggle for the redistribution model in securing ownership of tools and means of production. Other elements of the process of the hybrid war are serve the implementation of the corporate interests of the oligarchs. In addition, the Ukrainian oligarchic structures are the link, the conductor for the interests of oligarchic structures of higher global level. The main tool in this struggle is the information - the main resource of the era, on which the oligarchs try to win a monopoly. Thus, we can talk about the oligarchic discourse of the hybrid war in Ukraine, as invariably present oligarchic component in all its elements.

Sex, Gender and the Making of the ‘Enemy Within’ in Cold War Argentina

This article studies the unfolding of a broad conservative bloc amidst the politico-cultural battles that took place in Cold War Argentina. Focusing on the unexplored gendered, sexual and generational dimensions of the figure of the ‘enemy within’, the article shows that this figure was at the core of a project which coincided with authoritarian practices emanating from the state and also from segments of civil society. The creation of that figure had significant effects, not only in the political but also in the educational and cultural realms, including the imposition of censorship and the delineation of restrictive sexual policies. Moreover, it conditioned the ways in which political repression developed in the context of 1970s state terrorism.

Parques urbanos municipais em Dourados - MS - Brasil: estado da arte

The urban environmental conditions are an increasing concern in several segments of civil society and the urban parks are part of this context. However, discussions about urban parks are less emphatic when compared to the prominence given to other environmental problems. This study sought to report the real situation of the three main urban environmental parks in the municipality of Dourados/MS, presenting their current state of conservation and maintenance and the main management actions that have been taken since the creation of each park. The main goal of this study was to identify the situation of these parks to propose measures that will help their conservation. The methodology consisted of the bibliographical survey, which reinforced the importance of green areas in urban spaces, a detailed field survey in the parks, as well as the study of documents that broached these parks. It was possible to verify that the parks have grave environmental problems and they are at risk due to poor conservation. Furthermore, the population starts to feel the social impact of abandoned urban green areas, besides the environmental effects. It was noted that the punctual projects elaborated for the parks have not had the desired effects, given the difficulty of allocating resources and the existence of political barriers. To that end, the elaboration of management plans for the parks was recommended, besides a detailed study about the management model that has been developed in these areas.

A case study on localising foresight in South Africa: using foresight in the context of local government participatory planning

PurposeThis paper aims to present the process and results of a local‐level South African action research project on introducing foresight methods into a local government planning process.Design/methodology/approachThe paper outlines the evolutionary process followed, and documents the practical insights gained and lessons learnt in relation to the concept of pro‐poor foresight.FindingsPositive outcomes in the King Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD) foresight process included a high level of stakeholder engagement and senior management buy‐in, supported by positive evaluations by diverse participants. The learning was subsequently incorporated into long‐term development plans and proposals such as the ten‐year development plan for the region. The experience yielded key lessons about the recruitment of participants, policy alignment, communication in diversity, active participation, facilitation as learning, the influence of technical inputs, and the importance of integration.Research limitations/implicationsFurther academic research could build upon this case study to investigate longer‐term impacts of the initiative in KSD, tracking replications and adaptations of the KSD experiment, comparative research between contexts where foresight is used and where it is not in development policy and planning processes, enquiry into how foresight might be formally incorporated in the routine development policy and planning processes of municipalities, and undertaking more theoretical enquiry on the “localising foresight” concept and experience, including the development of guiding criteria and indicators for procedural and outcome success.Practical implicationsThe case focuses on learning in a developing world context where foresight is less advanced than in other contexts. The results of the exercise in KSD suggest that it is possible to embed pro‐poor foresight in a large‐scale policy programme to enhance the resilience of communities, supported by appropriate plans and budgets.Social implicationsThe long‐term nature of foresight can create a “safe” platform for an otherwise difficult engagement, as is this case where three levels of government and various segments of civil society are to be beneficially engaged.Originality/valueThis was a unique action research project in South Africa, where foresight has tended to be mainly at a top or central level – that being the level of corporate executives, national government, or national‐level stakeholders.

A estratégia de políticas públicas em direitos humanos no Brasil no primeiro mandato Lula

Este artigo tem como foco a análise das consequências políticas da estratégia geral que orientou os programas-chave no âmbito do Governo Federal na área de direitos humanos, no quadriênio 2003-2006. Na primeira parte do texto, são discutidos temas considerados centrais para se pensar a trajetória dos direitos humanos no Brasil, a partir do fim do regime autoritário (1964-1985). O objetivo é contextualizar as vitórias e derrotas que marcam as tentativas de afirmação de padrões mais avançados de promoção e proteção dos direitos humanos na sociedade brasileira. Na segunda parte, é feita uma análise do encaminhamento dessa agenda no primeiro mandato do presidente Luís Inácio Lula da Silva. As fontes utilizadas foram documentos oficiais do governo, textos organizados por segmentos específicos da sociedade civil e artigos acadêmicos. Na conclusão, são apresentados os principais impasses dessa agenda e as críticas às visões economicistas que empobrecem a concepção integrada de direitos humanos, que orienta o ensaio.

“A World Class City of Your Own!”: Civic Governmentality in Chennai, India

Abstract: This paper utilizes a critical governmentality approach to theorize the processes through which urban elites become stakeholders in the “world‐class city”. Through a case study of public consultations for urban development plans in Chennai, India, the paper explores the technologies that produce urban actors who “participate” in urban governance. Key to these technologies is a discourse of participation that privileges and normalizes citizens as urban stakeholders. The paper contributes to current explorations into the technologies of inclusion that are central to an emerging civic governmentality in South Asia. In Chennai this civic governmentality engages various segments of civil society in processes of urban governance through the mechanism of public consultation. It is through these public consultations that elites come to exert influence over urban plans and consolidate a vision and desire for the world‐class city.

Website Reviews

Website Reviews David J. Keeling, Websites Editor Websites 2010 This second edition of the JLAG websites section profiles locations that may prove helpful to scholars seeking resources for teaching and research. Descriptions of the profiled sites are drawn directly from the website home pages and from individual contributors. Subscribers to JLAG are encouraged to submit suggestions for inclusion in this section to the websites editor. (1) http://geomaps.aum.edu/ During the first half of the twentieth century, the Carnegie Institution for Science, formerly the Carnegie Institution of Washington, conducted pioneering research throughout Mesoamerica. Carnegie maps and publications represent a significant body of knowledge about ancient people and places. These works continue to rank among the most commonly cited documents by scholars and researchers. Many of the remaining Carnegie publications are housed in rare book collections or private libraries. The Auburn University Carnegie Explorer website makes portions of the Carnegie research available to scholars from all disciplines and. In addition to digital copies of publications, Carnegie Institution paper maps of ancient settlements are provided in geo-referenced digital format for use in geographic information systems. The site provides remote sensing datasets covering all of Mesoamerica and portions of Central America as well. (2) http://www.geosur.info/geosur/ The GeoSUR Portal provides an entry point to the spatial data and metadata published by participating institutions in South America and Panama. The spatial data may be consulted directly by means of a spatial map viewer contained in the Portal that connects to national and regional map services; or may be consulted through the metadata available in the portal, since each metadata record enables consultation of its associated datasets in the portal map viewer. (3) http://www.southwestbooks.org/lgbibliog.htm The bibliography provided through this link will be useful to scholars who study Spanish land grants in northern Mexico and the American southwest. A particular value of this bibliography is that many references are to journals that are not indexed electronically. (4) http://www.ibge.gov.br/home/ The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics – IBGE – is the main provider of data and information in the country and it fulfills the demands of several different segments of civil society, as well of other governmental institutions at federal, state and municipal level. The site provides access to a rich array of geospatial resources. (5) http://justf.org/ This website is a citizen effort to oversee and understand the United States' military relationship with the Western Hemisphere. It is a project of the Latin America Working Group Education Fund, in cooperation with the Center for International Policy [End Page 169] and the Washington Office on Latin America. Links are provided to three main areas: data, analysis, and reports and other sources. A useful source for those seeking more information about military spending, training, and other regional security issues. (6) http://www.mesoweb.com/ Mesoweb is devoted to the ancient cultures of Mexico and adjacent Central America, including the Olmec, Zapotec, Mixtec, Teotihuacan, Toltec, Aztec, and Maya (reserving the word Mayan for the language and the word Maya for the people and their culture). Because this is a huge area for any one website to cover, the webmasters have chosen to specialize in the Maya and, more particularly, Maya history, viewing it through the lens of archaeology and the related disciplines and the written records left by the Maya themselves. It highlights recent archaeological projects, provides a link to resources, and posts research articles and technical reports. For those interested, there are animation games, videos, and teaching tools available. John Harner uses the site in classroom teaching to show timelines for Prehispanic cultures and to use the excellent collection of images from the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City. (7) http://eraofepidemics.squarespace.com/ This website presents information on the broad pattern of the health environment during the late Brazilian Empire and early First Republic (1849-1901) using geographic information system (GIS) tools, digital records derived from archival research, and database organizational techniques. The site has useful timelines, maps, a searchable database, and other useful tools. (8) http://www.ciga.unam.mx/ciga/ El Centro de Investigaciones en Geografía Ambiental (CIGA) es...