The Arts Good Study Guide (2nd ed)

Now in its second edition The Arts Good Study Guide has been thoroughly revised and updated to address the challenges of studying in a fast changing world where computers and the internet have become basic study tools. A bestseller for over a decade, The Arts Good Study Guide has provided help for over 100,000 students. Developing your learning skills is one of the best investments you can make. Based on the experience of real students, this book will stimulate, guide and support you. It will change the way that you study by helping you think about yourself and how you learn. Topics include: Motivating yourself and managing your time; Taking full advantage of your computer; Reading and understanding written, visual and aural texts; Flexible note-making strategies; Getting the most out of lecturers, group discussions, audio-visual media and visits to galleries, museums and the theatre; Writing fluently and convincingly, making good use of textual illustration and evidence; Making presentations; Research techniques, including online research and report writing and Doing justice to yourself in exams. The book is designed for students of arts and humanities subjects, including art history, classical studies, cultural studies, film studies, history, law, languages, literature, music, philosophy, and religious studies. It is full of practical advice whether you are studying full-time or part-time, in your own home or with other students and a tutor

Discovering Early Islamic Basra: the Origins and Development of Iraq’s Southern Metropolis

This article reports on recent fieldwork at the site of the early Islamic city Basra, located fifteen kilometres to the southwest of the modern city. The article sets the site within the geographical and historical context of early Islamic Iraq with particular reference to Kufa and Wāsit. In addition, the article contains a review of previous archaeological research followed by a summary of the results from current fieldwork carried out by the authors. Finally, this text highlights the need for further fieldwork both to answer research questions and protect the valuable heritage of Iraq’s first Muslim city

‘No more Hoares to Paris’: British foreign policymaking and the Abyssinian Crisis, 1935

Italy’s invasion of Abyssinia in October 1935 prompted a major European crisis. This article applies the main theories of foreign policy analysis to the British Government’s handling of this crisis. It argues that bureaucratic politics existed, but had little impact on outcomes. Domestic politics had more influence, but did not provide detailed instructions on how to act. The perceptions of key actors, informed by reasoned judgement, determined this. Fears of the threat posed by rival states coalesced with concerns about Britain’s own military weakness, leading decision-makers to emphasise the need to act in tandem with France. British policy was therefore motivated by the tension between the public’s desire to see action against Italy and the Government’s wish to minimise any breach with her allies. These findings highlight the weaknesses of the bureaucratic politics model and show how domestic politics can affect foreign policy outcomes. They also demonstrate the interaction between rational analysis defined in terms of reasoned judgement, and actors’ perceptions. It is thus argued that benefits are to be gleaned from combining these theories