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With the rise of digital technologies the need for effective means of identification has grown enormously. Biometrics is the rapidly growing science of identifying individuals through biological characteristics, from iris patterning to voice recognition. This book introduces biometrics, what it can do today, and future possibilities.

The Psychology of Music: A Very Short Introduction seeks to answer fundamental questions of enduring interest, such as "What is musicality?" and "How does music move us?" In doing so, it reveals what happens when science attempts to confront some of the deepest questions about music.

Synaethesia is a neurological condition that gives rise to a 'merging of the senses': those with the condition might experience certain numbers as a specific colour, or certain words as a taste. Simner describes synaesthesia's many forms, discusses its links with artistic creativity and lateral thinking, and delves into the underlying neuroscience.

This book presents an introduction to one of the most important treaties ever written, the Treaty of Versailles, which formally ended World War I in 1919. Controversial from the very beginning, the treaty still shapes the destinies of societies and states worldwide.

Physics encompasses all levels of nature from the subatomic to the cosmic, and underlies much of the technology around us. From modern quantum mechanics to cosmology, digital electronics, and energy production, this book discusses why physics is worth doing and how physicists do it.

Islamic law is one of the major legal systems in the world today, yet it is often misunderstood, particularly in the West. This book provides a critical overview of the theory, scope, and practice of Islamic law, taking into account both classical and modern scholarly perspectives in examining the various facets of this key legal system.

Explains why innovation and controversy are valued in the arts, bringing together philosophy, art theory, and many examples. This work discusses blood, beauty, culture, money, sex, web sites, and research on the brain's role in perceiving art. It is suitable for the public, introductory students, and teachers in the arts.

Explains the basic concepts of Jungian psychology, and examines Jung's views on such disparate subjects as myth, religion, alchemy, 'sychronicity', and the psychology of gender differences. This book also discusses the stages of life, Jung's theory of psychological types, the interpretation of dreams, and the practice of Jungian analysis.

First published as part of the best-selling The Oxford Illustrated History of Britain, Kenneth Morgan's Very Short Introduction to Twentieth-Century Britain is a crisp analysis of the forces of consensus and of conflict in modern Britain since the First World War.

Eminent biblical scholar Michael D. Coogan offers here a wide-ranging and stimulating exploration of the Old Testament, illuminating its importance as history, literature, and sacred text. He provides a marvelous overview of one of the great pillars of Western religion and culture, a book whose significance has endured for thousands of years and which remains vitally important today for Jews, Christians, and Muslims worldwide.

Diaspora: A Very Short Introduction examines the origins of diaspora as a concept, its changing meanings over time, its current popularity, and its utility in explaining human migration. The book proposes a flexible approach to diaspora based on examples drawn mainly from Jewish, African, Irish, and Asian history.

In this Very Short Introduction, Mark Maslin looks at all aspects of climate, from the physical and chemical factors that drive it and how climate differs from weather, to how climate has affected human settlements and the cyclic features of it. He ends with a look at climate change and our current approaches to solving it.

What is a family? What makes someone a parent? What rights should children have? In this Very Short Introduction Jonathan Herring provides an insight not only into what the law is, but why it is the way it is. It also looks at the future to consider what families will look like in the years ahead, and what new dilemmas the courts may face.

Familiar figures - missionaries, explorers, trappers, traders, prospectors, gunfighters, cowboys, and Indians - appear in these pages. So do renowned individuals such as Daniel Boone, Thomas Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt, and John Wayne. But their stories contribute to a history of the American West that is longer, larger, and more complicated than we were once told.

Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa represent almost 18 per cent of the world economy, with their contribution to world growth having already exceeded 50 per cent. But what does the emergence of the BRICS mean for global politics? Andrew Cooper discusses the BRICS as a concept and its practice in global politics.

Shakespeare's tragedies contain an astonishing variety of suffering, from suicides and murders to dismemberments and grief. Stanley Wells considers how the bard's tragic plays drew on the literary and theatrical conventions of his time. Discussing the individual plays, he also explores why tragedy is regarded as a fit subject for entertainment.

In this Very Short introduction Paul Palmer looks at the structure and basic physics and chemistry of the Earth's atmosphere, comparing it to the atmospheres of other planets, particularly our neighbours, Venus and Mars. Palmer looks at the effects of pollutants and climate change, and what may happen to our atmosphere in the future.

Approached thematically to help students plot a memorable map of the issues, the ninth edition of this established text provides far-reaching, lucid coverage of the fundamentals and enriching learning features to develop critical thinking and high-level understanding.

This book uncovers the reality of organised crime, considering what is meant by the term 'organised', and discussing the different forms of activities organised crime engages in, from human trafficking to extortion. Offering a global perspective, from the Mafia to the Yakuza, it considers efforts to combat organised crime today.

Today Adam Smith, author of the Wealth of Nations, is associated with the promotion of self-interest and a defence of greed. Yet if Smith is actually read this is more a caricature than a faithful portrait. Berry offers a balanced and nuanced view of this seminal thinker, set against contemporary European history, politics, and philosophy.

Typography encompasses design for reading, whether in print or on screens, where a set of visual choices to do with font, layout, and print size are taken to enhance a written message. Paul Luna explores the fascinating history of our letters, considering why typographic decisions are taken, and their impact on our own words.

The tide is important to Earth's climate, the biological productivity of our seas, and our hunt for renewable energy sources. It is also thought to have played a role in the evolution of life on Earth. This book explains the nature and cause of the tide, its observation and prediction, unusual tides, and their relevance to us.

International relations affects everyone's lives: their security, economic well-being, rights and freedoms, and the environment they share. This book explores international relations' central concerns with the changing way that political authority is organized globally, and provides the theoretical tools to understand the dynamics of the field.

In American Military History: A Very Short Introduction, Joseph T. Glatthaar explores the relationship between America and its military from its origins in the thirteen colonies to today's ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.

This book outlines the nature of contemporary marketing, considering how marketers function as an interface between customers and organisations. As globalisation creates increasing challenges to established marketing practices it shows how marketing efforts need to adapt continuously to allow an organisation to reach its intended market.

The ancient Egyptians are an enduring source of fascination, from mummies and pyramids, to curses and rituals. In this second edition of his Very Short Introduction, Ian Shaw explores the history and culture of pharaonic Egypt, and examines the latest research on Ancient Egyptian ideas of death, kingship, religion, race, sex, and gender.

Simon Blackburn tackles the major moral questions surrounding birth, death, happiness, desire, and freedom, and considers how we should think about the meaning of life. This new edition highlights the importance of an understanding of approaches to ethics and its foundations, and how this relates to our modern world of eroding trust.

In its heyday in the late 1990s, neoliberalism emerged as the world's dominant economic paradigm. Since then the global financial crash of 2008 and the recent emergence of more nationalist ideologies have challenged neoliberal assumptions and systems. This book examines the origins, core claims, and global variations of neoliberalism.

Nicholas Cook explores the nature of music, how we think about it, its social and cultural dimensions, and its history. He discusses the many musical traditions across the world and the interactions between them. He also considers performance, how composers create music, and the position of music in today's globalized society.