front cover of Growing Girls
Growing Girls
The Natural Origins of Girls' Organizations in America
Miller, Susan A
Rutgers University Press, 2007
In the early years of the twentieth century, Americans began to recognize adolescence as a developmental phase distinct from both childhood and adulthood. This awareness, however, came fraught with anxiety about the debilitating effects of modern life on adolescents of both sexes. For boys, competitive sports as well as "primitive" outdoor activities offered by fledging organizations such as the Boy Scouts would enable them to combat the effeminacy of an overly civilized society. But for girls, the remedy wasn't quite so clear.

Surprisingly, the "girl problem"?a crisis caused by the transition from a sheltered, family-centered Victorian childhood to modern adolescence where self-control and a strong democratic spirit were required of reliable citizens?was also solved by way of traditionally masculine, adventurous, outdoor activities, as practiced by the Girl Scouts, the Camp Fire Girls, and many other similar organizations.

Susan A. Miller explores these girls' organizations that sprung up in the first half of the twentieth century from a socio-historical perspective, showing how the notions of uniform identity, civic duty, "primitive domesticity," and fitness shaped the formation of the modern girl.

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Growing Old in a New China
Transitions in Elder Care
Rose K. Keimig
Rutgers University Press, 2021
Growing Old in a New China: Transitions in Elder Care is an accessible exploration of changing care arrangements in China. Combining anthropological theory, ethnographic vignettes, and cultural and social history, it sheds light on the growing movement from home-based to institutional elder care in urban China. The book examines how tensions between old and new ideas, desires, and social structures are reshaping the experience of caring and being cared for. Weaving together discussions of family ethics, care work, bioethics, aging, and quality of life, this book puts older adults at the center of the story. It explores changing relationships between elders and themselves, their family members, caregivers, society, and the state, and the attempts made within and across these relational webs to find balance and harmony. The book invites readers to ponder the deep implications of how and why we care and the ways end-of-life care arrangements complicate both living and dying for many elders.
 
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Growing Up Protestant
Parents, Children and Mainline Churches
Margaret Lamberts Bendroth
Rutgers University Press, 2002

Home and family are key, yet relatively unexplored, dimensions of religion in the contemporary United States. American cultural lore is replete with images of saintly nineteenth-century American mothers and their children. During the twentieth century, however, the form and function of the American family have changed radically, and religious beliefs have evolved under the challenges of modernity. As these transformations took place, how did religion manage to “fit” into modern family life?

In this book, Margaret Lamberts Bendroth examines the lives and beliefs of white, middle-class mainline Protestants (principally northern Presbyterians, Baptists, Methodists, and Congregationalists) who are theologically moderate or liberal. Mainliners have pursued family issues for most of the twentieth century, churning out hundreds of works on Christian childrearing. Bendroth’s book explores the role of family within a religious tradition that sees itself as America’s cultural center. In this balanced analysis, the author traces the evolution of mainliners’ roles in middle-class American culture and sharpens our awareness of the ways in which the mainline Protestant experience has actually shaped and reflected the American sense of self.

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A Guide to Bird Finding in New Jersey
William J. Boyle, Jr.
Rutgers University Press, 2002
New Jersey is one of the smallest and most densely populated states, yet the remarkable diversity of its birdlife surpasses that of many larger states. Well over 400 species of birds have been recorded in New Jersey and an active birder can hope to see more than 300 species in a year.
William J. Boyle has updated his classic guide to birding in New Jersey, featuring all new maps and ten new illustrations. The book is an invaluable companion for every birder - novice or experienced, New Jerseyan or visitor.
A Guide to Bird Finding in New Jersey features:
More than 130 top birding spots described in detail
Clear maps, travel directions, species lists, and notes on birding
An annotated list of the frequency and abundance of the state's birds, including waterbirds, pelagic birds, raptors, migrating birds, and northern and southern birds at the edge of their usual ranges
A comprehensive bibliography and index
The guide also includes helpful information on:
Birding in New Jersey by season
Telephone and internet rare bird alerts
Pelagic birding
Hawk watching
Bird and nature clubs in the state
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A Guide to Green New Jersey
Nature Walks in the Garden State
Rosenfeld, Lucy D
Rutgers University Press, 2003

Winner of the New Jersey Studies Academic Alliance Book Award for Non-fiction popular book

New Jersey is a state of surprises. Did you know there was a castle in Passaic County? Or that Essex County’s Branch Brook Park, rather than Washington, D.C., has the largest concentration of flowering cherry trees outside of Japan? Did you know you could walk through a bamboo forest on the Rutgers University campus, dig for fossils in Middletown’s Poricy Brook, visit an owl haven on the site of the Battle of Monmouth, or see wild river otters in Salem County?

Despite its proximity to major urban areas and its high population density, the state has dozens of absolutely marvelous natural areas and preserved spaces. It boasts something for everyone, from Atlantic seashore to rugged mountains, rolling farmland to winding canals, historic trails to formal gardens, bird-filled marshes to hardwood forests, pine barrens to fragrant vineyards and orchards. There are outings for hikers, bikers, beachcombers, gardeners, power-walkers, and strollers of all kinds, and A Guide to Green NewJersey is your key to finding it all.

The book is conveniently organized into forty geographic areas, spotlighting more than 200 nature walks. Each entry includes a description, visitor hours, fees, driving accessibility, and other pertinent information for walkers. At the end of the book, the authors provide an index with the names of each site, and their guide to choosing an outing according to individual tastes and interests. They identify sites that are wheelchair accessible, especially fun for kids, best for bicyclists, and those that are particularly physically challenging.

Newcomers to the state will find the book indispensable, and long-time New Jerseyans will find it a pleasantly eye-opening guide to wonderful walks right in their own backyards.

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A Guide to Native Plants of the New York City Region
Gargiullo, Margaret B
Rutgers University Press, 2010
It is no secret that with each new office park, strip mall, and housing development that slices through the New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut landscape, more and more indigenous plant habitats are being destroyed. Concrete, after all, is not a friendly neighbor to vegetative life. Less common wisdom, however, holds that plants native to this region have been disappearing rapidly for a variety of reasons, and some of the causes can be avoided, even as construction projects continue to move in.

One of the most serious threats to indigenous plants is the introduction of invasive non-native species by landscapers after new developments are built. In this unique guide, ecologist Margaret B. Gargiullo presents a detailed look at the full scope of flora that is native to this region and available for propagation. Geared specifically for landscape architects, designers, land managers, and restorationists, this book offers practical advice on how to increase the amount of indigenous flora growing in the mepolitan area, and in some cases, to reintroduce plants that have completely disappeared.

More than one hundred line drawings of plants and their specific habitats, ranging from forests to beaches, help readers visualize the full potential for landscaping in the area. A separate entry for each plant also provides detailed information on size, flower color, blooming time, and its possible uses in wetland mitigation, erosion control, and natural area restoration. Some plants are also highlighted for their ability to thrive in areas that are typically considered inhospitable to greenery.

Easily searchable by plant type or habitat, this guide is an essential reference for everyone concerned with the region's natural plant life. Since most of the plants can also be grown well beyond the New York City metropolitan area, this book will also be useful for project managers doing restoration work in most of southern New England and the mid-Atlantic region, including Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland.
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A Guide to New Jersey's Revolutionary War Trail
for Families and History Buffs
Di Ionno, Mark
Rutgers University Press, 2000
Hit the road with journalist Mark DiIonno as he takes you on a tour of New Jersey’s extraordinary Revolutionary War history. Listing more than 350 historic sites throughout the state, DiIonno has compiled the most complete guide ever to the Revolutionary War in the Garden State.

New Jersey’s role in the Revolutionary War is widely overlooked. Every school kid learns about the Boston Tea Party but not the Greenwich tea burning; and about the miserable winter at Valley Forge but not Jockey Hollow. Schools fund class trips to Philadelphia’s Independence Hall but not Princeton’s Nassau Hall. To find history in New Jersey, all you need is DiIonno’s book as your guide. His easy-to-read volume helps readers explore the cities and the countryside from Bergen to Cape May County to find out exactly what happened there during the Revolutionary War.

While previously published books center on the highlights — Fort Lee and Washington’s retreat across the state, victories at Trenton and Princeton, the brutal winter encampment at Jockey Hollow and the Battle of Monmouth —  DiIonno fills in the blanks. Battlefields, churches, homes of the famous and infamous, cemeteries, parks, taverns, liberty poles, bridges, creeks, hills, museums, encampment sites, lighthouses, historical societies, walking trails, monuments, plaques—if it played a part in or commemorates the Revolutionary War in New Jersey, DiIonno tells you what happened there, the personalities involved, and how to see it for yourself.

The sites are conveniently cataloged by county, with a helpful summary of the area’s war history beginning each chapter. Each entry lists the town and directions to each site, and where appropriate, a complete address, telephone numbers, and hours of operation. Both public and private sites are described, and DiIonno advises readers of which private sites tours can be arranged.
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Guidebook for the Scientific Traveler
Visiting Astronomy and Space Exploration Sites across America
Nickell, Duane S
Rutgers University Press, 2008
Finding all the fascinating scientific sites to visit throughout America can be a daunting task. This guidebook does all the work for you. The first in a series of travel books that will celebrate science and technology in America, Guidebook for the Scientific Traveler describes astronomy and space-related museums and attractions that conventional travel guides tend to ignore. So, gas up the car, grab some snacks for the road, and get started on the voyage.
Written in clear, easy-to-read language, Guidebook for the Scientific Traveler lists more than 50 of the most important and intriguing astronomical and space-related sites in the United States. The book encompasses both popular and obscure places of interest, all of which are open to the public. Grouping the attractions by theme—such as Native American astronomy, optical and radio telescopes, NASA and space exploration, and space rocks—Duane S. Nickell provides a scientific and historical overview of each theme followed by detailed descriptions of the related sites within that theme. With over 40 illustrations, the book gives readers a visual understanding of what they will experience at most of the sites. For those readers who want to use the book as a trip planner, Nickell also includes a state-by-state listing of the attractions and identifies “must-see” exhibits at many of the space museums featured.
Travelers and armchair tourists alike will be entertained by the illustrations and scientific descriptions of these “out of this world” attractions.
-Perfect for science and astronomy enthusiasts
-Contains detailed visitorinformation on each site
-Includes over 50 of the top astronomy and space-related sites
-Filled with interesting descriptions of all sites
-Over 40 photographs
-State-by-state appendix
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Guidebook for the Scientific Traveler
Visiting Physics and Chemistry Sites Across America
Nickell, Duane S
Rutgers University Press, 2010
Imagine visiting a top-secret government lab, one that was a key site for the development of nuclear weapons and nuclear fusion technology in the twentieth century. Well, even in today's world of color-coded security levels, the doors of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California are open to you. And it's just one of the many surprising stops along the way in Duane S. Nickell's captivating new edition of the Scientific Traveler series, Guidebook for the Scientific Traveler: Visiting Physics and Chemistry Sites across America.

Are you in the mood for a trip to the Titan Missile Museum in Tucson? Want to spend some time at the Fermi National Accelerator Center near Chicago? Perhaps quench your thirst for knowledge and discovery at the Anheuser-Busch Brewery in St. Louis, where brewers are chemists at heart? Set your own pace. As an active participant or living room traveler, you'll be mesmerized as Nickell leads you on a tour of physics and chemistry sites.

Written in an easy-to-read and accessible style, this comprehensive guide is a practical and fun way to promote scientific literacy. You'll meet some of the world's great physicists, engineers, and chemists as you turn pages filled with more than fifty photographs. Organized into chapters on individuals, places, and sites--from universities of science to national laboratories, particle accelerators to energy labs and beyond--Nickell illuminates the history of each topic and paints a panorama of stunning achievements in physics and chemistry.

Whether you're traveling in California or Maine, or taking to the road in Texas or Illinois, Nickell helps complete your trip with a state-by-state list of monumental sites and resources. From the east coast to the west, north by northwest, or south in search of the Florida Solar Power Energy Center, you'll enjoy all your scientific travels with Visiting Physics and Chemistry Sites across America.
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Guilty People
Abbe Smith
Rutgers University Press, 2020
Criminal defense attorneys protect the innocent and guilty alike, but, the majority of criminal defendants are guilty. This is as it should be in a free society. Yet there are many different types of crime and degrees of guilt, and the defense must navigate through a complex criminal justice system that is not always equipped to recognize nuances.
 
In Guilty People, law professor and longtime criminal defense attorney Abbe Smith gives us a thoughtful and honest look at guilty individuals on trial. Each chapter tells compelling stories about real cases she handled; some of her clients were guilty of only petty crimes and misdemeanors, while others committed offenses as grave as rape and murder. In the process, she answers the question that every defense attorney is routinely asked: How can you represent these people?
 
Smith’s answer also tackles seldom-addressed but equally important questions such as: Who are the people filling our nation’s jails and prisons? Are they as dangerous and depraved as they are usually portrayed? How did they get caught up in the system? And what happens to them there? 
 
This book challenges the assumption that the guilty are a separate species, unworthy of humane treatment. It is dedicated to guilty people—every single one of us.
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front cover of The Guise of Exceptionalism
The Guise of Exceptionalism
Unmasking the National Narratives of Haiti and the United States
Robert Fatton
Rutgers University Press, 2021
The Guise of Exceptionalism compares the historical origins of Haitian and American exceptionalisms. It also traces how exceptionalism as a narrative of uniqueness has shaped relations between the two countries from their early days of independence through the contemporary period. Exceptionalism is at the core of every national founding narrative. It allows countries to purge history of injurious stains, and embellish it with mythical innocence and claims of distinction. Exceptionalism also builds the bonds of solidarity that forge an imagined national fellowship of the chosen, but it excludes those deemed unfit for membership because of their race, ethnicity, gender, or class. Exceptionalism, however, is not frozen. As a social invention, it changes over time, but always within the parameters of its original principles. Our capacity to reinvent it is dependent on the degree of hegemony achieved by the ruling class, and if this class has the infrastructural power to gradually co-opt and include €the groups it had once excluded.
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Gustave Caillebotte and the Fashioning of Identity in Impressionist Paris
Broude, Norma
Rutgers University Press, 2002
Over the last decades, Gustave Caillebotte (1848–1894), a long-neglected painter associated with the French Impressionists, has suddenly become the subject of intense public interest and renewed scholarly debate. With a series of important exhibitions recently showcasing his work, Caillebotte’s enigmatic paintings have begun to exert an unexpected fascination for postmodern audiences, and they have become rich sites for interpretive debate.

The essays that comprise this volume exemplify the best aspects of recent Caillebotte scholarship. They employ a variety of perspectives to examine the ways in which his art sheds light on the formation of individual and class identities in Paris during the early years of the Third Republic—an era of transition marked by the burgeoning of capitalism and the instabilities of newly shifting gender roles in the modern world.

Addressing a wide range of major paintings by Caillebotte, the contributors reveal the compound ways in which the artist encoded his images and the multiple interpretations to which these images are susceptible. Juxtaposed so as to complement and challenge one another, these essays build a provocative whole as they probe issues of spectatorship and authorial intention. The contributors—all internationally known scholars and art professionals—create an important theoretical framework for the discussion of Caillebotte’s work.

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Guys Like Me
Five Wars, Five Veterans for Peace
Messner, Michael A
Rutgers University Press, 2019
Over the last few decades, as the United States has become embroiled in foreign war after foreign war, some of the most vocal activists for peace have been veterans. These veterans for peace come from all different races, classes, regions, and generations. What common motivations unite them and fuel their activism?
 
Guys Like Me introduces us to five ordinary men who have done extraordinary work as peace activists: World War II veteran Ernie Sanchez, Korean War veteran Woody Powell, Vietnam veteran Gregory Ross, Gulf War veteran Daniel Craig, and Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran Jonathan Hutto. Acclaimed sociologist Michael Messner offers rich profiles of each man, recounting what led him to join the armed forces, what he experienced when fighting overseas, and the guilt and trauma he experienced upon returning home. He reveals how the pain and horror of the battlefront motivated these onetime warriors to reconcile with former enemies, get involved as political activists, and help younger generations of soldiers.
 
Guys Like Me is an inspiring multigenerational saga of men who were physically or psychically wounded by war, but are committed to healing themselves and others, forging a path to justice, and replacing endless war with lasting peace
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