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Issue in Focus: Desertification
Discusses a major ecological issue that has worldwide consequences: the creeping impoverishment and marginalization of once-fertile land due to natural weather cycles, population increases, overcultivation, or even poorly planned irrigation. This publication defines the international scope of desertification, discusses its appearance in the American Midwest of the 1930s and the remedies applied, pinpoints early warning signs, and details how it is profoundly affected by land management and water distribution. Finally, the book describes how constructive practices can lead to reversal of this grave ecological problem. (September 2004)
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About America: The Constitution of the United States of America With Explanatory Notes
This illustrated publication includes the complete text of the U.S. Constitution (preamble, seven articles, and 27 amendments), as well an updated introduction and explanatory notes by J.W. Peltason, author of Understanding the Constitution and Government by the People. The introduction includes sections explaining how the Constitution set up the U.S. federal system, the background to the Constitutional Convention and how the participants arrived at a final version of the document, its ratification, and sections on the call for a Bill of Rights and the need for additional amendments over the years. Dr. Peltason is currently professor of Political Science Emeritus, University of California, Irvine, as well as President Emeritus, University of California. (July 2004)
Principles of Democracy
Explains fundamental principles that contribute to making a democratic government work effectively. This series of one-page primers provides the reader with a concise definition of democracy and expands on supporting elements such as good governance and the rights and responsibilities of people living in democracies. (February 2004)
U.S. Elections 2004
This publication is a non-partisan guide intended to help international audiences understand the upcoming U.S. presidential and congressional elections of 2004. Primaries, political party conventions, polling techniques, media issues, campaign finance, and other aspects of the American elections process are discussed and elucidated by experts. This publication also includes an interview with noted U.S. elections analyst Thomas Mann of the Brookings Institution, a glossary of common terms, and a calendar of events. (September 2003)
Writers on America
Presents 15 essays by a diverse group of contemporary American writers, poets, essayists, and intellectuals, on how being an American has affected their decision to write and what they have written during successful careers. Their meditations illuminate in an interesting way certain American values — freedom, diversity, democracy, in the context of individual development. Frequently, for this group of writers, the sense of home means an immigrant culture, with a parent or grandparent from another land; however, the central concept for many of these authors, no matter what their backgrounds, is "possibility," both in personal and creative terms. (December 2002)
Other Language Version:
The documents located here are electronic versions of publications originally produced in print by the U.S. Department of State. Print copies may be
requested from the Public Affairs Section of any U.S. Embassy or Consulate http://usembassy.state.gov. According to the Smith-Mundt Act, products developed by the Bureau of International Information Programs are intended for foreign audiences; print copies may not be distributed within the United States.
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