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Territory and Democratic Politics: A Critical Introduction (Palgrave Studies in European Political Sociology)
by Oscar MazzoleniThe book provides a comprehensive and updated introduction to concept of territory in the study of democratic politics. Territory plays a rather marginal role in the traditional conceptions of democracy that in many ways still prevail today. Democratic politics is often analysed from the point of view of its institutions, citizens and voters, while little is said about the territory through which it is expressed – at most it provides a broader perimeter or context of political and institutional action. The book offers, instead, an introductory theoretically-oriented discussion of crucial issues such as the genesis of state-nation, the transformation of democratic citizenship, the current borders’ policies, the rising of territorial populism and the experience of 19-covid pandemic.This is an open access book.
Theatre Responds to Social Trauma: Chasing the Demons (Routledge Series in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Theatre and Performance)
This book is a collection of chapters by playwrights, directors, devisers, scholars, and educators whose praxis involves representing, theorizing, and performing social trauma.Chapters explore how psychic catastrophes and ruptures are often embedded in social systems of oppression and forged in zones of conflict within and across national borders. Through multiple lenses and diverse approaches, the authors examine the connections between collective trauma, social identity, and personal struggle. We look at the generational transmission of trauma, socially induced pathologies, and societal re-inscriptions of trauma, from mass incarceration to war-induced psychoses, from gendered violence through racist practices. Collective trauma may shape, protect, and preserve group identity, promoting a sense of cohesion and meaning, even as it shakes individuals through pain. Engaging with communities under significant stress through artistic practice offers a path towards reconstructing the meaning(s) of social trauma, making sense of the past, understanding the present, and re-visioning the future.The chapters combine theoretical and practical work, exploring the conceptual foundations and the artists’ processes as they interrogate the intersections of personal grief and communal mourning, through drama, poetry, and embodied performance.
Theatre Responds to Social Trauma: Chasing the Demons (Routledge Series in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Theatre and Performance)
by Ellen W. KaplanThis book is a collection of chapters by playwrights, directors, devisers, scholars, and educators whose praxis involves representing, theorizing, and performing social trauma.Chapters explore how psychic catastrophes and ruptures are often embedded in social systems of oppression and forged in zones of conflict within and across national borders. Through multiple lenses and diverse approaches, the authors examine the connections between collective trauma, social identity, and personal struggle. We look at the generational transmission of trauma, socially induced pathologies, and societal re-inscriptions of trauma, from mass incarceration to war-induced psychoses, from gendered violence through racist practices. Collective trauma may shape, protect, and preserve group identity, promoting a sense of cohesion and meaning, even as it shakes individuals through pain. Engaging with communities under significant stress through artistic practice offers a path towards reconstructing the meaning(s) of social trauma, making sense of the past, understanding the present, and re-visioning the future.The chapters combine theoretical and practical work, exploring the conceptual foundations and the artists’ processes as they interrogate the intersections of personal grief and communal mourning, through drama, poetry, and embodied performance.
Theorie beruflicher Didaktik: Philosophische Reflexionen und pädagogische Perspektiven (Pädagogik)
by Ruben Tecklenburg-RapskeWie kann das Fundament einer Theorie beruflicher Didaktik aussehen, die den Anspruch der Prozessorientierung in aller Tiefe und Breite aufnimmt? Ruben Tecklenburg-Rapske verknüpft zentrale Ansätze der Philosophie, Bildungstheorie und Didaktik. Er entwickelt so miteinander verzahnte, modellhafte Vorschläge, die bestehende theoretische Grundlagen ergänzen oder ersetzen. Die pädagogisch didaktische Theorie wird dadurch als eigenständig erfahrungsbezogener Zusammenhang von Begriffen, Urteilen und Schlüssen fassbar, in dem komplexe Themen und Fragen der Berufspädagogik neu diskutierbar sind.
Theorien der Sozialen Arbeit für Dummies (Für Dummies)
by Daniela VoigtTheorien – ganz schön schlau und gar nicht grau Die Soziale Arbeit ist eine Handlungswissenschaft, vergleichbar mit einem Werkzeugkasten. Aber was nutzen die Werkzeuge, ohne zu verstehen warum? In diesem Buch erhalten Sie eine breite Auswahl an theoretischem Wissen, das auf den Arbeitsalltag in sozialen Berufen zugeschnitten ist. Egal, ob Sie ein Neuling, erfahrener Profi oder Studierender sind, hier finden Sie präzise und verständliche Informationen, die Ihnen helfen, die Theorien der Sozialen Arbeit zu verstehen und auf Ihre Praxis zu übertragen. Sie erfahren Was sich hinter Begriffen wie Empowerment, Capability oder Lebensweltorientierung verbirgt Welche traditionellen Theorien, angepasst auf die heutige Praxis, noch aktuell wichtig sind Was für konkrete Handlungsempfehlungen sich aus den Theorien ableiten lassen
Theorising Public Pedagogy: The Educative Agent in the Public Realm (Routledge Research in Education)
by Karen Charman Mary DixonDrawing on the ideas of Hannah Arendt and Michel Foucault, this book extends the theoretical understanding of public pedagogy and brings into sharp focus the elements that constitute the public realm; the site of public pedagogy. Karen Charman and Mary Dixon offer a new theorisation of the public, a term at the heart of debate in the field, heightened in this post-truth era by the COVID-19 pandemic, the rise of fake news and the technological reconfigurations of public life. The new theorization addresses the ‘public’, ‘pedagogy’ and their confluence in ‘public pedagogy’. The book explores a deep engagement with the architecture and dynamics of pedagogy and argues for the positioning of pedagogy with the public. The authors contribute to a theorisation that re-considers the individual and their capacity for agency within the public realm. The book presents knowledge and pedagogical encounters as key elements of public pedagogy and most significantly, the educative agent as a means of critically rethinking social life and learning in public spaces. Presenting an innovative theoretical approach, this book will be of interest to academics in the fields of public and critical pedagogy and postgraduate students in education, cultural studies and politics.
Theorising Public Pedagogy: The Educative Agent in the Public Realm (Routledge Research in Education)
by Karen Charman Mary DixonDrawing on the ideas of Hannah Arendt and Michel Foucault, this book extends the theoretical understanding of public pedagogy and brings into sharp focus the elements that constitute the public realm; the site of public pedagogy. Karen Charman and Mary Dixon offer a new theorisation of the public, a term at the heart of debate in the field, heightened in this post-truth era by the COVID-19 pandemic, the rise of fake news and the technological reconfigurations of public life. The new theorization addresses the ‘public’, ‘pedagogy’ and their confluence in ‘public pedagogy’. The book explores a deep engagement with the architecture and dynamics of pedagogy and argues for the positioning of pedagogy with the public. The authors contribute to a theorisation that re-considers the individual and their capacity for agency within the public realm. The book presents knowledge and pedagogical encounters as key elements of public pedagogy and most significantly, the educative agent as a means of critically rethinking social life and learning in public spaces. Presenting an innovative theoretical approach, this book will be of interest to academics in the fields of public and critical pedagogy and postgraduate students in education, cultural studies and politics.
The Theory of the Four Stages of Liberation in Pāli Literature
by Amrita NandaThis book investigates the origins and development of the theory of four stages of liberation in Pāli literature. This theory is an important soteriological cartography in early Buddhism, particularly Theravāda Buddhism. Amrita Nanda challenges the traditional interpretation of the four stages by recognizing the impact of the changing socio-religious factors on the theory’s origins and subsequent development. Based primarily on the Pali literary sources, this study utilizes sometimes-overlooked aspects of these texts. This book first traces the origins of each stage individually; then, it traces the formation of the theory and its subsequent development.
There's Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension
by Hanif AbdurraqibONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS OF 2024 ACCORDING TO TIME, NPR, Chicago Review of Books, Lit Hub, Medium, The Millions, Book Riot, and more It might do all of us some good to reconsider what 'making it' even means. Growing up in Columbus, Ohio, in the 1990s, Hanif Abdurraqib witnessed a golden era of basketball, one in which legends like LeBron James were forged -- and countless others weren’t. His lifelong love of the game leads Abdurraqib into a lyrical, historical, and emotionally rich exploration of what it means to make it, who we think deserves success, the tension between excellence and expectation, and the very notion of role models, all of which he expertly weaves together with intimate, personal storytelling.There’s Always This Year is a triumph from one of America’s most celebrated and insightful writers. It brims with joy, pain, solidarity, comfort, outrage, and hope. No matter the subject, Abdurraqib’s exquisite writing is always poetry, always profound, and always a clarion call to radically reimagine how we think about our culture, and ourselves.
Thin Place Design: Architecture of the Numinous
by Phillip James TabbWhat makes the places we inhabit extraordinary? Why are some urban spaces more vital and restorative? Wonderful landscapes, inspiring works of architecture and urban design, and the numinous experiences that accompany them have been an integral dimension of our culture. Up-lifting spaces, dramatic use of natural light, harmonic proportional geometry, magical landscapes, historic sites and vital city centers create special, even sacred moments in architecture and planning. This quality of experience is often seen as an aesthetic purpose intended to inspire, ennoble, ensoul and spiritually renew. Architecture and urban spaces, functioning in this way, are considered to be thin places.
Thin Place Design: Architecture of the Numinous
by Phillip James TabbWhat makes the places we inhabit extraordinary? Why are some urban spaces more vital and restorative? Wonderful landscapes, inspiring works of architecture and urban design, and the numinous experiences that accompany them have been an integral dimension of our culture. Up-lifting spaces, dramatic use of natural light, harmonic proportional geometry, magical landscapes, historic sites and vital city centers create special, even sacred moments in architecture and planning. This quality of experience is often seen as an aesthetic purpose intended to inspire, ennoble, ensoul and spiritually renew. Architecture and urban spaces, functioning in this way, are considered to be thin places.
The Thin Woman: Feminism, Post-structuralism and the Social Psychology of Anorexia Nervosa (Psychology Press & Routledge Classic Editions)
by Helen MalsonThe First Edition of The Thin Woman, first published in 1998, provides an in-depth discussion of anorexia nervosa from a critical feminist social psychological standpoint. In the original text, the author argues that the notion of 'anorexia' as a medical condition limits our understanding of anorexia and the extent to which we can explore it as a socially and discursively produced problem. The book now has a new introduction that discusses some of the major cultural and academic developments that have occurred since its first publication. In considering our changing cultural landscapes, the introduction goes on to discuss the so-called ‘obesity crisis’; the emergence of post-feminism; the massive global expansion of digital and social media and, most recently, the Covid-19 pandemic. Turning to academic developments, it focuses on the increasing recognition of intersectional feminism and reflects on how intersectional perspectives are now beginning to shape critical feminist research and theory in this field. The new introduction also highlights the significant growth in the last 25 years of critical feminist research on eating disorders, which has brought with it a greater awareness of intersectional theory and a more inclusive agenda; an expansion of research foci; a diversification of methodologies and the emergence of more egalitarian models of research in which those with lived experience of eating disorders are becoming valued research team members who help to shape research aims, designs and processes. Based on original research using historical and contemporary literature on anorexia nervosa and a series of interviews with women who identified as ‘anorexic’, this book offers critical insights into this problem. It is an invaluable read for anyone interested in eating disorders and gender, developments in feminist post-structuralist theory and discourse analytic research in psychology.
The Thin Woman: Feminism, Post-structuralism and the Social Psychology of Anorexia Nervosa (Psychology Press & Routledge Classic Editions)
by Helen MalsonThe First Edition of The Thin Woman, first published in 1998, provides an in-depth discussion of anorexia nervosa from a critical feminist social psychological standpoint. In the original text, the author argues that the notion of 'anorexia' as a medical condition limits our understanding of anorexia and the extent to which we can explore it as a socially and discursively produced problem. The book now has a new introduction that discusses some of the major cultural and academic developments that have occurred since its first publication. In considering our changing cultural landscapes, the introduction goes on to discuss the so-called ‘obesity crisis’; the emergence of post-feminism; the massive global expansion of digital and social media and, most recently, the Covid-19 pandemic. Turning to academic developments, it focuses on the increasing recognition of intersectional feminism and reflects on how intersectional perspectives are now beginning to shape critical feminist research and theory in this field. The new introduction also highlights the significant growth in the last 25 years of critical feminist research on eating disorders, which has brought with it a greater awareness of intersectional theory and a more inclusive agenda; an expansion of research foci; a diversification of methodologies and the emergence of more egalitarian models of research in which those with lived experience of eating disorders are becoming valued research team members who help to shape research aims, designs and processes. Based on original research using historical and contemporary literature on anorexia nervosa and a series of interviews with women who identified as ‘anorexic’, this book offers critical insights into this problem. It is an invaluable read for anyone interested in eating disorders and gender, developments in feminist post-structuralist theory and discourse analytic research in psychology.
Think One Team: The Essential Guide to Building and Connecting Teams
by Graham WinterUnlock your team’s potential The era of disconnected teams and silo thinking is over. When leaders and teams are not aligned and don’t collaborate effectively, they put the whole organisation at risk. A disjointed organisation frustrates employees, irritates customers and causes countless opportunities to be lost. Think One Team: The Essential Guide to Building and Connecting Teams weaves an engaging narrative that reveals how to free your team and organisation of disunity. Inside this innovative bestseller, you’ll discover how to establish and nurture the mindset and habits of united leadership, cohesive teamwork and a one-team culture. With Think One Team, you will learn a powerful model for five practices that will transform fragmented groups into unified teams. Along the way, you’ll gain vital skills, tools and methods for being a strong team contributor. A revolutionary 90-day plan will guide you in empowering your team and organisation to truly thrive in a rapidly changing world. Discover how to: Replace obsolete silo-based thinking habits with a mindset that embraces and harnesses diversity in all its dimensions Collaborate and co-create to enable agility and adaptability Shape a culture where people achieve more together Lead, build and connect high-performing teams It’s time to unlock the potential in your team and organisation. Through the entertaining story of the Big Jelly Bean Team – and an easy-to-implement model – you’ll learn how to break the cycle of silo-based thinking and empower your team to act as a focused unit. Think One Team is an indispensable resource for creating and sustaining an agile, collaborative culture.
Think One Team: The Essential Guide to Building and Connecting Teams
by Graham WinterUnlock your team’s potential The era of disconnected teams and silo thinking is over. When leaders and teams are not aligned and don’t collaborate effectively, they put the whole organisation at risk. A disjointed organisation frustrates employees, irritates customers and causes countless opportunities to be lost. Think One Team: The Essential Guide to Building and Connecting Teams weaves an engaging narrative that reveals how to free your team and organisation of disunity. Inside this innovative bestseller, you’ll discover how to establish and nurture the mindset and habits of united leadership, cohesive teamwork and a one-team culture. With Think One Team, you will learn a powerful model for five practices that will transform fragmented groups into unified teams. Along the way, you’ll gain vital skills, tools and methods for being a strong team contributor. A revolutionary 90-day plan will guide you in empowering your team and organisation to truly thrive in a rapidly changing world. Discover how to: Replace obsolete silo-based thinking habits with a mindset that embraces and harnesses diversity in all its dimensions Collaborate and co-create to enable agility and adaptability Shape a culture where people achieve more together Lead, build and connect high-performing teams It’s time to unlock the potential in your team and organisation. Through the entertaining story of the Big Jelly Bean Team – and an easy-to-implement model – you’ll learn how to break the cycle of silo-based thinking and empower your team to act as a focused unit. Think One Team is an indispensable resource for creating and sustaining an agile, collaborative culture.
Thinking About Victimization: Context and Consequences
by Jillian J. Turanovic Travis C. PrattBringing together cutting-edge theory and research that bridges academic disciplines from criminology and criminal justice, to developmental psychology, sociology, and political science, Thinking About Victimization offers an authoritative and refreshingly accessible overview of scholarship on the nature, sources, and consequences of victimization. This book integrates empirical research and victimization theory and is written in a lively style, with sharp storytelling and an appreciation of international research on victimization. Rooted in a healthy respect for criminological history and the important foundational works in victimization studies, it provides a detailed account of how different data sources can influence our understanding of victimization; of how the sources of victimization—individual, situational, and contextual—are complicated and varied; and of how the consequences of victimization—personal, social, and political—are just as complex. Thinking About Victimization also engages with contemporary issues such as sexual victimization and intimate partner violence, victimization in schools, cybervictimization, and prison victimization, as well as terrorism and state-sponsored violence. The second edition reflects new research developments in victimology, including updated discussions on the COVID-19 pandemic, police brutality, increases in crime, and school shootings. Thinking About Victimization is essential reading for advanced courses in victimization offered in criminology, criminal justice, sociology, health, and social work departments. With its unapologetic reliance on theory and research combined with its easy readability, undergraduate and graduate students alike will find much to learn in these pages.
Thinking About Victimization: Context and Consequences
by Jillian J. Turanovic Travis C. PrattBringing together cutting-edge theory and research that bridges academic disciplines from criminology and criminal justice, to developmental psychology, sociology, and political science, Thinking About Victimization offers an authoritative and refreshingly accessible overview of scholarship on the nature, sources, and consequences of victimization. This book integrates empirical research and victimization theory and is written in a lively style, with sharp storytelling and an appreciation of international research on victimization. Rooted in a healthy respect for criminological history and the important foundational works in victimization studies, it provides a detailed account of how different data sources can influence our understanding of victimization; of how the sources of victimization—individual, situational, and contextual—are complicated and varied; and of how the consequences of victimization—personal, social, and political—are just as complex. Thinking About Victimization also engages with contemporary issues such as sexual victimization and intimate partner violence, victimization in schools, cybervictimization, and prison victimization, as well as terrorism and state-sponsored violence. The second edition reflects new research developments in victimology, including updated discussions on the COVID-19 pandemic, police brutality, increases in crime, and school shootings. Thinking About Victimization is essential reading for advanced courses in victimization offered in criminology, criminal justice, sociology, health, and social work departments. With its unapologetic reliance on theory and research combined with its easy readability, undergraduate and graduate students alike will find much to learn in these pages.
Third Millennium Thinking: Creating Sense in a World of Nonsense
by Saul Perlmutter Robert MacCoun John Campbell*Available for pre-order: a definitive guide to thinking clearly in a world full of overwhelming information*__________In our deluge of information, it's getting harder and harder to distinguish the revelatory from the contradictory. How do we make health decisions in the face of conflicting medical advice? How can we navigate the next uncomfortable discussion with family members, who follow completely different experts on climate?In Third Millennium Thinking, a physicist, a psychologist, and a philosopher introduce readers to the tools and frameworks that scientists use to keep from fooling themselves, to understand the world, and to make decisions. We can all borrow from these trust-building techniques that scientists have tested and developed for more than two millennia to tackle problems both big and small.Readers will learn:- How to gain a solid understanding of the facts that shape our modern world- How to navigate through a multitude of possibilities and make informed choices- How to collaborate effectively in tackling the challenges we encounter today- And much moreThrough engaging thought exercises, clear language free from technical jargon, and compelling illustrations drawn from history, everyday life, and insider stories of scientists, Third Millennium Thinking presents a fresh approach for readers to untangle the confusing and make sense of it all.__________'A model of clear thinking, and a terrific discussion of how to use logic and evidence to solve the hardest problems. This might just be the cure for what ails us.' Cass R. Sunstein, Robert Walmsley University Professor, Harvard University, and author of Decisions About Decisions
Thirty Years After the Berlin Wall: German Unification and Transformation Research (Routledge Advances in Sociology)
by Ayline Heller Peter SchmidtThis book examines the increasing body of research dedicated to the lasting differences between the former separate states of the Federal German Republic (FRG) and the German Democratic Republic (GDR). Thirty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, it takes a broad view on German unification and transformation research.Transformation and unification processes in East and West Germany are still ongoing, and they may serve as a model for social change and its political, economic, and psychological consequences. Using advanced statistical methods of analysis, this edited volume provides insights into the valuable contextualization of individual and social phenomena that current research on German unification and transformation is producing.Following the open science mindset using code and data, the authors investigate temporal trends in (1) mental health, (2) political attitudes, and (3) work and family life. It explores changes in mental health and political attitudes, as well as continued differences in work and family arrangements, that may stem from heterogeneous experiences within the systems and during the transformation process. This book will appeal to scholars and students from the disciplines of sociology, political science, public health, social psychology, psychology, and communication science interested in postsocialist transition processes and temporal changes in individuals and societies.
Thirty Years After the Berlin Wall: German Unification and Transformation Research (Routledge Advances in Sociology)
This book examines the increasing body of research dedicated to the lasting differences between the former separate states of the Federal German Republic (FRG) and the German Democratic Republic (GDR). Thirty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, it takes a broad view on German unification and transformation research.Transformation and unification processes in East and West Germany are still ongoing, and they may serve as a model for social change and its political, economic, and psychological consequences. Using advanced statistical methods of analysis, this edited volume provides insights into the valuable contextualization of individual and social phenomena that current research on German unification and transformation is producing.Following the open science mindset using code and data, the authors investigate temporal trends in (1) mental health, (2) political attitudes, and (3) work and family life. It explores changes in mental health and political attitudes, as well as continued differences in work and family arrangements, that may stem from heterogeneous experiences within the systems and during the transformation process. This book will appeal to scholars and students from the disciplines of sociology, political science, public health, social psychology, psychology, and communication science interested in postsocialist transition processes and temporal changes in individuals and societies.
Thriving beyond Debt: The Lived Experience of Bankruptcy and Redemption
by Zach RocheCapitalism only celebrates success, and it can be difficult to know what to do when confronted with failure. This book explores what happens when people go broke and what the experience of bankruptcy and insolvency is like from a qualitative perspective. It shows, contrary to the expectations of policy makers, that debt relief is not transactional. Rather, it is moral, theological, social and cultural. The book demonstrates that debt encompasses fairness, trust, faith, sin, guilt, revelation and confession and that taking these factors seriously is vital to successfully navigating the world of the over-indebted.
Thriving beyond Debt: The Lived Experience of Bankruptcy and Redemption
by Zach RocheCapitalism only celebrates success, and it can be difficult to know what to do when confronted with failure. This book explores what happens when people go broke and what the experience of bankruptcy and insolvency is like from a qualitative perspective. It shows, contrary to the expectations of policy makers, that debt relief is not transactional. Rather, it is moral, theological, social and cultural. The book demonstrates that debt encompasses fairness, trust, faith, sin, guilt, revelation and confession and that taking these factors seriously is vital to successfully navigating the world of the over-indebted.
Time of Death: A Sociological Exploration
by Glenys CaswellAddressing a gap in social science research to explore the meanings, understandings, and experiences of time at life’s most critical point, Time of Death takes a thoughtful sociological approach to questions about how humans use and experience time in relation to when someone dies. Considering temporal theories and drawing on a range of disciplines, Glenys Caswell discusses efforts to measure and record times of death, as well as the ways in which people who undergo bereavement experience time during that process. Looking at the impact of digital technologies, the differences in interpretation of what counts as death in varied social contexts, assisted dying and temporal dissonance, and global cases of people dying alone, the author poses critical questions. To what extent is this measurement the province of the medical and legal professions, and official state statistics? How accurate is this data and is there need for its collection? How does time in relation to death become fluid in a previously non-experienced way? Investigating this conceptual focus and questioning what it can add to our knowledge of the human relationship with time, Caswell brings together studies on death and temporality to create a valuable resource for scholars across disciplines.
Time of Death: A Sociological Exploration
by Glenys CaswellAddressing a gap in social science research to explore the meanings, understandings, and experiences of time at life’s most critical point, Time of Death takes a thoughtful sociological approach to questions about how humans use and experience time in relation to when someone dies. Considering temporal theories and drawing on a range of disciplines, Glenys Caswell discusses efforts to measure and record times of death, as well as the ways in which people who undergo bereavement experience time during that process. Looking at the impact of digital technologies, the differences in interpretation of what counts as death in varied social contexts, assisted dying and temporal dissonance, and global cases of people dying alone, the author poses critical questions. To what extent is this measurement the province of the medical and legal professions, and official state statistics? How accurate is this data and is there need for its collection? How does time in relation to death become fluid in a previously non-experienced way? Investigating this conceptual focus and questioning what it can add to our knowledge of the human relationship with time, Caswell brings together studies on death and temporality to create a valuable resource for scholars across disciplines.
The TLS Continuum Field Guide: How Theory of Constraints, Lean, and Six Sigma Will Transform Your Operations and Process Flow
by Daniel BloomThis book provides a roadmap for implementing a powerful technique will reduce waste and accelerate flow within a process -- The TLS Continuum methodology.The letters TLS stand for the three components of the continuum. The letter T stands for the Theory of Constraints. Created by Dr. Eliyahu Goldratt in his book The Goal, it is a critically thinking-based system for determining where the obstacles lie within your organization. Through the use of various tools, it asks you to determine where the obstacles are in the process. The purpose of the Theory of Constraints (TOC) involvement in the continuum is to determine what needs to be changed, how to change it and how to accomplish the change. TOC operates at the level of the chain looking for the weakest link. It is in essence the hypothesis of the problem-solving method overall.The letter L stands for Lean. Most organizations are familiar with the concept of Lean. It is centered around removing waste from the organizational processes so that the customer receives their orders faster. Understand that faster may not mean cheaper or better quality, it means only that we expedite the process.The final letter is S and it represents the concepts of Six Sigma. The primary goal here is remove variation from the processes.If we combine the three letters of the acronym what we find that the TLS continuum is organized around a process in itself. We use the Theory of Constraints to locate and identify the obstacles within the system. What is holding up the process? Where is the weakest link in the process? With the introduction of TOC, the system asks you to elevate the obstacles and determine how to remove them.We use Lean to do what it is meant to do and that is to remove the obstacles. We have identified the obstacle and determined through the critical thinking tools how to remove that obstacle and then use the Lean tools to actually remove the waste.Finally, the system utilizes the Six Sigma tools to create the standard of work and remove any variation from the process. When we do this, we have completed the improvement process by creating a progressive system for resolving the problems that occur within many organizations. It is an evidence-based effort to identify, remove and improve the system so the problem does not recur.