Critical world issues

Food technology affects every aspect of food production and the relationship humans have with food. This book examines the fundamental questions surrounding the issue of how we prepare and eat our food. What is food technology? How has buying and selling food changed? How big a problem is obesity? Who invented frozen foods?

Abortion is the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy, usually done before the unborn fetus reaches a certain age. The topic of terminating a pregnancy has raised many passionate arguments over the years. This book examines some fundamental questions surrounding the issue of abortion today. It addresses the rights of women and the need to protect the helpless unborn, explores the debate over when life begins, and provides information on the...

The international sale of military weapons, from assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenades to more powerful weapons like missiles and tanks, is known as the arms trade. The arms trade provides both dangers and benefits to all parts of the world. This book examines some fundamental questions about the arms trade today. It discusses the legal and illegal forms of the arms trade, describes positive and negative aspects, and explores the future of...

Consumerism is the term given to the modern preoccupation with the acquisition of consumer goods. Due to today’s globalized economic systems, how and what you buy has repercussions that impact people all over the world. This book examines the fundamental questions surrounding the issue of consumerism today, including: When did consumerism begin? Why do businesses advertise? Are children affected by consumerism? And how does consumerism affect...

The American Declaration of Independence notes that (3z(Ball men are created equal,(3y (Band many modern societies have tried to live up to this precept. Legislation has been passed in many countries that is intended to ensure equal opportunities for all, regardless of race or ethnicity, gender, religious beliefs, age, disability, or any other distinguishing characteristic. This book explores the fundamental questions related to discrimination, including...

Genetic engineering involves the deliberate modification of the characteristics of an organism by manipulating its genetic material. This allows modern scientists to shape characteristics of living things. This technology offers many positives, including the possibility of enabling people to live longer, or creating productive strains of grain or fruit that can feed greater numbers of people. However, some people are concerned about the Frankenstein-like...

Poverty affects millions of people, and the gap between rich and poor is growing. According to the United Nations, more than 1.3 billion people around the globe live in extreme poverty. This book asks what it means to be poor. If there is enough food in the world to feed everyone, why does poverty exist? How does it affect peoples’ lives, health, and education? What can be done to bring an end to poverty?

Today, the United Nations has declared that the world is facing the greatest refugee crisis since the end of World War II, as nearly 60 million people have been forced to flee from their homes. The Syrian civil war has displaced millions of people, but conflicts in places like Libya, Iraq, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Chad, and other countries have also contributed greatly to the total. This book asks the vital questions about the plight of refugees. It...