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Blues music is in the midst of its second revival in popularity in roughly thirty years. The year 1960 can be identified, with some qualification, as a reference point for the first rise in international awareness and appreciation of the blues. This first period of wide‐spread white interest in the blues continued until the early seventies, while the current revival began in the middle 1980s. During both periods a sizeable literature on the blues has appeared. This article provides a thumbnail sketch of the popularity of the blues, followed by a description of scholarly and critical literature devoted to the music. Documentary and instructional materials in audio and video formats are also discussed. Recommendations are made for library collections and a list of selected sources is included at the end of the article.

‘Traditional environments’ is a term by which we embrace vernacular dwellings, functional, religious and other architectural expressions and settlements of cultures in their natural, adapted and modified contexts throughout the world. Customarily, it does not include the design concepts and built structures of professional architects and engineers, and hence seldom enters their education or bears upon their practice. Consequently, they are often poorly informed on cultures and their traditional environments, and unprepared to relate to them.

In the next few decades world population growth will reach crisis proportions, resulting in greater pressure on land, on cities and on material resources. Though some planners speak of a world which will be fifty percent urban, little attention is given to the corollary that half the world population will therefore be non-urban or rural. Responses to this challenge are frequently misguided. In spite of their failure in many past instances, high-rise developments are still seen by many professionals as being the solution to urban population growth, while others propose “mass housing”. Huge profits in an age of globalisation will doubtless attract inappropriate design interventions by alien professionals and by multinationals, among whom engineers and architects may soon be numbered.

Where then, lies the future of traditional environments? As the “old heart” of expanded cities? As idyllic accommodation for tourists and city dwellers “getting away from it all”? In so-called ‘Open-air museums’ nostalgically presenting images of the pre-industrial past? As symbols of national identity or (as often perceived by their inhabitants), as indications of repression and poverty? In many western countries, including Britain, these may be their fate, but in much of the world, including Asia, Africa, Oceania and Latin America, vernacular traditions continue and, in some regions, thrive. The economies of many cultures and nations are not in a position to engage in mass housing, but with informed participation in servicing and planning they could support development by embracing the principles of design, the tested technologies and embodied values of existing vernacular traditions. Appropriate servicing, utilisation of renewable resources, encouragement in the transmission and training of skills, and respect for indigenous environmental knowledge could contribute to the continuity and development trends in traditional environments. But all these factors have implications for governments and for education, in which professional ethics, inter-and cross-cultural studies, the economic recognition of aided self-help in building, and many other principles and practices all play their parts. Who, in the new millennium, will take up the challenge?

There is a long association between the arts and mental well‐being, but this can also be an area of contest and debate. In this commentary on the issues raised by the papers in this special arts and mental well‐being issue of the journal, James Oliver and Paul Murray question the attempt to impose scientific measures of outcome on arts participation, and ask if we should not, instead, regard access to opportunities for creative expression as a legal right and moral duty owing to those whom we, as a society, have excluded from the mainstream through incarceration or labelling.

Looks at the 2000 Employment Research Unit Annual Conference held at the University of Cardiff in Wales on 6/7 September 2000. Spotlights the 76 or so presentations within and shows that these are in many, differing, areas across management research from: retail finance; precarious jobs and decisions; methodological lessons from feminism; call centre experience and disability discrimination. These and all points east and west are covered and laid out in a simple, abstract style, including, where applicable, references, endnotes and bibliography in an easy‐to‐follow manner. Summarizes each paper and also gives conclusions where needed, in a comfortable modern format.

Market entry strategies range from foreign direct investment to licensing with varying levels of commitment, risk and opportunity. Exporting products or services is one of the most common of the intermediate market entry strategies. It is typically accomplished through authorized international channels of distribution. However, when significant price differences exist between markets, alternative, parallel channels of distribution are almost certain to arise. These parallel channels, often referred to as gray marketing, are generally legal but unauthorized distribution channels that create an alternative export market entry. After a review of the literature, a case study highlights these complex issues from the perspective of both manufacturer and parallel marketer. The case study provides a tool for evaluating theory and a basis for discussing this important alternative mode of market entry. The case and the discussion which follows also highlight the role of international trade shows as an important element of the marketing mix for entering many foreign markets.

In recent decades, Iranian vernacular architecture has defined the local architectural identity by demonstrating distinctive characteristics. Defining such a critical role for vernacular studies has led to different approaches in the design of the contemporary architecture of Iran. The first approach of integrating vernacular and contemporary designs has focused on local people, their needs, local construction, and building materials. The revival of vernacular architectural design and building elements has been at the forefront of this approach in Iran. However, recent use in Iran has concentrated on the symbolic/abstract reuse of vernacular building forms. Vernacular architecture is known to merely provide for the functional requirements of buildings, and not for aesthetic purposes. Conversely, in the second approach, vernacular building elements are considered to be symbols of local identity. This paper will argue that although the symbolic reuse of vernacular features may not uphold the functional expectations of the vernacular form, this reuse is useful in reviving architectural identity. In addition, underscoring such a different role for vernacular building features in contemporary architecture might help to expand the realm of vernacular studies. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the conversion of vernacular architecture in Iran by focusing on the instance of wind-catchers. Wind-catchers typically were used in residential buildings and are considered potent symbols of climate adaptation. In contemporary architecture, however, a form of wind-catcher has been used as a symbol for local architectural identity. Through this transformation, the essential nature of the wind-catcher has found new life in the contemporary architecture of Iran.

To explore the intersecting dynamics of gender, ethnicity, age, safety, power and sexuality in two cases of qualitative research

Reflexive analysis of community participatory action research.

Being an ‘insider’ is a nuanced and complex identity in social research leading to power flows that are not unidirectional. In addition, not only is gender not the only difference that makes a difference, but it is also important to consider the importance of difference within ‘sameness’.

In considering intersecting identities, difference and sameness this chapter adds to the assertion that research is never ‘hygienic’ and the role of self and research participants are vital considerations at all stages from design to dissemination.

The aim of this paper is to aid the DIY artist in moving towards sustainability through the use of new technologies, which will be achieved by defining DIY music culture, identifying the creative and business needs of an artist as well as establishing a model for artists to be self‐sufficient.

The research methodology consisted of a mixture of unstructured interviews, such as e‐mail, telephone and face‐to‐face. A total of 15 interviews were conducted with DIY artists from local music scenes around the UK.

The DIY musicology model is a foundation for the DIY artist to be self‐sufficient through the three main perspectives: artistic process, managerial process and information systems.

Many artists and managers continue in their struggle to be independently sustainable, therefore it is necessary to continue this research on a wider scale.

By gaining a more in‐depth understanding of the sub‐sectors within the music industries, artists and managers can understand more about how to manage their own creative activities or projects.

Through a strong DIY ethic, with an emphasis on creativity and self‐management, a clear understanding of local music scenes helps to identify one of the key sub‐sectors of the music industries as well as demonstrate that sub‐cultures have value.

The paper discusses issues of sustainability within local music scenes from the perspective of the DIY artist, which is a new area of academic research.