This issue will deal with the ongoing territorial dispute in the South China Sea where numerous countries lay claim to fishing waters and exclusive economic zones in Southeast Asia. At issue is China's historical claim to lucrative fisheries and supply routes. The contested area concerns six nations, one third of global maritime traffic, untapped oil and natural gas reserves, military buildup and 5 trillion dollars worth of trade. It will explore...

According to data collected by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), nearly one in five Americans lives with some kind of behavioral illness, and one in twenty suffer from what is called "serious behavioral illness." Behavioral health issues are common, affecting more than 50 million Americans at any time. Many millions more experience mental and behavioral health issues indirectly, through friends, family, or in performing their jobs. Many...

In the modern world, physicians prescribe a multitude of medications, most derived from natural substances, to treat various bodily and mental disorders and some of the substances used also have a pleasurable neurological effect, creating a sense of euphoria, a tranquilizing effect, or intensifying alertness and focus. Over time, drug addiction and abuse has become a social justice and public health concern around the world. Governments have responded...

Many Americans would like to believe that because the United States has now twice elected a black president, we live in a "postracial" society where discrimination and racism do not exist or only do among outlying, insignificant extremists. Yet, there has been much in the news to contest this notion-not only in the form of police brutality in black communities but also in persisting residential segregation and social inequities between different populations....

Education Reform is the focus of the National Forensics Leagues 2017-2018 Policy Debate. Articles will discuss different strategies in reforming primary and secondary education in the US. American students do not rank well compared to their peers in other countries. Every administration aims to improve education through a variety of means of increased regulation, funding, standards review and teacher professional development. How has the adoption...

A national debate continues to rage in regard to 2nd amendment rights in contemporary society. This collection will deal with concerns about domestic violence committed by guns, the ramifications of a widely armed citizenry, the government's failure to pass comprehensive gun legislation, as well as police brutality, strong gun lobbies, open carry laws, home-grown terrorism, the recent rise of fatal shootings of black men by police, and the Orlando...

This volume of The Reference Shelf looks at America's food economy and food inequality. Though America is the world's wealthiest nation and has some of the most productive agricultural land in the world, it still has a serious problem with food availability and hunger.