Spring 2026 at AU Press

Anxiety as a Weapon: From Public Secret to Collective Solidarity

A.T. Kingsmith

Anxiety as a Weapon reframes anxiety not as a personal failing but as a response to the deep social, economic, and political instabilities of our time. Challenging a culture that promotes self-blame and individual solutions to stress—from therapy apps to mindfulness courses—this book exposes how systemic forces like precarious labour, austerity, and social disconnection fuel widespread psychological and emotional distress.

A.T. (Adam) Kingsmith is a political economist with an interest in how systemic forces—from precarious work to algorithmic bias—manufacture mental distress. His work challenges the individualization of anxiety, exposing how neoliberalism commodifies self-care while isolating sufferers. As a professor at Humber College and co-investigator on mental health equity research, he collaborates with unions and communities to trace distress to its structural roots.

From Class War to Cold War: Orwell’s Enduring Socialism

Martin Tyrrell

From Class War to Cold War traces George Orwell’s political evolution from the mid-1930s to his death in 1950 through his engagement with three defining conflicts: the Spanish Civil War, the Second World War, and the Cold War. Drawing on his writings and influences, including Spain’s post-Trotskyist POUM and the British Independent Labour Party, Tyrrell explores how Orwell’s wartime experiences shaped his thinking and sharpened his political purpose. 

Martin Tyrrell’s principal interests are history, political philosophy, and the social psychology of identity and mass belief. All of these have influenced his writings. He currently teaches literature and creative writing at Open Learning, Queen’s University, Belfast.

Newly announced in the OPEL (Open Paths to Enriched Learning) series

Health and Safety in Canadian Workplaces (Second Edition)

Jason Foster, Susan Cake, and Bob Barnetson

This newly revised edition of Health and Safety in Canadian Workplaces offers an extensive overview of central occupational health and safety concepts and practices and provides practical suggestions for health and safety advocacy. This edition updates key information and discusses OHS topics related to issues such as COVID-19 and climate change. It offers an expanded discussion of chemical and biological hazards and provides all-new learning activities and exercises.

Jason Foster is a professor of human resources and labour relations at Athabasca University. He is also Director of Parkland Institute at the University of Alberta. He is the author of Health and Safety in Canadian Workplaces (with Bob Barnetson) and Defying Expectations: The Case of UFCW Local 401. His most recent book is Gigs, Hustles and Temps about precarious work in Canada. Susan Cake is an associate professor in human resources and labour relations at Athabasca University. Prior to joining AU, Susan was a worker advocate specializing in the areas of Occupational Health and Safety, Workers’ Compensation Systems, and Pensions. Bob Barnetson was a professor of labour relations at Athabasca University. His previous books include Health and Safety in Canadian Workplaces (with Jason Foster), the Political Economy of Workplace Injury in Canada, and the Canadian Labour Market Training System.

Occupational Safety and Health and Canada’s Mobile Labour Force: Obstacles to Regulatory Effectiveness

Katherine Lippel, Barbara Neis, Maxine Visotzky-Charlebois, and Dalia Gesualdi-Fecteau

Canada’s mobile workforce keeps the economy moving—but at what cost to safety and health? This timely and revealing book investigates the often-overlooked risks faced by workers who engage in extended geographical mobility related to their work. Blending rigorous legal analysis with a wide-ranging review of international and Canadian research, the authors make a powerful case for stronger protections and equitable access to compensation. Essential reading for policymakers, legal and other scholars, and advocates alike, this is a bold call to rethink both how work-related mobility puts workers at risk and how we could better protect workers on the move.

The late Katherine Lippel was a full professor of law at the Faculty of Law of the University of Ottawa and Distinguished Research Chair in Occupational Health and Safety Law. Barbara Neis is Professor Emerita and John Lewis Paton Distinguished Professor in the Department of Sociology at Memorial University. Maxine Visotzky-Charlebois is a lawyer and professor of labour law at the Université du Québec à Montréal. Dalia Gesualdi-Fecteau is a professor at the School of Industrial Relations at the Université de Montréal and director of the Interuniversity Research Centre on Globalization and Work.

Newly announced under the Remix imprint

Practical Game Programming

Harris Wang and Walter Ridgewell

Practical Game Programming provides a structured, accessible introduction to game development using C++ and the Allegro 5 library. Designed for upper-level undergraduate learners, it guides students through the complete development pipeline—from programming fundamentals and user input to graphics, audio, file management, and game timing. Advanced topics such as collision detection, multithreading, optimization, custom shaders, and networking are covered in depth.

Each chapter includes exercises and projects, culminating in genre-based development challenges across action, platformer, adventure, arcade, puzzle, role-playing, strategy, and more. With a focus on applied learning and creative exploration, this text equips students to build professional-quality games and prepares them for real-world development environments.