Politics, Philosophy & Society Books
Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc Unofficial Taylor Swift Book and Crochet Kit
Book Synopsis
£16.19
Cambridge University Press International Humanitarian Law
Book SynopsisNow in its third edition, this textbook provides an accessible and up-to-date examination of international humanitarian law, with relevant cases, examples, and discussion questions. It offers students and teachers a comprehensive and logical discussion and analysis of the law, and the developing trends in theory and practice of the law.
£39.89
Little, Brown Book Group The Women Who Wouldnt Wheesht
Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLEROn the 25th anniversary of the Scottish Parliament, this book captures an important moment in contemporary history: how a grassroots women''s movement, harking back to the suffragettes and second wave feminists of the 1970s and 1980s, took on the political establishment - and changed the course of history.Through a collection of over thirty essays and photographs, some of the women involved tell the story of the five-year campaign to protect women''s sex-based rights. Author J.K. Rowling explains why she used her global reach to stand up for women. Leading SNP MP Joanna Cherry writes of how she risked her political career for her beliefs. Survivors of male violence who MSPs refused to meet are given the voice they were denied at Holyrood. Ash Regan MSP recounts what it was like to become the first government minister to resign on a question of principle since the SNP came to power in 2007. Former prison governor Rhona Hotchki
£19.80
Watkins Media Limited How the Railways Will Fix the Future
Book Synopsis
£10.44
Vallentine Mitchell & Co Ltd In the Footsteps of the Jews of Greece: From
Book SynopsisGreek Jewry has a unique history in Europe. Greek Judaism is possibly the oldest faith on the continent. The Hellenized Romaniotes, the Sephardim from the western Mediterranean and the Ashkenazim from central Europe created a mosaic of communities across the country, each one with its own fascinating history and tradition. Thessaloniki, the ? Jerusalem of the Balkans? , Ioannina, the capital of the Romaniotes, Larissa, Volos, Patra, Crete, Corfu, Rhodes, Athens, and many others. These Jewish communities, together but also individually, are an integral part of the Greece? s rich history. This pioneering book presents a unique detailed historical overview of the history of Greek Jews from antiquity to the present day, including the period of the Shoah when nearly 90% of the community was annihilated. Beyond this historical landscape, the book also highlights the contributions of Greek Jews to the economic, cultural, intellectual and political life of the country, and reveals the golden times and the darkest days in the coexistence between Jews and Christians in Greece.
£21.80
Hodder Education Making Change Stick A Practical Guide to
Book SynopsisWhy do so few school improvement initiatives actually improve pupil outcomes? In this practical guide to implementing school improvement, Dr James Mannion argues that there are two main reasons. First, school leaders aren''t taught how to implement change effectively - and that''s essentially their job. Second, there are many problems with top-down change - and top-down change is our default model. Making Change Stick is a game-changing approach to improving pupil outcomes in real-world contexts. Through using a ''slice team'' to drive the process of implementing school improvement, you get much better decision-making - and you get buy-in like never before ... ''The impact has been huge ... As a school, moving forward, everything we try to implement will be done using this method because we''ve found it so successful. So go for it!'' Sarah O''Kelly, Deputy Head, Queen Elizabeth High School
£17.10
Random House USA Inc Filterworld
Book SynopsisA MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK ?From New Yorker staff writer and author of The Longing for Less Kyle Chayka comes a timely history and investigation of a world ruled by algorithms, which determine the shape of culture itself.[Filterworld] is about how algorithms changed culture…[Chayka asks] what is taste? What is a sense of aesthetics? And what happens to it when it collides with the homogenizing digital reality in which we now live.?Ezra KleinFrom trendy restaurants to city grids, to TikTok and Netflix feeds the world round, algorithmic recommendations dictate our experiences and choices. The algorithm is present in the familiar neon signs and exposed brick of Internet cafes, be it in Nairobi or Portland, and the skeletal, modern furniture of Airbnbs in cities big and small. Over the last decade, this network of mathematically determined decisions has taken over, almost unnoticed?informing the songs we listen to, the friends with whom we stay in touch?as we?ve grown increasingly accustomed to our insipid new normal.This ever-tightening web woven by algorithms is called ?Filterworld.? Kyle Chayka shows us how online and offline spaces alike have been engineered for seamless consumption, becoming a source of pervasive anxiety in the process. Users of technology have been forced to contend with data-driven equations that try to anticipate their desires?and often get them wrong. What results is a state of docility that allows tech companies to curtail human experiences?human lives?for profit. But to have our tastes, behaviors, and emotions governed by computers, while convenient, does nothing short of call the very notion of free will into question.In Filterworld, Chayka traces this creeping, machine-guided curation as it infiltrates the furthest reaches of our digital, physical, and psychological spaces. With algorithms increasingly influencing not just what culture we consume, but what culture is produced, urgent questions arise: What happens when shareability supersedes messiness, innovation, and creativity?the qualities that make us human? What does it mean to make a choice when the options have been so carefully arranged for us? Is personal freedom possible on the Internet?To the last question, Filterworld argues yes?but to escape Filterworld, and even transcend it, we must first understand it.
£25.20
World Scientific Publishing Co Pte Ltd Rise Of The New Economic Powers And The Changing
Book SynopsisThis book explores the catching-up process of a group of large emerging markets: the New Economic Powers. This process is extremely robust and should be considered as the defining trend of our age, resulting in a pivotal change in world economics and politics. The outcome is that the West cannot dominate the world as it did in the previous 200 years. Today's world is pluralistic, and the larger emerging markets are becoming increasingly influential. That is the new reality, which at times caused, and will cause, further discomfort and uncertainty in the West. In the eight chapters, the viewpoints on globalization of nine New Economic Powers are discussed. Each chapter is an essential element in understanding the process of globalization and the role the New Economic Powers play in it. Essentially, their views are guided by a fundamental different look about the role of the market and the government in society, compared to what we see in the West. The New Economic Powers understand the power of the market to create prosperity, but at the same time emphasize the need for government interference. This delicate balance is particularly visible with respect to their international trade and investment policies, which bring them in conflict with Western countries and multilateral institutions such as the WTO and the IMF. The book helps the reader to understand the fundamental choices made by policymakers in the New Economic Powers.
£45.00
Taylor & Francis Ltd Visualising Physical Geography The How and Why of
Book SynopsisThis practical guide breaks down the complex and broad field of physical geography, demonstrating how diagrams can be used by teachers to effectively explain the key concepts behind many natural processes and landforms. Featuring over 200 diagrams that cover the key topics taught in Key Stage 3 and 4 Geography, the book shows teachers how they can convey age-appropriate concepts without overwhelming or oversimplifying.Supported by summaries of background knowledge, common misconceptions, questions to check understanding, and extension activities, the concepts and topics explored include: Rocks and weathering Plate tectonics Rivers Coasts Weather and climate Ecosystems Glaciation Backed by research and evidence to support the use of diagrams in the classroom, this is an essential read for any geography teacher or subject lead who wants to support their students in learning key concepts in physical geographyTrade Review'For decades, evidence has been accumulating for the multimedia principle – the idea that people learn better from words and graphics than from words alone. Visualising Physical Geography by Luke Tayler examines why and how to apply the multimedia principle to teaching of physical geography. The book provides examples of how to incorporate graphics to explain a wide variety of topics in physical geography.'Richard E. Mayer, Distinguished Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and author of 'Multimedia Learning: Third Edition.' 'Geography is a very visual discipline and diagrams are a key way of simplifying the complexities of environmental systems and conveying them to students. In this book Luke Tayler convincingly makes the case for diagrams in pedagogy and provides some excellent examples and ideas for ways to use them in the classroom. A great resource for all geography teachers.'Professor Martin Evans, University of Manchester'Geography, the ill-informed often quip, is about colouring in. In this wonderful book, Luke Tayler, shows us why good drawing matters and how effective visual representation of natural process and landforms can enhance geographical education and learning. This is a volume chock full of suggestions, ideas, and resources – definitely a book every teacher will want at hand when planning or revising learning resources in physical geography.'Professor Alastair Owens, President of The Geographical AssociationTable of Contents1. Why use diagrams; 2. How diagrams support learning; 3. How diagrams support teaching; 4. The diagrams; Rocks and Weathering; Plate Tectonics; Rivers; Coasts; Weather and Climate; Ecosystems; Glaciation
£18.04
Little, Brown Book Group A Ukrainian Christmas
Book Synopsis''A wonderful little book of recipes and stories'' - NIGELLA LAWSON''History, stories, recipes and beautiful illustrations'' - OLIA HERCULES''Christmas brings the indestructibility of hope in times of the greatest hopelessness. As long as we celebrate this holiday, we can neither be defeated nor destroyed. This is the message that Ukraine is trying to convey to the world. And this is what our book is about.''From Christmas music to gifts and food, as well as a look back through the country''s rich and troubled history through the perspective of the festive season, this beautifully illustrated and powerful book introduces readers to Ukraine''s unique Christmas traditions. In a country where East and West meet, this is a fascinating and unmissable guide to capturing the spirit of one of the most important times of year and a powerful reminder of the strength of holding on to your culture and beliefs, even as others try to take everything from y
£15.29
Granta Books Men Explain Things to Me: And Other Essays
Book SynopsisA landmark, incendiary collection from one of the leading essayists working today. Inspiring everyone from radical activists to Beyoncé Knowles, Rebecca Solnit's essay 'Men Explain Things to Me' has become a touchstone of the feminist movement and established her as one of the leading thinkers of our time. Here it is collected along with the best of Solnit's feminist writings. From French sex scandals to the nuclear family, rape culture to mansplaining, Virginia Woolf to colonialism, these essays are a fierce and incisive exploration of the issues that a patriarchal culture will not necessarily acknowledge as 'issues' at all. With grace, wit and energy, and in the most exquisite and inviting of prose, Rebecca Solnit proves herself a vital leading figure of the feminist movement and a radical, humane thinker. 'Solnit is a compelling writer with a glorious turn of phrase' Evening StandardTrade ReviewWhat has always impressed me in Solnit's writing is the simple cadence and timbre of a sentence, a paragraph, the way a whole essay lilts and skips. She is not one of the most important female essayists of her generation. She is one of the most important essayists of her generation. Incendiary, indignant, and true -- Stuart Kelly * Scotland on Sunday *[A] trenchant collection of essays... an eloquent reminder that we still have some way to go when it comes to speaking of the issues Solnit raises -- Erica Wagner * Financial Times *Stark and powerful prose... Solnit is a compelling writer with a glorious turn of phrase -- Rosamund Urwin * Evening Standard *[These essays] are the thin edge of a continuum that reaches from the opening anecdote to the rape and murder statistics that she deploys to such devastating effect. Solnit's book does what the best feminist writing does: it makes me angry. And it makes me believe we can, and we must, fight for change -- Caroline Criado-Perez, feminist activistExceptional... The feminist debate has once again exploded into the mainstream over the last few years, and this collection marks Solnit out as among the most thoughtful of many energetic writers leading it -- Jessica Abrahams * Prospect *Essays on feminism from the consistently wonderful author of The Faraway Nearby. Anything she writes is a must-read * Bookseller *Solnit is a brilliant essayist... A highly enjoyable and thought-provoking read -- Patrick Neale * Bookseller *A necessary read... Solnit writes powerfully * Flavourwire *Essential reading for anyone - feminist or not, male or female - who wants to fight for equality across all fronts * Gazette, Western Mail, Swindon Advertiser and Leicester Mercury *The essays fiercely confront crime against women... Solnit has a voice of fearless and provocative asperity; she launches a quiverful of aphoristic arrows -- Stevie Davies * Independent *A revolt championing the cause of women... [Solnit's] work feels both timeless and timely. She argues persuasively, is often funny and is articulate to a fault... [her] writing is its own victory and revolt. An incendiary, inquiring and important work -- Sinead Gleeson * Irish Times *Essential reading for anyone - feminist or not, male or female * Irish Examiner *The most clarifying, soothing and socially aware document I've read on the topic this year. Not to mention funny -- Lena Dunham 'Book of the year' * Wall Street Journal *
£12.34
Stanford University Press Colonizing Kashmir: State-building under Indian
Book SynopsisThe Indian government, touted as the world's largest democracy, often repeats that Jammu and Kashmir—its only Muslim-majority state—is "an integral part of India." The region, which is disputed between India and Pakistan, and is considered the world's most militarized zone, has been occupied by India for over seventy-five years. In this book, Hafsa Kanjwal interrogates how Kashmir was made "integral" to India through a study of the decade long rule (1953-1963) of Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad, the second Prime Minister of the State of Jammu and Kashmir. Drawing upon a wide array of bureaucratic documents, propaganda materials, memoirs, literary sources, and oral interviews in English, Urdu, and Kashmiri, Kanjwal examines the intentions, tensions, and unintended consequences of Bakshi's state-building policies in the context of India's colonial occupation. She reveals how the Kashmir government tailored its policies to integrate Kashmir's Muslims while also showing how these policies were marked by inter-religious tension, corruption, and political repression. Challenging the binaries of colonial and postcolonial, Kanjwal historicizes India's occupation of Kashmir through processes of emotional integration, development, normalization, and empowerment to highlight the new hierarchies of power and domination that emerged in the aftermath of decolonization. In doing so, she urges us to question triumphalist narratives of India's state-formation, as well as the sovereignty claims of the modern nation-state.Trade Review"Colonizing Kashmir offers a brilliant rethinking of how sovereignty and secularism work to obscure the colonizing projects of postcolonial states. For India, Kanjwal argues, the colonial occupation of Kashmir is not an aberration nor a residual of the past, rather pivotal to the formation of the newly independent state. Scholars of religion, settler colonialism, secularism, and anyone interested in the varied and unexpected modalities through which territorial control functions will gain tremendously from the sharp conceptual interventions in this meticulously researched book."—Jasbir K Puar, Rutgers University"Hafsa Kanjwal brilliantly illuminates how India consolidated its occupational control over Kashmir through state-level practices across multiple institutional domains – development, tourism, film production, economic policies, culture, and law. Through archival and interpretative analysis of a rich variety of previously unexamined primary source historical materials, Kanjwal demonstrates how India cemented Kashmir's accession over time and, in effect, domesticated the international dispute. Her fine-grained analysis of processes of integration, normalization, and bureaucratization reveals how state-building operates as a mechanism for building, entrenching, and sustaining an architecture of colonial occupation in a 'space of political liminality' such as Kashmir."—Haley Duschinski, Ohio University"Colonizing Kashmir is essential reading for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the region. Its diligent analysis and exhaustive documentation deftly incorporates the perspectives of Kashmir's political consciousness and memory. In doing so, the book challenges and disrupts existing historiographical frameworks pertaining to Kashmir and its politics. The work holds considerable resonance with the present and future trajectory of Kashmir."—Haris Zargar, Middle East Eye"Historically invasive, theoretically cutting edge, and written in prose at once mellifluous and purposeful, this book is nothing short of a wonderfully mesmerizing intellectual earthquake in the fields of South Asian history and contemporary politics more broadly."—New Books Network"Colonizing Kashmir enables us to understand the repetitious discourse of development and normalcy through a historicization that allows for understanding the present forms of India's colonization of Kashmir as settler-colonial."—Goldie Osuri, The Contrapuntal"Kashmir's people have had a troubled history since 1947. Kanjwal presents a scholarly, impassioned historical analysis of the Indian-occupied Kashmir Valley during the crucial, decade-long regime of Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad.... Recommended."—M. H. Fisher, CHOICETable of ContentsIntroduction 1. Genealogies of Colonial Occupation and State-Building: Becoming Khalid-i-Kashmir 2. Narrating Normalization: Media, Propaganda, and Foreign Policy amid Cold War Politics 3. Producing and Promoting Paradise: Tourism, Cinema, and the Desire for Kashmir 4. Developing Dependency: Economic Planning, Financial Integration, and Corruption 5. Shaping Subjectivities: Education, Secularism, and Its Discontents 6. Jashn-e-Kashmir: Patronage and the Institutionalization of Kashmiri Culture 7. The State of Emergency: State Repression, Political Dissent, and the Struggle for Self-Determination Conclusion
£23.79
Verso Books The Communist Manifesto: A Modern Edition
Book SynopsisIn the two decades following the fall of the Berlin Wall, global capitalism became entrenched in its modern, neoliberal form. Its triumph was so complete that the word "capitalism" itself fell out of use in the absence of credible political alternatives. But with the outbreak of financial crisis and global recession in the twenty-first century, capitalism is once again up for discussion. The status quo can no longer be taken for granted.As Eric Hobsbawm argues in his acute and elegant introduction to this modern edition, in such times The Communist Manifesto emerges as a work of great prescience and power despite being written over a century and a half ago. He highlights Marx and Engels's enduring insights into the capitalist system: its devastating impact on all aspects of human existence; its susceptibility to enormous convulsions and crises; and its fundamental weakness.Trade ReviewAs a force for change, its influence has been surpassed only by the Bible. As a piece of writing, it is a masterpiece. * Guardian *[T]he best possible explanation of what the world was about that I had ever read. It pointed out that the real conflicts in the world were not between black and white, men and women, Muslims, Christians and Jews, Americans, Russians and Chinese; it was about the conflict of economic interest between 95 per cent of the population of the world, who create the world's wealth, and the 5 per cent who own it. I think of Marx as a prophet: the last of the Old Testament prophets. And we should think of him as a teacher ... Karl Marx discovered it all long before I did, and I am very grateful to him. -- Tony Benn * The New Statesman *
£8.21
Profile Books Ltd The 33 Strategies Of War
Book SynopsisFrom bestselling author Robert Greene comes a brilliant distillation of the strategies of war that can help us gain mastery in the modern world. Spanning world civilisations, and synthesising dozens of political, philosophical, and religious texts, The 33 Strategies of War is a comprehensive guide to the subtle social game of everyday life. Based on profound, timeless lessons, it is abundantly illustrated with examples of the genius and folly of everyone from Napoleon to Margaret Thatcher and Hannibal to Ulysses S. Grant, as well as diplomats, captains of industry and Samurai swordsmen.Trade ReviewTranslatable to virtually every facet of daily life ... a rich mine of ideas and information ... readable and stimulating. * Scotland on Sunday *Entertaining ... mostly due to the Rambo-inspired mentality that oozes from every khaki-ed, muscle-bound phrase. * Daily Telegraph *Very good ... an enormous number of directed anecdotes from warfare, politics and the arts. -- Nicholas Fearn * Independent on Sunday *
£17.09
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Varangian Guard 988–1453
Book SynopsisThe Varangian Guards were Viking mercenaries who operated far beyond their native shores as an elite force within the Byzantine Armies. Descendants from a legendary line of warriors, the Varangian Guard was formed after a group of Viking mercenaries made a major contribution to the Byzantine Emperor Basil II's victory over rebel forces in 988 AD. These 5,000 men were then retained as Basil's personal guard and would provide loyal service to many successive occupants of the imperial throne. Commonly referred to as 'foreigners' (Etaireia), they were nonetheless absorbed into a new Palatine regiment under command of an officer termed the Akolouthos, who was either a Norsemen or a Rus (Norsemen colonisers of Russia). The Varangians wore mixtures of their native clothing and armour together with a splendid formal Byzantine uniform. But most famously, they always wielded their own traditional battle-axes and in fact this became a sign that the emperor was on the battlefield in person. This is an insightful look of one of the legendary guard units of the medieval world.Table of ContentsIntroduction /History of the Regiment /Organization /Terms of service and everyday life /Clothing /Arms and Equipment
£11.99
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC How to Win Every Argument
Book SynopsisIn the second edition of this witty and infectious book, Madsen Pirie builds upon his guide to using - and indeed abusing - logic in order to win arguments. By including new chapters on how to win arguments in writing, in the pub, with a friend, on Facebook and in 140 characters (on Twitter), Pirie provides the complete guide to triumphing in altercations ranging from the everyday to the downright serious. He identifies with devastating examples all the most common fallacies popularly used in argument. We all like to think of ourselves as clear-headed and logical - but all readers will find in this book fallacies of which they themselves are guilty. The author shows you how to simultaneously strengthen your own thinking and identify the weaknesses in other people arguments. And, more mischievously, Pirie also shows how to be deliberately illogical - and get away with it. This book will make you maddeningly smart: your family, friends and opponents will all wish that you had never readTrade ReviewA highly thought provoking, enjoyable and entertaining read -- Zoe Page * The BookBag *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. What is an Argument 2. What does a Successful Argument Look Like? 3. What counts as Evidence? 4. Oral Arguments a) arguing with a friend b) arguing in a group c) arguing in a formal debate d) Presenting your case in a meeting 5. Written Arguments a) arguing in a letter, article of newspaper b) arguing on the internet c) how to argue on facebook d) winning an argument in 140 characters (arguing on twitter) 79 A-Z entries, including: Abusive analogy Blinding with science The complex question Damning the alternatives Exclusive premises The gambler's fallacy Hedging Irrelevent humour Loaded words The red herring Shifting ground Trivial objections Wishful thinking
£19.79
American University in Cairo Press Media Arabic for Beginners: A Coursebook for
Book SynopsisAn introductory media Arabic book for the elementary and low intermediate levelsWith the proliferation of satellite television news and social media channels, students of Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) have access to an increasingly vast range of print and broadcast news from the Arab world. Media Arabic for Beginners is a unique textbook designed to lead elementary and low intermediate level students of MSA to a solid level of proficiency in the language of Arabic media. Through active engagement with authentic texts selected from a wide variety of news sources and websites, learners are familiarized with vocabulary, idioms, lexical items, and collocations, while grammatical concepts are introduced and explained in context. With sixteen texts accompanied by sixteen audio files and supportive PowerPoint presentations, this content-based approach allows students to develop and enhance their reading, listening, speaking, and writing skills. Vocabulary and grammatical points are presented as PowerPoint slides, making for discrete and manageable learning targets.Media Arabic for Beginners is structured around four themes, each devoted to a dominant news topic: Official Visits and Talks; Elections and Referendums; Attacks and Explosions; and Demonstrations and Protests. Each unit is in turn made up of four lessons, each lesson featuring a text from a particular perspective together with pre-reading activities, reading activities, post-reading activities, and a section with particular focus on grammar. The texts progress from very simple to more complex, as students steadily increase their reading fluency. Each unit ends with a thorough review section with various activities, such as comprehension questions, vocabulary translation, and role play.Trade Review"Media Arabic for Beginners is a unique and timely resource for learners and teachers of Arabic who want to explore the language of Arabic media at the elementary stages of language acquisition. Offering an easy-to-follow format, clear structure, and texts that are relevant, current, and interesting, it engages learners and gives them a real world context for their learning." —Nevenka Korica Sullivan, co-author of Media Arabic"This book successfully integrates different language learning skills, using authentic texts appropriate to the target level. These are accompanied by excellent listening texts, in addition to presentations that focus on key linguistic and structural phenomena in the language of the media, all in an easy and very clear way."—Saaed Alwakeel, Ain Shams University“This is a well-structured, well-thought-out textbook that focuses on media Arabic for beginning learners, and targets all four language skills. The activities are varied and engaging, and focus on vocabulary and grammar, as well as collocations and appropriate usage.”—Nader Morkus, Indiana UniversityTable of ContentsIntroductionUnit 1: Official Visits and TalksUnit 2: ElectionsUnit 3: Military and Terrorist AttacksUnit 4: Demonstrations and Protests
£23.74
Jessica Kingsley Publishers Going Beyond 'The Talk': Relationships and
Book SynopsisDrawing on extensive professional and personal experience, this book offers guidance and advice on how to better communicate with 12-18-year olds about relationships and sexuality. An invaluable resource for teachers and parents, it provides you with the tools you need to feel confident and informed about how to talk about sex education at all stages.The book explores the challenges in adult-child communication about sexuality and provides helpful advice on how to establish an open and positive dialogue, covering topics like social media, porn and sexual development in UK, US and Australian contexts. Specific age-based guidance and exercises are also offered. Finally, the book ends with the Flag System for identifying 'acceptable/nonacceptable' sexual behaviour and next steps. Throughout, the book emphasizes the importance of positive sexuality education, empowering young people to make their own choices on how to enjoy their relationships and sexuality in a safe and consensual way.Trade ReviewPuberty is a crucial time in a young person's life. Preparing children for puberty is different from talking with small children about where babies come from. Fortunately this book supports you during this phase of young people's lives. 'Going beyond "The Talk"' shows how you to have an honest and open conversation about sex and sexuality at home and in school. It gives relevant facts and gives advice to overcome your embarrassment to talk about the most intimate and sensitive issues around sex. I highly recommend it! -- Doortje Braeken, former senior adviser of adolescents, gender and rights of the International Planned Parenthood Federation and International consultant for UNESCO, Plan International, Global Advisory Board for Sexual WellbeingThe life raft that helps you navigate the choppy seas of sex(uality) education for adolescents and how to talk to them about it. Thank you for giving me the understanding, insight and tools to provide the right support. I only wish my parents had read it! -- John Pope CBEThis warm, hopeful, evidence-based guide is filled with wisdom and has inclusivity at its heart. It is a must read for all adults wishing to communicate with their teenagers about relationships, sexuality, identity, and values like never before. It will challenge you and affirm you in equal measure. -- Katy Thomas, relationships and sexuality education researcher, teacher, mother of fourThis book is an eminently readable resource for anyone caring for a teenager. It gives a very clear picture of teenage development, which helps understand our own biases and how to overcome these so that our teenagers get the love, support and understanding they need. -- Arushi Singh, UN specialist on sexuality educationA highly engaging book exploring relationships, consent, respect, sexuality and identity in an accessible way. It brings together the informal learning of the home and the formal learning of schooling to provide a coherent, inclusive and joined up approach to young people's development. -- Professor Richard Woolley, University of HullThis is a unique book which successfully unifies sexuality education in school and at home. It is a practical tool for an intergenerational dialogue and addressing serious questions raised by young people. The parents and educators will find here the right words and approaches to support young people in staying safe and achieving well-being. But most of all, the reader of this book will feel the joy of sexuality education classes. -- Drashko Kostovski, IPPF European NetworkTable of ContentsIntroduction1. Being in touch2. Challenges and opportunities in discussing sexuality with adolescents3. Communicating with adolescents about sex and sexuality4. Towards a better understanding of our teenagers: Body, Brains and Sex5. The sexual lives of adolescents6. Early Adolescence (12-14+ years): What adults want to know7. Mid-Adolescence (14-16+ years): What adults want to know8. Late Adolescence (16-18+ years): What adults want to know9. "Is this OK?"10.Moving forward
£14.99
Quercus Publishing The Chaos Machine: The Inside Story of How Social
Book Synopsis'The Chaos Machine is an essential book for our times' - Ezra KleinThe Chaos Machine is the story of how the world was driven mad by social media. The election of populists like Trump and Bolsonaro; strife and genocide in countries like Myanmar; the rampant spread of COVID-19 conspiracy theories as deadly as the pandemic itself; all of these are products of a breakdown in our social and political lives, a breakdown driven by the apps, companies and algorithms that compete constantly for our attention.Max Fisher is a leading New York Times technology reporter whose work has covered the way that social media sites - driven increasingly by artificial intelligence rather than human ingenuity - push users towards more and more extreme positions, deepening the divisions in society in pursuit of greater engagement and profit. With extraordinary access to the most powerful players in Silicon Valley, and with testimonies from around the world of the havoc being wreaked by our online selves, The Chaos Machine shows us how we got to this uniquely perilous moment - and how we might get out of it.Trade ReviewSocial media isn't just changing our lives. It's changing the world, and even its creators and would-be overseers have only the foggiest ideas about how. In this meticulously reported, grippingly told account, Max Fisher chases the results across continents, and paints a disturbing picture of not just where we are, but where we're going. The Chaos Machine is an essential book for our times * Ezra Klein, author of the New York Times bestseller Why We’re Polarized *Max Fisher blends together deep reporting, riveting stories, and a global canvas in this gripping and definitive work on the damage wrought by social media. The Chaos Machine is essential reading if you want to understand a force that is reshaping the world and the very real consequences it is having on people everywhere * Ben Rhodes, author of the New York Times bestseller The World as It Is: A Memoir of the Obama White House Date *In this timely book, Max Fisher reveals how powerful social-media giants set all of humanity on an alternative course to the future. The Chaos Machine boldly exposes how a few technology companies chose profit over people, helped spread salacious misinformation, and ultimately ripped the fabric of society apart. I hope everyone will read this important investigation with an open mind, because we must choose a different path forward, and fast * Amy Webb, author of The Big Nine: How the Tech Titans and Their Thinking Machines Could Warp Humanity *Well argued, engaging and often necessarily discomfiting * Irish Independent *A stark warning about the extent to which Facebook et al distort our perception of reality * Guardian *Fisher's book brings us face to face with chaos machines and their ruinous human consequences - Literary Review
£11.69
Hardie Grant Books Audrey Hepburn: The Illustrated World of a
Book SynopsisAudrey Hepburn: The Illustrated World of a Fashion Icon is a stunning illustrated biography of style and screen legend Audrey Hepburn, from internationally renowned fashion illustrator Megan Hess.From Sabrina to Breakfast at Tiffany's, Audrey Hepburn is renowned for her unforgettable film roles and fashion looks, but less well known is her fascinating life, including her childhood in Nazi-occupied Holland and her tireless dedication to helping those less fortunate than herself.In this book, Megan's beautiful illustrations follow Hepburn through three distinct chapters: her early life in World War II Europe, dreaming of becoming a ballerina; her ingénue years as the rising star of Hollywood and her incredible fashion partnership with Hubert de Givenchy; and her private life beyond the silver screen, building a legacy through her humanitarian work.Elegantly enclosed by a hardback cover and ribbon, Audrey Hepburn: The Illustrated World of a Fashion Icon is a beautiful celebration of a woman whose life was as remarkable as the clothes she wore and the movies she starred in, with every surprising detail and iconic outfit brought to life on the page by the expert hand of Megan Hess.
£16.00
Guilford Publications The Developing Mind Third Edition
Book SynopsisThis highly influential work--now in a revised and expanded third edition incorporating major advances in the field--gives clinicians, educators, and students a new understanding of what the mind is, how it grows, and how to promote healthy development and resilience. Daniel J. Siegel synthesizes cutting-edge research from multiple disciplines, revealing the ways in which neural processes are fundamentally shaped by interpersonal relationships throughout life. And even when early experiences are not optimal, building deeper connections to other people and to one's own internal experience remains a powerful resource for growth. Professors praise the bookâs utility in courses from developmental psychology and child development to neuroscience and counseling. New to This Edition *Incorporates findings from a huge body of recent research; over 1,000 citations added. *Revisits and refines the core hypotheses of interpersonal neurobiology. *Chapter on the experiTrade Review"Welcome to an intellectual feast that will also enrich your emotional life. Siegel is masterful at synthesizing multidisciplinary knowledge to give us an understanding of the mind that is both scientifically rigorous and richly imbued with experiential meaning. The third edition of this classic text incorporates new findings from thousands of recent studies, while retaining the fresh excitement of the field of interpersonal neurobiology that Siegel inaugurated 20 years ago. Indispensable reading for anyone interested in how the mind emerges from the interface between brain and interpersonal experience."--Alicia F. Lieberman, PhD, Irving B. Harris Endowed Chair in Infant Mental Health and Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco "I can only describe this as a unique and astounding book about child development that every therapist must have in his or her library. Siegel is thorough and incredibly informative as he explains the child's developing social mind and brain. The book is also very readable."--John M. Gottman, PhD, The Gottman Institute, Seattle, Washington "Siegel presents an up-to-the-minute third edition of a book that is already in wide use. He elucidates the neurological underpinnings and social processes that have made humans--with our peculiar questing for intersubjective engagement--so different emotionally from other apes. No book I know of more clearly lays out, step by step, how people develop in response to those around them, and how variable those outcomes can be."--Sarah Blaffer Hrdy, PhD, Professor Emerita of Anthropology, University of California, Davis "This comprehensive book reviews three decades of neuroscience related to learning with others in the early months, and reveals new ideas about how the mind grows when a child is thriving. Siegel, a leader in child and family mental health, generously shares his expertise. He traces how the infant is committed from birth to play a part in the life of a community of personalities, and how our emotions, bodies, and brains move together in search of kindness and connection."--Colwyn Trevarthen, PhD, FRSE, Professor Emeritus of Child Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom "The importance of Siegel’s work has been reflected in the interest, enthusiasm, and joy that his interpersonal neurobiology has brought to people around the world for more than two decades. The third edition of The Developing Mind presents the ongoing neuroscientific research that supports the book's initial hypotheses and expands their applications in psychotherapy, education, and mindfulness. It offers a window into Siegel's evolving synthesis of his theories of mind into the core of interpersonal neurobiology. Readers will find themselves on a wonderful intellectual and personal journey."--Louis Cozolino, PhD, Graduate School of Education and Psychology, Pepperdine University “An astonishing accomplishment. Somehow, Siegel explains the amazingly complex human mind to clinicians and researchers alike. As a child psychologist, I find much of The Developing Mind of great interest and relevance to my practice, including excellent material on early attachment and trauma. The third edition has been completely updated with the most recent research and writings across multiple disciplines. Students and professionals in diverse fields will find interesting and useful material in this impressive work."--Deborah Roth Ledley, PhD, private practice, Plymouth Meeting and Narberth, Pennsylvania "I used the second edition in our required social work practice course for graduate students. My students gained an understanding of the meaning of 'mind,' how the mind emerges from the brain, and the way the mind is shaped by interpersonal relationships. I used the text to demonstrate how an interpersonal neurobiology framework can be utilized in assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of infants, children, and adolescents. Readings and discussions also helped students explore aspects of their own identity and subjective mental processes. Two things that immediately caught my attention in the third edition are the expanded glossary and the new chapter on identity development and belonging. I look forward to adopting the third edition for my class!"--Marian S. Harris, PhD, School of Social Work and Criminal Justice, University of Washington Tacoma-Table of ContentsIntroduction. “What Is the Mind, Anyway?”: An Interpersonal Neurobiology Perspective 1. The Embodied Brain, Awareness, and the Nature of Energy 2. States of Mind: Cohesion, Subjective Experience, and Complex Systems 3. Memory and Narrative 4. Attachment and a Sense of Self 5. Emotion as Shifts in Integration 6. Representations and Mental Reality: Modes of Processing and the Construction of Experience 7. Regulation and Coherence 8. Interpersonal Connection and the Relational Mind 9. Integration Within and Between 10. Belonging, “Self,” and an Integrated Identity as Me plus We = MWe: A Framework for Cultivating Integration Glossary Notes References Index
£55.09
Unbound The Philosopher Queens: The lives and legacies of
Book Synopsis'This is brilliant. A book about women in philosophy by women in philosophy – love it!' Elif ShafakWhere are the women philosophers? The answer is right here.The history of philosophy has not done women justice: you’ve probably heard the names Plato, Kant, Nietzsche and Locke – but what about Hypatia, Arendt, Oluwole and Young?The Philosopher Queens is a long-awaited book about the lives and works of women in philosophy by women in philosophy. This collection brings to centre stage twenty prominent women whose ideas have had a profound – but for the most part uncredited – impact on the world.You’ll learn about Ban Zhao, the first woman historian in ancient Chinese history; Angela Davis, perhaps the most iconic symbol of the American Black Power Movement; Azizah Y. al-Hibri, known for examining the intersection of Islamic law and gender equality; and many more.For anyone who has wondered where the women philosophers are, or anyone curious about the history of ideas – it's time to meet the philosopher queens.Trade Review'This is brilliant. A book about women in philosophy by women in philosophy – love it!' Elif Shafak
£12.99
Profile Books Ltd The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for
Book SynopsisTHE TOP 10 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF THE YEAR ONE OF BARACK OBAMA'S TOP BOOKS OF THE YEAR Shortlisted for The Orwell Prize 2020 Shortlisted for the FT Business Book of the Year Award 2019 'Easily the most important book to be published this century. I find it hard to take any young activist seriously who hasn't at least familarised themselves with Zuboff's central ideas.' - Zadie Smith, The Guardian The challenges to humanity posed by the digital future, the first detailed examination of the unprecedented form of power called "surveillance capitalism," and the quest by powerful corporations to predict and control us. The heady optimism of the Internet's early days is gone. Technologies that were meant to liberate us have deepened inequality and stoked divisions. Tech companies gather our information online and sell it to the highest bidder, whether government or retailer. Profits now depend not only on predicting our behaviour but modifying it too. How will this fusion of capitalism and the digital shape our values and define our future? Shoshana Zuboff shows that we are at a crossroads. We still have the power to decide what kind of world we want to live in, and what we decide now will shape the rest of the century. Our choices: allow technology to enrich the few and impoverish the many, or harness it and distribute its benefits. The Age of Surveillance Capitalism is a deeply-reasoned examination of the threat of unprecedented power free from democratic oversight. As it explores this new capitalism's impact on society, politics, business, and technology, it exposes the struggles that will decide both the next chapter of capitalism and the meaning of information civilization. Most critically, it shows how we can protect ourselves and our communities and ensure we are the masters of the digital rather than its slaves.Trade ReviewEasily the most important book to be published this century. I find it hard to take any young activist seriously who hasn't at least familarised themselves with Zuboff's central ideas. -- Zadie Smith * The Guardian *everyone needs to read this book as an act of digital self-defense. -- Naomi KleinA must read for anyone interested in power, politics, technology and the future of our fragile democracies. Zuboff is a brilliant mind who connects the dots like no other. -- Elif Shafak * New Statesman Books of the Year *Das Kapital of the digital age -- Hugo Rifkind * The Times *Magisterial, indispensable -- Carole Cadwalladr * Observer *[It] will surely become a pivotal work in defining, understanding and exposing this surreptitious exploitation of our data and, increasingly, our free will ... essential * Irish Times *An intensively researched, engagingly written chronicle of surveillance capitalism's origins and its deleterious prospects for our society ... This is the rare book that we should trust to lead us down the long hard road of understanding -- Jacob Silverman * New York Times *Groundbreaking, magisterial ... unmissable -- John Thornhill * FT *Comprehensive and impassioned ... an important book -- Bryan Appleyard * Sunday Times *Groundbreaking ... Aiming to apply Marx's account of surplus value in a time when capital is accumulated through knowledge-based technology, she has given us an illuminating critical perspective on the regime of surveillance under which we all now live * New Statesman *A bold, important book ... Combining in-depth technical understanding and a broad, humanistic scope, Zuboff has written what may prove to be the first definitive account of the economic - and thus social and political - condition of our age. -- James Bridle * Guardian *This book's major contribution is to give a name to what's happening, to put it in cultural and historical perspective, and to ask us to pause long enough to think about the future and how it might be different from today -- Frank Rose * WSJ *A chilling exposé of the business model that underpins the digital world ... a striking and illuminating book. A fellow reader remarked to me that it reminded him of Thomas Piketty's magnum opus, Capital in the Twenty-First Century, in that it opens one's eyes to things we ought to have noticed, but hadn't -- John Naughton * Observer *It's quite possible that the single most important book about politics, economics, culture and society in this century is Shoshana Zuboff's The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power. She explains with far more power than anyone has done before the emergence of a whole new form of capitalism based on the expropriation of the personal data we freely give to vast corporations. It's the Das Kapital for our times. -- Fintan O'Toole * Irish Times *An exceptional and necessary book about the information civilisation we have become -- David Patrikarakos * Literary Review *Extraordinarily intelligent ... Absorbing Zuboff's methodical determination, the way she pieces together sundry examples into this comprehensive work of scholarship and synthesis, requires patience, but the rewards are considerable - a heightened sense of awareness, and a deeper appreciation of what's at stake -- Jennifer Szalai * New York Times *Original ... it arrives at a crucial moment, when the public and its elected representatives are at last grappling with the extraordinary power of digital media and the companies that control it. Like another recent masterwork of economic analysis, Thomas Piketty's 2013 Capital in the Twenty-First Century, the book challenges assumptions, raises uncomfortable questions about the present and future, and stakes out ground for a necessary and overdue debate -- Nicholas Carr * LARB *I will make a guarantee: Assuming we survive to tell the tale, The Age of Surveillance Capitalism has a high probability of joining the likes Adam Smith's The Wealth of Natiions and Max Weber's Economy and Society as defining social-economics texts of modern times. It is not a 'quick read;' it is to be savored and re-read and discussed with colleagues and friends. No zippy one-liners from me, except to almost literally beg you to read/ingest this book -- Tom Peters, author of In Search of ExcellenceThe Age of Surveillance Capitalism is brilliant and essential ... a masterpiece of rare conceptual daring, beautifully written and deeply urgent -- Robert B. Reich, author of The Common Good and Saving Capitalism: For the Many, Not the FewThe defining challenge for the future of the market economy is the concentration of data, knowledge, and surveillance power. Not just our privacy but our individuality is at stake, and this very readable and thought-provoking book alerts us to these existential dangers. Highly recommended -- Daron Acemoglu, author of Why Nations FailZuboff's expansive, erudite, deeply-researched exploration of digital futures elucidates the norms and hidden terminal goals of information-intensive industries. Zuboff's book is the information industry's Silent Spring -- Chris Hoofnagle, University of California, BerkeleyIn the future, if people still read books, they will view this as the classic study of how everything changed. The Age of Surveillance Capitalism is a masterpiece that stunningly reveals the essence of twenty-first-century society, and offers a dire warning about technology gone awry that we ignore at our peril. Shoshana Zuboff has somehow escaped from the fishbowl in which we all now live, and introduced to us the concept of water. A work of penetrating intellect, this is also a deeply human book about what is becoming, as it relentlessly demonstrates, a dangerously inhuman time -- Kevin Werbach, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, and author of The Blockchain and The New Architecture of TrustA panoramic exploration of one of the most urgent issues of our times, Zuboff reinterprets contemporary capitalism through the prism of the digital revolution, producing a book of immense ambition and erudition. Zuboff is one of our most prescient and profound thinkers on the rise of the digital. In an age of inane Twitter soundbites and narcissistic Facebook posts, Zuboff's serious scholarship is great cause for celebration -- Andrew Keen, author of How to Fix the FutureShoshana Zuboff has produced the most provocative compelling moral framework thus far for understanding the new realities of our digital environment and its anti-democratic threats. From now on, all serious writings on the internet and society will have to take into account The Age of Surveillance Capitalism. -- Joseph Turow, Robert Lewis Shayon Chair Professor, Annenberg School, University of PennsylvaniaFrom the very first page I was consumed with an overwhelming imperative: everyone needs to read this book as an act of digital self-defense. With tremendous lucidity and moral courage, Zuboff demonstrates not only how our minds are being mined for data but also how they are being rapidly and radically changed in the process. The hour is late and much has been lost already - but as we learn in these indispensable pages, there is still hope for emancipation * Naomi Klein *Something you need -- Margaret Atwooda must read for anyone interested in power, politics, technology and the future of our fragile democracies. Zuboff is a brilliant mind who connects the dots like no other. -- Elif Shafak * New Statesman *It's the Das Kapital for our times, setting out with clarity and urgency the implications of an economic system in which an elite can predict, and therefore manipulate, every shift in our desires. But Zuboff is no fatalist and her book should give us courage to, as it were, take back control. -- Fintan O’Toole * New Statesman *a vital analysis of the digital economy and our place in it. -- Rosamund Urwin * Sunday Times best Business Books of the Year 2019 *It is a stunning research on "information civilisation", concentration of power and the sinister exploitation of our data at the expense of our freedom, which are no doubt some of the most pressing issues of our times. But more than that, this is a fascinating and wise and honest exploration of what it means to be human in the digital age and why we need to fight back. Technology is way too important to leave it to tech companies, which are clearly becoming tech monopolies. We all need to become part of this important discussion, and for that to happen, we need to ask the right questions. This book is a brilliant way to do that. -- Elif Shafak * Guardian – Best Books of the Year Writers’ Choice *Of the many excellent books on our vexed relationship with tech published this year, the standout title has to be Shoshana Zuboff's The Age of Surveillance Capitalism (Profile), which details how the Silicon Valley behemoths are mining our private experiences to make a profit. -- Ian Sample * Guardian's Best Science, Nature and Ideas Books of 2019 *Praise for In the Age of the Smart Machine: 'A work of rare originality and engrossing complexity * New York Times Book Review *Ground-breaking, magisterial and synthetically brilliant * Technology and Culture *Examined with force and almost cunning insight what is yet to come * Encyclopedia of Software Engineering *
£11.69
Manchester University Press Ecocide: Kill the Corporation Before it Kills Us
Book SynopsisWe have reached the point of no return. The existential threat of climate change is now a reality. The world has never been more vulnerable. Yet corporations are already planning a life beyond this point. The business models of fossil fuel giants factor in continued profitability in a scenario of a five-degree increase in global temperature. An increase that will kill millions, if not billions.This is the shocking reality laid bare in a new, hard-hitting book by David Whyte. Ecocide makes clear the problem won’t be solved by tinkering around the edges, instead it maps out a plan to end the corporation’s death-watch over us.This book will reveal how the corporation has risen to this position of near impunity, but also what we need to do to fix it.This book is relevant to United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 13, Climate actionTrade Review'Ecocide is a refreshing analysis of the huge damage wrought on people and planet by the multinational corporations that play such a significant role in all of our lives. Rather than trying - and failing - to regulate these corporate behemoths, Whyte makes a compelling case that we must rid ourselves of private corporations altogether. Fast paced, original, and highly compelling, Ecocide should be required reading for activists and academics alike.'Grace Blakeley, author of Stolen: How to save the world from financialisation'This brilliant book not only offers solace to those struggling against invisible and, seemingly, invincible corporate power, it also throws us a lifeline through which we may be able to salvage everything we hold dear. Where the wall of callous indifference stands, Whyte paints a window to an alternative world away from this slow motion apocalypse. The survival of organised human life and avoidance of mass societal breakdown rests upon our ability to mobilise in demand of this alternative world. It is said “the corporation has no body to punish and no soul to condemn” and this book illustrates clearly that this kind of unaccountability is in no way exceptional to the neoliberal era, it is an inherent feature of the corporation as a shapeshifting structure of irresponsibility. Kill it so we may live.'Lowkey, rapper and activist'With a sense of urgency, but without despair, David Whyte powerfully deploys the concept of ‘ecocide’ to rigorously reveal how corporations and their reckless pursuit of profit are at fault for the existential threat posed by climate change. The time has come for solutions that are at once radical and possible.’ Joel Bakan, author of The Corporation: The Pathological Pursuit of Profit and Power'The timeliness of this brilliant account of the increasingly dire ecological consequences of the legal immunity of capitalist corporations could not be greater. At a moment when states everywhere are keeping corporations on life-support amidst the global pandemic of 2020, David Whyte's powerful rallying cry of 'death to the corporation' compels us to urgently address the question of 'what different form of industrial organization under what different forms of ownership' which has been for so long avoided, at such terrible cost.'Leo Panitch, author of Searching for Socialism: The Project of the Labour New Left from Benn to Corbyn'This book will have a good audience among the Extinction Rebellion movement, who may not understand the DNA of business but still feel the effects of its monopoly and expropriation of nature. It can help guide their protests and reform policies, as it is clear that corporations are at the centre of the ecological plunder we see today in the world. Ecocide is also written in an accessible way for both undergraduates and postgraduates who study political economy and business – it has excellent examples and case studies of modern business conduct. It is short, concise and easy to understand and follow, with excellent notes and references. I certainly will be putting it on my reading list.'LSE Review of Books‘Ecocide: Kill the corporation before it kills us provides an original, well-evidenced and scholarly argument that proceeds logically and in an engaging manner throughout the book. Each chapter can be taken alone, but when read together they not only alert the reader to the intrinsically ecocidal nature of the corporate form, they also provide a comprehensive and compelling argument for its dismantling. Although useful for an academic audience, this book will also be engaging for those beyond the academy with a more general interest in environmental harm.’Journal of White Collar and Corporate Crime'A brilliant introduction to how to think and act to avoid the ultimate human catastrophe.' Richard Falk, Professor Emeritus of International Law, Princeton University and former United Nations Special Rapporteur on Palestinian Human Rights'A compelling read…which ranges across political economy, legal theory and environmental studies with a fluency that is easy to admire and doesn’t just dump jargon on the reader… and changes our perspective on the problem of climate change.'Morning Star'The analysis of the connections across racialised capitalism, ecocidal corporate chains and neocolonialism is excellent. A thoroughly stimulating and thought-provoking book.'Peter Somerville, Emeritus Professor of Social Policy, College of Social Science, University of Lincoln'A fabulous book, informative and clearly argued. I learned a great deal from it.' William K. Carroll, Professor of Sociology, University of Victoria, Canada and Co-director, the Corporate Mapping Project'A hard-hitting look at the environmental impacts of all industries on our planet.'The Environment Magazine'Compellingly lays out the chilling reality of how capitalist corporations are responsible for the threat of climate change.'October Books Cooperative'Expertly situates how corporations are the driving engine of the ecological meltdown…Indispensable for a conversation we must have now, before its too late.'Occupy.com'Unique and urgently important weapon-book for climate activists.' Wolfgang Küchler -- .Table of ContentsPreface: from COVID-capitalism to survival of the speciesAcknowledgementsIntroduction: corporate ecocide1 What is the corporation?2 From colonialism to ecocide: capital’s insatiable need to destroy3 Regulation at the end-point of the worldConclusion: kill the corporation before it kills usNotes
£9.99
Centre for the Study of Language & Information Language, Proof, and Logic: Second Edition
Book SynopsisThis textbook/software package covers first-order language in a method appropriate for a wide range of courses, from first logic courses for undergraduates (philosophy, mathematics, and computer science) to a first graduate logic course. The accompanying online grading service instantly grades solutions to hundreds of computer exercises. The second edition of "Language, Proof and Logic" represents a major expansion and revision of the original package and includes applications for mobile devices, additional exercises, a dedicated website, and increased software compatibility and support.
£68.00
John Wiley and Sons Ltd Global Energy Politics
Book SynopsisEver since the Industrial Revolution energy has been a key driver of world politics. From the oil crises of the 1970s to today’s rapid expansion of renewable energy sources, every shift in global energy patterns has important repercussions for international relations. In this new book, Thijs Van de Graaf and Benjamin Sovacool uncover the intricate ways in which our energy systems have shaped global outcomes in four key areas of world politics: security, the economy, the environment and global justice. Moving beyond the narrow geopolitical focus that has dominated much of the discussion on global energy politics, they also deftly trace the connections between energy, environmental politics, and community activism.The authors argue that we are on the cusp of a global energy shift that promises to be no less transformative for the pursuit of wealth and power in world politics than the historical shifts from wood to coal and from coal to oil. This ongoing energy transformation will not only upend the global balance of power; it could also fundamentally transfer political authority away from the nation state, empowering citizens, regions and local communities. Global Energy Politics will be an essential resource for students of the social sciences grappling with the major energy issues of our times.Trade Review"In a complex and rapidly changing energy landscape, this comprehensive overview of the global politics of energy is particularly welcome. It skillfully connects the dots between energy markets, geopolitics, the environment, and local activism across a range of energy technologies and sectors. For anyone who wants to understand the complexities and depth of the global energy challenge, Global Energy Politics is essential reading." —Adnan Z. Amin, Director-General Emeritus of the International Renewable Energy Agency "An important contribution to thinking through the current energy era and the future transition." —Morgan Bazilian, Executive Director of the Payne Institute for Earth Resources and Research Professor of Public Policy, Colorado School of Mines "a well-informed, empirically rich systematic analysis of different parts of the energy sector that builds directly on the latest research." —Gavin Bridge, Durham University "Global Energy Politics is a comprehensive, well-researched, and valuable guide to the energy challenges of our time. Thijs Van de Graaf and Benjamin Sovacool deploy a variety of analytical perspectives: geopolitics, economics, sustainability, and justice, discussing promising technological innovations and the institutional and political challenges to decarbonization." —Robert O. Keohane, Princeton University "We are in the middle of a global energy transformation. Van De Graaf and Sovacool’s comprehensive text provides students with an essential guide to this changing global energy landscape." —Johannes Urpelainen, John Hopkins University "Keeping pace with the changing global energy landscape and its influence on political, economic and social issues has become exponentially more difficult in a world where unprecedented risks and technological advances are upending the norms of the last century. Global Energy Politics is a valuable resource for those seeking to understand and navigate the shifting relationships between energy markets, geopolitics, climate, equity, and emerging technologies at this critical energy crossroad." —Jason Bordoff, Columbia University "[Global Energy Politics] is very welcome… This book provides a wide-ranging panorama of global energy politics … and would be an excellent read for undergraduate and post-graduate students tackling the subject." —Asian Century Institute "The most important contribution of this book comes through employing systems thinking to deal with energy issues. Van De Graaf and Sovacool have opened up a technical and difficult topic to social scientists while at the same time broadening traditional IR approaches." —International Affairs "The book is well-researched, up to date, and it presents complex and interrelated energy topics in an easily accessible and impressively pedagogical way... Their multidisciplinary socio-technical approach offers a deeper understanding than could be attained through the lens of any single discipline in isolation." —International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics "An excellent survey and overview of various elements of global energy politics. The writing is clear and accessible, yet covers impressive ground and accommodates the infinite complexity of the subject at hand. This book serves as a comprehensive introductory text and will be a useful read to students of energy politics across a variety of disciplines, and particularly students attempting to find a point of entry into the rapidly growing subfield of energy geographies." —The American Association of Geographers (AAG) Review of Books "Sovacool and Van de Graaf bring us closer to the broader research agenda we need to map the different pathways of global transformation that may emerge from the transition…Their chapter on “energy justice”, which investigates the detrimental impacts of renewable energy supply chains on communities when social justice concerns are side-lined, is particularly welcome." —Michel J. Albert, AlternativesTable of ContentsForeword by Adnan Z. Amin 1. Introduction: Systems, frames, and transitions 2. The history and functioning of key energy markets Part I: World Politics Through an Energy Prism 3. Energy and security 4. Energy and the economy 5. Energy and the environment 6. Energy and justice Part II: Governing the Energy Transition 7. Energy technologies and innovation 8. National and regional energy policy 9. Global energy governance 10. Conclusions
£17.09
Waterside Press The Great Pain Deception: Faulty Medical Advice
Book Synopsis
£18.45
Harvard University Press Arithmetic
Book SynopsisInspiring and informativedeserves to be widely read.Wall Street JournalThis fun book offers a philosophical take on number systems and revels in the beauty of math.Science NewsBecause we have ten fingers, grouping by ten seems natural, but twelve would be better for divisibility, and eight is well suited to repeated halving. Grouping by two, as in binary code, has turned out to have its own remarkable advantages. Paul Lockhart presents arithmetic not as rote manipulation of numbersa practical if mundane branch of knowledge best suited for filling out tax formsbut as a fascinating, sometimes surprising intellectual craft that arises from our desire to add, divide, and multiply important things. Passionate and entertaining, Arithmetic invites us to experience the beauty of mathematics through the eyes of a beguiling teacher. A nuanced understanding of working with numbers, gently connecting procedures that we once learned by rote with intuitions long since muddled by educationLockhart presents arithmetic as a pleasurable pastime, and describes it as a craft like knitting.Jonathon Keats, New ScientistWhat are numbers, how did they arise, why did our ancestors invent them, and how did they represent them? They are, after all, one of humankind's most brilliant inventions, arguably having greater impact on our lives than the wheel. Lockhart recounts their fascinating storyA wonderful book.Keith Devlin, author of Finding FibonacciTrade ReviewToday’s world is more dependent on numbers than at any time in human history, yet with the ready availability of cheap, reliable devices that handle computation, we have never had less need to master arithmetic. Our newfound freedom from the chore of hand computation makes it both possible and, Paul Lockhart argues in this wonderful new book, desirable to step back and reflect on the entire development of arithmetic over several millennia. What are numbers, how did they arise, why did our ancestors invent them, and how did they represent them? They are, after all, one of humankind’s most brilliant inventions, arguably having greater impact on our lives than the wheel. Lockhart recounts their fascinating story. -- Keith Devlin, mathematician, author of The Man of Numbers and Finding FibonacciWhat an exuberant, exciting invitation to take joy in the wonderful human activity of counting, and to think deeply about its many origins. Marvelously personal, quite surprising at times, and fun to read. -- Barry Mazur, Gerhard Gade University Professor at Harvard University, coauthor of Prime Numbers and the Riemann HypothesisOnce I started reading, the text proved mind-blowing. Some of the most ingrained and fundamental assumptions about the way we count and understand numbers are here deconstructed and shown to be arbitrary… For the mathematical layman, this book will be a very pleasant surprise… I am delighted to say that Lockhart is a fabulously entertaining writer, and that his light-hearted approach managed to keep me cheerfully engaged even when his discussions were most abstract… It’s in equal measures entertaining and educational, and a pleasant surprise on more levels than one. -- Andrea Tallarita * PopMatters *Arithmetic is inspiring and informative, and deserves to be widely read. -- Jane Gleeson-White * Wall Street Journal *Beginning with counting and moving through topics such as multiplication and fractions, Arithmetic provides a nuanced understanding of working with numbers, gently connecting procedures that we once learned by rote with intuitions long since muddled by education…Lockhart presents arithmetic as a pleasurable pastime, and describes it as a craft like knitting. Manipulating calculi on a tabula, you can see what he means. -- Jonathon Keats * New Scientist *More than just an informative survey of the fundamentals of basic arithmetic, this fun book offers a philosophical take on number systems and revels in the beauty of math. * Science News *
£17.06
Harvard Business Review Press Everyday Chaos: Technology, Complexity, and How
Book SynopsisMake. More. Future.Artificial intelligence, big data, modern science, and the internet are all revealing a fundamental truth: The world is vastly more complex and unpredictable than we've allowed ourselves to see.Now that technology is enabling us to take advantage of all the chaos it's revealing, our understanding of how things happen is changing--and with it our deepest strategies for predicting, preparing for, and managing our world. This affects everything, from how we approach our everyday lives to how we make moral decisions and how we run our businesses.Take machine learning, which makes better predictions about weather, medical diagnoses, and product performance than we do--but often does so at the expense of our understanding of how it arrived at those predictions. While this can be dangerous, accepting it is also liberating, for it enables us to harness the complexity of an immense amount of data around us. We are also turning to strategies that avoid anticipating the future altogether, such as A/B testing, Minimum Viable Products, open platforms, and user-modifiable video games. We even take for granted that a simple hashtag can organize unplanned, leaderless movements such as #MeToo.Through stories from history, business, and technology, philosopher and technologist David Weinberger finds the unifying truths lying below the surface of the tools we take for granted--and a future in which our best strategy often requires holding back from anticipating and instead creating as many possibilities as we can. The book’s imperative for business and beyond is simple: Make. More. Future.The result is a world no longer focused on limitations but optimized for possibilities.Trade Review"Weinberger has given us a beautifully written set of mental maps to help keep us aligned with our own futures." -- KMWorldAdvance Praise for Everyday Chaos:Seth Godin, author, This Is Marketing--"My copy is filled with notes on the margins of every page. This is what books are for--a mind-blowing, game-changing, fun-to-read race into the future. Wow."Reid Hoffman, cofounder, LinkedIn; Partner, Greylock--"If you want to better understand the possibilities that machine learning and other forms of AI are creating--and harness the power of these breakthroughs--read this lively and illuminating book!"Aneesh Chopra, former (and first) US Chief Technology Officer, Obama Administration--"Weinberger's thought-provoking call to action is a must-read for business leaders pushing the envelope on innovation, for policy makers seeking to protect the public from undue harm, and for the rest of us who are keen to live better lives but mindful of any unintended consequences."Robin Chase, cofounder and former CEO, Zipcar--"David's writing is just so pleasing, and his ideas so interesting and useful, that I found myself reveling in his words, nudging my partner and saying, 'Let me read you this bit . . . '"Joichi Ito, Director, MIT Media Lab--"With classic Weinberger wit and brilliant insight, this book shatters the myth of predictability while delivering grounded, actionable advice for anyone trying to thrive in the everyday chaos that has become our world. A page-turner must-read for everyone."
£20.90
Penguin Books Ltd Things I Dont Want to Know
Book SynopsisThe first in Deborah Levy's essential three-part 'Living Autobiography' on writing and womanhood. 'Unmissable. Like chancing upon an oasis, you want to drink it slowly . . . Subtle, unpredictable, surprising' Guardian _________________________________ Taking George Orwell's famous essay, 'Why I Write', as a jumping-off point, Deborah Levy offers her own indispensable reflections of the writing life. With wit, clarity and calm brilliance, she considers how the writer must stake claim to that contested territory as a young woman and shape it to her need. Things I Don't Want to Know is a work of dazzling insight and deep psychological succour, from one of our most vital contemporary writers. The final two instalments in Deborah Levy's 'Living Autobiography', The Cost of Living and Real Estate, are available now. _________________________________ 'Superb sTrade ReviewAn up-to-date version of 'A Room of One's Own' . . . I suspect it will be quoted for many years to come * Irish Examiner *Superb sharpness and originality of imagination. It is feminist and political while being an inspiring work of writing . . . She writes on the high wire, unfalteringly -- Marina WarnerLevy's strength is her originality of thought and expression -- Jeanette WintersonAn exciting writer, sharp and shocking as the knives her characters wield * Sunday Times *One of the few contemporary British writers comfortable on a world stage * New Statesman *A writer whose anger and confusion in the face of the world transform into poetic flights of fancy . . . which always feel marvellously right * Independent *
£10.44
Penguin Putnam Inc Irresistible
Book Synopsis?Irresistibleis a fascinating and much needed exploration of one of the most troubling phenomena of modern times.??Malcolm Gladwell, author ofNew York TimesbestsellersDavid and GoliathandOutliers?One of the most mesmerizing and important books I?ve read in quite some time. Alter brilliantly illuminates the new obsessions that are controlling our lives and offers the tools we need to rescue our businesses, our families, and our sanity.? ?Adam Grant,New York Timesbestselling author ofOriginalsandGive and TakeWelcome to the age of behavioral addiction?an age in which half of the American population is addicted to at least one behavior. We obsess over our emails, Instagram likes, and Facebook feeds; we binge on TV episodes and YouTube videos; we work longer hours each year; and we spend an average of three hours each day using our smartphones. Half of us would rather suffer a broken bone than a broken phone, and Millennial kids spend so much time in front of screens that they struggle to interact with real, live humans. In this revolutionary book, Adam Alter, a professor of psychology and marketing at NYU, tracks the rise of behavioral addiction, and explains why so many of today''s products are irresistible. Though these miraculous products melt the miles that separate people across the globe, their extraordinary and sometimes damaging magnetism is no accident. The companies that design these products tweak them over time until they become almost impossible to resist. By reverse engineering behavioral addiction, Alter explains how we can harness addictive products for the good?to improve how we communicate with each other, spend and save our money, and set boundaries between work and play?and how we can mitigate their most damaging effects on our well-being, and the health and happiness of our children.Adam Alter''s previous book, Drunk Tank Pink:And Other Unexpected Forces that Shape How We Think, Feel, and Behaveis available in paperback from Penguin.
£10.35
HarperCollins Publishers The Scarlet Pimpernel Collins Classics
Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics.Vaguely she began to wonder which of these worldly men round her was the mysterious Scarlet Pimpernel,' who held the threads of such daring plots, and the fate of valuable lives in his hands.In the early days of the bloody French Revolution, fleeing aristocrats are being captured and sent to the guillotine. But the mysterious Scarlet Pimpernel along with his band of English gentlemen is outwitting the revolutionaries. Known only by his calling card, he arrives in disguise and smuggles the nobles out of danger to the safety of England. But can he guard his true identity forever, or will he give his life for his cause?
£5.68
Vintage Publishing The Extinction of Experience
£12.59
Topix Media Lab My Amazing Book About Tremendous Me (A Parody):
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£11.63
Liberty Fund Inc Omnipotent Government
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£10.40
Lulu Press From Babylon to Timbuktu A History of the Ancient
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£11.16
Union Square & Co. A Treasury of Irish Fairy and Folk Tales Barnes
Book SynopsisThe perfect gift for anyone interested in Irish folklore. These lrish tales are reprinted from nineteenth-century sources, but they date back to a centuries-old oral tradition of storytelling that had yet to be committed to the printed page. They were passed down through the ages virtually unaltered and feature a wide variety of fantastic beings.
£28.00
Michael O'Mara Books Ltd Sherlock Bones and the Case of the Crown Jewels:
Book SynopsisWhen the crown jewels go missing from Kennel Palace, it’s up to super-sleuth Sherlock Bones and his trusty sidekick Dr Catson to solve the crime. But with multiple suspects and a trail that’s starting to run cold, will they be able to catch the culprit in time? The first book in a brand-new Sherlock Bones mystery fiction series, this fun puzzle adventure contains over 30 games – such as mazes, search games and silhouette matches – that are woven into the action, so the reader can feel immersed in the exciting detective plot and help Bones and Catson solve the mystery.Trade ReviewA good romp of a mystery * The School Librarian *A very interesting concept, slightly reminiscent of the 'Choose your own Adventure' books. This will appeal to key stage 2 readers, especially those who may have reading difficulties and encourages collaboration among readers, with one reading the story and the other solving the puzzles. * The School Librarian on ‘Sherlock Bones and the Curse of the Pharaoh’s Mask’ *
£6.64
ABC Books The Ferals that Ate Australia
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£9.49
ERIS Where Are We Now?: The Epidemic as Politics -
Book SynopsisIn this volume, Agamben has collected all of his fierce, passionate, and deeply personal interventions regarding the current health emergency.
£14.39
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC In Control: Dangerous Relationships and How They
Book Synopsis'Groundbreaking' OBSERVER 'Blows assumptions about abusive relationships out of the water' CAITLIN MORAN 'Offers a strategy for intervention that would save lives' INDEPENDENT Every four days in the UK, a woman is killed by her partner or ex-partner – and in the past year, domestic abuse has become an epidemic. For thirty years, Jane Monckton Smith has been fighting to change this. A former police officer and internationally renowned professor of public protection, she has developed her ground-breaking research into an eight-stage homicide timeline, laying out identifiable stages in which coercive relationships can escalate to violence and murder. Drawing on disciplines including psychology, sociology and law, Monckton Smith talks to victims, their families and killers to piece together the hows and whys of abuse – while shining a searching light onto the society and media that allow it to thrive.Trade ReviewBlow assumptions about relationships out of the water . . . A game-changer -- Caitlin MoranShocking, frank, and very, very necessary. -- Sam BakerA powerful book that offers a strategy for intervention that would save lives * The Independent *
£9.49
Hodder & Stoughton Cannabis (seeing through the smoke): The New
Book SynopsisTHE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO CANNABIS AND YOUR HEALTHUnderpinned by his two-year research trial in partnership with the Royal College of Psychiatrists, involving up to 20,000 patients, which will create Europe's largest body of evidence on the plant's medicinal qualities - Professor David Nutt and his team of scientists will break the mould on the way we use Cannabis for our health in the future.In David's first ground-breaking book on the subject, he will cover its impact of all areas of the body and the brain and its effective use for treatment of illness from chronic pain, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and PTSD, to anxiety and depression. This is the essential knowledge that cuts through the noise and give us evidence-based information that will change people's lives.
£10.44
Pluto Press The Political Thought of Abdullah Öcalan
Book SynopsisThe essential introduction to the writings of Abdullah Öcalan, founder of Democratic ConfederalismTrade Review'Abdullah Ocalan seems to have done a better job writing with the extremely limited resources allowed him by his jailers than authors like Francis Fukuyama or Jared Diamond did with access to the world's finest research libraries' -- David Graeber, author of Debt: The First 5000 YearsTable of ContentsForeword by Nadje Al-Ali Introduction 1. War and Peace in Kurdistan: Perspectives on a Political Solution to the Kurdish Question 2. Democratic Confederalism 3. Liberating Life: Woman’s Revolution 4. Democratic Nation Index
£13.49
Mariner Books The Extended Mind
Book SynopsisA bold new book reveals how we can tap the intelligence that exists beyond our brains—in our bodies, our surroundings, and our relationships.Use your head.That’s what we tell ourselves when facing a tricky problem or a difficult project. But a growing body of research indicates that we’ve got it exactly backwards. What we need to do, says acclaimed science writer Annie Murphy Paul, is think outside the brain. A host of “extra-neural” resources—the feelings and movements of our bodies, the physical spaces in which we learn and work, and the minds of those around us—can help us focus more intently, comprehend more deeply, and create more imaginatively.The Extended Mind outlines the research behind this exciting new vision of human ability, exploring the findings of neuroscientists, cognitive scientists, and psychologists, and examining the practices of educators, managers, and leaders who are already reaping the benefits of thinking outside the brain. She excavates the untold history of how artists, scientists, and authors—from Jackson Pollock to Jonas Salk to Robert Caro—have used mental extensions to solve problems, make discoveries, and create new works. In the tradition of Howard Gardner’s Frames of Mind or Daniel Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence, The Extended Mind offers a dramatic new view of how our minds work, with practical advice on how we can all think better.
£14.24
Hachette Books The Kill Chain
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£16.40
Manchester University Press The Postmodern Condition
Book SynopsisMany definitions of postmodernism focus on its nature as the aftermath of the modern industrial age when technology developed. This book extends that analysis to postmodernism by looking at the status of science, technology, and the arts, the significance of technocracy, and the way the flow of information is controlled in the Western world.Table of ContentsForeword by Frederic JamesonIntroduction1 The field: knowledge in computerized societies2 The problem: legitimation3 The method: language games4 The nature of the social bond: the modern alternative5 The nature of the social bond: the postmodern perspective6 The pragmatics of narrative knowledge7 The pragmatics of scientific knowledge8 The narrative function and the legitimation of knowledge9 Narratives of the legitimation of knowledge10 Delgitimation11 Research and it legitimation through performativity12 Education and its legitimation through performativity13 Postmodern science as the search for instabilities14 Legitimation by paralogyAppendixNotes Index
£14.24
Harvard University Press Ordinary Vices Paper
Book SynopsisJudith Shklar draws from a brilliant array of writers—Molière and Dickens on hypocrisy, Jane Austen on snobbery, Shakespeare and Montesquieu on misanthropy, Hawthorne and Nietzsche on cruelty, Conrad and Faulkner on betrayal—to reveal the nature and effects of the vices.Trade ReviewThese are civilized excursions, literate and sensitive, and I cherish the book for its effort to move us out of the metalanguage and into the heart of darkness. Once we acknowledge the ordinariness of ordinary vices, the banality of normal badness, we may find ourselves not so distant from the moral monsters of human history, who may simply be us, writ large. -- A. C. Danto * Times Literary Supplement *The book is a delight to read. At every turn of the argument it spurs one to think, and gives added pleasure with each new perplexity it raises. Readers who relish thinking for its own sake will be happy to join in the sheer exuberance of it. -- Ronald Beiner * Times Higher Education Supplement *A distinguished book, full of wit, humanity, and insight… It is also, and more importantly, a moral psychology for liberals. -- Michael WalzerTable of ContentsIntroduction: Thinking about Vices 1. Putting Cruelty First 2. Let Us not be Hypocritical 3. What is Wrong with Snobbery? 4. The Ambiguities of Betrayal 5. Misanthropy 6. Bad Characters for Good Liberals Notes Credits Index
£26.31
Harvard University Press Private Truths Public Lies
Book SynopsisDrawing on diverse intellectual traditions, including those rooted in economics, psychology, sociology, and political science, Kuran provides a unified theory of how preference falsification shapes collective decisions, orients structural change, sustains social stability, distorts human knowledge, and conceals political possibilities.Trade ReviewHow can societies experience such dramatic reversals [as the end of apartheid in South Africa, widespread smoking bans and Republican control of Congress] in such short periods? In his inventive and sometimes astonishing book, Timur Kuran offers an answer--one that bears not just on revolutionary movements, but also on feminism, conformity, cognitive dissonance, the moral majority, 'outing' homosexuals, rationality, hate speech codes, Gorbachev, hippies and the caste system (all of which make prominent appearances in these pages)...Much of the interest of Kuran's book is owed to his insistence, unusual and refreshing among economists (of whom he is one), that people's choices, and even their desires, are not given and fixed, but are a function of social and psychological conditions, above all pressures imposed by other people...Kuran's book is a terrific success. -- Cass R. Sunstein * New Republic *A splendid book. It tackles a long list of interesting and important questions that have been discussed at length, and largely unsuccessfully, by scholars from each of the social sciences. The narrow rational choice model simply cannot answer many of these questions. Psychological theories by themselves cannot even address many of them. And sociological theories that take the group as the unit of analysis have made little progress. Kuran patiently and intelligently blends the insights of these disciplines into a behavioral model that moves the discussion forward on many fronts. -- Robert H. Frank * Journal of Economic Literature *From the caste system of India, to communism's rise and fall, to the continuing controversy over affirmative action, Timur Kuran's new theory of social evolution is as provocative as it is ambitious. Merging insights from many disciplines, Private Truths, Public Lies seeks to show how 'preference falsification' shapes social action, biases knowledge, inhibits change, and (from time to time) unleashes revolution...An excellent book that can be read by scholars of all disciplines. Its interdisciplinary insights illuminate a raft of social, political, and economic phenomena. -- Laurence R. Iannaccone * Journal of Economic History *Economist Timur Kuran has written a fascinating study of how even formally 'free' citizens can be socially pressured into 'living a lie,' publicly justifying beliefs and practices that they privately reject, even abhor. -- Frederick R. Lynch * National Review *The core idea of this stimulating book is simple to grasp: Social factors, the nature of which is variable with the circumstances, can have the effect that people falsify their private preferences when they have to express them publicly. -- Raymond Boudon * Contemporary Sociology *[Kuran's] arguments are elegantly made and the lengthy discussions of the applications of the basic ideas are well researched and suffiently detailed to be of considerable interest in their own right...This is a thoughtful, imaginative, and stimulating book which deserves a wide audience. -- Alan Hamlin * Economic Journal *Timur Kuran takes us on a grand journey through world history, from the creation of the Indian caste system to present-day racial quotas in the United States. The journey is guided by the search for the social consequences of a phenomenon that Kuran argues is all-pervasive: preference falsification...Kuran's book opens important new perspectives for the analysis of both individual choice and social change. -- Felix Oberholzer-Gee * Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics (Tübingen, Germany) *Few recent contributions to the literature of social science open so many windows. This engagingly written book carries its learning and sophistication lightly. -- Loren E. Lomasky * Independent Review: A Journal of Political Economy *A fascinating study in social and political psychology and public opinion...For those who stress that war, violence and peace start in the minds of men, this is certainly an important work. -- Gernot Kohler * Peace Research *A compelling theoretical analysis of how contextual structures of power influence an individual to conform to public sentiment. Combining perspectives of economics, psychology, and sociology, the author provides countless insights into the process whereby individuals repress their true opinions because of possible censure or admonition from those representing the prevailing sentiment...Kuran's argument has crucial implications for social theory...Highly recommended for its thorough and insightful analysis. * Choice *[E]normously subtle...[Kuran's] exposition of 'preference falsification' is the most original work of social science I have read for many a long year. The term and concept have innumerable applications and deserve to enter the language...The conclusion Kuran reaches is a powerful one which is at odds with most social science and indeed everyday thought about our ability to understand or forecast social change...The text is entirely lucid and the theme is of the utmost importance. -- Eric Jones * Quadrant (Australian Review of Ideas) *Kuran argues that agents choose 'public preferences' which are contrary to their 'private preferences' in order to attain 'reputational utility.' Such 'preference falsification' pushes, in turn, ideas away from private consciousness, originating 'knowledge falsification' (i.e., indoctrination). Kuran's book is well-argued, never dull, and studded with diverse anecdotes. It is destined to become a classic, providing a methodological individualistic alternative to Karl Marx's theory of ideology...Academics as well as educated persons will come back after reading the book more enriched on how to understand our complex world. -- Elias L. Khalil * Southern Economic Journal *Kuran is the leading pioneer in examining the harsh and the subtle ways in which we are induced to deceive our public, our acquaintances, and eventyally ourselves about the issues that matter most in our lives or in our careers. His insight is always persuasive, sometimes stunning. A very careful book. -- Thomas C. Schelling, University of Maryland at College ParkThis fascinating book analyzes a topic almost never considered by economists, how social pressures modify choices among publicly visible actions. In particular, expressed "public opinion" may be unrepresentative of actual private beliefs, so a minor shock can easily set a bandwagon in motion. Thus political and social equilibria are far more fragile than is usually believed. In fact, almost all great revolutions have been more or less total surprises. The author's applications of the model--to the caste system in India, to the downfall of communism, and (unexpectedly!) to the affirmative action juggernaut in the United States--are gripping, insightful, and (with regard to the last issue) courageous. -- Jack Hirshleifer, University of California, Los AngelesTimur Kuran explores the devastating consequences to political discourses that derive from the simple unwillingness of intelligent individuals to say publicly what they believe privately. The United States may have constitutional guarantees for freedom of speech that were nowhere to be found in communist societies. But the eerie parallels that Kuran draws between the persistence of communism in Eastern Europe and the persistence of affirmative action at home should give even skeptical readers pause about the ability of our legal institutions to promote candid discussion of the major political issues of our times. -- Richard A. Epstein, University of ChicagoTable of ContentsPreface Living a Lie The Significance of Preference Falsification Private and Public Preferences Private Opinion, Public Opinion The Dynamics of Public Opinion Institutional Sources of Preference Falsification Inhibiting Change Collective Conservatism The Obstinacy of Communism The Ominous Perseverance of the Caste System The Unwanted Spread of Affirmative Action Distorting Knowledge Public Discourse and Private Knowledge The Unthinkable and the Unthought The Caste Ethic of Submission The Blind Spots of Communism The Unfading Specter of White Racism Generating Surprise Unforeseen Political Revolutions The Fall of Communism and Other Sudden Overturns The Hidden Complexities of Social Evolution From Slavery to Affirmative Action Preference Falsification and Social Analysis Notes Index
£29.71
