Social and political philosophy Books

Book SynopsisAcclaimed as one of the most exciting books in the history of American letters, this modern epic became an instant bestseller upon publication in 1974, transforming a generation and continuing to inspire millions. A narration of a summer motorcycle trip undertaken by a father and his son, the book becomes a personal and philosophical odyssey into fundamental questions of how to live. Resonant with the confusions of existence, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is a touching and transcendent book of life.Trade ReviewProfoundly important...full of insights into our most perplexing contemporary dilemmas * New York Times *Mr Pirsig has written a work of great, perhaps urgent, importance... Read this book * Observer *The book is inspired, original...the narrative tact, the perfect economy of effect defy criticism. The analogies with Moby Dick are patent * New Yorker *Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is an unforgettable trip * Time *Disturbing, deeply moving, full of insights...this is a wonderful book * Times Literary Supplement *

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Book SynopsisThe physiologist Benjamin Libet famously demonstrated that activity in the brain''s motor regions can be detected some 300 milliseconds before a person feels that he has decided to move. Another lab recently used fMRI data to show that some conscious decisions can be predicted up to 10 seconds before they enter awareness (long before the preparatory motor activity detected by Libet). Clearly, findings of this kind are difficult to reconcile with the sense that one is the conscious source of one''s actions. The question of free will is no mere curio of philosophy seminars. A belief in free will underwrites both the religious notion of sin and our enduring commitment to retributive justice. The Supreme Court has called free will a universal and persistent foundation for our system of law. Any scientific developments that threatened our notion of free will would seem to put the ethics of punishing people for their bad behaviour in question.In Free Will Harris debates these ideas aTrade Review"In this elegant and provocative book, Sam Harris demonstrates—with great intellectual ferocity and panache—that free will is an inherently flawed and incoherent concept, even in subjective terms. If he is right, the book will radically change the way we view ourselves as human beings." —V. S. Ramachandran, Director of the Center for Brain and Cognition, UCSD, and author of The Tell-Tale Brain"Brilliant and witty—and never less than incisive—Free Will shows that Sam Harris can say more in 13,000 words than most people do in 100,000." —Oliver Sacks"Free will is an illusion so convincing that people simply refuse to believe that we don’t have it. In Free Will, Sam Harris combines neuroscience and psychology to lay this illusion to rest at last. Like all of Harris’s books, this one will not only unsettle you but make you think deeply. Read it: you have no choice."—Jerry A. Coyne, Professor of Ecology and Evolution, University of Chicago, and author of Why Evolution Is True"Many say that believing that there is no free will is impossible—or, if possible, will cause nihilism and despair. In this feisty and personal essay, Harris offers himself as an example of a heart made less self-absorbed, and more morally sensitive and creative, because this particular wicked witch is dead." —Owen Flanagan, Professor of Philosophy, Duke University, and author of The Really Hard Problem"If you believe in free will, or know someone who does, here is the perfect antidote. In this smart, engaging, and extremely readable little book, Sam Harris argues that free will doesn’t exist, that we’re better off knowing that it doesn’t exist, and that—once we think about it in the right way—we can appreciate from our own experience that it doesn’t exist. This is a delightful discussion by one of the sharpest scholars around.” —Paul Bloom, Professor of Psychology, Yale University, and author of How Pleasure Works

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Book SynopsisThe essential account of geopolitics - including an afterword on President Donald Trump ''For anyone wanting to find out more about the world we live in . . . there is one simple answer: read Noam Chomsky'' New StatesmanNoam Chomsky: philosopher, political writer, fearless activist. No one has done more to question the hidden actors who govern our lives, calling the powers that be to account. Here he presents Who Rules the World?, his definitive account of those powers, how they work, and why we should be questioning them.From the dark history of the US and Cuba to China''s global rise, from torture memos to sanctions on Iran, this book investigates the defining issues of our times and exposes the hypocrisy at the heart of America''s policies and actions. The world''s political and financial elite are now operating almost totally unconstrained by the so-called democratic structure. With climate change and nuclear proliferation threatening our very survival, dissenting voices have never been more necessary.Fiercely outspoken and rigorously argued, Who Rules the World? is an indispensable guide to how things really are.''Chomsky is a giant: not just for his intellect, but for his huge influence on millions of people who want an alternative to injustice'' Owen JonesTrade ReviewPublisher's description. Noam Chomsky is the world's most influential political commentator, bar none. Here he presents a comprehensive examination of contemporary America, its behaviour at home and abroad, its single-minded pursuit and exercise of power. * Penguin *

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Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics.

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Book SynopsisHarperCollins is proud to present its incredible range of best-loved, essential classics.I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practise resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms, and, if it proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion. Henry David Thoreau, WaldenTrade Review‘Thoreau was a great writer, philosopher, poet, and withal a most practical man, that is, he taught nothing he was not prepared to practise in himself. … He went to gaol for the sake of his principles and suffering humanity. His essay has, therefore, been sanctified by suffering. Moreover, it is written for all time. Its incisive logic is unanswerable.’ Mohandas Gandhi ‘I became convinced that noncooperation with evil is as much a moral obligation as is cooperation with good. No other person has been more eloquent and passionate in getting this idea across than Henry David Thoreau. As a result of his writings and personal witness, we are the heirs of a legacy of creative protest.’ Martin Luther King, Jr

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Book SynopsisGinie Servant-Miklos is Assistant Professor of Education in the Department of Clinical Psychology at Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands. She is the founder of FairFight, an international women's empowerment foundation.

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Book SynopsisSUNDAY TIMES NUMBER ONE BESTSELLERThe most important book of the year' Daily MailThe brilliant and provocative new book from one of the world's foremost political writersThe anti-Western revisionists have been out in force in recent years. It is high time that we revise them in turn'In The War on the West, international bestselling author Douglas Murray asks: if the history of humankind is one of slavery, conquest, prejudice, genocide and exploitation, why are only Western nations taking the blame for it? It's become perfectly acceptable to celebrate the contributions of non-Western cultures, but discussing their flaws and crimes is called hate speech. What's more it has become acceptable to discuss the flaws and crimes of Western culture, but celebrating their contributions is also called hate speech. Some of this is a much-needed reckoning; however, some is part of a larger international attack on reason, democracy, science, progress and the citizens of the West by dishonest scholarsTrade Review‘Murray shows not just how every aspect of western society has come under the iconoclasts’ gaze – from mathematics to music, Kew Gardens to Jane Austen – but how flimsy their case often is.’ – The Sunday Times ‘Murray writes with wonderful lucidity about the many fronts on which the West is waging war against itself. And he writes with a sense of urgency.’ – Real Clear Politics ‘Well executed… a spirited defence against the Left's assault on the Western tradition.’ – The Daily Telegraph ‘The War on the West is a monumental book leading to several pivotal realisations.’ – Lotus Eaters ‘Meticulous, measured… The War on the West is Douglas Murray’s latest blast against loony left wokery.’ – The Spectator Praise for Douglas Murray and The Madness of Crowds ‘Whether one agrees with him or not, Douglas Murray is one of the most important public intellectuals today.’ – Bernard-Henry Levy ‘This is an author who specialises in expressing what everyone sort of knows already and is afraid to say…Well argued, well supported, and well observed.’ – Lionel Shriver ‘Simply brilliant. Reading it to the end, I felt as though I’d just drawn my first full breath in years. At a moment of collective madness, there is nothing more refreshing – or indeed, provocative – than sanity.’ – Sam Harris ‘His latest book is beyond brilliant and should be read, must be read, by everyone. He mercilessly exposes the hypocrisy and embarrassingly blatant contradictions that run rife through the current ‘woke’ vouge.’ – Richard Dawkins ‘Douglas Murray fights the good fight for freedom of speech… A truthful look at today’s most divisive issues.’ – Jordan B. Peterson ‘Extraordinary. Magnificent. Searing. Necessary. I salute il miglior fabbro. ‘And whether they listen or fail to listen… they will know that the prophet has been among them’ (Ezekiel 2:5)’ – Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks

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Book SynopsisWith an Introduction by Dr Richard Serjeantson, Trinity College, CambridgeSince its first publication in 1651, Thomas Hobbes’s Leviathan has been recognised as one of the most compelling, and most controversial, works of political philosophy written in English. Forged in the crucible of the civil and religious warfare of the mid-seventeenth century, it proposes a political theory that combines an unequivocal commitment to natural human liberty with the conviction that the sovereign power of government must be exercised absolutely. Leviathan begins from some shockingly naturalistic starting-points: an analysis of human nature as being motivated by vain-glory and pride, and a vision of religion as simply the fear of invisible powers made up by the mind. Yet from these deliberately unpromising elements, Hobbes constructs with unparalleled forcefulness an elaborate, systematic, and comprehensive account of how political society ought to be: ordered, law-bound, peaceful. In Leviathan, Hobbes presents us with a portrait of politics which depicts how a state that is made up of the unified body of all its citizens will be powerful, fruitful, protective of each of its members, and — above all — free from internal violence.

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Book SynopsisBringing his cosmic perspective to civilization on Earth, Neil deGrasse Tyson, bestselling author ofAstrophysics for People in a Hurry,shines new light on the crucial fault lines of our timewar, politics, religion, truth, beauty, gender, race, and tribalismin a way that stimulates a deeper sense of unity for us all.In a time when our political and cultural perspectives feel more divisive than ever, Tyson provides a much-needed antidote to so much of what divides us, while making a passionate case for the twin engines of enlightenmenta cosmic perspective and the rationality of science.After thinking deeply about how a scientist views the world and about what Earth looks like from space, Tyson has found that terrestrial thoughts change as our brain resets and recalibrates life''s priorities, along with the actions we might take in response. As a result, no outlook on culture, society, or civilisation remains untouched.InStarry Messenger, Tyson reveals just how human the enterprise of science is. Far from a cold, unfeeling undertaking, scientific methods, tools, and discoveries have shaped modern civilisation and created the landscape we''ve built for ourselves on which to live, work, and play. Tyson shows how an infusion of science and rational thinking renders worldviews deeper and more informed than ever beforeand exposes unfounded perspectives and unjustified emotions.With crystalline prose and an abundance of evidence,Starry Messengerwalks us through the scientific palette that sees and paints the world differently. From lessons on resolving global conflict to reminders of how precious it is to be alive, Tyson reveals, with warmth and eloquence, ten surprising, brilliant, and beautiful truths of human society, informed and enlightened by knowledge of our place in the universe.

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Book SynopsisA magisterial, one-volume history of political thought from Herodotus to the present, Ancient Athens to modern democracy - from author and professor Alan RyanThis is a book about the answers that historians, philosophers, theologians, practising politicians and would-be revolutionaries have given to one question: how should human beings best govern themselves? Almost every modern government claims to be democratic; but is democracy really the best way of organising our political life? Can we manage our own affairs at all? Should we even try? In the west, do we actually live in democracies? In this extraordinary book Alan Ryan engages with the great thinkers of the past to show us how vividly their ideas speak to us in today''s uncertain world.ALAN RYAN was born in London in 1940 and taught for many years at Oxford, where he was a Fellow of New College and Reader in Politics. He was Professor of Politics at Princeton from 1988 to 1996, when he reTrade Review[A] magnificent piece of work, clear (even when the ideas he's exploring are obscure) and engaging (even when the theory is forbidding) ... It's a remarkable experience -- Jeremy Waldron * New York Review of Books *A brave and clever book ... crammed with smart observations and wise advice -- John Keane * Financial Times *Concise, lucid ... despite covering huge intellectual terrain, On Politics is a delight both when it explores detail and also when it draws conclusions of a broader perspective -- Justin Champion * BBC History Magazine *

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Book SynopsisIt is not the well-being of individuals that makes cities great, but the well-being of the communityFew figures in intellectual history have proved as notorious and ambiguous as Niccolò Machiavelli. But while his treatise The Prince made his name synonymous with autocratic ruthlessness and cynical manipulation, The Discourses (c.1517) shows a radically different outlook on the world of politics. In this carefully argued commentary on Livy's history of republican Rome, Machiavelli proposed a system of government that would uphold civic freedom and security by instilling the virtues of active citizenship, and that would also encourage citizens to put the needs of the state above selfish, personal interests. Ambitious in scope, but also clear-eyed and pragmatic, The Discourses creates a modern theory of republic politics.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literatureTable of ContentsThe DiscoursesPrefaceIntroduction by Bernard CrickSo Many MachiavellisThe Prince and The DiscoursesRepublics as Mixed GovernmentThe Mixture as AdaptabilityThe Value of ConflictFactors of Social ClassThe Conditions for Republican RuleTheory and MethodPolitics and MoralityThe Letter to VettoriSuggestions for Further ReadingTHE DISCOURSES OF NICCOLÒ MACHIAVELLITable of ContentsThe TextNotes

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Book SynopsisIn A Discourse on Inequality, Rousseau sets out to demonstrate how the growth of civilization corrupts man’s natural happiness and freedom by creating artificial inequalities of wealth, power and social privilege. Contending that primitive man was equal to his fellows, Rousseau believed that as societies become more sophisticated, the strongest and most intelligent members of the community gain an unnatural advantage over their weaker brethren, and that constitutions set up to rectify these imbalances through peace and justice in fact do nothing but perpetuate them. Rousseau’s political and social arguments in the Discourse were a hugely influential denunciation of the social conditions of his time and one of the most revolutionary documents of the eighteenth-century.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelTable of ContentsA Discourse on InequalityForewordIntroductionDiscourse on the Origins and Foundations of Inequality among MenRousseau's NotesAbbreviations used in Editor's Introduction and NotesEditor's Notes

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Book SynopsisIn the Laws, Plato describes in fascinating detail a comprehensive system of legislation in a small agricultural utopia he named Magnesia. His laws not only govern crime and punishment, but also form a code of conduct for all aspects of life in his ideal state - from education, sport and religion to sexual behaviour, marriage and drinking parties. Plato sets out a plan for the day-to-day rule of Magnesia, administered by citizens and elected officials, with supreme power held by a Council. Although Plato''s views that citizens should act in complete obedience to the law have been read as totalitarian, the Laws nonetheless constitutes a highly impressive programme for the reform of society and provides a crucial insight into the mind of one of Classical Greece''s foremost thinkers.Table of ContentsThe LawsPrefaceAcknowledgmentsIntroductionUtopianismPlato's Life and WorkPlato's Political ThoughtThe RepublicThe StatesmanThe LawsThe Relationship Between the Republic and the LawsMagnesia: the New Utopiaa. Size and Situationb. Population and Occupationsc. Educationd. Religione. Lawf. Government and AdministrationPlato and TotalitarianismThe Modern Reaction to PlatoComposition and Structure of the Laws: SummaryFurther ReadingNote on the TranslationThe Laws1. The Inadequacy of Spartan and Cretan LegislationIntroductory ConversationThe Aim of Spartan and Cretan LawsCourage and Pleasure2. Drinking Parties as an Educational DeviceTeetotallers MisguidedCan Drinking Parties be Educational?Interlude: The Athenian Pressed for an AnswerThe Nature and Purpose of EducationThe Educational Effect of Drinking Parties3. The Arts in the Service of EducationThe Nature and Purpose of Educationhow the Arts should reinforce EducationIs Pleasure the Proper Criterion in the Arts?Artistic Censorship in EgyptJustice and Happiness for TogetherChildren are Easily PersuadedThe Three ChorusesQualifications of the Third Chorus, and an Attack on Contemporary Trends in the ArtsThe Educational Effects of Drinking PartiesSumming-up on the Uses of Drink4. The Lessons of History: Legislation and the Balance of PowersLife after the FloodAutocracyThe Primitive City and the Origin of LegislationTroyThe Dorian LeagueWhy did the League Fail?Seven Titles to AuthorityThe Reasons for Sparta's Success5. The Lessons of History (2): Monarchy and DemocracyTwo Mother-ConstitutionsThe Persian MonarchyAthens and the Persian WarsThe Corruption of the Athenian DemocracyRecapitulationThe Proposed New Cretan Colony6. Magnesia and Its PeopleNatural ResourcesThe ColonistsThe Need for a Benevolent DictatorWhat Constitution is to be Imposed?The Age of CronusLaw should be SupremeAddress to the New Colonists7. The Correct way to Legislate: Laws and PreamblesIntroductionPhysical FitnessWealthThe Correct Treatment of ChildrenDuties to Relatives, Friends and StateDuties to ForeignersPersonal MoralityHow to Handle CriminalsSelfishnessExtremes of Emotion to be AvoidedVirtue and Happiness9. The Foundation of the New StatePreliminary Analysis of the StateThe Selection of the CitizensDistributing the Land (1)The Size of the Population (1)Religious and Social OccasionsStates Ideal and Real: Community of PropertyDistributing the Land (2)The Size of the Population (2)Holdings are InalienableThe Possession of MoneyThe Four Property-ClassesAdministrative Units of the StateTheory to be Modified by FactsThe Pre-eminence of MathematicsInfluences of Climate10. Civil and Legal AdministrationProblems of Appointing the First OfficialsThe Election of the Guardians of the LawsDuties and Tenure of the Guardians; Registration of PropertyMilitary OfficialsGeneralsCompany-CommandersThe ElectionsCavalry-CommandersDisrupted VotesThe Election of the CouncilThe Notion of EqualityThe Executive Committee of the CouncilOther Officials; PriestsThe Election of the ExpoundersTresurersThe Protection of the TerritoryThe Rural CourtsHow the Country-Wardens are to LiveThe City-WardensThe Market-WardensEducation OfficalsThe Minister of EducationDeath in OfficeThree Grades of CourtElection of the Supreme CourtCorrupt VerdictsThe Court of the PeopleThe Tribal CourtsOur Scheme is only a Sketch11. Marriage and Related TopicsThe Younger LegislatorsThe Organization of Religious FestivalsMarriage: Choosing a Partner (1)Changing the LawsThe Law of MarriagePreamble to the Law of Marriage: Choosing a Partner (2)Failure to MarryDowriesThe Wedding-FeastCorrect Procreation (1)The Life of the Newly-WedsThe Problem of SlaveryThe Buildings of the StateWomen must join the Communal MealsThree Instictive Drives: Food, Drink, SexCorrect ProcreationAdulteryRegistration of Births and DeathsAge Limits12. EducationWritten and Unwritten RulesEducation in the WombThe Importance of Movement: the Evidence of Corybantic Ritualhow far should a Child be Humoured?Unwritten Rules: a ReminderEarly EducationAmbidexterityPhysical Training (1)The Dangers of Innovation in EducationCome Model RulesThe Regulation of MusicThe Right Use of LeisureAttendance at SchoolThe Education of FemalesHow to Live a life of LeisureFurther Duties of the Minister of EducationThe Legislator's Instuctions to the Minister of Education: the CurriculumLiteratureA Set Text: Selections from the Laws of PlatoMusicComedy and TragedyMathematicsAstronomyHunting: Written and Unwritten Rules again13. Sport and Military TrainingArrangements for FestivalsMilitary TrainingObstacles to Correct Military TrainingRacesContests in ArmsHorse-RacingConclusion14. Problems of Sexual ConductThe Problems StatedThree Kinds of FriendshipHow to Discourage Unnatural Sexual IntercourseThe Importance of Self-ControlTwo Alternative Laws15. Agriculture, Economics and TradeThe Food SupplyAgricultural LawsDuties to NeighborsThe Water Supply (1)The harvestThe Water Supply (2)Bringing in CropsArtisansImports and ExportsThe Food Supply (2)Dwelling HousesThe MarketsResident Aliens16. Capital OffencesPreliminary DiscussionRobbery from TemplesProcedure in Capital CasesSubversionTreason17. The Theory of PunishmentTheft: Should all Thefts Attract the Same Punichment?Philosophical Legislation JustifiedA 'Terminological Inexactitude'The Attack on the Distinction between 'Voluntary' and 'Involuntary'The New Distinction, and the Purpose of PunichmentA Fuller Account of Injustice18. Homicide LawPersons Unfit to PleadInvoluntary HomicideHomicide in AngerVoluntary HomicideSuicideAnimals and Inanimate Objects as KillersMurder by Persons UnknownJustifiable Homicide19. WoundingsPreliminariesThe Courts' DiscretionVoluntary Wounding, and a Digression on Adopting an Heir in Cases of ChildlessnessWoundings Inflicted in AngerInvoluntary Woundings20. Assault21. ReligionThree Sources of ImpietyThe Case of the OppositionAddress to the Young HereticNature and Chance versus DesignThe Difficulties of Refuting AtheistsThe Priority of Soul (1)Ten Kinds of MotionSoul Moves ItselfThe Priority of Soul (2)Soul moves the Heavenly BodiesAddress to the Believer in the Indifference of the GodsProof that the Gods care for MankindThe Justice of the Gods, and the Fate of the SoulTransition to the Law of ImpietyTwo Kinds of OffendersThe Punishment for ImpietyPrivate Shrines22. The Law of PropertyRespect for PropertyRemoval of Buried TreasureRemoval of Property in GeneralThe Treatment of Slaves and Freedom23. Commercial LawThe Law of Sale and ExchangeRetail TradeContractsDealings with CraftsmenMilitary 'Craftsmen'24. Family LawMaking a WillTestamentary and Inheritance LawHow to Mitigate the Harshness of the LawThe Care of OrphansDisinheritanceSenilityDivorce and RemarriageDeath of a Wife or HusbandChildren of Mixed StatusRespect for Parents25. Miscellaneous LegislationNon-fatal Injuries by Drugs and CharmsThe Purpose of PunishmentLunacyAbuseThe Censorship of ComediesBeggarsDamage by SlavesFurther Rules of Legal ProcedureUnscrupulous AdvocacyOffences Committed by Members of Diplomatic MissionsTheft of Public PropertyMilitary ServiceAbandonment of WeaponsThe Need for ScrutineersThe Funeral of a ScrutineerProsecutions of ScrutineersOathsRefusal to Contribute to Public ExpensesRelations with the Outside WorldForeign TravelThe ObserversForiegn VisitorsSuretiesSearching a HouseTime Limits for Disputing TitlePrevention of Attendance at CourtPrevention of Participation in ContestsReceiving Stolen GoodsHarbouring an ExileWaging Private WarBribesTaxationOfferings to the GodsThe Three Grades of CourtThe Minor Points of Legal Procedure, and the Importance of Legal StudiesThe Execution of JudgementFuneral Regulations26. The Nocturnal CouncilHow can the State be Preserved Intact?Membership and Functions of the CouncilThe Unity and Plurality of VirtueThe Council's Duty to TeachThe Higher Education of the CouncilThe Importance of TheologyRecruitment of the Council, and its Course of StudiesClosing RemarksDepartures from the Budé TextMap of Central CreteList of CrimesAppendix: Plato's LettersNotesIndex of Names

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Book SynopsisToday The Prince is still seen as the Bible of realpolitik, read by strategists, businessmen and political animals everywhere as the ultimate guide to gaining and maintaining power in a dangerous world.

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Book SynopsisLiving with people who differ - racially, ethnically, religiously or economically - is one of the most urgent challenges facing civil society today. Together argues that co-operation needs more than good will: it is a craft that requires skill. In modern society traditional bonds are waning, and we must develop new forms of secular, civic ritual that make us more skilful in living with others. From Medieval guilds to today''s social networks, Richard Sennett''s visionary book explores the nature of co-operation, why it has become weak and how it can be strengthened.Trade ReviewAs challenging and demanding as cooperation is, it has been our species' secret weapon, and those of us alive today are the descendants of people who had what it takes to make it work. This thoughtful book outlines the craftsmanship we will need to ensure that it continues to do so -- Mark Pagel * New Scientist *A fresh exploration of one of the oldest conundrums facing social theory, which is how cooperation between people is forged and maintained -- Frank Furedi * Times Higher Education *To call this captivating writer an academic sociologist makes as much, or as little, sense as labelling Mozart a court musician ... Eclectic, ecumenical, Sennett leads us with charm and candour down his chosen routes to renovation -- Boyd Tonkin * The Independent *Together is a profound mediation on how humans act as social animals, and an inspiring call for us all to try and embrace differences of tribe, religion and class -- Ian Critchley * Sunday Times *The book offers an artisanal response to a post-industrial condition ... In this sense, Sennett is a true heir to John Ruskin and William Morris -- Terry Eagleton * Times Literary Supplement *Richard Sennett's new book is an excellent resource to help us [work with others], and what shines through it is Sennett's own humanity. He is an excellent scholar and a very agile thinker ... this is a book that should be widely read -- Kester Brewin * Third Way *Co-operation is hard because it is about learning to live with people who think differently or don't know what they think at all. Sennett wants to remind us that this is a skill, and like any skill it takes patience and practice -- David Runciman * The Guardian *

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Book Synopsis''These sixteen pieces brim over with vitality . . . every one of them opening up fresh lines of thought'' John Gray, New StatesmanAt the Same Time contains sixteen illuminating essays by Susan Sontag with a preface by David Rieff.The sixteen essays represent the last pieces written by Susan Sontag in the years before her death in 2004. Reflecting on literature, photography and art, post 9/11 America and political activism, these essays encompass the themes that dominated Sontag''s life and work, revealing why she remains one of the twentieth century''s preeminent writers and thinkers.''One of America''s greatest public intellectuals'' Observer''Excellent and essential'' Financial Times''Reads like a greatest-hits album - a little politics, something on photography, some lit. crit. - of Sontag''s passions'' Daily Telegraph''Sontag''s clear thinking . . . shines like a spotlight in dark places'' Trade ReviewAt the time [Sontag] died, she was America’s best-known public intellectual. To my mind, she was also the most exemplary. Intellectually and imaginatively gifted to an extraordinary degree, she used her fearless intelligence to illuminate some of the deepest contradictions of contemporary life -- John Gray * New Statesman *Intense and insightful . . . some excellent and essential essays * Financial Times *Sontag’s clear thinking . . . shines like a spotlight in dark places * The Times *A formidable mind . . . America’s foremost intellectual . . . [Sontag’s] willingness to shoulder the responsibility and complicity for acts that most Americans are only too eager to condemn is the sign of a spirit open to examining any idea except compromise * Metro *[A] powerful collection . . . Sontag's brilliance as a literary critic, her keen analytical skill and her genius for the searingly apt phrase are all fiercely displayed here * Publishers Weekly *

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Book Synopsis''The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains.''Marx and Engels''s revolutionary summons to the working classes - one of the most important and influential political theories ever formulated.Introducing Little Black Classics: 80 books for Penguin''s 80th birthday. Little Black Classics celebrate the huge range and diversity of Penguin Classics, with books from around the world and across many centuries. They take us from a balloon ride over Victorian London to a garden of blossom in Japan, from Tierra del Fuego to 16th-century California and the Russian steppe. Here are stories lyrical and savage; poems epic and intimate; essays satirical and inspirational; and ideas that have shaped the lives of millions.Karl Marx (1818-1883) and Friedrich Engels (1820-1895). Marx''s works available in Penguin Classics are Capital, Dispatches for the New York Tribune, Early Writings, Grundrisse, The Portable Karl Marx and Revolution and War.

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Book SynopsisHow can a leader be strong and decisive, yet still inspire loyalty in his followers? When is it necessary to break the rules? Is it better to be feared than loved? In this book, the author answers all these questions in a work of realpolitik that still has shrewd political lessons.

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Book SynopsisThe maverick philosopher returns to explore today''s idealogical, political and economic battles, and asks whether radical change is possibleIn these troubled times, even the most pessimistic diagnosis of our future ends with an uplifting hint that things might not be as bad as all that, that there is light at the end of the tunnel.Yet, argues Slavoj Žižek, it is only when we have admit to ourselves that our situation is completely hopeless - that the light at the end of the tunnel is in fact the headlight of a train approaching us from the opposite direction - that fundamental change can be brought about. Surveying the various challenges in the world today, from mass migration and geopolitical tensions to terrorism, the explosion of rightist populism and the emergence of new radical politics - all of which, in their own way, express the impasses of global capitalism - Žižek explores whether there still remains the possibility for genuine change. Today, he proposes, the only true question is,or should be, this: do we endorse the predominant acceptance of capitalism as fact of human nature, or does today''s capitalism contain strong enough antagonisms to prevent its infinite reproduction? Can we, he asks, move beyond the failure of socialism, and beyond the current wave of populist rage, and initiate radical change before the train hits? ''Žižek is a thinker who regards nothing as outside his field: the result is deeply interesting and provocative'' - Guardian ''Žižek leaves no social or cultural phenomenon untheorized, and is master of the counterintuitive observation'' -New YorkerTrade ReviewŽižek is a thinker who regards nothing as outside his field: the result is deeply interesting and provocative * Guardian *Žižek leaves no social or cultural phenomenon untheorized, and is master of the counterintuitive observation * New Yorker *

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Book SynopsisIn our brave new world of Big Tech, work is automated and money melts into air. What comes next as the global capitalist edifice crumbles? Slavoj Žižek shows how the answer is already stealing into sight, like a thief in broad daylight. What we must do is wake up and see it. ''In a world determined to crush hope of radical change, where moral corruption poses as pragmatism and systemic oppression as the new freedom, Slavoj Žižek''s excellent new book serves humanity in a way that only authentic philosophy can'' Yanis Varoufakis''The Elvis of cultural theory'' New Statesman''Master of the counterintuitive observation'' New YorkerTrade ReviewŽižek is a thinker who regards nothing as outside his field: the result is deeply interesting and provocative * Guardian *Žižek leaves no social or cultural phenomenon untheorized, and is master of the counterintuitive observation * New Yorker *In a world determined to crush hope of radical change, where moral corruption poses as pragmatism and systemic oppression as the new freedom, Slavoj Zizek's excellent new book serves humanity in a way that only authentic philosophy can -- Yanis Varoufakis

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Book Synopsis''Everyone should read Down Girl. It should be distributed in schools and every board room, athletic department and legislative space'' - Soraya ChemalyA transformative book on how misogyny works from a hugely influential thinkerMisogyny is a hot topic, yet it''s often misunderstood. What is misogyny exactly? Who deserves to be called a misogynist? How does misogyny contrast with sexism, and why is it prone to persist - or increase - even when sexist gender roles are waning? In Down Girl moral philosopher Kate Manne argues that misogyny should not be understood primarily in terms of the hatred or hostility some men feel toward all or most women. Rather, it is primarily about controlling, policing, punishing and exiling the bad women who challenge male dominance. And it is compatible with rewarding the good ones and singling out other women to serve as warnings to those who are out of order.An incredibly forensic analysis of the logic of misogyny from a brilliant thinker, Down Girl is essential reading for the #MeToo era.Trade ReviewAn important and compelling analysis of a phenomenon that's everywhere. Out of Manne's thoughtful analysis, of not just much-debated high-profile events but also everyday experiences, emerge insight after insight into the what, why, when, and how of misogyny -- Cordelia Fine * Big Issue *Fiercely argued and timely -- Paul Bloom * New Yorker *Manne's book is a forensic and clever analysis which provides the cogs and wheels of how the system of patriarchal policing works, in our minds, as well as in our world. . . Down Girl offers a sharply cut prism through which to view our everyday experience -- Afua Hirsch * Times Literary Supplement *Everyone should read Down Girl. It should be distributed in schools and every board room, athletic department and legislative space -- Soraya Chemaly, author of Rage Becomes HerThe moment is ripe for a reckoning, and Manne offers the language and theory I've found myself grasping for. . . She combines the hyper-articulateness of a philosopher and the energy and humor of a down-to-earth millennial, which is electrifying -- Regan Penaluna * Guernica Magazine *A must-read. . . should be in every feminist's library. . . Down Girl is destined to become a feminist literary classic alongside the likes of The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf or Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique -- Jennifer Taylor Skinner * The Electorette *Really excellent. . . timely and intellectually rigorous -- Nigel WarburtonKate Manne does a jaw-droppingly brilliant job of explaining gender and power dynamics which have always been purposefully muddied, but which shape how and to whom sympathy and presumptions of full humanity accrue. . . Perceptive, bold, stylishly written and bracingly clear eyed, Down Girl is one of the best books I have ever read on gender and power; I will never stop learning from it -- Rebecca Traister, author of Good and MadAn exciting next-generation feminist philosopher -- Elizabeth AndersonDown Girl is excruciatingly well-timed, providing a theoretical framework for a phenomenon baring itself before us, perverse and pervasive. . . It reminds us that while revealing individual misogynists is hard, uprooting misogyny is much harder -- Carlos Lozada * Washington Post *

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Book SynopsisVery Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring John Stuart Mill (1806-73) is widely regarded as the leading liberal philosopher, economist, and political theorist of nineteenth century Britain. In his lifetime he was best known for his System of Logic (1843) and the Principles of Political Economy (1848). Today Mill is chiefly identified with On Liberty (1859), perhaps the definitive text of modern liberal statement of its subject, and probably the single most important work of modern political thought. Mill was also the first major male feminist thinker of the period (author of The Subjection of Women, 1869), and the first, as an MP, to introduce a bill for female enfranchisement before Parliament.This Very Short Introduction offers a brief survey of the life and key ideas of this most influential Victorian British writer. Moving chronologically, Gregory Claeys outlines the philosophical background out of which Mill developed, chiefly through the ideas of Jeremy Bentham and James Mill. He demonstrates how Mill''s personal life, especially his ''mental crisis'' of 1827, and his relationship with Harriet Taylor, were integral to his intellectual development. Throughout Claeys considers Mill''s key works set within the context of his lesser writings and correspondence, and discusses the more controversial aspects of his thought concerning religion, secularism, and birth control. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade ReviewBy placing Mill's philosophy in other perspectives, in the context of moments ranging from its genesis to its last writings, with new associations, Gregory Claeys offers the reader a brilliant reconstruction of this philosophy, allowing him to find all of it the power. The inevitable repetitions of themes throughout the book are ultimately instructive and even necessary for this brief introduction, contributing to the clarity of the text and the presentation of the subjects treated. * Beatriz Laporta, Archives de philosophie *Table of ContentsPreface 1: An uneventful life 2: Remaking radicalism 1835-45 3: Political economy and social philosophy 1845-1859 4: The values of On Liberty (1859) 5: Later writings 1861-79 6: Mill today Further Reading Index

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Book Synopsis''To a rational being there can be but one rule of conduct, justice, and one mode of ascertaining that rule, the exercise of his understanding.'' Godwin''s Political Justice is the founding text of philosophical anarchism. Written in the immediate aftermath of the French Revolution, it exemplifies the political optimism felt by many writers and intellectuals. Godwin drew on enlightenment ideas and his background in religious dissent for the principles of justice, utility, and the sanctity of individual judgement that drove his powerful critique of all forms of secular and religious authority. He predicts the triumph of justice and equality over injustice, and of mind over matter, and the eventual vanquishing of human frailty and mortality. He also foresees the gradual elimination of practices governing property, punishment, law, and marriage and the displacement of politics by an expanded personal morality resulting from reasoned argument and candid discussion. Political Justice raises deep philosophical questions about the nature of our duty to others that remain central to modern debates on ethics and politics.This edition reprints the first-edition text of 1793, and examines Godwin''s evolving philosophy in the context of his life and work. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World''s Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford''s commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

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Book SynopsisFrom 1789 in France to 2011 in Cairo, revolutions have shaken the world. In their pursuit of social justice, revolutionaries have taken on the assembled might of monarchies, empires, and dictatorships. They have often, though not always, sparked cataclysmic violence, and have at times won miraculous victories, though at other times suffered devastating defeat. This Very Short Introduction illuminates the revolutionaries, their strategies, their successes and failures, and the ways in which revolutions continue to dominate world events and the popular imagination. Starting with the city-states of ancient Greece and Rome, Jack Goldstone traces the development of revolutions through the Renaissance and Reformation, the Enlightenment and liberal constitutional revolutions such as in America, and their opposite--the communist revolutions of the 20th century. He shows how revolutions overturned dictators in Nicaragua and Iran and brought the collapse of communism in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, and examines the new wave of non-violent colour revolutions-the Philippines'' Yellow Revolution, Ukraine''s Orange Revolution--and the Arab Uprisings of 2011-12 that rocked the Middle East. Goldstone also sheds light on the major theories of revolution, exploring the causes of revolutionary waves, the role of revolutionary leaders, the strategies and processes of revolutionary change, and the intersection between revolutions and shifting patterns of global power. Finally, the author examines the reasons for diverse revolutionary outcomes, from democracy to civil war and authoritarian rule, and the likely future of revolution in years to come.About the Series:Oxford''s Very Short Introductions series offers concise and original introductions to a wide range of subjects--from Islam to Sociology, Politics to Classics, Literary Theory to History, and Archaeology to the Bible. Not simply a textbook of definitions, each volume in this series provides trenchant and provocative--yet always balanced and complete--discussions of the central issues in a given discipline or field. Every Very Short Introduction gives a readable evolution of the subject in question, demonstrating how the subject has developed and how it has influenced society. Eventually, the series will encompass every major academic discipline, offering all students an accessible and abundant reference library. Whatever the area of study that one deems important or appealing, whatever the topic that fascinates the general reader, the Very Short Introductions series has a handy and affordable guide that will likely prove indispensable. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade Review"Although written for a general audience, Revolutions is an excellent overview of the topic and as such deserves a wide reading." -CHOICETable of ContentsList of illustrations ; Chapter 1: Revolutions and insurgencies - a brief history ; Chapter 2: Types of revolutions and their causes ; Chapter 3: Radical social revolutions: France, Russia, China ; Chapter 4: Revolutions for independence: The Americas, India, Algeria ; Chapter 5: Revolutions against dictators: Mexico, Cuba, Iran ; Chapter 6: Color revolutions: Czechoslovakia, Ukraine, Georgia ; Chapter 7: Who makes revolutions? ; Chapter 8: Insurgency and counter-insurgency: Iraq and Afghanistan ; Chapter 9: Revolutionary outcomes: Dictatorship or democracy? ; Chapter 10: The future of revolution: The end of history? ; References ; Further reading ; Index

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Everywhere we look, pundits tell us that resentment is taking the world by storm. But what is resentment? And how and when did it become so central to political life? Schneider, noted historian of early modern Europe, gives this ‘political emotion’ the long, deep contextual history it needs—and thus illuminates our own present.” * Sophia Rosenfeld, author of Democracy and Truth: A Short History *“I am deeply impressed by Schneider’s latest work—his writing is clear and cogent, and the argument he makes is compelling and convincing. He ranges over a great deal of material, yet he presents it both carefully and gracefully. The Return of Resentment bristles with ideas and is rich with insights.” * Robert Zaretsky, author of Victories Never Last: Reading and Caregiving in a Time of Plague *“The Return of Resentment shines a powerful light on the role of emotion in European and American politics across the past two centuries. Erudite and penetrating, Schneider's book brilliantly analyzes why resentment has returned again and again to unsettle American democracy. An indispensable guide to our time.” * Gary Gerstle, author of The Rise and Fall of the Neoliberal Order *“A wonderfully creative book, The Rise of Resentment takes an emotion that seems entirely of our amnesiac moment in politics and culture and demonstrates that this emotion has a rich and controversial history. Schneider moves deftly between act and idea. He shows us why resentment is so prevalent today, while illustrating what resentment is and how it works. This book is a guide to the past and an intellectual roadmap for the future.” * Michael C. Kimmage, author of The Abandonment of the West: The History of an Idea in American Foreign Policy *"The Return of Resentment moves along a number of narrative tracks. . . its long final chapter refers to a sizable portion of the more thoughtful books in the 'what the hell is going on?' genre called forth by the past several years. Growing economic inequality, changing demographics and social norms, and algorithmic echo-chamber effects are all familiar and credible factors. Schneider goes beyond them to consider our tendency 'to think of resentment as an emotional trait of ‘others’—which is to say the embittered and angry ‘left-behind and threatened.’'" * Inside Higher Ed *"[An] impressively wide-ranging history of the concept (and, in one chapter, the practice) of resentment." * Times Literary Supplement *"This is a much-needed book, which provides us with a nuanced and historically informed understanding of resentment, from which we can learn a great deal about contemporary politics." -- Christian F. Rostbøll * Cambridge University Press *"Schneider makes a compelling case that 'the return of resentment' now poses the greatest threat to social cohesion in the US. This is intellectual and political history at its most illuminating and compelling. . . . Essential." * Choice *Table of ContentsPreface Introduction Chapter 1: Sensible Resentment in the Age of Sensibility: The Eighteenth Century Chapter 2: Contentious Resentment: Acting out Resentment in the Early Modern Past Chapter 3: A Specter Is Haunting Europe: The Specter of a Resentful “People” Chapter 4: The Nietzschean Moment Chapter 5: The Rise and Decline of the “Resentment Paradigm” Chapter 6: The Uses of Resentment Chapter 7: The Two Sixties and Resentment: One Without, the Other With Chapter 8: The Return of Resentment: Anatomizing a Contemporary Political Emotion Conclusion: Thinking about Resentment Today Notes Index

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"It’s relentlessly fascinating, profoundly important and beautifully written. It should be required reading for everyone who reads books other than computer manuals." * Fortean Times *"The Superhumanities marks a turn in Jeffrey Kripal’s oeuvre from the exploratory and theoretical to envisioning the future possibilities and implications of his work for the academy . . . [This book] is written for an academic audience and is probably best suited for faculty and/or graduate students hoping to become faculty in the humanities." * Choice *“The Superhumanities marks a turn in Kripal’s oeuvre from the exploratory and theoretical to envisioning the future possibilities and implications of his work for the academy. This text serves as both a summation of this prolific scholar’s past contributions and a transition to his upcoming historical trilogy on the paranormal and science in America, suggestively and collectively named the Super Story Trilogy.” * Nova Religio *"Kripal has written a brave, exciting book that rewards thoughtful discussion, reflection, and engagement. The Superhumanities is a book that changes minds, a book that changes lives." * Reading Religion *"[Kripal proposes] de-colonising reality itself and enlarging our understanding of human identity, and hence of meaning and purpose. This is a major and indeed essential cultural enterprise, and this book is an extraordinary tour de force to this end." * Paradigm Explorer *“An electrifying, glorious, loving, and almost deranged romp through humanity’s greatest recurrent ideas and experiences, The Superhumanities is for anyone who senses that the transformative power of books, ideas, and spiritual experiences are intertwined and too often estranged.” -- Jonathan Haidt, author of 'The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion'“One of the foremost historians of religion and a consummate storyteller, Kripal makes a compelling case for restoring the anomalous and inexplicable to the heart of inquiry in the humanities. A must-read for anyone interested in the future of education, society, and indeed reality and for all who have experienced or would like to experience amazement.” -- Priscilla Wald, author of 'Contagious: Cultures, Carriers, and the Outbreak Narrative'“In this magical mystery tour of the superhumanities, Kripal takes us inside and out of the pantheistic, the paranormal, the metaphysical, the extrasensory, the anomalous, the weird, the wonderful, the awe inspiring. Reading the book is an experience—a mind-opening guide to the superhuman and soulful, as you feel where it leads you.” -- Richard A. Shweder, author of 'Why Do Men Barbecue? Recipes for Cultural Psychology'“Kripal’s recent foray into the troubled waters of the nature of reality and the human may be his greatest work yet. Kripal does not make categorical claims; the end is uncertain, but he does hold space for the hopeful possibility that the superhumanities might help us envision and create a new and more egalitarian world.” -- Stephen C. Finley, author of 'In and Out of This World: Material and Extraterrestrial Bodies in the Nation of Islam'"A fascinating read." * Reader's Labryinth, on Youtube *Table of ContentsPrologue. Teaching the Superman Introduction. How the Book Came to Be 1. Legitimate Science Fiction: From the History of Religions to the Superhumanities 2. “The Truth Must Be Depressing”: Immunological Responses of the Intellectual Body 3. The Human as Two: Toward an Apophatic Anthropology 4. Theory as Two: Rewriting the Real Conclusion. The Solid Rock Was Once Flowing Epilogue. Phoenix Reborn Acknowledgments and the Sigil Notes Index

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Book SynopsisPresents an account of the author's life in relation to political events of his time; the character and history of his writings and of the Politics in particular; his overall conception of political science; and his impact on subsequent political thought from antiquity to the present.Trade Review"This revised edition of Aristotle's 'Politics' easily establishes it as the best available in English. By offering a longer introductory essay that grapples with the substance of Aristotle's argument, a new index, revamped notes, and - most important - by revising and correcting the text, Carnes Lord has substantially improved what was already a fine rendering of Aristotle's classic account of political science. A great service to students and scholars alike." (Robert C. Bartlett, cotranslator of Aristotle's "Nicomachean Ethics") "Carnes Lord's translation is clearly the best available." (Claremont Review of Books)"

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Book SynopsisThe powerful, beautiful and chilling sequel to the bestselling Straw Dogs''By nature volatile and discordant, the human animal looks to silence for relief from being itself while other creatures enjoy silence as their birthright''Why do humans seek meaning to life? How do our imaginations leap into worlds so far beyond our actual reality? In this chilling and beautiful sequel to Straw Dogs, John Gray explores how we decorate our existence with countless fictions, twisting and turning to avoid acknowledging that we too are animals. Drawing on an extraordinary array of writers who are mesmerized by extremity, from Ballard to Conrad, Gray makes us re-imagine our place in the world.Trade ReviewThe Silence of Animals is a new kind of book from Gray, a sort of poetic reverie on the human state, on the state, that is, of the human animal ... He blends lyricism with wisdom, humour with admonition, nay-saying with affirmation, making in the process a marvellous statement of what it is to be both an animal and a human in the strange, terrifying and exquisite world into which we straw dogs find ourselves thrown -- John Banville * Guardian *Interesting, original and memorable ... The Silence of Animals is a beautifully written book, the product of a strongly questioning mind. It is effectively an anthology with detailed commentary, setting out one rich and suggestive episode after another -- Philip Hensher * Spectator *A secular prophet, sensationally truth-telling, clear-sighted and unperturbed by the illusions under which the rest of us labour ... what's more unexpected is how beautifully the unbearable quality of that desperation is evoked -- Shahidha Bari * Times Higher Education *Full of richness ... a pleasure to read -- Jane Shilling * Daily Telegraph *He takes down utopians of various stripes and then starts wiggling the dentist's drill in the liberal molar ... In Gray's book, it's humanity that is the problem: we need to get over ourselves -- Sam Leith * Sunday Times *For all its dark thrills, Gray's aria of negativity is intended to prepare the reader for a revelation. "Nothingness," he writes, "may be our most precious possession" -- Talitha Stevenson * Evening Standard *

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Book SynopsisCo-authored by two leading voices in the struggle to liberate Palestine, an indispensable book for understanding the situation in Gaza right nowWhat is the future of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement directed at Israel? Which is more viable, the binational or one state solution? Noam Chomsky and Ilan Pappé discuss the road ahead for Palestinians and how the international community can pressure Israel to end its human rights abuses against the people of Palestine in this urgent and timely book, a sequel to their acclaimed Gaza in Crisis.''Chomsky is a global phenomenon . . . he may be the most widely read American voice on foreign policy on the planet'' The New York Times Book Review''Ilan Pappé is Israel''s bravest, most principled, most incisive historian'' John Pilger''This sober and unflinching analysis should be read and reckoned with by anyone concerned with practicable change in the long-suffering region'' Publishers Weekly (on Gaza in Crisis)Trade ReviewSeminal . . . an erudite and nuanced account of Palestine's history . . . An essential guide to understanding the shifting situation * Harper's Bazaar *Chomsky is of course one of the most venerated political critics in the world, and Pappé is regarded as one of Israel’s greatest historians * The Spinoff *

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Book SynopsisA LANDMARK WORK OF POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY. A GLOBAL BESTSELLER. STILL AS RELEVANT TODAY. With the fall of Berlin Wall in 1989 the threat of the Cold War which had dominated the second half of the twentieth century vanished. And with it the West looked to the future with optimism but renewed uncertainty. The End of History and the Last Man was the first book to offer a picture of what the new century would look like. Boldly outlining the challenges and problems to face modern liberal democracies, Francis Fukuyama examined what had just happened and predicted what was coming next. Now updated with a new afterword, Fukuyama shows how the central issue today remains the same. Have any political and economic models arisen that could challenge liberal democracy as the best way of organizing human societies? He remains unconvinced. Tackling religious fundamentalism, politics, scientific progress, ethical codes and war, The End of History anTrade ReviewAwesome . . . a landmark . . . profoundly realistic and important . . . supremely timely and cogent * Washington Post *Clearly written, immensely ambitious * New York Times *Clever, important, teeming with original ideas * Mail on Sunday *We are indebted to Fukuyama for such an ambitious work of political philosophy * Foreign Affairs *

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Book SynopsisTwo of John Locke's most mature and influential political writings and three brilliant interpretive essays have been combined here in one volume. The complete texts are accompanied by interpretive essays by three prominent Locke scholars.Trade Review"The new standard edition of Locke for students of political theory. Dunn, Grant, and Shapiro combine authoritative historical scholarship and contemporary political theory to give us Locke for our time."—Elisabeth H. Ellis, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Texas A&M University "In criticisms of ‘liberalism’ over the past two decades, the political philosophy of John Locke has been denigrated as hopelessly old-fashioned, and even downright conservative. John Dunn, Ruth Grant, and especially, Ian Shapiro present Locke to us afresh. They recover precisely the progressively innovative, and even radically democratic quality of Lockean political thought."—John P. McCormick, University of Chicago "An elegant edition of three of Locke’s works that have been too infrequently published together. The accompanying essays, with their additional secondary source references, and delightful index, make it all the more useful for both teaching and research."—Judith A. Swenson, Boston University

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Book SynopsisA chapter-by-chapter explanation of the Book of Exodus, revealing its wisdom about nation building and people formationTrade Review“A wondrous achievement of humanistic scholarship at its very best, making Exodus’s ancient words live again as a source of political wisdom and spiritual inspiration for our time.”—Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks"What Leon Kass describes as living with the book over two decades enabled him to glean from it insights into the deepest existential questions, what Kass himself calls 'longings of the soul.' His greatest achievement is to give readers a glimpse of these insights and suggest to us the possibility—and profound value—of exploring them ourselves."— Robert P. George, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence, Princeton University"Leon Kass maps the Book of Exodus with unmatched intelligence. We have known the book through the interpretations of generations of sages, but here he reads it as though for the first time to see the Jewish nation emerging from slavery and taking its civilizing shape. This is the most exciting book I’ve read in years"—Ruth Wisse, professor emerita of Yiddish Literature, Harvard University"Building on his earlier insightful study of the family in Genesis, Leon Kass turns to the formation of the Israelite nation in Exodus, with an openness to discovery sparked by perceptive observations and guided by fundamental questions."—Ronna Burger, Catherine & Henry J. Gaisman Professor of Philosophy, Tulane University“To be guided through Exodus by Leon Kass is to discover in those familiar stories a font of political wisdom and a provocation to reflection on the meaning of human flourishing.”—Mary Ann Glendon, author of A World Made New: Eleanor Roosevelt and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

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Book Synopsis“No single book is as relevant to the present moment.”—Claudia Rankine, author of Citizen“One of the defining books of the decade.”—Elizabeth Hinton, author of From the War on Poverty to the War on CrimeNEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW EDITORS’ CHOICE • With a new preface • Fascist politics are running rampant in America today—and spreading around the world. A Yale philosopher identifies the ten pillars of fascist politics, and charts their horrifying rise and deep history.  As the child of refugees of World War II Europe and a renowned philosopher and scholar of propaganda, Jason Stanley has a deep understanding of how democratic societies can be vulnerable to fascism: Nations don’t have to be fascist to suffer from fascist politics. In fact, fascism’s roots have been present in the United States for more than a century. Alarmed by the pervasive rise of fascist tactics both at home and around the globe, Stanley focuses here on the structures that unite them, laying out and analyzing the ten pillars of fascist politics—the language and beliefs that separate people into an “us” and a “them.” He knits together reflections on history, philosophy, sociology, and critical race theory with stories from contemporary Hungary, Poland, India, Myanmar, and the United States, among other nations. He makes clear the immense danger of underestimating the cumulative power of these tactics, which include exploiting a mythic version of a nation’s past; propaganda that twists the language of democratic ideals against themselves; anti-intellectualism directed against universities and experts; law and order politics predicated on the assumption that members of minority groups are criminals; and fierce attacks on labor groups and welfare. These mechanisms all build on one another, creating and reinforcing divisions and shaping a society vulnerable to the appeals of authoritarian leadership. By uncovering disturbing patterns that are as prevalent today as ever, Stanley reveals that the stuff of politics—charged by rhetoric and myth—can quickly become policy and reality. Only by recognizing fascists politics, he argues, may we resist its most harmful effects and return to democratic ideals.“With unsettling insight and disturbing clarity, How Fascism Works is an essential guidebook to our current national dilemma of democracy vs. authoritarianism.”—William Jelani Cobb, author of The Substance of Hope

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Book SynopsisSam Harris is the author of five New York Times bestsellers. His books include The End of Faith, Letter to a Christian Nation, The Moral Landscape, Free Will, Lying, and Waking Up. The End of Faith won the 2005 PEN/Martha Albrand Award for Nonfiction. His work has been published in more than twenty languages. Harris has written for the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Economist, The Times, the Boston Globe, the Atlantic, Annals of Neurology, and other outlets. He received a degree in philosophy from Stanford University and a PhD in neuroscience from UCLA. Please visit his website at SamHarris.org.Trade ReviewI don’t have many can’t miss podcasts, but Making Sense is right at the top of that short list. Sam Harris and his varied and fascinating guests generate light but not heat. The choir is neither preached to nor pointlessly provoked. I have never finished a single episode without having learned something and being given pause for real thought. * Stephen Fry *Even in casual discussion, Sam is intelligent, educated, honest, considered and brave. He’s really not cut out for the Internet. * Ricky Gervais *Sam Harris is the most intellectually courageous man I know, not afraid to speak truths out in the open where others keep those very same thoughts buried, fearful of the modish thought police. His literate intelligence and fluency with words has transferred from the written to the spoken medium, and in his podcast he brings out the best in his guests, including those with whom he disagrees. * Richard Dawkins, author of The God Delusion *Do yourself a favor, broaden your perspectives and listen to the Making Sense podcast. Whatever your politics, you will find ideas and points of views you've never considered before, in fields you don't know, from neuroscience to computer science to culture. * Anne Applebaum, author of Gulag *Of all the podcasts available, the one nobody should miss is Making Sense. Every episode is stimulating. In an era when everyone seems to have lost their reason, here is one of the few places where reason remains safe. * Douglas Murray, author of The Strange Death of Europe and The Madness of Crowds *

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Book SynopsisVivian Lowndes is Professor of Public Policy at the University of Birmingham, UK.David Marsh is Director of Research, Institute for Governance and Policy Analysis, University of Canberra, Australia.Gerry Stoker is Professor at the University of Southampton and Centenary Research Professor, Institute for Governance and Policy Analysis, University of Canberra.Table of ContentsIntroduction; Vivien Lowndes, David Marsh and Gerry Stoker PART I: THEORY AND APPROACHES 1. Behavouralism; David Sanders 2. Rational Choice; Andrew Hindmoor and Brad Taylor 3. Institutionalism; Vivien Lowndes 4. Constructivism and Interpretive Theory; Craig Parsons 5. Feminist and Gender Approaches; Meryl Kenny and Fiona Mackay 6. Marxism: A global perspective; Ray Kiely 7. Poststructuralism; Mark Wenman 8. Political Psychology; Frank Mols and Paul 't Hart 9. Normative Theory; Chris Armstrong PART II: METHODS AND RESEARCH DESIGN 10. Ontology and Epistemology in Political Science; David Marsh, Selen A. Ercan and Paul Furlong 11. Meta-Theoretical Issues in Political Analysis; David Marsh 12. Research Design; Dimiter Toshkov 13. Qualitative Methods; Ariadne Vromen 14. Quantitative Methods; Peter John 15. Comparative Methods; Matt Ryan 16. The Experimental Method: Prospects for field and laboratory studies; Helen Margetts and Gerry Stoker 17. Big Data: Methods for collection and analysis; Michael J. Jensen 18. The Relevance of Political Science; B. Guy Peters, Jon Pierre and Gerry Stoker.

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Book SynopsisA NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERAs Heard on NPR's This American Life'The delights he extols here (music, laughter, generosity, poetry, lots of nature) are bulwarks against casual cruelties . . . contagious in their joy' New York TimesThe winner of the NBCC Award for Poetry offers up a spirited collection of short lyric essays, written daily over a tumultuous year, reminding us of the purpose and pleasure of praising, extolling, and celebrating ordinary wonders.Among Gay's funny, poetic, philosophical delights: a friend's unabashed use of air quotes, cradling a tomato seedling aboard an aeroplane, the silent nod of acknowledgement between the only two black people in a room. But Gay never dismisses the complexities, even the terrors, of living in America as a black man or the ecological and psychic violence of our consumer culture or the loss of those he loves. More than anything other subject, though, Gay celebrates the beauty of the natural world - his garden, the flowers peeking out of the sidewalk, the hypnotic movements of a praying mantis.The Book of Delights is about our shared bonds, and the rewards that come from a life closely observed. These remarkable pieces serve as a powerful and necessary reminder that we can, and should, stake out a space in our lives for delight.***'These charming, digressive "essayettes" surprise and challenge more than a reader might expect . . . experiences of "delight," recorded daily for a year, vary widely but yield revealing patterns through insights about everything from nature and the body to race and masculinity.' New Yorker'Pure balm for your soul. Savor one at a time every morning, this summer, or wolf them all down en masse on a gorgeous sunny day.' Celeste Ng'A reminder of what the personal essay is best at: finding the profound in the mundane . . . His delight is infectious. It's hard to read Gay and not to be won over.' Seattle TimesTrade ReviewThe delights he extols here (music, laughter, generosity, poetry, lots of nature) are bulwarks against casual cruelties. As such they feel purposeful and imperative as well as contagious in their joy * The New York Times Book Review *These charming, digressive 'essayettes,' in the manner of Montaigne, surprise and challenge . . . Gay, an award-winning poet, knows the value of formal constraint: his experiences of 'delight,' recorded daily for a year, vary widely but yield revealing patterns through insights about everything from nature and the body to race and masculinity. The fruits of this experiment-for which gardens and gardening provide a frequent, apt metaphor-attest to an imagination cultivated in hostile conditions. Gay's optimism is as easy as it is improbable, his 'heart cooing like a pigeon nestled on a windowsill where the spikes rusted off. * New Yorker *Ross Gay's poems are little celebrations of joy, and this book of mini-essays - each centering around a particular 'delight,' from sleeping in your clothes to planting tomato seedlings to the nod of greeting between the only two black people in a room - is a pure balm for your soul. Savor one at a time every morning, this summer, or wolf them all down en masse on a gorgeous sunny day. -- Celeste NgEveryone could use a bit more delight in their days . . . Gay, who is the winner of the NBCC Award for Poetry, is here to provide just that, with essays celebrating everything from air quotes to candy wrappers to pickup basketball games * New York Post *The Book of Delights is both practice and perfection in an unassuming package . . . These pieces reflect and examine the natural world, masculinity, racism, and other topics with vibrancy. Most essays are a few paragraphs, a page or two at maximum, but it's not the width or length of the pieces that ultimately grabbed my attention. It was the heart and intelligence found within his daily introspections * The Rumpus *A reminder of what the personal essay is best at: finding the profound in the mundane . . . his delight is infectious. It's hard to read Gay and not to be won over. * Seattle Times *The shock of Gay's writing . . . is his seamless shift from breezy, affable observation to sober (and admittedly still affable) profundity . . . I want to say that Gay's writing is magical because that's the way it feels when I read it. But . . . calling it magic undercuts Gay's craft, the effort that goes into producing literature that feels as fluent and familiar as a chat with a close friend. His voice has integrity, in both senses of the word: a completeness or consistency, true to itself; and an honesty and compassion so frankly subjective that it produces an incorruptible vision. Gay's loose-limbed sentences diagram his delight, partaking in numerous asides - some as paragraph-long parentheticals - and equally numerous asides within asides, as well as nested subordinate clauses that are the purview of intimate conversation, not written prose. They are clauses and asides in which, as Gay writes them, you feel his hand on your arm, you feel him lean in toward you, conspiratorially or simply to emphasize his meaning * The New York Review of Books *

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Book SynopsisDiscover Wollstonecraft’s classic feminist text in an abridged, digestible form.WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY ZOE WILLIAMS The term feminism did not yet exist when Mary Wollstonecraft wrote this book, but it was the first great piece of feminist writing. In these pages you will find the essence of her argument – for the education of women and for an increased female contribution to society. Her work made the first ripples of what would later become the tidal wave of the women’s rights movement. Rationalist but revolutionary, Wollstonecraft changed the world for women.Vintage Feminism: classic feminist texts in short formTrade ReviewMary Wollstonecraft's words ring as true today - and are as little heeded by government - as when she wrote them, 200 years ago, in her A Vindication of the Rights of Woman * Guardian *The first pebble in the later avalanche of the women's rights movement -- Melvyn Bragg * Guardian *The first great piece of feminist writing * Independent *Changed the world for generations of women to come * Sunday Times *A book that was bold in its time and is now considered the notable forerunner of the women's movement * New York Times *

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Book SynopsisIn her most impassioned and personal book to date, Judith Butler responds in this profound appraisal of post-9/11 America to the current US policies to wage perpetual war, and calls for a deeper understanding of how mourning and violence might instead inspire solidarity and a quest for global justice.Trade ReviewIt's clear that its author is still interested in stirring up trouble-academic, political and otherwise. * Bookforum *A book that shines with the splendor of engaged thought. * Brooklyn Rail *Here is a unique voice of courage and conceptual ambition that addresses public life from the perspective of psychic reality, encouraging us to acknowledge the solidarity and the suffering through which we emerge as subjects of freedom. -- Homi K. BhabhaJudith Butler is quite simply one of the most probing, challenging, and influential thinkers of our time. -- J.M. Bernstein

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Book SynopsisHannah Arendt is one of the most renowned political thinkers of the twentieth century and her work has never been more relevant than it is today. Born in Germany in 1906, Arendt published her first book at the age of 23, before turning away from the world of academic philosophy to reckon with the rise of the Third Reich. After the War, Arendt became one of the most prominent - and controversial - public intellectuals of her time, publishing influential works such as The Origins of Totalitarianism, The Human Condition and Eichmann in Jerusalem. Samantha Rose Hill weaves together new biographical detail, archival documents, poems and correspondence to reveal a woman whose passion for the life of the mind was nourished by her love of the world.Trade Review‘Hill sparingly and undramatically chooses her details (without, thankfully, passing over the gossip) . . . She is evidently so used to explaining Arendt’s ideas to nervous freshmen that each chapter contains a SparkNotes-like summary of the major works written during the time period in question. They are concise and comprehensible . . . Hill was well situated to go diving for gems in Arendt’s papers, letters, and marginalia . . . Hill spares us the clichéd, tabloid-ish critiques that make up a sizable chunk of Arendtian lore (“she was a self-hating Jew”; “I can’t believe she loved Heidegger”; “she thought Eichmann’s crimes were banal”; and so on and so forth). Instead, Hill calmly — and quietly, but without truckling — applies her close readings of Arendt’s most controversial ideas to our own oftentimes taut and illiberal social atmosphere.’ — LA Review of Books; ‘The stated aim of Samantha Rose Hill’s new Arendt biography, a slim installment in Reaktion Books’s Critical Lives series, is to introduce this perennially relevant thinker to new readers . . . A brief primer on her life and thinking is timely, given the resurgence of interest . . . While the aim of this biography might be to serve as a brief, lively introduction to Arendt, Hill accomplishes something richer. In introducing us to Arendt's life and thought, what emerges is an example of thinking as a dynamic activity . . . Hill does not present Arendt as a banister to hold up our thinking. Rather, she aptly shows that Arendt is someone to read now because Arendt is someone worth thinking with.’ — Women’s Review of Books; ‘As Hill points out in Hannah Arendt, even in works such as The Origins of Totalitarianism – surprise bestseller of the Trump era – the political is invariably brought back to the personal.’ — Prospect Magazine; ‘This book could hardly appear more opportunely. Arendt’s way of thinking, though original to the point of being difficult to follow, appeals to an increasing number of men and women who question the meaning of their lives in the world we share. Arendt’s own writings and the books and essays analyzing them may seem exhaustive, yet Hill’s work does something new: without simplifying Arendt’s thinking, she opens it to contemporary readers who, in the darkness of our times, will find a friend, a woman, who lived through the darkest of all times.’ — Jerome Kohn, trustee of the Hannah Arendt Bluecher Literary Trust

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Book SynopsisThis is a collection of essays, reflections and poems by Nora Bateson, the noted research designer, film-maker, writer and lecturer. She is the daughter of Gregory Bateson and president of the International Bateson Institute (IBI). Building on Gregory Bateson's famous book Towards an Ecology of Mind and her own film on the subject, Nora Bateson here updates our thinking on systems and ecosystems, applying her own insights and those of her team at IBI to education, organisations, complexity, academia, and the way that society organizes itself. She also introduces the term symmathesy to describe the contextual mutual learning through interaction that takes place in living entities at larger or smaller scales. While she retains her father's rigorous attention to definition, observation and academic precision, she also moves well beyond that frame of reference to incorporate more embodied ways of knowing and understanding. These are reflected in her essays and poems on food, Christmas, love, honesty, environmentalism and leadership. [Subject: Systems thinking, education, social anthropology, environmentalism, Bateson, symmathesy]Trade Review"The way we see affects what we do," writes Nora Bateson near the start of this exploratory, far- ranging foray into "unauthorized knowledge." In a series of premise-investigations undertaken by way of essays, conference talks, autobiographical story, quotes and poems, ranging through linguistics, biology, semantics, cognitive theory, justice awareness and embrace of paradox, Bateson invites and advocates suppleness of perception, rigor of mind, and depth of feeling. In this book that moves above all by its questions, Bateson embodies that rarity, a truly free thinker also fully engaged with the fates of all." Jane Hirshfield, Chancellor of The Academy of American Poets

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