Society and culture: general Books

Book Synopsis#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ? A ?bracing? (Vox) guide for surviving and resisting America?s turn towards authoritarianism, from ?a rising public intellectual unafraid to make bold connections between past and present? (The New York Times) ?Timothy Snyder reasons with unparalleled clarity, throwing the past and future into sharp relief. He has written the rare kind of book that can be read in one sitting but will keep you coming back to help regain your bearings.??Masha GessenThe Founding Fathers tried to protect us from the threat they knew, the tyranny that overcame ancient democracy. Today, our political order faces new threats, not unlike the totalitarianism of the twentieth century. We are no wiser than the Europeans who saw democracy yield to fascism, Nazism, or communism. Our one advantage is that we might learn from their experience.On Tyranny is a call to arms and a guide to resistance, with invaluable ideas for how we can preserve our freedoms in the uncertain years to come.

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Book SynopsisBig ideas that just might save the world. the Guardian A serious book on an important subject. Without imagination, where are we? Sir Quentin Blake What if we took play seriously? What if we considered imagination vital to our health? What if we followed nature’s lead? What if school nurtured young imaginations? What if things turned out okay? Rob Hopkins asks the most important question that society has somehow forgotten – What If? Hopkins explores what we must do to revive and replenish our collective imagination. If we can rekindle that precious creative spark, whole societies and cultures can change – rapidly, dramatically and unexpectedly – for the better. There really is no end to what we might accomplish. From What Is to What If is the most inspiring, courageous and necessary book you will read this year; a call to action to reclaim and unleash the power of our imaginations and to solve the problems of our time. Meet the individuals and communities around the world who are doing it now – and creating brighter futures for us all. At last, we have a design for our dreams. I believe we have a debt of honour to take action. Please read this book and defy the herd. Are we golden or are we debris? Mark Stewart, musician, The Pop Group and Mark Stewart & The MaffiaTrade Review“Big ideas that just might save the world”—The GuardianForeword Reviews— "An inspirational manifesto, From What Is to What If offers a template for creating dramatic, positive change." “A serious book on an important subject. Without imagination, where are we?”—Sir Quentin Blake“Rob Hopkins has long been a leader in imagining how we could remake our societies for the benefit of nature and humankind. His new book is a powerful call to imagine a better world. It should be widely read and appreciated.”—Christiana Figueres, former Executive Secretary, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change; lead negotiator, Paris Climate Agreement“Few things distinguish human beings from the rest of life on earth. Among the most important are our unique powers of imagination. Ironically, our use—and abuse—of those powers has now wrought a complex crisis in our relationships with the planet and with each other. As Rob Hopkins eloquently shows in this powerful and passionate book, to survive and thrive we have to become more imaginative, not less, in how we live, work and connect. He demonstrates the transformative power of imagination in all areas of our lives and the dangers of its neglect, especially in the education of our children. From What Is to What If? takes us on an inspiring and urgent tour of the people and communities around the world that are reimagining the present to create more hopeful and sustainable futures for us all.”—Sir Ken Robinson, educator; New York Times best-selling author“Day after day, week after week, the climate is changing and biodiversity is fading away. For a long time we tended to look the other way, but now, being on the edge of the cliff forces us to understand that we must act urgently. And because of this emergency it is our utmost duty to join forces. Not only among states, but among mayors, NGOs, associations, companies, and citizens. Among all those who are determined to act here and now. “Towns and cities have already begun transition. Together, mayors have chosen to press ahead toward a healthier and safer world. Whether in Paris or in Totnes, initiatives are being launched and are encouraging us to shift from ‘why not’ to ‘how’ and from ‘how ‘ to ‘when.’ The movement must gain momentum and expand. “We must act wherever we are with the resources we have at our disposal to fight global warming. It’s no longer about thinking global and acting local; it’s about acting local in order to act global in a better way. “People like Rob Hopkins give us the courage to move forward. By setting an example, he shows us that we are right to place our hopes in a future in which men and women can act as stewards of their environment. The many stories in this book are evidence of the fact that for some people this future has already become a reality.”—Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris“If we could set our imaginations free to explore the possibilities of how to make this world a better place, it would be remarkable indeed. And as this brave and powerful book argues, our very survival may depend upon it. We have nothing to lose by following the ideas set out in these pages, and everything to gain.”—Scott Barry Kaufman, psychologist, Columbia University; coauthor of Wired to Create“I couldn’t stop reading this book, and ideas just wouldn’t stop popping into my head. Rob Hopkins puts imagination back at the heart of future-dreaming, offering us an irresistible invitation to dream bigger and then make those dreams a reality. For anyone seeking a renewed sense of possibility, this one’s for you.”—Kate Raworth, author of Doughnut Economics“What if we are looking for solutions to our myriad challenges in all the wrong places? Hopkins, cofounder of the global Transition movement, reminds us that an essential ingredient to navigating the various unravelings of the coming decades isn’t just our community resilience, reskilling, and activism—but our civic imagination.”—Chuck Collins, Institute for Policy Studies; author of Born on Third Base“I love this book. It is an extraordinary, reality-based report on people around the world applying the power of imagination to rebuild relationships and create a fulfilling, creative, and possible human future together. An essential read for all who care.”—David C. Korten, author of Change the Story, Change the Future and When Corporations Rule the World“When it comes to tackling climate change or the numerous other threats to our global environment, the greatest challenge we face today may be the belief that the damage is beyond the point of repair, that we lack agency in addressing the problem, for that leads us down the same path as outright denial—a path of inaction. In From What Is to What If, Rob Hopkins shows us a different path, one of action, hope, and engagement. Read this book and join the battle to preserve our planet.”—Michael Mann, distinguished professor, Pennsylvania State University; coauthor of The Madhouse Effect“Reading this book is like listening to the voice of Rob Hopkins. A voice full of kindness, optimism, brightness, humor, and imagination. And that spirit is precisely what we need to build a better future and to reconnect with each other and the better part of ourselves. With this book, Rob poses a crucial question: How could we create another world, one in which human beings live in harmony with each other and with nature, if we are not able to imagine it first? We can’t—and that’s why this book is so necessary.”—Cyril Dion, writer, filmmaker, and producer of the film Tomorrow“At last, a design for our dreams. I believe we have a debt of honour to take action. Please read this book and defy the herd. Are we golden or are we debris?”—Mark Stewart, musician, The Pop Group and Mark Stewart & The Maffia“From What Is to What If is a profound look at imagination’s potential to enact progress and a call for us to make space for the things we often overlook. Hopkins confronts the most pressing issues of our times and urges us to look closer, reconnect with our roots, adapt slower modes of production, and work collectively. Imagination is within reach; it can and it will continue to salvage and elevate communities while driving us towards more sustainable and resilient futures.”—Theaster Gates, artist; founder and director, Rebuild Foundation“Today our choice is simple: Change quickly or contribute to a catastrophic collapse. It’s a daunting challenge, and it will be impossible unless we can imagine what a low-carbon, high-cohesion society looks like—not on paper, but in our towns and neighborhoods day-to-day. Here Rob Hopkins helps us envision a dramatically different, ecologically sustainable social environment, and invites us to build it together. This is a powerful, inspiring book.”—Eric Klinenberg, author of Palaces for the People

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Book SynopsisA thought-provoking guide to facing global pandemics, climate change, and other modern crises with maturity, humility, and integrity?for fans of Everything Is F*cked and Against Purity This book is not easy: it contains no quick-fix plan for a better, brighter tomorrow, and gives no ready-made answers. Instead, Vanessa Machado de Oliveira presents us with a challenge: to grow up, step up, and show up for ourselves, our communities, and the living Earth, and to interrupt the modern behavior patterns that are killing the planet we?re part of. Driven by expansion, colonialism, and resource extraction and propelled by neoliberalism and rabid consumption, our world is profoundly out of balance. We take more than we give; we inoculate ourselves in positive self-regard while continuing to make harmful choices; we wreak irreparable havoc on the ecosystems, habitats, and beings with whom we share our planet. But instead of drowning in hopelessness, how can we learn to face our reality with humility and accountability? Machado de Oliveira breaks down archetypes of cognitive dissonance?the do-gooder who does ?good enough,? then retreats to business as usual; the incognito capitalist who, at first glance, may seem like a radical change-maker?and asks us to dig deeper and exist differently. She explains how our habits, behaviors, and belief systems hold us back . . . and why it''s time now to gradually disinvest. Including exercises used with teachers, NGO practitioners, and global changemakers, she offers us thought experiments that ask us to: ? Reimagine how we learn, unlearn, and respond to crisis ? Better assess our surroundings and interact with difference, uncertainty, complexity, and failure ? Expand our capacity to hold personal and collective space for difficult and painful things ? Understand the ?5 modern-colonial e?s?: Entitlements, Exceptionalism, Exaltation, Emancipation, and Enmeshment in low-intensity struggle activism ? Interrupt our satisfaction with modern-colonial desires that cause harm ? Create space for change driven neither by desperate hope nor a fear of desolate hopelessness For fans of adrienne maree brown, Sherri Mitchell, and Arundhati Roy, Hospicing Modernity challenges our assumptions and dares to ask more of us, for the sake of us all.

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Book SynopsisA young entrepreneur makes the case that politics has no place in business, and sets out a new vision for the future of capitalism.The modern woke-industrial complex divides us as a people. By mixing morality with consumerism, corporate elites prey on our innermost insecurities about who we really are. They sell us cheap social causes and skin-deep identities to satisfy our hunger for a cause and our search for meaning, at a moment when we lack both.Vivek Ramaswamy is a traitor to his class. He's founded multibillion-dollar enterprises, led a biotech company as CEO, trained as a scientist at Harvard and a lawyer at Yale, and grew up the child of immigrants in a small town in Ohio. Now he takes us behind the scenes into corporate boardrooms and five-star conferences, into Ivy League classrooms and secretive nonprofits, to reveal the defining scam of our century.But this book not only rips back the curtain on the new corporatist agenda, it offers a better way forward. Corporate elites may want to sort us into demographic boxes, but we don't have to stay there. Woke, Inc. begins as a critique of stakeholder capitalism and ends with an exploration of what it means to be a member of society in 2021 a journey that begins with cynicism and ends with hope.

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERA Times and Sunday Times Book of the YearUpdated with a new afterword by the author ''Douglas Murray fights the good fight for freedom of speech ... A truthful look at today''s most divisive issues'' Jordan B. Peterson ''[Murray's] latest book is beyond brilliant and should be read, must be read, by everyone'' Richard Dawkins Are we living through the great derangement of our times? In The Madness of Crowds Douglas Murray investigates the dangers of woke' culture and the rise of identity politics. In lively, razor-sharp prose he examines the most controversial issues of our moment: sexuality, gender, technology and race, with interludes on the Marxist foundations of wokeness', the impact of tech and how, in an increasingly online culture, we must relearn the ability to forgive. One of the few writers who dares to counter the Trade ReviewDouglas Murray fights the good fight for freedom of speech ... A truthful look at today's most divisive issues -- Jordan B. Peterson, bestselling author of 12 Rules for Life[Murray’s] 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’ vogue. -- Richard DawkinsWhether one agrees with him or not, Douglas Murray is one of the most important public intellectuals today. -- Bernard-Henri LévyHow can you not know about The Madness of Crowds? It’s actually the book I’ve just finished. You can’t just not read these books, not know about them. -- Tom StoppardSimply 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, author of five New York Times bestsellers and host of the Making Sense podcast.An abomination -- Titania McGrath, author of Woke: A Guide to Social JusticeThis 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 -- The Times * Lionel Shriver *Graceful and witty * Guardian *Necessary and provocative * Evening Standard *Impressive and lively … Murray’s comprehensive survey of the prevailing madness will not persuade every reader. But it raises the real questions of our times. -- Roger Scruton * Unherd *Murray’s book performs a great service * Financial Times *Fascinating … Much of what Murray writes is pertinent and hard to disagree with * Sunday Times *Murray is a superbly perceptive guide through the age of the social justice warrior * Daily Telegraph *Murray’s book raises urgent questions about how people should conduct themselves in today’s age of “wokeness”’ * Catholic Herald *Murray's was the third critical interrogation of this subject that I read this summer, and it is the best. * The Times Saturday Review *A profoundly helpful insight on the hysteria of cancel culture. -- Saba Douglas-Hamilton * Scottish Field *Table of ContentsIntroduction Gay Interlude – The Marxist Foundations Women Interlude – The Impact of Tech Race Interlude – On Forgiveness Trans Conclusion Afterword Acknowledgements Notes Index

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Book SynopsisHow can co-operation emerge in a world of self-seeking egoists - whether superpowers, businesses, or individuals - when there is no central authority to police their actions? The author explores this central question, and its implications in this age of nuclear weapons and arms talks.

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Book SynopsisSex is as fascinating to scientists as it is to the rest of us. A vast pool of knowledge, therefore, has been gleaned from research into the nature of sex, from the contentious problem of why the wasteful reproductive process exists at all, to how individuals choose their mates and what traits they find attractive. This fascinating book explores those findings, and their implications for the sexual behaviour of our own species. It uses the Red Queen from Alice in Wonderland' who has to run at full speed to stay where she is as a metaphor for a whole range of sexual behaviours. The book was shortlisted for the 1994 Rhone-Poulenc Prize for Science Books.Animals and plants evolved sex to fend off parasitic infection. Now look where it has got us. Men want BMWs, power and money in order to pair-bond with women who are blonde, youthful and narrow-waisted a brilliant examination of the scientific debates on the hows and whys of sex and evolution' Independent.Table of ContentsHuman nature; the enigma; the power of parasites; genetic mutiny and gender; the peacock's tale; polygamy and the nature of men; monogamy and the nature of women; sexing the mind; the uses of beauty; the intellectual chess game; the self-domesticated ape.

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Book SynopsisWhy are people nice to each other? What are the reasons for altrusim? Matt Ridley explains how the human mind has evolved a special instinct for social exchange, offering a lucid and persuasive argument about the paradox of human benevolence.

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Book SynopsisDaniel C. Dennett''s Freedom Evolves tackles the most important question of human existence - is there really such a thing as free will? How can humans make genuinely independent choices if we are just a cluster of cells and genes in a world determined by scientific laws? Here, Daniel Dennett provides an impassioned defense of free will. But rather than freedom being an eternal, unchanging condition of our existence, in reality, he reveals, it has evolved: just like life on the planet and the air we breathe. Evolution is the key to resolving this greatest of philosophical questions - and to understanding our place in the world as uniquely free agents. Dennett shows that far from there being an incompatibility between contemporary science and the traditional vision of freedom and morality, it is only recently that science has advanced to the point where we can see how we came to have our unique kind of freedom. ''A serious book with a

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Book Synopsis LONGLISTED FOR THE 2017 ORWELL PRIZE''Eye-opening, extraordinary insights into ordinary lives'' Financial Times ''Superb'' Literary ReviewThe remarkable story of a unique series of studies that have touched the lives of almost everyone in Britain todayIn March 1946, scientists began to track thousands of children born in one cold week. No one imagined that this would become the longest-running study of human development in the world, growing to encompass five generations of children. Today, they are some of the best-studied people on the planet, and the simple act of observing human life has changed the way we are born, schooled, parent and die. This is the tale of these studies and the remarkable discoveries that have come from them. Touching almost every person in Britain today, they are one of our best-kept secrets.''If you ever wondered whether the circumstances of your early life steered you along a particular path, look no further than this book ... highly readable ... a goldmine of social history'' Eric Kaufmann, Literary Review''Hugely engaging ... the scientists are an irresistibly eccentric, passionate bunch'' Nick Curtis, Evening StandardTrade ReviewAn elegant mix of science and human drama, The Life Project was - by a considerable measure in my view - the best science book published this year -- Robin McKie, Best Science Books of 2016 * Observer *An elegant mix of science and human drama, The Life Project was - by a considerable measure in my view - the best science book published this year -- Robin McKie, Best Science Books of 2016 * Observer *Eye-opening book, extraordinary insights into ordinary lives ... Part scientific narrative and part postwar social history, along with some fantastically cut-throat academic politics ... A very British success story -- Isabel Berwick * Financial Times *Fascinating, shocking, heartening ... The greatest scientific experiment in modern British history -- Dominic Sandbrook * Daily Mail *Highly enjoyable ... Reading this book has reminded me of how much we owe to birth cohorts and their participants ... Delightful -- Kate Pickett * author of The Spirit Level *A spellbinding account of the UK's pioneering cohort studies ... [A] cogent, persuasive book -- Robin McKie * Observer *Intriguing ... [A] fine, detailed book -- Jenni Russell, 'Must Reads' * Sunday Times *Fascinating -- Alice Jones * Independent *The Life Project is in many ways a very British story ... Absorbing ... A tribute to Helen Pearson's skill as a writer -- Keith Kahn-Harris * Independent *Hugely engaging, and gives much to chew on ... the scientists are an irresistibly eccentric, passionate bunch -- Nick Curtis * Evening Standard *A highly readable, deeply informative book ... If you ever wondered whether the circumstances of your early life steered you along a particular path, look no further than this book ... [Pearson] does a superb job of bringing [the cohort studies] to life ... -- Eric Kaufmann * Literary Review *Fascinating ... A cogent exploration of Britain's groundbreaking birth-cohort studies ... The Life Project does a great service in bringing them and the people at their heart to life -- Andrew Steptoe * Nature *Pearson has done a real service in explaining how wide-ranging these extraordinary and little-known studies have been -- Michael Prodger * The Times *Persuasively argues ... the beauty and sheer vision of these longitudinal cohort studies * Telegraph *Incredible * Tech Insider *

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Book SynopsisThe history of modern Italy is characterized by recurrent cultural and political projects of modernity, rejuvenation, and regeneration; projects which often had their roots in a widespread dissatisfaction with social and political reality, and perceived moral corruption. The Risorgimento, the movement leading to Italian Unification in 1861, explicitly linked the quest for national unity to a process of moral regeneration and progress. Later forms of nationalism and the rise of fascism in the first two decades of the twentieth century advocated a spiritual revolution and the moulding of new Italians through war and violence. The tragic outcome of Italian fascism led to the emergence of new visions of progress during the post-war First Republic, in which European integration was embraced with conviction. In the last 25 years a project of of modernization epitomized by Silvio Berlusconi has characterized Italian politics, invoking a mixture of nationalist themes and an uncritical embracing of consumer and media culture. In this Very Short Introduction Anna Cento Bull addresses the question of what modernity means to Italy, and asks what modern Italy stands for. She considers Italy''s political system and style of government, and looks at its economic modernisation and issues with emigration, internal migration and immigration. Bull concludes by looking at the Italian culture and lifestyle, including modern art and architecture, cinema, literature, gastronomy, fashion and sport.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 ReviewThey say 'good things come in small packages' and this compact tome definitely proves the point. Packed into its 140-odd pages is all any italophile needs to know about the evolution of Modern Italy from the Risorgimento in the mid-1800s to the present day ... this snappy small-format guide is crammed with detail but never dry - the tone easy and accessible. An excellent overview, not to be missed. * Italia! *Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION; CONCLUSION; REFERENCES; FURTHER READING; INDEX

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Book SynopsisOn Thursday, July 13, 1995, Chicagoans awoke to a blistering day on which the temperature would eventually climb to 106 degrees. This book reveals how in coming decades the effects of climate change will intensify the social and environmental pressures in urban areas around the world.Trade Review"Klinenberg draws the lines of culpability in dozens of directions, drawing a dense and subtle portrait of exactly what happened." (Malcolm Gladwell) "Revelatory." (Chicago) "Should be required reading for all public officials." (Choice)

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Book SynopsisThis beautifully written book explores the Iron Age bog bodies of northern Europe as cultural artefacts, objects of fascination to archaeologists and antiquaries, but also to artists, poets, philosophers and psychologists.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"What drives student politics at the American university? And why do so many students-on both sides of the political aisle-seem to shout past each other? Amy Binder and Jeff Kidder have produced a fresh set of answers. Whether you sit on the left or the right-or somewhere in between-you should read this smart book. It might change where you stand." -- Jonathan Zimmerman, author of The Amateur Hour: A History of College Teaching in AmericaTable of Contents1 The Channels of Student Activism 2 Generation Z and Campus Politics (with Ellen Stolzenberg) 3 Doing Campus Politics 4 The Conservative Channel—Pulled Outside from the Right (with Zosia Sztykowski) 5 The Progressive Channel—Pushed Inside from the Left 6 The Politics of Speech on Campus 7 Genuine Openness in Polarizing Times and a Look toward the Future Acknowledgments Notes References Index

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Book SynopsisThe acclaimed sociologist''s landmark, compassionate work on how society treats those who are different''By definition, of course, we believe the person with a stigma is not quite human''In ancient times stigma were physical marks branded on people considered unfit to be in society. Today social stigma shames those seen as ''abnormal'' in more insidious ways. Erving Goffman''s defining sociological study draws extensively on the lived experiences of those who have found themselves on the edges of society to look at the complex ways in which stigmatized individuals see and project themselves, the strategies they use to deal with rejection, and how stigma can shatter their relationships with others.''His brilliant book'' Guardian

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Book SynopsisThere has never been a rock institution quite like Sonic Youth. Their distinctive, uncompromising sound provided a map for innumerable musicians who followed, and in 2005, CMJ, the bible of the indie and alternative music work, ranked them no. 3 on its list of the 25 most influential artists of the last quarter century. But their impact does not end with their music. The Sonic Youth worldview encompasses punk rock, trashy pulp fiction, pop-art minimalism, contemporary classical composition, glam rock, leftist politics, feminist iconography, and ironic humour. Countless musicians and artists - including Kurt Cobain, Beck, Spike Jonze and Sofia Coppola - were introduced to the world thanks to Sonic Youth. In Goodbye 20th Century, David Browne tells the full glorious story of ''the Velvet Underground of their generation'', based on extensive research, fresh interviews with the band and those who have worked with them, and unprecedented access to unreleased recordings and documents. CompleTrade ReviewSonic Youth's career is chronicled in this comprehensive, authorised biography. This has little competition for a dedicated fanbase. * BOOKSELLER *Brown succeeds in capturing the personalities and debates that shape the band's character * PUBLISHERS WEEKLY *Browne's book, is a purposeful, detailed pleasure * THE TIMES *An essential history of an esential band. * RECORD COLLECTOR *

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Book SynopsisUncovers the key civil rights battle that immigrant children fought alongside the ACLU to ensure equal access to education within a xenophobic nationJournalist Jo Napolitano delves into the landmark case in which the School District of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was sued for refusing to admit older, non-English speaking refugees and sending them to a high-discipline alternative school. In a legal battle that mirrors that of the Little Rock Nine and Brown v. Board of Education, 6 brave refugee students fought alongside the ACLU and Education Law Center to demand equal access. The School I Deserve illuminates the lack of support immigrant and refugee children face in our public school system and presents a hopeful future where all children can receive an equal education regardless of race, ethnicity, or their country of origin.One of the students, Khadidja Issa, fled the horrific violence in war-torn Sudan with the hope of a safer life in the United Sta

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Book Synopsis'Ingenious, consistently taut and witty' TLS 'Humorous and quizzical, with a light touch on weighty themes, the narrative darts about with lizard-like colour and velocity' Independent'Strange, elliptical, charming' Guardian 'A poetic, beguiling meditation on truth and storytelling . . . from the dreamscapes of magical realism to a gripping political thriller and even a murder mystery' New InternationalistFélix Ventura trades in memories, a slippery character selling new pasts to people whose bright futures lack only a good lineage, and wiping clean the slate of their identity.In a narrative that darts between past and present Angola, a bookish albino man, a beautiful woman, a mysterious foreigner and a witty talking lizard come together to discover their real origins. For theirs is a world where the truth seems to shift from moment to moment and where history itself is up for grabs . . .WINNER OF THE INDEPENDENT FOREIGN FICTION PRIZE'A work of fierce originality' Independent'Without doubt one of the most important Portuguese-language writers of his generation' ANTÓNIO LOBO ANTUNES'Cross J. M. Coetzee with Gabriel García Márquez and you've got José Eduardo Agualusa' ALAN KAUFMANTranslated from the Portuguese by Daniel HahnTrade ReviewFierce originality, vindicating the power of creativity to transform the most sinister acts. Not since Gregor Samsa's metamorphosis have we had such a convincing non-human narrator, brought vividly home to us by Daniel Hahn -- Amanda Hopkinson * Independent *Strange, elliptical, charming * Guardian *Humorous and quizzical, with a light touch on weighty themes, the narrative darts about with lizard-like colour and velocity -- Boyd Tonkin * Independent *Witty and perceptive. Agualusa has the distinction of being the first Angolan writer to be translated into English * Herald *A curious tale of memory and how it can be shaped, threaded with literary nods, where dreams and reality interweave, and reality itself is interpreted in myriad ways . . . with truths shifting against a vividly drawn sense of place * Metro *A magical tale of metamorphosis, friendship and revenge. Hahn's English translation matches the original's playful inventiveness with language. I loved this book. -- margaret jull costaA subtle, beguiling story of shifting identities * Kirkus Review *A poetic, beguiling meditation on truth and storytelling, a political thriller and a wholly satisfying murder mystery. * New Internationalist *Lovers of stylish literary fiction will rejoice at this charming tale by Angolan writer Agualusa * Publishers Weekly *

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Book SynopsisVintage Feminism: classic feminist texts in short formWITH A NEW INTRODUCTION BY THE AUTHOREvery day, women around the world are confronted with a dilemma – how to look. In a society embroiled in a cult of female beauty and youthfulness, pressure on women to conform physically is constant and all-pervading. In this shortened edition you will find the essence of Wolf’s groundbreaking book. It is a radical, gripping and frank exposé of the tyranny of the beauty myth, its oppressive function and the destructive obsession it engenders.Trade ReviewA smart, angry, insightful book, and a clarion call to freedom. Every woman should read it -- Gloria SteinemPowerful... No other work has...so honestly depicted the confusion of accomplished women who feel emotionally and physically tortured by the need to look like movie stars * New York Times *The most important feminist publication since The Female Eunuch -- Germaine GreerA brilliant, bracing book...The world has changed - a bit - over the past decade and a half, but not enough: this remains essential reading * Guardian *Essential reading * Fay Weldon *

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Book SynopsisA RALLYING CRY FOR THE WHOLE WORLD, BY ONE OF THE MOST RESPECTED LEADERS OF OUR TROUBLED TIMES. This eloquent, impassioned manifesto is possibly the most important message The Dalai Lama can give us about the future of our world. It's his rallying cry, full of solutions for our chaotic, aggressive, divided times: no less than a call for revolution.Are we ready to hear it?Are we ready to act?

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Book SynopsisA timely exploration of the work and lived experiences of a postwar generation of women artists that have largely been omitted from art historical narratives, Women in Revolt! surfaces the wealth and diversity of work created in the UK during the 1970s and 80s, a period of seismic social and political change. Across a wide variety of mediums including painting, drawing, sculpture, performance, film and photography, this extensive exhibition book reflects on how women's needs were marginalised within mainstream culture and reveals how artists used radical ideas and methods to confront issues that will resonate with contemporary audiences — from access to healthcare and class struggles to ecological disaster, racism and misogyny. Featuring essays on feminist film distribution, the visibility of Black and South Asian women artists, Section 28 and the AIDS pandemic, Greenham Common and the peace movement, and the intersection of punk, feminism and art, Women in Revolt! celebrates the full diversity of what was a highly creative, politically engaged and determined community of women that paved the way for future generations and, ultimately, changed the face of British culture.

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Book SynopsisStep aside Hygge. Lagom is the new Scandi lifestyle trend taking the world by storm. This delightfully illustrated book gives you the lowdown on this transformative approach to life and examines how the lagom ethos has helped boost Sweden to the No.10 ranking in 2017's World Happiness Report. Lagom (pronounced 'lah-gom') has no equivalent in the English language but is loosely translated as 'not too little, not too much, just right'. It is widely believed that the word comes from the Viking term 'laget om', for when a mug of mead was passed around a circle and there was just enough for everyone to get a sip. But while the anecdote may hit the nail on the head, the true etymology of the word points to an old form of the word 'lag', which means 'law'.Far from restrictive, lagom is a liberating concept, praising the idea that anything more than 'just enough' is a waste of time. Crucially it also comes with a selflessness and core belief of responsibility and common good. By living lagom you can: Live a happier and more balanced life Reduce your environmental impact Improve your work-life balance Free your home from clutter Enjoy good food the Swedish way Grow your own and learn to forage Cherish the relationships with those you love

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisFrom the author of THE PERFECT STORM and WAR comes a book about why men miss war, why Londoners missed the Blitz, and what we can all learn from American Indian captives who refused to go home.Tribe is a look at post-traumatic stress disorder and the challenges veterans face returning to society. Using his background in anthropology, Sebastian Junger argues that the problem lies not with vets or with the trauma they've suffered, but with the society to which they are trying to return.One of the most puzzling things about veterans who experience PTSD is that the majority never even saw combatand yet they feel deeply alienated and out of place back home. The reason may lie in our natural inclination, as a species, to live in groups of thirty to fifty people who are entirely reliant on one another for safety, comfort and a sense of meaning: in short, the life of a soldier.It is one of the ironies of the modern age that as affluence rises in a society, so do rates of suicide, depression anTrade Review‘A brilliant little book driven by a powerful idea and series of reflections … I would give this gem of an essay to anyone embarking on the understanding of human society and governance’ Evening Standard ‘An eloquent and thought-provoking book … it could help us to think more deeply about how to help men and woman battered by war to find new purpose in peace’ The Times ‘Fascinating, insightful and built on real and difficult experiences as well as a background in anthropology’ Sunday Times ‘An electrifying tapestry of history, anthropology, psychology and memoir that punctures the stereotype of the veteran as a war-damaged victim in need of salvation. Rather than asking how we can save our returning servicemen and women, Junger challenges us to take a hard look in the mirror and ask whether we can save ourselves … Tribe is a stirring clarion call for a return to solidarity. In advocating a public, shared confrontation with the psychic scars of war, Junger aims to stop trauma burning a hole through individual veterans. Such a collective catharsis might also be our best hope of healing the wounds modern society has inflicted on itself’ Guardian ‘Junger is particularly insightful when he is discussing combat soldiers and the difficulties they experience when returning from war zones … Junger is correct to draw attention to the major faultlines in affluent societies, including the dismantling of a sense of community. A growing proportion of people are suffering from clinical depression, anxiety and chronic loneliness. He rightly observes that wealth is not the route to happiness. Being loved and giving love are fundamental to human happiness and health’ Observer ‘A small, but convincingly argued, book … a good starting point for rethinking the way we live our troubled modern lives’ Daily Mail ‘Lucid and engaging’ TLS

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Book SynopsisA Times book of the yearA Guardian book of the yearMagnificent'The TimesDazzling' New StatesmanIt filled me with hope' Zadie SmithWhat happens to our behaviour when we live most of our lives online? What does it mean to always be optimising'? And what is it about scams and the millennial generation?Offering nuanced and witty reflections on feminism, reality TV, the internet, drugs, identity and more, Trick Mirror is a multifaceted, thought-provoking and entertaining response to our zeitgeist a must-read for anyone interested in the way we live and think today.Trade Review‘A masterclass in how to think about the world’ Samantha Irby ‘Thoroughly enjoyable’ Vogue ‘There is one guarantee with this book: it will make you stop and think … Tolentino’s writing will leave you feeling a bit more humble, and a bit more intelligent’ Independent ‘Hardcore modern intellectualism with a side of memes’ Daily Telegraph ‘A page-turning holiday read’ Elle ‘An astute and exciting new voice’ Financial Times (Books of the Year) ‘A bold and playful collection from a hugely talented writer’ Guardian ‘The best young essayist at work in the United States’ Rebecca Solnit ‘The millennial Susan Sontag, a brilliant voice in cultural criticism. . . She remains engaged with her subjects even as she scratches her head and wonders why we do what we do. Even better: She writes like a dream’ Washington Post ‘Jia Tolentino could be the Joan Didion of our time’ Vulture ‘She is the kind of writer who is talked about with a mixture of rapturous admiration and pained envy … dazzling’ New Statesman ‘The Book of the Moment’ Vice ‘Magnificent … her position as the pre-eminent genius among the millennial intellectuals is self-assured’ The Times ‘This is electrifying, vital writing’ Louise O’Neill

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Book SynopsisTackles the issues of real concern for men. This title includes: Social Media: social networking, gaming, and the world of online dating; Communication: both in person - greetings, handshakes, and the all-important first impression - and on-the go-texting, emailing, and smart phones; and, more.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Makes the case that ‘soft power’ is too often underestimated both in foreign relations and in life.” — The Santa Monica Daily Press “Argues that etiquette and small matters of cultural nuance play a huge role in functional politics.” — New York Times Book Review, “New & Noteworthy” “Fascinating . . . An informative and often charming primer on a little-known—but vital—government post.” — Kirkus Reviews “For over two decades, Capricia has been my friend and colleague, from Arkansas to Zambia. She is a problem solver and a bridge builder, and I’ve been so lucky to have her by my side through the years. Protocol is a must-read, taking us behind the curtain of the highest levels of diplomacy, teaching us lessons about the intersection of governing and humanity that we need now more than ever.” — Hillary Clinton “An interesting and well-written account of the role of protocol in modern diplomacy. Marshall’s stories and lessons, drawn from years of experience, are entertaining and valuable in navigating everyday life.” — Henry A. Kissinger “Protocol—the rules that govern professional, government, and social interactions—may be the very reset we need. These practices aren’t dependent on your wallet size or where you come from, your skin color or your nationality, rather protocol is something we all can get behind, . . . My thanks to Ambassador Capricia Penavic Marshall for this book—give it to everyone you meet for birthdays, weddings, and elections. It can only help.” — Whoopi Goldberg “Working with Capricia during the Obama administration was nothing short of wonderful! Her guiding hand and innovative methods laid the foundation for our successful diplomacy on the world stage. Through amusing and touching anecdotes, many of which we shared together, Capricia details the superpower of protocol, a power that helped foster an environment conducive to many of President Obama’s successes.” — Valerie Jarrett, former senior advisor to Barack Obama and author of Finding My Voice “Capricia Penavic Marshall was an extraordinary chief of protocol, and she has now written an extraordinary book on how international protocol actually works and how it can work for every business and person. I cannot recommend this book too highly.” — David Rubenstein, cofounder and co-executive chairman of the Carlyle Group and author of The American Story “Capricia is the ultimate master in the art of protocol. As a first-generation American woman, she brilliantly manages the cultural nuances of consequential public- and private-sector engagements. Reading her book, I have learned a lot, I have laughed a lot, I have enjoyed every page.” — Christine Lagarde, president of the European Central Bank

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Book SynopsisFrom beloved and bestselling author Roxane Gay, “a strikingly fresh cultural critic” (Washington Post) comes an exhilarating collection of her essays on culture, politics, and everything in between. Since the publication of the groundbreaking Bad Feminist and Hunger, Roxane Gay has continued to tackle big issues embroiling society—state-sponsored violence and mass shootings, women’s rights post-Dobbs, online disinformation, and the limits of empathy—alongside more individually personalized matters: can I tell my co-worker her perfume makes me sneeze? Is it acceptable to schedule a daily 8 am meeting? In her role as a New York Times opinion section contributor and the publication’s “Work Friend” columnist, she reaches millions of readers with her wise voice and sharp insights.Opinions is a collection of Roxane Gay’s best nonfiction pieces from the past ten years. Covering a wide range of topics—politics, feminism, the culture wars, civil rights, and much more—with an all-new introduction in which she reflects on the past decade in America, this sharp, thought-provoking anthology will delight Roxane Gay’s devotees and draw new readers to this inimitable talent.

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Book SynopsisOur nation began with the simple phrase 'We the People.' But who were and are 'We'? This title draws on historical, psychological, and social research to answer that question by tracking the evolution of American character and culture over three centuries.Trade Review"Readable and entertaining.... [A] formidable achievement." (Financial Times) "A thoughtful assessment of the patterns of American life over the course of the past several centuries.... All in all, it is a lively and intriguing effort to understand the most important elements of American life." (Times Higher Education) "His measured but upbeat view of the evolving American experience will disappoint the hell-in-a-handbasket crowd.... The result is a shrewd, generous, convincing interpretation of American life." (Publishers Weekly, starred review) "Brave and ambitious.... [Fischer's] book will take its place in a distinguished scholarly tradition that historians have all but abandoned for nearly half a century." (David M. Kennedy, Boston Review) "Fischer has done scholars and lay readers alike an enormous service.... Made in America is exactly the sort of grand and controversial narrative, exactly the sort of bold test of old assumptions, that is needed to keep the study of American history alive and honest." (New Republic) "The book is a sociologist's take on American social history, a distillation of Fischer's vast reading.... He writes not only for his fellow academics but also for the general literate public." (Daniel Walker Howe, Wilson Quarterly, Top Ten Books of 2010)"

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Book SynopsisExamines the attraction between abuser and victim which results in disorders and dangerous attractions on both sides, considering the typical personalities involved in patterns of neglect.

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewAn excellent and richly annotated translation. -- Moss Roberts Journal of the American Oriental Society Users of this magnificent contribution to the study of Chinese thought will find here almost everything imaginable. -- Russell Kirkland Religious Studies Review It is a major accomplishment in every sense of the term. -- Mark Csikszentmihalyi Journal of Chinese Studies In sum, this volume bringing to annotated translation all 21 chapters of the Huainanzi will invaluably ease and enhance the work of future scholars. -- Benjamin E. Wallacker Journal of Asian History [An] epochal achievement... The Huainanzi vibrates with the authors' intellectual confidence... this translation of the Huainanzi is a convenient and reassuring shortcut into the heart of traditional China. -- Barbara Hendrischke Monumenta Serica This English version earns for the Huainanzi the widespread recognition as anepochal classic that it deserves, and at the same time provides a resource forspecialists. The translations are carefully thought out but evocative. China Review InternationalTable of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction 1. Originating in the Way 2. Activating the Genuine 3. Celestial Patterns 4. Terrestrial Forms 5. Seasonal Rules 6. Surveying Obscurities 7. Quintessential Spirit 8. The Basic Warp 9. The Ruler's Techniques 10. Profound Precepts 11. Integrating Customs 12. Responses of the Way 13. Boundless Discourses 14. Sayings Explained 15. An Overview of the Military 16. and 17. A Mountain of Persuasions and A Forest of Persuasions 18. Among Others 19. Cultivating Effort 20. The Exalted Lineage 21. An Overview of the Essentials Appendix A. Key Chinese Terms and Their Translations Appendix B. Categorical Terms Appendix C. A Concise Textual History of the Huainanzi and a Bibliography of Huainanzi Studies Index

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Book SynopsisAxel Honneth is known for his critique of modern society centered on a concept of recognition. Jacques Rancière has advanced a theory of modern politics based on disagreement. In a rare dialogue, these philosophers explore the affinities and tensions between their perspectives to provoke new ideas for social and political change.Trade ReviewWhen two hard stones are rubbed against each other, it produces sparks and light: this is what happens with this encounter 'in the real' between two major 'critical' philosophers of our time, both committed to democratizing democracy but addressing its current limits from opposite angles. A synthesis is not possible, though a commuting is immensely fruitful in order to elaborate one's own choices. The conversation is perfectly staged and commented upon by the editors. This book will be a point of reference. -- Etienne Balibar, author of Violence and Civility: On the Limits of Political Philosophy What form should critical theory take today? This is the question at stake in this encounter between two influential social and political philosophers. The editors expertly situate this dialogue within the terrain of contemporary critical theory, producing a text that will spark new conversations in the field. -- David Owen, author of Nietzsche's Genealogy of Morality After repeated failed efforts over the preceding decades to manufacture a debate or force an encounter between the putative representatives of German critical theory and French post-structuralism, this book may be the first to succeed at staging a genuine engagement between two preeminent figures in contemporary critical thought. This mise en scene ultimately produces its own mesentente-since each author says 'equality' and 'recognition' yet there is never the same understanding-but perhaps that is the book's greatest strength: to bring this dis-agreement into animacy, to attempt the distorting translation of these untranslatable terms, and in the process to allow the reader to experience the power of Honneth and Ranciere's thought. -- Samuel A. Chambers, author of Bearing Society in Mind: Theories and Politics of the Social Formation This timely and important book brings together for the first time two of the leading practitioners of what can be termed 'critical theory,' the borderland where critical approaches to social and political theory, philosophy, and other fields as dispersed as history, aesthetics, and psychology meet. In so doing, Recognition or Disagreement will help to revive critical theory as a politically engaged and philosophically rigorous intellectual endeavor that extends across disciplines, approaches, and traditions, and to renew the long but disjointed dialogue between German and French approaches to the field. It is a major contribution. -- James Ingram, author of Radical Cosmopolitics: The Ethics and Politics of Democratic Universalism In this fascinating and groundbreaking exchange, the eminent thinkers Axel Honneth and Jacques Ranciere discuss the differences between their respective paradigms of recognition and disagreement. Is social struggle driven by the desire for inclusion within established democratic forms or by a more radical impulse to challenge the legitimacy of the dominant order itself? Is the task of the theorist to reveal hidden forms of social suffering or to bear witness to the agency of the oppressed in the fight for equality? As well as clarifying their differences, the thinkers converge on the shared conviction that the experience of injustice must be of paramount concern for political theorizing rather than, as is more often the case nowadays, being regarded as a surprising deviation from the norm of justice. For anyone interested in the continuing encounter between French and German critical theory, this is an indispensable and thought-provoking read. -- Lois McNay, author of Bearing Society in Mind: Theories and Politics of the Social FormationTable of ContentsPart I. Setting the Stage 1. Jacques Ranciere and Axel Honneth: (Two?) Critical Approaches to the Political, by Katia Genel 2. Between Honneth and Ranciere: Problems and Potentials of a Contemporary Critical Theory of Society, by Jean-Philippe Deranty Part II. A Critical Encounter 3. Critical Questions: On the Theory of Recognition, by Jacques Ranciere 4. Remarks on the Philosophical Approach of Jacques Ranciere, by Axel Honneth 5. A Critical Discussion Part III. The Method of Critical Theory: Propositions 6. The Method of Equality: Politics and Poetics, by Jacques Ranciere 7. Of the Poverty of Our Liberty: The Greatness and Limits of Hegel's Doctrine of Ethical Life, by Axel Honneth Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisEviane Leidig offers an in-depth look into the world of far-right women influencers, exploring the digital lives they cultivate as they seek new recruits for white nationalism.Trade ReviewFinally, a book that looks at the women of the alt-right, the social media influencers who radicalize with a smile, who curate online “authenticity,” and who use traditional femininity to fight feminism. Critical but not dismissive, Eviane Leidig takes these women seriously without taking them at their word. As we all should. -- Cas Mudde, coauthor of Populism: A Very Short IntroductionLeidig’s deep dive into the social media worlds of far-right women reveals how they weaponize mainstream influencer branding and marketing strategies to soften and package far-right content within relatable, everyday stories. Original, timely, and indispensable for understanding the modern far right. -- Cynthia Miller-Idriss, author of Hate in the Homeland: The New Global Far RightThe Women of the Far Right is an immensely readable ethnographic investigation of an oft-overlooked aspect of modern extremism—the role of women. Eviane Leidig deftly shows how far-right influencers leverage social media tools like Instagram and YouTube to normalize extreme ideas. The book is a cautionary tale of how hateful ideas can be easily cloaked, and how influential they can be. -- Alice Marwick, author of Status Update: Celebrity, Publicity, and Branding in the Social Media AgeThe Women of the Far Right explores how female influencers shape the discourse, norms, and practices of the far right and participate in the mobilization of new supporters. This book shows how important the role of far-right women influencers is in cultural polarization and social conflicts in Western societies and, thus, how they are expanding what far-right ideology means and its social impact. -- Arie Perliger, author of American Zealots: Inside Right-Wing Domestic TerrorismA thorough and incisive account of the crucial role that women play in shaping and directing the online and social media discourse of the Far Right. * Journal of Social Media in Society *Table of ContentsIntroduction: “A New Chapter”1. The Alt-Right Versus the Far Right2. Down the Rabbit Hole: My Red Pill Journey3. Femininity Not Feminism4. The Making of a Tradwife5. Crowdsourcing Hate6. From Protests to Parliaments7. Countering the Far RightConclusion: “I’ve Taken the Real-Life Pill”NotesIndex

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Book SynopsisInsanely readable! I loved it' Slavoj ŽižekA delightfully thought-provoking study of why we have sex, from award-winning psychoanalyst Darian Leader''It was just sex.''It''s a familiar claim. But is it really possible?The old idea that sexuality is a smouldering, animalistic force within us, desperate for release yet restrained by social forces, has little to support it. Bodies aren''t just sticks that make fire when you rub them together, and the pain, heartache, and regret that can accompany the highs of sexual excitement show us that much more is at stake.So, what are we really thinking about when we think about sex? And what are we really doing when we do it?As acclaimed psychoanalyst Darian Leader argues, with his trademark clarity, energy and wit, there is no such thing as ''just sex''. It is always about so much more than that - about phantasy, anxiety, guilt, revenge, violence, love - and Leader draws on his analyTrade ReviewSensitively written and full of insight * Sunday Times *The revered psychoanalyst has penned a thoughtful book about our everyday sexual lives – and why there is no such thing as “just sex”. With a convincing argument as to why it is so much more than that, this is a thoroughly engaging and ever-illuminating read * iNews *

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Book SynopsisA new way of thinking about data science and data ethics that is informed by the ideas of intersectional feminism.Today, data science is a form of power. It has been used to expose injustice, improve health outcomes, and topple governments. But it has also been used to discriminate, police, and surveil. This potential for good, on the one hand, and harm, on the other, makes it essential to ask: Data science by whom? Data science for whom? Data science with whose interests in mind? The narratives around big data and data science are overwhelmingly white, male, and techno-heroic. In Data Feminism, Catherine D'Ignazio and Lauren Klein present a new way of thinking about data science and data ethics—one that is informed by intersectional feminist thought.Illustrating data feminism in action, D'Ignazio and Klein show how challenges to the male/female binary can help challenge other hierarchical (and empirically wrong) classification systems. They explain how,

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Book SynopsisContributes to contemporary thinking about violence and how it affects everyday life. This book examines case studies including the extreme violence of the Partition of India in 1947 and the massacre of Sikhs in 1984 after the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.Table of ContentsForeword 1. The Event and the Everyday 2. The Figure of the Abducted Woman: The Citizen as Sexed 3. Language and Body: Transactions in the Construction of Pain 4. The Act of Witnessing: Violence, Gender, and Subjectivity 5. Boundaries, Violence, and the Work of Time 6. Thinking of Time and Subjectivity 7. In the Region of Rumor 8. The Force of the Local 9. The Signature of the State: The Paradox of Illegibility 10. Three Portraits of Grief and Mourning 11. Revisiting Trauma, Testimony, and Political Community Notes Acknowledgments Index

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Book SynopsisOffers an interpretation of American society. This book features a preface relating the arguments of the book both to the realities of American society and to the debate about the country's future.Trade Review"Habits of the Heart is, rare among works of scholarly origin, an outspoken and even emotional plea for attention to an argument, and a danger. Its power is in the passion of its analysis, the vision of us...narrowing the gap between the inordinate rewards of success and the not less inordinate punishments for failure, in economic terms, in the society." * Los Angeles Times *"(A) brilliant analysis. Easily the richest and most readable study of American society . . . since The Lonely Crowd." * Newsweek *

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Book SynopsisDraws on anthropological and feminist insights to construct a critical ethnography of a small Awlad 'Ali Bedouin community in Egypt. This work explores how the telling of stories of everyday life challenges the power of anthropological theory to render adequately the lives of others and the way feminist theory appropriates Third World women.Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Preface to the Fifteenth Anniversary Edition Preface to the First Edition Acknowledgments Keeping the Names Straight Introduction ONE Patrilineality TWO Polygyny THREE Reproduction FOUR Patrilateral Parallel-Cousin Marriage FIVE Honor and Shame Transcriptions of Arabic Poems and Songs Bibliography

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Book SynopsisTraces Japan's coffee craze from the turn of the twentieth century, when Japan helped to launch the Brazilian coffee industry, to the present day. This title shows how coffee and coffee spaces have been central to the formation of Japanese notions about the uses of public space, social change, modernity, and pleasure.Trade Review"Required reading for coffee's true believers and industry insiders." -- Oliver Strand T: The New York Times Style Magazine "You'll find your eyes opened beyond the new and storied cafes you've heard of and into regional corners and paradoxical tastes." Serious Eats "A fascinating 130-year illumination of Japan's deeply rooted sipping culture." LA Weekly "This excellent book combines academic rigour with lively descriptions and compelling prose." Times Higher Education "Provides an engaging and often personal account of Japanese coffeehouses... Highly recommended." -- R. R. Wilk, Indiana University Choice "Merry White has whiled away many hours in cafes in Japan in her professional role as an anthropologist, and wishes to communicate the diversity and intimacy one can experience in them." Times Literary Supplement (TLS) "Perhaps this isn't really a review, more a recommendation - all I can really say is that I enjoyed it, and ... you'll probably enjoy this too." Jimseven "This book will certainly give you ... a lot of new knowledge and maybe a whole new perspective on Japanese culture." Yum "Coffee Life in Japan provides a novel and significant study on contemporary Japanese life." -- Willa Zhen, Culinary Institute of America Journal Of American-East Asian RelationsTable of ContentsIllustrations Preface 1. Coffee in Public: Cafe's in Urban Japan 2. Japan's Cafe's: Coffee and the Counterintuitive 3. Modernity and the Passion Factory 4. Masters of Their Universes: Performing Perfection 5. Japan's Liquid Power 6. Making Coffee Japanese: Taste in the Contemporary Cafe' 7. Urban Public Culture: Webs, Grids, and Third Places in Japanese Cities 8. Knowing Your Place Appendix: Visits to Cafe's, an Unreliable Guide Notes Bibliography Acknowledgments Index

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Book SynopsisConsiders the uses to which social representation and modes of social behavior are put by individuals and groups, describing the tactics available to the common man for reclaiming his own autonomy from the all-pervasive forces of commerce, politics, and culture.Trade Review"We are fortunate to have de Certeau's work available in English, and in such a graceful and meticulous translation." * Comparative Literature *"Whether writing about madness and mysticism in the seventeenth century, South American resistance movements in the past and present, or the practice of everyday life in the twentieth century, Certeau developed a distinctive way of interpreting social and personal relations." * New York Review of Books *"The Practice of Everyday Life, published in 1974 and now the first of his books available in English translation, offers ample evidence why we should pay heed to de Certeau. . . . The work all but defies definition. History, sociology, economics, literature and literary criticism, philosophy, and anthropology all come within de Certeau's ken." * Journal of Modern History *"The book retains its freshness and relevance." * Journal of Business Anthropology *Table of ContentsPreface General Introduction PART I: A VERY ORDINARY CULTURE I. A Common Place: Ordinary Language II. Popular Cultures: Ordinary Language III. Making Do: Uses and Tactics PART II: THEORIES OF THE ART OF PRACTICE IV. Foucault and Bourdieu V. The Arts of Theory VI. Story Time PART III: SPATIAL PRACTICES VII. Walking in the City VIII. Railway Navigation and Incarceration IX. Spatial Stories PART IV: Uses of Language X. The Scriptural Economy XI. Quotations of Voices XII. Reading as Poaching PART V: WAYS OF BELIEVING XIII. Believing and Making People Believe XIV. The Unnamable Indeterminate Notes

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