Outline : Learning how to live in today's new social and cultural environment will require examination, trial and error, and adaptation over time. But there are ways to live with integrity and follow Christ today, even in a negative world. Since a peak in church attendance in the mid-20th century, Christianity has been on a trajectory of decline in the United States. Once positive toward Christ…
Outline: Scripture reveals the nature of human violence in all its types, including interpersonal, structural, sexual, and political violence. To explore what the Bible says about human violence, Old Testament scholar Helen Paynter dives deeply into even the most problematic biblical narratives. Strating with the creation narratives in Genesis and moving to the conquest of Canaan, she investiga…
Outline : Originally published in 1947, The Uneasy Conscience of Modern Fundamentalism has since served as the manifesto of evangelical Christians serious about bringing the fundamentals of the Christian faith to bear In contemporary culture. In this classic book Carl F. H. Henry, the father of modern fundamentalism, pioneered a path for active Christian engagement with the world — a path a…
Outline : "Not then, men and their moments. Rather, moments and their men." writes Erving Goffman in the introduction to his groundbreaking 1967 Interaction Ritual, a study of face-to-face interaction in natural settings. that class of events occurs during co-presence and by virtue of co-presence. The ultimate behavioral materials are the glances, gestures, positionings, and verbal statements t…
The aim of this book is to present as comprehensive and balanced a selection of Marx’s writings as possible. I have forgone the opportunity of writing an extended introduction offering either ‘potted’ biography or an interpretation of Marx’s thought. A biography can readily be obtained elsewhere and such contextual details as are necessary for an understanding of each extract are provid…
Nature was always important in Thomas Merton’s life—from his infancy in Prades, France, when he learned words like chrysanthemum, hollyhock, foxglove, chickadee, and kingfi sher from his mother’s careful coaching, to long hours in the fresh air watching his artist father create landscapes, to his fi nal years of solitude in the hermitage at Our Lady of Gethsemani, the Trappist monastery i…
This study offers a systematic reconstruction of the theoretical foundations and framework of critical social theory. It is Habermas' "magnum opus", and it is regarded as one of the most important works of modern social thought. In this second and final volume of the work, Habermas examines the relations between action concepts and systems theory and elaborates a framework for analyzing the dev…
Harvard astronomer Owen Gingerich has described the human brain as “by far the most complex physical object known to us in the entire cosmos” (2006, p. 29). On the scale of outer space, we are less than a single grain of sand on all the oceans’ beaches, and our lifetime is but a relative nanosecond. Yet there is nothing more awe inspiring than our own inner space. Our consciousness our mi…
This volume explores the legacy of the Dutch theologian and statesman Abraham Kuyper for contemporary Christian ecotheology. A crucial problem in ecotheology is how to do justice to both creation and salvation as acts of God, given the impact of the environmental crisis and the concern for creation (as creatura). Can Kuyper help one in this regard, given his controversial legasy, especially in …
Juergen Habermas opens Volume 2 with a brilliant reinterpretation of Mead and Durkheim and then develops his own approach to society, combining two hitherto competing paradigms, "system" and "lifeworld." The strength of this combination is then demonstrated in a detailed critique of Parsons's theory of social systems. Concluding with a critical reconstruction of the Weberan and Marxian treatmen…
On August 16, 2012, the South African police intervened in a labor conflict between workers at the Marikana platinum mine near Johannesburg and the mine’s owners: the stockholders of Lonmin, Inc., based in London. Police fired on the strikers with live ammunition. Thirty- four miners were killed.
Here, for the first time in English, is volume one of Jürgen Habermas's long-awaited magnum opus: The Theory of Communicative Action. This pathbreaking work is guided by three interrelated concerns: (1) to develop a concept of communicative rationality that is no longer tied to the subjective and individualistic premises of modern social and political theory; (2) to construct a two-level conc…
Gadgets are everywhere. Gadgets wake the workforce every morning, organise their days and perpetually punctuate their attention. Evenings are largely filled by more gadgets – streaming movies on ‘smart’ televisions or surfing YouTube on a tablet, or even face-to-face encounters facilitated by hook-up apps. There is an increasing integration of gadgets with microprocessors, software and ub…
In this well established text, a team of international scholars give their thoughts on mass media and culture. The book also seeks to reflect changing emphasis in the study of mass communication and popular culture.
Exact phrases to develop your sense of humor, master witty remarks, make people laugh, and be funnier - even if you're not naturally funny. Laugh Tactics is full of strategies that dissect, break down, and analyze all of the types of humor that you'll encounter in daily conversation - stuff you can really use with people you talk to. We're not all trying to become standup comedians, and this is…
Social Media and Crisis Communication provides a unique and timely contribution to the field of crisis communication by addressing how social media is influencing the practice of crisis communication. The book, with a collection of chapters contributed by leading communication researchers, covers the current and emerging interplay of social media and crisis communication, recent theories and fr…
This collection marks a turning point in the field of digital humanities: for the first time, a wide range of theorists and practitioners, those who have been active in the field for decades, and those recently involved, disciplinary experts, computer scientists, and library and information studies specialists, have been brought together to consider digital humanities as a discipline in its own…
The core of this book is a set of five lectures delivered by Habermas at Princeton in 1971 under the title a Reflections on the Linguistic Foundation of Sociologya .
A defining work of moral philosophy, Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals has been highly influential and famously difficult. Dieter Schönecker and Allen Wood make clear the ways this work forms the basis of our modern moral outlook and how moral law relates to freedom and free will within Kant's overall philosophy.
The third edition of Social Identity builds on the international success of previous editions, offering an easy access critical introduction to social science theories of identity, for advanced undergraduates and postgraduates. All of the previous chapters have been updated and extra material has been added where relevant, for example on globalization. Two new chapters have also been added; one…
The essays which comprise this book are designed to justify and develop scientific realism, critical naturalism, and a certain, characteristically Marxian, approach to the analysis and criticism of philosophical ideas. The first two chapters consolidate and develop the theories outlined in A Realist Theory of Science and The Possibility of Naturalism, as well as in a number of other recent publ…
Most significant problems of contemporary life have their origins in nihilism and its paradoxical logic, which is simultaneously destructive to, and constitutive of, society. Yet, in social theory, nihilism is a surprisingly under-researched topic.
Thanks to Facebook and Instagram, our childhoods have been captured and preserved online, never to go away. But what happens when we can’t leave our most embarrassing moments behind? Until recently, the awkward moments of growing up could be forgotten. But today we may be on the verge of losing the ability to leave our pasts behind. In The End of Forgetting , Kate Eichhorn explores what ha…
Discover more than 85 of the most important ideas, movements, and events that have defined feminism and feminist thought throughout history with this original, graphic-led book. Using the Big Ideas series' trademark combination of authoritative, accessible text and bold graphics, this book traces feminism and the feminist movement from its origins, through the suffragette movement of the 19t…
Sri Aurobindo explores the cycles of human development with an eye toward showing the underlying trend and impulsion in that development. He shows how humanity moves successively through various stages whereby different powers are developed and highlighted towards an ultimate integration and fulfillment of human destiny in an outflowing of our hidden spiritual nature in the diversity and vibran…
Acclaimed "Internet Theologian" Tom Breen has written a satirical, tongue-in-cheek exploration of pop Christianity. Whether pondering why there are so many Christian rock bands but so few good Christian rock songs or providing helpful tips on writing hip translations of the Bible ( lose the boring parts and constantly mention celebrities), Breen offers whip-smart, non-stop fun, along with a sid…
This is a comprehensive introduction to the philosophical and political thought of Karl Popper, now available in English. It is divided into three parts; the first part provides a biography of Popper; the second part looks at his works and recurrent themes, and the third part assesses his critics. It was approved of by Popper himself as a sympathetic and comprehensive study, and will be ideal t…
Since the publication of Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (edited by John Piper and Wayne Grudem; Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1991), the ongoing debate over the biblical understanding of men and women has brought new challenges to the perspective we presented there, as well as new insights from ongoing scholarly investigation of Scripture and of trends in the culture.
Sexuality and Socialism is a remarkably accessible analysis of many of the most challenging questions for those concerned with full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. Inside are essays on the roots of LGBT oppression, the construction of sexual and gender identities, the history of the gay movement, and how to unite the oppressed and exploited to win sexual libe…
Early modern Europe witnessed changes in the social, political, and ecclesiastical structures supporting poor relief, but notions that sharp fault lines divide rationalized, secular poor relief from morally and spiritually motivated ecclesiastical charity need rethinking. Spiritual ideals shaped political and social poor relief structures just as much as rationalization and effective administra…
Censored in its own time, the Social Contract (1762) remains a key source of democratic belief and is one of the classics of political theory. It argues concisely but eloquently, that the basis of any legitimate society must be the agreement of its members. As humans we were born free' and our subjection to government must be freely accepted. Rousseau is essentially a radical thinker, and in a …
This book's chapters assess the nature of conversion and present data on specific convertion types, experiences, and theories including such topics as heroes, semiotics, new towns, pilgrimages, the New Age, relations among Catholics, Afro-Brazilians, and Protestants in Brazil, re-conversionist movements, Soka Gakkai, and the LDS church.
This important new book is the first balanced and sustained evaluation of Jurgen Habermas's major two-volume work The Theory of Communicative Action which has provoked a great deal of debate and controversy. It discusses specific aspects of the work, as well as Habermas's overall contribution to social and political thought. The book's last essay is a lengthy reply from Habermas to his critics,…
A major contribution to contemporary social theory. Not only does it provide a compelling critique of some of the main perspectives in 20th century philosophy and social science, but it also presents a systematic synthesis of the many themse which have preoccupied Habermas for thirty years.
This volume addresses the most important issues related to the study of New Testament writings. Two respected senior scholars have brought together a team of distinguished specialists to introduce the Jewish, Hellenistic, and Roman backgrounds necessary for understanding the New Testament and the early church. Contributors include renowned scholars such as Lynn H. Cohick, David A. deSilva, Jame…
This volume addresses the most important issues related to the study of New Testament writings. Two respected senior scholars have brought together a team of distinguished specialists to introduce the Jewish, Hellenistic, and Roman backgrounds necessary for understanding the New Testament and the early church. Contributors include renowned scholars such as Lynn H. Cohick, David A. deSilva, Jame…
If you are puzzled by other people or want to improve the impression you give, knowing about body language could be the key. In this book you'll discover how the body reveals what people really mean and how you can use your body and your expressions to improve your self-image to others. It explores why we give the signals we do, how to read the most common expressions and goes on to show how yo…
In recent years, ideas of post- and transhumanism have been popularized by novels, TV series, and Hollywood movies. According to this radical perspective, humankind and all biological life have become obsolete. Traditional forms of life are inefficient at processing information and inept at crossing the high outer space. While humankind can expect to be replaced by their own artificial progeny,…
Outline: How Popular Music shapes our souls. Pop music is now an ever-present force shaping citizens in the West. Even at funerals, it is often requested over hymns. But how does popular music work, and what roles does it play for listeners who engage it? Personal Jesus explores the theological significance of the ways pop music is listened to and used today. Popular music is used by religious …
Outline: Understanding the sociological setting for the New Testament in Asia Minor and Europe - the Greco-Roman world - is essential for correctly interpreting the letters of Paul. Hubbard addresses the realms of religion and superstition, of education and philosophy, of the urban society, and of the family. Each major section begins with a brief fictional tale, followed by descriptions of the…
Outline: In 1968 Eric Wolf write that anthropology needed to discover history. In this book he applies history to world anthropology. But Wolf's history is not Western history, divided into separate "nations" and chronicling the progress of the victorious elite. Wolf sees history as a web of complex, changing relationships, spun by Europe's rise to world domination. The true history of European…
Outline: The distinguished political philosopher and author of the widely acclaimed Just and Unjust Wars analyzes how society distributes not just wealth and power but other social "goods" like honor, education, work, free time - even love.
Outline: Disagreement on ethical issues overlays a lack of consensus today on even deeper issues of method and authority in ethics. Yet, argues theologian William Lazareth, a major ecumenical resource and model for Christian social ethics lies in Martin Luther's use of Scripture as ethical source and norm. Lazareth rescues Luther's Christocentric reading of Scripture and his ethics from largely…
Outline: As a correspondence for Newsweek and The New York Times, Elaine Sciolino has had more experience covering Iran than any other American reporter. She was abroad the airplane that took Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini to Tehran in 1979 and was there for the Iranian revolution, the hostage crisis, the Iran-Iraq war, the rise of President Khatami, and the riots of the summer of 1999. In Persian…
Outline: The essays in this book demonstrate that a theology shaped by the biblical narratives and grounded in the practices of the Christian community can provide resources to enable people to regain a public voice in a pluralistic culture. Ronald Thiemann challenges us to develop a public theology that remains based in the particulars of Christian faith while addressing issues of public signi…
Outline: World-renowned economist Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, explains that we have an opportunity to shape the fourth industrial revolution, which will fundamentally alter how we live and work. Schwab argues that this revolution is different in scale, scope and complexity from any that have come before. Characterized by a range of new technologies …