-Titulo Original : The Scourge Of War The Life Of William Tecumseh Sherman-Fabricante : Oxford University Press-Descripcion Original: William Tecumseh Sherman, a West Point graduate and veteran of the Seminole War, became one of the best-known generals in the Civil War. His March to the Sea, which resulted in a devastated swath of the South from Atlanta to Savannah, cemented his place in history as the pioneer of total war. In The Scourge of War, preeminent military historian Brian Holden Reid offers a deeply researched life and times account of Sherman. By examining his childhood and education, his business ventures in California, his antebellum leadership of a military college in Louisiana, and numerous career falsestarts, Holden Reid shows how unlikely his exceptional Civil War career would seem. He also demonstrates how crucial his family was to his professional path, particularly his wifes intervention during the war. He analyzes Shermans development as a battlefield commander and especially his crucialfriendships with Henry W. Halleck and Ulysses S. Grant. In doing so, he details how Sherman overcame both his weaknesses as a leader and severe depression to mature as a military strategist. Central chapters narrate closely Shermans battlefield career and the gradual lifting of his pessimismthat the Union would be defeated. After the war, Sherman became a popular figure in the North and the founder of the school for officers at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, known as the intellectual center of the army. Holden Reid argues that Sherman was not hostile to the South throughout his life andonly in later years gained a reputation as a villain who practiced barbaric destruction, particularly as the neo-Confederate Lost Cause grew and he published one of the first personal accounts of the war.A definitive biography of a preeminent military figure by a renowned military historian, The Scourge of War is a masterful account of Sherman life that fully recognizes his intellect, strategy, and actions during the Civil War. Review ...leaves the readers wanting more... -- Jennifer M. Murray, The Annals of Iowa[T]his deeply researched and deftly argued investigation will likely prove to be the definitive one for the foreseeable future....[Holden] Reid carefully connects Shermans personality traits to his military strengths and weaknesses. -- Gordon Berg, History NetBrian Holden Reid offers us a wide-ranging biography that serves the field well by placing Sherman within the larger military, political, and intellectual forces of the nineteenth century in the process helping to restore an oftmaligned historical figure to his rightful place as a supreme militarythinker. -- Zachery A. Fry, Military History ReviewIn this compelling and lucid reassessment of William Tecumseh Sherman (1820-91), Reid (Kings Coll. London; Americas Civil War) dispels the myths and misreadings of the commanding general of the Union Army and, later, secretary of war, recasting him as a man of wide intellectual interests whounderstood that winning demanded strategic vision and assiduous planning. Reids Sherman grew from an officer unsure of himself to a confident general at once bold in thought, meticulous in planning, and deft and decisive in action....Sometimes argumentative but always insightful, this study ofSherman ranks among the best renderings of the man and the conduct of the Civil War, and will help readers reconsider Shermans character and the discipline necessary to succeed in war. -- Library JournalIn this thoroughly researched and beautifully crafted work, a master historian has produced a strikingly original book, keenly sensitive to context and brimming with insights. Surely it is destined to become the standard biography of this iconic general, debunking many myths and enlarging ourunderstanding of the man, his times, his wars, and his contribution to saving the United States at its most vulnerable time. If you can read one book about the military aspects of the American Civil War, make it this one. --Richard H. Kohn, University of Nort...

-Titulo Original : Negro With A Hat The Rise And Fall Of Marcus Garvey-Fabricante : Oxford University Press-Descripcion Original: New in paperback, this groundbreaking biography captures the full sweep and epic dimensions of Marcus Garveys life, the dazzling triumphs and the dreary exile. As Grant shows, Garvey was a man of contradictions: a self-educated, poetry-writing aesthete and unabashed propagandist, an admirerof Lenin, and a dandy given to elaborate public displays. Above all, he was a shrewd promoter whose use of pageantry evoked a lost African civilization and fired the imagination of his followers. Negro With a Hat restores Garvey to his place as one of the founders of black nationalism and a keyfigure of the 20th century. A searching, vivid, and (as the title suggests) complex account of Garveys short but consequential life. --Steve Hahn, The New Republic The story of Marcus Garvey, the charismatic and tireless black leader who had a meteoric rise and fall in the late 1910s and early 20s, makes for enthralling reading, and Garvey has found an engaging and objective biographer in Colin Grant.... Grants book is not all politics, ideology, money andlawsuits. It is also an engrossing social history.... Negro With a Hat is an achievement on a scale Garvey might have appreciated. --New York Times Book Review Dazzling, definitive biography of the controversial activist who led the 1920s Back to Africa movement.... Grants learned passion for his subject shimmers on every page. A riveting and well-wrought volume that places Garvey solidly in the pantheon of important 20th-century black leaders. --Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review) This splendid book is certain to become the definitive biography. Garvey was a dreamer and a doer; Grant captures the fascination of both. --Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) Grants strength lies in his ability to re-create political moods and offer compelling sketches of colorful individuals and their organizations.... An engaging and readable introduction to a complicated and contentious historical actor who, in his time, possessed a unique capacity to inspiredevotion and hatred, adulation and fear. --Chicago Tribune A monumental, nuanced and broadly sympathetic portrait. --Financial Times Review In Negro With a Hat, he has produced a searching, vivid, and (as the title suggests) complex account of Garveys short but consequential life.--Steve Hahn, The New RepublicThe story of Marcus Garvey, the charismatic and tireless black leader who had a meteoric rise and fall in the late 1910s and early 20s, makes for enthralling reading, and Garvey has found an engaging and objective biographer in Colin Grant....Grants book is not all politics, ideology, money andlawsuits. It is also an engrossing social history....Negro With a Hat is an achievement on a scale Garvey might have appreciated.--New York Times Book ReviewDazzling, definitive biography of the controversial activist who led the 1920s Back to Africa movement....Grants learned passion for his subject shimmers on every page A riveting and well-wrought volume that places Garvey solidly in the pantheon of important 20th-century black leaders.--KirkusReviews (starred review)Dense with detail, but consistently readable, this splendid book is certain to become the definitive biography. Garvey was a dreamer and a doer; Grant captures the fascination of both.--Publishers Weekly (starred review)Grants strength lies in his ability to re-create political moods and offer compelling sketches of colorful individuals and their organizations....Negro With a Hat is an engaging and readable introduction to a complicated and contentious historical actor who, in his time, possessed a uniquecapacity to inspire devotion and hatred, adulation and fear.--Chicago TribuneGrants biography ably captures the Garvey moment, although, perhaps wisely, he leaves the many contradictions in Garveys character unresolved.--The New YorkerInformative and fascinating, Grants profile of Garvey is a vital contribution.--BooklistGrant.....

-Titulo Original : For Cause And Comrades Why Men Fought In The Civil War-Fabricante : Oxford University Press-Descripcion Original: General John A. Wickham, commander of the famous 101st Airborne Division in the 1970s and subsequently Army Chief of Staff, once visited Antietam battlefield. Gazing at Bloody Lane where, in 1862, several Union assaults were brutally repulsed before they finally broke through, he marveled,You couldnt get American soldiers today to make an attack like that. Why did those men risk certain death, over and over again, through countless bloody battles and four long, awful years ? Why did the conventional wisdom -- that soldiers become increasingly cynical and disillusioned as warprogresses -- not hold true in the Civil War? It is to this question--why did they fight--that James McPherson, Americas preeminent Civil War historian, now turns his attention. He shows that, contrary to what many scholars believe, the soldiers of the Civil War remained powerfully convinced of the ideals for which they fought throughout theconflict. Motivated by duty and honor, and often by religious faith, these men wrote frequently of their firm belief in the cause for which they fought: the principles of liberty, freedom, justice, and patriotism. Soldiers on both sides harkened back to the Founding Fathers, and the ideals of theAmerican Revolution. They fought to defend their country, either the Union--the best Government ever made--or the Confederate states, where their very homes and families were under siege. And they fought to defend their honor and manhood. I should not lik to go home with the name of a couhard,one Massachusetts private wrote, and another private from Ohio said, My wife would sooner hear of my death than my disgrace. Even after three years of bloody battles, more than half of the Union soldiers reenlisted voluntarily. While duty calls me here and my country demands my services I shouldbe willing to make the sacrifice, one man wrote to his protesting parents. And another soldier said simply, I still love my country. McPherson draws on more than 25,000 letters and nearly 250 private diaries from men on both sides. Civil War soldiers were among the most literate soldiers in history, and most of them wrote home frequently, as it was the only way for them to keep in touch with homes that many of them had left forthe first time in their lives. Significantly, their letters were also uncensored by military authorities, and are uniquely frank in their criticism and detailed in their reports of marches and battles, relations between officers and men, political debates, and morale. For Cause and Comrades letsthese soldiers tell their own stories in their own words to create an account that is both deeply moving and far truer than most books on war.Battle Cry of Freedom, McPhersons Pulitzer Prize-winning account of the Civil War, was a national bestseller that Hugh Brogan, in The New York Times, called history writing of the highest order. For Cause and Comrades deserves similar accolades, as McPhersons masterful prose and the soldiersown words combine to create both an important book on an often-overlooked aspect of our bloody Civil War, and a powerfully moving account of the men who fought it. Review In For Cause and Comrades the voices of the young men of the North and South sing out to us clearly, colorfully, compellingly, telling us what it was like for them--the battles, the camps, the cold and hunger, the fear, the boredom, the despair, the triumph. --The Wall Street JournalA stunning, authentic narrative of the war from beginning to end, woven out of totally disparate voices...but strikingly shared experiences.--The Boston GlobeIn a prose that is both sensitive and remarkably lucid, [McPherson] helps us to reenter an American society in which ideals were not merely pat phrases but principles that inspired conduct--however hateful some of those principles were.--New York Review of BooksMcPherson, For Cause and Comrades, will make all of us rethink the meaning of the Civil War...

-Titulo Original : Bismarck A Life-Fabricante : Oxford University Press-Descripcion Original: This riveting, New York Times bestselling biography illuminates the life of Otto von Bismarck, the statesman who unified Germany but who also embodied everything brutal and ruthless about Prussian culture. Jonathan Steinberg draws heavily on contemporary writings, allowing Bismarcks friends and foes to tell the story. What rises from these pages is a complex giant of a man: a hypochondriac with the constitution of an ox, a brutal tyrant who could easily shed tears, a convert to an extreme form ofevangelical Protestantism who secularized schools and introduced civil divorce. Bismarck may have been in sheer ability the most intelligent man to direct a great state in modern times. His brilliance and insight dazzled his contemporaries. But all agreed there was also something demonic,diabolical, and overwhelming in Bismarcks personality. He was a kind of malign genius who, behind the various postures, concealed an ice-cold contempt for his fellow human beings and a drive to control and rule them. As one contemporary noted: the Bismarck regime was a constant orgy of scorn andabuse of mankind, collectively and individually. A brilliant study in power, this comprehensive biography brings Bismarck to life, revealing the stark contrast between the Iron Chancellors unmatched political skills and his profoundly flawed human character. Review ...Bismarck: A Life is the best study of its subject in the English language. -- Henry A. Kissinger, New York Times Book Review Fascinating biography...Mr. Steinberg breathes more life into Bismarck than any other biographer, thanks to an unusual scholarly method: He shifts the normal balance between analysis and evidence decisively in favor of the latter...The result is riveting, and we experience Bismarck as a hulking,breathing presence. --The Wall Street Journal The Wall Street Journal Book of the Year selection ([T]he best biography of the Iron Chancellor to date. --Simon Sebag Montefiore) A first-rate biography that combines a standard historical narrative with an intriguing account of Bismarck as a personality...Bismarck offers a fresh and compelling portrait of a fascinating character. -- ForeignAffairs Bismarck: A Life is a readable, engrossing...biography about the father of the Fatherland, a man who made Germany and remade Europe without a mandate, a crown or an army. -- Dallas Morning NewsThis is the best one-volume life of Bismarck in English, much superior to older works. It brings us close to this galvanic, contradictory and ultimately self-destructive figure...Steinberg has an eye for details...and a talent for reconstructing the political drama of the period.-- TheGuardianSteinberg...brings a fresh perspective to the subject in a single volume whose insights and presentation make it no less canonical than its predecessors. --Publishers Weekly, Starred Review Jonathan Steinbergs magnificent biography brings out the monstrous egotism of Bismarck more clearly than anyone before him...Steinberg has brilliantly transformed this man of blood and irony into a tragic figure worthy to be compared with Goethes Faust. -- New Criterion The Bismarck story is an oft-told one, and oft-told with a political or social agenda guiding the biographers pen. Otto Pflanzes magisterial 1990 three-volume work set a new standard for Bismarck biographies and, more recently, Edgar Feuchtwangers Imperial Germany 1850-1918 moved us beyond thestandard Bismarck mythology. Jonathan Steinbergs Bismarck: A Life fits neatly into this estimable body of work as a serious, politically detached, study...Steinbergs analysis achieves a degree of personal and political objectivity while avoiding an oversimplification of his political andgovernmental achievements...his purpose is neither to praise nor vilify the statesman. Rather, he aims to understand and explain Bismarcks profound success story: his brilliant strategies and tactics in bringing toge...

-Titulo Original : Marx A Very Short Introduction (very Short Introductions)-Fabricante : Oxford University Press-Descripcion Original: Karl Marx is one of the most influential philosophers of all time, whose theories have shaped and directed political, economic, and social thought for 150 years. Considering Marxs life and impact, renowned philosopher Peter Singer identifies the central vision that unifies Marxs thought,enabling us to grasp Marxs views as a whole. Presenting Marx as a philosopher primarily concerned with human freedom, rather than as an economist or a social scientist, Singer explains Marxs key ideas on alienation, historical materialism, and the economic theory of Capital, in plain English.In this new edition, Singer explores whether Marx remains relevant to the twenty-first century, and if so, how. Does the fact that eight billionaires now own as much as the bottom half of the worlds population give support to Marxist thinking? Does the ease with which conservative politicians canwin over working class voters by appealing to nationalism undermines Marxs view of class struggle and the inevitability of victory for the proletariat? Singer ponders key questions such as these, and also discusses the place of the internet as a productive force when analyzed in Marxist theory.He concludes with an assessment of Marxs legacy, asking if there is any realistic prospect of replacing capitalism with a better system of production and distribution in the twenty-first century.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, andenthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable. Review I always recommend that undergraduates should read Singers book to get an overview. I find it a very useful introduction: succinct and sophisticated.- Professor Diana Coole, University of California, Irvine[An] excellent brief presentation of Marx and his teachings, written with clarity and conciseness; up-to-date in its sources, dispassionate in its approach to [Marx] and balanced in its assessment.- Peter McConville, University of San Francisco About the Author Peter Singer is Ira W. DeCamp Professor of Bioethics in the University Center for Human Values at Princeton University, a position that he now combines with the position of Laureate Professor at the University of Melbourne. An Australian, in 2012 he was made a Companion to the Order of Australia,his countrys highest civilian honor. His books include Animal Liberation (1975; Bodley Head, 2015), Practical Ethics (1979; CUP, 2011), The Life You Can Save (Picador, 2010), and The Most Good You Can Do (Yale University Press, 2015)...

-Titulo Original : Abraham Lincoln-Fabricante : Oxford University Press-Descripcion Original: Review Marking the two-hundredth anniversary of Lincolns birth, this marvelous short biography by a leading historian offers an illuminating portrait of one of the giants in the American story. It is the best concise introduction to Lincoln in print, a must-have volume for anyone interested in American history or in our greatest president. In the discussion below, noted historian and author of Lincoln and His Admirals, Craig L. Symonds, talks to James M. McPherson about Lincolns relationships with his generals, beginning with the controversial commander of the northern army, George McClellan, whose soldiers referred to him as the the young Napoleon. Both historians share the prestigious 2009 Lincoln Prize for the years best books on Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War. McPhersons Tried by War: Abraham Lincoln as Commander in Chief and Symondss Lincoln and His Admirals were the winning books. A Conversation Between Two Lincoln Historians: James M. McPherson and Craig L. Symonds Symonds: George McClellan is clearly a central character in this story. In your view, was Lincoln too patient with Little Mac, not patient enough, or just about right? Would the Lincoln of 1864 have tolerated McClellan as long as the Lincoln of 1862 did?McPherson: In one sense, he was too patient. McClellan deserved to be fired after his failure to reinforce [General] Pope at Second Bull Run, as a majority of the Cabinet wanted Lincoln to do. But in another sense, Lincoln was absolutely right that only McClellan could reorganize the army and restore its morale, and if the president had fired him then, the army might have broken down. In the end, Lincolns timing on removing Mac from command--just after the fall elections in 1862--was just right.Symonds: What about the so-called political generals: did Lincoln appoint and tolerate them out of perceived political necessity or because he believed that some of them, at least, had genuine merit? And, for that matter, did any of them have genuine merit?McPherson: Lincoln appointed the political generals in order to mobilize their constituencies for the war effort. Northern mobilization for the war in 1861-62 was a from-the-bottom-up process, with important local and state political leaders playing a key part in persuading men to enlist in this all-volunteer army, and political generals were a key part in this process, which increased an army of 16,000 men in April 1861 to an army of 637,000 men in April 1862. And while we are all familiar with the military incompetents among the political generals, some of them were actually pretty good--John Logan and Frank Blair, for example.Symonds: Why did Lincoln put up with [his chief war advisor] Henry Halleck?McPherson: Lincoln used Halleck to translate presidential orders and wishes into language that military commanders could understand, and to translate their reports and requests and explanations into language that Lincoln understood. That was what Lincoln meant when he called Halleck a first-rate clerk. Of course he had wanted him to be more than a clerk, and that is why Lincoln finally appointed Grant as General in Chief and booted Halleck upstairs into the new office of chief of staff, where his clerkly qualities were needed.Symonds: Lincoln was clearly relieved to turn over military operations to Grant in 1864, but did he also fear Grant as a potential political rival?McPherson: He had been concerned about Grant as a potential political rival, until Grant let it be known throughout intermediaries that he unequivocally and absolutely had no political ambitions in 1864 and strongly supported Lincolns reelection. After that, Lincoln had no more concerns.Symonds: Now that you will be the owner of two busts of Lincoln by Augustus St. Gaudens, along with your many other prizes, isnt your house getting pretty full?McPherson: There is still room in the house, but since my grandchildren are interested in Mr. Lincoln in bronze, I may deposit t...

-Titulo Original : The Illustrated Art Of War-Fabricante : Oxford University Press-Descripcion Original: With well over a million copies sold, Sun Tzus The Art of War is a true masterpiece, a series of brilliant aphorisms that illuminate the planning and conduct of war. Now this classic work is available in an elegant illustrated edition, featuring seventy-five color and black-and-white images.From perceptive descriptions of the nine varieties of terrain, to advice on how to gage an enemys weaknesses and strengths, to suggestions on the employment of secret agents, here is timeless advice on combat and military strategy. Sun Tzus writings are unsurpassed in depth of understanding,shedding light not only on battlefield maneuvers, but also on the relevant economic, political, and psychological factors that can shape the outcome of warfare. Equally important, the precepts outlined by Sun Tzu over two thousand years ago can be applied with great success outside the theater ofwar. Indeed, it is read avidly by corporate executives worldwide and has been touted in the movie Wall Street and the television series The Sopranos as the ultimate guide to strategy. Finally, this edition offers the definitive translation of Sun Tzus text, by former U.S. Marine Brigadier GeneralSamuel Griffith, who was also an authority of Mao Tse-Tung. Remarkable for its clear organization, lucid prose, and the acuity of its intellectual and moral insights, The Art of War is the definitive study of combat. It is an essential book for military history buffs, and an ideal gift for anyone who is interested in tactics and strategy, whether on thebattlefield or in the boardroom. About the Author The late Samuel B. Griffith was a Brigadier General and served during World War II with the United States Marines. He is the author of The Battle for Guadalcanal and the editor and translator of Mao Tse-Tung: On Guerilla War...

-Titulo Original : Exorbitant Privilege The Rise And Fall Of The Dollar And The Future Of The International Monetary System-Fabricante : Oxford University Press-Descripcion Original: Recent events in the US--high unemployment, record federal deficits, and unprecedented financial distress--have raised serious doubts about the future of the dollar. So profound has been the impact that some say the dollar may soon cease to be the worlds standard currency. Is the situationthat bad? In Exorbitant Privilege, one of our foremost experts on the international financial system argues that while the dollar is bound to lose its singular status to newcomers like the Euro and the Chinese Renminbi, the coming changes will be neither sudden nor dire. Barry Eichengreen putstodays crisis in historical context, revealing that only after World War II, with Europe and Japan in ruins, did the dollar become the worlds monetary lingua franca--the reserve currency of the worlds banks and the kind of cash accepted virtually everywhere. Now, with the rise of China, India,Brazil and other emerging economies, America no longer towers over the global economy like before. And the U.S. itself faces very serious economic and financial challenges as it contemplates its medium-term future. But despite this, Eichengreen concludes, predictions of the dollars demise aregreatly exaggerated. The paperback edition features a new afterword that takes the story up through 2012. Review Shortlisted for FT/Goldman Sachs Business Book of the Year 2011! A fascinating and readable account of the dollars rise and potential fall--The Economist A rare combination of macroeconomic mastery, historical erudition, good political instincts and the sort of stubborn common sense that is constantly placing familiar problems in a new light.--Financial Times This short, accessible book about the U.S. dollar by Barry Eichengreen may be one of the most important published this year.--Barrons [A] brisk primer on the dollars role in the international monetary system.--Bloomberg News Exorbitant Privilege is a book for anyone who has been perplexed why, despite the frequent predictions of the dollars demise over the last fifty years, it has managed to maintain its position as the worlds pre-eminent reserve currency. The book includes both a lively historical account of thedollars role in the international monetary system and an incisive and balanced discussion of future challenges.--Liaquat Ahamed, author of Lords of Finance Short and eminently readable.... In just 177 pages of text, [Eichengreen] provides a wealth of material for both the lay reader and the scholar.... You cant do better than Eichengreen for a solid read on the dollars wild ride.--The American Prospect Compact and readable...Eichengreen adds much needed nuance and subtlety to the U.S. dollar debate....is [also] a pithy and amusing history of the international monetary system....for those fascinated by historical figures and events, behind-the-scenes machinations, and the logistical elements thatmake a complex currency and trade system work, the telling is very well done.--Business Insider Barry Eichengreens book couldnt be more timely... Elegant and pithy.--Finance & Development, IMF The book, written for the general public, is useful and pleasant to read also by the so-called professionals. Those used to Eichengreens clear and fluent prose will find here a particularly light touch obtained by dropping here and there a good dose of anecdotal hints to lessen the weight ofserious history and rigorous economics...provides a masterful users manual for the crisis that began in 2007.--EH This slender and pleasant book is a story of the dollar in the world financial system, and an attempt at speculating on the future of the U.S. currency.... [It] is good reading, contains well organized facts and discussions, and raises important and difficult questions.--Journal of EconomicLiterature The historical narrative in this book is fascinating and I highly recommend it to both specialists and nonexpert advanced readers.--Journal of Economic...

-Titulo Original : Plutopia Nuclear Families, Atomic Cities, And The Great Soviet And American Plutonium Disasters-Fabricante : Oxford University Press-Descripcion Original: While many transnational histories of the nuclear arms race have been written, Kate Brown provides the first definitive account of the great plutonium disasters of the United States and the Soviet Union. In Plutopia, Brown draws on official records and dozens of interviews to tell the extraordinary stories of Richland, Washington and Ozersk, Russia-the first two cities in the world to produce plutonium. To contain secrets, American and Soviet leaders created plutopias--communities of nuclearfamilies living in highly-subsidized, limited-access atomic cities. Fully employed and medically monitored, the residents of Richland and Ozersk enjoyed all the pleasures of consumer society, while nearby, migrants, prisoners, and soldiers were banned from plutopia--they lived in temporary staginggrounds and often performed the most dangerous work at the plant. Brown shows that the plants segregation of permanent and temporary workers and of nuclear and non-nuclear zones created a bubble of immunity, where dumps and accidents were glossed over and plant managers freely embezzled andpolluted. In four decades, the Hanford plant near Richland and the Maiak plant near Ozersk each issued at least 200 million curies of radioactive isotopes into the surrounding environment--equaling four Chernobyls--laying waste to hundreds of square miles and contaminating rivers, fields, forests,and food supplies. Because of the decades of secrecy, downwind and downriver neighbors of the plutonium plants had difficulty proving what they suspected, that the rash of illnesses, cancers, and birth defects in their communities were caused by the plants radioactive emissions. Plutopia wassuccessful because in its zoned-off isolation it appeared to deliver the promises of the American dream and Soviet communism; in reality, it concealed disasters that remain highly unstable and threatening today. An untold and profoundly important piece of Cold War history, Plutopia invites readers to consider the nuclear footprint left by the arms race and the enormous price of paying for it. Review Winner of the Ellis W. Hawley Prize of the Organization of American Historians Winner of the Albert J. Beveridge Award of the American Historical Association Winner of the George Perkins Marsh Prize of the American Society for Environmental History Winner of the Wayne S. Vucinich Book Prize of the Association for Slavic Studies, East European, and Eurasian Studies Winner of the Heldt Prize in the category of Best Book in Slavic/Eastern European/Eurasian Studies from the Association of Women in Slavic Studies Winner of the Robert G. Athearn Prize of the Western History Association Turning up a surprising amount of hitherto hidden material and talkative survivors, Brown writes a vivid, often hair-raising history of the great plutonium factories and the privileged cities built around them... Readers will squirm to learn of the high radiation levels workers routinelyexperienced and the casualness with which wastes poured into the local air, land and rivers... An angry but fascinating account of negligence, incompetence and injustice justified (as it still is) in the name of national security. --Kirkus Reviews (starred review)An unflinching and chilling account. --Seattle TimesHarrowing... Meticulously researched... Plutopia has important messages for those managing todays nuclear facilities, arguing for caution and transparency. --NatureThe book tells two intertwined stories. One is an appalling narrative of environmental disasters... The second narrative is about the towns, the townspeople, and the creation of a spatially segmented landscape that enabled those disasters... This is admirable comparative history. --Carl Abbott,Environmental HistoryFascinating. -- DissentOne of the Cold Wars more striking perversities never made it to public view. ... Brown is a good writer, and she describes with precision the construction of the two sites (a...

-Titulo Original : The Hidden Cost Of Being African American How Wealth Perpetuates Inequality-Fabricante : Oxford University Press-Descripcion Original: Over the past three decades, racial prejudice in America has declined significantly and many African American families have seen a steady rise in employment and annual income. But alongside these encouraging signs, Thomas Shapiro argues in The Hidden Cost of Being African American, fundamentallevels of racial inequality persist, particularly in the area of asset accumulation--inheritance, savings accounts, stocks, bonds, home equity, and other investments. Shapiro reveals how the lack of these family assets along with continuing racial discrimination in crucial areas like homeownershipdramatically impact the everyday lives of many black families, reversing gains earned in schools and on jobs, and perpetuating the cycle of poverty in which far too many find themselves trapped. Shapiro uses a combination of in-depth interviews with almost 200 families from Los Angeles, Boston, and St. Louis, and national survey data with 10,000 families to show how racial inequality is transmitted across generations. We see how those families with private wealth are able to move up fromgeneration to generation, relocating to safer communities with better schools and passing along the accompanying advantages to their children. At the same time those without significant wealth remain trapped in communities that dont allow them to move up, no matter how hard they work. Shapirochallenges white middle class families to consider how the privileges that wealth brings not only improve their own chances but also hold back people who dont have them. This wealthfare is a legacy of inequality that, if unchanged, will project social injustice far into the future. Showing that over half of black families fall below the asset poverty line at the beginning of the new century, The Hidden Cost of Being African American will challenge all Americans to reconsider what must be done to end racial inequality. Review Powerfully mixes poignant individual stories and moral outrage with clear statistical analyses and a strong exposition of a workable solution to continued, severe racial inequality. Boston GlobeWith all the data Shapiro convincingly pulls together, this should be an essential document for policy groups and could reframe the debate around affirmative action and reparations. Publishers WeeklyShapiro does an excellent job of showing the connections between racial inequality, opportunities, and family wealth. BooklistHow can disadvantage persist so long after most laws, minds and practices have changed? Shapiro argues in this sober and authoritative book that we should look to disparities of wealth for the answer.... Few of his proposals may be tried in the current political climate, where far more pressure goes toward abolishing inheritance taxes altogether. Yet by giving such a frank and probing appraisal of the long-term damage wrought by unequal wealth, Shapiro continues to press the case for resolving Americas most stubborn and profound source of racial division. Washington Post Book WorldThis book almost unerringly finds its mark. CrisisShapiros book deserves attention for its focus on an enduring fissure in Americans ideas about themselves. There were and are considerably fewer self-made men in the New World than the current mythology enumerates. Those who enjoyed success largely did so abetted by the sweated labor of those whom they owned or hired, not to mention their wives, who kept their homes clean and bore their children. Inequality was the favored fews leg-up on life. If that advantage persists, as Shapiro suggests it has, and if it is being replicated through generations, because of the financial advantages reaped by the founders of those generations, as he also suggests, then it is time to consider ways to redress the balance of inequality. The New LeaderAn important book about the troubling and persistent disparities of wealth along racial lines. It deepens our critical understanding of...

-Titulo Original : Microeconomic Theory-Fabricante : Oxford University Press-Descripcion Original: Many instructors of microeconomic theory have been waiting for a text that provides balanced and in-depth analysis of the essentials of microeconomics. Masterfully combining the results of years of teaching microeconomics at Harvard University, Andreu Mas-Colell, Michael Whinston, and JerryGreen have filled that conspicuous vacancy with their groundbreaking text, Microeconomic Theory.The authors set out to create a solid organizational foundation upon which to build the effective teaching tool for microeconomic theory. The result presents unprecedented depth of coverage in all the essential topics, while allowing professors to tailor-make their course to suit personalpriorities and style. Topics such as noncooperative game theory, information economics, mechanism design, and general equilibrium under uncertainty receive the attention that reflects their stature within the discipline. The authors devote an entire section to game theory alone, making itfree-standing to allow instructors to return to it throughout the course when convenient. Discussion is clear, accessible, and engaging, enabling the student to gradually acquire confidence as well as proficiency. Extensive exercises within each chapter help students to hone their skills, whilethe texts appendix of terms, fully cross-referenced throughout the previous five sections, offers an accessible guide to the subject matters terminology. Teachers of microeconomics need no longer rely upon scattered lecture notes to supplement their textbooks. Deftly written by three of thefields most influential scholars, Microeconomic Theory brings the readability, comprehensiveness, and versatility to the first-year graduate classroom that has long been missing. Review Clear, comprehensive, and deep! The authors treatment is both contemporary and probing, covering all aspects of modern microeconomic theory at a level accessible to graduate students, and which goes beyond simple statement of results to underscore the underlying intuition. This text should be astandard for graduate study in microeconomics!--Lars Stole, University of ChicagoAn excellent, comprehensive text.--Michael Jerison, SUNY at AlbanyBroader and deeper than any graduate microeconomics textbook I know.--Rajeev Dehejia, HarvardOutstanding! The choice of topics, coverage, and degree of sophistication is perfect for a first-year graduate theory sequence.--Glenn MacDonald, W.E. Simm Graduate School of BusinessExtremely helpful as a teaching aid in a first year graduate theory course. It covers a great deal of material, motivating the material with informal discussion yet presenting it compactly and rigorously, with illuminating diagrams and formal examples. There is also a wealth of interesting homeworkproblems.--Truman F. Bewley, Yale University About the Author Andreu Mas-Colell is at Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain. Michael D. Whinston is at Harvard University. Jerry R. Green is at Harvard University...

-Titulo Original : Chinas Economy What Everyone Needs To Know®-Fabricante : Oxford University Press-Descripcion Original: Chinas Economy: What Everyone Needs to Know is a concise introduction to the most astonishing economic growth story of the last three decades. In the 1980s China was an impoverished backwater, struggling to escape the political turmoil and economic mismanagement of the Mao era. Today it is the worlds second biggest economy, the largest manufacturing and trading nation, the consumer of half the worlds steel and coal, the biggest source of international tourists, and one of the most influential investors in developing countries from southeast Asia to Africa to Latin America.Chinas growth has lifted 700 million people out of poverty. It has also created a monumental environmental mess, with smog blanketed cities and carbon emissions that are a leading cause of climate change. Multinational companies make billions of dollars in profits in China each year, but traders around the world shudder at every gyration of the countrys unruly stock markets. Most surprising of all, its capitalist economy is governed by an authoritarian Communist Party that shows no sign of loosening its grip.How did China grow so fast for so long? Can it keep growing and still solve its problems of environmental damage, fast rising debt and rampant corruption? How long can its vibrant economy co exist with the repressive one party state? What do Chinas changes mean for the rest of the world? Chinas Economy: What Everyone Needs to Know answers these questions in straightforward language that you dont need to be an economist to understand, but with a wealth of detail drawn from academic research, interviews with dozens of company executives and policy makers, and a quarter century of personal experience. Whether youre doing business in China, negotiating with its government officials, or a student trying to navigate the complexities of this fascinating and diverse country, this is the one book that will tell you everything you need to know about how China works, where it came from and where its going. Review If the notion of a middle way sounds intuitively appealing, Arthur Kroebers book brings rigour to the debate to show why it is also the most likely outcome. A longtime China analyst now managing an independent research firm, he launches an assault, albeit courteously worded, on conventional wisdom from the two opposing camps. What emerges is a nuanced take on an economy facing serious challenges, ones that do not spell its collapse but could prove intractable all the same.--The EconomistThankfully Arthur Kroeber has [condensed] many years of studying and writing about the Chinese economy into a single-volume portrait accessible to the generalist. Aside from the clear descriptive prose and judicious organisation this book achieves two things. On the one hand it lays out a detailed framework of how China works that will be recognisable to experts, and accessible to newcomers, breaking the whole into a series of digestible parts. On the other hand it offers a layer of measured assessment aimed at addressing the full range of pressing issues affecting China.--Forbes Few have watched the development of the Chinese economy as closely as Arthur Kroeber. [Chinas Economy] is a wide-ranging and authoritative primer on the history and development of Chinas unique blend of decentralized economic authoritarianism.--Quartz About the Author Arthur R. Kroeber is founding partner of Gavekal Dragonomics, a China-focused economic research consultancy he established in Beijing in 2002 after 15 years as a freelance financial journalist in Asia, and editor of its flagship publication China Economic Quarterly. He is also head of research atthe firms parent company Gavekal, where he advises financial, corporate and government clients on economic and political developments in China. Kroeber is a senior non-resident fellow of the Brookings-Tsinghua Center for Public Policy, adjunct professor at Columbia Universitys S...

-Titulo Original : Organization Theory Modern, Symbolic, And Postmodern Perspectives-Fabricante : Oxford University Press-Descripcion Original: Organization Theory offers a clear and comprehensive introduction to the study of organizations and organizing processes. Through the unique three-perspective approach, students are challenged to explain, explore, and evaluate organizational theory, drawing on their own experiences as well asthe books diverse practical examples.The fourth edition includes a host of new learning features, which examine the practicality of theorizing and encourage students to broaden their intellectual reach. Theory to Practice boxes and case studies highlight organizing processes in a range of settings, either through real-life businessexamples or through exercises that encourage students to apply the theory within their own environment. Think like a Theorist and Exercise Those Perspectives boxes then encourage students to actively theorize and evaluate, developing essential critical thinking skills and a greater understandingof the complex knowledge produced by organization theorists. By taking theory off the page, students can learn through doing and adopt a reflective stance to the world around them.Mary Jo Hatch draws on her extensive experience in the field to produce a trusted and accessible introduction to the subject that provides academic depth, engaging pedagogy, and a practical focus.ONLINE RESOURCES:For Students:*Multiple-choice questionsFor Lecturers:*PowerPoint slides*Figures and tables from the book*Lecturers guide*Additional case studies Review The most useful introductory text on organization theory there is.--Ian Storer, Sheffield Hallam UniversityA text that will genuinely help a student be an organization theorist.--Gemma Donnelly-Cox, Trinity College DublinThis is an excellent textbook.--Marco Berti, University of Technology, SydneyVery good, very accessible, very relevant.--Beryl Bellman, California State University Los Angeles About the Author Mary Jo Hatch is the C. Coleman McGehee Eminent Scholars Research Professor of Banking and Commerce, Emerita, at the McIntire School of Commerce, University of Virginia. Her research has been published in the Harvard Business Review, California Management Review, Academy of Management Review,European Journal of Marketing, Human Relations, and Strategic Organization...

-Titulo Original : A Dictionary Of Economics (oxford Quick Reference)-Fabricante : Oxford University Press-Descripcion Original: Review Concise definitions are provided, helpful to new students and to anyone slightly fuzzy about exactly what it means (yet not wanting to be bamboozled)... So a useful and value-for-money desk-reference tool for anyone reading intelligent economic commentary or striving to write a convincing essay fora tutor. -- Stuart Hannabuss (Independent Reviewer and Researcher, Aberdeen, UK) Reference Reviews, Volume 31, Number 6, This authoritative and comprehensive dictionary contains clear, concise definitions of approximately 3,500 key economic terms. Covering all aspects of economics including economic theory and policy, applied microeconomics and macroeconomics, labour economics, public economics and publicfinance, monetary economics, and environmental economics, this is the essential reference work in this area. The new edition of this dictionary has been updated to include entries on China, India, and South America, to reflect the increase in prominence of these regions in the global economy. There is strong coverage of international trade and many entries on economic organizations and institutions fromaround the world. Fully revised to keep up-to-date with this fast-moving field, this new edition expands the coverage to include entries such as austerity measures, General Anti Abuse Rule, propensity score matching, and shadow bank.Entries are supplemented by entry-level web links, which are listed and regularly updated on a companion website, giving the reader the opportunity to explore further the areas covered in the dictionary. Useful appendices include a list of institutional acronyms and their affiliated websites, a listof Nobel prize-winners in economics, the Greek alphabet, and a list of relevant websites.As ideal for browsing as it is useful for quick reference, this dictionary remains an essential guide for students and teachers of economics, business, and finance, as well as for professional economists and anyone who has to deal with economic data. About the Author Nigar Hashimzade is a Professor of Economics at Durham University, a Research Fellow at the Institute for Fiscal Studies and the Tax Administration Research Centre, and a managing editor of the Journal of Tax Administration. She obtained her PhD in Economics from Cornell University in 2003. Prior toDurham University she held academic positions at Economics departments in Exeter and Reading. She has published research articles in economic theory and econometric theory. Her current research is focussed primarily on various issues in applied microeconomic theory. Gareth Myles is a Professor of Economics at the University of Exeter, a Research Fellow at the Institute for Fiscal Studies and at CESifo, and Director of the Tax Administration Research Centre. He obtained his D.Phil. (1987) from the University of Oxford under the supervision of Professor Sir JamesMirrlees. His first academic position was at the University of Warwick and he moved to the University of Exeter in 1992. His major research interest is in public economics and his publications include Public Economics (1995), Intermediate Public Economics (2013) and numerous papers in InternationalTax and Public Finance, the Journal of Public Economic Theory, and the Journal of Public Economics. He is an Associate Editor of the Journal of Public Economic Theory and a member of the Mirrlees Review. He is an Academic Adviser to HM Treasury and HM Revenue and Customs, and has also providedeconomic advice to international bodies including the European Commission and the OECD.John Black worked on previous editions of this dictionary and was a Fellow and Tutor in Economics at Merton College, Oxford and then Professor of Economic Theory at the University of Exeter. His many publications include The Economics of Modern Britain, Essential Mathematics for Economics (with J.F.Bradley), and Housing Policy and Finance (with D.C. Stafford). He is now an Emeritus Pr...

-Titulo Original : The Undercover Economist, Revised And Updated Edition Exposing Why The Rich Are Rich, The Poor Are Poor - And Why You Can Never Buy A Decent Used Car!-Fabricante : Oxford University Press-Descripcion Original: With over one million copies sold, The Undercover Economist has been hailed worldwide as a fantastic guide to the fundamental principles of economics. An economists version of The Way Things Work, this engaging volume is part Economics 101 and part expose of the economic principles lurkingbehind daily events, explaining everything from traffic jams to high coffee prices. New to this edition: This revised edition, newly updated to consider the banking crisis and economic turbulence of the last four years, is essential for anyone who has wondered why the gap between rich and poor nations is so great, or why they cant seem to find a decent second-hand car, or how tooutwit Starbucks. Senior columnist for the Financial Times Tim Harford brings his experience and insight as he ranges from Africa, Asia, Europe, and the United States to reveal how supermarkets, airlines, and coffee chains--to name just a few--are vacuuming money from our wallets. Harford puncturesthe myths surrounding some of todays biggest controversies, including the high cost of health-care; he reveals why certain environmental laws can put a smile on a landlords face; and he explains why some industries can have high profits for innocent reasons, while in other industries somethingsinister is going on. Covering an array of economic concepts including scarce resources, market power, efficiency, price gouging, market failure, inside information, and game theory, Harford sheds light on how these forces shape our day-to-day lives, often without our knowing it. Showing us the world through the eyes ofan economist, Tim Harford reveals that everyday events are intricate games of negotiations, contests of strength, and battles of wits. Written with a light touch and sly wit, The Undercover Economist turns the dismal science into a true delight. Review This is a book to savor. --The New York TimesHarford is smart. Scary smart. So smart he can illuminate, in clear, entertaining English, ideas and forces of mind-boggling complexity. --BusinessWeek The Undercover Economist is a rare specimen: a book on economics that will enthrall its readers. Beautifully written and argued, it brings the power of economics to life. This book should be required reading for every elected official, business leader, and university student. --Steven D. Levitt,author of Freakonomics For anyone schooled in blackboard economics, The Undercover Economist succeeds in taking the chalkdust out of the subject.--The Economist Distinguishes itself from the pack... lively and insightful. --The Wall Street Journal About the Author Tim Harfordis a senior columnist for the Financial Times and author of several books. He is a visiting fellow at Nuffield College, Oxford, a senior visiting fellow at Cass Business School, and he lives in Oxford with his wife and three children...

-Titulo Original : Social Entrepreneurship What Everyone Needs To Know®-Fabricante : Oxford University Press-Descripcion Original: In development circles, there is now widespread consensus that social entrepreneurs represent a far better mechanism to respond to needs than we have ever had before--a decentralized and emergent force that remains our best hope for solutions that can keep pace with our problems and create amore peaceful world. David Bornsteins previous book on social entrepreneurship, How to Change the World, was hailed by Nicholas Kristof in the New York Times as a bible in the field and published in more than twenty countries. Now, Bornstein shifts the focus from the profiles of successful social innovators in thatbook--and teams with Susan Davis, a founding board member of the Grameen Foundation--to offer the first general overview of social entrepreneurship. In a Q & A format allowing readers to go directly to the information they need, the authors map out social entrepreneurship in its broadest terms aswell as in its particulars.Bornstein and Davis explain what social entrepreneurs are, how their organizations function, and what challenges they face. The book will give readers an understanding of what differentiates social entrepreneurship from standard business ventures and how it differs from traditional grant-basednon-profit work. Unlike the typical top-down, model-based approach to solving problems employed by the World Bank and other large institutions, social entrepreneurs work through a process of iterative learning -- learning by doing--working with communities to find unique, local solutions to unique,local problems. Most importantly, the book shows readers exactly how they can get involved. Anyone inspired by Barack Obamas call to service and who wants to learn more about the essential features and enormous promise of this new method of social change, Social Entrepreneurship: What Everyone Needs to Know® is the ideal first place to look.What Everyone Needs to Know® is a registered trademark of Oxford University Press. Review WHAT EVERYONE NEEDS TO KNOW About This SeriesWho its for: Busy people with diverse interests, ranging from college students to professionals, who wish to inform themselves in a succinct yet authoritative manner about a particular topic.Whats inside:An incisive approach to a complex and timely issue, laid out in a straight-forward, question-and-answer format.Meet Our Authors Top experts in their given fields, ranging from an Economist correspondent to a director at the Council on Foreign Relations, you can trust our authors’ expertise and guidance.Popular Topics in the What Everyone Needs to Know SeriesInternational PoliticsEnvironmental PoliciesWorld HistorySciences & MathReligion & Spirituality Review Excellent! --Nicholas Kristof, New York TimesOrder this book and read it immediately...This book gives you some great ways to understand and apply the whole idea of entrepreneurship/social entrepreneurship. --Tom Suddes, The Suddes Group, ForImpact The most essential starter guide to the field Ive yet seen. --Change.orgA great primer of social entrepreneurship, trends, and a look into the future. --EncouragizersThis book is an excellent way to get a snapshot of everything going on in the Social Entrepreneurship space. --RisingPyramid.orgPractical offer[s] concrete examples of the challenges faced by social ventures and shedding light on the issues that make social enterprises different from traditional businesses. --NextBillion The first to give an excellent overview of what being a social entrepreneur is all about. Youll learn what the difference is between a social entrepreneurship and a regular business venture and traditional non-profits. If you think you want to innovate unique social solutions to unique socialproblems for your encore career, this is the place to start. --Lin Schreiber, founder of RevolutionizeRetirement About the Author David Bornstein specializes in writing about social innovation. He ...

-Titulo Original : Leadership A Very Short Introduction-Fabricante : Oxford University Press-Descripcion Original: Napoleon. Bill Gates. George W. Bush. Osama bin Laden. Leaders and leadership are perennial topics of debate. What is leadership? How does one become a leader? Do we actually need leaders? In this Very Short Introduction, Keith Grint offers provocative answers to these questions, promptingreaders to rethink their assumptions about what leadership is. Indeed, Grint argues that leadership is a very elusive quality, and that there are few definitive answers to be found, which explains why most books on leadership produce so much heat and so little light. But there are importantquestions to ask, questions which shed light on why leadership so resists definition. Grint looks at the way leadership has evolved from its earliest manifestations in ancient societies, highlights the early ideas about leadership found in Plato, Sun Tzu, Machiavelli and others, considers howsocial, economic, and political forces can undermine particular modes of leadership, and discusses the practice of management, its history, future, and influence on all aspects of society. About the Author Keith Grint is Professor of Public Leadership at Warwick University. Previously he was Professor of Defence Leadership at Cranfield University. He spent 10 years in industry before switching to an academic career. He remains a visiting Research Professor at Lancaster University, a Fellow of theWindsor Leadership Trust, an Associate Fellow of the Said Business School and Green Templeton College, Oxford University, and a Fellow of the Sunningdale Institute, a research arm of the UKs National School of Government...

-Titulo Original : Cryptography A Very Short Introduction-Fabricante : Oxford University Press-Descripcion Original: About the Author Fred Piper has been a Professor of Mathematics at the University of London since 1975 and has worked in security since 1979. In 1985 he formed a company, Codes & Ciphers Ltd., which offers consultancy advice in all aspects of information security.He has lectured worldwide on a wide range of topicsin information security, both academically and comercially. Sean Murphy is currently a Reader in the Information Security Group. His research interests centre on cryptology, especially encryption algorithms. He published some of the early papers on differential cryptanalysis, and has written papers on a variety of cryptographic algorithms such as DES, FEAL,IDEA, SAFER and Twofish. This book is a clear and informative introduction to cryptography and data protection--subjects of considerable social and political importance. It explains what algorithms do, how they are used, the risks associated with using them, and why governments should be concerned. Important areas arehighlighted, such as Stream Ciphers, block ciphers, public key algorithms, digital signatures, and applications such as e-commerce. This book highlights the explosive impact of cryptography on modern society, with, for example, the evolution of the internet and the introduction of more sophisticatedbanking methods. Review `a perfect pocket primer for anybody interested in cryptography. Simon Sing...

-Titulo Original : Marx, Capital, And The Madness Of Economic Reason-Fabricante : Oxford University Press-Descripcion Original: Karl Marxs Capital is one of the most important texts written in the modern era. Since 1867, when the first of its three volumes was published, it has had a profound effect on politics and economics in theory and practice throughout the world. But Marx wrote in the context of capitalism inthe second half of the nineteenth century, and his assumptions and analysis need to be updated in order to address to the technological, economic, and industrial change that has followed Capitals initial publication. In Marx, Capital, and the Madness of Economic Reason, David Harvey not onlyprovides a concise distillation of his famous course on Capital, but also makes the text relevant to the twenty-first centurys continuing processes of globalization. This book serves as an accessible window into Harveys unique approach to Marxism and takes readers on a riveting roller coaster ridethrough recent global history. It demonstrates how and why Capital remains a living, breathing document with an outsized influence on contemporary social thought. About the Author David Harvey is Distinguished Professor of Anthropology at the City University of New York Graduate School, where he has taught since 2001. His course on Marxs Capital, developed with students over 40 years, has been downloaded by over two million people since appearing online in 2008. He is alsothe author of The Enigma of Capital, A Brief History of Neoliberalism, and The Ways of the World...

-Titulo Original : Behavioural Economics A Very Short Introduction (very Short Introductions)-Fabricante : Oxford University Press-Descripcion Original: Traditionally, economists have based their economic predictions on the assumption that humans are super-rational creatures, using the information we are given efficiently and generally making selfish decisions. Economists also assume that were doing the very best we can possibly do--not onlyfor today, but over our whole lifetimes too. The study of behavioral economics is revealing that our lives are not that simple. Instead, our decisions are complicated by our own psychology. Each of us makes mistakes every day. We dont always know whats best for us and, even if we do, we might not have the self-control to deliver on our bestintentions. We struggle to stay on diets, to get enough exercise and to manage our money. We misjudge risky situations. We are prone to herding: sometimes peer pressure leads us blindly to copy others around us; other times copying others helps us to learn quickly about new, unfamiliar situations. This Very Short Introduction explores the reasons why we make irrational decisions; how we decide quickly; why we make mistakes in risky situations; our tendency to procrastination; and how we are affected by social influences, personality, mood and emotions. The implications of understanding therationale for our own financial behavior are huge. Behavioral economics could help policy-makers to understand the people behind their policies, enabling them to design more effective policies, while at the same time we could find ourselves assaulted by increasingly savvy marketing. MichelleBaddeley concludes by looking forward, to see what the future of behavioral economics holds for us.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, andenthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable. About the Author Michelle Baddeley is a Professor in Economics and Finance at the Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment, University College London (UCL), and before that was Director of Studies in Economics, Gonville & Caius College/Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge. She has an active interest inpublic policy and is a member of the Hazardous Substances Advisory Committee (convened by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs), and an Associate Fellow with the Centre for Science and Policy (CSaP), based at the University of Cambridge. She was a member of the Blackett ReviewExpert Panel: FinTech Futures 2014-15, led by Professor Sir Mark Walport, UK Government Chief Scientific Adviser. Her books include Behavioural Economics and Finance (Routledge, 2012), and Running Regressions: A practical guide to quantitative research in economics, finance and developmentstudies, (CUP 2009), with Diana Barrowclough...

-Titulo Original : Seventeen Contradictions And The End Of Capitalism-Fabricante : Oxford University Press-Descripcion Original: What I am seeking here is a better understanding of the contradictions of capital, not of capitalism. I want to know how the economic engine of capitalism works the way it does, and why it might stutter and stall and sometimes appear to be on the verge of collapse. I also want to show whythis economic engine should be replaced, and with what. --from the IntroductionTo modern Western society, capitalism is the air we breathe, and most people rarely think to question it, for good or for ill. But knowing what makes capitalism work--and what makes it fail--is crucial to understanding its long-term health, and the vast implications for the global economy that goalong with it.In Seventeen Contradictions and the End of Capitalism, the eminent scholar David Harvey, author of A Brief History of Neoliberalism, examines the internal contradictions within the flow of capital that have precipitated recent crises. He contends that while the contradictions have made capitalismflexible and resilient, they also contain the seeds of systemic catastrophe. Many of the contradictions are manageable, but some are fatal: the stress on endless compound growth, the necessity to exploit nature to its limits, and tendency toward universal alienation. Capitalism has always managed toextend the outer limits through spatial fixes, expanding the geography of the system to cover nations and people formerly outside of its range. Whether it can continue to expand is an open question, but Harvey thinks it unlikely in the medium term future: the limits cannot extend much further, andthe recent financial crisis is a harbinger of this. David Harvey has long been recognized as one of the worlds most acute critical analysts of the global capitalist system and the injustices that flow from it. In this book, he returns to the foundations of all of his work, dissecting and interrogating the fundamental illogic of our economic system,as well as giving us a look at how human societies are likely to evolve in a post-capitalist world. Review The book is a refreshing attempt to innovate Marxist theory, to move beyond the tired dogmatisms and deadend scholasticism that have plagued it for too long and construct a richer, more open theoretical approach...Likewise, it is an important book for activists seeking to craft a politics that,while moving beyond the limitations of spontaneity and structurelessness, can finally transcend the old question of lreform or revolution, and test the possibilities for reform and revolution through the practical reconstitution of a socialist political alternative for the 21st century left. --Stephen Maher, lScience & Society About the Author David Harvey is Distinguished Professor of Anthropology at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. He is among the top twenty most cited authors in the humanities and is the worlds most cited academic geographer. His books include The Limits to Capital, Social Justice and the City,and The Condition of Postmodernity, among many others...

-Titulo Original : Marx, Capital, And The Madness Of Economic Reason-Fabricante : Oxford University Press-Descripcion Original: Karl Marxs Capital is one of the most important texts written in the modern era. Since 1867, when the first of its three volumes was published, it has had a profound effect on politics and economics in theory and practice throughout the world. But Marx wrote in the context of capitalism inthe second half of the nineteenth century, and his assumptions and analysis need to be updated in order to address to the technological, economic, and industrial change that has followed Capitals initial publication. In Marx, Capital, and the Madness of Economic Reason, David Harvey not onlyprovides a concise distillation of his famous course on Capital, but also makes the text relevant to the twenty-first centurys continuing processes of globalization. This book serves as an accessible window into Harveys unique approach to Marxism and takes readers on a riveting roller coaster ridethrough recent global history. It demonstrates how and why Capital remains a living, breathing document with an outsized influence on contemporary social thought. About the Author David Harvey is Distinguished Professor of Anthropology at the City University of New York Graduate School, where he has taught since 2001. His course on Marxs Capital, developed with students over 40 years, has been downloaded by over two million people since appearing online in 2008. He is alsothe author of The Enigma of Capital, A Brief History of Neoliberalism, and The Ways of the World...

-Titulo Original : The Hidden Cost Of Being African American How Wealth Perpetuates Inequality-Fabricante : Oxford University Press-Descripcion Original: Over the past three decades, racial prejudice in America has declined significantly and many African American families have seen a steady rise in employment and annual income. But alongside these encouraging signs, Thomas Shapiro argues in The Hidden Cost of Being African American, fundamentallevels of racial inequality persist, particularly in the area of asset accumulation--inheritance, savings accounts, stocks, bonds, home equity, and other investments-. Shapiro reveals how the lack of these family assets along with continuing racial discrimination in crucial areas like homeownershipdramatically impact the everyday lives of many black families, reversing gains earned in schools and on jobs, and perpetuating the cycle of poverty in which far too many find themselves trapped. Shapiro uses a combination of in-depth interviews with almost 200 families from Los Angeles, Boston, and St. Louis, and national survey data with 10,000 families to show how racial inequality is transmitted across generations. We see how those families with private wealth are able to move up fromgeneration to generation, relocating to safer communities with better schools and passing along the accompanying advantages to their children. At the same time those without significant wealth remain trapped in communities that dont allow them to move up, no matter how hard they work. Shapirochallenges white middle class families to consider how the privileges that wealth brings not only improve their own chances but also hold back people who dont have them. This wealthfare is a legacy of inequality that, if unchanged, will project social injustice far into the future. Showing that over half of black families fall below the asset poverty line at the beginning of the new century, The Hidden Cost of Being African American will challenge all Americans to reconsider what must be done to end racial inequality. From Publishers Weekly Shapiro, coauthor of Black Wealth/White Wealth, has helped establish that the racial gap in wealth-i.e., assets, including property-is more enduring than the gap in income. That gap, a 10-fold ratio, is exemplified by what the author terms transformative assets-gifts, from parents and others, that work to lift succeeding generations economically and socially beyond their own achievements. Interviews with black, white and Hispanic families in Boston, Los Angeles and St. Louis show families with similar incomes living in stratified neighborhoods (and better school districts) thanks to parental help. Most of the white interviewees dont recognize the role of Shapiros form of privilege in their lives, while middle-class blacks report far more issues with needy parents, relatives and friends. Shapiro, who holds a chair in law and social policy at Brandeis, also shows why it costs more for blacks to buy homes: discrimination in credit, higher interest rates (whites have more capacity to pay points) and depressed home values caused by residential segregation all contribute. At the same time, Shapiro says, policies such as the federal tax break on mortgage interest perpetuates inequality by making the relatively rich richer. He proposes several class-based, tax-eased solutions at the federal level that go beyond social security: childrens savings accounts; individual development accounts that match savings; and down payment accounts to help buy homes, drawn from a partial tax credit for renters. Such policies, he reminds us, would hardly be outlandish; they echo previous asset-building policies such as the Homestead Act, the GI Bill and Veterans Administration home loans. A reformed estate tax, he argues, would also help move toward fairness. With all the data Shapiro convincingly pulls together, this should be an essential document for policy groups and could reframe the debate around affirmative action and reparations. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All right...

-Titulo Original : Seventeen Contradictions And The End Of Capitalism-Fabricante : Oxford University Press-Descripcion Original: What I am seeking here is a better understanding of the contradictions of capital, not of capitalism. I want to know how the economic engine of capitalism works the way it does, and why it might stutter and stall and sometimes appear to be on the verge of collapse. I also want to show whythis economic engine should be replaced, and with what. --from the IntroductionTo modern Western society, capitalism is the air we breathe, and most people rarely think to question it, for good or for ill. But knowing what makes capitalism work--and what makes it fail--is crucial to understanding its long-term health, and the vast implications for the global economy that goalong with it.In Seventeen Contradictions and the End of Capitalism, the eminent scholar David Harvey, author of A Brief History of Neoliberalism, examines the internal contradictions within the flow of capital that have precipitated recent crises. He contends that while the contradictions have made capitalismflexible and resilient, they also contain the seeds of systemic catastrophe. Many of the contradictions are manageable, but some are fatal: the stress on endless compound growth, the necessity to exploit nature to its limits, and tendency toward universal alienation. Capitalism has always managed toextend the outer limits through spatial fixes, expanding the geography of the system to cover nations and people formerly outside of its range. Whether it can continue to expand is an open question, but Harvey thinks it unlikely in the medium term future: the limits cannot extend much further, andthe recent financial crisis is a harbinger of this. David Harvey has long been recognized as one of the worlds most acute critical analysts of the global capitalist system and the injustices that flow from it. In this book, he returns to the foundations of all of his work, dissecting and interrogating the fundamental illogic of our economic system,as well as giving us a look at how human societies are likely to evolve in a post-capitalist world. Review The book is a refreshing attempt to innovate Marxist theory, to move beyond the tired dogmatisms and deadend scholasticism that have plagued it for too long and construct a richer, more open theoretical approach...Likewise, it is an important book for activists seeking to craft a politics that,while moving beyond the limitations of spontaneity and structurelessness, can finally transcend the old question of lreform or revolution, and test the possibilities for reform and revolution through the practical reconstitution of a socialist political alternative for the 21st century left. --Stephen Maher, lScience & Society About the Author David Harvey is Distinguished Professor of Anthropology at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. He is among the top twenty most cited authors in the humanities and is the worlds most cited academic geographer. His books include The Limits to Capital, Social Justice and the City,and The Condition of Postmodernity, among many others...