LSE Review of Books

Great to see our global #bookshopguide 📚🗺 series featured in the latest edition of Social Science in Action from The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), among lots of other interesting research. Explore below 👇

"Corporations like British Petroleum (BP) and the Hong-Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) were critical to the extractive economics of empire." In Empireworld (Viking Books), a follow-up to Empireland (2021), #SathnamSanghera examines the lingering influence of #British #imperialism in contemporary global structures, from #MNCs and #intergovernmental bodies to #cultural industries and #legal systems. Written with the strong narrative form and clear language of a journalist, Sanghera’s compelling analysis lays bare the persistence of #colonial power dynamics today, Lori Lee Oates, Ph.D in her #review.

"The key idea of Christian Atheism is that the Holy Spirit is not restricted to the Church and its members but is realised through political commitment and engagement." Christian Atheism: How to be a Real Materialist by #SlavojŽižek, published by Bloomsbury Academic, probes the boundaries between #Christianity, #atheism and #materialism through analyses of modern thinkers including #Hegel, #Marx and #Lacan. Žižek’s knack for drawing together disparate stands of thought to explore emancipatory politics makes for a challenging and perceptive book, writes Dimitri Vouros in his #review.

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Does flexible working impact #productivity? Why is the number of #managers rising? How great a threat does #generativeAI really pose to our jobs? Working Assumptions by Julia Hobsbawm, published by Whitefox Publishing, explores how the contemporary #workplace has changed and continues to change. In particular, Hobsbawm considers how things stand in the wake of the #Covid19 pandemic and generative AI tools like #ChatGPT. According to Martin C.W. Walker's #review, Hobsbawm’s book is a timely and astute examination of transformations in working life and the potential #futureofwork.

The pivotal 1953 coup in Iran, orchestrated by the CIA and MI6, toppled the democratically elected Prime Minister Muhammad Mossadegh. Professor Fawaz Gerges of LSE Department of International Relations explains how this event set a precedent for American intervention in the region, shaping the political landscape of the Middle East. 📽 Watch the full video on our YouTube channel: https://lnkd.in/d3rP3ZJr

"Church Street in the heart of the city, with its array of bookshops, serves as a haven for bibliophiles." Take a look at Keerty Nakray and John Clammer's guide for the best #bookshops and #libraries in #Bangalore, #India's third largest city 🇮🇳 known for its rich literary tradition 📚 #bookshopguide

How might studying the history of #religions through an evolutionary lens promote interfaith understanding? The Evolution of Religions by Lance Grande, published by Columbia University Press, applies evolutionary biology methodology to trace the #genealogy of world religions. Despite numerous misapprehensions, errors of fact and an incomplete bibliography that compromise the work, Grande’s unique, bold approach merits attention for its fresh perspective on religious history and interconnection, writes Stevan Veljkovic in his #review.

Anthropologists have often explained #humanbehaviour as though people predictably act in their own interests. But Against Better Judgment, a volume edited by Patrick McKearney and Nicholas H. A. Evans and published by Berghahn Books Inc, brings together research on the contradictory and commonplace phenomenon of #akrasia, whereby individuals decide against the best course of action. Highlighting akrasia's complexity and its implications in clinical, religious and wider social contexts, this rich, eclectic volume will be of interest to researchers in the fields of #anthropology, #philosophy and #psychology alike, writes Lenhardt Stevens in his #review.

Uncomfortably Off by Marcos González Hernando and Gerry Mitchell, published by Policy Press, examines #Britain's top 10 per cent of earners, arguing that growing #inequalities negatively affect them in terms of anxiety about jobs, pressure to keep up with their peers and vulnerability to crises. According to Ivan Radanović's #review, the authors effectively show how the inequalities resulting from hyper #capitalist policies disadvantage high earners along with more vulnerable groups, making a strong case for #progressivetaxation and greater investment in public services.