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Past and Present

To Learn from History
Series: Essay Series
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Past and Present explores how historical knowledge can illuminate and address current political and economic challenges. This anthology, edited by Kurt Almqvist and Mattias Hessérus, features essays ranging from the history of ideas and ideologies to evolutionary psychology, offering fresh perspectives on international relations, geopolitics, economics, and human nature. The contributions stem from the 2019 Engelsberg Seminar in Sweden and include work by notable thinkers such as Erica Benner, Niall Ferguson, and Brendan Simms.
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Format: Hardback
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This volume is ideal for readers interested in history's practical applications to modern affairs, including students, academics, and professionals in political science, economics, and international relations.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

How can our understanding of the past help to solve our present political or economic conditions and conflicts? Edited by Swedish author Kurt Almqvist and historian Mattias Hessérus, the essays in this volume range from discussions of the history of ideas and ideologies to evolutionary psychology. These writers configure new ways in which to apply history to today's concerns such as international relations, geopolitics, economics, and the role of the individual—as well as human nature at large—throughout history.

The essays in this anthology derive from the Engelsberg Seminar held in Västmanland, Sweden, in 2019.

Authors include: Erica Benner, John Bew, Phillip Bobbitt, Vernon Bogdanor, Michael Burleigh, Cory J. Clark, Christopher Coker, Jonathan Fenby, Niall Ferguson, Janne Haaland Matlary, Josef Joffe, Rob Johnson, Elisabeth Kendall, Iain Martin, Rana Mitter, Andrew Monaghan, Fraser Nelson, Gudrun Persson, Peter Ricketts and Brendan Simms.

Series: Essay Series

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  • Iconoclasm: Rejecting the Past
    Iconoclasm: Rejecting the Past is a warning bell, an alarm, alerting readers to the threat against the tolerance and openness of democratic society. Iconoclasm, the breaking of images, is part of our history - from the destruction of religious images in early Christianity to today's toppling of statues of Confederate generals and slave traders. Images, buildings, and objects that violate...
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  • Man and Technology
    Technology is at the heart of the human story. In an era of transformation, comprehending what drives these changes means understanding the history of man's relationship with technology. In this anthology of essays, world-leading historians, academics and writers explore innovation, industry and the economy, warfare and espionage, culture and communication, and what it means to be human in the era...
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  • Nation, State and Empire
    With the end of the Cold War and the triumph of globalisation, many believed that nationalism was now a thing of the past; instead, the opposite is true. The essays in this anthology are based on the Engelsberg Seminar in 2017, where different kinds of identity formation were considered. How does a nation emerge? How is unity achieved in an...
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  • Religion
    The belief in a governing, celestial principle has long been an essential element of human society worldwide. More than 80% of the world's population has a religious affiliation and even in secular states, religion continues to play an important role. Politics and international relations today cannot be understood without accounting for the religious context of a society's history. The essays...
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  • The Return of Consciousness
    The Return of Consciousness explores a scientific problem unlike any other: consciousness itself. As Descartes noted, consciousness is the most indubitable feature of our existence, and according to Steven Pinker, Professor of Psychology at Harvard University, it is the most precious. Consciousness is life itself, and for most, being alive in a vegetative state is no better than dying. Consciousness...
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  • War
    It has been claimed that around 14,500 wars have been fought since 3,500 BC. Humanity has only experienced 300 years of peace on Earth. During the twentieth century, more people in total were killed in wars than during any previous century. Relatively, though, we kill each other less often now. Are we gradually becoming more peaceful? Regardless of the number...
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  • City, Civility and Capitalism
    What role does architecture and trade play in creating civilised societies? How can we create urban environments where the individual can flourish? These questions have taken on a new significance as COVID-19 has reshaped the way cities operate. This collection of essays examines the history of urbanism and trade in order to shed perspective on the future of the city....
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  • Knowledge and information
    In this volume, leading scholars in the arts and sciences discuss how information has been transmitted throughout history. It addresses the multiple challenges of the digital age, particularly with regard to our personal data. Amid growing tension between a "cognitive elite" and those excluded from public discourse and decision-making, editors Kurt Almqvist and Mattias Hessérus ask: will our information society...
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  • Past and Present
    How can our understanding of the past help to solve our present political or economic conditions and conflicts? Edited by Swedish author Kurt Almqvist and historian Mattias Hessérus, the essays in this volume range from discussions of the history of ideas and ideologies to evolutionary psychology. These writers configure new ways in which to apply history to today's concerns such...
    Hardback
    $4500
    Available
    Ships in 3-4 weeks

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9789189069343

Publisher: Stolpe Publishing

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 23 June 2022

Country: Sweden

Imprint: Stolpe Publishing

Contributors:

  • Text by John Bew
  • Text by Rana Mitter
  • Text by Erica Benner

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 175.0mm

Height: 246.0mm

Weight: 1120g

Pages: 376

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