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  The Tang Dynasty - Cultural...

  Jun Liu

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  The Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE) emerged after the collapse of the short-lived Sui Dynasty, which had failed due to internal strife, heavy taxation, and forced labor projects that drained the empire’s resources. The fall of the Sui created a power vacuum, allowing various factions to vie for control. Amid this turmoil, Li Yuan, a former Sui general, led a successful rebellion and established the Tang Dynasty in 618 CE, taking the throne as Emperor Gaozu. His leadership set the foundation for one of China’s most influential and prosperous dynasties. 
  Emperor Gaozu focused on stabilizing the empire by reforming the government, lowering excessive taxes, and restoring order to a nation weakened by years of misrule. However, his reign was relatively short-lived as his son, Li Shimin, proved to be a more capable leader. In 626 CE, Li Shimin forced his father to abdicate and took the throne as Emperor Taizong. His ascension marked the true consolidation of Tang power and the beginning of an era of expansion, reform, and cultural advancement. 
  Under Emperor Taizong’s rule, the Tang Dynasty established a strong centralized government based on Confucian principles. He refined the imperial examination system, ensuring that officials were chosen based on merit rather than birthright. This system allowed for the creation of a competent and efficient bureaucracy, which would become a hallmark of Tang governance. Additionally, Taizong worked to solidify China’s borders by engaging in strategic military campaigns. His army pushed westward into Central Asia, securing control over key trade routes and strengthening the empire’s influence along the Silk Road. These military victories, combined with diplomatic relations with neighboring states, positioned the Tang Dynasty as a dominant force in East Asia.

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  Vikings in America

  Graeme Davis

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  When Columbus claimed to have discovered America in 1492, and the Borgia Pope claimed it as a New World for Catholic Spain, the Vatican started a 500 hundred year conspiracy to conceal the true story of Viking America. In this groundbreaking work by the author of The Early English Settlement of Orkney and Shetland, the true extent of the Viking discovery and colonization of the eastern seaboard of America is fully examined, taking into account the new archaeological, linguistic, and DNA evidence which supplements the historic account. For four centuries or more, from their first visits around AD 1000 to the eve of the Columbus voyages, the Vikings explored and settled thousands of miles of the coasts and rivers of North America. 
   
   
   
  From New York's Long Island to the Canadian High Arctic, the New World was a playground for Viking adventurers. And the name the Vikings gave to this New World—America.

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  Lean on Me - A Politics of...

  Lynne Segal

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  Longtime feminist activist and writer Lynne Segal searches for hope in her own life and in the world around her, and finds it in our intimate commitments to each other and our shared collective engagements, the two being intertwined. Issues of care, intimacy, education, alongside meaningful work, and social engagement, lie at the core of our ability to understand the world and its possibilities for human flourishing. 
   
   
   
  Not only does our dependence on others not disappear into self-sufficient autonomy once we leave childhood behind—only to re-emerge in very old age—but ignoring human interdependence and our lifelong need for care has been part of a massive and destructive public denial that must be resisted. 
   
   
   
  Segal looks at our shared lifelong dependence on care and the well-being of others. In recounting from her own life the moments of motherhood, and of being on the front line of second wave feminism, Segal draws upon lessons from more than half a century of engagement in Left feminist politics, with its underlying commitment to building a more egalitarian and nurturing world. The personal and the political combine in this rallying cry to radically transform how we approach education, motherhood, and our everyday vulnerabilities of disability, aging, and enhanced needs.

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  The Sociology of Fear -...

  Fred Grandsen

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  Fear is a fundamental aspect of human experience, shaping behaviors, relationships, and societal structures. While fear is often viewed as an individual, psychological response to threats, its impact extends far beyond personal emotions. It plays a crucial role in shaping communities, influencing institutions, and guiding social interactions. Understanding fear from a sociological perspective allows us to see how it is constructed, manipulated, and experienced collectively. 
  At its core, fear serves an essential function in human survival. It triggers physiological and psychological responses designed to protect individuals from harm. However, in a social context, fear is not merely a reaction to immediate danger but a product of cultural norms, historical experiences, and institutional influences. What one society deems fearful may not be considered threatening in another, highlighting the socially constructed nature of fear. Media, governments, and social groups often define what is to be feared and how people should respond, reinforcing shared anxieties and collective behavioral patterns. 
  Fear also plays a significant role in maintaining social order. Authorities, institutions, and cultural narratives often use fear to promote conformity and discourage deviance. For instance, fear of punishment deters individuals from committing crimes, while fear of social rejection enforces adherence to cultural norms. In political and economic spheres, fear can be leveraged as a tool of control, influencing public opinion, voter behavior, and economic decisions. Political leaders may use fear of terrorism, crime, or economic collapse to justify policies that enhance their power, while corporations may capitalize on fears of illness or inadequacy to market their products.

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  The Contradictions of Ageing

  Violet Taylor

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  The book explores the problems that may arise from an overly open mindset, and uses a story about a community organization to illustrate the paradox of tolerance, pointing out that unlimited tolerance may lead to the disappearance of tolerance. It also mentions that one should be cautious about being open-minded in personal life, especially in terms of time allocation and career choices.

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  Multipolarity After Ukraine -...

  Aldo Ferrari, Eleonora Tafuro...

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  One year after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the war has exacerbated the rift between Russia and the "collective West".
  While Western governments have been steadfast in punishing Russia for the invasion, other countries around the world have been more ambiguous, at times even choosing to side with Moscow politically or economically. These dynamics have revived the idea of a shift towards
  multipolarity along an anti-Western trajectory. Are we really heading in that direction? Are we facing increasing fragmentation due to the war or a re-consolidation of longstanding alliances? What principles underlie the formation of these blocs? What are the consequences of these dynamics for global security and the global economy?
  This Report aims to shed light on these questions, while also outlining the war's possible future implications for the Russian Federation, the "West", and the international order.

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