Altri libri che potrebbero interessarti

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  The Souls of Black Folk

  W. E. B. Du Bois

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  The Souls of Black Folk is a 1903 work of American literature by W. E. B. Du Bois. It is a seminal work in the history of sociology and a cornerstone of African-American literature.
  The book contains several essays on race, some of which the magazine Atlantic Monthly had previously published. To develop this work, Du Bois drew from his own experiences as an African American in American society. Outside of its notable relevance in African-American history, The Souls of Black Folk also holds an important place in social science as one of the early works in the field of sociology.
  In The Souls of Black Folk, Du Bois used the term "double consciousness", perhaps taken from Ralph Waldo Emerson ("The Transcendentalist" and "Fate"), applying it to the idea that black people must have two fields of vision at all times. They must be conscious of how they view themselves, as well as being conscious of how the world views them.

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  When Left Moves Right - The...

  Maria Snegovaya

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  Over the past two decades, postcommunist countries have witnessed a sudden shift in the electoral fortunes of their political parties: previously successful center-left parties suffered dramatic electoral defeats and disappeared from the political scene, while right-wing populist parties soared in popularity and came to power. This dynamic echoed similar processes in Western Europe and raises a question: Were these dynamics in any way connected? When Right Moves Left argues that they were. And that the root of the connection between them lies in the pro-market rebranding of the ex-communist left—the key explanatory variable. This book asserts that, though the left's pro-market shift initially led to electoral rewards, it had a less straightforward impact on left-wing parties' electoral fortunes in the long run. 
   
   
   
  The book draws upon different levels of analysis: cross-country observational data, case studies, and individual-level experimental surveys. It argues that scholars should incorporate the economic policy dimension when explaining the demise of the left and the rise of the populist right in the region. It also examines important parallels between the dynamics of Western and postcommunist countries by arguing that the idiosyncrasy of Eastern European politics has been overstated in scholarly literature.

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  The Power of Nothing to Lose -...

  Anonimo

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  Following books by Malcolm Gladwell and Dan Ariely, noted economics professor William L. Silber explores the Hail Mary effect, from its origins in sports to its applications to history, nature, politics, and business. 
  A quarterback like Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers gambles with a Hail Mary pass at the end of a football game when he has nothing to lose -- the risky throw might turn defeat into victory, or end in a meaningless interception. Rodgers may not realize it, but he has much in common with figures such as George Washington, Rosa Parks, Woodrow Wilson, and Adolph Hitler, all of whom changed the modern world with their risk-loving decisions. 
  In The Power of Nothing to Lose, award-winning economist William Silber explores the phenomenon in politics, war, and business, where situations with a big upside and limited downside trigger gambling behavior like with a Hail Mary. Silber describes in colorful detail how the American Revolution turned on such a gamble. The famous scene of Washington crossing the Delaware on Christmas night to attack the enemy may not look like a Hail Mary, but it was. Washington said days before his risky decision, “If this fails I think the game will be pretty well up.” Rosa Parks remained seated in the white section of an Alabama bus, defying local segregation laws, an act that sparked the modern civil rights movement in America. It was a life-threatening decision for her, but she said, “I was not frightened. I just made up my mind that as long as we accepted that kind of treatment it would continue, so I had nothing to lose.” 
   The risky exploits of George Washington and Rosa Parks made the world a better place, but demagogues have inflicted great damage with Hail Marys. Towards the end of World War II, Adolph Hitler ordered a desperate counterattack, the Battle of the Bulge, to stem the Allied advance into Germany. He said, “The outcome of the battle would spell either life or death for the German nation.” Hitler failed to change the war’s outcome, but his desperate gamble inflicted great collateral damage, including the worst wartime atrocity on American troops in Europe. 
  Silber shares these illuminating insights on these figures and more, from Woodrow Wilson to Donald Trump, asylum seekers to terrorists and rogue traders. Collectively they illustrate that downside protection fosters risky undertakings, that it changes the world in ways we least expect.

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  Hinduism and Buddhism: The...

  Charles River Editors

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  In conjunction with the development of religions, including not just Hinduism but also Sikhism, Jainism, and Buddhism, the diverse traditions and ethnic groups that have called India home over the past 5,000 years combined to create a mythology that is as eclectic as it is interesting. Unraveling the details of India’s mythological systems is no easy task, but thankfully, hundreds of scholars who have studied Indian history have successfully translated thousands of ancient and medieval Indian texts into English and other modern Western languages. Generally speaking, Indian mythology originated from the ideas and practices of two ethnic groups, the Dravidians and the Aryans. Although the latter’s influence was more visibly dominant, the former was also integral in the development of Indian myths and Hinduism generally. It is also important to keep in mind the differences between mythology, theology, and rituals as they relate to Indian religion.  
  In the West, Buddhism is a religion that everyone has heard of but one that few truly understand aside from Buddhists themselves. For almost 2,500 years, Buddhism has been dominant on the Indian subcontinent, based on the traditions, beliefs, and practices that came about from the teachings of the Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama), the Sansrkit word for “the awakened one.” Today, three distinct branches of Buddhism have mostly fanned out across Asia, and it’s believed that upwards of half a billion people practice Buddhism today, and some of the traditional practices and principles of the religion, including the concepts of karma, reincarnation and the practice of yoga are all commonplace ideas across the world. 

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  Reacher - The Stories Behind the...

  Lee Child

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  After making his debut in The Killing Floor, Jack Reacher has quickly become one of the most popular―and most enduring―fictional heroes to emerge in the past half century. Now, his creator tells the stories behind the stories. 
   
   
   
  These are the origin tales of all of the Reacher novels written solely by Lee Child, chock full of colorful anecdotes and intriguing inspirations. One by one, they expand upon each novel and place it in the context not only of the author's life, but of the world outside the books. And taken together, they chart the rise of an action icon, from 1997's The Killing Floor to 2019's Blue Moon. An afterword by crime fiction expert and bookseller Otto Penzler considers the importance of the character and novels in the canon of contemporary crime fiction. 
   
   
   
  In addition to the essays, this collection also includes an original Reacher short story―the first new Reacher appearance entirely written by Lee Child since 2019. Entertaining and enlightening, Reacher: The Stories Behind the Stories is a must-listen for fans of the Jack Reacher series and a capstone to any collection of this excellent author.

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  The Persian Famine of 1869-1871...

  Sarah Willards

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  The Persian Famine of 1869-1871 stands as one of the most devastating human catastrophes in the history of 19th-century Persia. It was a tragedy of massive proportions, affecting a significant portion of the population, leading to widespread death, displacement, and suffering. The famine took place during a period of political and economic instability in Persia, under the rule of the Qajar dynasty, and its consequences would resonate throughout the region for years to come. 
  The immediate causes of the famine were a combination of natural disasters, economic mismanagement, and poor governance. A severe drought struck the region in the early years of the famine, leading to crop failures across vast areas of Persia. Wheat and barley, which formed the staple diet of the population, were decimated, leaving millions without their primary source of food. This was further compounded by the devastation of locust swarms that wiped out whatever little remained of the crops. The government’s inability to respond effectively to these crises exacerbated the situation, as there was no coordinated effort to distribute food or provide relief to the suffering population. 
  The geography of Persia also played a significant role in the scale of the famine. With its vast arid regions and limited irrigation infrastructure, Persia was highly vulnerable to fluctuations in climate and weather. The droughts, combined with an inefficient agricultural system, led to widespread food shortages, particularly in the rural areas where most of the population lived. In the cities, food prices soared, making it even more difficult for the poor to survive. As the crisis deepened, people were forced to resort to extreme measures for survival, including selling their children into slavery or fleeing to other regions in search of food.

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