The Institute of Social Research, from which the Frankfurt School developed, was founded in the early years of the Weimar Republic. It survived the Nazi era in exile, to become an important centre of social theory in the postwar era. Early members of the school, such as Adorno, Horkheimer and Marcuse, developed a form of Marxist theory known as Critical Theory, which became influential in the study of class, politics, culture and ideology. The work of more recent members, and in (...) particular Habermas, has received wide attention throughout Europe and North America. Tom Bottomore's study takes a new and controversial look at the contributions of the Frankfurt School to modern sociology, examining several issues not previously discussed elsewhere. He discusses the neglect of history and political economy by the critical theorists, and considers the relationship of the later Frankfurt School to the radical movements of the 1960s and the present time. His critical analysis makes the school's writers accessible, through an assessment of their work and an exploration of the relationship of Critical Theory to other forms of sociological thought, especially positivism and structuralism. (shrink)

Théun takes the reader on a journey through the fascinating frontiers of the human psyche as he introduces concepts such as the twenty-one aspects of awareness, the meaning and existence of alternative worlds, as well as the intermediate teachings on stalking. Théun also uses many real-life examples, enabling the reader to experience for him or herself the value and excitement of these teachings. Shifting the focus, stepping into the unknown, and the preliminary steps in learning to align the Sorcerer's World, (...) are but a few of the techniques he explains. The book provides rich insight into the world of warriors and how they gain intellectual freedom, total personal power and spiritual joy. (shrink)

Chinese Annals in the Western Observatory: An Outline of Western Studies of Chinese Unearthed Documents. By Edward l. Shaughnessy. Library of Sinology, vol. 4. Boston: De Gruyter Mouton, 2019. Pp. xx + 485. $69 ; open access: https://www.degruyter.com/document/ doi/10.1515/9781501516948/html?lang=en.

This is the only edition of Bede's Ecclesiastical History which also offers the Greater Chronicle as well as his Letter to Egbert. The Chronicle and the Letter have been newly translated, and both they and the authoritative Colgrave translation of the Ecclesiastical History are supported by a detailed introduction and notes.

ABSTRACTIn this volume, we include four commentaries to Larry Minear's important article ‘Conscience and Carnage in Iraq and Afghanistan’ from our 2014 volume, as well as a response from the author. The commentaries and the author's response ponder various aspects of the challenge of conscientious objection to military service. Is there room for such objection within an all-volunteer force? Do such objectors serve an important role in our society – and in the military? May one object to some wars conscientiously, (...) but not all? And where are these discussions headed today? The debates on conscientious objection arguably form an important part of the discipline of military ethics, and thus an important part of the conversations carried on in this journal. (shrink)