Books in the Reflections series in order

Engelsk udgave af Tillid i serien TænkepauserUdlændinge forbløffes over, at man på køreture gennem det danske sommerland støder på ubemandede boder med friske jordbær, sprøde asparges og en lille cigarkasse med byttepenge. Endnu mere forbløffende er det, at bodens ejer om aftenen kan hente en fyldt pengekasse. Stort set alle andre steder i verden ville både jordbær, asparges og penge være væk.Men danskerne er verdensmestre i tillid: Vi stoler på vores statslige skrankepaver og vores pertentlige politi, og vi stiller ubekymret vores børn i ubevogtede barnevogne uden for butikker. Umiddelbart kan det virke tåbeligt og blåøjet med al den danske tillid. Set fra et samfundsmæssigt synspunkt er det dog smart, at vi er så tillidsfulde, for social sammenhængskraft i et samfund er med til at give en god økonomi og en stærk produktionskraft. Så vi er ikke kun tillidsfulde, fordi vi har et velfærdssystem - vi har også et velfærdssystem, fordi vi er tillidsfulde.

Engelsk udgave af Positiv psykologi i serien TænkepauserHvorfor påvirker negative oplevelser - stort set uden undtagelser - os stærkere end positive, når alle foretrækker de positive? Hvorfor oplever mange at miste indflydelse, når de udsættes for ledelse, selvom ledelse, der disengagerer medarbejdere, er dømt til at mislykkes? Hvorfor irriteres vi så ofte over andres svagheder, når intelligent organisering forudsætter, at svaghed gøres irrelevant? Hvorfor oplever mange danskere en blågrå og halvtrist hverdag, når vi objektivt set lever historisk privilegeret - og fra størstedelen af verdens befolknings perspektiv under intet mindre end paradisiske omstændigheder? Hvorfor accepterer vi at blive forstyrret døgnet rundt, når stort set alle livets bedste oplevelser er fordybelse? Hvorfor disciplinerer vi os ofte uden at få en ordentlig begrundelse, når meningsløs selvdisciplin utvetydigt nedbryder vor selvfølelse og karakter? Hvorfor er mange bange for at tage chancer, når det er svært overhovedet at mærke noget, hvis ikke man improviserer? Hvorfor skal man som regel stadig fejle noget, før man kan få hjælp til en samtale med en psykolog, når alle er enige om, at det er både billigere og bedre at forebygge end at behandle?

Love is all around. A romantic cliché? No, a fact of human life. Just ask Anne Marie Pahuus, a Danish philosopher at Aarhus University. Love is essentially the closest, most intense relationships we have, for instance with our partners and children. Its wide range of emotions runs from erotic passion to friendship, from delight to torment. Love can conquer all, and it can bring life-long sorrow. Down through the ages – in a variety of guises ­– love has been the favourite theme of thinkers and artists, as indeed it remains to this day. Engelsk oversættelse af Tænkepausen "Kærlighed".

Suresh Rattan's birth certificate reads "1955". At his age, signs of decline inevitably creep in, but Suresh doesn't feel that old. In fact, he feels twenty years younger. He can even explain why. No wonder: He does research on age and ageing at Aarhus University. Thanks to evolution, we can't imagine ourselves any older than 45. Biologically, we should just give up the ghost once we've raised af few carbon copies of ourselves. But for those of us who want to stick around a little longer, Suresh has devised a formula for eternal life. Let's hope it works.

Farmed for its industriousness and its urge to conquer, this race practises farming and uses chemical weapons. Humans? No, ants! Joachim Offenberg, a myrmecophile researcher at Aarhus University, shares fascinating facts about these tiny creatures - so stealthy and stalwart they even endured a ruthless onslaught from his Uncle Preben, who thinks these cannibals, slave drivers and infiltrators of our homes and gardens derserve no better. But why not domesticate ants and join forces with one fourth of the planet's animal biopass? Prepare to befriend a formidable foe.

Creativity was once seen as the mark of mad geniuses, troubled souls, and avant-garde eccentrics. Today, however, we expect to find the trait thriving in and around us. In Creativity, Jan Løhmann Stephensen provides a historical and contemporary view of creativity and explains why it is not always the answer to every problem. From van Gogh to Springsteen, Løhmann Stephensen explores the creative process of artists to craft a new theory of creativity, one rooted in collectivism and fluidity.

Colchester's history goes back to the Iron Age and the Roman settlement that was for a while the capital of Britain. There are extensive remains of Roman Colchester that can still be seen today, as well as from its medieval and later history, including its Norman castle built on Roman foundations. The wool trade brought prosperity and many buildings date from the Tudor period, but much of today's Colchester dates from its expansion in the nineteenth century. In the years after the Second World War, areas of the town were redeveloped and this has continued in recent years, including its extensive garrison area. Colchester Reflections features an exciting collection of historic and modern pictures that are individually merged to reveal how the area has changed over the decades. Each of the 180 pictures in this book combines a recent colour view of Colchester with the matching sepia archive scene. Through the split-image effect, readers can see how streets, buildings and everyday life have transformed with the passing of time. Local author Patrick Denney presents this fascinating visual chronicle that ingeniously reflects past and present glimpses of Colchester. This book will be of interest to residents, visitors, local historians and all those with links to the area.

Belfast is the capital city of Northern Ireland and has been a major port and industrial city since the nineteenth century. Shipbuilding has long been an important industry in the city and the Titanic Quarter, named after its most famous ship, is one of the largest waterfront developments in Europe. In the last two decades the city has become transformed, attracting large numbers of visitors to its cultural heritage. Large areas of the city have been redeveloped but much of it would also be recognisable to previous generations. Belfast Reflections features an exciting collection of historic and modern pictures that are individually merged to reveal how the area has changed over the decades. Each of the 180 pictures in this book combines a recent colour view of Belfast with the matching sepia archive scene. Through the split-image effect, readers can see how streets, buildings and everyday life have transformed with the passing of time. Local author Aidan Campbell presents this fascinating visual chronicle that ingeniously reflects past and present glimpses of Belfast. This book will be of interest to residents, visitors, local historians and all those with links to the area.

How many questions do we ask each day? Why do we ask them in the first place? Do we always ask because we’re trying to learn something? Or are there some questions we don’t expect to have answered – and some questions that simply can’t be answered at all? What do our questions tell us about ourselves? Do they define who we are? Who asked the world’s first question? Can anyone answer all these questions? Is that a stupid question, or is it a really good one? And what does Pia Lauritzen, Aarhus University’s questioner-in-chief, think of all of this?

This man has found happiness. His, yours, and mine. Unlike the rest of us, Christian Bjørnskov, happiness researcher at Aarhus University, knows what we mean when we talk about being happy. There is the fleeting kind – like when our team wins, for once. The crucial long-term kind. The kind we find with that special someone or feel when reality surpasses our expectations – until we raise the bar, again. There is even the kind of happiness money can buy, provided we spend it on or with other people. Except our children, who don’t really make us happy until they move out.

A fascinating collection of merged historic and modern images that reflect the changes in Barrow-in-Furness through the decades.

Play is not just for kids and the young at heart. Boring grown-ups play too, but we only unleash our imagination with close friends and family. Still, our propensity to play is nothing to be ashamed of, according to Marc Malmdorf Andersen, play aficionado at Aarhus University. In fact, play is a sort of scientific process, and by testing one hair-brained idea after another we not only become better, more creative adults. We can also make love grow, and maybe even save the world. This might not be as crazy as it sounds, and it’s guaranteed to be a barrel of fun.

We love democracy, but few of us can explain this affection. That is probably why dictators can pose as true democrats, and why the subdued can see despotism as the answer to their prayers. But a government of, by and for the people does not always make prudent decisions. It is contentious and unfair, and it cannot magically solve all the world’s problems – although it does keep tyrants at bay. Luckily, Svend-Erik Skaaning, democracy scholar at Aarhus University, is not afraid to speak up: We love democracy because it is less flawed than all other forms of rule

“We are the champions – of the world!” This line from a chart-topping rock ballad could have come from Mette Frisk Jensen, corruption expert at Aarhus University. A constitutional monarchy with a queen of its own, Denmark has long been among the world’s top-five least corrupt countries. Fortunately, kickbacks and pay-offs are not dissolving its social glue, which is more than a lucky blend of trust and democracy. But people might not expect to find Denmark’s way to the top paved by absolute monarchs, wars with Sweden, and even national bankruptcy.