Books in the Very Short Introductions series

Refugees are one of the great contemporary challenges the world is confronting, and the international community struggles to provide adequate responses to refugee needs. Gil Loescher explores the causes and consequences of the contemporary refugee crisis for both sending and receiving states, for global order, and for refugees themselves.

All living things are composed of cells, which have fundamentally the same chemistry. Biochemistry is the study of reactions within these cells, and the molecules that are created, manipulated, and destroyed as a result of them. This book discusses the key concepts of biochemistry, as well as the recent discoveries and innovations in the field.

This book explores the field of human physiology, considering the interplay of physiological mechanisms and principles and how they come together to result in human life being sustained. It also discusses how physiological experiments are undertaken, and covers the medical applications of new discoveries.

For thousands of years humanity has engaged in creative expression. This book explores the history, theory, and practice of creativity from a psychological perspective. It considers the nature and development of creativity, analyzing why we produce creative work, and the ways in which we can understand creative work in its cultural context.

The Arctic is a complex space. This book considers the competing elements surrounding the region, from geopolitical claims on its rich resources to environmental concerns over the effects of climate change and shrinking sea ice. It examines the impact of ongoing cultural, physical, and economic changes, and considers the future of the Arctic.

How, when, and why did the Cold War begin? Why did it last so long? What impact did it have on the United States, the Soviet Union, Europe, and the Third World? Finally, what difference did it make to the broader history of the second half of the twentieth century? This clear and stimulating interpretive overview of the Cold War will both invite debate and encourage deeper investigation.

In the new edition of Climate Change: A Very Short Introduction (previously titled Global Warming), Mark Maslin explores all of the key debates. Examining the most recent scientific research, he looks what climate change is, its impact on our planet, and why it's such a complex problem to solve.

The story of Jewish literature is a kaleidoscopic one, multilingual and transnational in character, spanning the globe as well as the centuries. In this broad, thought-provoking introduction to Jewish literature from 1492 to the present, cultural historian Ilan Stavans focuses on its multilingual and transnational nature. Stavans presents a wide range of traditions within Jewish literature and the variety of writers who made those traditions possible. Represented are writers as dissimilar as Luis de Carvajal the Younger, Franz Kafka, Bruno Schulz, Isaac Babel, Anzia Yezierska, Elias Canetti, Isaac Bashevis Singer, Irving Howe, ClariceLispector, Susan Sontag, Philip Roth, Grace Paley, Amos Oz, Moacyr Scliar, and David Grossman. The story of Jewish literature spans the globe as well as the centuries, from the marrano poets and memorialists of medieval Spain, to the sprawling Yiddish writing in Ashkenaz (the "Pale of Settlement'' in Eastern Europe), to the probing narratives of Jewish immigrants to the United States and other parts of the New World. It also examines the accounts of horror during the Holocaust, the work of Israeli authors since the creation of the Jewish State in 1948, and the "ingathering" of Jewishworks in Brazil, Bulgaria, Argentina, and South Africa at the end of the twentieth century. This kaleidoscopic introduction to Jewish literature presents its subject matter as constantly changing and adapting.

In this Very Short Introduction, Paul Slack explores the historical impact of plague over the centuries. Looking at the ways in which it has been interpreted, and the powerful images it has left behind in art and literature, he considers how it was fought and controlled, and the impact it had on our modern notions of public health.

Explores the promise and limitations of competitive market dynamics, looking at the threats to competition-cartels, agreements, monopolies, and mergers-and the laws in place across the US and European Union to safeguard the process of competition.

Diplomatic history is the critical study of the management of relations between nation-states. Based on significant historical case studies - the American Revolution, the origins of the Great War and its aftermath, Versailles, the Iraq War, and diplomacy in the age of globalization - this book locates the universal role of diplomatic negotiation.

Set against the backdrop of an ever-changing international landscape, this Very Short Introduction explores both the history and politics of nuclear weapons. In this new edition, Joseph M. Siracusa includes a new concluding chapter, highlighting the significant lessons to be learnt from the history of the nuclear weapons era.

Written by one of the world's leading experts in the field, this book offers a clear account of the contributions to philosophy made by one of Britain's greatest thinkers. Harris covers Hume's main interests of human nature, morality, politics, and religion, and explores the philosophical questions that remain at the heart of the subject today.

This book considers the steady presence of blasphemy in our world today, even as society grows increasingly secular. Discussing some of the most famous cases of blasphemy, it looks at factors such as the increased visibility of religious and racial minorities, new media, and engines of surveillance, and the legacies of colonial blasphemy laws.

In this book, Julian Baggini explores the arguments for atheism, and dispels some common myths, explaining how a life without religious belief can be positive, meaningful, and moral. This new edition discusses the recent flowering of 'New Atheism' and considers the position of atheism in society today.

Stem cells are a rapidly developing area of research. This book explains the nature and different types of stem cells, explores their applications in medicine for treating diseases and injuries, and considers the major areas of current research.

James Joyce was one of the most influential writers of the twentieth century. This book explores his novels and short stories, and analyses the literary traditions and social factors influencing his distinctive complex style. Interweaving Joyce's life and history with his books, it also shows how Joyce celebrated his own experiences in Dublin.

How do we define consciousness or intentionality? Is the neurophysiology of pain all there is to pain? How do words and mental pictures come to represent things in the world? Do computers think? Barbara Montero tackles these and other thorny issues at the heart of the field of philosophy of mind.

From the schools of ancient times to the present day, Gary Thomas looks at how and why education evolved as it has. By exploring some of the big questions, he examines the ways in which schools work, considers the differences around the world, and concludes by considering the future of education worldwide.

This Very Short Introduction looks at the importance accorded to the Bible by different communities and cultures and attempts to explain why it has generated such a rich variety of uses and interpretations. It explores how the Bible was written, the development of the canon, the role of Biblical criticism, the appropriation of the Bible in high and popular culture, and its use for political ends.

This book describes the evolution of Marian thought from early Christianity to the present day. Covering the various Christian denominations, as well as the Islamic Mary, it considers medieval and renaissance doctrine and representations of Mary, as well as her involvement in debates over the Virginal body, race, anti-Semitism, and globalism.

Pippa Virdee considers the history of Pakistan, created as a new nation state in 1947, placing it in the context of the region's four-thousand-year-old pre-colonial heritage. She discusses Pakistan's religion and society, the state and the military, popular culture, language and literature, as well as its relationship with the rest of the world.

Richard Whatmore examines the diverse, interconnected relationships between political history, theory, and action. Considering the work of Michel Foucalt, John Pocock, Quentin Skinner and other key theorists, this book highlights the connections between past and present political systems, and the ongoing relevance of the field today.

Drawing on examples from across the globe and throughout history, Andrew Kahn explores the key characteristics of the short story. He shows how its rise was intertwined with international print culture, and discusses the essential techniques within this thriving literary genre, as well as the ways in which it is constantly innovated, even today.

For many decades, we were only familiar with our own system of planets, the Solar System, orbiting our Sun. Now we know that it is just one among a vast range of planetary systems around distant stars. This book explores the nature and variety of planetary systems, how they are formed, and how they die.

This book explores the extraordinarily diverse and beautiful world of insects, from tiny wasps to giant beetles. It analyses insect evolution, and describes their behaviour, their environments, and the interactions they have with other animals. It also discusses their vital role in all land ecosystems, and their importance for our own survival.

Jane Austen is one of the most widely-read novelists in the English language, and one of very few pre-Victorian writers to have a large popular following. This book situates Austen in the literary and historical context of her time, and combines critical introductions to each of her six major novels with the exploration of key themes of her work.

Adrian Wilkinson reviews the historical development of human resource management, showing how the changes in political, legal, and macroeconomic spheres have shaped how human resources are managed. Considering HRM in a global world, he considers how it is adapting to a very different work landscape.