by Heather Pringle (2006)
THE MASTER PLAN is a groundbreaking history of a little known Nazi SS archeological research institute, the Ahnenerbe, and the key role it played in the Holocaust. The Ahnenerbe was the brainchild of Himmler, the Reichsfuhrer SS and architect of the Final Solution, who was intensely interested in Germany’s ancient past. His intent was not only to rewrite the history of what he and others termed the “Aryan Race,” but also to use that mythic past to shape a more glorious future for Germany. While attempting to prove that Aryans were responsible for all of civilization’s greatest achievements, he also hoped to use tall, blond-haired SS men as stock to breed future generations of Germans in a racially purer mold. In the tradition of Hitler’s Willing Executioners, THE MASTER PLAN is also an expose of the work of German scientists and scholars who allowed their research to be used to justify extermination, and who, in some cases, directly participated in the slaughter—many of whom resumed their academic positions at war’s end. Intensely compelling and exhaustively researched, THE MASTER PLAN is based on extensive personal interviews and previously ignored archival material.
Lea Terhune
"Through wide-ranging research and interviews with key figures, including the Karmapa himself, award-winning journalist Lea Terhune unlocks the tale of the Karmapa's disputed incarnation, and traces the roots of the Kagyu tradition and the history of the previous Karmapas in order to illuminate the tale of the young man born to play a key role in the future of Tibet."--Jacket.
Denise Lardner Carmody and John Tully Carmody
Examines the origins, assumptions, and consequences of three major concepts in American religious history: the Puritan judgement of human nature, the Enlightenment disestablishment of religion, and the definition of truth of American Pragmatism. The lives and beliefs of Jonathan Edwards, Thomas Jefferson, and William James fully characterize these three mainstream religious principIes. ln unique counterpoint, the Carmodys bring into the discussion the many religious and secular groups that were not, and still are not, part of the primarily white, Protestant, male historical tradition: Catholics, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, women, African-Americans, and others. The Republic of Many Mansions concludes that the future of American religious culture lies in a collective and ongoing dialogue among the many voices active in the American religious landscape.
Daniel Deudney and Christopher Flavin
Long a dream of tinkerers and visionaries, renewable energy has now come of age. Technical innovations and successful development efforts in the last decade show that humanity can meet many of its energy needs by harnessing the inexhaustible flows of energy that come from the sun, the winds, the waters, living plants, and the earth itself. Here is a hard-nosed yet hopeful look at the global energy future. Daniel Deudney and Christopher Flavin of the Worldwatch Institute assess the advances being made in developing the major renewable sources of energy. Wood and hydropower already play crucial roles in the world energy economy. Passive solar design, wood alcohol, wind machines, and solar photovoltaic cells are among the "new" energy sources likely to grow in use most rapidly. Individual countries will pave the way with particular technologies, as has already been shown by Brazil in alcohol fuels, Japan in solar collectors, and the Philippines in geothermal energy. Renewable energy is not only an economical alternative to coal and nuclear power, the authors argue, but can help relieve unemployment, environmental degradation, and other pressing problems. The book describes what life could be like in a world powered by renewable energy, noting that differences in climate, natural resources, and economic philosophy will help determine which energy sources are used in various regions. Going beyond the generalities that have dominated recent energy policy debates, Deudney and Flavin detail a plan of action to promote sound energy development in rich and poor nations alike. They conclude that institutions and politics -- not resource limits -- constrain the use of renewable energy. - Jacket flap.
Joanna Swann
"Learning, Teaching and Education Research in the 21st Century draws on Karl Popper's evolutionary epistemology and challenges widespread assumptions about learning, teaching and research that are embedded in the practices of many teachers and in the design of most education institutions worldwide. Joanna Swann argues that to promote the growth of learning we need to encourage children and adolescents to exercise and develop creativity and criticality, and that we need to provide and maintain environments in which they can safely engage in self-initiated and self-directed exploratory activity. In accessible and engaging language, the author presents philosophical arguments that support the defence and development of non-authoritarian approaches to learning and teaching that can be used by individuals and groups working in or outside state-funded schools. In particular, she provides tried-and-tested guidelines for student-initiated curricula and a problem-based methodology for professional development and action research."--Bloomsbury Publishing.