Social Town Planning

Social Town Planning, edited by Clara H. Greed, examines how urban planning often overlooks marginalized groups like women, ethnic minorities, and people with disabilities. The book critiques traditional approaches and advocates for more inclusive, socially just, and equitable planning practices.

The book examines key concepts such as exchange, production, consumption, and distribution, exploring both formal and informal economies. It highlights the role of culture in shaping economic practices, and contrasts Western capitalist systems with indigenous, non-market-based economies.

Key themes covered in the book include:

Theories of International Relations: The text introduces major theoretical frameworks, including realism, liberalism, constructivism, and critical theories, analyzing how each interprets global politics.
Actors in International Relations: It examines various actors beyond nation-states, including international organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), multinational corporations, and transnational networks.
Global Issues: The book discusses pressing global challenges such as climate change, human rights, terrorism, and global health, highlighting how these issues require cooperative responses across borders.
Power and Security: It analyzes concepts of power, security, and conflict in a globalized world, considering the role of military power as well as soft power dynamics.

Criminology Theories, Patterns, and Typologies” by Larry Siegel

Explores:

1. Classical and positivist criminology
2. Biological, psychological, and sociological theories
3. Strain, social learning, and control theories

“Leviathan,” written by Thomas Hobbes in 1651, is a foundational text in political philosophy and social contract theory. Hobbes presents a view of human nature that is fundamentally pessimistic, arguing that in a state of nature, individuals act out of self-interest, leading to a chaotic and violent existence where life is “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”

“A History of Western Philosophy” by Bertrand Russell is a monumental work that traces the development of Western philosophical thought from ancient Greece to the modern era. First published in 1945, this sweeping narrative spans over 800 pages, covering the contributions of prominent philosophers, scientists, and theologians.”

A Short History of Modern Philosophy” by Roger Scruton is a concise and engaging survey of Western philosophy from the 17th to the 20th century. First published in 1981, this accessible book explores the development of modern philosophical thought through the contributions of key figures, including Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, Kant, Hegel, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, and Wittgenstein.

Majid Fakhry’s “A History of Islamic Philosophy” is a classic and highly acclaimed survey of Islamic philosophical thought from its origins to the present day. The third edition, published in 2004, provides an updated and expanded narrative that spans over 1,200 years of intellectual history.

“The Postmodern Condition: A Report on Knowledge” (1979) by Jean-François Lyotard is a seminal work that critiques modernity’s notion of progress and universal truth. Commissioned by the Quebec government, Lyotard’s report diagnoses the shift from modernity to postmodernity, characterized by the erosion of metanarratives (grand narratives) that once legitimized knowledge and truth.

“A History of Muslim Philosophy” by M.M. Sharif is a seminal two-volume work that provides a comprehensive and authoritative survey of the development of philosophical thought in the Islamic world. Volume 1, published in 1963, covers the period from the eighth to the fifteenth century, tracing the evolution of Islamic philosophy from its Greek and Persian roots to the emergence of distinctively Islamic philosophical schools.”