In 1948 an animated public information film called Your Very Good Health explained the benefits of Britain’s soon-to-be-introduced National Health Service (NHS).1 It portrayed two different categories of hospital patient. The central character, Charley, says he is ‘on the panel’ as he cycles through an optimistic impression of a new town.2The narrator asks him to imagine that he fell off …
Corruption is one of the biggest global issues, ahead of extreme poverty, unemployment, the rising cost of food and energy, climate change, and terrorism. It is thought to be one of the principal causes of poverty around the globe. Its significance in the contemporary world cannot be undervalued. In this Very Short Introduction, Leslie Holmes looks the history of corruption across the millen…
This equation suggests that if relationships 1 and 2 are opposedin type, then relationships 3 and 4 will be similarly opposed.A similarity in type between 1 and 2, or 3 and 4, though allowedby the formula, is taken to be a very rare occurrence. IndeedL6vi -Strauss suggests that this latter type of structure couldwell be expected to break down or at lea…
Beaver. Moose. Caribou. Think “animal” in Canada, and these and other iconic creatures of the Canadian wilderness are sure to come first to mind. Yet Canada has become increasingly urban since Confederation, to the extent that more than 80 per cent of the population today is considered to live in an urban setting.1 That urban identity has shaped profoundly…
eflections on God, Christ and cosmos in the writings of Paul and the Pauline School show that these authors were familiar with important notions from Graeco-Roman cosmology and theology. George van Kooten comes to the conclusion that they might even have adopted a way of thinking in which Judaism and Graeco-Roman cosmology were forged into a new synthesis, and Christ was viewed as a cosmic god.…
If now in decline since the tumultuous events of 1989, communism was without doubt the great political movement of the twentieth century--at its peak, more than a third of the world's population lived under communist rule--and it is still a powerful force in many areas of the world, most notably in the People's Republic of China. What is communism? Where did the idea come from and what attracte…
“The Richest Man in Babylon” by George S. Clason is a book that transcends time and continues to resonate with readers around the world. Originally published in 1926, his teachings are as relevant today as they were almost a century ago. Set in ancient Babylon, the book features a series of parables and anecdotes that provide practical ideas for achieving financial success.
rtificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to address some of the biggest challenges in education today, innovate teaching and learning practices, and ultimately accelerate the progress towards SDG 4. However, these rapid technological developments inevitably bring multiple risks and challenges, which have so far outpaced policy debates and regulatory frameworks. This publication offers gui…
Plastic and reconstructive surgery is a branch of surgery that specialises in restoring form and function to damaged or missing tissues and skin. The causes of such defects are usually related to surgery, injury, illness or congenital abnormality. This rapidly evolving specialty is based upon the exploitation of key principles of anatomy, physiology, pathology and surgery. Mastery of these prin…
On May 19, 1798 a French fleet under the command of the young general Napoleon Bonaparte sailed from Toulon in order to challenge the power of England in Egypt. He hoped by the conquet of the Nile to construct a French stronghold in the East from which to threaten British power and wealth in India. While the Nile Valley soon fell into French hands, confused political circumstances a home forced…