Social science

Raquel A. G. Reyes explores the fascinating world of the human senses and their cultural diversity

The Earth is suffering from CO2 overload. Anthony Giddens asks how we can limit climate change

Lynne Segal is not entirely seduced by arguments for the innate naughtiness of God's chosen people

The ban on performance-boosting substances in sport is a self-satisfied nonsense, argues historian Geoffrey Alderman in a fortnightly series allowing academics to step outside their area of expertise

Lancaster and Manchester move to give students more time with tutors, writes Rebecca Attwood

Edinburgh and Cambridge universities to set up Muslim research centres. Olga Wojtas reports

Julia King, charged with the review of low-carbon cars, talks to John Gill about energy efficiency

Peer review lets us reward excellence when we see it; spurious 'absolute' standards do not, says Ron Johnston

Ian Patterson wishes a study built around writers' day-to-day concerns wasn't quite so workaday

Nick Prior finds plenty to think about in a new translation of one of Pierre Bourdieu's last works

Stephen Gundle on the tales a beloved wooden puppet has to tell about his creator's country

Simon Barton is disappointed by a lopsided, broad-brush tale of Dark Ages Muslim-Christian clashes

A law lecturer argues that ethics rules must sometimes allow researchers to act illegally in fieldwork. Melanie Newman writes

Universities warned that anti-research campaigners could attack from within. Chloe Stothart reports

John Whitelegg on a review of current economic challenges that overpromises and underdelivers

What price victory? Huw Dixon weighs the odds

Torture cannot be justified, says Philippe Sands, an academic and barrister who has traced how the US came to sanction the practice after 9/11. It doesn't work and it costs us dearly, he tells Matthew Reisz

V-c says deterioration highlighted by figures is 'undeniable'. Rebecca Attwood reports

Howard Davies appraises the sound economic and political sense behind Paul Krugman's latest work

Ministers accused of using academics to validate their policy decisions. Melanie Newman reports

A review of euthanasia and end-of-life issues may help to spur legislative change, says Julie Stone