In the most heartfelt and important chapter of this book, Robin Fox laments the loss of Lewis Henry Morgan's vision, the "high mandate" to explore the universal history of humankind. For Fox, Morgan'...
Jon Turney on a book that grapples with planetary issues but fails to justify its own subtext
One of the pleasant fictions of the book business is the pretence that we pick books up, start reading at the beginning and work our way through to the end. But really we all do the same thing: first...
The surge in Arab revolutions since January has surprised many scholars and policymakers for one reason: it is not currently being orchestrated by the much-studied Islamists. Since the 1970s, Western...
Wonderful illustrations don't make up for a failure to get to grip with ideal worlds, Fred Inglis finds
In my student days, we spoke admiringly of the "strong readings" that Michel Foucault and Jacques Derrida made of past thinkers: readings that to ordinary readers looked like wilful misreadings, if...
University of Cambridge historian Mary Laven, whose new book makes compelling reading, acknowledges that Matteo Ricci's story has been told before from a wide range of perspectives. So what more can...
Institutions are warned over price-setting as MPs are asked to investigate. Simon Baker reports
Democracies could be facing a dangerous future because they work so well. Matthew Reisz reports
Research council fundingRCUK faces 40 per cent cutThe budget of Research Councils UK is to fall by 40 per cent over the coming four-year spending period. According to RCUK's delivery plan, released...
Australia's growing sector must redouble its efforts to recruit new academic blood, writes Simon Baker
ARTS AND HUMANITIES RESEARCH COUNCIL• Award winner: David E. Shuttleton• Institution: University of Glasgow• Value: £561,874The consultation letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-90) at the Royal...
Each week, Dr Margot Feelbetter poses a dilemma and offers advice for readers to respond to online. This week: I can't take the (slow) pace
University of SouthamptonMalcolm AceA "proud Welshman" who has spent his entire career working in higher education administration has been appointed chief operating officer at the University of...
Michael Chung proposes the Einstein/Murray Rule to help researchers determine the true value of their work