Human Sciences All books
Thierry Lévy
In Praise of Judicial Barbarity
In March 2004, France instituted a special legal procedure, to be applied in infractions judged as serious, as part of an effort to give police more powers to combat new types of crime. If money-laundering and giving assistance to illegal immigrants may be regarded as relatively recent infractions, stealing, murder, procuring and counterfeiting are all ancient violations. The new procedure extends the powers of police to hold prisoners in custody; it will also allow some offenders who plead guilty and accept the public prosecutor's sentence to avoid a public trial. Thierry Lévy, a renowned criminal lawyer, shows that the new law only confirms a tendency that has been at work for a long time, since many trials are no more than empty ceremonies sanctioning decisions that have already been reached. The author examines the way Justice in France today functions and puts some current dysfunctions of the legal system in their historical perspective. He argues that Justice cannot be served if the rights of the defence are ignored. Thierry Lévy is a lawyer and a member of the Paris Bar. He is the author of Justice sans Dieu and the co-author, with Jean-Denis Bredin, of Convaincre.
Roger-Pol Droit
Recent News of Ordinary Objects
"Can you learn anything from ordinary objects the things you use in your daily life? The answer is: yes, more than you can imagine. During the course of one year, I assigned myself a sort of adventure: I kept a diary of my encounter with objects, and I suggest you do the same. Briefly, my goal was to try to find the words that are hidden inside objects, to discover the questions that lie at the heart of things. My journey took place in four stages: surprise, groping, panicking, feeling soothed. This experience, touched with humour and a hint of folly, also follows the itinerary of an unexpected spiritual journey," Roger-Pol Droit is a research fellow at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Philippe deBaleine
Conversations on the Sky
What are the origins of the universe? Besides human beings, are there other conscious living creatures in the universe? If there are, do they resemble humans? Could their appearance be entirely different? If Christian teachings are true, could they also apply to such extraterrestrial creatures? What are Good and Evil? What is Gods role? How did nature take on the forms it has? In a relaxed, conversational tone, Philippe de Baleine addresses some of the major metaphysical, theological and cosmological issues that are being asked today. Philippe de Baleine is a journalist, essayist and novelist.
Jean-Michel Fourgous
Academic Success in the Digital Era
Parents and teachers can help children achieve personal and academic success. This book shows them how.
Jean-Denis Bredin
A Comedy of Appearance
A beautiful woman fascinated by her body, excludes herself from the world to love herself better... Two lovers tear each other apart after promising to always tell the truth to one another... Both cruel and funny, these short-stories describe the unease of a society, ours, which is dying of appearances, a society where everyone, man and woman, resembles what he she would like to be. Narcissism, lies, selfishness: the foundations of happiness are quite fragile nowadays. Through these acid portrayals, Jean-Denis Bredin, a lawyer and a writer, member of the French Academy, evokes a new era of suspicion.
Samuel P. Huntington
The Clash of Civilisations
This is the book to read to understand the contemporary world and the real threats that are arising.
Michel Godet, Alain Lebaube, Philippe Ratte
Good News in France
“Once upon a time, there was a marvellous country called France, famed for its geographic and geologic variety as well as for its rich heritage and the diversity of its cultural traditions...
Claire Vajou
Iô
A testimonial that is as unbelievable as it is distressing, underpinned by superb writing
Alain Ehrenberg
The Despondent Society
Will individualism ultimately turn against society and the individual?
Françoise Héritier
Male/Female II Dissolving the Hierarchy
The author's approach is not exclusively critical. She also sets out to break down the male-female hierarchy established and perpetuated by our mental categories...
