Human Sciences All books
Jean-Paul Betbèze
French people's economic fear
France has economic possibilities, but it remains blocked in several areas. Although the country's leaders are aware of this, they seem unable to make the necessary reforms to move forward. France seems to be the prey of fears that paralyse it, but which have benefited a new class of economic as well as social rentiers who constitute a powerful economic, ideological and political group. These new rentiers are fully cognisant that the defence of their acquired privileges is not a practical long-term solution - as has been shown by rising deficits, decreased competitiveness and job losses. The author argues that it is necessary to make changes and implement reforms - and to do so it is essential to understand and overcome existing fears. It cannot be expected that everything will be changed at once, but some initial efforts must be made. The single reform that will fix everything does not exist, he says, but this is hardly an excuse for refusing to make a start. In other countries, programmes for economic reform are being implemented. Yet France is only beginning to consider such reforms. The object of this book is to provide a greater understanding of the present situation, in the form of a how-to manual. A ruthless analysis of some of France's psychological blocks, apprehensions and economic fears, this book can be regarded as a sort of economic psychotherapy. In addition, the author provides a critique of the false solutions that hinder modernisation and proposes his own solutions for change and reform. Jean-Paul Betbèze is a professor of economics at the University of Paris Panthéon-Assas and a member of the French prime minister's Council for Economic Analysis. He is a consultant to the president and the C.E.O. of a major bank and the author of Les Dix Commandements de la finance, which was awarded the Risques-Les Echos Prize in 2004.
Claude Béata
At the Risk of Loving
A masterly demonstration of the power of love in the animal world and among humans
Patrick Fridenson, Bénédicte Reynaud
France and the Age of Work (1814-2004)
In this history about working hours in France during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the authors present two highly original theses which go against some established ideas. Their first thesis is that the limitation or reduction of labour hours was not a political, social or economic issue but primarily a question of public health. The authors second thesis is that the movement for shorter hours was never a major demand of the trade unions since absenteeism served to regulate working hours but the policy of national and international institutions. This is a history book which responds to an impassioned issue in recent French political events. Patrick Fridenson is a historian. Bénédicte Reynaud is an economist.
Sylvie Cadolle
Being a Step-parent The Recomposition of the Family
More than one million children in France live permanently or occasionally with a step-parent. What place does a step-parent hold in the family of a child whose parents are divorced or separated? What role does he or she play? Is it sufficient to know how to love in order to succeed in reconstructing a family? This is the first French investigation into the relations between step-parents and step-children that allows both the adults and the children to freely express themselves. Sylvie Cadolle teaches philosophy and educational sociology.
Antoine Garapon
Neoliberal Justice
An indispensable tool of critical thought to reach an independent opinion.
Jacques Andréani
The French Exception
An expert on foreign affairs, Jacques Andréani draws on his extensive international experience to enhance his examination of what it means to be French.
Noël Pons
Corruption of Elites
An expert in the current fight against political and financial fraud gives his viewpoint and shows that not all dysfunctions in the system can be blamed on individual or temporary excesses.
Frank Dangeard
Crisis Decision-Making in Businesses 12 Tales of Governance
Based on his extensive experience as a manager and administrator, and illustrated with numerous examples from recent business history...
Didier Lombard
The Irresistible Ascension Of Digital Europe and the rest of the world
What are Europe’s advantages in the digital race against Asia and the U.S.? And what is at stake?
Yves Christen
Are Animals Philosophers? Kantian Chickens and Aristotelian Bonobos
Because animals, both human and non-human, are not the passive toys of the surrounding world but, on the contrary, active creators and because they are carriers of weltanschauung, I regard them as philosophers.
Bertrand Fragonard
In Defence of Social Protection
Does the French Social Security system overspend? In the context of the economic crisis and the need to master public spending...
Yves Coppens
The Present of the Past to the Third Power Prehistoric News
Yves Coppens reveals the latest archaeological findings and recreates prehistoric life with amazing precision
Antoine Garapon
Crimes Which Can Neither be Punished Nor Forgiven Towards an International Justice
The creation of a system of international criminal justice was one of the greatest political upheavals of recent decades. The fact that international criminal law has been allowed to question national sovereignty is a revolution in itself. The detractors of international justice contend that it is simply the justice of the victors. Could they be right? Have law and ethics been muddled? Have the trials conducted in its name helped heal the victims? Can justice prevent civil war? A former magistrate, Antoine Garapon heads the Institut des hautes études sur la justice.
Claude Hagège
Against Uniform Thinking
The threat of uniform thinking, relayed notably through the English language, should lead us to react in defence of linguistic and cultural diversity.
Philippe Kourilsky
The Time of the altruism
An eminent scientist tells us how to alter our thinking so that we can finally face the present global challenges with effective common actions.
Justin Vaïsse
Barack Obama’s Foreign Policy (2008-2012)
In the run-up to the U.S. Presidential elections, an eminent specialist assesses the present administration
Anne Cadoret
Parents Like the Others Homosexuality and Parenting
There are numerous possible cases of homosexual parenting: How are these new types of family forged? What do homosexual parents seek? And what do they say about their experiences? Eschewing all ideological controversies, the author offers us an ethnological study of family structure which seriously calls into question the place of biology in parenthood and the identification of the parental with the conjugal couple. Anne Cadoret is a sociologist.
Jean-Marc Daniel
8 Lessons in Economic History
A masterly lesson in economics based on history and examples