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New releases
Philippe Jurgensen
The Error of the West In the face of globalization
Philippe Jurgensen shows how the growing economic gap between North and South is responsible for four major threats that, in the short or long term, will endanger the small group of rich nations that possess three-quarters of the worlds wealth. These four threats demographics, health, the environment, strategy are each analysed in turn in a way that is accessible to non-specialists. Jurgensen shows that the current selfish attitude of the West is not only reprehensible but, above all, dangerous and therefore politically untenable. Philippe Jurgensen is a senior official of the French Treasury.
Patrick Gepner
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is characterised by a loss in the quality and quantity of bone tissue. The consequences are serious: they include fractures and the compression and curving of the spinal column, and the disease is responsible for more deaths than breast cancer. It is estimated that one-third of menopausal women suffer from osteoporosis, and the proportion is likely to rise as a result of bone damage caused by extreme dieting and anorexia among female adolescents. The fear of high cholesterol and weight gain among women older than 50 years of age is also responsible for decreased bone density. In addition, the incidence of osteoporosis among males is on the rise. Recently, there has been increased interest in the subject of osteoporosis, which has been described as "an invisible enemy" because it rarely produces symptoms. It is usually detected when a fracture occurs and by then it is too late. For this reason, early diagnosis and, particularly, prevention are of the utmost importance. Like the other books in the "Santé au Quotidien" series, this is a practical handbook, which reviews all that is known today about the disease and offers much useful advice: Which kinds of mineral water contain the most calcium? How can you eat plenty of calcium-rich milk products without gaining weight? Is hormonal replacement treatment during menopause an effective method of preventing osteoporosis? The outline of the book: When should you become concerned about osteoporosis? How is it diagnosed? What can you do to ensure good bones for life? How can osteoporosis be treated? False notions and honest tips. Patrick Gepner is a rheumatologist, practising at the Hôpital Foch, in Suresnes, near Paris. He is the author of Mal de dos, published by Editions Odile Jacob in the "Santé au Quotidien" series.
Raymond Boudon
Why intellectual peoples don't like liberalism
Given the intellectual force of liberalism, its political appeal, its economic effectiveness and its historical significance, why is it so unpopular among French intellectuals? Why does it elicit so little serious discussion? And why is it the object of so much confusion, so many clichés and misunderstandings? Is it simply out of resentment, because intellectuals feel that the market does not afford them the material and symbolic rewards that they believe they deserve? Is it just because they prefer to play a critical role in a society where capitalism is triumphant? Perhaps, but these reasons do not explain everything and they certainly dont explain the systematic rejection of liberal thought in France. A sociologist of knowledge rather than of social determinism, and a specialist in belief systems, Raymond Boudon ruthlessly analyses the cognitive mechanisms that make liberalism so hateful in the eyes of French intellectuals. The result is a keen, detailed review of the clichés that have encumbered discussions for more than thirty years. Raymond Boudon, a professor at the University of Paris-IV, is a member of the Académie des Sciences Morales et Politiques. He us the author of numerous works, most notably LInégalité des chances, La logique du social, LIdéologie ou lorigine des idées reçues, LArt de se persuader, Le Sens des valeurs and Déclin de la morale? Déclin des valeurs. He is the co-author, with R. Leroux, of Y a-t-il encore une sociologie?