Social Change

Being transgender is a reality that is slowly, but surely, being understood. Out of the many biological and psychological theories that attempts to explain it, the mirror effect provides some of the best clues. Through this effect and the other available theories, misconceptions can be debunked, errors can be corrected, and most importantly, true understanding can be achieved.

In a world saturated with noise and distractions, the art of truly hearing and understanding others is becoming increasingly valuable. Active listening is more than just a skill—it's a transformative practice that unlocks deeper connections, fosters empathy, and empowers us to navigate life's complexities with greater grace.

Poverty is bad for everyone. Being at the sharp end of disadvantage is shameful, reduces brainpower, and hampers positive action. It increases crime, burdens healthcare systems and raises taxpayers' bills. With millions around the world struggling to make ends meet and increased socioeconomic uncertainty making poverty a more probable prospect for many more, tackling poverty has never been more urgent. The Empathy Fix exposes the realities of poverty and reveals why policies don't work. It is a radical rethink of current efforts to tackle poverty, what it means and how we break the cycle.

Even as a child, Martin Luther King, Jr. was shocked by the terrible and unfair way African-American people were treated. When he grew up, he decided to do something about it - peacefully, with powerful words. He helped gather people together for nonviolent protests and marches, and he always spoke up about loving other human beings and doing what’s right. He spoke about the dream of a kinder future, and bravely led the way toward racial equality in America.

In its 2001 report on global climate, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change of the United Nations prominently featured the "Hockey Stick", a chart showing global temperature data over the past 1,000 years. The Hockey Stick demonstrated that temperature had risen with the increase in industrialization and use of fossil fuels. The inescapable conclusion was that worldwide human activity since the industrial age had raised CO2 levels, trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and warming the planet.

In The Ideas That Rule Us, political theory researcher, author, and entrepreneur Nathan J. Murphy takes an eye-opening, multi-disciplinary deep dive into how others' ideologies, perceived societal norms, and pop culture influences shape our lives, through our decision-making, political affiliations, and consumer spending. Murphy deftly weaves over 4 years of political, cognitive, and sociological research into a very relatable and practical discussion about the fascinating origins of the many influential ideas and ideologies that rule our lives.

Over his long career as witness to an extreme 20th century, National Book Award-winning psychiatrist, historian, and public intellectual Robert Jay Lifton has grappled with the profound effects of nuclear war, terrorism, and genocide. Now he shifts to climate change, which, Lifton writes, "presents us with what may be the most demanding and unique psychological task ever required of humankind" - what he describes as the task of mobilizing our imaginative resources toward climate sanity.

From the printing press to the television, social movements have leveraged communications technologies to advance change. In this moment of rapidly evolving communications, it's imperative to assess the role that the internet, mobile devices, and social media can play in promoting social justice. But first, we must look to the past, to examples of movements throughout American history that successfully harnessed communications technology, thus facilitating positive social change.

The old axiom is true: people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. We find ourselves in a cultural moment where people simply want to feel seen, heard, and loved. The good news? A little kindness goes a long way. It's time for this overlooked and underappreciated fruit of the Spirit to get its due.

Play It Forward features twenty‑five inspirational stories of badass women from all corners of the sports universe, curated by TOGETHXR, a sports media companyfounded by legends Sue Bird, Alex Morgan, Simone Manuel, and Chloe Kim. From profiles of professional athletes and Olympians at the top of their game to everyday women putting in the work without a crowd, these are true tales of fierce competitors, dedicated teammates, and passionate advocates who are all too accustomed to hearing the word “no.”

When you think of philanthropy, what do you envision? Uber wealthy donors? Extravagant galas? In recent decades, philanthropy has come to be seen as something exclusive to those with an abundance of resources. But giving doesn’t have to mean donating millions of dollars. It can be as simple as a group of people who come together to do something good in their community. In The Big We, Hali Lee argues that the future of philanthropy belongs to community action, specifically giving circles—groups of people who come together to pool their resources to make positive change.

In 2020, Emma Holten read an article stating that women were a net ‘deficit’ to society. Women apparently took more than they gave: they took more parental leave, frequently worked part-time, and typically worked lower paying jobs in the public sector. How did we get here? How are the contributions of half the population seen as a loss? In Deficit, Emma Holten traces how economic thinkers – from the Enlightenment onwards – created a value framework that left out ‘women’s work’ and acts of care.

In the rubble of Hurricane Maria, Puerto Ricans and ultrarich "Puertopians" are locked in a pitched struggle over how to remake the island. In this vital and startling investigation, The New York Times best-selling author and activist Naomi Klein uncovers how the forces of shock politics and disaster capitalism seek to undermine the nation's radical, resilient vision for a just recovery.

Remember when you thought owning your own business was going to be fun and help you change the world? Then, somewhere along the line, your business became just hard work and wasn't fun at all. You're not alone, and it doesn't have to be that way. Alison Donaghey offers a way to reclaim your business by using a new way of thinking to improve your customer experience, staff contribution, and community involvement.

With Share This! both regular folks of a progressive bent and committed activists can learn how to go beyond swapping movie reviews and vacation photos (not that there's anything wrong with that). At the moment, the same kinds of people who dominate the dialog off-line are dominating it online, and things will never change if that doesn't change. Progressives need to get on social networks and share their stories, join conversations, connect with others - and not just others exactly like themselves.

For 2500 years people have been debating how literature changes lives, and versions of those debates continue today in classrooms, school and library boardrooms, and state legislatures. The life-transforming potential of books caught the attention of Dante, Cervantes, Jane Austen, Percy Shelley, and many others. Better Living through Literature surveys what the great thinkers have said on the subject, from Plato and Aristotle to Karl Marx and Sigmund Freud to W. E. B Du Bois, Harold Bloom, and Martha Nussbaum.

In The Shape of Change, Dynamic Materialism and Adaptive Realism are introduced as complementary frameworks that redefine how we understand and navigate the complexities of interconnected systems in a rapidly changing world. Dynamic Materialism emphasizes the material and structural forces that drive systemic behavior, focusing on feedback loops, constraints, and emergent properties that govern the evolution of ecosystems, economies, and technologies.

Der Klimawandel schreitet voran, die Gesellschaft ist tief gespalten und der Wirtschaft droht ein Kollaps verheerenden Ausmaßes. Der Komplexitätsforscher Stefan Thurner, Berater der österreichischen Bundesregierung bei der Bekämpfung der Corona-Krise, zeigt anhand der Wissenschaft Komplexer Systeme, wie zerbrechlich die Welt geworden ist und wie wir sie mit Hilfe von Wissenschaft und Big Data doch noch zur besten aller Zeiten machen können.

The balance of power has changed. Consumers have more power and control than ever before. They want everything now. Gone are the days when consumers were restricted to brick-and-mortar stores, websites, or even app experiences. Social Retail Marketing (SRM™) is the future. Marketing is now as much about digital engagement and data as storytelling. The book lays out the data, the strategy, and the tools to effectively reach, sell, and serve consumers inside social media and messaging channels. Discover the future of marketing in this groundbreaking book.

In einer Welt, die sich stetig verändert, verlangt auch unser Verständnis von Beziehungen eine Transformation. Nicole Dildei nimmt Sie mit auf eine persönliche und tiefgehende Reise, die vom Schmerz des Verlustes und den Schatten der Vergangenheit bis hin zur Heilung und Erneuerung führt. Sie beleuchtet, wie alte Muster aufgebrochen und neue Formen der Verbundenheit geschaffen werden können.