Our systems are now restored following recent technical disruption, and we’re working hard to catch up on publishing. We apologise for the inconvenience caused. Find out more

Recommended product

Popular links

Popular links


Extremes

Extremes

Extremes

Duncan Needham, University of Cambridge
Julius Weitzdörfer, University of Cambridge
March 2019
Available
Paperback
9781108457002
£17.99
GBP
Paperback
USD
eBook

    Humanity is confronted by and attracted to extremes. Extreme events shape our thinking, feeling, and actions; they echo in our politics, media, literature, and science. We often associate extremes with crises, disasters, and risks to be averted, yet extremes also have the potential to lead us towards new horizons. Featuring essays by leading intellectuals and public figures arising from the 2017 Darwin College Lectures, this volume explores 'extreme' events, from the election of President Trump, the rise of populism, and the Brexit referendum, to the 2008 financial crisis, the Syrian war, and climate change. It also celebrates 'extreme' achievements in the realms of health, exploration, and scientific discovery. A fascinating, engaging, and timely collection of essays by renowned scholars, journalists, and intellectuals, this volume challenges our understanding of what is normal and what is truly extreme, and sheds light on some of the issues facing humanity in the twenty-first century.

    • Features contributions from renowned intellectuals and public figures
    • Provides a fascinating spectrum of viewpoints on the theme of extremes
    • Challenges the reader's perception of normality, giving a greater insight into the nature of 'extremes'

    Product details

    March 2019
    Paperback
    9781108457002
    186 pages
    247 × 173 × 9 mm
    0.4kg
    7 b/w illus. 44 colour illus. 5 tables
    Available

    Table of Contents

    • Notes on contributors
    • Acknowledgements
    • On the notion of 'extremes' Julius F. W. Weitzdörfer
    • 1. Dealing with extremism David Runciman
    • 2. Extreme weather Emily Shuckburgh
    • 3. Probability, risk, and extremes Nassim Nicholas Taleb
    • 4. Extreme rowing Roz Savage
    • 5. Extremes of war: stories of survival from Syria Lyse Doucet
    • 6. Extreme politics: the four waves of national populism in the West Matthew Goodwin
    • 7. Extreme longevity Sarah Harper
    • 8. Extremes of power in the universe Andrew C. Fabian
    • Index.
      Contributors
    • Julius F. W. Weitzdörfer , David Runciman, Emily Shuckburgh, Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Roz Savage, Lyse Doucet, Matthew Goodwin, Sarah Harper, Andrew C. Fabian

    • Editors
    • Duncan Needham , University of Cambridge

      Duncan Needham is Dean and Senior Tutor of Darwin College, Director of the Centre for Financial History, a Senior Researcher at the Centre for Risk Studies, and an Associate Lecturer at the Faculty of History, University of Cambridge.

    • Julius Weitzdörfer , University of Cambridge

      Julius Weitzdörfer is Director of Studies in Law and a former Charles and Katharine Darwin Research Fellow at Darwin College, a Research Associate at the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk, and an Affiliated Lecturer at the Faculty of Law, University of Cambridge.