‘It was through books that I first realised there were other worlds beyond my own; first imagined what it might be like to be another person,’ wrote novelist Julian Barnes in a recent Guardian essay. It’s an enticing thought that … Continue reading
Sad to hear of Stephen Covey’s death. Covey had a wonderful influence on the literature of self-help and business leadership. In a field full of charlatans, he was a good man and a great historian, who brought self-help back to … Continue reading
A round-up of some recent publications about the history, philosophy and pscyhology of emotions, including studies of sex, sickness, science, psychiatry, satire; emotional styles, emotional practices, emotional education; love and marriage; Thomas Aquinas, John Donne, René Descartes, Pierre Bourdieu; and why … Continue reading
I’ve had quite a few conversations with colleagues about the challenges and rewards of archival research. We’ve talked about the joy of discovering a letter or memo or perhaps a collection of photographs barely touched for decades, as well as … Continue reading
There’s a very interesting cover story and editorial in this week’s Times Educational Supplement, suggesting that the Department of Education under the Coalition government is in the process of quietly ditching New Labour’s flagship children’s policy, Every Child Matters (ECM). … Continue reading
What is the history of emotions? And why does it matter? As part of our first anniversary at the History of Emotions blog, I asked members and friends of the Centre for the History of the Emotions to write a … Continue reading
Yesterday I went to see a talk by the CEO of Zappos, Tony Hsieh. Tony is famous around the world for the ‘happy culture’ he has created at his billion-dollar shoe company. He sees his work as a mission to … Continue reading
Thomas Dixon and I are working on an AHRC-funded project called Philosophical Communities, which examines the history and contemporary rise of philosophy groups, clubs and associations. The Independent mentions the project in this piece today on the rise of philosophy … Continue reading
I’m a great fan of Professor Jerome Kagan, the eminent Harvard psychologist, who has done important work on the role of the amygdala in emotional disorders like social anxiety. I admire his humane appreciation for both the sciences and the … Continue reading
I just finished a fascinating small book by Harvard psychologist Jerome Bruner (that’s him on the right), called Acts of Meaning. Although it was published in 1990, I don’t think it’s widely known among lay-people, and I think its ideas … Continue reading