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What are the Humanities For?

Martha Nussbaum, in her latest book, warns of a world in which "the humanistic aspects of science and social science -- the imaginative, creative aspects of rigorous critical thought" are being lost. Instead of surrendering to "thin market norms" and the demands of the labour market, education must rediscover its goal of creating citizens who are both compassionate and capable of critical thinking. While the impetus behind such demands is laudable, it would be irresponsible -- writes reviewer Stephen John -- to ignore the shortcomings of Nussbaum's book in the name of political expediency. Too often she succumbs to hasty overgeneralization, lumping together different trends and developments and, in the process, overlooking sources of political agreement and convergence. While the book's message is important, it fails in its ambition to map out the future shape of education.

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Welcome to The Berlin Review of Books

The Berlin Review of Books aims to publish high-quality reviews of, and insightful essays based on, important recent books published in any language, with a focus on non-fiction. While it will often approach contemporary debates from a European perspective, it is open to intelligent contributions from around the globe. Our goal is to promote honest and knowledgeable debate of issues of real significance; for this reason, we are committed to financial and editorial independence. The Berlin Review of Books does not normally publish fiction or poetry, except by invitation.

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