Kerry Brown‘s China Incorporated examines how China’s rise has reshaped the global political order, previously dominated by the US. Examining the impacts of Cold War modernisation paradigms and conflicting values between East and West, this book is an excellent resource for those interested in researching beyond the traditional narratives about China, writes Burak Elmalı. China Incorporated: The Politics of a World Where China is Number One. Kerry Brown. Bloomsbury Academic. 2023. Kerry Brown’s China Incorporated: The Politics of a World Where China is Number One offe ..read more

In Fluke, Brian Klaas explores the phenomenon of chance, examining how seemingly random happenings and actions can profoundly shape our lives. Klaas skilfully interweaves different perspectives – from physics, neuroscience and philosophy to real-life stories – to persuade readers that we live within a complex, interconnected system rather than a predictable one driven by cause and effect, writes Ulviyya Khalilova. Brian Klaas spoke about the book at a public LSE event earlier this year – watch it back on YouTube. Fluke: Chance, Chaos, and Why Everything We Do Matters ..read more

In Sex and Gender, editors Alice Sullivan and Selina Todd marshal a range of academics in different fields – from neuroscience to sociology – to explore the relationship between sex, gender and gender identity. Encompassing a broad range of topics and lenses, the volume presents illuminating research in this contested area, writes Lucinda Platt. Sex and Gender: A Contemporary Reader. Alice Sullivan and Selina Todd (eds.). Routledge. 2023. Sex and gender have become highly contested terms, with substantial confusion about their meanings and relationship to each other. This edited volume provid ..read more

Dan Evans’s A Nation of Shopkeepers explores the growth of the “petty bourgeoisie” in the UK following Thatcherism, as the rise of home ownership, small landlordism and changes to the world of work instilled individualist tendencies among this section of the middle class. According to Vladimir Bortun, the book is an intellectual tour de force, though he questions aspects of how Evans analyses Britain’s class structure. A Nation of Shopkeepers: The Unstoppable Rise of the Petty Bourgeoisie. Dan Evans. Repeater Books. 2023. A Nation of Shopkeepers is not your typical sociology bo ..read more

In Visions of Inequality, Branko Milanovic examines how major economic thinkers in the past two centuries – from Smith and Marx to Kuznets – have conceptualised and engaged with inequality. Aleksandr V Gevorkyan finds the book a groundbreaking and essential contribution to the history of economic thought and inequalities studies. Branko Milanovic will launch the book at a public LSE event on Thursday 30 May – find details on how to attend. Visions of Inequality: From the French Revolution to the End of the Cold War. Branko Milanovic. Harvard University Press. 202 ..read more

The Culture Trap by Derron Wallace compares the academic experiences of second-generation Black Caribbean youth in New York City and London, arguing that “ethnic expectations” shape students’ outcomes and perpetuate inequalities in each context. The insights from this rich ethnographic study could be applied in other contexts to combat restrictive ethnic stereotypes around education, writes Shankar Gugoloth. The Culture Trap: Ethnic Expectations and Unequal Schooling for Black Youth. Derron Wallace. Oxford University Press. 2023.  A teacher advised Tom, a yo ..read more

Lessons from Regional Responses to Security, Health and Environmental Challenges in Latin America explores these three areas in terms of governance challenges post-COVID-19. Editor Ivo Ganchev brings together diverse regional perspectives that critically analyse US influence in the region, regional versus national approaches and alternative tools for governance. While its contemporary focus may risk obsolescence, the book is a valuable resource for understanding and addressing current challenges in Latin America, writes Tainá Siman. Lessons from Regional Responses to Secur ..read more

In Science v. Story: Narrative Strategies for Science Communicators, Emma Frances Bloomfield parses the complexities of conveying scientific knowledge amid rampant misinformation and eroding public trust. Acknowledging the dual power of narrative to inform and divide, Bloomfield’s engaging text shares tools for crafting effective stories and urges inclusive discourse in the face of polarisation, writes Chris Featherman. Science v. Story: Narrative Strategies for Science Communicators. Emma Frances Bloomfield. University of California Press. 2024.  As the cli ..read more

In A Crash Course on Crises, Markus K. Brunnermeier and Ricardo Reis survey the macroeconomics of financial crises, examining the before, during, and after stages of collapses through theoretical models and case studies. Though the book’s analysis is insightful, cogent and well-structured, Minh Dao suggests that the trade-off of depth for concision may leave some readers wanting. A Crash Course on Crises: Macroeconomic Concepts for Run-ups, Collapses, and Recoveries. Brunnermeier, Markus K., and Ricardo Reis. Princeton University Press. 2023. In A Crash Course on Crises: Macro ..read more

In Code Dependent, Madhumita Murgia considers the impact of AI, and technology more broadly, on marginalised groups. Though its case studies are compelling, Marie Oldfield finds the book lacking in rigorous analysis and a clear methodology, inhibiting its ability to grapple with the concerns around technology it raises. Madhumita Murgia spoke at an LSE event, What it means to be human in a world changed by AI, in March 2024 – watch it back on YouTube. Code Dependent: Living in the Shadow of AI. Madhumita Murgia. Picador. 2024. Code Dependent is a collection of case studies about peo ..read more