Samuel Moyn

Discover a pathbreaking study that explores the link between the end of the Cold War and the rise of neoliberalism. In "The Triumph of Broken Promises," Fritz Bartel argues that the economic shocks of the 1970s forced governments to impose austerity on their own people, making promises of better living untenable. This book traces the pressure to break promises that spurred the end of the Cold War and the rise of neoliberalism around the world. A must-read for anyone interested in understanding the forces that shaped our modern political and economic landscape.

This book by Roberto Mangabeira Unger challenges the dominant practice of legal analysis and argues for a reconstruction of the discipline. He demonstrates how a changed approach to legal analysis can help us reshape crucial aspects of society, such as representative democracy, market economy, and civil society. Unger encourages a new way of thinking about the alternative institutional futures of a democratic society through professional specialties like legal thought. A fascinating read that's accessible to those without a specialized knowledge of law or legal theory.

This powerful book delves into the history of the deadly Congo-Océan railroad, one of the deadliest construction projects in history. It explores the experiences of the workers who were forcibly conscripted, separated from their families, and subjected to horrendous conditions, resulting in at least 20,000 deaths. The book draws on exhaustive research to reveal the human costs and contradictions of modern empire.

Discover the fascinating history of French Catholicism's revitalization in the twentieth century with Soldiers of God in a Secular World by Sarah Shortall. Explored in-depth are the ideas of the nouvelle th�ologie that reimagined the Catholic Church's relationship with the public sphere, inspiring doctrinal changes and encouraging political activism. By recoding political statements in the language of doctrine, priests could enter into debates over fascism, communism, democracy, human rights, colonialism, and nuclear war. Shortall argues that this "counter-politics" was key to the nouveaux th�ologiens' powerful public voice and their vital role in the momentous political shifts of the twentieth century.

This memoir offers a first-hand glimpse into the high-flying and reckless startup culture of Silicon Valley during a time of unchecked ambition, unregulated surveillance, wild fortune, and political power. The author, Anna Wiener, left a job in book publishing for the promise of the new digital economy in San Francisco. She landed at a big-data startup in the heart of the Silicon Valley bubble, where she witnessed a new Silicon Valley emerge; one that enriched itself at the expense of the idyllic future it claimed to be building. A coming-of-age-story and a portrait of a bygone era, Uncanny Valley is a rare and personal narrative that charts the tech industry's shift from world savior to democracy-endangering liability.

This thought-provoking study explores the memory of the Deportation of 160,000 people from France during WWII. Author Philip Nord delves into the politicization of Deportation memory and the competing narratives told by different groups such as Jews, Catholics, Communists, and Gaullists. This informative book also analyzes the various ways the stories of the deportees were remembered and commemorated through literature, art, film, and ceremonies.

"The War Lawyers" explores the role of military legal professionals in the targeting operations of some of the world's most advanced militaries. The book focuses on how the laws of war are applied, specifically for aerial targeting in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Gaza. With interviews from military lawyers, the book sheds light on how lawyers have become integrated into the chain of command for identifying and attacking military targets. The author argues that these legal professionals have played a crucial role in legitimizing and even extending military violence.