A scientist delves into what disgusts us and why: “For a book riddled with rancid and revolting things, [it] is surprisingly difficult to put down.” —Times Literary Supplement Every flu season, sneezing, coughing, and graphic throat-clearing become background noise in workplaces. And coworkers tend to move as far—and as quickly—away from the source of these bodily eruptions as possible. Instinctively, humans recoil from objects that they view as dirty and even struggle to overcome feelings of discomfort once the offending item has been cleaned. These reactions are universal, and although there are cultural and individual variations, by and large we are all disgusted by the same things. In this book, Valerie Curtis builds a strong case for disgust as a “shadow emotion”—less familiar than love or sadness, it nevertheless affects our day-to-day lives. In disgust, biological and sociocultural factors meet in dynamic ways to shape human and animal behavior. Curtis traces the evolutionary role of disgust in disease prevention and hygiene, but also shows that it is much more than a biological mechanism. Human social norms, from good manners to moral behavior, are deeply rooted in our sense of disgust. The disgust reaction informs both our political opinions and our darkest tendencies, such as misogyny and racism. Through a deeper understanding of disgust, Curtis argues, we can take this ubiquitous human emotion and direct it towards useful ends, from combating prejudice to reducing disease. “Curtis, one of the deepest thinkers and cleverest researchers on this part of human nature, turns revulsion into fascination.” —Steven Pinker “Great fun.” —Toronto Star
A leading casebook on foreign relations law, authored by widely cited scholars who also have pertinent government experience, Foreign Relations Law: Cases and Materials, Eighth Edition examines the law that regulates how the United States interacts with other nations and with international institutions, and how it applies international law within its legal system. The book offers a compelling mix of cases, statutes, and executive branch materials, as well as extensive notes and questions and discussion of relevant historical background and scholarship. These materials guide students through both longstanding as well as cutting-edge issues of constitutional law, statutory interpretation, administrative law, and federal jurisdiction as they relate to the conduct of U.S. foreign relations. New to the Eighth Edition: A new section on economic sanctions, reflecting the growing significance of this aspect of U.S. foreign policy Expanded discussion of executive authority relating to diplomacy A new section on state international agreements More streamlined coverage of both the Alien Tort Statute and the War on Terror as a result of developments since the last edition Updated notes and questions throughout the book to take account of recent cases, statutes, Executive Branch actions, and scholarship Benefits for instructors and students: Clear and logical progression of the materials, starting with the powers of government institutions and then proceeding to specific substantive topics Coverage of both cutting-edge legal developments and relevant historical background Integration of leading scholarship into the notes and questions rather than in long excerpts of secondary materials Balanced presentation of controversial topics, with probing questions to consider in class discussions Combination of theoretical analysis with practical insights from real-world examples
Liberal democracy needs a clear-eyed, robust defense to deal with the increasingly complex challenges it faces in the twenty-first century. Unfortunately much of contemporary liberal theory has rejected this endeavor for fear of appearing culturally hegemonic. Instead, liberal theorists have sought to gut liberalism of its ethical substance in order to render it more tolerant of non-liberal ways of life. This theoretical effort is misguided, however, because successful liberal democracy is an ethically demanding political regime that requires its citizenry to display certain virtues and habits of mind. Against the grain of contemporary theory, philosopher Richard Rorty blends American pragmatism and romanticism to produce a comprehensive vision of liberal modernity that features a virtue-based conception of liberal democracy. In doing so, Rorty defends his pragmatic liberalism against a host of notable interlocutors, including Charles Taylor, Nancy Fraser, Hilary Putnam, Richard J. Bernstein, and Jean Bethke Elshtain.
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