New Dictionary of the History of Ideas

New Dictionary of the History of Ideas

Published by Charles Scribner's Sons
What are the origins of the concepts under which we organize societies, create institutions and think about our lives? Where did the concept of God or equal rights or democracy come from? How does one idea influence another? Such questions fuel debates, speeches, papers and assignments in history classes, school speaking competitions, ethics classes and more.

The publication of the New Dictionary of the History of Ideas marks the return of a reference work that is an essential tool to make the often complex history of "what we think" accessible to students and general readers. The original 1974 Dictionary of the History of Ideas has long been admired as a landmark document encapsulating the thinking of an era. This thoroughly re-envisioned New Dictionary of the History of Ideas brings fresh intelligence and a global perspective to bear on timeless questions about the individual and society. A distinguished team of international scholars explore new thinking in areas previously covered (communism, linguistics, physics) and present cross-cultural perspectives on more recent topics such as postmodernism, deconstruction and post-colonialism.

Review:
"Selected as a 2005 RUSA outstanding reference source, the new edition of this long-standing favorite aids our understanding of the ideas that make up Western culture. Expanding on the original Dictionary of the History of Ideas (1974), edited by Philip Wiener, the New Dictionary has a broader scope introducing global- and gender-neutral perspectives not present in its Eurocentric predecessor. Academic excellence and scholarship don't keep this six-volume set from interesting the lay reader. The 700 accessible articles present new material, with original entries on feminism and antifeminism, queer theory, and nongender topics like diversity, social capital, and third cinema. Standard subjects, like beauty and love, are treated at length in the earlier set and simply updated in the new version to include late 20th-century ideas and non-Western thought. Each entry explores origin, cultural interpretations, and historical themes. The alphabetical arrangement is not an impediment to cross-disciplinary study, since a reader's guide and full index present material in a topical framework. Bottom Line This delightful foray into humankind's ideas, from abolitionism to Zionism, is a bargain highly recommended as an essential purchase for academic libraries. Public libraries of all sizes would also greatly benefit from its one-stop-shopping approach to the philosophy of ideas."
--Library Journal, April 2005

Published/Released: December 2004
ISBN 13: 9780684313771
ISBN 10: 0684313774
DDC: 903
Product number: 188152
Page count: 3,600
Number of vols. in set: 6
Shipping Weight: 24.05 lbs (10.91 kgs)
Price: US $879.00