The Changing World

by Patricia Fara (Editor), Peter Gathercole (Editor), Ronald Laskey (Editor)

Recent extraordinary and far-reaching events have transformed our world. The disintegration of the Communist Bloc has reconfigured international relationships, while the ending of apartheid symbolizes human commitment to unity. AIDS ravages developing countries, and it also has reshaped scientific research and cultural attitudes towards sexuality. The revolution in genetic medicine has coincided with increased rights for minorities and women. A growing awareness of our environment may cause millennial celebrations to be overshadowed by forecasts of ecological catastrophe. In this groundbreaking new book, eight renowned experts present their view of our changing world, their energetic commitment to improvement reverberating throughout. These powerful essays will inspire any reader to acquire a deeper understanding of the challenges confronting modern society.

208 pages, Paperback

First published February 11, 2011

About the author

Patricia Fara is a historian of science at the University of Cambridge. She is a graduate of the University of Oxford and did her PhD at the University of London. She is a former Fellow of Darwin College and is currently a Fellow of Clare College where she is Senior Tutor and Tutor for graduate students. Fara is also a research associate and lecturer in the Department of History and Philosophy of Science. Fara is author of numerous popular books on the history of science and has been a guest on BBC Radio 4's science and history discussion series, In Our Time. She began her academic career as a physicist but returned to graduate studies as a mature student to specialise in History and Philosophy of Science, completing her PhD thesis at Imperial College, London in 1993.

Her areas of particular academic interest include the role of portraiture and art in the history of science, science in the 18th century England during the Enlightenment and the role of women in science. She has written and co-authored a number of books for children on science. Fara is also a reviewer of books on history of science.