Visions Of A Better World

In 1935, at the height of his powers, Howard Thurman, one of the most influential African American religious thinkers of the twentieth century, took a pivotal trip to India that would forever change him—and that would ultimately shape the course of the civil rights movement in the United States. When Thurman (1899–1981) became the first African American to meet with Mahatma Gandhi, he found himself called upon to create a new version of American Christianity, one that eschewed self-imposed racial and religious boundaries, and equipped itself to confront the enormous social injustices that plagued the United States during this period. Gandhi’s philosophy and practice of satyagraha, or “soul force,” would have a momentous impact on Thurman, showing him the effectiveness of nonviolent resistance. After the journey to India, Thurman’s distinctly American translation of satyagraha into a Black Christian context became one of the key inspirations for the civil rights movement, fulfilling Gandhi’s prescient words that “it may be through the Negroes that the unadulterated message of nonviolence will be delivered to the world.” Thurman went on to found one of the first explicitly interracial congregations in the United States and to deeply influence an entire generation of black ministers—among them Martin Luther King Jr. Visions of a Better World depicts a visionary leader at a transformative moment in his life. Drawing from previously untapped archival material and obscurely published works, Quinton Dixie and Peter Eisenstadt explore, for the first time, Thurman’s development into a towering theologian who would profoundly affect American Christianity—and American history.

Examining the social and political significance of football in Cameroon, author Bea Vidacs's anthropological study goes beyond sports. Encompassing the period between 1994 and 2006, the work throws light upon changes in Cameroonians' political attitudes and interpretations of politics and of football as the revolutionary fervor of the early 1990s waned over time and increasingly turned into political disillusionment. Taking the ethos of sport as an ethnographic starting point she addresses such issues as politics, power, powerlessness, identity construction on a local, national and international scale, as well as the meaning of the postcolonial experience both on an individual and national level. Rich in ethnographic detail and command of relevant literature, the study demonstrates how, and with what consequences, Cameroonian football impinges upon and is influenced by local, national and global socio-cultural, economic and political realities.

The book presents eighteen essays that explore the future from very different perspectives, grouped under five overarching themes: Fundamentals, Science and Technology, The Environment, Global Society, and People. The final chapter details how BBVA is preparing itself for this new reality. The contributing authors are leaders of research and current practice in fields such as nanotechnology, urban design, ecology, demographics, education, and international relations in the globalised world. Presenting their arguments with rigor and objectivity, they reject fatalism and instead affirm their conviction that there is still time to build a better world for future generations.

- An informed look at the world of the future from a digital perspective - Visions of what our world will look like in 2051 through 30 predictions by engineers, developers, designers, writers and analysts Welcome to the world of 2051 through the eyes of digital marketing pioneers from around the world: engineers, developers, designers, writers and analysts who closely follow tech trends. With their finely honed intuition for user experience and a passion for technology, the authors boldly predict life 30 years from now through a collection of fascinating, futuristic, stories.

Stories from Your Future The complex issue of climate change is one that our race is struggling to address. The solutions are not beyond us in any way. Technological solutions exist, scientific knowledge is plentiful, the world can afford the transition but still significant action eludes us. Rational arguments for rapid action abound. We do not need any more of those. What is needed is a different way of communicating that inspires and attracts the widest possible group of humans towards wanting to travel on this same journey. As part of the VISIONS 2100 Project, this book tells of the power of Visions and invites the reader to create and share their own vision of a better world. Only by starting conversations of the future will we manage to build the world that we really want. The book balances worries about catastrophe with social and environmental improvements by referencing psychology, management thought, case studies and personal anecdotes. In also references the parallels between the world’s journey and coping with the chronic illness of the author’s wife. The book is framed around eighty short visions by some of the world’s leading environmental thinkers including Mary Robinson, Christiana Figueres, Bill McKibben, Connie Hedegaard, Yvo de Boer and many others. Having a vision of a better world is likely to result in the world being better. ‘Poverty is eradicated. Every child goes to school regardless of sex, race, religion or place of birth. Every woman enjoys equality with every man. Every household has access to energy. In 2100, the world is just.’ Mary Robinson, Special Envoy on Climate Change, United Nations ‘Opportunity from 2100 forward is unimaginably vast and incredibly varied.’ Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary, UNFCCC ‘Timing is everything, and it hurts to think we blew it.’ Bill McKibben, 350.org The future is a beautiful, if challenging, partner. Your choice is whether you take the risk in having a first date or whether you are happy to accept a life of regret. www.visions2100.com

Paradise has been widely perceived as somewhere on ocean islands or in distant mountains where people come together to set up tightly-knit societies so they can live, work and worship in harmony and peace. For the first-time ever, in this widely-researched work that bridges the utopian ideas and visions of East and West, Ambrose Mong explores the writings of influential thinkers from ancient China to Renaissance Europe and today, including Thomas More, Teilhard de Chardin, Confucius and Mo Tzu,and even twentieth century political reformist Kang Youwei.

Inspired by New York Times bestselling author Neal Stephenson, some of today's leading writers, thinkers, and visionaries have come together in this anthology of stories, set in the near future, that reignites the iconic and optimistic visions of the golden age of science fiction Born of an initiative at the Center for Science and the Imagination at Arizona State University, this remarkable collection unites a diverse group of celebrated authors, prominent scientists, and creative visionaries—among them Cory Doctorow, Gregory Benford, Charlie Jane Anders, David Brin, and Neal Stephenson—who contributed works of "techno-optimism" that challenge us to imagine fully, think broadly, and do Big Stuff. Inside this volume you will find marvels of imagination and possibility, including a steel tower so tall that the stratosphere is just an elevator ride away . . . a drone-powered Internet . . . crowdfunded robots descending on the moon . . . cities that work like a single cell of algae powered entirely by the sun . . . and much more. Engaging, mind-bending, provocative, and imaginative, Hieroglyph: Stories and Visions for a Better Future offers a forward-thinking approach to the intersection of art and technology that has the power to change our world.