According to Scott Lash, Ulrich Beck’s work on the ways in which individuals have been left to fend for themselves in a world of global change and flux is the neglected complement to his work on the ‘risk society’. This books seeks to bring the work Beck has done with his wife on this topic to English language audiences, and the implications are probably best summed up in the chapter by Ulrich Beck.

Theologian Thomas Berry and mathematician/cosmologist Brian Swimme spent 10 years developing their joint account of the evolution of the Universe and life on Planet Earth. From this ‘big history’ perspective, they argue that humans should think of all other forms of life as ‘kin’, replacing any sense of human superiority with an understanding that we dwell within a wider community of subjective beings.

In collaborating on the book with Scott Lash, Giddens and Beck discovered that they had very similar ideas about changing relationships between self and society in a world of global change. In this chapter, Giddens outlines his views on what Beck has called ‘individualisation’.

US-based environmental writer and activist Paul Hawken was best known for his work on possibilities for greening the economy before he wrote this book about the ‘biggest social movement in the history of the world’.  The very scale of the gathering ecological crisis is bringing forth a bewildering array of community-based organisations that are determined to remake relationships between humans and non-human beings, Hawken argues.

This paper provides a short summary of research that the textbook author conducted with fellow RMIT researcher Pia Smith on the role that community art can play in helping local government authorities in Australia build stronger and more inclusive communities.

From the work of microbiologist Lynn Margulis to ‘big picture’ accounts of the story of the universe, Phipps argues that the concept of evolution has ushered in a revolution in our thinking about life on Planet Earth, even if the full implications of that revolution are yet to be felt.

http://alaindebotton.com/

This website promotes the publications of London-based Swiss essayists on what can be termed the search for the ‘good life’.

http://newepicurean.com

This is a website promoting the contemporary relevance of the work of Greek philosopher Epicurus.

http://350.org

This is the official website of the international climate change activist network initiated by Bill McKibben, aimed at taking advantage of new communication technologies. It includes a list of resources that can facilitate climate change activism.

http://www.learning-theories.com

This website situates the Lave and Wenger work on ‘communities of practice’ in the context of a range of theories and practices on ‘constructist’ learning.

http://www.slowfood.com

This is the website of the International Slow Food movement, providing links to Slow Food groups in a wide range of countries. The website provides access to publications produced by the Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity.

http://www.thomasberry.org

This is a website dedicated to the life and work of Thomas Berry.

http://www.storyoftheuniverse.org

This website provides access to a range of videos that feature Brian Swimme’s account of the universe story, acknowledging the influence of Thomas Berry.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iW8BytViI54

Duration: 5:54

An inspiring short speech that Paul Hawken gave in April 2007 at a Bioneers Conference, to promote his book The Blessed Unrest. It includes reference to a mammoth list of community-based organisations working to bring about environmental sustainability across the planet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtSE4rglxbY

Duration: 16:51

Why ideas about status get in the way of a more satisfying way of living.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqdzvQ2wpO0

Duration: 4:01

The founder of the International Slow Food Movement speaks about the history and aims of the movement.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63rQ3S8EHoA

Duration: 4:28

Co-creator of the concept of ‘communities of practice’, Etienne Wenger speaks about what the concept means.