In his cultural analysis of the motor car in Germany, Wolfgang Sachs starts from the assumption that the automobile is more than a means of transportation and that its history cannot be understood merely as a triumphant march of technological innovation. Instead, Sachs examines the history of the automobile from the late 1880s until today for evidence on the nature of dreams and desires embedded in modern culture. Written in a lively style and illustrated by a wealth of cartoons, advertisements, newspaper stories, and propaganda, this book explores the nature of Germany's love affair with the...

'The world has enough for everyone's needs, but not enough for everyone's greed.' Mahatma Gandhi
Oil crisis, water conflicts, declining food security - we hear one report after another about resource scarcity - while with growing populations and huge poverty, nations are demanding their right to development. In the age of globalization this right cannot be disputed, yet the planet is already exhibiting signs of acute environmental stress. Indians want more roads and Chinese more oil: the struggle over nature will partly shape the crises of the twenty-first century. Clashes over...

In this classic collection, some of the world's most eminent critics of development review the key concepts of the development discourse.
Each essay examines one concept from a historical and anthropological point of view, highlights its particular bias, and exposes its historical obsolescence and intellectual sterility. The authors argue that a bidding farewell to the whole Eurocentric development idea is urgently needed, in order to liberate people s minds in both North and South for bold responses to the environmental and ethical challenges now confronting humanity.
The combined...

Fruher forderten die Umweltschutzer neue gesellschaftliche Tugen den. Heute rufen sie nach besseren Managementstrategien. Fruher drangten sie auf mehr Demokratie und lokale Eigenstandigkeit, doch jetzt liebaugeln sie mit einer globalen Machtergreifung durch Regierungen, Konzerne und die Wissenschaft. Es ist lange her, dass sie sich fur kulturelle Vielfalt einsetzten, inzwischen sehen sie kaum eine andere Moglichkeit, als auf eine weltweite Rationalisierung der Lebensstile zu bauen. Tatsachlich scheinen in dem Masse, wie im mer haufiger Umweltthemen auf der Tagesordnung der internatio nalen...