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Advancing technology and declining trust have weakened journalism, but these disruptions present opportunities if media companies are willing to grasp them.
The post Journalism’s Creative Destruction Opportunity appeared first on American Enterprise Institute - AEI.

Abstract Rural production has long been a central topic for social sciences and history of Latin America, and scholars have noted the ways that societies and environments form around productive systems. Inspired by Gastón Gordillo's 2014 book Rubble, this article introduces a Special Section of the JPE that shifts the focus to the inseparably destructive aspects of production. We acknowledge the temporal dynamics of booms and busts in Latin American commodity production, but challenge recent tendencies to glorify destruction as necessarily and positively creative. Framing the issue as a question for Science and Technology Studies, we argue that treating technologies as rubble can shed light on dynamics of historical change, social contestation, and environmental destruction that are too often overlooked. Key words: environment, Latin America, creative destruction, Rubble, science and technology

In 1955 the South African Government began to demolish a black freehold suburb in Johannesburg, and to relocate its inhabitants in a state-controlled township. Resistance to these moves by the leading black political organisation of the time, the African National Congress (A.N.C.), was short-lived and unsuccessful. Despite its abortive nature, the attempt to oppose the destruction of Sophiatown was historically significant for several reasons.

Dans l'Occident moderne, Prométhée est marqué par le christianisme et la philosophie. Il est devenu le modèle de l'homme, sujet rationnel et cartésien fait: à l'image de Dieu. La dynamique prométhéenne a stimulé l'action réaliste aussi bien que la croyance : action fondée sur les savoirs et les techniques ; croyance en un individu qui existe par lui-même et qui précède la société, croyance en un sens de l'histoire. D'où les effets d'émancipation, mais aussi de destruction. C'est pourquoi l'enjeu aujourd'hui est d'entrer dans une ère de pensée post-prométhéenne.

An analysis of the "ecology of destruction" opens with a brief look at the film Burn! (1969) to shed some light on capitalism's "destructive creativity," manifest in class exploitation, imperialism, war, & ecological degradation, & its shift into what Istvan Meszaros (2001) called "destructive uncontrollability." It is said that a new historical period emerged between the 1992 & 2002 Earth Summits, with consideration moving from whether ecological & social disaster would occur to just how bad such catastrophes would be. Attention is given to the assertions of ecologists who see an imminent ecological crisis, particularly in the form of global warming. It is contended that to ameliorate the impact of global warming, radical changes, far different from solutions linked to the dominant ideology of the ruling class, are required; ie, the capitalist economy cannot remain the same. Three interrelated ideas from Marx & the critique of capitalist political economy are outlined: (1) the treadmill of production, (2) second contradiction of capitalism, & (3) the metabolic rift. Focus is on the metabolic rift. It is argued that any revolutionary social change must be accompanied by a revolutionary restoration of the human metabolic relation to nature such that equality & sustainability coevolve. D. Edelman

The threat of weapons of mass destruction is still viable, and unless proper motions are made to prohibit this, global safety is still at risk. Prior arms control agreements have moved humanity within striking distance of global prohibition, yet these weapons of mass destruction remain. This enlightening work discusses original principles for a treaty banning nuclear and chem-bio weapons worldwide. Mattis argues that a proposed new nuclear treaty, replacing today's inadequate 1968 Non-Proliferation Treaty, would demand unanimous accession by States which must be achieved before such a treaty enters into force. By asking essential questions, and offering value-creative proposals for nuclear treaty provisions, this work offers a clear path to the daylight of worldwide weapons of mass destruction prohibition. Not only is global safety threatened by the use of nuclear and chem-bio weapons, but more inclusively, today, society is at risk of nuclear weapons being stolen or acquired by terrorists for purposes of destruction. This risk lends to a necessary treaty that would require down-blending of highly enriched uranium to low-enriched uranium to eliminate this prospect. The heart of this work is its delineation of necessary elements for a nuclear ban treaty that addresses inevitable concerns of all States, especially today's nine nuclear weapon States. Mattis addresses 17 major proposed treaty provisions that include: how to suitably ascertain "unanimous accession" by states to a nuclear ban treaty (unanimity being a condition for entry into force); requirement that states be signatories to the current chemical and biological weapons bans [CWC/BWC] prior to signing a nuclear ban treaty; "non-withdrawal" by states from the treaty once it is in effect; necessary and new verification elements for banning nuclear weapons; the establishment, via nuclear

This unique and timely book is a chronicle of the unrivalled political life of the late Seamus Brennan who, during a period of over 21 years (1987-2008), served as a Government minister in nine different departments. It tells the human and personal inside story of a life in Government under charles Haughey, Albert Reynolds and Bertie Ahern - the challenges, the opportunities, the difficulties, the personalities and the political battles. Author Frank Lahiffe worked closely with Seamus Brennan as a Government adviser throughout the 21 years, having been appointed as his adviser by successive Governments in a record which is unique regarding time served as well as the number of departments. The book draws on the many conversations Frank and Seamus had, and includes personal records, media commentary and published accounts, along with personal recollections from a number of close friends and colleagues who shared the political life of seamus Brennan while he was serving the people of Ireland, his constituency of Dublin South and his political party, Fianna Fail. With numerous photographs, some of which have never before been published, including ones from Seamus's childhood and early life, this is an affectionate portrait of a man hailed by friend and foe alike as a "master politician". As Shane Coleman of the Sunday Tribune said of Seamus Brennan, "Ireland was lucky to have such a man - talented, hard-working and honourable - this country deserves more politicians like Seamus Brennan". Part of the Global Issues series, Weapons of Mass Destruction is designed to be a first-stop resource for research on a key challenge facing the world today. Each volume in the series contains three sections, beginning with an introduction that clearly defines the issue, followed by detailed case studies of the issue's affect in the United States and several other