The Columbia History of the Twentieth Century

In the parade of highlights with which many have tried to sum up the twentieth century, the overarching patterns and fundamental transformations often fail to come into focus. The Columbia History of the 20th Century, however, is much more than a chronicle of the previous century's front-page news. Instead, the book is a series of twenty-three linked interpretive essays on the most significant developments in modern times--ranging from athletics to art, the economy to the environment. Rather than presenting a linear narrative, each author uncovers patterns of worldwide change. James Mayall, for example, writes on nationalism from the rise of European fascism to the rise of Asian and African nations; Sheila Fitzpatrick traces the history of communism and socialism in Moscow and Havana. In her chapter on women and gender, Rosalind Rosenberg covers the progress of women's rights throughout the world, from Middle Eastern activism to the American feminist movement. Jean-Marc Ran Oppenheim's history of sports traces the spread of Western sports to all corners of the globe and the West's appropriation of such activities as martial arts. In each, the important strands of history--events, ideas, leading figures, issues--come together to offer an illuminating look at cultural connection, diffusion, and conflict, showing in stark relief how this period has been unlike any preceding era of human history.

Table of Contents:
Contributors Introduction, Richard W. Bulliet 1. High Culture, Richard W. Bulliet 2. Popular Culture, Richard W. Bulliet 3. The "Woman Question", Rosalind Rosenberg 4. Religion, Zachary Karabell 5. Athletics: Play and Politics, Jean-Marc Ran Oppenheim 6. Ethnicity and Racism, J. Paul Martin 7. Imperialism and Decolonization, Ainslee Embree 8. Nationalism, James Mayall 9. Socialism and Communism, Sheila Fitzpatrick 10. The International Order, Akira Iriye 11. War: Institution Without Portfolio, Robert L. O'Connell 12. Industry and Business, William N. Parker 13. Money and Economic Change, William C. McNeil 14. Technology and Invention, Christopher Freeman 15. Agriculture: Crops, Livestock, and Farmers, B. F. Stanton 16. Communications, Jahan Salehi and Richard W. Bulliet 17. Transportation, John C. Spychalski 18. Scientific Thought, Eric Holtzman 19. Paths to Discovery, Neil Degrasse Tyson 20. Twentieth-Century Medicine, David Rosner 21. Ecology and the Environment, Mary Corliss Pearl 22. Cities, Kenneth T. Jackson 23. Demography and Population Movements, Georges Sabagh 24. Epilogue: The Twenty-first Century, Richard W. Bulliet Index