New technologies are not neutral tools, and their wholesale adoption could threaten future human lives.
1968 was a radical moment in Sweden’s post-war history; to deride it as a failed revolution is to miss much of its influence.
Like literature, history, and religion, war is a ‘cultural enhancer’ – and its modern manifestation in video games continues to shape society.
The destruction of rainforests threatens valuable cultures and reams of possible medical innovations.
A history of the 19th century tells not just of newly-formed nations, but of newly-developing nationalism.
As Japan moved away from isolation, it entered a period of rapid change and development.
Augustine’s seminal book was written in the context of the Roman Empire, but it remains ever-relevant.
Different perspectives and eye-witness accounts reveal historical fallacies and myths about the war.
Swedish exceptionalism stems from the country’s unique experience of 19th and 20th century economic change.
The scientific view of the universe as essentially mindless belies its purpose and direction.
The progress of evolution is not as random as it appears – it has a distinct direction and purpose.
‘Multiculturalism’ has become a buzzword for our times, but more lies beneath this ideal of harmonious coexistence.
Manga has become something of a global phenomenon, but every iteration and comic-strip has its origins in a particularly Japanese visual culture.
In a secular and individualised world, rites and symbols are popular but only partially understood.
The origins of theosophy, a movement that would have an enormous influence over artists and scientists alike, can be found in late 19th century New York.
In the First World War, many soldiers did not fight in a spirit of patriotism, but the war did prove a crucible for nationhood and nationalism.
Al-Qaeda’s success in Yemen can be explained by the group’s adept use of poetry as propaganda.
Demagogues thrive if moderate politicians flatter citizens into an unrealistic sense of their own greatness.
The religious imagination has reinvented itself by finding a new home in cyberspace.
Nationalism is often thought of as a modern development – but its traces can be found in antiquity.
The Hindu tradition of Radha and Krishna calls us to see passion as the kernel of all religion.
Engelsberg Ideas is brought to you by The Axel and Margaret Ax:son Johnson Foundation for Public Benefit
Stureplan 3, SE 103 75 Stockholm, Sweden editors@engelsbergideas.com www.axsonjohnsonfoundation.org
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