Eoin Carolan (UCD): The Problems with the Theory of the Separation of Powers. Rebecca Gould (Iowa): The Geography of Comparative Literature. Simon Blackburn reviews On What Matters: Volumes I & II by Derek Parfit. A look at why exercise boosts mood. Burning Mistry: Readers should remember that it is often the censor who draws our attention to the hidden virtues of a text. A review of Elixir: A History of Water and Humankind by Brian Fagan. An excerpt from Why Civil Resistance Works: The Strategic Logic of Nonviolent Conflict by Erica Chenoweth and Maria J. Stephan (and more). Depression in command: In times of crisis, mentally ill leaders can see what others don't. A review of Third World Protest: Between Home and the World by Rahul Rao. In the absence of true human purpose one can only say this: Health — health can be sickening. A review of 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created by Charles C. Mann. Jeremy Black predicts population boom could stir up violence. Should beauty be a right? A Brazilian plastic surgeon's "philosophy" raises the question. A look at what caricatures can teach us about facial recognition. Army of Shadows: The myth and reality of "the world’s most dangerous website". Hive of Nerves: To be alive spiritually is to feel the ultimate anxiety of existence within the trivial anxieties of everyday life. A review of The Art of Cruelty: A Reckoning by Maggie Nelson. From New Compass, Jyri Jaakkola on communalism as an evolutionary path. Worried about 2012? Don’t be, says expert Mayanist David Stuart. Privileged Humanity: A look at Dissent, one of our most prominent political journals. The very act of making decisions depletes our ability to make them well, so how do we navigate a world of endless choice? A look at the 8 most famous intellectual feuds of all time.
