The World Ahead: Our Future in the Making

By Federico Mayor

Book Overview

This book looks at the major challenges of the future and proposes a new start based on four contracts: social, natural, cultural, and ethical. Will humanity survive the coming century? Is it threatened by a demographic time-bomb? Will there be food for everybody? Will new technologies increase the gap between the rich and the poor? Or will they open access to lifelong distance education for all? Will women conquer their legitimate place in society? How can we fight global warming and desertification? Will there be wars for water? Will we be able to harness solar energy? These questions and more are considered in this fascinating book.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1856498751
• ISBN13: 9781856498753
• Release Date: June 2001
• Publisher: Zed Books
• Length: 512 Pages
• Weight: 1.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.3" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

A Well Researched Look at Global Problems and Solutions

Written by two leaders in UNESCO with academic ties, this book exposes trends developing throughout the world, their social and environmental impacts, and suggests directions in developing future solutions. The book is well organized and scientific in tone, and appears to be written from a very well informed viewpoint. The authors draw from a wide range of sources to document their findings and recommendations. Each chapter ends with a list of "Pointers and Recommendations" and an extensive list of bibliographic references. The book is divided into four parts: 1. Towards a New Social Contract 2. Towards a Natural Contract: Science, Development and the Environment 3. Towards a Cultural Contract: From the Information Society to the Knowledge Society? 4. Towards a New Ethical Contract. Overall, this is an informative and thought provoking read. I liked the fact that the authors summarized chapters with some novel and surprising yet viable solutions to world problems. The only thing I did not like was that their solutions seemed to be speaking to those in higher levels of governments, and made little mention of possible solutions that could be implemented by communities and individuals. I recommend this book for those wanting a current (©2001) and thorough look at the effects of globalization and some recommendations for future direction.