Transition to Modernity

List of illustrations; List of contributors; Introduction; Part I. The Pre-Modern World: 1. World languages and human dispersals: a minimalist view Colin Renfrew; 2. Nomads and oases in Central Asia A. M. Khazanov; 3. Why poverty was inevitable in traditional societies E. A. Wrigley; Part II. Transitions to the Modern World: 4. On a little known chapter of Mediterranean history Karl R. Popper; 5. Ernest Gellner and the escape to modernity Alan MacFarlane; 6. The emergence of modern European nationalism Michael Mann; 7. Sovereign individuals Ronald Dore; Part III. Modernity and its Discontents: 8. Science, politics, enchantment Perry Anderson; 9. Deconstructing post-modernism: Gellner and Crocodile Dundee Joseph Agassi; 10. A methodology without presuppositions? John Watkins; 11. Gellner's positivism I. C. Jarvie; 12. Left versus Right in French political ideology Louis Dumont; 13. Property, justice and common good after socialism John Dunn; 14. Social contract, democracy and freedom Gerard Radnitzky; 15. Thoughts on liberalisation Jose Merquior; 16. Peace, peace at last? John A. Hall; Indexes.