Table of Contents

A. General Introduction  B. Thematic Section  1. The Changing Socio-Economic Context  2. The International Context  3. Industrial Revolution and Scientific and Technological Progress  4. Exact Sciences and Natural Sciences  5. The Development of Medicine  6. The Humanities and Social Sciences  7. Education and Research  8. Cultural Development, Arts and Architecture  9. The Place of Religion in the Cultures of the Nineteenth Century  C. Regional Section  10. Europe  11. North America  12. Latin America and Caribbean  13. Asia  14. Western Asia and Mediterranean Africa  15. Sub-Saharan Africa  16. Australasia and the Pacific

Reviews

This is the first of seven volumes to compose the History of Humanity, which will trace humankind from its origins through the end of the 20th century, blending archaeology, history, and anthropology. The publisher states that, in contrast to an earlier version, History of Mankind (1963+), this publication represents a "shift from Eurocentric views of culture to a global perspective." Indeed, more than 40 international scholars contributed 59 articles spanning the globe in their scope, each with its own bibliography. Together the articles cover a "period extending from the appearance of the first being in the hominid family that can be classified in the genus Homo up to the invention of writing and the advent of the first states some 5000 years ago." A detailed index provides direct access to this mass of detailed, scholarly information. Useful maps, plans, and illustrations accompany the text. A similar format and coverage can be found in Volume 1, Part 1, "Prolegomena and Prehistory," of the Cambridge Ancient History (1970. 3d ed.). That work, however, is limited to Europe and the Middle East. For its currentness and global scope, the present volume is highly recommended for reference collections in large public and academic libraries.-Edward K. Werner, St. Lucie Cty. Lib. System, Ft. Pierce, Fla.