Open access books published in August 2024
Posted on 5th September, 2024
As the Summer continued to hurtle towards Autumn, we published three fantastic (and very different) new open access books in August.
In the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, a story about the United States’ role in the long history of world civilization was constructed in public spaces, through public art and popular histories. Early Civilization and the American Modern Images of Middle Eastern origins in the United States, 1893–1939 explores the key institutions and figures who collaborated on the creation of this progressive narrative.
Travel Behaviour Reconsidered in an Era of Decarbonisation by David Metz argues that our transport networks are mature, and the objective should be to improve operational efficiency. Over the past half century, large public expenditures in roads and railways were justified by an analytic approach to the benefits of investment, primarily the value of the time saved through faster travel, to both business and non-business users of the networks. However, average travel time has not changed over this period. People have taken the benefit of faster travel as better access to people, places, activities and services, with the ensuing enhanced opportunities and choices. This book argues that the basis of orthodox transport economic analysis has been misconceived and a fresh perspective on economic analysis is now needed.
We finished the month with the latest book in the Ageing with Smartphones series: Ageing with Smartphones in Japan: Care in a visual digital age by Laura Haapio-Kirk, who we have worked with since the early days of the Press when she was closely involved in the Why We Post series of books as the team’s Research Assistant. Based on 16 months of ethnographic research in urban Kyoto and in rural Kōchi Prefecture, Ageing with Smartphones in Japan follows members of one of the most aged populations in the world as they navigate social and personal shifts post-retirement.
We’ll be back again next month with a round up of the very best open access books. As always, stay safe!