The Architecture of Collapse
The Global System in the 21st Century
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Oxford University Press
Published:22nd Oct '15
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
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- Paperback£20.49(9780198804437)
This insightful work examines the factors contributing to global instability, including crises and interconnected risks. The Architecture of Collapse provides a roadmap for enhancing system resilience.
In The Architecture of Collapse, the author explores the intricate web of economic, financial, and political indicators that contribute to global instability. The narrative begins by examining significant events such as the global financial crisis of 2008, the evolving relationship between the U.S. and China, and the European sovereign debt crisis. These examples serve to illustrate the precarious nature of our current global system, which the author argues has transformed into an 'architecture of collapse'. The text poses critical questions about the frequency of crises in today's world and whether the global system is indeed more hazardous than in previous decades.
The book delves deeper into the factors that exacerbate global risks, emphasizing the interconnectedness of various components within the system. Through a detailed analysis, the author highlights how demographic shifts, trade imbalances, and income inequality contribute to a fragile state of affairs. The complexity of these interrelations creates a scenario where stability is merely an illusion, often disrupted by unforeseen shocks. The author suggests that without robust mechanisms to absorb and diffuse these shocks, the global system will remain vulnerable to periodic crises.
Ultimately, The Architecture of Collapse calls for a reevaluation of our approaches to governance and economic management. It advocates for strengthening the capacity of states and governments to act decisively in times of crisis, thereby enhancing the resilience of the global system. This thought-provoking examination offers both a warning and a roadmap for navigating the challenges ahead.
Few social scientists have the urbane vision and capacious intellect of Mauro Guillén. His dissection of the shock inducing and absorbing features of our interconnected world system vividly details the risks we presently face, but also paves the way for steps that could cushion the present volatility. * Walter W. Powell, Stanford University *
A brilliant critical engagement with different interpretations of what makes a system prone to failure. The author develops a multi-level and multi-nodal analysis that allows him to single out strategic sources of systemic instability and to demonstrate what can be done. * Saskia Sassen, Columbia University, author of Expulsions *
A fascinating perspective on the sources of instability in the global system. Professor Guillén brings to bear powerful concepts from the study of system complexity. A must read for anyone interested in financial markets, international migration, and the rise or fall of nations. * Simon Johnson, MIT Sloan School of Management and former IMF Chief Economist *
That our increasingly interdependent system of nations is suffering from regular bouts of instability is as obvious as it is alarming. The Architecture of Collapse offers a lucid and very original analysis of the causes and remedies of this worrysome trend. Is a must read for policymakers and academics and anyone interested on a more stable work * Moisés Naím , Carnegie Endowment, author of The End of Power *
This book offers a sobering analysis of the risks facing the global economy, from population aging to financial inter-connections. The policy recommendations are important and timely. * Lady Barbara Judge, CBE *
A fascinating book explaining the risks afflicting the global system. The chapters on the Great Recession and the Euro Zone provide a rich analysis based on new metrics. * Jean-Pierre Rosso, Chairman, World Economic Forum USA *
This big-think book provides an innovative lens to the study of economic globalization. A sociologist, Guillén (Wharton School) skillfully navigates a multidisciplinary interrogation of the increasing fragility of the global economic system. * Patrice M. Franko, Colby College *
ISBN: 9780199683604
Dimensions: 241mm x 166mm x 21mm
Weight: 554g
236 pages