Profound and humane, Amartya Sen's book, Identity and Violence: The Illusion of Destiny, examines some of the most explosive problems of our time and shows how we can move towards peace as decisively as we have led into war. Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen argues that we are becoming increasingly divided along religious and cultural lines, ignoring the many other ways in which people see themselves, from class and occupation to ethics and politics.

Through his clear exploration of issues such as multiculturalism, fundamentalism, terrorism, and globalization, he highlights the need for a clear understanding of human freedom and a constructive public voice in the global civil society. The hope for harmony in today's world lies in a clearer understanding of our sheer diversity.

Identity and Violence is a moving, powerful essay on the damaging nature of bad ideas, as noted by The Economist. John Gray in the Guardian described it as “passionate, cogent, and moving”. The Spectator found it “rich in ideas”. The The Times Literary Supplement called it “Sen's most moving and personal book to date”. The Financial Times characterized it as “awakening and convincingly exploring”.

Amartya Sen is the Lamont Professor at Harvard and won the Nobel Prize in Economics in 1998. His other works, published by Penguin, include The Argumentative Indian and The Idea of Justice.

Pages: 240, Dimensions: 13x13cm