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The Unknowers

How Strategic Ignorance Rules the World
By Linsey McGoey
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
In The Unknowers by Linsey McGoey, the author delves into the societal and political ramifications of ignorance as a strategic tool in governance and decision-making. The book explores how power dynamics are shaped not only by knowledge but also by what remains unknown or undisclosed. Through various case studies, McGoey examines the deliberate production of ignorance and its impact on contemporary politics and society.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this insightful read if you're curious about how ignorance is strategically used in politics and business to gain and maintain power. This book explores the concept of deliberate ignorance, shedding light on the role it plays in shaping public policy and corporate decision-making. If you're interested in understanding the dynamics of knowledge, power, and the intentional gaps in understanding that influence our world, this compelling analysis might appeal to you.

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An intriguing investigation, shattering the hackneyed notion that knowledge is power.

An intriguing investigation, shattering the hackneyed notion that knowledge is power.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Deliberate ignorance has been known as the ‘Ostrich Instruction’ in law courts since the 1860s. It illustrates a recurring pattern in history in which figureheads for major companies, political leaders, and industry bigwigs plead ignorance to avoid culpability.

So why do so many figures at the top still get away with it when disasters on their watch damage so many people's lives? Does the idea that knowledge is power still apply in today's post-truth world?

A bold, wide-ranging exploration of the relationship between ignorance and power in the modern age, from debates over colonial power and economic rent-seeking in the 18th and 19th centuries to the legal defences of today, The Unknowers shows that strategic ignorance has not only long been an inherent part of modern power and big business, but also that true power lies in the ability to convince others of where the boundary between ignorance and knowledge lies.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Unknowers by Linsey McGoey is praised as an incisive exploration of how strategic ignorance is employed by the powerful to evade accountability and maintain dominance. McGoey deftly connects the concept of ignorance with political and economic structures, offering insight into how these practises shape society and governance. Reviewers highlight it as an essential read for understanding and resisting the manipulative use of ignorance in contemporary global politics.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781780326351

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 15 September 2019

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Zed Books Ltd

Audience: Tertiary education

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 28.0mm

Width: 134.0mm

Height: 214.0mm

Weight: 420g

Pages: 384

Collections

Education & Reference Finance & Economics Finance & Investment Linsey McGoey Non-Fiction Politics & Current Affairs

About the Author

Linsey McGoey is full Professor of Sociology, University of Essex, UK, where she directs the Centre for Research in Economic Sociology and Innovation (CRESI). She has held visiting positions at LSE and Sciences Po, and is on the Advisory Board of the Centre for Study of Contemporary Solidarity, University of Vienna. Her writing has appeared in the Guardian, Jacobin, Fortune, Open Democracy, and the Spectator.

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