{"product_id":"humans-a-monstrous-history","title":"Humans : A Monstrous History","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHumans: A Monstrous History\u003c\/strong\u003e by Surekha Davies examines how people have defined what it means to be human by contrasting themselves with figures and beings considered monstrous. Drawing on examples ranging from apes and ancient gods to Frankenstein's monster, E.T. and generative AI, the book explores how ideas about humanity have been shaped alongside concepts of race, gender and nations. It is suited to readers interested in the history of science, human identity, monsters and the ways societies define normality.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eRather than presenting a history of monsters themselves, Davies uses monsters as a way of examining human history. The book traces the practice of \"monster-making\" as a means of establishing boundaries around who is considered normal and who is excluded from them. Moving across different periods and cultural ideas, it connects historical examples with contemporary questions about inequality, polarization and the future of humanity.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch2\u003eAbout This Book\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eMonsters have played an important role in how humans have imagined themselves and others. Davies examines this process through the history of exploration, encounters between cultures and changing ideas about the human. Her account brings together seemingly distant subjects, from ancient mythology to modern artificial intelligence, to show how representations of the monstrous can reveal assumptions about humanity.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe book also considers the relationship between monster-making and control. By defining certain people or groups as outside the boundaries of the normal, societies can establish distinctions around identity and belonging. The discussion connects these historical patterns with contemporary concerns about inequality and polarization.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDrawing on Davies's work as a historian of science, the book offers a history through monsters rather than a conventional history of monsters, using evocative storytelling to reconsider how humanity has understood itself.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch2\u003eWhat You'll Discover\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eHow monsters have shaped ideas about the human condition\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eThe relationship between humans, apes and other imagined beings\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eHistorical ideas surrounding race, gender and nations\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eConnections between ancient gods, Frankenstein's monster and E.T.\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eHow generative AI raises questions about the boundaries of humanity\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eThe role of monster-making in defining who is considered normal\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eConnections between historical exclusion, inequality and polarization\u003c\/li\u003e \u003c\/ul\u003e \u003ch2\u003ePerfect For\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003eReaders interested in the history of science\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eReaders interested in monsters, mythology and cultural history\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eReaders exploring the history of human identity\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eReaders interested in race, gender and the construction of social boundaries\u003c\/li\u003e \u003c\/ul\u003e \u003ch2\u003eWhy You'll Love This Book\u003c\/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHumans: A Monstrous History\u003c\/strong\u003e offers a distinctive way to examine the history of humanity by asking how people have defined themselves against those they label as monstrous. Surekha Davies connects historical encounters, cultural ideas and modern technology to explore how concepts of normality, identity and control have shaped the human story.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Surekha Davis","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54554071400723,"sku":"BY36.887","price":740.0,"currency_code":"INR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0812\/4494\/6707\/files\/HumansAMonstrousHistory_1.webp?v=1786336634","url":"https:\/\/booksandyou.in\/products\/humans-a-monstrous-history","provider":"Books and You","version":"1.0","type":"link"}