Latest Alumni Publications
Here you’ll find the latest round-up of publications written by Mansfield alumni. If you’ve recently published a book, or have any other news, please share it with us. Publications are added throughout the year.
Sir Christopher Bryant (English, 1980)
Code of Conduct: Why We Need to Fix Parliament – and How to Do It (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2023)
As Chair of the Committees on Standards and Privileges, alumnus Chris Bryant has had a front-row seat for the battle over standards in parliament. Cronyism, nepotism, conflicts of interest, misconduct and lying: politicians are engaging in these activities more frequently and more publicly than ever before. The result? The work of honest and accountable MPs is tarnished. Public trust is worn thin. And when nearly two thirds of voters think that MPs are out for themselves, democracy is in trouble.
It is time for a better brand of politics. Taking us inside the Pugin-carpeted corridors of Westminster, from the prime minister's office to the Strangers' Bar, Code of Conduct examines how parliament has got into this mess and suggests how it might – at last – get its house in order.
Mustafa Suleyman (Philosophy & Theology, 2002)
The Coming Wave: Technology, Power, and the Twenty-first Century's Greatest Dilemma (Vintage Publishing, 2023)
This groundbreaking new book from alumnus and AI entrepreneur Mustafa Suleyman is a must-read guide to the technological revolution just starting, and the transformed world it will create. In it Suleyman establishes “the containment problem”—the task of maintaining control over powerful technologies—as the essential challenge of our age.
Julian Brown (Modern History, 1983)
Star Bound: A feelgood space adventure (Jules Brown, 2023)
A storm’s coming, and it’s time to go home. But home isn’t always where you think it is.
As rescue looms, the teenage castaways face new decisions and changing alliances. It’s not plain-sailing on New Earth either, where Captain Juno Washington faces a blatant challenge to her authority.
As the dangers increase and stories collide, everyone has a choice to make. Be part of something or strike out on your own? Make plans or break promises?
All the Odyssey Earth characters combine for one final, unforgettable adventure, as they look for a place to call home.
Clementine Collett (Theology and Religion, 2013)
Something About Her (Penguin Random House, November 2023)
A heartfelt and delicately crafted debut novel about two young women who become entangled in one another and embark on a surprising journey of self-discovery and modern love.
Errollyn Wallen, MBE (Honorary Fellow)
Becoming a Composer (Faber and Faber, 2023)
'I am a composer. A composer of classical music. Quite honestly I am not quite sure how that happened to a girl born in Belize and brought up in Tottenham . . . It is clear that composing found me. It crept up on me and wouldn’t let me out of its grasp.'
Now a leading international composer and a singer-songwriter, Errollyn Wallen is as much at home in jazz and pop as in the classical world. Part memoir, Becoming a Composer offers an intriguing glimpse into the mind and motivation of a composer and covers aspects of Wallen’s sometimes troubled childhood, and her experiences of growing up as a black composer in the UK. It includes a collection of observations, diaries following the progress of new works and essays and seeks to shed light on the way a composer sees and hears the world.
Sarah Harkness (Honorary Fellow)
Literature for the People (MACMILLAN, forthcoming in 2024)
From publishing Alice in Wonderland and Tom Brown’s School Days to the hugely influential science magazine Nature, Daniel and Alexander Macmillan’s achievements are revealed in this entertaining, superbly researched biography.
Daniel and Alexander Macmillan arrived in London in the 1830s at a crucial moment of social change. These two idealistic brothers, working-class sons of a Scottish crofter, set up a publishing house that spread radical ideas on equality, science and education across the world. They also brought authors like Lewis Carroll, Thomas Hardy and Charles Kingsley, and poets like Matthew Arnold and Christina Rossetti, to a mass audience. No longer would books be just for the upper classes.
In Literature for the People Sarah Harkness brings to life these two amusing, warm-hearted men. Daniel was driven by the knowledge that he was living on borrowed time as his body was ravaged by TB. Alexander took on responsibility for the company as well as Daniel’s family and turned a small business into an empire. He cultivated the literary greats of the time, weathered controversy and tragedy, and fostered a dynasty that would include future prime minister Harold Macmillan.
Including fascinating insights about the great, the good and the sometimes wayward writers of the Victorian era, with feuds, friendships and passionate debate, this vibrant book is bursting with all the energy of that exciting period in history.
Bruce Carlisle Robertson (DPhil Theology, 1967)
Raja Rammohan Ray The First Global Indian (Routledge Press, 2023)
Bruce's latest book, Raja Rammohan Ray The First Global Indian is scheduled to be published by Routledge Press in Calcutta, India, this Spring. Ram Mohan Ray is called the `Father of Modern India' in recognition of his epoch-making social, educational and political reforms. Robertson argues that Ray set the agenda for modern India in his vision of a self-determining, modern, pluralistic society founded upon the Upanishadic principles of freedom of sadhana and one rule of law for all.
Bob Jope (English, 1971)
A play based on Bob's novel Elvis in Wonderland is in rehearsal with The Merlin Theatre in Frome and will be heading from there to Bath, Bristol and South Devon later in the year.
Stay tuned for information on tickets!
Stephanie Kline (MSt Modern British & European History, 2015)
Edward VI: Henry VIII's Overshadowed Son (Pen and Sword Books, 2023)
For too long, King Edward VI has been pushed to the very edges of Tudor history - overlooked in favour of some of the more vibrant personalities of his family members, such as Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. Known as the 'boy king' of the Tudor dynasty, he is often remembered for little more than the ambitious councillors who governed England during his minority. His reign, however, and the significant religious changes that took place as he furthered the Protestant Reformation in England, had great influence over the remaining decades of the Tudor period and even modern Britain as we know it today.
Uther Charlton-Stevens (Modern History, 2002)
Anglo-India and the End of Empire - (Hurst Publishers, 2022)
A startling new history of a community’s struggle to be heard as Empire waned in India, with echoes for all those of mixed heritage.
Toby Purser (History, 1989)
The Making of England (Amberley Publishing, 2022)
'The Making of England' seeks to challenge the established narrative of the inevitable rise of the unified Christian state. England was not exceptional in its governance, parliaments, religion or monarchy: it was a European state.
Andrew Beattie (Geography, 1987)
The Secret in the Tower (Sweet Cherry Publishing, 2022)
Andrew Beattie's book for children aged 10-12 is set in medieval London during the last days of the reign of King Richard III.
1485. Richard III is King of England. Henry Tudor's invasion looms. Jack Broom thinks that war and politics have nothing to do with him. He is a simple apothecary's boy dreaming of becoming a surgeon - until soldiers mistake him for a boy of noble birth. Narrowly avoiding being dragged to the Tower of London, Jack sets out on a perilous mission to find out who he truly is. With the help of his new friend Alice, he uncovers conspiracies, treason, and the deadly lengths people will go to for power.
Jeff Hearn (Geography, 1965)
Digital Gender-Sexual Violations: Violence, Technology and Motivations (Matthew Hall, Jeff Hearn and Ruth Lewis) (Routledge, 2022)
This groundbreaking book argues that the fundamental issues around how victim-survivors of digital gender-sexual violations (DGSVs) are abused can be understood in terms of gender and sexual dynamics, constructions, positioning and logics. The book builds upon Hall and Hearn's previous work, Revenge Pornography, but has been substantially reworked to examine other forms of DGSV such as upskirting and sexual deepfakes, as well as the latest research and debates in the field.
Knowledge, Power and Young Sexualities: A Transnational Feminist Engagement (Tamara Shefer and Jeff Hearn) (Routledge, 2022)
This book troubles the ways young people have been constructed as ‘trouble’ through critical readings of the effects and impacts, politically and ideologically, globally and locally, of scholarship and practice directed at South African young people’s sexualities over the last three decades of addressing HIV, GBV and other sexual and gender justice challenges.
Age at Work: Ambiguous Boundaries of Organizations, Organizing and Ageing (Jeff Hearn and Wendy Parkin) (Sage, 2021)
Age at Work explores the myriad ways in which ‘age’ is at ‘work’ across society, organizations and workplaces, with special focus on organizations, their boundaries, and marginalizing processes around age and ageism in and across these spaces.
Isabel Thomas (Human Sciences, 1998)
The Bedtime Book of Impossible Questions (Bloomsbury, 2022)
Why are bubbles always round? Why can't I remember being a baby? Do plants have feelings? What's the opposite of a spider? This book answers the most brilliant, baffling and bamboozling questions Isabel has been asked in her career as a science writer for young audiences.
With engaging and accessible text, The Bedtime Book of Impossible Questions is perfect to delve into when you are wondering if there really is an answer to everything.
Full of Life: Exploring Earth's Biodiversity (Phaidon, 2022)
Science meets design in this graphically stunning introductory tour of Earth's amazing biodiversity. This artful and accessible guide helps young readers understand how every living creature, from the tiniest germ to the biggest blue whale, is part of one big family tree.
The Invisible World of Germs (Oxford University Press, 2022)
This title is part of the important new Very Short Introductions for Curious Young Minds series from Oxford, which provides accessible introductions to the ideas, facts, and vocabulary behind an absorbing range of subjects. Meticulously researched and authoritative but written in simple language by experts in their fields, curious young readers will quickly get to grips with the basic principles and terminology of each subject.
Thirty Trillion Cells (Welbeck Editions, 2022)
Thirty Trillion Cells takes a detailed look at the inner workings of the human body, introducing the body's major cell types and the part they play in making us who we are. Readers will also explore the human body as a microbiome, discovering the trillions of 'good' microbes that live on and within us, doing their bit to keep us healthy.
Features expansive, artistic illustrations by Dawn Cooper that are as beautiful as they are educational.
Rohini Bajekal (Theology, 2007)
Living PCOS Free: How to regain your hormonal health with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (Hammersmith Health Books, 2022)
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder worldwide, affecting at least 1 in 10 women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB). It is the number one cause of infertility. Alarmingly, 3 in 4 of those with PCOS remain undiagnosed because of the complex nature of the condition. This practical guide will show you how to successfully manage your condition using proven lifestyle approaches alongside western medicine. With over 35 years' of clinical experience, Dr Nitu Bajekal, AKA 'the 'Plant-Based Gynae,' breaks through misinformation, providing clarity and support to help you tackle your symptoms - from irregular periods to acne and anxiety. The book features an easy-to-follow 21-day plan for hormonal health along with plant-based recipes and illuminating case histories.
Hank Kopel (PPE, 1980)
War on Hate: How to Stop Genocide, Fight Terrorism, and Defend Freedom (Rowman & Littlefield, 2021)
Can genocide and terrorism ever be eliminated? This book says yes. It demonstrates that such atrocities are driven mainly by mass ideological hate incitement. Hence ending the violence requires shutting down the incitement – especially across the Middle East, where a tsunami of hate propaganda drives an epidemic of terrorism.
The book has been featured in several media, including the Jerusalem Post and the Washington Examiner (enclosed).
Jorge Lopez Llorente (English, 2016)
Los ojos desdibujados (Cuadranta, 2021)
Jorge recently published his first book, a poetry collection in Spanish titled Los ojos desdibujados, with Cuadranta, an imprint of Olé Libros.His debut revolves around ideas of identity, both in love and in solitude, with a surrealist touch in a mix of regular meter and free verse, under the influence of Spanish and English poetry alike. The ‘I’ in the poems has its voice broken into fragments of itself and others: a nurse, Peter Pan and his shadow, a revengeful mirror.
Elizabeth Gray-King (Theology, 1985)
Practical Project Management for voluntary organisations (Director of Social Change, 2021)
After teaching project management for the Directory of Social Change for years, Elizabeth has written a book to bring her experience of managing in the voluntary/public/church sector to wider audiences. She never saw herself as a writer, but suspects that all of those theology essays played their part when she was at Mansfield. Elizabeth has been a URC minister since she left in 1988 and has worked variously in local church and Assembly departments.
Emilie Prattico (Philosophy and Theology, 2000)
The New Corporate Climate Leadership (Routledge, 2021)
This book provides a comprehensive treatment of the role of the private sector in accelerating the transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient and inclusive world. The New Corporate Climate Leadership provides a clear synthesis of the relationship between the real economy and climate change and offers a state-of-the-art assessment of corporate initiatives that focus on greenhouse gas emissions reductions and the management of climate risk through enhanced resilience. Optimistic in tone, this book will be of great interest to students, scholars and practitioners of climate change and sustainable business
Graham Twelftree (Theology, 1975)
The Gospel According to Paul. A Reappraisal (Cascade Books)