Transparency: The Material History of an Idea

A wide-ranging illustrated history of transparency as told through the evolution of the glass window

Transparency is a mantra of our day. It is key to the Western understanding of a liberal society. We expect transparency from, for instance, political institutions, corporations, and the media. But how did it become such a powerful—and global—idea?

From ancient glass to Apple’s corporate headquarters, this book is the first to probe how Western people have experienced, conceptualized, and ev...