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Books > Reference & Interdisciplinary > Interdisciplinary studies > Area / regional studies
In this book, Hilda Llorens offers a ground-breaking study of images-photographs, postcards, paintings, posters, and films-about Puerto Rico and Puerto Ricans made by American and Puerto Rican image-makers between 1890 and 1990. Through illuminating discussions of artists, images, and social events, the book offers a critical analysis of the power-laden cultural and historic junctures imbricated in the creation of re-presentations of Puerto Rico and Puerto Ricans by Americans ("outsiders") and Puerto Ricans ("insiders") during an historical epoch marked by the twin concepts of "modernization" and "progress." The study excavates the ways in which colonial power and resistance to it have shaped representations of Puerto Rico and its people. Hilda Llorens demonstrates how nation, race, and gender figure in representation, and how these representations in turn help shape the discourses of nation, race, and gender. Imaging The Great Puerto Rican Family masterfully illustrates that as significant actors in the shaping of national conceptions of history image-makers have created iconic symbols deeply enmeshed in an "emotional aesthetics of nation." The book proposes that images as important conveyers of knowledge and information are a fertile data site. At the same time, Llorens underscores how colonial modernity turned global, the conceptual framework informing the analysis, not only calls attention to the national and global networks in which image-makers have been a part of, and by which they have been influenced, but highlights the manners by which technologies of imaging and "seeing" have been prime movers as well as critics of modernity.
This book is about contemporary senses of life after death in the United States, Japan, and China. By collecting and examining hundreds of interviews with people from all walks of life in these three societies, the book presents and compares personally held beliefs, experiences, and interactions with the concept of life after death. Three major aspects covered by the book Include, but are certainly not limited to, the enduring tradition of Japanese ancestor veneration, China's transition from state-sponsored materialism to the increasing belief in some form of afterlife, as well as the diversity in senses of, or disbelief in, life after death in the United States. Through these diverse first-hand testimonies the book reveals that underlying these changes in each society there is a shift from collective to individual belief, with people developing their own visions of what may, or may not, happen after death. This book will be valuable reading for students of Anthropology as well as Religious, Cultural, Asian and American Studies. It will also be an impactful resource for professionals such as doctors, nurses, and hospice workers.
0. 1. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEMATIC This study is devoted to an examination of a concept of crucial significance for Soviet aesthetics - the concept of the aesthetic (esteticeskoe). Soviet aestheticians have for some time already been trying to design a concept of the aesthetic that would satisfy, on the one hand, the requirements of aesthe tic phenomena, and, on the other hand, the principles of the Marxist-Leninist world view. The first part of this work shows how the concept of the aesthetic has been and continues to be problematic for Soviet aestheticians. This task is carried out by dwelling, first of all, on the controversies among Soviet aesthe ticians concerning meta-aesthetic issues, viz, the nature and scope of aesthetics as well as its place among other philosophical and non-philosophical disci plines. A particularly clear view of the problems that have traditionally pre occupied Soviet aestheticians is provided by an examination of what they standardly call the 'method of aesthetics', where 'method' is understood in the sense of an explanatory framework rather than in the strict logico-scien tific sense of the term. This discussion will provide the occasion to pass in review the main periods of Soviet aesthetics and the characteristic aspects of each. The chapter on the sources of contemporary Marxist-Leninist aesthetics brings into relief the lack of a homogeneous tradition in the question of the nature of the aesthetic and other related problems."
The situation in Somalia today embodies some of the most pressing issues in international relations. How should the international community deal with the collapsed state that is Somalia? From the presence of al-Qaeda operatives to pirates, to what extent is Somalia a threat to global peace and commerce? Which aspects of Somalia's economic, social and political landscape can be considered successful, and how do these 'success stories' reflect some of the more problematic issues the country faces? This book sheds light on all of these topics and more. The book is written to appeal to a wide audience, from specialists in international security, development and/or humanitarian issues, to students and casual readers. Its six contributing authors, with their focus on current events mixed with historical perspective, ensure readers get varying views of what is happening today in the Horn of Africa. The book was published as a special issue of the Journal of Contemporary African Studies.
The relationship between innovation, networks and localities is of central concern for many nations. However, despite increasing interest in the components of this research triangle, efforts in these fields are hampered by a lackofconceptual and empirical insights. This volume brings together contributions from a distinguished group of scholars working in different but related disciplines, and aims to provide a fresh look at this research triangle. The objective is to offer a concise overview of current developments and insights derived from recent studies in Europe and North America. All of the contributions are based on original research undertaken in the various regions and nations and are published here for the first time. We are grateful to all those who have contributed to this volume for their willingness to participate in the project. Without their co-operation this book would not have been possible. We should like, in addition, to thank Angela Spence for her careful linguistic editing and assistance in co-ordinating the production of the camera ready copy. Lastly, but not least, we wish to express our gratitude for support from our home institutions, and in particular the Austrian Academy of Sciences (Institute for Urban and Regional Research), the Austrian Ministry for Science and Transport, the Styrian Government (Section for Science and Research) and the Federation of Austrian Industry in Styria for the financial backing received. April 1999 Manfred M.
Routledge Library Editions: Egypt brings together as one set, or individual volumes, a series of previously out-of-print classics from a variety of academic imprints. With titles ranging from Education in Egypt to Egypt in Transition, from Egyptian Religion to Egypt's Economic Potential, this set provides in one place a wealth of important reference sources from a wide range of authors expert in the field.
How is it that the modest pace of change which typified the French economy a century ago gave way after 1945 to a new, revived capitalism and a superior economic performance? Mairi Maclean argues that the new French capitalism of the 21st century is the product of an ideological struggle in which the forces of modernization triumphed over the old guard of French nationalism.
This book examines Australia 's sporting relationships with the Asian region during the interwar period. Until now, Australia 's sporting relationships with the Asian region have been neglected by scholars of Australian and Asian sports history, and the broader field of Australia 's Asian context. Concentrating on the period of the 1920s and 1930s when sporting relationships between Australia and a number of Asian nations emerged in a variety of sports this book demonstrates the depth of these previously under-examined connections. The book challenges, and complicates, the broader historiography of Australia 's Asian context a historiography that has been strongly influenced by the White Australia Policy and the Pacific War. Why, for example, did white Australia so warmly welcome visiting Japanese sportsmen at a time when the Pacific region appeared to be inexorably sliding into a war that was informed by racial antagonisms? This book examines sporting relations between Australia and seven Asian countries (China, Japan, India, Netherlands East Indies, Philippines, Malaya and Singapore) and a range of sports including rugby, football, swimming, hockey, boxing, cricket and tennis. The significance of the collection is drawn together in a concluding chapter by prominent historian David Walker. This book was published as a special issue of Sport in Society.
Christianity is one of the fastest growing religions in China. Despite its long history in China and its significant indigenization or intertwinement with Chinese society and culture, Christianity continues to generate suspicion among political elites and intense debates among broader communities within China. This unique book applies socio-cultural methods in the study of contemporary Christianity. Through a wide range of empirical analyses of the complex and highly diverse experience of Christianity in contemporary China, it examines the fraught processes by which various forms and practices of Christianity interact with the Chinese social, political and cultural spheres. Contributions by top scholars in the field are structured in the following sections: Enchantment, Nation and History, Civil Society, and Negotiating Boundaries. This book offers a major contribution to the field and provides a timely, wide-ranging assessment of Christianity in Contemporary China.
Muslims for hundreds of years have been involved in philanthropic activities targeting poor and needy people through varied types of 'third sector' organizations (TSOs). Nonetheless, many people in Muslim majority countries (MMCs), not having freedom from hunger, face human security crises. Not much is known about the TSOs or their human security provisions in MMCs. To fill this knowledge gap, this Volume documents and analyses philanthropy and all types of third sector organizations including the awqaf (Muslim endowments) vis-a-vis human security in MMCs. The study is comprehensive in treating the subject matter (analyzing the legal environment, characteristics, extent and functioning of all forms of the third sector and their human security performances) and in geographic coverage (incorporating all forty-seven Muslim majority countries in Africa and Asia). It is also innovative expounding TSO density analysis, state support score (SSS) and a third-sector capability measure (TCM) to study their interrelationships. It is an essential unique reference book for students and scholars of the third sector and human security, international organizations, development agencies, donor governments, security experts and in particular anybody with interests in Islam and MMCs.
One consequence of China's economic growth has been a massive increase in migration, both internal and external. Within China millions of rural workers have migrated to the cities. Outside China, many Chinese have migrated to other parts of the world, their remittances home often having a significant impact within China. Also, China's increasing links to other parts of the world have led to a growth in migration to China, most interestingly recently migration from Africa. Based on extensive original research, this book examines a wide range of issues connected to Chinese migration.
In Entrepreneurship and Sustainability the editors and contributors challenge the notion that not-for-profit social entrepreneurship is the only sort that can lead to the alleviation of poverty. Entrepreneurship for profit is not just about the entrepreneur doing well. Entrepreneurs worldwide are leading successful for-profit ventures which contribute to poverty alleviation in their communities. With the challenge of global poverty before them, entrepreneurs continue to develop innovative, business-oriented ventures that deliver promising solutions to this complex and urgent agenda. This book explores how to bring commercial investors together with those who are best placed to reach the poorest customers. With case studies from around the World, the focus of the contributions is on the new breed of entrepreneurs who are blending a profit motive with a desire to make a difference in their communities and beyond borders. A number of the contributions here also recognize that whilst much research has been devoted to poverty alleviation in developing countries, this is only part of the story. Studies in this volume also focus upon enterprise solutions to poverty in pockets of significant deprivation in high-income countries, such as the Appalachia region of the US, in parts of Europe, and the richer Asian countries. Much has been written about the achievements of socially orientated non-profit microfinance institutions. This valuable, academically rigorous but accessible book will help academics, policy makers, and business people consider what the next generation of more commercially orientated banks for the 'bottom billion' might look like.
Rural-urban migration is an important aspect in the development of countries. Until the late 1980s China was one of the few countries that controlled population movement both directly and indirectly through policies of economic and social control. The gradual relaxation of these policies has resulted in greater freedom of movement for the population, the effects of which are discussed in this significant volume. The book concentrates on the migration of minorities from a social, economic and ethnic perspective and attempts to quantify the overall level of movement. In particular, the authors examine the relationships between education, ethnicity and migration and identify the policies and conditions conducive to achieving positive outcomes for minority migrant households. The book aims to increase our understanding of the effects of movement, on the social, economic and ethnic status of migrant families. Taking existing census data as a starting point, the book makes a new contribution by drawing on a unique survey in four different regions, the data from which is used as the basis for detailed case study analysis. The study of internal migration is vital, the authors argue, in order to understand the change process from a centrally planned economic system to a market orientated society in China. The internal mobility of minorities can be regarded equally, as both a product of, and a contributing factor to, this social transformation. This notable and very readable book will be of significant interest to policymakers, international and development economists and researchers and students of Asian economics and demographics.
Chronic diseases-cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic respiratory disease and diabetes-are not only the principal cause of world-wide mortality but also are now responsible for a striking increase in the percentage of sickness in developing countries still grappling with the acute problems of infectious diseases. The "double disease burden" - the onset of significant mortality from chronic, non-communicable diseases while mortality from communicable diseases remains high - is a problem of developing countries. Developed countries had the historical "luxury" of dealing with chronic diseases after the weight of communicable diseases had largely lifted. However, in both developed and developing countries old and new communicable diseases such as tuberculosis or HIV/AIDS enhance morbidity and mortality, and some infectious diseases may lead to chronic disease; for example, the papilloma virus and cervical cancer. Exposure to environmental pollutants particularly prenatal or in infancy is clearly recognized as a major driver of later chronic ill-health. Double health burdens in Asia and the Pacific and the problems that this poses for health care regimes, resource allocation, strategies for prevention and control and the need for integrated approaches to both non-communicable and infectious diseases will challenge the future viability of the region. The primary aim of this book is to offer a historical picture of the development of a leading global health problem and policy responses to it in the context of a demographically, economically and politically very significant region of the world with a view to better understanding of the double disease burden and the development of more effective health policy to deal with it.
In order to control ever-increasing health care expenditure, Western and Asian countries are seeking to develop more efficient health care models. Studies on health care that focus specifically on Asian countries are rare, rendering this a unique and welcome addition to the literature. This book presents quantitative research on various aspects of health care reform and health policy in Asia-Pacific countries such as China, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and the US - nations diverse in their economic development, social demographic structure and health care expenditures. The book's main topic for discussion is the role of both government and health insurers in funding health care. The implementation of community-based, supplemental and national health insurance is explored, as are grants and the financing of hospitals and care for the elderly. The effectiveness of education as an input to health investment and the rehabilitation of patients are also examined. Aiming to close the gap between the existing economics research and the rapid pace of the development of Asian health care markets, this unique and timely book is a must read for policymakers, researchers, academics and students with a special interest in health economics, policies and services.
This book analyses Japan's security policy after the Cold War and engages with the question of whether, since the Cold War ended, Japan has again become a global security player. The contributions to the book explore Japan's security policy by providing a detailed overview of the evolution of Japan's security policy after the Cold War, including the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty and the Senkaku/Daioyu Islands dispute. It also reveals the preeminent security concerns of contemporary Japan by delving into regional security issues such as the Layered Security of Okinawa, the increasing nuclear threat from North Korea, and the Taiwan Strait Crisis of 1995-6. The book culminates by discussing security in terms of the essential functions of energy, food, and human security, including an assessment of Japan's energy policy since World War II and an assessment of the impact food security on Japan's agriculture and trade. This book will be of interest to student and scholars of East Asian Politics, Security Studies and the International Relations of the Asia Pacific. It is also a valuable resource for diplomats and policymakers on Japan and East Asia.
This book explores how past peoples navigated and created power structures and social relationships, using a case study from the Titicaca Basin of Bolivia (800 BC - AD 400). Based on the analysis of human skeletal remains, it combines anthropological social theory, archaeological contexts, and biological indicators of identity, disease, and labor to present a microhistory. The analysis moves in scale from individual experiences of daily life to broad patterns of shared identity and kinship during a time of significant economic and ecological change in the lake basin. The volume is particularly valuable for scholars and students interested in what bioarchaeology can tell us about power and social relationships in the past and how this is relevant to modern constructions of community.
As kinship relationships and support networks across family lines weaken with modernization, economic stressors take a great toll on children. Kenya, like some other nations in Africa and around the globe, has witnessed a rapid rise in street children. The street children in Nairobi come from single parent families which are mostly headed by women. Another group are AIDS orphans. This study documents how street children in Nairobi follow survival strategies including (for boys) collecting garbage, and (for girls), prostitution. Gender is emphasized throughout the book. Although impoverished families are the most likely to produce street children, not all poor families have their children on the streets. The problem of street children is a complex one that calls for a comprehensive and coordinated policy and program for intervention at all levels and in all sectors of society. Alleviating poverty and rebuilding the family institution should be among the first steps in addressing the problem.
This work examines the counseling approaches and techniques used by Yoruba traditional healers of Nigeria. It also describes the functions performed by Yoruba traditional healers when they work within the Yoruba cultural milieu. The information elicited from Yoruba traditional healers through videotape and interviews was analyzed by a Nigerian woman from the Yoruba ethnic group. The results of the volume support the premise that culture plays a significant role in the kind of healing methods and counseling techniques used by professionals and traditional healers, as well as in the type of professionals chosen by clients for consultation concerning their problems.
The First of Causes to Our Sex is a study of the first movement in the United States for social change by and for women. Female moral reform in the 1830s and '40s was a campaign to abolish sexual vice and the sexual double standard, and to promote sexual abstinence among the young as they entered the marriage market. The movement has earned a place in U.S. women's history, but most research has focused on it as an urban phenomenon, and sought its significance in relation to the cause of women's rights or to the regulation of prostitution. This study explores the appeal of moral reform to rural women, who were the vast majority of its constituency, and sees it as a response to seminal changes in family formation and family size in the context of an increasingly market-oriented and mobile society. It was led by Yankee women who were fired by Second Great Awakening revivals and supported by reformist clergy.
What Robots Can and Can't Be is a self-contained, rigorous, sustained argument for the unique, two-sided position that: (side one) Al will continue to produce machines with greater and greater capacity to pass stronger and stronger versions of the Turing Test; but that (side two) the Person Building Project' (the attempt by cognitive engineers to build a machine which is a person) will inevitably fail. The defense of side two rests in large part on a refutation of the proposition that persons are automata -- a refutation involving an array of issues, from free will to GAdel to introspection to Searle and beyond. The defense of side one brings the reader face to face with Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson as they tackle perhaps their toughest case (Silver Blaze'); the upshot of this visit with Conan Doyle's duo is an algorithm-sketch for the solving of murder mysteries. Side two also involves a look at the author's mechanical' approach to writing fiction, and the philosophical side of computerized story generation. The volume is peppered with numerous illustrations, all quite professionally done.
The Japanese, and other Asians, are increasingly taking over some of the roles previously played by Europeans in the Pacific islands, which is giving rise to interesting new economic relationships, and interesting new interactions between nationalities. This book considers the role of the Japanese in the Solomon Islands, focusing in particular on a joint venture between the Japanese multinational Maruha Corporation and the Solomon Islands government, which managed a tuna fishing and processing enterprise which was a mainstay of the Solomon Islands economy from the 1970s to 2000. It considers a range of important themes including the changing nature of colonialism, the degree to which people's ethnic sense of self, and therefore their relationship with others, is affected by how modern (or primitive) their nation is perceived to be, and how all this relates to the development of capitalism, nationalism, and modernity.
Since the publication of the Coleman report in the US many decades ago, it has been widely accepted that the evidence that schools are marginal in the grand scheme of academic achievement is conclusive. Despite this, educational policy across the world remains focused almost exclusively on schools. With contributions from such figures as Jeanne Brooks-Gunn, Doris Entwistle and Richard Arum this book is an important contribution to a debate that has implications across the board in social sciences and policy-making. It will be required reading for students and academics within sociology, economics and education and should also find a place on the bookshelves of education policy-makers.
Issues relating to the size of firms in manufacturing are central to the discussion of development strategies. This book offers an interpretation of growth trajectories in selected Asian economies in terms of the size-structure of enterprises in the manufacturing sector of these economies. The book presents a comparative survey of distribution of enterprises by size across Asia, including India, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Thailand, Bangladesh and Vietnam. A broad survey of official data on the size structure of manufacturing helps to identify three distinct patterns of manufacturing sector development and makes the connection between enterprise development and the overall impact on the economy. The book goes on to investigate the problem of the peculiar dual size structure of manufacturing in India, with its two modes at the low and high end of the size distribution and conspicuous 'missing middle', and the effect that this has on the economy. This pattern is contrasted with the 'East Asian, model with a more even size distribution, and the more recent experience of the newly developing countries of Asia with size distribution skewed to the right. It is an important contribution to studies on Asian Economics and Manufacturing Industries.
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