In the present work, James Puthuparampil surveys the appearances of Mary within the writings of Jacob of Serugh and attempts to construct the place of Mary within Jacob's broader theological framework.

This is the first major study of the mass sequestration of Armenian property by the Young Turk regime during the 1915 Armenian genocide. It details the emergence of Turkish economic nationalism, offers insight into the economic ramifications of the genocidal process, and describes how the plunder was organized on the ground. The interrelated nature of property confiscation initiated by the Young Turk regime and its cooperating local elites offers new insights into the functions and beneficiaries of state-sanctioned robbery. Drawing on secret files and unexamined records, the authors demonstrate that while Armenians suffered systematic plunder and destruction, ordinary Turks were assigned a range of property for their progress.

All national identities are somewhat fluid, held together by collective beliefs and practices as much as official territory and borders. In the context of the Palestinians, whose national status in so many instances remains unresolved, the articulation and `imagination' of national identity is particularly urgent. This book explores the ways that Palestinian intellectuals, artists, activists and ordinary citizens `imagine' their homeland, examining the works of key Palestinian thinkers and writers such as Edward Said, Mahmoud Darwish, Mourid Barghouti, Ghassan Kanafani and Naji Al Ali. Deploying Benedict Anderson's notion of `Imagined Communities' and Edward Soja's theory of `Third Space', Tahrir Hamdi argues that the imaginative construction of Palestine is a key element in the Palestinians' ongoing struggle. An interdisciplinary work drawing upon critical theory, postcolonial studies and literary analysis, this book will be of interest to students and scholars of Palestine and Middle East studies and Arabic literature.

Mohandas K. Gandhi, known as Mahatma ("great soul") Gandhi, is a revered figure worldwide for his nonviolent action to free India from British rule. His iconic status endures in the United States, through his influence on Martin Luther King, Jr., and in popular culture, including quotations, a blockbuster film, and interest in Hindu spirituality and practices. Readers will discover how Gandhi came to be a member of the exalted pantheon of men for the ages. They will follow him from his family's home in the provinces to an early arranged marriage, solo sojourn in England to prepare for a law career, and growth from a timid new barrister in South Africa to India's foremost negotiator with the British power structure. He is shown evolving from a loyal British subject to become the champion of Home Rule for India--often inciting illegal actions to get himself and his supporters arrested to further the cause, and risking his life with his famous hunger strikes. The narrative of Gandhi's life and contributions also illuminates Indian society and the caste system from the latter half of the 19th century up to World War II, including British colonial rule, racism in South Africa and India, and Hinduism. Controversial aspects of Gandhi's choices are covered as well. For example, he was largely an absentee husband and father. After siring four children, he took a vow of celibacy, but nevertheless formed attachments to several young, female Western devotees through the years. Ultimately, it was Gandhi's role as a compromiser who believed in Hindus and Muslims in a free, united India that led to his assassination.

The continuing popularity and influence of Soren Aabye Kierkegaard remains something of a minor miracle.Kierkegaard himself would undoubtedly find some humor in this development as a part of his overall philosophical project was to provide a full-frontal assault on the growing dominance of 'objective' thinking and the hyper-professionalization of all areas of human thought and life. This book provides yet another attempt to engage with the biting wit and philosophical insights of Kierkegaard's philosophy.

Tajikistan is the poorest and only Persian-speaking country among the post-Soviet independent states. Historically, the Tajiks of Central Asia and Afghanistan along with the Persians of modern Iran came from a related ethnic group. When the Tajik Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was established in late 1924, it became the first modern Tajik state that remained one of the 15 union republics of the Soviet Union until 1991. Almost immediately after the collapse of the USSR, Tajikistan became a scene of brutal civil war, taking place in one of the global hubs of religiously motivated political struggle, militancy, mass cross-border refugee flows, insurgency, and drug trafficking. During the first decade of the 21st century, the country was making modest progress toward stability. However, the heavy burden of socio-economic problems, in addition to continuing conflict in the neighboring Afghanistan-Pakistan, presented even bigger challenges for Tajikistan. In addition, Western economic sanctions against Russia in 2014, coinciding with continuing lower oil prices, have negatively affected one million of Tajik labor migrants in Russia. Yet Tajikistan has become neither weaker nor less important as a player in world politics. This third edition of Historical Dictionary of Tajikistan contains a chronology, an introduction, appendixes, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 800 cross-referenced entries on important personalities, politics, economy, foreign relations, religion, and culture. This book is an excellent resource for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about Tajikistan.

Premananda Bharati's classic work, Sri Krishna: the Lord of Love, was originally published in 1904 in New York. It is the first full length work presenting theistic Hindu practices and beliefs before a Western audience by a practicing Hindu "missionary." Premananda Bharati or Baba (Father) Bharati had come to the USA as a result of the encouragement of his co-religionists in India and of a vision he received while living in a pilgrimage site sacred to his tradition. He arrived in the USA in 1902 and stayed until 1911 with one return journey to India in 1907 with several of his American disciples. His book, Sri Krishna, was read and admired by numerous American and British men and women of the early 20th century and captured the attention of the great Russian writer Leo Tolstoy through whom Mahatma Gandhi discovered it. This new edition of his book contains two introductions, one by Gerald T. Carney, PhD, a specialist on Premananda Bharati's life and work and another by Neal Delmonico, PhD, a specialist on Caitanya Vaisnavism, the religious tradition to which Baba Bharati belonged. In addition, the text has been edited, corrected, annotated, and newly typeset. The spellings of the technical Sanskrit words in the text have been standardized according to modern diacritical practices. Appendices have been added containing supporting texts and additional materials bearing on Baba Bharati's sources for some of the ideas in his book and on his life and practices in India before his arrival in the USA.

Truly an essential reference for today's world, this detailed introduction to the origins, events, and impact of the adversarial relationship between Arabs and Israelis illuminates the complexities and the consequences of this long-lasting conflict. The Arab-Israeli conflict remains one of the most contentious in modern history, one with repercussions that reach far beyond the Middle East. This volume describes and explains the most important countries, people, events, and organizations that play or have played a part in the conflict. Chronological coverage begins with the Israeli War of Independence in 1948 and extends to the present day. A one-stop reference, the guide offers a comprehensive overview essay, as well as perspective essays by leading scholars who explore such widely debated issues as the United States' support for Israel and historic rights to Palestine. Important primary source documents, such as the UN Resolution on the Partition of Palestine and the Camp David Accords, are included and put into context. Further insight into drivers of war and peace in the Middle East are provided through biographies of major political leaders like Menachem Begin, Golda Meir, Yasser Arafat, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Anwar Sadat. Provides a comprehensive overview of one of the most complex conflicts in modern times, clarifying its causes and consequences Inspires critical thinking through perspective essays on topics related to the conflict that generate wide-spread debate Takes into account events such as the impact of the Arab Spring and the ongoing negotiations with Iran over its nuclear capabilities Offers valuable insights into the backgrounds and philosophies of the leaders on both sides who have helped defined the Arab-Israeli conflict

In Encounters of the Opposite Coast Markus Vink provides a narrative of the first half century of cross-cultural interaction between the Dutch East India Company (VOC), one of the great northern European chartered companies, and Madurai, one of the 'great southern Nayakas' and successor-states of the Vijayanagara empire, in southeast India (c. 1645-1690). A shared interest in trade and at times converging political objectives formed the unstable foundations for a complex relationship fraught with tensions, a mixture of conflict and coexistence typical of the 'age of contained conflict'. Drawing extensively on archival materials, Markus Vink covers a topic neglected by both Company historians and their Indian counterparts and sheds important light on a 'black hole in South Indian history'.

This accessible, narrative account follows Indian history over its 9,000 year trajectory, from the ancient Harappans to today, emphasizing events and issues of the 20th and 21st centuries. Written for high school students and general readers who have little background on the world's largest democracy, this second edition of a popular work provides an objective overview of Indian history with a particular focus on the modern nation. Approximately half of the book deals with developments since the beginning of the 20th century, with new chapters covering events and issues that made news between 2002 and 2014. Readers can learn about the Bollywood craze, 21st-century economic growth, and concerns about the safety and equality of women today, as well as about such traditional topics as Buddhism and Hinduism, the Mughal Dynasty, and the British East India Company. Caste politics and the establishment of the Republic of India are covered, as is the life of Mahatma Gandhi. Completely revised and expanded, the second edition features fresh content throughout and includes photographs that were not in the earlier volume. The Notable Figures section, Appendix of Leaders, timeline, and glossary are also updated, and the bibliography now features electronic resources for students. Completely updates the original, top-selling volume and adds information about issues, people, and events post-2002 Covers the entire history of India with particular attention to the formative events of the 20th century and the economic transformation that has taken place since 1991 Helps readers appreciate the sheer size of India's current population, its ever-increasing economic importance, and its strategic significance Presents information in a clear, accessible style appropriate for readers who have little or no previous knowledge about India Draws on the latest scholarly studies of Indian history

The reign of al-Muqtadir (295-320/908-32) is a crucial and controversial epoch in the history of the Abbasid empire. Al-Muqtadir's regime has traditionally been depicted as one of decline, when the political power of the caliphate and the lustre of its capital began to crumble. This book not only offers a substantial investigation of the idea and reality of decline, but also provides new interpretations of the inner workings of the court and the empire. The authors, four specialists of Abbasid history, explore the formal and informal power relationships that shaped politics at the court, involving bureaucrats, military, harem, courtiers and of course al-Muqtadir himself. A study of the topography of Baghdad completes this vivid picture of the court and its capital.