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Books > Social sciences > Sociology, social studies > Social groups & communities > Associations, clubs, societies
Ren Gunon (1886-1951) was one of the great luminaries of the
twentieth century, whose critique of the modern world has stood
fast against the shifting sands of intellectual fashion. His
extensive writings, now finally available in English, are a
providential treasure-trove for the modern seeker: while pointing
ceaselessly to the perennial wisdom found in past cultures ranging
from the Shamanistic to the Indian and Chinese, the Hellenic and
Judaic, the Christian and Islamic, and including also Alchemy,
Hermeticism, and other esoteric currents, they direct the reader
also to the deepest level of religious praxis, emphasizing the need
for affiliation with a revealed tradition even while acknowledging
the final identity of all spiritual paths as they approach the
summit of spiritual realization. Studies in Freemasonry and the
Compagnonnage is both an attempt to rediscover the lost roots of
Masonry and a fascinating look into the many controversies swirling
around the subject of Masonry in serious intellectual circles
during the first half of the twentieth century. It must also be
classed, along with Symbols of Sacred Science, Spiritual Authority
and Temporal Power, Traditional Forms and Cosmic Cycles, The
Esoterism of Dante, Insights into Christian Esoterism and Insights
into Islamic Esoterism and Taoism-not to mention related sections
in many of his other books-as one of Ren Gunon's masterful
excursions into esoteric myth, symbolism, and secret history.
Freemasonry may indeed be, as Gunon ultimately concluded, a largely
degenerated and thus no longer strictly 'operative' offshoot of a
true initiatory lineage; yet its symbolism, like that of the
original Rosicrucians, remains profound, traditional, and therefore
ultimately legitimate. And given that the 'Spirit bloweth where it
listeth', it is always possible that symbolism of this order may
awaken in a receptive soul intimations of the Truth and the Way,
which can be of inestimable of value in 'the path to the Path', the
quest for a living initiatory spirituality.
This book presents details of Masonic initiation rituals, along
with grips, passwords and regalia. Written in the 19th century,
Duncan's Ritual, as it is known, has been republished numerous
times. It includes the three basic degrees of the Ancient York
Rite, and four additional advanced degrees. There are over a
hundred illustrations; all reproduced here, which show important
details of the rituals, including gestures and symbolic pictures.
Duncan's Ritual is careful to note known variations where they
exist. This book will be of interest to beginning Masons who want a
roadmap of the craft, as well as experienced Masons who need a
review.
This collection explores conceptions and practices of democracy of
social movement organizations involved in global protest. Focusing
on the global justice movement this book shows how they adopt
radical new democratic approaches and thus provide a fundamental
critique of conventional politics.
The rise and fall of Manchester City's Young Guvnors mirrored the
government's attempts to get to grips with the escalating violence
at football matches throughout the 1980s. Here Rodney Rhoden, one
of the youngest members of this feared group of supporters, recalls
the police tactics that ended The Young Guvnors reign of terror.
"This is my story". The story of the Young Guvnors. "The Young
Guvnors fought not only on the streets of Manchester against their
fellow hooligans but with other firms up and down the country. We
sought out rival fans to fight - to say it is not a pleasant story
is an understatement. "From our formation in the mid 1980s when
organized football hooliganism was at an all time high its a
vicious account of how we operated our bloody battles with opposing
mobs and ultimately about our demise."
The Sicilian Mafia, or Cosa Nostra, is one of the most intriguing
criminal phenomena in the world. It is an unparalleled organised
criminal grouping that over almost two centuries has been able not
only to successfully permeate licit and illicit economy, politics
and civil society, but also to influence and exercise authoritative
power over both the underworld and the upper-world. This criminal
phenomenon has been a captivating conundrum for scholars of
different disciplines who have tried to explain with various
paradigms the reasons behind the emergence and consolidation of the
mafia. Challenging the Mafia Mystique provides an analysis of the
changes the Sicilian mafia has undergone, from legitimisation to
denunciation. Rino Coluccello highlights how, from the very
emergence of the organised criminal groups in Sicily, a culture
existed that was protective and tolerant of the mafia. He argues
that the various conceptualisations of the mafia that dominated the
public and scientific debate in the nineteenth and more than half
of the twentieth century created a mystique, which legitimised the
mafia and contributed to their success. This book will be of great
interest to scholars and students of organised crime, Italian
politics and Italian literature.
"recommended for most academic and large public, and some special
libraries." Library Journal
Do prophecies fail? A small group led by spirit mediums,
infiltrated by social scientists, and reported on at intervals by
the press: Together, these different parties create a sequence of
mutual misunderstandings that leads both to a series of missed
appointments with flying saucers from distant planets and to
success in averting a global catastrophe.This volume proposes a
re-reading of Leon Festinger's classic work on cognitive
dissonance, offering a different account of the motivations and
meanings of a group expecting the arrival of spacemen from another
planet and anticipating the End of the World, and incorporating the
social scientists who studied them into the picture.The author
explores the relations between anthropology and psychology and
between social scientific and natural scientific accounts of human
behaviour, contributing to ideas about the role of science in
contemporary society and to the sociology of secrecy..
In recent years, volunteering and voluntary organizations have come
to play an increasingly important role in British society. But this
recognition has come at the cost of losing sight of the distinctive
characteristics of voluntary action and its claims to independence
of thought and action. Drawing on 45 years' experience of working
in and researching the sector, Colin Rochester shows how
conventional wisdom about how voluntary action is understood and
undertaken ignores a variety of important activities which have
contributed so much to our quality of life and living conditions.
He revisits the history of voluntary action; identifies the forces
that have created modern misunderstandings and misrepresentations;
explores the role of voluntary action and the forms it takes; and
argues that the reality of voluntary activity is very different
from the picture painted by contemporary researchers and
practitioners. In a final chapter Rochester spells out the
implications of his vision for research and practice.
This book provides historical sketches of the most significant
national and international learned societies and academies located
outside the United States. Complementing Joseph Kiger's Research
Institutions and Learned Societies, which covers the United States,
this volume includes profiles, arranged alphabetically, on some 100
organizations located in fifty-three countries.
Each profile provides comprehensive, uniform, up-to-date
information, including founding, history, purpose, activities,
governance, current operations, and location of offices and
archives, on the subject society. Entries conclude with sources of
additional information. Appendices include chronologies,
genealogies, and topical listings. The work includes a full
index.
This hardbound edition of Yarker's classic opus is not merely
another facsimile edition. It has been completely reformatted, yet
retains a look and feel that is comparable to the original 1909
edition, right down to the blue cloth binding and gold stamped
spine. From Alchemy to Zoroaster, and everything in between, The
Arcane Schools continues to be one of the most comprehensive and
authoritative works concerning the history and migration of the
Western Mystery Tradition. Students of Freemasonry, Rosicrucianism,
and Theosophy will find this to be an indispensable addition to
their collection.
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