Be the coolest parent in the neighborhood, maybe in the world. It's all in this book and so easy. Every child and adult looks forward to enjoying the next big holiday season with their friends and family. What if you could celebrate several of those holidays every month with your kids? Give them some fun days that no other children experience. Give them low or no cost holidays that build a stronger emotional connection with them. Make their friends, and yours, look at you with envy over celebrating things that no one ever thought about. In this book, you will learn the most important birthday for your child and cool new holidays like One Day Fun Day, May Day Play Day, Awesome August Adventure Day, January Journey, September Search, Pie Day, Slurpee Day, and over forty others. Plus, learn how to celebrate the more traditional holidays like Christmas, Easter, Halloween, and President's Day in fun new ways. Learn bedtime and good-morning songs, how to educate your kids on things even teachers don't know, and have your kids begging for more. This book took twelve years to develop all those cool things. It's now available exclusively for you.

Is the restaurant an ideal total social phenomenon for the contemporary world? Restaurants are framed by the logic of the market, but promise experiences not of the market. Restaurants are key sites for practices of social distinction, where chefs struggle for recognition as stars and patrons insist on seeing and being seen. Restaurants define urban landscapes, reflecting and shaping the character of neighborhoods, or standing for the ethos of an entire city or nation. Whether they spread authoritarian French organizational models or the bland standardization of American fast food, restaurants have been accused of contributing to the homogenization of cultures. Yet restaurants have also played a central role in the reassertion of the local, as powerful cultural brokers and symbols for protests against a globalized food system. The Restaurants Book brings together anthropological insights into these thoroughly postmodern places.

This thorough introduction to modern-day Norway and Norwegian culture shows the impact a small country can have on the world in terms of peace building, environmental issues, technological innovation, and more. Culture and Customs of Norway provides an up-to-date view of Norway, showcasing a nation that is part of modern Europe, yet zealously maintains its own culture and identity. Providing the most current information on a broad range of topics-including cinema, literature, food, art, performing arts, and architecture-the book also places modern-day Norway in a historical context that makes it possible to understand how Norwegian culture came to be as it is today. Readers will discover a nation that is a fascinating juxtaposition of advanced technology, especially in such fields as oil production and climate, and some of the most spectacular natural beauty in the world. They will read about such famous writers, artists, and composers as Henrik Ibsen, Edvard Munch, and Edvard Grieg. And they will discover how Norway confronts the challenges of modern society without sacrificing its social-democratic philosophy of social justice and shared responsibility, both at home and globally. Photographs of art, architecture, nature, people, and more Includes a glossary of Norwegian-language words like lutefisk and nynorsk, that are useful for understanding Norwegian culture Presents a political map of Norway A chronology of important events from the Stone Age to the present An annotated bibliography of English-language resources

There has been a widespread fascination with age-dissimilar couples in recent years. This book examines how the romantic relationships of these couples are understood. Based on qualitative research, McKenzie investigates notions of autonomy, relatedness, contradiction, and change in age-dissimilar relationships and romantic love.

Recently identified as a killer, tobacco has been the focus of health warnings, lawsuits, and political controversy. Yet many Native Americans continue to view tobacco-when used properly-as a life-affirming and sacramental substance that plays a significant role in Native creation myths and religious ceremonies.

This definitive work presents the origins, history, and contemporary use (and misuse) of tobacco by Native Americans. It describes wild and domesticated tobacco species and how their cultivation and use may have led to the domestication of corn, potatoes, beans, and other food plants. It also analyzes many North American Indian practices and beliefs, including the concept that Tobacco is so powerful and sacred that the spirits themselves are addicted to it. The book presents medical data revealing the increasing rates of commercial tobacco use by Native youth and the rising rates of death among Native American elders from lung cancer, heart disease, and other tobacco-related illnesses. Finally, this volume argues for the preservation of traditional tobacco use in a limited, sacramental manner while criticizing the use of commercial tobacco.

Contributors are: Mary J. Adair, Karen R. Adams, Carol B. Brandt, Linda Scott Cummings, Glenna Dean, Patricia Diaz-Romo, Jannifer W. Gish, Julia E. Hammett, Robert F. Hill, Richard G. Holloway, Christina M. Pego, Samuel Salinas Alvarez, Lawrence A Shorty, Glenn W. Solomon, Mollie Toll, Suzanne E. Victoria, Alexander von Garnet, Jonathan M. Samet, and Gail E. Wagner.

The wide range of readings in Working: Its Meaning and Its Limits proposes different ways of thinking about something most of us do every day -- work. As part of the Ethics of Everyday Life series, these readings are an invitation to reflection and conversation. They focus not on rules for the workplace or on dilemmas in business ethics but on one of the most fundamental aspects of human existence in every time and place.

Gilbert C. Meilaender presents varied readings that explore many of the ways in which human beings have thought about the place of work in life -- its meanings, its limits, and its relation to other obligations, to the life cycle, to play, and to rest. The readings in this volume range in time from the world of ancient Israel and the classical world of Greece and Rome to contemporary American society. They range in complexity from "The Little Red Hen" to philosophers such as Charles Taylor and Alasdair MacIntyre, and in genre from poetry by Kipling and George Herbert to essays by Dorothy Sayers and Roger Angell; from novels by Tolstoy and Twain to treatises by Marx, Aristotle, and Karl Barth -- all placed in the context of an extended discussion of the meaning of work in human life by Meilaender's introduction.

Working: Its Meaning and Its Limits enables any reader interested in understanding the moral and spiritual significance of work in our lives to enter into a conversation not only about what we do but who we are.

This is an authoritative guide to contemporary debates and issues in the sociology of religion providing a clear examination of classical secularization and the post-secularization paradigm. "Secularization and Its Discontents" provides an illuminating overview of major current debates in the sociology of religion, exploring changing patterns of religious practice in the West during the past 150 years. Examining classical secularization theory as well as modified versions that allow for difference between national and social contexts, Rob Warner also explores the proposed post-secularization paradigm, as well as its close offshoot, rational choice theory. Possibilities for a spiritual revolution and the feminisation of religion are scrutinised, and also theories of the durability of conservative religion. The author goes on to develop a new interpretation of resilient religion from an analysis of 21st century trends in religious participation. These are categorised as entrepreneurial and experiential-therapeutic, before the volume finally focuses upon individual identity construction through autonomous religious consumption. This book provides a clear and penetrating overview of theoretical frameworks and develops a new theoretical synthesis derived from fresh examination of empirical data, and will be of interest to academics and students in religious studies, practical theology and the sociology of religion.

The issue of patronage-clientelism has long been of interest in the social sciences. Based on long-term ethnographic research in southern Italy, this book examines the concept and practice of raccomandazione: the omnipresent social institution of using connections to get things done. Viewing the practice both from an indigenous perspective - as a morally ambivalent social fact - and considering it in light of the power relations that position southern Italy within the nesting relations of global Norths and Souths, it builds on and extends past scholarship to consider the nature of patronage in a contemporary society and its relationship to corruption.

How men and women interact, the respect young show old and old show young, and who doffs their hat to whom provides a telling window on American cultural history. Bowing To Necessities is the chronologically most wide-ranging study, covering the long period of 1620 to 1860, of its kind. Working through two centuries of conduct literature, Professor Hemphill provides a wonderful retelling of American history to the Civil War, illuminating crucial connections between evolving class, gender, and age relations along the way.

Europeans are eating out in unprecedented numbers - in cafs, pubs, brasseries and restaurants. Globalization brought about changes in patterns of leisure and consumption, as well as a democratization of restaurant culture. But what if we open up this concept of 'eating out' to include any eating that takes place outside the home? What cultural shifts can we see through time? What differences can we discover about pre-industrial, industrial and post-industrial societies?Eating Out in Europe addresses such questions as it examines changes in eating patterns through time. 'Eating out' is broadly conceived to cover everything from nibbling a pizza at work to dining in an exquisite restaurant, from suffering an institutional lunch at the school cafeteria to enjoying the natural world with a picnic. The meaning of eating out clearly varies enormously depending on the setting, circumstances and significance of the meal. The contributors describe and interpret the huge changes that occurred in eating habits throughout Europe by analyzing such factors as urbanization, technological innovation, demographic growth, employment patterns and identity formation. Case studies include the evolution of the pub, the rise of the fast food industry in Britain, picnicking in nineteenth-century France, snack culture in the Netherlands, industrial canteens in Germany, the rise of restaurants in Norway and countryside traditions in Hungary, among others. Fully comprehensive and illustrated, the contributors draw on examples throughout Europe from the late eighteenth century to the present day.

"We're seeing people that we didn't know exist," the director of FEMA acknowledged in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. "Sacral Grooves, Limbo Gateways" offers a corrective to some of America's institutionalized invisibilities by delving into the submerged networks of ritual performance, writing, intercultural history, and migration that have linked the coastal U.S. South with the Caribbean and the wider Atlantic world. This interdisciplinary study slips beneath the bar of rigid national and literary periods, embarking upon deeper--more rhythmic and embodied--signatures of time. It swings low through ecologies and symbolic orders of creolized space. And it reappraises pluralistic modes of knowledge, kinship, and authority that have sustained vital forms of agency (such as jazz) amid abysses of racialized trauma.
Drawing from Haitian Vodou and New Orleanian Voudou and from Cuban and South Floridian Santeria, as well as from Afro-Baptist (Caribbean, Geechee, and Bahamian) models of encounters with otherness, this book reemplaces deep-southern texts within the counterclockwise ring-stepping of a long Afro-Atlantic modernity. Turning to an orphan girl's West African initiation tale to follow a remarkably traveled body of feminine rites and writing (in works by Paule Marshall, Zora Neale Hurston, Lydia Cabrera, William Faulkner, James Weldon Johnson, and LeAnne Howe, among others), Cartwright argues that only in holistic form, emergent from gulfs of cross-cultural witness, can literary and humanistic authority find legitimacy. Without such grounding, he contends, our educational institutions blind and even poison students, bringing them to "swallow lye," like the grandson of Phoenix Jackson in Eudora Welty's "A Worn Path." Here, literary study may open pathways to alternative medicines--fetched by tenacious avatars like Phoenix (or an orphan Kumba or a shell-shaking Turtle)--to remedy the lies our partial histories have made us swallow.

This is a major work by three international scholars at the cutting edge of new research that investigates the emerging set of complex relationships between creativity, design, research, higher education and knowledge capitalism. It highlights the role of the creative and expressive arts, of performance, of aesthetics in general, and the significant role of design as an underlying infrastructure for the creative economy. This book tracks the most recent mutation of these serial shifts - from postindustrial economy to the information economy to the digital economy to the knowledge economy to the 'creative economy' - to summarize the underlying and essential trends in knowledge capitalism and to investigate post-market notions of open source public space. The book hypothesizes that creative economy might constitute an enlargement of its predecessors that not only democratizes creativity and relativizes intellectual property law, but also emphasizes the social conditions of creative work. It documents how these profound shifts have brought to the forefront forms of knowledge production based on the commons and driven by ideas, not profitability per se; and have given rise to the notion of not just 'knowledge management' but the design of 'creative institutions' embodying new patterns of work.

Cameroon, in Central Africa, has been called "Africa in miniature." It is characterized by exceptional social and ethnic diversity, with more than 250 ethnicities now forming five major regional-culture groupings. This volume is the first to encapsulate Cameroon's rich indigenous and modern customs and traditions in depth. The narrative emphasizes those aspects that define its modern nation, its peoples, the unique societies, their institutions, and various lifestyles. The origins of Cameroon's diverse culture are traced back to the various ethnic groups and languages as well as the influence of European colonialism, Christianity, Islam, and other external factors, including globalization. In each topical chapter, examples from ethnic groups are presented to give some sense of the variety of experiences. Cameroon has had a turbulent and eventful modern history with German, English, and French incursions, and students and general readers will be able to understand the current struggle for democracy post independence. The history colors the substantial coverage of the many topics examined, from education, to marriage and women's roles, sports, and holidays, daily life, the arts, and much more. This volume will stand as the definitive, accessible introduction to Cameroon and will be essential for building a well-rounded Africa collection.

Don't just see the sights-get to know the people. Many tourists visit the Czech Republic knowing no more about it than that the beer is cheap and the women beautiful. That lack of knowledge has led to frustration among Czechs, most of whom are very well-informed about the world around them. Culture Smart! Czech Republic informs you about the traditions, values, and attitudes of a remarkable people. It describes Czech life at home and in the workplace and offers practical advice on what to expect and how to navigate different social situations. The real rewards will come to the visitor who goes beyond the reserve to explore the complex corners of the Czech soul. Have a richer and more meaningful experience abroad through a better understanding of the local culture. Chapters on history, values, attitudes, and traditions will help you to better understand your hosts, while tips on etiquette and communicating will help you to navigate unfamiliar situations and avoid faux pas.

The concept of culture has long been criticized, with many scholars reformulating it or discarding it entirely. The field of intercultural communication and relations, however, still relies on culture to examine interculturality and this volume provides a comprehensive examination of the problems that the concept poses today.

The reunification of Germany in 1990 has prompted far-reaching debates about German identity, history and tradition. One framework for these debates is provided by the extensive urban development and building activities which have commenced in Eastern Germany since 1990. This ethnographic case study of post-communist Dresden explores the complex symbolic meanings of such projects as the rebuilding of the Frauenkirche, Dresden's quarrels with the UNESCO about a new Elbe bridge, and many others. It traces a history of civic engagement from the time of the GDR through to the present of reunified Germany, and demonstrates the built environment's importance for identity construction in periods of social transformation.

An ideal resource for anyone interested in learning about Ethiopia, this accessible, single-volume work provides all-encompassing and up-to-date coverage of the ancient and diverse cultures of Africa's second-most populated nation. Explore the fascinating culture of Ethiopia, a highly diverse nation built on the foundations of ancient kingdoms-truly a melting pot of traditions from Africa as well as other continents. With increasing freedom of speech and growing access to technology, Ethiopians are better able-and more eager-than ever to share ideas, art, and information not only with each other, but with the rest of the world. This detailed volume offers readers informed perspectives on one of the world's oldest populations, covering its long-ago history as well as its evolution in the 21st century. Readers will discover Ethiopa's collection of written and oral stories, unique art and architecture inspired by royalty and religion, delicious cuisine, and many forms of music, dress, and dance. The book's chapters also describe important changes in Ethiopia's social customs, prevalent attitudes regarding women, and the nation's historically oppressive political system. Presents comprehensive, current coverage of Ethiopia that includes the latest archaeological findings and socio-economic and political developments as well as previously overlooked topics such as gender, slavery, and migration Addresses the major famines in Ethiopia in the 1980s that led to the deaths of thousands of people and served as the reason many Westerners first became aware of this African nation Describes all of the major ethnic groups of Ethiopia, including the Afar, Amhara, Oromo, Sidamo, Somalis, and Tigray

This book explores the relationship between European Union law, culture, and identity. Community trade and competition rules have certainly affected many mundane, though highly formative, aspects of our day-to-day lives: when we shop, what we drink, even which football matches we watch on television. But Community law is not merely a vehicle for challenging established national rules which have a cultural dimension: Article 151 of the EC Treaty, which came into force in 1993, empowers the Community to 'contribute to the flowering of the cultures of the Member States', whilst at the same time bringing the 'common cultural heritage to the fore'. This book explores some of the challenges facing the European Union in developing convincing and coherent policies in the cultural domain. These challenges stem not only from the Union's fragmented institutional structure and Member State sensitivities but also from the uncertainty which surrounds the very meaning of the term 'culture' itself. The wide-ranging contributions illustrate how cultural issues can be seen to permeate all aspects of European Union law, by focussing on areas as diverse as international trade and aid, education, sport, language use, and the mass media.

Another wonderful new series from the top 10 bestselling author of The Cornish Midwife, Jo Bartlett. Welcome to Seabreeze Farm.Unhappy with life in London, and with her love life a complete disaster, Ellie Chapman desperately needs a change. So when she learns she's inherited a farmhouse perched high up on the cliffs above the English Channel, it feels like the perfect escape. But ramshackle and dilapidated, and ruled by the world's naughtiest donkey, Seabreeze Farm is not as picture perfect as Ellie imagined. And then there's brooding local vet Ben Hastings, who seems to make it his mission to make life on the farm even harder for Ellie! With money tight, Ellie slowly rebuilds the tired old farmhouse. And as the farm comes to life under Ellie's care, Ellie's spark returns too. Because as every day passes, Ellie begins to realise that there is something special about Seabreeze Farm, and there's no other place she'd rather be. This book was previously published as two novellas - Give Me Your Answer Do and Second Chances at Channel View Farm. Praise for Jo Bartlett: 'I love second chance stories. I love returning home stories. So a book combining both is an absolute winner for me. The Cornish Midwife is simply gorgeous. Stunning setting, wonderful characters, and oozing with warmth. A triumph from Jo Bartlett.' Jessica Redland 'Perfectly written and set in the beating heart of a community, this story is a wonderful slice of Cornish escapism.' Helen J Rolfe

A group of Chagga-speaking men descend the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro to butcher animals and pour milk, beer, and blood on the ground, requesting rain for their continued existence. Returning Life explores how this event engages activities where life force is transferred and transformed to afford and affect beings of different kinds. Historical sources demonstrate how the phenomenon of life force encompasses coffee cash-cropping, Catholic Christianity, and colonial and post-colonial rule, and features in cognate languages from throughout the area. As this vivid ethnography explores how life projects through beings of different kinds, it brings to life concepts and practices that extend through time and space, transcending established analytics.

This book explores knightly stories of medieval manners and is a commentary on what people in the middle ages wore, how they prayed and what they hoped for in this life and the next. These stories range from the shockingly bawdy to the deeply pious, and often end with morals about the ways women can avoid 'blame, shame, and defame'.