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Books > Reference & Interdisciplinary > Interdisciplinary studies > General
This book explores how issues of ethics in war and warfare have
been treated by major ethical traditions of Asia. It opens a
discussion about whether there are universal standards in the
ideologies of warfare between the major religious traditions of the
world. While the chapters are written by specialists in Asian cultures, some of the conceptual apparatus is drawn from the scholarly discourse on just war, developed in the study of the ethical tradition of Christianity. Taking a comparative approach, the book looks at six different Asian religious, philosophical and political traditions: Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, China and Japan; and is organized according to geography. This innovative approach opens a new field of research on war and ideology, and extends the debate on modern warfare, universalism and human rights.
Interdisciplinary in its approach, this book explores the dilemmas that Buddhism faces in relation to the continuing ethnic conflict and violence in modern Sri Lanka. Prominent scholars in the fields of anthropology, history, Buddhist studies and Pali examine multiple dimensions of the problem. Buddhist responses to the crisis are discussed in detail, along with how Buddhism can help to create peace in Sri Lanka. Evaluating the role of Buddhists and their institutions in bringing about an end to war and violence as well as possibly heightening the problem, this collection puts forward a critical analysis of the religious conditions contributing to continuing hostilities.
Having identified early material that goes back to the Buddha
himself, the author argues that the two teachers of the Buddha were
historical figures. Based on the early Brahminic literature, namely
the early Upanishads and Moksadharma, the author asserts the origin
of the method of meditation learned by the Buddha from these
teachers, and attempts to use them to identify some authentic
teachings of the Buddha on meditation.
In Buddhist thought and practice, death has always been a central concept. This book provides a careful and thorough analysis of the rituals and social customs surrounding death in the Theravada tradition of Sri Lanka. Rita Langer describes the rituals of death and rebirth and investigates their ancient origins, analyzing social issues of the relationship between monks and lay people in this context. This aspect is of particular interest as death rituals are the only life cycle ritual in which Theravada Buddhist monks are actively involved. Drawing on early Vedic sutras and Pali texts as well as archaeological and epigraphical material, Buddhist Rituals of Death and Rebirth establishes that Sri Lankan rituals are deeply rooted in their pre-Buddhist, Vedic precursors. Whilst beliefs and doctrines have undergone considerable changes over the centuries, it becomes evident that the underlying practices have largely remained stable. The first comprehensive study of death rituals in Theravada Buddhist practice, this is an important contribution to the fields of Buddhist studies, indology, anthropology and religious studies.
The importance of the Chinese diaspora is widely recognized.
Wanning Sun examines the key role of the media in the Chinese
diaspora. She focuses especially on the media's role in
communication, in fostering a sense of community, in defining
different kinds of 'transnational Chineseness' - overseas Chinese
communities are often very different from one country to another -
and in showing how media communication is linked to commerce, which
is often a key activity of the overseas Chinese. Revealing a great deal about the vibrancy and dynamism of the Chinese-language media, the book considers the Chinese diaspora in Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and Australia, showing how it plays a crucial role in the changing nature of the Chinese diaspora.
The end of communist rule in the Soviet Union brought with it a brave new world of media and commerce. Formerly state-owned enterprises were transformed, often through private ownership, and new corporations sprung up overnight to take advantage of the new atmosphere of freedom. Until now, most research on media and news production in Russia has focused on the scope of government control and comparisons with the communist era. However, extra-governmental controls and the challenges of operating in a newly capitalist environment have been just as important if not more so in the formation of the new media climate. Filling the gap in the literature, this book examines the various agents who make the news, and discusses the fierce struggle among the various agents of power involved. Drawing on existing theories and scholarship, the book provides a wealth of detail on the actual daily practices of news production in Russia. Original research is combined with compelling first-hand accounts of news production and dissemination to provide an incisive look at the issues and power structures Russian journalists face on a daily basis."
Naikan is a Japanese psychotherapeutic method which combines
meditation-like body engagement with the recovery of memory and the
reconstruction of one's autobiography in order to bring about
healing and a changed notion of the self. Based on original anthropological fieldwork, this fascinating book provides a detailed ethnography of Naikan in practice. In addition, it discusses key issues such as the role of memory, autobiography and narrative in health care, and the interesting borderland between religion and therapy, where Naikan occupies an ambiguous position. Multidisciplinary in its approach, it will attract a wide readership, including students of social and cultural anthropology, medical sociology, religious studies, Japanese studies and psychotherapy.
Contrary to the expectations of many people, China's recent
economic growth has not led to the collapse of the Chinese
Communist Party. In fact, the Party has recently carried out a
peaceful and orderly transition to the so-called fourth generation
of leadership, has revitalised itself, and created a new, younger
and better trained cadre corps. Despite this successful
transformation, there continue to be many problems that the Party
will need to overcome if it is to remain in power, including
pressures for democratization in both urban and rural areas,
widespread corruption, the emergence of new social groups, and
increasing dissatisfaction among workers who seem to be losing out
in the present transition process.
Bringing a new dimension to the study of citizenship, Chinese
Citizenship examines how individuals at the margins of Chinese
society deal with state efforts to transform them into model
citizens in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Theatre occupied a particularly important place in the life of the elite, for whom owning a theatre troupe was highly fashionable and for whom theatre performances were an integral part of formal gatherings, various rituals and ceremonies. Based on an exploration of original historical records, including comparisons with other forms of ancient theatre, Shen provides an overview of elite theatre in Ming China and examines the details of theatrical performance.
Examining the crimes that have recently been of the greatest
concern in China, the authors assess the imbalance between public
order and human rights in the way the Chinese legal system deals
with crime. The issue of crime is of particular importance, both
because current social upheaval in China has greatly contributed to
the increase of new crimes, and because there is increasing
international interest in Chinese law following the country's
accession to the World Trade Organization. This is an in-depth study on contemporary Chinese law reform, presenting a fascinating portrait of a society and legal system grappling with vast social change.
Over recent years, there has been increasing interest in the relationship between China and Japan, particularly as a way of understanding contemporary political, economic and security developments within the whole East Asia region. Caroline Rose presents a thorough, balanced and objective examination of both sides of the relationship. This will be of great interest to academics and policy-makers in the UK and US, as well as to professionals working in Chinese and Japanese communities.
Weber's claim that Buddhism is an otherworldly religion is only
partially true. Early sources indicate that the Buddha was
sometimes diverted from supramundane interests to dwell on a
variety of politically-related matters. The significance of Asoka
Maurya as a paradigm for later traditions of Buddhist kingship is
also well-attested. However, there has been little scholarly effort
to integrate findings on the extent to which Buddhism interacted
with the political order in the classical and modern states of
Theravada Asia into a wider, comparative study.
This book addresses the paradox of political mobilization and the
failings of governance in India, with reference to the conflict
between secularism and Hindu nationalism, authoritarianism and
democracy.
Religious procession is a significant dimension of religion in South Asia. Processions are central not only in Hinduism, but also Islam, Christianity, Jainism and Sikhism, which have large procession rituals. The last years have seen an increase in processions and ritualizations of space both in South Asia and in the South Asian Diaspora. Processions are religious display events and the increase in processions are functions of religious pluralism and competition about public space as well as economic prosperity and a revival of religious identities. Processions often bring together religion and politics since they are about public space, domination and contestation. Written by leading specialists on religious processions and ritualization of public space in South Asia and in the Diaspora, this volume presents current research on the interpretations of the role of processions, the recent increase in processions and changes in the procession traditions. South Asian Religions on Display will appeal to students and scholars of Asian studies, anthropology, religion and political science.
Focusing on the issues associated with migrating for work both
in and from the Asian region, this book sheds light on the debate
over migration and trafficking. With contributions from an
international team of well-known scholars, the book sets labour
migration firmly within the context of globalization, providing a
focused, contemporary discussion of what is undoubtedly a major
twenty-first century concern.
Transnational Migration and Work in Asia analyzes workers motivations and rationalities, highlighting the similarities of migration experiences throughout Asia. Presenting in-depth case studies of the real-life experiences and problems faced by migrant workers, the book discusses migrants' relations with the state and their vulnerability to exploitation, as well as the major policy issues now facing governments, employers, NGOs and international agencies.
This edited collection traces the social, economic, political, and
cultural dimensions of Korea's dramatic transformation since the
late nineteenth century. Taking an interdisciplinary approach, the
chapters examine the internal and external forces which facilitated
the transition towards industrial capitalism in Korea, the
consequences and impact of social change, and the ways in which
Korean tradition continues to inform and influence contemporary
South Korean society.
Adib-Moghaddam examines the causes and consequences of conflict in one of the most important regions of the world. Bridging the gap between critical theories of international relations and the empirical study of the Gulf area, this book expands on the many ideologies, cultural inventions and ideational constructs that have affected relations in the past three decades. Key issues explored include:
Provocatively written, persuasively researched and conclusively argued, The International Politics of the Persian Gulf presents the first comprehensive analysis of international relations in the Gulf from an explicitly multidisciplinary perspective.
The internet is developing more extensively in China than any
other country in the world. Chinese Cyberspaces provides
multidisciplinary perspectives on recent developments and the
consequences of internet expansion in China. Including first-hand
research and case studies, the contributors examine the social,
political, cultural and economic impact of the internet in
China. The book investigates the political implications of China's internet development as well as the effect on China's information policy and overall political stability. The contributors show how although the digital divide has developed along typical lines of gender, urban versus rural, and income, it has also been greatly influenced by the Communist Party's attempts to exert efficient control. This topical and interesting text gives a compelling overview of the current situation regarding the Chinese internet development in China, while clearly signalling potential future trends.
China s rise as a major trading power has prompted debate about the nature of that country s involvement in the liberal international economic order. China s Foreign Trade Policy sheds light on this complex question by examining the changing domestic forces shaping China s foreign trade relations. Specifically, this book explores the evolving trade policymaking process in China by looking at:
In addition, Ka Zeng examines how lobbying patterns in China are becoming more open and pluralistic, with bureaucratic agencies, sectoral interests, regional interests, and even transnational actors increasingly able to influence the process and outcome of China s trade negotiations. Using case studies of China s trade disputes with its major trading partners, as well as China s participation in the dispute settlement process of the World Trade Organization, to present an in-depth analysis of China s trade relations, this book will appeal to students and scholars of international political economy, Chinese politics and foreign policy, and more generally Asian studies.
Including contributions from an international team of leading
experts, this volume examines state making from a uniquely Asian
perspective and reveals some of the misunderstandings that arise
when states and state making are judged solely on the basis of
Western history. The contributors argue that if we are to
understand states in Asia then we must first recognize the
particular combination of institution and ideologies embedded in
Asian state making and their distinctiveness from the Western
experience.
Presenting new empirical and conceptual material based on original research, the book provides a unique theoretical reflection of the state through a thorough comparison of East Asian nations and, as such, will be a valuable resource to scholars of Asian politics and international relations.
With more than 700 alphabetically arranged entries, The
Encyclopedia of Contemporary Japanese Culture offers extensive
coverage of Japanese culture spanning from the end of the Japanese
Imperialist period in 1945, right up to the present day. Entries
range from shorter definitions, histories or biographies to longer
overview essays giving an in-depth treatment of major issues.
Culture is defined in its broadest sense to allow for coverage of
the diversity of practice and production in a country as vibrant
and rapidly changing as Japan. Including a new preface by the editor to bring the book fully up-to-date with cultural developments since 2001, this Encyclopedia will be an invaluable reference tool for students of Japanese and Asian Studies, as well as providing a fascinating insight into Japanese culture for the general reader.
In creating the value-added product in not distant future, it is necessary and inevitable to establish a holistic and though-evoking approach to the engineering problem, which should be at least associated with the inter-disciplinary knowledge and thought processes across the whole engineering spheres. It is furthermore desirable to integrate it with trans-disciplinary aspects ranging from manufacturing culture, through liberal-arts engineering and industrial sociology. The thought-evoking approach can be exemplified and typified by representative engineering problems: unveiling essential features in Tangential Force Ratio and Interface Pressure, prototype development for Bio-mimetic Needle and application of Water-jet Machining to Artificial Hip Joint, product innovation in Heat Sink for Computer, application of Graph Theory to similarity evaluation of production systems, leverage among reciprocity attributes in Industrial and Engineering Designs for Machine Enclosure and academic interpretation of skills of mature technician in Scraping . The book is intended to cultivate the multi-talented engineer of the next generation by providing them with the future perspective and ideas for challenging research and development subjects."
In the absence of democratic state institutions, eastern European countries were considered to possess only myths of democracy. Working on the premise that democracy is not only an institutional arrangement but also a civilisational project, this book argues that mythical narratives help understanding the emergence of democracy without 'democrats'. Examining different national traditions as well as pre-communist and communist narratives, myths are seen as politically fabricated 'programmes of truth' that form and sustain the political imagination. Appearing as cultural, literary, or historical resources, myths amount to ideology in narrative form, which actors use in political struggles for the sake of achieving social compliance and loyalty with the authority of new political forms. Drawing on a wide range of case studies including Ukraine, Russia, Poland, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia, this book argues that narratives about the past are not simply 'legacies' of former regimes but have actively shaped representations and meanings of democracy in the region. Taking different theoretical and methodological approaches, the power of myth is explored for issues such as leadership, collective identity-formation, literary representation of heroic figures, cultural symbolism in performative art as well as on the constitution of legitimacy and civic identity in post-communist democracies. |
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