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Books > Reference & Interdisciplinary > Interdisciplinary studies > General
Suitable for students of all levels, this book provides a
general description of the Korean language by highlighting
important structural aspects whilst keeping technical details to a
minimum. By examining the Korean language in its geographical,
historical, social and cultural context the reader is able to gain
a good understanding of its speakers and the environment in which
it is used. The book covers a range of topics on Korean including
its genetic affiliation, historical development, sound patterns,
writing systems, vocabulary, grammar and discourse.
The text is designed to be accessible, primarily to English-speaking learners of Korean and scholars working in disciplines other than linguistics, as well as serving as a useful introduction for general linguists. The book complements Korean language textbooks used in the classroom and will be welcomed not only by readers with a wider interest in Korean studies, but also by Asian specialists in 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.
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.
The late Stalinist period, long neglected by researchers more interested in the high-profile events of the 1930s, has recently become the focus of much new research by people keen to understand the enormous impact of the war on Soviet society and to understand Soviet life under 'mature socialism'. Written by top scholars from high profile universities, this impressive work brings together much new, cutting edge research on a wide range of aspects of late Stalinist society. Filling a gap in the literature, it focuses above all on the experience of the Soviet people and their interaction with ideology, state policy and national and international politics.
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.
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.
Conventional political science depicts legitimate elections as rational affairs in which informed voters select candidates for office according to how their coherently presented aims, ideologies and policies appeal to the self-interest of the electorate. In reality elections, whether in first world democracies, or in the various governmental systems present in Asia, can more realistically be seen as cultural events in which candidates' campaigns are shaped, consciously or unconsciously, to appeal to the cultural understanding and practices of the electorate. The election campaign period is one in which the masses are mobilized to participate in a range of cultural activities, from flying the party colours in noisy motorcycle parades to attending political rallies for or against, or simply to be entertained by the performances on the political stage, and to gambling on the outcome of the contest. The essays in this book analyse electioneering activities in nine Asian countries in terms of popular cultural practices in each location, ranging from updated traditional cultures to mimicry and caricatures of present day television dramas. In presenting political election as an expression of popular culture this book portrays electoral behaviour as a meaningful cultural practice. As such this book will appeal to student and scholars of political science and cultural studies alike, as well as those with a more general interest in Asian studies.
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.
North Korea features highly on the agenda of the main actors in East Asia and around the globe, and many large foreign policy initiatives have been undertaken since the structural constraints of the Cold War started to loosen in the early 1990s. The centrality of North Korea has been particularly emphasized by the country's suspected development of nuclear weapons which is regarded as one of the largest de-stabilising factors in the Asia-Pacific region. This comprehensive book analyzes the formation of the North Korea policy in the context of great power relations in East Asia, specifically focusing on Japan's policy formation and 'the Japan factor' in the North Korea policies of other concerned great powers, namely the US, China, Russia, South Korea and the EU. By adopting an empirical focus on the international interaction over North Korea, this book brings together issues that are highly relevant to contemporary Japanese foreign policy; clarifies what is happening in the region right now and plots what policy options are available for the future. Policy-oriented and based on careful empirical analysis, North Korea Policy will appeal to both policy makers and scholars of Asian foreign policy.
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.
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."
Using a wide range sources, this book explores the ways in which the Russians governed their empire in Siberia from 1598 to 1725. Paying particular attention to the role of the Siberian Cossaks, the author takes a thorough assessment of how the institutions of imperial government functioned in seventeenth century Russia. It raises important questions concerning the nature of the Russian autocracy in the early modern period, investigating the neglected relations of a vital part of the Empire with the metropolitan centre, and examines how the Russian authorities were able to control such a vast and distant frontier given the limited means at its disposal. It argues that despite this great physical distance, the representations of the Tsar's rule in the symbols, texts and gestures that permeated Siberian institutions were close at hand, thus allowing the promotion of political stability and favourable terms of trade. Investigating the role of the Siberian Cossacks, the book explains how the institutions of empire facilitated their position as traders via the sharing of cultural practices, attitudes and expectations of behaviour across large distances among the members of organisations or personal networks.
The health care system in Malaysia has undergone a fundamental
transformation over the last two decades. This book examines this
transformation and explores the pressing issues it faces today. It
includes coverage of:
The book offers a detailed examination of the changing face of health care in Malaysia, and its impact on Malaysian citizens, users and society.
This book examines the Hong Kong media over a forty year period,
focusing in particular on how its newspapers and TV stations have
struggled for press freedom under the colonial British
administration, as well as Chinese rule. Making full use of newly declassified material, extensive
interviews and specific case-studies, it provides an illuminating
analysis of the dynamics of political power and its relationship
with media censorship. Overall, this book is an impressive discussion of the evolving face of the Hong Kong media, and is an important contribution to theoretical debates on the relationship between political power, economics, identity and journalism.
Helen James considers security in Myanmar/Burma. She uses the
ideas put forward in the United Nations Development Programme's
1994 report, of human, as opposed to state and security, going on
to argue that freedom from want, and freedom from fear (of the
regime) are in fact mutually supportive ideas, and that the
security of the people and the security of the state are in fact in
a symbiotic relationship with each other. Presenting new and significant information of the security concept of Myanmar/Burma, James' original work considers economic development, health, education, environmental issues, the drugs trade, human rights, minority peoples and political, social and economic reforms, arguing that improved governance, the development of civil society and economic development would both strengthen the state and ensure the security and well-being of its citizens.
The balance between individual independence and social
interdependence is a perennial debate in Japan. A series of
educational reforms since 1990, including the implementation of a
new curriculum in 2002, has been a source of fierce controversy.
This book, based on an extended, detailed study of two primary
schools in the Kinki district of Japan, discusses these debates,
shows how reforms have been implemented at the school level, and
explores how the balance between individuality and social
interdependence is managed in practice. It discusses these complex
issues in relation to personal identity within the class and within
the school, in relation to gender issues, and in relation to the
teaching of specific subjects, including language, literature and
mathematics. The book concludes that, although recent reforms have
tended to stress individuality and independence, teachers in
primary schools continue to balance the encouragement of
individuality and self-direction with the development of
interdependence and empathy.
This book challenges the perception of Japan as a 'copying culture' through a series of detailed ethnographic and historical case studies. It addresses a question about why the West has had such a fascination for the adeptness with which the Japanese apparently assimilate all things foreign and at the same time such a fear of their skill at artificially remaking and automating the world around them. Countering the idea of a Japan that deviously or ingenuously copies others, it elucidates the history of creative exchanges with the outside world and the particular myths, philosophies and concepts which are emblematic of the origins and originality of copying in Japan. The volume demonstrates the diversity and creativity of copying in the Japanese context through the translation of a series of otherwise loosely related ideas and concepts into objects, images, texts and practices of reproduction, which include: shamanic theatre, puppetry, tea utensils, Kyoto town houses, architectural models, genres of painting, calligraphy, and poetry, 'sample' food displays, and the fashion and car industries.
This book traces the emergence of the modern Chinese press from its
origins in the western Christian missionary press in the late
nineteenth century.
Sergei Kovalyov is a central figure in the struggle for human rights in Russia. He was a leading Soviet biology academic and, in the 1970s after becoming active in dissident circles, was arrested by the KGB, tried, imprisoned and subjected to internal exile. After his release, he continued to work for human rights, eventually becoming chairman of the Soviet Human Rights Committee and chairman of the Presidential Human Rights Commission, in which positions he was extremely influential in framing human rights provisions in post-Communist Russia. He subsequently took President Yeltsin to task for human rights failings, eventually resigning in protest. This book, by tracing Kovalyov's political career, shows how human rights developed in Russia in late Soviet and post Soviet times.
Despite their small area, the southern islands of Japan can be
seen as stepping stones towards a more nuanced view of cultural
osmosis between Japan and the outside world. This book presents an
ethnographic portrayal of the people of the Southern Ryukyu Islands
and their world. In particular it explores the mind of the
islanders, their relationship with the natural world, their social
relationships, and the rituals which represent and give expression
to these relationships. Based on extensive original research, including participant observation, the book allows the authentic voices of the Ryukyu Island worlds to speak for themselves as well as setting the work in the wider context of anthropology, Japanese Studies and Pacific Island studies.
Despite its recent rapid economic growth, China's political system has remained resolutely authoritarian. However, an increasingly open economy is creating the infrastructure for an open society, with the rise of a non-state sector in which a private economy, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and different forms of social forces are playing an increasingly powerful role in facilitating political change and promoting good governance. This book examines the development of the non-state sector and NGOs in China since the onset of reform in the late 1970s. It explores the major issues facing the non-state sector in China today, assesses the institutional barriers that are faced by its developing civil society, and compares China's example with wider international experience. It shows how the 'get-rich-quick' ethos of the Deng Xiaoping and Jiang Zemin years, that prioritised rapid GDP growth above all else, has given way under the Jiantao Hu regime to a renewed concern with social reforms, in areas such as welfare, medical care, education, and public transportation. It demonstrates how this change has led to encouragement by the Hu government of the development of the non-state sector as a means to perform regulatory functions and to achieve effective provision of public and social services. It explores the tension between the government's desire to keep the NGOs as "helping hands' rather than as autonomous, independent organizations, and their ability to perform these roles successfully.
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." |
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