There are over a billion Indians alive today. But are some more Indian than others? To answer this question, one that is central to the identity of all who belong to modern India, Shashi Tharoor explores hotly contested ideas of nationalism, patriotism, citizenship and belonging. A contest has emerged between two opposing ideas of India: ethno-religious nationalism, versus civic nationalism. The struggle for India's soul has heightened, deepened and broadened, threatening to hollow out and destroy the remarkable concepts of pluralism, secularism and inclusive nationhood that were bestowed upon the nation at Independence. The Constitution is under siege; institutions are being undermined; mythical pasts propagated; universities assailed; minorities demonised, and worse. Every passing month sees new attacks on the ideals that India has long been admired for, as authoritarian leaders and their supporters push the country towards a state of illiberalism and intolerance. If they succeed, millions will be stripped of their identity, and bogus theories of Indianness will take root in the soil of the subcontinent. However, all is not yet lost. This erudite and lucid book shows what needs to be done to win the battle of belonging - to strengthen everything that is unique and valuable about India. 'A passionate defence of civic nationalism, it is many books rolled into one, full of erudition interspersed with anecdote. You find the raconteur and the public intellectual vying with each other for attention...but in the final analysis the book hangs together and the message is clear.' - The Hindu 'Arguably Shashi Tharoor's most ambitious work yet... a book that showcases the power of his erudition and perspicacity.' - The Wire 'A passionate plea for an ideal of India, an India taken for granted by generations and now seemingly endangered by overt and covert ideas and ideologies that seek to segment it on imagined criteria of "us" and "them".' -- Mohammad Hamid Ansari, former Vice-President of India 'A must-read for the sheer brilliance of Tharoor as a writer and for the personal anecdotes and stories he has up his sleeve.' -- The Daily Guardian, India

This newly revised eighth edition of Southeast Asia in the New International Era provides readers with contemporary coverage of a vibrant region home to more than 650 million people, vast cultural diversity, and dynamic globalized markets. Sensitive to historical legacies and paying special attention to developments since the end of the Cold War, this book highlights the events, players, and institutions that shape the region. Employing a country-by-country format, the analysis engages in context-specific treatment of the region's eleven countries: Thailand, Myanmar (Burma), Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, the Philippines, Indonesia, Timor-Leste, Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei. Fully updated, the book's revised content includes Rodrigo Duterte's drug war in the Philippines, Malaysia's historic 2018 election ending four decades of UMNO rule, Hun Sen's latest power grab in Cambodia, and a consequential monarchical transition in post-coup Thailand. It also analyzes recent developments in the South China Sea dispute, the Rohingya tragedy in Myanmar, China's expanding Belt and Road Initiative, as well as the effects of the Trump Administration's tariffs and trade war. An excellent resource for students, this textbook makes sense of the region's coups, elections, policy debates, protests, and alliances, leaving readers with a solid foundation for further study.

Should editing the human genome be allowed? What are the ethical implications of social restrictions during a pandemic? Is it ethical to use animals in clinical research? Is prioritizing COVID-19 treatment increasing deaths from other causes? Bioethics is a dynamic field of inquiry that draws on interdisciplinary expertise and methodology to address normative issues in healthcare, medicine, biomedical research, biotechnology, public health, and the environment. This Is Bioethics is an ideal introductory textbook for students new to the field, exploring the fundamental questions, concepts, and issues within this rapidly evolving area of study. Assuming no prior knowledge of the subject, this accessible volume helps students consider both traditional and cutting-edge questions, develop informed and defensible answers, and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of a diverse range of ethical positions in medicine. The authors avoid complex technical terms and jargon in favor of an easy-to-follow, informal writing style with engaging chapters designed to stimulate student interest and encourage class discussion. The book also features a deep dive into the realm of global public health ethics, including the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It considers topics like triage decision-making, the proportionality of society's response to COVID-19, whether doctors have a professional obligation to treat COVID-19 patients, and whether vaccines for this virus should be mandatory. A timely addition to the acclaimed This Is Philosophy series, This Is Bioethics is the ideal primary textbook for undergraduate bioethics and practical ethics courses, and is a must-have reference for students in philosophy, biology, biochemistry, and medicine.

How can we understand gender in the contemporary world? What psychological differences now exist between women and men? How are masculinities and femininities made? And how is gender entwined in global politics and debates over trans issues? Raewyn Connell - one of the world's leading scholars in the field - answers these questions and more. Her book provides a sophisticated yet accessible introduction to modern gender studies, covering empirical research from all parts of the world, in addition to theory and politics. As well as introducing the field, Gender provides a powerful contemporary framework for gender analysis with a strong and distinctive global awareness. Highlighting the multidimensional character of gender relations, Connell shows how to link personal life with large-scale organizational structures, and how gender politics changes its form in changing situations. The fourth edition of this influential book brings the statistical picture of gender inequalities up to date, and offers new close-focus case studies of gender research. Like previous editions, it examines gender politics and global power relations, but with added discussion around contemporary issues of intersectionality, populism, gender-based violence, trans struggles and environmental change. It also speaks at the intimate level, about embodied gender and personal relationships. Gender moves from personal experience to global problems, offering a unique perspective on gender issues today.

Exhaustively researched and updated, South Asia 2023 is an in-depth library of information on the countries and territories of this vast world region. General Survey Essays by specialists examine issues of regional importance. Country Surveys Individual chapters on each country, containing: - essays on the geography, recent history and economy of each nation - up-to-date statistical surveys of economic and social indicators - a comprehensive directory providing contact details and other useful information for the most significant political and commercial institutions. In addition, there are separate sections covering each of the states and territories of India. Regional Information - detailed coverage of international organizations and their recent activities in South Asia - information on research institutes engaged in the study of the region - a survey of the major commodities of South Asia - bibliographies of relevant books and periodicals. Additional features - biographical profiles of almost 300 prominent individuals in the region.

This substantial book examines key economic, political and social aspects of Malaysia at the turn of the new century. It covers the years of rapid growth and dramatic structural change leading up to the 1997 financial crisis, and the subsequent adjustments which enabled the economy to resume its vigorous advance. The authors critically address affirmative action policies aiming to help Malays enter the modern economy and make income distribution more equitable while reducing poverty. They look at case studies of persisting poverty amidst economic progress, and also scrutinize the development of East Malaysia with its special problems away from the centre of power in Kuala Lumpur. The authors review the direction of politics after Prime Minister Mahathir, as well as exploring Malaysia's foreign, education, and labour policies. They canvass the idea of a 'new Malay' better adapted to modern society, investigate the position of the Chinese, examine the struggle for women's rights within the religious framework of Islam, and discuss the contributions of Malaysian NGOs to ongoing changes. They finally draw together crucial issues facing Malaysia in the 21st century. The contributors, who are leading scholars in their spheres, have produced a wide ranging and comprehensive guide to the economy and society of Malaysia. This book will be of great value and interest to students and scholars of Asian economics, development and social studies.

The World Perspectives series presented short books written by some of the most eminent thinkers of the 20th Century. Each volume discusses the interrelation of the changing religious, scientific, artistic, political, economic and social influences on the human experience. This set reissues 9/10 of the volumes originally published between 1957 and 1965 and presents the thought and belief of its author and discuss: The role of architecture on social well-being and democracy The problems of international cooperation The impact of increased technology on global society The philosophies of logical positivism and materialism The meaning and function of language.

Europa's comprehensive survey of Eastern Europe, Russia and Central Asia. General Survey Leading authorities on the region analyze topics of regional importance. Country Surveys Chapters on each country, containing: - essays on its recent history and economy, and a chronology of events - an extensive statistical survey of economic indicators - a comprehensive directory of the most significant political, commercial and cultural institutions - a bibliography of books concerned with the country's history, politics and economy - detailed coverage of the self-proclaimed secessionist territories of the region, including, for the first time, chronologies of events. Who's Who in Eastern Europe, Russia and Central Asia - biographical information on more than 150 leading political figures in the region Regional Information - a directory of major international organizations and research institutes concerned with the region - select bibliographies of books and periodicals.

By the time Nate Fisher was laid to rest in a woodland grave sans coffin in the final season of "Six Feet Under, " Americans all across the country were starting to look outside the box when death came calling.
"Grave Matters" follows families who found in "green" burial a more natural, more economic, and ultimately more meaningful alternative to the tired and toxic send-off on offer at the local funeral parlor.
Eschewing chemical embalming and fancy caskets, elaborate and costly funerals, they have embraced a range of natural options, new and old, that are redefining a better American way of death. Environmental journalist Mark Harris examines this new green burial underground, leading you into natural cemeteries and domestic graveyards, taking you aboard boats from which ashes and memorial "reef balls" are cast into the sea. He follows a family that conducts a home funeral, one that delivers a loved one to the crematory, and another that hires a carpenter to build a pine coffin.
In the morbidly fascinating tradition of "Stiff, Grave Matters" details the embalming process and the environmental aftermath of the standard funeral. Harris also traces the history of burial in America, from frontier cemeteries to the billion-dollar business it is today, reporting on real families who opted for more simple, natural returns.
For readers who want to follow the examples of these families and, literally, give back from the grave, appendices detail everything you need to know, from exact costs and laws to natural burial providers and their contact information.

- Delivers a unique and original perspective that explores how students navigate elite universities by focussing on their race and class backgrounds. - It provides an original, comparative account of how students are positioned as graduates in elite universities. It will specifically highlight how students' prior experiences have had a significant impact on their experiences at elite universities. - By using Bourdieu and CRT, the book will provide a unique theoretical perspective on how inequalities are reproduced and perpetuated for some groups and not others.

Combining impartial analysis with reliable facts and figures, this fully revised and updated 24th edition provides up-to-date commentary on these vast North American nations. General Survey Essays by leading experts analyse topics of regional importance, including: - US-Canadian integration, US foreign policy in the Arctic region, and the COVID-19 pandemic in North America. Country Surveys Each country is dealt with in greater detail within its own section. Country chapters include: - a chronology of political events - essays covering key socio-political and economic themes, including: recent political developments; foreign policy; constitution; the economy; energy policy; agriculture; trade; health and social policy - additional essays examining timely subjects such as religion in US politics and the US Judicial system - historical, political and economic surveys of each of the US states and Canadian provinces and territories - statistical surveys of economic and demographic indicators - comprehensive directory sections covering public affairs, the economy and society, which provide contact details and other useful information for the most significant institutions in the region.

A comprehensive survey of the countries and territories of this region, incorporating the latest economic and political developments. General Survey Essays by acknowledged experts in the region cover a variety of topical issues. In addition, appendices discuss the religions of the region and the Russian Baltic territory of Kaliningrad. Country Surveys Individual chapters for each country, containing: - information on physical and social geography - a detailed chronology of political events, both recent and historical - essays on each country's political history and economy - a statistical survey - an extensive directory of contact details for political, state and commercial institutions and organizations in the region (covering national and local government, political organizations, diplomatic representation, the judicial system, religion, the media, finance, telecommunications and broadcasting, major companies, transport, tourism, culture, social welfare, the environment, defence, education and more) - and a select bibliography. Who's Who in Central and South-Eastern Europe Biographical details for more than 200 of the region's leading political figures. Regional Information Contact information and extensive details of the activities of regional and international organizations active in the region; a list of research institutes that focus on the region, together with contact details; and select bibliographies of both books and periodicals.

This fascinating book uncovers the hidden stories behind Pakistan's fixation with blasphemy--tales of revenge, political scheming and sovereign betrayal. Hussain's account opens in nineteenth-century colonial Punjab and traces blasphemy killings to the present, linking their emergence to polemic encounters between Hindu and Muslim revivalist sects, namely the Arya Samaj and the Ahmadiyya. It offers, for the first time, the arresting backstories to the assassinations of Pandit Lekh Ram, a leading Hindu nationalist; Swami Shraddhanand, an early progenitor of Hindu nationalism and the principal advocate for converting Muslims; and Rajpal, the Hindu publisher of a sensationalist book on the Prophet Muhammad. 'Revenge, Politics and Blasphemy in Pakistan' then maps the curious afterlives of these killings, illuminating the most critical moments in Pakistan's history: 1953, when outraged protestors smashed stores owned by religious minorities, triggering the country's first state of emergency; 1974, when Islamist parties pressured Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto to put blasphemy on the constitutional agenda; 1984, when Zia-ul-Haq transformed Pakistan according to his Islamist vision, which included more severe punishments for blasphemy; and the twenty-first century, when digital media has dramatically increased the visibility of blasphemy killings, prompting political parties to demonstrate their commitment to the cause.

Governments' decisions usually impact most on the lives of women and people of marginalised genders--yet their stories often go unheard. Wander Women unites tales of different journeys around the world and shines light on the boundaries and constraints--both physical and invisible, political and social--that mould the lives of cis women, trans people and gender-nonconforming individuals. In this moving and reflective book, two journalists draw links between the gendering of migration and the policing of gender; between cities and borders that restrict mobility. Those sharing their stories tell us what it is like to move through the world with a 'threatening' gender identity, the 'wrong' nationality, 'transgressive' politics, or a 'disability'. From the streets of London to the ruins of Syria, from Calais to Russia to Western Sahara, this book gathers voices of all ages--of pioneering activists and artists, matriarchs and mothers, politicians and humanitarians. They paint a picture of structural inequality, in which gender, movement and freedom have long been intertwined. A current of warmth and resilience runs through and connects these extraordinary voices. They offer tales of resistance and determination, in a world that tries to deny many the right to make their own choices.

This book is a comprehensive introduction to dalits in India (who comprise over one-sixth of the country's population) from the origins of caste system to the present day. Despite a plethora of provisions for affirmative action in the Indian Constitution, dalits are largely excluded from the mainstream except for a minuscule section. The book trace

This excellent reference source brings together hard-to-find information on the constituent units of the Russian Federation. The introduction examines the Russian Federation as a whole, followed by a chronology, demographic and economic statistics, and a review of the Federal Government. The second section comprises territorial surveys, each of which includes a current map. This edition includes surveys covering the annexed (and disputed) territories of Crimea and Sevastopol, as well as updated surveys of each of the other 83 federal subjects. The third section comprises a select bibliography of books. The fourth section features a series of indexes, listing the territories alphabetically, by Federal Okrug and Economic Area. Users will also find a gazetteer of selected alternative and historic names, a list of the territories abolished, created or reconstituted in the post-Soviet period, and an index of more than 100 principal cities, detailing the territory in which each is located.

Throughout China's rapidly growing cities, a new wave of unregistered house churches is growing. They are developing rich theological perspectives that are both uniquely Chinese and rooted in the historical doctrines of the faith. To understand how they have endured despite government pressure and cultural marginalization, we must understand both their history and their theology. In this volume, key writings from the house church have been compiled, translated, and made accessible to English speakers. Featured here is a manifesto by well-known pastor Wang Yi and his church, Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu, to clarify their theological stance on the house church and its relationship to the Chinese government. There are also works by prominent voices such as Jin Tianming, Jin Mingri, and Sun Yi. The editors have provided introductions, notes, and a glossary to give context to each selection. These writings are an important body of theology historically and spiritually. Though defined by a specific set of circumstances, they have universal applications in a world where the relationship between church and state is more complicated than ever. This unique resource will be valuable to practical and political theologians as well as readers interested in international relations, political philosophy, history, and intercultural studies.

Climate activists reveal the true inside stories of direct action and protest. Bravery, ingenuity and humour combine as the campaigners struggle to get their message of existential threat heard amid the noise of the modern world. Featuring: * Anthony Perrett (Greenpeace Arctic 30) incarcerated in a Russian prison * Janet Barker thrown out of the Chancellors annual dinner by an MP * Dirty power stations on trial * Six women scale the tallest building in the UK * How to stop an oil rig * Endurance on the roof of Parliament This book is a collection of events adapted into stories using a variety of styles and voices. These are true stories, told from first-hand accounts and my own experiences, although most of the details are accurate, some have had to be changed for reasons of security, narrative or memory. Some of the dialogue is accurate, some has been created to carry the story along. Usually, first names only are kept to protect identities and sometimes they are entirely changed in case there were legal ramifications. Please forgive these vagaries and aberrations, they are done to provide the reader with a complete and enjoyable experience. This book is written to show how ordinary people find the resolve to do some pretty odd things and why. Perhaps it will also encourage others to write their stories, there are so many tales of drama, bravery and humour waiting to be retold.

THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER THE NEW YORK TIMES NO 1 BESTSELLER The storming of the Capitol on 6 January 2021 revealed the transition from President Trump to President Biden to be one of the most dangerous periods in American history, with the result of the election called into question by the sitting president. But, as internationally bestselling author Bob Woodward and acclaimed reporter Robert Costa reveal for the first time, it was far more than just a domestic political crisis. At the highest level of the US military, secret action was taken to prevent Trump from possibly starting a war. Woodward and Costa interviewed more than 200 people at the centre of the turmoil, resulting in a spellbinding and definitive portrait of a nation on the brink. They take readers deep inside the Trump White House, the Biden White House, the 2020 campaign, and the Pentagon and Congress, with vivid, eyewitness accounts of what really happened. Peril is supplemented throughout with never-before-seen material from secret orders, transcripts of confidential calls, diaries, emails, meeting notes and other personal and government records, making for an unparalleled history. It is also the first inside look at Biden's presidency, revealing the background to his controversial decision to leave Afghanistan. He took office faced with the challenges of a lifetime: dealing with the continuing deadly pandemic and its crushing economic impact, all the while navigating a bitter and disabling partisan divide, and the hovering, dark shadow of the former president. 'We have much to do in this winter of peril,' Biden declared at his inauguration. Peril is the extraordinary story of the end of one presidency and the beginning of another. The culmination of Bob Woodward's bestselling trilogy on the Trump presidency, along with Fear and Rage, it is an essential read for anyone wanting to understand this tumultuous period.

How aesthetic religious experiences can create solidarity in marginalized communities Latine Catholics have used Our Lady of Guadalupe as a symbol in democratic campaigns ranging from the Chicano movement and United Farm Workers' movements to contemporary calls for just immigration reform. In diverse ways, these groups have used Guadalupe's symbol and narrative to critique society's basic structures-including law, policy, and institutions-while seeking to inspire broader participation and representation among marginalized peoples in US democracy. Yet, from the outside, Guadalupe's symbol is illegible within a liberal political framework that seeks to protect society's basic structures from religious encroachment by relegating religious speech, practices, and symbols to the background. The Aesthetics of Solidarity argues for the capacity of Our Lady of Guadalupe-and similar religious symbols-to make democratic claims. Author Nichole M. Flores exposes the limitations of political liberalism's aesthetic responses to religious difference, turning instead to Latine theological aesthetics and Catholic social thought to build a framework for interpreting religious symbols in our contemporary pluralistic and participatory democratic life. By offering a lived theology of Chicanx Catholics in Denver, Colorado, and their use of Guadalupe in the pursuit of justice in response to their neighborhood's gentrification, this book provides an important framework for a community of interpretation where members stand in solidarity to respond to justice claims made from diverse religious and cultural communities.

'Triumph and Despair' tells the dramatic story of post-revolutionary Iran's first four decades, from its establishment in 1979 until today. The revolutionary coalition that overthrew the monarchy was at once democratic, populist and Islamic. The Islamists, and the Khomeinists in particular, were able to capitalise effectively on prevailing conditions on the ground; to frame the new republic's constitution, capture nascent institutions, and consolidate their power by eliminating opponents through a reign of terror. Once the war with Iraq was over and after the death of the new order's charismatic founder, Ayatollah Khomeini, the Islamic Republic was consolidated: first by tweaking its institutional arrangements, and then by fostering economic development and post-war reconstruction. A reformist interlude then followed, reversed unceremoniously by a return of populism and a broader authoritarian retrenchment. Today Iran remains at odds with itself, its economy too deeply political to yield meaningful developmental results, its foreign relations too conflicted to allow it a productive place in the community of nations. As Iran's nationalities and its women and youth carve out spaces for themselves in the broader narrative, competing identities--religious, national and otherwise--abound. After forty years, the Islamic Republic remains a country in search of itself.

This collection of books encompasses Scottish identity and cultural heritage, historical geography, health and social issues, industrial, economic, religious and political history. Originally published between 1935 and 1990, many of these titles were written at the height of discussions concerning the viability of an independent Scotland, an issue that has renewed relevance today. They include some of the notable volumes from the Routledge The Voice of Scotland series, as well as other books by leading authors. The empirical content of many of the books reissued here ensures they retain their relevance in informing studies of trends since the time they were first completed and will be of interest to anyone concerned with the ongoing debate about Scotland's role within the UK and Europe and the shape of her political future.