New York Jews, so visible and integral to the culture, economy and politics of America's greatest city, has eluded the grasp of historians for decades. Surprisingly, no comprehensive history of New York Jews has ever been written. City of Promises: A History of the Jews of New York, a three volume set of original research, pioneers a path-breaking interpretation of a Jewish urban community at once the largest in Jewish history and most important in the modern world. Volume II, Emerging Metropolis, written by Annie Polland and Daniel Soyer, describes New York's transformation into a Jewish city. Focusing on the urban Jewish built environment-its tenements and banks, synagogues and shops, department stores and settlement houses-it conveys the extraordinary complexity of Jewish immigrant society. Each volume includes a visual essay by art historian Diana Linden interpreting aspects of life for New York's Jews from their arrival until today. These illustrated sections, many in color, illuminate Jewish material culture and feature reproductions of early colonial portraits, art, architecture, as well as everyday culture and community. Overseen by noted scholar Deborah Dash Moore, City of Promises offers the largest Jewish city in the world, in the United States, and in Jewish history its first comprehensive account.

View the Table of Contents. Read the Introduction.

"All the greats--Buckley, Hayek, Kirk, Friedman, Reagan--are represented in the fine anthology edited by Gregory L. Schneider, and the gloves occasionally come off"
--"National Review"

"An ambitious book, chock-full of the learned and provocative writing that characterized the opposition party all throughout the strife-torn 20th century. It is brutally honest about the movement's current predicament."
--"The American Conservative"

"Liberals and conservatives alike should have no trouble endorsing this anthology from 70 years of the conservative movement in the United States."--"Library Journal"

While there have long been libertarians, agrarians, individualists, collectivists, nationalists, and others who fit the contemporary label of "conservative," no cohesive conservative movement existed prior to World War II. How, then, did conservatism develop into such a powerful American political force?

Tracing the history of conservatism from the concerns and ideas of the Old Right, through the Cold War, the "Gingrich revolution," and into the present, Conservatism in America Since 1930 gathers a wide range of conservative writings and documents showcasing the development and protean character of the modern conservative intellectual and political movement.

The book includes essays from Russell Kirk, Milton Friedman, F.A. Hayek, William F. Buckley, Jr., Ronald Reagan, and Pat Buchanan, among others, and highlights key debates between the movement's factions. Along with essays by these canonical conservative figures, the volume also contains excerpts from sources less frequently cited, such as the Twelve Southerners andSeward Collins, as well as documents from conservative organizations and journals. The primary documents are supplemented by introductions which set the historical context and offer illuminating commentary on how conservatism shifted identity over the course of modern American history.

This book presents a systematic account of the role of the personal spiritual ideal of wu-wei--literally "no doing," but better rendered as "effortless action"--in early Chinese thought. Edward Slingerland's analysis shows that wu-wei represents the most general of a set of conceptual metaphors having to do with a state of effortless ease and unself-consciousness. This concept of effortlessness, he contends, serves as a common ideal for both Daoist and Confucian thinkers. He also argues that this concept contains within itself a conceptual tension that motivates the development of early Chinese thought: the so-called "paradox of wu-wei," or the question of how one can consciously "try not to try."

Methodologically, this book represents a preliminary attempt to apply the contemporary theory of conceptual metaphor to the study of early Chinese thought. Although the focus is upon early China, both the subject matter and methodology have wider implications. The subject of wu-wei is relevant to anyone interested in later East Asian religious thought or in the so-called "virtue-ethics" tradition in the West. Moreover, the technique of conceptual metaphor analysis--along with the principle of "embodied realism" upon which it is based--provides an exciting new theoretical framework and methodological tool for the study of comparative thought, comparative religion, intellectual history, and even the humanities in general. Part of the purpose of this work is thus to help introduce scholars in the humanities and social sciences to this methodology, and provide an example of how it may be applied to a particular sub-field.

Exploring how the face and body of America were imagined both physically and metaphorically during the Civil War, this book shows how visual iconography affected changes in postbellum gendered and racialised identifications of the nation.

High Culture is the symbolic culture inherited from classical literature that is transmitted to French children by the "Schools of the Republic" in the form of citations and cliches that represent a conventional cultural capital. The book follows the process of learning how to read and write in French primary and secondary schools as it is represented in the fiction written by authors whose experience was that of pupils born from North and sub-Saharan African immigrant parents during the 1960-2000 period. Autobiographical novels by 'beur' and Afro-French authors (1980s and 1990s respectively) and one film by Merzak Allouache (1996) disclose some of the strategies for learning how to read and write that challenge the conventions of a State-controlled school system inherited from the Third Republic during colonial times. From the experience of Kassa Houari's self-initiation to French literature in his autobiographical text, to revaluating cultural cliches in and out of school by Zair Kedadouche, Azouz Begag or Calixthe Beyala, a postcolonial mentality emerges from the literature of a post-1980s multicultural France where Orality plays a key role in reinterpreting cliches from High Culture and informs a new moral Code. Rethinking Reading, Writing, and a Moral Code astutely suggests a need for the school system to rethink its didactic approach to teaching language and literature, if French education is to reflect the postcolonial character of contemporary cosmopolitan culture and facilitate the integration of communities of diverse ethnic origins.

Place branding as an academic field is both challenging and under explored. In the face of an ever-expanding global urban population, this Handbook illustrates how place branding can contribute to transforming urban agglomeration into sustainable and healthy areas. The Chapters cover four key areas; place branding as a tool for economic development, experiences of place making, methodologies to develop place brands, and urban regeneration. Pioneering experts provide in-depth analysis on the politics and significance of place branding's inclusion in economic development programs, the multisensory dimensions of sense of place, and new epistemologies and methodologies for research. They further examine the role of place marketing in combatting challenges for future cities such as mobility, aesthetics and metropolitan conurbation. Students and scholars in management, marketing and economics will find this innovative and contemporary Handbook a must read. Eminently practical, it will also benefit policy makers and place planners, alongside consultants on public policies. Contributors: E. Arnould, G.J. Ashworth, S. Askegaard, S. Brown, A. Campelo, D. Kjeldgaard, M. Lichrou, D. Medway, K. O'Leary, L. O'Malley, E. Oliveira, C.J. Parker, C. Pasquinelli, M. Patterson, H.D. Pedersen, K. Swanson, A. Therkelsen, G. Warnaby

A concise yet thorough overview of environmental issues, problems, and controversies facing Australia, Oceania, and Antarctica. The paradisiacal islands of the South Pacific. The unworldly landscapes and wildlife of Australia. The frozen expanses of Antarctica. This new title in ABC-CLIO's World Environment Series encompasses some of the most benign-and hellish-places on Earth. How is humanity threatening-and preserving-these diverse and far-flung environments? They are vast, distant, and scarcely populated. Yet the environments of Australia, Oceania, and Antarctica are facing the same threats confronting the rest of the planet, as well as some unique ones of their own. How have human-introduced species impacted Australia's natural order? What new global conventions are helping close Antarctica's ozone hole? And why is global warming threatening the South Pacific's life-teeming coral reefs? The region's governments are grappling with the spectre of global warming, which, if not meaningfullly addressed by industrialized nations half a world away, could produce rising sea levels capable of engulfing several states of Oceania and partially submerging portions of many other inhabited i

This volume brings together an interdisciplinary group of scholars from the United States, the Middle East, and North Africa, to discuss and critically analyze the intersection of gender and human rights laws as applied to individuals of Arab descent. It seeks to raise consciousness at the intersection of gender, identity, and human rights as it relates to Arabs at home and throughout the diaspora. The context of revolution and the destabilizing impact of armed conflicts in the region are used to critique and examine the utility of human rights law to address contemporary human rights issues through extralegal strategies. To this end, the volume seeks to inform, educate, persuade, and facilitate newer or less-heard perspectives related to gender and masculinities theories. It provides readers with new ways of understanding gender and human rights and proposes forward-looking solutions to implementing human rights norms. The goal of this book is to use the context of Arabs at home and throughout the diaspora to critique and examine the utility of human rights norms and laws to diminish human suffering with the goal of transforming the structural, social, and cultural conditions that impede access to human rights. This book will be of interest to a diverse audience of scholars, students, public policy researchers, lawyers and the educated public interested in the fields of human rights law, international studies, gender politics, migration and diaspora, and Middle East and North African politics.

An authoritative yet accessible introduction to the history, politics, and society of one of Latin America's most enigmatic and culturally diverse countries. Mexico: A Global Studies Handbook is an ideal introduction to the United States' southern neighbor for students, travelers, businesspeople, or other interested readers. It debunks a variety of myths and misconceptions that have evolved over time, clarifying the realities of both historic and contemporary Mexico. Mexico offers an authoritative yet engaging tour of Mexican history and geography, as well its current economic and business climate, governmental structure, popular culture, and society. It also provides an alphabetically organized "mini-encyclopedia" for quick access to information on notable Mexican people, places, and events. Together, these sections provide everything readers need to understand Mexico's pre-Colombian origins, colonial legacies of dependence and Westernization, and its continuing efforts to craft a national identity. Maps of both historic Mexico and its modern political divisions plus images of monuments, buildings, natural attractions, and the variety of cultures within the country A detailed chronology of Mexico from pre-Colombian times through the years of colonialism and independence to the present

No previous volume has collected as interesting and broad a collection of essays on Canadian discourse and culture. This volume of representative case studies reflects the Canadian experience in terms of discourse, society, and public culture, linking its discussions to larger political and social issues and theories. Topics include:

Constitutional controversies

Cultural sovereignty

Feminist voices

Globalization

Internet issues

Marginalized communities

Nationalism

Nativity

Multidisciplinary perspectives from a mix of established and emerging Canadian studies scholars converge in a highly readable, engaging, and unique book that offers a distinctive portrait of a nation not nearly as well understood as its proximity to the United States might suggest.

This edited volume offers a multidisciplinary perspective on innovation challenges and innovative practices in the context of developing and transition countries. The contributions mostly embrace a national innovation system approach in an attempt to understand innovation processes and their implications at both macro and micro levels. The chapters in this book, taken as a whole, offer insights on a range of issues grouped around the following questions: What are the challenges for innovation at the macro (system) and micro (firm) level according to the experiences of developing and transition countries? What is the role of public policies in the transformation of national innovation systems? What innovation practices allow to successfully overcome challenges to innovation? What is the role of collaboration and learning in fostering innovation? A variety of methods are presented including historical analysis, participatory action research, case studies, document analysis and survey-based quantitative research as well as triangulation to study innovation and adaptation strategies in developing and transition countries. It also provides 10 case studies selected from developing and transition countries, to offer a detailed and comprehensive perspective on innovation and innovation practices at macro and micro levels. Students and researchers interested in innovation and innovation systems around the world will find this volume an invaluable tool and reference. Contributors include: G. Abuduxike, C.G. Acevedo Pena, S.M. Aljunid, W.M.H. Cespedes Quiroga, L. Csonka, A. Faggian, O.O. Jegede, M. Lukacs de Pereny Martens, A. Morero Hernan, T. Poghosyan, R. Rasiah, J. Schmutzler, M. Suarez, C. Tomassini Urti, A. Tsvetkova, N. Yacoub, X.-S. Yap, J.E. Zambrana Montan

This fascinating work provides an enlightening guided tour of the island of Cuba's historical, political, economic, and sociocultural development from the pre-Columbian period to the present. Cuba: A Global Studies Handbook offers a revealing look at a nation that, in its ongoing pursuit of freedom, has been a colonial pawn, a neocolonial paradise for corrupt politicians and dictators, an alluring vacation destination, a defiant Communist holdout and embarrassing thorn in the side of the powerful United States. Drawing heavily on his own research and experiences on the island, the author follows Cuba's political, economic, and sociocultural development from the pre-Columbian period to the present-with an emphasis on the revolutionary period. The book's reference section includes alphabetically organized entries on important people, places, and historical events, as well as shorter sections on Cuban Spanish, national traditions and holidays, cuisines, and important organizations. Also featured is a chart tracing the development of Cuban popular music and a listener's guide to some of the best available recordings. A useful reference section provides a descriptive alphabetical listing of specific information on important people, places, and historical events, as well as sections on Cuban Spanish, etiquette, national habits and traditions, cuisine, holidays, and important organizations Includes a detailed chronology of Cuban history from pre-Columbian times to the present, with emphasis on the revolutionary triumph of the late 1950s and early 1960s, Castro's enduring Communist regime, and the economic crisis of the "special period" that began in Cuba in 1990

The policy framework advocated by Minford et al. . . . is grounded in economic theory and an incisive empirical analysis of the costs of UK's membership of the EU. Their thesis that the EU is a political union practising economic protectionism in the guise of gradualism towards free trade makes sense. . . . Minford and his associates' analysis suggests that the EU's policy framework of free trade for members but restrictions on trade of non-members with the EU countries is a second best policy adopted to promote political rather than economic objectives.' - V.N. Balasubramanyam, Lancaster University, UK'The EU got the Nobel Prize for Peace in 2012, but such an award is not forthcoming for economics. In fact, the EU faces a stern public discontent throughout Europe. For years EU leaders have been unable to agree on almost anything. The eurozone's toxic monetary embrace is a colossal failure that has provoked misery in most of the participating countries and, worst of all, suffocated the hopes of prosperity for many years to come. The EU is no longer a venture that inspires people to run on barricades to defend it. Should Britain be a part of the crumbling EU project? This book provides a timely and documented answer. It is highly recommended reading.' - Miroslav N. Jovanovi , University of Geneva, Switzerland 'Much too much of the debate about the UK's relationship with the European Union relies upon general declarations unsupported by facts and assertions and claims not substantiated by evidence. This is why we need so badly the careful quantitative analysis provided by Patrick Minford and his colleagues. The UK electorate will have a momentous decision to take when the EU referendum takes place. History and emotions will be important, but getting the facts straight is even more vital.' - John Mills, Founder and Chairman of JML and Co-Chairman of Business for Britain 'Patrick Minford and his team have performed a hugely valuable service by quantifying the costs of Britain's EU membership. In particular, they show that Britain pays too much for too high a proportion of its imports. The EU's protectionism in its trade with the rest of the world costs Britain a significant slice of its national output. Their demonstration of this vital point is thought-provoking and sophisticated, and greatly strengthens the case for the UK to leave the EU.' - Tim Congdon, CBE, International Monetary Research Ltd Placed in the context of the upcoming referendum, this second edition brings up to date a thorough review of all economic aspects of the UK's membership of the EU. It notes the intention of the EU to move to 'ever closer union' and the nature of the regulatory and general economic philosophy of its dominant members, whose position is enforced by qualified majority voting. The book highlights the UK s dilemma that, while extending free markets to its local region is attractive, this European philosophy and closer union are substantially at odds with the UK's traditions of free markets and freedom under the common law. This comprehensive examination of the economic costs and benefits of membership uses state-of-the-art modeling methods and includes estimates of its net costs as a percentage of GDP. The book explains how the decision to leave would follow from a judgement on the political economy of the EU as compared with that of the UK. It details the misconceptions involved in much of the debate about trade with the EU, and argues that the key issue is not access to markets but rather the prices at which trade takes place. Covered in careful detail is the economics of the UK's trade with the EU in the key sectors of agriculture, manufacturing, and services.

'Being mobile has become an ubiquitous modus operandi as the highly educated seek to advance, and take advantage of their human capital. Corcoran and Faggian's edited volume helps us to understand the causes and consequences of university graduates' choices to migrate or stay put. The selected contributions - situated in ten OECD countries - cover a wide spectrum of issues, from overeducation and wages to life-course linkages and impacts of the Great Recession. It is an insightful and timely account of the intellectual elite's sorting and redistribution in developed countries.' - Brigitte Waldorf, Purdue University, US 'Graduates are key resources to economic development. ''Enlighted'' policy makers around the world spend effort and resources to attract and retain them. However, our understanding of the drivers and impacts of graduate mobility remains limited. This book offers invaluable insights into this debate by combining cutting-edge academic knowledge with a truly global coverage of examples and case studies.' - Riccardo Crescenzi, London School of Economics, UK This book aims to integrate and augment current state-of-the-art knowledge on graduate migration and its role in local economic development. Offering an international perspective, it is the first focused book of its kind on graduate migration, a recognised and critical component of the global pool of labour. Written by the key scholars working in the field, it draws together an international series of case studies. Each chapter describes empirically founded approaches to examining the role and characteristics of graduate migration in differing situational contexts, highlighting issues concerning government policy, data and methods. Crucially, it assesses the role highly educated individuals play in regional economic development and the determinants of graduate mobility, revealing the characteristics that attract and retain graduates. This unique book is an essential volume for scholars and researchers of geography, regional studies, labour and migration seeking an in-depth, international understanding of human-capital attraction and retention. Contributors include: R. Comunian, J. Corcoran, C. Detang-Dessendre, A. Faggian, R.S. Franklin, M. Haapanen, S. Iammarino, S. Jewell, H. Karhunen, N. Maldonado, E. Marinelli, K.B. Newbold, V. Piguet, R. Ramos, F. Rowe, V. Royuela, V.A. Venhorst, A. Zhi Rou Tang

A concise yet thorough overview of the environmental issues, problems, and controversies facing the continent of Africa and the Middle East. Examining both the rich biological heritage of the world's second largest continent and the very serious human threats to it, Africa and the Middle East explores the impact global pollution and a burgeoning population are having on landscape and wildlife alike. How is global warming responsible for the rapidly expanding Sahara Desert? Can local populations be recruited to preserve threatened species? Over 80 percent of Madagascar's species are endemic, the highest percentage of any major ecological region in the world, such as the highly endangered aye-aye which resembles a cross between a monkey, a bat, and a woodpecker, and the giraffe-necked weevil, a red rainforest insect with a neck like a fire truck rescue ladder. Readers will learn all about these fascinating species and much more.

Colombijn examines the social changes in Indonesian cities during the process of decolonization. That process had major repercussions for urban society. These social changes are studied from the angle of urban space in general, and the provision of housing in particular. This provides fresh insight into how people experienced decolonization. Published in cooperation with the Netherlands Institute of War Documentation (NIOD). Originally published with imprint KITLV (ISBN 9789067182911).

The institution of the Retired Emperor forms the innovative angle from which this study analyzes Classical Chinese political history (4th to 7th centuries A.D.) With the help of the ensuing insights the volume develops into a portal through which to gain understanding of broader patterns of political and social action relevant to the Classical Chinese monarchy. In this truly interdisciplinary approach Weberian historical sociological concepts are engaged as a means of bringing specific historical actions into a wider cross cultural comparative perspective and lays the basis for a new framework to think about kingship and succession in East Asia.

China's rise and stepped-up involvement in Southeast Asia have prompted a blend of anticipation and unease among its smaller neighbors. The stunning growth of China has yanked up the region's economies, but its militarization of the South China Sea and dam building on the Mekong River has nations wary about Beijing's outsized ambitions. Southeast Asians long felt relatively secure, relying on the United States as a security hedge, but that confidence began to slip after the Trump administration launched a trade war with China and questioned the usefulness of traditional alliances. This compelling book provides a snapshot of ten countries in Southeast Asia by exploring their diverse experiences with China and how this impacts their perceptions of Beijing's actions and its long-term political, economic, military, and "soft power" goals in the region.

'The challenges of poverty and social exclusion cannot be fully resolved through conventional public sector policies and market-led innovation. The case studies in this Handbook capture some of the key success factors of socially innovative action in different socio-economic contexts. This Handbook will inspire readers as it highlights the creativity and commitment of diverse enterprises and movements working for social innovation.' - Anna Kajumulo Tibaijuka, Minister for Lands, Housing and Human Settlements, United Republic of Tanzania, and retired UN Under Secretary General, immediate former Executive Director of UN-HABITAT 'Social innovation may not be a new idea but it is clearly an idea whose time has come, not least because the traditional models of innovation - narrowly framed technical models - have run their course and no longer resonate in a world of societal challenges. This Handbook has two great merits - it brings conceptual rigour to the debate and it provides compelling narratives of social innovation in practice.' - Kevin Morgan, Cardiff University, UK This enriching Handbook covers many aspects of the scientific and socio-political debates on social innovation today. The contributors provide an overview of theoretical perspectives, methodologies and instructive experiences from all continents, as well as implications for collective action and policy. They argue strongly for social innovation as a key to human development. The Handbook defines social innovation as innovation in social relations within both micro and macro spheres, with the purpose of satisfying unmet or new human needs across different layers of society. It connects social innovation to empowerment dynamics, thus giving a political character to social movements and bottom-up governance initiatives. Together these should lay the foundations for a fairer, more democratic society for all. This interdisciplinary work, written by scholars collaborating to develop a joint methodological perspective toward social innovation agency and processes, will be invaluable for students and researchers in social science and humanities. It will also appeal to policy makers, policy analysts, lobbyists and activists seeking to give inspiration and leadership from a social innovation perspective. Contributors: A. Abreu, J. Andersen, I. Andre, L. Arthur, A. Ashta, A. Bilfeldt, I. Calzada, S. Cameron, A. Carmo, K. Dayson, P. Debruyne, J. Defourny, K. Delica, A. Dubeux, S. Eizaguirre Anglada, V. Espinoza, A.C. Fernandes, J.-M. Fontan, L. Fraisse, M.S. Frandsen, M. Garcia Cabeza, R. Gera, J.K. Gibson-Graham, S. Habersack, A. Hamdouch, D. Harrisson, S. Hettihewa, J. Hillier, L. Hulgard, B. Jessop, J.-L. Klein, H. Konstantatos, N.V. Krishna, N. Kunnen, B. Levesque, D. MacCallum, F. Martinelli, A. Mehmood, A. Membretti, E. Midheme, F. Moulaert, A. Novy, M. Nyssens, S. Oosterlynck, C. Parra, T. Pilati, M. Pradel Miquel, G. Roelvink, B. Schaller, P.K. Shajahan, D. Siatitsa, P. Singer, C. Tornaghi, D.-G. Tremblay, D. Vaiou, P. Van den Broeck, B. Van Dyck, S. Vicari Haddock, T. Vitale, C. Wright, S. Young

This edited volume focuses on various forms of regionalism and neighborhoods in the Baltic-Black Sea area. In the light of current reshaping of borderlands and new geopolitical and military confrontations in Europe's eastern margins, such as the annexation of Crimea and the war in Donbas, this book analyzes different types and modalities of regional integration and region-making from a comparative perspective. It conceptualizes cooperative and conflictual encounters as a series of networks and patchworks that differently link and relate major actors to each other and thus shape these interconnections as domains of inclusion and exclusion, bordering and debordering, securitization and desecuritization. This peculiar combination of geopolitics, ethnopolitics and biopolitics makes the Baltic-Black Sea trans-national region a source of inspiring policy practices, and, in the light of new security risks, a matter of increased concern all over Europe. The contributors from various disciplines cover topics such as cultural and civilizational spaces of belonging and identity politics, the rise of right-wing populism, region building under the condition of multiple security pressures, and the influence and regional strategies of different external powers, including the EU, Russia, and Turkey, on cross- and trans-regional relations in the area.

A concise yet thorough overview of the environmental issues, problems, and controversies facing Latin America and the Caribbean-from the tip of South America to the Windward Islands. Snowy Andean peaks. Steaming Brazilian rainforest. Lush tropical islands. Few regions on Earth are as diverse or spectacular as Latin America and the Caribbean. And few are as threatened by expanding populations, industrial pollutants, and unsustainable farming methods. Latin America and the Caribbean, a new title in the World Environments series, explores the environmental problems facing our hemispheric neighbors. Home to the longest-mountain range, largest river, and greatest rainforest on Earth, no region on Earth boasts greater geographic extremes, faces greater environmental dangers, and enjoys more economic potential from its biodiversity than Latin America and the Caribbean. What are the political and economic factors affecting the Amazon's rapidly disappearing rainforest? What is being done to harvest life-saving drugs from the plants of the Orinoco? And what lies behind the mysterious disappearance of Central America's frogs? With essays, chronologies, biographies, and directory of organizati

"Culture and Customs of Guatemala" proffers a well rounded portrait of the people of the land known for breathtaking highlands, brilliantly colored Mayan textiles, generations of ruthless dictators, and violence against the Mayas since the Spanish conquest. This Central American hotspot is the home to a majority of Mayas, their coexistence with Ladinos--the non--Mayas, and the issue of land ownership provide the framework for understanding contemporary society. The blend of Mayan and Ladino cultural identities that shape Guatemala today permeates Shea's discussion of history, religion, social customs, media, literature, cinema, performing arts, and contemporary art. Students and other interested readers will come to understand how the traditions and reforms are shaping Guatemala in the 21-first century.

After an overview of Guatemalan history, geography, and demographics, a chapter on religion reveals the prevalent mixture of Catholic/Spanish and indigenous influences. In the Social Customs chapter, customs and festivals, many related to Catholic saints' days, the importance of Mayan weaving, and Guatemalan cuisine are emphasized. The recent lessening of censorship is a factor in the discussions of the status of broadcasting and print media and a small but emerging film industry. In the Literature chapter, Shea portrays a rich centuries-old literary tradition influenced by pre and post conquest indigenous texts and contemporary experimental trends whose themes are saturated in the country's social conflicts. Coverage of performing arts and contemporary art is evocative of the vibrant mixtures of cultures in Guatemala, with notable artists introduced and a description of architecture and housing. A chronology and glossary enhance the text.