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Books > Humanities > History > Asian / Middle Eastern history > General
In the first quarter of the twentieth century, the British Government, the banks, and leading individuals in London reached historic decisions that determined the name, shape, nature, and future of the region known as the Middle East. In this fascinating and readable book, Roger Adelson examines who made policy, on what grounds, with what information, and with what results. The setting for the narrative is London, then the world's greatest metropolis and its financial and political center. Adelson evokes the atmosphere of Whitehall, Fleet Street, the City of London, and Westminster, and paints a vivid portrait of the individuals (Churchill, Lloyd George, Curzon, Cromer, and others) who established the international agenda. Using an extensive range of public and private archives, he identifies issues of money, power, and territorial ambition at the heart of policy, and he describes decisions made in ignorance of and often wholly without reference to local interests. The book explores and explains British diplomacy both before and after the 1914-1918 War: the protection of the Suez Canal and Persian Gulf; the fear of a German drive to the East and subjugation of the Turks; the discovery of oil; the post-war suppression of nationalist aspirations and the establishment of collaborative regimes more in tune with London than with the Middle East itself. More clearly than any previous work, it identifies the virtual invention of the modern Middle East and the roots of the ethnic and nationalist antagonisms that characterize the region today.
"Israel and its Future" is of interest to anyone engaged in political debates about Israel's current policies. Professor Michael Anbar includes forty essays on different aspects of the Arab-Israeli conflict from a realistic historical perspective. By exploring controversial issues "Israel and its Future" will intrigue anyone who follows this conflict, including proponents and opponents of the different policies debated. The essays address Arabs "and" Jews, Americans "and" Israelis, ultraliberals "and" arch-conservatives, ordinary citizens "and" politicians. Professor Anbar draws on his personal experience in Israel before and during its War of Independence in which had an active role, first in besieged Jerusalem and then in the fledgling Israeli air-force. As a scientist Professor Anbar had a leading role in the development of the Israeli nuclear program. During the Six Days War he was involved in defense against the ominous danger of chemical warfare agents provided by Russia to Egypt. "Israel and its Future" illuminates events, ideas, and controversial policies from uncommon perspectives and suggests constructive solutions. It belongs to the "must read" category for anyone concerned with war and peace in the Middle East.
For many centuries, the mountainous Caucasus region was a strategic backwater, inhabited by insular peoples and tribes, where the raw edges of Christian and Muslim empires rubbed abrasively together. Most of the Caucasus was absorbed into the Russian empire in the 10th century; its 112 recognized nationalities were thus all eventually smothered by the Soviet Union, only to reemerge with a vengeance when the Soviet empire collapsed. In the 1990's, the saga of the Caucasus republics has been one of clashing war-lord militias, coups and international attention of now increasingly focused on the tension, particularly since the discovery of the vast Caspian-Azerbaijan oil fields, reputed to exceed those of Kuwait. A pithy, accessible account of recent developments in Chechnya and Georgia and of the ongoing Armenian-Azerbaujan ethnic conflict, Edgar O'Ballance's latest book is the perfect primer for those hoping to gain a basic understanding of this hot spot region.
The book describes different facets of the Greek-Turkish conflict (1919-23) through the eyes of of the Australian press. Australia's national identity was forged on the shores of the Gallipoli Peninsula fighting against the Ottoman Empire in 1915. After the war, Australia stayed involved with that area of the world as it sought to chart an 'independent' foreign policy within the framework of the British Empire. This book discusses the role that Australia's press played during that conflict and how it shaped Australian nationalism and identity going forward.
The book examines the local culture, its customs, its people and its philosophy before arrival of the outside invaders. It also examines the impact of the arrival of the outside invaders, spread of Islam, coming of the Sikh Gurus, the establishment of the Mughal Empire, and the British. It traces the historical thread that makes the Punjabis what they are today. Surprisingly enough the people of Punjab did not hate all outside invaders. Although the Arabs, the Turks, the Iranians, and the Afghanis were all considered outsiders. The people of Punjab felt pride in learning the Persian language, copying some of the Persian literature, customs and so on. The book explains the events, bench marks and their impact on the people of Punjab. For example major events took place in 1763 era and no one can imagine how it would have been during that era without reading a lot of history books. However, no one can read hundreds of books to get some understanding of any subject. It is important to understand why Sikhs were not writing history books because they were fighting wars. The 1763 was a pivotal era for the Sikhs, for the Mughals, and to some extent the British East India Company. Although there were also East India Companies from France, Germany, and Portugal, but only the British were able to outsmart everyone. Not only that, the British got rid of the Mughal Empire and the Sikh rule. The British did not favor Hindus or the Muslims or the Sikhs, they merely used them against each other. The divide and rule method was used by the British to suit their purpose. The British had only one purpose; money to be made in India. The book deals with the Hindus, the Sikhs, the Muslims, the British andtheir influence over each other in that region. The book gives credit where due and bluntly criticizes the fragmented society. It does not favor one group over the other instead it exposes the narrow-minded aspects of the society. Because some events were taking place simultaneously cross references have been included for the ease of understanding. If the reader wants to learn about Punjab, its culture, its food, its customs, its history and a Punjabi heritage then this book reading is a must. The people from Punjab, their children and Punjabi immigrants will get a charge out of reading this book. It preserves those aspects of the Punjabi culture that tend to fade out with the televisions, cell phones, automobiles, televisions and managed river water. The Hindu religion, its culture, its religious literature and its spirituality far exceeds any other religion. On one hand there is extremely high caliber spiritual thought and yet on the other hand there is nothing but degradation and fragmentation of the society. The Mughals were not merely outsiders they left behind the most beautiful architecture, music, Urdu language and poetry. It would be unfair to ignore their contribution to the culture, to the landscape and to the population. The sacrifice and contribution of the Sikhs exceeds all other groups. This book brings out those certain aspect of the Sikh warriors that had not been fully explored before. Sikhs had been fighting for hundreds of years instead of writing history. The Sikhs did not write history books, even when they knew how to write. The contribution of the British towards the development of systems in India and in Punjab deserves a lot more than simple praise or thankyou. It is the British who united the country, it is the British who created educational system, the public works, the railroads, the telegraph, the civil service and the civil law to name a few.
In 1965-66, army-organized massacres claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of supporters of the Communist Party of Indonesia. Very few of these atrocities have been studied in any detail, and answers to basic questions remain unclear. What was the relationship between the army and civilian militias? How could the perpetrators come to view unarmed individuals as dangerous enemies of the nation? Why did Communist Party supporters, who numbered in the millions, not resist? Drawing upon years of research and interviews with survivors, Buried Histories is an impressive contribution to the literature on genocide and mass atrocity, crucially addressing the topics of media, military organization, economic interests, and resistance.
This cutting edge study examines the career of Chinese politician and diplomat Zhou Enlai (1898-1976) and assesses his leadership role in the Communist Party of China's (CPC) strategy against the Japanese invasion of China which established the foundation for post-World War II Sino-Japanese relations. It considers how Zhou dealt with Japanese imperialism during his midcareer, from the May Fourth Movement to the formation of the second United Front between the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the CPC against Japan, which paved the way for the Chinese victory in the second Sino-Japanese War. Addressing significant moments such as the Manchurian Incident and the Xi'an Incident, it provides a thought-provoking reexamination of Zhou's involvement in the May Fourth Movement of 1919, the first national grassroots movement in the modern history of China calling for anti-imperialism and nationalism, and also of his time in Europe, as essential background to understand the birth of the CPC and Zhou's role in it, as well as Zhou's collaboration with Zhang Xueliang, the culprit of the Xi'an Incident. Through an in-depth analysis of primary sources, including Zhou's own writings, the oral history of Chinese officials, and newly declassified diplomatic archives, this work presents a comprehensive and accurate account of Zhou's career against the backdrop of Japanese imperialism.
Around the middle of the sixteenth century, Palestine became part of the Ottoman Empire. With the dawn of the 20th century and throughout its course, drastic events were happening in relatively rapid succession. World War One was the first of those events and it resulted eventually in changing the political face of the region. The ensuing thirty years of British mandate over Palestine provided the stage for change in the geopolitical, economic and sociodemographic profiles of the land. The Second World War came and hastened the cataclysm that brought about the state of Israel. This major historical event created ripples that have at times turned into violent waves disturbing the waters of the whole region and occasionally the wider world. The 'Arab Israeli' conflict will remain with us for God knows how long. The author was serving his hometown during the period of turmoil, great adversity and resulting change. As pediatrician in Nazareth, he was close to the families of the town and surrounding villages. He knew how they felt, and how they confronted the cruel new realities in their lives. refugees before they were huddled into the notorious 'refugee camps'. In all of this there were tales of little successes and of great failures. On many occasions on relating some of those stories of personal experiences to friends or colleagues, he was urged to write those down for the benefit of future generations. He took up the challenge in 1998 following his retirement from a teaching job at the Children's Hospital of Oklahoma. The family had moved from one country to another running away from situations that were intolerable. We never considered ourselves refugees; but still there was within us a subtle feeling of non-permanence that sometimes surfaced as a consciousness of 'exile'.
Japan, although a small country, is identified as perhaps the only civilization composed of just one nation. In spite of its many encounters with axial civilizations Japan has somehow preserved a unique sense of self. This enduring quality lends an air of mystery to Japanese culture that continues to draw the fascination of many. Such curiosity about the nature of Japan and its people has prompted the publication of many books that contribute to the academic genre known as "Nipponjinron." This book makes a distinctly new contribution as a theological anthropology of Japaneseness by paying careful attention to the religious sensibilities that undergird Japanese behavior. The author draws on numerous seminal works of Nipponjinron to build a sturdy philosophical and historical platform. Through concrete examples, classic literature, historical analysis, and religious reflection, the author carefully and skillfully illuminates a new path to understanding Japaneseness by drawing the reader's attention to the lifeblood of Japanese behavior, "maternal-filial affection."
This book explores discrimination against Northeast Indians, who have been frequently stereotyped as backwards, anti-national, anti-assimilationist, immoral, and relegated to low paying positions across retail, hospitality, telecommunications and wellness industries. The contributions draw on interviews with individuals who have migrated to other Indian cities and towns to find jobs and escape from native poverty, and provide a critical examination of the intersections between power, privilege and racial hierarchy in India today. The chapters cover a variety of perspectives including social movements and activism, history, policy, youth studies and gender studies. With a focus on marginalised communities, and the effects and persistence of racial inequality in a South Asian context, this collection will be an important contribution to critical race studies, public policy, human rights discourse, and social work.
This monograph aims to analyze the economic and business history of colonial India from a corporate perspective by clarifying the historical role of institutional developments based on archival evidence of a representative enterprise. The perspective is distinctively unique in that it highlights the salience of corporate-level institutional responses to explain the causes of colonial India's industrial growth, in addition to two renowned perspectives focusing on government economic policy or factor endowment. One of the driving forces of India's high growth rate since the 1980s is the expansion of modern business corporations whose origins date back to the colonial era in the mid-nineteenth century. This monograph explores the historical foundation of the growth of such corporations in colonial India, guided by a substantial collection of documents of Tata Iron and Steel Company, whose rich records have not received the due attention they have long deserved. As clarified by numerous economic and business historians of leading industrialized countries since the works of Douglass North and Alfred Chandler, this study as well proposes that the development of modern business corporations in colonial India was broadly supported by the reciprocal evolution of economic institutions and corporate organizations. Adding a new perspective to the business and economic history of colonial India, the analysis also provides an important case study of the development of corporate business in the non-Western world to the study of global business history.
In "Gandhi's American Ally," Norm Williams tells the extraordinary story of his parents' persistent missionary work in India during the time of the great leader Mahatma Gandhi. Fresh from the wheat fields of Kansas, Fred and Irene Williams were enthusiastic young missionaries who arrived in India during the 1920s to help instruct young Bengalis. Wasting no time in this strange land, the Williamses soon built a new educational paradigm called "Ushagram" north of Calcutta, raised a family, and became intimate friends with Mahatma Gandhi. Because his innovative thinking, Fred Williams introduced a modern septic system to thousands of Indian villagers. As a result, many of those stigmatized as "untouchables" were able to escape their ancient bondage. Relying on detailed research using personal letters, articles, and interviews, the author tells the fascinating story of two forward-thinking young Americans whose progressive vision for healthier Indian villages attracted Gandhi and impacted the very nature of a huge country's rural culture. "Gandhi's American Ally" provides a rare chance to become intimately familiar with one family's missionary endeavors and appreciate historical changes faced by two idealistic people dealing with poverty, political turmoil, and hopelessness.
This book reports on excavations at Paithan in India revealed the development of two early Hindu temples from the 4th century to the 9th: the key formative phase of Hinduism. The temples started as small shrines but were elaborated into formal temples. In relation to these changes, the excavations revealed a sequence of palaeobotanical and palaeofaunal evidence that give insight into the economic and social changes that took place at that time.
The book is written in three parts, with Appendices, Maps, References and Photos. The first is a story of myself and immediate family, and the role we played in Chinese history. The second covers my extended family, and friends who have lived equally interesting lives. The third delves into all the major aspects of China's economy, resources, industry and infrastructure, etc, present and future. This section should interest most readers in business, industry, academic and government circles. I even tried to highlight events from history, geography, philosophy, religion, education, social welfare, agriculture, food supply, ecology, medicine, performing arts, tourism and sports, to science and technology, natural and human resources, heavy industry, "four electricals," transportation, aerospace, the military, and light industry. This book is much more than a memoir, and deserves to be treated as textbook material.
This book elaborates on the distinctive characteristics as well as the archaeological, historical and artistic value of Liangzhu pottery, welcoming readers to the wonderful world of Liangzhu by introducing them to its origin, type, design, decoration, evolution and processing technology. It also presents the types of pottery that people in Liangzhu used daily to eat, drink, and bury their dead. Thanks to a wealth of photos taken at the archaeological site, readers can admire the color, decorative patterns, types and shapes of unearthed pottery. The book vividly reveals the lifestyle, aesthetics and level of scientific-technical development in Liangzhu society 5000 years ago.
This volume investigates Paul Tillich's relationship to Asian religions and locates Tillich in a global religious context. It appreciates Tillich's heritage within the western and eastern religious contexts and explores the possibility of global religious-cultural understanding through the dialogue of Tillich's thought and East-West religious-cultural matrix.
Focusing on Afghanistan's relations with the West during the latter half of the 20th century, this study offers new insights on the long-term origins of the nation's recent tragedies. Roberts finds that, since the 1930s in particular, Afghanistan pursued policies far more complex, and considerably more pro-Western, than previous studies have surmised. By the end of the Second World War, Britain and Afghanistan seemed headed toward an extensive partnership in military and economic affairs. Opportunities to cement Afghanistan to the West existed, but ultimately ran afoul of regional politics, shortsighted policy, and indifference. The rise of the Indian nationalist movement and the eventual partition of India would have strategic ramifications for Afghanistan. Pakistan and India, weakened and poised against each other, saw no reason to aid the Kabul regime, leaving only the United States as a potential benefactor. Successive American administrations, however, denied most Afghan requests. When the Eisenhower administration extended support to Pakistan, it alienated Afghan leaders, who then chose to broker a deal with the Soviet Union. Roberts analyzes recent American policy toward Afghanistan and its neighbors, clarifying the current situation and offering guidelines for future relations.
BROTHERS AT WAR is Jerold S. Auerbach's probing and poignant exploration of the tragedy of the Altalena, the doomed ship whose arrival in Israel ignited Jewish fratricidal conflict only weeks after its declaration of statehood in 1948. The destruction of the Altalena, with sixteen of its fighters killed by Israeli soldiers in a bitter two-day battle, threatened the new nation with civil war. This is the first history of the Altalena by a historian and the first to locate it within the context of ancient Jewish and contemporary Israeli history. The Altalena remains embedded in Israeli memory, Auerbach suggests, still framing unresolved issues of political legitimacy in the Jewish state. Identified as "America's foremost intellectual exponent of right-wing Zionism," Jerold Auerbach is the author of nine books including HEBRON JEWS: MEMORY AND CONFLICT IN THE LAND OF ISRAEL (2009), a history of the world's oldest continuing Jewish community. He is Professor Emeritus of History at Wellesley College.
Aryeh Lightstone, former Senior Advisor to the U.S. Ambassador to Israel and Special Envoy for the Abraham Accords, is uniquely poised to unravel the past, present, and, most importantly, the future of U.S. foreign policy with the Middle East. "A powerful affirmation of humanity's capacity to achieve the extraordinary." -Jared Kushner, Senior Advisor to the President, 2017-2021 "Aryeh demonstrates that faithful adherence to one's core beliefs-in both his faith and his nation-are not only possible but necessary. Read and enjoy." -Mike Pompeo, U.S. Secretary of State, 2018-2021 The Trump Administration's "Peace to Prosperity" vision for the Middle East was unveiled on January 28, 2020. What followed over the next eleven months, concluding with the signing of the Israel-Morocco normalization agreement was one of the most fascinating and consequential periods of U.S. foreign policy in a generation, leading to five normalization agreements between Israel and Muslim states. The Abraham Accords achieved what had seemed impossible for decades and set the Middle East on a trajectory toward a broad regional peace. Aryeh Lightstone is uniquely positioned to tell the story. As the senior advisor to the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, he was in the room for nearly every major discussion and decision involving Middle East policy. He was tasked with the most complex and sensitive component of the Abraham Accords: turning them into practical action and doing it quickly-during a pandemic, no less. In addition, he led the Abraham Accords Business Summit and the Abraham Fund, and served as the key contact between Israel and the other Accords nations. Let My People Know provides a behind-the-scenes account of the strategies that allowed the Abraham Accords to be struck, and an unvarnished look at the region's idiosyncrasies that factored into the process. A rabbi and an enthralling storyteller, Lightstone paints a vivid picture of the varied cultures and personalities involved. He also offers a glimpse into the day-to-day activities of an embassy. Finally, he explains what the Biden administration must do better to advance America's interests abroad. We now have a paradigm for a forward-looking Middle East policy that ultimately benefits the United States. Lightstone makes the case for strategic action to maintain the momentum.
This book differs from most others of its kind, by looking at the Hong Kong issue from China's perspective, which in turn mirrors China's own situation. Through a legal lens, the author conducts a political and cultural examination of the past and the present, and provides a comprehensive overview of the many theories and problems concerning Hong Kong. Including reflections on the theory of administrative absorption of politics, a historical review of "one country, two systems" and an analysis of the form and nature of the Basic Law, it offers a valuable reference resource for studying the historical, political and legal context of Hong Kong under the principle of "one country, two systems". Instead of over-simplifying the issue of Hong Kong or only seeing it as a Chinese regional issue, the book regards it as a central Chinese issue and the key to understanding China.
This book introduces a multilayered approach to the study of democracy, combining specific knowledge of Japan with theoretical insights from the literature on democratization. It examines different aspects of Japanese democracy-historical, institutional, and sociocultural-to provide a conscious understanding of the nature and practice of democracy, both in Japan and beyond. The book's chapters give testimony to the dynamic nature and continuity of Japanese democracy and analyze its strengths and weaknesses. The central argument of this book is that Japan's democratization should be seen as a multilayered experience shaped by the gradual process of absorbing democratic ideas, forming democratic institutions, and practicing democratic behaviors and rituals at various levels of society. As the case of Japan shows, democracy is neither a structured formula nor only a set of democratic laws and institutions, but a continuous, gradual process.
The Japanese have faithfully preserved their ancient myths as a connected and well ordered system. And as a system, Japanese myths say much about the human condition in the cosmos and about the human place in the cosmic order. Not until now has a book-length, English-language study been released on Japanese mythology. Drawing on his meticulous research, Asianist Peter Metevelis presents this selection of analytic essays that form a mosaic of themes on the primordial world of Japanese myth, adding a rewarding voice to cultural history and the history of ideas around the world. Metevelis shows that, contrary to popular belief, Japanese myths have much in common with other myths around the globe, and are mythically, logically, and symbolically equivalent. This suggests that Japanese culture has always resonated with the rest of the world and provides a valuable touchstone for comparative mythologists. The mythic themes Metevelis explores include: Linkage of birth with death Loss of immortality Containment of souls Effect of time on mortals Creation of the cosmos And many more This incomparable volume also includes detailed notes, bibliographies, and appendices to help further your knowledge of Japanese myth. Under Metevelis's expert guidance, you can expand your understanding of the Japanese myth system, its structure, and its principal actors, and immerse yourself in the ancient Japanese mysteries of the cosmos. |
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