The Routledge Handbook of Yoga and Meditation Studies is a comprehensive and interdisciplinary resource, which frames and contextualises the rapidly expanding fields that explore yoga and meditative techniques. The book analyses yoga and meditation studies in a variety of religious, historical and geographical settings. The chapters, authored by an international set of experts, are laid out across five sections: Introduction to yoga and meditation studies History of yoga and meditation in South Asia Doctrinal perspectives: technique and praxis Global and regional transmissions Disciplinary framings In addition to up-to-date explorations of the history of yoga and meditation in the Indian subcontinent, new contexts include a case study of yoga and meditation in the contemporary Tibetan diaspora, and unique summaries of historical developments in Japan and Latin America as well as an introduction to the growing academic study of yoga in Korea. Underpinned by critical and theoretical engagement, the volume provides an in-depth guide to the history of yoga and meditation studies and combines the best of established research with attention to emerging directions for future investigation. This handbook will be of interest to multidisciplinary academic audiences from across the humanities, social sciences and sciences.

While it is widely recognized that climate change will have significant impacts on the developing world, the social dimensions of vulnerability are often ignored in development projects and practices aimed at promoting adaptation to climate change. This book presents case studies that shed light on the tendency to promote policies and practices that fit conveniently into traditional development paradigms, and explores how development may need to shift focus in relation to climate change adaptation. The chapters offer critical perspectives that challenge many mainstream views on vulnerability, adaptive capacity, resilience, and the role of development projects in the context of climate change. The international case studies illustrate how responses to climate change that are embedded in traditional approaches to development may actually exacerbate vulnerability instead of reducing it. Adaptation projects often focus on dealing with the physical impacts of climate change (increased water scarcity, flooding, heat stress, etc.) through technical interventions, investments in infrastructure, and disaster preparedness, while they rarely call into question the underlying systems and structures that have contributed to the social and economic inequalities (inadequate access to resources, forced displacement, etc). This book presents adaptation as more than isolated decisions, actions, policies or practices aimed at addressing specific changes in the climate, but rather as a collection of on-going processes shaped by social, economic, political, institutional, and cultural dynamics. The book illustrates how approaching adaptation through 'development as usual' is unlikely to promote, maintain or enhance the well-being of populations faced with the complex challenges posed by climate change. Individual, household, community, sectoral and national decisions are seldom solely about climate change, and adaptation strategies may bring conflicts of interest that call for new ways of negotiating and collaborating, and recognition of the existing and emerging power relations that influence whose values and interests prevail in shaping development pathways. While many of the chapters are critical to current approaches to adaptation within the field of development, they also show how development can serve as a pathway towards sustainability. Alternatives are already emerging, and the process of adapting to climate change may itself be transforming development paradigms. This book will help researchers, practitioners and policymakers working at the interface between climate change and development to make sense of the changing dynamics and emerging opportunities, to enable efforts that work to create a better life for everyone.

Environmental change presents a new context and new opportunities for transformational change. This timely book will inspire new ways of understanding the relationship between environmental change and human security. A Changing Environment for Human Security: Transformative Approaches to Research, Policy and Action both supports and informs a call for new, transformative approaches to research, policy and action. The chapters in this book include critical analyses, case studies and reflections on contemporary environmental and social challenges, with a strong emphasis on those related to climate change. Human thoughts and actions have contributed to an environment of insecurity, manifested as multiple interacting threats that now represent a serious challenge to humanity. Yet humans also have the capacity to collectively transform the economic, political, social and cultural systems and structures that perpetuate human insecurities. These fresh perspectives on global environmental change from an interdisciplinary group of international experts will inspire readers - whether students, researchers, policy makers, or practitioners - to think differently about environmental issues and sustainability. The contributions show that in a changing environment, human security is not only a possibility, but a choice.

The Routledge Handbook of Yoga and Meditation Studies is a comprehensive and interdisciplinary resource, which frames and contextualises the rapidly expanding fields that explore yoga and meditative techniques. The book analyses yoga and meditation studies in a variety of religious, historical and geographical settings. The chapters, authored by an international set of experts, are laid out across five sections: Introduction to yoga and meditation studies History of yoga and meditation in South Asia Doctrinal perspectives: technique and praxis Global and regional transmissions Disciplinary framings In addition to up-to-date explorations of the history of yoga and meditation in the Indian subcontinent, new contexts include a case study of yoga and meditation in the contemporary Tibetan diaspora, and unique summaries of historical developments in Japan and Latin America as well as an introduction to the growing academic study of yoga in Korea. Underpinned by critical and theoretical engagement, the volume provides an in-depth guide to the history of yoga and meditation studies and combines the best of established research with attention to emerging directions for future investigation. This handbook will be of interest to multidisciplinary academic audiences from across the humanities, social sciences and sciences.

The Selva Lacandona of Chiapas, Mexico has received a tremendous amount of attention since the Zapatista uprising began in 1994. Concerns have focused on both the rapid rate of deforestation in Mexico's largest tropical rain forest and the social marginalization of its inhabitants, which is considered to be a root cause of the uprising. In this book, Karen O'Brien presents an insightful analysis of how deforestation and social struggles are related in this region and then considers the implications of these links for the remaining forest.A critical analysis of deforestation rates and patterns in the Selva Lacandona region provides the point of departure for this study. Using satellite imagery and her own field work, O'Brien presents an original estimate of forest loss. She then uses an approach derived from political ecology to trace the links between social processes and deforestation. Instead of focusing exclusively on the driving forces of deforestation, she argues that an analysis of the countervailing forces of conservation efforts is crucial to understanding the configuration of the present-day forest and the conflicts that surround it. Unless these forces can be fused, O'Brien contends, the future of the Selva Lacandona will continue to be shaped by the tensions among social, economic, and environmental objectives.A valuable tool for scholars of deforestation, environmental change, and political ecology, Sacrificing the Forest will also be of interest to readers trying to understand the current situation in Chiapas.

This title was first published in 2003. Recent food shortages in Southern Africa, induced by rainfall variability but compounded by problems of governance and rising food prices, have resulted in massive relief efforts. A recent scientific innovation - supplying farmers with seasonal climate forecasts - has been touted as a way to increase preparedness for such situations. This book examines how climate forecasts are used by the agricultural community in Southern Africa. Based on a workshop funded by the World Bank, it covers a broad set of issues related to the use of seasonal forecasts, including factors that constrain users' capacities to respond. Case studies presented in the book explore how forecasts can potentially increase production and food security among a population highly dependent on agriculture and vulnerable to climate variability. The book reflects on how the production, delivery and uptake of seasonal forecasts might be improved, as well as the limitations to their usefulness, and it should catalyse future thinking and research in this field.

This title was first published in 2003. Recent food shortages in Southern Africa, induced by rainfall variability but compounded by problems of governance and rising food prices, have resulted in massive relief efforts. A recent scientific innovation - supplying farmers with seasonal climate forecasts - has been touted as a way to increase preparedness for such situations. This book examines how climate forecasts are used by the agricultural community in Southern Africa. Based on a workshop funded by the World Bank, it covers a broad set of issues related to the use of seasonal forecasts, including factors that constrain users' capacities to respond. Case studies presented in the book explore how forecasts can potentially increase production and food security among a population highly dependent on agriculture and vulnerable to climate variability. The book reflects on how the production, delivery and uptake of seasonal forecasts might be improved, as well as the limitations to their usefulness, and it should catalyse future thinking and research in this field.

Environmental change presents a new context and new opportunities for transformational change. This timely book will inspire new ways of understanding the relationship between environmental change and human security. A Changing Environment for Human Security: Transformative Approaches to Research, Policy and Action both supports and informs a call for new, transformative approaches to research, policy and action. The chapters in this book include critical analyses, case studies and reflections on contemporary environmental and social challenges, with a strong emphasis on those related to climate change. Human thoughts and actions have contributed to an environment of insecurity, manifested as multiple interacting threats that now represent a serious challenge to humanity. Yet humans also have the capacity to collectively transform the economic, political, social and cultural systems and structures that perpetuate human insecurities. These fresh perspectives on global environmental change from an interdisciplinary group of international experts will inspire readers - whether students, researchers, policy makers, or practitioners - to think differently about environmental issues and sustainability. The contributions show that in a changing environment, human security is not only a possibility, but a choice.

While it is widely recognized that climate change will have significant impacts on the developing world, the social dimensions of vulnerability are often ignored in development projects and practices aimed at promoting adaptation to climate change. This book presents case studies that shed light on the tendency to promote policies and practices that fit conveniently into traditional development paradigms, and explores how development may need to shift focus in relation to climate change adaptation. The chapters offer critical perspectives that challenge many mainstream views on vulnerability, adaptive capacity, resilience, and the role of development projects in the context of climate change. The international case studies illustrate how responses to climate change that are embedded in traditional approaches to development may actually exacerbate vulnerability instead of reducing it. Adaptation projects often focus on dealing with the physical impacts of climate change (increased water scarcity, flooding, heat stress, etc.) through technical interventions, investments in infrastructure, and disaster preparedness, while they rarely call into question the underlying systems and structures that have contributed to the social and economic inequalities (inadequate access to resources, forced displacement, etc). This book presents adaptation as more than isolated decisions, actions, policies or practices aimed at addressing specific changes in the climate, but rather as a collection of on-going processes shaped by social, economic, political, institutional, and cultural dynamics. The book illustrates how approaching adaptation through 'development as usual' is unlikely to promote, maintain or enhance the well-being of populations faced with the complex challenges posed by climate change. Individual, household, community, sectoral and national decisions are seldom solely about climate change, and adaptation strategies may bring conflicts of interest that call for new ways of negotiating and collaborating, and recognition of the existing and emerging power relations that influence whose values and interests prevail in shaping development pathways. While many of the chapters are critical to current approaches to adaptation within the field of development, they also show how development can serve as a pathway towards sustainability. Alternatives are already emerging, and the process of adapting to climate change may itself be transforming development paradigms. This book will help researchers, practitioners and policymakers working at the interface between climate change and development to make sense of the changing dynamics and emerging opportunities, to enable efforts that work to create a better life for everyone.

The Selva Lacandona of Chiapas, Mexico has received a tremendous amount of attention since the Zapatista uprising began in 1994. Concerns have focused on both the rapid rate of deforestation in Mexico's largest tropical rain forest and the social marginalization of its inhabitants, which is considered to be a root cause of the uprising. In this book, Karen O'Brien presents an insightful analysis of how deforestation and social struggles are related in this region and then considers the implications of these links for the remaining forest.A critical analysis of deforestation rates and patterns in the Selva Lacandona region provides the point of departure for this study. Using satellite imagery and her own field work, O'Brien presents an original estimate of forest loss. She then uses an approach derived from political ecology to trace the links between social processes and deforestation. Instead of focusing exclusively on the driving forces of deforestation, she argues that an analysis of the countervailing forces of conservation efforts is crucial to understanding the configuration of the present-day forest and the conflicts that surround it. Unless these forces can be fused, O'Brien contends, the future of the Selva Lacandona will continue to be shaped by the tensions among social, economic, and environmental objectives.A valuable tool for scholars of deforestation, environmental change, and political ecology, "Sacrificing the Forest" will also be of interest to readers trying to understand the current situation in Chiapas.

Karen O'Brien-Kop's introduction to the Yogasutra highlights its status as a significant work of philosophy. Approaching the Yogasutra as living philosophy, this book elucidates philosophical conceptions of yoga, recognises the logical structure the sutras follow and explains the rules and principles that have sustained Patañjali’s system of thought for centuries. Moving beyond standard interpretations of Patañjali's text and commentary as an aphoristic practice manual, O'Brien-Kop uses branches of philosophy to read the Yogasutra. Covering reality, self, ethics, language and knowledge, Patañjali’s philosophies come to the fore. The book introduces his reasoned positions on dual and non­dual metaphysics, the relationship between mind and body, the qualities of consciousness, the nature of freedom, and how to live ethically. Carefully-selected extracts from the primary text are translated for those unfamiliar with Sanskrit and commentaries run throughout. A glossary provides definitions of key concepts with useful translations. Accessible and up-to-date, this introduction broadens our understanding of Indian philosophical thought and explains why the Yogasutra deserves to be read alongside Parmenides’ ‘On Nature’ and Plato’s Phaedo as a classic of world philosophy.

Believe in magic, trust your intuition and find your individual artistic style! In this book, you're the storyteller and the artist and you're on a quest to bring the soulful characters, mythical creatures and magical landscapes of your imagination to life through mixed-media art. You'll tap into your creative voice to fuse together lush dreamscapes, imaginary characters and found objects to build enchanting scenes, whimsical figures and expressive faces out of layers of acrylic, collage, watercolor and more. Learn the techniques necessary to create one-of-a-kind mixed-media masterpieces. On your journey, you'll discover: Five skills to uncover your unique creative voice. A magical drawing method. Easily find your characters' bodies and faces hidden in random shapes on painted backgrounds; it's like seeing animals in the clouds. Imaginative warm-up exercises. Learn tips for creating a character reference library, secrets for drawing unusual faces, how to develop a color palette and advice on how to play with proportion, light and shading. More than 30 exciting mixed-media projects using watercolor, vintage photographs, gouache, pencil, fabric, ink and much more to bring your imaginary characters to life on everything from woodblocks and paintings to fabric collages and paper dolls. How to paint without a plan. Trust your intuition to create something out of nothing. Inspirational quotes about creativity from famous artists and thinkers. Embrace your curiosity and see what happens!

Edward Gibbon's History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, published in three instalments from 1776 to 1788, is widely regarded as the greatest work of history in the English language. Starting with the accession of the Roman Emperor Commodus in the late second century CE, Gibbon's work traverses thirteen centuries, encompassing the rise of Christianity and of Islam, the collapse of the Roman Empire in the West, and the fall of the Byzantine Empire in 1453. This Companion provides a comprehensive overview of the intellectual roots, contemporary European contexts, literary style and thematic scale of Gibbon's achievement. Alongside the History, it gives an introduction to Gibbon's other works, including the Memoirs he left unfinished at his death and previously unpublished material. Leading international scholars in the fields of classics, geography, history and literature provide a comprehensive account of Gibbon's monumental account of decline, fall and global historical transformation.

This book revisits the early systemic formation of meditation practices called 'yoga' in South Asia by employing metaphor theory. Karen O'Brien-Kop also develops an alternative way of analysing the reception history of yoga that aims to decentre the Eurocentric and imperialist enterprises of the nineteenth-century to reframe the cultural period of the 1st - 5th centuries CE using categorical markers from South Asian intellectual history. Buddhist traditions were just as concerned as Hindu traditions with meditative disciplines of yoga. By exploring the intertextuality of the Patanjalayogasastra with texts such as Vasubandhu's Abhidharmakosabhasya and Asanga's Yogacarabhumisastra, this book highlights and clarifies many ideologically Buddhist concepts and practices in Patanjala yoga. Karen O'Brien-Kop demonstrates that 'classical yoga' was co-constructed systemically by both Hindu and Buddhist thinkers who were drawing on the same conceptual metaphors of the period. This analysis demystifies early yoga-meditation as a timeless 'classical' practice and locates it in a specific material context of agrarian and urban economies.

Petitioning for Land is the first book to examine the extent of First Peoples political participation through the use of petitions. Interpreting petitions as a continuous form of political articulation, Karen O'Brien considers petitioning for recognition of prior land ownership as a means by which to locate First Peoples petitioning for change within the broader narrative of historical and contemporary notions of justice. The book follows the story of First Peoples' activism and shows how they actively reform discourse to disseminate a self-determined reality through the act of petitioning. It discloses how, through the petition, First Peoples reject colonialism, even whilst working within its confines. In a reconfiguration of discourse, they actively convey a political or moral meaning to re-emerge in a self-determined world. Taking a socio-legal and historical approach to petitioning, the book questions the state domination of First Peoples, and charts their political action against such control in the quest for self-determination. By uniquely focusing on the act of petitioning, which places First Peoples aspirants centre-stage, O'Brien presents fresh and innovative perspectives concerning their political enterprise. From early modern colonial occupation to contemporary society, the hundreds of petitions that called for change are uncovered in Petitioning for Land, shedding new light on the social and political dynamics that drove the petitions.

Petitioning for Land is the first book to examine the extent of First Peoples political participation through the use of petitions. Interpreting petitions as a continuous form of political articulation, Karen O'Brien considers petitioning for recognition of prior land ownership as a means by which to locate First Peoples petitioning for change within the broader narrative of historical and contemporary notions of justice. The book follows the story of First Peoples' activism and shows how they actively reform discourse to disseminate a self-determined reality through the act of petitioning. It discloses how, through the petition, First Peoples reject colonialism, even whilst working within its confines. In a reconfiguration of discourse, they actively convey a political or moral meaning to re-emerge in a self-determined world. Taking a socio-legal and historical approach to petitioning, the book questions the state domination of First Peoples, and charts their political action against such control in the quest for self-determination. By uniquely focusing on the act of petitioning, which places First Peoples aspirants centre-stage, O'Brien presents fresh and innovative perspectives concerning their political enterprise. From early modern colonial occupation to contemporary society, the hundreds of petitions that called for change are uncovered in Petitioning for Land, shedding new light on the social and political dynamics that drove the petitions.

This book presents a new perspective on adaptation to climate change. It considers climate change as more than a problem that can be addressed solely through technical expertise. Instead, it approaches climate change as an adaptive challenge that is fundamentally linked to beliefs, values and worldviews, as well as to power, politics, identities and interests. Drawing on case studies from high-income countries, the book argues that it is time to consider adaptation to climate change as a challenge of social, personal and political transformations. The authors represent a variety of fields and perspectives, illustrating the importance of interdisciplinary approaches to the problem. The book will be of interest to researchers, policymakers and advanced students in the environmental sciences, social sciences and humanities, as well as to decision makers and practitioners interested in new ideas about adapting to climate change.