The essays in this collection examine the public construction of languages, the linguistic construction of publics, and the relationship between these two processes. Cultural categories such as named languages, linguistic standards and genres are the products of expert knowledge as well as of linguistic ideologies more widely shared among speakers. Translation, grammars and dictionaries, the policing of correctness, folklore collections and linguistic academies are all part of the work that produces not only languages but also social groups and spheres of action such as "the public". Such representational processes are the topic of inquiry in this voume. They are explored as crucial aspects of power, figuring among the means for establishing inequality, imposing social hierarchy, and mobilizing political action. Contributions to this volume investigate two related questions: first, how different images of linguistic phenomena gain social credibility and political influence; and, secondly, the role of linguistic ideology and practices in the making of political authority. Using both historical and ethnographic approaches, they examine empirical cases ranging from small-scale societies to multi-ethnic empire, from nineteenth-century linguistic theories to contemporary mass media, and from Europe to Oceania to the Americas. Contributors include Susan Gal, Kathryn Woolard, Judith Irvine, Richard Bauman, Michael Silverstein, Jane Hill, Joseph Errington, Bambi Schieffelin, Jacqueline Urla and Ben Lee.

A prickly kitten and the child who chooses it revel in being kindred spirits while they both learn how to live with their wild side. When a little girl adopts a tigerish stray kitten from the shelter, her family isn't sure about her choice. But she can see that she and the kitten have lots in common as they both have a tendency to lash out when they’re uncomfortable. The little girl does her best to be patient and give her kitten plenty of space, treating it the way she likes to be treated. And in doing so, somehow they figure out just the right ways to help calm each other. A poignant text and evocative art make this story about two friends who share the heart of a tiger a standout.

Celebrate the Jewish holidays all year round in this acclaimed picture book-now in paperback! Here is the world, ever changing and new,Spinning with joy at the wonder of you! Here Is the World is a joyous celebration of the Jewish holidays throughout the year for young children. Beginning with the weekly observance of Shabbat, readers join a family through the holidays and the corresponding seasons. From sounding the shofar on Rosh Hashanah to lighting the menorah for Chanukah to rattling a grogger for Purim, and on through the Jewish year, the joy and significance of each holiday beautifully come to life. Back matter includes a description of each holiday, easy crafts and recipes for every season, and a 3D tear-out dreidel!

The essays in this collection examine the public construction of languages, the linguistic construction of publics, and the relationship between these two processes. Cultural categories such as named languages, linguistic standards and genres are the products of expert knowledge as well as of linguistic ideologies more widely shared among speakers. Translation, grammars and dictionaries, the policing of correctness, folklore collections and linguistic academies are all part of the work that produces not only languages but also social groups and spheres of action such as "the public". Such representational processes are the topic of inquiry in this voume. They are explored as crucial aspects of power, figuring among the means for establishing inequality, imposing social hierarchy, and mobilizing political action. Contributions to this volume investigate two related questions: first, how different images of linguistic phenomena gain social credibility and political influence; and, secondly, the role of linguistic ideology and practices in the making of political authority. Using both historical and ethnographic approaches, they examine empirical cases ranging from small-scale societies to multi-ethnic empire, from nineteenth-century linguistic theories to contemporary mass media, and from Europe to Oceania to the Americas. Contributors include Susan Gal, Kathryn Woolard, Judith Irvine, Richard Bauman, Michael Silverstein, Jane Hill, Joseph Errington, Bambi Schieffelin, Jacqueline Urla and Ben Lee.

Sun shines on a patch of snow. Hocus pocus! Where did it go? Winter turns to spring in this lyrical book that celebrates the magic of nature and the changing seasons. Eleven gatefolds open to re-create the excitement and surprise of spring's arrival, revealing what happens when snow melts, trees bud, flowers bloom, birds arrive and eggs and cocoons hatch. Finally, it's warm enough to pack away winter clothes and go out and play!

The striking fact that abortion was among the first issues raised, after 1989, by almost all of the newly formed governments of East Central Europe points to the significance of gender and reproduction in the postsocialist transformations. The fourteen studies in this volume result from a comparative, collaborative research project on the complex relationship between ideas and practices of gender, and political economic change. The book presents detailed evidence about women's and men's new circumstances in eight of the former communist countries, exploring the intersection of politics and the life cycle, the differential effects of economic restructuring, and women's public and political participation. Individual contributions on the former German Democratic Republic, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Romania, and Bulgaria provide rich empirical data and interpretive insights on postsocialist transformation analyzed from a gendered perspective. Drawing on multiple methods and disciplines, these original papers advance scholarship in several fields, including anthropology, sociology, women's studies, law, comparative political science, and regional studies. The analyses make clear that practices of gender, and ideas about the differences between men and women, have been crucial in shaping the broad social changes that have followed the collapse of communism.

In addition to the editors, the contributors are Eleonora Zieliaska, Eva Maleck-Lewy, Myra Marx Ferree, Sharon Wolchik, Irene Dolling, Daphne Hahn, Sylka Scholz, Mira Marody, Anna Giza-Poleszczuk, Katalin Kovacs, Monika Varadi, Julia Szalai, Adriana Baban, MaIgorzata Fuszara, Laura Grunberg, Zorica Mrsevia, Krassimira Daskalova, Joanna Goven, and Jasmina Lukia."

""The Politics of Gender after Socialism" is a majestic work. Susan Gal and Gail Kligman offer a theoretically ambitious and empirically well grounded analysis of the transition from socialism to capitalism. They cover the most diverse aspects of social existence, from struggles about abortion and reproductive rights to the separation of public-private spheres, to the remaking of the political and economic system. In each of these fields they demonstrate the gendered nature of social transformation. They show persuasively the balance of continuity and change both in gender relations and in the social character of socialist and postsocialist formation. This book is far more than a study of gender issues after the fall of socialism; it is a major contribution to the theory of transition to a market economy and democracy."--Ivan Szelenyi, Yale University

"Finally a book that makes sense of contemporary gender politics in East Central Europe. Written with great clarity, but no sacrifice of depth or complexity, Gal and Kligman give us the theoretical and historical tools for understanding social and political developments since the fall of communism. Most impressively they provide concrete illustrations for their point that concepts such as 'masculine, ' 'feminine, ' 'the welfare state, ' 'public, ' and 'private, ' are variable and need to be read in their historical contexts."--Joan Wallach Scott, Institute for Advanced Study

"This is a very important and engaging study on East-Central European societies and their transformations through the lens of gender. It is a wonderful source of information on different aspects of gender relations in Eastern Europe and a major theoreticalcontribution to at least three distinct fields of study: feminist theory, studies on social change, and research on Eastern Europe."--Eva Fodor, Dartmouth College

"Gal and Kligman's synthesis of the gender issues and tensions in the transformation of east-central Europe is a tour-de-force. They show how deeply and differently gender was imbedded in the economic and political structures of these countries, and also how the transformation itself has had a strongly gendered character. By looking at the transformation process as a whole through a gender lens, the authors gain a critical handle on the misleading dichotomization of public and private that has characterized so much discussion of the area. Rather than painting women as the passive victims of marketization or the unambiguous beneficiaries of democratization, they tease out the conflicting tendencies toward empowerment and marginalization that are lurking in the changes in families, economies and politics throughout the region. This is a crucial contribution to studies of gender, the transformation and the state in general."--Myra Marx Ferree, University of Wisconsin, Madison

""The Politics of Gender after Socialism" is a stunning analysis of how the gender relations of the former socialist states are being transformed in the transition to privatization and market economies. . . . Gal and Kligman have made a vital contribution not only to the literature on the transition in East Central Europe but also to the study of gender, economy and politics. . . . Breathtaking in scope and beautifully written, "The Politics of Gender after Socialism" is a compelling look at the ways in which women and men, states and markets, negotiatethe politics of gender in a changing social world."--Nancy Weiss Hanrahan

How are peoples' ideas about languages, ways of speaking and expressive styles shaped by their social positions and values? How is difference, in language and in social life, made - and unmade? How and why are some differences persuasive as the basis for action, while other differences are ignored or erased? Written by two recognised authorities on language and culture, this book argues that ideological work of all kinds is fundamentally communicative, and that social positions, projects and historical moments influence, and are influenced by, people's ideas about communicative practices. Neither true nor false, ideologies are positioned and partial visions of the world, relying on comparison and perspective; they exploit differences in expressive features - linguistic and otherwise - to construct convincing stereotypes of people, spaces and activities. Using detailed ethnographic, historical and contemporary examples, this outstanding book shows readers how to analyse ideological work semiotically.

How are peoples' ideas about languages, ways of speaking and expressive styles shaped by their social positions and values? How is difference, in language and in social life, made - and unmade? How and why are some differences persuasive as the basis for action, while other differences are ignored or erased? Written by two recognised authorities on language and culture, this book argues that ideological work of all kinds is fundamentally communicative, and that social positions, projects and historical moments influence, and are influenced by, people's ideas about communicative practices. Neither true nor false, ideologies are positioned and partial visions of the world, relying on comparison and perspective; they exploit differences in expressive features - linguistic and otherwise - to construct convincing stereotypes of people, spaces and activities. Using detailed ethnographic, historical and contemporary examples, this outstanding book shows readers how to analyse ideological work semiotically.