This book examines the development of nuclear propulsion in the Royal Navy from the first proposal in 1946 to the start-up of the last core improvement for the first submarine reactor power plant PWR 1 in December 1974. Drawing from unreleased records and archives, the book answers questions around three main themes. Political: what problems were encountered in transferring nuclear knowledge from the USA to the UK in the post-war period, and how much support was there for the development of nuclear propulsion? Military: why was there a requirement to develop nuclear propulsion, and in particular, why submarines? Technical: were the problems associated with nuclear energy fully appreciated, and did the UK have the technical and engineering capability to develop nuclear propulsion? Aside from the political considerations and military motives for developing nuclear propulsion in the Royal Navy, the author focuses on the technical problems that had to be overcome by all participants in the Royal Navy’s development of nuclear propulsion, adding significantly to naval historiography. Providing a critical analysis of the political, technological, operational and industrial issues of introducing nuclear propulsion into the Royal Navy, the author situates his research in the context of the evolving Cold War, changing Anglo-American relations, the end of Empire and the relative decline of British power.
For too long, Arthur Tudor has been remembered only for what he never became. The boy who died prematurely and paved the way for the revolutionary reign of his younger brother, Henry VIII. Yet, during his short life, Arthur was at the center of one of the most tumultuous periods of England’s history. At the time of his birth, he represented his father’s hopes for a dynasty and England’s greatest chance of peace. As he grew, he witnessed feuds, survived rebellion and became the focal point of an international alliance. From the threat of pretenders to West Country rebellions, the dramatic twists and turns of early Tudor England preoccupied Arthur’s thoughts. At a young age, he was dispatched to the Welsh border, becoming a figure head for a robust regional government. While never old enough to exercise full power in his dominion, he emerged as a figure of influence, beseeched by petitioners and consulted by courtiers. While the extent of his personal influence can only be guessed at, the sources that survive reveal a determined prince that came tantalizingly close to forging his future. Finally, after years of negotiation, delay and frustration, the prince finally came face to face with his Spanish bride, Katharine of Aragon. The young couple had shared a destiny since the cradle. Securing the hand of this prestigious pride for his son had been a center piece of Henry VII’s foreign policy. Yet, despite being 14 years in the making, the couple were to enjoy just five months together before Arthur succumbed to a mysterious illness. Arthur’s death at the age of 15 was not just a personal tragedy for his parents. It changed the course of the future and deprived England of one of the most educated and cultivated princes in their history. Arthur would never wear the crown the of England. But few Princes of Wales had been better prepared to rule. Arthur, Prince of Wales: Henry VIII’s Lost Brother shows that Arthur Tudor was more than a prince who died. He was a boy that really lived.
A “riotously readable…tender and affectionate” (Daily Mail, London) exploration of five hundred years of British history—from King Henry VIII to Queen Elizabeth II—as seen through the doorways of the exquisite Hampton Court Palace. Architecturally breathtaking and rich in splendid art and décor, Hampton Court Palace has been the stage of some of the most important events in British history, such as the commissioning of King James’s version of the Bible, the staging of many of Shakespeare’s plays, and Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation ball. The Palace takes us on “an entertaining journey into the past” (Kirkus Reviews) as it reveals the ups and downs of royal history and illustrates what was at play politically, socially, and economically at the time. An engaging and charming history book that is perfect for fans of Alison Weir, Philippa Gregory, and Andrew Lownie, The Palace makes you feel as if you were in the room as history was made.
There are two key questions at the heart of the ongoing debate about education and training for all young people, irrespective of background, ability or attainment: What counts as an educated 19 year old today? Are the models of education we have inherited from the past sufficient to meet the needs of all young people, as well as the social and economic needs of the wider community? Education for All addresses these questions in the light of evidence collected over five years by the Nuffield Review of 14-19 Education and Training: the most rigorous investigation of every aspect of this key educational phase for decades. Written by the co-directors of the Nuffield Review, Education for All provides a critical, comprehensive and thoroughly readable overview of 14-19 education and training and makes suggestions for the kind of education and training that should be provided over the coming decade and beyond. The authors acknowledge that much has been achieved by the respective governments – massive investment in resources; closer collaboration between schools, colleges, training providers, voluntary agencies and employers; recognition and promotion of a wider range of qualifications. They are also optimistic about the good things that are going on in many secondary classrooms – enormous amounts of creativity; courageous efforts to meet problems; a deep concern and caring for many young people otherwise deprived of hope and opportunity. But they argue for a radical reshaping of the future in the light of a broader vision of education – a greater respect for more practical and active learning; a system of assessment which supports rather than impoverishes learning; respect for the professional expertise of the teacher; a more unified system of qualifications ensuring progression into higher education and employment; the creation of strongly collaborative and local learning systems; and a more reflective and participative approach to policy. Education for All should be read by everyone working in – or with an interest in – secondary-level education in England and Wales and beyond.
Many people today think we are the only intelligent life that exists. Are we? Space Exploration takes you out of this world to other planets and stars to learn what we know about our universe and how we know it.
It was over a decade ago that experimental psychologists and media-effects researchers declared the debate on the effects of violent video gaming as “essentially over,” referring to the way violence in videogames increases aggressive thoughts, feelings and behaviors in players. Despite the decisive tone of this statement, neither the presence nor popularity of digital games has since diminished, with games continuing to attract new generations of players to experience its technological advancements in the narration of violence and its techniques of depiction. Drawing on new insights achieved from research located at an intersection between humanities, social and computer sciences, Gareth Schott's addition to the Approaches in Digital Game Studies series interrogates the nature and meaning of the “violence” encountered and experienced by game players. In focusing on the various ways "violence" is mediated by both the rule system and the semiotic layer of games, the aim is to draw out the distinctiveness of games' exploitation of violence or violent themes. An important if not canonical text in the debates about video games and violence, Violent Games constitutes an essential book for those wishing to make sense of the experience offered by games as technological, aesthetic, and communicational phenomena in the context of issues of media regulation and the classification of game content “as” violence.
Main message is that maths is something to enjoy, not something to fear, encouraging the release of deeply rooted maths-linked anxieties. Emphasises that maths is something to be understood, not something to be repeated poly-parrot-fashion, therefore change of perspective that benefits individuals, their children and their grandchildren. Maths is something for all, recognises maths as a natural part of culture.
An examination of the varied ways, outside and inside markets, in which Asante producers obtained labor, land and capital during the transformative era. This is a study of the changing rules and relationships within which natural, human and man-made resources were mobilized for production during the development of an agricultural export economy in Asante, a major West African kingdom which became, by 1945, the biggest regional contributor to Ghana's status as the world's largest cocoa producer. The period 1807-1956 as a whole was distinguished in Asante history by relatively favorable political conditions for indigenous as well as (during colonial rule) for foreign private enterprise. It saw generally increasing external demands for products that could be produced on Asante land. This book, which fills a major gap in Asante economic history, transcends the traditional divide between studies of precolonial and of twentieth-century African history. It analyses the interaction of coercion and the market in the context of a rich but fragile natural environment, the central process being a transition from slavery and debt-bondage to hired labor and agricultural indebtedness. It contributes to the broad debate about Africa's historic combination of emerging 'capitalist' institutions and persistent 'precapitalist' ones, and tests the major theories of the political economy of institutional change. It is written accessibly for an interdisciplinary readership. Gareth Austin is a lecturer in Economic History, London School of Economics and Political Science, and Joint Editor of the 'Journal of African History'.
Albert J. Luxford has long been known as "The Gimmick Man" in the film and television industry, but he has remained one of its unsung and unknown geniuses despite his well-known work. He equipped James Bond with some of his most memorable gadgets; made possible many of the effects and sequences in the Carry On series. He worked on such shows and movies as Are You Being Served?, The Muppets, Highlander, and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, among many others. In this memoir, Luxford reminisces with great good humor about his life and work and shares some tricks of the trade. He left school at 16 to attend the Institute of Automobile Engineers in West London and began in the film industry as an engineer at Pinewood Studios. The bulk of this work is made up of Luxford's recollections about his experiences in special effects. This is a genuine tour behind the scenes by an incomparable master of movie magic.
Health Psychology takes a truly international and critical biopsychosocial approach, providing students with a holistic understanding of health behaviour, culture and change. Thoroughly updated with the latest research, this comprehensive introduction to foundational and cutting-edge topics in health psychology gives you the tools you need to critically appraise theory and research, and to apply this knowledge to real-world public health issues. Praised for its coverage of social justice, macro-social and cultural issues in health, this edition features three new chapters on parenting and health, responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, and gender-affirmative healthcare for transgender people. Now in full colour, it also includes updated pedagogy, with international Key Studies, Critical Discussions and Insights boxes to extend your learning. Written by experts in the field, this must-read for students of Health Psychology, Health Promotion and Health Behaviour demonstrates how theory and research learned in the classroom impacts public policy around the world. David F. Marks is a psychologist specializing in Health Psychology, Mental Imagery and Consciousness research. Michael Murray is Emeritus Professor of Social and Health Psychology at Keele University. Emee Vida Estacio is a chartered psychologist, author, speaker and health promotion specialist. Rachel A. Annunziato is Professor of Psychology at Fordham University. Abigail Locke is Professor of Critical Social and Health Psychology and Head of School at Keele University. Gareth J. Treharne is Professor of Psychology at te Whare Wananga o Otago (the University of Otago).
Around the world every year very many students have to complete dissertations or theses as part of their undergraduate or masters studies in tourism and related subjects. Often this substantial piece of self-directed work is the culmination of their programmes. More than just a means to consolidate their final grades, it is also an exciting chance to research a topic of their choosing and a potential gateway to more advanced study as well as job offers and future career paths. Yet for all these reasons, many students view the dissertation as a tricky challenge. This comprehensive book intends to take the stress and anxiety out of doing a dissertation in tourism studies and related disciplines. The process is examined from the germination of an idea to the submission and assessment of the final document. Written primarily for students conducting independent research for the first time, this book offers simple advice and a clear framework which students can adopt even in more advanced studies at masters and doctoral level. This book debunks popular myths, and aims to overcome common pitfalls. It focuses on the aims and objectives as the DNA of every dissertation. Rather than view it as a single, overwhelming project, the dissertation is presented as a series of more modest, manageable yet crucially inter-linked tasks that all students can successfully complete through careful preparation and effective time management. Dissertations are not to be underestimated and they demand great care and attention, but they can also be immensely rewarding and enriching experiences academically and personally. This ‘jargon free’ book is also written with overseas students specifically in mind, drawing directly on our overseas students’ experiences. This valuable resource contains start of chapter learning objectives and end of chapter checklists, as well as numerous boxed case studies, to further help assist students through their dissertation.
When Congress endorsed substantial aid to schools in 1965, the idea that the federal government had any responsibility for public education was controversial. Twenty years later, not only had that controversy dissipated, Washington's role in education had dramatically expanded. Gareth Davies explores how both conservatives and liberals came to embrace the once daring idea of an active federal role in elementary and secondary education and uses that case to probe the persistence-and growth-of big government during a supposedly antigovernment era. By focusing on institutional changes in government that accompanied the civil rights revolution, Davies shows how initially fragile programs put down roots, built a constituency, and became entrenched. He explains why the federal role in schools continued to expand in the post-LBJ years as the reform impulse became increasingly detached from electoral politics, centering instead on the courts and the federal bureaucracy. Meanwhile, southern resistance to school desegregation had discredited the "states rights" argument, making it easier for conservatives as well as liberals to seek federal solutions to social problems. Although LBJ's landmark Elementary and Secondary Education Act deferred to local control, the legislation of the Nixon-Ford years issued directives that posed greater challenges to traditional federalism than Johnson's grand ideals. As Davies shows, the new political climate saw the achievement of such breakthroughs as mandated bilingual education, school finance reform, and the Education for All Handicapped Children Act-measures that, before the seventies, would have been considered unthinkably intrusive by liberals as well as conservatives. And when Ronald Reagan promised to abolish the Department of Education, conservatives worked with liberals to derail his agenda. Davies' surprising study shows that the distancing of American conservatism from its anti-statist traditions helped pave the way for today's "big government conservatism," which enabled a Republican-dominated Congress to pass No Child Left Behind. By revealing the endurance of Great Society values during a period of Republican ascendance, his book opens a window on our political process and offers new insight into what really makes government grow.
An anecdotal history of the record industry on both sides of the Atlantic focuses on leading label founders, talent scouts and A&R men who understood the industry's dual music and business natures, drawing parallels between the industry setbacks of the 1920s and 30s and the recent CD crash.
Historically, the Reformed and Charismatic streams have seemed to be almost mutually exclusive. In recent years, this exclusivity has been being challenged by a new generation of Reformed thinkers. This work aims at considering the contribution of John Wimber, the late leader of the Vineyard Churches, to contemporary theological reflection within the Reformed tradition. Taking into account John Wimber's unique theology of the "radical middle," which is somewhere between Pentecostal and Evangelical, this book asks whether Wimber may be a possible alternative source for the contemporary Reformed Churches as they approach ministry and mission in the twenty-first century. Written from a confessional Presbyterian context in Northern Ireland, Word and Power places Wimber in his theological context and asks whether Wimber's view of power evangelism, discipleship formation, and ministry training might be a model that Reformed Churches--and Presbyterians in particular--could adopt for their ecclesiology today.
The autobiography of America’s greatest record man: the founder of Sire Records and spotter of rock talent from the Ramones to Madonna. Seymour Stein was America's greatest record man. Not only did he sign and nurture more important artists than anyone alive, after over sixty years in the game, he was still the hippest label head, travelling the globe in search of the next big thing. Since the late fifties, he had been wherever was happening: Billboard, Tin Pan Alley, The British Invasion, CBGB, Studio 54, Danceteria, the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame, the CD crash. Along that winding path, he discovered and broke out a skyline full of stars: Madonna, The Ramones, Talking Heads, Depeche Mode, Madonna, The Smiths, The Cure, Ice-T, Lou Reed, Seal, and many others. Brimming with hilarious scenes and character portraits, Siren Song’s wider narrative is about modernity in motion, and the slow acceptance of diversity in America – thanks largely to daring pop music. Including both the high and low points in his life, Siren Song touches on everything from his discovery of Madonna to his wife Linda Stein's violent death. Ask anyone in the music business, Seymour Stein was a legend. Sung from the heart, Siren Song will etch his story in stone.
In a career spanning six decades, director of photography Alan Hume has worked on over 100 films and television shows and progressed through the ranks from a young clapper boy to one of the best lighting cameramen in the business. From early films with David Lean, through the popular Carry On series, Amicus horror, four James Bonds, Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, A Fish Called Wanda, Shirley Valentine, Stepping Out, and others, Alan Hume has worked alongside some of the most acclaimed directors and producers and biggest film stars. The memoir, from his evacuation as a child in World War II to his retirement, includes a collection of rare photographs, both in front of and behind the camera. He explains technical details and insights of the industry while divulging anecdotes about celebrities and filmmaking. It concludes with a summary of the technological changes throughout his career and to the present, and a full filmography. With great good humor, Hume offers an incomparable tour behind the camera.
Biology For You has been updated to offer comprehensive coverage of the revised GCSE specifications. It can be used with either mixed ability or streamed sets and higher tier materials are clearly marked.
This book provides students with a comprehensive and engaging introduction to the study of criminology by taking an interdisciplinary approach to explaining criminal behaviour and criminal justice. It is divided into two parts, which address the two essential bases that form the discipline of criminology. Part One describes, discusses and evaluates a range of theoretical approaches that have offered explanations for crime. Part Two offers an accessible but detailed review of the major philosophical aims and sociological theories of punishment, and examines the main areas of the contemporary criminal justice system.
Making Use of Deleuze in Planning translates and re-creates some of Gilles Deleuze’s most abstract philosophical concepts to form a new, practicable planning assessment tool. It shows what his philosophy can do for planning theory as well as planning assessment practice and, in doing so, sets out a pragmatic approach to Deleuzian studies: one that helps form bridges between ontological problems and the problems found in professional practice. It also breaks new ground in assessment methodology by challenging the essentialist ideas underpinning assessment methods like BREEAM and setting out and testing a new form of non-essentialist assessment named SIAM. The book argues that Deleuze’s philosophy can be made useful to planning as long as one is prepared to adapt and re-create his key ontological concepts to respond to the specific demands of the field.
This work argues that although "The Waste Land" demands close reading, the spirit of the old New Criticism works with inappropriate assumptions about unity and closed form. Many critics have tried to fix the text, to find hidden narratives and plots, spiritual guests and allegories of salvation. Instead, this reading sees the poem as resolutely open-ended, supporting this view with recent developments in Reader-Response criticism and Reception Theory. The study focuses on the way poetry sounds (or does not sound, cannot be sounded). It concentrates on syntax, lineation and intonation. It also brings out the presence of the muted voices of wronged women in a work often called misogynistic.
Authors David and Gareth take a trip through the places, peculiarities and past practices of Cardiff, stopping off to sample the culinary (and alcoholic) delights of the city along the way. From Clark's Pies and a heaped helping of 'Half and Half' to the oddities of the 'Kaairdiff' accent, this fact-packed compendium reveals the contributions Cardiff has made to the history of the nation and recalls some of its famous faces – Shirley Bassey, Charlotte Church and Frank Hennessy amongst them – and popular attractions. This book is guaranteed to entertain, amuse and surprise everyone who picks it up.
For fans of The Crown and Ninety-Nine Glimpses of Princess Margaret, a deliciously entertaining collection of 101 fascinating and funny anecdotes about Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother—one for each year of her life. During her lifetime, the Queen Mother was as famous for her clever quips, pointed observations, and dry-as-a-martini delivery style as she was for being a beloved royal. Now, Do Let’s Have Another Drink recounts 101 (one for each year of her remarkable life) amusing and astonishing vignettes from across her long life, including her coming of age during World War I, the abdication of her brother-in-law and her unexpected ascendance to the throne, and her half century of widowhood as her daughter reigned over the United Kingdom. Featuring new revelations and colorful anecdotes about the woman Cecil Beaton, the high society photographer, once summarized as “a marshmallow made on a welding machine,” Do Let’s Have Another Drink is a delightful celebration of one of the most consistently popular members of the royal family.
Having taken on the role of Roger Moore's executive assistant in 2002, Gareth Owen became the right-hand man to an icon, as well as his co-author, onstage co-star and confidant. Gareth was faithfully at Roger's side for fifteen years until his passing in 2017. In this affectionate and amusing book, the author recounts his times with Roger Moore and gives a unique and rare insight into life with one of the world's most beloved actors. Roger always said, 'Gareth knows me better than I know myself.' For all his celebrity, Roger Moore was quite reserved. In interviews he rarely spoke about himself, much preferring to tell fun tales about others. But his trusted sidekick was with him throughout his worldwide travels, his UK stage shows, his writing process and his book tours, as he received his Knighthood, and as he rubbed shoulders with the rich and famous. There were genuinely hilarious, heartfelt and extraordinary moments to be captured and Gareth Owen was there to share them all.
Mae Ffion, y gyrrwr tacsi, a Josh ei mab yn gymeriadau pwysig yn y nofel gyffrous hon. Mae Josh mewn cariad efo Mari sy'n byw yn Heol y Garn, ardal lawer mwy cefnog.
Karl Polanyi's The Great Transformation is generally acclaimed as being among the most influential works of economic history in the twentieth century, and remains as vital in the current historical conjuncture as it was in his own. In its critique of nineteenth-century "market fundamentalism" it reads as a warning to our own neoliberal age, and is widely touted as a prophetic guidebook for those who aspire to understand the causes and dynamics of global economic turbulence at the end of the 2000s. Karl Polanyi: The Limits of the Market is the first comprehensive introduction to Polanyi's ideas and legacy. It assesses not only the texts for which he is famous – prepared during his spells in American academia – but also his journalistic articles written in his first exile in Vienna, and lectures and pamphlets from his second exile, in Britain. It provides a detailed critical analysis of The Great Transformation, but also surveys Polanyi’s seminal writings in economic anthropology, the economic history of ancient and archaic societies, and political and economic theory. Its primary source base includes interviews with Polanyi's daughter, Kari Polanyi-Levitt, as well as the entire compass of his own published and unpublished writings in English and German. This engaging and accessible introduction to Polanyi's thinking will appeal to students and scholars across the social sciences, providing a refreshing perspective on the roots of our current economic crisis.
A compelling study of Anglican Evangelicalism in the Age of Wilberforce revealing its potency as a political machine whose reach extended into every area of the British establishment and its nascent Empire.
A gazetteer of the many fine Shropshire country houses, which covers the architecture, the owners' family history, and the social and economic circumstances that affected them.
Chemistry is widely considered to be the central science: it encompasses concepts on which all other branches of science are developed. Yet, for many students entering university, gaining a firm grounding in chemistry is a real challenge. Chemistry3 responds to this challenge, providingstudents with a full understanding of the fundamental principles of chemistry on which to build later studies.Uniquely amongst the introductory chemistry texts currently available, Chemistry3's author team brings together experts in each of organic, inorganic, and physical chemistry with specialists in chemistry education to provide balanced coverage of the fundamentals of chemistry in a way that studentsboth enjoy and understand.The result is a text that builds on what students know already from school and tackles their misunderstandings and misconceptions, thereby providing a seamless transition from school to undergraduate study. Written with unrivalled clarity, students are encouraged to engage with the text andappreciate the central role that chemistry plays in our lives through the unique use of real-world context and photographs.Chemistry3 tackles head-on two issues pervading chemistry education: students' mathematical skills, and their ability to see the subject as a single, unified discipline. Instead of avoiding the maths, Chemistry3 provides structured support, in the form of careful explanations, reminders of keymathematical concepts, step-by-step calculations in worked examples, and a Maths Toolkit, to help students get to grips with the essential mathematical element of chemistry. Frequent cross-references highlight the connections between each strand of chemistry and explain the relationship between thetopics, so students can develop an understanding of the subject as a whole.Digital formats and resourcesChemistry3 is available for students and institutions to purchase in a variety of formats, and is supported by online resources.The e-book offers a mobile experience and convenient access along with functionality tools, navigation features, and links that offer extra learning support: www.oxfordtextbooks.co.uk/ebooksThe e-book also features interactive animations of molecular structures, screencasts in which authors talk step-by-step through selected examples and key reaction mechanisms, and self-assessment activities for each chapter. The accompanying online resources will also include, for students:DT Chapter 1 as an open-access PDF;DT Chapter summaries and key equations to download, to support revision;DT Worked solutions to the questions in the book.The following online resources are also provided for lecturers:DT Test bank of ready-made assessments for each chapter with which to test your studentsDT Problem-solving workshop activities for each chapter for you to use in classDT Case-studies showing how instructors are successfully using Chemistry3 in digital learning environments and to support innovative teaching practicesDT Figures and tables from the book
Waterloo is probably the most famous battle in military history. Thousands of books have been written on the subject but mysteries remain and controversy abounds.By presenting more than 200 previously unpublished accounts by Allied officers who fought at the battle, this collection goes right back to the primary source material. In the letters the Allied officers recount where they were and what they saw. Gareth Glover has provided historical background information but lets the officers speak for themselves as they reveal exactly what happened in June 1815.Originally sent to, and at the request of, Captain W Siborne, then in the process of building his famous model of the battle, these letters have remained unread in the Siborne papers in the British Library. A small selection was published in Waterloo Letters in 1891 but much of vast historical significance did not see the light then and has remained inaccessible until now. Glover now presents this remarkable collection which includes letters here by Major Baring, George Bowles, Edward Whinyates, John Gurwood and Edward Cotton as well as letters by Hanoverian and King's German Legion officers.This is a veritable treasure trove of material on the battle and one which will mean that every historian's view of the battle will need correcting.
The Broadcasters of BBC Wales, 1964-1990 tells the inside story of an exceptional period in Welsh broadcasting when an eclectic collection of characters emerged both in front and behind the microphone. Their lives are seen through the eyes of Gareth Price who knew them all during his career at BBC Wales. His experiences managing the six frenetic years during which Radio Wales, Radio Cymru and also S4C hit the airwaves are enlightening. By 1982, BBC Wales grew to become the largest BBC operation outside London, but then the tide turned...
An important new study of the life and ministry of the Anglican minister and Evangelical leader Charles Wesley (1707-88) which examines the often-neglected contribution made by John Wesley's younger brother to the early history of the Methodist movement. Charles Wesley's importance as the author of classic hymns like `Love Divine' and `O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing' is well known, but his wider contribution to Methodism, the Church of England and the Evangelical Revival has been overlooked. Gareth Lloyd presents a new appraisal of Charles Wesley based on his own papers and those of his friends and enemies. The picture of the Revival that results from a fresh examination of one of Methodism's most significant leaders offers a new perspective on the formative years of a denomination that today has an estimated 80 million members worldwide.
From Comrades to Bodhisattvas is the first book-length study of Han Chinese Buddhism in post-Mao China. Using an ethnographic approach supported by over a decade of field research, it provides an intimate portrait of lay Buddhist practitioners in Beijing who have recently embraced a religion that they were once socialized to see as harmful superstition. The book focuses on the lively discourses and debates that take place among these new practitioners in an unused courtyard of a Beijing temple. In this non-monastic space, which shrinks each year as the temple authorities expand their commercial activities, laypersons gather to distribute and exchange Buddhist-themed media, listen to the fiery sermons of charismatic preachers, and seek solutions to personal moral crises. Applying recent theories in the anthropology of morality and ethics, Gareth Fisher argues that the practitioners are attracted to the courtyard as a place where they can find ethical resources to re-make both themselves and others in a rapidly changing nation that they believe lacks a coherent moral direction. Spurred on by the lessons of the preachers and the stories in the media they share, these courtyard practitioners inventively combine moral elements from China’s recent Maoist past with Buddhist teachings on the workings of karma and the importance of universal compassion. Their aim is to articulate a moral antidote to what they see as blind obsession with consumption and wealth accumulation among twenty-first century Chinese. Often socially marginalized and sidelined from meaningful roles in China’s new economy, these former communist comrades look to their new moral roles along a bodhisattva path to rebuild their self-worth. Each chapter focuses on a central trope in the courtyard practitioners’ projects to form new moral identities. The Chinese government’s restrictions on the spread of religious teachings in urban areas curtail these practitioners' ability to insert their moral visions into an emerging public sphere. Nevertheless, they succeed, at least partially, Fisher argues, in creating their own discursive space characterized by a morality of concern for fellow humans and animals and a recognition of the organizational abilities and pedagogical talents of its members that are unacknowledged in society at large. Moreover, as the later chapters of the book discuss, by writing, copying, and distributing Buddhist-themed materials, the practitioners participate in creating a religious network of fellow-Buddhists across the country, thereby forming a counter-cultural community within contemporary urban China. Highly readable and full of engaging descriptions of the real lives of practicing lay Buddhists in contemporary China, From Comrades to Bodhisattvas will interest specialists in Chinese Buddhism, anthropologists of contemporary Asia, and all scholars interested in the relationship between religion and cultural change.
Can you solve this sporting equation? '53EG for WR' In which sport can you win the Sid Waddell Trophy? And in which year did Turin host the Winter Olympics? For over 50 years A Question of Sport has been the last word in sports quizzing, and now you can take on the challenge to guess the Mystery Guest, race to the Sprint Finish, and show off your expertise. With over 3000 new questions from athletics to football, racing, tennis, swimming and every sport in between, you'll be tested on sports in every era. Challenge friends and family or play in teams to be crowned the champions. Will you gamble or play it safe in Home or Away? Could you hold your nerve in the high-speed buzzer round? What will your score be when the final whistle blows?
Why did the CIA overthrow Iran's democratically elected government? And why has the United States treated Iran as one of its biggest enemies for four decades? Is the Trump administration’s “Maximum Pressure” campaign working, or will it precipitate a war with Iran? In The CIA Insider's Guide to Iran: from CIA Coup to the Brink of War, former CIA Officer John C. Kiriakou and investigative journalist and historian Gareth Porter explain how and why the United States and Iran have been either at war or threatening such a war for most of the forty years since Islamic Republic of Iran was established. The authors delve below the surface explanations for the forty-year history of extreme U.S. hostility toward Iran to blow up one official U.S. narrative after another about Iran and U.S. policy. Against the background of Iran’s encounters with heavy-handed British and Russian imperialist control over its resources, this book shows how the U.S. began its encounter with Iran by clearly siding with British imperialism against Iranian aspirations for control over its oil in its 1953 overthrow of the Mossadegh government, then proceeded to actively support the Saddam Hussein regime’s horrific chemical war against Iran. The book shows how a parade of politically-motivated false narratives have taken U.S. Iran policy progressively farther from reality for three decades and have now brought the United States to the brink of war with Iran. It explains how Donald Trump’s trashing of the nuclear deal with Iran and seeking to cut off Iran’s oil exports creates a very high risk of such a war, demanding major public debate about changing course. The CIA Insider's Guide to the Iran Crisis also includes appendices with key official documents on U.S. policy toward Iran, with particular emphasis on the major official statements of the Trump administration’s “Maximum Pressure” strategy.
This will help us customize your experience to showcase the most relevant content to your age group
Please select from below
Login
Not registered?
Sign up
Already registered?
Success – Your message will goes here
We'd love to hear from you!
Thank you for visiting our website. Would you like to provide feedback on how we could improve your experience?
This site does not use any third party cookies with one exception — it uses cookies from Google to deliver its services and to analyze traffic.Learn More.