It is 1896 in China, once a strong and independent nation with a proud heritage but now a victim of inept government and foreign imperialism. The gap between the rich and the poor is growing. While the wealthy enjoy the trappings of a comfortable life, less fortunate families (comprising a majority of the population) struggle to survive, often resorting to the practice of selling their young daughters into bondage to avoid starvation. Not surprisingly, calls for social reform and civil rebellion are getting louder. Zilan, a young wife and mother in a privileged mandarin family, faces the uncertainty with an outward calm that belies inner conflict. She is torn between her desire to honor the ancient Confucian principles at the core of China's male-dominated society, on one hand, and her concern for the lowly status of females, especially those born into poverty, on the other. In her own quiet way and with initiative that is rare for a woman of her era, she sets out to improve the lot of those around her. She coaches her bonded maids to become self-sufficient and tries to find a way to restore their freedom. Through impromptu history lessons, Zilan helps her young son, Mengfei, understand how the past plays a vital role in shaping the present. Of Noble Heritage gives us a window into life in China, as seen through Zilan's eyes, during the waning years of the Qing dynasty. In her heart, Zilan is a feminist despite being raised in an environment in which women are taught to be subservient. From her lessons with Mengfei, which provide glimpses into Chinese tradition and culture, we can appreciate her wisdom in combining education with independent thinking at a time when women were not expected to be wise or educated or to think independently.
Incy Wincy Spider is smaller than all of the other spiders. But, when it comes to going up the spout, she tries her very best. Learn how to count down, while your sing along to the audio track, as all of the spiders find creative ways to go up the spout.
Peace on Earth: The Role of Religion in Peace and Conflict Studies provides a critical analysis of faith and religious institutions in peacebuilding practice and pedagogy. The work captures the synergistic relationships among faith traditions and how multiple approaches to conflict transformation and peacebuilding result in a creative process that has the potential to achieve a more detailed view of peace on earth, containing breadth as well as depth. Library and bookstore shelves are filled with critiques of the negative impacts of religion in conflict scenarios. Peace on Earth: The Role of Religion in Peace and Conflict Studies offers an alternate view that suggests religious organizations play a more complex role in conflict than a simply negative one. Faith-based organizations, and their workers, are often found on the frontlines of conflict throughout the world, conducting conflict management and resolution activities as well as advancing peacebuilding initiatives.
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