A Rumour of Spring


Book Description

Democracy in South Africa turns twenty on 27 April 2014. In A Rumour of Spring, Max du Preez investigates and analyses the progress and lack of progress the country has made during these twenty years. A Rumour of Spring looks at the legacies of Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki in an attempt to understand how we got here, and examines Jacob Zuma’s presidency to better understand where we are. In the context of blatant corruption, populism and tragedies such as the Marikana massacre, the book considers the current state of the ruling party and the opposition, and dissects the big issues currently afflicting our society, including the state of education, land reform, crime and policing, the judiciary, nationality and race. And then, with images of the Arab Spring fresh in our collective memory, it dares to look to the future and what it may hold. An honest and balanced account, A Rumour of Spring tackles the questions asked by ordinary South Africans every day: How are we really doing? What is really going on in our country? How should we understand what is happening here? And will it get any better?




Rumours of Spring


Book Description

'A terrifying yet tender account of a girlhood spent under near-constant siege.' Madhuri Vijay, author of The Far Field 'Extraordinary - this memoir of growing up in Kashmir in the 1990s is illuminating, heartbreaking, and beautifully told.' Kamila Shamsie, author of Home Fire 'This is an unforgettable work that refuses silence. It is an urgent, brave call for justice.' Maaza Mengiste, author of The Shadow King 'Page after page, Farah Bashir juxtaposes moments of heart-stopping terror and beauty in a stunning memoir of life and love under a bloody military occupation.' Mirza Waheed, author of Tell Her Everything 'I couldn't put it down, and even after it had ended, the people and their stories - wonderful, horrific, familiar and unfathomable - stayed textured and formidable in my mind.' Jennifer Croft, author of Homesick 'A beautifully tender and often heart-stopping memoir of growing up in a world that is spinning out of control.' Mahesh Rao, author of Polite Society Rumours of Spring is the unforgettable account of Farah Bashir's adolescence spent in Srinagar in the 1990s. As Indian troops and militants battle across the cityscape and violence becomes the new normal, a young schoolgirl finds that ordinary tasks - studying for exams, walking to the bus stop, combing her hair, falling asleep - are riddled with anxiety and fear. With haunting simplicity, Farah Bashir captures moments of vitality and resilience from her girlhood amidst the increasing trauma and turmoil of passing years - secretly dancing to pop songs on banned radio stations; writing her first love letter; going to the cinema for the first time - with haunting simplicity. This deeply affecting coming-of-age memoir portrays how territorial conflict surreptitiously affects everyday lives in Kashmir.




An Epidemic of Rumors


Book Description

In An Epidemic of Rumors, Jon D. Lee examines the human response to epidemics through the lens of the 2003 SARS epidemic. Societies usually respond to the eruption of disease by constructing stories, jokes, conspiracy theories, legends, and rumors, but these narratives are often more damaging than the diseases they reference. The information disseminated through them is often inaccurate, incorporating xenophobic explanations of the disease’s origins and questionable medical information about potential cures and treatment. Folklore studies brings important and useful perspectives to understanding cultural responses to the outbreak of disease. Through this etiological study Lee shows the similarities between the narratives of the SARS outbreak and the narratives of other contemporary disease outbreaks like AIDS and the H1N1 virus. His analysis suggests that these disease narratives do not spring up with new outbreaks or diseases but are in continuous circulation and are recycled opportunistically. Lee also explores whether this predictability of vernacular disease narratives presents the opportunity to create counter-narratives released systematically from the government or medical science to stymie the negative effects of the fearful rumors that so often inflame humanity. With potential for practical application to public health and health policy, An Epidemic of Rumors will be of interest to students and scholars of health, medicine, and folklore.




Rumor Mills


Book Description

The goal of this volume is to explore the social and political dynamics of rumor and the related concept of urban or contemporary legend. These forms of communication often appear in tandem with social problems, including riots, racial or political violence, and social and economic upheavals. The volume emphasizes the connection of rumor to a set of social concerns from government corruption and corporate scandal, to racial, religious, and other prejudices. Central to the dialogue are issues of truth, belief, history, public policy, and evidence.Rumor has been recognized as one of the most important contributing factors to violence and discrimination. Yet, despite its significance in exacerbating social discord and mistrust, little systematic scholarly attention has been paid to the political origins and consequences of rumor. Rumor is defined as a proposition for belief that is not backed by secure standards of evidence. Rumor can be traditional or not, and can be expressed as a simple claim of fact. In both instances groups of claim-makers, operating out of their own interests and with a set of resources, attempt to depict reality, and if possible, impact the future.The need for this book is underscored by changing patterns of technology. What in the past was grounded in face- to-face interaction is now often found on the Internet, which is a major source of rumor. An appreciation of how new electronic forms of communication affect communal belief is essential for explicating rumor dynamics. The volume is comprehensive. Essays cover race and ethnicity, migration and globalization, corporate malfeasance, and state and government corruption. While editors and contributors well appreciate the dynamic nature of rumors and legends, the high quality of the effort make it evident that the issues that are raised and reoccur will serve to channel and inspire research in this major field of communications research for years to come.




The Rumour Mill


Book Description

Aletheia, the great city of Bible Truth in the land of Err, is once more under threat. It has withstood two attacks by the people and creatures of Err, but another assault is coming. This time the Meddlers will use lies and slander to undermine not only the leaders, but the Truth the city stands for, too. The centre of the Meddlers' activities is the Rumour Mill, and when the people of Aletheia discover the Meddlers' plan, they know they must try to destroy this evil place. But how can they find it? And what weapon is powerful enough to destroy it? Charlie Steady has lived in Aletheia all his life. All his family and friends expect him to become a Christian and live the life of a true Aletheian. But Charlie is fed up with high expectations and restrictions: he wants excitement and adventure away from Aletheia altogether. When Charlie learns that the wicked Meddlers are hatching a plan to destroy Aletheia, he is intrigued and sets out to find them. But he becomes infected with their poison - he imbibes their character of lies and slander; he even begins to look and sound like them. How can his friends help him? How can he understand the Truth when he is infected with lies? Characters from previous books in the series unite and set out on a two-fold mission: to discover the Rumour Mill, and to help their friend Charlie be freed from the poison of the Meddlers. Their journey takes them through the hazardous land of Err, and soon they are on the run from the guards and inspectors of Err. In a fantastic, dangerous adventure, they face capture, defeat, pain, and great sacrifice. When at last they see the horror of the Rumour Mill the results are dreadful and spectacular. In this dramatic finale of the trilogy of the Battle for Aletheia (Aletheia Adventure Series books 4, 5, and 6) what power is great enough to destroy the evil of the Meddlers and set Charlie free? Through the story, this book explores the Biblical truth of the LOVE OF GOD. This book can be enjoyed on its own - without reading the rest of the series.




Ovid's Metamorphoses


Book Description

This landmark translation of Ovid was acclaimed by Ezra Pound as "the most beautiful book in the language (my opinion and I suspect it was Shakespeare's)". Ovid's deliciously witty and poignant epic starts with the creation of the world and brings together a series of ingeniously linked myths and legends in which men and women are transformed -- often by love -- into flowers, trees, stones, and stars. Golding's robustly vernacular version was the first major English translation and decisively influenced Shakespeare, Spenser, and the character of English Renaissance writing.







Nature


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Sessional Papers


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The Rumour


Book Description

German writer, journalist, and playwright Neubauer looks at the long history of rumors. He finds their nests in an ancient barber's shop, the Parisian squares of the revolution, the trenches of the First World War, and the Internet. The original Fama: Eine Geschichte des Geruchts was published by Berlin Verlag in 1998. US distribution is by ISBS. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR