Materials for the Study of Gurung Pe, Volume II


Book Description

The Nepalese Gurung recitations known as pe form a diverse group of oral narratives performed by a medicine man or shaman to promote health and prosperity. This two-volume set includes an analytical introduction, 13,000 lines of annotated transcriptions for 92 pe, color plate illustrations, and field recordings on an accompanying DVD.




Nepal


Book Description

This comprehensive history of Nepal spans pre-historic times and the Licchavi Period to more recent developments, such as the Maoist insurgency and the rise of the republic. In addition to religious history and histories of selected regions (Mustang, Sherpa, Tarai, and others), it covers the nation's relations with its powerful neighbors and its cultural aspects, especially its rich history of arts, architecture, and crafts.







Himalayan Dialogue


Book Description

In the mountain valleys of Nepal, Tibetan communities have long been established through migrations from the North. Because of these migrations over the last few centuries, Tibetan lamaism, as one of the world's great ritual traditions, can be studied in the Himalayas as a process that emerges through dialogue with the more ancient shamanic tradition which it confronts and criticizes. Here for the first time is a thorough anthropological study of Tibetan lamaism combining textual analysis with richly contextualized ethnographic data. The rites studied are of the Nyingma Tibetan Buddhist tradition. In contrast to the textual analyses that have viewed the culture as a finished entity, here we see an unbounded ritual process with unfinished interpretations. Mumford's focus is on the "dialogue" taking place between the lamaist and the shamanic regimes, as a historic development occurring between different cultural layers. The study powerfully demonstrates that interrelationships between subsystems within a given cultural matrix over time are critical to an understanding of religion as a cultural process.




Material Engagements


Book Description

The subject matter of archaeology is the engagement of human beings, now and in the past, with both the natural world and the material world they have created. All aspects of human activity are potentially relevant to archaeological research, and, conversely, the ways in which others, especially artists and anthropologists, have investigated the world are of interest to archaeologists. Archaeological artefacts and sites are also used by groups and nations to establish identity, and for financial gain, both through tourism and trade in antiquities. Colin Renfrew has actively engaged with art, with politics and with the antiquities trade, and has presented his ideas to broad audiences through accessible books and television programmes, as well as championing the cause of archaeology in many public roles. The papers in this volume, which have been written by colleagues and former students on the occasion of his retirement, relate to all of these subject areas, and together give some idea of the complexity of the issues raised by critical engagements with the material world, both past and present.




Language Contact in Nepal


Book Description

This book examines language contact and shift in Nepal, a multilingual context where language attitudes and policies often reflect the complex socio-cultural and socio-political relationship between minority, majority and endangered languages and peoples. Presenting the results of a 15-year study and making use of both quantitative and qualitative data, the author presents evidence relating to speakers' opinions and perceptions of mother tongues including English, Hindi, Nepali, Sherpa, Dotyali, Jumli and Tharu. This book explores an under-studied part of the world, and the findings will be relevant to scholars working in other multilingual contexts in fields including language policy and planning, language contact and change, and language attitudes and ideologies.




Modeling Disease Spread and Control


Book Description

Mathematical models are useful tools to understand the epidemiology and agent-host interaction of diseases. They are developed and applied since over a century, but with increasing computer capacity, they become increasingly prominent as part of evidence based decision making. Mathematical models are frequently used to construct preparedness and contingency plans for highly contagious diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease. This allows proposing effective strategies to control the spread of the disease in case of an incursion, and avails useful tools to support decision making during an outbreak. They are also used to monitor, prevent and control endemic diseases within populations or farms. In addition, mathematical models improve our understanding of the contact structure between farms, pointing out risky elements in the contact network for disease introduction or further spread within the population. This Research Topic presents valuable studies presenting different aspects and implementations of mathematical modeling for disease spread and control in the veterinary field. The areas covered include model construction, network analysis, tools for decision makers, and costeffective control of endemic diseases.




The Handbook of Behavior Change


Book Description

Social problems in many domains, including health, education, social relationships, and the workplace, have their origins in human behavior. The documented links between behavior and social problems have compelled governments and organizations to prioritize and mobilize efforts to develop effective, evidence-based means to promote adaptive behavior change. In recognition of this impetus, The Handbook of Behavior Change provides comprehensive coverage of contemporary theory, research, and practice on behavior change. It summarizes current evidence-based approaches to behavior change in chapters authored by leading theorists, researchers, and practitioners from multiple disciplines, including psychology, sociology, behavioral science, economics, philosophy, and implementation science. It is the go-to resource for researchers, students, practitioners, and policy makers looking for current knowledge on behavior change and guidance on how to develop effective interventions to change behavior.




The Science of Language


Book Description




Sustainability in Smart Manufacturing


Book Description

This text highlights the role of artificial intelligence-powered robots and automation systems in revolutionizing digital manufacturing, covers prod-uct design and customization, and discusses various artificial intelligence algorithms for manufacturing processes and supply chain optimization. It further covers the applications of 3D printing and rapid prototyping for low-carbon development. Features: • Discusses microwave hybrid heating based on innovative joining tech-niques, applications of 3D printing, and rapid prototyping for low carbon development • Explains the role of artificial intelligence in digital manufacturing, data security, privacy issues, and defense mechanism • Provides an overview of artificial intelligence-powered robots and automation systems for revolutionizing digital manufacturing, and techniques for soft robotic structures • Presents case studies related to Six Sigma, digital manufacturing, and supply chain manufacturing • Explains artificial intelligence and machine learning-based high-predicted models for accurate data analysis in industry automation It is primarily written for senior undergraduate, graduate students, and academic researchers in the fields of manufacturing engineering, industrial engineering, production engineering, mechanical engineering, and aerospace engineering.