Theories of the Gift in South Asia


Book Description

First Published in 2004. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.




Theories of the Gift in South Asia


Book Description

This book explores the ethical and social implications of unilateral gifts of esteem, offering a perceptive guide to the uniquely South Asian contributors to theoretical work on the gift.




Asia Grace


Book Description




Asia


Book Description

Discusses the continent of Asia, answers questions including wildlife, people, landscapes, history, and Asia today.




The Gift of Mission


Book Description

In 2011 the Maryknoll Fathers & Brothers celebrated one hundred years of mission work in more than forty countries around the world. These essays describe the achievements, and failures, of the past and the challenges and rewards that mission outreach experiences today in our world of pluralism, and it probes into the future of mission and the changing nature of that mission. Included among the many contributors are Cardinal Francis George, Robert Schreiter, Peter Phan, Dana Robert, and Bishop Ricardo Ramirez. Complete texts of the plenaries by Maryknoll representatives and invited speakers are included and summaries are presented by leaders of a number of break-out sessions. Among the latter are Barbara Reid, Daniel Groody, Ana Maria Pineda, and many others.




Food Culture in Southeast Asia


Book Description

Southeast Asian cuisines, such as Thai, have become quite popular in the United States even though immigrant numbers are low. The food is appealing because it is tasty, attractive, and generally healthful, with plentiful vegetables, fish, noodles, and rice. Food Culture in Southeast Asia is a richly informative overview of the food and foodways of the mainland countries including Burma, Thailand, Lao, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Malaysia, and the island countries of Singapore, Brunei, East Timor, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Students and other readers will learn how diverse peoples from diverse geographies feed themselves and the value they place on eating as a material, social, and symbolic act. Chapter 1, Historical Overview, surveys the archaeological and historical evidence concerning mainland Southeast Asia, with emphasis on the Indianized kingdoms of the mainland and the influence of the spice trade on subsequent European colonization. Chapter 2, Major Foods and Ingredients, particularly illuminates the rice culture as the central source of calories and a dominant cultural symbol of feminine nurture plus fish and fermented fish products, local fresh vegetables and herbs, and meat in variable amounts. The Cooking chapter discusses the division of labor in the kitchen, kitchens and their equipment, and the steps in acquiring, processing and preparing food. The Typical Meals chapter approaches typical meals by describing some common meal elements, meal format, and the timing of meals. Typical meals are presented as variations on a common theme, with particular attention to contrasts such as rural-urban and palace-village. Iconic meals and dishes that carry special meaning as markers of ethnic or national identity are also covered. Chapter 6, Eating Out, reviews some of the options for public eating away from home in the region, including the newly developed popularity of Southeast Asian restaurants overseas. The chapter has an urban, middle-class bias, as those are the people who are eating out on a regular basis. The Special Occasions chapter examines ritual events such as feeding the spirits of rice and the ancestors, Buddhist and Muslim rituals involving food, rites of passage, and universal celebrations around the coming of the New Year. The final chapter on diet and health looks at some of the ideologies underlying the relation between food and disease, particularly the humoral system, and then considers the nutritional challenges related to recent changes in local food systems, including food safety.




A History of Asia


Book Description

A History of Asia is the only text to cover the area known as "monsoon Asia" - India, China, Korea, Japan, and Southeast Asia--from the earliest times to the present. Written by leading scholar Rhoads Murphey, the book uses an engaging, lively tone to chronicle the complex political, social, intellectual, and economic histories of this area. Popular because of its scope and coverage, as well as its illustrations, maps, and many boxed primary sources, the new edition of A History of Asia continues as a leader in its field.




Learning about Asia


Book Description

Asia is the world's largest continent, both in land area and in population. But did you know that in India alone, people speak more than 1,000 languages? Or that not everyone agrees about which countries should be considered part of Asia? Learn more about the diverse continent of Asia, from its people and countries to its landforms, economy, and more.




Water


Book Description

This is a pioneering study about the relationship between fresh water, peace, and security in Asia from the Middle East to Siberia but with a special focus on South and Southeast Asia. Asia is home to many of the world's great rivers and lakes, but its huge population and booming economies make it the most water-scarce continent on a per capita basis. Over extensive irrigation, pollution, and global warming add to the demographic and economic pressures on Asia's fresh water supplies. The location of the sources for much of South and Southeast Asia's fresh water is in the Chinese controlled Tibetan Plateau, and China's increasing exploitation of these water sources have created growing geopolitical tensions that could boil over into conflict. India is reliant on fresh water from Tibet, which gives the Chinese uncomfortable leverage over India and further exacerbates their unsettled border disputes. Vietnam, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and other countries of the region also find themselves in similarly vulnerable positions where water is scarce and the sources are increasingly being exploited and polluted upstream by the continent's most powerful country. Brahma Chellaney proposes strategies to avoid conflict and more equitably share and preserve Asia's water resources.




Asia


Book Description

Explore Asia with large full-color photographs and maps. Learn about the weather, wild animals, and where people live in Asia. Find out if the world's highest mountain is located in Asia. Discover many fascinating facts and statistics about this continent. This book features a glossary and an index.