This great book explores the similarities and differences of over two hundred different cultures, explains how geographic borders define and separate nations, and describes cultural variations in foods, rituals, pastimes, and philosophies.
Last Words: Variations on a Theme in Cultural History by Karl S. Guthke Review
Whether Goethe actually cried "More light!"
on his deathbed, or whether Conrad Hilton checked out of this world
after uttering "Leave the shower curtain on the inside of the tub,"
last words, regardless of authenticity, have long captured the
imagination of Western society. In this playfully serious investigation
based on factual accounts, anecdotes, literary works, and films, Karl
Guthke explores the cultural importance of those words spoken at the
border between this world and the next. The exit lines of both famous
and ordinary people embody for us a sense of drama and truthfulness and
reveal much about our thoughts on living and dying. Why this interest
in last words? Presenting statements from such figures as Socrates,
Nathan Hale, Marie Antoinette, and Oscar Wilde ("I am dying as I have
lived, beyond my means"), Guthke examines our fascination in terms of
our need for closure, our desire for immortality, and our attraction to
the mystique of death scenes. The author considers both authentic and
invented final statements as he looks at the formation of symbols and
legends and their function in our culture. Last words, handed down from
generation to generation like cultural heirlooms, have a good chance of
surviving in our collective memory. They are shown to epitomize a life,
convey a sense of irony, or play to an audience, as in the case of the
assassinated Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa, who is said to have
died imploring journalists: "Don't let it end like this. Tell them I
said something." (press.princeton.edu).
The Arabic Language and National Identity: A Study in Ideology
Considering the communicative and symbolic roles of language in
articulating national identity, Yasir Suleiman provides a fresh
perspective on nationalism in the Middle East. The links between
language and nationalism are delineated and he demonstrates how this
has been articulated over the past two centuries.
Straddling the domains
of cultural and political nationalism, Suleiman examines the Arab past
(looking at the interpretation and reinvention of tradition, and
myth-making); the clash between Arab and Turkish
cultural nationalism in the 19th and early 20th century; readings of
canonical treatises on the topic of Arab cultural nationalism, the
major ideological trends linking language to territorial nationalism;
and provides a research agenda for the study of language and
nationalism in the Arab context.
This the first full-scale study of this important topic and will be
of interest to students of nationalism, Arab and comparative politics,
Arabic Studies, history, cultural studies and sociolinguistics.
Europe - 1789 to 1914 - Encyclopedia of the Age of Industry and Empire
Europe 1789 to 1914 covers the important people and the major events and developments in Europe from the onset of the French Revolution to the outbreak of World War I, one of the most studied periods in many disciplines. Broad in its scope, the encyclopedia encompasses all areas of human endeavor, exploring the period's scientific, social and cultural history as well as the political, military and economic developments. It illustrates the impact of the French Revolution and Napoleonic era on Europe, and the transformation of its political, social, and cultural institutions by the forces of industrialization, nationalism, mass politics, imperialism, great power rivalries and innovative cultural change. It links European experience to the history of the rest of the world, continuing the Charles Scribner's Sons' award-winning line from Ancient Europe and Encyclopedia of the Renaissance through Europe 1450-1789: Encyclopedia of the Early Modern World.
What Is Anthropology? Leading anthropologist Thomas Hylland Eriksen shows how anthropology is a revolutionary way of thinking about the human world. Perfect for students, but also for those who have never encountered anthropology before, this book explores the key issues in an exciting and innovative way. Eriksen explains how to see the world from below and from within - emphasising the importance of adopting an insider's perspective. He reveals how seemingly enormous cultural differences actually conceal the deep unity of humanity.
This great book explores the similarities and differences of over two hundred different cultures, explains how geographic borders define and separate nations, and describes cultural variations in foods, rituals, pastimes, and philosophies.
