Social groups: religious groups and communities Books

Book SynopsisModern states increasingly seek to regulate religious expression, practice and discourse. This is profoundly evident at many levels of Islamic policy interaction: from debates about the banning of the Muslim face-veil in Europe to civic re-education programmes for Muslim citizens in China. Governance of Islam in Pakistan provides a systematic account of how interactions between multiple public and private bodies direct the regulation and standardisation of Islam in one of the largest Muslim-majority states in the world. Analysis centres on the institutional development of the Council of Islamic Ideology, a constitutional body tasked with issuing advice to the executive and legislature about the compatibility of laws with Islamic principles. Based on archival material that has been subject to little scholarly attention, and interviews with Council members and staff of other state bodies, Sarah Holz proposes governance as an analytical framework to study the negotiation of religious expression, practice and discourse. In contrast to the established Islamisation narrative which generally labels such religious institutions as mere rubberstamps in the process of policy-making, the study of governance offers an alternative approach that enables examination of the dynamic competition and cooperation among multiple actors. Through collective interaction the Council and other relevant bodies are active players in the governance of Islam. Insights gained from analysis of the ideational, structural and functional evolution of the Council offers a Global South perspective on liberal democratic ideas about the functionality of the modern state and its institutional structure. Issues of economic, cultural and local/international political influence bear strongly in governance analysis. Engagement with the governance policy tool has applicability across the social sciences, but is particularly relevant for South Asian/Near and Middle East Studies.

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Book SynopsisThe Database is a companion volume to The Plight of Jewish Deserted Wives, 18511900 (978-1-78976-168-9). It comprises circa 5000 entries, providing name, date and circumstance, with extensive cross-reference to aid future researchers. Agunot (Agunah, sing., meaning anchored in Hebrew) is a Jewish term describing women who cannot remarry because their husband has disappeared. According to Jewish law (Halacha) a woman can get out of the marriage only if the husband releases her by granting a divorce writ (Get), if he dies, or if his whereabouts is not known. Women whose husbands cannot be located, and who have not been granted a Get, are considered Agunot. The Agunah phenomenon was of major concern in East European Jewry and much referred to in Hebrew and Yiddish media and fiction. Most nineteenth-century Agunot cases came from Eastern Europe, where most Jews resided (twentieth-century Agunot were primarily in North America, and will be the subject of a forthcoming book). Seven variations of Agunot have been identified: Deserted wives; women who refused to receive, or were not granted, a Get; widowed women whose brothers-in-law refused to grant them permission to marry someone else (Halitza); women whose husbands remains were not found; improperly or incorrectly written Gets; women whose husbands became mentally ill and were not competent to grant a Get; women refused a Get by husbands who had converted to Christianity or Islam.

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Book SynopsisAgunot (Agunah, sing., meaning anchored in Hebrew) is a Jewish term describing women who cannot remarry because their husband has disappeared. According to Jewish law (Halacha) a woman can get out of the marriage only if the husband releases her by granting a divorce writ (Get), if he dies, or if his whereabouts is not known. Women whose husbands cannot be located, and who have not been granted a Get, are considered Agunot. The Agunah phenomenon was of major concern in East European Jewry and much referred to in Hebrew and Yiddish media and fiction. Most nineteenth-century Agunot cases came from Eastern Europe, where most Jews resided (twentieth-century Agunot were primarily in North America, and will be the subject of a forthcoming book). Seven variations of Agunot have been identified: Deserted wives; women who refused to receive, or were not granted, a Get; widowed women whose brothers-in-law refused to grant them permission to marry someone else (Halitza); women whose husbands remains were not found; improperly or incorrectly written Gets; women whose husbands became mentally ill and were not competent to grant a Get; women refused a Get by husbands who had converted to Christianity or Islam. The book explores the reasons for desertion and the plight of the left-alone wife. Key is the change from a legal issue to a social one, with changing attitudes to philanthropy and public opinion at the fore of explanation. A statistical database of circa 5000 identified Agunot is to be published simultaneously in a separate companion volume (978-1-78976-167-2).

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Book SynopsisIn Mozambique and Guinea, the Portuguese colonial administration had to deal with Muslim communities of significant population expression and whose internal cultural differentiations presented a complexity to which the administrative power was often unprepared. The exercise of this governance, with all the variations that characterized it, extended throughout the period that the colonial project lasted, from the phase of effective military occupation, in the transition from the nineteenth to the twentieth century, until the end of the colonial wars in 1974. In this chronological segment, Portuguese Colonialism and Islam seeks to address the circumstances of the colonial governance and regulation of those populations, focusing on: (1) The representations and images of Islam and Muslims that the agents of Portuguese colonialism produced at significant stages of the period, the recurrence of this imagery, its evolution, and the way it interacted with the concrete policies of control and governance of the populations. (2) The changes that such policies underwent, oscillating between a posture of ambivalent hostility, more visible in the 1930s to 1950s and more present in Mozambique than in Guinea, and a strategy of rapprochement with the Islamic leadership and their religious enticement, a strategy developed in the final phase of the Colonial War as part of the fight against nationalist movements. (3) The critical eye with which representatives of former colonial powers followed the Portuguese policies of governance of Islam, expressed in the testimonies of consuls-general of France and the United Kingdom, and documents conveying how diplomatic bodies perceived the Portuguese colonial system.

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Book SynopsisThis study sets out to explain and understand the worldview of students at Female madrasas (FeM) in Pakistan. Beginning as an indigenous informal institute for female education at home, FeM has evolved to country-wide formal theological seminaries that award women graduate degrees in Islamic studies. Since the 1970s, state intervention and social engagement have influenced not only the structure of FeMs but their locations. Attendance is from all socio-economic strata of society. A recent development, especially in urban centers, is the teaching of the state curriculum to enable young students to access mainstream education. Public opinion is divided about the role of FeMs in society. Some believe that FeMs confine women into the domestic realm; others view FeMs as a move forward into modernity, as they educate the least educated sectors of society. The author uses the lens of language and gender to explore why such divergent views exist about FeMs. Specifically, language and vocabulary has served as a powerful factor for restricting women to their traditional roles. Madrasas have a profound effect on Pakistani society at large, as they respond to the immediate socio-political and economic needs of the community. In the last two decades many books were produced about male madrasas in Pakistan. However, one focusing on women's madrasas exclusively was needed, because currently the number of female students enrolled in madrasas is higher than the male students. This unique book is rooted in the authors experience of studying at an FeM. She entered a madrasa with a yearning to be closer to God, to know the book revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, and to learn what he said and did. A constant throughout her studies was the recognition that acquiring knowledge is one of the highest acts of righteousness according to the Prophet Muhammad.

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Book SynopsisFew features have shaped east European Jewish history as much as the extent and continuity of Jewish self-rule. Offering a broad perspective, this volume explores the traditions, scope, limitations, and evolution of Jewish self-government in the Polish lands and beyond. Extensive autonomy and complex structures of civil and religious leadership were central features of the Jewish experience in this region, and this volume probes the emergence of such structures from the late medieval period onwards, looking at the legal position of the individual community and its role as a political actor. Chapters discuss the implementation of Jewish law and the role of the regional and national Jewish councils which were a remarkable feature of supra-communal representation in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.The volume reflects on the interaction between Jewish legal traditions and state policies, and offers an in-depth analysis of the transformation of Jewish self-government under the impact of the partitions of Poland–Lithuania and the administrative principles of the Enlightenment. Co-operation between representatives of the Jewish and non-Jewish communities at the local level is discussed down to the interwar years, when Jewish self-government was considered both a cherished legacy of pre-partition autonomy and a threat to the modern nation state.Table of ContentsIntroduction - François Guesnet and Antony Polonsky PART I. THE EARLY MODERN PERIOD AND THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY The Transfer of Tradition from West to East: The ‘Takkanot Shum’ between Ashkenaz and Poland in the Late Middle Ages and the Early Modern Period - Rainer Josef Barzen The Beginnings of Jewish Self-Government in Poland: An Entangled History - Jürgen Heyde The Emergence of Medinat Mehren: Establishing Jewish Supra-Communal Governance in Early Modern Moravia and Its Central European Contexts - Martin Borysek The Eastern European Pinkas Kahal: Form and Function - Adam Teller The Role of Legal Settlements in Developing Christian–Jewish Relations in Polish Towns and Cities - Hanna Węgrzynek Between the Council and the Town Hall: The Functioning of the Kahal in a New Town in the Seventeenth Century. The Case of Slutsk - Maria Cieśla Personal Composition of the Council of Four Lands, 1595–1764 - Judith Kalik The Activity of Jewish Self-Government Representatives at Sejmiki and the Sejm between the Sixteenth and Eighteenth Centuries - Anna Michalowska-Mycielska Permanent Crisis: The Decline of Territorial Jewish Self-Government in the Crown in the Seventeenth to Eighteenth Centuries - Adam Kaźmierczyk PART II. THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY Burying the Dead, Saving the Community: Jewish Burial Societies as Informal Centres of Jewish Self-Government - Cornelia Aust Did Jewish Self-Government Exist in the Kingdom of Poland between 1815 and 1915? - Artur Markowski ‘Masters of Their Own Offerings No More’: Jewish Perceptions of the Transformation of Jewish Self-Government in the Kingdom of Poland - François Guesnet Synagogues in the System of Jewish Self-Government in Tsarist Russia - Vladimir Levin Stewards of the City? Jews on Kraków City Council in the Second Half of the Nineteenth Century - Hannah Kozińska-Witt Polish–Jewish Relations in the Municipal Council of the City of Lwów during the Period of Galician Autonomy, 1870–1914 - Łukasz Sroka PART III. FROM 1914 TO THE SECOND WORLD WAR ‘One of Them’ as ‘One of Us’: Jewish Demands of National Autonomy as a Tool to Achieve Civic Equality during the First World War - Marcos Silber The Struggle in the Polish Parliament for Jewish Autonomy and Jewish Self-Government - Szymon Rudnicki Jewish Involvement in Local Kehillot, the Sejm, and Municipalities in Interwar Poland - Antony Polonsky The End of Jewish Self-Governance: ‘Jewish National Councils’ in Soviet Belarus in the Interwar Period - Andrej Zamoiskii PART IV. NEW VIEWS A Disenchanted Elijah: The First World War, Conspiracy Theories, and Allegory in S. An-sky’s Destruction of Galicia - Marc Caplan The ‘Patriotic Left’ and the ‘Jewish Question’ at the Dawn of the Second Republic - Paul Brykczyński

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Book SynopsisFew features have shaped east European Jewish history as much as the extent and continuity of Jewish self-rule. Offering a broad perspective, this volume explores the traditions, scope, limitations, and evolution of Jewish self-government in the Polish lands and beyond. Extensive autonomy and complex structures of civil and religious leadership were central features of the Jewish experience in this region, and this volume probes the emergence of such structures from the late medieval period onwards, looking at the legal position of the individual community and its role as a political actor. Chapters discuss the implementation of Jewish law and the role of the regional and national Jewish councils which were a remarkable feature of supra-communal representation in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.The volume reflects on the interaction between Jewish legal traditions and state policies, and offers an in-depth analysis of the transformation of Jewish self-government under the impact of the partitions of Poland–Lithuania and the administrative principles of the Enlightenment. Co-operation between representatives of the Jewish and non-Jewish communities at the local level is discussed down to the interwar years, when Jewish self-government was considered both a cherished legacy of pre-partition autonomy and a threat to the modern nation state.Table of ContentsIntroduction - François Guesnet and Antony Polonsky PART I. THE EARLY MODERN PERIOD AND THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY The Transfer of Tradition from West to East: The ‘Takkanot Shum’ between Ashkenaz and Poland in the Late Middle Ages and the Early Modern Period - Rainer Josef Barzen The Beginnings of Jewish Self-Government in Poland: An Entangled History - Jürgen Heyde The Emergence of Medinat Mehren: Establishing Jewish Supra-Communal Governance in Early Modern Moravia and Its Central European Contexts - Martin Borysek The Eastern European Pinkas Kahal: Form and Function - Adam Teller The Role of Legal Settlements in Developing Christian–Jewish Relations in Polish Towns and Cities - Hanna Węgrzynek Between the Council and the Town Hall: The Functioning of the Kahal in a New Town in the Seventeenth Century. The Case of Slutsk - Maria Cieśla Personal Composition of the Council of Four Lands, 1595–1764 - Judith Kalik The Activity of Jewish Self-Government Representatives at Sejmiki and the Sejm between the Sixteenth and Eighteenth Centuries - Anna Michalowska-Mycielska Permanent Crisis: The Decline of Territorial Jewish Self-Government in the Crown in the Seventeenth to Eighteenth Centuries - Adam Kaźmierczyk PART II. THE LONG NINETEENTH CENTURY Burying the Dead, Saving the Community: Jewish Burial Societies as Informal Centres of Jewish Self-Government - Cornelia Aust Did Jewish Self-Government Exist in the Kingdom of Poland between 1815 and 1915? - Artur Markowski ‘Masters of Their Own Offerings No More’: Jewish Perceptions of the Transformation of Jewish Self-Government in the Kingdom of Poland - François Guesnet Synagogues in the System of Jewish Self-Government in Tsarist Russia - Vladimir Levin Stewards of the City? Jews on Kraków City Council in the Second Half of the Nineteenth Century - Hannah Kozińska-Witt Polish–Jewish Relations in the Municipal Council of the City of Lwów during the Period of Galician Autonomy, 1870–1914 - Łukasz Sroka PART III. FROM 1914 TO THE SECOND WORLD WAR ‘One of Them’ as ‘One of Us’: Jewish Demands of National Autonomy as a Tool to Achieve Civic Equality during the First World War - Marcos Silber The Struggle in the Polish Parliament for Jewish Autonomy and Jewish Self-Government - Szymon Rudnicki Jewish Involvement in Local Kehillot, the Sejm, and Municipalities in Interwar Poland - Antony Polonsky The End of Jewish Self-Governance: ‘Jewish National Councils’ in Soviet Belarus in the Interwar Period - Andrej Zamoiskii PART IV. NEW VIEWS A Disenchanted Elijah: The First World War, Conspiracy Theories, and Allegory in S. An-sky’s Destruction of Galicia - Marc Caplan The ‘Patriotic Left’ and the ‘Jewish Question’ at the Dawn of the Second Republic - Paul Brykczyński

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Book SynopsisThis original book examines how investment theory and regulatory constraints are linked to the professional processes of portfolio investments, and how the principles of Islam as defined by sharia fit into these processes. It also explores the measures required to create and grow a global Islamic asset management industry.Established on a foundation of Modern Portfolio Theory, the book extends the theory to include asset management based on sharia. Chapters also consider how ethical investing is quickly becoming the driving force of the $100 trillion asset management industry. Taking a practical approach, John A. Sandwick, M. Kabir Hassan and Pablo Collazzo compare conventional and sharia portfolio performance and risk through measurement tools commonly used in asset management, including Sharpe ratio, standard deviation, Value at Risk, annualized mean return, and correlation. They map conventional portfolio construction and optimization, then reproduce the same processes with real-world, sharia-compliant portfolios.This book will be critical reading for scholars and students of Islamic economics and finance, Islamic studies, and financial regulation. Considering Islamic asset management as a unique function of Islamic finance, this book will also be a useful resource for practitioners and finance professionals.Trade Review’It is a timely guide to further contribute to this heavily debated claim that Islamic investments perform better in adverse economic situations. This is an excellent book as a guide on performance of Islamic finance investments versus conventional portfolios and fills the gaps on performance of Islamic asset management in the real markets. It is an excellent reference for scholars, practitioners and researchers in Islamic finance markets.’- Shamsher Mohamad, International Centre for Education in Islamic Finance, MalaysiaTable of ContentsContents: Foreword by Zeti Aziz Preface Introduction to A Guide to Islamic Asset Management 1. Literature review, research gap, industry and theoretical summaries 2. Research design and finding data 3. Results, relevance and limitations 4. Empirical analysis, research design and methodology 5. Discussion of findings 6. Implications for theory and practice 7. Limitations, and future research Annex: survey questions for major asset management banks References Index

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Book SynopsisIs it possible to identify the positive and negative effects of globalization on religious tourism or to estimate the transformation of the internal and external constructs of pilgrimage by these effects?In order to address these questions, this book highlights the importance of the search for identity and transformative experience during religious tourism. It also looks at how, recently, globalization has played a part in the changes of the concept of personal and social identity and the transformative experience of pilgrimage.The chapters, consisting of carefully selected case studies, analyse possible effects including the adoption of different new rituals, new pilgrims' values, changes of tradition, acceptance of technologic innovations, development of new business models, and other environmental and sociocultural changes. The book provides: a conceptual framework for understanding the impacts of globalization; integrated cross-disciplinar

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Book SynopsisThis timely book investigates the ideas and concepts that drive and shape Islamic finance. Hans Visser covers recent developments and explores tensions between belief systems and market demands, to consider the future of Islamic finance in the modern marketplace. In this updated third edition, Visser reviews the numerous products, institutions and markets offered by Islamic finance, situating them in the competitive contemporary environment. This incisive book questions the conceptual differences that have been established between Islamic finance and conventional finance, drawing attention instead to how the former imitates the latter. Offering a critical assessment of the claims of the ethical superiority of Islamic finance frequently made by its advocates, Visser further discusses the ways in which fiscal and monetary policy can be adapted to Islamic financial institutions. Concise, yet comprehensive in scope, this book offers new directions for economics and finance students interested in alternatives to conventional finance, as well as students of Islamic finance and Islam studies more broadly. International bankers, financial journalists and politicians will find Visser's succinct exploration of Islamic finance and financial institutions invaluable. Trade Review'There are many bad books on Islamic finance, but this is not one of them. Hans Visser clearly understands his subject and he has done his research.' -- Andrew Cunningham, Arab Banker'It is a testimony to the success of Hans Visser's book that it has reached a third edition. This popular book provides an admirably clear account of the principles of Islamic finance. At the same time it uses an evidence based approach to demonstrate its practical strengths and shortcomings. In this third edition, all the data has been updated providing the reader with an accurate assessment of where this unique type of finance is heading.' --Rodney Wilson, Durham University, UKTable of ContentsContents: Preface Introduction 1. Why Islamic finance? 2. Islamic law 3. The Islamic economy 4. Forms of Islamic finance 5. Islamic banks 6. Special sectors 7. Public finance, monetary policy and banking supervision 8. A tentative verdict and a question mark References Index

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Book SynopsisThe historical consciousness of medieval Jewry has engendered lively debate in the scholarly world. The focus in this book is on the historical consciousness of the Jews of Spain and southern France in the late Middle Ages, and specifically on their perceptions of Christianity and Christian history and culture. In his detailed analysis of Jews’ understanding of the history of the communities they lived among, Ram Ben-Shalom shows that in these southern European lands Jews experienced a relatively open society that was sensitive to and knowledgeable about voices from other cultures, and that this had significant consequences for shaping Jewish historical consciousness. Among the topics that receive special attention are what Jews knew of the significance of Rome, of Jesus and the early days of Christianity, of Church history, and of the history of the Iberian monarchies. Ben-Shalom demonstrates that, despite the negative stereotypes of Jewry prevalent in Christian literature and increasing familiarity with that literature, they were more influenced by their interactions with Christian society at the local level. Consequently there was no single stereotype that dominated Jewish thought, and frequently little awareness of the two societies as representing distinct cultures. This book contributes to medieval Jewish intellectual history on many levels, demonstrating that, in Spain and southern France, Jews of the later Middle Ages evinced a genuine interest in history, including the history of non-Jews, and that in some cases they were deeply familiar with Christian and sometimes also classical historiography. In providing a comprehensive survey of the multiple contexts in which historiographical material was embedded and the many uses to which it was put, it enriches our understanding of medieval historiography, polemic, Jewish-Christian relations, and the breadth of interests characterizing Provencal and Spanish Jewish communities.Table of ContentsNote on TransliterationIntroduction1 Genres and Motives2 Rome: Images and Influence3 Jesus and the Origins of Christianity4 History of the Church5 History of the Iberian MonarchiesConclusionBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisThis volume focuses on the migration and acculturation of images in Jewish culture and how that reflects intercultural exchange. Gender aspects of Jewish art are also highlighted, as is the role of images in interreligious encounters. Other topics covered include the history, codicology, and iconography of a Haggadah produced in the late fifteenth century.

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Book SynopsisContinuing his major contribution to medievalJewish intellectual history, Haym Soloveitchik focuses here on the radical GermanPietists and their main literary work Sefer ?asidim, and on the writings and personality of the Provençal commentatorRavad of Posquières. In both areas he challenges reigning views and sets a newagenda for research.

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Book SynopsisThis revelatory Handbook explores the relationship between religion and health, emphasising the effects of organised religion and spirituality on community, population, and public health. While comprehensively summarising the current state of the field, it focusses on pursuing new pathways vital for human health in a turbulent world.

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Book SynopsisIslamic Social Finance provides an introduction to the Waqf system, which has played a significant socio-economic role throughout the history of Islamic civilization. In a contemporary framework, Waqf creates new networks between micro-entrepreneurs, Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs), and entrepreneurship through voluntary donations made by individuals in a society. In other contexts, Waqf supports the financial system and contributes to the UN sustainable development goals (SDGs).The authors explore the relationship between the roles Waqf plays in realizing the SDGs, its contributions in many sectors of the economy, and the Waqf practices among the Southeast Asia countries, particularly Malaysia. They highlight the existing Waqf models and framework that have been used by many countries for entrepreneurship that can be used or adapted for the benefits of SMEs.This book is a comprehensive overview for academics, postgraduate students, entrepreneurs, and policy makers who wish to understand how Waqf can contribute to the economic progress of individuals and society at large.Trade Review‘The merits of Waqf Islamic endowments have been rediscovered in recent years and they are now found world-wide wherever there are Muslim communities. It is the adaptability of Waqf, including the ability to change the share of benefactors, which has encouraged many to become founders. Of particular interest is the experience of Southeast Asia, a focus of this book, from which lessons can be learnt.’ -- Rodney Wilson, Durham University, UK‘The authors provide a comprehensive overview of the importance of Waqf financing to MSEs. In a post COVID-19 world, a wide array of economic solutions is needed to support entrepreneurs as economies recover from the devastating global pandemic. Situating this need within the global economy, the authors provide case examples from Malaysia and Indonesia, primarily, to support their argument. A very compelling and important look into ways socially conscious financial options can build back stronger economies.’ -- Karen Hunt Ahmed, Nashville International Academy, US‘Being one of the “purest” Islamic Finance branches, Waqf indeed could contribute enormously to achieving SDGs, such as eliminating poverty, reducing income inequality and other goals. In this book, Waqf, or to be exact contemporary Waqf, in the dynamic global scene, is presented in an interesting and clear way. The book demonstrates how it is able to help SMEs to not only grow and be sustainable, but also contribute to the economic growth of the nation, and strengthening of the society.’ -- Baharom Abdul Hamid, INCEIF University, Malaysia‘I highly recommend this book to academicians, practitioners, and policymakers to shape the post-pandemic landscape of Waqf and SMEs. The fascinating about this book is the way the authors present waqf roles in different sectors such as agriculture, education, tourism etc. and synthesizing it with capital market instruments such as REITS and stocks, promoting social development and sustainability.’ -- Raditya Sukmana, Universitas Airlangga, IndonesiaTable of ContentsContents: Forewords Introduction to Islamic Social Finance 1. The concept of waqf 2. The role of waqf in sustainable economic development 3. Waqf contributions to sectors 4. Exploring waqf practices in Southeast Asia 5. Waqf development in Malaysia 6. Waqf for small and medium enterprises Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisExamining how religion influences the dynamics of consumption in developing nations, this book illuminates the strategic placement of these nations on the global marketing stage both in terms of their current economic outlook and potential for growth.Expert contributors highlight the individual aspects of religion that influence consumers, from perception of the self and motivations to personality and attitude. Discussing consumers’ religiosity and consumption in a range of cultural and social settings, taking social class, sub-cultures and values into consideration, the contributors analyse how these factors interrelate to shape family and societal consumption issues. Chapters also explore the ethical issues related to consumption and religion as well as the place of religion in branding and brand culture in developing nations. Taking a broad approach, the book draws on examples of practices from religions including Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Sikhism, Atheism, and African Traditional Religions.This book will be a valuable resource for scholars and students of marketing, consumer behaviour and economic psychology. Its insights into consumption practices in religious contexts will also be beneficial for business managers and policy makers.Trade Review'This book captures the contemporary importance of religion, its nuances and more importantly its values that influence and impact consumers' decisions, along with understanding the role of digital enhancements from a developing nation's perspective.' -- Vish Maheshwari, Staffordshire University, UK'The lives of the majority of people in developing nations have been circumscribed by their belief systems. The things that they do or do not do; the jobs they accept or do not accept, and the things that they buy or do not buy have all been dictated by what they believe or do not believe. Thus, a book that shines light on consumer behaviour and the belief systems in developing nations performs a useful service not only to marketers, but also to employers, researchers, policy makers, and politicians. To this end, Religion and Consumer Behaviour in Developing Nations is unparalleled in its contribution.' -- P. Sergius Koku, Florida Atlantic University, US

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Book SynopsisThe dynamics of the global business environment necessitate that organizational assumptions and underpinnings are understood in their socio-cultural context. This pioneering book covers issues related to Islamic assumptions about organization and management, enabling readers to understand the challenges in managing corporations that operate in an Islamic environment.The author provides an original and up-to-date treatment of management orientations and practices in Muslim countries and provides pertinent information about the frame of reference for Muslims and Muslim organizations. Relying on classic interpretations of organizational issues without ignoring contemporary thought, the author uses original sources and extensive business, psychology, sociology, and religious references to highlight the orientations and practices that lead to superior performance in a Muslim environment. He goes on to identify both organizational and societal attributes that are essential for effective relationships at the workplace, underscoring the peculiarities of personal relationships and their tremendous influence on organizational expectations and conduct.Scholars and practitioners who specialize in business, economics, international relations, religion, and sociology will find this book a necessary resource for broadening their understanding of the religious and cultural aspects of conducting business across cultures. The comprehensive and original coverage of the book will prove useful in understanding business, cultural, and philosophical issues related to the Islamic World.Trade Review'Islamic business practice is without doubt a much neglected area and this book is a worthy attempt to address that neglect. It is a very full book, densely packed with perspectives, statistics and reflections.' -- Christopher Graham, The Delta Intercultural AcademyTable of ContentsContents: Preface 1. Business and Trade in Islamic Thought 2. Human Nature and Motivation 3. Islamic Schools of Thought 4. Islamic Work Ethic and Values 5. The Structure and Functions of Groups 6. Power and Authority 7. Decision Styles and Group Dynamics 8. Leadership and Organization 9. Organizational Structure 10. The Human Resources 11. Organizational Development and Change Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisOne of the most significant works on Anglican and Women's history to be published in recent years. Includes a foreword by the Archbishop of Canterbury. This book tells the story of how a parish women's meeting started in 1876 by a Victorian vicar's wife is now the most authentic and powerful organization of women in the new global Christianity. Its cross-disciplinary approach examines how religious faith and shifting ideologies of womanhood and motherhood in the imperial and post colonial worlds acted as a source of empowerment for conservative women in their homes, communities and churches. In contrast to much of feminist history, A History of the Mothers' Union 1876-2008: Women, Anglicanism and Globalisation shows how the beliefs of ordinary women led them to become advocates and activists long before women had the vote or could be ordained priests. Having survived an identity crisis over social and theological liberalism in the 1960s, the Mothers' Union provides a model of unity and reconciled diversity for a divided world wide church. Today it is hailed by the Archbishop of Canterbury and international development practitioners as an outstanding example of global Christian engagement with poverty and social transformation issues at the grass roots. Thematerial is arranged both thematically and chronologically. Case studies of Australia, Ghana and South Africa trace how the Mothers' Union arrived with white British women but evolved into indigenous organizations. CORDELIA MOYSE is Adjunct Professor of Church History at Lancaster Theological Seminary, Lancaster, PA, USA.Trade ReviewA fine contribution to British women's and British religious history. * JOURNAL OF BRITISH STUDIES *Will engage and stimulate historians of both religion and gender. * ENGLISH HISTORICAL REVIEW *There are issues here that will engage and stimulate historians of both religion and gender. * ENGLISH HISTORICAL REVIEW *Recommended for seminary and university libraries. * ANGLICAN AND EPISCOPAL HISTORY *It is difficult to imagine how this book could have been improved. It is an outstanding example of a balanced, clear and contextually sensitive account. Specialists and generalists will find it enormously rewarding. * THEOLOGY *Consider that until Cordelia Moyse's A History of the Mothers' Union, this organization has been ignored by academic historians of any discipline. This situation alone would make Moyse's book worth reading. However, her carefully chosen scope and cautious use of sources make her work mandatory reading. * ANGLICAN THEOLOGICAL REVIEW *At last a careful study of the Mothers' Union based on the wonderful archives created at Mary Sumner House and now in the Lambeth Palace Library. [...] A thoughtful and carefully prepared book. * THE MAGAZINE OF MU AUSTRALIA *This important book is in some sense an untold history of the Anglican Communion itself, charting the globalization and development of Anglican faith and cultures. * LIVING CHURCH *Table of ContentsForeword by the Archbishop of Canterbury and Jane Williams Part I, 1876-1909 Launching the Mothers' Union Identity and Spirituality Marriage and Family Life Membership and Worldwide Work Part II, 1910-1944 Identity and Spirituality Marriage and Family Life Membership and Worldwide Work Part III, 1945-1974 Identity and Spirituality Marriage and Family Life Membership and Worldwide Work Part IV, 1975-2008 Mission and Spirituality in a Global Age Conclusion Appendices Bibliography

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Book SynopsisA much-awaited new book by the foremost scholar of secularisation and religion in the modern world. In the 1960s, two great social and cultural changes of the western world began. The first was the rapid decline of Christian religious practice and identity and the rise of the people of 'no religion'. The second was the transformation in women's lives that spawned a demographic revolution in sex, family and work. Both phenomena were sudden though not uniform in their impact. The argument of this book is that the two were intimately connected, triggered byan historic confluence of factors in the 1960s. Canada, Ireland, UK and USA represent different stages of secularisation for the book's study. The religious collapse in mainland Britain and most of Canada was sharp and spectacular but contrasted with the more resilient religious cultures of the United States, the Canadian Maritimes, Ireland and Northern Ireland. Using statistical evidence from government censuses, the book demonstrates how secularisation was deeply linked to demographic change. Starting with the distinctive features of the 1960s, the book quantifies secularisation's scale, timing and character in each nation. Then, the intense links of women's sexual revolution to religious decline are explored. From there, women's changing patterns of marriage, coupling and birthing are correlated with diminishing religiosity. The final exploration is into the secularising consequences of economic change, higher education and women's expanding work roles. This book transforms the way in which secularisation is imagined. Religion matters more than mere belief, practice and the churches; it shapes how populations construct their sexual practices, families and life-course. In nations where religion has been dissolving since 1960 into apathy and atheism, the process has been part of a demographic revolution built on new moral codes. Connecting religious history with the history of population, this volume unveils how the historian and sociologist need to engage with the demographic enormity of the decline of Christendom. CALLUM G. BROWN is Professor of Religiousand Cultural History at the University of Dundee.Trade ReviewMakes an important contribution to our understanding of religion and identity in this period. * HISTORY *An indispensible contribution to the field. The book will go a long way toward helping to bring gender as a crucial category of analysis from the periphery to the center of the secularization debate. * CHURCH HISTORY *Laden with social scientific data, this work will appeal to students at all levels interested in contemporary Western religious culture, sociology of religion, and gender studies. Recommended. * CHOICE *Table of ContentsIntroduction The Sixties Religious change Sex and religion Family and religion The economy and women's religion The decision makers Bibliography

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Book SynopsisThe Sydney Jewish community is dynamic and vibrant, with many communal, social and religious institutions. This book investigates the Sephardic community of Sydney -- their history, their experiences as new immigrants in a host society after arriving from traditional Moslem cultures, as well as the changes they have undergone since they arrived in Australia. The Sephardic community comprises about 3,000 of the 40,000 Jews in Sydney, whose majority reside in the eastern suburbs, in Sydney's multicultural inner-city 'ethnic belt'. Although the Sephardim share some cultural features with the Jewish majority, there are substantial differences: they emphasise their cultural heterogeneity. Their experiences are viewed through the prism of their relationship to both the Ashkenazim and the larger Anglo-Australian society. Their inability to acculturate and assimilate into the Ashkenazi and Australian groups contributes profoundly to their poor self-image and to ethnic marginalisation. A negative ethnic identity and self-rejection, enhanced by rejection from the Ashkenazim and Australians, has a major impact on their everyday life and their perception of their social standing, especially on the younger Sephardic generation. This issue has been particularly relevant since 1988, when the Australian government moved to restrict Asian immigration. This became a media issue, with the Ashkenazim taking the side of white Australians and seeing themselves as superior to the Afro-Asian Jewish Sephardim, who are viewed as 'Asians' by both the Ashkenazim and the white majority. The result is a sense of 'double rejection', which pervades this group's political and social standing.Trade Review"Provides valuable insights into the dynamics of the formation of Sephardic Jewish identity..." -- Professor C Kessler, The University of New South Wales."A valuable study of the problems facing a migrant ethnical community arriving in Australia..." -- Professor R Gabby, The University of Western Australia."A commendable example of 'salvage ethnography'..." - Professor S Deshen, Tel Aviv UniversityTable of ContentsPreface; The Importance of Effective Reading Strategies for Science Teachers & Learners; Early Literacy Development: The Role of Storytelling, Joint Reading, & Symbolic Play; Assessing the Importance of Feedback to Teacher & Student Improvement in an Innovative Caribbean Reading Project Biological Literacy as an imperative of Present Time; Challenges in Dyslexia Research; Developmental Dyslexia: A Conceptual & Measurement Quandary; Teaching Cantonese Opera Script: Story Schema Approach; The Effects of Text, Graphic Images & Audio on Learning; Examining Ways to Improve Visual Teaching Materials: The Role of Visual Literacy & Predominate Learning Modality; Quality Metrics for Multimedia Reading: Assessment, Comprehension & Teaching; Do Illustrated Instructional Books Promote Multimedia Learning?; Index.

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Book SynopsisIndonesia is home to the largest Muslim community in the world. Much of the media attention given to manifestations of radical Islam in Indonesia after 9/11 and the Bali bombings of October 2002 have been limited to current affairs. This book provides a broader perspective about contemporary Islam in Indonesia through discussing two outstanding streams of thought and movements -- Islamic modernism and radical Islamic fundamentalism. These two multifaceted phenomena clearly illustrate the significant contemporary influence of the Middle East on the Indonesia archipelago, in an Islamic context. Thus the focus is twofold: the local context, and the impact of the Middle East on Islam in Indonesia. These two perspectives allow a comparative and cross-regional view which, combined with the broader historical narrative, provides insights into possible future trends. The author explains the importance of the reformist motivation; religious and social & political dimensions; ideology, perceptions, and interaction in the context of the transmission and dissemination of Islamic ideas; and the current and potential appeal of the war cry of Jihad in opposition to the unique bulwarks against it as suggested by the local Indonesian context. These topics make this book essential reading to understanding the current and future comprehensive challenges posed by radical Islam in the Indonesian archipelago.Trade Review"Carefully researched and engagingly written, this fine book deserves to be read by everyone interested in Indonesian Islam, as well as by the general reader curious about the varieties and future of Muslim politics." -- Robert W. Hefner, Professor of Anthropology, Associate Director of the Institute on Culture, Religion and World Affairs (CURA), Boston University."Giora Eliraz's book represents a valuable addition to the all too sparse collection of scholarly writing on Islam in the world's largest Muslim nation. With very few exceptions, most such studies are the work of area specialists with a deep understanding of their country of study but comparatively little knowledge of the Middle East. Eliraz's book is very different; it is the fruit of a sharp academic mind honed through decades of study of modernist Islamic thought and related movements in the Arab world now turned upon parallel developments in Indonesia. The result is a very well informed study uniquely enriched by the ability to read developments in Southeast Asia from a Middle Eastern perspective. Consequently anyone seeking to understand Indonesian Islam and its global context will benefit from this work - regardless of whether they are seasoned observers or are coming to this increasingly important subject for the first time." - Greg Barton.Table of ContentsContents: Preface; Acknowledgments; The Islamic Modernist Movement in the Malay- Indonesian World: A Comparative Look at Egypt; Muhammad Abduh's Heritage; The Challenge of the Islamic Modernist Movement in the Malay-Indonesian World -- The Reformist Motivation; The Religious Dimension; The Educational Dimension; The Social and Political Dimension; Challenging the Traditional World; A Comparative Look at Egypt; Historical Role and Impacts; Islamic Modernism in the Malay-Indonesian World: Suggested Explanations; Islamic Radicalism in Indonesia: Global and Local Contexts; Radical Islamic Fundamentalism -- Ideology and Perception; Transmission of Ideas and Ideological Interaction; The Social and Political Dimension; The Historical Perspective -- Dissemination of Islamic Ideas to Indonesia; The War Cry of Jihad in Indonesia; Summary and Reflections; Radical Islamic Fundamentalism in Indonesia: The Distinctiveness of the Indonesian Context: Marginal or Significant?; The Indonesian Context through the Fundamentalist Prism; The Indonesian Islamic Context: Summary and Reflections; Notes; Bibliography; Index

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Book SynopsisThe rise of the Islamic fundamentalist movement as a social and political force is the most important development in the modern Arab world. Beginning in the late 1970s, radical Islam directly affected Egypt and Jordan, neighbours and co-signatories of peace treaties with Israel. The radical Islamic movement in both these countries assumed two forms -- non-violent, represented mainly by the Muslim Brotherhood, and violent, represented by various terrorist groups. Both groups shared the objective of replacing the existing regimes with Islamic theocracies. Egypt and Jordan responded firmly to the growth of radical Islam, quashing terrorist activity. Successive Egyptian regimes attempted unsuccessfully to arrive at a compromise for coexistence with the Muslim Brotherhood, and resorted to firm countermeasures to strip the movement of its social and political power. In Jordan, where the Muslim Brotherhood enjoyed legal status, the regime kept a strict hold on the movement so that its influence would not exceed government-imposed limits. By the end of the 1990s, the Muslim Brotherhood and terrorist groups no longer posed an existential threat to the Egyptian and Jordanian regimes, since there was little chance of their seizing the government in the foreseeable future. Although they might succeed in toppling a head of state, it is unlikely that they would be able to establish an Islamic regime. At the same time, both regimes acknowledged that it was beyond their power to eradicate Islamic radicalism, and recognised that they would have to face its challenge for many years to come.Trade Review"Nachman Tal has written a unique book. It elucidates the variety of streams of radical Islam and the modus operandi of Egypt and Jordan in coping with them. Based on his intimate knowledge of the field, Tal's work is an indispensable source for understanding the relations between the ideology and the strategy of these radical streams." -- Dr Matti Steinberg, former advisor to the head of Israel's General Security Services, and guest lecturer, Princeton University."Nachman Tal's book presents an extensive review of the rise of violent and non- Islamic groups in Egypt and Jordan. Based on original research and the author's personal interviews with leading figures in the field, the book is a most impressive collection of information and records, covering both the radical groups themselves and the regimes' methods of confronting the Islamic threat." -- Prof. Shaul Mishal (Department of Political Science, Tel Aviv University), co-author of Investment in Peace: The Politics of Economic Cooperation Between Israel, Jordan and the Palestinians, writing in Ha'aretz.Table of ContentsIntroduction; PART I: RADICAL ISLAM IN EGYPT -- Egypt and Islamic Fundamentalism; Egypts Struggle against the Muslim Brotherhood; Islamic Terrorism in Egypt; Egypt Battles Islamic Terrorism; Egyptian Resistance to Fundamentalism. PART II: RADICAL ISLAM IN JORDAN -- 6 Jordans Struggle with Subversion and Terrorism; The Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan; Jordan against the Muslim Brotherhood; Jordanian Resistance to Fundamentalism; Radical Islam in Egypt and Jordan: An Integrative; Conclusion; Index.

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Book SynopsisIn today's world, Christianity and Islam are capable of dialogue. Neither faith has a single religious establishment or narrow belief system, both are rainbows of faith and practice. There is difference and there is delight for many believers in both traditions. Tragically, there is also some expression of institutional divergence. In Listening to Islam a devout Trappist monk, Thomas Merton, and a dedicated Sufi mystic, live in intimate prayerful relationship. Sayyid Qutb, a major ideologue of the Muslim Brotherhood, was a literary educationalist whose exposition of the Qur'an is justifiably famous, though his version of political Islam is offensive to many Muslims. Bishop Kenneth Cragg is a careful translator, expositor and analyst of the Qur'an and modern Islam. He has devoted much of his life to the Arabic language and its people. He speaks of himself and his Muslim interlocutors as those who believe in one God. Ziauddin Sardar, who describes himself as "a sceptical Muslim in search of Paradise", writes with remarkable fluency on the current confrontation between the West and Islam. Through Praise, Reason and Reflection, these four dialogists provide compelling evidence of the complexities, differences and rewards of exchanging ideas and opinions on the development and necessity of Islamic-Christian interfaith understanding.Trade Review"It seems to me that mutual comprehension between Christians and Muslims is something of very vital importance today, and unfortunately it is rare and uncertain, or else subjected to the vagaries of politics." -- Thomas Merton, writing to the Pakistani Sufi scholar Abdul Aziz on St. Stephens Day, 26 December 1962.

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Book SynopsisPurposeful suicide in contemporary Islam and the deep pathos in its frequency for religious ends is the main impulse to the topic of Faith at Suicide. The Islamic phenomenon needs to be set in a wider context which reckons with suicide's incidence elsewhere, with its uneasy associations in martyrdom and with how it interrogates -- or is interrogated by -- the ethics of religious faith. The enigma of wilful suicide is no less a challenge to sanity or compassion when such faith is absent from the deed or dimly yearned for by it. I am pregnant with my cause', orators may boast. But they were never pregnant with themselves. Our birth was unsolicited on our part. We have all to reach a philosophy about our living, which is perpetually at stake and which we are free to curtail. Dark cynics have said that life is no more than forbearing not to commit suicide. While the sheer mystery of birth demands we disavow all such self-refusal, what then of those who resolve to make it forfeit for an end they must also abdicate in doing so? Selves are banished and betrayed' when weary despair registers what ill-fate itself has done to them. It is more darkly so when the precious human frame, the body's wonder, by self-bombing' encases lethal death in and for and from itself. This book sets out to explain how the issue of suicide belongs with the conscience of Islam today, and how suicide in all circumstances, with or without religious overtones -- be they Islamic or Christian or other faith -- is an inherent contradiction of our common humanity, as expressed in human birth which expressly involves us in mankind.

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Book SynopsisThis book investigates the transformative period in the history of the Jews of Libya (1938-52), a period crucial to understanding Libyan Jewry's evolution into a community playing significant roles in Israel, Italy and in relation with Qaddhafi's Libya. Against a background of a reform conscious Ottoman administration (1835-1911) and subsequent stirrings of modernisation under Italian colonial influence (1911-43), the Jews of Libya began to experience rapid change following the application of fascist racial laws of 1938, the onset of war-related calamities and violent expressions of Libyan pan-Arabism, culminating in mass migration to Israel in the period 1949-52. By focusing on key socio-economic and political dimensions of this process, the author reveals the capacity of Libyan Jewry to adapt to and integrate into new environments without losing its unique and historical traditions.Trade Review"Dr Roumani uses a wide range of archival and oral sources, many of which have never been used before. Throughout the book, he reveals a mastery of the social and political history, and a fine understanding of the lives, hopes, fears and aspirations of Libyan Jews. His book is a testimony to their suffering and their fortitude." -- From the Foreword by Sir Martin Gilbert."Maurice Roumani has given us an impeccably researched, richly documented, and keenly insightful survey of Libyan Jewry's social and political evolution in the twentieth century. He brings to the study not merely the observations of a trained scholar with all of the requisite linguistic and methodological skills, but also the real life experience of someone who lived through the turbulent events of the period and was an actual witness to some of them. It is to Roumani's great credit that he is able to achieve an admirable balance of overall scholarly dispassion with the intimate poignancy of personal engagement. The Jews of Libya will surely take its place alongside the pioneer studies of Renzo De Felice and Harvey Goldberg." -- Norman A Stillman, Schusterman/Josey Professor of Judaic History, University of Oklahoma.Table of ContentsIntroduction; The Changing Fortunes of Libyan Jews Under Italian Colonialism; The British Military Administration: Hopes and Disillusion; The Role of International Jewish Organisations: Rehabilitation and Protection of Minority Rights; Exodus: The Choice of Israel; Settlement in Israel: The Pains of Displacement and the Difficulties of Absorption; Closing the Circle in 1967: The Final Exodus and its Challenges; Index.

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Book SynopsisThis is the first book in English to tell the story of this important, yet neglected, episode in modern Arab history. The research is based on archival material located in the United States, Britain, Canada and Israel, as well as available resources in Arabic. The use of these primary sources allows for a fresh look at the UAR.Trade ReviewIn spite of its short duration, the rise and demise of the United Arab Republic the union between Egypt and Syria (195861) is considered a seminal episode in the modern history of the Arab world. At the time, many Arabs hoped that the union would herald realization of the pan-Arab dream, but its disintegration shattered this dream beyond repair. With the wisdom of hindsight it is also clear that this episode had a significant, lasting impact on the evolution of Arab politics. -- From the Foreword by Moshe Maoz, author of "Asad: The Sphinx of Damascus"A superb narrative and analysis long overdue. -- Choice Outstanding Academic Book"An important book. Podehs is the most reliable of the histories of the union." -- The International History Review

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Book SynopsisPublished in association with the Canada Blanch Centre for Contemporary Spanish Studies.Trade Review"A penetrating appraisal of the specific mixture of ideological and strategic (indeed frankly opportunistic) motives driving the contradictory policies adopted by Francoists towards different groups of European Jews in the period between c1936 and 1945... The particular strength of Dr Rohr's work is its understanding of the constant interplay between the political mythology of Spanish antisemitism and Spain's geopolitical interests and colonial aspirations." -- Professor Helen Graham, Department of History, Royal Holloway, University of London."The author has reconciled several different kinds of history -- exploring political myths, colonialism and foreign policy during wartime as well as contributing to both Spanish and Jewish history... This engaging, stimulating and original work firmly gives the issue of race in contemporary Spain the historiographical importance that it merits. Just as the Moorish 'Other' has long been recognised as a significant term of reference of Spanish identity, this books shows how the construction of 'the Jew' plays a similar role." -- Dr Michael Richards, University of the West of England."This book debunks the so-called 'paradoxical' nature of Franco's supposed benevolence towards the Jews, showing that any generosity on the regime's part was both opportunistic and unreliable. Dr Rohr grounds Franco's relationship to the Jews during World War II in the fascinating and complex history of post-Inquisitorial Spanish attitudes towards Jews, ranging from Philosephardism to various forms of antisemitism according to shifting ideological goals. Rohr's reading of Franco's neo-Philosephardism in the context of his colonial ambitions in Northern Africa is groundbreaking." -- Dr Soledad Fox, Assistant Professor of Spanish and Comparative Literature, Williams College.Table of ContentsCONTENTS: Introduction - The Interplay of Political Myths, Foreign Policy and Colonial Ambitions; Degeneration, Regeneration and the Jews (1898-1931); Anti-Republican Antisemitism (1931-1936); Antisemitism as a Weapon of War (1936-1939); A Policy of Contradictions: Germanophilia and the Revival of Philosephardism (1939-1942); Welcoming the "Conspirators" (1943-1945); Epilogue: The Contradictions and Hypocrisy of Francoist Policy; Index.

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Book SynopsisFeatures: Investigates the significance, contribution, and role played by the State of Israel -- ideologically and practically -- in the identity of Diaspora Jews; Explores the extent and way Israel features in Diaspora identity through a range of issues including: anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism, Jewish continuity and Israel visits, the peace process, pro-Israel lobbying, philanthropy, religious thought and gender; Examines the place of Israel in the identity of Jewish communities in eight countries and amongst the Israeli Diaspora; A unique feature of this volume is that each chapter is followed by short and insightful viewpoints by Israeli and Diaspora commentators, with the book reflecting a dialogue between these different voices from across the Jewish world.Trade Review"...a thought-provoking collection of essays in an interesting, effective arrangement...Recommeded for academic and research libraries, as well as other libraries with collections on Israel and the Diaspora." -- Ilya Silbar Margoshes, University of Regina, SK Canada, in Association of Jewish Libraries Newsletter, May/June 2008."...a thought-provoking collection of essays in an interesting, effective arrangement...Recommended for academic and research libraries, as well as other libraries with collections on Israel and the Diaspora." -- Ilya Silbar Margoshes, University of Regina, SK Canada, in Association of Jewish Libraries Newsletter, May/June 2008.Table of ContentsPart I: ISSUES & THEMES -- Introduction: World Jewry, Identity and Israel; The New Anti-Semitism, Jewish Identity and the Question of Zionism; Jewish Continuity and Israel Visits; Israel in Orthodox Identity: The American Experience; Conservative Judaism, Zionism and Israel: Commitments and Ambivalences; The Place of Israel in the Identity of Reform Jews: Examining the Spectrum of Passive Identification with Israel to Active Jewish--Zionist; The Jewish Left, Jewish Identity, Zionism and Israel Attitudes to the Palestinian Intifada; The Changing Identity of American Jews, Israel and the Peace Process; Israels Foreign and Defence Policy and Diaspora Jewish Identity; Gender and Israel in Diaspora Jewish Identity; The Place of Israel in the Identity of Israelis in the Diaspora: An Ethnographic Exploration. Part II: COUNTRIES AND REGIONS -- Canada; Great Britain; Latin America; France; Australia; United States of America; South Africa; Russia. CONCLUSION -- Israel in Diaspora Jewish Identity; Glossary; Contributors; Index.

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Book SynopsisThis book documents and analyses the transformations in the Jewish-owned economy active in Salonica during the period of the consolidating Greek nation-state, prior to World War II. Based on archival materials, the author provides a comprehensive, comparative inter-ethnic empirical study of Jewish entrepreneurial patterns for two distinct historical periods: the multi-ethnic business world of Greek Macedonia (1912-1922) after its incorporation into the Greek nation-state; and the era of minority-majority relations (1923-1940), following a radical modification of the city's demographic composition -- a process that culminated in Salonica's ethnic unification. A macro analysis combines a comparative static overview of the Jewish-owned firms vs. the Greek-owned firms active in the city at three points in time (1912, 1921, 1930), with a dynamic analysis focusing on transitions in structure and entrepreneurial behaviour. A micro analysis then examines the characteristics of Salonica's Jewish entrepreneurial elite, its businessmen and professionals, including class resources, familial and ethnic networks, business strategies and methods. Included in the analysis is a unique database illustrating Jewish entrepreneurial patterns during the 1930s. This study applies the "ethnic economy" approach in explaining Jewish entrepreneurial dynamics, and contributes new theoretical insights. The research presented provides hitherto unavailable details about the economic and demographic history of the Jewish community of Salonica, a city known as the "Jerusalem of the Balkans" due to it being home to the largest concentration of Sephardic Jews found in the territories once belonging to the Ottoman Empire.Table of ContentsPreface; Historical overview; Polymeric dental prosthetic materials; Polymeric dental restorative materials; Applications of polymers in oral & maxillofacial surgery; Applications of polymers in periodontology treatments; Applications of polymers in orthodontic treatments; Polymeric dental impression materials; Index.

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Book Synopsis"Beyond the Border" sets the lives and work of Huguenot goldsmiths in the context of the different societies in which they lived and worked. Distinguished international scholars explore the contributions of individual goldsmiths drawing on new research. Michele Bimbenet Privat examines the lives and work of Huguenot goldsmiths in France during times of tolerance of the Protestant religion in the 16th and 17th centuries. She explains how protestant craftsmen dominated regional centres but found establishing a presence in the metropolis more challenging. The influence of the Louis XIV style was greater on the leading Dutch goldsmiths in the late 17th and 18th centuries. In contrast to London, first generation Huguenot goldsmiths played only a minor role in their adopted cities of The Hague and Amsterdam. Those who settled in Berlin and Kassel, often from Metz in Northern France, made a greater impact through the purity of style in which they continued to work in the 18th century. Those who settled in the English speaking world benefited from ambitious patronage from noble and professional clients. Goldsmiths who settled in the American colonies had more in common stylistically with those who worked in Dublin and Cork. First generation Huguenot goldsmiths in London set the pace for the next generation which produced in Paul de Lamerie one of the most successful craft businesses of his generation. "Beyond the Border" explores the transatlantic links between the Huguenot goldsmiths who settled in Europe and America.Table of ContentsPart I: Huguenot Goldsmiths in Northern Europe; Part II: Huguenot Goldsmiths in the English-speaking World; Index.

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Book SynopsisEdgar Morin, one of France's greatest living intellectuals, tells the story of his father, Vidal Nahoum, but also the story of Sephardic Jews, and of Europe. In this 'holographic history' Vidal's story, and that of his family, carries within it the flowering, decline, and death of Jewish culture in Spain, the passage from Empires to Nation States, the complex relations between Jews and Gentiles, between East and West, and, ultimately, the history of the twentieth century itself. Morin's work ranges from the great sweep of global historical events to the everyday details of individual lives, letters, feelings, reflections, and experiences. Vidal was born in 1894 in the Ottoman Empire's great Macedonian port. His great-grandfather came from Tuscany and spoke Italian. His mother tongue was fifteenth-century Spanish. He learned French and German as a child. When he was an adolescent, he dreamed of living in France; he was deported there as a prisoner, and then liberated by the French Prime Minister. He lived through the Balkan wars, the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, and two World Wars. Vidal cannot be isolated from his family. And as Edgar Morin explains, "this book also tells the stories of the men and women in his immediate family When, as his son, I inevitably come into his story... I describe him as objectively as possible. The reverence that inspired me did not call for a work of edification; it implied that I should attempt to write a truthful book. For this reason, the book is not in the least respectful, or at least not in the usual sense of the word. Vidal felt that loving someone meant being able to tease him. The author of these lines, who has inherited something of this trait, does not think it disrespectful to tease or make fun of the people he loves."Table of ContentsPrologue; The Nahum Family; Adolescence; The First World War; Move to Paris, marriage & Birth of a Son; Frenchification: First Phase (1921-1931); Rueil & the Death of Luna; A New Life (1931-1939); The 1939 to 1945 War; After the War (1945-1960); The Nineteen-Sixties; The Nineteen-Seventies; The Last Years; Epilogue.

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Book SynopsisThis book examines the role the Jewish Daily Forward played during the heyday of Jewish immigration to the United States, from 1897 to 1917. The JDF was a focus point for the 'Jewish street', as it dealt with issues of labour and strikes, Zionism and the American-Jewish Committee, and world war -- issues that were at the heart of Jewish everyday experience and concern. Although previous research and observation brought to the fore the inevitable policy and viewpoint contradictions expressed throughout its columns, this book is the first critical assessment of this eminent newspaper as its leader writers and columnists engaged with the centenary transition that saw myriad political and social change. The primary motivation for this investigation is the discrepancy between the paper's declared socialism on the one hand, and the co-operation between Abraham Cahan, JDF's editor, with the hard-line conservatives such as Jacob Schiff, on the other hand. By following Cahan's co-operation with the American-Jewish plutocracy, Ehud Manor suggests that the JDF was actually conservative in outlook, rather than progressive. The importance of such an historical account is not only in the uncovering of the checks and balances between different Jewish groups and Jewish polity and media, but also serves as an insight into the mechanism of Jewish modern politics. This book is based on Yiddish sources, the Forverts (JDF) issues, and other primary and secondary material. It is essential reading for all those engaged and interested in modern Jewish history.Table of ContentsIntroduction; "Seven Years of Famine"; "Jewish Question", "Jewish Politics"; The Politics of Abstention; Great War, Lesser Deeds; "Americanisation" & "Jewish Authenticity"; Glossary; Index.

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Book SynopsisFrom 1642 to 1654 Isaac Aboab da Fonseca was the hakham (Torah scholar) and spiritual leader of the oldest Jewish community in the New World. As a Hebrew grammarian, a poet, and a mystic, as well as an excellent and very popular preacher, Aboab da Fonseca (born 1605) was not only one of the most interesting Jewish personalities of the seventeenth century, but his writings are an invaluable historical resource with regard to many aspects of Jewish life in Dutch Colonial Brazil, the local attitudes towards Jews, and corroboration of events outlined in contemporary literary sources. His forebears were so-called New Christians, having undergone compulsory conversion to Catholicism in Portugal. In order to be able to live freely as professing Jews, the family moved in about 1612 to Amsterdam. There, Hakham Isaac Uziel of Fez became his Talmud teacher; among his colleagues was Menasseh Ben Israel. In 1638 he was confirmed as one of the four hakhamim of the new congregation Talmud Torah of Amsterdam. In 1641/42 he accepted the nomination for hakham of the growing Jewish community in Recife, Brazil, where he was in charge of all rabbinical functions and gave lectures in Talmud and Hebrew. In the interim he wrote the Hebrew grammar Melekhet ha-Dikduk, published here in translation for the first time. Aboab da Fonseca enjoyed a few prosperous years until the Portuguese rebellion caused the economic ruin of the Jews of Dutch Brazil. His salary much reduced, he nevertheless remained to lead and help his people until the occupation of Recife by Brazilian-Portuguese troops on January 26, 1654. Upon returning to Amsterdam, his inclination toward mysticism made him one of the leading believers in the false messiah Shabbetai Zvi. But his writing and scholarship remained undiminished: In 1646 he wrote Zekher asiti leniflaot El, in which he described events in Dutch Brazil after the outbreak of the war; he also published a Hebrew translation of the Spanish cabbalistic works of Abraham Cohen Herrera, Casa de Dios y Puerta del Cielo, under the title Shaar ha-Shamayim (The Gate of Heaven). This first scholarly monograph on Isaac Aboab da Fonseca and his intellectual and spiritual contributions, includes discussion of his commentary on the Pentateuch entitled Parafrasis Comentada sobre el Pentateuco, as well as a consideration of Aboab's involvement in the ban of Spinoza.Trade Review‘In this study, Moisés Orfali poses the question of what can be learned from this episode and the role Aboab played about leadership in times of crisis… This book is a welcome contribution to our knowledge of the Jewish communities of the early modern New World, and Orfali can be recommended to have undertaken this important job.’ Daniël Metz, Studia Rosenthaliana

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Book SynopsisThe emancipation of the Jews of England was largely complete when George III came to the throne in 1760. Free to live how and where they wished, the Jews had been specifically exempted from the provisions of the 1753 Marriage Act which made Christian marriage the only legal option for all others. The effect of this exemption was to put the matrimonial causes of the Jews of England exclusively in the hands of their Rabbis and Dayanim (Jewish ecclesiastical judges) for the next one hundred years. No Bet Din (Jewish ecclesiastical court) anywhere in the world has left such a complete record of its transactions -- matrimonial and proselytical -- as that contained in the extant Pinkas (minute-book) of the London Bet Din from 1805 to 1855. In all other matters, including the offences punishable by transportation, Jews were subject to the jurisdiction of the civil courts. Of the estimated 150,000 convict transportees shipped to the Australian penal colonies, some seven hundred were Jews. Matrimonial and related matters involving twenty of these miscreants are recorded in the Pinkas. Jeremy Pfeffer recounts the history of the London Bet Din during these years as revealed by the Pinkas record and relates the previously untold stories of this group of Jewish convict transportees and their families.

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Book SynopsisThe dog has captured the Jewish imagination from antiquity to the contemporary period, with the image of the dog often used to characterise and demean Jewish populations in medieval Christendom. In the interwar period, dogs were still considered goyishe nakhes ("a gentile pleasure") and virtually unheard of in the Jewish homes of the shtetl. Yet Azit the Paratrooping Dog of modern Israeli cinema, one of many examples of dogs as heroes of the Zionist narrative, demonstrates that the dog has captured the contemporary Jewish imagination. The book discusses specific cultural manifestations of the relationship between dogs and Jews, from ancient times to the present. Covering a geographical range extending from the Middle East through Europe and to North America, the contributors -- all of whom are senior university scholars specializing in various disciplines -- provide a unique cross-cultural, trans-national, diachronic perspective. An important theme is the constant tension between domination/control and partnership which underpins the relationship of humans to animals, as well as the connection between Jewish societies and their broader host cultures. A public increasingly interested in cultural history in general and Jewish history in particular will benefit from the diverse perspectives provided herein. One need look no further than the popular media surrounding President Obama's choice of a canine companion: dog-owners and dog-lovers, and all those involved at university level with cultural studies, can deepen their understanding of the humancanine relationship by reading this volume.Table of ContentsForeword; Preface; Equine Mycotoxicosis; The Significance of Feed-Borne Mycotoxins in ruminant nutrition; Mycotoxicosis in Swine; Mycotoxicosis in Domestic Fowl.

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Book SynopsisSince the 1970s, the Latin American Jewish Diaspora has been recognized as a unique phenomenon in diasporic studies, due to the development of new ways of thinking about internationalism and globalization. Important works of the 1980s and 1990s established the critical role of Jews in Latin America. This collection moves the field forward by providing an interdisciplinary and comparative view of Jewish experiences through history, literature, painting, anthropology, poetry, sociology, and politics.Trade Review"Kristin Ruggiero has assembled a stellar cast of multinational and multidisciplinary scholars and artists that imparts this book both depth and variety. Geographically, the chapters range from Mexico and tropical Caribbean islands to temperate South America and its large Jewish communities. Topically, the volume tackles a multiplicity of contradictory forces and trends: anti-Semitism and Judeophilia; cultural hybridity and separation; terrorism (of various ideological hues) and communal self-defense; collective memory and amnesia. Epistemologically and aesthetically, the essays range from the intellectual impartiality and keenness of first-rate scholarly analysis to the poignant poetics of personal testimonials. The volume's documentary base extends from diplomatic dispatches and a legendary literary magazine to oral interviews and the diary of a polyglot grandmother. The result is a broad and vivid portrayal of the Jewish presence in Latin America." -- Jose Moya, UCLA, Department of History Chair, Latin American Studies Program. "Contributes significantly toward a phantom reconstruction of the multifaceted Latin American Jewish experience." -- Judith Laikin Elkin, University of Michigan, Founder of the Latin American Jewish Studies Association. "These diverse chapters enable the reader to touch the 'fragments of memory' that form an important measurre of Jewish experience in Latin America and the Caribbean. This interdisciplinary collection assembled by Ruggiero explores and celebrates individual lives and collective Jewishness. One cannot depart the pages of this volume without a deep sense of connecting with a culture committed to survival, even through genocide and holocaust. This is not a volume of numbing statistics and dry rhetoric; it is a book of passionate commitment to portraying the Jewish presence in twentieth century Latin America and the Caribbean." -- Robert Kemper & Ryan Fisher, European Review of Latin American and Caribbean Studies, No. 80, April 2006.Table of ContentsSimultaneity of Past & Present in Mexico; Counter discourse in Argentina: Victoria Ocampo & SUR's Attitude toward the Jews during World War II; Imagining Otherness: The Jewish Question in Brazil, 1930-1940; Argentine Jews & the Accusation of "Dual Loyalty", 1960-1962; Deconstructing Anti-Semitism in Argentina; After the AMIA Bombing: A Critical Analysis of Two Parallel Discourses; Identity & Memories of Cuban Jews; While Waiting for the Ferry to Cuba: Afterthoughts about Adio Kerida; Caribbean Hybridity & the Jews of Martinique; Mexico: The Rise & Fall of Yiddish; Traces of Memory; Surviving Genocide; Poetry as a Strategy for Resistance in the Holocaust & the Southern Cone Genocides.

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Book SynopsisThis book tells the story of Di Warheit ("The Truth"), a Yiddish daily established in New York in late 1905. Its founder, Louis Miller (1866-1927), emigrated from Russia to the US in 1884, and by 1897 was the leader of a group that established the Forverts, later to be the most successful Yiddish newspaper in the United States. Common wisdom depict Miller's social leaning as stemming from ego and opportunism, but Ehud Manor suggests that his publishing philosophy was based primarily on ideological and political grounds. Why to begin his story in 1905? Because in that year 'The Jewish Question', especially in Russia with its pogroms, turned dramatic. Miller understood that the time had come for a paradigm shift. The result was labelled Klal-Yisruel Politics, a combined nationalist all-Jewish effort to ameliorate the Jewish condition' wherever Jews suffered or were oppressed. The drive behind Miller's decision to run Di Warheit was his eagerness to promote a progressive, non-radical and pragmatic political mind set among his immigrant brethren. This somewhat forgotten chapter in American Jewish history is told here in chronological order, mainly through the texts of Miller's newspaper. Each chapter is dedicated to the main issue that drove Miller's publishing effort at a specific time period, and in response to external events impacting on Jewry, until the management forced him out of Di Warheit due to his non-conventional interpretation of the war that broke out in Europe in 1914. This long-awaited book tells the story of a Yiddish-speaking socialist, who, after denying the very existence of a specific Jewish people, was open-minded enough to re-examine his beliefs and courageous enough to publicly change his mind. But he paid the price for telling, or at least trying to tell, that truth.

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Book SynopsisThis book documents and analyses the transformations in the Jewish-owned economy active in Salonica during the period of the consolidating Greek nation-state, prior to World War II. Based on archival materials, the author provides a comprehensive, comparative inter-ethnic empirical study of Jewish entrepreneurial patterns for two distinct historical periods: the multi-ethnic business world of Greek Macedonia (1912-1922) after its incorporation into the Greek nation-state; and the era of minority-majority relations (1923-1940), following a radical modification of the city's demographic composition -- a process that culminated in Salonica's ethnic unification. A macro analysis combines a comparative static overview of the Jewish-owned firms vs. the Greek-owned firms active in the city at three points in time (1912, 1921, 1930), with a dynamic analysis focusing on transitions in structure and entrepreneurial behaviour. A micro analysis then examines the characteristics of Salonica's Jewish entrepreneurial elite, its businessmen and professionals, including class resources, familial and ethnic networks, business strategies and methods. Included in the analysis is a unique database illustrating Jewish entrepreneurial patterns during the 1930s. This study applies the "ethnic economy" approach in explaining Jewish entrepreneurial dynamics, and contributes new theoretical insights. The research presented provides hitherto unavailable details about the economic and demographic history of the Jewish community of Salonica, a city known as the "Jerusalem of the Balkans" due to it being home to the largest concentration of Sephardic Jews found in the territories once belonging to the Ottoman Empire.Trade ReviewIn this beautifully written, elegantly theorized and painstaking researched book, Orly Meron tells the story of Jewish economic activities in Salonica prior to the Nazi take-over. Steven J. Gold, Professor and Graduate Program Director, Department of Sociology, Michigan State UniversityTable of ContentsPreface; Historical overview; Polymeric dental prosthetic materials; Polymeric dental restorative materials; Applications of polymers in oral & maxillofacial surgery; Applications of polymers in periodontology treatments; Applications of polymers in orthodontic treatments; Polymeric dental impression materials; Index.

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Book SynopsisJewish drama and theatre has followed a tortuous path from extreme rabbinical intolerance to eventual secular liberalism, with its openness to the heritages of both Judaism as a culture and prominent foreign cultures, to the extent of multicultural integration. No wonder, therefore, that since biblical times until the seventeenth century there are only examples of tangential theatre practices. This initial intolerance, shared by the Church, was rooted in pagan connotations of theatre rather than in the neutral nature of the theatre medium, capable of formulating and communicating contrasting thoughts. Whereas by the tenth century the Church understood that theatre could be harnessed to its own ends, Jewish theatre was only created seven centuries later through spontaneous and amateurish theatrical practices, such as the Yiddish purim-shpil and the purim-rabbi. Due to their carnivalesque and cathartic nature these practices were tolerated by the rabbinical establishment, albeit only during the Purim holiday. But as a result, Jewish drama and theatre were created and emerged despite rabbinical antagonism. Under the influence of the Jewish Enlightenment, Yiddish-speaking theatres were increasingly established, a trend that became central in the cultural enterprise of the Jews in Israel. This process involved a renewed use of Hebrew as a spoken language, and the transition from a profound religious identity to a secular Jewish one, characterised by a basic liberalism to the extent of openness to cultures traditionally perceived as archetypal enemies of Judaism. This book sets out to analyse play-scripts and performance-texts produced in the Israeli theatre in order to illustrate these trends, and concludes that only a liberal society can bring about the full realisation of theatre's potentialities.

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Book SynopsisSingapore Malays subscribe to mostly traditional rather than modern interpretations of Islam. Singapore state officials, however, wish to curb the challenges such interpretations bring to the country's political, social, educational and economic domains. Thus, these officials launched a programme to socially engineer modern Muslim identities amongst Singapore Malays in 2003, which is ongoing. Negotiating Muslim Identities documents a variety of ethnographic encounters that point to the power struggles surrounding two basic and very different ways of living. While the Singapore state has gained some successes for its project, it has also faced significant and multiple setbacks. Amongst them, state officials have had to contend with traditional Islamic authority that Malay elders carry and who cannot be ignored because these elders are time-entrenched authority figures in their community. One of the book's significant contributions is that it documents how Singapore, an avowedly secular state, has now turned to Islam as a tool for governance. Just as significant are the insights the study provides on another aspect of Singapore state governance, one usually described as 'authoritarian'. The book demonstrates that even 'authoritarian' states can face serious obstacles in the face of religion's influence over its followers. The academic literature on Singapore Malays is sparse: this work not only fills gaps in the existing academic literature but provides new and original research data. Its data-rich ethnographic and anthropological approach show the complexities of Malay and Muslim social contexts, and complements other works that examine Southeast Asian states ' management of Islam, which has attracted much scholarship given the global interest in Islam-based politics and social organisation.

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Book SynopsisIn recent decades, the taking of hostages has proven to be a particularly effective tactic for Islamic terrorist organizations worldwide, including al Qaeda. The global jihad movement regards citizens of foreign (mainly western) countries as prime targets for abduction, although in fact local residents have constituted the majority of kidnapping victims. This book analyzes Islamic terror abductions over the last 30 years in the Middle East (Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Yemen, and Saudi Arabia), Asia (Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and the Philippines), Africa (the Maghreb, the Sahel regions, and Somalia), and in Russia as a part of the Russian-Chechen conflict. Discussion also focuses on the abduction by Hizballah of Israeli soldiers, the Second Lebanon War of 2006, the Mumbai terror attack (2008), the Chechen hostage crisis in Moscow and Beslan (2002 and 2004), the kidnapping of employees of the Algerian In Amenas gas facility by al Qaeda of the Maghreb' in January 2013 and the Nairobi "Westgate Mall" hostage crisis in September 2013. The role of Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism, and its patronage of terror organizations that utilize the tactic of abduction to promote Iranian interests in Lebanon and Iraq, is highlighted throughout. Discussion focuses on the challenges faced by countries whose citizens have been abducted by Islamic terror organizations and their reactions to these challenges, and provides theoretical classifications of the phenomenon of terrorism in general and terror abduction in particular.

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Book SynopsisIsaiah Berlin, in his "Tribute to a Friend", wrote about the historian Jacob L. Talmon (1916-1980): "No matter what his theoretical interests were, or the topics on which he was lecturing or writing, his deepest concern was with the Jewish people, its history, its religious, moral and social values, its place among the nations, its future in Israel and the diaspora." These words capture the essence of Talmon's political essays presented in Mission and Testimony. Talmon was chosen by an international committee of scholars as one of the twenty major historians of the twentieth century, declaring that "his historiography was a convincing apologia for human freedom." He owes his fame primarily to his magnum opus, the trilogy that began with The Origins of Totalitarian Democracy (1952), continued with Political Messianism (1960) and concluded with The Myth of the Nation and the Vision of Revolution (1981). This edited collection of Talmon's essays comprises the following: Part I, "The Nature of Jewish history", deals with the Jewish presence in history, the universal significance of Jewish history, and the impact of Jewish intellectuals. Part II, "From Anti-Semitism to the Holocaust", concerns the anti-Semitic climate of opinion that led to the Holocaust. Part III depicts the regional and global situation of the State of Israel. In Part IV, "Intellectual and Political Debates", Talmon confronts intellectuals and statesmen such as Arnold Toynbee and Menachem Begin. Part V, "Profiles in History", depicts the intellectual portraits of the historian Lewis Namier and the physicist and champion of human rights Andrei Sakharov.

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Book SynopsisKidnapping constitutes a central component in the attack repertoire of terror organisations. It is a means of promoting the goals of their organisations and their patrons. Since the 1960s, Israel has been extorted by terrorist organisations holding Israeli soldiers and civilians hostage, only to be returned in a deal securing the release of imprisoned members of these terror organisations. Since the 1980s, in the wake of the Islamic revolution in Iran and the ascent of a terror-supporting regime in that country, Islamic terror entities such as the Lebanese Hezbollah organisation and the Palestinian Hamas movement have become preeminent in the Middle East in all matters connected to terror in general, and kidnappings in particular. This study analyses the challenges that radical Islamic groups pose and the response of Israel relating to abductions in Lebanon via the Hezbollah organisation (1983-2016), and abductions in Israel via the Hamas movement (1989-2016). The main debates about prisoner exchange within Israeli society revolve around the following questions: (1) Does conceding to terrorists lead to further kidnappings? and (2) Do the terrorists that are released return to terrorist activity? The challenge issued by terror organisations to Israel whose citizens have been kidnapped, and the way Israel has risen to that challenge, is the prime focus of this study. It follows two earlier books by the author published by Sussex Academic on the regional and global aspects of terror abductions.Trade ReviewReviews of the authors earlier work (2007) include: The world of political terror abductions keeps growing, and this book is an excellent introduction. Highly recommended. -- ChoiceThis book is complete with specific details on abductions that strive to give the process a human face -- Digest of Middle East Studies

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