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China at War 1901-1949 (Modern Wars In Perspective)
By Edward L. Dreyer. 1995
Few phases of history were as heavy with implications for the world at large than the turbulent years through which…
China moved from the overthrow of the last imperial dynasty in 1911, through anarchy, civil war and invasion, to the final triumph of the Communists in 1949 - yet few periods are as little known by the wider world, and so little understood. Professor Dreyer's impressive account of China at war is both an important contribution to this new series of studies of modern wars in their full political, social and ideological contexts, and also a valuable introduction to the birth- confused, bloody and painful as it was - of the future superpower.Nehru (Profiles In Power)
By Judith M. Brown. 2001
Women of the Kakawin World: Marriage and Sexuality in the Indic Courts of Java and Bali
By Helen Creese. 2005
In this fascinating study the lives and mores of women in one of the least understood but most densely populated…
areas of the world are unveiled through the eyes of generations of court poets. For more than a millennium, the poets of the Indic courts of Java and Bali composed epic kakawin poems in which they recreated the court environment where they and their royal patrons lived. Major themes in this poetry form include war, love, and marriage. It is a rich source for the cultural and social history of Indonesia. Still being produced in Bali today, kakawin remain of interest and relevance to Balinese cultural and religious identities. This book draws on the epic kakawin poetry tradition to examine the institutions of courtship and marriage in the Indic courts. Its primary purpose is to explore the experiences of women belonging to the kakawin world, although the texts by nature reveal more about the discourses concerning women, sexuality, and gender than of the historical experiences of individual women. For over a thousand years these royal courts were major patrons of the arts. The court-sponsored epic works that have survived provide an ongoing literary testimony to the cultural and social concerns of court society from its ealiest recorded history until its demise at the end of the nineteenth century. This study examines the idealized images of women and sexuality that have pervaded Javanese and Balinese culture and provides insights into a number of cultural practices such as sati or bela (self-immolation of widows).Focussing on events in the Anatolian town of Tokat during the final two decades of the great Ottoman legal and…
administrative reforms known as the Tanzimat (1839-76), this book applies elements of social networking theory to analyze and assess the establishment of local governments across the Middle East. The author’s key finding is that the state’s efforts to centralize authority succeeded only when and where locals acted as the primary agents of change. Independent notables, such as the military a‘yân, demanded wealth and state offices in exchange for meting out reform measures according to local idioms of power. Newly created administrative bodies also offered greater social mobility to a growing multiconfessional middle-class in small towns like Tokat. The state was desparate to reform, but opportunistic provincials were eager to have it only on their own terms. Challenging false assumptions about the limited scope of participatory politics in the Middle East during the nineteenth century, Ottoman Notables and Participatory Politics will be of interest to students and scholars of Political Economy, History and Middle East Studies.The Pacific War: Aftermaths, Remembrance and Culture (Routledge Studies in the Modern History of Asia)
By Ernest Koh, Christina Twomey. 2015
The Pacific War is an umbrella term that refers collectively to a disparate set of wars, however, this book presents…
a strong case for considering this assemblage of conflicts as a collective, singular war. It highlights the genuine thematic commonalities in the legacies of war that cohere across the Asia-Pacific and shows how the wars, both individually and collectively, wrought dramatic change to the geo-political makeup of the region. This book discusses the cultural, political and social implications of the Pacific War and engages with debates over the war’s impact, legacies, and continuing cultural resonances. Crucially, it examines the meanings and significance of the Second World War from a truly international perspective and the contributors present fascinating case studies that highlight the myriad of localised idiosyncrasies in how the Pacific War has been remembered and deployed in political contexts. The chapters trace the shared legacy that the individual wars had on demographics, culture and mobility across the Asia Pacific, and demonstrate how in the aftermath of the war political borders were transformed and new nation states emerged. The book also considers racial and sexual tensions which accompanied the arrival of both Allied and Axis personnel and their long lasting consequences, as well as the impact returning veterans and the war crime trials that followed the conflict had on societies in the region. In doing so, it succeeds in illuminating the events and issues that unfolded in the weeks, months, and indeed decades after the war. This interdisciplinary volume examines the aftermaths and legacies of war for individuals, communities, and institutions across South, Southeast, and East Asia, Oceania, and the Pacific world. As such, it will be welcomed by students and scholars of Asian history, modern history and cultural history, as well as by those interested in issues of memory and commemoration.The New Entrepreneurs of Europe and Asia: Patterns of Business Development in Russia, Eastern Europe and China
By Victoria E. Bonnell, Thomas B. Gold. 2002
While attention has been focused on high-level struggles over control of giant enterprises in China and the former Soviet bloc,…
a remarkable but underreported revolution has been occurring at the grass-roots level. This volume examines the profiles of entrepreneurs and the patterns of business development in the post-socialist countries Bringing together the perspectives of all the social science disciplines, from anthropology through economics and political science to sociology, the contributors identify the criteria for survival and success of independent businesses in different environments. Their findings shed light not only on the "transition from socialism" at the micro-level, but also on the conditioning effects of different economic, historical, legal, and social conditions on the conduct of independent economic initiatives.A fundamental aspect of the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis is the territorial dispute which began long before the State…
of Israel was established. Analysing the land tenure system in Palestine under the administration of the British Mandate, this book questions whether, and to what extent, the land tenure system in Palestine facilitated Zionist land acquisition. The research uses benchmarks elaborated in the guidelines of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme as its analytical starting point, and looks at the formation and implementation of the land tenure system in Palestine. It goes on to place the penetration of Zionism into the land tenure system within the theoretical context of a colonial-settler framework, employing information from land registry records located at the Jordanian Department of Lands. Providing a political-historical analysis of the land tenure system from the end of Ottoman Rule until the end of the British Mandate, this book will be of interest to scholars and students of Middle Eastern History, Imperial and Colonial History, and Middle Eastern Politics.Chinese Identities, Ethnicity and Cosmopolitanism (Chinese Worlds)
By Kwok Bun Chan. 2005
Drawing upon wide-ranging case study material, the book explores the ever-changing personal and cultural identity of Chinese migrants and the diverse cosmopolitan…
communities they create. The various models of newly-forged communities are examined with the added dimension of personal identity and the individual's place in society. With particular emphasis on the changing face of Chinese ethnicity in a range of established places of convergence, Chan draws on extensive experience and knowledge in the field to bring the reader a fresh, fascinating and ultimately very human analysis of migration, culture, identity and the self.Bedouin Tribes of the Euphrates
By W. S. Blunt. 1968
This is Volume I of two which looks at the Bedouin tribes of the Euphrates River valley area, Mesopotamia and…
the western deserts. It was originally published in 1879. This collection has an additional preface in Volume I and chapters in Volume II by the editor.Rural South Asia: Linkages, Change and Development (Routledge Revivals)
By Peter Robb. 1983
First published in 1983, Rural South Asia examines questions of change and development in terms of linkages between localities and…
the outside world. The authors examine the response specifically to the introduction of a ‘modern’ features of production, the importance of physical, cultural and economic communication, and the impact of various development efforts. This book will be of interest to student of South Asian studies, history, economics and agriculture.Rural India: Land, Power and Society Under British Rule (Routledge Revivals)
By Peter Robb. 1983
First published in 1983, Rural India intends to provide pictures of Indian rural society in the past, from the standpoint…
of relationships and exchanges between the countryside and the more general physical and cultural context of which it is a part. A predominant theme is control over land and people. Others are the impact of British rule, the political role of local networks and ties, and the response to and internalising of external stimuli. Attempts are made to examine the concepts employed by scholars in relation to the perceptions of the villagers and similarly to interpret economic and social data in radical ways. This book will be of interest to student of South Asian studies, history, economics and agriculture.This book examines Japan’s Heisei era through the lens of the crisis in Japanese professional baseball of 2004, challenging the…
narrative of decline which dominates the discourse on the period. The story of this crisis reveals much about the Japanese psyche during the “Lost Decade,” about the nature of change during Heisei Japan and of the nation’s resilience. The business of professional baseball provides crucial insights as it achieved its basic form at the same time as Japan's post-war political economy, and shared many characteristics with it, including systemic inefficiencies which post “bubble” Japan could no longer sustain. The book traces how the crisis unfolded and the cast of characters who appeared during it (including team owners, players, IT entrepreneurs, and ordinary fans) revealing much about the push and pull of continuity and change in Japan. Featuring an in-depth analysis or the key participants and developments of the crisis in baseball this book will be a valuable resource for students and scholars of sports management, Japanese history, and Japanese culture, particularly of the Heisei era.This book explores the origins of Japan’s protectionist agricultural policies through an in-depth historical analysis of Japanese agricultural policies between…
the Meiji period and the end of WWII. It offers a constructivist account for the rise of protectionism, examining the policies of prewar agricultural bureaucrats who played critical roles in the policymaking process. It argues that protectionist agricultural policy in Japan was not originally generated by the "iron triangle" (a political alliance consisted of the Liberal Democratic Party, the Agricultural Ministry, and farmers’ organizations) but by a prewar agricultural bureaucrats’ policy idea called shōnō ron (thoughts on small-scale farming). Ultimately the book reveals how, contrary to suggestions of previous scholarship, the protective measures based on shōnō ron forged the necessary conditions for the emergence of "iron triangle" after the end of WWII, which in turn institutionalized Japan’s subsequent protectionist agricultural regime. Examining such topics as the origin of protectionist policy, the formation of actors’ preferences, and the broader effects of agricultural policy ideas, this book will be a valuable reading for scholars and students of Japanese politics, agricultural policy, and political economy.Chasing Utopia: The Future of the Kibbutz in a Divided Israel
By David Leach. 2016
A fascinating, non-partisan exploration of an incendiary regionSay the word “Israel” today and it sparks images of walls and rockets…
and a bloody conflict without end. Yet for decades, the symbol of the Jewish State was the noble pioneer draining the swamps and making the deserts bloom: the legendary kibbutznik. So what ever happened to the pioneers’ dream of founding a socialist utopia in the land called Palestine?Chasing Utopia: The Future of the Kibbutz in a Divided Israel draws readers into the quest for answers to the defining political conflict of our era. Acclaimed author David Leach revisits his raucous memories of life as a kibbutz volunteer and returns to meet a new generation of Jewish and Arab citizens struggling to forge a better future together. Crisscrossing the nation, Leach chronicles the controversial decline of Israel’s kibbutz movement and witnesses a renaissance of the original vision for a peaceable utopia in unexpected corners of the Promised Land. Chasing Utopia is an entertaining and enlightening portrait of a divided nation where hope persists against the odds.Far East Air Operations, 1942–1945 (Despatches from the Front)
By Martin Mace, John Grehan. 2014
Despatches in this volume include Air Operations in Burma and Bay of Bengal 1 January to 22 May 1942 by…
General Wavell, the despatch on air operations in South-East Asia November 1943 to May 1944, by Air Chief Marshal Sir R.E.C. Peirse, the despatch on air operations in South-East Asia from June 1944 to May 1945, by Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Park, and the despatch on air operations in South East Asia between May 1945 and September 1945, by Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Park.This unique collection of original documents will prove to be an invaluable resource for historians, students and all those interested in what was one of the most significant periods in British military history.On the Sultan's Service: Halid Ziya Usakligil's Memoir of the Ottoman Palace, 1909–1912
By Douglas Scott Brookes. 2020
The renowned Turkish author’s memoir of serving Sultan Mehmed V provides a rare look inside the palace politics of the…
late Ottoman Empire.Before he became one of Turkey’s most famous novelists, Halid Ziya Usakligil served as First Secretary to Sultan Mehmed V. His memoir of that time, between 1909 and 1912, provides first-hand insight into the personalities, intrigues, and inner workings of the Ottoman palace in its final decades.In post-Revolution Turkey, the palace no longer exercised political power. Instead, it negotiated the minefields between political factions, sought ways to unite the empire in the face of nationalist aspirations, and faced the opening salvos of the wars that would eventually overwhelm the country. Usakligil includes interviews with the Imperial family as well as descriptions of royal nuptials, the palaces and its visitors, and the crises that shook the court. He also delivers an insightful and moving portrait of Mehmed V, the man who reigned over the Ottoman Empire through both Balkan Wars and World War I.Naval Modernisation in South-East Asia: Nature, Causes and Consequences (Cass Series: Naval Policy and History)
By Geoffrey Till, Jane Chan. 2014
This edited volume analyses the naval arms race in South-East Asia, and reviews the content, purposes and consequences of the…
naval policies and development of the main countries of the region. The rise of naval capability in the countries of the Asia-Pacific Region is increasingly recognised as a major indicator of the ‘rise of Asia’ and its increasing importance in the world’s political, economic and strategic future. Most coverage focusses solely on the navies of the 'big four' – the US, China, India and Japan; however, the region’s other navies, though much smaller, are significant too. Given the current focus on the South China Sea and the Obama administration’s pivot to Asia, naval development in South-East Asia is of particular relevance. This book first identifies the issues involved in defence acquisition in this area. It then goes on to establish some templates of naval modernisation as a means of assessing the policies of individual countries in the region, by looking at the naval policies of the big four. Finally, the general issue of naval modernisation in South-East Asia is illustrated through a more detailed examination of some of the major issues common to all countries of the area. These include the defence-industrial perspective, specific examinations of submarine and surface ship acquisition processes, and a review of the balance to be struck between naval and coastguard forces in the area. This book will be of much interest to students of naval power, maritime security, South-East Asian politics, strategic studies, and IR in general.The Ottoman World: The Ottoman Empire In The Early Modern World (Routledge Worlds)
By Christine Woodhead. 2011
The Ottoman empire as a political entity comprised most of the present Middle East (with the principal exception of Iran),…
north Africa and south-eastern Europe. For over 500 years, until its disintegration during World War I, it encompassed a diverse range of ethnic, religious and linguistic communities with varying political and cultural backgrounds. Yet, was there such a thing as an ‘Ottoman world’ beyond the principle of sultanic rule from Istanbul? Ottoman authority might have been established largely by military conquest, but how was it maintained for so long, over such distances and so many disparate societies? How did provincial regions relate to the imperial centre and what role was played in this by local elites? What did it mean in practice, for ordinary people, to be part of an ‘Ottoman world’? Arranged in five thematic sections, with contributions from thirty specialist historians, The Ottoman World addresses these questions, examining aspects of the social and socio-ideological composition of this major pre-modern empire, and offers a combination of broad synthesis and detailed investigation that is both informative and intended to raise points for future debate. The Ottoman World provides a unique coverage of the Ottoman empire, widening its scope beyond Istanbul to the edges of the empire, and offers key coverage for students and scholars alike.A Chronicle of China’s Notary History (1902–1979)
By Yu Cai. 2023
This book seeks to trace the notarial history of China from 1902 to 1979. While working on this trailblazing effort,…
the author taps into a rich variety of artifacts, especially the notarial documents, archived records, manuals and journals from private collection or originally issued by China’s judicial authorities during different periods. No similar book has been published so far. Many of these items are taken from old publications and notarial documents that the author purchased from grass-root vendors. The book complements the text with illustrations, and the descriptions of the same articles are consistent throughout narrative. Even more remarkable is that many rare notarial historical materials in Chinese and foreign languages are available for the first time. This book is a must-read for researchers and students need in their understanding of China’s judicial system or China’s history. It gives a complete introduction to the development and evolution of China’s notarial system, which has great reference value for those who study this subject.Tsūji, Interpreters in and Around Early Modern Japan (Translation History)
By Mino Saito, Miki Sato. 2023
This book introduces English-speaking audiences to tsūji, who were interpreters in different contexts in Japan and then the Ryukyu Kingdom from…
the late 16th to the mid-19th century. It comprises seven historical case studies on tsūji in which contributors adopt a context-oriented approach. They aim to explore the function of these interpreters in communication with other cultures in different languages, including Japanese, Dutch, Chinese, Korean, Ryukyuan, English, Russian and Ainu. Each chapter elucidates the tsūji and the surrounding social, political and economic conditions. The book will be of interest to students and scholars of translation and interpreting, but also readers interested in the early modern history of interpreting and cultural exchange. It will similarly appeal to those interested in the Japanese language, but with limited access to books written in Japanese.