Kategoria BISAC: Social Science >> Ethnic Studies - General

Recent historical events have made it quite clear that the world is in for a long-term continuation of ethnic rivalries that have been going on for centuries. The short-term hegemony of the European empires, the Soviet Union, and the United States may have temporarily subdued some of those conflicts, but older identities are now reasserting themselves. The most complicated, diverse ethnic setting is in Africa, where several thousand languages still provide powerful identities to as many ethnic groups. "The Peoples of Africa" provides a brief description of the more than 1,800 individual...

This historical dictionary covers the period from the eighteenth century, when the United States began trading with Russia, to the present. It includes entries, arranged alphabetically, on events and policies, summit meetings and treaties, people, organizations and institutions, and businesses involved in the gamut of U.S. relations with Russia and the Soviet Union. Each entry includes references, and the book also includes a chronology, appendixes, and a bibliographical essay.

An essential resource for those interested in multicultural issues, this dictionary presents common terms used in multicultural counseling and research. The terms are not only denotatively defined, but connotations are also included, as well as historical information and important writings about the terms. The dictionary is thus not only a straightforward compendium of definitions, but also a resource for further investigation.

This is intended to be a resource for those interested in the area of multiculturalism. Important publications investigating and/or explicating these terms are...

Today more than one million emigres make up the Cuban diaspora, and many, though living in America, still consider themselves part of Cuba. This book captures the struggles and dreams of Cuban Americans. Using this resource, students, teachers, and interested readers can examine the engaging and often controversial details of Cuban immigration. Such details include patterns of immigration, adaptation to American life and work, cultural traditions, religious traditions, women's roles, the family, adolescence, language, and education. Because the author is himself a Cuban American, he does...

This is the first major biographical dictionary devoted exclusively to celebrating Caribbeans and Caribbean Americans who have made significant contributions to their society and beyond. More than 160 profiles feature historical and contemporary figures from every Caribbean island, the United States, and even England and Canada, and from a diverse range of fields such as acting, sports, political activism, and more. Selection criteria included the notable demonstration of a Caribbean ethos or style, combined with a lasting and novel impact. Individual narrative entries discuss family...

Australian history has been written for over two centuries beginning with European explorers and colonists attempting to convey something of the complexity of the strange upside-down world they encountered in the southern hemisphere. Of course, aboriginal peoples had lived in Australia for millennia before the arrival of the whites. Modern Australia has its foundations in these two cultural strands. Intertwined with these are the impact of colonialism and federation, indentured servitude and convict transportation, the effects of El Nino on European-style farming techniques, gold rushes,...

The dismantlement of the communist system of control of the military and its replacement with a democratic model is one of the most significant aspects of the post-communist transition in East-Central Europe and the former Soviet-Union. The success of democratic civil-military reforms is an important and underappreciated measure of the state of democratic transitions in these countries, and it also has important implications for and links with regional security and NATO relations. This book examines the state of democratic civil-military reforms in nine East-Central and former Soviet...

Details what ordinary life was like during the extraordinary years of the reign of Soviet Union. Thirty-six illustrations, thematic chapters, a glossary, timeline, annotated multimedia bibliography, and detailed index make it a sound starting point for looking at this powerful nation's immediate past.

What was ordinary life like in the Soviet police state? The phrase daily life implies an orderly routine in a stable environment. However, many millions of Soviet citizens experienced repeated upheavals in their everyday lives. Soviet citizens were forced to endure revolution,...

Teens in Latin America and the Caribbean generally face a difficult path to adulthood. Poverty and unemployment, violence, political instability, and emigration are frequently the norm in their native countries. Those from poorer families must often work as well as attend school, and opportunities for higher education and good jobs are limited. Wealthier teens, on the other hand, are sheltered from harshness and enjoy private schools, vacations abroad, and access to American consumer products. Yet family is important no matter what the class, and most of these teens share a love of...

Haitians have had a presence in this country since its founding, but the largest group of immigrants came to the United States in the 1990s, fleeing political unrest and economic misery. Haiti and its and so-called boat people have been in the headlines for decades, and this reference firmly puts reasons for legal and illegal immigration into historical perspective. Students and other readers will learn about Haiti's history, economy, and culture, which continue to resonate with immigrants. The narrative also focuses on contemporary settlement patterns, major Haitian American communities,...

Salvadorans and other Central Americans have a strong presence in the United States because of the recent civil wars, natural disasters, and resulting economic downturns in the region. Most fled the right-wing death squads that were funded by the Reagan and first Bush Administrations and that targeted civilian populations in the 1980s and 1990s. The war in El Salvador left more than 80,000 people dead and more than 9,000 disappeared. In "The Salvadoran Americans," readers will understand the fuller context of Salvadoran and Central American immigration to the United States and how these...

The post-World War II period has been called the age of migration, since an unprecedented number of people worldwide have been on the move. This reference surveys migration and immigration past and present in 14 representative countries. Historical, social, political, and economic consequences of migration are considered. Students and researchers will find the synthesis indispensable and the format ideal for comparisons.

The collective analysis of the contributors, who hail from a range of disciplines, ultimately defies the simple characterization of migration as a choice of people...

Americans of Arab heritage have made major contributions to U.S. society, and this is a timely and unique overview of their immigration patterns, settlement, adaptation, and assimilation for a general audience. The first wave of Arab immigrants, mostly Christian men from Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria, arrived in the United States between 1880 and 1925. This book discusses their history as it looks at the successive waves of immigrants, including the post-1965 immigrants, who have brought more diversity to the Arab American community. The latest immigrants have included more Muslims, many...

The major issues for African Americans today, such as poverty, low graduation rates, high rates of out-of-wedlock births, and high rates of incarceration, are of national importance. This volume provides a solid foundation on the basis of which high school, community college, and college students can understand and debate nine of today's crucial issues in the context of the past and the present. These issues are slavery reparations, crime and punishment, cultural assimilation, Affirmative Action, school vouchers, standardized tests, Welfare-to-Work, stereotypes, and election...

This work is a first of its kind historical introduction to the major religions of Africa. The vast majorities of Africa's peoples have been Muslim, Christian, or Traditionalist for a great deal of time, making an inclusive study of these religions essential. Isichei's work gives equal attention to all three religions and balances the elements of each to construct an easily accessible overview. It is also the first book to provide a comprehensive look at the traditional religion in Africa, filling the void in the literature on African religious history.

Written by a pioneering...

More than three decades after its first publication, Edward Said's groundbreaking critique of the West's historical, cultural, and political perceptions of the East has become a modern classic.
In this wide-ranging, intellectually vigorous study, Said traces the origins of "orientalism" to the centuries-long period during which Europe dominated the Middle and Near East and, from its position of power, defined "the orient" simply as "other than" the occident. This entrenched view continues to dominate western ideas and, because it does not allow the East to represent itself, prevents...