Kategoria BISAC: Social Science >> Regional Studies

"Cuba: A Global Studies Handbook" offers a revealing look at a nation that, in its ongoing pursuit of freedom, has been a colonial pawn, a neocolonial paradise for corrupt politicians and dictators, an alluring vacation destination, a defiant Communist holdout and embarrassing thorn in the side of the powerful United States.

Drawing heavily on his own research and experiences on the island, the author follows Cuba's political, economic, and sociocultural development from the pre-Columbian period to the present--with an emphasis on the revolutionary period. The book's reference section...

"Argentina: A Global Studies Handbook" is a revealing look at South America's second largest nation, providing an interdisciplinary introduction to the country's economy, history, geography, politics, government, society, and culture.

"Argentina" spans over five centuries of the nation's evolution--from the arrival of the conquistadors through the years of revolution and independence, from the Peron era and the often difficult post-Peron transitioning, to the surprising success of current president Nestor Kirchner. The book features both narrative chapters on the country's history and...

"Costa Rica: A Global Studies Handbook" offers readers an authoritative tour of a remarkable country, tracing its historical development from pre-Colombian inhabitants and Spanish colonization through rising prosperity in the mid-19th century to current struggles to define itself economically and politically.

"Costa Rica" combines narrative chapters on the nation's history and the current state of its political, social, and cultural institutions with alphabetically organized entries covering important people, places, and events in its development. Throughout, the authors, drawing on...

"Brazil: A Global Studies Handbook" provides an easy-to-access, multifaceted introduction to the world's fifth largest nation--a staggeringly diverse region, socially and geographically, that remains relatively unknown even as it becomes increasingly important on the world stage.

"Brazil" offers an expert chronological narrative summary of over five centuries of South America's largest country--from the days of early Portuguese exploration to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's reelection. In addition, it provides a richly informative section of alphabetically organized entries...

"Mexico: A Global Studies Handbook" is an ideal introduction to the United States' southern neighbor for students, travelers, businesspeople, or other interested readers. It debunks a variety of myths and misconceptions that have evolved over time, clarifying the realities of both historic and contemporary Mexico.

"Mexico" offers an authoritative yet engaging tour of Mexican history and geography, as well its current economic and business climate, governmental structure, popular culture, and society. It also provides an alphabetically organized "mini-encyclopedia" for quick access to...

Singapore has few natural resources, but, in a relatively short history, its economic and social development and transformation are nothing short of remarkable. Today Singapore is by far the most successful exemplar of material development in Southeast Asia and it often finds itself the envy of developed countries. Furthermore, over the last three and a half decades the ruling party has presided over the formation of a thriving community of Singaporeans who love and are proud of their country.

Nothing about these processes has been 'natural' in any sense of the word. Much of the...

This book provides insight into contemporary film production from North African countries referred to as the Maghreb. Focus is both on the socio-economic context of film production, which suffers some of the same setbacks and obstacles as other regions of the developing world, and on the thematic details treated in the films themselves. The book delves into ideas such as gender and sexuality, national identity, political conflict, and issues of post and neo-colonial relationships in the context of globalisation.

The book includes close analyses of individual films which at times...

The idea that society progresses through stages of development, from savagery to civilization, arose in eighteenth-century Europe. Albert Craig traces how Fukuzawa Yukichi, deeply influenced by the Scottish Enlightenment, "translated" the idea for Japanese society, both enriching and challenging the concept.

Fukuzawa, an official in the Tokugawa government, saw his career collapse when the shogunate ended in 1867. Reinventing himself as a thinker and writer, he made his life work the translation and interpretation of the Western idea of the stages of civilization. He interpreted key...