Gary Alan Fine and Bill Ellis
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- September 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199736317
- eISBN:
- 9780199866458
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199736317.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics
Now that increased internationalism has challenged the traditional worldviews of many Americans, concerns and fears abound concerning the potential danger posed by contact with foreigners. During the ...
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Now that increased internationalism has challenged the traditional worldviews of many Americans, concerns and fears abound concerning the potential danger posed by contact with foreigners. During the period when rapid change occurs, this new relationship with the rest of the world is initially explored through rumors and legends. Some of these stories are fantastic; many of them are inaccurate; but all of them reflect Americans' first hesitant steps to understand their new place on the globe. This book calls for a close and fair reading of several cycles of rumors on their own terms: as a culture's first efforts to express difficult and painful opinions about the transformation it feels itself undergoing. This book surveys the ways in which the impact of Islamist terrorism and increased Latino immigration have been seen through a filter of stereotype and conspiracy theory. It also presents ways in which tourism and the dangers of international trade also expose Americans' attitudes toward foreigners. Finally, it shows how Americans, in turn, are the targets of similar rumors abroad, as illustrated by widespread claims of organ trafficking. Rumors can't simply be dismissed as trivial or ignorant, the book concludes, but as our best source of what Americans define as the real practical issues facing the nation as it enters a world increasingly made smaller by trade and communication.Less
Now that increased internationalism has challenged the traditional worldviews of many Americans, concerns and fears abound concerning the potential danger posed by contact with foreigners. During the period when rapid change occurs, this new relationship with the rest of the world is initially explored through rumors and legends. Some of these stories are fantastic; many of them are inaccurate; but all of them reflect Americans' first hesitant steps to understand their new place on the globe. This book calls for a close and fair reading of several cycles of rumors on their own terms: as a culture's first efforts to express difficult and painful opinions about the transformation it feels itself undergoing. This book surveys the ways in which the impact of Islamist terrorism and increased Latino immigration have been seen through a filter of stereotype and conspiracy theory. It also presents ways in which tourism and the dangers of international trade also expose Americans' attitudes toward foreigners. Finally, it shows how Americans, in turn, are the targets of similar rumors abroad, as illustrated by widespread claims of organ trafficking. Rumors can't simply be dismissed as trivial or ignorant, the book concludes, but as our best source of what Americans define as the real practical issues facing the nation as it enters a world increasingly made smaller by trade and communication.
Jeffrey G. Snodgrass
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- September 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780195304343
- eISBN:
- 9780199785063
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195304349.003.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Hinduism
In this chapter, Bhat caste history and identity are presented, with particular attention paid to these bards’ claims to be “traditional” puppeteers. It is shown that such a claim, like many others ...
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In this chapter, Bhat caste history and identity are presented, with particular attention paid to these bards’ claims to be “traditional” puppeteers. It is shown that such a claim, like many others made by members of this caste of professional story-tellers, is a tactical lie used to reap profits in the Rajasthani tourist industry. The chapter takes readers on the same bewildering journey experienced by the author during his initial months of anthropological fieldwork in India, a period during which he was repeatedly and creatively lied to by his informants. In turning the chapter’s attention to these deceptions, as well as to Bhat tales that comment on the power of such deception, the book provides a colorful introduction to these bards’ caste identity, and especially to the manner that such an identity revolves around the ability to cunningly manipulate both stories and people. This introductory chapter, which is written in a manner reminiscent of a mystery novel and which delves deeply into Bhat oral histories and folklore, also provides an entertaining self-reflexive account of anthropological research and writing about other cultures.Less
In this chapter, Bhat caste history and identity are presented, with particular attention paid to these bards’ claims to be “traditional” puppeteers. It is shown that such a claim, like many others made by members of this caste of professional story-tellers, is a tactical lie used to reap profits in the Rajasthani tourist industry. The chapter takes readers on the same bewildering journey experienced by the author during his initial months of anthropological fieldwork in India, a period during which he was repeatedly and creatively lied to by his informants. In turning the chapter’s attention to these deceptions, as well as to Bhat tales that comment on the power of such deception, the book provides a colorful introduction to these bards’ caste identity, and especially to the manner that such an identity revolves around the ability to cunningly manipulate both stories and people. This introductory chapter, which is written in a manner reminiscent of a mystery novel and which delves deeply into Bhat oral histories and folklore, also provides an entertaining self-reflexive account of anthropological research and writing about other cultures.
Jeffrey G. Snodgrass
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- September 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780195304343
- eISBN:
- 9780199785063
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195304349.003.0005
- Subject:
- Religion, Hinduism
This chapter focuses on the Bhats’ tactical narration of their religious history, and specifically the manner in which they present themselves as alternately Hindu or Muslim in order to gain ...
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This chapter focuses on the Bhats’ tactical narration of their religious history, and specifically the manner in which they present themselves as alternately Hindu or Muslim in order to gain employment as political propagandists for both India’s secular Congress Party and Hindu-nationalist Bhartiya Janata Party (B.J.P.). The chapter also examines how Bhats “cast” traditional Rajasthan in a puppet drama sponsored by a state-run bank meant to teach Indians an ethic of saving their money and planning for the future. Bhats are not entirely serious about the claim explored throughout the book that they are the former bards of kings. Instead, claims of royal ancestry are just one tool in a repertoire of tricks that Bhats use to advance in contemporary India. Bhat speech about kings, then, is less representative of true claims to royalty and more indicative of a bardic cleverness which forms a deeper basis of Bhat identity claims in contemporary Rajasthan.Less
This chapter focuses on the Bhats’ tactical narration of their religious history, and specifically the manner in which they present themselves as alternately Hindu or Muslim in order to gain employment as political propagandists for both India’s secular Congress Party and Hindu-nationalist Bhartiya Janata Party (B.J.P.). The chapter also examines how Bhats “cast” traditional Rajasthan in a puppet drama sponsored by a state-run bank meant to teach Indians an ethic of saving their money and planning for the future. Bhats are not entirely serious about the claim explored throughout the book that they are the former bards of kings. Instead, claims of royal ancestry are just one tool in a repertoire of tricks that Bhats use to advance in contemporary India. Bhat speech about kings, then, is less representative of true claims to royalty and more indicative of a bardic cleverness which forms a deeper basis of Bhat identity claims in contemporary Rajasthan.
James Buzard
- Published in print:
- 1993
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198122760
- eISBN:
- 9780191671531
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198122760.001.0001
- Subject:
- Literature, European Literature, 19th-century and Victorian Literature
This book is a major study of European tourism during the nineteenth century and the early years of the twentieth century. The author demonstrates the ways in which the distinction between tourist ...
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This book is a major study of European tourism during the nineteenth century and the early years of the twentieth century. The author demonstrates the ways in which the distinction between tourist and traveller has developed and how the circulation of the two terms influenced how nineteenth- and twentieth-century writers on Europe viewed themselves and presented themselves in writing. Drawing upon a wide range of texts from literature, travel writing, guidebooks, periodicals, and business histories, the book shows how a democratizing and institutionalizing tourism gave rise to new formulations about what constitutes ‘authentic’ cultural experience. Authentic culture was represented as being in the secret precincts of the ‘beaten track’ where it could be discovered only by the sensitive true traveller and not the vulgar tourist. Major writers such as Byron, Wordsworth, Frances Trollope, Dickens, Henry James, and Forster are examined in the light of the influential Murray and Baedeker guide books. This elegantly written book draws links with debates in cultural studies concerning the ideology of leisure and concludes that in this period tourism became an exemplary cultural practice appearing to be both popularly accessible and exclusive.Less
This book is a major study of European tourism during the nineteenth century and the early years of the twentieth century. The author demonstrates the ways in which the distinction between tourist and traveller has developed and how the circulation of the two terms influenced how nineteenth- and twentieth-century writers on Europe viewed themselves and presented themselves in writing. Drawing upon a wide range of texts from literature, travel writing, guidebooks, periodicals, and business histories, the book shows how a democratizing and institutionalizing tourism gave rise to new formulations about what constitutes ‘authentic’ cultural experience. Authentic culture was represented as being in the secret precincts of the ‘beaten track’ where it could be discovered only by the sensitive true traveller and not the vulgar tourist. Major writers such as Byron, Wordsworth, Frances Trollope, Dickens, Henry James, and Forster are examined in the light of the influential Murray and Baedeker guide books. This elegantly written book draws links with debates in cultural studies concerning the ideology of leisure and concludes that in this period tourism became an exemplary cultural practice appearing to be both popularly accessible and exclusive.
Frank Graziano
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- January 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780195171303
- eISBN:
- 9780199785193
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195171303.003.0004
- Subject:
- Religion, History of Christianity
This chapter explores the devotion to Difunta Correa, a prominent folk saint in western Argentina. It examines myth development, particularly in relation to Difunta Correa’s miraculous breast; ...
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This chapter explores the devotion to Difunta Correa, a prominent folk saint in western Argentina. It examines myth development, particularly in relation to Difunta Correa’s miraculous breast; religious tourism; penance; relation to the Catholic Church; and contemporary devotion to Difunta Correa at her shrine complex in San Juan.Less
This chapter explores the devotion to Difunta Correa, a prominent folk saint in western Argentina. It examines myth development, particularly in relation to Difunta Correa’s miraculous breast; religious tourism; penance; relation to the Catholic Church; and contemporary devotion to Difunta Correa at her shrine complex in San Juan.
David N. Thomas, G.E. (Tony) Fogg, Peter Convey, Christian H. Fritsen, Josep-Maria Gili, Rolf Gradinger, Johanna Laybourn-Parry, Keith Reid, and David W.H. Walton
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- May 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780199298112
- eISBN:
- 9780191711640
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199298112.003.0011
- Subject:
- Biology, Ecology
This chapter discusses the impact of humans on polar regions. Topics covered include the first invasions by humans, the ecology of pre-industrial humans in the Arctic, sealing and whaling, hunting, ...
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This chapter discusses the impact of humans on polar regions. Topics covered include the first invasions by humans, the ecology of pre-industrial humans in the Arctic, sealing and whaling, hunting, fishing, pastoral and agriculture development, introduction of non-native organisms by humans, mineral and oil extraction, pollution, tourism, military uses of the polar regions, and conservation.Less
This chapter discusses the impact of humans on polar regions. Topics covered include the first invasions by humans, the ecology of pre-industrial humans in the Arctic, sealing and whaling, hunting, fishing, pastoral and agriculture development, introduction of non-native organisms by humans, mineral and oil extraction, pollution, tourism, military uses of the polar regions, and conservation.
Axel Michaels
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- May 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195343021
- eISBN:
- 9780199866984
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195343021.003.0012
- Subject:
- Religion, Hinduism
This chapter presents new material on architectural and ritual transformations in the Field of Paśupati (Paśupatikṣetra) that were caused by the political changes in Nepal after the deprivation of ...
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This chapter presents new material on architectural and ritual transformations in the Field of Paśupati (Paśupatikṣetra) that were caused by the political changes in Nepal after the deprivation of the king. In the focus are the activities of the Paśupati Area Development Trust and the concept of marketing a heritage site to a global audience.Less
This chapter presents new material on architectural and ritual transformations in the Field of Paśupati (Paśupatikṣetra) that were caused by the political changes in Nepal after the deprivation of the king. In the focus are the activities of the Paśupati Area Development Trust and the concept of marketing a heritage site to a global audience.
Barry Stephenson
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199732753
- eISBN:
- 9780199777310
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199732753.003.0007
- Subject:
- Religion, History of Christianity, Religion and Society
This chapter examines Wittenberg as a Lutheran pilgrimage site. The various Lutheran organizations promoting and developing the town as a pilgrimage site are discussed, along with tensions between ...
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This chapter examines Wittenberg as a Lutheran pilgrimage site. The various Lutheran organizations promoting and developing the town as a pilgrimage site are discussed, along with tensions between these groups. The chapter argues that sacred quality of Wittenberg is a kind of void or blank slate, on which various groups inscribe meaning and significance. As a pilgrimage site, Wittenberg often occasions conflict and tension between the various Lutheran groups.Less
This chapter examines Wittenberg as a Lutheran pilgrimage site. The various Lutheran organizations promoting and developing the town as a pilgrimage site are discussed, along with tensions between these groups. The chapter argues that sacred quality of Wittenberg is a kind of void or blank slate, on which various groups inscribe meaning and significance. As a pilgrimage site, Wittenberg often occasions conflict and tension between the various Lutheran groups.
Scott C. Esplin
- Published in print:
- 2018
- Published Online:
- May 2019
- ISBN:
- 9780252042102
- eISBN:
- 9780252050855
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University of Illinois Press
- DOI:
- 10.5622/illinois/9780252042102.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
In the 1840s, Nauvoo, Illinois, was a religious boomtown, the headquarters for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormonism), a controversial religion whose theology, social practices, ...
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In the 1840s, Nauvoo, Illinois, was a religious boomtown, the headquarters for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormonism), a controversial religion whose theology, social practices, and solidarity led to cultural conflict. By the mid-1840s, Joseph Smith, the religion’s prophet-leader, was killed, and thousands of Mormons relocated west to Utah.
During the twentieth century, the Latter-day Saints returned to their former headquarters in Nauvoo, Illinois, in a dramatic way. Acquiring nearly half of the property in the city, the faith transformed the sleepy Mississippi River town into a historical re-creation of its earlier splendor. However, as it did in the nineteenth century, Mormonism’s presence in western Illinois in the twentieth century created conflict. Competing groups, including the religion’s sister faith, the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ, offered a rival interpretation of Nauvoo’s past. Additionally, community members without a connection to either branch of Mormonism sought to preserve their own rich history in the city. Return to the City of Joseph: Modern Mormonism’s Contest for the Soul of Nauvoo examines the conflicts over historical memory that have developed as Mormonism returned to western Illinois. It focuses on the social history of the community, examining interactions between groups impacted by Mormonism’s touristic takeover. In a broader way, it also intersects with studies of historical tourism and pilgrimage.Less
In the 1840s, Nauvoo, Illinois, was a religious boomtown, the headquarters for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormonism), a controversial religion whose theology, social practices, and solidarity led to cultural conflict. By the mid-1840s, Joseph Smith, the religion’s prophet-leader, was killed, and thousands of Mormons relocated west to Utah.
During the twentieth century, the Latter-day Saints returned to their former headquarters in Nauvoo, Illinois, in a dramatic way. Acquiring nearly half of the property in the city, the faith transformed the sleepy Mississippi River town into a historical re-creation of its earlier splendor. However, as it did in the nineteenth century, Mormonism’s presence in western Illinois in the twentieth century created conflict. Competing groups, including the religion’s sister faith, the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ, offered a rival interpretation of Nauvoo’s past. Additionally, community members without a connection to either branch of Mormonism sought to preserve their own rich history in the city. Return to the City of Joseph: Modern Mormonism’s Contest for the Soul of Nauvoo examines the conflicts over historical memory that have developed as Mormonism returned to western Illinois. It focuses on the social history of the community, examining interactions between groups impacted by Mormonism’s touristic takeover. In a broader way, it also intersects with studies of historical tourism and pilgrimage.
Helena Waddy
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195371277
- eISBN:
- 9780199777341
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195371277.003.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
Chapter One introduces master potter Anton Lang, the most famous player of Christ and an exemplary Catholic whose lifestyle helped to promote the Bavarian People’s Party (BVP) and whose success as a ...
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Chapter One introduces master potter Anton Lang, the most famous player of Christ and an exemplary Catholic whose lifestyle helped to promote the Bavarian People’s Party (BVP) and whose success as a hotelier contributed to Oberammergau’s growth as a tourism center. In Lang’s Alpine village, families survived as wood carvers marketing Catholic devotionalia to an international clientele. Locals joined pilgrimages and Corpus Christi processions, a statement of Catholic loyalism, developed charities, and venerated “charity” saints. Oberammergau’s Passion Play drew a growing audience, including English speakers, to stay with ethnically intriguing villagers and, later, in hotels and upgraded homes. The play’s text highlighted antagonism between “Jews” and “Christians” in the Crucifixion story, but elite visitors validated its anti-Semitic message. The community’s subsequent evolution as a tourism center created diverse social and political groups, while village insiders acquired an exclusive mentality as Passion players, creating a deep social rift with newcomers in Oberammergau.Less
Chapter One introduces master potter Anton Lang, the most famous player of Christ and an exemplary Catholic whose lifestyle helped to promote the Bavarian People’s Party (BVP) and whose success as a hotelier contributed to Oberammergau’s growth as a tourism center. In Lang’s Alpine village, families survived as wood carvers marketing Catholic devotionalia to an international clientele. Locals joined pilgrimages and Corpus Christi processions, a statement of Catholic loyalism, developed charities, and venerated “charity” saints. Oberammergau’s Passion Play drew a growing audience, including English speakers, to stay with ethnically intriguing villagers and, later, in hotels and upgraded homes. The play’s text highlighted antagonism between “Jews” and “Christians” in the Crucifixion story, but elite visitors validated its anti-Semitic message. The community’s subsequent evolution as a tourism center created diverse social and political groups, while village insiders acquired an exclusive mentality as Passion players, creating a deep social rift with newcomers in Oberammergau.
Mark Carey
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195396065
- eISBN:
- 9780199775682
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195396065.003.0005
- Subject:
- History, Latin American History
The Control Commission of Cordillera Blanca Lakes, which was established in 1951 to prevent glacial lake outburst floods caused by climate change and glacier retreat in the Andes, had far-reaching ...
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The Control Commission of Cordillera Blanca Lakes, which was established in 1951 to prevent glacial lake outburst floods caused by climate change and glacier retreat in the Andes, had far-reaching effects on the economic development of Ancash and the Callejón de Huaylas. Engineers who examined glacial lakes brought development interests that had long inspired Peruvian policymakers and developers. They hoped to exploit Andean natural resources to promote national economic development and modernization. Glacial lake flood prevention programs provided a springboard for the expansion of hydroelectricity, road building, tourism, and wage labor. This process whereby disaster spurred economic development is referred to as "disaster economics," which the Lakes Commission carried out after 1951. Economic development directly and indirectly followed the science, technology, engineering, and policies implemented after catastrophes to prevent additional disasters, thereby revealing the social construction of science and engineering.Less
The Control Commission of Cordillera Blanca Lakes, which was established in 1951 to prevent glacial lake outburst floods caused by climate change and glacier retreat in the Andes, had far-reaching effects on the economic development of Ancash and the Callejón de Huaylas. Engineers who examined glacial lakes brought development interests that had long inspired Peruvian policymakers and developers. They hoped to exploit Andean natural resources to promote national economic development and modernization. Glacial lake flood prevention programs provided a springboard for the expansion of hydroelectricity, road building, tourism, and wage labor. This process whereby disaster spurred economic development is referred to as "disaster economics," which the Lakes Commission carried out after 1951. Economic development directly and indirectly followed the science, technology, engineering, and policies implemented after catastrophes to prevent additional disasters, thereby revealing the social construction of science and engineering.
Neil F. Comins
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- January 2019
- ISBN:
- 9780231177542
- eISBN:
- 9780231542890
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Columbia University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7312/columbia/9780231177542.001.0001
- Subject:
- Physics, History of Physics
If you have ever wondered about space travel, now you have the opportunity to understand it more fully than ever before. Traveling into space and even emigrating to nearby worlds may soon become part ...
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If you have ever wondered about space travel, now you have the opportunity to understand it more fully than ever before. Traveling into space and even emigrating to nearby worlds may soon become part of the human experience. Scientists, engineers, and investors are working hard to make space tourism and colonization a reality. As astronauts can attest, extraterrestrial travel is incomparably thrilling. To make the most of the experience requires serious physical and mental adaptations in virtually every aspect of life, from eating to intimacy. Everyone who goes into space sees Earth and life on it from a profoundly different perspective than they had before liftoff. Astronomer and former NASA/ASEE scientist Neil F. Comins has written the go-to book for anyone interested in space exploration. He describes the wonders that travelers will encounter—weightlessness, unparalleled views of Earth and the cosmos, and the opportunity to walk on another world—as well as the dangers: radiation, projectiles, unbreathable atmospheres, and potential equipment failures. He also provides insights into specific trips to destinations including suborbital flights, space stations, the Moon, asteroids, comets, and Mars—the top candidate for colonization. Although many challenges are technical, Comins outlines them in clear language for all readers. He synthesizes key issues and cutting-edge research in astronomy, physics, biology, psychology, and sociology to create a complete manual for the ultimate voyage.Less
If you have ever wondered about space travel, now you have the opportunity to understand it more fully than ever before. Traveling into space and even emigrating to nearby worlds may soon become part of the human experience. Scientists, engineers, and investors are working hard to make space tourism and colonization a reality. As astronauts can attest, extraterrestrial travel is incomparably thrilling. To make the most of the experience requires serious physical and mental adaptations in virtually every aspect of life, from eating to intimacy. Everyone who goes into space sees Earth and life on it from a profoundly different perspective than they had before liftoff. Astronomer and former NASA/ASEE scientist Neil F. Comins has written the go-to book for anyone interested in space exploration. He describes the wonders that travelers will encounter—weightlessness, unparalleled views of Earth and the cosmos, and the opportunity to walk on another world—as well as the dangers: radiation, projectiles, unbreathable atmospheres, and potential equipment failures. He also provides insights into specific trips to destinations including suborbital flights, space stations, the Moon, asteroids, comets, and Mars—the top candidate for colonization. Although many challenges are technical, Comins outlines them in clear language for all readers. He synthesizes key issues and cutting-edge research in astronomy, physics, biology, psychology, and sociology to create a complete manual for the ultimate voyage.
Thomas Blom Hansen
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691152950
- eISBN:
- 9781400842612
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691152950.003.0007
- Subject:
- Anthropology, Social and Cultural Anthropology
This chapter looks at the new economy of diasporic imagination that hit South Africa after 1994. It begins by examining a range of narratives of roots tourism whereby thousands of South African ...
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This chapter looks at the new economy of diasporic imagination that hit South Africa after 1994. It begins by examining a range of narratives of roots tourism whereby thousands of South African Indians each year travel to India in search of the village of their ancestors and for shopping and/or spiritual purification. These journeys are often complex discoveries of both the real and the imaginary India, and are almost invariably linked to desires for purification and “proper” Indianness and “culture,” which, in their turn, are spawned by social mobility and ambition. The other side of this new fascination with India's past and its emerging power as a nation is an intense interest in Bollywood films and their songs, stars, and aesthetics.Less
This chapter looks at the new economy of diasporic imagination that hit South Africa after 1994. It begins by examining a range of narratives of roots tourism whereby thousands of South African Indians each year travel to India in search of the village of their ancestors and for shopping and/or spiritual purification. These journeys are often complex discoveries of both the real and the imaginary India, and are almost invariably linked to desires for purification and “proper” Indianness and “culture,” which, in their turn, are spawned by social mobility and ambition. The other side of this new fascination with India's past and its emerging power as a nation is an intense interest in Bollywood films and their songs, stars, and aesthetics.
Bryan Shorrocks
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780198570660
- eISBN:
- 9780191717680
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198570660.001.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Ecology
Savannahs are one of the largest biomes of the world, comprising about 20% of the land surface. Stated simply, they are tropical and subtropical grasslands, with scattered bushes and trees. Most ...
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Savannahs are one of the largest biomes of the world, comprising about 20% of the land surface. Stated simply, they are tropical and subtropical grasslands, with scattered bushes and trees. Most savannah occurs in Africa, with a smaller amount in South America, India, and Australia. This book looks at: (1) the climate factors that determine the distribution of savannahs worldwide and briefly looks at savannahs in South America, Australia, India, and Africa; (2) the major plants (grasses, and trees such as Acacia) and large animals (mainly large mammals) that live in African savannahs; and (3) the biological and ecological factors that influence their population size, interactions (such as predation), and community composition. Conservation issues such as tourism, hunting, and the conflict between wildlife and farmers are discussed.Less
Savannahs are one of the largest biomes of the world, comprising about 20% of the land surface. Stated simply, they are tropical and subtropical grasslands, with scattered bushes and trees. Most savannah occurs in Africa, with a smaller amount in South America, India, and Australia. This book looks at: (1) the climate factors that determine the distribution of savannahs worldwide and briefly looks at savannahs in South America, Australia, India, and Africa; (2) the major plants (grasses, and trees such as Acacia) and large animals (mainly large mammals) that live in African savannahs; and (3) the biological and ecological factors that influence their population size, interactions (such as predation), and community composition. Conservation issues such as tourism, hunting, and the conflict between wildlife and farmers are discussed.
Carl Thompson
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780199259984
- eISBN:
- 9780191717413
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199259984.001.0001
- Subject:
- Literature, 19th-century Literature and Romanticism
This book explores the romance that can attach to the notion of suffering in travel, and the importance of the persona of ‘suffering traveller’ in the Romantic self-fashioning of figures, such as ...
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This book explores the romance that can attach to the notion of suffering in travel, and the importance of the persona of ‘suffering traveller’ in the Romantic self-fashioning of figures, such as Wordsworth and Byron. It considers how the Romantics sought to differentiate themselves from other contemporary tourists by following alternative models and alternative travel ‘scripts’ in both their travel and their travel writing. Rejecting more conventional roles, such as those of the picturesque tourist and the Grand Tourist, the Romantic traveller's anti-tourism leads to an emphasis on authenticity, adventure, and misadventure in the travel experience. Prioritizing such experiences, Romantic travellers often drew their models and their travel ‘scripts’ from sub-genres of contemporary travel writing, such as the shipwreck narrative, the exploration narrative, the captivity narrative, and the mountaineering narrative. This study accordingly considers the diverse reasons (touching variously upon some of the major philosophical, theological, and political issues of the day) why Romantic travellers and writers were so drawn to this literature of misadventure. It then treats Wordsworth and Byron as especially influential examples of this tendency in Romanticism. It shows them to be figures who often sought — not only in writing but also in action, in the course of their own travelling — to re-enact such misadventures, and to script both their travels and their personae as travellers according to scenes and situations found in these ‘misadventurous’ branches of travel writing.Less
This book explores the romance that can attach to the notion of suffering in travel, and the importance of the persona of ‘suffering traveller’ in the Romantic self-fashioning of figures, such as Wordsworth and Byron. It considers how the Romantics sought to differentiate themselves from other contemporary tourists by following alternative models and alternative travel ‘scripts’ in both their travel and their travel writing. Rejecting more conventional roles, such as those of the picturesque tourist and the Grand Tourist, the Romantic traveller's anti-tourism leads to an emphasis on authenticity, adventure, and misadventure in the travel experience. Prioritizing such experiences, Romantic travellers often drew their models and their travel ‘scripts’ from sub-genres of contemporary travel writing, such as the shipwreck narrative, the exploration narrative, the captivity narrative, and the mountaineering narrative. This study accordingly considers the diverse reasons (touching variously upon some of the major philosophical, theological, and political issues of the day) why Romantic travellers and writers were so drawn to this literature of misadventure. It then treats Wordsworth and Byron as especially influential examples of this tendency in Romanticism. It shows them to be figures who often sought — not only in writing but also in action, in the course of their own travelling — to re-enact such misadventures, and to script both their travels and their personae as travellers according to scenes and situations found in these ‘misadventurous’ branches of travel writing.
Rey Koslowski
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- January 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199600458
- eISBN:
- 9780191723544
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199600458.003.0005
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Theory, International Relations and Politics
The chapter examines international travel in terms of the development of international norms and regulations; current politics of international cooperation on international travel and consider ...
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The chapter examines international travel in terms of the development of international norms and regulations; current politics of international cooperation on international travel and consider trajectories for future global governance in this issue area. The chapter examines international norms regarding nationality, passports, and visas as well as the regulatory activities of relevant international organizations (e.g. IMO, ICAO, UNWTO, WTO). The politics of cooperation on international travel revolve around the facilitation of increasing flows, travel as a factor of trade and development, the environmental impact of growing travel flows and securing international travel. Steps towards an increasingly sophisticated framework for the global governance of international travel include the further adoption of WTO GATS 4 commitments on business travel visas, specific protocols on human smuggling and trafficking within international treaties, cooperation within ICAO to develop a global framework for the exchange of passenger name record data (PNR) and advance passenger information (API), as well as changing norms among states in favour of deploying technologies such as biometrics and Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) systems to capture data.Less
The chapter examines international travel in terms of the development of international norms and regulations; current politics of international cooperation on international travel and consider trajectories for future global governance in this issue area. The chapter examines international norms regarding nationality, passports, and visas as well as the regulatory activities of relevant international organizations (e.g. IMO, ICAO, UNWTO, WTO). The politics of cooperation on international travel revolve around the facilitation of increasing flows, travel as a factor of trade and development, the environmental impact of growing travel flows and securing international travel. Steps towards an increasingly sophisticated framework for the global governance of international travel include the further adoption of WTO GATS 4 commitments on business travel visas, specific protocols on human smuggling and trafficking within international treaties, cooperation within ICAO to develop a global framework for the exchange of passenger name record data (PNR) and advance passenger information (API), as well as changing norms among states in favour of deploying technologies such as biometrics and Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) systems to capture data.
Gary Alan Fine and Bill Ellis
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- September 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199736317
- eISBN:
- 9780199866458
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199736317.003.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics
Rumor and legend are a culture's way of dealing with rapid changes in its worldview, such as has occurred in an America increasingly impacted by contact with the international world. Terrorism, ...
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Rumor and legend are a culture's way of dealing with rapid changes in its worldview, such as has occurred in an America increasingly impacted by contact with the international world. Terrorism, immigration, tourism, and foreign trade are topics that have inspired cycles of rumors in the United States, while organ trafficking has done the same in developing nations. Both types of rumor are fundamentally political, as they allow common people to express issues that otherwise would be too disturbing to face and press for social change. The chapter introduces the importance of plausibility (stories that fit existing beliefs about foreigners) and credibility (stories that are based on some concrete truth and affirmed by respected authorities). It is necessary to confront these rumors directly, rather than dismissing them as trivial or ignorant, for they reveal how people actually see the changing world around them.Less
Rumor and legend are a culture's way of dealing with rapid changes in its worldview, such as has occurred in an America increasingly impacted by contact with the international world. Terrorism, immigration, tourism, and foreign trade are topics that have inspired cycles of rumors in the United States, while organ trafficking has done the same in developing nations. Both types of rumor are fundamentally political, as they allow common people to express issues that otherwise would be too disturbing to face and press for social change. The chapter introduces the importance of plausibility (stories that fit existing beliefs about foreigners) and credibility (stories that are based on some concrete truth and affirmed by respected authorities). It is necessary to confront these rumors directly, rather than dismissing them as trivial or ignorant, for they reveal how people actually see the changing world around them.
Gary Alan Fine and Bill Ellis
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- September 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199736317
- eISBN:
- 9780199866458
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199736317.003.0006
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics
International travel brings the developed world closer to the third world, making their differences all the more visible. Rumors about unwary tourists dramatize these differences. In some, poor ...
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International travel brings the developed world closer to the third world, making their differences all the more visible. Rumors about unwary tourists dramatize these differences. In some, poor judgment puts westerners in mortal danger, as in the case of the “Mexican Pet,” a rat infected with rabies, or in “AIDS Mary” variants set in exotic resorts, where a chance romance brings the deadly disease. Or the danger results from ignorance of foreign customs, as in rumors where a couple's pet dog is cooked for dinner at an Asian restaurant. Many such stories are told to amuse rather than warn: a common type involves ignorance of language, leading tourists to wear emblems that label themselves as prostitutes or as underendowed. Such stories still reveal insecurity over visiting another culture's environment, however briefly. Playful conversation can be as political as serious talk.Less
International travel brings the developed world closer to the third world, making their differences all the more visible. Rumors about unwary tourists dramatize these differences. In some, poor judgment puts westerners in mortal danger, as in the case of the “Mexican Pet,” a rat infected with rabies, or in “AIDS Mary” variants set in exotic resorts, where a chance romance brings the deadly disease. Or the danger results from ignorance of foreign customs, as in rumors where a couple's pet dog is cooked for dinner at an Asian restaurant. Many such stories are told to amuse rather than warn: a common type involves ignorance of language, leading tourists to wear emblems that label themselves as prostitutes or as underendowed. Such stories still reveal insecurity over visiting another culture's environment, however briefly. Playful conversation can be as political as serious talk.
Bryan Shorrocks
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780198570660
- eISBN:
- 9780191717680
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198570660.003.0006
- Subject:
- Biology, Ecology
This chapter looks at energy flow through the community (primary and secondary production) and food web dynamics. It includes a brief examination of the diversity-stability idea. A detailed flow ...
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This chapter looks at energy flow through the community (primary and secondary production) and food web dynamics. It includes a brief examination of the diversity-stability idea. A detailed flow diagram of the Serengeti ecosystem, along with modelling attempts on this system are examined. This dynamic, interacting web brings to light the importance of cascading interactions (e.g., rinderpest-wildebeest-green grass-dry grass-fire-trees-giraffes), and therefore the multiple interconnection of species. Mention is made of ‘keystone’ species. There is a section on ‘assembly rules’ for savannah communities, including body-size distributions for grazing and browsing ungulates. This section ends with an exploration of virtual island biogeography (protected areas) and the long-term predictions for species numbers. Can ideas from ‘island biogeography’ help us to design National Parks and Nature Reserves? This leads onto conservation issues. The conservation issues for savannahs centre around tourism, hunting (both for trophies and bush meat), and the conflicts between farmers/ranchers and wildlife. This chapter ends with an examination of these issues.Less
This chapter looks at energy flow through the community (primary and secondary production) and food web dynamics. It includes a brief examination of the diversity-stability idea. A detailed flow diagram of the Serengeti ecosystem, along with modelling attempts on this system are examined. This dynamic, interacting web brings to light the importance of cascading interactions (e.g., rinderpest-wildebeest-green grass-dry grass-fire-trees-giraffes), and therefore the multiple interconnection of species. Mention is made of ‘keystone’ species. There is a section on ‘assembly rules’ for savannah communities, including body-size distributions for grazing and browsing ungulates. This section ends with an exploration of virtual island biogeography (protected areas) and the long-term predictions for species numbers. Can ideas from ‘island biogeography’ help us to design National Parks and Nature Reserves? This leads onto conservation issues. The conservation issues for savannahs centre around tourism, hunting (both for trophies and bush meat), and the conflicts between farmers/ranchers and wildlife. This chapter ends with an examination of these issues.
Carl Thompson
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780199259984
- eISBN:
- 9780191717413
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199259984.003.0001
- Subject:
- Literature, 19th-century Literature and Romanticism
Since the Romantic period, there have been travellers who have especially valorized the discomforts, dangers, misadventures, and disasters that can occur in the course of travel. This introductory ...
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Since the Romantic period, there have been travellers who have especially valorized the discomforts, dangers, misadventures, and disasters that can occur in the course of travel. This introductory chapter outlines this ‘misadventurous’ agenda and suggests ways in which we might interpret this curious attitude to travel: as a mode of anti-tourism that maintains a distinction between the tourist and the proper traveller, as a form of masculine self-fashioning in travel, as a route to authenticity, and so forth. The notion of the travel ‘script’, the narrative we expect to see playing out in the course of our travelling, is introduced, and also the strong link between the characteristically Romantic travel script — that is to say, the script espoused in practice and in writing by figures such as Wordsworth, Byron, Coleridge and Keats — and the various branches of contemporary travel writing in which the sufferings of the traveller are a key point of interest; notably, narratives of shipwreck, captivity, mountaineering, and exploration. These sub-genres of Romantic-era travel writing and the Romantic utilization of them in the fashioning of their own travel personae will form the focus of the rest of the book.Less
Since the Romantic period, there have been travellers who have especially valorized the discomforts, dangers, misadventures, and disasters that can occur in the course of travel. This introductory chapter outlines this ‘misadventurous’ agenda and suggests ways in which we might interpret this curious attitude to travel: as a mode of anti-tourism that maintains a distinction between the tourist and the proper traveller, as a form of masculine self-fashioning in travel, as a route to authenticity, and so forth. The notion of the travel ‘script’, the narrative we expect to see playing out in the course of our travelling, is introduced, and also the strong link between the characteristically Romantic travel script — that is to say, the script espoused in practice and in writing by figures such as Wordsworth, Byron, Coleridge and Keats — and the various branches of contemporary travel writing in which the sufferings of the traveller are a key point of interest; notably, narratives of shipwreck, captivity, mountaineering, and exploration. These sub-genres of Romantic-era travel writing and the Romantic utilization of them in the fashioning of their own travel personae will form the focus of the rest of the book.
