Coexisting Contemporary Civilizations

Some important questions are discussed in this book: Are there any civilisations other than the Western one living in our so-called Global-Age? 'Eastern civilisation'? Is the concept of East anything more than non-West? Or does there exist, in reality, a distinct Chinese, Indian, Arabo-Muslim, and Western civilisation? Is the construction of large civilisation-states such as China and India an unparalleled historical achievement? Do economic ties always eclipse other forms of affiliation such as those formed through kinship or between speech communities? What is the role of the 'Latin' and the Jewish Peoples in our Anglo-American-led Western world? Is English today the global language or merely an international one? Is the Chinese thought pattern closely related to its writing system? Is today's world one of (symmetrical) interdependence? Or rather one of hegemony? If the so-called North-South or East-West dialogue fails in constructing a universally accepted world civilisation, then what is the appropriate arrangement for reaching such a consensus within humankind?

Understanding Southeast Asia points to the wisdom of seeking common factors that unite regional worldviews. This fresh and possibly more Asian perspective complements other Western-style empirical analyses that rely on differences to explain traits of the region and its peoples. In various ways, this book provides a context for scholarly works on specific places, technological studies and the nation-building stories of the new countries that make up the region. Beginning with the common origins of Southeast Asia’s peoples and languages, their shared heritage is emphasized through agricultural, archeological, cultural, geographical, historical, linguistic, religious and technological fields. Perennially defined by rice, stability and commerce, Southeast Asia has evolved a common trading ethic and morality influenced by China and India long before a short European colonial interlude. Historically known as a Golden Land, the region exudes a resilience founded in millennium-long traditions that are today expressed through local adaptations of world religions. In acknowledging the region’s integrated worldviews and tolerance of opposing approaches, this work will inform a new generation of Western understanding about Southeast Asian politics, decision-making and ASEAN. It will also support the young educated elite of the region to see themselves in a new and proud light.

Distance, in its traditional sense, connotates "estrangement" and "division". But in the context of modern political studies, it means a controllable resource that can be manipulated to change the relationship between the government and the public. Drawing on this concept from Western political science, the author explores the law and mechanisms of China’s political communication. In this volume, the author introduces a creative theoretical framework of distance, which is a dynamic system comprised of physical and psychological distance, ideal distance and real distance, and natural distance and consequent distance. Psychological distance is the core, because it signifies not only whether there is trust between a government and the public, but also whether the political community can maintain a high degree of harmony, stability, unity, and vitality. Events in the past five years in China are used as cases to illustrate the point. Students and scholars who are interested in political science and political communication, especially Chinese politics, would find this title a useful reference.

This text presents a philosophy, methodology, and examples for world history instruction based on inquiry and problem-solving methods that promote reasoning and judgment and restore a sense of imagination and participation to classroom learning.

Robert Cummings Neville has been a consistent advocate for the necessity of global theology. Early in his career, he realized that the philosophical framework of the West alone was inadequate for a truly global theology. Since then, he has sought to develop theology creatively and responsibly within the world context. The original essays in this volume, written in his honour by fellow theologians, participate in and model the kind of dialogical, global theology embodied in Neville's work.

Gender equality is gaining global recognition as a catalyst for sustainable development, and a proven stratagem for alleviating poverty and enhancing food security in developing countries of Africa, where agriculture is the main economic stay. The book Gender and Rural Development: Volume 1 introduces gender discussions into key topics in the curriculum for Nigerian university agricultural undergraduate studies, with the purpose of enhancing gender responsive agricultural and rural development programs, projects, policies and budgets required for sustainable development. (Series: Spektrum. Berliner Reihe zu Gesellschaft, Wirtschaft und Politik in Entwicklungsl�¤ndern/Berlin Series on Society, Economy and Politics in Developing Countries - Vol. 106)