Transforming Warriors

This volume offers an interdisciplinary study of how different cultures have sought to transform individuals into warriors. War changes people, however a less explored question is how different societies want people to change as they are turned into warriors. When societies go to war they recognize that a boundary is being crossed. The participants are expected to do things that are otherwise prohibited, or at least governed by different rules. This edited volume analyses how different cultures have conceptualized the transformations of an individual passing from a peacetime to a wartime existence to become an active warrior. Despite their differences, all societies grapple with the same question: how much of the individual’s peace-self should be and can be retained in the state of war? The book explores cases such as the Nordic berserkers, the Japanese samurai, and European knights, as well as modern soldiers in Germany, Liberia, and Sweden. It shows that archaic and modern societies are more similar than we usually think: both kinds of societies use myths, symbols, and rituals to create warriors. Thus, this volume seeks to redefine theories of modernization and secularization. It shows that military organizations need to take myths, symbols, and rituals seriously in order to create effective units. This book will be of much interest to students of military studies, war studies, sociology, religion, and international relations in general.

Warriors throughout history, from Japanese samurai to Martin Luther King, Jr., have cultivated courage, compassion, discipline, intelligence, loyalty, and self-knowledge. These noble traits are part of the warrior spirit, and archetyal pattern that can be found in those who face the challenges of our time head-on.

This book shows how the US Army – disoriented by the end of the Cold War and struggling to appease domestic culture wars – spent the 1990s suffering from an identity crisis. This unique work will interest students and scholars of contemporary American military history.

New York Times bestselling authors Dr. Daniel Amen and Tana Amen are ready to lead you to victory...The Brain Warrior’s Way is your arsenal to win the fight to live a better life. The Amens will guide you through the process, and give you the tools to take control. So if you’re serious about your health, either out of desire or necessity, it’s time to arm yourself and head into battle. When trying to live a healthy lifestyle, every day can feel like a battle. Forces are destroying our bodies and our minds. The standard American diet we consume is making us sick; we are constantly bombarded by a fear-mongering news media; and we’re hypnotized by technical gadgets that keep us from our loved ones. Even our own genes can seem like they’re out to get us. But you can win the war. You can live your life to the fullest, be your best, and feel your greatest, and the key to victory rests between your ears. Your brain runs your life. When it works right, your body works right, and your decisions tend to be thoughtful and goal directed. Bad choices, however, can lead to a myriad of problems in your body. Studies have shown that your habits turn on or off certain genes that make illness and early death more or less likely. But you can master your brain and body for the rest of your life with a scientifically-designed program: the Brain Warrior’s Way. Master your brain and body for the rest of your life. This is not a program to lose 10 pounds, even though you will do that—and lose much more if needed. You can also prevent Alzheimer’s, reverse aging, and improve your: -Overall health -Focus -Memory -Energy -Work -Mood Stability -Flexibility -Inner Peace -Relationships The Amens have helped tens of thousands of clients over thirty years, and now they can help you. It is time to live a better life—right now!

A New York Times bestseller: “This terrific new book . . . [explores] the ‘notion of whiteness,’ an idea as dangerous as it is seductive.”—Boston Globe Telling perhaps the most important forgotten story in American history, eminent historian Nell Irvin Painter guides us through more than two thousand years of Western civilization, illuminating not only the invention of race but also the frequent praise of “whiteness” for economic, scientific, and political ends. A story filled with towering historical figures, The History of White People closes a huge gap in literature that has long focused on the non-white and forcefully reminds us that the concept of “race” is an all-too-human invention whose meaning, importance, and reality have changed as it has been driven by a long and rich history of events.

The Beggar (Part II) – Bhakti Tirtha Swami offers a perspective on fear, love, true compassion, success, death, intimacy, and spiritual goals. The deeply penetrating reflections in the form of a personal dialogue with God remind the reader of the necessity to dedicate time to spiritual growth along with secular pursuits. Many of the prayers in these books often draw tears and can touch the psyche in a very profound way. Although these prayers are short reading, they are compact with very deep spiritual messages. Most importantly, the messages attempt to address each reader in his or her own individual spiritual struggles. These small books are not just meant for a single reading; rather, they can be read over and over again according to the particular struggles faced by each person on his or her spiritual journey.

Most studies of international negotiations take successful talks as their subject. With a few notable exceptions, analysts have paid little attention to negotiations ending in failure. The essays in Unfinished Business show that as much, if not more, can be learned from failed negotiations as from successful negotiations with mediocre outcomes. Failure in this study pertains to a set of negotiating sessions that were convened for the purpose of achieving an agreement but instead broke up in continued disagreement. Seven case studies compose the first part of this volume: the United Nations negotiations on Iraq, the Middle East Peace Summit at Camp David in 2000, Iran-European Union negotiations, the Cyprus conflict, the Biological Weapons Convention, the London Conference of 1830–33 on the status of Belgium, and two hostage negotiations (Waco and the Munich Olympics). These case studies provide examples of different types of failed negotiations: bilateral, multilateral, and mediated (or trilateral). The second part of the book analyzes empirical findings from the case studies as causes of failure falling in four categories: actors, structure, strategy, and process. This is an analytical framework recommended by the Processes of International Negotiation, arguably the leading society dedicated to research in this area. The last section of Unfinished Business contains two summarizing chapters that provide broader conclusions—lessons for theory and lessons for practice.