Kulturstudier: skikke og traditioner

In his inimitable style, gifted folklorist Kevin Danaher invites the reader to call on people of a former generation in their homes, to sit around the hearth, to listen to their tales and gossip and sample their food and drink, to marvel at their implements, to meet a water diviner, to join a faction fight, hurry to a wedding and bow down in remembrance of the dead. For over thirty years, this book has charmed, informed and surprised successive generations of readers, in Ireland and abroad.

"In Peki, an Ewe town in the Ghanaian Volta Region, death is a matter of public concern. By means of funeral banners printed with synthetic ink on PVC, public lyings in state, cemented graves and wreaths made from plastic, death occupies a prominent place in the world of the living. Rest in Plastic gives an insight into local entanglements of death, synthetic materials and power in Ewe community. It shows how different materials and things that come to shape power relations, exist in a delicate balance between state and local governance, kin and outsiders, death and life, the invisible and the visible, movement and containment"--

"Perpetuating Inequality" delves into the complex and often misunderstood world of the Indian caste system, exploring its historical roots, its endurance in modern society, and the profound impact it continues to have on social stratification and inequality in India. This comprehensive book offers a critical examination of one of the world's oldest forms of social hierarchy and its implications for contemporary Indian life.The book begins by tracing the origins of the caste system in ancient India, providing a historical context for its development and institutionalization over millennia. It explores how the system, initially perhaps more fluid and occupation-based, solidified into a rigid structure of social order, deeply intertwined with religious and cultural norms.Each chapter methodically dissects the various layers and complexities of the caste system, from the division of society into hierarchical groups based on birth to the subtler, but no less impactful, notions of purity and pollution. The narrative also sheds light on the intersection of caste with other social variables like gender and economic status, examining how these intersections further compound disparities and discrimination.A crucial component of "Perpetuating Inequality" is its exploration of the caste system's persistence in modern India. Despite legal abolition and efforts at social reform, the book reveals how caste continues to influence various aspects of life, including politics, education, employment, and marriage. It brings to the fore contemporary issues such as caste-based violence, affirmative action policies, and the emerging dialogue around caste in the diaspora.The book also amplifies the voices of those at the lowest rungs of the caste hierarchy - the Dalits (formerly known as "untouchables") - sharing their experiences of prejudice and resistance. It looks at the movements that have emerged to challenge caste oppression, profiling key figures who have fought for equality and social justice.Concluding with a discussion on the future of the caste system, "Perpetuating Inequality" contemplates the challenges and possibilities for a society striving to overcome deep-rooted social divisions. It is an essential read for anyone seeking to understand the enduring complexities of caste and its pervasive influence on the fabric of Indian society.

The new Prater Museum - the exhibition publication At the center of the Wurstelprater amusement park, on the site of a former amusement arcade, the new Prater Museum, one of Vienna's first public buildings to be constructed in wood, will open in 2024. The role of the Prater park as a traditional place of leisure and amusement is a special focus of the Wien Museum. In addition to original objects - including carousel figures, parts of a ghost train, early slot machines, and Punch and Judy figures - the Prater collection includes plans, models, photographs, admission tickets, program booklets, posters, and works of art. This book introduces the highlights of the more than 300 objects in the new Prater Museum. It deals with the big issues of modern life: the relationship between nature and city; man and animal; modern technology and the human body. The catalog for the exhibition of the new Prater Museum of the Wien Museum, Vienna Published together with the essay collection entitled Der Wiener Prater. Labor der Moderne to mark the opening of the new Vienna Prater Museum in March 2024 With numerous large-format illustrations

Object Lessons is a series of short, beautifully designed books about the hidden lives of ordinary things.From the theater mask and masquerade to the masked criminal and the rise of facial recognition software, masks have long performed as an instrument for the protection and concealment of identity. Even as they conceal and protect, masks - as faces - are an extension of the self. At the same time, they are a part of material culture: what are masks made of? What traces do they leave behind? Acknowledging that that mask-wearing has become increasingly weaponized and politicized, Sharrona Pearl looks at the politics of the mask, exploring how identity itself is read on this object.By exploring who we do (and do not) seek to protect through different forms of masking, Sharrona Pearl's long history of masks helps us to better understand what it is we value. Object Lessons is published in partnership with an essay series in The Atlantic.

This book is a fascinating account of the author's travels through Caffraria in southern Africa. He describes the customs, traditions, and way of life of the tribes living in the region. He also provides historical and topographical information about the area, and discusses the state and prospects of the British in the region. This is a must-read for anyone interested in African history and culture.This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.