By recasting the relationship between religion and nationalism in the Middle East; Roschanack Shaery-Eisenlohr proposes a new framework for understanding Shi'ite politics in Lebanon. Her study draws on a variety of untapped sources; reconsidering not only the politics of the established leadership of Shi'ites but also institutional and popular activities of identity production. Shaery-Eisenlohr traces current Shi'ite politics of piety and authenticity to the coexistence formula in Lebanon and argues that engaging in the discourses of piety and coexistence is a precondition to cultural citizenship in Lebanon. As she demonstrates; debates over the nature of Christianity and Islam and Christian-Muslim dialogue are in fact intertwined with power struggles at the state level.Since the 1970s; debates in the transnational Shi'ite world have gradually linked Shi'ite piety with the support of the Palestinian cause. Iran's religious elite has backed this piety project in multiple ways; but in doing so it has assisted in the creation of a variety of Lebanese Shi'ite nationalisms with competing claims to religious and national authenticity. Shaery-Eisenlohr argues that these ties to Iran have in fact strengthened the position of Lebanese Shi'ites by providing; as is recognized; economic; military; and ideological support for Hizbullah; as well as by compelling Lebanese Shi'ites to foreground the Lebanese components of their identity more forcefully than ever before. Shaery-Eisenlohr challenges the belief that Shi'ite identity politics only serve to undermine the Lebanese national project. She also makes clear that the expression of Lebanese Shi'ite identity is a nationalist expression and an unintended result of Iranian efforts to influence the politics of Lebanon.
#600662 in Books Yolanda Murphy Robert Francis Murphy William L Bal 2004-12-08Format: Deluxe EditionOriginal language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.24 x .60 x 5.68l; .75 #File Name: 0231132336328 pagesWomen of the Forest
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Four StarsBy Brittany LanzThis was a very interesting book.8 of 9 people found the following review helpful. Classic Study of Brazil's Mundurucu IndiansBy Rebecca of "In the morning we sat behind our house drinking coffee and watching the mists rising from the hillside in thin tendrils that were said by the Indians (who knew that it was really mist) to be the campfire of a mythical inambu bird. And the evenings often closed in brilliant; iridescent sunsets; kaleidoscopes of shifting colors. It was an enchanted land existing in a distant place and peopled by descendants of a remote age. To enter it was to step through the looking glass."What would it be like to be a woman living in the Brazilian Basin? What if you lived in the moment; survival being a daily challenge? How would you set up your life so you had the support you needed when a man walked out of your life leaving you to care for his children? The women in the have it all figured out. In the first four pages you see the exotic beauty and undeniable reality of life.The authors were a newly married couple when they first walked into a Mundurucu village in 1952. This book was written in the 70s and explains life from the perspective of a female anthropologist. Yolanda spent time with the women who accepted her as a friend and sister. Robert spent time with the men and learned about the ways they felt towards the women and how seriously they took their religious beliefs. This book really does include both sides; but has a definite focus on women.This is a fascinating study of how the Mundurucu women humor the "mythically dominant" males; how they care for their men and how they survive when their marriages don't work out. It is a story about how women have found a way to survive by bonding with other women and sticking together through life.When you read this book you realize how universal women really are. They all seem to basically want the same thing. You have to laugh when you read how the women encourage their husbands to work harder so they can buy new clothes and are even quite willing to do the work themselves. In fact; from this book; it does appear both sexes are working rather hard all day long just to survive. Afternoon naps are however a necessity because of the heat.This story is also a beautiful look at survival. Of how men and women depend on one another to meet their basic needs. In the Mundurucu society; women and men took on various roles and responsibilities although the women tended to do most of the menial tasks and raised the children. Sound familiar? Well life is changing all over the world and by the end of this book; you can see how the Mundurucu Indians have already adapted to change.Contents:Woman's DayThe Land and the PeopleMunmdurucu CultureWomen in Myth and SymbolThe Woman's WorldWomen and Married LifeWomen and Social ChangeWomen and MenThe work of Yolanda and Robert Murphy encourages an understanding of women's lives in the non-Western world. It focuses on gender relations and the social roles women play in the forest. Yolanda explains how the women rear their children; take care of their husbands; form groups to complete tasks and keep control of their lives even in difficult situations. There are descriptions of bathing in rivers; preparing foods; gardening; feasts; childcare; rubber collection and all sorts of interesting facts about the lives of the Mundurucu people.While I thought this book would be only focusing on the women; the second chapter surprised me with information about the land and there are a few maps. There is also plenty of information about the men and what they desire; miss about the older cultures and how they even laugh and say that the homes really do belong to the women and in some areas the men live in a "men's house." There is information about hunting trips and the crafts the men work on in their spare time.The processing of the manioc plant will interest anyone who has ever cooked tapioca. The myths are entertaining and it was interesting to read their version of the Adam and Eve story.A widely read and beautifully written classic study of Brazil's Mundurucu Indians.~The Rebecca Review
