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Bangladesh is a majority Muslim nation with a population of some 154 million people. This volume accounts for the political and economic experiences of the Bangladeshi state and its people, identifying the key players among Bangladesh's tiny military, political, and business elite. It also explores the attempt these individuals have made to establish their authority and considers the relative merits of their efforts at nation building. S. Mahmud Ali concludes with an outline of both the remarkable achievements that have taken place in this land of unusual narratives and the elemental challenges that its burgeoning population will face in the years ahead.

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The nature of anthropological fieldwork changes from generation to generation, reflecting current personal, moral and political issues. This collection addresses the central position of fieldwork in modern social anthropology, examining previous works on the subject and locating a discussion of the nature of fieldwork within the context of current theoretical debates.

Central to this analysis are the personal accounts of six anthropologists, all trained in the tradition of social anthropology and working in a variety of different social, economic and environmental settings --- Italy, the Himalayas, Northern England, Bangladesh and Indonesia. Each example is a discussion of the close relationship which anthropologists establish with friends and informants in the field. Collectively they describe the varying ways in which that closeness affects the nature of the anthropologists' observation, as well as an understanding of themselves and their discipline. The study reveals that, although the younger generation of social anthropologists clearly derive their inspiration from the ideas and insights of an earlier generation, they are working with a set of very different political and personal circumstances.

Accessible, beautifully written and jargon-free, Being There breaks new ground in the way in which its authors explain and reflect on their intentions and emotions, and the nature of their personal relationships with their informants. ... Read more

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Drawing on the newest and most sophisticated historical research and scholarship in the field, Modern South Asia provides a challenging insight for those with an intellectual curiosity about the region. After sketching the pre-modern history of the subcontinent, the book concentrates on the last three centuries. Jointly authored by two leading Indian and Pakistani historians, it offers a rare depth of historical understanding of the politics, cultures, and economies that shape the lives of more than a fifth of humanity.

Covering the entire spectrum of modern South Asian history, this comprehensive study provides new insights into the structure and ideology of the British raj, the meaning of subaltern resistance, the refashioning of social relations along the lines of caste, class, community and gender, the different strands of anti-colonial nationalism and the dynamics of decolonisation.

This third edition brings the debate up to the present day, covering the closer integration of South Asia with the global economy, the impact of developments in Afghanistan on the region as a whole, the large implications of Benazir Bhutto’s assassination and the fresh challenges to South Asia’s nation-states.

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Study with reference to 1990 data from selected upazilas, administrative divisions, of Patuakhali and Barguna districts. ... Read more

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A wide-ranging survey of the Indian sub-continent, Modern South Asia gives an enthralling account of South Asian history. After sketching the pre-modern history of the subcontinent, the book concentrates on the last three centuries from c.1700 to the present. Jointly written by two leading Indian and Pakistani historians, Modern South Asia offers a rare depth of understanding of the social, economic and political realities of this region.The new edition includes a rewritten, accessible introduction and a chapter by chapter revision to take into account recent research. The second edition will also bring the book completely up to date with a chapter on the period from 1991 to 2002 and a discussion of the last millennium in sub-continental history.
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Customer Reviews (8)

Disappointing
The book does not provide nearly enough information to truly understand the complexities of the situations. It presents a somewhat biased view, as one author is Pakistani and the other is a member of Subhas Chandra Bose's family (and so naturally has less than glowing praise for the Congress leadership at the time of independence). The book is often repetitive, making the same points in multiple chapters. It attempts to sound more intellectual than it really is, through the use of complicated vocabulary, while presenting a rather simplistic history of the region. Overall, a disappointing book.

Hackneyed
The book lacks originality and boldness, that is required for a post-colonial understanding of the past 300 years of Indian history.

Lacks depth
This is an eighth grade level account of India's history written in a high-sounding English. Also, this book assumes some familiarity by the reader with the past of India, but I think that if you already know that much, you do not need this book.
Perhaps, and only perhaps, the books suffers from mediocrity because the two authors, one of Indian and the other of Pakistani origin, had to make compromises in the emphasis they could jointly place on the aspects of modern India's history which are interesting to the younger generation. One such aspect is the causes and consequences of the partition of India, the role of three parties - the British, Indian National Congress and the Muslim League. The book seems to shy away in taking a hard and penetrating look at this. There are hardly any citations to original sources where one could look for more detail.
There are so many other good books where you can find modern Indian history covered at greater depth and width. If you have limited amount of money to spend to buy a good introductory book, then find another one.

Disappointing
This book will disappoint anybody with a decent knowledge of the history of India. While this book provides is a good general review of the events in the subcontinent over the last 300 years, it is not rigorous in its treatment of various events that have occured.

However, the authors have admirably condensed 300 years of history in a small text and thus the book merits three stars.

Concise--Provides new perspectives on history of South Asia
I enjoyed reading this book, it is a concise and easy reading. It makes few but strong points--political economy of colonialism, freedom movement and also describes, what is known as the 'People's history' of South Asia. More focus has been given to Bengal, Punjab and Tamil Nadu. I wish there was some on more stuff on Sindh, NWFP, Nepal and so on.

A must read for those who are inteested in South Asia. ... Read more

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The current emphasis on trade liberalization and economic restructuring will affect many countries that have a large female workforce in labour-intensive industries. This publication argues that the challenge in Bangladesh and Morocco, as in many other countries, will be to make the transition to higher wage, higher productivity employment without substituting male workers, and more socially privileged female workers, for the existing female workforce that is drawn from lower income households. ... Read more

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The Bengali are considered to be the original inhabitants of the Bengal region of southwest Asia. This territory is divided politically between Bangladesh and West Bengal, a state in India. Bengali is the native language spoken by most of the groups in this region. While the vast majority of Bengalis live in Bangladesh and northeast India, there are significant communities in a number of other countries and other parts of India as well. Although the Bengalis are primarily classified according to language, their culture remains very diversified. It is made up of various castes, such as the Brahman, Kayastha, Vaidya, Namasudra, Gandha Banik, Saadgop, Napit, Mahisya, Kanaani, and Subarnabanik.Their assortment of occupations and religious preferences has created other cultural distinctions as well. In general, the Bengalis are a proud people, highly ambitious, and always striving for excellence. Although outside influences are being incorporated into their culture, the Bengalis remain very proud of their cultural heritage. These volumes provide an extended introduction to the Bengalis by discussing all important facets that make them so vibrant a society.The volumes arranged thematically provide a glimpse into their History, Culture, Politics, Language and Literature, the world famous intellectual traditions of the Bengalis, the social progress; including the Bengali Renaissance, the individuals who are significant to the understanding of the Bengali culture and its fascinating traditions. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Some parts were good
The first half of this book reads as if the author spent most of his time hunkered down in a guest house in the more affluent part of Dhaka, reporting stories he read in the local English language press and what he ate for dinner.Later on, the book becomes more interesting as the reader experiences the author's growing realization that all in Bangladesh is not as it may seem to a visiting expatriate.The best parts are those describing the author's experiences travelling around Bangladesh giving courses for journalism students.The title seems overly incendiary given that the author, having spent only some months in Bangladesh, would not seem to be in a position to make such a dramatic prediction about political events there.

A political memoir of significance
As a political memoir, Bangladesh 2000: on the Brink of Civil War is a good read. This is a part of the world that Americans have only limited access to. While it is common knowledge that Bangladesh is prone to naturaldisasters, the political situation in the country is less well known. Theauthor, Paul Ryder Ryan, an experienced journalist, makes a good case forhis conclusion that the poverty-stricken country is on the brink of civilwar. Just the arrest of more than 50,000 "outlaws and terrorists"in the cause of law and order is a mindboggling fact. The number of diversepolitical forces in the country all pulling in opposite directions is alsoaptly demonstrated by Mr. Ryan, as is the increasingly volatile situationin general in South Asia, which includes India and Palistan their disputedterritory of Kashmir. ... Read more

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Hossain presents a fine-grained and humanized analysis of the collision between the formal and the social, political, religious, and economic environment in Bangladesh. This book provides a qualitative study of the effects of administrative modernization in elementary schooling in Bangladesh through the use of interview data and the highly personalized accounts of the research participants. The author goes beyond the understanding of the problem to an exploration of what is needed to alleviate the dysfunctions and, subsequently, provides an excellent resource for those involved in institutionally-driven change in developing countries. Selected Contents: The Historical and Political Context; Historical Background; Methodology; The Social Context of Bangladesh; The Traditional Villagers: Practices and Values; Rupishi Upazila Parishad; The Upazila Parashid and Resource Administration; Bilash Nagar State Primary School; Modern Systems and Traditional Culture; Glossary; List of Tables. ... Read more

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This work presents a panoramic view of centuries of ideas, and of the lives and works of some builders of modern Bengal. ... Read more

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This digital document is a journal article from Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, published by Elsevier in 2007. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Description:
Lowland rice fields constitute a semi aquatic environment, which is potentially suitable for fish production. Little is known about the effect of fish on greenhouse gas emissions from integrated rice-fish systems. An experiment was carried out at the Bangladesh Agricultural University to assess the effect of the stocking of fish on methane emissions from rice fields. Common carp, Cyprinus carpio L., and Nile Tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.) were stocked in a mixed culture and subjected to three different input regimes: (1) urea fertilization according to the recommendation of the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), (2) supplementary feeding at 2xmaintenance level and (3) an elevated feeding schedule where 4xmaintenance level was fed initially and 2xmaintenance level towards the end of the growth period. Rice only with urea fertilization according to BRRI-recommendation was included as the control. The presence of fish increased methane emissions in all three rice-fish treatments. Average emission over the cropping season was 34, 37, and 32mgm^-^2h^-^1 in the rice-fish treatments, respectively, and 20mgm^-^2h^-^1 in rice only. Apart from an increase in methane emission, a significant drop (p<0.05) in floodwater pH and dissolved oxygen concentration was observed in the rice-fish plots. Both parameters were the lowest in the treatment where a higher feeding rate was provided. Due to the fish activity, floodwater in the rice-fish treatments was more turbid, as reflected in higher particulate inorganic matter (PIOM). An elevated level of dissolved methane was observed in the floodwater of the feed supplemented rice-fish plots. Methane emissions showed negative correlation with morning and afternoon pH of the floodwater (r=-0.46; r=-0.56, p<0.001) and morning and afternoon dissolved oxygen level (r=-0.53; r=-0.46, p<0.001). Positive correlations were recorded between morning and afternoon floodwater temperature (r=0.49; r=0.44, p<0.001) and with air temperature (r=0.54, p<0.001). The results suggest that the stocking of fish has an increasing effect on methane emissions from rice fields. ... Read more

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A survey of the countries of the Indian subcontinent coversgeography, demographics, agriculture, history, politics, culture, religion, arts, literature, and science. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Good Introduction with photos, illustrations and facts
I was searching for a good book on India, with a historical bent, as a gift for a friend here in the US. This book provides a very good introduction with pictures, illustrations and relevant facts. The book provides a general outline of history and more importantly also introduces the reader to the general mindset & prevailing conditions ("cultural atlas") in India. It also provides some basic information on the states and neighbouring countries like Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bhutan & Burma.

The special features sections focus on the things that people of India are most likely to be known about. Most people will not remember everything about a culture/nation. They will probably remember only the most interesting things and the special features of this book present these in a clear, understandable manner, i.e mostbly agreeable to people like me who have grown up in India.

Non-fiction books are hard to read for some people, these people are looking to escape from the ordinary. This book will interest the reader into reading & learning more about India. As for fantasy the readers might want to try tales, parables and comics like Jataka stories, Amar Chitra Katha...

Excellent reference book!
As an Indian, I'm wary when "outsiders" put together a book on my country, but this book is exceptional.It gives facts and general descriptions of anything and everything when one thinks of India.Lots ofpictures makes it an easy read.Worth every penny.This is the bookteachers in America should use when trying to give an overview on INDIA. ... Read more

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Among those who are directly dependent on naturalresource, an overwhelming majority in Bangladesh arelosing access to and thereby failing to participatein the management and conservation of naturalresource. During the last decade, approaches tonatural resources management have taken a shifttoward encouraging participation in the process, andit is widely recognized by actors and institutionsengaged in the development process that atransformation is sweeping across sectoral programsand projects. People's participation in naturalresources management has been experimented in arather exhaustive fashion within the existing policyand institutional setting, with disappointingoutcomes in most cases. Based on these we could andshould move towards an integrated natural resourcemanagement institutional framework where livelihoodof the poor could be ensured and enable the poor toget on to the track of economic growth andsustainable development. Bangladesh Vision 2020 hasdemonstrated that by year 2020 if Bangladeshwants to be a medium developed country, focus onpoverty alleviation with a rigorous institutionalframe is a must. ... Read more

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This study investigates the intersectionalrepresentations of gender and sexuality in relationto pleasure and procreation in specificadvertisements of Bangladesh.It unpacks theconnections of these representations with the socialrelationships of gender and sexualities that areinfluenced by the dominant gender and sexualitynorms and discourses as well as institutionalsettings. The study contributes to a nuancedunderstanding of construction of pleasure in mediarepresentations.While the existing literaturereflects on polarized representations andobjectification of woemen's body in relation to malesexual pleasure, the pressent study reveals that thepicture may not be so clear-cut.It points towardsthe need for further exploration to have a holisticunderstanding of the complexities surrounding genderand sexualities both in lived realities andinstitutional contexts; away from a singularrepresentation of female sexuality as passive andprocreative-which has been often considered as thedefinitive story of female sexuality. ... Read more

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Thestudy is broadly an attempt to analyze the emerging scenario of all of the categories of street children which come from extremely poor families withor without parents, to work for their own survival and to support their families in the struggle for subsistence in the Dhaka City. At an early age they become accustomed to live in with neglect anddeprivation and dream to survive through struggle, improvisation, with little or no sense of right andwrong. Their families are mostly squatters in the city and the towns so far been observed in the areasunder this study.They migrated from rural areas in search of living, but with no skill for any good earning. The children of such families are faced to earn to supplement the earning of adults or to make their own living. A street child is not a child who plays in the street during the day. A street child is not someone who is "lucky" enough to be a child laborer. A child beggar is not necessarily a street child nor a poor child. Thesechildren have alwaysexisted, but now are becoming muchgreaterinnumber, much more publicized and increasinglyunacceptable. ... Read more

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Forest is one of the key word or construct ofdevelopment discourse and recently, in 1992, it hasbeen incorporated in Agenda 21 of Earth Summit wherethe participation and rights of indigenous people,particularly women, has been emphasised and genderequality has been discursively ensured. With theobjective of showing the discrepancies between thestatements and actual effect of the policy,following the field investigation this study hasfound that gender relations prevailing in CHT havebeen negatively affected following theimplementation of the policy and this effect hasbeen intersecting with age, socio-economic statusand gender. The outcome was such that the socio- economic gap between different groups within theindigenous community has widened; women,particularly the poor became poorer; old women losttheir assets and became subject to the mercy ofhousehold members. All in all, development policyinstead of developing the indigenous people, itworsened their living conditions, widened the socio- economic gaps and narrowed the bargaining power ofwomen. ... Read more

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Adolescent girls reading in Madrashas (Islamicreligious schools) have largely been excluded fromaccess to Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH)information services in Bangladesh. In order tounderstand the reasons for such exclusions this studywants to explore how different actors involved inMadrasha interact with each other. Thus, the studyhas two objectives. First, it aims to analyze theconstruction of ideal image of womanhood among theMadrasha girls and second, to evaluate its influencein mediating adolescent girls? lived experiences inrelation to access to sexual and reproductive healthinformation. Using different theories and conceptslike Bronfenbrenner?s ?Ecological Systems Theory?,Scheper-Hughes and Lock?s ?Social Body theories? and?Intersectional Approach? along with Weber?s ?IdealType? and ?Agency? as concepts the research uncovershow different religious interpretations and socialactions create opportunities as well as obstacles foradolescent girls? access to Sexual and Reproductivehealth (SRH) information whereas it also points outcautions for any generalizations regarding Madrashacontexts in the country. ... Read more

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This book is about the ordinary rural migrant in a 'third world' city. Permanent migrant's livelihood is looked upon here considering a historical timeline, with an intension to identify possible elements of rural-urban continuum. But what makes this book interesting is that the migrant's livelihood-stories have been used here to compare between two separate timelines (rural and urban) and between two different places (coastal city and its rural hinterlands). In all these, the ordinary migrant (through his stories) plays the part of an essential vehicle. Rural coasts of Bangladesh offer an ideal backdrop for this work, since these areas are home to a host of natural and man-made challenges that instigate migration. Similarly, the host city (Khulna) is also a proven destination for this particular type of people. Seeing these migrants, this book therefore asks about the factors that made (and still make) their livelihoods vulnerable during both rural and urban times. The stories move back and forth between the rural coast and the contemporary city, while the very nature of rural-urban interaction that possibly forms these once-rural people?s livelihoods in the city is questioned. ... Read more