3 products were found matching your search for Arab Folklore Reynolds Dwight in 1 shops:

Dwight F. Reynolds brings together a collection of essays by leading international scholars to provide a comprehensive and accessible survey of modern Arab culture, from the early nineteenth to the twenty-first century. The chapters survey key issues necessary to any understanding of the modern Arab World: the role of the various forms of the Arabic language in modern culture and identity; the remarkable intellectual transformation undergone during the 'Nahda' or 'Arab Renaissance' of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, the significant role played by ethnic and religious minorities, and the role of law and constitutions. Other chapters on poetry, narrative, theatre, cinema and television, art, architecture, humour, folklore, and food offer fresh perspectives and correct negative stereotypes that emerge from viewing Arab culture primarily through the lens of politics, terrorism, religion, and economics.

Jewish Musical Traditions is the first English-language volume to consider oral music of Jewish communities in a sociocultural context. Amnon Shiloah, the world's leading authority on the Arab and Jewish musical traditions, tells a musical story voiced the world over by men and women in synagogues and homes, mirroring the life of an ancientpeople exiled from its land. The story began in Biblical times and encompasses two thousand years, during which a widely dispersed people have tried to preserve their cultural values in complex and horrific situations.Such an excursion into the world of sounds resonating from many traditions presents problems. Shiloah faced questions concerning the impact that long-termexposure to strange local musical cultures may have had on the preservation of ancient traditions the Jews took with them as they moved from place to place. The dearth of musical documentation on which to base definitive argumentation further complicates the picture.To cope with these diverse problems, the author considers the musical heritage as only one element in the value system informing an individual's world outlook and perception of the destiny of the Jewish people. Hence, he discusses the manner in which this musical heritage meshes with the complex web of Jewish history by way of central themes such as the relation of music to religion, musicand the world of the Kabbalah, and music in communal life. Shiloah considers technical and theoretical approaches, as well as art music, folk music, and performance practices of poets, vocalists, instrumentalists, and dancers.

Shortlisted for the Katharine Briggs Folklore Award 2000. In the 1970s, often to the consternation of parents and siblings, certain progressive young Arab women voluntarily donned the veil. The movement, which rapidly expanded and continues to gather momentum, has sparked controversy within Islamic culture, as well as reactions ranging from perplexity to outrage from those outside it. Western feminist commentators have been particularly vociferous in decrying the veil, which they glibly interpret as a concrete manifestation of patriarchal oppression. However, most Western observers fail to realize that veiling, which has a long and complex history, has been embraced by many Arab women as both an affirmation of cultural identity and a strident feminist statement. Not only does the veil de-marginalize women in society, but it also represents an expression of liberation from colonial legacies. In short, contemporary veiling is more often than not about resistance. By voluntarily removing themselves from the male gaze, these women assert their allegiance to a rich and varied tradition, and at the same time preserve their sexual identity. Beyond this, however, the veil also communicates exclusivity of rank and nuances in social status and social relations that provide telling insights into how Arab culture is constituted. Further, as the author clearly demonstrates, veiling is intimately connected with notions of the self, the body and community, as well as with the cultural construction of identity, privacy and space. This provocative book draws on extensive original fieldwork, anthropology, history and original Islamic sources to challenge the simplistic assumption that veiling is largely about modesty and seclusion, honor and shame.