Peter Berger

Justin Kroesen

Periods of transition are often symbolically associated with death, making the latter the paradigm of liminality. Yet, many volumes on death in the social sciences and humanities do not specifically address liminality. This book investigates these “ultimate ambiguities,” assuming they can pose a threat to social relationships because of the disintegrating forces of death, but they are also crucial periods of creativity, change, and emergent aspects of social and religious life. Contributors explore death and liminality from an interdisciplinary perspective and present a global range of historical and contemporary case studies outlining emotional, cognitive, artistic, social, and political implications.

Investigating Death and Liminality

Ultimate Ambiguities

The series Religion and Society (RS) contributes to the exploration of religions as social systems - both in Western and non-Western societies; in particular, it examines religions in their differentiation from, and intersection with, other cultural systems, such as art, economy, law and politics. Due attention is given to paradigmatic case or comparative studies that exhibit a clear theoretical orientation with the empirical and historical data of religion and such aspects of religion as ritual, the religious imagination, constructions of tradition, iconography, or media. In addition, the formation of religious communities, their construction of identity, and their relation to society and the wider public are key issues of this series.

Rituals of Rule and Regeneration in Highland Odisha, India

Subaltern Sovereigns

Few thorough ethnographic studies on Central Indian tribal communities exist, and the elaborate discussion on the cultural meanings of Indian food systems ignores these societies altogether. Food epitomizes the social for the Gadaba of Odisha. Feeding, sharing, and devouring refer to locally distinguished ritual domains, to different types of social relationships and alimentary ritual processes. In investigating the complex paths of ritual practices, this study aims to understand the interrelated fields of cosmology, social order, and economy of an Indian highland community.

Ritual and Society in Highland Odisha, India

Feeding, Sharing, and Devouring

Anton Zijderveld

“A book of great practical wisdom by authors who have profound insight into the intellectual dynamics governing contemporary life.” —Dallas Willard, author of Knowing Christ Today In In Praise of Doubt, two world-renowned social scientists, Peter L. Berger (The Homeless Mind, Questions of Faith) and Anton C. Zijderveld (The Abstract Society, On Clichés), map out how we can survive the political, moral, and religious challenges raised by the extreme poles of relativism and fundamentalism. A book that asks and answers Big Questions, In Praise of Doubt offers invaluable guidance on how to have convictions without becoming a fanatic.

How to Have Convictions Without Becoming a Fanatic

In Praise of Doubt

Frank Heidemann

The Modern Anthropology of India is an accessible textbook providing a critical overview of the ethnographic work done in India since 1947. It assesses the history of research in each region and serves as a practical and comprehensive guide to the main themes dealt with by ethnographers. It highlights key analytical concepts and paradigms that came to be of relevance in particular regions in the recent history of research in India, and which possibly gained a pan-Indian or even trans-Indian significance. Structured according to the states of the Indian union, contributors raise several key questions, including: What themes were ethnographers interested in? What are the significant ethnographic contributions? How are peoples, communities and cultural areas represented? How has the ethnographic research in the area developed? Filling a significant gap in the literature, the book is an invaluable resource to students and researchers in the field of Indian anthropology/ethnography, regional anthropology and postcolonial studies. It is also of interest to students of South Asian studies in general as it provides an extensive and critical overview of regionally based ethnographic activity undertaken in India.

Ethnography, Themes and Theory

The Modern Anthropology of India

Leading religious and cultural commentator, Peter Berger, explores how and what we can believe in modern times. Deals clearly with questions such as ‘Does God exist? What was so special about Jesus? How can one be Christian in a pluralistic society? Structured around key phrases from the Apostles’ Creed. Draws on the Christian theological tradition and the work of other relevant thinkers, such as Freud and Simone Weil. The author takes the position of an open-minded sceptic, exploring his own beliefs.

A Skeptical Affirmation of Christianity

Questions of Faith

Das hat ihm gerade noch gefehlt. Gerade erst wieder gesundgeschrieben und dann diese Schnapsidee. Der Kriminalbeamte Major August Meixner, ein "Kiberer" wie er im Buche steht, wird mit der Leitung einer neuen Sonderkommission beauftragt. Die ihm unterstellten Mitarbeiter könnten unterschiedlicher nicht sein. Da sind Konflikte vorprogrammiert. Der erste Fall der Sonderabteilung für Schwerkriminalität - interne Angelegenheiten - kurz SASK/IA - führt die ungleiche Truppe in die Justizanstalt Stein bei Krems. Dort verschwinden offensichtlich junge Häftlinge spurlos. Was als Hirngespinst einer verwirrten Hochschwangeren begann, entwickelt sich zu einem perfiden Konstrukt aus Machtgelüsten, Gier und Hinterlist. Und Meixner stolpert mitten hinein, in diesen Sumpf seelenloser Abgründe, wo der Mensch zur Ware degradiert und das Gewissen zweitrangig wird.

Herz aus Stein

Der Kiberer

Ritual und Gesellschaft im Hochland von Orissa, Indien

Füttern, Speisen und Verschlingen

Dieses Buch vermittelt wissenschaftlich fundierte Grundlagen personaler und organisationaler Führung. Es bietet realistische Einblicke in die Praxis von Führungskräften und regt zur Reflexion etablierter Führungsleitbilder an. Der Autor geht zunächst der Frage nach, warum sich erwachsene Menschen freiwillig fremden Autoritäten unterwerfen. Er untersucht die notwendigen Grundkompetenzen einer Führungskraft und beleuchtet die organisationalen Dimensionen von Führung. In beiden Bereichen bietet er umfangreiches Basiswissen und realitätsnahe Reflexionsfelder.

Grundlagen – Reflexion – Haltung

Praxiswissen Führung

Karel Appel

Andreas Resch

Beiträge zur Innovationsgeschichte : Festschrift für Dieter Stiefel

Die vielen Gesichter des wirtschaftlichen Wandels

Thomas Luckmann

Qu’est-ce que le réel ? Comment le connaître ? Comment se produit l’articulation entre les faits objectifs et les significations subjectives ? Par quels processus un ensemble de typifications devient-il une réalité socialement établie ? Comment finissons-nous par vivre, au milieu de sociétés plurielles, dans un monde commun ? L'importance et le succès durable de ce livre majeur du constructivisme tiennent à la place unique qu’il occupe dans l’histoire de la théorie sociale. L'ouvrage, présenté par D. Martucelli et F. de Singly, s’enrichit d’une introduction inédite qui facilite la compréhension de ce texte exigeant.

Peter Berger

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