The matador flourishes his cape; the bull charges; the crowd cheers: this is the image of Spain best known to the world. But while the bull has long been a symbol of Spanish culture; it carries more meaning than has previously been recognized. In this book; anthropologist Carrie B. Douglass views bulls and bullfighting as a means of discussing fundamental oppositions in Spanish society and explains the political significance of those issues for one of Europe's most regionalized countries. In talking about bulls and bullfighting; observes Douglass; one ends up talking not only about differences in region; class; and politics in Spain but also about that country's ongoing struggle between modernity and tradition. She relates how Spaniards and outsiders see bullfighting as representative of a traditional; irrational Spain contrasted with a more civilized Europe; and she shows how Spaniards' ambivalence about bullfighting is actually a way of expressing ambivalence about the loss of traditional culture in a modern world. To fully explore the symbolism of bulls and bullfighting; Douglass offers an overview of Spain's fiesta cycle; in which the bull is central. She broadly and meticulously details three different fiestas through ethnographic fieldwork conducted over a number of years; delineating the differences in festivals held in different regions. She also shows how a cycle of these fiestas may hold the key to resolving some of Spain's fundamental political contradictions by uniting the different regions of Spain and reconciling opposing political camps--the right; which holds that there is one Spain; and the left; which contends that there are many. Bulls; Bullfighting; and Spanish Identities is an intriguing study of symbolism used to examine the broader anthropological issues of identity and nationhood. Through its focus on the political discourse of bulls and bullfighting; it makes an original contribution to understanding not only Spanish politics but also Spain's place in the modern world.
#1750654 in Books A Nizar Hamzeh 2004-12-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.20 x .78 x 6.24l; .95 #File Name: 0815630530242 pagesIn the Path of Hizbullah
Review
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Essential for understanding HezbollahBy Lee L.With "In the Path of Hizbullah;" Ahmad Nizar Hamzeh has produced one of the most detailed and in-depth accounts of what is quite possibly the most powerful force in Lebanon today. Hamzeh forgoes the history surrounding Hezbollah's formation and immediately dives into the mechanics of the group. What you'll find here is an up-close look at how Hezbollah operates and how it is organized.Hamzeh's main thesis states that Hezbollah's goal of establishing on Islamic order in Lebanon has not changed from the group's inception. What has changed however; are the methods employed by the group to achieve this goal. Hamzeh shows that when conditions are favorable; the group will employ more militant methods. This was the case during the relative chaos of the 80s. When militant methods become ineffective; as they did in the 90s and continuing presently; Hezbollah adopts a more pragmatic approach. Through this analysis; Hamzeh shows that the Lebanese political structure is the only factor that can really affect Hezbollah's range of action. If the state is strong enough to contain Hezbollah; the group becomes less effective. On the other hand; if the state is weak or nonexistent; Hezbollah can get away with much more. Hamzeh also provides a wealth of information on how the group is structured. He provides an inside look at the chain of command; committees; financial organization; as well as the impact of third party influences such as Iran and Syria.Hamzeh's book is not for the novice. A prior understanding of Hezbollah and its history is required before getting into the specifics provided here. As such; Norton's short history of Hezbollah is a good place to start before moving on to Hamzeh. These two books taken together go a long way in shedding light on what type of group Hezbollah is and what to expect from the group in the future. Hamzeh leaves his personal feelings out of his work; which is commendable; and the end result is much more helpful and more balanced in tone than Harik's book.0 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Great bookBy BleuBirdI have read a lot of material on Hizbullah and this book; while a little out dated; provides a great intro into the organization. I highly recommend this along with Hezbollah: The Global Footprint of Lebanon's Party of God by Matthew Levitt and Hizbullah's Identity Construction by Joseph Alagha.0 of 1 people found the following review helpful. A concise narrative on HizballahBy PatriotThis is a short; well researched and concisely written book on Lebanese Hizballah (LH).I recommend it highly for those of us who do not have lots of time to read lengthy and overly verbose books.
