History: Reference Materials

There are many stories we can tell about the past, and we are not, perhaps, as free as we might imagine in our choice of which stories to tell, or where those stories end. John Arnold's Very Short Introduction is a stimulating essay about how we study and understand history. The book beginsby inviting us to think about various questions provoked by our investigation of history, and explores the ways these questions have been answered in the past. Concepts such as causation, interpretation, and periodization, are introduced by means of concrete examples of how historians work, givingthe reader a sense of the excitement of discovering not only the past, but also ourselves.

Features coverage of every Native American culture that exists today in the United States and Canada. In addition, there is full coverage of such diverse groups as Cajuns, African Americans, Amish, Mormons and Latinos.

"Political and cultural changes throughout the world in recent years - caused by the breakdown of empires, new alliances, and demands for independence or autonomy - have created a need for reliable information on the many and diverse peoples and ethnic groups involved. Never before has the study of peoples and cultures been as popular as it is today. And never before have the names of so many "unknown" groups of peoples been discussed in the media." "The Encyclopedia of the Peoples of the World allows us to examine the ethnic infrastructure underlying economic, social, and political change. It is essential for assessing the news intelligently and becoming more aware of the cultures that surround us." "Edited and written by a distinguished team of international scholars, the encyclopedia contains more than 2,000 alphabetical entries on all peoples and ethnic groups of the world. Each entry includes the common, indigenous, or self-designated name of the group; geographical location; population; language; religion; and history when relevant or known." "The concise and clearly written entries are supplemented with 250 black-and-white maps and 48 pages of color illustrations. Many of the maps pinpoint little-known peoples and groups located in areas that do not correspond to official state boundaries. The maps are an invaluable tool for comparing neighboring ethnic groups and locating peoples who have been made famous by the evening news. The color illustrations and photographs represent culture, costume, environment, art, architecture, and people, and are spread throughout the book."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved