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Readers will find that this is the only general book on Vietnamese culture in English written by specialists. McLeod and Nguyen, historians specializing in Vietnam engagingly show the various forces of Vietnamese culture in narrative chapters on the land, people, and language;

Modern Egypt blends African history and geography with Arab culture and religion.

Ideal for high school and undergraduate students, this addition to the Culture and Customs of Africa series examines the contemporary cultures and traditions of modern Gambia, from religious customs to literature to cuisine and much more.

The volume is further enhanced by a chronology, guide to pronunciation, glossary, suggested readings, numerous photos, and volume map. China is ever-important on the global stage as the world's second-largest and most populous country.

The blend of Mayan and Ladino cultural identities that shape Guatemala today permeates Shea's discussion of history, religion, social customs, media, literature, cinema, performing arts, and contemporary art.

Chapters on the land, people, and history, religion, social customs, gender, family, and marriage, cinema and media, literature, food and fashion, architecture and art, and performing arts are current and pleasurable to read.

Students and other interested readers finally have a solid resource that describes the breadth of the evolving modern Australian society.

Culture and Customs of Iran rejects facile stereotyping and presents the rich, age-old Persian culture that struggles with pressures of the modern world. Authoritative, substantive narrative chapters cover the gamut of topics, from religion and religious thought to Iranian cuisine and festivals.

A clear historical overview of Palestine, the diaspora, and the conflict is provided, and the history colours the rest of the narrative, addressing crucial aspects of Palestinian society. Palestinians struggle to retain their traditions.

This volume overviews the current social, cultural, and political scene of both countries, so that general readers come away with a solid understanding of where the Czechs and Slovaks have been and where they are going. The land, people, and history chapter lays the groundwork for the rest of the narrative.

Although Liberia had existed as an independent African nation and a symbol of hope to the African peoples under the rule of various colonial powers, its recent history has been bedeviled by a prolonged upheaval following a military coup d'etat in 1980.

Zambia stands out in Africa as one of the continent's most peaceful countries. The interesting ways that tradition and modernity conflict and combine in contemporary Zambia are prime considerations in this book. This book explores Zambia's culture, with an eye toward its historical experiences and its particular endowments.

This insider's account of Colombia's culture and customs helps the reader develop a balanced view of Colombian life today.

An examination of the social and cultural institutions of Argentine society. It focuses on specific topics in an attempt to characterize important forms of cultural production in Argentina in terms of major works, major artists, and major venues.

Indonesia comprises more than 17,000 islands stretching on either side of the equator for nearly 4,000 miles and hundreds of ethnic groups. This book reveals the remarkable social, religious, and geographical differences that exist from island to island. It also reveals local people's own ideas of their identities and pasts.

Angola has been brutalized by the civil war, which only ended in 1992. The human cost of the war can be counted in the enormous loss of life and large-scale population displacement and in the continued postwar deaths and serious injuries inflicted by mines.

Throughout its history Nicaragua has been plagued by corruption, social and racial inequality, civil unrest, and foreign interference. Yet despite being the second poorest nation in South America, Nicaragua maintains a rich and vibrant culture that reflects its strong Catholic devotion, diverse indigenous roots, and overwhelming zest for life.

The Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are thriving after hundreds of years of German colonization, numerous wars of conquest, and demographic Russification.

The decades-long civil war ended in 1992 in Mozambique, a southeastern African nation once ruled by the Portuguese The country now attracts foreign investment and has one of the fastest-growing economies in Africa.

A blend of indigenous life in the rural countryside and metropolitan culture in urban centers, Senegal has been a small, yet prominent country on Africa's western coast. In this comprehensive study of contemporary Senegalese life, readers will learn how daily lifestyles are celebrated through both religious and secular customs.

This insightful survey of the contemporary scene is a one-stop resource for country study reports, general reading, and travel preparation. Scanlan excels at portraying the vibrancy of Ireland, which has undergone a remarkable transformation since the 1980s and is now the second-wealthiest country in the European Union.

Syria has served as a major crossroads in the Middle East since prehistoric times, leaving it open to change and passing customs from other societies. Syria's melting pot of cultures has led it to become an ethnically diverse country, sometimes leading to turbulence among other countries as well as within its own borders.

Kenya, a land of safaris, wild animals, and Maasai warriors, perfectly represents Africa for many Westerners. This peerless single-source book presents the contemporary reality of life in Kenya, an important East-African nation that has served as a crossroads for peoples and cultures from Africa, the Middle East, and East Asia for centuries.

After more than a decade of reunification, it is time for a fresh update on the ever-important nation of Germany. Bernstein, a German native, judiciously surveys the German way of life in an historical context. The information on the former East Germany brings their integration and struggles into a well-rounded portrait. Highlights of the narrative chapters also include discussion of the immigrant population and its effects on the national image, little-known customs for students, the shifting roles of women, and, of course, the magnificent cultural achievements of Germans past and present.

The Central Asian Republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan won their independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The modern culture and customs of the various peoples in these geopolitical hotspots, straddling the far reaches of Europe into Asia, are revealed to a general audience for the first time.

The decades of independence in Ghana have strengthened the idea of a national Ghanaian culture.

This is the essential reference source to turn to for solid insight into Uganda. The wealth of detail in the coverage of the subjects above plus the land, people, history, literature, architecture/housing, cuisine, dress, gender roles, social customs and lifestyle, provides readers with broad sense of the country and its inhabitants.

In each topical chapter, examples from ethnic groups are presented to give some sense of the variety of experiences. Cameroon has had a turbulent and eventful modern history with German, English, and French incursions, and students and general readers will be able to understand the current struggle for democracy post independence.

Through chapters on history and people, religion, social customs, broadcasting and print media, literature, performing arts, and the arts and architecture, Culture and Customs of Chile will introduce Chile to a wider audience who can appreciate its understated charms.

The city is marked by lifestyles reflecting the prevalence of small business activities and increasing cultural sycretism of customs from different parts of the Congo and Western imports.