Sri Lanka at the Crossroads of History
Sri Lanka at the Crossroads of History

Author: Zoltán Biedermann

Publisher: UCL Press

Published: 2017-06-07

Total Pages: 357

ISBN-13: 1911307827

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The peoples of Sri Lanka have participated in far-flung trading networks, religious formations, and Asian and European empires for millennia. This interdisciplinary volume sets out to draw Sri Lanka into the field of Asian and Global History by showing how the latest wave of scholarship has explored the island as a ‘crossroads’, a place defined by its openness to movement across the Indian Ocean.Experts in the history, archaeology, literature and art of the island from c.500 BCE to c.1850 CE use Lankan material to explore a number of pressing scholarly debates. They address these matters from their varied disciplinary perspectives and diverse array of sources, critically assessing concepts such as ethnicity, cosmopolitanism and localisation, and elucidating the subtle ways in which the foreign may be resisted and embraced at the same time. The individual chapters, and the volume as a whole, are a welcome addition to the history and historiography of Sri Lanka, as well as studies of the Indian Ocean region, kingship, colonialism, imperialism, and early modernity.

The Desclergues of la Villa Ducal de Montblanc, Second Edition Omnibus
The Desclergues of la Villa Ducal de Montblanc, Second Edition Omnibus

Author: Nico F. Declercq

Publisher: Nico F. Declercq

Published: 2024-06-23

Total Pages: 2090

ISBN-13: 9083176940

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The Desclergues of la Villa Ducal de Montblanc (2nd edition) is a comprehensive ancestral chronicle, meticulously tracing the Desclergues family lineage from the Greek era through the Villa Ducal de Montblanc in Tarragona to the present in Belgium. This omnibus edition compiles the entire acclaimed series, offering an exhaustive account of the Desclergues of Montblanc alongside the author's other ancestral lines, including de Patin, de Patin de Langemark, Lesage, Benoit, Den Dauw, 't Kint, Surmont, de Croock, Ardan, Lammens, Decaestecker, and de Silva of Uduwara in Sri Lanka. This scholarly work is enriched by a comprehensive DNA analysis, providing genetic depth to the historical narrative. Each family line is intricately contextualized within its historical setting, with facsimile images of archival records offering tangible evidence of the past. This beautifully illustrated book presents a visually engaging experience, enhancing historical insights and making it an invaluable resource for students, historians, and anyone passionate about genealogical studies. Nico Felicien Declercq, a full professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology, is a distinguished scholar. With a Ph.D. from Ghent University and an MSc from the Catholic University of Leuven, his prolific academic career encompasses numerous published works. His passion for history and genealogy led him to meticulously document his ancestral lineage, culminating in this comprehensive work. Professor Declercq's interdisciplinary approach and dedication to rigorous research have earned him a reputation for excellence in the scientific community and among genealogical enthusiasts. He is also the author of several philosophical novels published under a pseudonym.

Mountain at a Center of the World
Mountain at a Center of the World

Author: Alexander McKinley

Publisher: Columbia University Press

Published: 2024-02-27

Total Pages: 219

ISBN-13: 0231558503

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At the pilgrimage site of Adam’s Peak in Sri Lanka, a footprint is embedded atop the mountain summit. Buddhists hold that it was left by the Buddha, Hindus say Lord Siva, and Muslims and Christians identify it with Adam, the first man. The Sri Lankan state, for its part, often uses the Peak as a prop to convey a harmonious image of religious pluralism, despite increasing Buddhist hegemony. How should the diversity of this place be understood historically and managed practically? Considering the varied heritage of this sacred site, Alexander McKinley develops a new account of pluralism based in political ecology, representing the full array of actors and issues on the mountain. From its diverse people to rare species to deep geology, the Peak exemplifies a planetary pluralism that recognizes a multiplicity of beings while accepting competition and disorder. Taking a place-based approach, McKinley casts the mountain as an actor, exploring how its rocks, forests, and waters promote pilgrimage, inspire storytelling, and make ethical demands on human communities. Combining history and ethnography while furnishing original translations of sources from Pali, Sinhala, and Tamil, this multidisciplinary and stylistically innovative book shows how religious traditions share literal common ground in their reverence for the mountain.