Chi Vu takes the central figure in a traditional Buddhist folktale, a deranged killer who wears his victims' fingers in a garland around his neck, and turns him into a menacing abbatoir worker who carries bloody chunks of meat home to his lodgings in plastic bags, in this suburban Gothic tale set in 1980s Melbourne, when the flight of Vietnamese refugees to Australia was at its height. The novella gives a compelling insight into the relations formed between refugees who have been displaced...

This two volume work examines the role of spiritual and religious traditions as a balancing force during times of crisis in organizational settings. Elucidating the varied ways in which spiritual/religious traditions provide new ways of coping in unprecedented times, the chapters provide an integrative review and critical analysis of recent research in the field. Bringing together an extraordinary compendium of religious/ spiritual traditions through a combination of Eastern and Western ap...

This two volume work examines the role of spiritual and religious traditions as a balancing force during times of crisis in organizational settings. Elucidating the varied ways in which spiritual/religious traditions provide new ways of coping in unprecedented times, the chapters provide an integrative review and critical analysis of recent research in the field. Bringing together an extraordinary compendium of religious/ spiritual traditions through a combination of Eastern and Western ap...

Major religious traditions have begun to reflect on sustainability concerns in their theology and practice. Little research, however, has explored the implications of this development for organizational behavior as well as secular thinkers and practitioners of sustainable development. This book elucidates the varied ways in which faith traditions provide new forms of coping mechanisms to deal with environmental challenges confronting humanity through an integrative review and critical anal...

Vu tells the story of Vietnamese farmers who have survived a 30-year war of independence and unification, its damaging legacies in their living environment, and the unfamiliar pressure of the market economy.Vietnamese famers are neither simply obedient beneficiaries of policy decisions made by higher authorities nor convention-ridden cyphers. Rather, they are sophisticated decision-makers capable of navigating the changes threatening to disrupt their lives over multiple generations...

Transforming the Lives of Impoverished Girls in Patriarchal SocietiesSince 2003 a privately funded high school in India has provided desperately needed education for girls from impoverished families in Lucknow, the capital and largest city in Uttar Pradesh. Urvashi Sahni, the founder of Prerna Girls School, has written a compelling narrative of how this modest school in northeast India has changed the lives of more than 5,000 girls and their families. Most important...

The power of capital is the power to target our attention, mould market-ready identities, and reduce the public realm to an endless series of choices. This has far-reaching implications for our psychological, physical and spiritual well-being, and ultimately for our global ecology. In this consumer age, the underlying teachings of Buddhist mindfulness offer more than individual well-being and resilience. They also offer new sources of critical inquiry into our collective condition, and may...

Disrupting White Mindfulness offers a timely commentary on the dominant narratives that shape the mindfulness industry - whiteness, postracialism and neoliberalism. Its positioning as ‘apolitical’ forges institutions that fit comfortably into increasingly divided societies. The race-gender profile of these institutions reveals a White, middle-class profile of decision-makers, educators and staff that is mirrored in its audiences. Mechanisms that recycle the industry’s whiteness in...

The steady increase in economic, social, environmental and political hardships experienced by many around the globe has led, in recent years, to a corresponding growth in the importance ascribed to finding meaning in life, and to addressing the bigger questions. As deliverers of care and assistance to people across many different faiths and cultures whose lives are impacted directly by these hardships, current and future social workers must learn to apply concepts of spirituality in their ...

"Through themes of aging, pleasure, intuition, and emotional expression, Herrington invites a return to the body as a trusted partner rather than something to conquer or correct." —BooklistUntangle from patriarchal Christian attitudes toward women, and tap into the deep well of feminine wisdom.Christian patriarchy teaches that women are dangerous, manipulative, and untrustworthy. Whether painting women as the archetypal old witch i...

Students, parents, and educators at all levels are increasingly frustrated, demoralized, burned out, and discontented with education and schooling today. At no previous time has it been more necessary to revitalize hope in the promise of education or to reestablish joy in teaching and learning than the current moment. In this timely and inspirational volume, authors from diverse disciplines consider and affirm the many places across curriculum and context where hope and joy are or can be s...

Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Shalem Institute, this collection of experiential and academic essays offers modern contemplative reflections from new and renowned voices in spiritual leadership.Founded in 1973 by the Rev. Dr. Tilden H. Edwards, Jr., Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation offers retreats, workshops, and groups centered around contemplative spirituality. The culmination of half a century of charitable ministry, this commemorative antholo...