Product Description
Culture Smart! provides essential information on attitudes, beliefs and behavior in different countries, ensuring that you arrive at your destination aware of basic manners, common courtesies, and sensitive issues. These concise guides tell you what to expect, how to behave, and how to establish a rapport with your hosts. This inside knowledge will enable you to steer clear of embarrassing gaffes and mistakes, feel confident in unfamiliar situations, and develop trust, friendships, and successful business relationships.

Culture Smart! offers illuminating insights into the culture and society of a particular country. It will help you to turn your visit-whether on business or for pleasure-into a memorable and enriching experience. Contents include:

* customs, values, and traditions
* historical, religious, and political background
* life at home
* leisure, social, and cultural life
* eating and drinking
* do's, don'ts, and taboos
* business practices
* communication, spoken and unspoken

"Culture Smart has come to the rescue of hapless travellers." Sunday Times Travel

"... the perfect introduction to the weird, wonderful and downright odd quirks and customs of various countries." Global Travel

"...full of fascinating-as well as common-sense-tips to help you avoid embarrassing faux pas." Observer

"...as useful as they are entertaining." Easyjet Magazine

"...offer glimpses into the psyche of a faraway world." New York Times ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Nepal-culture smart: a quick guide to customs and etiquett
I purchased this book before traveling to Nepal on a medical mission earlier this year. If you only have time to read one book about Nepal-this should be the one! Written by a woman who lived in Nepal for two years,Ms.Feller captures everything you need to know to prepare you for the culture of this fascinating country. Had I not read the book, I would have been unaware of the significance of unusual details i.e. extra long fingernail,body language-sideways rocking of the head,etc. The book is small and easy to pack.
Barbara
May 2009 ... Read more

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Explores in pictures and text the cultural history and religious practices that still pervade everyday life for the major ethnic groups that inhabit this remote and fascinating mountain country. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

_Re-theorizing Religion in Nepal_ Grieve's powerful study
Re-theorizing Religion in Nepal
Palgrave Macmillan (Series: Religion/Culture/Critique)
November 2006
208 Pages

Gregory Price Grieve's Re-theorizing Religion in Nepal is an engaging and thought-provoking study of religion in Nepal, with important insights for the study of religion and culture broadly conceived. What becomes so appealing about Grieve's text is its opening and challenging of many theoretical concepts, philosophies and strategies both inside and outside the academy today. While it is almost impossible to lay out the complex working and performative strategies of Grieve's work here, I would like to pause and remind the reader that Grieve's work simultaneously performs the thing that it analyses and critiques, the fact that the book's chapters are structured as one would create a mandala is only the most obvious example of what will draw a wide and intellectually engaged readership to this important work. But, for the sake of brevity, here, I would like to address three interrelated lines of inquiry that Grieve sets into operation:

First, the core of the work is ethnographic research concerning lived religion in Nepal, centering on the famous city of Bhaktapur in the Kathmandu valley. We have here the careful and thought provoking field work that took many years to complete, both at The University of North Carolina and the University of Chicago. Grieve draws upon interviews, theoretical observations, archival materials, websites and his experience studying how to make mandalas--it should be noted that he himself, is now somewhat of an accomplished mandala painter. He covers a wide range of Nepali concepts and practices, including the natures of persons, gods and god-images (statues, paintings, costumes), ritual practices including sacrifice and dance, and communal relations. His analysis attends closely to native terms such as karma, puja, shakti, and others. What becomes important is how Grieve's reading of these terms challenges the discipline of the theory of religion and also opens up crucial and broader questions for culture studies and critical theory. Grieve opens up the field by problematizing the concept of the "Book," and thereby expands not just what academics think about, but how they think.

Second, based on that research, Grieve makes significant advances in the theory of religion. He highlights the importance of "prosaic" religious practices, the everyday religion of people in a city, in contrast with the "scripturalist" bias that scholars bring to the study of religion in South Asia. Grieve argues against the presupposition that Nepali religion today (or any religion, I think) can be well-understood only through canonical or elite written sources, and uses his theoretical dexterity, often subtly understanding, to deconstruct the canon. In this way, he focuses upon the common and physical dimensions of religion, the important practices of everyday life. But, the reader then runs into a complication, as Grieve does not simply replace the everyday or quotidian from the canonical. Instead, we witness, through his lucid descriptions, how Bhaktapur and the various rituals resist and play with any intervention, categorical or otherwise. Thus, in this way, he draws upon material from classical books and elite thinkers, but these are balanced and contrasted with critical historical work, observation of daily activities as well as festivals, and interviews with people from diverse parts of Nepali society. The result is an account of religion in Bhaktapur that reveals complexity, irony, and contestation at every level of practice.

Third, framing all of this are subtle reflections concerning scholarship itself. Grieve is very attentive to the engagement between scholars (including himself) and Nepali society. He shows how prior scholarship has affected development projects in Bhaktapur. He notes that people he interviews have often read the same books that offers a critique of, and they sometimes even pull out those books when asked about their religion, playing against any readily available "arrest" or anticipation of what they should be saying or doing. He discusses cases when people are critical of past ethnographers' behaviors, or even asks them about religion so that they can "know what to tell the next ethnographer." Building on this awareness of cross-cultural interaction, Grieve argues that the scholar needs to be shaped by the culture studied, not only in the content presented, but also the form of presentation. To demonstrate this, as I mentioned above, the book is organized according to the process of making a mandala, thus modeling scholarly work on the creative work that generates Nepali religion. Each chapter begins with an evocative description of an element in the production of a mandala, and then the prose transitions in elegant ways to elements of religious activity in Bhaktapur. This style is very effective in that it performs what it does, setting into play an operation of "transformative critique," changing the relationship between ethnographer, Nepali, and the reader.

Grieve's ethnographic work is extremely perceptive, and he takes great care in how he presents the people he writes about. I have rarely read a scholarly book in which those another culture appears so savvy, witty, curious, and challenging. A child points at a stone and asks, "What is a god?" A secretary defines the complex concept of shakti by replying, "Shakti is shakti, stupid!" A sagely teacher explains sacrifice by asking Grieve, "Where were you the year before you were born?" Grieve does not romanticize such responses, as one so invested in the culture and people might be apt to do, but rather he exposits their complexity in relation to his own observations concerning religion and society. In other words, he theorizes with the people of Bhaktapur, not only about them, and he situates their comments and actions in his rich analytic framework.

Most distinctively, Grieve reveals a culture where people (and their gods) look back at "us," the readers, and talk. Nepalis comment on "Americans" and other tourists. They place Peace Corps volunteers in their parade floats. They paint ethnographers into their paintings. More generally, they are critically aware of the global environment with which they engage. Grieve draws this subtle ethnographic analysis into a critical reassessment of crucial academic concepts, not only about religion but tradition, history, modernity, development, and tourism. The book also shows great care in details, with intriguing quotes at the outset of the chapters, witty section titles, and very helpful figures and tables, which appeals, I am sure, to the ethnographer, as well as to those of us not directly trained in the field. Grieve's distinct mix of ethnography and theory, along with his reflexive sensitivity, make Re-theorizing Religion in Nepal a unique contribution for its intended audiences.

Frederick Young is a Senior Lecture in the School of Technoculture, Humanities and Planning, in the Department of Literature, Communication and Digital Media at the Blekinge Tekniska Högskola in Sweden. ... Read more

Product Description
You'll never feel intimidated and awkward about the customs and etiquette of another country again. With the insights provided in this CULTURE SHOCK! Guide, you'll learn to see beyond the stereotypes and misinformation that often precede a visit to a foreign land. Whether you plan to stay for a week or for a year, you'll benefit from such topics as understanding the rules of driving and monetary systems, religious practices and making friends. There are tips on political traditions, building business relationships, and the particular intricacies of setting up a home or office.Great for the business traveler, the foreign exchange student, or the tourist who makes a sincere attempt to cross the bridge into a new and exciting culture. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Fun, but out of date
I spent more time with this than any other travel or culture guide prior to arrival, and really enjoyed reading through it. It painted a picture of a country far less developed and westernized than you see in modern Pokhara or Kathmandu, however. Well worth checking out if you're going to be out in the middle of nowhere, but the book needs a substantial update before it'll be a decent prep for life in the capital city.

This book may answer some of your questions about Nepal
If you've visited Nepal but are left with more questions than answers, or if you plan to work or live in the country, this is a good book to read. The first 100 pages are a somewhat dry description of the many Nepali tribes and castes, their traditions, differences, and origins.
The next chapter "The Nepali life cycle", is fun to read, and enlightening, also in what concerns the status and life style of Nepali women. Take the following example: Hindu tradition poses high responsability on fathers to watch over their daughters; to sidestep this burden, the Newar people invented a trick. Surprising as it is, by marrying their daughters at the age of seven to the god Vishnu, and thus reducing any subsequent marriage to the status of "secondary marriage", there is no shame for the family if the daughter is not "pure" before marriage, and also divorce is possible for her. Also aspects of schooling and courtship are discussed.
The chapters are "Dealing with Nepalis" and "Close encounters", reflect the author's experience with handling projects in Nepal and may be very useful if you wish to set up a project in Nepal and to keep it running smoothly.

a manual with no soul...
Dry information:a description of Nepali's and their customs written as if they were apples, oranges and pears. Not completely uninteresting, but I will certainly suppliment this book with others ... Read more

Product Description
This is a book of great originality that analyses cultural change and experience of development in terms of the pursuit of the 'good life' as a social process. While recent anthropological critiques of development highlight the importance of 'local knowledge', this book argues that these critiques have not gone far enough, and suggests that a much more fundamental issue concerns the ends of development as seen from a more holistic, cultural perspective. Based on ethnographic research among an ethnic Tibetan community in the Nepal Himalaya, the book eloquently illustrates how the pursuit of the good life is inextricably tied to space and history, and demonstrates the relevance of ethno-historically generated conceptions of the 'good life' to the practice of development. ... Read more

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Nepal is the only officially Hindu kingdom in the world and remains so in spite of a revolution, or people's movement, in 1990 which overthrew the partyless Panchayat regime and instituted a multiparty constitutional monarchy. Since November 1994, it has also had an elected Communist government, the first of its kind in South Asia.
This volume takes a long-term view of the various processes of ethnic and national development that have been displayed, both before and after 1990. It brings together twelve carefully chosen ethnographic and historical chapters covering all of the major ethnic groups and regions of Nepal.
With its systematic coverage of different groups, this book demonstrates how similar trends of ethnic formation are affecting all parts of Nepal. Yet, within the boundaries of a single culturally diverse state, very different forms of ethnicity have emerged. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Book, but Why the Price?
The articles in this book are really well written and informative. I especially enjoyed Michael Hutt's article: "Being Nepali without Nepal: Reflections on a South Asian Diaspora". If you are interested in learning about Nepal and the intersections of Nationalism, Ethnicity, and Linguistic identity, I would highly recommend this book. However, why is it so expensive? I have it on loan from a library currently, and I'm looking into buying it, but there's no way I can afford that price. ... Read more

Product Description
Nepal has recently come to the attention to global strategic planners.This report puts these executives on the fast track.Ten chapters provide: an overview of how to strategically access this important market, a discussion on economic fundamentals, marketing & distribution options, export and direct investment options, and full risk assessments (political, cultural, legal, human resources).Ample statistical benchmarks and comparative graphs are given. ... Read more

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RANGES FROM AN EXPLORATION OF THE HINDU AND BUDDHIST SITES, PROMINENT ART GALLERIES, ARCHIVES TO AN ANALYTICAL INQUIRY INTO STATE OF ARTISTIC PRACTICES ... Read more

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With special attention to linguistic and literary configuration. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Contributions to Nepalese Studies, published by Research Centre for Nepal and Asian Studies on July 1, 2000. The length of the article is 7274 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The function and meaning of combs in the Newar culture (Nepal) (1).
Author: Sushila Manandhar Fischer
Publication: Contributions to Nepalese Studies (Refereed)
Date: July 1, 2000
Publisher: Research Centre for Nepal and Asian Studies
Volume: 27Issue: 2Page: 219(26)

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

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'I know of no other book which so effectively addresses the question of culture and development in the contemporary global scene and speaks to both planners and anthropologists alike.' David Holmberg, Cornell University 'An outstanding study of the impact of economic liberalisation in Nepali society.' Professor John Harriss, Director of the Development Studies Insitute, London School of Economics 'With this careful unpacking of the neo-liberal tenet that market access equals social opportunity Katharine Rankin makes a significant contribution to the vibrant growth of new research.' Katherine Gibson, The Australian National University 'A classic study of the interaction between market and non-market relations.' Ben Fine, Professor of Economics, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London This book is a study of the social embeddedness of markets, in an era when the ideology of the 'free market' governs development as much as trade.Using a wide theoretical framework that encompasses both anthropology and geography, Katharine Rankin critiques neoliberal approaches to development, showing that the capitalist market will always be linked to local social structures and cultures of value. Market-led development, therefore, does not necessarily expand opportunity; rather it can deepen existing injustic and inequality. Using the example of a 'traditional' Newar market town located in the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal, Rankin explores how the 'value' ascribed to social prestige relates to economic opportunity. Showing how those in subordinate social locations are positioned to critique inequality, Rankin argues that planners should pursue progressive notions of development that recognise the critical resources within culture. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Contributions to Nepalese Studies, published by Research Centre for Nepal and Asian Studies on January 1, 2009. The length of the article is 5851 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Art and Culture of Nepal: Selected Papers.(Book review)
Author: Kamal P. Malla
Publication: Contributions to Nepalese Studies (Magazine/Journal)
Date: January 1, 2009
Publisher: Research Centre for Nepal and Asian Studies
Volume: 36Issue: 1Page: 123(13)

Article Type: Book review

Distributed by Gale, a part of Cengage Learning ... Read more