A dazzling account of the men (and occasional woman) who led the world’s empires, a book that probes the essence of leadership and power through the centuries and around the world. From the rise of Sargon of Akkad, who in the third millennium BCE ruled what is now Iraq and Syria, to the collapse of the great European empires in the twentieth century, the empire has been the dominant form of power in history. Dominic Lieven’s expansive book explores strengths and failings of the human beings who held those empires together (or let them crumble). He projects the power, terror, magnificence, and confidence of imperial monarchy, tracking what they had in common as well as what made some rise to glory and others fail spectacularly, and at what price each destiny was reached. Lieven’s characters—Constantine, Chinggis Khan, Trajan, Suleyman, Hadrian, Louis XIV, Maria Theresa, Peter the Great, Queen Victoria, and dozens more—come alive with color, energy, and detail: their upbringings, their loves, their crucial spouses, their dreadful children. They illustrate how politics and government are a gruelling business: a ruler needed stamina, mental and physical toughness, and self-confidence. He or she needed the sound judgement of problems and people which is partly innate but also the product of education and experience. A good brain was essential for setting priorities, weighing conflicting advice, and matching ends to needs. A diplomatically astute marriage was often even more essential. Emperors (and the rare empresses) could be sacred symbols, warrior kings, political leaders, chief executive officers of the government machine, heads of a family, and impresarios directing the many elements of "soft power" essential to any regime’s survival. What was it like to live and work in such an extraordinary role? What qualities did it take to perform this role successfully? Lieven traces the shifting balance among these elements across eras that encompass a staggering array of events from the rise of the world’s great religions to the scientific revolution, the expansion of European empires across oceans, the great twentieth century conflicts, and the triumph of nationalism over imperialism. The rule of the emperor may be over, but Lieven shows us how we live with its poltical and cultural legacies today.

When her seismic exposé of religious abuses lands on the best-seller list, Professor Mira Veron becomes a darling of the literati and a target for religious extremists and culture-warriors alike. With her soon-to-be-ex-husband scheming to undermine her, her opportunistic agent attempting to cash in on her name, and a seductive born-again assassin tracking her every move, she meets up with a publishing tycoon who is guarding a volatile secret. Veron is drawn into an underground network by the promise of cataclysmic religious revelations only to watch as her new associates mysteriously die, one by one. Under siege by forces seen and unseen, she embarks on a desperate quest for answers. Now she must choose between defending her work and defending her life. Fans of Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens, Dan Brown and Minette Walters will enjoy this suspenseful exploration of religion and politics, atheism and evangelism, secularism and domestic terrorism, in twenty-first century America.

Much has changed since publication of the first edition of this established text in the sociology of religion. Revised and expanded, this edition emphasizes new patterns of religious change and conflict emerging in the United States in the latter part of the twentieth century. Leading scholars describe and analyze developments in five main areas: The fundamentalist and evangelical revival; challenge and renewal in mainline churches; spiritual innovation and the so-called New Age; women's movements and issues and their impact; and politics and civil religion. Chapters include an examination of religious movements' responses to AIDS; Christian schools; quasi-religions; healing rites and goddess worship; recruitment of women to charismatic and Hassidic groups,; televangelists and the Christian Right; racist rural populism; contemporary Mormonism and its growth; cults and brainwashing; Jonestown; dissidence in the Catholic church; and trance-channeling, among other topics. A new introductory chapter by the editors establishes an integrating framework in terms of three themes: increasing conflict and controversy associated with American religion; increasing focus on various forms of power in American religion; and challenges to models of secularization and modernization inherent in religious revival, innovation, and politicization. A concluding chapter by the editors looks at new trends and assesses their possible impact in coming years. Like its predecessor, this outstanding collection is a significant contribution to the literature as well as a valuable resource for the classroom.

Experience a more intimate walk with God As you journey through this Bible from cover to cover, the NIV Discover God’s Heart Devotional Bible will help you through tough spots such as Numbers and Leviticus while giving you deeper understanding of the Scriptures and connecting you with the heart of its Author. You'll experience rich insights into the original contexts of Scripture, and God's heart will be unveiled in new ways. This Bible includes 312 engaging devotions to serve as your tour guide, walking you through Genesis to Revelation in manageable portions. Each devotion includes a summary section of the Scripture passage, an application section that reveals God's good heart, and an insight section that ties each passage into the rest of God's great story. As you experience God's Word through this NIV devotional Bible, you'll see his divine fingerprints from beginning to end, even in the most unexpected places - and you'll encounter a deeper, fuller picture of the Jesus you thought you knew. Whether you are starting out on your first steps or a seasoned traveler, let the NIV Discover God's Heart Devotional Bible open your eyes to God's good heart. Features: Complete text of the accurate, readable, and clear New International Version (NIV) 312 engaging devotions

How can local experiences and the social transformation generated by modernity help to enrich our understanding of the international? What might a version of the much-discussed "non-Western International Relations (IR)" look like? What continuities and discontinuities from the Philippine experience in particular can be useful for understanding other post-colonial polities? The Philippines makes a fascinating case study of a medium-sized, developing, post-colonial, multi-ethnic and multi-cultural state in Southeast Asia. Cruz, Adiong and their contributors map horizons of non-Western approaches in Philippine experiences of IR, rooted in the Global South, and in local customs and practice. Examining both theory and praxis, they explore issues as diverse as pre-colonial history, diplomacy, religion, agrarian reform and the Philippines’ relationship with key regions in the Global South. The book will appeal to researchers interested in Southeast Asian Studies and alternative perspectives on IR.

Were human beings created by powers from outer space? Did extraterrestrial giants build the megaliths of Malta and the menhirs of Brittany? Was the Ark of the Covenant a machine built by the astronaut gods? In Signs of the Gods? Erich von Däniken travels far and wide around the globe to study the many strange phenomena that all point to one conclusion---that many thousands of years ago, Earth was visited by a race of superhuman powers and intelligence.The questions he addresses along the way include: Why are the religious sites in Greece all laid out in the same geometrical pattern---a pattern which is repeated throughout the world? Does the extraordinary longevity of the ancient Sumerian kings mean that the Land of the Two Rivers was ruled by a race of supermen? Could the first men have been produced by cloning? Do the great ruins of Zimbabwe point to an impossibly detailed knowledge of astronomy? Erich von Däniken's Chariots of the Gods provoked a worldwide storm of controversy. In Signs of the Gods? he produces powerful arguments to support his theory of astronaut gods, with evidence that is difficult to explain any other way. Hear what he has to say with an open mind---and you may find yourself agreeing with him.

Global Secularisms addresses the state of and prospects for secularism globally. Drawing from multiple fields, it brings together theoretical discussion and empirical case studies that illustrate "on-the-ground," extant secularisms as they interact with various religious, political, social, and economic contexts. Its point of departure is the fact that secularism is plural and that various secularisms have developed in various contexts and from various traditions around the world. Secularism takes on different social meanings and political valences wherever it is expressed. The essays collected here provide numerous points of contact between empirical case studies and theoretical reflection. This multiplicity informs and challenges the conceptual theorization of secularism as a universal doctrine. Analyses of different regions enrich our understanding of the meanings of secularism, providing comparative range to our notions of secularity. Theoretical treatments help to inform our understanding of secularism in context, enabling readers to discern what is at stake in the various regional expressions of secularity globally. While the bulk of the essays are case-based research, the current thinking of leading theorists and scholars is also included.