The question of modernity and the problem of cultural Identity have been intensively debate from various points views. Three concepts of identity have been appreciated and emerged from lively deliberations during this discourse. First concept being essentialist concept of identity has been defined to be one which is generated throgh self-experience as self-evident. The second being post-modern concept referred to as one which is independent of socio-influences and likewise the theird concept as realized in recent times is one that is based on realist view of identity. According to this view identity is fundamental element of social-liberation and oppression. The book presents these three views of identity and their possible role in obviating and addressing the problems with possible alternatives. If so implemented how they could bring the social, individual and eventual leads in the society. this book will certainly present a number of new solutions tjo the existing (current) problems.

This book presents a critical analysis of the relation between sociological theory and recent debates in cultural studies. A distinctive sociological perspective is developed based on the work of Marx, Weber, Bourdieu and Bakhtin. The book examines the problems of theorising issues such as modernity, mass culture and postmodernity by advocating a historical and context-based approach.

`This book was radically challenging when it was first published, and is only more so today as the concept of consumer collapses under the weight of its many meanings' - Madeleine Bunting, Columnist, The Guardian Western-style consumerism appears unstoppable. Yet it is has failed to deliver greater happiness and is now facing major environmental, population and political challenges. This book examines the key Western traditions of thinking about and being a consumer. Each chapter posits a consumer model with examples from the international community. Readers are invited to enter an exciting and radical analysis of contemporary consumerism which suggests that consumerism is fragile and consumers unpredictable. Updated with new material, this Second Edition looks at the impact of new technologies on consumerism and the consolidation of consumerism and 'consumer' language in spheres like education and health. The authors discuss the spread of consumerism to developing countries like India and the effect of demographic change and migration. The fallout from 9/11 and United States military hegemony is examined, as is the influence on consumerism of Islamic fundamentalism, the anti-globalization movement, environmental concerns and depleting natural resources. This book is of interest to advanced undergraduate, postgraduate and MBA students taking courses on behaviour, buyer behaviour, customer behaviour, consumers and society and retailing. Any one interested in better understanding consumerism will also find this book a fascinating read.

Formations is a comprehensive textbook designed for students moving to a deeper engagement with the media studies. The original essays are organized around the broad themes of public knowledge, cultural identity, broadcasting, film, and pop tech. An introductory section explores the fundamentals of the field and a section on method examines how knowledge is constructed within media studies. Throughout, the material is structured into a combination of case studies and integrative essays, punctuated at key moments by "stop and think" advice aimed directly at students. With contributions well-known scholars, Formations offers a deep engagement with issues, theories, and methods, especially new technologies transforming landscapes of popular culture.

Deals with the modern predicament of the Rabha (or Kocha) people, one of India;s indigenous peoples, traditionally practising shifting cultivation in the jungle tracts situated where the Himalayan mountains meet the plains of Bengal. When the area came under British rule and was converted into tea gardens and reserved forests, Rabhas were forced to become labourers under the forest department. Today, large-scale illegal deforestation and the global interest in wildlife conservation once again jeopardize their survival. Karlsson describes the development of the Rabha people, their ways of coping with the colonial regime of scientific forestry and the depletion of the forest, as well as with present day concerns for wilderness and wildlife restoration and preservation. Central points relate to the construction of identity as a form of subaltern resistance, the Rabha;s ongoing conversion to Christianity and their ethnic mobilisation, and the agency involved in the construction of cultural or ethnic identities.

First Published in 2004. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

On the Rhetoric of Defining Confucianism as a Religion tackles the perennially controversial question of whether Confucianism is a religion and proposes a holistic and contextual approach to the issue.

The contributors consider how Canada's religious experience is distinctive in the modern world, somewhere between the largely secularized Europe and the relatively religious United States.

Anthony Giddens is widely recognized as one of the most important sociologists of the post-war period. This is the first full-length work to examine Giddens' social theory. It guides the reader through Giddens' early attempt to overcome the duality of structure and agency. He saw this duality as a major failing of social theories of modernity. His attempt to resolve the problem can be regarded as the key to the development of his brandmark `structuration theory'. The book is the most complete and thorough assessment of Giddens' work currently available. It incorporates insights from many different perspectives into his theory of structuration, his work on the formation of cultural identities and the fate of the nation-state. This fa