Maldives

This volume of Princeton Readings in Religions brings together the work of more than thirty scholars of Islam and Muslim societies in South Asia to create a rich anthology of primary texts that contributes to a new appreciation of the lived religious and cultural experiences of the world's largest population of Muslims. The thirty-four selections--translated from Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Bengali, Tamil, Gujarati, Hindavi, Dakhani, and other languages--highlight a wide variety of genres, many rarely found in standard accounts of Islamic practice, from oral narratives to elite guidance manuals, from devotional songs to secular judicial decisions arbitrating Islamic law, and from political posters to a discussion among college women affiliated with an "Islamist" organization. Drawn from premodern texts, modern pamphlets, government and organizational archives, new media, and contemporary fieldwork, the selections reflect the rich diversity of Islamic belief and practice in South Asia. Each reading is introduced with a brief contextual note from its scholar-translator, and Barbara Metcalf introduces the whole volume with a substantial historical overview.

Afghanistan is one of many South Asian countries appearing in daily headlines, as it attempts to rebuild its society, including its educational system, after decades of war. Sri Lanka, devastated by the tsunami of 2004, and parts of Pakistan and Northern India, coping with the aftereffects of a major earthquake, are also also struggling for teachers, classrooms, supplies, and a sense of normalcy for their students. This volume, part of the Schooling Around the World series, provides readers with a history and survey of education in eight of the region's countries. It examines the Primary, Secondary, and Postsecondary levels of education, identifying the types of education available (public, private, tutoring, etc), any race, gender or social class issues that impact education, and major reforms taking place. Readers will find discussions of curriculum and teaching methods most helpful, as well as a special day in the life feature, which gives a personal look at what it's like for students attending school in that country today.

This is the most comprehensive photographic guide to the birds of India and the Indian subcontinent. Never before have so many of the region's species been illustrated in one book.

The brilliant photographs--most of which appear here for the first time--have been carefully selected to show not only the most common Passerine and non-Passerine species, but also more elusive species and distinctive subspecies. An up-to-date distribution map and a unique code indicating frequency and global status are provided for each of the 668 species covered. The concise text provides vital information on habitats, habits, and voice to ensure accurate identification.

Designed for easy use, the book places photos and maps in close proximity to provide an at-a-glance overview for each species. Birds are indexed by both their common and scientific names.

This is an essential volume for all birdwatchers and wildlife enthusiasts as well as for anyone traveling to India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Pakistan, Bangladesh, or Bhutan.

Bikram Grewal has written more than twenty books on India, including three guides to its birds. He is a biodiversity expert for the Indian government. Bill Harvey is a lifelong birdwatcher who has lived throughout the Indian subcontinent. He published the first authoritative checklist on the birds of Bangladesh as well as numerous articles and is a cofounder of the Northern Indian Bird Network. Otto Pfister is a wildlife photographer whose work has appeared in numerous publications. He has also published several illustrated articles on birds.

• Gorgeous full-color photographs
• Distribution maps for all species
• Abundance icons
• Photographs, text, and maps in close proximity for at-a-glance overview
• Expert text aids species identification