How can an internationally recognized theory contribute towards the enrichment of your own life? In Between Dreaming and Recognition Seeking, Hubert J. M. Hermans, the creator of Dialogical Self Theory, applies this theory to his own life and explains how

This is the first book that probes the lived experiences of Chinese immigrant faculty in North American higher education institutions: their struggles, challenges, successes, etc. It explores how their past experiences in China have shaped who they are now, what they do and how they pursue their teaching, research, and service, as well as the reality of their everyday life that inevitably intertwines with their present and past diverse cultural backgrounds and unique experiences. Different from previous books that explore immigrant/minority faculty defined ambiguously and broadly and from the theoretical framework of ethnic relations, this book has a particular focus on mainland Chinese immigrant faculty, which offers a richer and deeper understanding of their cross-culture experiences through autoethnographic research and by multiple lenses. Through authors’ vivid portray of the ebbs and flows of their life in the academe, readers will gain an enjoyable and holistic knowledge of the cultural, political, linguistic, scholarly, and personal issues contemporary Chinese immigrant faculty encounter as they cross the border of multiple worlds. All contributors to this book had the experience of being the first-generation Chinese immigrants, and they either are currently teaching or used to teach in North American higher education institutions, who were born, brought up, educated in Mainland China and came to North America for graduate degrees from early 1980s to 2000.

This longitudinal study follows nineteen Swedish service members as they transition from military to civilian life, and grapple with their own questions of losing profound military identities, communities, meaning and purpose in life, in addition to exploring alternate cultural identities. The findings present existential, implicit religious and spiritual ways of reconsidering the uniform through new and/or preexisting identities. Dissertation. (Series: Religion and Biography / Religion und Biographie, Vol. 25) [Subject: Religious Studies, Swedish Studies, Military Studies]

A CHRISTIAN FROM EGYPT LIFE STORY RAMSIS F. GHALY, MD, FACS This is my life story as a Coptic Christian, born and raised in Egypt in an environment of limited opportunities and scarce resources, especially for Christian minorities. Seeking the promise opportunity, I came to the United States nearly 30 years ago as a young man. As I flew westward on the plane, it did not occur to me that I would become a prominent neurosurgeon with a practice in one of the great cities of America. Nor did I anticipate that I would ever be in a position to fight for save lives and fight for patients lives, protecting them from the specter of financial greed permeates the health care industry. This book chronicles my journey in America from my early struggles to get past closed doors to my current practice serving the mission set before me with uncompromising zeal and devotion. Eventually I became a prominent American neurosurgeon among the only 4000 active nationwide and the only one nationally and internationally to achieve five board certifications in five acknowledged medical disciplines. My story takes the reader through my first hand experiences through the eight health care systems, and Chicagos history of neuroscience over the last three decades, providing an in-depth view of the medical practices in the surrounding suburban communities. My book also includes the lessons that I have learned, my personal views and patient testimonials. What I have faced and seen since my plane landed in this country in 1984 is almost inexpressible. It is my sincere wish that others may find hope and inspiration from my story, as well as an understanding of the challenges that the healthcare industry faces today along with my own passion for excellence in neuroscience as I confront them. I owe my success to God, to my cherished parents, my teachers, my mentors and most importantly, my beloved patients.

This book is my life story, as a Coptic Christian, raised in Egypt. Where no one from my family has ever moved away for thousands of years through the rise and falls of ancient pharaohs and deep roots of ancient Christianity. It is also the story of my parents raising 10 children since 1953 in an environment of extreme poverty where resources and opportunities were limited with unrelenting prejudice towards Christian minorities. So, I came to the United States, the land of opportunity, and became a prominent American neurosurgeon among the only 4000 active nationwide and the only one nationally and internationally to achieve five board certifications in five acknowledged medical disciplines. I continue to practice and serve the mission set before me. My home land was once prosperous and rich in history. Over the centuries, it joined the downfall of the majority of the developing countries of the world through its economic crises and injustices to many. It was the land for the fathers of early Christians and the foundation for worldwide Christians. Now the Coptic Christians are considered a minority constituting a mere 10% of the population and are joining the exodus of ancient Christians from their native African continent. This book chronicles my journey from the land of history, the land of my birth, to the land of opportunity, America. It outlines the socioeconomic and political changes that Egypt has seen over the last century. It is my hope that others may find inspiration and understanding of my culture through reading this book. I owe it all to Christ, the Lord, my cherished parents, my family and friends, my teachers, my mentors, and especially my beloved patients.

Historically, the United States has been viewed by generations of immigrants as the land of opportunity, where through hard work one can prosper and make a better life. The American Dream is perhaps the United States’ most common export. For many Americans, though, questions remain about whether the American Dream can be achieved in the twenty-first century. Americans, faced with global competition and increased social complexity, wonder whether their dwindling natural resources, polarized national and local politics, and often unregulated capitalism can support the American Dream today. This book examines the ideas and experiences that have formed the American Dream, assesses its meaning for Americans, and evaluates its prospects for the future.

Instead of considering society as a social environment, Society in the Self begins from the assumption that society works in the deepest regions of self and identity, as expressed in phenomena like self-sabotage, self-radicalization, self-cure, self-government, self-nationalization, and self-internationalization. This leads to the central thesis that a democratic society can only function properly if it is populated by participants with a democratically organized self. In this book, an integrative model is presented that is inspired by three versions of democracy: cosmopolitan, deliberative, and agonistic democracy, with the latter focusing on the role of social power and emotions. Drawing on these democratic views, three levels of inclusiveness are distinguished in the self: personal (I as an individual), social (I as a member of a group), and global (I as a human being). A democratic self requires the flexibility of moving up and down across these levels of inclusiveness and has to find its way in fields of tension between the self and the other, and between dialogue and social power. As author Hubert Hermans explains, this theory has far reaching consequences for such divergent topics as leadership in the self, cultural diversity in the self, the relationship between reason and emotion, self-empathy, cooperation and competition between self-parts, and the role of social power in prejudice, enemy image construction, and scapegoating. The central message of this book is reflected in Mahatma Gandhi's dictum: "Be the change you want to see in the world."