The Encyclopedia of African Cultural Heritage in North America provides an accessible ready reference on the retention and continuity of African culture within the United States. Our conceptual framework holds, first, that culture is a form of self-knowledge and knowledge about self in the world as transmitted from one person to another. Second, that African people continuously create their own cultural history as they move through time and space. Third, that African descended people living outside of Africa are also contributors to and participate in the creation of African cultural history. Entries focus on illuminating Africanisms (cultural retentions traceable to an African origin) and cultural continuities (ongoing practices and processes through which African culture continues to be created and formed). Thus, the focus is more culturally specific and less concerned with the broader transatlantic demographic, political and geographic issues that are the focus of similar recent reference works. We also focus less on biographies of individuals and political and economic ties and more on processes and manifestations of African cultural heritage and continuity. FEATURES: A two-volume A-to-Z work, available in a choice of print or electronic formats 350 signed entries, each concluding with Cross-references and Further Readings 150 figures and photos Front matter consisting of an Introduction and a Reader’s Guide organizing entries thematically to more easily guide users to related entries Signed articles concluding with cross-references

Adinkra symbols visually integrate striking aesthetic power, evocative language, mathematical structures and philosophical concepts. The book views the Adinkra cloth symbols as a writing system. It develops themes from the texts encoded in the proverbs, stories, and maxims associated with the symbols. The themes covered include Akan cosmology, social and political organization, social and ethical values, economics, and Akan knowledge systems. Perhaps the most modern and certainly one of the most comprehensive works on Adinkra (Oluwatoyin Adepoju).

In recent decades, tattoos have gone from being a subculture curiosity in Western culture to mainstream and commonplace. This two-volume set provides broad coverage of tattooing and body art in the United States today as well as around the world and throughout human history. In the 1960s, tattooing was illegal in many parts of the United States. Today, tattooing is fully ingrained in mainstream culture and is estimated to be a multi-billion-dollar industry. This exhaustive work contains approximately 400 entries on tattooing, providing historical information that enables readers to fully understand the methods employed, the meanings of, and the motivations behind tattooing—one of the most ancient ways humans mark themselves. The encyclopedia covers all important aspects of the topic of tattooing: the major types of tattooing, the cultural groups associated with tattooing, the regions of the world where tattooing has been performed, the origins of modern tattooing in prehistory, and the meaning of each society's use of tattoos. Major historical and contemporary figures associated with tattooing—including tattooists, tattooed people, and tattoo promoters—receive due attention for their contributions. The entries and sidebars also address the sociological movements involved with tattooing; the organizations; the media dedicated to tattooing, such as television shows, movies, magazines, websites, and books; and the popular conventions, carnivals, and fairs that have showcased tattooing.

In a world where migration is a daily reality, the ways in which affirming educational experiences can be provided for all children remain high on the agendas of schools, colleges and teachers. This book provides practical ideas for how children, young people and parents can feel welcomed and affirmed in their multilingual identities and all learners can feel intrigued and excited by the linguistic diversity of the world’s people. The book will be an invaluable resource for educational practitioners, researchers, trainee teachers, teacher educators and all who are passionate about bringing together creative arts approaches with language learning and teaching. By blending academic theory with tried-and-tested classroom practice the authors will inspire readers to adapt the featured activities for their own contexts and learners.

In Open, Brad Braxton boldly articulates an open theology--progressive approaches that promote unorthodox theological reflection and the creation of inclusive communities. Despite attempts by many right-wing politicians and conservative Christians to curtail diverse religious and cultural expressions, an open embrace of pluralism enhances Christianity's capacity to foster healing, hope, and restorative justice. Thus, Christian communities should be audaciously open about being open. Attempts to box in God diminish us spiritually and render us prone to small-mindedness and mean-spiritedness. Certain Christians function as if God cannot withstand robust engagement with the complexities of a diverse world. God does not need to be protected by religious fence-building and cultural gatekeeping. To honor an open God who delights in diversity, we should create open communities committed to radically inclusive love. This book engages serious, even controversial, topics including Jesus's identity, reparations for slavery, LGBTQ equality, the Black Lives Matter movement, warfare and non-violence, environmental justice, and interreligious collaboration. Insisting that there is room for all, an open theology empowers us to create broad spaces where people from diverse backgrounds with divergent beliefs can peacefully probe their differences and celebrate their similarities for the sake of a better world. If you are tired of closed-minded religion that sows division and hatred, open this book! If you are searching for compassionate spirituality that promotes inclusion and justice, open this book! Here you will find an open theology--creative thinking about God and courageous practices for building diverse communities through radically inclusive love.