Indigenous Studies

Covering countries ranging from Afghanistan and China to Kazakhstan and Russia, this encyclopedia supplies detailed information and informed perspectives, enabling readers to comprehend Asian ethnic groups as well as Asian politics and history. Asia is quickly becoming one of the most important regions of the world--culturally, economically, and politically. This work provides encyclopedic coverage of a wide array of Central, North, and East Asian ethnic groups, including those in eastern Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, China, Taiwan, Japan, and the Koreas. Arranged alphabetically by ethnic group, each entry provides an overview of the group that identifies its major population centers and population, primary languages and religions, parallels with other groups, origins and early development, major historic events, and cultural belief systems. Information on each group's typical ways of life, relations with neighboring groups, politics and recent history, notable challenges, demographic trends, and key figures is also included. Special attention is focused on the numerous ethnic groups that make up China, one of the world's most populated countries. Sidebars throughout the text provide fascinating facts and information about specific groups to make the encyclopedia more accessible and appealing, while "Further Reading" sections at the end of each entry and the bibliography will provide ample additional resources for students performing in-depth research. Provides readers with an understanding of Asia's many ethnic minorities, enabling a fuller comprehension of contemporary politics and economics in Asia and beyond Presents information written in a clear, engaging, and accessible tone that is ideal for high school and undergraduate students as well as other readers with limited background knowledge about Asian ethnicities

This volume provides a comprehensive overview of the region, followed by separate sections on China, Korea, and Japan. The section on China covers the Han people, China's ethnic majority, as well as most of China's fifty-five minority groups.

Encyclopedia of the Peoples of Asia and Oceania is a new two-volume A-to-Z reference to the peoples of the Asia-Pacific region east of the Caspian Sea, not including the countries of the Middle East. More than 400 entries cover the major peoples that for a time maintained a cultural identity in the area - from ancient to modern times - describing their history, migration, culture, belief system, social organization, and relationship to other peoples. This accessible resource makes it easy for students to find not only entries on the Han and Jurchens but also on 'Chinese: nationality', describing who they are today with cross-references to the various ancestral peoples. Entries on all large or well-known groups include information on their geography, origins, languages, history, and culture. Subsections cover such topics as subsistence, religion, social and political structures, economy, government, military practices, dwellings and architecture, clothing, transportation, technology, art, music, and literature. The back matter includes a chronology, bibliography, and comprehensive index, as well as several appendixes with useful background information on topics such as kinship systems, religious systems, and subsistence systems.

This comprehensive guide to the Pacific and South Asia provides detailed and enlightening information about the many ethnic groups of this increasingly important region of the world. Ideally suited for high school and undergraduate students studying subjects such as anthropology, geography, and social studies, Ethnic Groups of South Asia and the Pacific: An Encyclopedia provides clear, detailed, and up-to-date information on each major group in South Asian and Pacific Island countries, including India, Nepal, Indonesia, Pakistan, Singapore, Australia, Tonga, Samoa, and the Solomon Islands. Organized alphabetically by ethnic group, each entry provides an introduction followed by accessible descriptions of the origins, early history, cultural life, political life, and modern history of the ethnicity. Alternate names, major population centers, primary languages and religions, and other important characteristics of each group are also covered. Beyond being a valuable resource for student research, this book will be enlightening and entertaining for general readers interested in South Asia and the Pacific.