‘But is it art ?’ The search for a simple, practical and illuminating answer

‘Art’ still needs a practical, useful definition, not of the academic variety, but rather of the plain and simple sort that you can usefully take with you into a gallery, and apply directly to what you see. People want to know, with a basic clarity, what it is they are looking at, and how to judge the good from the bad. Because if you don’t know what ‘art’ is, and you think it’s all about ‘classical fine crafting’, then you are missing out on a very special type of experience, and an entire realm of imaginative possibilities. As it turns out, the best way to think of ‘art’ – taking a huge hint from the concept of ‘arthouse cinema’ - is not about delighting in solemn, stolid museum pieces, and developing a deferential love of the classical: it is all about an exploration - through various available media - of the strange, the disturbing, and the darkly fascinating. The great thing about art is that it offers a safe and enjoyable environment in which to contemplate all kinds of darkness, without having to submit to this negativity in life itself

Resources on the Historical Study of Jesus

Jesus of Nazareth has been the center of significant media attention in recent years. Even before Mel Gibson\u27s The Passion of the Christ, Jesus had been the focus of featu re articles in Time, Newsweek, and U.S. News and World Report. Jesus was also the subject of television documentaries by PBS, A&E, T LC, the History Channel, the Discovery Channel and even a fu ll length prime time special by ABC News. Most presentations focus on Jesus as a man of history. In fact, the last 20 yea rs have been part of what scholars are now calling the Third Quest for the historical Jesus, which is generally characterized by serious attempts to understand Jesus of Nazareth in the historical context of first century Palestine. This essay will highlight some of these historical studies beginning with an introduction to the various Quests for Jesus, but focusing primarily on the Third Quest which began in the mid-1980\u27s and continues unabated even today

"What is Bread?" The Anthropology of Belief

This is a postprint (accepted manuscript) version of the article published in Ethos 40(3):341-357 in September 2012. The final version of the article can be found at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.ezproxy.bu.edu/doi/10.1111/j.1548-1352.2012.01261.x/abstract (login required to access content). The version made available in Digital Common was supplied by the author.Accepted Manuscripttru

Pan-Africanism: a contorted delirium or a pseudonationalist paradigm? Revivalist critique

This essaic-article goes against established conventions that there is anything ethno-cultural (and hence national) about the so-called African tribes. Drawing largely from the culture history of precolonial/prepolitical Africans—that is, the Bantu/Cushitic-Ethiopians (Azanians)—the author has demonstrated vividly that far from being distinct ethno-culture national communities, the so-called tribes of African states are better considered subculture groups, whose regional culture practices erstwhile paid tribute to their nation’s main culture center in Karnak. For example, using the culture symbols and practices of some local groups and linking them to the predynastic and dynastic Pharaonic periods, I argued that there is compelling evidence against qualifying Africa’s tribes as distinct ethno-culture national entities. In genuine culture context, I stressed that the Ritual of Resurrection and its twin culture process of the mummification of deceased indigenous Pharaohs tend to suggest that the object of the Bantu/Cushitic-Ethiopians national culture was life (in its eternal manifestation) and then resurrection later, and that there are recurring (culturally sanctioned) ethical examples among the culture custodians of these subculture groups that generally pay tribute to the overarching culture norm. Furthermore, the fact that the Ritual of Resurrection began in the Delta region and ended at the Sources of the Nile, where the spirit of the deceased indigenous Pharaohs was introduced into the spiritual world of their ancestors, contradicts conventional perceptions that ancient Egypt was a distinct national community isolated from precolonial/prepolitical Africa/Azania

The Policy Climate for Early Adolescent Initiatives

In an era that is instinctively distrustful of public solutions to problems of individual and family behavior, this essay outlines a broad strategy for early adolescent initiatives that considers, then exploits, the limitations of the current policy climate. The author discusses such strategies as connecting local and state initiatives with federal opportunities; the importance of marketing initiatives clearly and with an emphasis on impact; and the nuances of collaboration. Implementing these strategies are the most effective means to transcend the chilly climate that exists for early adolescent initiatives

[Book Review of] Easterly, William: The elusive quest for growth : economists' adventures and misadventures in the tropics : Cambridge, MA : MIT Press, 2001.

Easterly has written a unique book about the international differences in the standard of living, which have never been larger in the history of mankind than today. What makes Easterly's book unique is the masterly mixture of four elements: a first-hand knowledge of developing countries, a rigorous application of analytical concepts, a deep compassion for the people behind the statistical numbers, and an irresistible sense of humor and irony.