Culture and Customs of the Philippines

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Description

Culture and Customs of the Philippines provides the best general overview to the Asian archipelago and to a people with close ties to the United States and a long history of emigration and contributions to this country. The volume emphasizes how the strong indigenous Philippine culture meshes with constant influences from the West. Rodell, a specialist in Philippine history and society, superbly evokes the breadth of the Philippines for students and the general public. The wide variety of Philippine traditions is seen in each topic covered: the land, people, and history; religion and thought; literature and art; architecture; cuisine and fashion; gender, marriage, and family; festivals, media, film, and leisure activities; music and dance; and social customs and lifestyle. Culture and Customs of the Philippines is crucial to multicultural reference collections today needing authoritative information on contemporary Asia that will capture readers' attention. Interest in the Philippines, a former U.S. colony, is especially high. Some highlights of the volume include discussion of the Tagalog, the principal ethnic group; the amalgamation of Christian, folk, and Muslim beliefs; the bahay kubo, the rural house style; and the all-important Philippine family. A chronology, glossary, and numerous photos enhance the text.

Reviews

Rodell has produced a balanced and detailed description of a complex society with a tangled past and multifaceted culture that is of use to general readers, as well as to researchers looking for a scholarly introduction to the country. Readers coming to this book will find not just a painstaking review of every major element of culture but also current observations of the social scene that take into account a wide variety of factors, from influences of geography and climate to circumstances of history to socioeconomic and political factors.For an analysis that provides both entertainment and depth, this book is to be commended. * The Journal of Asian Studies *
Equally useful for teens and adults, this book will be appreciated for the details and insights it provides into Filipino life. * VOYA *
Librarians will want to purchase, for the high school collection and for the public library collection, countries for which your students or patrons need or request. * Blanche Woolls & David Loertscher (GaleGroup.com) *

Author Bio

PAUL A. RODELL is an assistant professor in the Department of History at Georgia Southern University and a specialist in Philippine and Southeast Asian history. He is also the executive director of the Association of Third World Studies.