Review of: Jane Naomi Iwamura, Virtual Orientalism: Asian Religions and American Popular Culture

Classical Asian Religions and Traditions

The word spirit with a small "s", has many meanings. It may mean 1) one of the elements in man which is considered as separable from the flesh and animating the body; or, 2)a person, from the moral, emotional or-intellectual point of view; or, 3) a person's disposition, permanent or temporary mental attitude, or, predominance of the spirit over the flesh especially as manifested in courage, ene...

Popular Culture and the Rituals of American Football

In his article, "Popular Culture and the Rituals of American Football," Mark Axelrod reflects on meanings of cultural practice in American popular culture. Before globalization -driven by economics -became a fact of life with profound implications, there were myths and rituals that provided a kind of insulation from the mysteries of life. These practices were ritualized by "primitive" men and w...

Book Review: China and Orientalism

Popular Orientalism: Somerset Maugham in Mainland Southeast Asia

Based on his experiences during a journey through mainland Southeast Asia in 1923, Somerset Maugham wrote a book of colonial travel entitled The Gentleman in the Parlour. As the work of one of the most popular writers of the twentieth century, Maugham’s travelogue both expressed and helped to shape contemporary thinking about Southeast Asia and Western imperialism. Focusing especially on his re...

Asian and American Ginseng—A Review

The ginseng industry has expanded rapidly in recent years. Asian and American ginseng are cultivated around the world. Ginseng products in various forms are increasingly popular, and its consumers are no longer limited to Asians. More knowledge is needed about the horticultural characteristics, cultural methods, disease control, drying and storage procedures, and technology for value-added prod...