Theosophy, Cultural Nationalism, and Home Rule

2020 ◽  
pp. 321-344
Author(s):  
Mark Bevir

This chapter examines the role of Theosophists in mobilizing Indian politics or the home rule movement, especially in the form of “cultural nationalism.” The first section shows how Western Theosophists simplified and appropriated Indian thought, deploying it to resolve dilemmas confronting occult and other religious traditions. The second section explores the ways in which Theosophical ideas then provided inspiration for a tradition of cultural nationalism within India itself. The third section briefly shows how this cultural nationalism transformed Congress in the years immediately surrounding Gandhi’s return from South Africa. It is argued that Theosophy was one strand feeding into cultural nationalism, as Theosophy introduced important and largely novel themes to cultural nationalism, including a principled commitment to non-violence and an alternative to liberal subjectivities.

Author(s):  
Lindsey Flewelling

This chapter analyses the third Home Rule crisis at the beginning of the twentieth century, as Irish unionism evolved to focus on a distinctive Ulster identity separate from the rest of Ireland. Militancy was increasingly open, partially justified a violent image of Irish-America which the unionists themselves had created. Next, the chapter investigates the role of the United States in World War I-era Irish politics, which had the effect of increasing Ulster unionists’ sense that their loyalty to the British government had been betrayed. The unionist movement advanced during this period to become increasingly militant, focused in Ulster, and gradually accepting of partition. Unionists sought to discredit Irish-America and American government influence, and appeal to the American people to support their own movement.


2009 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pieter G.J. Meiring

During the centenary year of the University of Pretoria (2008), the Department of Science of Religion and Missiology took stock of its activities during the past 55 years, since the first professor in Missiology, H.D.A. du Toit, was appointed. In his wake a number of missiologists followed � C.W.H. Boshoff, D. Crafford, P.G.J. Meiring, J.J. Kritzinger, P.J. van der Merwe, A.S. van Niekerk and C.J.P. Niemandt � each of whom has contributed to the formation of hundreds of ministers and missionaries, as well as to the development of missiology and science of religion in South Africa through their research and writings. In this article, the place of missiology among the other theological disciplines at the University of Pretoria is discussed, together with an analysis of the nature and the mandate of missiology and science of religion in South Africa in our day. This article discusses five specific challenges to missiology at the beginning of the third millennium, namely to maintain its theological �roots�; to operate in close relationship with the church; to focus on our African context; to concentrate on a relevant agenda; and to develop a responsible methodology. Attention is given to some of the more important publications by members of the Department.


Author(s):  
Green James A

This chapter opens the third part of this book. The text here turns to the limitations and role of the persistent objector rule. This chapter begins by examining the commonly advanced contention that the ‘escape hatch’ provided by the persistent objector rule cannot be ‘opened’ in relation to jus cogens norms. A significant majority of scholars have expressed the view that a state cannot exempt itself from a peremptory norm through persistent objection, even when the usual criteria for the rule's operation. The chapter assesses the majority view. Section I sets out what peremptory norms are how they come into being. The chapter then briefly clarifies that the question is not whether a state can gain exemption to a jus cogens norm but whether its pre-existing exempt status ‘decays’, or is superseded by the norm to which it had been a persistent objector becoming peremptory. The chapter then turns to the rationale underpinning the majority claim. It considers the two regularly referenced examples from state practice relating to persistent objection and jus cogens norms: the policy of apartheid in South Africa and Rhodesia and the objections of the United States to the juvenile death penalty. Towards the end, the chapter considers the possibility of persistent objection to the very concept of peremptory norms.


1991 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 333-362 ◽  
Author(s):  
MADELEINE LY-TIO-FANE

SUMMARY The recent extensive literature on exploration and the resulting scientific advances has failed to highlight the contribution of Austrian enterprise to the study of natural history. The leading role of Joseph II among the neutral powers which assumed the carrying trade of the belligerents during the American War of Independence, furthered the development of collections for the Schönbrunn Park and Gardens which had been set up on scientific principles by his parents. On the conclusion of peace, Joseph entrusted to Professor Maerter a world-encompassing mission in the course of which the Chief Gardener Franz Boos and his assistant Georg Scholl travelled to South Africa to collect plants and animals. Boos pursued the mission to Isle de France and Bourbon (Mauritius and Reunion), conveyed by the then unknown Nicolas Baudin. He worked at the Jardin du Roi, Pamplemousses, with Nicolas Cere, or at Palma with Joseph Francois Charpentier de Cossigny. The linkage of Austrian and French horticultural expertise created a situation fraught with opportunities which were to lead Baudin to the forefront of exploration and scientific research as the century closed in the upheaval of the Revolutionary Wars.


2010 ◽  
Vol 12 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 313-282
Author(s):  
ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz Mūsā
Keyword(s):  

This article sheds light on the role of grammar in understanding legislative texts, with reference to the wuḍūʾ verse (Q. 5:6). The first section deals with the issue of washing the elbows along with the feet as part of ritual ablution, and lists the various interpretations of the preposition ilā in the aya, and discusses the grammatical theory used by different fuqahāʾ to support their arguments. The second section tackles how much of the head should be rubbed in ritual ablution, with regard to the use of the preposition bi- in the phrase bi-ruʾūsikum, while the third focuses on the two readings of the phrase arjulakum/arjulikum (‘your feet’) and on passing legislative judgement on whether the feet be washed or just rubbed. The study concludes that lugha and fiqh theory are of mutual importance and together help to clarify legislative judgements, and, on this basis, that jurists should not pass any legislative judgement without referring to language.


2015 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 38-39
Author(s):  
Philip Tite

A short essay, in responding to an online roundtable (the Religious Studies Project), explores the role of progressive ideology in the academic study of religion, specifically with a focus on debates over Russell McCutcheon's distinction between scholars functioning as cultural critics or caretakers of religious traditions. This short piece is part of the "Editor's Corner" (an occasional section of the Bulletin where the editors offer provocative musings on theoretical challenges facing the discipline).


2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yenita Uswar ◽  
Amrin Saragih ◽  
Tina Mariany Arifin

The objectives of this qualitative research were (1) to identify the factors that affect the Minangkabau language (ML) maintenance in Medan, (2) to discover the parents’ efforts in maintaining ML in Medan and (3) to find out the reason why the speakers have to maintain ML. The souree of data is the nembers of the Association of Sei Jaring Community (Ikatan Warga Sei Jaring: IWS) in Medan. The sample was 10 families including 10 parents and their children. The instruments of this study are a questionnaire and an interview. The questionnaire was used to answer the factors affected the maintenance of ML and how factors affected the maintenance of ML. The interview was used to discover the influence why Minangkabau’s people have to maintain ML. There are four factors in ML maintenance, the parents’ role, the role of family, the intramarriage and homeland visits. After distributing questionnaire and did some interviews it is found that IWS especially for the third generation (children) has the danger level in ML when they communicate to each other. Meanwhile, the data analysis also shows that both fathers and mothers communicate to each other with ML. This condition occurred because of the influence of the environment. Parents have to keep communication and teaching Minangkabau language continuously to their children. so, the young generation can keep the existence of ML for their future. Keywords: Minangkabau Language Maintenance, parents’ efforts, the young generation.


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