Publishers: University of California Press

Islamic Shangri-La

October 9, 2018

"Islamic Shangri-La transports readers into the heart of the Himalayas by tracing the rise of the Tibetan Muslim (Khache) community from the early 17th century to the present. Over the past four centuries, the Tibetan Muslims advised several Dalai Lamas, contributed to Tibetan music and literature, and engaged in transregional trade with many of Tibet?s neighbors. Deftly blending contemporary media accounts and interviews with archival documents, this book brings the frustrations and hopes of Tibetan Muslims, and thus of Tibet, to life. Less a history of religion than a history of the Himalayas, the book explores the eddying currents of peoples and states generally excluded from traditional histories of Asia. Its focus on the Tibetan Muslims? multifaceted role in Tibetan society highlights Tibet?s broader inter-Asian positioning and delves into the intertwined relationship between Tibet and Nepal, Kashmir, and other Himalayan states. The story of the Tibetan Muslims provides a new perspective on a history we thought we knew quite well. Illuminating their positioning within the dynamics of Asian state formation with a particular emphasis on the dramatic events of early to mid-20th century, the book opens an unparalleled examination of the long shadows of Tibet?s past on today?s Asia."

The Making of a Teenage Service Class

October 31, 2017

"Stereotypes of economically marginalized black and brown youth focus on drugs, gangs, violence, and teen parenthood. Families, schools, nonprofit organizations, and institutions in poor urban neighborhoods emphasize preventing such "risk behaviors." In The Making of a Teenage Service Class, Ranita Ray uncovers the pernicious consequences of concentrating on risk behaviors as key to targeting poverty. Having spent three years among sixteen black and Latina/o youth, Ray shares their stories of trying to beat the odds of living in poverty. Their struggles of hunger, homelessness, and untreated illnesses are juxtaposed with the perseverance of completing homework, finding jobs, and spending long hours traveling from work to school to home. By focusing on the lives of youth who largely avoid drugs, gangs, violence, and teen parenthood, the book challenges the idea that targeting these "risk behaviors" is key to breaking the cycle of poverty. Ray compellingly demonstrates how the disproportionate emphasis on risk behaviors reinforces class and race hierarchies and diverts resources that could support marginalized youth's basic necessities and educational and occupational goals."--Provided by publisher.