Kazakhstan - Culture Smart!

Author: Dina Zhansagimova
Publisher: Kuperard
ISBN: 1857336828
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 163

Book Description
Kazakhstan, one of the largest countries on earth, was long hidden from the rest of the world behind the Iron Curtain, and continued to remain unnoticed among the "stans" of Central Asia that gained independence from the Soviet Union in the early 1990s. Now, twenty years later, it has emerged as a modern state with far-reaching ambitions. It has developed rapidly over the last decade, raising a brand-new capital in the middle of its vast, empty grasslands, and stepping up to take the leading position in the region. Blessed with great reserves of oil, gas, and mineral resources, it is politically and economically stable, and the richest country in Central Asia. The seemingly endless expanse of the Kazakh Steppe takes visitors by surprise. In the east and southeast the terrain eventually changes to picturesque highlands and mountains, providing natural habitats for a number of rare animal and bird species. Once home to ancient civilizations, this immense land has yielded a wealth of archaeological artefacts. The modern Kazakh people emerged from the rise and fall of a succession of medieval Turkic states before being absorbed into the Russian Empire. They were pastoral nomads, self-sufficient, free, and famously adaptable. Their openness and generosity of spirit have survived against all the odds of a grim history. Today Kazakhstan is open for business, and receptive again to outside cultural influences. Culture Smart! Kazakhstan introduces Western readers to this complex, unknown people. It guides you through their traditions, customs, and social values. It describes how they behave at work, at home, at leisure, and on the street, and what they eat and drink. There are vital tips on communicating, and invaluable insights into Kazakhstan's dynamic business culture and economy.

Kazakhstan - Culture Smart!

Author: Dina Zhansagimova
Publisher: Culture Smart! The Essential G
ISBN: 9781857336818
Category : Reference
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description
"Culture Smart! Kazakhstan outlines the history, culture, traditions, sensibilities, and modern way of life of the Kazakhstanis. It explains certain deep-seated attitudes, describes some of the social and cultural changes now under way, and gives practical advice on what to expect and how to behave in unfamiliar situations" --from publisher.

Pakistan - Culture Smart!

Author: Safia Haleem
Publisher: Bravo Limited
ISBN: 185733678X
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 157

Book Description
Pakistan is a land with a unique history, formed by migrating peoples who have left their footprint in its diverse cultures, languages, literature, food, dress, and folklore. The country is besieged by bad news, but despite the political turmoil the everyday life of its people is more stable, rich, and rewarding than the media headlines would lead you to believe. A myriad local festivals and celebrations and a vibrant cultural life go unremarked. Pakistan has the eighth-largest standing army in the world and is the only Muslim-majority nation to possess nuclear weapons, but few know that it is also the home of two unique schools of art. This complex nation consists of various ethnic groups, each with its own individual cultures and subcultures, but which are unified by the common values of hospitality, honor, and respect for elders. Pakistani society has extremes of wealth and poverty, and daily life for most people is full of difficulties, yet everyone knows how to cope with crises. Creative and adaptable, Pakistanis are among the most self-reliant people in the world, bouncing back after major catastrophes. Culture Smart! Pakistan takes you behind the headlines and introduces you to many of the country's little-known traditions. It describes the vitally important cultural and historical background, shows you how modern Pakistanis live today, and offers crucial advice on what to expect and how to behave in different circumstances. This is an extraordinary country of enterprising, tough, and passionate people. Earn their trust and you will be rewarded many times over.

Dark Shadows

Author: Joanna Lillis
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 0755626702
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 369

Book Description
Dark Shadows is a compelling portrait of Kazakhstan, a country that is little known in the West. Strategically located in the heart of Central Asia, sandwiched between Vladimir Putin's Russia, its former colonial ruler, and Xi Jinping's China, this vast oil-rich state is carving out its place in the world as it contends with its own complex past and present. Journalist Joanna Lillis paints a vibrant picture of this emerging nation through vivid reportage based on 17 years of on-the-ground coverage, and travels across the length and breadth of this enigmatic country that lies along the ancient Silk Road and at the geopolitical and cultural crossroads where East meets West. Featuring tales of murder and abduction, intrigue and betrayal, extortion and corruption, this book explores how a president, Nursultan Nazarbayev, transformed himself into a potentate and the economically-struggling state he inherited at the fall of the USSR into a swaggering 21st-century monocracy. A colourful cast of characters brings the politics to life: from strutting oligarchs to sleeping villagers, from principled politicians to striking oilmen, from crusading journalists to courageous campaigners. This new edition features two additional chapters covering the aftermath of Nazarbayev's fall from power in 2019; the Chinese government's repressions against the Kazakhs of Xinjiang as part of its crackdown on Muslim minorities; and an Afterword reflecting on the tumultuous events of January 2022 in Almaty. Traversing dust-blown deserts and majestic mountains, taking in glitzy cities and dystopian landscapes, Dark Shadows conjures up Kazakhstan as a living, breathing place, full of extraordinary people living extraordinary lives.

Apples Are from Kazakhstan

Author: Christopher Robbins
Publisher: Atlas and Company
ISBN: 1934633933
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 305

Book Description
In this funny and revealing travelogue of Kazakhstan--a blank in Westerners' collective geography--Robbins reveals the country to be diverse, tolerant, and surprisingly modern. A superlative addition to the literature of travel--"The Observer" (UK). Illustrated.

Uzbekistan - Culture Smart!

Author: Alex Ulko
Publisher: Culture Smart!
ISBN: 9781857338522
Category : Uzbekistan
Languages : en
Pages : 168

Book Description
"The essential guide to customs & culture"--Cover.

Mongolia - Culture Smart!

Author: Alan Sanders
Publisher: Bravo Limited
ISBN: 1857337174
Category : Travel
Languages : en
Pages : 169

Book Description
Mongolia is landlocked between its neighbors China and Russia in the heart of Asia. For centuries after the disintegration of Genghis Khan s empire it was ruled by one or the other, but in 1990 the Mongols embraced democracy. Now, after two centuries of Manchu stagnation and seventy years of Soviet communism, they are rebuilding their national heritage. Rarely in the news but making progress toward a market economy, this resource-rich but infrastructure-poor country is a land of pioneers, and its greatest asset is the Mongol people, who are friendly, cooperative, ambitious, and well educated. English is now the first foreign language and the country s leaders are forging new partnerships with international investors. Travelers from across the world are drawn to the land of blue sky by its picturesque mountains and lakes, flower-carpeted steppes and stony deserts, home to the snow leopard, the wild horse and camel, and the Gobi bear. The broad pasturelands, with herds of grazing livestock, and the traditional lifestyle of the nomads contrast with the busy streets of the capital Ulan Bator, a bustling metropolis of over one million people, modern hotels, apartments, and shops, interspersed with Buddhist monasteries and temples, surrounded by crowded suburbs of traditional felt tents. Mongolia s many attractions range from dinosaur skeletons and the remains of ancient civilizations to relics and reenactments of the Genghis Khan era, and the traditional sports of wrestling, archery, and horse-racing. "Culture Smart! Mongolia" provides rare insights into contemporary Mongolian society, and offers practical tips on what to expect and how to conduct yourself in order to get the most out of your visit. Despite the undeniable challenges posed by modernity, these warm, tough, adaptable, and hospitable people welcome visitors and are open to the world."

Uzbekistan - Culture Smart!

Author: Alex Ulko
Publisher: Kuperard
ISBN: 1787029980
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 168

Book Description
Culture Smart! Uzbekistan will take you beyond the standard descriptions of minarets, kebabs with vodka, embroidered skullcaps, and Soviet-style bureaucracy. It will make you aware of the value systems, attitudes, and behaviors of the different cultural groups in the country, and offer an insider's view of Uzbekistan's fascinating history, national traditions, various cuisines, and cultural scene. It will tell you what the peoples of Uzbekistan are like at home, at play, and in business, and give practical advice on how to behave in different situations so as to make the most out of your visit. Uzbekistan is a land of paradoxes, both enjoyable and surprising for foreign visitors. It is famous for its fabulous architectural monuments and the exotic spirit of the Great Silk Road, the ancient trade route connecting East and West. Uzbekistan is a multicultural society where old and revived traditions coexist with modernity.

Turkey - Culture Smart!

Author: Charlotte McPherson
Publisher: Kuperard
ISBN: 1787023192
Category : Reference
Languages : en
Pages : 171

Book Description
Don't just see the sights— get to know the people. At first glance, Turkey may seem Westernized and entirely "modern"— but appearances can be misleading. It is above all a land of contrasts, a heady mixture of Oriental etiquette and ultramodern city life, deep-rooted religious faith and determined secularism, a fierce sense of national pride and openness to foreign ideas. The Turkish people are very much their own center of gravity, and for the unwary visitor there are pitfalls to avoid as well as great riches to be found. Culture Smart! Turkey is an invaluable guide to the intricate ins and outs of this culturally rich and complex society. This updated edition outlines the complex history of Anatolia, provides key insights into contemporary Turkish values and attitudes, describes important customs and traditions, and reveals what life is like for the Turks at home, at work, and at play. It also offers practical tips and information about what to expect and how to navigate different social situations. In this unique mix of Islamic and European cultures, the Turks are extremely hospitable. If you show an interest in their culture and respect for their point of view, they will repay your effort many times over. Have a richer and more meaningful experience abroad through a better understanding of the local culture. Chapters on history, values, attitudes, and traditions will help you to better understand your hosts, while tips on etiquette and communicating will help you to navigate unfamiliar situations and avoid faux pas.

The Economy of Prestige

Author: James F. English
Publisher: Harvard University Press
ISBN: 9780674018846
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 444

Book Description
This is a book about one of the great untold stories of modern cultural life: the remarkable ascendancy of prizes in literature and the arts. Such prizes and the competitions they crown are almost as old as the arts themselves, but their number and power--and their consequences for society and culture at large--have expanded to an unprecedented degree in our day. In a wide-ranging overview of this phenomenon, James F. English documents the dramatic rise of the awards industry and its complex role within what he describes as an economy of cultural prestige. Observing that cultural prizes in their modern form originate at the turn of the twentieth century with the institutional convergence of art and competitive spectator sports, English argues that they have in recent decades undergone an important shift--a more genuine and far-reaching globalization than what has occurred in the economy of material goods. Focusing on the cultural prize in its contemporary form, his book addresses itself broadly to the economic dimensions of culture, to the rules or logic of exchange in the market for what has come to be called "cultural capital." In the wild proliferation of prizes, English finds a key to transformations in the cultural field as a whole. And in the specific workings of prizes, their elaborate mechanics of nomination and election, presentation and acceptance, sponsorship, publicity, and scandal, he uncovers evidence of the new arrangements and relationships that have refigured that field.