The premise of this title is (simply enough) to explore how and why religion has endured through modern times.

The above statement may seem strange indeed, for religion is seemingly inextricably interwoven into the fabric of most if not all societies worldwide. However it will be valuable to pause and think about the changes in the world over the past few centuries.

In the field of politics and governance, the secular state is now the widely adopted model. Beyond the secular state, some administrations have even tried to suppress religion entirely in societies. One of the more recent examples is the state atheism of Communist China of the 1950s to 1960s, where religion was actively discouraged. For example the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s saw concerted efforts to reduce the influence of religion. Despite all this however, religion appears to be enjoying a resurgence in modern China.

In the field of science, large strides in areas such as Biology, Physics and Astronomy have led some individuals to question the validity of religious texts, such as the account of the Book of Genesis. Still the number of individuals who profess to hold a religion does not seem to have diminished.

The question raised by this book is thus why religion persists in the modern world. The author does not attempt to answer this question directly, but instead provides a historical overview of the rise and fall of religions of the world along with their main teachings. The analysis of religion alongside historical events is interesting and thought provoking. This book is highly recommended for anyone interested in the role religion has played in world history, or for anyone with a general interest in religion as a whole. However it is not recommended for advanced students as the scope of study is so broad as to make the analysis relatively shallow.

Title: Religion in world history
Authors: John C. Super and Briane K. Turley
Call number: BL65.H5S959
Available at: HSS Library

Popularity: 9% [?]

NTU Library and Elsevier Presents Navigating the Book Publishing Process
Date: Wednesday, 25 March 2009 Time: 3 – 5:00pm Venue: LT 6 Nanyang Technological University
Interested in publishing a book? It may not be as difficult as you think. Let Denise Penrose, Editorial Director from Elsevier Science & Technology Books show you what a publisher look for in book authors. Denise will also cover various aspects of the publishing process:
How to get started When to consider co-authors How to identify the right publisher for your project What is the book proposal process (and how to use it to your advantage) How to negotiate the contract What about art, references, and permissions What happens when you’re done
Programme Outline 2:45pm Registration starts 3:00 – 3:20pm The future of online books and its impact on research effectiveness By Robert Gorter, Regional Sales Manager Asia Pacific, Elsevier Science & Technology 3:20 – 3:40 pm Library as a Resource By Lim Kong Meng , Head, Engineering Library 3:40 – 5:00 pm Navigating the book publishing process By Denise Penrose, Editorial Director, Asia Pacific, Elsevier Science & Technology Books
The event is free. Click here to register.

Popularity: unranked [?]

Dear Library Users,

All NTU Libraries will be closed on 8 December 2008. (Hari Raya Haji).
Thank you.

Popularity: unranked [?]

Asiaone has just run an article about Mr Lim Wah Guan, a 28 year old PhD student currently studying at Princeton. Mr Lim also completed his Masters at Oxford University.

What is surprising, and even shocking to this writer, is that Mr Lim was rejected 4 times by NUS when he applied to enter the faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, due to his A Level grades. Mr Lim eventually went to study at the University of New South Wales, where he earned a first class honours and very strong recommendations from his professors which enabled him to enter Oxford, and subsequently Princeton. His professors recommended him for a postgraduate programme, not because of his grades, but because of his passion for learning.

Mr Lim’s mother also recounted that they believed their son did not learn well in a classroom and perhaps was not suited for the Singapore education system after his 4 failed applications to NUS and 2 attempts at the A Level examinations.

However time has proven that Mr Lim is a person with special, even exceptional talent. The Singapore examination system however has not allowed Mr Lim to flourish, as seen from his 4 failed applications 2 A Level attempts. In fact the current Singapore education system still places very heavy emphasis on examination results, not just for university admission but also for employment prospects later in life.

The question thus arises if there are “Churchills” in Singapore society who possess rare talent, but who are late bloomers, or who do not perform as well as they could in an examination environment. Mr Lim himself commented that he didn’t think a “three-hour exam is the best way to test any student’s ability.” Mr Lim himself is ambivalent about returning to Singapore, citing the disappointment of 4 failed applications.

Read the full article here.

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From Malaysia to France, there is an increasing spotlight on hymenoplasty, an operation to restore a broken hymen. This can be a life saving operation in certain conservative societies, where a woman’s virginity can be a serious matter concerning family honour.

The issue was reported in the New Straits Times on Monday, and has been reported on again by the New York Times. The matter raised is the same, and there are striking parallels between the concerns of the women interviewed.

One commentator believes the rise of hymenoplasty operations to be a result of young women caught between their conservative home societies and the more liberal attitudes of Western societies.

Read the article from the New York Times here, and the article from the New Straits Times here.

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A criminal trial of two suspects in Australia has been suspended by a judge after five members of the jury were found to have been playing Sudoku during the trial proceedings. There is usually a total of 12 jurors present.

The jurors were discovered when it was noticed that the jurors were writing ‘notes’ vertically rather than horizontally. What is disturbing is that the trial was for drug offences, which carried potential life sentences for the accused.

The jurors in their explanation said that they found it difficult to follow the evidence presented, which could be rather drawn out. However the fact remains that such inattention is disturbing, given the gravity of the trial and the potential sentences which could be meted out. This also calls into question the ability of the jury to understand complicated evidence, such as scientific evidence.

However this does not mean that there are advantages to a jury trial. Juries have been known to refuse to convict a person despite the evidence, in a process known as jury nullification, or jury equity. This could be done if the jury felt that a law was unjust, or if they felt there were strong mitigating factors, despite the evidence presented. Of course this also means that it is possible to win trials using emotional appeals to the jury.

The trial itself has been scheduled to be reheard after a new jury is selected. Read the full article here.

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An article by the International Herald Tribune has reported on the intricate relationship between the people and the monks. The monastery is often especially important in rural areas, as it can be the only institution which offers the rural villagers an education or spiritual comfort.

This bond between the monks and the laity is reported to be strengthening due to Cyclone Nargis, which has devastated the Irrawaddy delta. The monks are reported to be at the forefront of providing aid to survivors of the cyclone.

In separate news, Singapore volunteers have spoken of their first hand experiences in the delta. They reported that their trip was smoother than expected, possibly due to the presence of a respected monk with them, namely Venerable K Gunaratana. The volunteers reported that they experienced no problems with roadblocks or with taking pictures.

This article thus suggests that the position of the monks continues to be highly respected in Myanmar, despite the recent military crackdown. The respect given to the monks appears to be strengthening instead.

Read the full IHT article here. The ChannelnewsAsia report is accessible at this link.

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Dr. Chee Soon Juan and his sister Ms. Chee Siok Chin have both been given jail sentences for contempt of court, at 12 and 10 days respectively. The defamation damages have not been decided (if they are granted).

It is interesting to note the (generally) negative public reaction to Dr. Chee in the Asiaone forums. One forum poster even criticised Dr. Chee for wasting the time of the Prime Minister.

It is even more interesting to compare the generally negative local reaction to Dr. Chee, with the articles written by the New York Times, which seems to view Dr. Chee in a more positive light.

This can be viewed from the title of the New York Times article, which is “Power and Tenacity Collide in a Singapore Courtroom”. The word “tenacity” usually carries a positive overtone.

Read the Asiaone report here, and the forum commentaries here. The New York Times article is available here.

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It is unusual to find articles on Singapore in the New York Times, or in the BBC news.

The New York Times has a strong bias towards reporting on American news, and on Middle Eastern news. However there have been a pair of articles commenting on the state of Singapore politics, such as J.B Jeyaretnam’s proposed establishment of a new political party.

More recently, there has been an article written on Dr. Chee Soon Juan’s debate in court with M.M. Lee and PM Lee. The foreign interest paid to politics in Singapore is slightly surprising to this blogger, although the different viewpoints are interesting. For example the quotes taken by the New York Times from the courtroom debate between Dr. Chee and MM Lee are quite different from that of the Straits Times, in its own commentary.

However, one suspects that the writer of the New York Times articles, Seth Mydans, is not entirely neutral with regard to his views on Singapore politics.

Read the articles here and here

Popularity: unranked [?]

The state of California in the United States has just become the second state (after Massachusetts) to legalise gay marriages, after a Supreme Court ruling. This decision willtake effect in 30 days, barring legal challenges.

In a marking of how contentious the issue is, California’s Supreme Court was heavily split (4-3). The decision was opposed by religious and conservative groups.

Coverage of the decision is available at the New York Times.

Popularity: unranked [?]