Books published by Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Textile has been used as a medium of communication since the prehistoric period. Up until the 19th century, civilizations throughout the world manipulated thread and fabric to communicate in a way that would astound many of us now. Unlike text and images, textile is haptic and three-dimensional. Its meaning is unfixed, constantly shifting as it circulates between different owners and creators. In How Textile Communicates, Ganaele Langlois dissects textile's unique capacity for communication through a range of global case studies, before examining the profound impact of colonialism on textile practice and the appropriation of this medium by capitalist systems. A thought-provoking contribution to the fields of both fashion and communication studies, Langlois' writing challenges readers' preconceptions and shines new light on the profound impact of textiles on human communication.

Song and music have always played an important part in the cultural identity of the mariners and coastal peoples of the Red Sea. While previous studies on the maritime culture of this region have focused on the sailing vessel, the dhow, and seafaring communities, this is the first book to examine its rich musical repertoire.Using fieldwork conducted along the Hijaz and Upper Tihama coasts, The Songs of the Arabian Red Sea documents examples of different musical forms and styles as well as the stories of older mariners who describe the contexts in which songs were sung, from sea shanties during the working day to soulful ballads about home and loved ones at night. Presenting the songs and their lyrics in the context of the geography, culture, oral history and musicology of the region, the book reveals the complex and connected network that influenced their development and the vital place of song and music for diverse communities of the region.

When your world is crumbling around you, how do you make life sweet again?

This compelling new volume addresses the inter-relationship, in both historical and contemporary contexts, between design and scientific research and practice.

There is a history of humanity that has never been told - the story of how we are born.

"Cutting across disciplinary boundaries and challenging traditional understandings of historical cultures, this handbook examines and interrogates the ways in which gender, sexuality, and religion were mutually constructed and negotiated in ancient Near Eastern societies. Chapters look at ritual and ceremonial practices, iconographic representations, mythological and divinatory texts, personal beliefs, and piety, focusing on the intersections of gender, sexuality and religion as a central category of inquiry"--