Culture and Customs of Laos

Arne Kislenko

• Publisher: Greenwood
• Year: 2009
• ISBN:
  9780313087073
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Customs & Traditions
• Index: Social Sciences

This all-encompassing volume offers a comprehensive look at the contemporary culture that defines this Southeast Asian country of Laos, examining everything from Buddhist traditions to Laotian cuisine. Coverage includes a brief history of the nation followed by in-depth narrative chapters on religion, literature, visual and performing arts, fashion, gender roles, everyday social customs, and more. Through illustrative descriptions of daily life, students will learn how traditional customs have shaped contemporary life in Laos today. Few other resources provide the same extensive coverage on current culture in Laos. Ideal for high school students as well as general readers, Culture and Customs of Laos is a must-have for all library shelves. The Southeast Asian country of Laos, one of the world's last-standing communist nations, has often been overshadowed in the international newsroom by its more dominant neighbors, Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia. Among one of the most bombed countries in the world, one that suffered much during and after the Vietnam War, Laos has been struggling economically and politically for decades. In spite of these challenges, a rich, beautiful culture has survived in Laos. This exhaustive volume offers a comprehensive look at the contemporary culture that defines this seemingly quiet country, from Buddhism to Laotian cuisine. Coverage includes a brief history of the nation followed by in-depth narrative chapters on religion, literature, visual and performing arts, fashion, gender roles, everyday social customs, and more. Through illustrative descriptions of daily life, students will learn how traditional customs have shaped contemporary life in Laos today. Few other resources provide the same extensive coverage on current culture in Laos. Ideal for high school students as well as general readers, Culture and Customs of Laos is a must-have for all library shelves.

Table of contents

• Contents
• Series Foreword
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Note on Transliteration, Names, and Dates
• Chronology of the History of Laos
• 1 Introduction: Geography and People
• 2 A Brief History of Laos
• 3 Religion and Thought
• 4 Literature
• 5 Art
• 6 Architecture and Design
• 7 Theater, Dance, Music, and Film
• 8 Cuisine and Traditional Dress
• 9 Gender, Courtship, Marriage, and Family
• 10 Festivals and Fun
• 11 Social Customs
• Glossary
• Chronology of Lao Kings
• Suggested Readings
• Bibliography
• Index