Joseph Scalice, The Drama of Dictatorship: Martial Law and the Communist Parties of the Philippines
(New York: Cornell University Press, 2023).
ISBN: 9781501770494
The Drama of Dictatorship uncovers the role played by rival Communist parties in the conflict that culminated in Ferdinand Marcos's declaration of martial law in 1972. Using the voluminous radical literature of the period, Joseph Scalice reveals how two parties, the PKP and the CPP, torn apart by the Sino-Soviet dispute, subordinated the explosive mass struggles of the time behind rival elite conspirators. The PKP backed Marcos and the CPP, his bourgeois opponents. The absence of an independent mass movement in defense of democracy made dictatorship possible.
The Drama of Dictatorship argues that the martial law regime was not fundamentally the outcome of Marcos's personal quest to remain in power but rather a consensus of the country's ruling elite, confronted with mounting social unrest, that authoritarian forms of rule were necessary to preserve their property and privileges. The bourgeois opponents of Marcos did not defend democracy but, like Marcos, plotted against it.
香港浸會大學歷史系:《香港浸會大學歷史系四十五年圖錄》 香港:浸會大學歷史系,2023年。ISBN: 9789887832676
《香港浸會大學歷史系四十年圖錄》原為系慶四十周年而纂,刊於二零一八年。自是系務繁衍,人事翻新,於茲又歷五年。用特增潤前冊,補識近事,更名《香港浸會大學歷史系四十五年圖錄》,藉此續存徵信,並以自壽焉。
Rebecca Robinson, Imperial Cults: Religion and Empire in Early China and Rome
(Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2023).
ISBN: 9780197666043
Imperial Cults is a comparative study of the transformation of imperial religion and imperial authority in the early Han and Roman empires. During the reigns of the Emperor Wu of Han and Octavian Augustus of Rome, the rulers undertook substantial reforms to their respective systems of cult, at a time when they were re-shaping the idea of imperial authority and consolidating their own power. The changes made to religious institutions during their reigns show how these reforms were a fundamental part of the imperial consolidation. Employing a comparative methodology the author discusses some of the common strategies employed by the two rulers in order to centre religious and political authority around themselves. Both rulers incorporated new men from outside of the established court elite to serve in their religious institutions and as advisors, thus weakening the authority of those who had traditionally held it. They both expanded the reach of their imperially-sponsored cult, and refashioned important ceremonies to demonstrate and communicate the unprecedented achievements of each ruler. Emperor Wu recruited experts in mantic knowledge from far reaches of the empire, while Augustus co-opted loyal followers into the newly revived priestly colleges. Robinson shows how the rulers used their respective religious institutions to consolidate their authority, secure support, and communicate their authority to the elite and commoners alike. By using the comparative approach, the author not only reveals similar trends in the formation of ancient empires, but also shows how new perspectives on familiar material can be found when engaging with other societies.
周佳榮著:《快讀古今日本一萬年》
香港:三聯書店,2023年。
ISBN: 9789620450365。
本書以年表為脈絡,簡明扼要地將日本從上古以至令和年代的歷史與文化,以視覺化的形式全方位呈現於讀者眼前。年表旁配以清晰的條目,以簡潔的文字解說不同年代的日本歷史名詞、事件始末,令讀者可以輕易掌握歷史大事,通俗易懂。此書既可以作為研習日本史的工具,亦可以作為認識日本史的入門書。
鍾寶賢﹑郭錦洲著:《香港非物質文化遺產系列:中秋節—薄扶林舞火龍》
香港:中華書局,2023年。
ISBN: 9789888809295。
每逢農曆八月十五日晚上,薄扶林村居民會舉辦一項與別不同的活動—中秋節舞火龍。插滿香枝的龍身煙霧繚繞,數十名居民帶領火龍遊動全村街頭巷尾,為村民祈求合境平安,並設法讓文化代代相傳。薄扶林舞火龍,這項由來甚久的傳統,已列入非物質文化遺產名錄。歷史學者鍾寶賢教授﹑郭錦洲博士帶領研究團隊,長達三年在實地觀察﹑研究及爬梳歷史資料,寫成《中秋節—薄扶林舞火龍》一書。本書分為六個章節,從祭祀文化﹑舞火龍的歷史流變與區域分佈談起,再聚焦至香港的舞火龍活動,然後鎖定在薄扶林的舞火龍。在字裏行間與讀者探討非遺的傳承與改變,一同思考這項文化遺產該如何繼續保育下去。
周佳榮著:《一本讀懂平成日本》
香港:三聯書店,2023年。
ISBN: 9789620450594。
本書以人物傳論形式呈現出平成時代的歷史,包括政治、法制、經濟、文學、演藝、科技、教育等不同方面,總共二百三十五人,從多元角度折射出平成時代的社會面貌,特別帶出了令和日本人的時代課題。他們在締造平成時代的獨特性方面,書中都有具體而微的說明。
周佳榮著:《階梯之階梯:呂思勉著作導讀》
香港:中華書局,2023年。
ISBN: 9789888809479。
被譽為「現代四大史學家」之一呂思勉,把「二十四史」由頭到尾讀完,並將正史材料的精華熔鑄成為專書;著作等身,計有兩部通史、四部斷代史、五部專史、八部近代史著作以及文學、文字學、通俗讀物等,總數超過一千萬字。
時移世易,在二十一世紀的今日,即使學術資訊如何發達,檢索工具怎樣便捷,中國史研究者要全盤掌握和運用歷代正史材料,以一人之力,幾乎是不可能的。藉着呂思勉的著作吸收傳統史學的精粹,肯定可收事半功倍之效。
有鑑於此,本書系統整理呂思勉著作,綜合學界人士的見解和研究述評,就呂氏各種書籍作簡明扼要的介紹,並選收九篇呂思勉關於如何入門中國歷史的文章,使年輕一代的學子以及對中國歷代正史有興趣的讀者對其生平和學術有全面的了解,進而摸索出一條入門門徑——此正謂讀中國歷史階梯之階梯。
何頌衡、何芷穎著:《些子往事:香港的盆景藝術與文化史》
香港:中華書局,2023年。
ISBN: 9789888809103。
盆景古稱「些子景」,寓意以植物創作出些微的景觀。目前,香港盆景文化正日漸衰落,與香港盆景文化相關的歷史資料也陷入散佚的危機,急需有系統的整理及紀錄。
本書試圖發掘及保存這些史料,揭示香港盆景歷史的發展脈絡,加深公眾對盆景文化的認識。此外本書嘗試探索盆景風尚衰落之由,並為未來的保育和振興提供建議。