Minor Majesties studies the small ancient kingdom of Pa?uvūr, active between the ninth and the eleventh centuries C.E. in the modern South-Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Author Valérie Gillet extensively surveys four temples dedicated to the god Śiva that were built during this period, combining in-depth analyses of their materiality, their location, and their epigraphy. Through these, Gillet provides a better understanding of the complexities related to temple sponsorship, organisation, and functioning as well as how these religious monuments became a place for the fabrication of political discourses and powers, specific social configurations, and religious practices.Â

In this powerful, multidisciplinary book, Tove Skutnabb-Kangas shows how most indigenous and minority education contributes to linguistic genocide according to United Nations definitions. Theory is combined with a wealth of factual encyclopedic information and with many examples and vignettes. The examples come from all parts of the world and try to avoid Eurocentrism. Oriented toward theory and practice, facts and evaluations, and reflection and action, the book prompts readers to find information about the world and their local contexts, to reflect and to act. A Web site with additional resource materials to this book can be found at http://www.ruc.dk/~tovesk/

Written in a detailed and fascinating manner, this book is ideal for general readers interested in the English language.

Papers presented to a National Seminar on Perspectives on the Eighth Schedule held at the Centre of Linguistics and English, School of Languages, Jawaharlal Nehru University, August 5-6, 1993.

3. Investing in people.