How this change in status came about, and what it reveals about the nature of finance, is the story told in Virtue, Fortune, and Faith. A unique cultural history of modern financial markets from the early eighteenth century to the present day, the book offers a genealogical reading of the historical insecurities, debates, and controversies that had to be purged from nascent credit practices in order to produce the image of today's coherent and - largely - rational global financial sphere. Marieke de Goede discusses moral, religious, and political transformations that have slowly naturalized the domain of finance. Using a deft integration of feminist and poststructuralist approaches, her book demonstrates that finance - not just its rules of personal engagement, but also its statistics, formulas, instruments, and institutions - is a profoundly cultural and politically contingent practice. When closely examined, the history of finance is one of colonial conquest, sexual imagination, constructions of time, and discourses of legitimate (or illegitimate) profit making. Regardless, this history has had a far-reaching impact on the development of the modern international financial institutions that act as the stewards of the world's economic resources. De Goede explores the political contestations over ideas of time and money; the gendered discourse of credit and credibility; differences among gambling, finance, and speculation; debates over the proper definition of the free market; the meaning of financial crisis; and the morality of speculation. In an era when financial practices are pronounced too specialized for broad-based public, democratic debate, Virtue, Fortune, and Faith questions assumptions about international finance's unchallenged position and effectively exposes its ambiguous scientific authority.

    The development of banking industry in India is given a thorough overview right from its birth to the present state. The book also lays its views on the challenges encountered by the banking sector in these changing times, the steep development of technologies that help in secured and effective banking operations and the rules and regulations brought in by the Reserve Bank of India in providing financial stability and protecting the depositors.Principles And Practices of Banking is a very important book for anyone willing to get their fair share of unbiased knowledge about the banking sector in India. The book is a product of Indian Institute of Banking and Finance. The style of writing in the book is perspicuous and the information precise without redundancy. The book starting from foreword is divided majorly into four modules. Module A is titled Indian Financial System. This module starts with the general scenario of Indian financial system. Then it moves on to speak of banking regulations; retail, wholesale and international banking. It then covers the roles and functions of capital market, mutual funds and insurance companies. The module also covers alliances, recent developments and risk management. Module B is titled Functions of Banks. This module covers a wide range of banking functions such as customer relationship, payment and collection of cheques, ancillary services, agricultural finance, self-help groups, loans, collaterals and the likes. Module C is titled Banking Technology. This module explains different technologies used in the functioning of banks and their importance. Module D is titled Support Services - Marketing of Banking Services/Products.