The Emergence of Modern Southeast Asia: A New History

The modern states of Indonesia Vietnam Thailand the Philippines Myanmar Malaysia Singapore Cambodia Laos Brunei and East Timor were once a tapestry of kingdoms colonies and smaller polities linked by sporadic trade and occasional war. By the end of the nineteenth century however the United States and several European powers had come to control almost the entire regiononly to depart dramatically in the decades following World War II. The Emergence of Modern Southeast Asia offers a new and up-to-date perspective on this complex region. Although it does not neglect nation-building (the central theme of its popular and long-lived predecessor In Search of Southeast Asia) the present work focuses on economic and social history gender and ecology. It describes the long-term impact of global forces on the region and traces the spread and interplay of capitalism nationalism and socialism. It acknowledges that modernization has produced substantial gains in such areas as life expectancy and education but has also spread dislocation and misery. Organizationally the book shifts between thematic chapters that describe social economic and cultural change and "country" chapters emphasizing developments within specific areas. Enhanced by scores of illustrations The Emergence of Modern Southeast Asia will establish a new standard for the history of this dynamic and radically transformed region of the world. Contributors: David Chandler Norman G. Owen William R. Roff David Joel Steinberg Jean Gelman Taylor Robert H. Taylor Alexander Woodside David K. Wyatt.