Contemporary Southeast Asia: The Politics of Change, Contestation, and Adaptation

by Alice D. Ba (Editor)

At the epicenter of the world's most dynamic economic continent, Southeast Asia provides a window into some of the most important contemporary global developments in politics, and plays a crucial role in determining the wider region's future. The 3rd edition of this highly-acclaimed text provides a comprehensive analysis of Southeast Asia's remarkable variety of political systems, cultures and traditions, which are without exception all undergoing a variety of major changes. Written by a team of leading experts on Southeast Asia, this volume provides an accessible introduction to a region being buffeted by profound internal social transformation and great power confrontation, as well as the continuing challenges of economic development and environmental management.

Comprehensive in its analysis and ambitious in scope, this book will be the perfect introduction for students interested in the culture, politics, economy and society of the nations of Southeast Asia.

347 pages, Hardcover

Published December 4, 2017

Reviews

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Ch.1 SE Asia in general *unity in diversity, heterogeneity *intermingled politics, economy & security
- geography
-> mainland-maritime differences (mainland affected by rivers, maritime hv seas as barriers)
-> political power & organization
- historical legacies (colonial-period)
-> needs of colonial economy -> flow of labour
-> 'divide and rule' -> racial policies
- population -> migration (cross country and internal), urbanization (not necessarily became wealthy) -> extensive trade networks, traders
-> diversity in race and religion -> conflicts
-> ethnic Chinese, economic success -> ethnic resentment
-> environmental impact + food & energy security + diversity -> political (in)stability
- huge economic differences (inter-state & intra-regional within a country)
- mix of authoritarian & democratic elements -> mixed political institutions

ASEAN: bridge ideological, geopolitical, developmental differences
- diversity challenging concerted actions & unified response
-> Chinese threat (eg. South China Sea disputes)
- non-intervention policy?
- consensus-based decision-making process?

Comparative politics
- instrumentalist approach: emphasize situational interests of actors in driving politics & institutions
- primordialist approach: trace identity & religious claims (essentialist) as political drivers
- constructivist approach: identities & interests of actors as "socially constructed"

- realists: emphasize 'structural', material forces
-> *pursuit of material power & self-reliance* -> sceptical of prospects for cooperation
- constructivists: focus on influence of ideas, norms and social construction of reality
-> highlight diplomatic ability of ASEAN to *bring together diverse parties to address intra-regional problems & bridge differences*

- influence of powerful external forces VS local actors' agency

Ch.2 Historical context

- River valleys: plains & water for rice + conduits for commercial + access to sea ->exchange goods & ideas
-> Red River (Vietnam); lower Mekong; Chao Phraya (Thailand); Ayeyarwady/Irrawaddy (Myanmar)
-> Vietnamese, Cambodian, Thai & Burmese civilizations
- islands
-> Malay: shores of Strait of Melaka -> India-China trade route choke-point
-> Java: volcano soil -> rice & teak plantations -> timber for vessels to India & China (wealthy markets)
- India & China -> conjoined plains of pairs of great rivers -> succession of great empires to emerge -> enduring tradition of imperial ambition
- SE Asia -> empires don't sustain -> only time politically united was WWII Japanese occupation
-> lack political unity, but *linked by trade and cultural exchange*
-> 6 civilization centres + attendant clusters of smaller centres
-> intense volatility & competition between civilizations
-> Indian influence of kingship by local rulers to assert royal authority => devaraja (god-king) vs chakravartin (universal monarch)
=> devaraja implies more local and concentrated physical location
-> Chinese ideas through indirect rule (esp Vietnam)
=> local elites gradually absorbed into Chinese way of government
=> Chinese language, architecture & agricultural techniques
=> Neo-Confucianism: emphasize hierarchy in social relations
=> tribute system: foreign powers in contact with China were expected to recognize China's superior authority, while external trade was imaginatively reconfigured as an exchange of gifts
=> adopted by SE Asian states: simple recognition of greatness <-> formal subordination

13th-14th C: Religion change, Chinese influence decline
- alienated from China after Mongol invasions, from older Hindu-Buddhist to:
-> mainland: Theravada Buddhism
-> island: Islam
- political leaders collaborate with religious authorities for endorsement
- doctrinal orthodoxy -> strengthen cultural conformity
-> culture, language, religion + political allegiance -> merge into distinct ethnic identities
- boom in trade -> powerful new states emerge (Burma, Siam, Malay, Java, Vietnam)
-> Cambodia failed to respond, long decline + face expansion by Thai & Viet neighbours

16th C: European imperialism
- superior shipping & gunnery techniques gave European interests dominace at sea + trade
-> Malay => Portugese
-> Java => Dutch East India Company (VOC)
-> purchase local plantation production at low prices
-> control local production through 'indirect rule'
-> pliant local elites act on behalf of the Dutch, use trad. authority to recruit labour
-> monarchs stay in power and under military protection
-> encourage Chinese immigration to provide labour in cities
-> Philippines => Spanish
-> Catholic missionaries
-> introduce new crops and agricultural techniques -> cultural centre
-> Spanish & Chinese settlers intermarried with local leaders
-> create new elite -> large plantations for tobacco, sugar & coconuts