The Cambridge History of Southeast Asia: Volume 2, Part 2, From World War II to the Present [Paperback]

Nicholas Tarling (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 28, 2000 | ISBN-10: 0521663725 | ISBN-13: 978-0521663724

Volume 4 covers the period from World War II to the present and examines the end of European colonial empires, the emergence of political structures of the independent states, economic and social change, religious change in contemporary Southeast Asia, Southeast Asia's role and identity in decolonization, and the ongoing weakening of links with the West.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'... invaluable for historians wanting a broad picture of the region ... should also be of more general interest.' Danny Yee's Book Reviews

Book Description

In these four volumes, now published in paperback, twenty-two scholars of international reputation consider the whole of mainland and island Southeast Asia from Burma to Indonesia. Volume 4 covers the period from World War II to the present and examines the end of European colonial empires, the emergence of political structures of the independent states, economic and social change, religious change in contemporary Southeast Asia, Southeast Asia's role and identity in decolonisation, and the ongoing weakening of links with the West.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (January 28, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521663725
• ISBN-13: 978-0521663724
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #111,572 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very scholarly book, April 8, 2001

By 

ShotokanKid - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Cambridge History of Southeast Asia: Volume 2, Part 2, From World War II to the Present (Paperback)

The thematic approach of the book deviates from the usual country-to-country approach espoused my most authors on the subject. It gives the reader a better understanding of the milestones and institutions of Souutheast Asia. It is more of a "why" and "how" approach, instead of the "who", "what", and "when" approach. In short, very scholarly!

5.0 out of 5 stars Invaluably Diverse Perspectives, February 1, 2011

By 

TransLorentz - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Cambridge History of Southeast Asia: Volume 2, Part 2, From World War II to the Present (Paperback)

This is a solid text. Its concision, attention to important details, faithfulness to evidence are all very remarkable, but what strikes any reader of this collection of essays most is its ability to present so many insights into the modern history of the region, its politics and its socioeconomic evolution, even to those without the least dram of prior knowledge.

5.0 out of 5 stars A Definitive History of S.E. Asia, January 12, 2011

By 

John (San Tan Valley, AZ, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Cambridge History of Southeast Asia: Volume 2, Part 2, From World War II to the Present (Paperback)

This history book is interesting as it is not in chronological order, but rather in topical importance with major topics divided by subtopics. There are 5 major topics or chapters: Southeast Asian in War and Peace: The End of European Colonial Empires, The Political Structures of the Independent States, Economic and Social Change, Religious Change in Contemporary Southeast Asia and finally Regionalism and Nationalism. Each major topic has such subtopics as World War II or Colonial Restoration within the War and Peace chapter, or Protest and Rebellion within the Economic and Social Change chapter. The print is quite small and writing style is academic. There are no pictures and or maps included in this volume, which can sometimes be necessary to fully understand the content. Additionally, the chapters are written as if the reader has read the previous volume containing two parts.
As most history books are concerned, the reader is captive to the bias of the historian of whom the manuscript is written, which requires the reader to necessarily read additional histories of various persuasions to gain the clearest perspective. This book, however, was written by varying and collaborative authorities rather than a single author. Many topics are introduced in one chapter, and then further explained by additional authors in the following chapters.
Chapter 1 discusses the Japanese Invasion and the social and economical impact on colonial regimes during World War II. This impact is further explained in Chapter 2. The book's editor Nicholas Tarling outlines in the introduction that, "The political structures that the Nationalist Elites used are surveyed in Chapter 2. It argues that some structures were particularly shaped by war and revolution. Others were plural in nature, particularly those set up in the early years of independence." Chapter 3, written by Norman G. Owen of the University of Hong Kong, discusses economic and social change by investigating the affect global economic policies and political and social ideologies had on government policy. Chapter 4 is about religion in S.E. Asia, specifically religious change and its connections to and impact on the eventual government systems of S.E. Asia. Finally, Chapter 5 discusses the slow, yet eventual change from nationalism to regionalism and suggests that even today, adopting a regional approach to S.E. Asia may be an outside approach rather than a native notion upheld by the opinions of its nations.
If a reader's intention is to deeply understand the collective history of Southeast Asia, this book connects the political and cultural dots creating an objective and thorough understanding of the region and its people. I would suggest its content to anyone visiting or interested in S.E. Asia.