Alvin Y. So

The material in this book is framed and organized through the themes of world system's theory -- such as incorporation, commercialization of agriculture, industrialization, proletarianization, and the cyclical rhythm of the capitalist world-system. The whole range of sericulture is examined from the production process, the social and technical problems, and the motives of cultivators, to how this form of agriculture changed over time. This text, replete with concrete and historical detail, offers carefully researched data of interest to sociologists and sinologists, as well as those in anthropology, economics, political science, and history.

Local Historical Transformation and World System Theory

The South China Silk District

Lily Xiao Hong Lee

Adopting a comparative perspective, this book traces the social, political, economic and cultural conditions under which environmental movements have emerged, and assesses the transformative capacities of these movements.

Comparative Perspectives

Asia's Environmental Movements

Mark Selden

Tracing the course of conflicts throughout Asia in the past century, this groundbreaking volume is the first to explore systematically the nexus of war and state terrorism. Challenging states' definitions of terrorism, which routinely exclude their own behavior, the book focuses especially on the nature of Japanese and American wars and crimes of war. This rare comparative perspective examines the ways in which state terror leads to civilian casualties, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. In counterbalance, they discuss anti-war movements and international efforts to protect human rights. This interdisciplinary volume will resonate with readers searching for a deeper understanding of an era dominated by war and terror.

The United States, Japan, and the Asia-Pacific in the Long Twentieth Century

War and State Terrorism

William S. Tay

A handy reference in one single volume of the key institutions and profound changes over the last three decades that transformed China into a global power.

Handbook of Contemporary China

Exploring one of the most dynamic and contested regions of the world, this series includes works on political, economic, cultural, and social changes in modern and contemporary Asia and the Pacific.

Asia's Environmental Movements in Comparative Perspective

Yok-shiu F. Lee

Aihwa Ong

Why are Malay women workers periodically seized by spirit possession on the shopfloors of modern factories? In this book, Aihwa Ong captures the disruptions, conflicts, and ambivalences in the lives of Malay women and their families as they make the transition from peasant society to industrial production. To discover the meaning that the market economy and wage labor hold for Malay peasants, Ong conducted anthropological field work in an agricultural district in Selangor, Peninsular Malaysia, which is undergoing rapid proletarianization. Weaving together history, ethnography, and quantitative analysis, she addresses many questions pertaining to peasants and state policies. The book shows how the diverging roles of young men and women are increasingly channelled, by educational and labor market pressures, toward conformity with corporate culture and capitalist discipline. A unique feature of this book is the portrayal of Malay women workers in Japanese factories, caught between their culture and the culture of capitalism. Ong argues that cultural values and practices--both Islamic-Malay and foreign--are reworked and reconstituted in the industrial hierarchy. Her vivid accounts of hysterical episodes, violent incidents, and women's self-perceptions provide insights into their attitudes toward capitalist relations. By illuminating the encounter of Malay peasants with global industrial production, the book also throws light on the attitude of neophyte wage workers elsewhere in the Third World.

Factory Women in Malaysia

Spirits of Resistance and Capitalist Discipline

Handbook of Contemporary China is a convenient reference in one single volume that offers comprehensive overviews of crucial cultural dimensions and key institutions of China. The Handbook covers a wide range of topics including: development model, politics, society, law, population, ethnicity, foreign relations, environment, urbanization, higher education, religion, literature, cinema, leisure and consumption, and internet and society. It is the first of its kind in the field of China Studies that traces the historical evolutions and profound transformations over the last three decades that ultimately allow China to achieve global ascendance. Offering a multi-disciplinary and multi-faceted coverage of the seachanges of the Chinese reform, the Handbook is lucidly written and concisely presented to serve as a handy guide for both professionals and the general public to gain a quick and reliable understanding of the complexities of China.

Alvin Y. So

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