Asian History

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  The Japanese City

  Japan is one of the most crowded countries on earth, with three-fourths of its population now living in cities. Tokyo is easily the most populous city on the planet. And yet, though closely packed, its citizens dwell together in relative peace. In America, inner-city violence—often attributed in part to overcrowding—is frequently emphasized as one of the great social problems of the day. What might we learn from Japan’s situation that could be applied to our own as we approach the twenty-first century?

  In this collection an interdisciplinary group of international scholars seek to understand and explain the process and characteristics ...Read More

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  The Pundits: British Exploration of Tibet and Central Asia

  On a September day in 1863, Abdul Hamid entered the Central Asian city of Yarkand. Disguised as a merchant, Hamid was actually an employee of the Survey of India, carrying concealed instruments to enable him to map the geography of the area. Hamid did not live to provide a first-hand count of his travels. Nevertheless, he was the advance guard of an elite group of Indian trans-Himalayan explorers—recruited, trained, and directed by the officers of the Great Trigonometrical Survey of India—who were to traverse much of Tibet and Central Asia during the next thirty years.

  Derek Waller presents the history ...Read More

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  The Changing Face of Southeast Asia

  Southeast Asia, whose alienation might tilt the balance of power in favor of the Communist bloc, has become the focus of American foreign policy. Mr. Vandenbosch and Mr. Butwell here trace the development of the eight nations which comprise Southeast Asia and appraise their current role in international affairs. Although led to adopt state forms similar to those of the departing colonial powers, each nation traditionally had quite different political systems. It is the authors' thesis that their historical patterns of political and social behavior are re-emerging and that the chief differences among the national political systems and related ways ...Read More

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  Southeast Asia Among the World Powers

  First published in 1957, this classic work on the political situation in Southeast Asia at the start of the Vietnam War includes a supplement covering events up to mid-1958. An introductory chapter describes the general political and economic characteristics of this important region lying south of Communist China and east of neutralist India. Individual chapters are devoted to Indonesia, the Philippines, Indochina, Thailand, Malaya, and Burma. The concluding chapters analyze the international relations of Southeast Asia and describe American foreign policy in the area.

  Amry Vandenbosch is director of the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce at the University ...Read More