Contemplating globalization from a sociological perspective, it is without doubt that a major site for social, political, economic and cultural change in the new millennium lies in the Asian region. The chapters in this book seek to describe and analyze a number of key aspects of social and cultural change wrought by globalization in the Asian region. The underlying theme in the book is the multi-dimensional way in which globalization - in the form of ideas, practices and technology - have introduced social inequalities in specific contexts. In particular, the book examines how inequality has been reproduced, challenged and theorized in Asia by the advent of globalizing culture. Written by experienced and established scholars, the study provides both theoretical explanation, and discussion and analysis of empirical data, from a range of social, cultural and political-economic perspectives and draws on studies from several countries in the region.

This volume studies the relation between globalization and inequalities in emerging societies by linking Area and Global Studies, aiming at a new theory of inequality beyond the nation state and beyond Eurocentrism.

Income inequality is one of the most profound social, economic, and political challenges of our time. The gap between the rich and the poor has been regarded as a major concern for policy makers. This gap is at its highest level in decades for developed economies, while the inequality trend has been rising in many developing countries. In Asia, despite recent economic growth, income distribution has been worsening as well. This book contributes to the existing literature on inequality in Asia by focusing on three broad themes, corresponding to three parts of the volume. Part I offers an overview of inequality in Asia, Part II focuses on the drivers of rising inequality in Asia, and Part III presents country case studies.

Discourses of globalisation : Chap. 1; A world for all -- Chap. 2; Globalisation and the end of empire? -- Chap. 3; Globalisation debates -- Country responses to globalisation : Chap. 4; The problem of globalisation for Southeast Asian Countries -- Chap. 5; Globalisation, commodification and then reconstitution of class and gender -- Chap. 6; Globalisation and regionalism -- Income distribution, poverty and income inequality : Chap. 7; Explaining growth. poverty and distribution in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand -- Cap. 8; Human rights, poverty and the role of the State in Thailand -- Chap. 9; Income distribution and poverty eradication in Malaysia -- Chap. 10; Rural development and improving inequality -- Chap. 11; SMEs and the challenge of globalisation -- Chap. 12; Foreign labour in Malaysia manufacturing -- Chap. 13; Engaging globalization -- Knowledge, culture and politics : Chap. 14 Knowledge society and the knowledgr gap -- Chap. 15; Knowledge production and globalisation -- Chap. 16; Language, nationhood and globalisation -- Chap. 17; Development and democracy in Southeast Asia.

Globalization, Poverty, and Income Inequality examines the relationship between globalization and trade liberalization, and poverty and income inequality, using Indonesia as a case study. Contributors examine how advances in coffee certification, treatments for visual disabilities, and property rights, among other factors, have had both meritorious and deleterious effects on the local population. Ultimately, they describe an ambiguous relationship between trade liberalization and inequality, both of which can increase or decrease in proportion to one another depending on region and sector. This empirically driven work provides a nuanced view of the trade-poverty relationship, contributing balanced testimony to policy debates being held internationally.

For anyone seeking a diverse range of perspectives on globalisation in the Asia-Pacific region, this collection of highly readable essays is a good place to start. Focusing on individual countries, the chapters examine the specific modalities of global integration and the responses of different sections of society in each country. The authors address questions of major importance for democratic societies, such as: the connection between globalisation and the rise of religious extremism; whether globalisation is in reality a new form of imperial preference; who the winners and losers are. These are complemented by three short case studies dealing with Indonesia s unrealised potential, foreign investment in China and patterns in the movement of people between Hong Kong and the mainland. The essays provide a rich source of thought-provoking analysis of the complex cultural and political responses arising from both opportunities provided by globalisation and its more negative impacts. Melanie Beresford, Macquarie University, Australia Globalization in the Asian Region draws confident ragged lines across disciplines, themes and the conventional boundaries of scholarship. The range of material in the anthology is astounding. The diversity and admixture of political positions and approaches is confronting. Contemporary Asia is thus mapped without overgeneralizing a homogenous whole. Paul James, RMIT University, Australia This collection of thoughtful essays provides a reliable picture of the dynamic and often ironic operation of globalization in Asia today and challenges individuals to believe that as communities we have a choice in how we respond and contribute to globalization. The editors highlight the multifaceted nature of globalization and bring to the fore its supraterritoriality. A dozen detailed studies make good on these claims from analyses of American militancy since 9-11, terrorism, and poverty, to case studies on Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and China. These essays make clear the interactive nature of globalization as various economic, cultural, and political forces pour into Asian societies while the impact of their responses from exports to currency fluctuations to migration flows to transnational religious movements in turn reshape the selfsame globalization process. Timothy Cheek, University of British Columbia, Canada Bringing together contributors from both the university sector and business-centered research institutions, this comprehensive volume offers diverse perspectives on the impacts and consequences of globalization in different parts of the Asian region. Each chapter offers a substantial account of globalization within a particular nation-state or area in the region. Different understandings underpin the chapters. Some contributors perceive globalization as progress in the form of economically driven processes that have made nations mutually dependent in unprecedented and complex ways. Others emphasize the uneven outcomes of globalization, as well as the stakes for economic growth and social order in the global climate of deepening political and religious divisions since September 2001. General and specialist readers alike will gain an appreciation of the myriad emphases placed on globalization within different nations and from various vantage points. The book showcases diverse styles of discourse and serves to greatly broaden the scope of what can be discussed under the rubric of globalization within a single volume.

Presents a multidimensional perspective of globalisation in Southeast Asia. Looks at political, economic, security, social, and cultural dimensions of globalisation and local responses, showing evidence of complex interfacing between the global and the local, championing the need for a multidisciplinary approach to globalisation studies.