Current Book Reviews

Asia General China & Inner Asia Northeast Asia South Asia & the Himalayas Southeast Asia Australasia & the Pacific Islands
Asia General

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THE VALUE OF COMPARISON | By Peter van der Veer; foreword by Thomas GibsonTHE VALUE OF COMPARISON | By Peter van der Veer; foreword by Thomas Gibson
Joseph S. Alter

ARCHITECTS OF BUDDHIST LEISURE: Socially Disengaged Buddhism in Asia’s Museums, Monuments, and Amusement Parks | By Justin Thomas McDanielARCHITECTS OF BUDDHIST LEISURE: Socially Disengaged Buddhism in Asia’s Museums, Monuments, and Amusement Parks | By Justin Thomas McDaniel
Erik Hammerstrom

NUCLEAR DEBATES IN ASIA: The Role of Geopolitics and Domestic Processes | Edited by Mike M. Mochizuki and Deepa M. OllapallyNUCLEAR DEBATES IN ASIA: The Role of Geopolitics and Domestic Processes | Edited by Mike M. Mochizuki and Deepa M. Ollapally
John P. DiMoia

SMART DIPLOMACY: Exploring China-India Synergy | By P.S. Suryanarayana; foreword by Ambassador Tommy KohSMART DIPLOMACY: Exploring China-India Synergy | By P.S. Suryanarayana; foreword by Ambassador Tommy Koh
Jiye Kim

DICTATORS AND THEIR SECRET POLICE: Coercive Institutions and State Violence | By Sheena Chestnut GreitensDICTATORS AND THEIR SECRET POLICE: Coercive Institutions and State Violence | By Sheena Chestnut Greitens
Patrick Hein

COALITIONS OF THE WELL-BEING: How Electoral Rules and Ethnic Politics Shape Health Policy in Developing Countries | By Joel Sawat SelwayCOALITIONS OF THE WELL-BEING: How Electoral Rules and Ethnic Politics Shape Health Policy in Developing Countries | By Joel Sawat Selway
Gavin W. Jones

CHINESE ENCOUNTERS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA: How People, Money, and Ideas from China Are Changing a Region | Edited by Pál Nyíri and Danielle Tan; foreword by Wang GungwuCHINESE ENCOUNTERS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA: How People, Money, and Ideas from China Are Changing a Region | Edited by Pál Nyíri and Danielle Tan; foreword by Wang Gungwu
Chih-yu Shih

CULTURAL POLITICS OF GENDER AND SEXUALITY IN CONTEMPORARY ASIA | Edited by Tiantian ZhengCULTURAL POLITICS OF GENDER AND SEXUALITY IN CONTEMPORARY ASIA | Edited by Tiantian Zheng
Jesook Song

China & Inner Asia

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SECURITY RELATIONS BETWEEN CHINA AND THE EUROPEAN UNION: From Convergence to Cooperation? | Edited by Emil J. Kirchner, Thomas Christiansen, Han DorussenSECURITY RELATIONS BETWEEN CHINA AND THE EUROPEAN UNION: From Convergence to Cooperation? | Edited by Emil J. Kirchner, Thomas Christiansen, Han Dorussen
Andrew Scobell

THE CHINA MODEL: Political Meritocracy and the Limits of Democracy | By Daniel A. BellTHE CHINA MODEL: Political Meritocracy and the Limits of Democracy | By Daniel A. Bell
Paul Evans

CENTRIFUGAL EMPIRE: Central-Local Relations in China | By Jae Ho ChungCENTRIFUGAL EMPIRE: Central-Local Relations in China | By Jae Ho Chung
Lior Rosenberg

TRANSFORMING PATRIARCHY: Chinese Families in the Twenty-First Century | Edited by Gonçalo Santos and Stevan HarrellTRANSFORMING PATRIARCHY: Chinese Families in the Twenty-First Century | Edited by Gonçalo Santos and Stevan Harrell
Leslie K. Wang

LEFTOVER WOMEN: The resurgence of gender inequality in China | By Leta Hong FincherLEFTOVER WOMEN: The resurgence of gender inequality in China | By Leta Hong Fincher
Bryna Goodman

CHINA’S ASIAN DREAM: Empire Building Along the New Silk Road | By Tom MillerCHINA’S ASIAN DREAM: Empire Building Along the New Silk Road | By Tom Miller
Tai Wei Lim

GODDESS ON THE FRONTIER: Religion, Ethnicity, and Gender in Southwest China | By Megan BrysonGODDESS ON THE FRONTIER: Religion, Ethnicity, and Gender in Southwest China | By Megan Bryson
C. Patterson Giersch

FINDING WOMEN IN THE STATE: A Socialist Feminist Revolution in the People’s Republic of China, 1949–1964 | By Wang ZhengFINDING WOMEN IN THE STATE: A Socialist Feminist Revolution in the People’s Republic of China, 1949–1964 | By Wang Zheng
Wendy Larson

TRACES OF THE SAGE: Monument, Materiality, and the First Temple of Confucius | By James A. FlathTRACES OF THE SAGE: Monument, Materiality, and the First Temple of Confucius | By James A. Flath
Thomas Wilson

EMPIRE AND THE MEANING OF RELIGION IN NORTHEAST ASIA: Manchuria 1900–1945 | By Thomas David DuBoisEMPIRE AND THE MEANING OF RELIGION IN NORTHEAST ASIA: Manchuria 1900–1945 | By Thomas David DuBois
Victor Zatsepine

Northeast Asia

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WOMEN IN JAPANESE CINEMA: Alternate Perspectives | By Tamae K. PrindleWOMEN IN JAPANESE CINEMA: Alternate Perspectives | By Tamae K. Prindle
Kathryn Hemmann

MANGA VISION: Cultural and Communicative Perspectives | Edited by Sarah Pasfield-Neotifou and Cathy Sell, with manga artist Queenie ChanMANGA VISION: Cultural and Communicative Perspectives | Edited by Sarah Pasfield-Neotifou and Cathy Sell, with manga artist Queenie Chan
James Welker

THE STRATEGY FOR KOREA’S ECONOMIC SUCCESS | By Hwy-Chang MoonTHE STRATEGY FOR KOREA’S ECONOMIC SUCCESS | By Hwy-Chang Moon
Wankeun Oh

CURATIVE VIOLENCE: Rehabilitating Disability, Gender, and Sexuality in Modern Korea | By Eunjung KimCURATIVE VIOLENCE: Rehabilitating Disability, Gender, and Sexuality in Modern Korea | By Eunjung Kim
Celeste L. Arrington

MADE IN KOREA: Studies in Popular Music | Edited by Hyunjoon Shin and Seung-Ah LeeMADE IN KOREA: Studies in Popular Music | Edited by Hyunjoon Shin and Seung-Ah Lee
Hyung-Gu Lynn

NORTH KOREA’S HIDDEN REVOLUTION: How the Information Underground Is Transforming a Closed Society | By Jieun BaekNORTH KOREA’S HIDDEN REVOLUTION: How the Information Underground Is Transforming a Closed Society | By Jieun Baek
Steven Denney

THE SUBLIME PERVERSION OF CAPITAL: Marxist Theory and the Politics of History in Modern Japan | By Gavin WalkerTHE SUBLIME PERVERSION OF CAPITAL: Marxist Theory and the Politics of History in Modern Japan | By Gavin Walker
Derek Hall

WOMEN AND POLITICS IN CONTEMPORARY JAPAN | By Emma DaltonWOMEN AND POLITICS IN CONTEMPORARY JAPAN | By Emma Dalton
Jackie F. Steele

OSAKA MODERN: The City in the Japanese Imaginary | By Michael P. CroninOSAKA MODERN: The City in the Japanese Imaginary | By Michael P. Cronin
Tristan R. Grunow

South Asia & the Himalayas

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SPACE, PLANNING AND EVERYDAY CONTESTATIONS IN DELHI | Edited by Surajit Chakravarty and Rohit NegiSPACE, PLANNING AND EVERYDAY CONTESTATIONS IN DELHI | Edited by Surajit Chakravarty and Rohit Negi
Sanjeev Routray

UNCONDITIONAL EQUALITY: Gandhi’s Religion of Resistance | By Ajay SkariaUNCONDITIONAL EQUALITY: Gandhi’s Religion of Resistance | By Ajay Skaria
Uday Chandra

Southeast Asia

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RELIGION AND NATIONALISM IN SOUTHEAST ASIA | By Joseph Chinyong LiowRELIGION AND NATIONALISM IN SOUTHEAST ASIA | By Joseph Chinyong Liow
Michael D. Barr

THE RISE OF CHINA AND THE CHINESE OVERSEAS: A Study of Beijing’s Changing Policy in Southeast Asia and Beyond | By Leo SuryadinataTHE RISE OF CHINA AND THE CHINESE OVERSEAS: A Study of Beijing’s Changing Policy in Southeast Asia and Beyond | By Leo Suryadinata
Amy Freedman

MOTHERLESS TONGUES: The Insurgency of Language amid Wars of Translation | By Vicente L. RafaelMOTHERLESS TONGUES: The Insurgency of Language amid Wars of Translation | By Vicente L. Rafael
William B. Noseworthy

GHOSTLY DESIRES: Queer Sexuality and Vernacular Buddhism in Contemporary Thai Cinema | By Arnika FuhrmannGHOSTLY DESIRES: Queer Sexuality and Vernacular Buddhism in Contemporary Thai Cinema | By Arnika Fuhrmann
David Teh

OF BEGGARS AND BUDDHAS: The Politics of Humor in the Vessantara Jataka in Thailand | By Katherine A. BowieOF BEGGARS AND BUDDHAS: The Politics of Humor in the Vessantara Jataka in Thailand | By Katherine A. Bowie
Susan M. Darlington

SIEGE OF THE SPIRITS: Community and Polity in Bangkok | By Michael HerzfeldSIEGE OF THE SPIRITS: Community and Polity in Bangkok | By Michael Herzfeld
Charles Keyes

HAMKA’S GREAT STORY: A Master Writer’s Vision of Islam for Modern Indonesia | By James R. RushHAMKA’S GREAT STORY: A Master Writer’s Vision of Islam for Modern Indonesia | By James R. Rush
Abidin Kusno

TROPICAL RENDITIONS: Making Musical Scenes in Filipino America | By Christine Bacareza BalanceTROPICAL RENDITIONS: Making Musical Scenes in Filipino America | By Christine Bacareza Balance
Victor Bascara

Australasia & the Pacific Islands

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RESILIENCE AND GROWTH IN THE SMALL STATES OF THE PACIFIC | Edited by Hoe Ee Khor, Roger P. Kronenberg, and Patrizia TumbarelloRESILIENCE AND GROWTH IN THE SMALL STATES OF THE PACIFIC | Edited by Hoe Ee Khor, Roger P. Kronenberg, and Patrizia Tumbarello
Penelope Schoeffel

DOMINATION AND RESISTANCE: The United States and the Marshall Islands during the Cold War | By Martha Smith-NorrisDOMINATION AND RESISTANCE: The United States and the Marshall Islands during the Cold War | By Martha Smith-Norris
Sylvia C. Frain

GENDER VIOLENCE & HUMAN RIGHTS: Seeking Justice in Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu | TRANSFORMATIONS OF GENDER IN MELANESIAGENDER VIOLENCE & HUMAN RIGHTS: Seeking Justice in Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu | TRANSFORMATIONS OF GENDER IN MELANESIA
Barbara Andersen

TIDES OF INNOVATION IN OCEANIA: Value, materiality and place. | Edited by Elisabetta Gnecchi-Ruscone and Anna PainiTIDES OF INNOVATION IN OCEANIA: Value, materiality and place. | Edited by Elisabetta Gnecchi-Ruscone and Anna Paini
Rodolfo Maggio

TOURING PACIFIC CULTURES | Edited by Kalissa Alexeyeff, John TaylorTOURING PACIFIC CULTURES | Edited by Kalissa Alexeyeff, John Taylor
Shirley Campbell

TREES, KNOTS, AND OUTRIGGERS: Environmental Knowledge in the Northeast Kula Ring | By Frederick H. DamonTREES, KNOTS, AND OUTRIGGERS: Environmental Knowledge in the Northeast Kula Ring | By Frederick H. Damon
Susanne Kuehling

WAVES OF KNOWING: A Seascape Epistemology | By Karin Amimoto IngersollWAVES OF KNOWING: A Seascape Epistemology | By Karin Amimoto Ingersoll
Tui Nicola Clery