Books in the Rethinking Southeast Asia series

This book deals with two major issues: how Indonesian NGOs survived under Suharto's authoritarian rule; and how NGOs contributed to the promotion of democracy in the post-Suharto era.

The Karen are one of the major ethnic minority groups in the Himalayan highlands, living predominantly in the border area between Thailand and Burma. This book studies the Karen and looks at such key issues as history, ethnic identity, religious change, the impact of government intervention, education land management and gender relations.

The book explores the way in which the state has become commercialised as party and government officials have gone into business and considers the impact that this has had on politics within Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.

A uniquely comprehensive overview of this fascinating and rapidly changing country, dealing with the politics, economics and society of Vietnam from the Doi Moi reforms of market socialism in 1986 to the present day.

Explores the basics of the defamation law as it applies to private-sphere defamation and looks at the peculiar permutations created by the use of public-sphere defamation laws in Thailand, particularly in terms of creating and protecting a nationalist identity.

Examines the dynamic process of political transition and indigenous (adat) revivalism in newly decentralized Indonesia. Based on fieldwork and using case studies from Sulawesi to illustrate the key arguments, this book provides an overview of the key analytical concepts, and a concise review of relevant stages in Indonesian history.

Investigates the Thai media's role during the Thaksin government's first term. This book provides an insight into globalization in Southeast Asia, analyzing the role of communications and media in regional cultural politics. It compares Thailand and its neighbouring countries in relation to the media, business, politics and popular culture.

This is the first book in English to examine the tangled web of relationships linking newspaper owners, editors and reporters, with leading politicians and power-holders.

How does an authoritarian state reform its police force following a transition to democracy? In 1998, Indonesia, the third largest country in the world, faced just such a challenge. This book explains the changing position of the police in the post-Suharto era in Indonesia.It focuses on two key areas: the differences between local and national levels, and the politicization associated with decentralization. Arguing that the disassociation of the Indonesian National Police from the military has achieved only limited success, the book contends that there is continued impetus for the establishment of a professional police and modern and democratic policing, which will entail an effective public control on the police.

This book looks at the role of the Indonesian military in the downfall of Suharto and their ongoing influence on the succeeding governments of B.J. Habibie and Abdurrahman Wahid.

Explores the process of democratization in Thailand from the overthrow of the monarchist state in the 1930s to the present day and examines this development institutionally and ideologically through key issues.