Politics in Pacific Asia

This lively and accessible new edition provides a uniquely broad-ranging introduction to the governance and politics of Pacific Asia.

Thematically structured around the key institutions and issues, it is genuinely comparative in its approach to the whole region. A range of representative countries (China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines) are used as key case examples throughout and each of them is subject to a detailed full-page country profile.

This diverse region is a fascinating area for study. Politics in Pacific Asia provides a framework to form a coherent understanding of the region's politics; it balances persistent patterns with the latest developments and general characteristics with the differing cultures, histories and institutions of individual countries.

Introduction.- 1. Political Traditions in Pacific Asia.- 2. Building the Modern State.- 3. Types of States in Pacific Asia.- 4. Organization of Government.- 5. In the Name of the State: Bureaucracy and public service.- 6. The State and the Economy.- 7. Political Parties, Elections and Political Order.- 8. Political Society: Power, participation and advocacy.- 9. Nation and State: Ethnicity, religion and culture.- 10. Pacific Asia and the World.