Asia's Turning Point


Book Description

Asia was probably the biggest economic sensation of the post-war decades. The breathtaking success of Japan was followed by a remarkable rise of "four tigers", then ASEAN founder states and then China. The Asian miracle became a commonly accepted definition of this success. In the late 1970s and especially 80s it became clear that the balance of power in the world had changed. Politicians, businessmen, scholars began to talk about "the new Asia Pacific age" and Asian economic model, different from and, maybe, even superior to Western capitalism. However, in 1997-98 the Asian economic crisis came and made the region a sick man. Six years before that Japan, the regional powerhouse entered more than a decade-long period of stagnation. The miracle was over. However, the crisis was overcome within a surprisingly short period of time. Naturally, the question arises: What now? What is going on in the region after the miracle and after the crisis? What is today's face of Asian capitalism and how should we view its performance? Readers interested in regional developments will find a lot of literature about miracle decades and crisis years. However, few analysts have addressed the challenging questions addressed in this book. The authors vividly show that Asian capitalism is undergoing a radical structural transformation. These changes are directly affecting its key institutions: governments, companies, labor relations, etc. As a result Asian economic systems are becoming much closer to the Western-style, especially Anglo-Saxon capitalism, though the region retains some important specific features, especially regarding business culture. This book is a must for business people worldwide, for all those who study the region in colleges and business schools, for people engaged in various international activities and, finally, for all those who want learn more about our world at the dawn of the new century.




Routledge Handbook on Islam in Asia


Book Description

The Routledge Handbook on Islam in Asia offers both new and established scholarship on Muslim societies and religious practices across Asia, from a variety of interdisciplinary angles, with chapters covering South, Central, East and Southeast Asia, as well as Africa–Asia connections. Presenting work grounded in archival, literary, and ethnographic inquiry, contributors to this handbook lend their expertise to paint a picture of Islam as deeply connected to and influenced by Asia, often by-passing or reversing relationships of power and authority that have placed ‘Arab’ Islam in a hierarchically superior position vis-à-vis Asia. This handbook is structured in four parts, each representing an emergent area of inquiry: Frames Authority and authorizing practices Muslim spatialities Imaginations of piety Dislodging ingrained assumptions that Asia is at the periphery of Islam – and that Islam is at the periphery of Asia’s cultural matrix – this handbook sets an agenda against the ‘center-periphery’ dichotomy, as well as the syncretism paradigm that has dominated conversations on Islam in Asia. It thus demonstrates possibilities for new scholarly approaches to the study of Islam within the ‘Asian context.’ This ground-breaking handbook is a valuable resource to students and scholars of Asian studies, religious studies, and cultural studies more broadly.




Japan's Quest for Stability in Southeast Asia


Book Description

More than any other region in the world, Asia has witnessed tremendous change in the post-war era. A continent once engulfed by independence and revolution, and later by the Cold War and civil war, has now been transformed into the world’s most economically dynamic region. What caused this change in Asia? The key to answering this question lies in the post-war history of maritime Asia and, in particular, the path taken by the maritime nation of Japan. Analysing the importance of Japan’s relationship with Southeast Asia, this book therefore aims to illustrate the hidden trail left by Japan during the period of upheaval that has shaped Asia today—an era marked by the American Cold War strategy, the dissolution of the British Empire in Asia, and the rise of China. It provides a comprehensive account of post-war maritime Asia, making use of internationally sourced primary materials, as well as declassified Japanese government papers. As such, Japan's Quest for Stability in Southeast Asia will be useful to students and scholars of Japanese Politics, Asian Politics and Asian History.




Turning Points in Japanese History


Book Description

So-called 'turning points' or 'defining moments' are both the oxygen and grid lines that historians and researchers seek in plotting the path of social and political development of any country. In the case of Japan, the ninth Conference of the European Association of Japanese Studies provided a unique opportunity for leading scholars of Japanese history, politics and international relations to offer an outstanding menu of 'turning points' (many addressed for the first time), over 20 of which are included here. Thematically, the book is divided into sections, including Medieval and Early Modern Japan, Japan and the West, Contested Constructs in the Study of Tokugawa and Meiji Japan, Aspects of Modern Japanese Foreign Policy, and Democracy and Monarchy in Post-War Japan.




Archinesia 02


Book Description

Hotels and resorts are not an easy building to design. The relationships of hotels and the city are also an important notion of landmark within cities. The hotels are also to be seen as a reflection of the complex social geographies of city life. Review the built projects from Indonesian and southeast Asian architects, such as; Studio TonTon, Yori Antar, Ling Hao Architects, Nicholas Burns, and several other architects; also several upcoming projects from Indonesian and South-East Asian architects. We proudly published Daniel Libeskind’s Reffeltion on Keppel Bay, his first apartment towers in Singapore. Other projects by southeast Asian Architects : Pantara House, Jakarta (Studio Tonton) Villa S, Singapore (Ling Hao Architects) Sentosa House, Singapore (Nicholas Burns) Segara Ayu House , Bali(Yori Antar) Reflection at Kepple Bay, Singapore (Daniel Libeskind) Punggol Promenade, Singapore (LOOK Architects) Puri Ahimsa, Bali (Arte Architect) Casa De La Flora, Thailand (Vaslab) The L Hotel, Bali (Popo Danes Architects) Centra Taum, Bali (andramatin architect) Ananta Legian (Airmas Asri) Banyan Tree Ringha, China (Architrave) Sudamala Suites, Bali (ESA International) Intercontinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, Vietnam (Bensley Design Studios)




Two Asias


Book Description

Two Asias provides a fresh perspective on the Asia's disparate economic prospects in the wake of the 2008 global financial crisis and the Great Recession. The financial crisis, its propagation and real economic consequences are carefully documented, and used in conjunction with prior trends to identify the impending reconfiguration of wealth and power in Asia, and between Asia and the developed west. The study highlights Asia's cultural and systemic diversity, and suggests that China's, Vietnam's and South Korea's extraordinary catch-up during the last two decades is on the cusp of fading due to diverse technical, systemic and global reasons. It shows too that the West has learned little from the 2008 financial crisis, that the planetary macroeconomy is headed for a period of protracted turbulence, all of which suggests that the world community needs to rethink its expectations. These findings are the net assessment of an international team of experts assembled under the auspices of the Japan Foundation's Center for Global Policy, headed by Steven Rosefielde, Masaaki Kuboniwa and Satoshi Mizobata.




Turning Point


Book Description

Artificial Intelligence is here, today. How can society make the best use of it? Until recently, "artificial intelligence" sounded like something out of science fiction. But the technology of artificial intelligence, AI, is becoming increasingly common, from self-driving cars to e-commerce algorithms that seem to know what you want to buy before you do. Throughout the economy and many aspects of daily life, artificial intelligence has become the transformative technology of our time. Despite its current and potential benefits, AI is little understood by the larger public and widely feared. The rapid growth of artificial intelligence has given rise to concerns that hidden technology will create a dystopian world of increased income inequality, a total lack of privacy, and perhaps a broad threat to humanity itself. In their compelling and readable book, two experts at Brookings discuss both the opportunities and risks posed by artificial intelligence--and how near-term policy decisions could determine whether the technology leads to utopia or dystopia. Drawing on in-depth studies of major uses of AI, the authors detail how the technology actually works. They outline a policy and governance blueprint for gaining the benefits of artificial intelligence while minimizing its potential downsides. The book offers major recommendations for actions that governments, businesses, and individuals can take to promote trustworthy and responsible artificial intelligence. Their recommendations include: creation of ethical principles, strengthening government oversight, defining corporate culpability, establishment of advisory boards at federal agencies, using third-party audits to reduce biases inherent in algorithms, tightening personal privacy requirements, using insurance to mitigate exposure to AI risks, broadening decision-making about AI uses and procedures, penalizing malicious uses of new technologies, and taking pro-active steps to address how artificial intelligence affects the workforce. Turning Point is essential reading for anyone concerned about how artificial intelligence works and what can be done to ensure its benefits outweigh its harm.




Economic Transformation and Business Opportunities in Asia


Book Description

This book examines the uneven economy in Asia, showing how the pace of economic transformation affects prosperity and the emerging middle class. Using the Lewis turning point and the long run cycle of the rise and fall of nations as a framework, it demonstrates how demographic trends, digitization rates and consumer preferences creates business opportunities in a disruptive and uncertain world. This includes moves toward promoting Eurasian integration, restructuring of state-owned enterprises, green economy, and the digital economies – ecommerce, fintech and sharing economy. Vanity capital, longevity and leisure economies are also discussed. The author explains what drives creative disruption, technical innovation and their effect on manufacturing, consumers, businesses, and sustainability. It is essential reading for students, academics, executives, and business persons wanting in-depth coverage of the economic landscape in Asia.




Political Economy of Northeast Asian Regionalism


Book Description

Functional integration in the economy has developed sufficiently in Northeast Asia. This study proposes a Northeast Asian version of the regional integration model. It suggests a crisis model and a political leadership model, with political leadership playing a critical role in utilizing crises to advance regional integration.




Human Security in Southeast Asia


Book Description

There is a growing interest in human security in Southeast Asia. This book firstly explores the theoretical and conceptual basis of human security, before focusing on the region itself. It shows how human security has been taken up as a central part of security policy in individual states in Southeast Asia, as well as in the regional security policy within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The book discusses domestic challenges for human security including the insurgencies in southern Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia. Transnational security issues such as terrorism, drugs, human trafficking and the situation in Burma are explored by the author, and the ‘ASEAN’ way of contrasting the values and approaches of Southeast Asian countries with those in the West is assessed. By focusing on the ongoing changes and efforts to achieve human security in Southeast Asia, this book contributes to theoretical debates on human security as well as regional studies on Southeast Asia.