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Nationalism in Asia: A History Since 1945
Jeff Kingston
ISBN: 978-0-470-67301-0 June 2016 Wiley-Blackwell 336 Pages
E-BOOK$29.99PAPERBACK$36.25HARDCOVER$93.50O-BOOK
DESCRIPTION
- Using a comparative, interdisciplinary approach, Nationalism in Asia analyzes currents of nationalism in five contemporary Asian societies: China, India, Indonesia, Japan, and South Korea.
- Explores the ways in which nationalism is expressed, embraced, challenged, and resisted in contemporary China, India, Indonesia, Japan, and South Korea using a comparative, interdisciplinary approach
- Provides an important trans-national and trans-regional analysis by looking at five countries that span Northeast, Southeast, and South Asia
- Features comparative analysis of identity politics, democracy, economic policy, nation branding, sports, shared trauma, memory and culture wars, territorial disputes, national security and minorities
- Offers an accessible, thematic narrative written for non-specialists, including a detailed and up-to-date bibliography
- Gives readers an in-depth understanding of the ramifications of nationalism in these countries for the future of Asia
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jeff Kingston is Professor of History and Director of Asian Studies at Temple University Japan Campus. He has written widely on modern Japanese history and Japan's relations with Asia. He is the author of Japan in Transformation 1952--2000 (2001). Japan's Quiet Transformation: Social Change and Civil Society in the 21st Century (2004), and Contemporary Japan: History, Politics, and Social Change since the 1980s (Wiley Blackwell, second edition, 2012). He is the editor of Natural Disaster and Nuclear Crisis in Japan (2012) and Critical Issues in Contemporary Japan (2014). He was a Fulbright scholar in Indonesia during the mid-1980s and has been traveling around and reporting on Asia since then, often providing commentary to international media on social and political developments in the region and writes a weekly column "Counterpoint" for the Japan Times.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgements vii
Maps viii
Introduction xv
Part I National Identity 1
1 The Idea of Nation 3
2 Contemporary Culture Wars and National Identity 16
3 Nation Branding Confronts Troubling Realities 39
Part II Political Economy and Spectacle 57
4 Economic Nationalism 59
5 Democracy and Nationalism 88
6 Sports Nationalism 118
Part III Shackles of the Past 145
7 Chosen and Unchosen Traumas 147
8 Museums and Memorials 170
9 Textbook Nationalism and Memory Wars 196
Part IV Flashpoints and Fringes 217
10 Nationalism and Territorial Disputes 219
11 Nationalism and the Fringes 243
Select Bibliographical Guide to Nationalisms in Asia 273
Index 303
REVIEWS
A "measured, beautifully written book....Kingston's fine survey asks us to ponder [nationalism's] strengths and dangers, and reminds us to be careful of the 'politicians and polemicists' who enthusiastically hawk it." - David McNeill, The Japan Times
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Showing 1-7 of 7 reviews
January 18, 2017
Format: PaperbackVine Customer Review of Free Product( What's this? )
East Asia could well be the most likely site for the next global conflict, as the author argues, as China now certainly contends with the U.S. for the world's largest economy, depending on how one measures. China, moreover, has made it clear that it would like to have the world's reserve currency, which would bump the U.S. dollar from that spot.
The question is, where does nationalism come into play, and is it always a force for evil?
Certainly Japanese nationalism during World War II was a force for evil, as was Nazism (of course not included in this study on Asia) and judging from history, one could also argue that nationalism in Asia has not worked for good.
But this definition of nationalism has some drawbacks. Does it in fact always search for an enemy, or does it work in some instances for the protection of a population that merely recognizes the reality?
There are two problems with this book. First off, it is dry and uninteresting to the lay reader. It could have covered the same material in a far more interesting and engrossing manner.
Second, the definition of nationalism as presented here is probably too narrow, and too black and white.
Nothing is ever as simple as it seems, and this book oversimplifies in order to reach its conclusions.
The book misses many subtleties, and is apt to lead one to incorrectly believe that there is no context in which nationalism can work as a force for the good. That is as misleading and incorrect as the "pc" notion that all people and all cultures are the same, and have equal value.
All men may have been created equal, but we ought to achieve according to our abilities and merit.
Likewise, it cannot be said that the same ingredients, in every stew, will produce a noxious (or delicious) end result, as the case may be, or that all nations, acting in their self interest, are by definition bad. It depends on many factors, and this book oversimplifies the differences, albeit in an historical context for one geographical location.
The question is, where does nationalism come into play, and is it always a force for evil?
Certainly Japanese nationalism during World War II was a force for evil, as was Nazism (of course not included in this study on Asia) and judging from history, one could also argue that nationalism in Asia has not worked for good.
But this definition of nationalism has some drawbacks. Does it in fact always search for an enemy, or does it work in some instances for the protection of a population that merely recognizes the reality?
There are two problems with this book. First off, it is dry and uninteresting to the lay reader. It could have covered the same material in a far more interesting and engrossing manner.
Second, the definition of nationalism as presented here is probably too narrow, and too black and white.
Nothing is ever as simple as it seems, and this book oversimplifies in order to reach its conclusions.
The book misses many subtleties, and is apt to lead one to incorrectly believe that there is no context in which nationalism can work as a force for the good. That is as misleading and incorrect as the "pc" notion that all people and all cultures are the same, and have equal value.
All men may have been created equal, but we ought to achieve according to our abilities and merit.
Likewise, it cannot be said that the same ingredients, in every stew, will produce a noxious (or delicious) end result, as the case may be, or that all nations, acting in their self interest, are by definition bad. It depends on many factors, and this book oversimplifies the differences, albeit in an historical context for one geographical location.
March 14, 2017
Format: PaperbackVine Customer Review of Free Product( What's this? )
American "nationalism" is more and more a topic of discussionn as we move into the Trump era of governance. I put nationalism in quotes because there are some who deny this as a trend, preferring to call so much of the current administration's actions "patriotism."
That alternative term obfuscates what seem to many of us some dangerous trends. Nationalism in Asia is thus a timely read to show some of the ways that nationalism is becoming more prevalent in five major Asian countries. The author's focus on all of these countries is helpful, because many of us may think of Asia primarily in terms of only China and India. Perhaps we recall when Japan had more attention here in the west, and we may even be more watchful of South Korea with their northern neighbor so intent on aggression. However, how many of us think of Indonesia when considering the powers of those countries on the other side of the world? The attention Kingston pays to this large country is alone worth the read.
There is a great deal of important information here, with much historical context as well as sometimes disconcerting discussion of the nationalistic movements in each country. Unfortunately, the delivery is sometimes like the driest of textbooks, making it a bit hard to concentrate on the full import of the data presented. However, if you are all interested in what is happening outside the borders of the United States, especially how Asian trends and activiites may affect this country, Nationalism in Asia is well worth your time.
That alternative term obfuscates what seem to many of us some dangerous trends. Nationalism in Asia is thus a timely read to show some of the ways that nationalism is becoming more prevalent in five major Asian countries. The author's focus on all of these countries is helpful, because many of us may think of Asia primarily in terms of only China and India. Perhaps we recall when Japan had more attention here in the west, and we may even be more watchful of South Korea with their northern neighbor so intent on aggression. However, how many of us think of Indonesia when considering the powers of those countries on the other side of the world? The attention Kingston pays to this large country is alone worth the read.
There is a great deal of important information here, with much historical context as well as sometimes disconcerting discussion of the nationalistic movements in each country. Unfortunately, the delivery is sometimes like the driest of textbooks, making it a bit hard to concentrate on the full import of the data presented. However, if you are all interested in what is happening outside the borders of the United States, especially how Asian trends and activiites may affect this country, Nationalism in Asia is well worth your time.
February 28, 2017
Format: PaperbackVine Customer Review of Free Product( What's this? )
Nationalism in Asia is a multifaceted look at the concept of nationalism as it relates to five key nations in Asia: China, India, Japan, South Korea, and Indonesia. Now traditionally, nationalism is presented as a bad thing since it has played a hand in some of modern human history’s greatest human catastrophes Nazi Germany, Rwanda, Yugoslavia, among others. While the more concerning variants as they relate to Asia are present, there are also the social elements of things like sports and other cultural bases. So thus the reader gets a good nationalism/bad nationalism approach where the subject is neither an absolute good or bad.
The problem is in the presentation. Jeff Kingston obviously knows his stuff. But it reads like something a hardcore academic wrote and would enjoy. Which is fine, except for in the opening remarks he talks about a general readership in addition to university students. Wouldn’t this mean that you need to dial it back a little bit and explain things in more basic terms because this feels written as though we are all deeply immersed in Asia, which just isn’t the case.
I hesitate to call it for academic eyes only, but it would certainly help to have that background.
The problem is in the presentation. Jeff Kingston obviously knows his stuff. But it reads like something a hardcore academic wrote and would enjoy. Which is fine, except for in the opening remarks he talks about a general readership in addition to university students. Wouldn’t this mean that you need to dial it back a little bit and explain things in more basic terms because this feels written as though we are all deeply immersed in Asia, which just isn’t the case.
I hesitate to call it for academic eyes only, but it would certainly help to have that background.
December 2, 2016
Format: PaperbackVine Customer Review of Free Product( What's this? )
It's interesting to read about nationalism in other nations, develop some opinions, and then apply those opinions to your own country as it moves toward nationalism. In fact, it seems that nationalist movements are on the rise across the world, so it's useful to study the phenomenon from a historical perspective. Professor Kingston attacks the subject from a variety of angles, including sports, trade, memory. My only quibble is that Kingston seems to assume that nationalism is a negative thing, and certainly if taken to an extreme, it is. But it's difficult to determine where national pride and patriotism crosses a line into xenophobia and jingoism. Nationalism in Asia is a good place to start or continue with your study of that question.
March 11, 2017
Format: PaperbackVine Customer Review of Free Product( What's this? )
An interesting read and take on nationalism in Asia, but presented in a very textbook and dry format. Jeff Kingston does go into quite a bit of detail on the subject and the laundry list of facts and figures are on point and contains many points of reference, and that's how this book should be taken - more as a direct reference book akin to a citation source. It does present quite a few good points and is a good read for anyone interested in the overall feelings in the region.
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