Because of the hegemony of institutions in North America and Europe in the international academic system, scholars from these regions often overlook the contributions of scholars in other regions to the development of their discipline. This seems to be especially true in the case of anthropology in Asia where the wider academic community often ignores the contributions of local scholars, especially if they are written in languages other than English. Asian contribution to the discipline better known, this path-breaking book presents a series of essays on the development of anthropological research in Asia, including contributions on Japan, China, Taiwan, Korea, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Major issues discussed include: the nature of the anthropological world system of scholarship: the development of anthropology within the context of colonialism, whether British, American or Japanese; the impact on postwar anthropology of political change and rapid economic growth; and the position of ethnic and cultural minorities confronting states with their own nationalist agendas. It also considers the current state of the discipline in the region against the background of growing globalization and the flows of people, capital and information across national and regional boundaries.

CHOICE OUTSTANDING BOOK OF THE YEAR 2005 Despite the growth of interest in the history of anthropology as a over the last two decades, surprisingly little has been published in English on the development of anthropology in East and Southeast Asia and its relationship to the rest of the academic "world-system." The anthropological experience in this region has been varied. Japanese anthropology developed early, and ranks second only to that of the United States in terms of size. Anthropology in China has finally recovered from the experience of invasion, war, and revolution, and now flourishes both on the mainland and in Taiwan. Scholars in Korea, Malaysia, and the Philippines have also attempted to break with the legacy of colonialism and develop research relevant to their own national needs. This book includes accounts of these developments by some of the most distinguished scholars in the region. Also discussed are issues of language, authorship, and audience; and the effects these have on writing by anthropologists, whether "native" or "foreign." The book will be invaluable to anyone with an interest in the anthropology of East and Southeast Asia or the development of anthropology as a global discipline.