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There are very few sociology textbooks that attempt to provide a general introduction for students to modern Asia. Within the framework of the comparative sociology of Asian societies, this volume explores key issues in culture and social structure. In cultural terms, it considers religion, nationalism and popular culture. With regard to social structure, there is an emphasis on gender, the family, social class and ethnicity. This comparative study also examines major aspects of social change relating to contemporary globalization.
List of contents
Introduction 1. Orientalism 2. The Cultural and Historical Framework 3. Empire and Colonialism 4. Nationalism and Anti-Colonialism 5. Migration and Demography 6. Ethnic Diversity and Multiculturalism 7. Globalization in Asia (Consumerism) 8. Popular Religion 9. Religions of China (Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism) 10. Filial Piety, Education and the Family 11. Asian Bodies, Veiling and Sexuality 12. Peasant Resistance and Capitalist Agriculture 13. Asian Tigers and Economic Change 14. Authoritarian Capitalism: Democracy and Citizenship
About the author
Bryan S. Turner was Professor of Sociology at the University of Cambridge (1998-2005) and at the National University of Singapore (2005-09). He is currently the Alona Evans Distinguished Visiting Professor of Sociology at Wellesley College USA and the Director of the Centre for the Study of Contemporary Muslim Societies, University of Western Sydney, Australia. He has published
The New Medical Sociology (2004) and
The Body & Society (2008).
Summary
This textbook provides an ambitious overview of Asia from the perspective of the comparative sociology of culture and social structure. Starting with the history of colonialism and empire, the study examines major dimensions of modern social change from population and migration, the growth of nationalism and communism, and the development of religions, both popular and official.
This sociological approach considers the major structural dimensions of Asian societies in terms of gender, sexuality and the family, social class, ethnicity and inequality, and democracy and citizenship. The empirical examples are taken from north and east Asia (China, Vietnam,South Korea and Japan) and from Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia). There are passing references to South Asia, Thailand and the Philippines.
Its coherence is provided by a macro-sociological perspective (a modern interpretation of the sociology of Max Weber). The special features of the volume are: a consistent focus on the effects of globalization; attention to the modern legacy of religious traditions (Confucianism, Buddhism, Christianity and popular religion); an awareness of the importance of gender, family and reproduction; and finally concluding chapters examining democracy, human rights and citizenship.
