A recent study by the Asian Development Bank notes that by 2050, Asia's per capita income would rise six-fold to reach Europe's levels today, one of many indications of Asia's "re-emergence". By then, Asia's share of global GDP would have doubled and it would have regained the dominant economic position it once held some 300 years ago before the industrial revolution.What is less well-known is that during the previous eras of globalization, Asia was also regionally integrated and globally connected. During the 19th and the first half of the 20th centuries, Asia was divided and fragmented.This unique book argues that, led by the economic dynamism and "re-encountering" between China and India, we are witnessing the "Renaissance of Asia". As in the bygone eras, Asia is integrating within itself and the global economy is intensifying, now driven by market-oriented production networks and economic policies. Asia is starting to be "re-centered" as trade and investment relations between South Asia and East Asia surge. Asia's rise is a restoration of the past, not a revolution. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the economic development of Asia.

A recent study by the Asian Development Bank notes that by 2050, Asia's per capita income would rise six-fold to reach Europe's levels today, one of many indications of Asia's “re-emergence”. By then, Asia's share of global GDP would have doubled and it would have regained the dominant economic position it once held some 300 years ago before the industrial revolution.What is less well-known is that during the previous eras of globalization, Asia was also regionally integrated and globally connected. During the 19th and the first half of the 20th centuries, Asia was divided and fragmented.This unique book argues that, led by the economic dynamism and “re-encountering” between China and India, we are witnessing the “Renaissance of Asia”. As in the bygone eras, Asia is integrating within itself and the global economy is intensifying, now driven by market-oriented production networks and economic policies. Asia is starting to be “re-centered” as trade and investment relations between South Asia and East Asia surge. Asia's rise is a restoration of the past, not a revolution. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the economic development of Asia.

This book presents a radical rethinking of Border Studies. Framing the discipline beyond conventional topics of spatiality and territoriality, it presents a distinctly South Asian perspective – a post-colonial and post-partition region where most borders were drawn with political motives, ignoring the socio-cultural realities of the region and economic necessities of the people. The authors argue that while securing borders is an essential function of the state, in this interconnected world, crossing borders and border cooperation is also necessary. The book examines contemporaneous and topical themes like disputes of identity and nationhood, the impact of social media on Border Studies, trans-border cooperation, water-sharing between countries, and resolution of border problems in the age of liberalisation and globalisation. It also suggests ways of enhancing cross-border economic cooperation and connectivity, and reviews security issues from a new perspective. Well supplemented with case studies, the book will serve as an indispensable text for scholars and researchers of Border Studies, military and strategic studies, international relations, geopolitics, and South Asian studies. It will also be of great interest to think tanks and government agencies, especially those dealing with foreign relations.

This publication examines recent developments in East Asian economies, including the meteoric rise of China, the economic crisis of the 1990's, and the rapid growth of cities, as well as considering future challenges and exploring how development strategies should be adapted in response. A key challenge now is to complement global and regional integration with domestic integration, requiring vibrant cities that are not only linked to the outside world but also well-integrated domestically, strengthening social cohesion and reducing inequality.

Asian Values, Western Dreams provides a provocative examination of the cultural relationship between Asia and the West. It asks a simple question: how do Asian societies maintain their cultural uniqueness in the face of Western cultural, economic and military power, in the face of globalisation? In the wake of the regional economic crisis, Sheridan examines lives and societies in stress and transition. He draws on hundreds of interviews across Asia and the United States, from Presidents and Prime Ministers to beggars and housewives, from civil servants and traders to politicians and prostitutes. He challenges popular interpretations from Western gurus such as Sam Huntington, Francis Fukuyama and former Hong Kong governor, Chris Patten. Instead Sheridan chases Asian Values down the houtungs (lane ways) of Beijing and across the kampungs of Malaysia, into the old colonial cities of India and out to the smallest village in the Philippines countryside. He draws on a wide range of scholarship and twenty years experience working in the region to offer an ambitious, region-wide interpretation of the Asian Values debate. A mixture of travel writing and cultural and political analysis, Asian Values, Western Dreams offers insights into relations between Asian nations, as well as between Asia and the West. Whether for the executive or student, the Western traveller or the Asian reader interested in learning about their neighbours, Asian Values, Western Dreams is an indispensable guide to the new Asia.

Papers presented at the conference organised by Centre for Policy Dialogue.

The Blackwell Companion to the Bible and Culture provides readers with a concise, readable and scholarly introduction to twenty-first century approaches to the Bible. Consists of 30 articles written by distinguished specialists from around the world Draws on interdisciplinary and international examples to explore how the Bible has impacted on all the major social contexts where it has been influential – ancient, medieval and modern, world-wide Gives examples of how the Bible has influenced literature, art, music, history, religious studies, politics, ecology and sociology Each article is accompanied by a comprehensive bibliography Offers guidance on how to read the Bible and its many interpretations