Description:
Citizenship and Democratization in Southeast Asia redirects the largely western-oriented study of citizenship to postcolonial states. Providing various fascinating first-hand accounts of how citizens interpret and realize the recognition of their property, identity, security and welfare in the context of a weak rule of law and clientelistic politics, this study highlights the importance of studying citizenship for understanding democratization processes in Southeast Asia. With case studies from Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Cambodia, this book provides a unique bottom-up perspective on the character of public life in Southeast Asia.
Contributors are: Mary Austin, Laurens Bakker, Ward Berenschot, Sheri Lynn Gibbings, Takeshi Ito, David Kloos, Merlyna Lim, Astrid Norén-Nilsson, Oona Pardedes, Emma Porio, Apichat Satitniramai, Wolfram Schaffer and Henk Schulte Nordholt.
Review Quotes: "The international debate over the democratizing effects of citizenship especially in postcolonial societies is gathering strength. Social movements from Asia and Africa to Latin America and Middle East have successfully challenged postcolonial authoritarian regimes and began democratizing political citizenship though not without variations or paradoxes. This book on democratizing citizenship in Southeast Asia is a brilliant and original contribution that walks the reader through these paradoxes. It not only contributes to citizenship studies in general but also in postcolonial societies with a sharp focus on Southeast Asia." - Engin Isin, The Open University, UK