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Postcolonial Urbanism: Southeast Asian Cities and Global Processes

Name: Postcolonial Urbanism: Southeast Asian Cities and Global Processes
Author: Ryan Bishop
ISBN: 9781136060502

by Ryan Bishop (Editor), John Phillips (Editor), Wei Wei Yeo (Editor)

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Overview

A common assumption about cities throughout the world is that they are essentially homogeneous and based on Euro-American models. However, cities in the postcolonial world are producing novel forms of urbanism -- shaped by historical, geopolitical, technological, and economic circumstance -- that are not reducible to Western models. Despite being heavily colonized in the past, Southeast Asia has been largely ignored in discussions about postcolonial theory and, in general, considerations of global urbanism. Postcolonial Urbanism, the first interdisciplinary approach to treat Southeast Asia within the theoretical frameworks of postcolonialism and global urbanism simultaneously, gathers an international cast of contributors -- including George Marcus, Anthony King, Shirley Lim, James Rosenau, and John Armitage -- to investigate regionally specific forms of urbanism germinating in settings such as Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Offering a mix of theoretical perspectives and empirical accounts, Postcolonial Urbanism presents a panoramic view of the cultures, societies, and politics of the postcolonial city, with implications for the study of urbanization the world over.

Synopsis

A common assumption about cities throughout the world is tht they are essentially an elaboration of the Euro-American model. Postcolonial Urbanism demonstrates the narrowness of this vision. Cities in the postcolonial world, the book shows, are producing novel forms of urbanism not reducible to Western urbanism. Despite being heavily colonized in the past, Southeast Asia has been largely ignored in discussions about postcolonial theory and in general considerations of global urbanism. An international cast of contributors focuses on the heavily urbanized world region of Southeast Asia to investigate the novel forms of urbanism germinating in postcolonial settings such as Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Hanoi, and the Philippines. Offering a mix of theoretical perspectives and empirical accounts, Postcolonial Urbanism presents a panoramic view of the cultures, societies, and politics of the postcolonial city.

About the Author, Ryan Bishop

Ryan Bishop is a Senior Fulbright Fellow in the American Studies Center at the National University of Singapore
John Phillips is Senior Lecturer at the National University of Singapore
Yeo Wei Wei is Assistant Professor at the National University of Singapore.