Southeast Asia offers a balanced, readable account of the region from ancient to modern times, covering traditional history as well as current events. D. R. SarDesai avoids exaggerating (as others do) the importance of the period of European colonial rule as he introduces us to the regions and peoples of Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Indonesia, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Combining thematic and chronological approaches with the study of colonialism, nationalism, domestic problems, and international relations, Southeast Asia manages to convey an Asian point of view throughout.In this revised fourth edition, SarDesai brings his account of the region's history up-to-date and provides a completely updated, comprehensive bibliography and chronology.
D. R. SarDesai is former Chairperson of South and Southeast Asian Studies and the first holder of the Doshi Chair in Indian History at the University of California, Los Angeles. He is the author of Southeast Asia: Past and Present 5th Edition (Westview Press, 2003). He is also the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Yadunandan Center for India Studies for his caring and distinguished work in South and Southeast Asian studies.