Southeast Asia, Past and Present, second edition

Southeast Asia : Past and Present offers a balanced and readable account of the region from ancient to modern times, covering traditional history as well as current events. D. R. SarDesai avoids overemphasizing 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 , East Timor, Laos , Cambodia , Vietnam , and the Philippines . Readers will find the new introductions to each part a helpful aid in understanding the global and political implications of the events discussed. The sixth edition is also updated to include important discussions of the Asian tsunami, avian flu, ASEAN, cyclone Nargis, the monk uprising in Myanmar , the ongoing saga of the detention of Aung San Suu Kyi, as well as other recent events in southeast Asia. Conveying an Asian point of view throughout, Southeast Asia combines thematic and chronological approaches with the study of colonialism, nationalism, domestic problems, and international relations.

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.