Southeast Asia's recent economic dynamism has helped to stimulate renewed interest in the study of many aspects of this complex region. This collection of essays explores the evolution of various disciplinary approaches to Southeast Asia. Basing their approaches on anthropology, sociology, geography, economics, history, politics, international relations and on a consideration of literature, the authors examine many of the crucial debates and controversies of the past, and aim to provide a picture of the current scholarship in each discipline as it relates to the region.

Clive J. Christie is Fellow and Lecturer in History and Southeast Asian Studies at Hull University. He has written extensively on issues of nationalism, ethnicity and identity, covering the Southeast Asian region, Europe and Britain.