Cast in terms of its embeddedness in two successive ‘constellations’ of economic, political and socio-cultural power (the first driven by Northeast Asia, the second by China), the chapters of this volume contain materials, ideas and arguments vital to rethinking Southeast Asia’s global significance. For anyone seeking cutting-edge knowledge about contemporary Southeast Asian development – including both the opportunities and dangers inherent in its future prospects – this is the book you need.Jeffrey Henderson, University of Bristol This volume contains gems on East Asian economies including China as well as for those interested in comparative analysis. Nederveen Pieterse, Rahman and Tham have provided editorial coherence to the chapters which reflect on the region’s miracle, debacle, trajectories and options for the future.Jomo Kwame Sundaram, former economics professor, UN Assistant Secretary General, 2007 Wassily Leontief Prize for Advancing the Frontiers of Economic Thought This is a most enlightening book about contemporary Southeast Asia. Readers will profit immensely from the useful comparisons between ASEAN and Northeast Asia, thoughtful analyses of the role of domestic institutions on socio-economic performance, and insightful projections of future China-ASEAN relations. I am proud that scholarship on Southeast Asia has advanced so impressively.Wing Thye Woo, University of California Davis, Fudan University, Shanghai; President of Jeffrey Cheah Institute on Southeast Asia, Sunway University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia