Nations and States in Southeast Asia

• Preface; Part I. Present and Past: 1. Indonesia; 2. Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei; 3. The Philippines; 4. Burma/Myanmar; 5. Vietnam; 6. Siam/Thailand; Part II. Problems and Policies: 7. Colonial and national frontiers; 8. Colonial authority; 9. The industrial revolution; 10. Parliamentary government and Southeast Asia; 11. Nationalism; 12. The Japanese; 13. Gaining independence; 14. Democratic institutions; 15. International factors in the winning of independence; 16. Armies; 17. Millenarianism; 18. Foreign policy; Part III. Period and Perspectives: 19. Time and place; 20. Septentrionalism.

'Nicholas Tarling is arguably the best-known historian of Southeast Asia at work today … Now, Tarling takes Southeast Asia's historical milestones (many of which he has made visible) as starting points for reflections on time, space, theme and perception the evolution of nations into states. His mordant comparisons with Europe and American history tell us as much about our own conventional way of seeing and telling (often parochial, imperial, and Eurocentric) as they do about the Southeast Asian peoples … [it] will alternately puzzle, awe and inspire.' New Zealand Books