The timely edited volume Civil Life, Globalization and Political Change in Asia addresses the remarkable flourishing of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in many East and Southeast Asian nations since the early 1990s and their relationship to the development of civil society. As the editor, Robert P. Weller, notes in his introduction, the growth of civil society and of democratization have been of interest to scholars of Asia for some time, yet their discussion is often overly determined by Western models of civil society. This volume thus examines the space between state and society in Asia while including social groupings that might not fit Western models, such as non-“modern” associations based on kinship, religion, or communal ties.
Eight Asian states are treated in essays that consider quantitative data, legislation, and the historical backgrounds of civic organizations in their respective societies. One of the strengths of this volume is its concentrated focus on...
