Preface  vi

Introduction: Globalization and Deimperialization  1

1. The Imperialist Eye: The Discourse of the Southward Advance and the Subimperial Imaginary  17

2. Decolonization: A Geocolonial Historical Materialism  65

3. De-Cold War: The Im/possibility of "Great Reconciliation"  115

4. Deimperialization: Club 51 and the Imperialist Assumption of Democracy  161

5. Asia as Method: Overcoming the Present Conditions of Knowledge Production  211

Epilogue: The Imperial Order of Things, or Notes on Han Chinese Racism  257

Notes  269

Special Terms  287

Bibligraphy  291

Index  305

“This book is not difficult to read and if you want to tap into some very contemporaneous thoughts on Asian political and economic issues in relation to the colonized subject, and the colonizing subject, then I venture to say this book will exceed your expectations. I found it rich and emotional, and extremely useful for thoughts on Inter-Asian concerns. It is especially relevant for us all as we live within the forces of globalisation, and in the Asian region, and for Australians as colonized and imperialised subjects. . . . I can highly recommend this book to all who are involved in Asian Studies.“—Be Ryan, M/C Reviews

“Asia as Method offers a historically urgent constellation of theoretical questions, research trajectories, and political imperatives for scholars, students, activists, writers, filmmakers, and other media workers living in or affiliated with East Asia. The method in Asia as Method is not a something that should be confined to the classroom or research institute, but needs to be put into practice in our everyday dreams and struggles.”— John R. Eperjesi, TransReview

“[An] ambitious and fascinating book. . . . Chen’s book is as much a
challenge to Asian scholars in Asia as it is to those based in Europe and the USA.”—Thomas Radice, Journal of Intercultural Studies

“Chen Kuanhsing has produced a work that should galvanize a generation of Asian scholars to debate and ponder the meaning and direction of Asia at a time when regionalization produces many challenges and moral complexities for society.”—Prasenjit Duara, International Journal of Asian Studies

“. . . much that is interesting and important, particularly concerning the impact of the Cold War on Taiwan, where Chen lives and teaches, and by implication on other Asian countries.”—Akira Iriye, Journal of Cold War Studies

“Asia As Method is a timely intervention into three currents of cultural studies: postcolonial studies, globalization studies and Asian studies in Asia. . . . Chen works toward a critical syncretism that avoids the trap of merely replicating imperialist imaginaries and neocolonial structures as it contributes to building more resilient and just cultures.”—Rita Wong, Topia

“Kuan-Hsing Chen is a rare intellectual, one who played a role in key democratic events and transitions that shaped East Asia during the 1980s and whose scholarly practice has remained loyal to potential for emancipation unleashed by these movements. This makes Asia as Method an important book. . . . [I]t represents a welcome geographical project that should garner attention from scholars in geography and a number of other disciplines.”—Jamie Doucette, Society and Space (Environment and Planning D)

“By untangling various case studies, Chen shows the readers how the historical processes of imperialization, colonization and the cold war have become mutually engaged structures, which in turn shape both intellectual and popular knowledge production. . . .They are vividly and evocatively described. . . .”—Kathleen Azali, New Asia Books

“This book is not difficult to read and if you want to tap into some very contemporaneous thoughts on Asian political and economic issues in relation to the colonized subject, and the colonizing subject, then I venture to say this book will exceed your expectations. I found it rich and emotional, and extremely useful for thoughts on Inter-Asian concerns. It is especially relevant for us all as we live within the forces of globalisation, and in the Asian region, and for Australians as colonized and imperialised subjects. . . . I can highly recommend this book to all who are involved in Asian Studies.“—Be Ryan, M/C Reviews

“Asia as Method offers a historically urgent constellation of theoretical questions, research trajectories, and political imperatives for scholars, students, activists, writers, filmmakers, and other media workers living in or affiliated with East Asia. The method in Asia as Method is not a something that should be confined to the classroom or research institute, but needs to be put into practice in our everyday dreams and struggles.”— John R. Eperjesi, TransReview

“[An] ambitious and fascinating book. . . . Chen’s book is as much a
challenge to Asian scholars in Asia as it is to those based in Europe and the USA.”—Thomas Radice, Journal of Intercultural Studies

“Chen Kuanhsing has produced a work that should galvanize a generation of Asian scholars to debate and ponder the meaning and direction of Asia at a time when regionalization produces many challenges and moral complexities for society.”—Prasenjit Duara, International Journal of Asian Studies

“. . . much that is interesting and important, particularly concerning the impact of the Cold War on Taiwan, where Chen lives and teaches, and by implication on other Asian countries.”—Akira Iriye, Journal of Cold War Studies

“Asia As Method is a timely intervention into three currents of cultural studies: postcolonial studies, globalization studies and Asian studies in Asia. . . . Chen works toward a critical syncretism that avoids the trap of merely replicating imperialist imaginaries and neocolonial structures as it contributes to building more resilient and just cultures.”—Rita Wong, Topia

“Kuan-Hsing Chen is a rare intellectual, one who played a role in key democratic events and transitions that shaped East Asia during the 1980s and whose scholarly practice has remained loyal to potential for emancipation unleashed by these movements. This makes Asia as Method an important book. . . . [I]t represents a welcome geographical project that should garner attention from scholars in geography and a number of other disciplines.”—Jamie Doucette, Society and Space (Environment and Planning D)

“By untangling various case studies, Chen shows the readers how the historical processes of imperialization, colonization and the cold war have become mutually engaged structures, which in turn shape both intellectual and popular knowledge production. . . .They are vividly and evocatively described. . . .”—Kathleen Azali, New Asia Books

“Kuan-Hsing Chen is one of a handful of scholars leading the whole project of ‘internationalizing’ cultural studies—an endeavor which has positively and irrevocably transformed the cultural studies project itself.”—Stuart Hall, Professor Emeritus, The Open University

“Asia as Method is a book of genuinely international importance. It is a significant intellectual achievement and a major breakthrough for the definition and legitimation of the disciplinary practice of cultural studies worldwide.”—Meaghan Morris, Lingnan University (Hong Kong) and University of Sydney (Australia)

“Kuan-Hsing Chen has attempted something both familiar and unusual. His book takes the old slogan of decolonization seriously and evaluates its achievements in different Asian contexts. But it also calls for continuing efforts against imperialism and the cold war, acknowledging the force of nationalism as an ally but not reposing faith in it. Asia as Method signals a new direction in cultural studies.”—Partha Chatterjee, Columbia University

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