Framing Asian Studies: Geopolitics and Institutions ed. by Albert Tzeng, William L. Richter, Ekaterina Koldunova

Abstract

Reviewed by: Framing Asian Studies: Geopolitics and Institutions ed. by Albert Tzeng, William L. Richter, Ekaterina Koldunova Ooi Keat Gin Framing Asian Studies: Geopolitics and Institutions by Albert Tzeng, William L. Richter, and Ekaterina Koldunova (eds) Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS) Publishing, 2018. Area Studies, that has conspicuously adopted an interdisciplinary approach in order to garner as much knowledge, information, statistical data, and insights into various geographical locality throughout the world, was a post-Second World War phenomenon. Area Studies (also known as Regional Studies) was born of the Cold War, when the U.S. became increasingly anxious of developments in the non-Western world hitherto unknown, a literal 'blank' in Washington's psyche, lest overtaken by its erstwhile rival, the USSR (Soviet Union). Paralleling the emergence of the Cold War was the acceleration of decolonization in Africa and Asia where Western colonial empires had receded. Newly independent nations and their leaders were searching for the 'correct', and/or 'appropriate', '-ism' to adopt; therefore, it was a US–USSR race for supporters to their respective camps. In order to court and woo these newly independent nation-states, cognizance of their history, culture, economy, geography, literally their entire DNA appeared essential, hence necessitating Area Studies that became pertinent, urgent, even a prerequisite in the Cold War context. Fast forward seven decades later, a re-look at Asian Studies, one of the bedrock components of Area Studies, is opportune and appropriate as we move into the third decade of the twenty-first century. The contextualization of Framing Asian Studies: Geopolitics and Institutions against the background of pre-, during, and post-Cold War era highlights the geopolitical aspect of Area Studies that could not have developed in isolation nor divorced from political developments in a region from within, and from without, in its neighbouring vicinity or on the global stage. Geopolitics then, as now, is indispensable, as its impacts, implications and ramifications are influential and far-reaching. The genesis of the present volume dates back to Leiden in 2013 at a conference themed 'Framing Asian Studies: Geopolitics, Institutions and Networks' convened by Tzeng himself. Consequent of the scant focus on 'knowledge networks' in the conference, it was expunged from the title of the published book. Editors Tzeng, Richter, and Koldunova have divided the volume's eleven papers into four parts: 'Contested "Asia"', 'Geopolitical Framing of Western Discourse', 'Asian Studies in Former Soviet Union', and 'Inter-Asian Gazes'. As expected, the 'Introduction: Framing Asian Studies' sets the stage and, to a great extent, contextualizes each paper against the respective backgrounds. [End Page 125] The term 'Asia' is thoroughly dissected, evaluated, and discussed in Part I,, drawing from the historical perception as well as the geographical variants in the framing of this continent in scholarly discourse. Choudhury (Chapter 2) presents a broad overview of the European orientalist tradition, viz. English, Dutch, French, German. Not only does she draw from Edward Said's highly acclaimed critique of orientalism, but also fires a salvo or two towards the critic himself of his shortcomings and/or oversights. Her analysis of the post-war period that witnessed changes in Asian Studies brought about by various factors besides the Cold War leads to the conclusion of a 'metamorphosis of the Western mind'. An insightful as well as thought-provoking critique. Hughes (Chapter 3), on the other hand, in scrutinizing Australia's 'Asia literacy programme', draws its relevancy to a greater conception and comprehension of 'Asia', 'Australia', and Asian Studies. The interplay and interrelatedness of the 'Asia literacy programme', 'Asia', 'Australia', and Asian Studies with post-war geopolitics with the U.S. as the main arbiter, and consequently, literacy of Asia is reframing Asia as well as Australian identity. The third essay in Part I draws on metageography, cartography, and postmodern social theories to posit an argument that book/journal cover illustrations and logos of professional associations produce socially constructed 'mental maps'. Richter (Chapter 4) explores the geopolitical representations of Asia and South Asia in such covers and logos. 'World regions may seem like natural divisions of the earth,' he declares, 'but – like nations – are socially constructed entities' (p. 89). Social construction, however, is an on-going process, hence...