Bangkok is one of Asia's most interesting, varied, controversial and challenging cities. It is a city of contradictions, both in its present and past. This unique book examines the development of the city from its earliest days as the seat of the Thai monarchy to its current position as an infamous contemporary metropolis. Adopting insights from anthropology, urban studies and human geography, this is a powerful account of the city and its dynamic spaces. Marc Askew examines the city's variety from the inner-city slums to the rural-urban fringe, and gives us a keen insight into the daily life of the city's inhabitants, be they middle-class suburbanites or sex workers.
Bangkok
and over 1.5 million other books are available for Amazon Kindle . Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. Learn more. |
Book Description
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Product Description
Review
'Bangkok: Place Practice and Representation is a masterpiece, and is far and away the best profile in English of Bangkok.' - Professional Geographer
'This book is an important milestone in the study of Bangkok' - Journal of Southeast Asian Studies
'Very readable book.' - Asian Journal of Social Science
About the Author
Marc Askew is Lecturer in Asian and International Studies as Victoria University, Melbourne
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
First Sentence
On the face of it, there seems little in the spectacle of today's sprawling Thai metropolis to suggest the continuing influence of its past. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index
On the face of it, there seems little in the spectacle of today's sprawling Thai metropolis to suggest the continuing influence of its past. Read the first page
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index
Customer Reviews
There are no customer reviews yet on Amazon.co.uk.
5 star
4 star
3 star
2 star
1 star
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.0 out of 5 stars
1 review
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fills an important niche in understanding Bangkok as a city
23 Nov 2003
By Richard A. Jenkins
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
Askew's book is essentially an edited volume that nicely brings together historical material, as well as findings from very diverse studies he carried out in Bangkok during several periods in residence during the 1990s. The book will not be of interest to the casual traveler. However, it should be of interest to long-term expats and frequent visitors who want to know more about Bangkok, in terms of its social and economic history.
The book is scholarly but only veers into the more tedious kinds of academic writing in a few places such as the chapter on female sex workers. That chapter contains far too much of the tortured, convoluted prose associated with cultural studies and related fields. Because different projects related to the book were carried out at different points in time, the literature varies in terms of its completeness and timeliness. The section on sex work oddly makes little mention of HIV or the government's 100% condom program and neglects important references like Boonchalaksi & Guest's overview of sex work in Thailand. There are some neglects in other sections, such as the inattention to Bangkok's new transportation infrastructure and its implications, especially for neglected areas like Phayathai. These shortcomings keep this from being a "5-star". Nonetheless, the author impressively has brought together more information from disparate disciplines and perspectives than I've seen in other books about Bangkok. Heretofore, books about Bangkok have tended toward coffee table books or have covered very specific subject matter, often treated in the worst kind of academic prose. Furthermore, the author has generally been able to provide fresh perspectives and to question (sometimes too gently) the often superficial and self-serving views of Thai culture that have been common in much recent Western scholarship. Askew has lifted the bar and, hopefully, this will spur more efforts to thoughtfully write about Bangkok's development into a significant world capital.
The book is scholarly but only veers into the more tedious kinds of academic writing in a few places such as the chapter on female sex workers. That chapter contains far too much of the tortured, convoluted prose associated with cultural studies and related fields. Because different projects related to the book were carried out at different points in time, the literature varies in terms of its completeness and timeliness. The section on sex work oddly makes little mention of HIV or the government's 100% condom program and neglects important references like Boonchalaksi & Guest's overview of sex work in Thailand. There are some neglects in other sections, such as the inattention to Bangkok's new transportation infrastructure and its implications, especially for neglected areas like Phayathai. These shortcomings keep this from being a "5-star". Nonetheless, the author impressively has brought together more information from disparate disciplines and perspectives than I've seen in other books about Bangkok. Heretofore, books about Bangkok have tended toward coffee table books or have covered very specific subject matter, often treated in the worst kind of academic prose. Furthermore, the author has generally been able to provide fresh perspectives and to question (sometimes too gently) the often superficial and self-serving views of Thai culture that have been common in much recent Western scholarship. Askew has lifted the bar and, hopefully, this will spur more efforts to thoughtfully write about Bangkok's development into a significant world capital.
›
Go to Amazon.com to see the review
4.0 out of 5 stars
Was this review helpful?
Let us know
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
- Books > Business, Finance & Law > Biographies & Histories > Business & Economic History
- Books > History > Countries & Regions > Asia > South East Asia > Thailand
- Books > History > Cultural History > Local & Urban History
- Books > Society, Politics & Philosophy > Academic Sociology
- Books > Society, Politics & Philosophy > Social Sciences > Anthropology > Social & Cultural
- Books > Society, Politics & Philosophy > Social Sciences > Sociology > Family & Social Groups > Urban Communities
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
