A half century after its founding in London in 1844, the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) became the first NGO to effectively push a modernization agenda around the globe. Soon followed by a sister organization, the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA), founded in 1855, the Y movement defined its global mission in 1889. Although their …

Spreading Protestant Modernity: Global Perspectives on the Social Work of the YMCA and YWCA, 1889-1970 Read More »

This innovative and timely reassessment of political theology opens new lines of critical investigation into the intersections of religion and politics in contemporary Asia. Moving beyond a focus on the (post-) Christian West, this volume locates ‘development’ – conceptualised as a set of modern, transnational networks of ideas and practices of improvement that connect geographically …

Political Theologies and Development in Asia: Transcendence, Sacrifice, and Aspiration Read More »

Indonesia has long been hailed as a rare case of democratic transition and persistence in an era of global democratic setbacks. But as the country enters its third decade of democracy, such laudatory assessments have become increasingly untenable. The stagnation that characterized Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s second presidential term has given way to a more far-reaching …

Democracy in Indonesia: From Stagnation to Regression? Read More »

The Roots of Resilience examines governance from the ground up in the world’s two most enduring electoral authoritarian or “hybrid” regimes―Singapore and Malaysia―where politically liberal and authoritarian features are blended to evade substantive democracy. Although skewed elections, curbed civil liberties, and a dose of coercion help sustain these regimes, selectively structured state policies and patronage, …

The Roots of Resilience: Party Machines and Grassroots Politics in Singapore and Malaysia Read More »

This book looks broadly at the evolution of sport and play in India and South Asia, those that enjoy mass popularity as well as those that are marginal, situating them in the region’s history, society and economy. It is a valuable addition to the study of sports in South Asia, which remains underdeveloped, with a …

Games We Play: Sports in South Asia Read More »

Cashless infrastructures are rapidly increasing, as credit cards, cryptocurrencies, online and mobile money, remittances, demonetization, and digitalization process replace coins and currencies around the world. Who’s Cashing In? explores how different modes of cashlessness impact, transform and challenge the everyday lives and livelihoods of local communities. Drawing from a wide range of ethnographic studies, this …

Who’s Cashing In? Contemporary Perspectives on New Monies and Global Cashlessness Read More »

This book explores how fitness trainers in the gyms of urban India use their ‘bodily capital’ for ‘upward mobility’. It is based on 10 years of research that involved building relationships, spending time with his research participants in their homes and workplaces, and trying to make sense of their stories in the broader socio-political context …

Muscular India: Masculinity, Mobility and the New Middle Class Read More »