The idea of eliminating undesirable traits from human temperament to create a “new man” has been part of moral and political thinking worldwide for millennia. During the Enlightenment, European philosophers sought to construct an ideological framework for reshaping human nature. But it was only among the communist regimes of the twentieth century that such ideas …

Creating the New Man: From Enlightenment Ideals to Socialist Realities Read More »

Is political Islam compatible with democracy? The rise of political Islam, as a force in world politics, has prompted questions and theories concerning its nature and compatibility with democratic values. Not least have been discussions and conflicts within Islamic communities, particularly in Europe where choices of identity and allegiance are growing acute. Bassam Tibi provides …

Political Islam, World Politics and Europe: Democratic Peace and Euro-Islam versus Global Jihad Read More »

With the demise of European socialist economies and the marketization of Asian communist countries, a new global capitalism has reshaped the configuration of the world economy, with speed a determining factor to all transactions of information, finance, goods and services and people. Sea-ports that were significant for a slower but no less global economy have …

Port Cities in Asia and Europe Read More »

Armed separatist movements in Papua, East Timor and Aceh have been a serious problem for Indonesia’s central government. This book examines the policies of successive Indonesian governments to contain secessionist forces, focusing in particular on Jakarta’s response towards the armed separatist movement in Aceh. Unlike other studies of separatism in Indonesia, this book concentrates on …

Rebellion and Reform in Indonesia Read More »

This book addresses the growing academic concerns of the market-religion convergences in Asia. Bringing together a group of leading scholars from Asia, Europe, Australia and North America, it discusses multiple issues regarding religious commodifications and their consequences across Asia’s diverse religious traditions. Covering key issues in the anthropology and sociology of contemporary Asian religion, it …

Religious Commodifications in Asia: Marketing Gods Read More »

Religious and ethno-religious issues are inherent in many multiethnic and multi-religious societies. Singapore society is no exception. It has long been multiethnic, multicultural and multi-religious, being at the crossroads of many major and minor civilisations, cultures and traditions, and its religious diversity continues to develop in the current contexts of growing religiosity, religious change and …

Religious Diversity in Singapore Read More »

Bryan Turner’s writing on citizenship and human rights has placed him at the forefront of sociological research in this area. Over the last three decades his essays and other contributions have led to a fundamental reconsideration of the debate about individual and social rights in social theory. His work compares in its breath and scope …

Rights and Virtues Read More »

Since 1965, when it became a fully independent city-state, Singapore has been an effervescent laboratory of economic, social and environmental transformation and innovation. The island of Singapore is small (currently about 720 sq km), and the government has thoroughly transformed and extended the lands under its control to serve the needs and ambitions of its …

Singapore: An Atlas of Perpetual Territorial Transformation Read More »