State and Society in the Philippines - (State & Society in East Asia) 2nd Edition by Patricio N Abinales & Donna J Amoroso (Paperback)

About the Book

This clear and nuanced introduction to the Philippines explores the ongoing dilemma of state-society relations, explaining the peculiar nature of a weak state that has managed to survive rebellions, dictatorship, and economic crisis, yet is unable to foster economic developmen...

Book Synopsis

This clear and nuanced introduction to the Philippines explores the ongoing dilemma of state-society relations, explaining the peculiar nature of a weak state that has managed to survive rebellions, dictatorship, and economic crisis, yet is unable to foster economic development and equality and guarantee long-term political stability.

Review Quotes

Abinales and Amoroso go far beyond what one would expect from a textbook, providing not only an overview of Philippine politics but also a creative new interpretation of state-society dynamics that is grounded in historical analysis stretching back to the pre-colonial era. Readily accessible to undergraduate audiences, the book concludes with a provisional examination of the early months of the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte.

For the foreseeable future, State and Society in the Philippines will remain the definitive Philippine history textbook.

In the eleven years since its publication, State and Society in the Philippines has become required reading for students and aspiring young scholars from across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. This revised edition brings the discussion up to date with timely chapters on the Gloria Arroyo, Benigno Aquino III, and Rodrigo R. Duterte administrations, and on issues of democratic contestation, distribution of power, gender, ethnicity, mobility, and diaspora that are transforming state-society relations. The book's appeal for young readers lies not only in its thoughtful, lucid overview of Filipino history, politics, and culture, but also--and just as important--in its reframing of the issues and debates that inform the understanding and study of our country and our people. State and Society does not lend itself to rote memorization of names, places, and events, nor does it lay down the rules for arriving at a definitive account. It is, rather, an invitation to learning, enabling students to question, test, and refine their ideas, experiences, and practices as a way of preparing themselves for engaging in the world outside their classrooms.

In this magisterial sweep through five centuries of the country's turbulent history, Abinales and Amoroso offer an incisive analysis of Philippine politics that deftly juxtaposes local social dynamics with well-chosen global comparisons. Each page offers new insights, each chapter rewards with provocative analysis of a major period, allowing readers--whether undergraduates, faculty, or informed citizens--to emerge with richly informed insights into the country's elusive, ever-changing political process.

This book should be required reading for those who want to understand the layered complexity of a country whose history has often been reduced to clichés like 'three hundred years in the convent and fifty years in Hollywood.' Abinales and Amoroso have written a Philippine history for the twenty-first century--one that situates the country in Southeast Asia and the globe and provides a rich perspective that moves far beyond the one-dimensional views that have long been offered by nationalist historians and orientalist commentators.

About the Author

Patricio N. Abinales is professor in the School of Pacific and Asian Studies, the University of Hawai'i at Manoa. Donna J. Amoroso (1960-2011) was associate professor at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, Tokyo, and editor of the Kyoto Review of Southeast Asia at the Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Kyoto University.