This edited volume brings together a number of well-known scholars and activists from various parts of the world to present critical perspectives on recent and long term trends in the economic, socio-cultural and political life of the people of Asia and examines the policies and constraints faced by the nation-states of the region. It contributes to and enriches the current debates on globalization, the prospects for democracy, and sustainable human development. The book offers an incisive assessment of the role of civil society in creating a democratic political culture in Asia.

Acknowledgments List of Tables and Figures List of Abbreviations Notes on the Contributors Introduction: Globalization, Democracy and Civil Society After the Financial Crisis of the 1990s; F.Quadir & J.Lele Discontents of Democracy: elite Pluralism, Mystification and Rule of Big Capital; A.Kumar Bagchi Globalization, Economic Restructuring and the Implications for Democracy in Developing Countries; J.Ghosh Globalization, Economic Restructuring and the Democratic Implications; W.K.Tabb Nation Against Democracy: The Rise of Cultural Nationalism in Asia; R.Desai Political Culture, Alternative Politics and Democracy in Greater China; D.Zweig From Victimized Communities to Movement Powers and Grassroots Democracy: The Case of the Assembly of the Poor; S.Prasartset Grassroots Democracy and Community Empowerment: The Quest for Sustainable Poverty Reducation in Asia; L.C.Angeles Civil Society and Good Governance: A New Chapter in Thailand's Political Reform?; C.Banpasirichote Index