Australias Asia

Download or read book Australia's Asia written by David Robert Walker and published by Apollo Books. This book was released on 2012 with total page 388 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: To think that Australia is confronting Asia for the first time in the 21st century is to deny Australia's history and the self-awareness that comes from understanding that the country has been here before. Asia appears throughout modern Australian history as a source of anxiety or hope. It has been a presence both within and outside Australia, shaping who Australians are, as well as the country's engagement with the wider world. This book assembles an impressive group of scholars across a range of disciplines to present a broadly conceived cultural history that places Asia at or near the center of Australia's national story. *** "Australia's Asia: From Yellow Peril to Asian Century captures the essence of the pendulum swings that have characterized Australian approaches to Asia over the past century and a half. ... The editors have done a first-class job in assembling high-quality chapters that make an important contribution to the existing literature on Australia and Asia. ... Moreover, this book tells an important story about the role and impact of individuals -- not just elites, but in many cases ordinary citizens -- in building Australia's relations with Asia. It is a valuable remedy to the ahistorical approach of so many of the debates within Australia over regional engagement and is a useful text for those outside Australia interested in acquiring insights into what motivates the country's approach to its region." - Pacific Affairs, Vol. 87, No. 4, December 2014Ã?Â?Ã?Â?Ã?Â?Ã?Â?