Full Description
Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Laos provides a comprehensive introduction to the Lao People's Democratic Republic's recent development and transformation.
The handbook showcases state-of-the-field interdisciplinary research across six themes: The Basics, The Populace, Political Economy, Resources, International and Challenges. Individual chapters provide specialist and non-specialist readers with a rigorous overview of 32 fundamental topics in Lao Studies, from 'The Lao People's Revolutionary Party', 'Inter-Ethnic Relations' and 'Decision Making', to 'Land', 'Foreign Policy' and 'Gender.' Marking the 50th anniversary of the country's landmark revolution of 1975, the handbook explores the contested achievements of socialist rule under the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP), examines the political, economic and environmental impact of the LPRP's resource intensive strategies for growth and development, and considers the benefits and challenges of Laos's evolving geo-political and geo-economic relations with China, Vietnam, Thailand and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). While focusing on contemporary Laos, the chapters are rooted in a clear understanding of how present-day issues have emerged from Laos's extraordinary history, spanning pre-colonial Buddhist kingdoms, French colonialism, royalist nationalism and socialist revolution.
Bringing together a purposely diverse collection of scholars, each an established or emerging authority in their own sub-field, the timely study takes stock of the country's development and considers what the next phase in the country's history might hold.
Contents
1. Introduction
PART I
2. The Past
3. Places
4. The People: The Making of the Population of Laos
5. The Party: Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP)
PART II
6. Interethnic Relations
7. Language in Laos
8. Social Relations
9. Lao Religious Culture
10. Weaving Around the Model: Exploring Creativity and Traditions in Arts and Crafts of Laos
11. Food and Nutrition
PART III
12. Decision Making
13. The Economy of Laos
14. Livelihoods in Laos
15. Development and Legitimacy
16. Military
17. Constitutional and Legal Reforms in Lao PDR: Towards a 'Rule-of-Law' State?
PART IV
18. Land
19. Forests and Forestry
20. Water and Hydropower: Investigating the Mekong Hydropower Decision Making Landscape
21. Cash Crops
PART V
22. Lao Foreign Policy since the 1986 Reforms
23. International Development Cooperation
24. Foreign Trade and Investment
25. Regional Connectivity
26. The "Special" Laos-Vietnam Relationship
27. Diaspora
PART VI
28. Poverty
29. Gender
30. Laos's Persistent Health Challenges
31. Environmental Sustainability
32. Adapting to Climate Change in Contemporary Laos: The New Normal
33. Media in Laos
