Intercultural Exchange in Southeast Asia: History and Society in the Early Modern World (International Library of Historical Studies)

At the dawn of European colonialism, the Southeast Asian region encompassed some of the most diverse and influential cultures in early modern history. The circulation of people, commodities, ideas and beliefs along the key trading routes, from the Eastern edge of the Mughal empire to the Southern Chinese border, stimulated some of the great cultural and political achievements of the age. Here, Tara Alberts and D.R.M. Irving draw together accounts of early modern religious conversions, diplomatic history and scientific explorations across the regions many societies, along with histories of slavery and urban development. Throughout, the authors engage with some of the neglected subjects of the period slaves, rebels and women in particular in order to understand the multiple levels of exchange and interactions which occurred between these disparate ethnic and religious states. This will be essential reading for those interested in the cultural and political origins of modern Asia.