Routledge Civilization, Nation and Modernity in East Asia - History

This scholarly examination traces how Asian nations have navigated the profound cultural and intellectual challenges posed by Western influence from the nineteenth century onwards. The book investigates the identity crises that confronted Asian countries when confronted with Western 'civilization' and 'modernity', and explores how these nations responded by reconsidering their own identity and relationship to Western models. Rather than passively accepting external influence, Asian countries engaged in a dynamic process of redefining their national character and adapting concepts of 'civilization' and 'modernity' to suit their own unique historical, cultural, and social conditions. This work, part of the Routledge Advances in Asia-Pacific Studies series, offers critical insight into how East Asian societies transformed themselves whilst maintaining distinct national identities in an increasingly interconnected world.