As Borders Bend: Transnational Spaces on the Pacific Rim

(Paperback)

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This innovative book examines the complexities of de-bordering and re-bordering through a systematic comparison of seven transborder subregions along the western Pacific Rim and an extended analysis of the U.S.-Mexican border and several European border regions. Xiangming Chen offers a synthetic explanation for the complex and diverse processes and outcomes of economic growth, social transformation, and urban landscapes in the new transnational spaces around the porous and mutated borders on the Pacific Rim and beyond

Reviews

As Borders Bend is an important book about regionalism in Asia. . . . The breadth and systematic nature of this book will make it attractive for many social scientists who, in teaching or research, want to cover globalization, social capital, spatial reorganization, and regionalism in Asia. It offers useful material on social factors behind economic development. -- Gilbert Rozman, Princeton University * American Journal of Sociology *
A brilliant deciphering of the meaning and agency of borders. Chen shows us how the decentering of state power enables border regions to emerge from the shadow of capital city regions. This in turn produces a whole new research agenda on the increasing complexity of the interaction among borders, transnationality, and the scattering of state functions. -- Saskia Sassen, author of The Global City
A valuable and timely contribution to the burgeoning literature on border studies and transnationalism in general and border regions in the Asia-Pacific in particular. . . . In a bold and ground-breaking move, Chen brings together cases of 'de-bordering' and 're-bordering' for integrated and innovative documentation and explanation. . . . Informative, comprehensive, comparative, and up-to-date. * Eurasian Geography and Economics *
A clear elaboration and analysis of the emerging trends of a Chinacentric Asia-Pacific region and China's current global positioning. Chen's work is a major contribution to the fields of international political economy and transborder development studies. . . . In an age of globalization, where complexity, uncertainty, and hybridity abound, Xiangming Chen has done a remarkable job in charting the trajectories of borders bending. * Contemporary Sociology *
Chen's book is a landmark statement drawing on examples from East and Southeast Asia. . . . Viewing these interplays and reworkings at borders offers methodical originality. . . . [The book] deserves a very wide readership. -- James D. Sidaway, University of Amsterdam * Environment And Planning A: Intl Journal Of Urban And Regional Research *
A highly original enquiry into the formation and evolution of trans-border regions in the global economy. Accessibly written and richly researched, the book is an important contribution to the literature on urban and regional development, international political economy, economic geography, and global studies. -- Henry Wai-chung Yeung, National University of Singapore
Chen's ambitious book is interesting because it uses a complex framework to make sense of a broad range of very different factors and experiences. The book is well organized and well written. -- Alan Klima, University of California at Davis * Journal of Asian Studies *
One of the most significant contributions to the field of border region studies of the last few years. . . . This is a book for graduate students and border scholars that will be discussed in future works on trans-border regions and will impact our understanding of their transformations. * Journal Of Borderlands Studies *
An interesting and detailed book that has pursued and deepened research on growth triangles. * Urban Affairs Review *
An informed analysis of an emerging pattern of local and regional development in the world. Both students and researchers in sociology, geography, urban studies, economics, politics, development studies and Asia-Pacific area studies would find it informative, stimulating and useful. Xiangming Chen has successfully shown how the global and the local have shaped the de-bordering and re-bordering processes in the contemporary world. * Social Transformation In Chinese Societies *
This book seeks to improve the understanding of the impact of globalization on regions through a careful, comprehensive and comparative study of border regions in Asia-Pacific. It is ambitious, theoretically informed and empirically rich. . . . This book stands as a major contribution to studies of globalization and regionalism. * International Journal Of Urban and Regional Research *

Author Bio

Xiangming Chen is dean and director of the Center for Urban and Global Studies, Trinity College.