MARIA WEBER is Affiliated Professor of International Relations and Comparative Politics at Bocconi University in Milan. She teaches comparative economics (post-graduate programme) at Bocconi University and Comparative Economics at LIUC (Free University of Castellanza). She is research leader at the Institute of East Asian Studies at Bocconi University and she is the coordinator of the research on Asia at ISPI. She has written many publications on China and Asia. Her book Vele verso la Cina (Sails Toward China, Edizioni Olivares) won the Booz-Allen & Hamilton- Financial Times Awards 1996.

'...for those with less exposure to the subject matter, the book provides comprehensive coverage of the Asian crisis from an economic, political and social point of view.' - Simon Lucatello, London School of Economics

• List of Tables and Figures Foreword by Franco Bruni, Director, ISPI Scientific Committee List of Abbreviations List of Contributors Editor's Introduction; M.Weber PART I: AREA STUDIES Great China: Towards the Year 2000; M.Weber & R.Cavalieri The Crisis in Northeast Asia: The Cases of Japan and South Korea; C.Molteni Southeast Asia Facing Economic, Political and Social Crisis; B.Trivellato Central Asia: The Illusion of a World Order; V.P.Fiorani & G.Pastori At the Foot of the Himalayas: India from the 'Hindu Equilibrium' to an Asian Regional Power? P.Panico & G.Vaggi PART II: INTERNATIONAL ISSUES Facing the Environment Problems in Changing Asia; M.J.Trombetta Security Implications of the Asian Crisis; M.Dassu & S.Silvestri Coping with the Dragon: Western Relations with China; F.Andreatta The Wobbly Triangle: Europe, Asia and the US After the Asian Crisis; V.K.Aggarwal CONCLUSIONS A: The Economics of the Asian Crisis: Roles and Myths; F.Galimberti B: After the Asian Crisis: Open Issues;M.Weber Index