Maribeth Erb – författare

Theming Asia: Culture, Nature and Heritage in a Transforming Environment presents a theoretical, thematic and empirical examination of theming, theme parks and themed spaces in contemporary Asia. Drawing on cases from China, Hong Kong, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia and Singapore, it details how the proliferation of theming in places of consumption, education, entertainment and everyday life has shaped the social and spatial terrains of modern-day Asia. This is done largely through the radical transformation of ideas of culture, nature and heritage – a theoretical and empirical area that warrants urgent and dedicated scholarly inquiry. Providing an innovative study of theme parks and themed spaces in contemporary Asia, this publication highlights the critical role of theming in the making, ordering, branding, as well as contestation of cultural, natural and heritage places. The intersections of these processes are foregrounded within the context of Disneyization, the experience economy, imagineered spaces and debates over authenticity and superficiality. A diverse range of case studies, as well as a general theoretical introduction, give much room for revisiting and reimagining issues of culture and nature in a transforming Asia. This book was originally published as a special issue of Tourism Geographies.

Since the fall of the Suharto regime, forces pressing for regional autonomy have strengthened in Indonesia, with some people arguing that the country is in danger of disintegrating. This book examines a range of issues connected with decentralization and regional autonomy in Indonesia, especially focusing on various local contexts. The multiple issues that are dealt with in this volume include: ethnic revival and violence; corruption, collusion and nepotism; the complexities of administrative reorganization and the forging of new networks; reshaping of cultural identity; new emerging social hierarchies; and new conflicts over the use of environment.

Since the fall of the Suharto regime, forces pressing for regional autonomy have strengthened in Indonesia, with some people arguing that the country is in danger of disintegrating. This book examines a range of issues connected with decentralization and regional autonomy in Indonesia, especially focusing on various local contexts. The multiple issues that are dealt with in this volume include: ethnic revival and violence; corruption, collusion and nepotism; the complexities of administrative reorganization and the forging of new networks; reshaping of cultural identity; new emerging social hierarchies; and new conflicts over the use of environment.

This book was published in 2007. Protected areas have emerged as major arenas of dispute concerning both indigenous and environmental protection. In the Malay Archipelago, which contains two of the twenty-five biodiversity hotspots identified globally, rampant commercial exploitation is jeopardizing species and rural livelihoods. While protected areas remain the only hope for the imperiled biota of the Malay Archipelago, this protection requires consideration of the sustenance needs and economic aspirations of the local people. Putting forward the views of all the stakeholders of protected areas - conservation practitioners and planners, local community members, NGO activists, government administrators, biologists, lawyers, policy and management analysts and anthropologists - this book fills a niche in the area of biodiversity, and is a highly valuable and original reference book for graduate students, scientists and managers, as well as government officials and transnational NGOs.

This book was published in 2007. Protected areas have emerged as major arenas of dispute concerning both indigenous and environmental protection. In the Malay Archipelago, which contains two of the twenty-five biodiversity hotspots identified globally, rampant commercial exploitation is jeopardizing species and rural livelihoods. While protected areas remain the only hope for the imperiled biota of the Malay Archipelago, this protection requires consideration of the sustenance needs and economic aspirations of the local people. Putting forward the views of all the stakeholders of protected areas - conservation practitioners and planners, local community members, NGO activists, government administrators, biologists, lawyers, policy and management analysts and anthropologists - this book fills a niche in the area of biodiversity, and is a highly valuable and original reference book for graduate students, scientists and managers, as well as government officials and transnational NGOs.

Theming Asia: Culture, Nature and Heritage in a Transforming Environment presents a theoretical, thematic and empirical examination of theming, theme parks and themed spaces in contemporary Asia. Drawing on cases from China, Hong Kong, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia and Singapore, it details how the proliferation of theming in places of consumption, education, entertainment and everyday life has shaped the social and spatial terrains of modern-day Asia. This is done largely through the radical transformation of ideas of culture, nature and heritage – a theoretical and empirical area that warrants urgent and dedicated scholarly inquiry. Providing an innovative study of theme parks and themed spaces in contemporary Asia, this publication highlights the critical role of theming in the making, ordering, branding, as well as contestation of cultural, natural and heritage places. The intersections of these processes are foregrounded within the context of Disneyization, the experience economy, imagineered spaces and debates over authenticity and superficiality. A diverse range of case studies, as well as a general theoretical introduction, give much room for revisiting and reimagining issues of culture and nature in a transforming Asia. This book was originally published as a special issue of Tourism Geographies.