Cultures at War: The Cold War and Cultural Expression in Southeast Asia

"These innovative essays compel us to reevealuate our understanding of the Cold War as a predominantly political and military event. Their consideration of a broad range of cultural forms—from literature and film to glossy magazines and body-building-reminds us that the Cold War's influence on culture and its producers was as varied and complex as the Southeast Asian countries it touched. Lively and insightful, this rich collection is a valuable contribution to both Cold War studies and the modern histories of Southeast Asia."—Richard A. Ruth, Ph.D., Department of History, U.S. Naval Academy; and author of In Buddha's Company: Thai Soldiers in the Vietnam War

Cultures at War examines how the cultures of- postcolonial Southeast Asia responded to the Cold War. Based on fieldwork throughout the diverse region, these essays analyze the ways in which art, literature, theater, film, physical fitness programs, and the popular press reflected complex Southeast Asian reactions to the ideological conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union, and, to a degree, China. Determined to remain "nonaligned:' artists synthesized traditional and modern, local and international sources to produce a vibrant constellation of work. For each of the national cultures discussed here, any Cold War tendency toward anxiety and conformity was challenged by creative pluralism and individual expression.