State and Society in the Philippines

In this magisterial sweep through five centuries of the country’s turbulent history, Abinales and Amoroso offer an incisive analysis of Philippine politics that deftly juxtaposes local social dynamics with well-chosen global comparisons. Each page offers new insights, each chapter rewards with provocative analysis of a major period, allowing readers—whether undergraduates, faculty, or informed citizens—to emerge with richly informed insights into the country’s elusive, ever-changing political process. -- Alfred McCoy, University of Wisconsin–Madison
In the eleven years since its publication, State and Society in the Philippines has become required reading for students and aspiring young scholars from across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. This revised edition brings the discussion up to date with timely chapters on the Gloria Arroyo, Benigno Aquino III, and Rodrigo R. Duterte administrations, and on issues of democratic contestation, distribution of power, gender, ethnicity, mobility, and diaspora that are transforming state-society relations. The book’s appeal for young readers lies not only in its thoughtful, lucid overview of Filipino history, politics, and culture, but also—and just as important—in its reframing of the issues and debates that inform the understanding and study of our country and our people. State and Society does not lend itself to rote memorization of names, places, and events, nor does it lay down the rules for arriving at a definitive account. It is, rather, an invitation to learning, enabling students to question, test, and refine their ideas, experiences, and practices as a way of preparing themselves for engaging in the world outside their classrooms. -- Caroline S. Hau, Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Kyoto University
For the foreseeable future, State and Society in the Philippines will remain the definitive Philippine history textbook. -- Lisandro Claudio, De La Salle University
Abinales and Amoroso go far beyond what one would expect from a textbook, providing not only an overview of Philippine politics but also a creative new interpretation of state-society dynamics that is grounded in historical analysis stretching back to the pre-colonial era. Readily accessible to undergraduate audiences, the book concludes with a provisional examination of the early months of the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte. -- Paul D. Hutchcroft, The Australian National University
This book should be required reading for those who want to understand the layered complexity of a country whose history has often been reduced to clichés like 'three hundred years in the convent and fifty years in Hollywood.' Abinales and Amoroso have written a Philippine history for the twenty-first century—one that situates the country in Southeast Asia and the globe and provides a rich perspective that moves far beyond the one-dimensional views that have long been offered by nationalist historians and orientalist commentators. -- Sheila S. Coronel, Columbia University