Language and National Identity in Asia

Language and National Identity in Asia is a comprehensive introduction to the role of language in the construction and development of nations and national identities in Asia.

Leading scholars from all over the world investigate the role languages have played and now play in the formation of the national and social identity in countries throughout South, East, and Southeast Asia. They consider the relation of the regions' languages to national, ethnic, and cultural identity, and examine the status of and interactions between majority, official, and minority languages.

The book is illustrated with maps and written with minimum recourse to technical language. It will appeal to everyone interested in Asian society language, and politics.