Outstanding scholarship and admirable depth and breadth of discussion and analyses about state formation and the dynamics of state-society relations in the Philippines.

Contemporary Southeast Asia

Abinales and Amoroso build their case with much care and nuance as they dispute conventional analyses of issues such as national events, social movements, and the entrenchment of the oligarchy, the centralizing and authoritarian tendency of the state, the plundering of the economy, relationships between leaders and their subjects, the shifting roles of women. For beginners on the Philippines, this book presents a succinct and intelligent introduction; for veterans, it invites reflection and indicates trajectories for further study; for Filipinos who care about their country, it paints a pictures which can provide impetus for more enduring reform.

Jose Magadia S.J., Ateneo de Manila University

Scholarly and highly readable, this volume is an excellent introduction for those interested in the dynamics of Philippine society and the historical state that so far has failed to govern it well. Indispensable material for Philippine specialists and other social scientists, but equally valuable for college teachers and students understanding why a country—endowed with so much human and other resources—paradoxically falls back on massive foreign service for its economic and political survival.

Felipe B. Miranda, University of the Philippines-Diliman

State and Society in the Philippines is a thought-provoking, incisive and timely re-examination of Philippine political history. Using a distinct analytical approach that travels across time, the book offers a fresh perspective on how and why politics in the Philippines have not led to the realization of political promises and developmental aspirations. In the process, it provides important missing pieces to the Philippine development puzzle. A must-read for all students of Philippine politics and history.

Eric C. Batalla, De La Salle University-Manila

Abinales and Amoroso resist pat generalizations about Philippine state and society. Theirs is a work rich in nuances and gray areas, ideal for those who have given serious thought to the contradictions that define Philippine life. The authors are keen—and sympathetic—analysts and chroniclers. They do not flinch at complexity that defines the country's 'patchwork' state and society. The Philippines, they say, is best understood by looking at how the interplay between state and society, national and local, domination and resistance, continuity and change have shaped the country through the centuries. They correctly point out the recurring dilemma of state-society relations: Filipinos recognize that a weak state is largely to blame for many of their ills, ranging from poor social services to runaway crime, yet they are also suspicious of a strong state and its potential for abuse.

Sheila S. Coronel, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism

Abinales and Amoroso go far beyond what one would expect from a textbook, providing not only a summation of existing scholarship but also a creative new interpretation of Philippine politics and state-society dynamics. This book is very accessible to undergraduate audiences, and does an outstanding job of putting current politics in historical context.

Paul D. Hutchcroft, University of Wisconsin-Madison