Unsettled Frontiers: Market Formation in the Cambodia-Vietnam Borderlands

Unsettled Frontiers explores how resource frontiers evolve over time, highlighting the role of migration, land claiming, and expansive social and material networks in these transitions, resulting in an unsettled frontier that is always in flux.

Format: Hardback
Length: 198 pages
Publication date: 15 February 2022
Publisher: Cornell University Press

Unsettled Frontiers offers a novel perspective on the dynamic evolution of resource frontiers throughout history. Since the French colonial era, the Cambodia-Vietnam borderlands have experienced successive waves of market integration, migration, and disruption. This region has undergone a remarkable transformation, witnessing the exploitation and depletion of new commodities, ranging from vast French rubber plantations to the forced collectivization of the Khmer Rouge and from intensive timber extraction to contemporary crop booms. The inherent volatility associated with these changes has posed significant governance challenges.

In his insightful work, Sango Mahanty delves into the intricate role of migration, land claiming, and expansive social and material networks in these transitions, leading to the creation of an unsettled frontier, perpetually in flux, where communities tirelessly strive for security within fractured landscapes.

The book explores the complex interplay between economic forces, political dynamics, and social transformations, shedding light on the challenges and opportunities faced by individuals and communities as they navigate the ever-changing terrain of resource frontiers. Through a rich blend of empirical research, historical analysis, and theoretical insights, Unsettled Frontiers provides a comprehensive understanding of the complex processes that shape these dynamic regions.

This book is a valuable resource for scholars, policymakers, and anyone interested in understanding the complexities of resource development, governance, and the human impact on the environment. By examining the past and present dynamics of resource frontiers, Unsettled Frontiers offers valuable insights into the potential for sustainable development and the importance of equitable and inclusive policies in navigating the challenges of the 21st century.

Weight: 28g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781501761478