Yunnan-Burma-Bengal Corridor Geographies: Protean Edging of Habitats and Empires

This book explores the historical connections between Bengal, Burma, and Yunnan (China), highlighting the transregion as a mobile, connected, and diverse area with unique ecogeological characteristics. It discusses the variety and complexity of premodern and modern pathways, borders, and networks of livelihood-making, local political alliances, trade, commerce, religions, political systems, and colonial encounters. The book covers themes such as environmental edgings of human-nonhuman habitats, transregional migratory routes, elephant corridors, framing spaces between India and China, Tibetan-Myanmar corridors, transboundary river systems, narratives of jade traders, cross-border flow of Deangs fermented tea, householding in upland Laos, cultural identities, and trans-border livelihoods. With its wide-ranging case studies, the book is of interest to scholars and researchers in history, routes and border studies, sociology, social anthropology, South East Asian history, South Asian history, Chinese studies, environmental history, human geography, international relations, ecology, and cultural studies.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 258 pages
Publication date: 30 September 2021
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This captivating book delves into the intricate historical connections between Bengal, Burma, and Yunnan (China), unveiling the corridor as a transregion characterized by remarkable mobility, connectivity, diversity, and unique ecogeological characteristics. By examining the concept of corridor geographies, which transcend the rigid boundaries of modern individual nation-states, the author highlights the diverse and complex pathways, corridors, borders, and networks that shaped premodern and modern livelihoods, local political alliances, trade, commerce, religions, political systems, and colonial encounters.

The book explores a range of crucial themes, including the intricate interplay between human and nonhuman habitats, the migratory routes and habitats of megafauna across transregional boundaries, the significance of elephant corridors in the Yunnan–Myanmar–Bengal landscape, the spatial dynamics between India and China, the Tibetan–Myanmar corridors, the transboundary river systems, the captivating narratives of a Rohingya jade trader, the cross-border flow of Deangs fermented tea, the unique household structures in upland Laos, the diverse cultural identities, and the diverse trans-border livelihoods.

With its comprehensive and topical approach, this book appeals to scholars and researchers across a wide range of disciplines, including history, routes and border studies, sociology and social anthropology, South East Asian history, South Asian history, Chinese studies, environmental history, human geography, international relations, ecology, and cultural studies. The rich case studies presented within its pages offer valuable insights into the complex tapestry of human-environment interactions and the diverse ways in which people have navigated the boundaries of time and space throughout history.

In conclusion, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in exploring the rich historical and cultural connections between Bengal, Burma, and Yunnan, as well as the broader region of South East Asia. It provides a valuable contribution to our understanding of the complexities of human-environment interactions, the dynamics of power and governance, and the diverse ways in which people have shaped their lives and societies in the context of changing geopolitical landscapes.

Weight: 424g
Dimension: 205 x 299 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367556228