num_pages: 320
description: The U.S. military continues to be an overt presence in the Philippines and a reminder of the country's colonial past. Taking Subic Bayformer U.S. military base now a Freeport Zone Victoria Reyes argues that its defining feature is its ability to elicit multiple meanings. For some it is a symbol of imperialism and inequality while for others it projects utopian visions of wealth and status.Drawing on archival and ethnographic data Reyes describes the everyday experiences of people living and working in Subic Bay and makes a case for critically examining similar spaces across the world. These foreign-controlled semi-autonomous zones of international exchange are what she calls global borderlands. While they can take many forms ranging from overseas military bases to tourist resorts they all have key features in common. This new unit of globalization provides a window into broader economic and political relations the consequences of legal ambiguity and the continuously reimagined identities of the people living there. Rejecting colonialism as merely a historical backdrop Reyes demonstrates how it is omnipresent in our modern world.
language: English
title: Global Borderlands: Fantasy, Violence, and Empire in Subic Bay, Philippines
publisher: Standford University Press