The South Pacific
By: Ron Crocombe.
Publisher: University of the South Pacific
Published: 2001
Place of publication: Suva, Fiji
Language: eng
Number of pages: 790
Subjects: Oceania.
Description: Book Description The South Pacific is about the 28 islands, nations and territories of Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia. Indigenous and external influences are creating new and unique arts, cultures, identities, societies, economies and politics of extreme diversity. Future trends are explored, but the main focus is on the present. After 100 years or more of control by mainly European nations, but also Japan and Indonesia, Pacific peoples are working out their destinies in a complex environment in which East Asia plays an escalating role. The book is an important contribution to understanding the Pacific, the Third World and the development debate. Because of the wealth of issues covered, the fascinating truths revealed and the simplicity of style, it will be welcomed by general readers as well as by serious scholars of the Pacific.--Publishers description.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. [714]-754) and index.
On cover: Environment, history, society, culture, health, language, religion, education, information, economy, land & water, politics, governanace, corruption, security, the Pacific way, regional and international relations, futures.
Table of contents: title: Machine generated contents note: Preface 7; title: Acknowledgements8; title: Chronology of main periods9; title: Abreviations13; title: Spelling and naming15; title: Where is the South Pacific? A note on geography,; title: terms and meanings . 16; title: PARAMETERS; title: 1. Place: Environmental deterioration and enhancement22; title: 2. People: Moving and mixing44; title: 3. Health: More lives and longer, but problematic fitness75; title: PATTERNS; title: 4. Language: How many of today's 1,200 will survive?101; title: 5. Society: Networks of commitment getting wider but shallower116; title: 6. Culture: An evolving synthesis of unity in diversity146; title: PERCEPTIONS; title: 7. Creativity: Reconciling the soul with the wallet183; title: 8. Belief: More choice and less certainty in religions, philosophies,; title: values and ethics205; title: 9. Education: Guidelines from where and for what?237; title: 10. Information: Moulding and creating perceptions,; title: power and wealth269; title: PROPERTY; title: 11. Tenures: Constraints and opportunities relating to land; title: and water295; title: 12. Production: From village subsistence to global markets322; title: 13. Commerce: Selling services and sovereignty344; title: 14. Restructuring: Shrinking governments in stagnant economies382; title: POWER; title: 15. Government: Traditional and colonial politics412; title: 16. Independence: Leadership from within 438; title: 17 Identity: Seeking a Pacific Way?459; title: 18. Birth-right: The politics of accident of birth-first-born sons,; title: first-arrived races and the rising status of women483; title: 19. Corruption: Stemming the rot512; title: 20. Governance: The nature and quality of national cohesion542; title: 21. Coercion: More military, police and other security forces564; title: 22. Regionalism: Cooperation, competition, conflict, and; title: assimilation into bigger regions 591; title: 23. Globalism: Being small in a big world627; title: PROSPECTS; title: 24. Futures: Widening choices in the 21st century657; title: APPENDICES; title: 1. Basic facts about Pacific Islands nations and territories684; title: 2. Pacific Islands regional organizations and services:; title: A selection of names, functions, addresses and Internet sites 710; title: 3. Journals from the Pacific Islands712; title: 4. Films relevant to Pacific studies713; title: Bibliography 714; title: Index755.