This book addresses a set of problems surrounding the state of the social sciences in Asia. It contextualizes problems by pointing to the historical and continuing dominance over Asian social science discourses by Western paradigms and concepts. Syed Farid Alatas documents various critiques of the state of the social sciences in Asia and critically assesses the prescriptions for alternative discourses that have emerged from these critiques. Among the important features of this book are that it has a pan-Asian focus and that it incorporates perspectives drawn from economics and sociology.