Asia's March Towards Freedom of Expression and Development

Freedom of Expression (FOE) has traditionally been linked to freedom of speech and writing, particularly in the political and religious contexts. However, it has equal relevance to the contexts of culture and development. The dominant discourse on freedom of expression tends to focus on the freedom of the media. Culture hardly takes the center-stage in such discourses, even though it is a crucial determinant of socioeconomic development. Culture comprises the evolved outcomes of thoughts and perceptions of a particular group of people representing what they consider are values of life. FOE stimulates change, and such change is necessary for development. Written at the beginning of a new century, this book looks at how these countries view the idea of FOE in the context of development needs of a changing society. For most of the countries examined here, this is a period of rapid economic and political change, where the media, and in turn the concept of FOE, is playing a greater role in shaping the future of these societies. The book has been called Asia's March towards Freedom of Expression and Development because a march could take place at different levels of intensity, and that is exactly what is happening across Asia in the context of FOE. ""Asian Media Information and Communication Centre (AMIC)"" series is available exclusively from ISEAS for worldwide distribution.