Asian Political Cartoons

In <i>Asian Political Cartoons</i> scholar John A. Lent explores the history and contemporary status of political cartooning in Asia including East Asia (China Hong Kong Japan North and South Korea Mongolia and Taiwan) Southeast Asia (Brunei Cambodia Indonesia Malaysia Myanmar Philippines Singapore Thailand and Vietnam) and South Asia (Bangladesh India Iran Nepal Pakistan and Sri Lanka). <p/>Incorporating hundreds of interviews as well as textual analysis of cartoons; observation of workplaces companies and cartoonists at work; and historical research Lent offers not only the first such survey in English but the most complete and detailed in any language. Richly illustrated this volume brings much-needed attention to the political cartoons of a region that has accelerated faster and more expansively economically culturally and in other ways than perhaps any other part of the world. <p/> Emphasizing the freedom to cartoon the author examines political cartoons that attempt to expose bring attention to blame or condemn satirically mock and caricaturize problems and their perpetrators. Lent presents readers a pioneering survey of such political cartooning in twenty-two countries and territories studying aspects of professionalism cartoonists' work environments philosophies and influences the state of newspaper and magazine industries the state's roles in political cartooning modern technology and other issues facing political cartoonists. <p/> <i>Asian Political Cartoons</i> encompasses topics such as political and social satire in Asia during ancient times humor/cartoon magazines established by Western colonists and propaganda cartoons employed in independence campaigns. The volume also explores stumbling blocks contemporary cartoonists must hurdle including new or beefed-up restrictions and regulations a dwindling number of publishing venues protected vested interests of conglomerate-owned media and political correctness gone awry. In these pages cartoonists recount intriguing ways they cope with restrictions--through layered hidden messages by using other platforms and finding unique means to use cartooning to make a living.