Recognizing that the neoliberal approach to poverty alleviation has been a failure in Southeast Asia, Tang (social work, U. of Northern British Columbia, Canada) and Wong (social work, Chinese U. of Hong Kong) present country studies of poverty alleviation programs and essays describing alternative approaches (rights-based, institutional, the International Labor Organization, social development, and social activism). The countries under examination include China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, and Japan. Contributors discuss the magnitude of poverty, the extent of poverty monitoring, and the effectiveness of state interventions in poverty alleviation. Annotation (c) Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
