{"product_id":"a-meeting-of-masks-status-power-and-hierarchy-in-bangkok-9788776941970","title":"A Meeting of Masks: Status, Power and Hierarchy in Bangkok","description":"\u003cp\u003e • Author(s): Sophorntavy Vorng\u003cbr\u003e • Publisher: Nordic Institute of Asian Studies\u003cbr\u003e • Publisher Imprint: Nordic Institute of Asian Studies\u003cbr\u003e • BISAC: Anthropology - Cultural \u0026amp; Social\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA fresh understanding of the ongoing Thai political conflict is offered in this exploration of the connections between status, space, and social life in Bangkok. Looking beyond the 'urban-rural divide', the author points to a more complex reality in which city and countryside are linked by reciprocal relations based on status and class. Everyday interclass relations in Bangkok have seen a diminishment and marginalization of upcountry Thais by the urban middle classes, thus creating an incendiary dynamic exploited in the current political power struggle. At the same time, middle-class culture and identity are shaped by elite perceptions but aspirations for upward mobility are thwarted by structural constraints and a privileging of wealth and connections. Disenchantment is feeding a potentially explosive political situation yet there are few chances for reform while most people feel their only avenue for advancement is via the current system that many perceive as unjust.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Nordic Institute of Asian Studies","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":47890233065623,"sku":"9788776941970","price":1773.0,"currency_code":"INR","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0666\/3471\/1191\/files\/9788776941970.webp?v=1781179195","url":"https:\/\/atlanticbooks.com\/products\/a-meeting-of-masks-status-power-and-hierarchy-in-bangkok-9788776941970","provider":"Atlantic Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}