Introduction

The proliferation of studies of urbanization from Europe and North America is an indication of urgency to consider cities and urbanization in Southeast Asia in urban theories. The complexity of contemporary cities and urbanization processes require innovative research methodologies that combine multiple approaches. In spite of the analytical challenges, studies of urbanization in Southeast Asia continue to address the impacts and processes of the three general patterns of rapid development, inequality and environmental degradation. Possibilities of pre-Indianized urbanization are debated, but certainly urban areas of Southeast Asia are results of multiple historical layers. There is also the challenge of contextualizing the present to the historical background. Discussions of research methodologies to study urbanization in Southeast Asia have also pointed out the problems of relying on definitions and boundaries set by international organizations. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.