Neoliberalism as Exception: Mutations in Citizenship and Sovereignty

Aihwa Ong examines how neoliberalism functions as a set of mobile technologies that govern populations across the Asia-Pacific region. Her analysis focuses on the mechanisms through which market logic and calculations reconfigure citizenship, sovereignty, and other aspects of political life. Through case studies in Southeast and East Asia, Ong demonstrates how neoliberal practices create zones of inclusion and exclusion, producing new categories of citizens and non-citizens. She explores how states selectively adopt market-driven policies while maintaining authoritarian control, creating distinctive forms of governance that challenge Western assumptions about neoliberalism. The book analyzes specific sites where neoliberal logic intersects with local political and cultural conditions - from Filipino domestic workers in Hong Kong to high-tech manufacturing zones in China. Ong traces how these encounters generate new forms of space, power relations, and subjectivity. This work presents neoliberalism not as a uniform global force but as an adaptable set of practices that combine with existing power structures in complex ways. The theoretical framework offers tools for understanding how market rationalities reshape citizenship and sovereignty in the contemporary world.

Readers describe this academic text as dense but valuable for understanding how neoliberalism operates differently across Asia. Several reviewers note it offers concrete examples rather than pure theory. Liked: - Clear analysis of citizenship and sovereignty in Southeast Asia - Strong case studies from China, Malaysia and Indonesia - Detailed examination of migrant workers and special economic zones - Challenges assumption that neoliberalism is uniform globally Disliked: - Complex academic language makes it inaccessible to general readers - Some reviewers found the theoretical framework unclear - Limited coverage of resistance movements - High price point for relatively short book Ratings: Goodreads: 3.91/5 (34 ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (6 reviews) One academic reviewer wrote: "Ong's ethnographic approach reveals how neoliberal policies create different outcomes in different contexts." A critical review noted: "The writing style is unnecessarily complicated and jargon-heavy."

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🌏 Aihwa Ong coined the influential concept of "flexible citizenship" to describe how wealthy Asians strategically acquire passports and relocate to maximize economic opportunities while maintaining cultural ties to their homeland. 📚 The book challenges the common view of neoliberalism as a uniform global force, instead showing how it operates differently across Asia through specific "exceptions" to usual rules and governance. 🎓 Ong conducted extensive fieldwork in Southeast Asia, particularly Malaysia and Indonesia, drawing from her background as both an anthropologist and a native of Malaysia. 🔄 The book examines how countries like Singapore and China create special economic zones that operate under different rules than the rest of the nation, effectively creating "spaces of exception." 👥 The research reveals how contemporary Asian governments often divide their populations into those who receive benefits and protection versus those who are excluded, based on their perceived value to the global economy.