As Asia has become more prominent on the international scene in recent decades--economically, politically, and culturally--the scholarly discipline of Asian studies has grown commensurately. But major questions remain about the scope of the discipline and its goals. "What about Asia"? both surveys the current state of the debate on Asian studies and suggests several fruitful directions for future exploration, especially through the use of multiregional and interdisciplinary approaches.

This volume offers a wide variety of case studies ranging from Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism to new religious movements showing there is an increasing tendency among believers and nonbelievers to enjoy or play with religion.