Fields of Desire: Poverty and Policy in Laos

Title Page, Copyright, Dedication

Fields of Desire Challenges of the Agrarian Transition in Southeast Asia (ChATSEA) Challenges of the Agrarian Transition in Southeast Asia (ChATSEA) The shift from rural societies dependent upon agricultural livelihoods to predominantly urbanized, industrialized and market-based societies is one of the most significant processes of social change in the modern world. The Challenges of the Agrarian Transition in Southeast Asia (ChATSEA) project examines how the transformation is affecting the societies and economies of Southeast Asia. Headed by Professor Rodolphe De Koninck, holder of the Canada Chair in Asian Research at the University of Montreal, and sponsored by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the ChATSEA project includes publications by senior academics as well as junior scholars. Fields of Desire Poverty and Policy in Laos Holly High © 2014 Holly High Published by: NUS Press National University of Singapore AS3-01-02, 3 Arts Link Singapore 117569 Fax: (65) 6774-0652 E-mail: nusbooks@nus.edu.sg Website: http://www.nus.edu.sg/nuspress ISBN 978-9971-69-770-9 (Paper) All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without written permission from the Publisher. National Library Board, Singapore Cataloguing-in-Publication Data High, Holly, author. Fields of desire: poverty and policy in Laos/Holly High. – Singapore: NUS Press, [2014] pages cm. – (Challenges of the agrarian transition in Southeast Asia) ISBN: 978-9971-69-770-9 (paperback) 1. Poverty – Laos. 2. Poverty – Political aspects – Laos. 3. Poverty – Government policy – Laos. I. Title. II. Series: Challenges of the agrarian transition in Southeast Asia. HC443 305.56909594 — dc23 OCN861246598 Printed by: Markono Print Media Pte Ltd For everyone that helped along the way ...