Power and Prowess : The origins of Brooke kingship in Sarawak

The state of Sarawak was founded in the 19th century by a coalition led by James Brooke on the northwest coast of Borneo. Walker (political science, U. of New South Wales, Australia) analyzes the networks of political and ritual power that led to the development of the establishment of Sarawak and concludes that the Brooke coalition should be seen as more reflective of political realities in Borneo than as simply an extension of British Colonialism. Brooke's role as "Raj" was, in key ways, constructed by local people to reflect their own objectives and priorities. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)