◎聯合推薦：南方朔、孫大川、陳芳明、廖咸浩 法國存在主義哲學大師／沙特 《大地上的受苦者》是弗朗茲‧法農的最後一本著作。早在《黑皮膚，白面具》一書中，法農便提出對於種族主義的反思，他認為種族主義並非偶發事件，亦非恣意妄為，而是一種宰制的文化體系，這種體系也在殖民地運作。若是不看清統治文化所帶來的壓迫效應與奴役現象，那麼對於種族主義的抗爭便是徒然，因為這種壓迫的觸角廣及社團、政治與文化，甚至也會影響個體的精神狀態。在全球化對弱勢地區已然形成新殖民剝削的今天，法農的諸多觀點，都能讓我們看清當前的許多現象，原是源自整個殖民主義／資本主義的淵藪。

In this powerful and provocative book, Prasenjit Duara uses the case of Manchukuo, the Japanese puppet state in northeast China from 1932-1945, to explore how such antinomies as imperialism and nationalism, modernity and tradition, and governmentality and exploitation interacted in the post-World War I period. His study of Manchukuo, which had a population of 40 million and was three times the area of Japan, catalyzes a broader understanding of new global trends that characterized much of the twentieth century. Asking why Manchukuo so desperately sought to appear sovereign, Duara examines the cultural and political resources it mobilized to make claims of sovereignty. He argues that Manchukuo, as a transparently constructed "nation-state," offers a unique historical laboratory for examining the utilization and transformation of circulating global forces mediated by the "East Asian modern." Sovereignty and AUthenticity not only shows how Manchukuo drew technologies of modern nationbuilding from China and Japan, but it provides a window into how some of these techniques and processes were obscured or naturalized in the more successful East Asian nation-states. With its sweepingly original theoretical and comparative perspectives on nationalism and imperialism, this book will be essential reading for all those interested in contemporary history.

Set in the days of the Empire, with the British ruling in Burma, "Burmese Days" describes both indigenous corruption and Imperial bigotry, when 'after all, natives were natives - interesting, no doubt, but finally only a 'subject' people, an inferior people with black faces'. Against the prevailing orthodoxy, Flory, a white timber merchant, befriends Dr Veraswami, a black enthusiast for Empire. The doctor needs help. U Po Kyin, Sub-divisional Magistrate of Kyauktada, is plotting his downfall. The only thing that can save him is European patronage: membership of the hitherto all-white Club. While Flory prevaricates, beautiful Elizabeth Lackersteen arrives in Upper Burma from Paris. At last, after years of 'solitary hell', romance and marriage appear to offer Flory an escape from the 'lie' of the 'pukka sahib pose'.

《隐藏的力量》是一部西方文学的经典之作。以荷属东印度群岛(今印度尼西亚)为故事背景，讲述殖民者在当地的衰败覆亡。其中对热带亚洲的魔法、鬼魂、鸟鸣、林木、高温以及爪哇人神秘又带有敌意的态度的描写，给读者留下了深刻的印象，也使此韦进入了西方文学名著的行列。 《隐藏的力量》真正动人的魅力在于，所讲述的不只是白种西方人与东方人之间的不同，而是人类受制于时代与环境，他们所谓生命的过程，只不过是世界历史洪流中的一波涟漪。

作者藉著解讀香港卧底電影的情緒和結構，從而進一步解讀香港百多年來的殖民地歷史。作者指出，臥底形象和 “無間道” 的故事已不只是單純的電影，事實上它們已成為當前香港政治話語的一部份。主權交接後的首任特區政府，致力排斥英治時期人物，因為他們被疑為前政府留下的臥底。2004年因所謂 ‘愛國論’ 而激發的表態交心熱潮，又使政治效忠及雙重身份的有關矛盾迅速激化，再加上甚至連中央駐港機構 ‘中聯辦’ 亦被揭發有間諜案發生，當今狩獵臥底的行為，事實上並不只是一項文化隱喻。回歸後當政七年的董建華政府，施政頻頻失誤。在2003年七月一日激發五十萬人大遊行之後，一組將董建華嘲弄為一名臥底的笑話，也在坊間迅速流行起來。原因是他雖然實行保守路線，卻正因為他那種無法想像的無能，成為凝聚公憤的對象，反諷地一時激發起香港前所未有的追求民主熱潮。