This volume investigates the complex, often symbiotic relationship between anthropological research and the administrative apparatus of colonial rule in Asia. The editors, Akitoshi Shimizu and Jan van Bremen, compile a series of scholarly inquiries that examine how ethnographic knowledge was produced, categorized, and utilized by imperial powers to manage diverse populations. By analyzing specific historical contexts across the continent, the contributors argue that anthropology was not merely an objective science but a tool deeply embedded in the power dynamics of colonial governance.

Scholars in the field of post-colonial studies and history of science frequently cite this work for its rigorous comparative approach to regional colonial histories. The text is noted for its academic density and is considered a foundational resource for researchers examining the intellectual history of Asian colonial administration.