This chapter suggests that we continue to make generalizations about Javanese culture and society based on what is, in fact, a narrow understanding of the island's regional variation. This much, however, is clear: highland communities must be accorded a greater role in any attempt to achieve a broader understanding of Javanese or Southeast Asian economy and society. Highland history is distinctive; its development sheds new light on the forces that have shaped Southeast Asia as a whole.

This chapter suggests that we continue to make generalizations about Javanese culture and society based on what is, in fact, a narrow understanding of the island's regional variation. This much, however, is clear: highland communities must be accorded a greater role in any attempt to achieve a broader understanding of Javanese or Southeast Asian economy and society. Highland history is distinctive; its development sheds new light on the forces that have shaped Southeast Asia as a whole.