Wellbeing Worlds
Paul Bowman
September 18, 2026 DOI: 10.4324/9781003745600-9 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that Western culture's association of 'Asia' with wellbeing transforms diverse traditions into marketable lifestyles through orientalist fantasies, invented authenticity, and commercial logics, while also attending to Asian creators who navigate, resist, or strategically deploy these frameworks. |
Abstract
This chapter examines how contemporary Western culture increasingly associates ‘Asia’ with health, wellbeing, and ancient wisdom, transforming diverse traditions into marketable lifestyles. From spa culture and fusion cuisine to yoga, TCM, meditation apps and luxury wellness tourism, we explore how these practices are selectively reinvented through orientalist fantasies, invented authenticity, and the commercial logics of global capitalism. The chapter analyses how media, branding, and digital platforms perpetuate ‘mystical’ or exoticised images of Asian practices, while also considering the agency of Asian creators who navigate, resist, or strategically deploy these frameworks. Ultimately, it interrogates the cultural politics underlying Asia-as-wellbeing.