Archives

New Books on SE Asia: Jane Ferguson’s “Repossessing Shanland…”

Literati and politicians have constructed a virtual Shan state that lives on in popular media, rock music, and Buddhist ritual.

Coercing mobility: Territory, displacement & SE Asian Muslim Movements

Displacement is a key contributor to the trajectories of “Muslim” politics around the region...

Food availability, Indonesia’s commodity balance and the trap of Malthusian Optimism

A recent research paper casts doubt on the government’s ability to accurately determine available supplies.

NBSEAS on “Chasing Freedom: The Philippines Long Journey to Democratic Ambivalence”

Adele Webb offers a spirited defence of what she calls 'democratic ambivalence': the mixed feelings many Filipinos harbour about their own hybrid political system.

With ASEAN snub, Myanmar junta signals return to Cold War isolationism

Military officials have vowed to “learn to walk with only a few friends”, and weather international isolation and economic sanctions.

The Defence Technology Institute: growing status inside the Thai Ministry of Defence

Reforms permitted the Institute to transition from peripheral actor to resonant voice inside the Ministry.

No way home and no way in! COVID-19 and Indonesian workers in Japan

Irresponsible sending agencies in Indonesia and stakeholders in Japan have found ways to manipulate and take advantage of a precarious cohort of migrant workers.

Whose history, whose future? Creating a new legacy of shared maritime heritage

Proactive engagement, people-to-people connections, developing mutual trust and respect is essential to protect Perth for the future.

Hệ thống Kafala và Lao Động Giúp Việc Nhà từ Việt Nam: Tham Nhũng và Nhà Báo Bị Khóa Mồm

Luật sửa đổi thiếu thốn, tham nhũng tràn lan, và nhà báo bị đàn áp ở Việt Nam khiến các chị em giúp việc nhà tiếp tục bị tổn thương bên Ả Rập Xê Út.

Forgotten art history: the art of Chinese-Indonesian women in the 20th century

Uncovering transnational and gendered experiences reveals a far richer and more multifaceted picture of Indonesian art and identity.

A new Indonesian capital city: conflict pending

Poor consultation with local residents and traditional land owners, elite links and opaque deals with concession holders leave the new capital project vulnerable.

COVID-19 and a new social contract for education in the Philippines

The pandemic did not trigger educational access issues for those living in urban poor communities; it just made them worse.