Archives

UNESCO heritage-lists Indonesian wooden boat building

Maritime historian Jeffrey Mellefont on why UNESCO has recognised the cultural significance of South Sulawesi boat-building.

The New Way: Protestantism and the Hmong in Vietnam

The New Books in Southeast Asian Studies podcast talks to Tam Ngo about her new book on protestantism in Hmong society in Vietnam.

Terrorist arbitrage in Southeast Asia

Jihadists know how to take advantage of the unique space for mobilisation offered by the Indonesia–Malaysia–Philippines triborder area. Governments are still catching up.

Ownership and control in 21st century Malaysia

Terence Gomez's 'Minister of Finance Incorporated' is a important statement on Malaysian political economy, comparable to James Puthucheary's of 58 years ago.

Five reasons why I don’t always like art galleries

A personally-confronting reflection on why, sometimes, art galleries don’t seem to work for the author.

Islamic leaders don’t get their ‘copy and paste’ of Jakarta

Details on a falling out between pro-Anies Baswedan political parties and the religious leaders behind the 212 movement.

Disinformation and democracy in Indonesia

Crackdowns on ‘fake news’ producers aren’t enough—Indonesian voters need better journalism and greater digital literacy.

Thailand in 2018: no neat exit strategy for junta

The status quo isn't sustainable, but none of the likely exit strategies for the junta will give it what it wants.

Passion + Procession: Art of the Philippines

A mini-review of the Art Gallery of New South Wales' recent exhibition of Philippine art.

From datus to trapos: reading Philippine history in the OED

How an English dictionary documents different eras of linguistic exchange between Filipinos and their colonisers.

Introducing the Association for Mainland Southeast Asia Scholars (AMSEAS)

New association "seeks to foster and facilitate opportunities for the advancement of research and knowledge relevant to Mainland Southeast Asia."

Piety, politics, and the popularity of Felix Siauw

An ethnic Chinese convert to hardline Islam stands out in Indonesia’s crowded Islamic preaching market.