Southeast Asian Studies Series – Call for Manuscripts
GerakBudaya and Asia Centre are pleased to announce the launch of a joint regional publications series which aims to focus upon the politics, history and culture of Southeast Asian societies. Together we are launching a publications series on issues that matter to the peoples of the region. The series will contribute to cross-disciplinary research and debate on the region and to highlighting new and innovative research on the region to a wider audience. Manuscripts are welcome from contributors who are critically examining contemporary issues and would like to reach a wider audience. The Series In launching a Southeast Asian publication series we wish to understand the region in its broadest sense, not as a rigidly defined region but as also including those countries such as India and China which have always been important to its history and will be integral to its future. We are therefore interested in intellectually sound manuscripts from across academic disciplines and from the policy sphere which speak to the wider region, which escape the confines of the nation-state and which highlight the transnational linkages and the historical ties which continue to structure present day Southeast Asia. As a guide, we welcome manuscripts in the following areas but we will happy to consider others: ASEAN and Regionalism Conflicts in the 21st Century Civil Society and Transnational Activism Democratization & Authoritarianism Ethnic Relations Gender Studies Humanitarianism Human Rights Migration New Media Regional Arts & Culture Sustainable Development We are also interested to publish manuscripts in the following formats: 1. Monographs We welcome a wide array of monographs. From academic research monographs to semi-academic and general non-fiction pieces by journalists and civil society activists. We are looking to publish pieces of original research which contribute something important to the scholarship on the region and which also talk to the work of civil society groups, NGOs and activists. We accept monographs of no longer than 40-100,000 words. 2. Edited Volumes We are interested to receive various proposals for edited volumes with a regional focus. In particular we are interested to publish edited volumes of no more than 12 chapters which bring together a diverse range of voices from around the region and neighbouring regions on topics of contemporary importance to Southeast Asia. We are happy to receive initial proposals for such volumes and work with editors in order to develop their proposal. 3. Conference Proceedings We are also interested to publish conference proceedings of important regional conferences which highlight cutting edge research and new and emerging perspectives on the region. 4. Self-Funded Publications Finally we are interested in hearing from any individuals or organisations who have research funding or other such funding to contribute towards the cost of publishing research monographs, edited volumes and conference proceedings in keeping with our series specifications. This can be organised either as a self-publishing service, where GerakBudaya and Asia Centre will provide editing, production and distribution services, or as a co-publishing initiative in which the book will be jointly published by both parties. Costs for book production can range from USD$ 1000–3500 depending on the length and nature of the manuscript and interested persons are encouraged to contact Series Editor James Gomez to find out more. Series Editor GerakBudaya and Asia Centre are proud to announce the appointment of Dr. James Gomez as the series editor of our Southeast Asian Studies series. Dr. James Gomez is an academic, author and editor with over 20 years of international experience at universities, think-tanks, inter-governmental agencies and non-governmental organisations. He has worked with numerous publishers and serves on international advisory boards, editorial committees and as external resource person to academic departments, schools, faculties and universities.He is presently Professor of Communications and Associate Dean (International Affairs), School of Communication Arts, Bangkok University, Thailand. He is also Executive-Director of Asia Centre. Submissions Procedure In order to consider your manuscript for publication we ask that you submit the following documents to us: 1-page summary of the manuscript that outlines the number of pages or words. Contents page Estimated length of manuscript (current). (Estimate based on MS Word, 12 point font, Times New Roman or similar, 1 1/2 space;A4 size paper;inclusive of notes and appendices.) A sample of 20 to 30 pages, or the introduction and one chapter. A short biography of the author. For edited volumes and conference proceedings we are happy to receive a provisional table of contents and a one page synopsis of the intended volume. Please forward all submissions with a short covering letter to series editor Dr. James Gomez (james@asiacentre.co.th). We aim to respond to your submission in 4-6 weeks. Our Services We will be able to provide full editorial, production and distribution services. We are able to provide professional editors who can assist in developmental editing, copy-editing and proofreading of your manuscript and we will then provide layout design, printing, marketing and distribution services. In addition we can also organise on your behalf co-publication initiatives with other international academic and non-academic presses and manage translation and territorial rights purchases to enable to your research to reach a wider audience. About Gerak Budaya GerakBudaya has long been established in Malaysia as a publisher and distributor of titles embodying social awareness, critical perspectives and the hidden histories of Malaysia and the wider region. Under their SIRD imprint, they have established a major non-university publishing house with titles covering a wide range of academic disciplines from history to political science, economics, cultural studies and sociology. To learn more about the Asia Centre – Gerak Budaya partnership, please click here.
Brexit: A Failure to Promote the European Union
UK voters were not properly informed by political leaders about the functions, institutions and powers of the EU, which has made a great contribution to the prosperity of the UK and peace in Europe. As a result, Britain’s referendum vote of 23 June 2016 ended up with a “leave the European Union (EU)” result – aka ‘Brexit’. This was the key conclusion from Asia Centre’s roundtable which attracted some 50 participants from academia, international organizations, the media, the NGO community, the public sector and the private sector. The panel (L-R) was moderated by Asia Centre’s Dr Robin Ramcharan and featured Alexandra Demetrianova, Thammasat University; Dr. David Moore, Portland State University;Dr. Kenneth Houston, Webster University and Dr.Peter Shearman, Chulalongkorn University. Among the other points made, the panellists noted that the Brexit vote was predictable and that it reflected voter dissatisfaction with political elites in Britain. However, the vote testifies to the enduring power of nationalism even as the world globalizes. Local identities still matter, as evidenced by demands for local autonomy in parts of the UK. But early indications are that the UK will not trigger its Article 50 notice to leave the EU until first quarter 2017 at the earliest. From that point, two years is allowed for the negotiation of post-Brexit trade, military, diplomatic, legal and social policy and legislation changes (amongst others) before the full exit happens. So – the earliest possible exit date is end of 2018. More likely, it will be later. Hence, the Brexit saga is expected to continue for some time. While the EU will endure, it will be weakened by Britain’s eventual exit. This makes the EU very vulnerable to forces of fragmentation moving forward. In order to stem such challenges, the EU needs to better sell itself across generations and across Europe.
Asia Centre to Focus on Human Rights Policy Analysis
Having established a presence and network in Bangkok in its first year, in its second year Asia Centre turns to its programmatic focus. This will centre on human rights policy analysis covering key regional and international institutions. These are the national human rights institutions, the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) and the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the United Nations Human Rights Council. Asia Centre’s focus on human rights policy was highlighted during its one year anniversary commemorations with Bangkok based academics and civil society representatives. This provided an opportunity to catch up and thank all those associated with the Centre in the last one year. Established in July 2015, Asia Centre spent July 2015 – Dec 2015 setting up its office at Phayathai Plaza. During that period, the Centre focused on its legal and financial registration in Thailand as well as the renovation and setting up of its physical premises. Various individuals were also identified to serve on the Advisory Board, as Centre Associates and to make up the Management Team. In the next phase – January to June 2016 – the Centre promoted its presence in Bangkok through the Asia Centre Seminars that generated interest among academia, NGOs and students. During this period, the Centre also set up meetings and explored opportunities for collaboration with numerous NGOs, social enterprises, businesses as well as university departments and faculties. These partnerships are currently helping to promote Asia Centre beyond its Bangkok base. As the candle was blown out marking Asia Centre’s first year in operation, the Centre is grateful for the support received thus far. It has been a strong start. We look forward with confidence to our second year.
Impunity waters down accountability in Southeast Asia
The provision of impunity to human rights violators is the biggest challenge for ensuring accountability. This was the general conclusion of the panelists at the event Confronting Elusiveness: Demanding Accountability in Southeast Asia. The speakers from Indonesia, Philippines and Myanmar highlighted how in each of their respective countries human rights violators went on to occupy positions in different human rights mechanisms which watered the whole idea of holding such violators accountable. Speakers featured at the event included, Galuh Wandita, Co-founder and Director at Asia Justice and Rights (AJAR), Aung Khaing Min, Advocacy and Research Officer Burma Partnership and Edgardo Legaspi, Executive Director, Southeast Asian Press Alliance. Some 30 people attended the activity which was held as an inaugural panel of SEA Junction hosted by Asia Centre. Its founding executive-director Rosalia Sciortino, moderated the panel discussion. The event also featured the presentation of the book “Enduring Impunity” a compilation of stories of women survivors in Indonesia, Timor Leste and Myanmar. SEA Junction was launched later in the day at the Bangkok Art and Cultural Center. Asia Centre wishes them success.
Asia Centre: Regional Representative for Malaysian Publisher Gerakbudaya
Asia Centre has signed a partnership with Malaysian Publisher Gerakbudaya to be its regional representative in Thailand. Moving forward, Asia Centre will commission, edit, launch a publication series, distribute and sell books on Southeast Asian studies. The publication series will explore critical issues impacting Southeast Asia as well as the region’s linkages to the rest of the world. The aim is to contribute to research and discussions on regional matters which are alternative and can highlight new and important issues to a wider audience. The Centre will also act as a bookshop and has started featuring a selection of Gerakbudaya books. These will be on sale during office hours at the Centre’s premises and during its activities. There are also plans to develop a web portal for e-books. Gerakbudaya publishers and distributes books that spark social awareness and critical discourse on Southeast Asia. Its very name Gerakbudaya represents the movement (gerak) of culture and ideas (budaya) through books. It is Gerakbudaya’s first foray outside of Malaysia. The man behind Gerakbudaya, Mr. Chong Ton Sin or “Pak Chong” as he is more commonly known, has been in the business for over 20 years with over 300 publications under his belt. You can read more about Gerakbudaya Enterprises at our Partners page.
Cause Lawyering: Advocating For Justice
Cause lawyers set themselves apart in their profession by using the law as tool for social justice. They protect the rights of marginalised communities and bridge the gap between law as it is written in the books and the law as it is lived and experienced. This was how our panelists described the linchpin role that cause lawyers play in advocating for justice. Cause Lawyering: In Conversation With Regional Advocates was held on 14 May 2016 and attracted about 20 participants. Mr. Henning Glaser, Director of the German-Southeast Asia Centre of Excellence for Public Policy and Good Governance at Thammasat University provided an overview of how lawyers work to achieve justice for marginalised communities. The panel also explored on the role that lawyers and advocates play on the issue of the death penalty, with human rights lawyer and anti-death penalty advocate M.Ravi sharing his personal experiences fighting against Singapore’s draconian death penalty laws. Akanit Horatanakun from Amnesty International Thailand providing an update on the use of the death penalty in Thailand. The event also saw the Bangkok launch of M Ravi’s critically acclaimed autobiography Kampong Boy. His book, Kampong Boy,was shortlisted for the 2014 Singapore Literature Prize. It is on sale at Asia Centre.
Entering Femininity: Reporting Rituals and Violations
Entering Femininity: Reporting Rituals and Violations seminar at Asia Centre attempted to open the topic of female genital mutilation (FGM) for a Bangkok audience. Organised by Alexander Demetrianova, an Asia Centre Associate, the seminar discussed FGM as a violation of child’s and women’s rights by international law and health standards. Worldwide more than 300 million girls and women are “cut” under different interpretations and in different severity. But in most cases, FGM is a very important ritual, ancestral knowledge and practice. It allows girls to gain a status in their community and further enables them to elevate to other positions in life of a woman – to marry and have children. So FGM more than anything else, defines femininity and women. However, informed consent is in the absolute majority of cases not given by the very young, often infant, girls to be circumcised. Across Africa, parts of Middle East and even Southeast Asia, even much older women, who had been cut years ago, know only as much as their culture and tradition have taught them about female circumcision. It is an integral part of life, marriage, sexuality and community, but most advocates for female circumcision are not aware of the great health issues and harm it brings to women and girls. The session also featured a live Skype interview with multi-media journalist Gabrielle Paluch who shared her experience researching and reporting on FGM in Southern Thailand. The Bangkok audience at the seminar concluded that in order to eradicate the cut and mutilation, communities and cultures need to re-examine and transform the way they understand femininity and role of women. To preserve women’s right to take informed decisions about their own bodies, there is a need to break the taboo and open FGM for further discussion. A critical discussion about this practice is a taboo in most countries where it is prevalent, hence Asia Centre was pleased to host this talk to discuss the topic.
Authoritarian Instituitions Help Najib Weather 1MDB Storm
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib has survived the fallout from the 1MDB scandal and is likely to continue in power despite the widespread feeling that it would lead to his ouster. This was Professor William Case assessment of the financial scandal that has dominated Malaysian politics since mid 2015. The Asia Centre roundtable on 10th May 2016, entitled Stress Testing Single-Party Dominance in Malaysia, saw over a dozen people gather after lunch to discuss the changes precipitated by the 1MDB scandal and how Nabjib has managed to weather the storm. Professor Case,a well-known Malaysian studies scholar, provided the latest updates on the situation and shared his analysis. At the center of the scandal is missing funds that were traced directly into Najib’s personal accounts. The reports led to mass protests, demands for Najibs resignation and the formation of new coalitions against Najib. Chief among the anti-Najib camp, is former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad mobilizing a ‘Save Malaysia Movement’ for a political challenge. In spite of the momentum against Najib, the observations at the roundtable was that the dominance of UMNO as a patronage machine prevails in ensuring Najib’s survival and continued dominance. According to Prof. Case, the stable authoritarianism practised by the state and the resilience of institutions like UMNO have effectively countered the destabilising pressures created by the scandal.
Singapore: A Political Dystopia for Democracy
Singapore is not the political utopia that it projects itself to be. Beneath the veneer, lies a dystopia of political repression, self-censorship and culture of fear. This was the nub of Jeannette Aruldoss’ presentation at Asia Centre on 19 March 2016. Aruldoss, a lawyer and an opposition candidate of two election campaigns, shared some of her personal experiences from campaigning in 2011 and 2015 and provided a succinct overview of the political system and raised questions about its efficacy. The lingering question after the latest elections of 2015 was if politics in Singapore was going to change, or would be status quo with the current ruling party being in power indefinitely? And if the Singapore citizen wants the current ruling party, should there be opposition efforts aimed at bringing about change? Some 30 odd attendees came with a healthy dose of scepticism as well as support for the city-state. Jeannette Aruldoss’ cutting critique of the PAP’s landslide victory in the 2015 elections both engaged and provoked questions from the mixed audience during the lively Q&A session. In the April edition of the Asia Centre Seminar Series, we explore the practice of female genital mutilation(FGM) and how it is documented and portrayed in the media. Entering Femininity: Reporting Rituals & Violations happens on 30th April (Saturday) from 9.30am to 12noon at Asia Centre. For more details click here.
The Politics Of Conflict
The “Kachin conflict” at its heart is a political one. Even though the term “Kachin conflict” invariably leads to it being framed and discussed as an ethnic conflict, obscuring the politics at play. This was the main point made by Dr Karin Dean, our guest speaker, at the second installment of the Asia Centre Seminar series. The seminar navigating the participants through the intricacies of the “Kachin conflict” in Myanmar, because to be Kachin can mean more than one thing- as the term does not represent a particular homogenous ethnic group united towards a particular purpose. The seminar attracted an audience of over 50 individual from diverse backgrounds, each with different entry points into the discussion; from members of the Kachin community to students and academics researching on Myanmar and members of the general public who were interested in learning more about Southeast Asia’s new hot topic country. Her presentation was followed by in interactive dialogue session which saw members of the Kachin community sharing their personal perspectives, questions from the audience as well as discussion on some of the contentious issues raised. If the politics of Southeast Asia interests you, do join us for our next session, this weekend – A Political Utopia Called Singapore – Saturday 19th March 2016, 9.30am to 12noon. For more information click here. Images courtesy of Lance Woodruff.