SSEAC Newsletter
December 2021 edition
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Welcome to the Sydney Southeast Asia Centre's Newsletter.
Below you will get a glimpse of some of our current research projects, education initiatives, development programs, news, and past and upcoming events.
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Celebrating 75 years of Australia-Philippines relations
2021 marks the 75th Anniversary of Australia-Philippines Diplomatic Relations. On this occasion, the Sydney Southeast Asia Centre partnered with the Australian Embassy to the Philippines and the Philippines Embassy to Australia to celebrate the enduring friendship between our two countries in the week of 15 to 21 November.
The celebrations included an active social media campaign featuring videos by His Excellency Steven J. Robinson AO, Australian Ambassador to the Philippines, as well as Her Excellency Ma. Hellen B. De La Vega, Philippine Ambassador to Australia, reflecting on the breadth and depth of our cooperation and engagement. Also included were videos introducing work conducted by the Australia-Philippines Business Council, as well as the Filipino Nursing Diaspora Network. You can watch the videos on YouTube. In addition, we were delighted to showcase 11 of our academic and student members sharing stories about what this bilateral cooperation means to them. From the poetics and im/materiality in the Maria Clara gown, to humanitarian response and disaster risk reduction among Deaf Communities in Australia and the Philippines, Filipina lesbian poetry, or even crop management to improve the livelihoods of farmers, the features were designed to highlight the wide range of expertise in multidisciplinary research on the Philippines.
In the spirit of Mateship, or Bayanihan in Tagalog, we also handed over our Instagram stories to the wonderful University of Sydney Filipino Student Society (USYD FSS). Over two days, the team dialled in to share insights into Filipino culture, and to answer the public's questions about what it's like to be a Filipino student in Sydney, where to get yummy Filipino food, etc.
Our week of celebrations would not have been complete without a successful collaboration with the Chau Chak Wing Museum, who hosted a virtual edition of their ever popular object-based learning workshops, this time dedicated to artefacts and artworks from the Philippines. Bringing together 15 participants, this exclusive workshop comprised of a series of fun activities revolving around various objects, inciting participants to explore creative and analytical mindsets.
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NHMRC grant successes
This outstanding result is testament to the calibre of our researchers, the important areas of research they are pursuing, and the University’s position as a leader in health and medical research more generally. I was delighted to see such a strong performance from both the Faculty of Medicine and Health and the Faculty of Science, which demonstrates the breadth and quality of our research in these areas," Professor Ivison said.
You can read more details about the grants here.
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DFAT grant success
Congratulations to SSEAC Director Professor Michele Ford and SSEAC Postdoctoral Research Associate Dr Kristy Ward who have been awarded a grant by the Australian Department Foreign Affairs and Trade and The Asia Foundation to uncover the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Cambodia's hotel industry. Led in partnership with the Center for Khmer Studies (CKS), this project explores not only the pandemic's impact on local livelihoods, but also looks at strategies adopted by workers at hotels and guesthouses in Siem Reap to cope with and recover from the pandemic. This grant is part of Ponlok Chomnes, a three-year initiative by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and The Asia Foundation that aims to inform public policy analysis and dialogue in Cambodia, and specifically support socioeconomic stability and inclusion in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Australia-Indonesia Institute grant success: Fostering mental health through social media during the COVID pandemic
Congratulations to Professor Hans Pols who has been awarded a competitive Australia-Indonesia Institute (AII) grant for his project "Fostering mental health through social media during the COVID pandemic".
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on mental health worldwide. In this project, the University of Sydney and Atma Jaya University, Jakarta, will bring members of mental health support groups together to develop social media campaigns to foster mental health in Indonesia and Australia. The project's aim is to creative positive and uplifting social media content with a distinct mental health focus. In addition, the team will prepare guidelines for these campaigns that can be used by mental health support groups and NGOs in both countries.
This project will bring together members of WayAhead (Australia), the Indonesian Schizophrenia Care Community (KPSI), Bipolar Care Indonesia, and Into the Light Indonesia. These groups will select participants on the basis of their experience with social media. Participants will meet for workshops to exchange ideas about social media campaigns and other initiatives they have used to foster mental health, to develop ideas about the envisaged social media campaigns, design social media content, and disseminate this social media content. The effect of these social media campaigns will be assessed by analysing statistics on the dissemination of content and reactions received.
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Welcome to the team, Melandri!
Congratulations to Dr Melandri Vlok, who has joined SSEAC as a Postdoctoral Research Associate.
Melandri is a bioarchaeologist who completed a Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Science (Honours) at the Australian National University with majors in Archaeology and Biological Anthropology in 2016. In 2020, she received her PhD from the Department of Anatomy, University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand. Her PhD research, supervised by Professor Hallie Buckley, focused on tracing the impact of migration and trade on infectious and nutritional disease patterns in Asia’s prehistoric past through analysis of human skeletal assemblages. Melandri's research spans a number of countries in Asia, including Japan, Mongolia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. Through her research, she identified the earliest cases of yaws and malaria in the Asia-Pacific region, and developed methods for diagnosis of a number of skeletally visible diseases.
Melandri’s postdoctoral research at SSEAC will focus on further study of the human impact of these two tropical diseases in the prehistory of Southeast Asia and the Pacific. The project will investigate the influence of the diseases on human evolution, society and suffering in the past. During her time at SSEAC, she also plans to develop a larger project plan for a DECRA application, which will extend from this research to assess changing human infectious disease trends over time with climate change.
Welcome to the team, Melandri!
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World's Most Highly Cited Researcher: Manfred Lenzen
Congratulations to Professor Manfred Lenzen who has been listed among the world's most influential researchers in his field, according to the 2021 Clarivate Analytics Highly Cited Researchers List, along with 28 other University of Sydney academics. Professor Minasny had previously been listed among the world's most influential researchers in the 2020 Clarivate Analytics Highly Cited Researchers List. Manfred Lenzen is Professor of Sustainability Research at Integrated Sustainability Analysis (ISA) in the School of Physics at the University of Sydney. He has a PhD in Nuclear Physics and 15 years of experience in renewable energy technologies. He has undertaken extensive experimental research on passive solar architecture. He is an international leader in economic Input-Output Analysis and Life-Cycle Assessment, is Associate Editor for the Journal of Industrial Ecology, and is the Editor-in-Chief of the journal Economic Systems Research. He has contributed major methodological advances as well as numerous applications, in particular on embodied energy and greenhouse gas emissions.
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World's Most Highly Cited Researcher: Budiman Minasny
Congratulations to Professor Budiman Minasny who has been listed among the world's most influential researchers in agricultural sciences, according to the 2021 Clarivate Analytics Highly Cited Researchers List, along with 28 other University of Sydney academics. Professor Minasny had previously been listed among the world's most influential researchers in agricultural sciences according to the 2020 Clarivate Analytics Highly Cited Researchers List, as well as named Australia's leading researcher for Soil Sciences in The Australian's 2020 Research special report. Professor Minasny teaches soil-landscape modelling at the University of Sydney. He is the theme leader of Soil, Carbon, and Water at Sydney Institute of Agriculture. He is a soil scientist, previously awarded the QEII and the Future Fellowships from the Australian Research Council. He was recognised as a Highly Cited Researcher in 2019 by the Web of Science. He is passionate about the role of soil in managing climate change, food, water, energy security, and maintaining biodiversity and has conducted extensive research in Indonesia.
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Book Release | Teacher Preparation in Singapore: A Concise Critical History
Over the last two decades, the range of curricular offerings in Singapore has diversified almost beyond the ability of teacher preparation systems to cope. Teacher training has evolved from informal to formal, and from multiple 'providers' to a single institution responsible for pre-service teacher education.
Teacher Preparation in Singapore is a non-celebratory and non-institution-based account of teacher preparation written with a critical academic lens. Contributing to the historiography of Singapore, as well as to the general history of teacher education, this book discusses the history of teacher preparation in Singapore from the colonial era, when Singapore was the centre of British Malaya, to the present day. It includes the pre-professional era of an informal approach to teacher education before the establishment of formal teacher training, the role of the colonial state and post-colonial state in the provision of teacher education, and issues such as policy borrowing, diffusion of educational philosophies, and developments paralleling those in the United Kingdom and elsewhere.
This is a relevant and important book for researchers of education history, comparative and international education, and teacher education in Singapore.
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Book Release | Law and Justice in Malaysia: 2020 and Beyond
This book surveys the landscape of law and justice in Malaysia now and beyond through a re-evaluation of Vision 2020. It contains the views and analyses of pre-eminent legal thinkers and writers, with a variety of perspectives, from across the ethnic and religious divide, on the role of law within a more holistic view of Malaysia’s development and with a broad understanding of justice.
The present political landscape of the country makes the analyses presented in this book even more relevant. The chapters of this book cover a vast terrain and disparate subject matter, both public and private in nature. Some unique features of Malaysian law, such as constitutional supremacy, legal pluralism and the space given to Indigenous law and Islamic law, are considered.
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Book Release | Traumatic Pasts in Asia: History, Psychiatry, and Trauma from the 1930s to the Present
In the early twenty-first century, trauma is seemingly everywhere, whether as experience, diagnosis, concept, or buzzword. Yet even as many scholars consider trauma to be constitutive of psychological modernity or the post-Enlightenment human condition, historical research on the topic has overwhelmingly focused on cases, such as World War I or the Holocaust, in which Western experiences and actors are foregrounded. There remains an urgent need to incorporate the methods and insights of recent historical trauma research into a truly global perspective. The chapters in Traumatic Pasts in Asia make just such an intervention, extending Euro-American paradigms of traumatic experience to new sites of world-historical suffering and, in the process, exploring how these new domains of research inform and enrich earlier scholarship.
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| Education and Professional Development
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Research Impact Training Modules
Our Curriculum Coordinator, Dr Natali Pearson, collaborated with the University of Sydney's Research Portfolio to contribute to a series of online impact training modules. These modules support the growing impact culture at the University. They have been written for University of Sydney researchers and are designed to be revisited at different points along the research project lifespan. They provide guidance in planning impact-generating activities and when writing about track record and applying for funding.
You can access all the training modules here.
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2022 Global Leaders Program: : Globalisation in Higher Education
The Sydney Southeast Asia Centre and the University of Sydney's Office of Global Engagement were delighted to welcome six higher education professionals from partner universities around Southeast Asia to participate in the 2022 Global Leaders Program. The Office of Global Engagement generously provided full subsidies for all six participants from Southeast Asia.
Run by the Office of Global Engagement, this professional development program is aimed at mid-level university staff seeking to deepen their understanding of internationalisation trends and develop leadership and collaboration skills. The program offers an opportunity to learn from leaders at the University of Sydney on the following three main areas:
- Higher Education and Global Engagement
- Cultural Competence and Staff Development
- External Engagement
This year’s program welcomed 70 staff from 15 institutions for a 3-day online program with sessions covering Higher Education and Global Engagement (Global Engagement, Student Recruitment and Mobility, and International Research and Programs), Cultural Competence and Staff Development (Culture Strategy, Diversity and Inclusion and Cultural Competence) as well as practical skills (writing effective business emails, agendas and meeting minutes).
Throughout the program participants were placed in a number of different groups and given tasks enabling them to put into practice what they had learned through case studies and discussions. The final day included an interactive networking session which gave the participants the opportunity to build professional relationships with other attendees and University of Sydney staff.
This annual program aids in our development of building a network of professional staff working in international education and provides a valuable opportunity to learn from others working in similar areas and share mutual challenges and ideas.
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SSEAC Productivity Workshop
In this virtual productivity workshop, we brought together 18 Higher Degree by Research students and academics from across the University of Sydney to learn tips and tricks to boost their productivity at work and beyond. Facilitated by Professor Michele Ford, this half-day workshop offered a deep dive into the 'Getting Things Done' (GTD) approach as implemented through the Todoist App.
The workshop was unanimously praised by the participants, who commended Professor Ford for delivering "an exceptionally clear and useful session for [...] professional development."
In response to popular demand, another Productivity Workshop will be held on Monday 7 February 2022, from 12:30-16:30 (AEDT), with applications currently open until 31 January 2022. Find out more and register here.
"I'll really benefit from this going forward. This feels like a system I can stick to!"
- Participant
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SSEAC Indexing Workshop
A good index can orientate your reader to the themes and nuances of your book and even guide them to make new conceptual connections. But index preparation is usually an afterthought when writing a book. The task itself can seem overwhelming, and it is often tempting to use a professional indexer rather than do it yourself – especially when deadlines are tight. So what makes a good index, and why should you think about doing it yourself?
In this special SSEAC Indexing Workshop, 15 Higher Degree by Research students and academics joined Professor Michele Ford to get expert insights and practical guidance on how to make their own book index. The session was designed to help participants understand the value of preparing your own index, how to use an index table to get their ideas together, and what they can do in advance to avoid getting stung by a short deadline.
Participants reported being particularly grateful for the opportunity to implement recommended strategies in real time, reflecting upon their own indexing practices and brainstorming their book indexes with other participants.
"The workshop was, as with all SSEAC events fantastically helpful, collegial, and empowering. Thank you!"
- Participant
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SSEAC Student Residency Workshops
On 8-9 November, SSEAC ran its first two modules in a series of SSEAC Residency Workshops designed to provide support to emerging scholars to write an outreach or academic article on their Southeast Asia-related research. With targeted sessions on what area of research to focus on, how to choose a publication outlet, reaching out to editors, and structuring and editing an article, these online workshops aim to smooth the way towards the publication of a popular or peer-reviewed article. Two further modules will complete the series in February 2022, with sessions focusing on the peer review process, including giving and receiving feedback, and the benefits and expectations associated with participating in professional organisations.
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Inaugural Online Writing Retreats
It had to happen eventually. Restrictions on in-person gatherings have meant that SSEAC could not proceed with our popular Postgraduate and EMCR writing retreats in their usual form. Rather than cancelling the retreats, we instead transitioned to an online format that preserved the essence of the program but avoided the demands of endless hours on Zoom.
From 22–24 November 2021, SSEAC hosted 29 postgraduate students from across the world for three days of structured writing time and informal discussions and debriefing sessions. The retreat was very well-received by the students who reported that the event enhanced their motivation and writing performance. Many praised the opportunity to network with peers to share their struggles sustaining research and writing during the pandemic, and discuss coping strategies. Despite the initial disappointment of not meeting up in person, the participants praised the retreat for being "a great motivator" and "a rare opportunity for HDR students", and all reported gaining useful insights from their peers. One of the participants described being "truly thank[ful] and [....] deeply grateful to SSEAC for the opportunities to participate in all its retreats from Kiribilli to Acres to online. It has helped grow my scholarships, share my work with others and listen and learn from others research experiences. I look forward to participating its future events! Long Live SSEAC!"
From 24–26 November 2021, we then brought together 10 Early and Mid-Career Researchers from 3 different faculties and schools across the University of Sydney for three days dedicated to helping them disconnect from the noise around them, reconnect with each other, and make inroads on their writing projects. The participants expressed unanimous praise for Professor Michele Ford's deft management of the retreat, helping each participant refine their goals and strategies, providing useful tips and tricks to build productive writing habits, and keeping them accountable. According to one of the participants, the retreat was an "excellent way to focus and work in a supportive environment."
SSEAC will be hosting more writing retreats in 2022 - keep an eye out for registrations! You can already register for our in-person EMCR writing retreat on 8-10 February 2022.
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Welcome to the team, Aan!
From 15 November to 3 December, SSEAC is delighted to welcome Nur Hardiyanto Pakpahan, also known as Aan, to the team! For three intensive weeks, Aan is joining the SSEAC team via Zoom from his home in North Sumatra, Indonesia as part of a special virtual edition of the Australia-Indonesia Youth Exchange Program (AIYEP). Established in 1982, AIYEP links youth (21-25 years old) in Australia and Indonesia through social, professional, and cultural exchange. It is a chance for participants to grow their intercultural skills, professional experiences, and international networks.
Aan has a Bachelor of Agrotechnology from Sumatera Utara University and is passionate about soil health and agriculture. He also has professional experience in the tourism industry, as well as the arts sector. During his internship, Aan will be assisting various SSEAC members with a range of research and administrative tasks.
Welcome to the team, Aan!
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Showcasing SSEAC's research excellence on heritage and the arts-related themes in Southeast Asia
Throughout August-September, SSEAC continued to showcase the breadth of our research with a special webinar series focused on heritage and the arts-related themes in Southeast Asia.
For the first webinar in the Heritage and the Arts series, Dr Jarrah Sastrawan explored how the premodern Javanese recorded history, and how their historical practices have influenced the development of Javanese historiography You can watch his talk here.
The second webinar featured award-winning writer Dr Beth Yahp as she reflected on the challenges of distance and closeness in storytelling. Dr Beth's inspirational presentation is available here.
Dr Yvonne Low gave the third talk in the series, presenting new feminist research on the archives of Womanifesto and Dr Melani Setiawan. You can watch her talk here.
Concluding our Heritage and the Arts webinar series on 16 September, up-and-coming early career researcher Dr Alex Burchmore shared some of his expertise on the 14th century trade of precious blue and white ceramics from Asia. If you'd like to find out more about this truly fascinating topic, watch his talk on YouTube.
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PhilS4 Webinar | The Afterlives of María Clara
On 16 September, we were delighted to launch the Philippines Social Science Seminar Series (PhilS4), bringing together top social scientists from across the globe with shared interests in the Philippines. For our inaugural webinar, Professor Caroline Hau dialled in from Kyoto University to explore the staying power of 19th century literary character María Clara as a female icon in Philippine society. If you missed it, you can catch up on her talk on Facebook and YouTube.
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Showcasing SSEAC's research excellence on economic and social development-related themes in Southeast Asia
On 7 October, Dr Sandra Seno-Alday kicked off our SSEAC Economic and Social Development Webinar series with a fabulous talk explaining the rich-get-richer effect in the ASEAN global trade network, and how it entrenches inequalities across Southeast Asia. You can watch the talk on Facebook and YouTube.
On 14 October, for the second instalment in our SSEAC Economic and Social Development webinar series, Associate Professor Tihomir Ancev and his collaborator Ms Chi Nguyen gave an insightful presentation on strategic planning in agriculture in Southeast Asia. You can watch the talk on Facebook and YouTube.
The third talk in our Economic and Social Development webinar series saw Dr Russell Toth present some of his groundbreaking research into the many ways in which digital finance schemes can lift people out of poverty. Watch it on Facebook and YouTube.
Concluding our Economic and Social Development webinar series on 28 October, Professor Susan Park shared some of her expertise on global governance mechanisms and how they can impact eco-justice delivery to communities who have experienced environmental harm from international development projects. If you'd like to find out more about this truly fascinating topic, watch her talk on Facebook or YouTube.
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TS4 Webinar | Of Harems and Eunuchs: Theravada Buddhist Courts of Mainland Southeast Asia in Comparative Perspective
For the inaugural TS4 webinar, we were delighted to host Professor Katherine A. Bowie from the University of Wisconsin-Madison to delve into the complex world of harems in the Theravada Buddhist courts of mainland Southeast Asia. Watch her talk on Facebook or YouTube.
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Malaysia's back to the future
In celebration of Malaysia Day, we partnered with the Malaysia and Singapore Society of Australia (MASSA) to host a webinar reflecting on the recent political changes in Malaysia, with an insightful panel discussion featuring Professor James Chin, Assistant Professor Gayathry Venkiteswaran, and Qyira Yusri, and moderated by journalist Mr Kean Wong. The event recording is available on Facebook and YouTube.
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IS4 Webinar | Is there Indonesian history before 1945? Unconnected histories, and the (near) absence of postcolonial concerns
Our September 2021 IS4 webinar was the best attended talk in the series yet, with over 300 people tuning into the live Zoom session. We were honoured to host Emeritus Professor Henk Schulte Nordholt from KITLV, in conversation with Professor Bambang Purwanto from Universitas Gadjah Mada Yogyakarta, Indonesia, to explore the diverse narratives around Indonesia's pre-1945 history. You can watch the talk on Facebook and YouTube.
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TS4 Webinar | The United States and the Thai Royal Family from a Historical Perspective
On 15 October, we were delighted to host Associate Professor Pavin Chachavalpongpun who dialled in from Kyoto University to give a Thailand Social Science Seminar Series (TS4) talk delving into the historical ties that bind the United States and the Thai monarchy. Watch it on Facebook or YouTube.
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PhilS4 Webinar | Island Urbanisms in the Philippines: Gender, Urban Development, and Transnationalism
On 21 October, we were delighted to host Assistant Professor Arnisson Andre Ortega for the second instalment in our Philippines Social Science Seminar Series (PhilS4), for a fascinating talk delving into the influence of gender and transnationalism on urban development on islands in the Philippines. You can watch the talk on Facebook and YouTube.
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IS4 Webinar | Social media, politics, and schismatic algorithms in Indonesia
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TS4 Webinar | Undermining Democracy: The Election Commission of Thailand in the 2019 Election
For the last TS4 webinar of the year, our audiences were dazzled by our duo of experts, Assistant Professor Saowanee Alexander and Dr Petra Desatova, who examined the Election Commission of Thailand (ECT) and the contentious role it played in the 2019 election elections. If you missed the event or simply would like to watch it again, the video recording is available on Facebook and YouTube.
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PhilS4 Webinar | YouTube and Philippine Politics
For the last PhilS4 webinar of 2021, we were delighted to host Professor Cheryll Soriano (De La Salle University, Manila) who presented some of her cutting-edge research into the role that YouTube plays in shaping the Filipino publics' political consciousness. You can watch her talk on Facebook and YouTube.
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5th Conference on Human Rights at Jember
SSEAC partnered with the University of Jember, Indonesia to co-host the 5th Conference on Human Rights, which in 2021, focused on the theme of "Human Rights and Human Security in Asia during the COVID-19 Pandemic". Over two days on 24 and 25 November, the University of Jember played host
to academics, human rights activists, and
practitioners dialling in on Zoom from around the world to explore current human rights issues in
Southeast Asia. The conference was an excellent opportunity to explore the injustices that impact the day-to-day lives of people in the region and the structures that facilitate them.
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Workshop: Does Art = Activism?
Together with The Australian Sociological Association (TASA), we organised a half-day workshop focused around the complex relationship that ties art to activism.
Art, and its creation and production, is often seen as a pathway to activism, communicating concrete events through abstract forms, expressing resistance and/or community solidarity, and serving as a tool for healing, reconciliation, and memorialization. But art can also reflect a staid status quo and an acceptance of current power structures. Held at 16 Albermarle Project Space, the workshop brought together artists, activists, curators and scholars to interrogate art’s role in activism and social change, and included an hour-long public webinar on the topic.
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 | Shaking the World: How Geology Can Help us Address the Big Challenges of the 21st Century
Southeast Asia is the most tectonically and geologically active region on Earth. These processes have enriched the mountains and basins with world-famous mineral and energy resources, fresh water, and highly productive soils. However, the same geological processes are responsible for incredible destruction – from the 1991 Mount Pinatubo volcanic eruption in the Philippines to the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. These natural hazards, coupled with the effects of human-induced climate change, are driving significant change.
To talk us through these changes, Dr Sabin Zahirovic joins Dr Natali Pearson on SSEAC Stories, exposing how climate change is amplifying existing vulnerabilities in Southeast Asia. He explains how understanding past and current geological process can help us reduce risks from natural hazards like earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis, but also address the huge challenges faced by growing populations and increased vulnerabilities resulting from climate change.
| |  | The Politics of Public Prosecution in Malaysia and the Problem of Corruption
On 16 August 2021, Muhyiddin Yaseen resigned as Prime Minister of Malaysia, with Ismail Sabri Yaakub sworn in as the new Prime Minister a week later, making him Malaysia’s third Prime Minister in two years. This marked the return to power of UMNO, or the United Malays National Organisation, and the graft-tainted coalition that had been ousted from power in 2018. Meanwhile, another former Prime Minister, Najib Razak, is eyeing a return to Parliament, notwithstanding a conviction and 12-year prison sentence for abuse of power and ongoing trials for corruption. His wife Rosmah Mansur is also now facing three corruption charges.
Associate Professor Salim Farrar joins Dr Natali Pearson on SSEAC Stories to talk about corruption and the politics of public prosecution in Malaysia, surveying the landscape of law and justice in Malaysia now and beyond, through a re-evaluation of Vision 2020.
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 | Wonders of the Mekong: Rethinking Sustainable Development and Resilience in Cambodia’s Tonle Sap Lake
Cambodia’s Tonle Sap is the largest inland lake in Southeast Asia. Each year, during the monsoon, this freshwater lake experiences an incredible hydrological phenomenon, in which it is inundated with swelling waters from the Mekong River, causing it to rise by up to tenfold in some places, before returning to its pre-monsoon level as the dry season returns. But Tonle Sap is facing a triple environmental threat: climate change, the damming of the Mekong River, and over-fishing, with devastating impact not only on the wildlife, but also on local floating village communities.
To share more, Dr Josephine Gillespie joins Dr Natali Pearson on SSEAC Stories and invites us to rethink global environmental protection regimes in Southeast Asia. Taking Cambodia’s Tonle Sap Lake as a case-study, she argues that in order to maintain the ecological, cultural, and economic integrity of the most important river and delta system in the world, environmental management projects and policies must take into account people-place dynamics and local livelihoods.
| |  | From Animal Rights to Human Rights: Supporting Sustainable Farming Practices to Improve Livelihoods
Human Rights and Research in Southeast Asia Series
Dr Thushara Dibley is joined by Emeritus Professor Peter Windsor who brings to light how research improving animal health and production is intrinsically linked to human rights issues.
Reflecting on his extensive field-based research on transboundary livestock disease in the Greater Mekong Region, he argues that through training on biosecurity practices, animal vaccination programs and nutritional interventions, rural households were able to prevent disease transmission and increase their livestock productivity, making farm production more sustainable. With higher income levels, local families’ livelihoods were improved. This enables better access to human rights, such as access to safe housing, access to healthcare, and access to knowledge and education, amongst others.
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 | Stepping in to Improve Women’s and Babies’ Lives
Human Rights and Research in Southeast Asia Series
Maternal and child health is the cornerstone of a life lived healthily. Healthy women grow healthy children, who then go on to have healthy children themselves. In resource poor settings, healthy families can influence the wider community.
In this episode, Dr Thushara Dibley is joined by Associate Professor Camille Raynes-Greenow to discuss how research focussed on interventions in the (mostly) perinatal period can improve outcomes for women and children. Focusing primarily on Myanmar, Associate Professor Raynes-Greenow highlights the universal appeal of research that aims to improve maternal and newborn health, but also reveals that it can encounter challenges in contexts of severe wealth inequalities and political censorship.
| |  | Preserving Local Languages to Protect Cultural and Environmental Rights in Laos
Human Rights and Research in Southeast Asia Series
In the second episode of our Human Rights and Research series, Dr Thushara Dibley talks with Professor Nick Enfield about how the field of linguistics intersects with human rights. They discuss some of the impacts that major hydro-electric dam projects in Laos have had on local communities, not just in changing day-to-day life, but in decreasing interethnic interactions, thereby eroding multiculturalism and multilingualism. In disrupting local indigenous exchanges, Professor Enfield argues that large development projects risk impeding the transmission of significant cultural knowledge, including traditional knowledge of biodiversity and environmental sustainability. The study of languages thus becomes a tool for understanding a broader set of human rights, from cultural to environmental rights.
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 | Preserving Local Languages to Protect Cultural and Environmental Rights in Laos
Human Rights and Research in Southeast Asia Series
To kick off the series, Dr Thushara Dibley is joined by Human Rights Watch Australia Director Elaine Pearson to discuss the interactions and tensions between academic research and investigation of human rights abuses conducted by human rights advocacy groups such as Human Rights Watch. Elaine Pearson gives an insight into some of the work conducted by Human Rights Watch across the region, highlighting the core role of research not just in understanding the problem, but in informing their advocacy approach to maximise impact. Together they reflect upon the different goals, methodological approaches, and challenges encountered by researchers, and delve into the ways that advocacy groups can break silos between academic research and real-world problems to progress human rights.
| |  | Preserving Local Languages to Protect Cultural and Environmental Rights in Laos
In the extreme north of Laos, in Phongsali Province, lies a tiny village home to around 24 households. Until recently it was a monoethnic Khmu village. The Khmu have had a historically ambivalent relationship to the national majority in contemporary Laos. It’s also home to the Akha, another ethnic group that have been described as state evaders seeking to avoid lowland politics and who migrated to northern Laos in recent decades. This small hamlet is a window into Laos’ march into a particular type of post-colonial modernity, where massive infrastructure projects, interethnic tensions, spirit beliefs and animistic practices coexist and collide.
Dr Paul-David Lutz joined Dr Natali Pearson on SSEAC Stories to share the stories of this hamlet, and reflect on the importance of “animist” beliefs and practices in shaping a culturally-specific sense of modernity in the uplands of far-north Laos.
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IS4 | Social Movements and Coastal Reclamation in Indonesia
We warmly invite you to join Dr Ryan Tans (Northern Arizona University), in conversation with A/Prof Rita Padawangi (Singapore University of Social Sciences) to discuss anti-reclamation movements in Indonesia.
Coastal reclamation, the process of creating land by infilling coastal waters or wetlands, offers a possible bulwark against rising sea-levels associated with climate change. Yet, reclamation also demands wrenching distributional trade-offs that often favor developers and property owners over poor fishing communities. As a result, battles over reclamation have erupted in dozens of Indonesian cities in recent years. In this paper, Dr Tans proposes a theory to explain variation in the effectiveness of anti-reclamation movements. He argues that geographically and economically diverse coalitions are well-suited to mobilize mass demonstrations and coordinate voters to oppose reclamation, while local and class-based coalitions resort to litigation due to their relative weakness. Based on primary source documents, local news archives, and fieldwork in Makassar and Bali, his findings suggest that reclamation projects succeed when elite coalitions of politicians, developers, and local businesses bulldoze class-based opposition. Under such conditions, reclamation is likely to accelerate a process of “climate gentrification” in which climate change adaptations benefit the rich and deepen the vulnerability of the poor.
When: Thursday 2 December 2021, 4pm PT / 7pm ET
Friday 3 December 2021, 7am WIB / 11am AET
Where: Online via Zoom
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TS4 | Living in Interesting Times: Patterns and Problems in Contemporary Thai Politics
Join Professor Allen Hicken (University of Michigan) to delve into some of the complex issues impacting contemporary Thai politics.
The last quarter century has been politically tumultuous, even by Thai historical standards. In this talk, Professor Hicken will discuss the evolution (and de-evolution) of political attitudes, behaviors, and institutions in Thailand. The talk will highlight the changes we have observed (both promising and worrisome) as well as some surprising continuities.
When: Thursday 13 January 2022, 9am ET / 3pm CET / 9pm ICT
Where: Online via Zoom
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PhilS4 | Filipino Time: Affective Worlds and Contracted Labor
In this talk, drawn from his new book Filipino Time: Affective Worlds and Contracted Labor (2021), Professor Allan Punzalan Isaac (Rutgers University-New Brunswick) examines how a variety of immaterial labor performed by Filipinos in the Philippines and around the world while producing bodily and affective disciplines and dislocations, also generate and explore vital affects, multiple networks, and other worlds.
Affective labor involves human intersubjective interaction and creative capacities. In particular, Isaac explores several Filipino vernacular concepts, including datíng through Ramona Diaz's documentary 'The Learning' (2011). Datíng captures a person's composure, arrival and impact on place and others around them. Datíng indexes the body's capacity to configure space, arrivals, returns, and atmosphere to stage other worlds, away from an overarching national or labor narrative. Signaling a current research project, Isaac also explores live-streamed funeral vigils, a technological practice made necessary by Filipino diasporic life, to highlight two Tagalog concept-words that map other ways to generate ecologies of communality: pakiramdam (literally, to make oneself felt, or to feel a presence), affective engagement without immediate proximity; and kapiling, to be in someone's proximity or vicinity without interaction between two parties. Expanding the understanding of labor-time, Isaac explores various chronicities, ways of sensing and making sense of time alongside capital's dominant narrative.
When: Thursday 20 January 2022, 1pm CET / 8pm PHT / 11pm AET
Where: Online via Zoom
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One year on from the military coup in Myanmar, what comes next?
On 1 February 2021, Myanmar’s Armed Forces, also known as the Tatmadaw, launched a coup seizing power from the democratically elected and incumbent government, the National League for Democracy (NLD). The military takeover occurred just hours before the newly elected parliament was scheduled to convene, dashing hopes for democratic progress in the country. Soldiers and paramilitary police met the nationwide protests that followed with killings, torture, abductions and mutilation of bodies.
The violence has precipitated an armed uprising the likes of which Myanmar has not hitherto seen, with urban guerrillas targeting local police and administrators, government offices and state-owned companies. A government in exile has declared war on the junta, which has shown precious few signs of willingness for compromise. Meanwhile, confidence has collapsed in the country’s formal economy and currency, while all the while coronavirus has spread and caused the deaths of untold numbers of people.
Can newly formed armed resistance to dictatorship in Myanmar dislodge the country’s military from government where unarmed opposition has failed? What are the prospects for the exiled National Unity Government? Whither the NLD? What, if anything, can other governments and international organisations do?
Co-organised by the Sydney Southeast Asia Centre (SSEAC) and the Australian National University (ANU) Myanmar Research Centre, this event will invite panellists to reflect on the politics, law and current affairs of Myanmar before and after the coup, and what can be expected in the near future.
When: Tuesday 1 February 2022, 2-3pm AEDT
Where: Online via Zoom
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Productivity workshop
Back by popular demand, our online workshop is designed to help you boost your productivity with the 'Getting Things Done' (GTD) system.
Whether you’re a committed list maker, a haphazard scribbler of notes or someone who works their best under deadline, staying on top of multiple areas of focus is a constant struggle for most academics. What would it be like to be not only on top of your responsibilities, but to have the mental space for more creative, flexible and deep thinking?
Ever wondered how the SSEAC team gets so much stuff done? This SSEAC Productivity Workshop introduces you to a methodology known as Getting Things Done, which will help you tackle those post-it notes – and that inbox – for good. In the process, you will learn how to reduce decision-making fatigue, plan your days more strategically, and create space to do the things you really love.
This half-day workshop, facilitated by Professor Michele Ford, is a deep dive into the Getting Things Done approach as implemented through the Todoist App. These terms might be unfamiliar, but they hold the promise of a more organized and balanced approach to your work (and beyond).
When: Monday 7 February 2022, from 12:30-16:30 (AEDT)
Where: Online via Zoom
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PhilS4 | Inequality and Political Dynasties in the Philippines
Join Professor Ronald Mendoza (Ateneo de Manila University) to discuss the inequality trap in the Philippines, and how political dynasties are contributing to the entrenchment of power imbalances.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Philippines was among the fastest growing economies in Asia, expected to reach upper middle-income status in only a few years. Unfortunately, the pandemic has revealed — and is likely to exacerbate — the deep-seated inequality in the country. Issues on this lingering inequality will undoubtedly be at the forefront in the upcoming May 2022 Philippine elections that will determine, among others, the successor of current President Rodrigo Duterte. Elections in the country heavily underscore the concentration of power in the hands of a few political dynasties. This threatens to lock the Philippines in a cycle of weak accountability, imbalanced and unequal growth benefits, and citizens’ disempowerment. This talk examines the different and often mutually reinforcing features of inequality in the Philippines and highlights some of the possible pathways to break from the inequality trap.
When: Wednesday 16 March 2022, 7pm (PT) / 10pm (ET)
Thursday 17 March 2022, 10am (PHT) / 1pm (AET)
Where: Online via Zoom
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Object-Based Learning Workshop for Research Portfolio Staff
Back by popular demand, we're delighted to partner with the Chau Chak Wing Museum to bring Southeast Asia to you!
Southeast Asia remains as vibrant, important and engaging as ever, and we are keen to share our passion for this region with researchers and professional staff from across the University. Recognising that international travel remains heavily restricted, the Sydney Southeast Asia Centre has partnered with the University’s Research Portfolio and the Chau Chak Wing Museum to bring Southeast Asia to you.
Using the Museum’s rich and varied collections, and working inside the Museum itself, we invite you to join us for an object-based learning workshop designed to introduce Research Portfolio staff to Southeast Asia through material culture. This workshop will provide a unique opportunity to network with fellow Research Portfolio staff, as well as a behind-the-scenes look at the Chau Chak Wing Museum’s collections and facilities.
Only a restricted number of places are available so make sure to register early!
When: Tuesday 19 March 2022, from 3:00-4:00pm AEDT
Where: Online via Zoom
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“A strong, united, and resilient ASEAN is vital to our region’s success and supports Australia’s own security and prosperity. To mark this new chapter, Australia will invest $154 million into our cooperation with ASEAN through:
- a new Australia for ASEAN Futures Initiative, which will provide $124 million to support projects that address complex challenges including health security, terrorism and transnational crime, energy security, promoting the circular economy and healthy oceans, and support implementation of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP);
- one hundred Australia for ASEAN Scholarships to support emerging ASEAN leaders to study in Australia in fields that advance the AOIP under its priority areas of cooperation – maritime, connectivity, economic, and sustainable development cooperation; and
- an Australia for ASEAN Digital Transformation and Futures Skills initiative to support long-term economic recovery through 350 Vocational Education and Training (VET) scholarships, technical assistance partnerships between Australian and ASEAN training institutions, and new skills policy dialogue.
These investments represent the largest ever increase in Australia’s development cooperation program with ASEAN. It builds on the $500 million package previously announced, consistent with the four key areas of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific, and our ongoing bilateral development partnerships with ASEAN Members.”
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SSEAC is connecting with thousands of individuals and organisations engaging in Southeast Asia every month on social media. Join the conversation to share your work, hear about our latest events and seminars, and be the first to know about grants, research, and opportunities in Southeast Asia.
If you have a recently published article, book review, or interview that you'd like to share with a Southeast Asia-focused community, let us know! Email sseac@sydney.edu.au with the details, or tag us in your tweet @seacsydney.
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