New Books Network
SSEAC Stories
SSEAC Stories February 25, 2021

A Thai Contemporary Artist on Identity, Power, and the Space In-Between

A Discussion with Phaptawan Suwannakudt

Phaptawan Suwannakudt

Hosted by Natali Pearson
As a Thai-Australian woman artist, Phaptawan Suwannakudt has long battled prejudice and discrimination relating to her gender. This disappointment with society’s dictates features at the heart of Phaptawan’s artistic practice …

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SSEAC Stories February 18, 2021

Decolonising Conservation Practices and Research

Seeing the Orangutan in Borneo with Dr June Rubis

June Rubis

Hosted by Natali Pearson
Around the world, orangutans are widely recognised as an iconic species for environmental and wildlife conservation efforts. The rainforest in the Malaysian state of Sarawak is one of last remaining …
SSEAC Stories February 11, 2021

Combating African Swine Fever in Timor-Leste

A Discussion with Associate Professor Paul Hick

Paul Hick

Hosted by Thushara Dibley
Since it first arrived in Asia in 2018, African swine fever virus has caused a devastating pandemic resulting in more than a quarter of the global pig population being killed …
SSEAC Stories February 4, 2021

Reducing Poverty through Digital Finance Schemes in Myanmar

A Discussion with Dr Russell Toth

Russell Toth

Hosted by Thushara Dibley
Financial inclusion has been one of the most prominent issues on the international development agenda in recent years, as access to payments, remittances, credit, savings and insurance services have been …
SSEAC Stories January 28, 2021

Trading Birds of Paradise

A Brief History by Dr Jude Philp

Jude Philp

Hosted by Natali Pearson
Long praised for their splendid plumage, birds of paradise are a rare sight only to be found in the remote rainforests of New Guinea and associated islands. They are among …
SSEAC Stories December 17, 2020

COVID-19 and Migrant Workers in Southeast Asia

A Discussion with Emeritus Professor Philip Hirsch

Philip Hirsch

Hosted by Natali Pearson
COVID-19 has had such far-reaching impacts that it can be, and has been, studied from the perspective of almost any academic discipline. For geographers, the ways in which COVID-19 affects …
SSEAC Stories December 10, 2020

Beating Plastic Pollution in Timor-Leste with Professor Thomas Maschmeyer

Thomas Maschmeyer

Hosted by Thushara Dibley
As environmental emergencies go, the explosion of plastic waste is right up there. With global plastic production exceeding 300 million tonnes each year, the world has generally looked at it …
SSEAC Stories December 3, 2020

Transforming Breast Cancer Diagnosis in Vietnam

A Discussion with Professor Patrick Brennan

Patrick Brennan

Hosted by Natali Pearson
Globally, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women, with over 1 million cases detected annually. The disease is particularly worrisome in Vietnam, where breast cancer incidence has …
SSEAC Stories November 25, 2020

Projectland

Life in a Lao Socialist Model Village with Associate Professor Holly High

Holly High

Hosted by Natali Pearson
In her latest book, Projectland: Life in a Lao Socialist Model Village (University of Hawaii Press), due out in May 2021, Associate Professor Holly High argues that socialism remains an …
SSEAC Stories November 19, 2020

Social Media, Grassroots Activism and Disinformation in Southeast Asia

A Discussion with Dr Aim Sinpeng and Dr Ross Tapsell

Aim Sinpeng and Ross Tapsell

Hosted by Thushara Dibley
Social media has become a crucial avenue for political discourse in Southeast Asia, given its potential as a “liberation technology” in both democratising and authoritarian states. Yet the growing decline …
SSEAC Stories November 12, 2020

Southeast Asian Performance, Ethnic Identity and China’s Soft Power

A Discussion with Dr Josh Stenberg

Josh Stenberg

Hosted by Natali Pearson
From glove puppets of Chinese origin and Hakka religious processions, to wartime political theatre and contemporary choirs and dance groups, the diverse performance practices of ethnic Chinese communities throughout Southeast …
SSEAC Stories November 5, 2020

Improving Food Security in Laos and Cambodia

A Farmer’s Perspective with Associate Professor Russell Bush

Russell Bush

Hosted by Natali Pearson
Southeast Asia's demand for protein in the form of animal meat is increasing by more than 4% every year. This has important consequences for regional food security and household incomes …
SSEAC Stories October 29, 2020

Myanmar’s Disciplined Democracy and the 2020 Elections

A Discussion with Dr Roger Lee Huang

Roger Lee Huang

Hosted by Natali Pearson
Myanmar is scheduled to hold general elections in November 2020. While the country has experienced political liberalisation since 2011, the latest Freedom House Report ranked Myanmar as “not free.” Dr …
Southeast Asian Studies October 22, 2020

Lost Temples of the Jungle

A History of Mrauk-U with Dr. Bob Hudson

Thushara Dibley

Hosted by Thushara Dibley
Deep in the jungles of Myanmar lie the remains of an ancient kingdom, the 15th-century royal city of Mrauk-U. Located in the Bay of Bengal and separated from the rest …
SSEAC Stories October 15, 2020

The Street and the Ballot Box

How Indonesia’s Labour Movement Rose from the Ashes-Professor Michele Ford

Michele Ford

Hosted by Kristy Ward
Indonesia’s labour movement emerged weak and disorganised after more than 30 years under authoritarian rule. Yet in the two decades since the country’s transition to democracy, it has emerged as …
Southeast Asian Studies October 8, 2020

Fighting for Social Justice

The Politics of Aid and Gender-Based Violence in the Workplace – Dr. Kristy Ward

Kristy Ward

Hosted by Michele Ford
Around the world, social justice movements have exposed the pervasive extent of gender-based violence in the workplace. While women’s empowerment has long been a tenet of development aid, in practice …