The Institute of Asian Studies at Universiti Brunei Darussalam is pleased to announce the publication of IAS Working Paper No 69: JICA and Regional Soft Power: Japan’s Legal and Judicial Development Project in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos since 1996 by Nobumichi Teramura. Please see below for details. Download the Working Paper Abstract: Due to geopolitical tensions, such as those brought about by COVID-19 and the US-China trade war, many multinationals have been closing factories in China and relocating to countries along the Mekong such as Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. As a result, these countries will inevitably experience more international commerce…

The Institute of Asian Studies at Universiti Brunei Darussalam is pleased to announce the publication of IAS Working Paper No 68: Landscape of Grief: Place-Making in Thailand’s Deep South by Muhammad Arafat. Please see below for details. Abstract: Places are social constructs. They become individuated and significant when imbued with meaning through people’s lived experience, usage, and imagery.This paper discusses the construction of Patanian places in Thailand’s Deep South, a region consisting of the provinces of Pattani, Narathiwat, and Yala, where the Malays constitute the ethnic majority.Using the Krisek Mosque, the Tomb of Sultan Ismail Shah, and the former home…

The Institute of Asian Studies at Universiti Brunei Darussalam is pleased to announce the publication of IAS Working Paper No 67: Who are the Dusun in Brunei? Representation and Deconstruction of an Ethnic Identity by Lian Kwen Fee, Yabit Alas, Tong Chee Kiong, and Faizul Ibrahim. Please see below for details. Download the Working Paper Abstract: The etymology of the term ‘Dusun’ is disputed. It has been attributed to British colonialists to refer to a place where people practised horticulture and to the Brunei Malays to describe orchard or countryside. Over time, as a consequence of official ascription, it has…

The Institute of Asian Studies at Universiti Brunei Darussalam is pleased to announce the publication of IAS Working Paper No 66: Migration, Ethnic Diversity, and Economic Growth: Towards an Empirical Understanding of Regional Development in Indonesia by Aris Ananta, Evi Nurvidya Arifin, Ari Purbowati, and Paul J. Carnegie. Please see below for details. Abstract: It is a commonly held assumption that while migrants can contribute to economic growth, their impacts on population composition may also generate socio-cultural tensions and political instability. As such, ethnic diversity of a province or a community may have a positive or negative affect on regional…

The Institute of Asian Studies at Universiti Brunei Darussalam is pleased to announce the publication of IAS Working Paper No 65: The Iban of Temburong: Migration, Adaptation and Identity in Brunei Darussalam by Victor T. King and Magne Knudsen. Please see below for details.Abstract: The Iban are the most well-documented and studied of all Borneo indigenous peoples; there is a wealth of material on their language, history, social organisation and culture which can be used for comparative purposes. Yet, the Iban of Brunei are relatively under-studied. This paper is based on fieldwork on selected Iban communities in Temburong, Brunei Darussalam…

The Institute of Asian Studies at Universiti Brunei Darussalam is pleased to announce the publication of IAS Working Paper No 64: Digital Divides and Paradigm Shifts in the Time of COVID-19 by Caroline Anne Yong Suk Zhen, Siu Tzyy Wei, and Paul J. Carnegie. Please see below for details.Abstract: This paper considers whether regional digital partnership offers an effective strategy for post-pandemic recovery. To ground the paper in critical reflection, we combine personal impressions of our current situation with a discussion of the ways to achieve meaningful digital partnership. Drawing on work as varied as Thomas Kuhn, Bong Joon-ho, Nikolai…

The Institute of Asian Studies at Universiti Brunei Darussalam is pleased to announce the publication of IAS Working Paper No 63: How will the COVID-19 pandemic affect the regions? A comparative analysis of the EU and ASEAN by Bruno Jetin. Please see below for details. Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic calls for a collective response at the global and regional level. Otherwise, some nations may be left behind and the potential for the contagion to return remains high. As advanced regional blocs, the EU and ASEAN have a major responsibility to their members for coordinating health protection measures and access to…

The Institute of Asian Studies at Universiti Brunei Darussalam is pleased to announce the publication of IAS Working Paper No 61: Illegal Fishing and the Challenges of Maritime Co-ordination in Brunei’s EEZ by Ade Roddiane bin Haji Mohd Rosdi and Paul J. Carnegie.Please see below for details.Abstract: The South China Sea is a significant maritime region both strategically and economically. Its valuable resources provide major economic benefits for the countries of the surrounding region. Maintaining the maritime security of Brunei’ territorial waters and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) against illegal activity is key to ensuring the long-term viability of its benefits…

The Institute of Asian Studies at Universiti Brunei Darussalam is pleased to announce the publication of IAS Working Paper No 62: Changing Notions of Masculinity among Young Malay Men in Brunei Darussalam by T.P.M. Adi Nabil Fadzillah and Chang-Yau Hoon. Please see below for details.Abstract: This paper explores various notions of masculinity among young Malay men in Brunei Darussalam. Using interview data from 16 male and female informants, it elucidates other forms of self-expressions and identities in contrast to the stereotypical and traditional notion of masculinity. While the data attest to the normative values and ways of being men recognized…

The Institute of Asian Studies at Universiti Brunei Darussalam is pleased to announce the publication of IAS Working Paper No 60: From Periphery to Center to Periphery: Chinese Studies in Southeast Asia, 1960-2000 by Tong Chee Kiong and Lee Cheuk Yin. Please see below for details. Abstract: This paper examines the contribution of overseas scholars to Chinese studies. Given that eighty percent of the Chinese diaspora are located in Southeast Asia, it pays particular attention to social science scholarship in the region. The work of scholars in religion and ethnicity are highlighted. The authors argue that the rise of China…