Doi Moi by

Publisher of scholarly books on economics, politics and social issues

Rights Available World Rights (co-publishing, reprint, translation and distribution)

RIGHTS AVAILABLE January 2017

30 Heng Mui Keng Terrace, Singapore 119614 Tel: +65 6870 2447 Fax: +65 6775 6259 E-mail: [email protected] http://bookshop.iseas.edu.sg 1


Rights Available World Rights (co-publishing, reprint, translation and distribution) ECONOMICS

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The Veil of Circumstance: Technology, Values, Dehumanization and the Future of Economics and Politics by Jørgen Ørstrøm Møller

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Managing Globalization in the Asian Century: Essays in Honour of Prema-Chandra Athukorala edited by Hal Hill and Jayant Menon

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Living Next to the Giant: The Political Economy of Vietnam’s Relations with China under Doi Moi 7 by Le Hong Hiep Outward Foreign Direct Investment in ASEAN edited by Cassey Lee and Sineenat Sermcheep

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POLITICS The South China Sea Dispute: Navigating Diplomatic and Strategic Tensions edited by Ian Storey and Cheng-Yi Lin

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Conflict in Myanmar: War, Politics, Religion edited by Nick Cheesman and Nicholas Farrelly

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Power Sharing in a Divided Nation: Mediated Commmunalism and New Politics in Six Decades of Malaysia’s Elections by Johan Saravanamuttu

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The Rise of China and the Chinese Overseas: A Study of Beijing’s Changing Policy in Southeast Asia and Beyond by Leo Suryadinata

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The Diplomat-Scholar: A Biography of Leon Ma. Guerrero by Erwin S. Fernandez

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Muddy Boots and Smart Suits: Researching Asia-Pacific Affairs edited by Nicholas Farrelly, Amy King, Michael Wesley and Hugh White

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SOCIAL ISSUES Esoteric Buddhism in Mediaeval Maritime Asia: Networks of Masters, Texts, Icons edited by Andrea Acri

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Rights Available World Rights (co-publishing, reprint, translation and distribution) Myanmar’s Mountain and Maritime Borderscapes: Local Practices, Boundary-Making and Figured Worlds edited by Su-Ann Oh

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From Traders to Innovators: Science and Technology in Singapore since 1965 by Goh Chor Boon

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Spirits and Ships: Cultural Transfers in Early Monsoon Asia edited by Andrea Acri, Roger Blench and Alexandra Landmann

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Thaipusam in Malaysia: A Hindu Festival in the Tamil Diaspora by Carl Vadivella Bell

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ECONOMICS




Lorem dim sum honeydew puree with sago deep fried garlicky fish ball chee cheong fun with barbecued pork steamed radish cake steamed bun with premium lotus paste cabbage roll paekuat quail egg shomai pancit canton guisado fookien style humba pao barbecued pork steamed radish cake steamed bun with premium lotus paste cabbage roll paekuat quail egg shomai pancit canton guisado fookien style humba pao.

by Jørgen Ørstrøm Møller About the AUTHOR

30 Heng Mui Keng Terrace Singapore 119614

The Veil of Circumstance

Lorem dim sum black sesame soft ball deep fried bean curd skin rolls rice noodle roll deep fried crab claw soup dumpling cold chicken claw xo spicy rice noodle roll honey glazed BBQ pork soy sauce chicken roast duck golden pumpkin fries soy sauce duck wings octopus seaweed sauteed string beans beef shank pork spiced salt baked octopus Fung zao Ngao yuk kau Pai gwut Ma lai go Do fu fa Shaomai Congee Shangai steam buns chicken feet mini egg tarts steamed sponge cake tofu with syrup Jin deui Chicken feet Potstickers stir fried radish cake Steamed Bun with Butter Cream hot raw fish slices porridge traditional steamed glutinous rice with zhu hao sauce crispy yam puff crispy dragon roll honeydew puree with sago deep fried garlicky fish ball chee cheong fun with barbecued pork steamed radish cake steamed bun with premium lotus paste cabbage roll paekuat quail egg shomai pancit canton guisado fookien style humba pao.

Møller

THE VEIL OF CIRCUMSTANCE The Veil of Technology, Values, Circumstance Dehumanization and the Future of Economics and Politics

MYANMAR Social Issues

Technology, Values, Dehumanization and the Future of Economics and Politics

PIC242s

Jørgen Ørstrøm Møller is Visiting Senior Fellow, ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore. http://bookshop.iseas.edu.sg

The Veil of Circumstance

ISBN 978-981-4695-76-3

9

789814 695763

Jørgen Ørstrøm Møller

About the BOOK Discontent and frustrations around the world fuel commotion and rebellion against the global model. How did we get into this mess? How do we get out of it? Why doesn’t globalization work? The author puts forward solutions to the most challenging transition civilization has ever faced: from individual Societies to full Humanity. Møller shows how the understanding of groups and values is the key to making our economics and politics work again. 2016 Soft cover 978-981-47-6255-7

298 pp.

BM543 S$45.90 / US$35.90




MANAGING GLOBALIZATION IN THE ASIAN CENTURY Essays in Honour of Prema-Chandra Athukorala edited by Hal Hill and Jayant Menon About the EDITORS Hal Hill is with the Australian National University, Canberra. Jayant Menon is with the Asian Development Bank, Manila. About the BOOK The global centre of gravity continues to shift to the Asia-Pacific, the most dynamic region in the world. These economies have generally grown faster for longer periods of time than any other major region in world history. Their embrace of globalization has been a central feature, and driver, of their dynamism. The management of Asia-Pacific economic integration and globalization is crucial not only for the countries themselves but also for the state of the global economy, including importantly latecomer developing economies who look to the region for analytical and development policy lessons. Twenty-eight leading international authorities in the field, drawn from nine countries, provide a comprehensive examination of the causes, consequences and challenges of globalization, in a volume that celebrates the distinguished career of Professor Prema-Chandra Athukorala. Among the major issues examined are the region’s distinctive approach to trade liberalization, the effects of economic growth on poverty reduction and the labour market, the special challenges of by-passed regions, the role of ideas in influencing policy making, the modalities of connecting to global production networks, and the importance of remittances in economic development. Several country case studies provide in-depth analyses of development processes and outcomes. These include episodes in economic development, the challenges faced by transition economies, the macroeconomics of adjusting to slower growth and rising debt in advanced economies, and the so-called middle-income trap phenomenon. 2016 537 pp. Soft cover 978-981-47-6227-4 Hard cover 978-981-47-6230-4

BM542 S$65.90 / US$55.90 S$75.90 / US$65.90




LIVING NEXT TO THE GIANT The Political Economy of Vietnam’s Relations with China under Doi Moi by Le Hong Hiep About the AUTHOR Le Hong Hiep is Visiting Fellow at the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore, and Lecturer at the Faculty of International Relations, Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City. About the BOOK This book examines how the interaction between political and economic factors under Doi Moi has shaped Vietnam’s China policy and bilateral relations since the late 1980s.After providing a historical background, the book examines the conflicting effects that Doi Moi has generated on bilateral relations. It demonstrates that Vietnam’s economic considerations following the adoption of Doi Moi contributed decidedly to the Sino-Vietnamese normalization in 1991 as well as the continuous improvements in bilateral ties ever since. At the same time, Vietnam’s economic activities in the South China Sea and China’s responses have intensified bilateral rivalry and put their ties under considerable strains. The book goes on to argue that Doi Moi has indeed brought Vietnam newfound opportunities to develop a multi-level omni-directional hedging strategy against China. Finally, the book concludes by looking at the prospects of democratization in both countries and assessing the future trajectory of their relations under such circumstances. As the most comprehensive and up-to-date survey of Vietnam’s relations with China over the past thirty years, the book is a useful reference source for academics, policymakers, students, and anyone interested in contemporary Vietnam foreign policy in general and Vietnam-China relations in particular. 2017 Soft cover 978-981-4459-63-1

259 pp.

IU37 S$39.90 / US$29.90




Forthcoming Title OUTWARD FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT IN ASEAN edited by Cassey Lee and Sineenat Sermcheep Est. pub. date: Early 2017 About the EDITORS Cassey Lee is a Senior Fellow at the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore. Sineenat Sermcheep is Associate Dean at the Faculty of Economics and the Director of Research Affairs at ASEAN Studies Center, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand. About the BOOK The level of outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) flows from ASEAN countries has increased rapidly in past two decades. This book examines OFDI trends and patterns in the ASEAN region including the impact of the ASEAN Economic Community. It also provides analyses of country policies affecting OFDI and the drivers of OFDI in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam. Myanmar is studied as an investment frontier for other ASEAN countries. “The dynamic economies of Southeast Asia have historically been very large recipients of foreign direct investment (FDI). As global capital markets have opened up, and these economies have developed their technological and commercial capabilities, in more recent years Southeast Asia has emerged as a significant source of outward FDI both within the region and beyond. This important volume, by a group of leading regional scholars, offers a timely, comprehensive, accessible and authoritative analysis of this phenomenon.” Hal Hill, Australian National University “A timely, rich and comprehensive study filling a major gap in the literature on the increasingly important phenomenon of foreign investment flowing out from regions including developing and middle-income countries.” Luke Nottage, Professor of Comparative and Transnational Business Law; Associate Director, Centre for Asian and Pacific Law at the University of Sydney. 2017 PIC245 Soft cover 978-981-47-6240-3 (price to be confirmed)




POLITICS




edited by Ian Storey and Cheng-Yi Lin About the EDITORS

Ian Storey is Senior Fellow at the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, and Editor-in-Chief of Contemporary Southeast Asia. 30 Heng Mui Keng Terrace Singapore 119614

http://bookshop.iseas.edu.sg POLITICS Asia Pacific

THE SOUTH CHINA SEA DISPUTE

THE SOUTH CHINA SEA DISPUTE

Increasing tensions in the South China Sea have propelled the dispute to the top of the Asia-Pacific’s security agenda. Fuelled by rising nationalism over ownership of disputed atolls, growing competition over natural resources, strident assertions of their maritime rights by China and the Southeast Asian claimants, the rapid modernization of regional armed forces and worsening geopolitical rivalries among the Great Powers, the South China Sea will remain an area of diplomatic wrangling and potential conflict for the foreseeable future. Featuring some of the world’s leading experts on Asian security, this volume explores the central drivers of the dispute and examines the positions and policies of the main actors including China, Taiwan, the Southeast Asian claimants, America and Japan. The South China Sea Dispute: Navigating Diplomatic and Strategic Tensions provides readers with the key to understanding how this most complex and contentious dispute is shaping the regional security environment.

Storey and Lin

THE SOUTH CHINA SEA THE SOUTH CHINA DISPUTE SEA DISPUTE NAVIGATING DIPLOMATIC and Navigating Diplomatic AND STRATEGIC TENSIONS Strategic Tensions

PIC228s

ISBN 978-981-4695-55-8

9

NAVIGATING DIPLOMATIC AND STRATEGIC TENSIONS

Edited by Ian Storey and Lin Cheng-yi

789814 695558

Cheng-Yi Lin is Research Fellow at the Institute of European and American Studies, Academia Sinica, Taiwan. About the BOOK Increasing tensions in the South China Sea have propelled the dispute to the top of the AsiaPacific’s security agenda. Fuelled by rising nationalism over ownership of disputed atolls, growing competition over natural resources, strident assertions of their maritime rights by China and the Southeast Asian claimants, the rapid modernization of regional armed forces and worsening geopolitical rivalries among the Great Powers, the South China Sea will remain an area of diplomatic wrangling and potential conflict for the foreseeable future. Featuring some of the world’s leading experts on Asian security, this volume explores the central drivers of the dispute and examines the positions and policies of the main actors including China, Taiwan, the Southeast Asian claimants, America and Japan. The South China Sea Dispute: Navigating Diplomatic and Strategic Tensions provides readers with the key to understanding how this most complex and contentious dispute is shaping the regional security environment. 2016 Soft cover 978-981-4695-55-8

307 pp.

PIC228 S$39.90 / US$29.90




CONFLICT IN MYANMAR War, Politics, Religion edited by Nick Cheesman and Nicholas Farrelly About the EDITORS Nick Cheesman is Lecturer in the Department of Political and Social Change, Australian National University, Canberra. Nicholas Farrelly is a Research Fellow at the Australian National University’s College of Asia and the Pacific. About the BOOK As Myanmar’s military adjusts to life with its former opponents holding elected office, Conflict in Myanmar showcases innovative research by a rising generation of scholars, analysts and practitioners about the past five years of political transformation. Each of its seventeen chapters, from participants in the 2015 Myanmar Update conference held at the Australian National University, builds on theoretically informed, evidence-based research to grapple with significant questions about ongoing violence and political contention. The authors offer a variety of fresh views on the most intractable and controversial aspects of Myanmar’s long-running civil wars, fractious politics and religious tensions. This latest volume in the Myanmar Update Series from the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific continues and deepens a tradition of intense, critical engagement with political, economic and social questions that matter to both the inhabitants and neighbours of one of Southeast Asia’s most complicated and fascinating countries. 2016 390 pp. Soft cover 978-981-4695-84-8 Hard cover 978-981-4695-86-2

PIC244 S$39.90 / US$29.90 S$49.90 / US$39.90



Rights Available

World Rights excepttranslation Malaysia and distribution) World Rights (co-publishing, reprint, (co-publishing, reprint, translation and distribution)

POWER SHARING IN A DIVIDED NATION Mediated Communalism and New Politics in Six Decades of Malaysia’s Elections by Johan Saravanamuttu BM536s ISBN 978-981-4695-43-5

9

789814 695435

SIRD

About the AUTHOR Johan Saravanamuttu is former Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore. About the BOOK This book argues that Malaysia’s electoral politics have historically been premised on a hybridized model of communalism and consociationalism. Beyond this it posits a newer idea of power sharing based on the dynamic and transformative practice of mediated communalism through six decades (1952–2016) of electoral politics. The strategy of mediating communalism is critically explored throughout the book, serving to test its saliency as a distinct approach to power sharing in a social formation which is ethnically, religiously and regionally divided, yet has remained remarkably and tenuously integrated throughout Malaysia’s electoral history. The book delves into this question by narrating and theorizing the complexity of communal politics leading to the emergence of new politics which have attempted to put Malaysia on the track of further democratization. It is further implied that new politics has to work in tandem with mediated communalism to transcend the most deleterious effects of an ethnically divided society. 2016 Soft cover 978-981-4695-43-5

323 pp.

BM536 S$39.90 / US$29.90




Forthcoming Title THE RISE OF CHINA AND THE CHINESE OVERSEAS A Study of Beijing’s Changing Policy in Southeast Asia and Beyond by Leo Suryadinata Est. pub. date: Early 2017 About the AUTHOR Leo Suryadinata is Visiting Senior Fellow, ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, and Professor (Adj.), at S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University (NTU). About the BOOK With the rise of China and massive new migrations, China has adjusted its policy towards the Chinese overseas in Southeast Asia and beyond. The book deals with this policy which has been a response to the external events involving the Chinese overseas as well as the internal needs of China. It appears that a rising China considers the Chinese overseas as a source of socio-political and economic capital and would extend its protection to them whenever this is not in conflict with its core national interest. The impacts on and the responses of the relevant countries, especially those in Southeast Asia, are also examined. 2017 BM544 Soft cover 978-981-47-6264-9 (price to be confirmed)




Forthcoming Title THE DIPLOMAT-SCHOLAR A Biography of Leon Ma. Guerrero by Erwin S. Fernandez Est. pub. date: Early 2017 About the AUTHOR Erwin S. Fernandez is an aspiring biographer and a Pangasinan historian with graduate and baccalaureate degrees from the University of the Philippines Diliman. About the BOOK Leon Ma. Guerrero (1915–82), a top-notch writer and diplomat, served six Philippine presidents, beginning with President Manuel L. Quezon and ending with President Ferdinand E. Marcos. In this first full-length biography, Guerrero’s varied career as writer and diplomat is highlighted from an amateur student editor and associate editor of a prestigious magazine to ambassador to different countries that reflected then the exciting directions of Philippine foreign policy. But did you know that he served as public prosecutor in the notorious Nalundasan murder case, involving the future Philippine president? Did you also know that during his stint as ambassador to the Court of Saint James he wrote his prize-winning biography of Philippine national hero, Jose Rizal? Learn more about him in this fully documented biography recounting with much detail from his correspondence the genesis and evolution of his thinking about the First Filipino, which is the apposite title of his magnum opus. 2017 LH26 Soft cover 978-981-47-6222-9 (price to be confirmed)




Forthcoming Title MUDDY BOOTS AND SMART SUITS Researching Asia-Pacific Affairs edited by Nicholas Farrelly, Amy King, Michael Wesley and Hugh White Est. pub. date: Mid-2017 About the EDITORS Nicholas Farrelly is Research Fellow in the Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs, Australian National University, Canberra. Amy King is Senior Lecturer in the Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs, Australian National University, Canberra. Michael Wesley is Dean of the College of Asia & the Pacific, Australian National University, Canberra. Hugh White is Professor of Strategic Studies at the Australian National University, Canberra. About the BOOK From grassroots conflicts to great power relations, this book explores some of the key concepts, methodologies, and dilemmas of researching Asia-Pacific affairs. The book deals with key questions about the Asia-Pacific: Why should we study policy from the “ground up”? What are the human considerations for societies in conflict? Why is regionalism important and how do global powers play a role? Should Asia-Pacific researchers embrace the design-based revolution in the social sciences? Muddy Boots and Smart Suits is for students, scholars, and policymakers in the region looking for a new way to understand local, regional, and global security challenges. 2017 BM547 Soft cover 978-981-4459-78-5 (price to be confirmed)




SOCIAL ISSUES




ESOTER IC BUDDHISM IN MEDIAEVAL MAR ITIME ASIA

ACRI

ESOTERIC BUDDHISM IN MEDIAEVAL MARITIME ASIA Networks of Masters, Texts, Icons

Networks of Masters, Texts, Icons

Networks of Masters, Texts, Icons

edited by Andrea Acri About the EDITOR

Esoteric Buddhism in Mediaeval Maritime Asia

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Andrea Acri is Visiting Research Fellow at the NalandaSriwijaya Centre, ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore. 30 Heng Mui Keng Terrace, Singapore 119614

http://bookshop.iseas.edu.sg MALAYSIA Social Issues

ESOTER IC BUDDHISM IN MEDIAEVAL MAR ITIME ASIA

BM507s

ISBN 978-981-4519-67-0

9

EDITED BY ANDREA ACR I

789814 519670

About the BOOK This volume advocates a trans-regional, and maritime-focused, approach to studying the genesis, development and circulation of Esoteric (or Tantric) Buddhism across Maritime Asia from the seventh to the thirteenth centuries AD. The book lays emphasis on the mobile networks of human agents (“Masters”), textual sources (“Texts”) and images (“Icons”) through which Esoteric Buddhist traditions spread. Capitalizing on recent research and making use of both disciplinary and area-focused perspectives, this book highlights the role played by Esoteric Buddhist maritime networks in shaping intra-Asian connectivity. In doing so, it reveals the limits of a historiography that is premised on land-based transmission of Buddhism from a South Asian “homeland” and advances an alternative historical narrative that overturns the popular perception regarding Southeast Asia as a “periphery” that passively received overseas influences. Thus, a strong point is made for the appreciation of the region as both a crossroads and rightful terminus of Buddhist cults, and for the re-evaluation of the creative and transformative force of Southeast Asian agents in the transmission of Esoteric Buddhism across mediaeval Asia. 2016 Soft cover 978-981-4695-08-4

482 pp.

NSC22 S$89.90 / US$79.90




MYANMAR’S MOUNTAIN AND MARITIME BORDERSCAPES Local Practices, Boundary-Making and Figured Worlds edited by Su-Ann Oh About the EDITOR Su-Ann Oh is Visiting Fellow at the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore. About the BOOK This edited volume adds to the literature on Myanmar and its borders by drawing attention to the significance of geography, history, politics and society in the construction of the border regions and the country. First, it alerts us to the fact that the border regions are situated in the mountainous and maritime domains of the country, highlighting the commonalities that arise from shared geography. Second, the book foregrounds socio-spatio practices — economic, intimate, spiritual, virtual — of border and boundary-making in their local context. This demonstrates how state-defined notions of territory, borders and identity are enacted or challenged. Third, despite sharing common features, Myanmar’s borderscapes also possess unique configurations of ethnic, political and economic attributes, producing social formations and figured worlds that are more cohesive or militant in some border areas than in others. Understanding and comparing these social practices and their corresponding life-worlds allows us to re-examine the connections from the borderlands back to the hinterland and to consider the value of border and boundary studies in problematizing and conceptualizing recent economic and political changes in Myanmar. 2016 Soft cover 978-981-4695-76-3

398 pp.

PIC242 S$55.90 / US$45.90




FROM TRADERS TO INNOVATORS Science and Technology in Singapore since 1965 by Goh Chor Boon About the AUTHOR Goh Chor Boon is Associate Dean, External Programmes, of the National Institute of Education, Singapore. About the BOOK Today, more than ever, the state of a country’s science and technology is a critical factor for economic competitiveness and long-term growth. This book traces the development of science and technology policies and initiatives in Singapore since 1965. Developed as a trading entrepôt by the British, science and technology were never strongly emphasized, right up to the 1970s. However, the need to stay ahead of economic competitiveness motivated the Singapore Government to initiate its national science and technology policy from the 1980s — moving Singapore from a low-skilled, low-technology economy to a high-skilled, high-technology one. Today, the drive for Singapore to become a hotbed for technological start-ups and R&D activities, supported by strong government funding and cutting-edge facilities, seems promising. Are the aspirations of nurturing a Silicon Valley–type culture in Singapore achievable? Are pragmatic, risk-adverse Singaporeans ready for the mindset change? Can a nation of traders and service-brokers become a nation of technological innovators and entrepreneurs? This book attempts to provide the answers. 2016 Soft cover 978-981-4695-78-7

232 pp.

MEH7 S$29.90 / US$24.90




Forthcoming Title SPIRITS AND SHIPS Cultural Transfers in Early Monsoon Asia edited by Andrea Acri, Roger Blench and Alexandra Landmann Est. pub. date: Early 2017 About the EDITORS Andrea Acri is Maître de Conférences in Tantric Studies, École Pratique des Hautes Études, Paris and Associate Fellow, NalandaSriwijaya Centre, ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore. Roger Blench is Chief Research Officer, Kay Williamson Educational Foundation, United Kingdom Alexandra Landmann is former Visiting Fellow, Nalanda-Sriwijaya Centre and lectures at the Indonesian Hindu University, Denpasar, Indonesia About the BOOK This volume seeks to foreground a “borderless” history and geography of South, Southeast, and East Asian littoral zones that would be maritime-focused, and thereby explore the ancient connections and dynamics of interaction that favoured the encounters among the cultures found throughout the region stretching from the Indian Ocean littorals to the Western Pacific, from the early historical period to the present. Transcending the artificial boundaries of macro-regions and nation-states, and trying to bridge the arbitrary divide between (inherently cosmopolitan) “high” cultures (e.g. Sanskritic, Sinitic, or Islamicate) and “local” or “indigenous” cultures, this multidisciplinary volume explores the metaphor of Monsoon Asia as a vast geo-environmental area inhabited by speakers of numerous language phyla. 2017 NSC25 Soft cover 978-981-47-6275-5 (price to be confirmed)




Forthcoming Title THAIPUSAM IN MALAYSIA A Hindu Festival in the Tamil Diaspora by Carl Vadivella Belle Est. pub. date: Early 2017 About the AUTHOR Carl Vadivella Belle is an independent scholar specializing in Indian studies in Malaysia and Singapore. About the BOOK “This is an important book by Carl Vadivella Belle which argues that Hinduism and its manifestations in the diaspora has important significance in binding not only the Hindus but also encourages ‘others’ to revisit Hinduism, especially in a multicultural society like Malaysia which is dominated by communally infused discourses structured upon race and religion.” — Ajaya K. Sahoo, Editor, Journal of South Asian Diaspora “Dr Belle weaves his magical journey over nearly half a century, offering poignant and potent insights into the socio economic and spiritual realities of Hindus in Malaysia. Numerous books maybe available on Tamil Traditions and Hinduism in Malaysia, but none seem to have succinctly encapsulated the very essence and heart of these veritable subjects. I would unreservedly recommend this book, to all those interested in matters pertaining to Indians and Hinduism in Malaysia.” — Professor Bala Shanmugam, Academic Director, Federation University, Malaysia “This is a work of immense inspiration. Combining personal pilgrimage with ethnographic perseverance, it is at once a document of ritual power and cultural change and a biography of religious encounter. By becoming the religious Other, Carl Belle creates a new dimension in the understanding of Thaipusam as both ethnic and individual experience. Dauntlessly frank and insightful, it is without doubt a rare achievement.” — Raymond Lee, Universiti Malaya (retired) 2017 BM538 Soft cover 978-981-4695-75-6 (price to be confirmed)
