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About New Naratif | About Membership | About New Naratif’s Stories
About New Naratif
What is New Naratif?
New Naratif is a movement to democratise democracy in Southeast Asia.
We achieve this by doing 3 things:
1) Engage: Develop and build communities in Southeast Asia to actively participate in democracy.
2) Educate: Produce accessible and high-quality evidence-based information products on important issues for the people of Southeast Asia.
3) Empower those communities with the knowledge, skills, and tools for collective action and for advocating better democratic principles and norms.
The vision behind New Naratif is an inclusive Southeast Asia where all peoples are fully engaging and participating in building democracy.
We don’t just fight for those values. We also live by them.
We believe in transparency and accountability. So we release a full transparency report every year with our financial figures. Members are also invited to our open meetings held every 6 months where they can ask us anything and share their feedback on New Naratif. In this way, we are fully transparent and accountable.
We are also committed to accessibility. In our vision of Southeast Asia, no one is left behind. If you can’t afford a membership, you can request a free sponsored membership.
If a tiny organisation like us can be fully transparent, and make ourselves as accessible to as many people as possible, then why not governments and major corporations with all the money and resources in the world?
How is New Naratif funded? How does your membership model work?
New Naratif is primarily funded by membership fees, grants, and donations. Our content is advertising-free. In this way, we ensure that our priorities are aligned with the people who matter: our members. Anyone can join as a member, and it’s up to you how much you want to pay.
You can get a membership for as low as US$5. No matter which tier you pick, rest assured that all of our members are treated equally. People choose to support us at higher tiers because they want to sponsor those who can’t afford a membership.
To maintain full managerial freedom and editorial independence, we only work with funders that accept the terms of our Manifesto.
In practical terms, New Naratif is structured as a membership association registered in the UK. Our headquarter is in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Our team members work in 8 Southeast Asian cities across 5 different Southeast Asian countries.
Why should I join New Naratif as a member?
You should join New Naratif if:
- you want to hear and support diverse independent voices in SEA.
- you want to connect with writers, journalists, artists, people who want to learn more about SEA, and people who are SEAsian experts in their own right.
- you are SEAsian and want to read stories that transcends narrow borders or a different perspective to the mainstream, government-controlled media.
- you are SEAsian and would like to learn more about politics, to discuss issues such as nationalism, socio-economics and class, gender, sexuality and race.
- you want to share your stories with other open-minded people.
- you want to meet other SEAsians in safe, democratic spaces and community-based events.
- you want to be a part of a like-minded community that shares your vision of a more democratic SEA.
We advocate for democracy in Southeast Asia. We research important issues facing the people of Southeast Asia, publish those issues in accessible formats and languages, and bring people together to empower them.
If you believe in those values, then New Naratif is the right place for you.
Who are the shareholders of New Naratif?
New Naratif is wholly owned by Observatory Southeast Asia, a private company limited by guarantee and registered in England (company number 10747160), so it does not have any shares or shareholders. Its head office is at 7200 The Quorum, Alec Issigonis Way, Oxford Business Park North, Oxford OX4 2JZ.
How can I stay informed about New Naratif?
Sign up for our newsletter — we will keep you updated on the latest events, stories, and membership drives. You can also follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.
About Membership
What are the benefits of membership?
As a member, you will have full access to all the explainers, research articles, opinion pieces and more on our site. You will also gain free access to all of our events like /ba.ca/ with New Naratif and Democracy Classroom. Yes, all of them!
You’ll also receive a weekly newsletter for members-only that gives a behind-the-scenes look into New Naratif and meet the people behind each department. Perhaps most importantly, you can talk to the team directly and we will respond personally. We will be accountable to all our members.
Can I become a member if I don’t have a credit card or bank account?
If you don’t have a credit card, bank account, or would simply prefer to become a member a different way, you can write to us at memberships [at] newnaratif [dot] com. Our Community team will be happy to help you.
Can I donate money to New Naratif?
Of course! You can make a one-off donation or write to us at memberships [at] newnaratif [dot] com if you’d prefer to donate in a different way.
Where can I change the email address you have on file for me?
If you need to change your email address, please write to us at memberships [at] newnaratif [dot] com.
How do I cancel my membership?
We’re sorry to see you go. If you wish to cancel your membership, you can email memberships [at] newnaratif [dot] com. Your membership will remain valid until the end of your current membership period and you can join our community again at any time.
If you want to continue supporting New Naratif, but don’t have the financial means to do so, you can request for a sponsored membership by writing to sponsorship [at] newnaratif [dot] com.
How do sponsored memberships work?
In our vision of Southeast Asia, no one gets left behind.
We know that there are many people who can’t afford our memberships, but would benefit from the important information that New Naratif publishes and the events that we organise. That’s why we’ve created sponsored memberships.
If you need a sponsored membership, you can just write to us at sponsorship [at] newnaratif [dot] com and we’ll give you one. That’s all you need to do!
Why subscribe to higher tiers of annual memberships if all members are treated equally? What do I get for subscribing to higher tiers of annual memberships?
So you can sponsor other people for New Naratif membership. When you join as an annual member, at every step above the basic tier of US$52, your membership goes to sponsoring other members.
At US$102/year, you sponsor one additional person on top of your own membership. At US$302/year, you sponsor 5 additional memberships, and at US$552/year, you sponsor a whopping 10 additional members!
Can I choose who I want to sponsor?
Yup, definitely! Write to us at memberships [at] newnaratif [dot] com and we can help you with the process.
Does New Naratif offer institutional memberships?
Yes, we do! New Naratif offers institutional access that includes unlimited access to all content on New Naratif’s website via fixed IP.
Write to us at memberships [at] newnaratif [dot] com to learn more.
About New Naratif’s Stories
I have an idea for a story/article/comic that I’d love to publish with you. Who do I write to?
We love ideas! Write to us at pitches [at] newnaratif [dot] com or submit via our pitch form.
Why not cover breaking news/more topics on New Naratif?
We have a specific aim: to explore and explain the forces which shape our lives in Southeast Asia.
We aim to keep a laser focus on that goal. However, even if we achieve our ideal target of 12,000 members, we will still be a relatively small organisation. The larger we grow, the more team members we can hire and the more articles we can publish and the more events we can organise to tackle different issues facing Southeast Asia.
What kind of stories does New Naratif produce?
New Naratif provides Southeast Asians with information about important issues that we collectively face in accessible formats, such as comics, explainers and podcast episodes. Our stories are translated when possible into multiple languages. Here are some of our articles which demonstrate what we do.
