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/ba∙ca/
with New Naratif
Collective action begins with a community
Engage in collective action for positive change
/ba∙ca/ with New Naratif is a reading group series that invites members to come together to discuss selected stories published by New Naratif. Discussions are led by New Naratif team members and feature guest speakers and contributors. They typically revolve around recent social or political issues within Southeast Asia.
/ba∙ca/ with New Naratif is a space for our community to have safe and constructive conversations about complex issues. It will be conducted in English, but we don’t rule out the possibility of opening discussions in other languages according to the context or interest in the issues being discussed.
Occasionally, members will be sent polls to vote on readings for the group via the members-only newsletter. If you’re a member but you don’t receive the weekly members-only newsletter, please write to us at memberships[at]newnaratif[dot]com.
/ba∙ca/ with New Naratif aims to bring our community together to discuss complicated issues and take collective action.
Sign up for the next /ba∙ca/ with New Naratif!
In conjunction with Pride Month and the midpoint of 2023, we think it’s a good time to check in with you, our community. This online session is dedicated to the queer community, whom we know rely very much on collective care and found families to survive.
Get connected and enlightened
Each session is 60 – 90 minutes long and members are encouraged to read the assigned articles and/or stories beforehand. This reading group will be hosted in a smaller capacity as we want our community to get to know each other and participate fully.
Contributors of the pieces being discussed will also be present at the session, which gives participants the opportunity to talk to them directly and ask questions.
The session will be recorded and edited into a podcast of the same name, available exclusively for New Naratif members.
Upcoming /ba∙ca/:
In conjunction with Pride Month and the midpoint of 2023, we think it’s a good time to check in with you, our community. This online session is dedicated to the queer community, whom we know rely very much on collective care and found families to survive. With increasing threats and criminalisation, collective care is more needed than ever.
28 June 2023 | 8 p.m. GMT+8
We aim to foster a sense of connection and empowerment within the queer community by highlighting the value of collective care and community support. In our vision of Southeast Asia, no one is left behind. This event will be free, but participants are required to fill out this questionnaire to ensure that this space is safe and respectful for all. Each and every response will be carefully evaluated by our Community team. Join us in building compassionate and resilient queer communities in Southeast Asia!
The recommended reading list for the upcoming /ba∙ca/:
A Tale of Queer Migration – Separation & Liminality
In this very personal comic, visual artist and ethnographer Asmara S. Wigati takes us on their journey migrating across islands in Indonesia in search of a better life. This first episode tells of their musings on the liminality that we all go through at some point in our lives, but also one that queer people…
One Day Out
“To everyone in the LGBTQIA+ community, especially those who are still in the closet: Happy Pride Month. You are valid. You are seen. You are loved.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to read before coming to a session?
Yes, you are encouraged to read the assigned reading before coming to a session and prepare questions for discussion.
When is the next /ba∙ca/ with New Naratif?
The next /ba.ca/ is happening on 30th May at 8 p.m. MYT!
What have members read in past meetings?
#1 — Malaysia’s Current Political Climate
Reading: Winner-Takes-All: The Structural Risk to Malaysian Democracy by Ooi Kok Hin
#2 — Pro-democracy: Organising & Protesting in Myanmar & Thailand
Readings:
- “Let It End in Our Generation”: How the Thailand Protests Came to Be by Prachatai
- Myanmar Activist: We Want Our Own Script by Jacob Goldberg
#3 — Activism in Singapore
Recommended:
- Podcast: Political Agenda — Protest, Activism, and Social Change
- Video: The Show with PJ Thum — Episode 5 — How the PAP Government Abuses “Rule of Law” to Control Singapore
- Research: The Use of Humiliation as a Political Tool by Thum Ping Tjin
#4 — Environmental Migration in Kalimantan
Reading: Kalimantan’s Warning: The Intertwined Dynamics of Environmental Degradation and Internal Migration by Lengga Pradipta
#5 — The Philippines’ Exploitation of Overseas Filipino Workers
Reading: The Philippines’ Dangerous Dependence on the Exploitation of its People by Teo S. Marasigan
#6 — Growing Together: A Discussion on Collective Care
Reading: Growing Together: A Guide to Collective Care written by Minxi Chua with illustrations by Namsai Khaobor
#7 — Queer Ecology: A Reading
Reading: Queer Ecology: Eight Works of Flash Fiction on the Intersectionality of SOGIESC and Ecological Justice
#8 — Feminism as a Tool for Democracy in Southeast Asia
Readings:
- 10-year Post-Haiyan: LGBTQ+ Survivors Still Fight for Their Legal Rights by Mavic Conde
- A New Feminist Narrative: Towards More Inclusive Southeast Asian Democracies by Thet Wai
#9 — Finding Home: Experiences of Migration in Southeast Asia
Reading: Stories of Migration Across East and Southeast Asia
