Political Agenda — Nationalism and National Day
This week, we talk nationalism and National Day in Singapore with political scientist Dr Ian Chong and theatre director—and former National Day Para…
Tag: History
Myanmar’s Failed Peace Process
The third Union Peace Conference takes place from 11–16 July 2018. But with ongoing conflicts around the country—and a history of dialogues leadin…
The Return of Pancasila
The five principles underpinning the Indonesian state are now being revived to counter right-wing religious rhetoric in the country, but could also be…
A Long Road To Change
The “tsunami rakyat” that brought Malaysia its first ever change in government was built on long years of hard work by the country’s civil socie…
Writing Their Own Stories
While a lot English-language literature and writing tends to hark back to the country's tragic history of violence and genocide, young Cambodian autho…
Grappling with Indonesia’s Colonial Past
The opening of Indonesia’s first anti-colonial museum highlights the importance of critical and holistic engagement with one’s history.
North / South
Growing up in the United States, Will Nguyen’s knowledge of Vietnamese language and history had come from a firmly South Vietnamese perspective. His…
A Celebrity Wedding Revives Identity Issues
Following the high-profile wedding of the Indonesian president's daughter, a Mandailing association in North Sumatra is lobbying for greater recogniti…
The Roots of the Hate
The existence of a tiny supremacist Malay Power faction within the Malaysian underground music scene and the reasons behind its rise suggest that in S…
The Elected Presidency and the Political Economy of Race in Singapore
With Singapore’s first racially reserved Presidential election looming, historian Thum Ping Tjin observes that the government’s much vaunted “Ch…
