Asian Studies Commons^™

Deprovincializing Racial Capitalism: John Crawfurd And Settler Colonialism In India, Onur Ulas Ince

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Recent literature on racial capitalism has overwhelmingly focused on the Atlantic settler-slave formation, sidelining the history of European imperialism in Asia. This article addresses this blind spot by recovering the aborted project of British settler colonialism in India through the writings of its most prominent advocate, John Crawfurd. It is argued that Crawfurd’s vision of a liberal empire in India rejected slavery and indigenous dispossession yet remained deeply racialized in its conception of capital, labor, and value. Crawfurd elaborated a “capital theory of race,” which derived racial categories from a civilizational spectrum keyed to the capitalist organization of production. His …

Building Productivism In Rural China: The Case Of Residential Restructuring In Chengdu, Qian Forrest Zhang

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

This paper theorizes the rural restructuring in China today as a transition towards productivism – characterized by both a productivist agricultural regime and productivist rural spaces. The rise of the productivist agricultural regime has spearheaded this transition for two decades; now the residential restructuring programs implemented under various policy schemes are also producing spaces of productivism in the new concentrated settlements. This paper, employing Halfacree’s three-fold conceptual model of rural space and using the empirical case of residential restructuring in Chengdu, offers the first full analysis of the rise of productivism in all three facets of rural space. It demonstrates …

Older Adults' Perceptions Of Government Handling Of Covid-19: Predictors Of Protective Behaviors From Lockdown To Post-Lockdown, Savannah Kiah Hui Siew, Jonathan Louis Chia, Rathi Mahendran, Junhong Yu

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Background: Distrust, and more broadly, public perception of government's handling of a crisis, has been a widely studied topic within health crisis research and suggests that these perceptions are significantly associated with the behavior of its citizens. Purpose: To understand which aspects of the public's perception of government handling of the COVID-19 pandemic predicted engagement of protective behaviors among older adults, who are the most vulnerable to COVID-19.Methods: Participants were recruited from an ongoing biopsychosocial study on aging amongst community-dwelling older adults. There were two rounds of data collection, during the national lockdown and post-lockdown. The average length of follow-up …

Japanese-English Translation: Katayama Hiroko—Fifty-Dollar Coffee (June 1953), Christopher Southward

Comparative Literature Faculty and Student Scholarship

Revised translation of「コーヒー五千円」、片山廣子著、底本「燈火節」暮しの手帖社、昭和２８年

Source, Aozora Bunko (a digital archive of public-domain Japanese-language works):

General website: https://www.aozora.gr.jp

Current text: https://www.aozora.gr.jp/cards/001346/files/49517_35999.html

A Review Of Environmental Vulnerabilities Related To Nepal’S Graduation Process From Least Developed To A Developing Country Status, Ambika P. Adhikari, Keshav Bhattarai, Basu Sharma

Himalayan Research Papers Archive

Nepal has long aspired to graduate from the Least Development Country (LDC) to Developing Country category as defined by the United Nations system. Nepal had met two of the three graduating criteria and could have technically graduated from the LDC status in 2015. However, based on the Nepal government’s request to defer the review, the new 2021 assessment by the United Nations Committee for Development Policy (CDP) recommended that the country should graduate from the LDC status by 2026. The graduation requires not only meeting pre-defined development-related thresholds, but also maintaining sustained improvements in at least two consecutive assessments in …

Visions For Japanese Society: An Examination Of Japanese Postwar Occupation Period Film, Kaitlin Smith, Michael Gibbs

DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive

By following the films of directors Akira Kurosawa ( 黒澤明), Yasujiro Ozu ( 小津安二郎), Masaki Kobayashi (小林正樹), and Shohei Imamura (今村昌平) around occupation period Japan, unified visions for Japanese society are formed as it transitions from wartime into the postwar era. Each of these films conveys a sense of rapid change in society, external pressures and foreign influence, a daily struggle, and immediate postwar suffering. Not only can these films be seen across a wide variety of styles, but they also each approach these issues with immediacy and show tentative outlooks for how Japan functioned and felt for most people …

Infrastructure In India's Internal War: A District-Level Analysis Of The Naxalite-Maoist Conflict, Krunal Desai

Undergraduate Economic Review

Since the last few decades of economic liberalization, India has been experiencing a civil conflict threat by communist insurgents known as Naxalites. Because this group desires to separate themselves from the state through violent means, they began occupying themselves in some of the least developed districts in India. Coincidentally, because of low human development, the Government of India created an infrastructure program known as the Backwards Regions Grant Fund (BRGF) that targets a selected set of districts that lack basic infrastructures such as roads, sanitation facilities, and electrical grids. This study aims to question the notion that government assistance should …

Space Tourism By 2024 A Growing Possibility In China, Singapore Management University

Perspectives@SMU

Developments this year have turbocharged the race to be the first to launch paying customers into space

A Guide To The Rule Of Law, Smu Apolitical

Student Publications

A Guide to the Rule of Law presents a compilation of case studies of different countries by a group of contributing writers in a simple and easy-to-understand manner. Designed for readers of all ages and from all walks of life, this primer is the second of a series of primers focusing on an international scope for readers to acquire knowledge to better understand issues which concerns us all, esp

“Living As Art”: Performance And The Haunting Of The Japanese Diaspora, Hana Tanabe

East Asian Languages and Cultures Department Honors Papers

In this thesis, I focus on the themes of family memory and history in relation to the Japanese diaspora, and how performance becomes an invaluable method of expression and discovery when words are inadequate. To explore these themes, I analyze the performances of three Japanese and Japanese American artists, each of whom expresses their stories through a variety of genres, ranging from experimental short film and documentary to musical theater. Although the stories that the artists tell are connected by their discussion of the intergenerational impact of Japanese American incarceration in the United States during World War II, a history …

Music And Sound In Weihsien Internment Camp In Japanese-Occupied China, Zhihui Sophia Geng

Asian Studies Faculty Publications

From the chapter's Introduction:
On 7 July 1937, Japanese forces based in Manchuria charged southward towards Beijing, invading north China and hence starting the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–45). On 7 December 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, transforming the Second Sino-Japanese War into the Pacific War. As a result of Pearl Harbor, the status of Allied citizens living in China at the time changed from neutral to ‘enemy aliens’. These Allied citizens included individuals and their families who worked in China as government officials, executives, engineers and Christian missionaries. They were forced into internment camps under the watchful eyes of the …

Explaining Democratization In South Korea: Comparing Movements In The 1980s, Isaiah Nielsen

Honors Capstone Projects

This paper seeks to analyze the reasons for democratization movements in the Republic of Korea (ROK) in the late 1970s/early 1980s and mid to late 1980s leading to different political outcomes and democratization success. The analysis will dive into the history and politics leading up to the 1980s, and the context of political movements historically, but will focus on the 1980s. It will trace the context of the early democracy movement leading to the Gwangju Uprising in 1980. Then, it will seek to understand the revitalized democratization movement that came to a head in 1987 in Seoul leading to the …

The Switch: Why Do Panama And Nicaragua Now Recognize China Over Taiwan?, Roxanne I. Rogers

Modern Languages, Philosophy and Classics Theses

Panama and Nicaragua have both recently changed their recognition of statehood from Taiwan, formally known as the Republic of China, to China, formally known as the People’s Republic of China. Panama and Nicaragua are only a part of a larger global community that is turning away from Taiwan and towards China, as China grows as an economic, political, and military superpower. However, with a majority of Taiwan’s remaining allies calling Latin America and the Caribbean home, these switches in recognition act as an omen for Taiwanese sovereignty. Overall, Panama and Nicaragua changed their recognition due to China’s political and economic …

Singapore’S Speak Mandarin Campaign: A Historiographical Review, Xing Fang

Asian Review

Language policy functions as a critical instrument in Singapore’s nation building since its independence in the 1960s. This paper intends to examine some major literature in the past fifty years concerning Singapore’s well-known Speak Mandarin Campaign, in order to reveal the chronological development in scholarship. The content of the literature foregrounds paradigm shifts from viewing Mandarin as an identity marker to valuing it as linguistic capital, and from treating identity as a bounded concept to acknowledging its fluidity in the context of globalisation. The evident historical changes in the writing of the studies also reflect shifts in terms of the …

The Same Old Story : The Collapse Of The Semi-Democracy Regime In 1930s Japan And 2006 Thailand, Chai Skulchokchai

Asian Review

Both Thailand and Japan have experienced turbulent democratic processes. In addition, both countries are considered as semi-democratic according to Dahl’s framework. It is undeniable that both countries have failed in democratization itself, at one stage, despite being almost 100 years apart, and Lipset’s prerequisite having been met. There were three main factors that led to such occurrences, these being too many  offices, which have considerable authority over the electoral force, politicians who side with the non-democratic side for their gain, and the belief that there existed a better alternative form of government. These have been accompanied by six circumstantial similarities …

Introduction, Jirayudh Sinthuphan

Asian Review

Asia is a problematic concept. What is Asia, other than a way of setting apart a group of non-Western cultures from the West? It is, historically, culturally, and politically, a diverse region that is artificially constructed through a rather generalized perspective. As a result, we often miss some important details in the development of a national state in Asia that has contributed to Asia’s diverse forms of sociopolitical existences and challenges. Articles appearing in this issue of the Asian Review bring to light some of these missing details and provide readers with clearer insights to Asia’s diversity.

Information Communication Technologies In Thailand: The Influence Of Social Structure And The Autonomy Of Use, Jakkapong Sukphan, Prapaporn Kitdamrongtam

Asian Review

There has never been digital equality as we face social inequality. This paper aims to examine the uses of information communication technologies (ICTs) and the social structure of the digital divide in Thailand to compare the findings with those reported in more developed countries. Multiple correspondence analysis is conducted to form the scales of internet use and autonomy of use. Linear regressions were used to test the scales' effects on the social structure of ICT use in Thailand.  The findings indicate that Internet use can be categorized into the intensity of internet use and commercial and leisure use. The intensity …

Digital Nomadism In Southeast Asia: Its Cultural Identities And The New Labor Model, Wenjue Zhong

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This thesis examines the cultural identity of digital nomads in Southeast Asia and its impact on their evolving labor model. Employing qualitative interviews and document research, the study investigates the lifestyles of these contemporary nomads. The research reveals a finding: despite roaming abroad, digital nomads maintain a strong connection to their national identity. This intriguing phenomenon demonstrates the persistence of cultural heritage in shaping their self-identity. Unlike traditional global nomads, digital nomads display a more utility-oriented approach, where their nomadic lifestyle is deeply interwoven with their work status. Consequently, digital nomadism emerges as a unique labor model, reflecting the transformative …

Glocalization Of Bronze Drums In Southeast Asia: The Case Of Bronze Drums In State Ceremonies Of Thailand, Taixing Li

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

The Bronze Drum is a living specimen of Southeast Asian culture and a testimony to the development of Southeast Asian societies for more than 2,000 years. The Bronze Drum has been inherited dynamically hitherto, and the Thai state ceremonies still adopt it. However, current scholarship on Bronze Drums is confined chiefly to static studies, which caused the omission of the essence of glocalization. This thesis adopts the theory of glocalization, namely that the Bronze Drum is the result of the interpenetration of the global and the local, resulting in unique outcomes in a specific geographic location, and then applies an …

Retirement From Trusteeship – Express And Statutory Powers: Supreme Court Case Summary: Chan Yun Cheong (Trustee Of The Will Of The Testator) V Chan Chi Cheong (Trustee Of The Will Of The Testator, Noemi En-Hui Sarah Chaw

Singapore Law Journal (Lexicon)

This case involved two trustees of a testamentary trust,1 both of whom alleged that they had resigned as trustees. Trusteeship is a serious appointment that comes with responsibilities. Under the Trustees Act (Cap 337, 2005 Rev Ed) (“Trustees Act”), which governs trusts in Singapore, once a person takes up a trusteeship, he cannot simply relinquish his duties at will but must do so in accordance with the law and the terms of the trust instrument.

Through The Rocky Road – Divergent Opinions On “No Oral Modification” Clauses: Charles Lim Teng Siang V Hong Choon Hau [2021] 2 Slr 153, Wei Xuan Joel Fun

Singapore Law Journal (Lexicon)

A no oral modification (“NOM”) clause refers to a contractual clause which seeks to exclude any modification of terms of a particular agreement unless such modifications are made in written form. However, if a party can prove that there has been an oral variation of such an agreement, can the counterparty rely on this clause to invalidate the variation?

Reforming Singapore’S Law On Division Of Matrimonial Assets, Jia En Teo

Singapore Law Journal (Lexicon)

Section 46(1) of the Women’s Charter undergirds the sacrosanct institution that is marriage – it lays out its moral basis and expresses society’s hopes and expectations of the ideal marital relationship: marriage is an equal cooperative partnership of different efforts for mutual benefit. It is thus no surprise that even when a marriage is terminated, the division of matrimonial assets is also founded upon this prevailing ideology. However, as opposed to equal division, Singapore law dictates a “just and equitable” division of matrimonial assets, where wide discretion and power is vested in the judiciary. This legal rule has been criticised …

Shift Or Stagnation:: Analyzing Changing Japanese Attitudes Towards Various Minorities, Aïcha M. Camara

Honors Undergraduate Theses

As nations economically prosper, do future generations undergo a steady shift in values? This thesis seeks to analyze the Post-World War II intergenerational shift in Japanese attitudes toward Japanese women and the LGBT, multiethnic, and indigenous communities. Centered around Ronald Inglehart's "Materialist" and "Post-Materialist" theories, this research seeks to contribute to current literature surrounding the development of contemporary Japanese values. Inglehart's "Materialist" theory consists of the idea that individuals pursued various goals in hierarchical order with their base necessities such as sustenance and safety gaining priority. After their base necessities are satisfied, Inglehart believed that people's values shifted, emphasizing belonging, …

The Isolated As The Revolutionary: How “Leftover” Men In China Challenge Heteronormativity, Ruwen Chang

Theses and Dissertations--Gender and Women's Studies

In contemporary China, demographers estimate that 30 million men are single because there are simply not enough women in the Chinese population, and the 2020 Chinese census shows that there are 34.9 million more men than women. These men are called guanggun, which can be directly translated to “bare sticks/branches,” a slur that indicates a lack of marriage and sex. In this project, I demonstrate that guanggun’s singlehood marks them as the marginalized at the intersection of heteronormativity, patriarchy, globalizing capitalism, and pronatalist governmentality. In a highly heteronormative and patrilineal culture, guanggun are branded as abnormal/incomplete. However, because …

Book Review: This Is How They Tell Me The World Ends: The Cyberweapons Arms Race (2020) By Nicole Perlroth, Amy C. Gaudion

Dickinson Law Review (2017-Present)

No abstract provided.

India – Rape And The Prevalent Culture Of Silence In Indian Cinema And Television, Nidhi Shrivastava

English Faculty Publications

In this chapter, I explore two media texts, Imtiaz Ali's Highway and Alankrita Shrivastava's Netflix original series Bombay Begums (2021). I contend that recent filmmakers have begun to arguably reframe the narratives of rape victim-survivors and disrupting the cultural of silence described above. They offer progressive and multi-faceted representations of these experiences, such that there is an opportunity for a dialogue within both private and public spheres. What I mean when I say that they are ‘progressive representations’ is that the rape victim-survivors are not merely reduced to helpless women in distress, nor painted as vengeful, aggressive characters. Instead, their …

Genocidal Violence, Biopolitics, And Treatment Of Abducted And Raped Women In The Aftermath Of 1947 Partition In India, Nidhi Shrivastava

English Faculty Publications

As we reckon with the #MeToo movement, the gender-based violence that occurred during the 1947 Partition continues to remain forgotten in mainstream discourses and is an emotive and polarising issue within both India and its diaspora. Just like mainstream news in the United States covered the Gabby Petito case, causing a controversy as it led to the realisation that the rape and gender-based violence of missing indigenous women were not covered, it can be suggested that mainstream news channels both within India and in the diaspora construct narratives that privilege the stories of some over others – with issues of …

The Case Of Singapore, Hwee Kwan Chow, Kong Weng Ho

Research Collection School of Economics

The economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on Singapore was more severe and protracted than the global financial crisis. Singapore responded with easing of the monetary policy stance, reinforcing financial stability, helping individuals to reduce debt obligations, easing business cashflow constraints, adjusting financial regulatory and supervisory protocols to cope with immediate challenges, and enabling the financial sectors to build long-term capabilities. Fiscal responses were unprecedented with four consecutive budgets and two ministerial statements, initially focusing on immediate assistance in respect of jobs, businesses, households, and later refined to providing more sector-specific assistance as the pandemic evolved with more detailed information …

An Anatomy Of Nepal's Remarkable Export Decline, Rishi Sharma

Himalayan Research Papers Archive

This paper documents and breaks down a remarkable decline in Nepal's exports over the 2000-2019 period. This decline is due to a collapse in the country's top export products and is largely uniform across destinations and products. Furthermore, it is not on account of the poor global performance of the sectors Nepal was specialized in but is something more specific to Nepal. Industry-level statistics show that gross output increased in major exporting industries while value-added grew slower or declined. The increase in gross output together with the decline in exports implies a movement towards producing for domestic consumption using more …

No Peace For Afghanistan: A Case-Study Of The Failure Of Peace-Building Process In Afghanistan From A Transnational Feminist Standpoint, Tahmina Sobat

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

In early 2019, the United States officially started its direct negotiations with the Taliban to reach an agreement on a joint framework for a future peace deal in Afghanistan and inter-Afghan negotiations. Although debate continued over the size and duration of the US military presence in Afghanistan and the inclusion of the terrorist group the Taliban in the government of Afghanistan, what fell in and out of the headlines were the topic of women’s presence, their rights, and two decades of advocacy and achievements in these peace-building efforts. While the United Nations Security Council’s resolution 1325 on women, peace, and …