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21. Apr 2015
Japan’s ideal and less ideal victims
cultural studies, InFocus, Japan, terror, victimization
The brutal murders of Japanese hostages Kenji Goto and Haruna Yukawa at the hands of ISIS have understandably captured the interest of the Japanese nation. Opinions on the victims have ranged from the deeply sympathetic to the victim-blaming. Moreover the Japanese public seems more willing to embrace Goto as a true victim than Yukawa. These […]
Read more27. May 2014
Report from the streets of Bangkok
democracy, Elections, government, InFocus, political crisis, political parties, social activism, Thailand
For safety reasons I am omitting my name from this account. My apologies. I was in my house, when I heard. A friend messaged me, urging me to turn on the television, and so I did. All channels showed the same thing: Thailand’s General Prayuth Chan-ocha declared a total takeover of the country, Thailand was […]
Read more8. May 2014
The Creeping Coup
democracy, government, InFocus, political crisis, political parties, Thailand
Thailand has an impressive track-record in the department of political coups. There has, in the country’s democratic history (since 1932) been 18 more or less successful coups in Thailand. For this reason, whenever there is political instability, Thai media and followers of Thai politics very quickly start using the word “coup”. Will there be a […]
Read more24. Feb 2014
Being a tourist in Myanmar
Burma, development, InFocus, politics, regional relations
By Kristina Jönsson, Associate Professor Department of Political Science, Lund University The political changes currently seen in Myanmar (former Burma) were for most observers unthinkable only a few years ago. I am not a specialist on Burmese politics, but have over the years followed the developments in the country from a regional perspective in relation […]
Read more22. Jan 2014
Farming is Ugly: Reform, Friction and Bishan Commune
China, culture, development, InFocus, politics, Rural development, Tourism
From 2014, Anhui Province will pilot a reform of the residential land market in China, thus integrating rural Anhui in the national housing market. On the opposite note, artist and activist Ou Ning has proposed the Bishan time money currency, intending to establish an alternative economic circuit in Bishan Village. Bishan Village, Yi […]
Read more9. Dec 2013
The dice that always land on red
corruption, democracy, government, InFocus, political prties, politics, Thailand
About a week ago, Thailand’s capital Bangkok, saw the largest demonstrations since the political turmoil that gripped the country in 2010. Back then, supporters of Thailand’s exiled former Premier, Thaksin Shinawatra, took the streets. That didn’t end well – when the smoke cleared after the demonstrations, 92 people had lost their lives and over 1000 […]
Read more4. Dec 2013
Developing Vietnam with whom?
development, economy, InFocus, Market economy, socialism, Vietnam
Restoration 2.0 for the Resurgence of Modern Vietnam By Mia Ji Sørensen ”Wouldn’t you define Vietnam as a middle-income country?” I was asked this rhetorical question last week. Despite its emerging economy status, with a growth rate of approximately 7 per cent during the past two decades, it is still one of the poorest […]
Read more9. Aug 2013
On Testimonial Therapy & the Life Project
cambodia, conflict studies, Human rights, InFocus, Therapy, Trauma, Vietnam
INTERVIEW What testimonial therapy does is try & bring private suffering into public & political spheres. Inger Agger (IA) is a psychologist, currently working with the Danish Institution Against Torture,(DIGNITY) and the Nordic Institute of Asian Studies. She visited Hong Kong in early March to conduct a workshop on Testimonial Therapy, which is her […]
Read more18. Jun 2013
Unearthing the Past: From Independent Filmmaking to Social Change
China, cultural studies, documentaries, film, InFocus, media, migrant workers, social activism, village elections
Wu Wenguang, considered the father of independent Chinese documentary film, has since 2005 slowly but surely been handing over the camera to people on the margins and to younger generations of Chinese documentary filmmaking. In 2010 Wu and Caochangdi Workstation initiated the Folk Memory Documentary Project, where young filmmakers go to the countryside to gather […]
Read more7. Jun 2013
How to Win Elections in Indonesia?
Elections, Indonesia, InFocus
Insights from the Campaigns for Jakarta Governor 2012 This online exhibition shows photographs, videos and other material from the 2012 election campaigns for the Governor’s office in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia. It covers the two main pairs of candidates in the field: incumbent Governor Fauzi Bowo (Foke) and his running mate Nachrowi Ramli (Nara) […]
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