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24. 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 more29. Apr 2013
Japanese politics at the crossroads
government, InFocus, Japan, political parties, politics
At the time of writing, there is every sign that Japanese politics is at an historical crossroads. In December 2012 the Japanese electorate voted the conservative Liberal Democratic Party back to power after a three-year break from 2009. Before then, the LDP had governed the country almost uninterruptedly since the onset of the Cold War. […]
Read more16. Apr 2013
Who can meet the expectations of the majority?
Elections, government, InFocus, Malaysia, political parties, politics
Malaysia’s thirteenth general elections (GE13) will be a battle of the coalitions, pitting the world’s most successful ruling coalition – the 13 party Barisan Nasional (BN/National Front) against the 4 year old, three party Pakatan Rakyat (PR/People’s Pact/People’s Alliance). It is not easy to categorise the two opposing coalitions and its members as they […]
Read more21. Dec 2012
Myanmar – a country opening up?
Burma, democracy, development, Field work, Human rights, InFocus, Myanmar, politics
After 50 years of isolation Myanmar, formerly named Burma, is finally opening up to the outside world. According to the media the country is now welcoming tourists, foreign investment and development aid. But exactly what does the picture of openness look like in reality? Photo taken in a small village in the Ayeyarwaddy Delta: […]
Read more2. Nov 2012
Slaget om Kinas framtida ledarskap av Johan Lagerkvist
China, Elections, government, InFocus, politics
Med början den 8 november ska det kinesiska kommunistpartiet hålla sin 18:e nationella partikongress. En hel värld som har blivit samberoende med Kinas ekonomi kommer att påverkas av det förestående maktskiftet. Omgivningen svävar dock i ovisshet om den nya politbyråns sammansättning och framtida politik, i en atmosfär där datum för kongressen offentliggjordes först den 28 […]
Read more29. Oct 2012
Xi Jinping: My road into politics
China, government, InFocus, politics
An interview from 2000 with China’s Vice President Xi Jinping Translated into Western language for the first time At the 18th Congress of the Communist Party of China to be held in November 2012, China’s Vice President Xi Jinping is expected to be elected as the new Secretary General of the party. In August 2000, […]
Read more15. Oct 2012
Mo Yan på tryggt avstånd från politiken av Johan Lagerkvist
China, culture, democracy, government, Human rights, InFocus, International relations, literature, politics
Svenska Akademiens beslut att 2012 års Nobelpris i litteratur går till den kinesiske författaren Mo Yan är ett val som får enorm uppmärksamhet i Kina. Det är svårt att överskatta Nobelprisernas betydelse i ett land och en kultur där dessa utmärkelser – i synnerhet de naturvetenskapliga – varit stora nyheter alltsedan reformpolitiken inleddes 1978. I en […]
Read more3. Oct 2012
What happened to political reform in the second term of China’s Hu Jintao-Wen Jiabao administration?
China, democracy, government, InFocus, politics
In a recent blog-article by Deng Yuwen the outgoing leadership of Hu-Wen was given its score-card, titled “Ten grave problems”. Number ten was the problem of lack of political reform, after the original promising start. While we are waiting for the change of leadership to come in the 18.Party Congress in November, let us look […]
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