===================================== MONASH ASIA INSTITUTE BULLETIN [6/2008] [4 August 2008] ===================================== In this bulletin 1. CSEAS Seminar: The Rise of Islamism in Regional Indonesia 2. CSEAS Seminar: Transborder fisheries and the limits of coastal governance 3. Seminar on Muhammadiyah 4. CSEAS Seminar: Death on Ambon 5. CSEAS Seminar: A natural history of disturbance in the dry forests of Southeast Asia 6. Film: ‘Bukit Kepong’ 7. CSEAS Seminar: Road safety in developing Asia 8. Conference: The Chinese & Italian Communities in Prato 9. Performance: Melbourne Philharmonic Chinese Orchestra 10. Panel Discussion: The New Rich in China 11. Festival of refugees 12. Multicultural Arts Victoria’s 25th Anniversary 13. Website of the month: EurasiaNet ===================================== Monash Asia Institute and Monash University News and Events ===================================== Item 1. Centre of Southeast Asian Studies Seminar Thursday 7 August 2008, 11-12.30pm Room SG02, Manton Rooms, Ground Floor, Building 11 (Menzies), Monash University Clayton campus ‘In Search of a New Identity: The Rise of Islamism in Regional Indonesia’ Minako Sakai, Senior Lecturer, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of New South Wales at ADFA campus Details: http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/mai/cseas/seminars/seminar08.php Enquiries: Dr Jemma Purdey, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Centre of Southeast Asian Studies, Monash University, Jemma.Purdey@adm.monash.edu.au ----------------------- Item 2. Centre of Southeast Asian Studies Seminar Thursday 14 August 2008, 11-12.30pm Room SG02, Manton Rooms, Ground Floor, Building 11 (Menzies), Monash University Clayton campus ‘Transborder fisheries and the limits of coastal governance’ Leontine Visser, Professor and Chair of Rural Development Studies, Wageningen University, The Netherlands Details: http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/mai/cseas/seminars/seminar08.php Enquiries: Dr Jemma Purdey, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Centre of Southeast Asian Studies, Monash University, Jemma.Purdey@adm.monash.edu.au ----------------------- Item 3. Seminar Hosted by Monash Asia Institute and Centre of Southeast Asian Studies Wednesday 20 August 2008, 3.30pm Room HB39, H Building, Monash University Caulfield campus "Muhammadiyah in contemporary West Java: The need for revitalisation" A lecture and discussion by Prof. Dr. Dadang Kahmad, Head of Muhammadiyah for West Java Province. The Monash Asia Institute and the Centre of Southeast Asian Studies are pleased to host a presentation by West Java’s pre-eminent intellectual in the field of religion and society, Prof. Dr. Kahmad. Professor Kahmad is the head of Muhammadiyah, Indonesia’s progressive mass social movement, for the West Java province (population +/- 30 million). He also holds a chair in the sociology of religion at the State Islamic University in Bandung, West Java. With his experience and professional background, Prof. Dr. Kahmad is well placed to give valuable insight about the challenges currently facing Muhammadiyah. Professor Kahmad sees a need for a revitalisation of Muhammadiyah as a result of three developments that have harmed the organisation’s ability to act as a leader in contemporary Indonesia. The first is the inroads made into its constituency by the PKS party. The second is the challenge posed by the fragmentation of the community and the rise of aliran sesat (deviant groups). The third development is the loss of focus and alienation of the grassroots following resulting from involvement by Muhammadiyah members in party politics. Professor Kahmad will discuss ways in which Muhammadiyah can approach these developments, and will answer questions from participants after his presentation. Enquiries: Dr Julian Millie, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Centre of Southeast Asian Studies, Monash University, julian.millie@arts.monash.edu.au ---------------------- Item 4. Centre of Southeast Asian Studies Seminar Thursday 21 August 2008, 11-12.30pm Room SG02, Manton Rooms, Ground Floor, Building 11 (Menzies), Monash University Clayton campus ‘Death on Ambon’ David Walker, Professor, Australian Studies, Deakin University Details: http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/mai/cseas/seminars/seminar08.php Enquiries: Dr Jemma Purdey, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Centre of Southeast Asian Studies, Monash University, Jemma.Purdey@adm.monash.edu.au ----------------------- Item 5. Centre of Southeast Asian Studies Seminar Thursday 28 August 2008, 11-12.30pm Room SG02, Manton Rooms, Ground Floor, Building 11 (Menzies), Monash University Clayton campus ‘A natural history of disturbance in the dry forests of Southeast Asia’ Patrick Baker, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Monash University Details: http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/mai/cseas/seminars/seminar08.php Enquiries: Dr Jemma Purdey, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Centre of Southeast Asian Studies, Monash University, Jemma.Purdey@adm.monash.edu.au ----------------------- Item 6. ‘Bukit Kepong’ (1981, Jin Shamsuddin) Friday 29 August 2008, 6.30pm Link Theatre, S Building Monash University Caulfield Campus As Malaysia celebrates the 51st anniversary of independence, the Centre for Malaysian Studies, Monash Asia Institute invites you to a special free screening of Tan Sri Jin Shamsuddin’s 1981 classic film ‘Bukit Kepong’ on Friday, 29 August. Set in Malaya’s “Emergency” of the 1950s, ‘Bukit Kepong’ chronicles a particularly bloody incident at a rural police station in Johor and the great loss of life resulting from heavy fighting between communist insurgents, security forces and the villagers in the crossfire. Although Malaya’s/Malaysia’s one-dimensional narrative of its anti-communist struggle has become questioned in recent times, ‘Bukit Kepong’ remains one of the best-known cinematographic renditions of the country’s founding myth. FREE ADMISSION ------------------------- Item 7. Centre of Southeast Asian Studies Seminar Thursday 4 September 2008, 11-12.30pm Room SG02, Manton Rooms, Ground Floor, Building 11 (Menzies), Monash University Clayton campus ‘Road safety in developing Asia’ Matt Ericson, PhD candidate, Monash University Accident Research Centre Details: http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/mai/cseas/seminars/seminar08.php Enquiries: Dr Jemma Purdey, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Centre of Southeast Asian Studies, Monash University, Jemma.Purdey@adm.monash.edu.au ----------------------- Item 8. Conference 27 October 2008 Monash Prato, Italy 'Social Inclusion: The Chinese & Italian Communities in Prato‘ A one-day academic conference organised by Monash University professors Russell Smyth from the Business and Economics faculty, Graeme Johanson, director, Centre for Community Networking Research, and Annamaria Pagliaro, director, Monash Prato will be held on 27th October, 2008. The workshop will be an opportunity to hear and discuss research findings from the groundbreaking study of the Chinese communities in Prato. The project examined the work choices, image and perceptions in the media and in the community, uptake of new communication options, issues of identity and integration and other issues affecting the expatriate Chinese community in Prato. This workshop will be of great interest to academics, policy-makers and NGO representatives from Italy, China and Australia. Those attending ‘Integration Futures’ http://www.monash.edu.au/cmo/immigrationfutures/index.html are encouraged to attend this workshop as a localised 'case study' on cohesion and integration. For further details on the conference, contact Russell Smyth on 9903 2134 Email: Russell.Smyth@BusEco.monash.edu.au or Graeme Johanson on 9903 2414 E mail: Graeme Johanson@infotech.monash.edu.au ===================================== Other News and Events ===================================== Item 9. Melbourne Philharmonic Chinese Orchestra – Sound of Music Lovers Wednesday 13 August 2008, 7.30pm Carrillo Gantner Theatre – Basement, Sidney Myer Asia Centre, The University of Melbourne Join the Melbourne Philharmonic Chinese Orchestra as it performs an eclectic repertoire of traditional and contemporary Chinese and Western music on traditional Chinese instruments. This 30-piece orchestra is believed to be the only Chinese orchestra in the world whose performers are primarily of non-Chinese backgrounds. The Melbourne Philharmonic Chinese Orchestra with its many young talented performers aims to enrich Melbourne’s rich musical tapestry by reviving classic Chinese songs and giving standard scores a special flavour on traditional Chinese instruments. This unique orchestra is led by Mr Pangeng Shen, former Associate Professor of Music at Nanjing University. ENTRY: Free. RSVP: Essential. Please email events@asialink.unimelb.edu.au with ‘Chinese Orchestra’ in the subject line. ---------------------- Item 10. Panel Discussion on “The New Rich in China” Thursday 14 August 2008, 6.30pm Carrillo Gantner Theatre, Sidney Myer Asia Center, The University of Melbourne Join David Goodman, Louise Edwards, Yingjie Guo and Ivan Cucco for the Melbourne launch of “The New Rich in China: Future Rulers, Present Lives”. This intriguing new book explores the hierarchies of wealth, status and power of China’s New Rich, their place within the current class structure and the chasm created in an ostensibly communist society. As China extends its influence in the region, the New Rich link China to the world economy and influence China and Australia’s long-term futures. “The New Rich” is a project edited by Professor David Goodman, one of Australia’s leading China-watchers and head of Contemporary China Studies at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). Professor Louise Edwards is Director of UTS’ China Research Centre and Convenor of the Australian Research Council’s Asia Pacific Future Research Network. Professor Edwards’ current research explores women in politics in China and gendered cultures of war in China. Dr Yingjie Guo is a Senior Lecturer in Chinese Language and Culture at UTS. He is interested in nationalism and the politics of national identity in the PRC since 1989. Ivan Cucco is a PhD candidate working on his doctoral research on new agricultural cooperatives in China. This event is presented by UTS: China Research Centre and Asialink. ENTRY: Free of Charge RSVP: To reserve a seat, please send an email to: events@asialink.unimelb.edu.au with “The New Rich” in the subject line. ----------------------- Item 11. Festival of refugees Organised by the Victorian Council of Churches in partnership with the City of Whitehorse Sunday 31 August 2008, 3:00pm - 7:00pm followed by Middle Eastern and West African Dinner Box Hill Town Hall, 1022 Whitehorse Rd, Box Hill A celebration of the contributions of the refugees in Australia through music, dance, story and food. The programme will be preceded by a welcome and acknowledgement of the traditional people of the land by Aboriginal Elder Reg Blow Performances from Sudan, Burma, Vietnam, DR Congo, West Papua and more… Guest appearance: Kavisha Mazzella Admissions: $10.00; donations appreciated Bookings advisable; by 25 August 2008 Enquiries: Visier or Glenys (Tel: 9650 4511 vcc@vcc.org.au) Leonie Boyle (Tel: 9262 6101 leonie.boyle@whitehorse.vic.gov.au) ----------------------- Item 12. Multicultural Arts Victoria’s 25th Anniversary Multicultural Arts Victoria presents MULTICULTURAL ARTS VICTORIA 25th BIRTHDAY - Melbourne International Arts Festival Opening (the Birthday Party) Thursday 9 October 2008, from 6.00pm Federation Square (free entry) The year 2008 marks two significant occasions, the 25th anniversary of the unique cultural organisation Multicultural Arts Victoria (MAV) and the opening of 23rd Melbourne International Arts Festival. As part of the 25th anniversary, Multicultural Arts Victoria and the Melbourne International Arts Festival have combined forces to present, a massive free concert at Federation Square on Thursday October 9th from 6pm. Details: http://www.multiculturalarts.com.au/ Proudly supported by the Victorian Multicultural Commission (VMC). Enquiries: Multicultural Arts Victoria, eo@multiculturalarts.com.au, Tel: (03) 9417 6777 ----------------------- Item 13. Website of the month: EurasiaNet http://eurasianet.org/ EurasiaNet provides information and analysis about political, economic, environmental and social developments in the countries of Central Asia and the Caucasus, as well as in Russia, the Middle East, and Southwest Asia. The website also offers additional features, including newsmaker interviews and book reviews. Based in New York, EurasiaNet advocates open and informed discussion of issues that concern countries in the region. =========================================================== The Monash Asia Institute Newsletter incorporates news items from the six research centres of the Monash Asia Institute, partner organisations and other groups working to promote Asian Studies in Australia. For further information about the Monash Asia Institute and this newsletter: http://www.monash.edu.au/mai/ To unsubscribe, please send an email to: Monash-Asia-Institute Enquiries ===========================================================