Here is the list of academic articles published in 1st Week of March:
LIM, Hank and YAMADA, Yasuhiro ed.. Myanmar's Integration with Global Economy: Outlook and Opportunities (BRC (Bangkok Research Center) Research Report)
http://www.ide.go.jp/English/Publish/Download/Brc/13.html
This is the second phase of BRC Report entitled “Myanmar’s Integration with Global Economy: Outlook and Opportunities” To report and analyse further Myanmar’s integration with global economy, BRC commissioned eight chapters written by well-known regional scholars who are very familiar with updated development in Myanmar, to assess the outlook and opportunities facing Myanmar of the second phase of its strategy. What is the prospect for Myanmar in developing export-driven growth strategy after the lifting of sanctions by major Western countries? Would foreign direct investment (FDI) come to Myanmar following the introduction of new Foreign Investment Law to generate a much needed capital and technology to stimulate economic growth and employment? Equally important are the analyses of high-valued food production and supply chains and the role of Myanmar business conglomerates in the context of economic, trade, and investment liberalization. Would FDI and competition from multilateral companies in Myanmar domestic economy create the necessary economic benefits to generate economic competition and efficiency necessary to accelerate the rate of economic development and employment? Chapters are intended to provide clear explanations and analyses of various interrelated changes that may have perceptible implications to the second phase of Myanmar economic reform. A chapter on transition from informal to formal foreign exchange transactions was analysed based on evidence from export firm survey data. It is a bold attempt to provide clear implications to Myanmar’s fragile financial and banking sector as a result of liberalization and deregulation of foreign trade and stabilization and the measured de-regulation of foreign exchange market. Two chapters were written on Myanmar’s changing external political and economic relations with China and India which would have important implications to the process of Myanmar’s economic reforms and development.
Fan, Hongwei 2014. China Adapts to New Myanmar Realities. ISEAS Perspective 2014 (#12), http://www.iseas.edu.sg/documents/publication/ISEAS_Perspective_2014_12-China_Adapts_to_New_Myanmar_Realities.pdf
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- China is adjusting its Myanmar policy in response to Myanmar’s changing domestic political landscape and foreign policy, particularly given that Naypyitaw is already distancing itself from Beijing.
- Ever since China’s new ambassador to Myanmar Yang Houlan took office, he has been actively engaging with local media, civil society, opposition leaders, activists and government officials in Myanmar. It can be argued that Yang is carrying out Beijing’s new approach in improving relations with all sides in Myanmar and correcting “misunderstandings” about China’s economic interests.
- Chinese enterprises in Myanmar are also launching a charm offensive, aiming to improve its image and earn goodwill and trust from the local people. In addition, they have been encouraged to embrace corporate social responsibility practices.
- China is also shifting its previous policy of pursuing relations strictly at an inter-governmental level, and has launched massive people’s diplomatic campaigns in Myanmar.
Lee, John. 2014. Sino-Malaysia Trade Ties Remain Strong But Complex. ISEAS Perspective 2014 (#13), http://www.iseas.edu.sg/documents/publication/ISEAS_Perspective_2014_13_Sino-Malaysia_Trade_Ties_Remain_Strong_But_Complex.pdf
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- Malaysia’s export-orientated and open economy remains tied to the enormous consumer markets in North America and the European Union, and is less reliant on the Chinese consumer than is often believed.
- The complex and integrated nature of the ASEAN-6 and East Asian economies means that translating bilateral economic interactions with one country, into strategic leverage over that country is extremely difficult if not impossible.
- While China’s economic rise and integration with the other ASEAN+3 economies have brought benefits to the region as a whole, weaknesses in the Malaysian economy combined with China’s move up the manufacturing value-chain means that there are strong elements of competition between the two economies.
- Despite China’s emergence as Malaysia’s largest trading partner, the two economies are not intrinsically more tied to each other than to other major regional economies. This is clear from the extraordinarily low inward and outward FDI numbers between Malaysia and China as compared to Malaysia’s investment relationship with a number of other regional and global economies.
Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. 2014. ISEAS Monitor. No.2 (2004), http://www.iseas.edu.sg/documents/publication/Issue2v2.pdf
LESHKOWICH, ANN. "Standardized forms of Vietnamese selfhood: An ethnographic genealogy of documentation." American Ethnologist 41, no. 1 (2014): 143-162.
DOI: 10.1111/amet.12065
Abstract
Three standardized forms used to write the self in Vietnam structure ways of thinking about the relationship between the individual, family, and state; legitimize technical expertise and tools of self-improvement; and promote specific configurations of political economy. Two of the forms (the lý li{dot below}ch autobiographical statement and the "Cultured Family" self-assessment checklist) are closely associated with socialist practices. The third (social work case file) is best classified as neoliberal. Tracing the genealogy of these forms and their ethnographic contexts reveals, however, underlying continuities in logics of individual assessment and faith in the application of technical expertise to achieve desired development outcomes. It also demonstrates that the ostensibly more coercive socialist technologies of documentation have provided narrative frameworks that enable individuals to represent themselves in other contexts, whereas the social work case file that aims to empower individuals may ultimately render them passive subjects of transnational expertise. © 2014 by the American Anthropological Association.
Bui, Anh Tuan, Mardi Dungey, Cuong Viet Nguyen, and Thu Phuong Pham. "The impact of natural disasters on household income, expenditure, poverty and inequality: evidence from Vietnam." Applied Economics 46, no. 15 (2014): 1751-1766.
DOI: 10.1080/00036846.2014.884706
Abstract
Natural disasters are expected exacerbate poverty and inequality, but little evidence exists to support the impact at household level. This article examines the effect of natural disasters on household income, expenditure, poverty and inequality using the Vietnam Household Living Standard Survey in 2008. The effects of a natural disaster on household income and expenditure, corrected for fixed effects and potential endogeneity bias, are estimated at 6.9% and 7.1% declines in Vietnamese household per capita income and expenditure, respectively. Natural disasters demonstrably worsen expenditure poverty and inequality in Vietnam, and thus should be considered as a factor in designing poverty alleviation policies. © 2014 © 2014 Taylor & Francis.
Hobart, Mark. 2014. "When is Indonesia?" Asian Journal of Social Science no. 41 (5):510-529.
DOI: 10.1163/15685314-12341315
Abstract
This paper argues that existing approaches to Indonesian media hypostatise what may be more imaginatively understood as a rapidly changing assemblage of arguments and practices. A series of intellectual manoeuvres creates the appearance of a relatively stable, knowable and measurable system. These include confusion over the precise object of study, omission of anything that does not fit the theory and rigid techniques of closure that prevent these weaknesses being evident. Critiques of Eurocentrism raise broader questions of processes of power/knowledge by which the discourse of Indonesians is culturally translated into the hegemonic language of an élite of experts, producers and politicians. The paper proposes instead to approach Indonesian media as assemblages of practices of production, distribution, engagement and use by different people in different situations. Such practices constitute performances, which may be differently articulated by different participants on different occasions. The paper concludes by rethinking key genres of Indonesian television broadcasting as performances. Indonesia emerges less as a stable, coherent entity than as the shifting object of antagonistic representations. © Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2014.
Bakhtiar, Syahrial. "Fundamental Motor Skill among 6-Year-Old Children in Padang, West Sumatera, Indonesia." Asian Social Science 10, no. 5 (2014): p155.
DOI: 10.5539/ass.v10n5p155
Abstract
This study examined 6 year-old children's fundamental motor skills. Participants were 67 first grade elementary students in rural and urban area in Padang, West Sumatera, Indonesia. All participants were evaluated with the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 (TGMD-2) (Ulrich, 2000). Boys were slightly higher in both locomotor and manipulative skills, yet there were no gender differences for both skills. Children in the average fundamental motor skills group is more in the rural area as compared to urban areas. Urban area children with advance fundamental skills development is lower than the numbers with average fundamental motor skills development. It is suggested that a larger scale of study should be conducted to get a baseline data about Indonesian children motor proficiency.
Ali, Isahaque, and Zulkarnain A. Hatta. "Zakat as a Poverty Reduction Mechanism Among the Muslim Community: Case Study of Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Indonesia." Asian Social Work and Policy Review (2014).
DOI: 10.1111/aswp.12025
Abstract
Poverty reduction remains the most important challenge for policy makers in Islamic communities. The World Bank (2010: Poverty profile in Muslim world, from http://www.worldbank.org) estimates that approximately 3 billion people are living in poverty and 46 million more people will come under the income level of US$1.25 a day due to the recent global economic meltdown and slow economic growth rates. Thirty-five percent of these people are Muslims from Islamic countries. The global Muslim community has an essential role to play in addressing the injustice of global poverty through zakat. Zakat is an Islamic faith-based institution and is being underutilized for poverty reduction in many of these poor Muslim countries. Since zakat constitutes one of the pillars of Islam, it is logical to assume that policy makers among Muslims should pay serious attention to it. However, that is not the case for many Muslim countries and this paper will show that not all Muslim countries are seriously applying zakat in its strategy of combating poverty. This paper will specifically examine the role and effect of zakat in three Muslim countries (Bangladesh, Malaysia and Indonesia) providing the facts of countries that practise zakat in comparison with those that do not. © 2014 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.
Yuen, Celeste Y M., and AlanC K. Cheung. 2014. "School engagement and parental involvement: the case of cross-border students in Singapore." The Australian Educational Researcher no. 41 (1):89-107
DOI: 10.1007/s13384-013-0124-x
Abstract
The primary purpose of this paper is to examine the mutual relationship between school engagement of cross-border students (CBS) from Malaysia in Singapore and parental involvement in education. Focus-group interviews were conducted with school personnel, CBS and their non-local counterparts to provide a comprehensive understanding of the situation. The cross-border student group comprises diverse ethnicity and most of them are highly competitive and successful in engaging in the whole educational selection process from the beginning to their exit point. This paper argues that education for the CBS represents both a unique socio-cultural phenomenon in the two Asian societies and a manifestation of a widely shared pragmatic value of educational returns. The findings reveal that the nature of CBS engagement with schools is characterized by voluntary assimilation and is rewarded by the meritocratic system of Singapore. © 2013 The Australian Association for Research in Education, Inc.
Lwin, Khin Maung, Phaik Yeong Cheah, Phaik Kin Cheah, Nicholas J. White, Nicholas P. Day, Francois Nosten, and Michael Parker. "Motivations and perceptions of community advisory boards in the ethics of medical research: the case of the Thai-Myanmar border." BMC medical ethics 15, no. 1 (2014): 12.
DOI: 10.1186/1472-6939-15-12
Abstract
Background: Community engagement is increasingly promoted as a marker of good, ethical practice in the context of international collaborative research in low-income countries. There is, however, no widely agreed definition of community engagement or of approaches adopted. Justifications given for its use also vary. Community engagement is, for example, variously seen to be of value in: the development of more effective and appropriate consent processes; improved understanding of the aims and forms of research; higher recruitment rates; the identification of important ethical issues; the building of better relationships between the community and researchers; the obtaining of community permission to approach potential research participants; and, the provision of better health care. Despite these diverse and potentially competing claims made for the importance of community engagement, there is very little published evidence on effective models of engagement or their evaluation. Methods. In this paper, drawing upon interviews with the members of a Community Advisory Board on the Thai-Myanmar border, we describe and critically reflect upon an approach to community engagement which was developed in the context of international collaborative research in the border region. Results and conclusions. Drawing on our analysis, we identify a number of considerations relevant to the development of an approach to evaluating community engagement in this complex research setting. The paper also identifies a range of important ways in which the Community Advisory Board is in practice understood by its members (and perhaps by community members beyond this) to have morally significant roles and responsibilities beyond those usually associated with the successful and appropriate conduct of research. © 2014 Maung Lwin et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.
Portela, Clara, and Jan Orbie. "Sanctions under the EU Generalised System of Preferences and foreign policy: coherence by accident?." Contemporary Politics 20, no. 1 (2014): 63-76.
DOI: 10.1080/13569775.2014.881605
Abstract
This article investigates the relationship between the European Union's withdrawal of trade benefits for developing countries under the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) and its sanctions under the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). Our expectation is that GSP withdrawals and CFSP sanctions will not cohere. However, our research reveals that GSP suspension has been coherent with CFSP sanctions when the latter exist prior to the decision-making process on GSP sanctions and when the International Labour Organisation has set up a Commission of Inquiry condemning the country, as with Myanmar/Burma and Belarus. The presence of separate institutional frameworks explains the GSP suspension towards Sri Lanka in the absence of CFSP sanctions. © 2014 © 2014 Taylor & Francis.
Heron, Tony. "Trading in development: norms and institutions in the making/unmaking of European Union–African, Caribbean and Pacific trade and development cooperation." Contemporary Politics 20, no. 1 (2014): 10-22.
DOI: 10.1080/13569775.2014.881601
Abstract
This paper offers a contribution to recent debates on European Union (EU) external trade and development policy, with a specific focus on the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group of countries. The question asked is why the EU encountered such difficulties in the attempt to translate its normative preferences for freer trade and closer economic integration into a series of binding agreements? Drawing on both economic constructivist and historical institutionalist insights, it is argued that the case for reform initially rested on a strong convergence between institutions and ideas, enabling the EU to discursively present desired policy reforms as necessary to satisfy World Trade Organisation trade rules. However, in due course, the institutional dynamics behind the latter began to diverge from the EU's policy preferences and blunt its norm-based argument - thus creating the space for transnational coalitions to, first, question and, ultimately, undermine aspects the EU's trade and development prospectus for the ACP. © 2014 Taylor & Francis.
Bello, Walden. "Inconvenient truths: A public intellectual’s pursuit of truth, justice and power." Current Sociology (2014): 0011392113515568.
DOI: 10.1177/0011392113515568
Abstract
Public sociology involves challenging received wisdoms. Thus, it requires unusual fortitude, as these wisdoms are embedded in common sense, itself backed up by interests and sometimes force. To change what is taken to be common sense, such as neoliberal orthodoxy, therefore, can be accomplished most effectively through a social movement. To challenge conventional wisdom requires the discovery of truth and that can call for unorthodox methods, such as breaking into powerful agencies that hold official secrets. To challenge deeply held truths, whether they are deeply held by the powerful or the weak, can earn one long-lasting hostility, such as when I investigated the killings by the Philippine Communist Party. This is because there is an inherent and inescapable conflict between truth and power that will never disappear. © The Author(s) 2014.
Dhiaulhaq, Ahmad, David Gritten, Toon De Bruyn, Yurdi Yasmi, Ahmad Zazali, and Mangarah Silalahi. 2014. "Transforming conflict in plantations through mediation: Lessons and experiences from Sumatera, Indonesia." Forest Policy and Economics no. 41 (0):22-30.
DOI: 10.1016/j.forpol.2014.01.003
Abstract
The further expansion of plantations in Indonesia is expected to exacerbate existing and create new conflicts over land and forest resources which can have detrimental impacts on local communities, plantation companies and government. Mediation facilitated by a third-party is widely considered an effective method in transforming conflict over natural resources. This study analyses the application of mediation in transforming two conflicts in Sumatra, Indonesia involving oil palm and pulpwood plantations. Our findings suggest that mediation has played a crucial role in transforming the two conflicts, particularly in reducing conflict intensity, reaching an agreement and improving relationships between the conflicting parties. In helping to address the conflict, the mediators played important roles including facilitator, capacity developer, advisor and motivator for the parties. The paper suggests that the plantation projects in Indonesia and beyond must include carefully devised conflict transformation mechanisms, including mediation, as an integral part of their management. Additionally improvement of conflict transformation capability among mediators and plantation stakeholders through targeted training programmes on conflict transformation is also needed. The paper also suggests promotion of mediation as an alternative mechanism to the judicial system in transforming plantation conflicts. © 2014 Elsevier B.V.
Bakar, Abu, Siti Hajar, Richard Weatherley, Noralina Omar, Fatimah Abdullah, Mohamad Aun, and Nur Saadah. "Projecting social support needs of informal caregivers in Malaysia." Health & social care in the community (2013).
DOI: 10.1111/hsc.12070
Abstract
This article presents the findings of a self-report study of the consequences of being an informal caregiver in Malaysia. The aim of this exploratory study was to examine Malaysian efforts in assisting informal caregivers, based on an analysis of the issues and concerns raised by the caregivers themselves. Data were obtained from a cross-sectional survey of informal caregivers in 2009. This sample comprised parents, spouses and/or adult siblings, and adult children, caring for their children, spouses or siblings and parents who were chronically ill and/or had a disability. Of 300 prospective participants, only 175 could be located (58%), but all those contacted agreed to participate. Respondents were randomly selected and interviewed using a structured questionnaire to identify the emotional, financial, social and physical issues consequent upon being a caregiver. Most respondents reported that their care-giving responsibilities had impacted their emotional, financial, social and/or physical well-being. Inadequate and/or uncertain income was by far the greatest concern followed in descending order by social, physical and emotional consequences. The one-way analysis of variance showed significant differences among the three categories of caregivers with respect to physical and emotional consequences. The findings show that care-giving has detrimental effects on the lives of informal caregivers, and that they are in significant need of social support to help them deal with care-giving tasks and responsibilities. Based on the findings, an integrated social support programme is proposed, tailored to the needs of informal caregivers. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Gerber, Jonathan, Sarah Turner, and B. Lynne Milgram. "Food Provisioning and Wholesale Agricultural Commodity Chains in Northern Vietnam." Human Organization 73, no. 1 (2014): 50-61.
http://sfaa.metapress.com/content/x2676830041m5072/
Abstract
Recent research examining the functioning of agricultural wholesale markets in the Global South tends to aim at understanding how these connect co Mmodity chains between Global South suppliers and Global North consumers (often via large chain supermarkets), identifying groups of winners and losers en route. Often, the everyday lived experiences of individual actors along these chains, and how they maintain a livelihood within these vast networks, is o Mitted in favor of macro-level interpretations. Focusing on agricultural food provisioning in Hanoi, Vietnam's capital city, we analyze the co Mplex negotiations among numerous actors operating both local co Mmodity chains as well as regional South-South networks through the city's Cho Long Biěn wholesale market. These negotiations and trade relations rely on intricate networks, ties, and social capital. In present day socialist Vietnam, long-standing agricultural co Mmodity chain actors are not necessarily losing out to new players such as supermarkets as one Might expect, nor is their trade declining due to recent food safety concerns. Instead, these actors constantly renegotiate their positions along dynamic networks to maintain viable livelihoods.
Hamilton, Tomas, and Michael Ramsden. 2014. "The Politicisation of Hybrid Courts: Observations from the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia." International Criminal Law Review no. 14 (1):115-147
DOI: 10.1163/15718123-01402005
Abstract
The use of 'hybrid' tribunals as a means to secure accountability for international crimes seeks to combine national ownership over the trials whilst providing a framework for the inclusion of international standards and personnel in the proceedings. The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) represents one such hybrid experiment. Yet the ECCC has faced recurring allegations of political interference. These allegations are substantial and even if not always verifiable at least create an appearance of impropriety. The failure of the ECCC and United Nations to adequately address these allegations derived from a hybrid model that failed to provide sufficient safeguards against interference. The international community agreed on a solution to secure accountability with awareness that the trials were likely to be politically tainted. As such, the experiment in Cambodia provides a cautionary tale for the future design of hybrid tribunals. © koninklijke brill nv, leiden, 2014.
Scott, Cynthia. 2012. "Sharing the divisions of the colonial past: an assessment of the Netherlands–Indonesia shared cultural heritage project, 2003–2006." International Journal of Heritage Studies no. 20 (2):181-195
DOI: 10.1080/13527258.2012.738239
Abstract
While recognised for advancing historical scholarship on collecting in the colonial Netherlands East Indies, the Netherlands-Indonesia Shared Cultural Heritage Project of 2003-2006 merits analysis in its own right as a heritage process. From the perspective of heritage studies theory, this article demonstrates how the project both illustrates and contradicts several influential conceptions of heritage. It also reveals that such heritage negotiations can benefit states dealing with the legacy of the colonial past in European museums, when they forgo competition in the interest of a workable consensus. However, the project also offers counterpoints and paradoxes connected to remembering and forgetting, between its orientation to the present and to the past, and in its relationship to the tangible and intangible heritage of Dutch colonialism. © 2012 Taylor & Francis.
Leong, Chan-Hoong. 2014. "Social markers of acculturation: A new research framework on intercultural adaptation." International Journal of Intercultural Relations no. 38:120-132.
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijintrel.2013.08.006
Abstract
The research examines the social construction of acculturation and naturalization from the perspectives of both native and immigrant citizens in Singapore. More specifically, what and by how much must immigrants do in order to be considered a full participating member in the adopted society? The convergence and divergence of viewpoints will illuminate the perceptual gaps between native and immigrant communities. In addition, the composite score of the markers will provide a measurement of social inclusiveness; it reflects the depth of psychological barriers imposed by the individual in preserving the distinct boundaries of citizenship. Multivariate analyzes showed that the two groups reacted differently to the challenges and benefits from immigration. Surprisingly, naturalized citizens were more sensitive to the impact of perceived immigrant threats and contribution even though they imposed fewer barriers to the new arrivals in becoming a part of the mainstream society. The definition of socio-economic confidence and how it may moderate acculturation attitude will also be discussed. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.
Susanti, Christina Esti. The antecedence of customer loyalty in traditional restaurants in East Java, Indonesia
International Journal of Process Management and Benchmarking, 4 (1) (2014) : pp. 22-35.
DOI: 10.1504/IJPMB.2014.059451
Abstract
This study aims at investigating the effect of product quality and service quality on customer loyalty through customer satisfaction. Data collection was conducted through purposive sampling of consumers to traditional restaurants in East Java. The research found that product quality and service quality has significant effect on customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction has a significant effect on brand loyalty. Customer satisfaction acts as a mediator between exogenous variables to consumer loyalty. The results indicate that exogenous variables significantly influencing on brand loyalty are product quality and service quality. Copyright © 2014 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.
Mohanty, Jayashree. 2014. "Attitudes Toward Adoption in Singapore." Journal of Family Issues no. 35 (5):705-728
DOI: 10.1177/0192513X13500962
Abstract
This study aimed to understand the factors that influence attitudes toward adoption in Singapore. Using a multistage, quota sampling method, 1,200 Singaporean citizens and permanent residents were interviewed. The results indicate that the majority of the respondents approved adoption as a family form. Logistic regression analysis showed that individual characteristics (women and income) and factors such as the importance of blood ties, adoption-related altruistic values, and familiarity with adoption were related to adoption approval. The factors that influenced intention to adopt were women, familiarity with adoption, and approval of adoption. Individuals who perceived the importance of blood ties in familial relationships and had concerns about the outcomes of adopted children (adjustment problems, behavioral problems, medical problems, etc.) were less likely to have considered adopting. The findings point to the need to increase awareness among the public and to promote adoption as a rewarding and responsible choice for family formation. © The Author(s) 2013.
Bulloch, Hannah. 2014. "Contending Developments: Local Notions Of Development On Siquijor Island, Philippines." Journal of International Development no. 26 (2):177-186.
DOI: 10.1002/jid.1818
Abstract
Post-development theorists have reminded us that 'development' is a cultural construct-a set of organising assumptions through which we order the world and understand our place in it. As such, notions of development are not singular but vary between different groups of people. This paper seeks to bring further nuance to these understandings. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork on Siquijor Island in the Philippines, it explores contending ideals of the good life-one based on material accumulation, the other on austerity-at once valued by most residents. It shows that notions of development vary not only between groups but that individuals can simultaneously hold multiple ideals of development. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Torm, Nina. 2014. "The Role Of Trade Unions In Vietnam: A Case Study Of Small And Medium Enterprises." Journal of International Development no. 26 (2):207-221.
DOI: 10.1002/jid.2881
Abstract
On the basis of matched employer-employee data from 2007 to 2009, this paper examines the union wage gap among small and medium non-state manufacturing enterprises in Vietnam. Controlling for both worker and firm characteristics, the results provide evidence that union members earn higher wages than non-members, and are more likely to receive social benefits. Within unionised firms, a substantial wage premium is revealed for workers employed in Southern firms, a finding which among other factors may be attributed to historical differences between the North and South of Vietnam. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
land, J., rgen, and Karsten Bechle. 2014. "Defending state-centric regionalism through mimicry and localisation: regional parliamentary bodies in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Mercosur." J Int Relat Dev no. 17 (1):61-88.
DOI: 10.1057/jird.2013.3
Abstract
The creation of parliamentary bodies for regional organisations such as Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) or Mercosur seems to be at odds with the intergovernmental logic on which these organisations rest. We approach this puzzle from the perspective of norm diffusion theory. In the article we argue that transnational legislative bodies in Southeast Asia and South America have been primarily established to retain the respective organisation's 'cognitive prior', which in both cases rests upon deeply entrenched corporatist norms and ideas. We test our theoretical claims by a comparative study on the emergence and evolution of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly and the Mercosur Parliament. Copyright © 2014 Macmillan Publishers Ltd.
Nguyen, Huong. "Buddhism-Based Exorcism and Spirit-Calling as a Form of Healing for Mental Problems: Stories from Vietnam." Journal of Religion & Spirituality in Social Work: Social Thought 33, no. 1 (2014): 33-48.
DOI: 10.1080/15426432.2014.873648
Abstract
With nearly 80% of Vietnamese people holding Buddhist beliefs in some form, Buddhism-based healing is popular in Vietnam. Coupled with cultural stigma against seeking formal mental health services, Vietnamese people with psychological needs frequently seek different forms of healing at Buddhist temples, including exorcism and spirit-calling. In this article, I present case vignettes of exorcism and spirit-calling that I documented during my ethnographic study in Vietnam. Based on these cases, I will discuss the healing impact of spiritual activities like Buddhism-based exorcism and spirit-calling for Vietnamese people and implications for social work in Vietnam and elsewhere. © 2014 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.
Ow, Rosaleen, and Nur Hilyah Bte Saparin. "Malay Muslim Worldviews: Some Thoughts for Social Work Practice in Singapore." Journal of Religion & Spirituality in Social Work: Social Thought 33, no. 1 (2014): 73-94.
DOI: 10.1080/15426432.2014.874261
Abstract
Singapore is a multicultural society with a population of about 5.1 million comprising mainly of people with Chinese, Malay, and Indian descent. This article focuses on a review of literature on the interface of religion and ethnic worldviews of the Malay-Muslim community in Singapore. In addition, it will utilize practice examples to show how these worldviews have implications for social work practice with the Malay-Muslim community particularly in the areas of health and family well-being. Help-seeking and the provision of help must acknowledge and use these worldviews as "strengths" in the delivery of social services. The article ends with an emphasis on the need for training in cultural competence for social workers in multicultural societies such as Singapore. © 2014 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.
Wogbe Agbola, Frank. 2014. "Modelling the impact of foreign direct investment and human capital on economic growth: empirical evidence from the Philippines." Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy no. 19 (2):272-289.
DOI: 10.1080/13547860.2014.880282
Abstract
This paper empirically investigates the impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) and human capital on economic growth in the Philippines. An economic growth model for the Philippines is specified and estimated by a canonical cointegrating technique and employing annual data spanning the period 1965-2010. Our empirical results indicate that FDI is an important vehicle for achieving economic growth in the Philippines, but only when there is sufficient absorptive capacity created by increased human capital and infrastructure development. The other key factors influencing Philippine economic growth are economic growth in its major trading partners, political climate and prevailing economic conditions within the economy. The relative size of government investment is found to crowd-out private investment, thus suggesting the need for government investment to be directed at human capital and infrastructure development as this has the potential to attract FDI and thus achieve sustained economic growth and development in the Philippines. © 2014 © 2014 Taylor & Francis.
Goto, Kenta, and Tamaki Endo. 2014. "Labor-intensive industries in middle-income countries: traps, challenges, and the local garment market in Thailand." Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy no. 19 (2):369-386.
DOI: 10.1080/13547860.2014.880283
Abstract
How can labor-intensive industries in middle-income countries avoid the 'middle-income trap' and evolve as dynamic industries? This article addresses this question by focusing on the local garment industry in Thailand. Thailand's garment industry became fully integrated into international production networks in the 1980s, and was once among the main drivers of its manufacturing-based export growth. However, with rising wages and labor shortages, there is strong need to upgrade and shift from labor-intensive assembly to higher value-added functions. In contrast to the export-oriented sector, the local garment markets are primarily served by small informal garment suppliers. Nevertheless, some of the suppliers undertake functions that are typically more knowledge intensive, including designing and marketing. In this context, this paper discusses what implications this local-based industry has in overcoming possible middle-income traps, and suggests that domestic oriented policies could play key roles. © 2014 © 2014 Taylor & Francis.
Menon, Jayant. 2013. "Growth without private investment: what happened in Malaysia and can it be fixed?" Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy no. 19 (2):247-271.
DOI: 10.1080/13547860.2013.820471
Abstract
Private investment in Malaysia has never fully recovered from the impact of the Asian Financial Crisis (AFC). Both domestic and foreign investment have remained lackluster post-AFC; while foreigners continue to shun Malaysia, it seems even domestic investors are fleeing as well, with Malaysia having become a net exporter of capital since 2005. Malaysia continues to grow but, without private investment, it is unlikely to break out of the middle-income trap. The crucial questions are: what happened and can it be fixed? We argue that the investment malaise can be attributed to two inter-related factors: (i) distortions introduced by the New Economic Policy (NEP) and its reincarnates, and (ii) the widespread presence and overbearing influence of government-linked corporations (GLCs) that deter new investment. While the impacts of both factors may have been masked during the heady days leading up to the AFC, this is no longer the case in the current competitive environment where residency options for both capital and skilled labor are much greater. Fixing the problem requires addressing the distortions of the NEP and curtailing the influence of the GLCs. Although there have been a few recent moves to dilute the NEP, some of these measures have already been reversed. Similarly, while there has been an active program of divestment from GLCs, there have also been GLC acquisitions in new sectors, making it more of a diversification than a divestment program. Malaysia's investment malaise can be fixed, but not in this way. © 2013 © 2013 Taylor & Francis.
Lantis, Jeffrey S. "Economic Competition and Nuclear Cooperation: The “Nuclear Renaissance” Revisited." The Nonproliferation Review 21, no. 1 (2014): 21-41.
DOI: 10.1080/10736700.2014.880277
Abstract
The number of bilateral nuclear cooperation agreements surged during the "nuclear renaissance" of the past decade. This proliferation is only partially explained by the prevailing approaches that focus on strategic imperatives. To supplement these explanations, this study draws on neoliberal models of economic competition to posit that bilateral agreement negotiations also exhibit conditions of "uncoordinated interdependence" and maneuvering to gain market share. Case evidence suggests the contours of supplier state bids for civilian assistance are determined at least as much by considerations about economic competition as they are by positive strategic goals. In addition, this study identifies several cases of cooperation where there appears to be little or no strategic motive for export agreements. The study concludes that patterns of economic competition and the influence of peers in defined competitive spaces alter material payoffs and impact policies. It also identifies a surprising role for principled restraint in dampening strategic and economic competition in some dyads. © 2014 Monterey Institute of International Studies, James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies.
Bouchon, Frederic A. L. 2014. "Truly Asia and global city? Branding strategies and contested identities in Kuala Lumpur." Place Brand Public Dipl no. 10 (1):6-18.
DOI: 10.1057/pb.2013.21
Abstract
Urban economic development is driven by service industries and innovation where quality of life, infrastructures and creative image play mutually reinforcing roles on the attractiveness of cities and tourism. Since 2010, the Malaysian government has embarked on the nation's Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) that places Kuala Lumpur among the pivotal agents of change while becoming a competitive global city. Before that, the city had positioned itself as a multicultural and colourful tourism destination within the Malaysia, Truly Asia's campaign framework. The aim of global positioning places Kuala Lumpur's branding in a new and ambiguous situation. The current urban brand relies on contrasted, if not blurred, images, echoing a society with contested identities. This study aims to review the evolution of Kuala Lumpur's image, and urban and tourism marketing strategies. It also aims to examine the urban branding of a nation-building upon Malay-Muslim values against the Global city branding favouring a more liberal agenda. It underlines the challenges in reconciling local values that stress on an essentialist perception of image with the global city values. The methodology used follows a case study approach. It takes into account a review of information in the public domain and analyses the promotional materials. The article is articulated around the conceptual framework of urban tourism as well as urban branding. The findings from this research reveal a pattern of top-down strategies that illustrates competing stories told by proponents and opponents of the urban project. On the basis of this research, the article argues for a specific framework of branding, when it comes to places, with competing narratives. © 2014 Macmillan Publishers Ltd.
Lentz, Christian C. 2014. "The king yields to the village? A micropolitics of statemaking in Northwest Vietnam." Political Geography no. 39 :1-10.
DOI: 10.1016/j.polgeo.2013.12.001
Abstract
The village in Vietnam has long been subject of scholarly inquiry and site of state power. Too often held apart, these two observations together inform this investigation of statemaking in the Northwest highlands and micropolitical relations between agencies and villages. Essentialized village and state ideas are idioms of power in and around socially diverse communities of Diên Biên Phu. Embedding these communities in ruling relations locates ideological dimensions of statemaking, such as abstract notions of village and state, in their generative contexts. Tracing idioms back to conflicted power relations engages modern forms of governmentality to reconceptualize political tactics, strategies, and technologies as ideologically generative practices. Demarcation, for example, is a state tactic that produces multiple ethnic, sovereign, and spatial boundaries-ideological forms that pose hazards for researchers and subaltern subjects alike. Drawing on ethnographic data, I explore my access to and denial from village field sites to position the researcher amidst the same power relations under study. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.
Phan, Ly. "Internal Migration and the Renovation-era Fertility Decline in Vietnam." Population Review 53, no. 1 (2014).
DOI: 10.1353/prv.2014.0000
Abstract
The Renovation era in Vietnam (since 1986) has been a period of dramatic social change accompanied by large volume of internal migration. This study aims to identify a link between migration and the rapid decline of fertility levels among Vietnamese women in the last stage of the fertility transition in Vietnam. Data from the Vietnam Demographic and Health Survey 2002 was used to examine three theories of socialization, adaptation and migration on women's fertility. These theories are examined by fitting both OLS and Poisson regression models for the number of children ever born. The results most strongly support the adaptation theory after controlling for education, age, age at marriage and wanted fertility. Women adapt to the fertility norms at their place of current residence to a greater extent than their place of birth. More specifically, among women born in rural areas, those who currently live in urban areas have 17 percent fewer children ever born than those who live in rural areas. This seems to be primarily due to adaptation to the new environment rather than to the act of migration itself, suggesting that migrating was not associated with lower or higher fertility during the Renovation era in Vietnam. © 2014 Sociological Demography Press.
Rodrigue, Joel. 2014. "Multinational production, exports and aggregate productivity." Review of Economic Dynamics no. 17 (2):243-261
DOI: 10.1016/j.red.2013.08.002
Abstract
This paper presents and estimates a dynamic model of multinational production (MP) and exports with heterogeneous firms. The model highlights the interaction between firms' location and export decisions and their effect on aggregate productivity. The model is structurally estimated using firm-level Indonesian manufacturing data. The results are broadly consistent with the pattern of productivity, exports and MP across firms. Counterfactual experiments suggest that there are substantial productivity gains due to international trade and MP. The implied changes in steady state real wages, however, are relatively small. The experiments emphasize that the nature of firm-level trade and MP interactions are crucial to determining the aggregate effects of trade and foreign direct investment policy. © 2013 Elsevier Inc.
Seeberg, Jens, Supasit Pannarunothai, Retna Siwi Padmawati, Laksono Trisnantoro, Nupur Barua, and Chandrakant S. Pandav. 2014. "Treatment seeking and health financing in selected poor urban neighbourhoods in India, Indonesia and Thailand." Social Science & Medicine no. 102 (0):49-57.
DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2013.11.039
Abstract
This article presents a comparative analysis of socio-economic disparities in relation to treatment-seeking strategies and healthcare expenditures in poor neighbourhoods within larger health systems in four cities in India, Indonesia and Thailand. About 200 households in New Delhi, Bhubaneswar, Jogjakarta and Phitsanulok were repeatedly interviewed over 12 months to relate health problems with health seeking and health financing at household level. Quantitative data were complemented with ethnographic studies involving the same neighbourhoods and a number of private practitioners at each site. Within each site, the higher and lower income groups among the poor were compared. The lower income group was more likely than the higher income group to seek care from less qualified health providers and incur catastrophic health spending. The study recommends linking quality control mechanisms with universal health coverage (UHC) policies; to monitor the impact of UHC among the poorest; intervention research to reach the poorest with UHC; and inclusion of private providers without formal medical qualification in basic healthcare. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.
Khanal, Bhoj Raj, Christopher Gan, and Susanne Becken. 2014. "Tourism inter-industry linkages in the Lao PDR economy: an input–output analysis." Tourism Economics no. 20 (1):171-194.
DOI: 10.5367/te.2013.0255
Abstract
This paper studies the significance of economic linkages between the Lao PDR tourism sector and the rest of the economy. An international visitors' expenditure survey and input-output models were used to disaggregate tourism economic data from the economy. A series of approaches was then employed to construct inter-industry linkage measures. The results reveal a rising trend in tourism's linkages with the country's economy from 2003 to 2008, indicating an increase in the tourism sector's dependency on the rest of the economy. The key sectors are food and beverages, manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, agriculture and livestock, and tourism - these sectors dominated the economy during 2003-2008. The results provide evidence that the Lao PDR tourism sector is a key sector in enhancing economic growth and enabling the country to be one of the fastest growing economies in the Greater Mekong Subregion. ©2014 Publishing Technology.
Rutten, Martine, Michiel van Dijk, Wilbert van Rooij, and Henk Hilderink. 2014. "Land Use Dynamics, Climate Change, and Food Security in Vietnam: A Global-to-local Modeling Approach." World Development no. 59 (0):29-46.
DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2014.01.020
Abstract
We present an innovative global-to-local modeling approach to analyze impacts of uncertain and complex futures on Vietnam's economy via changes in land use patterns. Socio-economic changes are shown to have major implications for the Vietnamese landscape, including natural forest losses with negative consequences for biodiversity and greenhouse gas emissions, and losses of paddy rice and other agricultural lands in the Red River Delta and the Mekong River delta. Climate-related flood risks in these areas further threaten the population, economic assets, and food security. The scenarios reveal the importance of investments in agriculture, land markets, and climate change mitigation and adaptation. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd.
Sjahrir, Bambang Suharnoko, Krisztina Kis-Katos, and Günther G. Schulze. 2014. "Administrative Overspending in Indonesian Districts: The Role of Local Politics." World Development no. 59 (0):166-183.
DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2014.01.008
Abstract
We analyze the determinants of the excessive administrative spending of local governments in Indonesia. In an unbalanced panel data set of 399 districts for 2001-09, we show that the proliferation of districts has not led to increased administrative spending; instead a lack of political accountability is responsible for this excess. The degree of political competition influences the level of administrative spending significantly; newly introduced direct elections of district heads, however, did not curtail the waste. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd.
Rigg, Jonathan, Buapun Promphaking, and Ann Le Mare. 2014. "Personalizing the Middle-Income Trap: An Inter-Generational Migrant View from Rural Thailand." World Development no. 59 (0):184-198.
DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2014.01.031
Abstract
Using the experiences of first and second generation migrants from three villages in Thailand, we "personalize" the middle income trap, seeking to understand how and why migrants with growing levels of education and human capital remain rooted to their natal villages. Agrarian change is such that the village remains the locus of familial belonging and livelihood security, limiting engagement with the knowledge economy, sometimes for good reason given the precarity of much non-farm work. We conclude that the middle-income trap for these villages in Thailand is as much personal as it is institutional and structural. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd.
Payumo, Jane G., Prema Arasu, Anas Miftah Fauzi, Iskandar Zulkarnaen Siregar, and Deni Noviana. 2014. "An entrepreneurial, research-based university model focused on intellectual property management for economic development in emerging economies: The case of Bogor Agricultural University, Indonesia." World Patent Information no. 36 (0):22-31
DOI: 10.1016/j.wpi.2013.11.009
Abstract
Higher education institutions in emerging regions of the world are increasingly expected (largely by their governments and community) to promote regional economic development and national competitiveness. This case study on one of the prominent academic universities in Indonesia - Bogor Agricultural University (Institut Pertanian Bogor, IPB) - highlights its successes and lessons learned in managing intellectual property as an entrepreneurial research-based university. This analysis of IPB provides general and specific insights for university administrators, researchers, and policy makers, especially in emerging economies, on appropriate strategies and measures in promoting synergies between research, entrepreneurialism and technology commercialization. The model provides strategies to maximize university research outputs, knowledge transfer and innovation to empower regional communities, and promote strategic and transformational partnerships, private sector engagement and economic growth opportunities for both the institution and the region. © 2013.
Lew, Sigrid. 2013. "A linguistic analysis of the Lao writing system and its suitability for minority language orthographies." Writing Systems Research no. 6 (1):25-40.
DOI: 10.1080/17586801.2013.846843
Abstract
Standard Lao, the official language in the Lao PDR, is spoken in and around the capital Vientiane. Lexicon, vowels and especially tone inventories of the many Lao dialects in the nation differ tremendously. A new orthography to replace the traditional Pali-based orthography which was hard to teach and learn was established during the Lao language reform in 1975. This study investigates the grapheme-phoneme correspondences of Lao orthography and its applicability to other languages in the multilingual nation. After a short introduction to the Lao language and the linguistic situation in the country, the Lao phoneme inventory and a description of the nature and historical development of Lao script are presented, including some taxonomic considerations discussing the segmental, suprasegmental and syllabic features of this script. This is followed by a linguistic evaluation of the orthography and a summary in the light of how to apply Lao script to other languages spoken in the country. Three minority orthographies based on Lao script illustrate that the almost entirely direct phonemic correspondences, consistency in the formation of multigraphs, the rich grapheme inventory and the both segmental and syllabic characteristics of this semi-alphabetic script support a direct application to other, even unrelated languages with contrastive suprasegmental features like tone or voice quality. No orthography testing or studies on literacy acquisition have been done on these or any other Lao-script based minority scripts yet, so that firm recommendations regarding the creation of new Lao-script based orthographies cannot be given. © 2013 Taylor & Francis.
Thongsawat, Satawat, Teerha Piratvisuth, Chutima Pramoolsinsap, Anuchit Chutaputti, Tawesak Tanwandee, and Dittaya Thongsuk. 2014. "Resource Utilization and Direct Medical Costs of Chronic Hepatitis C in Thailand: A Heavy but Manageable Economic Burden." Value in Health Regional Issues no. 3 (0):12-18.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.vhri.2013.09.002
Abstract
Objective To estimate the cost for the management of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and related morbidities by using a payer perspective in Thailand. Methods Data elements were extracted from medical records of 542 patients newly diagnosed with CHC in five tertiary care hospitals across Thailand. All patients were divided into five health states: noncirrhotic CHC, hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related compensated cirrhosis, HCV-related decompensated cirrhosis, HCV-related hepatocellular carcinoma, and HCV-related liver transplantation. Resource utilization data for each patient during a 12-month follow-up study period were compiled, and reference prices published by the Thai government were used to estimate the cost for each health state. The average cost was calculated and categorized into various groups, for example, laboratory and diagnostic tests, procedures, medication, and hospitalization. Results The average number of outpatient visits per patient was approximately six visits in all cohorts. The HCV-related hepatocellular carcinoma and liver transplantation cohorts had a higher average number of inpatient admissions per patient. The average number of days per admission varied from fewer than 3 days to 1 week or more across all the health states. The average annual total cost per patient varied across all health states from approximately 170,000 to 600,000 baht, and medication cost was the largest portion in every cohort, except the HCV-related liver transplantation cohort in year 1. Among all medications, the average annual antiviral medication cost per patient was the largest portion in the noncirrhotic CHC and HCV-related compensated cirrhosis cohorts. Conclusions CHC was a costly disease in Thailand. The average annual medication cost was the largest portion in every health state, except HCV-related liver transplantation.
