The Asian Studies Association of Australia produces a regular publication called Asian Currents. It carries short essays of relevance to Asian Studies scholars and other interested groups. The current edition, for October 2014, has pieces by a number of writers familiar to New Mandala readers:

  • Ross Tapsell, who has spearheaded much of our 2014 coverage of Indonesian politics, writes on the divide over whether the Jokowi “phenomenon” represents a victory for Indonesia’s media oligarchs;
  • Ed Aspinall, one of the world’s leading Indonesia scholars and an occasional New Mandala contributor, reflects on the legacy of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s time in office;
  • John Blaxland, who wrote a widely-discussed essay for New Mandala this month, considers the political and military conundrum of Thailand’s southern provinces;
  • And then I have a piece that expands my earlier analysis of the state of Thai Studies in Australia, and elsewhere.

It is heartening to see the vibrancy of debate and discussion on these topics and more. I hope you enjoy these contributions. Kudos to Asian Currents and its editor, Allan Sharp, for this important work.