Southeast Asian Studies Research Articles

Distribution patterns and potential suitable habitat prediction of Ceracris kiangsu (Orthoptera: Arcypteridae) under climate change- a case study of China and Southeast Asia

Ceracris kiangsu (Orthoptera: Arcypteridae), is greatly affected by climatic factors and exhibits strong adaptability, posing a serious threat to the ecological environment. Therefore, predicting its potential suitable habitat distribution provides a proactive theoretical basis for pest control. This study using the Biomod2 package of R simulated and predicted the current and future potential distribution, area changes, changes in the center points of suitable habitats, and niche shifts of C. kiangsu under two different greenhouse gas emission scenarios, SSP1-26 and SSP5-85. The results show that: (1) Currently, the high suitability areas for C. kiangsu are mainly distributed in Yunnan, Jiangxi, Hunan provinces in southern China and phongsaly province in northern Laos. In the future, the center of the suitable habitat distribution pattern of C. kiangsu will remain unchanged, primarily expanding outward from medium and high suitability areas. Additionally, significant suitable habitats for C. kiangsu were discovered in Southeast Asian countries without previous pest records. (2) Compared to the present, the overall suitable habitat area for C. kiangsu is expected to expand, particularly under the SSP5-85 climate change scenario. (3) In the SSP1-26 and SSP5-85 climate scenarios, the geometric center of the suitable habitat generally shows a trend of gradually shifting northeast. (4) Under different climate scenarios, the suitable habitat of C. kiangsu has highly overlapping, indicating that the suitable habitat of C. kiangsu in the invaded areas is broader than in its native regions. In conclusion, the research findings represent a breakthrough in identifying the potential distribution areas of C. kiangsu, which is of great practical significance for the monitoring and control of C. kiangsu pest infestation in China and Southeast Asian countries.

Does The Consumption of Energy, Renewable Energy, Natural Resources and Emissions Affect Gross Domestic Product?: The Study of Southeast Asia

We face the challenges of economic growth productivity which still uses dirty energy and minimal efforts to cleaner energy transition. The debate on efforts to increase productivity by diverting dirty energy into clean energy while still preserving nature has long been discused. Southeast Asia is a region that has massive development potential with valuable natural resources facing regional threats in addition to decreasing environmental quality but also prosperity. This study aims to identify initial steps are needed to control energy consumption, which is still considered dirty, the extent of the scope of Southeast Asia's current clean energy transition and how emissions can be a determinant of the decline in regional economic produtivity. This is the first study to combine the Cobb-Douglass production function model with three models that focus on (1) energy consumption, (2) renewable energy and natural resources, and (3) emissions. The data used is secondary data for the period 2004-2018 sourced from the World Bank Development Indicator and ourworlddata.org. Panel data regression was used as an analytical technique. This study was conducted in the Southeast Asia region (with selected countries with developing economies and insutries, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam). The results of this study show that in the energy consumption model, only labor has a significant effect on GDP, in model B there is renewable energy consumption and the labor force which significantly affects GDP and in model C there are CO2 emissions and GHC emissions that affect GDP in the Southeast Asia region. This research will provide input to policy makers and growth analysts to form policies for sustainable economic development in Southeast Asia.

Does The Consumption of Energy, Renewable Energy, Natural Resources and Emissions Affect Gross Domestic Product?: The Study of Southeast Asia

Does The Consumption of Energy, Renewable Energy, Natural Resources and Emissions Affect Gross Domestic Product?: The Study of Southeast Asia

Spatiotemporal variations of atmospheric mercury at urban and suburban areas in Southern Vietnam megacity: A preliminary year-round measurement study

Atmospheric mercury (Hg) pollution studies in peninsular Southeast Asia (PSEA) are currently experiencing shortage on spatiotemporal coverage due to limited observation data. Therefore, our study provided year-round (May 2022–April 2023) atmospheric Hg data at two urban and one suburban site in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) Vietnam - a megacity in PSEA. Higher total gaseous Hg (TGM) levels at 2 urban sites of 2.49 ± 0.86 ng m−3 (Nguyen Van Cu) and 2.12 ± 0.49 ng m−3 (Linh Trung) were observed as compared to the suburban site of 1.76 ± 0.50 ng m−3 (Can Gio) which suggests the influence of anthropogenic Hg sources. Higher TGM concentration in October 2022–January 2023 as opposed to May 2022–September 2022 at all 3 sites reflected the influence of abrupt change in air mass origins and transport pathways in southern Vietnam. Backward trajectories (BWTs) and concentration-weighted trajectory (CWT) models further suggested East Asian outflow from northeast (NE) direction as a prominent TGM source in HCMC. Our two case studies in June and December 2022 helped to distinguish the impacts of local accumulation besides long-range atmospheric Hg transport towards TGM levels in HCMC. We also attempted to address TGM public health concerns wherein a minimal hazard quotient (HQ < 1) implied insignificant Hg health risk via inhalation pathways. Our study strives to offer crucial information to fill the Hg data gap as well as seeks to explore the impact of monsoon drives on Hg pollution in the PSEA region.

Impact of Health and Non-health Inputs on Health Outcomes: A Comparative Study of South Asia, Southeast Asia, BRICS and ASEAN Regions

This study assessed the impact of health and non-health factors on crude death rate, infant mortality rate and life expectancy at birth across 21 developing and emerging countries. Utilising panel regression and Z-score methods, it identified two country clusters based on the relationship between health input augmenting factors and health outcomes. Findings revealed variations in health outcomes among emerging countries like the Russian Federation, Brazil, China, and India compared to some developing countries. The study emphasised the significant role of health input augmenting factors and noted varied influences of socio-economic, environmental and health factors on health outcomes. Additionally, a notably stronger elasticity of health outcomes was observed concerning non-health determinants. JEL: I12; I13; I15

The Lifetime Health and Economic Burden of Smokeless Tobacco use in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan: Results From ASTRAMOD.

Under the current policy landscapes, the lifetime health and economic burden of smokeless tobacco (ST) products, consumed by over 297 million ST users in South Asia, is unknown. The aim of this study was to estimate the lifetime health effects and costs attributable to current and future ST use in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan where the majority of ST users live. We developed a Markov-based state-transition model (ASTRAMOD) to predict the lifetime costs of treatment of four diseases (oral, pharyngeal, esophageal cancers, and stroke) and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), attributable to the current and future use of ST under existing ST policy scenario. Country-specific Global Adult Tobacco Surveys, life tables, and meta-analyses of South Asian and South East Asian studies were used to populate the model. A probabilistic sensitivity analysis evaluated the uncertainty in model predictions. If there were no change in the current ST policies, the lifetime ST-attributable treatment costs would be over US$19 billion in India, over US$1.5 billion in Bangladesh, and over US$3 billion in Pakistan. For all countries, the attributable costs are higher for younger cohorts with costs declining with increasing age for those over 50. The model predicted that a typical 15-year-old male adoloscent would gain 0.07-0.18 life years, avert 0.07-0.19 DALYs, and generate a cost-savings of US$7-21 on healthcare spending if ST policies were changed to eliminate ST use. Policy interventions aimed at decreasing the uptake of ST and increasing quitting success have the potential to substantially decrease the economic and health burden of ST. This study provides the most comprehensive estimates of the lifetime health and economic burden of ST by 5-year age and sex cohorts. This is also the first study that highlights the scale of health and economic burden of ST in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan if there were no changes in the current ST policies. Policymakers and practitioners can use the reported data to justify their decisions to improve current ST policies and practices in their country. Researchers can use the ASTRAMOD methodology to estimate the impact of future ST policy changes.

Synthesizing Recent Trends in Interventions and Key Ecosystem Services in Indonesian Peatland

This study conducted a systematic literature review focusing on peatlands studies in Southeast Asia, specifically in Jambi, South Sumatra, and the Riau province of Indonesia, covering the period from 2001 to 2023. To ensure the quality and rigor of the analyzed articles, a critical process and systematic review were employed. Journal articles were extracted using reputable resources, including Google Scholar and Scopus, to enhance the validity and reliability of the research results. We identified significant research topics based on region, province, and sector. Additionally, we synthesized the existing classification of ecosystem services, drawing on previous studies conducted in Indonesia. These services were categorized as provisioning, regulating, cultural, and supporting services. We also reviewed the classification of ecosystem service types based on peatland degradation and restoration. This study identified evidence of peatland intervention to evaluate ecosystem services in Indonesia. We found that large-scale cultivation and production of palm oil, local policies, and forest fires were the main intervening factors in Indonesian peatlands. Furthermore, Indonesian peatlands have undergone conversion to oil palm, timber, and crop plantations. It is imperative to substantiate the effectiveness of future peatland restoration plans and further refine the quantification of services provided by peatland ecosystems through cooperative projects.

Bat pollinators: a decade of monitoring reveals declining visitation rates for some species in Thailand

Bats are important pollinators, but they are difficult to study since they are volant and nocturnal. Thus, long-term studies of nectarivorous bats are scarce, despite their potential to help assess trends in bat populations and their pollination services. We used capture rates of nectarivorous bats at chiropterophilous flowers in order to examine temporal trends in bat visitation in an area that is undergoing extensive land use change. We mist-netted at five bat-pollinated plant taxa (Durio zibethinus, Musa acuminata, Oroxylum indicum, Parkia speciosa, and Sonneratia spp.) in southern Thailand over six years between 2011 and 2021. We found that the most common bat species, Eonycteris spelaea, was the main visitor at all five plant taxa and had consistent visitation rates across all study years. In contrast, two other important pollinators, Macroglossus minimus and M. sobrinus, showed 80% declines in the number of individuals netted at mangrove apple (Sonneratia spp.) and banana (Musa acuminata) flowers, respectively. These findings suggest that E. spelaea (a large, cave-roosting species with a broad diet) is more tolerant of anthropogenic change than are Macroglossus bats (small, foliage-roosting species with specialized diets), which may in turn affect the reproductive success of plants pollinated by these species. Our study demonstrates how decade-long monitoring can reveal species-specific temporal patterns in pollinator visitation, emphasizing the need for tailored conservation plans. While the conservation status of most nectarivorous bats in the area is Least Concern, our results indicate that population studies in Southeast Asia are urgently needed for updated bat species conservation assessments.

Reading Laleh Khalili’s Sinews of War and Trade in Critical Ethnic Studies, Filipinx Studies, Philippine Studies, and Southeast Asian Studies

Reading Laleh Khalili’s Sinews of War and Trade in Critical Ethnic Studies, Filipinx Studies, Philippine Studies, and Southeast Asian Studies

Retaining knowledge workers for effective digital transformation

The purpose of this research is to examine key factors affecting knowledge worker’s retention for digital transformation. This research is motivated by recent statistics that show that more than 70% of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have yet to undergo large-scale digital transformation due to the failure to retain knowledge workers who can collect and disseminate information effectively through the application of digital technology. Although it is widely recognized that the knowledge worker is an important asset for the digital transformation of SMEs, there is a dearth of studies that focus specifically on how to retain knowledge workers in Malaysia. This research adopts a quantitative research design. Questionnaires were distributed to 200 respondents in SMEs in central urban cities in Malaysia. Purposive sampling was used to collect data where the respondents needed to fulfill criteria such as being currently working in SMEs and their job scope being related to idea generation, information handling, digital transformation, and strategic planning. This study discovers unique findings, such as that, compared to compensation, training and development, work environment, and work-life balance; they play a more significant role in motivating knowledge workers to stay in SMEs post-COVID-19 pandemic, which can enrich the literature on knowledge worker’s retention in developing countries. Serving as one of the pioneer studies in Malaysia and Southeast Asia that focuses on examining important factors to retain knowledge workers in SMEs post-COVID-19 pandemic, this finding benefits SME practitioners and policymakers in devising effective strategies to retain knowledge workers for effective digital transformation.

Sociology of ‘Area studies’: Cultural and historical study of Southeast Asia and India’s Northeast

Sociology of ‘Area studies’: Cultural and historical study of Southeast Asia and India’s Northeast

Evaluasi Peran Dewan Pengawas Syariah di Indonesia

This research discusses the evaluation of the Sharia Supervisory Board's (DPS) role in the context of Islamic finance in Indonesia through a bibliometric approach. The research focuses on the development of literature related to DPS and its impact on Islamic finance. The rapidly evolving literature in Islamic finance (Siddiqui, 2016; Hasan, 2014) highlights the need for evaluating the role of DPS to ensure its effectiveness (Hasan et al., 2020). The study employs bibliometric methods to identify research trends, main topics, and the impact of literature on DPS. Key references include Siddiqui's work (2016) on the development of Islamic finance in Southeast Asia and Hasan's study (2014) on Sharia governance in Islamic banks. Additionally, Khan (2018) and Kettell (2011) provide in-depth insights into Islamic business ethics and the introduction of Islamic finance. Research findings from this analysis reveal literature gaps and affirm the relevance of bibliometric methods in measuring research impact, identifying trends, and addressing literature gaps. The implications support further research development with a focus on underexplored aspects, including regional exploration and cross-country comparisons. Recommendations involve developing alternative evaluation methods, practitioner case studies, and contributions to policy development related to the role of DPS, utilizing specific performance indicators, and exploring technology implementation in the context of Islamic finance. These suggestions are expected to guide future researchers in developing more in-depth and relevant studies in this continuously evolving domain.

Understanding the Concept of Merantau, Tau Jo Nan Ampek and Ninik Mamak in Minangkabau Culture in West Sumatra, Indonesia

This article examines Minangkabau culture in West Sumatra, Indonesia. In this province, the people still maintain a culture, namely the cultural heritage of their ancestors, even though they no longer live in their hometown. Scholars say that the Minang people have carried out the concept of rantau to make a living outside their hometown and have implemented a family system managed by the parents of the wife's family. In this case, this article will look at the foundations of the Minang people's cultural knowledge and the strategies that Minang families carry out to maintain their customs in the contemporary era. By conducting an ethnographic study, we found a portrait of Adat of Minangkabau embedded with religious and ethnic foundations, which can be seen from the many concepts and their applications in society, not only in the private sphere but also in the public sphere. It is hoped that this study will fill the gap in understanding one of the ethnic groups in the archipelago in anthropological studies in Southeast Asia, which is still vital in maintaining its culture, even though they have difficulties protecting it.

Using intraspecific molecular and phenotypic variation to promote multi-functionality of reforestation during climate change – A review of tropical forest case studies in South-east Asia

Abstract The study of intraspecific genetic variation in plant traits for use in tropical forest restoration has broad potential for increasing our ability to achieve multi-functional objectives during this era of climate change. Developing seed-sourcing guidelines that optimize phenotypic characteristics best suited to a particular planting site as well as to future conditions imposed by environmental change could be useful for effective reforestation. Because evolution operates differently across tree species, this is an especially cumbersome task in tropical forests that contain thousands of species. Partially due to this high plant diversity, research and application of intraspecific variation in genetics, plant traits, and plant function in tropical forests wane far behind less diverse forest biomes. To examine the potential for improving reforestation efforts in tropical forests by considering intraspecific variation in plant traits and functions, we review the state of knowledge on intraspecific variation in South-east Asia as a case study. We focus on the dipterocarp family ( Dipterocarpaceae ), a highly diverse family of 16 genera with approximately 695 known species that often dominate lowland tropical rainforests of South-east Asia with many of these forests in a degraded state and in need of restoration. We found that there is research accumulating to understand genetic variation in approximately 10% of these 695 species. Intraspecific molecular variation exists at different spatial scales among species with 74% of species having moderate to high population differentiation (Fst &gt; 0.10) and 92% of species with evidence of fine-scale genetic structure. Although this suggests a high potential for trait variation, few studies associated molecular with phenotypic variation. Seventeen tree species across 11 studies revealed intraspecific variation in traits or functions. Research indicates that intraspecific variation in growth may vary two-fold and drought tolerance four-fold among genotypes highlighting the possibility to pre-adapt trees to climate change during reforestation and to use intraspecific variation to promote the use of native species in commercial forestry. Our review presents opportunities and ideas for developing seed-sourcing guidelines to take advantage of intraspecific variation in traits and function by identifying how to locate this variation, which species would benefit, and how to test for trait variation. We also highlight an emerging area of research on local adaptation, common garden studies, and adaptive drought conditioning to improve reforestation during climate change.

“Keeping Condition”: Gender Ambiguity and Sexual Citizenship of Queer Male Thai Classical Musicians

AbstractGender pluralism has become a rich scholarly topic in Southeast Asia, especially with the rise of LGBT mobilisations across the region in the past decade. Transgender ritual specialists dominate the field of study, with a growing body of literature on Southeast Asian queer expressive cultures. However, queer performances in several classical performing arts are often excluded from the scholarship due to the field's association with the “traditional”. In this article, I address this scholarly gap by examining the social lives of queer men in Thai classical string music. I focus on a strategy called kep aakaan or “keeping condition” in which the musicians in question carefully articulate and disarticulate their femininity to render their gender nonconformity ambiguous under the heteronormative gaze. Using ethnographic methods to investigate the lived experience of queer male musicians on and off the stage, I show that “keeping condition” is not just about managing the display of queer potential but is also closely intertwined with morality and citizenship. Drawing on the ideas of tacit subjects and contextual sensitivities, I argue that “keeping condition” exposes the fluidity in which queer musicking bodies move between queerness and heteronormativity in ways that are more reconciliatory than confrontational. By focusing on the complicities of queerness and heteronormativity, I argue that non-normative classical performing arts can be a productive site for critical gender, sexuality, and queer studies in Southeast Asia, cutting through the “traditional” and “modern” divide that looms large in the region.

Understanding the floating ummah in neoliberal Indonesia

ABSTRACT In recent decades, politicians – particularly of the conservative kind – have been influential in binding together political support based on identity. Taking the case of the most populous Muslim country in the world and the largest democracy in Southeast Asia, Indonesia, this study analyses how Islamic identity has been instrumental during moments of political consolidation. It focuses on the way the political campaign industry uses social media to appeal to an otherwise fragmented ‘floating ummah’ (Hadiz, V. R. (2018). The ‘floating’ ummah in the fall of ‘Ahok’ in Indonesia. TRaNS: Trans-Regional and -National Studies of Southeast Asia, 7, 271–290), is an assemblage of believers unified momentarily against an abstract oppressor. The mobilisation of the floating ummah with social media, this article argues, has provided opportunities for marginal politicians to gain standing in an intra-elite struggle over power dominated by the oligarchy.

Experimental evaluation of shrinkage deformations of concrete in tropical climates

Shrinkage of concrete is one of the main reasons affecting damage of structures. Shrinkage is the result of cement hydration, the evaporation of water during concrete hardens. It occurs mainly at the first stage of concrete hardening. Moreover, shrinkage is indirectly influenced by various factors such as environmental conditions, aggregate sizes, structure types, and water-cement ratio. Understanding the environmental factors is the key to accurately predicting shrinkage of concrete. Among environmental factors, wind is known as an important factor that significantly affects shrinkage of concrete. This study designs an experiment that considers the effects of tropical winds on shrinkage of concrete in Nghe An, Vietnam. Additionally, the result of this study is then analyzed and compared with that of published studies in Southeast Asia. Experimental results show that shrinkage in the tropical climate occurs according to existing rules. Moreover, the shrinkage strain develops rapidly at the early stage, and the value of shrinkage quickly reaches an asymptotic value.

Discovering Future Research Trends of Journalism Studies in Southeast Asia: Comparison between Indonesia and Malaysia using Bibliometric Approach

Contemporary communication technology developments influence trends in global journalism studies. Global journalism trends studies have also affected journalism studies across Southeast Asian countries, such as Indonesia and Malaysia. Journalism studies in both countries are inseparable from the culture of journalism and related research. The culture of journalism and research is associated with social, political, and academic dynamics, which have prompted significant changes in recent times. Indonesia and Malaysia are geographically and culturally close countries, exhibiting strategic positions in Southeast Asia. The current research aims to discover the trends in journalism studies in Indonesia and Malaysia and their comparisons. The present study employed the bibliometric method, and the data were retrieved from Web of Science Core Collection (WoS) using VOSviewer. The results suggested several similarities and differences between the two countries' documents, hinting at future trends in journalism studies in both countries. The topic trends and research collaborations are also discussed in this paper. The present study provides an overview of future trends in journalism studies in Indonesia and Malaysia based on data from their journalism studies over the last twelve years. Concerning keyword mapping, research publications on Indonesian and Malaysian journalism studies feature a tendency to link the existence of the Internet, social, political, and religious conditions with journalism culture and press freedom. Keywords: Journalism studies, journalism culture, research trend, research culture, bibliometric.

An ontological struggle: Islamic political theology and the criminalization of same‐sex sexuality in Indonesia

AbstractThis paper examines legal efforts to criminalize same‐sex sexualities between consenting adults by conservative Muslim movements in Indonesia, epitomized by the Constitutional Court of Indonesia's 2016 Judicial Review on the Indonesian Penal Code, continuous resistance to the Sexual Violence Law, and the current Indonesian Penal Code. Based on my ethnography of the Judicial Review's court transcript and other legal archives, I argue that the conservative Muslim movements’ legal effort to criminalize sexuality in Indonesia is an exercise of Islamic political theology revolving around a certain ontology of personhood concerning the relationships between “the human” and God, the state, and the nation. This ontology is apparent in their assertion about the intrinsic difference between sexual violence (“kekerasan seksual”) vs. sexual crime (“kejahatan seksual”). This paper aims to: (1) demonstrate that anthropological inquiries of ontologies can further develop the conceptual framework of political theology, especially in elucidating how ontological imposition of “the human” and its personhood plays a pivotal part in conservative movements’ repertoires in criminalizing sexuality; and (2) make use of Southeast Asian studies’ scholarships and cases to speak back to the broader discussion on the fissures in/of secular imaginaries and secularization processes.

The China effect on regional economic integration: a longitudinal study of Central, South, and Southeast Asia

Does China’s growing economic presence pose an opportunity or a threat to regional economic integration? The authors answer this question by analyzing longitudinal and cross-country evidence from three regions, Central, South, and Southeast Asia. A unique panel dataset detailing bilateral economic cooperation and each economy’s political-economic factors from 2000 to 2019 was examined. This study concludes that (1) inbound foreign direct investment from China is positively associated with a country’s intra-regional integration, (2) trade ties to China show a negative relationship with intra-regional integration, and (3) the level of a country’s regional economic integration is conditioned by domestic economic and political factors such as transportation and information connectivity, per capita GDP, population size, trade openness, and public governance. This article contributes to the literature by using fresh cross-regional evidence to decipher the China effect on regional integration, embedding the political economy at both national and regional levels, and identifying variations and significance of various political-economic factors.