Southeast Asia Publications

                                                        Northern Illinois University

 

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A complete list of the publications in our Monograph Series, Special Reports, Occasional Papers, Southeast Asia Language Text Series, and Additional Publications follows. Books in print are listed here alphabetically by author's surname. An index of current publications by country and a listing of our out of print publications are also available.

 

A-K  ¡  L-R  ¡  S-Z

 

 

Aspinall, Edward and Greg Fealy, eds. Local Power and Politics in Indonesia: Decentralisation and Democratisation. 274 pp. Hardcover 981-230-203-4 Price TBA. Softcover 981-230-202-6 Price TBA.

A shift in political and economic power from the centre to local level following the collapse of the Soeharto regime. Popular movements and local claimants to state power challenge central authorities. The new government's radical decentralisation program. Comprehensive coverage by leading academics. Co-published with ISEAS, Singapore.

Aung-Thwin, Michael. 1990 Irrigation in the Heartland of Burma: Foundations of the Pre-Colonial Burmese State. Occasional Papers, No. 15. 76 pp. ISBN 1-877979-15-5 $9.95.

Since the last two centuries of the first millennium BC, except for a short span of sixty years, the pre-colonial state in Burma has been centered in the dry zone of Upper Burma. The basis of this state was agrarian, yet little has been written on its economic wherewithal. Instead, scholars have tended to focus their attention on the state's political, legal, religious, cultural, and administrative structures and institutions. This study attempts to fill this crucial gap. In part, it highlights a major theme in pre-colonial Burmese history--"dry-zone paramountcy"--which was the result of state-run irrigation works constructed in six critical regions of central Burma, most of them existing before the 15th century AD. This volume contains a unique and valuable set of maps to illustrate the areas discussed above.

Barlow, H. S. 1996 Swettenham. 783 pp. Hardcover. ISBN 1-983-99915-1-5 $50.00

Barlow's biography of Swettenham is a thorough treatment of the subject, including some primary materials that have not been consulted before. The book's 95 illustrations include most of the classic pictorial treatments of Swettenham's time. We are the exclusive North American distributors of this volume, and we may also sell to customers anywhere except in Southeast Asia.

Bickner, Robert J. 1991 An Introduction to the Thai Poem Lilit Phra Law (The Story of King Law). Special Reports, No. 25. 254 pp. ISBN 1-877979-75-9 $16.95.

The ancient Thai poem entitled Lilit Phra Law holds a position of great importance in the literary heritage of Thailand. Countless Thai students have read it, and many can cite parts of it from memory. Despite the enduring popularity of the story, those who composed the poem are frequently criticized for seeming flaws in their poetic forms. There is a curious dichotomy of opinion among modern scholars who have studied the classics: the ancient poets are appreciated for their skill and storytelling, but they are also criticized for the imagined limits of that skill. This study addresses the curious dichotomy in modern treatments of this ancient work by examining the text Lilit Phra Law and the verse forms used to create it, as well as the criticism made of it by contemporary scholars, especially from the point of view of linguistic analysis.

Bofman, Theodora 1984 The Poetics of the Ramakian. Special Reports, no. 21. 258pp. ISBN 1-877979-71-6. $16.95.

An introduction to the classic Thai epic poem, the Ramakian, including detailed analysis of the poem's structure. Also includes a highly readable translation of the section in which Hanuman goes to Lanka.

Collins, Elizabeth Fuller 1997 Pierced by Murugan’s Lance: Ritual, Power, and Moral Redemption among Malaysian Hindus. 246 pp. 0-875805-74-4 $22.50.

Collins’ study is a theoretically astute yet sociologically and ethnographically sensitive analysis of the Hindu Thaipusam festival of Penang, Malaysia.

Compton, Carol J., and John F. Hartmann, eds. 1992 Papers on Tai Languages, Linguistics, and Literatures: In Honor of Professor William J. Gedney on his 77th Birthday. Occasional Papers, No. 16. 302pp. ISBN 1-877979-16-3. $26.95.

Twenty-one scholars from Australia, Canada, China, Thailand, and the United States have contributed to this unique collection of articles on Tai languages, linguistics, and literature. The book is organized into four major sections: Tai Linguistics, Phonology, Syntax and Semantics, and Linguistics and Literature. The research produced is a reflection of the profound influence Emeritus Professor William J. Gedney has had on the field of Tai and Sino-Tibetan linguistics.

Durrenberger, E. Paul 1989 Lisu Religion. Occasional Papers, No. 13. 44 pp. ISBN 1-877979-13-9. $9.95.

Focuses mostly on the curing rituals and disease etiology of this upland people of mainland Southeast Asia. Includes discussions of case histories, causes of illness, soul and spirit hierarchies, ritual specialists, the nature of offenses against spirits, and the relationships of all these to other elements of Lisu society and culture.

Hart, Donn V. 1980 Theses and Dissertations on Southeast Asia Presented at Northern Illinois University, 1960-1980: An Annotated Bibliography. 33 pp. 1-877979-00-7. $8.00

A bibliography of 40 theses and dissertations on Southeast Asia presented at Northern Illinois University between 1960-1980.

Holm, David 2003 Killing a Buffalo for the Ancestors: A Zhuang Cosmological Text from Southwest China. NIU Monograph Series on Southeast Asia, No. 5. 2003. 221pp. with CD. ISBN 1-891134-25-6. $65.00.

A milestone in Zhuang studies. Focusing on the ancient practice of buffalo sacrifice, it also provides a wealth of background material on Zhuang cultural history. It will begin to redress the near-total lack of Western-language sources dealing with the Zhuang people, China’s largest minority ‘nationality.’ The discovery and translation of a cosmological text written in one of the Thai-related Zhuang dialects of Southwest China provides opportunity to investigate the rituals of buffalo sacrifice, while providing valuable information on the dialect's phonetic structure, its writing system, and its relevance for understanding the development and distribution of the Tai family of languages. The book also provides information on the history and social structure of the Zhuang and Bouyei of Guangxi province and on the interplay of linguistic communities within the province.

Hunsaker, Bryan, Theodore Mayer, Barbara Griffiths, and Robert Dayley, with an introduction by Clark Neher 1996 Loggers, Monks, Students, and Entrepreneurs: Four Essays on Thailand. Occasional Papers, No. 18. 130 pp. ISBN 1-877979-18-X. $14.95.

This volume includes studies of the history and politics of lumber production, the political role of vocational students in the 1970s, recent developments in Thai Buddhism, and national and provincial business associations.

Jantharat, Prawet  1995 Thai Sound System and Reading Rules. 202-234-8516 $16.95.

Designed with native English speaking students in mind, this text was developed to assist students of Thai to master basic reading and writing skills. Includes lessons on Thai spelling, writing system, pronunciation, tones, and tone rules.

King, Dwight, et. al. 1998 Journal of Political and Military Sociology, Special Issue: Government Bureaucracies in East Asia. 135 pp. 0047-2697 $20.00

This special issue presents seven articles brought together around the theme of reforming government bureaucracies. Since three of the articles concern Indonesia and two Thailand, the emphasis in on those two countries. Additional additional articles focus on China and  Southeast Asia generally.

Kingshill, Konrad. Ku Daeng―Thirty Years Later: A Village Study in Northern Thailand, 1954-1984. Special Reports, No. 26. 1991. 314 pp. ISBN 1-877979-76-7. $19.95.

The fourth edition of a study begun in 1953-54 and updated with new field data every ten years, Kingshill's volume contains valuable material on Northern Thai village life, rituals, and beliefs. Ku Daeng--Thirty Years Later is the first of the four editions to be published outside Thailand and is the most comprehensive of the three updates.

Lamb, Julia 1999 Teaching Resources on Asia. Single Copy. 27pp. 1-891134-01-9 $9.95. Set of 10. 27pp. 1-891134-02-7 $49.95

This booklet represents the beginning of a teaching resource on Asia intended for middle school teachers (grades 5-8). The resources listed are intended to be starting points for teaches and student in the study of Asia, and Southeast Asia in particular. The booklet is divided into two major sections: 1) Internet websites on Asia and on other teaching sources for the middle school teacher, and 2) Teaching lessons and units developed by middle school teachers and teachers-in-training. 

Ledgerwood, Judy 2002 Cambodia Emerges from the Past: Eight Essays. NIU Monograph Series on Southeast Asia, No. 3. 320 pp. ISBN 1-891134-23-X. $19.95

The Eight Essays exemplify the best trends of recent scholarship, employing new data on contemporary Cambodia and new theoretical approaches to the study of the Khmer Rouge. This book contains eight essays from the foremost experts in Khmer Studies. With chapters from David Chandler, Steve Heder, May Ebihara, John Marston, Susan Cook, Alex Hinton, Carol Mortland, John Vijghen, Keang Un, and Judy Ledgerwood, this book is a must have for Cambodian scholars.

Le Pham Thuy-Kim 1999 Activities Manual to Accompany Spoken Vietnamese for Beginners, Book 1. Book & 4 cassette tapes 1-877979-27-9 $31.00; Book only 1-877979-25-2 $16.00; 4 cassette tapes only 1-877979-26-0 $20.00.

Book 1 of 2. Listening, writing, and in-class communication practice, along with pattern drills. Published by Le Pham Thuy-Kim in 1996 and distributed exclusively by NIU's Center for Southeast Asian Studies. In two volumes.

Le Pham Thuy-Kim 1999 Activities Manual to Accompany Spoken Vietnamese for Beginners, Book 2. Book & 3 cassette tapes 1-877979-30-9 $29.00; Book only 1-877979-28-7 $16.00; 3 cassette tapes only 1-877979-29-5 $15.00.

Book 2 of 2. Listening, writing, and in-class communication practice, along with pattern drills. Published by Le Pham Thuy-Kim in 1996 and distributed exclusively by NIU's Center for Southeast Asian Studies. In two volumes.

Le Pham Thuy-Kim 1999 Instructor’s Manual for Activities Manual to Accompany Spoken Vietnamese for Beginners. 1-877979-32-5 $12.95.

Instructor's Manual includes answers to exercises and scripts.

Lee, Raymond, ed. 1986 Ethnicity and Ethnic Relations in Malaysia. Occasional Papers, No. 12. 183 pp. 1-877979-12-0 $10.00.

This collection of papers provides the reader with a notion of the making of Malaysian society in historical and contemporary contexts.

Lent, John A. & K. Mulliner, eds. 1985 Malaysian Studies: Archaeology, Historiography, Geography, and Bibliography. Occasional Papers, No. 11. 240 pp. 1-877979-11-2 $17.95.

Chapter titles include: 1) Archaeology in Malaysia, Brunei, and Singapore, Historiography of Peninsular Malaysia: Past and Present, A Survey and Evaluation of the Literature of Modern Sarawak and Sabah History, Geographical Studies of Malaysia: An Iconoclastic Viewpoint, Recent Bibliographical Activities in Malaysia and Singapore: A Brief Survey with a Selected, Annotated Bibliography.

Lent, John A. ed. 1979 Malaysian Studies: Present Knowledge and Research Trends. Occasional Papers, No. 7. 466 pp. 1-877979-07-4 O/P.

This monograph is an overview of the state of Malaysian studies as a field of research. It includes chapters on sociology, anthropology, political science, mass communications, education, and doctoral research.

Longmuir, Marilyn 2002 The Money Trail: Burmese Currencies in Crisis. NIU Monograph Series on Southeast Asia, No. 4. 130 pp. 1-891134-05-1 $16.95.

The Money Trail outlines the rapid succession of currencies used in Burma in the 1930s and 1940s, recounts the economic effects of the wartime currency crises, and details the considerations in the formulation of the British financial policies during and after the Japanese occupation.

Morais, Robert J. 1981 Social Relations in a Philippine Town. Special Reports, No. 19. 151 pp. $12.95.

Social Relations in a Philippine Town describes the cognitive, affective, and behavioral content of real and ritual kinship ties, friendship, patron-client bonds, dyadic ties based on debts of gratitude, and market exchange relationships in a small provincial town in Luzon. Stresses the interweaving and mutual definition, and redefinition, of these relationships.

Neher, Clark D. 2004 Southeast Asia: Crossroads of the World. 2nd ed. NIU Monograph Series on Southeast Asia, No. 2. 184 pp. ISBN 1-891134-06-X $14.95

This book includes discussions of the region's ethnic and religious diversity, historical highlights, cultural themes, village life, recent history and politics, and selected leaders. Contemporary issues are also discussed briefly where appropriate.  Intended for both high school students and for beginning undergraduates, the book is also useful background reading for upper division courses and for general readers new to the study of Southeast Asia.  Clark Neher is Emeritus Professor of Political Science at Northern Illinois University. He has served as Chair of the Department of Political Science and as Director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies. He has also been named Presidential Teaching Professor, NIU's highest teaching honor. He has written extensively on Southeast Asia and he visits the region frequently. 

No. 6 Nguyen, Nathalie Huynh Chau 2003 Vietnamese Voices: Gender and Cultural Identity in the Vietnamese Francophone Novel. 1-891134-26-4 $19.95

Vietnamese Voices provides a detailed account of French colonialism and its demise on an impressive number of Francophone Vietnamese writers. The author illuminates the divergent ways in which male and female writers negotiate the complexities of their rich and difficult multiple cultural heritages.

 

 

 

Read Anne-Marie Medcalf's review of Vietnamese Voices: Gender and Identity in the Vietnamese Franophone Novel in the journal  Intersections: Gender, History and Culture in the Asian Context.

Nguyen, Long, Marybeth Clark and Nguyen Bich Thuan, 1994 Spoken Vietnamese for Beginners. Book with CD or 3 cassette tapes 1-877979-45-7 $42.95; Book only 1-877979-48-1 $33.95; CD or 3 cassette tapes only 1-877979-33-3 $12.00.

This is a text for speakers of English to learn to speak and understand the Vietnamese language. It is designed primarily for classroom use at the secondary or tertiary education level for beginners without Vietnamese language background.

Nguyen, Bich Thuan 1996 Contemporary Vietnamese: An Intermediate Text. Book with 4 cassette tapes 1-87 This is a companion to our best-selling Spoken Vietnamese for Beginners, by Nguyen Long, Marybeth Clark, and Nguyen Bich Thuan. 340pp. including extensive glossary.7979-46-5 $39.99; Book only 1-877979-39-2 $29.95; 4 cassette tapes only 1-877979-40-6 $12.00.

The third in our popular series of texts for learning Vietnamese. Intended for high intermediate students, this text includes readings on the Vietnamese land and its people; Vietnamese society and culture; current affairs; the environment; health and safety; demography and family planning; politics; economics and finance; Vietnamese literature; and Vietnamese women.

Nguyen, Bich Thuan 1999 Contemporary Vietnamese Readings. 1-891134-00-0 $27.95.

The third in our popular series of texts for learning Vietnamese. Intended for high intermediate students, this text includes readings on the Vietnamese land and its people; Vietnamese society and culture; current affairs; the environment; health and safety; demography and family planning; politics; economics and finance; Vietnamese literature; and Vietnamese women.

Okell, John 1994 Burmese: An Introduction to the Spoken Language, Book 1. Book with 12 cassette tapes 1-877979-41-4 $56.00.

Book 1 of 4. Book 1 focuses on early encounters with Burmese speakers in Burma or abroad. It covers survival needs (asking the way, taking taxis, going to shops and cafés, and so on) and first conversations (Where are you from? How long have you been here? What's your job? and so on). In particular it offers:

solid grounding in the grammar and sound system of modern colloquial Burmese

short lessons enable flexible pacing and extensive practice

copious speaking exercises and practice dialogues on the tapes

review lessons at frequent intervals

Burmese material presented in both Burmese script and a roman  transcription throughout

 

Okell, John 1994 Burmese: An Introduction to the Spoken Language, Book 2. Book with 14 cassette tapes 1-877979-42-2 $62.00.

Book 2 of 4. Book 2 focuses on early encounters with Burmese speakers in Burma or abroad. It covers survival needs (asking the way, taking taxis, going to shops and cafés, and so on) and first conversations (Where are you from? How long have you been here? What's your job? and so on). In particular it offers:

notes on etiquette and social behavior in Burma

cumulated vocabularies, both Burmese-English and English-Burmese

additional vocabularies arranged by topic: such as, names of clothes, foods, conversion with Buddhist monks

Okell, John 1994 Burmese: An Introduction to the Script. Book with 7 cassette tapes 1-877979-43-0 $51.00.

Book 3 of 4. This text enables students with no previous knowledge of Burmese to become competent in reading and writing Burmese script. In particular, it offers:

— use of tapes to make the link between the symbols you read and the words you hear and say

— readings from original Burmese materials

— appendices on handwriting and cursive forms, ornate lettering, the Burmese names of the characters, Burmese alphabetical order, and common abbreviations.

 

Okell, John 1994 Burmese: An Introduction to the Literary Style. Book with 1 cassette tape 1-877979-44-9 $23.00.

Book 4 of 4. This text is based on passages selected from children's school books used in Burma. Parts 1 and 2 contain passages relation to life at home and at school, while the texts selected for Part 3 deal with theme of Burmese nationalism and independence. Each passage is accompanied by a full vocabulary and translation and is followed by a set of exercises designed to familiarize the student with new vocabulary and structures. 

 

Okell, John 1994 Burmese: A Course in Four Volumes. 4 books with 34 cassette tapes 1-877979-49-X $179.95.

Though designed for self-study, Okell's Burmese course has also become the standard classroom textbook. Course adoptions include Cornell University, Latrobe University (Australia), Center for Burma Studies (Northern Illinois University), School of Oriental and African Studies (University of London), Southeast Asian Studies Summer Institute. Users have written praising the text's accuracy and effectiveness. The author estimates that the four books are equivalent to 10-12 weeks of intensive full-time study.

Ratliff, Martha 1992 Meaningful Tone: A Study of Tonal Morphology in Compounds, Form Classes, and Expressive Phrases in White Hmông. Special Reports, No. 27. 275 pp. ISBN 1-877979-77-5. $19.95.

The significance of this book is twofold. First, it makes a contribution to our understanding of a language that has become important to many Westerners since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975 and the subsequent arrival of tens of thousands of Hmông refugees to the United States. Prior to this time, only two dictionaries and one grammar by missionary linguists existed for White Hmông. Since the arrival of the Hmông refugees, linguists have started to take the task of describing the language seriously. The publication of this major study of Hmông language will bring multiple benefits: to students of Hmông, students of the Southeast Asian linguistic area and language history, and to students of the nature of human language. Second, it corrects the mistaken notion that Asian tone languages do not use tone for grammatical purposes as do African tone languages.

Rhum, Michael R. 1994 The Ancestral Lords: Gender, Descent, and Spirits in a Northern Thai Village. Special Reports, No. 29. 202 pp. ISBN 1-877979-79-1. $18.95.

Addresses the question of how bilateral kinship co-exists with cults of matrilineal ancestral spirits throughout Northern Thailand. Includes ethnographic descriptions of the Northern Thai (Yuan) kinship system, a Northern Thai village, the institutions and rituals pertaining to the guardian spirits, and the structural relationship of the matrilineal cult complex to indigenous concepts of space and to local Buddhist institutions. Issues of gender and kinship are also addressed throughout the volume.

Russell, Susan D., ed. 1989 Ritual, Power, and Economy: Upland-Lowland Contrasts in Mainland Southeast Asia. Occasional Papers, No. 14. 143 pp. ISBN 1-877979-14-7. $12.95.

Five case studies on the role of ideology, ritual practices, and economics in patterning mainland Southeast Asian societies. Articles discuss the Tai, Shan, Chin, Kachin, Lisu, and Ao Naga.

Sahai, Sachchidanand 1996 The Rama Jataka in Laos: A Study in the Phra Lak Phra Lam (in two volumes). 325 pp. 326 pp. 81-7018-839-3 $49.95.

The first full translation and critical commentary on the Lao Ramayana.

Scanlon, Phil, Jr. 1985 Southeast Asia: A Cultural Study through Celebration. Special Reports, No. 23. 185 pp. ISBN 1-877979-73-2. $16.95

This book is a guide to the festive life and major public holidays of the nations of Southeast Asia. It is an introduction to popular celebrations as they are encountered by the average visitor to the region, and as they are practiced and enjoyed by Southeast Asians themselves. Discussion includes the origins of each observance and the traditions and practices associated with it. Countries covered include Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Burma, and the Philippines.

Smith, George Vinal 1977 The Dutch in Seventeenth Century Thailand. Special Reports, No. 16. 133 pp. 1-877979-66-X $14.95.

A history of a western trading company in Thailand from a political, social, and economic perspective.

Sutton, R. Anderson 1993 Variation in Central Javanese Gamelan Music: Dynamics of Steady State. Special Reports, No. 28. 295 pp. ISBN 1-877979-78-3. $26.95.

Moving beyond a simple and occidental sense of "a variation on a theme," Variation in Central Javanese Gamelan Music: Dynamics of a Steady State is a comprehensive, analytical study of Javanese gamelan music by the noted ethnomusicologist R. Anderson Sutton. Sutton defines gamelan as "a generic term for instrumental ensembles consisting predominantly of percussion instruments (knobbed gongs, metal-keyed instruments, and drums)." It is also a music that is thoroughly and indigenously Javanese and, as Sutton eloquently demonstrates, the music that best captures, if not actually mirrors, the Javanese psyche and the Javanese notion of variation within a steady state.

Van Esterik, Penny, ed. 1996 Women of Southeast Asia. 2nd edition. Occasional Paper, No. 17. 260 pp. ISBN 1-877979-17-1. $18.95.

A classic collection of eight exceptional essays, written by leading scholars of Thai, Malay, Javanese, and Philippine studies, which investigate these extraordinary women. Van Esterik's work fills in gaps of feminist and Southeast Asian scholarship and is a central reference work for any library specializing in these fields. The revised edition adds an extensive new bibliography and a preface which assesses recent scholarly trends.

Wessing, Robert 1986 The Soul of Ambiguity: The Tiger in Southeast Asia. Special Reports, No. 24. 148 pp. ISBN 1-877979-74-0. $14.95

Drawing on library research and on fieldwork in Sumatra and Java, The Soul of Ambiguity examines beliefs and symbolism of the tiger throughout Southeast Asia. Special concentration on Indonesia and Malaya.

Williamson, Muriel C. 2000 The Burmese Harp: Its Classical Music, Tunings and Modes. NIU Monograph Series on Southeast Asia, No. 1. 130 pp. 1-891134-04-3 $24.95

At a time when the Burmese musical tradition was undergoing rapid change, Muriel C. Williamson studied Burmese harp under Masters trained in the courtly traditions of the nineteenth century. Her book explores the harp and its music, the late twentieth-century Westernization of the tunings, and the tetrachordal structure of the musical modes