Ashmun,
Lawrence F. Resettlement of Indochinese Refugees in the United States: A Selective and
Annotated Bibliography. Occasional Papers, no. 10. 1983.. 207pp. $14.00.
Includes 1,037 listings for printed materials published from April 1975 to the end of 1981
on the US resettlement of Cambodian, Chinese, Hmong, Lao, Thai Dam, and Vietnamese
refugees from Indochina. The annotated listings include materials on acculturation,
patterns of adjustment, health, diseases, culture, customs, housing, bilingual education,
mental health, counseling, nutrition, and social services.
Aung-Thwin,
Michael. Irrigation in the Heartland of Burma: Foundations of the Pre-Colonial Burmese
State. Occasional Papers, no. 15. 1990. 76pp. ISBN 1-877979-15-5. $9.00.
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.
Swettenham. A new biography. Illus., maps, appendix, bibliography, index. Hardcover, 783
pages plus 95 illustrations. Published 1996. ISBN 1-983-99915-1-5. $50.00 hardcover.
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. An Introduction to the Thai Poem Lilit Phra Law (The Story of King Law). Special
Reports, no. 25. 1991. 254pp. ISBN 1-877979-75-9. $15.00.
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. "Raises essential
questions to be asked by all critical editors, translators, and interpreters of this and
other Thai poems" - Priyawat Kuanpoonpol, Journal of Southeast Asian Studies
Bofman,
Theodora. The Poetics of the Ramakian. Special Reports, no. 21. 1984. 258pp. ISBN
1-877979-71-6. $15.00.
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. "Bofman's skill as a translator of Thai is
demonstrated . . . . and the insights into the structure of the Ramakian that Bofman
provides are truly illuminating" - Thomas W. Gething, Journal of Asian Studies".
. . the study makes a good text for students first approaching Thai literature. Much of
the detail explicated in the sections dealing with the epithets, the ritualized
interaction of the characters, and the transitional devices provides information that a
new student needs at his fingertips." - Thomas John Hudak, Journal of the American
Oriental Society
Compton, Carol
J., and John F. Hartmann, eds. Papers on Tai Languages, Linguistics, and Literatures: In
Honor of Professor William J. Gedney on his 77th Birthday. Occasional Papers, no. 16.
1992. 302pp. ISBN 1-877979-16-3. $26.00.
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. ". . . an excellent and wide-ranging
collection. The authors display attention to detail, precision of argument, and full
sensitivity to the culture of the speakers of the language[s]/dialects[s] being
analyzed." - Thomas W. Gething, Journal of Asian Studies
Durrenberger, E.
Paul. Lisu Religion. Occasional Papers, no. 13. 1989. 44pp. ISBN 1-877979-13-9. $10.00.
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. "This
book will be of interest to specialists. It is an important contribution because of the
scarcity of sources based on in-depth anthropological fieldwork among the Lisu." -
Deborah Tooker, Journal of Asian Studies
Hartmann, John
F., ed. In Celebration of King Ramkhamhaeng of Sukhothai: Seven Hundred Years of the
Development of the Thai Language. Crossroads: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Southeast
Asian Studies, Volume 3, no. 1. 1986. 153pp. Reprint $6.00.
Articles on the development of the Thai script and Thai printing (including
computerization issues for Indic-derived scripts), the development of the classic poetic
forms, lexicon borrowing, mid-20th century spelling reform, and the Thai Braille system.
Languages discussed include Standard Thai, Tai Dam, and Tai Lue.
Bryan Hunsaker,
Theodore Mayer, Barbara Griffiths, and Robert Dayley, with an introduction by Clark Neher.
Loggers, Monks, Students, and Entrepreneurs: Four Essays on Thailand. Occasional Paper,
No. 18. 1996. ISBN 1-877979-18-X. $12.00.
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.
Kingshill,
Konrad. Ku Daeng--Thirty Years Later: A Village Study in Northern Thailand, 1954-1984.
Special Reports, no. 26. 1991. 314pp. ISBN 1-877979-76-7. $20.00.
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.
Ledgerwood,
Judy. Cambodia Emerges from the Past: Eight Essays. 2002. 320pp. 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.
Leichter, Howard
M. Political Regime and Public Policy in the Philippines: A Comparison of Bacolod and
Iloilo Cities. Special Reports, no. 11. 1975. 163pp. ISBN 1-877979-61-9. $7.00.
Investigates the entire range of policy activity in these cities of the Panay and
Negros islands just prior to the Marcos period. A good basis for comparison with
contemporary patterns.
Lockard, Craig
A. Reflections of Change: Sociopolitical Commentary and Criticism in Malaysian Popular
Music Since 1950. Crossroads: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Southeast Asian Studies,
Volume 6, no. 1. 1991. 112pp. $6.00.
Traces the development of social commentary in Malay- and English-language popular
music, and links its development to sociopolitical change in Malaysia and Singapore.
"'Reflections of Change' is a welcome contribution especially since there is a dearth
of studies on Malaysian popular culture. The essay is well written and informative . .
." - Tan Sooi Beng, Journal of Southeast Asian Studies
Miller, Terry
E., and Jarernchai Chonpairot. A History of Siamese Music Reconstructed from Western
Documents, 1505-1932. Crossroads: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Southeast Asian Studies,
Volume 8, no. 2. 1994. 192pp. $11.00.
An encyclopedic account of Siamese folk and classical musics, instruments, and
theatrical performance genres as related through Western sources. The manuscript's major
goal is to reconstruct Siamese musical history in the absence of reliable indigenous
sources, while also evaluating the Western sources' strengths and shortcomings.
Morais, Robert
J. Social Relations in a Philippine Town. Special Reports, no. 19. 1981. 151pp. $11.00.
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.
Southeast Asia: Crossroads of the World. 2000. 184pp. ISBN 1-891134-06-X $14.95
It 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.
Provencher,
Ronald, ed. Two Hundred Years of the Chakri Dynasty. Crossroads: An Interdisciplinary
Journal of Southeast Asian Studies, Volume 2, no. 2. 1985. 145pp. $6.00.
A selection of papers and commentaries presented at a Rattanakosin Bicentennial
Conference on "Two Hundred Years of the Chakri Dynasty" in November 1982. The
nine articles and two commentaries deal with Thailand's history, literature, religion,
municipal administration, and economic development. Authors include William Gedney, Frank
E. Reynolds, Constance Wilson, Eliezer B. Ayal, Clark Neher, and David K. Wyatt.
Ratliff, Martha.
Meaningful Tone: A Study of Tonal Morphology in Compounds, Form Classes, and Expressive
Phrases in White Hmong. Special Reports, no. 27. 1992. 275pp. ISBN 1-877979-77-5. $22.00.
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 Hmong refugees
to the United States. Prior to this time, only two dictionaries and one grammar by
missionary linguists existed for White Hmong. Since the arrival of the Hmong refugees,
linguists have started to take the task of describing the language seriously. The
publication of this major study of Hmong language will bring multiple benefits: to
students of Hmong, 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.
The Ancestral Lords: Gender, Descent, and Spirits in a Northern Thai Village. Special
Reports, no. 29. 1994. 202pp. ISBN 1-877979-79-1. $15.00.
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. Ritual, Power, and Economy: Upland-Lowland Contrasts in Mainland Southeast Asia.
Occasional Papers, no. 14. 1989. 143pp. ISBN 1-877979-14-7. $11.00.
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. "This well-coordinated volume addresses a major issue in
the study of mainland Southeast Asian societies: how to study the area's diverse religious
traditions and ritual systems as variants of a single set of ideas and concerns. . . . The
authors clearly and expertly combine ethnographic data with a coherent analytical
approach. Accessible to informed undergraduates." - J. R. Bowen, Choice
Scanlon, Phil,
Jr. Southeast Asia: A Cultural Study through Celebration. Special Reports, no. 23. 1985.
185pp. ISBN 1-877979-73-2. $15.00.
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.
Sutton, R.
Anderson. Variation in Central Javanese Gamelan Music: Dynamics of Steady State. Special
Reports, no. 28. 1993. 295pp. ISBN 1-877979-78-3. $25.00.
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.
Tai in Tai
Context. Crossroads: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Southeast Asian Studies, Volume 5,
no. 1. 1990. 79pp. $5.00.
Five articles on social and political organization of Tai societies. Special focus on
Siamese, Shan, Lao, and Tai Lü.
Van Esterik,
Penny, ed. Women of Southeast Asia. Second edition, including a new preface and an updated
bibliography. 260 pp. Occasional Paper, No. 17. 1996. ISBN 1-877979-17-1. $15.00.
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.
The Soul of Ambiguity: The Tiger in Southeast Asia. Special Reports, no. 24. 1986. .
148pp. ISBN 1-877979-74-0. $10.00.
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. "This is an attempt to sort out and analyze
the varied beliefs dealing with the tiger in Southeast Asia. As a symbol, the tiger is
commonly associated with kings, ancestors, shamans, and magic in Southeast Asia . . . .
This monograph then will explore some of the ways in which the tiger is used as a symbol.
It will be seen that the power of the tiger as a symbol lies in the ambiguous nature of
his relationship with man." - from the introduction
