Publications
Populism, Patronage and Progress: A Political-Economic Analysis of Malaysia’s 15th General Elections
By Jeremy Lim, Imran Mohd Rasid, Anas Nor'azim |
The dominance of Malay-Muslim discourse in the public and political sphere is set to continue into the future, if not, deepening further. The ‘Islamisation arms race’ that has preoccupied past administrations seems set to continue as BERSATU and PAS challenge PKR and UMNO on their Islamic credentials to govern. At the moment, there is no…
Global Solidarity Series
By Rosa Luxemburg |
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the struggle of Southeast Asian nations as they face one of the worst humanitarian crises in modern history. The pandemic amplified existing social divisions and inequality and paved way for the rise of new authoritarianism. The economic crisis hit the most vulnerable sectors of society with little to no social…
Frictions of the ‘New Normal’: Figures of Covid-19 Solidarities in Indonesia
By KUNCI Study Forum & Collective |
The official rhetoric regarding the ‘New Normal’ in Indonesia has become infused with the discourse on the imagination and aspiration of life beyond COVID-19. In this essay, we investigate how the idea of the New Normal is being complicated, negotiated, and contested by different grassroots solidarity practices in Indonesia. Embedded in specific local contexts and…
Indonesia Solidarity Movement During Restriction: A Case Study of Solidaritas Pangan Jogja
By Purnama Sari Pelupessy |
The Indonesian government released a restriction policy in response to curbing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. The restrictions significantly impact almost all sectors, particularly the food and logistics sectors, creating food insecurity and a chaotic situation at the grassroots. On the other hand, community initiatives have emerged to overcome the grassroots vulnerabilities through the…
Workers First: The Nagkaisa Labor Coalition’s Covid Response in the Philippines
By Benjamin Velasco |
The paper examined the demands, activities, tactics and alliances forged by the Nagkaisa (United) labor coalition as the authoritarian covid response of Duterte in the Philippines led to an unprecedented economic crisis. Nagkaisa is the most successful experiment in uniting organized labor in the last decade. It pushed for a response that prioritizes workers’ rights…
Duterte, covid19, and populist-authoritarianism in the Philippines: Contentions and contradictions
By Verna Dinah Q. Viajar |
In dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, the Duterte government responded too late in stopping local transmission, too little in preparation, and too much force in lockdown enforcement. The Philippines has the strictest and longest lockdown in Asia, yet the steady increase of covid infections from June 2020 until the surge on March 2021, show that…