The New East Asian Studies Podcasts in the Age of AI

Stories centering on the lovelorn ghost (Mae Nak) and the magical monk (Somdet To) are central to Thai Buddhism. Historically important and emotionally resonant, these characters appeal to every class of follower. Metaphorically and rhetorically powerful, they invite constant reimagining across time. Focusing on representations of the ghost and monk from the late eighteenth century to the present, Justin Thomas McDaniel builds a case for interpreting modern Thai Buddhist practice through the movements of these transformative figures. He follows embodiments of the ghost and monk in a variety of genres and media, including biography, film, television, drama, ritual, art, liturgy, and the Internet. Sourcing nuns, monks, laypeople, and royalty, he shows how relations with these figures have been instrumental in crafting histories and modernities. McDaniel is especially interested in local conceptions of being "Buddhist" and the formation and transmission of such identities across different venues and technologies. Establishing an individual's "religious repertoire" as a valid category of study, McDaniel explores the performance of Buddhist thought and ritual through practices of magic, prognostication, image production, sacred protection, and deity and ghost worship, and clarifies the meaning of multiple cultural configurations. Listening to popular Thai Buddhist ghost stories, visiting crowded shrines and temples, he finds concepts of attachment, love, wealth, beauty, entertainment, graciousness,

Keywords:

Why Europe Grew Rich and Asia Did Not provides a striking new answer to the classic question of why Europe industrialized from the late eighteenth century and Asia did not. Drawing significantly from the case of India, Prasannan Parthasarathi shows that in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the advanced regions of Europe and Asia were more alike than different, both characterized by sophisticated and growing economies. Their subsequent divergence can be attributed to different competitive and ecological pressures that in turn produced varied state policies and economic outcomes. This account breaks with conventional views, which hold that divergence occurred because Europe possessed superior markets, rationality, science, or institutions. It offers instead a groundbreaking rereading of global economic development that ranges from India, Japan and China to Britain, France, and the Ottoman Empire and from the textile and coal industries to the roles of science, technology, and the state.

The definitive account of one of the twentieth century’s most brutal, yet least examined, episodes of genocide and detention

The Killing Season explores one of the largest and swiftest, yet least examined, instances of mass killing and incarceration in the twentieth century―the shocking antileftist purge that gripped Indonesia in 1965–66, leaving some five hundred thousand people dead and more than a million others in detention. An expert in modern Indonesian history, genocide, and human rights, Geoffrey Robinson sets out to account for this violence and to end the troubling silence surrounding it. In doing so, he sheds new light on broad, enduring historical questions. How do we account for instances of systematic mass killing and detention? Why are some of these crimes remembered and punished, while others are forgotten? Based on a rich body of primary and secondary sources, The Killing Season is the definitive account of a pivotal period in Indonesian history.

Keywords:

The Burmese army took political power in Burma in 1962 and has ruled the country ever since. The persistence of this government―even in the face of long-term nonviolent opposition led by activist Aung San Suu Kyi, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991―has puzzled scholars. In a book relevant to current debates about democratization, Mary P. Callahan seeks to explain the extraordinary durability of the Burmese military regime. In her view, the origins of army rule are to be found in the relationship between war and state formation.

Burma's colonial past had seen a large imbalance between the military and civil sectors. That imbalance was accentuated soon after formal independence by one of the earliest and most persistent covert Cold War conflicts, involving CIA-funded Kuomintang incursions across the Burmese border into the People's Republic of China. Because this raised concerns in Rangoon about the possibility of a showdown with Communist China, the Burmese Army received even more autonomy and funding to protect the integrity of the new nation-state.

The military transformed itself during the late 1940s and the 1950s from a group of anticolonial guerrilla bands into the professional force that seized power in 1962. The army edged out all other state and social institutions in the competition for national power. Making Enemies draws upon Callahan's interviews with former military officers and her archival work in Burmese libraries and halls of power. Callahan's unparalleled access allows her to correct existing explanations of Burmese authoritarianism and to supply new information about the coups of 1958 and 1962.

Explore the origins and evolution of nationalism with Imagined Nations, a podcast inspired by Benedict Anderson’s Imagined Communities and other key works on global modernity. Through discussions on print capitalism, colonialism, and the interplay between empires and international organizations, we uncover how maps, museums, and media shaped imagined national identities. Journey from the birth of national consciousness in South America to the international mandates of the League of Nations, unraveling the complex dynamics of sovereignty, self-determination, and empire. Perfect for history enthusiasts, political theorists, and anyone intrigued by how nations—and their stories—are made.

Dive into the complex interplay of breaking news and scholarly insights in this special episode. As South Korea declares martial law under President Yoon Suk Yeol, we explore the immediate political and social ramifications alongside a deeper academic analysis. Drawing from historical texts and contemporary political studies, we contextualize the unfolding crisis within South Korea's journey from democratization to present-day governance challenges. This podcast offers a nuanced perspective, blending urgent reporting with thoughtful examination of South Korean history, literature, and politics.

Several million rural inhabitants of Vietnam’s northern deltas made the decision to move during the twentieth century, seeking to make new homes in the country’s highlands. This book offers a historical analysis of the political economy of migration, stimulated by the French colonial and independent socialist states. It shows how socialist policies especially changed the face of the highlands, as settlers from the plains turned the hills "red."

Sexualities and Power explores the intersections of gender, sexuality, and politics through the lens of historical and cultural narratives. Drawing on seminal works like Michel Foucault's History of Sexuality and Afsaneh Najmabadi's Women with Mustaches and Men without Beards, this podcast challenges simplistic notions of repression, modernity, and identity. Delve into topics like the "repressive hypothesis," the rise of sexual discourses, and the role of gender in shaping Iranian modernity. Through nuanced discussions, we illuminate how power operates in personal and societal contexts, offering fresh insights into the dynamics of gender, beauty, education, and citizenship across diverse historical landscapes.

China's one-child rule is unassailably one of the most controversial social policies of all time. In the first book of its kind, Susan Greenhalgh draws on twenty years of research into China's population politics to explain how the leaders of a nation of one billion decided to limit all couples to one child. Focusing on the historic period 1978-80, when China was just reentering the global capitalist system after decades of self-imposed isolation, Greenhalgh documents the extraordinary manner in which a handful of leading aerospace engineers hijacked the population policymaking process and formulated a strategy that treated people like missiles. Just One Child situates these science- and policymaking practices in their broader contexts―the scientization and statisticalization of sociopolitical life―and provides the most detailed and incisive account yet of the origins of the one-child policy.

Journey into the heart of the Tibetan plateau with Echoes of the Plateau, a podcast exploring the rich tapestry of Tibet's history, culture, and identity. Drawing insights from works like Matthew Kapstein's The Tibetans and Sam van Schaik's Tibet, we delve into the rise of the Tibetan Empire, the emergence of Tibetan Buddhism, the Dalai Lamas' influence, and the socio-political complexities surrounding Tibet's relationship with China. From ancient legends to modern challenges, this series offers a nuanced perspective on one of the world's most captivating civilizations. Perfect for history buffs, cultural enthusiasts, and anyone curious about Tibet's enduring legacy.