Archives

The objectives of this research are to (1) explain the number and growth of elderly population in Malaysia and Japan, and the emerging problems associated, (2) describe the existing elderly care and the role of family, community and the state in elderly care support system, and (3) identify the gender-issues in the planning and implementing elderly care program. The research applied secondary research and primary research. The primary research applied qualitative method, and using combination of (a) direct observation, (2) in-depth, open-ended interviews, and (3) written documents to collect data, while the secondary research is basically consist of population data analysis and literature study. It will explore the extent to which the gender roles have been changing as an impact of the social and economic changes in the larger society. This research will be focusing on the investigation of the consequences arise due to the on-going demographic changes to the family life and gender roles. The demographic changes have become an important phenomenon in Asia continent in the last fifty years, and this has been influencing the human living condition greatly.

Some preliminary thoughts on my research -- “Beyond Sustainable Development: Culture, Cosmology and Sustainability”.

This research aims to re-think the notion of sustainable development. Mainstream discourses on sustainable development are about economic development, environment, resource depletion, and all types of pollution. The latter two, of course, have a direct bearing on the environment. Thus, sustainable development is about harmonising economic development and environmental well-being. Born out of the urgent concerns of industrialized countries and their production-consumption patterns of behaviour, the notion and practice of sustainable development articulating within a mechanistic cosmology and a strong GDP-focus -- are not only limited but also hegemonic. It also seems to suggest that the notion of sustainability is a recent i.e. 20th century, concern. Hardly.

The notion of sustainability (differentiated from sustainable development) is very much internal to local or indigenous cultures; the ‘spirit of sustainability’ is embedded in local or indigenous cultures. Such an understanding makes space for a number of critical issues to be thrown up. It helps one to move away from the mainstream concerns of sustainable development and allows for greater understanding of the ‘meanings of sustainability’ from a local cultural perspective. It also allow for a conception that goes beyond economics and development. In addition, it contributes to questioning Euro-American centrism in theory and methodology.

Relations between the coromandal coast and Lower Burma and Malay Peninsula go back to a few centuries before the birth of Christ; the inhabitants of lower Burma were called as "Talaings". "An Indian Era of Malay History" existed in Malay until about the beginning of 16th century. Telugus who immigrated to Malaya during the 19th century when the plantation economy emerged were chiefly unskilled laborers. In other words, south Indian and plantation laborers had been almost synonymous in the Malaya Peninsula. In terms of caste-community background and social composition most of the migrant were drawn from the following castes and communities of Andhra. Agnikula-Kshatriyas/Pallis, (Fishermen/Boatmen), Setti-Balijas/Nadas (toddy tappers), Telaga-Naidu-Kapus/Vellala (cultivators), Malas/Madigas/Paraya (untouchable agricultural laborers). However, some upper caste persons belonging to the Brahmin (priest-scholar). Vaisya-Komati-Chetti (traders-merchants) Reddy, Kamma, Vellala (cultivators) also emigrated to Burma and Malaya. The vast majority of the Telugus worked as unskilled laborers in Burma. In some fields and sectors they dominated: to name a few like rickshaw pulling, ports and docks, public works, construction, paddy fields, rice/saw/oil mills, sweeping and scavenging etc. In Malaya, they were conspicuous by their overwhelming presence in the rubber and coconut plantations of west coast, viz., the lower Perak.

Prof. Prijono Tjiptoherijanto who is Professor of Economics at Faculty of Economics,　University of Indonesia stays in Japan as a Visiting Professor at Kobe University.

Prof. Prijono has served as a member and chair at National Board of Minimum Wage in Indonesia for a long time, and published many articles on wage, labor and human resources development in Indonesia.

Professor Zundorfer is a historian of China with reference to Ming and Qing, and has written widely on its economic and social aspects.As a member of GEHN (Global Economic History Network), she is visiting CSEAS as a fellow sponsored by the Leverhulme Foundation.In this presentation she is expected to refer to South and Southeast Asia in connection with the characterisation of Chinese cotton textiles in global history.