Archives

My activities consist of two components: library management and research on contemporary cultural issues in Indonesia with a focus on Chinese Indonesians.
1. Library networks and information sharing
My recent focus is on the establishment of library networks and information sharing among related libraries in Japan and Southeast Asia.
2. Chinese Indonesian cultural identity
Chinese Indonesians are currently in the process of reconstructing their cultural identity after the fall of Suharto in May 1998. They are undertaking this in the context of two contradictory experiences - on the one hand, a sense of liberation with the downfall of Suharto, and on the other hand, becoming once more a “targeted ethnic group” by rioters. For the past two years, I have approached this process through the issues of museum representation and Confucianism.
3. The linguistic landscape of Jakarta in the post-Suharto era
The linguistic landscape of Jakarta has been changing dramatically, most notably in the number of displays of Chinese characters, which were forbidden to be used in the public sphere throughout the Suharto era. In addition, bilingual signs (English/Indonesian, Indonesian/Arabic, etc.) seem to be increasing. I hope to capture the social changes of the city through these signs in multiple languages.