Criticine is a website devoted to pushing forth intelligent discourse about Southeast Asian cinema, from writers within or specializing in the region. Criticine will pay special critical attention to independent cinema; underground cinema; short filmmaking; and the like, serving to highlight the dynamic and vital forms of cinema within the region often ignored by the mainstream media.

Criticine was formed out of an aching need. Southeast Asian cinema has been a neglected field of discourse for far too long a period. Today, Southeast Asian cinema is emerging onto the world map, with a number of filmmakers making waves the world over. In early 2005, the International Film Festival Rotterdam devoted an entire programme of their festival to new cinemas from the region.

Most of the written discourse on Southeast Asian cinema made available to the public, both in the region and outside of it, is sourced from the pens of foreign authors. While invaluable in itself, these writings lack the particular insight and contextualization that can only be made by one who lives, breathes, and understands the culture and context from which a work was born. Their contribution to dialogue on the topic is invaluable, and one that must not be overlooked. Among the contributors of Criticine will be some of the most important and significant voices on Southeast Asian cinema today. And some of those who will be among the most important voices of tomorrow.

Criticine's purpose is threefold:

• To raise the awareness and profile about Southeast Asian cinema in a global context by providing an avenue for serious discourse on film and its developments in the region.
• To raise the profile of film criticism in Southeast Asia, educating audiences and encouraging young writers to partake in this discipline.
• To instigate dialogue between the cinemas and cinephiles both in this region, and world at large.

Criticine exists through the efforts of several esteemed writers from all parts of Southeast Asia and the support of Khristine Consunji. Its home is in Manila, Philippines, and it is edited by Alexis A. Tioseco.

To read more about the website and its purpose, click here.

Southeast Asian Women in the Diaspora: Troubling Borders in Literature and Art
Asian American Studies Program, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

This call for papers is part of a project to create an anthology of stories from Southeast Asian women. Because we envision this anthology will feature importantly in classroom curricula, we are looking for pieces that speak to broad themes and concerns relating but not limited to questions of youth, generational difference, nationality, identity, gender, sexuality, and class. We are soliciting submissions of various genres: short stories, poems, fiction, personal essays, and artwork.

more info | official website | Deadline: December 19, 2008

Vietnam's Children in a Changing World
By Rachel Burr
New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2006


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Thailand: The Politics of Despotic Paternalism
By Thak Chaloemtiarana
Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Southeast Asia Program Publications, 2007


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A History of Cambodia, 4th edition
By David Chandler
Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 2007



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A Coincidence of Desires: Anthropology, Queer Studies, Indonesia
By Tom Boellstorff
Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2007


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Being 'Dutch' in the Indies: A History of Creolisation of an Empire, 1500-1920
By Ulbe Bosma and Remco Raben
Ohio University Press, 2007


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King of the Waters: Homan van der Heide and the Origin of Modern Irrigation in Siam
Leiden, The Netherlands: KITLV Press, 2005


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