Dr. Taufiq Canaan gathered many amulets from 1905 to 1947 in rural areas and towns of Palestine. Among the amulets he collected, the largest group is at Birzeit University and it is known as the... Show moreDr. Taufiq Canaan gathered many amulets from 1905 to 1947 in rural areas and towns of Palestine. Among the amulets he collected, the largest group is at Birzeit University and it is known as the Tawfik Canaan Collection of Palestinian Amulets. It contains a wide variety of objects, a unique group of uninscribed amulets, and extensive documentation of all the items. In my thesis I conclude that the amulets in this Collection do not only deserve our attention as museum objects, but as living objects that have a life and have gone through different phases. These phases become clear by analysing Canaan’s collecting process throughout the years in relation to his multifaceted life as a modern physician, anthropologist, folklorist, collector, social figure, and political activist. In every chapter I explore and contextualise each phase and highlight the amulets’ functions in the networks in which they circulated; from healing and protective remedies used by Canaan's patients in the first half of the 20th century, to becoming tokens of a Palestinian national identity when they were catalogued and exhibited in 1998. The importance of this research lies in the shift of focus from the Collection as a unit to the objects's functions and circulation disclosing the social, cultural and political conditions of the manufacture, use, trade, ethnographic study, and collection of amulets. Show less
In this dissertation I have explored contemporary modes of displacement and citizenship in India. Rather than large-scale spectacular dislocations which are a focus of ‘refugee’ studies or set... Show moreIn this dissertation I have explored contemporary modes of displacement and citizenship in India. Rather than large-scale spectacular dislocations which are a focus of ‘refugee’ studies or set patterns of ‘voluntary’ population movement which come under the rubric of ‘migration’ studies, I am interested in low-key everyday forms of displacements which fall through these categories of understanding, are invisible, and remain undiscussed. I have explored everyday forms of displacement through Oren Yiftachel’s (2020) concept of displaceability. I draw on two case studies of two different displaced groups in Calcutta and North 24 Parganas in West Bengal: i) East Bengali dalit refugees coming from East Bengal (present day Bangladesh) to West Bengal and ii) a group of peripatetic impoverished rural people coming from the villages of Bangladesh and West Bengal to the urban agglomeration around Calcutta. The time frame of the dissertation is from the beginning of the Second World War in 1939 till the present. I have utilised the concept of displaceability to show how these groups are kept in a condition of permanent temporariness through deliberate state policies and how this erodes their citizenship. Displaceability expands understanding of displacement from an act to a systemic condition of informal urban living. In displaceable conditions actual displacements or the potential threats of it are utilised as an administrative tool to extract services from the urban poor and coerce them into participating in unequal political exchanges. My study shows that while these refugees and migrants become displaceable through state mechanisms, they negotiate this condition through their own brands of politics from below. Show less
In this study, I aim to address a long-standing question in Southeast Asian historiography, namely: Why did two seemingly irrelevant edibles, pepper and sea cucumbers, feature so prominently in... Show moreIn this study, I aim to address a long-standing question in Southeast Asian historiography, namely: Why did two seemingly irrelevant edibles, pepper and sea cucumbers, feature so prominently in Southeast Asian exports to China in the early modern period? I approach this question through an intersection of Chinese cultural history and Asian maritime history. I argue that pepper and sea cucumbers represented two distinct Chinese food cultures, which became important in two different stages. Pepper became a popular hot spice in Chinese cuisine during the Mongol Yuan period, when the Mongol Conquest of China and Persia created a trans-Indian Ocean empire and facilitated the circulation of pepper from South India to China. Sea cucumbers became a coveted sea delicacy in Chinese high cuisine in a much later stage, roughly from the late sixteenth through the eighteenth centuries, in association with the expansions of the Manchus, the Dutch, and the British in the areas around the China Seas. Between these two stages, there was a gustatory revolution energised by debates in Chinese medicine from the fourteenth through the seventeenth centuries. Through that revolution, a transformation from the world of pepper to the world of sea cucumbers took place. Show less
This dissertation is about the broadcasting of dakwah on Indonesian TV stations. It deals with the production and circulation of dakwah programmes on TV and elucidates the social and educational... Show moreThis dissertation is about the broadcasting of dakwah on Indonesian TV stations. It deals with the production and circulation of dakwah programmes on TV and elucidates the social and educational backgrounds of popular TV preachers in order to understand the rise of the programmes in post-Suharto Indonesia. Furthermore, this dissertation discusses the competition among various Muslim organisations to influence the production of dakwah programmes and the formation of religious authority through the broadcasting of dakwah programmes on TV channels. This dissertation is based on one-year ethnographic fieldwork in Jakarta, Medan, and Bali, which includes observations and interviews with the producers, preachers, and audiences of dakwah programmes, Muslim leaders, and members of Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI). This dissertation shows the important role of TV in the construction of religious authority, which becomes more fragmented in Muslim societies like in Indonesia partly because of televised dakwah. Most of the current researches on dakwah activities focus mainly on social media like Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram but neglect the role of other media like TV. In fact, TV still plays an important role in daily activities of Indonesian society with its programmes. Muslims watch TV programmes such as dakwah, news, soap operas, talk and reality shows during their leisure and busy time. Muslim leaders make use of TV to disseminate their teachings and enhance their charisma among Muslim audiences. Presidential candidates and political leaders use TV stations to promote their political agendas to gain supports from the society. Show less
This micro-history of Jewish life in Roermond and Middle-Limburg is simultaneously European history. One reason for this is that in the course of time many European peoples or nations played a role... Show moreThis micro-history of Jewish life in Roermond and Middle-Limburg is simultaneously European history. One reason for this is that in the course of time many European peoples or nations played a role in Roermond and its surrounding area. Yet it is also important to note that for centuries similar processes of acceptation and distancing with respect to Jews have occurred in many places in Europe. The central question of this study is: how did the attitude of the environment, strongly determined by Christianity, affect the position and status of the Jews in Roermond and Middle Limburg, from the late Middle Ages to the early twenty-first century? Because the Middle-Limburg region has throughout the centuries been predominantly Roman-Catholic, one of the main questions in this dissertation concerns the attitude of the Catholic Church as an institution over the course of time – and not only during the years 1940-1945 –, and the concomitant attitude of the Catholic press. The developments involved necessitate to address fundamental issues such as the relation between religion and society, and its importance for the status and position of minorities. Show less
This thesis study 260 Arabic inscriptions from the Arabian Peninsula, corresponding to modern-day Saudi Arabia, dating to the first four centuries AH/ 7th to 10th centuries CE. In total, 260... Show moreThis thesis study 260 Arabic inscriptions from the Arabian Peninsula, corresponding to modern-day Saudi Arabia, dating to the first four centuries AH/ 7th to 10th centuries CE. In total, 260 inscriptions are studied, 145 of which are published here for the first time. The corpus pertains to four families whose ancestors are considered, from the literary sources, to be the Prophet Muḥammad's companions. Three of the families belonged to the tribe of the Prophet, the Quraysh, namely the descendants of al-Mughīra al-Makhzūmī, ʿUmar son of al-Khaṭṭāb, and al-Zubayr son of al-ʿAwwām. The fourth family is that of the descendants of Abū ʿAbs, from al-Anṣār. The corpus includes 106 personal names and was collected from different regions of Saudi Arabia, with most of the inscriptions found in the Medina region. Furthermore, the inscriptions extend our knowledge of these families beyond the genealogical sources since they provide us with knowledge of previously unknown individuals, which helps us reconstruct various family trees. The thesis also discusses why individuals whose names are found in the inscriptions are absent from the genealogical sources. There is also discussion of the epigraphic habit of the inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula which was popular in the early Islamic period. It also shows that different members of one family left inscriptions at one site for around two centuries. The thesis concludes that inscriptions constitute an essential source for genealogical studies. Show less
This thesis gives a systematic interpretation of the maritime trade and transportation of Chinese ceramics in a historical perspective from the ninth-century Tang dynasty up to the middle of the... Show moreThis thesis gives a systematic interpretation of the maritime trade and transportation of Chinese ceramics in a historical perspective from the ninth-century Tang dynasty up to the middle of the 17th century. The focus is on the Dutch demand for porcelain, which types and shapes were ordered and what the Dutch East India Company (VOC) transported. The study is based on three distinct areas of research: maritime trade,Chinese export ceramics, and the history of the VOC. Items salvaged from shipwrecks are testimony of the shapes and quantities shipped by Western traders; these are also illustrated in the Appendices. What the Dutch ordered is based on the VOC commissions and cargo lists kept in the National Archives. A particular type, known in art-historical publications as Kraak-type porcelain, is given a sharper definition and a clearer chronology. Dutch demand for porcelain was decisive in activating the porcelain production in China; archaeological data shows that mass-production was undertaken to meet the demands for Western customers. The VOC was the main company ordering and storing Chinese porcelain, shipping it not only to Europe, but also within Asia and the Middle East during the first half of the 17th century. Show less
The purpose of this thesis is to examine the "landscape theory" (Fukei-ron), which has given rise to much debate. This theory was proposed by the anarchist film critic Matsuda Masao at the end of... Show moreThe purpose of this thesis is to examine the "landscape theory" (Fukei-ron), which has given rise to much debate. This theory was proposed by the anarchist film critic Matsuda Masao at the end of 1969 and developed by the director Adachi Masao, the screenwriter Sasaki Mamoru and the photographer Nakahira Takuma, among others. She wishes to re-study this theory of landscape not only to re-evaluate it from an artistic point of view or within the framework of the history of cinema, but also to bring out its political and revolutionary value. The "landscape theory" was born following the film A.K.A. Serial Killer (1969), co-directed by Matsuda, Adachi and Sasaki. This work is a documentary about Nagayama Norio, a nineteen year old man who never appears in the film although he was the author of a series of indiscriminate shootings in the cities of Tokyo, Kyoto, Hakodate and Nagoya between October 1968 and April 1969. This documentary is entirely composed of all the landscapes that Nagayama is said to have seen during his wanderings from his birth to his arrest. This thesis attempts to demonstrate the context in which the term and concept of "landscape" (fukei) was introduced into Japan to translate the Western word "landscape" into Japanese during the modernization process of the Meiji Restoration in the late 19th century, as well as the peculiarity of the "landscape theory" developed by Matsuda and Adachi in a totally different approach from the existing one. Show less
This dissertation investigates the relationship between waste recycling and social change. Instead of complying with a prevailing notion of recycling as an environmental solution, or as material... Show moreThis dissertation investigates the relationship between waste recycling and social change. Instead of complying with a prevailing notion of recycling as an environmental solution, or as material conversion and trade, this research maintains that recycling is about people, their relation to objects and environments, their networks of interaction and modes of thoughts. The empirical focus of this dissertation is Tzu-chi recycling: a volunteer-operated, community-based, Buddhism-associated national movement in Taiwan since the 1990s. This research analyzes Tzu-chi recycling at three levels: individual, communal and institutional. It studies Tzu-chi recycling against the backdrop of Taiwan’s drastic social change: the economic and demographic restructuring, a movement of political localization, and the dynamic powers of religious phenomenon. By doing so, the dissertation shows post-authoritarian Taiwan through the lens of waste recycling, and understands waste recycling through Taiwan. Overall, it contends that in different forms of action and ways of seeing, Tzu-chi-associated members redefine recycling as a past-oriented strategy and a redemptive tool to deal with different consequences of modernity. From the vantage point of waste, this research sheds light on the entanglement between a society’s development and its waste as an examination of its continuum and rupture between present and past. Through the chapters of this dissertation, it becomes clear that, above all, rubbish is at the core of meaningful and coordinated social activity; it makes us who we are. Show less
This dissertation contributes to the reinvention of Chinese political history with a comprehensive account of Wang Anshi’s 王安石 (1021-1086) political theory, touching also upon its practice, arguing... Show moreThis dissertation contributes to the reinvention of Chinese political history with a comprehensive account of Wang Anshi’s 王安石 (1021-1086) political theory, touching also upon its practice, arguing that it was centered on transforming human nature with statist values against the mid-eleventh century humanist mainstream. Intellectual historical studies of Wang Anshi over the past three decades have been focused on how he envisioned the relationship between government and society. Aiming to go beyond this, this study focuses on the “what” in Wang’s learning, i.e., his writings on daode 道德 and xingming 性命 (literally, the way and its power, nature and destiny), most concentratedly found in volumes 63-70 of Collected Writings of Mr. Linchuan 臨川先生文集. Regarding this body of work in Wang’s oeuvre, scholars like Yu Yingshi take them as being about moral self-cultivation in the Confucian tradition. Through close analysis of key concepts in context and differentiating rhetorical strategies from what was meant, I argue in chapter 2 that Wang’s discussions of human nature were integral to his political thought on governance and that what he advanced as the gist of his learning was an anti-humanist soulcraft centered on using statist values to transform self-regarding humans into subjects who would unreflectively think in the interest of the state. It was cultivationist rather than self-cultivationist, as Wang designed a full procedure to firmly establish these values – otherwise foreign to humans in his view – into people’s hearts through externally imposed behavioral regulations. Show less
This dissertation provides a description and analysis of the Mandarin copula shì and copular structures containing it. On the basis of a comprehensive description of the syntactic distribution of... Show moreThis dissertation provides a description and analysis of the Mandarin copula shì and copular structures containing it. On the basis of a comprehensive description of the syntactic distribution of shì and properties of different types of copular sentences (predicational, specificational, and equative), this study proposes a unified structural analysis for predicational and specificational copular sentences in Mandarin.It is proposed that shì is a functional element in the structure of the clause. Importantly, shì is not a verb, and copular structures in Mandarin contain no verb phrase at all, which is consistent with proposals about pronominal copular elements in other languages. Specificational copular sentences are analysed as inverted predicational copular sentences, derived via predicate inversion. This analysis captures both the underlying similarities and the differences between the two types of copular sentences. It is also pointed out that the third type of copular sentences, equatives, is clearly distinct from both predicational and specificational copular sentences and should thus be analysed in a different way.The dissertation also proposes that tense is not always syntactically expressed in Mandarin copular structures. While sentences with a stage-level predicate express tense syntactically, those with an individual-level predicate do not. Show less
This PhD thesis studies the emergence of a new type of female image in ukiyo-e in the early to mid-nineteenth century (late Edo period), with a focus on the bijin-ga, or “pictures of beauties,”... Show moreThis PhD thesis studies the emergence of a new type of female image in ukiyo-e in the early to mid-nineteenth century (late Edo period), with a focus on the bijin-ga, or “pictures of beauties,” designed by Keisai Eisen (1791–1848). Compared to many bijin-ga produced before his time, Eisen’s bijin-ga express a more sensuous, sexually-charged ethos and a sense of self-resilience in the portrayal of female subjects. My study contextualizes the new images of women within the socio-historical milieu of this era.In the context of gender studies, my investigation also explore the social function of Eisen’s bijin-ga. Commercial media such as ukiyo-e seemingly contribute to the general discourse on female gender roles in its bijin-ga depictions of women. In other words, Eisen’s bijin-ga images of women play in the creation of a new feminine ideal in the late Edo period. I also explore in what ways was this expressed in the bijin-ga of Eisen and his circle of artists, writers, and publishers of the demimonde that formed the vortex of commoner society and culture of the late Edo. Show less
With the Constitutional Revolution of 1906, Iran experienced a monumental shift from rule by absolute monarchy to governance based on a constitution. The effects of this revolution were felt not... Show moreWith the Constitutional Revolution of 1906, Iran experienced a monumental shift from rule by absolute monarchy to governance based on a constitution. The effects of this revolution were felt not only on a national level but also globally; internationally, even influencing political relationships between some of the European great powers. Revolutions are born out of theories and ideas; the study of key figures who propagated those ideas is an essential part of historiographical research.The theoretical foundation of the Constitutional Revolution of 1906 gradually developed out of an emerging discourse which reflected the changes Iran was undergoing due to increased contact with the outside world on a scale which had never been experienced before. Having begun with colonialist developments in the seventeenth century, the eighteenth century witnessed a gradual deepening of the threat to the Islamic states by European powers. As contact with the world outside the Islamic states’ territory began to be considered increasingly necessary, Islamic countries were forced to seek a solution to prevent the dominating power of Europe. New technologies gave nations the upper hand and those who lagged behind in terms of scientific and technological development were at a distinct disadvantage. These less developed countries had first to try to understand the developments before they could tackle how to stop the spread of this new threat; the threat from this new kind of power was not based on religious ideology but rather its strength originated from science. It took some time for countries such as Iran to be able to make distinctions between power derived from scientific developments and the power of religion, to accept that development was open to all peoples regardless of their religion, nationality or race. Development towards modernity was equated with European/Western science which was considered at odds with Islamic or non-European identity. This led to discord and the clergy who had been in charge of shaping their followers’ beliefs naturally had to declare their position in response to these changes. Some clergy took reactionary positions; others were more convinced that new changes were necessary for the survival of Islam in the Islamic countries whose population was predominantly Muslim. But it was not only the clergy but also politicians, writers and intellectuals among others who began to express their thoughts and ideas about what should be done in relationship to these changes. Seyyed Hassan Taqizadeh was one such man.Taqizadeh was one of the key Iranian intellectuals who played a significant role in developing and shaping the discourse of change in Iran. As such, the aim of this research has been to provide a deep and nuanced assessment of the life and career of Taqizadeh and how that helped to influence and direct the movement towards change. Taqizadeh was not the only intellectual who was engaged in the discourse of modernity or as it has been referred to in the Iranian context, “Tajaddod”. What gives Taqizadeh particular prominence, however, is the fact that, unlike others, he remained constantly on the scene, and despite many obstacles, rarely veered from his goal of steering Iran along the path towards modernity. This research uses Taqizadeh’s biography as a mirror to reflect the discourse of change in Iran and analyses his role and relationship to that discourse of change. Taqizadeh lived a long life; 91 years. His lifetime (1878-1970) connects to a long and significant period in contemporary Iranian intellectual history; he witnessed the reign of six Shahs; four of whom he had close dealings with. During Taqizadeh’s life important changes took place in Iran and throughout the wider world, including two world wars.Taqizadeh was a politician and intellectual who has left behind many works relating to history, culture and literature. Enough of his writings and records of his thoughts remain to allow his ideas and deeds to have become a living legacy for Iranian intelligentsia. In a country still largely divided over how best it should be run, Taqizadeh’s ideas have become part of the discourse of a desire to modernise the country. Taqizadeh has not always been objectively written about and there is much polemic based around his place in Iranian historiography. Some support Taqizadeh’s ideas and thoughts; for others who scorn western democracy, his ideas have been used, in contrast, to exemplify an approach which ultimately failed. For those who favour political Islam, Taqizadeh is still considered an evil representative of the corrupt West and for the more radical even an agent of the West, whose aim was to ensure the surrender of Iran to the hostile non-Islamic West.Maybe because of the controversy around him and his deeds, although there exist numerous articles and monographs based on Taqizadeh’s life, there is a paucity of published research that focuses on and highlights the importance of his life and work in the formation of a national Iranian identity and his crucial role in the narration of modernity in the Iranian context. This research endeavours to focus on details of and influences on Taqizadeh’s life that may have been previously overlooked and provide an objective and nuanced record of the legacy he has left on Iran and the journey towards modernity in that nation.This study of Taqizadeh’s life and thoughts may also go some way towards facilitating a better understanding of contemporary Iran. After experiencing two revolutions in one century, the Iran of today is overshadowed by an overriding feeling of disquiet and uncertainty about the future. Scholars and indeed some of the general public are searching for reasons that might account for and explain the current situation that the country finds itself in, particularly following the 1979 Revolution. Much discourse revolves around how the country should or should not be ruled and the best routes for its continued development; studying Taqizadeh’s life and career may help to provide some answers. Show less
During the Second Intermediate Period (ca. 1775-1550 BC) period, Egypt was politically and culturally divided into regions, and it was characterized by the presence of groups from modern-day Syria... Show moreDuring the Second Intermediate Period (ca. 1775-1550 BC) period, Egypt was politically and culturally divided into regions, and it was characterized by the presence of groups from modern-day Syria-Palestine and Sudan. To better understand the relationships between the Egyptian sites during this period, I have analysed the objects (beads, stone vessels, scarabs and seals, metal weapons, and two particular types of pottery) that the relevant sites have in common, through network analysis. This quantitative and statistical methodology, which makes use of digital tools, is ideal to examine the relations, as well as the flow and circulation of objects, resources, information, or knowledge between different entities, based on what these entities have in common (or not). During the Second Intermediate Period, contacts can still be detected between different areas, even though they were weaker and happened mostly through desert routes. Two phenomena can be detected: the growing importance of Tell el-Dab’a/Avaris in circulation of objects and resources, and the role played by the communities of Pan-grave culture, known only form archaeological remains and featuring connections with Nubia (modern-day Sudan). Show less
This dissertation is the first research project that investigates the totality of the Greek anti-Manichaean corpus and the anti-Manichaean Roman imperial legislation to reconstruct the history of... Show moreThis dissertation is the first research project that investigates the totality of the Greek anti-Manichaean corpus and the anti-Manichaean Roman imperial legislation to reconstruct the history of the Eastern Roman Manichaeans, from the time their first missionaries arrived in the territory of the Roman East (late 3rd to early 4th cent.) until the disappearance of Manichaeism from the Eastern Roman Empire (6th cent.). By the systematic comparative examination and analysis of the sources of the two above corpora with other anti-Manichaean texts (Latin, Syriac, etc.), and with genuine Manichaean sources, the emergence of a more complete and inter-subjective image is achieved. The thesis is also in constant dialogue with the secondary bibliography taking into account the latest research findings. In this context, it also revises clichés and generalizations present in previous scholarship regarding the value and importance of Greek anti-Manichaica. It contextualizes insufficiently clarified key terms (such as heresy and religion), critical for the correct interpretation of the data, especially on the issue of the classification of the Manichaeans. Βy taking into account the dimensions of the phenomenon of crypto-Manichaeism, this study argues that the death of Manichaeism in the Eastern Roman Empire seems to have been not as abrupt and violent as modern scholarship commonly implies, but was a rather slow process of absorption, assimilation, and dissolution into Christianity. Show less
My dissertation explores how LDS recruitment and conversion occur in two LDS branches in Warsaw, Poland. Regarding recruitment, I focus on the LDS religious and social processes that lead to a... Show moreMy dissertation explores how LDS recruitment and conversion occur in two LDS branches in Warsaw, Poland. Regarding recruitment, I focus on the LDS religious and social processes that lead to a small number of Poles joining the LDS Church through LDS baptism. Concerning conversion, I assess the different types of (committed versus less committed) LDS converts that Polish LDS members become after LDS baptism. My dissertation also explores how pre-LDS background/ experience and wider social issues may help or hinder Polish LDS recruitment/conversion. Of particular interest here is how the Catholic Church may influence the political situation in Poland, and how, in turn, this may have a bearing on LDS recruitment/conversion in Poland.Besides focusing on Polish LDS converts, I assess how long-term investigators can stay within the Warsaw/ Polish LDS world for lengthy periods of time without joining the LDS Church.In terms of methodology, I combine participant observation and (structured and unstructured) interviewing to gain insights into how wider social issues; pre-LDS background; LDS social interaction/ networking; and LDS religious training all influence Polish LDS recruitment/conversion. Show less
This study describes how the interpretations, aspirations and school identity development of Islamic primary schools developed in the period 1988-2013. It gives an overview of the most important... Show moreThis study describes how the interpretations, aspirations and school identity development of Islamic primary schools developed in the period 1988-2013. It gives an overview of the most important turning points for Islamic education and how these turning points have influenced identity development.In this study, the administrators and directors of Islamic primary schools who have at least 10 years of experience in identity development are interviewed. This research shows how complex and diverse the identity of Islamic primary schools is. The main internal and external factors and actors that have influenced the development of school identity are discussed. National and international events have led to a social debate in which the role of Islamic primary schools regarding the integration of Muslims has been questioned. Partly because of this negative attention, Islamic schools have changed from introverted to extroverted organisations. This discussion has also led to unequal treatment of these schools. This research shows precisely how important these schools are for the emancipation of Muslims in the Netherlands. After all, Muslims themselves take the responsibility for education. Islamic primary schools are typical Dutch schools that make an important contribution to a safe pedagogical climate. Show less
This study is about the literary infrastructure in West Sumatra, Indonesia. The components of this infrastructure are: (1) publishing houses, (2) literary clubs, (3) bookstores, used bookstores,... Show moreThis study is about the literary infrastructure in West Sumatra, Indonesia. The components of this infrastructure are: (1) publishing houses, (2) literary clubs, (3) bookstores, used bookstores, and lending libraries (taman bacaan), and (4) support provided by government and non-government institutions and individuals. I chose these components to be examined in this study based on their contributions to the literary field in the province, as well as the actual impact of their contributions. The primary research question which is examined in this thesis is: what is the literary infrastructure in West Sumatra, what are its roles with regard to literature, and what kind of literary practices does it facilitate?These literature-related components build a system that enables the production process of work as a whole. In this thesis, I describe how the literary infrastructure operates in West Sumatra, Indonesia. It has revealed the local literary dynamics in West Sumatra through its main components, which drive and support the literary journey in the field. With its exploration of the West Sumatran literary field, this study shows how many parties –the main actors being publishers, clubs, bookshops, government institutions, and of course writers- support the literary field. Show less
This thesis is an edition and study of Bujangga Manik, a narrative poem in Old Sundanese composed in the late fifteenth century. It includes detailed analyses of everything from the foliation and... Show moreThis thesis is an edition and study of Bujangga Manik, a narrative poem in Old Sundanese composed in the late fifteenth century. It includes detailed analyses of everything from the foliation and materials of the sole surviving manuscript to the ships, houses, and perfumes, and much else, referred to in the text. Show less
This thesis discusses the ways in which local officials deal with the tensions concerning regulations on Muslim marriage and social practices that emerge as a response to such regulations. By... Show moreThis thesis discusses the ways in which local officials deal with the tensions concerning regulations on Muslim marriage and social practices that emerge as a response to such regulations. By looking at the implementation of legal norms on marriage, the functioning of marriage bureaucracy and the people's attitudes towards state recognition of marriage in the local setting, this thesis suggests that Indonesia is experiencing a continuing process of the penetration of state law into society. At the law-making level, instead of reforming the substance of the marriage law, which would only stir up controversy and debates, the government has used a citizens’ rights approach to control marriage practice. This citizens’ rights approach is helpful in guiding people towards compliance with the state legal framework.Furthermore, the central state is also endeavouring to remove all forms of informality from the procedures involved. Nevertheless, in practice, it seems it is an uphill battle to reduce informal intervention. In the end, the willingness of the state officials to give a less than strict interpretation of legal rules is key to guaranteeing the functioning of the state law and will be good for the legal development of Indonesia in the future. Show less
