Monsoon Country

Pira Sudham's 1988 classic Monsoon Country NEW 2022 EDITION It is hard to overstate the impact that Pira's Monsoon Country had on the outside world when it was first published in 1988. Regarded as a classic by many, yet is was classic in a genre of just one novel. Pira Sudham and Monsoon Country are close to unique in so many ways. He wrote in the English and never published novels or short stories in his native Thai language. A justifiable comparison could be made to Joseph Conrad writing almost a century before. He came from a peasant family in the northeast, the country's poorest region where a third of Thailand's population live. With Monsoon Country there was suddenly an international voice for the peasants, long exploited by both governments and provincial godfathers. The story tracks Pira's own life, a poor youngster taken to Bangkok as a temple boy and winning scholarships to end up studying English in Thailand's leading university followed by overseas universities in New Zealand, Australia and England. Many kids born in this century, growing up in NE Thailand wouldn't recognize the 1960s and 1970s region called Isan. (Sometimes Esarn, Issan, Isaan and other spellings.) Their grandparents would know the life lived in poverty well. Young girls moving to Bangkok to work in its notorious nightlife industry in order to support their parents and siblings. Development has taken place. The inequality and local godfathers may still be there, but now politicians and army generals have to remember the insurgency of the 60s and 70s and at least pay lip service to improving the living standards in Thailand's largest region. Maybe, again like Conrad, English being a second language forces authors to be meticulous in their use of the language and finding the exact right words and phrases to use. If you have never read Monsoon Country, or last read it back when it was first published, now is a good time to read it for the first or second time to see why it was so widely praised back then. Pira is still with us and living back in his home village. The sequel to Monsoon Country, 2002's The Force of Karma has a new final chapter written in 2022 bringing the story up-to-date. There are good reasons why Pira Sudham is regarded internationally as the leading Thai author of his generation. "With his rich command of the English language Pira Sudham possesses the unique gift of being able to convey the cultural evolution of Thailand through the eyes of a poor farmer’s son. Pira’s insightful observations make fascinating reading and the lad who once tended buffaloes has become a significant voice for the people of the Northeast." Roger Crutchley, Bangkok Post columnist and author of The Road to Nakhon Nowhere

Country, native title and ecology all converge in this volume to describe the dynamic intercultural context of land and water management on Indigenous lands. Indigenous people’s relationships with country are discussed from various speaking positions, including identity and knowledge, the homelands debate, water planning, climate change and market environmentalism. The inter-disciplinary chapters range from an ethnographic description of living waters in the Great Sandy Desert, negotiating the eradication of yellow crazy ants in Arnhem Land, and legal analysis of native title rights in emerging carbon markets. A recurrent theme is the contentions over meaning, knowledge, and authority. “Because this volume is scholarly, original and very timely it represents a key resource and reference work for land and sea managers; policy makers; scholars of the interface between post-native title responsibilities, NRM objectives and appropriate heritage protocols; and students based in the social sciences, natural sciences and humanities. It is rare for volumes to have this much cross-academy purchase and for this reason alone – it will have ongoing worth and value as a seminal collection.” – Associate Professor Peter Veth, ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences, The Australian National University. Dr Jessica Weir has published widely on water, native title and governance, and is the author of Murray River Country: An Ecological Dialogue with Traditional Owners (Aboriginal Studies Press, 2009). Jessica’s work was recently included in Stephen Pincock’s Best Australian Science Writing 2011. In 2011 Jessica established the AIATSIS Centre for Land and Water Research, in the Indigenous Country and Governance Research Program at the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. For more information on Aboriginal History Inc. please visit aboriginalhistory.org.au.

An edited volume by Monsoon Assemblages, a European Research Council funded research project. The book presents the methods that Monsoon Assemblages has evolved for engaging the monsoon, a globally connected weather system, as a coproducer of urban life and space in South and Southeast Asian cities. It challenges views of climate as an inert backdrop to urban life, instead suggesting that it is materially and spatially active in shaping urban politics, ecologies, infrastructures, buildings and bodies. It combines critical texts with cartography, photography and ethnography to present the project’s methodology and its outcomes and invites urban practitioners to think differently about space, time, representation and human and non-human agency. It offers intra-disciplinary, intra-active methods for rethinking human and non-human relations with weather in ways that meet the challenges of climate change and the Anthropocene.

A monthly published in Hindi and English. The journal is devoted to all aspects of rural reconstruction and village democracy. The journal carries educative and informative articles on rural development and is useful for scholars, academicians and students preparing for civil services and other competitive examinations.

Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon, is an island nation located in the Indian Ocean. The country has a rich cultural heritage that spans over 2,000 years, having been influenced by South Indian, Buddhist, and European cultures. Sigiriya, a UNESCO World Heritage site is a popular tourist destination featuring a 200-meter high rock fortress, frescoes, and gardens in the central part of the island. Along with the historical sites, the island nation is also well-known for its beaches, wildlife, culinary delights, and tea plantations. The country has eight UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the ancient city of Polonnaruwa, which was the second capital of Sri Lanka during the 11th and 13th centuries. Sri Lanka has evolved from its past as a newly independent state to a modern, globalized economy. Over the past few decades, major industries such as information technology, tourism, and textiles have all contributed to the country's growth. Additionally, Sri Lanka is also known for its high-quality tea production, which is exported internationally. While there are still some concerns regarding human rights and corruption, the country is making strides to address these issues and attract more foreign investment. Despite its size, Sri Lanka has a rich history, vibrant culture, and interesting geography, making it an increasingly popular destination for travelers around the world.

This is a timely, interdisciplinary scientific overview of the atmosphere, the ocean and the land surface as it interacts with physical, chemical and biological processes. The high level of detail sets it apart from other studies of monsoon meteorology. The text includes analysis of paleoclimate records, human influences on the monsoon climate and the economic impacts of the monsoon on economies and to human health.