Re Presenting Brunei Darussalam

This thoughtful and wide-ranging open access volume explores the forces and issues shaping and defining contemporary identities and everyday life in Brunei Darussalam. It is a subject that until now has received comparatively limited attention from mainstream social scientists working on Southeast Asian societies. The volume helps remedy that deficit by detailing the ways in which religion, gender, place, ethnicity, nation-state formation, migration and economic activity work their way into and reflect in the lives of ordinary Bruneians. In a first of its kind, all the lead authors of the chapter contributions are local Bruneian scholars, and the editors skilfully bring the study of Brunei into the fold of the sociology of everyday life from multiple disciplinary directions. By engaging local scholars to document everyday concerns that matter to them, the volume presents a collage of distinct but interrelated case studies that have been previously undocumented or relatively underappreciated. These interior portrayals render new angles of vision, scale and nuance to our understandings of Brunei often overlooked by mainstream inquiry. Each in its own way speaks to how structures and institutions express themselves through complex processes to influence the lives of inhabitants. Academic scholars, university students and others interested in the study of contemporary Brunei Darussalam will find this volume an invaluable resource for unravelling its diversity and textures. At the same time, it hopefully stimulates critical reflection on positionality, hierarchies of knowledge production, cultural diversity and the ways in which we approach the social science study of Brunei. ‘I wish to commend the editors for bringing this volume to fruition. It is an important book in the context of Southeast Asian sociology and even more important for the development of our social, geographical, cultural and historical knowledge of Brunei.’ —Victor T. King, University of Leeds

Following its successful chairmanship of ASEAN in 2013, Brunei Darussalam will look to continue its role as a regional leader in areas ranging from defence to commerce. The increased focus on diversification and the growth of several industries bode well for the economy, and the coming years are expected to see Brunei Darussalam further bolster its position within ASEAN and the international economy. Commanding the second-highest GDP per capita among all ASEAN member nations at $39,700 in 2013, Brunei Darussalam remains one of the most advanced economies in the South-east Asia region. Historically, the hydrocarbons industry has dominated the Bruneian economy and allowed the country to amass considerable wealth. However, the nation is making an earnest effort to diversify its economy to ensure future economic stability and sustainability. Thanks in large part to the efforts of the Brunei Economic Development Board, the nation has successfully brought in several major international investments in recent years, including a multi-purpose defence and aviation training centre. The Sultanate is also targeting growth in bio-industry through investments in research and development, as well as expanding the global reach of its halal food industry.

The Oxford Handbook of Southeast Asian Englishes is the first reference work of its kind to describe both the history and the contemporary forms, functions, and status of English in Southeast Asia (SEA). Since the arrival of English traders to Southeast Asia in the seventeenth century, the English language has had a profound impact on the linguistic ecologies and the development of societies throughout the region. Today, countries such as Singapore and the Philippines have adopted English as a national language, while in others, such as Indonesia and Cambodia, it is used as a foreign language of education. The chapters in this volume provide a comprehensive overview of current research on a wide range of topics, addressing the impact of English as a language of globalization and exploring new approaches to the spread of English in SEA. The volume is divided into six parts that investigate, respectively: historical and contemporary English contact in SEA; the structures of the Englishes spokes in different SEA nations; the English-language literatures of the region; approaches to English in education throughout the region; and resources for researching SEA Englishes. The handbook will be an invaluable reference work for students and researchers in areas as diverse as contact linguistics, English as a Foreign Language, world Englishes, and sociolinguistics.

In the past five years, Brunei Darussalam’s socio-cultural landscape has witnessed a significant transformation, creating social and economic opportunities for Bruneians. Social media sites such as Instagram, Twitter and TikTok have become spaces and sites for racial, political and religious engagements in Bruneian society. Digitally connected young people and their engagements on various social media platforms are major catalysts in this transformation. They actively share their social and religious practices and, in the process, create new discourses that are effectively reshaping the nation’s socio-cultural, religious and political landscape. This article examines three trends in Bruneian youths’ social media engagements: digital civic engagement and social justice; self-expression and influencing culture; and new religious expressions and lived religiosities. Based on these trends, we can expect further evolution of youth culture carrying significance for the nation’s development. The social consciousness and mobility of these young people are effectively measured through a study of the fluidity of their identity, ideas and practices.

The report explores a critical policy area for the region, the care economy. Stressing the gendered, informal, and unpaid dimensions of care, it draws on social, demographic, educational and economic evidence to forecast a growing demand for care services in Southeast Asian countries.

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all. The academic community, policymakers, industry leaders, and civil society must work together and share experiences on the implementation of SDGs. Open discussion on lessons learned from the inclusive education policies, the difficulties and obstacles developing economies face in implementing the SDGs, and the affordability of the clean energy policies initiated by the SDGs will guide and inform better decision making for future implementations across the world. Public Policy’s Role in Achieving Sustainable Development Goals is authored by various esteemed researchers, policymakers, and academics from a multidisciplinary perspective and emphasizes quality research-based studies that contribute to theory, lessons learned, best practices, critical understanding, and policy implications or formulation on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in any country. It supports the acceleration required to implement the SDGs by mobilizing the academic community, policymakers, industry, and civil society to discuss experiences focusing on the SDGs and their implementation in the context of public policy, administration, and governance deemed most important for world regions. Thus, the book will have a global discussion while addressing the SDGs in a way that considers each region’s specificities. It is designed for researchers from the social sciences, arts and humanities, sociology, politics, and the broader interdisciplinary fields of business and economics and also for policymakers, corporations, NGOs, government bodies, research centers, think tanks, and university libraries worldwide.

'The continued poverty of the majority of the planet's inhabitants and excessive consumption by the minority are the two major causes of environmental degradation The present course is unsustainable and postponing action is no longer an option. Inspired political leadership and intense cooperation across all regions and sectors will be needed to put both existing and new policy instruments to work. ' From the Synthesis Global Environment Outlook 2000 (GEO-2000) is a comprehensive and authoritative review and analysis of environmental conditions around the world. It is the flagship publication of the world's leading environmental organization, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and is based on information provided by more than 30 regional and international collaborating centres. The book presents a region-by-region analysis of the state of the world's environment, highlighting key global concerns and making recommendations for policy action. The regions covered include Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe and Central Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, North America, West Asia and the Polar Areas. Chapter 1: Global Perspectives describes the main drivers of environmental change, such as the economy, population growth, political organization and regionalization, as well as potential impacts of recent global developments including the growth of the consumer culture, trade and international debt. Chapter 2: The State of the Environment provides a global and region-by-region overview of the environment at the end of the second millennium. The chapter covers global issues such as ozone, climate change, El Nifio and nitrogen loading, and universal issues of land and food, forests, biodiversity, freshwater, marine and coastal areas, atmosphere and urban areas. Chapter 3: Policy Responses reviews the broad range of policy instruments and responses being used to address environmental issues, including multilateral environmental agreements, and analyses the difficulties of compliance, implementation and assessment. Chapter 4: Future Perspectives looks at environmental issues that will require priority attention in the 21st century and some alternative policy options that could be used in the regions. Chapter 5: Outlook and Recommendations makes recommendations for future action based on the environmental legacy left by past and present policy and management systems. GEO-2000 will be the benchmark reference and guide to the state of the global environment. Written in clear, non-technical language and supported throughout by informative graphics and tables, it is essential reading for all those involved in environmental policy making, implementation and assessment, and for researchers and students of regional and global environmental issues. Originally published in 1999