Conference Proceeding “Symposium on Social Science: Rethinking the Social World in the 21st Century”

Symposium of Social Sciences is a biannual international conference arranged by Center for Southeast Asian Social Studies, Universitas Gadjah Mada. This symposium was held under the theme of “Rethinking the Social World in the 21st Century”. The conference proceedings book is consisting wide range of topics under the field of social sciences, most notably during the context of disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the topics are divided broadly into two streams, which are Dimensional Issues in Social Science and specific issues in various branches of the social sciences, such as but not limited to: Law, Technology, and Society; Women and Human Rights Issues; Religion and Multiculturalism; Communication and Media in the Digital Era; and Film and Social Change. read more

For those who want to learn more about our neighbouring country Vietnam. See more here on its ideology by a Vietnamese scholar Tran Ti Dieu here in IKAT current issue: https://jurnal.ugm.ac.id/ikat/article/view/56279

Climate crisis and the Covid 19 outbreak are key themes along with new research methodology strategies in the Pacific Journalism Review. This edition has been published in partnership with Center for Southeast Asian Social Studies, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta with several papers from “Rethinking the Social World in the 21st Century” symposium in August being published. For full edition click here https://ojs.aut.ac.nz/pacific-journalism-review/issue/view/45

When it comes to Vietnamese exports, the first item that comes to mind for most people might be Vietnamese coffee. Indeed, this famous good lies among the many items exported out of Vietnam which has led to the establishment of these marketable industries. However, this article will not be exploring these conventional exports but will focus on a lesser-examined good instead- the Vietnamese bride.

This ‘economic good’ of the Vietnamese bride can be located within the larger phenomenon of the mail order bride industry. As defined by Sarker, Cakraborty, Tansuhaj, Mulder and Dogerlioglu-Demir (2013), this industry can be seen through “international marriage brokering agencies as mail order bride services”. In highlighting the centrality of brokering agencies to the market, this definition helps distinguish a bride that is specifically sold as an international ‘product’ against her fellow compatriot who marries overseas, outside of the system. Hence, this serves to demarcate and economise the human bride into a commercial good, which is arguably problematic due to its dehumanising undertones. However, for the purpose of understanding how this industry can be perceived using an economic lens of analysis, these terms will be used in the course of examination below. read more