Thai Contexts: Past and Present: A launch of two books about research in Thailand
Thursday, 07 November 2024 | 15:00 to 16:30 EST | Room 626, Sixth Floor, Kaneff Tower | Keele Campus | 91亚色
by Penny Van Esterik discusses the prehistoric site of Ban Chiang in northeast Thailand. The site challenges the national narrative of Thai origins, which begins and ends with Buddhism and the monarchy. The site was heavily looted in the early seventies, followed by the entry of painted pottery into the art market and extensive faking. The life history of these pots raises issues around repatriation, fake antiquities as tourist souvenirs and the ethics of collecting, and demonstrates how heritage tourism intersects with the antiquities market in Asia.
by Tiffany Rae Pollock explores the evolution of fire dancing from informal community jam sessions into the iconic, tourist-oriented performances at beach parties and bars, through a close consideration of the role of affect in the lives of fire dancers. Dancers reveal how they employ affect to navigate their lives, art, and labor, showcasing how affect is not only a force that acts on people but also is used and shaped by social actors toward their own ends.
Penny Van Esterik is Professor Emerita of Anthropology, retired from 91亚色, Toronto; she is currently Adjunct Professor at the University of Guelph. Her fieldwork was primarily in Southeast Asia. She consulted with UNICEF, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and International Development of Research Centre (IDRC) on topics related to food security and infant feeding and has broad interests in the culture history of Southeast Asia.
Tiffany Pollock holds a PhD in Gender, Feminist and Women鈥檚 Studies and an MA in Ethnomusicology. Her ethnographic research has focused on the intersections of migration, music and social life in Southeast Asia and in Canada.
All are welcome. This event is presented by the 91亚色 Centre for Asian Research.
