Review of "Internet Addiction among Cyberkids in China" by Qiaolei Jiang

Internet-related addictions constitute a large share of the global cost of mental health-related disorders, diseases, treatment and issues that are estimated to be worth mor than $2.5 trillion in 2019. While focusing on the People's Republic of China (or mainland China) the 2019 publication of "Internet Addiction Among Cyberkids in China: Risk Factors and Intervention Strategies" by Qiaolei Jiang is indeed a welcome addition in the fields of mental health, cyber-psychology, behavioural disorder, and internet addiction treatment

Critical Study of Theories Surrounding the Historic Arrival of a Popular Shiite Festival in Contemporary Sunni Malaysia

In contemporary Malaysia (especially Penang) boria refers to a choral street performance performed annually by a number of troupes. The troupes are composed predominantly of Sunni Malays and may represent a street, kampong or districts. The objective of boria performed by these troupes is merely for fun and often includes an annual singing competition. The size, themes and movements of each troupe may vary from year to year. But,what is common to most troupes is that boria is generally performed during the first ten days of Islamic lunar month of Muharram. According to most scholars, however, chiefly Indian Shiite migrants performed historic nineteenth century boria in Malaysia and that the performances were not competitive but religious. Thus these scholars continue that it was these Shiite Indians who first introduced the festival with its religious zeal and pathos into Malaysia and that the local Sunni Malays simply adopted the religious Muharram festival as their own, transforming it into a non-religious practice(boria). There is no doubt that the term boria is simply a follow on of the name given to the religious Muharram festival. Yet the Malay adaptation of the term boria in the late nineteenth century does not necessarily mean that it represented a transformation from a religious into a non-religious festival as argued by virtually all scholars. Being part of a larger project I will limit this study to further analyse the various theories surrounding the historic Indian Shiite origin of boria in contemporary Malaysia

Malay kingship in Kedah: Religion, trade, and society (AsiaWorld)

The book probes and examines traditional sources of royal power and control, as well as indigenous socio-political systems in the Malay world. It is focused on the north-western Malaysian Sultanate of Kedah which is acknowledged as the oldest unbroken independent kingship line in the ‘Malay and Islamic world’ with 1,000 years of history. Little scholarly attention has been paid to its pre-modern history, society, religion, system of government and unique geographic situation, potentially controlling both land and sea lines of communication into the remainder of Southeast Asia. It will thus provide the first comprehensive treatment in English, or other languages, on Kedah’s pre-modern and nineteenth century historiography and can provide a foundation for comparative studies of the various Malay states which is presently lacking. The proposed book also sheds much needed light on a range of important topics in Malay history including: Kedah and the northern Melaka Straits history, colonial expansion and rivalry, Southeast Asian history and politics, interregional migration and the influence of the sea peoples or orang laut, traditional Malay socio-political and economic life, Islamic influences and the course of Thai-Malay relations. The book attempts to offer a new understanding, not only of Kedah, but of the political and cultural development of the entire Malay world and of its relationships with the broader forces in both its continental and maritime settings. It argues that Kedah does not seem to follow, and in fact, often seems to contradict what has been commonly been accepted as the “typical model” of the traditional Malay state. Thus it concludes that the ruling dynasty has historically exploited a wide range of unique environmental conditions, local traditions, global spiritual trends and economic forces to preserve and strengthen its political position. The scope and theme of book The Kedah Sultanate is the oldest unbroken independent kingship lines in the “Malay world” with 1,000 years of history, and arguably one of the oldest in the Islamic world. In this study I examine key geopolitical and spiritual attributes of Malay kingship that have traditionally cemented the ruler, the peoples, and the environment. Brief description of the primary audience for the book: There is little written in English or Malay on Kedah’s pre twentieth century history. The available sources only look at certain aspects of Kedah’s history, are outdated or are confined to a specific period often outside the scope of the book. It is therefore anticipated that the readership and market for the book includes: • Scholars of Southeast Asian history, Islam, kingship, trade. • Academics & Historians (including: Asian, Thai history, Islamic, Maritime, Persian, South Asian, Southeast Asian and Colonial) • Libraries • Students, particularly those in Malaysia (especially the states of Kedah, Perlis and Penang), Thailand and Singapore. • Universities • Scholars and students in Political Science & International Relation

Kedah’s Islamic conversion stories or gateways to its pre-Islamic past

Little is known about the early history, symbolism and indigenous political systems that existed prior to the arrival of Islam in Southeast Asia. What is known however about the early history and formation of settlements in the ‘Malay world’ is that they were predominantly based on the coast and river basins, and were often loosely unified. Furthermore, the majority of natives in these coastal settlements practiced an admixture of Hinduism, Buddhism (including Tantric beliefs), animism, and ancestor worship. Conversely another aspect unique to Southeast Asia was the near-divine attributes associated with the local rulers. In certain respects, the religious transformation of the Malays and their modes of conversion to Islam act as gateways, into the region’s past and at the same time set the scene for future Malay social and political systems. Hence in this paper I will attempt to explore Kedah’s historic conversion stories and the transformation to Islam. This I believe gives a better picture of the political, religious and social systems prior to the advent of Islam into the region. Moreover, this significant event at Kedah’s history enables us to better comprehend and deconstruct the forces involved in its political survival, as well as its ability to function as a regional economic powerhouse

Malay Kingship in Kedah : Religion, Trade, and Society

The book probes and examines traditional sources of royal power and control, as well as indigenous socio-political systems in the Malay world. It is focused on the north-western Malaysian Sultanate of Kedah which is acknowledged as the oldest unbroken independent kingship line in the ‘Malay and Islamic world’ with 1,000 years of history. Little scholarly attention has been paid to its pre-modern history, society, religion, system of government and unique geographic situation, potentially controlling both land and sea lines of communication into the remainder of Southeast Asia. It will thus provide the first comprehensive treatment in English, or other languages, on Kedah’s pre-modern and nineteenth century historiography and can provide a foundation for comparative studies of the various Malay states which is presently lacking. The proposed book also sheds much needed light on a range of important topics in Malay history including: Kedah and the northern Melaka Straits history, colonial expansion and rivalry, Southeast Asian history and politics, interregional migration and the influence of the sea peoples or orang laut, traditional Malay socio-political and economic life, Islamic influences and the course of Thai-Malay relations. The book attempts to offer a new understanding, not only of Kedah, but of the political and cultural development of the entire Malay world and of its relationships with the broader forces in both its continental and maritime settings. It argues that Kedah does not seem to follow, and in fact, often seems to contradict what has been commonly been accepted as the “typical model” of the traditional Malay state. Thus it concludes that the ruling dynasty has historically exploited a wide range of unique environmental conditions, local traditions, global spiritual trends and economic forces to preserve and strengthen its political position. \ud \ud \ud \ud The scope and theme of book\ud \ud The Kedah Sultanate is the oldest unbroken independent kingship lines in the “Malay world” with 1,000 years of history, and arguably one of the oldest in the Islamic world. In this study I examine key geopolitical and spiritual attributes of Malay kingship that have traditionally cemented the ruler, the peoples, and the environment. \ud \ud Brief description of the primary audience for the book:\ud \ud There is little written in English or Malay on Kedah’s pre twentieth century history. The available sources only look at certain aspects of Kedah’s history, are outdated or are confined to a specific period often outside the scope of the book. It is therefore anticipated that the readership and market for the book includes:\ud • Scholars of Southeast Asian history, Islam, kingship, trade.\ud • Academics & Historians (including: Asian, Thai history, Islamic, Maritime, Persian, South Asian, Southeast Asian and Colonial)\ud • Libraries\ud • Students, particularly those in Malaysia (especially the states of Kedah, Perlis and Penang), Thailand and Singapore. \ud • Universities\ud • Scholars and students in Political Science & International Relation