The Palgrave Handbook of Political Norms in Southeast Asia came out Open Access in June 2024. This event will bring together four of the contributing authors, as well as two of the editors.

The handbook aims to constitute a reference point on political norm dynamics in Southeast Asia, by bringing together the array of normative repertoires that frame the possibilities for citizens to participate in, set agendas for, make decisions in, and contest, not only electoral and institutional politics but also informal and imaginary political spaces. It sheds light on intersecting political and social transformations and their consequences from the vantage point of political norms. While chapters lay out and analyse how political norms across Southeast Asia have been shaped in successive historical phases, the core of the handbook addresses current dynamics involved in defining and transforming political norms.

After a general presentation by the two editors, the chapter authors will discuss diverse political norm dynamics at work in the region: political space across Southeast Asia, the punk/anarchist movement as well as anti-corruption activism in Indonesia, and Khmer Buddhism as a moderator of political power. 

Intended for a wide audience of academics, policy makers, activists and citizens, the handbook has already enjoyed remarkable success with more than 50,000 downloads in the two months following its publication. 

Please see here for full programme and speaker bios