Pricey New Mandala readers,

It’s with blended feelings that I announce that as we speak is my final day as editor of New Mandala. It’s been an unlimited privilege to serve on this place over the previous (not fairly) three years, and to contribute to the elevation and amplification of voices from and on Southeast Asia.

Guiding New Mandala by way of among the most unprecedented international, regional and native—and even institutional—challenges in current historical past has been an unlimited studying expertise for me. It has provided me the chance to have interaction extra deeply with colleagues and contributors from Southeast Asia, and extra broadly on points often considerably at a take away from my background in artwork historical past, together with public well being, electoral politics and worldwide relations. Main the Southeast Asia in a time of Coronavirus collection, which supplied essential evaluation and views on the social, political, financial and gendered impacts of the pandemic on communities throughout Southeast Asia was, for higher or worse, a spotlight for me. New Mandala has additionally been one of many few publications to take care of a platform for prolonged professional evaluation from Myanmar and elsewhere around the globe on the 2021 coup and subsequent civil disobedience motion. Our authors have lined numerous different developments and setbacks in Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Timor-Leste, Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

I’m additionally proud to must have dropped at New Mandala a brand new deal with artwork, structure and design from Southeast Asia, by way of the ARTSEA platform, the place artists, historians, curators, dramaturgs, architects, students and different practitioners within the area have the chance to share with readers what is occurring—and what has occurred—in artwork, design and structure in Southeast Asia. I’m happy to let you already know that I’ll be staying on as part editor for ARTSEA, and I look ahead to listening to from potential contributors over the approaching months—you’ll be capable to attain me at [email protected]. As I’ll be travelling in Indonesia for many of the remainder of this yr, nonetheless, I could also be a bit gradual in responding!

Our new editor will likely be acquainted to many readers, as he returns to New Mandala after an extended affiliation with the publication as a contributor, however most significantly as a previous editor. I’m excited to welcome again Dr Liam Gammon, who has lately accomplished his PhD (congratulations Liam!) and can lead New Mandala ahead in what will likely be, undoubtedly, no much less tumultuous, thrilling and difficult instances for each the publication, and the area. Liam has steered this ship earlier than with nice ardour and ability, and I’m thrilled that he’ll once more be on the helm. From subsequent week, submissions to New Mandala must be directed to [email protected].

We’ll hear extra from Liam tomorrow, however within the meantime I’d like to specific my monumental gratitude to my colleagues at ANU, and particularly within the Division of Political and Social Change within the Coral Bell Faculty for Asia Pacific Affairs, the place New Mandala has been hosted throughout my tenure as editor. Their help and contributions, in addition to shared cups of tea and glorious dialog, have been invaluable. I’m additionally drastically indebted to the authors who’ve enlivened New Mandala over the previous three years, and crammed my inbox with enlightening, partaking and academic content material which it has been my privilege to share with our readers. I’d notably wish to thank these authors for whom English will not be their main language, who’ve had the braveness to share their writing and proven dedication and endurance with the editorial course of. I’ve discovered a lot from you all.

Lastly, engaged on New Mandala has been a labour of affection which has motivated me to pursue my very own educational work as a researcher and trainer. All through my time as editor I’ve had unbelievable alternatives to publish my personal books and articles, and hone my expertise as an interdisciplinary trainer throughout language and the humanities.  I’m excited to start a brand new chapter of my profession with the Indonesian Research program at UNSW Canberra in 2023, and thrilled to be sustaining my reference to New Mandala. 

Thanks once more, pricey readers, for the final three years. Sekian dulu dari saya, dan mohon maaf jika ada kesalahan dan kekurangan.

Elly