The idea of this book was first explored in a two-day symposium organized at the Institute of Southeast Asia Studies, Singapore, in 1994 with financial support from the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. The purpose of the symposium — entitled “Problematizing Culture: Media, Identity, and the State in Southeast Asia” — was to examine the nature of media representation and politics of identity in the various nation-states in the region. However, by the end of the symposium, it became clear that two key issues had emerged as the central preoccupations of the participants: the predominant role of the state in the cultural and discursive realms, and the deployment of post-modern and post-structuralist theorizing in analysing local processes. I took the idea — and the inspirations — with me when I moved to the University of Sydney in October 1996, and commissioned additional contributions from among my new colleagues. On the whole, I have tried to maintain the critical vision as formulated in the symposium. The 1997 financial meltdown in Southeast Asia forced most of us to do another round of revisions to reflect recent developments.

The strength and insight of the book owe much to the contributors, and their goodwill and humour in graciously accepting my editorial suggestions and demands. I would also like to thank Chua Beng Huat, Ariel Heryanto, Michael Van Langenbach, and Sharrad Kutton for their stimulating input; and David Birch and Brian Shoesmith, who first planted in my mind the seed of a Southeast Asian Cultural Studies project. In Sydney, Mark Berger, Ien Ang, Helen Grace, and Richard Basham have been invaluable “fellow travellers”. I am most grateful to Ashley Carruthers and Phillip Mar for their editorial assistance and companionship, and Akaash, Neena, and Simryn for their patience. This project was funded by the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Singapore, where I was a fellow from 1993 to 1996.