Adrian Vickers
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avick.bsky.social
Adrian Vickers
@avick.bsky.social

Professor Emeritus. Historian and art historian, especially of Indonesia/Bali. DH, cricket, representation. Comments personal and not related to my university’s views. Projects include http://balipaintings.org/ and https://omaa-arts.sydney.edu.au/ .. more

Adrian Vickers is an Australian author, historian and professor of Southeast Asian Studies at the University of Sydney. He writes a blog on Indonesian subjects. He has studied and documented Gambuh dance traditions, Panji (prince) stories, and other Indonesian art and cultural subjects as well as historiography and colonialism. He has a BA and PhD from the University of Sydney, is the Professor of Southeast Asian Studies and Director of the Asian Studies Program. Vickers' most recent book, The Pearl Frontier, co-written with Julia Martínez, won the University of Southern Queensland History Book Award at the 2016 Queensland Literary Awards. He is a fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities. .. more

Political science 45%
Sociology 38%
Pinned
The Virtual Museum of Balinese Painting has undergone a major make-over. We're still fixing some things (like the bibliography link), but thanks to the Systemik team, I've been able to add a lot more: heurist-usyd.cloud.edu.au/heurist/?db=...
The Virtual Museum of Balinese Painting
Enter a concise description of the Heurist database / website here, which will be used eg. in lists of websites and in search engine discovery. Remember to indicate the institution and/or project, t...
heurist-usyd.cloud.edu.au

A rich collection. Sanskritists will be particularly interested in the article: ‘Sanskrit educational texts in Kawi culture; The case of the Sanskrit educational texts in Kawi culture; The case of the
"Kārakasaṁgraha"’
Zakariya Pamuji Aminullah
Yosephin Apriastuti Rahayu
Important group of new studies on the "Kawi culture" that grew out of the use of the Old Javanese in the 8th-15th c. as a cosmopolitan vernacular by speakers of various languages, esp. in Java & Bali. Lots of exciting new work in this field. Wacana 26(3), free download: scholarhub.ui.ac.id/wacana/

Reposted by Adrian Vickers

Swimming in #goldenworld copyedits this week & thinking a lot about supply chains & modern waste colonialism. For anyone interested in labour & craft in our own fashion system, this is such a good Wardrobe Crisis episode on the evils of super fast fashion: thewardrobecrisis.com/podcast/ep-2...
Ep 231, Inside Shein: How the Ultra Fast Fashion Brand Makes Clothes So Cheap — Wardrobe Crisis
Despite Shein’s new sustainability rhetoric, workers are still paying the price for the ultra-fast fashion giant’s success. To 75-hour working weeks, piece rates and no contracts, add secrecy, opaque...
thewardrobecrisis.com

Will continue to do so for the next month

Reposted by Adrian Vickers

Reposted by Adrian Vickers

Important group of new studies on the "Kawi culture" that grew out of the use of the Old Javanese in the 8th-15th c. as a cosmopolitan vernacular by speakers of various languages, esp. in Java & Bali. Lots of exciting new work in this field. Wacana 26(3), free download: scholarhub.ui.ac.id/wacana/

Reposted by Adrian Vickers

🚨"The Trump administration announced it will cancel temporary asylum for around 10,000 #Myanmar nationals living in the US, despite the country being ruled by a military dictatorship that has a record of executing dissidents."

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Trump administration cancels temporary asylum for Myanmar nationals living in US
Homeland security claims country being ruled by military dictatorship ‘no longer continues to meet conditions’ for Temporary Protected Status
www.theguardian.com

This doesn’t necessarily send out the message they intend to convey

Reposted by Adrian Vickers

Heavy rain has caused severe flooding across southern Thailand, where parts of the city of Hat Yai are under floodwater and evacuations have begun in high-risk areas.

Vietnam has begun clean-up operations after extensive flooding there killed dozens of people.

Reposted by Adrian Vickers

At least 90 people have been killed in floods and landslides in central Vietnam – the worst in decades. The government says natural disasters have caused more than USD2 billion in damage www.youtube.com/watch?v=90sA...
Death toll from Vietnam floods rises to 90, several still missing
YouTube video by Al Jazeera English
www.youtube.com

Reposted by Adrian Vickers

i really struggle to understand why centre left parties do not like universities, do not like the soft power we wield (imagine getting to educate the children of your geopolitical rivals!!!! IMAGINE!!!). i dont believe that albo, starmer, etc are this stupid, it's got to be hatred. but y.
These are HEPI estimates of the 20 institutions affected: I think this illustrates the impact if the tariff is absorbed in full by institutions.

What share of the 6% tariff different universities may try to pass on to fees - or the impact might be on demand if they did - is not publicly known.

Was the name Chomsky by any chance?

Reposted by Adrian Vickers

Why were heads hunted in the Enlightenment?
Who hunted heads, and where did they 'acquire' them?
It’s a complicated history.
@lindaaburnett.bsky.social and I tell some of it in our new book.
We'll tell more of it in our next!
You can read a little about it here:
yalebooks.yale.edu/2025/11/20/h...
Headhunting in the Age of Reason: Enlightenment Origins of the Global Trade in Skulls - Yale University Press
Bruce Buchan and Linda Andersson Burnett— Headhunting is not the first association that most people would make with the Age of Enlightenment. Indeed, many might never associate headhunting with the......
yalebooks.yale.edu

Reposted by Adrian Vickers

I had a conversation with my 14 year old Grandson as I drove him home to Melbourne this afternoon. He asked if our planet was doomed and why are some of the population so greedy, nasty, homo/transphobic and racist. 14 year olds should be experiencing happiness not having these thoughts. 💔

Had an idea? Was sponsored by Rupert Murdoch

Reposted by Adrian Vickers

Cyclone Fina live updates: Strongest system to pass Darwin since Tracy, remains category three

For those too young to remember, Tracy was BAD!

Australia
Live: Cyclone Fina strongest system to pass Darwin since Tracy
Severe Tropical Cyclone Fina remains an intense category three cyclone, as it slowly moves away from the Northern Territory capital. Follow live.
www.abc.net.au
Latest update from @britishlibrary.bsky.social says they are launching a new version of their main catalogue on Monday 8 December and around that time also launch an interim version of their Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue. Hooray!
www.bl.uk/stories/news...
Restoring our services – November 2025 update
In the coming weeks and months we will be restoring a number of key functions.
www.bl.uk

“Colourful/prominent Sydney businessman” is another old euphemism we need to use more
Emotional scene at the @britishmuseum.bsky.social as a Rapa Nui delegation paid tribute to the Hoa Hakananai'a Moai that was stolen from the island in 1868. People calling for its return are once again flooding the museum's comment section on social media. #devuelvanelmoai

Reposted by Adrian Vickers

#Victorians! Our State Library is being trashed by a series of executives with no experience or understanding of public collections. Many hired as 'temps' without full process, who then caused scandals & exodus of specialist & librarian staff: a full wreck looms. www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
State Library proposes major cuts to staff and services
The library plans halve the number of reference librarians it employs and reduce the number of computers available for public use in a move that has outraged staff.
www.theage.com.au

That was covered by the Dutch West India Company, which operated from the West Indies and Brazil to the Gulf of Guinea. I'm presuming they got Indian textiles from the VOC, but can't find any sources about their relationship between the two (Boxer's Dutch Seaborne Empire gives a general outline).

There’s a difference between bulk items and the high end ones. Gujerati patolas were the most in demand in Indonesia

Reposted by Adrian Vickers

#CycloneFina has made landfall on the Tiwi Islands as a Category 2 tropical cyclone. Experts say it could intensify to a Category 3 system. The BOM's latest update shows the cyclone has sustained winds of 100 km/h near its centre, with wind gusts up to 140km/h. #weather #NorthernTerritory

Reposted by Adrian Vickers

Not to mention the International Military Tribunal for the Far East, also reaching its 80th anniversary of commencement next year!

For the IMTFE records in Australia, plus our own Aust war crimes trials, see my finding aid at the National Archives of Australia www.naa.gov.au/help-your-re...

Pure 1970s-80s Windies

Oppression is a dirty word
Damn. I would've been knocked out at the first line.
This week, I withdrew from a speaking engagement at a public university because they sent me a list of prohibited “words & concepts.” I will not humor this censorship. It does a disservice to the stories I’m discussing & the audience, who deserve unfettered access to information & conversation.

Reposted by Adrian Vickers

Damn. I would've been knocked out at the first line.
This week, I withdrew from a speaking engagement at a public university because they sent me a list of prohibited “words & concepts.” I will not humor this censorship. It does a disservice to the stories I’m discussing & the audience, who deserve unfettered access to information & conversation.