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/ba∙ca/
with New Naratif
Collective action begins with a community
Engage in collective action for positive change
/ba∙ca/ with New Naratif is a reading group series that invites members to come together to discuss selected stories published by New Naratif. Discussions are led by New Naratif team members and feature guest speakers and contributors. They typically revolve around recent social or political issues within Southeast Asia.
/ba∙ca/ with New Naratif is a space for our community to have safe and constructive conversations about complex issues. It will be conducted in English, but we don’t rule out the possibility of opening discussions in other languages according to the context or interest in the issues being discussed.
Occasionally, members will be sent polls to vote on readings for the group via the members-only newsletter. If you’re a member but you don’t receive the weekly members-only newsletter, please write to us at memberships[at]newnaratif[dot]com.
/ba∙ca/ with New Naratif aims to bring our community together to discuss complicated issues and take collective action.
Stay updated on the next /ba∙ca/ with New Naratif!
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Get connected and enlightened
Each session is 60 – 90 minutes long and members are encouraged to read the assigned articles and/or stories beforehand. This reading group will be hosted in a smaller capacity as we want our community to get to know each other and participate fully.
Contributors of the pieces being discussed will also be present at the session, which gives participants the opportunity to talk to them directly and ask questions.
The session will be recorded and edited into a podcast of the same name, available exclusively for New Naratif members.
Previous /ba∙ca/:
In Southeast Asia, colonialism has left a scathing mark of anti-LGBT violence. As our queer-friendly indigenous traditions were erased, our environment became stripped of its sustainability. To address this, we invited Southeast Asian writers to tell stories about Queer Ecology — the intersections of queer and environmental struggle.
2 March 2023 | 8 p.m. GMT+8
On March 2nd, we hosted a virtual live reading of the pieces and a Q&A with the authors and the editors, Bonnibel Rambatan and Fadiyah Alaidrus.
The reading list for the upcoming /ba∙ca/:
Flash fiction
Setelah Tanda Tanya
After her first heartbreak, K wonders if it was still possible for queer people to find and share love in this country.
Writing the Future Through Queer Intimacy
Amid the search for a faraway and foreign future, the character “I” in Himas Nur’s story realizes that they have been living and breathing the warmth of their future thus far—the future through the embrace of their friends.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to read before coming to a session?
Yes, you are encouraged to read the assigned reading before coming to a session and prepare questions for discussion.
When is the next /ba∙ca/ with New Naratif?
The next /ba.ca/ is happening on 31st January at 8 p.m. MYT!
What have members read in past meetings?
#1 — Malaysia’s Current Political Climate
Reading: Winner-Takes-All: The Structural Risk to Malaysian Democracy by Ooi Kok Hin
#2 — Pro-democracy: Organising & Protesting in Myanmar & Thailand
Readings:
- “Let It End in Our Generation”: How the Thailand Protests Came to Be by Prachatai
- Myanmar Activist: We Want Our Own Script by Jacob Goldberg
#3 — Activism in Singapore
Recommended:
- Podcast: Political Agenda — Protest, Activism, and Social Change
- Video: The Show with PJ Thum — Episode 5 — How the PAP Government Abuses “Rule of Law” to Control Singapore
- Research: The Use of Humiliation as a Political Tool by Thum Ping Tjin
#4 — Environmental Migration in Kalimantan
Reading: Kalimantan’s Warning: The Intertwined Dynamics of Environmental Degradation and Internal Migration by Lengga Pradipta
#5 — The Philippines’ Exploitation of Overseas Filipino Workers
Reading: The Philippines’ Dangerous Dependence on the Exploitation of its People by Teo S. Marasigan
#6 — Growing Together: A Discussion on Collective Care
Reading: Growing Together: A Guide to Collective Care written by Minxi Chua with illustrations by Namsai Khaobor