On Wednesday 2 July Professor Krishna Sen, FAHA (Executive Director, Humanities and Creative Arts, Australian Research Council) launched a new book Popular Culture in Indonesia; Fluid Identities in Post-Authoritarian Politics (London: Routledge, 2008) that I edit.
The event began at 6:00pm (refreshment) in the University Professional Bookshop (The University of Melbourne), for 6:30pm (presentations) in Theatre 2 of the Alan Gilbert Building. It was followed by a panel discussion on contemporary Indonesian films with Professor Krishna Sen and Professor Barbara Hatley (School of Asian Languages and Studies, University of Tasmania). The University of Melbourne Bookshop, Indonesian Forum, and Asia Institute co-hosted the event.
The rsvp that closed a week prior to the event was unexpected large that we had to move the original venue (Theatre 1) to a larger space in the next floor (Theatre 2). As expected, not all who have rsvp-ed actually could make it, while others who had not rsvp-ed joined the celebration. I think the event was a great success, and feel most grateful for those who had made this possible. The first ten copies of the book that left from the printer a week earlier, and couriered to the book launch for sale at a discounted price, were sold out.
A set of photos of the event and selected audio files in mp3 from the launch are available online.
Because the event took place during the ASAA Conference, I had encountered the fair and difficult question from several friends and colleagues: why the launch had not taken place as part of the Conference. There are several reasons for this, below are two most important ones.
The first has to do with miscommunication with (and those within) the publisher. When I discussed with the publisher the idea of launching the book within the Conference, they advised me unequivocally that the publisher would not take part in the ASAA Conference. So we had to seek an alternative venue for the launch, while keeping the original date, so that those who had intended to be in Melbourne for the conference would be able to join the launch. This is especially important for Krishna Sen who had agreed to launch the book in Melbourne, because she would be in Melbourne for the Conference. Contrary to the information I had received earlier from the publisher, it turned out that the publisher of the book had a stand in the Conference Exhibition hall. I did not realise this until I came to the Conference on the first day. I spoke with the person attending the booth, expressing my surprise. Separately I also wrote to the publisher in London to enquire about the contradiction. They all explained that the belated decision to be part of the Conference was made at the last minute, and they apologised for not informing me this change earlier. I imagine even if they had advised me any earlier, it would have been too late to request for an inclusion of the launch into the Conference.
But having the launch off the Conference has several benefits, too. It allowed many of my students and local friends who did not participate in the Conference to attend the book launch. Not all who attened the Conference were inclined to join the Conference dinner in the same evening (about one and a half hour after the launch). I am very grateful to those who took the trouble to take the public transportation from the Conference to the book launch, before hurried back again to the Conference venue for the dinner they had paid.
2 Comments
Congrats for the launch! Having attended the ASAA conference, i must say that I didn’t feel enlightened at all. I should’ve gone to the book launch instead.
Indonesian studies conference will likely talk about old questions but seldom do they offer new answers! That what happened at the ASAA conference. Very sad indeed.
Congratulations Ariel! It is several weeks from the event at this stage, but I found out only when I read your blog tonight. I am thrilled to hear that the launch was a great success and look forward to reading the book.