IRASEC

Pouvoirs en Asie-Pacifique. Territoires et populations, contrôles et résistances

Bertrand — 2026-06-25T03:16:11Z

Christine CABASSET et Éric FRÉCON, chercheurs associés à l'IRASEC, ont chacun publié un article pour le dossier du dernier numéro de la Revue internationale et stratégique, consacré aux logiques de domination, aux dynamiques de contestation et aux trajectoires qui façonnent l'avenir de cet espace stratégique majeur.

Lire l'article de Christine CABASSET : Les populations frontalières d'Asie du Sud-Est, variables d'ajustement des États ?

Lire l'article d'Éric FRÉCON : Singapour : la Smart Nation, entre performance économique, contrôle social et vulnérabilités numériques

Lire l'article de Christine CABASSET : Les populations frontalières d'Asie du Sud-Est, variables d'ajustement des États ?

Le conflit ouvert entre le Cambodge et la Thaïlande en juillet 2025 a remis au premier plan les enjeux liés aux frontières héritées des colonisations européennes en Asie du Sud-Est, dont plusieurs demeurent contestées. Plus largement, les frontières et autres espaces périphériques constituent souvent un lieu privilégié d'expression des pressions exercées par l'État sur les minorités ethniques. Ces lieux cristallisent ainsi des politiques de souveraineté et de contrôle des marges territoriales, qui affectent en premier lieu les populations à la fois géographiquement éloignées et culturellement distinctes du groupe ethnique majoritaire. Dès lors, les populations locales se trouvent fréquemment transformées en instruments, voire en victimes, des politiques frontalières. Les États peuvent en effet les mobiliser au service de la consolidation, ou même de l'extension du territoire, par le déplacement, la militarisation ou l'intégration forcée. Trois dynamiques seront ici distinguées : l'héritage des contentieux frontaliers, les politiques de contrôle des minorités et l'intégration économique des marges au profit des centres. Frontières contestées, marges surveillées Des frontières coloniales en héritage L'héritage colonial constitue le premier facteur pesant sur les populations et, le cas échéant, sur les conflits frontaliers, dans la mesure où les indépendances se sont inscrites dans les limites spatiales définies par les anciennes puissances coloniales.

Lire l'article d'Éric FRÉCON : Singapour : la Smart Nation, entre performance économique, contrôle social et vulnérabilités numériques

Prenez le métro à Singapour. À la sortie de son tunnel, sous les gratteciel des banques puis les condominiums des expatriés, apparaît un autre visage de la cité-État : celui des cités-dortoirs, où les longues barres cèdent progressivement la place aux hautes tours, puis celui d'une banlieue industrieuse, faite d'entrepôts, d'ateliers et de dortoirs pour travailleurs sud-asiatiques. Loin de l'image habituelle de l'« air-conditioned nation », le visiteur retrouve ici le visage laborieux du pionnier singapourien. L'industrie manufacturière demeure en effet un pilier de l'économie nationale : en 2023, elle représentait environ 19 % du produit intérieur brut (PIB) singapourien. Le virage numérique s'inscrit dans cette continuité productive. Les data centers trouvent désormais leur place dans un paysage longtemps structuré par les containers et les infrastructures logistiques. Portée par l'« Industry 4.0 », la part de la manufacture pourrait atteindre 28,4 % du PIB en 2028.
D'abord « cité-entrepôt » à l'époque de Temasek (aux abords du XIVe siècle), puis sous domination britannique à partir de 1819, Singapour s'affirme dès 1972 comme une « global city », selon la formule employée par le ministre des Affaires étrangères S. Rajaratnam. Lee Kuan Yew, Premier ministre de 1959 à 1994, œuvre continuellement en ce sens, notamment en promouvant très tôt l'usage d'un anglais fonctionnel et internationalisé.

Learning from animals? shared plant use between Lua herders and water buffalo in Northern Thailand

Bertrand — 2026-05-08T03:41:59Z

Nicolas LAINÉ, associate research fellow at IRASEC, co-authored an article with Kim Fooyontphanich, Suthee Janyasuthiwong and Phattaravee Prommanut, published in “Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine” on April 29, 2026.

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In this study, the interplay between animal feeding behaviors and the evolution of local human and veterinary pharmacopeias is examined through the lens of the Lua people and their water buffalos in Northern Thailand. By interviewing 18 Lua herders in Ban Huay Phan, researchers explored buffalo grazing habits, health issues, and specific plant consumption during various physiological or pathological states, alongside local ethnoveterinary practices. The investigation focused on the shared use of natural resources, documenting plant parts consumed by buffalos, their preparation and administration methods if used by humans, and collecting species samples for identification at the Bangkok Herbarium (BBH). This approach highlights the interconnectedness of human ethnomedicine and animal self-medication, shedding light on the development of local medicinal knowledge and practices.

Timor-Leste and its partners need to step up as Chinese interest in Timorese waters increases

Bertrand — 2026-04-22T08:59:59Z

Christine Cabasset and Éric Frécon wrote an article about the relations between Timor-Leste, Australia and China for The Strategist, the commentary and analysis site of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, an independent, non-partisan think tank based in Canberra.

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Seroprevalence and preventive practices of dengue and chikungunya among school children in Bangkok: Gaps in prevention and vaccination strategies

Bertrand — 2026-03-24T05:11:12Z

The article on the seroprevalence of dengue and chikungunya infections among children aged 10–15 years in Bangkok, in which Éric Daudé collaborated with Chulalongkorn University and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), has been published in Plos Negelected Tropical Disease.

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Dengue and chikungunya, both transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, continue to pose significant public health concerns in Thailand, particularly during the rainy season. Despite ongoing vector control efforts, the incidence of infection remains high, with an increasing trend observed in chikungunya. This underscores the need for additional control measures, including vaccination, to reduce disease burden and morbidity. This study aims to assess the seroprevalence of dengue and chikungunya infections among children aged 10–15 years in Bangkok and to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) related to mosquito-borne disease prevention.

Methodology
A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted across 12 schools in Bangkok. Children aged 10–15 years were included. Seroprevalence was determined using rapid diagnostic tests (Abbott DENGUE IgG/IgM and Citest Chikungunya IgG/IgM) based on the immunochromatography technique, using fingertip blood samples. Parents completed KAP questionnaires, including factors influencing vaccination decisions.

Principal findings
From June to August 2024, 937 participants were enrolled, with a mean (SD) age of 11 (1.6) years ; 67% were aged 10–12 years, and 33% were aged 13–15 years. The seroprevalence of dengue was 28.1% (95% CI 25.2-31.0), while that of chikungunya was 6.3% (95% CI 4.7-7.9). KAP assessments revealed a high level of awareness regarding symptoms and transmission ; however, notable deficiencies in preventive behaviors were identified. Only 14.8% of respondents reported consistent use of mosquito repellent, and 17.5% routinely inspected and removed mosquito larvae from their homes.

Conclusion
The substantial seroprevalence of dengue and the emerging trend of chikungunya among children in Bangkok highlights the urgent need to enhance community education and strengthen vector control interventions. Expanding dengue vaccination coverage and raising awareness about chikungunya prevention, including consideration for future vaccine implementation, are essential to mitigating future outbreaks and reducing the disease burden.

Tourisme and Covid-19 dans le village javanais de Bejiharjo (Java, Indonésie)

Bertrand — 2026-01-13T04:58:39Z

Juliette SENDRA
IRASEC, Bangkok
december 2025, 29 p.
Text in French

This article is a reflection on tourism in Asia in light of the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, based on a case study of the Javanese village of Bejiharjo. The village is located in the Gunung Kidul region (“southern mountains”), which was classified as a geopark by UNESCO in 2012. The Indonesian government took advantage of this ranking to boost tourism in an effort to combat the economic stagnation and rural exodus that had been ongoing since the 1970s. However, in this region, which had long remained peripheral, the speed and brutality with which tourism developed over the last ten years disrupted the villagers' way of life.

In 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic, the sudden halt to this activity—which had become dominant in Bejiharjo—reversed the momentum that had been built up : the social category of young people that seemed to be emerging in favor of tourism found itself at an impasse. Government investment in mass tourism (both domestic and international) appears to be under scrutiny at both the institutional and village levels. Furthermore, with the halt in tourist flows, the dual social and environmental deterioration caused by overtourism has become more apparent.

Agricultural activity and circular rural economies have once again become indispensable. Former political and economic leaders embodying traditional authority have been reinstated, and discourse denouncing the loss of vernacular knowledge and practices has gained visibility in the village social sphere.

This geopark illustrates the new challenges posed by Indonesian tourism recovery systems in terms of environmental, social, and economic sustainability.

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Juliette SENDRA holds a PhD in social anthropology and is a research associate at the Institute for Asian Studies (IrAsia) at the University of Aix-Marseille. Her research focuses on sociopolitical dynamics in rural areas of Java (Indonesia), examining the transmission of local knowledge, ritual initiation, and relationships with the environment in the context of recent processes of heritage preservation and tourism development.

Understanding Timor-Leste

Bertrand — 2025-12-16T06:58:00Z

On December 16, issue 110 of the journal Archipel published Christine Cabasset's article “Neuvième Timor-Leste Studies Association (TLSA) Conference “Understanding Timor-Leste,ˮ Université Nationale Timor Lorosa'e, Dili, 16-18 juillet 2025” [Ninth Timor-Leste Studies Association (TLSA) Conference ‘Understanding Timor-Leste,' National University of Timor Lorosa'e, Dili, July 16–18, 2025].

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Le conflit Cambodge – Thaïlande : quelles portées et conséquences pour l'ASEAN ?

Bertrand — 2025-09-26T08:13:39Z

Dans le cadre d'un entretien, Christine Cabasset, chercheuse associée à l'IRASEC, a répondu aux questions de l'Institut des relations internationales et stratégiques – IRIS, lequel est paru le 1^er septembre, sous le titre : « Le conflit Cambodge – Thaïlande : quelles portée et conséquences pour l'ASEAN ? ».

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Alors que les relations entre la Thaïlande et le Cambodge semblent s'apaiser, il semble intéressant de revenir sur la portée de ces événements pour l'Association des nations de l'Asie du Sud-Est (ASEAN). Le 24 juillet 2025, des affrontements armés ont éclaté entre les deux pays, expression d'une tension qui couvait depuis le début d'année et qui s'était envenimée fin mai. Puisant sa source entre autres dans un vieux contentieux autour du tracé de la frontière commune, le conflit a provoqué la mort d'une quarantaine de personnes et le déplacement d'environ 300 000 personnes en quelques jours. Si la précédente confrontation entre les deux pays en 2011 avait déjà provoqué la mort d'une quarantaine de personnes, cette nouvelle escalade avait pourtant surpris par sa violence qui rompait avec l'ASEAN Way depuis si longtemps promu et avec la « paix » défendue. Quels sont les impacts à prévoir sur l'organisation régionale, à court et à long terme ? Que révèle cette crise de l'ASEAN ? Le point avec Christine Cabasset, docteure en géographie, associée et ex-directrice adjointe de l'Institut de recherche sur l'Asie du Sud-Est contemporaine à Bangkok et associée au programme Asie-Pacifique de l'IRIS.

Dengue dynamics beyond biological factors

Bertrand — 2025-06-18T07:26:34Z

We are pleased to share an article directed by Olivier Telle, entitled “Dengue dynamics beyond biological factors : Revealing the nexus between urbanisation planning, and mobilities in Vientiane, Lao PDR” published by PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases.

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Dengue fever, a mosquito-borne disease, remains a major health concern in Southeast Asian cities. This study examines how urbanisation, mobility, and migration patterns influence dengue risk in Vientiane, Laos, between 2012 and 2018. Using high-resolution datasets, we assess how land-use change and population movements shape transmission dynamics.

Our findings reveal that dengue risk is highest in recently urbanised areas with high daytime population influx. These areas, often lacking adequate infrastructure, provide favourable conditions for Aedes mosquito breeding while also concentrating human activity at day, facilitating virus transmission. Migration patterns also play a role : villages with more foreign residents and Lao individuals born outside Vientiane—who may have lower immunity—reported higher dengue incidence. In contrast, villages with higher access to piped water exhibited lower dengue incidence, highlighting the role of infrastructure in disease prevention.

Importantly, while urban expansion consistently shaped dengue transmission, its influence varied across different epidemic phases, particularly with the emergence of Dengue 4. This suggests that urban factors interact with serotype dynamics, reinforcing the need for adaptive public health strategies. As Vientiane undergoes rapid transformation, integrating health risk assessment into urban planning will be crucial to prevent the unintended consequences of development on vector-borne disease transmission.

On the Road of Migration: Circulation, Risk and the Management of Uncertainty

Bertrand — 2025-04-28T09:09:03Z

Revue Européenne des Migrations Internationales, vol. 41- n°1 | 2025
Directed by Loïs Bastide, Laurent Lardeux and Yann Scioldo-Zürcher Levi

Since the late 1990s, the growing framing of migration in terms of security risks in destination countries has been the subject of extensive literature, particularly in the fields of political science and critical geography. Surprisingly, however, the social sciences have paid very little attention to migrants' perceptions of migration risks, unlike migration economics, which quickly addressed this question, making risk and its management by migrant populations a crucial component of migratory rationalities. The topical collection “On the Roads of Migration : Circulations, Risk, and the Managing of Uncertainty” aims to address this gap within the field of social sciences. The contributions acknowledge the predominant role of risks in the migratory experience and seek to initiate a structured reflection on this hyper-central yet neglected aspect of mobility trials. In response to this observation, they lay down an initial series of empirical and theoretical foundations to chart this research field, relying on case studies rooted in diverse geographical areas—French Guiana, the northern French coastline, the Île-de-France region, and Southeast Asia—and focusing on various populations, including asylum seekers, Roma populations, and migrant workers.

Read / Download the book.

Loïs Bastide contributed to the issue with an article entitled Dealing with Risk : Religiosity and Practical Rationalities between Java, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore.

In response to the major risks associated with migration, Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia and Singapore develop ritual, magical, and religious (i.e., spiritual) practices to ward off misfortune. At first glance, this approach appears incompatible with the sociological concept of risk, tied to a secularized view of the future inseparable from European modernity. However, it clearly reflects an active awareness of migration's uncertainties, irreducible to fatalism. The analysis highlights the convergences and tensions between this conception of the future and sociological theories of risk. The article thus addresses migration through the lens of trials faced by migrants and questions the notion of risk from their perspective, contributing to sociological debates on how social actors cognitively and practically integrate the future in terms of uncertainty, risk, possibilities, and aspirations.

Mapping the “middle-spaces” of migration: towards a linked ecology approach to migration industry, migration infrastructure, and migration brokerage

Bertrand — 2025-03-25T05:29:18Z

Responding to recent calls in migration studies to focus on the understudied “middle-space of migration,” this article critically evaluates the available literature on migration industry, migration infrastructures, and migration brokerage. Recognizing their value, we propose to move on through a step of “de-theorizing,” to address their mutual theoretical tensions and inconsistencies. By focusing on the basic notion of “migration routes,” simply defined as spatially structured networks of places and segments bridging places of origin, transit, and destination, we offer a common analytical framework to approach the actors, infrastructures, and practices involved in moving migrants, thus leveraging geography's emphasis on space and space-making processes. We then borrow the concept of “linked ecology” from Andrew Abbott, to capture the complex interactions involved in shaping individual routes. In doing so, we hope to offer a new perspective to approach the middle-spaces of migration and design future research programs.

Loïs Bastide and Brenda S A Yeoh
Migration Studies, Volume 13, Issue 1, March 2025,
DOI : https://doi.org/10.1093/migration/m...
Published : 20 March 2025

Lire l'article : https://academic.oup.com/migration/...