Populations and Precarity during the COVID-19 Pandemic : : Southeast Asian Perspectives / / ed. by Kevin S.Y. Tan, Steve K.L. Chan.

• Superior document: Title is part of eBook package: De Gruyter ISEAS Complete eBook-Package 2023
• MitwirkendeR: Ananta, Aris,; Arifin, Evi Nurvidya,; Chan, K.L.,; Chan, Steve K.L.,; Dommaraju, Premchand,
• HerausgeberIn: Chan, Steve K.L.,; Tan, Kevin S.Y.,
• Place / Publishing House: Singapore : : ISEAS Publishing, , [2023]; ©2023
• Year of Publication: 2023
• Language: English
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (189 p.)

This volume is a collection of articles that examines how the COVID-19 pandemic affected and intersected with various Southeast Asian contexts in the broad areas of migration, education and demographic policy. At the height of the pandemic from 2020‒22, the resulting restrictions to international travel, ensuing nationwide lockdowns and eventual economic crises formed part of what many commentators referred to as a “new normal”. Apart from being a global health crisis, the pandemic disrupted and transformed the experience of everyday life at all levels of society, where many of its effects are now likely irreversible. In particular, the impact of the pandemic certainly affected the most vulnerable individuals and communities throughout the region, especially in countries that are experiencing rapid ageing such as Singapore and Thailand. Examples of the most affected include low-wage migrant workers, the disabled and the children of impoverished families. For many who were already living in a state of precarity, the structural “side-effects” of the pandemic were at times more deadly than the coronavirus itself as it often negatively impacted livelihood, social-emotional ties and overall well-being. At the same time, the “new normal” has further created conditions that raise the likelihood of occupational precarity even for long-term professionals within established fields like education. In other words, few experienced the COVID-19 pandemic without encountering both tangible and intangible challenges, regardless of where one was situated. Hence, by merging the theme of precarity with that of the pandemic’s undeniable and exacerbating effects, this volume hopes to establish a useful platform to reflect and learn from a range of scholarly views and to contribute to new knowledge and inform policymaking in Southeast Asian societies. "This volume is a collection of thoughtful scholarship that examines the challenges that have been made more acute by the COVID-19 pandemic among and between Southeast Asian populations. The chapters here consider how the global public health crisis and its policy responses have aggravated various forms of precarity that had taken root in pockets of Southeast Asian societies. While history will be the ultimate judge of the true social and cultural consequences of COVID-19 policy responses, Populations and Precarity during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Southeast Asian Perspectives is an urgent reminder that while the worst of the pandemic may be behind us, much more remains to be done to relieve the most vulnerable among our populations of a different kind of long COVID."--Associate Professor Lim Lee Ching, Dean of S R Nathan School of Human Development, Singapore University of Social Sciences "We have all witnessed the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic had on our daily lives. This was especially true in areas such as Southeast Asia where local and regional economies rely on the movement of workers, both skilled and unskilled. The compilation of chapters in this volume provides an interesting examination of the struggles faced by many in Southeast Asia during this difficult period. Readers will realize that what was merely an inconvenience for some people was life altering for others. I highly recommend reading this book to increase awareness of the hidden consequences of such global catastrophes and perhaps better prepare for the next global event. It is hoped that this collection will inspire actions to resolve some of the current issues faced by vulnerable populations."--Professor Gary La Point, Professor of Practice in Supply Chain, Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University "A fascinating book that provides an insightful analysis of the 'new normal' and the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic in key areas such as migration, housing, education, disaster management, and ageing in Southeast Asia. The book provides invaluable perspectives and knowledge for social policymakers and

Table of Contents

Frontmatter -- Contents -- PREFACE -- ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS -- 1 Introduction: Populations, Precarity and the COVID-19 Pandemic -- 2 Transformation of the Family Structure in Southeast Asia: Trends and Implications -- 3 New Normal, Old Ties: COVID-19’s Social Impact on the Singapore-Johor Bahru Connection -- 4 Unequal Flows: Examining the Factors Surrounding Thai and Vietnamese Labour Migration to South Korea -- 5 Emplacing Multiculturalism: Southeast Asian Migrant Linguistic Acculturation Programmes and Community Building in South Korea -- 6 “Foreign Talent” in Singapore and Some Implications for Schools -- 7 Managing Disaster Risk and Enabling Social Protection in Thailand: Some Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic -- 8 Transnational Housing Insecurity: Mobility, Homelessness, and the COVID-19 Pandemic -- 9 Older Persons with Hearing Disabilities in Indonesia: Vulnerability and Demographic Diversity during the COVID-19 Pandemic -- Index