Never Too Old

March 14, 2016

Ageing just means getting better at being me! … More Never Too Old

The Family of GIRLI: the Homeless Children of Yogyakarta

March 10, 2016

This is one of the very first ethnographic articles I ever wrote, and which went on to thoroughly influence how I went about the rest of my career. Street kids trained me in ethnographic analysis, patience, trust, and how to combine advocacy with research. In short, if you are not giving back something to the … More The Family of GIRLI: the Homeless Children of Yogyakarta

Becoming Javanese – How an American in Java Accepts her Fate

November 21, 2015

Published in the Jakarta Post 15 Sept 09 (the follow-up piece on my mom’s death this year to come, when I get the courage to post it) My dilemma is one shared by so many. When I first moved to Indonesia almost 30 years ago, I already knew this moment would come. It was so … More Becoming Javanese – How an American in Java Accepts her Fate

Merdeka (Freedom: a true story on drug use in Jogjakarta)

October 8, 2015

Ever since the front room of our small boarding house (kos) came available, and thus given over to the two sons of the house, Kangmas and Dhimas, a demon took over with shocking speed and accuracy. While freedom meant being only some 10 feet away from the main house, the physical distance was compounded by … More Merdeka (Freedom: a true story on drug use in Jogjakarta)

Short Story: Tales from Timor Leste (2003)

September 29, 2015

Nobody speeds through the dusty streets of Dili, the taxi driver, named Arulio, tells me in his Portuguese accented Indonesian. This is because the Timorese have not been driving for long and few feel comfortable enough behind the wheel of these bulky machines. Plus, he continues, “The new government keeps changing the road directions. Yesterday … More Short Story: Tales from Timor Leste (2003)

Short story: Demonology 101 – Flirting with Steven King

August 16, 2015

This is an absolutely, 100% true story. This happened to me. It was winter, 1975. I was living in the student dorms in downtown Philadelphia as a freshman at the University of the Arts (still the Philadelphia College of Art back then). It was winter break so my room-mate, Dierdre, a tall, bleached-blonde, Ukrainian-Amazon with … More Short story: Demonology 101 – Flirting with Steven King

The Disaster of Development: How Women’s “Empowerment” Projects are Damaging Indonesian Smallholder Farming, Rural Families, and the Environment

July 14, 2015

The Disaster of Development: How Women’s “Empowerment” Projects are Damaging Indonesian Smallholder Farming, Rural Families, and the Environment[1]   Laine Berman, PhD Abstract: Ecofeminism, or ecological feminism, is based on a belief that the social mentality that leads to the domination and oppression of women is directly connected to the social mentality that leads to … More The Disaster of Development: How Women’s “Empowerment” Projects are Damaging Indonesian Smallholder Farming, Rural Families, and the Environment

From Jungkies to Jihad: Drug Use in Indonesia

July 10, 2015

Published in Inside Indonesia No 75, 2003 Laine Berman Faisal and Jhoni came to Athonk’s tattoo studio with a small picture and a lot of hope. It was their own design. They had both tried kicking their putauw (street grade heroin) habits through a variety of rehabilitation programs. All failed. Now, they were trying something … More From Jungkies to Jihad: Drug Use in Indonesia