Contributions in Intercultural and Comparative Studies – serie

Author Richard Chang maintains that there is no factual evidence to support the Japanese contention that the Western consular tribunals of the nineteenth century were partial to Westerners and prejudiced against Japanese, and, consequently, seldom rendered equal justice. He ascertained how many of the more than 3,500 mixed cases were decided prejudicially against Japanese litigants. Chang's careful treatment of the five most celebrated mixed cases makes it possible to see for the first time how international law operated through consular jurisdiction and how the Japanese were trying to protect national interests within a justice system dependent on Western jurists. The book also provides the first overview of the extra-territorial agreements between Japan and the Western powers with which it traded during this period.

This volume describes the traditional vocal and instrumental music of the Lao-speaking people living in Northeast Thailand. Beginning with a description of the cultural and historical contexts of this music, Miller continues with an overview of Northeast Thai music, its instruments, concepts, and certain proto-musical genres. Individual chapters deal separately with the non-technical aspects, including the history, texts, economics, and performance practices of both kaen playing and mawlum singing. Another chapter discusses all technical matters concerning the vocal genres, including the tonal nature of the Lao language, the relationship between melody and linguistic tone, scales, rhythm and meter, form, and tempo. The final two chapters deal specifically with the kaen--a bamboo mouth organ with 6, 14, 16, or 18 tubes, each with a free-reed. This volume is generously illustrated with musical examples transcribed from field recordings made in Northeast Thailand, numerous photographs, and line drawings. Miller concludes with a series of translations of texts from musical examples; an extensive glossary which includes two forms of romanization, the Thai spelling, and a brief description; and, finally, a bibliography, discography, and index.