SJS 7- The Development of Subsistence System Models for Island Southeast Asia and Near Oceania: The Nature and Role of Arboiculture and Arboreal-Based Economies

Source:

Latinis, D. Kyle. "The Development Of Subsistence System Models For Island Southeast Asia And Near Oceania: The..." World Archaeology 32.1 (2000): 41. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 22 May 2016.

Author Credentials:

Kyle Latinis is qualified to have written about this topic due to the time he spent studying at the National University of Singapore, which is where he received his PhD in Southeast Asian Studies (culture, history).  Before that he studied at the University of Hawal'I at Manoa as a doctor of philosophy.  Also, in his experience he has done research at the University of Cambodia where he was the director of the institute for research and advanced studies. Latinis' past experiences help to illustrate why he is qualified to have written about this subject matter, including his time researching and studying in Southeast Asia. In summary, Latinis is qualified to research and reflect upon the people and cultures of Southeast Asia.

Summary:

Latinis discusses the increased usage of the word arboriculture in Southeast Asia and Pacific archaeology. In his discussion he defines what an arboreal-based economies and arboriculture are, and then goes on to discuss the important characteristics of an arboreal-based economy based on results found from research in Maluku. Latinis then presents a development model of the economies and their emergence in Southeast Asia and near Oceania as a broad occurrence, then comparing this to the available archeological and nutritional data, the latter relating to the evolutionary ecology of the arboreal-based subsistence economies. Latinis then finishes by discussing the Austronesian interaction within the region especially since it is important to ascertain whether or not the Austronesians brought arboriculture to the region, then adopting elements of the arboreal-based economies that existed in the region prior to their arrival. In summary, Latinis talks about the history of the arboreal-based economies and the important implications for understanding many different issues that are included in it.

Analysis:

Latinis discusses this topic in a way that requires the reader to have an excess of background knowledge on the subject of this paper. Latinis presents his analysis and information in a thoughtful and mentally provocative way as it gives the reader something to think about, whilst giving detailed information on the subject, and using examples from his own experience in Southeast Asia. Although, Latinis does have a slight tendency to add a bit of bias to what he is writing about due to the perspective he has acquired on the regions of Southeast Asia. That perspective growing out of the more prosperous areas such as Singapore where he studied. Aside from a slight amount of bias, Latinis is a reliable source due to his background knowledge on the subject, his experience in the field, and all the research he has done on the subject.