Columbia Global Reports

07/24/2025

“A concise, engaging, and ultimately inspiring portrait of three young activists...their combined stories offer a compelling testament to the power of courage, and the importance of continuing to hope against hope.”

The New Statesman reviews Jeffrey Wasserstrom’s THE MILK TEA ALLIANCE

Also featuring Moveable Feasts by Chris Newens and Monsieur Ozenfant’s Academy by Charles Darwent.

07/18/2025

We love to see Jeffrey Wasserstrom's THE MILK TEA ALLIANCE on China Books Review's mid-year list of new books to read!

Looking for a new China read? Check out the latest book list from China Books Review editor Alec Ash: https://chinabooksreview.com/2025/07/15/high-temperatures/

07/17/2025

🗓️ Coming up:
Join Jeffrey Wasserstrom in conversation about his new book, The Milk Tea Alliance

Thursday 7/30, 5:30pm PT at Commonwealth Club World Affairs San Francisco

Don't miss out! Get your tickets now ⤵️

Why are activists in Thailand, Hong Kong and Burma willing to court danger to help one another? Historian Jeffrey Wasserstrom met dozens of dissidents, including Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal, known for his protests against compulsory Thai military service; Agnes Chow, co-founder of a political party now...

06/26/2025

Jeffrey Wasserstrom spoke with Dissent Magazine about his new book, THE MILK TEA ALLIANCE, and protest movements throughout Southeast Asia ⤵️

An interview with Jeffrey Wasserstrom, author of The Milk Tea Alliance.

06/20/2025

Next up for Jeffrey Wasserstrom and THE MILK TEA ALLIANCE:

Saturday 6/28, 2-4pm at The Wende Museum in Los Angeles

Register now! ⬇️

Historian Jeffrey Wasserstrom discusses his new book with scholar Sasha Razor.

06/10/2025

Coming up this week for Jeffrey Wasserstrom and THE MILK TEA ALLIANCE:

*Today* Tues 6/10, 6pm at JF Books, Washington DC
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/jf-salon-610-jeffrey-wasserstrom

Thurs. 6/12, 6pm at National Press Club
https://www.press.org/events/npc-headliners-milk-tea-alliance-jeffrey-wasserstrom

Fri, 6/13, 3:30pm with US-China Education Trust 中美教育基金
https://uscet.org/china-connections-from-china-to-southeast-asia-jeffrey-wasserstrom-in-conversation-with-evans-osnos/

6/10, Tuesday, 6:00 - 7:30 pmWasserstrom looks at the current landscape of protest in East Asia. Pro-democracy activists throughout Southeast Asia are reacting to authoritarian actions by their governments and standing up for regular citizens and learning tactics from one another, enabled by the int...

06/10/2025

Happy pub date to THE MILK TEA ALLIANCE: Inside Asia’s Struggle Against Autocracy and Beijing

Why are activists in Thailand, Hong Kong, and Burma willing to court danger to help one another?

In his new book, historian Jeffrey Wasserstrom explores how pro-democracy activists, each facing their unique situations, have formed a loose alliance, united by the rising influence of a common adversary—the Chinese Communist Party.

📢 get your copy now--> https://globalreports.columbia.edu/books/the-milk-tea-alliance/

06/09/2025

Jonathan D. Cohen, historian and author of the new book, “Losing Big: America’s Bet on Sports Gambling,” joins Michael Kosta to break down how legalized spor...

06/06/2025

📺 ICYMI: Jonathan Cohen was on The Daily Show talking about his book LOSING BIG! ⤵️

Jonathan D. Cohen, historian and author of the new book, “Losing Big: America’s Bet on Sports Gambling,” joins Michael Kosta to break down how legalized spor...

06/02/2025

[𝐍𝐄𝐖 Cha: An Asian Literary Journal 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖] Nick Zeller’s review of Jeffrey Wasserstrom’s 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑀𝑖𝑙𝑘 𝑇𝑒𝑎 𝐴𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒: 𝐼𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝐴𝑠𝑖𝑎’𝑠 𝑆𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑔𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑡 𝐴𝑢𝑡𝑜𝑐𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐵𝑒𝑖𝑗𝑖𝑛𝑔 (Columbia Global Reports, 2025)—Cha’s second advance review of the book ahead of its publication in June, the first being by Shui-yin Sharon Yam—is a perceptive exploration of digital-age resistance across Asia. Zeller traces how a seemingly whimsical hashtag evolved into a potent symbol of transnational solidarity, uniting youth movements in Hong Kong, Thailand, and Myanmar against authoritarianism. His analysis captures the nuanced interplay between online culture and political activism, highlighting the alliance's use of pop culture symbols to challenge oppressive regimes. Zeller’s insightful commentary illuminates the complexities of modern protest, underscoring the significance of this digital movement in contemporary geopolitics.

/ Demonstrating the substance—and the tangible, often dire implications—of an international solidarity movement is no easy task. How much does solidarity actually count? Materials and tactics—such as the defensive use of umbrellas—were shared from Hong Kong to Thailand. The three-finger salute became a ubiquitous emblem. Protesters in one country organised demonstrations to mark the anniversaries, victories, and defeats of protesters in another. Songs circulated across borders; edited volumes were published in tribute to the leaders of fellow movements. Some accounts overstate the online dimension of the movement—a pitfall Wasserstrom avoids. Others rightly observe that the Milk Tea Alliance’s moment has passed. Yet Wasserstrom convincingly argues that the Milk Tea Alliance served as the capstone to a decade of unrest across Asia—and in this, he is undoubtedly correct. /

⧉ 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞: https://chajournal.blog/2025/05/31/alliance/
。。。。。

05/28/2025

“A poignant and deeply affecting portrayal of youth activists in Thailand, Hong Kong, and Burma.... This succinct volume elevates transnational youth activism as a potent force of resistance—offering a vision for a radical reimagining of protest and kinship.”

Cha: An Asian Literary Journal reviewed Jeffrey Wasserstrom's forthcoming book THE MILK TEA ALLIANCE (out June 10!)

[𝐍𝐄𝐖 Cha: An Asian Literary Journal 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖] Shui-yin Sharon Yam reviews Jeffrey Wasserstrom’s 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑀𝑖𝑙𝑘 𝑇𝑒𝑎 𝐴𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒: 𝐼𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝐴𝑠𝑖𝑎’𝑠 𝑆𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑔𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑡 𝐴𝑢𝑡𝑜𝑐𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐵𝑒𝑖𝑗𝑖𝑛𝑔 (Columbia Global Reports, 2025):

/ Mainstream geopolitical discourse often centres on nation-states and spectacular acts of violence or resistance designed to seize fleeting public attention. Wasserstrom, however, is interested not only in such dramatic moments but also in the endurance and quiet resilience embodied by youth activists as they resist authoritarianism and cultivate cross-border solidarity. The book follows four activists across generations—Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal from Thailand, Agnes Chow from Hong Kong, and Tun Myint and Ye Myint Win (also known as Nickey Diamond) from Burma. While each chapter focuses on a particular locus of resistance, Wasserstrom interweaves these narratives into a broader, interconnected story of authoritarian repression and youthful defiance. /

⧉ 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞: https://chajournal.blog/2025/05/28/milk-tea/
。。。。。

05/27/2025

How do activists throughout Southeast Asia, each facing their unique situations, find common ground and sustain one another?

Discover what unites them with Jeffrey Wasserstrom's THE MILK TEA ALLIANCE.

on sale 6/10 but available for preorder now-> https://globalreports.columbia.edu/books/the-milk-tea-alliance/