Activism in the Asia-Pacific is a refreshingly honest dissection of the inner-dynamics of grassroots resistance movements, carefully but sympathetically theorised from the inside-out by a fellow activist. Imray Papineau gives us the benefit of her activist-ethnographic vantagepoint, interweaving the cross-cultural contexts of Indonesia, Philippines and Australia from on-the-ground participation and (in a do-it-together spirit) extensive voicing of activist communities' own critical self-reflections.

The standout scholarly contribution is Imray Papineau's blurring of 'frontline activism' and 'maintenance work', best exemplified in the concept of bodily 'sacrificial care'. These timely Covid-era reflections expose the essential value of interdependence, not as mere survival, but as a means of liberation and empowerment. Imray Papineau faithfully recounts the contradictions of contentious activist milieus, with frank and sometimes difficult consideration of: safety/unsafety in activist spaces; how burdens are unequally shaped by gender and generation; the frequent disappointments, frustrations and especially burnout experienced by grassroots activists. This messiness is embraced as part-and-parcel of vivacious resistance – the lessons to be learned are not macho-Revolutionary strategies, but the everyday pedagogy of fighting back, with creativity and community as twin lodestars.

As an attentive anthropologist, but primarily as a stubbornly loyal comrade, Imray Papineau is sensitive and generous in her critical celebration of DIY energy in these inspiring activist communities.

Jim Donaghey, Lecturer in Digital Media, People's University of the North Coast

Activism in the Asia-Pacific is a journey alongside women who are both ordinary people and extraordinary in their commitment to a collective struggle for justice. Papineau's activist experience comes through in the texture of every sentence and in the sensitive questions she asks as a theorist, both of herself and of the complex dynamics inside DIY activism. The book's themes echo far beyond Asia-Pacific. If you have ever wondered what kind of psychic and physical labour it takes to build and maintain community solidarity while actively changing a world stacked against you, or if you are looking for a model of feminist ethnography in DIY activist scholarship, this book is a must read.

Michael MacDonald, Associate Professor of Music, MacEwan University, Canada

Focused on D.I.Y modes of political engagement, direct action, and digital activism in Australia, Indonesia, and The Philippines, Imray Papineau spotlights the voices of activists and foregrounds the idea of resistance as a labor of love. Her research brings the stories of activism across these three countries alive. Rooted in feminist care ethics, we hear stories from art collectives, punks, and protest camps in a diverse and important archive of stories. Writing as an activist, Imray Papineau's work is a vital contribution to scholarship on D.I.Y politics and protest.

Abigail Gardner, Professor of Cultural Studies, University of Gloucestershire, UK

Elise Imray Papineau presents here an insightful exploration of gender, DIY (do-it-yourself) and activism; both building upon our current understandings of the gendered experiences of activists and extending this understanding through a feminist care ethics lens. 'Activism in the Asia-Pacific' attentively crafts a whole which seamlessly brings together the theoretical/conceptual, the voices and experiences of the activists, and the reflexive voice of the author themselves. This will become essential reading for those interested in grassroots activism, gendered resistance, and DIY cultures more broadly.

Dr Laura Way, Senior Lecturer in Sociology, University of Roehampton, London, UK