SUVANNABHUMI (수완나부미)

Korea Institute for ASEAN Studies (부산외대 아세안연구원)
권호 표지

Approaches to Southeast Asian Studies: Beyond the "Comfort Zone"

  • Sathian, Mala Rajo (Dept. of Southeast Asian Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Malaya)
  • Received : 2015.04.18
  • Accepted : 2015.06.01
  • Published : 2015.06.30
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Over the last decade, the field of Southeast Asian Studies has been inundated with issues of its "territory" (or the definition of what comprises Southeast Asia), relevance and future. The methodology of approaching Southeast Asian Studies has also come under constant scrutiny providing much fodder for debate. One significant suggestion was that the field of Southeast Asian Studies should "break out of the comfort zone" (Van Schendel, Bijdragen, 2012:168(4)). This paper will explore some of the ways of approaching Southeast Asian Studies beyond that comfort zone by examining other/alternative units of studying Southeast Asia in place of the traditional (or statist) perspectives that tend to confine the field within the scope of the national/nation-state boundaries. The paper will also provide some personal observations of the author on the current state and limitations to teaching and researching Southeast Asian Studies in the region.

Keywords

References

  1. Andaya, L. Y. 2014. The "Sea of Malayu": An Ocean Perspective of Malay History. Discovery and Praxis: Essays in Asian Studies. Jones David, Marian Michele, eds. 207-20. Albany.
  2. Andaya, L. Y. 2010. Leaves of the Same Tree: Trade and Ethnicity in the Straits of Melaka. Singapore: NUS Press.
  3. Chou, C., ed. 2007. Southeast Asian Studies: Debates and New Directions. Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.
  4. Cribb, Robert. 2012. Southeast Asia: A good place to start from. Bijdragen tot de Taal, Land-en Volkenkunde, 168(4): 503-505.
  5. Davidsakd Puaksom. 2007. The Pursuit of Java: Thai Panji Stories, Melayu Lingua Franca and the Question of Translation. Ph.D. Dissertation. National University of Singapore.
  6. Diokno, Maria S. 2010. Expedition of Knowledge: Supporting Southeast Asian Studies in the Region. JATI (Journal of the Department of Southeast Asian Studies, UM). Special Issue. 5-17.
  7. Fukutake, Shintaro. 2015. A Historical Review of Japanese Area Studies and the Emergence of Global Studies. Proceedings of the International Conference of ISEAS/BUFS. April 2015. Korea.
  8. Goh, B. L., ed. 2011. Decentring and Diversifying Southeast Asia: Perspectives from the Region. Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asia.
  9. Heryanto, Ariel. 2000. Asians Studying Other Asians in Asia: What Different Does It Make?. SEAS Bulletin, 26-27.
  10. Heryanto, Ariel. 2002. Can there be Southeast Asians in Southeast Asian Studies. Moussons, 5: 3-30.
  11. Houben, V. J. 1992. Java and the Java Sea: Historical Perspectives. Looking in Odd Mirrors: The Java Sea. V. J. H. Houben, H. M. J. Maier and W. van der Molen, eds. 212-240. Vakgroep Talen en Culturen van Zuidoost-Azieen Oceanie, Rijksuniversiteit Leiden.
  12. Jory, Patrick. 2010. Some Remarks on the Current State and Possible Future of Southeast Asian Studies. JATI (Journal of the Department of Southeast Asian Studies, UM), Special Issue 2010: 27-35.
  13. Kahn, Joel S. 2006. Other Malays: Nationalism and Cosmopolitanism in the Modern Malay World. Singapore: Singapore University Press.
  14. Kasetsiri, Charnvit. 2013. Southeast Asian Studies in Thailand. Special Feature: Southeast Asian Studies: Crisis or Opportunity, Center for Southeast Asian Studies Kyoto University, CSEAS Newsletter, 68: 15-17.
  15. Kratoska, P. H. et al., ed. 2005.Locating Southeast Asia: Geographies of Knowledge and Politics of Space. Singapore: Singapore University Press.
  16. McCargo, Duncan. 2005. Tearing Apart the Land: Islam and Legitimacy In Southern Thailand. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.
  17. McCargo, Duncan. 2008. Network Monarchy and legitimacy Crises in Thailand. The Pacific Review, 18(4): 499-519.
  18. Schendel, W. van 2010. Geographies of Knowing, Geographies of Ignorance: Jumping Scale in Southeast Asia. Environment and Planning: Society and Space, 20: 647.
  19. Schendel, W. van 2012. Southeast Asia: An idea whose time is past? Bijdragen tot de Taal, Land- en Volkenkunde, 168 (4): 497-510.
  20. Scott, James C. 2009. The Art of Not Being Governed: An Anarchist History of Upland Southeast Asia. New Haven: Yale University Press.
  21. Sears, L. J., ed. 2007. Knowing Southeast Asian Subjects. Singapore: NUS Press.
  22. Thum, Pingtjin. 2012. Southeast Asian Studies as a form of power. The Newsletter, IIAS, 62:12.