Southeast Asia in the World

Catalog description

From the jungle palaces of Angkor Wat to the eight million person futuristic metropolis of Kuala Lumpur; from the fall of Saigon to President Obama slurping Pho in the street of Hanoi; from the Portuguese, Persian, and Arabic trading ships sailing the Strait of Malacca to Bangkok's Tom Yum Kung crisis, Southeast Asia has always been a vital nexus for the interaction of cultures from both within Southeast Asia and without. This course explores key themes in Southeast Asia's connections with world history: colonialism, maritime trade connections and cultural contacts, religious division, the diversity of political regimes, war and conflict, economic development, and international relationships with Great Powers. Paying special attention to the history of diversity within and across countries in this region clarifies how politics operates and produces different social and economic outcomes for different national and non-national communities. The first part of the course reviews long-term history trends. The second part turns to a series of thematic discussions on issues related to ASEAN nations' constructive engagement, conflict management, and international relations.