Environmental Biographies of Southeast Asia: Collaborative Learning in the Field

The Center for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS) is pleased to highlight a new exhibition, Environmental Biographies of Southeast Asia: Collaborative Learning in the Field.

This exhibition brings together stories from forests, rivers, paddy fields, and fish ponds in Chiang Mai (Thailand) and South Sulawesi (Indonesia), created through collaborative fieldwork by undergraduate and graduate students from UH Mānoa, Chiang Mai University, Hasanuddin University, and the University of Malaya.

Through posters, students share environmental biographies of forests, livelihoods, migration, resistance, and identities in their local contexts, while also connecting these narratives to broader dynamics of environmental change across Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

The posters on display tell stories of changing forests, livelihoods, and identities in their local contexts, while also connecting to broader dynamics of environmental change and social relations across Southeast Asia and the Pacific. The exhibition also features environmental biographies from ʻŌahu and Maui, spotlighting dedicated kūpuna educators and environmental stewards.

This project was made possible with support from the UH CSEAS LuceSEA Transitions grant, the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP), the East-West Center, and many other partners.

Location: 1st Floor Elevator Gallery, Hamilton Library, UH Mānoa

Dates: Fall 2025