Latest Update
- New Publication Announcement: Cambodian: An Essential Grammar by Dr. Chhany Sak-Humphry
We are pleased to share the release of Cambodian: An Essential Grammar (Routledge, 2025), authored by Dr. Chhany Sak-Humphry, Associate Professor and Coordinator of the Khmer Language/Culture Program at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. This accessible and comprehensive guide introduces key grammatical structures of the Cambodian (Khmer) language across 14 chapters, drawing on real-world… Read more: New Publication Announcement: Cambodian: An Essential Grammar by Dr. Chhany Sak-Humphry - Student Spotlight: Chinoko Shirakura , Graduate Student, Curriculum Studies, Department of Education and the current Thai Language Lecturer, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Our third student spotlight in 2025 is Chinoko Shirakura , Graduate Student, Curriculum Studies, Department of Education and the current Thai Language Lecturer. Read Chinoko’s story here: About Chinoko Chinoko Shirakura was born and raised in Thailand to a Thai mother and Japanese father, in a household where language was not just a means of communication,… Read more: Student Spotlight: Chinoko Shirakura , Graduate Student, Curriculum Studies, Department of Education and the current Thai Language Lecturer, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa - Now Available: Recordings of Southeast Asian Children’s Literature Workshop Series
Missed our full-day workshop series on Southeast Asian children’s literature? Recordings of all three engaging sessions are now available on our YouTube channel! The “Enlivening Southeast Asian Children’s Literature” series brought together storytellers and artists to explore creative, culturally rich ways to bring Southeast Asian stories into K–12 classrooms through shadow puppetry, comic book creation,… Read more: Now Available: Recordings of Southeast Asian Children’s Literature Workshop Series - CSEAS NRC grant funded the purchase of Rare 1478 Southeast Asia Map for SEA Collection in Hamilton Library
The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s Center for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS) NRC grant funded the purchase of a rare and historically significant 1478 map—one of the earliest printed representations of Southeast Asia. The map, from a Rome edition of Cosmographia by Claudius Ptolemy and engraved by pioneering printer Konrad Sweynheim, was acquired with funding… Read more: CSEAS NRC grant funded the purchase of Rare 1478 Southeast Asia Map for SEA Collection in Hamilton Library - Graduate Certificate Program in Southeast Asian Studies
Graduate Certificate Overview A Graduate Certificate in Southeast Asian Studies enables students to gain (and demonstrate evidence of) cutting-edge knowledge of the Southeast Asian region in Asia. A Graduate Certificate can serve as a valuable tool in career development for graduate students in discipline-based programs (e.g., PhD or MA students in sociology, political science, music,… Read more: Graduate Certificate Program in Southeast Asian Studies - Highlight on UH Mānoa’s New Thai Language Lecturer, Chinoko ShirakuraUH News recently featured Chinoko Shirakura, the university’s new Thai language lecturer, whose work is grounded in a deep passion for identity, heritage, and connection. A current graduate student in the Multicultural Education Program at UH Mānoa, Chinoko began teaching in January 2025 when the Thai language program officially launched. This fall, Shirakura’s students are… Read more: Highlight on UH Mānoa’s New Thai Language Lecturer, Chinoko Shirakura
- Faculty Spotlight: Congratulations to Dr. Ashok Das on his promotion to Full Professor in the College of Social Sciences!
Dr. Ashok Das, — Professor, College of Social Sciences, Department of Urban and Regional Planning (DURP), College of Social Sciences Congratulations, Dr. Das! The Center for Southeast Asian Studies congratulates Dr. Ashok Das on his promotion to Full Professor at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. This promotion recognizes his deep commitment to teaching, research,… Read more: Faculty Spotlight: Congratulations to Dr. Ashok Das on his promotion to Full Professor in the College of Social Sciences! - Webinar Recording Now Available: “Revitalizing Traditional Arts: Innovations & Agency in Response to Environmental Change”
Final Session – LuceSEA Spring 2025 Webinar Series In Southeast Asia, the intersection of the arts and environmental change is a lived reality for many communities whose cultural practices rely on natural resources. Climate change, migration, and environmental degradation are transforming the way traditional arts are practiced, preserved, and passed on. This webinar brings together… Read more: Webinar Recording Now Available: “Revitalizing Traditional Arts: Innovations & Agency in Response to Environmental Change” - Online Series Continues: Southeast Asian Children’s Literature Workshops
Following the in-person workshops held earlier this summer, this five-part online workshop series invites K–12 educators to explore Southeast Asian children’s literature through new and returning sessions. Each workshop features a different book and offers creative strategies for integrating Southeast Asian cultures, languages, and themes into classroom teaching. This series is co-organized by the Cornell… Read more: Online Series Continues: Southeast Asian Children’s Literature Workshops - Join Us to Explore and Celebrate Philippine Language, Literature, and Culture!
May 23, 2025, Friday / Click Here to Register Mark your calendars for the Pamana ng Lahi Teacher Training Seminar brought to you by the UH Mānoa Center for Southeast Asian Studies and the Filipino Language and Culture Program. Designed for educators passionate about Philippine language, literature, and culture, this event brings together renowned experts… Read more: Join Us to Explore and Celebrate Philippine Language, Literature, and Culture! - Enlivening Southeast Asian Children’s Literature: A Full-Day Workshop Series for Educators
Workshop #1 – 3: Saturday, June 14, 2025, 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM (HST), Moore Hall 319, Tokioka Room, Hybrid Event Workshop #4: Thursday, June 19, 2025, 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM (HST) Online Workshop #5: Thursday, June 26, 2025, 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM (HST) Online Join us for a full day of workshops… Read more: Enlivening Southeast Asian Children’s Literature: A Full-Day Workshop Series for Educators - Cambodian American Experiences: Summer 2025 Professional Development Course for K-12 Educators
Application Deadline: May 30, 2025, Apply Here Dates: June 24-26, 2025Location: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities CampusApplication Deadline: May 30, 2025Apply: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd8uoweitKM7UysUT8keq2rSbrlKsuj6nFXECzGMx281FzG-g/viewform This course is developed to support teachers in understanding their Cambodian students and communities. Participants will explore Cambodian history and culture through this engaging in-person course. In it, you will learn how to integrate… Read more: Cambodian American Experiences: Summer 2025 Professional Development Course for K-12 Educators - Student Spotlight: Sara Loh, Ph.D. Student, Department of Anthropology
Our second student spotlight of Spring 2025 is Sara Loh, Ph.D. student at the Department of Anthropology, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Read Sara’s story here: Research Focus For her PhD research, Sara conducted ethnographic fieldwork with a peri-urban Temuan Orang Asli community, a subgroup of the original Indigenous peoples of Peninsular Malaysia, with support… Read more: Student Spotlight: Sara Loh, Ph.D. Student, Department of Anthropology - Luce SEA 2024 Fall Webinar Recording Now Available: “Promoting Community-Centric Tourism Economy in Southeast Asia”
Tourism has long been a key driver of economic growth in Southeast Asia, but how can we ensure that this growth benefits local communities rather than displacing them? This webinar brings together leading experts in tourism governance, community-based tourism, and economic development to explore ways to create a more equitable and sustainable tourism economy. Watch… Read more: Luce SEA 2024 Fall Webinar Recording Now Available: “Promoting Community-Centric Tourism Economy in Southeast Asia” - Book Talk Recording Now Available: “Emplacing East Timor: Regime Change and Knowledge Production, 1860–2010”
The recording of the webinar “Emplacing East Timor: Regime Change and Knowledge Production, 1860–2010” is now available! This virtual book talk features a recent publication (May 2024) by Dr. Kisho Tsuchiya, in which he examines the relationship between regime change and knowledge production in East Timor, offering an alternative framework for understanding its history from… Read more: Book Talk Recording Now Available: “Emplacing East Timor: Regime Change and Knowledge Production, 1860–2010” - Join SHAFR and Unlock Graduate Student Opportunities!
The Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations (SHAFR) offers a wide range of support and resources for students and scholars in the field of American foreign relations. However, membership is required to access these benefits — and the membership application will close within the next two weeks. At a low student membership rate of… Read more: Join SHAFR and Unlock Graduate Student Opportunities! - Panel Discussion: James C. Scott’s Scholarship on Southeast Asia and Beyond
Date: Monday, May 5, 2025 / 3:00 – 4:30 PM HSTVenue: Moore Hall 258, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa The Center for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS) and the Asia Working Group invite you to a special panel discussion honoring the intellectual legacy of Professor James C. Scott (1936–2024). Scott made profound contributions to the study… Read more: Panel Discussion: James C. Scott’s Scholarship on Southeast Asia and Beyond - Pau Hana at UH Mānoa – Celebrate Music and Dance from Asia and Hawaiʻi!
Sunday, May 4, 2025 | 3:00 – 5:00 PM | Orvis Auditorium, UHM Music Department Join us for an inspiring afternoon of music and dance at the Pau Hana Concert, featuring informal performances by students in Asian and Hawaiian music and dance classes at UH Mānoa. This end-of-semester celebration showcases the vibrant cultural heritage explored… Read more: Pau Hana at UH Mānoa – Celebrate Music and Dance from Asia and Hawaiʻi! - Fall 2025 Southeast Asia Course List is Live!
The Center for Southeast Asian Studies has compiled a list of Fall 2025 courses across departments that offer a strong focus on Southeast Asia. These courses span a range of disciplines including history, politics, anthropology, languages, arts, and more. Students interested in deepening their understanding of Southeast Asia—whether for general education requirements, the Certificate in… Read more: Fall 2025 Southeast Asia Course List is Live! - GETSEA x AIFIS Presents: How to Conduct Research in Indonesia
April 22, 2025 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM HST / 6:00 PM Eastern Time / April 23, 2025 5:00 AM Western Indonesia Time Register here Are you a graduate student planning your first research trip to Indonesia? Join this informative virtual event to learn about research permits, visas, and how to prepare for fieldwork in… Read more: GETSEA x AIFIS Presents: How to Conduct Research in Indonesia - Southeast Asia Focus: Summer 2025 Courses Now Open for Registration
Explore Southeast Asia this summer—through history, geography, politics, language, literature, and more! Looking to expand your global perspective this summer? The Center for Southeast Asian Studies invites you to explore a range of courses focused on Southeast Asia offered during the Summer 2025 session at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. Topics include: Languages Offered:… Read more: Southeast Asia Focus: Summer 2025 Courses Now Open for Registration - Join Us for a Special Talk by Renowned Translator and Filmmaker Linda Hoaglund
Tuesday, April 8, 2025 | 3:00–4:00 PM HSTMoore Hall 319 (Tokioka Room), University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa The Center for Japanese Studies (CJS) invites you to an engaging seminar with award-winning bilingual filmmaker and translator Linda Hoaglund, who will discuss her distinguished career subtitling films and translating works by some of Japan’s most iconic animators,… Read more: Join Us for a Special Talk by Renowned Translator and Filmmaker Linda Hoaglund - Learn to Play Javanese Gamelan this Fall!
Register for MUS 311H – CRN 75582 | Fall 2025 | TR 1:30–2:20 PM | MB 113 | Instructor: Mr. Byron Moon Ever wanted to play in a traditional Indonesian orchestra? Join us this Fall for MUS 311H: Javanese Gamelan, a hands-on, entry-level course open to all students, faculty, and staff—no prior experience needed! Javanese… Read more: Learn to Play Javanese Gamelan this Fall! - Support CSEAS on UH Giving Day – April 9, 2025
Join the Movement to Uplift Southeast Asian Studies On Tuesday, April 9, the University of Hawaiʻi celebrates Giving Day 2025, a time to support programs and initiatives across all UH campuses. This year, the Center for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS) invites our community of alumni, students, faculty, and friends to join us in making a… Read more: Support CSEAS on UH Giving Day – April 9, 2025 - Call for Submissions: SEADL Undergraduate Paper Award 2025
Deadline: July 31, 2025 The Southeast Asia Digital Library (SEADL) invites undergraduate students from affiliated institutions to submit original research papers in Southeast Asian Studies for the 2025 SEADL Paper Award. Prizes Eligibility Requirements How to SubmitSend your submission packet via email to seadl@cornell.edu by July 31, 2025. Increased consideration will be given to papers… Read more: Call for Submissions: SEADL Undergraduate Paper Award 2025 - Unveiling Secret War Laos: Tales from U.S. Allied Lao Veterans and the CIA during the Vietnam War
Friday, May 9, 2025 | 9:00–10:30 PM EDT | Hybrid Event | Thomas Jefferson Building, Whittall Pavilion (Library of Congress) & Online Register to attend virtually The Library of Congress Asian Division and the Veterans History Project will host a hybrid event to commemorate the end of the 50th anniversary year of the Vietnam War:… Read more: Unveiling Secret War Laos: Tales from U.S. Allied Lao Veterans and the CIA during the Vietnam War - Career Talk Story with Dr. Anand Yang: From Colonial Histories to Global Affairs
Tuesday, April 15, 2025 | 3:00 – 4:00 PM (HST) / Register here Interested in careers that bridge academic research and international impact? Join us for a virtual Career Talk Story event focused on exploring professional journeys in global affairs and Asian studies. This session features Dr. Anand Yang, Professor of History and International Studies… Read more: Career Talk Story with Dr. Anand Yang: From Colonial Histories to Global Affairs - Register Now: Revitalizing Traditional Arts: innovations & agency in response to environmental change
Wednesday, April 30, 2025 | 3:00–4:30 PM (HST) | 9:00–10:30 PM (EST) / Thursday, May 1, 2025 | 8:00–9:30 AM (ICT) Register here Revitalizing Traditional Arts: Innovations & Agency in Response to Environmental Change How are traditional cultural practices in Southeast Asia being reshaped by climate and environmental challenges? Join us for the final session… Read more: Register Now: Revitalizing Traditional Arts: innovations & agency in response to environmental change - Join the Thai Language Table – Spring 2025 Virtual Sessions
Join us for the Thai Language Table Virtual Session! Whether you’re a beginner or looking to enhance your skills, this is a great opportunity to practice speaking Thai in a relaxed environment. Connect with fellow learners, ask questions, and improve your fluency through engaging conversations. Don’t miss out on this chance to immerse yourself in the language and culture. Session DatesThursdays: April… Read more: Join the Thai Language Table – Spring 2025 Virtual Sessions - Solidarity Statement in Response to the Earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand
March 28, 2025 The Center for Southeast Asian Studies at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa (UH CSEAS) expresses solidarity with the people of Myanmar and Thailand who were devastated by a 7.7 magnitude earthquake on Friday, March 28, 2025. This catastrophic event has left a trail of destruction and loss of life in both… Read more: Solidarity Statement in Response to the Earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand