Land, Ladies, and the Law: Author meets ECRs

On 13 May following the SEAC Seminar, Dr Thanyaporn Chankrajang hosted an informal session, specifically for current PhD students. This small group discussion covered topics including archival research, teaching and research in Thailand, and conceptualising research projects.  

Land, Ladies, and the Law: A Case Study on Women’s Land Rights and Welfare in Southeast Asia in the Nineteenth Century (V)

On 13 May, SEAC invited Dr Thanyaporn Chankrajang (Associate Professor in Economics at Chulalongkorn University, Thailand) to present her research study which evaluates women’s de jure and de facto land rights and its implications for household welfare in nineteenth-century Bangkok. Further details can be found here.

Urban informality at a crossroad? Dynamics between inclusion and exclusion in Bangkok (V)

On 31st March 2021, SEAC invited Dr Tamaki Endo, SEAC Visiting Senior Fellow (Associate Professor in Development Economics, Saitama University, Japan), to discuss her paper which analyzes the recent complex dynamics of exclusion and inclusion of ‘informality’ of the city. Further details can be found here.

Solidarity and Polarisation: Centripetal and Centrifugal Forces in Southeast Asia (V)

On 24th March 2021, SEAC invited two early career researchers, Dr Michael Intal Magcamit (Queen Mary University of London) and Dr Hongxuan Lin (National University of Singapore), working on political economy and religious politics in the region to present their latest research projects. This event was chaired by SEAC Associate Prof. John Sidel. Further details can be found here.

Getting Developing Asia Back on Track (V)

On 18th March 2021, Masatsugu Asakawa, the President of the Asian Development Bank and the Chairperson of ADB’s Board of Directors, spoke at a SEAC and LSE Public Event. His talk focused on ADB's success and current efforts to help its developing members toward the path of resilient and sustainable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Further details can be found here.

SEAC Lecture: Spatial Politics and Transient Migrant Workers in Global-City Singapore (V)

On 9th March 2021, SEAC invited Prof. Brenda Yeoh (Raffles Professor of Social Sciences, National University of Singapore) for SEAC Lecture, focusing on the context of Singapore as a globalising city-state where over a million low-waged transient migrant workers  live and work. Further details can be found here.

LSE Festival: Shaping the Post-COVID World - Life in a Post-COVID World: Learning from Southeast Asia (V)

On 1st March 2021, leading thinkers on Southeast Asia  reflected on the lessons of COVID-19 for connectivity, governance, and urbanisation in the region and assess the futures it might foretell for Southeast Asia and the world. This event is part of the LSE Festival: Shaping the Post-COVID World. Further details can be found here.

Urban Salon: Theorising urban studies on/from China/Asia

On 25th February 2021, SEAC co-organised an event that engaged with de-centring knowledge production and 'theorising' urban studies from China/Asia as critical urban scholarship. Further details can be found here.

Book Launch: Thinking and Working Politically in Development: Coalitions for Change in the Philippines (V)

On 10th February 2021, SEAC hosted a Book Launch for the 2020 book 'Thinking and Working Politically in Development: Coalitions for Change in the Philippines', written by SEAC Associate Prof. John Sidel (Sir Patrick Gillam Professor of International and Comparative Politics at LSE) and Jaime Faustino (The Asia Foundation). Further details can be found here.

Flooding and the Politics of Property Rights in Jakarta (V)

On 27th January 2021, SEAC invited Prof. Gavin Shatkin (Professor at the School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs, and the School of Architecture, at Northeastern University) for his talk titled 'Flooding and the Politics of Property Rights in Jakarta'. Further details can be found here.

Book Launch: Home SOS: Gender, Violence and Survival in Crisis Ordinary Cambodia

On 20th January 2021, SEAC hosted a Book Launch for the 2020 book 'Home SOS: Gender, Violence and Survival in Crisis Ordinary Cambodia', written by SEAC Associate Prof. Katherine Brickell (Royal Holloway, Univeristy of London). Further details can be found here.

Foreign, 'Fresh' and 173cm: The Commodification of Domestic Workers in Singapore

On 9th December 2020, Dr Laura Antona (ESRC Research Fellow, University of Oxford) was invited to speak on how employment agencies in Singapore commodify and sell domestic labourers, shaping their relationships with their employers and the spaces in which they live and work: namely, the home space. Further details can be found here. 

Roundtable on Postcolonial Urbanism and History of Southeast Asia (V)

On 25th November 2020, SEAC hosted a roundtable discussion aiming to promote a better understanding of postcolonial urban histories in Southeast Asia while seeking an opportunity to locate them in different disciplines including urban history and urban studies. Further details can be found here. 

Nalehmu Urbanism: The informal, intimate and relational economies of Yangon Street Vending (V)

On 17th November 2020, Dr Jayde Lin Roberts (Senior Lecturer in Built Environment, University of New South Wales) led a research seminar focusing on street vending as an integral part of Yangon’s urbanism. Further details can be found here.

SEAC Masterclass: Research as Empowerment: Learning from the COVID-19 Pandemic in Understanding Cities of Southeast Asia

On 13th November 2020, Dr Rita Padawangi (Senior Lecturer at Singapore University of Social Sciences) followed up her talk on 11th November by undertaking a research masterclass for PhD students and early career researchers. The masterclass focused on doing research under the pandemic based on Dr Padawangi's research experiences. Further details can be found here.

Theorising the City in and from Southeast Asia (V)

On 11th November 2020, Dr Rita Padawangi (Senior Lecturer, Singapore University of Social Sciences) delivered a research seminar bringing together the urban experience from city neighbourhoods to connect with theorising the city in and from Southeast Asia. Further details can be found here.  

LSE Southeast Asia Week 2020: Environmental Resilience and Southeast Asia (V)

On 30th October 2020, for the last event of LSE Southeast Asia Week 2020, SEAC invited four speakers to explore the extent to which the environment shapes and defines the region, and the role that environmental resilience must play over the coming decades. Further details can be found here.

LSE Southeast Asia Week 2020: Politics of city-making in Southeast Asia (V)

On 29th October 2020, SEAC hosted a roundtable panel discussion by inviting four academics whose work had been related to the urbanising region's development challenges. The event focused on politics of city-making and re-making in Southeast Asia, with cases coming from Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia and the Philippines. Further details can be found here.

LSE Southeast Asia Week 2020: Whither Southeast Asia research? Roundtable with Centre Directors (V)

On 28th October 2020, SEAC, in collaboration with ASEAS UK, hosted a roundtable panel discussion. The event invited selected directors of global centres on Southeast Asia to discuss the future of Southeast Asian Studies and challenges in the midst of COVID-19 generated ‘new normal’. Further details can be found here.

LSE Southeast Asia Week 2020: ASEAS UK-SEAC Panels on ECR and Southeast Asia Research

On 27th October 2020, SEAC and ASEAS UK invited early career researchers to identify the various challenges ECRs face during this difficult time of pandemic. The discussions on the day fed into the roundtable discussion with Centre Directors on the following day for them to respond to such concerns. Further details can be found here.

Migration and Mobility in the COVID-19 Era (V)

On 27th October 2020, SEAC invited three academics working on diverse issues related to migration and mobility, and discussed how the COVID-19 pandemic had affected the mobility and immobility of migrant workers and students among others. Further details can be found here.

LSE Southeast Asia Week 2020: Politics and Economics of COVID-19 in Southeast Asia (V)

On 26th October 2020, for the first event of LSE Southeast Asia Week 2020, SEAC invited regional experts to discuss the impacts of COVID-19 on regional politics and economic performance in Southeast Asia, and how these were entwined with health concerns. Further details can be found here.

COVID-19 and Southeast Asia Webinar Series (V)

On 19th and 21st October 2020, SEAC hosted two seminars under the themes of 'Marginalised and Vulnerable Groups and Strategies for Mutual Support During Covid-19' (19 Oct) and 'The Experiences of Southeast Asia’s Migrant Workers, Asylum Seekers, and Refugees During Covid-19' (21 Oct) with contributors for SEAC's research project 'COVID-19 and Southeast Asia'.

SEAC Masterclass: Mapping Transdisciplinary Data for Spatial Justice

On 16th Ocotober 2020, Dr Annette M. Kim (Associate Professor, Sol Price School of Public Policy, University of Southern California) followed up her talk on 7th October by undertaking a research masterclass for PhD students and early career researchers.

The Production of Jakarta's Water Crisis: A Political Ecology of Speculative Urbanism (V) 

On 14th October 2020, Dr Emma Colven (Assistant Professor of Global Environment, University of Oklahoma) led a research seminar, speaking on the topic of Jakarta's "water crisis" in relation to its temporalities and spatialities. Further details can be found here.

Everyday Justice in Myanmar: Informal Resolutions and State Evasion in a Time of Contested Transition (V)

On 9th October, 2020, SEAC co-hosted an event with LSE South Asia Centre to discuss the diverse views regarding state-society relations in Myanmar. Check the details of the event here.

Mapping Transdisciplinary Data for Spatial Justice: Migration and Urbanization in Vietnam and Beyond (V)

On 7th October 2020, Dr Annette M. Kim (Associate Professor, Sol Price School of Public Policy, University of Southern California) led a research seminar on the subject of public space transformations in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Further details can be found here.

Decolonising Higher Education Roundtable (P)  

On 30th September 2020, SEAC hosted an online roundtable discussion themed around 'decolonising higher education' in relation to the Southeast Asian region and beyond. This roundtable invited three speakers whose research is rooted in such effort of decolonising higher education, addressing the structural power inequalities of knowledge production. Further details can be found here.

Post COVID-19 Futures of the Urbanising World (V)

On 3 June 2020, Dr Creighton Connolly (Senior Lecturer, University of Lincoln), Prof Roger Keil (Professor, York University, Toronto), Dr Deirdre McKay (Reader, Keele University, and Chair of ASEAS UK), and Dr Rita Padawangi (Senior Lecturer, Singapore University of Social Sciences) discussed the impact of COVID-19 on changing relationships between cities and their hinterlands in global urbanisation processes. The event was part of LSE's online public event series, "COVID-19: The Policy Response" and was chaired by SEAC Director Prof Hyun Bang Shin. More information can be found here.  

Public Lecture: "Diminishing Globalisation, Rising Digitalisation : Central Bank Policy Responses" (P)

On 10th February 2020, SEAC hosted a Public Lecture by Dr. Perry Warjiyo, Governor of Bank Indonesia, Indonesia's Central Bank, chaired by SEAC Director Prof. Hyun Bang Shin, on the topic of contemporary central bank policy responses to diminishing globalisation and rising digitalisation. Further details can be found here. 

Public Lecture: Less Poverty, More Precarity: Squaring the Circle of Southeast Asian Development (P)

On 30th January 2020,  Professor Jonathan Rigg (Chair in Human Geography at the School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol) held a public lecture on the different, but intertwined, narratives that paint Southeast Asia as exemplar of development success and deepening inequality. This event was co-hosted with the LSE Department of Geography and Environment and chaired by SEAC Director Prof. Hyun Bang Shin. Further details including the podcast can be found here.

Southeast Asia Discussion Series: Enclave Urbanism and Transnational Zones in Southeast Asia (P)

On 28th January 2020, SEAC hosted its first Lent term event with Dr. Jana M. Kleibert (Acting Head of Department, Leibniz Institute for Research on Society and Space and Humboldt University of Berlin), who spoke on enclave urbanism and transnational zones in Southeast Asia. Further details can be found here.

Book Launch: "Neoliberal Urbanism, Contested Cities and Housing in Asia"

On 3rd December 2019, SEAC, along with the Department of Geography and Environment, co-hosted the book launch for the 2019 book “Neoliberal Urbanism, Contested Cities and Housing in Asia”. The event was chaired by SEAC Director Prof. Hyun Bang Shin, and Co-Editor Dr. Yi Ling Chen (Assistant Professor of Global and Area Studies and Geography, University of Colorado Boulder)  and other contributors presented their insights on Vietnam, Taiwan and Korea. Further details can be found here.

SEAC Masterclass: Research as part of democratization and urban transformation

On 2nd December 2019, SEAc hosted its second research masterclass of the academic year with Dr Yi-Ling Chen (University of Wyoming), who gave insights and advice to students on conducting academic research in collaboration with civil society and activist organisations. Further details can be found here.

Public Lecture: Who is the Middle Class, and what are they up to? Reflections from Jakarta (P)

On 28th November 2019, Professor AbdouMaliq Simone (Senior Professorial Fellow, Urban Institute, University of Sheffield and Honorary Professor of Urban Studies, University of Cape Town) spoke on the making of an urban middle class across Southeast Asia. Further details including the podcast can be found here.

SEAC Masterclass: Researching Digital Media

On 25th November 2019, SEAC hosted its first research masterclass of the year led by SEAC Senior Visiting Fellow Dr Merlyna Lim (Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Digital Media and Global Network Society, Carleton University) and Chaired by Dr Bingchun Meng (Associate Professor and Deputy Head, Department of Media and Communications, LSE), on the topic of researching digital media. Further details can be found here. 

Southeast Asia Discussion Series: Civil society elites and Cambodian civil society today

On 21st November 2019, Dr. Astrid Norén-Nilsson (Associate Senior Lecturer at the Centre for East and South-East Asian Studies, Lund University) spoke on processes of elite formation within Cambodian civil society today as well as patterns of interaction between civil society elites and other elites, building on ongoing research for a comparative project on civil society elites in Cambodia and Indonesia. Further details can be found here.

Southeast Asia Discussion Series: Social Media and Politics in Southeast Asia (P)

On 7th November 2019, SEAC hosted a talk on social media and politics in Southeast Asia. The guest speaker was Dr Merlyna Lim (Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Digital Media and Global Network Society, Carleton University and Senior Visiting Fellow, SEAC), and the event was chaired by SEAC Director Prof Hyun Bang Shin. 

LSE Southest Asia Forum 2019 (P)

On 29th October, SEAC hosted its annual flagship conference in the LSE Shaw Library, which on the key research themes of SEAC while engaging with contemporary affairs in Southeast Asia. 

Southeast Asia Discussion Series: Land sharing experiences in Thailand and Cambodia: What lessons for land and housing policy for the urban poor? (P)

On 17th October 2019, SEAC hosted the first Southeast Asia Discussion Series seminar of the academic year, with guest speaker Dr. Paul Rabé (Senior Expert, Urban Land Governance, IHS and coordinator of the Urban Knowledge Network Asia (UKNA), International Institute for Asian Studies) who spoke on the topic of land sharing in Cambodia and Thailand. The event was chaired by SEAC Director Prof Hyun Bang Shin. This event is available to listen to as a podcast. 

South-South itineraries: alternative routes for mutual learning between Latin America and Southeast Asia (P)

On 1st October 2019, SEAC hosted an ECR Network Event as part of Decolonising the LSE Week, bringing together scholars from Latin America and Southeast Asia whose research is rooted in such effort of theorizing “from the South”, addressing the structural power inequalities of knowledge production that tend to exclude the contributions produced by scholars working "in the South", which are often ignored or lost in translation. The event was chaired by SEAC Director Prof Hyun Bang Shin. This event is available to listen to as a podcast. 

Southeast Asia Discussion Series: Post-Election Thailand: Reflections and Looking Forward

On 11th July 2019, SEAC will host a Southeast Asia Discussion Series (SEADS) event, with guest speakers Dr Petra Desatova (School of Politics and International Studies, University of Leeds), Mr Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit (Future Forward Party), Prof. Duncan McCargo (Director, Nordic Institute of Asian Studies) and Ms Pannika Wanich (Future Forward Party), to discuss recent developments since the Thai General Election. Prof. Tim Forsyth (Department of International Development, LSE) will Chair.

SEAC Workshop: Urban Spectre of Global China

On 19th June 2019, SEAC is hosting a kick-off workshop for SEAC's new British Academy research project entitled, "The Urban Spectre of Global China: Mechanisms, Consequences, and Alternatives for Urban Futures". More details including a link to register your attendance can be found here.

Southeast Asia Discussion Series: The Red River Development Project in Hanoi, Vietnam

On 6th June 2019, SEAC hosted a SEADS seminar chaired by SEAC Director Prof. Hyun Bang Shin, led by LSE-Southeast Asia ECR Network member Ms Sujee Jung (PhD Candidate, Rutgers University) who spoke about her field research on the Red River development project in Hanoi. Dr Catalina Ortiz (Lecturer in Building and Urban Design in Development, UCL) was Discussant for the event.

More information can be found here. 

LSE-Southeast Asia Early Career Researcher Network Workshop on academic publishing

On 22nd May 2019, SEAC hosted a workshop for LSE-Southeast Asia ECR Network members on the subject of academic publishing, chaired by SEAC Director Prof. Hyun Bang Shin. The workshop combined practical advice with personal experiences, covering everything from evaluating outlets and choosing the right one for you, avoiding common pitfalls, deciding on solo versus collaborate publications, career considerations and more.

SEAC Cove Session: Thailand's 2019 Elections: Will the Political Crisis Continue?

On Monday 25th March, SEAC hosted its second ‘Cove Session’ discussion of 2019, with guest Dr Pavin Chachavalpongpun (Center for Southeast Asian Studies, University of Kyoto), to discuss this weekend’s long-awaited Thai general election. 

REDD+ AS AN AREA-BASED POLICY: Evidence from the 2011 Moratorium on oil palm, timber and logging concessions in Indonesia

On 19th March, Prof. Ben Groom (Professor of Environment and Development Economics, LSE ), Dr Charles Palmer (Associate Professor of Environment and Development, LSE) and Mr Lorenzo Sileci (PhD candidate in Environmental Economics,, LSE) presened early results from their recent SEAC Research Fund project on the environmental impacts of the Palm Oil Concession Moratorium in Indonesia.

More information here.

Masterclass: conducting research in violent urban contexts

Qin Shao, Professor of History at the College of New Jersey, shared her expertise on urban research in relation to violent contexts, particularly in relation to the threat of state violence, for LSE postgraduate students. Prof. Shao's research interests include property rights, historical preservation, domicide, displacement, mental health, dignity, sustainability, and grass-roots movements. She is working on a new project about the impact of politically motivated displacement under Mao.

SEAC Cove Session: Reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula and its implications for geopolitics and the Southeast Asia region

Coinciding with the US-North Korea Summit taking place in Hanoi on 27-28 February, the Saw Swee Hock Southeast Asia Centre hosted a Cove Session discussion on the implications of Korean reconciliation on geopolitics.

Revisiting Displacement in Urban Studies

SEAC, with the support of Urban Salon, hosted a roundtable workshop on displacement in Southeast Asia and beyond, on 28th February at LSE. Speakers: Katherine Brickell (RHUL), Lisa Tilley (Birkbeck), Jordana Ramalho (LSE), Qin Shao (College of New Jersey), Oren Yiftachel (Ben-Gurion), Loretta Lees (Leicester). 

Para-Nationalism: Sovereignty and Authenticity in the Wa State of Myanmar

The first of SEAC’s 2019 Southeast Asia Discussion Series (SEADS) welcomed Dr Hans Steinmüller, who spoke about his recent research on the ethno-nationalist projects of rebel groups in Highland Burma. In a new event format for SEAC, Dr Steinmüller’s talk was complemented by a Discussant, Dr Patrick Meehan, who offered reflections and constructive comments on the talk, while the audience benefited from the insights of both discussant and speaker as they engaged further in the post-talk debate.

LSE-Southeast Asia Early Career Researcher Network: Inaugural Event

The first networking event of the SEAC-led Early Career Researcher Network was held at LSE on 13th February 2019. The event incorporatd talks from researchers on the topic, "What does Southeast Asia mean for my research?" followed by a networking reception for participants to get to know each other. In addition to 25 ECR participants representing over a dozen nationalities and 10 different higher education institutions, the event featured talks from Prof. Hyun Bang Shin, SEAC Director, Prof. Sylvia Chant (LSE, Geography & Environment) and Prof. Tim Forsyth (LSE, International Development).

Economic Prospects and Problems of the Four Asian Tigers

This conference, co-hosted with LSESU socieities, examined the economic opportunities and challenges of the Four Asian Tigers including Singapore with four speakers representating each economy.

Prospects for Elections in Thailand: The Future Forward Party under the Spotlight

This meeting was an opportunity for academics and audience members to challenge leaders of Future Forward to explain their political agenda and their vision for Thailand.

Automation and the Future of Work in Southeast Asia (P)

This seminar analyses current trends, forecasts, and theories of labour automation with regard to Southeast Asia and will discuss a respective future research agenda.

LSE Southeast Asia Forum (SEAF) (P)

The conference had of four expert panels that examined a range of prevalent issues facing Southeast Asia. The Keynote Lecture addressed Singapore's priorities as ASEAN Chair in 2018 and was given by Her Excellency Ms Foo Chi Hsia (High Commissioner of the Republic of Singapore to the United Kingdom).

Policy Entrepreneurs and US Burma Policy under President Obama

SEAC Director Dr Jürgen Haacke explores the role of policy entrepreneurs in relation to some of the key policy shifts that the Obama administration embraced towards Myanmar between 2009 and 2016.

Overcoming Poverty and the Role of Politics on Economic Growth in the Philippines

Maria Leonor “Leni” Gerona Robredo, elected as Vice President of the Philippines on May 2016, speaks about her commitment to a pro-poor administration founded on good governance, as well as strong social welfare, public infrastructure and national security.

Unlocking Poverty Traps: what could 'Graduation Packages' change for Vietnam's ethnic minorities and Cambodia's ultra-poor? (P)

This seminar analyses whether multi-faceted 'Graduation Packages' could be the key to unlocking poverty traps for some of Southeast most vulnerable groups. 

Industrialisation and Backward Linkages in Global Value Chains: new trade agreements and Vietnam's garments industry

This research seminar examines how trade agreements could allow countries to promote backward linkages in value chains, with a particular focus on Vietnam. 

The Ambon Jihad

SEAC Associate Dr Kirsten Schulze looks at the Ambon jihad fought in the context of the Ambon conflict in Indonesia from 1999-2005.

Circulations of Urbanism and Real Estate Capital: the case of Korean and Singaporean developers in Vietnam (P)

SEAC Associate Dr Hyun Bang Shin investigates the practices of South Korean and Singaporean real estate developers in Vietnam, and what effect they have had on social and spatial justice.

Red North, Blue North, Yellow North, Whose North? Contesting Thai Nationalism in Shinawatra Country (P)

SEAC Visiting Appointment Dr Joel Selway explores whether there are certain elements of nationalism that boost Thai national identity in the north of the country more than others.

Drugs and Development: from colonialism to the SDGs

This Research Fund seminar explores some of the issues linked to illicit drug markets in Myanmar with reference to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Was the ISIS Threat in Southeast Asia Overblown? (P)

Sidney Jones looks at the factors that raised alarm bells about terrorism in Southeast Asia, the lessons learned from Marawi and the risks going forward.

Disavowing Liberalism: the political legitimacy and longevity of the People’s Action Party in Singapore (P)

This talk considers whether the ‘socialist’ elements of the early years of Singapore’s state formation by the People’s Action Party (PAP) accounts for the party’s longevity in parliamentary power.

Bringing Institutions Back In: ASEAN’s institutional logics and effects at a time of great power transition (P)

In its 50th year, ASEAN faces a range of contemporary challenges that have called into question its strategic place and security contributions in East Asia. This talk considers the mixed effects of ASEAN institutions on Asia's changing strategic environment and the dynamics of great power competition.

ASEAN as an Actor in International Fora: its role in the UN and the WTO

Drawing upon ASEAN's policies in the United Nations and World Trade Organisation, Professor Jürgen Rüland addresses the ways in which member governments in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) achieve a collective presence in global fora.

Indonesia in ASEAN: reconciliation, active engagement and strategic reassessment (P)

His Excellency Dr Rizal Sukma, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to the UK and Ireland, assessed Indonesia's role in ASEAN and the extent to which ASEAN remains the main platform for the attainment of Indonesia's changing national and international priorities.

Armed Groups, State and Society in Myanmar (P)

Based on years of extensive field work in the border areas of Myanmar, panellists discussed the dynamics of armed politics, social orders and state formation in light of the country's peace process and wider transition.

This event was hosted in collaboration with the LSE Global South Unit.

The Challenges of Trump's America and Xi's China: perspectives and strategies in Northeast and Southeast Asia

This double-panel event compared and contrasted old and new priorities and policy instruments pursued by the US and China vis-a-vis East Asia, and examined how states in Northeast and Southeast Asia are manoeuvring in reaction to the various challenges.

The event was in collaboration with the LSE Department of International Relations

LSE Southeast Asia Forum 2017

The day included a keynote lecture by H.E. Antonio M. Lagdameo, the Ambassador of the Philippines to the UK, and four expert panels that examined a range of prevalent issues that have affected the region since the establishment of ASEAN 50 years ago, including the AEC, foreign and domestic policy, and human rights agendas.

Civil Society and Shrinking Political Space: the future of human rights in Southeast Asia (P)

Civil society in Southeast Asia has come under threat from shrinking political space, funding challenges and internal competition over issues and resources. Dr James Gomez asks: what is the future of human rights in the region?

Sharing Sovereignty: peacebuilding and the UN's joint ventures in Timor-Leste and Cambodia (P)

Dr John Ciorciari discussed the practice of “sharing sovereignty” is apparent in Timor-Leste and Cambodia, where the UN shares responsibility for key sovereign functions when national governments cannot do so effectively.

Is Regionalism Passé? Infrastructure for Integrating South and Southeast Asia (P)

Dr Ganeshan Wignaraja examines the costs and benefits of closer infrastructure connectivity between South and Southeast Asia, and the role of national policies and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.

Myanmar's NLD-led Government: one year on (P)

Dr Khin Mar Mar Kyi, Dr David Brenner and Prof Marie Lall discuss to what extent has Daw Aung San Suu Kyi been able to make headway on major issues and key challenges the country has faced, one year after Myanmar's landslide election.

Islamisation Through Democratisation? Deciphering Calls for Islamic Law in Contemporary Indonesia (P)

Dr Michael Buehler and Dr Chris Chaplin discuss to what extent there has been growing acceptance for conservative Islamic activism and how democracy has provided opportunities for politicians and Islamic organisations to push an Islamic agenda.

Vietnamese Trajectories: negotiating refuge and belonging through forced migrations (P)

Dr Stephen James looks at serial migrants through their varied forced journeys across the globe and into local and transnational group identities across the Middle East, Africa and South Asia.

Religion and Nationalism in Southeast Asia: conflict and contestation in the conception of nationhood (P)

Political contestations between the state and minority groups have long been a major feature of Southeast Asia. Prof Joseph Liow casts light of the religious character of some of these conflicts.

Who Developed Vietnam? The Role of International Donors (P)

Although substantial development challenges remain, Vietnam’s achievements are remarkable. Prof Jörn Dosch asks: is Vietnam’s rapid development a success story of development cooperation or rather the result of domestic reforms?

Sex Trafficking in Southeast Asia: the context of desire, duty, and debt (P)

Dr Trude Jacobsen examines long-standing cultural perspectives toward marriage, familial obligation, debt bondage, and the implications that ethnicity and gender have for persons entering into these contracts.

The Future of the US ‘Asia Pivot’

The key question is whether the next US president will make Asia a priority and how the region will react to it. Dr Evan Medeiros discusses this and other issues at a critical time for the Asia-Pacific.

Duterte’s Bloody Democracy in the Philippines (P)

Prof Mark R Thompson looks at why Duterte won the recent presidential election and has “stuck to his guns” in waging a violent war on drugs and explores its implications for the future of democracy in the Philippines and beyond.

South China Sea: salient aspects of the arbitration between the Philippines and China (P)

Tjaco van den Hout discusses what has been at stake from the perspective of international law, the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), its default mechanism of arbitration to settle disputes, and the legality of territorial claims.

LSE Southeast Asia Forum 2016 (P)

The day included two keynote lectures and four expert panels on topics including: ASEAN Security, religion in Southeast Asia, inclusion and exclusion in Southeast Asia, and a panel by the LSE SU ASEAN Society.

Rebranding ASEAN as a New Global Player (P)

ASEAN has never been able to realize its full political and economic potential. Khun Abhisit Vejjajiva asks: what are the main impediments holding ASEAN back? Can ASEAN play a role in re-shaping a new regional order in the Asia-Pacific region?

How Did Aung San Suu Kyi Win So Big? (P)

Peter Popham showcases his latest book The Lady and the General and seeks to identify the secrets of Aung San Suu Kyi's phenomenal achievements as a woman in a highly macho political culture.

Yanmagon: Faces of Yangon - Film screening and Q&A with Director

Yanmagon: Faces of Yangon is a portrait of a changing city, the former capital of Myanmar, through the eyes of its activists, architects, poets, photographers. Director François Le Pivain answers a Q&A on his production.

Before It Spread Like Wildfire: An archaeological perspective on slash-and-burn farming

Dr David Clinnick and Dr James Walker explore how early farming techniques spread throughout island Southeast Asia, finding that archaeological data seemed to contradict many common and contemporary views on slash-and-burn farming.

The Philippines and China: Options for Resolving Overlapping Claims in the South China Sea

H.E. Enrique A. Manalo clarifies the Philippine policy on the West Philippine Sea and its understanding of its international treaty obligations under the 1982 LOSC, the UN Charter and the ASEAN Charter.

Middle Eastern and South Asian migrants in the colonial Philippines

Prof William Clarence-Smith discusses how Middle Eastern and South Asian migrants contributed significantly to the history of the colonial Philippines, chiefly coming to profit from a frontier of economic opportunity.

A tale of two endings: A comparative perspective on civil war in Papua and East Timor

Dr Claire Smith argues that if we contrast the ending to East Timor’s civil war with that of the comparable war in Papua, we can sharply see just how contingent East Timor’s negotiated ending was on a unique combination of specific events.

Borneo Burning: Deforestation, El Nino, Reforestation (P)

Dr Roger Montgomery examines recent evidence on deforestation, the cause and impact of El Nino, and in contrast the surprising areas where tree planting has been a major success in Indonesia.

Australia's role in Indonesian independence - liberal internationalism in action, or the realpolitik of regional security? (P)

Bruce Watson argues that Australia’s motivation in supporting Indonesian independence was not founded on liberal internationalism or distaste for colonialism, it was founded as a quest for security. 

The Material Culture of Japanese-Held Captives in WWII British Asia (P)

Dr Felicia Yap analyses the material culture of migrating Allied captives during the Japanese occupation of British Asia, focusing on the experiences of civilians in occupied Hong Kong, with examples from Malaya, Singapore and Borneo.

ISIS in Southeast Asia: The Apocalypse, Just War and Pragmatic Jihad (P)

Dr Greg Fealy examines the multiple motivations that have led fighters from Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore to join ISIS, looking at the structures of mobilisation and recruitment for the Islamic State.

Trading Places? Muslim modernists and traditionalists in Indonesia since the Reformasi (P)

Dr Carool Kersten discusses his latest book, Islam in Indonesia: The Contest for Society, Ideas and Values which examines intra-Muslim debates on the role of Islam in public life which evinces a broad spectrum of voices characterized by two developments.

New Attitudes to Peacekeeping Operations in ASEAN

Despite the region’s enormous diversity, almost all of ASEAN’s members are showing a greater interest in supporting peacekeeping operations. Dr David Capie explores evolving attitudes towards peacekeeping among Southeast Asian states.

LSE Asia Forum in Singapore

On Saturday 28th November, as part of the 120th anniversary celebrations, LSE held its Asia Forum in Singapore. The event, within the new series of regional LSE Global Forums, celebrated the achievements of the School and its alumni.

Compliant Citizenship: On the Islamic Authority of the Indonesian State

Dr Nicholas Long analyses how the difficulty of accurate moral perception within Indonesia’s Riau Islands Province leads citizens to abrogate their own responsibility with a state that has constituted itself as an Islamic actor.

Monks and Politics in Theravada Southeast Asia

Dr Matthew Walton argues that, while the issue of monastic engagement with politics will remain an essentially contested question, examining monks’ arguments in particular contexts can reveal changing dynamics in the institution of the sangha.

Myanmar on the Brink (P)

Mark Canning, Dr Jurgen Haacke and Shibani Mahtani discuss the outcome of those general elections and how Myanmar will achieve economic success comparable to those of its ASEAN neighbours.

Malaysia: Fighting Religious Extremism 

Dato Noor Farida Ariffin, former Malaysian Ambassador to the Netherlands, expresses the grave concerns over religious bodies asserting authority beyond their jurisdiction; and various fatwa which violate the Federal Constitution.

Dealing with China (P)

Henry M. Paulson Jr. talks about his new book, Dealing with China, which takes readers behind closed doors to the future of China's state-controlled capitalism, in conversation with Lionel Barber.

Malaysia: Healing the Nation

What is the “Malaysian nation” – and what is the state of its health? In this lecture Tunku 'Abidin Muhriz considers the competing versions of the Malaysian nation, and the resultant divergent prognoses and calls to action.

Post-Coup Thailand: Anxiety over the Royal Succession

Dr Pavin Chachavalpongpun discusses the unlikeliness of stabilising Thai politics, as voters become alienated in the political process à la Prayuth, and large-scale violent protests are seen as unavoidable in order to restore democracy.

LSE Literary Festival 2015 - Southeast Asia Panel (P)

This year ASEAN becomes an integrated economic community. Ahmad Zakii Anwar, Nickson Fong and Yang-May Ooi ask: what is the culture that sits comfortably with Southeast Asia's place in the global economy?

Hong Kong: The Struggle at the End of History (P)

Prof Danny Quah, Prof Conor Gearty, Isabella Steger and Raymond Li discuss how the Umbrella Revolution has re-ignited a worldwide debate on democracy in particular, and a battle over success in economic and political governance.