Modern Southeast Asia

TLDR: This article surveys the recent history of the nation-states that comprise Southeast Asia, including modern-day Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, the Philippines, East Timor and Brunei.

Abstract: This course surveys the recent history of the nation-states that comprise Southeast Asia. We begin in the 19 century when the region was dominated by European imperial powers, and we end with modern-day Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, the Philippines, East Timor, and Brunei. In between we will discuss the cultural and economic transformations wrought by colonization (including Japanese, American, and Indonesian colonization, in addition to colonization by major European powers); common experiences during world war; the various ways that Southeast Asians negotiated for independent nationhood; Cold War politics; ethnic tensions in this very diverse region; and the important political and social role of religion in Southeast Asia. We will cover religious, nationalist, royalist, communist, peasant, and labor movements, political transitions to democracy and dictatorship, and rapidly changing relations with the outside world.