Southeast Asia Program
180 Uris Hall
(607) 255-2378
SEAP@cornell.edu
einaudi.cornell.edu/programs/southeast-asia-program
Faculty
E. Tagliacozzo1, Director (180 Uris Hall), C. Balance, V. Beard1, A. Blackburn, A. Cohn1, K. Fiorella, M. Fiskesjö, C. Formichi1, A. Fuhrmann, J. Goldstein1, G. Green, S. Kuruvilla, T. Loos, S. Ma, K. McGowan1, J. Parreñas, T. Pepinsky, P. Wangpaiboonkit, M. Welker1, J. Whitman, A. Willford1. Emeritus: S. O'Connor, J. Siegel1, K. Taylor, E. Thorbecke1, L. Williams, J. Wolff*. Retired: T. Chaloemtiarana. Senior Lecturers: N. Jagacinski, Y. Khaing, C. Miller1, J. Pandin1, H. Phan, T. Savella, T. Tranviet
- 1
Faculty are part of the Cornell Modern Indonesia Project (CMIP)
Program
Cornell's Southeast Asia Program (SEAP) develops and promotes knowledge about countries in Southeast Asia, including their languages, literatures, visual and performing arts, histories, societies, economies, governments, international and labor relations, religions, and ideologies, through the support of teaching, research, student degree programs, library and archival resources, specialized publications, and outreach activities. SEAP is recognized by its peers as a "center of excellence in Southeast Asian language and area studies." Its alumni teach at renowned institutions throughout the United States and around the world and serve in government, business, and non-profit sectors in the United States and abroad.
The Cornell Library's Echols Collection on Southeast Asia attracts visiting scholars from throughout the world and as the library of record on the region makes over 500,000 volumes in 162 languages available to the public.
As part of the Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies, SEAP has 28 core faculty members who are in many different departments and colleges, including 6 senior language lecturers, who are housed in the Department of Asian Studies. SEAP draws its faculty from Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, School of Industrial and Labor Relations, and College of Architecture, Art, and Planning. They participate in an interdisciplinary program of teaching and research on the region that stretches from Burma through the Philippines and Indonesia. The Cornell Modern Indonesia Project (CMIP) faculty sponsor research, conferences, and publications on Indonesia and were involved in establishing the American Institute for Indonesian Studies.
Courses are offered in such fields as anthropology, Asian studies, economics, government, history, history of art, labor relations, linguistics, music, and development sociology. Instruction is offered in six languages: Burmese, Cambodian (Khmer), Indonesian, Tagalog (Filipino), Thai, and Vietnamese. As a member of the consortium behind the Southeast Asian Studies Summer Institute (SEASSI) at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, SEAP encourages students to intensively acquire language skills each summer. The Southeast Asia Program provides competitive funding grants for language study at SEASSI as well as awards to support research, and internships in the region in collaboration with the Department of Asian Studies and the Einaudi Center.
The Southeast Asian Studies Minor is open to all undergraduates at Cornell. The minor can be combined with any other major by completing 18 credits of coursework, including ASIAN 2208 Introduction to Southeast Asia. This course covers fundamentals about the region and acquaints students with Cornell faculty who are Southeast Asia experts. Students who major in Asian Studies can also focus on Southeast Asia and its languages. Graduate students may work toward an M.A. degree in Southeast Asian studies or pursue a master of professional studies in another school with a concentration in Southeast Asian studies. Ph.D. students specializing in Southeast Asia receive a doctorate in a discipline such as history, history of art, anthropology, government, linguistics, music, economics, finance, labor relations or city and regional planning.
During the fall and spring semesters, SEAP organizes the Ronald and Janette Gatty Lecture Series, a weekly lecture series featuring advanced SEAP graduate students, academics, diplomats, researchers, and others who have expertise in Southeast Asia.
Additional information regarding courses focused on Southeast Asia, publications, or outreach opportunities and program activities can be found on the SEAP website. SEAP has many active social media accounts, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, and LinkedIn; find us on all platforms using the handle 'seapcornell'. We welcome undergraduates or others with new or unexplored interests in Southeast Asia to contact the program office by emailing SEAP Associate Director, Thamora Fishel.
Related Courses
Southeast Asia Studies - Area
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| AAS 1100 | Introduction to Asian American Studies | 4 |
| AAS 3020 | Asian Americans and Popular Culture | 4 |
| AAS 4040 | Fictions of Dictatorship | 4 |
| AAS 4050 | Critical Filipino and Filipino American Studies | 4 |
| ALS 4317 | CALS Exchange: National University of Singapore (NUS) | 15 |
| AMST 1951 | Foreign Policy as Subversion | 4 |
| AMST 3025 | Asian Americans and Popular Culture | 4 |
| AMST 4040 | Fictions of Dictatorship | 4 |
| AMST 4052 | Critical Filipino and Filipino American Studies | 4 |
| ANTHR 1400 | Introduction to Sociocultural Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTHR 3420 | Myth, Ritual, and Symbol | 3 |
| ANTHR 3520 | Kingship, Nation, and Heritage in Asia | 3 |
| ANTHR 3552 | Genocide Today: The Erasure of Cultures | 3 |
| ANTHR 3590 | Heritage, History, and Identity in Cambodia | 3 |
| ANTHR 3680 | Islam and the Ethnographic Imagination | 3 |
| ANTHR 4437 | Ethnographies of Development | 4 |
| ANTHR 4472 | Pandemics Past and Pending | 3 |
| ANTHR 4478 | Taboo and Pollution | 3 |
| ANTHR 4513 | Religion and Politics in Southeast Asia | 4 |
| ANTHR 4516 | Power, Society, and Culture in Southeast Asia | 4 |
| ANTHR 6516 | Power, Society, and Culture in Southeast Asia | 4 |
| ANTHR 6520 | Kingship, Nation, and Heritage in Asia | 3 |
| ANTHR 6552 | Genocide Today: The Erasure of Cultures | 3 |
| ANTHR 6590 | Heritage, History, and Identity in Cambodia | 3 |
| ANTHR 6680 | Islam and the Ethnographic Imagination | 3 |
| ANTHR 7437 | Ethnographies of Development | 4 |
| ANTHR 7513 | Religion and Politics in Southeast Asia | 4 |
| ANTHR 7520 | Southeast Asia: Readings in Special Problems | 1-4 |
| ARKEO 3520 | Kingship, Nation, and Heritage in Asia | 3 |
| ARKEO 3590 | Heritage, History, and Identity in Cambodia | 3 |
| ARKEO 6530 | Kingship, Nation, and Heritage in Asia | 3 |
| ARKEO 6590 | Heritage, History, and Identity in Cambodia | 3 |
| ARTH 2805 | Introduction to Asian Art: Material Worlds | 4 |
| ARTH 3590 | Heritage, History, and Identity in Cambodia | 3 |
| ARTH 3850 | The Arts of Southeast Asia | 3 |
| ARTH 4695 | Studies in Global Modern Art | 3 |
| ARTH 4852 | Shadowplay: Asian Art and Performance | 3 |
| ARTH 4854 | Water: Art and Politics in Southeast Asia | 3 |
| ARTH 4855 | Threads of Consequence: Textiles in South and Southeast Asia | 3 |
| ARTH 4858 | Dancing the Stone: Body, Memory, and Architecture | 4 |
| ARTH 6595 | Heritage, History, and Identity in Cambodia | 3 |
| ARTH 6850 | The Arts of Southeast Asia | 3 |
| ARTH 6852 | Shadowplay: Asian Art and Performance | 3 |
| ARTH 6854 | Water: Art and Politics in Southeast Asia | 3 |
| ARTH 6855 | Threads of Consequence: Textiles in South and Southeast Asia | 3 |
| ARTH 6858 | Dancing the Stone: Body, Memory, and Architecture | 4 |
| ASIAN 1106 | FWS: The Great Epic of India | 3 |
| ASIAN 1111 | FWS: Literature, Culture, Religion | 3 |
| ASIAN 1117 | FWS: Crafting Religion: Material Culture in Southeast Asia | 3 |
| ASIAN 1118 | FWS: Power, Protection, and Liberation: Buddhist Paths to Flourishing | 3 |
| ASIAN 2208 | Introduction to Southeast Asia | 3 |
| ASIAN 2225 | Literature, Politics, and Genocide in Cambodia | 3 |
| ASIAN 2245 | Gamelan in Indonesian History and Cultures | 3 |
| ASIAN 2248 | Indian Ocean Buddhism | 3 |
| ASIAN 2272 | Food and Asia | 3 |
| ASIAN 2285 | Introduction to Asian Art: Material Worlds | 4 |
| ASIAN 2930 | A Global History of Love | 4 |
| ASIAN 2951 | Foreign Policy as Subversion | 4 |
| ASIAN 3309 | Temple in the World: Buddhism in Contemporary South and Southeast Asia | 3 |
| ASIAN 3334 | Southeast Asian Politics | 4 |
| ASIAN 3350 | The Arts of Southeast Asia | 3 |
| ASIAN 3351 | Heritage, History, and Identity in Cambodia | 3 |
| ASIAN 3362 | Kingship, Nation, and Heritage in Asia | 3 |
| ASIAN 3365 | Genocide Today: The Erasure of Cultures | 3 |
| ASIAN 3386 | Islam and the Ethnographic Imagination | 3 |
| ASIAN 3396 | Transnational Local: Southeast Asian History from the Eighteenth Century | 4 |
| ASIAN 3397 | Monsoon Kingdoms: Pre-Modern Southeast Asian History | 4 |
| ASIAN 4020 | Buddhist Moderns: Visions of Human Flourishing | 3 |
| ASIAN 4023 | Buddhism and Politics in South and Southeast Asia | 3 |
| ASIAN 4413 | Religion and Politics in Southeast Asia | 4 |
| ASIAN 4423 | The City: Asia | 3 |
| ASIAN 4442 | Shadowplay: Asian Art and Performance | 3 |
| ASIAN 4451 | Gender and Sexuality in Southeast Asian Cinema | 3 |
| ASIAN 4452 | Critical Filipino and Filipino American Studies | 4 |
| ASIAN 4456 | Dancing the Stone: Body, Memory, and Architecture | 4 |
| ASIAN 4480 | Projects of Modernity in Asia | 4 |
| ASIAN 4487 | Threads of Consequence: Textiles in South and Southeast Asia | 3 |
| ASIAN 4498 | Asian Political Economy | 4 |
| ASIAN 4499 | Water: Art and Politics in Southeast Asia | 3 |
| ASIAN 6020 | Buddhist Moderns: Visions of Human Flourishing | 4 |
| ASIAN 6023 | Buddhism and Politics in South and Southeast Asia | 4 |
| ASIAN 6613 | Southeast Asian Bibliography and Research Methods | 1 |
| ASIAN 6622 | Asia, Theory, Critique | 3 |
| ASIAN 6623 | The City: Asia | 3 |
| ASIAN 6644 | Threads of Consequence: Textiles in South and Southeast Asia | 3 |
| ASIAN 6646 | Shadowplay: Asian Art and Performance | 3 |
| ASIAN 6647 | Southeast Asian Politics | 4 |
| ASIAN 6651 | Heritage, History, and Identity in Cambodia | 3 |
| ASIAN 6652 | Kingship, Nation, and Heritage in Asia | 3 |
| ASIAN 6656 | Dancing the Stone: Body, Memory, and Architecture | 4 |
| ASIAN 6665 | Genocide Today: The Erasure of Cultures | 3 |
| ASIAN 6678 | Projects of Modernity in Asia | 4 |
| ASIAN 6686 | Islam and the Ethnographic Imagination | 3 |
| ASIAN 6696 | Transnational Local: Southeast Asian History from the Eighteenth Century | 4 |
| ASIAN 6697 | Monsoon Kingdoms: Pre-Modern Southeast Asian History | 4 |
| ASIAN 7703 | Directed Research | 1-4 |
| ASIAN 7713 | Religion and Politics in Southeast Asia | 4 |
| BURM 1100 | Elements of Burmese Language and Culture | 1 |
| COML 4040 | Fictions of Dictatorship | 4 |
| COML 4423 | The City: Asia | 3 |
| COML 4451 | Gender and Sexuality in Southeast Asian Cinema | 3 |
| COML 6622 | Asia, Theory, Critique | 3 |
| COML 6623 | The City: Asia | 3 |
| CRP 5076 | International Planning and Development Workshop | 4 |
| CRP 6720 | International Institutions | 3 |
| DUTCH 5010 | 17th Century Dutch Texts | 1 |
| FGSS 1940 | A Global History of Love | 4 |
| FGSS 4441 | Feminist Science Studies | 3 |
| FGSS 4451 | Gender and Sexuality in Southeast Asian Cinema | 3 |
| FGSS 4504 | The City: Asia | 3 |
| FGSS 4675 | Pandemics Past and Pending | 3 |
| FGSS 6211 | Environmental Bodies in Science and Technology Studies | 3 |
| FGSS 6440 | Feminist Science Studies | 3 |
| FGSS 6504 | The City: Asia | 3 |
| GDEV 4940 | Special Topics in Global Development | 1-3 |
| GOVT 1101 | FWS: Power and Politics | 3 |
| GOVT 3443 | Southeast Asian Politics | 4 |
| GOVT 4194 | Asian Political Economy | 4 |
| GOVT 6443 | Southeast Asian Politics | 4 |
| GOVT 6877 | China and Asian Security | 4 |
| HIST 1402 | FWS: Global Islam | 3 |
| HIST 1930 | A Global History of Love | 4 |
| HIST 1951 | Foreign Policy as Subversion | 4 |
| HIST 2548 | Indian Ocean Buddhism | 3 |
| HIST 3950 | Monsoon Kingdoms: Pre-Modern Southeast Asian History | 4 |
| HIST 3960 | Transnational Local: Southeast Asian History from the Eighteenth Century | 4 |
| HIST 4408 | Projects of Modernity in Asia | 4 |
| HIST 6162 | Graduate History Proseminar: Archives, Writing, and Research in Southeast Asian History | 4 |
| HIST 6408 | Projects of Modernity in Asia | 4 |
| HIST 6950 | Monsoon Kingdoms: Pre-Modern Southeast Asian History | 4 |
| HIST 6960 | Transnational Local: Southeast Asian History from the Eighteenth Century | 4 |
| ILRGL 3991 | Vietnam Winter Trip Pre-Departure Seminar | 1 |
| INDO 1100 | Elements of Indonesian Language and Culture | 1 |
| KHMER 1100 | Elements of Khmer Language and Culture | 1 |
| LATA 1951 | Foreign Policy as Subversion | 4 |
| LGBT 1940 | A Global History of Love | 4 |
| LGBT 4451 | Gender and Sexuality in Southeast Asian Cinema | 3 |
| LING 6600 | Field Methods | 4 |
| MEDVL 3850 | The Arts of Southeast Asia | 3 |
| MEDVL 4858 | Dancing the Stone: Body, Memory, and Architecture | 4 |
| MEDVL 6850 | The Arts of Southeast Asia | 3 |
| MEDVL 6858 | Dancing the Stone: Body, Memory, and Architecture | 4 |
| MUSIC 2341 | Gamelan in Indonesian History and Cultures | 3 |
| MUSIC 3610 | Cornell Gamelan Ensemble | 1 |
| MUSIC 4641 | Advanced Instruction in Gamelan | 1 |
| NES 3880 | Islam and the Ethnographic Imagination | 3 |
| NES 6880 | Islam and the Ethnographic Imagination | 3 |
| NTRES 4160 | Conversations in Conservation for One Health | 1 |
| PMA 3420 | Asian Americans and Popular Culture | 4 |
| PMA 4358 | Dancing the Stone: Body, Memory, and Architecture | 4 |
| PMA 4451 | Gender and Sexuality in Southeast Asian Cinema | 3 |
| PMA 4504 | The City: Asia | 3 |
| PMA 4740 | Fictions of Dictatorship | 4 |
| RELST 2248 | Indian Ocean Buddhism | 3 |
| RELST 3309 | Temple in the World: Buddhism in Contemporary South and Southeast Asia | 3 |
| RELST 3420 | Myth, Ritual, and Symbol | 3 |
| RELST 4020 | Buddhist Moderns: Visions of Human Flourishing | 3 |
| RELST 4023 | Buddhism and Politics in South and Southeast Asia | 3 |
| RELST 4451 | Gender and Sexuality in Southeast Asian Cinema | 3 |
| RELST 4480 | Projects of Modernity in Asia | 4 |
| RELST 6022 | Buddhist Moderns: Visions of Human Flourishing | 4 |
| RELST 6023 | Buddhism and Politics in South and Southeast Asia | 4 |
| RELST 6678 | Projects of Modernity in Asia | 4 |
| SHUM 1930 | A Global History of Love | 4 |
| SHUM 2208 | Introduction to Southeast Asia | 3 |
| SHUM 2805 | Introduction to Asian Art: Material Worlds | 4 |
| SHUM 4040 | Fictions of Dictatorship | 4 |
| SHUM 4451 | Gender and Sexuality in Southeast Asian Cinema | 3 |
| SHUM 4455 | Threads of Consequence: Textiles in South and Southeast Asia | 3 |
| SHUM 4675 | Pandemics Past and Pending | 3 |
| STS 4440 | Feminist Science Studies | 3 |
| STS 4675 | Pandemics Past and Pending | 3 |
| STS 6211 | Environmental Bodies in Science and Technology Studies | 3 |
| STS 6440 | Feminist Science Studies | 3 |
| TAG 1100 | Elements of Tagalog-Filipino Language and Culture | 1 |
| THAI 1100 | Elements of Thai Language and Culture | 1 |
| VIET 1100 | Elements of Vietnamese Language and Culture | 1 |
| VISST 2744 | Gamelan in Indonesian History and Cultures | 3 |
| VISST 2805 | Introduction to Asian Art: Material Worlds | 4 |
| VISST 3590 | Heritage, History, and Identity in Cambodia | 3 |
| VISST 3696 | The Arts of Southeast Asia | 3 |
| VISST 4852 | Shadowplay: Asian Art and Performance | 3 |
| VISST 4854 | Water: Art and Politics in Southeast Asia | 3 |
| VISST 4855 | Threads of Consequence: Textiles in South and Southeast Asia | 3 |
| VISST 4858 | Dancing the Stone: Body, Memory, and Architecture | 4 |
| VISST 6590 | Heritage, History, and Identity in Cambodia | 3 |
| VISST 6854 | Water: Art and Politics in Southeast Asia | 3 |
| VISST 6855 | Threads of Consequence: Textiles in South and Southeast Asia | 3 |
Southeast Asia Studies - Language
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BURM 1121 | Elementary Burmese (Myanmar) I | 4 |
| BURM 1122 | Elementary Burmese (Myanmar) II | 4 |
| BURM 2201 | Intermediate Burmese (Myanmar) I | 3 |
| BURM 2202 | Intermediate Burmese (Myanmar) II | 3 |
| BURM 3301 | Advanced Burmese (Myanmar) I | 3 |
| BURM 3302 | Advanced Burmese (Myanmar) II | 3 |
| BURM 3309 | Advanced Readings in Burmese (Myanmar) I | 3 |
| BURM 3310 | Advanced Readings in Burmese (Myanmar) II | 3 |
| BURM 4431 | Directed Study | 1-4 |
| BURM 4432 | Directed Study | 1-4 |
| BURM 5509 | Graduate Studies in Burmese (Myanmar) | 3-4 |
| BURM 5510 | Graduate Studies in Burmese (Myanmar) | 3-4 |
| INDO 1121 | Elementary Indonesian I | 4 |
| INDO 1122 | Elementary Indonesian II | 4 |
| INDO 2201 | Intermediate Indonesian I | 3 |
| INDO 2202 | Intermediate Indonesian II | 3 |
| INDO 3301 | High Intermediate Indonesian I | 3 |
| INDO 3302 | High Intermediate Indonesian II | 3 |
| INDO 4401 | Advanced Indonesian for Research I | 3 |
| INDO 4402 | Advanced Indonesian for Research II | 3 |
| INDO 4431 | Directed Study | 1-4 |
| INDO 4432 | Directed Study | 1-4 |
| INDO 5509 | Graduate Studies in Indonesian | 3-4 |
| INDO 5510 | Graduate Studies in Indonesian | 3-4 |
| KHMER 1121 | Elementary Khmer I | 4 |
| KHMER 1122 | Elementary Khmer II | 4 |
| KHMER 2201 | Intermediate Khmer I | 3 |
| KHMER 2202 | Intermediate Khmer II | 3 |
| KHMER 3301 | Advanced Khmer I | 4 |
| KHMER 3302 | Advanced Khmer II | 4 |
| KHMER 4401 | Readings in Khmer Literature I | 3-4 |
| KHMER 4402 | Readings in Khmer Literature II | 3-4 |
| KHMER 4431 | Directed Study | 1-4 |
| KHMER 4432 | Directed Study | 1-4 |
| KHMER 5509 | Graduate Studies in Khmer | 3-4 |
| KHMER 5510 | Graduate Studies in Khmer | 3-4 |
| TAG 1121 | Elementary Tagalog-Filipino I | 4 |
| TAG 1122 | Elementary Tagalog-Filipino II | 4 |
| TAG 2201 | Intermediate Tagalog-Filipino I | 3 |
| TAG 2202 | Intermediate Tagalog-Filipino II | 3 |
| TAG 3301 | Advanced Tagalog-Filipino I | 3 |
| TAG 3302 | Advanced Tagalog-Filipino II | 3 |
| TAG 4431 | Directed Study | 1-4 |
| TAG 4432 | Directed Study | 1-4 |
| TAG 5509 | Graduate Studies in Tagalog-Filipino | 3-4 |
| TAG 5510 | Graduate Studies in Tagalog-Filipino | 3-4 |
| THAI 1121 | Elementary Thai I | 4 |
| THAI 1122 | Elementary Thai II | 4 |
| THAI 2201 | Intermediate Thai I | 3 |
| THAI 2202 | Intermediate Thai II | 3 |
| THAI 2204 | Intermediate Thai Composition and Conversation II | 3 |
| THAI 3301 | Advanced Thai I | 4 |
| THAI 3302 | Advanced Thai II | 4 |
| THAI 3303 | Thai Literature I | 4 |
| THAI 3304 | Thai Literature II | 4 |
| THAI 4431 | Directed Study | 1-4 |
| THAI 4432 | Directed Study | 1-4 |
| THAI 5509 | Graduate Studies in Thai | 3-4 |
| THAI 5510 | Graduate Studies in Thai | 3-4 |
| VIET 1121 | Elementary Vietnamese I | 4 |
| VIET 1122 | Elementary Vietnamese II | 4 |
| VIET 2201 | Intermediate Vietnamese I | 3 |
| VIET 2202 | Intermediate Vietnamese II | 3 |
| VIET 3301 | Advanced Vietnamese I | 3 |
| VIET 3302 | Advanced Vietnamese II | 3 |
| VIET 4431 | Directed Study | 1-4 |
| VIET 4432 | Directed Study | 1-4 |
| VIET 5509 | Graduate Studies in Vietnamese | 3-4 |
| VIET 5510 | Graduate Studies in Vietnamese | 3-4 |