Congratulations, Yi-Yu Lai!

Please join us in congratulating Yi-Yu Lai for receiving the 2023 Outstanding Graduate Paper Prize from the Society for East Asian Anthropology (SEAA)! The prize is awarded annually for the best graduate student paper on any aspect of East Asian anthropology and/or East Asian anthropology’s contribution to the broader field.

Yi-Yu Lai, a University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa PhD candidate in anthropology with expertise on the Indigenous peoples of Taiwan and the Northern Philippines has been recognized for his research in East Asian anthropology.

Lai said he was grateful to receive the prize, because—while there is much literature on Indigenous solitary activism that focuses on tensions and negotiations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples—his case study examines the factors contributing to the growth of activism between Taiwan and the Northern Philippines, ultimately providing insights into the transnational ties among Indigenous movements.

“I’m very happy about this recognition, because international solidarity really matters for both scholars and activists,” said Lai. “In this case, solidarity is used to develop new modes of inquiry, to expand the understanding of Indigenous politics, and to proliferate beyond the limits of states.”

More details here.