About

Aloha! Welcome to the Center for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS), College of Arts, Languages & Letters (CALL), at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (UHM).

The Center for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS) at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, established in 1978, is one of the largest and most prominent centers in the country dedicated to fostering interdisciplinary understandings of the vibrant and diverse cultures, languages, and societies of Southeast Asia. With over 40 faculty members across 21 university departments actively engaged in research on the region, CSEAS has been recognized as a Title VI National Resource Center (NRC) for Southeast Asia by the U.S. Department of Education. This distinction, awarded to only eight centers nationwide, positions CSEAS at the forefront of foreign language and area studies and provides federal grant support for program development and scholarships for top students studying Southeast Asian languages at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.

• Encourage trans-disciplinary understandings of the eleven countries in Southeast Asia, exploring their peoples, religions, history, economics, geography, art, cultures, science, and politics.
• Promote and support UH Mānoa’s capacities in Southeast Asian studies by empowering faculty, staff, and students.
• Bring the richness of Southeast Asia’s cultures to our local community and the broader world.

CSEAS offers a variety of programs and opportunities that enhance learning, research, and community involvement.

• Events:
  • Hybrid colloquium series, occasional/collaborative talks, LuceSEA webinars, and social gatherings that connect students, faculty, researchers, and the community.
  • Exhibits, Films, & Performances to showcase Southeast Asian culture and collaborate across departments.
  • CSEAS facilitates conferences and interdisciplinary workshops.
• Library acquisitions for the Southeast Asia Collection, supported by NRC grant, provides resources for students, researchers, and faculty.
• Outreach to Hawaiʻi schools for K-12 Educational Activities to increase understanding of Southeast Asia.
• Courses & curriculum development, such as the SEA Online Institute that offers Southeast Asia-focused courses to undergraduates and the broader community
• Faculty travel & professional opportunities
• STUDENTS with funding for coursework, travel, and research

Diversity Statement

At the Center for Southeast Asian Studies, we are dedicated to supporting Southeast Asian studies both within our university and across the world, and achieving this requires the inclusion of a variety of voices. We value each member of our community—their identity, culture, background, and experiences enrich our program, and we welcome all who seek to join us.

Diversity is critical to our work as teachers, students, researchers, and colleagues. We are proud of the multiethnic heritage reflected in our university and are committed to ensuring that all members of our campus community have equal access to the opportunities and benefits offered by our Center. As part of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies, we strive to foster an inclusive environment where everyone is embraced as part of our ʻohana—our family.

Our logo image and colors are inspired by the Southeast Asian domesticated chicken (gallus gallus domesticus) and its ancestor the red jungle fowl (gallus gallus). These resilient birds are ubiquitous throughout Southeast Asia – ‘crossing the road’ from village farms to city roadsides; in Lunar calendars, generational stories, cultural and religious symbolism; and of course, in many culinary delights of the region (as we have been lucky to experience through our yearly potlucks).

Recent scientific findings also indicate that this bird might have been first domesticated in what is now known as Northern Southeast Asia and Southern China, then carried across Asia and to other continents through migration and trading (Science Mag, 2020). Like the region, these birds are resilient, diverse, unique and rooted in complex, rich histories.

CSEAS strengthens academic and cultural connections between Southeast Asia and the world, providing vital resources and opportunities for scholars and communities alike. We maintain partnerships with institutions globally, including:

• International Institutions
  • Center for Religious and Cross-cultural Studies, Graduate School, Gadjah Mada University Indonesia
  • Regional Center for Social Science and Sustainable Development (RCSD), Chiang Mai University
  • CTPILS, National Chengchi University
• National Organizations
  • The Association for Asian Studies
  • Graduate Education and Training in Southeast Asia (GETSEA)
  • Southeast Asian Language Council (SEALC)
• National Resource Centers
  • Cornell University
  • New York Southeast Asia Network
  • Northern Illinois University
  • University of California – Berkeley
  • University of California – Los Angeles
  • University of Michigan
  • University of Washington
  • University of Wisconsin – Madison
• Other SEA Programs
• Mekong Culture WELL Project, Asian Studies Center, Michigan State University

CSEAS is Funded By:

• International and Foreign Language Education through a Title VI grant that establishes CSEAS as a National Resource Center for Southeast Asia at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa ($284,700 per annum) and provides Foreign Language & Area Studies Fellowships ($288,660 per annum) for undergraduate and graduate students at UHM.
• Henry Luce Foundation to address socio-economic and political shifts that are transforming Southeast Asia (SEA) societies in a time of accelerated climate and environmental change.