The South and Southeast Asia region stretches from Afghanistan to the Philippines, covering almost ⅓ of the world population and is a region that is culturally, economically, and historically diverse.
This diversity is at the heart of the SSEA region, putting mainstream perspectives into question while broadening your horizons and understanding of the world.
The SSEA region is more than “exotic” food, funny movies, and summer vacation destinations; the region as a whole has so much to offer: cultural and political movements, religious and ethnic conflicts, and tensions between modernity and tradition – among other themes. Step away from the mainstream and delve into Indonesian or Hindi, the two languages offered in the SSEA region. Two of the most widely spoken languages in the world, the languages represent economic powerhouses and countries with significant geopolitical influence with growing importance on the world stage. Learning either Hindi or Indonesian places you in a central position to better understand the region’s many cultures, intrinsic history, and politics. How have colonial and mercantile legacies shaped the Indonesian language? How is Hindi’s role as a lingua franca, and as one of 22 of India’s official languages, shaping the political culture and ethnic tensions? These are questions that you can explore and delve into in the lectures and workgroups for the SSEA region.
If you are interested in how ethnicity continues to influence politics and the historical legacies of (neo-)colonialism in politics and economy continue to shape the Global South or the role of culture and history in contemporary society, SSEA is the region for you!
The SSEA faculty and student body are looking forward to welcoming you. If you’re still not convinced, keep an eye out for the SSEA committee or contact them for more information!
Sampai jumpa! Namaste!
by the South and South-East Asia Committee
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