The history of mainland and maritime Southeast Asian societies from the seventeenth to the twentieth century, with special attention to Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Burma and the Philippines. How did the social, cultural, and ecological diversity of the region impact the evolution of these societies? What role did Chinese and South Asian diasporas play in this process? How did the colonial experiences of British, French, Spanish and American rule shape their emergence as modern nations? Explores these and other questions via a variety of visual and textual sources including novels, photographs, film, and historical narrative.

1 unit — Williams

Offerings

Term	Block	Title	Instructor	Location	Student Limit/Available	Updated
Fall 2025	Block 3	Modern Southeast Asia	John Williams	TBA	25 / 25	02/22/2025