4. Centering Southeast Asia from the outside in

Convenors: Steffen Jensen, Dignity Institute, Copenhagen and Oscar Salemink, Dept. of Anthropology, University of Copenhagen

In this panel we ask the question how Southeast Asia is constituted through intra-Asian connections both within – what are now – Southeast Asian countries, and between Southeast Asia and other subcontinents, primarily East and South Asia. We want to explore intra-Southeast Asian and intra-Asian connections in relation to the historically recent ‘invention’ of Southeast Asia as a distinct region; to the historically recent formation of modern states in the region; and to the continuous flows of goods, capital, people and ideas within and beyond the region.

Southeast Asia was initially devised as a military term during World War II, as one of the ‘war theatres’ in the Pacific War pitting Japan against the Allies. Before that, the region was loosely referred to as Far East/Extrême-Orient, Further India/Hinterindien, Indo-China, and – even more vaguely – the Orient. What these labels had in common was that they defined a region with reference to Europe (the Far East, which included what is now seen as East and Southeast Asia); with reference to the two great neighboring civilizations of India and China (Indo-China); or with reference to both Europe and India (Further India). These geographic indications were fuzzy, without clear boundaries, and were not convergent with present-day definitions about Southeast Asia – visible, for instance, through the dissociation in 1937 of Burma from India and hence South Asia. After World War II, Southeast Asia quickly made it on various maps, and stayed there, albeit initially without a clear circumscription. For instance, the anti-communist South East Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO, 1954-1977) included five western countries and one South Asian country (Pakistan) besides Thailand and the Philippines. Only with the establishment, enlargement and consolidation of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN, 1967-) did Southeast Asia acquire clear boundaries and its own political profile. The Southeast Asian subcontinent is a recent historical construct.

The various countries making up Southeast Asia (ASEAN plus Timor Leste) have very different histories, but mostly emerged as modern states after WW II and the struggle for independence. All but one (Thailand) were former colonial territories that became independent between 1946 (the Philippines) and 2002 (Timor-Leste). Some countries claim to be long-standing nations before colonial times (mostly on the mainland), while other states acquired their present make-up and shape as a result of colonial conquest, or are themselves the result of colonial intervention (Singapore). All the Southeast Asian countries have important minorities, often cross-border ethnic groups from other states in the region. Moreover, there are important Chinese and Indian communities in the various countries. To this day, these cross-border ethnoscapes constitute important political challenges for the various states. Within Southeast Asia, the various states are recent historical constructs.

Southeast Asia and its constituent states are emergent entities of nations in the making bounded by porous borders which allow flows of people and goods, money and investment, ideas and images to pass through. Although Western influences are still extremely important, increasingly flows move within Asia, connecting countries within Southeast Asia and beyond. Given the emergent and unsettled nature of Southeast Asia we like to ask the question how such flows – in past and present, within and beyond Southeast Asia – of people, goods, money and ideas contribute to the constitution and –paradoxically – to the naturalization of Southeast Asia. We like to invite scholars from a wide range of disciplines and working in or on various parts of Asia to submit abstracts covering any of the themes and fields above. As this panel is also intended to bring together scholars in the newly formed Nordic Network for Southeast Asian Studies (N-SEA), we especially encourage scholars working in the Nordic region to participate. Limited funding is available for travel and accommodation of some junior researchers.