CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY OF SOUTHEAST ASIA

This seminar introduces contemproary Southeast Asia. It adresses the question of how to translate „transregional” Southeast Asian studies into particular research methods. The learning objective of this seminar is to provide students with methodological skills and expertise in transregional Area Studies. These skills and expertise will enable them to apply particular methods to their own research projects, e.g. in a master thesis or a complex term paper.

1. Knowledge and understanding
● Learn the basic features of Southeast Asia as a region
● Learn the characteristics of the different countries, cultures, political systems and languages in Southeast Asia
● Learn the basics of the challenges that Southeast Asian Studies is coping with today
2. Ability to apply knowledge and understanding
● Learn the basic terminology of Southeast Asian Studies and Area Studies; understand the arguments of the texts that are discussed in class
3. Learning skills
● Ability to apply methods of Area Studies to the case of Southeast Asia

Very good level of language proficiency in English is required. It is recommended to combine this seminar with other classes in Southeast Asian Studies.

Language competency in Southeast Asian languages is not necessary, but highly appreciated.

We start out by reflecting on “Southeast Asia” as a region, then turn towards theoretical and practical methods of “doing” transregional Southeast Asian studies, and, in the final third of the seminar, apply these theoretical and practical approaches to selected empirical examples / cases. The main case studies hail from insular Southeast Asia (Indonesia; Malaysia), but we include mainland Southeast Asia from a comparative view.

Learning is assessed through a written test. The final written test consists of three questions relating to the texts and the discussion in class. Students answer the questions in form of short essays. This exercis is aimed at assessing the skills acquired during the sessions in class. The use of books, notes and electronic
media is not allowed during written tests.

Face-to-face course supported by teaching modules available on the university e-learning platform
moodle.unive.it. These modules invite students to prepare for the discussion in class and allow them to
compare, sometimes also through videos, Southeast Asia to other world regions.
Seminar course. Students will be asked to read a weekly essay of about 25 pages, and accomplishing three practical units, the results of which will be presented in class.
The course is divided as follows:
a) face-to-face lessons;
b) practical units / excursions

English

written