Returning to the Blog (+ Southeast Asia books)

Hey everyone,

It has been quite a few years since my last blog post. That said, I have not stepped away from studying Southeast Asian history or learning new languages. Rather, teaching and dissertation writing have taken priority in recent years, and this blog was one of the projects I had to put on hold.

To make it up to readers, I would like to share a small personal project that I have continued annually since completing my comprehensive exams. When I took them, comprehensive exams required answering two or three historiographical questions across four distinct fields, each overseen by a different committee member. Each exam lasted six to eight hours and was completed in a small room in the history department using a department-provided laptop without internet access. In a single day, I typically wrote more than twenty pages. These exams were preceded by a full year of preparation, during which I compiled extensive reading lists for each question (roughly 10–12 questions in total). For some, this process can feel like a form of academic hazing, but I do believe it was ultimately beneficial.

For one of my exam questions, I was asked to assess current developments in Southeast Asian history: What trends were emerging? What topics were scholars gravitating toward? Unlike my other exam questions, I did not prepare a formal reading list for this one. Instead, I surveyed recent issues of major academic journals—Journal of Southeast Asian Studies, TRaNs: Trans-Regional and Transnational Studies of Southeast Asia, Indonesia and the Malay World, and others.

At the same time, I began reviewing catalogs from major academic presses and compiling lists of newly published books related to Southeast Asia. Although several years have passed since I completed my comps, I have continued to build and expand these lists.

Whenever I mention these lists in conversation with friends and colleagues, they often ask to see them. People use them to see if there is any newly published book they missed or just to see what is available. I have debated making them public, but I have ultimately decided that sharing them could be valuable for anyone interested in Southeast Asian studies. Any resource that helps scholars stay current with new publications benefits the field as a whole. That said, I would appreciate being credited if these lists are shared.

A few final notes: these lists include only English-language publications, most of which come from academic presses. They are also not exhaustive.