The University of Michigan Fall 2008 Center for Southeast Asian Studies Inside this Issue: Program News (p.1) Faculty News (p.2) A Tribute to Judith Becker (pp. 3-5) Undergraduate Summer Programs in Southeast Asia (pp. 6-7) Alumni News (pp. 8-10) Student News (pp. 11-12) U-M Alumni Reception in Bangkok (Inside Back Cover) Rehearsal in Solo, 2006 Photo by Ryan Hoover From CSEAS Director Professor Allen Hicken This is an exciting nent centers for the study of Southeast mances, and conferences throughout the time to be the Di- Asia for years to come. We continue to year (for a full list, see our website at rector of the Center note with pride the accomplishments of www.ii.umich.edu/cseas). Most events for Southeast Asian our faculty and alumni in a variety of fi elds are free and all are open to the public. This Studies. In Bang- and countries. year we will also be placing many of the kok, street protests Friday-at-Noon lectures online for those have destabilized The focus of our newsletter this Fall is who cannot attend in person. the government Judith Becker’s marvelous legacy. Judith and cooked the retired last Winter after a long and impres- Your on-going support helps make all goose of the sive career—during which time she not these programs possible, and we thank Prime Minster cum only helped build a world class program in you. As part of the Bangkok event one of celebrity chef. In Malaysia, cracks might ethnomusicology but also was an organiz- our most distinguished alums, Dr. Amnuay be appearing in a government that has ing force in the Center for Southeast Asian Virawan launched an appeal to create a ruled Malaysia for over 50 years, despite Studies, serving twice as its director. This million dollar Thai studies endowment, a hastily arranged “study trip” to Taiwan issue contains tributes to Judith and infor- and backed his appeal with a signifi cant for several potentially politically promis- mation about some of the many students contribution of his own. When combined cuous Malaysian legislators. Meanwhile, she has trained and supervised during her with the generous support of the Thai Indonesia is preparing for another year distinguished career. Though she is retired Embassy, we are well on our way towards of voting frequently. Fortunately Michi- we look forward to her remaining a part of meeting our fundraising goal. We hope to gan is a place with the intellectual and the CSEAS family for many years to come. use the Thai endowment as a model for physical resources to help make sense of building support for the study of other these events, and others—to put them in These past six months have been active countries in the region in the future. We their proper historical, political, social, or ones for the Center. This past June Linda have also launched a pilot program to cultural contexts. Lim, Montatip Krishnamra, Fred Wherry off er scholarships to students in the fi rst and I participated The Center is as strong as it has ever been in an alumni- thanks to our outstanding faculty and organized event “The focus of our newsletter this Fall is top-notch staff . Let me particularly thank in Bangkok Linda Lim for her leadership of CSEAS Thailand, (see Judith Becker’s marvelous legacy and the for the past three years. She is taking a inside back cover) many students she has trained and su- much-deserved hiatus this year and we and during the wish her well! We are pleased to report summer, our fac- pervised during her distinguished career.” that three of our faculty members were ulty and staff led awarded tenure this year: Gavin Shatkin in undergraduate the Taubman School of Architecture and students on study tours to the Philippines, year of a Southeast Asian language. We Urban Planning, Sarita See in the Depart- Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam (see pp. hope to raise funds and roll the program ment of English Language and Literature 6-7). Many of these students are partici- out on a larger scale next year. and the Program in American Culture, pating in our theater project focusing on and myself in the Department of Political life in Asian cities this year, entitled Urban Best wishes, Science. This sends a strong signal that Flow (see p. 1).This project is just one of Michigan will remain one of the preemi- a wide array of lectures, cultural perfor- Allen Hicken, Director CenterCente for Southeast Asian Studies 108010 S. University, Ste. 3603 Regents of the University Julia Donovan Darlow, Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI 48109 Laurence B. Deitch, Bingham Farms 734.764.0352 (Phone) Olivia P. Maynard, Goodrich 734.936.0996 (Fax) Rebecca McGowan, Ann Arbor www.ii.umich.edu/cseas Andrea Fischer Newman, Ann Arbor Andrew C. Richner, Grosse Pointe Park S. Martin Taylor, Grosse Pointe Farms Katherine E. White, Ann Arbor Mary Sue Coleman (ex offi cio) The University of Michigan, as an equal opportunity/affi rmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding non- discrimination and affi rmative action, including Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The University of Michigan is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination and equal opportunity for all persons regardless of race, sex*, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, age, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, or Vietnam-era veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions. Inquiries or complaints may be addressed to the Senior Director for Institutional Equity and Title IX/Section 504 Coordinator, Offi ce of Institutional Equity, 2072 Administrative Services Building, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1432, 734-763-0235, TTY 734-647-1388. For other Univer- sity of Michigan information call 734-764-1817. 1 Program News Tenure for Three Urban Flow There was good news from the Regents of the University The Centers for South and Southeast Asian Studies are teaming early this summer. All three CSEAS faculty associates up up this year to produce an original multi-media theater piece. for tenure last year were promoted to the rank of Associ- The project, entitled Urban Flow, explores the changing nature ate Professor, helping assure the future strength of the of city spaces, the fl ow between those spaces, and how these Southeast Asian Studies faculty at Michigan, and particu- changes aff ect the daily life experiences of urban residents in larly in Philippine Studies, where all three have research South and Southeast Asia. One of the things that promises to interests. Allen Hicken is now Associate Professor in make Urban Flow a unique experience is the manner of its cre- Political Science. His research focuses on political party ation. There is no ready-made script. Instead, the text has been formation, with special attention to Thailand and the written especially for the performance during the Fall semester Philippines. Sarita See, who teaches in the Department by students from South and Southeast Asia and other U-M stu- of English Language and Literature and in the Program dents who have recently travelled to cities in these regions. The in American Culture, focuses her work on the Filipina/o performers, mostly students from the School of Theater, Music diaspora, Asian American literature and culture, postco- and Dance will be led by two visiting Asian artists who will pro- lonial and empire studies, critical race theory, narrative, duce and direct the piece, Pornrat Damrhung from Thailand and visual culture and performance. Gavin Shatkin teaches in Gulshirin Dubash from India. The show will be performed in the the Taubman School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Video and Performance Studio of the Duderstadt Center in Feb- and emphatically states “I am not an architect.” His re- ruary 2009. With a great variety of inputs, Urban Flow promises search in Urban Planning is on the growth of mega-cities to be as lively and complex as the cities it will examine. in Asia, particularly on Bangkok and Manila, and on new “planned” towns emerging with that growth. Our new faculty are being put right to work; Sarita is on sabbatical, but Allen is serving as Director of the Center, and Gavin is the Assistant Director, a new position that focuses on the Center MA program and graduate student advising. Undergraduate Language Scholarships For the fi rst time, the Center is able to off er scholarships to students enrolled in introductory Southeast Asian languages. Thanks to several funding sources, including annual giving donations to the Center Director’s Discretionary Fund, six students, three each in First Year Indonesian and First Year Thai, Benedict Anderson taking a question during his talk at the are receiving $1000 scholarships for the year, payable in a $500 International Institute, the fi rst to be webcast live for CSEAS. installment each semester. The scholarships are designed as an incentive for undergraduates to choose Southeast Asian languages from among the 44 languages that could fulfi ll their Friday-at-Noon Lecture Series Webcast language requirement at Michigan. Interest in the scholar- ships was high, and the Center hopes to make more fi rst-year The Center’s long-running Friday-at-Noon lecture series will now scholarships available next year, and expand the program to be available live around the world, thanks to new webcasting include Filipino and Vietnamese as well. The program will be abilities at the International Institute. The technology is still new specifi cally targeted at incoming freshmen, but will be open to to us, but an initial trial of the system – a workshop sponsored by all undergraduates.