The European Association for Southeast Asian Studies (EuroSEAS) has announced that Assistant Professor Jack Meng-Tat Chia is the winner of the EuroSEAS Humanities Book Prize 2021 for his book “Monks in Motion, Buddhism and Modernity Across the South China Sea” (Oxford, 2020).

The book gives readers insight into the connected history of Buddhist communities in China and Southeast Asia. It is based on multilingual research conducted in various parts of Asia, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.

“Monks in Motion offers a unique perspective on the monastic connectivity across the South China Sea during the twentieth century, coupled with the stories of the most prominent monks in Southeast Asia: Chuk Mor, Yen Pei, and Ashin Jinarakkhita,” said Associate Professor Joey Long, Head of NUS History.

“It is truly an honour that Assistant Professor Jack Chia has won the EuroSEAS Humanities Book Prize 2021 – an outstanding performance especially as Monks in Motion is his first single-authored monograph. The NUS History Department is continually excelling in its research and teaching with talents such as Dr. Chia,” he added.

Announced at the 11^th EuroSEAS Conference in Olomouc (7–10 September 2021), the EuroSEAS Humanities Book Prize is awarded to the best academic book on Southeast Asia published in the humanities, such as archaeology, art history, history and, more.

Assistant Professor Jack Chia received his BA and MA from the National University of Singapore, his second MA from Harvard University, and his PhD from Cornell University, where his dissertation won the Lauriston Sharp Prize.

His research focuses on Chinese popular religion, Buddhism in maritime Southeast Asia, transnational Buddhism, and Sino-Southeast Asian interactions. He is currently working on two book projects: Beyond the Borobudur: Buddhism in Postcolonial Indonesia and Diplomatic Dharma: Buddhist Diplomacy in Modern Asia.

Click here to know about the EuroSEAS Book Prize.