Life isn't divided up into neat disciplinary boxes. Learning about the world shouldn't be boxed in either.
Why limit learning to just one box? At the Department of Southeast Asian Studies, we break free from narrow disciplinary boundaries and offer a dynamic, subject-oriented curriculum. Our truly interdisciplinary approach blends diverse perspectives and methodologies from the humanities and social sciences, all deeply rooted in local experiences and knowledge. For students seeking a more holistic way to explore the world, this is where your journey begins.
News
Edible Heritage: Foodscapes and Sensory Heritage Making in Chinatown and Little India
On 13 June 2019, The Straits Times and Business Times podcast channel (ST & BT Podcasts) aired an episode on a guide to durian feasting. The durian is a fruit native to Southeast Asia, known for its pungent odour and thorny exterior. Its taste divides opinion, but it is popular eaten on its own, or […]
Teaching Dharma, Grooming Sangha: The Buddhist College of Singapore
Assistant Professor Jack Meng Tat Chia (NUS Department of History) provides historical context to modern Buddhism in Singapore and a focused look at the Buddhist College of Singapore (BCS) in ‘Teaching Dharma, Grooming Sangha: The Buddhist College of Singapore’ (Journal of Social Issues in Southeast Asia, 2009). ‘Reformist Buddhism’, a direct analogue of the Protestant […]
NUS CHS Open House 2022: Discover #Interdisciplinary Education!
Marking a cautiously calibrated return of the University to the normalcy of hosting large on-site events, this year’s CHS Open House is a two-day hybrid programme: 11 May on Zoom (and viewable on CHS’ Facebook page) and 14 May on several locations across the NUS Kent Ridge campus, specifically the areas around the Faculty of Arts and Social Science (FASS), and the Faculty of Science (FoS).
Locating “Malay Places” and Ethnic Identity Making in Singapore
The street light-up for Ramadan and Hari Raya Puasa was first introduced in 1984 by Singapore’s Tourism Task Force. Now an annual affair, the light-up takes place for around a month from April to May at the Geylang Serai precinct, one of the most prominent ‘Malay places’ in Singapore. In ‘Locating “Malay Places” and Ethnic […]
Masterclass – Southeast Asian Studies | CHS @ NUS Open House 2022
Masterclass – Southeast Asian Studies | CHS @ NUS Open House 2022 Insights into Southeast Asia from the Martial Arts Perspective Southeast Asia can be understood from many perspectives and studying the region through the lens of martial arts offers unique insights into how Southeast Asian communities have adapted to powerful forces that have shaped […]
Open House 2022 Engages and Excites
The ever-popular NUS Open House hit new heights this year, attracting over 8.61 million visitors – a 26.2 per cent increase from the 6.83 million visitors that attended last year’s online Open House.