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.
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Archaeological Approaches and Possibilities in Humanities/Social Science Education in Singapore
In “Archaeological Approaches and Possibilities in Humanities/Social Science Education in Singapore” (Studies in Singapore Education: Research, Innovation & Practice, 2021), Professor John N. Miksic (NUS Southeast Asian Studies) and Associate Professor Geok Yian Goh (NTU) capture the essence of their life’s work — that archaeology is, above all, a deeply educational pursuit. In this essay, …
In Memoriam: Emeritus Professor John Miksic
Emeritus Professor John Norman Miksic, a distinguished scholar at NUS Southeast Asian Studies and Senior Research Fellow at Nanyang Technological University, passed away on 25 October 2025 at the age of 79. Professor Miksic first came to Singapore in 1968 while serving in the Peace Corps in Kedah, Malaysia, and went on to spend most …
“A Tale of Two Quakes: Politics of Foreign Assistance in Nepal and Myanmar” by Su Mon Thazin Aung and Zhao Yiran
Heads up: disaster aid isn’t always “just humanitarian.” In “A Tale of Two Quakes,” Su Mon Thazin Aung and Zhao Yiran draw a stark contrast between the world’s rollout of support after Nepal’s 2015 earthquake and how Myanmar’s 2025 quake barely made ripples in international aid. Spoiler: it’s not because Myanmar didn’t need help – …
Indonesia’s heritage in flames by Noansha Dhegaska
Noandha Dhegaska, a current MA student in Contemporary Southeast Asia at the National University of Singapore, has published an article in New Mandala titled “Indonesia’s heritage in flames” (19 September 2025). Reflecting on the destruction of Dutch-built government buildings during the August 2025 protests, her piece highlights how these structures, long re-signified by Indonesians as …
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Rachel and the Dream of a Kinder World
She has worked in some of the world’s most fragile places, from conflict zones to refugee camps. But it is in children’s storybooks that Ms Rachel Nadia Goh (NUS Southeast Asian Studies ’14) has found her most enduring tool for change.