NUS Southeast Asian Studies

30/07/2026

📰 New publication by our Adjunct Assistant Professor, Dr Maria Monica Widharja.

Published in The Jakarta Post, "How Indonesia and Singapore handle information pressure" examines how audiences in both countries navigate today's evolving information landscape. From election debates to AI-manipulated content, the article explores why legacy media remains a trusted source during high-stakes moments, even as political information is increasingly consumed through fast, visual, and creator-driven platforms.

Read the article to learn more about the changing dynamics of media, politics, and public trust in Southeast Asia.

From election debates to AI‑manipulated content, audiences in both countries rely on legacy media for credibility during high-stakes moments while increasingly consuming politics through fast, visual and creator-driven formats.

28/07/2026

The world needs more people who truly understand Southeast Asia. 🌏

Its diversity is unmatched. Its influence is undeniable. And its role in shaping the next century, economically, politically, culturally, is only growing.

Our Class of 2026 didn't just study a region. They chose to champion it. To sit with its complexity, honour its stories, and carry its lessons into every room they'll ever walk into.

That is a rare and powerful thing. Congratulations. We are so proud. 🎓🌺

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Photo Credit: A/P Vatthana Pholsena, Joanna Hioe, Kyi Kyi Seinn

28/07/2026

From seminar rooms to the real world, our Class of 2026 is THAT girl/that guy era now. 💫

Southeast Asia is home to 700M+ people, 1,000+ languages, and centuries of stories that the world is only beginning to understand. You chose to be the bridge. That's not just a degree, that's a calling. 🌺
Proud doesn't even cover it. Congratulations, graduates. ✨🎓

24/07/2026

What does climate change actually look like for a fisherman in Southeast Asia? 🎣

Dr Serina Rahman didn't come to play, her talk on political ecology and environmental justice for farming and fishing communities across the region was the wake-up call we didn't know we needed.

Part of the ASCON Online seminar series by Asian Confluence, Shillong 🇮🇳 bringing the conversations that matter straight to your feed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vmMuZsUxP8

your reminder that academia can (and should) be about real people and real impact. ✊🌏

22/07/2026

📖 New publication spotlight! Dr Maria Monica Widharja, on her latest Fulcrum article, "When the Indonesian Middle Class Takes to the Streets" (21 July 2026). The article explores how a shrinking middle class is reshaping public protests in Indonesia and why these trends matter across Southeast Asia.

Empirical evidence shows that a shrinking middle class in Indonesia has led to a growing number of protests. This is pertinent not only to Indonesia, but for other countries such as Vietnam and the…

17/07/2026

🎭 Not your average lecture.

What if learning about Southeast Asia meant putting on a mask, stepping onto the stage, and experiencing its stories through dance?

From royal courts to living traditions, SE2224: Unmasked! An Introduction to Traditional Dance in SEA takes you beyond the textbook with hands-on sessions, performances, and a fresh perspective on the cultures that shape our region. You'll explore the history, music, aesthetics, and meaning behind Southeast Asia's rich masked dance traditions and even create and perform your own compositions.

✨ Culture. Creativity. Core memories.

16/07/2026

Think Mainland Southeast Asia is just another chapter in a textbook? Think again. 👀

From Myanmar to Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, SE3220: Mainland Southeast Asia in Depth takes you beyond the headlines to explore the histories, cultures, politics and everyday realities shaping the region.

Because understanding our neighbours = understanding the world we live in. 🌏

📚 Curious? Press play and see what this course is all about.

16/07/2026

⚔️ Wars don't just change borders, they reshape lives, identities, and entire regions.

Ever wondered how war has shaped Southeast Asia as we know it today? 🌏 From colonial conflicts to Cold War politics and their lasting legacies, SE2217: War and Southeast Asia explores the stories behind the headlines and the impact that still echoes today.

History isn't just about the past, it's about understanding the present.

🎥 Watch the course preview and see what you'll uncover.

15/07/2026

Did you know Singapore has been a maritime powerhouse for over 700 years? 🌊 No cap, most of us walk past the sea every day without realising how deeply it shaped everything we know about this island, its trade, its people, its identity.
GESS1035: Singapore and the Sea dives into the archaeology, history, ecology, and economics behind our coastlines. It's giving hidden lore unlocked and it's a GE course. 👀
Watch the video and see if it belongs on your timetable.🎓

14/07/2026

Your backyard is lowkey more fascinating than you think. 🌏

SE1101E: The Lands Below the Winds takes you on a deep dive into Southeast Asia, the history, cultures, and forces that shaped the region we call home. No cap, this is the module that hits different when you realise how much of the world's story runs through our part of the map.

Whether you're here for the history, the culture, or just vibing with an elective that actually matters, this one's for you.