Asian Studies Center at Michigan State University

06/02/2026

We are pleased to share that our Associate Director, Dr. Soksamphoas Im, was recently featured in an interview with DW News, where she discussed the ongoing Thailand–Cambodia border tensions and their broader political and regional implications.

As a scholar of Southeast Asian politics, Dr. Im provides expert insights into one of the region’s most pressing contemporary issues.

🎥 Watch the interview here:: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpkJJUEVmA8

06/01/2026

🚨GRANT PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT🚨

The Japan Foundation, New York is now accepting applications for the Grant Program for Japan America Society / Japan Society Capacity Building until Wed., Sept. 30.
🔗About the program: https://ny.jpf.go.jp/grants/grants-for-global-partnerships/japan-america-society-japan-society-capacity-building-grant-program/

❓Have questions before you apply? Attend our Zoom info session on 6/17, 2pm! Registration required: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/axPixOTxQCWORgyKWZfaGQ

06/01/2026

Looking to stand out in an increasingly global world?

This Fall 2026, South Asian languages—Hindi, Urdu, and Bengali— will be available to MSU students seeking to gain deep cultural insight into one of the world’s most dynamic regions.

Whether you’re starting fresh or continuing your studies, courses are offered across multiple levels to meet your need. By taking South Asian language course, you can also pursue it as a Minor in Indian and South Asian Studies (ISA), adding a very strong interdisciplinary dimension to your degree.

Placement tests are also available to heritage students.
Questions about ISA language courses, contact: Professor Rajiv Ranjan at [email protected]

Expand your skills, enhance your career prospects, and connect with over a billion voices worldwide.

05/28/2026

📣Tomorrow evening US Eastern Time!📣

Join scholars, students, and the broader public for this engaging conversation:
"Roundtable on Authoritarianism and Intellectual Freedom: Lessons from Southeast Asia"

The roundtable explores the relationship between authoritarianism and threats to academic and intellectual freedom in a way that puts attacks on higher education in the United States in conversation with Southeast Asia.

This panel is co-sponsored by New York Southeast Asia Network (NYSEAN) and Southeast Asia Coalition for Academic Freedom (SEACAF).

🗓 Thursday, May 28,2026 9:40-11:10 pm EDT // Friday, May 29, 2026 8:40-10:10 am WIB
🌐 Register to attend via Whova: https://shorturl.at/T107C

Registration for public audience (non-presenters) is still OPEN!
Learn more: https://asia.isp.msu.edu/index.php?cID=414

05/26/2026

📢 📢 📢 Keynote Schedule Update

Please note that the keynote session featuring Prof. Jamhari Makruf has been rescheduled to Friday, May 29 at 9:40 am EDT // 8:40 pm WIB

We appreciate your understanding and look forward to welcoming you to the session.

Register here: bit.ly/AIFISMSU2026CONFERENCE

05/24/2026

Keynote Session on "Sites, Sources, Subjects, and Subjectivities in the Production of Knowledge and Understanding about Indonesian Politics"

Join us as Prof. John T. Sidel takes us through five decades of transformation in the study of Indonesian politics - what has changed, what has been gained, and what remains contested.

🗓 Saturday, May 30, 2026
🕘 9:40 AM – 11:30 AM ET | 8:40 PM – 10:30 PM WIB (Virtual)

A must-attend for anyone passionate about political science, area studies, and the future of knowledge production. Registration for public audience (non-presenters) is still OPEN!
See you there!

Register here: bit.ly/AIFISMSU2026CONFERENCE

05/24/2026

Publication Grant up to $40,000. Deadline to apply: May 31, 2026

05/23/2026

05/21/2026

The Japan Foundation, New York and Social Science Research Council are pleased to announce the launch of the “SSRC–JF Next Generation Japan Studies Development Program,” an initiative designed to cultivate interest in Japan and support the development of the next generation of scholars in Japanese Studies.

This initiative comprises three components:
(1) Study Tour Grant: SSRC-JF Next Gen Japan Study Tour Grants – Social Science Research Council (SSRC)
(2) Postdoctoral Fellowship: SSRC-JF Next Gen Japan Postdoctoral Fellowship – Social Science Research Council (SSRC)
(3) Visiting Professor Grants: SSRC-JF Next Gen Japan Visiting Professor Grants – Social Science Research Council (SSRC)

Applications are submitted through the SSRC program portal. The SSRC and Japan Foundation look forward to receiving your applications.

For more information: https://ny.jpf.go.jp/05-04-2026/26169/

05/20/2026

📢📢📢 Call for Proposals

Smith College will host the 2026 New England Conference of the Association for Asian Studies (NEAAS) on Saturday, November 14, 2026, in Northampton, Massachusetts. The annual conference provides a vibrant forum for scholars in New England and beyond to share research and engage in interdisciplinary conversations on Asia.

The 2026 conference theme, “Border Crossings,” invites participants to explore crossings that are geographic, disciplinary, conceptual, and relational — including those between human and nonhuman worlds, subject and object, as well as critical reflections on the very concept of borders. Proposals on any Asia-related topic are also welcome.

In addition to traditional paper and panel presentations, the conference will feature guided tours of Asia-related collections at Smith College, including Special Collections and the Smith College Museum of Art.

📍 Smith College, Northampton, MA
📅 Conference Date: November 14, 2026
📝 Proposal Deadline: July 15, 2026
🔗 To learn more: https://tinyurl.com/NEAAS2026