The Center for Southeast Asian Studies hosted the Fifth Annual Khmer Studies Forum on March 15, 16, and 17, 2013. The Forum featured a keynote address by Dr. Sophal Ear, panel presentations, roundtable discussions, films, and more. A full report will soon be available at www.seas.ohio.edu/ksf2013.html.

On Thursday, April 18, an exhibit opening and reception for “Wooden Boats of Balobaloang,” was held from 4 – 6pm in the Southeast Asia Collection (1st floor) of Alden Library.

Balobaloang is a small island in the Sabalana Archipelago, located approximately 112 nautical miles southwest of Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. This island is home to approximately 600 people of Bugis ethnicity, one of over 300 ethnic groups in Indonesia. The Bugis of Sulawesi are among the most famous of all sea faring societies in Southeast Asia.

Dr. Gene Ammarell, associate professor of Anthropology at Ohio University, has worked with the people of Balobaloang for over two decades, studying many aspects of this seafaring society. On display in the Southeast Asia Collection at Alden Library (1st floor), is a collection of model boats that are representative of the wooden fishing and cargo vessels used by the people of Balobaloang since they first settled the island in the late 19th century. These models were created by the late Pak Haji Sima Daeng Pasolong. The display also includes information on the livelihoods and traditions of the Bugis of Balobaloang, depicting their unique life ways.

On Wednesday, February 13, Dr. Gene Ammarell (Anthropology/Sociology) presented a lecture as part of the Ecolunch Seminar Series. Dr. Ammarell’s talk, entitled, "'Is it sustainable?' Indonesian fishers adapt to a severely degraded reef," was focused on his most recent fieldwork in South Sulawesi, Indonesia. The Ecolunch Seminar Series are held on Wednesdays from 12:55 – 1:55pm in Irvine Hall Room 159.

The Contemporary History Institute hosted a lecture by Dr. James Willbanks, General of the Army George C. Marshall Chair of Military History and Director of the Department of Military History at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. The lecture began at 4:30pm in 231 Baker Center. For more information, please click here.

The 2012 COTS conference featured keynote speaker Dr. Charnvit Kasetsiri, distinguished Thai historian and former Rector of Thammasat University. Additionally, Associate Professor Chusak Pattarakulvanit, Department of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Liberal Arts at Thammasat University, gave a special guest lecture. The conference was attended by scholars from across the nation, including from University of Wisconsin-Madison, Northern Illinois University, Cornell University, and others.

2012 marks the 40th anniversary of the founding the Council on Thai Studies.

On Thursday, October 18, 2012, “Gina” and “Lilik,” two artists from Taring Padi, a collective of social activists based in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, gave a presentation on their work. The lecture/discussion took place place in the Friends of the Library Room (Rm 319) and was followed by a reception in the Southeast Asia Collection of Alden Library, where an exhibit of twenty Taring Padi prints are displayed.

On Wednesday, October 10, Ohio University was very pleased to host the “Artistic Interspaces of Malaysia” workshop, featuring presentations by faculty from the Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) in Malaysia and OHIO. Hosted by Dr. Habibah Ashari, the current Tun Abdul Razak Chair, the workshop brought together scholars and practitioners in the fields of film, theatre and animation. A full list of activities can be found here.

The Center for Southeast Asian Studies was very pleased to host a screening of Lost Loves, an award winning film by Chhay Bora, on Monday, September 17, 2012.

In 1975, the Communist “Khmer Rouge” regime took over Cambodia, ushering in nearly 4 years of terror for the Cambodian people. Lost Loves is the heart-wrenching true story of Leav Sila, just one of countless mothers who made incredible sacrifices to try to keep their families alive during the Khmer Rouge regime, only to see the vast majority executed or left to die of torture, illness or starvation. Starring Kauv Sotheary, one of only two surviving children of Leav Sila, Lost Loves provides a brutal yet captivating insight into the extremity of this painful chapter in history.

Dr. Chhay Bora, the film’s director and producer, was present for a question-and-answer session following the screening. “This film is very important,” said Bora, “because we must make sure that the new generation of Cambodians does not forget about the past, lest this horrible tragedy happen again.” Lost Loves is being shown at various universities across the United States.

The Center for Southeast Asian Studies was very happy to co-sponsor a spring colloquium with the Latin American Studies program at the Center for International Studies in May 2012. This collaboration brought together Southeast Asia and Latin America—and in particular, the Philippines and Mexico.

The colloquium included two forums:

1. On May 3, Remarkable Inheritance featured Ashley L. Love from Ohio State University, who spoke on "Re-evaluating Racial Democracies, Visual Projections of Mesticagem in the Western Hemisphere," and Dr. Ariel Aguilar from the University of Havana, who spoke on "Presencia Africana en la Cultural Cubana."
2. On May 4, Renegotiated Forces: Illustrations of Historical Flux featured Dr. Rudy Guevara from Arizona State University, who presented "Filipino-Mexican Relations: Mestizaje and Identity in Colonial and Contemporary Mexico," and Dr. Tehama Lopez of Ohio University, who spoke on "Race-making through Everyday Conversation: The Emergence of a Latino Racial Identity."

The Center for Southeast Asian Studies was very pleased to host the Fourth Annual Khmer Studies Forum at Ohio University from April 27-29, 2012. The Khmer (Cambodian) Studies Forum provided an opportunity to facilitate discussion on topics including but not limited to Khmer language, history, culture, economics, politics, education, and the arts. The Forum featured thought-provoking presentations and roundtables, a photographic exhibit by Pete Pin, and a concert by PraCh. For more information about the Forum, click here.

The Southeast Asian Studies Program is pleased to announce several summer study abroad options in Southeast Asia. Study the rich mosaic of life in Malaysia, the language, arts, and handicrafts of Indonesia, or the fascinating history of Cambodia. For more information, contact the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at cseas@ohio.edu, or check out the Office of Education Abroad’s web site.