East and Southeast Asia in a Globalizing World
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Program Dates: June 23 – July 25, 2008
Program Director: Pek Koon Heng
Seminar I, Governance, Development, and Human Security in Malaysia and Indonesia (optional): 3 credits
Seminar II, Security Issues and Economic Integration in East and Southeast Asia (optional): 3 credits
Internship (optional): 3 credits
Independent Study (optional): 3 credits

Live and study in one of the most dynamic regions of the world, one touched by both the unprecedented economic growth of the “Asian Tigers” and the uneven social changes brought on by the pressures of globalization. On this program, you will observe how the many different social, religious, and ethnic groups in Southeast Asia have responded to these pressures and gain an understanding of what is being done to combat the accompanying threats to their regional security.

This five-week program, arranged in collaboration with HELP University College in Kuala Lumpur, examines the impact of political development, economic modernization, and transnational issues on globalizing Southeast Asia. The first seminar, titled Governance, Development, and Human Security in Malaysia and Indonesia, will examine the impact of political development and economic modernization on identity formation, nation-building and human security in Malaysia and Indonesia. Specific topics covered include democratic transition and consolidation, civil society and NGO activitism, Islamist revivalism and radicalism, environmental degradation, transnational labor migration, trafficking in persons and drugs, and emerging health epidemics.

The second seminar – Security Issues and Economic Integration in East and Southeast Asia - will examines the security and economic relationships between the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the major powers in the region - the United States, China and Japan - as well as India, the newest rising power in Asia. The focus of inquiry will be on the regional security order, globalization and regional economic integration, separatist movements, terrorism and counter-terrorism, and the Asian financial crisis.

Students will also have the opportunity to engage in internship positions that will provide them with a first-hand look at the effects of globalization in Southeast Asia. A range of leading international organizations, including multinational corporations, nongovernmental organizations, education, and media organizations, have consented to provide challenging educational opportunities for AU students.

Between the two seminars, students will enjoy a week-long excursion to some of Malaysia’s most important cultural and historical sites. These sites include many major Malay, Chinese, and Indian religious sites in Kuala Lumpur; Putra Jaya, the nation’s new administrative center; and the historic city of Malacca (site of the most powerful Islamic Sultanate in Southeast Asia before its conquest by the Portuguese in 1511). Students will also travel to Bako National Rainforest Park and an Orangutan Rehabilitation Center in Sarawak, East Malaysia.

Prof. Pek Koon Heng received her Ph.D. from the School of Oriental and African Studies, London University. Her areas of specialization are international relations, comparative politics, and political economy in Southeast Asia. She is also the Chair/Coordinator of the Maritime Southeast Asia Advanced Area Studies program at the Foreign Service Institute, Department of State, and a member of the Georgetown Unversity-based Southeast Asia Survey, a policy advisory group. Prof. Heng has been a Rockefeller Foundation Fellow, and a Visiting Fellow at both the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore and the Institute of Security and International Studies at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. She also has worked for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (Orderly Departure Program) in Bangkok.

Find out more about Southeast Asia and apply to the program by downloading the program guide [pdf 1.51MB].

Opportunities for Funding
Undergraduates who plan to spend at least eight weeks on this SIS Summer Study Abroad Program in Malaysia (through at least one course plus an internship) may be eligible for outside funding through the Freeman-ASIA Award Program. The application for the scholarship is due March 5, 2008.

Students who plan to spend at least six weeks on this program (through at least one course plus internship) may be eligible for outside funding through the Christianson Grant. The application for the grant is due March 15, 2008.