South and Southeast Asian 250 Sec 1: Chinese Interactions with Early to Modern Southeast Asia

South and Southeast Asian 250 Sec 1: Chinese Interactions with Early to Modern Southeast Asia

This multi-disciplinary graduate seminar introduces key sources and scholarship on Chinese interactions with, Chinese migrations to, and Chinese influences in, Southeast Asia. Module One: Early Encounters (Weeks 1-3) explores China’s early relations with Southeast Asia, Chinese historiography on Funan, Zhenla and Angkor, and critiques some assumptions in the Hinduization model. Module Two: Sino-Vietnamese Interventions, Panthay Rebellions and Burmese Migrations (Weeks 4-7) explores military interventions and cultural, linguistic and literary influences in Vietnam from the 15th – 19th centuries, and the late 19th century Panthay Rebellion in Yunnan and Panthay migration to Burma. Module Three: Communities and Societies (Weeks 8-11), considers the methodology and impact of three landmark studies in sociology and anthropology, notably G. William Skinner (Thailand), Edgar Wickberg (Philippines) and William Wilmott (Cambodia). Module Four: New Approaches (Weeks 12-15) considers new approaches to the study of Chinese culture, religion, identity and society in contemporary Southeast Asia through scholarship on literature, history, religion and linguistics by Carole Hau (Philippines), Kesian Tejapira, Wasana Wongsurawat (Thailand), Jack Meng-Tat Chia (religious studies, Buddhism in Chinese diaspora), and Cheryl Yin (Cambodia). Assessment: 60 % active and continuous discussion and comment; 40% Research Paper