Gatty Rewind Podcast

In this episode, host Namfon Narumol Choochan speaks with Arnisson Andre Ortega, Associate Professor from the Department of Geography and the Environment at Syracuse University. First, they discuss his current project, "City of Imperialism," which examines the legacy of former U.S. military bases in the Philippines. Then, they unpack his lecture, "Geonarratives of Hope and Resistance," which is a part of a collaborative project with human rights defenders in Negros Island. It shows that mapping is more than a technical tool, but can be used to support resistance and justice, especially in a place suffering from authoritarian violence like the Philippines. Tune in to find out more about how Prof. Ortega and his colleagues turn cartography into a tool of care and resistance! Lightning round (Lecture Summary): 3:33 Main interview:  8:13  –Could you tell us about your intellectual journey—how you became interested in geography, colonialism, and what ultimately led you to pursue a PhD? 15:15 –How does the tradition of mapmaking connect to the history of colonialism in the Philippines? In what ways does countermapping challenge or push back against those inherited frameworks? 19: 20 –Could you share more about your current book project—its central arguments and what you hope it contributes to the field? 24: 41 – Your work involves collaboration beyond academia. How did these partnerships come about, and what does meaningful collaboration look like in your project? 27:36 – What drew you specifically to Negros Island as a focal point for your research? 34:13  – Could you walk us through the process of your project? Who are the key participants, and how do they shape the knowledge that emerges? 36:40 – In your lecture, you discuss how violence operates within everyday, seemingly mundane life. This brings to mind Hannah Arendt's idea of the "banality of evil." How does this concept help us understand the normalization of violence in the Philippine context? And how do human rights defenders resist within these conditions? 44: 48 – Finally, what advice would you give to students or scholars who want to use academic work to build infrastructures of care and support justice-oriented initiatives? Advice Advice for researchers and recommendations: 44:40 Dr. Ortega's top recommendation:  Urban Ecologies on the Edge: Making Manila's Resource Frontier by Kristian Karlo Saguin The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino-style Rondalla group established at Cornell University. Check them out here.   Produced by Neen Yada Tangcharoenmonkong, Adam Farihin, and Cecilia Liu  

In this episode, host Namfon Narumol Choochan speaks with Courtney T. Wittekind, Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Purdue University. Together, they discuss Dr.Wittekind's lecture, which is part of her forthcoming book, City of Speculation: Unsettled Futures in Urban Myanmar (Stanford University Press), and explore how speculation unfolds amid political, economic, and social instability. Focusing on Southwest Yangon, Dr. Wittekind examines everyday practices of speculation and gambling in a suburb where the Myanmar government proposed a plan to build a new city that never came to fruition. The conversation reflects on navigating the unexpected and uncertainty during fieldwork, especially the pandemic, and how these challenges reshaped her methodology and her scholarly work. Tune in to learn more!  Lightning round (Lecture Summary): 1:15 Main interview: 6:36 6:50 – What did you do before you started a PhD, and what made you pursue a doctoral degree?  9:54 – Did you have a topic in mind when entering grad school, and how did it change? 14:21 – Did you intend to choose Southwest Yangoon as your research focus in your first fieldwork, or did it come afterward? 25:43 – Your research deals with instability. Meanwhile, speculation involves futurity. How do you think of speculation in Southeast Asia, which is fraught with political instability? 31:55 - Who speculates? What does this speculation reveal about Southwest Yangon? 35:03 – Your lecture mentioned the organizing movement advocating for the New City plan. This challenges my understanding of the grassroots movement, which usually organizes against real estate developers. What does this organizing movement reveal about the politics of urbanization in the context of Myanmar? 39:42 – One audience member asked about how to identify the people's desire in the movement, and you admitted that it is hard to identify the real agrarian desire, and one of your chapters discusses the two categories of authentic and inauthentic farmers. How do you distinguish between the two? Are the lines fixed, or are they more fluid? And how do you examine whether the movement stemmed from the real agrarian desire? 44:13 – How did the Coup in 2021 complicate the speculation you're looking at?  47:44 - Since speculation is about futurity, it is always a process involving hope. Given the context of political instability, would speculation be possible without hope? Advice Advice for researchers and recommendations: 50:28 Dr. Wittekind's top recommendations:  Yangon Film School: an institution based in Myanmar, making cutting-edge films Purin films:  a film fund that supports independent cinema in Southeast Asia Don't forget to check out Dr. Wittekind's forthcoming book: City of Speculation, Unsettled Futures in Urban Myanmar. Description:  In 2018, amidst a celebrated political transition, Myanmar's first democratically elected government since 1962 proposed a built-from-scratch "new city" just outside Yangon, the country's former colonial capital and current economic center. 20,000 acres of once-barren rice fields became the site of extraordinary developmental dreams. Farmers on Yangon's outskirts traded cultivation for speculation on land and property, betting on uncertain futures and weighing what, exactly, was worth risking for a chance at transformation. As plans for the new city stalled amid political turmoil, economic liberalization, a pandemic, and a military coup, speculation became both a source of hope and a means of survival when urban dreams faded. Drawing on three years of site-based fieldwork and digital ethnography, Courtney T. Wittekind shows how speculation reshapes citizens' contemporary demands and forward-looking dreams—for themselves as well as their country—in times of crisis. Adopting the lens of "vernacular speculation," she reveals how ordinary people create value, interpret ambiguity, and act on possible futures, even as the promises of democracy and development collapse around them. A powerful account of how hope, anticipation, and uncertainty reconfigure everyday life, City of Speculation captures what it means to imagine—and gamble on—the future in the wake of profound upheaval. The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino-style Rondalla group established at Cornell University. Check them out here.   Produced by Neen Yada Tangcharoenmonkong, Adam Farihin, and Cecilia Liu  

In this episode, host Namfon Narumol Choochan and Carrie Mo, a master's student in Asian Studies, interview Taomo Zhou, Associate Professor of Chinese Studies at the National University of Singapore, about her research on the life of Francisca Casparina Fanggidaej, an Indonesian transnational activist in the Afro-Asian movement and the mother of seven. Because of her involvement with the Communist Party of Indonesia (Partai Komunist Indonesia, PKI), Francisca went into exile in China after the 1965 Indonesia massacre, forcing her to separate from her family for many decades.  By examining Francisca's life and activism in Indonesia, China, and the Netherlands, Prof. Zhou tells us how contested international politics shaped gender roles and expectations, redefining what motherhood meant. Lightning round(Lecture Summary): 4:20 Main interview: 8:12 8:12 – How did you first discover Francisca Casparina Fanggidaej, and how did you piece together her story through archival materials and oral history interviews? 10:17 – Can you walk us through Francisca's background and life trajectory? What led her to political activism? 11:26 – How did Francisca become involved in politics, and what shaped her early political commitments? 13:44 – How does Francisca's life reflect shifting gender ideologies, particularly across the Sukarno and Suharto eras in Indonesia? 16:54 – During her exile after the 1965 political violence, Francisca arrived in Beijing. How should we understand China's role within a more rigid gender framework at the time? 19:54 – In her diaries, Francisca attempts to tell her story to her daughter. How do you interpret these writings in relation to the politics of maternal absence? 23:17 – Why is motherhood a critical lens for rethinking internationalism?   26:27 - How does the case of Francisca become useful to think about the gender roles and expectations in the present, especially for mothers? 27:38 – Your upcoming book, Made in Shenzhen, shifts focus geographically—what drew you to Shenzhen, and are there connections between this project and Francisca's story, particularly around migration? 31:33 – How does the concept of maternal absence reshape our understanding of domestic labor and caregiving? Advice Advice for researchers and recommendations: 33:50 Dr. Zhou's top recommendations:  The Majesties: A Novel by Tiffany Tsao The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino-style Rondalla group established at Cornell University. Check them out here.   Produced by Neen Yada Tangcharoenmonkong, Adam Farihin, and Cecilia Liu

In this episode, host Namfon Narumol Choochan, joined by Yi-Jen Chen, a Cornell PhD student in Anthropology, interviews Liang Wu, a postdoctoral associate in Environmental Humanities in the Southeast Asia Program and the Department of Science and Technology Studies. Together, they explore what it means to rethink "maritime Southeast Asia." Rather than treating Southeast Asia as a fixed geographic region, the conversation focuses on the circulation of labor and commodities across Southeast Asia and the globe. Dr. Wu highlights the central—yet often overlooked—role of Filipino seafarers, tracing how their prominence historically emerged from U.S. colonial training, postcolonial labor policies, and the expansion of the global shipping industry since the 1970s. Tune in to learn more about Dr. Wu's work, methodologies, and fieldwork experiences! Lightning round(Lecture Summary): 3:45 Main interview: 8:18 8:18 – What first sparked your interest in maritime Southeast Asia? 9:37 – The traditional framework divides Southeast Asia into "mainland" and "maritime" regions. Do you think this distinction still holds? What are its limitations, and how does your work challenge or move beyond it? 13:24 – Could you share your ethnographic experience—how did you first gain access to the field, and what were some of the most striking moments early on? 17:28 – As your fieldwork progressed, what observations or turning points led you to refine your core research questions and focus? How did you navigate and plan your work in such an unpredictable and high-risk environment? 20:35 – Where and when did you conduct your ethnographic research? 23:00 – What does "containerization" mean in your work? How does this concept help us understand maritime labor and organization at sea? 26:29 – What historical period does your research focus on? How do contemporary trade routes compare to those of the 16th century, when Southeast Asia is often described as a cosmopolitan hub? 30:29 – When you place these two moments side by side, what key contrasts and insights emerge? 34:35 – While ships are largely male-dominated spaces, the industry depends heavily on the "immobile" labor of women at home. How does the prolonged absence of seafarers reshape gender roles and power dynamics within Filipino families? 39:27 – In the confined, hyper-masculine environment of cargo ships, how do seafarers navigate intimacy, friendship, and vulnerability? Did you observe moments where the "tough sailor" persona breaks down, and how do they support each other emotionally? 43:33 – After years of listening to seafarers' stories—especially narratives of sacrifice—how have you grappled with the ethical dimensions of your research? Has this shaped your perspective or influenced your career trajectory? Advice for researchers and recommendations: 49:49 Dr. Wu' top recommendations:  In Asian Waters: Oceanic Worlds from Yemen to Yokohama by Eric Tagliacozzo Intertidal History in Island Southeast Asia by Jennifer L. Gaynor Maritime Southeast Asia: Not Just a Crossroads by Jennifer L. Gaynor   The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino-style Rondalla group established at Cornell University. Check them out here.   Produced by Neen Yada Tangcharoenmonkong, Adam Farihin, and Cecilia Liu  

In this episode, host Namfon Narumol Choochan is joined by Francine Barchett, former host of the Gatty Rewind Podcast and a Cornell PhD candidate in Natural Resources & the Environment. Together, they interview Lydia O'Meara, a postdoctoral fellow at the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability. Lydia studies how diets in coastal communities can reveal links between human nutrition and marine ecosystem health. Her research focuses on Timor-Leste in the Coral Triangle, a biodiversity hotspot where many people rely on fish but face growing threats from climate change and biodiversity loss. Using mobile phones to collect frequent dietary data, she works to fill important data gaps and track changes over time. Tune in to learn more about how her work connects nutrition and environment!    Lightning round(Lecture Summary): 3:45 Main interview: 9:36 9:55 – How did you become interested in nutrition and food security, particularly with a focus on women and children? 13:39 – Why did you decide to focus on Timor-Leste? How did your research experience in Uganda help you navigate research in the context of Timor-Leste? 17:27 – What does fish species diversity look like in the region? 20:16 – Are there differences in fish consumption between men and women? 22:57 – What are the dynamics of mobile phone use, and how is the system structured? 26:38 – How did you develop the method of using mobile phones to collect data? 29:46 – How did the technical process work? What recommendations do you have for scholars using technology in their research? 31:59 – What languages are used in the project? 33:40 – Who are the main stakeholders in the current project? Did your experience collecting data in Uganda help you use or interpret the data differently in this context? 36:46 – What does development and growth look like in Timor-Leste? 38:00 – What are the implications if we overlook the data and marginalized women in Timor-Leste? Advice for researchers and recommendations: 40:34 Dr. O"Meara' top recommendations:  The End Of The Line by Charles Clover My Octopus Teacher Books by Naila Kabeer The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino-style Rondalla group established at Cornell University. Check them out here.     Produced by Neen Yada Tangcharoenmonkong, Adam Farihin, and Cecilia Liu  

In this episode, host Namfon Narumol Choochan is joined by Trifosa Simamora, a PhD candidate from the New York Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, to interview Patrick Daly, a research scientist for sustainability and resilience in the Department of Anthropology at Washington University in St. Louis. Dr. Daly gave us a rundown of his lecture, Using Archaeology, History, and Geology to Build a Paleo-Tsunami History for Southeast Asia. We discuss his 20-year endeavor to craft a long history of tsunamis in this region through collaboration between the arts and sciences. Tune in to find out more!  Lightning round(Lecture Summary): 3:27 Main interview: 6:58 6:58  - Remembering the 2004 Tsunami in North Sumatr 15:50 - What is Paleo-tsunami history? Why is it important in and for Southeast Asia 19:55 - Scholarly disciplines involved in the project? 23:34 - Involvement with Aceh community 26:35 - Oral history about the 2004 Tsunami, check out https://maritimeasiaheritage.cseas.kyoto-u.ac.jp/ 30:10 - Data from the research and the prediction of natural disasters Advice for researchers and recommendations: 35:48 Dr. Patrick Daly' top recommendations:  Beyond Nature and Culture - Philippe Descola The Will to Improve: Governmentality, Development, and the Practice of Politics -  Tania Murray Li Markets of Sorrow, Labors of Faith: New Orleans in the Wake of Katrina - Vincanne Adams   The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino-style Rondalla group established at Cornell University. Check them out here.   Produced by Neen Yada Tangcharoenmonkong, Adam Farihin, and Cecilia Liu  

In this episode, host Namfon Narumol Choochan is joined by Elissa Domingo Badiqué, a recent doctoral graduate from the Department of Performing and Media Arts. Together, they interview Mark John Sanchez, Assistant Professor of Asian Studies at Vanderbilt University. Dr. Sanchez recapitulates his lecture on the legal tactics used by the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) to defend civil liberties during the martial law era under Ferdinand Marcos in the Philippines. He then reflects on how his personal journey and positionality have shaped his research. The conversation further explores the ongoing challenges of historical revisionism and collective amnesia. Tune in to learn more! Lightning round(Lecture Summary): 4:06 Main interview: 13:24 Advice for researchers and recommendations: 53:01 Mark Sanchez' top recommendations:  Incomplete Conquests - Stephanie Joy Mawson Beauty Regimes - Genevieve Alva Clutario Spiderweb Capitalism - Kimberly Kay Hoang  Betting on Macau - Tim Simpson The Profligate Colonial - Lisandro E. Claudio Bibliotactics - Cindy Anh Nguyen   The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino-style Rondalla group established at Cornell University. Check them out here.    Produced by Neen Yada Tangcharoenmonkong, Adam Farihin, and Cecilia Liu  

In this episode, host Namfon Narumol Choochan interviews Kevin Pham, Assistant Professor of Political Theory at the University of Amsterdam. Professor Pham's talk is titled "A Postcolonial Theory of Free Speech," in which he focuses on North Vietnamese intellectuals and their perspective on new speech in the 1950s. He argues that although the meaning and value of free speech have long been contested in the West, they overlook how people outside of the West, in illiberal conditions, theorize free speech. Growing up in San Jose, Professor Pham was intrigued by a trip to the Middle East and wanted to learn more about conflict and tensions. Tune in for Professor Pham's journey from wanting to be a doctor, to a tattoo artist, and to a political science professor!   Lightning round(Lecture Summary): 3:05 Main interview: 6:45  Advice for researchers and recommendations: 54:39 Kevin Pham's top recommendations:   Vietnam: A New History by Christopher Goscha Vietnamese Tradition on Trial by David Marr Vietnamese Anticolonialism by David Marr Radicalism and the Origins of the Vietnamese Revolution by Hue-Tam Tai Understanding Vietnam by Neil L. Jamieson Documentary: Vietnam Geburt einer Nation The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino-style Rondalla group established at Cornell University. Check them out here.    Produced by Adam Farihin, Neen Yada Tangcharoenmonkong and Cecilia Liu  

In this episode, guest co-host Drake Avila, a master's student in Asian Studies, joins host Namfon Narumol Choochan to interview Assistant Professor Jangai Jap from the Department of International Affairs at the University of Georgia. They discuss her recent research on ethnic rebellion in Myanmar and why the current explanation of post-independence political exclusion falls short in accounting for the rebellion's onset. Professor Jap shares how her Kachin heritage and NGO work experience in Myanmar have sparked her academic curiosity and shaped her doctoral and current research. Tune in for Professor Jap's insights and advice for aspiring scholars who are interested in Myanmar!   Lightning round(Lecture Summary): 2:50 Main interview: 6:20 Advice for researchers and recommendations: 1:00:00 Jangai Jap' top recommendations:  Miss Burma by Charmaine Cragg Glass Palace by Amitav Ghosh   The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino style Rondalla group established in Cornell University. Check them out here.    Produced by Adam Farihin, Neen Yada Tangcharoenmonkong and Cecilia Liu  

In this episode, host Namfon Narumol Choochan interviews Analyn Salvador-Amores (Ikin), Professor of Anthropology and former Director of the Museo Kordilyera at the University of the Philippines Baguio. Together, they discuss how the recent tourism trend has revitalized Kalinga tattoos, a tradition of the ethnolinguistic group in Buscalan village, northern Luzon, Philippines. Having conducted anthropological research on traditional tattoos for over 30 years, Professor Ikin provides nuanced insights into how tourism has changed the village's landscape, tattoo practices, and reshaped gender dynamics among tattoo practitioners. They also explore various meanings and narratives behind the tattoos of each generation, including Professor Ikin's first tattoo, given by Apo Whang-ud, now the renowned 108-year-old female tattoo artist in Buscalan. Lightning round(Lecture Summary): 4:00  Main interview: 7:30 Advice for researchers and recommendations: 39:48 Analyn Salvador Amores' top recommendations:  Fine Description: Ethnographic and Linguistic Essays by Harold Conklin's   The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino style Rondalla group established in Cornell University. Check them out here.    Produced by Adam Farihin, Neen Yada Tangcharoenmonkong and Cecilia Liu  

In this episode, host Namfon Narumol Choochan speaks with "Mai" Anocha Suwichakornpong, independent filmmaker, producer, founder of Electric Eel Film, and Associate Professor in Film at Columbia University. Anocha shares how films and filmmaking can be a form of resistance by rethinking the boundary between truth and fiction. They discuss how her previous and upcoming features have engaged with the politics of remembering and forgetting of state violence in Thai history. The conversation also delves into Before It Gets Dark, her most renowned feature, and what the Thammasat Massacre means to her on a personal level. Lightning round: 3:01  Research and Lecture Summary:  7:36 Advice for researchers and recommendations: 41:24 The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino style Rondalla group established in Cornell University. Check them out here.    Produced by Adam Farihin, Neen Yada Tangcharoenmonkong and Cecilia Liu  

In this episode, host Namfon Narumol Choochan interviews Chiara Formichi, H. Stanley Krusen Professor of World Religions, Director of the Religious Studies Program, and Professor of Asian Studies at Cornell University. They discuss how Prof. Formichi's personal and intellectual journey shaped her research trajectory in Islamic and Southeast Asian studies. Drawing from her latest monograph, Domestic Nationalism: Muslim Women, Health and Modernity in Indonesia, she explores how Indonesian women envisioned their own versions of modernity through gendered care work, from the colonial Dutch East Indies to postcolonial Indonesia. Departing from her earlier research on elite political actors, she turns to examining women's vernacular magazines, visual sources, and advertisements to uncover the overlooked yet central role of Indonesian Muslim women in shaping Indonesia's postcolonial future. Lightning round: 3:16  Research and Lecture Summary:  11:00 Advice for researchers and recommendations: 44:57 Chiara Formichi's top recommendations: The Jakarta Method: Washington's Anticommunist Crusade and the Mass Murder Program that Shaped Our World, Vincent Bevins The Nutmeg's Curse: Parables for a Planet in Crisis, Amitav Ghosh The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino style Rondalla group established in Cornell University. Check them out here.    Produced by Adam Farihin, Neen Yada Tangcharoenmonkong and Cecilia Liu  

Indonesia in 10 Films: "Soegija" with Arnoud Arps In this second episode of "Indonesia in 10 Films," host Michael Kirkpatrick Miller explores the film Soegija (2012), an ambitious historical drama by director Garin Nugroho. Soegjia follows the non-traditional Catholic national hero Monsignor Albertus Soegijapranata, during one of the most volatile periods in Indonesian history — from the Japanese occupation to the return of Dutch forces after World War II. Rather than focusing solely on its titular figure, the film paints a multifaceted image of intersecting lives of diverse characters.    Michael first speaks with Neen about the film's cinematography, then interviews Dr. Arnoud Arps, Assistant Professor of Extended Cinema, Film Heritage and Memory at the University of Amsterdam. Dr. Arps, who previously interviewed Garin Nugroho, shares the director's intention to create a film grounded in humanity and emotional resonance. He also collaborated with the Eye Filmmuseum and the National Museum of Indonesia to curate a special screening series on Indonesian War of Independence films, with Soegija selected as one of the featured works. Together they discuss the three major waves of the Indonesian Independence War films, the evolution of how nationalism, heroism, and "Merdeka" are portrayed, and the film's subtle treatment of colonizers and revolutionaries, particularly through the conflicted character Robert.   Intro: 0: 38 Producer's Insights: 10:31 Conversation with Guest: 13: 25 Conclusion: 58:30 Professor Arp's Film recommendations:  Kadet 1947, Rahabi Mandra, Aldo Swastia Trilogi Merdeka (Merah Putih, Darah Garuda, Hati Merdeka), Yadi Sugandi, Conor Allyn Professor Arp's rating on Soegija: 8/10   Host: Michael Kirkpatrick Miller Producer: Adam Farihin, Cecilia Liu  and Neen Yada Tangcharoenmonkong

In this episode, host Namfon Narumol Choochan interviews Dr. Aditya Bhattacharjee, Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow in Asian Studies at Cornell University. Together, they discuss how growing up in Bangkok led him to study the localization and globalization of Hinduism. Focusing on the transnational appearances of Ganesha in Thailand and Thai restaurants in the United States, Dr. Bhattacharjee explains how and why this deity becomes a visible conduit for understanding the globalization of religious practices and religious belonging beyond the exclusively Thai-Buddhist framework. He shares his insights from fieldwork in Bangkok and New York, showing how cosmopolitanism enables such religious phenomena.  Lightning round: 3:00 Research and Lecture Summary:  18:48 Advice for researchers and recommendations: 1:01:54 Dr. Bhattacharjee 's top recommendations: Siam Mapped: A History of the Geo-Body of a Nation by Thongchai Winichakul Justin McDaniel' s books    The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino style Rondalla group established in Cornell University. Check them out here.    Produced by Neen Yada Tangcharoenmonkong, Adam Farihin, and Cecilia Liu  

In this episode, host Namfon Narumol Choochan interviews Ian Baird, Professor of Geography at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Together, they discuss how his travels across southern Laos, northeastern Thailand, and northern Cambodia inspired his study of the House of Champassak. This interview uncovers how and why the Champassak royalty maintained its influence even after the dissolution of  Champassak as an independent polity in 1778. Baird's lecture, named after his book, Champassak Royalty and Sovereignty: Within and Between Nation States in Mainland Southeast Asia, challenges the conventional concept of sovereignty tied to territory. Through the example of the House of Champassak, he argues that sovereignty is contingent and constantly in flux. He examines how the royal family endeavors to exert its form of sovereignty through symbols, rituals, and other practices over a span of three hundred years. He also underscores the importance of oral histories in recovering marginalized voices, especially those who live in the borderlands between nation-states.   Lightning round: 3:11  Research and Lecture Summary:  7:20 Advice for researchers and recommendations: 57:045 Ian Baird 's top recommendations: Forsaken Causes: Liberal Democracy and Anticommunism in Cold War Laos (2024) by Ryan Wolfson-Ford  The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino style Rondalla group established in Cornell University. Check them out here.    Produced by Neen Yada Tangcharoenmonkong, Adam Farihin, and Cecilia Liu  

In this episode, host Namfon Narumol Choochan interviews Prof. Bradley Simpson, Professor of History at the University of Connecticut. Prof. Simpson reflects on his path from human rights activism to academia. This conversation examines Indonesia's "moderate middle" engagement with the New International Economic Order (NIEO) under the Suharto regime, exploring how and why its moderate stance in NIEO became significant for the Suharto regime, particularly in its foreign policy. Prof. Simpson introduces his forthcoming book, The First Right: Self-Determination and the Transformation of International Order, 1941–2000, where he redefines the concept of self-determination to acknowledge and encompass global struggles for sovereignty and social justice.   Lightning round:  (n/a) Background: 3:47 Research and Lecture Summary: 18:30 Advice for Researchers and Recommendations: 55:20 Professor Simpson's Top Recommendations: Decolonisation and the Pacific: Indigenous Globalisation and the Ends of Empire (2016) By Tracey Banivanua Mar  Stranger in the Shogun's City (2020) by Amy Stanley The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino style Rondalla group established in Cornell University. Check them out here. Produced by Adam Farihin, Neen Yada Tangcharoenmonkong, and Cecilia Liu  

In this episode of Gatty Rewind, host Francine Barchett and guest co-host Evelyn Fettes (Cornell PhD candidate in Linguistics) join Dr. Rachel Leow, Associate Professor of Modern East Asian History at the University of Cambridge, for a journey through the Southern Seas. Dr. Leow challenges landlocked, nation-bound histories of Southeast Asia by exploring oceanic imaginaries—from Chinese creole dreams to Malay revolutionary visions. What happens when we rethink diaspora, race, and empire not through borders, but through water? Tune in for a lively conversation that dives into the tangled, shimmering histories of migration, language, and ideas across Asia's maritime world.   Lightning round: 3:48   Research and Lecture Summary: 14:30   Advice for researchers and recommendations: 41:06     Dr. Leow's recommendations:    KHÔNG SAO CẢ by 7dnight   The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino-style Rondalla group established at Cornell University. Check them out here.   Produced by Adam Farihin and Cecilia Liu      

In this episode, Francine Barchett interviews Heidi Kühn, founder of Roots of Peace and 2023 World Food Prize laureate. Kühn shares how a background in journalism and a life-changing cancer diagnosis led her to launch a global mission: turning "mines to vines." She recounts how her organization cleared landmines in places like Vietnam and Afghanistan. Along the way, she offers moving stories about working with farmers in Quang Tri Province and her vision for creating a global "army of peacekeepers" through sustainable agriculture. The episode closes with advice for young changemakers and a reminder that even the smallest seed of hope can grow into global impact. Lightning round: 3:20 Roots of Peace Summary: 8:32 Advice for researchers and recommendations: 37:14    The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino-style Rondalla group established at Cornell University. Check them out here.    Produced by Adam Farihin and Cecilia Liu

In this special celebratory episode, host Francine Barchett reunites with Michael Kirkpatrick Miller, a PhD candidate in Cornell's Department of History, who happens to be the original creator of the Gatty Rewind podcast! Michael shares fresh insights from his dissertation on Dutch colonialism in Indonesia, focusing on how the colonial state constructed Ambonese men as a "martial race" through the unlikely lens of football. From masculinity and loyalty to colonial control, Michael unpacks how sports became a tool of empire—and how Ambonese soldiers and athletes pushed back against these narratives. The conversation then turns personal as Michael reflects on his wide-ranging academic journey at the Cornell Southeast Asia Program, where he's explored everything from horses to food to gender.   Lightning round: 3:42   Research and Lecture Summary: 14:43   Advice for researchers and recommendations: 52:13    Michael's Top Recommendations: Rasa Tanah Air: Awal Perkembangan Kuliner Indonesia di Mancanegara pada Akhir Abad ke-19 hingga 1940-an - Fadly Rahman   The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino-style Rondalla group established at Cornell University. Check them out here.   Produced by Adam Farihin and Cecilia Liu  

In this episode, host Francine Barchett teams up with co-host Lijun Zhang, a Cornell PhD student in history, for a riveting conversation with Dr. Martina Nguyen, Associate Professor of History at Baruch College, City University of New York. Dr. Nguyen shares the story of a provocative newspaper column penned by prominent Vietnamese intellectual Nguyễn Văn Vĩnh, under a female pseudonym! She explores how the column stirred debates around masculinity, femininity, and national identity in early modern Vietnam. Plus, listeners get a sneak peek at an upcoming museum exhibition she's co-curating on the iconic ao dài (Vietnamese national garment) during the Vietnam War, which will open at the Cantor Art Gallery in Worcester in fall 2025.   Lightning round: 4:10  Research and Lecture Summary: 13:14 Advice for researchers and recommendations: 55:23  Dr. Nguyen's top recommendations: Songs by Trịnh Công Sơn and Quang Lê Đất Khổ (Land of Sorrows) by Hà Thúc Cần White Lotus by Mike White   The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino-style Rondalla group established at Cornell University. Check them out here.    Produced by Adam Farihin and Cecilia Liu  

In this episode, guest co-host Iris Luo (Cornell PhD candidate in Human-Centered Design) joins host Francine Barchett to interview Elissa "E" Domingo Badique, a Cornell PhD candidate in Performance and Media Arts. E describes their winding journey—from serving as a community advisor at Harvard to working as a makeup artist in Japan. But it was a fandom studies class that sparked their research into K-pop dance covers! E traces these performances back to Filipino variety shows, where choreography became a tool for myth-making and expressing diasporic Filipino identity, particularly through the lens of Asian male figures like K-pop idols. Their advice to listeners: be open-minded! For Southeast Asian studies to grow and evolve, they remind us, it should remain expansive and inclusive.   Lightning round: 3:41 Research and Lecture Summary: 14:12 Advice for researchers and recommendations: 39:40   E's Top Recommendation:  Like I do, J Tajor    The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino-style Rondalla group established at Cornell University. Check them out here.   Produced by Adam Farihin and Cecilia Liu  

In this episode, guest co-host Anke Wang, a Cornell PhD candidate in History, joins host Francine Barchett for a tag-team interview with Dr. Hieu Phung, Assistant Professor of Vietnamese and Southeast Asian History at Rutgers University. Dr. Phung discusses her research on how pre-modern environmental factors shaped political and administrative systems in Vietnam, with a focus on state-building in the Red River Delta. She unpacks how perceptions of sea-dykes evolved over time—beyond their physical function, they became central to how people understood nature, risk, and governance. The episode wraps up with Dr. Phung's candid advice for students still not sure what they want to study (spoiler: it's okay not to have it all figured out!).   Lightning round: 3:41 Research and Lecture Summary: 14:12 Advice for researchers and recommendations: 39:40     The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino style Rondalla group established in Cornell University. Check them out here.   Produced by Adam Farihin and Cecilia Liu

In this episode, host Francine Barchett interviews Dr. Kristian Karlo Saguin, Associate Professor of Geography at the University of the Philippines Diliman. Dr. Saguin unpacks his recent Gatty Lecture, based on his award-winning book Urban Ecologies on the Edge: Making Manila's Resource Frontier (winner of the Benda Prize). Their conversation explores the complex socio-environmental dynamics of Laguna Lake—from its role in shaping consumer preferences for fish to its impact on flooding in Metro Manila and beyond. We're also pretty sure Dr. Saguin is the most enthusiastic geographer we've ever had on the show! Lightning round: 2:57  Research and Lecture Summary: 10:32  Advice for researchers and recommendations: 43:45 Dr. Saguin's top recommendations: The Camphor Tree and the Elephant Book by Faizah Zakaria The Pulse of the Earth: Political Geology in Java   The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino style Rondalla group established in Cornell University. Check them out here. 

Welcome to Spicy SEAP! This special edition of the podcast recreates the popular TV show Hot Ones—but with a twist! Instead of chicken wings, our guests take on a lineup of spicy Southeast Asian dishes, from snacks to main courses and mysterious desserts. Host Francine Barchett is joined by Lijun Zhang, a PhD candidate in History and co-chair of the Cornell Southeast Asia Program (SEAP) Gatty Lecture Series. Lijun's research explores female migration from southeastern China to British Malaya and Singapore, focusing on grassroots intimacy, women's mobility, and the agency that shaped legal travel within the colonial judiciary. Her academic journey began in a Singaporean high school and evolved through her undergraduate studies at Colgate. Lijun's favorite Indonesian word is duduk-duduk—any guesses on what it means? Tune in now!     Appetizers: Carada Rice Ball Cuttlefish – 5:45 Hanami Chili Prawn Crackers – 7:15 Snacks: Musang King Durian Cake – 11:15 Hapi Sriracha Peas – 15:40 Taokaenoi Mala Crispy Seaweed – 19:25 Grilled Spicy Seaweed Roll – 25:00 Main Challenge: 2xspicy Buldak Ramen – 33:40 Mystery Item: Pandan Euro Cake – 40:07 Lijun Zhang's top recommendations: The White Lotus Season 3 by Mike White The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye by Sonny Liew The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino style Rondalla group established in Cornell University. Check them out here. Produced by Adam Farihin and Cecilia Liu

In this episode, Francine Barchett sits down to interview Dr. Benjamin Tausig, an Associate Professor of Critical Music Studies at SUNY Stony Brook University. Dr. Tausig shares his work on the transnational dialectic of queerness and race in Cold War-era Thailand. He describes the complex intersections of American military influence, local nightlife, and the socio-economic transformations that shaped Thai culture. Later, he also reflects on the murder of Darrel Berrigan, asking: how do non-heteronormative relationships play a role within this unique cultural moment? Through it all, he invites us to rethink how sound and silence can reveal hidden layers of history and politics around race and sexuality. And for graduate students juggling research and teaching? He has some reassuring words for you, too!   Lightning round: 4:06  Research and Lecture Summary: 14:16 Advice for researchers and recommendations: 44:50 Dr. Tausig 's top recommendations: Bangkok Wakes to Rain - Pitchaya Sudbanthad ตะลุยบางกอก - เพลิน พรหมแดน เพชรพิณทอง The Petch Phin Thong Band    The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino style Rondalla group established in Cornell University. Check them out here.   

In this episode, host Francine Barchett interviews Dr. Ivan V. Small, a Professor of Anthropology and Director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at Northern Illinois University. Dr. Small talks about his research on Vietnamese refugee minorities in the U.S. following the Vietnam War and the Ford administration's resettlement policies. He shares how these communities resisted assimilation, often through second or third migrations. And he highlights the crucial role of automobiles in shaping immigrant experiences, enabling movement to new "ethno-burb" nodes that connected Asian communities. Dr. Small also talks about his university's podcast, Crossroads of the World, a sister podcast to the Gatty Rewind! Lightning round: 3:59 Research and Lecture Summary: 13:53 Advice for researchers and recommendations: 34:16 Dr. Small's top recommendations: The Sympathizer Southeast Asia Crossroads Podcast - CSEAS @ NIU Suburban Refugees: Class and Resistance in Little Saigon by Jennifer Huynh The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino style Rondalla group established in Cornell University. Check them out here.   Produced by Adam Farihin and Cecilia Liu  

In this episode, host Francine Barchett pairs up with Shreya Chitnavis, a 2024 Cornell MPH graduate, to interview Dr. Joshua Babcock, an Assistant Professor of Anthropology and affiliate faculty in Linguistics and Science & Technology Studies at Brown University. Dr. Babcock talks about the limitations of Singapore's racial and linguistic classifications. Reflecting on his findings, he presents a fiction of multi-racial multilingualism as Singapore's national identity. In Dr. Babcock's words, "racial community gets performed, policed, and blocked through everyday activity." And dare we say – Dr. Babcock is a researcher with many surprises! He shares how his work in Singapore involves another Singapore…one that is NOT in Asia! Lightning round: 3:24  Research and Lecture Summary: 9:58  Advice for researchers and recommendations: 47:24 Dr. Babcock 's top recommendations: Ministry of Moral Panic - Amanda Lee Koe   The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino style Rondalla group established in Cornell University. Check them out here.    Produced by Adam Farihin and Cecilia Liu

In this episode, host Francine Barchett interviews Emi Donald, a PhD candidate in the Department of History at Cornell University. Emi shares insights from their 18-month fieldwork in Bangkok, where they explored the roles of tomboys (thom in Thai) and trans men. They highlight ways the transgender experience, including clinic access, social acceptance of the trans community, and their legal protections, have evolved in Thailand in recent history. Then they take a bittersweet victory lap on their PhD experience, with some tips for aspiring PhD students: learn a language, develop time management skills, and find your people to get you through the inevitable dissertation downs! Lightning round: 3:34  Research and Lecture Summary: 9:41  Advice for researchers and recommendations: 28:49 Emi's top recommendations: A Good True Thai by Sunisa Manning How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies  Tiffany Tsao's English translations of Indonesian poetry The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino style Rondalla group established in Cornell University. Check them out here.    Produced by Adam Farihin and Cecilia Liu

In this episode, Gatty Rewind founding host, Michael Kirkpatrick Miller, returns to interview Dr. Kathryn "Kitsie" Emerson, the Director of the EKALAYA Arts Centre in Java. Dr. Emerson talks about Semar Mbangun Kayangan, a wayang (Indonesian shadow puppet) piece. She explores the history, narratives, and motives behind its various versions, as each portrays a unique vision of utopia tailored to different demographics. She closes by sharing her journey of discovering the Javanese language and culture as a non-native speaker. Lightning round: 4:11 Research and Lecture Summary: 10:16 Advice for researchers and recommendations: 41:30 Dr. Emerson's top recommendations: Tall Tree, Nest of the Wind  by Bernard Arps The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino style Rondalla group established in Cornell University. Check them out here.  Produced by Adam Farihin, Neen Tangcharoenmonkong, and Cecilia Liu.  

In this episode, host Francine Barchett interviews Mr. Nielson Sophann Hul, a Khmer Lecturer at the University of Washington (at the time of the interview, he was defending his PhD in Linguistics at Cornell University). Mr. Hul's research explores how heritage Khmer speakers in the Northwestern US use implosives, or stop consonants, in their speech. He reveals that fluent Khmer speakers and speakers who have spent less time in the US generally use more implosives than others. Mr. Hul explains the importance of his findings: among immigrant communities, practicing one's native language strongly connects with their cultural and communal identities. Keeping listeners on their toes, Mr. Hul goes on to share his reflections as a veteran navigating graduate school, a bread baking addict, and a teacher returning to his roots. Lightning round: 4:40 Research and Lecture Summary: 11:50 Recommendation and advice for researchers: 34:50 Mr.Hul's Top Recommendations:  Still I Strive - Documentary by A. Todd Smith & Adam Pfleghaar The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino style Rondalla group established in Cornell University. Check them out here.  Produced by Adam Farihin, Neen Tangcharoenmonkong, and Cecilia Liu.    

In this episode, host Francine Barchett interviews Dr. Lawrence Chua, an associate professor at the School of Architecture at Syracuse University. Looking from the 1920s onward, he applies a historicist lens to study the histories of two museums: the Musée Albert Sarraut (Cambodge/modern day Cambodia) and the National Museum of Bangkok (Siam/modern day Thailand). Dr. Chua provides context from each to illustrate how fragments of the premodern past are recontextualized through both colonial and post-colonial regimes. Dr. Chua closes with insights about his homecoming to Cornell SEAP and advises all up-and-coming scholars on how to be competitive in an increasingly international academic job market. Lightning round: 4:18 Research and Lecture Summary: 24:22 Advice for researchers and recommendations: 1:02:20 Dr. Chua's top recommendations: Malila: The Farewell Flower by Anucha Boonyawatana Khwam rak khong Walaya by Seni Saowaphong เสนีย์ เสาวพงศ์  Pisaj by Seni Saowaphong The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino style Rondalla group established in Cornell University.  Check them out here.  Produced by Adam Farihin, Neen Tangcharoenmonkong, and Cecilia Liu.    

In this episode, host Francine Barchett speaks with Dr. Dwi Noverini Djenar, an Associate Professor and the Chair of the Indonesian Studies Department at the University of Sydney. Her talk focuses on the linguistic features found in Indonesian broadcast news interviews. She shows that when sensitive topics are being discussed, the interview participants and audience may co-create "exonerative accounts," which free the speakers or audience of blame or guilt on that particular topic. She reveals examples of "exonerative accounts" through clips from a popular Indonesian political commentary podcast. Throughout the episode, listeners will hear Dr. Djenar's passion for the sounds and beauties of not only the Indonesian language but also other languages. Lightning Round: 3:26 Research and fieldwork summary: 11:29 Advice for researchers and recommendations: 40:09 Dr. Djenar's Top Recommendations:  Other Indonesians: Nationalism in an Unnative Language  by Joseph Errington Systemic Silencing: activism memory and sexual violence in indonesia by Katherine E. McGregor The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino style Rondalla group established in Cornell University. Check them out here. Produced by Adam Farihin, Neen Tangcharoenmonkong, and Cecilia Liu.

In this episode, host Francine Barchett interviewed Dr. Eric Thompson, an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the National University of Singapore. He describes the development and recent publication of his book, "The Story of Southeast Asia." Cutting across anthropology, archeology, history, and other disciplines, Dr. Thompson recounts the many regional themes that had inspired this writing. He reconsiders colonialism's influence in Southeast Asia, highlights its unique interplay of religions and religious diversity, and revisits the long-standing debate: what actually is Southeast Asia? He also surprises Francine with some unexpected tidbits, including a fun fact involving none other than Taylor Swift and the Kansas City Chiefs. Lightning Round: 3:36 Research and fieldwork summary: 11:03 Advice for researchers and recommendations: 47:33 Eric Thompson's top recommendations:  This Earth of Mankind - a film adaptation of Bumi Manusia by Pramoedya Ananta Toer  Mat Kilau: Kebangkitan Pahlawan by Syamsul Yusof  Sultan Agung Mataram 1628 and Kartini: Princess of Java by Hanung Bramantyo The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino style Rondalla group established in Cornell University. Check them out here. Produced by Adam Farihin, Neen Tangcharoenmonkong, and Cecilia Liu.

Francine Barchett pairs up with Xintong Chen, a PhD student in Southeast Asian history, to interview Dr. Wu Xiao An. Dr. Wu is the Chair Professor and Founding Dean of the Research Institute of Global Chinese and Area Studies at Huaqiao University, Xiamen, China. During the conversation, Dr. Wu gives context on the history and legacies of the Chinese diaspora and explains the importance of the Chinese diaspora within Southeast Asia. He argues that Chinese communities have shaped, and been shaped by, Southeast Asia's social, economic, and political landscapes, particularly after the Chinese Cultural Revolution. Dr. Wu also connects the history of the Southeast Asian Chinese diaspora to other global Chinese diasporas. He ends by sharing his vision for future research and hopes for emerging scholars. Lightning Round: 6:17 Research and fieldwork summary: 19:08 Advice for researchers and recommendations: 55:28 The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino style Rondalla group established in Cornell University. Check them out here.  Produced by Adam Farihin, Neen Tangcharoenmonkong, and Cecilia Liu.

In this episode, host Francine Barchett interviews Dr. Chie Ikeya, an Associate Professor of History, the Director of the Institute for Research on Women, and the Co-Director of the Global Asias Initiative at Rutgers University. Dr. Ikeya discusses the history and legacies of the Buddhist Women's Special Marriage and Succession Act in Burma. She compares this legislation to similar international policies supporting religious freedom. Later, she argues that such marriage laws often treat Asian migrants and settlers as outsiders who can never fully integrate. In other words, they may preserve the "purity" of the dominant group by controlling women's rights (e.g., in areas like marriage, reproduction, and property) while claiming to protect women. Lightning Round: 4:30 Research and lecture summary: 10:49   Advice for researchers and recommendations: 42:29   Dr.Ikeya's top recommendations:  Ghosts of war in Vietnam by Heonik Kwon Ghostly Past, Capitalist Presence: A Social History of Fear in Colonial Bengal by Tithi Bhattacharya Global Asias: Tactics & Theories by Tina Chen and Charlotte Eubanks The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino style Rondalla group established in Cornell University. Check them out here. Produced by Adam Farihin, Neen Tangcharoenmonkong, and Cecilia Liu.  

Episode ini adalah percakapan kecil tentang film "Lewat Djam Malam" di antara Michael Kirkpatrick Miller dan Adrian Jonathan Pasaribu. Pak Adrian adalah sejarawan dan kritikus film, dan dia menciptakan situs web CinemaPoetica.com. 

In the first episde of "Indonesia in 10 Films," Michael first walks through the top three reasons he thinks this film is excellent. Later, Neen and Michael discuss a little history of the film's preservation, before Michael talks wtih film critic Adrian Jonathan Pasaribu about how the film portrays nationalism and revolution in Indonesia.  Adrian Jonathan Pasaribu is a film critic and the chief editor and co-founder of Cinema Poetica, a "collective of film critics, journalists, researchers, and activists in Indonesia."   Host: Michael Kirkpatrick Miller Producer: Neen Yada Tangcharoenmonkong

Join Michael Kirkpatrick Miller and Yada Tangcharoenmonkong as they delve into 10 essential Indonesian fims. "Indonesia in 10 Films" will explore a variety of films made in, on, and about Indonesia, from modern Indoensian classics like Soegija, to cult films like "Lady Terminator." Our first episode will feature a discussion of the 1954 film "After the Curfew" (Lewat Djam Malam) from director Usmar Ismail, and we will talk with film critic Adrian Jonathan Pasaribu about the film's themes, style, and importance to Indonesian film history. You can find Indonesia in 10 Films on the Gatty Lecture Rewind Podcast feed, wherever you get your podcasts. To contact Indonesia in 10 films, send an email to [email protected]. 

In this new podcast from the Southeast Asia Program at Cornell University, join Michael Kirkpatrick Miller and Yada Tangcharoenmonkong as they delve into 10 essential Indonesian films. Each week will feature a discussion of one film made in, around, or about Indonesia. To contact the podcast, email [email protected]. 

In this episode, host Francine Barchett interviewed Dr. Thongchai Winichakul, Emeritus Professor of History at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dr. Thongchai looks back on his 40-year career to reflect on how Thai studies has changed overtime. First, he views Thai intellectual history as a vivid cross-cultural encounter. The field combines comparison, interpretation and translation across both literal and cultural languages. Furthermore, he argues that as academics come from different political, economic, scholarly, and cultural environments, their wide-ranging perspectives are informing new questions and methodologies. He coins different scholarly approaches and positioning in Thai studies, ranging from the "Other" to the "Self" as home scholar, with many in-betweens.   Lightning Round: 2:56   Research and lecture summary: 21:38   Advice for researchers and recommendations: 1:05:40   Powerpoint: Thai Studies in the Global Context of Encounters.pptx   The music on the podcast is from "Me and Some Friends", a musical project by a group of friends at Cornell, to experiment with how the beautiful timbres of Gamelan music can meld with hypnotic guitar parts to create a contemplative and unique experience. Check them out here.    Produced by Neen Tangcharoenmonkong.  

In this episode, host Francine Barchett interviewed Aichiro Suryo Prabowo (Chiro), a Postdoctoral Associate at the Cornell University Southeast Asia Program (SEAP). Chiro examines whether addressing poverty and tackling climate change are mutually exclusive priorities by combining quantitative and textual analysis of Indonesia's central government budget documents from the past two decades. He assesses the degree to which national programs are focused on climate solutions and compares them to competing economic agendas.    Lightning Round: 3:55   Research and lecture summary: 10:30   Advice for researchers and recommendations: 31:01   Aichiro Suryo Prabowo's Top Recommendations: Music by Gardika Gigih The music on the podcast is from "Me and Some Friends", a musical project by a group of friends at Cornell, to experiment with how the beautiful timbres of Gamelan music can meld with hypnotic guitar parts to create a contemplative and unique experience. Check them out here.    Produced by Neen Tangcharoenmonkong.    

In this episode, host Francine Barchett interviewed Sirithorn Siriwan, or Ing, a Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Asian Studies at Cornell University. Ing discusses rice rituals in northern Thailand and how they relate to animism, or "Sasana Phi." She draws from narratives surrounding what she coins Thai "ricelihood" to unfold the juxtaposition of phi, rice deity, and Theravada Buddhism. Finally, she recaps her multi-media methodological approach, which includes the use of theater and autoethnography.   Lightning Round: 4:42   Research and lecture summary: 12:07   Advice for researchers and recommendations: 47:37   Sirithorn Siriwan's Top Recommendations: Buoyancy (2019)   The music on the podcast is from "Me and Some Friends", a musical project by a group of friends at Cornell, to experiment with how the beautiful timbres of Gamelan music can meld with hypnotic guitar parts to create a contemplative and unique experience. Check them out here.    Produced by Neen Tangcharoenmonkong.  

In this episode, host Francine Barchett interviewed Dr. Diana Kim, who is an assistant professor at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service as well as a core faculty member of the Asian Studies Program. In this conversation, Dr. Kim discusses how the Japanese occupation can help us understand the legacies of European colonial institutions in Southeast Asia today. She explains how the Japanese occupation allowed the transmission of pre-war European colonial institutions into Southeast Asia. She also explores the occupation's historical legacies and contemporary outcomes, comparing it to the long-term effects of other colonial institutions. Finally, Dr. Kim shares timely lessons on teaching pedagogy, reflecting on her own experiences.   Lightning Round: 4:14   Research and lecture summary: 15:14   Advice for researchers and recommendations: 39:36   Dr. Diana Kim's Top Recommendations: How We Disappeared by Jing-Jing Lee The music on the podcast is from "Me and Some Friends", a musical project by a group of friends at Cornell, to experiment with how the beautiful timbres of Gamelan music can meld with hypnotic guitar parts to create a contemplative and unique experience. Check them out here.    Produced by Neen Tangcharoenmonkong and Kelly Ryoo. 

In this episode, host Francine Barchett interviewed Dr. Boreth Ly, an associate professor of Southeast Asian Art History and Visual Culture at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Dr. Ly discusses her research on the black and white photographs of the Sultans of Java as well as the Dutch governors from the colonial era. Transitioning to a postcolonial context, she analyzes these "Happy Marriage" photographs' evolving cultural and political legibility.   Lightning Round: 4:43   Research and lecture summary: 10:00   Advice for researchers and recommendations: 39:40   Dr. Boreth Ly's Top Recommendations: Pan Ron The "Mad Mother" in Rithy Panh's Films (The Cinema of Rithy Panh) Six Memos for the Next Millennium by Italo Calvino Malila: The Farewell Flower The music on the podcast is from "Me and Some Friends", a musical project by a group of friends at Cornell, to experiment with how the beautiful timbres of Gamelan music can meld with hypnotic guitar parts to create a contemplative and unique experience. Check them out here.    Produced by Neen Tangcharoenmonkong and Kelly Ryoo. 

In this episode, host Francine Barchett interviewed Dr. Nora Taylor, an Alsdorf Professor of South and Southeast Asian Art at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Dr. Taylor discusses her research on contemporary Vietnamese art and the ways in which she has engaged with the paradoxical nature of monuments. She reveals how the Vietnamese public views art pieces, including monuments, differently as their historical memory of the Vietnam War and colonialism has evolved overtime. Finally, Dr. Taylor reminisces on her Vietnamese language learning journey, giving witty advice to all new language learners.    Lightning Round: 3:43   Research and lecture summary: 24:20   Advice for researchers and recommendations: 48:54   Dr. Nora Taylor's Top Recommendations: Inside the Cocoon Shell The music on the podcast is from "Me and Some Friends", a musical project by a group of friends at Cornell, to experiment with how the beautiful timbres of Gamelan music can meld with hypnotic guitar parts to create a contemplative and unique experience. Check them out here.    Produced by Neen Tangcharoenmonkong and Kelly Ryoo. 

In this episode, host Francine Barchett interviewed Dr. Hew Wai Weng, a research fellow at the Institute of Malaysian and International Studies, National University of Malaysia. He is currently a visiting fellow at Cornell University under the Fulbright Malaysia Scholar Program. He discusses the rise of right-wing majoritarianism and the popularity of decolonial discourses in Malaysia, explaining how "decolonial" rhetoric feeds into right-wing propaganda in political campaigns, social activism, academic writings, and pop culture. Finally, he draws attention to the possible danger and limitations of decolonial scholarship.  Lightning Round: 3:43   Research and lecture summary: 9:20   Advice for researchers and recommendations: 44:15   Dr. Hew Wai Weng's Top Recommendations: La Luna Tiger Stripes The music on the podcast is from "Me and Some Friends", a musical project by a group of friends at Cornell, to experiment with how the beautiful timbres of Gamelan music can meld with hypnotic guitar parts to create a contemplative and unique experience. Check them out here. Produced by Neen Tangcharoenmonkong and Kelly Ryoo. 

In this episode, host Francine Barchett interviewed Dr. Daniel Whitehouse, an ERSC postdoctoral fellow at the Department of Anthropology and Sociology, SOAS University of London. Dr. Whitehouse introduces the idea of "network institutions," specifically through Suan Kularb Wittayalai. Suan Kularb Wittayalai is Thailand's oldest state-administered secondary school and the alma mater to seven prime ministers. Dr. Whitehouse explains the network politics of Suan Kularb and its influence on Thailand's military, bureaucracy, commerce, and more.   Lightning Round: 3:35   Research and lecture summary: 12:30   Advice for researchers and recommendations: 38:37   Dr. Daniel Whitehouse's Top Recommendations: The Kingmaker (2019)   The music on the podcast is from "Me and Some Friends", a musical project by a group of friends at Cornell, to experiment with how the beautiful timbres of Gamelan music can meld with hypnotic guitar parts to create a contemplative and unique experience. Check them out here.    Produced by Neen Tangcharoenmonkong and Kelly Ryoo. 

Welcome to Spicy SEAP! This final episode of Season 11 is a special edition where we recreate the popular TV show 'Hot Ones', but with a twist—these aren't chicken wings, but spicy Southeast Asian food. host Francine Barchett is joined by Geronimo Cristobal and Eric Goh, PhD candidates and co-chairs of the SEAP Graduate Student Committee. She asks them about life as graduate students at Cornell, their academic interests, planning one of the world's most prestigious speaker series in Southeast Asian studies, and  more. Join us for a lively conversation about what it's like to be part of Cornell's SEAP community. The music on the podcast is from "Me and Some Friends", a musical project by a group of friends at Cornell, to experiment with how the beautiful timbres of Gamelan music can meld with hypnotic guitar parts to create a contemplative and unique experience. Check them out here.    Produced by Neen Tangcharoenmonkong and Kelly Ryoo. 

In this episode, host Francine Barchett interviewed Dr. Nicole CuUnjieng Aboitiz, a Visiting Scholar at the Weatherhead East Asian Institute of Columbia University. Dr. CuUnjieng Aboitiz examines the fine arts of the Philippines by studying renowned Filipino artist Fernando Amorsolo. She argues that Amorsolo's landscape and pastoral paintings reveal a deep connection to an underlying elitism in Philippine society. Beyond her analyses of class and nature, Dr. CuUnjieng Aboitiz gives advice about non-academic career paths for PhD holders.   Lightning Round: 4:10   Research and lecture summary: 7:35   Advice for researchers and recommendations: 37:58   Dr. Nicole CuUnjieng Aboitiz's Top Recommendations: Emerging Islands (La Union, Philippines) The Outline by Rachel Cusk   The music on the podcast is from "Me and Some Friends", a musical project by a group of friends at Cornell, to experiment with how the beautiful timbres of Gamelan music can meld with hypnotic guitar parts to create a contemplative and unique experience. Check them out here.    Produced by Neen Tangcharoenmonkong and Kelly Ryoo. 

In this episode, host Francine Barchett interviewed Dr. Viola Lasmana, a Postdoctoral Associate in the Department of American Studies at Rutgers University-New Brunswick and Emerging Voices Fellow at the American Council of Learned Societies. Dr. Lasmana discussed Southeast Asian feminist practices by examining two experimental documentaries: Children of Srikandi (2012) and Surname Viet Given Name Nam (1989). She explains how these films activate a poetics of collaboration and generate a "shadow imagination," which enables new ways of articulating marginalized women's lives beyond the specter of the nation. Finally, Dr. Lasmana offers her insight about pursuing a career in Southeast Asian Studies.   Lightning Round: 3:43 Research and lecture summary: 8:00 Advice for researchers and recommendations: 27:20 Dr. Viola Lasmana's Top Recommendations: "You and I" (2020) by Fanny Chotimah Cigarette Girl The music on the podcast is from "Me and Some Friends", a musical project by a group of friends at Cornell, to experiment with how the beautiful timbres of Gamelan music can meld with hypnotic guitar parts to create a contemplative and unique experience. Check them out here.    Produced by Neen Tangcharoenmonkong and Kelly Ryoo.