Presenting a paper based on my WIP PhD Thesis at the most prestigious SE Asian Studies Conference at Universiti Malaya is site of intellectual pilgrimage every two years, where South east Asia comes together to chart the future of the field, the key notes by legendary scholars to young scholars who will drive the field in the future. ICONSEA 11 was a tour de force, and the department turns 50, one of the oldest South East Asian Studies Departments in the globe, where the field is undergoing a shift given the funding shifts globally.
This was my second ICONSEA, and this time around i found myself in an intellectual space that felt like home.
As a second generation peripheral academic, i take this honor to write and engage as an enormous honor, which i do not take lightly. I presented on the transition in Malaysia, and am grateful for the support i have – my supervisor, my PI of the research program i chip in and my academic parents.
Many thanks to Dr Mala and the team for the prestigious opportunity to engage with debates in this festival of ideas.
Change Thinker 