Contemporary politics in Southeast Asia must be understood in light of colonialism, the nationalist movements that colonial rule in effect produced, and the geo-strategic imperatives of the cold war. Colonial rule defined the territorial boundaries and institutions of the modern state, nationalism provided a new political discourse and elite, and the cold war helped determine the nature of authority in post-colonial states. This course will examine the political landscape of Southeast Asia, paying particular attention to the historical conditions (colonialism, modernity, nationalism, war) which gave rise to the construction of Southeast Asia as a geo-political entity and to the boundaries and institutions of particular states. The course will focus on key themes such as: democratization and nationalism, the role of ethnic minorities, the political role of religion, etc
