A Personal Retrospective on the History and Historiography of Southeast Asia

After 50 years involvement in the study of the history and historiography of Southeast Asia, Leonard and Barbara Andaya provide a personal retrospective of their academic journey, particularly their work on the history of Malaysia and of early modern Southeast Asia.
About the Speakers:
Barbara Watson Andaya, affectionately known as “Barb,” hails from Sydney, Australia. With an academic father and a microbiologist mother, she was inspired to pursue education early on. She earned a BA and a Diploma of Education in history and English from the University of Sydney, then taught high school social studies. A curriculum change led her to University of Hawaiʻi Mānoa, where she completed her MA in Southeast Asian history as an East-West Center fellow. She joined the faculty at UH Mānoa as an associate professor in Asian studies. In 1996, she became a professor and also served as editor for the UH Press SHAPS translation series until 1999. Her area of expertise is the western Malay-Indonesian Archipelago. Since 2014, she has authored no fewer than 34 publications, including The Flaming Womb, recognized as an outstanding academic book. Professor Andaya also directed the University of Hawaiʻi Center for Southeast Asian Studies from 2000 to 2006.
Born and raised on Maui to Ilocano-speaking immigrant parents, Leonard Andaya was naturally drawn to Southeast Asia. He studied at Yale University and, inspired by his professors, pursued Southeast Asian studies. He continued his studies in the Netherlands and at Cornell University, then planted his roots at University of Hawaiʻi Mānoa. During his career at the university, he published influential books such as Leaves of the Same Tree and A History of Early Modern Southeast Asia, co-authored with Barbara. Leonard directed the University of Hawaiʻi Center for Southeast Asian Studies for six years in the 90s.