The aim of the Canadian Southeast Asian Studies Initiative / Initiative canadienne pour l’étude du sud-est asiatique (CSEASI / ICESEA) is to build capacity in, and raise the profile of, Southeast Asian Studies in Canadian universities through support for pedagogy, graduate training, research and outreach.
Consortium
The project is organized around a consortium of nine Canadian universities and the Canadian Council on SEA Studies working in collaboration with partner institutions across Southeast Asia.
Background
Southeast Asian Studies remains woefully underrepresented in Canadian institutions of higher learning. While Language and Culture programs focusing on East Asia continue to thrive in Canada, there is not a single Southeast Asian language course currently taught as a regular for-credit option—apart from the new Indonesian language program launched at the University of Victoria in 2022.
Looking to the broader context, the Canadian government does not provide Title VI-style funding for Area Studies. And in most cases new academic programs cannot be created without evidence of student demand. So, Southeast Asian Studies is facing a ‘Catch 22’. We need exciting new programs to attract student interest, and we need student interest to secure support for creating new programs. And, without successful programs, university departments cannot make the argument for new faculty lines, which in turn creates an obstacle to the growth of research and outreach. The CSEASI/ICESEA is directed to reinvigorating the field by providing mutually reinforcing support for collaborative programs in research, teaching, graduate training and outreach to build capacity in, and raise the profile of, Southeast Asian Studies. Bringing together a consortium of Canadian universities, working in concert with partners across Southeast Asia, CSEASI/ICESEA will breathe new life into this crucial field for researchers, students and communities across Canada, building collaborative and sustainable relationships with the region.
We are fortunate to have a strong and committed network of faculty members and administrators devoted to making the initiative a success. And our consortium is governed by an Executive Committee chaired by the CSEASI Director (Richard Fox). Each of the nine (9) Canada-based consortium universities has one representative on the Executive Committee (EC), and we are in the process of appointing a graduate student representative and a member from one of our partner institutions in Southeast Asia. In our first year, we will also strike both an SEA-based Regional Advisory Committee and a Graduate Student Advisory Committee, with representatives from Consortium institutions. The Executive Committee itself has one regular meeting each semester, with additional meetings called as required. Smaller subcommittees also meet as needed (e.g., for the allocation of student bursaries).
Governance
The consortium is governed by an Executive Committee chaired by the CSEASI Director (Fox). Each of the nine (9) Canada-based consortium universities has one representative on the Executive Committee (EC). We are in the process of striking both an SEA-based Regional Advisory Committee and a Graduate Student Advisory Committee, each of which will have representation on the EC. The Executive Committee itself has one regular meeting each semester, with additional meetings called as required. Smaller subcommittees also meet as needed (e.g., for the allocation of student bursaries). All meetings of the Executive Committee and purpose-specific subcommittees are held online. Where possible, CSEASI business is conducted by email to minimize workload and time-commitment for Project participants.
The founding Executive Committee includes the following members:
- Richard Fox (Director; University of Victoria)
- Alicia Turner (York University)
- Erik Martinez Kuhonta (McGill University)
- Kai Ostwald (University of British Columbia)
- Dominique Caouette (Université de Montréal)
- Nhung Tuyet Tran (University of Toronto)
- David Webster (Bishop’s University)
- Susanna Barnes (University of Saskatchewan)
- Alexandre Pelletier (Université Laval)
Canadian Southeast Asian Studies Initiative 