The 5th Biennial Conference of the Consortium for Southeast Asian Studies in Asia (SEASIA) was held at the University of the Philippines-Diliman, Quezon City, Metropolitan Manila, Philippines, on July 18-20, 2024.
The theme of this year’s conference was “De/Centering Southeast Asia.” Outgoing SEASIA Chair Antoinette R. Raquiza explained that the conference “highlights the need for Southeast Asian Studies and Southeast Asians to interrogate dominant narratives and institutions that legitimize and reinforce unequal relations– between the North and South, among and within countries, as well as across generations and genders.”
Former Chairperson of the Philippines’ National Historical Commission Dr. Maria Serena I. Diokno was the Guest of Honor. Professor Syed Farid Alatas, noted theorist, practitioner, and proponent of “autonomous social science tradition,” and Dr. Ramon Pagayon Santos, National Artist of the Philippines and former Vice President of the International Music Council of UNESCO, delivered the keynote speeches.
Out of more than 500 submissions received–consisting of 418 individual presentation applications and 33 panel applications from 190 institutions in 32 countries worldwide–approximately 212 presentations consisting of 53 panels covered by 7 simultaneous sessions (in 8 time slots), 2 book launches, 1 film viewing with a talk-back session, 2 keynote lectures, and 1 plenary roundtable discussion were made.
