Research
The research at the Centre is interdisciplinary in nature and focuses on contemporary societies in East and South-East Asia.
The Centre covers a range of different countries in the region, including Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Myanmar, South Korea and Thailand, and researchers are engaged in both individual and collaborative projects. Research addresses current domestic challenges and developments, and places them in broader regional and global contexts. Many global challenges today, such as climate change, demographic transformations, and geopolitical conflicts, affect individual countries in the region with serious implications for their economic and political futures. At the same time, the region as a whole is embedded in, and often central to, broader global developments, which means that understanding the world in the 21st century requires an in-depth understanding of East and South-East Asia.
The research at the Centre can be clustered into different areas as indicated below. For individual projects see the respective researcher pages.
Civil society, human rights, and political developments
The region is home to several authoritarian regimes, and democracy is fragile and under threat in many other countries. Topics such as authoritarianism, democratic backsliding, the role and possibilities for civic and political engagement, including forms of social movements and youth activism, are hence salient issues for many researchers at the Centre. Centre researchers also study civil society developments and human rights issues, such as freedom of speech, labour rights, citizenship rights, minority rights, and academic freedom.
Climate change, economic development, and labour issues
The East and South-East Asian region has long been described as an economic power house and includes some of the world’s fastest growing economies. Nevertheless, economic development has been uneven. China’s rapid economic growth has led to neighboring countries, such as Cambodia and Myanmar, becoming heavily dependent on Chinese investments with serious political implications. At the same time, Chinese investments and flows of capital and labour stretch far beyond the region, to Africa, Europe, and the Americas. There is also labor migration from countries in Southeast Asia to countries such as Japan and South Korea. Climate change threatens vast parts of Asia with floods, draughts, and recurring heat waves that put people’s lives at risk. But climate changes also spur new initiatives and policies. Researchers at the Centre study China’s global economic role and its impact in the region and beyond. They also study different local initiatives and projects in different countries, such as the development of start-ups and investments in so-called smart cities, as well as different actors who advocate for social change, labour rights and more sustainable futures.
Demographic changes, inequalities, and gender
Several countries in the region are experiencing rapid demographic changes. These changes manifest in low birth rates, an aging populace, and rural depopulation. Such developments impact the social fabric and economic ecosystems of these countries, and have resulted in fierce debates and diverse policy schemes, including encouraging young people to have (more) children, and revitalizing rural areas. At the same time this demographic change is uneven and disproportionally affects women and minorities. The global gender divide is evident in many Asian countries, where women fight for their rights and where feminism is often seen as an unwelcome challenge to traditional paternalistic structures. Several researchers study demographic changes and their impact on both young and old, gender relations, including adoption, the situation of youths, minority issues, and rural depopulation.
Digital transformations and digital methods
East and South-East Asia has been home to some of the world’s fastest and most dramatic digital transformations with China, South Korea, and Japan taking the lead in developing new digital technologies. Public debates, civil society, and politics have been transformed by digital technologies and platforms. New challenges have also emerged with the development of AI and Big Data with serious implications for surveillance and censorship. Digital methods of various kinds have on the other hand opened up new ways to do research and collect and analyze vast materials of data. Several researchers at the Centre study digital transformations and its impact on society and politics, the role of different platforms and diverse actors, including authorities, civil society actors, and companies, on topics ranging from veganism, solidarity movements, and propaganda. At the same time, many of the Centre’s researchers increasingly use digital methods in their research.
Geopolitics and international relations
China’s geopolitical power and economic importance in the region and beyond is one of the most significant developments of the 21st century. Other regional powers such as Japan, and foreign powers like the US and Russia, also play an important role in the region. Old and new territorial disputes and local tensions and conflicts shape the region and people’s lives. Internal conflicts and ensuing displacement have led to migration and large refugee populations in neighboring countries. Several researchers study China’s geopolitical role, including flows of capital and people, Japan’s foreign policy, and human security issues in Southeast Asia more broadly.
Media, culture, and film
The role of digital platforms and traditional media are important for democracy, public debates, and to promote knowledge and innovation. However, the space for freedom of expression and press freedom looks quite different in the countries in the region. Many countries systematically exercise censorship and curtail the role of independent media. Several countries have been very successful in exporting popular culture and film, Japan and South Korea in particular, whereas other countries’ cultural products may remain quite unknown outside of their borders. Researchers at the Centre focus on topics such as freedom of speech, media developments, propaganda, cultural heritage, and cultural products such as photography and documentary film.
Research Portal
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