I was a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Southeast Asian Studies in 2005-06. After spending almost nine years elsewhere, first in the Department of Political and Social Change at Australian National University (a wonderful place!) and then in the Department of Political Science, NUS, I am now happily back in a multi-disciplinary area studies department where everyone shares passion for Southeast Asia.
While an undergrad student, I first became interested in Southeast Asia, especially the history of Singapore and Malaysia, by a totally strange twist of fate. Soon thereafter, by just another quirk of fate, my research interest shifted to (rural) Thailand, a subject on which I now specialize. Although formally trained as a political scientist, I have eclectic, interdisciplinary interests that cut across anthropology, history, literary studies, and psychology.
My publications on various aspects of Thai politics and society, ranging from provincial strongmen and road construction to female leadership and social movements, are listed in a separate section of this web page.
I teach the following modules:
SE2213: Politics of Southeast Asia
SE2219: Culture and Power in Southeast Asia
SE4212: Elites of Southeast Asia
SE5242: Country Studies Seminar: Thailand
SE6214: Studies in Sooutheast Asian Politics
(rural) Thai politics and history; state-society relations; social movements; comparative politics
OTHERS
Book (single-authored):
[reviewed by 11 scholars]
Journal Articles (all single-authored):
Chapter in Book/Monograph (all single-authored):
Book Reviews:
Others
Editorial board member for Journal of Southeast Asian Studies (Cambridge University Press), 2017-present
Teaching Awards:
Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award, University of Washington, 2001
Faculty Teaching Excellence Award (FTEA), National University of Singapore, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013
Faculty Student Choice Award, National University of Singapore, 2011
University-level Annual Teaching Excellence Award (ATEA), National University of Singapore, 2011, 2012 and 2013