In spite of being one of the first countries in Asia to establish an institution devoted to the study of the Asian region, area studies in the Philippines has languished over the years. In contrast, area studies programs of her neighbors have grown by leaps and bounds, invigorated by both public and private support. This observation becomes more glaring as Filipino scholars have made a name for themselves in the field of Southeast Asian Studies abroad. The paper is an appraisal of the current state of Southeast Asian area studies and the extent of its operation by the Philippines’ top four universities, namely: the Asian Center of the University of the Philippines, the Ateneo de Manila University, the De La Salle University, and the University of Santo Tomas. Starting from the inception of area studies in the mid-1950s leading to a template patterned after the North American – European model, the paper then describes the challenges and its decline in the 80s toward its progression on a paradigm defined by the growing importance of, and actors within, the region. The paper expresses the view that one, the role of the government was both a boon and a bane in the development of area studies; and two, that the rapid economic growth and immense integration in the region in the last two decades gave a new impetus to Southeast Asian area studies, an enormous opportunity to capitalize on for Philippine universities.
목차
Abstract Ⅰ. Introduction Ⅱ. Area studies and the Asian Center Ⅲ. Southeast Asian Area Studies in other universities Ⅳ. Transitions and prospects References
본 연구소는 아시아 지역 및 관련 국가의 정치, 경제, 사회, 역사, 문화, 언어등에 관하여 지역연구 방법론을 통한 학제적 연구에 그 목적을 두고 아시아 각 지역의 최신 정보 및 자료의 수집, 정리, 분석, 제공에 중점을 둔다. 이와 관련하여 국내외 대학 및 연구기관과의 학술교류에 주력하여 지역연구부문 최고의 중점 연구소로의 성장을 목표로 한다.