Southeast Asia Research Group

 

About SEARG

Southeast Asia Research Group (SEARG) was established as a research cluster at the Department of Political Science, University of Delhi in 2016. The scholars and the researchers engaged in studying the geo-political realities of the region and its economic dynamics have agreed to come together under the umbrella of SEARG to discuss and deliberate upon the issues of common interests and concerns for all Southeast Asia watchers. The research group proposes to provide a common platform for all the members to share their ideas on the emerging issues and challenges relevant to the region. Though, initially launched as a Discussion Group, the SEARG is expected to grow and evolve as a major interactive research forum for sharing ideas and organizing lectures, panel discussions, workshops, national and international conferences and associate young and emerging scholars working on the region.  Since past one year it has successfully organized several events in collaboration and support with partners such as Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, Indian Council of World Affairs, Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Indian Council for Social Science Research, India International Centre and India Foundation. The forum envisages active association of all members and hopes to carry it forward at an international level for the exchange of ideas and dissemination of knowledge based on the expertise of each of its potential members.

 

Concept Note

Given the changing architecture of international politics from the end of Eurocentrism to the rise of an Asian order, countries of the Global South are now shaping the emerging contours of World Politics.  A significant development in this regard has been the rise in the strategic importance of Southeast Asia which has a far-reaching implication for the stability of the region.

Although initially conceptualized as a geographical region, over the years it has acquired a geopolitical construct and has been pivotal to the great game strategy of the erstwhile Super-powers and the other competing powers in the region. In more recent times, the United States pivot to Asia and its rebalancing strategy has once again raised the geo-strategic significance of the region in the World Politics.

In the evolving international order with the rise of Asian giants such as India and China and the highly competitive Japan and other regional powers such as South Korea and Australia, the Southeast Asian region has emerged as a focus of great power rivalry. Emerging geopolitical realities and the power shift in the region has impacted the regional architecture in a big way.

This region situated east of the Indian subcontinent and south of China shares political and cultural affinities to both these great powers.  While the Chinese imprints are visible more politically and economically, Indian influence could be seen in the cultural and historical linkages. The competing strategies and emerging alliances of the Southeast Asian States with the Big Powers have been continuously evolving in the background of their external and domestic exigencies.

With this background, the scholars and the researchers engaged in studying the geopolitical realities of the region and its economic dynamics have agreed to come together under the umbrella of Southeast Asia Research Group (SEARG) to discuss and deliberate upon the issues of common interest and concern for all Southeast Asia watchers. The research group proposes to provide a common platform for all the members to share their ideas on the emerging issues and challenges relevant to the region.

Though initially launched as a Discussion Group the SEARG is expected to grow and evolve as a major interactive research forum for sharing ideas and organizing lectures, panel discussions, workshops, national and international conferences and associate young and emerging scholars working on the region.  The forum envisages active association of all members and hopes to carry it forward at an international level for the exchange of ideas and dissemination of knowledge based on the expertise of each of its potential members.

 

Convenor

Dr. Sonu Trivedi

Zakir Husain Delhi College
University of Delhi
email: sonutrivedi@zh.du.ac.in
mobile: 9910170444

 

Events/Activities

 

International Conference on India-Vietnam Relations in the Changing Geo-politics of the Indo-Pacific

9th January 2018

Venue:

India International Centre, New Delhi

Resource Persons:

International, National and local delegates

 

International Conference on ASEAN@50 and India ASEAN Relations

7-8 December 2017

Venue:

National Institute of Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Sciences Campus, Bengaluru.

Resource Persons:

International, National and local delegates

 

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION on India's Soft Power

11th August 2017 (Friday)

Venue:

Zakir Husain Delhi College, University of Delhi

Resource Persons:

1.     Prof. Mr. Le Van TOAN, Director, Centre for Indian Studies, Hanoi

2.     Dr. Uma Shankar, Associate Professor, Zakir Husain Delhi College

3.     Dr. Anita Tagore, Assistant Professor, Kalindi College

4.     Dr. Aftab Alam, Assistant Professor, Zakir Husain Delhi College

5.     Dr. Amit Singh, Assistant Professor, ARSD College

6.     Dr. Namrata Chaturvedi, Assistant Professor, Zakir Husain Delhi College

7.     Dr. Ashwin Parijat, Assistant Professor, Zakir Husain Delhi College

 

Visit of delegation from Centre for Indian Studies (CIS), Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, Hanoi, Vietnam

9-11 August 2017

Venue:

1. Interaction at Observer Research Foundation

2. Interaction at School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University

3. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Foundation, New Delhi

4. Interaction at Nehru Memorial Museum and Library (NMML), Teen Murti Bhawan

5. Interaction at Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA)

Resource Persons:

1. Dr Le Van Toan, Director, Centre for Indian Studies (CIS), Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, Hanoi, Vietnam

2. Dr Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, Deputy Director, CIS

3. Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Ha, Fellow, CIS

4. Ms. Nguyen Thi Dung, Fellow, CIS

5. Ms. Do Khuong Manh Linh, Fellow, CIS

6. Ms. Nguyen Kieu Van, Interpreter, CIS

 

International Conference on Emerging Horizons in India-Vietnam Relations

3-4 July, 2017

Venue:

Nehru Memorial Museum and Library

Resource Persons:

International, National and local delegates

 

Southeast Asia Lecture Series

9th March, 2017 (Thursday)

Venue:

Satyakam Building, New Social Sciences Extension Building (North Campus), University of Delhi

Resource Person:

Dr. Harsh V. Pant (Professor, King’s College, London and Distinguished Fellow, ORF, New Delhi)

 

Panel Discussion on the ‘Idea of ASEAN’

2nd February 2017

Venue:

Nehru Memorial Museum and Library

Resource Persons:

1. Shri Shakti Sinha (Director, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, New Delhi)

2. Ms. Preeti Saran (Secretary, EAST, Ministry of External Affairs, Govt. of India)

3. Amb. Rajiv Bhatia (Former Director General, ICWA and Distinguished Fellow, Gateway House, Mumbai)

4. Amb. Jayant Prasad (Director General, IDSA, New Delhi)

5. Ms Pooja Kapur (Joint Secretary, ASEAN-ML Division, Ministry of External Affairs, Govt. of India)

6. Dr. Harsh V. Pant (Professor, King’s College, London and Distinguished Fellow, ORF, New Delhi)

7. Dr. Navnita Chadha Behera (Professor & Head, Department of Political Science, University of Delhi)

 

Visit of Delegation from Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences

16th December 2016

Venue:

Zakir Husain Delhi College

Resource Persons:

1. Dr Hoang The Anh, Deputy Director General, Institute of Chinese Studies, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences

2. Dr Ha Thi Hong Van, Head, Department of Chinese Economic Studies, Institute of Chinese Studies, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences

3. Dr Duong Thuy Vu, Head, Department for Taiwan Studies, Institute of Chinese Studies, Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences

 

Advisory Board

Amb. Shyam Saran, Chairman, Research and Information System for Developing Countries, New Delhi

Amb. Rajiv Bhatia, Distinguished Fellow, Gateway House, Mumbai

Amb. Gautam Mukhopadhaya, Former Indian Ambassador to Myanmar

Shri Shakti Sinha, Director, Nehru Memorial Museum & Library, New Delhi

Dr. Anirban Ganguly, Director, Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation, New Delhi

Prof. Navnita Chadha Behera, Head of the Department, Department of Political Science, University of Delhi

H. E. Ton Sinh Thanh, Ambassador of Socialist Republic of Vietnam to India

H.E. Haji Sidek bin Ali, High Commissioner of Brunei Darussalam to India

 

List of Core Members

(in Alphabetical order) 

1. Alana Golmei

Founder Director

PANN NU FOUNDATION

Director, Burma Centre Delhi

General Secretary, Northeast Support Centre & Helpline

Email: alana.golmei@gmail.com

2. Ambuj Thakur

Project Fellow

Centre for Studies on Bangladesh and Myanmar, Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh, Assam

Email: ambujtoday@gmail.com

3. Chok Tsering

Program Co-ordinator

Democracy & Dialogue Programme

Heinrich Böll Stiftung - India, New Delhi

Email: Chok.Tsering@in.boell.org

4. Christopher Roberts

Associate Professor and Director

National Asian Security Studies Program (NASSP)

Australian Defence Force Academy Campus, University of New South Wales, Canberra

Email: c.roberts@adfa.edu.au

5. Harsh V. Pant

Professor of International Relations

King's India Institute, King’s College London

& Distinguished Fellow and Head,

Strategic Studies Programme, Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi

Email: harsh.pant@kcl.ac.uk

6. Jabin T. Jacob

Fellow

Institute of Chinese Studies (ICS), Delhi

Email: jabinjacob@gmail.com

7. Jiten Nongthombam

Research Associate

Myanmar Study Centre

Manipur University, Manipur

Email: jiten_nongthombam@yahoo.com

8. K. Yhome

Research Fellow

Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi

E-mail ID: yhome@orfonline.org

9. Kaushik Deka

Independent Researcher (working on Act East Policy)

Guwahati, Assam

Email: kaushik.deka80@gmail.com

10. M. Mayilvaganan 

Associate Professor

International Strategic & Security Studies

National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS)

Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Campus

Bangalore

Email: mumayil@yahoo.com

11. Manish  Dabhade

Assistant Professor

Centre for International Politics, Organization and Disarmament (CIPOD)

School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University

New Delhi

Email: mdmanish@jnu.ac.in

12. Michael Malley

Executive Director,

Center on Contemporary Conflict, National Security Affairs Department

Naval Postgraduate School

Monterey CA 93943 USA

Email: msmalley@nps.edu

13. Munmun Majumdar

Associate Professor

Department of Political Science

North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong

Email: munmunmaj@yahoo.com

14. Nehginpao Kipgen

Assistant Professor

Executive Director, Centre for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS)

Jindal School of International Affairs, O.P. Jindal Global University

E-mail: nehginpao@gmail.com 

15. Neil Jain

Chevening Gurukul Fellow for Leadership and Excellence 2016

& Former First Secretary

Development Cooperation,

Embassy of India, Yangon, Myanmar

Additional Commissioner, Income Tax Department

UP (East), Lucknow

Uttar Pradesh

Email: jainneil@gmail.com

16.  Prabir De

Coordinator

ASEAN-INDIA Centre,

Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS)

Core IV-B, Fourth Floor, India Habitat Centre

New Delhi-110 003

Email: prabirde@ris.org.in

17. Sabyasachi Dutta

Director

Asian Confluence

Shillong

Email: sabyadutta@gmail.com 

18. Sanjay Pulipaka

Senior Consultant

East Asia Research Programme

Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER)

New Delhi

Email: psanjay.in@gmail.com

19. Sanjeev Kumar

Assistant Professor

Department of Political Science

Zakir Husain Delhi College, University of Delhi

Email: sanjeevkumar78@gmail.com

20. Sayantani Sen Mazumdar

Research Fellow

Global India Foundation, Kolkata

Email: senmazumdarmimi@gmail.com

21. Shalini Yog

Deputy Director & Coordinator for the Programme on ‘'Gender and Socio-Economic Policies'’ and "Globalization" 

Heinrich Böll Stiftung - India

New Delhi

Email: shalini.yog@in.boell.org

22. Shamika Ravi

Senior Fellow

Development Economics

Brookings India, New Delhi

Email: sravi@brookingsindia.org

23. Sonu Trivedi

Assistant Professor

Department of Political Science

Zakir Husain Delhi College, University of Delhi

Email: sonutrivedi@gmail.com

24. Shristi Pukhrem

Senior Research Fellow

India Foundation

New Delhi

Email: shristi25@gmail.com

25.  Subhadeep Bhattacharya

Fellow

Centre for Studies on China and Her Neighbourhood

University of Calcutta

Kolkata

Email: sbcu2005@gmail.com

26. Sunniva Engh

Associate Professor of History

Department of Archaeology, Conservation and History

University of Oslo

Email: sunniva.engh@iakh.uio.no

27.  Udai Bhanu Singh

Senior Research Associate

Institute of Defense Studies and Analyses, New Delhi

Email: udaibhanusingh1@gmail.com

 

Contact us

SOUTHEAST ASIA RESEARCH GROUP
Department of Political Science
University of Delhi
Email: southearg@gmail.com

SEARG on Facebook: SEARGDelhiuniversity
SEARG on Twitter: @southearg

 

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