Faizah Zakaria
Southeast Asia. Historian. Religion and Ecology.
About
Hello! I am a historian of Southeast Asia, focusing on the environment and religion in the maritime region. I completed my PhD in History at Yale University in 2018.
I hold a B.Sc. (Hons), double majoring in Mathematics and English, along with an M.A in Southeast Asian Studies from the National University of Singapore.
At present, I am assistant professor of history at Nanyang Technological University. Previously, I have held postdoctoral positions at the International Institute for Asian Studies (Leiden University, the Netherlands) and the Mario Einaudi Centre for International Studies (Cornell University, USA).
I am a podcast host with the New Books Network focusing Environmental Studies and Southeast Asian Studies - feel free pitch me if you'd like to feature your book :)
Research
My current research focuses on conversions, sacred landscapes, indigenous forest communities and more-than-human relationships in Southeast Asia. I am also doing preliminary archival research on mega-fauna and volcanic eruptions in the region. From past work, I have published on mass violence in the twentieth century and indigenous constructions of health and consumption.
Click on the 'Projects' tab to read more.
See the CV below for details. Feel free to email me if you are interested to read any of the full pieces.
Interests
I am interested in exploring interdisciplinary approaches to historical research and incorporating non-conventional archives such as visual and scientific proxy records as well as digital tools.
Click on 'Reads and Resources' to find an evolving list of digitized sources and databases pertaining to Southeast Asian history, together with news sources on the region and or the environment more broadly. A bibliography on Southeast Asian environmental history can also be found there.
Projects
Do send an email or a message if you are interested in similar issues!