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From the Southeast Asia Program at Cornell University, the Gatty Rewind Podcast features interviews and conversations with scholars and researchers working in and around Southeast Asia, all of whom have been invited to give a Gatty Lecture at Cornell University. Conversations cover the history, politics, economics, literature, art, and cultures of the region. Interviews are hosted by graduate students at Cornell University, and podcast topics cover the many nations and peoples of Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Burma, Laos, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, and Timor-Leste. For more information on the Southeast Asia Program at Cornell University, visit seap.einaudi.cornell.edu. Music provided by 14 Strings and the Cornell Gamelan Ensemble.
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In this episode, host Francine Barchett teams up with co-host Lijun Zhang, a Cornell PhD student in history, for a riveting conversation with Dr. Martina Nguyen, Associate Professor of History at Baruch College, City University of New York. Dr. Nguyen shares the story of a provocative newspaper column penned by prominent Vietnamese intellectual Nguyễn Văn Vĩnh, under a female pseudonym! She explores how the column stirred debates around masculinity, femininity, and national identity in early modern Vietnam. Plus, listeners get a sneak peek at an upcoming museum exhibition she’s co-curating on the iconic ao dài (Vietnamese national garment) during the Vietnam War, which will open at the Cantor Art Gallery in Worcester in fall 2025. Lightning round: 4:10 Research and Lecture Summary: 13:14 Advice for researchers and recommendations: 55:23 Dr. Nguyen’s top recommendations: Songs by Trịnh Công Sơn and Quang Lê Đất Khổ (Land of Sorrows) by Hà Thúc Cần White Lotus by Mike White The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino-style Rondalla group established at Cornell University. Check them out here. Produced by Adam Farihin and Cecilia Liu
In this episode of Gatty Rewind, host Francine Barchett and guest co-host Evelyn Fettes (Cornell PhD candidate in Linguistics) join Dr. Rachel Leow, Associate Professor of Modern East Asian History at the University of Cambridge, for a journey through the Southern Seas. Dr. Leow challenges landlocked, nation-bound histories of Southeast Asia by exploring oceanic imaginaries—from Chinese creole dreams to Malay revolutionary visions. What happens when we rethink diaspora, race, and empire not through borders, but through water? Tune in for a lively conversation that dives into the tangled, shimmering histories of migration, language, and ideas across Asia’s maritime world. Lightning round: 3:48 Research and Lecture Summary: 14:30 Advice for researchers and recommendations: 41:06 Dr. Leow’s recommendations: KHÔNG SAO CẢ by 7dnight The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino-style Rondalla group established at Cornell University. Check them out here. Produced by Adam Farihin and Cecilia Liu
In this episode, Francine Barchett interviews Heidi Kühn, founder of Roots of Peace and 2023 World Food Prize laureate. Kühn shares how a background in journalism and a life-changing cancer diagnosis led her to launch a global mission: turning “mines to vines.” She recounts how her organization cleared landmines in places like Vietnam and Afghanistan. Along the way, she offers moving stories about working with farmers in Quang Tri Province and her vision for creating a global “army of peacekeepers” through sustainable agriculture. The episode closes with advice for young changemakers and a reminder that even the smallest seed of hope can grow into global impact. Lightning round: 3:20 Roots of Peace Summary: 8:32 Advice for researchers and recommendations: 37:14 The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino-style Rondalla group established at Cornell University. Check them out here. Produced by Adam Farihin and Cecilia Liu
In this special celebratory episode, host Francine Barchett reunites with Michael Kirkpatrick Miller, a PhD candidate in Cornell’s Department of History, who happens to be the original creator of the Gatty Rewind podcast! Michael shares fresh insights from his dissertation on Dutch colonialism in Indonesia, focusing on how the colonial state constructed Ambonese men as a “martial race” through the unlikely lens of football. From masculinity and loyalty to colonial control, Michael unpacks how sports became a tool of empire—and how Ambonese soldiers and athletes pushed back against these narratives. The conversation then turns personal as Michael reflects on his wide-ranging academic journey at the Cornell Southeast Asia Program, where he’s explored everything from horses to food to gender. Lightning round: 3:42 Research and Lecture Summary: 14:43 Advice for researchers and recommendations: 52:13 Michael's Top Recommendations: Rasa Tanah Air: Awal Perkembangan Kuliner Indonesia di Mancanegara pada Akhir Abad ke-19 hingga 1940-an - Fadly Rahman The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino-style Rondalla group established at Cornell University. Check them out here. Produced by Adam Farihin and Cecilia Liu
In this episode, guest co-host Iris Luo (Cornell PhD candidate in Human-Centered Design) joins host Francine Barchett to interview Elissa “E” Domingo Badique, a Cornell PhD candidate in Performance and Media Arts. E describes their winding journey—from serving as a community advisor at Harvard to working as a makeup artist in Japan. But it was a fandom studies class that sparked their research into K-pop dance covers! E traces these performances back to Filipino variety shows, where choreography became a tool for myth-making and expressing diasporic Filipino identity, particularly through the lens of Asian male figures like K-pop idols. Their advice to listeners: be open-minded! For Southeast Asian studies to grow and evolve, they remind us, it should remain expansive and inclusive. Lightning round: 3:41 Research and Lecture Summary: 14:12 Advice for researchers and recommendations: 39:40 E's Top Recommendation: Like I do, J Tajor The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino-style Rondalla group established at Cornell University. Check them out here. Produced by Adam Farihin and Cecilia Liu
In this episode, guest co-host Anke Wang, a Cornell PhD candidate in History, joins host Francine Barchett for a tag-team interview with Dr. Hieu Phung, Assistant Professor of Vietnamese and Southeast Asian History at Rutgers University. Dr. Phung discusses her research on how pre-modern environmental factors shaped political and administrative systems in Vietnam, with a focus on state-building in the Red River Delta. She unpacks how perceptions of sea-dykes evolved over time—beyond their physical function, they became central to how people understood nature, risk, and governance. The episode wraps up with Dr. Phung’s candid advice for students still not sure what they want to study (spoiler: it’s okay not to have it all figured out!). Lightning round: 3:41 Research and Lecture Summary: 14:12 Advice for researchers and recommendations: 39:40 The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino style Rondalla group established in Cornell University. Check them out here. Produced by Adam Farihin and Cecilia Liu
In this episode, host Francine Barchett interviews Dr. Kristian Karlo Saguin, Associate Professor of Geography at the University of the Philippines Diliman. Dr. Saguin unpacks his recent Gatty Lecture, based on his award-winning book Urban Ecologies on the Edge: Making Manila’s Resource Frontier (winner of the Benda Prize). Their conversation explores the complex socio-environmental dynamics of Laguna Lake—from its role in shaping consumer preferences for fish to its impact on flooding in Metro Manila and beyond. We’re also pretty sure Dr. Saguin is the most enthusiastic geographer we’ve ever had on the show! Lightning round: 2:57 Research and Lecture Summary: 10:32 Advice for researchers and recommendations: 43:45 Dr. Saguin’s top recommendations: The Camphor Tree and the Elephant Book by Faizah Zakaria The Pulse of the Earth: Political Geology in Java The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino style Rondalla group established in Cornell University. Check them out here.
Welcome to Spicy SEAP! This special edition of the podcast recreates the popular TV show Hot Ones—but with a twist! Instead of chicken wings, our guests take on a lineup of spicy Southeast Asian dishes, from snacks to main courses and mysterious desserts. Host Francine Barchett is joined by Lijun Zhang, a PhD candidate in History and co-chair of the Cornell Southeast Asia Program (SEAP) Gatty Lecture Series. Lijun’s research explores female migration from southeastern China to British Malaya and Singapore, focusing on grassroots intimacy, women’s mobility, and the agency that shaped legal travel within the colonial judiciary. Her academic journey began in a Singaporean high school and evolved through her undergraduate studies at Colgate. Lijun’s favorite Indonesian word is duduk-duduk—any guesses on what it means? Tune in now! Appetizers: Carada Rice Ball Cuttlefish – 5:45 Hanami Chili Prawn Crackers – 7:15 Snacks: Musang King Durian Cake – 11:15 Hapi Sriracha Peas – 15:40 Taokaenoi Mala Crispy Seaweed – 19:25 Grilled Spicy Seaweed Roll – 25:00 Main Challenge: 2xspicy Buldak Ramen – 33:40 Mystery Item: Pandan Euro Cake – 40:07 Lijun Zhang’s top recommendations: The White Lotus Season 3 by Mike White The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye by Sonny Liew The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino style Rondalla group established in Cornell University. Check them out here. Produced by Adam Farihin and Cecilia Liu
In this episode, Francine Barchett sits down to interview Dr. Benjamin Tausig, an Associate Professor of Critical Music Studies at SUNY Stony Brook University. Dr. Tausig shares his work on the transnational dialectic of queerness and race in Cold War-era Thailand. He describes the complex intersections of American military influence, local nightlife, and the socio-economic transformations that shaped Thai culture. Later, he also reflects on the murder of Darrel Berrigan, asking: how do non-heteronormative relationships play a role within this unique cultural moment? Through it all, he invites us to rethink how sound and silence can reveal hidden layers of history and politics around race and sexuality. And for graduate students juggling research and teaching? He has some reassuring words for you, too! Lightning round: 4:06 Research and Lecture Summary: 14:16 Advice for researchers and recommendations: 44:50 Dr. Tausig ’s top recommendations: Bangkok Wakes to Rain - Pitchaya Sudbanthad ตะลุยบางกอก - เพลิน พรหมแดน เพชรพิณทอง The Petch Phin Thong Band The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino style Rondalla group established in Cornell University. Check them out here.
In this episode, host Francine Barchett interviews Dr. Ivan V. Small, a Professor of Anthropology and Director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at Northern Illinois University. Dr. Small talks about his research on Vietnamese refugee minorities in the U.S. following the Vietnam War and the Ford administration's resettlement policies. He shares how these communities resisted assimilation, often through second or third migrations. And he highlights the crucial role of automobiles in shaping immigrant experiences, enabling movement to new "ethno-burb" nodes that connected Asian communities. Dr. Small also talks about his university's podcast, Crossroads of the World, a sister podcast to the Gatty Rewind! Lightning round: 3:59 Research and Lecture Summary: 13:53 Advice for researchers and recommendations: 34:16 Dr. Small’s top recommendations: The Sympathizer Southeast Asia Crossroads Podcast - CSEAS @ NIU Suburban Refugees: Class and Resistance in Little Saigon by Jennifer Huynh The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino style Rondalla group established in Cornell University. Check them out here. Produced by Adam Farihin and Cecilia Liu
In this episode, host Francine Barchett pairs up with Shreya Chitnavis, a 2024 Cornell MPH graduate, to interview Dr. Joshua Babcock, an Assistant Professor of Anthropology and affiliate faculty in Linguistics and Science & Technology Studies at Brown University. Dr. Babcock talks about the limitations of Singapore's racial and linguistic classifications. Reflecting on his findings, he presents a fiction of multi-racial multilingualism as Singapore’s national identity. In Dr. Babcock’s words, "racial community gets performed, policed, and blocked through everyday activity." And dare we say – Dr. Babcock is a researcher with many surprises! He shares how his work in Singapore involves another Singapore…one that is NOT in Asia! Lightning round: 3:24 Research and Lecture Summary: 9:58 Advice for researchers and recommendations: 47:24 Dr. Babcock ’s top recommendations: Ministry of Moral Panic - Amanda Lee Koe The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino style Rondalla group established in Cornell University. Check them out here. Produced by Adam Farihin and Cecilia Liu
In this episode, host Francine Barchett interviews Emi Donald, a PhD candidate in the Department of History at Cornell University. Emi shares insights from their 18-month fieldwork in Bangkok, where they explored the roles of tomboys (thom in Thai) and trans men. They highlight ways the transgender experience, including clinic access, social acceptance of the trans community, and their legal protections, have evolved in Thailand in recent history. Then they take a bittersweet victory lap on their PhD experience, with some tips for aspiring PhD students: learn a language, develop time management skills, and find your people to get you through the inevitable dissertation downs! Lightning round: 3:34 Research and Lecture Summary: 9:41 Advice for researchers and recommendations: 28:49 Emi’s top recommendations: A Good True Thai by Sunisa Manning How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies Tiffany Tsao's English translations of Indonesian poetry The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino style Rondalla group established in Cornell University. Check them out here. Produced by Adam Farihin and Cecilia Liu
In this episode, Gatty Rewind founding host, Michael Kirkpatrick Miller, returns to interview Dr. Kathryn "Kitsie" Emerson, the Director of the EKALAYA Arts Centre in Java. Dr. Emerson talks about Semar Mbangun Kayangan, a wayang (Indonesian shadow puppet) piece. She explores the history, narratives, and motives behind its various versions, as each portrays a unique vision of utopia tailored to different demographics. She closes by sharing her journey of discovering the Javanese language and culture as a non-native speaker. Lightning round: 4:11 Research and Lecture Summary: 10:16 Advice for researchers and recommendations: 41:30 Dr. Emerson's top recommendations: Tall Tree, Nest of the Wind by Bernard Arps The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino style Rondalla group established in Cornell University. Check them out here. Produced by Adam Farihin, Neen Tangcharoenmonkong, and Cecilia Liu.
In this episode, host Francine Barchett interviews Mr. Nielson Sophann Hul, a Khmer Lecturer at the University of Washington (at the time of the interview, he was defending his PhD in Linguistics at Cornell University). Mr. Hul's research explores how heritage Khmer speakers in the Northwestern US use implosives, or stop consonants, in their speech. He reveals that fluent Khmer speakers and speakers who have spent less time in the US generally use more implosives than others. Mr. Hul explains the importance of his findings: among immigrant communities, practicing one’s native language strongly connects with their cultural and communal identities. Keeping listeners on their toes, Mr. Hul goes on to share his reflections as a veteran navigating graduate school, a bread baking addict, and a teacher returning to his roots. Lightning round: 4:40 Research and Lecture Summary: 11:50 Recommendation and advice for researchers: 34:50 Mr.Hul’s Top Recommendations: Still I Strive - Documentary by A. Todd Smith & Adam Pfleghaar The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino style Rondalla group established in Cornell University. Check them out here. Produced by Adam Farihin, Neen Tangcharoenmonkong, and Cecilia Liu.
In this episode, host Francine Barchett interviews Dr. Lawrence Chua, an associate professor at the School of Architecture at Syracuse University. Looking from the 1920s onward, he applies a historicist lens to study the histories of two museums: the Musée Albert Sarraut (Cambodge/modern day Cambodia) and the National Museum of Bangkok (Siam/modern day Thailand). Dr. Chua provides context from each to illustrate how fragments of the premodern past are recontextualized through both colonial and post-colonial regimes. Dr. Chua closes with insights about his homecoming to Cornell SEAP and advises all up-and-coming scholars on how to be competitive in an increasingly international academic job market. Lightning round: 4:18 Research and Lecture Summary: 24:22 Advice for researchers and recommendations: 1:02:20 Dr. Chua's top recommendations: Malila: The Farewell Flower by Anucha Boonyawatana Khwam rak khong Walaya by Seni Saowaphong เสนีย์ เสาวพงศ์ Pisaj by Seni Saowaphong The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino style Rondalla group established in Cornell University. Check them out here. Produced by Adam Farihin, Neen Tangcharoenmonkong, and Cecilia Liu.
In this episode, host Francine Barchett speaks with Dr. Dwi Noverini Djenar, an Associate Professor and the Chair of the Indonesian Studies Department at the University of Sydney. Her talk focuses on the linguistic features found in Indonesian broadcast news interviews. She shows that when sensitive topics are being discussed, the interview participants and audience may co-create "exonerative accounts," which free the speakers or audience of blame or guilt on that particular topic. She reveals examples of “exonerative accounts” through clips from a popular Indonesian political commentary podcast. Throughout the episode, listeners will hear Dr. Djenar’s passion for the sounds and beauties of not only the Indonesian language but also other languages. Lightning Round: 3:26 Research and fieldwork summary: 11:29 Advice for researchers and recommendations: 40:09 Dr. Djenar's Top Recommendations: Other Indonesians: Nationalism in an Unnative Language by Joseph Errington Systemic Silencing: activism memory and sexual violence in indonesia by Katherine E. McGregor The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino style Rondalla group established in Cornell University. Check them out here. Produced by Adam Farihin, Neen Tangcharoenmonkong, and Cecilia Liu.
In this episode, host Francine Barchett interviewed Dr. Eric Thompson, an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the National University of Singapore. He describes the development and recent publication of his book, "The Story of Southeast Asia." Cutting across anthropology, archeology, history, and other disciplines, Dr. Thompson recounts the many regional themes that had inspired this writing. He reconsiders colonialism’s influence in Southeast Asia, highlights its unique interplay of religions and religious diversity, and revisits the long-standing debate: what actually is Southeast Asia? He also surprises Francine with some unexpected tidbits, including a fun fact involving none other than Taylor Swift and the Kansas City Chiefs. Lightning Round: 3:36 Research and fieldwork summary: 11:03 Advice for researchers and recommendations: 47:33 Eric Thompson’s top recommendations: This Earth of Mankind - a film adaptation of Bumi Manusia by Pramoedya Ananta Toer Mat Kilau: Kebangkitan Pahlawan by Syamsul Yusof Sultan Agung Mataram 1628 and Kartini: Princess of Java by Hanung Bramantyo The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino style Rondalla group established in Cornell University. Check them out here. Produced by Adam Farihin, Neen Tangcharoenmonkong, and Cecilia Liu.
Francine Barchett pairs up with Xintong Chen, a PhD student in Southeast Asian history, to interview Dr. Wu Xiao An. Dr. Wu is the Chair Professor and Founding Dean of the Research Institute of Global Chinese and Area Studies at Huaqiao University, Xiamen, China. During the conversation, Dr. Wu gives context on the history and legacies of the Chinese diaspora and explains the importance of the Chinese diaspora within Southeast Asia. He argues that Chinese communities have shaped, and been shaped by, Southeast Asia's social, economic, and political landscapes, particularly after the Chinese Cultural Revolution. Dr. Wu also connects the history of the Southeast Asian Chinese diaspora to other global Chinese diasporas. He ends by sharing his vision for future research and hopes for emerging scholars. Lightning Round: 6:17 Research and fieldwork summary: 19:08 Advice for researchers and recommendations: 55:28 The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino style Rondalla group established in Cornell University. Check them out here. Produced by Adam Farihin, Neen Tangcharoenmonkong, and Cecilia Liu.
In this episode, host Francine Barchett interviews Dr. Chie Ikeya, an Associate Professor of History, the Director of the Institute for Research on Women, and the Co-Director of the Global Asias Initiative at Rutgers University. Dr. Ikeya discusses the history and legacies of the Buddhist Women’s Special Marriage and Succession Act in Burma. She compares this legislation to similar international policies supporting religious freedom. Later, she argues that such marriage laws often treat Asian migrants and settlers as outsiders who can never fully integrate. In other words, they may preserve the "purity" of the dominant group by controlling women's rights (e.g., in areas like marriage, reproduction, and property) while claiming to protect women. Lightning Round: 4:30 Research and lecture summary: 10:49 Advice for researchers and recommendations: 42:29 Dr.Ikeya's top recommendations: Ghosts of war in Vietnam by Heonik Kwon Ghostly Past, Capitalist Presence: A Social History of Fear in Colonial Bengal by Tithi Bhattacharya Global Asias: Tactics & Theories by Tina Chen and Charlotte Eubanks The music on the podcast is from "14 Strings!", a Filipino style Rondalla group established in Cornell University. Check them out here. Produced by Adam Farihin, Neen Tangcharoenmonkong, and Cecilia Liu.
In this episode, host Francine Barchett interviewed Dr. Thongchai Winichakul, Emeritus Professor of History at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dr. Thongchai looks back on his 40-year career to reflect on how Thai studies has changed overtime. First, he views Thai intellectual history as a vivid cross-cultural encounter. The field combines comparison, interpretation and translation across both literal and cultural languages. Furthermore, he argues that as academics come from different political, economic, scholarly, and cultural environments, their wide-ranging perspectives are informing new questions and methodologies. He coins different scholarly approaches and positioning in Thai studies, ranging from the “Other” to the “Self” as home scholar, with many in-betweens. Lightning Round: 2:56 Research and lecture summary: 21:38 Advice for researchers and recommendations: 1:05:40 Powerpoint: Thai Studies in the Global Context of Encounters.pptx The music on the podcast is from "Me and Some Friends", a musical project by a group of friends at Cornell, to experiment with how the beautiful timbres of Gamelan music can meld with hypnotic guitar parts to create a contemplative and unique experience. Check them out here. Produced by Neen Tangcharoenmonkong.
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