Globalisation of Social Science Research on Southeast Asia

Abstract

Local knowledge production of Southeast Asian scholars has kept pace with global knowledge production. Percentage increases from year to year have been similar. In the past decade local knowledge production has increased even more than global production. If the trend remains intact we can assume that Southeast Asia will move forward in the world of social science. “Reflexive modernization”, i.e. questioning the path of development by informed public intellectuals will take its course. As scholars in local institutions of higher learning research the social, political and economic conditions of their own countries, they are in a position to question past practices of their political leadership and offer solutions to problems they have discovered. They will ultimately construct the social reality of Southeast Asia that has often been defined in centres of excellence outside the region.

Keywords: knowledge, development, knowledge management, knowledge governance, ASEAN, Southeast Asia

JEL Classification: O32