Guiding principals and methods for realizing
man's higher nature through the process of self cultivation found in Zen Buddhism and Kyoto school
philosophy
exploring potential mechanisms for cooperation in East Asia in order
to establish a more cohesive regional bloc based on stability and peace; examine the obstacles in the foreign policies of the
countries of the region that might hinder them achieving fully-engaged regional cooperation in East Asia
Thai history, especially its political, social & intellectual aspects;
Chinese civilzation in historical perspective; and the response of both countries to colonialism and modernity
the processes and mechanisms of intergenerational communication between
Cambodian refugees and first-generation Cambodian-Americans to reveal the textures of cultural memory and selective memory
roles afforded to science & technology by governments in national development
and their outcomes; juxtaposing the Newly Industrialized Economies of Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand with the less
industrialized economies of Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar
terrorist and national security threats in the
Philippines, paying particular attention to the Muslim extremist groups in the area, and how this
instability affects the region as a whole
Vietnam French colonial history; Vietnamese adaptation;
Vietnam War history: Communist Reeducation Camp Experience; U.S. Immigration History: 20th Century
Vietnamese Refugee Cultural adaptation
theoretical contemporary politics in Southeast Asia;
cross-cultural political development; political expression in the forms of freedom and oppression;
and the current influence on technological advancement and globalization on "third world" countries
such as Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia
