Dear colleagues and students,
Happy end of the Spring semester! I’m pleased to share a summary of Global Asian Studies (GLAS) program events and faculty achievements from the past year.
2025-2026 has been a challenging and rewarding year for Global Asian Studies (GLAS). Despite severe budget cuts, GLAS was able to host an inspiring lecture series on “Environment, Atmosphere, Feeling” with six separate events, with cosponsorships from the Law School, the Asian American Center (AAC), and the Sociology and Anthropology Student Association (SASA). We are especially grateful that colleagues across the university brainstormed alliances and cosponsorships that extended aid and care to our program. Dr. Regine Jean-Charles as Chair of CSGS was particularly helpful in this regard.
The Fall 2025 semester featured Dr. Seo Young Park from Scripps College as our inaugural speaker, and Dr. Michael Thornton from the History department, both of whom presented new work to packed audiences. The final event in 2025 showcased graduate student work, with Vic Say, Sociology graduate student presenting. In the Spring 2026 semester, Dr. Naomi Paik (U. Illinois, Chicago) gave a keynote lecture that addressed the relevance of border environments to contemporary politics, followed by a talk by our inaugural GLAS postdoc G.J. Sevillano, which Dr. Genevieve Clutario (Wellesley College) moderated, and finally a dissertation research talk by Sociology PhD Candidate Chetna Kuanr. At the end of the Spring semester, GLAS cosponsored a talk by Dr. Cindy Lin (Georgia Tech) hosted by the Digital Civics Initiative, within the series “New Civic Terrains.”
Our program work would not have been possible without CSSH staff members Tiana Owens and Katlin McFee who managed our events and finances, Danita Mends from the Dean’s Office who stepped in to fill the gaps, as well as our student coop and workstudy Lillian McIlvaine, who gave enormous help by designing all of our visual material and social media posts.
Finally, a nod to our faculty: Dr. Gahye Song has joined the World Languages and Cultures department and is the coordinator of the Korean Language Program. Welcome Gahye! Dr. Eileen Otis’s new book is out with Stanford University Press, and Dr. Liza Weinstein has a new book coming out this summer with UC Press. Dr. Michael Thornton’s co-authored book is under contract with UC Press. Dr. Philip Thai has won a prestigious NEH fellowship, which will allow time for him to work on his book. Dr. Sasha Sabherwal will also be on fellowship next year to work on her research. Dr. G.J. Sevillano was awarded the Graduate Publication Award by the Critical Filipinx Section of the Association of Asian American Studies. Congratulations GJ! And for news hot off the press, Dr. Kris Manjapra has received a Guggenheim Fellowship, one of the highest academic honors possible. Congratulations Kris! Finally, our thanks and congratulations go to Dr. Margaret Woo, who is retiring this Spring after a long and prestigious career at the Law School. Margaret has championed GLAS for many years, and we look forward to maintaining our connection going forward. Meanwhile, my second book will be out with Duke University Press in November 2026, while I am on sabbatical. Dr. Denise Khor will lead the Fall 2026 programming until I return in the Spring.
GLAS is currently planning new events for next year that will strengthen the quality of our offerings and increase student engagement with our program. There is a BIG Fall event that is in the making, and I am certain that Northeastern will be excited by it. We will also be co-hosting a regional Spring conference on “Solidarity and Kinship in Southeast Asian Studies” with colleagues at Brown University.
Please follow our instagram channel nu_globalasia for all our latest announcements. The times may be lean, but we are committed to making the most of our wonderful community!
Doreen Lee
