Call for Participants: Summer School in Southeast Asia The New Orientalism, Understanding the Paradoxes of Mass Tourism in Southeast Asia

“The New Orientalism: Understanding the Paradoxes of Mass Tourism in Southeast Asia,” will explore the complex rise and consequences of large-scale tourism in the region. Taking place from June 22 to July 4, 2026, this off-campus program focuses specifically on Indonesia and is organized by the Department of Anthropology at Universitas Gadjah Mada and the Department of Political Science at Université de Montréal

Rooted in critical tourism studies, this program brings together 40 students from Canada and Southeast Asia to examine the tension between economic development and the commodification of culture. Through expert-led lectures and immersive participatory observation, participants will analyze how the industry balances income generation and cultural discovery against the fabrication of “authenticity” in local communities.