• Date: November 6th, Friday, 2026, 10:30 – 12:00
• Location: Room 303, SNUAC (Bldg. 101)

2026 Southeast Asia Current Issues Seminar Series 2
Revisiting Authoritarianism in Southeast Asia: Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam

Following the first seminar in the Current Issues series held in 2025, the 2026 Southeast Asia Current Issues Seminar Series 2 takes stock of the consolidation and reconfiguration of authoritarian rule in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam in the mid-2020s.

At the time of a new administration’s inauguration or a major restructuring of political power, public attention and debate tend to focus intensely on the background and future direction of such changes. Over time, however, authoritarian governance can come to be accepted as a familiar political reality, weakening critical scrutiny and evaluation. This seminar revisits changes and tensions that can easily be overlooked amid such familiarity. Drawing on current developments in each country, the presentations will examine modes of governance, policy implementation, responses from civil society, and changes in the everyday lives of local communities.

Through this discussion, the seminar seeks to assess how the expectations and concerns that emerged at the beginning of each administration have actually unfolded, and to compare the processes through which authoritarianism is sustained, reinforced, or challenged in different political contexts. In doing so, it aims to consider the future direction of politics in Southeast Asia.

Date & Time: November 6, 2026, 10:30 AM
Venue: Room 303, SNUAC
Moderator and Discussant: Junyoung Park, Southeast Asia Center, SNUAC

Presentation 1 | Mincheol Suh
Master’s Student, Department of Political Science & International Relations, SNU
Fragmenting Street Politics: Two Years of Prabowo’s Presidency through Protests in Aceh and Jakarta

Presentation 2 | Hyewon Park
Research Fellow, Jeonbuk National University Institute for Southeast Asian Studies
Four Years into the Marcos Administration: The Current State of Philippine Politics and Society

Presentation 3 | Kyuduck Byun
Ph.D. Candidate, National University of Singapore
Vietnam’s “New Era, the Era of National Rise”: The Paradox of Reform and Authoritarianism

Program

1. Country Presentations: 15 minutes × 3 = 45 minutes
2. Designated Discussion: 10 minutes
3. General Discussion: 35 minutes

Total Duration: Approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes