Globalization, Local Knowledge, and the Growth of Ignorance: The Epistemic Construction of Reality

The Southeast Asian Journal of Social Science (SEAJSS) had a predecessor in the form of a student journal, published irregularly in the early 1970s. In 1973, it transformed into a professional journal under the expert guidance of Peter Chen, and with the active encouragement of the then head of department. Since then the journal, throughout its 25 years of existence, has been at the forefront of developing a distinct Southeast Asian social science. The growing number of research institutes and universities, academic journals, consulting firms and local experts disseminating, applying and creating knowledge underline the importance of regional knowledge in a global setting. A journal like the SEAJSS has a major role to play in this context.