The 29th SEAP Graduate Student Conference will be held on October 23-24, 2026 at Cornell University’s Kahin Center for Advanced Research on Southeast Asia in Ithaca, New York, and on Zoom.

Please direct any questions to seapconference29@gmail.com.

La Gran Palestina documentary essay serves as a follow-up to the first installment, titled *Gaza: The Extermination Strip*. Through firsthand accounts, it portrays the journeys of people returning to Gaza after the ceasefire was announced, as well as their experiences when attacks resumed in a place that was supposed to be safe for them. The director created this documentary to expose the extreme violence afflicting the territory and the resilience of the Palestinian people.

Rafael Rangel is a Mexican filmmaker and documentarian known for his focus on "experiential cinema" and impactful social issues. His most notable work includes the documentary trilogy on Palestine, comprising *Gaza, la franja del exterminio* (2024) and *La gran Palestina* (2025/2026).

Kaja McGowan will convene a two-day symposium exploring how Indonesian artists understand the relationship between land and sea. Presented in conjunction with the exhibition Nyegara-Gunung, the program will include a keynote, performance, artist dialogue, an installation of new acquisitions, and workshops featuring Wayan Kun Adnyana, Peni Candra Rini, Citra Sasmita, I Gusti Nyoman Sudarta, and the Momenta Quartet, with musical direction by Christopher J. Miller.

Photo:

Ida Bagus Madé Poleng

Indonesian, 1915–1999

Ceremony by the Sea, ca. 1968

Tempera on canvas

Collection of the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University

Acquired through the George and Mary Rockwell Fund; 2018.061

Image courtesy of the Johnson Museum

Come learn more about our winter study abroad in Cambodia, lunch provided. In collaboration with the Center for Khmer Studies (CKS), Cornell's Southeast Asia (SEAP, Einaudi) Study Abroad program in Cambodia will provide an in-depth focus on the cultural heritage of Cambodia both past and present. This highly interactive course will focus on Cambodian heritage past and present — how it's been created in the past, including the city of Angkor, and how that heritage and history is understood and engaged today. We will visit historical sites as well as museums and other relevant sites, including performances, where history is remembered and engaged.

Come learn more about our winter study abroad in Cambodia. In collaboration with the Center for Khmer Studies (CKS), Cornell's Southeast Asia (SEAP, Einaudi) Study Abroad program in Cambodia will provide an in-depth focus on the cultural heritage of Cambodia both past and present. This highly interactive course will focus on Cambodian heritage past and present — how it's been created in the past, including the city of Angkor, and how that heritage and history is understood and engaged today. We will visit historical sites as well as museums and other relevant sites, including performances, where history is remembered and engaged.

Talk by Sharif Hozoori (Visiting Lecturer, Government)

Legitimacy is essential for all political regimes, whether democratic or authoritarian. This has been true for various authoritarian regimes throughout Afghanistan’s modern history and for the current Taliban regime as well. In this study, I focus on Afghanistan and the Taliban as a case study to examine how the group constructs its legitimacy.

The paper begins by outlining the theoretical framework, followed by a historical review of political legitimacy in Afghanistan. It then examines whether the Taliban regime is authoritarian, analyzes its strategy for constructing legitimacy, and explores the challenges facing its legitimation process. Finally, the paper concludes with key findings.

Sharif Hozoori holds a Ph.D. in International Relations from the Centre for International Politics, Organization and Disarmament (CIPOD), School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Before the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, he served as a professor of International Relations, teaching undergraduate and graduate students in Afghanistan. He is currently a Visiting Lecturer in the Department of Government at Cornell University. His research focuses on the politics of Central Asia, Afghanistan’s domestic politics and foreign policy, and identity politics.