Capstone Projects
As part of our mission to highlight youth perspectives from Southeast Asia and transform conversations surrounding the region, the Curation Team is proud to present to you a curated selection of Capstone Projects from our 2022 Cycle. Each of the twenty-one projects produced last cycle has been organised into four broad categories: Unity vs. Difference; Change & Adaptation; Tradition vs Modernity, and Crisis & Opportunity.
Within each category is a snapshot and summary of each project, alongside a few exceptional projects that have been published in full. Whether you are an alumni of the programme, a prospective student seeking to learn more, or simply someone who is interested in the work that we do here at the Southeast Asia Exchange, we hope that these Capstone Projects inspire you to explore new perspectives, engage in meaningful conversations, and contribute to positive change in Southeast Asia and beyond.
Unity / Difference
Change & Adaptation
There seems to be little that unites Southeast Asia, a region where countries differ wildly in their histories, languages, cultures—even their flora and fauna. Yet on closer inspection, the region is more united than one might think. On the geopolitical stage, this diversity is supposed to be crippling. Yet in Southeast Asia, our diversity is a source of strength rather than division and contention.
Young, dynamic, vibrant: that is what Southeast Asia is today, but will the region stand the test of time as it comes into its own? As the region matures, so do its people, who are more savvy than ever, and poised to seize what the future holds. In governance and industry, Southeast Asia is making strides once thought unimaginable. Time heals most things, but what if it entrenches what we would rather leave behind?
Tradition / Modernity
Crisis & Opportunity
As Southeast Asians, we often find ourselves steeped in tradition– from how we read and think, to the intricate myths we pass on from generation to generation, to even the medicine we rely on when we fall ill. Sometimes, this regional inheritance is a burdensome one– one only needs to look at the region's colonial past to know why. Yet it is this same inheritance that speaks volumes to who we are, and what we can be.
A crisis can jolt the way we see the world. As Southeast Asia faces black swan events that demand swift and effective action, some countries are able to rise to the occasion while others fall behind. In other cases, a moment of disruption means a rupture to old ways of life, and a need to embrace something new.