Course Details
9790: Thailand Deciphered: Temples, History and Place in the Globalized Age
February 9-12
1:45 PM -
3:15 PM
In-Person
In this course, we’ll explore the rich history and culture of Thailand: spirits that inhabit trees and rice fields, a king who offered elephants to President Buchanan, a present-day border war driven by six centuries of rivalry. Founded as a small inland kingdom, it became a vast regional power and center of faith and learning. In more recent times, it staved off colonial rule but got locked into rule by its own military. It gave vital help to the United States in the Vietnam War. We’ll examine how in today’s Thailand, those many spirits co-exist with Buddhism and lingering Hinduism, the economy is going global, and the riverside capital Bangkok ranks among the world’s great cities—12 million people and counting.
Class Type: Reading and Discussion
Class Format: In-Person
Hours of Reading: No reading
Study Group Leader(s):
John BurgessJohn Burgess is an American author and journalist with a long interest in Thailand. He first lived there in the 1960s as a high school student. In the 1970s and 1980s, he worked there as a reporter. Since taking an early retirement from The Washington Post in 2008, he has returned frequently. Burgess is also a specialist in Cambodia, having written five books about the country’s Angkor civilization. With a Thai spirit house in the front yard, he lives in Washington, DC with his wife Karen.