A globally respected historian from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa has earned one of the highest honors in her field, recognizing decades of scholarship that reshaped how the world understands Southeast Asia.
Professor emerita Barbara Watson Andaya received the Distinguished Contributions to Asian Studies award from the Association for Asian Studies (AAS), a leading international organization dedicated to advancing research and teaching on Asia.
Andaya is widely known for her work on early modern Southeast Asia. Over the course of her career, her research has significantly influenced how historians interpret the region’s history and cultural development.
“Professor Barbara Andaya has been a true academic treasure to UH Mānoa during her career, and we are absolutely delighted to see her hard work and devotion recognized by our international association,” said Miriam Stark, director of the UH Mānoa Center for Southeast Asian Studies.
Early Path
Known to many as “Barb,” Andaya grew up in Sydney, Australia. With parents involved in science and academia, she developed an early interest in education and research. She earned degrees in history and education from the University of Sydney and began her professional career as a high school teacher.
A shift in curriculum eventually brought her to UH Mānoa, where she completed her master’s degree in Southeast Asian history as an East-West Center fellow. She later joined the faculty and was promoted to full professor in 1996.
Research Impact
Her scholarly expertise centers on the Malay-Indonesian world. Since 2014, she has published more than 30 works, including The Flaming Womb, which was recognized as an outstanding academic title. She also served as director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies from 2000 to 2006.
UH Press Honors
The recognition comes alongside additional accolades tied to UH. Two titles from the University of Hawaiʻi Press books, Even in the Rain: Uyghur Music in Modern China and Epistemology of the Past: Texts, History, and Intellectuals of Cambodia, received 2026 Association for Asian Studies prizes.
