Series 421 - Anthony Reid's papers on Southeast Asian Studies

Professor Anthony Reid was a New Zealand-born historian of Southeast Asia. He received a PhD from Cambridge University for research examining the power struggles in northern Sumatra, Indonesia, in the late 19th century and he extended this study into a book 'The Blood of the People' on the national and social revolutions in that region 1945-49. He is best known for his two volume book 'The Age of Commerce', developed during his time at the Australian National University in Canberra. His later work includes a return to Sumatra where he strongly advocated a historical basis for the separate identity of Aceh. Reid was Professor of Southeast Asia History at University of Malaya (1965–70), then Fellow (1970-74), Senior Fellow (1974-88) and Professor of Southeast Asian History (1989-99) at the Australian National University. He was the founding director of the Southeast Asia Center, University of California, Los Angeles, 1999–2002, and then founding director of the Asia Research Institute at the National University of Singapore 2002-07 and Professor of Southeast Asian History and Research Leader there 2007-09. He was the founding convenor of the Asian Studies Association of Australia 1975-76 and President 1996-98. Professor Reid was an Emeritus Professor at the Australian National University.