Perhaps one of the most important aspects of studying the colonial period in Southeast Asia, especially from the activities of Europe in juxtaposition to Asia, is recognizing the general thoughts of individual lives and communities during this period. A lot of colonialism had taken place between Asian countries like China and Vietnam—and countries like France were able to take advantage of these sentiments in their conquests and occupation of these areas. Understanding the financial systems put in place by European governments like Britain and France also allows scholars to peek into the intentions of colonialism and how the colonized were perceived by the colonizers. 

These topics cover communities spanning East Malaysia to Singapore and Brunei, expanding on the establishment of trading companies that reaped resources from local areas and post–World War II sentiment, in which many countries under British rule suffered greatly and would not be adequately defended by their colonizers. Not only are moments like this vital to studying colonial states and how these entities have shaped the modern world, but they also provide insight into what teachers can focus on to educate scholars in developing a better tomorrow. 

Although it is easier to view colonial activity through the actions of the past, it also allows the actors of the present to prevent the same mistakes. This series can expand any collection to further aid research in colonialism from subjects similar to the Franco-Siamese War and other clashes between Eastern and Western powers that would shape regional conflict and development for decades to come. Every library can benefit from elaborating on vital points in history with primary and secondary documents immersing scholarship into real-world application through real-world experience. 

TOPICS COVERED:

• Chinese communities in East Malaysia
• Colonialism in Southeast Asia
• The European colonization of Southeast Asia
• The Cobbold Commission and Federation of Malaysia
• Coexistence of sultans, rajahs, trading companies, and British governors or residents
• Communism in Asia and the perceived threat by the British government
• Details of political parties and their activities
• Establishment of trading companies to exploit local resources—notably the British North Borneo Company, known as the “British East India Company” of Southeast Asia
• The fallout from the failure of Britain to defend Singapore and now Malaysia from the Japanese in World War II, which destroyed its credibility as an infallible ruler in the eyes of the local people during colonialism in Southeast Asia
• Indigenous Peoples
• Sultans in Brunei retaining the throne during the British protectorate
• Trade; exports; and the development of the rubber, timber, oil,  coal, electricity, railway, fishing, and banking industries
• Transfer of power from local sultans to colonial rule and colonial rule to independence
• The “White Rajahs”