Kee Howe Yong

Kee Howe Yong is an Associate Professor of Anthropology at McMaster University. His research focuses on political conflicts, ethnic relations, and the interplay between state power and minority communities in Southeast Asia. He is particularly known for his work on separatist movements in Thailand's far south and the historical silencing of Cold War narratives in Sarawak, Borneo. Currently, he is investigating the geopolitical and economic impacts of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Malaysia's Kuantan region, emphasizing the interplay between nation-building and environmental concerns.

Yong holds a PhD in Social Anthropology from the City University of New York. His teaching spans cultural politics, the anthropology of food, and critical studies of desire. Recent courses include ANTHROP 4CP3 (Cultural Politics of Food and Eating) and ANTHROP 720 (The Politics of Desire).

His research combines ethnographic fieldwork with historical analysis, examining topics such as regimes of fear, minority identity construction, and the transformation of nation-states under global economic shifts. His recent book Thailand's Far South: Engaging the Difficult Realities in a Recurring Conflict (2024) explores the complex dynamics of violence, memory, and governance in the region.

• Key Projects: BRI impact in Malaysia, Thailand's southern conflict, Hakka Cold War history
• Fieldwork Sites: Malaysia China Kuantan Industrial Park (MCKIP), Thailand's Patani region

Yong collaborates with environmental NGOs and local communities, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to state ethnography and the critique of neoliberal globalization.