Comparative Studies in Tropical Epicentres in Southeast Asia

Description

From ca. 800-1400 CE, low-density agrarian states dominated Southeast Asia,
their authority emanating from their epicentres at places such as Angkor in Cambodia,
Bagan in Myanmar, and Sukhothai in Thailand. These epicentres were the setting for
numerous structures, activities, and stakeholders that became integral for the perpetuation
of the state. These states and their epicentres declined and collapsed around the same
time. As part of a larger project (the Socio-ecological Entanglement in Tropical Societies
(SETS Project), the aim of this thesis is to add to our understanding of entanglement,
resilience, and collapse in Southeast Asia. Using a relatively new method that combines
resilience and entanglement theories, this thesis presents a view of epicentral
entanglements and vulnerabilities that eventually contributed to the collapse of these
societies. The results indicate that overextended socio-ecological systems and their
growing entanglements created a loss of resilience and, when faced with change in these
systems, collapse.
Author Keywords: Angkor, Bagan, Entanglement Theory, Resilience Theory, Southeast Asia, Sukhothai