Royce Novak is a historian of modern Southeast Asia specializing in legal, social and environmental history. His research focuses on the history of prisons and prisoners in colonial and Cold War Indonesia and Vietnam. His current project explores the history of prison islands in modern Indonesia and Vietnam, theorizing these sites as a distinct carceral form that has played a significant role in both state-building and revolution. Novak’s research focuses on continuities bridging colonial and postcolonial carceral practices and connecting them to their contemporary legacies. Besides his research on prison islands, Novak also conducts research on “comfort women” and literature in Southeast Asia.
Novak began his studies on Southeast Asia at Cornell University as an undergraduate before attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he received an M.A. and Ph.D. in Southeast Asian history. Before coming to Kenyon, he taught at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota. His work has appeared in the Journal of Asian Studies and the Journal of Vietnamese Studies.
Currently, Novak teaches courses on the histories of Southeast Asia and Vietnam. For the latest updates on Novak’s publications, please visit kenyon.academia.edu/RoyceNovak.
Areas of Expertise
Modern Southeast Asia, especially Indonesia and Vietnam; imperialism and colonialism; legal and carceral history; environmental history
Education
2022 — Doctor of Philosophy from Univ of Wisconsin-Madison
2022 — Master of Arts from Univ of Wisconsin-Madison
2013 — Bachelor of Science from Cornell University
2013 — Bachelor of Arts from Cornell University