Paul Hacker

Paul Hacker (1913–1999) was a renowned scholar of Southeast Asian history and culture, particularly focusing on Indonesia and the Philippines. He was a professor and writer who studied how local traditions, religions, and languages shaped the region's societies. Hacker emphasized understanding Southeast Asian history from the perspective of the local cultures themselves, rather than through Western interpretations alone. His work contributed to a deeper appreciation of the complexity and diversity of Asian civilizations, helping to promote respectful cross-cultural understanding and challenging simplified Western narratives about the region.