Dr. Trent Walker

Biography

Trent Walker is an Assistant Professor in Southeast Asian Studies and Thai at the University of Michigan, specializing in Theravada Buddhism. His research interests encompass Buddhism, literature, music, and culture across Southeast Asia, focusing predominantly on Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. His scholarly work spans from the medieval period to contemporary practices, particularly in handwritten materials such as bark-paper documents, palm-leaf manuscripts, and stone inscriptions. He has a deep engagement with language sources including Thai, Khmer, Lanna, Lao, Pali, Sanskrit, Tai Khün, Tai Lue, Shan, and Vietnamese. His publications include 'Nirvana’s Time: Buddhist Songs of Cambodia' and he co-edited ‘Shadows of Angkor: Cambodian Poetry, Prose, and Performance Through the Ages’. Walker's teaching is rooted in South and Southeast Asian texts, exploring themes of language, religion, and meaning through song and poetry. He aims to build bridges between various art forms within the context of Southeast Asian diasporas, emphasizing the importance of musical genres in understanding these themes.

Research Interests