From Orientalism to Poor Digital Humanities

Abstract This article examines the place of digital humanities (DH) within Asian studies by tracing a “middle ground” between large-scale DH projects and critical, reflexive scholarship. Through case studies in pedagogy, mapping, and artistic practice—including the Mao Kun Explorer, the Malayan Emergency Digital Map, and Eddie Wong's AI-generated Portrait of the Jungle People—the essay highlights how modest, resource-limited projects can generate innovative insights while foregrounding issues of access, sustainability, and critical inquiry. Framed through the notion of “poor digital humanities,” the article argues for approaches that embrace constraint and reflexivity while expanding the epistemic possibilities of DH in Southeast Asian contexts.