Dr Tilman Frasch
Reader in Asian History
My profile
Biography
Words of wisdom
Whenever I want to read good fiction, I always choose a history book.
Academic and professional qualifications
I studied South Asian History, Indian Languages (Indology) and European History at Heidelberg University, where I also gained my MA and PhD degrees with dissertations on the early history of Myanmar (Burma). After teaching at Heidelberg University and holding research fellowships at Manchester and Singapore I joined MMU in 2006.
Other academic service (administration and management)
Dept. Ethics Coordinator (History)
Member of the Peer Review College (HRC)
Member of the Faculty International Group
Member and Panel Chair of the Student Grants Commission, Academic Foundation of the Protestant Churches in Germany (Evang. Studienwerk Villigst)
Board Member and Trustee, Association of Southeast Asian Studies in the UK
External examiner roles
SOAS London (External Examiner)
Expert reviewer for external funding bodies
Peer reviews for the Journal of Southeast Asian Studies, Modern Asian Studies, Journal of Burma Studies, Journal of Asian Studies, History and Mobility, Food and History, as well as for CUP and NIAS Press.
Community, charity and NGO links
Consultation/Advice to local and regional libraries on Burmese manuscripts, e. g. Trafford Library: http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/expert-cracks-mystery-historic-manuscript-8610847
Expert reviewer for external funding bodies
I have been invited to do peer reviews for the Swiss National Science Foundation, the Research Foundation of Flanders, the German Research Council, and the European Research Council.
Editorial Board membership
Dhau. Jahrbuch für Außereuropäische Geschichte
Internationales Asienforum/International Quarterly for Asian Studies
Membership of professional associations
Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society
Burma Studies Group
Association of Southeast Asian Scholars in the UK
Teaching
Postgraduate teaching
Case Studies in Global History
Subject areas
History
Supervision
Labour Party and the Decolonization of India (MA, cpld.)
Animals in the Burma Campaign (MA, cpld.)
British Aid and Indian Famines (MA, cpld.)
Edw. Akroyd and All Souls Church, Halifax (MA, cpld)
The Telephone in Sri Lanka, 1890s - 1930s (PhD, cpld.)
Research outputs
History of South and Southeast Asia, Buddhist Studies, urban history, history of technology, historiography and theory of history writing.
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Chapters in books
Frasch, T. (2023) 'Dhammapabbata: Der Berg in der Geschichte des Theravada-Buddhismus.' In Kasper, M., Rollinger, R., Rudigier, A., Wiesehöfer, J. (ed.) Religion in den Bergen. Vienna: Böhlau Verlag,
Frasch, T. (2023) 'Myanmar (Burmese) Epigraphy.' Handbook of Epigraphic Cultures.
Frasch, T. (2022) 'How do Empires Fall? Two Case Studies from Pre-modern Southeast Asia.' The End of Empires. Heidelberg etc.: Springer 2022,
Frasch, T. (2022) 'Coastal peripheries during the Pagan period.' The Maritime Frontier of Burma: Exploring Political, Cultural and Commercial Interaction in the Indian Ocean World, 1200-1800. pp. 59-78.
Frasch, T. (2022) 'Imperial Kingdoms in Southeast Asia: The Case of Bagan (Pagan).' In Gehler, M., Rollinger, R. (ed.) Empires to be remembered: Ancient Worlds through Modern Times. Springer Nature, pp. 379-397.
Frasch, T. (2021) 'Early Burmese Inscriptions from Bodhgaya.' In van Schaik, S., De Simone, D., Hidas, G., Willis, M. (ed.) Precious Treasures from the Diamond Throne Finds from the Site of the Buddha's Enlightenment. British Museum Press, pp. 59-64.
Frasch, T. (2021) '“In an Octopussy’s Garden”: Of Cakravartins, little kings and a new model of the early state in South and Southeast Asia.' Sharing Sovereignty: The Little Kingdom in South Asia. pp. 93-114.
Frasch, T. (2019) 'Einleitung.' In Frasch, T. (ed.) Bildpostkarten als historische Quellen der außereuropäischen Geschichte. Roehrig-Verlag, pp. 9-24.
Frasch, T. (2019) 'Das Heimweh-Fernweh-Equilibrium.' In Frasch, T. (ed.) Bildpostkarten als historische Quellen der außereuropäischen Geschichte. Roehrig-Verlag, pp. 97-115.
Frasch, T. (2018) 'The Empire at the Movies: India in Newsreels, c. 1911 to 1947.' In Edwards, S., Sayer, F., Doski, M. (ed.) Histories on Screen: The Past and Present in Anglo-American Cinema and Television. Bloomsbury,
Frasch, T. (2018) 'Myanmar Epigraphy - Current State and Future Tasks.' Writing for Eternity: A Survey of Epigraphy in Southeast Asia. EFEO Paris,
Frasch, T. (2018) 'Kontakte, Konzile, Kontroversen: Begegnungen in der Theravada-Kosmopolis, ca. 1000-1300.' In Deeg, M., Freibewrger, O., Kleine, C. (ed.) Religionsbegegnung in der asiatischen Religionsgeschichte: Kritische Reflexionen über ein etabliertes Konzept. V&R Goettingen,
Frasch, T. (2018) 'Tod aus dem Berg: Vulkane, Chroniken und Weltgeschichte „made in Asia“ (ca. 1256 bis 1470).' In Kasper, M., Rollinger, R., Rudigier, A. (ed.) Sterben in den Bergen: Realität - Inszenierung - Verarbeitung. Boehlau-Verlag Wien, pp. 75-84.
Frasch, T. (2017) 'A Pali Cosmopolis? Sri Lanka and the Theravada Buddhist Ecumene.' Sri Lanka at the Crossroads of History. UCL Press,
Frasch, T. 'Irrigation and the state in early Sri Lanka.' Konflikte um Wasserwirtschaft und Wasserrechte Vom Ende der Antike bis zur Industrialisierung. Franz Steiner Verlag,
Frasch, T.U. (2016) 'Buddhismus in Birma.' Der Buddhismus II Theravada-Buddhismus und Tibetischer Buddhismus. Kohlhammer,
Frasch, T. (2016) 'Buddhist councils in a time of transition: Globalism, modernity and the preservation of textual traditions.' A Buddhist Crossroads: Pioneer Western Buddhists and Asian Networks 1860-1960. pp. 37-50.
Frasch, T.U. (2015) 'Gebaut fuer eine Ewigkeit: Die buddhistische Architektur von Bagan.' Im Schatten von Angkor Archäologie und Geschichte Südostasiens.
Frasch, T.U., Wyke, T. (2015) 'Housing the Workers: Re-Visiting Employer Villages in Mid-19th Century Europe.' Regions, Industries and Heritage. Palgrave MacMillan,
Frasch, T. (2013) 'The relic and the rule of righteousness: Reflections on U Nu’s Dhammavijaya.' Buddhism, Modernity, and the State in Asia: Forms of Engagement. pp. 115-138.
Frasch, T.U. (2011) 'Pelagic Passageways.' In Mukherjee, R. (ed.) Pelagic Passageways.
Frasch, T.U. (2010) 'Buddha’s Tooth Relic: Contesting Rituals and the early State in Sri Lanka.' In Michaels, A. (ed.) Grammars and Morphologies of Ritual Practices in Asia. Otto Harrassowitz,
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Internet publications
Frasch, T. (2023) "Deliver their land from error's chain...". Mission und Kolonialherrschaft in Indien, 1793-1857. https://www.iaaw.hu-berlin.de/de/region/suedasien/publikationen/sachronik/02-fokus-frasch-tilman-deliver-their-land-from-error2019s-chain-mission-und-kolonialherrschaft-in-indien-1793-1857.pdf.
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Journal articles
Frasch, T. (2023) '"Deliver their Land from Error's Chain". Mission und Kolonialherrschaft in Indien, 1793-1857.' Südasien-Chronik - South Asia Chronicle, 12pp. 33-48.
Frasch, T. (2022) 'Fundamentalism and modernity: the case of Theravada.' Zeitschrift für Religion, Gesellschaft und Politik,
Edwards, B., Jeyacheya, J., Frasch, T. (2019) 'Evaluating the effectiveness of land-use zoning for the protection of built heritage in the Bagan Archaeological Zone, Myanmar. A satellite remote-sensing approach.' Land Use Policy, 88
Edwards, B., Frasch, T., Jeyacheya, J. (2019) 'Satellite imaging data analysed to evaluate the effectiveness of land-use zoning for the protection of built heritage at Bagan, Myanmar.' Data in Brief, 27
Frasch, T. (2019) 'Das Heimweh-Fernweh-Equilibrium: Bildpostkarten im Britischen Empire und Indien.' Dhau. Jahrbuch für außereuropäische Geschichte, 4pp. 97-115.
Frasch, T. 'Myanmar (Burmese) Epigraphy.' Handbook on Epigraphic Traditions of the World,
Frasch, T. 'Pyu Urns, Indian Calendars and Myanmar Culture.' Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society,
Frasch, T.U. (2014) '978-2-503-54653-7.' Food and History, 12(1) pp. 137-153.
Frasch, T. (2013) 'Buddhist councils in a time of transition: globalism, modernity and the preservation of textual traditions.' CONTEMPORARY BUDDHISM, 14(1) pp. 38-51.
Frasch, T. (2012) 'Tracks in the city: Technology, mobility and society in colonial Rangoon and Singapore.' Modern Asian Studies, 46(1) pp. 97-118.
Frasch, T. (2004) 'Urban growth in India AD 600-1200: A comment.' Urban History, 31(1) pp. 118-120.
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Scholarly editions
Frasch, T., Tropper, E., Berchiolly, C., Khan, O., Opitz, M., Hallwass, R. (2019) Postkarten als historische Quellen der Aussereuropaeischen Geschichte. Roehrig-Verlag.