Cultivating Pacific Studies in Koʻolauloa

Abstract

Pacific Studies is an interdisciplinary field that began in the twentieth century in Australia, Aotearoa, and the United States (Mawyer et al., 2020). The field sought to understand the area and region of Oceania, but later, many scholars took more critical approaches to Pacific Studies. These approaches have provided more perspectives from those connected to and in relation to Oceania. The authors provide a historical account of Pacific Studies being introduced into Hawaiʻi (first within the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and the University of Hawaiʻi-West Oʻahu) to then illustrate how it has become situated within the Koʻolauloa region of Oʻahu where Brigham Young University-Hawaiʻi (BYUH) is located. The purpose of sharing this historical account of Pacific Studies in Hawaiʻi, and more specifically BYUH, is to provide invaluable insights into the evolution of the academic discipline. There is a deeper appreciation for the present state of Pacific Studies and its potential future direction when past decisions and outcomes are recognized and understood within institutions and places. The authors look forward to fostering transparency, critical reflection, and informing decision-making processes to enhance the relevance and effectiveness of the Pacific Studies field.