Harry Jindrich Benda (October 28, 1919 – October 26, 1971) was a Czechoslovakian-born American full professor at Yale University. He specialised in Indonesian politics.^[1]

Born to a Jewish family in Liberec, Czechoslovakia, he was sent to Java by his father to escape Nazism.^[2][3][4] He was the first director of the Institute for Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore.^[5]

The Association for Asian Studies' prize for first book in Southeast Asian studies is named in his honour.^[6]

Benda emigrated to the United States, becoming a naturalised citizen in 1960.^[7] He died in New Haven, Connecticut on October 26, 1971, at the age of 51.^[8]

Books

• Benda, Harry J. The Crescent and the Rising Sun: Indonesian Islam Under the Japanese Occupation, 1942–1945. Dordrecht [etc.: Foris Publications, 1983. ISBN 9789067650496.'
• Benda, Harry J. Japanese Military Administration in Indonesia. New Haven: Yale University Southeast Studies, 1965
• Benda, Harry J, and John A. Larkin. The World of Southeast Asia: Selected Historical Readings. New York: Harper & Row, 1967 OCLC 610671749
• Benda, Harry J, and Ruth T. McVey. The Communist Uprisings of 1926-1927 in Indonesia: Key Documents. Jakarta: Equinox Pub, 2009. ISBN 9786028397254
• Bastin, John, and Harry J. Benda. A History of Modern Southeast Asia: Colonialism, Nationalism, and Decolonization. Sydney  : Prentice-Hall of Australia, 1977. ISBN 9780724805532
• Benda, Harry J. Peasant Movements in Colonial Southeast Asia. New Haven, Conn: Yale University, Southeast Asia Studies, 1966.
• Benda, Harry J, and Adrienne Suddard. Continuity and Change in Southeast Asia: Collected Journal Articles of Harry J. Benda. New Haven: Yale Univ. Southeast Asia Studies, 1972
• Benda, Harry J. Continuity and Change in Indonesian Islam. New Haven, Conn: Yale University, Southeast Asia Studies, 1965
  • translated into Indonesian by Taufik Abdullah. as Islam Di Indonesia: Sepintas Lalu Tentang Beberapa Segi. Jakarta: Tintamas, 1974.
• McVey, Ruth T, Adrienne Suddard, and Harry J. Benda. Southeast Asian Transitions: Approaches Through Social History. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1978.
• Benda, Harry J. The Samin Movement. New Haven: Connecticut, 1969