Jeremy Cowan

Professor Jeremy Cowan CBE
Born	Charles Donald Cowan (1923-11-18)18 November 1923
Died	3 September 2013(2013-09-03) (aged 89)
Nationality	British
Other names	C. D. Cowan
Occupation	Academic
Known for	Director of SOAS University of London
Academic work
Discipline	Historian
Sub-discipline	Modern history
Institutions	SOAS University of London
Main interests	Modern Southeast Asia

Charles D. Cowan (1923–2013), normally known as Jeremy Cowan, was a British historian and academic administrator. He was the Director of the School of Oriental and African Studies in London during 1976–1989.

Jeremy Cowan was a historian of modern Southeast Asia. Under Cowas's leadership at SOAS, a Japan Research Centre was founded in 1978, a Centre of Music Studies in 1979, and a Centre for Art and Archaeology in 1981. As Director of SOAS, he had to deal with state funding cuts under the Margaret Thatcher government in the early 1980s, and many scholars were lost from the institution as a result. In 1986, the Parker Report, commissioned by the UK University Grants Committee to assess Asian and African study needs, criticized these cuts. Thus, in 1987–88, funding was provided for 18 new posts together with additional library support.

Cowan's portrait was painted by Richard Stone. He was awarded a CBE.

Books

• Cowan, C.D. (1962). Nineteenth Century Malaya The Origins of British Political Control. Oxford University Press.

• Cowan, C.D. (1963). South East Asian History in London (Inaugural Lecture). University of London S.O.A.S. ISBN 978-0901877550. {{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
• Cowan, C.D., ed. (2005). The Economic Development of China and Japan. Routledge. ISBN 978-0415381512.