A brief introduction to the sources of and inspirations for the five essays that comprise this special-focus issue of Indonesia. The articles presented in this themed volume flow from an ambitious two-year initiative by the Association of Asian Studies (AAS) to raise the profile of Timor-Leste studies, both at AAS and in the wider North American academy. First presented at AAS’s 2017 conference (Toronto), the collection highlights the work of both established and emerging scholars and makes a timely intervention in Asian Studies by offering insights and experiences from Southeast Asia’s newest country.