Vicente L.
Rafael, a Filipino historian and professor of Southeast Asian history at the University of Washington, Seattle, died on February 21, 2026. He was 70.
Rafael received his B.A. in history and philosophy from Ateneo de Manila University in 1977 and his Ph.D. in history from Cornell University in 1984. Before joining the University of Washington, he taught at the University of California, San Diego, and the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He also sat on advisory boards of Cultural Anthropology and Public Culture at the time of his death.
Vicente L. Rafael (February 16, 1956 – February 21, 2026) was a Filipino author and academic who was professor of Southeast Asian history at the University of Washington, Seattle. He received his B.A. in history and philosophy from Ateneo de Manila University in 1977 and his Ph.D. in history at Cornell University in 1984. Prior to teaching at the University of Washington, Rafael taught at the University of California, San Diego and the University of Hawaii at Manoa. At the time of his death, he sat on advisory boards of Cultural Anthropology, Public Culture, and positions.