Institute for Culture and Society

The University of Western Sydney, 11-13 July 2012

Call for Papers - Knowing Asia: Asian Studies in an Asian Century

• Confirmed Keynote Speakers
• Conference Program
• Registration Costs
• Convenors
• Conference Venue
• Travel and Accommodation 

The 19th Biennial Conference of the Asian Studies Association of Australia (ASAA) will be held on the Parramatta Campus of the University of Western Sydney, 11 to 13 July, 2012, hosted by the University's Institute for Culture and Society, the School of Humanities and Communication Arts, and the Centre for the Study of Contemporary Muslim Societies. The theme is ‘Knowing Asia: Asian Studies in an Asian Century’.

In the past few decades massive economic, political, social and cultural transformations have taken place in the region known as Asia. In the process, it has acquired an increasingly prominent place in the world. Whether or not this ‘rise of Asia’ merits talk about a coming ‘Asian century’, it is clear that the historical context for the study of Asia has irrevocably changed.

Four major considerations are at play here. First, increasing globalisation has led to growing interpenetration and interdependence between different parts of the world. This problematises prevailing boundaries, not least those between ‘Asia’ and ‘the West’.

Cross-border interactions and transnational connections across and beyond the region are now vital determinants of local and national conditions in all parts of Asia. As a consequence, now more than ever, such local and national situations cannot be meaningfully studied without consideration of the constitutive role of the broader regional and global context. At the same time, studies of global significance must increasingly include studies of what is occurring in Asia.

Second, economic development throughout the region has given rise to the emergence of complex and vibrant new societies for which descriptors as ‘traditional’ or ‘postcolonial’ are inadequate, and whose understanding can no longer be pursued through using Western modernity as a benchmark. These societies are becoming modern in their own ways, requiring new concepts and tools for analysis.

Third, these recent transformations have led to a burgeoning interest in studying Asia among scholars who do not call themselves ‘Asianists’, for example in cultural and media studies, gender and sexuality studies, and human and urban geography. Thus, while specialist area studies and the disciplinary cores of political science, history, languages and so forth remain central, intellectual engagement with Asia has widened considerably.

Fourth, and crucially, as modern Asian societies mature there are new generations of Asian scholars who conduct research and scholarship on and within their own societies, establishing their own, intraregional scholarly networks. For these scholars, Asia is not ‘other’, as is still often the case for Western scholars.

In short, as Asia becomes an increasingly prominent, complex and self-confident region in the world, the meanings and potentials of ‘knowing Asia’ require fundamental rethinking at multiple levels.

The conference will encourage reflection on the implications of these shifts on the field of Asian studies, both in Australia and internationally. In this light, we are seeking panel proposals which are organised around themes. At the same time, the conference will be open to general papers as well as area-specific panels.

Possible themes include (in no particular order):

• ‘Chindia’ in the 21st century: myth or reality?
• New Asian hegemonies?
• Transnational Asia: the role of English
• Transport, mobility and tourism
• Australia – Asia interactions
• Translating texts, translating culture
• Nations and their boundaries in a global age
• Gender, sexuality and queer studies
• The politics of heritage, nature and the environment
• Sport and society in Asia 
• Urban cultures and social transformation
• Asian regionalism   
• Race, ethnicity and multiculturalisms
• Technology and society 
• Media and popular culture
• Asian modernities  
• Cultural diplomacy and cultural policy
• Religion and secularism
• Asian Studies in Australian universities.

Confirmed Keynote Speakers 

Professor Lily Kong

Vice-President (University and Global Relations), and Acting Exec Vice-President (Academic Affairs), Yale-NUS College, National University of Singapore, Singapore

Professor Jie-Hyun Lim

Professor of History, Director of the Research Institute of Comparative History and Culture, Hanyang University, Seoul

Professor Prasenjit Duara

Raffles Professor of Humanities, Director, Asia Research Institute, and Director of Research, Humanities & Social Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore

Conference Program

A Postgraduate Forum is currently being organised to take place on Tuesday 10 July, from 10am to 4pm, as a pre-conference activity. Postgraduate students who register to attend the ASAA conference can attend the forum at no extra charge. For further details and to register to attend this event, please contact Bettina Roesler on b.roesler@uws.edu.au.

We will be publishing draft versions of the conference program as we develop it. Please keep checking the site for changes.

Registration Costs

Registrations are open and will close on Friday 6 July. Please note that Early Bird registration has now closed. Registration costs are as follows:

• Full registration $550 (with ASAA members’ discount $500)
• Postgraduate students and unwaged $300 (with ASAA members’ discount $250). (Includes pre-conference Postgraduate Forum on Tuesday 10 July. See conference program for details).
• One day registration $250
• Conference dinner (Thursday 12 July) $100.
  

To qualify for the ASAA member discount, become a member or renew your membership on the ASAA's website (opens in a new window).

Conference attendance support

The ASAA has generously allocated funding towards the costs of participation for postgraduate student members presenting a paper at the conference. The number of awards is limited and the following conditions apply:

• Applicants must be current Postgraduate students and members of the ASAA
• Applicants must be unable to obtain financial support from their home institutions.
• Each award offers up to $500 per person to assist with transport, accommodation or registration fees.
• The awarded amount will be issued to the successful applicants at the event.
• Applications must be supported by the student’s principal supervisor.

To apply, please submit the completed application form (opens in a new window)(Word, 317KB) to Judith Snodgrass at j.snodgrass@uws.edu.au. The closing date for applications 11 June 2012.

Convenors

The conference has been convened by Associate Professor Judith Snodgrass (School of Humanities and Communication Arts), Distinguished Professor Ien Ang and Dr Tim Winter (both from the Institute for Culture and Society).

For further information please contact Project Coordinator Silvia Martinez at s.martinez@uws.edu.au or Associate Professor Judith Snodgrass at j.snodgrass@uws.edu.au 

Conference Venue

The conference is taking place at the University of Western Sydney’s historic Parramatta Campus, in the heart of the Greater Sydney Metropolitan Area. Please see the Parramatta Campus map (opens in a new window)for your information.

The Parramatta Campus is a short bus ride and only 30 minutes’ walk from the Parramatta CBD (opens in a new window), which is a thriving urban centre located on the banks of the Parramatta River. For more information on the city and what cultural and dining options will be available to you, you may want to review the Discover Parramatta (opens in a new window)website.  

Travel and Accommodation

The best ways of getting between Parramatta and the airport are by taxi or train.

Taxi: Allow around 60 minutes by taxi (please expect a longer trip if travelling during peak hour)

Train: The train costs between $15-$20 from the airport to Parramatta. (Please note that a change may be required at Central station). See CityRail (opens in a new window)for timetables, fare calculators and any other information.

There are several transport options available in getting between Parramatta and UWS’s Parramatta Campus. See UWS's Getting to Uni page for more information.

You will find some hotel booking options included in the online registration system. Whether you choose these option or not, we recommend you stay in the Parramatta CBD area. You will have many transport options to reach the UWS Campus, as well as the best dining and entertainment options to relax after the conference. If you wish to stay within walking distance of the campus, you may wish to seek accommodation at UWS Village (opens in a new window).