"Building on the imperative to promote region-based Southeast Asian Studies, the Consortium for Southeast Asian Studies in Asia (SEASIA) is organizing a “Southeast Asian Studies in Asia” Conference to be held in Kyoto, Japan, on December 12-13, 2015.
Given the decline of Area Studies in many Western universities, this international conference is expected to be the first milestone in establishing an alternative academic environment with respect to the study of this highly dynamic region. The conference is an attempt at exploring new directions in re-contextualizing and re-conceptualizing Southeast Asia and Southeast Asian Studies, particularly the legacy and transition of such studies after the Cold War period."*
Keynote speakers include:
- Professor Gungwu Wang, "Toward a Region of New Nations" (View the abstract)
- Professor Pasuk Phongpaichit, "Region and Academe in Turbulent Times" (View the abstract)
The two-day conference, which features 79 panels and roundtables, will be held at the Kyoto International Conference Center in Kyoto, Japan. Over 500 scholars from 205 institutions and 26 nations are expected to take part in the conference.
Please note that registration for the conference is now closed; on-site registration will NOT be available.
"This conference, a major activity of the Consortium, will be the first of the biennial meetings that will be organized in the region over the coming years.
SEASIA brings together the leading area studies institutions in the region in a cooperative venture to provide a multilateral forum for organizing academic meetings, seminars, workshops, and symposia. SEASIA aims to promote research collaboration and networking, operate as a system for sharing information, and offer opportunities for education and training of young and up-and-coming scholars.
It also seeks to connect institutions specializing in the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities whose scholars have an interest in, and who work on or in Southeast Asia, but do not necessarily consider themselves area studies specialists."*
The Asian Center, University of the Philippines Diliman is one of the eight members of the Consortium for Southeast Asian Studies in Asia. Professor Eduardo C. Tadem of the Asian Center is a member of the Consortium's Governing Board. Two faculty of the Asian Center, Drs. Aileen Baviera and Maria Cecilia Medina will be delivering papers at the conference, as will Mr. Janus Isaac Nolasco, University Researcher and Managing Editor of Asian Studies: Journal of Critical Perspectives on Asia.
Visit the website to learn more about the Consortium for Southeast Asian Studies in Asia. *These quoted sections were taken directly from the "About the SEASIA 2015" page within the conference web page.
The Asian Center offers M.A. degrees in Asian Studies with four fields of specialization: Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and West Asia. The Center also has an M.A. program in Philippine Studies that allows students to major in Philippine society and culture, Philippine foreign relations, or Philippine development studies. The Center offers a Ph.D. program in Philippine Studies in conjunction with the College of Arts and Letters and the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy. For an overview of these graduate programs, click here. The Asian Center also publishes Asian Studies: Journal of Critical Perspectives on Asia, the latest issue of which can be downloaded at the journal's website. View recent and upcoming Lectures & Conferences and read other News & Announcements. Join our mailing list to receive invitations to lectures, conferences, etc.