Wherever I am, the world comes after me.
It offers me its busyness. It does not believe that I do not want it.
Now I understand 
why the old poets of China went so far
and high 
into the mountains, then crept into the pale mist.
"The Old Poets of China" by Mary Oliver

The UP Asian Center will hold the "Asia 4.0: The 2019 Graduate Students' Conference" on 23 November 2019, 8 am to 4 pm, at the UP Asian Center, QC. The event is free and open to the public. Seating is first come, first served. Walk-ins are welcome, but participants are encouraged to sign up. 

Theme

What does the “Fourth Industrial Revolution” mean for societies in Asia? Rapid globalization alongside unprecedented integration of the digital, physical, and biological spheres—hallmarks of the so-called “Fourth Industrial Revolution” (Industry 4.0)—are projected to cause massive shifts in economies and societies across the world (Schwab, 2016). While “Industry 4.0” promises greater productivity and connectivities, it also threatens to disrupt conventional production patterns through automation and digitization. What do these technological disruptions mean for Asia’s more than four billion inhabitants many of whom still rely on traditional modes of production? What roles do state and non-state actors play in “Industry 4.0”? What risks and opportunities become available as big data, blockchain technology, artificial intelligence, smartphones, and robotics are increasingly used and integrated in various industries including finance, health, and military among others? How are social identities (re)configured as countries and communities converge in various and novel ways, including and most notably, through the internet and the virtual world?

Program, Panels, and Presentations

Download Program and Book of Abstracts (PDF)

*Please note that the presentation on Filipinos in Cambodia will no longer push through

Happy 64th Birthday, UP Asian Center!