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 invites graduate students (MA and PhD students) to submit abstracts to "The 2019 Graduate Students’ Conference @ UP Asian Center," which will be held on 23 November 2019, 8 am to 12 noon, Asian Center, University of the Philippines Diliman.

ABOUT THE CONFERENCE

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?

TOPICS

To address these concerns, we invite graduate students (masters and PhD) currently enrolled in any Philippine university to submit abstracts (c. 300 words) that relate with but not limited to the following sub-themes:

• Internet and Society
• Environment and Technology
• Socio-Cultural Change
• Political and Economic Issues
• Health, Gender, and Technology
• Defense and Security
• Labor and Migration
• Business and Finance
• Science and Knowledge Production

DEADLINES and DATES TO REMEMBER

• Submission of abstracts: October 18 (Friday, 5 pm)
• Announcement of accepted abstracts: October 25 (Friday)
• Submission of full paper: November 8 (Friday)

Papers must be original and previously unpublished. Full paper guidelines will be announced later.

AWARDS

• Best Paper, Best Presentation, and Best Presenter

SUBMISSION PROCESS

Please fill out this online submission form and submit your abstracts as a Word document (please include your name on the file): This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.


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 atthe journal's website. For other news and upcoming events at the Asian Center, click here